Chapter 11: The Galactic Empire’s attack, Dragon king squadron’s Great Defeat.

“What’s going on with that thing? What is it?!”

The association head chewed on his fingernails, barking orders in the control room. However, the operators were just as flustered.

“It seems to be a spaceship… and an enormous one at that.”

“A spaceship? How can a spaceship that far beyond the moon’s orbit be visible to the naked eye?!”

Bang! The association head slammed his fist onto the control panel.

“That’s all we can determine, sir…”

Even as he stared at the screen, the association head couldn’t believe his eyes.

The infamous Dark Kingdom had once constructed a massive spaceship, their ultimate weapon, in outer space. That ship was about the size of a single district of Seoul, and the potential destruction it could bring to Earth had been unimaginable. Fortunately, the Dragon King Squadron had intercepted it before it was completed.

But this? This was beyond comprehension.

Based on its distance, that oval-shaped spaceship rivaled the moon in size. It appeared to be at least a quarter of Earth’s size, and it was clearly headed toward the planet.

If this ship belonged to an enemy faction like the Dark Kingdom, could Earth even stand a chance against it?

“Summon the Dragon King Squadron immediately!”

The association head erupted in a hysterical shout. The thought of losing the wealth and status he had built, symbolized by the association headquarters, was intolerable.

“Jeo, you said an evil organization called the Galactic Empire was invading, right?”

“That’s right,” I replied calmly to Erua’s question.

“Isn’t that ship dangerous? I mean, it’s huge!”

“Of course, it’s dangerous—far more so than the Dark Kingdom ever was.”

“Then what do we do? Can the heroes stop it? You’re not even fighting anymore.”

“They won’t be able to stop it.”

“Haa… you say that so casually…”

“For now, it’s not an immediate problem. We have about a month.”

“A month? Doesn’t that mean it’ll be a disaster after that?”

“Exactly.”

I turned to look at Erua and asked, “Erua, if I ordered you to fight the Galactic Empire, would you do it?”

“Me? Fight the Galactic Empire? That’s…”

She hesitated, visibly frightened. Given the trauma the Dark Kingdom had inflicted on the world, her fear was understandable.

“Don’t worry. That’s a job for the heroes. For now, think it over slowly.”

“Alright.”

“But if the Dragon King Squadron falls in the first battle, that would be a problem. My revenge isn’t complete yet, after all.”

That didn’t mean I had any intention of helping those fools. If they got lucky and survived, maybe they’d train harder or recruit stronger members to fight.

Not that I had any confidence in them, though.

“I’m not planning to sit idly by while the Galactic Empire advances. I’ve got a plan.”

“Really?”

“First, I’ll need a few talented people.”

“What kind of abilities are you looking for?”

I smiled at Erua and answered, “No special abilities. Just excellent actors.”

“Actors? Why actors?”

I grinned.

“They’re essential for reviving the Red Dragon.”

“A spaceship? That thing?”

Ji Sehwa furrowed her brow.

“Are you kidding me? You can’t even control the information about it. People just have to look up, and there it is! It’s coming straight for us!”

Bang! Ji Sehwa slammed the table in frustration.

“So let me ask—are you sure you completely destroyed the Dark Kingdom? What if this is their resurgence?”

The association head’s anxious voice betrayed his fear.

“Don’t talk nonsense, you f***ing idiot! You’ve seen the helmet records!”

“Ugh…”

As Ji Sehwa lashed out, the association head averted his gaze, clearly uncomfortable.

“Have we identified who’s behind this? Could it be a new evil organization?”

Shin Yu-kyung’s voice trembled as she spoke.

“Hey, Choi Minseo. Do you know anything about this?”

Ji Sehwa turned to her, but Choi Minseo didn’t respond. She just stared into the air.

“Choi Minseo!”

“Huh? Yes?”

“Where’s your head at? Pay attention!”

“I-I’m sorry. I have no idea either….”

