Black King Hunting (5)
General Chae Mi-hwa was a formidable force in the Hongsan Kingdom, ranked among the best in martial prowess.
In her mid-thirties, she had risen to the highest position available for a military officer and had steadfastly held that rank for over twenty years, embodying the iron woman.
Her ultimate pursuit was solely to grow stronger.
Hmm… “I can’t stay this way. Without struggle, there’s no growth. To become stronger, I need an environment that supports that.”
Thanks to her high level of cultivation, she maintained a well-kept middle-aged appearance, even at over sixty. Yet, her journey from a mere practitioner to her current standing had been punctuated by relentless struggle.
“The inertia of continuous peace only restrains and dulls human potential. The historical fact that there were merely a handful of celestial practitioners active during the Hundred Years’ War proves this.”
Her tumultuous journey as a woman ascending to the rank of general had become an epic tale of heroism for the people of the Hongsan Kingdom.
It was enough to evoke memories of the now-legendary “Brain Lord.”
…The problem was that her name still fell short of truly matching that legacy.
“War. That extreme environment is the ultimate stage for humans to elevate their potential beyond their limits. Just as the Brain Lord did decades ago.”
Before she was even born, the Brain Lord was a figure of utmost reverence for her, a mountain she had to surpass.
But the higher the mountain, the larger the shadow that loomed behind it—that’s just nature’s law.
If things continued this way, no matter how hard she struggled, she would never escape that shadow.
“Heroes are born amidst chaos. The impending war will surely elevate me to greater heights.”
The Brain Lord had reached the apex of the world in less than fifteen years after entering the realm of chakra cultivation.
Not only did he force all celestial practitioners of that era to kneel, but he also demonstrated his might in front of the imperial palaces of both the Hongsan and Cheonghae kingdoms, effectively sitting down at the peace negotiation table.
There were even records of him defeating several celestial practitioners alone!
“But to waste time on such trivial matters because of some stupid fool who can’t even handle a simple task… at this busy time…”
As she inspected the border areas of the Hongsan Kingdom, General Chae Mi-hwa let out a deep sigh.
However, she couldn’t dismiss the issue lightly, given the external scrutiny surrounding her role.
The almost fatal incident involving General Bu-ryeong, who had meddled with the Seongcheon Yoon Clan, was undeniably close to her.
“Oh, everyone is here!”
In the meantime, a bizarre uninvited guest suddenly appeared, feeling inexplicably out of place.
“Ha-haha! Is it because many are gathered here? I found you easier than expected!”
A massive man, brimming with brutal muscles, strode toward them with a wide grin.
Laughing uproariously in a manner fitting his appearance.
“What are you doing here?! Do you even know who the people present are?!”
One officer stepped forward, frowning and admonishing.
This was the general’s official procession.
Naturally, the caliber of those surrounding her, eager to flatter her, was anything but ordinary.
The overwhelming aura emanating from multiple generals and their elite troops was so intense that one could hardly breathe, but the sudden appearance of the brutish figure seemed to disregard that entirely.
“Hey! How did you manage to let an outsider get this close?!”
“I’m sorry! We’ll deal with this as quickly as possible!”
“The military discipline is in shambles. To cause such a scene while the general is present? When we return, they’ll all face punishment.”
“…I’m truly sorry.”
One of the generals following her scolded his subordinates.
Yet amidst the chaos, General Chae Mi-hwa could only regard the uninvited guest with a puzzled expression.
What’s this ominous feeling? I can’t sense any particular chakra…
Her instincts, honed through countless struggles at the brink of peril, spoke volumes.
This stranger was definitely something she couldn’t afford to underestimate.
It didn’t take long for her to grasp the true nature of that feeling.
Ugh, how is he moving without a care…?
“He punched away lightning? What is that monster?!”
“Wait, everyone, fall back and regroup… Kugh!”
From elements of fire and ice to various physical attacks, nothing worked against the unidentified man.
No matter what law stood in his way, he ferociously tore through the world with nothing but his own body.
“Khah-hah! Now this is it! It’s been a while since I’ve let loose like this, feels refreshing!”
Had it been ten minutes… no, perhaps just five?
The time it took for the officers surrounding them, who had been bustling around, to drop to the floor in defeat.
With a scowling face, the general observed the one-sided violence and slowly opened her mouth.
“What are you? An outsider?”
There was no other explanation.
Defeating elite troops composed of deep-level practitioners using only physical strength without any chakra was no small feat.
Moreover, repelling already activated chakra barehanded without other powers intervening was impossible.
Anyway, coming this far means there’s something ominous coming my way. Did I underestimate this situation?
A faint smile crossed her lips as she twisted her neck.
It had been a while since she’d felt the thrill of battle.
She never expected such a worthy opponent to appear before the real war began.
Violent chakra surged from her entire body.
Celestial struggle and primal violence.
Had she not entered the ranks, she wouldn’t mind being labeled as a mage practitioner.
“Alright, let’s see how well we can play together!”
“Haha! I like this old lady’s style!”
“…Sixty isn’t old yet, you thunderous brute!”
With bared teeth, the two charged at each other.
And…
BOOM—!
That day, a small mountain on the outskirts of the Hongsan Kingdom vanished into thin air.
A major incident that occurred shortly after the prime minister of the Cheonghae Kingdom was kidnapped.
*
Huh!
Snapping back to reality, General Chae Mi-hwa rose from the ground, covered in leather.
Rubbing her throbbing head, she quickly assessed the situation.
…A prison?
Iron bars lined one side, with all kinds of incomprehensible symbols densely engraved on the stone walls.
It was clear at a glance.
It was designed to restrain a celestial practitioner like her.
Frowning, she slowly recalled her previous memories.
