Sovereign of Judgment

Episode 5: Citizenship / Chapter 83: Musical Chairs (6)

TL: emptycube / ED: Obelisk

A fierce wind blew as it kicked up desolate sand.

In this desolate desert, ‘rain-trees’, known to spread their roots up to 100 meters below the ground, were spread out here and there as a drizzle poured down between their leaves. They drew water from deep underground up through their roots and drizzled light rain from their gypsophila-like leaves. It was a desolate area, but, at least near the rain-trees, it was green like an oasis. The rain-trees filled their roots with water, and moss, grass, and small flowers grew around it. The wind swept through as it shook the rain-trees. The drizzle the rain-trees shook off fluttered like a fog. The rolling sky of Dragonic, which was thick and white like milk, formed abnormally fast whirlpools and blew fierce winds.

The capital city of the Sovereign of Opportunity Nasir was called ‘Nasari’. Although it looked desolate from outside, because there was an enormous reservoir of underground water deep down, Nasari was actually a beautiful city which built springs and fountains from this water. It was even known as the ‘Jewel of the Desert’.

This beautiful city was currently noisier than usual.

“Hurray for the Berserkers!”

“Hurray!”

“Hurray! Welcome!”

With Choi Hyuk as the lead, the Berserkers entered Nasari without a fight.

Everywhere they went, they were met with a loud welcoming ceremony, let alone a fight.

The Sovereign of Opportunity Nasir took his followers and fled, but the non-combatant colonizers as well as small and medium-sized clans, who were active in this city, were unable to leave the city, which was the foundation of their lives. Their actions of welcoming the occupying forces were, in their own way, their survival method.

The gathered people flicked colored water. The colored water that was created by squeezing oil from the rain-trees was fragrant and light but also easily washed off with normal water. The colored water, which was being flicked from every direction, dyed the Berserkers in natural colors.

Whooosh!

A gust of wind swept up the colored water and surged towards the sky. Even the whirlwinds looked like they were blooming with flowers.

“Kah! This is good!”

The artillery captain Handke shouted in a good mood. When had they ever received such cheers? It felt like they were being rewarded after the hollowness they felt for losing the Sovereign of Opportunity Nasir.

“It’s worrying since it’s so good… Is this really alright?”

Ryu Hyunsung looked back at Baek Seoin with an uneasy expression. Baek Seoin nodded his head as he replied,

“My Intuition is fine. I only feel good.”

While receiving endless cheers, the Berserkers advanced towards the center of Nasari, where the portal was located. Until then, the people didn’t scatter and followed the Berserkers, cheering them on.

Just then, they arrived at the center of the city. Choi Hyuk stood in front of the pulsating portal and raised his hand. The portal was the source of a sovereign’s authority. It didn’t only make passage between Earth and the colonized lands possible but also allowed them to tax those who entered and deport those who entered through their portals as they wished. Choi Hyuk had just placed his hand on the authority Sovereign Nasir left behind when he fled.

The surroundings became silent. Everyone held their breaths as they watched. ‘What will happen?’ All previous cases of taking colonized lands up until now had been by killing the sovereign and succeeding their authority. That was how Choi Hyuk obtained Lao Ban and Freeman’s colonized lands. However, it was a bit different this time. Choi Hyuk occupied this territory while Sovereign Nasir was still alive. The people’s opinions were divided. There were some who thought that since Nasir was still alive, the authority would belong to him, and there were others who thought that since, in reality, Choi Hyuk captured this territory, the authority would be passed to him.

It was an important issue. While the people gathered here had cheered for the Berserkers’ entry for their own immediate safety, they couldn’t be seen as being 100% on Choi Hyuk’s side. In fact, they would make their final decision on which side to take depending on whether the authority was passed to Choi Hyuk or not.

Just then, Choi Hyuk’s hand touched the portal, and at the same time, the troubling, yet annoying calculations of the Nasari citizens ended as well.

[Sovereign Choi Hyuk has captured Sovereign Nasir’s portal. If Sovereign Nasir does not retake the portal within 24 hours, the authority of the portal will be passed over to Sovereign Choi Hyuk.]

Announced a pleasant voice. After they had become official alliance members of the Flame Wing Alliance, excluding the mission announcements, the announcements began to use polite, formal speech. Although it wasn’t much, their moods became pleasant whenever they heard the announcements.

Choi Hyuk grinned.

“We didn’t take a loss.”

If 24 hours passed, this colonized land would become Choi Hyuk’s as well. Naro’s scan confirmed that there weren’t any movements of a large-scale army within a day’s distance from here.

