Chapter 71 – Angels 2

Se-min’s group arrived at the settlement of the Sawtooth Tribe. The goblins were already whispering the name of King Kaorak.

“Did they say a goblin named King Kaorak appeared?”

“Apparently, he’s running as a candidate for the new goblin lord?”

“Is he out of his mind?”

As they were chattering like that, they spotted Se-min’s group and all shut their mouths. Their gazes swept over Se-min’s group.

Curiosity and hostility could be felt.

Se-min pushed the back of their lord candidate, Kaorak, who was wearing a sukajan—no, now a dragon robe.

“Kaorak, you said you have many friends. Do something about this.”

“Y-yes.”

Kaorak stepped forward awkwardly.

The attention of the Sawtooth Tribe goblins was focused.

However, no one made a sign of recognition.

Kaorak cleared his throat and looked around. He scanned the faces of the tribe members one by one, soon recognized someone, and approached them.

“Yo! Kawaring!”

“Huh? Uh?”

“It’s me, me. Kaorak! Don’t you remember?”

“Ah, right. Kaorak…”

In contrast to Kaorak approaching and putting his arm around his shoulder, looking delighted, the goblin named Kawaring had a reluctant expression. Kaorak asked this and that about his well-being, but he gave vague responses.

“How have things been going lately? Is it hard to live here?”

“Well, yeah.”

“How are things with your girlfriend?”

“Uh, yeah. We’re still dating.”

“You rascal, awesome. Let’s grab a drink sometime!”

“Sure, sure.”

“It’s really great to see you like this. Haha. You too, right?”

“Yeah.”

Looking at that scene, a certain word came to Se-min’s mind, but he could not bring himself to express it and swallowed his words.

Kaorak continued the awkward conversation with Kawaring, then said goodbye and returned.

“Goodbye, Kawaring!”

Kawaring did not reply. The surrounding goblins still seemed wary. Embarrassed, Kaorak scratched his head.

“Maybe because it’s been a while, but there aren’t many familiar faces. Keereuk-keereuk.”

Se-min patted Kaorak’s shoulder.

“No, Kaorak. You did well…”

Since his tone was unusually gentle, Kaorak scrunched up the bridge of his nose.

Kaorak examined Se-min’s face, trying to deduce his ulterior motive, before soon shaking his head.

“Whatever. Let’s go further. First, I need to meet the tribe chief.”

“Will you be okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to go.”

“You’re talking nonsense.”

Kaorak explained as he led them.

“To explain a few things, sawtooth teeth were the characteristic of our ancestor, the Sawtooth Hunter Kirankarang. It is proof of our bloodline that never disappears even after generations.”

“Is that so?”

“When a goblin of our tribe smiles, showing their sawtooth teeth, it’s best to compliment their teeth.”

“Your teeth are very cool, Kaorak.”

“It’s strange for your attitude to change so suddenly. I won’t turn a blind eye to you even if I become the goblin lord, so don’t do that. It is highly burdensome.”

The town was built under a meticulous plan. Divided into blocks, the road layout was efficient, and the stone buildings carried a unified style of architectural beauty. In particular, the saw-tooth pattern decorated on every gate seemed to symbolize their teeth.

Kaorak grinned and spread his arms.

“How is our town?”

“It’s a place too good for you to have been born and raised in.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just talking to myself.”

Se-min stared intently at Kaorak’s face, then muttered to himself.

“For a person, their roots are naturally important. Even a highly anticipated prospect will be forgotten as a third-rate player if they lose their roots. Therefore, we must win over the Sawtooth Tribe, which is your roots, but…”

Se-min could not continue speaking and tilted his eyebrows. Red Number 1 flags, the symbol of the Red Banner Coalition, were hanging all over the town.

Se-min whispered quietly so Kaorak could not hear.

“An outsider like you… I wonder if you can really do that…”

Through the attitude of the tribe members who were awkward despite meeting after a long time and rather tried to avoid conversation, Se-min could deduce Kaorak’s past.

