How A Mythical Holy Knight Lives As A Villain (Novel) - Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Following Kang-in, Go Min-ji strolled through the Blade Guild building.
“I feel ashamed to have brought you to such a place,” Kang-in said, walking ahead with his back fully exposed.
Kang-in, a former ranker, was undoubtedly strong. Even without considering the possibility of a break after retirement, it was clear that Go Min-ji, who held a high rank in the U.S., was strong as well.
But even with his magical power sealed and his back exposed, Min-ji couldn’t find any openings in Kang-in.
‘His openings are hard to see.’
If she were to attack his exposed back, it felt like something irreversible would happen.
‘What happened to him?’
Kang-in, who had retired after losing both legs, was now perfectly fine and even claimed to be the leader of the Black Crown. He had become so strong that it was hard to believe he was the same person who had been through so much.
“……”
The corpses lining the path.
And they were…
“Demon Beasts. No……”
Kang-in spoke.
“You know about Demon Stones, right?”
Min-ji shuddered.
She had noticed something unusual in the U.S. A new type of drug, traded very secretly in the underworld, far more active than in South Korea.
What set it apart from other drugs was that it didn’t just induce hallucinations.
“Or……”
It was rumored to grant immense power and abilities, leading the user to ruin.
“Curse Objects.”
Curse Objects, infamous from the Goldian incident.
“These are the remains of those who messed with such things.”
Most of the corpses were ordinary, but a few were different.
They no longer seemed human, as if parts of monsters had been mixed in.
With her heightened senses, Min-ji could feel the ominous aura emanating from them even without Kang-in’s explanation.
“So……?”
Min-ji asked sharply.
“……Ha, I won’t say anything for now. Let’s meet the person we need to meet and talk then.”
Her mind was a tangled mess, and she felt that meeting someone at the end of this corridor might help clear it up.
And then.
“……You can go in.”
In front of the Blade Guild leader’s office, Kang-in stepped back.
“Aren’t you coming with me?”
“I might interfere with your meeting. My role was only to escort you here.”
What on earth?
Why was Kang-in, who claimed to be the leader of the Black Crown, which practically controlled the entire South Korean underworld, being so deferential?
If what he said was true.
“……”
The person behind this door was the true mastermind who even Kang-in bowed to.
‘A villain.’
Someone even worse than a villain.
“Alright.”
Min-ji slowly opened the door.
“Ugh, ugh……”
The pungent smell of blood hit her, and the groans of what seemed to be the Blade Guild leader reached her ears.
And then.
Crash.
Her worst fears were confirmed.
“……Explain.”
Her head spun, and her vision darkened as if she might collapse.
Even though Min-ji, a superhuman among superhumans, wouldn’t fall from something like this.
“Explain! Go Johan!”
That was truly how Min-ji felt.
*
*
*
Following Kang-in, she found Go Johan standing there, with the presumed Blade Guild leader kneeling before him.
Silver-white hair, sky-blue eyes.
If this was some trick to deceive her, Min-ji would have noticed.
But there was something in those eyes, something she couldn’t mistake for anyone else, even though it had been a long time since she’d seen Johan.
“Explain……”
Min-ji said, her voice trembling.
The Black Crown, the true villains of this era, were following Johan’s orders?
Was the Forest annihilation incident also Johan’s doing?
“Explain… it!”
Min-ji shouted, her eyes wide.
“The Blade Guild was trading Demon Beasts from China,” Johan’s voice came.
“Gate Break, Russia’s Black Land, Black Gate. Things got noisy, and the Black Crown had to step away for a while.”
Johan looked at the Blade Guild leader.
“By the time the Black Crown noticed and tried to act, the Blade Guild had already distributed the Demon Beasts to their guild members……”
The seeds of demonic beasts, used to enhance the guild members’ strength.
Though it was called enhancement, it was just the power of demonic possession.
And.
“The leader himself took in a Demon Seed, consuming everything from his guild members.”
“……”
“Do you feel sorry for the guild members? You might. But Demon Beasts……”
Johan twisted his lips into a smile.
A very self-deprecating smile.
“It’s not something you can control. Once you’re possessed by a Demon Beast, it’s over. Unless you have the will and ability to break free……”
At that moment.
Clang.
The Blade Guild leader’s head fell to the ground, rolling.
“The Black Crown took care of it.”
“……Johan.”
“I’m still thinking about how to deal with China. They’re deeply rooted, so it’s hard to decide where to start.”
“Johan!”
