◈ Episode 438. Action (2)

……Why?

“The actions of a Heavenly Demon who despises even the Ten Thrones.”

Where’s the stubbornness that usually doesn’t budge in response to my pleas?

You have the audacity to utter the word “Heavenly Demon” from your lips!

Yes, I know the truth.

It’s all because of those terrible blood love things.

But if you’re going to do this…….

‘You’re just the youngest member of the Lee family?!’

Even if I could understand it because it’s Grandfell and there’s a story behind it, Wensu couldn’t let it go. It’s obvious. Unknowingly, Wensu Lee Yerim have colored Grandfell.

Why, because she teased me relentlessly in the chat room.

-So, when is the Second Coming of the Heavenly Horse?

-No, Heavenly Demon is the trend these days, right, Hoyeol?

-Everyone will probably think it’s cool??? kkkkkkk

It’s really cool, really……!!!

‘Let’s just be patient for now, Hoyeol.’

Anyway, a unique skill acquired through Gamigin’s loot.

The effectiveness of the [Heavenly Demon Reign] was amazing.

At the same time, I realized something.

‘You’re way ahead of me in the realm of anomaly.’

I didn’t even have to struggle to manifest the portal.

I just needed to manifest the Heavenly Demon Reign.

I could freely jump across dimensions.

‘As well as seeing.’

I detected an unstable rift and was able to enter. This made one thing clear. The Rift would not be a hunting ground or dungeon for players to level up in the future.

It’s a place where the High Ranking Demon Kings can do as they please.

The Rift before it was created in the real world.

High Ranking Demon Kings that can interfere with the ‘Unstable Rift’. This means that while their influence is limited to the Evil Eyes, there’s no telling what tricks and traps they’ll lay in the future.

For now, that is.

I looked over at Nam Taemin, Hisagi, Leonie, and the rest of the Holy War Alliance players. Let’s see, they entered this place through the rift created in the Arcana Continent.

‘And the High Ranking Demon Kings have noticed.’

It wasn’t bad luck, it was predestined.

The demonic aura of the High Ranking Demon Kings existed in every rift. Even if it wasn’t this rift, players on the Arcana Continent would inevitably encounter them in other unstable rifts.

In that sense, it was fortunate that I took the step toward the Heavenly Demon Reign.

Passs.

It was no exaggeration to say that it contained untold destructive power. With just a single appearance and a single crackling sound, I trampled on the spiritual bodies of the High Ranking Demon Kings and crushed them.

‘I’m really glad.’

What would have happened if I hadn’t intervened?

Just imagining it was terrifying, but there was no need to imagine it. Who is Granfell? Even in this situation, he was spewing harsh words at the dispersing clones of the High Ranking Demon Kings?

“Remember, you are under my feet.”

At this moment, I was speaking to the High Ranking Demon Kings.

That’s right.

To speak to those of different levels.

This means that I am also speaking in a different voice.

Therefore, my voice was inaudible to the players.

‘…… Seriously, it makes me appreciate it all over again.’

So they’re all confused.

“Ho, Mr. Hoyeol, no, how did you get here?”

I replied nonchalantly.

“I was out for a walk.”

As it turns out, he’s not wrong.

The only thing I did in the rift was to take a few steps, each one making a different sound. More than that, ……. You guys didn’t hear that, did you? That nonsense about being a Heavenly Demon or something.

You guys really didn’t hear it, right……?

.

.

.

Nam Taemin engraved the acquired knowledge in his mind.

“The rifts created in the Arcana Continent are unstable rifts in the pre-reality world. Only those who possess the ‘status’ to enter that unstable rift, that is, a High Ranking Demon King or a being with the same rank as such a High Ranking Demon King.”

Of course, this was not the conclusion Nam Taemin reached this time.

He met the Commander by chance in the rift.

It was a valuable piece of information that Hoyeol had shared with him.

“You remembered, right?”

To relay it to Nam Cheolmin.

Nam Taemin had repeated it over and over again in his head.

And then Hisagi added.

“You forgot one very important fact, Mr. Taemin.”

“I? What? There’s no such thing?”

He shook his head at the puzzled look on his face.

“The fact that we entered that rift.”

“……!!!”

Hoyeol said.

The Unstable Rift is only for those with an understanding of the Anomaly.

It was said that it was a space that only qualified people could enter.

But they themselves…….

Hisagi continues soberly.

“We don’t even know the danger. We didn’t even realize there was a High Ranking Demon King inside the rift, and yet we were able to enter it.”

Schreig speculates.

“Perhaps it’s because we’re players. Even if it’s unstable, a rift is a rift, and players are free to enter it, right?”

Leonie gives him a puzzled look.

It’s a complicated story for a Berserker’s mind to follow.

Leonie crossed her legs and muttered.

“So what’s the bottom line, are we lucky or screwed?”

Skal, who had been silent, answered.

“Depends on your perspective.”

“Depends on what?”

“We either become unexpected jokers or become a burden.”

“……!”

“I mean one or the other.”

If we can capitalize on our free access to the unstable rift. We could help disrupt and thwart the High Ranking Demon King’s plans. But if, like just now, we fail to recognize the existence of the High Ranking Demon King itself…….

Hisagi added coldly.

“If the Commander in Chief hadn’t been there, we would have been annihilated.”

There was no rebuttal.

“…….”

It was because no one had noticed the presence of the High Ranking Demon King.

Suddenly, there was the sound of someone grinding their teeth.

It was clear they’d gotten to the point again.

