MDPS 85🔐

Chapter 85

My Dark Past is Too Strong 

Royal Blood (2)

PVP on the field is dangerous.

If you make a single mistake, a summoner could die.

But I thought I was safe from that threat.

Because I could summon my creatures from a distance.

Yet even after summoning them, I learned for the first time that death was still possible.

A wound grazed my neck.

I traced the spot with my fingers again.

‘Even though I summoned my creatures, the sword still brushed against my neck.’

That meant the “system’s protection” was no longer absolute.

No, this was probably still within the rules the system allowed.

Then the conclusion was clear:

Regardless of whether I summoned my creatures, some adventurers had the ability to attack summoners directly.

Tch… this is getting troublesome.

I wouldn’t have known if that guy hadn’t charged straight at me.

His recklessness, born from arrogance, ironically saved me.

And yet, that very recklessness fueled my rage.

What do they think a person’s life is worth?

My anger at them loosened not just the reins of my summoned creatures, but my own resolve.

“Herr, do not grow attached to your hands.”

“I shall obey my master’s command.”

Snap!

A violet sword-like barrier and fine threads of light sliced through the air, piercing the hearts of the summoned creatures with deadly precision.

Then a swirling torrent followed.

Sure enough, my current summons were far stronger than before.

Hertia grabbed the head of a fallen summoned creature roughly.

Thunk!

She swung it with full force and threw it at the feet of the creature’s owner.

“Now. Try killing it with your own hands.”

“…!”

The summoner trembled with fear.

Seeing that, Hertia laughed like a madwoman.

“Ahahaha! Scared, are you? Just because I told you to kill your own summoned creature?”

Her laughter didn’t stop.

“There’s no reason to be scared. You drew blood on your master’s neck. You harbored intent to kill. And now, you tremble at something so trivial?”

The attackers, soaked in fear, seemed unable to properly grasp Hertia’s words.

Confusing for them, no doubt.

They never expected to meet the Witch of the Apocalypse here.

Then Hertia strode forward toward them.

“Watch closely. If anyone dares harm the one I follow, the Witch of the Apocalypse, Hertia—see what they will lose.”

And—

She stomped on the head of the fallen summoned creature.

Fwoosh!

Purple sparks flew, and blood splattered.

Hertia’s silver hair and cheeks were streaked with crimson.

[The Sword-Wielding Poet Arillo has suffered a fatal injury and will be resummoned.]
[The Sword-Wielding Poet Arillo is paralyzed with fear and requires an extended rest.]
[Time until resummon: 59 days 23 hours 58 minutes]

With a blood-smeared face, Hertia scanned the remaining summoned creatures.

“Whose head shall I pluck next? You? Or you?”

Her lips curled into a smile, but a chilling anger lingered beneath it.

At that moment, a glow flickered behind her.

Chiriring─

[Marena uses Divine Punishment skill.]

A massive thunderbolt, like heaven’s wrath, struck the mass of summoned creatures.

Ka-rak-ka-gag-gag-gang!

The floor shattered, smoke and flashes blending together.

“Will one strike suffice? No, all deserve divine punishment.”

Marena shook her head as she looked down at the summoned creatures trying to dodge the divine lightning.

“Foolish ones. Why do you invite calamity upon yourselves?”

Though her voice sounded almost sympathetic, it was filled with coldness and contempt.

Those staring death in the face had lost all will to fight—and even the strength to run.

Except for one.

Someone whose eyes still burned with deadly intent.

‘Izaka Yoichi, was it? His eyes won’t die.’

I nodded.

“Theo.”

“I shall obey my lord’s command, naturally.”

With the Black Prince’s clear voice, shadows rose.

But one of them—Kaligo—remained silent.

When I turned my gaze to Kaligo, he immediately approached me.

“Sage, there is something I wish to confirm.”

“Will it take long?”

“No. I will confirm it immediately.”

“Understood.”

Kaligo, brimming with deadly intent, walked toward the adventurers, not the summoned creatures.

Congo Democratic Republic Presidential Palace, Underground Defense Strategy Situation Room

As the heavy soundproof door closed, its short metallic clang announced the start of the meeting.

Lee Jung-yul silently scanned the room.

Every seat at the round table was filled.

Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Public Security, Interior, and Economy—all those directly or indirectly connected to adventurers were present.

From the moment they sat, every minister’s expression was unpleasant.

“How urgent must this be to summon us at this hour?”
“Joseph, is it really that pressing? To the extent of using the president’s private conference room?”
“What has gotten into them lately? Strange indeed.”

Short sighs and whispers passed, but they didn’t last long.

Lee Jung-yul turned on the microphone without looking up.

“You are aware that the 99th floor of the Tower of Strife in the Congo Democratic Republic was just cleared.”

Murmurs filled the room.

“That was cleared by a South Korean adventurer, per agreement with Chief Joseph Umbanda.”

All eyes turned to Joseph.

