The Betrayed Red Becomes the Leader of Evil
"Heh, your body seems somewhat useful!" Morgan swings her whip at me. However, I can feel that she isn't as earnest as she was during the sparring match she held in front of Ractor. Still, seeing as she hasn't stopped the act, it seems she is under the surveillance of the Galactic Empire. Well then, I shall play along.
I matched Morgan's rhythm with my martial arts. Anticipating the whip wrapping around my arm and the distance closing, I launch a straight punch with a running start. Morgan deflects it. She leans her upper body forward, thrusting her high heel. My center of gravity drops. I counter with a double kick. As we have fought many times, we continue our offense and defense skillfully, like flowing water. I couldn't keep up this charade forever. During the fight, I cast my gaze downward to signal her. Morgan understood and gave a slight nod. It seems the surveillance range isn't infinite.
I leaped high into the air. I activated Red to its limit and shot downward toward Morgan. A punch filled with my true intent. Even though Morgan could have dodged it, she grazed it lightly and acted as if she had been struck. The impact shattered the ground and collapsed the road. KWA-A-ANG! Morgan and I pierced through the city's infrastructure and fell instantly to a place tens of meters deep underground. Once we reached the bottom and darkness enveloped us, Morgan slowly knelt on one knee before me.
"Have you been well, Red Dragon?"
"What are you plotting?"
"As I said, this girl is an ally to the Red Dragon."
"Do you think I'd believe you?"
Morgan's shoulders flinched. She knows I didn't take the injury-transfer stone last time. It wouldn't be strange if she realized I don't trust her. "...By any chance, do you still have the elixir I gave you?"
"That kind of thing? I smashed it the moment I received it."
"...I see." Morgan bit her lower lip. Was she thinking that if I still had it, it would be of help to me?
"You're a mutant; you'll have nowhere to go if the Galactic Empire falls. And you're going to cooperate with me?"
"My treatment doesn't matter. I am satisfied if the Red Dragon achieves his will."
"Why are you loyal to me?"
"As I said, I am repaying a debt."
"What debt do you owe me? Speak in detail."
"That... it's nothing special. It was just one of the many rescue operations that the Red Dragon might not even remember individually."
"You slip away like an eel. Then, does that mean the Dark Kingdom turned you, a human, into a mutant?"
"I said so because there was little time to explain, but it is a bit different."
"Different?"
"To be precise, I am a being where a human and a mutant have fused. That is why I also have memories of my human days. When Dark Arthur was alive, the mutant characteristics were strong and suppressed, so I was unaware of it."
It's a story that's hard to accept. But I don't know much about the Dark Kingdom either. The mutants were just there, and they were such beings to begin with. "Does that have anything to do with the ability extractor Bedivere had?"
"Ability extractor... you say? I've never heard of that..." Morgan looked confused. "I was born after the three executives of the Dark Kingdom fell, so I don't know much about what happened before."
"Useless."
"However, my resolve is real. Now that the Red Dragon has abandoned being a hero and chosen the path of a villain, if you say your goal is to take the world, I will even offer my heart to eliminate the Galactic Empire that stands in your way."
Morgan appealed with emotion. I was already convinced last time that she was telling the truth. I also judged her to be trustworthy. For now, I started with a conversation meant to probe her intentions. Is it atonement for slaughtering humans, or does she want to die as a human when her time comes? Her driving force must be something like that.
Even if I use the Dragon's Eye, I cannot know this girl's specs in detail. Originally, mutant data does not appear in the Dragon's Eye.
"Understood. I will try believing you, Morgan."
"...Thank you, Red Dragon."
Morgan felt relieved. I crossed my arms and looked down at her. "A significant number of the Galactic Empire's executives have already been removed. Today, my subordinates are also scheduled to remove Eridanus. In the Galactic Empire, power decides everything. Dorado is quite strong, but he is not a guy who gets involved in politics."
"Then?"
"Seize real power from within. Take the seat of Ractor's right-hand man. Go out and overwhelm me. I will retreat. Go back and tell Ractor. Tell him that Georgius is far stronger than Eridanus, but below you. Also, mention Georgius's potential for growth."
"I shall obey your command."
"Move. When the time comes, I will raid the Galactic Empire from this side and strike Dorado and Ractor at once. Until then, prepare to destroy the empire's internal systems."
"Everything is as you wish."
