Chapter 168: United Kingdom (12)
Chapter 168: United Kingdom (12)
The attack on London by the Demonic Humans, which had left a staggering number of casualties in its wake, finally came to an end.
London, a city with a population of over ten million, had been the target. Naturally, the loss of life was catastrophic.
Despite the frantic evacuation efforts, it was estimated that over a million people had been killed or injured; the damage was so extensive that an accurate count was nearly impossible to determine. Many bodies were mutilated beyond recognition, and countless others were simply missing, their traces lost in the carnage.
While it was a relief that the Demonic Humans' assault had been quelled, it didn't bring back the dead. Though the attack had lasted only a few hours, the devastation was horrific. The only solace was that an even greater tragedy had been averted, but the current toll was by no means small.
While other regions were also in a state of turmoil, none compared to the massacre in London. Messages of mourning and condolences poured in from across the globe.
Driven by a sense of crisis—the realization that such a catastrophe could happen to them as well—nations began to thoroughly root out the Demonic Humans who had fallen to the demons' temptations. Large clans, which had previously been reluctant to cooperate with Association and government investigations, now took a completely different stance. Having witnessed the tragedy in London, they felt the urgent need to weed out the Demonic Humans among them.
Thanks to this shift, Demonic Humans who had remained undetected were finally exposed. Large clans that had been corrupted by Mammon’s demons—those who had transformed into Ego Artifacts—were identified. In the process, violent clashes broke out, leading to further casualties. In some cases, the forces were so evenly matched that the authorities failed to suppress them immediately, only adding to the mounting chaos.
As the damage continued to climb and the world grew louder with outcry, the sense of global instability intensified.
In the midst of this, Han Shin and his party left their originally assigned quarters and were provided with a private residence in the UK. It was a gesture of gratitude, treating them as heroes for saving the entire country from the brink of total destruction. From the UK's perspective, having suffered such a disaster, they needed to secure an insurance policy. They judged it vital to maintain a good relationship and establish a strong connection with Han Shin’s group, leading them to make such proactive offers.
Han Shin and his companions, who needed to establish coordinates for space movement just in case, saw no reason to refuse and accepted the offer.
Having exerted a tremendous amount of power in the fierce battle, Han Shin decided to take a period of rest. While recuperating, he monitored the movements of the Demonic Humans. He received information from the Association through Kang Yujin, confirming that there were no significant movements for the time being.
For Mammon’s demons, invading London to erect the Black Spire and tear a larger hole in the Dimensional Barrier had been a decisive, all-out strike. However, they were ultimately thwarted by Han Shin’s group. With the world now fervently hunting down Demonic Humans, the demons were forced to shrink back, unable to make any major moves.
Han Shin and his party were also awarded knighthoods and gifts by the Queen of England. Of course, they accepted them without revealing their faces, wearing the same equipment they used in battle.
The UK was particularly focused on Han Shin.
A knight clad in silver full-body armor.
The region was already steeped in the legends of knights, and with the emergence of Awakeners possessing supernatural abilities, that lore had seen a resurgence in interest. Among British Awakeners, those who wielded swords acted like knights, effectively marking the rebirth of knighthood in the modern era.
Awakeners were incredibly vital national assets. To prevent them from leaving the country, it was necessary to provide them with not just money, but honor. The UK achieved this by treating high-ranking Awakeners as knights. Of course, not every Awakener received a title; they had to reach a certain level of power. They were then categorized into ranks based on their strength, achievements, and career.
Han Shin’s group was naturally evaluated as First-Class Knights. They were awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire and the equivalent Damehoods for the women.
The investiture ceremony was broadcast live worldwide. The sight of the knight in silver full-body armor—the hero who had supposedly come from another world to save Earth—receiving a knighthood from the Queen struck a profound chord with the public.
Thirty years had passed since monsters first poured out of portals and Awakeners appeared. Even though Awakeners were treated like knights, no one truly associated them with the knights of legend.
