Chapter 68 – A Very Old Joke

There were numerous comments on his post.

The first person to react was an unexpected person.

Kim Bong-hak, a man of many talents: LOL! I guess I was cornered by a robber boat right before it died! Give it a try! When you get scolded, etiquette will be automatically instilled in you!”

Kim Bong-hak: A risk! “But is this a very dangerous situation?”

Kim Bong-hak, a man of many talents: Look. Shame on you. Are you okay?”

“Kim Bong-hak, a man of many talents: Are you dead?”

Kim Bong-hak, a man of many fortunes: If you are in a lot of trouble, would you like me to help you? Hey! Please give me an answer. You idiot! “If you don’t reply by the count of three, I’ll come and scold you!”

Kim Bong-hak, a man of many talents: One!

“Kim Bong-hak, a man of many talents: Two!”

Sword Demon Ferzen: Brother Bonghak~~~~! Haha, I just finished organizing it!

Sword Demon Ferzen: Lee Lee Se-min usually treats you badly, and you’re really worried~~~ㅎㅎㅎ^^

Kim Bong-hak, a man with a lot of luck: It’s rough! It’s a misunderstanding! “I was going to scold you for cluttering up the bulletin board with pointless posts, but he said, ‘Hey!

I thought Bonghak was still upset, but he was secretly worried. Was it even a misfortune? A happy smile appeared on his lips.

However, when I saw the next comment, my mouth turned in the opposite direction.

Night Emperor Alaste: LOL May the deceased rest in peace BIM BIM BIM LOL

Night Emperor Alastair: Oh my, did Fersen help you? ㅋ

Night Emperor Alaste: ㄲㅂ

“You bastard….”

He was a guy that made me curse.

It was said that Lee Lee Se-min was once a keyboard warrior, but he did not say nonsense like this, risking a person’s safety.

Alastair will fall under his sword someday when the time came.

Lee Lee Se-min threw a pillow at Khaolak, who was sitting in the corner.

“Ugh! What are you doing!”

“Pick it?”

“…….”

Khao Lak became a squirrel and kept his mouth shut.

Lee Lee Se-min checked the comments again.

“Commander Gehert: It looks like there was a crisis. But humans grow through adversity. Since he is not dead, he will become even stronger.”

Muyeongsal Dam Woo-gwang: Youth is good. (Green tea) I too was once on the verge of death, but was saved by powerful charlatans. (Laughing) I salute the agreement of the Fersen Grand Council! (Po-gwon)

Sword Demon Fersen: Haha, I live and die by loyalty. Haha

Grand Wizard Iana: Is he still getting beaten up? If you don’t think so, learn magic.”

“Black Lion Kaien: Isn’t he dead…? … . There is no need for means or methods… … . Those who survive are strong… … .

Dragon Lord Imunkazer: What is this? While I was away for a while, something like this happened,,,,,~~~? Fersen,,, Enome,,,~~! Eong-ah, it’s the change of seasons, my throat is sore, I tried to breathe, take a breath,,,,,,,,~~!!”

Sword Demon Ferzen: Haha brother, if you wait, Lee Lee Se-min will be in big trouble~~~~ㅎ^^

In addition, many transcendental people left comments for him, and Lee Lee Se-min could not help but be moved.

Lee Lee Se-min left a comment.

Raider Lee Lee Se-min: There was a huge crisis, but I survived thanks to Brother Fersen. ㅜㅜ I will definitely repay this favor to my brothers in the future.”

Will there ever come a day when he repays his debt to these transcendent brothers and sisters?

That’s what I thought.

Fersen, who was treated as a young blood in the Transcendental Network, was so strong, but how strong were the other older brothers here?

I thought I had become stronger, but the road to go was still long and difficult.

But that day will come.

Lee Lee Se-min had a dream. Become a true transcendent and pay back the favor by visiting each transcendent older brother and sister.

Lee Lee Se-min suddenly realized that he still couldn’t see Dokgocheonma.

I mentioned a while ago that the connection cycle would be longer due to busy work, but there was no sign of work for a while today as well.

I was worried about Dokgocheonma, but I don’t think anything will happen. The strongest man he knew was Dokgo Cheonma.

“Khao Lak.”

Lee Lee Se-min put the mirror away and got up from the bed.

Khaolak, who was squatting in the corner, raised his head.

“What?”

“How did you become Badurbarok’s subordinate?”

Lee Lee Se-min asked.

He’s met two goblins so far. Both had intelligence close to that of a human. In particular, Kirakk, whom he met on Earth, told Lee Lee Se-min the name of Badurbarok and even left a will to kill him.

Considering that they even belong to the Sawblade Tooth tribe, they don’t seem to be creatures that just kill humans like other demonic beasts.

“Do not speak his name in vain….”

It was a sullen voice.

“Aren’t you humans no different from us?”

“What do you mean?”

“Hmph.”

Khao Lak kept his mouth shut. He even covered his face with both hands as if he was not going to open his mouth. It wasn’t a very cute sight, so Lee Lee Se-min decided to just ignore it.

“Don’t hate me, Sasha. I’m not curious.”

Lee Lee Se-min lay down as a godson. I needed to wash, but I was so tired that my body couldn’t move. It was a really long day.

Became a champion.

I fought against demonic beasts.

I met brother Fersen.

The memories began to mix together in my head. Lee Lee Se-min felt many thoughts coming together and being sucked toward his dream like flowing through a funnel, and then he quickly lost consciousness. He soon fell into a deep sleep.

***

I came to my senses.

Lee Lee Se-min suddenly stood up.

I felt refreshed from how deeply I had slept. But somehow I feel like I forgot something. Lee Lee Se-min looked around his room. Rufus lay next to him. But something was missing.

There was no Khao Lak.

“You bastard!”

Lee Lee Se-min ran out of the room. The hallway was quiet. I hurriedly left the gladiators’ quarters.

Then a strange scenery came into view.

Several gladiators were sitting or collapsing on the floor, looking exhausted, trying to catch their breath.

And in the middle of it all, Khao Lak was spread out on the floor. The guy tried to get up from time to time, but the gladiators gave him no time and kicked him. Khao Lak stretched out helplessly.

“Brother! No, champion! Are you awake!”

Kutinos, who was persecuting Khao Lak from the front, waved his hand.

Lee Lee Se-min approached.

“What is going on?”

“The one you caught yesterday tried to run away. He caught us and got into a bloody fight.”

Kutinos nudged Khaolak with his toe.

“There is no business in molmae.”

Lee Lee Se-min looked down at Khaolak with a pitiful expression. The guy frowned and spoke defiantly.

“What! What are you looking at!”

Lee Lee Se-min kicked the guy. The guy was very angry and rolled around.

Still, the goblin was a goblin, seeing as he cornered the gladiators with his bare hands.

“If this guy resists any more, keep hitting him. I’ll take a shower and come out. I just slept like last night.”

“Don’t worry.”

When Lee Lee Se-min came out again, Khao Lak was sitting tied up in the center of the training ground.

The guy was constantly pointing out the gladiators with his mouth and was being beaten, but looking at him quietly, I realized he wasn’t talking nonsense.

“You’re stupid! That’s why you get hurt because your posture is unstable! Look at the way your heel is lifted! Are you using a sword or dancing? Kkakkak!”

Or say something like this.

“Look at the tip of the sword shaking! I couldn’t organize my thoughts! Kyakyaek! If we were of the Steel Tooth tribe, we would have been bullied for being weak! You brat!”

He was saying something quite right.

However, the way he spoke was so disgusting that he was punishing himself.

Lee Lee Se-min walked up and kicked Khao Lak’s butt.

“Wake up.”

“What?”

“You are a prisoner, so you must be tortured.”

“W-what are you talking about!”

“Follow me.”

Lee Lee Se-min took the lead after lifting Khaolak up tightly.

At the Vaticaros family mansion, servants sent by nobles of each family were already waiting for him.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a temple.”

“Guide me.”

Not just one family, but all lions belonging to six families were gathered together. It seemed like they were trying to keep each other in check. Lee Lee Se-min took Khaolak with him and followed their lead.

It was my first time going to the temple of Sargasonia.

It was a building symbolizing the unique urban style of this world. A huge temple was located in the center of the concentric circles of buildings. Originally, a dragon heart was established there and a barrier was maintained, but in the case of Sargasonia, the throne of the gladiatorial arena took over that role.

So what was in this temple?

Lee Lee Se-min rode in the carriage with them.

The lions glanced at Khao Lak.

“Humans were living well in a place like this.”

Khaolak muttered while looking at the street scene.

They soon arrived at the temple.

When I got off the carriage, the heads of the six families were already waiting for Lee Lee Se-min. I climbed the stairs of the temple with them. When I looked back, the cityscape came into view at a glance.

Someone said to Lee Lee Se-min who was admiring the scenery.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

It was Kami, the owner of the Oscar family. He preferred to live his life in Sargasonia rather than fight Badurbarok.

“The old imperial capital was much bigger and more beautiful. It’s no longer there, but every time I come up here, I’m reminded of the past.”

“I see.”

“I miss the night view of those days.”

Lee Lee Se-min agreed, thinking that the night view must be as beautiful as Seoul.

“There were many good things, but they all fell while fighting Badurbarok. It is like a disaster that we cannot fight against.”

Kami left his intended words and began to climb the temple again. Yuria’s mother, Spina, placed her hand on Lee Lee Se-min’s shoulder and whispered.

“Oscar comes from a family of cowards.”

The fate of each family depended on its people.

But he hasn’t made a decision yet.

He was still a foreigner and lacked understanding of Sargasonia and the civilization of otherworldly people. I also needed to know more about the throne and the emperor.

Lee Lee Se-min stroked Khaolak’s bald head and climbed the temple again.

“Do not touch.”

“It’s noisy.”

As I climbed to the end of the stairs, a huge rock appeared. It was placed as if guarding the entrance to a temple, and had murals carved in intaglio.

“That one?”

Lee Lee Se-min pointed to it.

The family heads smiled.

“It’s a prophecy.”

“What kind of prophecy?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why?”

“This is because the more people talk about a prophecy, the less powerful it becomes.”

It was a strange belief.

“All descendants of the empire know this, but at the same time, no one talks about it or records it. One day, you will find out.”

Lee Lee Se-min looked at the mural.

It depicted a man holding a knife and a dog.

I saw it in an abandoned alien’s house during a past subjugation war. It was also drawn for him by an unidentified mermaid he met in the ruins. The composition was no different from what Lee Lee Se-min had seen.

But it was described in more detail.

Lee Lee Se-min’s face hardened as he looked at the picture.

“Why are you doing that?”

“No, nothing.”

I shook my head and passed the rock.

Germanos was waiting for them at the temple entrance. It’s only been a day, but he looked fine, as if his injuries had already healed.

Germanos nodded at the heads of the household and looked at Lee Lee Se-min. He spotted Khao Lak, tilted his eyebrows, and then turned around.

“Come in.”

The gate of the temple was large and high.

As soon as he touched it, the door opened with a crackling sound.

“Follow quietly.”

Germanos said and went inside first. The people and the householders followed him.

Although there were no windows, the air was cool, and although there were no lights, it was as bright as day. It seemed as if the entire temple was exuding air and emitting soft light.

