The Overlord of Blood and Iron

"Guys." Kang Chul-In spoke. "I'll leave those dregs to you."

Even he couldn't take care of all the "guardians of the nest" at once.

"Of course, oppa."

"Then will you give it to me once?"

"Leave it to me!"

"You can let us handle it, your Majesty!"

The nuance of each reaction was different, but the unit all complied with Kang Chul-In's orders without any complaints. Cereb's elimination would protect both Pangaea and the Earth. Each of their desires were different, but they could all only be possible when the world existed. They had to protect it. The world was the base of life. This fight was unavoidable for the sake of each of their dreams and desires!

-Kang Chul-In… you'll painstakingly regret coming here!

At the same time that Cereb exuded intense brain waves,

-Keek?!

-Kyaaaaak!

-Kiiiii!

The guardians of the Agnaga began to run towards the unit.

Kang Chul-In smiled. "Now it's one to one. Should we have a nice little chat?"

-That's what I wanted, Kang Chul-In.

While the unit and the guardians of the Agnaga were fighting, the two who were connected by an ill fate stood opposite of one another. Kang Chul-In and Lee Gong-Myung. From the past that didn't exist anymore to now, the fate of the two were tied complicatedly.

I'll be able to take care of everything today.

Kang Chul-In was satisfied with the situation. He thought things had worked out for the better. His target and long-time enemy were the same beings, so he had no reason to be complaining. He could turn his ambition into reality by eliminating Cereb and letting go of his grudge. How could he not be happy about it?

-Kang Chul-In…

Cereb spoke up in a suppressed voice.

-I've been waiting for a long time… Alex's enemy… revenge… I gave up being human to take revenge… but to think you'd come on your own two feet…

"Do you think it'll be possible?"

-Of course.

Cereb was confident he would succeed.

-Today, you will be destroyed.

"Really?"

-I'll put your head on Alex's altar… Kang Chul-In.

"Go ahead." Kang Chul-In was relaxed. "Try however many times you want."

-Yes, there's no need for a long discussion between you and me.

Cereb didn't seem to plan on talking for too long either.

-I'll kill you, Kang Chul-In!

Hundreds of tentacles shot out from Lee Gong-Myung's body and began to squirm.

"How creepy." Kang Chul-In frowned. "I'm surprised you were brave enough to look like that."

-How long will you…

Just as he was finishing his thought, Kairforce and Mitra were swung at the speed of light.

Crunch, crunch! Tens of tentacles rolled on the floor and squirmed disgustingly on the floor.

"They're pretty mild."

-...!

"Octopus legs would be tougher than this. The butter-fried octopus rings they sell at theaters would be better than this."

-What…!

Lee Gong-Myung was shocked.

-N-No way…!

It was understandable. Lee Gong-Myung's attacking tentacles were nearly invincible, more durable than cable wires. The tentacles were cut too easily. Lee Gong-Myung couldn't believe it.

"What, are you surprised?" Kang Chul-In spoke in a derisive tone. "You weren't planning on hurting me with those dirty tentacles, right?"

-...

"I pray that you weren't. It would be extremely unpleasant." He was speaking the truth. Kang Chul-In didn't like tentacles. Moreover, Lee Gong-Myung was homosexual, or gay. Being wrapped around by tentacles from a gay person? He would rather die after being hit at a critical point than experience something that uncomfortable.

Never.

He wasn't going to create an embarrassing moment that would go down in history. Right now, a complete victory was crucial. He couldn't allow Cereb to touch him in the slightest. For his mental health at the very least…

"I'll make sushi out of you, you squid-like bug bastard."

As soon as he finished, he dashed at Lee Gong-Myung.

***

Meanwhile, at the same time.

"Y-Your Majesty…!" Kwak Jung quickly woke back up again after fainting.

"Tactician Kwak!"

"A-Alfred… sir…"

"Please speak!"

"I-I have to tell… his Majesty."

"His Majesty?"

"He's… coming…"

"Pardon?"

"He's coming soon… there's not much time left…"

"W-What are you talking about?"

Alfred didn't understand a single word. No one would've, in that position. There was no rhyme or reason to what Kwak Jung was saying. He was just listing short words, so it was impossible to interpret it.

"Please be more detailed, Tactician Kwak! Only then will be able to tell his Majesty!"

