Chapter 386
Chapter 386
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 386
Chapter Title: Racial War (25)
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It was like the first breath upon awakening from the deepest slumber.
Fragments of cold yet crystalline sensations poured down onto Lee Hyuk-soo's hazy consciousness.
The crushing fatigue and soul-weariness that had pinned him down until moments ago now felt like they were lightly floating away—an illusion, perhaps.
No, it wasn't just an illusion.
A gentle warmth flowed into him from within his body, or perhaps from some distant place beyond, enveloping his entire being softly.
'What is this?'
His fluttering eyelids lifted with effort.
Filling his vision was the silhouette of a forest shrouded in darkness.
'A dragon?'
...No, it was something far more profound—an embodiment of utter despair, a colossal dragon of pitch black.
The Arcana of Despair circled at his side, growling low.
Its waves suppressed all hostile presences around them, yet to Lee Hyuk-soo, they brought a strange sense of stability instead.
And then, Lee Hyuk-soo felt it.
The connection to Park Chan-woo at the deepest core of his soul had become incomparably clearer and more solid than before.
As if severed nerves had reconnected, or blocked blood vessels had cleared smoothly, faint flows of will and sensation were now shared through that link.
Park Chan-woo.
Just the name alone warmed a corner of his chest.
'Ah.'
Lee Hyuk-soo clenched his fist without realizing it.
His body wasn't fully recovered yet, but his mind was astonishingly clear.
As if someone had tidied his thoughts and pointed out the path ahead with a faint, distant light.
"Hoo..."
A thin breath escaped through his lips.
The safe window of time had already ended.
The killing intent and movements of predators from all directions were far more overt and menacing than before.
A wolf's hungry howl echoed from not far away.
The snap of breaking branches and the low breathing of some unidentified beast prickled his ears chillingly.
'Archipelago of Chaos. Third round.'
Fighting spirit reignited in his eyes.
'I have to go. Survive and grow stronger.'
And secure the racial relic.
Lee Hyuk-soo instinctively knew it was the final piece for Park Chan-woo's complete manifestation—and humanity's only path to survival in this desperate racial war.
As if reading his mind, the Arcana drew closer.
Lee Hyuk-soo slowly reached out and touched its scales.
'The black dragon that follows the Prophet. Warm like a living creature.'
Its jet-black scales should have felt like eternal ice, but the touch against his palm carried an unexpectedly lukewarm warmth.
Like grasping volcanic rock hiding an unquenchable ember deep within.
Drawn by that warmth, Lee Hyuk-soo closed his eyes for a moment.
Beyond the Arcana's immense presence, Park Chan-woo's even deeper, more distant consciousness washed over him like a wave.
'He is with me.'
I see. I understand.
The fact that he—Park Chan-woo—was seeing the world through him.
That he was crouching, waiting for the right moment.
To triumph over even greater dangers.
Slowly shaping and refining himself toward completion.
And if Park Chan-woo was sensing this world through him, then he too could perceive things he normally wouldn't through Park Chan-woo's will.
Suddenly, something hot surged up from the depths of his chest.
The faint outline of the path ahead sharpened into clarity.
'It's his magic.'
Magic manifested through countless wishes.
These wishes were all possibilities extending from Park Chan-woo himself.
"M-Master... Are you alright?"
Han Min-oh finally approached and asked.
Terror filled his eyes as he glanced at the Arcana, but checking on his master came first.
Lee Hyuk-soo checked his condition.
His body, pushed to the brink, was rapidly recovering within the light of wishes, and pure power of will surged in place of his depleted mana.
He realized this was the power Park Chan-woo had sent—no, the sensation of resonating with a part of Park Chan-woo himself.
He glanced at the massive Arcana of Despair, where Han Min-oh's gaze lingered.
Sensing Lee Hyuk-soo's will, the Arcana stopped growling and silently guarded his side.
Rather than an object of fear, it seemed like a steadfast protector.
"I'm fine. Better than ever."
Lee Hyuk-soo smiled faintly.
Partly to reassure Han Min-oh, but mostly a natural expression of the fulfillment rising from within.
"That dragon... Is it under your command, Master?"
Han Min-oh asked, still eyeing the Arcana with a mix of awe and fear.
Lee Hyuk-soo fell silent for a moment.
"Command" wasn't quite right.
The Arcana responded to Park Chan-woo's will, and right now, he was like its proxy.
"It came to aid us in his stead. That's all you need to know for now."
He slowly rose to his feet.
With each movement, countless motes of light trailed softly after him.
Then, he checked on his comrades watching from afar.
"The Arcana isn't an enemy. You can come closer."
"Th-That dragon isn't an enemy?"
Reaper Johnson made a fuss.
He simply couldn't believe it.
"You mean... your master sent that dragon?"
Adrianna, barely holding herself up beside him, alternated pale-faced stares between the colossal black dragon and Lee Hyuk-soo.
Her hand instinctively gripped the dagger at her waist, but she knew full well how futile it would be against that overwhelming presence.
"Something like that, Adrianna."
Lee Hyuk-soo replied in a soft yet firm tone.
