Chapter 147
Chapter 147
Chapter 147: Movements (3)
Translation: godtl
"Those bastards must have lost their damn minds to dare pull something like this."
Kim Mu-yeol wiped his forehead and glared at the article on the monitor with eyes that had grown colder.
"There's a mastermind behind this. And it's probably..."
"We've received intelligence that the Scorpion Guild held a secret meeting not long ago."
"Right. Kim Jong-jun. That thug is the only one who'd have the balls to orchestrate this shit."
Grind.
Kim Mu-yeol gnashed his teeth.
Choi Chang-wook, who had been observing him, cautiously added,
"I suspect the Scorpion Guild Master might have had a hand in this as well."
"Of course he would. This is too big for just one man."
Kim Mu-yeol was so furious he could barely contain his rage, but it didn't last long.
Huu.
After exhaling deeply, he swept his bangs back once and muttered,
"Well, before the Arena appeared, those bastards were just street thugs scrambling in back alleys. No surprise they'd pull something like this."
He had regained his composure.
"...What should we do?"
At Choi Chang-wook's question, Kim Mu-yeol scoffed.
"Crush them. No matter how much they try to manipulate public opinion, trash like them have their limits."
"But, Association President, it's not just the media involved this time."
Kim Mu-yeol's brow furrowed sharply at the unexpected response.
"What?"
"We haven't uncovered everything yet, but besides the guilds and media outlets, we've confirmed another faction is backing them."
"Another faction? Ha!"
Have these bastards all collectively lost their minds?
Muttering to himself, Kim Mu-yeol pulled a cigarette from his pocket and placed it between his lips.
Click.
Choi Chang-wook hurriedly lit it for him.
Puff.
After exhaling thick smoke a couple of times, Kim Mu-yeol tapped the table a few times before issuing orders.
"Flood the media with counter-articles first. Even if we can't control public opinion, we can't afford to fall behind. And find out who those bastards are as quickly as possible."
"Yes, Association President."
Choi Chang-wook bowed formally before stepping out of the office to make calls.
Left alone, Kim Mu-yeol took another deep drag of his Arena-made cigarette.
Soon,
"Nobody in this country dares raise a hand against me—"
His words, spat out like he was chewing them, abruptly cut off.
"......"
Kim Mu-yeol fell silent for a long moment.
With an intensely displeased glare, he stared at the curling smoke rising from his cigarette—as if it reminded him of someone.
Then,
"...I'll make damn sure they learn there's no one left to defy me."
He ground out the half-smoked cigarette violently into the ashtray.
A stone structure exuding solemnity and an archaic architectural style.
One of the five thrones arranged in a circle at its center.
"What the hell is going on here?!"
A deep crimson sphere floated up, unleashing a furious voice.
A long slit ran through the center of the sphere—resembling the vertical pupils of a reptile.
They trembled violently, contracting and dilating in agitation.
"The Black Smeltery was half-destroyed?! How the hell does that make any sense?!"
Opposite the crimson sphere,
A deep blue sphere hovering over another throne also failed to conceal its fury.
"Shut up, Vritra! Don't you realize I'm even angrier than you are right now?!"
A roar erupted instantly.
The force was so overwhelming that—
Rumble.
The entire structure, including the thrones, shook violently, sending stone dust cascading down.
Then—
"Enough."
The tremors ceased abruptly, as if they had never happened, at the sound of that calm voice.
"The Black Smeltery's failure is our collective fault, Vritra."
A grayish-brown sphere had silently risen above the empty throne.
At his words, Vritra's eyes narrowed viciously.
"Don't make me laugh, Apophis! This is your fault! You stationed Sargas and even Sartini there! And the supplies were distributed under your authority!"
The deep blue sphere—Nidhogg's pupils—also turned toward Apophis.
"She's right, Apophis. You used the excuse that my influence was too weak and placed many of your own subordinates in key positions at the Black Smeltery. And this is the result?"
Had there been discontent brewing all along?
