'I didn't expect things to go this smoothly.'
Hwang Won-jae thought as he looked down at Lee Cheong-myeong who was sleeping with a face full of cold sweat.
It was Ha Jin-su who had given him the hint.
'Ha Jin-su knew about the intense, almost obsessive competitive spirit and envy in Lee Cheong-myeong's gaze when he looked at his master and fellow disciples.'
Hwang Won-jae thought.
[In a way, we were similar types. That might be why I hated that bastard so much.]
Hwang Won-jae had been picturing this situation in his mind since hearing those words.
'I thought it was worth gambling on.'
And that gamble had succeeded brilliantly.
'Lee Cheong-myeong. When a man like you loses to soone you looked down on, the wound and shock are truly imnse.'
Infiltrating and controlling a shaken and weakened mind was Hwang Won-jae's area of expertise.
How many chess pieces had he recruited and used this way?
"Now that Jo Jin-myeong has been captured, I've co upon this windfall."
When he heard that Jo Jin-myeong's identity had been exposed by Su-hyeon and had beco a cause for providing false information, how angry he had been.
'I shouldn't have planted a spy for too long. I misjudged the timing to discard him.'
He admitted that he had beco a bit complacent due to continued success.
'There's no ti to hesitate if we want to open Nastrond. From now on, I'll drive forward more resolutely.'
The enemy is intoxicated with their great victory, and our forces are intimidated by defeat at this mont.
There was an opportunity right before his eyes to strike the enemy's heart with a sharp counterattack.
'I directly injected the blood of executives full of magical energy using a syringe.'
Lee Cheong-myeong's transformation into a Ma-in had already quietly begun.
'As long as he's under my control, it's possible to disguise it for a while without being detected.'
Hwang Won-jae smiled at the thought of using this unprecedentedly powerful chess piece in the most destructive way.
"You did well this ti. Damn bastards."
Therefore.
"I'll make sure to send a generous return gift."
??????°??☆????°??????
Around the ti when Lee Cheong-myeong was awakening to demonic nature under Hwang Won-jae's influence.
Su-hyeon was having a private audience with Commander Ju Taeyang, guided by a teleporter from the Execution Force.
"I apologize. Please forgive the rudeness of quietly summoning a cadet exhausted and injured from fierce battle at such a late hour."
"Rudeness? Not at all."
Su-hyeon bowed his head.
"I've guessed that there must be an important matter at hand."
"As humble as I've heard."
Ju Taeyang smiled as he looked at Su-hyeon.
'He's strong. Imasurably so.'
The Vampire Queen, Asura.
Or the War God and Divine Spear.
Ju Taeyang had a presence and energy that clearly showed a higher caliber than the powerful figures Su-hyeon had seen on the battlefield.
'If this man had remained healthy, I might have seen a clear path at least once.'
In that sense, it was truly a fitting balance for a ruined ga, and Su-hyeon swallowed a bitter smile.
"The reason I sought you out, Su-hyeon, is that while I'm certainly impressed by your remarkable qualities and contributions, there is a more urgent matter."
"May I know what it is?"
"I hear you have the ability to see the future in dreams?"
"I wouldn't call it a characteristic, but I do believe I possess such a peculiar power."
Ju Taeyang asked Su-hyeon, who had answered indirectly.
"Then let
ask you."
"Yes."
"About that scene of the end you supposedly saw......"
After pausing briefly, Ju Taeyang continued.
"Was I there?"
"......No, you weren't."
"Thank you for your honesty."
Ju Taeyang smiled.
"What I'm about to tell you, I haven't told anyone yet. Not my family, not the Chief of Staff."
"Why would you tell
such......"
"Though not as much as you."
Ju Taeyang smiled.
"Dragons too have their own wisdom. The wisdom to know what should and shouldn't be said."
Just an old man's wisdom? Ju Taeyang joked.
"......If that's the case, I feel I should also tell you one fact, Commander."
"Oh?"
Ju Taeyang showed a surprised expression.
"What could that be?"
