◈ Chapter 62. That Hard Part (1)

eighty nine thousand and seven hundreds thirty four…….

─Current contribution: 897,340p

So is this high or low?

I don’t have anything to compare it to.

You can’t even grab someone and ask them because of this personality.

That’s when I thought.

[You have met the requirements].

[You will be rewarded based on your contribution].

[Your relationship with Frost has reached a maximum].

[You’ve maxed out your influence in Frost].

[Your ‘Authority’ feature has been activated in Frost].

……Good thing you bothered to ask.

Roughly 900,000 contributions.

That should be enough to maximize your relationship and influence.

That and the activation of the [Authority] feature.

“Wow. Wait.”

It’s better to experience it once than to say it a hundred times.

I had gotten a taste of the power of the Authority feature in the Yusra Kingdom.

Thanks to this, I knew exactly what it could do and what its limits were.

The limit is that there is no limit!

The moment the Authority feature was activated.

In effect, I had the same power as a local lord.

To give you an example.

In the Yusra Kingdom, the only person who can stop me from making decisions is the King of Yusra, Hakuna.

But.

“Hakuna overrules me?

That was unthinkable.

I had activated such an immense power feature.

I had activated it in Frost.

I remembered the value of Frost from TV, internet news, and the community.

I knew it would be a huge economic booster, if not a pagoda in Korea. Everyone said.

“It’s not going to happen right away.

It was inevitable.

“It’s going to take a long time to rebuild this.”

“The amount of buildings that have collapsed is unbelievable.”

“We have to worry about the residents of …….”

At this point, Frost had literally been dropped into a living hell and miraculously resurrected.

But he wasn’t too worried.

Why, the Yusra Kingdom was much worse than Frost.

“One king, no people.”

That’s how the Yusra Kingdom started, and look where it is now.

Of course, that was only because Yusra was worth it.

Frost is just as valuable as Yusra for all the hype.

“Only production players will be excited again.”

“If you think of the hard work they did, you should admit it, this.”

“Yeah, whatever. We’ve gotten our share of experience.”

I decide to look at the authority as a feature.

Yeah, exp.

I checked the status and frowned.

[Name: Grandfell Claudie Arpheus Romeo]

[Class: Demon Hunter]

[Level: 295]

[Stats]

Strength: 38 / Agility: 42 / Magic: 213 / Luck: 5 / Aesthetics: Low]

[Points held: 30]

Demon King, Decarabia.

You’ve gained 30 levels just by defeating him.

Wow, that’s a lot more than I thought. This.

Wasn’t this the one that descended on the plaza?

It was attacked by players from all directions.

In other words, he was sharing kills with them, and sharing experience with them.

“And yet he still gained 30 levels?

Indeed, you spit out experience like a demon.

Of course, that means I contributed to a lot of kills.

So much so that I automatically get loot.

[High kill contribution automatically earns loot].

Open inventory.

I checked my demonic loot.

[The Pentagram of Impure Knowledge]

[Rating: Epic]

[Restrictions: None]

[Effect: Sealed]

[Description: The demonic curse has sealed its effects, and you must purify it to know its full power].

First of all, I was not agitated.

I am the incarnation of integrity and innocence that surpasses material desires.

A personality that is unflappable.

I was benefiting from Grandfell’s character.

“Calmly.

I perused the information that had once again surfaced.

[The Pentagram of Impure Knowledge].

First of all, its rank was a whopping [Epic].

A step above [Unique].

That meant it was the highest-ranked item in the current Arcana.

And most importantly, it had no level or wear restrictions.

“I would have died of frustration if there was a level 700 limit.

What could that information mean?

It meant that as long as I could break the Demonic Curse, I could immediately see the effects of the epic tier items……!

That’s it, break the demonic curse.

It wasn’t that hard, at least for me.

As you can see, look at the items in my inventory.

Decarabian.

The three items I used as offerings to invite him into the ritual.

[The Haunted Sword, the Lady’s Jewelry Box, and the Strangling Tie.]

Those three items were purified and stored in your inventory.

In other words.

‘……Thank God. Really.

I didn’t get carried away with the feeling of having won the jackpot.

Excitement leads to mistakes.

I was able to keep a cool head.

I’m so good at this…….

Just as I’m about to give myself a shameless pat on the back.

“?”

Oh, no, it’s sparkling again. This one.

My gaze fell on the flashing quest window.

It was an unexpected class quest.

Slay Demon King Decarabian. (Success)

[Class Quest: Slay a Demon King].

……Wait, now that I think about it.

I reflexively looked at the place where the Demon King was.

Count Ascura and the Seven Sins of Greed.

After defeating them.

The thick smoke rising from their remains.

Unlike before, the Demon King, Decarabian, had been burned without leaving even a handful of rubble behind. But……. Similarly, smoke was rising in the sky.

Smoke was rising everywhere.

Everyone else was ignoring it.

I could see it clearly.

An unusually thick smoke.

It was rising from the air where Decarabian had been.

I stared at the smoke and counted.

“That makes three.”

A class quest I had cleared in the past.

There was definitely a mention of a ‘bonfire’ in there.

Does that mean the smoke is a bonfire?

“So, this is a bonfire I’m lighting for someone to see?

I was thinking to myself.

“……!”

A new class quest popped up.

[Class Quest: Legacy of Akshan].

The Torch of Survival was delivered with certainty.

Last of the Demon Hunters.

Reclaim your legacy from evil.

─Train your weakened body. (Repeat)

……Wait. What?!

Akshan?!

The Akshan I know?!

As if that weren’t enough, you’re the same Akshan?!

* https://pindangscans.com

Decarabian.

The moment the demon descended.

The world fell into despair.

