00647 A Dangerous Blind Date(?)

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Just as the atmosphere was already tense and uneasy, Jo Seong-ho appeared. The air in the room stiffened instantly, and the users’ faces hardened. Only Jo Seong-ho walked in with a smile, as if nothing was wrong.

‘Looks like he’s caught a good opportunity.’

They’d all been pretending he didn’t exist until now, so the reason for his sudden visit was obvious. Jo Seong-ho must have already heard about the desertion incident.

I didn’t know what he was going to say, but in a situation like this, Jo Seong-ho had the upper hand in terms of legitimacy. No matter what he said, the fact that I couldn’t manage my assigned users would work heavily against me.

Still, I slowly stepped toward him. I knew it wasn’t right, but honestly, I didn’t want to see my brother get pushed around.

“Ah, Mercenary Road.”

He smiled knowingly as I blocked his path.

“Since we met at the Eastern Fortress…”

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

I cut him off deliberately. Jo Seong-ho narrowed his eyes slightly, and the expressions of his entourage darkened instantly. But when he gave them a quick signal, they held back, only shooting me looks full of pure disgust.

Ignoring their stares, I spoke quietly.

“So, what brings you here all of a sudden?”

“Hmm? You sound like I’m somewhere I shouldn’t be.”

“If it’s not urgent, I’d appreciate it if you left. As you can see, the situation isn’t exactly ideal right now.”

“Oh! You mean the desertion incident?”

Suddenly, Jo Seong-ho raised his voice, emphasizing the words ‘desertion incident.’

“It’s truly unfortunate. In fact, that’s why I came here.”

“Nothing’s been confirmed yet. We’re still sorting things out, so I don’t think this is something Mercenary Road should be involved in.”

“That’s for me to decide. Thanks for the advice, but this isn’t a conversation for Mercenary Road. Since you two are here, I’ll be on my way.”

“……”

With a smirk that said, ‘Anything else?’ Jo Seong-ho tried to pass by. But I stepped in front of him again, blocking his path once more. He looked at me as if to ask what I was doing.

“Oh dear… Mercenary Road?”

His voice was tinged with a strange mix of anger and something else. But I had no intention of backing down. Meeting his sharp gaze head-on, I opened my mouth—

No, I was about to.

“Mercenary Road is the Commander-in-Chief?”

Suddenly, Jo Seong-ho cut me off.

“Or… has the Commander-in-Chief of the South been replaced without my knowledge?”

His words left me speechless. What he was really saying was that unless I was the Commander-in-Chief, I had no business stepping forward. But if I kept standing my ground here, it would be disrespecting Han So-young. I was trapped.

‘Damn bastard…’

Then, a cold voice came from the left.

“Mercenary Road isn’t the Commander-in-Chief of the South. To be precise, he’s the vanguard captain.”

I glanced over and saw Han So-young walking confidently with her arms crossed. Jo Seong-ho shifted his gaze away from me and turned his body.

“Ah, I see. I thought I was mistaken. Mercenary Road’s attitude was just too confident. Ha ha ha.”

“Yes, of course. He is Mercenary Road.”

Jo Seong-ho laughed loudly, almost deliberately. But when Han So-young responded immediately, his laughter faded. A cold sneer settled on her lips as she looked at him.

“You made an incredible contribution in this campaign, didn’t you? Surely that justifies your confidence.”

“No…”

“You’ve been more active than anyone else here.”

“……”

Han So-young emphasized ‘more than anyone else.’ Jo Seong-ho immediately shut his mouth. I even caught a brief flash of tension on his face. Though it sounded like praise for me, her words were actually a sharp rebuke of Jo Seong-ho’s behavior.

Then, with a faint look in her eyes, Han So-young watched as Jo Seong-ho gave a crooked smile.

“Of course. I’ve heard plenty about Mercenary Road’s exploits and personally respect you.”

He took a small step back and softened his expression.

“The reason I came is to ask that the search be stopped and that we depart as soon as possible. With no progress, a prolonged, pointless search won’t do us any favors. That’s all.”

He wasn’t wrong. Unless Lee Jeong-pil returned, we had to find the city before anyone else.

“Oh, and there’s one more thing I’d like to mention…”

Han So-young nodded a couple of times in agreement. Jo Seong-ho, still looking at her, spoke again.

