How A Mythical Holy Knight Lives As A Villain (Novel) - Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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The Black Gate that appeared in Mapo-gu, Seoul.
Naturally, evacuation orders were issued to citizens, and chaos swept in.
It was less than a month after Go Johan’s incident.
With the repeated appearances of Black Gates.
“We’re… we’re all going to die…”
Only now were people beginning to truly feel the impact of Black Gates.
But this was merely the beginning.
-The Sanctuary Alliance must not act recklessly.
Within the Sanctuary Alliance, orders came down not to move against this Black Gate.
Similar news reached other guilds that were close to them.
-The Sanctum Alliance will observe from the sidelines.
The Sanctum Alliance also stepped back and declared they would not interfere with the Black Gate.
“C-crazy bastards…!”
“Don’t tell me it’s because of Go Johan?”
The political sphere, thinking this was some kind of protest, moved first.
-Immediately! Both the Sanctum Alliance and the Sanctuary Alliance must step forward in this situation! This is a national emergency, and players must fulfill their duties!
Political maneuvering poured out daily.
Since the political sphere still held considerable power in South Korea, it was useless even when companies threatened to pull their advertisements.
-You must move right now!
Despite such warnings, neither the Sanctum nor the Sanctuary moved.
And so the first day passed.
When the second day began.
-At this rate, we’ll all die!
-Please! Please help us!
The political sphere began dragging in even the general public.
The entire Mapo area was paralyzed due to the Black Gate.
Students couldn’t go to school, and small business owners couldn’t open their shops.
-Please! Whether it’s the Sanctum or anyone else!
The arrows of great chaos pointed toward the silent giant guilds.
-What exactly are they that they’re turning their backs on people?
-What is South Korea! What is the Association doing!
Justification.
It was a political tactic, and at this rate, even if this situation ended well, both the Sanctum and Sanctuary seemed likely to suffer irreversible damage.
In an atmosphere where hearings might be called immediately, it was the Sanctum who spoke first.
-I am Go Woo-Jin, called the Golden Knight.
Go Woo-Jin, who had unofficially become vice-guild leader a few days ago, held a press conference.
He boldly ignored the flood of questions.
Until now, it wasn’t that the Sanctum lacked power to stay quiet.
-I will speak clearly about this situation.
They had simply tried not to act.
-The reason the Sanctum is not stepping forward is because the target is a Black Gate.
-What on earth do you mean?
-A Black Gate is a gate that even our Sanctum cannot easily handle. According to Renel, who provided assistance, the demon in this Black Gate is judged to be at least four-horned.
Information about demon classifications had been announced by the Sanctuary Alliance not long ago.
If it was four-horned.
-Level… 700!
Gasps erupted from here and there.
-If we recklessly enter the Black Gate now, it’s certain that the Sanctum and the players with us will only suffer meaningless sacrifice.
-What kind of…! No, but even so, shouldn’t you step forward to protect the citizens?
And Go Woo-Jin spoke to the reporters with an expressionless face.
-Yes. We can do that.
-…?
-To close this Black Gate, casualties of at least three thousand ranker-level players are expected. Even so, we can do that.
-…
Silence fell.
-Then what will you do about the next Black Gate?
-That, that is…
-The one after that, and the one after that?
No one could open their mouth.
-It will end someday. However, while we cannot predict when that someday is, the Sanctum cannot move before the worst arrives. Moreover.
For the first time, strength entered Go Woo-Jin’s voice.
-If there are those who are turning away from methods that could minimize damage.
-That’s…!
-Do not force sacrifice. A player’s duty is only by their own will. Neither you nor the nation has taken responsibility for players.
In reality, there wasn’t much comfort or compensation for players who had died.
Those things that had always been ignored.
Just because they earned more money than ordinary people, their responsibilities had been taken for granted.
But one thing should not be forgotten.
-One more thing: Russia and the U.S. government have requested the Sanctum’s guild relocation. They’ve conveyed that they would provide full treatment and support for all guild members, as well as complete autonomy.
-W-wait a minute!
-The Sanctum will actively consider this. And that is…
Go Woo-Jin stood up and said.
-Based on the ‘freedom’ given to us, I want to make that clear.
It was a bombshell.
-Do not force sacrifice. Especially when you’re blocking even those who would step forward to sacrifice themselves.
That was how the press conference ended.
“What the hell!”
The political sphere was going crazy.
“What did those Sanctum bastards eat wrong!”
Every time they held a press conference, they dropped nuclear-level bombs, making people wonder if there was something wrong with their bloodline.
*
*
*
“…”
Go Johan rarely showed a dumbfounded expression.
“Heh.”
He had heard about the press conference.
It was Go Johan who had told the Sanctum not to step forward.
