Chapter 127 – War Preparation (2)

Clang! The Saber God threw and broke everything in his room, but his anger didn’t ease. Instead, he felt even more anxious thinking about his son, wondering if he was being threatened or tortured. He didn’t know how his weak son who was always sick could bear it. However, he didn’t have the power to ignore the Sword God or take the stone from Leonte. Being a bad father made him feel grief and guilt. If only he were a bit stronger, his son wouldn’t have to suffer so much.

At that moment, there was a knock on his office door. The Saber God turned to it. He’d been locked in his room, so no one could enter without permission. But who could it be? The presence behind the door suddenly disappeared as though it had never existed.

Whoever it was, their skill wasn’t lesser than his. ‘Perhaps?’ The Saber God shivered as a bad feeling swept through him, the same one that had overcome him when he opened the box that contained his son’s finger. The Saber God frantically opened the door to see all his fears come true. A similar box was waiting for him. Again? The Saber God fell to his knees and grabbed the box, which he had a hard time opening with his trembling fingers.

When he saw what was inside, the Saber God couldn’t keep his composure. It was his son’s eyeball, accompanied by a note that said, “If you want your son back, bring the stone.”

It was the same handwriting as before. The Saber God couldn’t hold in his distress and screamed out loud. He was losing his reason, and his bloodshot eyes grew bitter. Magic energy floated around him.

“S-Saber God-nim.” Madodan quickly ran inside after hearing the commotion. The appearance of the Saber God that they respected made them stop short. He’d had a magic explosion.

“You.”

“Yes.”

“Whose...side are you on?”

The team leader swallowed. As soon as he met the Saber God’s eyes, he knew what they were asking of him. His next decision would change his fate, but the answer had already been chosen for him, even though he knew it was wrong. The team leader fell to one knee. “Ever since you saved me, I’ve always been your sword. A sword doesn’t have the ability to think.”

The Saber God’s eyes glittered coldly. “Gather the children. When night falls, we’re going to start a rebellion.”

***

“The Saber God has begun to move. Cain, thanks to you, things are going smoothly.” Bahal laughed and Yeon-woo’s eyes shone.

“Did you plant a spy there?”

Bahal smirked coldly. “Should I tell you something?”

Yeon-woo waited for him to continue.

“Red Dragon has eyes and ears everywhere.”

Yeon-woo was startled.

“Really, they’re everywhere.” Bahal chuckled and twirled the glass of wine he was drinking. His nose was red, probably because he was so happy, and he was drunk enough to disappear with a flick of magic power. However, he was savoring the moment. Yeon-woo refilled his glass and accepted the wine Bahal gave him.

“Anyway, this is all thanks to you. Everyone in the conference room was praising you, too. We’re setting up a new strategy.” Bahal set his wineglass down on the table. The wine tipped over and spilled. “Everything will end soon—the war and even the Cheonghwado.” Bahal’s eyes burned. He was known for his smiling face, which seemed to belie his nickname, Flaming Fist. However, the fire in his eyes now made it clear where the name had come from.

“And after that, my reputation will be set in stone. All the crazy bastards who called me a traitor will regret it. Also, you’ll definitely be in line for a promotion. It’s a win-win situation for both of us. There are only good things in our future.”

Yeon-woo was silent.

“Let’s keep on growing together. Me in the front, and you in the back. I’ll pull, and you push. How’s that? Isn’t that a nice picture?” Bahal laughed again, relishing the moments he thought were waiting for him in the future.

Yeon-woo remembered seeing that same expression in the diary. When Arthia had first formed, his brother, Bahal, Leonte, Henova, and the rest of the original members had also drunk wine together and laughed happily. His brother kept that memory in his heart until he died.

However, Bahal seemed to have forgotten them all, as though they never happened. He only desired power, and he wanted to step on everyone below him. Betraying his past comrades didn’t make him feel a thing.

Yeon-woo knew that Bahal was complimenting him now, but once his usefulness was gone, he would be thrown away too. Yeon-woo couldn’t smile, and he had never been more grateful he was wearing his mask. ‘He said it was somewhere,’ he muttered to himself, ‘in Arthia. He probably meant it was you from the beginning.’

