◈ Episode 154. The One That Bloomed (1)

The demon’s presence was felt in the branch Leader’s office.

AAU London Branch Leader, Baker Chat.

The demon is possessing Baker’s body.

Once I realized that, the question in my head was solved.

I can finally understand the structure of this vicious [dungeon].

[Dungeon: City of Gloomy Rain]

[Appropriate Level: Lv.600~Lv.900]

[Collapse Progression: 2.3%].

Emergency Update.

This dungeon was not a scheduled update.

After all, it’s been a while since the [Broken Dimensional Rift].

That’s understandable.

The problem was the appropriate level.

It was ambiguous.

Not too high, not too low.

Above all, I, Lee Hoyeol, was the one who entered the rift alone and confidently, a guarantee that it was an ambiguous rift.

Well, even if it’s just a characteristic of an irregular dungeon.

‘Because it’s a trap more than anything else.’

It wasn’t a trap that the player could see through.

It is, quite literally, malicious.

It was a trap that would kill not only the player, but anyone else trapped in the dungeon rift.

Even I, a demon hunter, a natural enemy, would have been hard-pressed to recognize it if it weren’t for Hiel.

‘I thought it was a high ranking demon.’

So I had to wonder.

Not necessarily a high ranking demon king, but a high ranking demon.

Let me give you an example.

Even if it’s just like the [Laxioros, Loser of the Western Demon Realm] I saw on the Arcana Continent, it would have already appeared in front of me when the momentum was equalized.

‘Laxioros, you were as arrogant as Grandfell, you know that.’

When you’re a Demon King, your confidence is truly sky-high.

But this one was strange.

A trap, I suspected.

He was cowering in the corner of the AAU’s London office.

But as I said, my suspicions were gone.

I looked at the branch Leader, Mr. Baker.

No, I looked at the demon.

I spoke coldly.

“You’re being presumptuous.”

“Presumptuous ……!!”

“Presumptuous……? Do you two happen to know each other?”

Schreig stared in bewilderment.

Any demon I knew would have been tongue-in-cheek at this point.

To fool Schreig somehow, to make things go away.

But he doesn’t seem to have the presence of mind to do so.

It’s a very natural reaction.

“Hmph.”

I leveled up as a Demon Hunter.

Thanks to this, the [natural enemy] between me and demons has become even stronger. This guy, who wasn’t a demon king, a high-level demon, or anything else, couldn’t even breathe properly in front of me.

I stared down at him with a cold gaze.

“Shut up.”

“……?”

“I do not allow you to breathe.”

“……!”

If only it were normal.

Now he is trying to control someone’s breathing.

More importantly, what are you doing in front of Shreig?

I can’t live with myself for a damn cube.

I would have been furious inside.

‘Exactly. For once, I sympathize with you, Grandfell.’

My gaze shifts to the window.

“From here, you must have seen and heard the groans of agony from the drenched people. What did you think, what did you feel, as you watched?”

“!”

The look in Schreig’s eyes changed when I said that.

It was more action than words.

Boom!

Schreig immediately raised his sword.

“Is what player Lee hoyeol said true, Branch Leader Baker?”

He could say neither yes nor no.

I wouldn’t let him breathe.

He was just gagging and gurgling in terror.

Of course, I don’t need an answer.

“But I don’t need to know what you’re thinking.”

“……!!”

“Nevertheless, bear in mind.”

Never talk to your prey.

With a motto like that, I am, Grandfell.

My reasoning for talking to the demon, who is neither the demon king nor anything else, is simple.

Everything has its place.

So…….

“Don’t cross the line.”

I didn’t have to raise my powers.

I didn’t have to raise my umbrella.

Yes, a warning was enough.

[‘Fear’ occurs on the nameless demon.]

[‘Suffocation’ occurs on the nameless demon.]

[‘Death’ occurs on the nameless demon.]

teolsseog─

Baker falls to the ground, clutching at the nape of his neck.

Schreig rushes over and puts a hand to his throat.

Then he looks up at me.

“For now, he’s still breathing.”

It’s important to purify the demon’s spoils, the [Baton Tainted by Evil], but it’s not necessary to sacrifice it to a nameless demon.

‘The quality of the sacrifice determines the power of the exorcism ritual.’

Of course, the [Exorcism Ritual] had already been activated.

It’s only natural that no damage would be done to Baker’s body.

Schreig spoke to me cautiously.

“By the way, how did this happen…….”

Why was Baker possessed by a demon?

I’m not a psychologist, I don’t know, and I don’t want to know, but until I do, it needs to be explained. Very plainly, without embellishment.

“He was possessed by a demon.”

“……Mr. Baker? No way! You mean possession?”

[Possession].

It was a debuff that was not unfamiliar to players. Even though they appear less often now, it was a demon-type monster that was commonly encountered in rift until not long ago.

“I had no idea that demons could possess normal people.”

What in the world did they do to slip back into society…….

Schreig muttered to himself.

Then, his face turning white, he spoke.

“Wait, if that’s the case, then that Baker guy I met yesterday is……!”

I was stuck.

I can’t believe we had a conversation and I didn’t notice.

He must have been mildly shocked by my demonic method act.

But the truth is even more cruel, Schreig.

This is only the beginning.

They say you only see what you know.

This has made me realize that for sure.

Perhaps the real world is a more fitting place for demons to rampage than the Arcana continent. Let’s say. What if it was a named demon that possessed Baker…….

‘There may have been dungeons far more vicious than this one.’

AAU Branch Leader.

Considering the AAU’s predecessor was Cosmo, the developer of Arcana. Baker’s knowledge of the Arcana universe would have been greater than most players, and greater than the demons themselves.

The unnamed demon must have taken advantage of that knowledge.

……I can only imagine the horrors!

