"Well! Let me introduce myself!" he announced, his voice carrying over the murmurs of the polymorphic crowd. They had been whispering among themselves, debating whether this ordinary-looking human was aligned with Adam or Yuruki. "I am Byeon-ho Pogi! The man who will become the strongest and wealthiest person in the world! Remember that name!"
He struck a dramatic pose and waited. In the cultivation manga he loved to read, this was exactly the kind of blunt, bizarre behavior that triggered a hidden gacha system. It was supposed to instantly boost his reputation or attract loyal disciples.
A few moments passed. Nothing happened.
Panic began to bubble in his chest. He couldn't keep this act up for long—at heart, he was just a normal, awkward guy who hated being the center of attention.
Hey, where's the cheat? he thought frantically. The System?!
He mentally repeated the plea, but was met only with a deafening silence. Mortified and breaking out in a cold sweat, Byeon realized he had no choice but to double down. He was already halfway into the bit; there was no turning back now.
Nearby, Alex let out a heavy sigh, extending a calming hand toward Vede. "Don't just jump to conclusions and attack like that," he chided gently. "It was dangerous. We had other options."
Vede exhaled slowly, the tension leaving her shoulders as she lowered the shaft of her scythe. "I got emotional," she admitted, glaring pointedly at Yuruki. "It's just... after all this time of ignoring us, you just..."
Alex slapped her several times, the sharp sound echoing in the air.
"Don't be so suicidal."
"Who cares…" she muttered weakly.
"I care."
He reached out and grabbed her hand, holding it firmly. She flinched in surprise, eyes lifting to meet his. For a moment, the noise between them faded.
"It just continues," Vede said quietly, glancing at Yuruki as he held her bandaged hand. "Just like that witch… it's always the same. Being controlled. Not owning your life. Not knowing what's going to happen next."
Alex exhaled, rubbing his forehead before flicking hers lightly.
"Ah—" she reacted, more out of habit than pain.
"You always lash out in unpredictable ways," he said, voice steady but tired. "But everything's going to be fine."
He let his hand fall away, gaze softening slightly.
"It doesn't matter what the situation is. As long as we're alive… that's enough."
It was strange, during these trying times, how the world remained so constant—yet now, a sudden shift has taken place, even if it feels like it is for the better.
Trust… a change that feels too abrupt to be stable. Even though for years, even centuries before, everything remained unchanged under the witches' authoritarian control.
Would it end up the same…?
Were only trying to survive, something that we dont know... Even though some are selfish.
Yuruki met her gaze, silently reflecting on how risky it was to involve herself with these strangers—let alone allow her advanced knowledge and technology to fall into their hands.
Alex huffed, brushing at the dirt caked onto his clothes. He mourned his ruined vest and polo, knowing the stains would be nearly impossible to wash out. He looked back up at Yuruki, his expression hardening. "But she has a point. How can we trust you?"
Yuruki's gaze shifted from Alex to the rest of the gathered crowd. "Look at the evidence," she began, her voice steady. "Vede—that is your name, right? Have I ever done anything to threaten you? I have only helped you, yet you continue to tarnish my name and speak of me with scorn."
A few of the hobbits and dwarves shifted uncomfortably, sweating under her piercing gaze.
"You attacked me, and I simply defended myself," Yuruki continued. "I have given you the resources you needed..."
"But how can we trust that you'll stay the same?" interrupted the hobbit who had spoken earlier.
Yuruki fixed her eyes on him. "How can you trust the words of a stranger who has done nothing for you at all?" she countered. She stepped forward, raising her hands to address the entire assembly. "If that is how you think, then you aren't judging people for who they are, but by what they possess."
"We just want a stake and some control!" a dwarf shouted from the back.
"And that is exactly what I am giving you!" Yuruki fired back, gesturing broadly toward her home. "Who here gives away their house to strangers simply because they ask?"
Silence fell over the crowd. Not a single hand went up.
"Who here has lived a life of endless labor, only to be given nothing in return?"
Slowly, hesitantly, hands began to rise—mostly from the horned folk and the anthropomorphic humanoids.
Yuruki's eyes softened, but her voice rang with absolute resolve. "Then that will change! Look at my actions. Look at what I have done for you. Trust is built on actions and care, just as you trust your own families!"
A beat of silence passed before a roar of approval swept through the crowd. Cheers erupted as the oppressed factions definitively sided with Yuruki. Watching the tide turn, Yuruki finally allowed a genuine smile to grace her features—a smile that was proudly mirrored by Adam as he watched from the sidelines.