Chapter 549: Establishing the Hierarchy (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 549: Establishing the Hierarchy (1)
It was exactly as Roman Dmitry had expected.
The entire world was watching Moscow. People used every means necessary to monitor the situation in real-time, capturing the exact moment Roman Dmitry delivered his ultimatum to Markov.
"I will make you a new proposal," he had said. "I will give you one hour. Summon all of Russia's forces, as well as the troops of your allied powers like France. In one hour, I will face the full might of Russia right here."
Meanwhile, a heated meeting was already underway in France.
Even before Markov could contact them, they had decided their course of action. Following Sebastian's advice, Patrice chose to step back. Naturally, it left him conflicted. Long after cutting off communications in the face of Markov's explosive fury, Patrice's expression remained dark and complicated.
'Roman Dmitry. Why on earth are you going to such lengths?'
He couldn't understand it.
If Roman had compromised reasonably, if he had acted within the bounds of common sense, the world would have acknowledged his existence.
The problem was that he always went too far.
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Because of Roman Dmitry's shocking actions, the world had no choice but to keep him in check. His overwhelming martial prowess was a subject of extreme wariness. If he had possessed a compliant personality, they might have tried to coax him into an alliance. Instead, he showed absolutely no mercy to those he deemed enemies, utterly destroying the Central Government and now Russia.
In truth, this was their best opportunity to strike.
If the Korean Empire defeated Russia, that chance would be gone forever. However, as news of Russia's consecutive defeats poured in, Sebastian had grimly declared that now was not the time. Two massive variables stood in their way: the White-robed Mage and Wang Wiryong. If they only had to deal with Roman Dmitry, the Maron Sect would have gladly staked their lives on the battle. Yet, even without Roman's direct involvement, Russia was already crumbling.
It was unclear why Wang Wiryong was being so proactive.
Furthermore, not even those with ties to the White-robed Mage had anticipated he would be this powerful.
These sudden variables cast a heavy shadow of defeat.
Spurred by these ominous thoughts, France took a step back, deciding to observe the war between Russia and the Korean Empire for the time being. Many still predicted a Russian victory. In the best-case scenario, they could simply congratulate Russia afterward. If the Korean Empire struggled even slightly, France would change its stance and join the war. However, if Russia suffered a helpless defeat, they would have to seriously reconsider their approach to Roman Dmitry.
On the screen, the city of Moscow came into view.
Under the anxious gaze of the entire world, Roman Dmitry and the full military might of Russia finally clashed.
And then...
"Argh!"
"Aaargh!"
"Aaaaaargh!"
Through the speakers, the screams were endless.
Drenched in crimson, Roman Dmitry became a bloodthirsty demon, slaughtering indiscriminately. One against hundreds of thousands? Numbers were meaningless. The world had assumed Roman Dmitry would at least prepare some special strategy, but he butchered them all with nothing but a single sword.
A path of corpses opened. The Russian soldiers surrendered. And finally, the moment Markov's head was severed from his neck—
"Haaa."
Click.
With a grim face, Patrice turned off the monitor.
* * *
The war with Russia had delivered a clear message.
Roman Dmitry had openly revealed his fangs.
He proved the absolute might of the Korean Empire and demonstrated exactly what would happen to a superpower if they dared to cross him.
In the heavy silence of the conference room, seeing Patrice say nothing, a high-ranking official cautiously asked, "Mr. President... What do you plan to do now?"
Roman Dmitry and the Maron Sect. They were entities that could never coexist.
The Maron Sect had already set its sights on eliminating him, and to justify its very existence, they could not rescind that decision. Yet, they could not wage an all-out war against him either. Now that a massive superpower like Russia had collapsed so helplessly, the chances of winning a direct confrontation were abysmally low.
Patrice finally spoke.
"From the very moment we rejected Russia's request, I have been preparing for the worst-case scenario through discussions with the Sect Leader. I know well what you are worried about. However, the affairs of the world are not decided by raw power alone."
He acknowledged the unfavorable reality.
If they could not defeat their opponent directly, they needed a strategy tailored specifically for Roman Dmitry.
"We will alter our plans and employ a two-pronged strategy. First, we will mobilize the followers of the Maron Sect residing in South Korea and use them to win over key figures within the country. No matter how strong Roman Dmitry is, if his empire rots from the inside, there is no hope for him. This is a battle of patience. Though we cannot know how long it will take to achieve meaningful results, the goal of this first strategy is to obstruct Roman Dmitry's ultimate ambitions. What we need is time. Only then can we put our second strategy into action."
The second strategy.
