Limon’s press conference ended just like that.
Park Hyun-gun could perfectly understand how Lee Cheon-gi felt as he stared at the TV, unable to look away.
He himself had stood frozen for several minutes when he first saw the live broadcast.
The footage was just that shocking.
Whether it was the fact that he took the President hostage, announced a series of hostage situations, or sent such a blunt message to a Sovereign—every single action was something no sane person would do, all packed into one straight, powerful blow.
It was only natural for any normal human to be stunned.
“…Limon Asphelder. He’s a more formidable figure than I thought. To catch us off guard like this.”
“What do you mean?”
It was for that reason Park Hyun-gun wore a puzzled expression the moment Lee Cheon-gi spoke.
While it was clear Limon was no ordinary lunatic, there seemed to be a different meaning behind those words.
“Don’t you see? This is a checkmate.”
“If you’re talking about that insane threat to summon you to the Blue House, you can just ignore it…”
“Then people will believe I’m using the ‘Strategy of Killing with a Borrowed Sword’ to seize political power in this country.”
“Surely no one would believe such insane nonsense?”
“My true intentions don’t matter. The problem is that the high-ranking officials designated as his next targets have been given a justification to believe it.”
Park Hyun-gun’s face instantly stiffened.
His mind, which had been frozen by the sheer absurdity of the video, finally began to function again.
“Are you saying they will pressure you, my Sovereign?”
“Their lives are on the line, after all.”
Normally, no matter how high-ranking those officials were, they wouldn’t dare commit such madness.
In this era, a Sovereign was an absolute being—someone whose touch brought ruin.
However, Limon’s hostage situation had shifted the circumstances in a strange way.
One must be alive to worry about appearances, but they were now in a position where they might all die.
They no longer had the luxury of making political calculations.
Moreover, since there was the justification of saving the President, anyone who valued their life would cling to Lee Cheon-gi.
No matter how absolute a Sovereign’s power, it was difficult to ignore such pressure.
“If they even pull another Sovereign into this, it will turn into a mud-slinging brawl.”
Lee Cheon-gi wasn’t the only Sovereign.
What if he refused to move until the end?
To survive, there were plenty of high-ranking officials who would throw consequences to the wind and run to other Sovereigns.
That was a threat incomparable to Limon’s petty intimidation.
Unlike Limon, who was a relic of the old era, the other Sovereigns were opponents that even he could not afford to ignore.
“Are you saying Limon Asphelder planned all this out?”
“I don’t know how much of it was intentional, but it’s clear he intended to create a situation where I have no choice but to step forward myself.”
The most fatal aspect was that Limon had carried this out as if advertising it to the entire world.
It would have been one thing if he had made a private call, but since that broadcast was practically aired worldwide, Lee Cheon-gi was forced to step in to resolve the crisis.
Whether to gain practical benefit, to protect his honor, or for some other reason.
“Chief Park, pull the personnel stationed near Leviathan.”
“Will that be alright?”
“It’s better to lose track of the Black Dragon Princess than to have other Sovereigns take an interest in that area.”
“Then I will have them redirected to the Blue House.”
“No, there is no need for that.”
Lee Cheon-gi shook his head.
Then, looking at Limon’s grinning face on the frozen TV screen with cold eyes, he spoke softly.
“Since the Guardian of Humanity seems to want a showdown, I shall provide him with one personally.”
***
Clatter, clatter.
“Oh, this is delicious.”
The Blue House luncheon hall.
President Han Jeong-guk quite liked this place, which had been remodeled with a significant budget early in his term.
He had enjoyed inviting people from all walks of life here, from national envoys and conglomerate chairmen to international students and celebrities.
But at this moment, President Han Jeong-guk felt that his favorite luncheon hall was nothing short of hell.
“The world has certainly gotten better. In the old days, kings couldn’t even dream of eating a warm meal because they were too busy checking for poison and having food tasters.”
‘Just how old of an era are you talking about?’
“Besides, they’d make the food bland for health reasons and wouldn’t let them have late-night snacks. I really felt sorry for those guys.”
‘They couldn’t have been as miserable as me.’
“In that sense, Mr. President, why don’t you have some food too? It’s a waste to throw away something made with precious tax money.”
‘Do you think I can even swallow right now?’
“Hey, bring some more alcohol here. Use the expensive stuff if you can.”
‘That alcohol was also bought with precious tax money!’
As if he were in his own living room, Limon sat comfortably on the floor and popped food into his mouth.
President Han Jeong-guk felt his blood boiling as he watched him.
If he could, he wanted to say a word—no, a hundred words—with the dignity of a head of state.
But in the end, he couldn’t open his mouth.
Even while eating, the blade pressed against his throat taught him the virtue of silence.
‘You crazy bastard! You should at least move the sword while you’re eating!’
“I certainly am a bit crazy.”
“Gasp!?”
President Han Jeong-guk was terrified.
Limon had responded to the thought he had in his mind far too casually.
“H-How…? Do you have a 『Mind Reading』 skill?!”
“Skill, my ass. The thoughts of guys like you who glare at me secretly are all the same.”
Limon snorted.
It wasn’t like he had done this once or twice.
To Limon, who had dealt with all sorts of captives every time he took hostages, guessing Han Jeong-guk’s thoughts was easy.
Most of it was bound to be insults like “mad dog,” “lunatic,” “psycho,” or “crazy prick” anyway.