Suddenly, Lee Lee Se-min asked Spina.

“Can I take this guy?”

“Yes. He’ll need it too.”

Khaolak was walking next to Lee Lee Se-min with a sullen expression.

They walked for a while and stopped in front of another door inside the temple.

“Everything Sargasonia is here.”

Germanos said, looking at Lee Lee Se-min.

“The champion can see all of this and decide what he wants. Of course, you are the first gladiator other than me to come here. So, see everything and decide for yourself.”

His face was serious. The wrinkles on his face deepened and cast a dark shadow. Only the two eyes shone brightly.

He touched the door.

The door opened.

A large sphere was spinning in a large room.

It was made of black gas and was shaking back and forth, with small dots of various colors flying around inside it.

It resembles a celestial body.

Large circles and small circles orbited in gentle orbits. The glowing dots twinkled like stars, illuminating the interior, but were repeatedly eaten by the rotating air currents and obscured again.

Lee Lee Se-min was speechless as he looked at it.

It was beautiful.

“That is the appearance of the anti-magic magic system and public council built on the throne.”

Kila was standing below him.

She climbed into the air and touched the sphere. A black air current began to rise along Killa’s hand. It opened its maw as if it wanted to devour Killa, but when she unleashed its magic power, it disappeared back into the sphere.

“Everything here reflects the will of the citizens of Sargasonia.”

Dots of the same color gathered together to compare forces, but sometimes they scattered and wandered as they please. Although they fought each other, they became one, and then became twisted and distorted again.

Lee Lee Se-min didn’t completely know what that was, but he could understand it intuitively.

The human mind was so confused.

“Is this the heart of the citizens of Sargasonia?”

“Yes.”

The heads of each family, the people, Kila, and Germanos stood around the council.

Killa spoke to the sphere.

“Should a defeated gladiator be killed?”

I wasn’t asking anyone in particular. It was a question directed at the sphere.

The council responded.

The dots floating around inside the sphere began to form groups. Some were red, some were blue. There were also things like purple and turquoise that did not form a group and wavered.

The black air current rotated greatly.

Then the dots gradually converged into two huge groups. The placenta was gathered in red color. In contrast, the blue group continued to shrink.

Soon, the entire sphere was dyed red. It displayed the result by flashing a bright red light.

Sargasonia still wanted blood.

“passed with overwhelming support.”

Everyone nodded at what Killa said.

“But it’s better than before. Opposition has increased. Before, everything turned red from the beginning.”

“Is it thanks to Angel Lee Lee Se-min?”

“Maybe so.”

Spina said.

“Killa, your efforts have been rewarded.”

Killa didn’t answer.

Germanos then asked a few more questions. There was a moment of hesitation, but the countless dots on the sphere eventually unified into one color and radiated vivid light.

Lee Lee Se-min asked.

“If a majority opinion is expressed there, will the rest also be unified with the same opinion?”

“That’s right. Sargasonia’s barrier is perfect, so the only enemy that threatens us is the enemy within. Of course, to do so, you must enter a specific command before asking the question.”

“It’s just a matter of speeding up the process. Even if there wasn’t magic magic, the decision would have been made differently in the end, so it’s about making decisions quickly and executing them more efficiently.”

One after another, the families defended the council.

Lee Lee Se-min looked at the black sphere again. The dots representing the citizens of Sargasonia were pulsating on their own as if they had a will, continuing to communicate in a way that he could not understand.

“Lee Lee Se-min. I heard that you are trying to obtain the throne to fight Badurbarok.”

Kami of the Oscar family said.

“It is your decision. The throne decided to drink the blood of gladiators, but instead gave the final right to gladiators who bleed directly on the sand. So you can do what you want. But.”

Spina and the three families following her narrowed their eyebrows and glared at Kami. He continued speaking calmly.

“Please think of the innocent citizens of Sargasonia. Sargasonia’s will is here.”

Then he asked the council:

“Do you guys want to live?”

There was no need to share opinions.

The dots instantly unified into one color and flashed bright light. Kami spoke to Lee Lee Se-min with the blinking light on her face.

“If they lose the throne, they die.”

Spina countered.

“The barrier disappears, you don’t die.”

“In the end, it’s the same thing.”

“Then what about Lee Lee Se-min? Do you have the right to say that to a gladiator who was forced to die to maintain that barrier?”

“That’s why I’m appealing for the recognition of Angel Lee Lee Se-min. They want to live, they have no other will.”

“It is better to die as a human being than to live as a coward.”

“You can say that, brave Gloria. But most people are not heroes or warriors. They are just people trying to live.”

Their gazed collided.

Lee Lee Se-min did not pay attention to their argument and was lost in thought as he looked at the main body of the magic arts council.

The sphere, which had not been asked any questions, was shaking back and forth, recalling an image of color that was unknown to him. They hung out with each other and ostracized each other. Sometimes it wavered happily, and sometimes it sank into a gloomy tone.

Suddenly, Lee Lee Se-min asked.

“Lee Lee Se-min is handsome. Do you admit it?”

Then the dots all fell silent.

It turned into complete darkness.

Black hole-like darkness lurked before their eyes.

“Could it be that you guys deceived me?”

Lee Lee Se-min asked with sharp eyes. Everyone sighed and shook their heads.

Still, sometimes bright colors emerged one by one from a corner. Although the number was small, it was comforting to Lee Lee Se-min.

“Wait a minute. Does this lead to a consensus that I’m ugly?”

Kila shook her head.

“Such trivial questions will be ignored by the council. As I said before, a separate order may have to be issued.”

Lee Lee Se-min was relieved.

“Then…”

It was that moment.

A low sound of laughter echoed inside the temple.

Khaolak was making a mocking sound typical of goblins and rolling his eyes.

“You humans are stuck in a corner and making this kind of garbage to survive. Kiruk.”

“Goblin.”

“He was right. The emperor will never appear again. The last emperor is dead, the five races are scattered, and the world will belong to Badurbarok.”

“Shut up.”

Spina approached and kicked Khaolak, causing him to fall to his knees. It was a movement imbued with aura. She grabbed Khao Lak’s head, raised the blade of her hand, placed it on the nape of his neck, and asked with a cool expression.

“Shut up and answer the question, traitor.”

“Kiruk kiruk….”

“What are the ancient races doing now?”

“At least they aren’t making a pitiful living by ruining the throne for the sake of their guardians like you humans are.”

“Have they all fallen to Badurbarok like you?”

“Are all humans as servile as you?”

Spina kicked him in the stomach.

Khao Lak did not stop laughing in pain even as he collapsed on the floor and wriggled.

“We goblins trusted you.”

“…….”

“For that, you were the first to fall into the hands of Badurbarok. Now it is your turn to pay the price.”

Spina let go of Khaolak.

“Reclaim the throne and reunite with the ancient races…”

“Don’t be funny. It’s all over. You are the last.”

Lee Lee Se-min, who was watching the scene, asked Killa, who was standing next to him, in a low voice.

“What do you mean now? Were humans and goblins on the same side before?”

she said

“I’m sure you’ve heard about your ancient race.”

“Yes.”

“Goblin is one of the four ancient races.”

“What?”

Lee Lee Se-min looked back at Khaolak. The books he read just said they were four ancient races, so he didn’t know what they looked like.

According to the description, they were brave, wise, and good beings.

That’s a goblin.

Lee Lee Se-min looked at Khaolak as if suspicious.

“What are you looking at? Kiruk!”

Khaolak, who started to become crooked, started arguing with Lee Lee Se-min as well. As Lee Lee Se-min walked towards him, Khao Lak flinched and rolled around and retreated as far back as possible.

“Don’t come! You dirty human!”

Lee Lee Se-min stepped on Khaolak with his foot and pinned him down to prevent him from rolling.

“Khaolak. Are you of the ancient race?”

“That’s right. I am a descendant of the Sawtooth tribe, renowned for their bravery among goblins.”

“Why did such great guys go under Badur Barok?”

“Off….”

When Khaolak could not answer, Germanos, who was standing behind him, spoke instead.

“Brainwashing and intimidation.”

Germanos came forward.

“Goblin. Do your people still live in the lungs of the Cloud Mountains?”

“A sound from before!”

“Even if it’s not there, it’s probably somewhere in the Cloud Mountains.”

“No!”

“You’re not good at lying.”

Germanos said to Lee Lee Se-min:

“In order to fight Badurbarok, we must awaken the throne, revive the emperor, and unite with the four ancient races. Awakening the throne is only the beginning, and there is no telling whether the emperor will return. You must have seen it too.”

Although the target was not mentioned, Lee Lee Se-min could tell who Germanos was talking about.

Malshahr, the young man who was said to be the last lineage of the empire, was never worthy of becoming emperor. The emperor, who was recognized by the throne, was not chosen solely based on bloodline, but was usually inherited along that lineage. So as of now, he was the most likely.

The dark part was that Malshahr was their hope.

“Even if the Emperor appears again, we must find the four ancient races. We must unite with them to have even the slightest possibility of planning a war against Badurbarok.”

Lee Lee Se-min nodded.

“And even if you gather them together, there is no guarantee that you can defeat Badurbarok. I can tell you that, having fought Badurbarok’s forces myself. They are terribly strong. The chance of defeat is significantly higher than the chance of winning.”

I didn’t expect Germanos to sound so weak.

Lee Lee Se-min’s eyes passed over Germanos and looked at the quietly rotating council. The black sphere was spinning alone and blinking in various colors as if it didn’t care about their circumstances.

Rather than heading towards death based on the slightest possibility, it seemed like I would be happier enjoying peace within.

Soon Lee Lee Se-min burst into laughter.

Everyone’s eyes were on him.

“Are you going to expose me like this and ask me to choose?”

He came to the other world, was captured and fought as a gladiator, and became a champion, and now everything was left to him.

Each of their eyes had their own expectations. Lee Lee Se-min looked at the one who wanted to fight, the one who wanted to prolong his life, and the two old men with ambiguous eyes who could not tell what they wanted from him.

“What are you looking at?”

Lee Lee Se-min kicked Khaolak.

“Everyone, please leave. I’ll be alone here. I need time to think.”

“Alone?”

“Okay.”

Spina exchanged glanced with the other family heads.

“I’ll just think about it, so don’t worry.”

“Okay.”

They left the council chamber, leaving Lee Lee Se-min behind.

Lee Lee Se-min was left alone inside.

He walked to the front of the council and sat down on the floor. And I looked at the scenery of the council that continued to flow.

This place was no different from Earth.

The civilizations on Earth who chose their own ways to live seemed similar to the citizens of Sargasonia.

The miserable image of Black Armor and the Director of the Radar Management Bureau, who accepted the Black Auror, passed through my head.

Regardless of whether their methods were right or wrong, it was the same that they were trying desperately to survive. Sometimes, even if it requires someone’s sacrifice, they were willing to commit evil deeds for the survival of humanity.

As long as the devil appeared, heaven could not exist on earth.

Lee Lee Se-min was lost in thought for a while.

He soon got up from his seat.

When he left the room, Killa was waiting for him. Lee Lee Se-min told her.

“Let’s go to the gladiatorial arena.”

***

It was said that the throne was buried under the sand, but the sand was not actually piled on top of it. A magic arts ceremony connected to the temple’s council was installed in the basement of the gladiatorial arena.