"Perhaps it's similar to what you're about to tell ."
"......."
Looking at Commander Ju Taeyang, who waited for his next words with a greatly surprised face, Su-hyeon opened his mouth.
"You have suffered a severe injury, and you've been hiding that fact. All for the sake of stabilizing the current system."
"......Hah."
Ju Taeyang let out a hollow laugh.
"You really......"
"......."
Su-hyeon silently bowed his head.
"Did you see that in a dream too?"
"......It was a dream I couldn't tell anyone about."
"I see. Thank you."
Ju Taeyang said with relief.
"It's surprising, but that's not what's important right now. If Su-hyeon already knows, our conversation can move faster."
Ju Taeyang patted Su-hyeon's muscle-filled shoulder.
"Good shoulders. Well-trained, and you have natural bone structure. I can feel both flexibility and firmness."
"Thank you."
"I was half in doubt even after calling you, but now I'm certain. Certain that I can share this story with you."
"Please speak."
"As you know, I don't have much strength left. It's hard enough just to maintain my dignity. My Dragon Heart has been destroyed, and I'm barely managing to prevent the wound from growing."
"......."
Su-hyeon, who already knew all the facts, listened to the story without saying a word.
"I'm looking for my last battlefield. This fight could have been that battlefield, but I wasn't sure. So I decided to wait once more."
"......I think it was a wise choice."
"Thank you for saying so."
Ju Taeyang nodded.
"So now let
ask you. When do you think my final battle should be?"
"......I..."
Su-hyeon's mouth opened.
Ju Taeyang smiled with satisfaction.
"It seems I've finally found soone who could beco my successor."
??????°??☆????°??????
The next day.
Lee Cheong-myeong opened his eyes.
"......Good heavens."
The doctor examining his wound was astonished.
"The wound has healed more than yesterday?"
The wound, which had been in a terrible state due to Rusty Sword's and the incurable curse combined, was now showing noticeable signs of recovery.
"......How is this possible?"
dically, self-healing couldn't have been expected.
The sa was true for healers' abilities.
It was a wound that supposedly couldn't be healed without the power of the mythical creature called Caladrius.
Yet that wound was recovering.
"......What's going on?"
"Captain Lee Cheong-myeong."
The doctor said with a trembling voice.
"This is heaven's blessing."
"Ah."
The Sword God, who had rushed over upon hearing that Lee Cheong-myeong's wound was showing improvent, grabbed his son's hand with trembling fingers.
"Thank goodness. Thank goodness indeed."
"Father."
Lee Cheong-myeong's eyes, holding his father's hand, briefly glanced toward Hwang Won-jae.
"Congratulations."
Chairman Hwang Yong-jae also said.
"I don't know what the principle behind it is, but it seems heaven hasn't abandoned us."
"Yes. It can only be described as a miracle."
Hwang Won-jae, saying this, showed a kind smile.
"At this rate, discharge doesn't seem far off."
"Yes. I want to leave the hospital quickly and hold my sword again."
Lee Cheong-myeong said in an exceedingly calm voice.
"This incident has made
realize my inadequacies, so I need to work harder."
"I'm proud of you. To overco such frustration."
The Sword God, assuming his son had gained so insight based on his composure, stroked his son's back.
"Thank you."
Lee Cheong-myeong bowed his head.
But at that angle, invisible to anyone else.
Lee Cheong-myeong's eyes were rely coldly frozen.
'Good. It's succeeded perfectly.'
Hwang Won-jae nodded with satisfaction as he watched.
The news that Lee Cheong-myeong was recovering quickly reached the academy as well.
"That's wonderful. Grandfather was happy too."
"Congratulations, Yu-jin."
"Thank you all."
"......I'm relieved."
Seeing Lee Yu-jin relieved and happy, and the cadets rejoicing together, Su-hyeon sighed inwardly.
'It seems that bastard Hwang Won-jae has finally done it.'
It had happened during the night when he was summoned by Ju Taeyang.
'I didn't think he'd move that quickly. He's completely venomous.'
