Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: The Sovereign's Resolve
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After handling the Demonas, the conversation with the minister had continued on the main topic they'd discussed before: the responsibilities of the great powers.
The order from the GHO came through the minister's mouth.
It was a request for Yong-un and his subordinates to join the GHO-led coalition of all the world's great powers for the national A-rank Demonas operation that would take place in a few months.
That was also the reason for rushing through the Jukmak-dong Demonas cleanup.
Though the order had already come down by now, it provided experience for future Demonas dispatches—whose timing was unpredictable—along with a boost in overall strength.
The results had arrived sooner than expected.
This was precisely why all the major forces under Yong-un's command had pulled back from every Gate and devoted themselves entirely to training.
Drawing on their experiences in the Demonas realm, they were working to elevate their own power to survive there.
Yong-un, the mastermind who had painted this entire picture, saw all his forces exerting their utmost efforts just as planned.
He showed his trust by not meddling, believing his subordinates would handle things on their own.
'Well, the result was this nagging from the family.'
He'd brushed it off to Sena like it was nothing, but she relayed his words straight to the family.
As a result, Yong-un had to sweat bullets reassuring them.
This Demonas dispatch wasn't about clearing the threat.
"It's an unavoidable responsibility as a great power. Someone has to go," he'd said, along with various other explanations.
But the part that finally eased the family's worries was this.
'The goal is to conserve strength, so retreating at any time poses no issue.'
Classic family thinking.
Their concerns were none other than Yong-un's own.
Only after hearing he wouldn't have to die did they breathe a sigh of relief and respect his decision.
'Love without strings attached.'
It became an unintended reminder of that truth.
Thus, Yong-un's status upgraded from "capable freeloader" to "reliable freeloader in preparation," allowing him to live openly as a legal freeloader from then on.
With the family's worries gone, the sharp, prickling stares he'd felt before vanished too, letting him wander the house in comfort.
But it was then that someone appeared to disrupt Yong-un's peace.
As he indulged in the pleasures of reality right up until his predawn training, a familiar aura brushed his senses.
True to form, Yong-un opened the window and leaped onto the roof, where the Prime Assassin of the Nightblade Society—already waiting—bowed deeply.
"Hail the Sovereign."
It seemed the Nightblade Society had now taken to addressing Yong-un as the Sovereign.
Without any special reaction to the greeting, Yong-un cut straight to the chase.
"Didn't I say I planned to rest for a while?"
At Yong-un's sharp words, the Prime Assassin bowed even deeper, as if ashamed.
"My apologies. This is the Sovereign Dancer's command, so I took the liberty of coming here."
At the mention of the Spectral Soul Dancer's order, Yong-un lightly settled onto the roof.
"What's the matter?"
"The Sovereign Dancer asked me to inquire if you'd allow elite assassins to serve as guards for your family members—and so I've intruded despite the impropriety."
Even the Nightblade Society was having trouble tracking Jang Hu-young.
For Yong-un, who now counted the Nightblade Society among his subordinates, there were scarcely any enemies left in Korea worth the name.
Who would dare show themselves against someone with the power to clean up even the Demonas the nation couldn't handle?
Yet one confirmed foe remained.
Jang Hu-young, the Casting Director of the Reaper Guild, hidden in a place even the Nightblade Society's intelligence couldn't uncover—no matter the methods used.
The Dancer was mindful of him.
"Guards, huh..."
But.
It was the pure wish—and request—of the Spectral Soul Dancer, who saw Yong-un as her Sovereign and lord, to protect his family.
Even that, Yong-un found himself doubting.
Doubting on a level so deep he wasn't even aware of it.
Yet through yesterday's talk with Myung-un, he'd confronted the remnants of the Sword Demon—the negative energy lurking in the depths of his psyche.
And through Myung-un, he'd fully purified it in the name of family.
His unconscious inner doubt had now become a doubt he could recognize.
"I permit it. Begin the guard duty effective immediately."
A doubt one could recognize was no longer negative energy.
It was merely an emotion he could control.
Nothing more, nothing less.
"Pardon...?"
Was Yong-un's response so unexpected?
The Prime Assassin looked up at him in surprise.
"Is there a problem?"
"N-no, sir. You've never issued a guard order before, so I assumed you'd refuse."
Was that why the Prime Assassin had been so hesitant?
True to their top-tier intelligence, both the Prime Assassin and the Dancer had a keen eye for people.
Yong-un let out a chuckle.
"Is that how I seemed?"
"Yes... My apologies."
"No matter. Proceed with the guards starting now. Thank you."
The Prime Assassin was shocked a second time by Yong-un's expression of thanks.
How many people had ever heard "thank you" from the Sovereign Yong-un?
Especially among subordinates—he was notoriously stingy with such praise.
Yet here he was, receiving something close to commendation.
"I'll... get right to it."
The surprise was fleeting; true to his elite status, the Prime Assassin quickly composed himself and bowed.
He glanced back, and a new spirit sorceress emerged from the shadows.
"The Sovereign has granted permission. Escort duty begins now."
The message relayed to the spirit sorceress was passed to those beside the other elite assassins.
At once, elite assassins hidden all around revealed themselves before vanishing into unseen positions.
"Then we'll be off, Sovereign."
"Go."
With a final bow, the Prime Assassin vanished in response to Yong-un's words.
Feeling the faint presences of the elite assassins now concealed everywhere, Yong-un closed his eyes.
'Unlike before, I'm strong now. With enemies far tougher than in the murim days, I can't afford to botch things with needless suspicion.'
When he opened his eyes, black light gleamed in his pupils.
