Chapter 253

Chapter 253
Chapter 253

—

Meeting

Ssssp, haaa.

With the hood of my brown sweatshirt tugged down to obscure my face, I moved quietly through the paths, taking in the evening air.

‘It feels like an eternity since I last walked through Gangnam.’

Ever since the world shifted into a chaotic kaleidoscope, the masses had surged toward Seoul, specifically gravity-pulling toward Gangnam. Perhaps that was why the security here was world-class, making the safety of other regional cities look pitiful by comparison. The midnight streets, illuminated by neon signs that never flickered off, remained as vibrant as ever, and word was that the crime rate had dropped to historic lows. More than anything, since the Hero Alliance had established its main base in this district, it had been transformed into an impenetrable steel fortress.

—O Great One. Wouldn’t it be more prudent for me to remain by your side?

In that silence, Black-Stained Alkar’s voice echoed from within the depths of my shadow. He was arguing that he could protect me more effectively by standing guard at my flank rather than lurking in the darkness. However, Alkar was forbidden from emerging without my express consent. It was a necessary precaution; his towering frame and monstrous head were far too distinctive.

The sidewalks were teeming with people. Among the crowd, a significant portion were likely players. Given our proximity to the Hero Alliance, I couldn’t be certain that no one would recognize Alkar’s true nature. Furthermore, I had to account for the risk of Alkar’s subservient behavior toward me. If he caused even a single public scene, it would be a massive complication.

‘The Hero Alliance isn’t the only presence here.’

Powerful figures from across the globe had also converged on Seoul. Some came for trade with South Korea, where the infrastructure remained remarkably stable, while others sought pacts with the Hero Alliance—the masters of the Relic City Rundella. Yet, the primary draw for most was undoubtedly the ‘Dragon Vein.’

South Korea had claimed ownership of the Dragon Vein after successfully halting the advance of Isera! Consequently, it had become the focal point of international scrutiny. Many had likely infiltrated the city under the guise of researchers as well.

‘It’s highly probable that a warp gateway linked to the Island of God has manifested somewhere in this vicinity.’

This was because so many individuals here met the criteria for entry. Those whose potential had not yet reached its peak.

“Drink up!”

“Let’s go until we drop!”

“Khahahaha!”

Even as the clock drifted toward the early morning hours, the streets remained packed and pulsing with energy.

‘Nothing has changed.’

Observing the festivities, I gave a subtle nod. It was only now that the reality of my return was truly settling in. These were sensations one could never experience in Pangaea. This specific feeling of modern social life belonged to Park Hyunmyeong, not Randolph. This was the authentic nightlife of South Korea.

—O Great One. You appear to be in high spirits.

“…It isn’t half bad.”

—The public security of South Korea is such that it would not be an exaggeration to call it the finest on the planet. Particularly here in Seoul, under the watch of Park Tae-woo, it is saturated with Awakened who carry a heavy sense of obligation.

“It certainly… appears that way.”

Among the civilians, there were those patrolling the walkways. They weren’t police officers, but Awakened prepared to strike back against monster incursions at a moment’s notice. Their power levels seemed quite formidable.

—However, O Great One. No matter how sturdy a defense may be, there are always vulnerabilities.

“What point are you trying to make?”

—…I am humbled to speak, but should a crisis occur, it takes roughly three seconds for me to be fully manifested from your shadow.

Three seconds. It wasn’t an eternity. However, it was more than enough time for a life to be snuffed out. Black-Stained Alkar was perpetually anxious about my safety, whether waking or sleeping. The Blade Dragon God Hana and the rest of the Blood-Demons were all fretting over me to an excessive degree. I was well aware of why they felt that way.

‘The duration required to shift forms using a fragment of the Golden Rule is roughly three seconds.’

This meant that during those few seconds of transition, one would be entirely exposed. The Level 15 protective barrier was designed to shield the physical body while I was logged out. To be precise, since I was currently ‘logged in’ as Park Hyunmyeong, that barrier was only active to protect ‘Randolph’s’ body. Therefore, if I were ambushed now, I could die before those three seconds passed. Alkar was constantly offering advice to close that window of vulnerability.

