"Brett Russell. I've co from the United States at Captain Seol Ji-yun's invitation."
"Yukihisa. I'm from Japan."
"Volkov from Russia."
"I am Amir from Egypt."
Awakened from around the world shook hands with Execution Force Commander Gong I-an.
'This person is unbelievably strong. Worthy to succeed that Ju Taeyang.'
'Hmm. The Russian Awakened is quite impressive too.'
They gauged each other's abilities through the aura felt in their eyes and handshakes.
'I ca here for the right reason.'
'Captain Seol landed a big catch.'
Both sides felt satisfied.
"You must be tired from the long journey, so please take so ti to rest. You'll be able to et others at tonight's banquet."
Chief of Staff Heo Sung-gyeom guided the Awakened with fluent English.
"Oh, that's welco news indeed."
Even in these tis.
English still served as the most convenient common language.
"Will we be able to see the Special Operations Captain then?"
Feeling the anticipation in their eyes, Heo Sung-gyeom answered.
"Of course."
??????°??☆????°??????
That evening.
At the grandly held banquet, dishes faithfully recreating cuisines from various countries were lavishly provided.
"My goodness."
"This food, could it be?"
"To think I'd eat sushi here."
"Amazing. How did you get such fresh ingredients?"
"The quality of the at is excellent. This is properly raised and butchered beef."
"It's sweet, so sweet. I don't know how long it's been since I've tasted sothing this sweet...!"
The Awakened from various countries, who had already been greatly surprised by the scale and facilities of the Human Fortress, had to be surprised once more by the diverse and fresh ingredients that could only be eaten in civilized tis.
"This is truly remarkable."
"It's moving."
"Korea was really systematically preparing for the end. If we had also devoted ourselves to building shelters like them..."
"It couldn't be helped. Back then, there wasn't the atmosphere to stake a nation's survival on sothing that wasn't certain."
"That's right. Even if we went back to the past, it wouldn't be easy to do that."
"By the way, there are many guests, but the host is nowhere to be seen?"
Only after the atmosphere had sufficiently ward up.
"Commander Gong I-an is entering!"
"Special Operations Captain Jeong Su-hyeon is entering!"
"2nd Unit Captain Seol Ji-yun, 1st Unit Captain Jo Sujin are entering!"
"Chief of Staff Heo Sung-gyeom is entering!"
"'Sword God' Lee Un-hak is entering!"
Finally, the big shots began to appear one after another inside the banquet hall.
"Ooh."
"Indeed..."
'Divine Spear' Gong I-an.
'Fla Emperor' Seol Ji-yun.
In addition to these two who had been among the world's strongest Awakened even before the end.
'Sword God' Lee Un-hak, who had always been an idol to those walking the path of the sword, was also present.
"..."
Those surprised by their presence and pressure swallowed dry saliva.
'They're strong. We thought we had beco stronger by fighting and crossing the line between life and death countless tis, but these people are on a different level.'
There were now only two S -rank Awakened in the entire world: 'Divine Spear' Gong I-an and 'Fla Emperor' Seol Ji-yun.
Before the end, there had been one or two Awakened equivalent to S
in powerful countries like the United States, Russia, and China.
But they all died fighting against the demon armies.
'Moreover. What about those young captains?'
The aura emanated by the young captains, who didn't even have nicknas yet, seed no less than those legendary captains.
Seo Jun-seong, Min Hae-na, Lee Yu-jin, and Hwang Ji-su.
Except for Min Hae-na, none were even twenty years old, yet they were already geniuses who had reached S- or S-rank.
Not only that, the aura of lieutenant-level officers like Kim A-yun, Choi Min-a, Hong In-hyeon, and Nam Tae-hoon was also impressive.
Even talents like Kwon Seung-yeon, Kang Geon-woo, and Kim Ho-su had the strength of senior squad leaders.
All of them would be qualified to be leaders or core executives in any shelter in any country.
But.
'We're also elites gathered from around the world. Together, we're no less than them.'
Glances were exchanged among so Awakened.
'Now?'
'No. Let's wait until the atmosphere ripens further.'
"Thank you all once again for coming such a long way."
Commander Gong I-an raised his wine glass and greeted everyone in fluent English.
"Please enjoy yourselves comfortably and share your experiences."
"Excuse . I'm from the United States..."
"You must be Brett Russell. I've heard a lot about you."
"It's an honor."
Su-hyeon busily exchanged greetings with Awakened who approached him with eyes mixed with goodwill and curiosity.
"Thanks to you defeating the Great Overlords. In our United States, a new Arican Dream is about to open up by people who have discovered new hope."
"That's fortunate."
