Chapter 96 – Rendezvous

Se-min took Kaorak’s hand and stood up.

“Yeah, nothing would have happened.”

Saying so, Se-min patted Kaorak on the shoulder.

As Se-min watched Kaorak approach through the black fog, he could feel his aura changing from moment to moment.

At times it became the energy of a magic beast, and at another moment, it returned to Kaorak’s. Within the faint outline, he saw killing intent and courage mix together.

He had already known that Kaorak, who was modified by Badurbarok, might turn his back on him someday.

However, Se-min did not mind. He did not look at Badurbarok, but at Kaorak. Everyone had a shadow, but not everyone was consumed by it.

If, by chance, Kaorak had come to obey him due to Badurbarok’s arrangement.

Then, it was simply unavoidable.

“How is the outside?”

“The Elder Orc was active, so it is mostly finished.”

Kaorak paused for a moment. Se-min could feel that he had not completely put his inner conflict to rest yet. However, what had been overcome once could be conquered even more firmly as time passed.

Se-min nodded.

“Yes, we must go further inside now.”

They stood before the inner wall again. The inside and outside were no different. Tentacles flickered, and bizarre words poured out from mouths sprouted here and there.

Now, that thing did not open the door for Kaorak. Kaorak was in a strange state where he was glad yet annoyed.

“Try breaking through.”

“How do you expect me to break through something so massive?”

“Weakling. I told you, I’m exhausted and have no strength right now.”

“Then let’s wait.”

Se-min and Kaorak sat before the inner wall. Every time an unknown sound was heard from the wall, Se-min felt a strange discomfort. Although he could not understand that language, it was definitely not a good story.

Se-min asked.

“Do you know what that means?”

“I don’t know well.”

“You don’t know well?”

“That is Badurbarok’s language. In specific situations, the meaning is inputted into my head, but otherwise it is difficult to understand. I only know a few words. Ah, I do understand what that big mouth just blabbered.”

“What is it?”

“The Emperor is an idiot.”

“…”

Se-min lifted his fist but held back. If he fought now, he would lose. Once his aura returned, he would beat Kaorak severely.

They shared unproductive conversations, waiting for the outside troops to demolish the inner wall and enter.

“You said there’s one more wall beyond the inner wall? Badurbarok must be inside there, right?”

“I don’t know in detail either.”

“Useless guy.”

“That wall said something again just now, I will translate it for you.”

“No need. Don’t speak. I can’t hear you, I can’t hear you.”

“Emperor…”

“Shut up!”

Just then, the door began to shake.

Se-min and Kaorak stared at the inner wall simultaneously. The numerous mouths attached to it gradually distorted and let out painful groans.

Se-min could tell that someone was demolishing the wall from the other side.

“Here we go.”

Se-min stood up. Kaorak, who had been squatting, also stood up. They watched the cracks gradually fill the inner wall.

Finally, the door was completely torn open. Since it was a wall closer to a lump of meat than a building, the expression ‘broken’ was not fitting.

It was ripped apart, bleeding as it opened its flesh wide.

Beyond it stood Kubar.

Kubar looked at Se-min and Kaorak in turn as he spoke.

“Are you guys alright?”

“Hurry up and come. This guy is bullying me.”

“What do you mean?”

Se-min and Kaorak cleared the way, and the troops led by Kubar began to enter inside the inner wall.

Soon, the walls tore open in various places, opening new entrances. Securing multiple entry points, the Allied forces now stepped inside the inner wall.

People frowned because of the thick black fog.

“Hold on.”

Se-min and Kaorak went outside the inner wall for a moment to breathe fresh air and then returned.

There was no time to delay further. They had to immediately advance inside toward where the palace of the old empire resided.

Badurbarok would be there.

“It seems it will be difficult to go because of this fog.”

Se-min said. The black fog filled the inner wall, making it impossible to see ahead. At this rate, it would also be difficult for the troops to maintain their formation together.

“Emperor. You look fine.”

Just then, someone spoke to Se-min. It was the troll with a familiar face, Sagong.

“I’m glad nothing happened.”

“You seem to have thought something would happen?”

“I thought it would be fine, but I was worried. It’s not like us trolls know the entire future.”

“But you act as if you know everything?”

“That’s true. It might feel annoying, but please understand that we always act out of goodwill.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“Really? Then…”

He was alone, but he suddenly muttered as if conversing with someone.

Se-min stared blankly at him because the behavior was bizarre, but the troll Sagong waved his hand, noticing his gaze.

“Why that look on your face?”

“Because you were muttering to yourself, it gave me goosebumps.”

“I was talking to the Sage. All us trolls are connected to him.”

“Aha.”

Since Se-min had also met the Sage, he could understand what that meant.

The troll Sage was connected to all trolls and could share their knowledge and wisdom. That was why the troll Sage was so wise, as if he knew everything.

“Since the Emperor seems disappointed with us, we decided to show our power for once.”

Se-min was about to ask what that meant, but looked up at the sky.

The trajectory of the wind was changing.

“Moreover, since Izergazin used his breath and the Elder Orc also showed his power, the trolls cannot just sit still.”

“Right, that’s a good attitude. Don’t hold back on things like that.”

A refreshing energy was felt emanating from a distance. It was the area where the trolls gathered. The troll Sage must be exerting his power.

Se-min felt the black fog surrounding the interior of the inner wall gradually recede.

Se-min marveled at the scale of that power.

Right now, the troll Sage was not merely erasing the fog surrounding them.

He was removing all the black fog enveloping this place, the capital of the old empire. The polluted air dissipated, replaced by a clear energy. As his vision cleared, the unpleasantness wrapping around his entire body also began to vanish.

“It becomes easier to breathe,”

“Because this place was filled with evil energy.”

Soon, all the troops looked up at the sky.

The energy extending from the troll Sage took the shape of a hand. Hovering in the sky, every time it swept through the air, the density of the black fog thinned.

As it moved once more, the blue light of the sky slowly and faintly shone through.

The troops raised their weapons and cheered.

Eventually, the giant hand grabbed a huge handful of the world and threw it far away. The fading fog soon disappeared completely.

“…”

The cheering stopped.

Once the fog cleared, the capital of the empire was revealed to the troops. Consequently, they could no longer make joyful expressions as before.

As if showing the prosperity of the old empire, ruins of large, tall buildings stood in various places. They were in a polluted state, just like the inner wall they had broken through.

Covered in the slime of magic beasts and wrapped in flesh crawling up the walls, they breathed periodically while dripping foul-smelling liquid, as if they had become organs of a living organism.

Eyeballs on the buildings rolled around, glaring at them.

Such a scenery stretched out boundlessly.

The old empire was truly vast, and they had achieved a high civilization. Though it was broken and polluted, Se-min could guess what this place must have been like in the past.

At the same time, the current capital, ruined and defiled to a degree matching its former scale, looked even more horrific.

“Let’s go.”

When everyone was bewildered, Se-min spoke first.

And he advanced forward first.

The troops followed Se-min. They dismantled the structures blocking their way but left the rest alone.

Since their target was Badurbarok, now was not the time to waste energy.

“Is your body alright?”

“It is recovering.”

Since the black energy disappeared, it became easier to absorb the energy of nature. Se-min’s aura was rising again. Because the Tai Chi Wisdom was a peerless divine art, his recovery was also rapid.

Having become able to raise his aura to some extent, Se-min thought of Han Su-in and Noh Hak-jae.

Although he had disliked the corrupted Han Su-in, that feeling vanished after meeting Noh Hak-jae.

Noh Hak-jae was someone who could never become evil, yet he had been physically modified and enslaved by Badurbarok.

Han Su-in must have been the same. Han Su-in was simply weaker than Badurbarok.

Now, he was confident he could cut them down with a calmer heart.

Death.

That might be the greatest gift he could offer them.

Se-min suddenly looked at Kaorak.

“What are you looking at?”

“I am fully recovered.”

“…”

Kaorak slunk away. Se-min ended up chuckling. After grumbling for a bit, Kaorak suddenly spoke.

“Emperor. Did you say the one who made that Cosmic Flow was your master?”

“Yes. The one who created it was my master’s master, but the one who refined and passed it down to me was my master, Dokgo Cheonma-brother.”

“Convey my gratitude to that master.”

“What?”

Se-min looked at Kaorak. Kaorak shrugged his shoulders.

“That Cosmic Flow seems to have the power to change the surroundings.”

“What do you mean?”

“It just is. When you use the Cosmic Flow, that power spreads to the surroundings too. You could say I was influenced by it as well.”

“You were influenced?”

“Yes. Otherwise, I might have become more vicious and stabbed you with a blade every time you annoyed me. You could say you survived thanks to the Cosmic Flow. Go bow to your master.”

Although he explained it crudely, Se-min could guess what Kaorak wanted to say. Kaorak was indirectly expressing that he was able to maintain his sanity due to the power of the Cosmic Flow.

Se-min momentarily received a certain sensation. Something that could be called an inspiration crossed his mind, but it vanished quickly, preventing him from catching it precisely. However, a strange feeling remained in his head. Thanks to Kaorak’s words, he felt as if he had seen a certain possibility.

“I already bowed.”

“You did?”

“Nine times, even.”

“N-nine times? Did you commit a crime or something!”

To Kaorak, who was unfamiliar with the ritual of nine bows, it seemed to be a highly shocking statement. Se-min pushed away Kaorak, who kept prying about what on earth had happened to make him perform such a humiliating act, and went to find Killa.

“Can you feel it?”

Killa nodded.

Killa was leading the mages to continue the task of tracking Badurbarok’s location. Even after arriving here, she attempted to pinpoint Badurbarok’s position.

