◈ Episode 551. Karma (2)

Well, I didn’t expect it to be so fresh.

‘Is a pantheon a pantheon for nothing?’

There’s a part of you that believes, just as there’s a part of me that believes, isn’t there, Guyver?

A glittering army forms behind Guyver as he advances on horseback.

His eyes flicker with color to match the light.

[The soldiers of the Pantheon appear].

[The field is transformed].

[The field’s properties change to light properties.]

Is it a light attribute field?

An unusual experience.

If it was aimed at exploiting the loopholes in that experience, it would have been an almost unimaginable effort.

“I’m sorry.”

Grandfell says arrogantly.

Just now, you must have…….

I thought you were choosing an attribute to drive away the ‘Infinitely Deep Darkness’?

Anyway, overly self-conscious, that.

As if that weren’t enough, he adds.

“I have a brighter light than that.”

A brighter light.

‘Let’s see, as someone who majored in Grandfell-style speech…….’

You must be referring to the set of [Waiting for the Dawn].

Among the effects of the Dawn set.

It definitely had effects related to the ‘light element’.

[2. All attacks deal additional damage. The nature of the extra damage is of the ‘Light’ property, and it deals the same damage even if the target of the attack is of the ‘Light’ property].

‘The effect is also valid against light attributes.’

So there’s no way I’m going to be at a disadvantage in the attribute relationship against a Light-attributed army of the Pantheon. So, as always, I raise my arms brazenly.

“I will match your determination.”

In a way, it’s a stab in the back.

The reason I’m being generous is simple.

As I said, Guyver had his reasons.

Who in the world can resist the lure of a class quest?

‘I know the feeling.’

Only one thing had changed.

Cataclysms.

The conflicts between players that had occurred countless times before had been suppressed after the Cataclysm when real lives were at stake. Raymon Sean only stirred it up.

Time never stops flowing.

Even in the real world, where time flows slower than on the Arcana continent, it’s been a long time. The players are deeply rooted in their respective realms, and as their roots grow deeper and thicker, it’s inevitable that they will intertwine.

‘Even if it’s not necessarily me.’

Conflict between players is inevitable in the future.

Just as Seoul is under siege, big and small.

Suddenly, a voice echoed in my head.

《Then maybe we should just root them all out.》

……Come on, Hoyeol.

This is not the time to be thinking nonsense.

You see, the messages are constantly warning you.

[The forces of the Pantheon consider you an enemy].

[You have a status abnormality, ‘Heretic’].

[※Note: The status abnormality, ‘Heretic’, reduces all your stats when you are in conflict with a faction of the Pantheon. Total stats currently reduced: 100]

A hundred points of pure stat drops.

‘That’s a big deal.’

I think about the value of a hundred points.

‘How many days of training does it take to get a hundred points, this?’

Someone might say that I’m whining when I can increase valuable stats with just a little bit of training. If so, I could confidently say it. If you’re tempted, try doing it yourself……!

The intensity is such that even Grandfell, who can’t live with himself, would be shaking like a leaf by the time he’s done. Moreover, the number of demands rises exponentially with each success.

In that sense, it was unbearable.

‘After all I’ve gone through, do you think I’m going to take it easy?’

The message that follows.

[The blessing of the First World Tree rejects ‘Heretic’].

I’m glad to hear it.

I couldn’t enjoy that effect in Hell.

I prayed to myself.

‘To hell with all the gods, I’ll trust the World Tree.’

What’s the point of trying to make peace with a god that hates me for nothing? I immediately raised my magic power. Building magic is also effective against cavalry on horseback.

kugugugugu.

As the creator of architectural magic would say.

Swiftly and magnificently.

Pillars were erected all over the battlefield.

kwadeudeudeudeug.

These aren’t the soldiers of the Pantheon.

They charged straight for the pillars.

They topple the stone pillars as they advance.

‘This is definitely not favorable.’

At that point, even the Holy War Alliance seemed to feel uncomfortable.

Pabaaaam.

The sound of a magnificent horn blast.

My trusty ally.

The Holy War Alliance began to move.

‘That’s very kind of you.’

I opened my mouth to say.

“Stand down.”

“……?!!”

“This is an order.”

This time it wasn’t the Grandfell style of speaking.

‘It’s best for me to deal with them alone.’

Paimon’s appearance on Jeju Island.

I realized that from now on, I couldn’t turn away even if I wanted to. I had entered a battlefield where it didn’t matter who, where, or how I lost my life.

‘I hate to give examples.’

Do you think Hakuna, commanding the soldiers on the front lines, can fight and win against the soldiers of the Pantheon? No, not necessarily Hakuna, but the players who have just entered the realm of Anomaly, will they be able to withstand the forces of the Pantheon?

And even if they do, can they win?

I, Lee Hoyeol, sincerely hope so.

Faces flashed through my mind.

‘From Elder Mage Senios to Yugweed.’

I don’t want to lose anymore.

Some might say that’s impossible.

But I have the power to do it.

The Holy War Alliance troops froze in place at the command of their Commander-in-chief.

I look at them, then at the enemy.

“Annihilate the Infinitely Deep Darkness!”

I wonder if it’s the effect of the class quest.

Guyver rushes at me with the determination of a real paladin.

I looked at him, but I sensed no malice in his eyes.

You were right, Grandfell.

Everything is a give and take.

