Chapter 158
Chapter 158
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: The President's Awakening
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Whoosh!
Blue flames erupted from Min Junhyeok's body.
This was the reward from the angels.
Boom!
The surging blue flames rushed toward Go Yohan in an instant, incinerating his clothes.
“……!”
The power of a Player.
“Urgh….”
He stared at the writhing blue inferno.
“Kra ha ha!”
Min Junhyeok burst into mad laughter.
The president, Min Junhyeok, hadn't originally been a Player.
He had long been judged as someone who would never awaken and would live out his days as an ordinary human.
But he...
“This... this is... mana...!”
He had always yearned for power.
When the gates opened and Players were born, he had thought that someday he might become one of them—but it never happened.
So he pursued the power he could attain, the power he could possess, and became president.
A authority that could make even Players kneel. He thought he could be content with that now—but no.
‘I have to... I have to become a Player.’
An insurmountable gap.
Fwoosh.
The fact that mana slowed aging and granted longevity—that was it.
He had seized political power and amassed wealth.
But the overwhelming fear of someday dying gnawed at him.
“This! This!”
Go Yohan had promised him many things, and he had been tempted—but that was all.
He was doomed to wait eternally for whatever Go Yohan might deign to give.
“The power... of a Player...!”
But the angels had granted it to him outright.
“Go Yohan! Do you understand? That there are real ‘gods’ in this world! That ‘angels’ exist!”
Engulfed in blue flames, Go Yohan couldn't move.
“You're the real demon!”
A massive something boiled up from the depths of his chest.
Min Junhyeok had finally unleashed it.
And above all, the most incredible and magnificent thing.
Crunch.
It felt like it surged through his clenched fists.
“Not just any ordinary Player.”
A voice echoed from within the flames.
“A ‘Ranker’-level Player.”
Go Yohan was saying that the power emanating from Min Junhyeok, who had just awakened, was immense.
That it rivaled the might of Korea's top Rankers.
Fwoosh!
The blue flames were dying down.
“‘Demon,’ huh.”
Min Junhyeok swung his hand again as Go Yohan emerged from within.
Whoosh!
Blue flames spewed forth once more.
He wasn't yet familiar with how to wield this power, but this immense force could be swung freely, unbound by technique.
It was truly the power of a ‘god.’
Ripple.
Yet Go Yohan's figure striding through the flames...
“Ugh, uuuugh!”
Was a terrifying sight.
“Mr. President. I told you long ago.”
Though still at a distance, Go Yohan's voice rippled right in his ear.
“If I could just kill the demons...”
Go Yohan halted.
“I’d become a demon or a villain myself.”
Power that could incinerate anything on earth gathered in his hands.
But Min Junhyeok was utterly overwhelmed, unable to utter a word.
“Isn’t the conference about to start? You should hurry.”
Go Yohan’s voice rang out from within the unrelenting flames.
Only then did Min Junhyeok nod as if entranced.
“Right, the conference is soon...”
Even with Go Yohan right in front of him, he turned away as if he’d forgotten.
And Min Junhyeok still hadn’t realized.
Despite all this commotion, no one had come—no sign of anyone at all.
Flash.
When the blue flames vanished, Yun Seunga appeared at Go Yohan’s side.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Go Yohan smiled silently.
*
*
*
“Your Excellency, the President, where have you been?”
The chief secretary spoke to the dazed approaching Min Junhyeok.
“Huh...? I...”
His mind was foggy, like thick mist had settled in his head.
The hot heat in his palms and his pounding heart.
“I...”
He felt like he’d been doing something important just moments ago, but he couldn’t remember.
“This isn’t the time. We’re already late. We must hurry.”
“Ahh. Right.”
Time was of the essence—nothing more important.
Nations around the world were issuing warnings, alarmed by the events unfolding in Korea.
It seemed the influence was already rippling worldwide, now that Go Yohan’s minions had been cut down and imprisoned.
‘Idiots.’
Fools who didn’t even know what truly mattered.
That was why Russia was threatening with nukes again, and some mere corporate hack like Goldian was talking economic retaliation.
It didn’t matter.
-Ivan of Russia will be eliminated.
He had ‘angels,’ ‘gods,’ at his side.
Step, step.
Parasites devouring the world.
If he could just erase Go Yohan, the true sinner and demon, that would be enough.
“Your Excellency, this way.”
The Association had shown suspicious movements, hadn’t they?
Domestic companies whining about the economy, hadn’t they?