Finally, Choi Hyuk checked the surrounding combatants. The city reflected in his Eyes of Distinction was completely white (goodwill) or a light gray containing a little black (hostility). Although there was hostility due to fear and uneasiness, he couldn’t find any traces of killing intent. A color which signified complete surrender to the Berserkers.

This place was now Choi Hyuk’s new colonized land.

Choi Hyuk smiled slightly before turning around towards the Berserkers and shouting,

“Today, we feast and enjoy ourselves to the fullest!”

“Waaahhhh!!!”

A thunder-like shout erupted from the Berserkers, and soon after,

“Please come this way. We will take care of you!”

Prominent figures in Nasari stepped forward. To leave an impression on Choi Hyuk and his executives, they began to provide the Berserkers with the best food and residence.

An excited atmosphere boomed.

Although they killed Freeman, they couldn’t kill Sovereign Nasir. Still… they obtained 3 colonized lands from this expedition. A victory was a victory.

**

There wasn’t a specific banquet. All stores opened their doors wide and provided room. Each street had a banner. An inexhaustible amount of food and drinks were provided to the Berserkers free of charge. Due to Nasari citizens’ endless attention, the Berserkers didn’t have a chance to be bored. The Berserkers would become the ruling party of this place. As there could never be too many friends of the ruling party, the Nasari citizens’ excessive goodwill wasn’t unreasonable.

Amongst them, the attention on the Berserk Sovereign Choi Hyuk couldn’t help but be different. Berserkers who were at least of a captain rank were gathered at a splendid banquet. Prominent figures of Nasari were gathered here as well. They all wanted to leave an impression on Choi Hyuk. However, as Choi Hyuk didn’t even give them a glance, they couldn’t gather up the courage to start a conversation with him. In the end, they only attempted to create friendly relationships with Baek Seoin, Ryu Hyunsung, and other top executives.

It was a banquet filled only with good things for the Berserkers. They all paid attention to their moods and tried to keep them happy. Occasionally, when the Berserkers frowned in annoyance, they would back away.

To the prominent figures of Nasari, this banquet was like a nerve-wracking battlefield. Due to their efforts in wanting to create strong ties with the Berserkers, the Berserkers were able to spend their time more happily.

A man and woman pair entered this noisy banquet. A handsome, grey-haired middle-aged man and his beautiful aide.

Choi Hyuk, who sat comfortably as he ate quietly, naturally turned his gaze towards the newly arrived pair. Slowly, Choi Hyuk’s waist stood up. Choi Hyuk’s gaze was fixed on the grey-haired man. On one hand, it was because his face seemed familiar, but the effect from reading the other’s karma was greater.

‘… He’s strong?’

The grey-haired man. The karma emitted from him was unbelievably strong. He was constraining his karma with his outstanding control abilities, but Choi Hyuk was able to see through it. That was why he was surprised.

‘… At least one of his stats is at the 5-star level.’

Choi Hyuk himself had only recently been able to raise his Control to the 5-star level. He had been able to reach the 5-star level with the free karma points he obtained through the attack on the dimensional wasps’ nest, where he unleashed true flames instead of the heated flames of the Flaming Wing Dance. Only after experiencing fierce battles one after another was he able to barely reach this stage. He didn’t know there was someone else who had reached this stage as well.

——————–

[Comparison of Stats]

<Choi Hyuk>

Power: 365 (+213) (4★)  Speed: 371 (+201) (4★)  Control: 8 (5★)

Endurance: 100 (3★)  Stamina: 0 (4★)  Recovery: 371 (3★)

Retribution: 0 (5★)

<Richard>

Power: 278 (2★)  Speed: 0 (5★)  Control: 411 (+400) (4★)

Endurance: 137 (2★)  Stamina: 340 (3★)  Recovery: 237 (+57) (4★)

Retribution: 321 (4★)

——————–

Of course, strictly speaking, Richard wasn’t a 5-star level expert. Even though his Speed was 5-star, his Retribution hadn’t reached the 5-star level. Retribution indicated the difference between existences, like a CPU for a computer. No matter how great your graphics card was, if your CPU couldn’t keep up, it was useless. In the case where Retribution was lower than their stats, it would be difficult to display 10% of their power. Their cognitive abilities would stutter, unable to keep up with their 5-star stats, and they would be unable to use 5-star skills. Even if they invested their free karma, the amount their stats would increase by would be drastically reduced. People needed to gather 500 points to reach 5-star, and to Richard, who had only now reached 321 (4★), it was a critically negative factor. Not only that, but because he had focused on raising his Speed and Control, his Endurance and Power were only at the 2-star level.

