◈ Episode 543. Madness

Flashing Messages.

[The Goddess Church has declared war].

[You are affiliated with a hostile faction].

[Your relationship with Holy Land Muon will be drastically reduced].

[Your influence in the Holy Land Muon will be greatly reduced]. …….

“Shit.”

It’s hard to keep my anger in check, but I walk on.

The Golden Palace of the Yusra Kingdom.

Walking the halls are members of the Holy War Alliance.

The three guild masters and executives of the Great Alliance.

“I’ll tell you more at the meeting.”

Nam Cheolmin said in a serious voice.

“I’ll make it clear in advance.”

The level of the Holy War Alliance?

To be honest, they were no opponent so far.

From the most powerful military organization on the Arcana continent, the Magic Tower, to the Kingdom of Yusra, to the Commander in Chief’s private army whose power was still shrouded in secrecy.

But.

“This war will not be easy for us either.”

The Gods of the Arcana Continent.

The most powerful of them all, the Goddess, had revealed that she would fight alongside the Goddess Church. Nam Taemin scratched the back of his head.

“Damn the goddess, too. I mean, is she even a god in the first place?”

It’s not what a Barbarian would say, but think rationally.

“No, a real god should be thinking about bringing peace to the Arcana continent, but what, you’re going to go to war as soon as the Gate of the Pantheon opens up with an update, and against the Commander-in-Chief?”

Hisagi gave a rare nod of agreement.

“That’s not a logical answer, Taemin-kun.”

“What? What’s not logical?”

Ignoring Nam Taemin’s outburst, Hisagi continued.

“I’m sure Mr. Park was wondering the same thing.”

Park Minjae, AAU Korea Branch Manager.

Just 30 minutes ago.

He had just finished an emergency press conference.

“I’ve felt it before.”

The spotlight is on.

Park Minjae was talking nonstop in front of reporters.

Leonie, who was watching the scene closely, spoke up.

“I think I’d be really tired if I got caught by that person by mistake.

Park Minjae.

He was a rare human being who could be described in one word.

Mad Dog.

-“This is a guarantee. I’m not just saying it, I’m putting my branch manager’s position and the entire Arcana Continent’s developer on the line. It’s not the gods of the Arcana Continent who are behind this, it’s the arch-enemy of mankind, Raymon Sean, who opened the Gate of the Pantheon and caused this situation.”

Nam Cheolmin couldn’t help but laugh.

“Pfft. Surely you have such an image.”

“No, hyung. You should sympathize with me, not him!”

“Huh? Suddenly?”

“No matter what, a barbarian is smarter than a berserker…….”

“What are you talking about, a muscle mass with a brain.”

A twitch of nerves.

A sting.

Nam Taemin and Leonie exchange glances.

Nam Cheolmin stuck his tongue out at their childishness.

“What, was that the reason?”

[Barbarian] and [Berserker].

A battle of pride between two class representatives.

Nam Taemin tried to shake off the feeling of defeat.

“No matter what, Mr. Park, you’re right……. We’re supposed to think that the other branches are on our side, right? I don’t think we’re outnumbered, no matter how objectively you look at it.”

“That’s right.”

“Okay, that’s irrefutable, right?”

“But.”

“…… but? What else?”

Hisagi, why does this snake-eye only vomit at my words.

Not when it’s under Nam Taemin’s gaze.

Hisagi glares at me.

“We can’t overlook the power leak on our side.”

“……ah.”

I vowed to myself that I’d call him on his bullshit.

After the appearance of Paimon, the Ninth Throne Demon King.

It had been less than a week.

The aftermath was still fresh in the minds of the Holy War Alliance.

Nam pushed his glasses back up.

“Material damage is an afterthought. For now, the Magic Tower has suffered significant losses, as four of its senior mages will be unable to fight for at least a few months. Most notably…….”

“Blondie asshole.”

Nam Cheolmin nodded at Leonie’s words.

“That’s right.”

No, you’re saying don’t say whether you’re coming or not?

Without noticing his brother’s gaze.

Nam Cheolmin nodded with a serious expression.

“The absence of Bensh William the Flame Mage Senior will be especially acute, as he single-handedly saved the imperial capital of Antonium from the brink.”

More demoralization.

Though he didn’t say it.

Nam Cheolmin recalled a conversation he’d had with Marcelo, the Tower Master.

-“He’s got the talent to be a Chief Mage one day.”

However, it was too early to feel gloomy due to Bensch’s injury.

Eventually, they arrived at the conference room.

Nam Cheolmin spoke with a stern expression.

“But most of all, the absence of the Commander-in-chief.”

It was true.

The commander-in-chief’s whereabouts were still unknown.

Perhaps that’s why he couldn’t help but think.

-“I will soon be in hell.”

“…….”

At this moment.

Everyone in the Great Alliance had the same thought.

But there was no time for hasty grief.

“Let’s go in.”

deolkeog.

A sober Nam Taemin led the way and opened the conference room door.

He was stunned.

He’d arrived with plenty of time to spare.

“Your Majesty Hakuna, and Master Marcelo……?”

The two of them had entered the conference room first.

Too early.

Even considering the gravity of the situation.

The air so cold that a chill could be felt.

Sensing something was amiss, Hisagi asked.

“By any chance, is there something wrong with the Commander-in-chief?”

Hakuna answered the question.

“That’s right. I guess the Commander-in-Chief…….”

“……?”

“He seems to have fallen into hell.”

“What do you mean, all of a sudden……?!”

Bewilderment, itself.

But themselves, more than that.

