◈ Episode 372. So, Stop Now (1)

The Claudi Territory.

Arcana Continent covered in darkness..

The players have returned with a strange feeling in their stomachs.

They put their heads together and tried to figure it out, but they couldn’t come up with an answer.

“So, I understand that it could be a family fight. But just because of this family fight, the Arcana Continent is shaken to this extent?”

“It’s not just that, there’s got to be a Myth Quest or something at stake.”

“No matter how you slice it…….”

“Well, maybe it’s a temporary phenomenon caused by special conditions.”

“Exactly. No matter how extraordinary he is, he’s still a player, isn’t he? No matter what skills or magic he uses, he can’t control things on a continental scale…….”

Dmitri, who had been listening to the conversation from afar, sighed.

“How long do I have to suck my fingers?”

Beyond mere curiosity.

At this point, it was pure concern.

Dmitri stared into the darkness with a grim expression and muttered.

“……Nam Taemin, where the hell is this guy?”

The biggest threat right now, the Evil Dragon.

The Great Alliance had joined the Iron Castle to hunt down the Evil Dragon as planned. They just didn’t tell the other players about it.

Kang Euntaek of the Great Alliance glanced at Dmitri.

‘There’s not the slightest benefit to having your plans known.’

Contributing to the defeat of the Evil Dragon, Eunaxus.

The guild masters of the Great Alliance instantly gained 50 levels.

Now that the information was out in the world, Kang recalled the conversations among players.

-“When the opportunity comes, shouldn’t you take it?”

-“Of course, you only get one shot at life!”

-“Okay, let’s aim high. Just think, every time you throw a skill at a dragon, you’ll gain 10 levels! It’s not like we have to cut off its breath, right?”

This made Kang Euntaek’s mouth close even more tightly.

The same was true for the few remaining members of the Great Alliance Guilds in the Claudi Territory.

Dmitri glanced at Kang Euntaek.

“Oh my gosh, they don’t even show any signs of telling me…….”

But the silence, each with their own reasons, didn’t last long.

Then.

Because there was a new wave of excitement in Claudi Territory.

Stop─

Camilla’s vast vision crackled with magic.

“……Someone has entered the portal.”

Hidden Piece, Claudi Territory.

It was a portal that connected Claudi Territory to the Arcana Continent. Someone was entering the Claudi Territory through the portal. However, the players had all returned to the Claudi Territory.

Dmitri’s voice rose in excitement.

“Lee Hoyeol……. No, I mean, has the Commander-in-chief returned?”

In his mind, only Hoyeol was left to enter the Claudi Territory through the portal. However, as he had said repeatedly, the Arcana Continent was wide and vast.

Camilla shook her head.

“No, they’re entering from both directions at the same time.”

“……What, you mean it’s not just one person?”

“Yes.”

What she meant was simple.

At least two.

The players tensed.

Someone dared to say the long name.

“……Couldn’t that be Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo? Couldn’t he, uh, be returning to the Claudi Territory at the same time as him?”

Was he returning from a family fight?

A moment of thought.

The man who was looking up at the sky shook his head.

“No, I don’t think so.”

Not exactly.

The Arcana continent was still shrouded in an infinitely deep darkness.

That wasn’t all.

Camilla continued.

“There are more than two.”

“More? Surely they’re not new players?”

“And……. That’s weird.”

Sereung─

At Camilla’s words, Lox wordlessly raised his sword.

It wasn’t just Lox’s behavior.

Claudi Territory was Hoyeol’s territory and at the same time an indispensable outpost for humanity. No matter who the opponent was, there was a reason to risk one’s life to protect it. However, the sword was not swung.

The two factions entered from different portals.

The apparent leaders of both factions’ conversations could be heard.

“Hey, lump.”

“Hehe. You don’t mean it, red-eyed face.”

“Well. I think you’re a little too drenched to criticize my red-eyes, and I don’t think your chunky waistline is enough to excuse you from falling into a well.”

“What, what?!”

Dmitri opened his mouth.

“……What, is this a joke all of a sudden?”

The Big Shots.

Even the Seven Deadly Sins, who had watched over the Arcana Continent since the beginning of time, had only recently learned of their existence. It was no wonder that the players, who were technically strangers, couldn’t recognize them.

Still, they were not out of the ordinary.

Dmitri steadied himself.

“No, let’s not let our guard down. It just looks dazzling on the outside, right?”

The Diamond Top and the Red-Eyed Clan.

The procession of the diamond caravan was so endless that it could not be seen. The Red Eyes were far less numerous, but their individual auras and armaments were extraordinary. The Rankers recognized them immediately.

A quote formed in Lox’s mind.

‘They’re far superior to the Knights of the Lion Heart.’

A rare power among the Arcane.

Perhaps even surpassing them.

Why would these two unusual powers seek out Claudi Territory?

Fortunately.

Before tensions escalated.

They spoke first.

“Are you the adventurers we’ve only heard rumors of?”

Garmond snorted at the red-eyed Shahin Dune’s question.

“You must be new, Shahin Dune, what do you know, we’re old hands in comparison. Let’s see, adventurers, there’s not a single piece of equipment you use that hasn’t been touched by my influence!”

……What the hell is he talking about?

Garmond’s eyes flickered to Dmitri’s plate armor.

“This, too, is from our forge.”

“Our forge……? How much do you think this is worth…….?”

The puzzled looks on the players’ faces drowned out their questions.

Soon, the words were out of their mouths.

