◈ Episode 30. You’ve Picked the Wrong Opponent (1)
The leader of the lions.
The Harkon Kingsguard’s eyes narrowed.
His first thought was doubt.
‘……I wasn’t mistaken.
One of the Emperor’s gifts to the Matriarchs.
One of his gifts to them.
Fragmentary in appearance.
But a work of art in its own right.
That was definitely a sixth sense brooch.
Tools of that caliber were not common.
“But how does an adventurer get to ……?
The Martial Tower was a group, more than a group.
Mages driven solely by the quest for truth.
If they were interested in continental hegemony.
‘It wouldn’t have taken them less than a year to unify the continent.
That made it even more puzzling.
Lee Ho-yeol.
It’s obvious he’s an adventurer by his name.
“How could you possibly possess the tools of the Magic Tower?
He stole the tools from the Magic Tower?
Impossible.
It wasn’t even a possibility worth considering.
There was only one answer, then.
‘The Matriarch gave them to him.
And voluntarily.
Honestly, Harkon didn’t understand.
“Why an adventurer?
For a quest for truth?
The Matriarch was no friend to anyone.
In a nutshell…….
Yes, they were a ‘natural disaster’ of sorts.
To seek the truth.
They were monsters capable of destroying everything in their path.
“……No, it’s not the why that matters.
Harkon decided.
“Now that we know you have ties to the Tower. It would be presumptuous of me to tell you to stay away.”
Without knowing why.
Dropped into the world of adventurers.
All he could do was pray.
He never expected to meet an adventurer related to Matap.
“If it was Matap, he would have told me about this situation……. No, he may have already found a solution.’
This was a chance to get in touch with him.
Even if it meant getting caught up in a natural disaster.
Harkon had no intention of passing it up.
“So, adventurer, why don’t you join us and take down the beast?”
But first, he needed to verify.
Was this adventurer really connected to the Magic Tower?
Or if he had obtained the Sixth Sight Brooch by sheer luck.
“If you have any doubts about his abilities, you can contact ……..
You might ask where the brooch came from.
After all, it was a gift from the Emperor.
Lion Hart, the most powerful knight in the Empire, the Emperor’s Handmaiden.
As its leader, he has that kind of authority.
“You’ll know it when you see it.
Harkon thought he’d said enough.
But the answer that came back stunned him.
“But there is give and take in all things. Always remember that. Sir Harkon Kingsguard, Knight Commander Lion Hart.”
……Holy sh*t, he saw through it!
Exactly his intentions.
Harkon realized something in that brief conversation.
“He understood my intentions, and yet he complied.
Remember, there’s a give and take.
But he didn’t let it go.
“I made a mistake.
His intentions had been revealed, and the positions of himself and the adventurer had been completely reversed.
You did.
It was now theirs to prove, not the adventurer’s.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Adventurer.”
As if in penance for his indiscretion.
A vow to the heart.
And now.
Sigh.
A staircase in the sky.
A single step.
The strange sight of the stairs disappearing and reappearing.
It was magic.
Tadadat─!
As he climbed the stairs, he recalled their conversation.
-Harkon. I will assist you.
-Assist. What does that mean, adventurer?
-I will open the way.
Harkon gritted his teeth.
“How can you claim to be the Emperor’s knight?
Unnecessary suspicion.
As if that weren’t enough, they were being pampered.
At a time when they needed to prove themselves.
Bam!
“I will not disappoint you now. Adventurer.”
Concentrate.
Goooooo-!
The sword glows faintly.
Sword strike.
In an instant, Harkon’s sword pierced the turtle’s neck.
One after another, the knights’ sword strikes flew.
The creature’s breathing was cut off.
Harkon was not the least bit pleased.
“No wonder I don’t deserve it.
For giving up a meritorious deed.
He did not feel that he had repaid his debt to the adventurer.
If anything, he felt he owed him more.
So Harkon wasted no time.
He shouted to his knights.
“Let’s make quick work of this. We continue with the adventurer, Lee Ho-Yeol.”
*.
[You have leveled up.]…….
