Chapter 3: Meet the evil chief and decide to become the head of evil.

Pain Queen Morgan.

One of the four generals of Apocamelot.

Was she alive all this time?

“What are you thinking?”

“I sensed your presence, Red, and searched the area.”

“I’m asking why you helped me.”

“Well…”

Morgan’s eyebrows trembled. She averted her gaze, as if her eyes carried a heavy burden of regret.

“…I was repaying a debt.”

“A debt? What debt could a villainous general possibly owe to a hero?”

Bang!

I struck the wall of the airship in anger. The sturdy steel bent like a stick of candy.

“You are a detestable being who tortured and slaughtered humans! Did you think I would forget?”

Forget? Impossible.

I couldn’t erase the memory of Morgan’s monstrous subordinates invading the city, impaling civilians’ hearts with their spears without mercy.

The image of her twisted smile as she relished the horrifying scene from above haunted me.

Hatred coiled around me like a snake. My rough, beastly hand instinctively reached out, gripping her slender neck.

“Ugh…”

“Give me one reason not to snap your neck right now.”

“Ah, Red… Please…”

Morgan, her face contorted in pain, began to shed tears.

Could this wicked woman, who thrived on the suffering of others, actually feel sorrow?

Thud!

I shoved her against the wall with force.

“Speak!”

“When Dark Arthur fell, my memories returned.”

“Memories?”

“Originally, I wasn’t a monster. I was human.”

Morgan confessed as though she was vomiting the words.

“Stop spewing nonsense.”

“I know you won’t believe me. But… in my human days, I owed you my life. During your time as a hero, Red…”

Her voice quivered as she spoke.

We were sworn enemies, trying to kill each other. No amount of pleading or begging would make me trust her.

Still, there was a part of me that suspected something.

Morgan wasn’t a character in the original scenario.

In the game, Apocamelot’s generals only numbered three. Morgan had appeared out of nowhere in this world as a fourth general.

That was one of the moments when I realized this world wasn’t just a game but a reality based on it.

History could change beyond my knowledge and could be rewritten at any time.

Because it wasn’t crafted by gods but by humans.

“Red, take this.”

Morgan pulled something from her chest.

She respectfully held it out in her hands—a beautifully ornate switch.

The Apocalypse Red Dragon’s Switch.

The Red Dragon’s Switch.

I picked it up and carefully examined it.

Intricate carvings shimmered brilliantly.

What’s so special about this thing?

What’s so great about the Superior Squadron?

What’s so extraordinary about being an S-rank hero?

Money piled to the heavens, a powerful switch, dazzling fame.

Were they worth betraying and killing comrades who had fought alongside me?

“This cursed switch!”

Crash!

The switch crumbled in my hand like an eggshell, and a crimson light burst forth, swirling and then absorbing into my body.

The power of the Red Dragon had returned to its rightful owner.

“Morgan. What do you want from me?”

“You have devoted your entire life to justice.”

Morgan looked up at me with a pitiful gaze, gently brushing my cheek with her thin, delicate fingers.

“Now, live for your desires.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s all.”

I turned away. Exiting the airlock, I closed the door behind me.

The void of space greeted me with an unwelcome stillness.

Desires, huh?

“System.”

A screen materialized before me.

[Red Dragon / Jeong Euiseok]
[You are the sole player who will determine this world’s fate.]
[Clear the ongoing scenarios, defeat evil, and bring peace to the world.]

Peace.

It was what I truly desired as someone who had come to love this world.

There was a time when I wanted to return to the world I came from, but that desire had faded.

Somi, too, had wished for peace in this world.

That sentiment hadn’t changed.

Peace not existing would mean evil had won. That would also mean my death.

[Fighting the forces of evil doesn’t require just one method!]
[Please set your new objective.]
[Current Objective: Hero of Light (Completed)]

At first, choosing “Hero of Light” as my goal had been obvious. The result of achieving it, however, was this mess.

I used an item.

A cash shop item: a Goal Addition Ticket.

It was designed for players who wanted to enjoy multiple playstyles with one character.

