The sudden all-out war between the Martial Alliance and the Demonic Sect was nothing short of monumental—so vast that it could be said the fate of the Eastern martial world hung in the balance.
Both sides fought with unprecedented ferocity.
It was truly a gamble of heaven and earth.
Yet, Yu-ri remained completely unaware that a fierce battle between the righteous and demonic forces was raging in Saidore, and that the outcome could determine the fate of his beloved, Yekaterina.
So, he blamed Irein.
“You said you were bringing something from the East, but there’s been no word. No ability, no skill…”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Irein and Cheongun. They took Bernardo with them, but there’s been no results yet.”
“Maybe they’re still on their way.”
“What good is that if they show up late? They’re useless when we need them most.”
“That’s true.”
“Ah, I’m so frustrated—I think I’ll just go vent somewhere. Hey, Master! You said the code of the martial world is disappearing, and I think you’re right!”
Yu-ri stood and walked toward Mo Yong-chan.
The Anti-Empire Alliance was resting after winning their first battle.
As night fell, the Empire’s demonic realm transformed into something else entirely.
Darkness clung to the skin as if it had substance, and a thin crescent moon hung overhead—like the sneer of some unseen observer.
And the stars.
They all glowed with an eerie, blood-red light, flickering grotesquely.
The wind whispered past their ears with a haunting, mournful resonance.
Though no rain had fallen, the ground was sticky, and even standing still for a moment, strange insects crawled up their legs—creatures Yu-ri had never seen before.
Jared sighed.
“This is awful…”
He didn’t know exactly what kind of world Cedric truly dreamed of, but one thing was clear: this Empire was deeply corrupted. No human could endure such an environment for long.
Jared held a theory he hadn’t shared with Yu-ri.
Cedric’s failure.
He had summoned a god from another realm but ultimately couldn’t control it.
Cedric wasn’t trying to destroy the world; he wanted to build an ultimate world tailored to his own tastes. Arrogant, yes, but not inherently evil in intent.
Yet what had unfolded in the Empire was nothing less than a demonic realm.
There was no way Cedric wanted this.
Whether it was the process of accepting the otherworldly god or a failure in that process, this situation was certainly not what he desired.
That worried Jared even more.
“Maybe it won’t be His Majesty or Cedric who wins, but some unexpected monster…”
He crushed a crawling insect beneath his boot and muttered.
In any case, the true end was fast approaching.
He recalled all that had happened.
So much had transpired.
It all began with the obvious: Yu-ri Briol, the lord of this very moment, who had shouted from over there.
Fighting orcs, journeying to the Empire, battling countless enemies…
And now, the fate of the world itself was at stake.
This was no mere human war where rulers changed with victory or defeat—it was a battle for humanity’s very survival.
“What are you whining about all alone?”
Laurent approached. His temper had softened recently, and his tone was calm—though he was no longer the naive man he once was.
Still, Jared found the current Laurent more approachable.
“Just thinking about things. Laurent, have you ever wondered what might have happened if you’d never met His Majesty Yu-ri?”
Jared immediately regretted the question.
Laurent had lost everything because of Cedric. And Cedric’s actions were largely driven by Laurent’s loyalty to Yu-ri.
But Laurent nodded without hesitation.
“I have.”
“Really?”
“I’d probably still be here, just in a different form.”
“Yeah…”
“Don’t worry. It’s all in the past. You seem worried about Frances.”
“Hmm? Yeah… well…”
Laurent chuckled softly, and Jared scratched his head, smiling.
“Yu-ri Briol has changed a lot.”
“That’s true.”
“But in the end, he’s just human like us. Don’t forget that.”
Laurent looked Jared in the eye.
“I was the same, but people tend to rely too much on that guy.”
“That’s…”
“They think he’ll fix everything. Because he’s pulled off the impossible before. But you can’t expect Yu-ri Briol to handle everything.”
Jared couldn’t deny Laurent’s words. Even now, he vaguely hoped Yu-ri would somehow save the day.
But in the face of this unprecedented disaster, Yu-ri was just as human as anyone else—yet Jared unconsciously believed he was somehow different.
Laurent continued, his tone cynical.
“And did Yu-ri Briol really change everything for the better?”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember Kori?”
“Yeah.”
“He was just a half-orc, barely surviving in Saidore, destined to die soon. But Yu-ri Briol brought him into the wider world. He learned magic, even gained the power of dragon words.”
Jared nodded heavily.
He had already heard that Kori had betrayed them and joined Cedric.
“And now he’s our enemy. Maybe the toughest one we’ll face.”
Jared looked up at the night sky.
His thoughts deepened.
If he were Kori, a half-orc always persecuted, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t have ended up the same way. Probably even sooner, down a darker path.
“No need to overthink it. It means we can’t just rely on Yu-ri Briol—we have to do our part too. He’s human, after all.”
“Yeah…”
“The task is clear: fight and kill, no matter what.”
“Right.”
“And don’t stare at the sky too much. It’ll hypnotize you.”
Laurent stood.
“Well then.”
“Laurent, did you come just to comfort me?”
“I figured if I left you alone, you’d just get in the way later.”
Jared laughed as he watched Laurent’s back.
“Yeah, that sounds about right.”
He lowered his head and closed his eyes.
He sharpened his senses.
Laurent was right.
There was only one thing to do.
