Chapter 148: Retribution

I know what Nepas is aiming for.

It is quite simple.

‘Buying time.’

He must have been confident that after creating a perfect species like Altain, he would surpass us. 

However, Altain was not as perfect as he had anticipated. 

Recognizing the threat Leon and I posed, he sought to eliminate any variables beforehand. 

It was likely because he judged that if we took active measures, he or Altain could end up in danger.

That was why he proposed the issue of accepting the Demon Clan as members of Earth, using it to sow division. 

Behind the scenes, he appropriately exploited the global sentiment of those who envied me. 

He masterfully drove a wedge into the friction between me and powerful nations like the United States, Russia, China, and Japan. 

He intended to stall for time to create a new species that would follow Altain, but his scheme was losing its luster thanks to Leon’s performance.

Removing personality and emotions had been a move for immediate results. 

However, as Leon gained enlightenment and cleared the 6th floor on Mythic difficulty, the situation that was supposed to be in their favor was reversed. 

It was a measure taken for short-term gains, but Leon, who played the long game, had overtaken them. 

This meant the stalling they wanted would not be so easy.

Yet, there were those who could not read this flow.

“South Korea probably cannot even fathom how many more sacrifices will occur due to the conflict with the Demon Clan.”

“They have Kim Si-won, but we must realize that such a monster does not exist in other nations. We clearly state that coexistence with the Demon Clan is the path to achieving world peace.”

The four nations that were the first to clamor for coexistence were loud through the media every day. 

At first, things seemed quiet due to the Demon Clan’s performance—specifically, Altain’s climb in the Tower. 

Even without their loud advocacy, many nations were pushing for coexistence. 

The justification of Tower restrictions, along with the Awakening Potion, was a factor in empowering coexistence without the need to worry about the opinions of others.

But what if one of those conditions failed?

[Leon, the conqueror of the 6th floor, has applied an entry condition]

[All Awakened friendly toward the Demon Clan are barred from entering the 6th floor]

[Leon, the conqueror of the 7th floor, has applied an entry condition]

[All Awakened friendly toward the Demon Clan are barred from entering the 7th floor]

Following the 6th floor, Leon cleared the 7th floor on Mythic difficulty, effectively crushing the ambitions of Nepas and Altain. 

The entry condition was a ban on those friendly to the Demon Clan. 

Since Altain had previously set a condition barring those hostile to the Demon Clan, this new condition was not particularly harsh.

Nevertheless, the world was thrown into chaos.

Until recently, it had been beneficial to coexist and maintain friendly relations with the Demon Clan. 

But with Leon’s achievements, one of the pillars supporting that logic had broken. 

No matter how good the Awakening Potion was, if one could not enter the Tower, that power was effectively useless. 

Consequently, the pro-Demon public opinion began to shift.

Spain was the starting point. 

They had long been friendly toward South Korea and had expressed their will to resist the major powers; now, they drew their blades.

“South Korea’s and Kim Si-won’s opinions are valid. The Demon Clan has clearly shown multiple times in the past that they are an enemy that cannot coexist with humanity. Despite this, forming a friendly relationship for immediate gain is no different from saying a criminal should not be punished if they simply reflect on their actions. The Demon Clan must pay the price for their past deeds. We actively support South Korea’s stance.”

The Spanish royal family and political circles released a statement, declaring they would stand with South Korea.

The Awakening Potion? 

They naturally refused it.

They declared they would manage their country in a ‘normal’ way, climbing the Tower with natural Awakened born without the Demon Clan’s help, just as they had in the past.

Starting is always the hardest part; following suit is not nearly as difficult. 

Along with Spain’s declaration, countries like Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and Canada announced they would treat the Demon Clan as enemies. 

These were nations that had emerged as rising powers while the traditional heavyweights—the United States, Russia, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy—faltered. 

They had stood tall as world powers in place of those who had nearly collapsed because of the Demon Clan, but the Awakening Potion incident had balanced the scales of power once again.

Of course, it was not that they had never been tempted.

Some nations could not resist the powerful allure of the Awakening Potion and defected, siding with the pro-Demon faction. 

However, those who trusted South Korea until the end came forward alongside Leon’s performance. 

They declared their ambition to no longer be dragged around by the old powers.

Public opinion, which had been one-sided, split in half, opening a stage for fierce debate. 

Media outlets and news programs discussed coexistence versus hostility at every turn, and some nations even engaged in local conflicts.

Naturally, the side that picked fights first was the pro-Demon faction. 

Currently possessed of powerful military strength through the Awakening Potion, they acted as if they had nothing to lose, picking fights everywhere. 

It was as if they were ready to start a war the moment anyone reacted.

That was to be expected. Their current forces were extremely powerful. Having established a strong army through the Awakening Potion, they did not hesitate to commit international atrocities to capitalize on this opportunity. Fortunately, other nations had signed defense treaties and were ready to strike back to keep them in check. If such a system had not been in place, some countries might have already been conquered.