Through a passage known only to very few people in the city, Lee Lee Se-min stood in front of the stone room where the throne was kept.

Lee Lee Se-min suddenly pointed to the door blocking him.

“That one?”

It was that picture again.

It depicted a man holding a sword and a dog.

“Tell me what kind of prophecy that is.”

Instead of answering, Killa touched the chamber door with her fingertip. Then the door opened. There was complete darkness inside the stone room.

“Go and have a look.”

Lee Lee Se-min looked at Killa’s face.

There was a faint smile on the face of the mage who had lived for over a hundred years. However, smiling did not mean that you were feeling positive. It was the kind of smile that you couldn’t bear to laugh with.

Lee Lee Se-min nodded.

“Okay.”

***

As the door closed, dense darkness enveloped him.

I saw the throne.

It was the kind of thing you could only see in the dark. Under the light, the outline may melt. Black spaces were clinging to the edge of the throne and rising into the area he could see.

“More than you think.”

Lee Lee Se-min opened his mouth.

“Nothing special.”

The throne was a faded steel chair. The part that touched the body was made of soft leather, but the majesty befitting the name of the throne was not felt. Rather, it looked worn-out, with rust here and there and the color faded.

Lee Lee Se-min raised his head.

Above my head, beyond the pitch-black darkness, something was falling.

It was the vitality of the gladiators who filtered through the sand.

I think I heard that there will be a gladiatorial fight today as always. Sargasonia continued to set gladiators on the sand the day after the tournament, hoping for someone’s death. As they expected, the Emperor opened his mouth and drank the blood of the defeated.

“Hey, try talking to me.”

Lee Lee Se-min sat cross-legged in front of the throne.

It didn’t move. Since it was a great object that created an emperor through a test, I thought that if I sat here, a mysterious voice would speak to me, but there was nothing like that.

Lee Lee Se-min raised an aura. Eyes that had adapted to the darkness were now able to perceive an internal scene devoid of light.

Looking closely, the throne was reminiscent of light, even if only slightly.

The lighting was so weak and subtle that it was impossible to perceive it without focusing the aura.

Lee Lee Se-min relied on the weak light to look at the interior.

Lee Lee Se-min realized that the throne was sitting on top of a huge magic ritual. Lee Lee Se-min was also there. The entire room was filled with all kinds of shapes and magic letters, surrounding the throne.

It drinks blood and uses its power to power the barrier that protects Sargasonia and the magic arts council.

The emperor was doing his work here.

“It’s nice that it’s quiet.”

Lee Lee Se-min just closed his eyes and lay down on the floor.

It was a space with almost no light or sound. In complete silence, Lee Lee Se-min wanted to rest without thinking about anything. He had done a lot so far, but there was still much to do.

I came to kill Badurbarok.

Maybe it’s impossible.

The entire Earth almost surrendered.

This world had been on the path to destruction for a long time.

Can we really face the monster that destroyed two worlds?

Lee Lee Se-min gave up his thoughts. I cleared my head and just floated in the darkness. Even the tinnitus subsided, and there was complete silence where nothing could be heard.

Suddenly, something fell on my cheek.

What was it?

Lee Lee Se-min wiped it away and opened his eyes.

The enemy standing in front of him had his eyes wide open and was swinging his sword at him. The midday sun pressed down on his limbs, and sweat poured down like rain.

He was standing on the sand.

“Die!”

“Kill!”

“Kill him!”

Looking over the opposing gladiator’s shoulder, he could see the faces of Sargasonia citizens cursing him.

Everyone’s feet were bloodshot and they poured out curses at him. He wanted to kill himself when he was on the defensive and wet the sand with his blood. What on earth was driving them into such madness?

But he must fight.

They swung their swords face to face. His speed was similar to that of the enemy. However, the opponent’s physique was large. There was no chance of winning in a struggle of strength.

“Aaaah!”

With all his might, he dug inside. I felt the opponent panicking at the sudden rush and quickly turning the tip of his sword. I thought maybe it could change. He displayed unprecedented boldness, ignoring defense and swinging his sword at the enemy.

The strongest fighter in his tribe advised him to be calm and bold in times of crisis.

And he was killed by a demonic beast.

In the face of death, composure and boldness lost their meaning.

It was the same for me too.

Before he could pierce the enemy’s abdomen, the enemy had already come around and struck his neck.

There was a time when I wondered if consciousness was immediately lost the moment the head was taken off.

Now I know. All that remained was his head, spinning in the air, and he could see his falling body and the enemy’s sword. The flash was too long, and he fully witnessed his own death.

He saw the expression on the face of the gladiator who killed him.

He didn’t look happy.

Rather, it looked painful.

Were you jealous?

He thought before losing consciousness.

You remain in hell on the sand. I will become the wind and leave.

After the cheers of the crowd pouring in, everything went dark.

He lay alone in the dark.

Lee Lee Se-min opened his eyes and stood up.

What did he see?

When I left the stone chamber, Killa was waiting at the entrance.

She was sitting on a chair, supported by the base of a tree that seemed to had grown roots from the floor. When she got up, it seemed to disappear and disappear down the floor.

“Have you seen enough?”

“It wasn’t anything special.”

“There was nothing special?”

She raised her eyebrows. Lee Lee Se-min shrugged his shoulders.

“It was shabby for a throne.”

“…….”

“Let’s go up.”

Lee Lee Se-min urged Killa, who remained still. She looked at Lee Lee Se-min with a reluctant expression and then nodded.

They went through a passageway and reached a hallway leading outside the gladiatorial arena.

The excitement of the spectators leaving the gladiatorial arena after the game was just over. They were talking about today’s sword fight.

“The sight of the head flying in the sky at the end was the highlight.”

“It’s rare to see a gladiator who can hit his neck so beautifully.”

“I was worried that I wouldn’t see something like this again because of some bastard called Angel Lee Lee Se-min or something. Isn’t this a real sword fight?”

“I feel relieved because I don’t see that piece of trash. I’m looking forward to the next game.”

Lee Lee Se-min’s steps stopped.

He grabbed the shoulder of one of the chattering crowd passing by.

“Just a moment.”

“Who…huh?”

Citizens were astonished. The companions who were walking with him also turned their heads and opened their eyes wide when they saw Lee Lee Se-min’s face.

“What you just said, I mean….”

Lee Lee Se-min shook his head.

“Not that one.”

“Yes, yes?”

“What is the name of the gladiator who fought today?”

“Ah, the bloody bastard Garintas….”

“A dead person.”

“That guy…”

He looked back at the group as if he couldn’t remember their names either. They also looked at the sky, thought for a moment, and then came up with an answer.

“I don’t know his ring name, but he said his name was Tagore.”

“Tagore.”

Lee Lee Se-min nodded and passed by them.

Killa asked as he walked along.

“Why did you ask that?”

Lee Lee Se-min ignored her question and gave a different answer.

“I have decided.”

Killa didn’t ask. Lee Lee Se-min didn’t say anything either. He will be speaking in front of the nobles two days later.

***

Lee Lee Se-min continued to live in the dormitories of the Vaticaros gladiators. Vaticaros said he could stay as long as he wanted. He no longer treated the people as slaves.

“I really didn’t expect you to win. I wonder what kind of answer you will give to the nobles.”

He said, raising his drink.

“Keep in mind that you can’t do anything alone.”

“Of course.”

I had felt it before, but it seemed like Vaticaros already knew the truth about Sargasonia.

He was a man who owned a large mansion in Sargasonia. Other than nobles, few people had such power. They had long been said to be an extremely wealthy family, so they must had been involved in the city from the beginning of Sargasonia’s construction.

Lee Lee Se-min spent time at his dorm connecting to the transcendental network and practicing Wuju style.

Soon the day came.

Lee Lee Se-min rode in the nobles’ carriage and headed to the temple located in the center of the city. Unlike before, the main figures of each family and their troops were lined up waiting for the people.

“I was waiting.”

A servant of the Gloria family whom he had seen once escorted him.

Lee Lee Se-min headed to the temple with him. When I climbed up the stairs for a while and reached the entrance to the temple, I looked back and saw that there were people gathered around the temple.

It was a widely known event among citizens for a gladiator who won a tournament to ask for a wish from nobles. However, Germanos had monopolized the championship so far, and the new champion was also the unpopular Angel Lee Lee Se-min, so not many citizens gathered.

“Yuria asked me to tell you that I trust you, Lee Lee Se-min.”

Lee Lee Se-min smiled.

I passed the rock I had seen before and entered the inside of the temple. Instead of going to the room where the magic arts council I saw before was located, I walked in a different direction.

A large space like a conference hall appeared. The nobles were waiting for him there.

“You’re here. I appreciate your hard work.”

Malsha was also standing at the entrance. Behind him, Germanos was looking at Lee Lee Se-min with a stern expression.

“Now that the champion has arrived, let’s listen to his request.”

Spina said.

Two long tables were set up, with the main figures of the noble families sitting on the left and right, and in the front, the heads of the six families were waiting for the common people.

Lee Lee Se-min followed Spina’s hand gesture and walked towards the family heads.

Suddenly, I found Yuria sitting at the table. She winked. Lee Lee Se-min smiled.

“Champion of the Sargasonia Tournament, Angel Lee Lee Se-min.”

“Yes.”

“We have agreed to grant one request from you, the champion of the tournament, according to the rules of Sargasonia. You should know that the rights given to you actually have a much greater influence than you think.”

“I know.”

“Then tell me.”

Everyone was looking at Lee Lee Se-min.

“What do you wish for?”

Lee Lee Se-min spoke immediately.

“I hope that the throne buried under the sand will be pulled out and a new emperor will be born.”

Compared to the weight of those words, Lee Lee Se-min’s tone was very light. It was no different from saying I was hungry.

Everyone was in an uproar.

The heads of the three noble families, including Spina, looked at Lee Lee Se-min with mixed emotions and nodded, while the other three families lowered their heads in despair. The surroundings soon became noisy.

“And.”

When Lee Lee Se-min opened his mouth again, it became quiet again.

“I will kill Badurbarok.”

The words this time were not wishes, but were closer to a promise.

The people who were making a fuss did not open their mouths any more, perhaps realizing the youthful solemnity of those words. Only the heads of the six families looked at Lee Lee Se-min with smiling faces or sad expressions and nodded.

The decision was over.

The throne will be taken out.

Thus, the barrier disappears and the council stops.

It was the moment that marked the end of the system that had protected Sargasonia.

“Lee Lee Se-min.”

Kami, who was facing Lee Lee Se-min, said.

“Because of your choice, countless citizens will die. Perhaps we will all die. Do you feel any guilt about that?”

Spina grabbed his arm, but Kami didn’t care. Several nobles nodded and agreed with his opinion.

“Is your personal desire for revenge more important than the safety of countless citizens?”

Lee Lee Se-min looked at Kami.

And then I looked around. Those who were frustrated with his choice were glaring at Lee Lee Se-min with anger and hostility.

Lee Lee Se-min grinned.

“I don’t care about that.”

Their faces were distorted. Just as Kami was about to speak again, Lee Lee Se-min spoke again.

“A gladiator died two days ago. I heard his head was blown off and spun several times in the air. Do you know what the gladiator’s name is?”

