Sungjin called the four priests of Rupellion for a meeting.

  “Did you want to see us, Master Sungjin?” After Sungjin merged the Holy Nation Rupellion, the four priests of Rupellion served Sungjin as their master.

  “All of you are aware that Kapitle is planning to attack Essendale, correct?”


  “Yes, Master.”


  “The war has already begun, so I called you to give you a few tasks.”


  “Your wish is our command.” The four priests bowed politely.

  “I will lead the team to defend Essendale, but I want you guys to be our opponent in the mock battle.”


  “Our pleasure.” The four priests were polite to take his command. Although Sungjin was a new force in this world, they were more obedient to Sungjin than to any other heroes. It could be from the power of religion.

  “Good. I will give you other tasks after the mock battle.”


  “Yes, Master.”


  The mock battle started as Sungjin ordered. It was a battle of Ereka, Eustasia, Rachel, Jenna, and Zakiya against the four priests and the crusader commendatores. Both sides were very strong and well-trained, so the fight was expected to be a difficult one.

  Sungjin ordered them to start the training with the mock battle and started to think about things. The coming fight would define the winning side of the war between the two kingdoms. This is an important fight.

  He opened the map. First, the land of Essendale that the Golden Wise King would attack was at stake. Second, the fight would define the winning side of the war. Winning the battle would make the heroes stay with him, but losing the battle would make the heroes change their side. Last but not least…… Zakiya was at stake.

  Sungjin didn’t think it had been a complete lie when Zakiya had told him that she would devote her everything to him, because it was the nature of humans to want to be on the winning side, but she was not sure which side was the winning side yet. Winning the first battle must be the first task to convince her to join him, but just winning wouldn’t be enough to convince her. I should dominate the fight to make her stand by my side. That wouldn’t be a pure love, but that would at least conquer the heart of the beauty who pursues power.

  But if Kapitle won, she would think that Sungjin wouldn’t be enough to go back to after going to the Golden Wise King with her spy tasks. He had to show his power if he wanted to convince her that being on his side would be better for her future.

  Ha. This is a double task that tests my power in a battle against my final enemy to unify the continent. He laughed joyfully. It was a fight that he couldn’t and wouldn’t avoid. Now that he had a beautiful team member as a bootie, it was just a better thing for him.

  The only problem was that the power of the Golden Wise King Kapitle was still shrouded in darkness. Kapitle was an awaken hero like Pederian, who didn’t show his ultimate skill to anyone. It was tricky to figure out the best plan to use to fight against a strong opponent with unknown power. But this is a battle that I need to win.

  The biggest difference between Kapitle and Sungjin was their level, but their level didn’t simply mean the difference in their personal power. For the heroes of this world, Kapitle was a strong opponent who was obviously strong, but they accepted Sungjin’s strength only because he kept winning, not because they thought Sungjin was truly strong. Moreover, Kapitle was cruel to the extras while very generous to the heroes. Kapitle provided massive wealth and power to his heroes. Sungjin was the opposite. Sungjin’s kingdom was a great place for the extras but not the heroes. The heroes didn’t rebel only because they couldn’t fight against Sungjin.

  If I lose this one, the heroes will migrate to the other side. It was the first battle but it was not a battle he could lose. The battle had begun before they had entered the battlefield. The first act was by Kapitle. He declared that he would lead the battle and demonstrated his extremely strong “destructive skill” to his people. It was his way to tell his people that he had a strong power, so they didn’t need to worry about the fight, and it was his way to warn the heroes on Sungjin’s side to change sides before the battle.

  It’s not only Zakiya. I’m sure there are spies in my camp. Sungjin knew there would be people who would sell information to Kapitle on his plans and devices that he prepared for the battlefield. There was no way to stop them all. Anyways, Kapitle was not the only one with spies in the enemy’s camp.

  Sungjin checked the information on Kapitle’s skill that he got from his spy. The destructive power is the same level as the Holy Pope’s ultimate skill God Hand before Pederian became Avatar.

  When Pederian had become an awaken Avatar, that was cheating, so Sungjin calculated that Kapitle must be an enemy with a similar level of power to Pedrian before he had cheated. But I defeated Pedrian, there’s no reason I can’t defeat Kapitle.

  Although he didn’t know much about Kapitle’s skill, which must be his hidden card, Kapitle didn’t know Sungjin’s plan, either.

  Should I respond to his threat in my own way?

  Now, Sungjin was the strong power, commanding Rupellion and the four kingdoms. He had more cards now compared to the day when Ereka summoned him to this world.

  And he also had Zakiya, a double-edged poisonous rose in his team.

  That night, Zakiya lightly kicked a mirror in her room. The mirror showed a veil made of water, and behind the veil was the silhouette of the Golden Wise King.

  “Did you approach the lion?”


  “Yes. As you commanded, I provoked him and told him to try and have me.”


  “Haha. Your beauty can be fatal for a young guy,” said Kapitle with a laugh.

  “Of course, he is still suspicious, but he said he will take me under his wing for now to convince me to join him.”


  “Well done.”


  “And if he wins the first battle, I told him I will give him everything.”


  “Hmm.”


  “Haha. If he is a guy who can’t even win the first battle, I don’t have to be here as a spy. And if he wins the first battle, you will need my help, right?”


  “Sure, that’s a good idea. To provoke him, I think that would be enough.”


  “Thank you for understanding.” Zakiya politely bowed to Kapitle.

  The mirror blurred again. Zakiya looked up and smiled dangerously and seductively. Hmm, the Golden Wise King is really good at reading people’s minds and manipulating them.

  It was Sungjin’s stupidity that he didn’t suspect that she could be a spy sent by Kapitle, but Kapitle’s plan to make Sungjin want to take her was clearly effective. The only question was how far Sungjin could go with the poison called Zakiya.

  I was expecting more from the great conqueror. The Sungjin she had met was an innocent boy who couldn’t even take a woman he desired. She didn’t understand how he had come this far.

  It was the Golden Wise King who made all this possible.

  She thought maybe he was hiding some great power that she was yet to witness. I hope the latter is the case. That would make this more interesting. I can’t wait to see the first fight.