Chapter 634. The Lion (2)
Focus, Hoyeol.
‘If I manifest it carelessly like before, I’ll immediately suffer magic power exhaustion.’
Magic—different from skills.
Recalling its essence, I carefully activated the portal.
Without Grandfell, and with only a speck of the First World Tree’s Blessing remaining,
I approached magic more seriously than ever before.
Whoooosh…
The first step was Exploration.
Perhaps thanks to my status as one of the Ten Thrones,
which allowed me to handle magic power of a different caliber.
My magic power efficiency had reached a level unimaginable to regular players.
The problem—
‘I’m probably using an equally unimaginable amount of magic power right now.’
Warping the entire Holy War Alliance!
A portal consumes an exponentially greater amount of magic power as more people enter it.
To maintain a portal large enough to warp thousands of Holy War Alliance members—
‘I can’t even calculate the amount of magic power required.’
Thanks to Grandfell’s talent and the First World Tree’s Blessing,
my magic power used to be as vast as the ocean.
But now, with Grandfell and the First World Tree’s Blessing gone—
‘I’ve returned to being just an ordinary water jar.’
At least it’s not a leaky jar like before, right?
Even though my class is Demon Hunter,
a hopeless stat distribution with investments in [Strength], [Agility], [Magic Power], and even [Luck],
my raw numbers were no longer as pathetic as they once were.
[Magic Power: 1,111]
Small drops make an ocean.
I invested all my level-up points from defeating the Blessed Guardian of the Verdant Forest into Magic Power.
Even Grandfell, who considered stats mere numbers,
wouldn’t be able to completely dismiss this amount.
Whoooosh…
‘Thank goodness…’
Even after activating a portal large enough for thousands,
my expression remained unchanged.
Of course, the portal’s destination was the nearest
location where a Blessed Monster had appeared.
‘Why is it so quiet?’
No news is good news, right?
Marcelo and the Magic Tower executives should have taken down a few Blessed Monsters by now.
‘But… are they all waiting for me?’
I turned my head—
The Holy War Alliance was looking at me with determined eyes.
They expected me, the Supreme Commander,
to step into the portal first.
Even though there was no need for that…
‘All because of the reputation you built, Grandfell.’
I wasn’t too fond of it—
but since I had to play a Lee Hoyeol even more radiant than Grandfell,
I stepped into the portal as if it had been my plan all along.
Ttogak.
Of course, my mind was still calculating everything.
‘Four days in Arcana equals one day in reality.’
For this expedition, we had deployed a significant force.
Although the Magic Tower still had Bensch William,
the Senior Mage of Fire Magic, as well as the Seniors of Amethyst Hall on standby—
it was undeniable that there was now a gap in reality.
‘Should I just defeat the monsters quickly and return to Seoul?’
With the Demon Gate closed and the Evil Eye in the sky gone,
if someone asked what else could be a concern—
I would answer:
‘Because of Grandfell’s unfinished business, I haven’t forgotten.’
The God of War—an opponent not to be underestimated.
Not only did he expel the Goddess and slaughter the Gods of Arcana Continent’s Pantheon,
but he also had a significant impact on reality through the players.
‘More than that, I’ve already set the bait.’
[Relic: Celestial Sword, Excalibur]
[Grade: Myth]
[Requirement: ???]
[Effect: Dominates all weapons of allies and enemies.]
[Description: A sacred relic stored in the treasury of the Pantheon.]
Excalibur, which I had completely subjugated using Grandfell’s karma.
If the God of War wanted to reclaim it,
he would have no choice but to set foot in the Yusra Kingdom himself.
‘I spoke as if he could approach it anytime, but…’
Didn’t I already say I also have a grudge?
That’s right.
Inside the Yusra Kingdom’s territory,
dozens—no, hundreds of magic circles were active,
specifically targeting the God of War.
If he truly believed that I had left the bait unguarded—
‘Then that would be the biggest mistake he could make.’
So for now—focus on Arcana.
What I needed now was a perfect victory.
Hoyeol, act even more shamelessly than Grandfell.
That was the key.
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The God of War
“Status Window.”
He was quickly adapting to the world of adventurers.
The reason he could adjust so easily to an entirely different world was due to the role of the adventurers. No—perhaps saying it like this might cause a misunderstanding, as if I had received help from such lowly beings.
“My body is still pathetically weak.”
Unlike the Goddess, who was clinging onto a Saintess to survive, the God of War, who had devoured the Karma of the Pantheon, saw players as nothing more than insignificant specks.
Stealing a player’s body? That was nothing to him. Especially when that player was a devout follower of the Church of the God of War, who had offered everything to him.
[Status Effect: ‘Divine Possession’ is currently active.]
The God of War smirked slightly.
“And yet, it doesn’t feel so bad.”
[『Anomaly』]
The God of War instinctively recognized it.
Even if he was trapped in this fragile vessel, his body was in the best condition it had ever been.
“It feels like I’ve stepped into a completely new world.”
Now he understood why the demons of the Demon World had abandoned Arcana and fixated on the World of Adventurers.
The God of War smoothly adapted to society, using the memories of the player he possessed.
Perhaps because of that—
“Damn. Who would’ve thought Harkon could actually pull that out?”
The Celestial Sword, Excalibur.
The God of War learned of the news while dining in a restaurant. The Excalibur, which had been left discarded as bait, had now fallen into the hands of some knight trash named Harkon.
