◈ Episode 427. I Don’t Believe (2)

What is it, going in and out of the topic of items?

I know there’s a [Limit] on equipment items, it never occurred to me that I would not be able to meet those limits.

After all, I’m over 1,000 levels, so why shouldn’t I be able to wear what you’re wearing?

[Akshan’s Relic rejects you].

Then there must be a reason for the message.

The class quest objective hasn’t been renewed yet.

I muttered, not the least bit shocked.

“I, too, was reluctant.”

I brush off my clothes as if I have no regrets.

It was, as I said, damp, dark, and at the bottom of the Canyon of the Forgotten, and even if the Shadow God had left his holy land, there was still no sunlight.

“After all, ventilation and sunlight are essential.”

Wasn’t this the same Grandfell who, even though I lived in my own room, cleaned every day, shook off accumulated dust, and didn’t even allow a single hair to fall?

‘Touching such a thing with your bare hands?’

If only it weren’t an Akshan Relic.

Grandfell wouldn’t even think of reaching out.

But the silence was short-lived.

Suddenly, out of thin air, Hiel appeared.

“My lord.”

As I’ve said before, there is only one circumstance in which Hiel will appear without my call. When an unexpected threat or news arrives.

“Diend is coming.”

Swoosh─

It’s me, Diend’s contractor.

A different Diend?

I could recognize it even without Hiel telling me.

Even ego sword in my hand seemed to recognize it.

-Master, something is wrong.

At that moment, darkness enveloped everything.

A pitch-black darkness where nothing could be seen.

My vision flickered.

[The Dark Spirit, Diend Chrysiad Eternal Darkness, appears].

…… Surely this is just a message for me?

There’s no one else around, is there?!

May the Canyon of the Forgotten live up to its name, please.

I swallowed a sigh of relief.

‘Well, I’m glad I found it.’

Drew cast a suitable magic power.

It was a clear threat.

Yes, Diend was threatening me.

Some might ask if it was time to breathe a sigh of relief.

But this was also one of those developments I had expected.

After all, I had experienced it.

A suitable mass of magic power, Diend.

And even such a Diend.

I, Lee Hoyeol, the possessor of the suitable magic power that makes me look relatively bright.

So I knew.

the nature and dangers of the suitable magic power.

Yes, as Matisse warned.

The suitable magic is a double-edged sword.

-“Beware of blackening.”

[Status abnormality, Blackening]

Despite its misleading name, it is extremely dangerous.

I, too, have experienced blackening, so I know the aftermath well. The suitable magic power that came from the blackened Grandfell was enough to cover the entire Arcana Continent.

Thanks to him.

‘Or is it because of the effect of [Great Master of Anomaly]?’

I could tell as soon as I saw him that he was suffering from [Blackening], and the moment he opened his mouth, I was certain of the cause.

“Our Akshans must hunt.”

So let’s be thankful again.

“Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo, you.”

I realize I’m the only one with ears to hear. It’s bad enough that they’re using Diend’s full name as an advent message, but now they’re using mine. As our seniors would say…….

‘You must really have a lot of connections to me.’

I said it jokingly, but in all honesty, I was devastated.

Akshan Some demon hunters have escaped.

I suspected Grandfell had something to do with it.

‘What have you done, Grandfell?’

I’ve been calling the Akshans seniors all along.

I wonder if the old Grandfell would have used honorifics.

I quit my job for some reason and jumped into the rift.

‘I was afraid I would throw green tea in the manager’s face.’

Did you really throw black tea in seniors’ faces?

Is that why they’re giving you a hard time, Grandfell?

My head was spinning.

The suitable magic of Diend pulsed.

At the same time.

Hiel stepped forward.

“In the name of Chrysiad.”

Chrysiad.

Hiel and Diend, bound together under the name I gave them. You are responsible for this, Hiel. For germinating the seed of the World Tree. You were blessed with the [First World Tree] and rose to the rank of Spirit King or higher.

“I’ll take the responsibility, my lord.”

However, Diend’s combat power would be higher than Hiel’s.

To use a player analogy, Hiel was a healer and Diend was a dealer.

Nevertheless, Hiel stood up to Diend.

Your loyalties are well known to me, Hiel.

So you can step back.

I spoke to Hiel as she manifested her {Nature} powers.

“You have nothing to fear.”

“But, my lord…….”

“This is perfectly natural.”

It is.

Even for a blackened Diend.

I know what blackening means, don’t I?

I murmured gravely.

“It’s just growing pains for Diend.”

Yeah, second year middle school syndrome is growing pains……. Of course, I’m suffering from it right now because the damn growing pains came back a decade later……!

I continued nonchalantly.

“So you should be happy.”

If I were to say it, Hiel would believe me even if I say that they make meju with red beans. But no matter what, it seemed like the concerns couldn’t be erased anytime soon. It’s worth it.

The aura that Diend emanated from him was fearsome.

The razor-blue blade of Akshan.

It feels as if the blade is truly pointed at my throat, through Diend, and not just the prey.

But who am I? The last survivor of the Akshan, a darkness so deep that no one else can match it.

My voice was enough.

“I understand if it is interference for the growth of Diend.”

I’m wielding the suitable magic power at Diend.

Declared to the past and background derived from Akshan Relic.

What ‘events’ took place between the Akshan seniors and Grandfell in the past.

It’s something I can’t know now.

“But, if not for that reason.”

But apart from that, I will hold you accountable for involving Diend in my and your problems. Why, even a senior should not tolerate injustice, should they?

