Chapter 237

Chapter 237
### Chapter 237

**Phantom-ism**

Inside the CK Broadcasting Station, the designated media hub for Dimension Warriors, Seo Jeong-ah observed the heavy fatigue on Kim Hana’s face. The reporter’s eyes were shadowed by prominent dark circles.

“Kim-won, have you been losing sleep lately? Is there a problem?” Seo Jeong-ah inquired.

Kim Hana released a weary breath before responding. “It’s the usual. The stream of information is constant; tips are coming in without a single break.”

“I can imagine. Is it actually confirmed? Has the Hero Alliance truly collapsed?”

“Yes, it’s essentially a settled matter now. The Dimension Warriors have reached a point where they no longer fear or respect the authority of the Hero Alliance.”

The 8 Hero Alliance—once a pinnacle of power—was now being mockingly referred to as the ‘False 8 Heroes’ even back on Earth. This shift in perception was exactly why whistleblowers among the Dimension Warriors were now coming forward in droves, like water surging through a breached levee.

The catalyst for this downfall originated in the alternate realm of Pangaea. Serengeti, a high-ranking confidant of Wilhelm who had co-led the Great Expedition alongside the Balan Kingdom’s sovereign, had publicly denounced the group as ‘traitors.’

“But surely they still hold power here on Earth?” Seo Jeong-ah questioned. “If you overstep, couldn’t they target you for assassination?”

It was a sensible concern. While the 8 Hero Alliance was seeing its influence evaporate in Pangaea—facing massive lawsuits for reparations from entities like the Church of the Goddess and being blacklisted by major merchant guilds—Earth was a different story. The common folk of the continental cities, realizing their heroes were frauds, had abandoned them, yet the organization still maintained a terrifying grip on Earth. They remained a titan of industry and paramilitary might, staffed by elite Dimension Warriors.

“There appears to be a violent internal schism,” Kim Hana explained, shaking her head.

Seo Jeong-ah’s eyes widened in surprise. “A schism? What’s happening?”

“Darkstar and Lucifer are at each other’s throats. It seems they are too preoccupied with their own power struggle to worry about silencing the press on Earth right now.”

“Wow, that’s a massive story. That’s a career-defining scoop! Kim-won, who do you gamble on winning that fight?”

“I honestly couldn’t say. To be fair, I’m focused on something even more significant than their civil war.”

“Wait—something bigger than the collapse of the 8 Hero Alliance?” Seo Jeong-ah stared at her colleague, stunned.

Reporting on the downfall and internal warring of such a global powerhouse was a guaranteed hit. Kim Hana was uniquely positioned for it, too; she was the trailblazer who had secured the first-ever interview with Gracia. Beyond that, it was an open secret in the warrior community that she played a pivotal role during the Jeju Island disappearance. This gave her an unmatched level of trust with anonymous sources. A well-placed article on the Alliance could easily put a Pulitzer Prize within her reach.

Yet, there was something even more captivating? Seo Jeong-ah leaned in, her gaze dropping to Kim Hana’s open notes.

“Is this about ‘Randolph’?”

“…It is.”

“You’re dedicated, I’ll give you that. Randolph is certainly a figure of awe, but why spend so much energy on a man who has never actually stepped foot on Earth?”

By now, the name Randolph was a household word globally, but not because of any local heroics. His fame was built entirely on the testimonies of other Dimension Warriors. Lately, his name seemed to be on everyone’s lips.

*—Who is truly the peak of the Dimension Warriors? Isn’t it Gracia or Darkstar?*

*—It is Randolph-nim, without question.*

*—Excuse me?*

*—Once he finishes his trials and descends to our world, he will be our salvation. Long live Phantom-ism!*

This was the recurring theme. In almost every interview with a high-level warrior, the conversation eventually circled back to Randolph. This had led to the rise of ‘Phantom-ism,’ a burgeoning movement among warriors who viewed Randolph as a divine figure.

*—Randolph hasn’t appeared on Earth, so how can we trust him to save it?*

*—Even the legends of Hercules only began after his twelve labors. He is simply waiting until his path is complete before revealing himself. Long live Phantom-ism!*

The devotees of this movement would join their fingertips to form a large circle—a ritualistic gesture that had become the trademark of Phantom-ism. Reporters were naturally obsessed with the phenomenon, particularly after one specific interview went viral globally.

