I, who was eager to retire, became an Imperial General.

Chapter 108 He is a monster
Looking at Will, whose expression kept changing, Hassan, who seemed calm on the surface, was actually experiencing a turbulent undercurrent in his heart.

In fact, Hassan had been convinced of the astonishing command abilities of the Morning Star ever since he received news of the Seventh Air Force's confrontation with Lieutenant General Roxie more than a month ago.

He, a pawn planted by Colonel Jet within the Allied forces, would become an isolated island, completely cut off from his superiors, as the Black Hawk Down unit fell due to the Morning Star's scheme and General Dormammu was defeated.

During this time, he even considered abandoning his past and spending the rest of his life as Hassan Gillis.

After all, in the years since he came to the Kingdom of Victoria as a refugee, through his role as a member of the intelligence department, he had witnessed the power of new devices resulting from the leapfrog development of Allied magical technology.

Hassan had already realized that, given the Allied forces' terrifying research and development capabilities, the Empire, blinded by its past glories, was destined for defeat.

He had considered reminding the empire.

Unfortunately, his only contact was Colonel Jeter.

This colonel, who came from the Sleight of hand, did not inherit the Sleight of hand family’s usual cunning. Instead, he was a conservative man who was only interested in combat and assassination.

He didn't care much about the magical technology he mentioned.

Even though he reported it repeatedly, the other party's response was always to tell him to focus on obtaining military intelligence from within the Allied forces and not to waste his energy on such meaningless trifles.

Hassan understood that this was a misjudgment caused by information asymmetry.

Therefore, he did not complain about the other party, but instead planned to risk retrieving the corresponding magical technology design blueprints to prove his judgment to Colonel Jet.

Unfortunately, the Allied forces seemed to have been prepared for this all along.

Even though he knew about the security layout of the Magic Technology Research Institute in advance, his special agent team was eventually captured by the secret guards inside the institute. In order to keep the secret, they had no choice but to bite into poison and commit suicide.

This failed operation naturally alerted the Kingdom of Victoria, which began a large-scale search for agents. He was even interrogated at the time, but fortunately, he was cautious and did not show his face from beginning to end, even though he was the one who ordered the data theft.

Instead, they communicated through their own techniques, thus avoiding revealing their identities.

Under this influence, he has been extremely cautious for the past year, and has even had very little contact with Colonel Jeter.

He had thought that with the end of the Walden Front, he would be forced to take another path.

But to his surprise, the empire, which should have been defeated, miraculously won this time.

What shocked him even more, and even made him believe it, was that the person who changed everything was the one he least wanted to remember.

John Maslow...

Hassan silently repeated the name in his mind, his mind automatically recalling the other's mechanically crafted, emotionless face, and the other's monstrous ability to manipulate things.

My heart skipped a beat.

But Hassan quickly brought his jumbled thoughts back to reality.

He then sat down on the sofa beside Will under his complicated gaze, and then spoke up:

"I am aware of your transfer order to Faoken with the Fifth Legion. The reason I am here today is because I was assigned by my superiors to give you mission instructions."

"The Empire needs you to infiltrate the Fifth Army of the Allied Forces and try to obtain the tactical plans of that Morning Star General. Later, when needed, someone will contact you."

"...I understand. Do you have any other instructions?"

After a long silence, Will finally agreed, knowing he had no other choice.

Right now, he can only hope that the empire won't treat him as a disposable tool.

"That's all the instructions, but there are a few other things I'd like to ask you about. I wonder if you have the time, Colonel Will?"

Hassan smiled slightly, then looked at the colonel in front of him with interest:
"According to what's said above, Colonel Will, it seems you became an Imperial agent voluntarily through Major John's recommendation, right? Would you mind telling me how he convinced you to become an agent? I'm quite curious."

"Of course, it's okay if you don't want to talk. Anyway, this is an exchange activity outside of the mission, and I won't force you to do so."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Will fell silent.

But then he sighed and began to recount how John had seen through his scheme, ambushed and captured him, and how he had been tricked into falling into a trap and ultimately had no choice but to become an Imperial agent.

He had expected the other person to show surprise after hearing his description.

But to Will's surprise, after hearing his story, Hassan, the team leader in front of him, fell silent and sighed after a long while.

He then uttered a statement that puzzled him greatly:

"It seems he has changed a lot compared to before. I must say, Colonel Will, you are very lucky."

They were indeed very lucky, so lucky that they could have lost their family and lives if they hadn't been careful.

Honestly, if I had a choice, I would have preferred never to have met John Maslow, so I wouldn't be so conflicted.

