Chapter 136
Chapter 136
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: The Prima Donna's Return
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Fundamentally speaking,
monsters are inhuman entities that have crossed over from other worlds. From green-skinned creatures like orcs and goblins that never existed in Ardnia, to giants such as ogres, cyclopes, and titans, and even elementals like ice elementals and fire elementals.
The concept of Revenge was that these invaders from other worlds had attacked the once-peaceful Ardnia.
Of course, not all monsters are beings from other worlds.
‘The Bright Rebels, who are hero-grade yet expanding their territory, are a case in point.’
In Revenge’s lore, all factions hostile to the player were monsters.
Survivor groups turned bandit crews, nobles who had allied with monsters from other worlds to build their forces, vampires infected by the bloodsucker virus and now hunting humans.
And above all, there was that guy.
The fanatic Edward.
‘I figured the original would be somewhere in Ardnia, but I never imagined we’d meet like this.’
Edward was the only human among the special bosses.
The Ice Queen was originally human, at least, but by the time she arrived in Ardnia, she was no longer one—so a completely different case.
In other words, from another perspective, this Edward...
‘A confirmed mythic character...’
Of course, there was no guarantee he’d actually become a transcendent. It could be due to the outer god that drove him to fanaticism, or perhaps the long years of zeal had warped his mind.
Even so...
his talent was undoubtedly extraordinary—no need to belabor the point.
“What? Who the hell are you staring at me like that?”
Edward glared at me. It was ridiculous seeing this crybaby, who had bawled his eyes out in front of his sister, act tough.
“Mind your manners, Edward. Is that how I raised you?”
“Huh! N-no, I...”
“Strutting around with a sword at your hip like some thug? Apologize right now.”
At Harmony’s words, Edward squirmed as if he had a lot to say, but he bowed his head to me under her stern gaze.
“S-sorry.”
‘Interesting guy.’
He was peculiar in many ways. In this medieval land where children were seen as [incomplete humans], a kid who looked barely middle-school age standing guard with a sword was odd enough, but his thunderbolt temper crumbling before his sister was even more so.
“We! The great Holy Empire must survive! We must prevail! We must protect and nurture the legacy that our pitiful Prima Donna Harmony bequeathed to us through her self-sacrifice!”
A middle-aged man on the platform bellowed like he was wailing. Some magical device on the stage amplified his voice, spreading it far and wide.
“Oh! Speaking of which, sis. Why’d you volunteer? Without even telling me!”
“I didn’t.”
“...What?”
Her abrupt words froze Edward’s face. Harmony spoke in a cold voice.
“That guy just sacrificed me as an offering.”
“...!”
Edward’s face drained of color.
Staring straight at her brother, Harmony continued.
“The cardinal has no intention of fighting the Flame Demon King. The saint and saintess were ambushed on his tip-off.”
“...N-no. That can’t be. You know the cardinal is like a parent to us...”
“Edward.”
Harmony’s face filled with sorrow. Her large eyes and drooping gaze conveyed more than words ever could.
“Don’t you trust me?”
“...”
Edward stood silent for a long while. His expression shifted several times in that short span.
Finally.
“...No. I trust you, sis.”
“Thank you, Edward. You’re the only one.”
She hugged him as she said it.
After a brief embrace, she turned to me.
“Your Majesty.”
“Emperor!?”
Edward jumped in shock, but Harmony ignored him and pressed on.
“Edward isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. He stays up all night reading, but forgets it all by morning.”
“S-sis! What are you saying!?”
“And he’s stubborn as a mule. Once he learns something the hard way, he thinks that’s all there is to it. A dim-witted, stubborn fool with a explosive temper—he’s got the makings of someone who’ll wreak havoc on the world and earn everyone’s scorn.”
“P-please, sis...”
Edward clung to Harmony’s arm, flustered. But she didn’t even turn her head. She gazed calmly only at me.
“But.”
She said,
“his aptitude is heaven-sent. If Your Majesty had a million soldiers under him, this boy would stand at the very front. Even ten million, and he’d still be there. He may be vile, foolish, and stubborn, but that’s exactly why once he swears loyalty, he’ll never waver.”
With that, Harmony knelt before me. Edward freaked out at the sight.
“Sis...!?”
“Please, take him in.”
The cardinal was still ranting on the platform, the crowd cheering wildly in response, so no one nearby overheard us. Still, kneeling like that drew stares from all around.
I looked at Harmony on her knees and Edward, who knelt beside her in confusion. I felt no bewilderment.
‘Jackpot.’
It was like a pumpkin rolling right to my feet, vine and all.
“He can’t be the strongest. That spot’s mine.”
I reached out and helped Harmony to her feet.
“But depending on his effort, he might reach just below that.”
“Thank you!”
Harmony beamed, brushing dirt from her clothes. Edward still looked dazed.
“No, sis. Explain. What’s this about an emperor? Taking me in?”
“Listen to me. Have I ever led you into harm’s way?”
“W-well, no, but...”
Harmony’s eyebrow twitched.
“Well?”
“N-no, you’re right.”
She sank him with a single syllable, then veiled her face with cloth again. Glancing at the cardinal descending the platform, she said,
“Then we’ll proceed as discussed. With Your Majesty here, I’ll give it my all.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
At my words, Harmony headed to the platform. The dancers just climbing up startled at her voice and yielded the stage.
‘Impressive. She commands real respect.’
She might not be just an actress—probably nobility. Her speech and demeanor exuded astonishing grace and political savvy.
‘I’d better stick to the plan.’
Instead of ambushing the cultists, I’d come right into the crowd of refugees to gauge their mood—and because I’d heard there was an armed group here resisting the Flame Demon King.