"Wrong… he…"

"...?"

"Mistake… not fixed… if he resurrects…"

"Huh…!"

"No… time… react… his resurrection…"

Alfred looked at Kwak Jung with pity.

"Tactician Kwak… just what you do you want to say… what did you see…"

But he was sure of one thing. Kwak Jung was "warning" him.Something dangerous was coming, and Kang Chul-In had to be informed. That was what Kwak Jung was saying.

"You have to… Alfred…"

"Yes, Tactician Kwak."

"Tell… His… Majesty…"

"Please hang in there a bit, Tactician Kwak." Alfred encouraged Kwak Jung. "His Majesty will come soon. If you can wait until then…"

"Vampire…"

"...?"

"The vampire… made… me…"

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Foresight… vampire… so I can… speak … foresight…"

Kwak Jung gripped Alfred's arm with a strength that wasn't imaginable for someone bedridden.

"Tactician Kwak?"

"Foresight… only human… I… vampire… tell… then..."

"Just what…!"

"Bi… me… vampire…"

Just then, Alfred came to a realization.

No way.

It sounded like Kwak Jung was telling Alfred to make him into a vampire. Foresight was a supernatural ability that only humans could use. To completely get rid of it, getting rid of one's humanity would do the trick. The moment that one became a vampire, the side effects that came with foresight would be taken care of as well.

But,

"I can't do that, Tactician Kwak." Alfred shook his head. "This old man must save you, not make you something not human."

"Immediately…"

"I'm sorry, Tactician Kwak." Alfred shook his head firmly even with Kwak Jung's desperate request. "Tactician Kwak… you do not know… what a curse it is to live as a vampire…"

"T-Talking… uh… limit… n-no more… huk… huk… huk."

"I still cannot." Alfred was firm. "Please bear it, Tactician Kwak."

"Pl… ease… hak… euh… uhhhhh…"

"I promised his Majesty that I'd return your health. This old man cannot disobey his Majesty's orders and make you into a cursed being."

"Aaaaack!"

"I don't know what kind of warning you're trying to say, but please deliver it to his Majesty when he comes himself."

"A-Ack!" Kwak Jung struggled.

"Whew…" Alfred turned away from Kwak Jung. "Just what is it, huh…?"

He was frustrated because he couldn't tell what Kwak Jung was saying.

"Please deliver it to his Majesty yourself, Tactician Kwak." It was clear something big was going on, but Alfred wasn't going to make Kwak Jung a vampire. "No matter how urgent it is, there are things you should and shouldn't do… huhu."

He knew how pitiful the life of a vampire was better than anyone, so he couldn't heed Kwak Jung's request.

"Aack, aaaaaack!" Kwak Jung's screams filled the room.

"Please hold on just a bit, Tactician Kwak."

Alfred just hoped that Kwak Jung could endure it a little bit more. Until how long? Until Kang Chul-In eliminated Cereb and returned.

***

Plop, plop, plop, plop! The guardians of the nest fell to the floor one by one.

"Ugh… they're ridiculously strong." Dorian grumbled. He was a mess.

"Yeah, I know, right." Hecate didn't look normal either.

"They were strong."

"They're pretty good."

Lucia and Han Ye-Sun added on. The guardians of the nest were extremely powerful. If they had come here one year ago, they might've died…

"Kang Chul-In's almost done too." Dorian muttered as he looked at Kang Chul-In and Lee Gong-Myung's fight.

"That's Kang Chul-In for you."

Dorian, who was pretty strong too, could see how intense the battle was. Their fight wasn't just one between swords and tentacles. Each strike held energy that could destroy their bodies at once. It wasn't a fancy fight, but the dangers in it were beyond one's imagination.

But that fight was almost at its end.

Pewk! Kaiforce dug into the center of Lee Gong-Myung, Cereb's, large brain.

"It's the end, Lee Gong-Myung."

-...!

"Your will… oh, never mind." Kang Chul-In shook his head. "I don't have a reason to listen to your will. Don't worry about what I have to say and just die."

-K, Kang Chul-In…!

"You may feel wronged, but that's not my problem." He whipped out the whirlwind from the magic sword Kaifroce. Mana spun around fiercely.

-N-No! M-My revenge… Alex's revenge… Kang Chul-In… I can't be killed by you… never… I can't die…!