It was their absolute last resort. If they hadn't witnessed Roman Dmitry slaughtering hundreds of thousands of soldiers single-handedly, they would never have considered such a plan.
"The second strategy is to summon the forces of Dmitry into this world and use their power to execute Roman Dmitry. They, too, are followers of Lord 'Maron Dmitry.' For the sake of the future envisioned by the Maron Sect, they will gladly lend us their strength."
From now on, the Maron Sect would be incredibly busy.
Dimensional travel.
To accelerate that grand plan, they needed a level of desperate effort unlike anything they had attempted before.
* * *
Meanwhile, the United States found itself in an awkward position.
Although they had temporarily supported Roman Dmitry, they had no intention of declaring themselves a vassal state like China.
Yet, after witnessing Roman Dmitry bring down Russia in a single battle, they realized a terrifying truth: through the existence of that one man, the Korean Empire completely overwhelmed the entire United States. Seeing reality with one's own eyes and accepting it mentally were two different matters. Just as Patrice and his leadership had been shaken, an identical situation was unfolding in the US.
A high-ranking official broke the silence.
"The United States has always led the World Government. Although we sided with the Korean Empire this time, if we continue to yield the leadership position to them, people will no longer call America the greatest nation in the world. Mr. President, we must make a decision. Now that the Korean Empire has crushed Russia, a single choice will dictate our entire future."
They stood at a crossroads.
If the Korean Empire had struggled even slightly, the United States would have sincerely rejoiced while congratulating them on their victory.
But the outcome was far too perfect.
With a superpower like Russia completely eradicated, a deep sense of anxiety crept in. If they fully acknowledged the Korean Empire's achievements, they would lose their position as the world's hegemon. For the United States, this was an unacceptable future. Its citizens took immense pride in belonging to the world's greatest superpower; if they surrendered that spot, the approval ratings of President John Harrison and his administration would plummet to rock bottom in an instant.
Silence filled the room.
John Harrison stared at the blank screen with a strange expression before turning his gaze toward his officials.
"I wanted to make this country the greatest in the world. To be precise, since we were already the greatest when I took office, I wanted to elevate our status even further during my reign. I had absolutely no desire to surrender our number one spot. But now, my thoughts have changed."
He paused, his tone heavy.
"There is something I realized while experiencing the Great Disaster. The old systems no longer hold any meaning. Whether it is the United States, Russia, or China—even nations previously called superpowers are living in a chaotic era where it wouldn't be strange for them to perish overnight. In a world like this, stubbornly clinging to our status is foolish. Roman Dmitry defeated the Vampire Lord. He destroyed Russia single-handedly. And we failed to grasp the full extent of his power even after deploying our entire intelligence department. That is the undeniable truth."
It was a bitter pill to swallow.
Admitting one's own shortcomings is never easy, but John Harrison prioritized the national interest above all else.
"If Roman Dmitry is someone who can stand against unknown dangers, someone who can control a world thrown into chaos by the Great Disaster, then we must accept reality. And above all, through his radical actions, I saw his 'conviction.' He shows no mercy to his enemies, but he fiercely protects his own people. While refusing to compromise even once, he forced the world to accept his actions through his unwavering standards."
He had made his decision.
At the crossroads, John Harrison chose his path.
"If Roman Dmitry holds onto his convictions until the very end, then accepting our current position might be the best choice for both ourselves and humanity. Therefore, we will completely overhaul our future plans. We will sincerely congratulate the Korean Empire on its victory, and we will do our utmost to secure our place in the new world that Roman Dmitry is building."
The board was set.
Following China, the United States had firmly decided on its stance.
It was a decision that would turn global politics upside down, yet the American officials present supported John Harrison's choice. Given the recent series of events, the justification was more than sufficient. In a situation where humanity faced a common enemy like the Absolute, Roman Dmitry was their only beacon of hope.
John Harrison spoke one last time.
"We received word that in a few days, there will be a celebration to commemorate the Korean Empire's official name change and its victory in the war. From this moment on, we will prepare a gift for them. We must openly demonstrate that the United States has firmly aligned its path, and at the same time, we must prepare a gift that completely eclipses China's. Understood?"
"Understood, sir."
"We will find a gift that the entire world will acknowledge."
If they were going to submit, they would do it thoroughly. John Harrison and his officials displayed a fierce determination.
* * *
Following the Great Disaster, the war had also come to an end.
As the chaotic era began to settle, the World Government reached its formal conclusion.
"We acknowledge that there was a justifiable reason for the Korean Empire's violation of international law, and we officially recognize their change of country name."
The tide had completely turned.
