The 31st Piece Turns the Tables

Chapter 279

Upon seeing Kotaro frozen, Seol scanned at everyone with a cold, expressionless face.

The chilling gaze made the transferees uneasy, but there was someone even more disturbed than them.

'My body…'

It was Kotaro—whose body had frozen in place with his hand on the hilt of his sword while standing before Seol.

Kotaro believed that there wasn't anyone in Seong Jo who could stop him. Most of the Central Army that had been sent here had been swept away, and among the transferees, no one could oppose him.

'Just now… someone was glaring at me.'

Although he clashed with the soldiers and acted aggressively, he hadn't planned to escalate things further–of course, water had already spilled, so he was prepared to display some of his power.

That's why he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. However, he never imagined that he wouldn't be able to draw the sword within.

That was because Seol had placed his hand on the sword hilt and blocked his stance.

No—even if he had shaken off his hand and drawn the sword, the reason he couldn't move at all was because of the hazy figure behind the man.

As that figure looked down on him—as if he were insignificant—Kotaro could feel his body being crushed.

'How could that be…'

It seemed his feelings hadn't reached the others, as one of the transferees suddenly shouted.

"Kotaro!"

"Don't oppress us! We have the right to do as we please! No matter how much Khan claims to be an Empire, you can't just control us as you please!"

As if he'd suddenly become a martyr, a transferee began to protest passionately.

Seol replied to him in a businesslike tone.

"I believe you were given options."

"They don’t benefit us at all! You’re just forcing us to follow what you've already decided!"

If these were peaceful times, he would be correct.

"Seong Jo is in a tense state right now, and we don't know when the next attack will happen. Khan is willing to do whatever it takes to protect the citizens of Seong Jo—if every option were to be weighed on a scale, then the heaviest weight is the lives of the citizens, not the freedom of you transferees."

"That… huh…"

One of the transferees, who had been speaking fluently, stammered, and another transferee angrily shouted in their stead.

"Does that mean we’re insignificant compared to the citizens’ lives?"

"You’re exaggerating somewhat, but you’re starting to get it. We aren't asking much of you transferees—those who are willing to defend the city should stay, and those who aren't willing to do so should leave."

"You bastard… all you want to do is drive us out!"

Seol was a transferee, but he was also an aide of Seol Hong, the person currently in charge of this city. While he could understand the position of the transferees to some extent, he couldn't side with them in this situation.

"At a time of imminent danger, an unclear ally is a potential threat within. It isn't an exaggeration either since a group of transferees had turned into looters during the last attack."

"We have nothing to do with them!"

"Even so, from the point of view of those defending the city, we cannot simply let you be. We want to avoid a situation where the city's defense network is breached, even if some complain."

As Seol tried to persuade them calmly, others began to incite anger instead.

"Just leave us alone! We don't want to leave the city, nor do we want to be under your control!"

"Normally, that's what would be called an outlaw, isn't it?"

Soon, their anger crossed the line as the eyes of the transferees slowly began to turn red.

"You bastard… Are you calling us outlaws?"

"Outlaws? There's no way someone who clings to a Dragon's Flower can understand the life we live—constantly skirting the line between life and death!"

"Y-yeah! We have to fight tirelessly all the time!"

Upon hearing that, Seol could barely hold himself back from laughing.

'Why are they behaving like this…?'

Something seemed off about their actions.

Seol felt as if something about them was not quite like transferees.

Transferees were generally selfish—their top priority was survival, not freedom.

Ironically, their selfish desire to survive was what led them to cooperate.

The conditions set by the Central Army weren't unreasonable.

If they wanted to stay in the city, working with the Central Army would increase their chances of survival. If that didn't suit them, then leaving the city would be a better option.

However, they were instead stirring up trouble and trying to stay in the city.

'Isn't it strange?'

- It is.

Jamad also agreed with Seol's thoughts.

"Stop… Just stop."

As the only one to notice Seol's true nature, Kotaro tried to stop the transferees' uproar.

"What's wrong, Kotaro? Are you scared, perhaps? That bastard just…"

"Just stop…"

"Stop what? That guy knows nothing about us, and yet he dares to pretend he understands…"

Seol replied with a smile.

"I understand you guys better than anyone."

"Cut the crap."

Biran shouted.

"Stop! Don't be rude to the Dragon's Stone! The Dragon's Stone is saying all this for…"

Despite Biran's restraint, the chaos didn't subside.

No—if anything, her actions only further provoked them.

"Are you telling us not to challenge the Dragon's Stone?"

"Crazy bastards… should I just close my eyes and kill them all?"

"Understand…? Don't make me laugh! You don't even know who we are."