It was Hakuna and Marcelo, who might have been considering Hoyeol.

There was no reason for them to say something like that without any basis.

“Hell.”

Now that the ominous possibility had become a reality.

An indescribable emotion surged through her.

Leonie gritted her teeth quickly.

“Including those European assholes. There are assholes over there who have been told they’re going to hell in a handbasket, and they’ve done this knowing it. If this news reaches these assholes’ ears, do you think they’ll see it as a golden opportunity?”

There was silence.

The meaning of the silence was simple.

Everyone was in agreement.

Marcelo spoke up.

“Unfortunately, we don’t know what Hell is like, so even if we wanted to follow Sir, we wouldn’t be able to, but we shouldn’t overlook it. The trials and tortures he must be going through at this very moment.”

For a moment.

The Magic Tower returned to the past.

The leader of such a Magic Tower.

“So we must make them realize.”

Spoken as a Tower Master.

“Even if it means making their land a living hell.”

A declaration of war.

*

Paris, France.

Secret hideout of the Guild, Bohemian.

The man who speaks to Guyver.

He was Hamed, a Bohemian executive and Guyver’s old friend.

“At first I thought you were crazy because you wanted to die……. Guyver, did you see this coming? If you did, I admit it. If the Goddess is back in the Goddess Church, this might actually be worth a shot.”

He wasn’t exaggerating.

The player community is as sober as they come.

Even public opinion there was shifting.

-“Isn’t this the perfect time to buy the lows? haha

-There’s nothing left to play for in Holy War Alliance, which is at its peak anyway.

-When the Goddess appeared, it was completely flipped on its head.

-Are you guys playing a cleric?

-Lol, it was just one more job.

It was literally like sunlight shining into a rat’s hole.

“Public opinion is still not on our side……. I was actually worried that the underdog status was lost when Goddess joined, so there’s nothing good for us, but this is enough……!”

Hamed couldn’t stop talking.

But for all the chatter.

He was too quiet.

Hamed walked up to Guyver, who was looking out over the building and gasped.

“Uaaghhh!”

Sharp white eyes

Guyver’s pupils disappeared……!

Hamed freaked out and shouted.

“Gu, Guyver, I thought you were crazy, but are you possessed by a demon or something? Holy shit……!! I can’t even kill you with my own hands……!!”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“……?”

Guyver’s eyes suddenly calm.

“He’s praying, Hamed, and you can’t interrupt him.”

He was praying……?

For a moment, Hamed was relieved, then froze.

Because it reminded me of something I had heard from Guyver over and over again.

-“To hell with God, it’s probably just an NPC.”

-“You better think about how you’re going to eat it.”

-“If it’s a God, it’ll have plenty to eat.”

It wasn’t that long ago.

Even when they stopped in Muon, the holy city of the Goddess Church.

It seemed that nothing had changed in Guyver’s mind.

Well, then.

There was only one guess.

Hamed asked incredulously.

“Guyver, can it be that you can hear?”

Like a saintess in the Goddess Church, the voice of God……?

Guyver nodded.

He unclasped his hands.

“Yes, I heard the voice, and I believed.”

“Believed in what?”

“The existence of a living god.”

“……!”

As mentioned.

They’d been together a long time, from before the Cataclysm to now.

Perhaps that was why.

Hamed couldn’t help but swallow dryly at the sudden change in Guyver’s demeanor.

‘…… I know you, Guyver.’

He was too much of a snob, too human for his class [Paladin]. But there was a strange sense of foreignness about the man in front of him.

“Hamed, God spoke to me, for me, for you, for our world. To burn the ‘Infinitely Deep Darkness’ out of this world that will bring sorrow to all.”

Those words convinced Hamed.

‘…… That’s not the Guyver I know anymore.’

As mentioned earlier, Guyver was a snobbish, humane guy, so when the idea of a new class quest came up, Guyver said so.

-“From now on, I will move Bohemian for my own benefit. If you don’t like it, you can leave. But I promise. But I promise you this. If we succeed, there will be a great reward waiting for us at the end of it all.”

Hamed swallowed hard.

‘Is this another effect of the emergency update of the Pantheon?’

He couldn’t imagine what patch history had turned Guyver into such a fanatic. But that wasn’t the point. Hamed shook his head in disbelief.

“Enough. Let’s stop here, Guyver.”

“Enough?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can be with you anymore.”

Damn, I shouldn’t be investing.

I can’t believe I’m pulling out now that the odds are so high.

It was a no-win situation.

But the reasoning was clear.

Hamed was straightforward.

“I can’t be with you with that kind of purpose.”

He was right.

Hamed believed him, because he was a snobbish, yet human being, a man who had lost an arm and hadn’t given up on himself.

‘Not the gods of the Arcana continent.’

It was the moment Hamed turned around without any regrets.

“Hamed.”

“Please. Don’t grab me, Guyver.”

He didn’t want to talk to the transformed Guyver anymore.

It was the last time he would ever see him.

It was the moment when Hamed stopped.

……pugg.

From the back.

Into his chest.

The blade protruded.

“……?!!”

Guyver’s strange voice assaulted my eardrums.

“This is justice, Hamed.”

“Gu, Guyver……?”

“Because I will not tolerate heresy.”

The player’s vision.

In front of two people.

Each with a different message.

“Gu, Guyver, return…….”

[※Caution : health is too low].

“My God.”

[※Caution : Faith is too high].

[※Caution : Status Abnormality, ‘Fanatic’ is invoked].

[※Caution : You cannot control your body.]…….

“Please accept the evidence of my faith in You.”