“I’d like to request a change in the expedition’s deployment. Starting today, the East wants to take the vanguard position.”

“Very well. Then the South will move to the center.”

Jo Seong-ho’s smile deepened. For a brief moment, I felt dazed. Before I could even process what he said, Han So-young had agreed in a second—as if she’d been expecting this.

I wanted to retort, to ask what the hell that meant, but I couldn’t. Han So-young was signaling me to hold back.

“Thank you. Honestly, the users have been so noisy it’s been quite difficult. I’ll take responsibility for calming the East.”

Only then did I realize Jo Seong-ho’s true intention. It was a deal. He was saying he wouldn’t make this public until we found the city, so he wanted the vanguard spot for now. Later, the East would claim credit for leading the search.

“Then we’ll march soon. The East is fully prepared, so please get ready as quickly as possible.”

Jo Seong-ho spoke calmly, scanned the room once more, and then turned away without another word. After he left, a heavy silence settled. Despite the strange unease I felt, I had no choice but to turn and prepare myself.

Suddenly, I found myself missing someone terribly.

‘If only Ansol were here now…’

Some time after the Northern Continent users began their march—

In the other dimension known as the Hell of Ascension, a scene of utter chaos unfolded. The battlefield where the demon army clashed with the legions of hell was nothing short of literal hell. Screams echoed from all directions, blood spattered everywhere. The monsters, consumed by madness, had long abandoned reason, tearing each other apart with savage ferocity.

Among them, the most overwhelming presence was, of course, the Duke of Hell.

The Duke didn’t display flashy powers like at the start. He simply wielded a whip of fire in one hand, fending off the swarming demons like a relentless storm.

Yet, his presence was unmatched. Every lash swept through the demons like they were mere toys. Even the highest-ranking demons, just below the 14 Demon Lords, were no exception. As the flames of hell scorched them, they screamed in agony before turning to ash.

Watching the Duke of Hell, Astaroth felt his insides burning with anxiety. Except for Beelzebub, who was preparing the dimensional formation, Astaroth, Asmodeus, and Baal—who had sacrificed his life to be revived—were all engaged in battle.

But none of them confronted the Duke directly. The Great Demons were working to complete the formation, the 14 Demon Lords were holding him in check, and the lesser demons were tasked with fighting the Duke.

They never expected the demons to stand a chance against the Duke. Their priority was completing the formation, buying as much time as possible. Yet, the number of demons had noticeably dwindled. Though the Great Demons had also been slaughtering hell beasts, Astaroth couldn’t shake the chilling feeling as he watched their scorched remains. Because the Duke of Hell seemed to be—

‘Are you going to complete the formation first? Or am I going to crush you all first?’

It was as if he was toying with them, gambling the lives of the Great Demons.

As the Duke of Hell swept across the battlefield with an expressionless face—

“D-Dimensional formation, activate!”

At last, a reluctant voice echoed through the Hell of Ascension.

Wooooooom!

A deep, resonant hum filled the space, and the flowing mana began to tremble violently.

The voice belonged to Beelzebub. Despite the chaos, he had somehow completed the dimensional formation. The trembling mana seeped deep into the ground as the formation slowly began to activate.

But Beelzebub’s expression was grim. He wasn’t confident of success, doubting whether it would work.

It was understandable. Completing such a formation in the middle of a chaotic battlefield was absurd. Even if it was completed, a massive formation like a dimensional transfer required a staged activation process. It wasn’t an instant trigger; it needed time to start the formation and set the final coordinates.

Krrk-krrk, krrk-krrk!

At last, the dimensional portal began to activate. The magic that had been seeping in suddenly surged violently, and Belzebub felt a massive shock ripple through his body. His face twisted instinctively. The fact that it wasn’t just pressure but a direct impact meant the dimensional portal hadn’t followed the proper activation procedures. Hastily constructed, it was clear something had gone wrong.

But the portal was already triggered, and there was no turning back now. Gritting his teeth against the sensation of his very cells boiling, Belzebub pushed forward. As he entered the second phase, he commanded the demons designated as sacrifices to move.

Immediately, the waiting demons began to shift rapidly. They streamed into the space secured by the archdemons, filling the portal’s components one by one. In no time, the demons had completed the transfer, forming a formation around Belzebub at the center.

