Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: The Conformist's True Face
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"No, why'd you stop the attack? Bro! We had that meat practically in the bag!"
"It wasn't in the bag, that's why I stopped. The situation was in our favor, but the guy still had an ace up his sleeve, and he was unscathed. No point in defying the government and the Association just to keep fighting."
Unlike his excited underlings, Go Cheonsu was coolly assessing the situation.
"Damn, what a waste."
"I feel the same. My calculations got messed up. The item's performance, the guy's abilities—they were beyond expectations. If we'd just had more time, who knows..."
Go Cheonsu scowled at the helicopters and transport planes buzzing around in the sky.
If they'd stayed vigilant against his trump card, dodged it properly, and bought enough time, they might've even taken down an SS-rank Golden Demon Knight. What a shame.
"Ah, he's getting away, bro? Should we form a pursuit team?"
"Yeah. Contact that guy Legas right now..."
"No need for that. Don't go chasing half-assed and lose your guild's precious manpower. You already know who he is, don't you?"
Just as they were focused on next steps, an unfamiliar old woman appeared among them.
Despite her age, Baek Gayeon, radiating an imposing aura, naturally inserted herself into their conversation.
Go Cheonsu rose with a displeased expression, glaring at the sudden intruder.
"Did you call these guys, ma'am?"
"Of course. Who else could mobilize this fast? Heh heh."
"Not many people could get the bureaucracy-soaked government obsessed with self-preservation, the guilds, the Association tiptoeing around them, and the Defense Ministry all moving at once."
Call her a has-been or an old timer all you want—she was an official S-rank Hunter who'd devoted decades to protecting Korea. Baek Gayeon had connections everywhere, known or not, and she'd used them to halt this battle.
She got endless snide remarks about her idealism, but plenty still respected her, making persuasion easier.
'And with the Blue Dragon Guild at the top of the three great guilds now, no one wants to see them get even stronger.'
They didn't know the battle details, but from outside, it looked like the Blue Dragon Guild was overwhelming the Golden Demon Knight with firepower from their encirclement. Easy to argue against.
No one wanted Blue Dragon Guild's dictatorship.
Other issues aside, their pursuit of war and conflict—favored by the Constellation 'Struggle' Blue Dragon—meant the government and Association pooled forces, using every means to stop them.
"Anyway, details later up top. Pull back the guys below too. Oh, and call in that Olympus fellow again."
"Very well. But keep in mind, ma'am, you're not exactly in a position to relax. Not with your connection to that Yoo Seongwon guy."
"Heh heh, you worrying about me? Fine, since we're here, let's go together. Plenty to talk about."
The battle was over, but the issues to resolve had only multiplied. Greater chaos and change loomed ahead.
With the Golden Demon Knight's identity—the secret shrouded in fear for months—revealed, a new order needed establishing. Go Cheonsu decided to comply for now.
Thus, the site wrapped up quickly after the Golden Demon Knight's escape: damage assessments, cleanup.
The bigwigs gathered at Association HQ to discuss the Golden Demon Knight properly.
"Haa~ Feels like we're meeting more often lately, huh?"
"There's a reason for it."
"Enough chit-chat. Everyone's here—let's get started. We're dying to know the Golden Demon Knight's identity!"
"Minister, calm down... Ahem! Not as pissed as you, but we want to know too. What the hell is this guy?"
The Blue House reps and Defense Minister were especially furious. They'd pulled every arrogant stunt to make contact first, only to be late, fueling their burning curiosity.
'How should I drop this for maximum fun...'
His identity was out anyway—no need to deny. Baek Gayeon decided to explain straight, without distortions.
Of course, she'd gotten Yoo Seongwon's OK.
He was fleeing Korean territory to the Slaughter King's domain, hiding his current form.
'Right now, safest where Korea's admin or people can't reach.'
Rumors mixing truth and lies were already spreading to media, guilds, Association, government. Best to hole up where no one could casually intrude.
As she pondered, the explanation of how they'd tracked him was wrapping up.
"...If not for that Titan stake he had, nailing his identity would've been impossible. He was cautious, but Baekya Guild's cooperation was key."
"So the system's fault for giving guilds too much autonomy. That's why I've said since forever the Association needs regular Hunter inspections and data collection..."
"Not the time for that. Later. Next, detailed profile. The guy in the photo is the Golden Demon Knight, Yoo Seongwon. Age 32 this year, single. History: Grew up in a government orphanage, enlisted right at adulthood, discharged, then hired as Academia staff. That's it."
