Chapter 130 : Hall of Dragons (1)
Chapter 130: Hall of Dragons (1)
The massive ‘Hestia’ Empire that had crossed over through the Second Impact.
Befitting its scale and stature, the Imperial Capital, Hesosium, was filled with magnificent architecture and works of art.
Just looking around was enough to delight the eyes.
Of course, its military might was every bit as formidable as its culture.
A well-trained security force was permanently stationed there. On top of that, there were the Knight Order hailed as the strongest and even the 1st Magic Corps.
‘No wonder humanity couldn't settle this conflict.’
If the third Episode had failed, things would've truly become horrific.
Both sides would've exhausted every last bit of their military strength fighting each other.
“This way, please.”
Following the guide into the palace revealed an endlessly long corridor.
Just how much tax money had they blown on this place?
He couldn't understand why they'd built it so ridiculously huge. What if someone got an upset stomach halfway through?
“Ladies, please come this way.”
“Vikings, please begin by bathing in the grand bathhouse.”
“Spiders and hearts are not permitted inside. Please spit out your bubble gum as well.”
They needed to comply with the dress code.
Or observe proper etiquette before receiving an audience with the Emperor.
For one reason or another, the group scattered in every direction.
Tsk.
Something didn't feel right.
There was no way they'd actually do something like that, but for some reason, it smelled as though they were deliberately trying to divide their forces.
“You felt it too?”
A strange glint flashed through Seo Changhee's eyes.
“Yeah.”
Yohan nodded.
Still, having the perceptive Spirituality beside him was somewhat reassuring….
“Hmph! It appears they're preparing a surprise event for me, the hero. It would be troublesome if they said they'd erected a statue commemorating my epic life. Well. If they begged several times, I suppose I could indulge them.”
“…….”
Please. Just die.
The thought that clearing the Episode without the protagonist might actually have a higher success rate began growing rapidly in his mind.
For starters, relying on a bastard like this seemed like a surefire way to die before his time.
“Come out.”
Yohan brought out the summons he'd kept inside his Subspace.
“Yeah! Master! Did you call?”
“Hoehh!”
The Elemental Special Forces and the Three Otter Brothers.
“Hoho. Do you require this great one?”
And even Sambok.
Every last one of his summons had been mobilized.
“From now on, move around the palace as quietly as possible and look for anything suspicious. If you find something, don't ever try to deal with it yourselves. Come back and report the location. Please don't go charging in on impulse. Got it?”
“Hoehh! Division Commander Comrade worries far too much.”
Otter No.1 stroked his shell with a relaxed smile.
Did this guy know?
That the biggest problem here was none other than himself.
Yohan could never forget how he'd casually pulled out the Rabbit Foot from the Beast Race's treasure vault.
If not for his ability to create pearls with special effects, Yohan would've court-martialed him long ago.
‘Well. The Elemental Beasts are fairly clever, so something like that shouldn't happen this time.’
It should be fine.
Probably.
But right at that moment.
[Hyung!]
A familiar voice came through telepathy.
It was Lee Jaehwan, the Scribe of Heaven.
After checking his surroundings, Yohan activated ‘Silent Room’.
A translucent curtain spread out, creating a space where their privacy was guaranteed.
“It's been a while. Have you been doing well?”
[Yes. I've been safe in the hideout you prepared for me, Hyung. More importantly, I'm sorry. You went out of your way for me, but I haven't contacted you much. It's just… there haven't really been any Revelations that could help.]
-Lower Administrator ‘Poiton’ will eat a Spirit Herb and suffer an upset stomach(6,435).
-The Goblins shall begin pursuing a new faith. Somewhere in Antarctica, a paradise for them shall arrive.(1,958)
And so on.
Apparently, he'd received one useless Revelation after another.
Well, honestly, this was normal.
Revelations significant enough to affect an Episode weren't exactly common.
[But this time, something pretty important came out. It's probably information related to you too, Hyung.]
Lee Jaehwan quickly relayed the Revelation he'd received.
