How A Mythical Holy Knight Lives As A Villain (Novel) - Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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“Ivan.”
Nikolai finally opened his mouth.
“I have watched you for a long time, Ivan, and I believe you are exactly the existence that Russia needs for its glory.”
“That’s not an answer, Nikolai.”
“Also, looking at you has made me realize that age is nothing more than a number.”
Nikolai spoke to Ivan like a puppet, yet with apparent will.
“However, I cannot understand going this far.”
“Yes, even you wouldn’t understand.”
Ivan said, slumping into the sofa like slime as if he had given all his orders.
“Do you know something?”
Heh.
Ivan said with a laugh.
“Our Russia was going to face destruction before long?”
“Ivan.”
“Already.”
Ivan’s eyes gleamed fiercely.
“The world’s hegemony and order had tilted to one side.”
Ivan said.
“This isn’t the Temple’s story.”
“…Then?”
Nikolai was an intelligence agent who later entered politics and built his career as one of them.
Of course, it went without saying that he had the solid backing of intelligence services and the Association behind him.
“It’s a story from before that. The Temple…”
Ivan raised his body.
Not everything was finished yet.
“Is merely the only example that showed a new order, a new hegemony. And furthermore…”
Ivan’s eyes gleamed fiercely once again.
“Moreover, it will be a perfect order.”
Nikolai still seemed not to understand.
“Don’t doubt it, Nikolai. I too… doubted at first.”
Ivan had been eager to hear about the Temple and hoped for contact with them.
And finally, he came face to face with part of them.
‘Until then.’
Ivan had merely dreamed of using them as justification to purge the former president and those in power who hindered Russia’s glory.
Also, he had only dreamed of rebelling against the world that held hegemony.
“But when I saw them directly, I could tell.”
When he realized their true nature, it was different.
“Nikolai. Remember this: the world’s hegemony will change. The order will be reorganized. And if we want to stand even at the periphery of that center, we must work even harder.”
Once a great nation that competed with the United States for supremacy, but with the appearance of players and gates, they lost their initiative.
The fact that it had been only slightly over ten years since the Association was established in Russia.
Russia’s national power, which had fallen behind as a result, was already damaged beyond repair.
“Relics of the old era and such.”
Things like nuclear weapons.
“Are things we must willingly abandon for the new era.”
If necessary, they could give them away freely and launch them.
Even if it meant going against all world politics, there were those they had to hold onto, and to catch them, they would have to turn the ship upside down and stick out their tongues.
“Watch.”
Ivan said with a smile.
“Soon, America will make its move.”
“…America, you say?”
“You won’t believe it.”
Unlike faded Russia, America could be said to have become even stronger since the world of players unfolded.
A solid world number one.
However.
‘That’s just a facade.’
In reality, America’s situation was only better than Russia’s, different from what was known.
That was the truth.
“Remember this, Nikolai.”
Everything is.
“For Russia’s glory.”
*
*
*
The greatest nation.
Called the land of a trillion dollars and claiming to be the world’s police, America was that superpower.
But long ago, they had already lost their greatness.
“Richard.”
Ironically, those who stood at the forefront of capitalism and the new era were devoured by it.
The U.S. government could only be a spokesperson for giant capital groups, and those that had grown too large had become monsters that temporary presidents and governments could do nothing about.
“Logan.”
Richard, chairman of Goldian, called the name of current U.S. Vice President Logan.
“…So.”
Originally, a meeting with the president himself had been promised, but he didn’t show up.
Countless eyes scattered everywhere.
Sponsors that couldn’t be ignored.
And various other things, etc., etc….
“You want us to pressure South Korea?”
Heh, heh heh.
Logan laughed hollowly as if it were absurd.
However.
“Yes.”
Richard said with his usual bright smile.
“That is the Temple’s will.”
Temple – at that name, Logan’s face hardened.
Even U.S. Vice President Logan had not heard that name very long ago.
Unlike past organizations like the Bilderberg Club or Illuminati, this secret organization hadn’t even had its name known.
But when a part of it revealed itself.
‘What the…’
He could only gasp in shock.
A large piece of the U.S. economy was held in their grasp.
Their influence in the player world, which might now be more important, was even greater.
Just looking at Richard in front of him proved this.
‘Goldian…’
Goldian, whose scale was already enormous, had achieved rapid growth recently.
Unique items that couldn’t even be traced to their origin poured out under Goldian’s name.
-We will sell elixirs.
-Elixirs?
-Should I call them mini elixirs?
They declared they would put items called elixirs with ridiculous efficacy on the market.
Goldian’s size had grown nearly several times over in just a few months.
