Chapter 62: You Have to Use Strategy According to the Person

Strategy, by its very nature, is a contest of foresight, reading several moves ahead.

From that perspective, attacking Japan, the United States, and China might seem reckless.

But contrary to everyone’s expectations, it wasn’t reckless at all.

I anticipated the methods those bastards would use to pressure South Korea, such as the United Nations Federation, and that’s why I recorded and stored videos of the battles at the time.

It was obvious they would use the justification of being enemies of the world, enemies of the public.

At that moment, I struck back.

By revealing the truth about the Demon Clan to the public in a nationwide address.

Of course.

The United Nations Federation claimed the released footage was fabricated.

[Cold response to South Korea’s attempt to evade responsibility. They will surely pay the price.]

The United Nations Federation announced it was fabricated footage.

If one out of ten people says something is false, it becomes a lie.

If nine out of ten people say something is false, it becomes the truth.

It’s the same with this so-called fabricated video.

When the massive organization called the United Nations Federation declared it fake, that became the reality.

A brilliant counterattack turns into a petty evasion in the blink of an eye.

But that, too, was within the range of my predictions.

A brilliant counterattack?

No.

I simply planted the seed.

The seed of doubt: What if the Demon Clan is truly ruling the world?

“…Here are the people who have requested a meeting so far. Central Secretariat Secretary Juan Lia of China, Prosecutor General Sato Hiroshi of Japan…”

Minister Kim Chaun recited the names.

These were figures who held significant power in their respective countries.

Some of them were even high-ranking officials from China and Japan, who could currently be considered enemies.

Of course, it wasn’t me they wanted to meet—it was Hosik Jeong.

They discreetly sent messages to arrange a meeting with Hosik Jeong.

Why?

‘They must have sensed the change.’

The reason I didn’t care that my released video was branded as a fake.

No matter how perfect the Demon Clan’s transformations were, moving for such special purposes would naturally create a sense of incongruity.

Those close to these powerholders must have sensed that incongruity long ago.

Of course, until recently, they might have dismissed it as just a subtle change.

But now, things are different.

A suspicion had arisen: The superiors and colleagues they knew might actually be members of the Demon Clan.

Humans aren’t the kind to just stand by while monsters, not fellow humans or even their own country’s interests, pull the strings behind the scenes.

The flood of meeting requests for Hosik Jeong spoke volumes about this situation.

And then.

“…Frankie Duncan, president of the Elixir Research Institute…”

An unexpected name appeared.

“Got you.”

“…Excuse me?”

Kim Chaun looked at me questioningly as I muttered.

“Let’s move forward right away.”

“Who… Ah! You mean President Frankie Duncan?”

I just nodded without answering.

In fact, announcing the existence of the Demon Clan to the world wasn’t all I had prepared.

A bait.

I’d set out a bait that they’d have no choice but to bite, and as expected, a big fish had been caught.

Currently, within the territory of the Republic of Korea, the use of the Exile Ticket (Enhanced) has placed a ban on foreign access.

However, if the user of the ticket wished to allow it, even a foreigner could enter the territory.

***

Inside the Blue House, in a reception room prepared to welcome distinguished guests.

There, dozens of foreigners had gathered.

Each and every one of them was an illustrious figure.

Central Secretariat Secretary Juan Lia of China, Prosecutor General Sato Hiroshi of Japan, Speaker of the British House of Commons Neville Cavill, and Deputy Director of the National Assembly Dabet Auclair of France—while not the absolute leaders, these people wielded great power and influence.

And not only them.

Xia Heng, Guildmaster of the Tianwaitian Guild, one of China’s top three guilds.

Kimura Ryo, Guildmaster of the Samurai Guild, which stood alongside the Oni Guild at the top of Japan.

Bar Berner, Guildmaster of Chivalry, the undisputed number one guild in Britain.

And then.

“Hmm.”

“Didn’t expect to see him here.”

All eyes turned to a single spot.

There sat a classically handsome Western man with flowing blond hair.

Kayle Turner.

The world’s greatest tanker—no, not just by role, but the all-time number one.

