Chapter 88: Vol. 4 – Episode 1
Prologue
The Desert of Illusions was a special region among the many lands the Golden Wise King Kapitle ruled. It was originally a vast land of greenery called the Green Land. But after the Day of Sorrow, it became a desert showing glimpses of its former glory with mirages.
Heroes had long escaped the desert, and the few extras bound to the land barely scraped by as nomads in search of an oasis. There were no signs of its former glory left in the wasteland, aside from the few illusions that occurred occasionally.
There were extravagant decorations and patterns on the castle walls, and there was plenty of light in every room. Phantasmic music echoed from within, tickling the ears, and the scent of delicious food pierced the nose.
It was an amazing scene begging them to join, but the caravan’s party was shivering in fear. This was a desert. A place where only sand was meant to exist.
Aside from the oasis, this was meant to be a wasteland where nothing survived, not even a cactus or scorpion. The building couldn’t exist, but the mysterious castle sometimes appeared and lured people to it.
A secret rumor had spread amongst the nomads regarding the castle.
The illusionary castle appears before the most tired souls who cross the desert. There is a witch who eats them once they are lured in.
A witch? Not a monster?
I heard it could be a madman who steals a person’s soul...
The rumors were all different; this aroused even more fear at the uncertainty, an illusionary castle that contained an unknown existence within. Nothing had ever been confirmed as no one returned after stepping inside.
They turned their shivering bodies. They had to get out of there quickly.
One step, two steps, the moment they were about to escape the trap of death...
Ring.
A soul-shaking bell resounded. The bell had a magic that intrigued the senses.
Ring, ring.
There was a secretive allure to following the rhythm. Following this was the thick scent of roses, which curled around their bodies. After caressing them, it caused their flesh to burn red. They ultimately turned around even while thinking that they shouldn’t.
“Ah...”
At that moment, they saw it. The trap that caused every man to forget the existence of death. The flower that had bloomed atop the castle walls was a rose. No, it was an attractive woman with a beauty surpassing a rose.
Her bright red hair swirled like roaring flames. The red lips below seemed to be full of blood, revealing a darker shade of red. The light purple cloth which was wrapped around her light brown skin was slightly transparent, covering and revealing at the same time. Her short skirt was split along the sides teasingly. Her chest was an astounding size, and her waist was narrow; the hips below flared out revealing unforgettable lines.
Every time she shook her body, the cloth twirled. Her strange, provocative dance heated the night. One step, two steps. The rumor of death awaiting within the castle was erased. Their bodies were possessed by the desire to see the woman close up. With excited bodies, they approached. Their eyes were bloodshot, and blood rushed to their heads. They were incapable of resisting their instincts.
Suddenly, the castle disappeared, and with it, the beauty, music, and sweet scent.
“Ah...”
The men who regained their senses turned to one another. They swallowed their disappointment as if woken from a dream but were immediately wrapped in fear having regained their bearings.
I...I lived.
If I had entered the castle...
Who knew if the woman’s true form was witch or monster.
No one had returned alive to verify or dispel the rumors. They immediately turned and ran.
But...
Regret lurked in the deepest corners of their minds.
If only I had taken a closer look...
Perhaps they could have seen something better if they had taken a few more steps.
Perhaps they could have seen the skin of her body covered in the translucent cloth.
The woman was very seductive.
Not simply beautiful, but a woman who could incite a man’s instincts and desires. The figure was engraved into their brains, the illusionary castle, the woman who had briefly introduced herself.
Although people said she was probably an old witch or a monster with the lower body of a snake, she was still the possessor of a deadly, seductive beauty.
In front of her was a floating mirror. It reflected the figures of the men running away.
“Huhu. They’re running. Weaklings.”
Watching the shivering men who believed they’d escaped death, she smiled mockingly.
“They think they were seduced.”
She had simply been dancing for her own amusement, and they had happened upon her, uninvited.
She had no interest in such pathetic men. What she wanted was the strongest man. The kind of man who could embrace her passionately. She found their stray thoughts amusing.
“Haa. Is there really no one like the man I’m waiting for.”
A black crow landed on her window-sill while she was sighing.
The crow with the golden eyes opened its beak.
“An order.” The talking crow was definitely a spirit.
“Hm. What is it?”
“There is an opponent for you to face.”
“Oh?”
“Cha Sungjin, the man who defeated the High Priest.”
“He defeated the High Priest?” Curiosity rose in the woman’s eyes.
“I have heard the rumors of a young lion in the southern kingdoms, but...”
She licked her lips. It was the figure of a spider licking its lips before a prey.
“I thought the rumors had been exaggerated, but it’s true?”
“Yes.”
“Haha. Fine, I should obviously greet such a man.”
She crossed her legs as if she was aroused. It was an alluring thought.
“In order to steal everything he has.”
The crow flew away.
“Of course.”
After sending the crow off, she touched the mirror once more.
“Is it him? The person who is in possession of half of the continent after defeating the High Priest Pedrian?”
She smiled after licking her lips.
She lifted her hand to caress Sungjin’s face. There was a fire in her eyes with her seductive gestures.
“Hm. Are you really a man who could defeat the Golden Wise King?” She mumbled with disbelief and expectation.
“Or were you simply lucky, having completed your role as a dispensable hunting dog to the Golden Wise King?”
Her eyes smiled with curiosity in Sungjin.
“I will know whether he is a man worthy of my body once I meet him.” Her abundant chest shook.
“Haha. Would the possessor of half of this continent be able to rouse me?”
She plastered herself closer to Sungjin’s body in the mirror in excitement.
Her clothes swayed as her chest slid down the mirror. She hugged her chest gently.
“I will be there soon, young lion. From today onwards, you will be my target.”
She placed a deep kiss on Sungjin’s mouth reflected in the mirror.
Then, she left, leaving behind a trail of thick perfume.
She covered the castle under sand, so that it could not be discovered. But the mirror within the castle kept reflecting Sungjin covered in red lip gloss.
It was like the pining of a passionate woman...but also, like a mark of death.
* * *
Chapter 1
First was the unification of the four kingdoms and soon after, the conquer of Rupellion.
Although Sungjin possessed a summoned body from a different dimension with no heroic powers as a level zero, he had become emperor, ruling half of the continent.
All that remained was the final battle with the Golden Wise King Kapitle.
Critics debated endlessly on whether the strong, with his old and cruel traditions, or the new force, with his youth and competitive spirit, would win.
The continent had survived with three balanced powers until now, but everyone felt that this was the time for the continent to be united. There was no way Sungjin would stop here.
He would continue until he reached a point of complete unification or utter annihilation. The question was when that time would come. Everyone predicted that the Golden Wise King would not remain still.
Until now, the Golden Wise King had been cautious because he was worried about a confrontation with the High Priest. But will the Golden Wise King treat Sungjin equally in the manner he had with the High Priest?
“He wouldn’t.”
“Oh, of course not.”
The heroes conversed between warm tea in a salon.
“Right now, the eight grand temples the Golden Wise King had been wary of have been destroyed; there is no hidden card the young lion can use.”
The Wise King had not only been wary of the High Priest, but the power he could ask for from the interfering god if forced.
Sungjin did not have such countermeasures.
In the Golden Wise King’s perspective, Sungjin had removed his rival for his benefit. It was perfect timing.
“Both will clash soon.”
“Who do you think will win?”
“Logically speaking, it would be the Golden Wise King...”
“But the young lion might be preparing something.”
The people analyzed it from every angle.
What is Sungjin preparing?
Who should they be rooting for?
Everyone was interested in what Sungjin was up to after having stabilized the Holy Nation.
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