◈ Episode 285. Dawn.

[The Great Evil, Seven Deadly Sins Envy, appears].

[The Zero Mountains tremble with negative emotions].

[The field is transformed].

An existence that has entered the realm of the anomaly.

One of them is a dragon.

The Ice Dragon transformed the field and created the Hidden Piece.

The same goes for Envy.

The plants of the mountain range are rapidly withering.

The land losing its vitality.

Dark clouds gathering over the mountains.

Indeed, it lives up to its name as a Great Evil.

But who is Grandfell?

“You’re noisy.”

Not to be intimidated by a great evil.

A man of such pride that even a great evil is insignificant.

How can such a Grandfell look on like this?

“Do not be afraid. It is the light that makes the noise.”

Talking seriously to a plant?

It’s nothing compared to what I’ve been doing with pride.

I channeled my magic.

‘It may not reach the blessing of Hiel.’

Even though I am like this, I am the owner of Hidden Piece, the [Garden of Elegance]. There is a saying that even a Seodang dog can memorize a thousand characters in three years. Could it be that Granfell’s talent was just watching the elixir grow?

Goooooo─

The magic power I emitted permeated the mountain range.

At the same time, the mountains regain their color.

Yes, this is also the pride of not giving anything to the demon.

“Do not lose your beauty through fear.”

An aesthetic that doesn’t let anything stop it.

I’m the one who suffered for it.

I’m fine now.

I don’t know how it got updated to reality.

The Great Evil.

I’ve finally gotten around to activating [Natural Enemy], thanks to a great evil that I missed once. There’s no reason to be stingy with this amount of magic.

That’s it.

Message.

[Waiting for the Dawn 5/5]

[Set item effect applies].

[Set effect currently in effect: 5/5].

Self-luminous.

Like wearing a glittery costume.

A set from the Dawn that you put on after swallowing a lot of shame……!

I raise my head and look at the sun in the sky.

They say there can’t be two suns in the sky…….

A well-spoken big mouth.

“Are you hiding because you are afraid of great evil, sun?”

Now he speaks to the sun beyond the plants.

“You don’t have to go out there, I’m here.”

Truly, it is like me to be steadfast in the face of great evil.

I swallow a grudging lament.

The Demon Hunter’s sharpened senses twitched.

The Zero Mountains, so huge that they call it a new continent.

Of course it is.

‘Even with a skill like clairvoyance.’

It’s impossible to find a target in the Zero Mountains.

However, there is something beyond common sense in the [Natural Enemy].

I know this because I’ve experienced it.

‘Since I wasn’t even level 100.’

I’ve hunted hundreds of levels of demons, and I’ve survived to this point by using unorthodox methods. Is it because of that? A voice pierced his hearing, enhanced by the [Natural Enemy] effect.

“There.”

His right arm was amputated by me.

Golaegolae.

The voice of the one who screamed.

But it wasn’t one voice.

-“The request was for……. What was it?”

-“You don’t know about it?”

-“Yes……. I’ve only been the leader for a few days.”

Just in case.

The moment I heard the word “request,” I was sure.

That’s Wolfe’s voice, right?

‘Why would Wolfe want to go to the Zero Mountains…….’

Actually, I have an idea why.

He’s looking for Kichi.

But the Zero Mountains. Maybe he’s learned how to get a connector in the Zero Mountains.

My mind raced for a moment.

I perked up my ears.

‘A request from a Great Evil.’

I’d been wondering that myself.

I had no idea that the Great Evil had commissioned the Shadow Mercenaries.

And what it was.

And whether Kichi had disappeared, leaving behind a note that she would take responsibility.

But.

I wasn’t given the luxury of listening to the story.

Envy’s voice continued.

-“CL…….”

What the hell?!

Claudi?!

Why is that name out there again?!

No, I think I’ve heard enough.

Please don’t talk about the Claudi family.

It’s too late to manifest the portal.

We need to shut him up faster……!!!

“Tempest.”

[Skill, “Akshan’s Guardian Spirit” is activated].

“Awoooooooo-!”

My dark history.

No, the dark history of the Claudi family.

He’s trying to bring it out.

Bite that demon!

*

Even if you are mortally wounded, your physical senses do not go away.

