Chapter 186: Objective

Chapter 186: Objective

< Chapter 186: Objective (1) >

Whats with that guy Do you know him?

Ini asked while glaring at Unknown from the side.

I do know him.

I know him very well.

The problem is our bad relationship.

So hes an enemy.

As soon as she said that, Inis expression turned cold and stern.

It reminded me of the cold Dragon Lord I once read about in a novel.

All emotions were gone, and all that was left was a sense of lifelessness.

I felt relieved seeing her like that.

No matter how powerful Unknown might be, theres no way he could defeat the Dragon Lord.

Unlike before, the odds were now leaning in my favor.

Hold on. Lets talk. I have some questions.

So, I decided to initiate a conversation. I had the time and confidence for it.

Okay.

Ini relaxed slightly and took a step back. It was a gesture of entrusting the situation to me.

Did you gain a new ally in the meantime? And with quite the impressive power.

Unknown spoke with a relaxed demeanor, different from the desperate expression I saw the last time before coming here.

Just like the Dragon Lord, he looked exactly like the Unknown from the original work.

You did well, getting Ai and Allen. I should give you some praise.

Unknown mockingly clapped with exaggerated gestures.

And to think you even neutralized the Vow of Absolute Obedience

Even as he spoke of his failure, he didnt seem regretful. It felt as nonchalant as commenting on the sun rising.

Boss.

Ai, who had been trembling quietly behind, softly called out to Unknown.

I have something to ask the boss.

Hmm.

The corner of Unknowns mouth slightly curled up.

Ill answer most questions out of goodwill.

And then he chuckled softly.

To steal my power did you deliberately wreak havoc around me? Is that true?

Ho.

Unknowns eyes sparkled as if he found it very amusing.

Who told you that?

Unknown didnt deny it. Which meant

Its true then

Blood dripped from Ais lips. She must have bitten her lips hard.

Kang Seo-yul. Did you say that?

Without being fazed by Ais expression, Unknown turned his gaze to me.

Yes.

I see. As expected, you know a lot about me.

A chilling silence descended around us.

Why did you do that?

Breaking that silence, Ai asked.

She wanted to know why Unknown did what he did. I did provide a rough explanation based on my speculation, but she probably wanted to hear the exact reason from Unknown himself.

I coveted your power.

Ais expression turned even more hostile.

Just for that reason?

Referring to it as just seems to make me a bit angry. From my perspective, it was an important project that I had invested in over a long period of time.

A sinister smirk appeared on the corners of Unknowns mouth.

If you knew how much effort I put into awakening your power properly, you wouldnt use the word just.

What?

Ais pupils quivered as if there had been an earthquake.

It was really hard. Twisting the love of your parents, altering the perceptions of those around you

Euphoria. Or should I say, fervor? It was a gaze filled with such intense emotion.

How hard it was to ensure that your psyche didnt collapse in the midst of all that.

He said such trashy words with that look in his eyes.

You should be grateful to me. Thanks to me, your worthless life became a little more valuable.

You!

It seemed like something snapped inside Ais head.

I forcibly held back Ai, who looked like she was about to jump at him.

Hold back. If you rush him now, things will play out just as he wants.

Seo-yul

She stared at me with eyes red from a mix of sorrow and anger. I couldnt even begin to imagine the emotions she was feeling.

Hmm.

Unknown, watching us, stroked his chin.

Youve grown mentally, quite a bit. Is it thanks to Kang Seo-yul?

He looked impressed that Ai had shown restraint.

Thats none of your business.

Stepping forward to shield Ai, I reached into the space given to me by Ini.

I also have something to ask you.

I took out and held my highest-grade artifact, Mephistos Spear, Thorn that Swallows Flesh.

Kang Seo-yul! That form

Ini exclaimed, seemingly startled.

At that moment, a chilling malevolence surged around me. It was the activation of the mark of the demon race that had evolved to an intermediate level.

Ho.

