Episode 9: Shackles of Judgment / Chapter 146: Radical Reform (5)

TL: emptycube / ED: Isleidir

Generally speaking, there was a limit to the amount of strength a single person could possess.

However, the world wasn’t easy, and because there were incidents people couldn’t handle with their own strength, they attempted to obtain power beyond their own strength. This power was typically authority.

Authority was a power that surpassed the power of one’s physical or mental strength. A power where people could order others to do their bidding. It was a power that allowed them to order others to lift items they couldn’t or think of ideas they couldn’t.

Possessing authority was sweet. This was because all sorts of information about the world gathered towards the possessor, and they could accomplish things they couldn’t do by themselves like magic and list those accomplishments under their name.

Those drunk on this sweetness were obsessed with obtaining authority. In fact, it was at the point where one wondered if life was a game of obtaining authority.

Also, the most important question in this game was,

‘What can I give?’

It was fine whether it was something others dearly wanted or they hated. However, it was best if one possessed both.

“Choi Hyuk isn’t an exception to this game,”

Said Ding, one of the nine great sovereigns. While he possessed a Filipino name, he wasn’t a Filipino. No, he wasn’t someone from any country. While there was no doubt he spent his childhood in the Philippines, he lived a tumultuous life as he traveled throughout the world, occasionally as a mercenary, usually as a criminal. Since he possessed passports from countless countries, he didn’t possess a nationality. Since he was written off before his birth was registered, he had no way of knowing what nationality he was. His fighting senses were excellent, but his philosophy of life was more outstanding than it.

While the majority of the nine great sovereigns grew using their own country as their foothold, he grew his force by gathering unaffiliated warriors and colonizers who lost the foundation of their lives as well as gangsters and pirates, whom he had connections with on Earth. While he didn’t become an overseer, he took the position right below it, a great sovereign. He was a sovereign who didn’t have a country as his foothold like Choi Hyuk and Camilla. Just looking at this, one could glimpse at his life philosophy.

Ding, also known as the Night Sovereign, was currently preparing for a ‘big deal’. He had allied with various forces for this moment.

“As expected… Choi Hyuk wasn’t interested in the entertainers?”

“Yes. He didn’t even spare them a glance.”

The clan leader of the Al Pacino Clan, who hosted the party Choi Hyuk had attended not long ago, calmly replied before quickly adding with a meaningful smile,

“However, there were quite a few among the Berserkers who enjoyed it.”

Ding nodded his head as if this fact was obvious.

“Since they are human.”

Ding was well aware of how weak humans were to temptation. During his childhood, he had encountered many people from all over the world who had come looking for the red-light district in the Philippines. They wanted people. It didn’t necessarily have to be through prostitution. They wanted someone who would smile at their words, hold their hand, and act affectionately. No, they wanted to ‘possess’ them. While it was good if they smiled next to them, if it included prostitution ‘without any burden’, then that was icing on the cake.

There was no relation to their age or occupation. Rather, the older they were or the more respected they were, the more they wanted to use people as they wished. Even those who worked hard and had placed value in their work in the beginning changed over time. Rather than governing, politicians wanted to see people dying in front of them. Rather than upholding and enforcing the law, prosecutors handed out punishment in order to obtain positions where they could enjoy themselves. Rather than devoting themselves to make something of value, businessman placed more attention on how others would entertain them.

Their occupations were a façade to satisfy their fantasies.

People like Camilla and Choi Hyuk who didn’t change their values were rare. This was because, after reaching a higher position, most wanted to use their position for enjoyment.

This was the same for Berserkers. Also…

“Good. Then I’ll go to them like this. While people like Choi Hyuk and Camilla, who don’t even give others a glance, may seem difficult to handle, they are actually the easiest targets.”

While looking at the numerous great sovereigns and clan leaders gathered here, the Night Sovereign Ding revealed a friendly smile.

**

Ding thought,

‘The card I hold is sufficient. There’s no way I’ll fail.’

He unveiled his first card.

“Excluding me, eight great sovereigns, four normal sovereigns, and 33 large-scale clan leaders came to an agreement and established the independent troop ‘Freedom’. With this infrastructure as a base, we will be able to provide the Berserkers with complete management.”

Choi Hyuk, who was sitting in front of Ding, calmly asked,

“Management?”

