◈ Episode 150. Seed of Tears (1)

[Map of All Things]

[Rating: Epic]

[Limit : None]

[Effect: You can learn the location of something someone has hidden, something someone has lost, something hidden somewhere. You can also teleport to the location of something once.

However, when you activate the teleportation effect, you immediately lose all effects].

[Description: A magic item with endless possibilities depending on how you use it].

Triggered a teleportation effect to enter the Arcana continent.

You’ve just lost all effects.

Before triggering the teleportation effect.

I tried everything I could to get my money’s worth.

I wonder if it’s possible to extract the effect?

I even went to see Kiko, a senior magic enchantment specialist.

‘There was no result.’

I didn’t have high expectations, so I wasn’t disappointed.

The Enchantment Department is responsible for the deficit in the Magic Tower.

The current level of the Enchantment Department was such that they were only able to extract effects from Unique-ranked items. It would be ridiculous if they could extract effects from Epic items.

‘This made me even more eager to use it.’

Because of that effort, I activated the teleportation effect without any hesitation. It is said that through it, the source of the remaining five [Six Sight Brooches] was identified.

In fact, when I first activated the effect, I panicked a bit.

-A place where even the sky cries because it cannot handle the overflowing sadness.

…… It’s not some kind of riddle or mystery.

The answer didn’t come to me in one fell swoop.

But what did help me was the damn cube.

-“The sky is howling.”

[Teffern Fence] Rifts.

My snout said that when it saw the sky full of dark clouds.

It was faster for me to cry than for the sky to cry.

I remember swallowing my lamentations with difficulty.

Thanks to you, I recognized the [Dungeon: City of Gloomy Rain] spawned in London at once.

I realized that it was the dungeon that Map of All Things told me about……!

As if to confirm my suspicions, a message popped up.

[The Sixth Sight Brooch was trembling].

Indeed, for the first time in my life, I have set foot on British land. Of course, it is impossible for this proud step to be motivated solely by self-interest.

sswaaaa~

I opened my mouth under an umbrella in the pouring rain.

“Those who are unable to resist the status ailments should stay away, though I suspect your words will do more to move them than mine.”

The Second Sun, the pride of England.

It was Schreig, the leader.

No wonder his words were more powerful than mine from Korea.

Along with the realistic perspective of me, Lee Ho-Yeol.

“Thank you …….”

Even Schreig’s shattered pride can be restored.

A statement that takes into account Grandfell’s proud perspective.

Schreig and the players quickly summarized the situation.

“Everyone, stay away from the rift, stay away from the fog!”

“Interview? Now is not the time for that!”

“Shit, I think we need to get you to the hospital now!”

Through the commotion, I stared at the rain fog.

The rift information floating in front of my eyes.

It’s definitely a rift.

‘What is the exact cause of the status abnormality?’

The most reasonable guess was demons.

But this was a different situation.

The rift is a space of anomalies.

It doesn’t matter what kind of demon it becomes until it collapses.

Even if it had finally resurrected a high ranking demon king.

It couldn’t affect anything outside the rift.

“A lesser race would have no such power.”

Well said, Grandfell.

This is not a cube. If the demons had such power in the first place, they wouldn’t have bothered to possess humans, play the part, and slip into reality.

So there’s only one possibility.

“Is this a special feature of the dungeon?”

Because it’s a [dungeon], it has effects outside the rift.

The Arcana worldview really gets more beautiful the further you go.

A holy war against demons.

Throwing in a holy war against demons when you have enough to worry about?!

‘Please tell me this is a rare occurrence.’

As if the [Labyrinth] wasn’t enough, now the [Dungeon].

Above all, the biggest problem is that the citizens of London are caught in the rift. That’s why I took the portal and came to London like this.

It’s a very tired Noblesse Oblige spirit…….

‘I’m tired.’

Even without the dungeon rift, how much did I have to deal with?

More than anything, I promised myself that I would make the troublesome shadows aware of their situation.

