Total Mobilization Order – Part 1
A black do.
Centered around the Craftsn Village, it spanned a massive radius of ten kiloters.
It barely missed Seongnam City and Everland in Yongin by a hair’s breadth.
Just looking at it made one nauseous. A sickeningly ominous black do had completely sealed off Gwangju City.
‘Even in the ga, there was nothing like that.’
‘Where the hell did they bring it from?’
Boom! Boom!
[Kyaaah!]
[R-Run!]
[The Cult, the Old Father’s Cult, is attacking us!]
[Don’t shoot! I’m a follower of the Old Father!]
The news streaming from the Dragon Monarch’s Crown was absolute chaos.
The screen lit up with flashes of explosions.
Just outside the black do.
The stationed military had opened fire with anti-aircraft guns.
If not for the pilot’s expert maneuvering, they would’ve broadcast a live crash on air.
‘They’ve lost it.’
The Old Father’s Cult hadn’t stopped at sealing off Gwangju.
They had mobilized an army.
Deploying tanks, self-propelled artillery, anti-aircraft guns, combat robots, armored units—everything.
And it wasn’t just ground forces.
Sreeeeee!
Fighter jets roared across the skies above.
It was military power rivaling that of a nation.
Just like Episode 3 in the ga.
They must’ve been hiding all this at the Shadow Temple.
I probably missed it while tearing the place apart because of so spatial magic tricks.
Clack, clatter.
I typed frantically while watching the news.
[Mage Brain] [Bright Eyes] [Sixth Sense]
[Intelligence] [Understanding] [Tactics]
I had work to do.
Naly, analyzing the items I’d stolen from the Shadow Temple.
Whirrr. Whiirrrr.
River Goddess’s supercomputer was operating at full throttle.
The Goddess was perched on my shoulder, humming a tune.
[Done.]
“Thank you, Goddess.”
I’d swiped three items.
A file folder, a magic chip, and a magic spirit case.
All three were encrypted.
I’d just cracked the encryption with the help of the supercomputer and the Goddess.
I checked them one by one.
Just reading the titles made my fist clench on its own.
[Great Resurrection Ritual Plan]
[New King Birth Proposal_Final_Final_Confird]
[Birth Ritual_Cooperation Request_4th]
What the hell.
These sound like corporate docunts that got sent back a dozen tis.
I opened them one by one.
The Great Resurrection Ritual was exactly what I expected.
The scenario that would’ve unfolded if I hadn’t stopped the Seoul terror plot.
Mass chaos across Korea and Seoul.
The four major forces getting bogged down.
A coup d’état to offer all of Seoul as a tribute, culminating in the resurrection of the Old Father.
‘Got it.’
There was no direct proof tying the Terror Alliance and the Dark Jaguars.
But this docunt alone made it clear that the Old Father’s Cult was the main orchestrator from beginning to end.
Honestly, the strongest evidence was still playing non-stop on TV broadcasts.
I moved on to the next file.
‘I already know this one.’
The New King.
In other words, a plan to descend the Old Father into a vessel——and create a divine being in human form.
My deduction had been spot on.
Then, the final file…
[To the Noble and rciful Saintess.]
[We have received your request for an overseas dispatch.]
[However, we are currently executing the order you gave last ti to detain the priest, and it’s difficult to make ti.]
[The Elder Brother remains uncooperative, and the priest keeps attempting to escape the Repentance Chamber.]
[If you could allow us just a little more ti, we will make every effort to respond to your dispatch request soon.]
[We have also enclosed the heart you previously requested with this letter.]
[May endless glory and power be upon the Old Father.]
[And may the Saintess’s secret wish be fulfilled—we pray for it from afar.]
[From the Queen of the Night.]
Queen of the Night!
Who the hell is that?
Judging by how the priests at the Shadow Temple whispered about her, she must be a famous character.
But there was no such nickna in the ga.
And that “heart”…
Did she hunt down so high-level beast or sothing?
