◈ Episode 541. Constant Beings (1)

A constantly flickering vision.

[You have entered the Second Gate, the ‘Nightmare Outpost’].

[The discipline of the Outpost chills your body.]…….

Kinver swallowed dryly.

‘Damn it, my head isn’t keeping up.’

What the hell is going on here?

Kinver glanced at the back of Hoyeol’s head. You haven’t even revealed your class yet. You must have many secrets, he thought.

‘Everything is beyond my wildest imagination.’

But most of all.

‘……You’re insane.’

Those vicious creatures became meek lambs before him.

[Hell Guardian]

Kinver was rewarded for mastering the skill, [Stealth].

A new unique skill, [Strong and Weak].

The effect of this skill was simple, as its name implied.

[Strong and Weak(Master): You can recognize the strong and weak at a glance. All stats will decrease slightly when the opponent is strong, but when the opponent is weak, stats will increase slightly].

Glance.

Kinver turns his head to look at the Hell Guardian who passed by.

He activated [Stronger and Weak] once more, but the result was the same.

‘No response. Neither strong nor weak.’

Beyond him, it wasn’t even a ‘target’.

Not a monster, but something that cannot be defeated.

A special being.

Maybe that’s why.

When their gazes swept over his body.

A chilling message flashed across his mind.

[※Warning: You are not the dead].

But the feeling of extreme unease was short-lived.

As I said, Hoyeol stepped forward.

The Hell Guardians had cleared the way.

‘It’s more than just a rumor.’

You might be embarrassed.

Hoyeol’s behavior was so natural.

That’s what I thought as I watched.

Kinver’s eyes narrowed.

‘…… Do you really know something?’

About this Hell.

“Ohhh. You’ve been hiding the view behind a door.”

Even Lorenzik, the romantic explorer, would have been lost at the second gate. Even Lorenzik wasn’t dead, and there was no way he could have gotten past the gates without being seen by the Hell Guardians.

But.

‘No matter how great you are…….’

Isn’t this physically impossible?

I mean, before the Cataclysm.

When Arcana was just a game.

To put it another way, the levels of the past were child’s play.

There was no exception to the scale of events, the level of players, the new monsters introduced with each update, or the new fields.

‘It doesn’t make sense, even if you haven’t shown your power.’

……But.

When did it make sense?

Kinver shook his head in disbelief.

Unanswered questions only caused him more anxiety.

Yes, like the story of the Claudi family.

Kinver reminded himself of his purpose.

‘Forget it. Just do your job, Kinver. You idiot.’

It was a moment of self-criticism.

As if the smallest doubt would not be overlooked.

Hoyeol’s voice came through.

“Yes.”

Yeah, what does he say?

“I knew it from the beginning.”

Suddenly, you’ve known all along…….

Oh, no, you’re talking about Hell?

A pause.

The words that follow.

“I merely forgot for a moment.”

Kinver’s pupils fluttered wildly.

So, you knew about Hell all along.

Have you experienced it before?

The words sounded like an answer.

“But I came back, so it’s all good.”

Which means.

From hell to reality and back to hell again.

You’ve been through hell and back many times.

It was then.

Out of nowhere.

A theory popped into Kinver’s head.

‘So, the resurrection stories that were spreading in the Hoyeol Sect were real?!’

*

I knew it.

‘Are you trying to be mean to me?’

I’m not hiding anything from you, Grandfell.

I’ve known you for years.

And now the secret about the item.

Can’t you be honest with me?

You’re good with everyone else, but not me.

I, Lee Hoyeol, ask you in all seriousness.

At least you have a conscience.

The Snout of Doom ends his sentence as if making an excuse.

“I only forgot for a moment.”

Forgotten?

‘Hmm, I find it hard to believe that your brain could forget…….’

Well, if you say so, I have to believe you.

‘So, what’s the truth about the Sixth Sight Brooch?’

Now that you’ve admitted it.

