NOVEL NEXT Chapter 537
<537 – The Enemy of My Enemy is My Ally>
Son Ohchun’s momentum had shifted.
It was only a brief moment spent in private with Jezel.
Before the deadly stares of the high officials, instead of backing down, he stood up, ready to devour them all.
No one at the Academy knew just how formidable he was.
How could a person change so drastically?
‘No, was there a possibility from the very beginning?’
Warrior Ishtar realized.
Oknodie valued “useful connections” even more than the Warrior herself.
Around her were the shining talents of Class 981.
Even the not-yet-mature talents from the Lower Class were included.
Black Knight Mob.
Jaku of Dark Mana.
Titosso the Light Bearer.
Bikini Warrior Ppyoi.
Not everyone had stood out, but their abilities were far from ordinary for Lower Class students.
Compared to the members of the Warrior’s Guard, they could even hold an advantage.
In that sense, the admission motivation was quite strange.
They belonged to the Upper Class, yet their combat power was trivial.
Isabel, who cooked well.
Jezel, who conducted business excellently.
Handsome Son Ohchun, who was somewhat strong.
It was clear what Isabel and Jezel were good for.
Jezel turned out to have great business acumen beyond appearances.
No item was beyond her mastery, and with her remarkable talent, she even swallowed the business of Class 981’s major, Contract Scammer Velocasio.
Isabel was a better cook than one would expect.
Whatever she had done outside, she could prepare all sorts of ingredients, and the variety of dishes she could handle was increasingly growing.
It wouldn’t be surprising if she were to cook the Demon Realm’s dishes and create signature family meals even if she were to leave for the Demon Realm at any moment and become a “new noble.”
But what about Son Ohchun?
He had a decent amount of cleverness and skill.
However, it was nowhere near the levels of Jezel and Isabel.
He couldn’t tell.
Where was his talent that could catch Oknodie’s attention?
Thus, he had been ignored until now.
Just a lucky guy with well-connected acquaintances.
Certainly, he wouldn’t even be able to rise above the level of Jezel and Isabel’s bodyguards.
But seeing such a guy exude pressure against the high officials of the Empire overnight, his mind snapped awake.
‘Is that so? I wasn’t the only one to grow during the past year at the Academy!’
Even mediocre Son Ohchun blossomed in potential when facing great figures.
“The Crown Prince is sad, huh? How amusing.”
But the opponent he was now facing wasn’t just the high officials who bowed to the Crown Prince.
It was Baragash, a member of the Empire’s Nine Aristocrats who was loyal to the Emperor, not the Crown Prince, and a master among the Ten Grand Masters of Martial Arts.
As the sealing technique surrounding Baragash’s left arm was released, a massive restraint enveloped the arm, thicker than a full-grown adult’s waist.
Clank. Click.
His fist, wrapped in a glove that was double the size of his arm, would turn anything that took a hit into nothing but a bloody mess.
Nobody could overlook the sheer size of the fist that could crush even a golem.
“Revolutionary Army General Son Ohchun. If you and I were to clash right now, it would surely put the Crown Prince in a bind, wouldn’t it? The alliance with the Revolutionary Army would collapse.”
“Wh-What are you thinking, Sir Baragash?!”
“Sir Cheolwan! Stop right now! This is not the time for our quarrel!”
“Did you just erase everything you’ve been doing until a moment ago from your minds? What a lack of memory you all have.”
“This and that are different matters!”
“Y-You’re right. We only intended to test the capabilities of the Revolutionary Army General. We had no intention of truly engaging in a fight!”
With weak momentum, they plotted to tear apart the Revolutionary Army’s ranks and forcibly nullify the revolution, all while their excuses flowed smoothly.
Baragash scoffed, and the high officials felt shame but remained firm in their positions.
Given the officials’ dignity, it would be proper to retreat here.
Any commoner would have done so.
But Baragash was no commoner; he was a martial artist.
With his martial prowess, he ranked among the top ten in the world, the third strongest no less.
“I have no interest in such petty matters.”
“Ugh…!”
“Sir Baragash, are you truly intent on causing a ruckus?”
“Crown Prince’s anger and the officials’ dignity mean nothing to me. What interests me is the strength of this Revolutionary Army General, Son Ohchun.”
“…!”
“You said you have the power to make the Crown Prince sad. I’ve become curious about that strength. You must have skills different from the loudmouthed high officials, considering you’re a martial artist. Show me those skills. If they satisfy me, I, Baragash of the Iron Arm, will gladly follow you.”
“Sir Baragash!!”
Baragash, laying down a tempting deal that suggested loyalty to Son Ohchun rather than the Crown Prince, of course, understood that such appetizing conditions came with suitable prices.
“But if your skills fail to meet expectations, it will not end merely with embarrassment.”
“!!”
“If you’re scared, step back. But if you have confidence, bring it on. One match. A battle of one second. True masters do not need more than a single breath to decide a winner.”
Whether from instinct or some other reason, Baragash was sure Son Ohchun wouldn’t withstand a single blow and, unlike the officials, challenged him head-on.
“Ishitar, don’t!”
“Hum. Are you not just a bothersome sprout of the Dark Princess? Ignore him.”
As Yufi said, involving themselves would yield no benefit.
As Skola pointed out, ignoring it would have also been fine.
But why?
Why did her fists tremble repeatedly?
“I will only trust and follow the Warrior’s decision!”
“Me too!”
The endlessly loyal Guard Leader Vanilla’s twin siblings.
Seeing them inspired her.
She longed for them.
For even the seemingly insignificant Lower Class students like Vanilla and her twin to be able to grow.
She witnessed a fragment of that potential here today.
Baragash intended to stomp that potential directly.
He must also know that even without skill, his spirit had surpassed that of the high officials.