Shockingly short resume. Official education treated as high school from the facility, but he'd likely had even less real schooling.
An utterly unremarkable young man as the Golden Demon Knight? Unbelievable.
As everyone reeled, a Blue Dragon Guild member continued the briefing.
"Yeah, resume so blank we can't even guess awakening time—hard to analyze. On that, the connected Baek Gayeon here should fill in. Better than guesses."
"Hmm, didn't expect it so blank it'd defy speculation. Anyway, President Baek—no, ma'am, please."
"Heh heh, been a while since I got this much expectation."
Blue Dragon's mention of 'connection' drew all eyes to her, but media-savvy Baek Gayeon rose unfazed and began explaining Yoo Seongwon.
"Let's see... Where to start? Awakener type first? His level's 45, class is obvious—Knight line. All four stats SS-rank. Legendary-grade armor. Handles four knights and one dragon summon—five total. Pure melee focus, but as you saw, has wide-area anti-army skills."
"What insane specs..."
"Beyond mid-large Constellation apostle level, right?"
"What Constellation showers that favor on one human?"
"Carries guild-level firepower solo!"
Murmurs rose.
They'd suspected, but hearing it from Baek Gayeon hit different.
Guild reps, government, military—all upped their mental valuation of Yoo Seongwon twofold, threefold.
But the shocks weren't over.
"More shocking: He's not tied to any specific Constellation. Oaths don't bind him."
"...Crazy! SS-rank without a Constellation?! Impossible! Ma'am, you sure you know what you're saying?"
"What do I gain lying? Doubt if you want. Anyway, monster like that—question is, why's he crawling the gutters, stirring trouble, not joining a guild? Right?"
Everyone nodded.
That spec? No one leaves it at the bottom. Anywhere he went, top Hunter treatment guaranteed.
Just registering cleanly with Association meant life-changing money, power. And as ex-Academia staff, he'd have deeper Hunter intel.
"Maybe he knows too much? Looks glamorous—power, glory—but inside, brutal fights and politics rage."
"Then why level up and prep for fights? Avoiding conflict makes more sense for a dodger—no?"
"That's proof he's no ordinary guy. Awakens, could've chased success—doesn't, but diligently levels. Bottom line, one word: conformity. He adapted to the world."
Conformity. Getting used to environment, situation.
But his deeds? Hard to swallow.
Overlooking that, how does a conformist spark the Shin Gangnam incident? Nonsense.
"Shin Gangnam was just self-defense accident to him. Right, Guild Master Oh Kyung-hoon?"
"Don't drag me in. I'm this close to snapping. Daring to fool us like..."
"Who woke the sleeping lion first? Chairman Bae. Anyway, exception—he's no pro Hunter at heart. Just honing skills against exposure or threats."
"That bastard. Then why Shin Gangnam, not just Chairman Bae..."
"You fanned the flames fighting him, didn't you? Dismissed exposing Bae's twisted hobby as pointless, cut all ties after his death, proper legal action on that prison facility? Any?"
Predictably, post-Bae incident handled quietly—except Yoo Seongwon's direct victim compensation. Related parties escaped real punishment to avoid Shin Gangnam stain.
Government officials shamefully averted eyes, staring afar.
"Anyway, his implications huge. Ordinary human, no Constellation—suddenly world-shaking power."
"...So what?"
"Think: If he hadn't conformed, held hope—what then?"
Conformity meant abandoning hope, surrender.
No resisting pain, no raging at injustice—just accepting as natural.
Some call it maturity, but hope-less is no human—just machine part clinging to life.
"Guild fights, skirmishes would've been noisy, but he'd be new hope for the world. But now? Filled with worldly disappointment—no expectations, no wishes. Only self-preservation. Despite this miracle SS-rank Hunter."
Miracle SS-rank existence.
Yet humanity—a parched desert—gave up first.
Who made this world? The people here.
Few felt shame; most eyed her like bullshit.
"Yeah, if words fixed it, world'd be changed. That's all on him from me. Your turn to decide next."
Baek Gayeon sat. Go Cheonsu, Oh Kyung-hoon, others eyed each other, conflicted.
Knowing made headaches worse.
Ignorance, blind hostility—even that seemed better. No sharp countermeasures for the Golden Demon Knight issue.