◈ Episode 95. The Illusion Ends Here

“No matter how great you are, you’re still only human.

Akampatam, Named Demon, suppressed a smile.

Karimzeva, he was well aware of what a remarkable human being he was.

A fire dragon, he said.

Well, putting aside his reputation on the continent of Arcana for a moment.

The magic in his body was truly extraordinary.

“If you run your mouth, you’ll be burnt to a crisp.”

But this was not the Arcana Continent.

A world completely different from the Arcana Continent.

I know this world better than Karimzeva.

“You’re right, I was rash.”

I managed not to bow my head.

“Yes, I have spoken too much. We have to help each other.”

Of course, there’s no point in getting into a spar with a monster like that.

Akampatam accepted the apology graciously.

They sat down across from each other on the couch.

“Let’s do some calculations.”

Whoa.

I lit a cigarette and racked my brain.

Heir to a conglomerate.

A body that was nothing special apart from his status.

Still, it wasn’t as bad as a mind that could make things make sense.

Why, you can see it now.

You put your own pleasure above the lives of others.

‘It could be said that he has a more vicious side than me.’

That head was telling me.

‘This is not an offer that I would find at all appealing.”

A higher demon?

Assuming he could be resurrected.

Because there was nothing that would benefit him.

He’d probably do more harm than good.

All the evil energy would be directed at him.

As for me, I’m satisfied with my life as it is.

Chijijizik-!

In short, I’m stuck in the shit and can’t move.

The hand that extinguished the cigarette could not help but struggle.

“You want news from Magic Tower. Well, it’s not hard, this world is pretty convenient, you don’t even need to go to the magic tower, just snap your fingers and get the information you want.”

Sigh.

I pull out my smartphone.

Karimzeva’s pupils wiggled.

What a bumpkin.

Akampatam smirked, then smirked again.

“But you know better than anyone that the Magic Tower is a very conservative group, don’t you? All the information that’s out there is just guesswork. It’s all inaccurate cerebral visuals. Oh, you know what cerebral means, right?”

His mood immediately changes at the joke.

Ddddd.

The surrounding furniture began to vibrate from the surging magic power.

“Is this old man unaware?

He doesn’t realize what kind of magic he’s unleashing?

This is going to kill me.

Akampatam hurriedly continued.

“But who am I? There is a way to everything, I mean.”

“A way. Can you tell me?”

“Of course, now that we’re in the same boat.”

And boom.

I handed over the contact.

“I don’t know what it looks like to you, a mere demon like us, not even a demon, but we all have our own heads, and we all wear human disguises, like me, and we all operate in this world.”

I said.

Karimzeva nodded, and I continued.

“Their numbers, of course, are far greater than you realize, my dear Karimzeva. And its abilities? I don’t know about on the continent of Arcana, but they’re good enough to be of use in this world.”

“Get to the point.”

“To cut to the chase, isn’t it true that there are not only people from the Arcana Continent in the Tower?”

Karimzeva immediately recognized the implication.

” ……You mean Lee Ho-Yeol, the adventurer.”

“That’s right, we have a demon on the other side who is related to him.”

“……!”

There is a demon who is related to Lee Ho-yeol……?

Karimzeva knew demons, their unique powers, well.

Even if Lee Ho-yeol was the chief, a talent recognized by Marcelo.

If it was a demon’s power, it had nothing to do with his abilities.

“‘Just as the other Elders and Vanguard did.”

It could certainly impair his judgment.

We’ll certainly get information on the Tower.

What if we go beyond that, and use Lee Ho-Yeol?

Wouldn’t it be possible to get more results than that?

Akampatam revealed a smile.

“I can tell by your expression that you’ve guessed right, but it’s not easy, is it? From the Arcana Continent’s point of view, and even from this world’s point of view, Lee Ho-yeol, he’s not an ordinary person.”

Heh.

A conglomerate’s connections.

The endless scroll finally stopped.

“And yet, there’s one guy who could do it.”

“You mean it’s possible.”

“Well, it’s for the good of the Demon King, so of course you won’t cooperate?”

Akampatam deliberately twisted his tongue.

No matter how hard he tried.

Again, it didn’t appeal to me in the slightest.

“I can’t keep my fucking hands off it.”

Of course, he couldn’t say no.

“You’ll burn to ashes.”

In short, if you don’t want to be burned, you have to do it.

And he’s a demon.

He knew how the other demon would react.

“I don’t know if I’ll even get a reply.”

Especially if the request involved the resurrection of a demon king.

He deserved to be blocked, not cooperated with.

But.

The head that had been calculating earlier came up with a plan.

‘……After all, you need a sacrifice, right?

Demon worshippers.

We don’t know their exact plans.

Resurrecting a demon, even a high-level demon, requires a huge number of sacrifices.

Akampatam’s head spun despicably.

‘If that’s the case, then those offerings should be sent to…….

“What if I can intercept it?

I, too, have the power to rival the top demons……!

