Episode 271 < Subtext. (1) >
One.
There is a story later.
The tribes, who had accepted their gods for the first time in thousands of years (literally received them before their eyes), held a festival.
Should I say it was a neat meeting?
Many races were happy to learn that their parents were better than they thought.
“… … ah.”
It was when we were sitting on a wide rock together and watching a festival in the jungle. Ah, the Black Dragon Master said. It seemed like he had realized something.
“why?”
“no… . If you listen to the story of [The Princess Walking in a Mirage], you will hear that there are many hunters in other worlds other than us who climb the tower. “It’s hard to imagine, though.”
“Well, yes. Right…?”
I glanced back. There was a ghost floating in the air and yawning. He must have felt bad about the topic of ghosts, so he even burped, “Gurgling! Sighing.” By the way, it was so spectacular that I thought it would be fun to show this to other people.
“huh? Why are you suddenly looking back? “Is there anyone?”
The Black Dragon Master narrowed his eyes and looked along the empty space I had seen. Of course, Anastasia’s eyes would have only seen an empty jungle, a jungle landscape with vines tangled around palm trees.
Because the Black Dragon Master has no inspiration. Too bad.
“no. I just felt a presence. “Maybe something like a snail or a squirrel.”
“Hmm.”
“Keep talking.”
“Well, okay… . anyway. “That’s how powerful people from all over the world come into the tower, right?”
“yes.”
“Among them, there will definitely be hunters who are much stronger than us. Death King. As you said, we are strong, but… … But it’s not invincible. “There may be a force that is worse than us, stronger than us, and more numerous than us.”
“yes.”
“So, what do you mean?”
The Black Dragon Master slightly raised the corners of his lips. Does he think he’s a bit awkward? This is ridiculous? Weird? Anyway, it was that kind of laughter.
“Can’t I just live without going up to the 50th floor?”
“…….”
“ah. Don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying that. I’m not saying we will do that. “It’s simply that many hunters and residents of the tower other than us seem to think that way.”
hmm.
I drank my tea quietly.
“Iknow, right.”
Jungles far from cities and villages. Moreover, all races had gathered to fight against the dragon. It was not easy to find a cup to hold the tea, let alone proper tea leaves.
However, the designated tribes found and collected particularly strong leaves. Among them, non-toxic leaves were selected, overlapped and knotted, creating a beautiful Made by Jungle leaf teacup. The children from the designated tribe smiled shyly and gave me a teacup as a gift.
-The jungle is cold at dawn! My body gets cold.
-Ugor, a happy day is only when your insides are warm!
That is the offering I received this morning.
There is probably no one other than me who has received a happier offering than this as a god, and there can be no one other than me who has received a more adorable offering as a parent.
I’m happy.
“There are probably a lot of people like that.”
I took a sip from the most luxurious teacup in the world.
A warm feeling slowly enveloped my throat and my stomach.
A person’s consideration is not only something that can be seen on the outside like a smile or laughter, but it can also seep into the other person’s deep insides.
“that’s right. We have already taken over the continent ruled by the Aegim Empire. The magic books you can get there are probably just the most insignificant resources. Millions of manpower, infinite monsters and prey, ore, gold, oil… … .”
“There are already many radicals who want to kick out the Aegim Empire.”
The Black Dragon Master lowered his voice.
“Just like America did to Native Americans. “If they take away all the land they occupy and plunder their resources, wouldn’t we, who have an overwhelmingly advanced civilization, become the losers of the new world?”
“thank you. Anastasia. “If movement between stages had not been strictly restricted in Black Dragon, such incidents would have happened long ago.”
“I will gladly accept your gratitude. However, I cannot suppress the voices of radicals forever.”
“…….”
“Gongja Kim. “You are a hero.”
The Black Dragon Master’s face became serious.
It was the look on a friend’s face when giving really desperate advice to a close friend. So, I felt that “You are a hero” was not a compliment, but rather the beginning of a warning.
