Chapter 526: Eye of the Storm (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 526: Eye of the Storm (2)
Park Min-woo walked with a light, brisk step.
At the thought of accompanying Roman Dmitry on this mission, he couldn't stop his lips from twitching into a grin.
'Lord Roman Dmitry definitely trusts me.'
Just think about it. He had specifically singled him out to accompany him to the United States.
Sure, Roman probably just needed someone to cast the Teleport magic, but whatever the reason, Park Min-woo felt his worth had been fully recognized. The Heavenly Demon's right-hand man! A figure highly valued by the Heavenly Demon! As his wishful thinking went into overdrive, a wave of pure bliss washed over him. He had been deeply disappointed when he couldn't join the surprise raid on Yeongdeungpo last time, but the sheer scale of this operation was more than enough to melt that lingering regret away.
He hurried along.
He planned to prepare the Teleport magic circle quickly, but a crowd of familiar faces suddenly rushed out and blocked his path.
"It's too dangerous, Guildmaster!"
"Please take us with you! We can't let you face such danger alone!"
It was Jang Yun-tae and the other guild members.
They all wore expressions of earnest concern. Jang Yun-tae, in particular, spoke in a passionate voice, rallying the others.
"If a superpower like the United States is in danger, the peril of this mission goes without saying. Yet, His Majesty the Emperor and you, Guildmaster, are going completely alone? This is far too dangerous. We know how strong His Majesty and you are, but we cannot simply stand by and watch you both expose yourselves to such risk. Please, take us with you. We will risk our lives to protect you."
It was a display of desperate loyalty.
Jang Yun-tae, who had previously gotten on Park Min-woo's bad side, had completely misread the situation.
It's the Emperor's order.
Believing that Park Min-woo was reluctantly accepting a deadly mission out of duty, Jang Yun-tae had rallied the guild members to stop him. His loyalty surged. At this moment, Jang Yun-tae thought he looked incredibly cool.
"Didn't you always tell us, Guildmaster? That Baek-il is one. You don't have to shoulder every danger alone. We will stand with you. In life or death, all of Baek-il will be by your side."
"That's right!"
"We will lend you our strength!"
Truly, it was a total farce.
If Park Min-woo could have had his way, he would have spat right in Jang Yun-tae's face.
'...This fucking bastard, seriously.'
This trip to America was supposed to be quality, intimate time with Roman Dmitry. Imagining himself standing by the Heavenly Demon's side, Park Min-woo felt like he was truly someone important. But Jang Yun-tae had just thrown cold water on that dream. From a common-sense perspective, a trip to America might seem incredibly dangerous, but Park Min-woo knew the truth—it wouldn't be an issue at all.
It was practically a leisure trip.
Seeing Jang Yun-tae ruin his private time with Roman, Park Min-woo barely managed to suppress his rising anger.
"No. I cannot put you all in danger."
"No, Guildmaster! Please take us!"
Jang Yun-tae was thrilled. Hearing the solemn response, he believed his appeal had worked and doubled down on his display of loyalty.
It was absolute bullshit. There was no other way to describe this situation. Yet, Park Min-woo's mouth spewed words perfectly fitting for a noble mage in white.
"Do you truly not understand my intentions?!"
"...Pardon?"
"Just as you said, this trip to America is dangerous. Since a superpower has asked us for help, there must be perils lurking that we have never experienced before. I do not want to expose you to unknown dangers. While I appreciate your concern for me, unlike His Majesty and myself, you do not possess the power to survive such threats. So, step back. If you truly wish to enact justice by my side, remember this day and strive to become stronger. Once you are strong enough to earn my recognition, only then will I accept your earnest devotion."
The mages of Baek-il choked up. Park Min-woo's words sounded incredibly touching to them.
"Even in a distant land, there are people crying out for help. I will aid them and return safely to your side. Wait for me. If you truly care for me, guard the safety of the Korean Empire so that I may leave with a peaceful mind."
"Guildmaster!"
"You are a true hero!"
"How can someone care so much for nothing but justice?"
The mages went wild with emotion. Jang Yun-tae cheered along with them.
'Jang Yun-tae, you bastard. As soon as I get back from America, you're the first one I'm going to kill.'
Park Min-woo forced a smile. Leaving the cheering mages behind, he hurried his steps. Fearing they might cling to him again, he never looked back until he was far away.