-Within the ‘Hall of Dragons’, where countless stars gather, three parasites have infiltrated. How they move shall determine the difficulty of the fourth Episode(88)
The ‘Hall of Dragons’ referred to the Empire's Grand Assembly Hall.
The ‘countless stars’ likely referred to the Empire's high-ranking nobles. And the Rankers who had stopped Purgatory.
Lastly, the parasites obviously referred to the ‘Parasites’ themselves.
Definitely.
This was useful.
Extremely so.
＊＊＊
The ‘Hall of Dragons’.
A place where they gathered whenever important matters concerning the Empire had to be decided.
Numerous nobles and Rankers who'd made major contributions in Purgatory had already gathered here.
The seat meant for the Emperor remained vacant.
By custom, he would arrive last.
At the earliest, one hour.
At the latest, they could be waiting for several hours.
It was a kind of conditioning. A warning that no matter how powerful the nobles became, they were meaningless before Imperial Authority.
Of course.
‘Not anymore.’
Yohan's eyes narrowed.
The era when the Emperor could boast absolute Imperial Authority had long since passed.
Now, factions waiting for a new sun to rise were constantly watching for an opportunity.
Well, the timing for that to erupt in earnest would come in a later Episode, so there was no need to worry about it right now.
More importantly….
‘Where the hell are they in here?’
He slowly, yet carefully, swept his gaze across the room.
Parasites were mixed among the people casually conversing with one another.
‘It's impossible to check every single person with the Eye of the Prophet.’
He had no choice but to deduce their identities through the clues and conversations available to him.
Yohan focused as much as possible and listened carefully to every conversation.
“Ahem. Are you even listening to what I'm saying? A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. Lord Yohan needs to focus more on muscular training.”
Park Pedro, who was sitting beside him, cleared his throat.
In place of the Saintess, who had suffered severe injuries, Park Pedro happened to be in the Empire and had joined as her representative.
It was nice to see the muscular priest again after so long, but the downside was that his sermons about the Order's history and greatness were far too excessive.
It was enough to make Yohan want to confess that the Stigmata and everything else were fake.
Getting smashed by a mace would've hurt less than bleeding to death from his ears.
However, the painful ordeal ended surprisingly quickly.
“Warrior Kang! I got it back from the pointy-eared blacksmith! Look! Behold this enormous and magnificent form!”
Faden seemed quite pleased with the axe he'd upgraded for him.
If only he weren't charging over while wildly swinging the axe around. And being chased by the Imperial Guards….
Yohan would've sincerely congratulated him.
Right at that moment.
“Stop! What kind of reckless behavior is this from someone who came here representing humanity!”
Park Pedro and Lodbrok, who had been shouting, looked at each other.
“……!?”
“……!!”
Twitch.
Bronze muscles ripened beneath the scorching sun.
Met the pure white muscles of Northern Europe.
“Your… name?”
“Pak…Pedro.”
“A powerful name befitting your muscles. I am Lodbrok.”
“You as well. You possess an exceptionally healthy physique. It seems the claim that Northern European warriors have a basic powerlifting total of 800kg by the age of fourteen was no exaggeration.”
Their gazes looked as though they'd found their destined muscle brother.
Sticky gazes roamed across each other's upper and lower bodies.
For some inexplicable reason, it felt as though a sweltering heat was warming the entire assembly hall.
It was probably his imagination, right?
Please let it be.
“Supplements?”
“Seven times a day. Eight and a half scoops of chocolate flavor each time.”
“As expected, the proper path. Your specialty must be squats, then?”
“Compound exercises are my specialty. I attach 50kg chunks of iron to my hands and feet and pick up grains while praying every day. Like this.”
Park Pedro demonstrated an extremely unsightly posture.
Swaaak!
His enormous ass looked ready to devour his pants alive.
If the Saintess had been here, she would've called it blasphemy and pulled out the guillotine first. It was exactly that kind of posture.
“To train the lower and upper body simultaneously. I'll add it to my routine. ”
After exchanging some incomprehensible conversation, they soon began kneading each other's biceps and chest muscles.
Sneaking touches of each other's thighs as well.
