Chapter 243: Butterfly Effect (3)

Antarctica was freezing.

Step, step, step, step.

“……”

The entire group from Joaquin Academy remained silent.

No one had suggested it—everyone was simply quiet, as if it had been agreed upon.

And that was because…

“Haa…”

Media sighed so deeply that the ice cracked under her feet with every step. Her breath escaped through her teeth in a sadness almost visible.

That’s right. The reason the secretary, the assistant, and I were silent was out of consideration for Media, whose face burned with embarrassment.

I glanced sideways. Media was swallowing the words building up in her throat.

‘If I saw one of my parents for the first time in decades… and they showed up dressed in a penguin suit…’

Even as an orphan, I could understand her.

I looked ahead again. Watching that waddling penguin butt gave me a weird feeling.

‘That eccentric is the president of the Hero Association…’

Victor Poison.

I had heard about him several times from Ryozo.

—The president of the Association is a mythical figure.

A short but striking statement. Ryozo rarely showed respect for anyone, so I remembered it clearly.

—If that man acts seriously, the international balance would crumble.

Ryozo had said it wasn’t a metaphor—it was fact.

Joaquin Academy, the United Nations, and the Hero Association. In this world, power is divided among three main forces.

A sort of separation of powers. It’s the most effective way to prevent authority from concentrating in one place.

Of those three, Joaquin Academy is an educational institution that trains heroes, and the International Union is a cooperative body regulating diplomatic and global matters.

Therefore, neither the Academy nor the Union has a supreme leader. The Director or Secretary-General are more like temporary representatives, not true heads.

But…

—The Hero Association is different.

And why? Because it was practically created and built by a single person.

The Academy was also founded by Valor Joaquin, but that was 700 years ago. He’s now a historical figure.

And the International Union, as the name suggests, is a “union” of interests. Having a founder contradicts its very premise.

That’s why, among these three powers, only the Association has one clear and unique leader.

And needless to say who that is. Yes, the penguin.

Victor Poison was the one who developed the algorithm that allowed Hero Points (H.P.) to be represented graphically. He also built the data center that stores all that massive information.

That was 70 years ago.

On top of that—the Association’s computing system, regional branch management… the list of things he created is endless.

‘Even if now, instead of hands, he has penguin flippers.’

Step, step.

Those adorable little footsteps echoed in my ears.

‘If Ryozo saw him dressed like this, how would she react?’

I was incredibly curious to see her face. After about ten more minutes of walking, the president stopped like a wobbling doll.

“Let’s see, it should be around here.”

He gently set aside the penguin head. Kneeling down, he began brushing the ice with his flippers. He looked like a penguin gathering seeds.

“After spending several weeks with penguins, I don’t quite remember the spot. Ah, here it is!”

One of his flippers sank into a specific point in the ice. The president dusted snow off his knees and stepped back.

And then it happened.

Rumble rumble…!

The Antarctic continent shook. From the snow-covered mountains in the distance, an avalanche descended rapidly. The assistant and secretary fell backward.

A sudden earthquake. The assistant looked up, alarmed.

“W-what’s happening?”

Behind the president, a massive shadow rose. The dense snow mist made it hard to see clearly for a few seconds.

Fwoooosh…

The wind blew from south to north. That warm southern wind carried the mist away to the north, clearing the view.

The secretary murmured, eyes wide and half in shock.

“How can something like this exist in the middle of the polar desert…?”

A castle of ice had appeared before us.

It was gigantic. Its size and majesty rivaled St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

Its walls bore geometric carvings of snowflakes and ice sculptures. It had as much artistic value as it did function. More than a simple base—it was a work of art.

“Welcome.”

The president turned to us with a smile.

Proudly, he lifted his flippers to the sky.

“This place, Angel Factoria, welcomes you!”

His penguin body took on a Y-shape. As if worshiping the sun in a sacred pose.

***

The president of the Association guided us through the place.

“Wow, this is the first time in my two hundred years of life that I’ve let someone into my home.”

The assistant let out a gasp of amazement.

“No way.”

The exterior was already impressive, but once inside, one was left speechless.

“Each of these machines is at least thirty years ahead of their time!”

The assistant’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“I see you know your stuff.”

The president gave a slight smile. The assistant nodded quickly.

“I’m a science guy.”

“You’ll have no trouble finding work. But honestly, these are just things I made for fun. Nothing really worth that much.”

“Don’t say that, President! How can you call this ‘for fun’? Just releasing a few of these to the public would turn the world upside down!”

“I don’t care if the world flips or not. But if you like them so much, take one with you when you leave. A souvenir from Antarctica.”

“A-are you serious…?! Mmph—!”

The assistant got so emotional that the secretary had to cover his mouth. Then, with a discreet gesture, she pointed to the side.

“Get a grip, okay?”

The secretary whispered. The assistant gulped hard.

Clack, clack.

Heels clacked harshly against the floor. The tyrant Media was clearly losing her patience.

‘Over twenty years without a trace…’

Who would’ve guessed he was hiding in a polar corner? No way to find him even by scouring the whole country.

‘I’d love to give him a piece of my mind.’

But Media restrained herself by simply glaring at the back of his neck.