Unlike his usual ferocity, Nidhogg calmly pressed the issue.
"I admit it. Everything you've pointed out is my fault."
The gray-brown eyes.
Apophis nodded composedly.
"However, it's not entirely wrong to say this is all our fault. Vritra, you know who the culprit is that destroyed half the Black Smeltery."
"Hmph! Of course. That bastard alone threw the Arena Council into chaos."
Vritra snorted derisively.
"So?"
She glared sharply at Apophis.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"I heard he even managed to extract additional compensation?"
"Th-that!"
Her crimson eyes flickered slightly.
"I had no choice! This time, I even mobilized the Council of Elders to stop him, but then the Constellations of Death suddenly interfered!"
"I'm not blaming you. But objectively speaking, that bastard destroyed half the Black Smeltery and walked away with extra compensation."
That this ultimately meant Vritra was at fault.
All three Dragon Emperors understood this without needing further explanation.
"Then it's your problem. I don't see why I should be lumped in with you two. Don't tell me you're suggesting I should've stationed more troops at the Black Smeltery?"
As Nidhogg growled the question,
"Strictly speaking, that might be true, but in fact, you bear the least blame for this incident, Nidhogg."
Apophis shook his head as he answered.
"Unlike us, you have no subordinate races to command."
"You bastard!!"
Nidhogg immediately roared in fury.
Vritra, who usually bickered with Nidhogg, remained silent this time, merely observing cautiously.
"Apophis! How dare you belittle me?!"
Kyaaaak!
Screaming azure wraiths seethed around Nidhogg's eyes.
"Calm yourself, Nidhogg. I'm not insulting you."
Yet Apophis remained utterly unshaken, his tone indifferent.
Because he realized it wasn't disdain—Apophis meant every word.
"...You'd better have an explanation I can accept."
Nidhogg suppressed his rage, and the wraiths boiling around him vanished in an instant.
Apophis continued calmly.
"Objectively speaking, your faction is the weakest among us. That's precisely why I intervened in the Black Smeltery under your jurisdiction."
"......"
Nidhogg offered no reply.
Yet whether the words grated on him,
His azure pupils kept dilating and contracting repeatedly.
"Moreover, as Vritra pointed out, the majority of key personnel managing the Black Smeltery are my subordinates. Therefore, I bear the greatest responsibility for this incident."
"Greatest? Isn't the truth that you're solely responsible for this entire mess?"
"No. I can't agree to that. The losses I've suffered are too severe for me to shoulder all the blame."
"Ha! Severe losses? Apophis, are you truly trying to deceive—"
"Sargas is dead."
"...What?"
At Apophis's words, Nidhogg's eyes bulged wide.
And he wasn't the only one.
"What do you mean? Sargas is dead?"
Vritra, equally shocked, demanded an explanation.
Apophis turned his gaze to her.
"Vritra. You said you mobilized the Council of Elders, yet it seems you're unaware of the full details regarding the additional compensation."
Apophis gave a slight shake of his head.
"That bastard killed Sargas. Sartini met the same fate. And we lost Future Sight too."
"Madness! Is that true?!"
Nidhogg gasped in shock at Apophis's calm declaration.
Meanwhile, as if piecing something together,
"So that's it! I wondered what was going on—that's why the Constellations of Death mentioned Sargas!"
Vritra shouted louder than Nidhogg.
"I lost my right-hand man, and even the Authority of Future Sight. While my fault in this incident may be the greatest, honestly, bearing the full responsibility is too heavy a burden."
Apophis revealed his true feelings with grave sincerity.
At this, both Vritra and Nidhogg gave slight nods.
As he'd said.
"Sargas is dead..."
"And Future Sight—wasn't that the Authority you gained by slaying a Constellation during the Dragon God War?"
"That's right."
The Third Dragon Emperor had lost both his loyal subordinate and the Authority of the Constellation, gained through past wars.
Having lost both, it was clearly unreasonable to expect him to shoulder all the responsibility alone.
