Chapter 314

Words : 2852 Updated : Oct 13th, 2025

Chapter 314 “It's been a while since I've seen him that flustered.” Muttering to himself, Ludwig glanced through space at Li Kenxie, who was furiously barking orders to bring him back from the entrance of his room, before turning his attention to Se-Hoon and the Vermillion Bird, who had been in a corner of his eye. On the ground, the Vermillion Bird was nervously gauging both his and Se-Hoon’s reactions. Despite it absorbing Li Kenxie's flames and gaining unparalleled strength, it seemed it had still been utterly defeated by Se-Hoon without being able to manage even a token resistance. The contract did forbid it from performing any counterattack... but just the fact that he even managed to land an attack at all is significant. Se-Hoon's flame subduing the Vermillion Bird's own, which teetered on the edge of the Sacred Craftsman’s power, meant only one thing. “Did you fully master Li Kenxie’s power?” Ludwig asked. “Not yet, but I now have a rough understanding of it.” “Oh... that’s quite impressive.” Although Se-Hoon sounded like he was trying to be as humble as he could, the meaning behind his words carried undeniable confidence. He had gained an “understanding” of another power of a Perfect One, which others couldn’t even dare to mimic. In a way, his response signaled that he was already halfway into the realm of the Perfect Ones. “Let’s continue this conversation in another location, shall we?” “Sure.” “W—Wait.... What about me...?” But unfortunately for it, the two ignored the Vermillion Bird. Whoosh- Now within Ludwig’s office on sofas facing one another, the two exchanged a steady gaze. “In fact, a lot has happened while you were unconscious, but it will be quicker if I just answer your questions. What would you like to know?” “Then... has there been any movement from the Demon Force?” Even though the Ten Evils were known to be individualistic—even more so than the Perfect Ones—it seemed inevitable that they’d make a move sooner or later. Two of the Ten Evils, the Dream Demon and Apostate, had already been eliminated. Thinking about how to answer, Ludwig paused before shaking his head. “There have been no significant movements from them so far. If anything, their inaction itself can be considered a reaction.” “I’m guessing the activity of stray demons has also decreased significantly.” “Not just decreased—completely vanished. While you were unconscious, not a single demon-related crime occurred anywhere in the world.” “...Not a single one?” Se-Hoon's expression betrayed his shock. Not one incident in over ten days? He couldn’t help but think it was a bit of an overreaction to Apostate’s death. “That’s what the Association’s investigations confirmed. It seems the Ten Evils have taken action to clean house.” “Clean house...?” Based on Ludwig’s words, the Ten Evils had likely taken in the demons they could control and culled the rest. Otherwise, such an absence of demon-activity was impossible. They probably didn’t have time to build another Pleasure District.... Are they using the Watchers to enforce control? Recalling the strengthened alliance between the Ten Evils and Watchers during the previous conference, the idea seemed plausible. Still, he had to ponder over the scenario he hadn’t encountered before. “How is the Association responding to this?” “There was some chatter at first, but they’re focused now on rooting out traitors. I imagine they judged that fortifying their foundation is more important than acting prematurely.” “So they’re sticking to their usual method.” In the first place, even if they wanted to track the enemy’s movements, the Heroes Association lacked the capability to uproot entities like Watchers, who operated in complete secrecy. Regardless, the question had allowed him to grasp the overall situation, so Se-Hoon moved on to what he was most curious about. “Has there been any discussion of launching an offensive against the Demon Force?” The cold war between humanity and the Demon Force in the last timeline had persisted for two main reasons: the indifference of the Ten Evils and the Perfect Ones, and the parity in power between the two sides. However, with the Dream Demon dead, Apostate dead, and the Pleasure District destroyed, an argument for pushing the advantage should have gained some traction. “Hmm... There indeed has been some talk. The Association Leader even asked if I’d be willing to assist.” “And you replied...?” “I refused.” Ludwig’s response was firm, his voice unwavering. Intrigued by his firmness, Se-Hoon stared at him before asking, “May I know what the reason is?” “I have a few. The first is that the power gap between humanity and the Demon Force is still vast.” Ludwig flicked his fingers, and a display of a world map and black-and-white game pieces resembling Go stones appeared on the table. “Starting with our side, there is me, the Sacred Craftsman, the Visionary, the Eternal Nocturne, the Pilgrim, and the Trailblazer. That makes six.” With each name he listed, he placed a white stone on the map, marking locations across the North Pacific, China, Nepal, Germany, the North Atlantic, and the United States. “The Seeker is missing, and the Pilgrim is still wandering around the Pilgrim’s Path,” Ludwig said, setting a white stone at the map’s edge before picking up black stones. “And for the Demon Force, with the Dream Demon and Apostate now gone, we’re left with Tuner, Puppeteer, Beast King, Doppelganger, Demon’s Edge, Heaven Eye, Golden Wheel, and the Elder Lord. That makes eight.” Once he finished placing eight black