Black Rose 1

In the deep valley of the Taebaek Mountains Yunmu Valley, the thick fog clinging to the sheer cliffs finally parted, revealing what had been cleverly concealed. A door engraved with the Black Moon emblem. Faint laser detection lines stood guard around it so densely, they seemed intent on surveilling even the dust itself.

I glanced sidelong at the woman leading the way. Black Rose. Her heels had scraped her heels raw on the rugged mountain path, blood seeping through. Her dress hem was caked in dirt, and her breath came ragged to her chin.

"You look a mess."

"...It's all to keep up with you."

She tried to maintain her sultry smile even as the wind cooled her sweat. I reached into thin air. Subspace inventory. I pulled out what my hand grasped and tossed it to her.

"Change into this."

What Black Rose caught was a pair of purple sweatpants and a pair of worn sneakers.

"And this too."

The additional garment I threw draped over her face. As she unfolded it, her brow furrowed deeply. A baggy boxy tee with a stretched neck. Right in the center of the chest, a massive, hyper-realistic printing of an enormous pepperoni pizza. Below it, in tacky font:

"Wh-what the hell is this?"

Black Rose's hands trembled. To her refined aesthetic, accustomed only to luxury, this abomination was utterly intolerable.

"Adel packed it as everyday wear, work clothes, and pajamas. She loves it because you can wipe pepperoni pizza grease on it without showing stains."

"You expect me to wear this? This pizza—no, this shirt?"

"You can't infiltrate looking like that. If you hate it, don't follow."

I snapped coldly, meaning for her to back off. From behind, I heard her deep sigh and the rustle of fabric. The dizzying curves revealed as her dress slipped away. Even from the back, her allure was undeniable. I finished appreciating what she offered in view.

"...All dressed."

The glamorous villainess Black Rose was gone. In her place stood a neighborhood bum clutching a giant pepperoni pizza to her chest. She sidled up to me—where I was stifling laughter—and hooked her arm in mine.

"Hmm, not bad. Your tastes are unique."

Her fingers trailed slyly down my forearm as she pressed closer.

"While we're at it..."

She leaned in more. Her ample breasts—and the massive printed pepperoni hams on the tee—pressed against my arm.

"How about fixing my outfit a bit? Especially this ham here..."

Thick rose perfume mingled with the visual assault of pepperoni. Any normal guy would be drooling. I yanked back as if the spot burned.

"......!"

Black Rose's eyes searched for the reason behind my overreaction.

"Don't stick to me. You smell like pizza."

"Huh? Oh, no, it's just a print?"

"Whatever. I'm going ahead."

I hurried to the entrance in disgust. From behind came her hollow laugh.

"Ha... You're really something else."

No man had ever resisted her seduction before. This was the first who'd over-defended against the temptation itself.

She had no idea about the penalty making me hypersensitive and repulsed by physical contact. Cute. Black Rose licked her lips, still in Adel's pepperoni tee. Ridiculous as she looked, her eyes burned hotter with conquest lust.

Even in this stupid pizza shirt, I'll seduce you.

The more impenetrable the fortress, the greater the thrill of breaching it.

"This is the Gate of Sighs."

Black Rose swiped her card, and the heavy door slid open effortlessly. We traversed a long corridor to the elevator. Sealed space. Perfect for her to resume her assault, undeterred by the earlier failure. Using the cramped quarters as excuse, she sidled behind me, tracing my spine with a finger.

"Lee Han."

"What."

"My heart's racing. Must be nerves. Wanna feel?"

She grabbed my hand, pulling it toward the pepperoni-topped side of her tee—precisely, her breast. I reflexively flung it off—practically slapped it away.

"Ow."

Her hand flushed red.

"This is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠enemy territory. Focus on the job."

I retreated to the elevator corner by the buttons. Damn. The pheromone side effect's stronger than I thought. Driving me nuts. Each approach triggered an instinctual revulsion, like a beast targeting my nape. And visually, that pepperoni kept shoving in my face—mind-melting. Unaware of my plight, Black Rose's gaze grew thicker, stickier.

Rejecting me this hard? Black Rose? Other guys go crazy from a brush.

Less wounded pride, more fired up.

I'll conquer you. Make that smug gaze beg for me alone.

She stood tall, chest out. The tee slogan gleamed defiantly.

A chill greeted us as the doors opened. Unlike the opulent lobby, heavy silence reigned here, light itself holding its breath. At the corridor's end loomed a massive ebony door.

"There."

I strode up and stood before it. No signs of life inside. Perfect stillness, not even breathing. Yet I knew. A monster plotting the board lurked within, holding its breath.