No one answered.

Lee Lee Se-min shrugged his shoulders.

“You guys don’t care either?”

Lee Lee Se-min looked back. Malsha was standing there with a joyous expression on his face. He will never be a good emperor. He did not show any virtues worthy of an emperor.

However, both he and Lee Lee Se-min agreed on one thing: killing Badurbarok.

That’s all.

Lee Lee Se-min said.

“I don’t care either.”

***

The moment the magic arts council was broken, Sargasonia will fall into chaos.

Therefore, the removal of the throne and the birth of the emperor had to happen at the same time.

They took the day.

On the most auspicious day, work will be done in an auspicious manner. Killa became a sorcerer, and the wizards of Sargasonia decided to assist her.

The three noble families who had hoped for this event looked helpless. What they wanted so much was made possible by an unidentified stranger who did not even know where he came from.

“Where are you from?”

“How did you meet Killa?”

When the resurrection of the throne was decided, they asked many questions about Lee Lee Se-min.

Lee Lee Se-min shrugged his shoulders.

While avoiding Yuria’s eyes looking at him, he looked at the opposing nobles who were frustrated. They were comforting each other like people about to die.

They didn’t seem to think they could beat Badurbarok.

As the Sorcery Council indicated, perhaps all citizens of Sargasonia think so.

Even Lee Lee Se-min, who started this fight, had more vague anxiety about Badurbarok than confidence in victory.

But it had to be done.

“Get ready to fight Badurbarok.”

Lee Lee Se-min said that and turned around.

I left the temple.

The citizens gathered under the temple were waiting for him, not yet leaving.

I looked at their faces once, then turned my eyes back to the panoramic view of Sargasonia. I saw concentric circles of streets, exotic architectural styles, and lively citizens walking among them.

It was unusually bright for survivors of a fallen civilization.

The magic arts council was showing sweet dreams for them.

They will soon wake up from their dream and face the ugly monsters outside the barrier. When you see Badurbarok beyond, you might miss the days when you didn’t know anything.

Most of them will die.

Because war was like that.

As the person who decided everything, Lee Lee Se-min decided to remember Sargasonia’s appearance.

“Do you regret it?”

It was Germanos’ voice. It was rare for him to come up and talk to me personally like this.

“Maybe.”

“There is no need to regret. If the emperor had not died, he would have chosen the same thing as you.”

“Even if the citizens don’t want to fight?”

Germanos stretched out his hand and scanned Sargasonia from end to end. Seen from high above, the vast city looked as small as a toy.

“It was meant to be this way in the end.”

“You have been protecting the throne so far.”

“After the emperor disappeared, the throne and the council were my new emperor.”

“What does the emperor mean to you?”

“He is the one who carries everything.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

Lee Lee Se-min shrugged his shoulders.

“At least Malshaar wasn’t that kind of vessel. Aren’t you the reason you stayed champion because of him?”

“If Malshar’s qualities are not enough, someone else will appear when needed.”

“That is a very thoughtless statement.”

“That’s what an emperor is.”

Germanos smiled.

“Everything is connected, so when the world needs an emperor, he will appear. That is the will of the world.”

“It seems like mysticism.”

“You showed up.”

“What?”

“The throne drank too much blood. It was about to become corrupted. However, just before it became irreversible, you suddenly appeared and defeated me.”

“It must be a coincidence.”

“Let me be clear, I gave it my all.”

Germanos turned and said.

“I, the one who defeated Germanos, can never be a coincidence.”

Lee Lee Se-min laughed as he looked at Germanos’ back as he walked away. His broad back was not like that of an old man, and his pride was evident.

Even when Lee Lee Se-min thought about it again, it didn’t feel real that he had defeated Germanos.

“There are no coincidences….”

At that moment, someone whispered.

‘Taegeuk refers to yin and yang, heaven and earth, and furthermore, the original form.’

Lee Lee Se-min looked back with embarrassment.

All I could see were the nobles who had just come out of the temple, the sky stretching above them, and the scenery of Sargasonia visible below the stairs. No one passed by him. If I had to pick one, it would only be the cool breeze that ruffles my hair.

Lee Lee Se-min turned around again, doubting his ears.

The wind still seemed to be whispering small, unintelligible sounds.

***

In the early morning before sunrise, everyone gathered at the gladiatorial arena.

The heads of each family, Germanos, Malsha, Killa, and the wizards who would assist her gathered.

Lee Lee Se-min arrived first and was waiting for them.

“You came early.”

“I’m bored waiting.”

There were two moons in the sky of this world. The moonlight fell and the sand of the stadium glowed white. They stood on the sand and performed a ritual to drive out evil spirits with Killa. Killa said, looking back at everyone.

“The moment the throne is taken out, everyone close your eyes and block your ears.”

It was an eerie warning.

“That’s what you did to the throne. You fed blood to a sacred object, so it was natural for it to turn into a monster. Of course, you knew that better than anyone else.”

Everyone fell silent at the mocking tone.

“Malshahr.”

“Okay.”

Killa looked at him and frowned.

“I can’t guarantee what will happen to you if you don’t pass the throne test. You know that, right?”

“Of course. Don’t worry. I am destined to become an emperor.”

“I wasn’t really worried.”

They headed underground. Just before Lee Lee Se-min left the sand, he saw black energies hovering over it.

I soon passed the spiral staircase leading down and stood in front of the tightly closed door of the stone chamber. A torch illuminated the prophetic picture carved on the door.

“The prophecy will come true.”

Malshahr opened his mouth. The voice echoed through the stone room.

“I am the one in that picture….”

“Shh.”

Killa put a finger to her mouth. Malshahr closed his mouth with a sad expression. Killa signaled to everyone with a glance and slowly opened the door to the stone chamber.

It was dark.

There was darkness lurking just like I had seen before. Even the light from the torches they brought could not penetrate inside. They say darkness was the absence of light, but it seemed to be the opposite inside there.

“Do you see the throne?”

“It’s dark so I can’t see.”

Killa raised her hand. A faint light emerged from her hand. Unlike a torch, it was a light made of magical power.

Then the inside was revealed.

Between the floor and the walls, which were covered in geometric patterns and magic letters, there was a throne.

Everyone exclaimed in exclamation.

“It hasn’t changed over time.”

“How long has it been since I last saw the throne again?”

Some nobles closed their eyes and recited something like a prayer.

Lee Lee Se-min, who was standing behind, looked at Malshahr. He was staring at the inside of the stone chamber, mesmerized. He craned his neck as if possessed, then smiled brightly and spoke to Killa.

“Can I sit over there?”

“Wait.”

Killa went inside.

The wizards who had come to assist her lined up outside the door of the stone chamber. Their complexions were pale. It seemed like he was afraid to approach the stone chamber.

“Are you okay?”

Killa asked as he entered the stone chamber.

“The morale is so strong. We don’t have the courage to get closer.”

“Just wait. I’ll start working inside.”

Lee Lee Se-min recalled the time he entered there. Nothing felt big. On the contrary, I felt comfortable in the darkness inside the stone room.

The wizards seem to sense something he cannot understand.

Lee Lee Se-min glanced to the side. Malshahr lifted his heel and looked into the chamber over the wizards’ shoulders. It seemed like he couldn’t take his eyes off the throne.

“Is it that good?”

He was startled by Lee Lee Se-min’s informal language, but then smiled again and said.

“I will skip it for now. Now you have become a free citizen like me. But when I become emperor, I will not be able to speak like I do now.”

“Yes, yes.”

“The throne I’ve only heard about is so beautiful. I’ve never seen anything so radiant. I can’t believe it’s mine….”

It was the moment when Lee Lee Se-min tilted his head.

A tearing scream began to echo within the stone chamber.

Everyone covered their ears.

The wizards began mumbling and reciting spells. Their cries and screams mixed together and dizzyed my ears. Lee Lee Se-min aroused his aura and looked inside the stone chamber.

Killa was dispelling the darkness with both hands outstretched.

This ghostly sound originated from that darkness.

Lee Lee Se-min saw human faces flowing through the darkness. They were bleeding and screaming back and forth with cold faces. A high, shrill scream pierced people’s ears.

It looked terrible.

That was the reality of the fraud that the Emperor had accumulated while quenching his thirst with blood.

Lee Lee Se-min realized that what the emperor had been sucking up was more than just blood.

He did not turn his eyes away from the ghosts flowing through the darkness.

There was no one who wanted to be like that and became like that. They died on the sands of the gladiatorial arena and were thus sucked into the throne. Even after their death, they could not be liberated and were captured here and sacrificed for Sargasonia.

“Look straight ahead.”

Lee Lee Se-min covered his ears and grabbed Malshahr’s shoulder as he turned around. He looked at Lee Lee Se-min with a pained expression.

“If you want to become emperor, don’t look away.”

Lee Lee Se-min’s voice was not properly conveyed to him due to the deafening nature. Malsha shook his head again and turned around.

Soon the sound stopped.

Inside the stone chamber, Killa was catching his breath. My whole body was covered in sweat. It was the first time she showed signs of being this distressed.

“Come in.”

Everyone hesitated, then one by one entered the stone room. Malshahr was the last to cross the gate.

The magic circles and letters that had filled the place had disappeared.

“There is no turning back. Everyone hope that a new emperor appears.”

Kila said.

“Malshahr.”

Malshahr raised his head.

“Is it my turn?”

“Sit on the throne.”

Malshahr nodded. He looked somewhat anxious, but he forced the corners of his mouth to lift.

“When I become the new emperor, I will not forget you.”

And he looked back at Lee Lee Se-min and said.

“Especially Angel Lee Lee Se-min, your contribution will be greatly appreciated.”

“Stop talking nonsense and quickly put your butt on the chair.”

His face turned red at Lee Lee Se-min’s words. The nobles and wizards chuckled. Malsha looked around, cleared his throat, and walked towards the throne.

“Anyway, it’s a beautiful chair. It’s beautiful. It’s fit for an emperor.”

“Does it look like that?”

Killa waved his hand. Then, a faint cluster of light enveloped Malshahr’s body.

“The minimum safety measures have been put in place, so please take the test quickly.”

“Sure.”

Malshahr approached the throne. Then, as if asking for permission, he knelt down on one knee in front of the throne and muttered something to himself.

It felt like a comedy to see Lee Lee Se-min making a fuss on an old, insignificant chair, but the atmosphere was so serious that he didn’t laugh. I just watched with interest to see what would happen.

Malshahr sat down on the chair.

Lee Lee Se-min watched Malshahr sit on the throne.

It was comical to see him straddling the old throne with a triumphant look on his face.

“Nothing much.”

Lee Lee Se-min muttered. Malshahr sat on the throne, but nothing happened. He just twisted his posture as if he was uncomfortable in his seat.

“What exactly is the throne test?”

Lee Lee Se-min approached Killa and asked a small question. She didn’t answer. It was the moment when Lee Lee Se-min tilted his head and looked closely at her face.

“Lee Lee Se-min.”

Someone called him.

When he turned his head, Malshar was looking at him.

Lee Lee Se-min smiled and was about to ask if anything had changed, but stopped when he saw that his eyes were different from before.

His expression was calm and subdued.

“Where do you come from?”

A loud voice echoed through the room.

