Chapter 508: The 6th Great Disaster (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 508: The 6th Great Disaster (9)
A moment ago, Roman Dmitry had sensed something strange about Park Min-woo.
'The Mage in White is no ordinary human. His soul is twisted, just like Alexander's in my previous life—a phenomenon that applies to me as well, appearing in those who have experienced dimensional travel. If that's the case, his irrational decision to join hands with Incheon can be explained by a single hypothesis. If he knew me in his past life, then his current circumstances wouldn't matter to him at all.'
It was merely a hypothesis.
He hadn't specifically identified the man as Alexander; rather, he judged him to be an unknown entity who had undergone dimensional travel.
Alexander was dead.
Even though Roman didn't completely rule out his survival, he couldn't welcome whoever this opponent was. An existence that remembered his past life. In a world where Inheritors existed, it was entirely possible. Based on a single, inexplicable feeling, Roman Dmitry had grown suspicious of the Mage in White.
He kept all possibilities open.
Having lived multiple lives, Roman Dmitry never let even a fleeting doubt slip by.
As a result, Park Min-woo had given himself away out of guilt. He revealed his true identity, placing his life directly in Roman's hands.
'To think it's Alexander. What a persistent twist of fate.'
Three lives.
Three encounters.
Roman Dmitry had punished him decisively in his previous life, but he held no particular ill will toward him now.
"Alexander. No, Kim Pan-seok. In your past life, you committed unforgivable sins. You drove countless people to their deaths, and among them were my people. That is why you had to die by my hand. With that, my relationship with you ended. By killing you, I severed our ill-fated connection. Your subsequent abandonment by the Demon King and your entrapment in the Curse of Reincarnation must have been the price for the evil you committed."
The boundaries of life.
He demarcated them with death.
The original owner of Roman Dmitry's body had also committed many wrongs—enough to earn the moniker of the Fool of Dmitry. But because that original owner had died, Roman had forged new relationships and lived a new life. Because he himself lived this way, he didn't harbor enough malice to immediately blow off the head of Park Min-woo, whom he was meeting again after death.
That was all.
However, that did not mean he accepted Alexander.
"Even so, there is no reason for me to view you favorably in this life. You killed my people. Why should I accept someone like you as my subject? Even if our ill fate was resolved, the mere fact that you brought up our past life is reason enough to take your head. Kim Pan-seok. Explain yourself now."
With a soft whisper of steel, Roman raised his sword.
A sharp energy pressed against Park Min-woo's neck.
"Give me a reason why I should spare your life. Why I should accept you."
*
At Roman Dmitry's words, Park Min-woo felt a wave of relief.
The mere fact that Roman hadn't killed him the moment he revealed his identity proved that his choice hadn't been wrong.
Prostrating himself flat on the ground, he spoke.
"When I lived as Kim Pan-seok, I was a subject of the Heavenly Demon, Lord Baek Joong-hyuk. I looked up to you, and I lived with genuine pride as your subject. I do not know how I ended up like this, either. I, who was nothing but an ignorant fool, grasped immense power as Alexander. In my desperate desire to live like the Heavenly Demon, I ended up touching forbidden territory. From then on, I could no longer control myself. Even though the reign of the Heavenly Demon was never like that, under the Demon King's control, I could not live as a human."
Veins bulged in his neck as he clung to their past connection.
"Three lives. In all of them, the Heavenly Demon held absolute meaning for me. The first life as a subject, the second life as an enemy, and now, this third life has been granted to me. When people first mentioned Lord Roman Dmitry's existence, I saw it as an opportunity to return to being your subject once more, just like in my first life."
If he had hidden his identity to the very end...
No, if he had simply never appeared before Roman Dmitry, Park Min-woo could have peacefully maintained his current life.
But he didn't want that.
In this life, at least, he wanted to follow the Heavenly Demon with his head held high.
"I will repent for our past ill fate in this life. You may simply use me as a tool. I have lived the past twenty years as the Mage in White. People try to measure the power I possess, but whatever they imagine, my strength goes far beyond it. Baek-il, South Korea's top guild, follows me, and I possess immense wealth hidden under borrowed names. I will offer all of this to you, Lord Roman Dmitry. Even without my help, you will soon rule over this world, but I wish to add even a fraction of strength to that process."