She pointed toward the center of the capital.

At the end of their clear vision now that the fog had dissipated, a high wall and the old palace were in view.

“It’s there.”

“Yes.”

Badurbarok was in that place.

No one knew what kind of existence Badurbarok was.

Whether he looked bizarre like the magic beasts, took a form made of darkness like the demons he controlled, or had the appearance of a living creature like a human, goblin, or troll—no one knew.

Even Kaorak, who had worked under Badurbarok, said he had never actually met Badurbarok.

It was time to learn his identity.

“Where is Biryu?”

“He is with the mages.”

“He is fine, right?”

“Of course.”

Se-min nodded and asked Killa again.

“How do you feel?”

“I am at peace.”

“You must have lived here in the past.”

“My magic tower was located here.”

Killa smiled faintly. Was she able to smile even while looking at the capital of the empire that had lost its former glory and turned hideously?

“I am glad.”

“Glad?”

“How could I not be?”

Killa continued, looking toward the old palace.

“Since I have become able to kill the bastard I wanted to kill so much.”

Only then did Se-min realize once again what kind of person Killa was.

Although her expression was unchanging on the outside, she was by no means of a quiet or peaceful character. In the first place, she was also the one who had pushed Se-min into the gladiatorial arena to change Sargassonia, where everyone desired to maintain the status quo.

Killa had never once given up on her revenge against Badurbarok.

Just like Se-min, Killa was the one who had lost everything and hated Badurbarok.

“Let’s go.”

Killa strode forward. Se-min walked shoulder to shoulder with her.

The entire Allied forces marched toward the old palace.

Badurbarok would be there.

***

The Allied forces grew increasingly quiet.

As massive as the old capital was, the polluted flesh of the alien world covering it was also thriving.

It was not easy to advance while cutting down the slime and tentacles blocking their path. Steeling their tiring hearts, they moved forward toward the old palace visible in the distance.

Se-min had a thought that had been occurring to him for a while.

It was easier than expected.

Perhaps it was just a personal sentiment.

He had summoned Imuncazer of the Transcendent Network to annihilate the magic beasts once, and the forces of each race gathered here were also unprecedentedly powerful. It was perhaps only natural that they were shaking off the resistance of the magic beasts.

“Germanos, Killa.”

Se-min called the two.

“How do you think the battle situation compares to the old war?”

At that, Germanos grinned.

“You think it’s too easy right now.”

“Yes.”

“I agree with that. However…”

Germanos turned his head. In the direction he looked, there were troops of their allies flooding in without rest.

Not to mention the three races that had participated in the old war, dragons spreading their wings, trolls dismantling all of the enemy’s traps with strange shamanic arts, and ogres smashing anything identified as an enemy followed in turn.

Pointing at that sight, Germanos spoke.

“In a way, isn’t it only natural?”

“Is that so?”

Se-min stroked his chin, then looked at Killa this time. Her expression was stiff as usual. Killa reserved her judgment.

“It was significant that you wiped out the magic beasts when you summoned that dragon. Because of that, I cannot make an accurate comparison.”

“My subordinate fellow did play an active part.”

“But it is too early to be optimistic. In the old war, terrible magic beasts appeared and trampled the soldiers all over, but we haven’t seen such creatures yet.”

At that, Germanos said.

“Weren’t the ones we dealt with at the outer wall those fellows from back then?”

“They were similar, but they seemed weaker than before. Although our forces have grown stronger, taking that into account, I still feel the magic beasts have grown weaker.”

Se-min combined the opinions of the two.

It was true that this Allied force was strong, and it was also true that the enemy was weaker than expected. He must not let his guard down yet. Above all, they did not know the power of Badurbarok.

This time Se-min went over to the troll camp. He sought out the troll Sage there. Sagong guided him.

“Sage.”

The Sage was walking alone. As if he needed sufficient space, the trolls did not approach near him and left a certain radius empty.

As Se-min approached, the Sage looked at him and nodded.

“Emperor, do you have something you are curious about?”

“Yes.”

When he first met the Sage, Se-min found him a bit difficult. It was as if he were dealing with a machine.

However, now he felt he knew a little about what kind of person he was. He was on the fairly kind side. It was just that his emotional fluctuations were extremely minimal. Perhaps it was because almost nothing in the world deviated from his expectations.

“I do not know either.”

“What?”

“I cannot speak with certainty about Badurbarok either. So, I also do not know if what we’ve experienced so far is all of him.”

“I see.”

The Sage already knew why Se-min had come. Since there was no need to explain, it was convenient. Se-min nodded.

There was more he wanted to ask, but the Sage must know that as well. The reason he didn’t give an answer was likely because he couldn’t speak of it either. Se-min was about to turn around, but casually asked.

“Still, don’t you have some projection? Like there will be about twice as many magic beasts inside as we’ve faced so far, or something.”

Rarely, the Sage smiled. It was an expression like an old man watching his grandchild’s antics. He spoke.

“What is clear is that it will be a harder fight than before.”

“As expected, right?”

Se-min let out a sigh.

“Understood. Then see you later. Take care.”

Saying so, Se-min left the troll camp again and returned to the front of the Allied forces.

At the front, it was noisy as they dismantled buildings and killed magic beasts to clear a path. Watching the Emperor’s departing figure flying toward that spot, the Sage muttered.

“It seems nothing happened.”

Sagong answered.

“It seems so.”

“And the goblin?”

“He is as usual. Without any incident.”

Sagong looked at the Sage’s face and let out a smirk.

“I suppose you don’t like it?”

“No way. It is a good thing.”

“You look displeased when your expectations fail. You have exactly that face. Do you think it passed too uneventfully?”

The Sage thought for a moment and then answered.

“Yes.”

“Your expression is improving again? What were you thinking?”

“I do not like my expectations being wrong, but I merely realized once again that it should be that way right now.”

“Indeed.”

“Since the goblin survived, chaos has been added to the future.”

They had known that Kaorak was connected to Badurbarok, and guessed that Kaorak would eventually die at Se-min’s hands. Thus, they had hoped Se-min would awaken once again through anger toward Badurbarok.

That was why they had not revealed Kaorak’s identity.

If they had informed him in advance, Se-min would have handled Kaorak mildly, and the story would have proceeded without any drama. The trolls were cold-hearted, wishing for the Emperor to grow stronger through pain.

Yet, a completely unexpected result came out.

Nothing happened.

Other than them, no one knew that Kaorak was actually connected to Badurbarok.

“Good.”

The Sage nodded.

For them, the only unknown factor had been Badurbarok so far. However, as the new Emperor appeared, another variable arose. Because of that, the destiny of the world preordained for destruction was moving in an unpredictable direction.

“I don’t feel good.”

Sagong spoke suddenly. Since they were connected, the Sage also knew what he was talking about.

“Prepare.”

As Sagong spoke, his intention spread to all the trolls. Since the Sage was connected to all trolls, exchanging intentions was instantaneous.

The trolls grew tense.

Soon, the event Sagong had worried about occurred.

“Damn it.”

There was a massive shadow rising from all directions.

It was Gaigatus.

***

Se-min bit his lip as he watched the Gaigatus squad that suddenly appeared. They were approaching from all directions.

“If that many of them just explode, that side won’t be safe either, will it?”

Certainly, the interior of the palace would also fall within the range of the explosion. Yet the bastards continued to approach the Allied forces. Se-min felt instinctively that they would detonate themselves without a shred of hesitation.

However, it was not immediately. One by one, the Gaigatuses came to a halt. The Allied forces ended up surrounded by the Gaigatuses.

It was just like the formation of the Gaigatuses that had blocked the way when they were at the Starlight Mountains in the past.

Soon, a messenger to deliver Badurbarok’s message appeared. It was Han Su-in.

Appearing and disappearing, fleeing and reappearing, Han Su-in was clashing with Se-min at every turn. Se-min knit his brows and waited for the fellow to approach. Soon, he came near Se-min.

“Type of demands? What is it this time?”

“…”

Han Su-in was quiet. Se-min spoke again.

“What, you’re going to present some absurd demands again and say we’ll fight because we won’t accept them? Just speak up.”

Se-min sneered. Han Su-in remained silent. Se-min teased Han Su-in more, but soon felt that something was different when Han Su-in kept silent.

Soon, he felt the bodies of the Gaigatuses boiling.

Se-min realized. Han Su-in had not come to negotiate with him. Badurbarok could no longer tolerate Han Su-in who kept failing, and had sent him to die together with Se-min.

Since the Gaigatuses had appeared, they were destined to explode.

There was very little time left until the explosion.

It was the moment Se-min, who instinctively raised the Cosmic Flow, was flustered about what to do first.

Something began to rise from the ground. It was the earth that had been covered by slime. The land, which had lost its shape due to pollution, broke through the structures of the magic beasts and began to form a thin membrane in the sky.

A dome thin and wide enough to surround the Allied forces was created.

“This is?”

Se-min realized who was doing this.

“Gru?”

The demigod-like ogre, Gru, was exerting his power.

However, Se-min had no time to be surprised further. A very brief instant remained until the explosion of the Gaigatuses. The protective barrier Gru had created and the explosive power of the Gaigatuses were right on the verge of clashing.

Se-min also generated the Cosmic Flow.

Splitting the brief instant again and again, he layered his power on top of Gru’s protective shield. The power of the Cosmic Flow was coated over it, completing preparations to block the heat of the Gaigatuses even more firmly.

Soon, the Gaigatuses exploded.

Light flashed.

Se-min was momentarily enveloped in a shock as if hit by a shell. Although he had merely layered the power of the Cosmic Flow on the dome, the impact was transmitted directly.