“The reason you have been treated as a hero until now is because you have not really been involved in governance at all. Black Dragon, Pantheon, Sangryun, Cheonmumun, Vigilante… … . The top tier guilds gave you the position of deputy guild leader. But you never once used your title as vice-guild leader to exercise power. I didn’t even get into politics. “Do you understand what I mean?”
“Once I begin to rule the tower, the hero’s mask will come off.”
“To be precise, the mask will split in two. A force that holds the remaining half of the mask and follows you passionately, and a force that tramples and crushes the remaining half of the mask and raises a bamboo spear at you. “It will split into two factions.”
indeed.
Is it because of experiencing civil war in the outside world?
The Black Dragon Master’s tone was filled with heavy confidence and strong intuition.
“If the two forces are equal, a civil war will break out. Guilds that follow you and guilds that you don’t like. Divided like that, we will fight over who will have the supremacy of our tower… … .”
“Maybe not this time.”
“huh. There will be no civil war this time.”
The reason is simple.
“The five guilds that rule the tower from the top. “The Black Dragon, the Pantheon, the Sangryun, the Vigilantes, and Chen Mu-mun, everyone strongly supports you.”
We have an unprecedented relationship of trust.
What about the other side?
The radicals who want to take away my mask and destroy it are simply weak.
Too weak.
There is no war.
thus.
——————
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“I plan to [purge].”
“If it’s a purge… … .”
“huh. “We will exclude all impure elements and radical elements.”
For a moment, there was silence.
2.
Somewhere, there was the sound of firewood in a bonfire turning into charcoal and breaking down.
I wasn’t hearing that sound. Instead, I remembered the story told by the Heretic Questioner in Raviel’s world.
I remembered the words [I died] that had been repeated countless times.
“Anastasia.”
I looked into the eyes of the Black Dragon Master.
“Because of that purge, the relationship between the guild leaders once broke up.”
A long time ago.
Since the Great Purge, in which hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives, the relationships between the five major guilds have fallen apart.
The swordsman came down from the leader of the vigilante group. Instead of rising to the position of vigilante leader, the paladin stayed in the position of vice-leader. The Black Dragon Master hid in the darkness, the Viper, and the Heretic Questioner… .
A scene of a rainy street seen through the eyes of half the body. The Black Dragon Master did not remain silent at the words I spoke while recalling another world that the Top Master had shown me.
I accepted it right away.
“huh. It did. But Gongja Kim, you showed up, and thanks to that, we became good friends again. “I am truly grateful.”
The Black Dragon Master took a breath and continued speaking.
“But at that time, the five major guilds did not have a tight grip on the political situation like they do now. So it was difficult to cull out and get rid of the rotten apples. That’s why there was so much unnecessary noise. But now,”
“If only now.”
“Things are different now. The relationship between the five major guilds is better than ever, and I have been accumulating information about the powerful hunters in the tower for a long time. What kind of thoughts do you have? What have you been doing? You just have to pick out the radicals and deal with them. Promptly. And secretly.”
The Black Dragon Master spoke firmly.
“No one will even know that they are dead.”
Those words reminded me of a certain alley.
It reminded me of a nameless hunter who died there.
And I thought of a hunting ground again.
I thought of a nameless hunter who died there and is now in my shadow.
“…….”
I crossed my arms.
After thinking about it, I said:
“What happens next?”
“…….”
“People keep coming in. The number of [radical elements] that Anastasia mentioned will also increase as time passes. What are they going to do?”
The Black Dragon Master bit his lip slightly.
Then he said:
“I will deal with it too.”
“…….”
“The skin breaks down and turns into grime. Food with nutrients squeezed out turns into poop. Accumulated nutrients are converted into fat. We dispose of the waste products that are bound to be generated in this way… . What you need to do to maintain your ideal self. These are things that have to be done. You do that over and over again. Otherwise, an ideal organization cannot be maintained—”
“Anastasia.”
