Chapter 165
Chapter 165
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: Iron Fortress
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Iron Fortress.
Though it had only been a few days since his return, Yoo Seongwon felt like he’d been away for ages. He stepped off the transport and headed straight for the central control room to meet Yucheong and Baek Ga-yeon.
Inside, the three knights—Yucheong, Jinseok, and Junghan—were buried under mountains of work but holding their posts steadfastly.
“You’re… here, Your Majesty?”
“You’ve all done incredible work. Where’s the elder?”
“He’s at the frontline city, Your Majesty. Congratulations on your safe return from the expedition. Whew~”
“Yeah. You look exhausted, though?”
“If we weren’t summoned knights… we’d have burned out from overwork long ago if we were human.”
Yucheong’s words rang true, her face shadowed by deep dark circles.
With nearly 10,000 new members suddenly added, managing their control, meals, housing, and training was no small feat.
“It’s a relief Elder Baek keeps hiring more hands, but with the organization still so disorganized and everything in chaos, it’s taking a toll. At least we’re grateful Your Majesty learned castle summoning…”
“Ah, sorry about that. Anyway, our kids are here now, so I’ll help out for a while… Where should we start?”
“Then could you handle the ‘frontline city’ side, Your Majesty?”
“Got it. I’ll head there right away. Oh, and take care of our maintenance crew and the spoils from Japan.”
After redistributing tasks, Yoo Seongwon set off for the frontline city under construction with the four knights, So-mi, and A-young.
There, beside the old fortress, loomed a massive castle—a pristine white Western-style fortress straight out of a game.
It was the one he’d summoned using the castle summoning skill from Gaulf.
“Oh, come to greet me? Elder. You look pretty worn out yourself.”
In just a few days, Baek Ga-yeon’s complexion had dulled as well.
With the organization’s headcount stagnant while its leader kept piling on more work, who wouldn’t go mad?
“…Thanks to you. Anyway, glad you’re here.”
“But you seemed happy about it.”
“Joy’s secondary. We can’t handle the sheer numbers. And the language barrier? Forget it. Thanks for coming quick. We’re hiring, but directing them is no joke… Enough talk—let’s get to work. Brace yourself.”
Led by Baek Ga-yeon’s hand, Yoo Seongwon was dragged straight to the work site.
Fortress construction, crowd control, Korean language classes, and disputes from the population boom—problems piled high.
Seeing it all, Yoo Seongwon decided to stay not a week, but a month, and resolved to send word to Japan.
***
Tokyo, Yasuda Guild.
The divide-and-conquer ploy via the blessing ceremony at Yasukuni Shrine had bizarrely failed to ruffle Yoo Seongwon’s feathers.
But it had successfully inflamed tensions with the Korean government, achieving modest gains. The situation wasn’t bad.
Planning the next move, however, hit a snag: Yoo Seongwon had already left for Korea.
“That damned ‘Chung’ bastard! Dares flee to Korea?”
“But our pretext is solid. The isolated stragglers in Shikoku were easy prey, unlike the mainland forces west of Nagoya with their overwhelming might. Returning to Korea for regrouping is perfectly logical.”
“Fine, logical or not, it ties our hands…”
Without Yoo Seongwon in Japan, direct strikes against him were impossible—only public opinion warfare remained.
Post-ceremony, they’d planned to butter him up while prodding sensitive issues to keep antagonizing the Korean government, but now the plan was derailed.
“Hmm…”
“Guild Master, Kawasaki Guild sent word—they want to talk.”
“Hm? What for?”
“They… didn’t like the blessing ceremony. Furious about blessing a ‘Chung’ at Yasukuni, where Yamato spirits rest.”
“Idiots…! This was all to advance the broader front! Haa~”
Kawasaki Guild, rooted in Kawasaki Heavy Industries like Yasuda, fervently embraced Japanese imperialism.
Their zeal had overstepped, nagging even allies like Yasuda, but as comrades, they couldn’t be ignored.
“We explained it as a divide-and-conquer, yet they don’t get it…”
“They even say now that the stragglers are gone—no more backstabbing worries from outsiders—they should hunt the remaining S-ranks themselves to restore Japanese pride.”
“They must see the 540 billion yen paid to that ‘Chung’ as a humiliation.”
The payout was government funds, but ultimately from their taxes.
Handing such a fortune as a bonus to a mere ‘Chung’ twisted their guts and bruised their pride as greater Japanese, fueling a desire to prove they could do it themselves.
