SFRW-Chapter 208

Ch. 208 Sword God From The Ruined World

It was a jackpot.  

The 101st Half-Dragon they captured turned out to be Koroka, Metaneca’s only trusted subordinate.  

“Y-you came from another planet?”  

Koroka wore an expression of disbelief, but after hearing Kusak’s well-reasoned explanation, he could no longer maintain his skepticism.  

“T-to think there are humans as strong as you on the planet we were supposed to migrate to…”  

Koroka trembled violently.  

In Moteor, Half-Dragons were unquestionably superior to humans.  

Aside from a rare few exceptions, no humans could oppose the Half-Dragons.  

Yet on this ‘Earth’ place, there were apparently numerous humans at similar or even greater levels than those before him!  

Unable to discern whether this was false, Koroka thought that even if Kusak’s words were exaggerated, unless their entire species migrated, it would be difficult for Half-Dragons to dominate Earth.  

As migrants, they would already be unwelcome – they needed to firmly establish themselves as rulers…  

But this was just empty hope, far too optimistic.  

“So… our fate was already sealed,” Koroka muttered weakly, his voice devoid of any hope.  

Realizing Half-Dragons had no place either in Moteor or their dreamed migration planet, all his motivation drained away.  

Simultaneously, resentment and fury surged.  

Toward his kin who had humiliated and scorned him. Toward Metaneca who had consistently ignored his pleas for unity.  

‘I just wanted to survive!’  

Koroka detested his entire species – their petty pride and spiteful vengeance that made them choose solitary lives even as their world crumbled.  

‘If we can’t live together… then let’s all die together!’  

His eyes blazed with hatred, resentment, and vengeance.  

“I’ll ask one thing.”  

The sudden shift from despondency to vengeful fury made Seo Do-jun and the others stare at Koroka in bewilderment.  

“What is it?”  

When Seo Do-jun asked, Koroka immediately responded:  

“What’s your objective?”  

“Our primary goal is reaching the 37th planet.”  

“Just open a dimensional rift and leave? What about… Metaneca?”  

Though unsure what answer Koroka wanted, Seo Do-jun answered honestly:  

“We’ll have to kill him.”  

Leaving an Administrator behind would be problematic.  

“Keuk…keukekeukeuk!”  

Koroka laughed uncontrollably.  

“Good! I’ll watch to see if you can actually kill Metaneca.”  

“Wait… are you asking us to spare you? Did I hear wrong?”  

“Wow, bold move! Not even begging or pleading… what is this?”  

Though the group stared incredulously, Koroka spoke with shameless confidence:  

“You want Metaneca, right? How long will you keep struggling to capture and interrogate them one by one? I’ll help you skip that hassle.”  

“You’re offering to betray your comrade?”  

As Kusak frowned, Koroka sneered:  

“Comrade? Keukekeukekeuk! Do you think any Half-Dragon considers me a comrade? Catch the next one and ask if you’re curious.”  

Having said his piece, Koroka closed his eyes.  

Though absurd, Koroka’s offer wasn’t bad – in fact, it was perfect.  

However…  

‘Can we trust him?’  

Seo Do-jun considered using Lynx’s remaining eyeballs, but Half-Dragons’ draconic heritage likely made them immune.  

“What should we do?”  

Kusak asked Seo Do-jun while watching Koroka.  

They knew from earlier captures like Jekawark that other Half-Dragons similarly scorned Koroka.  

“One question.”  

At Seo Do-jun’s voice, Koroka opened his eyes.  

“You seem to want Metaneca dead. Why?”  

“If Administrator Metaneca dies, no one in Moteor can open dimensional rifts.”  

Seo Do-jun understood.  

“You want your entire species to perish with this world.”  

Koroka giggled at Seo Do-jun’s words.  

In that laughter, Seo Do-jun clearly saw:  

Eyes filled with racial hatred, and a heart retaining nothing but malice.  

This was trustworthy enough.  

After brief deliberation, Seo Do-jun decided to use Koroka’s vengeance.  

“We’ll help achieve your goal.”  

Seo Do-jun and Koroka shook hands.  

***

Koroka was sincere.  

He identified every Half-Dragon by name and personality.  

As Rakun’s wall markings doubled, Koroka never lied or acted suspiciously.  

No – he couldn’t.  

‘Do these humans grow stronger with each fight?’  

Watching the group improve through constant battles left Koroka astonished.  

The teams of Kusak/Rakun/Shinjo and Veronica/Hyun Joo-yeon/Gloria no longer needed Choi Kang-soo’s support.  

