Chapter 24: The Resurrection of the Dragon Red, the Truth Known to the world

Destruction is faster than creation, killing is quicker than giving birth, and sinking into despair is faster than hoping.

Already, the air was thick with the mixed despair of everyone present, spreading like sticky fumes in the waiting room.

“How did this happen! You said 50 days, 50 days!”

The association leader fidgeted, stomping his feet. On the monitor in the operation room, the scene from Suwon was being displayed. Two enormous flying fortress-shaped airships hovered in the sky. Battle-type monsters descended to the ground one by one.

On the ground, a monster who appeared to be an officer swung a massive trident. Its lower half resembled a centaur’s horse-like body.

‘I am Pegasus, the First Knight Commander of the Great Galactic Empire! You ungrateful fools who don’t even show the bare minimum of respect to the Emperor’s grace, there is no reason to spare you! Prepare to face your judgment!’

“How dangerous is Pegasus?”

Kang Ye-rin asked.

“Unmeasurable… SSS+.”

The operator responded. Just like the Emperor, the battle power of the Galactic Empire’s monsters was beyond estimation.

“How many battle units are there?”

“One hundred and ten, and the number is still increasing. One unit is estimated to be at the S-level villain standard.”

“Over a hundred S-level villains…”

Ji Se-hwa bit her lip.

“Ye-rin, how are we going to respond? We can’t use those devices yet.”

Shin Yoo-kyung asked, and Kang Ye-rin paused to think. It didn’t take long.

“We weren’t just sitting around, you know. We might not beat the Emperor, but we have a chance against officers. Let’s go.”

“Are you serious? SSS+ level? It could be on the level of Dark Arthur…”

Shin Yoo-kyung’s legs trembled. The fear born from continued defeats was overwhelming her body.

Kang Ye-rin looked her straight in the eye.

“We can win.”

Shin Yoo-kyung slowly nodded.

“All association heroes, report for duty. Organize squads to handle the battle-type monsters.”

Kang Ye-rin issued the command. The Dragon King Team moved to the mechs.

“Hey, I, I don’t have to go, do I? Haha.”

Arcshi, standing in the hallway, asked, sweating profusely. Kang Ye-rin glared at him like he was a bug.

“Take down at least one battle-type monster. Don’t get in our way.”

“But I’m a B-level.”

“You’re a trash who tarnishes Red’s name.”

Kang Ye-rin showed a cold hostility and moved as if wasting no time.

The Dragon King Team boarded their mechs and quickly headed to the battlefield.

On the ground, the battle-type monsters, led by Pegasus, moved in formation. Everything they passed was destroyed, and only corpses remained.

“The mechs will target the enemy airship on autopilot! We will deploy on the ground!”

Following Kang Ye-rin’s command, the four members of the Dragon King Team jumped from their mechs.

“Transform!”

At the same time, they attached the switches to their transformation devices. Each was enveloped in light, and four warriors—Blue, Silver, Yellow, and Green—landed on the ground.

“Fools who dared to blaspheme the Emperor! You should be thankful for his mercy and commit seppuku, yet you don’t even know what gratitude is!”

Pegasus roared in fury, releasing a blinding glare. The centaur monster spun a trident above its head, creating powerful wind pressure.

‘The Dragon King Team has arrived! They’ve blocked the Galactic Empire’s officers! Now, hope lies with the Dragon King Team!’

Helicopters from the media hovered above, broadcasting their battle to the entire world.

“I am not as merciful as His Majesty. You will all be buried here!”

Pegasus entered combat stance, and Kang Ye-rin prepared herself.

“Everyone, follow the formation.”

Shin Yoo-kyung, Ji Se-hwa, and Choi Min-seo nodded. Each of them unleashed the power of the dragon. Weapons appeared in their hands: Kang Ye-rin with knuckles, Ji Se-hwa with a sword, Shin Yoo-kyung with a rod, and Choi Min-seo with a staff.

“Raaaa!”

Pegasus charged forward, and the battle began.

To the eyes of ordinary people, the high-speed combat was untraceable. The Dragon King Team used their combined dragon powers, executing precise strikes they had practiced during training.

However, the body of Pegasus was made of material from a distant part of the universe, unlike anything found on Earth. The word ‘hard’ couldn’t even begin to describe it.

• In the beginning, the battle seemed to be a close contest, but soon, the tide turned in favor of the Dragon King Team. Their suits were torn, helmets shattered, and blood flowed. Their weapons broke, and their punches lost their edge. Their breathing became ragged.

“Ha… ha…”

Kang Ye-rin sensed it.

They couldn’t win.

The Dragon King Team would die here.

Seeing this, all the citizens of the world also began to despair.

The four heroes, known as the strongest in the world.

They couldn’t even defeat one officer of the Galactic Empire.

The omen of ruin and the end was looming right before their eyes.

“Ugh… Krgh.”

Kang Yerin looked around.

Buildings were burning and collapsing. Monsters were rampaging. The streets were littered with the corpses of civilians.

