The World After the Fall
chapter-71

People were gathered in the courtyard where Carpediem was located. They were the officers and employees of Gorgon Fortress. Among them was Euren who was waiting at the door of Carpediem.

'It's today.'

It was the day Jaehwan and the other people would return from their week of training. People were curious as to how powerful they had become. It was only a week, but they knew that two years had passed within the tower. It wasn't short, but it was still long. They also had Jaehwan, their monstrous Master, with them.

'Well, we have the 'Triad Meeting' today."

Triad Meeting.

That was the name of the event that would happen today where all the fortresses, except Manticore would gather at Gorgon for a meeting. However, it wasn't Gorgon that wanted to have the meeting.

'Master is absent at the moment.'

It seemed that the other Masters targeted this specific moment when Jaehwan was occupied within Carpediem to have the meeting. The stated purpose was to talk about how to deal with the Manticore Fortress and the Golden Sky Clan, but the real reason was obvious.

'They want to talk about the Depth Expedition Team.'

It was the first time in 900 years that [Chaos] had such a powerful group. There were six of the Ten-Clan and two Awakeners. With some preparations, it was a group that had the power to even unite the entire [Chaos] if they wanted.

Euren tried his best to postpone the meeting, but the other fortresses kept pushing the matter.

-The peace of the entire [Chaos] is at risk! We cannot postpone it any further!

'Master… you must return quickly.'

And it was today. Euren, Karlton, Claire, Meikal, and a lot of other officials gathered at the gate of Carpediem. Some seemed to be excited but some were concerned, like Euren. However, they all had the same thought. They wanted Jaehwan to return to them, and lead them through this dire time.

The small door of the courtyard opened, and some of the gatekeepers running in. The one in the front called out to Euren.

"Chancellor!"

Euren realized what had happened right away. It was the arrival of the Masters. Just then, the gate of Carpediem also began to shine. The Leaders were back.

Training grounds of Gorgon Keep was now filled with the vicious aura of two groups of warriors glaring at each other. Euren frowned as he thought.

'Why has it come to this?'

It all started with Kanghwang.

"So, you mean you cannot accept our Master as the leader of the Depth Expedition Team?"

In the meeting room inside the keep, Kanghwang stood up, slamming the desk in the middle of the Triad Meeting.

"No- we are just saying…"

"Bullshit! I know exactly what you are saying."

Then, Yong also shouted angrily as he stood up abruptly.

"Fair selection of the leader of the team? Where were you when we first started the team?!"

"Mind your manners!"

"Manners in your !@#$!"

Yong was enraged, but so were the other Leaders. The members of Dryad and Garuda were saying that:

-The current Depth Expedition Team's organization is too fragile.

-We cannot have a person not from [Chaos] be the leader.

-The current leader is an unidentifiable person.

-Gorgon alone cannot create the expedition team! It breaches the Four Fortress Agreement!

Whatever they said was not related to the original purpose of how to deal with the Golden Sky Clan. Euren knew the meeting would turn toward this topic, but he could only scowl.

"Let's all relax and go back to our original discussion…"

Euren tried to calm things down, but it was the claim made by the Master of Garuda that brought it to the limit.

"I'll just talk frankly. I suggest we choose the leader of the Depth Expedition Team with more careful and fair consideration from all sides."

Euren was shocked to hear this from Huidon the Cold Blood of Garuda Fortress.

'This is weird. He's not the type to say such rash things.'

Garuda Fortress was having a hard time against Golden Sky as they were the next target after Manticore. This brought about questions as Garuda should be focused on dealing with Golden Sky rather than the Depth Expedition Team at the moment. Euren glanced at him.

'Was the Golden Sky problem solved?'

That was the only possible explanation. However, Golden Sky was the most powerful organization within [Chaos] at the moment, and Golden Sky already had its headquarter within Garuda. It didn't seem to make sense.

"I don't agree with the Master of Garuda, but he still has a point."

Aisa Lindcroft, the number one beauty of [Chaos], agreed with Huidon. Euren moaned. He had suspected such a topic from the beginning, but he didn't think the two Masters would cooperate like this.

'I can't let them continue any further!'

However, before Euren could speak, Aisa turned to Euren. She hadn't finished yet.

"Also, it's weird that we do not have the Master of Gorgon in his seat. Where is he right now?"

Euren couldn't answer. Gorgon Fortress was obliged to have its Master present at the meeting. This was the biggest problem of the meeting.

'Master… why are you still not coming out?'

Everyone from the Adapter team had returned, but Jaehwan, Cayman, and Chunghuh were still not out. That was why the meeting topic had been swayed heavily by Garuda and Dryad, making the members of the Expedition Team outraged.

