◈ Episode 124. Dark Clouds

[Taffern Fence]

[Recommended Level: Lv.450]

The information from the rift flashed through.

As long as the players are on the move.

The protagonist of Teffern Fence is the Heavenly Unification.

Or, more likely, it would be Shining.

It was inevitable.

An emerging force threatening the status of both guilds.

Gaon, Inazuma, and Berserker.

The Great Alliance had been attacking another rift for days.

“I’m giving up on the Taffern Fence.”

“Neither are we. I don’t want to be a bridesmaid.”

“Guyver’s recovery is our priority.”

The other big guilds were no different.

If they got stuck between Unification and Shining.

It was going to be hard to get any experience, let alone level up.

But then.

“Ho Yeol. No, Ho-yeol, why are you in this shabby rift……?”

Ho-yeol had appeared in a rift in the [Teffern Fence].

Along with a huge army of spirits!

I don’t know what happened, but…….

The nettuber players’ faces turned red.

“Crazy. I don’t know what’s going on, but this is crazy. What is that?”

“I’ve never seen spirits before, even in Arcana!”

“Thanks to Mr. Ho-yeol, my eyes have been opened.”

Ho-yeol’s appearance alone was an indescribable pleasure.

As if Ho-yeol wasn’t enough, there were spirits.

Isn’t this a spectacle that surpasses the competition of Heavenly Unification and The Shining?

Soon, the viewers’ chats poured in.

-Ahhhhhhhhhh!

-It’s all good, but don’t get too close and start a fight.

-Relatively, other players are fine, but don’t touch Lee Ho-yeol.

-And you should respect him, he’s doing us a favor.

It was a bunch of nettuber players making a living off of it.

And they were crazy.

None of the big names approached Ho-yeol without asking permission.

“‘Sure. That’s the most important thing, isn’t it?”

Besides, this wasn’t the time for that.

Ho Yeol stood tall in front of dozens of spirits.

It was a picture more plausible from a distance.

The nettuber players spat out pure admiration.

“……What did you come to this rift for?”

“Those people in robes next to me must be mages from the Magic Tower, because they’re the only ones who can summon spirits.”

“I doubt they’re here to hunt at the level of Ho-Yeol.”

Of course, the question remained.

But the questions didn’t last long.

Soon, Ho Yeol began to move away from the group.

He approached the [Taffern Scarecrow].

“Hm? Are you just here to hunt?”

Ho Yeol’s estimated level was a whopping 900.

The [Teffern Scarecrow], on the other hand, was only level 450.

Even if he hunted hundreds of thousands of them, his level wouldn’t increase…….

Why would Ho Yeol want to hunt the [Teffern Scarecrow]?

-……Sword from the start?

-Oh, you have a different battle pattern than usual?

-Ah, what was that???

Chang─

Ho Yeol raised his sword.

A few people guessed why.

A nettuber player and explorer.

“Ah, I see!”

The Kingdom of Yusra.

The Golden Crown Tavern, on the front corner of the Golden Palace Square.

Park Hwi Gang was one of them, watching on the screen.

“The Teffern Scarecrow is a counter-type monster!”

The knowledge of an explorer who had traveled all over the Arcana continent!

“Depending on the opponent, it has the ability to transform into the most difficult type for that opponent. Of course, it can only transform into one type at a time. As long as you organize your party well, it’s not that tricky of an opponent…….”

As you can see, Ho Yeol was alone.

Of course, the level gap is huge.

He shouldn’t have any trouble against a single scarecrow.

In fact, Ho-yeol’s movements were very fluid.

Gulp─

A gurgling sound.

Rocky drained the barrel of beer in one swift motion.

Even if he didn’t recognize the kids gathered around him.

He recognized himself.

Ho Yeol’s sword technique had become more refined.

But it wasn’t enough that he could wield a sword like that.

You’re the top of the monstrous Magic Tower?

Isn’t that cheating?

That’s cheating even in the Unregulated Colosseum.

“Chet. You do all the cool stuff yourself. Hey, that.”

Rockid’s gotten to the point where he’s unnecessarily grumpy.

Whether he knows it or not.

Park’s face grew even more reminiscent.

“It’s a different story when those Taffern Scarecrows swarm, because no matter what you do, one of them will be perfectly capable of deflecting your attacks!”

As they say.

The Teffern Scarecrow was a counter-type monster.

Party hunts were encouraged, even when you had to deal with one.

What if you’re surrounded by them instead?

“It can be quite tiring to run out of the area.”

No, it seemed that Ho-Yeol was already in a tiring situation.

The Tefern scarecrows swarmed around him.

The corner of Rockid’s mouth turned up.

“All right. You’re gonna have to work for it, and you’re gonna have to crumple that shit up.”

Rockid is a quick thinker when it comes to battle.

Listening to Park Hwi Gang’s commentary.

