Chapter 1416: Side Story 25
Chapter 1416 - Side Story 25
Blue Enterprise.
It was a large company widely recognized in South Korea. Park Han-soo, one of the company’s department heads, was reading an article posted in Athenae’s community site. As he read through the post, he heard his employees snickering among themselves.
“Look at this.”
“Black Flame Dragon’s Nest? Hahaha. He’s calling an ordinary territory the Black Flame Dragon’s Nest? The world has gone crazy, and it's all because of those chuunis.”
‘What? What has gone crazy?’
Park Han-Soo flinched. He was forty-nine years old this year. When he was younger, Department Head Park Han-Soo struggled a lot. He had been unemployed for an extended period. At that time, an animated movie became a hit. Along with it, a card game that took the nation by storm.
The figure of the main character taking out a card and shouting, ‘Come out! Black-eyes Black Dragon!’ was imprinted in the hearts and minds of the public. During that time, they collected cards and played games while shouting, ‘Come out! Evil Fiend!’ just like the main character.
Park Han-Soo still could not forget the thrill when he pulled out a nice card and spat out the exact words. Alas, the people around him could not understand that.
–So childish… –You’re that old, and you still call yourself Black-eyes Black Dragon?
–How about changing your hobby?
Regardless, it was fun. Department Head Park Han-Soo truly found it fascinating. Even though he had lived his life sincerely and honestly since he was a young man and had never done anything in his life, the people around him treated him like a weirdo and a pervert just for having a hobby that he found enjoyable and made him happy.
Time passed by. Athenae was released, and Black Dragon made his appearance. Despite the world’s criticism, condemnation, and contempt, this man stood firm and tall.
–Alright. Go crazy, my dragons!
The way he shouted on the screen reminded Park Han-Soo of himself. What did he think back then?
‘I’m so jealous…’
If it were him, he would have been criticized fiercely, let alone someone who held the position of chairman. Some of the netizens even said that it would not be strange for Ilhwa Group to go down given their chairman’s mental state.
Despite all that, Ilhwa Group had gone against all odds and even soared higher. Furthermore, the chairman looked like he was genuinely enjoying what he was doing. Park Han-Soo longed to do what Black Dragon was doing.
“Keep quiet.”
The employees finally went silent. However, for some strange reason, Park Han-Soo grew emotional. He could not help but ask, “Has any one of you done something with so much passion just like what Black Dragon is doing, huh?”
The employees’ mouths remained shut. Han-Soo seemed to have decided as he grinned to himself.
‘Me too. I won’t hide it anymore. The empire that Black Dragon wishes to create sounds like it will be fun.’
Park Han-Soo switched to Kkatalk and entered an open chatroom.
[Black-eyes Black Dragon: It’s time.]
The secret Black Dragon Fan Cafe Going Berserk had more than 50,000 members.
***
After ending a meeting, the chairman of Apel, one of the world’s largest companies, smiled faintly as he stared at the community site.
“It sounds fun, hmm?”
He was pretty jealous of Black Dragon. Black Dragon was the same as him, a chairman who sat in his high office and endured boring days. In the world of Athenae, Black Dragon lived a completely different life. Despite being the chairman of the world’s greatest company, Apel’s chairman was still very jealous of Black Dragon after seeing the way he lived.
‘Black Flame Dragon’s Nest? I have to go there too.’
Just like the chairman of Apel, many people from all over the world cheered and supported Black Dragon after seeing his post on the community site.
***
Park Munsoo visited the company’s legal team to deliver the content that they had taken screenshots of, preparing to file a complaint.
“What the hell is this? What is written in that paper?”
The legal team’s leader tilted his head in confusion when he saw Munsoo’s face, which was all red from anger.
[For real? You f*cking x#!#!##%!!$$!# you’re all the same. Lololol.]
“...?”
The legal team’s leader frowned. Not only did they curse Chairman Kang Minhoo, they even went so far as to curse the old chairman’s late parents.
“I’ll submit a formal complaint right away.”
After finishing his task, the still agitated Munsoo went back. As for the legal team’s leader, he was also overcome with anger.
“How dare you say that to our chairman!”
The legal team’s leader was born to a poor family. He grew up thanks to the help of the scholarship funded by Ilhwa Group. The most interesting part was when he became a lawyer. Chairman Kang Minhoo visited him and said…
–You’re not obligated to work at our company. I did this because I wanted you. You’re intelligent and competent, and I want you to shine your brightest.