But Grandfell’s snout would not yield a single word.

“There are no shadows on a rainy day.”

sswaaaa~

“In the end, that’s all they are.”

……Good thing the rain is rumbling.

It was scary, really, in case anyone heard it.

I guess that means we have different priorities.

Anyway, as far as procedures go, I think you’re doing a great job.

However, I have no desire to refute my heavy pride.

In fact, I was thinking the same thing.

It’s hard enough to deal with rifts and demons.

I’ve long since graduated from my days of rolling around in the filth of society.

I wanted to stay out of the shadows, out of the way.

Just as I was thinking that.

Schreig approached.

Umbrella in one hand.

In the other, a steaming paper cup.

“I’m afraid I’m not in a position to serve you properly…….”

I recognize the green logo on the cup.

Schreig holds the cup out to me.

“That……. I’ve heard through the rumor that you like tea, but I don’t know what kind of tea you like, so I went with a plain Americano.”

Schreig said.

“And I will.”

His eyes shone with determination.

“Please allow me to show you around London. Please.”

My reason for asking Schreig to guide me was simple.

The Rift, even if it was a dungeon.

Even if it was a space that was half reality and half the Arcana continent, I felt that a thorough knowledge of the geography of the real world would be a great help in navigating it.

I accepted the cup and spoke up.

“I’m glad you’ve made up your mind.”

“No, thank you, really. For coming all this way to…….”

“No, it’s a weight that should be carried.”

“……!”

I said nonchalantly to the dazed Schreig.

“You know that, don’t you?”

……Please.

Don’t bring the Noblesse Oblige into the 21st century, Grandfell.

At least I didn’t say the word “noble” out loud.

By the way.

I stared into my Americano and opened my mouth.

“Are you ready?”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s get to it.”

……Don’t be so quick to say you don’t want to drink it, Grandfell.

Well, I don’t know if it’s a non-herbal medicine, but there’s no way my taste buds, which are almost pickled in tea bag green tea, can accept Americano. There’s nothing better than a warm Americano on a rainy day.

I deeply resent my changed taste.

I turned and walked away.

[Rift, you have entered ‘Dungeon: City of Gloomy Rain’].

*

Shoot!

Heavy rain pouring down.

The anchor’s voice loud enough to drown out the sound of the rain.

The gaze of the viewers was clearly directed at cathode ray tube.

-“Breaking news: player Lee Ho-yeol and Second Sun’s Guild Master, Schreig, have reportedly entered the first dungeon rift created in London. As the world reacts with concern…….”

I flipped through the screens.

It had to feel strange.

They were in their own city.

It was London.

But.

Shoot!

Everyone listening to the pouring rain didn’t realize it.

Or the fact that the view on the screen was of London, the city they were trapped in, the rift.

Or the fact that they’ve fallen through the rift.

“…….”

All they can feel is helplessness and depression.

London, England.

No, the people trapped in [Dungeon: City of Gloomy Rain] were gradually sinking below the surface. Into the depths of the water, where no matter how hard they struggle, they can’t get out.

*

Shoot!

Watching the rain pour down.

There are times when formality comes in handy, I thought.

I realize that my foolishness in bringing a large umbrella has paid off. Look, not a drop of rain is getting on my clothes. That’s because I held the umbrella steady, without wavering.

‘……No, this is not the time to satisfied with trivial things like this.’

I look around.

My vision is limited.

I could just make out the outline of a building through the thick rain.

In a way, I was glad.

Schreig, also looking around, said.

“Luckily, it looks like London is still intact.”

Local guides are the best, right?

Schreig and the Second Sun Guild members quickly picked up the geography.

I listened intently to their briefing.

“The key is to figure out where the deepest parts of the dungeon are.”

My experience with Arcana is far less than most players.

As a result, I didn’t know much about dungeons.

Still, as I listened, I realized something.

‘You literally just have to find the core?’

[Dungeons].