[Adding a new objective.]
[Objective List: Hero of Darkness / Villainous Hero / Leader of Evil / Villain of Light / Bystander / Harbinger of Chaos / Citizen Hiding Their Power…]

I didn’t hesitate.

[New Objective Added: Leader of Evil]

[Evil can only be subdued by greater evil. Become the leader of powerful villains and overthrow the forces of evil!]
[Note: You will now gain experience points even by defeating heroes! Villains are more likely to respect you!]

In this world, individuals with abilities are categorized into four types: heroes, villains, neutrals, and monsters.

The main adversaries in the scenario, the forces of evil, are groups of monsters—not humans. Dark Kingdom, Galactic Empire, and so on. The Dark Kingdom consisted of the dead from the underworld, while the Galactic Empire was comprised of aliens.

My original goal, “Hero of Light,” meant defeating them as part of the Hero Association.

Now, my new objective as “Leader of Evil” required me to act as the villains’ leader.

Monsters remained my enemies, but now, so did heroes.

Never again would I entrust my back to those traitors to fight evil.

I would fight in my own way.

[Objective added successfully.]
[Pursue your path as the Leader of Evil.]

I no longer needed heroes.

After finalizing my settings, I muttered quietly.

“Transform.”

[Up a Blind Alley]

I drew the dragon’s power from my heart. An exoskeleton formed around me, its eerie, blood-red hue enveloping my body.

My reflection appeared in the wall’s glass.

Standing there was a crimson dragon-like figure I had never seen before. The sinister aura I radiated could easily be mistaken for that of a monster.

The transformation seemed to have evolved, likely due to my increased stats.

It had been a while since I wielded my power as someone beyond the Red Ranger—a power that was truly mine.

Ahead of me lay the blue planet, Earth.

Without hesitation, I launched toward it.

“…He’s gone.”

Morgan watched the crimson streak heading toward Earth through the small window of the airship. Her fingers grazed the glass sorrowfully, though Jung Euiseok’s warmth was no longer present.

“Even if these feelings are deceitful, sinful, or unforgivable…”

She stared endlessly at the comet-like trail disappearing into the void.

“Please… be happy, Euiseok.”

Morgan whispered these words that no one could hear, in a place where nothing else existed.

“In the end, the dragon sheds no tears.”

“It only soars.”

Meanwhile, in a once joyous mansion, now reduced to chaos by assassins’ gunfire, a warrior in dragon-like armor defeated the attackers.

An hour ago, the sprawling house had been filled with happiness.

Now, it was in ruins.

In front of me lay the bloody corpse of a loving mother, and behind me, my congressman father, fallen with a gunshot wound to his shoulder.

Terror and despair gripped her.

Kang Yerin, drenched in tears and snot, clung to her trembling legs as she struggled to stand.

She had risen to protect her last remaining family member, her father, even in her powerless state.

Later, she would be known as Yellow Clocker.

But in that moment, on the brink of death, she was saved.

By Jung Euiseok.

By the hero known as the Red Dragon.

“The assassins have been eliminated. My condolences for your mother. But you’ve protected your father. Well done.”

Kang Yerin knew she had protected nothing.

It was the hero before her who had saved her and her father.

“Thank you…”

The two words she couldn’t bring herself to say back then.

If she had known she’d never get another chance, she would’ve said them yesterday.

Or the day before.

Or as many times as it took.

“Haa… Haa…”

Kang Yerin opened her eyes.

The ceiling.

She knew where she was—the Hero Association’s infirmary.

Her head throbbed. Clutching her temples, she tried to piece together her memories.

“A dream… How much of that was a dream?”

The memories resurfaced.

The final battle against the forces of evil.

What happened afterward.

Red had fallen.

That wasn’t a dream.

“No… No!”

Kang Yerin jumped out of bed and stormed out of the infirmary. She headed straight for the association’s chairman’s office and kicked the door open.

“Oh, awake already? Rich kids sure like their sleep. Hahaha.”

Ji Sehwa grinned, baring her teeth. Everyone was already there—Ji Sehwa, Shin Yu-kyung, Choi Minseo, and even the chairman of the Hero Association.