“…That wasn’t nonsense?”
The world was buzzing.
Breaking news and countless speculations flooded in, but he still couldn’t believe it.
A Divine Relic.
Not some common magic tool.
Not some mere ‘item’ as adventurers called them.
‘A mere imperial knight…?’
There was no way Harkon had fulfilled the Karma requirements to wield Excalibur.
And the reason was simple—
Excalibur’s ownership had been transferred to Lee Hoyeol, a man who held a higher Karma than himself.
The God of War focused on the voices around him.
-“There are speculations that Harkon’s actions were taken independently. Currently, Player Lee Hoyeol is leading the Holy War Alliance’s raid in Arcana…”
Independently?
That made even less sense.
The God of War had been almost certain—
That Lee Hoyeol himself had commanded Excalibur to submit to that knight trash Harkon.
It was the only explanation he could think of.
No matter how much he racked his brain, no other possibilities came to mind.
“Did he really meet the requirements…?”
At that moment, his expression changed.
‘No, this is no time to be shocked.’
Because he was the God of War, a divine strategy was already formulating in his mind.
The biggest obstacle—Lee Hoyeol, as the human on the screen was reporting, has stepped onto Arcana’s lands.
Not only that, but Excalibur was no longer in Lee Hoyeol’s hands.
That meant one thing—
The God of War’s gaze locked onto Harkon on the screen.
“If I eliminate him…”
Excalibur will return to my grasp.
“I won’t let this slip away.”
No one understood Excalibur’s true power better than him.
That’s why the God of War did not hesitate.
His destination—the Yusra Kingdom, where the knight trash Harkon was.
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Srrrng.
Harkon gripped Excalibur.
A crushing weight flowed through his body. A sensation beyond words.
Harkon clenched his teeth and swung the sword.
“……”
Not even a trace of sword aura emerged.
Sword Aura—a power that could only be manifested when the wielder and their sword became one.
Which meant—
Harkon gazed at Excalibur.
“You do not acknowledge me.”
Then, a bitter smile formed on his lips.
“I understand completely.”
Because he himself had chosen a path that no one would understand.
“If I were in your place, I would have done the same.”
The expressions still lingered in his mind.
The Healing Magic School’s Senior Mage—
Bellier Yusia,
had lashed out at him in fury.
“Harkon! How could you…!!”
Her rage-filled shouts had sent a chill down his spine.
Elsidor?
No need to mention him.
The moment Harkon knelt before Hiel,
Elsidor had drawn his sword.
“If Hiel had not stopped him, by now…”
Elsidor would have taken my head.
Or Bellier’s magic would have reduced me to ashes.
I wouldn’t be standing here like this.
“And yet.”
Harkon’s gaze darkened.
“I would not have been able to claim this divine relic.”
The only reason Harkon was able to wield Excalibur was because of the World Tree’s Blessing.
However—his Karma was only borrowed.
“This must be my limit.”
He had not reached the stage where he could unleash sword aura with Excalibur.
But wasn’t this enough?
Because now, he could feel it—
“The weight of the burden he carries.”
The reason he accepted Hiel’s proposal was simple.
Unlike Bellier and Elsidor—
Harkon was different.
He looked down at his own body.
He was not a great mage.
He was not an elf who had conquered eternity.
Just a knight—one who could wield a sword better than most.
But his body was aging, withering.
Even though his legs, lost on the battlefield, had been fully restored by his Lord’s power—
“The price of sword aura… is life itself.”
Since the Cataclysm, there had not been a single battle where he had not wielded sword aura.
And Harkonhad an intuition—
“I hope you understand. Bellier and Elsidor.”
That was why he made his own decision.
It was a life already nearing its end.
If the World Tree saw through his intentions and killed him instantly—so be it.
But most of all—
“Lady Hiel.”
At the very last moment—he had seen it.
When she spoke those words—
Hiel was not the World Tree’s Avatar.
She was his Lord’s Avatar.
Because she genuinely cared for his Lord.
“…I am sorry, but I do not understand.”
What kind of future awaited Arcana and the world of adventurers?
Why had his Lord given such an order?
Harkon could not comprehend it—
“But that is to be expected.”
Because his Lord—was still his Lord.
Even when possessed by the demon Grandfell,
Even now that Grandfell was gone,
To Harkon, Hoyeol was still Hoyeol.
Clink.
Harkon lowered Excalibur and murmured—
“…Perhaps, I wanted to confirm it for myself.”
Then—
“?”
A chill ran down his spine.
His instincts screamed at him.
An approaching enemy—of an entirely different caliber.
His pupils shrank.
“Too slow.”
His vision turned red.
“Indeed, your Karma is pathetically light, trash knight.”
“Keuk…!!”
Harkon’s plate armor split apart.
Splurt—
A fountain of blood gushed from the gaping wound.
The God of War raised his sword.
He grinned down at the fallen Harkon.
“Will you struggle?”
It was the mockery of a victor.
In that brief exchange of blows—
To the God of War—
Only one word existed in his mind:
Victory.
But his smile did not last long.
“……?”
Rumble.
The ‘light’ rising from behind Harkon.
More precisely—
Dozens—no, hundreds of magic circles—activated at once.
At the same time, his fatal wound began healing at an alarming rate.
A slight twitch formed at the corner of Harkon’s lips.
“…Could it be?”
“Did my lord anticipate even my defiance?”
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