An outsider.

He was clearly a loner.

Perhaps Kaorak joining Badurbarok’s army was also to overcome his past.

Now, all of Kaorak’s actions looked pitiful to Se-min.

“Can this fellow really become the goblin lord…”

In the midst of that, it seemed Kaorak had met another familiar face. Kaorak approached and greeted him, but the other party shook his head with an insincere attitude, clearly revealing a burdened expression on his face.

“Kakaru! Have you been well? Seeing you after a while, you look great! Keereuk!”

“Ah, right. I have something busy to do, so I’ll be off…”

“These are my subordinates—no, friends!”

“Sure, have a good time, yeah.”

Before he even finished speaking, he quickly jogged away.

Kaorak stood blankly, staring at his retreating back. Se-min could not bear to watch it and turned his head away. Shozen and Gulad shook their heads.

“Your Majesty, did we perhaps burden him with too heavy a load?”

“For Kaorak to be ostracized, the world is indeed relative. Is a slightly strong guy treated as weak among extremely strong guys?”

Bi-ryu was smiling silently. Se-min asked Bi-ryu.

“Bi-ryu, you weren’t like that, right?”

“I was not ostracized. Rather, I ostracized everyone else.”

“I see…”

There was no experienced person who could comfort Kaorak.

When Kaorak trudged back, Se-min’s group welcomed him with the brightest faces possible.

“Kaorak! Are you okay? Aren’t you hungry?”

“I am not hungry.”

“You should also greet your parents. Shouldn’t you visit them quickly? Let’s go!”

Kaorak shook his head.

“I am an orphan. I have no parents. I was abandoned.”

The atmosphere sank even further. Everyone glared at Gulad, who had brought up the parents.

Gulad scratched his head and avoided their gazes, then shouted again as if to change the mood.

“R-right. Kaorak! What about the goblin lady you had a crush on? You know, the reason you became a traitor! You should go meet her even now…”

Gulad, who had accidentally called him a traitor without realizing it, flinched and covered his mouth. The glares of Se-min and Shozen grew even more intense.

“The reason I became a traitor… Haha…”

Kaorak spoke in a low voice.

“Yes, I am a traitor…”

“K-Kaorak.”

“I am garbage…”

With Kaorak falling into despair, everyone was at a loss for what to do.

He began to put himself down by repeating pessimistic words to himself. Se-min brought up various compliments to restore his confidence.

Meanwhile, someone called out Kaorak’s name.

“Hey, you punk Kaorak!”

Se-min looked in the direction of the voice.

And he was shocked.

No matter how similar people’s lives were, he had not expected that to apply to goblins, and in this aspect as well.

They were goblins with tattoos all over their bodies and massive bodies. Every single one of them wore baggy clothes and flashy accessories. They approached, swaggering with slovenly movements.

They were gangsters themselves.

“Did you actually come back to your hometown in that state? Huh?”

“Keereuk-keereuk! Are those husks over there your friends?”

“Wow, you look great!”

Se-min instinctively straightened his back and glared back at them. His nasolabial folds deepened.

“What is it, human!”

“What kind of goblin are you?”

“Oh, should I crush your head to make your height match ours?”

“Should I tear your limbs apart to make you tall like me?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

Like a peacock spreading its wings in self-importance, they threatened each other in the most delinquent postures possible.

“Your Majesty, please calm down.”

“These guys are coming to bully our Kaorak.”

“What do you mean?”

“If anyone touches poor Kaorak, I will teach them a lesson. Got it?”

While Se-min was struggling to protect the pitiful, lonely Kaorak, an unexpected scene unfolded.

Kaorak, who had been depressed, hugged the gangsters.

They hugged each other’s shoulders, bumped elbows, clapped palms, turned around, and even assumed a bizarre pose of raising both arms in a square.