Ji Sehwa, Shin Yookyung, Choi Minseo.

They were all seriously injured. Standing was all they could manage.

Death was drawing near.

This was the last sight she would see.

She thought that if she met them again after death, she should apologize.

But soon, she realized that wouldn’t happen. She would never go to heaven.

She looked up at the sky.

One of her eyes was swollen shut, soaked in blood.

From the two airships, more monsters were descending.

Is this already hell?

Just as she felt hope slipping away from her.

A voice echoed in her ears.

It was a voice she had heard before.

No, one she had heard hundreds, maybe thousands of times.

“Apocalypse.”

[■EVE_ATI■■]

“Plague’s White.”

[LE-SAL-DO]

A beam of light shot through the sky.

In an instant, it pierced through the Galactic Empire’s airship.

Peeing-

Kwahhh!

The airship exploded in an instant. But it didn’t fall. A bright white hole appeared where the airship had been.

An empty space, where nothing existed. Truly void.

The void sucked the airship in, and with a flicker, it vanished in the blink of an eye.

Kang Yerin’s eyes widened.

She knew what that was.

She couldn’t have been unfamiliar with that light arrow.

Ji Sehwa, Shin Yookyung, and Choi Minseo, who witnessed the scene, were in the same state.

They all stood there, mouths agape in disbelief.

Peeing-

Before they could even process the situation, another arrow was shot.

A smooth, beautiful white beam, as if drawn with a ruler, obliterated another airship.

“What’s going on? What happened?!”

Pegasus shouted in panic.

Kang Yerin turned her head wildly, searching for the figure.

That hero’s power.

The man with a pure white bow and arrows, a name that didn’t suit the red color.

“Oh my God! What is that? Could it be? Everyone! Am I seeing things? Camera! Get it right!”

“A hero steps forward in front of the executive, Pegasus! Red! He’s wearing a red helmet!”

“Oh my God. It seems that God hasn’t abandoned us yet.”

“Red Dragon!! It’s Red Dragon!! Red Dragon is alive! Right here! On the ground, with two feet!!”

Red Dragon.

He was standing there.

“Ah, ah…”

Kang Yerin gasped, unable to speak clearly, as though suffering from aphasia.

She had the illusion that she was already dead and seeing a hallucination.

Ji Sehwa, Shin Yookyung, and Choi Minseo couldn’t believe their eyes either.

20 meters.

He was just that far away.

In his red helmet and hero suit.

He lowered the light bow he had been holding and placed his hand on his helmet.

Red Dragon removed his helmet.

And there, was a face they knew all too well, a face they couldn’t have mistaken.

Jeong Iseok.

It was his face.

Jeong Iseok didn’t look back at them. It was as if he showed no interest in anything, as if no living creature existed there.

His dark eyes were fixed solely on the monsters.

“A new warrior? It doesn’t matter who comes! I’ll bury you all the same!”

Pegasus scraped the ground with his hooves. He was ready to charge and swing his trident.

“Iseok…”

Kang Yerin was about to call his name when—

“No, no! Red Dragon!!”

Someone suddenly appeared and ran at full speed. It was a middle-aged man in a white gown with glasses. He grabbed Jeong Iseok’s waist and clung to him.

“You’re still not fully recovered! Where do you think you’re going?! You can’t fight! You’ll really die this time!!”

“…Dr. Hyun.”

The spotlight from the helicopter illuminated the two of them. Their conversation was being broadcast live to the entire world.

“When you defeated Dark Arthur, you were already half-dead! You were caught in the explosion of the spaceship too! Do you know how hard I worked to recover you in space?”

“I know. I’m grateful.”

“If you know that, then value your life! Why are you going to fight that dangerous monster again…!”

“Because it’s my sense of justice.”

With those words, Jeong Iseok gently removed Dr. Hyun’s hands from his waist. Behind him, about ten people, who seemed to be the doctor’s assistants, came running.

“Dr. Hyun!”

“This is dangerous!”

“Trust me!”

“It’s Red Dragon!”

The four members of the Dragon King Squadron were still confused by the situation.

No, there was one thing they were sure of.

Jeong Iseok was alive.

Because of that doctor.

“Hey, hey.”

Just as Shin Yookyung took a step forward, Dr. Hyun glared and stepped between Jeong Iseok and Shin Yookyung.

“Get out of the way!!”

Dr. Hyun growled.

“You guys! Dragon King Squadron!! I’ve seen the combat records from the space battles! I still have video evidence! Red Dragon asked me to keep it quiet, but…!”

At those words, Kang Yerin, Shin Yookyung, Ji Sehwa, and Choi Minseo all sensed it.

The moment when their secrets would be revealed to the world had arrived.

“To think you betrayed and tried to kill Red Dragon, who defeated Dark Arthur, is the most despicable thing imaginable!!!”

Dr. Hyun shouted, veins bulging in his neck.

His shout, filled with desperate anger and sorrow, struck the hearts of all humanity across the world.