Many people began to harbor doubts about the government’s measures.
Was a black mage truly such an evil existence?
There was no citizen who did not know that China had invaded and attempted to swallow South Korea.
In response, many Awakeners were able to protect South Korea through their sacrifices, and currently, the nation had become a unified Korea, occupying all of the North Korean territory.
Although there was a significant loss of life due to the Great Cataclysm and the war, Korea’s population still exceeded 35 million, and the numbers were currently on a sharp upward trend.
Many people prattled on about how Korea was ruined, but having overcome all adversities, the nation was enjoying a period of prosperity greater than ever before.
As a result, the consciousness of the people was quite awakened, and there were not many who believed everything the government said to be the truth.
Nevertheless, the reason black mages were expressed as if they were defined as ‘evil’ was due to their power to manipulate the dead.
However, the group that performed the greatest merits and the most heinous atrocities during the war were also the black mages.
While there were almost no cases of domestic black mages committing atrocities against their own citizens, the problem lay elsewhere. Since black mages were the most efficient group for occupying enemy territory—as proven in the war—they were deployed in large numbers, and because many citizens shuddered at the thought of them, the standing of black mages was easily swayed by public opinion.
Amidst this, a discussion continued in a classroom at Korea University, which could be considered the representative university of Korea.
“But they saved a lot of people, didn’t they?”
The image of black mages had been significantly restored by the one black mage whose appearance had recently become known. It was a light conversation, but quite a few people agreed with it.
“I think so too. We shouldn’t just define them as villains and suppress them. In fact, most Awakeners can become evil, and I don’t see a need to strictly define them as evil. Besides, the efficiency of black magic traits is peerless. Most ordinary Awakeners have traits that are countered by them.”
“I know, right? But while black mages can counter all professions, they can also be considered counters to each other. So, I think we also need a massive nurturing system and a framework for black mages rather than suppression, to match the situations in other countries.”
“Exactly. Actually, to deal with Chinese and Japanese black mages, our domestic black mages sacrificed themselves immensely. The atrocities they committed are only a fraction of the story, and most of the people we curse and view poorly are foreign black mages, whose actions are the dominant orthodox view, aren’t they?”
“What I want to say to everyone supporting them is this. In the end, power varies depending on the person using it, but they say the characteristic determined when one awakens is a reflection of individual tendencies. I don’t think we can conclude that black mages themselves are good people.”
Various opinions were discussed, and while a more heated debate continued, a professor raised their hand to stop the students’ remarks.
“Among the actions showcased by black mages during the war, several could be pointed out, but what do you think is considered the most evil part?”
It was a sudden question. A student, expecting it to be a sharp rebuke from the professor aimed at those wondering if black mages might not be villains—perhaps asking for a biased answer—opened their mouth.
“I believe it would be the handling of corpses. Furthermore, recklessly bringing back and using the souls of the deceased is not a desirable action.”
“Then, on the contrary, have you ever thought about the motive behind having to do so?”
The student who had been speaking confidently fell silent at the sudden question.
However, another student seemed different and opened their mouth.
“At the time, the atrocities of black mages who crossed the sea from China and Japan became known as they caused tremendous damage to the citizens. Many Awakeners rose up to respond, but didn’t they continue to increase the damage because they couldn’t respond properly after the enemies massacred civilians and pushed in using those corpses?”
“You are correct. At that time, the ones who inflicted the greatest damage were the black mage units from China. There was the failure of the initial response itself, but the sudden surprise attack led to uncontrollable damage.”
Due to the Great Cataclysm, many citizens had already died, and the situation was one where the government was struggling to restore society by attempting various policies to somehow recover the impoverished land.
They were off guard; it was a time when everyone was relieved by the fact that they had survived and were barely enduring day by day when the disaster struck.
China and Japan had joined forces to target South Korea.
The reason was simple.
When the entire world was swept by shock, Korea found stability quickly thanks to the emergence of many hero-class Awakeners. The fact that the nation had entered the fastest period of stability despite heavy damage—thanks to a high population relative to land area and a national character of overcoming difficulties together—became the factor for invasion.
Japan invaded by deploying a large number of Awakeners through Busan, and China made massive movements on the border by pressuring North Korea; then, they attempted an invasion by pushing elite units into Incheon, including Yeongpyeong-do.
At the time, there were no proper emergency measures, and with most notification and warning functions paralyzed, the damage to civilians reached tens of thousands in just a few hours as they were hit without even perceiving the surprise attack. Heroes were dispatched to try and calm the situation, but ultimately, the sparks of war were lit, leading to an irreversible situation.
“The scale of black mages mobilized from China reached ten thousand, and due to Awakeners capable of forming portals—which corresponds to the hero class—and a large number of Awakeners with equivalent abilities, the entire country was bound to be quickly swept into the flames of war.”
The professor standing before the students now had also personally experienced the war after the Great Cataclysm and was a veteran who had accumulated military merits against many enemies.
The content the professor spoke of as if reminiscing was shocking to the students, but a student timely asked a question to the professor.
“It doesn’t seem like you intend to defend black mages. However, under the circumstances, it seems clear that it was a situation where black mages had to intervene. How did the domestic black mages respond?”
“That is a good question.”
The professor then explained vividly, as if pulling out memories from that time.
“There are too many black mages. The civilian damage is too great, and we are at a level where we cannot handle the zombie swarms.”