That wasn’t for his own sake, but truly to prevent meaningless deaths of the Sanctum and players.
That was all Go Johan had interfered with.
“…Brother.”
No.
“I never expected those people would go that far so boldly…”
The Sanctum’s intentions.
It was beyond groundbreaking – it was radical.
He had thought they would stay appropriately silent and step back as before, but they had made the strongest move possible.
There were many ways to problematize the Sanctum’s emigration.
For a long time, the political sphere had created various laws to force players.
But what mattered was.
‘Power.’
Whether they had the power to enforce it.
‘Justification.’
Whether there was justification to move people who could enforce it.
And if you asked whether that existed in this land now, it didn’t.
“…”
Even though the Sanctum had acted that way, Go Johan wasn’t simply happy.
He smiled bitterly and regretfully.
“…If it’s about becoming a villain, I alone would be sufficient.”
The Sanctum – they had essentially declared they would willingly participate in the villain’s path that their blood relative had to walk.
And before that day was even over.
-I am Choi Ji-O.
Geo Guild Leader Choi Ji-O personally stepped up to the podium and spoke.
-…This is shameful and lamentable. But it’s something that must be acknowledged.
Everything swept in like a storm.
However, if before it had been happening outside the land called South Korea.
-Geo Guild fell to the demons’ temptation. The same goes for Viren Guild. As someone who was there, I saw everything. My testimony about this will not contain a single lie, and even though I was deceived by demons, I will gladly pay the price for threatening so many people.
It was a storm raging from within.
The media watching all of this.
-Go Johan.
Spoke for the public.
-Release him.
*
*
*
South Korean President Min Jun-Hyeok said.
“Guild Leader. Have I done something to offend you?”
Within that seemingly gentle tone, unmistakable anxiety and anger were lurking.
“Or do you want me to become the second president to be impeached in South Korea?”
Before him.
“…”
Go Jae-Han sat expressionlessly.
Guild leader of South Korea’s number one guild, the Sanctum.
He was the first player in South Korea to earn the title of King, and before the Sanctum was a guild, he had long reigned as part of a chaebol family.
“…Just.”
Min Jun-Hyeok knew that even if he shouted, it wouldn’t work on this person, so he appealed.
“Couldn’t you have just said a word?”
Before exploding like this, if he had given even a hint in advance, his face wouldn’t have fallen this much.
“…I truly regret becoming president.”
“Then resign now.”
“Those words! Those words… that’s not what I mean.”
At Go Jae-Han’s single sentence, Min Jun-Hyeok covered his face.
“What on earth… what is this happening in my generation? Russia and America… no, do you think it’s just China and Europe?”
Min Jun-Hyeok said.
“All sorts of places are pressuring South Korea. When the Sanctum can’t even be on our side at times like this, to speak of emigration.”
It was a face that truly felt betrayed.
“My son is trapped in the Black Room. Ah, you wouldn’t know.”
Go Jae-Han usually didn’t show such emotions.
But now.
Goooo!
That anger was being felt intensely.
“That the Black Room even exists.”
“…”
“Others, not me, gave the warning first, and out of past loyalty, I handed over Guild Leader Choi Ji-O’s testimony.”
“That… there was no explanation about Gu Seong-Hoon…”
“I gave you enough opportunities.”
The determination that he would no longer speak was felt intensely.
“…You know.”
Min Jun-Hyeok said.
“That I failed to properly manage those below me. That’s my fault, and those opposition bastards going wild is my incompetence. I’ll acknowledge it all. And when this situation ends, I’ll quietly finish my remaining term and retire. But.”
An indelible emotion appeared on Min Jun-Hyeok’s face.
It seemed like humiliation, anger, and fear all at once.
“…It’s Association business.”
“…”
“You know well that even as this country’s president, there’s nothing I can do about it, don’t you? They are… those things are…”
“That’s exactly why.”
Go Jae-Han said.
“This will be the only opportunity. The only opportunity to escape from the Association’s hands.”
“…Your son?”
“That kid.”
Thump.
“Do you see him as just my son?”
“…What exactly is Go Johan? Is he really unrelated to the Sanctum? According to the National Intelligence Service…”
Min Jun-Hyeok covered his face again.
Information coming into the National Intelligence Service as if thrown to them.
The more he compiled those reports, the less sense it made.
This wasn’t something you could call a mere 20-year-old young man.
“I don’t know either.”
“…?”
“He won’t tell me, and even if he knows, he won’t teach me.”
“…”
“My son. At least that much is an unchanging truth.”
Min Jun-Hyeok looked at Go Jae-Han and shook his head.
“I’m betting my life on this. The guild leader will take responsibility. Tomorrow.”
Finally.
“Go Johan will be released.”
The President of South Korea said.