◈ Episode 63. That Hard Thing (2)

Buzzing─

The smartphone vibrated loudly.

Kazuma Hisagi checked the caller ID.

Sure enough, it was them.

The tightly coiffed man beside him asked cautiously.

“Kazuma. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“What?”

“We’ll always follow you, but are you sure you can handle it?”

To Lee Ho-yeol, a player from South Korea.

Inazuma, the pride and symbol of Japan, bowed his head.

The sight was broadcast around the world by the players on the live stream.

“We are greatly indebted to you. Thank you very much.”

There was no instruction from the Japanese government for the gesture.

It just happened. It was Hisagi’s decision.

Hisagi narrowed his eyes.

“Well. What do you guys think about that?”

“……We? I guess it’s no different than yours.”

“I’ve seen something, isn’t that obvious?”

Dark, tanned skin.

The woman interrupted, spitting on the dip.

“Shitty people. They don’t even know what they’re talking about.”

Frost.

In the same room.

Under the eyes of the same players.

The members of the Inazuma Guild could bow their heads to Lee Ho-yeol with all their hearts.

If it weren’t for him, Hokkaido would have been…….

“Hundreds of thousands, no, millions of people, and you can’t even show that much gratitude to the man who saved their lives, just because he’s Korean? I’ve thought about it before, but you bastards above……!”

“Don’t be angry. It’ll only hurt your feelings.”

“……Whoa. So are you going, Kazuma?”

Kazuma asked with a tone that didn’t match his gruff face.

Hisagi’s snake eyes flashed.

“Yeah, because I have to give the old people a dose of reality.”

.

. https://pindangscans.com

.

Drrr-

Hisagi fell to his knees.

Seated around him were the ministers of the Japanese government.

They began spewing venom at Hisagi.

“Don’t you think you lack competence, Hisagi?”

“Bowing to the Koreans, you stupid……!”

“Now that Gaon has surpassed Inazuma. You don’t realize how much your actions meant!”

Nalm─.

I’ll kill him.

Hisagi wiped saliva from his dry lips and seriously considered it.

To skewer those fat bodies.

It shouldn’t take more than a few seconds.

But I’ll have to be patient.

If not for himself.

For the sake of the man on his shoulder.

“Stupid.”

In the frost, Hisagi realized.

He realized that he had been greatly mistaken all this time.

[Recapture Frost].

He’d forgotten about it, thanks to the sudden quest.

He was blinded by the contribution and forgot that the location where Frost and the devil appeared was Hokkaido.

It wasn’t until he faced Lee Ho-yeol that he realized it.

“On second thought, I have nothing to say.”

After seeing Lee Ho-yeol rescuing survivors, to be precise.

Rescuing survivors was not enough.

He had to clean up the mess.

For a moment, Hisagi felt dizzy.

…… If only Ho Yeol had been a little late.

“The residents of Hokkaido…….

could have been like them.

The thought made him feel like an idiot.

“What did I do for them?

But Hisagi was the only one who realized.

These bosses were the same.

“It’s not enough to think about the best interests of the country.”

“That’s right. Didn’t I say we should delay their entry a little longer?”

“You’re right. A few dozen Hokkaido civilians would have been caught in the crossfire, and we could have used that as an excuse to launch the missiles. It would have been much better than this.”

For their own good.

The lives of others are a sacrifice.

Once the illusion was broken, reality began to set in.

‘In the end, I’ll be thrown away too.’

Of course, Hisagi had no intention of taking it lightly.

Hisagi stood up from his seat.

The sake sippers stared at him in disbelief.

“What are you doing, Hisagi?”

“We’re not done talking yet!”

“Uh-huh. Take a seat!”

They must be mistaken.

Hisagi exhaled flesh instead of answering.

Class, a Master Lancer.

Sixth in the player rankings.

His tittle, Spear of Lightning.

The flesh he spat out was thicker than a snake’s venom.

“Heh, Hisagi!”

“There must have been some misunderstanding in our words…….”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Snap─

A trembling hand.

The sake glass they missed breaks.

Their crotches were soaked with sake or something else.

Hisagi answered.

“I don’t think Inazuma will be working with the government in the future.”

“……What, what?! What does that mean!”

“You may dispose of it as you wish.”

