Chapter 43 Part1 (1/2)

<chapter 43.=”” return=”” -=”” 1=””>

”None can hide from me on the surface, especially if they're strong. But that wasn't the case with you. I formed several hypotheses, but none of them fit. Of them, there was only one remaining possibility: that you came from a place beyond my gaze. And that means you either came from another world or the underground...”

”Hoh, what an interesting deduction.”

”You may think that you're the only hero here, but G.o.d has brought several heroes here from other worlds.”

No, he already knew that. After all, there were two other heroes on the surface right now!

”But unfortunately, G.o.d's summoning magic is too conspicuous. After the golem network was created, I would find and kill any hero summoned on the surface, unless one of G.o.d's apostles secretly descended into the world.”

Wait a sec... The surface, not the underground? This is the first time he'd heard about it. So G.o.d had sent heroes to the surface rather than the underground in the past? Why? In order to defeat the Magic Emperor, who a.s.sumed complete control over the Empire?

Of course, just looking at the Emperor gave him some idea. The Underground Empire wasn't the only problem. Both the surface and the underground had their fair share of problems!

”Hoo.”

The Emperor noticed that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was beginning to listen, sported a disgusting smile fit for a middle-aged man, and continued.

”G.o.d can no longer send heroes to the surface. Thus, you came from underground. Moreover, the barrier doesn't allow the living to pa.s.s through it, so you must be undead. But if you were one of the underground's undead, then you wouldn't have been able to leave...”

”Mm...”

Wait a sec. What he was saying was largely contradictory. On the outside, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo acted calm, but he was actually quite shocked.

'The h.e.l.l is this guy saying?'

Let's say that the Emperor was talking about the barrier under the a.s.sumption that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo came from the underground.

But what did he mean after that? If he were one of the underground's undead, then he couldn't have come out? Why not? They had gone through the trouble of turning themselves into the undead to pa.s.s through the barrier, so why couldn't they leave?

But the Emperor spoke firmly and voiced his conclusion as if he were putting an end to Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's many questions.

”So I thought about it. If G.o.d wanted to nurture a hero without being noticed by me, then she would call them underground and transform them into an undead so that they could go through the barrier! Am I right? Undead hero!”

”...Phew.”

”Hoo. Not so relaxed now, hmm.”

Of course he wouldn't be. Since it was so laughable! That probably wasn't G.o.d's plan when she made him an undead! He'd gotten it all wrong, yet he'd still come to the right conclusion: that he was an undead hero. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo couldn't suppress his admiration.

Whereas, the Emperor, who couldn't know what he was thinking, raised a hand towards Lee s.h.i.+n Woo and stretched out his fingers (Lightning Bind, which restrained Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's movements, got even tighter). Then, he smiled in satisfaction.

”You fooled me with that disguise ability of yours... I acknowledge it. It's impressive enough that even I cannot replicate it, but you were much too rash and arrogant. That's why you failed.”

”...I'd like to ask one last thing. How do you plan on killing me? I don't know what you think of me, but I'm the one who killed that divine bird. You won't be able to kill me through trivial means.”

”Hoo. You're still bluffing, even though you can't even move a finger due to my Lightning Bind.”

The Emperor smiled and refuted him. He must've thought what Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was saying was ridiculous.

”It was called a divine bird long ago. But it was weakened by my barrier, the parasites, and the undead curse. You think I don't know? That you could barely beat it by sacrificing all the Sun G.o.d religion's paladins and priests?”

”Mm.”

As he thought. On the way back to the capital, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo and the Pope had conversed discreetly. If his abilities were revealed, then the Emperor would be more wary of him than necessary, so they would spread rumors that not only was the divine bird weakened but that the Sun G.o.d religion had sacrificed its paladins and priests to defeat it.

Of course, he didn't doubt the Pope's abilities, but those rumors had reached the Emperor in just one day. Not only that, the Emperor completely fell for it. Did the Evileye General not properly report to him?

No, the Emperor probably thought that she was exaggerating his abilities to save herself, and may not have completely trusted in her report.

'Then that means... That innate element, Lightning Bind, was nothing more than the ability to connect himself with someone else whenever he wanted. This means he can't read one's mind, see the past, or get notified if something doesn't make sense in his domain.'

Its power was incredible, yes, but compared to his other innate elements, which could affect cause and effect, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo felt like it was weaker. Was Lee s.h.i.+n Woo the only one who thought that way? Perhaps the Emperor hadn't even completely mastered the darkness element.

'It looks perfect, but this guy's information network is full of holes. It's fine, now that I know.'

Then again, the only thing he could interfere with was the status quo, so he'd so diligently created golems and spread them across the Empire. Moreover, it seemed like the Emperor wasn't yet aware that Rem had taken control of those golems, so he couldn't help but laugh.

No one other than Lee s.h.i.+n Woo could've thought up something like this. With this, however, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was already above the Emperor. What the Emperor said next was proof of this.

”Shall I tell you what the biggest reason you were discovered was? Someone with the strength to match a divine bird couldn't have been so easily ensnared by my ability. You're the hero who defeated the divine bird one-on-one when you couldn't even resist my ability and are just waiting for death? Haha, what a funny lie.”

”If I die here, then it'll become rough on you. You shouldn't look down on the feelings of so many people.”

It wasn't a threat. He wasn't trying to buy time either. He didn't need to anymore anyway. He was just curious. Rumors of the dungeon and the undead curse were spreading throughout the capital, so if Lee s.h.i.+n Woo were to die, everyone would suspect and hate the Emperor. So what was he thinking?

”That's only temporary. Didn't I tell you before? As time pa.s.ses, the people have no choice but to fall back on the palace, on the absolute Emperor. Without you, the religious order cannot lead people. You... must be sacrificed to maintain public order.”

Another simple answer. This so-called Emperor placed way too much confidence in his power. He was speechless that a guy like this would be brazen enough to utter the word 'arrogant'.

Of course, he possessed such absolute power, which enabled him to control the Empire. Moreover, he'd become a Vampire and thus immortal, so he could understand why the Emperor felt like he had nothing to fear... But it seemed like he still hadn't realized it. That nothing lasts forever in the world.

”If I had my way, I would've destroyed Lawrence as well, but there's no way a mere merchant can take your place. There should be no problem with just leaving him be.”