Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: Bad Fate (2)
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Sometimes, even knowing it's a dream, there are times when you don't want to wake up.
“Father! Look at that cloud! It looks just like a wolf!”
For Karl Hopper, this was exactly one of those times.
Karl Hopper pointed at the sky while riding on his father's neck.
“You're right. It's a really handsome wolf.”
His father looked up at the sky in admiration. He gripped Karl's legs tightly, afraid he might fall.
“Father, you've lived a very long time, so you've seen lots of cool clouds, right?”
“Of course. I've even seen one that looked like a lion.”
“Wow!”
Watching the sky with his father at sunset was Karl's favorite time.
“Karl.”
Suddenly, his father's voice turned serious. Sensing the ominous atmosphere, Karl couldn't help but tense up.
“You're my son, so you'll live a very long time.”
Karl's father was a dragon.
The strongest creature on earth, appearing only in ancient history books and fairy tales.
At first, Karl didn't believe his father. Who in this world would readily believe their parent was a dragon?
But when his father transformed one arm into a dragon's limb, Karl had no choice but to believe.
“A long lifespan wears down emotions and steals away reason. You'll have to fight against forgetfulness from now on.”
Though young, Karl listened to his father's words with a serious face.
He knew well that the reason his father stayed with him was to impart such teachings.
“The best way to fight forgetfulness is to express your desires. So recognize your own desires and strive to fulfill them.”
Karl nodded. Then, with a playful expression, he asked.
“Got it, so can't you show me your true form just once? I want to see Father as a dragon!”
“You rascal, didn't I tell you? It's impossible because of the pact.”
“Can't you show me just for a second? Just a little bit.”
It was while Karl was shaking his body and begging his father.
Suddenly, a chill rose from his toes. His spine went ice-cold.
Danger.
It felt like someone was holding a knife to his throat.
The thought to prepare for the threat surged up. Karl tensed his muscles and scanned his surroundings warily.
“Son? What's wrong...”
His father's voice faded away in an instant. The sunset filling the sky, the field his father stood on—all of it vanished.
“Father! Father!”
Not wanting to wake from the dream yet, Karl kept calling his father.
But it was futile.
His body, sensing crisis, dragged his mind out of the illusion. Karl returned to reality in a flash.
When he opened his eyes, Karl couldn't help but be bewildered.
It wasn't his tent—an unfamiliar landscape filled his view.
“...I have no idea what's going on.”
Karl Hopper.
The Mercenary King sat up and muttered as he glanced around.
“I woke up because of a creepy feeling...”
In the ruined world stood Demian Haksen and two unfamiliar men and women.
“Demian Haksen, what the hell is going on?”
* * *
‘Why did he have to wake up right now?’
Demian couldn't help but panic at the sight of the Mercenary King.
He hadn't fully escaped the relic's influence, so something life-threatening was needed to wake him.
There weren't many in this world who could threaten the Mercenary King. Even Valentino, a Master-class, hadn't woken him with his killing intent.
So why had the Mercenary King woken up right now?
‘...It's because of me.’
Demian realized the cause immediately. He must have reacted to the killing intent Demian had unleashed.
‘Damn it.’
Demian cursed under his breath and let go of the bracelet.
With the Mercenary King awake, he couldn't release the black magic power. He had to hide the fact that he knew black magic.
“Can't you see?”
Irritated at his revenge being interrupted, Demian's words came out rough.
“That woman's the one scheming to take you away.”
Demian pointed at Slara. The Mercenary King's eyebrows shot up upon spotting her.
“Slara. I never thought I'd see your face again.”
“It's been a while since the Empire, right?”
Slara spoke in a friendly tone. The two clearly knew each other.
“Is what this guy says true?”
“Well... that was the plan. But things got a bit tangled.”
Slara was still smiling. But the corners of her mouth had stiffened slightly.
The Great Evil Slara.
Empress of Pandemonium.
Such titles meant nothing before the Mercenary King.
“To think you'd scheme against me. You've got some guts. Aren't you afraid of the consequences?”
“If you worried about that, magic wouldn't advance.”
“So you're saying you planned to use me as mere material for a magic experiment?”
The atmosphere turned icy cold at those words. Slara gave an awkward smile, gauging the Mercenary King's mood.
“For a Pandemonium whore to overstep like this. I'll make you pay right now.”
The Mercenary King stepped forward. Valentino moved to protect Slara.
“Don't be a nuisance and get lost, pup.”
“Pup~? That nickname's long past its expiration date~”
The Mercenary King sneered openly at Valentino's words.
“Still wet behind the ears and you don't know your place. Should I rip off an arm to knock some sense into you?”
“Oh, how scary~ Funny, I was thinking the same thing~ Perfect~”
Valentino spread his arms wide. The iron chains coiled around his forearms unraveled and dangled down.
“How about yielding a move to this junior~?”
