Episode 584. The Comma

The unexpected joining of the Holy War Alliance.

And what happened next?

Well, you see.

[Leveled up].
[Leveled up].
[Leveled up].

Finally, it went up 10 levels.

‘After all, numbers are important.’

Experience.

It makes me think about the meaning of the word. A player can level up by fulfilling a huge amount of experience, but if the experience is worthless, it’s nothing more than a bright apricot.

I stared at the scattering snake heads and muttered to myself.

“The last of the worms that crawled out of the ground.”

The Great Yokai of the Valley of Blood, the Cruel God Killer Eight-headed Viper.

For a creature with such a grand name and level, he was narrow of stomach. Why, he had deceived the people of the Eastern Continent and devoured countless sacrifices, right?

‘Levels are just numbers.’

What’s the point of leveling up when you’ve been eaten raw like that?

What do you think, Grandfell?

They say a dog can recite a poem after three years at school.

I’m pretty sure I know it without you telling me, don’t you?

“It’s great.”

I thought you were complimenting me.

Still not directed at me.

Grandfell’s gaze was on the Holy Alliance.

“Won!!”

I couldn’t tell if it was the player or Lionheart Knights.

I couldn’t tell, but it was someone shouting.

I could tell just by the tone of the voice.

‘You guys deserve to be proud.’

I didn’t give it my all in this battle.

Dealing with a whopping 2,000 level monsters.

I know that sounds arrogant.

I just thought it was the right thing to do.

‘There’s no point in doing it alone.’

The results exceeded my expectations.

“You’ve done well, Yessica.”

“No, Captain Harkon, rather the legs…….”

“Don’t worry. I’ve still got plenty of energy to run.”

In addition to valuable experience.

The Lionheart Knights must have gained proficiency with their swordsmanship through repeated combat.

So did the next group that came along, the Great Alliance, the Holy War Alliance and the Shining also joined later..

“I joined from the middle, but I went up 30 levels?!”

“Hey, Hisagi. What kind of item did you just eat, huh?”

“What do you mean, an item?”

“Where are you talking about, are you? I saw it for sure?”

As you can see, he got a lot out of it.

But the most valuable thing for me, Lee Hoyeol, was the joy of victory.

They looked like they were enjoying the joy of victory.

I have a sense of it.

‘Always after the battle.’

Because it was the Holy War Alliance that repeatedly apologized for not being able to help me. In that sense, aren’t you happy too, Grandfell?

‘How proud you are to see them progress?’

Under our command and protection, of course.

Literally, it’s just a little push on the back.

It was just a ray of light that illuminated the path ahead.

In the end, it meant that they were the ones who struggled to move forward.

I could have been a little more proud.

I shifted my gaze away from them.

There were still others I hadn’t seen.

‘As expected, it would be ambiguous to talk to you now.’

I glance in the direction of the Sunrise Warrior and the Lightning Child.

During the raid on The Great Yokai of the Valley of Blood, the Cruel God Killer Eight-headed Viper, with my permission as Commander.

There were three people who deserted from the battle.

‘Discipline, experience, and courage are the most important, right?’

Because keeping his blood relative, a girl named Magnolia, safe was the top priority. Anyway, I was glad to see that she was safe. Even though I thought to myself, I could not completely erase the doubt.

Grandfell.

-“The past is meaningless to me.”

I wonder why you said that.

Grandfell, who wrote to Mom and Dad every day, was a man who cared terribly for his flesh and blood, judging by the way he treated my Wensu.

‘No matter how private you are.’

It’s the least you can do, Grandfell, to prevent Claudi’s extinction in the Spacetime Social Hall or the [Understanding of Darkness], and it’s not like anyone is being harmed by it.

‘Be honest, between us.’

I tried not-so-subtle appeasement.

I knew it would be like this.

You keep your mouth shut, it’s only in situations like this that you become expensive.

‘Are you planning on telling me that I have to struggle myself?’

You want me to come face to face with the remaining 30% of the understanding and Claudi’s truth about being in hell, and I know Grandfell’s shitty stubbornness better than anyone.

‘Okay. What more can I ask you?’

Even if you don’t say it.

So that we can communicate with just our eyes.

I just need to understand you a hundred percent, right?

I finished my thought.

“Commander-in-Chief.”

“Harkon.”

Um, okay, Harkon. I think there will probably be a lot to talk about. Of course, I think we can skip the small and big thank yous between us. Because things were a little different this time.

‘This is the Commander-in-Chief’s view of the situation…….’

Embarrassingly, it felt like it was my first time. So, no matter what Harkon said, I was going to ignore it for now. Because I was embarrassed in front of the players.

But then.

cheolkeog.

Well, that was a man of action. Harkon and the Sunrise Warrior are the two most important contributors to this battle.

However, the Sunrise Warrior retreated from the battlefield to protect his sister, Magnolia. So it was only natural that Harkon, who was present at the beginning and end of the battle, would take the top contribution honor.

“After all, I wasn’t directly involved in the battle.”

According to the Arcana Continent Biography system.

The ‘unique loot’ of The Great Yokai of the Valley of Blood, the Cruel God Killer Eight-headed Viper.

It means becoming Harkon by default.

“I will offer the spoils of victory to the Commander-in-Chief.”

Harkon collects loot from level 2,000 monsters.

