◈ Episode 479. Natural Evil (1)

Eastern Arcana continent.

The players who discovered the Prototype Rift appear.

Nam Taemin, Hisagi, and Leonie.

Their demeanor has changed dramatically from before.

Marcelo watches them and speaks.

“The seeds you planted are coming to fruition.”

We will move organically as the situation demands.

Just as they had planned at the meeting of the Holy War Alliance.

Marcelo, the Tower Master, observed the situation.

His reason for heading to the eastern part of the continent was simple.

The eastern part of the continent would be the most vulnerable to the Great Monster’s advance.

But this is why.

“You had faith in their potential early on, but I’ve underestimated their prowess. As it turns out, you’re the one who deserves the position of Tower Master, not me…….”

A moment of unexpected reflection for Marcelo.

Gooooo.

Magic flared at his side.

A black figure appeared from nowhere.

It was Matisse Dean Karl, Senior Black Mage.

“Are you here? Tower Master.”

“Senior Matisse.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Matisse is not easily emotionally agitated.

Even he could not help but be amazed at the scene before him. Even he, who had been following Chief Lee’s words in his quest for anomalies. He’d spent a good deal of time trying to break through the imperfect rifts.

“I’m surprised you can recognize a trap so quickly.”

Three adventurers had returned to the battlefield ahead of them, standing in the way of the Great Monster. Marcelo turned to Matisse as he channeled his magic.

“I’m surprised, too, but I suppose it’s not surprising that Chief’s care is finally beginning to bear fruit. So what was the scene inside the rift, Senior Matisse?”

Matisse’s suitable magic pulses in response.

“I have come to understand why the former Elder Mage, Yugweed, has been mysteriously absent. Regardless of strength or manifestation, it was a difficult rift to navigate without an understanding of the ‘Anomaly’.”

Labyrinths, rifts, wonders, appropriate levels, and more…….

Matisse was able to see through the rift because he was familiar with the system of Arcana continent biography. A level of knowledge not unlike that of a player.

“Then…….”

Marcelo made a judgment.

At this moment, the Arcanians were caught in the rift.

Among them, there are those who can see through rifts with their own power.

There were probably less than ten of them.

So the best course of action was clear.

“First, we must eliminate the cause.”

What caused the field to change and create the rift.

The Great Monsters, I will slay them.

Marcelo, the current Tower Master.

And the past.

Matisse, his rival for the chief position.

kwakwakwakwang.

[The Great Monsters, the evil spirits of Lunarim, are ‘stunned’].

This brought a welcome message to my mind.

“!!!”

But Nam Taemin, Hisagi, and Leonie.

Rather than rejoice, the three of them reciprocated with action.

It was more instinct than intention.

‘I must not forget this feeling.’

The sensation of entering the realm of the Anomaly.

Prolong this sensation as long as possible.

It felt as if it had to be etched into my flesh.

Only then would the Gate of the Anomaly not close again.

puug.

Their judgment was correct.

No matter how great monsters it is.

The Master of the Magic Tower and the Senior.

And it couldn’t withstand the combined effort of three people who had crossed the wall.

“Humph.”

“Huu.”

“Aaah.”

There was no telling who came first.

The three Guild Masters of the Great Alliance gasped for breath.

The Great Monsters collapsed and their vision flashed.

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]…….

Then, the field that had been altered by the Arcana continent’s biography began to return to its original state.

What that meant was simple. There was no way to tell how many levels it had risen, no time to check.

A noise came from the void.

……zzzzzzz.

“……Hey, wait?!”

Like a cog in a wheel. Like a cog in a broken machine, a prototype rift is formed by the interlocking of changing fields. It just started to fall apart.

A wrecking ball.

Fragments of dimensions bouncing in all directions.

And the gap.

The people struggling inside the rift poured out.

“Sis……? What, did you save me?!”

“Quiet. It’s not over yet.”

“What, why are you being so sweet? Have you grown up?!”

Anyway, this is…….

“Just shut up.”

Leonie swallowed her rising insults and looked around.

Lionheart Knights, Goddess Church…….

By the looks on their faces.

They’d all been through something as unpleasant as I had.

Leonie cut to the chase.

“Count the wounded, we still have three more to go!”