"The Arcana follows 'his' will, and right now, it's our strongest ally."
Adrianna still looked skeptical, but she no longer showed outright fear.
Lee Hyuk-soo's confident demeanor as leader had somewhat calmed her.
Aurum and Yujin Seo already knew of the Arcana's existence.
It had been a guardian figure protecting Valhalla alongside Adora.
As everyone breathed sighs of relief...
One person.
"...You."
Han Shin's reaction was different.
His face twisted for the first time.
"What are you? Lee Hyuk-soo, Park Chan-woo..."
His expression screamed he could tolerate it no longer.
All his plans had gone up in smoke.
He hadn't obtained the Dragon Emperor's Ring either.
As if declaring he wasn't its master, it had gone straight to Lee Hyuk-soo.
"Why do you keep getting in my way?"
He couldn't believe it.
That he had been pushed behind Lee Hyuk-soo.
And at the center of this ruin was 'Park Chan-woo'.
An enigmatic being exerting powerful influence on everyone despite his absence.
The wishes manifesting through Lee Hyuk-soo's body, the mighty magic sweeping away the Windwhisper Tribe and ultimately awakening the sealed dragon.
Han Shin was certain.
It wasn't all Lee Hyuk-soo.
Someone aiding him.
...Park Chan-woo had wrought all these miracles.
"Are you saying he's really become a god, Park Chan-woo?"
He couldn't comprehend it.
Because humans couldn't become gods.
A realm mortals could never reach.
Even demons called demon gods weren't true gods, strictly speaking.
Right.
'A mere human can't possibly claim to be a god.'
Han Shin steadied himself with that thought.
No matter how bizarre and powerful Park Chan-woo's existence was, it had to be some trick or borrowed power, temporary at best.
It couldn't be packaged as 'god'.
But behind his rational denial slithered cold, sticky emotions like coiled serpents.
Envy.
Blatant envy.
Why Lee Hyuk-soo, of all people?
Why had that utterly ordinary man, whom he considered inferior in every way, been chosen by such an immense being and even claimed the Dragon Emperor's Ring?
He was the one with grander ambitions and meticulous plans.
He had gained forbidden wisdom through his pact with the demon god and prepared to shake the Abyss's order!
'Park Chan-woo... What makes you bypass me and choose that fool?'
Deep within, a childish rage boiled over the fact that he hadn't been chosen.
If Park Chan-woo was truly something akin to a 'god', why hadn't he recognized a true 'powerhouse' like him?
This absurdity gnawed at his pride.
...His pride was wounded.
A feeling he'd never experienced before.
He had everything he wanted, achieved it all.
He lived a life where he chose others, not the other way around.
Yet now, he was being utterly ignored, watching someone else get chosen—and he couldn't accept it.
Fierce resistance surged like lava within Han Shin.
It went beyond mere anger, a desperate thrashing from having his very way of existence denied.
Kwarung!
Black mana erupted around Han Shin.
A tremendous explosion rocked the surrounding air.
But...
It didn't reach Lee Hyuk-soo.
Not even past the Arcana.
His shoulders trembled.
Rage, despair, and an unfathomable emptiness.
It felt like the shattering of all his pride and ambitions.
'If I unleash my full power...'
That was when.
"That's enough."
Lee Hyuk-soo's firm voice rang out.
It carried an absolute will that would tolerate no further hostility.
At the same time, the myriad lights of wishes enveloping his body faded softly, and the Arcana, which had threateningly risen, slowly lowered its stance at Lee Hyuk-soo's restraint.
"..."
Gulp!
As the storm of clashing auras abruptly ceased, a heavy silence blanketed the area.
The others merely alternated tense gazes between Lee Hyuk-soo and Han Shin.
Lee Hyuk-soo slowly approached Han Shin.
No killing intent laced his steps.
Instead, his eyes held complex, subtle shades of pity and understanding.
"Han Shin."
Lee Hyuk-soo called.
Han Shin glared without responding.
"In the final moment, you attacked Queen Silpia. You planned to betray us from the start. You thought it was the only way for humanity to win."
"..."
"It was a move that required deceiving everyone. You played your role perfectly, and thanks to that, his magic wasn't disrupted."
Han Shin felt a scoff rising.
But for some reason, something stuck in his throat, silencing him.
Lee Hyuk-soo's earnest gaze, filled with that strange understanding and pity.
It was a kind he'd never received from anyone before.
Of course, it wasn't wrong.
What he had done did align with humanity's victory.
Announcing the plan beforehand would have failed to fool the Windwhisper Tribe.
"What... nonsense is this?"
Finally, Han Shin's voice cracked out.
"Are you in your right mind?"
As expected, Reaper Johnson couldn't hold back and bellowed.
His face flushed red with rage and betrayal.
"That bastard tried to sell us all out! And what? For humanity's victory? For the magic? He attacked Silpia just to save his own skin and got lucky!"
The other team members reacted similarly.
They didn't hide their hostility toward Han Shin and were baffled by Lee Hyuk-soo's sudden shift.
Lee Hyuk-soo remained calm amid their heated responses.
His gaze stayed fixed on Han Shin.
