The Merciless Ones (1)
"Hah."
Lee Yerim let out a hollow laugh.
Nothing to be done. Tap tap tap. She kindly copied the text from the screenshot into the chat.
Undeterred by the unwanted reactions, she kept typing.
"Ha…………………. Just one or two years older. Never thought I'd feel a generation gap with my sisters after thirty years."
How could they think those nicknames, those titles, were cool?!
Lee Yerim vaguely remembered it. Hoyeol's middle school second-year phase.
But Lee Eunhye and Lee Jiyun didn't.
And understandably so.
……Now that she thought about it, yeah.
Four siblings born in consecutive years. The older sisters were busy adjusting to high school and hiding the family's declining fortunes, so they had no mental bandwidth left.
Only she had truly watched over Hoyeol's second-year middle school days.
"……If I drink again, I'm done for."
Only she, whose memory had degraded from constant drinking and partying!
Lee Yerim swallowed a sigh.
……Whatever.
Ding!
"Sigh."
"The Lee family gets along so well. So well."
Good is good, so time to fix her mindset.
"Teasing him isn't that big a deal anyway?"
In truth, she'd just given up because she couldn't remember.
"I'll let it slide now, our baby brother."
Lee Yerim pretended to be the mature one and chuckled.
Then she tapped the screen one last time.
That's right. The group chat had four members total, including the youngest, Hoyeol.
*
……Am I really going insane?
Only one missed call from my nemesis, so I thought she'd finally grown up a bit.
But no, she was spouting something absolutely massive in the group chat……!
'She definitely remembers!'
Mentioning that era to Nemesis No. 1 and 2. I, Lee Hoyeol, fell into serious contemplation.
Should I wipe their memories with magic?
But that was just my impulsive wish. The words that came out were the complete opposite of my feelings.
"It is a relief to see you all at peace, my sisters."
Hey, Grandfell. Don't make that wistful face thinking of family while wearing my face. Mom and Dad are one thing, but especially not No. 3, that nemesis……!
You're bantering casually with emperors and dragons who've lived eons, but you use utmost honorifics like "sister" for them? Why?
"It is only proper that I pay a visit."
Thanks to that, chicken skin is prickling all over my body!
But when has Grandfell's sense of decorum ever considered my plight?
In the end, I sent a meticulously polite reply.
"I shall visit once I have caught my breath, at the least."
I can dodge the nemesis without compromising pride. Sometimes these burdens I shoulder turn out useful…….
I glanced at the last photo and murmured.
"It gladdens me to see her growing so splendidly."
The only thing Grandfell and I agree on is our thoughts about my one niece, Arang.
She really shoots up every time I see her…… This uncle's already worried, Arang.
'……Worried you'll actually understand that meaning.'
My finger scrolled to the previous photo. A camera shot of a TV screen. Specifically, the program title featuring me.
Dragon Sovereign, Black Dark Dragon Lee Hoyeol. Roars Toward the World.
Behold the frothy bubbles. The process of Black Dark Dragon becoming Dragon Sovereign.
The process of this motormouth's nonsense becoming reality……!
"Has the world truly heard, then."
VBC broadcasting station, was it? I'll remember that name crystal clear……!
Thanks to their overly grandiose confirmation kill, Grandfell's pride swelled, making it impossible to brush off casually.
'In the end, it'll come from my own mouth.'
Current location: Mage Tower lobby.
And in front of Yusra Kingdom's Golden Palace stood a sea of reporters waiting for me.
Originally, after finishing the Holy War Alliance meeting, I planned to head straight to the Zero Mountains.
Level up. Conquer the hundred thousand caves. Confront Cheonha Tongil.
No time to waste for those three birds with one stone.
If I could, I'd ignore the reporters, manifest a portal, and warp to the Zero Mountains.
"Then there is no need to hesitate further."
Clack— As you see, my prideful footsteps head toward the Golden Palace's main gate.
Straightening my attire, I sorted my thoughts as well.
Yeah, Hoyeol. Can't avoid it. Can't enjoy it either…….
'Think as rationally as possible.'
I, who materialized the Legend, Black Dark Dragon Lee Hoyeol, know this well.
The effect of a Legend isn't proportional to my strength.
It depends on how widely the Legend echoes and the grandeur it holds.
'Just like in Antonium.'
So, separate public from private. Separate shame from Legend growth.
Reporters. Cameras broadcasting to the world.
Me proclaiming myself the Black Dark Dragon? A truly horrific experience.
But simply put…….
'The more horrific, the stronger my Legend becomes.'
This time, it's not rationalization to protect my dignity as Lee Hoyeol. It's plain fact.
Thinking that way eases the mental burden a bit. Or rather, it's resignation.
'Yeah, go on and yap away, motormouth.'
Lion Heart Knights.
"We've been awaiting you, Grand Commander."
Enoch bows to me.
"Say the word, and we'll open the doors."
Murmur murmur— Noisy voices pierce through the thick doors.
I can feel the crowd without checking.
But with resolve made, no hesitation.
I said, "Please do."
Creeeak! Enoch bows again, and the doors open.
No cheers ring out. Naturally.
'I inadvertently disciplined them too…….'
Forced decorum injection. Thanks to that, I stepped forward in solemn silence.
Arcana Continent wasn't enough; now reality too. A goddamn massive stage no one's experienced.
If this is a stage for me, I'll play along. No, beyond playing—I'll devour it.
If this is another weight on my shoulders, I'll bear it proudly.
I opened my mouth.
"There is no cause for fear."
All eyes focus on me.
"Black Dark Dragon."