It was the gangsters’ handshake.

Kaorak greeted them one by one.

“For the vanguard leader of the Sawtooth Gangsters to return, keereuk-keereuk!”

“Pandemonium will be gripped by fear again, won’t it?”

“Kaorak, you can’t go wild like you used to. Keereuk!”

Kaorak seemed very familiar with them.

Like a steady person transforming upon putting on their reservist uniform, Kaorak put his hands in his pockets, shook his leg, and spat on the ground.

“Guys, I washed my hands of it. Keereuk. But the punks I used to bully seem to ignore me just because it’s been a while. Keereuk. They need to get beaten a few times to remember who I was…”

Se-min smacked the back of Kaorak’s head.

“Kack!”

Kaorak’s upper body bent down, then sprang back up like a spring.

“What are you doing!”

“Take your hands out of your pockets.”

“Th-they are my hands.”

“Take them out.”

“…”

“I made a huge mistake. Indeed, there’s no way this bastard would be like that.”

Se-min smacked Kaorak’s head again as he sheepishly took his hands out. As Kaorak staggered, Se-min barked.

“Stand up straight, Kaorak!”

“Ah, I got it!”

Since Kaorak was just taking it, the goblin gangsters were flustered.

Se-min’s gaze turned toward them.

“You guys are the same. All of you, take your hands out of your pockets and stand at attention.”

“W-why should we…”

“How dare a human…”

As they protested, Kaorak warned them by moving his mouth with a frantic expression. Starting from the quick-witted ones, they awkwardly straightened their backs one by one.

Se-min walked around, picking out the ones with rebellious postures and beating them up.

Before long, half of them were collapsed on the ground, while the other half stood frozen in fear.

Se-min sighed after finishing the beating.

“Shozen.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Have you ever bullied the weak?”

“Never.”

Shozen proudly puffed out his chest.

“Gulad.”

“What?”

“What about you?”

“What an insulting question. I am a warrior of the Wolf Tribe. I protect the weak!”

Gulad was the same.

Now, the arrow was pointed back at Kaorak.

“Kaorak. Have you ever bullied the weak?”

“…”

“Answer me!”

“I-I have…”

“How much?”

“A lot…”

Se-min kicked his shin. Looking down at Kaorak, who was hopping around, Se-min spoke.

“If you truly want to become King Kaorak, you must reform.”

“I never said I wanted to do such a th—”

As Se-min raised his foot again, Kaorak immediately shut his mouth.

“The same goes for you guys. Did you say you were the Sawtooth Gangsters?”

“…”

“Bring your boss… No, boss or whatever, bring all of you sawtooth-mouthed garbage in front of me.”

His eyes blazed.

***

Soon, the entire Sawtooth Gangsters were summoned to a secluded vacant lot in Pandemonium.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s been a while since we all gathered. Is there someone we need to take care of?”

“Huh? Isn’t that Kaorak?”

The members of the Gangsters were all showing off their delinquency in various outfits. None of them wore their clothes properly.

Se-min spoke.

“I summoned you. Who is the boss?”

At that, the gangsters stepped aside. Behind them stood an exceptionally short goblin. He looked up at Se-min with an arrogant gaze and smiled.

“I am the leader of the Gangsters, Calpacino. Are you ready to die?”

And a few minutes later.

The Sawtooth Gangsters were all sprawled out on the ground, groaning.

Calpacino, who was said to be their boss, was a guy who had become the boss through political power rather than fighting skills, so he surrendered immediately after getting hit once.

Kaorak watched the process with a pitiful look.

Calpacino asked while collapsed.

“Who are you… By any chance, are you a hitman sent by a rival organization…?”

“No.”

“Then why on earth…?”

“Listen carefully. There are no more Sawtooth Gangsters.”

Se-min dragged Kaorak to the front and stood him up.

“From now on, you are Candidate Number 4, the reformed King Kaorak, and the Sawtooth Angels who follow him.”