'I'll cast aside the doubt.'
Rising to his feet, Yong-un stomped lightly as if resolved—and vanished from the spot.
He collected the manuals he'd previously distributed to the Demon Dragon Legion, Ghost Soul Annihilators, and Shadow Demon Ghost Legion.
In their place, he left new ones bearing fresh names.
Demon Dragon Manifestation, Void Fusion Killing Art, Crimson Asura Demon Art.
He'd transformed what were meant to be blunted blades into razor-sharp ones.
He inscribed everything he'd deliberately omitted before to stunt their growth.
To the Demon Dragon Legion: Demon Dragon Manifestation, allowing them to shape Yong-un's Crimson Heavenly Demon Qi into a dragon form for a third weapon.
To the Ghost Soul Annihilators: Void Fusion Killing Art, the pinnacle of assassination—melting into space to conceal one's presence and slay foes from that state.
To the Shadow Demon Ghost Legion: Crimson Asura Demon Art, advancing beyond mere effective Crimson Demon Qi use to fully embody it, transforming the body into an Asura's form.
These were manuals among manuals, placed right where they were familiar.
Arts he hadn't even shared with his old subordinates in the Heavenly Demon Cult. If they mastered these, their growth would eclipse even those from the Cult.
After setting down the Crimson Asura Demon Art in the Unwoo Guild office, Yong-un patted the manual lightly and smiled.
"I—and you all—owe Myung-un our thanks."
Without that, these manuals wouldn't exist.
He surveyed the empty office, long since vacated by everyone after hours.
Then Yong-un snorted in self-derision.
"What a bundle of contradictions I am."
Telling them to grow strong for the upcoming Demonas cleanup—then hiding key sections in the manuals.
It seemed the suspicions born from his Sword Demon days had slumbered deep within.
But things were different now.
He wasn't weak enough to be betrayed by honed blades anymore.
And as long as demons and Gates—monsters beyond human bounds—existed,
they would serve as Yong-un's blades, cutting down his enemies.
That was what he chose to believe.
"Who else is there to trust them, if not me?"
He resolved to set aside his doubts toward subordinates who devoted their lives to him alone.
No more blocking their path—it was time to give them wings.
And at the center would be "Myung-un."
With his thoughts sorted, Yong-un sat on the spacious sofa in the expanded Unwoo Guild office, feeling refreshed.
As he leaned back, gazing at the pitch-black room untouched by any light and considering a cup of tea before leaving,
his eyes caught the name "Myung-un" on a letter atop the table.
"What's this?"
And the text below it furrowed his brow.
[Ministry of National Defense]
- Enlistment Notice
Ring ring ring.
The next morning.
As expected, Unwoo Guild Master Jin-cheol called Yong-un's phone.
He picked up, and Jin-cheol's voice came through immediately.
[Sovereign, a letter from the Ministry of National Defense arrived for Myung-un. Given his age... he'll have to enlist...]
"I know."
He'd already read it.
"Next month, right?"
[Yes, that's correct.]
Having accepted the Crimson Heavenly Demon Qi, Myung-un needed at least six months of closed-door training to fully assimilate it.
Entering the military without fully integrating it could lead to qi deviation from the sheer volume and power of the energy.
[What should we do?]
At Jin-cheol's worried tone, Yong-un asked,
"I heard I was originally on the enlistment list too. So why did the notice come only for Myung-un?"
Disappeared at 13, 12 years passed—by worldly reckoning, Yong-un was 25.
Myung-un, two years younger, was 23.
Both were of enlistment age.
Yet no notice had come for Yong-un, only Myung-un—raising questions.
Jin-cheol explained simply for Yong-un's understanding.
[You've entered the world S-rank standings, bringing glory to the nation, so you're exempt. Myung-un lacks that, so he's still eligible.]
Yong-un had been mulling ways to exempt Myung-un: Nightblade Society intel, Sword Tiger's connections—even forcing it through the minister if needed.
Then a legal path emerged from Jin-cheol's words.
"National glory, huh..."
[But Myung-un's skills aside, there are no glory-worthy tournaments scheduled for years.]
"National glory isn't limited to that."
Yong-un's voice carried the tone of someone who'd found a solution.
[Is there... a way?]
Even Grandmaster Jin-cheol hadn't found an answer.
Naturally so—only Yong-un knew Myung-un's true state.
To uncover the method, Yong-un shared a secret he hadn't told anyone else, just as he had when they first met.
"What if Myung-un had the power of an S-rank Hunter...?"
[S-rank...?]
Myung-un was C-rank, but with demon qi, somewhere between B and A.
To leapfrog two whole tiers to S-rank in a single month?
Even Jin-cheol, hearing it from Yong-un back then, had called it nonsense.
No one would believe it.
But knowing Yong-un now, the grandmaster entertained the premise like the master he was.
[At S-rank Hunter level... there might be a way.]
Just like their first meeting.
As he awaited Grandmaster Jin-cheol's reply, Yong-un thought to himself.
He'd have to help Myung-un assimilate the Crimson Heavenly Demon Qi as quickly as possible.
'No choice but to use that method.'
He'd avoided dangerous techniques on family, but to compress six months into one,
it was the only option.
Settling on the answer in his mind, Yong-un told Jin-cheol,
"Find a solid exemption method. I'll make Myung-un more than an S-rank Hunter."
[As you command, Sovereign.]
Hanging up, Yong-un rose from bed and gazed toward Myung-un's room.
Feeling the Crimson Heavenly Demon Qi slowly circulating inside, he opened the door.
"Get up. Time to go die."