Still, this was Gangnam. Beyond that, I was different from standard players. Even without tapping into a fragment of the Golden Rule, I could wield physical force far beyond that of a normal human.

“Oh, who’s that? Isn’t that Park Hyunmyeong?”

“Whoa, it really is. Hey, Park Hyunmyeong! Long time no see!”

Right then, a group spilled out from a nearby pub. They were men whose faces I recognized from my past.

“It’s been a while, Manager Kim.”

“Haha! You brat, I’ve been promoted to Director now.”

The round-bellied Director Kim walked over, patting his gut. These were people from my previous workplace. Soon, Director Kim, who smelled heavily of liquor, leaned in and clapped a hand on my shoulder.

“Wow, look at this guy. Glad to see you’re still breathing. I figured you’d be a complete disaster after walking out like that. Do you live around here?”

“I don’t live in this area.”

As if he had already surmised as much, Director Kim clicked his tongue.

“Well… they say there isn’t even a closet left to rent in Gangnam anymore. My team and I are staying in apartments the company provided, but man. You disloyal punk. Why didn’t you just suck it up and stay a bit longer?”

“……”

“We’re in the age of supreme loyalty now. You can only make it if you’re dedicated to the corporation. If you are, they hand you a home like this, give you personal guards—I feel like my status in life has jumped higher than ever before. Especially now that the social classes have been so clearly drawn.”

It was a workplace where I hadn’t made many fond memories, though I didn’t harbor any real malice either. However, the Manager Kim I remembered and the current Director Kim were two different people. Director Kim pulled a leather wallet from his trousers.

“Tsk tsk, keep your head up. And stop by the office sometime. Since the main branch moved here too… if you show up, I’ll at least treat you to a meal.”

“……”

“Here, take this. Don’t let your ego get in the way. Isn’t it tough to keep food on the table?”

It was laughable. This was the first time I had ever been handled in such a manner. He was trying to press a bill into my palm as if he were tossing scraps to a beggar. To make it worse, it wasn’t even a fifty-thousand won note, but a ten-thousand won one. It was a blatant display of contempt. It was clear he was using me as a prop to demand even more loyalty from his subordinates. He was putting on this performance to highlight the chasm between my life and those who had stayed with the company.

—Aaaaah! O Great One! If you would but grant me the word, I would tear that treacherous worm limb from limb, sever his head, and feed his remains to the strays!

Alkar’s internal voice was dripping with fury. This was exactly why I kept him hidden in the shadow. I was terrified he might commit a slaughter.

Just then.

Kureung!

A violent tremor erupted from deep beneath the pavement.

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiing—!

The wail of sirens filled the city air. However, the breach occurred even faster than the alarms could sound.

Kureung! Kurureung!

In a flash, nightmarish creatures tore through the asphalt.

“W-What is that?”

“It’s a Hybrid!”

These were no common monsters. They were Hybrids—entities that had lost their essence within the Abyss and mutated into horrors. ……Why were Abyssal monsters invading Earth? This was unprecedented. While creatures from Pangaea had crossed over before, a monster from the Abyss had never once made an appearance here.

But before I could even process the question.

“Aaaaah!”

The throat of the guard assigned to Director Kim was the first thing torn. Even though he was a player, he was no more than a mortal before his transformation could take place.

“H-Help me……!”

Director Kim and the other staff members were paralyzed with fear.

‘From behind.’

Sensing a presence at my back by sheer instinct, I planted my foot and threw a straight punch.

Kureung!
Kwang!

Simultaneously, the ground gave a sharp, minute shudder, and the hybrid’s skull was obliterated. It was sent hurtling away like a burst balloon, slamming into the concrete.

‘What was that just now……?’

Even I, the one who had delivered the blow, was taken aback. The force was far beyond my expectations. Moreover, that specific vibration in the earth just now felt hauntingly familiar.

“Neutralize them!”

“Alert Level 3, Alert Level 3!”

“All citizens, move to the rooftops immediately!”

