Despite the sudden eruption of calamities, Yoo Yeonha finished her meeting with Chae Joochul as planned. She achieved her initial goal through persistent persuasion. Chae Joochul promised to introduce Yoo Yeonha to ‘Oh Jaejin’, a member of the Nine Stars.
Now, their meeting was over, and Yoo Yeonha staggered back to her limousine.
“Are you feeling okay?”
Yoo Yeonha’s secretary, Jin Sechan, asked the moment she got into the car.
Yoo Yeonha shook her head. She was feeling dizzy and even nauseous from exposure to Chae Joochul’s magic power.
“Let’s go home. I need to sleep.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Jin Sechan was a competent secretary. He adjusted the internal temperature of the limousine to the optimal temperature, installed a mana stone with air cleaning and purifying function, then turned up the speaker volume so that his boss could hear the reports made by the members of the Falling Blossom guild.
—China, four guilds based in Shanghai have been completely exterminated.
—France, Paris has been sealed off.
—England, subjugation was successful.
—Canada, sudden deaths are becoming frequent. Multiple witnesses have reported the sighting of a ghost.
Yoo Yeonha listened to the reports with her eyes closed. Countries were being destroyed and civilians were being killed, but Yoo Yeonha felt no sympathy. Rather, she began to calculate the profits her guild would gain from the incidents.
“…Have we been asked for aid?”
“Yes. Different countries have asked for our Heroes and our potions. They would like to discuss the prices later, and-”
“Reject the request for Heroes, but tell them we’ll provide potions. You know, the new ones, [Essence of Recovery] and [Essence of Bravery].”
Considering the circumstances, it would be foolish of her to dispatch her Heroes to what would most likely cost them their lives.
But potions were risk-free.
‘Essence Pharmacy’ had recently developed two new potions. Since consumers weren’t as willing to purchase anything new, providing other countries with these potions for free would be a good marketing strategy.
“Send the potions to the three countries without charge.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Those in dire need of potions weren’t exactly in the position to be picky. Just as the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers. This was her chance to improve her company’s public image and to promote her products at the same time.
“Now, please leave me alone.”
Yoo Yeonha leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.
“Yes, Miss.”
Jin Sechan drove cautiously to provide his boss a comfortable ride. He glanced at Yoo Yeonha through the rearview mirror.
Yoo Yeonha looked incredibly beautiful in her sleep.
He couldn’t suppress the unbearable surge of emotions in his heart. Though he had told himself thousands of times that his love could never come true, it never died out.
Jin Sechan tried to keep calm. He held back, trying to convince himself that he could still love her without the need to call her his own.
—We’ll let you have her.
But why did the offer proposed by Orden’s servant suddenly cross his mind?
“….”
Jin Sechan tightened his grip around the steering wheel, condemning his foolish desire.
**
After I made the vow to Heynckes, I headed to the [World of Wish].
Originally called the Tower of Wish, it was renamed after Kim Suho destroyed the Tower’s outer shell. Its slogan had also changed from ‘the tower full of humanity’s wishes' to ‘the world where humanity’s wishes come true’.
In any case, I was back on the 15th floor in Genkelope's Vessel. I was to here to release Wicked’s executives just as I had promised.
“…Are you sure?”
In front of the [Genekelope Prison], the most notorious facility on the 15th floor, Horner asked me worriedly. His concern was well grounded. I sympathized with him, since he told me what those Djinns had done to get themselves locked up.
“Don’t worry about it. Let’s go inside.”
“…Okay.”
With Horner, I entered the prison, dressed as Black Lotus.
“…Hm?”
The prison conditions were surprisingly good. Most rooms were equipped with a bed and a TV, bathrooms were separate, and most importantly, food was decent.
“This place is actually nice.”
“Everyone still wants to get out. Most inmates are Players- 310 out of 317, to be exact. Life inside the prison is easy, it’s the labor that’s hard….”
I listened to Horner explain as we headed deeper into the prison.
However, as we walked on, I noticed the hallway was getting darker, and the facilities quickly began to deteriorate.
“This is it.”
We finally reached the very end of the basement floor.
“….”
I was at a loss for words when I saw the inhumane condition of the cell in which Wicked’s executives were kept.
There wasn’t even a bed, let alone a TV. There wasn’t a separate bathroom either. The floor and walls were covered in filth. The cell was completely empty, so there was nothing for them to do to pass their time.
I carefully looked inside. In the cramped cell, six executives lay in silence.
“Wake them up.”
At Horner’s command, the prison guard rattled the bars.
Kwang, kwang, kwang!
“Huaaak!”
Startled, the executives sat up and looked at Horner and me. Their bloodshot eyes trembled with fear and dread.
I studied them for a moment and asked, “Which one of you is Kirkin?”
“W-Why do you ask….”
The executives shuddered.
These were Wicked’s executives, which meant they were at least as strong as high-rank Heroes. It was strange for me to see them in such a horrified state.
