◈ Episode 420. Merciful Darkness (2)

Agentress made his way to the newly sprouted World Tree.

He caught the scent of Elsidor on the wind.

The adventurer, a being from another world entirely.

His voice was cold.

“No, I will not take no for an answer.”

“?!”

That was the end of the conversation between Agentress and Baek Seong-ryun.

That was the entirety of their conversation.

Agentres was the leader of the elves, the only High Elf.

He was different from the common elves.

‘…… is coming!’

Baek Seong-ryun.

Countless hand-to-hand combat experience as the leader of a supernova?

He couldn’t even wrinkle his nose in front of Agentress.

Even if he had wielded his weapon with murderous intent. It’s nothing compared to the blood that Agentress has shed on his hands as he roamed the Arcana continent.

Uh-oh!

Bare hands.

Argentress completely defeated Baek Sung-ryun.

With his right hand, he broke the unearthly saber Baek wielded.

With his left hand, he grabbed Baek Sung-ryun by the throat.

“Kuck!”

There was no mercy in his grasp.

Why does it smell like Elsidor?

There was no need to ask who it was.

Heavenly Unity, Liu Zunqun, Lee Hoyeol…….

High Elves.

A being born with high magical power and mental power.

Because Argentress read Baek Sung-ryun’s inner thoughts.

“I see.”

Thanks to him, he knew. That Baek Sung-ryun was a puppet, and that Liu Zunqun was their lord. And most importantly.

“You’re a worm, not a human.”

The Heavenly Unity, the fact that they are openly hostile to Hoyeol.

Agentress immediately twisted Bai Lun’s neck.

There was no hesitation in his actions.

udeudeug!

The High Elves gazed upon the humans with pride.

But he was patient with the ugly worm.

Agentress had no mercy.

peog.

Argentress threw Baek Sung-ryun to the dirt.

‘Four left, including the boss.’

He wanted to take matters into his own hands.

Unfortunately, it was on the opposite side of the road to the World Tree. A primordial evil has set its sights on the World Tree, and even the dragons are not perfect. There was no time to be distracted by worms.

Agentress telepathized to the elves.

-Execute them all.

He ordered the destruction of the Heavenly Unity.

A decree of extermination fell upon the one hundred elves who scoured the Arcana continent in pursuit of the primodial evil. Agentress walked away, not even glancing at Baek Sung-ryun.

It was then.

Baek Seong-ryun’s motionless body twitched.

[Skill, ‘Struggling’ is activated.]

Risen from the dead.

It wasn’t something like knight revival.

It’s literally just a struggle.

Suddenly, the soul returned.

Baek Sung-ryun swallowed blood and bitter laughter at the same time.

‘…… It’s been a while since I saw this message.’

It had been useful back when Arcana was just a game.

Its effect had a very special condition.

[Struggling: Triggers when you are at 1% or less health. Upon activation, you rapidly recover up to 30% of your maximum health and are immune to all status abnormalities. (Duration: 1 minute)]

A skill that specializes in stabbing people in the back.

At least it was an effect that made it possible.

“……Damn it.”

Even with his health restored, he couldn’t bring himself to charge at Agentress. He realized the overwhelming disparity. No, not even if he’d conceded a hundred times and still had a chance.

‘No, there’s no point.’

The moment of death.

The monarch’s shackles were constantly appearing to Baek Seong-ryun.

Liu Zunqun’s brainwashing had been broken.

Baek Seong-ryun burst out laughing.

“Even if it doesn’t go this far.”

I would have followed you, Liu Zunqun.

No matter what evil Liu Zunqun had done, it was undeniable that he had also benefited from his trust. Baek Seong-ryun recalled his first meeting with Liu Zunqun.

-“I like the miasma. I’ll give you a chance to fight for me.”

It was the first time he had ever been recognized by someone.

Baek Sung-ryun had made up his mind from then on.

Liu Zunqun, he would live for him.

Although the man who who served as his lord did not believe him.

Baek Seong-ryun laughed bitterly.

“Okay, let’s assume we don’t owe each other anything for this.”

Duration: 1 minute is coming to an end.

The effect of [Struggle] is gradually fading away.

The dulled senses return, and the pain returns.

Baek Seong-ryun stretches out on his back and looks up at the sky.

[Excessive bleeding]

[Fracture]

[Internal injuries]…….

When the abnormal status returns.

The remaining 1 percent of health will go out like a lamp.

Well, that’s a shame.

Why, they say that at the moment of death, the magic light passes by.

He didn’t even have any memories of his own.

He didn’t want to think of killing players as a memory.

There was nothing left to remember but that.

“Kuck.”

That was when Baek Seong-ryun coughed up blood.

“Huh?”

He felt a lump in his throat.

Someone was running toward him.