But there was no discouragement.

“Good, then we have a clear target.”

Entering the unstable rift.

If they could grow to the point where they could clear an unstable rift, wouldn’t that mean that they could go beyond simply assisting the Commander-in-chief and actually prevent the rift from being created?

Nam Taemin straightened his fist.

“I understand now, what we need to do.”

Why Hoyeol had kept them on the Arcana Continent.

The Arcana Continent is where numerous buffs, including experience points, are activated.

It was the perfect environment for players to grow.

“So let’s run four times faster from now on, everyone.”

Nam Taemin said, and even Hisagi didn’t gag.

It was a moment of agreement.

As soon as they started walking, a memory flashed through their minds.

“By the way……. I’m not the only one who saw it, right?”

“What?”

“No, inside the rift.”

As I said, unskilled players hadn’t been able to detect any sign of the High Ranking Demon King inside the unstable rift. At best, they had seen the monsters that inhabited the nearby fields.

Schreig recalled.

“It wasn’t far from Antonium, a field with monsters around level 200 at most. Common sense tells us that…….”

Leonie interjected.

“Is it strange that the appearance message came to us?”

A spawn message popped up in the corner of Leonie’s eye.

There weren’t any monsters in the field that were big enough to send out an appearance message, which meant that one of the High Ranking Demon King must have sent one out.

[Self-proclaimed, Heavenly Demon appears].

……What the hell does a self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon mean?

Leonie shook her head in puzzlement.

“I don’t know what kind of kid he is, but he definitely has unusual tastes.”

*

Shadow Mercenary.

“That’s why……. It happened like this.”

Wolfe, the leader, stammered.

“After all, no matter how much I think about it, I’m not the leader.”

Until the moment of destruction.

The Shadow Mercenaries were joined by fugitive and former leader Kichi. Unfortunately for Wolfe, Kichi had no time to pay attention to Wolfe’s complaints.

‘It must be retrieved.’

The Berserk Society’s prey is Claudi, Hoyeol, a prey far too big for the Shadow Mercenaries, and they’ve set their sights on him in the Shadow Mercenaries’ holy grounds, the Canyon of the Forgotten…….

‘I have a weapon that can kill Claudi.’

No bluff, no lie.

It was a Shadow Mercenary holy place like no other.

The Berserk Society would have risked their lives to enter the Canyon.

But I still didn’t understand.

‘It’s not strange that they’re looking for a holy place.’

The Shadow Mercenaries had already assassinated a member of Claudi’s bloodline once, but the location of the Berserk Society’s search didn’t make sense.

They didn’t try to get inside the hideout.

They were simply searching through the bodies that had been dumped haphazardly in the Canyon.

Whose bodies were the Berserk Society rummaging through?

From whose pile.

Had they found the weapon to kill Claudi?

At that point.

“Huu.”

Kichi cut off her thoughts with a sigh.

The question would have to wait until she was out of breath.

Her pupils sunken deeply.

‘It’s definitely not the same as it used to be.’

The touch of a secret weapon in her hand.

Kichi realized her senses were dulled. It was inevitable. In the world of adventurers, Kichi had been living a life she could never have dreamed of on the Arcana continent.

It’s no wonder her body isn’t as strong as it was when she was traveling from one mission to the next. Kichi looked at Rockid.

‘Especially since you drank competitively with that hunk of muscle.’

Suddenly, the landscape of the Kingdom of Yusra came to mind.

‘It was beautiful, Yusra.’

I don’t mean beautiful in the snobbish sense of being covered in gold and silver treasures. It was an ancient kingdom, long forgotten by all. It was also a world of adventurers who hadn’t quite grasped the notoriety of the Shadow Mercenaries.

‘It was a perfect place to hide, to leave the past behind.’

Of course, old habits are hard to break.

“……ah.”

She remembered the debt she’d left on the Golden Crown Tavern.

I’ll have to return to Yusra someday, if only to pay off my debt.

Though I doubt they’ll take me back.

‘The Shadow Mercenaries have begun to move again.’

And the adventurers have returned to the Arcana Continent.

The Shadow Mercenaries’ notoriety and misdeeds have returned.

It’s bound to surface.

The people of Yusra and the adventurers have been kind to them, unaware of their true nature. If the ugly truth were known, the Shadow Mercenaries would be forced to wander the underworld once more.

So Kichi hadn’t forgotten.

Yes, despite their notoriety.

Even though he lost his precious sister to the Shadow Mercenaries.

Hoyeol had forgiven them.

So they had no choice but to move on.

Despite the rumors.

Seat 9, DeSheve spoke.

“Nadivo is dead.”

Nadivo, Seat 8, the scout and advance guard who headed to the Berserk Society’s territory.

He’d known it from the moment Nadivo’s vision had been cut off.

Kichi covered her face with a mask.

Her body is not perfect.

Not to mention her sense of combat has been dulled by the void.

Even the Shadow God had left the Shadow Mercenaries.

Kichi looked down at the ground.

The shadow that had been stolen by the Shadow God still hadn’t returned.

‘I doubt the Apostle Contract is even valid.’

Still, there was something that had to be reclaimed.

Whether it was simply the weapon to kill Claudi that the Berserk Society had taken.

I don’t know if it’s the pride you always spoke of.

Kichi opens her mouth.

“We must get it back.”

The Shadow Mercenaries move.

“As Master of the Shadows.”

To announce the return of a great power from the Underworld to the continent.

.

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[The Shadow Mercenaries’ notoriety echoes across the Arcana continent].