I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-187

Ch-187. **Guardian of the Black Egg**

 

—

Korean Alliance.

Inside his office in the middle of Seoul, Park Tae-woo swallowed hard.

The sudden arrival of a blond foreign man.

From the moment he heard the man’s name, he felt as if his mind had gone blank.

*Hudson. The owner of the Hudson Trading Company and the right-hand man of Fifth Pillar! And the man who practically manages the Labyrinth City… was a player?!*

The Labyrinth City was a city of monsters that received the direct protection of the White King.

While Fifth Pillar was the official master, the one who actually managed the city was the human, Hudson.

Because of that, Hudson became an instant star across Pangaenia.

That monsters of the North—who despised humans—would share their domain with one? Unthinkable.

*Impossible. The monsters of Cramdel especially hate humans.*

And yet the impossible had become real.

Naturally, it created an uproar.

But no one ever suspected him of being a *player.*

There was someone with the same name in the Hall of Fame, but the ranking was so low nobody paid attention.

Everyone assumed it was someone else with the same name—never the same person.

*A recluse, with connections to the monsters of the North. A giant.*

Hudson was clearly someone who hid his true identity.

More than that, there was a high chance he was connected not only to Fifth Pillar, but to the North as well.

He made billions of gold selling goods from the Labyrinth City.

This was a type of “giant” that had never existed before.

*Why has someone like that come looking for me?*

Hudson was far greater than he was.

Therefore, caution was necessary—more than ever before.

To appear in front of him was no different from confessing that he was a player.

There was no way to understand why he would reveal a secret he had concealed until now.

*That face… it has to be Pangaenia’s Hudson. It matches the records the intelligence department compiled almost perfectly.*

It wasn’t a lie.

Randolph was using one of the broken fragments of the Golden Scale to appear in the form of Hudson.

No one knew what Hudson looked like on Earth, but the appearance matched 100% with the intelligence data.

“Ah. Instead of standing like this, shall we sit and talk? Tea? Coffee?”

After trying as hard as he could to stabilize himself, Park Tae-woo spoke.

He was flustered, yes, but he was still the player representing Korea.

This was his domain—and he had to maintain composure.

Hudson soon sat in the soft chair and spoke with a gentle smile.

“Just a cup of warm water, please.”

Park Tae-woo brought warm water and a cup of green tea through his secretary and slowly asked:

“…May I ask the reason you sought me out, Hudson-nim?”

*Sip.*

Park Tae-woo took a sip of green tea, keeping himself calm as best he could.

Hudson was a merchant by profession, but he was a giant with ties to the monsters of the North. There was certain to be an enormous reason behind this visit.

Hudson nodded.

“Park Tae-woo-nim. I am here to give Korea a city that you may use in Pangaenia.”

“…Pff!!”

Park Tae-woo involuntarily spat out the tea.

His mind went blank.

Had he misheard? Was it an auditory hallucination?

*What? He’s giving us a city?*

What was this nonsense?

Cities of Pangaenia were not children’s toys!

Even with all of Korea’s effort, one thing they could never obtain was a Pangaenia city.

Hudson smiled, as if he hadn’t been misunderstood.

“Of course, it won’t be the Labyrinth City.”

“Wait—then *which*… city?”

“Ancient City, Rundella.”

“…!!!”

Park Tae-woo’s eyes opened wide.

*Insane!*

The most iconic city owned by the Master was none other than the Ancient City, Rundella.

After the Master’s death, it became the center of countless disputes.

“But… Rundella doesn’t have an appointed successor…”

The Master had left no heir.

Rundella was unoccupied.

Whoever sparked a war and seized it first would become its master.

“My master possesses the right to rule Rundella.”

“Don’t tell me… the one who killed the Master was Fifth Pillar?”

“Yes.”

The answer was immediate and clear.

Fifth Pillar had killed the Master.

When you kill a city’s master, you gain the right to steal that city.

There was no need to start a war.

As long as the killer—or the representative—reached the city center, the city became theirs.

If there were a successor, they would have blocked it—but Rundella had none.

*Rundella is filled with unrecovered ruins. If Korea could obtain it, our power would increase at least threefold.*

Simply having a base was an enormous advantage.

There were quests only a city’s master could trigger, and selling relics or using tax revenue could create massive profit to purchase better equipment.

And that wasn’t all.

Alliance members could use the city’s many benefits at dramatically reduced cost, bring in religious orders to build relations, conduct trade on a national scale.

One could hire soldiers and knights to clear high-tier dungeons as well.

The possibilities for a city’s owner were limitless.

To become stronger in Pangaenia meant becoming stronger in reality.

*Korea will finally stop being ignored.*

During the demonic invasion, no one came to help Korea.

The will of Darkstar and the Allied Council was to save Japan first.

Japan had three base cities in Pangaenia—of course they had priority.

*Should I believe this?*

…But it was simply too outrageous.

A city. Given to them.

That Fifth Pillar was the one who killed the Master.

“You seem skeptical.”

“To be honest, yes. Is there any way to prove it?”

“By now, official notices should have arrived in the cities. You can verify it.”

Official notices?

Park Tae-woo’s heart sped up.

But he couldn’t just log in with Hudson right in front of him.

Besides, only the *owner of a city* could view those notices.

That moment—

*Bang!*

“E-emergency! An official notice has arrived from Ancient City Rundella—ah!”

The man who burst through the door instantly shut his mouth when he saw Hudson.

Park Tae-woo hardened his expression.

“…What notice?”