"If we can only win in this final battle, our Arica can beco great again."
"Well..."
Su-hyeon shook his head, saying that's not quite right.
"Aren't you already great people who survived through such a trendous ordeal? I think you can be a bit more proud."
"That is truly a gracious thing to say."
While being so strong.
So noble and humble.
'A true hero. Just like those heroes I saw in movies as a child.'
Brett Russell felt moved but also slightly concerned.
'However, it seems there are so disrespectful conversations going on among so Awakened. Should I tell him?'
"Sothing seems to be bothering you."
"Hmm. Well..."
As if understanding the thoughts of Brett Russell, who was hesitating and trailing off.
Su-hyeon smiled slightly.
"There's no need to worry too much."
"What? What do you an..."
"Let's watch for a mont."
Su-hyeon went up to the podium prepared at one side of the banquet hall.
"Are you enjoying the al?"
At that mont.
As if it had never been noisy, the banquet hall imdiately quieted down.
'It's Jeong Su-hyeon.'
'Jeong Su-hyeon.'
'So this man is?'
'Then this must be the main point now.'
Solid, nimble, robust, beautiful, and flexible.
A perfect body that gave the impression it could perform any movent with absolute perfection.
Yet, unlike other Awakened, he wasn't showing any aura at all.
But.
Everyone was silently watching his every move, unable to open their mouths due to the strange pressure and charisma they felt from him.
"The coordinates of where the floating castle of Belphegor, the king of Nastrond, is located are as follows."
"In the middle of the Pacific Ocean?"
Soone gathered courage to ask.
"That's right. In the sky there is his floating castle, and on top of that floating castle rises one gigantic Celestial Tower."
People closed their eyes and imagined the form of the Celestial Tower Su-hyeon described.
"You will have to fight against Belphegor's forces guarding the outside of that tower. It will be important which side secures air superiority first."
Su-hyeon's explanation continued.
"But your mission is not annihilation. You just need to open a path so that a small Suicide Squad, including myself, can enter the tower."
"A Suicide Squad?"
"Yes. A small number of captains, including myself, will be organized separately as a special operations unit to climb the Celestial Tower."
"What are the conditions for the special operations unit?"
As one person opened the floodgates for questions, they poured in from all around.
"Strength, and coordination."
"Are you saying that they've all been predetermined?"
"That's right."
And then.
"Just a mont."
A man who had been exchanging glances raised his voice.
"From what I hear, isn't this a bit too much?"
At that mont.
The air in the banquet hall turned cold.
??????°??☆????°??????
A man in his mid-thirties with a dark complexion, appearing to be of Arabic descent, was looking straight at Su-hyeon.
"Your na is?"
"...Saeed Al Saud. I'm from Saudi Arabia."
"I see, Mr. Saeed. What are you saying is too much?"
Encouraged by Su-hyeon's calm question, Saeed stepped forward and said.
"Weren't we supposed to be equal allies? This feels like we're taking orders under your command. And if that Suicide Squad is already predetermined..."
"Indeed."
Su-hyeon nodded.
"Then what would you suggest?"
"Wouldn't it be right to gather everyone's opinions again?"
"Hmm."
Without rolling his eyes, Su-hyeon instantly read the looks and emotions of all the people in his sight.
'About 30 percent, is it?'
Those showing agreent with Saeed's opinion were mainly Awakened from the Middle Eastern region, but there were also one or two from other regions.
'When did they join forces?'
But Su-hyeon knew that the man observing behind Saeed was the real mastermind.
'Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.'
A mber of the Saudi royal family and an Awakened with upper S-rank power.
'Even if he's just a distant branch of the royal family.'
Khalid was typically a person born with both lineage and talent.
And beyond that, he was infamous as a ruler with cruelty and business acun.
'After the end, he beca a dictator who exploited his own subjects.'
He was literally a warlord.
'Or should I call him a sultan?'
Su-hyeon thought.
'I heard he even created a harem of nearly a hundred people in that shelter.'
While moral values certainly differ across cultures.
'To think he's like that even after the world has ended, it's really...'
Su-hyeon tried hard to suppress a sigh that was about to escape.
'No. Because the world has ended, he's even more like that.'
Of course, if ti had just flowed normally, they would have t the end of being captured by a Great Overlord and all killed as usual.
But now, freed by Su-hyeon's butterfly effect, they had gathered like this to test the waters and sche for the post-reconstruction period.
'If I went with my feelings, I'd like to just dispose of them.'
In any case, being a leader and strongman with powerful leadership was also a necessary evil in so aspects.
Didn't even the United States in the 21st century maintain world order by forming symbiotic relationships with dictators around the world?