*—Where exactly is Randolph, and what is he doing?*

*—Randolph-nim is currently engaged in his eleventh labor.*

*—A labor? Like the missions other Dimension Warriors take?*

*—In theory, yes, but the scale is incomparable. While we are looking at the trees, he is a man who moves the entire mountain. They share a name, but the difficulty gap is as vast as the distance between a grain of sand and the cosmos.*

*—Where is this eleventh labor taking place?*

*—The Abyss.*

*—The Abyss? That was mentioned during the Jeju Island crisis!*

*—Indeed. The Master stated before his passing that Jeju Island had been pulled into the Abyss and that all hope was lost.*

*—So you’re saying Randolph is currently in that hellscape, surrounded by the same monsters that destroyed Jeju?*

*—Correct.*

*—What is his objective there?*

*—He is hunting the horrors of the Abyss.*

*—Could he be hunting something as terrifying as Baal, the entity behind the Jeju disaster?*

*—We cannot know the specifics until he returns. But Randolph-nim has always defied every expectation set by the warrior community.*

*—He’s unpredictable because he exceeds even the highest predictions?*

*—Precisely. Every warrior is waiting with bated breath to see what kind of trophy he brings back from the deep. And one more thing.*

*—…?*

*—It isn’t that Randolph-nim is indifferent to Earth. He is working at the source to ensure these entities never reach our world. The reason the initial invasion was halted was entirely because of him.*

*—Wait! There have been endless theories about the first invasion, but no one has ever confirmed the details.*

*—That is because Randolph-nim eliminated ‘Ahram, the King of the Dead’ single-handedly. Even those of us who saw the aftermath couldn’t believe it. We assumed it was a system glitch. It seemed impossible. That is why no one dared to speak of it until now.*

The footage of that interview racked up 100 million views in a mere seventy-two hours. It fundamentally shifted the public’s view of Randolph, exposing another layer of the deception maintained by the false heroes.

‘But how many more lies are there?’ Kim Hana wondered.

The sheer volume of misinformation was staggering, particularly regarding the Great Expedition and Randolph’s role in it.

‘Every single detail they gave us was a fabrication.’

The 8 Hero Alliance had gone to great lengths to diminish the expedition’s legacy and smear Randolph’s reputation. It was as if they were terrified of the truth leaking out.

‘It’s more than just lying about being there.’

While that was a massive fraud, Kim Hana sensed a darker secret beneath the surface—something that would be absolutely ruinous if exposed.

‘Could it be… the Demon King?’

What if they hadn’t just avoided the fight? What if they had actively betrayed the expeditionary forces to the enemy? The Great Expedition was the starting point for the dimensional rifts and the subsequent invasions. The failure of that mission caused a global disaster. If the 8 Hero Alliance was the cause of that failure…

‘They are monsters masquerading as protectors. I can’t let this go.’

Kim Hana wasn’t just researching Randolph anymore. She was dissecting the 8 Hero Alliance and the history of the Great Expedition. The deeper she delved, the more nauseated she became by their hypocrisy.

Noticing the grim set of Kim Hana’s jaw, Seo Jeong-ah suggested, “Why don’t you just focus all your energy on the 8 Hero Alliance for now?”

“Maybe I should,” Kim Hana replied.

“Oh?” Seo Jeong-ah was surprised by the quick agreement.

Kim Hana tightened her fist. “I’m going to request an interview with the 8 Hero Alliance.”

“Are you serious? They’re stonewalling every major news outlet in the world. Why would they talk to us?”

“They’ll talk. One of the leaders definitely will.”

“…How can you be so sure?”

“Because I have the location of the person they are most desperate to find.”

—

In a dimly lit, clandestine chamber, a secret meeting was underway. Darkstar sat across from Kim Hana, his brow furrowed in a deep scowl.

“…You claim to know where Gracia is hiding?”

Both Darkstar and Lucifer were hunting for Gracia. Their organization was split down the middle, and whoever secured Gracia’s loyalty first would hold the tie-breaking vote for total control. To defeat Lucifer and stabilize the Alliance, Darkstar needed that edge.

Kim Hana nodded calmly. “I do. But I require an answer to a question first.”

“Speak.”

“Is Randolph actually Wilhelm?”

“…Rumors suggest as much.”

“I don’t want rumors. I want the truth.”

