◈ Episode 560. If You Can’t Reach It (2)
The Arcana continent.
Capital of the Empire.
Antonium.
“Then I beg your pardon, Sir Nash.”
“Don’t worry about it, Master Harkon.”
“If I were, I wouldn’t have left in the first place.”
The beginning of the flooding of the Demon World’s to Arcana Continent.
Wasn’t this an empire that had to pay the price for dismissing concerns as unfounded?
After that day, Harkon vowed to live without regret.
Hence, there was not the slightest trace of worry in his words now.
“There are indeed great men in Antonium.”
Antonium was the last bastion of the Arcana continent.
It was no exaggeration to say that all of the continent’s people converged on Antonium, aside from a few who had flooded in from the Bad Omen. Including some of the greats of history.
Of course.
‘Are you watching, Your Majesty?’
Among them, the one who gave the most trust was Hoyeol’s private soldier.
The Diamond Merchant, the Red-Eyed Clan, the pure-blooded Mage Clan who had recently settled in Antonium, and the Descendants of the Twilight. Add in an empire that was beginning to regain its former power, centered around the Knights of the Lionheart…….
Harkon dared to hope.
‘The Empire that fell is rising again.’
Even if the Ten Thrones were to overtake Antonium, it would not fall as disastrously as before. The young Emperor’s growing strength could not be overlooked.
“That, too, is the Lord’s grace.”
Nash responded to Harkon’s ramblings.
Nash had experienced that grace himself.
But enough of the rhetoric, he got straight to the point.
“Can you believe it’s the Emissaries of the Ten Thrones?”
Emergency update, Emissaries of the Ten Thrones.
I’m told the vicious demon is demanding peace first.
Nash clenched his fists.
“Demons are the last to try to deceive humans, and as much as it pains me to say it, I honestly don’t believe it one bit…….”
An empire brought down by demons.
Along the way, Nash, an imperial palace mage, heard all sorts of terrible news. He was informed of all the evil deeds of the demons that dared to speak out.
Harkon’s feelings were no different.
“Isn’t that why I’m leaving, Lord Nash?”
Beyond the portal, to the world of adventurers.
cheolkeog.
Harkon checked whether the sword sheath on his waist was securely fastened.
He spoke.
His voice was as rational as ever.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be watching over you.”
Ten Thrones.
Barbatos, the eighth of the thrones.
His behavior was different from the demons they had seen so far.
‘Stranger than Paimon.’
Indeed.
The only time Paimon had ever come out of his shell was when he was dealing with Hoyeol, and after all the time they’d spent together, Harkon dared to predict his behavior.
“The Commander-in-Chief is a man who speaks to even demons with dignity. If they are truly remorseful for their sins, he may even show mercy, so that I may make his mercy all the more valuable.”
His eyes gleamed coldly.
“I intend to be the Commander’s whip.”
*
Squishy squishy.
“Who wants to bet?”
Leonie said, chewing her gum impatiently.
“Bet? What bet?”
But the only one who responded was Jesse, and even that wasn’t much of a response. It was more like a cursory reply, since I couldn’t chew my words.
“……Thank you very much for at least talking back, Jesse.”
“No thanks. You’re welcome.”
“See, you’re not being nice.”
Leonie said with a sneer.
“Barbatos, bet that asshole shows up, or not.”
Hisagi and the Nam Taemin still didn’t pretend to hear.
Unlike the two muscleheads, Nam Cheolmin still had a heart.
“Let’s see……. I’ll bet on no!”
“Really? No regrets?”
“Mmm, wait a minute.”
Analysts have to keep a cool head and consider all the circumstances and factors.
In that sense, the analyst couldn’t overlook the update history.
──────
A new event is coming to your side.
A new event, Emissaries of the Ten Thrones, is coming your way.
1. The Demon King of the Ninth Throne, Barbatos, is now a neutral faction.
2. Barbatos’ envoys have requested to visit Seoul, the Land of the Anomalies.
3. Barbatos’ envoys would like to sign an oath of peace…….
──────
A second look didn’t change my judgment.
“Yeah, really.”
In fact, she ignored the other updates. Considering the demon’s ability to play the humans they possess for fools, they’re capable of any number of tricks.
Leonie opened her mouth.
“I’ll show up, then.”
But the third bullet point, ‘Oath’.
That was a word that couldn’t be overlooked.
When Leonie had finished placing her bets, Nam Cheolmin spoke up.
“Back in the days when Arcana was just a game, if you broke your oath, your reputation would be ruined, but that was in the past. Considering our level back then, there wasn’t much of an oath, was there?”
Nam Taemin opens his mouth as if to ask when he was silent.
“Right? Well, back then, if you broke your oath and lost your life, you could only lose access for a day.”
“You were around level 100, so the experience penalty wasn’t too bad.”
“Was it?”
“Why are you acting like you don’t know, Jesse?”
“Well, because I’ve never died before!”
“……Never? You grew up really well, didn’t you?”
I guess this is why when you have a bad head, your body suffers.
“Camilla didn’t call you Princess for nothing.”
Leonie was in tears after dying, dying, dying, dying, and taking death penalty after death penalty. She looked at Jesse with envy.
Nam Cheolmin continued to give his rationale for the bet.
“In that sense, the weight of Barbatos’s oath is not light. A demon claiming to be a neutral force? It goes against the demon’s instincts. If he breaks his oath, he might…….”
“It could cost him his life?”
“That’s right. Paimon wasn’t free from the oath, was it?”
Everyone nodded at Nam Cheolmin’s words for a moment.
“Then I’m betting on the same side as you, Leonie.”
“I’m betting on no show, too, Ms. Leonie.”
“Mmm. Me too!”
“What? I thought you guys weren’t doing that?”
