C270. To break a hero (5)
Leave. Her voice de ella was firm but stubborn, leaving no room for argument.
At that point, Gilberto began assembling his weapons and equipment without even verbally agreeing or disagreeing. He showed his response and his boundless confidence of him through his actions of him.
“Thanks.” Seo Jun-Ho gave him a grateful look and turned around.
His old friend looked extremely exhausted as he leaned against his desk, rubbing his face.
“…Is there really no other way?” asked Shim Deok-Gu. He was so nervous that his lips felt dry, but he added something before Seo Jun-Ho could reply, “I guess he’ll wait for you for now. So please take some time and come up with a plan…”
“You are too soft.” Seo Jun-Ho gave a slight smile. His eyes of him were fixed on the sports channel, which was showing the Heavenly Demon. “That bastard is a devil.”
It wasn’t just any demon either. He was their leader, and he was able to make even vicious demons tremble.
‘…A guy like that won’t be careless.’
[I’ll give you 15 minutes.]
Just as Seo Jun-Ho expected…
The heavenly demon looked at the camera and smiled kindly.
[For every second of delay, I will take ten lives.]
Ten lives, he said, as if counting objects. Shim Deok-Gu trembled with rage at his astonishing choice of words.
“…Jun-ho. No matter how you think about it…”
“I am being summoned.”
“Yes, so he can kill you!”
“I’m not talking about that.” Seo Jun-Ho gently closed his eyes. His sensitive ears could hear his voices.
‘P-please come.’
‘I don’t care about myself, but my daughter…’ ‘T
-I’m afraid…’
‘Waaah! Mommy!’
I could hear their frightened voices.
Although they were right at death’s door, they were desperately calling out his name.
“…Oh”, Seo Jun-Ho remembered something. “Do you remember? After I killed some demons in Harlem in the United States, when CNN interviewed me.”
“…Why do you mention that?”
Back then, the reporter had asked this…
– Do you ever feel pressured by the fact that people always call you by name when there is a crisis?
The audience and the cameraman began to get unnerved by the rude and sensitive question. However, Seo Jun-Ho responded like this.
– No. Actually, it makes me happy.
-…Happy?
– My ears are not very good. If everyone is calling different people, you may not be able to hear them. But if everyone is calling my name, I can hear them better. Do not you believe it?
I could hear them.
“They’re calling my name.” Just as she had said back then, she could hear them loud and clear. They wanted it.
Seo Jun-Ho put on the black mask with reverent hands. The mask was expressionless, unable to represent any kind of emotion.
“…”
Shim Deok-Gu opened his mouth to say something when Specter looked at him, but closed it again. She looked at Specter’s back resentfully, but the latter didn’t care as he walked over to the window. A cold silence had taken over Seoul, making it seem like a dead city.
“This will probably go down as the worst day in the last twenty-six years.” Tens of thousands of demons were slaughtering people all over the world. It once seemed that this conflict would never happen again, but the demons had declared war on the humans. “The Heavenly Demon probably doesn’t want me to go.”
After the Frost Queen’s defeat, humanity enjoyed unprecedented peace. Resources became abundant, international relations improved after the crisis was overcome, and the economy flourished.
However, the laws of the world required someone to suffer a loss if another benefited.
The demons.
While humanity was happily enjoying their peace, the demons had been banished to the second floor, living in humiliation.
They only wanted one thing.
Revenge!
“The demons had to have gotten stronger too. They had to be thinking about their glory days,” Specter said.
Although time passed, the demons were still afraid of the 5 Heroes. And the Heavenly Demon probably didn’t like that. He would want the demons he led to become brave warriors instead of cowards.
‘The answer is simple.’
Specter was the leader of the 5 Heroes. All the Heavenly Demon had to do was get rid of him.
“For an enemy, he’s pretty smart…”
It was checkmate. The Heavenly Demon had created the perfect setting for himself.
“If I don’t go, he’ll probably say that humanity’s heroes only come to this.” The Heavenly Demon would reject their status as Heroes and frame them as fragile human beings.
“But if you go…” Shim Deok-Gu began.
“He’ll kill me and win, anyway.”
“You know, but still…!”
“I make.” Specter looked at Shim Deok-Gu. There was no dishonesty in his eyes. “I am not a holy and divine warrior. But I’m leaving because I think I have a chance.”
“…” He wasn’t the type to lie about these things.
Shim Deok-Gu thought for a while. He gripped Specter’s shoulders with a serious expression the latter had never seen before.
“I don’t normally try to argue with you.”
“I know…”
“I didn’t say anything when you said you’d go demon hunting.”
“Of course…”
“I didn’t say anything when you said you were going to clean the Queen’s Nest.”
“And I’m thankful for that…”
“…”
Actually, that was a lie. Shim Deok-Gu had scolded Specter before.
…And if I could, I would do it a hundred; no, a thousand times more. He wanted to tell Specter that he wasn’t the only player in the world. Besides, he had always wanted to ask why he was always trying to carry the load alone.