Hisagi’s eyes flashed.

“That is, if only I could still breathe.”

At that, the ministers realized what was happening.

“……!”

They realized that the Hisagi they had been holding and shaking was……!

A player in the top ten in the world in terms of strength.

That meant that all the bodyguards in the world would be useless against Hisagi.

To stop Hisagi, they’d have to bring in a player at least as strong as a South Korean.

But.

‘Is that even possible……?’

Players of that caliber were not moved by money.

They wouldn’t be moved by money.

Hisagi’s words weren’t empty.

“You’re really going to die……!”

The ministers froze.

leaving them behind.

“Then, the snake will go away. Please enjoy yourself.”

Hisagi bowed and slipped out of the room.

So, he did it.

Hisagi shrugged.

“Maybe I’m not meant to live in my own country.”

For now, anyway.

They wouldn’t let a snake out of a barrel.

Hisagi considered it seriously.

“Well, exile wouldn’t be so bad.”

His country was a futile power.

Given the complicated interests of nations.

There wouldn’t be many countries that would take him in…….

I wouldn’t even care about Japan.

No, the one who doesn’t seem to care.

Hisagi knew one person.

The Inazuma, who bowed their heads.

The vessels that accepted the polite greeting as if it were a given.

The formality that oozed from their actions.

Hisagi folded his fingers and counted the money.

“…… How much do you need for an investment immigration to the Yusra Kingdom?”

* https://pindangcans.com

The flavor of the otherworldly sake slowly settled into his palate.

“Kyaa. I like this green bottle so much~”

“Your cheap taste buds aren’t going anywhere. Sweetheart.”

“Cheap taste, you mean you look down on me because I’m from the slums?”

“…… and. You’re already drunk, Chief.”

The non-drinking sister.

The kid who hates being bothered.

The old man who says he’s too old.

Except for those few.

The Shadow Mercenaries held a drinking game in the guise of a regular meeting.

Kichi giggled, then shouted.

“Hey, fatty, keep it down!”

“Ma’am, wait. I’m coming out. Here.”

“The whole truth and nothing but the truth. Ugh.”

TV blaring.

Fatty, Rocky, was sitting in front of the TV.

A mass of muscle that made even a 100-inch TV screen look small.

Despite his intimidation, Rocky’s eyes were sparkling.

“Wow. I’ve been missing out on this good stuff.”

I thought it was just a picture frame.

He touched something and a picture came to life.

A painting that came to life.

You couldn’t buy this for a billion dollars on the continent of Arcana.

That alone was enough to make his eyes widen.

Rockid focused on the news as it came in.

-There’s been quite a bit of favorable reaction to Inazuma’s actions. What do you think, expert? Do their actions represent the attitude of the Japanese government?

-I don’t think so. According to a Japanese government official, Inazuma’s behavior is not in the least bit in line with the government’s opinion…….

In the middle of a conversation that is neither interesting nor funny.

A never-ending dossier.

There was a familiar face there, Lee Ho-yeol.

“So. Next. I.”

Yes, Ho-Yeol Lee.

Rockid understood generously.

“Well, he did play a little bit.

But this Rockkid was a big player, too.

Just as you praised Lee Ho-yeol, you should also praise this Rockid.

“……So how long will they keep showing the same face?”

But the wait was not worth it.

No matter how long I wait, no matter how many channels I turn.

It was all about Lee Ho-yeol.

“……The same face back and forth?! Suddenly. What. This.”

After the breaking news ended.

When a nasty CF pops up.

No wonder Rockid’s patience exploded.

Bam, bam, bam.

Rockid stalked over and downed the liquor like it was water.

After downing three bottles to match his size, Rocky asked in frustration.

“What can I do that’s worse than Lee Ho-yeol?”

Here we go again.

A whining whimper that he ignores lightly as usual.

The only one who responded was the drunken leader, Kichi.

Kichi flirted and said.

“…… can’t even use magic. I cannot even fight.”

“Magic is one thing, but fighting?! A wizard can’t fight…….”

“Tsk tsk tsk. You don’t know anything, Rocky. Hmph.”

That monster.

Even the sword energy is free…….

“Hmph-”

There were many things I wanted to say.

My body, my tongue, wouldn’t listen.

But it felt like it had to be said.

