Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: Holy War
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The situation was turning critical.
Crusiel was devoting all its efforts to investigating the delegation's background, while the nobles prepared for the conference with Aier.
On top of that, the Academy had entered emergency mode, too busy managing the heroes to do anything else.
And...
‘Briana came to visit?’
Shadow Duke Strain was monitoring Seo Woojin.
In the past, he would have slipped into the room and hidden in the shadows to observe his every move.
But now that Seo Woojin had reached the Superhuman Realm, that was impossible.
So he simply kept watch from outside the lodging, only to capture the shocking sight of Briana arriving.
Strain decided to eavesdrop on their conversation through the shadows.
“Tch.”
But he heard nothing.
In a space shared by two who had reached the Superhuman Realm, even his abilities couldn't penetrate.
He couldn't get any closer either, so it seemed he wouldn't learn what they were discussing.
‘Why did she come?’
It was already known that Seo Woojin and Briana shared a deep bond.
They were close enough to tackle the mission of removing the Demon Realm Heldein's watchtower together.
So Strain assumed Briana had simply come out of worry for Seo Woojin.
In fact, she didn't stay long before leaving.
Seo Woojin, left alone, lay back on the bed and lounged around again.
‘Should I just kill him?’
The Emperor and Crusiel had maintained a lukewarm stance toward Seo Woojin.
They weren't yet convinced he was a threat to them.
But Strain was different.
‘That guy's definitely going to be a disaster for the Empire.’
Not just Strain—Sword Sage Dariel thought the same.
A near-prophetic hunch told him so.
‘It might be best to kill him before it's too late.’
Seo Woojin's growth rate was miraculous.
He was confident he could kill him now, but if even a little more time passed?
‘...It'd be impossible then.’
If this growth continued, in just a few months, Strain wouldn't be able to handle Seo Woojin.
He could probably take him down with Dariel together, but his pride wouldn't allow it.
‘Let's kill him.’
The Emperor's order was to execute if any suspicious elements were found.
None had been uncovered yet, but Strain already found him plenty suspicious.
He was clearly going to cause trouble later, so killing him now was the right call.
That was when Strain made up his mind.
“Isn't your killing intent a bit too thick?”
“...!!!”
His eyes widened.
Seo Woojin's voice came from right behind him.
‘He didn't notice.’
Not until just moments ago, when Seo Woojin had been lounging on the bed.
Strain hadn't sensed a thing.
But more shocking than that was the fact that Seo Woojin had pinpointed his location.
His moniker was Shadow Duke.
A blade hidden in the shadows.
No one could sense the Shadow Duke, and no one could dodge his sword.
Yet Seo Woojin had done it.
It was the first time since he'd taken the seat of Guardian Shadow Duke.
A chill ran up his spine, goosebumps prickling.
“With killing intent that strong, it feels like you're thinking of killing me.”
An alien energy pressed from behind.
It was by no means inferior to his own.
No—it seemed to surpass it.
‘This monstrous bastard.’
Strain forced himself to stay calm and slowly turned around.
There stood Seo Woojin, head cocked to one side, staring at him.
“How did you know?”
About his presence.
About his position.
Instead of attacking, Strain asked out of curiosity.
“I just felt it. About two hours ago?”
A hollow laugh escaped him.
That meant he'd sensed him from the start.
Seo Woojin had grown even stronger than Strain had thought.
‘So much for a surprise attack.’
The Shadow Duke was strongest in ambushes.
In a frontal clash, Magic Duke might be the top Guardian, but for pure killing, no one could match him.
But he'd lost his greatest advantage before even starting.
So Strain opted for conversation instead.
“Tell me why you killed the ‘Saintess.’ Don't give me that nonsense about preventing greater harm.”
Considering the skill Seo Woojin had just shown, someone like Seong Yura wouldn't have been a match for him.
He could have stopped her without killing her.
Yet he'd killed the ‘Saintess,’ so there had to be a reason.
“What else is there to say? I stopped a madman massacring people—shouldn't you be thanking me first?”
Seo Woojin's eyes narrowed.
At the same time, his energy seemed to amplify several times over.
‘Ugh...’
The shadows began to waver slightly.
It was the effect of that gray energy called Chaos Qi pushing back Strain's mana.
“We'll be the ones to judge that. It's clear there's another reason you killed her, so explain yourself.”
Strain heightened his tension but maintained an air of pressing Seo Woojin, confident he wouldn't dare attack recklessly.
“This is just...”
Seo Woojin smirked.
At the same time, his killing intent erupted like an explosion.
Rrrrrumble—!