stones around the edge of Antarctica, where the Abyss of Demons was located, he looked up at Se-Hoon. “Excluding all auxiliary forces, this is the power balance of the world right now. What do you think would happen if a war broke out?” “...” Se-Hoon stared at the map, recognizing that Ludwig’s question wasn’t just a request for an opinion. It was a test. After some thought, he moved most of the black stones around the map. “I think this is how it would play out.” He placed two black stones in the North Pacific, three in Nepal, one in Germany, and one in the North Atlantic, ignoring China and the United States. Examining the placement, Ludwig raised an eyebrow. “Why did you not leave any stones in those two places?” “Well...” Se-Hoon looked up at Ludwig. “Because neither of them would willingly act.” Even if the war against the Demon Force reignited; even if the remaining Perfect Ones were under attack, neither the Sacred Craftsman nor the Trailblazer would take action. It was a claim others would have scoffed at, but Ludwig smiled instead. “You have a sharp insight, just as I expected.” “If such cooperation were ever possible, the cold war wouldn't have lasted this long,” Se-Hoon remarked. He knew the Perfect Ones always prioritized their own goals above all else, some not bothering to leave their territories even once. And among those who didn’t, the two most extreme cases both before and after his regression were the Sacred Craftsman and the Trailblazer. “Just as you said, those two—in fact, all of us—are fundamentally uncooperative,” Ludwig explained. “We tend to put our own objectives first and have little interest in anything else.” Ludwig’s gaze settled on Se-Hoon. “I will probably prioritize Babel above all else, and Wurgen will focus on his own interests. Baek-Yeon and Karl may perhaps be willing to offer their assistance, but I doubt it would amount to full-fledged cooperation." “...This is a total mess.” At a time when humanity needed to unite its forces, the strongest among them were scattered and preoccupied with personal agendas. That was the grim reality of humanity’s so-called greatest power and the very reason they had been crushed by the Demon Force once before. It was just so absurd back then, Se-Hoon thought bitterly. The incompetence of the Perfect Ones before he regressed wasn’t just frustrating; it was incomprehensible. Why were they so stubborn and shortsighted? Back then, Se-Hoon just couldn’t understand. But now, he had gleaned the answer from his conversation with Apostate. Because they had to be. It wasn’t about good or evil. All of their actions simply aligned with their synesthetic mindscape. It sounded ridiculous, but that encapsulated the very nature of what it meant to be a Perfect One. “It’s quite unfortunate, but that’s just how things will remain for now. This is also why I refused the proposal,” Ludwig admitted. A victory in a full-scale war against the Demon Force was simply impossible in the current state of affairs. It was beyond just frustrating, but Se-Hoon had guessed as much. “In that case, what do we need to change to make such a war feasible?” If the Perfect Ones were uncooperative because they were chasing their own personal goals, then the solution was simple: make those goals align. Even the worst materials have their own place and purpose, Se-Hoon thought, confidence gleaming in his eyes. And upon noticing it, Ludwig chuckled softly. Looks like I chose the right person to work with. Had Se-Hoon tried to appeal with sentimentality or camaraderie, Ludwig would’ve been disappointed. But with his mindset, there was hope. Turning back to the map, Ludwig tapped the white stone representing Li Kenxie in China. “I believe Li Kenxie is the key to our victory.” He then gestured to the white stone in Nepal, which represented Baek-Yeon. “As you know, Baek-Yeon can easily cover the entire Chinese territory. We can leave that area unattended and move Li Kenxie elsewhere.” Ludwig picked up the stone representing Li Kenxie and placed it in the North Pacific—atop Babel. “We will station him here to guard Babel. That would allow me to move around freely and provide support as needed.” “Hmm... That does sound like the best plan,” Se-Hoon agreed. Moving Li Kenxie—who spent most of his time lounging in Huangshan doing nothing—to serve as Babel’s guard dog would allow Ludwig, the most mobile Perfect One, to act as a roving force. Just that alone could prevent the other Perfect Ones from falling prey to the Ten Evils. “And if we could free Karl from the Pilgrim’s Path, we could even be the ones to launch the offensive,” Ludwig added. Se-Hoon studied the map carefully. The plan involved relocating Li Kenxie and unshackling Ludwig and Karl, who were tied to Babel and the Pilgrim’s Path respectively, to allow them to join the battlefield. However, while it was a promising approach, Se-Hoon wasn’t content with stopping there. He reached out and proposed his adjustments on the map. “What about this?” From the eight black stones representing the Ten Evils, Se-Hoon removed two from the map entirely. Ludwig raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Are you serious?” “It’s just a hypothetical scenario,” Se-Hoon replied calmly. For anyone else, the suggestion to eliminate two more of the Ten Evils would be dismissed as mere fantasy, but coming from the man who had slain both the Dream Demon and Apostate, it carried weight. Pondering the suggestion, Ludwig intently stared at the map before finally nodding. “In that case, we could take an even more aggressive approach.” Instead of passively