My guess was that the deterioration of their physical health also led to the deterioration of their mental health.
“Don’t make me ask twice,” I said coldly, at which the skinniest Djinn raised his hand, trembling with fear.
“I-It’s me.”
Kirkin was Wicked’s right-hand man. But now, his former glory was tarnished by all the bruises on his body.
“Come closer.”
Kirkin did as he was told, all the while trembling in fear. His obedience appeared to be the product of a long period of cruel treatment.
“Open the door.”
“Yes, sir.”
The prison guard unlocked the door, and Kirkin stepped out of the cell with his head down.
“Kirkin, do you recognize me?” I asked.
“…?”
Kirkin slowly lifted his head. My body and face were hidden beneath the hood and the robe, but the black lotus symbol on my robe was recognizable from miles away.
KIrkin widened his eyes and nodded.
“B-Black Lotus….”
“Correct. I’m here on behalf of your boss, Wicked. She asked me to release you.”
“…Pardon?”
KIrkin’s eyes twinkled with a glimmer of hope.
He asked back, swallowing his saliva.
“D-dOes that mean…?”
I exchanged glances with the guard next to me.
The prison guard answered him for me.
“Inmate Kirkin, you have been granted ‘Ranker’s Amnesty’. You better thank the Ranker, Black Lotus.”
**
[Wicked’s Sanctuary]
…Four months had passed since ‘the incident’.
Wicked, despite her success a few months earlier, couldn’t even step a foot outside her sanctuary. Everyone knew her executives were missing, which made her an easy target for assassination.
“…Huek!”
Wicked woke up from a nightmare, shaking.
Her soft skin had long turned coarse, and her eyes that once twinkled with confidence were now dead.
She was completely ruined.
“Haaa, haaa….”
She breathed in and out, trying to calm herself down. As she slowly settled down, tears suddenly started to gather in her eyes.
“…How did I end up like this?”
Her downfall was abrupt. Not long ago, she had taken over control of the fighting arena and pompously declared to bring Orden down.
She really thought back then that she had the whole world at her feet.
She recalled the faces of her executives. She had made so many precious memories with them.
‘Why did you have to get yourselves locked up? You guys should be helping me become the lord of all Djinns….’
Tiriring~
While lamenting, she received a text message.
[Kirkin released – Lotus]
It was from Black Lotus. She stared at the message for a while before jumping to her feet.
Immediately, the door of the sanctuary opened in slow motion. Wicked widened her eyes as she stared beyond it.
A dear subordinate whom she hadn’t seen for a long time was sobbing there.
“…Kirkin!”
Wicked yelled the name of her executive as she rushed towards him.
“Boss….”
Kirkin greeted his boss with tears in his eyes.
It was a very touching reunion, the kind you could watch without tears.
“Kirkin, how did you escape?!”
“Black Lotus, he helped me,” Kirkin answered with a whimper.
“Black Lotus did? But how?”
“There was this thing called ‘Ranker’s Amnesty’.”
Kirkin explained that Black Lotus spent his ‘Ranker’s Amnesty’—a special privilege given only to the ‘First Ranker’s who helped free Genkelope— to rescue Kirkin.
This story was, of course, something that Horner made up on the spot.
“It's all thanks to Black Lotus….”
“Thank goodness….”
Wicked asked again as she patted Kirkin on the back.
“How are the others?”
“Not good. The prison is filthy, we’re forced to do hard labor, and there’s also the torture….”
At last, Kirkin burst into tears. Wicked comforted Kirkin, holding back her tears.
They already forgot about all the crimes they had committed. Djinns had no shame and no conscience by nature.
“…It’s okay, don’t cry. I- I’ll have another talk with Black Lotus, and I’ll try to get everyone else out, too….”
Such was her tearful resolve.
And so, as the two of them enjoyed their emotional reunion in each other’s arms, Wicked was bound to the Chameleon Troupe.
…Meanwhile.
21F, Card Kingdom.
“You’re gonna buy all of these?”
“Yeah, all of them.”
“You really have that much TP?”
“So what if I do?”
“…Well, I mean-”
Kim Hajin made a clean sweep of all random boxes at the card store. He planned to use his luck to boost his strength…. Suddenly, a number of messages appeared in front of him before he even opened the boxes.
[Your enormous luck has been working behind the scenes.]
[A threatening opponent has turned into a temporary ally.]
[Luck that acts on human relationships is always special!]
[Narrow Escape from Death (5/9) – special stat, ‘accumulation of luck’, has been partially activated!]
Kim Hajin had no idea what these messages meant.
**
[Korea, An underground bunker somewhere in Gangwondo]
Two weeks had passed since the start of the joint training camp for the ‘National Special Task Force'.
After numerous training sessions, 177 Heroes of the special task force were assigned to 13 different teams. Team 3 leader, Yun Seung-Ah, was teamed up with Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, Shin Jonghak, Yi Jiyoon, Yohei, and Shen Yuan.
