I understood that Harmageddon's minion had infiltrated the Association.
No, that's still nonsensical, but I could somehow comprehend it.
But why was that person holding that thing?
Of all people, why would a Hero aspirant be doing this?
Could it all have been an act? Was she Harmageddon's minion from the beginning?
"You seem to be... thinking a lot."
I flinched at Park So-Ah's voice.
She smiled at my reaction and rubbed the Dragon Scale with her hand.
"Where did you get that?"
"W-why should I... tell you that...?"
"Then... do you know what you're holding?"
Please don't know. Just say you don't know.
I prayed, but Park So-Ah nodded, shattering my hopes.
"I know. It's a Berserk Dragon's scale.... T-that person gave it to me and said if I held it, Sia would come.... I was skeptical but..."
You really came...?
She said this with an unpleasant smirk.
"I-I never imagined you were actually the Berserk Dragon."
There's no point trying to reason with someone who knows this much.
Should I be honest? But would she listen even if I were?
Wouldn't honesty be better than lying?
After much deliberation, I voiced my conclusion.
"A Berserk Dragon as a Hero.... A monster that k-killed 5 million people. What nerve do you have standing beside an S-Class Hero...?"
"...I'm not the Berserk Dragon!"
"Y-you're lying again."
I gritted my teeth at her expressionless face, already treating me as identical to the Berserk Dragon.
This is ridiculous.... Stop this nonsense....
But no matter how much—
"I've never lied..."
"You just didn't tell the whole truth, right? Isn't that so? Hmph. Deceiving people like that, how many have you fooled this way?"
"What did I deceive you about?! Why are you making assumptions...!"
"Sure. That's right. People just happen to be deceived because you withhold information. Like me. Better than doing nothing? Too much effort wasted to get here? Ha, how amusing."
Her words were clearly mockery, leaving me speechless.
Looking straight at me, Park So-Ah neither stuttered nor trembled.
She continued calmly, staring at me with hatred, enunciating each word as if spitting them out.
"How much did you laugh at me inside? You must have been hysterical. Knowing Choi Hyun's position would ultimately be yours, how amusing it must have been to watch someone running toward you with just that one goal."
"No.... No, I... That's not what I meant...."
"Not what you meant? Then what? What reason did you have to say such things to me?"
"I really thought it would be a waste for you to give up there..."
"To say such things while knowing my goal—are you conscienceless or just clueless?"
This wasn't just a change in attitude. It was a dramatic transformation, as if her personality had been completely reversed.
Could someone change this much overnight?
No, I guarantee it's impossible.
Unless someone experienced a truly shocking event or was mentally ill, they couldn't change their personality this drastically overnight.
An event significant enough to alter someone's mind would have made front-page news.
But yesterday's news was unremarkable. At most, it was about the ruling and opposition parties fighting.
And she's not mentally ill.
Until yesterday, she was perfectly normal, just extremely shy.
If neither of those, then the possibilities are...
Either she was a spy from the beginning, or she was captured and brainwashed by Harmageddon.
"..."
I need to make a decision, but I don't know what to decide.
Should I subdue her as Harmageddon's minion? What if the situation escalates and everything is exposed?
It's just one scale, so maybe it's fine?
But what if Park So-Ah isn't Harmageddon's minion?
What if she's a victim too?
What if I accidentally hurt or kill Park So-Ah...
I deliberated over and over, but the conclusion remained the same. There's nothing I can do here.
I can only wait for Hyun to arrive, like a miracle.
"...What do you want?"
"Now we're talking. Hmph..."
Park So-Ah smiled at me.
"Withdraw from this exam. No, withdraw from all future Hero exams too."
She approached with large strides and looked down at me with lifeless eyes.
"Stay away from Choi Hyun. Your existence is nothing but a shackle to him."
Anger surged within me.
Who are you? Who the hell are you to try to take what's mine, you fucking bitch.
"Who are you to know anything...!"
"I know you're the Berserk Dragon, and Choi Hyun is covering for you. What will happen to Choi Hyun if people find out you're the Berserk Dragon?"
"I'm a victim too! Harmageddon made me like this...! What am I supposed to do?!"
"What does that have to do with me? Do you think people will care? In the end, you're just another monster in everyone's eyes."
I couldn't say anything to that.
—You must keep your identity as the Berserk Dragon secret. You're a victim too, but to those who suffered then, you're just a target for their unresolved rage.
Remembering those words, all strength left my body.
Come to think of it, Park So-Ah was right.
Even Ryu Hwa, an A-Class Hero, hated me for being the Berserk Dragon despite knowing I was a victim who had been transformed into a monster.
At least until we met face to face, saw each other, and learned about each other.
What about others? Ordinary people? Those who lost loved ones?
What would they think when they see me? That's why I was afraid to go outside at first.
Now I can go around because I know people don't pay much attention to me, but what if...
What if Park So-Ah publicizes that I'm the Berserk Dragon? Or even just raises the slightest suspicion?
"..."
Hyun would suffer more because of me.
He might even lose his position as an S-Class Hero.
And not just Hyun, but Ha-Young Noona who's been watching my back too.
Because of just me, both of them would suffer.
"I..."
"If you disappear from Choi Hyun's side, that's all it takes. If you do that, I won't reveal that you're the Berserk Dragon."
Hmph, hmph... Park So-Ah looked at me with that smile.
Her eyes were like a pitch-black abyss without a single point of light.
Eyes I've seen somewhere before. When was it? When...
—It hurts... It hurts. Mom...
Suddenly I remembered the eyes of the dying wolf monster. Park So-Ah's eyes resembled those.
Alive but not alive. Eyes that were as good as dead.
Feeling nauseated, I unconsciously swallowed.
I felt like I was going to vomit.
"If I disappear, that's all it takes...?"
"Yes. If you just disappear, everything will go back to normal. You'll get monthly support funds, so it's not that difficult, right?"
Just before nodding, I remembered Choi Hyun saying he had lived like a dead man for ten years, working only to find me.
Would this really be okay? Is this something I can decide on my own?
And if I leave Hyun, he'll wander around looking for me again.
I don't want that. I don't want Hyun to suffer because of me. But he'll suffer no matter which option I choose.
Knowing that drove me crazy.
Neither option works. It was too difficult to choose without hesitation.
—It wouldn't be bad to just kill her.
Even the Berserk Dragon, whom I thought was on my side, casually suggested something insane.
It's ridiculous to say such things when we know what would happen if I killed her here.
—Where else would Dragon Scale not managed by the Association come from?
Harmageddon...
So if she really is Harmageddon's minion...
—It wouldn't matter if you killed her.
"Your answer?"
Is that... so?
I stared blankly at Park So-Ah as she urged me to answer.
[...ra!]
If she really is Harmageddon's minion, wouldn't it be right to kill her here?
And she tried to take Hyun away from me. In such a dirty, petty way.
I regained strength in my hands and grabbed Park So-Ah's neck firmly.
If I apply just a little more force, this woman will die. Would that solve it?
"Kugh...! Urgh...!"
Is it right to kill a person?
One step away from crossing the line.
[Wake up, you idiot!!]
With pain like a hammer striking my head, I released my grip on Park So-Ah's neck.
What... what was I just about to do...?
"Kack, kuhack...! Kuhup...! Haa... Huck...!"
Was I just about to kill someone with these hands...? Me...?
"H-hehe... See... You are... a monster..."
"No..."
Unable to bear Park So-Ah's mockery, I fled the scene.
I'm not a monster.