‘Maybe I can use it to lure him in.’

It’s not about resurrecting demons.

It’s to steal the sacrifice needed to resurrect the demon.

If we say so, we’ll also get information about Lee Ho-yeol.

‘Of course, I’d have to stab him in the back.’

It would be easier than walking away.

It’s kill or be killed.

At that point, the calculations were done.

“But I have one condition.”

Now it’s just a matter of sneaking that bill in.

“As someone in the same boat. I think I need you to tell me exactly what that plan is, so that I can follow along.”

I didn’t have to look at him to know.

The fluctuating power of his magic was making up for his discomfort.

But Akampatam was determined.

“I just don’t want to fail. One failure may not matter to you, our great Karimzeva, but a weak demon like me is in a different position.”

Karimzeva, who had been silent, nodded.

“I will.”

Of course, Akampatam wasn’t satisfied with that.

Even if he knew the plan.

Even interceptions require preparation.

“Also, while I’m working on the plan, I’d like to ask you to keep quiet.”

“……?”

“I know it’s a presumptuous request, but don’t you think Ms. Karimzeva’s magic is a little too obvious by now? Leave the stealthy planning to demons like us, who are experts at it.”

Why could he be so blunt?

It was simple.

Karimzeva didn’t yet know how this society worked.

He didn’t know enough.

“You’re not a fire dragon right now, you’re just a frog out of a well.”

Sigh.

Sure enough, Karimzeva stood up.

Then he spoke.

“I’ll wait for news of the Lee Ho-yeol.”

In other words, accept the offer.

Akampatam replied with a twinkle in his black eyes.

“Of course, sir. I will bring you good news.”

Teleport.

In an instant, Karimzeva disappeared from the hotel room.

Akampatam did not linger.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a sneer.

“The asshole has been caught.”

He sent a quick message.

It was a big fish.

He had to reel it in fast.

*

Belongs to the Shinhwa Group.

Shinhwa Guild.

The Guild Master, Baek Yiseol, listened to the briefing.

” Shinhwa Guild’s domestic brand preference rose by 4.8 percentage points from last month. Since the guild’s founding, it has risen for two consecutive months for the first time…….”

Once lost, trust is hard to regain.

The Guild has certainly earned its bad reputation.

But as the chart shows, Shinhwa Guild’s image has been improving.

“The reason for this is the changed attitude of the owners…….”

It was all due to the Kingdom of Yusra.

Yes, thanks to Ho-yeol.

Looking at the data screen, I felt a new sense of excitement.

“At first, it was really…….

I felt like eating mustard while crying.

Ho Yeol’s conditions were unbelievable.

For the Shinhwa Guild, it was like being asked to dig up dirt and sell it.

Of course, they were indebted to Ho Yeol.

However, Baek Yiseol boldly signed the contract.

The result was now.

“It was a bold investment on the part of the Shinhwa Guild and the Shinhwa Group, but it seems that the bold investment has resonated with the public.”

I had no idea that the effect would be so great.

It’s something we didn’t even expect when we decided to invest.

The Shinhwa Guild did not pay for it, not with money, not with bribes, not with connections.

They were earning back the trust they couldn’t buy.

When the briefing was over, Baek Yiseol spoke up.

“Now we can’t go anywhere and be accused of having buried Shinhwa, right?”

“Uh, yeah, I hope so.”

“Honestly, it’s still not enough, but I’ll do my best.”

A back and forth.

Small bursts of laughter.

A relaxed atmosphere in the room.

It was a clear indication of a different Shinhwa Guild.

Dakkak─

Baek Yi Seol returned to his office.

Today’s newspaper lay on his desk.

Ho Yeol’s face was printed on the front page.

-The appearance of the world’s tree…… How much does Lee Ho-yeol know?

-AAU, “We’re puzzled too, we want to talk to Lee Ho-yeol…….”

-Gaon, Inazuma, and Berserker…… Is the most powerful guild alliance ever formed?

A hand naturally turns to the newspaper.

“Hmm.”

Baek Yiseol stared at the newspaper.

No, more precisely, he looked at the picture of Ho Yeol’s article.

His expression was even more serious than at the meeting.

“How come there’s not a single humiliating photo?”

An automatic search term that can be completed by typing ‘Baek Yi-seol’ on a portal site.

[Baek Yi-seol Humiliation]

“Perfect.”

His image of himself nailing a doorjamb would be permanently stuck on the internet.

Of course, there are more shameful black histories.

There were rumors about her in entertainment and politics.

Even worse, she was a femme fatale.

Even the outfits that make you dizzy when you look through the gaps of the hands that are now covered.

“…… Of course, I’ll be eternally grateful for the image.”

Yeah, well, stuffed humiliation photos, anyway.

For Baek Yi-seol, Ho-yeol was a lifesaver.

If it weren’t for Ho Yeol, she wouldn’t still be looking like that……!

“It’s horrible to think about, seriously.”

Oh So So.

