Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: The Abandoned Legion
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“Ugh…….”
Yoo Seongwon, who had fallen into a deep sleep amid nature, slowly opened his eyes as his energy recovered.
The moment he emerged from the dungeon, a sense of relief washed over him amid the familiar scent of nature, but his consciousness had reached its limit, sending him straight into slumber. Only after several hours had passed was he able to wake.
“This is… a trailer? Ah, the kids must’ve taken care of me. Yawwwn~ Ah… that core dungeon was really… just… aah…….”
It had truly been a terrifying and grueling place.
It was a spot where, aside from eating, sleeping, and using the bathroom, all you did was roll dice and play the game amid the same unchanging scenery—but thinking back on the fear, the sense of defeat, and the mental strain from those unwinnable situations, he couldn’t believe he’d survived without losing his mind.
But the aftereffects were no joke.
“Ah… my hair’s gone completely white. What am I, some old grandpa? Sigh~ Guess I’ll have to dye it until it grows back?”
His once jet-black hair had turned stark white, and his skin had roughened as if he’d aged several years.
With some rest and proper nutrition, he’d recover soon enough, but he couldn’t help fussing over his sudden change in appearance.
Anyway, after downing a glass of water, he headed back to bed for more rest when he noticed it sounded noisy outside.
“Oh yeah, this place… monsters come out here, right? The constellation’s 66,000 demons’ specters aside, there’d be wild monsters too… Maybe I should tell the kids to move? Ah, there they are.”
Recalling what the dungeon entrance had been like, Yoo Seongwon figured it was just monster noises and relaxed—until he spotted the knights through the window.
He’d witnessed their deaths inside as ‘pieces’ on a board, but the grief was no less real.
“Even in defeat… it’s a relief we could come back. I really thought we were done for in there. Anyway, I’ll tell the kids to relocate… What the hell?”
Whiiiir! Thud thud! Rumble rumble rumble!
The moment he opened the trailer door, an overwhelming roar of noise and gusts of wind blasted inside.
Bracing against the wind, Yoo Seongwon scanned his surroundings to grasp the situation.
Dozens of combat helicopters hovered in the sky, while far off by the barrier, the military and hunters had formed up as if in a state of emergency.
The knights stood ready around the trailer, weapons drawn to guard him.
“Ah, Your Majesty! You’re awake?”
“…What the hell is going on? Did I clear the core dungeon so fast and snag something good inside that they’re gunning for it? Well, hot damn~”
“No, Your Majesty! The other side! Look to the opposite side!”
Jang Yunseok, greeting him, pointed to the far side of the trailer. Yoo Seongwon scratched his head and casually glanced over.
There, the plains were filled with the spectral army of the constellation 66,000 demons, their great general monsters lined up at the front astride massive spectral steeds.
“Ugh… yeah, this is definitely an emergency. Damn it!”
Clack! Thud!
Grasping the situation, Yoo Seongwon immediately armed himself and prepared to face the great generals.
He could guess why this had happened: with the constellation 66,000 demons withdrawing from this world, the spectral forces deployed here had been left high and dry.
“The specters just return to their ‘stars’ when they die, but you hired guns? Yeah, you’d be left hanging. Couldn’t fight properly inside ‘cause I was shitting bricks for other reasons, but anyway, been a while since I could stretch my legs… Hm?”
[I, the Heavenly Army Great General, through the decisive battle with the ‘Constellation 66,000 Demons’… have claimed victory in the ‘core dungeon’…]
“Stop, stop! Hey, I didn’t win, okay?”
He’d technically exited the dungeon in defeat, so Yoo Seongwon hurriedly corrected it.
Sure, he’d survived and achieved his goal, but he wasn’t shameless enough to call a loss a win—he wanted to be precise.
“Victory in war isn’t always about toppling the enemy. Driving that one from this land alone seals your victory. And we were merely carrying out the constellation 66,000 demons’ expedition… until you made him vanish from here.]
“Then just head back quietly. Go back the way you came—zoom~ off you go.”
[That’s… impossible, thanks to you making the constellation 66,000 demons leave this place.]
“Wait, hold up… He didn’t take you with him? Didn’t say anything?”
[He said you’d handle the cleanup. Said it’d be fun, even.]
‘…He dumped this on me on purpose! That constellation!’
Even without showing it, the constellation had blocked him from ‘Earth’ via a star wish, so he wasn’t thrilled—and now this parting gift, forcing him to deal with the specters and generals meant for conquering Earth.
Having learned from the core dungeon just how unhinged these constellations were, he nodded in understanding and asked,
“Okay… one question: what if I don’t take you in?”
[Hm, then we’d wage endless war until total annihilation. With all our wisdom, courage, and valor.]
“…….”
At the same time, gleams of light flickered from the helmets of the other great generals behind the Heavenly Army Great General.
It was practically a show of force: take us, or else.