Some envied him, others glared with jealousy.

But Joseph remained silent, bowing his head.

“However, I received an interesting message. Near the Tower of Strife… energy of unknown origin was extracted, according to a warning message.”

Lee Jung-yul spoke calmly, but her tone was like a machine: emotionless, slicing anger into fragments.

“Who did it?”

Silence.

Eyes darted among the ministers, but none spoke.

“You don’t need to answer.”

Lee Jung-yul nodded.

“South Korea will regard this as a serious threat against its adventurers.”

“What did you say?! What—”
“—Quiet, please.”

Tap.

She snapped her fingers lightly on the table, and the sharp sound reverberated through the room.

A few ministers flinched subconsciously.

“A Japanese adventurer attempted to attack our adventurer. Someone hired them. We tried to prevent the attack with the help of local adventurers in Congo, but!”

Silence.

No one even dared breathe.

“Permission was never granted. Who stopped them? Surely, it’s connected to whoever spread the false information.”

She clasped her hands and smiled faintly.

“Very well. If dialogue is not desired, then let’s wage ‘war.’ From today, any country attempting normal diplomatic relations with Congo will lose access to all data in the Tower of Records.”

“What!”
“This is an outright threat!”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maseka Obala, jumped up.

But he couldn’t meet Lee Jung-yul’s gaze.

“The Tower of Records is international property! Exclusive control is absurd!”
“Thank you for such common-sense words.”

Lee Jung-yul nodded.

“Then, the group that ordered an assassination against an adventurer managing international property may be considered terrorists, correct?”
“That’s baseless speculation—”

Bang!

The table shook.

This time, it wasn’t her fingers. Lee Jung-yul slammed her palm down.

Every minister flinched, but she didn’t even acknowledge their reaction.

“I have already contacted all major powers except China and Japan. Second-tier countries like France, the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Vietnam, and India as well.”

No one could breathe in the room.

Just a few seconds of silence, but it was suffocating.

“Next are third-tier countries. Contact will begin shortly. Congo’s isolation is only a matter of time. Dungeon Breaks at the Tower of Elves? Handle them alone. If nearby countries’ resentment grows, bear it yourselves.”

Her words were not prophecy—they were judgment.

“…I wonder which country will oppose your refusal to provide information from the Tower of Records.”
“You mean… you intend to place us in opposition? Do you truly wish that?”

Someone asked softly.

Lee Jung-yul tilted her head slightly.

“Opposition? Belarus? North Korea? You want to ally with them? With countries that train hunters? Go ahead. I won’t stop you.”

Her words outlined the worst-case scenario.

Yet she didn’t actually wish relations to spiral into disaster.

“But, if you wish, there is a way to restore relations.”

The ministers looked up.

Daniel, Minister of Economy, spoke cautiously.

“And… what is that?”
“I will not ask who orchestrated this. However, our adventurer is in danger. Lift restrictions on adventurers so they may rescue him.”

After a long pause, the Minister of Defense spoke.

“…I will permit domestic adventurers’ actions.”
“Wise decision.”

Lee Jung-yul nodded briefly.

She rose quietly with Joseph Umbanda and left.

Before exiting, she left one final remark.

“South Korea wishes for the prosperity and development of the Congo Democratic Republic.”

The iron doors closed silently. The conference room fell into a silent disaster.

No one could speak.

‘How is this even possible?’

[Wind-Cutter Prino collapses.]
[Sword Collector Siren collapses.]
[Even in daylight, Tsukuro collapses.]
⁝

Izaka Yoichi couldn’t believe what was happening before his eyes.

Over ten members of the organization continued to summon creatures.

Even as Hertia tore off the heads of their creatures, they summoned more.

And yet, the situation didn’t improve.

“Now… what do we do?”

One of the members asked.

Izaka could not answer. He had no idea what to do.

‘Should I run? No, could I even escape?’

At that moment, a boy in black armor holding a golden standard appeared before him.

“Your lord wishes for your death.”
“…Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve survived dozens, hundreds of crises like this.”

Even in such peril, Izaka had survived.

He had survived in the gutter, selling the corneas, kidneys, and anything valuable from the dead.

Summoned creatures, of course.

Living that life, he had faced countless crises before.

‘This situation is just one of many…!’

Spinning a folding blade, Izaka planted his foot firmly.

In a flash, he launched toward Oh Hyun-woo.

Jingle.

The standard struck him in the abdomen.

“Khrk!”
“Still making foolish choices until the end.”

Theo struck Izaka’s head while he was reeling from pain.

Thunk!

Izaka Yoichi collapsed.

In front of him, Kaligo tossed one of the members like a toy.

Thunk!

The member’s body was coated with a green liquid.

Scratching compulsively in both pain and irritation, black blood soon poured from every part of his body.

Seeing this, Kaligo looked at Izaka and said:

“You received the blood of a vampire.”
“…!”
“And of royal lineage, no less.”