However, the "Knight's" appearance was the very embodiment of what people imagined a knight to be. Consequently, Han Shin enjoyed explosive support and popularity in the UK.
Even now, on the large TV Han Shin was watching, a special program about the Knight was airing, busy singing his praises.
‘Ugh... this is so embarrassing.’
Han Shin found this kind of praise awkward and didn't know what to do with himself. In truth, he had been cringing with embarrassment during the ceremony as well; it was only thanks to his helmet covering his face that no one noticed. He had wanted to refuse the honor, but he couldn't bring himself to do so because Grace was so genuinely happy to see him receive such prestigious treatment.
“To think there was a nation on Earth that still honors the status of a knight...!”
Grace had been working hard to absorb Earth's culture to ensure she could live comfortably alongside Han Shin. However, she hadn't looked into the UK at all until now. It was understandable, as she was still struggling to fully grasp the culture of Korea, where Han Shin lived.
Grace was pleased to receive her own title, but she was far more delighted by the one Han Shin received. The same went for Laysia and Kang Yujin. While they were slightly less enthusiastic than Grace, seeing Han Shin receive such glorious treatment made them incredibly happy.
Since all three of them were so overjoyed, Han Shin went through with the ceremony despite finding it bothersome and surreal. The reason he couldn't bring himself to look at the TV right now was because they were showing the footage of the investiture.
“Hey... can we watch something else?”
“Why? What’s wrong, Shin-a?”
“Han Shin-nim, I wish to watch more.”
“Me too!”
Kang Yujin, knowing exactly why Han Shin was acting that way, asked back with a mischievous grin. Since Yujin held the remote and the three women were eager to watch him being glorified, Han Shin had no choice but to sit there and endure it.
★ ★ ★
The demons were furious over this failure.
They had managed to construct a Black Spire once again, and this time, they had occupied a city and kept the spire operational for several hours. By holding the city and using the Arrow Curse Barrier to block most external attacks, they had ensured the spire's protection.
The demons who received reports on this had been swelling with anticipation, believing that this time, they would finally tear a hole in the Dimensional Barrier and create a path to Earth. The demons in Nippur had been so bloodthirsty with the expectation of the slaughter they would commit on Earth that their eyes had turned red. But the result was failure.
Crash!
“Aaaagh!! That 'Knight' bastard again!!”
In the meeting hall where the demons had gathered once more, more than a few expressed their rage by smashing the armrests of their stone thrones. Had they failed without any expectations, they wouldn't be this angry. But this time, the scenario had been flowing toward near-certain success, only for the Black Spire to be destroyed by the same man as before.
Mammon’s demons had gained a significant voice by pushing this plan forward, but the ultimate failure only fueled their ire. This was especially true considering the sacrifice of Mammon’s demons who had volunteered for the plan. While there was a sense of camaraderie, it was the resulting weakening of their faction that truly stung. They had pushed the plan forward believing that even with the risks, success would give them an overwhelming political advantage.
Herod, the leader among Mammon’s demons, spoke. A slim demon wearing a golden coat with an appearance remarkably similar to a human, he was clearly enraged, yet he suppressed it, his voice low and controlled.
“I have nothing to say... Some of our kin currently on Earth have survived, but they have notified us that contact will be difficult for the time being.”
On Earth, the hunt was on for the large clans corrupted by the Ego Artifacts that Mammon’s demons had become. Those who survived were currently hiding and keeping a low profile. Since they couldn't afford to do anything suspicious, they had sent word that communication would be cut off for a while.
“Is there no other way?”
The demons were furious, but they did not fall into despair or give up.
A female demon with pale skin, Sitri—a follower of Asmodeus—spoke in a calm tone.
“For now, we are monitoring the state of the Dimensional Barrier. It’s certain that the barrier took some damage, at least.”
The scale and magnitude of the Dimensional Barrier separating Nippur from Earth, created by the gods, was immense. Naturally, it would take a long time for the demons to survey the entire structure again to find a new weakness.
The demons responsible for this task were those who followed Asmodeus.