“I will hold you accountable for your actions.”

So, do I love it or hate it?

As I said, the Arcana continent, even with all its history and backstory.

could not surpass the suitable magic that comes from Grandfell.

“My lord? What have I done……?”

My suitable magic had restored the blackened Diend to sanity.

But who is Akshan?

They are unyielding in the face of those they consider their prey or hunted. Under the influence of the blackening, Diend once again hears the voices of the Akshan fugitives.

“So, we were not wrong after all.”

And now, through Diend, their attack is announced.

Okay, that’s whether I should be happy or sad.

That was the reason I was worried.

The attack was light.

I didn’t even flinch.

It was a tickling blow that didn’t even leave a scratch on Dawn’s jacket.

‘It was like spitting in my face.’

……I really wasn’t going to tell you this.

A class missing a few screws, except when hunting demons. The lowest commoner class that even the most eclectic players shunned until demons came along.

That was the Demon Hunter.

There was no way your attacks would be effective against me.

I opened my mouth.

“I understood your determination.”

In fact, if only it was Grandfell’s temperament.

Being Akshan and being a senior, you must have practiced the aesthetics of giving and receiving.

But I couldn’t overlook it.

‘Surely, there’s a story.’

A class quest.

Why Akshan’s Relic rejected me.

Why the Akshan Fugitives have declared their intention to hunt down Grandfell.

Until, that is, I get to the bottom of it.

Kill your temper just once, Grandfell.

Of course, he speaks in a Grandfell style.

“But, since Diend is indebted to me, I’ll let it slide this time.”

And then the fugitive seniors’ suitable magic power began to wane. Somehow, their voices sounded incomprehensible as they stepped away from Diend, leaving him with one last word.

“We were never wrong…….”

Thud.

Diend floats through the air, unconscious. He’s back to normal, but given the after-effects of the blackening, he probably won’t wake up for a while.

I turn to Hiel.

“Having gone through the ordeal, Diend will bloom even more magnificently.”

“I will convey your will to Diend.”

“Please.”

Sreuk.

Hiel has vanished into thin air with the unconscious Diend.

All that remains is me and Gwicheol.

And Akshan’s relic.

‘Maybe…….’

Well, fugitives, you’ve made me feel a little better.

Can we retrieve the Akshan relic?

I glanced at it.

A message flashes.

[Akshan’s Relic rejects you].

Yep, you’re right.

I know that shitty stubbornness all too well.

I clear my head.

‘In order to retrieve Akshan’s Relic, we need to know the cause of the conflict between Grandfell and the Fugitive Seniors. To find out, I need to go to…….’

I suppose that means entering the [Understanding Darkness].

When Grandfell was wandering the Arcana continent after the loss of Claudi’s family, I imprinted the existence of Akshan on his mind, and he would have headed for Akshan.

At that point, if I understood Grandfell’s past, I would also understand the causes of the civil war in Akshan and how Grandfell was caught in the middle.

‘The problem is uncertainty…….’

Understanding Darkness.

As we enter the past, the time difference is staggering.

At times it seemed like only a few hours had passed, while at others it was a full day in real time and well over two months on the Arcana continent.

I looked at the Akshan Relic and said.

“It’s not time for a reunion yet.”

No matter how important the class quest is, it’s probably not as important as that damn procedure. Chief of Magic Tower, General Manager of the AAU Yusra Branch, and, for the time being, Acting Emperor of the Empire.

‘……It would take a year just to use the leave notice.’

So, I set my eyes on the landscape of the Canyon of the Forgotten. Now that I’ve memorized the coordinates, I can manifest the portal, and the next time I come, I won’t have to go to much trouble.

One might ask.

What if someone tries to steal the Akshan Relic? It’s okay, you don’t have to worry about that. Who would come all the way here to dig through and steal a mere silver weapon?

‘Where is this place even?’

It’s the Holy Land of the Shadow Mercenaries, the giants of Arcana’s underworld. There’s no reason to come all the way out here unless you’re trying to pretend to be a Shadow Mercenary.

Besides.

‘If you insist, you’re just another one of our seniors.’

Stubborn as shit……. No, speaking of stubbornness, it’s safe to say that there’s no way we’ll be able to retrieve the Akshan Relic anytime soon, no matter how hard we try. So let’s do what we can for now, Hoyeol.

-Shadow God. And the growing pains of Diend. So much has happened in a short time, my master. So where do we go next? I will remain loyal to you, my master, even if Hiel and Diend are away.

Thanks to the manifestation of the [Celestial Infant Solitude].

Gwicheol’s voice seemed a bit more polite than before.

I replied to him.

“It’s time to confirm the legacy.”

Indeed.

The Proof of the Ten Thrones, the World Quest, and the back of the players’ heads.

The time had come to get new gear for the trials ahead.

I was early to warn.

“Gwicheol.”

Wallswale, the greatest blacksmith in all of Dwarven.

The legacy of Eunaxus, forged with his own hands, has been given to me.

It’s waiting for me aboard the Iron Castle.

“Don’t be too surprised when you encounter that intense heat.”

.

.

.

……I told Gwicheol not to be surprised.

Thanks to my iron face, it won’t be noticeable.

In fact, I was the one who was freaking out.

This, I think…….

[Commander Gloves – Old Dragon Wisdom]

[Rank: Mythic]

“……Mythic-ranked item?!

It seemed like I had inherited something too great from Eunaxus.