Chapter 70 – Pandemonium

“The name of the holy land being Pandemonium is a bit much, isn’t it?”

As Se-min spoke, Kaorak snorted.

“We lost the war and fled, did you expect us to live in paradise?”

They reached the top of the hills.

Nothing like the city Kaorak had spoken of was visible. Low hills, devoid of any vegetation, continued endlessly. The winding ridges filled their vision, making them feel as if they were standing before a mud-colored sea.

Se-min looked at Kaorak.

“Where is it?”

“It is in a place invisible to the eye.”

“Underground?”

“Just follow quietly.”

Kaorak took the lead.

His steps were light. For Kaorak, it was like returning home. Since that triumphant appearance was annoying, Se-min began to tease him.

“How do the goblins treat a cowardly traitor like you who threw himself to the enemy?”

“……”

“Aren’t you going to get pelted with stones when we arrive? Do you want to hide behind us?”

Kaorak suddenly let out a cackling laugh.

“It might be you, the Emperor, who gets pelted with stones, so stay alert.”

“To the Emperor?”

“An emperor is only an emperor to humans, but to us, you are just a human. Know that your status is of no use to the goblins, human!”

“I-Is that so?”

“Yes! You are nothing more than just a passing human!”

Se-min grew tense. Since becoming Emperor, he had always received only hospitality and respect. However, the goblins were a proud ancient race. Rather, because he was the Emperor, he might be mistreated.

“Kaorak, introduce me well.”

“I will decide after seeing how you act.”

“I am the Emperor, you know.”

“I tell you again…”

“Alright, alright. Then is there no greeting or etiquette of the goblins?”

“Learn by getting sworn at directly. Cackle cackle.”

“This bastard. How much did I take care of you when you were in Sargassonia?”

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

They wandered through the hilly terrain where low hills continued endlessly. Kaorak went back and forth between the hills, looking around as if searching for something.

Se-min’s group followed him, waiting for something to appear.

Suddenly, the sound of a flute began to drift in.

It was a lonely melody that echoed across the desolate land.

Kaorak turned his steps in that direction, and Se-min’s group was soon able to meet a goblin playing the flute.

“Since the one who left has returned, I could not help but welcome you with my flute.”

The goblin played the music with his eyes closed for a long time even with them in front of him, and then put away his flute and spoke.

He was wearing red clothes, which stood out in stark contrast to the goblin’s brown skin.

“Long time no see, Kaorak.”

He smiled as he spoke. His mouth opened, revealing sawtooth-like teeth.

“Your flute skills are as wonderful as ever, Kiplo.”

The two embraced and patted each other’s backs. After sharing their reunion for a while, Kiplo pointed at Se-min’s group and asked.

“And who are they?”

“They are my companions. This guy is the Emperor.”

“Ah, the Emperor!”

“Yes. An emperor to humans, but to us, just a human.”

“Indeed.”

Kiplo walked up in front of Se-min and looked up at him. When Se-min tilted his head, Kiplo immediately knelt on one knee.

“I pay my respects to the new Emperor. Welcome to Pandemonium.”

He even took Se-min’s hand and kissed the back of it.

Se-min, who was blankly staring down at the back of Kiplo’s head, turned his gaze to Kaorak. He had definitely said that the status of Emperor meant nothing to the goblins.

“Ahem, there are bound to be polite goblins too.”

He changed the subject.

Se-min helped Kiplo to his feet.

“Will you help me enter Pandemonium, the holy land of the goblins?”

“Of course. Please follow me.”

They followed Kiplo over hills that they couldn’t even identify. They couldn’t even remember how or where they had moved. It felt like standing in the middle of a desert.

Se-min tapped the solid ground with his foot and asked Kaorak.

“Is it really down here?”

“Just wait.”

Soon, they stood at a certain spot. Kiplo began to play his flute there. This time, it was a brighter and more cheerful tone.

As he played, the ground began to throb.

It was a vibration as if someone was tapping the earth’s surface from below.

The reverberation continued.

The earth began to open.

“This is…”

The earth rolled inward, creating a passage. Below it stretched a vast darkness. Kiplo spoke.

“Please follow me.”

And he jumped in without hesitation.

“Huh?”

Se-min’s group was flustered. Kiplo’s figure had already vanished beyond the darkness. Everyone’s head turned toward Kaorak. Kaorak laughed with a cackle, and he too jumped into the hole.

With the two goblins suddenly leaping down, Se-min and the rest of the group looked at each other’s faces.

“What, is everyone scared?”

Gullard smirked and stepped forward.