And that was how the current incident happened.

Kanghwang pulled out his sword, pointing it at the Master of Garuda.

So it came down to this. Two forces glaring at each other. The Master of Dryad looked at the Leaders on the side of Gorgon and warned them.

"…[Chaos] is in a dire situation as it is. This is not a wise decision."

"Dryad, it is inevitable."

It was Huidon the Cold Blood, who answered her. "We will not have 'some kid' take over [Chaos]."

"Some kid?! Did you just say that?" Kanghwang took a step forward.

"I too, have a problem with that word." Jagel Meng also spoke. Euren felt a bit weird to see those Leaders who had opposed Jaehwan just a week ago change this much.

'But they are very powerful… the training was successful.'

Euren was astonished at the Leaders. Even Yong, who was weakest among them, was now emanating with powerful energy.

"If you want to change the leader, then you will have to do it over my dead body."

Yong also stepped forward, drawing his sword. Then, Huidon took a step forward from the opposing side.

Huidon, an 8th stage Adapter.

He was too powerful an enemy for Yong, who was only at the 6th stage. Yong, however, did not back down.

"Why don't you start?"

When Yong's sword moved, Huidon was shocked. Countless lightning bolts struck him from all sides. It was a power that not possible from a 6th stage.

'7th stage!'

It was just a week, but Yong had reached the 7th stage within that timefram.

"Hah! It's not enough!"

Huidon was at the 8th stage. He still had the power to overpower four 7th stage Adapters at the same time. He quickly used his skill to destroy Yong's lightning and Yong took a step back. Then, Yong's sword erupted in fire. Huidon was shocked yet again.

"Fire King Sword?"

Eighteen Swords of the Fire King

The skill that had power close to Huidon's skill was now being activated by Yong. What was shocking was that the owner of the skill was originally Kanghwang, not Yong.

'…They taught their skills to each other!'

Huidon realized how Yong had achieved the 7th stage in such a short period of time.

'But it was still only a week! It's not enough!'

However, Yong fought on. He then began using skills from Jagel Meng, as well as the others. When Yong began focusing energy at the tip of his blade, Huidon became pale. He knew who the owner of this skill was.

Mukeuk's Thousand Sword of Sky. Huidon knew he couldn't defend against the skill.

'Do I really need to use it?'

The tattoo on his arm which had the shape of a white bird, began to flash.

"STOP!"

A powerful voice containing Spirit Power reverberated within the training ground. Yong and Huidon stopped. It was Mukeuk.

"Huidon, are you trying to use Guardian Horn?"

"…"

"Guardian Horn is not to be used for such a reason."

It was a much-needed interference. Yong would surely have lost if Huidon had summoned the Guardian Horn Garuda.

"…I lost."

Huidon gritted his teeth as he admitted his defeat.

"Next is me!"

"No, it's me!"

Kanghwang and Meng spoke. However, they stopped as someone stepped out from the crowd.

"Let's make this quick."

It was Mukeuk, the most powerful Adapter if they excluded Jaehwan and Chunghuh. Everyone took a step back. Mukeuk turned to Garuda and Dryad and asked, "Who will face me? Huidon? Or you, Aisa?"

Huidon grimaced while Aisa became silent. They knew they could not defeat Mukeuk. He was, after all, most powerful being in one-on-one combat in [Chaos] until now. Then, someone moved.

"…Ryung? What is the meaning of this?"

Ryung had jumped into the center.

"Are you going to face me?"

"Me? Oh no, of course not."

Ryung smiled and quickly moved across to the Dryads' side. Meng frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm changing sides, as you can see."

"Changing sides?"

It was not understandable. Even if she was originally from Dryad Fortress and was friends with Aisa, there was no chance for her to win.

"I think the chance of winning is higher on this side."

"I know you don't like the current Team Leader." Meng said, "But you know how powerful Mukeuk is. There's no chance."

"No, I don't think so."

Before Meng could continue, someone entered the training ground from outside. The man walked past Dryad and Garuda into the center of the training ground.

"Mukeuk, I will be the one to face you."

It was a handsome middle-aged man. However, some of the Leaders were shocked at the sight of the man. Even Mukeuk was surprised to see him.

"You…!"

Euren realized how the whole Triad Meeting had come to be. It wasn't Garuda or Dryad who planned it from the beginning.

He had suspected that there was someone behind them. It was weird for Garuda and Dryad, who had really a bad relationship, to work together against Gorgon. There was only one force powerful enough to save Garuda from Golden Sky, to have Dryad at its feet and come all the way to Gorgon.

'Master, it's the worst case scenario.'

A Spirit Power so powerful that it could only be from a 'General', was storming throughout the training ground.