Baek Yi-seol stroked his forearm.

Then she looked at Ho-yeol’s photo again.

“…….”

Silver hair.

The fixed gaze.

The same expression as always.

Was it because his expression was the same?

Up and down, from any angle, flawless.

But Baek Yi-seol knew.

“Still, the picture can’t keep up with the real thing.”

The neat blouse and skirt.

The serious expression as he stares at the newspaper.

Baek looks like a CEO with her finger on the pulse of the times.

“The photo doesn’t show the elegance and formality.”

She’s not saying this for nothing.

She was also a follower of the Ho Yeol religion.

Who could have guessed?

Baek Yi Seol looked like she was just going through the motions.

No one can interfere with her if they have a good eye.

Zhiying─

However, without warning.

Baek’s phone vibrated.

It was a message.

She checked the sender and was stunned.

“Jang Hyundo……?”

Jang Hyun-do, the successor to Jangseon Group.

Someone from the same financial circle as her.

Of course she knew his name.

“I don’t know.”

There was no personal contact with him.

The reason is simple.

A blur of memories.

A connection made during a time when he was possessed by demons and succubus.

‘My head is spinning already.

I’ve had a lot of trouble dealing with the aftermath.

When the succubus disappeared, so did the effects of the nightmare.

Their memories are gone, too.

The victims had evidence.

They had their contacts and messages.

“I can’t wait to hear what you have to say…….”

I saw you in a vision.

I think we’re meant to be together.

I wonder if we were.

Even if I was possessed, was I a succubus?

Baek sighed and checked the message.

Then, her face quickly hardened.

-Succubus. I have a tempting offer. Something to do with the Demon King.

“……Succubus?”

Jang Hyundo was calling him a succubus.

What it meant was simple.

He was not the victim of a succubus.

He’s a demon, or a demonic possession, like his past self.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s involved with a demon……?

Baek Yi-seol calmed her stunned heart.

“Demons, demon king. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

One thing was certain.

Jang Hyundo had a plan.

And it involved a demon king,

and that it was big enough to involve other demons.

But there was one thing he lacked.

A clue.

And Bai Yiseol didn’t hesitate.

No, it was as if she’d been waiting.

He called Ho-yeol straight to…….

“……a.”

First, she left a text.

Yes, no matter how urgent it was.

I have to be polite.

*

Jang Hyundo, the heir to the Jangseon Group.

And a demon.

Two words were enough to convince me.

“Found.”

A demon worshipper, and a demon.

You’ve been thinking, haven’t you?

The idea of borrowing the power of a conglomerate.

At least you have a good grasp of how things work in Korea.

But no matter how quickly you adapt to this world.

Who knows better than me, who was born in this country?

Maybe on the continent of Arcana.

In the real world, I’ve had plenty of good ones.

“I’ll open a portal to the coordinates right now.”

Marcelo said grimly.

I understand the sentiment, but it’s not necessary.

The reason the demon had taken over his body was simple.

“To believe.”

There was no need to go far.

Baek Yi-seol, and Maeda.

The demons that possessed Japanese politicians were the same.

“The walls of society will protect you.

Whether you’re a player or an arcanine.

You find yourself wearing the mask of Jang Hyundo.

Wielding the power of Jang Hyundo?

He knows it’s a burden for anyone, and he uses it.

“There’s no need to tell the outside world about internal matters.”

And it was an internal matter.

Internal matters related to the contradictions of the Tower.

It wouldn’t do any good for the world to know.

“I’d have gotten in trouble in the beginning.”

I might have complained that the demon was getting smarter.

But.

“It’s not so hard for me now.”

It was.

All I have to do is take him to a place where the fence doesn’t exist.

All I had to do was take Jang Hyundo there.

Go, go, go.

I cranked up my magic.

I scanned the area like Marcelo in his pursuit of the Vanguard Tom.

Of course, with my lowly magic power, I can’t search the entire planet like Marcelo. But if I limit the scope to Seoul, it’s quite possible.

“I’m sure Jang Hyundo is in Seoul.”

Interference and manifestation are nothing special either.

It’s a big deal when you think about it.

A pathway to and from.

Just think of it as manifesting a portal.

In other words, you’re manifesting a portal under your feet.

So, like this.

“Ew, ew, ew! F*ck. What, what, what?!”

I looked at Jang Hyundo, who was sprawled out on the floor.

[Skill, ‘Natural Enemy’ is activated].

Yes, this is the Magic Tower.

Of all places, Topaz Hall.

The place where independent interviews are held before regular meetings.

It’s an extremely closed place, even in the Magic Tower.

No prying eyes.

No CCTV.

There is no fence around the conglomerate.

There’s no better place for an interrogation.

“Let the interrogation begin, Marcelo.”

“Sh*t, interrogation! What the f*ck are you talking about?!”

“Would you mind not asking directly?”

Marcelo asked, and I replied in a voice full of pride.

“I don’t talk to my prey.”