The Sub-Stream (2)
This morning.
“Want to do a job with me?”
Moon Junil had made the proposal to Isilen.
“Sure.”
Isilen had agreed without hesitation, but after listening to the full plan she tilted her head, puzzled.
“Hmm… suppress it?”
“Yes.”
The idea was to summon the World Boss in a safe location and have him subdue it himself; he simply needed her help to make it happen.
“Do you even know what’s going to come out?”
“No. How could I?”
They had no idea what kind of creature would appear, what type it would be, or how strong it might prove. The variables were completely unknown.
“It could be stronger than you.”
That was simply fact.
This was an existence that required countless awakeners working together to defeat. If a single person could handle it alone, that would be stranger still.
But Moon Junil’s plan had already accounted for that contingency.
“If you evacuate the civilians, the boss will be summoned in a weakened state.”
“Ah.”
By eliminating civilian casualties, they would simultaneously lower the boss’s level. Yet as with most plans, fixing one problem only created another.
“Then it would be easy for Kang Hae-il to kill it.”
If the boss was weakened, Kang Hae-il might be able to finish it off by himself. In other words, there was now a risk that the boss could simply die.
To that concern, Moon Junil offered a playful suggestion.
“In that case, if you just beat Kang Hae-il up a few times…”
Isilen raised her hand and formed a perfect circle with her thumb and index finger.
It was not an OK sign.
Thwack.
“Ow.”
A forehead flick.
“Violence is not allowed.”
It seemed she was unable to directly harm the characters involved.
“It was a joke.”
He had only asked to gauge exactly how far Isilen was willing to cooperate.
“Then what are you going to do about Kang Hae-il?”
“He won’t be able to step forward aggressively anyway.”
“Why?”
“Because… I’ve already taken care of it.”
“Taken care?”
Moon Junil grinned and lifted his hand. The expression was literal—he really had used his hand.
Tap tap tap tap tap…!
He had simply hammered away at a keyboard.
What if Kang Hae-il suddenly kills the World Boss today? lol
One post had been about “kicking the ladder,” reminding them once again that the World Boss’s death meant exactly that. Until now, no one had directly used the phrase “ladder kick.”
After that, he had leaked information about where the World Boss would spawn.
The World Boss summoning ritual is taking place in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu today. Evidence attached.
(Photo)
.
.
.
The intent behind leaking the information was obvious. He wanted them to come and interfere with catching the boss. It didn’t have to be physical interference. Simply showing their presence was enough.
There were people who did not want the boss to be defeated. All he had to do was show that to Kang Hae-il.
Perhaps thanks to that, right after the World Boss appeared, the awakeners from the “Kill the Ladder” community began posting one by one.
In the end, the revolutionary stirrings inside that community had manifested in reality.
“Get the hell out of here!!”
Their voices reached Moon Junil’s ears all the way up on the rooftop.
They’re here.
A grin.
Under the mask, Moon Junil’s lips curved into a smile.
They were all awakeners who had not yet reached level 30. Mostly C-rank or lower. In other words, they could be considered the socially disadvantaged.
“Ladder-kicking awakeners, get out of here!”
“Get out!”
“Get the hell out right now!!”
Isilen, who had remained silent throughout the incident, finally walked to the edge of the rooftop and looked down.
They really came.
The story Moon Junil had told her beforehand was unfolding exactly as predicted. And because of it, Kang Hae-il was visibly shaken.
Isilen was astonished.
Everything is going exactly as intended…
She became even more convinced that Moon Junil was the one chosen by the World Tree. Otherwise, he could never have taken center stage in such a critical event.
Moon Junil, fully aware that he stood at the heart of this phenomenon, spoke with overflowing confidence.
“Right. We don’t need the hostage anymore.”
With a relaxed motion, he released Kim Ri-el.
Thud—
“……?”
Kim Ri-el looked bewildered for a moment, then quickly ran behind Kang Hae-il.
“No hostage now. Go ahead and think it over, Kang Hae-il.”
“……What?”
Moon Junil deliberately exaggerated his gestures and raised his voice even louder.
“Do you really believe you have the right to destroy all of their livelihoods! I’m telling you to think about it!”
Mana Roar
He layered the Mana Roar skill on top so that even the protesters below could hear his voice clearly.
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
The protesters erupted in cheers.
The protesters, even more excited now, shouted at the top of their lungs.
“Irresponsible S-rank Kang Hae-il, get out of here!”
“Get out!!”
“Selfish Heavenly Dragon, get out of here!”
“Get out!!”
There was no sophisticated logic—just the simple, crude repetition of slogans. Yet it was effective. Like water droplets eventually splitting stone, even the strongest convictions could be shaken by such persistent attacks.
However, Kang Hae-il clenched his teeth tightly.
Crunch…
I’m different.
Blood trickled from his lip. He would not break from something like this. His mind cleared once more.
World Boss…
Kang Hae-il glared at Grozya.
I’ll kill it with a surprise attack. Even Sagosul showed an opening to a surprise attack.
He would pretend to waver and then strike. He was even having such uncharacteristically cunning thoughts.