***

Yeon-woo returned to his room. Inside, Phante and Edora were waiting for him.

“You’ve returned? How was the drinking? You were with the Supreme Commander, so I’m sure there were girls and...”

“Oraboni?”

“Ahem. Anyway, did you get anything?” Phante coughed after Edora glared at him and narrowed his eyes.

“It’s just as I anticipated. The Saber God is jumping around like his feet are on fire, and the Cheonghwado is going to be split. Red Dragon won’t miss that chance and they’ll attack for sure.”

“Hehe. Now I’m finally free.” Phante snorted. He had been feeling bad that he hadn’t gone to the sixteenth floor with Yeon-woo and thinking that he could now run free made him feel a lot better.

Since the Foreign Legion had made a great impact, they were allowed to oversee the operations. However, unlike the happy Phante, Edora’s eyes were concerned. She understood Yeon-woo’s intention to catch the Saber God, but she was worried that the situation was too much for him to handle. She worried that everything would get out of hand for Yeon-woo, even though she knew how detail-oriented Yeon-woo was. She couldn’t help him, nor did she even know what his exact plans were, but all she knew that his safety was paramount. She knew that if she said anything, Yeon-woo would only brush it aside and tell her he was fine. He never let anyone know what was on his mind.

Phante and Edora headed over to Team 2 and waited for the order to attack. Everyone was on edge because they had already been told to be on standby. During that time, Yeon-woo calmly meditated in his room alone. The rooms reserved for team leaders and those of the upper ranks were private, but he still used his magic power to prevent anyone from looking in. ‘Before we leave. I need to prepare.’

Kidnapping Hanbin had set up the game board, and Bahal was ready to play. Once he got what he wanted, he would throw away what he no longer needed, and Yeon-woo had to be ready for that. ‘I need to strengthen all my power.’

He needed to pull up everything he had. Yeon-woo got out his interdimensional pocket. All the hidden pieces he’d made the mercenaries gather from the twelfth to the fifteenth floors had all been for this moment. “Come out.” As he inserted magic power into the Black Bracelet, it trembled and started to exude an ashy fog. The fog began to gather into a loose shape until he could see Boo bowing to him.

「Gree…tings…to my…m-master.」

Yeon-woo didn’t know if it was because Boo had once been a player, but unlike the other Spirit Familiars, he could already speak. Even though it was just a few words here and there, it was enough to make Yeon-woo choose Boo for his plans. ‘From now on, what I’m going to do requires a creature with some intelligence.’

Yeon-woo had only read about the process he was about to try in the diary and hadn’t had a chance to try it. “I’m going to give you some items, and I want you to absorb them in the order I give them to you. Make sure that not even a slightest bit of magic power leaks out.”

「I…understand.」

“If even a little bit leaks out, everything will be ruined.”

「I…understand.」 Boo nodded confidently.

Yeon-woo was a little worried, but he believed in the power of the Black Bracelet. The absolute loyalty of the Spirit Familiars gave them an unimaginable strength, which he’d seen for himself when they ruined the alliance of the clans. ‘The order is two Jewels of Fire, five Ice Crystals, nine Golden Flowers...’ Yeon-woo gave the hidden pieces to Boo one by one. He absorbed them without any hesitation, just as he had done with the spirit beads.

[Boo (Soul of the Witch Doctor) has successfully absorbed the Jewels of Fire.]

[Fire element has increased by 1 point.]

[Fire element has increased by 3 points.]

....

Yeon-woo was careful handing over the hidden pieces. The slightest mistake meant that he would have to start from the beginning again. The mercenaries had found a lot of hidden pieces for him, but there was no need to use more than what was necessary. Also, after Boo became stronger, he needed to use it on the other Spirit Familiars as well.

‘If this works, Boo will evolve to a higher level.’ Yeon-woo didn’t even blink as he stared at Boo. He used his Draconic Eyes to make sure no magic power crept out.

Bayluk called the result of his endless experimentation “Strengthening Item”. Just as its name implies, it’s a power that strengthens. However, the rest of us only shook our heads because we knew it was more than that.

After using the blood of monsters, body parts, and hidden pieces, the Strengthening Item even has the ability to change one’s foundation.