Ubermensch – Chapter 18

Chapter 18

“Using the Player System…”

“…we’ll turn the pseudo-humans into Players. Korea will become an indispensable power, one that cannot function without us. And through that military power, we’ll make Korea protect us.”

“Why this country, specifically?”

“Because it’s adequately developed, adequately broken, and adequately ignorant.”

Yekaterina spoke quietly.

“Mason, can you distinguish between Northern European and Eastern European Caucasians? Can you differentiate between Slavs and Celts?”

“No.”

“Westerners can. But it’s almost impossible for Easterners, especially in a country like Korea that was closed off from the world.”

“So it’s easier to create new identities?”

“Yes, especially…given Korea’s current situation.”

Yekaterina looked at Mason.

“Ten million people once lived in Seoul. Millions lived in Gangwon Province as well. They vanished all at once. Especially when plans to suppress monsters with military force failed, a significant number of soldiers serving on active duty were killed. Korea is critically short of combatants. That’s why they’re utilizing the Player System more aggressively compared to other countries.”

Yekaterina gave a dry smile.

“One day, even if they find out we’re pseudo-humans, they won’t be able to get rid of us. Korea has lost too many young men, and if someone is eligible for conscription, their race won’t matter.”

“And on top of that, it’s adequately developed?”

“Yes.”

“So that’s why it has to be this country…”

“Do you understand?”

“Almost.”

Mason tilted his head and asked,

“Why do you have to go to such lengths?”

“Pardon?”

“You’re human.”

“…We’re not human.”

“You are human.”

In that moment, Yekaterina realized.

“In your time, are we also considered human?”

“So what if you’re a bit bigger or can turn into wolves? That’s not particularly unusual by our standards.”

“…”

“To surprise people with something from our era, you’d need to be able to multiply or evaporate.”

Yekaterina’s eyes shone with a complex light.

But only for a moment.

“I see. So one day, we might also be called human.”

She spoke calmly.

“But that time is not now, and we haven’t yet secured our right to exist. So…I will keep fighting. For those who cannot yet be called human. Therefore, Mason…please help us.”

“I…”

As Mason hesitated, Yekaterina smiled faintly.

“I understand. It was a bit too serious of a topic, wasn’t it?”

“…”

“I’ll give you time. As much as you need. Just please keep this a secret from others. Especially from Seo Yeonhee.”

“Why are you so wary of Seo Yeonhee?”

“I have many potential enemies. But none have gotten as close to me as Seo Yeonhee.”

Yekaterina rose from her seat.

“And…there’s no talent I desire to have on my side as much as Seo Yeonhee.”

“…Alright.”

“Sometimes, we can only leave things to time…”

Yekaterina kissed Mason on the nape of his neck.

“May I have your hand?”

“Huh?”

Mason extended his hand.

Then, Yekaterina took Mason’s hand and spoke softly.

“A warrior shouldn’t lose their weapon.”

It wasn’t an ordinary statement.

It was a statement imbued with ‘power.’

A rune briefly shimmered on Mason’s palm and then disappeared.

“…What did you do?”

“I couldn’t let you leave empty-handed after spending a night together, could I?”

Yekaterina smiled and knocked on the door.

“Come find me anytime. When you miss me…”

The door opened, and Andrei and Liza bowed respectfully.

Yekaterina walked away with her two subordinates.

Watching her retreating figure, Mason recalled the memories of the previous night.

It was an unforgettable night.

From the bar he visited out of curiosity to the stories about the pseudo-humans.

It was truly an unforgettable night.

“…Wait, hold on.”

And then, Mason finally remembered.

The fact that he had forgotten something.

“…Alexandra.”

Mason sighed.

Yesterday’s task still remained.

๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑

Inside the hotel room, a thoroughly enraged Alexandra was waiting.

As soon as she saw Mason, she greeted him with an English word that started with ‘F’ and launched into a lengthy lecture in Korean about how busy and important she was.

Mason bowed his head and groveled.

With his hearing blocked.

He instinctively felt that getting into an argument would only make things more troublesome.

Of course, there was also a more serious problem waiting for him.

“Mason.”

Behind Alexandra, who returned to her room after venting her frustration and catching her breath, stood Seo Yeonhee with a calm expression.

Mason unblocked his hearing.

“Mason.”

Her words were laced with a mix of emotions.

Mason let out a heavy sigh.

“You’re safe.”

“Yes.”

The Red Knight had only taken Seo Yeonhee back to her house. As soon as Seo Yeonhee regained her senses, she contacted Alexandra and confirmed that Mason was not by her side either.

“You met with the Heavenly King.”

“Yeah.”

“And…for quite a long time.”

“That’s right.”

“What did she talk about?”

Seo Yeonhee’s expression was blank. This made the turbulent emotions churning beneath the mask of indifference even more apparent.

“She said she likes me.”

“Is that all?”

“Other than that…she kept diverting the conversation, telling me to ask you.”

Seo Yeonhee momentarily furrowed her brow.

But only for a moment.

She calmly opened her mouth.

“Perhaps she asked why I’m fighting with her?”

She knew very well. The fact that Mason disliked people fighting each other.

So she must have asked that question when she met Yekaterina.

“Right, she said she wouldn’t get the whole story from her perspective. She said she’s only fighting because you’re attacking her.”