“Just…”
Now it had become enormous enough to be listed among the top 3 companies in America, not just one of the top 10.
Logan had only recently realized that the name Temple was behind it.
“For a twenty-year-old young man? You want us to pressure South Korea, our longtime ally?”
Logan laughed hollowly.
“If it were China, I would have at least understood. If it could have been a weakness of the Chairman, I would have been more interested. But…”
Wasn’t he just the youngest son of Sanctum, South Korea’s number one guild?
Of course, he acknowledged the power to clear Black Gates that he had shown.
Also.
‘That… was truly an insane spectacle.’
The determination to commit what could be called a massacre in full view of the world, and the skill revealed in the process, was truly shocking.
But that was all.
“What on earth…”
Being a U.S. Vice President, he knew.
That hidden powers breathed and lived on the other side of the world.
Also, that these appeared before the Temple and brought not only America but much of the world to its knees.
The power of those he had seen once…
‘Surely it wouldn’t be inferior to that.’
He thought it wouldn’t be inferior to that young man named Johan.
“…Don’t tell me he’s from the Temple…”
“Logan.”
“Or is even the Temple…?”
“Don’t have doubts. Samuel’s will is already firm. Also, if I get up from this seat, Liberty will come.”
America’s number 2 guild.
No, what could actually be called the world’s number 2 was America’s pride, Liberty Guild.
“Those who come after that…”
Richard, chairman of Goldian, said while getting up with a full smile.
“Logan won’t even be able to meet them.”
“……”
“Logan. This is your last chance.”
Richard said.
“America’s glory once again… no, that’s too cliché. Yes.”
Richard smiled even more deeply.
“How about the next presidency? American-style. Honestly.”
“……!”
“Or we can make it happen right away.”
“Richard!”
“I can guarantee it.”
Richard said.
“More than those who hide their appearance…”
Grin.
“That person who reveals himself is far more magnificent.”
“……!”
“More than those cowardly hidden things, that person who focuses all attention entirely on himself…”
Richard said as if pronouncing a final judgment.
“Is more magnificent than anyone else.”
*
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For the past few days, Kim Da-Yeon couldn’t even understand what was happening.
The Geo Guild, Viren Guild, and Go Johan incident.
Contrary to expectations that South Korea’s stock prices would hit rock bottom due to this major interconnected incident, the KOSPI index, which had been showing a downward trend, suddenly began to break through the ceiling.
“……”
And this was while Russia had armed nuclear weapons against South Korea.
“America…”
There were also stories that the president of America, which could be called the number one country if ranked like players, had demanded Go Johan’s release from the South Korean government through a hotline.
Apparently, American intelligence players had entered South Korea, and they seemed prepared to smuggle Go Johan out and even naturalize him if the opportunity arose.
Was that all?
“Sigh.”
Events too massive for her title as head of the Association’s investigation department were happening now, and the center was right here.
No.
“……”
It was clear that Go Johan, confined in that black room, was at the center.
-Permission has been granted.
A call from Hwang Cheol-Ha.
Only then could Kim Da-Yeon breathe a sigh of relief.
Since it was something she had been waiting for, her actions were immediate.
Tick, tick tick.
Computer and items.
She began operating other things that could be called magical tools.
[Authority Approved]
When something connected to the system gave a notification.
Click.
A small noise rang out from inside the Black Room.
Whoosh.
It was a noise like mechanical devices being removed.
And first, the blindfold fell, hiding its appearance.
Then the restraints that had bound Go Johan were removed one by one, rippling and disappearing.
‘What on earth.’
Kim Da-Yeon couldn’t even guess what this technology was.
Thud.
Go Johan, who had been floating in the air, landed on the floor as if affected by gravity.
Crack, crack.
Perhaps because he had been bound in restraints for several days, bone sounds rang out every time he moved his stiff body.
Nevertheless, what was shocking was that no pain or fear could be found anywhere on Go Johan.
Beep.
She turned on the microphone connected to the Black Room.
“…I apologize for the inconvenience you’ve experienced. Permission just came from above to remove the restraints.”
Kim Da-Yeon said carefully while taking a deep breath.
She couldn’t just think of Go Johan in there as merely her friend Go Min-Ji’s younger brother.
Step, step.
Go Johan moved toward one corner of the Black Room.
“……!”
Kim Da-Yeon’s eyes widened as if they would tear.
A completely isolated space – from inside there, the outside couldn’t be seen and even mana wouldn’t move.
And yet.
-You must be going through a lot of trouble.
Go Johan was looking and speaking as if he was looking directly at her.