Chapter 41: What’s Needed to Prevent the War (3)

“Crack!”

On the frozen sea.

Decorating that place, where even time seemed to have frozen, were dozens of Japanese warships.

Trapped in ice, unable to move.

The only option they had left.

“Vwoooom!”

The protective shields of the Awakeners aboard the ships.

If it’s a shield capable of withstanding countless artillery barrages from the Republic of Korea Navy, they wouldn’t go down easily.

If they could block attacks with the shield and counterattack with missiles and shells?

There was a chance of victory!

That’s what they believed, but—

“Fwoosh!”

A single blaze, burning with tremendous heat, reduced all that hope to a handful of ashes.

“Kabang!”

Screams?

There was no time even to cry out.

The ships melted along with their shields, triggering massive explosions.

And that wasn’t all.

“Ssssccchhhh!”

An acidic mist filled with the venom of Manticores.

“Flash!”

Basilisk’s beams followed, turning everyone watching into stone.

Monsters.

And not just any monsters.

The giant monsters attacking the Japanese ships right now were no ordinary beasts.

Each individual possessed the power to crush an entire legion.

And at this moment, they fully displayed that power.

By annihilating all the Japanese warships.

But it wasn’t over.

“Kukukukuku!”

Fighter jets circling in the air.

The jets, preparing to provide cover fire, were only belatedly realizing the annihilation of the navy and readied for bombing runs.

But the ruler of the skies was someone else.

“Piiiiiiiik!”

With a sharp whistle.

“Kabang!”

A gigantic figure descended on the Japanese fighter jets.

It was a Griffin, a flying monster with the upper body of an eagle and the lower body of a lion.

If the Wyvern was the most powerful monster in terms of destructive force, the Griffin was the fastest.

It was no coincidence the Griffin was called the “King of the Skies”—its flight speed was impossible to catch even by the jets, the pinnacle of modern technology.

“Screeeek!”

Moving like a streak of light, it toyed with the fighters.

“Kra-chak-chang!”

Breaking the reinforced glass and crushing the pilot inside the cockpit.

“Gyaaaah!”

A horrifying scream echoed in the air.

The Griffin was seen pecking at the captured human with its beak and swallowing him in one gulp.

“Bang! Bang!”

The pilotless jets crashed all over, exploding upon impact.

Screams and explosions echoed everywhere, and to some, that signaled the war, victory.

“Th-thank you!”

Behind them.

From the half-destroyed destroyer, those who had stepped onto the frozen sea could be seen.

Charred from explosions, their hair burned away.

Those were marks of glory.

Traces of heroes who had risked their lives to save their homeland.

Along with them, fragments of a memory suddenly surfaced before my eyes.

The fiercest battle, the decisive siege of Fort Glatton that would determine the fate of the continent.

The Empire’s stronghold was prepared to send reinforcements anytime via a two-way portal.

But due to the meticulous planning of the Continent Union, the portal’s effect was nullified, and the defenders had to hold out for fifteen days until reinforcements arrived.

It was supposed to be impossible.

Even with a fortress blessed by nature, the difference in troop numbers was dozens of times over.

It’s commonly said that to succeed in a siege, attackers must outnumber the defenders by at least ten times.

But the Continent Union had deployed not only that many troops but also outstanding Knights.

Holding out for even a single day was a miracle, let alone fifteen.

Yet we—the Empire’s soldiers defending Fort Glatton—did it.

Because there was a commander as outstanding as the colonel standing before me.

‘Remember this well. If you wish to die, you shall live; if you wish to live, you shall die.’

Pascal Vol, the fortress commander and Empire’s No. 100 Knight, had defended Fort Glatton like an iron wall for twenty years.

Despite the unfavorable situation, his will never broke.

And that small change brought about a miracle.

For a full fifteen days.

Enduring what could have been called a miracle even if it lasted a single day, they finally greeted the moment reinforcements arrived.

‘The Empire will remember your devotion.’

Leading the reinforcements was the Empire’s No. 5 Knight, Chronos Berga.

One of the continent’s top Knights, he appeared holding his sword high, praising Fort Glatton and those who had fought for fifteen grueling days trapped inside.

Though called an evil empire by some, what the Empire prided itself on was its internal unity.

That was possible because those within it were instilled with pride and a sense of belonging.

The scene at the time—the No. 5 Knight and the Emperor’s Royal Guard dispatched to save the devoted soldiers of Fort Glatton—made that clear.

And now, looking at those before me, I recalled the faces of the soldiers who had defended Fort Glatton.

Even in utter exhaustion, shedding tears and mucus, they embraced one another.

Encouraging each other, sharing the joy of victory.

That was why I bowed my head.

To show respect to those who sacrificed their lives and fought valiantly.

“No…”

They tried to say something.

But they couldn’t continue as a Wyvern approached nearby.

“Eek!”

“Ugh!”

Startled, they were blown aside by the wind.

And that was a situation I had deliberately created.

I leapt powerfully and landed on the Wyvern’s back.

No intention of conversation.

I was no longer Kim Si-won of the Republic of Korea but Undead Legion Commander Valdevron Brocia, the master of the monster legion.

However, after a brief greeting.

“Screeeek!”

Once again, I set off on an expedition.

To Japan, to bring the final chapter in what is needed to end the war.

***

Hiroshima, Japan.

“Wiiiiiiiing!”

Sirens signaling danger echoed everywhere.

“Emergency situation! Citizens, please proceed to shelters immediately!”

Announcements blared from speakers installed throughout the city.

The voice relaying the message trembled faintly, perhaps due to the urgency of the situation.

No wonder.