I reached out my hand and placed it on the back of Anastasia’s hand. Even though the jungle heat was sweltering, my friend’s hands were always as cold as ice.
“We’ve talked about it before.”
past.
This is what happened when I conquered the world of [Evangelist of Immortal Happiness].
“Bring it to me.”
I declared to the Black Dragon Master, the Inquisitor, the Count, the Paladin, and the Viper that I would become their king. He declared that he would lead them. I had no intention of going back on my declaration, saying it was a mistake.
It is the same even at this moment.
“What kind of person is that person? Is he really someone who deserves to be purged? Anastasia can advise and warn him, but in the end, I am the one who will be the judge. “I will look into that person’s eyes and judge his or her life.”
“…….”
“I decide. So bring it to me first.”
“iced coffee.”
The Black Dragon Master sighed.
The breath was not one of fatigue, but of sadness.
“so? Are you planning on persuading me?”
“Killing is the last option.”
“How difficult it is… .”
“If you have a taste for murder, persuasion feels like a hassle. But, Anastasia. That’s the right sense. “You must find murder the hardest.”
The Black Dragon Master closed his mouth.
I was silent for a moment and spoke slowly.
“you are… … At least nominally, he is the [Deputy Guild Leader] of the Black Dragon. Even if you look around inside our guild, it’s hard to find anything. “I won’t give you guidance, so find out about the radicals on your own and then try to persuade them.”
“yes.”
I smiled.
“Thank you, Anastasia. For listening to my story… … .”
“You really say thank you. “Black Dragon Lord.”
Trudging.
We heard footsteps behind us.
It was the sound of footsteps that approached without any sign and suddenly rang out within 10 meters.
“——!”
It took 0.5 seconds for me to grab the hilt of the sword and pull it out.
“Black Dragon Master! “I agree!”
“[Instantaneous transfer]!”
It took 1.5 seconds for Anastasia to grab my sleeve, ask for my consent, and activate the skill.
“Matriarch. “Please step back.”
“Hey. “I don’t understand why this is an uninvited guest who has shown no manners to come to visit our landlord without even showing his presence.”
Two seconds until Esther and Samagun jump from the top of the palm tree, jump out of the dark bush, and emerge from the shadowy corner of the rock.
“Whoa.”
“hmm.”
And the Black Dragon Master and we both completed our transfer to the distant rear. At this time, my holy sword was already drawn. Hundreds of church members who served as guards began to completely surround the area.
3 seconds.
In just 3 seconds, the intrusion of an uninvited guest was perfectly handled.
“Huh……”
The uninvited guest stroked his beard. A mask was put on her face. The voice was modulated by aura, so it was not easy to tell whose expression was and whose voice it was. Her identity was difficult to ascertain because her body was wrapped in rags.
Truly an uninvited guest.
However, the atmosphere conveyed that the uninvited guest was quite surprised.
“I was just joking and trying to test how much my skills have improved. This… . The prank failed. You can pay for it with your own shame, but you saw something amazing. “This is an escort that is close to perfection.”
However, there was a rhythm that was difficult to mask even with the modulated tone.
I visually estimated the body shape, posture, and strength of the aura of that uninvited guest.
And in a foolish voice, he called the name of the uninvited guest.
“uh. Are you a sword saint by any chance? ?”
“It’s been a while.”
The uninvited guest took off his mask.
Then a familiar face appeared in our eyes.
I could see the smile of an old man who had aged well and even had nice wrinkles.
“I met the Heretic Questioner on the way. We chatted a bit. But didn’t the Heretic Questioner swear loyalty to you, and the Black Dragon Master became your friend? So far, yes, he has lived his life quite well. We know that sometimes strange things happen to us. I can understand. but,”
Geomseong laughed slightly.
Not only was it rare to see the Sword Saint smile, but when he did, he always smiled as innocently as a child, so I could only watch his smile blankly.
“There was even talk that the vice-captain of the vigilante group had become your friend! haha.”