With harsh words being thrown around, the situation was escalating quickly.

'This is annoying, but…'

Honestly, Seol didn't want to understand or associate with these transferees. If he were still just a transferee, he would have acted according to his thoughts.

However, he was the right hand Seol Hong—the one dispatched here to be the commander—so he had to refrain from acting recklessly.

In the end, as the tension reached its peak, Seol decided to reveal his true identity.

"I'm also a transferee."

"What…?"

"That's why I can understand you all. I'm also curious why this situation has escalated like this."

Everyone paused for a moment at Seol's revelation.

"You're a transferee?"

"I am."

"A transferee became a Dragon's Stone?"

"Yes."

"Hold on… Let's see…"

"Pfft…"

"Hahaha!"

The transferees burst into laughter after seemingly checking something.

"He is nowhere to be seen."

"What…?"

"There isn’t a name like yours anywhere in Seong Jo’s Points Leaderboard. Weren't you strong?"

"You liar."

"We know everyone on the leaderboard. If you're lying to get yourself out of this situation, it means you are not only weaker than Kotaro, but you're far from our level."

The eyes of the transferees continued to redden.

- Seol, I understand now. These guys…

Seol agreed with Jamad.

'I felt it too.'

He sensed something off about the reactions of these supposed transferees. Having grasped the situation, Seol sighed.

[Rumors about you are spreading.]

[Base Visit Information is being displayed.]

Soon, messages began appearing one after the other.

[Your information is set to Private.]

[You have 24,156,800 Points.]

[Rumors of an incredible adventurer in Seong Jo spread throughout the city.]

[The city's crime rate significantly decreases.]

[Seong Jo’s Hidden Adventures activate.]

[Tension in the city has been alleviated.]

[Citizens gain a small sense of hope for tomorrow.]

When he reached 20 million points, Seol hoped to receive some kind of reward, but there had been none.

Perhaps if he achieved 30 million points, he might earn a title for being the first.

"Hold on… on the rankings…"

"Wh-what?"

"Th-his is a lie, right?"

"24 million?"

"I've never seen a number like this…"

"Is this really him?"

"What was his name? Kang Seol?"

"It seems like he's Korean… is there someone of the same nationality as him?"

They looked around, and upon realizing how much of a monster Seol was, they started to back away cautiously.

Adventure points weren't everything when it came to strength, but they were a decent reference.

Having witnessed countless atrocities committed by those with high scores, the transferees were now afraid that Seol might suddenly turn on them.

"Do you believe me now?"

"Y-yes…"

"I don't want to escalate this any further."

"It’s not that we have major complaints…"

The numbers proved what kind of person Seol was. That's why the transferees were scared that a single misstep could cost them their lives.

However, not everyone welcomed this atmosphere.

"So what?!"

"Pardon?"

"Hey… What's wrong with you?"

"Do we have to change our attitude just because you're a transferee? Why? What for?"

At this point, even the other transferees around the man found him strange.

"Hey… Just look at his Points. What's wrong with you…?"

"Didn't you see his Points? Why provoke him…?"

"Points?"

At that moment, a sharp scent hit Seol's nose.

'It's him, right?'

- Yes, that's the guy.

As Jamad answered, something unbelievable unfolded.

Srrng…

Slash—!

"Huh…?"

The man who had just stepped forward had his head cleanly severed by Seol's sword and fell to the ground.

Thud…

Srrng—!

"Y-you crazy bastard!"

"I knew it!"

"You're planning to kill us all if we don't comply! Kotaro! We have no choice…"

The transferees began drawing their weapons to confront Seol, but…

"Kotaro?"

"Everyone, calm down."

"How can we stay calm? That guy just…!"

"Look closely."

"Yes! He just cut off the head… Huh?"

Wriggle…

The body with the severed head twitched.

A human was supposed to die immediately after being decapitated.

However, the corpse was still moving, which meant that the one who had died wasn't human.

"Wh-what the…"

Step…

Step…

Seol walked over to the detached head and lifted it.

The human face was melting away.

"Oh my god…"

At that moment, five more scattered in all directions. They had all emerged from within a group of transferees.

Paf—!

Papaf—!

"Kyaa!"

Seol clapped his hands.

"Koko!"

Whoosh—!

In an instant, Koko leaped and bit the neck of one of the fleeing transferees while Seol quickly followed, leaping toward another.

Crash—!

He slammed its head into the ground.

Crunch—!

Koko quickly bit through the throats of two others.

The last survivor tried to jump over the barracks' wall but was eventually caught by Seol.

"Hihi! Hihihi!"

The man who was caught began laughing maniacally.

Seol spoke in a dry tone.