If you asked anyone to name the strongest Awakener in the world, they would immediately say Kayle Turner, that’s how firmly he stood at the top.

Such a man had appeared here, at the Blue House.

“Creak—”

The door opened, and the one they had been waiting for entered.

“Nice to meet you all. I am Hosik Jeong.”

He bowed slightly. 

He was the acting president of the Republic of Korea.

“I’m Kim Chaun, currently serving as Minister of the Awakening Bureau.”

And Kim Chaun.

Standing silently like a guard was Kim Si-won.

“First, let me express my respect for the courage each of you has shown in gathering here today.”

This was not some simple business meeting.

It was a gathering of righteous people who were wary of the rise of the Demon Clan—who might very well be ruling the world—and, if that were true, hoped to stop them.

“No need for formalities.”

The one who could be said to represent those gathered here was Kayle Turner.

Even with all the powerful figures present, considering his influence, it was only natural that he spoke up.

But in reality, he was not the one to break the silence on behalf of the world’s leaders.

No one had known until now.

But as he spoke, all attention turned to him.

A middle-aged man with a splendid mustache and a monocle was the exceptional figure to receive such focus.

“I…”

“…I am Frankie Duncan, president of the Elixir Research Institute.”

The moment he introduced himself before speaking.

“Ah!”

“The Elixir Research Institute!”

Frankie Duncan, president of the Elixir Research Institute.

One of the wealthiest people in the world, shrouded in mystery.

No one was known to have ever seen his true self before, but now he had appeared here.

And— Kayle Turner, as if to support his words.

It was clear the two of them had some kind of relationship.

“The reason we’ve gathered. I think we need to be certain about that. If it’s not true, then there’s no reason for us to have come all the way here, is there?”

Not long ago, Acting President Hosik Jeong had announced via video the rise of the Demon Clan, claiming they now ruled the world.

Those gathered here had come to share information about this crisis.

Though all present in one place, it could not yet be said they were allies.

For them to become allies, the claims of the Demon Clan’s rise—the evidence previously shown—had to be true.

If it turned out to be false, everyone here would turn away at that very moment.

To this, Hosik Jeong answered with conviction, “Of course. As mentioned beforehand, you should have brought video experts with you.”

And with that—

“Swish.”

A group of people emerged from between the others.

I didn’t know who they were.

I only knew they were video experts invited from each country.

“Please investigate as much as you wish. There’s no evidence of fabrication in this footage.”

Hosik Jeong, brimming with confidence, held out a USB drive.

It contained the original footage recorded by Kim Si-won.

Frankie Duncan received it carefully and handed it to his accompanying video experts, who soon began verifying its authenticity on a laptop.

Once the authenticity of the footage was determined, the real discussion would begin.

‘Interesting.’

The way things were unfolding was truly fascinating.

I stared intently at Frankie Duncan.

My expectation, of course, was that he would be Salmora, or if not, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the Demon King’s guard (except, of course, for the already-vanished Plague Rider).

But no.

My prediction missed the mark.

Frankie Duncan, who introduced himself as the president of the Elixir Research Institute, was neither Salmora nor one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

‘He’s human.’

A pure-blooded(?) human.

And not even a trace of Magical Power could be felt within him.

It was so unexpected, it was almost beyond belief.

Wasn’t the Elixir Research Institute supposed to be one of Salmora’s strongholds to rule humanity?

How could the president of a company planning to dominate humanity with Demon Transformation Potion and the like not be a demon?

How could he be a human with not a hint of Magical Power?

But that wasn’t my only question.

I shifted my gaze.

Standing beside Frankie Duncan, as if guarding him.

The blond, handsome man—Kayle Turner.

The world’s greatest Awakener who once blocked my attack.

The moment I saw him, my inner calm was shattered.

Was it because I saw the world’s greatest Awakener with my own eyes?

No.

Such fame wouldn’t shake my composure.

He—

‘He resembles someone.’

He looked like someone.

A man from my past, the one who had left me with my greatest burden.

If it were just a resemblance, I wouldn’t be surprised.

