How A Mythical Holy Knight Lives As A Villain (Novel) - Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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“I clearly stated it.”
Finally, Go Johan opened his mouth.
Wooo!
Some players from the Sanctuary Alliance were awakening their mana.
“Demons. If you’re involved with them, I will kill them all.”
Unlike the Sanctuary Alliance, Go Johan showed no hint of intimidation.
Gulp. Tremble.
They didn’t know why their throats felt dry or why their bodies were trembling.
“Of course.”
Kim Won-Seok, who had been speaking without a single change in expression until now, was no different.
“I’m rather uncomfortable. It feels as if you’re suggesting we’ve joined hands with demons.”
Kim Won-Seok took the first step forward.
“Regarding these so-called demons, we are still investigating. However, if they threaten humanity’s safety or disrupt order, they are all enemies of the Association.”
Go Johan and Kim Won-Seok.
“That applies to demons, or anyone else for that matter.”
It felt like something was about to explode.
And everything seemed ready to be drenched in blood and death.
“We share the same thoughts.”
Go Johan said with a smile on his lips.
“I hope that thought of yours remains unchanged.”
“I just can’t understand it.”
Kim Won-Seok also spoke.
“How exactly does Player Go Johan conclude that someone has joined hands with demons? If there’s solid evidence, that’s one thing. If not…”
Just as Kim Won-Seok was about to continue his words.
Hwaaa!
The Black Gate looming behind them began to emit light and mana.
The aftermath forced the Association members to step back, and players, including those from the Sanctuary Alliance, also retreated.
Ripple.
The Black Gate started to shimmer like a mirage.
And then.
Boom!
It tore apart and exploded.
“The Gate…!”
It was a sight all too familiar to the players.
“The Gate has been cleared!”
It was the signal of a Gate being conquered, the phenomenon of Gate destruction.
“The Black Gate has been cleared!”
“Geo Guild succeeded!”
Kim Won-Seok also stepped back at that moment and spoke to the Association members.
“Report, confirm all survivors.”
“Yes!”
People began to appear one by one, collapsing to the ground.
“…Leader.”
Yoon Seung-Ah called out to Go Johan.
Her clenched fist looked as though blood might drip from it.
“…Let’s watch for now.”
Go Johan spoke, a smile spreading across his lips.
‘Kim Won-Seok.’
Every single word he had said was correct, down to the last detail.
However.
“If he still hasn’t grasped the gravity of the situation.”
If he thought this was merely a power struggle, he would pay a hefty price.
“7 dead! Around 40 seriously injured!”
The voice of an Association member rang out.
“Waaaaah!”
Even though 7 had died, considering there were over 100 people, clearing the Black Gate with only this many casualties was nothing short of a great victory.
“Geo Guild! Geo Guild!”
Geo Guild revealed themselves.
Their appearances were a wreck, but their faces were filled with the smiles of victory.
“…”
The eyes of the Sanctuary Alliance turned toward Go Johan and Yoon Seung-Ah.
For a mid-tier guild like Geo to clear a Black Gate with such minimal damage was undoubtedly strange.
If, by any chance, they were connected to demons.
“…I don’t sense anything.”
Yoon Seung-Ah said.
Meanwhile.
Step.
Go Johan began walking toward them.
“You can’t come this way.”
Kim Won-Seok warned, but Go Johan did not stop.
Just as a confrontation with the Association members seemed imminent.
“Well, looks like a famous person has come in person.”
Geo Guild’s leader, Choi Ji-O, raised a hand to stop his members and stepped forward.
“Let me introduce myself. I’m Choi Ji-O of Geo Guild.”
He was a middle-aged man with sharp, striking eyes.
*
*
*
Estimated level: mid to late 300s.
The levels of the other guild members were also impressive.
Composed of the elite of the elite from the mid-tier guild Geo, they seemed comparable to a single raiding party of the Holy Order.
“…”
Go Johan’s eyes fixed on Choi Ji-O.
“I saw your speech, or should I say declaration? It was quite something.”
But Choi Ji-O greeted him casually.
“As a player, it made my blood boil. That’s why I came running.”
Clench.
Choi Ji-O tightly gripped his fist.
“Inside there, it was truly hell.”
Choi Ji-O shook his head as if horrified.
Even without his words, their appearances alone made it clear just how horrific it had been inside.
The 7 who died didn’t even leave behind bodies.
The seriously injured would likely never return to player activities, and whether they’d even wake up or move again was uncertain.
Moreover, the rest all bore minor injuries.
Drip, drip.
Even as Choi Ji-O stood before Go Johan, blood still dripped from his tattered gear.
“If it hadn’t been for your warning, we would’ve suffered even more. But, are you here because of the Black Gate?”
Go Johan still hadn’t answered.
“Fortunately, we, Geo Guild, succeeded in clearing this place.”
“Waaaaah!”
By now, reporters had started gathering, snapping photos one after another.