"I recognized that smell… You guys are ghosts, right?"

"We were caught! Caught! Hihihi!"

Seol dragged the ghost back to where they had just been.

The face of the decapitated transferee had transformed into that of a ghost with a long, protruding tongue.

Kotaro and the other transferees looked on in shock. Their faces were pale with disbelief.

"H-how could this be… These guys… were ghosts?"

"Then, all this time…"

Seol looked into the eyes of all the transferees.

Their reddened eyes had returned to normal.

"Oh my god…"

Biran approached while covering her mouth in disbelief and suspiciously looked around at the other transferees.

The transferees were doing the same—looking at each other warily.

Swoosh…

"N-no! Believe me!"

"I didn't know! I had no idea! I wasn't involved in this at all!"

As they began proclaiming their innocence, Seol restrained the ghost and summoned Jamad.

Whoosh…

Possibly due to Jamad having become Immortal-rank, how he was summoned changed.

Before, it looked like a shadowy mass being released, but now, it was as if a dark mist was slowly taking shape.

Of course, that scene was terrifying.

"G-ghost!"

"It appeared again!"

- But I'm Jamad.

- A ghost?! Where?! Wait… Ah… Me?

Everyone was witnessing Seol's near-supernatural abilities right before their eyes.

Especially Biran—she was looking at Seol with fear and admiration.

Even though she didn't fully understand what was happening, everything seemed to be falling into place naturally. She realized that he certainly wasn't ordinary.

She thought it was strange that Seol had remained so calm in such a tense situation, but now that she thought about it, she realized he was overflowing with confidence.

Jamad looked at the restrained ghost and said.

- Ghost, look at me.

"Hihi… Hihihi…"

Clap!

Jamad clapped his hands.

[Jamad used Life Shamanic Spell of the Dark: Let's Live.]

[For a certain time, the target cannot harm itself.]

Jamad used the spell to prevent the ghost from killing itself.

Seeing this ability for the first time, Seol asked Jamad about it.

"What is this? Life Shamanic Spell of the Dark?"

- It's the power of the scripture I acquired the last time.

The scripture Jamad had referred to before.

- It's an ancient scripture I found in the Immortal’s bookcase you mentioned before.

It was in the Immortal's bookcase left in the Void.

Unlike Jamad, Mael used all sorts of weird spells. It seemed that the Immortal's scripture also included such spells.

'But still, a Life Shamanic Spell of the Dark…?'

Seol turned around to look at the transferees.

They were still blaming and suspecting each other.

"You're a ghost too, aren't you?!"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

Seol and Kotaro exchanged glances.

"It's time to make things clear."

"Understood."

Kotaro walked toward the ghost.

"Hey, when did it start?"

"Hihihi! It's the fool's fault for being deceived!"

"To think such a being fooled us…"

"Hihihi! No, you were scared! I just amplified it! You're just a coward…"

Stab-!

Kotaro's dagger stabbed the ghost's thigh.

"Gyaaa!"

"Shut up."

As Kotaro turned around, the transferees hesitated momentarily before nodding in agreement.

"All we have to do is comply with the orders?"

Biran's face noticeably brightened at those words.

Seol nodded, then asked the ghost a question.

"Where are you from?"

"Hihihi…"

"Was the monster attack your doing?"

"What if it was?"

Seol frowned and told Jamad.

"That Life Shamanic Spell or whatever…"

Clap!

[Jamad used Life Shamanic Spell of the Dark: Blood Bed Bug.]

[The target will feel unbearable itching for a short time.]

[Repeated use will lead to immunity to Blood Bed Bug.]

"Eek! Eek!"

"Answer."

"Stop… Stooop!"

"Ahahaha…"

The ghost, who was drooling uncontrollably, finally confessed.

"Yaksha…"

"What?"

"Yaksha has broken the barrier, and the Ghost King will fall."

"Yaksha? You said Yaksha?"

"Our world is coming."

The ghost kept spouting cryptic words.

Seol asked a few more questions, but upon seeing that the ghost's mouth was shut, he ordered the soldiers to take it away.

He stood there, repeating the ghost's words in his mind—the newly mentioned name, Yaksha, and the Ghost King.

Among them, Seol was particularly drawn to the name Yaksha.

"Yaksha broke the barrier… Yaksha, Yaksha…"

It couldn't be.

No, it probably was.

If the ghost had uttered that name.

'Don't tell me…'

Seol had a gut feeling that he was getting entangled in something much bigger than the attack on Seong Jo.

If the Sword Ghost Yaksha, a piece that had slipped from his control long ago, was the same Yaksha the ghost had mentioned, things were definitely going to escalate quickly.