Ding showed a naïve smile like a farmer’s as he began talking about the things Choi Hyuk needed.

“Yes. There are around six things we can offer the Berserkers. First, by providing comforts to the Berserkers who are exhausted from fighting, we can imbue passion in them. Secondly, we can help the Berserkers solidify their position within the alliance by providing them with information on troops and species in the alliance. Thirdly, we will prioritize reporting Kahur Kabkuns among others of high rank and above found from exploration to the Berserkers first so that you can achieve military merits. Fourthly, we can introduce you to tactics that will reward you generously after mobilizing the best talents to analyze the tactic market. Fifthly…”

Ding, who had been explaining eloquently despite his naïve appearance, stopped momentarily. When Choi Hyuk looked at him with questioning eyes, Ding scratched his head out of embarrassment.

“Haha, I thought there would be at least five, but it looks like there are only four. How embarrassing. Haha.”

Ding laughed blandly.

Yet, even this action was calculated. He purposely exposed a flaw to relax Choi Hyuk’s guard.

To be honest, four was a lot. Ding was certain of it.

‘From looking at him until now, Choi Hyuk is greatly aware of the ranking within the alliance. He can’t help but be tempted by my proposal when each of my points will help him solidify his position in the alliance.’

It was a standard tactic. To those who pursued something other than pleasure, he simply had to use that as bait.

‘I just need to prepare meat for beasts that like meat and fruit for beasts that like fruit. Along with a small sleeping pill hidden within.’

Ding laughed cunningly in his mind.

Choi Hyuk shook his head.

“Even four is great… Then what you want in return is a license to do business in the five colonized lands possessed by the Berserkers?”

Ding still smiled friendlily when he heard Choi Hyuk’s question.

“No, what do you mean ‘in return’? It’s a mutual benefit… No, we are in the same boat. No matter how you cut it, aren’t we both earthlings? Since there are only a handful of us in the vast, lonely universe, what do you think about us doing business together and introducing each other to our connections in the alliance? As the Berserkers, who are at the forefront, you must know people high up that we haven’t encountered before… If you can introduce us to them occasionally, won’t we be able to collect information for the Berserkers?”

Meaning he wanted the business license and for them to introduce them to their connections in the alliance.

Choi Hyuk nodded his head as he asked,

“That’s a good proposal. However, the Berserkers have been fine on their own. Is there a reason why we need to work together now?”

Ding slightly raised his smiling eyes. In a low voice, he said worriedly,

“You should know that Dragonic’s atmosphere has changed from before. It has now become an era where people seek to improve their quality of life than survival. The world is different from the past. Various means of entertainment are being created, and the decent livelihood that has been snatched from us is returning. I’m sorry to say… In this current situation, the Berserkers might become dissatisfied and waver.”

Ding said it in a worried tone, but his eyes shined with a strange light.

“To prevent the Berserkers from wavering, the Berserkers need a more refined compensation system. We will help you with that. This was included when I said that we would provide the Berserkers with comforts.”

This was a bit of a threat.

‘If you do not accept our request, the Berserkers will waver.’ No, it was also a threat that implied that they would make the Berserkers waver.

Ding recalled the conversations he had with others. They didn’t fear Choi Hyuk as much as they did in the past.

‘It’s not like we’re at a time where there are advancement evaluations. Choi Hyuk, what is he going to do if he’s angry? Will he kill us when we’re protected by the alliance’s laws? When we can’t do anything against Nasir, who ran off after breaking his pledge? Why should we bother minding Choi Hyuk now?’

‘That’s right. The military strength of the Berserkers, it’s definitely amazing. Then we just need to devour that military strength. Although the world has changed, there’s no way Choi Hyuk, that fool, will let the Berserkers run wild. The more exhausted the Berserkers are from fighting and strict control, the easier it’ll be to coax them. If we get them addicted to pleasure, they will come to us on their own.’

Many sovereigns and clan leaders wanted to mass recruit the Berserkers. Even still, they didn’t fear Choi Hyuk’s rage because he didn’t have a way to personally harm them.

However, Ding dissuaded them.