“…….”
“I didn’t have the dignity to ask the vice-captain directly, so I went to Sangryeonju and asked. Is it true? Sangryeonju smiled brightly and confirmed that it was right for me. It was amazing. “Life is truly something to live long and see.”
I relaxed and sighed.
“no. really. Was that something you had to check, old man? “Are you walking around with your identity covered without us knowing?”
“of course.”
Geomseong now took off the robe that covered his body.
“It was a major incident that absolutely had to be confirmed.”
Slurp.
As the straw clothes fell, the Sword Saint’s true attire was revealed.
A suit that looks like you’re going to work at any moment. The perfectly angled black suit nicely hid Geomseong’s thighs and forearms.
“It is an important issue that determines whether you should [retire] or not.”
Even the formal style of his black coat could not disguise his status as a swordsman. The suit had a soft outline that followed the texture of the muscles. Only a red tie. Only the office worker’s necessities flowed freely, giving him a breath of fresh air in his tight, tense suit.
Ranked 1st.
It was the same as the sword star that people had been watching for over ten years.
“… … Retirement? What are you talking about?”
While I was impressed by the Sword Saint’s appearance, the Black Dragon Master asked me about something that bothered me. Her eyes were sour.
“Have you finally come to admire the old man in the back room? congratulations. “You were already an old backroom guy after retiring from the vigilante, but now you’re starting to realize who you truly are.”
“Hmm.”
“really. When I was chasing the demon lord with Gongja Kim, I thought my mind had changed a little, but after that, I became just as lazy… … .”
“I did my best in my own way.”
“That attitude is annoying.”
The Black Dragon Master frowned.
“The leader of this stage is like that. The pure race you choose has had almost no effect on history. Originally, they were a race that wouldn’t be strange even if they were the most rampaging. As a god, you must have ordered seclusion and seclusion. no?”
The old man smiled slightly.
This also did not happen often.
“I won’t deny it.”
“… … why? “Because you’re thinking about retirement, like you said?”
“No matter what my position was in the outside world, now I am just a hunter. My job is a prosecutor. “The only time a swordsman can retire from the sword is when he dies and loses his grip on the sword.”
“…….”
“I was watching you. watch… No, it wasn’t surveillance. okay. “There is a more appropriate expression.”
I don’t know if it was my mood, but the tension around me became stronger.
It was mainly the wariness that the Black Dragon Master developed while glaring at the Sword Saint.
The Sword Saint nodded once as if he understood the pressure of the Black Dragon Lord. But that’s it. Geomseong erased the smile from his mouth and spoke quietly.
“I was testing you.”
test.
The Black Dragon Master sneered.
“You’re still speaking from a high place and looking down. By the way, who is testing whom?”
“if.”
Geomseong said.
“If the Death King had accepted the [purge] authority you gave me, Black Dragon Lord, I would have done everything in my power to kill the Death King.”
“…….”
“Right now, right here.”
At that moment, the siege was complete.
Esther drew out her red sword and confronted the swordsman. The Sama army lined up as if to assist Esther. Slurp! Sreung! The sound of metal being drawn from a sword rang out from all directions. About a thousand church members each hid in the shadow of the jungle, hidden by the bodies of palm trees, and formed a siege so that they could attack at any time.
None of them said a word. Thousands of pairs of eyes silently stared at the Sword Saint’s hands, feet, waist, and eyes. The swordsman was divided into limbs by gaze.
The moment the swordsman raises his aura or harbors murderous intent, a thousand swords will cut into his limbs along that dividing line.
“…….”
But Geomseong was only looking at my eyes the whole time.
I slowly put the sword back into its sheath. The Black Dragon Master taps my shoulder from next to me! Although I hit it. Well, it didn’t matter.
“Elder.”
I also looked into the eyes of the Sword Saint.
“That you will never hurt me. I know.”
“…….”
The old swordsman’s eyes were clear.
etc,
