Chapter 528: Eye of the Storm (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 528: Eye of the Storm (4)
Throughout the meeting, Park Min-woo had been in an exceptionally foul mood.
Captain Carter was arrogant.
Not only did he dare talk back to His Majesty, Emperor Roman Dmitry, but he also made condescending remarks.
"...If this fails, we won't be able to clean up the mess. Why on earth are you trying to take the hard way when there's an easy path? Are you perhaps trying to rack up achievements through this operation?"
Who in the world dared doubt the Heavenly Demon's capabilities?
To bring up petty achievements to a being who had once ruled the world—it was unimaginable in his past life.
Even though Park Min-woo was merely listening, his eyes twitched. He wanted nothing more than to leap up from his seat and slap Carter across the face. But he couldn't. This meeting was attended by Roman Dmitry. As a subordinate, he could not raise his voice without his liege's permission.
They say writing the character for 'patience' three times can prevent a murder. Endure. Just endure. I'm Park Min-woo now, not Alexander.
Park Min-woo.
The Mage in White.
As a symbol of justice, he couldn't handle things the way Alexander used to.
If he went around beating people up just because he didn't like them, the Pendant of Karma—which he had barely managed to lighten over the past twenty years—would turn pitch-black again. He desperately suppressed his anger. If Benjamin hadn't cut Carter off, Park Min-woo's rage would have surely reached its limit.
The people of this world simply didn't know.
Heavenly Demon Baek Joong-hyuk.
Emperor Roman Dmitry.
They had no idea how incredible the being standing before them truly was.
It was a meeting that only left Park Min-woo's insides burning black with frustration. Eventually, it finally came to an end.
They stepped outside.
While heading to their temporary quarters with Roman Dmitry, Park Min-woo stopped in his tracks and spoke politely.
"Your Majesty. May I be excused for a moment to attend to some business?"
"Very well."
"Thank you."
He bowed his head.
Roman Dmitry did not ask for a reason. Regardless of what kind of existence Park Min-woo used to be, now that he had entered Roman's domain, Roman placed no special restrictions on him.
The moment he turned around, Park Min-woo's expression turned vicious.
No matter how much he thought about it, this wasn't right.
He had tried to suppress his anger, but the boiling fury kept provoking the temper he used to have back when he was Alexander.
That arrogant bastard dares to insult the Heavenly Demon?
As a subject of the Heavenly Demon, he could not let this matter slide.
* * *
Carter doubted his own ears.
Since Park Min-woo spoke English fluently, his vulgar insults pierced straight into Carter's mind with crystal clarity.
"...Mage in White. What on earth is the meaning of this?"
His face flushed bright red.
His opponent was the Mage in White.
Although the Mage boasted a considerable reputation even in the United States, Carter was furious that the man was acting like a third-rate street thug. He was an officer of the United States, after all. Even an S-rank hunter shouldn't treat him so carelessly. Staring back at those eyes that looked ready to devour him, Carter refused to back down.
The problem was Park Min-woo's state of mind.
If he cared about calculating practical consequences, he wouldn't have come looking for Carter in the first place.
Park Min-woo snarled.
"Hey, you son of a bitch. Can't you read the fucking room? It's because you're so incompetent that you couldn't even stop a petty disaster and had to beg us for help. Let me tell you something. We didn't come here voluntarily. Your president personally contacted us and begged for help. Out of goodwill as allies, we accepted the US government's request. But what? A mere captain like you dares to ask His Majesty if he's trying to rack up achievements?! You fucking bastard. Is that the attitude of someone asking for help?"
"..."
Carter was speechless.
It was completely absurd.
Faced with a barrage of curses that defied all common sense, Carter felt as if his thought processes had completely ground to a halt.
Park Min-woo didn't stop.
He continued to berate the man.
"And South Korea changed its name to the Korean Empire. The leader of an empire is called an Emperor, so why the hell are you, the one receiving help, addressing His Majesty so casually? Hey! Hey! Why do you call him that? Are you not only arrogant but also completely devoid of manners?"
It was truly the behavior of a third-rate thug.
With Park Min-woo glaring and shoving his face so close, Carter had no way to respond.