***

Currently, there were three individuals running as candidates in Pandemonium’s goblin lord election.

Candidate Number 1, Kiplo.

Candidate Number 2, Kartoros.

Candidate Number 3, Kukri.

A fierce three-way battle had been expected among them, but with Kaorak’s appearance this time, the election entered a new phase.

“You’re really running as a candidate?”

An old goblin from the election committee adjusted his glasses while looking at Kaorak.

“A scumbag like you… Ahem…”

Se-min stepped forward.

“This fellow has reformed. Please trust him once, looking at me.”

“Keereuk-keereuk, if the Emperor guarantees it…”

To the old goblins, the Emperor still remained as a positive impression.

The Emperor was a leader who embraced all races as one, always judging wisely and leading by example.

“Since the Imperial Throne chose the Emperor, and the Emperor chose you, I will trust you once.”

“Ah, I understand.”

“Oh, you’re using polite language now. Keereuk-keereuk.”

Se-min asked the election committee goblin.

“Using polite language… are you saying he wasn’t like that in the past?”

“If it were in the past, he would have answered like this.”

He distorted his elderly wrinkles in a detestable way and mimicked a shrill voice.

“Hmph, where do you think you’re lecturing, you damn old geezer!”

His expression and voice were exactly the same as Kaorak’s. Seeing that detestable figure, Se-min instinctively punched Kaorak in the flank. Kaorak clutched the struck area and sank down.

“Sorry. Without realizing it.”

“Violent Emperor bastard…”

Se-min pulled Kaorak up. Since Kaorak, who had been hit in the stomach, was bending his waist, it was good for making him bow.

“Kaorak is even bowing to say thank you.”

“Politeness has been well instilled. As expected of the Emperor. Keereuk-keereuk.”

“One should bow immediately upon seeing elders. Hahaha.”

“Indeed, humans are polite. The young ones of ours these days are just… Tsk tsk.”

Anyway, Kaorak was put on the candidate list.

Se-min returned to the village of the Sawtooth Tribe. The Sawtooth Angels, newly reborn by Se-min, were waiting for them.

Se-min drank the beverage Calpacino handed him and said.

“Kaorak, is what I mentioned ready?”

“Of course.”

“Let’s go then.”

Se-min decided to take the Sawtooth Angels and tour the territories of the neighboring goblins.

Pandemonium branched out in countless directions around a giant cavern, and different goblins settled in each of those passages.

From clans grouped based on bloodlines, groups formed by like-minded individuals, to villages of vagrants who settled there simply because they had nowhere else to go, all gathered under different circumstances.

“The Sawtooth Tribe, the Blue Droplet Tribe, the Red Banner Coalition, and the Registry-less Village. These four are the largest forces, and below that level, the Dragon Tribal is the most famous.”

Se-min first headed toward the Blue Droplet Tribe, which had a bad relationship with the Sawtooth Tribe.

The goblins there all had droplet-shaped tattoos on their foreheads.

As a group of delinquents appeared, the goblins of the Blue Droplet Tribe buzzed. Soon, as if opposing them, goblins dressed similarly to the Sawtooth Angels appeared and blocked the path.

A goblin emerged from among them. He had a small cat perched on his shoulder.

“Calpacino, are you crazy?”

Calpacino stepped forward as he spoke.

“Calondo. Do not block the way.”

“Invading my territory, may I take that as a sign that you want to break the truce?”

“We didn’t come to fight.”

“Then for what matter did you make your way all the way here…?”

Calondo grinned and gestured with his chin.

“Even bringing along His Lordship the Emperor.”

Calpacino flinched as he mentioned Se-min. Calpacino checked Se-min’s reaction once before speaking to Calondo.

“Watch your tongue. He is the Emperor.”

“A human Emperor, not a goblin Emperor. Ah, come to think of it, I heard some interesting news.”