‘As you know, Choi Hyuk is insane. If we make the wrong move, we don’t know what he’ll do. Don’t be hasty and let’s look at the big picture. Even if we don’t snatch the Berserkers away right now, there is a lot we can obtain from Choi Hyuk. Let’s be satisfied with that as the time goes on. It’ll take longer, but if we first provide the Berserkers with comforts and the Berserkers rely on us enough to trust and accept people we suggest, then who knows if the Berserkers will be ours instead of Choi Hyuk’s after 10 or 20 years?”

That was how Ding persuaded them and how this moment had come about.

The Demon King Choi Hyuk, who they had kept a respectful distance from until now. This was a big deal in order to drag him into their grasps and swallow him.

Ding possessed cards that could make Choi Hyuk happy and cards that could torment him. On the other hand, Choi Hyuk, who had isolated himself, didn’t have many cards to offer them.

Ding was confident because Choi Hyuk could no longer slaughter people like he did in the past. There was no need to yield.

“Everyone will win.”

Ding smiled friendlily.

Hiding his inner thoughts, Choi Hyuk smiled as well.

“Hahaha. How great. But it’s a bit difficult to make a decision now so I’ll need to think over it.”

“Yes, yes. Please do!”

They had misjudged two things.

Firstly, they judged that Choi Hyuk simply wanted to solidify his position within the alliance.

Secondly, they judged that Choi Hyuk had no way of harming them.

However, Choi Hyuk didn’t intend on correcting their misjudgments with words.

Words were simply words.

He couldn’t make them fear him with just that.

**

Marina, the clan leader of ‘Falcon’, also participated in the alliance led by Ding.

“He’s still stubborn?”

Marina, who had been happily gazing at the new building built in her name, abruptly asked. The luxurious building revealed itself from within the bright light. She planned on setting up various red-light facilities there. She couldn’t be happier since she could provide the warriors under her command with benefits and profit a pretty penny off it as well.

Marina’s adjutant cautiously spoke while reading Marina’s happy face,

“That is… It seems his older sister is quite the powerful warrior. Since she’s so resolute and willing to risk her life, the guys are in a bit of a bind.”

Marina’s gentle smile crumpled.

“What? Is that bitch affiliated with an independent troop?”

“That’s not it, but she is a member of a decently strong mid-sized clan.”

“A mid-sized clan? Not an independent troop but a mid-sized clan?”

Marina turned around and looked into her adjutant’s eyes. Her adjutant became surprised after seeing her expression.

“Are you kidding me?”

“I-I’m sorry!”

“Have that bitch and that guy kneel in front of me naked by tomorrow.”

“Understood! Then we will conciliate with that clan and dispatch a squad to those guys’ mission to deal with them.”

Marina actually became irritated at her adjutant’s report.

“Just handle those things on your own, on your own! Stop annoying me!”

Marina, the clan leader of the large clan ‘Falcon’, was already anxious enough these days.

Like all large clans currently, she too was stricken with impatience, wanting to quickly become a middle-ranked warrior and establish her own independent troop. She went out on missions every day and did her best to arm herself with better equipment. Because she needed to kill many powerful monsters to advance into a middle-ranked warrior, every day felt like hell to her.

She found an outlet to relieve her stress. While walking down the street, if she found a man who suited her tastes, she would order her adjutant to ‘bring him to my room tonight’. She didn’t care about how many there were, and after she became bored with them, she would send them to her red-light business.

While the earthlings were citizens under the alliance’s protection, at least on the surface, the men all ‘voluntarily’ offered themselves to her. Marina could give them a lot of things. She could provide them with a comfortable life, give them a foothold to grow faster, or even declare them as having ‘died in battle while on a mission’.

Whether they were earthlings or El Tribe members, the alliance’s citizens had the duty to go on regional missions in the Virgo Cluster. As a troop affiliated with the Virgo Cluster’s regional troops, Marina’s ‘Falcon’ clan possessed the right to browse through various missions throughout the Virgo Cluster and provide aid. It could be considered a type of overtime. She abused this system.

If she sent ‘support troops’ to the mission that those she didn’t like participated in, then their lives would wholly rest in Marina’s hands. While personally killing them would be a problem, they could lure monsters towards them or push them out into the middle of the battlefield. There were many options she could take.

Normal people, who didn’t belong to any clan, were her prey. Even if they were part of a clan, as long as that clan wasn’t bigger than a mid-sized clan, she could coax them by giving them some benefits or threatening them.

