Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Not Amusing
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“I said it clearly.”
Finally, Go Yohan opened his mouth.
Rumble!
Some players from the Sanctuary Union were awakening their mana.
“If you’re involved with demons, I’ll kill every last one of you.”
Unlike the Sanctuary Union, Go Yohan showed no presence at all.
Gulp. Tremble.
Their throats were dry, their bodies shaking, though they didn’t know why.
“Of course.”
Even Kim Won-seok, who hadn’t changed expression once, spoke the same way.
“Frankly, it’s uncomfortable. As if you’re saying we’ve joined hands with demons.”
Kim Won-seok took the first step forward.
“We’re still investigating these demons, but if they threaten humanity’s safety and disrupt order, they’re all enemies of the Association.”
Go Yohan and Kim Won-seok.
“That goes for demons—no, anyone.”
It felt like everything would explode.
And be drenched in blood and death.
“We’re in agreement.”
Go Yohan smiled faintly as he spoke.
“I hope that stance doesn’t change.”
“I can’t understand it at all.”
Kim Won-seok replied.
“How can Player Go Yohan declare we’ve joined hands with demons? Unless there’s solid proof. Otherwise…”
That was when Kim Won-seok’s words were about to continue.
Flash!
The Black Gate looming behind them began pouring out light and mana.
The Association members stepped back from the shockwave, as did the Sanctuary Union players and others.
Ripple.
The Black Gate began to waver like a mirage.
And then.
Boom!
It tore apart and exploded.
“The gate…!”
It was a sight all too familiar to players.
“The gate’s been cleared!”
The signal of a gate raid success, the phenomenon of gate destruction.
“The Black Gate’s been cleared!”
“Geo Guild did it!”
Only then did Kim Won-seok step back, addressing his Association members.
“Check all casualties and survivors.”
“Yes!”
People began appearing one by one, collapsing in exhaustion.
“…Captain.”
Yun Seung-ah called out to Go Yohan.
Her clenched fist seemed like it would draw blood.
“…Let’s watch for now.”
A smile spread across Go Yohan’s lips as he said it.
‘Kim Won-seok.’
Everything he’d said was spot on, not a word off.
However.
“You still don’t grasp the gravity of it.”
If he thought this was just a power struggle, he’d pay a heavy price.
“Seven dead! Over forty seriously injured!”
An Association member’s report.
“Woooaaah!”
Even with seven dead out of over a hundred, clearing the Black Gate with such minimal losses was a resounding victory.
“Geo Guild! Geo Guild!”
Geo Guild emerged.
Their condition was horrific, but their faces were beaming with victory.
“…”
The Sanctuary Union’s eyes turned to Go Yohan and Yun Seung-ah.
For a mid-tier guild like Geo to clear a Black Gate with this level of damage was undoubtedly suspicious.
If they were connected to demons, somehow.
“…I don’t sense anything.”
Yun Seung-ah said.
Meanwhile.
Step.
Go Yohan walked toward them.
“You can’t approach.”
Kim Won-seok warned, but Go Yohan didn’t stop.
Just as they were about to face off again with the Association members.
“Well, well, a famous figure has come in person.”
Geo Guild’s guild master, Choi Ji-o, raised a hand to halt them and stepped forward.
“First time meeting. I’m Choi Ji-o of Geo Guild.”
He was a middle-aged man with sharp eyes.
*
*
*
Estimated level mid-to-late 300s.
His guild members were solid too.
They seemed like Geo’s absolute elites, comparable to one raid party of the Sanctuary.
“…”
Go Yohan’s eyes on Choi Ji-o.
“I saw your press conference—or should I say declaration? Quite the sight.”
But Choi Ji-o greeted him casually.
“As one player, it got my blood boiling. So I rushed here.”
Clench.
Choi Ji-o balled his fist tight.
“Inside was pure hell.”
Choi Ji-o shook his head as if recalling something horrific.
Even without that, their battered state made it clear the inside had been nightmarish.
The seven dead had no bodies left.
The seriously injured might never play again, or even wake up.
The rest all had minor wounds besides.
Drip, drop.
Even in front of Choi Ji-o standing before Go Yohan, blood still dripped from his front bangs.
“If not for your warning, we’d have suffered worse. But why are you here? For the Black Gate?”
Go Yohan hadn’t answered yet.
“Fortunately, we at Geo Guild succeeded in clearing it.”