I thought you’d tell me now.

Indeed, our Mr. Grandfell, you are not taking it easy, are you?

Grandfell’s shamelessly flirtatious manner of speaking.

“But I’m back, so it’s all good.”

Let me interpret it as a person who specializes in the Grandfell style of speaking.

‘Five is not enough, is it?’

Anyway, you’ve collected all but one piece of that elusive Six Sight Brooch, so it’s clear you’re asking me to forgive you for forgetting it.

‘Yeah, whatever.’

I’m a quick thinker, am I not?

If you’re not going to tell me, I’ll just have to guess from the information window.

I checked the information on the Sixth Sight Brooch.

Let’s go through them one by one.

[Sixth Sight Brooch 3/6]

[Rank: Unique]

[Limit: Lv.666]

[Effect : Increases resistance to all status abnormalities].

[Description : This is one of the brooches where six come together to form one, but since it’s only a small portion, it loses a lot of its effectiveness].

Obviously, as the level cap increases.

The effect becomes significant.

I seriously evaluated the effect.

‘Although the effects overlap with the Blessing of the First World Tree…….’

In addition, the set effect remained.

[Set item effects are applied].

[Set effects currently applied: 5/6]

[1. Increases all base stats by 2 points].

[2. When attacking a boss monster, all damage dealt is increased by 10%].

[3. When facing multiple enemies, damage taken is reduced by 10%]. …….

A third set of effects that corresponds to the third piece.

‘Individually, they don’t seem like much.’

Six makes one.

Considering it’s a single item…….

This was a ridiculous add-on effect.

‘This is a rare effect, even for an Epic.’

This is coming from someone who owns the Epic tier set, Waiting for Dawn, so I know I’m not exaggerating.

[Sixth Sight Brooch 4/6]

[Rank: Unique]

[Limit : Lv.777]

[Effect : Greatly increases your maximum health].

[Description : This is one of the brooches where six come together to form one, but since it’s only a small portion of the brooch, it loses a lot of its effectiveness].

Is this a massive health boost?

Now that I’ve seen the effects of the fourth additional set.

I’m more than a little taken aback.

[4. Gain the “Awakening” effect when your maximum health reaches 70%, 50%, 30%, 10%, and 1% during combat].

……Is this true?

Not one, not two, but FIVE unique effects like Awakening?!

Even if it’s a set effect.

Does a unique item have this effect?

‘Even if I bow to the wraiths to thank them, it won’t be enough.’

It was at this moment that I had to restrain myself from feeling overjoyed.

For some reason.

I felt a sense of foreboding.

It was a sensation I would never have felt as the old Lee Hoyeol.

After awakening as a player.

I have experienced countless events under Grandfell’s control that other players will never experience.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that I’ve experienced countless boss raids that other players can’t even watch, let alone participate in. Thanks to you.

‘……Similar.’

Until the third brooch, that is.

But the fourth brooch’s set effect.

It was just a slightly different explanation.

Every time the health drops.

Entering a new phase.

The characteristics of the [boss monster].

‘……What is it, this brooch?’

I thought I’d be more confident once I saw the effect of the fifth brooch. I tried to keep my cool, and was about to move my gaze to the information window for the fifth and final brooch.

“!”

My vision flashed.

‘What the hell was I thinking?’

Entering Hell.

So far, all I’ve encountered are demons. I didn’t know what sins would send a human to Hell, but I knew one thing for sure.

“Beings without development.”

Yes.

Demons hunted by demon hunters.

They will surely end up in Hell.

[Skill, ‘Natural Enemy’ triggers].

Second Gate, Nightmare Outpost.

A small citadel.

Demons are everywhere.

The demon’s identity is finally revealed.

‘……?’

What’s that, an imp?

Honestly.

It felt so bland that the steam was gone.

‘Isn’t it me and Grandfell who hunted the high-ranking demon kings, and now we’re hunting a low-level demon that doesn’t even have a name like Imp, honestly…….