“Forest stole the Curse Object during the last South Korean Black Gate incident.”
Johan gestured.
Fizz.
The Blade Guild leader completely disappeared.
“Black Crown?”
Johan looked at Min-ji.
She instinctively shrunk back.
The madness in Johan’s eyes made her heart shrink just by looking at him.
But.
Crash.
She clenched her fist and stopped trembling.
“They’re grateful people. They gave everything to root out the Demon Seeds and went into the shadows.”
She was Min-ji.
“I leaked information about the Black Crown to the Association. Sister had to return from the U.S., and the U.S. is already a battlefield.”
“You……”
“Those already possessed by demons have gone deeper into the shadows, or are active in the light somewhere. From where to where. Deciding that is why the U.S. is still dangerous.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
Min-ji said.
“Do you expect me to believe that? And……”
Johan’s sister.
“Why are you the one doing this!”
This was driving Min-ji crazy.
She felt like crying.
Ever since she was a child, there was something special and unique about him.
“Black Crown?”
A pitiful child.
“It makes sense… you took the high school equivalency exam, that trip to find you, and the Pure White incident when you were in middle school……”
Min-ji.
“It all makes sense. You were recruited by the Black Crown back then, weren’t you? That’s why you joined them. Your power too… the Demon Seeds, Curse Objects, all that. They created it.”
She was smart.
“Damn it… these b*st*rd. I’ll kill them all. How dare they… how dare they do this to my brother.”
“Sister is smart. With the information given, she can make plausible assumptions.”
“Johan.”
“So you’ll know.”
Min-ji and Johan locked eyes.
“That what I’m saying is true, that I wouldn’t do such things if someone had recruited me. That I……”
Johan’s voice was soft but.
“Created the Black Crown.”
It came like thunder.
*
*
*
In the fight with Kartul, Johan remembered something he had forgotten.
It was his faith in the goddess, and also his purpose.
‘Demons.’
They must all be eradicated.
To do that, he would become a villain, even a demon.
Crash.
These were the problems.
The divine, that warm space, had changed much about Johan.
It tempered his anger and resentment, making him hesitate.
That shouldn’t have happened.
‘I am the goddess’s knight.’
The one and only knight of the goddess.
“I can’t believe it.”
Even if it wasn’t for that, he thought he would have become like this eventually.
No, he had to become like this.
He couldn’t let others bear the hardships, anguish, and humiliation he had started.
He had to take responsibility for what he began.
“You have to believe.”
“I can’t… believe it.”
“Why am I doing this?”
At Johan’s words, Min-ji looked up at him.
“Because I opened the door.”
“……?”
“I summoned the demons.”
“……!”
“To kill them all.”
And then.
Thud.
Min-ji drew the greatsword from her back.
“……Alright, what you’re saying might be true.”
A flame flickered in Min-ji’s eyes.
“But no. You’ve been deceived by the Black Crown. And… the Demon Seeds, yes, the Demon Seeds. Infected? Or the Curse Object… no, the demons. Possessed by those from the Black Gate. When you were a child, without us knowing… maybe that Incheon villa.”
Whoosh!
Flames rose in her eyes.
“I’ll bring you back to your senses. I’ll… as your sister.”
Buzz.
“I’ll bring you back.”
In an instant.
Min-ji’s sword swung towards Johan’s neck.
Clang!
With the clash, Min-ji stepped back, a crack appearing on her greatsword.
Even though it was a unique-grade item.
Crack.
It couldn’t withstand Johan’s strike and was about to shatter.
“I’ll save you……!”
Yet, Min-ji swung her sword again.
“Save you.”
Thud.
The greatsword was caught in Johan’s grip.
In the next moment.
Crack!
The cracked sword finally shattered.
“…….”
Johan said nothing.
Thud.
Min-ji collapsed to the ground.
“……This is insane. This is really… insane.”
The reason she attacked Johan was simple.
She wanted to see his reaction when she truly tried to kill him.
But.
“You……”
Johan showed no hostility towards her at any moment.
He wasn’t being used.
Truly, Johan was.
“Just what……”
Acting on his own will.
“I can’t coexist with the divine. I am the true villain of this era.”
Words that sounded like a joke.
“I wanted to tell you… at least one thing……”
Just as Johan was special to Min-ji, she was special to him too.
“I wanted you to know.”
With those words, Johan walked away.
Min-ji, who had collapsed.
“Min-ji!”
Remained seated until Kim Da-yeon arrived much later.
“Huh… huh… haaaang!”
She burst into tears.