The word from my lips stirs the crowd briefly.
But who is Grandfell? Always exceeding expectations.
"It is but one 'part' of me."
"……!!!"
Just one line, and the froth multiplies several times. Grandfell rhetoric is OP as always.
At the same time, I'm seriously worried about the future.
What will I have become by the end of this press conference……?
*
Cheonha Tongil's top elites number five. Called the Five Stars of the World, or the Five Luminaries.
However, that info is naturally secret outside, and even few inside know it.
Not even the Five Stars know each other fully.
But it was all Ryu Ojuncheon's plan.
What he needed was loyalty to himself as sovereign. Not close bonds among the Five Stars.
Why, hasn't history repeated it endlessly? Kings beheaded in rebellions by their ministers.
The woman in the rabbit mask. Five Star Yu Jio eyed the other.
Red banners meant fellow Cheonha Tongil members.
"What brings you here?"
But this wasn't a scheduled meeting.
Cheonha Tongil surpasses giant guilds. More than double the members of Shining, Gaon, Inazuma, Berserker Alliance combined.
Thus, they operate by strict rules.
"This sector is under me, Yu Jio's jurisdiction, you know?"
Yu Jio assessed their numbers. Fewer than ten heads.
'Not Five Stars by force.'
Tch, infighting among allies…….
Sometimes Yu Jio felt this hollow futility. But she endured, as even inefficiency served her lord.
So a question arose.
'Why hide their faces?'
No rule said only Five Stars must mask up. But non-Five Stars had no reason to, except caution—which bred needless suspicion, as now.
'And a mask I've never seen.'
Not the pig or wolf masks suspected as Five Stars.
Yu Jio shrugged.
What was it……? Impersonators using Five Star mystique to peddle fame?
"Heard rumors. Folks inside claiming Five Star status with the secrecy angle to leech off the name. Didn't think it was real, but gutsy bastards."
Yu Jio had many gripes with Cheonha Tongil's structure. But she accepted it.
All because her lord was too merciful. Embracing all, from supernovas to mid-tiers with nowhere else to go, regardless of level.
So her duty as a Five Star was simple.
"Handling you before self-recrimination is my role, right."
One Hundred. Swish swish! Yu Jio's special unit surrounds the dozen foes.
They must be frozen now, right? Realizing impersonators like them aren't true Five Stars. She is the real star of the world.
Yu Jio eyed her broken nail and said.
"Regrettable, but no mercy even if you beg."
Even if real Five Stars, she wouldn't let it slide.
She was confident. She alone sufficed as lord's hand and foot. Other stars were mere obstacles between lord and her.
She'd endured only for lack of pretext.
"Don't feel wronged. I've said it a million times before entering Zero Mountains? Only the sovereign steps into my sector."
Yes. The web-like sectors weren't territories—they were traps.
For Five Stars or impersonating newbies. Once caught, no escape.
Yu Jio smirked.
"My loyalty, the sovereign will understand."
Swish swish! Her unit accelerates.
They closed to striking distance.
A calm voice rang out.
"See? Didn't I tell you?"
"It's real. Should've trusted you, old timer."
"One lucky guess and the geezer's strutting……."
Yu Jio doubted her ears.
……What the hell are they babbling?
Then her eyes.
Clink!
……Exchanging money in this situation?
Anyone could see: settling a bet.
Whatever the bet, with death imminent.
The called "old timer" chuckled.
"Common ploy. Sow discord in internal hierarchy. See? Makes management easier, like now. They compete thinking themselves true elites, proving loyalty on their own."
……That senile fool's spouting nonsense?
It was clearly about her.
But that was it. From under the rabbit mask, Yu Jio ground her teeth.
"Desperate bullshit to escape."
Swish— Then something massive moved.
Had it been crouching? A giant three to four heads taller than average entered view.
"Enough old man bragging. Keep watch properly."
"Eyes everywhere in Zero Mountains? Heh."
"True that."
"Hahaha. One more mask for the collection."
Thud. Thud. They tossed something to the ground.
Recognizing it, Yu Jio flinched.
Masks. Real ones.
"Pig, wolf……?"
The masks of two men she'd pegged as Five Stars.
Stripped Five Star masks…… and lived?
One possibility.
'……Dead? Two Five Stars?'
Too late when she sensed wrong.
A cold voice continued.
"Cheonha Tongil? Not for members. Not mutual aid like us. Obvious from the pointless hierarchy pranks. Right, old timer?"
"Of course."
"Just for one boss."
"……!"
Yu Jio couldn't retort. Too true.
But chills ran down her spine.
'Hard for outsiders to see through us.'
Even spies inside—lord anticipated that. No one should easily discern.
But these were different. A lazy voice.
"No surprise. It's our specialty, after all. Annoying, but."
Specialty……?
"Infiltration, intrigue, disruption, violence, threats, robbery. And murder."
"……!!!"
"Makes it obvious."
In that instant, Yu Jio thought of Cheonha Tongil and Ryu Ojuncheon before her life.
Infiltrated, took down two Five Stars, spilling it all casually.
Certain. They threaten the sovereign.
'Few can threaten the sovereign.'
Rocks? No, Shining crushed long ago.
One choice left.
The man shaking the world. Black Dark Dragon.
Yu Jio shouted hostilely.
"Lee Hoyeol……!!"
But the reply was icier. Self-mocking, like speaking to a mirror.
"Don't tarnish his name with trash like us."
And with that.
About ten shadows moved. Exactly nine.
Swish— Raven masks under shadows.
Click— One loaded a crossbow and spoke.
"We're not as merciful as him."