◈ Episode 287. Akshan is Hungry (2)

Now, let’s compare the power.

The opponent is a great evil, the Seven Deadly Sins Envy.

He’s absorbed so much negative emotion that he’s like meat on water. As if that weren’t bad enough, he’s transformed the field and has the advantage of his home ground, Hidden Piece.

On the other side is me.

I am the commander, wearing the jacket of dawn.

Roughly a dozen Akshans have risen from the depths of hell.

And a group of Shadow Mercenaries who are slowly coming to their senses.

‘That’s a short list for a raid.’

Back when Arcana was just a game.

I was ignorant of boss raids.

It wasn’t just my level, which was barely around level 50, but my class, the Demon Hunter, was the root cause. I got kicked out of parties, and raids sucked.

But weren’t there other players who had been there?

‘Nam Taemin, Hisagi, Leonie, Schreig…….’

Ranked players from the past.

Since the beginning of the Holy War Alliance.

I had learned their knowledge by looking over their shoulders.

That’s why I know how rushed and poorly organized the current Seven Deadly Sins Envy Raid is.

I’m well aware of its meager resources.

‘If I can’t do it, a hundred people can.’

Boss monsters are on a different level.

Unless there is an overwhelming difference in power, the number of players must support it.

The most important feature of a boss monster is its health.

Envy speaks up.

“I was wondering how the dead Akshan was resurrected…….”

You’re a great evil, and you’ve got a great mind.

“After all, aren’t they the ones who fell to hell?”

Hell.

The place where demons fall.

So, no, [Akshan’s Upkeep] isn’t just a skill that allows you to summon a fallen Akshan demon hunter. More precisely, it summons demon hunters who peer into the abyss to hunt demons, only to end up becoming demons themselves and falling into Hell.

‘Sword Saint, like Shegwin.’

Envy chuckled.

“Interesting.”

No, it was more than a laugh.

“You can drag me to hell if you want.”

He chuckled, barely able to breathe.

“You have nothing left of your former fame but misery!”

I understand that assessment.

If it were a great evil, the perspective would be different.

A demon hunter who’s been corrupted into a demon and sent to hell?

It might seem ridiculous.

But you don’t know, do you?

What is happening in hell at this moment.

“You’re a demon because you’re so ignorant.”

Because you’ve never been to hell.

Of course, I haven’t experienced hell either.

But I have.

Unlike you, I have experience.

The experience of sweating without missing a single day……!

“Do not take human pride lightly.”

Even if it leads to hell.

The Akshan spirit never forgets.

Yes, it is the spirit of hard work that is imprinted on the body.

Our Akshan seniors must have developed [Tenacity] through repeated physical training in hell. I know what [Tenacity] can do, having trained with them to the limit.

[Tenacity: Converts mental strength into stats. Each increase in Tenacity grants an additional increase in converted stats].

In addition.

Unlike me, you have been hunting demons who have fallen to hell forever. Even if, in the past, you were corrupted into demons and fell to hell.

Sereung─

This means that each and every one of them has no choice but to be a demon hunter who boasts supreme skills. As if to prove it, Akshan seniors kicked the ground and ran out.

Bam!

I hear a lively reaction to their movements.

“……Who are they, sir?”

“Where did those humans come from?”

“I’ve never seen an Arcanian like that……?”

The Shadow Mercenaries came to their senses after Wolf and Alkari.

It’s a sight to behold, even if you’re empty-handed.

Unmeasurable [Tenacity].

That tenacity transformed into [Strength] and [Agility].

And the experience of a skilled demon hunter.

“Do you think something changes when you charge in?”

The ten demon hunters pressed down on Envy as one.

There’s no such thing as being caught off guard by a provocation.

Demon habits.

Demon hunters know them better than anyone.

“……!”

Envy’s body flinches.

With that body that can be manipulated freely, you can enjoy it.

It looks like they were just waiting for an opportunity to snatch it.

I told you, right?

They’re not normal.

Clang.

Push.

Pow!

A series of processes without the slightest hesitation.

It was an unbelievable simplicity of action for those who were truly in the presence of a great evil. A literal hunt. Akshan’s seniors hunting a great evil as if it were just another day’s work.

Now it was more than a question, it was a plea.

“……Vice leader Wolfe, who the hell are they?”

I answered for the shocked Wolfe.

“Akshan.”

“……What if it’s Akshan?”

“No way, the demon hunter……?”

Likewise, I finally found out.

Except for Henderson and Rockid, who were lying on their backs, twitching their hands and feet.

So the Shadow Mercenaries know I’m connected to Akshan.

No, that’s not all.

‘If there were evil eyes on the continent.’

In reality, there’s a camera lens.

Whether it’s a drone camera or a helicopter.

Or a satellite.

It could be now.

Or a little later.

It won’t be long before my image is broadcast to the world.

Shhh.

His gaze naturally switched to his clothes.

As a human being, Lee Hoyeol is in an incredibly embarrassing situation.

‘……Wouldn’t this be more suitable as a stage costume than a combat uniform?’

But make up your mind, Hoyeol.

Why, there is a saying that you can turn a crisis into an opportunity?

Actually, this is a golden opportunity.

We’ll be able to warn them properly.

Even so, High Ranking Demon King.

Gamigin’s hunting prowess is wearing thin.

To hunt a great evil, one of the seven deadly sins, at a time like this.

As Granfell said…….

‘I’ll be able to get the demon on topic and make him squirm.’

And not only that.

This warning is not just directed at the demon.

Heavenly Unity and Liu Zunqun are clearly related to Envy.

And for some reason.