'Anyway. His mind works quite well in these areas.'
Well, all kinds of political machinations among royals were practically a tradition in the Saudi royal family.
'But this kind of bullshit is unacceptable.'
"In that case."
Hiding his inner thoughts, Su-hyeon spoke very calmly.
"As Mr. Saeed says, it would be right to discuss greater rewards and conveniences as well."
At that mont.
'That bastard!'
Khalid, who had been observing, looked at Saeed with a startled face.
But.
"Of course. We're all in this together, aren't we? Naturally, we should share."
Saeed, who was less quick-witted than Khalid, readily took Su-hyeon's bait.
"Haha."
Su-hyeon laughed with a face that suggested it wasn't funny at all.
"It seems you all are still doing quite well."
Kwaaaaaaa!
An oppressive aura spread throughout the entire banquet hall.
"Huk!"
"Uuugh!"
Tremble tremble.
The presence of the Great Overlords that had given them despair and the fear of death.
Su-hyeon's presence, which transcended that presence by far, overwheld everyone.
'Impossible.'
'This is...!'
Heaven beyond heaven.
Only then did people realize Su-hyeon's true nature.
"It seems you wanted a soft, cultured, and reasonable civilized attitude from ."
But there has never been a world in the last several thousand years that operates on such blatant survival-of-the-fittest logic as this current world.
And the power Su-hyeon possessed was closer to that of a god rather than an emperor or king.
"I don't care much whether you rule over people, govern them, or lead them."
But.
"What's certain is that if we don't win in this final battle, your pitiful little kingdoms will crumble like sandcastles."
Tremble tremble.
Thud!
Kuuung!
Awakened who couldn't withstand Su-hyeon's pressure trembled or sat down.
"And if I hadn't killed the Great Overlords, you would already have been begging for your lives before a Great Overlord only to have your heads cut off, or been annihilated after a noble last stand."
Su-hyeon walked past Saeed toward Khalid.
"I don't intend to take credit and expect gratitude, but this kind of attitude is very..."
Su-hyeon stopped in front of Khalid, who was frozen like a frog before a snake.
"Displeasing."
"Huk!"
Brrrrr.
About 30 percent of the Awakened who had shown impure intentions foad at the mouth and lost consciousness, especially from the killing intent and pressure focused on them.
Kuung!
Kuuung!
'I'm going to die.'
Khalid felt such enormous fear that he couldn't even dare to swallow his dry saliva.
The premonition of death more certain than anything.
They were all trembling in fear, looking at the death that would co in five seconds.
"I am neither a rciful ruler, nor a rational negotiating partner, nor an indecisive diator."
Kuung!
Khalid, a noble royal, the strongest Awakened, and the ruling king of a shelter, involuntarily knelt before Su-hyeon.
"Even after victory in the battle against Belphegor, you will have to fear my existence, watch my mood, and cooperate. Do you know why?"
Su-hyeon looked down at Khalid.
"Because otherwise, I'll pull you down anyti and put your subordinates in your place."
"...!"
"Who holds the sword handle, who has whose leash, who needs to cooperate with whom. Do you understand now?"
"...Y-yes."
Khalid answered, trembling, but.
"Your voice sounds disrespectful."
"I-I apologize."
Khalid imdiately relaxed his neck and lowered his gaze.
"Good."
As Su-hyeon nodded, Khalid exhaled the breath he had been holding.
"Huuuuuu."
'Am I feeling relieved? ?'
He was shocked at himself for feeling relief like a small son liberated from his stern father's anger.
'Damn it.'
An unbelievable difference in power.
It wasn't even a fight to begin with.
Khalid now realized this fact.
'I'm screwed.'
And that realization ca too late.
'If I had known this, I shouldn't have co at all?'
No. Despite everything, he had to co.
'It would have been better if I had just kept my head down like that Russian guy.'
Khalid felt bleak, thinking he had shown all his cards just by trying to test the waters.
The problem was that his authority, which had been shaken now, might affect him in the future.
Khalid couldn't bear to turn around and face the gazes of his subordinates looking at him.
"Khalid. And those who acted as his accomplices, co forward."
The Awakened who didn't dare disobey the order ca forward, trembling like students before a scary teacher.
"You have given
disappointnt and distrust from the beginning."
Su-hyeon looked at them with a cold gaze.
"If you want to make up for that... if I have to tell you even that."
Su-hyeon didn't finish his sentence.
And that gave them even greater fear.
'I'm fucked.'
If they wanted to live, they had no choice but to engage in a desperate competition of loyalty.
'What idiots.'
Ji-su looked at them as if they were pathetic.
'How have they managed to stay alive this long without being able to read the situation like that?'
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