Kichi drove a wedge into Rockid.

“And most of all…….”

“……what. You’re going to get drunk again.”

“Lee Ho-yeol is much more handsome than you.”

“What?! What?!”

I can put up with everything else, but not that!

Rockid’s face turned sour.

To that, Kichi added sincerely.

“Hey, don’t touch me anyway. I don’t want to fall behind.”

Rockid had noticed.

“Inspiration and makeover?

First Alkari, then Kichi.

They thought very highly of Lee Ho-yeol.

There had to be a reason.

To that, Rockid had no objection.

‘…… That one spell wasn’t normal.’

So Rockid could only scream.

“Then where do I go to resolve my injustice!!”

The only person who could answer was the drunken Kichi.

“I’m sure he’s at the Magic Tower by now.”

Rockid stuck his tongue out at him.

There is such a thing as sincerity.

I’ve known that since I watched him in the Yusra Kingdom.

No one in the world is more tired than Lee Ho-yeol.

‘That explains his strength.’

By the way.

” …… You said not to touch it. Why are you telling me that?”

“It’s too loud. I thought maybe if I hit it, it would quiet down.”

“I have no intention of going over there and hitting it. And what, Magic Tower? What’s the point of going back to that monster-infested place? Am I crazy?!”

*

Drip.

Beads of sweat.

A floating message.

[You have fulfilled the condition].

[You will be rewarded].

I said under my breath.

“‘It’s easy.”

What a f*cking bluff.

A class quest to increase my strength and agility.

Aerobic and anaerobic workouts, day in and day out.

I digest the massive workouts.

Aside from stats, it’s no wonder my base health is rising.

“Not bad for a post-workout tea.”

Sweet tea.

Thirsty tea time.

As always, I asked a question.

“……Is this really going to kill me?”

Drowning in pride, drowning in formality.

But I was feeling it in my body.

I was struggling.

I realized that now I couldn’t sink at will, even if I wanted to……!

“Even this is getting used to.”

Yes, because humans are animals of adaptation.

Improved stamina meant that no matter how hard you worked, you still had energy left in your body.

Really, it couldn’t have been more embarrassing.

Why, not so long ago.

In the past, I could use physical fatigue as an excuse to take a legitimate break.

My stamina had increased.

The never-ending pride of the Grandfell.

It meant I had no choice but to fight.

After defeating the Demon, I returned to the Tower.

And a laboratory.

But there was no point in whining anymore.

” …….done.”

I knew this pride would never die.

I threw caution to the wind and checked the quest window.

“Akshan. How nostalgic.”

[Class Quest: Akshan’s Legacy].

The message of survival has been delivered.

Last of the Demon Hunters.

Recover your legacy, stolen by evil.

─Train your weakened body. (Repeat)

Our first guess.

The smoke rising from the demonic remnants was the result of a beacon.

It’s said that the torch of survival was reliably delivered.

Though we don’t know the exact circumstances.

You’ve fulfilled the quest requirement by defeating Decarabian.

“I can only wait for the next objective to arise.

It’s Akshan’s legacy.

Still, let’s use common sense.

“Of course it’s more likely to be at an Akshan base.

The problem is, that Akshan base disappeared from Arcana overnight.

In the past, players seemed to think nothing of it.

-Didn’t they just wipe it because it was a dead class?

-It’s not in the update history because there’s not a single Demon Hunter player.

-It’s better to delete content that’s only taking up space.

Well, I would have thought so too.

Back when Arcana was a normal game.

But experience has taught me otherwise.

Arcana was no ordinary game.

Even the Yusra Islands, which I thought was just a treasure island.

There was a story of an ancient kingdom and a great evil.

There was a good chance the Akshan base had a backstory, too.

‘That’s what the class quest came up with…….’

I got the idea.

I opened my mouth.

“I look forward to being reunited with you.”

Not remembering a single face or name.

How shameless of me.

“It’s a quest objective. It’ll come to you in time.”

So for now, it’s best to stick to your routine.

Organize your thoughts.

You’re too scared to sit up straight.

Self-help.

The words on the parchment floated to the surface.

The sender was Marcelo, the chief mage.

Mmm.

I calmly tilted my teacup.

I read the words.

“……?

But the content was surprising.

Quite a bit.