Kill anyone who stands in the way.
And in the end, plunge a knife into Cedric’s heart—and that would be the end.
No matter how strong the otherworldly god was, no matter the dark magic or the power Kori wielded to aid Cedric, it didn’t matter.
He discarded all other complicated thoughts.
“Phew…”
He opened his eyes.
“This is going to be fun.”
Cedric floated in the darkness with his eyes closed.
He was adjusting himself to fully wield the sudden power he had been granted.
As some had guessed, Cedric was stalling.
But not for the reasons they hoped.
It wasn’t that there was a problem summoning the otherworldly god—he was simply taking a moment to steady himself and properly control the overwhelming power.
[Ah…]
While intoxicated by that immense power, a voice called to him from beyond his consciousness.
Cedric opened his eyes.
His mind left the darkness and returned to his body.
He was seated on his throne.
“Lord Cedric.”
It was Eugen, now Cedric’s right hand. Originally the Empire’s crown prince, he had become a slave to dark magic.
“What is it?”
“There’s a problem.”
Eugen bowed his head to the ground.
“A problem…”
Cedric snorted. With absolute power in hand, the petty problems of the human world barely stirred him.
“Problems always arise.”
He was no longer surprised.
It was all because of his brother, Yu-ri Briol.
What should have proceeded smoothly without obstacles had begun to falter one by one since Yu-ri took action. If not for him, Cedric wouldn’t have rushed to summon the otherworldly god.
Cedric looked down at the bowed Eugen and smirked.
“So, what kind of problem this time?”
“The Demonic Sect’s forces failed to strike Briol.”
“Failed to strike? So they lost?”
“No. They stopped before reaching Briol.”
Cedric clenched the armrest of his throne.
This was entirely different from a failure.
“They couldn’t even get that far?”
His voice was sharp with anger. Eugen trembled and bowed even lower, his posture so servile it was hard to believe he was once the Empire’s crown prince.
He banged his head on the ground several times before speaking.
“Yes. They clashed with other Eastern forces in front of Saidore.”
“The East?”
Cedric laughed in disbelief.
“The East?”
“The Martial Alliance. Even the Martial Alliance leader, the strongest in the Eastern martial world, appeared.”
“What the hell is that…”
Cedric rubbed his forehead.
He had been waiting for the Anti-Empire Alliance to arrive. And while Briol was away, he used his position as Dansocheon to summon the Demonic Sect’s army.
His plan was to provoke Yu-ri by destroying Yekaterina.
He wanted to shock his brother, who always blocked his path in unexpected ways. He was curious to see what expression Yu-ri would wear when angry at him.
He had even warned Yu-ri when they met.
But he failed.
If only it had posed a threat to Briol, he could have saved face. But to be stopped outright in front of him…
He had teased Yu-ri about taking care of his woman, but now it all ended like this—he looked utterly ridiculous. Trying to land a blow, only to trip over himself.
Cedric fell silent, and Eugen bowed his head again.
“I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
Cedric leaned back in his throne.
“Did you find out how those Martial Alliance guys got here?”
“Y-yes…”
“If you hadn’t, then you really should be sorry. Now, explain. How did it come to this?”
“Well…”
Eugen’s explanation confirmed Cedric’s suspicions.
It was all connected to Yu-ri.
It was so predictable it was no longer even interesting.
“They say a merchant named Elaine personally went east to negotiate. She’s the owner of Elaine Trading Company, but we’ve learned that Yuri Briol, the crown prince of Briol, is the real power behind it. Seems like they planned this in advance.”
“I see…”
Cedric lowered his head, twisting his mouth in frustration.
“In the end, it’s because of that bastard.”
How on earth did his younger brother manage to pull all this off?
While he could see right through most people, Yuri Briol remained an enigma to him.
Cedric, who could predict most of the world’s moves, found Yuri to be the one person beyond his reach.
After a moment, Cedric nodded.
“I wanted to win just once in this game, but in the end, I lost again.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize.”
Cedric’s face twisted in irritation.
“This isn’t a game you can just barge into. It’s between me and Yuri. Why do you keep saying sorry?”
“I’m sorry!”
“Get lost.”
At that, Eugen immediately dropped to the ground and crawled backward.
Watching him from above, Cedric muttered,
“Still couldn’t win. Time to fold the board…”
Cedric’s plan was reaching its final stage.
The entertainment was over. It was time to end the game with the overwhelming power he’d gained through the god of another world.
He didn’t feel good about it.
In the end, he would remain the one who lost to Yuri.
But then, suddenly—
“Ah…”
Cedric’s expression brightened.
He still had a card left.
“That’s right.”
Simply folding the hand wouldn’t satisfy him.
He wanted to deliver one last blow of despair to Yuri, to watch him crumble in frustration. And there was one way left to do that.
Someone who had originally been Yuri’s subordinate.
And now, a valuable asset to Cedric himself.
“Eugen, bring Kori here.”
“Yes.”
Cedric smiled broadly as he thought of that small, ugly half-orc.
A monster who had taken twisted pleasure in watching Laurent’s fall from grace.
The one Yuri trusted had been hiding his demonic nature all along, and now he was finally letting it loose under Cedric’s command.
The more a being pretends to be good, the deeper the darkness within.
“Yuri’s going to love this. Ahahaha…”
Cedric’s laughter echoed through the room.