Realizing he had been tricked into revealing his thoughts, the President’s face turned beet red.
But only for a moment. Seeing Limon looking more composed than expected despite being caught insulting him, Han Jeong-guk took the plunge and spoke up.
“Aren’t you afraid of the consequences of doing something like this?”
Of course, he didn’t forget to use formal speech.
Being the President didn’t mean he had two lives.
“Is there any consequence I should be afraid of?”
Fortunately, Limon didn’t lop off his head just because a hostage was speaking cheekily.
He merely asked back as if he were truly curious.
Having regained some momentum, Han Jeong-guk spoke with a sense of authority.
“Did you think you could get away with taking a head of state hostage? You’ve gone from being a hero to a traitor!”
“I was already about to be arrested on charges of terrorism and high treason before I even started this, though?”
Limon asked dryly, essentially saying that since he was already being framed for treason, what difference would it make if he actually committed an act of treason now.
“I-If there was a misunderstanding, isn’t it only natural to resolve it with words!”
“Are you admitting right now that you framed me?”
“That’s not what I…”
“Or what? You deployed Unit 909 based on something unconfirmed and got them all killed? Can you say that to the reporters outside too?”
“…”
President Han Jeong-guk thought to himself: he should have just stayed quiet.
In fact, he had no excuse from the moment he deployed Unit 909.
If he knew, it was a problem; if he didn’t know, he would be impeached for not knowing that the country’s elite special forces were committing illegal acts on their own.
But Limon wouldn’t leave him alone.
As if the timing was perfect, he tapped the President’s neck with his sword and asked a question.
“Actually, I’m the one who wants to ask. What on earth did you believe in to frame me for treason?”
“That is…”
“No, you don’t have to answer. You probably did it because you trusted the Infinite Sovereign.”
‘Then don’t ask, you lunatic!’
Whether or not Han Jeong-guk was cursing internally, Limon nonchalantly continued speaking while tearing into a chicken leg.
“I’ve been feeling this for a while, but you guys take the world far too lightly. If you frame someone for treason, you should have been prepared for actual treason to occur.”
Han Jeong-guk gnashed his teeth as he watched Limon nag him even in this situation, like the old fossil he was.
“…Talk all you want. Your time to act all high and mighty is almost over.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Do you really think even you can stand against the full power of the Infinity Guild?”
Han Jeong-guk made a threat.
He had ended up in this state because he underestimated Limon.
However, the Infinity Guild was on a completely different level compared to the Blue House security guards.
One of the Ten Great Guilds competing for the top spot in the world!
He had no doubt that if the Infinity Guild directly intervened, it would be more than possible to suppress Limon.
“If you release me now, I will do my best to stop the Infinite Sovereign from mobilizing Infinity.”
‘Please fall for it, fall for it!’
Han Jeong-guk spoke as if he were doing a favor, activating his unique skill, Support Pledge.
Support Pledge was a skill that could win an opponent’s support in exchange for a pledge.
Although the pledge had to be to the opponent’s liking and there was a risk that the pledge must be fulfilled in exchange for support, its utility was endless.
It was actually thanks to this skill that he was able to become the President-elect.
“Puhahaha!”
However, the moment he heard those words, Limon burst into a fit of laughter that nearly split his face.
He rolled around on the floor several times before looking at the bewildered Han Jeong-guk with a giggle.
“T-The Infinity Guild’s full power? Do you seriously think Lee Cheon-gi is going to bring all his guild lackeys with him?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
Han Jeong-guk answered tentatively.
An emergency where he was taken hostage had occurred, so there was no reason to hold back any strength.
Limon lightly mocked Han Jeong-guk’s judgment.
“Is that so? I think Lee Cheon-gi will walk into the Blue House all by himself with his head held high.”
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
“Well, we’ll see about that.”
Limon smirked as if the result didn’t matter either way.
But in reality, Limon was certain.
There was no way the Infinite Sovereign would bring subordinates after receiving such a public provocation.
That was the pride of an absolute being.
“Even if the Infinite Sovereign comes alone, you’re finished either way!”
Perhaps it was because Limon’s composure made him feel uneasy, but Han Jeong-guk shouted out in desperation.
Looking at him, Limon tilted his head.
“Hmm, I’ve been really curious about this for a while.”
As if he truly couldn’t understand, or as if he were dying of curiosity, Limon looked at Han Jeong-guk with eyes full of doubt and asked bluntly.
“Why do you all believe without a single doubt that I am weaker than a Sovereign?”
Han Jeong-guk wore a baffled expression upon hearing that.
It wasn’t just because it was an unexpected question.
It was because the answer was so obvious, like asking which direction the sun rises from.
“Because you aren’t a Player.”
Just as a gun is stronger than a sword and cavalry cannot defeat a tank, how could an ‘ordinary person’ without skills defeat a Sovereign who stands at the peak of Players?
Seeing Han Jeong-guk answer without a moment’s hesitation, Limon chuckled.
“Right, you’re all the same.”
Muttering with a bored expression as if he had only lost out by asking, Limon cut off his interest in Han Jeong-guk. Instead, he whispered to himself internally.
‘It really does bother me.’
It was a question no one else would understand.
Recalling the sense of dissonance that only he could feel, Limon tried to continue his meal.
But before he could reach for the plate, Limon snatched Han Jeong-guk like lightning and threw his body.
And immediately after.
BOOM!!!
A single missile that had pierced through the ceiling struck the luncheon hall.