Chapter 196
Chapter 196
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: Go Yohan
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Go Yohan.
Seeing that existence in person, which they had only heard about in words, was a first for Tairon, Byul, and Timothy.
-Contact with him is strictly prohibited.
It was the command given by their leader.
-Never face him.
The demons they had contracted with said the same.
The one that even demons, who feared nothing, dreaded.
The being that made their leader, deemed more fearsome than those demons, tremble.
Pssht.
Go Yohan.
He emerged through the billowing smoke.
Twitch.
The three writhed as if on cue.
Their instincts were screaming.
‘Kill him now!’
‘If you want to live, move right now!’
‘Run, or do something—anything!’
The cries from their own instincts.
But what nailed them in place like stakes.
Squeeze.
Was also their instincts.
‘If you move.’
‘You die.’
‘You can’t escape.’
Step.
Go Yohan.
The silver-haired handsome man, known only from words and videos, was existence enough to instill terror on his own.
Gulp.
Only then did they realize how idiotic their mission had been.
And what form the place they now stood in had taken.
Shwaaaa.
“Ha….”
Tairon.
The 4th Apostle and silver-haired man sighed as he looked around.
“We were nothing more than gladiators to stoke the event’s excitement.”
The dome-shaped transparent barrier made the place look just like a colosseum.
Only then did he understand why they had been left alone.
“…….”
And why the mana of the surviving hostile players was regenerating.
“Ha, haha.”
Those contracted with archdemons, and among them, only the special ones.
‘Apostles.’
Could be called Apostles.
They had gained that power and feared nothing in the world anymore.
The Public Security they once feared madly had been pierced with a single finger, and the player who tormented them for so long had their throat slit with a hand chop.
Thump, thump.
Since then….
‘Not the first time, huh.’
The second time feeling such immense terror.
If it had been the first, he might have collapsed and vomited tears right then, but knowing it was the second time.
Nod.
And knowing the experience wasn’t his alone gave him strength.
“If you ask us to be gladiators, then gladiators we shall be.”
Tairon said, extending both hands.
Shrrrr!
His arms began glowing in the shape of sickles, spewing dark light.
This was the first mark of becoming a demon contractor.
‘Demonization.’
The first form where one could summon a portion of a demon’s power as their own and wield it perfectly.
Crunch.
His muscles tightened, increasing in density, and his bones hardened to a strength incomparable to titanium.
“Huaaah….”
The moment demonic energy spilling from his breath began corrupting the surroundings.
“Silver-hair.”
Go Yohan, now revealed, spoke for the first time.
“Those damn mongrels are still chasing empty dreams.”
“……?”
At the incomprehensible words, Tairon’s eyes widened in that instant.
Flash!
He saw it.
A flash of light.
Clearly from Go Yohan’s right hand—Tairon unhesitatingly crossed his arms transformed into sickles.
“I blocked….”
Though too fast for the eyes to follow, his superhuman senses and instincts from demonization shone through.
The ability to respond the moment the opponent moved.
And he blocked Go Yohan’s attack….
Slice.
An illusion.
“……?”
The world slicing diagonally.
Cracks forming on both arms.
“You’re mistaken.”
Go Yohan’s tone was different from what he’d heard.
He’d heard his speech was no different from an ordinary young man of this era, yet now he spoke like something from another realm.
A fact Tairon didn’t yet know.
“Did you think you blocked it?”
That tone only emerged from ‘Michael’ when facing demons or remnants of the past.
“Did you think you were gladiators?”
And.
“Filth not even worthy of beasts.”
Those who heard that tone.
Splatter!
Had all met their end.
“Gaaack!”
Tairon desperately retreated, clutching his throat with the severed part of his sickle.
Even though both sickles and his neck were completely severed, the insane regenerative power of demonization kept him alive….
“Normally, it wouldn’t be my share, but that silver-hair is unbearable.”
Boom!
Tairon’s severed head thudded to the ground.
Rumble!
The ground where Go Yohan stood surged up, forming a single peak.
On one side of it, the hostile players.
On the other, the demon hounds still surviving, unable to believe Tairon’s death.
Tairon, the silver-haired man, had been too frail, but his head seemed sharp enough.
“Each other….”
He had clearly grasped Go Yohan’s intent.
“Kill.”
Go Yohan said, slumping down and propping his chin.
*
*
*
“…….”
The citizens couldn’t close their mouths at the spectacle unfolding inside the transparent barrier.
“Kyaaack!”
It was so brutal it drew screams naturally.
“D-Don’t look!”