Se-min opened his eyes wide and watched clearly what was happening.

The red-hot Gaigatuses exploded, and the impact arising from all directions battered the Allied forces.

The power generated by Gru and Se-min barely blocked the impact.

Centering around the dome, the outside was being completely devastated. The aftermath of the explosion swirled, forming air currents that distorted everything outside.

Every time the flames flickered, the old capital began to turn into a flat wilderness.

It was a scene of tremendous destruction.

At the same time, he also realized how strong Gru’s power was. The power of the Cosmic Flow Se-min had added was merely a supporting role; it was Gru who endured that impact directly.

Gru was entirely bearing the explosions of this many Gaigatuses.

“Gru, are you alright?”

Se-min muttered in the direction where Gru was. Gru’s massive body was vaguely visible in the distance.

[It’s hot.]

And Gru answered.

Though it was a long distance, Gru’s intention was transmitted as if whispered by his side.

[I should cool off for a bit.]

The Allied forces held their breath and watched the situation outside while breathing in the heated air.

Suddenly, a giant magic beast appeared, glowed red, and exploded. Yet, soil rose from the ground again, surrounding and protecting everyone.

They were waging a war that transcended common sense.

The explosions were not eternal.

Soon the aftermath subsided, revealing a ruined landscape. Everything was blackened and turned to ashes. The soil that had been protecting them also crumbled down. A thick smell of burning rose.

Gru spoke.

[I will rest for a bit, Emperor.]

“Yes. Good job, Gru.”

Gru’s body lowered to the ground. It must have been a difficult task for him as well.

Se-min turned his head.

The old palace was intact despite this tremendous explosion. Seeing that, Se-min recalled the conversation he had shared with the troll Sage earlier.

The Sage had said that a harder fight awaited.

It was certainly true. The Allied forces had barely blocked the explosion by borrowing Gru’s power, yet that place had endured the explosions of the Gaigatuses as if it were nothing.

It meant that a corresponding power was lurking in that place.

Se-min suddenly realized something.

“Everyone, prepare for battle.”

Se-min said. His voice, laden with aura, echoed quietly throughout the Allied forces.

The soldiers, who did not understand the meaning at first, soon began to lift their weapons one by one.

They also discovered what Se-min was seeing.

Magic beasts were emerging.

Massive bodies continuously soared.

They were huge.

Magic beasts even larger than Gaigatus stood up. They were so massive that one wondered how such things had been hidden.

They strode over the palace walls and stood facing the Allied forces. There were five in total. They each had different appearances, but they were the same in being huge and horrific.

Se-min asked toward Han Su-in.

“Han Su-in. Are you going to just watch? Or should I kill you first?”

Han Su-in, who had survived thanks to being by Se-min’s side, remained silently still as if his soul had left his body.

Since he did not make any threatening actions, Se-min stared at Han Su-in for a moment and then turned his gaze toward the giant magic beasts.

He didn’t know what was going on, but blocking those things was the priority.

Se-min gripped Lupus and leaped into the sky. He met the magic beasts at eye level. All five magic beasts recognized Se-min.

Se-min grinned and said.

“Lower your eyes.”

Se-min looked at them and stared at the old palace of the empire beyond.

Something bizarre flickered inside it. They were indeed horrific bastards. Se-min was certain Badurbarok was in that place.

There was no time to delay further.

Se-min charged with all his might.

The Cosmic Flow spread wings on his back.

Se-min plunged Lupus into the crown of a magic beast’s head. At first, it sliced through the flesh and advanced, but it soon stopped upon hitting hard bone.

Se-min poured in even more strength, then kicked off and flew up to dodge the magic beast’s hand flying to strike him.

The five magic beasts ran wild as they pleased without any sign of cooperation.

With a single collision, the troops died. Although there had been casualties so far, human lives had not collapsed so futilely.

A dark red aura boiled from Se-min’s body. An enraged Izergazin spread his wings, and the power of the Elder Orc began to rise.

Even so, the magic beasts ran wild without a care.

Their resistance did not exert much effect. Izergazin let out a bewildered sound, and the Elder Orc generated an even greater power.

“Everyone, be careful.”

Se-min spoke so. It was not a loud voice, but those who should hear it would have heard it.

These magic beasts were not just simple giant creatures. Something was different. Their lineage was different from the ones he had seen so far.

Se-min received a feeling both unfamiliar yet familiar from them.

However, there was no time to ponder seeking the origin of such things. Se-min searched for the weakest-looking entity. It was the one in whose crown he had stabbed Lupus.

Although it looked like a giant, hard, stone-like objects sprouted all over its body. Perhaps shocked by Se-min’s attack, it flailed for a moment.

He would eliminate them one by one, step by step.

Se-min rushed downward. Sensing his presence, the magic beast immediately swung its hand at Se-min. It was a tremendous reflex speed.

Se-min kicked the air to pivot, then kicked the air again to dash in a zigzag. The distance between them converged to zero. At the moment of contact, aura erupted from Se-min’s body.

An explosion occurred.

Se-min distanced himself again. The magic beast’s body was obscured by smoke and could not be seen. Hoping that a large wound had been inflicted, Se-min prepared for the next attack.

The smoke subsided.

It was intact.

Se-min stared at the magic beast in bewilderment. The magic beast was also staring at Se-min.

Some emotion seemed to flicker beyond those pitch-black eyes. However, because the magic beast was different from any living creature he knew, it did not seem that emotion would belong to the classification of joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure that he knew.

What was that magic beast calculating right now?

For an instant, Se-min detected the light that arose in the magic beast’s eyes.

Though it might be an illusion, Se-min read a sneer in the magic beast’s eyes. He also saw the corner of the guy’s mouth rise faintly.

Se-min also ended up laughing at the absurdity.

And he charged.

“Arrogant bastard.”

The Cosmic Flow unfolded once again from Se-min’s body. Though his body was tiny, at the level of a small ant compared to the magic beast, the dozens of energy protrusions erupting were massive enough to envelop the magic beast.

Se-min raised his output further. The Tai Chi Wisdom resonated inside his body, sparking a burning heat in his flesh.

The dark red aura momentarily overwhelmed the battlefield. The other magic beasts also turned their heads toward Se-min.

Se-min swung Lupus at the magic beast before him. Though it was a longsword of a size to cut a single human, once the Cosmic Flow was added to the blade, it became a disaster that cleaved the world.

It struck down.

The magic beast, which had been responding with counterattacks to Se-min’s attacks, chose a dodging motion for the first time.

However, the power of the Cosmic Flow crosses even material limits.

As if inertia did not exist, the power shifted sideways and struck down vertically again at the spot the magic beast had moved to. It looked as if it had teleported horizontally.

The magic beast’s body was swept up in the slash.

At the moment of collision, Se-min emitted his aura even further. The aura that had sharply sliced the magic beast now bristled with thorns inside the creature’s body, distorted, and exploded in an instant.

The entire battlefield was engulfed in light.

Covering his eyes and waiting for the results he had generated, Se-min contemplated his inner self.

His stomach churned as if regurgitating, but he thought it was not a loss if he could deal with the magic beast.

Soon, the light subsided.

The magic beast was looking at Se-min in an intact state.

Se-min’s eyes widened.

The magic beast was now charging, completely targeting Se-min. Se-min retreated. However, because the difference in their sizes was so vast, a single step of the enemy was a very long distance for Se-min.

Normally, if something was huge, it was slow.

However, the magic beast was different.

Just as Se-min’s Cosmic Flow transcended physical limits, the magic beast charged at Se-min with a swift movement that seemed unacceptable for its massive body. The guy swung his fist.

Realizing he could not dodge it, Se-min raised Lupus and curled his body.

Boom!

Se-min’s body was blown away and crashed to the ground.

Se-min felt his vision shaking violently and his body tumbling and bouncing off the ground several times.

The pain came afterward.

“Khuk…”

Se-min raised his body, leaning on Lupus. No matter how much he had protected his body with aura, the impact was too strong. Before the pain, his body did not function properly.

Se-min exerted the Tai Chi Wisdom to its limit, struggling to recover his body again.

Meanwhile, the battle continued.

Due to the magic beasts running wild, the troops continued to die. Goblins were trampled to death by the magic beasts, and humans melted from the unidentified fluids they spewed.

Orcs clung to their bodies and drove weapons into them, only to be crushed to death. Trolls died calmly, as if they had known their destiny, and ogres returned to a handful of dust.

“Damn it.”

He shook his head. It was a fight he was already prepared for. He must not let his mind be shaken by such sacrifices.

Seeing Gru step forward in earnest, Se-min gritted his teeth and dashed toward the magic beast. Every time he kicked the ground, his figure shot forward like a beam of light.

After just a few steps, Se-min once again faced the guy he had clashed with.

Se-min targeted the legs this time. Although its appearance was hideous, its basic structure was the shape of a giant with two arms, walking bipedally like a human. If he collapsed both legs, the guy wouldn’t be able to move.

He slashed Lupus horizontally toward the ankle. The magic beast did not care and kicked at Se-min.

The two collided.

Slash.

Se-min was faster. His sword qi created a crack in the magic beast’s ankle first. However, the magic beast’s foot did not stop. Se-min had no strength left to dodge.

Se-min watched the guy’s ankle get severed, and also saw that leg fly toward him.

The foot, carrying inertia, battered Se-min.

Se-min flew through the air again.

The foot, severed from the ankle, rolled on the ground, spraying fluids over Se-min. Se-min wiped it away and stood up. The magic beast, its ankle cut, was collapsing as it lost its balance.

Without missing that opportunity, Se-min attempted to run toward the head this time.