Everything around them trembled in fear, unable to withstand the intent.
It was a terrifying aura even Strain had never felt before.
He hurriedly gathered mana to resist, but then Seo Woojin spoke.
“Do I still look like a joke to you?”
Seo Woojin's foot pierced through Strain's shadow.
BOOM—!
* * *
“I have come at your summons.”
Bishop Miteon greeted Mardetain with utmost reverence.
He was a handsome young man with long silver hair.
But that was just his appearance.
Miteon's true age was over 150, approaching 200.
“Have you been well?”
“Under the grace of the Divine God and the Holy King, I have been in boundless peace.”
Miteon smiled as he replied.
“It's a shame Yurea couldn't join us.”
“I have sent word, so she should return soon.”
“She must. A matter has arisen that will decide our homeland's fate.”
At Mardetain's words, Miteon's smile faded.
“What do you mean...?”
“The ‘Saintess’ is dead.”
“H-how?”
Miteon stammered in shock.
The ‘Saintess’ was the one Aier had poured everything into supporting.
Her death was an enormous blow.
“They say she was killed by another hero at the Empire's Academy.”
Mardetain hid his indifference and feigned outrage.
“How dare they!”
Miteon's face flushed red as a result.
“Calm yourself. Philoyan is at the Empire, so stay your hand until he returns.”
“My apologies.”
Miteon bowed, but his anger was still evident.
Everything Aier had prepared had gone up in smoke, so his feelings were understandable.
“I intend to hold them accountable.”
Mardetain spoke calmly.
But Miteon looked even more shocked than before.
“H-hold them accountable, you say?”
“It happened in the Empire—they should bear the responsibility, no?”
“That is true, but...”
The Empire was the continent's strongest nation.
Aier was also a great power, confident it wouldn't lose to the Empire.
They were sure they wouldn't be pushed in a fight.
But that applied in normal times.
Right now, with the Advent War looming?
Clashing with the Empire at such a moment?
It was something that must never happen.
“Your answer lacks conviction.”
Mardetain glared, reading Miteon's hesitation.
“N-no, it's not that...”
“I know your concerns well. But this is necessary.”
At Mardetain's firm tone, Miteon slightly raised his head to meet his eyes.
“Please enlighten this foolish servant.”
Why it was necessary.
He was asking for the reason.
Mardetain opened his mouth without hesitation.
“It is the voice of the Divine God: ‘My daughter has met her end through the schemes of the wicked—punish them.’”
Miteon's face mixed awe and fury.
“If it is His voice, we must obey.”
“Of course.”
The hesitant Miteon vanished, replaced by a warrior with murderous intent.
“When Yurea returns, prepare together. With Philoyan's return, we will punish the insolent Empire.”
“I obey the Holy King's command.”
Miteon knelt, pressing his forehead to the ground.
Looking down at him, a smile crept onto Mardetain's lips.
‘Idiots.’
The voice of the Divine God?
Such a lie worked so well.
Even for something as massive as opposing the Empire, one phrase—“the will of God”—sufficed.
From ordinary believers to bishops.
‘Are they stupid, or just naive?’
At least they were devout in their faith.
They simply didn't know it served not the Divine God, but the ruler of Pandemonium.
Mardetain gazed at Miteon's bowed head and waved him off.
“Rise and withdraw. Prepare thoroughly.”
“As you command.”
Miteon performed another deep bow and left.
Then—
“Looks like fun?”
Someone emerged behind Mardetain, now alone.
“Long time no see.”
The woman greeted him with an innocently bright smile.
Mardetain's face hardened slightly at the sight of her.
“Zenonia.”
One of the 13 Apostles, and among the strongest, counting her raw power, she ranked in the top three.
“What brings you here?”
Mardetain eyed her warily.
She was the type who holed up in one of the Demon Realms, training obsessively.
A weirdo who devoted everything to honing her skills until the day of the Advent.
She wouldn't show herself for just anything, so her sudden appearance was odd.
“I heard a rumor about some interesting guy showing up.”
“Interesting guy?”
Mardetain tilted his head in confusion, and Zenonia laughed.
“Seo Woojin, was it? They say he's taken out several Apostles because of him?”
Seo Woojin.
Mardetain's eyebrow twitched.
The name of the one who'd killed the ‘Saintess’ and ruined the Lion's plans multiple times.
“And from what I see, you're cooking up something fun yourself?”
Zenonia smiled as she approached Mardetain.
“Mind telling me what it is? If it looks fun, I'll help.”
Her allure was dizzyingly seductive.
Mardetain met her gaze with a smile of his own.
“It's a Holy War.”