“Something like this…”

However, even he could not bring himself to jump in the end when he was right in front of it, swallowing hard. He began to hesitate while glancing around.

Se-min kicked him from behind.

“Aaaaargh!”

He fell.

Se-min listened closely to the space below. There was no sound of anything crashing or bursting. It seemed he wouldn’t die. Se-min gestured to Shozen and Bi-ryu.

“Go.”

“Y-Yes.”

Shozen hesitated, but Se-min grabbed his arm and pushed him in.

Even though he was a mage, Bi-ryu jumped down by himself in the most composed manner. Confirming that, Se-min threw himself into the darkness last.

While falling down, Se-min felt the light fading as the hole closed above his head.

He fell through complete darkness.

The sensation of falling continued.

And at some point, he felt a floating sensation.

“Welcome, Emperor, to this visit.”

The voice came from behind.

When Se-min turned around, Kiplo was kneeling on one knee again with his head bowed.

Se-min’s group was floating above the floor by an unknown force. Their bodies slowly descended.

“After losing the war, we goblins took refuge here in Pandemonium. We knew that the Emperor would return one day.”

As Se-min’s group landed, the lights turned on.

They stood in a vast cavern. Dim lights floated near the ceiling, illuminating the underground landscape. Se-min realized that numerous goblins were standing behind Kiplo. They were all bowing their heads toward Se-min.

“Nice to meet you all.”

Se-min greeted.

Kiplo bowed his head even lower.

“Yes, Your Majesty. We are deeply honored by your warm welcome.”

Two of the goblins standing behind him stepped forward. They wore the same red clothes as Kiplo.

They seemed to stand by Kiplo’s side and bow to Se-min, but after finishing their silent nod, they acted unexpectedly.

“W-What!”

“Traitor. Kneel quietly.”

“What do you mean!”

“You betrayed us and sided with the enemy.”

The goblins bound Kaorak. Kaorak struggled and looked at Se-min. His upper body was being wrapped in rope.

“Emperor! Stop these guys! I am no longer Badurbarok’s subordinate!”

Se-min smiled with a smug look. Kaorak shouted even louder. Only then did Se-min stop the goblins.

“Let him go, he came to escort me.”

“We are sorry.”

Kiplo shook his head.

“Although we respect Your Majesty’s words, we also have our laws. Please understand so that we may deal with him.”

It was a refusal.

Se-min raised his eyebrows and looked back at the goblins. Everyone had a serious expression. Se-min stroked his chin, thought deeply, and then nodded.

“Alright, then.”

“What?”

“They say it’s their law.”

“You bastard!”

The resisting Kaorak was eventually hit in the stomach once and went limp.

“Quiet, traitor.”

Kiplo stood up.

“I will guide Your Majesty.”

He led Se-min’s group deeper underground. A crowd of goblins escorted them. Kaorak was dragged along at the rear.

The underground goblin city, Pandemonium, was surprisingly spacious.

Thick stone pillars connected the top and bottom like columns, and open spaces wide enough to build a city continued endlessly. Above them, in a faint mist, unidentified luminous bodies lit their path.

Occasionally, there were goblins watching them from a distance. They hid behind pillars or rocks to look at Se-min’s group, but fled in surprise at Kiplo’s sharp gaze.

Watching those scenes, Se-min stroked his chin once again.

“Bi-ryu.”

“Yes.”

“Strange, isn’t it?”

He smiled.

“It seems to be a place that suits the name Pandemonium.”

Gullard and Shozen only tilted their heads at their conversation. As expected, Bi-ryu was the only one among them who could use his head. Se-min clicked his tongue.

“Everyone, prepare for the worst.”

Se-min whispered quietly so that only they could hear. Gullard and Shozen finally looked around with slightly tense expressions.

Kiplo, who had only been walking for a while, approached Se-min and asked.

“Does Your Majesty intend to rally all four ancient races?”

Se-min nodded.

“Of course.”

“I see. That is a wise decision. We will help you.”

“Where are we going?”

“You will know once we arrive.”

The space that had continued endlessly now began to split into several branches. Kiplo chose passages within that maze, moving further and further into the corners. The surroundings began to narrow, but there was still enough space for voices to echo loudly.

“This way.”

The presence of the goblins watching them vanished completely.

Now it was only them.

Se-min felt something tapping his shoulder. It was a drop of water. He looked up.

As if connected to the sky, a faint light was shining down on them from above.

“We are here.”

Kiplo broke Se-min’s train of thought.

Something like a village had formed. Houses carved from stone, houses built with tree trunks and wood obtained from unknown sources, and even houses that seemed to be made of concrete—buildings of various styles were arranged in a chaotic manner.