It wasn’t a complicated matter.
She fought with all her might and ultimately lost her consciousness.
…I lost. I, General Chae Mi-hwa, was defeated by a man I’ve never even heard of before. Who is that man? …Could he have been sent by the Cheonghae Kingdom?
There weren’t many forces with the motive and capability to pull off such a stunt.
Suddenly, a face from her co-conspirator sprang to mind.
She didn’t particularly like that person, but sometimes you had to compromise to achieve a desired goal.
“Kurshi, is that fool capable of such a betrayal…?”
“I heard you calling? General Chae Mi-hwa.”
She halted her muttering.
Whipping her head toward the voice that echoed, she tilted her head in confusion.
…Prime Minister Kurshi?
Noticing a shabby-looking old man locked up in the adjacent cell, she realized she wasn’t alone as his presence had been muted by the prison’s barrier.
After a moment of blankly staring at each other, she managed to speak.
…What are you doing here?
“Well, isn’t it for the same reason as you?”
…
…
A suffocating silence hung between them.
Facing each other like this, both sides couldn’t help but find their thoughts tangled.
However, luckily, the awkward tension didn’t last long.
Clank—
The sound of a heavy iron door opening echoed as a group approached their cell.
The pair, the prime minister of the Cheonghae Kingdom and the general of the Hongsan Kingdom, glared at the newcomers.
Leading the way was a familiar figure—presumed to be the mastermind behind this entire situation.
“So it was you, Black King!”
“Hah, you’ve got some nerve. Each day leading those mage practitioners in the shadows, you’ve clearly lost your mind.”
“Do you think he’ll just sit idly by after this? You’ll be far from safe!”
“I don’t know how you managed to lure such beings… but…”
As their voices filled with rage rang out, the middle-aged man known as the Black King came to a halt.
He glanced at the prisoners, a sly grin stretching across his face.
Just as he opened his mouth to utter something cunning…
“Oi, hurry up and get inside! I gave you the privilege to walk on your own, you want me to carry you?”
“Erm, my bad. It’s just been so long since I’ve seen familiar faces. I’ll step in right now.”
Under the menacing threat from behind, his face quickly morphed from scheming to pitiful.
Darting into an open cell, he swiftly shut the door and locked it behind him.
The two who were condemning the Black King fell silent, staring blankly.
…
…
Speaking now would only make it more awkward.
As an uncomfortable atmosphere began to swirl around them…
“Hehe, good. Finally, everyone is gathered. Let’s get started, shall we?”
Contrasting with the rugged voice of the man was a sweet female voice that resonated through the dark, gloomy prison.
In this dank place far from pleasant sights, she sparkled like a selfish beauty under a filter.
“The final hunt of the black shadow.”
The representative mage practitioner, one of the two who captured the Black King, Hela, flashed a radiant smile as she surveyed the bait trapped in the cage.
*
Hela alone was sufficient for the task, yet adding Harley to the mix signified her intent to wrap things up swiftly.
No matter how great the Demon King’s abilities were, physical limitations due to having just one body could not be ignored.
If they sense something, it could complicate matters.
The kidnapping of the prime minister of the Cheonghae Kingdom was not news that could be hidden.
Likewise, the incident involving the general of the Hongsan Kingdom who had blown away a whole mountain.
To ensnare everything before these events became public knowledge was paramount, and…
That plan had been progressing smoothly.
Hmm, this ‘Chakra of Enchantment’, huh?
“What’s currently known is correct. That power is subtly infused into objects given to operatives assigned to their missions, allowing them to ensnare others silently, pulling them into deep enchantment without even their knowledge.”
Hela gazed with a complex expression at the Black King diligently spilling details about “that.”
His lack of behavior befitting a celestial practitioner showed he recognized the power gap quickly and opted for unconditional surrender the moment they met.
It’s no surprise he arrived in this state, unlike others…
Why do I not trust him?
Due to his frivolous demeanor, it was hard to take him at his word.
When someone as grandly titled as the Black King was in front of her, it made her genuinely wonder.
Still, what mattered most was that even after thorough interrogations with crossing-checks, no peculiarities arose apart from trivial differences.
They could hardly lie under the scrutiny of the “Seven-Colored Eye” employed for the inquiries.
At the very least, they believe it to be true… However, what’s the reality?
Hela crossed her legs, absentmindedly fiddling with her full lips, deep in thought.
Most everything appeared relatively similar, except one—how each of them came into contact with “that” was different.
Given their overly cautious steps, it wouldn’t be simple to catch them off guard.
Enchantment of the chakra, enchantment, huh?
Just then, as she pondered intensely…
The door burst open—
Harley stepped in and immediately grimaced.
An instinctual reaction.
That made Hela instinctively straighten up, relenting her previously crossed legs.
Oh, when I move from the first person perspective, I hardly notice these things…
Natural actions arising from the avatar’s tendencies often slip by unnoticed.
Just like one doesn’t pay attention to when they blink or swallow.
But through the eyes of a third person, this is… pretty tiring.
To Harley, the embodiment of a man’s man, Hela’s femininity was somehow discomforting.
No matter what, it was still herself in that encapsulated form.
To think, she was born simply to enchant others—it was indeed a dilemma.
Hmm? Wait a minute. Enchantment?
Harley turned his gaze back to Hela.
The hybrid succubus with an incredibly unreal charm.
She was truly the epitome of allure.
Which enchantment, his or hers, is stronger?
What if they collided?
Or better yet, if they could find a way to use that against each other…
As the two avatars crossed their arms and seriously contemplated, they nodded simultaneously.
This could very well be…
They might end up becoming the Demon King destined to consume this world whole.
…Even if they were already the true Demon King.