Talk of impeachment.
Of regrets.
“Tch, parasites.”
All brainless fools.
Finally, Min Junhyeok ascended the podium.
“My dear citizens, how worried you must have been during this tragic time, this tragic incident.”
At this moment, a new history would begin.
He would carve out Korea’s rotten parts and exterminate the maggots infesting them all.
“I wish to clearly explain the current situation to you, my concerned citizens.”
And the people would praise him for achieving this great feat.
“First, I will speak on the cause of all this turmoil.”
And then.
“Go Yohan.”
He would show true salvation to this Korea.
That alone would secure his future.
With this achievement, he could be reelected president and lead Korea to even greater heights.
And Korea, under his rule...
“That demon is devouring Korea.”
Would prosper forever.
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
Behold.
The birth of a great leader to guide you ignorant citizens.
By the grace of ‘god.’
Swipe.
Under the aegis of ‘angels.’
Nod.
The moment of birth for the apostle of the gods, who would grant eternal life and prosperity to Korea.
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
He felt like he’d forgotten something important, but it didn’t matter.
Around him stood his sturdiest guards.
No—angels.
A wall no demon could breach, a blessing to guard his eternity.
“With this, I make the resolute decision for national salvation...”
It was then.
Blink.
Min Junhyeok blinked and lowered his head.
He hadn’t summoned blue flames, yet his chest burned hot.
And he could see it.
Drip, drop.
The sword piercing through his heart.
“Kya a a a a aak!”
“Assassination!”
Screams echoed.
“It’s Go Yohan!”
He could also recall the memory he’d forgotten.
*
*
*
Go Yohan’s longsword pierced Min Junhyeok’s heart.
In front of countless reporters and citizens.
It all happened in an instant, and what followed was instantaneous too.
The guarding Players rushed to save Min Junhyeok.
Spurt!
Black thorns erupted from the ground, impaling and halting them.
And then.
Fwoosh!
White light began bursting from those thorns.
“Aaah...!”
Amid the screams over the president’s assassination came another exclamation.
“Heal...”
It was the gasp of witnessing the unbelievable, beholding a miracle.
“Angels!”
It was also praise directed at those recovering and rising from the black thorns within halos of white light.
“Angels have descended!”
“Real angels!”
One arm wrapped as if in a wing of light.
Though vital spots had clearly been pierced.
“Healing!”
People shouted as they watched the wounds heal in seconds.
And also.
Whoosh!
Blue flames erupted.
“N-No, impossible!”
It was a shock of another kind.
The president of Korea, Min Junhyeok, his heart pierced.
Whoosh!
He was engulfed in blue flames.
At first, they thought it was some magic or skill from Go Yohan.
Or perhaps that longsword was an item that ignited such flames.
But no.
Boom!
Min Junhyeok, whose heart was clearly pierced, swung his hand, manipulating the flames, which soon clashed with Go Yohan and exploded.
Thud.
Min Junhyeok, thought to have died instantly, kicked off the ground, clasped his hands, and unleashed swirling flames.
There was no longer room for doubt.
“He’s a Player!”
“President Min Junhyeok is a Player!”
Min Junhyeok, known to have lived his whole life as an ordinary man, was a Player.
And moreover.
“Ranker-level!”
He was unleashing the power of a Ranker-level Player.
It was unbelievable.
Had the president been deceiving the entire nation all this time?
Hiding power of this magnitude—could that even be possible?
Amid the utter chaos.
“Go Yohan! Did you see!”
Min Junhyeok shouted.
“This is it!”
His heart pierced, yet he survived. Go Yohan’s assassination had failed.
Moreover, the angels protecting him had stepped forward, revealing themselves.
He was the one truly chosen by god...
Drip.
Something fell.
All Min Junhyeok saw was silver.
The blade of a long sword.
It had...
“......”
Pierced through his forehead and out the back of his skull.
And between them.
Pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft!
The angels that had revealed themselves were riddled with black thorns and plummeting once more.
He wanted to say something.
No.
‘Please...’
He wanted to beg for his life.
Boom!
Min Junhyeok’s lifeless corpse plummeted to the ground, merely causing an explosion.
The reporters trying to flee in the uproar hadn’t yet escaped their spots.
Clack, clack, clack.
Those in Player Association uniforms had meticulously surrounded and sealed the area.
Creak.
The microphone shifted, emitting a grating noise.
“Nice to meet you.”
A voice rang out through it.
“It’s Go Yohan.”