“Kabang!”

A tall building crumbled from the shock.

“Kyaaaah!”

Monstrous screams reverberated through the city.

It was the monster legion that had just passed through Seoul and Busan in the Republic of Korea, now reaching Hiroshima.

Originally, the monster legion was supposed to sow chaos in the Republic of Korea, but instead, it was attacking Japan, Hiroshima.

However.

“Stop them!”

“Where do they think they’re going!”

With a powerful battle cry, reinforcements charged into the hall.

“Flash!”

With a single gesture, multicolored lights shimmered.

Attack power up.

Defense power up.

Supporter Buff.

Several gestures later, their bodies and traits were further enhanced.

And then.

‘Lightning Spear.’

‘Venom Spray.’

‘Giant Fireball.’

Various elemental magics manifested.

“Kukkwa-kka-kka-kang!”

They turned the area into a wasteland.

Since citizens had already evacuated, there was no need to distinguish friend from foe as they launched a fierce assault.

Of course.

“Kyaaaak!”

Why were these monsters called giant monsters?

Because of their tough scales and skin, and their tenacious lifeforce.

Charging recklessly despite attacks from hundreds of Awakeners.

“Thud-thud-thud.”

Among the dealers who attacked.

Heavily armored figures equipped with massive shields appeared.

Fortification.

Strong lifeforce.

Guardian Shield.

Each displayed their traits, protecting allies from the monsters’ attacks.

“Bang! Kabang!”

Like a giant wall, the tankers’ shields took the monsters’ blows.

But.

“Uoooo!”

“Don’t fall back!”

These were no weak Awakeners of the Republic of Korea.

They were among the world’s four strongest Awakeners.

Selected to cooperate with the government and repel the monsters swarming Hiroshima.

“Now!”

As if waiting for this moment, close-range dealers charged in.

“Pah!”

A dull thud hit the Basilisk’s tough scales.

Against giant monsters with especially strong defense, blunt weapons were more effective than blades.

Japanese Awakeners, having learned this from tower raids, had prepared close-range dealers wielding blunt weapons for effective attacks and damage.

“Kyaaahhh!”

That worked perfectly.

But there was not just one Basilisk here.

“Fwoooooosh!”

From the Wyvern dominating the skies came a stream of flames.

Though those flames boasted powerful, all-consuming heat.

Ice Mist.

Spring of Cold.

Waters and cold magic poured down to weaken the flames.

Because of that steam rose as the flames weakened.

The weakened flames failed to penetrate the defensive walls raised by the tankers.

‘Ice Spear.’

‘Belt of Ice.’

Struck by cold magic with advantageous affinity.

“Kyaaaak!”

A scream of agony was unleashed.

“Where do you think this is!”

“We’re not like those bloody Koreans!”

“We’ll wipe you out in one fell swoop!”

The momentum surged.

How could it not?

Victory reports were arriving from all around.

That was only natural.

Information on monster mutation had been obtained during the battle in Busan.

Therefore, Awakeners capable of fighting monsters were selected, prepared to respond regardless of where they came from.

“Let’s wipe out those cocky koreans once and for all.”

“Those pathetic creatures think they can even look up at us?”

“Show them the true taste of Great Japan right now!”

Fueled with excitement, they spoke of invading the Republic of Korea and bringing it underfoot.

If they cooperated with the government, they might even launch a counterattack, reversing their defeat in Busan.

However, someone’s senses were unusually sharp.

“Hmm?”

Tanaka Takuya.

One of the Orochi Guild’s Supporters felt something strange and stared into the sky above.

“Gooooooo!”

It was as if the atmosphere itself was gathering in one spot.

If it had been clearly visible like a hurricane’s eye, he might have felt less uneasy.

“I don’t know why but just looking at that spot made the hairs on my body stand on end.”

And then, in the next moment.

“Kwahaaaah!”

The atmosphere roared.

“Kukukukung!”

The earth screamed and trembled.

“Huh…?”

What appeared at the same time.

A huge black sphere casting a shadow over the ground.

“Flutter!”

Sitting atop the Griffin soaring high in the distant sky.

***

The ants below, locked in a fierce battle, would never guess where I was or what was unfolding here.

What is needed to end the war?

I asked myself.

There could be many answers.

Conquest, treaties, negotiations—many methods have been tried throughout history.

But, the current situation was unique.

‘Most won’t work on Japan.’

Japan, now standing at the center of the world, looked down on the Republic of Korea as if it were still under Japanese colonial rule.

Wounded pride made them refuse any negotiation or deal.

Until the Republic of Korea surrendered, or perhaps, they might even try to recolonize as they once did.

Therefore, there was only one way to end this war.

To show an overwhelming difference.

If they realized no matter how hard they struggled, they could never reach that level, they would have no choice but to surrender.

And now, preparations for that were underway.

Twelve percent of the magical energy swirling around my heart exploded.

The fierce beast running wild.

“Fwoooosh!”

I focused it all into one point.

At the front, the magic gathered and began forming a sphere.

At first, it was about the size of a marble, very small.

So small it was barely visible with narrowed eyes.

“Swoooosh!”

It began swallowing my magic, growing larger until it filled a certain area as a massive sphere.

‘Great Demon Orb.’

A secret technique personally taught by Demon King Ingram.

A powerful magic tool that extracts all the magical energy and drops a massive sphere onto the enemy lines, causing total devastation.

That.

“Kukukukukuung!”

Like the atomic bomb the United States dropped on Hiroshima in the past.

Of course, in terms of power.

To the extent it could be compared to ‘Little Boy,’ the atomic bomb that leveled Hiroshima.