Victor Poison was an eccentric. One of those nuts with completely loose screws. But even she had to admit—he was a colossal genius.

‘Dad’s achievements advanced humanity by a whole century.’

His legacy was immense. He was the one who made it possible for humans to launch satellites and gaze into space.

Still, he always avoided the public, clinging to his reclusive life. Even when society criticized him for shirking responsibility, he didn’t care. Victor didn’t care about the world.

‘And everything he did for them?’

Media’s eyes mixed love and resentment. A father she hated but couldn’t help respecting. What’s more, he’d lived over two hundred years with a mind as sharp as it was dangerous.

The Poison family had a long history of suicides. Their ancestors took their own lives when they felt empty. Today, only three members remained.

That’s why, neither her problematic sister nor her penguin-suited father could be treated harshly. Even if they were crazy, they were her only family.

‘Someone has to stay sane—might as well be me.’

Media sighed and watched the back of the madman Victor. Joy and sorrow crossed her mint-green eyes.

Eventually, we entered a room. It was Victor’s personal lab.

“Whoa…”

The ceiling was dome-shaped, fully covered with monitors. Cables peeked between the screens, sparking occasionally. On the round table at the center, papers were scattered everywhere.

“Sit wherever you like.”

Victor, seated at the head, unzipped his penguin suit. From the parted belly emerged black legs. He wore a skintight black bodysuit underneath.

Then he addressed Kang Geom-Ma directly.

“Isn’t it ironic?”

Kang Geom-Ma raised a brow. He didn’t understand the question.

“What do you mean?”

“I know you took those miraculous twenty-billion-won pills to come to Antarctica. But look at the penguins—they survive the extreme cold with just their bodies.”

“……”

“Humans are weak creatures—but arrogant. Instead of adapting to nature, they always try to surpass it. And that’s why we’re still here. We don’t yield to anything. Not to nature, not to demons. Anyway—huff, finally got it all off!”

Victor finished undressing and stretched. His body was so agile, it was hard to believe he was over two hundred years old.

After catching his breath, he continued.

“Heavenly Sword, I’m going to show you the gift I prepared for you. I don’t want to waste your time.”

Kang Geom-Ma nodded cautiously. He didn’t care when it was handed over—what mattered was receiving it.

“I like that attitude.”

Victor snapped his fingers. All the monitors on the walls and ceiling lit up at once. Bzzzt… the electric hum filled the screens.

“I was told through Association staff that you recently visited the Temple of Nephilim.”

Kang Geom-Ma’s expression hardened. He hadn’t expected him to know. Though it wasn’t something he’d tried to hide.

Kang Geom-Ma nodded.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Did you meet the priest?”

“Yes… I did.”

“Fourth Corps Commander Fermush will soon break the portal and invade the human world. That’s why you went to the temple—to investigate why. At least, that’s what I heard. Is that correct?”

Kang Geom-Ma responded calmly.

“That’s correct.”

“Then you must’ve heard something about Fermush.”

“Just that he has a strange obsession with collecting human bones and flesh.”

“Looks like they didn’t tell you the reason.”

“What other reason could there be? He’s obviously insane.”

“Haha. First time I’ve heard someone call a Corps Commander insane. A figure of pure terror!”

“You said it yourself, Mr. President. It’s precisely because humans overcome the impossible that they’re so extraordinary. A commander doesn’t scare me. I’ve moved past that.”

“They say you’re a peerless hero—and I see it’s true. Your skill is remarkable, and you have boldness. That unyielding gaze that fears nothing…”

Victor grinned broadly, crossing his legs. The monitor light lit him from behind, casting a mighty shadow.

“But Fermush isn’t a commander you can face with guts alone. Especially if he crosses the portal himself.”

“He’s that strong?”

“He uses earth-attribute magic to create golems. Human bones and muscle are the materials he uses to construct his forces. As a commander, he has his own army.”

Kang Geom-Ma clicked his tongue. War of attrition was his least favorite form of combat. He could rally heroes too, but…

‘The casualties would be massive.’

No wonder Kuarne, that arrogant parasite, acted so smug. Kang Geom-Ma clenched his teeth.

“As I said—humans are fragile.”

Victor spoke in a low voice.

“Fermush’s golem army would tear even the strongest heroes apart. It’s only logical—golems are made of stone, and humans are soft.”

Victor waved his hand in the air like a conductor. The monitors synced to display a single video.

“……!”

Everyone present flinched. Lips trembled, as did eyelids.

“Do you know the advantage of Antarctica?”

While everyone was stunned, Victor crossed his legs again. Solemnly, he placed both hands on the armrests and said,

“It’s a natural freezer. Nothing decomposes here. It’s so cold it self-sterilizes.”

He raised his thumb and pointed over his shoulder.

“Thanks to that, even after thousands of years—those things remain intact.”

Hundreds of bodies on the monitors.

“Humanity is arrogant. So much so, it turned those things into cyborgs for its own use.”

Those deadly enemies from ancient times. The ones Kang Geom-Ma had personally exterminated.

“This is the gift I prepared for you.”

They were Angels.

A single flap had become a hurricane—and it had returned to confront him.