Like a tyrant, she violently wielded her authority.

“Damn it, if I didn’t even have this sort of entertainment, how would I live in this damn world?”

Marina shook her head as though the thought made her sick. Then, as if she was regretful, she licked her lips.

“At times like this, how great would it be to have Berserkers as my followers? Since the fight against monsters will become easier and faster, my karma will be able to grow faster… In any case, why are the others so scared of Choi Hyuk? He was the Demon King of the past; Do they really think he’s still a demon king? Haa…”

Marina, who had originally planned on recruiting Berserkers, licked her lips, thinking about how much of a waste it was. Although she opposed the Night Sovereign Ding’s plan to the very end, she yielded since the general trend was leaning towards him. This was because acting alone in a group was dangerous.

“Let’s go.”

Marina, who had been planning on reliving her stress at home and preparing for her mission tomorrow, abruptly stood in place.

Something was strange. Her surroundings were silent. This wasn’t possible in this big city which was bustling with people. Even traces of her escort guards disappeared as though they had been washed away. She rubbed her eyes since she couldn’t see in front of her.

When she moved her hands away from her eyes, a woman she hadn’t seen was suddenly standing there.

“Marina, clan leader of Falcon. It’s hard becoming a middle-ranked warrior, isn’t it?”

The woman’s hair was neatly tied at the back of her head. Her back and shoulders were straight. Leah, a top executive of the Berserkers, was standing there like a picture.

“Huh? You’re Aide Leah?”

Leah, who used to be Richard’s aide, was quite famous and Marina recognized her.

Leah’s lips curved smoothly. Marina felt scared for some reason.

“What is a top executive of the Berserkers doing here? What did you do to my subordinates?”

“Your subordinates are fine. This place isn’t reality but inside your daydream. Should I say you’re dreaming with your eyes open? I’m too busy to personally make a visit.”

“What are you saying?”

Marina couldn’t understand what Leah was saying. Inside a dream? Then did that mean Leah plunged her into a daydream? Not only that, but she came into her dream to talk? How? While karma was a supernatural power, it wasn’t magic, right? Various questions brushed past her mind.

Seeing her dazed reaction, Leah revealed a devilish expression as if she wanted to boast. Lights that looked like fireflies or lunar halos shined around her.

“Right? It’s cool, right? This is my Controller of Sentiment ‘Leah’s Tuning’. Should I say it’s a karma weapon, the symbol of middle-ranked warriors, that you so desire to become? Like the environment control system, I can control the fates around me and activate the universe’s law or distort it. It’s a weapon that can be considered as magic.”

Leah explained excitedly, but Marina couldn’t comprehend her words. While Marina prided herself on knowing more about the alliance than normal people, she couldn’t compare to Leah, who was a top executive of the Berserkers. She even had no idea what the ‘environment control system’, which was used for recruit training, was at all.

“Ah, anyways, why are you here?”

Looking at Marina, who didn’t admire and was simply perplexed, Leah showed a dull expression.

“Haa, what kind of conversation could I have with you. Never mind. Let’s go.”

“Go? Where?”

“Where do you think? Hell.”

Leah showed a bright smile.

——————–

{Mission – Destroy the high-ranked Kahur Kabkun}

The Berserkers’ B- Rank resource transfer right has been activated.

Starting now, Marina, the clan leader of the Falcon Clan under the Virgo Cluster’s regional troops, will go on a mission given by the ‘Berserkers’.

You will be automatically transported to the mission area in ten seconds.

——————–

“Huh?”

A dazed voice escaped from Marina’s lips.

“What is… I’m part of the regional troops… Why am I doing a mission given by the Berserkers…? No, before that, a high-ranked Kahur Kabkun? How can I possibly…!”

“This is called the resource transfer right.”

Leah teased Marina.

“Even though your strength is insufficient, try your best. If you survive, you might be able to become a middle-ranked warrior, which you desire so much.”

Crunch.

After ten seconds, space crumpled with Marina’s body as the center. The cheap teleportation they hadn’t even heard about recently activated. Perhaps Marina might actually vomit for a change.

“Huh? Clan leader?”

Marina’s subordinates created a fuss as they tried to look for their clan leader who had suddenly disappeared.

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