Calondo wore a deep sneer on his lips and pointed at Kaorak, who stood behind.

“That bastard Kaorak, who was a complete rogue even among you rascals, is running in the goblin lord election?”

Se-min instinctively tried to hit Kaorak but held back. Just what kind of behavior did this bastard display in the past that such words followed him everywhere he went?

Sensing killing intent, Kaorak became wary of Se-min and tried to distance himself little by little, but Se-min grabbed the back of his head to stop him from running away.

“Yes.”

“To tell you in advance, our tribe has allied with Kartoros. The Dragon Tribal came and went first, that is what I mean.”

He was Candidate Number 2 and the leader of the Dragon Tribal.

“Moreover, even if that weren’t the case, do you think we would help you tooth bastards? Huh?”

“Don’t make a mistake. We didn’t come for that kind of thing.”

“Then?”

“The Sawtooth Gangsters have disbanded.”

As Calpacino declared, Calondo raised his eyebrows.

“Disbanded?”

“Now we are…”

As Calpacino raised his hand, the goblins all lowered their postures.

Since it was close to a charging posture, the gangsters of the Blue Droplet Tribe tensed up. Everyone raised their fists and prepared for a collision. It was a touch-and-go situation.

Calpacino continued.

“The Sawtooth Angels.”

The goblins who had lowered their postures leaped up in unison.

“…!”

They began to flap their arms as they jumped. It was a performance mimicking angels. As the goblins leaped up and fluttered in unison, Calondo was so bewildered that he could not open his mouth.

“Your tribe has few young goblins and many elderly goblins due to frequent fights. We came here to do daily community service for them.”

“What?”

Calondo let out a hollow laugh.

“Service?”

“Yes.”

“Serviiice?”

Calondo said, turning to his subordinates.

“They say they’re doing service?”

Everyone burst into laughter.

“What kind of service do these guys think they’re going to do…”

At their ridicule, Calpacino waved his hand.

“Get ready!”

The Sawtooth Angels lifted something in unison. The dim light from the ceiling fell, and the metal tools gleamed sharply.

“Ha, haha. Have you finally shown your true colors now? Drawing weapons?”

At the sudden appearance of tools, Calondo took a step back.

“Have you forgotten the romance of us goblin gangsters? Fights are solely with bare fists…”

Ignoring his words, the Sawtooth Angels began to stride forward. Calondo and his crowd parted to the left and right in surprise.

Calpacino passed by them without paying mind.

Just before entering the village of the Blue Droplet Tribe, Calpacino turned around and spoke.

“Calondo. It seems it’s time to end the gangster play. Do you remember what we said when we were young?”

Calondo’s eyelids trembled.

“We will reclaim our hometown.”

“Cut the crap. That is impossible.”

“It might be possible.”

“Didn’t you yourself brag that we couldn’t defeat Badurbarok?”

“It’s different now.”

Calpacino pointed behind him. There was a tall human walking inside the village along with the goblins.

“The Emperor has returned.”

***

The news that the Sawtooth Gangsters had started community service activities spread through Pandemonium.

Beginning with the Blue Droplet Tribe with whom they usually had a bad relationship, they repaired the houses of old goblins and fixed broken items.

However, most were still negative toward Kaorak.

“He’s playing cheap tricks to become the goblin lord.”

“Do you think we’ll suddenly give him votes just because he’s doing such obvious things?”

“I’m going to vote for Kiplo or Kartoros!”

Se-min blamed Kaorak.

“Just how on earth did you live for your friend to have the highest approval rating while you are in that shape?”

“Kugh…”

“I heard Kiplo was also a gangster in the past?”

“That fellow was a romantic fighter, so he was popular. Keereuk.”

“What about you?”

“I was just… well…”

It would only hurt to say it.

Se-min lowered his voice.

“It seems we need something at this point, Kaorak.”

“What is it?”

