<How will you respond?> ▶ Make my own decision ▷ Leave it to the system
Seol-Hwi didn’t know what was going on, but one thing was for certain - Imugi’s body could be moved.
In Turn-Based combat so far, everything had always been applied to Seol-Hwi alone. Even when a crisis occurred, it was him alone who could change the situation, or turn back time.
But now, things were different.
When one of his subordinates was in danger, Turn-Based Lv2 made it so that Seol-Hwi could get them out of it.
You have chosen to ‘Make my own decision’.
The Soulless rushed towards him, and Seol-Hwi’s response was simple - to activate the Ice Body Armor.
It was already impossible to counter, so Seol-Hwi had to reduce the damage to Imugi’s body as much as possible.
Hold on, can I even do it…?
Because this wasn’t his body, could Seol-Hwi use his own techniques?
Seol-Hwi soon discovered that he had nothing to worry about.
Whether Imugi had learned it himself or not, the martial art that Seol-Hwi already knew was still activated. Although Imugi didn’t have as much internal energy, and it was not as strong as when Seol-Hwi used it, it was enough.
The Soulless unleashed an attack using its internal energy.
Puak!
Imugi’s body was hit by the blow, but thanks to the Ice Body Armor, nothing happened aside from stumbling a bit.
Seol-Hwi quickly backed away and widened the distance between them.
<Switching the users back...> <Seol-Hwi ⇄ Imugi>
As soon as Imugi was out of danger, Seol-Hwi was returned to his own body.
Now he knew that Turn-Based Lv2 was a kind of insurance to save the lives of his subordinates. The only limit was Seol-Hwi not being able to utilize the full extent of his abilities.
However, even that was a good thing.
It meant that the stronger his subordinates got, the more Seol-Hwi could help them when they were in peril.
“Hahhh!”
Seol-Hwi, after being returned to his body, ran towards the Soulless and fired off the White Ice God Sword. It was the attack he had used before - an unstoppable cold mist of air that would freeze his enemy, followed by slicing his opponent’s head off.
Swish!
The body of the Soulless fell down.
“…What’s going on…?”
When Seol-Hwi caught up with him, Imugi was mumbling to himself. The look of confusion on his face was clear.
He doesn’t know…?
Seol-Hwi discovered another fact about Turn-Based Lv2.
After Seol-Hwi and his subordinate switched back, the other party would not remember what happened to them.
“I don’t have time to explain. There’s still one left…”
“Captain, there it is!”
When he heard his subordinates’ shouts, Seol-Hwi turned his head and spotted the last remaining Soulless running away.
“Seo Ryeong!”
Seol-Hwi gave a signal, and Seo Ryeong got ready to unleash the skill of her Divine Weapon.
Suddenly, the Soulless stopped in its tracks… but not by its own volition.
There was a person grabbing its head.
“Stop! It’s dangerous!”
Seol-Hwi hurriedly tried to warn whoever that was, but it was too late.
The last thing Seol-Hwi saw was steam coming from the Soulless’ body, before it lit up and exploded.
Boom!
“…Is he…”
“…Dead?”
Yong Jin and Yorim, who had caught up with the other subordinates after dealing with their own Soulless, looked at the smoke clouds that were rising into the air.
Seo Ryeong shook her head.
“No. He’s alive.”
It was just as she said. The thick smoke was cleared away, and a man in a black cloak could be seen.
And behind him…
“Ah!”
There was a group of people lined up, with torches in their hands.
“Do you know who that is?”
Seol-Hwi asked Imugi, who had gasped when he saw them.
“That’s Yupae, the Blood Rain Sword God.”
Imugi took a deep breath and continued.
“He’s the right hand man of the Second Disciple. The leader of a division known as the Bloody Death, and… someone at the Supreme Demon level.”
The Bloody Death.
It was one of the groups deployed by the Demon Lord, the Second Disciple of the Heavenly Demon.
They numbered around 300, similar to the Hidden Truth Corps of the Earth Demon. However, in terms of quality, there was no comparison.
Every single one of their members were skilled masters. Each captain was at least Peak Demon level, if not stronger.
