[B-Rank Entity Management Report]
No. 0828
Entity Name: Guardian Dragon, King Munmu
Rank: Beta
Threat Level: 1.5
Green-Class Protected Entity
Information:
Kim Beopmin, the 30th King of Silla and the first to unify the Three Kingdoms, transformed into a dragon upon death, driven by his unwavering resolve to protect his nation even in the afterlife.
Whether this dragon is truly King Munmu himself remains unconfirmed. However, the entity identifies itself as King Munmu. Researchers from The Tree and Mother have estimated a 95.52% probability that the entity is indeed Kim Beopmin.
Despite the passage of time, the entity continues to reside in the East Sea, diligently fulfilling its duty. It repeatedly asserts that its sole purpose of existence is to defend the nation from foreign invaders. This suggests a nearly obsessive, single-minded dedication. However, over time, signs of mental instability have been observed.
Notable Incidents:
The entity once went berserk for unknown reasons. Due to its ability to manipulate weather, the resulting damage was catastrophic. Two Beta-class administrators were deployed to temporarily subdue it. However, this was only a stopgap measure, not a fundamental solution. Ultimately, the entity was calmed using another entity known as Manpasikjeok.
It is recommended that appropriate measures be taken regarding the entity’s “Madness Syndrome.”
Observation Logs
[Log #020]
Ah! To witness the great hero in person!
This is an honor.
[Log #029]
Has it suffered too long in solitude? The hero’s condition does not seem well. Initially, it possessed enough reason for conversation, but recently, it appears to mistake administrators for foreign invaders.
[Log #049]
The entity seems aware of its own deterioration. It occasionally speaks of “the sky calling” to it, suggesting that it is consciously resisting ascension.
[Log #059]
Its condition has worsened to the point that watching is painful. Immediate intervention is necessary. The fate of a hero who sacrificed himself for his homeland has turned out to be far more tragic than expected.
Recommendation Report
Gamma-rank administrator Kim Jung-pil and two others strongly advocate granting the entity eternal rest.
RUMBLE!
CRASH!
A bolt of lightning struck before Taeseong as he ascended into the sky. The violent winds threatened to throw him away, but he activated the power of the Daitengu, allowing him to stand firm as if within the eye of a storm.
A colossal shadow appeared in the distance, gradually taking on the form of a dragon.
Scales gleaming with noble majesty. A voice brimming with royal authority. Yet, its eyes were clouded with madness.
[…So, there you are, fiend of Wa!]
The great hero who had once become a dragon to protect his homeland had, at last, succumbed to madness, transforming into a berserk beast.
[You dare set foot in my domain? You shall regret it, for this land is no place for the likes of you!]
Taeseong decided to attempt diplomacy first.
“I am not a fiend of Wa. You are a great hero.”
[…You now seek to deceive me with your vile tongue? It is useless! I shall not be swayed by your treacherous words!]
“Guardian Dragon, I am Lee Taeseong, a descendant of your people. Please, let us talk—”
Before he could finish, a deafening roar erupted, and a massive bolt of lightning crashed down from the heavens.
CRACK!
Half of Taeseong’s body was burned black, the stench of burnt flesh filling the air. However, his transcendent regeneration restored him instantly.
His eyes grew cold.
“…Sigh. So talking really won’t work.”
He muttered under his breath.
“Fine. They said I just can’t kill you. Just can’t kill you… Just can’t kill you….”
Even in his madness, the Guardian Dragon noticed something odd—despite being struck by his divine lightning, this being before him was unscathed.
[…A strange creature has stepped onto this land. Even if it costs me everything, I shall see you put to eternal rest!]
“Old man, let me say this in advance—I’m sorry.”
Instead of The Mountain of Blood and Corpses, Taeseong drew Hoirang and unleashed a restrained sword strike infused with ice.
A crescent-shaped curve of blue energy slashed through the air and struck the Guardian Dragon’s center.
CRACK!
Ice spread from the wound, rapidly creeping across its body. The freezing energy infiltrated its flesh, attempting to consume it entirely.
But then—
A golden surge of lightning flickered across the dragon’s body, instantly vaporizing the invading ice.
Taeseong clicked his tongue.
“…Sigh. It would’ve been so much easier if you’d just stayed down.”
[Surrender? As long as I draw breath, surrender is not an option! I am the 30th King of Silla, the Guardian Dragon of the East Sea—Kim Beopmin!]
This situation was far from ideal. If Taeseong failed to control his strength properly, he might inflict irreversible damage.
Despite his earlier words, he felt a pang of regret. The historical King Munmu was too distant a figure for him to truly relate to, but he could still sense his unyielding will.
Even in death, this being had fought to protect his land.