“T-through New York Hera Guild, they say Rundella has just been declared Fifth Pillar’s city. And notices are being distributed to all cities—!”

“…Understood. Leave.”

“Yes, sir!”

*Bang!*

As the man left, Park Tae-woo’s expression stiffened even further.

Hudson’s words were true.

And Hudson must have come on Fifth Pillar’s orders.

…The monster Fifth Pillar.

The only northern monster known to keep a human at his side.

No one had ever seen his true form, yet he was the one who cleared the Abyssal Labyrinth alone where everyone else failed.

More terrifying still—he was the *only* one among the main forces whom the White King personally swore to protect.

Such a being had sought him out.

Why?

“The offer is tempting, but right now, I must stop the demons who are about to attack Korea.”

Tempting was an understatement.

He wanted it desperately—enough to risk his life.

Even if he had to grant a monster’s request in exchange.

But Korea needed defending now.

This place would soon become a battlefield.

Life or death—nothing was certain.

When Park Tae-woo refused, Hudson shrugged lightly.

“Don’t worry. Things won’t go the way the demons want.”

“…What does that mean?”

“You’ll find out soon. And the task Fifth Pillar wishes to give you is, in any case, to protect the Dragon Vein—protect Korea.”

“……? I don’t understand. Are you saying Fifth Pillar’s task is related to this invasion?”

“Ah, no—more accurately, it is related to the Dragon God.”

“……???”

—

—

 

“Darkstar-nim, Park Tae-woo has left Korea with his close associates.”

Before the demons’ invasion began—

Darkstar, who had already arrived in Korea, tilted his head.

“Did he run away in fear? After all that big talk?”

How laughable.

He screamed and begged to protect Korea first—yet once he arrived, he was the first to flee.

*Does he have no patriotism at all?*

To think the “warrior representing Korea” was that kind of man.

Darkstar clicked his tongue.

But it didn’t matter.

If anything—it was better this way.

*That must be the Dragon Vein. Looks like some ancient temple.*

A massive temple that had suddenly surfaced above ground.

That was the Dragon Vein.

Entering it was impossible, but the Dragon Vein weakened invaders.

*We should claim ownership of the Dragon Vein. And if that doesn’t work, at least claim the surrounding land.*

What was the Dragon Vein?

Very few records existed, but legends said many *heroes* were born near Dragon Veins.

If Korea kept one intact, it might be possible to claim ownership of the surrounding region.

And with Park Tae-woo gone—

who else but he would protect Korea?

Darkstar licked his lips.

And then—

“Warp opening!”

“Demons! The demon army is here!”

*Ziiing.*

*Ziiiiing!*

Countless warps opened in the sky, and endless demonic forces poured out.

—

—

 

Issera nodded.

The army of demons was headed for the coordinates engraved with the Dragon Vein.

By opening warps simultaneously across multiple locations, not even humanity’s best resistance could stop all of them.

*Opening a portal for Mass Teleport is troublesome indeed.*

One of the basic authorities of a legion commander—

Mass Teleport!

Activating a portal required an enormous amount of magic power, so it could not be used often.

But once activated, hundreds of thousands of demons would destroy the Dragon Vein.

Humans could never stop them.

*I should be grateful they’ve gathered in one place.*

Because the Dragon Vein had drawn humans to one location, this task became easier.

Kill them all at once—then no one would remain to interfere.

But at that moment—

“L-Legion Commander. Something is wrong.”

“Wrong?”

A high-rank demon frantically approached Issera.

When he asked, the demon stammered:

“T-The portal… is closing.”

…A warp closing after being opened?

Perplexed, Issera rushed to the space where Mass Teleport was cast.

Then his expression darkened.

The massive portal installed in the Demon Realm—

the one they had barely activated—

was slowly closing.

Demons trying to pass through hesitated in confusion.

*…Forcing the portal closed?*

Issera realized immediately.

Someone was force-closing the portal.

But how?

The Lineages of the Reaper Cult had authority over opening and closing warps—yes.

But this wasn’t a simple warp.

This was a portal created to transport a massive army.

To close a gateway that was simultaneously anchoring tens of thousands of warps—

how?

“……”

The portal closed completely, and deep wrinkles formed on Issera’s brow.

Unbelievable—yet someone had force-shut the portal.

Spatial transfer was no longer possible.

Meaning—

*…They must fly there themselves.*

They would have to fly to the location of the Dragon Vein.

—

—

 

No one knew how much time had passed since the warps opened and the demonic invasion began.

But at some point, the warps suddenly closed.

And the rate at which demons emerged dropped sharply.

At the same time, countless people witnessed *it.*

— *Kya kya kya kya kya!*

It was unmistakably a reaper.

A perfect likeness of a Death God.

People who saw it murmured.

“What… is that?”

“Wait. I feel like I’ve seen it before…”

“N-No way. The Reaper from Jeju Island…!”

“It’s the **Guardian of the Black Egg!!**”

People screamed.

Especially those who experienced the “Jeju Island Erasure Incident”—their excitement exploded.

Of course it did.

The Guardian of the Black Egg was the one who protected them from Baal in the abyss and helped them escape.

“Then who is that person next to him?”

Because the Guardian wasn’t the only visitor.

A man dressed like a mage—

He was frowning in annoyance as he swung his staff, attacking the demons.

“Then is he… the ‘Owner of the Black Egg’?”

“No! He’s Union! The golden-Ratio mage who attacked us before!”

“What? Wasn’t Union on the demon side?”

“That’s what I’m saying—why is Union helping us?”

—

 

 

 

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