And the Blood Rain Sword God, a man who ranked 14th in the Sect, was their leader.
“Y-you’re here?”
As the group with torches made their way to the warehouse, Dong Ryong hurriedly came up to greet their leader.
The man called Yupae bowed, and spoke in a polite tone.
“I apologize. The matter was urgent, but we arrived too late.”
His words were short, but sincere.
This wasn’t just a formal greeting. Yupae showed genuine regard for the old man in front of him.
After all, this research facility was a place recognized by everyone in the Sect. It was where the brightest minds gathered to revive the mystic arts, which had been forgotten over time, and to study the existing techniques to create something better.
Dangerous incidents like today’s often occured, and it was not uncommon for people to lose their lives. It was for these reasons they were highly respected in the Sect.
“Is there much damage?”
“Fortunately, no. There were people who arrived first to stop the Kangshi. I believe that is their captain over there…”
“That young man?”
Seol-Hwi’s party had just arrived. Yupae pointed at Seol-Hwi, as he spoke with Dong Ryong.
“Yes. He is incredibly powerful, especially for a person his age.”
“I see.”
Yupae walked slowly, making the people around him nervous. Everyone was well aware of why he was given the moniker ‘Blood Rain Sword God’.
Everyone except Seol-Hwi that is.
Meanwhile, Seol-Hwi observed the man who was approaching him. In his opinion, this man looked quite normal.
He was not very tall, and he had a smile on his face. It was hard for Seol-Hwi to tell if his smile was genuine or not.
Really, the most abnormal thing about him were the words floating above his head.
<Life +15>
These numbers were the highest Seol-Hwi had ever seen.
It was disappointing that Turn-Based combat had already ended, and he was back to Free. Seol-Hwi could not read about Yupae’s abilities.
“What is your name?”
“…My name is Seol-Hwi.”
“Seol-Hwi? Hmmm… And what group do you belong to?”
Seol-Hwi hesitated for a moment, because he didn’t know what the other person’s intentions were. Afterwards, he decided to answer, since Dong Ryong would tell Yupae anyway.
“I’m a command unit captain.”
“Command unit? Do you mean, you are one of the captains of the Hidden Truth command units?”
“Yes.”
“…”
There was a slight change to Yupae’s smiling face.
It would be an exaggeration to say that it was unpleasant, but it certainly was not good either.
“I was not aware they had any skilled warriors in Hidden Truth.”
Seol-Hwi frowned at the obvious disrespect from Yupae.
It felt like this man was insulting not only him, but also his subordinates. Therefore, Seol-Hwi could not stand still.
“There are places which are exaggerated, but there are also places which are underestimated.”
“…Hmmm. Yes, that sounds plausible.”
Now it was obvious that Seol-Hwi was provoking Yupae. Still, the man’s expression didn’t change.
Rather, he even seemed to be enjoying the situation.
“By the way, it must have been difficult to distinguish between Kangshi and Soulless in the warehouse… how did you know?”
“I never made a distinction. I just aimed at those who looked dangerous and took them down.”
This was a lie.
But it’s not like Seol-Hwi could tell him about the Simulation either.
“Yes, I suppose someone of your caliber doesn’t need to distinguish between their enemies…”
Yupae leveled his gaze on Seol-Hwi.
“Seol-Hwi. By any chance, are you willing to join us?”
“…Huh?”
“I like talented people. Especially a daring guy like you who has both skills and guts.”
Yupae made Seol-Hwi a sudden offer, and this popped up from the system,
<The Blood Rain Sword God, Yupae, has offered a recruitment. Would you like to become a subordinate of the Second Disciple, the Demon Lord? Accept/ Reject> <If you change your affiliation from the Earth Demon to the Demon Lord, the story will change from the existing ‘Three lives presented by the Earth Demon’ to ‘Two lives presented by the Demon Lord’.>
What is this…?
A subordinate of the Demon Lord? Two lives?
…It’s useless anyway.
Seol-Hwi was curious, but he had no intention of changing his affiliation.
How could he throw himself at another person? Furthermore, one who he had already recognized as an enemy?
