C447
Cale’s irritation spiked at the sight of Choi Jung Soo cheerfully smiling, as if everything was alright.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
He spoke to Choi Jung Soo.
“Stop smiling.”
“He, he he-”
Choi Jung Soo smiled even more. Raon, On, and Hong became serious upon seeing the scene.
“Human, Choi Jung Soo looks strange!”
Nyaaaong!
“…It’s serious.”
Cale shifted his gaze from the children to Hitellis, who was unconscious, and spoke.
“Team leader.”
“Ah, I understand.”
Sui Khan approached Choi Jung Soo. With a *shing*, he drew his sword.
“Ah, ah!”
Choi Jung Soo stopped laughing.
“Team leader! Are you going to hit me? No, hit me with the sheath, why are you drawing the sword? Eh?”
As his face paled…
*Shur*. The sword moved.
*Shur, shur*. The chains binding him were easily cut, like paper.
“Oh dear. I thought you were going to hit me.”
Choi Jung Soo smiled again upon seeing his body freed. That’s when…
“…….”
He felt a chill and looked at Sui Khan. He was staring intently at him. Why was 30-year-old Lee Soo Hyuk’s face overlapping with Sui Khan’s, a teenager’s? An inexplicable chill ran down Choi Jung Soo, and Sui Khan softly said:
“I don’t think I said I wouldn’t hit you.”
A calm and serene voice. Choi Jung Soo fell silent; he understood that Sui Khan was furious. And Cale…
‘He’s very angry.’
Cale’s expression, looking at Hitellis, threatened to hit her on the back of her neck a hundred times. Choi Jung Soo recalled Kim Rok Soo hitting an unconscious guild leader on the back of his neck ten times. It wasn’t secretly; he did it without caring if he woke up. No one stopped him that day, when the guild leader’s greed had severely injured a team member. Choi Jung Soo stood still, remembering.
‘Eh?’
Then, he made eye contact with the ten-year-old children. Raon, On, and Hong were sitting, unable to approach Choi Jung Soo. Even On was restless.
‘Hmm.’
Choi Jung Soo suppressed a bitter smile. His state wasn’t normal. Although the illusion had disappeared, he felt the pain of the oppressive gazes. The near-death pain caused by dozens of wounds, persisted as an afterimage. That’s why Choi Jung Soo was acting lightheartedly, and the team leader and Cale were allowing it.
“Choi Jung Soo.”
Raon cautiously approached.
“Are you hungry?”
Choi Jung Soo almost laughed. Raon’s question, even now, reminded him of Cale and the team leader.
Finally connecting.
Choi Jung Soo felt the afterimages of the pain that had brought him to death were fading; nothing disappears.
*Shur*. Sui Khan carefully cut the numerous chains, one by one. He could have cut them all at once, but he was acting cautiously. Everyone knew this, so no one urged him.
Kwaaaaaang---!
The vibrations, previously distant, were now very close, perhaps at the entrance. But they didn’t care.
“Hey, Cale.”
But Choi Jung Soo did care.
“I was captured by the strongest knight here, you know?”
He quickly said.
“He’s much stronger than me. I can’t beat him.”
His voice sped up. Raon, On, and Hong looked at him strangely; his body still trembled. He should calm down before speaking. But the strange thing was that Cale didn’t tell him to rest.
“…….”
He silently listened. Choi Jung Soo quickly released the information.
“I heard the knight reporting to the Pope. Do you know about the gray disease? You would have discovered it. It causes chaotic contamination.”
He wanted to convey all the possible information.
“The knights planted seeds everywhere. They experimented in some villages to see if the seeds sprouted well. That’s how something about the gray disease became known.”
Cale, looking at Hitellis, attentively listened.
“The Chaos God sect has a Sacred Object, ‘Chaos in the Wind.’ It can make the chaos seeds sprout simultaneously.”
How to spread the gray disease throughout the Demon Kingdom.
“The Supreme Knights used it in experiments, and once they succeeded, they gave it to the Pope. They say it was originally the Pope’s. The seeds don’t sprout unless the Pope uses the Sacred Object.”
The sect already had a prepared answer.
“From what I heard, using the Sacred Object doesn’t make all the seeds sprout at once.”
The fear of the gray disease, a plague that would slowly spread throughout the Demon Kingdom.
“Like the word ‘wind’ in the name, ‘Chaos in the Wind,’ it gradually spreads. Once the seeds sprout in one region, they spread to the next, like dandelion seeds floating in the wind.”