When he heard the footsteps, it wasn’t just one person, but a group.

“……You don’t look familiar.”

“Are these the adventurers I heard about?”

“Hoo, adventurers!”

“Don’t be surprised, but first, treat the wounds!”

“……?”

Baek Seong-ryun was dumbfounded.

‘Why?’

Why would they give him such a favor when he had nothing to do with it? His reputation had been tarnished by PKing since the days of the Arcana Continent. There’s no way Arcana’s former NPCs would do him a favor…….

“You don’t have to thank us.”

“……?”

“We’re just giving back what we received from him.”

……”Him”?

Anyway, it was nonsense. This is a fatal wound that cannot be healed even with most healing magic. Even if you try desperately, all you can do is pour water into a bottomless pot…….

[Your health fills up rapidly.]

“?!”

Things were happening one after the other that were impossible in Bai Xiaochun’s common sense.

It was natural.

At this moment, there was something that was healing Baek Seong-ryun.

Unknown to the players.

They were the forgotten beings of the Arcana Continent.

[Shepherds singing peace bring peace to the Arcana Continent. From now on, shepherds will roam the Arcana Continent to heal injured players].

Baek Seong-ryun was silent.

Perhaps he already knows.

Who this ‘Him’ they speak of is.

Foolishly.

He just doesn’t want to admit it yet.

Baek Seong-ryun bit his thin lips.

Even Liu Zunqun, whom he had once considered his master.

‘……Didn’t trust me, abandoned me.’

Lee Hoyeol, whom he considered an enemy.

Who would have thought that the pride he left behind would save him?

At this moment, Baek Seong-ryun felt a strong sense of doubt.

His lips twitched slightly.

“I will repay what I have received, because that is who I am.”

*

“It’s shaking.”

I remembered something I’d forgotten.

The Arcana Continent was vast.

Liu Zunqun checked the information window of his territory, [Langerie].

[Langerie]

[Status: Fear]

[Fame: 3,800]…….

The status of the territory had changed to [Fear].

What that meant was simple.

Hostile forces had gathered in Langerie.

From the flickering World Quests, it was clear that the emerging powers that had returned to the Arcana continent were targeting Langerie. Langerie, like his own, was a tasty province.

Liu Zunqun’s lips curled up crookedly.

“Fearless.”

Only after the emperor’s death did they make their move for the empire.

Liu Zunqun was not one of them.

From the moment he stepped foot on the Arcana Continent.

He had vowed to devour Lee Hoyeol, the empire, and the entire Arcana Continent. Liu Zunqun had made and executed countless plans.

[Warring States Period effects increase stats].

Furthermore, the Era has boosted the abilities of the class, [Monarch].

The upper class of such a monarch.

Liu Zunqun’s abilities as a [Tyrant]?

[Class, ‘Tyrant’] The influence of the [Tyrant] envelops Langerie].

[Territory, ‘Langerie’ obeys you].

[Territory, ‘Langerie’ gains stats proportional to your fame].

[Archmage], [Dragon Knight], [Weaponmaster]…….

Even compared to the hidden class called humanity’s ultimate weapon, it had equal or greater potential. He was well aware of that fact. Liu Zunqun stood up without hesitation.

“However, you deserve to be praised.”

Tsureung—!

He drew his sword and assessed the intruders.

“I highly appreciate that you targeted the moment when 5 Stars’s absence. But you overlooked the fact that it takes strength to rule. That’s right, I don’t need a lame excuse.”

Liu Zunqun’s eyes flashed with madness.

“If you can’t rule, you simply lack the strength.”

Liu Zunqun was certain of that.

Right now, no matter how great the gap between him and Lee Hoyeol was.

The potential of [Tyrant] is on a different level.

Before the Warring States Period ended.

He could put Lee Hoyeol under his feet.

So this was just proof.

Shake it off.

Liu Zunqun walked from the Langerie Manor to the gates.

Guards, servants, merchants, farmers…….

All the people of Langerie fell flat on their faces before Liu Zunqun.

They bowed before the tyrant.

It wasn’t a metaphor.

Sssss.

The intangible energy that flowed from those lying prostrate on the ground was indeed focused on the tyrant, Liu Zunqun. Liu Zunqun’s eyes turn to the activated class skill.

[Tyranny (20%): Activate to absorb the stats of all creatures under the tyrant’s control, with the effectiveness increasing proportionally with each increase in control. (Current Absorption – 20%)]

If Langerie’s power was 100, 20 of it, or 20%, was focused on the tyrant Liu Zunqun. Someone weak might say, so, isn’t this a simple loss in terms of power?

That’s a very weak thing to say.

‘If I cannot fully control and wield it.’

It doesn’t matter if it’s worth a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, or infinity, does it? Liu Zunqun wanted to prove his point here.