The welcome message stopped at exactly twenty.
He had gained 20 levels in one fell swoop.
Indeed, the Named Monster.
That’s a lot of experience for the strongest guy in the Yusra Island.
‘This makes me level 166.
Although I’m leveling up at a rapid pace…….
I can’t help but feel inadequate.
I don’t have far to go, just the current battle.
“If only I was level 300.
I borrowed a better tool than this brooch from a magic tower.
I would have been able to hunt down the giant turtle with a barrage of magic.
But there’s nothing more pointless than lamenting what you can’t have.
“That’s it. I’ve got it.’
I opened my inventory.
Loot that was automatically acquired as a high contributor.
The treasure of the island, to be precise.
[Island Treasure, Shattered Crown]
[Rank: Epic]
[Limit: Lv.500]
[Effect: None]
[Description: An old crown].
……what.
What does it say about balance?
The first thing I noticed was the tiers.
Normal ▶ Magic ▶ Rare ▶ Unique ▶ Epic
Due to my personality, I don’t show it with my whole body.
I was deeply surprised.
An Epic tiered item……!
“If it’s Epic, it hasn’t even appeared a few times in Arcana’s history, has it?
Sure, in the decade or so since I left Arcana.
There may have been Epic-rated items dropped that I’m not aware of.
But even taking that into account, Epic items aren’t something you see every day. I still had no information about them.
“There were no transactions in the auction house.
That’s why I said there was no balance.
Yeah, if it’s Epic.
It’s got to be epic.
It’s supposed to have a big effect.
“And the level cap is ridiculously high.
It doesn’t work!
Not even a one-line description.
I didn’t see any sincerity.
The treasure of the island is the dog horn……!
Emotional ups and downs like a roller coaster.
Of course, I didn’t hold back.
I don’t make a big deal out of this.
I didn’t need to set it up, I knew from experience.
And there was more evidence.
[Decay Progression: 4/10].
As it turns out, I was right.
It wasn’t the island’s treasure itself that was causing the collapse.
The island’s treasures are tainted by greed.
One of the treasures, a crown, entered my inventory, but my progress didn’t increase.
I thought to myself.
‘Greed I didn’t even have.
Even if I had, it would have disappeared quickly.
The moment I checked the crown’s information.
“But maybe it’s hiding something.
Epic rank is Epic for a reason.
I thought for a moment, trying to be comforting.
“……Why did you give it up anyway?
I remembered Harkon and the others.
Not only had they given up their kill contribution, but they had also automatically gained access to the island’s treasures.
I hadn’t even imagined it.
“Indeed, you are as honorable as your reputation. Knights of Lion Hart.”
……What do you say?
I had taken the excessive kindness for granted.
Still, I need to know why.
There’s something I’ve always said.
“Remember, give and take.
I’m in a different state of mind when I go into the bathroom than when I come out.
If I knew this would happen, I should have just kept my mouth shut.
I was in the middle of regretting that.
“I’m in your debt once again.”
……What? I owe you? You owe me?
What could I possibly owe him?
In an instant, fifty thousand thoughts raced through my head.
“Because I cleared the path, the stairs? That’s it?
But without blinking an eye, I spoke up.
“As long as you keep it in mind, it won’t matter.”
“Of course, your words are etched on this heart.”
He didn’t blink an eye.
I could tell.
that I was firmly mistaken about something.
“Where did I go wrong?
No wonder I can’t figure it out.
But I don’t have to think about it anymore.
Why, what’s that saying?
“……If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it.
And it’s not a one-way street.
It’s not a give and take.
You get more than an illusion?
It was a simple matter of giving back.
“It’s a reference point.
It was a matter of pride.
Grampel, who never owed anyone anything, would know better.
Harkon removed his helmet, revealing a middle-aged face.
It’s a handsome, gentle face for a knight.
He rested his fist on his chest once more and spoke to me.
“I do not know what purpose you serve, but at least here. We, the Knights of the Lionheart, will be your sword and shield in the Isles of Yusra.”
If only this were an Arcana game.
I’d be taking screenshots nonstop.