Dioruel, the center of commerce and mining. With many people coming and going, the gray disease would start there and quickly spread throughout the Demon Kingdom.
“So from the Pope-”
Choi Jung Soo stopped. Sui Khan had stopped cutting the chains and was looking at the underground hallway. The broken entrance. She was looking that way.
“They’re coming.”
Someone was approaching. Cale and the children were also looking at the dimly lit hallway. The broken entrance.
*Kwaajiik*.
The sound of footsteps breaking the entrance stones resonated.
*Uuuung*.
Raon raised black mana. Sui Khan stood in front of Choi Jung Soo, who had dozens of scars on his body. He belatedly realized the intrusion that even Sui Khan had noticed. His state wasn’t normal. At any moment…
‘He might lose consciousness at any moment.’
That’s why Cale attentively listened to Choi Jung Soo’s rapid words. He was also speaking quickly, knowing he might faint at any moment.
Information transmission.
For Lee Soo Hyuk’s team members, transmitting information to Kim Rok Soo was a priority.
*Step*. Someone stopped. Choi Jung Soo raised his head.
‘Ah.’
He swallowed a sigh. His vision was clouding.
‘…I’ll lose consciousness soon.’
Fainting was imminent. Then, he heard the team leader’s voice.
“Clopeh Sekka.”
It was for Choi Jung Soo.
‘Ah.’
Relief washed over him. His vision clouded even more, but different from the dizziness of past pain. It was peace. Choi Jung Soo felt his body relaxing. Then, he heard Cale’s indifferent voice.
“Simply, sleep.”
Yes. He could sleep. He had already said everything. If he could endure more and help, it would be good to escape alone, but it seemed difficult. Hearing footsteps approaching, Choi Jung Soo made a final effort.
“…I fe-feel-”
After saying that, he surrendered to the darkness invading him. He would faint. Then, he had a thought.
‘…But it seems to be more than a couple of footsteps.’
But he couldn’t think anymore. His mind and body, which had endured the pain, surrendered to the newly arrived peace.
“…….”
Choi Jung Soo lost consciousness. Sui Khan, seeing his fallen body, wielded his sword.
*Shur, shur, shur*.
The few remaining chains were cut, and Choi Jung Soo fell to the ground.
“…….”
Whoever picked him up, looked at his body. From the oldest wounds to Hitellis’s recent ones. After examining him, he looked at Cale.
“Is it the Chaos God sect’s doing?”
Cale nodded to Choi Han, who had asked the question.
“Yes.”
Choi Han’s expression disappeared. Cale looked at Clopeh and the Heavenly Demon, who had arrived with Choi Han. Clopeh spoke:
“We found them on the way and brought them.”
Clopeh, knowing something of Cale’s plan, had easily reached the second underground floor. The Heavenly Demon, receiving Cale’s gaze, spoke:
“Choi Han found traces of Choi Jung Soo, and this place was the closest. They explored the surroundings, and taking advantage of today’s battle chaos, infiltrated.”
The Heavenly Demon looked at Choi Han.
‘…He’s brutal.’
Choi Han didn’t show emotions, but a brutal aura emanated from him, embracing Choi Jung Soo.
‘They said he was his only nephew?’
The Heavenly Demon, beside Choi Han, had heard something about their relationship. Although Choi Han seemed younger, he didn’t ask further, sensing a complex story given Choi Jung Soo’s condition.
‘He’s his brother’s son.’
He only heard that. Choi Han said Choi Jung Soo was his uncle and he was his nephew, the only remaining descendant. His condition was terrible.
‘The Chaos God sect made a mistake.’
Dozens of superficial wounds covered his skin. The Heavenly Demon thought there weren’t any serious health problems, as there didn’t seem to be any broken bones or organ damage.
‘That’s something only a third party could say.’
The Heavenly Demon fell silent. Choi Han, Sui Khan, and Cale had a similar atmosphere.
“Cale.”
Sui Khan, looking at Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo, spoke.
“Will we stop the gray disease now?”
Originally, they planned to rescue Choi Jung Soo and obtain information about the gray disease. They had to stop the Chaos God sect’s plans and prevent the demons’ deaths.
“Clopeh.”
Instead of answering Sui Khan, Cale asked Clopeh.
“The situation above?”