“I grew up in a place where all kinds of black propaganda ran rampant and theme songs echoed in the streets during election season. I know very well what is needed for an election.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You will find out soon.”

Kaorak broke into a cold sweat upon discovering the insidious light that rose in Se-min’s eyes.

Se-min immediately summoned the Sawtooth Gangsters. Thinking they were going for community service, they were all holding tools.

“There’s no need for tools.”

“Then what do you plan to do today?”

“It’s a very easy task.”

Se-min spoke.

“From now on, you guys will dig up the weaknesses of each candidate. Do a background check!”

“…!”

The goblins were shocked.

“As expected of a human… how could he have such a mean idea…”

“W-we cannot do such a thing.”

“That is not a fair and square election!”

Se-min said emphatically.

“You must do it.”

At those words, the Sawtooth Angels buzzed.

One of them raised his hand.

“What if they don’t have weaknesses? They are all clean guys.”

“If there are none, create them.”

“What?”

“In the world I lived in, there was a saying.”

Se-min grinned as he looked down at the goblins.

“A single word is enough to instigate, but to refute it, countless materials are required. The factual relations do not matter. By the time the truth is revealed, everyone will have already been instigated, or the election will have already ended.”

The goblins stared at Se-min with blank faces.

Even Kaorak asked back, dumbfounded.

“You… are you really the Emperor?”

Se-min was trying to employ despicable means without even batting an eye.

It was completely different from the Emperor they knew.

Se-min smirked.

“Did Badurbarok perhaps fight you in a fair one-on-one duel?”

“That and this are different matters.”

“It’s the same to me. If necessary, I can even kidnap and bury those candidate bastards. Goblins are just the beginning. I will somehow make the rest of the ancient races follow me, and strike Badurbarok.”

To Se-min, things like the election were not important.

Obtaining the goblin lord to increase his military force.

And based on that, drawing the cooperation of the remaining three races to gather troops capable of striking Badurbarok.

That was his purpose.

For that, he was prepared to do anything.

Se-min checked the status of the Imperial Throne. The Imperial Throne was silent. Wherever he was, the Emperor was connected to the Imperial Throne.

It was the Imperial Throne that nominated him as the Emperor, and the Imperial Throne delegated everything to him. His purpose and the Imperial Throne’s were the same.

“I am the Emperor.”

Se-min spoke. Majesty was laden in his voice. It was one of the authorities he gained upon becoming the Emperor. Word power was embedded in his voice, moving the minds of those who heard it.

“I would rather die than become Badurbarok’s dog.”

Se-min looked around at each of the members of the Sawtooth Angels.

They all seemed like similar goblins, but each had their own life and their own beliefs. They were individual beings, capable of becoming heroes or villains.

“I believe the same goes for you. I have fought against the great warrior of the Sawtooth Tribe, Kirak. I killed him myself.”

Except for Kaorak, everyone was surprised.

“At his final moment, he left these words as his will.”

Se-min’s voice deepened further.

“Kill Badurbarok.”

The goblins fell silent.

Countless warriors threw themselves to Badurbarok. Those were actions taken to protect their race and to survive.

Just like Kaorak did, they would all receive brainwashing and come to absolutely obey Badurbarok.

“We humans have decided on the final war. Even if the other races do not follow, we will fight.”

Se-min looked at Calpacino.

He lowered his head and was thinking of something.

Se-min spoke.

“But I don’t think you goblins are inferior to us humans. Aren’t you a great ancient race?”

At Se-min’s words, the goblins remained silent for a long time.

Everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

It seemed Se-min’s words had caused a ripple among them.

Suddenly, a low-ranking subordinate of the Sawtooth Gangsters, who had been sitting in the corner, raised his hand.

“Emperor.”

“Yes.”

“So, you’re saying we should quickly do the background check, right?”

Se-min kept his face carefully in mind. Although he was in a low position, he possessed a cool-headed intellect that was not swept away by the atmosphere.

Se-min silently nodded.