“Swoosh!”
I gazed across the turbulent waters of the Dumangang River.
Beside me stood Hosik Jeong, the interim President of the Republic of Korea and, barring any abnormalities, the inevitable next president.
He had come not to South Korea, but to North Korea to finalize procedures related to unification.
In truth, there was nothing much left to finalize.
North Korea was already under my control and regarded me as a god.
There was no opposition to unification.
It was truly a seamless process.
All the complicated procedures and hurdles that normally should have been obstacles were breezed through smoothly.
As if prepared for years, the South and North were becoming one.
“…Are you sure this will be fine?”
Hosik Jeong, who was looking out at the Dumangang with me, posed the question.
In response, I asked back, “Are you uneasy?”
“I’m not doubting you, Kim Si-won. But given the situation, I worry the people might suffer…”
His concern wasn’t about the ongoing unification.
He was referring to China’s provocations.
“People…”
It’s not a fault to be called a coward for that.
We had just waged war against Japan and the United States.
Though victorious, before those relations had fully settled, friction with North Korea flared anew.
The United States, China, and Japan—three great powers—now all had their eyes fixed on us.
Naturally, it brought about anxiety and worry.
“Of course, I have complete trust in you, Kim Si-won. But should you be away, or in the event of an emergency…”
“Don’t worry.”
My answer to that anxiety was already decided.
I wasn’t asking him to blindly trust me.
“I handed over the defense tickets to Kim Chaun.”
If I remain stationed in the Republic of Korea, there will be no exposure to enemy threats.
But if the enemy crosses territorial borders—as in the case of an American strike or an attack on North Korea—the situation is different.
While I’m briefly away, enemies might take the chance to strike.
Therefore, I handed a portion of the tickets obtained through repeated clearances of the 30th floor using Purge Tickets to Kim Chaun.
It was a means to defend against enemy threats while I was absent.
Not just a few, but dozens—tickets that had been enhanced.
With those, even if I were to be absent, a certain degree of safety from external attacks could be secured.
“Also Blansia Bellamin, Agamemnon Saglayer, and Malice Ahman will act under my orders to counter threats to the Republic of Korea. So do not be uneasy or doubtful about threats from the United States, China, or Japan.”
Along with the defense tickets, I had left three Knights behind.
They have already been ordered to respond swiftly to any threats against the Republic of Korea.
“I realize my thoughts were… shortsighted.”
Hosik Jeong might have expected another scolding like before.
“It’s fine.”
I don’t say that lightly.
On the contrary, if he hadn’t voiced his worries and threats, I might have been disappointed.
It’s foolish to avoid speaking about internal problems out of fear of being scolded.
In that regard, Hosik Jeong was someone with enough courage to express his anxieties and threats.
***
“I’ve left defense measures against any possible enemy threats.”
Now, it was time to handle the business I had delayed.
I could see it with my own eyes.
Across the Dumangang River, the vast territory lay before me.
‘China.’
One of the cradles of the four great civilizations, Zhonghua, a mighty country that calls itself a great power.
The world’s law demands that what is received must be repaid.
The Awakened who attempted infiltration into the Republic of Korea via North Korea—though unsuccessful—intended to cause serious damage to Korea.
This was retaliation for that act.
And an opportunity to confirm the influence of the Demon Clan.
I moved forward.
“Crunch, crunch.”
Across the frozen Dumangang.
Jilin Province.
Standing before the border between North Korea and China, known as Jilin in Chinese and Gilrim in Korean.
Where there should have been armed soldiers guarding the border, there was nothing.
As if intentionally left unguarded, no sign of life was felt nearby.
After briefly surveying the desolate scene, I smoothly withdrew a bundle of tickets from my chest.
But it wasn’t as many as I had expected.
Until recently, I had thought tickets could be obtained infinitely.
With the reward increase due to the Blood Sea difficulty and the benefits of being first in the monthly ranking, the chance of getting tickets through Purge was 70%.
By probability alone, one could get infinite tickets including Purge Tickets and others.
However, there was one limitation.
[You have used Purge Tickets 100 times.]
[Due to diminishing returns, the chance of obtaining tickets has sharply decreased.]
Precisely at the 100th Purge Ticket use, the diminishing returns kicked in.
Out of curiosity, I tried using the tickets 10 more times and got only 2 Purge Tickets in return.
A 10% return at best.
The sample size was small, but the experiment revealed that the probability was below 10%.
The fortunate thing was that I had gained quite a few tickets through those 100 Purges.
And now I used one of those tickets.
[You have used a Personal Defense (++) Ticket.]
[This is an enhanced ticket. The effect lasts for 24 hours.]
[This is an enhanced ticket. You are immune to exile effects.]
[This is an enhanced ticket. You are immune to all observation tickets.]