defending the Pilgrim’s Path, they could push into the lands corrupted by the Abyss of Demons. It was still risky and could lead to significant casualties, but with the Ten Evils’ numbers reduced, it became somewhat feasible. “But do you really think you can pull it off?” Ludwig asked skeptically. If the listed out conditions were easy to achieve, humanity wouldn’t have been stuck in a cold war for so long. Yet Se-Hoon’s response was simple and resolute: “I think it’ll depend on the situation.” If it worked, great. If not, he would adapt and find another way forward. His determination was so unwavering that Ludwig smiled. How pretty... In the garden of Babel, a new flower was preparing to bloom. To watch that unfold, as the gardener, Ludwig resolved to do what was necessary to nurture it. “Do as you wish,” he said gently. “And give it everything you’ve got.” *** After his discussion with Ludwig, Se-Hoon requested that news of his recovery be immediately made public. Although moving in secret while feigning unconsciousness had its advantages, there were matters that required his direct involvement now. Plus, I need to hype up the atmosphere for the tournament, he thought with a smirk. But still, to avoid the suspicion of others, Se-Hoon added the caveat that he was still in the process of recovery. VRRR- Having finally turned on his phone after ten days, it instantly began violently vibrating in his hand, filling the workshop with the sound of incessant notifications. “...” Messages had piled up during his time offline, and with the breaking news of his recovery, even more were flooding in from his contacts. What a mess... Ignoring everyone sounded extremely tempting, but Se-Hoon thought it was too cruel to those who had been waiting for days. So, he just sighed and typed a message to send en masse. Lee Se-Hoon: Suuuper busy right now, so I can’t answer calls or reply much. Contact me only if it’s urgent. The message, which emphasized his busyness, worked wonders. His phone’s frantic vibrations gradually subsided, replaced by the occasional vibrations of incoming messages. Satisfied, Se-Hoon put the phone away and faced Eun-Ha, who had been waiting nearby. “Sorry for the wait. There was a lot to catch up on,” he said apologetically. “...” Eun-Ha remained silent, just staring at him. Her gaze was intense, as if she were trying to confirm whether he was real or an illusion. Unnerved, Se-Hoon scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Dean...?” “...” “Uh... Hello?” Just as he was about to call her for the third time, Eun-Ha suddenly shook her head so vigorously that her tied-up hair came loose. Before Se-Hoon’s eyes, Eun-Ha’s crimson locks cascaded down to her shoulders—a rare, disheveled sight that left him momentarily taken aback. ...Did I feed her something wrong? Concerned that something might have gone wrong with the Great Holy Sword he had given her, Se-Hoon’s expression grew uneasy. But then, after standing still for a moment, Eun-Ha began retying her hair methodically. “...Phew.” With a sigh, she composed herself and her usual stoic demeanor returned, as if nothing had happened. “Okay. Go ahead, I’m listening.” Sensing that she wasn’t going to explain, Se-Hoon smiled awkwardly but didn’t press the issue. “Can I get back the void pocket I left with you earlier?” “Here you go.” Taking the void pocket, Se-Hoon began organizing its contents. And as he was doing so, he asked, “Did the Seraphim Guild contact you?” “They said they’ll prepare a new request since the previous one failed.” “Hmm... Nothing unusual, then.” He had half-expected them to pull some underhanded stunt while he was unconscious, but it seemed they were lying low after their plans fell apart. They’re probably biding their time for another opportunity... but I won’t let that happen. Finishing up the sorting of the void pocket, Se-Hoon pulled out a black metallic case, which contained the prototype weapon the Seraphim Guild had given to Eun-Ha for experimental purposes. It was supposed to be returned once the contract was voided, but Se-Hoon had discreetly taken it for himself. “Let’s see...” When he pressed the case’s latch, white vapor hissed out as it opened, revealing a silver square of metal. At first glance, it looked like raw material, but a closer look revealed a protruding handle-like feature on one side. A sword, huh... The blade appeared to have been folded into a square shape, giving it an odd appearance. As a weapon, it seemed impractical, but as fuel for Eun-Ha, it might prove useful. I heard it wasn’t a conventional weapon, but I didn’t expect it to be this shoddy. The craftsmanship was so poor it was laughable, but that wasn’t the point. The important thing was the Seraphim Guild accepting the loss so easily. They must have anticipated it being stolen. It seemed they had confidence that their technology would remain secure even if leaked. And given that the Seraphim Guild was closely tied with Offering, that confidence wasn’t unfounded. But that didn’t mean there weren’t gaps to exploit. I guess I could use her help. Woong- Activating the power of Boundaries, Se-Hoon brought back the corroded mana circuits into reality. And once they surfaced, a chaotic voice immediately began echoing in his mind. “Oh, come on... You’re calling me now? After all the fun is over? You’re seriously treating me like—wait, what’s this?” The voice in his head paused, seemingly noticing something, before it said the exact words Se-Hoon had guessed he would hear. “Is that my tech?”

Chapter 314

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