If you want to protect something.

you have to bear the weight of it at the same time.

‘I do not know.’

I don’t know the nature of the Soldier of the Pantheon.

Whether it was a skill, an entity, or an item’s effect.

I don’t know.

What you need when facing such an unknown enemy is a weight difference.

Traits are meaningless in the face of overwhelming weight.

Of course, I don’t have a weight class like that.

[Name: Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo]

[Titles: Last Adventurer, Noble, Transcendent, Dark Dragon, Heavenly One, Master of the Ten Thrones, Great Master of Anomaly, Savior of the Shadow]

[Class: Demon Hunter]

[Level: 1,065]

[Stats]

Strength: 265 / Agility: 261 / Magic: 981 / Luck: 20 / Aesthetics: High / Tenacity: 50 / Charm: Exist / ??? : Exist

[Points held: 0]

It might look glamorous at first glance, but the most important class was the Demon Hunter with a missing screw. Unless [Natural Enemy] was triggered, in which case it would be impossible to show off one’s class in front of the might of the Pantheon.

But there was an alternative.

[Six Sight Brooch 5/6]

The Six Sight Brooch.

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

[2. Increases all damage dealt by 10% when attacking boss monsters].

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

[4. Gain the ‘Awakening’ effect when reaching 70%, 50%, 30%, 10%, and 1% maximum health during combat].

[5. Entering the ‘Awakening’ state and having zero magic power consumption for a period of time].

If I use the set effect of a brooch whose identity I do not know.

I will be able to win this battle single-handedly due to my weight advantage.

But before I do, I need to know something.

‘Be honest with me, Grandfell.’

I knew Grandfell’s temper better than anyone.

The retreat from hell was an incident, and even if I could overlook it, there was something about his attitude toward the Six Sight Brooch that made me cringe.

Of course, this is not an accusation.

Like I said, I know your shit better than anyone.

‘Really, it’s okay to use the power of the Six Sight Brooch?’

My question was not a question of truth but of permission.

I mean, if it’s a really nasty brooch.

It means that you want to stop it.

‘Don’t even try to pretend you didn’t hear me.’

To my question, Grandfell replied.

“Of course.”

Although the momentary silence bothered me.

That’s it.

If I don’t believe you, who will?

So let’s go on a rampage, Grandfell.

‘Here we go.’

If it’s boring, it can be done quickly.

‘Straight into the Awakening.’

The first Awakening also triggers the fifth set effect, Infinite Magic. I deliberately reached 70 percent health, intending to end the battle quickly.

‘With infinite magic power, there’s nothing I can’t do.’

Grandfell’s brilliance.

My mind is full of anomalies that I’ve never been able to fulfill thanks to my miserable body. If the paladins of Muon were to come to their senses and attack me now, I wouldn’t be able to stop them.

But you don’t have to willfully allow them to attack you in order to lower your health. There were other, nobler, more graceful ways to use your health.

Sssshhhh.

{Nature} Manifest Abilities.

I manifested all attributes around me except light.

Characteristics of attribute magic that comes to mind

In an attribute relationship of eating and being eaten.

Light is free, but it has a fatal weakness.

It can be colored more easily than any other attribute.

‘I might be able to turn the field to my advantage.’

Of course, to manifest a power of that magnitude, you’d have to expend quite a bit of health, but that’s okay. I’d rather use up my life force.

[※Warning: Health drops rapidly].

Just like that, my health dropped to 70%.

The Six Sight Brooch was about to shine for the first time.

Suddenly, my vision flashed.

‘!’

The opposite of dropping health.

Soaring numbers.

I was dazed.

[Karma: 4,173]

Karma.

I, Lee Hoyeol, who have not been liberated from material greed.

I have not forgotten.

Wasn’t it some kind of currency used in the [Shadow Corridor]?

‘Everyone was horrified.’

When they saw the amount of karma I had.

But what’s this number.

My karma had gone from over a thousand to several thousand.

Two possibilities flashed through my mind.

Hell.

The Six Sight Brooch.

‘Maybe both had an influence.’

Because that was the only thing that had changed.

So I had to ask the question again.

Grandfell, is it really okay to wear this brooch……?

‘……No, that’s fine.’

Get a grip, Hoyeol.

If you feel uncomfortable, don’t use it until you know it properly.

{Nature} stops manifesting its abilities.

Feel the full effects of the [Blessing of the First World Tree].

A surge of life force.

‘There are many ways to do this, even if it’s not what you think it should be.

I thought about equipping the [Mythic] class item [Commander’s Gloves – Wisdom of the Elder Dragon], a legacy of Eunaxus, and start thinking……?

My hands, which were supposed to be bustling with activity, stopped.

“Charge……?”

Guyver stopped shouting.

“…….”

The soldiers of the Pantheon had stopped running.

Tens of thousands, no, hundreds of thousands, no, millions of soldiers.

They stopped moving in unison.

Waiting for orders.

No one else’s command.

My command.

What does that suddenly mean?

I don’t know.

I don’t believe it either.

[Your karma exceeds that of the God of War].

[The relic, ‘Winged Comb Horn’ obeys you.]

[You have obtained command of the Pantheon army.]

[An immeasurable force under the Pantheon]

[Current status: Waiting for Command]

So says the system that doesn’t lie.

……What, for real?

The snout responds.

“As I said.”

Fluttering.

“It was a battle already won.”