If I mess with a crazy bastard, I'll be the one bleeding.
He knew it instinctively.
Regardless of how the world evaluated Park Min-woo, the man standing before him right now was a lunatic completely beyond the reach of common sense. What if he pushed back in a situation like this? The man might actually attack him. The murderous intent gleaming in Park Min-woo's eyes showed a fierce determination not to let this end quietly.
He couldn't die like this.
Carter slowly lowered his gaze.
He was a battle-hardened veteran, but precisely because he had experienced so much, he knew when to back down.
"...I made a mistake. As the one receiving help, I shouldn't have done that."
"Right? It's only right to apologize, isn't it?"
Park Min-woo smiled coldly.
He had no intention of killing the man.
Of course, there was no telling what might happen if things went sideways, but his goal from the beginning was just to warn Carter for disrespecting Emperor Roman Dmitry. To tell him never to do it again. It might just be words, but since a man with such strong pride had backed down, his goal was achieved to some extent.
Ptu.
He spat on the ground.
Glaring at Carter with utter disdain, he spoke with heavy emphasis.
"Watch yourself from now on. If you make the same mistake again, I won't give a fuck about the US or whatever—I'll blow your head off first. Don't think America can protect you. Crushing you guys is child's play for me; Emperor Roman Dmitry won't even need to step in."
Park Min-woo.
Emperor Alexander.
He had carefully built up his foundation over two lifetimes, but there was no denying that his true roots lay in the ignorant thug, Kim Pan-seok.
"A nobody piece of shit trying to act smug."
Simple and ignorant.
Only then did the anger of Kim Pan-seok—no, Park Min-woo—subside a little.
* * *
For Carter, it felt like he had been slapped out of nowhere.
Barely suppressing his rage, he reported the current situation to the Maron Sect.
"...There is nothing more I can do. If Roman Dmitry defeats the Vampire Lord alone, the world will no longer be able to take South Korea's name change to the Korean Empire lightly."
The stage was set.
Since General Benjamin prioritized America's safety, there was nothing Carter could resolve with his own power.
From the other side of the communicator, a raspy voice spoke.
"It is actually for the best. If he wishes to take on all the risk himself, there is no reason for us to stop him. The Vampire Lord is a monster that blew off the heads of two S-rank hunters simultaneously. Even if Roman Dmitry is as strong as the rumors say, facing the Vampire Lord alone will be no easy task. From now on, your role is to intentionally withhold help from the Korean Empire. Let them shoulder all the risk, so that even if they realize too late how reckless they were, they won't be able to turn back."
The Vampire Lord.
According to the information gathered by the Maron Sect, that monster was a new type of creature that deserved to be classified as an SS-rank.
Facing the Vampire Lord alone was impossible.
However, because there was always a slim chance, the Maron Sect intended to eliminate any scenario where Roman Dmitry received help from the LA Response Team. He had to face the Vampire Lord truly alone. If he couldn't defeat the opponent with his own power, Roman Dmitry would meet his death before he could even try to salvage the situation.
"The Korean Empire has entered a new phase because of Roman Dmitry. If he dies, the Korean Empire will naturally lose its power, and the existence that might displease Him will disappear."
A low chuckle echoed over the line.
What foolish humans.
His advent was the only way for humanity to survive, yet they desperately denied reality. What was certain was that before that day arrived, they had to create a world that would please Him. The Maron Sect pursued justice, but they held a belief that lay on a blurry boundary that could hardly be called justice.
Carter shouted vigorously, "Everything will go according to the will of the Maron Sect!"
* * *
An hour later, reinforcements arrived.
They were individuals who had been assigned to different regions, but after resolving the issues there, they had hurriedly boarded transports to LA.
Three S-rank hunters:
Ryan the Immortal,
Gordon of Herculean Strength,
and Rachel of the Frost.
The US government had sent the maximum possible force while still maintaining the defense of the capital, and the soldiers cheered at their appearance. It was a testament to America's sheer power. Although any one of those three powerhouses would rank at the very top of another country's forces, the United States possessed enough military might to deploy them all to LA.
The Thousand Trillion Nation.
It wasn't an empty nickname.