That’s right.

There were still three great monsters left.

The Prototype Rift hasn’t all collapsed.

Not all of the Holy War Alliance had gotten out.

Nam Taemin looked around and shrugged.

His brother, Nam Cheolmin, was nowhere in sight.

“I guess I’ll have to work a little harder, right?”

Well, I’m out, and you’re probably doing fine.

‘By the way…….’

Nam Taemin’s gaze fell on a familiar face.

A man kneeling on the ground, breathing hard and fast.

It was Shining’s Guild Master Lox.

Taemin pouted his lips to himself.

‘…… That’s disturbing.’

Honestly, they didn’t have much contact. Shining and Gaon weren’t exactly close, but they hadn’t met face-to-face since the days when Arcana was just a game.

“Are you okay, Lox?”

Nam Taemin offered his hand to
Lox.

“…….”

Lox looked at Taemin’s hand.

It looked like he had already fought this battle many times before.

But the outcome was different.

‘Defeated.’

The gaping wounds on the bodies of the great monsters.

There was no doubt.

The greatsword in Nam Taemin’s hand had left the wound.

Lox turned away and accepted Nam Taemin’s offer of support.

“Thank you. You must have been in some pain.”

“What, a little?”

“You escaped the Prototype Rift on your own?”

“Yeah, I got lucky.”

“……Yes.”

Even a Barbarian could think straight.

Hisagi, that clueless snake.

That bastard would have gotten on Lox’s nerves, but…….

He had no intention of doing that to Nam Taemin.

Dmitry’s death.

It shocked Nam Taemin quite a bit.

However, Nam Taemin did not comfort him.

Because he knows that sometimes consolation hurts.

Instead, he called attention to it.

“Look at that. Chihuahua……. No, I’m sure you’ve heard Leonie, the Guildmaster of our Great Alliance, ranting about it. There are still three great monsters left, and I hope you’ll join us after healing properly.”

……sseueub.

No matter what.

Of course, it’s my brother who should say such kind words rather than me.

Nam Taemin forced himself to speak.

“You’ll be a great help to the allies just by being there.”

“I know.”

Lox replied briefly, and Nam Taemin left.

Lox realized what was happening.

He stared at the three great monsters as Nam Taemin had said.

He spoke to himself.

I’m helpless in the face of monsters.

You’ve lost your dignity, Lox.

“……damn.”

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

*

The tide of battle was turning in the Holy War Alliance’s favor.

Victory had been reported in the East, their most vulnerable region.

Not to mention Hoyeol in the South.

There was no need to specifically mention the North either.

The Dragon Knight.

“Is it because I have to serve a dragon instead of riding on a dragon……?

Skal pondered as he hoisted the chick, Frostnax, onto his shoulder.

‘On the other hand, I’m pretty sure that’s what the Commander-in-Chief means…….’

Dragon Lord.

The strong class name rang in his head.

He didn’t have time to ponder it.

Three great monsters fall.

“Indeed, you are worthy of Claudi’s favor.”

To be recognized by the king of all, the Dragon.

Frostnax said it best.

I realized how great the men of Hoyeol were.

Especially the red-eyed clan, the Dune.

‘It’s no exaggeration to say that they are a fighting nation.’

Their combat prowess was unbelievable. Their strength was so great that the handles of the weapons they wielded would be crushed first. Of course, that made my eardrums hurt.

“Hey, you don’t know it’s worth money……!!!”

“Be patient, Mr. Garmond.”

“I don’t know if I can bear it, assistant, I didn’t want to get involved with those savages, those ignorant red eyes. Do they even know how many gold coins it takes to make a single weapon, let alone break it……!!!”

Of course, the guts of the Diamond Merchant Lord Garmond to shoot at such monsters was beyond belief. Skal swallowed his surprise and asked.

“I guess the west side would be better than that, right?”

“I don’t see much of a threat. Though I did see the group of merchants evacuating.”

” …… The group of merchants.”

Merchants fleeing the great monsters and returning to Antonium?

Anyway, Frostnax, if no one else, says so.

He didn’t think he should be too concerned.

Skal looked at the calm Antonium.

“Then, for now, the urgent fire has been extinguished.”

*

One might ask, puzzled.