“Woooaaah!”
Reporters had already crept closer, snapping photos nonstop.
“Good news. If demons are the enemy, it means humanity has solid means to fight back.”
Choi Ji-o shouted to the Association and reporters, ignoring the silent Go Yohan.
“What appeared inside were monsters I’d never seen before! And the boss…”
As if just thinking of it made his flesh crawl, Choi Ji-o shuddered.
“A monster with three horns. Just facing it made my heart sink, fear overwhelming me… The worst boss of my life.”
“How! How did you take it down?”
“Other players said it was impossible!”
The reporters seized the moment, shouting questions.
“It was tough, but we managed! Thanks to the data released on past Black Gates.”
Then Choi Ji-o looked at Go Yohan.
“And the reward for this young man’s courageous revelation of the ‘truth’!”
“Anything else?”
And then.
Swish.
Choi Ji-o drew a longsword.
The Sanctuary Union tensed, hands on their swords, but Choi Ji-o thrust it not at Go Yohan, but toward the sky.
“Thanks to these items!”
“Items?”
“Legendary grade or something?”
Choi Ji-o shook his head.
“Unique grade. Impressive on its own, but what’s more amazing is…”
Flash!
The longsword glowed, scattering mana across the area.
A refreshing mana that cleared the mind.
“With these items, we minimized the debuffs demons emit and pierced their tough hides.”
“...!”
“We’ll disclose details on these items soon. And…”
Choi Ji-o looked at Go Yohan as he spoke.
“We’ll undergo thorough inspection to check if there’s any issue with these. If they’re so-called ‘demon items,’ that’d be a big problem.”
A faint smile played on Choi Ji-o’s lips.
And then.
“Boring…”
Finally, Go Yohan spoke.
“Not amusing.”
“…”
Drop.
The smile vanished from Choi Ji-o’s lips.
His eyes trembled faintly.
“Leave for today.”
Go Yohan’s tone was ice-cold.
“But remember this. My warning was literal.”
“What are you doing.”
Kim Won-seok approached to intervene.
Whoosh!
The gust of pressure sent Kim Won-seok staggering back.
Click click click!
Reporters captured it all in real time.
“What the…”
“I hope that’s not all you’ve prepared. Better give it your all.”
Turn.
Go Yohan turned away, a faint smile on his lips.
“Do your best.”
His tone shed all politeness.
“Arrogant bastard…”
Choi Ji-o snarled, lips twisting.
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The incident at Gwangju’s Black Gate had reporters buzzing.
Some framed it as Go Yohan bullying Geo Guild, who had cleared the Black Gate.
Along with that.
-Is Go Yohan’s resolve real?
They raised various questions.
No issue there.
There was precedent for regular players clearing a Black Gate on their own power.
The real problem.
‘They’ll come back anyway.’
But more than that, overcoming the immediate threat was cause for joy, no?
Go Yohan would applaud if that’s all it was.
“Captain.”
Yun Seung-ah spoke.
“Geo Guild’s items were definitely not ‘demon items.’”
Rennel, the nation’s top item appraisal guild under the church, had handled it.
Yun Seung-ah and others had confirmed personally.
“But…”
It was strange.
A Black Gate, three-horned demons.
Succeeding with such underleveled players.
And.
“…”
Go Yohan’s demeanor.
The utter lack of respect—that was how he treated those connected to demons.
“I’ll look into it.”
Yun Seung-ah said.
“And if necessary…”
Geo’s existence, their attitude and actions, could sow chaos.
“Try bringing them under our wing again, or…”
Eliminate them.
She left the rest unsaid.
“Let them be.”
Go Yohan opened his closed eyes and spoke.
“Captain.”
“Seung-ah. You think I backed off just because of prying eyes?”
“…”
In the past, the Apostles could easily read Go Yohan’s thoughts through their link.
But after three years, the twenty-year-old Go Yohan who returned was harder for even Apostles to read.
The divided curses and sins were part of it, as was his grown true power.
“I said I’d become a demon, a villain.”
Go Yohan straightened from his kneel and stood.
“And they still don’t get it.”
They.
“Pulling the same tricks.”
Only then.
“…”
Yun Seung-ah’s face relaxed.
“What I said that day was true. Let them do whatever. If I just wanted to cut off tails, I’d have said I’d be a hero, not a villain.”
They’d learn soon enough.
The meaning of Go Yohan’s warning and declaration.