The Overlord of Blood and Iron

While Kang Chul-In was listening to Kwak Jung's story, on Earth...

Emergency, emergency!

A news anchor announced desperately.

An army comprising millions of monsters has emerged from Irkutsk, Russia, destroying everything in sight!

Park Sun-Ja was puzzled to hear the news. "M-Monster army…?" She pondered what it could be. "Could it be similar to that incident in the past?"

Park Sun-Ja recalled the tragic 'Monster Gate' incident that took place two years ago in Seoul. Monsters appeared in the city, destroying buildings and killing people.

Russian president Vladimir Putzar [1] has immediately declared a state of national emergency and has requested reinforcements from the UN and United States of America. In addition, over 200,000 soldiers have died in battle. Normal weapons are ineffective against the monsters, which led the Russian president to even authorize the use of a nuclear bomb!

A nuclear bomb? Russia, which boasted the second greatest military power in the world, was considering dropping a nuclear bomb on itself. The situation clearly seemed worse than the Monster Gate incident.

That would be the third nuclear bomb to be used in history.

"What to do… oh no… so many people..." Park Sun-Ja grieved at the news. "Are they really going to drop a nuclear bomb? Where did those monsters come from..."

Suddenly, Park Sun-Ja recalled the face of her most beloved man in the world.

"S-Son…!"

Those monsters were definitely associated with her son, Kang Chul-In's, world.

B-Breaking news!

The news anchor announced anxiously.

A nuclear bomb was fired from the Russian missile launch site and has been dropped onto Irkutsk, but...

What followed was even more shocking.

I-It was obstructed by the monster army's anti-aircraft system…!

Even a nuclear bomb was ineffective. That meant that the human race was out of options.

***

"What do you mean?" Kang Chul-In couldn't believe Kwak Jung's words. "Earth? The second coming of Agnaga…?"

"All of that is fake." Kwak Jung rebutted Kang Chul-In.

"Fake?"

"Yes." Kwak Jung nodded. "It's Sakura [2]."

"Elaborate?"

"Right, so… your imperial Majesty, didn't you return to the past?"

"...!"

"I knew it..."

Surprisingly, Kwak Jung was aware of Kang Chul-In's secret even before hearing it.

"Is it your foresight?"

"Yes, well… kinda… to be honest, I didn't see it. I deduced it."

"Deduced?"

"What I saw was..." Kwak Jung hesitated. "Right, so..."

"Go on."

Kang Chul-In urged Kwak Jung.

"Is that okay with you?"

"What?"

"Your imperial Majesty, your neck was sliced off by Rothschild..."

"..."

"Haha… that was a dark chapter in your life… hahaha."

"Ahem…!"

"No wonder you detested Rothschild so much..." Kwak Jung probably saw everything, even the past which no longer existed. "Keh… Your imperial Majesty… you were even more merciless last time, huh? Killing everyone you didn't like, wreaking havoc everywhere..."

"..."

"The whole continent detested you..." Kwak Jung began to list out Kang Chul-In's embarrassing past.

Kang Chul-In raised his fist without a word.

"S-Sorry..." Kwak Jung quickly apologized. He could be killed if he rambled on further.

"I will listen to your bullshit later. Tell me what you saw." Kang Chul-In coerced Kwak Jung. He didn't want Kwak Jung to mention his dark past anymore.

"A-As for that..."

"...?"

"Even after you were killed by Rothschild in the past, the competition continued."

That was bizarre.

"Continued?" Kang Chul-In inquired. "Wait, that past should have been completely erased after I returned."

"That's true, but there was that damned bastard called Milenius."

"Ah…!"

"That bastard used his time-control ability to continue with that past, which was supposed to be deleted."

"...!"

"Well, even though that past was supposed to be erased sooner or later, it served as a form of..."

"Don't tell me… he used it as a sort of simulator?"

"That's right!" Kwak Jung shouted. "In that simulation, Rothschild was the last one standing."

"Ahem…!" Kang Chul-In didn't want to hear it. "I guess that could be possible… so what?"

"You wouldn't want to believe this, but… Alex Rothschild and his strategist over there stopped the second coming of the Agnaga."

"..."

"To be honest, someone else can also do this job."

"That's true." Kang Chul-In agreed. The Emperor of Blood and Iron did not make arrangements to ensure that only Kang Chul-In could stop the second coming of the Agnaga.

Regardless of background, whoever emerged at the top of the ranking system would become the ruler of Pangaea and protect it from the Agnaga. It would make sense for Desdemona to cooperate with Alex Rothschild who would have become the final victor.