They could kill Half-Dragons in under 30 minutes, or capture them in 40.  

Yet none compared to Seo Do-jun.  

10 minutes.  

Against any Half-Dragon, Seo Do-jun achieved his desired outcome in 10 minutes.  

‘Metaneca takes about that time against one too.’  

Koroka eagerly awaited their clash.  

Three days later:  

“It’s Metaneca!”  

A Half-Dragon slowly entered Kalao.  

“That’s him?”  

The group pressed against windows, examining Metaneca.  

“Doesn’t look impressive.”  

“Thought the strongest Half-Dragon would be special. Disappointingly average.”  

As they dismissed him, Koroka warned:  

“Metaneca single-handedly defeated Doruaka, our former strongest. And he always has five Gardi Skillis with him.”  

“Gardi Skillis?”  

“Haven’t you seen them? Common monsters here.”  

They recalled the rhino-mole hybrids.  

“Oh… those things?”  

Kusak laughed, remembering the one he’d tamed.  

“I could handle fifty of those alone.”  

Koroka smirked at Kusak’s confidence.  

“He stopped.”  

Metaneca suddenly halted his approach.  

“…Does he suspect something?”  

As Choi Kang-soo spoke:  

“KOROKAAAAA-!”  

Metaneca’s roar shook the city.  

KRGGGRGRGRG!  

An earthquake stronger than any eruption rattled the building.  

Then –  

SKREEEEE!  

An enormous shadow burst from the ground behind Metaneca.  

“…My god!”  

A Gardi Skilli – but dwarfing any they’d seen before.  

Like a six-story building come alive.  

“You…!”  

Kusak stared incredulously at Koroka.  

“That’s cheating!”  

CRACK!  

A wall collapsed as another massive shape moved underground.  

“Everyone out!”  

Seo Do-jun grabbed Koroka and burst through the ceiling.  

Others escaped through windows and walls.  

Three seconds later –  

BOOM!  

A second Gardi Skilli destroyed the building’s foundation.  

Metaneca had detected intruders and unleashed his monsters to flush them out.  

“Well? Still confident?”  

Koroka asked mockingly from Seo Do-jun’s grip.  

But Seo Do-jun only watched Metaneca, who was already staring back.  

Seo Do-jun approached.  

“Metaneca, Administrator of Moteor?”  

Metaneca studied him before responding:  

“You seek the 37th planet?”  

Humanity seemed irrelevant – he only confirmed Seo Do-jun as an enemy with that goal.  

“Good, we understand each other.”  

Metaneca nodded, then addressed Koroka:  

“What are you doing?”  

“I’m captured.”  

“That’s all?”  

“I betrayed our kind. Helped them kill our people while waiting for you here.”  

“You had reasons. Explain.”  

“I lost hope.”  

Metaneca fell silent for two minutes before speaking:  

“Koroka, I’ll let you return to my side. Unlike others, you’re worthy.”  

“Keukeukeuk! It’s over, Metaneca! Planetary migration? Just us two can’t accomplish anything! We’d still be outcasts there! Just flailing in despair until miserable death!”  

Koroka’s entire body shook with rage.  

“No. I’ll live as a new king in a new world. You can be my second-in-command.”  

“Second? KEUK…KYAHAHAHA!”  

Koroka laughed hysterically.  

“How long will you deceive me? Second? Here you treated me as a mere underling! You ignored how our kin scorned me! Now you offer second-in-command?”  

As Koroka raged, Metaneca coldly turned to Seo Do-jun:  

“Seems I can’t reason with my… friend.”  

“Friend? That thing?”  

Metaneca frowned, then chuckled:  

“Good. His chatter was annoying anyway.”  

“METANECA!”  

Koroka thrashed violently.  

Seo Do-jun refrained from releasing him despite their deal.  

He drew his sword.  

Seeing this, Metaneca’s lips twisted –  

WHOOSH!  

He teleported, clawing for Seo Do-jun’s chest.  

Seo Do-jun spun, slashing at Metaneca’s left wing.  

CLANG!  

Metaneca’s wing bones blocked the blade.  

As Metaneca attacked Seo Do-jun’s waist, Seo Do-jun kneed him away and swung for the chest.  

CRASH!  

Elbow bones blocked again, but the impact sent Metaneca skidding back.  

Two exchanges in seconds.  

“You’re qualified,” Metaneca said, drawing elongated bones from his palms.  

“Shall we begin in earnest?”  

His eyes gleamed savagely as the ground shook – the remaining four Gardi Skillis emerged.