It’s not going to be easy, even for the best of us.

“You’re going to get some dirt on your face.”

Hahaha!

But the smiling Rockid didn’t know that.

how many wells Ho-Yeol had dug.

He had dug a hole to live in.

Even if it was a bunch of counter monsters.

Ho-Yeol unleashed.

This means that you cannot exceed the number of abilities such as 『Magic』, [Skill], and {Nature}.

“That’s ridiculous!”

Even if you exclude [{『Anomaly』}].

Even when surrounded by countless Taffern scarecrows.

The dignity instilled in Ho-Yeol hasn’t crumpled in the slightest.

-Wow, you’re just on another level.

-What, you’re using the Teffern Scarecrow as a sparring partner?

-You’re using a level 450 as a sparring partner?

Yikes!

Eventually, Rockid gets up from his seat.

From appearance to ability.

“There’s a level of unfairness to it. That jerk……!!”

.

.

.

……There’s a level to being surprised!

From the Quernberg machine tower.

The rise of a new world tree.

To the crushing of a demon king.

It turns out that Ho Yeol was involved in all of them.

I thought I was already surprised enough.

I didn’t realize there were still more surprises to come.

Hot air–

Flames spew from his breath.

Fire Drake snorted.

“What a surprise. You can’t even say you’re hungry, Feiyan.”

Fire Drake was right.

Even the beggar in his stomach was stunned.

Her stomach, which had been rumbling incessantly, fell silent.

‘By the way…….’

Feiyan looked at Ho Yeol.

‘The utilization of 『magic』 and spirit {nature} ability through magic and spirits, it wasn’t surprising.

Ho Yeol was a chief mage of the Magic Tower.

What surprised Feiyan was the swordsmanship.

‘I can tell even if I don’t have eyes to see.’

The Teffern.

One of the ten wonders of the Arcana Continent.

An area that even the Explorers’ Federation hadn’t finished exploring.

Worst of all, the creatures were bizarre.

Like the scarecrows on the outermost fence of Teffern.

‘They can be quite tricky.’

Even a mediocre swordsman can’t inflict a single wound on a Teffern scarecrow. In other words, Ho Yeol’s swordsmanship was beyond ordinary.

“I told you, those rumors are true!”

“A great family, huh?”

“Exactly! How else could he do that?”

……Why do we listen to the sound of a rumor?

Because Feiyan, her thoughts are no different from anyone else’s.

Above all, Feiyan knew the importance of talent.

‘I don’t like to admit it, but that’s why bloodlines are important.’

The descendants of the prestigious Magic Families of the continent.

Such was the case for the vast majority of mages who entered the Magic Tower.

There were the occasional exceptions, like Senior Vanguard Tom, but…….

but they were few and far between.

“Marcelo’s power comes from his family lineage.’

But even the power of the bloodline has its limits.

Just like the Magic Family cannot produce a swordsman who can wield a sword.

Or even vice versa……!

Knowing that.

The questions about Ho Yeol only grew stronger.

“Isn’t …… too much of a jack-of-all-trades?”

It’s like you have all the good stuff, right?

*

……I’ve been itching my ears a lot lately.

But it’s understandable.

Everyone wants to know what I’ve done.

‘Level 900? Me?’

Anyway, the rumor was the problem.

I didn’t say anything.

Before I knew it, I was at least level 900.

A gross overestimation.

I mean, with the rate experience has been going up lately.

I doubted that was even possible.

‘Of course, I can’t tell them the truth.’

I chalk it up to my tired personality.

Someone will be persistent.

“Why don’t you just reveal the status?” they’d ask.

Instead of an answer, I’ll give them a status.

[Name: Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo]

[Title: The Last Adventurer]

[Class: Demon Hunter]

[Level: 425]

[Stats]

Strength: 70 / Agility: 75 / Magic: 385 / Luck: 6 / Aesthetics: Low

[Points held: 0]

Making private ranking information available to the world?

Yes, it’s not a difficult task.

No, it’s a good thing.

It’s in everyone’s best interest to clear up any misunderstandings early on.

But seeing the name “Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo” in the player rankings is something I’d rather not see on my deathbed……!

I might die of embarrassment.

Yes, this is not the pride of the Grandfell.

I, Lee Ho-yeol’s pride is at stake.

‘In that case, I’d rather get to level 900. I’ll do it.’

Knowing that.

I hunted a charging [Teffern Scarecrow].

No [Natural Enemy] triggered.

No herb doping for a full power test.

Good job drawing your sword from the start, Ho Yeol.

Another class with a screw loose.

Demon Hunter.

‘Fast.’

I maxed out my strength and agility stats through class quests.

I’ve spent all my leveling points on magic power.

[Tetffern Scarecrow: Lv.450].

It’s hard to keep up with this monster based on stats alone.

As if that weren’t enough, this guy is just as tricky to deal with as I’d heard.