Morgan approached me with her head bowed. Morgan kisses the back of my hand lightly. I grabbed her chin, lifted it, and met her eyes. Enchanting eyes filled with sorrow that drive men mad. I commanded.
"Now, tear me apart."
KWA-A-ANG! Morgan flew into the sky with her nails embedded in my chest. She spread her wings magnificently and slammed me into the ground. "Ahahaha, ahahahahahaha!!" Morgan offered a sadistic laugh. Her acting as a madwoman is quite good. My entire body is tattered. I had ordered her to inflict injuries. I took a landing stance and faced her. News helicopters were attached.
『This is a disaster! It seems Georgius is being pushed back by Ursula!』
『Was the dispersion of power not good?』
『On Eridanus's side, Dark Matter is also in danger! The future of the Villain Alliance is drawing attention!』
Lua is in danger? I communicated with Deep Dive to check the situation. 『Leader, Leaaader! Lu, Lua is getting beaten up by Half-Moon Mirror...!』
Shin Yoo-kyung appeared over there? I have to change the plan. "Ahaha... ha?" I leaped at Morgan, who was still acting. I delivered a powerful kick to her abdomen. Morgan slammed into the ground with a sonic boom. I have to show at least this much showmanship. "I'll postpone the match, sadist. I have to go help my subordinate."
Saying that, I called my mecha and boarded it. I was shot toward the East Sea at full speed.
"Haa, haa. *Cough!*" Lee Ru-a vomited blood. Her left arm, the muscles were severed and wouldn't move. Her internal organs were being pierced and ruined by broken ribs. Her trembling legs barely supported her body. "Heu, heu. Heuaaaa!" Lee Ru-a squeezed out her last bit of strength and fired dark matter. However, Shin Yoo-kyung swallowed it with a few touches again. A mirror appeared before her eyes. Shin Yoo-kyung, who had appeared from there at some point, struck Lee Ru-a's face.
"To think I had such a hard time with a girl like this. Haha. I'm pathetic too."
The plant was on the verge of collapse due to the abilities Shin Yoo-kyung had been spamming. Shin Yoo-kyung approached to deliver the final blow to Lee Ru-a. "Die." A dagger held in her hand. She aimed for Lee Ru-a's neck. At that moment.
"Ugh?"
A hard, red dragon-man's hand twisted that wrist. Before she could even perceive it, a knee struck Shin Yoo-kyung's chin. Shin Yoo-kyung was pushed back. The dragon-man looked at Lee Ru-a with gentle eyes.
"Geo... I'm sorry... I, I should have become stronger... I'm just holding you back again..."
"Rest. Lena will come up soon and give you first aid."
"It's frustrating. If I were stronger, I could have won..."
Jung Eui-seok stroked Lee Ru-a's head. "It's okay. You have your own pace. Becoming stronger blindly isn't always good."
Jung Eui-seok turned his body. "Watch closely. I'll show you how a girl who only pursued power dies." Saying that, Jung Eui-seok stepped in front of Shin Yoo-kyung.
"Georgius...! You're very lucky. That the prey walked in on its own feet."
Shin Yoo-kyung tried to manipulate her pad while enjoying herself. At the same time, her right hand disappeared somewhere. Only a wrist remained in the air, dripping blood. "Uh...?" To the bewildered Shin Yoo-kyung, the red dragon-man holding a bow of pure white light said in a low voice.
"Yoo-kyung."
Shin Yoo-kyung couldn't understand. The one standing in front of her should definitely be Georgius. "I'm a bit pissed off."
"Hehe, is that so. The human race does not cooperate with each other even when facing a formidable enemy. Is it a curse placed upon those who possess clumsy intelligence?"
The Great Sage Dorado was floating in the air, looking at the undersea prison plant from afar. Eridanus seemed to be in a slight crisis, but the humans started fighting among themselves soon after. It wasn't just here; the situation was similar no matter where he attacked on this small planet. "Even though they were united and researching the Dark Kingdom's technology in case Ractor's side lost, it was a groundless fear. Hehe."
Dorado stroked his stiff beard. In the midst of that, he felt a presence and turned around. The sea with crashing waves. A thin, long strip of land was connected from the shore above it. Soil was approaching Dorado little by little. At the end of it, a single figure was walking slowly. "A human child. What is the matter?"
She lifted her head and looked at Dorado. Her eyes, where darkness had settled deeply, seemed to have lost all senses, but her obsession with life was shining more intensely than before. Choi Min-seo opened her mouth toward Dorado.