Choi Min-seo shrank her neck like a turtle.

“We have no choice but to prepare.”

Kang Ye-rin interjected.

“Everyone, we haven’t trained once since we defeated the Dark Kingdom, right? We need to start training now and recruit strong heroes to prepare.”

“But you said it’s already over with Shin Red, right?”

The association president snorted and rebuked her.

“He was just brought in for popularity. He was originally a B-grade hero, and that’s not enough. We need to scout from the S and A-grade heroes all around the world.”

“Hah? The contract’s already finished. He’s just adjusting his schedule because of his world tour.”

“It’ll only interfere with teamwork. Cut him.”

“Stop talking nonsense! Do you know how much the cancellation fee is with the agency? He’s not even an association hero! And the international heroes? Do you know how complicated the contracts with overseas associations are?”

“That contract… The Dark Kingdom was an evil organization threatening the entire world. But because of those fancy associations and treaties, heroes had to fight separately. The Dragon King Squadron couldn’t even get support from other countries because they were part of the S Squadron!”

“If they had gotten support, it wouldn’t be me sitting here, it would have been those white guys! Kang Ye-rin, don’t you know that your father is a congressman? I protected you all from the hands of other countries!”

The association president gritted his teeth.

Kang Ye-rin wasn’t unaware of this. Nation, race, ideology—these things could never unite people, even when facing a common enemy. Even when the moment of destruction came, the world would never unite as one.

“That spaceship hasn’t even been confirmed as part of an evil organization yet, has it? We’ll know when the time comes.”

“When that time comes, it will be too late.”

Kang Ye-rin declared firmly.

When the enemy is right before you, it’s already too late. So we must look ahead and prepare ourselves.

Jeong Ui-seok always said that and practiced it.

“Hey. It seems like it’s already too late.”

Ji Se-hwa was looking at the terminal with a serious expression. Everyone at the scene pulled out their terminals and stared at the holographic screen.

“…Sh*t.”

The association president ground his teeth.

“Ah, ahhh.”

“Uaaaah! Run!!”

“Save us!!”

People were fleeing in panic.

Before their eyes, a large crater had formed as if a meteor had fallen.

Just a moment ago, many people had been breathing and living there. Several buildings had completely vanished.

Those who witnessed the scene collapsed in shock or ran wildly in the opposite direction.

The creature standing in the center of the crater had too much dignity to be called a mere monster.

It was at least 5 meters tall. The armor, which covered its entire body, was made of a material that couldn’t be identified, and parts of it were glowing as if undergoing nuclear fusion. Its eyes emitted a subtle, radiant glow. A noble cloak fluttered in the wind.

It was obvious to anyone that this creature, who had just descended from space, was the one who created this crater.

It was the moment when the leader of the Galactic Empire, ‘Emperor Rektor,’ set foot on Earth.

A subordinate in a priest-like form, observing from the spaceship, could only express concern.

“Your Majesty, how could you step on such a lowly planet without any escort? My worries are beyond measure.”

“You, who always stay locked up in the office, wouldn’t understand the nobility of a duel! Watch the greatness of His Majesty’s conquest!”

“Since His Majesty has arrived, quickly use the communication tools of these primitive species.”

Under the orders of the officials, the subordinates, all monstrous beings, began to move. Soon, the Emperor’s appearance was broadcasted live to the entire world.

“I am Rektor, the son of the great Ator, and the Emperor of the Galactic Empire of Raniakein.”

A deep, abyssal voice that seemed to make one faint echoed.

“I have come to this small, remote planet not without reason. I seek a duel. I have spent my life searching for a brave warrior who can defeat me.”

A surge of aura poured out from his fist, a galactic-colored aura soaring as if to pierce the stratosphere.

“I have heard of the Dark Kingdom’s leader, Dark Arthur. I thought we could have a great duel. I had heard that the Dark Kingdom was reaching for space, and I thought that day would come soon. But now!”