And to you, Raymond Sean, who hasn’t posted a single update despite unleashing a great evil into the world. This should serve as a stern warning to those who are no better than the demon himself.

I lifted up Gwicheol.

I have enhanced my senses in the [Small Champion’s Sanctuary under the mountain].

Now that my combat power has been enhanced by the [Natural Enemy].

It is not difficult to revive those senses.

The trinity of magic, sword force, and tenacity.

To hunt demons.

Whatever it takes.

My tactics are those of a true demon hunter.

I opened my mouth.

“Lesser demon.”

Was it only Phase 2?

I don’t know how many patterns you have left.

I’ve dug my own well, and it’s overflowing.

“Is the saved form sufficient?”

Anomaly, Diend, the legend of the Dark Dragon Lee Hoyeol……!

Too many to mention.

Evidence of the struggle is left behind.

*

“Are you sure about that?”

AAU Korea Branch.

Yoon questioned the information.

It had to be.

Click, click, click.

He had been hitting refresh since earlier.

Still, the official Arcana website hadn’t been updated.

Yoon’s coworker said.

“Yeah, well, there’s no reason for Second Sun, Schreig, and Baker to be feeding us fake information, right?”

The London Miracle.

Since that day, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

Relations between the two countries have progressed dramatically.

And with that progress came a close working relationship with the AAU London Branch. The information we have now is breaking news, but it’s still hard to believe…….

“An emergence message popped up in the Zero Mountains? How is that possible when there are no appropriate levels set, and most importantly, not a single emergency update for an event of that magnitude?”

It was an unheard of confluence of events.

“No matter how many times I called him a fucking asshole……. Raymond Sean, he did what he said he was going to do, and that is to pull up a regular update when it was expected and an emergency update when it was unexpected.”

And then.

Click.

The home page hadn’t updated, even after the appearance message popped up and the fields started to transform. Where did it go wrong? Yoon Soogyeom was clutching his head in frustration.

Sung Hyunjoon spoke up.

“What if it was on purpose?”

“…… on purpose?”

“Raymond Sean deliberately didn’t show the information.”

Yoon Soogyeom looked at Sung Hyunjoon.

He asked with a look.

Why on earth, what kind of wind is blowing all of a sudden?

Raymond Sean had always shown a favorable attitude towards mankind. Just look at the way he’s been providing updates and offering players huge rewards for clearing the Rift.

Sung continued.

“He doesn’t want to go with the flow.'”

“Flow?”

“The changes led by General Manager Lee Hoyeol.”

“……!!!”

Lee Hoyeol.

General Manager of Yusra.

I knew he didn’t like Raymond Sean.

Not even the huge Rift rewards that players could only dream of.

To the general manager, it is nothing more than a meaningless pursuit of wealth and fame.

He’d always said that.

However, it wasn’t until after the confrontation with…….

“Because there was an obvious conflict over the connector.”

Raymond Sean’s battle over the connector.

That’s when Hoyeol threw cold water on it.

A voice came from the back.

“To put it simply, it’s a battle of wills?”

“…… Mr. Park?”

“Don’t be a jerk. There’s no need to greet him. Go ahead, Sung Hyunjoon.”

“Ah, yes.”

Sung continued to speak.

From the world’s reaction to the situation.

Even Heavenly Unity, the only one on the opposite side of the line from Hoyeol.

But the point remains the same.

“He’s clearly threatening humanity, that asshole.”

Raymond Sean.

His intentions were clear to see.

He’s trying to use the information in the update history to shake Hoyeol’s position. To destroy the infinite trust the world has in Hoyeol.

‘What a disgusting bastard, you are.’

Yoon Soogyeom nods in understanding.

“Then the appearance of the great evil, the Seven Deadly Sins Envy, is a kind of declaration of war.”

A warning to mankind that doesn’t follow his will.

AAU knew the importance of information better than anyone.

If Raymond Sean hadn’t provided an update.

Humanity would have been wiped out by rift erosion long ago.

In that sense, it was extremely frustrating.

Park Minjae grits his teeth.

“Even if the bastard threatens…….”

Demonic monsters.

There was no data about them, even within the AAU.

Now that they were the main enemy.

The value of the information provided by Raymond Shen was bound to be great.

“Isn’t this beyond filthy, it’s a foul play?”

They were not the only ones who knew that.

The governments, the players, even the players themselves.

If they realized that the reason for this was the confrontation between Hoyeol and Raymond Sean.

‘Arrows may be pointed at you, General Manager…….’

It was a damned tight situation.

Great Evil.

It’s definitely a force to be reckoned with.

I could tell by the fact that it had posted an appearance message in the Zero Mountains.

‘Even if you’re the general manager…….’

You’re bound to have a hard time against this great evil.

That’s what Raymond Sean is aiming for.

The moment the world sees Hoyeol’s struggle with the demon with no information about it. The trust in Hoyeol will be shattered.

Soon, the news is breaking.

“The location of the great evil has been captured!”

The AAU pinpoints the great evil’s location in the Zero Mountains.

The image of the great evil appears on a large monitor.

And then.

“……!!!”

All worries turned out to be just unfounded.

“……Now, just a moment!”

It’s been said that mankind knows nothing about demons.

If there’s anyone more fluent in demons than Raymond Sean.

A gap in information becomes meaningless.

A noisy crowd─

“Where have I seen that outfit before……?”

“It’s so big, and most of all, that crossbow.”

“Hey, is that wolf over there……?!”

Yep.

More fluent in demons than Raymond Sean.

A being that has no choice but to do so based on its instincts.

“Oh, isn’t that an Akshan wolf?!”

The natural enemy of demons.

Akshans.

Because they have signaled the beginning of resurrection.

Pooosh─!