He handed it to me on his knees.

I sighed to myself.

‘Is this your influence too, Grandfell?’

There’s no way in the world you’d hand me such a valuable loot unless your integrity was tainted! The stares poured in. I looked at the loot that Harkon held in both hands.

An information window popped up.

[Great Yokai Orb]

[Rank: Legendary]

[Limit: Unknown]

[Effect: Unknown]

[Description: An orb once held within the belly of a Great Yokai of the Eastern Continent. Not even the Great Yokai who devoured it knows who it originally belonged to. For it has devoured countless lives].

I, Lee Hoyeol, roll my eyes.

“What is this item used for?”

Let’s see, it looks just like a bead.

Even if you look at it, you can tell it’s not an ordinary bead.

It’s a bead the size of a human head.

Suddenly, I hear a whispered conversation.

“You shameful snake-eyed bastard. It’s okay, you’re not curious at all?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, that’s what everyone can see as the unique loot!”

Unique loot.

The highest value loot among the many loot drops from a boss monster. That’s why everyone is watching with bated breath.

‘It’s natural to wonder what effect it has.’

But I already knew.

I knew what Grandfell would say.

I had already guessed.

“I knew what you meant, Harkon.”

“Thank you…….”

“But, I refuse.”

…!

“……!!!”

Why did the snout reject?

Let me guess.

Probably because he knows the source.

‘That’

Yes.

Our dear Grandfell, who lives and dies by his clothes, apparently doesn’t even want to take that orb protruding from his stomach, which was harboring sticky venom, into his hands……!

“Crazy. How can you turn that down?”

“If it were me, I’d just bow and take it.”

“Is that enough? I can even stand on my head!”

Because it was an action that did not differ significantly from my actions so far. Although some players were shocked, those who knew my actions well, including Nam Taemin, did not seem that surprised.

However.

‘……If you’re going to refuse already.’

Don’t you think the reason for being unpleasant to touch is lacking something, Grandfell?

That’s why I, Lee Hoyeol, decided to add a big wrapper.

I turned to Harkon and said.

“There is another place for this loot to shine.”

“That means……. ”

“Harkon, I will use the loot you gave me as a token.”

A token.

Everyone’s eyes focused on that word.

Geez, I feel like I’ve done something wrong.

‘There is something I did right.’

But I wanted to commemorate it as a token for the future.

After all, it was our first victory.

Not the victory that I and Granfell achieved.

Our first victory as the Holy War Alliance.

Thumping.

I manifest spatial magic. I build a pillar that anyone who doesn’t have as much magical power as me can’t even approach. Naturally, the thing that decorated the top of the pillar was the [Great Yokai Orb].

I turned to the bewildered group and continued.

“This tower will be a token to remember ‘our’ victory.”

*

Frostnax nodded.

“Are you still confused, brat?”

It was Skal, the dragon knight on Frostnax’s back, who addressed him as brat. Skal looked back at the view shared with Dragon Eye.

“No, actually, my anguish ended long ago.”

After Paimon’s appearance on Jeju Island.

Skal hadn’t attended a single Holy War Alliance meeting, and the reason was simple. He had seen ‘someone’ in Hoyeol that wasn’t Hoyeol.

At first, he thought it was a mere illusion. He had just become a Transcendent. He thought his dragon-eye vision was a little unstable.

But it wasn’t.

Frostnax says.

“It was an agony that never needed to begin.”

A taboo for ‘someone’.

“Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo.”

The name.

“Because he is definitely alive. At times like this, I feel like my short life is in vain. If it had been Eunaxus, brat, he could have told you more about the Claudi family.”

Frostnax’s reasons for accompanying Skal, who had run from the Holy War Alliance, were simple.

Frostnatoo, had questions.

“But the more you look, the more you wonder, right? From what I’ve heard from my brothers, Claudi’s mercy is a harsher mercy…….”

Skal gritted his teeth.

‘Of course. Because this isn’t Claudi’s mercy right now.’

He thought again.

‘Lee Ho-Yeol. This is Lord Hoyeol’s mercy.’

Yes, it was.

That was the reason he couldn’t go back.

Skal could not even guess, let alone be certain.

Another agonizing realization.

Was it Lee Hoyeol, or Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo, whom I have seen, witnessed, believed, and followed. Is it Lee Hoyeol or Grandfell that I am seeing now.

Frostnax said.

“There’s no reason to complicate things. Their names were never one in the first place. It’s the Infinitely Deep Darkness, it’s the power behind the Arcana Continent, it’s the Great House, it’s the Dark Dragon…….”

Frostnax resolves the countless tinnitus problems.

“And all of that was Claudi.”

Skal nodded.

He could understand.

In the real world, his own family alone.

He’d been plagued by all sorts of conspiracy theories.

Finally, Skal spoke up.

“Nevertheless, I apologize, Frostnax-nim.”

That was a euphemism for not being able to make a decision yet.

From the player’s perspective, it made sense. No, it was so obvious that no player could deny Skal decision.

Skal’s vision flickers.

[Class Quest]

Recognized for its infinite value through class alone.

The one and only Hidden Class.

Dragon Knight class quest.

It was clearly written there.

[World Tree, Primordial Evil, Dragons and Elves. And Claudi]

Another name for them, or for Hoyeol.