Stumble.

Se-min stopped once.

It seemed he had also injured his ankle. Cutting the enemy’s leg and only sustaining an injury himself was a profitable exchange, but the remaining fight was still long for Se-min.

Se-min directed the Tai Chi Wisdom to his ankle to heal the wound quickly, while continuing to watch the magic beast.

The magic beast was struggling to raise its body. As if the severed ankle did not even hurt, it attempted to stand up by stepping on the cross-section against the ground.

Se-min’s and the guy’s eyes met again.

Se-min gripped Lupus and checked the condition of his leg. The pain gradually subsided. He could fight.

The moment he reached that judgment, Se-min immediately kicked the ground and soared up.

The wings of the Cosmic Flow spread on his back once again.

The bombardment began.

Se-min swung Lupus in the air. Every time his sword drew a stroke, the aura became a shell, flying at the magic beast and exploding.

Se-min continuously hammered in his aura. The magic beast, unable to stand up completely, yielded its body to Se-min.

When Se-min thought that was enough, he withdrew Lupus and descended to the ground again. The magic beast did not move.

Thinking he had destroyed one of them, Se-min was in the middle of turning around toward the other side.

Again, movement was felt.

The magic beast was not dead.

Se-min’s heart grew urgent. The other four magic beasts were still fighting fiercely with the Allied forces. Although Izergazin, the Elder Orc, and even Gru stepped up to face them, the damage was accumulating.

It was just when Se-min thought he should choke the life out of it with an even stronger attack while gritting his teeth.

[It won’t work.]

Someone spoke.

Se-min turned his head. It was Han Su-in. Se-min grew annoyed upon seeing Han Su-in.

“Get lost, if you don’t want to die.”

[The creature cannot be brought down by physical attacks. You must destroy the core.]

“What?”

Han Su-in pointed near the magic beast’s chest.

[It’s that.]

“…”

Se-min looked at Han Su-in. His entire body had reverted to pitch-black darkness, making it impossible to read his expression. He was close to a darkness taking a human shape.

“What nonsense are you up to all of a sudden?”

Han Su-in did not open his mouth further.

Se-min glared at the guy, then clicked his tongue and gripped Lupus again.

And he flew toward the magic beast.

It was not that he believed Han Su-in’s words, but he had already felt that the attacks were not working on the magic beast. If so, he needed to try shifting the direction of his attacks.

He didn’t trust Han Su-in.

He was just doing it.

Repeating so to himself, Se-min swung Lupus, aiming near the magic beast’s chest. The magic beast, which had been swinging its arm at Se-min, withdrew its hand to block its chest.

Se-min raised an eyebrow. It was the first time he saw the magic beast halt its attacks to protect itself.

When Se-min sent out sword qi aiming for the skin between the crossed hands, the magic beast curled up defensively and did not move.

Se-min thought Han Su-in’s words might be correct.

He did not know why the fellow had suddenly helped, but the fight came first. Se-min did not miss the opening once it was revealed.

Se-min’s body vanished for an instant.

He appeared behind the magic beast. If the front was blocked, he just had to target the back.

Se-min’s Lupus plunged toward the magic beast’s spine. The magic beast twisted its body. The guy’s hand bent and flew toward Se-min.

Indeed, it was a magic beast. He must not compare the guy’s structure to a human’s. There was no blind spot in the guy’s attack range.

But there was no time.

Se-min gathered his aura. Lupus became imbued with the energy of the Cosmic Flow. Countless stars appeared on Lupus’s blade. Right before the magic beast’s hand could touch him, he exploded the energy.

Due to that explosive power, the magic beast’s attack also lost its force. Se-min was struck once, but the impact was not large.

While falling, Se-min could see blood pouring from the magic beast’s chest. The magic beast fell face down.

It was not dead yet.

The magic beast squirmed, attempting to stand up. Before that could happen, Se-min ran to the guy’s back. Then he climbed onto the part he had hollowed out.

Han Su-in’s words were correct.

An unknown power was leaking from the wound.

Upon feeling that, Se-min felt a strange sensation. Just like how a scent of perfume encountered on the street suddenly revives old memories, he felt as if he had somehow felt something like this in the past.

Se-min drove Lupus in to widen the wound and slid the tip of the sword inside. At its end, there was something shining.

It was neither white nor black.

An indescribable, strange light resided there.

Se-min grabbed it in his hand without realizing it. A torrent of power swept through his body.

Se-min saw something within it. Struggling not to lose his balance, Se-min gripped the object in his fist even tighter. This energy was definitely familiar to Se-min. It was a power close to the Cosmic Flow.

Unknown voices rang in his head.

‘Give the end to me.’

‘In the distant future, your name…’

‘It is time to go.’

Bizarre images crossed his mind. They passed by so quickly that he could not pinpoint any scene.

Like a rewinding film, faint outlines and afterimages of colors dizzied his head, before his vision turned completely upward.

Again, space.

Se-min was looking at space.

There was something.

Se-min focused because he wanted to see in greater detail, but at some point, all the scenes turned off.

And he returned to reality.

A tiny, tiny fragment held in his fist.

Se-min muttered without realizing it.

“Primordial Core?”

Although it was an object he had never seen or possessed, the moment he held it in his hand, Se-min could tell it was the Primordial Core.

It was a strange sensation.

Memories engraved in the Primordial Core flooded in. He could also hear a somehow familiar voice. However, it was not complete but merely a fragment, and the past harbored within was also scattered in pieces.

“It is definitely a voice I’ve heard before…”

Whose voice was that? When had he heard it? He wanted to trace the clues of memory further, but the battle was not over yet.

Se-min turned his head.

The four magic beasts continued to battle. Se-min could now see the currents of the Primordial Core flowing from their bodies.

“So he created magic beasts using the Primordial Core, huh.”

Izergazin, Ilrgar, Gru.

The three powerhouses comparable to Se-min were struggling, unable to easily suppress the magic beasts. Just this small Primordial Core was capable of creating such a powerful monster.

It was the moment Se-min was about to tuck the Primordial Core into his souvenir jacket’s inner pocket and rejoin the battle.

The Primordial Core began to struggle.

Se-min grabbed it over his clothes. A sharp power erupted from the Primordial Core, fighting desperately to escape from his breast. Se-min instinctively held onto it and did not let go.

As Se-min raised his aura, the energy of the Cosmic Flow naturally flowed out.

At that, the Primordial Core grew quiet.

Se-min realized that the Cosmic Flow was effective in putting the Primordial Core to rest. Therefore, he enveloped it with even stronger power. The strange power of the Primordial Core reacted with the Cosmic Flow.

Se-min put his hand inside his pocket to completely suppress the Primordial Core.

However.

“Uh?”

The Primordial Core was not there.

“What?”

The Primordial Core, which had been thrashing just a moment ago, had vanished before he knew it. Even as he groped all over his body, that object was not there.

While Se-min was checking his body here and there in panic, a pain arose in his chest.

Thump.

Se-min clutched his chest. His heart was pounding.

“Ugh…”

He had felt this kind of sensation once in the past. It was when he swallowed the demonic dragon’s heart.

A strange power began to stretch from his interior toward his limbs. Se-min attempted to wrap aura inside to protect his body.

However, he realized there was no need to do so.

That strange power naturally blended with his aura. Making Se-min’s surprise look foolish, it became one with the Tai Chi Wisdom in his body, as if it had been that way from the very beginning.

Se-min remained still for a moment.

The Primordial Core had been absorbed into him. It could only be explained that way.

After checking himself, Se-min realized there was no noticeable problem and withdrew his aura.

He did not know whether having the Primordial Core settle in him was a good thing or not, but what was important right now was dealing with the magic beasts. Se-min flew toward the magic beasts.

His body felt lighter.

With a single leap, Se-min was already beside Izergazin, who was fighting a magic beast.

Izergazin was fighting tangled with the magic beast, his body covered in blood. Se-min spoke.

“Are you alright?”

[…]

Izergazin did not answer. Being a proud dragon, he did not seem to welcome the fact that he was receiving help. However, now was not the time to delay because of such things.

Se-min immediately lifted Lupus and struck the magic beast.

This magic beast was in a form close to a dog, walking on four feet. So when Se-min swung Lupus, it leaped up violently, attempting to chew Se-min.

Se-min quickly shifted his movement path, dodging the teeth.

“These guys have cores in their bodies. You must destroy them.”

[Core? Where?]

“It’s probably in the location of the heart. I don’t know for sure.”

Even as he said so, Se-min expanded his senses just in case to observe the guy’s interior. Then, he felt the current of the Primordial Core. Perhaps due to the effect of obtaining the Primordial Core, he could pinpoint the location with certainty.

Se-min realized it was concentrated in the magic beast’s head. He changed his words again before Izergazin could fly off.

“Ah, this creature seems to have it in the head.”

[How do you know that?]

“None of your business, just listen to me.”

Izergazin hovered over the guy’s head without further comment.

To draw the magic beast’s attention, Se-min lowered his altitude and distracted it near the neck. The magic beast looked at Izergazin and Se-min alternately, then opened its mouth toward Se-min, as if finding him more annoying.

“Attack!”

Saying so, he stood Lupus. Fluids poured from the magic beast’s mouth. If caught in that, anyone would melt.

Se-min raised his aura to erect a wall. His aura and the magic beast’s fluid clashed. Feeling his aura melt, Se-min operated the Tai Chi Wisdom even more strongly.

[I will show this hideous magic beast what a real breath is.]

Se-min looked at Izergazin. He was taking a huge breath.

“Is it alright to do that?”

In the early stage of the battle, Izergazin had already used his breath once. Was it alright to use it so casually like this?

