◈ Episode 321. The Difference (3)

It was a shout that woke Gremory from her despair.

“Defend it with your lives!”

……Okay, power has nothing to do with the fear I feel.

I pull myself together.

The half-breed’s power was still uncontrolled.

That was a good thing. Regardless of Gremory’s loss of will, at this moment, players and monsters were still devoted to protecting the Queen.

Wooooooooo-!

Soon, the monsters of the Zero Mountains emerged from the bushes. Just as Akshan had targeted Gremory, they pounced on the demon hunter who had set his sights on their queen.

Gremory’s eyes flashed.

‘…….It’s a gap.’

They may be madmen, but they’re still human. They can’t come after me with their claws around my windpipe. If I want to take advantage of that gap, I can escape from here and plan for the future…….

“!”

Of course, that was an illusion of ignorance.

Pook.

Akshan.

Even if they had a sword stuck in their heart.

They would not stop hunting if there was a demon in front of them. And, unbeknownst to Gremory, the current Akshan is a [Legend], not a human.

Moon Glaive Bear.

Even if he was torn apart by its vicious claws.

Not a scream, not even a small moan.

It remains silent.

It stares only at its prey and never ceases to act. The sight shook Gremory’s sanity even more, However, reality has not yet abandoned Gremory.

“Hey, come to your senses. hey!”

“At some point, we fell into a state abnormality……?”

“Abnormality? Is it a higher compatibility status abnormality of fascination?”

The agitation of the awakened players.

“……,what, black clothes. What guild is that?”

The negative emotions are just as fleeting.

It was empowering.

It pushed Gremory’s judgment to the limit.

Gremory gritted her teeth.

‘I can’t go to hell like this.’

She looked at her body.

Still beautiful.

She was a flower that bloomed in the mud called the Demon World. No human, half-elf, or even elf on the Arcana continent could match her beauty. Putting on someone else’s shell despite Gremory’s high self-esteem? There was no way she was interested in something like possession.

“Cih.”

She ran a hand through her long, flesh-colored hair one last time.

Then she made a decision.

Now was not the time for stubbornness.

‘I need a new body.’

Taking advantage of the confusion, she possesses a human.

She had to outrun the demon hunters, and as her eyes scanned the gathering slaves of power, one human caught her eye.

‘That’s enough for ……. deserves a look.’

Dark hair and features that are rare on the Arcana continent.

However, it was considered different rather than lacking.

Her beauty was flawless.

Not offensive to even the highest aesthetics.

Gremory did not hesitate.

She immediately attempted to possess her target.

Taking over her body without difficulty.

“……!”

The knowledge and common sense of the real world.

And the player’s abilities.

‘Oh, shit.’

Gremory thought as she opened her eyes in her new body.

‘What a sweet reward for letting go of my pride.’

She swallowed hard, her admiration fading.

If only I could survive this place…….

‘……Truly, revenge is not a dream!’

*

Somewhere near the top of the Zero Mountains.

I’m sitting in an renaissance chair. If anyone asks me where I got this Renaissance chair in the middle of nowhere, I’ll tell them……. I’ll tell you that my architectural magic and [aesthetics] know no bounds.

And it’s not where I sit that matters.

It’s the why.

How.

In this place.

It’s how I sit that counts!

Jesse and Mary’s Archmage class.

Somehow I had become an observer in their class.

‘Technically, I started out as an interpreter…….’

It’s hard enough to realize the difference between magic and skill.

But twilight magic?

I thought it would be impossible to communicate without my help.

But contrary to my fears, I didn’t have to step in.

I stood shamelessly on a dizzying peak.

I looked down at Jesse and Mary.

Flowing silence.

I couldn’t hear their conversation from earlier, but the violet glow of magic around them told me that the Archmage’s lesson was going well.

‘Anyway, thanks.’

I was able to watch the twilight magic as an observer.

Contrary to my timid promise to peek over my shoulder.

I was watching and learning in an overly confident manner.

Needless to say, Grandfell’s talent was on full display tonight.

“It’s not often we get to explore the fundamentals.”

And a great monologue, too.

Chief Magic Tower’s eye level.

Even by those distant standards, the twilight magic was amazing. What could be the reason why Marcelo’s theoretical magic is considered the greatest magic in the Magic Tower in recent times?

‘Because it’s unified.’