Mason quietly asked,

“Is that wrong?”

“From her perspective, it’s true.”

“What about your perspective?”

“From my perspective, she started the fight.”

Seo Yeonhee’s voice was calm. This made Mason admire her even more.

“Tell me. From beginning to end.”

“It’s going to be a long story.”

“So…we should start quickly, right?”

Seo Yeonhee began speaking.

“Our raid team, Eliminate Empire, was one of the first civilian raid teams. We were at the forefront of the second generation of raid teams along with the Holy Knights and considered the strongest raid team in the world. And at the center of it all were me, Yekaterina, and…Sebastian Ranieri.”

“Ranieri?”

“Deroa’s older brother. Our guild’s main Tanker and…”

Seo Yeonhee hesitated for a moment before continuing,

“…He was my lover.”

“…”

“Anyway, we hunted an A-Rank raid boss, Titan. It was a successful raid. We obtained various minor loot items and Titan’s core. But…”

“But?”

“When we returned to the mainland, Titan’s core was long gone. Someone had stolen it.”

Mason fell into thought.

“Are you saying it was Yekaterina?”

“There’s no proof. Only circumstantial evidence.”

“What kind of circumstantial evidence?”

“There are only five survivors of Eliminate Empire. Alexandra, who was the sub Tanker, retired and switched to being a researcher, and Deroa and I are continuing our Player activities while being ostracized. The situation is no different for Ronan, the other survivor.”

Seo Yeonhee calmly said,

“The only one left is Yekaterina. The one who stands at the pinnacle of Korea’s Player world with wealth, power, and above all, violence.”

Mason wore a dubious expression.

Yekaterina stated that her goal was to establish a nation for pseudo-humans.

And that could be interpreted in two ways.

One could argue that she wouldn’t need to steal to establish a nation for pseudo-humans, or one could interpret it as her stealing to obtain the funds necessary to build that nation.

‘This is complicated.’

Mason’s expression grew complex.

‘Human affairs…are truly complicated.’

Mason sighed.

“So, was that the end of your guild?”

“No, there was one last quest.”

“What was it?”

“At that time, monsters started pouring in from the North Korean border. The government issued a quest to our guild to assess the situation in North Korea, and we went into Pyongyang for reconnaissance. And there…we encountered the ‘Laughing God’.”

“What’s that?”

“One of the Four Great Demon Gods. One of four monsters that even nuclear bombs can’t defeat.”

The nuclear bomb was the most terrifying weapon of modern civilization. It was the embodiment of destruction, capable of self-destruction along with the stars if one desired.

Therefore, monsters that could not be defeated by nuclear bombs deserved special treatment.

The ‘Walking Thundercloud’ of America, which instilled the notion that there are monsters that cannot be defeated with conventional forces.

The ‘Laughing God’, which had settled in Pyongyang, North Korea, and whose true nature remained unknown.

The ‘Great Eater’, the culprit that forced them to launch a nuke on the Mongolian grasslands.

The ‘Bubble’, which was still wreaking havoc in the Pacific Ocean, robbing humanity of its sea routes.

And among them, the greatest threat to South Korea was the Laughing God in North Korea.

“Our Eliminate Empire was annihilated there. Most of us, including Sebi. Only five of us survived. And…we don’t even know who attacked us.”

There were five survivors, and all five said they saw different things. Ronan saw a colossus made of earth and stone, Deroa saw a giant made of fire. Seo Yeonhee only heard laughter, and Yekaterina claimed she saw and heard nothing.

It was literally an annihilation where they didn’t even know who or what attacked them.

The testimony of Seo Yeonhee, the leader of the survivors, was accepted, and the name ‘Laughing God’ was given to it.

“The Walking Thundercloud and the Great Eater were fine even after getting nuked, and we’re helpless against the Laughing God and the Bubble because we can’t even launch nukes at them.”

“That’s a big problem…”

Seo Yeonhee let out a deep sigh.

“This is the story from my perspective. Whatever you think, Mason…I believe Yekaterina is the culprit.”

“Why?”

“Even when she was in our raid team, she was hiding something. Especially, she had quite a few connections in the underworld and overseas. If she stole Titan’s core, she would have to sell it, and the only ones who could do that were me and Yekaterina. And since it wasn’t me…”

“…It must have been Yekaterina?”

“Yes.”

Mason felt his head growing heavy.

Why were humans and their affairs so complicated?

“Should I believe you?”

“I would like you to.”

“To help you get revenge?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…”

Mason swallowed a groan.

“Alright, fine. Let’s say I help you. Then what kind of help can I offer? Should I go beat her to death?”

“There’s no way to defeat her with violence. Killing her comes after removing her from the throne of the Player world.”

“How?”

“Her power stems from her position as the Union Leader of the Healers’ Union. So…we’ll restructure the Player System. We’ll divide and dismantle the Inner Circle so that it’s reorganized based on raid teams.”

“Is that possible?”

“Yes.”

Seo Yeonhee looked at Mason.

“As long as a new King of Players ascends to the throne.”

“Then I have no choice but to ask again.”

Mason stared at Seo Yeonhee.

“Is that possible? Can you make me the King with my help?”

“Yes.”

“With what power?”

“With power from outside the Players.”