"That's when Milenius noticed." Kwak Jung spoke. "He observed how the arrangements made by the Emperor of Blood and Iron and Emilia could address the second coming of the Agnaga."

"Hmm…!"

"Milenius then decided to put a spin on the incident."

"To change the setting from Pangaea to Earth?"

"Yes."

"In that case..." Everything made sense now. "If I entered that place..."

"It would've been game over." Kwak Jung answered. "Inside that red pillar lies something even more sinister than Rindermergel or his Agnaga army..."

"...?"

"It's a huge explosion, akin to an atomic bomb."

"...!"

"It's a trap to annihilate the final victor and his army, including the soldiers who were released from Erinyes."

It was a near miss. Had Kang Chul-In not followed the Emperor of Blood and Iron's habit, or if Kwak Jung had not become a vampire, a catastrophe could have occurred by now. Everything would have perished. If Kang Chul-In and his army were engulfed in the explosion, nothing in either Pangaea or Earth could stop the Agnaga.

"Probably..." Kwak Jung was about to continue when an explosive sound could be heard. A chain of explosive sounds came from the red pillar in Nosferatu.

A chill ran down Kang Chul-In's spine.

"So close..." Kang Chul-In spoke. "That could have ruined everything."

He was right. If Kwak Jung had arrived even a bit later, both Pangaea and Earth would have perished.

"Aren't we fortunate?" Kwak Jung grinned. "We got through this obstacle well."

"You are right." Kang Chul-In nodded. "Well done, Kwak Jung."

He then placed his hands on his loyal subordinate's shoulders.

"You are the true hero."

"Hehe..."

"Your contribution is laudable in both Pangaea and Earth."

"Of course. I will make sure my name goes down in the history books. Hehehe~!"

"It certainly should." Kang Chul-In acknowledged, despite Kwak Jung's snobbish comment. Kwak Jung had seen through Milenius' wicked scheme and notified his superior. It was an admirable contribution that deserved merit.

"I will make sure that happens. Your name will be remembered even a thousand years later."

"Hehe… I leave it to you, then!" Kwak Jung rubbed his hands together. "And also, can you turn me back into a human, as well…?"

"Back into a human?"

"I am currently a vampire..."

"I will find a way."

"Thank you!"

"I can't let my beloved subordinate remain as a vampire."

"I trust you, your imperial Majesty!" Kwak Jung had faith in Kang Chul-In's promise. His master never gave empty promises. He was a man who always walked his talk.

"Well then." Kang Chul-In continued. "Now what? If the second coming of the Agnaga happens on Earth..."

Kang Chul-In was about to continue, when...

"Your Imperial Majesty!" A signaler hurriedly ran in front of him. "There's a significant message from Valhalla!"

"Significant message?"

"Yes, your imperial Majesty! Here it is!" The signaler respectfully placed a scroll on Kang Chul-In's hand.

The message written on the scroll read as follows:

[Breaking news!] A monster army has emerged on Earth, in Russia!

Kwak Jung was right.

"Those bastards..." Kang Chul-In hissed. "Wreaking havoc on Earth instead of here?"

He was extremely disgusted by the news. Not only did his enemy lure him into a trap, but it was also causing chaos on his home planet.

"You have to go." At that moment, Kwak Jung advised Kang Chul-In. "If Earth gets conquered, here no longer becomes safe as well."

Rindermergel was the leader of the Agnaga, who possessed all of his race's DNA. If they left him alone, warpers like Milenius were bound to be born again--- those who can teleport between dimensions. There would be no future for both Pangaea and Earth.

"Of course." Kang Chul-In nodded. "We can't let them do as they wish."

So what if it was the Earth? Regardless of where he fought, Kang Chul-In was confident of destroying the Agnaga.

However...

"How?"

Kang Chul-In had already used the 'Great Warp Gate,' so how could he open up another channel between Pangaea and Earth? Even if he wished to, there was no plausible method.

"It's possible." Desdemona stepped forward.

"You have a solution?" Kang Chul-In gave her a look of delight.

"We can use Erinyes."

"Erinyes? There's a Warp Gate in it?"

"Of course there is! How could the Great Summoning be possible otherwise?"

"Ah…!" However, there were still points to clarify. "In that case, was there even a need to make the Great Warp Gate?"

"That device was designed to be used within the same dimension. The purpose is different. Erinyes can allow teleportation between different dimensions, but not within the same dimension."

"In other words..."

"We can go."

It was delightful news.

"Let's go and destroy those Agnaga bastards."

