BRDM 161

chapter 161

A moment later.

“Hey! Turn on the lights!”
“What on earth is going on?!”
“Show us the match!”

Amid the jeering crowd, a voice boomed from the darkness.

『¡Silencio! Didn’t you all see it? The power that appeared on this stage tonight was the kind that could turn the pleasures of Carnarium into boredom!!』

From the darkness, Ramón’s voice echoed through the megaphone, shaking the ceiling.

Then, thunk!
A spotlight fell on Ramón.

But the murmurs didn’t stop, so he raised his voice.

『This wasn’t a match—it was almost a massacre! Carnarium exists only for the show and for legends, not for slaughter!』

The crowd booed loudly, expressing their dissatisfaction. Ramón, however, quickly returned to a calm, smiling tone and continued.

『But do not despair! Tonight, we witnessed a power that even the gods would fear…! The show hasn’t stopped; the curtain merely fell for a bigger stage!』

He implied that had the match continued, it would have been a boring, predictable fight.

The spectators at the arena were thrill-seekers who wanted extreme tension rather than fair betting odds. Recalling how the magical aura of Guire had overwhelmed 30 gladiators, they nodded in agreement.

『Tonight’s story will become the legend of tomorrow and the next night! You will witness the greatest show in history! So now… we only pause for a moment.』

Though the crowd remained discontent, Ramón’s words swayed them into anticipation for what came next. After all, the showman Ramón never lied.

Moreover, those who lost their bets were refunded, and those who profited received a free month’s pass—so complaints quickly faded.

Once all the refund procedures were complete:

“…Haa.”

Ramón leaned against a stadium pillar, finally catching his breath.

“Today’s financial losses must be substantial. Are you okay with this?”

Lee Hyun approached him.

Ramón smiled wryly.

“It seems the person causing the losses isn’t worried….”
“If you want, we could even resume the match now.”
“Haha. If I were worried about losses, I couldn’t run a show business at all. Better to lose money than both people and money.”

Though he spoke casually, ordinary people wouldn’t handle it this way. They’d panic over immediate losses and end up losing everything.

‘He has solid principles. People over relationships, relationships over money,’ Lee Hyun thought.

It was a glimpse of how a former zealot could thrive in this extreme capitalist den.

‘That explains why General Lee always maintained secret networks.’

He wondered if Ramón was part of that network.

“And it’s not really a loss. If I can get closer to Guire, that’s a lottery you can’t put a price on yet.”

Ramón’s words were smooth, like butter. Lee Hyun found himself warming up to him.

“Hey! Ramón!! What are you going to do about this?! You raised the stakes, and now this sudden halt—what’s that about?!”
“Listen! My luck today was incredible! And you’d stop it midway—are you taking responsibility for that?!”
“Yeah! What about our compensation?!”

Thirty angry gladiators surged toward Ramón. Security rushed to protect him.

“Calm down, everyone. Honestly, this match wasn’t fair either. Someone like Ali already fought twice before and needed rest.”

One gladiator who had won the previous match frowned.

“So today, you can enjoy the resort we’ve prepared and focus on tomorrow’s match. The compensation will be no less than the Kraken’s Eye—”

“Shut it!!”

A gladiator, already drunk, threw his cup at Ramón.

Thwack!
It shattered on his forehead, blood dripping down his cheek.

The security’s eyes sharpened. Half the gladiators moved for their weapons; the rest followed.

Two camps formed, ready to clash.

“Stop!!”

At Ramón’s command, everyone froze—proof of his absolute authority.

The drunk gladiator still sneered.

“Ha! See this? I suspected match-fixing, but look at this mess—rats everywhere!”
“Uh-oh… looks like Darren the Butcher’s mascot is very angry.”

Ramón pressed a handkerchief to his wound and smiled brightly.

“What can we do to change Darren’s mind? If my offer doesn’t please him, we’ll find another form of compensation.”

“No! What’s the use?! My name’s already in the mud!”

Other gladiators nodded, glaring at Lee Hyun.

Why was the match stopped?
Because Guire was too strong. Henceforth, any victory would bear Guire’s mark.

A gladiator’s life is their reputation—essentially destroyed.

“…Then what compensation do you want?”
“Something expensive! Maybe the Kraken’s Eye? Huh?”

Darren glared at Lee Hyun, grinning wickedly.

Until now, Lee Hyun had remained calm and silent.

Ramón’s smile vanished.

“That’s a rather excessive demand. We’ll consider additional compensation. For now, you seem too drunk—discuss this soberly tomorrow.”

“Don’t want to give it? Then we’ll take it ourselves!! With Guire’s head, our honor is restored!!”