Even still, Choi Hyuk had never seen anyone with karma as powerful as this besides himself. To be honest, he was a bit amazed. Only then did he remember his face. When he wondered where he had seen him before, he realized he had seen him during the attack on the dimensional wasps’ nest.

The most famous sovereign in the world.

“Sovereign Richard.”

At Choi Hyuk’s mumble, everyone’s gaze focused on Richard and his aide, Leah. Silence fell on the noisy banquet.

Only looking at their expressions, the Berserkers’ faces seemed to indicate ‘Why is Sovereign Richard here?’ while the prominent figures of Nasari showed compliant expressions, ‘So he came.’ From this, they could tell that Richard had already arrived at Nasari before the Berserkers.

Richard walked towards Choi Hyuk with surefooted steps. He maintained an appropriate distance before stopping and said,

“Can we talk for a bit?”

Instead of replying, Choi Hyuk got up from his seat and walked outside. Richard didn’t seem taken aback and followed behind him leisurely. His aide, Leah, gulped her saliva with an extremely tense expression and simply followed behind.

**

Choi Hyuk walked out of the city.

Whooosh.

The whirlpools in the sky were still moving faster than normal, and the wind kept sweeping in various directions. Dirt and dust kicked up. Occasionally, the drizzle from a rain-tree touched his cheek.

After leaving a suitable distance from the city, Richard immediately went straight to the point as he began to talk, facing Choi Hyuk’s back.

“Seven need to remain. But who among them will remain… That’s your worry, right?”

Choi Hyuk halted abruptly. However, he didn’t reply. Richard didn’t seem bothered as he continued with a friendly tone as if speaking to a long-time friend,

“You didn’t kill Jessie on your way here. Yeah, if it’s him, he possesses the qualifications to make humanity stronger as one of the seven overseers. Jessie, you, me. Even if we count this way, there are still four spots left. Who will survive? Who will be of use in this fight? It won’t be easy deciding.”

Choi Hyuk slowly turned his shoulders and looked directly at Richard. Richard came closer little by little as he continued to speak,

“However, I bet you already know this. That the longer we spend locked in a battle of wits, the greater our loss. We need to exercise our full rights as soon as possible, and we also need to improve this damn situation surrounding us a little.”

Every word resonated with Choi Hyuk. However, as he was unaware of Richard’s intentions, his eyes gradually deepened, turning black.

Richard stopped at an appropriate distance. Then, he lifted one finger and said,

“One month.”

The wind blew between them.

“I will end this fight in one month.”

“… What?”

Choi Hyuk was taken aback. A month was extremely short. Dragonic was estimated to be much larger than Earth. How was it that he was going to make the sovereigns, who were spread throughout the lands, submit in a month? Visiting each of them once would take over a month, let alone capturing them.

Nonetheless, Richard was carefree as if ‘it would obviously progress that way’. He made a proposal.

“But, let’s negotiate on who will be the seven overseers ahead of time.”

Choi Hyuk frowned. To be honest, Choi Hyuk didn’t know many sovereigns. Richard, Jessie, Camilla was all. Although he did know Nasir, he was trash he would take out anyways…

So, his suggestion of deciding the seven overseers ahead of time seemed frank.

“Negotiate ahead of time?… Who are you thinking of?”

“First, Camilla?”

At his reply, Choi Hyuk nodded. Richard followed by nodding his head as well. Although he didn’t know her well, Choi Hyuk felt that if it was Camilla, she had the qualifications to be one of the seven overseers.

Richard smiled.

“Yeah. The majority are understandable. But, there is someone we absolutely need to discuss.”

Richard hesitated momentarily. It was different from before when he had continued to talk without hesitation. By the time doubt started to condense in Choi Hyuk’s eyes, Richard suddenly spat out a name.

“The Sovereign of Opportunity Nasir.”

Choi Hyuk’s face stiffened.

“… Who?”

“The Sovereign of Opportunity Nasir. Let’s add him as one of the seven overseers. Then I will make this fight end in a month.”

Said Richard calmly while looking at Choi Hyuk’s chilling expression.

Choi Hyuk’s lips twisted.

“Don’t tell me… Nasir’s choice to flee was something that came out of your head?”

Richard faced Choi Hyuk directly and said,

“That’s right.”

Their gazes clashed fiercely. A wind continued to blow from somewhere.