“How futile is equal loyalty.”

Siege.

The enemy would have been ready and would have attacked Langerie.

Liu Zunqun planned to crush them.

“An uncontrolled man is weak.”

It’s not a bad idea to make them fight for their lives and point their swords at each other. Liu Zunqun thought to himself as he opened the gates of Langerie.

kkigigig!

“Found it.”

He turned to face it.

“Rat.”

A man with an eye patch covering one eye.

The advance party of the Heavenly Unification.

Long Shenglac that was thrown into the Arcana Continent.

“I should be able to live with the eye that was cut out throbbing because of you.”

Long Shenglac did not forget his role as member of the Holy War Alliance on the Arcana continent. He was not the highest ranked, nor do they have outstanding abilities like the Arcana people.

There was no way that he was better than them.

“Liu Zunqun. I can see through your mentality. You recognize trash because you’re trash. I can smell it, this place smells like garbage.”

Thanks to being brainwashed and manipulated by Liu Zunqun in the past.

He could only guess Liu Zunqun’s behavior patterns.

Furthermore, Long Shenglac had the support of the Empire and the Holy War Alliance.

Thanks to them, we were able to find him.

-“The people of Langerie have brought me terrible rumors.”

-“You mentioned that men of unusual color have been moving in and out of Langerie, and the people say they seem to come from another world, both in dress and appearance…….”

-“They all wore red clothing……!”

Liu Zunqun’s traces in Langerie.

“You haven’t improved your tricks at all, have you?”

“…….”

This was unexpected.

In the Arcana Continent, somewhere, he thought Long Shenglac would have screamed to death, but he’s still alive and well. Surely, Lee Hoyeol has shown him mercy, to uphold his ridiculous ideals.

Weak judgment.

“Humans are beyond repair.”

Liu Zunqun stopped thinking at that point.

Long Shenglac’s betrayal was refreshing, but there was no reason to be shocked.

Liu Zunqun, he didn’t trust anyone in the first place.

Of course.

Sreung—!

The sword strike had no resentment.

“!”

Long Shenglac was dumbfounded.

‘Isn’t it possible that he hasn’t improved?’

He was a monarch class.

Even in the past, Liu Zunqun hadn’t been able to do much on the battlefield.

……What, he broke through the wall?

A higher class of monarch.

He’s now able to fully control the power of a tyrant?

‘Fast.’

His movements were too fast for the eye to follow.

Soon, it was just around the corner.

However, Long Shenglac opened his mouth at the last moment.

“However, your vision has narrowed as you’ve become a tyrant, Liu Zunqun. You think I’m trash, but you don’t realize it? You don’t really think I can terrorize your prideful territory, do you?”

Liu Zunqun didn’t even have time to realize it.

Swoosh─

There was no mercy in the flying arrows.

Poof!

“……?!!”

The arrows pierced into his flesh, ignoring his tyrannical defense. Liu Zunqun’s body shook violently from the single arrow.

[Status Abnormality, ‘Confusion’ occurs].

[Status abnormality, ‘Bleeding’ occurs.].

[Status abnormality, ‘Stiffness’ occurs.]…….

“!”

The arrogant eyes widened of their own accord.

The Tyrant’s senses gave away its identity.

Yes, he couldn’t forget it.

“……?

No matter how he wrapped it up, it didn’t change the fact that he had fled to the Arcana continent, abandoning his country and the Heavenly Unity. He considered himself a disgrace.

And then.

He emerged from the forest.

He recognized a tall, sturdy being at once.

Elves.

“……!”

But there wasn’t just one.

Two, three, four…….

Roughly dozens.

There wasn’t even a chance of escape.

Elves were coming from all directions.

Liu Zunqun was stunned.

‘So many elves moved in just to kill me……?’

Even if he had offended Elsidor.

That was in the real world.

There was no way the elves of the Arcana continent could have known about it.

He hadn’t done anything to damage his relationship with the elves.

‘The Elves want me to…….’

Liu Zunqun’s mind, which had been rolling incessantly, came up with an answer.

Yes, assuming one thing.

Everything made sense.

‘……No way.’

Elves.

If they were part of Lee Hoyeol’s forces.

But Liu Zunqun was not convinced.

“Unlike him, we are not merciful.”

How could even the Ancient Beings.

Are you saying that they call Lee Hoyeol ‘him’ and follow him?

His gaze turned toward Long Shenglac.

“…….”

Why is it that even I, a monarch.

Can you elicit a loyalty I’ve never witnessed?

Will it not be broken in the face of death?

“What in the world, to me, is lacking……!”

He shouted in frustration.

But Liu Zunqun’s question was not answered.

As he had said, the elves had no mercy.

Deng-geng!