"Shall we?"

No polite knock. BAM!! One kick, and the multimillion-won ebony door shattered, flying inward. Through the dust cloud appeared a vast tatami room. In its center sat a single old man with a teacup.

The Prophecy Elder. Only Choi Ik-hyeon occupied the space.

"A guest arrives."

The white-haired elder, hair neatly combed back, set down his cup and spoke. Before him ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lay a go board, recently played. Black and white stones scattered chaotically. On closer look, it wasn't mere play. The layout matched our infiltration route exactly. A black stone sat precisely where I'd burst through the door.

"You arrived about three minutes early. The tea hasn't steeped fully yet."

Choi Ik-hyeon smiled kindly at me—at us. His gaze landed on Black Rose beside me.

"The flower come to change vases, I see."

His eyes lingered briefly on the pepperoni pizza emblazoned across her chest.

"...Though the vase is rather unique."

"......!"

Black Rose's face flushed crimson. The shame of being seen like this outweighed even the betrayal exposure.

"L-Lee Han."

She instinctively hid behind me.

"Come in, young hero who slew the dragon, Lee Han."

Choi Ik-hyeon beckoned like a grandfather welcoming a grandchild.

"I'd paved the way for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠your arrival."

I stepped over the wreckage. This old fox. His tone screamed he knew everything already.

"Hero? Call me the Dragon Slayer, elder."

I advanced boldly, intent on grabbing his collar and shaking out the info I wanted.

"But tell me, Lee Han."

Choi Ik-hyeon picked up a white stone from the board.

"Do you play go?"

"Not a hobby."

"In go, there's the sacrifice strategy. Sacrificing a pawn for the whole. Letting your own stones die for greater gain."

Clack. The white stone settled in the board's corner.

Whummm!!

The room's air grew leaden. Gravity I'd ignored crushed down.

"Urk?"

My knees buckled sharply. Tatami screamed and sank. Pressure like a mountain on my shoulders.

"What the—!"

I gritted my teeth, enduring. The board's grid projected onto the floor. Black shadows snaked up, coiling my ankles and wrists.

"Lee Han!"

Black Rose screamed, reaching for me, but she too was flattened, immobile. Her pepperoni tee pinned to the floor.

"No need to mourn. Ma Gwang-su, Jang Yuk—they were mere sacrifices to set the board."

Choi Ik-hyeon rose slowly, staff in hand, approaching my pinned form.

"When you obliterated Ma Gwang-su in Gangnam, I laughed. Grateful you'd disposed of that noisy incompetent without dirtying my hands."

His shadow loomed long over me.

"When you torched Jang Yuk's factory in Busan? I applauded. Knew that junkie would cause trouble someday—you incinerated him cleanly."

Choi Ik-hyeon's eyes gleamed with greed.

"I waited. For you to crush them, grow, mature—and come to my feet."

"...What?"

"Dragon Heart."

He prodded my heart with his staff tip.

"Raw, it's poison. But refined and fused through battles in a unique vessel like yours? It becomes an immortality elixir."

Chill ran down my spine. This old bastard hadn't just watched me dismantle Black Moon branches for power. He'd fertilized them as my EXP fodder, waiting for harvest.

"You danced on the board I designed. Lost in hero play, oblivious you were the prey crawling into the tiger's den."

Choi Ik-hyeon continued.

"Prophecy isn't seeing the future. It's making it as I desire. Your arrogance, that woman's betrayal—all scripted by me."

Grind. I gnashed my teeth. The shadow barrier tightened, bones creaking in agony.

"Now, harvest time. I'll rip out your heart—make it the foundation for my true godhood."

Dark crimson mana formed a blade in his hand.

"No! Don't touch him!"

Pinned Black Rose stretched desperately. Rose-thorn vines erupted from her hand, lancing at Choi Ik-hyeon. He didn't even glance.

"Silence, weed."

Splat! A flick of his hand crumbled the vines to dust; Black Rose slammed into the wall.

"Gah!"

"Rose!"

Choi Ik-hyeon smirked bitterly, seizing my collar.

"Worry about yourself. Stay still—pain's but a moment."

His mana blade plunged toward my chest.

Like hell.

This old cockroach's survival through humanity's endgame: mechanical calculus on others' sacrifices. But he'd overlooked one thing. My actions this time. The variable absent from his script entirely.

The reason I'd risked it all for the dragon's power. Not to be a pawn on his board—but to flip the damn table.

"Let go."

"What?"

From my heart, scorching heat erupted like an explosion.