However, Izergazin did not care and inflated his chest even larger, sucking in the energy of the world.

Perhaps sensing that, the magic beast’s fluids being shot at Se-min also stopped.

But it was too late.

Before the magic beast could prepare anything again, Izergazin’s breath engulfed its head.

Izergazin’s breath spewed without end. Though his body was massive, was it possible for that much breath to be contained?

“As expected, abdominal breathing.”

Se-min waited, Lupus in hand, until the breath ceased.

Soon the breath stopped. The magic beast’s head was melted and ragged here and there. However, it had not penetrated deep below the skin layer.

The magic beast’s head was recovering.

Though it was a horrific sight with the skull exposed and ragged, he had no room to care about such things.

Se-min immediately advanced with Lupus. The magic beast noticed Se-min’s approach and opened its mouth wide. However, since it was right after being hit by Izergazin’s breath, its resistance was minimal.

Se-min easily swung Lupus and sliced off the guy’s jaw.

The magic beast’s lower jaw fell to the ground. The magic beast wailed in pain.

Se-min drove Lupus up into the roof of the magic beast’s mouth and observed the interior. The current of the Primordial Core was felt.

These magic beasts were existences created from fragments of the Primordial Core. Se-min resolved to defeat them all and retrieve the Primordial Cores.

He was curious about the memories remaining in the Primordial Core that he had seen after absorbing it from the first magic beast earlier. It felt as if something must be there.

Se-min advanced inside the magic beast’s head. No matter how strong a magic beast was, it could do nothing if its head was destroyed.

Se-min wrapped aura around his body, entered inside the magic beast’s head, and unleashed his aura all at once. An explosion occurred, and the magic beast’s head shattered from the inside.

The magic beast’s massive body slumped down.

Amidst the aftermath of that explosion, Se-min caught in his hand a strangely colored fragment that was about to fly off.

A color that could not be described resided within it.

The moment he gripped it, Se-min realized he was absorbing the Primordial Core. The size of the Primordial Core was shrinking in real time.

Se-min raised the Tai Chi Wisdom and accepted them gently.

Various faint images passed by.

They were not much different from what he had seen at first. However, other scenes arose in a few parts.

Se-min felt as if he understood something, but the clues were still insufficient.

Se-min escaped from the collapsing massive body of the magic beast.

Izergazin was catching his breath while floating in the sky.

Se-min approached him and patted his body, saying he had done a good job. Izergazin, not caring about being exhausted, immediately turned toward the other magic beasts.

Out of the five magic beasts, they had defeated two. Three still remained.

[It is not over yet.]

“Will you be alright?”

[It is nothing.]

It seemed like stubborn pride, but since he said so, Se-min did not speak further.

The other three were being blocked fairly well.

The Elder Orc, Ilrgar, was on the verge of bringing down one using his power, and Gru had also reduced a magic beast’s body to tatters. The remaining one was defeated by the Allied forces working together.

Se-min and Izergazin headed toward the nearest one, Ilrgar. A massive current erupted from Ilrgar’s body was battering the magic beast.

They were evenly matched. If Se-min and Izergazin intervened at this moment, the balance would completely shatter.

Se-min and Izergazin attacked and defeated the magic beast, virtually getting a free ride.

The highly competitive Ilrgar frowned at such actions, but given the situation, he did not protest and merely shrugged his shoulders.

Se-min and Izergazin relentlessly attacked the fallen magic beast.

[Die! Die!]

Izergazin attacked especially enthusiastically. He seemed to have an outstanding talent for bullying weakened enemies.

Eventually, although some time passed, the Allied forces cleared all five magic beasts.

Se-min checked the memories of the Primordial Core he had collected. Since only a few faint scenes remained in his head, there was no great significance.

***

“Everyone, reorganize.”

Se-min said so.

The Allied forces checked their respective casualties and treated the wounded. It seemed it would take longer than expected.

Se-min delegated command to the leaders of each camp and scanned the surroundings.

There was still one thing left.

Han Su-in.

He did not know why he had suddenly cooperated, but the guy remained. Se-min spread his aura to look for Han Su-in.

However, Han Su-in was not seen. Instead, Shozen approached Se-min.

“Your Majesty. The troops are exhausted. An opinion was raised to rest for a day, what shall we do?”

“Really?”

Certainly, they had fought too many battles today. The sun was also setting on the horizon.

Se-min calculated in his head the benefits of resting for a day versus forcing the battle even if pushing hard.

“What does the Sage say?”

“He didn’t say much, shall I ask?”

“Yes.”

At times like this, delegating to the Sage was the best.

As usual, the Sage spoke ambiguously, but it ultimately meant that resting for a day would be better.

Se-min arranged for the troops to rest for a day, and stationed night watchmen and scouts so they wouldn’t panic if magic beasts appeared during the night.

Since Se-min himself would keep watch on the enemy’s movements first, there was no great worry.

Once the sun rose, they would enter beyond the palace wall where Badurbarok was. Se-min did not go inside the tent prepared for him but stood outside, looking at the palace.

He had no intention of resting.

His body was already sharply on edge. And that was most desirable. Se-min was confident he could maintain this state of heightened alert continuously.

Until this war ended, he would not let go of his tension.

Staring at the palace interior where no presence was felt even when he extended his aura, Se-min suddenly felt something and turned his head.

He flew to that spot.

“What are you doing?”

It was Han Su-in.

He was sitting on the edge outside the outer wall, hanging his head.

It was strange that a fellow who had been modified by Badurbarok, losing his human shape, was sitting like that.

“Hey?”

Se-min approached Han Su-in. Se-min scanned Han Su-in’s interior using the sophisticated projection ability he had gained through the Primordial Core.

“Did Badurbarok abandon you?”

No power was felt from him.

No ability to resist Se-min remained in him anymore. Se-min aimed Lupus at Han Su-in.

He was a guy who had hindered him at every turn and committed horrific deeds without hesitation. He had no intention of leaving him alone. If he had done so due to Badurbarok’s brainwashing, killing him would be the greatest mercy.

Se-min placed Lupus against his neck.

Han Su-in did not react.

Se-min pushed the blade in further. Han Su-in’s body trembled slightly. Eventually, Han Su-in spoke.

[Watch out for Badurbarok.]

“Why are you suddenly like this?”

Even as he said so, Se-min felt he knew what kind of plight Han Su-in was in.

Han Su-in had repeatedly lost to Se-min. Badurbarok’s patience must have reached its limit.

If he had become Badurbarok’s subordinate due to brainwashing, the best punishment would be to break it and discard him.

To despair and suffer from the weight of the sins he had committed, and then die.

It was indeed vicious.

Se-min said.

“Han Su-in. Is that your last testament?”

Se-min was tired.

His heart was not generous enough to understand that Han Su-in’s circumstances were such, or that the evil deeds he had committed were actually the result of inevitable brainwashing caused by the enemy’s tricks.

Since Se-min had already lost so much, his blade contained sufficient coldness to bury unnecessary anguish in death.

More force went into Lupus.

The Han Su-in Se-min knew was already a dead figure. The one before his eyes was close to a magic beast that inherited Han Su-in’s memories.

Having shed his human mask, turned into pitch-black darkness, and slaughtered numerous lives, such treatment would not be unreasonable.

[Lee Se-min.]

He had hoped he wouldn’t, but Han Su-in called his name.

“Cut the crap.”

Se-min said so, exerting force on Lupus.

Han Su-in had grown weak. If he sliced Lupus, he would shatter and vanish without a trace.

Han Su-in spoke.

[You must kill Badurbarok quickly.]

“What?”

[He is an existence spanning across dimensions. His true body is on the verge of leaving this world.]

“Leaving?”

Se-min asked, placing a hand on his forehead.

“Where is he going? Earth?”

[No.]

“Then is he returning to his own world?”

[Yes and no. He intends to invade a new dimension.]

“What nonsense is that!”

Aura erupted from Se-min’s body. Han Su-in’s body was thrown back. He collapsed on the floor, coughing painfully.

Se-min pressed further.

“Tell me more. When and where is he going? How many more magic beasts are inside the palace?”

[I do not know where. It will not take very long. The magic beasts are not many, but truly powerful ones remain inside. The subordinates he values are few. The five magic beasts you killed were merely failures.]

Han Su-in raised his body.

[Lee Se-min.]

He parted his lips. On his face, now completely consumed by darkness, there existed no trace that could be seen as human.

He fell silent for a brief moment, then continued.

[I know what I have done. I will not make excuses that it was due to Badurbarok’s control. Kill me.]

Se-min smirked.

“You are making one, an excuse.”

[I…]

“Get lost.”

Se-min spoke so and turned around.

The legend of raids, Han Su-in.

The legendary man who always saved people at the very front lines and led near-impossible battles to victory.

He was thought to have died, swallowed by a magic beast while saving people, yet he had become Badurbarok’s subordinate and committed evil deeds.

Of course, that might not have been his will. But what of it now? Se-min closed his eyes.

The face of Noh Hak-jae telling him to live, and the appearance of Noh Hak-jae turning into a magic beast and pointing a blade at him, the faces of the deceased and the pain of the living overflowed in his head, darkening his vision.

Se-min merely spoke like this.

“Do not pass it on, take responsibility yourself.”

Regardless of what the intention was, only actions and results remain in the world. Han Su-in failed, and now what remained for him was only responsibility for himself.

Se-min had no room to carry even that. On his shoulders, the fate of the world was already burdened.

Se-min walked away, leaving Han Su-in behind.

Han Su-in stood still.

Se-min’s steps slowed.

“Phew…”

Se-min knew Han Su-in’s former appearance well.