And now, he was falling apart, unable to recognize friend from foe.
‘Wait a second.’
A thought flashed through Taeseong’s mind.
‘If the madness worsened due to Gyuki’s venom, wouldn’t it be possible to cure it the same way?’
Considering that he had devoured Gyuki, this was entirely feasible.
Now that he had a plan, there was only one thing left to do—act.
His wings spread wide.
As Taeseong flapped his wings and rapidly closed the distance, lightning rained down from the sky. It was much thicker and much faster than before, but Taeseong pressed forward without concern. Unless it was truly dangerous, he simply took the hits and kept advancing.
[Why won’t you fall?! Why?!]
Taeseong’s resilience, more tenacious than even a cockroach, seemed to provoke the Guardian Dragon’s wrath. Now, it wasn’t just lightning striking down—jets of water surged up from the sea.
A true cataclysm.
The powerful streams of water could easily pierce through rock, and those compressed to the extreme could even puncture steel. However, none of them ever touched Taeseong. The moment they shot up, he froze them solid.
At last, Taeseong reached the Guardian Dragon and sank his teeth into its flesh. He was injecting poison.
Using poison to counter poison.
[Krraaaagh!]
As the venom seeped into its body, the Guardian Dragon let out a horrific screech and thrashed about. Taeseong silently observed.
After a brief moment, the dragon’s rampage stopped.
“Did it work?”
The instant Taeseong uttered those words, an overwhelming aura of malevolence surged from the dragon’s entire being. He had hoped the poison would ease its madness, but instead, it had worsened it.
The gamble had failed miserably.
[Haa… Haa… Hahahaha! Burn everything! Burn it all to the ground! Die! You there! Yes, you! Did you know your father’s skull is in my belly?! I ate him! I did! Your father, your kin, your entire nation—I will destroy it all!]
The Guardian Dragon had completely lost its mind.
To its eyes, this place was now a battlefield. Flames raged in every direction, and the screams of suffering civilians echoed all around.
Consumed by thick, seething hatred, it resolved to annihilate its enemy nation—offering even its soul to do so.
Starting with the enemy general standing before it.
“Damn it, nothing ever works.”
But what choice did he have?
This was his own doing. And in the end, one must clean up their own mess.
Thus, Taeseong braced himself.
It would be… no, it would definitely be excruciating. But until Eunha completed the Manpasikjeok, he had no choice but to endure.
Ten minutes.
Twenty minutes.
Thirty minutes passed.
By the time Taeseong’s entire body was tattered beyond recognition, the long-awaited voice of Lee Eunha finally reached his ears.
“Taeseong! The flute is ready!”
Even with extraordinary regenerative abilities, withstanding the full brunt of a maddened dragon’s fury was no easy feat.
He had tried his best to dodge, but the dragon—completely intent on killing him—was too fast, and any abilities Taeseong used to counterattack were immediately neutralized.
So he had simply endured.
His flesh was torn, his organs crushed, and he repeatedly teetered between life and death.
But his inhuman perseverance kept him standing.
Because he had to take responsibility for his own actions.
“…Less talking, more playing.”
“I don’t know how to play the flute.”
A curse nearly escaped his lips, but before he could say it, a tail strike sent him flying, forcibly shutting him up.
At that moment, a voice called out from afar.
“I can do it!”
Struggling to regain his footing, Taeseong shouted urgently.
“I don’t care who does it—just play it!”
“Got it!”
With a confident response, Oh Haeyoung raised the flute to her lips and began playing.
Pii… Pii…
She barely got through three notes before the pitch cracked.
The sound that followed was so horrendous, he wasn’t even sure if that was how a flute was supposed to sound.
For all her confidence, her performance was abysmal.
‘…This is giving me a headache. Is this an attack on my mind?’
The Manpasikjeok was said to possess mystical power, but at this point, it might as well be a sonic weapon. Even so, Haeyoung persevered, and somehow, the Guardian Dragon—who had been rampaging just moments ago—gradually began to calm down.
‘It’s working!’
Despite the headache, the dragon’s condition visibly improved as time passed.
After nearly an hour of agonizing discord, the dragon, now lucid, gazed at Taeseong and his companions.
[…Have I lost myself once more? No, this cannot be. I must protect this land, this sea. I must protect my kingdom, my people.]
Listening quietly, Oh Haeyoung suddenly spoke up with determination.
“King Munmu, it’s all right now! Uh… I won’t say things are as peaceful as they once were, but we’re not so weak anymore that we need you to protect us. So… don’t you think it’s time to lay down your burden?”
The Guardian Dragon’s golden eyes fixated on her.
Then, a bolt of lightning struck down—right above her head.