But the likeness was so exact, it was as if he’d been copied.

‘Velator the Hero.’

The hero Velator, whom I killed with my own hands.

But the surprise lasted only a moment.

Peering inside with Insight Eye, I confirmed that he wasn’t the hero from the past.

However—

‘Salmora. You’re up to something, aren’t you?’

The world’s strongest Awakener in the shape of the Hero.

There’s no way someone like that would just happen to follow Frankie Duncan, president of the Elixir Research Institute.

It’s likely all of this is part of that mysterious one’s plan.

Of course, I can’t know anything for certain right now.

So I set aside the connection between these two and the details of that plan.

For now, what matters is—

“This…”

The moment of determining whether the footage was fabricated.

“…There are clear traces of fabrication.” The expert examined the footage and said.

Amazingly, he delivered a statement no one could have anticipated, “Fabricated… you say?”

At that moment—

“Vwoooooom!”

The atmosphere in the room was seized by the auras of the Awakeners present, including Kayle Turner.

“What nonsense are you spouting!” Hosik Jeong shouted in panic.

“This energy—it’s the Demon Clan! The Demon Clan! What happened in New York, on the aircraft carrier, and in Beijing were massacres, and they are plotting to rule the world! Don’t be deceived!” The video expert spoke, his words trembling with passion.

He was the young man with red curly hair and a face full of freckles brought by the United States.

“I thought something was off!”

“Were you planning to deceive us?”

“This meeting was probably set up to kill us all!”

People grew wary, emitting hostility and murderous intent.

It was a dramatic shift.

Even though the footage was declared fabricated, they should have at least checked for themselves. 

But with just that man’s words, we had become the Demon Clan—the world’s enemy.

And then.

“Flash!”

Something that wasn’t visible to others.

It was the eyes of those showing extreme hostility turning black.

“We have to kill them now. If we don’t get out of here, we’ll all fall into the hands of the Demon Clan…”

“Clap, clap, clap.”

Applause for the one putting on such an act.

“That was a decent plan.”

It wasn’t sarcasm.

It was genuine praise.

“Gathering those who suspect the Demon Clan in one place, labeling them as demons, and eliminating them all at once. If successful, the enemies are wiped out. Even if it fails, the resistance against the Demon Clan is fractured. Either way, it’s a guaranteed win.”

A strategy that creates a win regardless of success or failure.

But—

“No matter how many strategies repeat themselves, shoving one in front of someone who’s already experienced it is just foolish.”

In the past, I had gone through a similar plan.

Not as the victim, but as the perpetrator.

When the Demon King’s army was rising, the people of the Gritia Continent gathered for a meeting to unite their strength.

The leaders of kingdoms, empires, and principalities convened to discuss the subjugation of the Demon King, but that meeting was doomed from the start.

Because of a secret saboteur who slipped in.

Those who’d gathered to resist the Demon King’s army turned against each other, and as a result, the Demon King’s army easily conquered the Principality of Brua and achieved other victories.

And the one at the center of that plan—

“War Rider.”

One of Salmora’s personal guards, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse—the War Rider.

He was, of course, the video analyst brought by the United States, the still youthful-looking young man.

“Wh-What nonsense! Hurry, we have to deal with them!”

A brief moment of panic.

He continued his passionate performance, stirring the crowd.

Agitation.

Discord.

Rage from within.

These were the War Rider’s powers.

He digs into people’s hearts and manipulates their emotions skillfully.

You could call it hypnosis or brainwashing.

Or perhaps call it discord; whatever the case, it’s an absolute power.

Even if I revealed his identity here and now, those already under his power wouldn’t listen to me.

A power so overwhelming that you know it’s happening and still can’t help but fall for it.

He is truly a being with the power to spark war.

“But, you really should pick your opponents more carefully.”

It’s an undeniably powerful ability, but it’s useless against me.

“Paaaaaaah!”

A wave of energy, sweeping through the hall like a shockwave.

[The Wave of Magical Power]

It was a special ability that could only be manifested by the highest-ranking demons, above the level of legion commanders—an ability that nullifies effects created by Magical Power.