Then—
"How noisy."
Beside Apophis, another empty throne stirred as a gray-green sphere rose into the air.
"Greetings, Great Matriarch."
"Mother."
"You have arrived, Mother."
The three Dragon Emperors immediately bowed in reverence.
The gray-green sphere—the Second Dragon Emperor, Echidna—scanned them briefly before fixing her gaze on Apophis.
"I've heard the story. The Black Smeltery was half-destroyed by a mere human, was it?"
"Yes, Great Matriarch. I am ashamed."
"As you should be. Just imagine how many Constellations are laughing at us right now. It makes my skin crawl."
At her words, the Dragon Emperors lowered their gazes even further.
"Still, what's done is done. We can't undo it, so we must focus on damage control."
Her eyes shifted toward Nidhogg.
"Nidhogg."
"Yes, Mother."
"Can the Black Smeltery be restored?"
"Impossible. Until now, we could operate the facilities without the dwarves, but... to rebuild, we will need their craftsmanship."
"Hmm. I thought as much."
Echidna closed her eyes briefly before reopening them and turning to Vritra.
"Daughter. Mobilize the Council. Expand our player qualifications—not just Evolved, but Draconic as well. Ensure they can participate in the Arena."
"Mother! With our current reputation, passing that would require the High Councilor to propose the motion and the entire council to approve—!"
"Then make it happen. Don't waste my time with excuses for your incompetence."
"B-But, Mother!"
Echidna ignored Vritra's plea entirely.
"Listen carefully, all of you."
She swept her gaze across the three Dragon Emperors.
"We are changing our strategy. We will increase our own players and expand our influence within the Galaxy Arena itself."
"But, Great Matriarch,"Apophis interjected,"the human who destroyed the Black Smeltery must be punished. My subordinates fell to his hands—"
"That vengeance, too, will be settled in the Galaxy Arena. After all, that insignificant planet called Earth will soon be absorbed into the regular Arena system anyway."
Echidna cut him off decisively.
"Until then, focus solely on recovering from our losses. This is also the First Dragon Emperor's decree."
"Cr-Cruach...?"
Clearly not expecting the First Dragon Emperor's involvement, Apophis's eyes flickered toward the sole remaining empty throne.
"Additionally, Nidhogg."
Echidna's voice pulled him back.
"Defina will no longer be able to serve you. Choose a new herald."
"W-What? Mother, why suddenly—?"
"While interfering with Earth, she caught the First Dragon Emperor's eye. Though, given her talents, it's hardly surprising."
"......"
Nidhogg had lost his herald in an instant.
But he couldn't dare protest—not against his mother, the Second Dragon Emperor, nor against the First's decision.
"...Understood."
Suppressing his discomfort, Nidhogg could only nod.
June.
Summer arrived, and with it, the main rounds of the National Tournament were set to begin in earnest.
[National Tournament: The Curtain Falls!]
Headlines announcing the end of the tournament flooded the news.
The reason was simple.
[Korea Falls Short in the Round of 16!]
[The Sword Saint's Valiant Struggle, But Japan's Wall Was Too High!]
[Good Effort? National Team Holds a Consolation Party—But Where's the Sword Saint?]
[Yet Another Ranker Leaves the National Team—Who Will Represent Next Year?]
Thanks to the Platinum Division's efforts, Korea had secured a seed for the main rounds—but that was all.
In the end, they were eliminated in the Round of 16.
However, what caught Si-mun's attention were different articles entirely.
[The Hero Who Led Korea to the Main Rounds? Or the Pinnacle of Corruption?]
[Platinum Division's Kim Si-mun: Colluding with the Association?!]
[National Team Expulsion: Association President Kim Mu-yeol's Abuse of Power—Not the First Time?]
[Association President Kim Mu-yeol's Controversial Decisions—"Where There's Smoke, There's Fire?"]
These were the articles targeting Si-mun and his uncle, Kim Mu-yeol.