With the second phase complete, Belzebub plunged into the third: the opening of the dimensional gate. Once this was done, only the final step—coordinate designation—remained.

Despite the turmoil raging inside him, Belzebub intensified his incantations. The resonant roar filling the Infernal Realm grew louder and more majestic with every word.

Then, did the Hell Duke sense something amiss?

The Hell Duke, who had been crushing the demons, suddenly paused, sensing a strange energy in the air. He glanced around, and as his eyes landed on the demons standing scattered about, they widened in shock at the sight that followed.

Crack, crack, crack!

The bodies of the demons stationed all around suddenly burst open, turning into pools of bloodied liquid. The flesh and blood flowed along the portal’s structure, glowing with a reddish light.

“Hooh…”

For the first time, the Hell Duke let out a sound of awe. A spark of interest flickered across his usually bored face. Of course, this was the last thing Belzebub wanted.

Rumble—!

Because the intrigued Hell Duke unleashed a violent burst of hellfire from his entire body. Without hesitation, he turned and charged straight at Belzebub.

Cough, cough!

Belzebub spat out black blood just as he completed the third phase. If he could, he would have hurled a torrent of curses at the Hell Duke. The already unstable dimensional portal’s balance shattered completely as the Hell Duke rampaged. The strain on Belzebub, desperately trying to maintain the portal, intensified.

But that wasn’t all.

Belzebub instinctively felt the Hell Duke’s murderous intent. The thick, suffocating malice crawling over his skin sent chills down his spine. It was as if death itself was looming right before him.

When the Hell Duke drew near, and Belzebub saw the three archdemons who came to block him all get flung aside—

“…!”

Belzebub squeezed his eyes shut. The portal was nearly complete; he had no time to spare. He knew his only chance to survive was to activate the portal even a second faster. Facing that terrifying Hell Duke, one slip would mean not just death, but the ruin of all the sacrifices made so far.

Watching Belzebub desperately chant, the Hell Duke stretched out his hand with a look of exhilaration, as if to pierce and twist Belzebub’s neck just like he had done to Baal.

“This is getting interesting! Come on, then!”

The Hell Duke’s roar echoed sharply in Belzebub’s ears.

And then—

Flash!

A single burst of light exploded from the ground, flooding the entire area of the Infernal Realm with a brilliant radiance.

Grrrrrkkk!

An indescribably grotesque sound filled the air as the space warped and twisted in places.

And—

“Kell!”

Belzebub’s eyes snapped open.

Thud!

The Hell Duke’s hand clamped down on his throat almost simultaneously. Flames engulfed Belzebub’s body as he collapsed, while the radiant light wrapped tightly around the Hell Duke.

The dimensional portal began to tremble violently.

Meanwhile, elsewhere—

The Demon World.

“We’ve confirmed the dimensional portal’s activation!”

“…Good.”

Belial’s urgent voice rang out, and Satan sprang to his feet as if he had been waiting for this moment.

After glancing at the demon chained nearby, he spoke quietly.

“Then, let’s proceed with our arrangements.”

Atlanta.

Just as Kim Suhyun had predicted, the city was truly within reach. The Northern Continent expedition had barely left the grasslands behind. After entering the next region—a wasteland stained a deep crimson, with far less grass than the plains—they spotted a towering spire standing alone in the distance within ten minutes.

When Josunho ordered a detailed investigation of the tower, all users with knowledge of ancient languages rushed forward to decipher it. Soon, they discovered the tower was a milestone indicating the distance and direction to the city.

Under normal circumstances, the users would have cheered again, thrilled to confirm the city’s existence and proximity.

But reality was harsher. Or perhaps “worry” was a better word. Everyone who needed to know was already aware that Lee Jungpil had deserted earlier that morning. So instead of joy, there was concern—had that archer found and reached the city first?

Reading the users’ unease, Josunho immediately declared they would push forward without delay. He moved to the front without allowing any objections. In such a tense moment, no one dared resist.

“Um… Clan Lord, are you sure this is okay?”

A man who had caught up to Josunho at the front asked cautiously after the forced march began. Josunho glanced at him.

“What do you mean, ‘okay’?”

“The forced march. Shouldn’t we inform the rear expedition and ask for their understanding?”