However, Shim Deok-Gu never dared to say those words. Because if he didn’t step aside, disaster would befall the world.
“No matter what happens today, I have something to say. I should have told you this twenty-six years ago. Shim Deok-Gu’s eyes wavered. He carefully spoke the words that had been stuck in his throat for the last twenty-six years. “Junho. You don’t have to carry everything by yourself. The world went very well without you.
“…You sure are rushing to tell me that.”
Inside the mask, a smile bloomed on Seo Jun-Ho’s face like a flower. It was a bright expression that melted away the small amount of pain.
***
The Heavenly Demon was smiling. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed waiting so much. “Isaac, how long has it been?”
“14 minutes and 2 seconds.”
“There isn’t much time left.” She looked up.
Dududududu!
Several dozen helicopters hovered over the stadium.
“If they’re too loud, I’ll shoot them down,” Isaac said.
The Heavenly Demon shook his head. Leave them alone. Citizens have the right to know.”
He was sure Specter wouldn’t come.
‘Life is Beautiful.’
Whether it was the life of a human, a villain, or a hero, everyone valued their own life.
Every time the number on the hologram billboard changed, people became more and more desperate.
“Only twenty seconds left now. I think you can start preparing now.”
Once again, Specter would not come.
[The 15 minutes… are almost up.]
A deep voice reported from above the SDS channel helicopter. The reporter’s face was grim as she spoke into the microphone.
[Wraith-nim…not coming?]
If Specter didn’t show up today, it wouldn’t just be a loss for him.
‘It would be a loss to humanity…’
The symbol of hope would fall pathetically.
And the symbol of despair would rise.
Dudududududududu!
At that moment, a helicopter from another channel detected a strange movement. Everyone inside turned to look when they discovered something.
[Captain, what’s wrong?]
The pilot made a hand signal and the reporter turned her head. Her eyes widened.
[S-talk about the devil…!]
Those who had been to a ballpark knew how bright the lights were. They were strong enough to light up the dark night.
And a man dressed in a black coat was standing on the roof of the stadium with his back to the bright lights.
[S-spectrum! It’s Specter-nim!]
Reporters from all countries and all channels began to speak with joy in their voices, pouring out like an anthem.
“…”
The Heavenly Demon’s lips slowly twisted downward. “14 minutes and 42 seconds… A pity.”
He had failed to turn the Heroes of Earth into weak cowards. However, he was not disappointed.
‘Things have become more interesting…’
I was happy.
The Heavenly Demon was a second generation devil and had heard countless rumors about Spectre. His heart began to race at the thought of Mankind’s Hero straight out of a fairy tale.
I did well to prepare a second plan.
Would the hero choose the people or his friend?
The Heavenly Demon couldn’t contain his excitement and laughed at what was to come.
Whistle.
Specter’s figure disappeared and then reappeared in front of the two demons.
“Isaac.”
“Yes, President.” Isaac bowed and prepared to leave as planned.
“Do not move”.
“…?” Isaac looked around, then pointed to himself. “Did you just give me an order?”
“Yeah, don’t move.” Specter’s voice was not filled with admiration. Instead, he had spoken to her nonchalantly, as if it were a one-sided conversation.
“…LOL.” Isaac let out a forced laugh. He was filled with a strange feeling.
‘Who is this lunatic…?’
No one, not even the Heavens in the Demon Association, dared to give him an order. They knew how powerful it was, after all.
“Ah, I see…” Isaac finally understood. The man in front of him was only this bold because he didn’t know how strong Isaac was.
‘They say there’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity… Yes, I believe it now.’
In that case, he simply had to show it to her.
Isaac took a step forward and a large amount of demonic energy poured out of him like wildfire. What are you going to do now that I’ve moved?
Bang!
Isaac felt a burning sensation on his face. He tried to process what had just happened.
‘…My face hurts.’
Blood spurted from his nose.
“Oh, so…”
The enemy had attacked him.
“Isaac.”
Just when he was about to explode with rage, he felt the pressure of the presence behind him.
“He is my prey. Stick to your duties.
“Yeah, so…” Isaac looked at Specter for a second, then flicked his finger.
“You…!” Specter yelled.
“You should focus on me too.”
Watchguard of Darkness had dissipated into thin air after firing.
‘Damn, I missed him.’
I didn’t know if it was for better or worse, but Isaac was gone.
“Now that we’re here, I’m much happier than I expected.”
“…” The Heavenly Demon looked at his watch with a soft smile on his face. “I think it will take some time for the game to start, so let’s warm up before then.”
‘…Match?’
Seo Jun-Ho didn’t have time to ask what the Heavenly Demon meant as his body began to tremble as the Heavenly Demon unleashed his demonic energy.
‘This bastard…’
He instantly reminded Specter of someone else.
‘Lord God of Thunder…’
The God of Thunder carried thunder on his body. However, the Heavenly Demon was different.
‘…Who the hell is this guy?’
He felt that he was facing a malicious force of nature disguised as a human. Usually, he was a being to be avoided at all costs.
Unfortunately, Specter had no other choice.