“Hoho. Undoubtedly natural. Such delectable, all-natural muscle.”
“Of course. The thing I fear most in this world is needles.”
Well… at least he didn't have to listen to any more sermons, so all's well that ends well.
He decided to think positively.
As the two muscle fanatics happily blossomed into conversation.
Step.
Someone approached.
It was a scrawny, middle-aged man with snake-like eyes.
“Tsk. Allowing outsiders into the Hall of Dragons merely because they achieved one small military accomplishment. The end times are upon us. Truly the end times.”
A single remark tossed out as if talking to himself.
He clicked his tongue, openly displaying his displeasure.
Yohan knew this man.
‘Duke Charmont.’
He was one of only four people who stood at the pinnacle of power throughout the entire Empire, as well as the leader of the radical faction that wanted war with humanity.
“Warrior Kang. What is this bastard?”
“Hey now. Don't call him a bastard. Watch your words. He's the great Duke Shorty of the Empire.”
“W-What did you say?”
Charmont's eyebrows twisted downward.
Judging by how his mustache trembled, Yohan seemed to have struck a nerve.
“Ah, my apologies. My pronunciation is a little clumsy.”
It hadn't been intentional.
Surely he wouldn't say something like that outright to someone he'd only just met.
“Y-You insolent bastard.”
Charmont ground his molars hard enough to break them, but that was as far as he went.
Normally, Yohan wouldn't have dared provoke him like this. But at present, the faction seeking peace with humanity held the reins.
Naturally, someone capable of keeping Charmont in check was also here.
“Haha. Duke Charmont, please be understanding. Didn't he say his pronunciation is simply a little clumsy?”
Another man intervened.
He was a middle-aged man with a gentle appearance.
‘Duke Ioden.’
His tremendous talent for Magic had been acknowledged by the previous Emperor, who granted him the title of Duke. He was also the current commander of the 1st Magic Corps.
For reference, he and Charmont didn't get along.
Unlike Charmont, who came from a noble bloodline spanning generations, Ioden was a self-made noble.
“I'll… remember this.”
Charmont recited the signature line of a third-rate villain before leaving.
“What a mischievous fellow. Still, don't push yourself too far. Earning someone's grudge always brings more harm than good. And when that someone is one of the greatest authorities in an entire Empire, it's even more dangerous.”
“I'll be careful.”
“Hahaha! I'm glad you're easy to talk to. I'm Ioden. I serve as a Duke of the Empire.”
“I'm Kang Yohan.”
“I know. From what I've heard, you're remarkably skilled in Magic. Tell me about some of your exploits. I'm getting restless from doing nothing but discussing tedious politics among old men.”
Yohan found himself getting along with Ioden in many ways.
In particular, when Yohan gave examples of how Magic of various attributes could be applied in everyday life or combat, Ioden even laughed like a child.
Just as the atmosphere was beginning to warm up.
Ding!
A Status Window appeared before everyone.
[#Sub Episode(3) - Mafia Game]
Duration: 3 hours.
Details: There are currently numerous humans infected by Parasites within the Empire. The difficulty of the fourth Episode will be determined by how many of them you uncover. If you uncover 10 or fewer, the ‘Cursed Box’ will open. Conversely, if you uncover 10 or more, the ‘Blessed Box’ will open.
Right.
The fourth one was finally about to begin.
Seeing the Mafia Game made the Colony Episode finally begin to feel real.
“W-What is this?”
“Parasites?”
“Are you saying there are parasites within the Empire pretending to be human?”
Naturally, chaos erupted inside the assembly hall as well.
A bucket of cold water had been thrown over the meeting that had been proceeding so warmly.
“Hahaha! Could that mean some are here as well? Since this is a high-level conference, there's certainly a good chance that one or two are mixed among us.”
Lodbrok fiddled with the blade of his axe.
Yohan was worried this ignorant Viking might start chopping off random heads.
But right now, he didn't have the luxury to worry that far ahead.
More than ten throughout the entire Empire.
‘They said there were three just in here.’
For now, he thought he knew who one of them was.