Originally, companies would fund scholarships to gain talent and recruit them into their fold. On that day, the legal team’s leader vowed that he would become Kang Minhoo’s “sword.”
“Is there anyone who wants to go to Black Flame Dragon’s Nest with me?”
Many nodded in agreement. The comments in the community sites were already spreading widely in the Ilhwa Group. No one said anything, but they were able to communicate with their eyes.
The company’s Kkatalk chatroom was in an uproar. Not only that, the company’s lounge was also in a buzz. Even the conference room was hectic.
“Our chairman!”
“You're done for, you punk! Should I track this punk’s IP address?”
“I’m going.”
“Me too!”
“I think it’s going to be fun!”
“We’re going to make a new empire with the chairman!”
“But if we go, then we have to laugh with a fufufufufu too, right?”
“Why? What’s wrong? I like that too?”
“To be honest… Me too…”
The talents of Ilhwa Group began to move.
***
Ilhwa Group had provided hundreds of capsules and sent them to the village in Africa where Kaistra lived. With the help of the capsule and the food supplied by Kaistra, the Envoy of Incarnation and a high ranker, the children living in their village no longer had to go hungry.
At that moment, Kaistra saw his younger sister running towards him.
“Brother!”
“Yeah?”
His sister, who was still gasping for breath, immediately relayed what she had heard.
“What?! South Korea’s media is making fun of Mister Chairman?!”
Humans were quite ridiculous, no? Did the chairman playing games and having fun bring them any harm? No. Of course not. So, why make fun of him like that?
“Kaistra.”
Kaistra turned around and was met with the sight of the African villages’ patriarchs.
Kaistra and the Ilhwa Group had provided a lot of capsules in Africa over the years. Because of that, the people of Africa hailed Chairman Kang Minhoo as a hero.
The same was true for the people in the African business community. They respected Kang Minhoo and liked him for helping their country, which was in poverty.
Kaistra nodded solemnly.
***
Mercenary King Venteio was hailed as one of the most powerful NPCs in the Western Continents and was also one of the members of Bender and the Attention Seekers. He had also heard the news.
“Lord Black Dragon?”
“Yes.”
Venteio smiled.
‘He’s tenacious, determined, and amazing.’
Although Venteio was one of the Attention Seekers, he believed that he was most similar to Black Dragon.
‘I also wanted to say the same cool lines that he always says.’
Mercenary King Venteio was very tempted. Unfortunately, he held the title of the Mercenary King. This might hinder him from becoming a citizen of the empire that Black Dragon wanted to establish. Nonetheless, he could help the man establish his nation, right? It would still be fun and interesting.
Many NPCs across the Western Continents thought the same as Mercenary King Venteio.
‘It’s in three hours,’ Venteio thought, standing up to leave.
***
Minhyuk saw articles being published endlessly.
[Ilhwa Group’s Chairman Kang Minhoo declares that he will establish an empire solely for chuunibyous.]
[Netizens: ‘Chairman. Please, mind your dignity and face…’]
[We have received reports of onlookers flocking to the Black Flame Dragon’s Nest.]
Black Dragon had declared that if he could not gather at least 30,000 people, then he would give up this dream.
‘If we really can’t gather enough people, then…’
Minhyuk’s heart ached at the thought of his father feeling lost and dejected.
‘Should I go there and tell him to stop?’
Minhyuk welcomed his father’s dreams as his son. After all, if he established an empire with like-minded people, then he would have fun. As long as his father could have fun, then it was more than enough for him. But… what if they could not gather 3,000 people? Then, how could they even gather 30,000? How lost and dejected would his father be?
‘Hmmm. Maybe it might be better just to erase the post and tell him to do it step-by-step instead?’
[Kaistra: Hyung.]
Kaistra loved Minhoo. Minhyuk thought that the young boy had already heard about what happened.
[Kaistra: I’m with my people and…]
“Oh?”
Minhyuk was very surprised when he heard Kaistra’s explanation.
‘Really?’
Then, Kaistra said…
[Kaistra: Let’s prepare for an event.]
***
Black Flame Dragon’s Nest.
The place was crowded with more people than the territory had ever welcomed.