Dangerous places with dozens of paths, hundreds of traps, and thousands of monsters, depending on their size. But if you know where the core is…….

“Our goal isn’t experience or loot, it’s to find the core as quickly as possible, defeat the boss monster, and clear the dungeon!”

This means you can ignore all other distractions like monsters and traps. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy. The heavy rain fog that was obscuring their vision didn’t seem to be normal fog.

“……But isn’t that weird?”

One of Second Sun’s guild members said.

“Even when it’s quiet, it’s too quiet.”

It felt uncomfortable.

It was inside the rift that was London.

For some reason, I didn’t feel like I was popular.

No, not exactly…….

“I see tracks, just no people.”

Cars parked with their engines on.

Commercial buildings where you can feel the warmth of people.

Even the umbrellas scattered across the street.

Everything was the same.

Only the people had disappeared and were nowhere to be seen.

The player’s voice faltered as he continued.

“Where did everyone go in such a short time……?”

“I don’t see any bloodstains or signs of attack.”

“Schreig, I’ve been trying to contact them since earlier……. I can’t reach a single person. I’m getting a signal, but no one is picking up. What the hell is going on?!”

No wonder emotions are running high.

London, the capital of England.

It’s inevitable that some of the missing players are friends or family members, and as much as we try not to think about it, we’re only human.

The atmosphere is heavy again.

This is why it’s called the City of Gloomy Rain.

It crushes my morale as soon as I enter.

But I opened my mouth.

“There’s nothing to worry about, everyone.”

“……?”

As I said, it’s my first time stepping on British land.

Naturally, it’s unlikely I know anyone in England.

However, I and Grandfell were not talking as if we were talking about someone else.

Yes, the pride in my heart is real.

I meant every word I said.

I knew it.

“This is not the real [City of Gloomy Rain].”

” ……, what do you mean?”

“Apparently, we’re in a trap.”

“Ha, trapped? No, that can’t be right!”

You’d think that couldn’t be possible.

All we did was walk into the rain.

All we did was enter the rift.

“Can you be sure?”

“Woah, are you sure?”

“This is a dungeon, a place with no set rules.”

“……!”

Someone who knows my insides will tell you.

Even though you didn’t even know what the core of a dungeon was until just now, you’re so shamelessly articulate.

Indeed, I can’t argue.

Even I, with my thick iron skin, can’t help but be impressed.

But you don’t have to be an intellectual to recognize it.

Sometimes shamelessness is a good thing.

The reason I could see through the trap was simple.

-“Hiel.”

The moment I said it, the magic was clearly escaping.

But there was no sign of Hiel.

What it meant was simple.

This is the right place, inside the rift, and this is where he was summoned,

There is an invisible ‘something’ between me and Hiel.

That meant there was a wall.

Knowing that, I scratched my head a bit.

Why?

Why did everything stay the same, but the person disappeared like a flash?

The answer came in the form of pouring rain.

No, more precisely, a rain puddle on the ground.

It was.

The wall between me and Hiel was the surface of the water.

I folded my umbrella neatly and lifted my head.

“……?”

Schreig and the players followed my lead and lifted their heads to the sky.

What they saw was another London reflected in the sky.

Soon, I could hear their panicked voices.

“……I mean, what is that, London in the sky like a mirror?!”

“Same, but there are people on the other side!!!”

“What, is that real?!”

Hiel looking at me from the other side.

The sky and the ground.

Which is above the surface and which is below.

I can’t tell right now.

But one thing is clear.

pop.

I wiped the rainwater running down the tip of my chin.

“I will severely hold you responsible for making my clothes wet.”

If water is the problem, then all you have to do is get rid of it.

Of course, it’s impossible to evaporate the pouring rain.

Even with all the magic in the world, you can’t do it with magic alone.

That’s why I telepathized to Hiel.

Water is a nutrient for plants.

That’s right.

It’s time to unleash the {Nature} abilities of the unique spirit, Hiel.