Emotions welled up inside him. He felt a sudden surge of resentment.
Kang Min-ho, Kim Jun-hyeok, Lee Tae-seong.
Did his connections in this life have to put in the same agonizing effort he did just to become Roman Dmitry's people?
No.
The moment Roman Dmitry began his new life, they were able to form a connection with him simply because they happened to be there. It felt incredibly unfair. Through a series of coincidences one might call fate, he had always missed his chance with Roman Dmitry. If he could have faced him properly just once, he would have dedicated his entire life to swearing loyalty before their relationship ever went so awry.
He defied fate.
He turned away from inevitability.
Even though life told him to stand on the opposite side of Roman Dmitry, Park Min-woo only wished to remain a subject of the Heavenly Demon.
Whether he lived as an ignorant fool who knew nothing,
or as an emperor who held the world in his grasp,
the Heavenly Demon was his sky.
He desperately hoped that the humane life granted to the Heavenly Demon's people would be given to him as well in this lifetime.
Park Min-woo cried out in a desperate voice.
"From now on, I will lay down my life for you. Whether I must jump into a pit of fire or fall into hell, if it is for Lord Roman Dmitry, I will not look back. So please, accept me as your subject. A single promise is enough. Beyond mere repentance, I want to reclaim my life from the days I lived as Kim Pan-seok."
Thud.
He slammed his forehead against the ground.
A metallic, bloody taste rose in his throat, but at this crossroads of fate, he didn't care if his neck snapped.
"Just once. Please give me a chance, just this once!"
*
Indeed, it was a bizarre twist of fate.
If it had been a simple ill-fated connection, Roman Dmitry wouldn't have pondered his relationship with Park Min-woo so deeply.
But...
'He is my karma.'
Kim Pan-seok.
He had not become Alexander by his own choice.
When Baek Joong-hyuk reached the Realm of Heaven, Kim Pan-seok had been swept away by the fluctuations of power simply because he was nearby, crossing the boundary of dimensions. He was an existence that originally would have lived and died as an ignorant fool. But upon gaining the undeserved power of Alexander, he had tried to follow the sky he dared not even dream of, only to end up as a demon.
Three lives.
Kim Pan-seok and Baek Joong-hyuk were inextricably connected.
Living through three completely different lives together meant that their bond was far from trivial.
'Perhaps the reason I am living this current life is also a process of resolving my karma, just like Kim Pan-seok. Because of me, Kim Pan-seok was forced to live as Alexander, and the people of my past life experienced terrible suffering due to the problems Alexander created. Kim Pan-seok—Park Min-woo—is a burden I must bear.'
He was not following some heavenly mandate.
He judged this for himself.
If Park Min-woo remained a subject, Roman would resolve his karma. If he reverted to being Alexander, Roman would blow his head off, even if it created new karma. He was an existence who was once a subject of the Heavenly Demon. That fact alone moved his heart.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"I seek to reclaim my past life while living this current one. You must prove your worth in that process, and your ultimate fate will be left to the people of my past. If the bereaved families of those you killed forgive you, you will be granted a new life. But if they do not, then even if you achieve great deeds in my future endeavors, there will be no place for you in the new world. Do you accept these terms?"
It was a harsh statement.
Even though Roman spoke of a bleak reality with absolute zero guarantees for the future, Park Min-woo looked up at him with a bright expression.
"Thank you! Thank you so much for giving me a chance!"
His throat tightened.
He shouted, completely overwhelmed with emotion.
The fact that he was given a chance.
The fact that it wasn't an unconditionally doomed fate, and that there was even a sliver of possibility to forge a new relationship with Roman Dmitry.
That was enough.
Park Min-woo shed genuine tears of joy.
*
Park Min-woo returned to his group.
Seeing the clear tear stains on his face, the guild members of Baek-il urgently asked,
"What on earth happened?"
"Please tell us the truth. Why does our Guild Leader, the renowned Mage in White, want to follow Roman Dmitry?"
Baek-il.
South Korea's top guild.