Lee Lee Se-min let out a laugh.

“What are you saying?”

I shrugged my shoulders and looked back at the others. The heads of the six families, Germanos and Killa, and even the wizards who came to help them, all remained frozen in place and did not move. Even the pupils were still.

It felt like I was surrounded by stone statues.

It was creepy.

Malshahr asked again.

[Where do you come from?]

His voice was no longer human. He stared at Lee Lee Se-min with burning eyes and urged him to answer.

Lee Lee Se-min answered without realizing it.

“I came from Earth.”

Then a question followed.

[What did you come for?]

The moment he answered, Lee Lee Se-min’s consciousness was focused solely on Malshahr and the unidentified radiance he was carrying on his back.

Lee Lee Se-min could not move as if his entire body was paralyzed.

“I…”

Lee Lee Se-min answered.

“I came to kill Badurbarok.”

Lee Lee Se-min’s consciousness left the stone chamber. He crossed the sands of the gladiatorial arena, escaped Sargasonia, and stood in the middle of the distant landscape of space.

In front of him, Malshahr was still sitting in the worn-out chair, staring at him.

[Why.]

The question was expanded several times.

[Why.]

Arriving right in front of Lee Lee Se-min, that question shook the world.

[Why.]

It was a sound that shook the soul.

Lee Lee Se-min stepped back. As much as he retreated, the question of why also moved forward and pursued him.

[Why do you want to kill Badur Barok?]

Lee Lee Se-min raised his head.

So many reasons ran through my head.

Lee Lee Se-min opened his mouth.

“That’s….”

The moment he tried to explain why, he was no longer in the dark.

“What are you doing?”

Lee Lee Se-min was startled by the sudden voice.

When I turned around, Lee Yu-jin was standing there.

“Eujin?”

“What are you talking about? Have you forgotten my name?”

She was wearing a school uniform. Her real name, Lee So-jin, was clearly visible on the nametag.

“No.”

Lee Lee Se-min looked at Lee Sojin and tilted his head.

She should had been at the Radar Bureau’s Heron base by now. But why did she appear in front of him wearing a school uniform and looking like she used to be when she was young?

Until now… … .

“That kid is doing that again.”

Sojin Lee clicked her tongue. Only then did Lee Lee Se-min notice the students passing by. he was at school It was the same scene he remembered from his high school days.

One by one, the students around him looked in the same direction as Lee So-jin and frowned.

Lee Lee Se-min turned his eyes to follow their gaze. Seongjun Ahn knocked down a child and was kicking him.

His voice was heard.

“I’m an Auror. I’m going to become a raider, right? Friend. You know that my position with you won’t change even if I go out into society, right?”

Saying that, Ahn Seongjun grabbed the other person’s hair and shook it from side to side. When the child tried to resist, his grip became stronger.

“Uh, are you grabbing my wrist? Are you blocking me?”

No one could dare to come forward, and they cried out loud while looking at the scene.

Something surged in Lee Lee Se-min’s chest. Although he was only an Auror who had just been recognized for his aptitude, he knew that he should not use Aurors in that way.

Raiders must not use force against ordinary people. That was an absolute rule.

Lee Lee Se-min walked forward.

“Do it in moderation, Ahn Seongjun.”

Seongjun Ahn raised his head. I made eye contact with Lee Lee Se-min. He straightened his back and looked at Lee Lee Se-min with a smile on his lips.

“Lee Lee Se-min?”

A snowball fight between the two continued.

Two people on campus who had been recognized as aptitude autists were about to clash. The students gathered around and formed a circle.

Lee Lee Se-min did not avoid his eyes.

Seongjun Ahn smiled and nodded.

“Okay.”

As he passed Lee Lee Se-min, he tapped his shoulder.

“You’re right.”

Seongjun Ahn left like that.

Lee Lee Se-min felt like something was off. Even though it was resolved well, I was anxious.

He originally had to fight with Ahn Seong-jun, and shouldn’t he had been messed up and left lying on the floor without even being able to hit him properly? No, had it ever happened like that? Was it your imagination, or was it a common sense of déjà vu? I looked around confused.

Lee So-jin ran up and hit him on the forearm.

“Lee Lee Se-min. Are you pretty?”

The child who was hit by Ahn Seong-jun also approached Lee Lee Se-min and expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you, Lee Lee Se-min.”

The students gathered around whispered Lee Lee Se-min’s name. The word of Auror aptitude spread. The way they looked at him had changed.

“What’s wrong? Are you worried or something? Are you afraid that Ahn Seongjun will take revenge later?”

Seeing his still frozen face, Lee So-jin tilted her head.

Lee Lee Se-min shook his head.

I think there was some thought bugging my head, but I’m not sure. Even after thinking about it carefully, there was nothing to worry about.

“No.”

Lee Lee Se-min grinned.

“Was I pretty cool?”

“What?”

Lee So-jin burst out laughing and hit him again.

The bell rang to end lunch time.

As Lee Lee Se-min returned to class, he decided that he would quickly enter the private radar training facility. I had no interest in academics anyway, and I only thought about becoming a raider at any time. What he had to do was clear.

Using his Aura in the right way.

Like a vague premonition, Lee Lee Se-min had such a sense of mission.

Years passed.

I lived every day faithfully.

Lee Lee Se-min gritted his teeth and worked hard to pass the radar qualification test, and eventually became one of the best radars in Korea. Numerous raid companies, including the Big Three, sent love calls.

Later, he was recognized by Seol Moo-jin of the Mugeukhoe and learned the martial arts of Taegeuk that had been introduced from China. Although much of it was lost, it was nonetheless an Auror method that was more harmonious and more mysterious than anything known to the world.

Lee Lee Se-min, Ahn Seong-jun, and Bang Yu-bi.

Now they had become the three black mark raiders representing Korea.

“Are you here?”

“It’s been a while.”

“You still have that bad look on your face.”

“You too.”

Lee Lee Se-min stood in front of the demon beasts.

Ahn Seong-jun and Bang Yu-bi were waiting for him.

“Were you two close in high school?”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“I think it was actually the opposite?”

Lee Lee Se-min and Ahn Seongjun laughed. Bang Yubi tilted his head.

In front of them, a large army of demonic beasts marching towards Seoul was spread out.

The Black Mark Raiders who symbolized the Republic of Korea retired, and some moved to the provinces to fight against demonic beasts.

Now, they were the only ones who can protect Seoul.

“Seongjun acted a lot like a bully in the past.”

“Is it true?”

“It’s when you’re young. Don’t be like that.”

“I’m disappointed, brother.”

“I have nothing to say.”

Lee Lee Se-min raised an aura.

In his hand was the great sword of Stargazer, a premium brand from Geosung Metal Industries. It was a masterpiece worthy of being displayed anywhere in the world, and a comrade in arms who could be trusted at any moment.

“You got a new sword?”

“It’s a sponsorship.”

“You said you were close with the president of Geosung Metal Industries, right?”

“Yes. My name is Jeon Jeon Woo-yeon, and he is my favorite older brother.”

“It was originally offered to me as a model. I declined it, so it went to my brother.”

“You’re lying.”

While chatting trivially, they headed towards the horde of demonic beasts stretching to the horizon.

There was no fear.

If the three of us were together, there’s no enemy we can’t defeat.

“Let’s go.”

So they went on.

Time had passed again.

Lee Lee Se-min was one of the three warriors of the legendary Seoul Defense Battle, and was now the unique Mark Raider representing Korea.

The appearance of demonic beasts was decreasing. Now, other than when he went on subjugation battles to obtain magic stones, he never actually participates in actual battles.

Everyone in the world knew Lee Lee Se-min’s name, and whenever he appeared, praise and adoration followed.

He was a living legend and a symbol of the Korean raid industry, succeeding Han Soo-in.

“You know what?”

When Lee Lee Se-min was looking down at the night view of the city from the top of the building, there was a shadow approaching behind him.

“Actually, when I first saw you, I had a strange feeling.”

“What does it feel like?”

“I feel like this will happen someday.”

Lee Lee Se-min smiled as he felt slender arms hugging him from behind.

“I didn’t feel it at all.”

“It’s disgusting.”

“It’s our wedding anniversary next month.”

Lee Lee Se-min whispered.

“Shall we take the kids and travel around the world together?”

“The kids don’t want to hang out with us because their heads have grown.”

“If you say you’re going to give up your pocket money, you have no choice but to follow suit.”

“It happens again, again.”

My wife’s breath touched the back of my head.

“I do.”

Lee Lee Se-min smiled as he felt her lips. And looking back, he also said to his wife… … .

[Why do you want to kill Badur Barok?]

That question hit my head.

Lee Lee Se-min stood blankly, wondering.

Everything faded away. Before his eyes, there was only darkness and an old, worn-out throne in between.

The warmth that had warmed his back disappeared, and the sweet feelings that had been fluttering in his chest also lost their way.

“I…”

Decades of time had weighed on his shoulders and brought him to his knees.

Lee Lee Se-min let out a distant breath.

He was definitely there.

Lee Lee Se-min desperately reflected on his memories. I searched for the past so as not to forget it. The remnants of forgotten emotions resurfaced.

Decades of pain had tightened my heart.

He lived one life.

I woke up in the happiest moment.

Then, a daunting reality stood in front of me.

[Do you want to go back?]

It was a world where no one died and there was no Badurbarok.

The happiness that I felt like I could catch if I stretched out my hand was there.

He asked while sitting on the throne.

It was no longer Malshahr.

[Do you want to go back and be happy?]

Lee Lee Se-min raised his eyes. My vision became blurred due to the feeling of loss.

I opened my mouth, then closed it again and gritted my teeth. I opened my mouth again and repeated touching it. My mind was confused and I couldn’t figure out what to do.

It was human instinct to want to be happy.

Lee Lee Se-min wanted to hold on to it.

But.

Memories began to break into fragments and scatter. Lee Lee Se-min grabbed the air. The faces in my blurry memories were erased.

happiness.

Was there such a thing as happiness for him who always fought against the world?

Lee Lee Se-min closed his eyes.

“No.”

He spoke in a whisper.

“I must kill Badurbarok.”

Lee Lee Se-min felt deep pain as he let go of something precious. He abandoned his wife, children, and friends. I had a feeling that I would never be able to go back to how I was before.

He abandoned a world for this answer.

[Is that so?]

The throne shook.

[Then, you.]

And the emperor asked the same question again.

[Why do you want to kill Badur Barok?]

“I…”

Lee Lee Se-min opened his mouth. My mind was clouded as if there was a fog. But he must answer.

After hesitation, I opened my mouth.

“I…”

“What are you doing now?”

Lee Lee Se-min turned his head.

Hyeonjaeyoung was standing there.

“Brother, why are you blanking out?”

“Ah, that’s….”

Lee Lee Se-min scratched his head and looked back at the store.

Today was the opening day. He decided to open a Japanese-style izakaya with his younger brother, Hyeonjaeyoung, who was close to him, and after a long period of preparation, he was about to open his first restaurant.

“I thought about something else for a moment.”

It seemed like there was something, but it became increasingly blurry. It felt like I’m dreaming. Lee Lee Se-min looked back at the meticulously designed interior and reflected on the past.

“Jaeyoung.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s do well.”

“Of course.”