The two men looked up and stared into the darkness below.

“It won’t take long. I hope.”

“Perhaps it’s time to finally settle the score, Shahin Dune.”

“It’s a competition. Okay, I’ll join you. Who were you hunting?”

“Hehe. Don’t be surprised. The Seven Deadly Sins!”

“Se, Se, Seven Deadly Sins?!”

The Seven Deadly Sins.

It wasn’t Shahin Dune who was surprised by the title.

It was Dmitri, to be precise.

The Seven Deadly Sins.

The player was familiar with its existence, so he could only be horrified. Garmond smiled in satisfaction at the flavorful reaction, but only for a moment before finishing his sentence.

“I’ve defeated Sloth with these hands!”

“……!!!”

He killed one of the Seven Deadly Sins?

It was hard to believe.

The players were well aware of the horrors of demonic monsters, so they were hoping that the man called Shahin Dune would deny it for them.

Shahin Dune nodded approvingly.

“I hunted Gluttony, and for good reason. One sword was all I needed, which means I didn’t have to have a thick belly like you, or a chiseled jaw, or be drenched in holy water.”

You hunted one of the Seven Deadly Sins……!

The implication was simple.

Dmitri folded his fingers and opened his mouth.

“Well, if that’s true, how many of the seven are left?”

Whether it’s true or not, it’s amazing.

Then a moment of shock.

The anxious duo looked at the players.

They asked simultaneously.

“When will our lord return to his estate?”

Lord……?

At that point, the players’ astonishment grew again.

Each of them had dealt with the Seven Deadly Sins and returned unharmed. The powerful powers were calling Hoyeol “Lord,” and it was a good thing that he was so assertive.

When everyone was at a loss for words, Dmitri spoke up.

“Perhaps he has a personal matter…….”

“My lord’s personal affairs…….”

“It doesn’t make sense that we don’t know what you know. Be honest with us. What happened?”

Dmitri looked away, then answered.

“Something like this, sir. The commander-in-chief was talking to Grandfell Claudi Ar……. Anyway, when he got news about Romeo, he was in a hurry! He’s on a Myth Quest, so it’s a big deal……!!!”

Dmitri said, literally shitting himself.

But the two men understood immediately.

They gave them a puzzled look.

Shahin Dune chimed in.

“I think you’re mistaken, adventurers.”

Garmond nodded. Yes. To those who know Claudi well, the absurdity was clearly visible. That’s right, the Commander-in-Chief and Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo are not separate people…….

“…… wait.”

Shahin Dune was about to tell someone a terrible truth.

He stopped speaking.

Because Dmitri’s face had gone white.

No, it wasn’t just him.

He heard Garmond whisper.

“I guess that’s the adventurer’s vision, assistant.”

Adventurers have their adventurer’s vision.

Shahin Dune had learned this from the news he had heard about the adventurer.

So Shahin Dune didn’t consider the interruption rude.

He was just curious.

What they had seen.

Why they were looking so horrified.

But no one spoke easily.

Even if they didn’t know exactly what the message was.

[A ray of light fades in the infinitely deep darkness.]

They could only know that the situation was serious.

.

.

.

Iron Castle Airship.

“……!!!”

Horror flashed across the faces of the Great Alliance. Unlike the other players, they did not hesitate, for they had the means to pursue Hoyeol immediately.

“Mr. Chainwalker!”

Chainwalker nodded at the urgent call.

“I understand.”

He had guessed.

The source of the darkness that engulfed the Arcana continent would be Hoyeol.

It wasn’t the first time the Arcana Continent had fallen into darkness.

But there was a difference…….

Hiel and Diend.

The two spirits linked to Hoyeol remained silent.

Unlike the time when they had alleviated his fears.

No, to be more precise.

Leonie spoke up.

” …… Are you sure this is okay?”

Both spirits were unconscious.

As if they had been assimilated into the darkness that engulfed the Arcana continent. It was natural to feel uneasy. However, Chainwalker remained unfazed and steered the Iron Castle.

‘At this moment, the one who has fallen deeper into darkness than anyone else…….’

It must’ve been Hoyeol.

The Dwarf pilots, including Gunner, prepared to take off.

Finally, Chainwalker gave the order to depart.

“We will search for the Commander-in-Chief by any means necessary!”

*

Grandfell looked at the reflection of the landscape through his flowing hair.

Could that be called a landscape?

All he could see was an inky blackness.

“…….”

A ray of light had been shining through the darkness for some time.

Grandfell stepped into that darkness.

He couldn’t see anything, so he didn’t know where he was going.

But one thing was certain.

A ray of light shone through the darkness.

Until that ray of light returned.

Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo.

Nothing could stop him.

Be it beast, human, or demon, there are no exceptions.

Yes, even a demon who has reached the Celestial Realm.

Even if it’s a Demon King of the Ten Thrones.

[The 10th Throne Demon King, Buer, appears].

“I didn’t expect to see you so soon. You traveled all the way to the entrance of the Demon World to greet me? I see you wanted to talk to me as well! That’s good. Your sacrifice is sufficient to manifest me.”

Fully manifested, Buer greeted him with pleasure. As if he could converse with a being who had entered the Celestial Realm as a human. But Buer was unable to.

He couldn’t understand him.

“□ □□ □□□ □□□ □□□ □□□□□.”

The “him” of now was not the same as the “him” of then.

That was…….

Because he was now “something” that was beyond even the Celestial Realm.