‘It’s a stab in the conscience to even hold the form.’

But who is our Grandfell?

A natural-born demon hunter of Akshan, who treats the Ten Thrones like imps, and the imps like the Ten Thrones, and who is always serious about hunting demons……!

“I’ll take care of you, the eternally underdeveloped.”

Anyway, the cool pretense is real…….

Flutter.

Dawn’s Jacket flutters with magic, regardless of the sigh.

“It means that I, too, will consistently do my best.”

*

Blood Elf.

Elsidor never lost his noble demeanor in the face of any foe. But at this moment, his cells were in a state of excitement that could be said to be unheard of in his life. They were extremely excited.

‘Dangerous.’

That was no mere imp.

It might have been an imp in appearance.

The momentum it exuded was not that of an imp.

“It’s an imp! Leave that to me…….”

“Shut up. Garbage.”

“What?”

Kinver didn’t seem to recognize the strange presence. I didn’t blame him. Even I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t been paying attention.

‘It harbors malice that has been honed to the extreme over a long period of time.’

They were like the insignificant wraiths of the First Gate Hell Village.

A Hell that no one could escape.

The imps inflamed their malice even more.

Elsidor’s gaze turned to Hoyeol.

‘You saw it coming, I see.’

I will do everything in my power.

Hoyeol had already manifested his magic.

Fazizik.

The electric current generated in the atmosphere emits light. They spread out all at once towards the imps approaching from all directions. But if the battle had ended with that, there would have been no need to be nervous.

“Kyahahahahahaha!”

Faster than lightning.

The imps of Hell were on a different level. They interfered with the atmosphere around them. It was flying towards us, dodging the lightning bolt that was thought to be unavoidable.

Suddenly.

Elsidor swung his sword, and Kinver triggered [Stealth], dodging the aggro with Lorenzik. Elsidor felt the tip of his blade and thought back.

‘The attack was shallow.’

More accurately, they dodged my counterattack.

Even more troubling.

Those imps were already dead.

Elsidor scanned the surrounding air.

‘I guess that’s why. I wasn’t intimidated at all.’

Hoyeol and Elsidor.

Their mere appearance changed the atmosphere of the battlefield.

Even with all the power that could change the momentum.

The imps remained unmoved.

“Your ignorance of the subject remains.”

You said it so casually, but…….

‘I’ve never felt anything like this.’

I wonder if I can move forward.

I felt my own shortcomings more keenly than ever.

Once again, Elsidor resented his youth.

‘……If it had been Agentress instead of me.’

I could have been there to assist you.

I was too young to serve you.

But Elsidor gritted his teeth.

……ppadeug.

‘As much as my head cannot help me, my body must.’

For your sake.

I must open the way.

The determined elf’s vision captured the escape route.

‘There must be a Third Gate at the end of the road.’

There was only one way to the Outpost.

His mind calmed as he made his decision.

If an imp grabs your foot.

I’m going to have to get caught up in the ankle instead.

“Crazy, crazy.”

The effect of [Stealth] that has reached Master.

Kinver narrowly avoided the imp’s attack.

Elsidor watched him catch his breath.

“Heogh.”

It’s unnerving to entrust you to such a scum, but as I said, scum is poisonous. The stronger you are, the more you’ll find their toxicity annoying.

‘Do my part, Kinver.’

Elsidor decided.

Tadak.

He leaped forward.

“I will take charge of this place.”

It was a moment of declaration.

“……hiiiiig?!”

Why?

Even in front of their own lives.

Even in the face of Hoyeol’s magic.

The imps of hell showed no sign of emotion.

But now, they began to tremble with fear.

Elsidor froze in place.

Suddenly, his large ears twitched.

An unearthly sound.

cheolkeog.

“It’s been a while.”

“……?”

“Akshan, my fellow comrade.”

“?!!”

.

.

.

-Encounter the Demon Hunter of Hell. (Success)