Someone was at the center.

“Welcome to Pandemonium, new Emperor.”

He was an old goblin holding a staff.

“Since the Emperor’s true words were heard, I have been waiting for you.”

Se-min upon becoming Emperor, had made a declaration toward the lights representing each race.

‘I will kill Badurbarok. If I cannot kill him, I die. So know this. I will kill Badurbarok, and I need your strength.’

Although no race except humans responded, they must have all learned of the fact that a new Emperor had appeared.

The Emperor could unite the five races into one.

Se-min had come to become the Emperor of the goblins, while simultaneously being the Emperor of humans.

“Who are you?”

“I am Kokarang, the leader of the Red Banner Coalition.”

“The Red Banner Coalition…”

Se-min inspected his teeth. He had flat teeth like a human. They were not sawtooth-like like Kaorak’s or Kiplo’s. When Se-min looked back, Kaorak was already unconscious and went limp.

“Right, Kokarang. Thank you for the welcome. Are you the leader who guides the goblins?”

“I lead the Red Banner Coalition, but I do not represent all goblins. However, I am confident that I speak for the will of most goblins.”

“Speak for them…”

Se-min spoke.

“First, release Kaorak. He is a meritorious contributor who guided me here.”

“We are sorry. We cannot leave traitors alone. That fellow has tarnished the honor of the goblins.”

“Well, when life is hard, one might side here and there. He has come to his senses, so let it slide.”

“We apologize, but it is the goblin rule.”

“No forgiveness for traitors?”

“Yes.”

“Then let me ask.”

Se-min placed his fingertips on the handle of Lupus.

“Whom did he betray?”

Kokarang did not answer. Se-min took a step forward. The goblins surrounding them flinched and retreated. Aura was rising from Se-min’s body. It was a sharp energy that stung the skin.

Se-min glared at Kokarang and slung Lupus over his shoulder.

“I think you mean Badurbarok.”

The goblins raised their weapons all at once. As they raised their aura against Se-min, their momentum was quite powerful.

On the contrary, Se-min, who had threatened them first, was impressed.

Indeed, they lived up to being goblins, who were classified as an entire race of disaster on Earth.

It seemed Kaorak would be at best an upper-middle-class warrior here.

Shozen and Gullard subtly hid behind Se-min’s back to deflect their pressure. Se-min expanded his aura’s domain to protect the two. Bi-ryu, like a mage who did everything well on his own, was bearing the momentum by himself with a smiling face.

“Can I consider this to be your answer, Kokarang?”

As Se-min asked, Kokarang narrowed his brows.

“You are quick-witted.”

“A traitor calling a twice-traitorous guy a traitor. What a mess of a traitorous race.”

“How dare you!”

Kokarang’s face distorted. Removing his benevolent expression, he looked as malicious as a demon.

“Does a mere human look down on us!”

“Shut up, traitor.”

“Traitor! You filthy human!”

“Your mouth, stuck underground and licking caves, is filthier. Keep your mouth shut, you traitorous bastard!”

“Y-You bastard!”

Se-min deliberately emphasized the word traitor, and Kokarang reacted sensitively.

They repeated the word traitor when criticizing Kaorak.

Generally, when people insult others, they tend to reveal their own complexes. Seeing them drive him into a corner as a traitor, they were a group that secretly held integrity as an important value.

“You traitorous bastards.”

When Se-min muttered quietly again, Kokarang grabbed the back of his neck and was absolutely enraged.

“The Emperor! He is only the Emperor of humans! To us, he is a mere human! You bastard!”

Kokarang shouted while waving his arms.

“Stab him to death! Stab that guy to death!”

However, the goblins hesitated and looked around. Kiplo restrained the surrounding goblins and asked Kokarang.

“But Elder. Killing the Emperor was not in the plan, was it?”

“Kill him! It doesn’t matter if it’s just a corpse!”

“Please calm down for now.”

Se-min swung Lupus around and mocked with a peaceful face.

“Are you scared, traitor?”

Kokarang immediately swung his staff. Flames surged in the air and flew toward Se-min.

However, it was swept away in a single stroke by Se-min.

Cosmic Flow.

It did not care about the enemy’s attributes. Whether it was a swordsman’s refined aura or a mage’s bizarre magic power, in front of the universe’s circulation, it was nothing more than a gentle breeze brushing past a vast ocean.

“You attacked first. Should I hit you back once in the same way?”

Since Se-min’s martial strength was far more powerful than expected, Kokarang stepped back in surprise and looked around at the surrounding warriors. Sweat pooled on the bridge of his nose and his lips trembled.

