The helmet dropped on the ground. Brynhildr, whose identity was finally revealed, began to speak.
“Even now...”
“...”
“Do you think you know everything? After realizing who I am?”
Kang Chul-In couldn’t say a word.
Drip…! Drenched in sweat, he avoided eye contact with Brynhildr. The Supreme King of the West himself was avoiding eye contact! That was how astonishing Brynhildr’s true identity was.
“Answer me.”
“...”
“You think you know everything?”
“...”
“Do you still not give a damn about who I am? This ring is the only thing that matters to you?”
Such sharp criticism! Brynhildr had never gotten an edge over Kang Chul-In before, but now the tables had turned. Kang Chul-In was now on the losing end.
It was because...
Han Ye-Sun…!
Brynhildr was Kang Chul-In’s first love and Arshelly’s teacher.
Throb, throb! Kang Chul-In got a massive headache and swept his face with his hand.
What kind of bullshit is this…!? Han Ye-Sun is Brynhildr…?
He got the chills.
No… this can’t be...
Kang Chul-In tried to deny it. He couldn’t and didn’t want to believe it, because that also meant that... Han Ye-Sun had been lingering around him ever since his previous life, parrying swords with him.
“What...” Brynhildr, no, Han Ye-Sun spoke. “You surprised?”
She then stepped towards Kang Chul-In.
“D-Don’t come near me.”
Kang Chul-In stepped back.
“Are you avoiding me?”
“Who’s avoiding you!?”
“Seems like you are.”
“N-No, I’m not!”
“Then why are you stepping back?”
“...!”
“Do you know that you are stepping back every time I step forward?”
She was right. Step by step, Kang Chul-In was unconsciously moving away from Han Ye-Sun.
“T-That is...”
“Avoiding me, huh?”
“Ahem…!”
“Until when?”
“Err...”
“Bastard.”
“...!”
“Oppa… you really are a bastard.” Han Ye-Sun began to ramble again.
“...”
Kang Chul-In was dumbfounded. Why did his first love become Brynhildr the white knight and challenge him? Why? For what reason?
“Bastard or whatever...” Kang Chul-In replied furiously. “Why did you fight me?”
Putting his confusion aside, Kang Chul-In had to clarify a few things.
“Those who challenged me so far had two outcomes. They either died or became my subordinate.”
“...”
“Do you want to die? If not, why would you go to the extent of hiding your identity to fight me?”
Yes, that was the question. Kang Chul-In could not comprehend her intentions at all.
“Don’t tell me...”
“Don’t tell you what?”
“You wanted to make me suffer by killing my first love…?”
“No!” Han Ye-Sun screamed.
Beep! It was so loud that Kang Chul-In went deaf for a second. If there was a glass cup around, it would have shattered...
“Is that how you think of me?”
“W-Well…!”
“Do you think I’m that trashy?”
“...”
“No matter how much I hate you, I would never think as such! I’m no psychopath!”
“S-Sorry...”
“I...” Han Ye-Sun sulked. “I-I just...”
“...?”
“Wanted to...” She finally revealed why she had stood in Kang Chul-In’s path. “Stop your rampage.”
“R-Rampage?”
“Yes.”
“What rampage?”
“Oppa...”
“...?”
“You wanted to earn money.”
“T-That’s true, but...”
“You craved success.”
“That’s true too, but...”
Han Ye-Sun was right. Kang Chul-In had longed to earn money and lead a successful life.
“Wait, so...” Kang Chul-In asked in frustration. “What does me craving money and success have to do with you hiding your identity and displaying your sword skills to me?”
Anyone would crave a luxurious life, especially in Korea, where it was hellish to make ends meet.
“War.”
“War?”
“You became a war-maniac.”
“...!”
“That’s rampage. What else could it be?”
“Hmm…!”
“I saw what was written on the world community. You are constantly instigating war to fulfill your ambition.”
“Well...”
“Oppa… many people are dying because of your greed...”
“...”
“Why are you so fixated on war? Would you be satisfied if you had the whole of Pangaea in your hands?”
“That’s not it...”
“What’s after Pangaea? Earth?”
“Hu...”
“I don’t want you to be a demon. Oppa, please stop here.”
That seemed to be the reason for Han Ye-Sun’s efforts to stop Kang Chul-In.
“Pfft.” Kang Chul-In laughed.
“W-What!”
“Kek… kekeke...”
“O-Oppa, are you laughing at me?”
“S-Sorry… i-it’s too...”
However, Kang Chul-In...
“Hahahahaha!”
He ended up bursting into laughter.
***
Meanwhile, in Styx, at the Gullveig Alliance command center...
W-What the fuck!?
The catastrophe occurred in the blink of an eye. Kwak Jun couldn’t make sense of the situation.
Who is that demon…!?
That was Kwak Jun’s impression of Saturnus, a demon from Hell.
“Commander-in-chief, Kwak Jun.”
Suddenly, Milenius appeared from nowhere and spoke to Kwak Jun.
“Y-Your Majesty Andrei…!”
“It’s an order.”
“W-What order...”
“Nothing happened here.”
“...!”
“At least until the battle’s over.”
In other words, he didn’t want the Alliance army to realize Mei Ling’s death.
“T-That...”
“As long as the command center operates well, the death of this bitch won’t leak out from here.”
Milenius nudged Mei Ling’s corpse with his foot.
“Why, you can’t do it?”
Kwak Jun did not reply.
It’s a golden opportunity indeed, but...