Hyeonjaeyoung smiled. Except for the fact that he whined about his girlfriend every day, he was a good and sincere guy.

“Brother, but I’m a little nervous.”

“Don’t be nervous.”

Lee Lee Se-min hit Hyeonjaeyoung on the shoulder.

“Do what you’re doing.”

The door opened. It was a group of female customers.

Behind the faces entering the store, I saw the indifferent profile of a woman fiddling with her cell phone. When Hyeonjaeyoung shouted loudly for her to come, only then did she raise her eyes.

Lee Lee Se-min and I locked eyes.

The short encounter felt like a long time.

“Brother?”

“Oh, yes.”

Lee Lee Se-min picked up the menu.

“I’ll take your order.”

Feeling an unknown premonition, Lee Lee Se-min stood in front of the table.

I recited the lines I had practiced several times.

“Hello. We opened the store today, and you are our first customers.”

“Really? Then serve me!”

“Of course I have to give it to you. How can I help you with the order?”

They took the menu and tilted their heads.

“What should I do….”

Lee Lee Se-min’s eyes were focused on one person. She raised her head. Our eyes met again. She smiled without averting her eyes.

“Please recommend it to the boss.”

“It’s a recommendation.”

Lee Lee Se-min nodded.

“Then, let’s have sushi omakase.”

The first business was successful.

Although there were hardships, Lee Lee Se-min and Hyeonjaeyoung faithfully ran the store. As the number of customers increased, part-time workers were hired, and the store became known on social media.

Lee Lee Se-min dated a customer he fell in love with at first sight, and they broke up after a long relationship.

Many relationships passed by. As time passed, Lee Lee Se-min and Hyeonjaeyoung opened separate branches and became independent. The number of stores named after them increased, and the two took on the title of co-CEOs.

Lee Lee Se-min reunited with his old lover. I got married and had a child. After retiring, Lee Lee Se-min entered the final stage of his life, enjoying a little fishing and traveling.

My son, who worked at a company, debuted as a novelist at a late age.

“It’s a fantasy novel. Monsters appear, and there are people who have the power to fight the monsters, and they are called raiders. I named the main character Lee Lee Se-min, after my father.”

“What is the title?”

“That’s….”

It was a pretty good life, Lee Lee Se-min thought.

It wasn’t a crazy world full of monsters like in my son’s novel, and I got rewarded for my efforts at work.

They say life was unfair, but it seemed he was lucky. His wife was always wise, his son never lost his temper, and in his final moments, everyone around him came to his hospital room to mourn his passing.

Lee Lee Se-min closed his eyes.

What will the afterlife be like, or will it be eternal darkness?

In his falling consciousness, Lee Lee Se-min heard a voice.

[Were you happy?]

Lee Lee Se-min opened his eyes.

Malshar turned into a dark figure and was glaring at him.

[There were no such things from the beginning.]

Lee Lee Se-min was in despair.

A world rose, then sank again. He lived two lives and had to abandon them all.

The things he had worked hard for, the things he had loved, endured, and tried to overcome, were in fact nothing more than a flicker of a moment, no better than a daydream. I lowered my head. Precious memories came out with each breath.

In one head, three lives were mixed together.

It’s heavy because it’s overflowing with longing and loss.

[Why you?]

The question came back.

[Are you trying to kill Badur Barok?]

Lee Lee Se-min did not answer.

After silence, Lee Lee Se-min felt a hand grabbing his shoulder again.

“Good job. It was hard, right?”

He was standing on the sand.

He was a free gladiator belonging to the Gloria family and a renowned champion of the empire.

After he finished a hard fight, Yuria Gloria always came up to him and praised his efforts.

“No.”

Lee Lee Se-min smiled.

“Offering victory to You cannot be difficult.”

Yuria smiled.

Years passed. One life had been completed once again.

As I held the shoulder of the person standing next to me, looked at the sunset, and thought that if this was a dream and I never wanted to wake up, black spots spread out from the center of the sunset.

Lee Lee Se-min remembered something he had forgotten.

I became sad.

The things he loved were falling apart.

Again, he stood there.

Lee Lee Se-min sat down.

I lived for too long. Even though it was an illusion without substance, the memory of breathing and living within it was clearly engraved in him. The moment opened its mouth, each moment expanded infinitely, and new life and beautiful memories poured into his soul.

The process of living one life, spending more time, shouting at the throne, and then falling into a dream again was repeated.

At the end, he took a step.

[Why are you calling Badurbarok…? … .]

Lee Lee Se-min took a step forward and answered for the first time.

“Shut up.”

His consciousness fell into the distance.

I lived another life.

Every step felt like an eternity. He was a hero, then a petty citizen. Sometimes he was a king or an emperor. I achieved supreme happiness and experienced base pleasures.

In countless lives, at the moment when he least wanted to wake up, the throne shook him to his feet.

And repeated the same question.

Lee Lee Se-min took a step each time and spit out the same words.

“Shut up.”

For that one word, he lived one life each time and left the world behind.

[Why do you want to kill Badurbarok?]

“Shut up.”

[Why you?]

“Shut up.”

[You.]

“Shut up.”

Lee Lee Se-min’s eyes, having seen countless twilights, sank to gray.

In front of the throne, Lee Lee Se-min laughed miserably.

“Shut up.”

I got close enough to see the figure sitting on the throne.

Lee Lee Se-min stretched out his hand.

He took what seemed like an eternity to advance one step.

This time I had a particularly beautiful dream. A teardrop fell from Lee Lee Se-min’s eye.

Lee Lee Se-min said in a whisper.

“Shut up.”

Beyond an infinitely repetitive life.

He stood in the heaviest and darkest world.

Lee Lee Se-min grabbed the hem of Malshar’s clothes. Darkness and madness metastasized. The beautiful and the ugly were mixed together. The despair and pain of the dying gladiators and the beautiful dreams they show were intertwined into a bizarre mosaic. Joy and despair discharged simultaneously in his skull.

I gave strength to my hands.

I could had just sat down.

If the distinction between reality and dreams was useless, it might be better to be happy in it.

But he dares to crawl back into the hellish world and stand before the throne.

Because he.

‘You are not a coward.’

Lee Lee Se-min grabbed Malshahr by the neck. A dark figure began to tear away from the throne.

The guy tried his best not to fall off. Black darkness hung over the throne.

“I kill Badurbarok.”

[Why… … .]

Lee Lee Se-min ripped off Malshar and threw it on the floor.

“Don’t ask me questions.”

The dark figure lowered its head.

The scenery of the universe surrounding him bowed towards him.

A long sound was heard.

Now Lee Lee Se-min.

was sitting on the throne.

On the old throne, Lee Lee Se-min looked down at a black figure.

“I ask the questions.”

Lee Lee Se-min said.

His voice shook the universe.

I don’t know how it happened, but it was Lee Lee Se-min, not Malshar, who went through the test of the throne.

The thing in the shape of Malshahr, the darkness of the throne, bowed its head to Lee Lee Se-min.

[Greetings to the emperor.]

“I am not the emperor.”

Lee Lee Se-min answered. Darkness trembled. Lee Lee Se-min could now see his true nature.

With his elbows on the throne’s pedestal, his chin resting, and his legs crossed, Lee Lee Se-min looked down at his servant and said:

“Why should I become emperor?”

[If you sit on the throne, you will gain the world.]

“I don’t need that.”

Malshar trembled and answered.

[I will give you all the wealth in the world.]

“No need.”

Lee Lee Se-min shook his head.

[I will give you the highest honor where everyone will kneel before you.]

Lee Lee Se-min snorted.

“Get out.”

[I will warm your bedroom all year round with the most beautiful women.]

“Get out.”

[I will kill those who offend me, save those I like, and build my own empire.]

“Get out.”

[All the territory your eyes reach will belong to your name.]

“Get out.”

[I will make everyone praise your name and sing songs praising you.]

“Get out.”

[Gold and silver treasures.]

“Get out.”

[Supreme honor.]

“Get out.”

[The most beautiful women in the world and a heavenly pleasure that no one can taste.]

“Get out.”

His appearance became blurred. The darkness lurking before my eyes faded, and a faint halo of light emerged from beneath it.

Lee Lee Se-min changed the question.

“What kind of position is the emperor?”

[You can enjoy everything in the world… … .]

“Again.”

Lee Lee Se-min shook his head.

The darkness completely dissipated. Now a small point of light was facing him.

Lee Lee Se-min asked again.

“What kind of position is the emperor?”

Light answered.

The voice was the same, but the tone of answer was different.

[This is the lowest position.]

“What does the emperor do?”

[It is about shedding blood at the forefront, supporting the people at the bottom, and ultimately dying without enjoying anything.]

“Then what do I get?”

The universe began to rotate.

Then, darkness rose again from within the figure bowing before Lee Lee Se-min. The guy screamed in a strange voice.

[Boo! honor! Pleasure!]

Lee Lee Se-min did not answer. The darkness lost its power and disappeared into thin air. Where the darkness had disappeared, light shimmered again.

In an eternally circular universe, the light began to recall four letters.

The light spoke to Lee Lee Se-min.

[Saving the world.]

The cosmic landscape quickly shrunk and began to display images of the world. Demonic beasts were walking around all over the world. There were countless ruins and dead bodies. The demonic beasts that lost their food ate and were devoured amongst themselves again, creating a chaos among the hungry ghosts.

[To bring peace to all people.]

Lee Lee Se-min saw the darkness.

There it was.

In the deep core of darkness, Badurbarok was staring at him.

[You get it.]

The world turned into a blank slate.

Above it, four letters appeared.

Jeseanmin().

It was the same handwriting he had written with great effort when taking the radar qualification test. It was Lee Lee Se-min who asked the question, and it was he who answered the question. Lee Lee Se-min nodded.

When the emperor gestured, the world became positive.

“Then I will do it.”

The light disappeared.

The universe collapsed.

Only the voice remained, ringing in the void.

[You have the form of a dragon and a dragon and the majesty of a thousand days, so you will definitely be a safe person in the world.]

Lee Lee Se-min opened his eyes.

Everyone was looking at him.

Those faces were unfamiliar, so Lee Lee Se-min frowned and traced his memory to connect their faces and names. A hundred years, and then another hundred years. Going back a long time. I had encountered them from time to time in countless lives.

“Germanos.”

Germanos, who was staring at him blankly, got down on one knee.

“Killa.”

Killa, who was looking at him with incomprehensible eyes, bowed her head.

The heads of the six families bowed.

Lee Lee Se-min grabbed the armrests of the throne. As if new memories were being injected, the reality of his life as Lee Lee Se-min was revived.

There was no sense of reality because of the gap between the scenery in front of my eyes and my memories.

In the trials of the throne, he repeated so many lives.

Could this also be an illusion on the verge of collapse?

“Emperor.”

Killa opened her mouth. While everyone was perplexed, she was the only one with calm eyes. She said to Lee Lee Se-min.

“What do you want to do?”

The moment he heard those words, Lee Lee Se-min’s soul returned to the center of Sargasonia as if he had been electrocuted.

Although he lived and died countless times, he came here again for this purpose. As he caught the spirit trying to float and brought it down to the ground, Lee Lee Se-min spoke about an enemy he could never forget.

“I will kill Badurbarok and liberate the world.”