Fortunately, they were standard hybrids, so the threat was managed quickly. Fragments of the Golden Rule began to shimmer from every corner, and shortly after, players began to swarm the scene.

The Hero Alliance. The man leading the charge was……

‘Park Tae-woo.’

With Park Tae-woo taking point, the chaos was swiftly suppressed. They calmed the frantic civilians and herded the broken hybrids into a containment zone. The entire ordeal had taken less than ten minutes to resolve. The response time was staggering. Despite the emergence of hundreds of hybrids, there was almost no loss of civilian life. The sole casualty was the bodyguard who had been ambushed at the start.

As the situation died down, I prepared to walk away.

“You are……?”

A soft, melodic voice reached me, and a woman stepped into my line of sight. Though her eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, I knew instantly that she was looking right through me. Who was she? I had never seen her before. Yet, she possessed a presence that felt entirely out of place. She was walking directly toward me.

—O Great One, please allow me to intervene.

—That woman is a threat.

Black-Stained Alkar sent a sharp warning. She was undoubtedly unusual. It was clear she was human, yet she carried an aura that felt strangely foreign. The bystanders who noticed her began to murmur.

“It’s Lady Arin!”

“Oh, Lady Arin is here!”

“Is that really her?”

“Yeah, the youngest Vice-Leader of the Hero Alliance!”

…A Vice-Leader? Within the Hero Alliance, there was Leader Park Tae-woo and two Vice-Leaders. That meant this woman, Arin, was one of them. The woman being hailed as Arin closed the distance between us in a heartbeat. When she was close enough that I could feel her breath, she looked me up and down before speaking.

“Was it you? The one who executed the Heavenly Demon Descent Step (Cheon-ma-gun-rim-bo).”

“……”

I was stunned internally. Not only had she identified the technique instantly, but I never expected to hear those words from her lips. It was bizarre. The Heavenly Demon was an ancient, primordial figure. Unless she was a similar primordial being or a denizen of the Abyss, she shouldn’t know that name. The fact that she recognized it on sight meant this woman was connected to that same lineage.

‘…Just who is she?’

The Heavenly Demon Divine Art. It was something Randolph could not master, but Park Hyunmyeong could. That had been proven seconds ago. And the moment it was confirmed, this mysterious woman appeared.

“And yet, it’s quite intriguing. You don’t appear to have undergone Awakening. Was it a reflex? Or perhaps……”

……Arin—or rather, the Seventh Monarch Basara—was equally startled. Basara’s gaze flickered with genuine curiosity. She was certain of it. This man had not activated a fragment of the Golden Rule. In other words, that Vibrating Step (Jin-gak) wasn’t the result of a transformation. He was in a state where he hadn’t even Awakened yet. He felt fundamentally different from any other Awakened.

There was only one explanation for such a phenomenon.

‘A practitioner of pure martial power.’

A breed of human that didn’t exist in this current world. At the very least, he was a type of person she had never encountered here on Earth. Was that all? The sensation when he utilized the Vibrating Step was unmistakably the Heavenly Demon Descent Step. Yet, the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was a secret reserved only for the Heavenly Demon himself. To her knowledge, the Heavenly Demon was currently dwelling in the Abyss and had taken no pupils.

If that was the case.

‘Once in a great while, such humans appear. Those born under the Heavenly Killing Star (Cheon-sal-seong).’

Once every few millennia, a human with such a nature is born. Wilhelm had been one such individual. However, the energy radiating from this man was nothing like Wilhelm’s. He was the polar opposite of Wilhelm…… a complete inversion. Furthermore, the physical refinement of his body was quite impressive.

‘With a bit of buffing, he could become a magnificent gemstone.’

Was this what it felt like to pull a prize catch from an unexpected pond? While he lacked the blinding radiance she had felt when confronting Wilhelm, it seemed this man could also become a masterpiece if he were polished. If nothing else, he would provide some entertainment.

“Come join the Hero Alliance. You… clearly have a gift.”

Basara, the Seventh Monarch of the Demon Realm.
For the first time since her arrival on Earth, she felt a profound fascination with a human being.