The backlash was so overwhelming—
"That even the Round of 16 exit is being buried."
The news of their elimination was completely overshadowed.
Then, into Si-mun's ears—
"What got buried?"
A strong voice rang out.
"Hey, haven't you been like this since morning? What, still glued to your phone? Not gonna eat lunch?"
It was Go Mal-suk.
Fresh out of the shower, perhaps.
A sweet scent wafted from her as she draped a towel around her neck.
"What're you staring at? Oh~ this? Guess it bothers you too, huh?"
She plopped down beside Si-mun without warning, peered at his phone, and nodded.
"Well, of course. Can't help but care when they're badmouthing you. Damn, you are human after all."
"Mal-suk. I don't particularly care about insults like these."
"Really? Hey, you freak! You're so goddamn annoying, you know that?! What kind of freshly-minted Platinum bastard already has enlightenment—"
Thwack.
"Ow!!"
Go Mal-suk clutched her forehead and toppled backward.
She sprang up, shouting.
"You just said you didn't care!"
"I told you. I don't care about insults like these."
Si-mun waved his phone in front of her as she rubbed her throbbing forehead.
"You—!"
At a loss for words, Go Mal-suk's eyes even glistened faintly with tears as she massaged the spot.
It did hurt enough to make her wince—
But what stung more was the fact that she hadn't even noticed his finger flick coming!
Si-mun sighed faintly at her reaction before turning back to his phone.
"The Platinum Division scandal was three days ago. The Round of 16 elimination was this morning. So why is this suddenly blowing up now?"
And only targeting his uncle and him, at that.
"Obviously because those shit-stirring journalists have nothing better to do than rile people up."
Mal-suk, now somewhat calmer, dabbed her forehead with the towel and scoffed.
"This? It's getting more attention than you bombing out right after making the Round of 16?"
"Obviously! The Diamond national team already squeezed all the drama out of the qualifier losses. Plus, is your little brother even that popular? They're just poking a hornet's nest for backlash."
She snorted, glancing at the phone.
"Wow! Look at this. Collusion, my ass. They're really going for your throat, huh."
Si-mun nodded calmly.
"Definitely. There's clear intent here."
"Clear? It's 100 percent. Unless you announce you're the Sword Saint's disciple, you've got zero credibility right now. Of course you're easy pickings for controversy."
"Pickings... Right. That makes sense. So that's why they're dragging my uncle into it—no, actually, they targeted him first—"
Si-mun rested his chin on his hand, absorbing her words.
Then—
"Mal-suk. Thanks."
He smiled faintly, looking at her.
"W-what? Out of nowhere?"
Flustered, she averted her gaze.
"You just helped me piece everything together."
"Huh?"
Blinking rapidly at his sudden gratitude, Mal-suk tilted her head.
She wasn't entirely sure what she'd helped with, but—
"W-well, duh! You're always holed up in the Arena or the lab. Someone's gotta keep you grounded in reality!"
She never missed a chance to climb over Si-mun's head.
"Next time you're overthinking, just come to me. I'll sort it out clean for you."
Of course—
"That sounds good. Now that our Mal-suk's learned how to think, I feel much more at ease."
With a light shake of his head, Si-mun effortlessly brushed her off.
"Obviously! If I start using my head too— Huh?"
Mid-boast, Mal-suk froze, her chin still raised.
She blinked her sharp eyes twice—
"You little—!! So you're saying I've been living without a brain till now?!"
Immediately, she shifted into rage mode.
Unfortunately for her—
She wasn't given the chance to vent.
"Oppa. We have a guest."
Lee Yu-jeong had appeared out of nowhere, announcing the visitor.
"A guest?"
"Guest my ass! You're dead today!!"
With one hand gripping Mal-suk's forehead—
Swish, swish, swish.
Si-mun effortlessly dodged her flurry of punches and kicks.
"Who is it?"
Yu-jeong giggled at his composed question.
"They said they're from the American Dream's recruitment division."