I can’t believe the Knights of Lion Hart said that.
He’s talking about it like it’s a life achievement.
“That’s how amazing …… is.
But there was something even more amazing.
[The Knights of Lion Hart join your party].
Only in the Yusra Islands.
They have sworn allegiance to me.
The party was automatically created.
Information about them flashed before my eyes.
I could see their level above my head.
[Harkon Kingsguard: Lv.600]
[Yeshka Bright: Lv.430]
[Enoch Lauren: Lv.400]…….
Level 600.
The moment I saw that number.
I dared to bet.
No other player or guild in the Yusra Island would be able to match the power of my party……! To be the leader of such a party at only level 166.
‘I should at least feel some pressure.’
It hurts to say it now.
Burden is not a word in my dictionary.
“I will respect your decision. Lord Harkon.”
I said shamelessly.
It was clear what I would do with my knights.
And-
I said, pacing.
“Then let’s go to the next island.”
One way or another, we had to get to the main battle!
*]
[The Yusra Islands begin to be tainted by greed].
[Collapse Progress: 5/10]
Reminders.
Kinver licked his parched lips.
“Let’s calm down.”
Supernova.
It was this patience that had earned him the name.
Note, note, note.
This patience to wait until a clear opportunity eventually presents itself.
[The Eusra Island begins to be tainted by greed].
[Collapse progress: 6/10].
“…… f*ck!”
But maybe it’s the environment of Treasure Island.
It was unusually hard to bear.
It was as if someone was whispering to him.
-Move.
-You can’t stay still like that.
-What if the treasure is taken from me?
“…… Shut up.”
I hadn’t given up.
He was just looking for a sure thing.
Kinver believed himself to be clever.
“There’s a time and a place for everything.”
After killing dozens, maybe hundreds of players.
The fact that he was still walking around unharmed was proof of that belief.
The reason Kinver was holding his breath was simple.
The prey of the Yusra Island was not easy to hunt.
“Cowards.
The players were moving in guilds, or at least parties.
Well, he was, too.
This was to ensure that whenever a prey was separated from the pack.
It was meant to be swift.
“If the fight lingers, it’s over.
That would mean the end of everything he’d worked for, whether the hunt was successful or not.
So Kinver went into hiding.
“On this isolated island.
Few players would ever reach it.
Kinver licked his parched lips again.
“Fools with heads full of flowers.”
Why take the hard way when you can take the easy way?
It was beyond Kinver’s comprehension.
He could only be grateful.
“Thanks to your ignorance of reality.”
I was taking a shortcut.
That’s when Kinver’s eyes lit up.
“……Ohora.”
I saw prey in the distance.
And a very tasty one at that.
I never thought I’d see it like this.
Indeed, it was worth it to keep an eye out from the portal.
“Lee Ho-yeol.”
A player with a shocking debut.
His strength?
Kinber was aware of it.
No, he couldn’t help but notice.
The TV, the internet, any media outlet had been talking about him for a while.
In other words, it was delicious.
“When you don’t know something, that’s when it’s good.”
Like he really was something.
When you’re full of air.
That was the best time to pop your prey like a balloon.
“That arrogance will get you killed today.”
No matter how strong I was, I was prepared.
Debuffs, status ailments, rare poisons, and more…….
Means that I could never face alone.
Kinver signaled.
“Prepare, everyone.”
But.
Kinver’s signal never dropped.
-……Kinber? You said get ready, as*h*le.
“…….”
-Why doesn’t this as*h*le talk?
The angry voices of his companions rang in his ears.
But Kinver couldn’t say anything.
Lee Ho-yeol.
And as if escorting him.
The knights in plate armor following behind him.
And most of all, that lion sigil……. It was unmistakable.
That was the Knights of Lion Hart.
“What the hell?!”
Kinver exclaimed in disbelief.
“I wasn’t being …… arrogant.”
Unreachable by any shortcut.
An overwhelming difference in class.
It was then.
“Oh, no…….
How did …… recognize me when I was hiding?!
Lee Ho-yeol.
He made eye contact with a middle-aged knight walking alongside him.