His bright face when being interviewed after saving people rose in his mind. He remembered his heroic battles where he leaped into deadly grounds, defying death. His weary journey of fighting bloody battles with magic beasts without rest, as if given a mission, was not a lie.

Se-min could understand what kind of heart he must have had back then.

Se-min stopped his steps.

Selecting his words, Se-min delivered a single sentence toward Han Su-in.

“I will definitely kill Badurbarok.”

It was the greatest comfort he could offer.

Se-min glanced back. The figure of Han Su-in, made of darkness, was smiling faintly.

It was welcome to Se-min that his expression was consumed by darkness and could not be seen clearly. A wretched smile was just as heavy as a crying face.

Se-min turned around again.

And he did not look back.

***

The Allied forces completed preparations to enter inside the palace as soon as day broke.

Se-min and Gru stood at the front. According to scouts, there was no entrance to go inside the palace. They had to create a passage themselves.

“Are you ready?”

[Of course.]

Se-min climbed onto Gru’s shoulder.

Unlike the previous ones, the wall separating them from Badurbarok did not have tentacles or living, bizarre things breathing. It was just a firmly standing slime wall. However, it was harder than any wall they had passed.

“Let’s go.”

Se-min said. Gru nodded and began to run forward.

The energy of the Cosmic Flow extended from Se-min’s body, establishing wings on Gru’s back. As they tilted back, a massive aura exploded simultaneously, giving Gru repulsive force.

They charged forward, becoming a mass of light.

An explosion sounded, and their bodies shook.

Se-min lifted his eyes.

The scenery of the palace appeared. Gru had broken through the wall with his body and entered inside.

“This is…”

Se-min looked around. The interior was completely different from what he had imagined.

The palace retained its former appearance exactly.

Marble was laid neatly on the floor, and the walls were elegantly constructed with pure white stones. The scenery of the prosperous old empire was delicately carved on the pillars.

It was perfectly maintained without a single blemish anywhere.

“Why is it like this?”

He had thought of a most hideous space where slime and tentacles flickered here and there, but the interior was the exact opposite of what he had expected.

Every part gleamed as if it were cleaned every day.

Se-min instinctively lifted Lupus.

He kept guard against the unfamiliar. He acted carefully if strange things occurred.

It was his habit, gained from living in battles for a long time. The occurrence of an event out of expectations was equivalent to the scenarios he had kept in mind becoming useless.

“Did you do a spring cleaning to welcome guests?”

Se-min spoke loudly. His voice rang around, riding through the empty palace.

“Badurbarok!”

Se-min spoke even louder.

Since his voice covered the palace, there was no way Badurbarok had not heard. Se-min lifted Lupus. He intended to collapse the palace if the guy did not come out.

Meanwhile, the Allied forces were entering in sequence through the gap Se-min and Gru had created. Shozen also had a bewildered face upon discovering the intact palace.

Se-min said.

“If we break that…”

[It cannot be broken.]

Suddenly, Gru spoke.

Se-min lifted his eyes to look at him. Gru was watching the area. His expression was serious.

“What do you see?”

Se-min raised his aura and searched the surroundings.

Nothing was felt. The palace absorbed his aura as if harboring a black hole. Every action he attempted to inspect turned to nothing.

Se-min was just about to shout Badurbarok’s name once again.

Something walked out from inside the palace.

“That is…”

It was one human, and one Orc.

Since the number was only two, he did not feel it was dangerous.

However, as the black air currents rising from their bodies gradually grew stronger, Se-min was startled. The evil power soared without knowing an end.

Se-min said.

“Everyone, prepare for battle.”

Badurbarok possessed a strange power. With that power, he created magic beasts or modified people to make them his subordinates.

The reason Badurbarok, who could also create new magic beasts, went out of his way to capture and modify was not merely because he was a malicious entity.

It was stronger to modify than to create anew.

Even Badurbarok could not create new life perfectly. Doing so would cause issues. Therefore, transforming an already existing entity into something else was much easier and yielded better results.

Furthermore, this was the place where Badurbarok resided. It was not a place where mere grunts would appear. There was definitely something here.

Each race knew this well because they had suffered severely from Badurbarok, and therefore they did not act rashly just because there were only two enemies.

“That man is…”

Se-min looked toward the human. He looked familiar somehow. He was a handsome man with pale skin. Just as Se-min was tracing his memory to recall who he was.

Suddenly, a fireball flew toward him.

Se-min could tell who had launched it. It was Killa.

Although it was puzzling, she must have a reason. Se-min watched the trajectory of the fireball strike down at the man.

The man retreated to dodge the fireball. Then he waved his hand. At that, a strange air current arose and began to envelop the area. It was another pattern different from the subordinates of Badurbarok they had met so far.

Accordingly, this time Germanos rushed out.

Se-min knit his brows. Following Killa, Germanos, who never stepped forward recklessly, charged toward the enemy and was swinging his sword.

The man’s and Germanos’s swords clashed. Germanos looked highly excited.

“Germanos, calm down!”

Se-min warned Germanos and looked sideways. The Orc who walked out from the palace interior was running toward the Allied forces. Energy erupted from his body.

Se-min realized that style was somehow familiar. It was the style of practitioners. That Orc must have been a practitioner when he was alive.

As the Orc swung his fist, the troops blocking him were torn apart in a single move. It was a tragedy that occurred in an instant.

Se-min agonized over whether to deal with the human or the Orc first. However, the answer came quickly.

[I will deal with that guy.]

As the Allied troops kept dying, the Elder Orc Ilrgar stepped forward.

He had been watching the Orc since he appeared. If he was an Orc from a practitioner background, he might be someone Ilrgar knew. For some reason, anger was written on his face.

However, the detailed circumstances were their business.

Se-min ran to help Germanos.

At that moment, Germanos was bounced back and flew, colliding into Se-min’s body. Se-min caught him in his arms and retreated to absorb the shock.

Germanos’s rough breathing was heard.

“Germanos, why are you suddenly like this?”

“Ugh…”

Germanos raised his body. Though trembling all over, he stood up again, gripping his sword, and tried to step forward. Se-min blocked him for now.

“Calm down.”

“That…”

Germanos hardened his face, emitting killing intent.

“Is he someone you know?”

Germanos seemed to hesitate slightly, then spoke honestly.

“Yes.”

“Who is it?”

His answer was out of Se-min’s expectations.

“The former Emperor.”

Se-min momentarily lost his mind, reflecting on Germanos’s answer.

He said it was the former Emperor.

Did he mean that former Emperor who was said to have revived the empire, fought the final battle with Badurbarok, and died? As far as he knew, the former Emperor was dead.

“The former Emperor…”

“Is dead. I saw it clearly.”

“Then.”

“He must be mimicking him, or playing tricks with the former Emperor’s corpse.”

Germanos glared at the man who was the former Emperor.

“As someone who was in the Guard, I can tell. That is indeed the former Emperor’s body. Badurbarok, that son of a bitch, how dare he…”

Germanos, trembling with rage, tried to step forward.

Se-min admired Germanos who, rather than despairing in a shocking situation, used anger as a stepping stone to face the former Emperor. However, now they needed to be calmer.

“Calm down.”

Se-min said so, grabbing Germanos’s shoulder.

“Because it seems the former Emperor isn’t the only one.”

Germanos, who did not understand the words at first, soon let out a low groan.

More shadows were emerging from the palace interior. They all wore the same attire and held the same weapons.

Se-min somehow had an inkling, but did not speak. Because Germanos would know best.

Germanos spoke aloud.

“The Guard.”

He met his old comrades.

***

Se-min watched the former Emperor, the Guard, and the forces of Sargassonia clash.

It was just like a war of humans.

Although the individual strength of the Guard was superior, the Allied forces were far more numerous. Therefore, the majority of those dying was on the side of the Allied forces. However, they could not stop the fight now.

Se-min watched more enemies emerge from the palace.

This time it was trolls and ogres.

The trolls and ogres who had participated in the old war were extremely few, yet Badurbarok had resurrected them all to make them his subordinates.

The morale of the Allied forces facing their own races began to fall.

Se-min wanted to burst in immediately to kill Badurbarok who must be lurking inside the palace, but the battle before his eyes was too intense.

Se-min’s eyes turned toward the former Emperor.

He was said to be someone who didn’t even know how to fight, but the guy before his eyes was now thrashing black air currents in all directions. Every time it raged, soldiers collapsed.

Se-min gripped Lupus and leaped toward him.

As the guy waved his hand toward Se-min, a black current flew in. Facing it directly with his body, the power was terrifying. Evil power was intensely concentrated in every single strand.

Se-min advanced right in front of the former Emperor’s nose and swung his sword.

It was blocked by the black current.

Their eyes met.

At that moment, he slashed Lupus upward.

It was a move to slash the guy’s face, but it was blocked by the black current. The guy was controlling that power at will. Se-min expanded his senses. The source of the power was connected to the interior.

Lupus and the black current repeatedly clashed. Every time they did, an explosion erupted. Se-min wanted to advance, piercing through the net of currents, but it was too dense to see any opening.

He glanced at the surroundings. A fierce battle was underway.

Now, even magic beasts crawled out from the palace to attack the Allied forces alongside the victims of the old war. The rate at which the forces of both sides were shaved down was similar.

If they just remained like this, both sides would be annihilated. And that was a direction advantageous to Badurbarok.

Se-min felt he must cause a change. However, it was not easy. Just as he retreated, intending to gather energy and generate a massive Cosmic Flow.

There was a shadow passing by Se-min.

“Biryu?”

Se-min saw him. Biryu was supposed to be with the unit of mages led by Killa. He was not someone who stepped out to the front lines to fight.