Overseas dispatch? Priest? Elder Brother?
My finger froze on the mouse click.
Because of a sudden guess that flashed across my mind like lightning.
‘No way.’
No, that can’t be right…
She couldn’t be the Queen of the Night, could she?
That’s impossible!
Why would the Heavenly Demon’s second disciple stoop so low as to join the Old Father’s Cult?
I stared wide-eyed at the laptop screen.
Priest detainnt.
Uncooperative Elder Brother.
Repentance Chamber.
All phrases you’d only hear in a wuxia novel.
There were only a handful of Repentance Chambers in Arcane Seoul.
At most, Tianshan, Shaolin, or Wudang.
And then, a piece of information I once heard floated back into my mory.
The Blood King had a massive fight with the Divine Army, was subdued by the Demon Lord, and imprisoned in a Repentance Chamber.
“She’s the one!”
[Huh? What do you an?]
I jumped to my feet and shouted.
The Goddess on my shoulder flailed in surprise.
I didn’t have the presence of mind to worry about her.
In the mirror in front of .
My eyes were trembling violently.
‘Then what happens now?’
The Saintess recruited the Demon Lord? An 8th-level superhuman? An SSR character?
She must be filling the void left by Seo Woojin.
This ans the Demon Lord could appear anywhere.
She could ambush
with the Saintess, or show up as a mid-boss ahead of her.
But what worried
the most was the dispatch request.
The Saintess.
And the Old Father’s Cult.
Just where had they dispatched the Demon Lord?
For what? Toward what goal?
Knock, knock, knock.
“Sword Star. It’s ti for your eting.”
“Yes. I’m on my way.”
Thoughts later.
For now, focus on the eting.
It was the sa eting I’d attended in a side role back in December.
Its official title: the Supre National Security Council.
An organization ranked higher than the global NSC.
As I’d seen before, the Eastern and Western Army Legion Commanders would sotis attend.
But today’s lineup seed even more intense.
The Tower Master of the Sun Mage Tower gave
a respectful nod.
“Sword Star. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, Tower Master. Long ti no see.”
His gear had changed.
The suit was the sa as before.
But now he was carrying a staff.
A magitech staff that transford into a long rifle in ergencies.
The handle was stylishly carved with the head of a golden dragon.
“Heh heh heh.”
Sensing my gaze, the Sun Mage Tower Master spun the staff with a flourish.
“Thanks to you, Sword Star, I got myself a fine new toy.”
“Ha ha. Is that so?”
Looked like he made it with the golden dragon materials I gave him.
“You punk!”
A heavy presence walked over and wrapped his arm around my neck.
“You beca a Transcendent, and you didn’t report in right away? Huh?!”
“My apologies. I’ve just been too busy. Have you been well?”
It was the Legion Commander.
Fortunately, he looked like his old self again.
A brawny man in his 40s.
But on closer inspection, you could tell—
He had lost so muscle mass compared to before.
And his trait set had changed, too.
[Black Tiger Invincible Sword Art] [Black Tiger Invincible Mind Technique] [Master of the Sword]
[Rampaging Train] [Chivalrous rchant] [One-Man Army]
He used to have [Hero] instead of [One-Man Army].
[One-Man Army] had taken the place of the [Hero] trait.
“What? Why are you looking at
like that? You rascal, I may be older, but I’m not so withered old geezer yet!”
“Geezer? You’re full of life! Just keep living for another hundred years, nothing more, nothing less.”
“What? You brat! So I end up senile, saring crap on the walls? I’ve got five years left in , you hear? Hurry up and beat down the Heavenly Demon!”
“Hahaha. Yes, sir.”
We entered the conference room.
The sa one used last ti.
A few were already seated inside.
The ones I recognized were Seong Huiyeong, the Thor Cult, and the Archbishop of Gaia’s Cult.
They stood upon seeing , and also at the sight of the Legion Commander and Tower Master.