A very dangerous situation.
Moon Junil noticed immediately.
Is that guy… trying to pull a surprise attack?
He had been carefully observing the flow of Kang Hae-il’s mana. He reached for his whip to respond in kind, but—
Huh?
Kang Hae-il’s mana suddenly subsided.
“Kang Hae-il! You’re abandoning the porter!?”
“You’re abandoning the porter!? You’re abandoning the porter!?”
It had started after this chant began.
“The guy who coldly abandons the porter who supported him! Kang Hae-il, get lost!”
“Get lost!!”
The porter.
Kang Hae-il’s only partner and the perpetual question mark. The one people always asked, Why are you traveling with a guy like that? He could have used this chance to cut him loose.
Why are you shaken by something like that, you idiot.
Instead, Kang Hae-il was the one wavering.
Was I… wrong?
The flames around him flickered.
The Constellations were frustrated, but their words could not reach him. Only the protesters’ voices rang out.
Moon Junil spoke again.
“Decide who lives and who dies. Choose, Kang Hae-il. You cannot avoid this issue.”
Eventually, everyone had to pick a side. Someone would die, someone would live. What choice would he make at that crossroads?
“You said I picked the wrong answer on the Fourth Line. Let’s see if you can pick the right one.”
Can you make a better choice than me?
Kang Hae-il, who had kept his head lowered for a long time, finally lifted it. His lips moved.
“Grozya…”
He called out to the Hell General.
“If you swear you will not kill even a single person, then I am not your enemy.”
He had taken a step back.
It was a considerable compromise coming from Kang Hae-il. In truth, however, it was an absurd condition to impose on a boss.
Yet the answer that came back was even more surprising.
“I shall do so.”
“What…?”
Even Kang Hae-il had not expected it to be accepted so easily.
“I will not kill people. Hunting monsters is more than enough for me.”
Grozya let out a hearty laugh.
Everyone was stunned by the sudden agreement. Both Yu Jihun and Lee Suyeon looked utterly bewildered.
“I promise. I will not kill humans. Instead, should monsters appear, I will handle them.”
Grozya extended his hand.
“Take this hand as proof. It is a contract. I am a being who cannot break contracts.”
Kang Hae-il stepped forward to grasp it.
At the same moment, Grozya’s mouth split into a wide grin.
“Humans really are so easy here!”
His hand instantly transformed into a mass of magi and shot toward Kang Hae-il.
At that exact moment—
“Beep. Wrong answer.”
Moon Junil swung his whip in a grand arc, striking Grozya squarely across the back.
Crack!
“!”
Grozya’s waist snapped backward violently, his eyes bulging as if they would burst. An overwhelming pain shot through his nerves.
Through that opening came a massive voice.
“Grozya, sit.”
The hand that had been aiming for Kang Hae-il instantly dropped downward, and Grozya collapsed onto the ground.
Boom!
“Kyiiiing?!”
Grozya let out a ridiculous whine and obeyed the command.
Belzerak, right hand of Sirvelis—one of the Demon King’s legion commanders. Her role was to command and subjugate the magi-bearing species for Sirvelis.
Therefore, her whip possessed this function.
Subjugation Scar
Belzerak’s whip exerts a stronger effect on those who wield magi. It is especially effective at subjugating demon species ten or more levels weaker than Belzerak herself.
Belzerak’s level was 60. Therefore, Moon Junil had been confident from the start that he could control any summon below level 50.
That was why he had worked so hard to minimize the number of sacrifices. A lower level meant certain victory.
“Summon it in a safe place and then suppress it.”
Moon Junil pointed at the now docile, kneeling Grozya.
“This is the correct answer, Kang Hae-il.”
Indeed. He had known the correct answer all along.
Then why had he dragged things out?
“That magnificent conviction of yours—I enjoyed watching it waver. How disappointing. And every single answer you chose was wrong.”
He was pointing out Kang Hae-il’s contradictions in order to drive away his Constellations.
“Wrong… answer…?”
“Did that really look like the right answer to you? What? Postpone the summoning!? Shake hands with a monster!?”
Sagosul tilted his head and taunted him, the very picture of a villain.
“Kang ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”
His laughter exploded like a victory roar.
Clack!
The finishing touch was, of course, his signature pose.
“Well… it was fun, Kang Hae-il.”
That was the end.
Moon Junil’s Constellations were in full festival mode.
On the other hand, the atmosphere on Kang Hae-il’s side was…
It was a funeral.
The conviction that had seemed unshakable forever had wavered. This even raised questions about whether he was truly qualified to be the protagonist.
The Constellations who had stayed because of his consistent conviction and inexhaustible energy were now beginning to leave as soon as they saw signs of wavering.
The one who had controlled the entire flow of Chapter 2 was not Kang Hae-il, but Moon Junil.
The Constellations and even Storyboard 3.0 accepted this truth.
Because he had earned the recognition of every single powerful being that constituted this world—
Sub-Stream is now generating
Launching Promotion Applied
New Algorithm Established
At last, Moon Junil had created a sub-stream.