Darren and the others lunged at Lee Hyun.

At close range.

‘Damn!’

They intentionally closed the distance. Ramón was about to shout to stop them when—

“Chatter, chatter, too noisy.”

Crackle!
The amethyst on Lee Hyun’s rune staff rotated.

―ᛊ

A small electromagnetic sphere formed around him. Sparks jumped on its surface.

Pffft!

In an instant, Darren and his group were electrocuted. The currents struck their foreheads as pre-targeted by Lee Hyun’s Eye of Flame.

They fell dead in the exact positions they had lunged.

“……!”
“……!”
Everyone else, including gladiators, security, and servers, covered their mouths in shock.

Ramón only smiled wryly.

“See? You should survive when offered a chance… don’t act reckless while drunk.”

He gestured to the servers.

“Clear the area. Tomorrow’s guests are important to the show. We can’t offend them.”

“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Guire… will go with me to the office. You two seem to have much to discuss.”

Clink…

Ramón placed a cup of coffee before Lee Hyun.

“Geisha coffee from Panama. Only a few beans are chosen from hundreds of trees for this cup.”

Lee Hyun just stared at it.

“Do you dislike coffee…?” Ramón asked carefully.
“No. I was checking their preferences.”

He was referring to General Lee. Before leaving, Lee Hyun was told not to show too much knowledge of him.

“Oh, he must like coffee a lot too. He always sends it with his letters.”

‘He hid his identity all this time.’

A faint smile appeared on Ramón’s face—different from his usual businesslike grin.

Lee Hyun lifted the cup and sipped.

“The aroma is strong, yet the finish is smooth. Similar to the slaughterhouse operations.”
“I appreciate your compliment.”

“You don’t ask about our relationship?”
“Haha. He’ll tell you when the time comes. He wouldn’t harm you.”

Lee Hyun was curious about General Lee’s “magic”: how he maintained trust while hiding his identity.

“Let me explain my story briefly, so Guire doesn’t misunderstand. I didn’t expect to tell it after leaving that place…”

Ramón exhaled deeply, then spoke calmly.

“You’ve probably guessed—I and the children outside are from the Heretic Church.”

Lee Hyun subtly opened the Eye of Flame, observing the hallway outside the office.

The gladiators paced anxiously by the door. Their focus entirely on Ramón, worried about what might happen with Lee Hyun.

“I was a bishop, they were my Paladin candidates. Their order—”
“Interrogators, I assume.”
“…You even figured that out? Amazing.”
“Habits and strides reveal the assassin class.”

Ramón chuckled wryly, nodding heavily.

“Yes. I was an Inquisitor, specializing in kidnapping and assassinating heretics disrupting the Church.”
“Getting out must’ve been hard.”
“Haha… it was. I occupied a seat only zealots could.”

The Heretic Church’s information was scarce, their influence global and concealed. They operated strictly in cells, with members bound by fanaticism alone.

“The thing is, humans can go to extremes once they turn their backs. I did so myself.”

Though he avoided details, his emotions—hatred, contempt, regret—were evident.

“When I regained my senses, I was deeply entangled with no way out. I wanted to save the children too but didn’t know how… That’s when—”
“The General helped.”

Ramón’s tense expression softened.

“Yes. Somehow he suddenly sent a letter offering rescue. Initially, I thought the Vatican doubted my faith… but here I am.”

‘Just like me,’ Lee Hyun thought, recalling how General Lee reached out to him and Musoochan when they struggled at the academy.

“He was a lighthouse for both of us.”

“Now, let’s forget the bitter first taste and move on to the smooth business aftertaste.”

Ramón, cheerful again, rubbed his hands together.

“I’ve heard your general idea. You want a business in Guam?”

Lee Hyun nodded.

“I want to explore the Deep Sea Dungeon. Can you help?”

“Ah. That’s why you struck the City Cartel so hard—to seize the Blue Ribbon?”
“Something like that.”

The Blue Ribbon in Guam is a certificate for 21 companies allowed into the Black Zone. Only holders can claim mining shares or enter the Deep Sea Dungeon. Guam is a world ruled by the strong, so seizing the Ribbon is possible.

“You’re aiming for a very difficult venture. We never bothered with mines ourselves… What now?”

Ramón pondered, then smiled slyly.

“Would you like to expand the stage? Make it bigger?”
“The stage?”
“Yes. Frankly, we also want to ride along and expand our business with you.”

His negotiator’s gaze was humble but not submissive.

Lee Hyun liked Ramón even more.

“What’s your plan?”
“Our slaughterhouse becomes your sponsor.”
“Then Guire becomes Guam’s superstar. How about that?”