Darkstar’s expression darkened. The theory that Randolph and Wilhelm were one and the same was common knowledge among high-level players, but absolute proof was elusive. He drummed his fingers on the tabletop before finally sighing.

“Fine. Yes. We only confirmed it ourselves quite recently.”

“I see.” Kim Hana felt a sense of relief; the puzzle pieces were finally aligning.

“Now, where is Gracia?” Darkstar demanded.

“Are you certain you can actually defeat Lucifer if you find her?”

“With Gracia… damn it, even then it’s a coin toss. Just tell me where she is.”

Darkstar was showing a vulnerability he would never permit the public to see. It was the desperation of a man who knew he was losing ground.

“Is Lucifer really that formidable? You’re the one currently heading the Alliance.”

“The Master and I were just the public faces. Lucifer is the one who pulls the strings from the shadows. We’ve been puppets to his whims this whole time.”

Kim Hana watched him closely. Was he playing the victim to distance himself from the group’s crimes? The tension in Darkstar’s neck was visible.

“If Lucifer takes full control, Earth is finished. He’s already in league with the Demon of Pride. If he was willing to betray the expeditionary force, he won’t hesitate to sell out this planet.”

“…So you’re confirming Lucifer was involved in the Great Expedition’s failure?”

He was giving up everything without even being pressed, so great was his need for Gracia. He clearly intended to pin every sin of the Alliance on Lucifer to save his own skin. Kim Hana felt a wave of revulsion.

“I’ve said enough,” Darkstar muttered.

He had said plenty. He had linked Lucifer to a demonic pact and the sabotage of the Great Expedition.

“You said it’s a fifty-fifty chance even with Gracia. How powerful is this man?”

“…You have a lot of questions. Look, no one truly knows the extent of Lucifer’s personal power because he possesses the ‘Angel Statue.’ As long as he has that, a direct confrontation is suicide. That’s why we need Gracia. Or… Randolph would have to achieve something that eclipses Lucifer’s feats.”

“You mean his current labor in the Abyss?”

“Exactly. Lucifer gained fame and the Angel Statue by slaying the ‘Prince of Vanity,’ an Abyss Master, during his own eleventh labor. It’s a legendary story among warriors.”

“The Prince of Vanity… and if Randolph kills something even more dangerous in the Abyss?”

“It won’t happen,” Darkstar said firmly.

When Kim Hana looked skeptical, he elaborated. “I’d love for it to be true, but it’s a fantasy. The Abyss isn’t a place for solo play. It requires a staggering amount of resources and a small army. Killing an Abyss Master is a feat that usually requires an entire nation to risk its total military strength.”

In Pangaea, only the Empire had the standing army required for such a raid, and they certainly weren’t going to assist Randolph. To succeed with a small group, you would need an impossible level of elite talent.

‘Unless he has the Palga Knights,’ Darkstar thought dismissively.

Unless the Emperor’s personal guard, the Palga Knights, were involved, it was a pipe dream.

“Besides, there aren’t many things in the Abyss more terrifying than the Prince of Vanity.”

“And if he does it anyway?”

Darkstar let out a harsh, mocking laugh. “Hah! You really have blind faith in the man, don’t you? If he actually pulls that off… fine, I’ll join Phantom-ism myself.”

—

*Thump! Thump!*

A rhythmic, heavy booming sound echoed. Raiga’s eyes fluttered open.

‘Ugh…’

He tried to move, but his body felt shattered. He could barely manage to shift his gaze to the side.

‘Yeomso?’

A familiar face was right there. It was indeed Yeomso. But what truly shocked him was what Yeomso was sitting on.

‘Baal…?’

He knew Yeomso had summoned Baal as a reaper of death, but he was currently using the entity as a common mount. Not even the records of the ancient empire mentioned anyone taming the Four Perils. Yeomso was likely the first person in history to ride Baal.

But the surprises didn’t end there.

*Gooooo.*

A golem nearby emitted a low, strange vibration.

‘The Master of the Tomb…?!’

Why was the Master of the Tomb accompanying them? Had Yeomso actually managed to rescue him from that nightmare? How was it possible? They had been surrounded by the Sunken Emperor, the Heavenly Demon, and a horde of other Abyss Masters.

‘This has to be a dream.’

Looking at the impossible group traveling through the dark, Raiga couldn’t bring himself to believe any of it was real.