"Then don't."

-...!

"Don't die, and endure it." Kang Chul-In was cruel. "Try to endure it."

At the same time, a large storm swirled down Kaiforce and began to whirl around in Lee Gong-Myung's brain.

-K-Kuuuk…!

Lee Gong-Myung shouted in pain.

-Ka, kaaaaaaaack!

No one would've been able to endure it if a storm whirled around inside their brain.

P-Pop! The surface of his brain began to explode like pus.

-Kang Chul-Innnnnn! Kek, kuuuuuuk…!

"You can take revenge in your dreams."

-H-Huk!

"Alright, then I hope you have a nice time in hell with Alex Rothschild. Although, I don't know if Rothschild will accept you."

That was the end. Kang Chul-In put all the mana he had in Kaiforce, and the mega vortex in Lee Gong-Myung's head became so large that it was like a typhoon.

-Keeek!

Lee Gong-Myung shouted his final scream.

"Let's go." Kang Chul-In quickly led his party away. "If we stay here any longer, we'll be drenched with his brain fluids."

The party rushed after Kang Chul-In to get out of the cave. No one looked back. They didn't want to be covered in the brain fluids of an alien bug.

-Where are you going? Where are you going, Kang Chul-Iiiiiiiin!

Lee Gong-Myung screamed.

-I, I must take my revenge…! You can't return alive…

But, Lee Gong-Myung couldn't endure.

Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pooooop!

Hwiiiiiii! With the sound of wind spinning around, Lee Gong-Myung's brain that was thousands of kilograms exploded.

But that wasn't the end of it. The mega vortex didn't stop. The nest began to come crumbling down.

"Run!" Kang Chul-In shouted.

"Let's go together, Oppa!" Han Ye-Sun followed Kang Chul-In at a scary pace.

"Woohoo! Let's run, run! Hahaha~!" Dorian laughed maniacally. It seemed he was feeling the thrill of the moment.

"Hey, you crazy bastard. What are you laughing about?" Hecate grumbled at him.

"Your Majesty! We have to get out quickly!" Lucia just worried about Kang Chul-In, like always.

***

Meanwhile...

"Hmmm… not yet?" Desdemona started at the status window in front of her. "Right about now…"

It was then...

Rank 2 - Overlord Lee Ji-Tae, dead!

The notification she had been waiting for finally popped up.

[Total ranking]

Rank 1- Supreme King of the West Kang Chul-In (most likely to become emperor!)

▶Required Lord Points to become emperor: 10,000 P

Rank 2- Overlord Lee Chae-Rin

Rank 3- Overlord Hecate

Rank 4- Overlord Dorian Explorer

※The remaining Overlords have passed away!

"Good." Desdemona nodded. "That dirty virus is gone now. Alright, shall I get started?"

With Cereb eliminated, it was now possible to force the stop of the ranking system. It was time to make Kang Chul-In the final winner, the emperor!

"...النقد الدولي" She began to recite a spell.

***

Kang Chul-In's party put the toppling Shatyameba territory behind them.

"Whew… we almost died." Dorian sighed in relief. "Well, we wouldn't have died anyway…"

Suddenly,

[Total ranking, 10 seconds until finished!]

A notification that Dorian could only consider strange popped up.

"T-Total ranking finished? What's this? Is this a system error?"

"No." Kang Chul-In shook his head. "It's not a system error."

"I-It's not?"

"It's a forced stop."

"Forced… stop? What's that?"

"It..."

"...?"

"It means that I'll become emperor."

"E-Emperor?"

"Wait for it."

Kang Chul-In grinned.

[9, 8, 7, 6…]

The countdown began.

[5, 4, 3, 2, 1… 0!]

[Total ranking, finished! With the forced stop of the total ranking, the final winner will be chosen based on the current ranking!]

Kang Chul-In closed his eyes. I am the final victor. It was a desire he had for a long time. The dream he had before regressing, becoming emperor! That great ambition was becoming reality.

[The final victor of the total ranking will be announced!]

[3, 2, 1!]

[The final victor is... the one ranked first currently, the Supreme King of the West Kang Chul-In!]

As soon as the notification popped up, flash! A golden ray of light fell from the sky and swallowed Kang Chul-In.