“It will definitely be problematic later if the corpses are damaged too much, which is troublesome.”
An Sang-ik, who had set out to defend the Ganghwa-do area, asked while looking at the masters of various fields seated in the meeting room.
“The current situation is more serious than imagined. White magic will cause too much damage to the corpses, and if the temple forces step in, they might evaporate completely due to purification, making it difficult to tally the victims. But the truly serious situation is that ordinary Awakeners struggle to respond to the undead. What should we do?”
An Sang-ik judged that only by resolving the situation smoothly could the citizens unite as one. Therefore, he hoped to preserve the remains of the victims as much as possible, and in fact, he judged it necessary to establish a grand cause.
At that, an old man who looked fastidious raised his hand, and An Sang-ik nodded as if waiting for the old man to speak.
“In my view, since this matter is the work of black mages, it seems right to mobilize our own black mages to respond. Undead battles are ultimately a fight for dominance.”
“Do you think we can force sacrifice upon those whom we already forced to sacrifice while blocking the Great Cataclysm on the front lines?”
The old man who gave the opinion was Bak Hyeok, known as the Great Sage, and he spoke calmly while looking at the others.
“I believe they are the only group that can satisfy all conditions in the current situation. Furthermore, if we were to face the black mages ourselves, we would have to bear immense losses, and we don’t have that luxury, do we?”
He was an Awakener who was busy moving about to respond to the many invaders scattered across the country.
The burden of having to minimize civilian damage was also a factor, and just as An Sang-ik was about to speak after agonizing seriously, the old man seated at the foot of the meeting table tapped the table lightly to draw attention.
“Since the damage will only continue to grow if we don’t step forward anyway, we shall step forward.”
Hearing Han Sang-gil’s words, An Sang-ik spoke as if apologetic, but Han Sang-gil shook his head and spoke.
“We have already stained ourselves with too much blood anyway. If we can be of any help to our motherland, wouldn’t it be a better decision than the foolish choice of taking our own lives?”
Because black mages who experienced much mental stress, including the Great Cataclysm, had a particularly high suicide rate, he hoped they would agree to protect the country by sacrificing themselves rather than dying in vain.
Many people looked at the black mages with pitying eyes, but Han Sang-gil urgently summoned black mages in large numbers, and many black mages eventually agreed with Han Sang-gil’s opinion.
As a result, many black mages were once again absorbed into the battlefield.
Afterward, the decision was made to deploy them as a countermeasure in areas where Chinese black mages were concentrated, including Ganghwa-do, Incheon, and Kaesong. Indeed, the black mages headed to the battlefield for a meaningful death and to ensure the deceased were not unfairly exploited.
The initial war was fierce.
It was partly to occupy a certain territory, but a desperately stubborn war continued to seize or not lose the initiative.
Every day, hundreds of Awakeners lost their lives in short battles, and those who died in that way frequently occurred to be revived by the hands of Chinese black mages and used as the enemy’s hands and feet, without even being able to enter eternal rest.
As the situation spread to a serious level and even led to a decline in morale, the Korean black mages struggled to transport the bodies of the deceased to the rear as quickly as possible to prevent malicious acts somehow. But in the end, was it a difference in attitude?
They began to be pushed back rapidly, and as ridiculous situations and damage continued, the situation led to a level of power leakage.
Within the three weeks following the outbreak of war, 30% of the black mage forces had lost their lives to the enemy.
“We need a measure. If it continues like this, the capital will eventually fall, and Korea will become hell due to the feast of countless corpses.”
Expressing concern while looking at many people, An Sang-ik looked at Han Sang-gil again. Seeing An Sang-ik, who thought of the trend continuing strangely due to the burden he had imposed as a weight on his heart, Han Sang-gil spoke with a grave expression.
“I believe it is right for us too… to wage war by utilizing the enemy’s corpses. Since it seems cooperation will be needed in this regard… please contact the higher-ups.”
Ultimately, Han Sang-gil’s heart was breaking at the fact that they had to cross the ‘line,’ but he was full of resentment at the fact that so many talents had withered away so vainly.
If only he had been a little wiser, a little more cold-hearted—his heart was weighed down by the regret for that ‘little’ only now.
An Sang-ik eventually relayed Han Sang-gil’s proposal, which was made with a sorrowful face, to the higher-ups. After much discussion, he obtained permission, and as a result, Korea’s black mages began a massive counterattack by utilizing everything from necromancy to souls, limited to the ‘enemy army.’
This was the new alternative they managed to prepare with difficulty just as one month had passed since the outbreak of war.
“At that time, the black mages had no choice but to pay a heavy price in sacrifice as well. With only destruction, shaping, and curse magic, they couldn’t handle those whose strategy composition itself was different by fully utilizing necromancy.”
“In the end, doesn’t that mean the domestic black mages couldn’t curse other countries either?”
“One could say that is correct, but it is also a part where one could say it is different. If it were you, and that was the only way, would you die without using a method even though it clearly existed?”
It was not a part that could be answered easily.
However, the professor was not forcing them to view black mages in a good light.
“The important part is that right and wrong ultimately change according to the era. Therefore, based on what we’ve been discussing, I wanted to have a deep discussion on whether it is right to judge and measure everyone in the present based on the mistakes of the past.”
It was a lecture by the professor that forced them to think a lot, and since the majority of the students were Awakeners, they too had no choice but to fall into deep thought.