"Alright." Kang Chul-In let out a cunning smile. He was a persistent man. Kang Chul-In would pursue those Agnagas to the ends of the earth to destroy them.

"Soldiers!" Kang Chul-In bellowed. "It seems that the Agnagas have escaped to another world!"

There was an uproar from the soldiers.

"What? Does that mean we don't have to fight?"

"Is that the end?"

"What's happening?"

Kang Chul-In answered their queries immediately.

"It's not over yet! If the Agnagas take control of the other world, wouldn't this world be their next target?"

The Agnagas would definitely attack Pangaea afterwards.

"They will come to this world not too long after and even I wouldn't be able to stop them! Only doom awaits if we neglect the other world for our own safety!"

The soldiers replied simultaneously.

"We will go!"

"We will help the other world!"

"If we have to fight sooner or later, we choose to fight now!"

"We will chase and hunt them down!"

There was an inundation of answers that satisfied Kang Chul-In. Only Kang Chul-In's soldiers were idiotic enough to risk their safety for the other world.

"Desdemona." Kang Chul-In looked back at the ancient black dragon, who would potentially become his wife. "I will leave it to you."

"Alright." Desdemona nodded and casted a spell, which summoned a Warp Gate from the system Erinyes.

***

Meanwhile, the situation on Earth was getting more dire by the second. The news reports were depressing.

The monsters are still unaffected even after five nuclear bombs. According to an authority in the USA Department of Defense, the anti-aircraft system that the monster army possesses is completely different from ours - it seems to be a sophisticated energy barrier!

The main force of the monster army has taken control of 90% of Russia's Moscow!

The nuclear bombs are deemed useless!

Missiles, airstrike and even nuclear bombs. No weapons in humanity's arsenal could stop the advancement of the Agnaga army. It was simply impossible. The firepower of Earth's weapons was much greater than that of Pangaea's, but it was vulnerable to even the slightest bit of magic.

That was also the case here. The magic barrier created by the Agnaga army was rather an unsophisticated one, but it was impenetrable by the human weapons. There was one simple conclusion. Humans could not fend off the alien race without magic! Therefore, the ancient Agnaga army took control of Russia with much ease.

Also...

Breaking news! Part of the monster army, which has split east and west from Irkutsk, is currently heading south towards the Korean peninsula!

Korea was no exception.

Three brigades of the North Korean People's Army have been annihilated at the Yalu river!

Kim Jong-Oon [3], the commander-in-chief of the NKPA has authorized the use of nuclear bombs, but it has been futile just like in Russia!

The monster army has taken control of Pyongyang, and it is about to cross the Military Demarcation Line!

North Korea fell in the hands of a small portion of the Agnaga army. It was now South Korea's turn.

In addition,

[Breaking News] Japan withdraws its Maritime Self-Defence Forces from the East Sea.

[Alliance News] The prime minister of Japan: "The situation in the Korean peninsula is unfortunate, but Japan has no choice but to withdraw its Maritime Self-Defence Forces due to its own safety."

[Breaking News] No other reinforcements to arrive except for the USA.

Japan decided that the monster army lacked the maritime forces to invade the island and withdrew its forces from the Korean peninsula. Similarly, the USA began to adopt a conservative approach, gradually focusing its attention on the USA-Japan alliance. Korea was left alone to fight the monster army.

"Never trust anyone!" This philosophy was coming into play.

Meanwhile, the Agnaga army trampled on Pyongyang and also conquered the Hwanghaebuk-do Province.

North Korea is currently waiting for military reinforcements from the South, with just a defence line at Kaesong. According to the experts, it will take less than 12 hours for the monster army to penetrate the defense.

South Korea was in danger. Once the defence line at Kaesong fell, the next target would definitely be the Military Demarcation Line. The people of Korea despaired. The monster army, which had conquered Russia, the biggest nation in the world, was right before their doorstep.

It was past all hope. How could such a small nation without a nuclear bomb, which was also useless, fight the monster army? At that moment, all 50 million people in Korea were desperately calling for a man's name.

Kang Chul-In: the hero who saved Seoul during the Monster Gate incident. If he was here, they could possibly win this battle against the monster army.

Breaking news: The North Korean army and the monster army are currently engaging in battle at the Kaesong defence line!

With that, the battle between the North Korean army and the Agnagas commenced at the border of North Korea.

[1] CuppyNote: I wonder who this is. Hmm.

[2] It's a type of card in Hwatu (flower cards/Hanafuda). Read more here.

[3] CuppyNote: Hmmmmmmm.