KimHyukSoo, who had revealed his nickname to the community site, said that he would broadcast Black Dragon’s dejected and sad appearance. It was not just him. Many BJs flocked to the Black Flame Dragon’s Nest to capture Black Dragon’s reaction once he saw the people who gathered for him. Quite a lot of broadcasting stations had arrived too, and many others came to watch the commotion.
“Hyungs! There are quite a lot of people, but I don’t see anyone who came here to join Black Dragon.”
Black Dragon had asked the people who would join him to wear black clothes. Unfortunately, there weren’t many people dressed in black in the territory.
[Oh? Lolololololol.]
[There are still five minutes left before the declared gathering time. I can’t see any of Black Dragon’s friends? There are only spectators here.]
[Wow. I already expected that there wouldn’t be that many people who would gather. It’s far less than I imagined.]
They could see some people here and there, but their number was far too small. Six o’clock was fast approaching. This was the promised meeting time.
Finally, Black Dragon, the master and lord of the Black Flame Dragon’s Nest, appeared in the territory.
[Look at Black Dragon’s eyes! His pupils are shaking!]
[There are two minutes left before the promised meeting time. Let’s see. Let’s count them one by one. Hmmm. There are around 150 people here?]
[What empire? They can’t even create a territory with that number.]
***
Black Dragon smiled bitterly.
‘There’s one minute left.’
People dressed in black began to gather in front of him. However, there were only around two hundred people.
‘Just this many?’
Of course, these people who gathered in front of him were also dear and precious to him. Nonetheless, seeing their number, he wondered if the path that he had walked and wanted to walk was truly the wrong path, just like the naysayers said.
‘I don’t blame them.’
Maybe he was truly strange. After all, he was already at this age, yet he still kept on shouting, ‘I’m going berserk!’ and even declared that he would create an empire with the people who shared his thoughts. Alas… no one gathered for him.
‘It’s quite sad.’
Now, there were only twenty seconds left.
“Thank you for joining me today.” Black Dragon gently expressed his gratitude to the people who gathered for him today.
Unbeknownst to him, the viewers from all over the world were counting down the time.
[18!]
[17!]
[16!]
“Since you’re here, let me treat you to a meal.”
There was a bitter taste that lingered in his mouth. The people who had gathered in front of him tried to cheer him up, but his shoulders drooped down without him realizing it.
‘Then… should I stop saying those lines now?’
Black Dragon enjoyed saying those lines. So, he thought that perhaps others would also enjoy it. But it seemed like he was the only one who enjoyed it. Of course, a game was something that he could enjoy by himself. Unfortunately, he had started to doubt himself, wondering what the use of all of that was for.
[10!]
[9!]
“Dad.”
Then… Minhyuk stepped out from among the crowd. When he saw Minhyuk, Minhoo felt like crying.
‘I have decided to live for myself in my later years but…’
Yet it seemed like he had to find something else to live for now. It probably wouldn’t be too bad to do what the others told him to do, be an ordinary player and hunt usually.
“Minhyuk,” Black Dragon called out, the bitter taste still lingering in his mouth. “I’ll just go and travel together with you…”
[4!]
“Dad. You’re the most amazing person in the world. Did you know? I also thought that maybe there wouldn’t be a lot of people who think like you.”
‘What is he on about?’
Anyway, Minhoo could not understand what his son was trying to say.
[3!]
There weren’t that many people who came. Only two hundred people gathered from among the millions of people in Athenae, a game that was popular in the world.
“Of course, they’re not the only ones who gathered for you. You see, there are quite a lot of people who gathered because they loved and cared for you, Dad.”
[2!]
Minhyuk raised his hand.
[1!]
Snap!
With a snap of his fingers, white lights sparkled into existence around Black Dragon. Then, the lights began to fill the entire territory. There were so many lights that it seemed like a giant wave had appeared in the territory.
[You are the lord of Beysin Territory.]
[An abnormality has been detected in Beysin Territory.]
[The number of players logging in at the same time in Beysin Territory has skyrocketed.]
[The system hurriedly checks the abnormality.]
Black Dragon could not believe it. He was familiar with this light. These lights symbolized players logging in.
[The number of players who logged in at the same time is 960,000.]
[The system has returned to normal.]
Black Dragon barked out a laugh. Minhyuk smiled widely at his father as he said, “This is the path that you have walked, Dad. Please look back at the path that you have traveled.”
The path that Black Dragon had threaded and lived on was a path made of light, and it was oh so beautiful.