* * *
Los Angeles, USA.
The Emergency Response Headquarters.
People were gathered inside. Exhausted from the continuous fighting, everyone looked like a mess. But among them, a heavily built man reacted with absolute fury.
Slam!
"What on earth does that mean?! South Korea? I heard South Korea committed the outrage of changing its national name, so why does the United States have to accept their help? For once, I cannot understand the high command's orders. Both accepting South Korea's help and the naive assumption that they can solve LA's problems are completely absurd!"
His name was Carter.
As an American officer, he had achieved significant merits during this LA crisis. Consequently, his words carried weight, and Commander Benjamin spoke in a placating tone to soothe him.
"The US government isn't simply relying on South Korea's reinforcements. We will organize some of our own forces to send as support, and we plan to resolve the LA crisis by mobilizing a joint US-Korean force."
"That's exactly the problem! LA is currently engulfed in flames. The Vampire Lord is slaughtering people at this very moment, and you think requesting help from a place like South Korea will solve the problem? The US government is wrong. Right now, they are ignoring LA just to secure the safety of the elites—"
"Captain Carter!" Benjamin barked.
The remark had crossed the line. Benjamin glared at Carter and spoke sharply.
"Do not make such reckless accusations. The government is doing its absolute best to resolve the current situation. The reason we had no choice but to focus more of our strength on the capital over LA is not just because of how the situation unfolded, but because the 'Unknown Existence' that appeared in the capital is just that dangerous. The Vampire Lord has a limit to how many hosts he can create, but the Unknown Existence immediately turns those it kills into its minions. What do you think would happen if we didn't deal with such a monster quickly? The United States would face an irreversible catastrophe. Faced with a choice, the government simply confronted the harsh reality."
It was a dilemma.
It was certain that the Vampire Lord was stronger. That was why he was classified as the boss monster. However, while the Unknown Existence was weaker than the Vampire Lord, it was a threat that could become infinitely more dangerous if given enough time.
The US government's decision was practical. They weren't turning a blind eye to LA; they simply had to make a choice to minimize overall casualties. In the midst of this, the US government had secured aid from another nation and organized reinforcing troops.
It was the best they could do.
Benjamin spoke in a calm voice.
"Captain Carter. I understand your anger, but distrusting our allies in a situation like this is wrong. Trust the US government. Reinforcements will arrive soon, and we will be able to resolve this issue."
* * *
The meeting concluded.
Captain Carter still couldn't hide his anger. Although he acted as if he were criticizing the US government's complacency in front of others, he actually had an ulterior motive.
South Korea. Their very existence rubbed him the wrong way.
'The Cult Leader said it himself. South Korea's intentions are highly insidious. Their audacity in changing their national name to the Korean Empire will surely displease Him, who will come to save us in the future. To think they defend them without knowing the truth. General Benjamin is a good man, but he's too foolish to even know what is truly right for humanity.'
He was, in fact, a member of the Maron Cult.
People often said that the Maron Cult was everywhere in the world, and in the United States, at least one in five people was bound to be a believer. Carter was deeply dissatisfied with the US government's choice. The Scripture stated that on the day He descended upon the world, He would resolve every crisis plaguing the earth, just as He had done through His great deeds in the past.
The problem was that before that day, those blinded by personal gain—like South Korea, which dared to call its leader an emperor—needed to be cleared away. Since He would never tolerate anyone encroaching upon His authority, humanity might suffer great wrath later if they fell out of His favor now.
That was why Carter opposed the alliance. He did not want South Korea to solve the LA crisis and use that success to solidify its standing.
Carter contacted someone. When he reported the situation, a raspy voice came through the receiver.
[Believer of Maron. When He descends upon this world, not a single arrogant human who does not know their place will be left alive. We must do our utmost to ensure His wrath does not fall upon innocent humans. It remains to be seen whether South Korea possesses the strength to resolve the LA crisis. If they truly have such power, manipulate the situation so that their achievements do not stand out.]
It was a simple matter.
Accept their help, but steal the credit. The Maron Cult had no intention of letting glory go to a country like South Korea.
Carter replied respectfully.
"I will obey your command. May blessings be upon the future of humanity."
* * *
That day, Roman Dmitry arrived in LA.
Park Min-woo had cast the Teleport magic with the assistance of the United States, and they materialized at the Emergency Response Headquarters.