Personal Defense.
It was a ticket that provided complete immunity to Exile and Observation Tickets, from which I had benefited greatly.
Ordinary Defense Tickets don’t provide this.
If the opponent uses an Exile Ticket, you can defend against it once, but the next attack leaves you defenseless.
This, however, was an enhanced ticket.
I had overcome the low odds and succeeded in enhancing it twice, granting immunity against all exile and observation tickets for 24 hours.
Thanks to that-
[You have defended against an Observation Ticket used by Japan’s Kimura Yoshio.]
[You have defended against an Observation Ticket used by the United States’ Kayle Turner.]
[You have defended against an Observation Ticket used by China’s Chen Xia.]
[No one can observe you anymore.]
I was free from the watchful eyes that had been monitoring me moments ago.
Those eyes belonged to the United States, China, and Japan.
Whenever I ascended the Tower, these observation tickets were what allowed them to interfere.
But now, with a large stockpile of Personal Defense Tickets acquired via Purge Tickets, I was able to shake off their surveillance.
Enhanced Personal Defense Tickets boasted an incredible effect of cutting through all those prying eyes.
For at least 24 hours, I was free from exile and observation tickets of other nations.
Therefore, crossing the North Korea-China border, I finally entered Chinese territory, Jilin Province (Gilrim).
“Come out.”
An empty, desolate space.
But my awakened mind saw it.
Something decorating the space like ripples under water.
It bore similar characteristics to the silver-type used by the Awakened in China last time.
Silently, the Awakened appeared at my command.
There was no lack of border guards after all.
Chinese Awakened had gathered in force, closely monitoring my movements through observation tickets.
Their defining feature?
“Vrrrr!”
A sharp, palpable flow of magic energy.
They were demons disguised in human shells, awakened through the Demon Transformation Potion.
Just like the United States.
China, too, was influenced by the Demon Clan, and the proof was right before me.
A group of Awakened radiating thick demonic energy.
Hundreds, nearly a thousand strong.
Usually, such an overwhelming sight would cause tension or fear.
But I did not know exactly who was behind this.
Perhaps it was Salmora the Plague Legion Commander, or maybe a new entity who inherited his knowledge.
One thing was certain.
‘How laughable.’
They were underestimating me.
To think they would try to take me on with a force of a thousand mid-level demons at most.
“Die.”
“Kill him!”
“Kraaaa—”
Fools who had yet to grasp the truth charged forward.
“Boom!”
Releasing immense murderous intent.
That intent was sticky, like the oppressive energy in a dark cave.
Of course, to me it was like a warm spring breeze—a mere passing wind.
“Pathetic.”
Their desperate charge looked like mayflies rushing to their deaths.
Spatial Leap.
Enigma.
I used the power infused in my newly acquired Knight Armor.
At that moment, my body leapt through space, landing behind those charging fools.
“Pop!”
This was no mere movement.
It was magic.
A high-level spatial teleportation magic used on the Gritia Continent.
Even though I was behind them, no one detected my movement.
Watching the backs of the charging enemies, I stirred the chaotic energy that combined aura and magic.
By my will, the chaos sword Turba and armor Iregula were formed.
Chaos Sphere.
A black hole formed at the center of the nearly one thousand enemies.
“Whoooooosh!”
It unleashed tremendous suction power, a gravitational pull no mid-level demon could resist.
“Ughhhh!”
The thousand enemies were pulled tightly together by that force.
“Ggrgrgrgr—”
The power of clustering was so great that soon a massive sphere was formed.
A huge sphere formed by all the mid-level demons present.
Of course, that alone was not enough to subdue them.
Unlike humans, demons boasted incredible regeneration and recovery abilities.
What I desired was restraint through the Chaos Sphere.
“Swish.”
I swung Turba, the sword of chaos, in my hand.
It was the ultimate technique I had wielded before—ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million slashes.
That is to say, a sword strikes so fast and unbound by space or law!
Infinite Sword.
The infinite sword strikes that were unhindered by speed, space, or anything else.
“Screeeech, screeetch, screetch!”
I sliced through the giant sphere of mid-level demons.
The horrifying sound of flesh and bone being shredded didn’t last long.
“Whoooosh—”
Like the bitter cold wind blowing in January.
As it swept through the clustered Chaos Sphere, the remains of the demons were molecularly shattered and scattered by the wind.
In the blink of an eye, the nearly one thousand mid-level demons turned to dust and scattered.
“Ssss!”
The demonic energy they left behind gathered in my heart, strengthening me.
But it wasn’t over yet.
“Ughhhh—”
“Capture him!”
A prepared force approached, as if knowing I would come.
But there were no exceptions.
I was walking the path of death.
And all that remained on that path were the enemy’s remnants turned to dust.