From Unknowns perspective, targeting the demon or the Heavenly God isnt much different. The knowledge both possess would be comparable.

It seems youre contemplating. Let me break it down for you. Kang Seo-yul, you have three options.

With his usual composure, Unknown held up three fingers.

First, let the Dragon Lord behind you fully unleash its power, defeat me, and then engage in a full-scale war with the demon in this distant land.

That option is out of the question.

We cannot defeat the Demon God without any strategy.

Second, refuse my proposal, let me slip away, and then face the threat of me as an enemy.

This isnt an option either.

With our current strength, we have no way to capture Unknown. 99 out of 100 times, wed fail. If that happens, Unknown would become our most formidable enemy. Hes that kind of man.

Or, third, join forces with me and peacefully combat the Demon God.

In reality, there was only one viable choice. By the process of elimination, its the best option.

However

I glanced at Ai, who stood behind me, clutching my sleeve, trembling.

Considering the relationship between Ai and Unknown, forming an alliance is impossible

The third option was also problematic.

Its a no-win situation.

Why hesitate? Being wise, you should know theres only one answer.

Moreover, Unknowns confidence is unsettling.

He surely has something up his sleeve.

But the first two options

No matter how I look at it, battling Unknown is not the right choice.

While I was lost in thought, biting my lip,

Seo-yul.

Ai tugged on my sleeve.

Lets do it. The alliance.

What?

It was unexpected.

If youre hesitating so much, Seo-yul, it must be the only option, right?

Her voice sounded a bit calmer as if she had managed to contain her emotions somewhat.

Im not the kind of person who would let past grudges dictate my present actions.

Ai

So, please dont worry about me. Make the rational choice.

As she spoke, the corners of Ais mouth trembled.

She was probably suppressing her cold anger. Feelings of gratitude and regret rushed over me simultaneously.

Thank you.

Yes.

Ai responded weakly and buried her face in my back.

She then took deep, rhythmic breaths, likely trying to calm herself.

Youve grown a lot since I last saw you. That inconsequential girl

Unknown looked a bit taken aback. I smirked.

She was always a good person; shes just become even better.

Shirakawa Ai.

She truly is a wonderful woman.

I wonder if Ill ever encounter such a connection in my life again.

So, what will it be? Will you form an alliance?

A peculiar silence settled between Unknown and me.

Yes. Lets join forces.

A wise decision.

Though Im still concerned about Ai, this truly is the only option.

Besides, if I have the power of Unknown on my side targeting the Demon God, its certainly an advantageous position for us.

Of course, this assumes that he wont do anything strange.

Regardless, if hes going to act weird, its much better for him to do so near me.

Considering the behavioral principles of the character named Unknown, its natural for him to target the Demon God.

Im not overly concerned that Unknown will betray us anytime soon.

What worries me is if Unknown genuinely absorbs the Demon God, or if he sides with the Demon God at a crucial moment

I nodded subtly.

There probably wont be such an issue.

No, I just need to devise a strategy to prevent such an occurrence.

Ill turn him into a subordinate under the guise of an alliance.

With that thought, I withdrew my magical power.

Whoosh-

As if sensing my intent to end the battle, Unknown also retracted his magical power and returned to his human form.

I stored the Thorn that Swallows Flesh entirely into the pocket dimension and reverted to my human form.

The cold land, once filled with malevolent energy, regained its original chilly atmosphere.

Kang Seo-yul. To commemorate our alliance, Ill give you a gift.

Brushing his hair against the cold wind, Unknown casually remarked.

A gift?

Yes, a gift.

Unknown tapped his temple with his index finger.

Its information I gained from the memories of the demon I absorbed.

Information?

Unknown took a few steps closer.

Exactly 8 days from now. The Demon King is planning a direct attack on the Saviors 2nd headquarters.

!

Looking at my surprised expression, Unknown wore an even deeper smile.

< Chapter 186: Objective (1) > End