Weren’t the great monsters just a trick of the eye? Hadn’t the real thing already entered Antonium and spilled its blood? With the power of the Transcendents, they should be able to take over an empty Antonium in the blink of an eye.

He was right.

Liu Zunqun’s thoughts on Oxidin had entered Antonium.

Bloodshed, not bloodless.

He made his presence known in the manner of a Tyrant, unleashing a bloodbath.

A kind of provocation and hostage-taking.

It was an act designed to tarnish Lee Hoyeol’s near omnipotence. Liu Zunqun’s thoughts were calculated. By now, Lee Hoyeol should have heard the news.

Still, he didn’t intervene.

Oxidin’s body, along with the abilities of the Transcendents who accompanied him, was enough. A few bolts of lightning from the boy, the Lightning Child, would be enough to reduce half of Antonium to ashes.

‘The moment you left Antonium.’

‘The battle is already decided, Lee Hoyeol.’

I have succeeded in taking the people of Antonium hostage.

If you were the one I knew, you wouldn’t be able to ignore these people.

That was when I declared victory.

jeobeog.

Someone blocked Liu Zunqun’s path.

A face Liu Zunqun couldn’t forget.

The five stars that had once been his own.

One of the Five Stars.

It was Baek Seongryun.

However.

“Step aside.”

The past was the past.

What Liu Zunqun’s mind wanted was the Imperial Throne.

Not a defeated, submissive, and changed vassal.

Crash.

The Sunrise Warriors at his side.

His Sunrise Sword was about to strike again.

A message flashed across Baek Seongryun’s vision.

[□□ □□ □□ □□ □□□ □□, □□□ □□□□ □□□□□.]

Why?

He couldn’t read a single word.

At the same time, his senses began to blur.

No, it wasn’t just Baek Seongryun.

Liu Zunqun’s thoughts had been added to it.

Oxidin, who had been treated like a player.

His vision was shining with a message no different.

What it meant was simple.

Just by entering the realm of [『Anomaly』].

An existence that cannot be understood in the slightest.

That at this moment, it had appeared in Antonium.

“This is beyond expectations.”

No, it had been watching the entire situation from Antonium in the first place.

Of course, it wasn’t Hoyeol.

Although its splendor was not inferior to Hoyeol’s.

The aura he exuded was different.

“As the ruler of the Western Part of the Demon World, I acknowledge your malice”

Ruler of the Western Demon World.

The Demon King of the Ninth Throne, the Noble Paimon.

His voice carried through his incarnation.

“But human.”

“……!”

At this moment, Liu Zunqun’s thoughts were clear.

He felt an irresistible force.

Not even Oxidin’s body could resist it.

Not even the Tyrant’s skills.

Not even Oxidin’s abilities.

An absolute sense of helplessness that was beyond comprehension.

That’s right.

The High Ranking Demon King.

And Paimon was such a being.

“I don’t deal with informal people. Even if it’s a High Ranking Demon King like me, I don’t make exceptions. Still, I’m curious about you.”

Paimon’s eyes flashed.

“How can one be born as a human being and still be human, and still be corrupted to a level worse than a demon? I truly have my doubts.”

Part of Paimon wanted to stuff him and study him.

Oh, no, I shouldn’t make a fuss anymore.

The more I make a fuss about it.

“You’ll have more things to worry about.”

It was for this reason that Paimon manifested in Antonium, consuming precious incarnations. Paimon did not want Hoyeol, to be caught unprepared.

“You will not delay our meeting, will you?”

The more variables, the merrier.

The more chaotic the Arcana continent becomes.

The more chaos, the more Hoyeol’s entry into the Demon World would be delayed.

Liu Zunqun was stunned when he realized Paimon’s intentions.

‘…… Just for that reason?’

This body with such promises.

Are you saying that I, Liu Zunqun, should be broken?

Just because of the promise you made to Lee Hoyeol.

Just because of that?

Am I worth less than a mere promise……?

dalkag.

Instead of answering, Paimon picked up his teacup.

He raised the cup to the air.

Ignoring Liu Zunqun’s despairing gaze, he spoke.

“Rest assured, I will protect Antonium, my dear.”

The red tea swirled in the teacup.