“We’re in the middle of a top-tier security meeting. Close the door.”

“What did you do to Jeong Uiseok?!”

Kang Yerin walked briskly to the table and slammed her hands on it.

“What happened?! What did you do to him?!”

“Jeong iseok is dead.”

Shin Kan yung answered coldly, without any change in her expression.

“What… what are you saying?”

“The four of us defeated Jeong Uiseok, who had betrayed us to side with Dark Arthur, and returned. You were there. You saw it yourself.”

Kang Yerin felt dizzy, her legs nearly giving out beneath her.

Jeong iseok is dead.

It was something she had never once imagined.

No matter how much of a capitalist’s puppet he had become, no matter how broken or addicted he was, she never thought he would die.

“Are you really going to bury Jeong iseok like this…?”

“That was the plan from the start, wasn’t it? You agreed back then. So why the outburst now?”

“I… I didn’t…”

Kang Yerin had no idea.

She only understood that after defeating Apocamelot, they would confiscate his transformation device and switch and take him into custody.

Even when Ji Sehwa cut off Jeong iseok’s arm, she thought it was just a slightly extreme measure.

“I can’t accept this. Regardless of the risks, Jeong iseok was still in his right mind! He was the one who defeated Dark Arthur! I’ll make sure the media knows the truth!”

“You sure about that?”

The chairman’s low voice interrupted her.

“What… did you say?”

“Kang Yerin, you’re well aware that the Hero Association has the ruling party’s full support. Your father is with the opposition. The ruling party has reached an unprecedented approval rating of over 80%, thanks to the Dragon King Squadron’s achievements after Apocamelot emerged.”

“If you make such claims, it’ll be treated as if your father said it himself. Do you want to gamble your father’s political career and his life on baseless accusations?”

The chairman stared at Kang Yerin with sharp eyes.

“Let me ask again. Are you sure?”

Kang Yerin clenched her teeth.

She couldn’t respond.

Satisfied with her silence, the chairman smirked.

“Now, let’s discuss the future. The four of you will be celebrated as superstars for defeating the evil organization. The government will reward you handsomely, and sponsors and advertisers will line up.”

“Hahaha! I can’t wait! It’s a windfall!”

“Indeed, satisfying. Let’s also push forward with the development of new switches.”

“A-advertising model… Do you think I’ll become famous too?”

“But individual fame doesn’t last long. And more importantly, toy sales might decline. You all understand this, right?”

“Toys are critical! The royalties from transformation devices and mechas are enormous!”

“So, we’ll maintain the ‘Dragon King Squadron’ title. However, Jeong iseok is out. We won’t use the name ‘Red Dragon’ anymore.”

“Are we recruiting a new Red?”

“Yes, the candidate is already chosen. You might not have noticed while you were fighting, but there’s a popular male idol these days. His name is AXII.”

“AXII? Of course, I know him. He’s got god-tier looks. I bought five of his albums.”

“Good, that makes things easier. Silver Mirror, you’ll handle the media interviews. Green Nature?”

“Y-yes.”

“You’ll oversee Jeong iseok’s belongings. As key evidence, we need someone trustworthy. With your Quetzalcoatl abilities, you’re perfect for the job.”

“Understood! So everything’s confiscated? Emma was guarding it, wasn’t she?”

“That maid robot? She put up some resistance, but it’s all taken care of. We couldn’t destroy her completely, but anyway, Blue Sabre, this will be your task…”

Kang Yerin heard none of it.

She could hear the voices, but her brain refused to register the words.

Jeong iseok was dead.

Even a shred of his honor wasn’t preserved.

The women sitting across from her, casually discussing money and fame without an ounce of remorse or guilt, seemed grotesque.

Or was she the strange one?

Were they normal, and was she the oddity?

She didn’t know. She couldn’t tell.

At times like this, he would always show her the way.

Kang Yerin’s pupils stared blankly, reflecting nothing for a long time.

A week later, when a crimson light shot down from the heavens to Earth, she didn’t notice it at all.