“What did he say? You’re not going to show up, are you?”
You got me, you crazy?!
Leonie scowled, but it was too late, as the guild members of the Great Alliance stared at her from a few steps back.
“My sister’s a real badass, what can we do?”
“Yeah. Why did she want to make a bet?”
“Has anyone ever seen her win a bet? Not me, at least.”
“She’s still got the same asshole, old man.”
Their thoughts weren’t too far off.
Ew.
Wait, she shifts her gaze and looks around.
“By the way, I don’t mean to come out of the blue, but…….”
Seoul city center.
A portal to the Arcana continent.
The Holy War Alliance assembled in front of it.
“Aren’t we freaking cool?”
Flashy, beautiful.
Light pouring from their gleaming equipment.
The brilliance seemed to speak volumes about the caliber of the troops lined up.
“Certainly with the addition of the Knights of the Lionheart.”
“It is. You’re putting a lot of weight on my shoulders.”
“Positions make the man.”
“If positions make the man, then what’s wrong with my sister.”
“……I think it’s because she’s been listening.”
“Well, I remember the good old days when we used to do double-baths…….”
The conclusion of the ensuing chatter?
If, and only if, Barbatos was preparing a stab in the back.
It turned out to be a big mistake.
The self-flattering guild members shifted their gaze to the city center.
“Let’s see, all the civilians have been evacuated……. Doesn’t that mean we can go on a rampage from here on out? We can wage an all-out war on whatever Barbatos comes up with!”
One might ask.
Aren’t you worried about the building falling down?
Then I’ll say again.
“It reminds me of those days.”
Seoul is already a land of anomalies.
It was a city colored by the Arcana continent’s biography.
Every building was colored by the Arcana Continental Biography durability system.
That means.
You don’t have to worry about the city center collapsing on you.
“I wonder if he’ll change his mind when he realizes it’s waiting for him. Why, he’s not targeting Seoul, he’s targeting the Arcana Continent.”
“Arcana? Isn’t that even crazier?”
“Well, considering the big shots in Antonium…….”
There are reports that the Knights of the Lionheart are protecting Antonium with a power that would be unrecognizable in the real world. The only thing that makes it more believable is their identity.
“You say they’re the Commander in Chief’s men?”
He said they were his private soldiers.
No more reliable assurance than that.
That made me feel even more sorry for Leonie.
The words rolled off her tongue.
“What do you say you bet against odds, Sister?”
If they hadn’t gotten word that the Holy War Alliance had assembled, they’d be watching the events unfold in real time through the Evil Eyes that floated across the planet.
Suddenly, Leonie’s angry voice rang out.
“You guys better be ready if I win, huh?!”
In the end, I couldn’t help but sigh.
“You’re so stubborn, even the Ten Thrones would be discouraged.”
.
The Magic Tower.
The chief’s office.
The view from the window is spectacular.
Holy War Alliance troops lining the streets of Seoul.
If it were me, I’d be shivering on the front lines. I’d be staring at the portal, flapping my Dawn Jacket, which is so colorful it dwarfs the glitter of the players.
Ordinarily.
The reason I was staying in the Chief’s office was simple. I was staying in the Chief’s office because I didn’t feel confident enough to face him. Yes, to talk to Barbatos, the self-proclaimed neutral faction.
‘It’s not like I don’t trust Raymon Sean.’
Unless he’s playing games with the timing of his damn updates.
He wasn’t playing with the update history.
‘Because he’s not capable of it.’
Just like the system can’t lie.
It can’t lie with its update history.
In that sense, Barbatos had two options.
He could either not show up.
Or he could show up and honor his updates.
If I were me not so long ago…….
I might have thought of using Barbatos instead.
My original plan would have required me to enter the Demon World sooner or later.
At the very least, to ask for information about the Demon World.
I might have even had a conversation.
But I knew from experience.
Paimon, the demon king of the 9th throne.
Through my conversations with him.
I realized why Grandfell didn’t kill him if he was a demon.
I realized how he felt.
That’s not all.
I also realized that in order to defend something against the Pantheon, it is necessary to be harsh on something. Therefore, I, Lee Hoyeol, could no longer be confident.
《I do not talk to my prey.》
Even if Barbatos did appear from beyond the portal, and even if he didn’t show any hostility. It was said that I had no confidence not to perform the exorcism ritual at all costs.
‘I’d rather hunt and be responsible than trust a demon and put someone in danger.’
Because it was better to hunt and take responsibility.
So the Magic Tower was a kind of fence.
A fence to keep me in and no one else out.
Maybe that’s why, I hoped.
‘Please be the demon you are, Barbatos.’
An entire army was rallying for it.
For that purpose, I did not explode the Evil Eye in the sky.
If you had any foolish thoughts.
then look at the assembled Holy War Alliance and change your mind.
Please do not appear before me.
I was expressing.
But.
‘……!’
I hadn’t even finished my tea bag green tea.
The Holy War Alliance began to move like a wave.
At the end of the street, I saw a brilliance of five-color light.
Yes, the portal was flashing.
Then, the vision flashed along with it.
[The 8th Throne Demon King ‘Gentle Barbatos’ appears. Barbatos’ influence reaches out to Seoul, the Land of the Anomalies. Understanding in all areas increases].
Dalkak.
“Indeed, he even lowers his tail in front of his natural enemy.”
It was the first time.
Steaming green tea.
I set it down without taking a single sip.
“You are absolutely disgusting, demon.”
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tl/n: 1. 이제부터 ‘아홉 번째 왕좌의 마왕, 바르바토스’가 중립 세력으로 변화합니다. (1. From now on, the Demon King of the 9th Throne, Barbatos, will become a neutral faction.), I think this is a mistake in raw, Barbatos is 8th Throne