Left unchecked, that potential could transform into a fearsome monster.
This was a culling of the weak.
A maneuver to eliminate those who could grow into threats before they had a chance to do so.
Like wild beasts, killing a cub that could grow into a predator that might one day kill them.
“To step in at this moment would be to interfere with the retainers of the Empire’s next heir as a Warrior. Such actions should naturally be avoided… I would like to say that, but having learned from being wronged by Oknodie, I realized stress shouldn’t be bottled up. Do as you please.”
“I don’t understand difficult words. I’m hungry, so bring me that cold cocoa milk and a fish whose skin is blue and flesh is white! Remove the bones!”
Hearing Nise and Xenia’s carefree comments made her smile unexpectedly.
Was this how it felt?
Having a bunch of different personalities around her and leading them all.
Yes, this was Oknodie.
Was this the view the Dark Princess had?
Her knowledge grew.
Ishtar thought she was having quite a fun time.
She didn’t want to let this joy slip away lightly.
“Cheolwan! If you wish to spar with that man, you must first fight me.”
“The attire and the pure white great sword… I can think of only one person who wields the legendary Holy Sword. You’re this generation’s Warrior.”
“Indeed.”
“What relation does the Revolutionary Army General have with the Warrior? Were you conspiring to rebel?”
“Not particularly.”
“Are you a companion of the Warrior Party or a candidate?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then are you picking a fight with me, Baragash of the Iron Arm?”
Hiss.
From Baragash’s binding gauntlet, a furious beast exhaled, releasing hot steam like a furious breath.
“That man is a henchman of a foe I must defeat. So I cannot allow you to engage as ‘the player’ without my permission.”
“Right now, you’re merely ‘food’ to grow my Iron Arm.”
“Don’t even think about being at the same table as the Warrior. This is not your place to interfere.”
“Do you still see this as the Gift Academy? Does this court, right in the center of Jeido, look like your academy? Don’t act so brazenly, Warrior. Even if you are ‘re-elected’ repeatedly, there’s no guarantee that the strength you achieve will always reach the level of the Ten Grand Masters.”
Baragash turned away.
Now, he targeted Ishtar, not Son Ohchun.
“Apologize and bow your head. If you do, you may not have to experience the ‘election’ of the next generation here.”
“You were certainly present when the Dark Princess attacked Jeido, right?”
“…What do you mean? What are you trying to say?”
“Just that I find it amusing how lightly you seem to take all this. When Oknodie invaded Jeido, you couldn’t do anything either. Even if it’s a victory by default, I’m the top of my grade now.”
A bright white aura began to surge around Ishtar like a flame.
“Not every Warrior grows stronger, but at least I had a reason to grow stronger. A rival I needed to surpass. Don’t let my strength be wasted. My goal is far above someone like you.”
“And how high is that above?”
A stubborn spirit who does not bend even when ignoring the Crown Prince’s authority and the dignity of the high officials.
Baragash, who revered only brute force.
In analyzing his character, Ishtar couldn’t help but think, Oknodie would have analyzed him this way too.
This man is stubborn.
If you pique his interest, he won’t worry about divulging anything to the outside.
– Emperors must be conquered.
“…!”
“If you’ve understood, step back. A spectacle that you’ll enjoy is about to commence.”
“Haha. The puppy doesn’t know the fear of a tiger. I can’t wait to see how your recklessness plays out.”
“That was a pointless intervention.”
Son Ohchun’s grumbling remark drew a cold response from Ishtar as well.
“I didn’t help you out of goodwill. If the Revolutionary Army was damaged, we couldn’t lure the Emperor out of the palace, so I merely lent a hand. Don’t get any ideas.”
Ishtar and Son Ohchun reached an unspoken agreement.
Until this incident was resolved, they, once rivals at the Gift Academy, would temporarily suspend their animosity and cooperate.
And the one pulling the strings to move so many people was finally starting to move behind the palace.
Boom boom boom.
“What… what is this mana fluctuation?!”
“Your Majesty… His Majesty has finally emerged from the Forbidden Zone!”
“Wait, what is that light?”
Black clouds gathered in the previously clear sky, plunging even the daytime into a deep darkness associated with night.
As citizens, bewildered by the sudden abnormal phenomenon, hurried to pull out their everyday magic tools or turn on flashlights, beams of light streamed down from beyond the sky.
The light that broke through the thick clouds reached down to the palace.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Countless rays began filling the sky, shining like the Milky Way.
The clouds were painted in splendid colors, and the vibrant light intensified.
“Wow.”
“Oh my.”
“Even the honorable Matheus has never shown such radiance. What on earth is happening?!”
Even the high officials sighed while gazing at the sky, but among them stood the oldest of the officials, his eyes wide open.
“I’ve heard of this. My predecessor once served the Emperor, who described a day when the sky was shrouded in dark clouds and brilliant rays fell upon the palace.”
“Is it really true?”
“Please tell us! What is this phenomenon?!”
“It’s an old tale, but I remember it vividly. This is a rare occurrence that may happen only once in a few decades in our Empire’s history. Today marks the birth of a new ‘divine artifact’ blessed by the one true god, Sofemia!”
“Whoooa!”
Delighted high officials contrasted sharply with Ishtar’s serious expression.
“The Empire’s taboo, the palace’s Forbidden Zone… If I’m correct, that’s probably…”
“Enhancement.”
Son Ohchun displayed unprecedented tension while gazing at the fantastical beauty before him.
The Emperor had succeeded in enhancing a divine artifact to +20.
Once the enhancement is complete, the Emperor would emerge from the Forbidden Zone.
Yes, it was nearly time.
Among a million revolutionaries, countless citizens, the Empire, and the students of the academy gathered here…
The Emperor was about to reveal himself.