Using the excuse of being an Inheritor, he had taught them Alexander's knowledge, and as a result, the members of Baek-il possessed a magical force that could never be ignored. To remain a necessary existence for Roman Dmitry in the future, he had to bring the entirety of Baek-il along with him, rather than just relying on his individual strength.
Therefore, he had already mapped out a scenario in his head.
"Actually, I met Lord Roman Dmitry not long ago. At the time, I thought of myself as someone who enacted justice, but Lord Roman Dmitry, while dealing with the monsters threatening the people, asked me a question: 'Are you truly enacting justice? The Central Government excludes the people of the provinces under the pretext of South Korea's safety. Is it truly justice to turn a blind eye to the powerless majority and fight only for the powerful minority?' I gained enlightenment then. The Central Government no longer represents justice. I felt deep respect for Lord Roman Dmitry, who chose to protect Incheon even knowing the harsh future that lay ahead."
It was all a lie.
If they asked for the exact timing, it would be hard to answer, but Park Min-woo masterfully glossed over the key details.
"That is why I chose to come to Incheon. I could not turn a blind eye to Incheon's plight, so that I would not be ashamed of myself. When we first founded Baek-il, we all pursued 'justice,' but as time passed, Baek-il lost its initial resolve. Why do I follow Lord Roman Dmitry? It is to reclaim that mindset. I will no longer indulge in the comfort of Seoul. From now on, I intend to take risks and enact true justice anew in Incheon. If anyone disagrees with my thoughts, you may leave Baek-il right now."
He turned his head away, putting on a strained expression as if he had made a truly agonizing decision.
"Guild Leader..."
"You are truly..."
Tears welled up in the guild members' eyes.
All of them were people who pursued justice. Because they yearned for pure righteousness, Park Min-woo's grand speech struck a deep chord in their hearts.
"We will follow you, Guild Leader."
"If it is to enact justice, we will gladly lend our strength."
The atmosphere had completely reversed.
The very people who had questioned Park Min-woo's choice a moment ago were now competing to voice their loyalty. Everything was going exactly according to plan.
Park Min-woo swallowed a laugh.
Baek-il would continue to play a highly useful role for him in the future.
It was then that Jang Yun-tae caught his eye.
"Jang Yun-tae. Follow me. We have something to discuss."
Flinch.
Jang Yun-tae trembled.
He knew instinctively that something had gone terribly wrong.
As Jang Yun-tae was dragged away, the other guild members of Baek-il looked at him with envious eyes, mistakenly thinking he had won Park Min-woo's special trust.
*
Roman Dmitry gathered his people.
"Although we have resolved the immediate issues, the Red Time is not yet over. Looking at past cases, there have been many instances where nations suffered attacks devastating enough to completely destroy them in the final moments of the Red Time. I fully understand the joy of victory, but now is not the time to let our guard down, drunk on triumph."
Everyone nodded.
His words were correct.
Since nothing was certain during a Great Disaster, even if ten S-Rank monsters were to appear in Incheon simultaneously, it had to be accepted under the single word: "Disaster." Roman Dmitry pointed out that very fact. While his own power could resolve any problem, he did not want careless complacency to lead to meaningless sacrifices.
"The Shelters will be opened as scheduled once absolute safety is secured. Everyone, return to your positions. Take turns conserving your strength. Anyone who lets their guard down even slightly and neglects their watch will be executed on the spot."
"Understood."
"We will follow your command."
"Then, everyone, to your positions."
It was concise.
Putting the joy of victory aside, Roman Dmitry also prepared to return to the 1st Defense Line.
Just then, a communication soldier ran over and reported.
"We have just received a communication request from the Central Government. President Kim Jeong-tae has conveyed his desire to speak with you directly, Lord Roman Dmitry."
Everyone was shocked.
President Kim Jeong-tae. He was the most powerful figure in South Korea. With him taking action personally, all eyes immediately focused on Roman Dmitry.
One might expect Roman Dmitry to be surprised by a name as heavy as Kim Jeong-tae's, but he spoke calmly, as if he had anticipated it all along.
"Connect the communication."
Kim Jeong-tae's intentions?
They were obvious. But even knowing that, Roman Dmitry accepted the request.