The Emperor extended his arm holding the aura. Koo-kwah-kwah-bam! Another crater appeared beside him.

“Dark Arthur is dead! I’ve heard a warrior who defeated him is on this planet. I demand! Bring that warrior before me! I have no doubt that he will provide me with a battle that will make my blood boil!”

The mechas rapidly flew down from the sky. The Dragon King Squadron landed in the crater below.

“You piece of shit trilobite! What kind of nonsense are you pulling here?”

Jisehwa cursed as he aimed the Leviathan Saber at the Emperor.

“Hoh, so it’s you. You look just like what I’ve heard. Are you the Dragon King Squadron?”

“Tch. You’re fast with the rumors.”

Kang Ye-rin clicked her tongue.

“Blue, silver, yellow, green. Hmm? No red. Well, whatever. Mighty warriors, I look forward to the greatest battle!”

The Emperor wrapped his aura around both hands. He planned to fight with his bare fists.

“The size of the aura…”

“No time to waste. We’re going full force right away.”

Shin Yoo-kyung’s words made everyone nod. The four of them rushed in.

“Five Stars, Moonlight Mirror!”

“Leviathan, Ocean Slash!”

“Nosetorm, Clock Out!”

“Quetzalcoatl, Nature Power!”

Each of them immediately released their dragon powers and used their ultimate techniques, striking the Emperor

with full force. The Emperor, about to retaliate, suddenly felt something strange and stopped his fist.

“Haaah!”

“Die, you cockroach bastard!”

The Emperor tilted his head. He glanced at the four charging at him one by one.

‘Are they insulting me?’

For the Emperor, it was absurd.

He had spent his entire life searching for the ultimate warrior to defeat him.

He had traveled across the entire universe, looking for a valiant warrior who would ignite a big bang in his galaxy and stir his heart.

Empire, Emperor—those were just byproducts of his quest.

That’s why he had come all the way to this backwater.

But what was this?

These bugs.

Crack!

The Emperor grabbed Shin Yoo-kyung and Jisehwa by the neck with both hands.

“Cough!”

“Aaack!”

Their faces turned blue as they suffocated.

Boom!

The Emperor slammed them to the ground with a suplex.

Shin Yoo-kyung and Jisehwa were coughing up blood.

“What…!”

Kang Ye-rin and Choi Min-seo were shocked, but only for a moment. Before they knew it, the Emperor had grabbed their heads and slammed them together with a loud crunch, helmets cracking.

“Stop fooling around.”

The Emperor’s voice was filled with genuine disappointment.

“You say you defeated Dark Arthur? What nonsense is this?”

“Ugh… ughhh…”

Shin Yoo-kyung realized in that moment.

This was on a completely different level.

Fear.

The fear she had once become accustomed to slowly overtook her again. Shin Yoo-kyung didn’t even notice her lower body had become damp with a crack.

“Bring me the warrior who defeated Dark Arthur.”

Thud, thud.

Jisehwa felt like his neck was on the chopping block. The sound of footsteps felt like the pulley of a guillotine.

“No, no!”

“What do you mean?”

“We… we’re not the ones! It was the Red Dragon who defeated Dark Arthur!”

“Hmm?”

“It was Jeong Ui-seok, the one who defeated Dark Arthur!!”

Jisehwa shouted for his life.

And his cry spread across the galaxy, live broadcasted by the Galactic Empire.

‘It was the Red Dragon who defeated Dark Arthur! Jeong Ui-seok defeated him!’

“Pfft.”

Hearing Jisehwa’s desperate voice, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Heh, hehehe.”

Sae-hwa had always had a cute side. Though she swore and acted like a delinquent, she was actually soft-hearted.

She was scared of horror movies and liked cats.

Her love life was clumsy, too. When a junior confessed to her, she didn’t know how to react and came to me for advice.

She must have been really scared of the Reactor Emperor.

I understand, Sae-hwa.

Well, I won’t help you, though.