“It’s a joyous occasion. If enemies like demons exist, it means humanity has secured the means to fight against them.”
Instead of waiting for Go Johan’s response, Choi Ji-O shouted to the Association members and reporters.
“What appeared inside were monsters of a type we’ve never seen before! And the boss…”
As if merely recalling it made his skin crawl, Choi Ji-O trembled.
“It was a monster with three horns. Just facing it made my heart sink, and fear overwhelmed me… It was the worst boss I’ve ever encountered in my life.”
“How! How did you defeat it?”
“Other players said it wasn’t easy!”
The reporters shouted their questions, eager for answers.
“It was difficult, but we managed to face it! That’s because data from past Black Gates had been made public.”
Then, Choi Ji-O looked at Go Johan.
“And it was thanks to the ‘truth’ this young man courageously spoke out about, as well as our efforts!”
“Is there anything else?”
And then.
Swish.
Choi Ji-O drew a longsword.
At the sight, the Sanctuary Alliance raised their aura, hands reaching for their weapons, but Choi Ji-O raised the sword not toward Go Johan but toward the sky.
“It’s thanks to these items!”
“Items?”
“Is it a legendary-grade item or something?”
Choi Ji-O shook his head.
“It’s unique-grade. That alone is impressive, but what’s even more remarkable is…”
Hwaa!
As the longsword emitted light, mana spread across the area.
It was a mana that somehow felt refreshing, as if clearing the mind.
“With these items, the debuffs emitted by demons can be minimized, and even their tough skin can be pierced.”
“…!”
“We will soon reveal more about these items. And…”
Choi Ji-O looked at Go Johan as he spoke.
“We will undergo thorough inspections to confirm if there are any issues with these items. If they turn out to be what’s called ‘demon tools,’ that would be a huge problem.”
A faint smile spread across Choi Ji-O’s lips.
And then.
“Funny…”
Finally, Go Johan spoke.
“…”
Drip.
The smile on Choi Ji-O’s face vanished.
His eyes also trembled slightly.
“I’ll step back for today.”
Go Johan’s tone was icy.
“But, you’d better keep this in mind. My warning is exactly as I said.”
“What is this nonsense?”
Kim Won-Seok approached, trying to stop Go Johan.
Pah!
But a burst of pressure forced Kim Won-Seok to stagger back.
Click, click, click!
Reporters were capturing the scene in real-time.
“What is this…”
“I hope this isn’t all you’ve prepared. You’d better do your best.”
Turn.
As Go Johan turned around, a faint smile lingered on his lips.
“Let’s see how well you do.”
Gone was any trace of politeness in his tone.
“Arrogant brat…”
Choi Ji-O muttered, his face contorting.
*
*
*
Reporters buzzed loudly about the events at the Gwangju Black Gate.
There were even stories claiming that Go Johan had oppressed Geo Guild, who had cleared the Black Gate.
Meanwhile.
– Go Johan, what exactly is his resolve?
They also raised various questions.
There wasn’t much of an issue.
After all, there were precedents of Black Gates being cleared purely by the power of regular players.
The problem, if any.
‘They’ll come back anyway.’
But more than that, wasn’t it a joyous thing to have overcome the immediate danger?
If that was the case, Go Johan was willing to applaud them as much as needed.
“Leader.”
Yoon Seung-Ah spoke.
“Geo Guild’s items were confirmed not to be ‘demon tools.’”
The largest item appraisal guild in the country, Renel, was under the church’s jurisdiction.
They had taken on the appraisal of the items presented by Geo Guild, and Yoon Seung-Ah and others had personally verified them.
“But…”
Something was off.
A Black Gate, a three-horned demon.
Succeeding in clearing it with insufficient players.
And.
“…”
The demeanor Go Johan had shown.
That complete lack of respect was a side of Go Johan that only emerged when dealing with those connected to demons.
“I’ll look into it.”
Yoon Seung-Ah said.
“And if necessary…”
Geo’s existence, their attitude, and their behavior had the potential to create chaos.
“We’ll try to bring them under our wing again, or…”
Eliminate them.
She didn’t say the last part.
“Leave them be.”
Go Johan opened his previously closed eyes and spoke.
“Leader.”
“Seung-Ah, do you think I stepped back just because I care about what people think?”
“…”
In the past, through the connection between the apostles and Go Johan, it was easy to read his thoughts.
But after three years, reappearing at the age of twenty, Go Johan had become something even the apostles couldn’t easily read.
The shared curse and sins were part of the reason, as was the growth of his innate power.
“I said I’d become a demon, a villain.”
Go Johan straightened his bent knees and stood up.
“And they still don’t seem to understand that.”
They.
“Using the same old tricks.”
Only then.
“…”
Yoon Seung-Ah’s expression softened.
“The words I spoke that day were true. Let them do whatever they want. If all I wanted was to cut off their tails, I would’ve said I’d become a hero, not a villain.”
Soon, they would understand.
What Go Johan’s warnings and declarations truly meant.