Josunho chuckled and shrugged.

“As the vanguard, it doesn’t really matter. They’ll follow along, I’m sure.”

He spoke confidently, but he had his reasons. The marching pace was always set by the lead expedition. Even if the rear complained about the sudden forced march, they could just bring up the desertion incident. “We found the milestone and felt the need to move as fast as possible.” That would silence any objections.

In truth, Josunho was quite grateful to Lee Jungpil for deserting. Thanks to him, the Eastern faction—often treated like outcasts—had suddenly gained a louder voice and, more importantly, the claim of “the East was the first to discover the city.” This gave them a strong position upon entering Atlanta. How could he not be thankful? He even felt like showering Lee Jungpil with kisses of gratitude.

“…Heh.”

Josunho laughed lightly, then looked down at the worried man and said,

“Don’t worry. The Northwest faction’s actions mean they won’t protest much.”

“…”

“Finding the milestone right after the replacement was lucky. Now all we have to do is find the city quickly, enter it first, and celebrate like it’s nothing.”

“Um, Clan Lord…”

Just then, the man who had been walking with his head bowed suddenly called out seriously, stopping in his tracks with a puzzled expression. Josunho’s face grew serious as he halted as well, and the forced march came to a natural stop.

“Hm? What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

Josunho asked, puzzled. The man blinked several times, then pointed shakily downward.

“Here…”

“Hey, what is it?”

“I smell… blood.”

“…What?”

As the man spoke, Josunho frowned. What was he talking about? But the man didn’t seem to be lying. Josunho lowered his gaze in the direction the man pointed, taking in the crimson wasteland.

Without thinking, Josunho slowly knelt on one knee and swept his hand across the ground.

At first, he didn’t notice anything unusual. His eagerness to find the city quickly and the blood-red hue of the wasteland distracted him.

But upon closer inspection, strange details began to emerge. The faint scent of blood, as the man said, and—

“This is…”

Most of all, the soil itself was odd. The dirt in his hand was clearly red earth, but when he rubbed it between his fingers, it felt sticky and unpleasant—like coagulated blood. Before long, his hand was stained with a deep red mark.

The entire area was a blood-colored wasteland. At first, it hadn’t seemed strange, but here, a faint but unmistakable scent of blood lingered.

The moment he realized this, Josunho’s instincts sounded an alarm.

Something was definitely wrong.

Thinking that it would be best to retreat for now, Jo Seong-ho pushed himself up.

But does Jo Seong-ho even realize?

That Lee Jeong-pil, arranged by Satan himself, has already completed some covert action nearby.

And that it’s far too late.

Flash!

Just as he hurriedly tried to rise, a sudden flash of red light flickered briefly from the ground—and vanished.

“Huh?”

At that moment, a fierce dizziness struck Jo Seong-ho’s mind.

Moments later, his body betrayed him. The knee he had half-bent gave way helplessly, and he staggered violently.

He tried desperately to steady himself, but before he could even gather his thoughts, his ears buzzed with strange noises.

His vision split and danced from side to side, then suddenly flushed red. The world around him seemed soaked in blood, as if his eyes had been stained with it, everything tinted in a deep crimson that slowly drifted by.

There had been no warning, no sign. All Jo Seong-ho had noticed was the blood soaked into the earth and that brief flash of red light. Up until then, he hadn’t even sensed the flow of magic.

But then… then—

Suddenly, he felt utterly drained of strength.

Had a full minute passed since the flash? Something was spinning wildly in his head. The once vivid red haze in his vision now blurred and darkened, shapes barely discernible. The magic that had filled his circuits moments ago was slipping away relentlessly, beyond his control.

By now, he no longer even wondered what was happening. Even when a fleeting image of someone collapsed on the dirt crossed his eyes, it stirred no reaction. The overwhelming fatigue that engulfed his entire body numbed everything else.

Finally, surrendering to the thought that had settled deep in his mind—I want to rest—Jo Seong-ho closed his eyes. Unaware of what was unfolding around him.

The last thing he saw before darkness claimed him was a reddish-golden figure glowing brightly enough to pierce the shadows filling his vision.

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=

There’s so much I want to say…

But for now, I’ll stop here. I really need to get some sleep… ㅜ.ㅠ