“What are you all doing! Attack this, this arrogant human Emperor!”

“Elder.”

Kiplo stepped forward again.

He restrained the elder and stood in front of him.

“It seems the elder is unwell. Kikiro, Karipa, escort the elder.”

“Understood, cackle!”

“Will do.”

The two goblins grabbed Kokarang’s arms. Although he resisted, he could not overcome the strength of the goblin warriors. He was dragged to the building, almost carried off the ground.

It was an interesting scene.

Although they treated Kokarang with respect as the elder, the actual leader was Kiplo.

Now, Kiplo represented the stance of the Red Banner Coalition.

“We apologize for the rudeness, Your Majesty. The elder is hot-tempered.”

“Right, you traitorous bastard.”

“Even if you say that, I have nothing to say.”

Kiplo responded calmly.

“We only wish to make a proposal to Your Majesty.”

“What proposal?”

“Do not waste your strength in futile places, and let us pursue greater matters together.”

“Is that a message from that bastard Badurbarok?”

“It is our message.”

“Who are you?”

“We are a gathering of goblins who threw themselves to Badurbarok.”

“Traitors, indeed.”

“We are realists.”

As he waved his hand, the goblin warriors stepped back, reducing their momentum. The entire Red Banner Coalition followed him.

Se-min spoke.

“To me, who came to recruit the goblins, what do you want?”

“Let us join forces.”

“You are out of your mind.”

“I do not misunderstand Your Majesty’s thoughts either.”

Kiplo’s face was serious. The rest of the goblins also withdrew their momentum, looking at Se-min with solemn faces.

Having spent a long time with Kaorak, Se-min could now distinguish the goblins’ expressions and their individual features. In the faces of these beings, each with their unique individuality, desperation was harbored.

“If possible, we too would like to reclaim the world, just as Your Majesty wishes to do.”

“The words that follow are obvious.”

“Yes. That is impossible.”

Kiplo shook his head.

“Badurbarok’s army is far too powerful. I saw it. It was the same in the past. All races united to resist, but they were defeated helplessly. The previous Emperor died as well.”

“I am different.”

“We do not think so.”

The goblins moved slowly and stood behind Kiplo. They all bowed their heads to show respect to Se-min.

“The Emperor is a noble existence who unites our five races. However, this time, I will tell you this.”

Kiplo knelt on one knee.

“There are things in the world that cannot be helped. Clinging to a house that has already collapsed is a foolish thing. It is even more so if you have a wife and children. Even if it is shabby, one must build a new house to escape the wind and rain.”

It was the same case as the wolf tribe.

Everyone believed they could not defeat Badurbarok.

“It would be wiser to join us instead. If Your Majesty joins us, you will at least be appointed to the position of Governor who rules this world.”

Se-min burst into laughter.

“A governor?”

“Yes. Badurbarok wishes to expand his colonies further. I heard he has already swallowed another dimension.”

That would mean Earth.

“He will continue to swallow more dimensions. He needs a ruler. If Your Majesty joins us, all races will live without worries under Your Majesty’s rule, even if it is beneath Badurbarok.”

Se-min could not help but laugh. He felt sincerity in Kiplo’s words. He was a good goblin. But unfortunately, Se-min was not the kind of Emperor he thought of.

Borrowing a passage from the Bible, he had once spoken like this at the colosseum.

‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.’

He had never considered something like a postponement of destruction obtained by bowing down to Badurbarok.

Nor did he have any intention of joining the work of conquest, entering under the bastard’s command to kill and colonize the natives of other dimensions.

The ending Se-min desired would only be completed by Badurbarok’s death.

His deep-seated grudge was never worn down.

The Imperial Throne made it so.

Because he had repeated countless lives and engraved the enemy’s name, his hatred was permanent.

He would save the world by killing that bastard, and comfort the people by scattering petals grown from that blood onto the world.

“Kiplo, if I could kill Badurbarok, that would be the best ending for you, wouldn’t it?”

“If that were possible, yes.”

“Is entering under Badurbarok to eke out a miserable life the mediocre plan you chose?”

“In the current situation, it is the only best plan.”

“And fighting and dying would be the worst plan.”

“Yes.”

“I am sorry, but my order is different.”

Se-min spoke as he raised Lupus.

“Kill Badurbarok. Or die trying to kill him. There are only two choices, and there is no classification of best plan or worst plan to me.”

Kiplo looked at Se-min. Se-min did not avoid his gaze, looking back at him as he gave a grin.

“Do you understand?”

Kiplo realized.