Recalling the Maslow's quotes he had hidden within the Sunfire Cult's sacred texts, Will couldn't help but smile wryly, but outwardly he still asked Hassan with a hint of curiosity:
"From what you're saying, Major John from before is quite different from the one now? Would you mind telling me about it, Mr. Hassan?"

"It must be quite big. After all, if it were the person I know, he would never have been so lenient with people in the past when it came to recruiting you as a spy, especially when it came to a prisoner who was originally an enemy."

It was as if he was recalling some kind of nightmare-like memory: Lieutenant Colonel Hassan, who was called "Faceless" by Colonel Jet because of his outstanding espionage skills and rarely showed his true emotions to outsiders.

At this moment, however, he forced a genuine smile and then uttered a sentence that sent chills down Will's spine:
"If this is the John Maslow I remember, you would most likely have nearly a thousand restrictions planted in your body by now. If you don't alleviate them with specific methods every day, you'll probably die the next day, turning into a pile of mangled flesh." "After all, he was the undisputed top student in our class, achieving an unprecedented perfect score in both magic and practical courses."

"In addition to that monstrous manipulation method and that personality that is completely detached from the human realm, if the other party still maintains the personality he used to have, then it is normal for him to leave you with the backup plans I just described."

"Instead of being able to talk to me so easily with only one arm missing, as is the case now."

"So, Colonel Will, that's the real reason why I say you're lucky, do you understand?"

"!"

Upon hearing this, Will's pupils constricted instantly, and his hands and feet involuntarily felt cold.

The moment he heard Hassan's description, goosebumps began to rise uncontrollably from his skin.

My heart was filled with fear and lingering dread.

But upon recalling the contents of that quote, he couldn't help but find it somewhat unbelievable, and even began to question Hassan's description.

Although he didn't want to admit that he had been drawn to that quote and unconsciously identified with it.

But in his view, let's set aside the question of John Maslow's true purpose in giving himself this quote.

Since the other party is capable of writing such philosophical words, they don't seem like the monster Hassan described at all.

The difference before and after is almost like that of two different people.

Is it really possible for a person to undergo such an extreme change in just a few years?
Will was deeply puzzled by this, so after thinking for a while, he mustered his courage and asked Hassan, whose expression had inexplicably become somewhat wistful:
"Team Leader Hassan, what kind of person is Major John in your eyes?"

"What kind of person? Haha!"

As if he had heard a funny joke, Hassan suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter under Will's questioning gaze. It took him a long time to calm down, and then he shook his head under Will's continued questioning gaze.

"Colonel Will, your description of him is somewhat inappropriate."

"In my mind, John Maslow was not someone who could be called human."

"because……"

Recalling what I witnessed when I was studying at the academy, after being provoked by a mischievous student, that person not only did not get angry, but also made the other person's gaze instantly become dull with just a look.

Then, to everyone's puzzled look, the perpetrator who had previously provoked him suddenly knelt on the ground and began to slap himself repeatedly.

With each increasingly loud slap, the perpetrator's blood and teeth splattered.

Upon seeing this, even the most oblivious person realized something was wrong and rushed forward to stop them.

But the perpetrator did not stop; instead, he continued to abuse himself relentlessly.

It was as if he had lost his soul without even realizing it.

Without a sound, I became a puppet, controlled by others and unable to act according to my own will.

It wasn't until Principal Trolowski, his face ashen, arrived and ordered John Maslow to stop dominating the man that the situation ended.

As John withdrew his gaze, the student, whose cheeks were already swollen beyond recognition and whose wrists were fractured and twisted from too much impact, finally stopped moving and then rolled his eyes back and fainted completely.

John Maslow, who committed this horrific act, remained seated quietly in his chair throughout, watching the scene unfold with an expressionless face.

His appearance was as if he were a being above mortals, looking down at an ant on the ground.

His eyes were filled with a chilling coldness.

Although Principal Trolovsky later issued a gag order to everyone present and placed a prohibition on everyone not revealing the matter to the outside world.

But John's image is like that of the most terrifying demon from hell descending to earth, wantonly dominating others with his terrifying power.

But it became a nightmare that Hassan could never erase from his life.

Unlike others who were fanatically worshipped as a result, or even believed in John Maslow as the son of a god.

That day, Hassan understood the true meaning behind the other person's eyes.

He then realized that this guy was definitely not some savior who had mastered supreme power, but an extremely evil demon.

Therefore, even now, when he recalls that absurd scene that defies description.

Yet he would still uncontrollably feel that fear that could almost freeze his soul.

So he took a deep breath, suppressing the chill in his heart, and then, under Will's astonished gaze...

With a bitter tone, he slowly revealed a secret that had been hidden in his heart for a long time:
"That guy is an absolute monster."

"Yes, John Maslow, he is a true monster!"

……

(End of this chapter)