“In that case.”

She got down on one knee.

“So it will be.”

Lee Lee Se-min nodded.

He was Lee Lee Se-min, a Raider from Earth, and his mission was to kill Badurbarok.

The raid isn’t over yet.

Lee Lee Se-min pushed away the flooding regrets and got up from the throne.

Although he did not know that this would happen and had no intention of doing so, it was he who was chosen by the throne and, after passing the test, ascended to the position of emperor.

Lee Lee Se-min looked back.

There was a magic arts council. The black sphere stopped spinning and began to fade towards a small dot.

When he ascended to the position of emperor, the barrier that supported Sargasonia and the magic arts council that unified the consciousness of the citizens gradually came to a halt.

Suddenly, Lee Lee Se-min asked.

“Weren’t we in the basement of the gladiatorial arena?”

It was as vague as a distant memory, but they were clearly standing in the stone chamber beneath the gladiatorial arena to reclaim the throne.

However, this was the center of the temple where the council was installed, and the throne was firmly attached as if it originally belonged here.

Killa answered.

“The throne has found its place.”

Lee Lee Se-min spoke again.

“Where has Malsha gone?”

Germanos, Killa, and the heads of the six families looked at each other. Perplexed expressions spread. They exchanged glanced with each other, then looked at Lee Lee Se-min.

Germanos answered. He was the one who protected the last lineage of the royal family.

“Malshahr….”

Germanos trailed off as if even he himself was confused, but then he continued with a sigh.

“It never existed.”

Lee Lee Se-min understood what that meant.

He looked back at the old throne that was supporting him and smiled.

Everything was under the Emperor’s arrangement.

In the first place, emperors were not descended through lineage. However, it was not right to try to elevate him as emperor just because he was a descendant of the royal family.

Because of a guy like Malshar, the six families were at odds, and Germanos became a criminal on the sand and shed a lot of blood?

“The moment the throne was sealed in the gladiatorial arena, the throne created a being called Malsha.”

When he fell into the basement of a gladiator arena and was forced to survive on the blood of gladiators, the emperor created a person who did not exist. The nobles believed they were safe from the power of the magic arts council, but in reality, they were struggling under the illusion of the throne.

In order to one day be liberated from under the sand and allow the emperor to sit on the throne once again, the throne created a crack in the Sargasonia system through Malshahr.

“That’s interesting.”

Germanos, who was closer to Malshar than anyone else, began to laugh. He had a dejected expression.

“Lee Lee Se-min. No, now, Emperor. You laughed at Malshar’s bowl. Didn’t I tell you?”

Germanos looked at Lee Lee Se-min with a smile on his wrinkled eyes.

“When the world needed an emperor, he would appear. I never imagined it would be you. That’s what an emperor is.”

Lee Lee Se-min chuckled.

Now the council behind them had completely disappeared. And a faint light began to emerge from that spot.

The white luminous body floated in the air, split into five pieces, and stopped in front of Lee Lee Se-min.

The Emperor taught me what it was.

Lee Lee Se-min looked at the faces of those surrounding him one by one. They nodded. It was time to make the world aware of the Emperor’s second coming.

Lee Lee Se-min spoke to the light.

“I…”

His voice spread.

The citizens of Sargasonia and the descendants of the empire scattered across the world heard his voice.

[I am your emperor.]

Germanos smiled and closed his eyes, and Killa grinned. The heads of the six families were each immersed in their own sentiments.

Lee Lee Se-min didn’t know what to say, so he chose his words for a moment, then suddenly got to the point.

[I will kill Badurbarok.]

At the same time as those words were said, the ground shook once. Lee Lee Se-min grinned and spoke again to those who were listening to his voice.

[If you don’t kill it, you die. So be aware. I will kill Badurbarok, and I need your strength.]

One light was shaking in front of him, but the other four lights were still in place.

Lee Lee Se-min spoke to them.

[I am going to visit you personally, so be prepared to welcome me.]

The four ancient races remained silent until the end.

The lights faded.

Now everyone knew of his existence.

Even Badurbarok.

Lee Lee Se-min remembered the two eyes shining in the darkness he had seen while taking the throne test. Badurbarok was there.

Surrounded by darkness, he would had watched him pass the throne’s test and become the new emperor.

Lee Lee Se-min came down from the throne.

“I’m hungry, so let’s all eat.”

***

Sargasonia was in chaos. Citizens who were freed from the brainwashing of the magic arts council caused uproar everywhere.

The gladiatorial games they loved so much were no longer held. There were no gladiators or slaves. The barrier that protected them also disappeared. Citizens fell into panic.

But that was only for a moment, and the chaos was quickly resolved under the emperor’s name.

Six families released their soldiers and restored security to the city.

To the people of this world, the emperor had absolute value.

“Hey.”

“What?”

Khaolak looked at him and answered awkwardly. Lee Lee Se-min kicked Khaolak’s butt. I grabbed the spot where Khaolak was hit and glared at him, but I couldn’t bear to fight him any further and just let out my anger.

“Ssi….”

“Speak quickly.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Do you want to rummage?”

“This guy is the emperor…!”

“Pick it?”

When Lee Lee Se-min raised his hand again, Khaolak was startled and cowered pitifully. Lee Lee Se-min lowered his hand.

“Why do you act so pitiful?”

Lee Lee Se-min moved his quarters to the temple, and his captive, Khao Lak, was also detained in the temple.

Through the power of the throne, Lee Lee Se-min lifted Badurbarok’s mental ban on Khaolak. However, Khao Lak did not confess the land where the goblins were hiding. Lee Lee Se-min was regularly harassing Khao Lak to induce him to confess.

“They just go and talk. Are they going to kill someone?”

“…….”

“Aww, it’s frustrating.”

Lee Lee Se-min beat his chest and made an aggrieved expression. His chest was empty. Lee Lee Se-min no longer needed Necklace’s interpretation.

The moment he was connected to the throne, he gained the power to communicate with not only humans but also the four races, and also gained unidentified powers to manipulate people.

“In that case….”

Only then did Khaolak open his mouth.

He hesitated to answer for a while, then glanced at Lee Lee Se-min and spoke in a quiet voice.

“If you grant my request, there’s nothing I can’t tell you.”

“What is that?”

“Hmm….”

Khaolak cleared his throat and said.

“Me….”

“You?”

“Your….”

“Mine?”

“As a minister… if I were to appoint… a minister of foreign affairs… no, if I were to appoint him as a goblin ambassador…”

Lee Lee Se-min looked at Khaolak.

Khaolak was furious.

“Don’t act like you’re looking at something so trivial!”

“No, that’s right. What you’re saying is….”

“I have a problem too! Kiruk!”

“Tell me how great it is.”

Lee Lee Se-min listened to Khaolak’s story.

When it came to the motivation of a man to leave his hometown, become loyal to the demonic beasts, and take up the position of persecuting humans who were once allies, there was nothing better than love.

Khao Lak also had someone he had a crush on.

However, after the emperor was killed, the only thing left for the goblins was the path to destruction. Life in the hidden land was difficult. Khaolak surrendered to Badur Barok and ascended to a position of power, attempting to return to a golden state where he could at least take care of his family and the woman he loved.

But everything was in vain because of Lee Lee Se-min, or more precisely, because of Fersen, an unidentified man he had summoned.

“You have even lifted the ban on Badur Barok… I can’t go back… This has come to an end so I can save face… Please help me.”

“Give it?”

“I ask for your help, Emperor.”

“Try saying His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Emperor… Your Majesty….”

“That’s great.”

Lee Lee Se-min shook his head.

“I refuse.”

“Girl!”

Khaolak attacked Lee Lee Se-min. But Lee Lee Se-min was the first to reach out and grab his bald head. Khaolak’s limbs did not touch Lee Lee Se-min.

He struggled for a while and then went away with a single gesture from Lee Lee Se-min.

“Why are you so weak?”

“What are you talking about? You’ve become strong through ignorance!”

It was as he said.

Lee Lee Se-min passed the test of the throne and lived for a long time. Although his body was that of a young man, he felt like an old man who had lived hundreds or thousands of years. Although it was a dream, all life had meaning to him.

Memories of life gave him new meaning to Taegeuk.

In every life, the principles of the world and the symbols of Taegeuk were repeated.

Going through the cycle of infinite circular profit, Se Min’s Taegeukhye and Ujuryu reached a level completely different from before he became emperor.

Even goblins, who were classified as disaster beasts on Earth, were now nothing special to him, just small, swarming children.

“Khao Lak.”

“I won’t do it.”

“There is a misunderstanding.”

Lee Lee Se-min smiled warmly. He experienced a variety of human relationships throughout his life. Dealing with goblins was no task.

He was now a master pusher.

“It doesn’t suit our friendship to put you on that level.”

“What…?”

“You are my advisor. I will appoint you as Prime Minister.”

“Really?”

With one push and pull, the goblin couldn’t resist and was hugged by him… … .

“But why are you pretending to be friendly? Anyway, I gave in to someone who couldn’t even look down on the great goblin if not me. I gave in and made him Minister of Foreign Affairs. I don’t need a chancellor, so don’t pretend to be generous. It’s all just in name anyway…”

Lee Lee Se-min kicked Khaolak. Everyone was different. There were some opponents for whom tactics do not work.

“Oops!”

“Okay, get ready to lead the way. We’ll be leaving soon.”

“Can the emperor leave already?”

“There’s nothing to see here.”

The status of emperor of another world was different from that of Earth. It was not a position to reign, but rather a position to serve. Although he gained absolute authority and power through the throne, at the same time, the responsibility that came with it was heavy.

When Lee Lee Se-min stepped out of the temple, soldiers from each family were guarding the temple.

They saluted Lee Lee Se-min.

“Hmm.”

Lee Lee Se-min saluted and accepted their respect. I had never been replaced by Grae, who became a deserter when I was a private, so I really wanted to try something like this.

“What about Germanos?”

“It’s coming.”

Germanos’ sturdy body loomed at the bottom of the stairs. Germanos was running up the stairs without any sign of difficulty, which was unusual for his age.

He stood in front of Lee Lee Se-min and nodded.

“Emperor. We have selected volunteers.”

“Good job.”

I took the documents he handed me.

The names of the warriors who would visit the ancient tribes with Lee Lee Se-min were written on it.

Lee Lee Se-min looked at the names and shook his head.

“It’s too much and too messy.”

“Of course, this is not the end.”

Germanos grinned. After Lee Lee Se-min became emperor, the smile on his face increased more than before.

“Shouldn’t you be interviewed in person, Emperor?”

“I see…!”

“The person I will be working with will have to see it. We are scheduled to take it tomorrow at noon, so please remember that.”

Lee Lee Se-min nodded. Who would had known that he would become an interviewer and be in a position to evaluate people? Lee Lee Se-min was filled with emotion as he looked down at the panoramic view of Sargasonia. He came to this world and became successful.

“Is the city’s defense okay?”

“The soldiers are holding off well, and gladiators have also been deployed to defend the city. Thanks to the power of the throne, it is not that difficult.”

“Not my strength?”

“Let’s call it the power of the throne.”

The power imbued in the throne could be used in many ways, and the infinite power of the throne could be shared with those who guarded it, giving them vitality and energy. Thanks to this, the city’s troops became stronger than ever before.