The Emperor named Se-min was neither burning with ambition nor fallen into heroism out of ignorance of reality. He was not swayed by the instigation of other humans either.

From birth, he was an Emperor destined to fight Badurbarok.

A tyrant.

In such an era, such an Emperor had appeared.

Was that the will of the Imperial Throne?

He had heard rumors that Sargassonia’s Imperial Throne eked out an existence by drinking the blood of colosseum matches.

If so, had the Imperial Throne fallen?

Kiplo closed eyes. A vision of the world being dyed in blood once again was drawn.

Did the three humans standing by Se-min’s side know what kind of plight they would face, standing there like that? Did they know that footprints of blood would remain with every step?

There was no difference between Badurbarok and that Emperor.

That Emperor was a foolish ruler.

“If that is your will, I understand.”

Kiplo stepped back.

Although he was disappointed in the Emperor, he still had a way. Even if the world was swept up in war, he would protect his race.

“We goblins will not cooperate with you. The Goblin Lord will refuse you.”

“The Goblin Lord?”

“Yes.”

“Is that your leader? Where is he?”

“It is currently vacant.”

Se-min’s eyes narrowed.

“Soon, there will be an election.”

“An election?”

“Everyone chooses the lord by direct vote. And…”

Kiplo smiled and gestured. Then, one of the goblins standing behind him raised a flagpole. As the red flag fluttered, a large embroidered number was revealed.

1.

It was that.

Kiplo spoke.

“I am Candidate Number 1.”

He had an extremely confident expression.

Se-min asked in surprise.

“What election all of a sudden? How many candidates are there?”

“There are not many. Three are confirmed, and more will likely register.”

“Can one still register?”

“Yes. Because we goblins are fair.”

“A Goblin Lord…”

Bi-ryu, who was standing behind him, whispered to Se-min.

“We must cooperate with the Goblin Lord. The previous Emperors all did so. It is a role similar to the alpha wolf of the wolf tribe.”

“Why are you only telling me this now?”

“I naturally thought we would meet him, but I didn’t know it would be election season.”

Se-min stared back and forth between the flag and Kiplo with a dumbfounded face. However, his worry did not last long.

“Fine.”

His figure vanished. And he suddenly appeared among the goblins, snatched Kaorak whom they were holding down, and returned to his spot.

The goblins could not keep up with his speed.

Se-min stroked Kaorak’s bald head and spoke.

“If you are going to act like that, we have a way as well.”

“What kind of way?”

“The new Goblin Lord will be this guy.”

Everyone widened their eyes.

Se-min grabbed the waist of the unconscious Kaorak and lifted him high. It was like the scene when the protagonist was born in the lion king animation.

“Our representative, King Kaorak! This guy will run as a candidate for the new Goblin Lord!”

The goblins had astonished expressions. Se-min gave a grin and shouted.

“Be nervous, you traitorous bastards!”

***

Se-min left the territory of the Red Banner Coalition. Kaorak, who still did not know what had happened, woke up late.

Carried on Gullard’s back, the fellow looked around and explained with a sullen expression.

“Pandemonium is entangled like a maze. Except for the giant cavern in the center, it is divided into each force’s own territory. Since we fled here, everyone has split up, making it a mess.”

“So a Goblin Lord is needed to prevent the division, right?”

“No, how did you—ah, did you hear it from Kokarang? Those guys…”

Kaorak gnashed his teeth with an resentful look and shouted at Se-min.

“Emperor! Let’s go to the Sawtooth Tribe first!”

“Kaorak.”

“There are many of my friends there!”

“Kaorak, listen.”

“What is it?”

“I prepared this for you. Come down.”

“Huh?”

Kaorak climbed down from Gullard’s back.

Se-min took off his souvenir jacket and put it on Kaorak. Although the size was large and it slipped off, he could somehow wear it after binding it.

“What is this?”

“Now you look quite dignified. A lord must have a dragon pattern.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“From now on, you are a Goblin Lord candidate.”

“What?”

“You wanted to return home in glory, didn’t you? We will make it happen properly.”

So that the goblins peeking at them from the corners of the underground cavern could hear it all, Se-min shouted loudly.

“Goblin Lord candidate, Kaorak! Now he is King Kaorak! That is the name of the goblin who will become the new lord!”

A lion’s roar loaded with aura resonated loudly through the underground.

His vocal volume was so immense that it echoed several times, carrying to far-off places. Distorted shouts even drifted back from here and there.

“W-W-What do you mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like.”

Se-min put his arm around Kaorak’s shoulders. Due to the height difference, Se-min was practically crouching.

“We are taking over the goblins!”