“The Supreme Knight and Mol are still facing each other. Mol is winning, but he’s getting exhausted. They’re fighting near the entrance. Mol should win soon.”
“And after?”
“He’ll die.”
Cale looked at Clopeh.
“Even if Mol wins, there are many knights protecting the Pope. Even without the Supreme Knight, other knights will kill him. He’s on the verge of exhaustion.”
Clopeh foresaw Mol dying after defeating a Supreme Knight and being attacked by several more. But that would have already fulfilled its purpose.
‘The Supreme Knight will be beside the Pope.’
Clopeh wondered how to deal with the Pope.
‘The Third Corps leader is weaker than expected.’
He was said to be the Demon King’s sword, but the Pope’s Supreme Knights seemed sharper. Then…
“No.”
Cale spoke.
“Eh?”
Clopeh stopped. Cale, after thinking, was sure.
“General Mol hasn’t used all his power yet.”
“Is that so?”
The Sound of the Wind told Cale:
-Mol still has a Sacred Object. I don’t know what it is, but he hasn’t used it completely. It doesn’t smell like he’s using it.
Mol hadn’t used the Sacred Object. He had a card up his sleeve. The meaning was clear.
‘He’ll use that card against the Pope.’
Cale ordered Clopeh:
“Go right now and help Mol.”
The plan had changed.
“We’ll bring Mol before the Pope.”
They had to minimize casualties and confront the Pope. They couldn’t ignore the Pope’s Sacred Object, nor allow the gray disease to spread throughout the Demon Kingdom.
‘It would be better to obtain the Pope’s Sacred Object and make a deal with the current Demon King.’
Cale had to fight the Transparent Blood Family and the Five-Colored Family hunter family. And the Chaos God sect.
‘I can’t ally with them anymore.’
These guys, who had injured Choi Jung Gun, Choi Jung Soo, and the team leader… He wouldn’t tolerate them anymore. As Choi Jung Soo had predicted, Cale was furious, and he had to take ample revenge. The Chaos God sect had to be destroyed. Only the current Demon King remained. He couldn’t waste time fighting his army. With Aurora, the only blood of the former Demon King, by his side, it would be better to make a deal with the current Demon King. He wouldn’t want the Demon Kingdom to be consumed by the gray disease either.
‘But if the current Demon King prioritizes power over the demons’ lives…’
If that happened, Cale wouldn’t be able to make a deal. He couldn’t use the Pope’s Sacred Object to kill demons.
‘Either way…’
He couldn’t leave the Pope alone.
“Clopeh, you’re the only one whose identity hasn’t been revealed.”
The Heavenly Demon, Cale, Choi Han, and Raon had appeared in The Primordial Night’s video. On and Hong were too young to send alone to a war zone. Cale affirmed and asked Clopeh:
“You’re strong, right?”
The corner of Clopeh’s lips curled upwards. Cale’s eyes. Clopeh knew them very well.
‘I saw them for the first time at the Henituse estate.’
Clopeh, the protector knight, had tried to destroy the Henituse estate on a wyvern. Cale Henituse appeared before him. With that gaze, Cale had defeated Clopeh, protected the Henituse estate and the Roan Kingdom. The hero’s anger-filled eyes, and unwavering determination.
Ah. Clopeh understood that another page of history would be written today.
“I’ll bring Mol before the Pope.”
Clopeh drew his sword, as if it were obvious.
“I’ll go first.”
He had no reasons to hesitate. He immediately began walking.
*Kwaaaaaang*.
He sensed the battle at the building’s entrance.
The hand behind the Third Corps. Mol, who would receive a blow to the back of his neck. He had to bring him before the Pope.
‘Because it’s what Cale-nim ordered.’
He had to do it, even if it meant sacrificing his life. Clopeh smiled and headed to the battlefield.
“What will we do?”
The Heavenly Demon asked Cale. Their remaining strength was powerful.
“…….”
Choi Han stopped looking at Choi Jung Soo and silently looked at Cale. Cale looked into his eyes, lowered his gaze, and extended his hand.
“Hey.”
He grabbed Hitellis’s neck and whispered:
“I know you’re awake.”
Hitellis’s body trembled. The owner of the energy that had overwhelmingly crushed even the Chaos God’s power in the Sacred Object. An incomprehensible being, human, god, or something else. In a monotonous voice, he ordered her:
“Guide me to the Pope.”
The anger contained in his calmness seemed to squeeze Hitellis’s neck.
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