And there was one more decisive reason.

“These nations are afraid of the intervention of South Korea and Kim Si-won.”

I was the reason their atrocities were not more extensive.

More accurately, it was Leon and me. 

No matter how strong their military became through the potion, they were not at a level where they could ignore Leon and me, who were conquering floors on Mythic difficulty. 

They had no choice but to remember what had happened in the past. 

It was the same logic as Japan trembling in fear after being hit by atomic bombs from the United States.

Regardless, they kept a close eye on Leon and me, unable to take a more aggressive stance. 

They likely waited for Nepas and Altain to provide assistance, but surprisingly, those two took no action at all.

That was what bothered me.

‘If it were Nepas, he would have surely empowered those nations to incite further division.’

The Nepas I knew would have helped the pro-Demon nations to fuel the split among humanity. 

This was because they could only accelerate that division by keeping Leon and me in check. 

I naturally thought they would move.

But they did not.

Quite a bit of time passed, yet they showed no movement whatsoever, even despite the aggressive gestures from the United States and other pro-Demon nations. 

This was unexpected, even for me, who understood Nepas well.

What could be the reason?

Just as even I was failing to grasp the psychological motive behind this…

“Ring ring ring—”

I heard a phone ringing urgently.

I checked the smartphone in my pocket. 

The name on the screen was Kim Chaun. 

He, who was now the dignified President of South Korea, was clearly displayed.

“What…”

I was about to ask what was happening, since he rarely called me.

“I-it is a disaster!”

He shouted that it was an emergency, interrupting me—something he almost never did.

“I am sending a video to your phone now, so please check it. It seems they have… finally started showing their true colors.”

Those guys, their true colors. 

Those words were enough.

“Understood.”

I immediately hung up and checked the attached video. 

Intense explosions occurred in succession. 

Those explosions were not caused by missiles or artillery. 

They were acts of destruction utilizing magic and staggering physical abilities. 

And the place where these shockwaves were occurring was…

“…Japan?”

It was Japan, the country neighboring South Korea. 

They, who possessed a military force stronger than ever thanks to the Awakening Potion, were collapsing pathetically. 

Had the conflict reached its peak and sparked a war between nations?

No. 

It was not a nation that had invaded Japan.

-SKREEEE!

The Demon Clan, which had been suppressing its instincts until now, had invaded and was fulfilling its instincts for destruction and slaughter. 

The shocking part was Japan’s response.

Despite having secured a massive number of Awakened through the Awakening Potion, they were being slaughtered so pathetically that any attempt at a countermeasure seemed meaningless.

The reason? 

It was simple. 

The Awakened they believed were strong—those who were called the ‘New Generation’—could not use any of their power. 

The New Generation Awakened were frozen in place before the Demon Clan.

-Crunch!

They were being eaten.

In that moment, I realized the truth.

‘It is not a Demonization Potion. But he did use a trick.’

As expected of Nepas. 

The Awakening Potion was not a blessing for humanity, just as I had suspected. 

It was something even I had not noticed. 

Perhaps it acted on human psychology or their inner selves, rendering them unable to resist when they encountered a member of the Demon Clan.

Moreover, that was not the only change.

“ROOOOAR!”

The Demonic Beasts and Demons that had devoured the Awakened began to transform, letting out joyous roars. 

It was a dramatic change that could not be achieved simply by eating an ordinary human. 

No, it should be called evolution.

“I see.”

Only then could I understand Nepas’s aim. 

What he had disguised as an Awakening Potion was actually an Evolution Potion.

It sounded like a good thing in words, but it was not. 

That evolution only applied to the Demon Clan. 

Simply put, it was a system where a Demon would evolve if it consumed a human who had taken the Awakening Potion.

‘A vicious scheme.’

Actually, I had checked the Awakening Potion before. 

The reason I had not sensed anything wrong was that it only reacted in the presence of the Demon Clan. 

It was a wicked move that only someone capable of predicting countless future outcomes could pull off.

After confirming all of that…

“Ring ring ring—”

The phone rang again.

“Japan is desperately requesting support. We must send troops immediately…”

Kim Chaun seemed to be considering sending support troops to Japan in their crisis, but…

“No. There will be no support troops.”

“…Pardon?”

To that question filled with doubt, I replied.

“I gave them multiple chances. But they kicked every single one of them away, blinded by immediate gain. Any more chances would be meaningless.”

Nepas had suddenly changed his plan. 

At a time when I had to figure out his scheme, I had no leisure to help Japan in their crisis. 

No, even if I did, they had already crossed a point of no return. 

Japan had kicked away several opportunities themselves, and now it was time to pay the price. 

Even if it led to the destruction of the nation called Japan, I had no intention of giving them any more chances.

‘Endure the catastrophe you brought upon yourselves.’

The United States, Russia, China, Japan… 

For the sake of immediate gain, they had invited this disaster, and it was entirely their responsibility to stop it.