“Counter-type monster. Develops resistance to different attacks.

Swaak─

Emits sword energy.

It’s amazing that it can withstand a sword attack that maximizes its attack power.

“I’ll praise you.”

That’s what the great Mr. Grandfell said.

Indeed, the 10th Wonder of the World, Teperne.

It is indeed an uncharted region of the Arcana continent.

But I couldn’t have asked for a more fitting opponent.

“You have a talent for blocking, but…”

Go-oh-oh.

A magic that manifests simultaneously with a sword strike.

If you block one, you can charge two at the same time.

What if one more charged?

“Will you be able to block this one as well?”

And then another, and another, and that’s it.

How many wells have I dug?

Dozens of them, and I don’t even have to mention the [{『Anomaly』}].

‘Worthy opponent.’

Even the most screwed-up Demon Hunter had an absolute statistical advantage.

I had a total stat advantage of over a hundred points over a player of the same level.

‘Class Quest, it’s called Secret Elixir.’

Here are the results of my efforts.

Huddle.

I muttered to the crumbling Taffern scarecrow.

“Not bad for a warm-up.”

Words spoken with a calmness that belied my overwhelming emotions.

The others.

“The warm-up partner was just as you said.”

And even if Hiel doesn’t recognize it.

I, myself, know.

What a tear-jerking development, Ho-yeol……!

At least now I won’t have to embarrass myself in front of monsters of the same level.

Part of me wanted to savor this accomplishment a little longer.

The back of my head stung.

I turned around and saw Feiyan and the other mages.

So much for communing with the spirits.

Why were they staring at me?

I couldn’t figure out why.

Enough.

I couldn’t keep them waiting forever.

Let’s get back to the tower.

Kurrrr.

I don’t know why.

In an instant, the sky of the Rift is filled with dark clouds.

I straightened my robes and continued on my way.

“The sky is howling.”

There is no one to hear it.

It would be faster for me to cry than for the sky to cry.

Anyway, let’s hurry.

Even the best [Warmth] buffs can’t protect you from the rain…….

.

.

.

The highest-ranked Fire Spirit noticed the scent first.

It was Fire Drake.

The prostrate Fire Drake pushed himself to his feet.

“Feiyan. I sense a strange aura.”

At those words, Feiyan took a quick look around.

And she recognized it.

The presence of a ‘foreign spirit’ hovering around him.

Feiyan’s pupils twitched.

“……What is this?

……Dark spirits!

That was a spirit that even Feiyan, a senior mage of spiritism, had never seen before.

Therefore, the only thing Feiyan could think of was his knowledge of spiritism as a senior.

──────

Dark spirits are different from other elemental spirits from their very birth.

──────

Dark spirits only manifest themselves when certain conditions are met.

Feiyan frowned as he recalled the conditions.

In his excitement, he had forgotten.

“Oh, no……!”

That this was Teffern’s territory.

──────

Dark spirits are beings born of the deepest darkness, and the only places they can be found are areas that have not yet been revealed to the world. Those places, those unexplored places, were their source……….

──────

One of the ten wonders of the Arcana Continent.

Even the Explorers’ Federation hasn’t finished exploring [Teffern].

It fulfilled the first condition.

And the tricky second condition.

──────

……The area must be filled with sympathetic energy.

──────

Sympathetic energy.

Thanks to Feiyan, herself, and the spirits summoned by the mages.

There was more than enough sympathetic energy in the rift in the [Teffern Fence].

Feiyan tucked his hands into his cuffs.

“I was an idiot.”

She wasn’t pulling out food or anything.

What she pulled out was a wand, a magic wand.

Distracted, I overlooked the risk factor.

Feiyan bit her chiseled lower lip.

” …… I’m disqualified as a senior in Spiritism.”

Just like Fire Drake.

The spirits sensed something was amiss.

The adept mages seemed to have prepared themselves.

The apprentice mages looked flustered.

Feiyan felt responsible.

‘At the very least, we must prevent the adventurers from getting involved.’

If nothing else, she couldn’t let the tower’s reputation suffer.

She didn’t want to cause a ruckus, but it was unavoidable.

As you say, dark spirits are ‘foreign spirits’.

They are impossible for ordinary people to communicate with…….

It was.

Foreign magic.

Only those with access to what the black magic world calls ‘the right kind of magic’ could attempt to communicate with the dark spirits. Only those with that level of ‘proper magic’ could…….

‘The only one I know of is Senior Matisse.’

But there was no Matisse here.

Therefore, Feiyan gritted her teeth.

“I guess we have no choice but to drive it out.”

“I understand. Feiyan.”

“Do everything in your power. Don’t let the adventurers get involved.”

But Feiyan’s determination was in vain.

In his place is a replacement for Matisse.

No, there was someone else with the proper magic power.

Another–.