If he refused, they’d fight to the death across Korea, Japan, America—no end in sight. The casualties would be too great to ignore.
“No choice, then. But give me a little time. Just came out of the core dungeon… lots to sort out, lots to do. I’ll send for you later, so for now… stay put in Japan. Got it?”
[Understood. Then from now on, we’ll serve you as our supreme commander. As for your title… how about Shogun?]
“Never call me that.”
[…Not to your liking, I see. Then how about Taiko? It’s the title of the highest authority from our homeland.]
Talk about one mountain after another—this Heavenly Army Great General kept spitting out titles no Korean could stomach.
Having fought in Japan for so long, it had picked up the local culture unavoidably, but Yoo Seongwon couldn’t accept it. Time to set his title straight.
“There are plenty of good ones—why only the infuriating ones? Commander, Marshal, Doctor(?), Knight Lord(?), Admiral(?)—tons of options!”
[…Then we’ll call you Commander. Excellent, Commander. We’ll withdraw for now. We await the day you wield our blades soon.]
In the end, after listing fitting examples, the Heavenly Army Great General picked one itself and left after urging him to summon them quickly.
Seeing the spectral army retreat, Yoo Seongwon released his armor and collapsed like a puppet with cut strings, tension draining away.
He wasn’t fully recovered yet, and he’d pushed himself to arm up and stay on edge.
***
News of Yoo Seongwon’s return spread across Korea—and the world—the instant he entered Iron Fortress.
They didn’t know the details, but he’d emerged alive from the core dungeon, no new entrances had appeared, and the constellation 66,000 demons’ entire army and specters had halted or gathered in one spot. The Korean government assumed he’d cleared it.
“Took a while… but you pulled it off. Though you look like hell.”
From his shock-white hair to his pale complexion, anyone could see the toll it had taken.
SS-rank Yoo Seongwon, who hadn’t known defeat since ascending, had suffered like this only once before—against Hades’ apostle.
“Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a full success… but let’s call it a conditional victory. I achieved the goal. But man… it was horrific.”
“If even you call it horrific, it must’ve been something.”
Yoo Seongwon nodded silently in response.
As he lay there, Baek Ga-yeon slowly filled him in on recent events and future plans.
“First off, while you were gone these past half-year-plus, Iron Fortress and the frontline city held the line as best we could. Managed somehow. But without you and the Heavenly Sword Army soldiers, cracks started showing everywhere.”
“That so?”
“Yep. The kids you rescued from the facilities are loyal—no issues there. Problem’s the Japanese from Shikoku. Without you, their reliable anchor abroad, unrest brewed. Plus, our entry system wasn’t as airtight as the Heavenly Sword Army’s, so outsiders sneaked into the frontline city.”
“I see. Then I’ll give orders to crack down right away.”
“Well, Sir Yucheong sticking around kept it from blowing up. Anyway, with you back, it’ll all sort out. Good learning experience.”
It drove home how massive Yoo Seongwon’s presence was here.
After chatting with the elder, So-mi and her daughter settled at his sides.
Having worried about him for so long, both gazed at him with misty eyes.
“You look like you suffered so much. Hair gone completely white…….”
“Wanted to play it cool, but nah. Sigh~”
“I’ll look into dye right away.”
His white hair aside, Shin So-mi stroked his locks with pity at his haggard state. Shin Ayoung, meanwhile, beamed like she’d escaped hell itself and clung to him, shouting,
“You’re alive—that’s what matters! Anyway, this means I’m finally free! No more paperwork hell or dodging people’s stares, right?”
“Nah, I wanna rest up a bit… cover for me just a while longer. Knights are all back this time—should be fine.”
“Uwaaah! No way. That position’s such a burden.”
“…Even a hack like me managed. What’s your excuse?”
“The knights go easy on you, Uncle! They’re merciless to me.”
“Probably different expectations. Anyway, just for a bit.”
At his earnest plea, Shin Ayoung reluctantly agreed to keep proxying for him.
With all knights and Heavenly Sword Army soldiers back, it’d work—and it also countered external reactions and Olympus Guild.
“If word gets out I cleared the core dungeon and strolled back fine? They won’t sit still. Time to stir up internal threats and nip ‘em in the bud. Hey, how much of my condition leaked outside?”
“Well… we know you came out, faced the monster horde, they retreated, then you collapsed and got brought here. That’s it.”
“Collapse getting out isn’t bad. Oh, did my chat with that Heavenly Army Great General guy get exposed?”
“Everyone was on standby at the frontlines, and aerial footage probably didn’t catch audio. Knights sealed the perimeter well.”
From Shin Ayoung’s report, Yoo Seongwon concluded no one knew the Heavenly Army Great General had surrendered yet.
With the full briefing done, he began pondering how to turn this to his advantage.
Clearing the core dungeon wasn’t the end of it.