If he could let the Alliance army know about Mei Ling’s death, Valhalla would definitely win this battle.
In that case, Kwak Jun would have done a fantastic role as a spy, and thus receive a grand reward from Kang Chul-In... However, that was only if he could escape that red demon and Andrei Ivanovic.
After all this time...
Suddenly...
Beginning to have a conscience, Kwak Jun?
Milenius’ telepathy infiltrated Kwak Jun’s mind.
T-This is…!
Leaning towards Kang Chul-In, I see.
Your M...!
From how you are acting, I suspect you might have handed some military secrets over to the enemy.
For a moment, Kwak Jun almost fainted from the goosebumps.
I’m the one who put you as the tactician of Vito Clemenza, instead of Kwak Jung who followed Kang Chul-In.
...!
Did you think that I wouldn’t be able to read your mind?
It was freaky. In other words, Kwak Jun had been manipulated by Milenius all this while!
Do as I say if you want to live.
...!
Understood?
Kwak Jun clenched both fists.
Fuck…!
Things went astray last minute. He had never expected things to turn out this way at the most critical moment.
“All officers...” Kwak Jun began to speak. “Focus on the battle...”
In the end, Kwak Jun chose survival. He didn’t have the luxury to consider Kang Chul-In’s rewards, when he was on the brink of death.
Good.
Milenius was satisfied.
That’s my puppet… kek… so cute…!
Milenius was now bowing to Saturnus, as he had lost his power to control space and time for messing around in a forbidden zone. However, he was once the great Time Lord whom even Emilia feared. Controlling someone like Kwak Jun was child’s play.
“My son.” Saturnus spoke. “Where is Julius?”
“Yes, Master...” Milenius bowed with respect. “Your son should be fighting against Brynhildr at the Khartoum river by now.”
“Brynhildr?” Saturnus’ eyebrows twitched. “Brynhildr, huh…?”
“Anything that concerns you, Master…?”
“Brynhildr Freyja Norn Arondight is my daughter-in-law, isn’t she? Why is that meagre bitch fighting my son?”
“T-That’s not it...” Milenius explained. “This Brynhildr is merely an explorer who inherited your daughter-in-law’s possessions and swordsmanship… as you know, only your son has the Wheel of Three Lives...”
“Hmm…!” Saturnus stroked his chin. “I see...”
“Yes, Master...”
“Well, anyway.”
“Yes?”
“I wish to meet my son now. Where is he?”
“The naval battle is occurring in that direction.”
Milenius pointed at the west.
“Is that so?” Saturnus began to make his way. “Alright. Wait for me, my son...”
A horrifying murderous intent exploded out from his blood-red eyes.
“It’s time for your father to take revenge...”
***
Kang Chul-In calmed down after laughing for a long time.
“That was the reason?” He was dumbfounded. “For hiding your identity and challenging me?”
Han Ye-Sun’s pretty face crumpled.
“Is it so funny that I tried to stop you from becoming a lunatic?”
“It certainly is.”
“W-What…? H-how can you say that…? Oppa, you are really… you are laughing at my heart now…?”
“It’s a redundant thought.”
“R-Redundant?”
“Of course.” Kang Chul-In snorted. “I didn’t go crazy. Rampage? Nonsense. Of course, I was once like that before...”
He was right. Before he returned, Han Ye-Sun’s descriptions were suited for Kang Chul-In. In contrast, the present Kang Chul-In was working hard to inherit the Emperor of Blood and Iron’s legacy. Rampage? Ridiculous.
“Money? I earned enough.”
“Yes… I know… you are very rich...”
“Reputation? Hitler has nothing on me.”
“Is that something to be proud of?”
“A-Anyways.”
“...”
“I achieved success long ago. Why would I go on a rampage?”
“B-But!?”
“...?”
“I-I saw.”
“What?”
“You murdered Albrecht Vilhelm and Ao Xin...”
“...”
“How could a human do that? Well, I’ve also killed people, so I have nothing to say. But to kill someone so brutally… t-that’s too… inhumane...”
“...”
“Oppa… you are that violent...”
“Enough!” Kang Chul-In cut Han Ye-Sun off. “This is too much.”
“W-What’s… too much…?”
“Do you really believe that?”
“...!”
“I didn’t kill Vilhelm and Ao Xin. It was Andrei, that vampire bastard.”
“R-Really?”
“What happened was...”
Kang Chul-In revealed Andrei Ivanovic’s true identity to Han Ye-Sun. It was cumbersome, but he had to. He couldn’t let this innocent lady misunderstand him anymore...
“S-So that’s… what happened?”
Han Ye-Sun was shocked.
“Did you really think I created that mess?”
“I-I… w-well...”
“...?”
“I thought you couldn’t control your lunacy… and went on a rampage… sob...” She then began to cry. “Sob sob… W-What a relief...”
“...”
“You didn’t become a monster… really… such a relief...”
After saying that, Han Ye-Sun let go off Arondight and threw herself in Kang Chul-In’s arms.
“Oppa…!”
However, Kang Chul-In didn’t hug her back, or rather, he couldn’t.
“Danger!”
Kang Chul-In shoved Han Ye-Sun aside.
Bangggggg! With a thundering roar,
Thump! Someone fell from the sky.
“Who are you…?” Kang Chul-In questioned the stranger.
“Who else?”
A huge man.
Grin! He grinned freakily and answered.
“Julius. I am your father.” [1]
Kang Chul-In felt as if he received a blow to his head.
[1] CuppyNote: The original line here was: "It's me." "...!" "Your father."