“Your Majesty.”

Biryu said to Se-min.

“Leave this place to me.”

“Will you be alright?”

Se-min said. He was sincerely worried. The resurrected former Emperor was a monster wielding evil power at will.

However, Biryu was not someone to make empty statements. He did not act rashly, nor did he perform unnecessary actions.

If he had stepped out to this point, he must have a corresponding confidence, or a clear reason.

“It is something I must do. I will handle that.”

In his eyes, which had always smiled gently, determination was written.

Se-min turned his gaze away from Biryu, looking at the former Emperor before him.

Badurbarok went out of his way to resurrect that Emperor and appoint him as the final gatekeeper to protect himself. Why did he do so?

Se-min looked around the chaotic battlefield once.

And he looked at Biryu again.

“Your Majesty, please go inside.”

The moment he heard Biryu’s words, Se-min felt the Imperial Throne connected to him push his back.

Since becoming Emperor, Se-min was connected to the Imperial Throne. They continuously exchanged their respective information in the realm of the subconscious. The Imperial Throne shared Se-min’s emotions, and what the Imperial Throne knew was also given to Se-min.

The authority of the Imperial Throne made Se-min stronger, and Se-min’s power in turn grew the strength of the Imperial Throne.

The Emperor and the Imperial Throne were connected.

That must have been why.

Se-min had felt a sense of intimacy since the first moment he saw Biryu.

He was a person Killa had suddenly introduced to him when leaving Sargassonia. There was no information about him. There was not a single person who knew his past.

Since he was an individual who seemed to have dropped out of the sky, he could have been suspicious, yet Se-min had never once doubted him.

He could trust Biryu.

“I leave it to you.”

Biryu knew a lot. He was fluent in the fallen empire and the old war, and was knowledgeable about the ancient races. He also knew the layout of the ruined city.

“Biryu.”

In Jeinetia, he recalled the bygone era he had seen with Biryu.

It was truly a good era.

Se-min forced open his lips that refused to part and asked.

“Will we be able to see each other again?”

Biryu smiled.

“No.”

Se-min gripped Lupus.

“I see.”

The corpse of the former Emperor extended the black current once again. Accordingly, Biryu generated magic power to counter it.

A gap formed in the net that had blocked them. It gradually widened, opening a path for Se-min.

“Your Majesty.”

Biryu said.

“It was an honor to meet you.”

It was a farewell.

Se-min also wanted to say something to him. He had many things he wanted to say.

However, even without speaking, he would know.

Se-min walked forward. The corpse of the former Emperor continuously attacked Se-min, but Biryu’s power protected Se-min.

Earth, this world, they were all struggling to survive from Badurbarok.

Some people made black armor with the power of magic beasts, manufactured drugs to self-stimulate, and imitated the barriers of alien dimensions to defer their end.

Others fed blood to the Imperial Throne to maintain the world, hid underground where sunlight did not reach, and watched the world collapse from places where the magic beasts would not come.

Anyone was fighting desperately not to die, or to kill the enemy.

It was that kind of world.

Therefore, it would be nothing for a rare wise ruler, slain by the enemy, to be unable to forget that grudge and revive from death.

Se-min also bid farewell to Biryu.

“It was also my honor to meet you, Emperor.”

***

Killa was watching the battle from behind.

The former Emperor appeared from the palace. It was an insulting event. She unconsciously grew furious and launched flames. However, Biryu calmed her down.

Biryu.

Whenever she saw him, she was swept up in all kinds of distractions.

To her, Biryu was that kind of fellow.

“I will handle that.”

“Will you be alright?”

“Yes.”

She watched Biryu advance forward, and thus stand side by side with the Emperor.

They were completely different fellows.

Perhaps because they were so different, that fellow Se-min could become the current Emperor.

“Biryu.”

Killa muttered his name.

Biryu.

That was not his real name.

After being defeated in the old war, the former Emperor died. However, the Emperor’s soul did not ascend immediately.

Since Emperors were those bound to the Imperial Throne, their souls returned to the Imperial Throne to return all authority and bid their final farewells.

The former Emperor did not simply disappear.

He was someone who cared deeply for the empire, its people, and this world.

Killa received a strong call and went to the Imperial Throne. The soul of the deceased Emperor was residing at the Imperial Throne. The Emperor was delaying his end with desperate resolve.

He asked Killa for something dangerous.

‘Resurrect me.’

‘I cannot.’

‘I know of the taboo art. Use it on me.’

‘That is…’

Normally she would have never permitted it. However, at that time, she was also not in her right mind.

They had been defeated by Badurbarok in the final war, and the empire was ruined. Now, the entire world was being devoured by the nameless demon.

‘As long as that bastard is alive, I can never die in peace.’

The faint face of the Emperor, who had always smiled gently, was burning with anger.

Resurrecting a deceased soul demanded a heavy price. It did not require another’s blood or a sacrifice. It merely took the resurrected existence itself as the sacrifice.

Once that forbidden technique ended, the soul would vanish.

Soul Annihilation.

That was a pain difficult for a human to bear.

The moment Soul Annihilation is predetermined, the soul begins to distort in pain. Even after being revived, it cannot rest, and breathing itself becomes severe agony.

A forbidden magic path destined for pain and destruction.

Killa used it.

Choosing a physical body for the Emperor to reside in was easy. The world was swept up in disaster, and corpses were lined up everywhere she went.

She took whatever recently deceased corpse tripped her feet, grabbing it at random, and performed the forbidden art. The Emperor’s soul revived, settling inside the deceased like that.

‘I must place a limit on the forbidden art. How long do you intend to remain alive?’

‘Until the day the world escapes from Badurbarok.’

‘Doing so will double the pain.’

‘It does not matter.’

Thus, Biryu revived.

The Imperial Throne watched that entire scene.

‘Teach me magic.’

The Emperor believed they had lost because he was weak.

Though he had no talent for swordsmanship, the Emperor, who had a clever mind, learned magic from Killa. He learned magic by Killa’s side while watching the empire collapse and the people gathered in Sargassonia establish a gladiatorial arena using the Imperial Throne.

He always grieved upon seeing people utilize the power of the Imperial Throne with the blood of gladiators and protect themselves from the magic beasts like that. Killa had nothing she could do for him.

Then one day, Killa met a human from another world.

That guy, whom she thought had returned to his own world, returned again. His dimension was also suffering from Badurbarok. Killa felt something from him.

She couldn’t know well, but there was something.

So she made him a gladiator.

She wanted to bring even a slight change to the citizens ruled by the Magecraft Formula Council.

However, he surpassed Killa’s expectations and became the new Emperor.

Biryu regained his smile from then on.

Afterward, everything proceeded in an instant, riding a rapid stream.

He was an Emperor like none who had appeared before. He unified all races to create the final army.

And they came all the way here.

“Destiny is truly unpredictable.”

Watching the former Emperor and the current Emperor stand side by side, and then drift apart again, Killa smiled bitterly.

How bizarre it was that those two met and formed a connection in the first place. It was a friendship started by Badurbarok, and destined to end because of him.

Killa turned her gaze again.

There was Germanos, gritting his teeth as he fought his old comrades. She saw Orcs exchanging weapons wretchedly with resurrected Orcs and demonized Orcs, and there was Gru running wild in rage upon seeing an ogre modified by Badurbarok.

What about herself?

Was she raging like them?

She once had the ambition to change the world through magic.

However, after Badurbarok appeared, everything changed. Her magic changed from being for humans to being for killing magic beasts.

“Badurbarok.”

Because of that bastard, she had also lost precious ones.

The former Emperor, who had developed the empire unprecedentedly, became a deceased person destined for Soul Annihilation for the sake of revenge, and the brilliant cities of the empire along with numerous citizens all died to become food for magic beasts.

Her everything and all the futures she had dreamed of became ruins.

Therefore, she had never ceased to rage.

Magic power boiled from Killa’s body. Heat like an active volcano rose into the sky, then became countless spears targeting the ground. Everyone looked up at the sky at the sudden anomaly.

In such a melee, a mage cannot exert great power.

Because they cannot distinguish between ally and enemy.

However, Killa was a great archmage who had possessed her own magic tower even in the era of the old empire.

She could be called the last great archmage remaining in the world. Therefore, only she knew what she was capable of.

“Exclude allies.”

Her expanded mind calculated all the entities unfolded before her eyes right now, judging and distinguishing them one by one.

Intuiting the entire battlefield in a single instant.

A vast perception not permitted to humans.

“Attack.”

Countless spears of magic power poured down onto the ground like rain.

***

Se-min stepped inside the palace of the old empire.

Lanterns illuminated the white walls inside. The patterns embossed on the pillars and walls stood out brightly, and at corners he occasionally encountered, large oil painting frames hung, looking down at Se-min.

Since not a single speck of dust was accumulated, as if maintained daily, it was as if the bygone days of the prosperous empire were preserved exactly.

If so, was Badurbarok a human-like existence enough to care about cleanliness and beauty?

It was entirely possible.

In the past, he had thought Badurbarok would have a horrific appearance like other magic beasts.

Since he came from another dimension, the criteria for appearance would also be different from Earth, so he thought he might take a form where flesh swelled up gigantically like a brain.

However, his thoughts about Badurbarok were gradually changing.

Releasing Han Su-in from brainwashing and discarding him outside was already a very human punishment. It meant he understood well what kind of human Han Su-in was, and what kind of pain that action would bring to Han Su-in.

Furthermore, he had resurrected the bodies of those who died in the old war to make them his Guard.