“Hmm… True, we’ve held back not from lack of skill, but fear of betrayal among factions and guilds. But if the guilds rage at that rootless ‘Chung’s’ exploits…”
Fujiwara Guild Master saw potential, pleased.
Keep special forces hunters on defense, rally nine guild S-ranks for blitzkrieg strikes—sniping S-rank ‘generals’ one by one. Perfect?
Past issues like backstabbing and loot splits had hindered, but now, wounded ‘Japanese’ pride from Yoo Seongwon united them.
“Guess I’ll visit Kawasaki.”
“Y-You’re going personally?”
“For such a key request, it’s proper to approach first. Prepare the car—quickly.”
“Yes, Guild Master!”
Fujiwara Guild Master departed for Kawasaki posthaste.
Reluctant as he was, that ‘Chung’ Yoo Seongwon had cleared stragglers and unified guild S-rank hunters who’d never coalesced before. A tiny spark of gratitude flickered.
Days passed.
Japan’s guilds uniting like this was unprecedented, so the government seized the chance to properly subjugate the 66 Heavenly Demons, swiftly forming an organization committee and assault teams.
“Hey, Moribayashi-san! Heard? Those lazy guild asses are finally moving.”
“Hahaha! I know. The country’s finally on track!”
“All thanks to Yoo Seongwon Hunter. Crushing the straggler generals in half a day bruised their egos proper. Whew~ Things might actually improve. Just worried about offending the S-ranks holding our defenses…”
“Even if guilds snag a few, ten S-ranks remain—plenty for our special forces. Hahaha!”
Relations with guilds stayed sour, but special forces members cheered the deadlock breaking.
For the government, guilds handling S-ranks meant no more massive payouts to Yoo Seongwon—ideal.
“Like constipation finally clearing. Hahaha!”
“Yes, Prime Minister. I agree.”
“Especially after news spread of him soloing a straggler general in half a day—analysis now deems the generals themselves weak.”
“Hm… True, footage showed not the SS-rank Yoo Seongwon himself, but his knight winning one-on-one.”
Surveillance drones and gear over Shikoku revealed not Yoo Seongwon, but his S-rank knight Gaulf toppling the straggler general.
Thus, Japan’s government deemed the generals easier than thought.
“If one S-rank barely scrapes by in a slugfest, group assaults will crush them.”
“And once a general falls, their minions vanish—chain reaction perfection.”
Their minds brimmed with hope of purging the 66 Heavenly Demons that had tormented them for decades.
They prepared meticulously for expedition, eyes on a bright future.
But the 66 Heavenly Demons wouldn’t sit idle after the straggler generals’ defeat.
At the core dungeon entrance, armored Heaven, Earth, and Human Army Generals convened.
[Who’d think the Dark Army General would fall so pathetically? Picked from ‘Star Records’ with utmost care by our 66 Heavenly Lords—one of Naraka’s mightiest wielding ‘Abyss Power’… How in half a day?]
[Heaven Army General, sir—we found the culprit: ‘Abyss Knight Gaulf.’ Wields the same ‘Abyss Power,’ Naraka’s top knight. Kin clashing. And Gaulf’s sworn foe, apparently.]
[What cosmic coincidence. They emerge from ‘Star Records’ at constellations’ call to fight, but meeting old grudges amid countless stellar wars?]
The Heaven Army General, in resplendent white armor, closed his eyes skyward, accepting the loss.
Odds of reforged foes from pre-‘Star Records’ era clashing amid myriad starlit battles? Near infinite zeros post-decimal.
[Fate unexplained otherwise. Thus, he lost.]
[But the swift farce makes humans mock us. Our human underlings report them boasting of bagging us one per day.]
[Hahaha, can’t stop laughing. But such complacency? Golden opportunity. Turtled foes gaining confidence to emerge—perfect bait.]
[Finally securing a way ‘across the sea’? Those pesky constraints crippled full war till now.]
The 66 Heavenly Demons’ generals brimmed with confidence to raze Japan anytime, but wiping humanity barred sea-crossing.
Hence, halting east of Nagoya front.
Japan hunkered defensively; breaching risked mass exodus, so they’d held that line.
[Anyway, mainland—not this island—promises grander wars! Seize this chance. Order our human pawns: keep feeding enemy intel.]
[Yes, sir!]
[For war and victory…!]
At Heaven Army General’s command, Earth and Human Army Generals dispersed to rally subordinates and relay orders.
The 66 Heavenly Demons loved ‘war.’ Without worthy foes, they were mere necromancer clubs. The Heaven Army General hungered for sea passage.