"Without you, Queen Silpia would have been fine. While I was out, we likely would have been wiped out."
Lee Hyuk-soo's words rippled quietly through the team.
Reaper Johnson still grumbled in frustration, but Adrianna and a few others wore complicated expressions, unable to ignore the cold reality in his words.
"..."
Han Shin kept his lips sealed.
Lee Hyuk-soo's words touched the deepest part of him—the tangle of calculations and pride he hid from all.
Attacking Silpia had been deliberate.
And at the end of that plan lay his ambition to claim the Dragon Emperor's Ring and become a new variable shaking the board.
Humanity's victory?
A byproduct, or a stepping stone for his grander scheme.
Yet Lee Hyuk-soo was framing it all as 'sacrifice for humanity' or 'a decision to save everyone'.
As if he were the protagonist of an unintended heroic act.
"...So, what do you want?"
Han Shin's voice was dry and cynical at last.
He tried to read Lee Hyuk-soo's intentions.
Pity? Or a ploy to use him again?
"Trying to make me a hero now, Lee Hyuk-soo? Or did your 'great one' order some mercy?"
His eyes still brimmed with contempt and distrust.
He saw no reason to be 'forgiven' by Lee Hyuk-soo or Park Chan-woo.
All his actions stemmed purely from his own will and calculations.
"You're all wrong."
Lee Hyuk-soo stated firmly.
"This is a deal, Han Shin. You acted for your goals, and we survived because of it. I judge your power and knowledge necessary for our continued survival."
He stepped closer, meeting Han Shin's eyes directly.
No emotions colored his gaze.
Only cold, hard judgment.
"I don't fully trust you. But right now, survival trumps personal feelings. Tell me, Han Shin. Are you willing to join hands with us once more here and navigate this Archipelago of Chaos?"
Lee Hyuk-soo extended his hand.
Han Shin stared silently at the proffered hand.
The man he had just attacked with everything he had.
The man backed by the enigmatic Park Chan-woo, who blocked it effortlessly.
Now offering a 'deal' with an outstretched hand.
Humiliation dried his lips.
A life where Han Shin chose himself. That was his creed.
Yet now, he was clearly in the position of being chosen.
By Lee Hyuk-soo, whom he despised—perhaps even envied.
"...I don't trust you either. Perfect."
Han Shin added that before gripping and releasing Lee Hyuk-soo's hand once.
Lee Hyuk-soo. Wearing the mask of a hero, but Han Shin didn't see him as a 'true hero'.
He knew better than anyone that the man would use any means for his goals, just like him.
Han Shin was convinced Lee Hyuk-soo had kidnapped and imprisoned Yang Cheon-wi to include Park Chan-woo in the delegation.
And he had many more hidden secrets.
Regardless, Lee Hyuk-soo calmly accepted his words.
"That's enough."
"Waaah!"
"Lee Hyuk-soo! Lee Hyuk-soo!"
"He's the true Messiah!"
The crowds cheered.
The enigmatic colossal dragon appearing amid absolute crisis, overwhelming the traitor Han Shin with sheer power, then forgiving him and granting another chance—the image of Lee Hyuk-soo.
The entire sequence played out like a touching drama in their eyes.
Crowds worldwide reacted similarly.
They who had trembled at Han Shin's betrayal now went wild over Lee Hyuk-soo's 'merciful judgment' and the humanity team's apparent reuniting to overcome the crisis.
Online communities and SNS flooded with posts hailing Lee Hyuk-soo as a 'saint' or 'true hero'.
Han Shin's complex emotions or Lee Hyuk-soo's cold calculations were easily forgotten or romanticized in their感動 narrative.
What mattered to them was humanity's indomitable will rising from despair and the hero leading it.
It didn't stop there.
Led by the Arcana, humanity advanced triumphantly.
No warriors of any race dared block them.
And more.
"Whoa! An alliance with the Twilight Tribe!"
"Adora pulled it off!"
"See? She didn't run!"
The vanished Adora returned with Twilight Tribe warriors.
Recognizing humanity's potential upon seeing the Arcana, the Twilight Tribe had agreed to cooperate in conquering the 'Archipelago of Chaos'.
Under Adora's lead, the two races formed a dramatic alliance.
The result.
In the deepest sanctum of the Dragon God Temple, where all light seemed devoured by swirling darkness and oppressive draconic aura...
A massive shadow in the form of a dragon sat upon a jade throne.
Far more potent than before, the avatar of Dragon God Sepiro, who had reached true supremacy.
Around him loomed elite dragonkin, barely daring to breathe, like shadows.
Then, one dragonkin warrior cautiously advanced and knelt before the shadow.
"...Reporting, Lord Sepiro. Round 3, 'Archipelago of Chaos,' has concluded... Humanity has advanced to the upper league in 1st place."
The reporter's voice trembled faintly.
Fear of disturbing the Dragon God's mood.
The throne's shadow stirred.
Dissatisfied, it slowly scraped the armrest.
Kiiik...
A chilling sound rent the air.
"...Deal with the 'Facilitator' immediately. Induce the humans to alight at a 'specific station.' Then pit them against 'Ataraxia.'"
"As you command!"