There might be functional reasons, like modifying them to make them subordinates was effective, but Se-min felt an malice beyond that. The guy raised the corpses of the knights who had fought to the end alongside the former Emperor and ordered them around like limbs.

Badurbarok definitely knew how insulting that was, and how painful it would be for the Allied forces who would fight them.

So Se-min was confident he wouldn’t be surprised even if Badurbarok took a human form.

Se-min had even had this thought at one point.

Perhaps, his grandmaster, the predecessor Heavenly Demon, was Badurbarok. Maybe he had obtained the Primordial Core, fallen due to some event, and was causing chaos in the world.

That was how mysterious Badurbarok was.

An unprecedented demon who plunged the world into chaos, destroyed two dimensions, and was now attempting to invade yet another. No one even knew his motive for wreaking such destruction.

However, he would soon be able to meet him.

Se-min quickened his steps.

Although it was a palace he was visiting for the first time, its internal structure was mapped out in his mind as if he had known it before.

That was partly because Se-min was connected to the Imperial Throne, and partly because of the dreadful demonic energy felt at the center of the palace.

Badurbarok was there, and also knew that Se-min was approaching. The guy was revealing his demonic energy at will, as if dangling bait.

Se-min steeled his mind and advanced toward Badurbarok.

The aura wrapped around his body was refined, and the formulas of the Cosmic Flow passed clearly through his head. Every time he thought of a verse, a new power arose and hovered around him.

As he gripped Lupus, a violent power was felt from it.

Every preparation to fight was complete.

Now he just had to meet Badurbarok.

Se-min passed through the hallway and arrived in front of a giant door.

It was the place where the Emperor used to reside.

Before the empire fell, all Emperors sat on the Imperial Throne placed here to care for the empire’s people. However, now the Imperial Throne was gone, and there was no Emperor.

What resided here was only vast darkness and dreadful demonic energy.

Badurbarok.

The one who destroyed the world was beyond the door.

In a way, Se-min’s life had been a journey to meet Badurbarok. Badurbarok must have recognized him as well, and watched the numerous deeds Se-min performed to get here. Perhaps they had anticipated the same thing.

At the end of the long fight, the two finally came face to face.

Transcendent Network.

Gate.

Other world.

Badurbarok.

And Se-min himself.

Everything tangled and wove together to create this destiny.

Now was the time to see the end.

Se-min placed his hand on the door.

The door opened smoothly.

Se-min stepped inside.

And beyond it…

***

Killa’s spears swept through the battlefield once. Her spears flew in precisely targeting the enemies, piercing their chests.

However, that did not kill them all. Although hesitating briefly, the enemies recovered with their unique regenerative ability and attacked the Allied forces again.

Above all, facing those who bled while looking exactly as they had in life, the Allied forces could hardly raise their morale.

In the midst of such a chaotic war, Izergazin lifted his eyes.

[Is there no choice?]

Everyone was panicking.

It was understandable. The enemies Badurbarok put forward were their own kin, and those who had once been comrades. The mindset was different from cutting down hideous magic beasts.

Emotions and compassion only got in the way in these moments of battle.

Right now, only Izergazin and the dragons were free. It did not matter to them who those enemies had been in the past, or what effect those faces had on the other Allied forces.

Whether they were the former Emperor or comrades who had shared joys and sorrows, to the dragons they were merely magic beasts revived by Badurbarok.

[It is time for us to step up.]

Izergazin said.

The dragons grasped exactly what their Lord was saying, and immediately spread their wings and took flight.

Reaching the sky, the dragons began to inhale all at once.

The area fell into a vacuum of magic power in an instant.

Not only the Allied forces but also Badurbarok’s army looked up at the sky.

The scene of dragons gathering their breath high in the sky felt strange at first glance.

Who could have imagined a sight where this many dragons filled the sky? Furthermore, the appearance of all those dragons gathering their breath and preparing to shoot toward the ground would be called preposterous even if drawn in a picture.

Yet, that very thing was happening right now.

[Killa, Sage. Please.]

Izergazin said.

The mages led by Killa and the trolls under the Sage’s command understood that signal and unleashed their magic power.

Their magic power coalesced and began to float slowly toward the sky. It was a small force, but as their respective powers were added again and again, its scale began to grow.

Soon, a giant sphere was formed over the battlefield. Its pitch-black color looked just like a black hole.

[I trust you.]

With those words as the signal, the dragons shot their breath toward the dark sphere.

An eternal fire that erased everything enveloped the sphere. The sphere swallowed the breath and grew larger and larger.

The pitch-black sphere now became a burning black sun, casting its shadow over the entire capital of the empire.

Every time the black flames flickered, shadows of the same shape flicked their tongues on the ground.

Amidst that entire scene, the troll Sage spoke.

“Stand by.”

His voice was transmitted to everyone sustaining that sphere.

He was the sum of the trolls’ knowledge and the hub itself where the trolls’ minds were connected. And through ancient magic, he now made even the minds of the human mages, including Killa, rely on him.

Thus, their minds transformed into a single giant magic calculation device itself.

The troll Sage’s voice continued.

“Stand by, stand by, stand by, stand by, stand by…”

He glared at the black sun and repeated the command to stand by.

The black sun, unable to manage the absorbed power, soon burst with a dark flare. It shook increasingly unstably.

The force that had reached its peak heated up to the point of being right on the verge of exploding.

“Stand by, stand by, stand by…”

Eventually, the Sage spoke.

“Fire.”

Simultaneously with those words, cracks formed in the black sun.

Fragments of the black sun, turned into thousands, tens of thousands of pieces, struck down toward the ground.

It was black rain.

They flew in, targeting the heads and hearts of the enemies without a single exception.

Every time a fragment was driven in, black flames soared into the sky, destroying a single enemy. They continuously advanced toward the enemies. If they did not die, another would drive in, and if they still did not die, even more would be driven in.

The corpse of the former Emperor, which Biryu had been blocking, was skewered by numerous fragments like a hedgehog and turned into black flames.

It was an attack that condensed the indiscriminate destruction of breath to precisely target only the enemies.

“It is beautiful,”

Killa muttered.

It was a beautiful magic path never to be seen again in the world.

While preparing for this war, they had discussed several battle methods. Breath was certainly a powerful force, but allies could also be caught in it. So they had sought a means to solve the problem.

That was the combination of breath and magic.

Refining and grooming the breath that was powerful but brought corresponding indiscriminate destruction, they converted it into a sophisticated offensive magic that killed the enemies.

It was a method that could only be realized in a final war like this, where all races gathered to fight.

“The effect is…”

She continued, watching the black flames that struck the ground fade, leaving only black ashes in their place.

“Certain.”

Killa watched Biryu stand still.

Biryu was once the lord she followed, and was now her disciple, and at the same time, a pitiful soul. Due to the responsibility as Emperor engraved on his soul, he had refused rest and revived.

What must he have felt, seeing his own physical body rising and moving due to Badurbarok?

Biryu was staring at the spot where his corpse had burned.

“Biryu…”

Just then, Killa frowned upon discovering tentacles raising their heads from the former Emperor’s corpse, which had been reduced to ashes in the black flames.

One, then two tentacles rose, starting to form a shape again.

It became a lump of meat and wriggled. Biryu generated flames of magic to crush it, but it did not die to the end and continuously restored its body.

It soon raised its body from the floor.

It was hideous.

The same thing was happening across the entire battlefield. Corpses turned to ashes recovered their bodies. Even while being battered by the Allied forces, they filled up their flesh to reconstruct their physical forms.

At that moment, Ilrgar stepped forward.

Wind arose from his hand, gathering those lumps of meat into one. Then he clumped and distorted them in the air.

Something like loose threads continuously rose, trying to compose a shape, but Ilrgar suppressed it.

[Gru.]

He called Gru.

Gru, who was leading the ogres, stepped forward. Spreading his palms wide, he struck the clumped flesh from the left and right like clapping.

Boom!

The two palms met.

The lumps of meat crumbled into powder and vanished.

Gru did not stop there and rubbed his palms. Black smoke rose from between his hands. Although it was thick at first, it gradually subsided and soon disappeared completely.

There was nothing blocking them anymore.

“Is it over?”

The battle was finished.

The subordinates protecting Badurbarok were all dead.

The gaze of the entire Allied forces turned toward the palace.

A fair amount of time had passed since the Emperor entered, yet there was no news. If a battle had broken out, the palace would have at least been damaged, but only silence lingered.

The representatives of each race leading the Allied forces gathered to discuss.

It was dangerous for everyone to enter inside.

They selected the elites capable of enduring a fierce battle with Badurbarok.

Germanos, Shozen, Kaorak, Kubar, Ilrgar, and the troll Sagong stepped forward. Izergazin and the dragons were exhausted from repeated breaths and could not fight, and the ogres were too large to go inside.

The remaining troops were to wait, surrounding the palace.

“Let’s go.”

They entered inside the palace.

***

Se-min was bewildered by the entity he faced in the Emperor’s room.

He was different from any appearance Se-min had imagined. Even the most ridiculous appearance Se-min had pictured was far from the actual Badurbarok.

“Nice to meet you,”

He even used his vocal organs to speak language.

His voice was clear.

“I was thinking that I would see you someday.”

“Are you Badurbarok?”

“Yes.”

Badurbarok was by no means hideous or gross. He did not resemble magic beasts either.

Rather, it was the opposite.

With soft skin, kind-looking eyes, a smiling face, and pure white wings sprouted on his back.

He resembled an angel.

However, it did not matter what kind of existence he was. He was merely a nameless winged alien race. There was only one thing Se-min had to do.

Se-min lifted Lupus.

At that, Badurbarok spoke.

“Wait a moment.”