“Hm, it is understandable if you are concerned.”
Time didn’t stop, so Yupae had continued to speak.
“I do not mean to take you on my own accord. The formal procedure will be followed, and our lord will pay the right price to the Earth Demon. If you wish, I will accept all of your subordinates as well. So? How does that sound?”
Seol-Hwi turned towards his subordinates. None of them were sure of how to react. So Seol-Hwi chose without hesitation.
<You have rejected the recruitment offer.>
“What is the reason?”
As soon as Seol-Hwi chose to reject, this question came from Yupae. He was no longer smiling.
“Because this is a better choice.”
“A better choice…?”
“Yes. Because someone who passed through this road told me.”
“Someone…?”
Yupae tilted his head, as if he was puzzled by Seol-Hwi’s answer.
But then he nodded.
“You are an interesting person. What you say is interesting too.”
Yupae turned around to leave, but then he paused before speaking again,
“Since the matter is settled, we will go. Please feel free to contact me whenever you need it.”
Yupae paid his respects to Dong Ryong, before disappearing in the blink of an eye.
“Wow!”
“How did he do that?”
Imugi and Yong Jin were shocked. Yupae had been in front of them just a while ago, and then he suddenly disappeared.
Seol-Hwi stood quietly after Yupae left.
He refused the offer, but now he wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad decision.
In particular, the ‘Two lives presented by the Demon Lord’. It was a future that was lost forever after he made his choice.
This is so… complicated.
It was an offer Seol-Hwi declined because he didn’t want to take the risk, but he still wondered how different things would be if he accepted.
“Captain Seol-Hwi.”
Just then, Dong Ryong approached Seol-Hwi to speak with him.
“It might be sudden, but can this old man make a request?”
“Request?”
“Yes.”
Seol-Hwi nodded his head slowly, curious about what favor the old man would ask for.
“Will you take this child under your care?”
He wants me to do what?!
Seol-Hwi was suddenly being asked to take care of a child?!
“As you can see, this child is very young. And he is not as physically strong as the rest of us. But this little guy has the greatest talent nonetheless.”
The old man spoke seriously.
“He has inherited all the knowledge of our research through this old man. When he is older, he will be the strongest mystic arts practitioner in the Sect. In fact, it was thanks to this child that the Kangshi and the Soulless were trapped in the warehouse.”
Seol-Hwi was amazed. A kid who looked only ten years old created that Nine Ghosts Illusion Circle?
“He has already mastered many mystic arts, and he has a talent for various cloaking techniques which might be of great help to you.”
“I don’t understand. Why does this child need to be under my care…?”
If he was so talented, then this child should stay here and be raised by the Detention Corps. So then why was he being placed with Seol-Hwi, who had nothing to do with mystic arts?
“The child… he said that it was fate.”
“…Fate?”
This was even more incomprehensible to Seol-Hwi.
“Refusing the offer of the Blood Rain Sword God. Your subordinates who follow you without any doubts. Most of all, your strength that was shown to us today. And, you are the one who arrived just before everything was destroyed.”
“…”
“Mystic arts practitioners are great and small at the same time. We are people who resurrect the dead against the laws of heaven, and cut down those who have a will. However, because of that, we follow our own paths. After all, if our bodies will pay the price for reversal, it means that we should just move as we please.”
“…”
<Dong Ryong asks you to accept Songhwa, his chief disciple, as your subordinate.> <Are you willing to accept his request? Accept/ Reject>
“No, this…”
“Accept it.”
“I agree.”
Just as Seol-Hwi was about to reject, his subordinates gave their own opinions, one at a time.
“The effectiveness of mystic arts cannot be looked down upon. It is very powerful in large scale battles.”
“And Captain, the research facility here is important to the Demon Lord. Whatever the power of this child, accepting will make you line up with them. It could be a good strategic alliance.”
“…!”
Seo Ryeong’s last words convinced Seol-Hwi the most.
And just like that, Seol-Hwi’s original decision was overturned.
<You have chosen to accept. Songhwa changes his affiliation to the Hidden Truth Corps.>