“Our mission is to fight Orden head on. I think the administration really trusts you, Suho.”
Team 3 went into mission briefing inside their dormitory.
All 13 teams had different missions. Team 3 was assigned the most difficult task of all: confronting Orden. That said, rumor had it that Aileen’s Team 1 was also assigned the same mission.
“So… Will you be alright?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine.”
Kim Suho answered with confidence as expected of the man who defeated the Demon King.
“You won’t even need to bother. I’ll take care of him.”
Chae Nayun interrupted with a smirk. Kim Suho glanced at his friend and shook his head.
“Okay, but first take a look at this blueprint. It’s from ‘Truth Agency’.”
Team Leader Yun Seung-Ah drew everybody’s attention with a huge map.
“Whoa! The Truth Agency?!”
“That’s right.”
Yi Jiyoon widened her eyes. Nowadays, the name Truth Agency was basically synonymous with truth itself. It was no longer the small website only a few people knew. Yi Jiyoon clapped her hands in excitement and asked.
“I heard you need a lot of money plus some kind of divine blessing to hear back from them! How much did you spend? No, wait, are you FRIENDS with the Truth Agency?!”
“…I didn’t spend money, the government did. And we’re not really friends. I don’t have enough money to hire Truth Agency.”
“Ah… bleh.”
Yun Seung-Ah tried to ignore the last remark.
‘That brat. I only picked her because people said she was a promising supporter, but she’s so rude.’
“…Anyways, it’s time to get back to training. Get ready.”
Their training routine was simple.
Clap, clap
As soon as Yun Seung-Ah clapped her hands, a sophisticated hologram popped up. The hologram reconstructed the space using Truth Agency’s blueprint as a reference.
“Boss isn’t Orden, but the training area will be similar to the real thing so let’s get used to it.”
This was the work of the ‘Training Simulator’ they had brought back from the Tower of Wish.
Their training was to fight against Lv.50 Minotaur at Orden’s Palace.
**
[Pandemonium Arena]
Meanwhile, Boss was visiting the fighting arena which now belonged to the Chameleon Troupe.
“Please take a seat here, Master.”
“…Sure.”
Looking down at the stage from the VVIP seat, Boss felt slightly emotional. She also used to be a contestant in the distant past and an audience more recently. But now, the arena was hers….
—Welcome to the Pandemonium Arena! Today’s big match is ‘Big Boon’ vs ‘Rain’!
Big Boon vs Rain.
A fat Djinn and a skinny Djinn entered the stage.
The audience cheered and Boss could feel their excitement on her skin.
—Begin!
The host shouted and the duel began. Big Boon tried to overwhelm Rain with his physique, but Rain quickly dodged and attacked his opponent in small stabs. In short, it was a battle between speed and endurance.
“Mm.”
Boss watched the duel with excitement.
Then suddenly, somebody appeared in the VVIP stand.
“…?”
Her movements lacked ill intentions. Boss turned to face the uninvited guest all the while keeping her composure.
“Hello.”
Boss remembered her as the girl who always accompanied Bell. If she remembered correctly, her name was… ‘Jin Sahyuk’.
“Have you been well?”
Jin Sahyuk smirked. Her voice sounded somewhat arrogant.
Boss looked around as Jain had told her that Bell always chaperoned Jin Sahyuk.
But she couldn’t sense Bell’s presence anywhere near her.
“…Where is Bell?”
“How should I know? I came alone.”
Jin Sahyuk shrugged with a smile. Boss glared at Jin Sahyuk. Her gaze was sharp like a blade.
Still, Jin Sahyuk wasn’t intimidated in the slightest.
“Is this our second meeting?”
“I’ll ask you again. Where is Bell?”
Boss’ voice was filled with contempt.
Nevertheless, Jin Sahyuk smiled leisurely.
“I already know what’s going on between you and Bell, but you don’t have to be so desperate to kill him.”
Jin Sahyuk’s expression hardened. She continued n a low whisper, “I’ll be the one who kills that bastard.”
—Ah, that was Big Boon’s signature punch! It’s a direct hit!
Big Boon’s punch landed on Rain’s stomach. Rain was pushed all the way to the corner of the stage, and Boss’ body had already become dark. It was her Yasha Transformation.
“Did you come here to get yourself killed?”
Boss got up from her seat.
Both Bell and this woman seemed to possess a unique talent for upsetting her.
“No, I’m here for a different reason. And I’ll lay it out to you right now.”
Jin Sahyuk and Boss stared at each other intensely, a fire burning in their eyes.
With her gaze on Boss, Jin Sahyuk continued, “…If I end up killing Bell,”
—’Big Boon’ is the winner!
A round of applause followed the host’s announcement.
Despite the cheering, Boss could hear Jin Sahyuk’s voice clearly.
“I can take Kim Hajin with me, right? You only dragged him in as a tool to kill Bell.”
It was most definitely a provocation.