The entire world acknowledged Roman Dmitry's Korean Empire, and a grand festival was held a few days later.
It was an occasion to celebrate the end of the Great Disaster and officially announce the new beginning of the Korean Empire. Additionally, a formal ceremony for rewards and punishments was scheduled for those who had performed exceptionally well in the war. It was a deliberate display of formality. Having ruled twice across two different lifetimes, Roman Dmitry knew that such seemingly meaningless formalities were precisely what established the prestige of an empire.
Envoys gathered from across the globe.
China and the United States were a given, and even countries like France, which had decided to hide their true intentions for now, sent representatives.
Emperor Roman Dmitry.
His absolute authority was recognized by all.
Amidst the bustling crowd, the envoys of each nation presented their gifts.
"An artifact from Italy..."
"A treasured sword from Spain..."
"A golden crown from Egypt..."
They all shared the same motive. Seeing Roman Dmitry ascend to the throne as Emperor, they desperately felt the need to curry favor with him.
Soon, it was the United States' turn.
President John Harrison stepped forward and spoke.
"The United States received immense help from the Korean Empire during the Great Disaster. Since words cannot fully express our gratitude, we wish to convey our sincere appreciation on this occasion. We will grant the Korean Empire an exclusive supply of ten percent of the mana stones mined annually from the Alaska mana stone mine. We deemed this to be the most appropriate gift for the future of the Korean Empire."
Gasps echoed through the hall.
"An exclusive supply of ten percent?!"
The crowd's eyes widened in shock.
True to its reputation as a resource-rich nation, the United States had secured ample resources even in this new era. Among their territories, the Alaska mana stone mine was the largest in the world. Mana stones were a highly essential resource used in every sector; being able to exclusively trade ten percent of them annually was practically laying the foundation for the Korean Empire's rapid development.
It was an extraordinary, unprecedented offer.
In response to this blatant declaration of support, Roman Dmitry accepted their goodwill.
"Thank you. I will not forget the goodwill of the United States."
The United States and the Korean Empire.
Theirs was not a master-servant relationship, but an alliance of mutual respect. Roman Dmitry understood the other party's intentions perfectly. By acknowledging them publicly, he highlighted that John Harrison's choice was meaningful and respected.
It was a necessary statement.
One could not rule an empire simply by being strong or by crushing others underfoot. Through his past lives, Roman Dmitry had experienced firsthand how crucial it was to properly highlight and acknowledge the merits of others. It was an attitude that flowed naturally from him as a ruler. John Harrison swallowed a gasp of admiration at the sight.
Next was China's turn.
As John Harrison stepped down with a satisfied smile, Wang Wiryong stood before Roman Dmitry with a solemn expression.
The crowd's attention zeroed in on him.
Among the onlookers was Park Min-woo. The moment their eyes met, a smirk played on Wang Wiryong's lips.
The rivalry between the two was not over yet. Although both had performed spectacularly during the war, there was an insurmountable difference between Wang Wiryong and Park Min-woo that could never be bridged. While Park Min-woo was merely the leader of a single organization, Wang Wiryong was the leader of an entire nation.
Wang Wiryong spoke, his voice echoing clearly.
"Ten years ago, after first conquering China, I worked tirelessly to rebuild the 'Murim' that had vanished into the annals of history. Most of the world's leaders likely know the truth by now—that the martial arts acquired through the System actually originated from this very world. The organization I founded to rebuild the Murim is called the 'Heavenly Demon Cult,' and we have accumulated a vast amount of data over the past decade. It represents the entirety of China's strength, and I can confidently say that the records preserved within the Heavenly Demon Cult cannot be compared to any worldly treasure."
He bowed deeply.
"Your Imperial Majesty. China has volunteered to become a vassal state. We wish to serve Your Imperial Majesty from this moment on, not as mere allies, but in a true master-servant relationship. Therefore, please accept my gift."
Within China, those who did not know the truth would surely protest.
It was an incredibly radical choice. But Wang Wiryong knew that as long as the one sitting on the throne was the 'Heavenly Demon Baek Joong-hyuk,' there would be absolutely no issue.
"I offer the Heavenly Demon Cult. I dedicate the entire future of China to the Korean Empire."
It was a shocking declaration.
The crowd was utterly astounded. Even John Harrison, who had been so confident in his unrivaled gift, could not hide his bewilderment at Wang Wiryong's words.
But among the crowd, there was one exception.
'That son of a bitch.'
Park Min-woo's face flushed red, looking as if he might explode at any moment—not out of pure admiration, but from sheer, unadulterated jealousy.