It was going to happen anyway.
Even knowing in advance, one can't prevent everything.
But it still didn't feel good.
'Incurable Wounds doesn't apply to Ma-in.'
There was no need to doubt the fact that Lee Cheong-myeong had already awakened to demonic nature.
'But it won't show yet. Even if they sense sothing strange, not many would dare to express suspicion in the face of the na Sword Warrior.'
Of course, it couldn't be hidden forever.
Therefore, there was a high possibility that Hwang Won-jae would try to make his move within that tifra.
'But even I can't be certain what that will be.'
Many things had already changed.
Moreover, Hwang Won-jae, having suffered trendous damage from Operation Caligo, would surely be planning a more vicious operation.
Therefore, even Su-hyeon had to wait and see how he would act.
However.
'I should be prepared to fight back.'
'Sword Warrior' Lee Cheong-myeong, who had recovered from his wounds and awakened to demonic nature.
That power would naturally be stronger than before.
Perhaps he had already reached the upper levels of S-rank.
'If left alone, he'll eventually beco strong enough to break the wall of S-rank.'
Even if Su-hyeon inford Heo Sung-gyeom of this fact using prophecy as a pretext, the situation and justification weren't good enough to take imdiate action.
The na value of the Sword Warrior, son of the Sword God and Captain of the Execution Force, had that much power.
'It would be best if I could resolve the matter on my own.'
To do that, Su-hyeon also needed to beco stronger than he was now.
And he had an opportunity to step up once more by using the achievent points and skill points he had accumulated.
'Yes. I need to increase my mana too.'
Su-hyeon smiled, thinking there's nothing better than elixirs for increasing mana capacity.
'The investnt returns collected through Park Min-cheol and the earnings from Execution Force activities. If I use all of that, I should be able to get sothing good.'
Above all.
Su-hyeon well knew that once the end approaches, today's money would beco worthless.
'It's best to spend it when it has the highest value.'
Su-hyeon fiddled with the phone in his pocket, thinking he should give Park Min-cheol and Old Man Jang a hint to collect physical assets.
??????°??☆????°??????
Old Man Jang, receiving Su-hyeon's contact, stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"You've accumulated quite a lot. This should be enough to provide you with sothing good."
Of course, the soaring prices had to be taken into account.
"Don't you think so?"
"I suppose so."
The response ca imdiately.
"Well, well."
Old Man Jang chuckled.
"By the way. Who do we have here? Hmm?"
"It's been a while, sir."
The man sitting in front of Old Man Jang grinned.
The man's na was Nam Tae-hoon.
A spy for the [Liberation Corps] who had escaped from White Castle and a forr cadet.
"I knew you escaped alive, but I didn't expect you'd co looking for ."
"After thinking about it, this seed like the best option at present."
"'At present.' You'd better not talk nonsense."
"Hehe. I guess so."
"Well, whatever."
Old Man Jang snickered.
"You're not going to ask for the whole story?"
"Well, I've heard the gist of it from that Su-hyeon kid."
Old Man Jang shrugged as if to say what does it matter.
"I always welco a capable person who can be my hands and feet."
"I'm at a loss for words with such a warm welco."
When Nam Tae-hoon acted deliberately shaless, Old Man Jang also laughed heartily.
"So, Nam Tae-hoon. Do you want to lend your strength for ? For Jeong Su-hyeon?"
"......."
Instead of answering imdiately, Nam Tae-hoon asked this.
"Do you pay salaries on ti?"
"Hahaha."
Old Man Jang said that was quite bold.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure to give you incentives too. Choose cash or bank transfer as you like."
"No."
Nam Tae-hoon grinned.
"Su-hyeon says the end is coming, right?"
"You've got sharp ears. How did you hear about that?"
"I hear words spoken in day and night."
Nam Tae-hoon said.
"That sounds exciting. So what are you saying?"
"I'll take my salary in physical assets."
"Hahahahaha!"
At those words, Old Man Jang burst into loud laughter.
"You're really a cute one."
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