It’s possible that some dungeons are truly impossible to escape from, but it’s better to get hit first. The important thing is that you’re aware of the potential for danger.

Then it doesn’t matter.

It’s all a matter of getting it right.

I said to Schreig.

“You look surprised.”

“……I’m sorry. I was quite surprised.”

“But this is just the beginning, Schreig.”

“Only the beginning, what do you mean?”

As I said, the Crushing of the Demon King was only the beginning.

The calm before the storm.

I realized that the reason the demons were quiet now was because they were watching each other in anticipation of the [Demon War]. I realized this when I entered the Arcana Continent.

The moment the real battle begins, the activities of the demons will be incomparably greater.

“There will be events of which this is only a preview.”

“……!”

“But there is no need to worry.”

Again.

I said and walked away.

In the core of the dungeon, with the demon responsible for the situation dead.

A message flashed before my eyes.

[You have cleared the Rift, ‘Dungeon: City of Gloomy Rain’].

“Pride blooms in the midst of trials.”

At the same time, the rain fog cleared.

The city of gloomy rain.

The tears that had drenched London had dried up.

“It will be brighter than anything else.”

As usual, he wasn’t just talking out of his ass.

The streets of London were filled with waterlogged trees.

The Aquarius oak, nourished by tears, bloomed. Yes, the leaves were indeed glorious, reflecting the sunlight as the clouds lifted.

And one more glorious thing.

[You get loot based on your contribution to clearing dungeons].

I didn’t have to check my inventory to know.

[The Sixth Sight Brooch is radiant].

Found, second [Sixth Sight Brooch].

.

.

.

Thud-thud-thud.

A noisy helicopter.

The reporter reports the situation in an urgent voice.

“Well, the dark clouds are lifting. Everyone!”

As if not allowing outsiders to approach.

London, shrouded in fog, is beginning to clear.

The fog slowly lifting from the outskirts.

The first thing that came into view were the players.

“Guild members from Second Sun. It looks like they were in the middle of a battle just a moment ago! Now, wait a minute, that’s …… lying down behind the players!”

Players who were fighting to protect their citizens, to be precise.

It was an unannounced emergency update, but everyone could see the details as they were added in real time.

This left the onlookers stunned.

“Level 600 monsters, and they’re ghosts.”

“They won’t even be able to take physical attacks, will they?”

“You were protecting the citizens in front of those mobs?”

“How the hell are they still alive, these guys?”

Second Sun.

The Guildmaster, Schreig, is skilled, no doubt about it.

However, the average level of the guild members, including the executive, Zachary, and others, was not exceptional compared to other guilds.

Clearly, not everyone in the guild will be safe.

Glup!

The people who instinctively realized this swallowed hard in tension.

“!”

But it was an unbelievable sight.

None of the players were seriously injured, and none of them had fallen. Furthermore, even the citizens who had collapsed were getting back to their senses one by one.

Thud, thud, thud.

The situation was the same on every street in London.

The Rift, a dungeon that had never appeared before.

The dungeon’s rift covered all of London.

Not a single casualty in sight.

“Are you seeing this? It’s a miracle. A miracle, my friends!”

England.

No, the whole world breathed a sigh of relief.

Rescuers and even the military were on standby.

Those who set foot in London could see it.

“……Wait, was there ever a tree-lined street like this here?”

Sublime trees, grown from the seeds of tears.

.

.

.

[Mysterious trees appear throughout the streets of London……!]

[Second Sun Guild member, “The trees restored my life force.”]

[Survivors, “I could feel the warmth of the tree even as I lost consciousness. I want to thank the players who sacrificed themselves for us…….”]

The tree didn’t exist in real life.

Even if it didn’t have a name like the others.

Schreig knew who it was.

AAU London Branch.

“Wait, it’s Schreig!”

Schreig’s appearance drew the attention of the bustling press corps.

Everyone swarmed around him.

“Mr. Schreig, what the hell happened?”

“Could it be that the AAU London branch was the core of the dungeon?”

“Where is player Lee hoyeol?”

Schreig swallowed a small laugh.

‘It’s not my place to speak.’

As soon as hoyeol cleared the rift, he activated the portal.

He left the place.

No matter how much he begged to thank him formally, all he could say was that it was what he had to do. So there was only one thing Schreig could do.

‘What happened today is just a preview.’

Only now did he realize what hoyeol meant.

Why he had rushed into the Holy War, moving the kingdom of Yusra, Frost, Muon, and the Magic Tower.

Now that he knew the meaning, Schreig couldn’t help but wonder.

‘Confidence? Limits? I’m all for it.’

He may not have faith in himself.

But his faith in hoyeol would never waver.

With that resolve, Schreig opened his mouth in front of reporters.

“Today, London was saved by player Lee hoyeol.”

“!!!”

*

Damn formality and procedure.

I’ve even gotten used to the damned things.

Nevertheless, I, Lee hoyeol, was an unavoidable capitalist slave. Judging from the fact that I hurriedly manifested the portal because I wanted to check the effect of the [Sixth Sight Brooch] on my innocence or something……!

Yusra Kingdom, Office.

I took out the Sixth Sight Brooch from my inventory.

So, it’s a set item.

I can feel the two brooches attracting each other.

……I wonder if combining them will trigger some sort of additional effect?

Like when I was a kid, I was excited about my transforming robot.

My heart swells with anticipation.

But.

“There’s a reason for everything.”

Yes, I should have looked at the original item’s information before merging it. Of course, I should have brewed a pot of tea before checking the information.

Bubbling.

If I skip green tea for even a day, my tongue gets prickly…….

dalcock─

Anyway, it wasn’t until I sipped my mug of green tea that I realized the effectiveness of my new Sixth Sight brooch, and I couldn’t help but open my mouth.

“Excellent.”