Howl of a beast.

The source was far away.

‘……How did it get here?’

The howl was clear as day.

Wolfe clutched his side and stared at the Great Evil, the Seven Deadly Sins Envy.

He wondered if he was hallucinating.

‘It’s not an hallucination.’

But the howl had clearly reached Envy’s ears, and its reaction was surprising. The great evil that had never trembled before shuddered through the body.

” …… It’s him.”

A man?

It even spoke to itself.

Wolfe thought.

Does he know the owner of those howls?

At the same time, Wolfe wondered.

This is great evil.

In the hierarchy of demons…….

‘It is so strong that it cannot even be compared to the Demon King.’

Wolfe and the Shadow Mercenaries had encountered the Demon King while attacking the Demon Castle Rift. It was not an exaggeration, but a strength that could not be compared to a Demon King.

‘An entity that can make such a great evil tremble in fear?’

All I could think of was the commander-in-chief.

There was only Hoyeol.

But Wolfe muttered to himself.

“The commander-in-chief said Awoooo..?”

Kuhug─

The creature that was listening also spat out blood in disbelief.

But the questioning didn’t last long.

It wasn’t a normal wolf that let out a howl.

Tempest.

It lived up to its name.

Paw!

“Woof!”

The wolf burst out of the bushes and charged at Envy.

Like a raging storm, it cornered him.

Wolfe doubted his eyes.

“……!”

Shadow Mercenaries.

The Arcana Continent.

A big name in the underworld.

Willing to take on any job if it paid.

Information on the Arcana Continent for the Shadow Mercenary?

They didn’t even need to collect it.

-“I don’t know if you’re aware, but there’s been a lot of resentment against the lords in the southern city of Heshiya lately. This gives us a good excuse to stir things up!”

On the state of the Empire, which he doesn’t care about.

-“What I want is the treasure that that arrogant baron has in his possession. I want to see him despair over the antiques he picked up in the southern seas, regardless of their value!”

On gold and silver treasures.

-“Have you ever heard of the Wolf of Akshan?”

And the occasional unbelievable rumor.

The Akshan Wolf.

A similar capture request came to the Shadow Mercenaries.

Wolfe remembered the rumors about the Akshan wolf.

-“Since it’s a wolf, why don’t Wolfe take it, hehe?”

Thanks to a tasteless joke from Kichi, the vice leader at the time.

I didn’t even have to try to remember it.

It was easy to see why he’d invested so much money and gone toe-to-toe with Akshan to get his hands on the wolf.

-“It’s too beautiful to be a wolf. It’s more like a statue, but its bravery is unquestionable, and it’s a terrible waste for the Akshans.”

Whatever the reason, they don’t turn down a request.

But the request to capture the Akshan wolf came to an abrupt end.

As they were working on it, they realized.

‘It’s not an animal.’

A guardian spirit, a being that protects something.

The guardian spirit of the Shadow Mercenaries, just as the Shadow Crows guard their lair.

The Akshan Wolf, guardian spirit of Akshan, also protects Akshan.

‘In other words, it was Akshan, itself.’

So at this moment, Wolfe couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

Yes, there are no more Akshans on the continent.

Akshan disappeared without a trace during the Holy War.

“Awooooooo-”

But a wolf overpowered the Seven Deadly Sins Envy.

If it wasn’t Akshan’s wolf, then what was it?

Moreover, the moment he watched the stormy movements.

Information about the Akshan Wolf flashed through his mind.

Wolfe was sure of it.

That was definitely an Akshan wolf.

“……Akshan has returned?”

Wolfe muttered.

“Aaahhhhh!!!”

Envy whose body was torn apart by the Akshan wolf, began to scream. Why? He held onto his right forearm, which did not regenerate from the severed figure.

“How on earth, how on earth did you end up here……!!”

Envy shouted into the air, as if questioning something.

“I’m sure I heard it…… You won’t be able to leave the cave for a while. I heard it clearly……? Damn it, no way……!”

His face contorted ugly.

“Liu Zunqun. So, you’re in league with that damned bastard, how dare you. To hunt down the Seven Deadly Sins Envy. You were trying to deceive me……!!!”

Wolfe swallowed hard.