“Well, well. You’re still kicking, old man?”
“My wife’s alive. How could I die before her? Heh, you saw the kid in person last ti, didn’t you?”
The only one still seated was a woman.
Early twenties, maybe even looked like a teenager.
She smiled softly at .
She was the Western Army Legion Commander.
Back during the Guro Fortress redevelopnt, she’d disguised herself as a young major to co check
out.
I bowed first.
“Commander Chae. It’s good to see you again.”
“Yes. You’ve really grown up well. I thought you’d reach Level 8 sooner or later, but not this fast. No, wait. I can’t be using casual speech with a fellow Transcendent. Sword Star. Congratulations on reaching Level 8.”
“Not at all! Please speak comfortably. You’re practically my great-grandmother’s age.”
“Hoho, shall I?”
Attendees continued to arrive one after another.
Unlike the eting during the Seoul terror incident, this one had a different lineup.
It looked like all four major factions were present.
The two major armies, the five conglorates, the four mage towers, and the seven religious orders—all of them.
An elderly man who arrived fashionably late reached out to shake my hand.
“Pleased to et you. I’m Go Jeonggi.”
Chairman of the Shinwha Group.
An 8th-level Reinforced, though you wouldn’t know it by looking—his prosthetics weren’t visible.
Originally, he would’ve been assassinated shortly after the Seoul terror attack.
But in this world, he survived thanks to the Dark Jaguar Cult’s poison being redirected toward Seong Huiyeong.
“I’ve heard much about you. I’m Warrior Kim.”
“Hoho. I wouldn’t call it fa. I’m just an old relic waiting for his final days.”
Was it because he was a Reinforced?
He looked distinctly aged.
His breathing was rough, and his face was deeply wrinkled.
Even with all the resurrection and youth elixirs in the world, his body had reached its limit.
His eyes briefly flicked toward the Eastern and Western Army Legion Commanders with a hint of envy.
“I’ve heard your na plenty too, Sword Star. Hoho. If I had a suitable granddaughter, I’d try to arrange a match, but my unfilial sons only gave
grandsons by the dozen.”
“Ha ha, is that so?”
I broke into a cold sweat.
Sa look I saw from the old general’s eldest son—like he was desperate to make
his son-in-law.
And it wasn’t just him. The other conglorate reps were staring daggers at .
Then Seong Huiyeong shot them a sharp glare, and they quickly looked away.
Now that I thought about it, I’ve never gotten a single marriage proposal.
Could it be that Seong Huiyeong was blocking them all?
“All gathered now—except the Old Father’s Cult.”
“How long has it been?”
“Since the war ended, this is the first ti.”
“Heh heh…”
“Is the Supre Archbishop of the Shiva Cult not attending?”
“No. Seems China’s in a bit of turmoil lately. I hear he’s shuttling between Hong Kong, Beijing, and Tibet.”
“Ever since the Divine Army fought the Blood King, right? They said Tianshan collapsed and several rivers flooded.”
“I heard the Blood King tried to bring in a new disciple, and that’s what sparked it…”
All the superhumans turned to look at .
What? Why are you all staring?
Why are you blaming
for the Blood King’s drama?
I didn’t encourage him.
It was the Blood King who lost his mind over the Heavenly Demon Arts and caused a ss.
“The President is entering.”
At any rate, all four major factions were now gathered.
There were five 8th-level superhumans in attendance.
The two Legion Commanders, the Shinwha Group Chairman, the Sun Mage Tower Master, and myself.
The Supre Archbishop of the Shiva Cult was absent due to duties in Hong Kong, and the Seoul branch’s Archbishop attended in his place.
Even with that, this was a massive gathering.
If this coalition were to mobilize, they could crush the Old Father’s Cult with ease.
‘No need to bring in other species or dragons.’
Better to keep them in reserve for when we enter the Divine Kingdom.
For the outer assault, just River Goddess and Warrior Security would do.
“Let us begin.”