“Do as you like. Can't even grant a dying man's last wish?”
Valentino snickered at the Mercenary King's words.
“Wow~ I'm so touched I'm tearing up~? Then I'll gratefully accept~”
In that instant, Valentino's body vanished.
No warning signs. No sound. As if he hadn't been there from the start.
Even Demian's senses couldn't track Valentino's movement. It was that stealthy and swift.
But the Mercenary King was different. He looked up at the sky.
Demian followed the Mercenary King's gaze. High in the sky floated Valentino.
Valentino extended his hand toward the Mercenary King.
At that moment, the iron chains split apart. Hundreds of chains rained down toward the Mercenary King's position. Like a downpour.
‘As expected of a madman.’
Demian marveled inwardly.
The chains falling from the sky weren't real iron chains. If they were, a single chain couldn't split like that.
They weren't chains—they were Aurablades Valentino had created.
He manifested Aurablades identical to real chains and unleashed them.
The result of immeasurable black magic power and supreme skill.
Even as hundreds of Aurablades fell, the Mercenary King didn't look hurried.
He even had the leisure to glance at Demian.
“I thought you'd be properly terrified... but you're fine.”
The Mercenary King added with a satisfied expression.
“Yes, a real man needs that kind of spirit.”
With that, the Mercenary King swung his hand toward the sky.
A light motion, like swatting a fly. Right after, a dazzling light burst from the heavens.
Thunder force dyed the sky. It obliterated every chain Valentino had made.
“......”
Demian was left dumbfounded by the terrifying sight.
The Mercenary King thought Demian had spirit and wasn't scared of Valentino's technique, but the truth was a bit different.
Demian trusted the Mercenary King.
Sure, he was a fool who almost got kidnapped after falling for a woman, but his skill was beyond doubt.
The thunder force that had colored the sky faded. Soon, something fell from the heavens.
It was Valentino, charred pitch-black.
Valentino had turned almost to charcoal. It was hard to tell if he was alive or dead.
Then, Slara appeared beside Valentino.
“As expected, you're still too much for him.”
Slara looked at Valentino with a pitying face.
“But luckily he's not dead. Don't worry, Valentino. I'll make you an even stronger body.”
Slara reached out toward Valentino. Her hand turned into a giant maw and swallowed him whole.
Slara had the ability to create a subspace in her body to store items.
Since Valentino wasn't dead, she planned to take him and heal him.
“Karl, it seems it's not time for us to fight yet. Let's meet again when there's a chance.”
“Who said you could escape?”
The Mercenary King spoke in a thorny voice. Slara, beside him, laughed and replied.
“Karl, you're strong, sure... but if I really try to run, it'll be hard to catch me?”
“Spouting nonsense. I'll snap your legs right now.”
The Mercenary King's body seemed to vanish, reappearing right in front of Slara's nose.
He reached out to grab her. In that instant, Slara's body swelled enormously.
Slara's body burst like a balloon. Thousands of flesh fragments sprayed everywhere.
The Mercenary King swiftly unleashed thunder force. It spread in all directions, incinerating the fragments. But he missed some.
“You think I'll let you get away?!”
The Mercenary King fired thunder force repeatedly. It shot out dozens of times, burning the fragments.
-*Whew, that was close. Almost died for real.*
Suddenly, Slara's voice echoed from empty air.
-*Karl, see you next time. It'll be very different from today.*
Slara's disciple Rubia had regenerated her body by gathering fragments even after it shattered.
Slara had clearly done the same with the pieces the Mercenary King missed.
-*And you're Demian Haksen, right?*
Slara didn't forget to address Demian.
-*It's been a while since a man made my heart race like you. I'll arrange a meeting later, so we can have a nice, long talk then.*
A smile spread across Demian's face at those words.
He'd been frustrated at failing to kill her. For her to come to him first—nothing could make him happier.
‘Next time we meet, I'll kill her for real.’
Unlike the Mercenary King, Demian's mind was filled with knowledge of the Frenzy School's black magic.
He was confident he could kill Slara without fail.
“Damn, she got away.”
The Mercenary King muttered as if humiliated.
“Anyway, what rotten luck. To draw Slara's interest, of all things.”
The Mercenary King spoke with a pitiful expression.
“Either way, thanks. If not for you, I might've been caught by that creepy bitch.”
The prideful Mercenary King straightforwardly thanked Demian.
“But why are you alone? Where's Athena? Where'd the others go?”
It was only natural for the Mercenary King to be puzzled.
The Fafnir Mercenary Group was nowhere in sight, and Demian was alone.
“This isn't the time. You need to head back now.”
“Did something happen? Strange. My kids don't fall into crisis easily.”
Demian spoke to the tilting Mercenary King.
“The Mercenary Group is on the verge of splitting, and Athena's locked in prison.”
At those words, the Mercenary King's eyes widened as if they might pop out.