“Very well. I’ll make you look good.”

kudeug─

kudeudeug─

Envy, which was helpless just a moment ago, changes the shape of the body. Then, the wounds inflicted by them and the wounds inflicted by Akshan Wolf were insignificant.

The transformation was complete.

“I’ll admit it. I can’t help but be envious of you.”

Pow-!

Huge demonic wings spread out from his shoulder blades.

In the midst of the horror, Alkari’s strained voice was heard.

“……Phase 2.”

“Phase, old man?”

“Kehehe.”

Degururu-

With trembling hands, Alkari opened the potion vial and gulped.

Elixir.

A potion of rare elixirs, extremely refined, its value is unimaginable. Alkari rolled another vial of elixir towards Wolfe.

Degururu-

“Kichi, she saved it for you guys.”

” ……The leader?”

“Kehehe. I don’t plan on ruining your back with something like this, so don’t worry.”

The elixir worked wonders.

It was enough to reverse critical injuries.

Alkari staggered to his feet and examined the fallen members.

Rockid’s face was gaunt and…….

“Tsk.”

He clicked his tongue.

“Except for Rockid and Henderson, we’re going to make it out alive.”

The two men faced the great evil alone.

They were wounded beyond the power of elixirs.

Alkari looked at Envy.

“Acting Leader Wolfe, I respectfully ask.”

“By all means.”

“The Great Evil, in the words of the adventurers, has entered its next pattern.”

Alkari is open beyond his years.

It’s been a long time since he’s been in the Adventurer’s World.

As for the adventurers’ language, he has a rough grasp of it.

“I don’t know how many times I’ll have to make that escape.”

That’s when the gap became apparent.

They had just been wiped out in the first phase.

They wouldn’t stand a chance against Envy in the second phase.

Knowing this, Alkari asked Wolfe.

“Will you still fight to the end?”

Wolfe barely emptied the elixir and examined his body. The effects of the elixir were quickly filling him with life, but bone and flesh could not fill his torn side in real time.

His cool commanding brain told him.

The odds are stacked against us.

He makes his best move.

We must abandon the hopeless Henderson and Rockid and leave the area. Yes, his old self was screaming at him, the traitor who had turned his back on a defeated ally.

Wolfe gave a small laugh.

“Funny how I should make this decision now, old man.”

Could it be that he was looking too carefully?

The adventurers who had died trusting Liu Zunqun.

They and the members who fell while believing in their own selves overlapped.

So Wolfe picked up his crossbow.

“Don’t you think there’s a grade to trash?”

Clang.

Wolfe thought as he loaded his crossbow.

‘Is this what they call pride?’

Well, I don’t know if I’m qualified to mention a word like pride. But one thing is certain. My determination is not meaningless.

‘It’s not about winning.’

Commander-in-Chief.

It’s about stalling for time until the right moment.

Now that the Akshan Wolf has joined us.

We might be able to stall for some time.

Alkari sighed deeply.

“You’re turning into Kichi, after all. Even you.”

But this is the Shadow Mercenaries for you.

If you’re not twisted, you’re not one of us.

Alkari raised a brow and rummaged through his inside pockets.

“Let’s see, what kind of poison can we use in a situation like this?”

Alkari searched his memory.

……Cringe!

The veins in Henderson’s head twitched.

A groan escaped Rockid’s tightly closed mouth.

Wolfe and Alkari narrowed their eyes in disbelief.

‘……What?’

Even for two men who seemed to be filled to the brim with muscle.

Those were injuries that couldn’t be healed naturally, at least not by humans.

It was impossible for them to regain consciousness on their own.

But the doubt didn’t last long.

And then.

Because change has come even to those who have come to their senses.

Ttogak─

“I’ll hear about the circumstances later.”

Just by showing up.

“So stay awake until the hunt is over.”

The darkness in the mountains recedes.

“Because the shadow mercenaries I hired are not weak enough to be defeated by a trivial demon.”

It was Dawn.

.

.

.

[Waiting for Dawn 5/5]

[Set item effect applied].

[Currently applying set effects: 5/5]

[1. When you are a Commander, your allies’ morale is ‘maximized’] …….

In the Arcana system, “maximized” means a lot.

For example…….

It is said to be an expression of bringing a dead person back to life.