"I am Benjamin, commander of the LA Response Team. But..."
He glanced behind them. There were no other forces besides Park Min-woo.
If they intended to resolve the LA crisis, even a massive army would barely suffice. Naturally, Benjamin couldn't help but question why only two people had shown up. He never imagined that these two were all there was—until Roman Dmitry spoke.
"There are no further reinforcements. I have deemed that we alone are more than enough to resolve the crisis in LA."
"...Understood. First, let me guide you inside."
"Very well."
Benjamin swallowed his doubts. Roman Dmitry was an existence that transcended S-Rank. His presence alone as a reinforcement was significant. Of course, contrary to his initial expectations, he couldn't help but think that South Korea had no genuine intention of helping.
That wasn't the only perplexing thing. Benjamin was an American general. To a smaller nation, he was a figure who could not be treated lightly, yet Roman Dmitry spoke down to him naturally upon meeting him. It was entirely unexpected. Roman Dmitry's regal demeanor was not something built overnight. Benjamin wondered if Roman's act of calling himself an emperor was somehow connected to his mysterious past.
They moved to another room.
The meeting began. With the leadership of LA gathered, Benjamin spoke first.
"Currently, LA's defense system has completely collapsed. The boss monster we have designated as the Vampire Lord has laid waste to LA, and eighty percent of our military facilities have been destroyed. We have about twenty-four hours. If we cannot eliminate the Vampire Lord within that time, we believe it will be practically impossible for LA to recover. I will now explain the operation."
Just moments ago, he had spoken with Captain Carter. Although they had an initial plan, after seeing the size of the reinforcements, Benjamin decided to go with Carter's suggestion.
"In one hour, reinforcements from the US government are scheduled to arrive. Since they include as many as three S-Rank Hunters, we plan to launch a massive operation to reclaim LA starting then. First, I would like to express my gratitude to Lord Roman Dmitry for his decision to come and support us. The plan is simple. While South Korea's reinforcements and our LA Response Team engage the monsters and clear a path, the US government's reinforcements will attack the Vampire Lord. The Vampire Lord possesses immense power, but if he is cut off from his minions and attacked by three S-Rank Hunters simultaneously, he won't be able to hold out. Once he is eliminated, LA will quickly regain stability."
This was Carter's plan.
Originally, Benjamin had intended to actively utilize Roman Dmitry, but after seeing the size of the reinforcements, he agreed with Carter that the US should handle the boss directly. Of course, even this was something to be grateful to South Korea for. Just having them hold the line until the US S-Rank Hunters engaged the Vampire Lord would be of immense help in resolving the LA crisis.
However, he had abandoned his expectations. When only Roman Dmitry and Park Min-woo showed up, Benjamin felt a deep sense of disappointment.
South Korea's intentions were clear. They were offering help in name only, unwilling to bear any actual sacrifices. He concluded that, in the end, America had to solve its own crisis.
Somehow, things had played out exactly as Carter had planned.
Discarding the hound once the hunt is over.
Just as the Maron Cult intended, they would accept a moderate amount of help, but the United States would claim the ultimate credit.
But then, Roman Dmitry spoke coldly.
"I heard that two of America's S-Rank Hunters were killed by the Vampire Lord. Yet, you guarantee victory just because you've added one more to the count?"
"...This time is different from before. They were only defeated last time because they failed to anticipate the opponent's strength. The S-Rank Hunters arriving soon have fought together numerous times. Even against a monster above S-Rank, they are more than capable of handling it."
"Capable of handling it, you say. Is that merely wishful thinking?"
It was a blatant provocation. Men like Carter bristled in anger, but Roman Dmitry met their glares, completely unfazed.
"The reason the United States requested aid from the Korean Empire is because you judged that your own strength was insufficient to handle the Vampire Lord. I possess that strength, which is why you went so far as to promise rewards in exchange for my help. Therefore, I will perform my role. Step back and look after the safety of your citizens."
"What do you mean by..."
They couldn't understand. Step back? Standing by was not part of the plan.
"For this operation, I will enter enemy territory alone and eliminate the Vampire Lord myself."
"?!"
Instantly, everyone's eyes widened. At this statement that completely defied all common sense, even Carter, let alone Benjamin, stared at Roman Dmitry in utter shock.