As soon as the first Great Disaster broke out, the United States poured astronomical sums into training and recruiting hunters. In a capitalist world, there was no better option for skilled hunters than America. The result was what lay before them now. With dozens of S-rank hunters publicly disclosed, people believed there were even more S-rank hunters secretly trained by the US.
The three newly arrived hunters wore grim expressions.
Having heard of the Vampire Lord's might, they knew that even if they joined forces, victory was not guaranteed.
However, the situation was different from what they had expected.
"What do you mean by that?"
"It is exactly as you just heard. Roman Dmitry, who has now become the new leader of the Korean Empire, has declared that he will face the Vampire Lord alone. Our role is to clear the path so that nothing interferes with his battle."
General Benjamin's words left them bewildered.
They wondered if there was any reason to go that far, but before they could voice their thoughts, Carter chimed in.
"From what I can see, he intends to prove himself against the Vampire Lord. As you know, South Korea has changed its name to the Korean Empire. They need to prove their strength if they want to avoid being targeted by the World Government. Therefore, I believe it would be best to let Roman Dmitry do as he wishes. If he wins, LA will regain peace. If he loses, we can face a weakened Vampire Lord."
It was a subtle maneuver.
While adhering to the framework of the operation, Carter was slyly pushing Roman Dmitry into a corner.
A battle with impure motives.
Because of Carter's words, the S-rank hunters would likely just watch the situation unfold until Roman Dmitry fell into mortal danger.
Benjamin spoke up.
"Of course, we must step in to help if he falls into danger, but from my experience, Roman Dmitry is not one to make empty boasts. Let us trust him for once."
"...Understood."
The general and the S-rank hunters respected each other.
They nodded and accepted the situation. As scheduled, the LA Response Team moved out, leading their forces.
Roman Dmitry and Park Min-woo also joined them.
Before long, they reached their destination. The once-beautiful city was devastated beyond recognition, with no trace of its former glory remaining. From afar, screams and the roars of monsters echoed through the ruins. If the monsters completely took over, LA would never be able to return to a city where humans could live.
Benjamin looked at Roman Dmitry.
"Currently, there are tens of thousands of hosts controlled by the Vampire Lord in LA. If we break through them and advance about a hundred kilometers from our current position, we will reach the Vampire Lord, whose location we've identified via satellite. Until then, we will clear the path."
"Understood."
The plan was set.
Benjamin stepped forward and shouted, "Hear me, soldiers! The citizens of LA are suffering at the hands of heinous monsters. If we do not save them, our home here in LA will be completely destroyed. No, perhaps starting with LA, the entire United States will collapse. Therefore, risk your lives! This nation will remember your deaths, and through your meaningful sacrifices, America will be restored to its proper state!"
Veins bulged in his neck.
Since he was not one to merely issue orders from the rear, he drew his sword and stepped to the very front line.
"All forces, charge! Follow me!"
The subjugation of LA.
Finally, the battle began in earnest.
* * *
Just before the soldiers rushed forward, Park Min-woo approached Roman Dmitry and spoke.
"Your Majesty. May I exert some of my power?"
Park Min-woo was petty.
Even after throwing a massive fit at Carter, his gaze toward the captain and the other American soldiers remained ice-cold.
Come to think of it, no one in America treated Roman like an Emperor.
Seeing everyone address him as "Roman Dmitry-nim" or just "Roman Dmitry" made Park Min-woo highly displeased.
So they're looking down on us. Fine, I'll show you. The power of the Korean Empire might originate 99.99% from His Majesty, Emperor Roman Dmitry, but I'll show you just how powerful even I—a man who represents a mere 0.01%—can be.
The more he thought about it, the more pissed off he got.
He needed to prove himself.
He would make sure that no one would ever dare act arrogant in front of Emperor Roman Dmitry again.
"Do as you wish."
"Understood. I shall clear the path for Your Majesty to advance."
He had received permission.
The leash was off.
Just then, Benjamin ordered the advance.
Park Min-woo walked behind them, opening his Circles and raising his magic power.
You bastards. I'll show you exactly who I am.
Rumble!
Rumbllllle!
A colossal wave of magic power erupted.
Park Min-woo unleashed his strength.