Of course, bloody enough to cover children’s eyes.
But.
Thump, thump.
Their pounding hearts told them.
Shiver.
The goosebumps rising told them.
“The players….”
“The demons….”
Enemies they should fear.
“Are dyiiiing!”
“You filthy bastards!”
Couldn’t even thrust a sword at Go Yohan, reduced to entertainment as they slaughtered each other.
A scene too cruel to behold, but its message was clear.
-Players.
-Demons.
One truth.
-Can’t become Go Yohan’s enemies.
The transparent barrier, once doubted, leaked no shockwaves from the desperate bloodbath, perfectly safeguarding the citizens.
Boom!
Those trying to escape through the barrier or attack the citizens.
Kaboom!
They could never break free.
“If you dare fail in that role, there’s no helping it.”
Yoo Se-hwa’s voice echoed.
Pssht!
Falling petals turned into blades at some point.
Slash slash slash!
Mincing those attacking the barrier.
The irony was that the perpetrator was Yoo Se-hwa.
Even that looked beautiful somehow.
As if red petals were blooming outward.
“Haa…. Haa….”
Rough breathing erupted from inside the barrier.
Less than a few minutes into the fight, the outcome was already decided.
“Go… Yo… Han….”
They stood in grotesque forms, drenched head to toe in blood.
“Go Yohan.”
The surviving demon Apostles.
They breathed raggedly but showed no sign of fatigue.
Simply.
Groooowl!
Unable to contain the boiling demonic energy, on the verge of rampage.
Finally, Go Yohan rose.
Now he would handle the beasts’ disposal, they thought.
“Imperfect products. Still….”
Go Yohan opened his mouth.
“There is a success.”
The moment the demon Apostles’ eyes widened at his knowing expression.
“Well, it seems the entertainment is over now.”
Yoo Se-hwa’s voice echoed.
“With the excitement this heated, it’s truly time to reveal it.”
“Go Yohan-!”
Even that taken as mockery, a demon Apostle kicked off the ground toward Go Yohan.
The one called Byul had both hands as flails, legs as swords.
The man called Timothy had hands as whips, repulsive tendrils sprouting from his chest.
And.
“Let me introduce them.”
Kaboom!
“These are the true players who protect Korea and slay demons.”
A golden wall blocked them.
“Knights.”
Go Woojin, the Knight of the Ramparts, blocked Byul clad in a golden fortress.
“I’m not one to nitpick appearances usually.”
Next to him, Timothy.
“But you look kinda ugly.”
Go Minji, the Knight of Madness, appeared slicing off Timothy’s whips.
*
*
*
China, Beijing.
A panoramic view of the brightly lit city.
A red-haired man stood by the window, swirling a wine glass.
‘You’re not thinking of abandoning us, right?’
‘We.’
‘Are comrades.’
At the voices brushing past his ear, the red-haired man.
Crunch.
Balon scowled.
“Imperfect products acting above their station.”
Apostles deemed special.
Demon Apostles possessed something beyond common sense compared to prior players, but in Balon’s eyes, they were.
‘Imperfect products.’
In truth, they were called Apostles because they had some utility.
Those truly worthy of being called Apostles….
“Only three.”
Himself excluded, about three.
The Apostles sent to Korea now were mere consumables.
-Balon!
A voice in his head.
From Tairon, the imperfect product who least knew his place.
-The situation’s changed! We can’t even carry out the terror, and right now… static.
The voice cut out unclearly, like noise interference.
Their channel worked perfectly even across the world.
But.
‘Interference.’
If someone interfered, it was possible.
Though such interference wouldn’t be easy.
-We need to retreat!
Tairon’s desperate voice came through.
-If we fail—! Static. We… re… vive….
The voice.
-Balon! Balon!
As it grew more plaintive.
“Useless trash.”
Balon clicked his tongue and declared.
“That your utility ends there. Just die.”
That instant.
Crunch.
A grinding noise came through the channel, like something being crushed.
The sensation of a connection snapping.
“At least you served your final purpose.”
Balon said, bringing the wine glass to his lips.
“‘He’ and ‘Her’ domains still prevent my full power.”
They had achieved the sole purpose he’d hoped from the imperfects.
-Balon! Tairon!
-Balon!
He blocked the nonstop voices.
He never expected the imperfects to succeed from the start.
“Boosting a small nation’s morale is distasteful, but unavoidable.”
As Balon smirked and turned from the window.
-Still, one. A completed product.
At the incoming voice.
Crash!
The wine glass shattered.