“If the goblin says, Badurbarok won’t have the resources for the time being, so we need to get things done quickly.”

After Lee Lee Se-min broke Khao Lak’s mental ban with the power of the throne, he confessed various information to him.

Badurbarok did not had the energy to pay attention to Sargasonia.

It was said that the resistance of the Earth they invaded was strong, and that Badurbarok was directly pouring his strength into connecting the new dimension. His greed seemed to had no end, and the battlefield had expanded enormously.

And since the emperor had returned from Sargasonia, which he thought had been completely neutralized, he must had been in trouble.

However, since the power gap was still significant, the tribes had to be united as quickly as possible to attack Badurbarok.

Lee Lee Se-min said.

“Gather as many useful people as possible. We’ll decide on the number of people tomorrow and leave right away.”

“Sure.”

***

A long desk was set up next to the rock at the entrance to the temple, and Lee Lee Se-min, Germanos, and Kila sat there in order.

Lee Lee Se-min sighed as he looked through the documents containing the applicants’ personal information.

“The applicants this time are not good at all. Sargasonia’s talent has dried up.”

As Lee Lee Se-min imitated a strict boss, Germanos also nodded.

“This never happened during the empire, but young people grew up in greenhouses and don’t know how to use a sword.”

“You lack passion.”

“Back in my day, I trained until the sun went down with just one sword. That’s not the case anymore.”

“What do young people know? All they have to do is hold a sword and show their form.”

“You need mental armament.”

Killa, who was sitting next to Lee Lee Se-min and Germanos, glanced at them as if pitiful, then turned his head again.

“Shall we begin now?”

When Lee Lee Se-min gave the signal, the soldier standing next to them waved the bell.

The sound echoed all the way down to the temple.

I started to hear the sound of footsteps running up the stairs.

“That’s fast.”

They checked the time.

Soon a man stood in front of them. It was a gladiator costume. He stood proudly with his chest out towards Lee Lee Se-min, Germanos, and Killa.

Lee Lee Se-min asked.

“Your name?”

“This is Shinthanos.”

“I see. Have you prepared anything?”

“Yes! I prepared a knife in case you need it!”

“Please introduce yourself for one minute.”

“Yes?”

“Within time.”

When Lee Lee Se-min gestured, he looked back at Germanos and Killa in confusion. They shrugged. Shinthanos muttered before opening his mouth.

“I, uh… was born as the son of a tribal leader of the Makhtan tribe… and served as a leader among the children from a young age… and at the coming-of-age ceremony, I hunted the demon beast Kecia… and was recognized for my potential… and later on… I went to Sargasonia… so…”

“Stop.”

Lee Lee Se-min cut off his words.

“Did you not prepare properly?”

“Yes?”

“You keep stuttering? What are your hobbies?”

“My hobby is growing plants!”

“How will that help us on this expedition?”

“Uh… I know how to look after plants well…”

“Wouldn’t that be helpful? Did you bring it as a hobby? Don’t you have any intention of joining the expedition team?”

Under Lee Lee Se-min’s pressure, Shinthanos became mute.

Lee Lee Se-min blatantly shook his head. It was an expression of disappointment. Shinthanos was so intimidated that his eyeballs could be seen shaking.

“Well, I understand.”

Lee Lee Se-min sighed openly and shrugged his shoulders.

Germanos took over the baton.

“There you are.”

“Yes!”

“Hmm… I won all three sword fights. So I guess I’m alive. By the way, you teach drawing classes on the side?”

“Yes!”

“Is it going well?”

“I have a lot of experience with art, so I have a lot of students.”

“What is the alcohol intake?”

“Huh? Oh, yes! I’ve never been drunk in my life!”

“You’re a drinker. This won’t work. People who like to drink won’t last long.”

“…….”

“Alcohol is the enemy of a knight, the enemy.”

Germanos muttered softly and shook his head.

Shinthanos’ legs began to shake. When Lee Lee Se-min looked at the figure closely, Shinthanos realized his mistake and forcibly grabbed his leg.

Shinthanos, surrounded by three interviewers, now looked 45 degrees ahead and avoided eye contact.

It looked frozen.

“That’s it.”

“Yes?”

“That’s the end. I know Shinthanos well, and I will give you an answer after carefully reviewing your qualifications. Thank you for your hard work. Do you have any last words?”

“That…”

“If you don’t have it, please leave. The interview is over.”

“There is.”

“The bus has left. Oh, it’s not a bus, it’s a carriage. The carriage has left.”

Shinthanos looked back at them blankly, then stood up, slumped his shoulders, and started going down the stairs.

Lee Lee Se-min called out Shinthanos, who was looking at the back.

“Mr. Shinthanos.”

He turned around sharply.

“Yes, yes!”

“That’s rude. Why don’t you say hello?”

“Ah, that’s… yes! Sue, thank you for your hard work!”

“Thank you for your hard work… That’s something you only say to your subordinates…”

“I’m sorry! Thank you all for your hard work!”

“Suffering? They’re telling us to suffer now….”

Killa, who was sitting one seat across from him, swung his magic and hit Lee Lee Se-min on the back.

“Oops!”

“Okay, let’s go. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes!”

Shinthanos ran quickly down the stairs. Kila said, looking at Lee Lee Se-min and Germanos in turn.

“Do it right.”

Lee Lee Se-min and Germanos looked the other way.

“We did it right…”

“Hmm, this much pressure is needed to find real talent…”

“…If this happens again, I won’t stay silent.”

Soon the next interviewee jumped up and their conversation was interrupted.

Under Kila’s leadership, the dialogue proceeded in a more moderate manner. There were also familiar faces to Lee Lee Se-min.

“Oh, Shozen. How much do you drink….”

Killa cut him off.

“You can ignore the emperor here.”

“Yes!”

“This blasphemous….”

At the end of this process, Lee Lee Se-min was able to select a party to visit the four ancient races with him.

Lee Lee Se-min did not want a large number of people.

“Will it be like this?”

“Isn’t that too little?”

“The more there are, the more uncomfortable it is.”

Lee Lee Se-min and Germanos nodded as they looked at the resources they had strictly selected.

In Killa’s case, he was not interested in the conversation between the two warriors because he participated in the interview to select a wizard.

Lee Lee Se-min was planning to leave immediately tomorrow, but postponed his schedule until three days later to prepare.

Lee Lee Se-min looked back at the city one last time.

Citizens were anxious for a while after the barrier disappeared, but now they were getting back to their old ways. The emperor’s presence seemed to be of great help to them. Angel Lee Lee Se-min’s name was being praised everywhere.

While I was living in Sargasonia, I developed quite an dislike for it, and I didn’t know that if I left, I might not be able to come back.

***

The day had come to leave Sargasonia.

Lee Lee Se-min tapped the shoulder of the person accompanying him. They were all standing next to Lee Lee Se-min, armed and carrying large backpacks.

There weren’t many people.

It’s five.

And all of them were among the most talented people in Sargasonia.

First of all, Lee Lee Se-min, the winner of the gladiator tournament, the emperor recognized by the throne, and the stubborn raider from Earth.

And there were two gladiators who served as his right and left arms.

Shozen, and Goulard.

They were strong men who reached the top ranks of gladiator tournaments, and at the same time, they were gladiators who came out to help the people against the forces of Khao Lak.

“I am trustworthy because I have loyal men. Isn’t that right, Goulard?”

“I am from the wolf tribe. I do not follow the emperor. I am only going to kill the demon beast and Badurbarok.”

“Don’t do that….”

After the Sorcery Council was destroyed, Badurbarok’s name was now mentioned casually.

Goulard gritted his teeth at Badurbarok.

“Your Majesty, the sun is hot. Please come into the shade.”

Because of his background, Shozen treated Lee Lee Se-min with contempt. Lee Lee Se-min smiled happily. But there was already one guy in the shade.

“What?”

“Get out of the way.”

“I don’t like it.”

Although it was a temporary position, it was Khaolak, a goblin who became his prime minister. It served as a guide to the goblin’s hidden land.

“I’ll keep you cool.”

And lastly, there was the wizard, Biryu.

Biryu was a specially recruited person by Killa, and everything was unknown. This was a guy who didn’t even show up for the interview. Although he was a strangely suspicious guy, Lee Lee Se-min went with him thanks to Killa’s strong recommendation.

As Biryu waved his hand, a cool breeze blew.

Although suspicious, he was the most useful.

“Now that we’ve all gathered together, let’s get started.”

Lee Lee Se-min looked back at the nobles of the six families who came out to see him off, the gladiators who fought with him, the people of Vatikaros Mansion, and countless citizens.

The whole city came out to see him off.

They looked at Lee Lee Se-min with a mixture of hope and anxiety. The emperor, who had returned after breaking the long silence, was now leaving again to confront Badurbarok.

Lee Lee Se-min said.

[I will leave the throne behind, so my power will always stay here.]

His voice was transmitted to the people through the power of the throne.

[So don’t be anxious and just wait.]

The emperor’s voice calmed the hearts of the otherworlders who followed him.

Lee Lee Se-min turned around after catching a glimpse of Germanos and Kila, the now freed Kutinos and brothers of the old Vatikaros gladiator group, and the numerous citizens who remained to protect the city.

The journey to unite the four ancient races had begun.

After sending off the citizens of Sargasonia, Lee Lee Se-min asked Biryu, who was following behind.

“Biryu.”

“Yes.”

“There are pictures of prophecy. Painted on temples and here and there. Do you know what they say?”

“I know.”

“Tell me what it is.”

Biryu looked at Lee Lee Se-min.

“Other people didn’t tell me because they said the power of prophecy was weakening. I came out of the temple again today and saw that rock, so I was curious.”

Biryu started laughing. Lee Lee Se-min tilted his head. When I turned around, Shozen was smiling too.

“Why are you smiling?”

“You were fooled.”

“What?”

“That’s a trick. According to the story, a long time ago, an emperor was holding a meeting, and a wizard present was caught scribbling while his mind was wandering.”

Lee Lee Se-min opened his mouth.

“When the emperor interrogated him, the wizard claimed that the picture was his prophecy. When asked what kind of prophecy it was, the wizard said he could never say. The power of prophecies weakens as they are passed down by word of mouth, so they should never be spoken out loud. In fact, it was just to hide the fact that he had been thinking about something else.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The emperor believed that and seriously respected the wizard’s wishes. It was funny, so the wizard spread the story everywhere, and later it became a trend, and he drew the picture and lied to others by saying it was a prophecy. That tradition has been passed down to this day. So no one knows what the wizard was thinking when he drew that picture.”

“You drew something like that in front of a temple?”

“People draw everywhere. It’s the culture of the empire. It’s a very old joke that comes down to the empire.”

Biryu had a strange look in his eyes.

“But Your Majesty came wearing the same clothes as in the picture. I guess she liked the joke.”

Lee Lee Se-min did not answer but just looked up at the sky.

In the detailed picture, the man holding the sword was wearing unique clothing.

It was a coat with a dragon on it.

And now he was wearing the skajan he wore when he crossed over from Earth to the other world.

The clothes worn by the person in the picture and his skajan look so similar that it cannot be considered a coincidence.

“This is a joke.”

Lee Lee Se-min chuckled.