It was because it was able to organize the dozens of different schools of magic that existed in the tower. In that sense, Twilight Magic was the…….

The root of all magic.

That’s a good analogy.

It all makes sense now.

Why Mary was able to explore, interfere, and manifest without understanding the structure of the portals I manifested.

I looked at Jesse, her eyes closed.

‘Is it possible.’

It had taken Jesse a lot of time and effort just to understand simple 『Magic』, but she had been diligent. She was the only one of the players besides me who could manifest magic.

‘It won’t be easy.’

To be honest, I didn’t expect much.

But that, too, was a presumptuous comment.

I wonder how much time has passed.

Jesse’s body began to glow with violet twilight magic.

I was dumbfounded.

‘……No, she’s faster than me.’

The effects of the class quest were evident.

From the fact that I witnessed a twilight manifestation that even the Marcelo hadn’t witnessed. Jesse’s learning ability must have been validated during the twilight period.

I opened my mouth nonchalantly.

“Not bad, considering it’s your first day.”

If anyone heard me, they’d think I was a teacher.

‘Actually, I’m worried about my future.’

I think back to the days when I learned magic by watching Nettube……. I’d have to write at least a couple of dissertation-length books to cover twilight magic.

‘More than that.’

By procedure.

It’s because I’ve made a promise.

His attention finally turns elsewhere.

‘You found it, half-breed demon.’

An Akshan demon hunter materialized.

I feel like I say this every time I use [Legend], but I can’t emphasize it enough. That the strength of a [Legend] depends on how far it spreads.

‘Of course, it can’t be better than the original.’

The Akshans of Hell, they’ve never stopped hunting demons in Hell, so it’s no wonder they’re so strong, and those demons aren’t just any demons, Even the top demon kings are enormous.

The same goes for Akshan seniors who sealed the bad omen. The power that came from that tenacity was such that even bad omens could not withstand it. In fact, even without comparing him to his predecessors, the actualized legend of Akshan could not have been stronger.

-“Akshan? It was so long ago, I barely remember it.”

-“Aha, Demon Hunter, yes, there was a class for that.”

-“After all, weren’t the Akshans a bunch of losers?”

In real life, and on the Arcana continent, the Akshans were not treated well. Of course, things are better now than they were in the long-forgotten past…….

“A natural enemy relationship cannot be broken.”

Well, to Grandfell, demons are all the same anyway.

My reaction was nothing out of the ordinary.

Unlike the big mouth, I couldn’t shake the feeling of annoyance.

Because I know.

The half-breed demon, the abilities she showed.

It wasn’t enough that she was able to deceive monsters, but she could also show signs that weren’t detected by [Natural Enemy]. Maybe it was because I hadn’t encountered it in person, but I was worried even if it was just an old sentiment.

Of course, there’s also his complicated pride.

It was unacceptable to be influenced by the demon and not stick to the procedure, or even to know what was going on during the procedure.

“I think that’s enough for today, Ms. Jesse Heinness.”

Eventually, I let Mary finish her Archmage lesson.

I squinted and concentrated on observing.

Then I shamelessly stood up from my Renaissance chair.

“I’ll meet you again tomorrow at this time.”

With these brief words, I walked away.

First things first.

I check my phone, which has been vibrating since earlier.

A text from Nam Cheolmin greeted me.

-Sorry, Commander-in-Chief, I have some urgent news to share with you. ……!

To summarize the panicked text, it was simple.

Demon hunters from Akshan have appeared in the Zero Mountains.

They were fighting against the player.

I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t surprised.

‘They must be in the middle of a exorcism ritual.’

Well, I could be mistaken, but the Demon Hunters’ attacks during the ritual only damage the demons, not the players.

Besides.

‘Do you think the demon hunter was treated like a asshole for no reason?’

Demon Hunters are the least effective class in combat without natural enemy. They’d be a lost cause if they fought a player, let alone a demon hunter who wasn’t even real, but a legend materialized.

‘Let’s see.’

I check the next text.

Well, you are not an analyst for nothing.

There’s no text relay, is there?

It’s so vivid that I can picture the entire battle in my head just by reading it.

Weing─!

Moreover, the broadcast was currently in progress.

-The last demon hunter has fallen……!

As expected, Nam Cheolmin was surprised.

He shouldn’t worry either.

A system message flashed before my eyes.

[Materialization is canceled.]