[The group founded by the saintess. Its name is Revenge.]
“Ha. Never thought Revenge would pop up here.”
That saintess was probably the one who sent humanity to its last refuge with her sacrificial spell. The figure from the intro cinematic when I first launched Revenge.
‘I skipped it, so I don’t know her face... but with cases like Edward, I should hunt down and watch all the videos.’
That’s when it hit me.
[Don’t wait for me to die.
It’s too soon to prepare to mourn my death.]
“Huh?”
I froze. Those few lines cleared the storm of plans in my head.
[Don’t think of using me as kindling.
Don’t dream of someone lighting a fire atop me,
to burn away your greed.]
Thousands—no, tens of thousands, maybe more—focused on her. Astonishingly, her voice carried beyond the stage’s magic, resonating everywhere.
[I am alive, refusing to die, so I
strive to stay alive.]
“Hmm.”
I slipped the recall scroll back into my inventory. Then I stood quietly, listening to the song.
It was a shabby stage.
No backing track, no lights, no dance team, no props to adorn her.
[I am alive, refusing to die, so I
stand firm and alive.]
Yet her voice held undeniable appeal.
“She’s got that aura people talk about... Top-tier singer level, maybe. No inspiration stat, so who knows.”
Even without it, I could appreciate the song. Proof was how the crowd—almost no superhumans among them—stared entranced at the stage.
But some didn’t like the performance.
“Stop! Stop it! What are you doing? On a crucial day like today, why this depressing song?”
A man shouted as he leaped onto the stage. Up close, he was the burly templar who’d attended the cardinal.
Looking back, I saw the cardinal, surrounded by people, scowling.
“Who are you? It’s not even your turn! Why ruin this vital stage? Kindling? Burning greed? Blasphemous nonsense!”
He ranted, closing in on Harmony.
“And what’s with the hood...”
The hood fell, revealing Harmony’s face. The man froze mid-rant.
“N-no, you’re...”
“Harmony! It’s Harmony!”
“Harmony’s alive!”
“But the cardinal said... Was it a lie?”
Chaos erupted. The flustered cardinal yelled.
“Abdul! What are you standing around for!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
The burly man grabbed Harmony’s arm.
“Come here!”
“Eek!”
She seemed to have song-related superpowers, but nothing else—reeled in like a ragdoll.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?”
Thwack!
A heavy thud, and the man crumpled. Edward had leaped onto the stage and kicked him.
‘He’s already awakened his aura.’
A middle-school-looking kid overwhelming that brute? Unbelievable to anyone watching.
But the brute shrank back, recognizing the famous face. He knew he was outmatched. The cardinal bellowed.
“Edward!”
“Who’re you yelling at!? You! You sacrificed our sister as an offering!”
‘Just minutes ago, he called him a parent figure.’
Whether I found it absurd or not, the cardinal’s face flushed with shame at Edward’s shout. He opened his mouth as if to defend himself.
“The cardinal sacrificed Harmony?”
“And gave those speeches after?”
As confusion swelled, the cardinal shut his mouth. Sensing the urgency, malice crept into his expression.
He hesitated, then spoke deferentially to the man beside him.
“Lord Birgna.”
“Keukkeuk! Disappointing, cardinal. All that bluster, and you can’t even control your offerings.”
The seated man rose. He’d seemed ordinary at first, but standing revealed a nearly three-meter-tall figure with crimson skin—a demon cultist.
[Everyone—silence!]
His roar silenced the noisy plain in an instant.
“Fuck...”
Edward spat curses, voice laced with despair. It was warranted.
Flame Demon Brawler (Hero)
Birgna
‘Hero-grade.’
In the original Fire Demon Palace (Advanced~Hero), hero-grade monsters should only be the Flame Demon King boss. The eight fire points excluding the central treasury were key spots, sure, but still just beginner-to-mid level zones.
‘This is the power of sacrifices. It upgrades monsters.’
With endless offerings, the Flame Demon King’s grade could rise indefinitely. Perhaps that’s why the mythic Ash Ruler Flame Demon King had such a backstory.
“Hey.”
“Keukkeuk! These offering scum... What are you?”
I strode toward him. Birgna sneered, extending a hand.
Clasp.
The moment our hands met, his bored expression twisted.
As I’d said once before.
Those who wield strength know it just from gripping hands.
“Th-this... Ngh...?”
His red skin blistered from exertion, but no dice. Our size difference looked adult-to-child, but strength was reversed.
‘No, not just reversed.’
Not adult-to-child—human-to-mouse level. He tried redirecting force to lift me, but Land Breaker rooted me firm.
Crunch!
“Graaak!?”
Birgna’s hand crumpled. He screamed, yanking his arm, but fat chance.
“Y-you pest! Human...!”
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted from his body.
“Kyaaak!?”
“Gaaah! Get back!”
Panic everywhere. But irrelevant.
“H-how...?”
Unscathed amid the inferno, I made him groan. I answered.
“I ditched legend accessories for the price, but rares are fine.”
I showed the [Ring of Flame Guard (Rare)+9], but of course, he didn’t get it.
“What the—”
I yanked him mid-sentence. His massive frame forced to kneel, dragged before me.
Now at eye level, I reached out.
Crack!
And snapped his neck.
“Ah...!”
“No way...”
The crowd gasped.
‘Perfect. Time for a weighty line...’
That’s when it happened.
[Han Jaeyeon has acquired Flame Cannon (Hero) in the Barren Desert Zone!]
The sudden world message killed my follow-up. I yanked open my inventory.
“No way, a hero skill book here!?”
“...”
“...”
“...”
My gleeful face met the blank stares of the crowd.