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chapter 36

35. Always the WWE – (2)

A fierce gale blew.

I stood in a small plaza, before me Selene, the Scorched Saintess, planted her Wedge Blade of Immolation and glared.

“We meet again, Master of the Storm Dragon. Have you come to obstruct my lord once more?”

Selene’s voice was thick with animosity. Crimson flames, erupting from the Wedge Blade of Immolation she gripped, writhed like serpents, scattering embers.

Undaunted, the Storm Dragon spread its wings wide. The torrential rain and the occasional clap of thunder created the illusion that Tempestra itself was conjuring the tempest.

“Release that man.”

“I refuse. This one dared to harm my lord. He cannot be allowed to live.”

Selene spoke with a chilling tone.

Though cloaked in fire, her voice was as cold as ice.

‘Crap, I think I’m gonna piss myself.’

I finally understood why Yu Junseo had fled when he encountered Selene during the Tower raid.

Overwhelming dread.

Facing Selene directly, armed, made my legs tremble.

‘It’s just acting, but how can it feel so oppressive?’

Indeed.

Selene and I were currently performing a ludicrous, third-rate play.

The location was deliberately chosen to be a crowded area, and Selene was intentionally unleashing her flames to broadcast her presence until the Administration’s higher-ups arrived.

The hostage, Jo Geonwook, Selene’s grim warning of an execution, my timely entrance, even Mirien’s conveniently timed downpour – all were part of the script, the stage dressing.

The reason for staging such an elaborate charade was simple.

“Relay this to your master, Actor. If he kills that man, I will hunt you down and kill you, without end.”

It was all to sever the ties between Actor, the master of the abyss, and Nam Jooyeon, the S-Class Awakened, by staging a hostage situation using Jo Geon-wook.

Simultaneously, through my warning delivered via Selene, I could create a pretext to preempt the cumbersome intervention of the Bureau.

A clever move, but if it aroused even the slightest suspicion, it would be better left undone.

Therefore, this performance had to be flawless. And Selene was proving to be a more gifted actress than I’d anticipated.

“Insignificant mortal, how dare you utter the name of our Lord. Do you not value your life? I shall sever your head and scorch it in the fires of the abyss.”

*Whoosh.*

The flames surrounding Selene intensified.

Though I sensed no malice, the searing heat prickled my face, prompting a cold sweat. I cleared my throat as best I could and recited the lines I had painstakingly memorized.

“Fine. Whatever that she-devil Actor and her ilk do, whatever nefarious schemes they concoct, I’ll crush them head-on!”

[4★ Storm Dragon Tempestora Roars.]

No sooner had I spoken than Tempestora unleashed its roar.

This dragon actor, inhuman as it was, flawlessly seized the scene. From afar, the crowd watching the spectacle erupted in cheers, chanting my name.

“…Indeed, of all the riffraff gathered here, you seem to be the most capable. Your unfounded confidence was not entirely misplaced, it appears.”

For some reason, Selene seemed to find this charade quite amusing.

Because the flames swirling around her like a cloak were more dynamic than usual. These flames seemed to reflect Selene’s emotions, and it seemed she was utterly delighted with our little game.

“Very well. Just this once, I shall indulge your nonsense.”

Selene sheathed her sword and adopted a prayerful stance.

[5★ Scorched Saintess Selene Cancels the Focus of Skill 「Sacred Flame Imprint」.]

The Scorched Saintess Selene’s unique skill and identity, the Sacred Flame Imprint.

Before I knew it, the flames that had engulfed her body dissipated into the air as if melting away.

“But heed my warning. Actor is watching you. If you cross the line, only ruin awaits.”

“Not so fast!”

I commanded the Storm Dragon. Tempestora enlarged its form and unleashed a celestial roar, but…

[5★ Scorched Saintess Selene Casts Skill 「Murky Veil」.]

*Kugugu.*

Before I knew it Selene with her hostage Geon-wook had disappeared into thin air, or so it seemed.

To be precise, they hadn’t vanished entirely. Murky Veil was a stealth skill, not a teleportation skill.

However, what mattered was that the Scorched Saintess Selene was no longer visible to the crowd.

“oooh! Dragon King! The Dragon King has defeated the Scorched Saintess!”

Someone’s cry was followed by a thunderous roar of elation.

Right now, I felt like a fantasista on the field.

The situation was quickly brought under control.

The Bureau’s Awakened were dispatched, and since everyone had witnessed the clash between me and Selene, news traveled fast.

“If it wasn’t for Nam Jooyeon, who knows what that Calamity would have done?”

Kang Sena said, seemingly moved to her core.