The overwhelming sense of power!

A giant pentagonal star made of blood and flesh.

The image of Decarabian hovering over Frost Square was sickening even from a distance.

Not only the viewers, but also the cast and crew of the studio were bewildered.

“I can’t believe we’re facing a demon like that. The players.”

Visceral fear.

Before it could sink in.

Breaking news arrived.

“Bar, news just came in that the supposed demon was disguised as the lord of Frost! And the one who figured out that fact… … .”

“No way, was it Lee Ho-yeol again?”

“Yes, they say so!”

Breaking news from players on the scene.

Yes, we had Lee Ho-yeol.

Everyone’s fears were relieved in unison.

Sigh.

The script read a statement from the AAU.

“Wait, the AAU has confirmed the identity of the Demon King as Decarabian……!”

At the same time, Decarabian’s data screen popped up.

There was information there that would shock everyone.

──────

Knowledge of all minerals.

Presumably immune to earth elemental attacks, including minerals.

──────

“Speaking of earth elemental attacks……?”

The first thing that came to mind was Lee Ho-yeol.

Earth elemental attacks.

That was one of Lee Ho-yeol’s main attacks.

At the same time, the screen switched.

The distance between Lee Ho-yeol and Decarabian had noticeably narrowed.

“Expert, how do you see it?”

“It’s a very dangerous situation……. That’s how it looks to me.”

“I agree. Isn’t it true that each skill has a proficiency level, and it takes effort to raise that proficiency level? I mean, Lee Ho-yeol’s ability to freely use the Earth Attribute skill was only possible because he invested his strength and time!”

Yes, skills were like stats.

It was hard enough to dig a single well.

Skills also increase in proficiency.

The amount of time and effort invested to increase skill was not normal.

No matter how much I call Lee Ho-yeol.

You can’t use skills of different attributes as freely as you can summon stone pillars or stone stairs…….

Hmph!

“What is that!”

……It was only common sense to expect it!

What’s that animated firestorm?

Incredible heat.

The helicopter pilot hurriedly gained altitude.

The camera quickly zoomed out to capture the entire firestorm.

“What am I looking at……?”

The cameraman muttered to himself.

” …… looks like a person, is that it?”

No, it wasn’t an illusion.

It was a live broadcast.

The studio, watching the same screen.

“Isn’t that a person, not just a firestorm?”

“No face, no long hair, and those look like hands!”

“It’s not an optical illusion, that’s definitely a woman!”

“Expert, what kind of skill is that?”

“How would I, a mere mortal, know, just look.”

The figure was as if Frost was trying to keep from falling into hell.

A woman’s form that was as if she was being hugged and supported.

Firestorm!

The firestorm had become a reliable shield for the players and an inescapable prison for Decarabian. There were no more twists.

“It’s over, everyone. The demon has fallen……!”

A crushing victory.

But it wasn’t all celebration.

There were victims, after all.

“But a victory full of wounds.”

The camera zoomed in on the stunned residents of Frost.

Could the heavens be trying to comfort them in their grief?

Soon, heavy snow began to fall from the sky.

“Yeah, if this were a movie or a drama.”

This would be a good time to end it.

There would be a hero who defeated evil.

There would be peace once again.

A neat end with a hint of the next season.

But this was reality.

“It’s a reality with a lot of dirty laundry to do.”

PD Hyun Yong-seok, who was watching the angle, spoke up.

“Let’s get one more shot.”

Hyun Yong-seok’s target was none other than Inazuma.

If you have any sense at all.

He could predict what was about to happen.

“It’s not uncommon.”

Frost appeared in the new update.

It’s no wonder governments are on high alert.

Because the economic value of Frost was enormous.

“The Japanese government must be dancing right now.”

When Frost showed up in Hokkaido and the Hokkaido Islands.

Their secretive nature was quickly revealed.

They held onto the ankles of every other guild except their own, Inazuma, with all their might. It was a clear violation of international agreements, but they decided the Frost was worth it.

“Although we quickly withdrew because the Demon King appeared.

The mind is different when you go into the bathroom than when you come out.

Now that the demon king is gone.

It seemed obvious that the Japanese government would once again assert its territorial rights to Frost.

And who would stand in their way?

Obviously.

“The person with the highest contribution to the recapture quest.”

That would be Lee Ho-yeol.

“……I knew you’d say that!”

Yes, the tide had turned as Hyun Yong-seok had predicted.

The entire Inazuma Guild, led by Hisagi.

They had begun to approach Lee Ho-yeol’s side.

Hyun Yong-seok ordered.

“Can you catch the sound?”

-That might be a bit difficult.

“Okay. We’ll have to settle for the picture. Pull a close-up.”

-Facial expressions and mouth shapes? I don’t need to tell you, that kind of thing.

“Okay.”

I guess it’s not a bad idea to try to guess what’s going on based on facial expressions and mouth shapes.

No, not regret, but save that one shot.

Korean-Japanese conflict.

If nothing else, it’s a guaranteed ratings hit.

Soon, Lee Ho-yeol and Kazuma Hisagi face each other.

“……?”

But no matter how much I zoomed in.

I couldn’t capture Hisagi’s expression or the shape of his mouth.

That was to be expected.

Hyun Yong-seok’s eyes widened in disbelief.

” ……, Yong-jin, what am I looking at?”

How could he see their faces with their heads down?

But this was also reality.

Hyun Yong-seok, realizing the situation, said urgently.

“Hurry up and turn on the subtitles!”

The breaking news appeared on the bottom of the broadcast screen.

──────

Kazuma Hisagi and the rest of the Inazuma Guild.

They seemed to bow their heads to Lee Ho-yeol to express their gratitude……!

──────