The immediate reaction comes.

-……and then it disappeared without a trace?!

‘Anyway, I’m not going to be able to explain this in words.’

Well, let’s go.

At that point, I put my phone away and cranked up the magic power. First, I needed to get things straight. The Zero Mountains had unintentionally become a mess.

‘I’m the only one who can clean it up.’

Let’s recap the events.

Demon hunters were blocked by players attracted to a half-breed demon.

The supposed half-breed demon.

The woman who called herself the queen has gone missing.

The battle continued with a tangle of Demon Hunters, monsters, and players.

Fallen Demon Hunters disappeared, leaving no bodies behind.

In the best of all possible worlds, all of the players escaped unharmed…….

‘It looks like the dust has settled.’

It’s not over yet.

The high-level monsters that descended from the heights will remain.

We need to clean them up before they become a threat to low-level players.

‘I must have missed it.’

It’s actually a half-breed demon.

I didn’t think it would be an easy hunt.

But there was no need to be restless.

I’d just gotten information differently, right?

“Wasted effort.”

Tempest, the fierce guardian spirit of Akshan.

If Tempest could track down the primordial evil, it shouldn’t be hard to track down a half-breed demon from the vestiges left behind. Let’s see, if we’re going to get things under control……. Well, it looks like we’re going to have a tight schedule for the evening.

Let’s hurry.

Entering the portal.

A flurry of noise greeted me as my vision changed.

A mix of players and monsters screaming.

“What the hell is going on?!”

“If you’re awake, grab your gear! Apparently Akshan saved our lives, don’t let his sacrifice go to waste!”

“……Akshan spared us? Does that mean the status message was the work of a demon? Crazy, then why can’t I remember anything…….”

“Shit, it’s a mountain wolf pack!!!”

Indeed, I can see that the demons have swept through.

I mean, what a mess.

But it doesn’t matter.

I pull up my magic.

‘Whatever.’

There’s no such thing as moderation in the Grandfell dictionary.

What I was preparing for was the twilight magic I’d just seen and learned. By the way, isn’t this the first time since I awakened as a player that my mind has become complicated while manifesting magic?

I realize that I’m forcing myself.

‘As expected, these are not clothes that fit me.’

Twilight Descendants.

And there’s a questline for it.

Twilight magic is something that only the Archmage class can manifest.

But is Grandfell unreasonable just plain unreasonable?

Goooooooo-!

A faint glow of violet magic before my eyes.

You’ve done it again, this time with an overwhelming setting.

A message appears.

[Blessing of the First World Tree rejects ‘Curse of the Twilight’].

Twilight Curse.

I can’t tell what the effect of the debuff is because it’s denied, but I can guess why it’s there. A warning for wearing ill-fitting clothes, I suppose, but who cares when [Blessing of the First World Tree] is activated?

I opened my mouth arrogantly.

“Don’t you dare try to swing at me.”

It was a monologue directed at the debuff.

I doubt my listeners could have guessed.

Eventually, the players who recognized me were startled into silence.

“Lee, Lee, Lee Hoyeol!”

“Don’t try to swing it……? Do you have any idea what caused this? No. Was it you, Hoyeol, who moved the Akshan?”

“That, just Homen.”

……I, too, had a slightly surprised reaction.

jeolis─

Violet magic enveloped the area.

Exploring twilight magic, manifesting interference with pure magic.

An unfamiliar use of twilight magic.

“!”

The effect was clear.

Even though [Natural Enemy] hadn’t been activated.

Using only magic, I was able to subdue over a hundred monsters in one fell swoop.

[Leveled up].

I can’t help but be happy that my level has risen. Of course I missed a demon. This was not a situation Grandfell could tolerate.

‘Before I start shaking in anger.’

Let’s hurry up and summon Tempest and start the hunt. By the way, this is how many people see it……. Do I really need to say the bizarre full name of Tempest Over the Horizon……?

I had a brief, agonizing moment.

-Sir, excuse me, I have something urgent to tell you.

Suddenly, a telepathic voice in my head.

It was Marcelo’s voice.

It was a rare occurrence, as was Nam Cheolmin.

But, on the other hand.

The more urgent the situation, the better.

Marcelo didn’t hesitate to add an explanation.

See, you have a good reason to skip the prearrangement, don’t you?

-The demon came to the magic tower of its own accord.