The eting comnced as the President took his seat.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs began the briefing personally.
“As you all know, exactly three hours ago, Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province was sealed off by an enormous barrier.”
Click. A photo appeared.
A black do enclosing an entire city.
“We attempted communication for the sake of dialogue, but the Old Father’s Cult has refused all contact. They are currently attacking anyone who approaches—including civilians.”
Bang!
The Legion Commander slamd the table.
The magically reinforced table cracked apart.
The Western Army Legion Commander shot him a glare, but he ignored it.
The Legion Commander roared with a booming voice.
“I’ve never liked those bastards! Even during the independence movent, they only cared about expanding their influence! Now they’ve finally shown their true colors!”
“That may be so, but shouldn’t we first assess the situation? We need to understand what the Old Father’s Cult intends.”
“Intentions? What intentions! It’s obvious. They’re planning to use the citizens of Gwangju as sacrifices for so massive ritual!”
“Old man Gu. Hold on.”
The Western Army Legion Commander stepped in.
“No matter how extre they are, would the Old Father’s Cult really go that far? They’re one of the Seven Great Orders. Sure, they go a bit overboard with human offerings, but they’ve never crossed the line since the Westphalian Covenant of Divine Annihilation. There must be so explanation. Right, Chairman Go? What’s your take?”
Chairman Go Jeonggi of Shinwha Group nodded.
“I think so too. The Saintess may be a fanatic, but she’s not irrational. Offering an entire city? That’s the kind of thing only evil god cults do. Like those Dark Jaguar bastards. There must be a reason behind it.”
Everyone nodded.
That was the prevailing belief.
That the Old Father’s Cult didn’t cross the line.
An image built up over centuries.
Seong Huiyeong frowned.
“I wonder. Is that really the case?”
“What do you an, Chairwoman Seong?”
“Most of you may not know this, but I have evidence that the Old Father’s Cult has ford an alliance with the Dark Jaguar Cult.”
“What?”
“Pardon?”
“Chairwoman Seong. Are you saying that’s true? That they’ve allied with those heretical Dark Jaguar bastards?”
The Archbishop of the Mama Quilla Cult twitched in his seat.
His eyes blazed.
The Dark Jaguar and Mama Quilla cults had been mortal enemies for centuries.
Especially after the Wraith King descended on S??o Paulo—he’d been grinding his teeth ever since.
And now, a cult had made a secret pact with them?
That was beyond tolerance.
Seong Huiyeong glanced at
before continuing.
“Yes. Thanks to Sword Star’s help, we were able to secure the evidence. Proof of a secret alliance between the Dark Jaguar Cult and the Old Father’s Cult. Even during the ambush on , the two cults coordinated closely, and the descent of the Wraith King in S??o Paulo was sothing both cults orchestrated together.”
“That can’t be!”
“Good heavens!”
Shock rippled through the room.
And this was just the beginning.
This secret alliance between cults was nothing compared to what I was about to reveal.
“May I request the floor?”
“Yes, Sword Star. Please go ahead.”
“I’d like you to review this docunt first.”
I lightly tapped the Dragon Monarch’s Crown.
The files were transmitted.
To cybernetics if they had them, to digital devices if not, and if they had neither, magical light printed it out like paper.
The Legion Commander examined the magical paper.
The President adjusted his glasses.
The Tower Master and Seong Huiyeong widened their eyes, staring into the air.
“This is…”
“Hohoho!”
“This is insane.”
“The Saintess has completely lost it!”
“This is the end of days, I tell you!”
Their reactions were more or less the sa.
Only the Archbishop of the Osiris Cult looked sowhat indifferent—everyone else was visibly agitated.
That’s how shocking it was.
The Great Resurrection Ritual, the Seoul Offering Plan.
The revised New King Ritual, and now the Gwangju Offering Plan.
The mood had reached a climax.
Riding the montum, I stared directly at the President.
“Mr. President. I propose a declaration of total mobilization.”
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