“Ah, ha ha. Originally, I was going to handle it, but Jooyeon showed up, so it became meaningless. Anyway, good is good. Um. Ah, the camera’s over there. Smile, smile.”

Yoo Junseo was putting on a sideshow in front of the camera, trying to get involved with me in any way possible.

But, even more crucial than such empty displays were Selene’s last words.

Cross the line, and only ruin awaits.

The warning left behind by the scorched Saint Selene was deeply etched into the minds of the Bureau’s Awakened.

“So…the Actor really did issue us a warning?”

Kang Sena examined the recording, looking doubtful. Selene’s divine acting was method through and through. Just the voice speaking in the video sent shivers down your spine.

“…It seems like a warning is indeed correct.”

I chimed in.

Kang Sena nodded as if agreeing.

Ever since the rescue of Seo Yerim, she had unconditionally supported my opinions.

I rode that momentum, continuing to speak.

“…If the Bureau continues to pursue the Actor, the master of the abyss, that Calamity will appear again. Seoul will suffer devastating damage.”

“…I see.”

Yoo Junseo visibly darkened.

Honestly, it seemed like he was more worried about the negative impact this incident would have on his reputation.

Which wasn’t far from the truth.

“Nam Jooyeon, what should we do? If we report this to the press as is, the Bureau will be seen as pathetic fools, being dragged around by just one Calamity… We’re already getting so much hate, if it increases from there…”

“…”

Kang Sena’s eyes narrowed.

One could say he’s an easy guy to understand.

In any case, Yoo Junseo’s petty nature served as a good excuse in the current situation.

“Leave it to me. If the Actor takes any action, I will stop it.”

As I spoke, the eyes of Yoo Junseo and the other Class A Awakened of the Bureau narrowed.

“Think you can manage alone? No, I mean… not that I doubt your abilities, Ms. Nam…”

“Yes. I’ll be fine. You just saw it yourselves. That woman doesn’t want to fight me.”

Celine ran away, seemingly reluctant to fight me.

This was, in truth, part of the script, but everyone had witnessed it nonetheless.

I preached based on that scene, and no one could raise an objection.

Moreover, Director Yoo Junseo of the Management Bureau was a snob through and through. He would never willingly step into dangerous territory. Especially not after his experience at the Tower of Reverse Heaven.

“…W-well, good! An S-Class Awakened declaring to protect Seoul… We can’t possibly stop you, can we? Isn’t that right, Kang Sena?”

“…Yes, indeed.”

Kang Sena sighed and glanced my way.

Her eyes were asking me.

‘Are you sure you’ll be alright?’

I just shrugged in response.

[5★ Scorched Saint Celine is watching you.]

Whether I was alright or not, it was going too smoothly. That was the problem.

“Indeed, I am at a loss for words at my lord’s brilliant insight.”

As soon as we returned to the Tower, Celine bowed her head deeply, praising me.

The woman who had been a ruthless demon just moments before had become a loyal vassal.

However, every time I looked at Celine, I was reminded of the killing intent she had shown in her performance.

If I were to make even the slightest mistake, and her blade were to turn toward my heart…

‘Focus.’

I shook my head, banishing the gruesome thought.

In any case, I am currently Actor, the master of the rifts that bring about the Great Cataclysm.

I shall never be devoured by these b*stards.

“The story played out well. The investigators from the Management Bureau will no longer try to pursue Actor. They will probably think of me as Actor’s rival instead.”

In truth, the reason I planned this performance was because of Jo Geon-wook’s existence.

Currently, Jo Geon-wook is a burden. It’s odd to simply keep him locked up in the Tower when they know his identity. But to kill him with my own hands… my human conscience wouldn’t allow it.

So, I considered a solution.

At first, I thought of using Mirien’s skill, Mind Control, to use him as a puppet. But Mind Control is a concentration-based skill. Maintaining it continuously would be too much of a burden for both Mirien and me.

Didn’t Mirien say? To maintain the skill for about a day, she would need to devour nearly five Cataclysms.

To use Mirien, the Calamity-Eating Hippo, one had to pay a terrible price.

In the end, after much deliberation, I took Yu Junseo’s advice and devised a rigged game.

Using Jo Geon-wook as a stage prop for a hostage situation proved wonderfully effective, as you can see.

[Actor, Lord of the Abyss, Dreaming of the World’s End?]

News pages were flooded with reports about Actor day after day.

The content was so abstract, one might think they were reading some third-rate fantasy novel.

Or perhaps the doomsday ramblings of some schizophrenic.

[S-Rank Awakened Nam Ju-yeon, “I’ll Smash Actor to Pieces!”]

Such articles even existed.

The reaction in the comments was fervent.