Chapter 34

◈ Chapter 34. True Nemesis (2)

The reason why my body, weakened by magical exhaustion, had returned to normal.

‘It must be due to the ascending effect.’

If the nemesis relationship between a demon hunter and a demon simply enhanced combat power,

then the relationship between Granfel and the demon must have increased additional abilities, including mana regeneration.

‘Unyielding pride.’

To always be able to stand straight, as always.

Though I should have been happy, I couldn’t just be joyful.

Because I knew from experience.

That Granfel’s setting was not omnipotent.

‘...I’m already scared.’

Because realizing that setting required effort.

Not only the stamina training from repetitive quests but also the A4 papers filled to the brim.

How many sleepless nights did I spend due to the setting of being a great genius?

But now, even that hardship was worth it.

‘Not just any demon, but a great evil.’

To be precise, an embodiment of great evil, but still.

An enemy that even the mighty Harcon would be tense about.

Facing such a foe in a state of magical exhaustion would be absurd.

First, I should be grateful.

While thinking this, Harcon approached.

“Sir Hojeol, could it be that the reason you came to the Yusra Archipelago is...?”

It was due to the updated quest.

To put it plainly, it was because of the great evil.

I answered as if it were obvious.

“Yes, Sir Harcon.”

“...!”

His pupils dilated for a moment.

Then Harcon muttered to himself.

“...It is my fault, Your Majesty. If only I had known sooner.”

When Harcon said ‘Your Majesty,’ he must have meant the emperor.

There was no need to respond to his muttering.

Of course, what was his fault?

It wasn’t a situation to ponder over.

“...Everyone, prepare for battle! They’re coming!!”

A palace that seemed to embody greed.

Soldiers began to emerge around it.

They weren’t summoned but rather sprang up from the ground.

Hood-dud-dud─!

They were really crawling out from the earth.

Someone shouted.

“Undead!”

Indeed, that was correct.

What emerged from the ground, digging through the soil, were skeletons.

‘Undead are not demons...’

I checked my skill window.

───────

Nemesis Relationship: Combat power increases dramatically when fighting demons.

───────

The nemesis relationship was indeed active.

It had been active even when the great evil was crouching.

Now that it had fully revealed itself, there was no need to confirm it.

But I needed to make a cold judgment.

I surveyed the battlefield.

I saw anxious players.

“To enter, we need to take them down first, right?”

“We need to minimize casualties in the fight!”

“That’s a good idea. The competition will be fiercer inside!”

Unlike me, the demon hunter,

the players didn’t understand the severity of the situation.

They seemed excited to attack the golden palace and the great evil.

That’s understandable.

The golden palace.

Just its appearance suggested that great treasures would spill out.

Greed, in its purest form.

The golden palace, by its mere existence,

was clouding the players’ judgment.

Of course, for Granfel, the symbol of integrity,

greed was a non-existent emotion.

His judgment remained clear.

Thanks to this, I could make a rational decision.

‘I need to conserve mana.’

The embodiment of great evil.

Its strength couldn’t be compared to Count Ascura.

I had no mana to waste on mere skeletons.

In that sense, it was fortunate.

I had a reliable ally, unmatched by anyone else.

Though limited to the Yusra Archipelago.

“Sir Harcon, is your resolve still valid?”

“Of course.”

With that, Harcon put on his helmet.

Clank─

Then, with the knights, he raised his sword and shield.

“I pledged to Your Majesty that I would be your sword and shield here. Sir Hojeol, you have the authority to command the Lion Heart Knights.”

He added one more thing.

“Especially now that I know you came here to slay the demon. I will not retreat even an inch before the enemy.”

In unison, the Lion Heart Knights lined up before me.

I didn’t feel like I had become a great person.

I just felt that their loyalty was something to be expected.

‘...This is tiring to think about.’

But because I had a responsibility.

Responsibility naturally followed.

In short, it was ‘noblesse oblige.’

Why did I even bring such a tiring setting into my life, my past self...? At least this was certain. I just attached a cool-sounding word to it.

Of course, regardless of the truth,

I spoke confidently.

To the players, I said,

“The Lion Heart Knights need blessings and protection to face the undead. If you cooperate, I will deeply appreciate your kindness.”

...How shameless to ask!

In short, I needed buffs.

The blessing and protection of the gods.

There was no greater weakness for skeletons and other undead.

Naturally, I didn’t have such a skill.

I thought,

‘If it were an order, I could understand, but a request?’

I never thought I would say such things.

I had grown up because I had responsibilities. What else?

I even said I would be grateful for their kindness.

Of course, to the players, I would still sound arrogant.

To offer only gratitude without any concrete reward.

Considering the unfriendly looks I was getting.

No one would respond...

“We will help... sir.”

“We will cooperate!”

...I thought.

For some reason, they answered simultaneously.

I looked at the two men and women.

...Wait, aren’t we acquaintances?

*

In the end, the collapse progress bar filled to the max.

At the same time, the golden palace appeared.

Nam Taemin muttered,

“It turned out as you said, brother.”

-Be careful, Taemin. It won’t be easy.

Yusra Archipelago.

It was too calm to be a legendary treasure island.

Of course, even if ten named monsters were guarding the treasure,

the bait thrown out since the early days of Arcana was too big.

Nam Cheolmin continued,

-Don’t be greedy. Let’s go slowly.

Nam Taemin, who was staring blankly at the golden palace.

...Why am I staring so intently?

Looking at the golden palace, I felt as if I were under a spell.

“Huh? Oh, right. Brother, I need to focus.”

Nam Taemin shook his head quickly.

Then he spoke to Gaon’s guild members.

“The enemy is a demon. Prepare mental fortification items and buffs. We don’t know when the battle will start... Well, I didn’t need to say that.”

Skeletons emerging from the ground.

Demons, and now undead?

“This is just ridiculous.”

Just as Nam Taemin forced a smile,

“Cooperate, and I will deeply appreciate your kindness.”

...This voice?

It was Hojeol’s voice.

Not only Nam Taemin,

but also Nam Cheolmin, who was listening through headphones.

-Taemin, this is an opportunity. This!

Not just anyone, but Hojeol’s favor.

Other players might not know, but the brothers did.

How many times had they seen Hojeol’s abilities firsthand?

So they couldn’t miss this chance.

“We will cooperate!”

They answered reflexively.

And their eyes met.

“...What, what is it?”

With Leonie, who was looking at him very disdainfully.

“We will help... sir.”

The reason Leonie, using forced formal speech, stepped forward was simple.

Those crazy people were poking her in the side.

Squeak-squeak.

They were even making crow-like noises.

“Sister, it’s a favor!”

“Hurry up!”

“No, what.”

Of course, there was a bit of her own will involved.

Like the Nam brothers of Gaon,

‘That monster.’

Leonie was one of the people who had witnessed Hojeol’s abilities firsthand.

Not only witnessed,

but thanks to Hojeol, the Berserker guild had become the first to clear a new rift.

‘Well, it’s like repaying a favor.’

Favors should be repaid when you can.

Most importantly, Leonie knew.

-Unfortunately, I have no car to give you.

Hojeol’s narrow-mindedness.

Leonie suppressed a chuckle.

‘But he said he wouldn’t forget the favor.’

If it went well, maybe she could get a cup of coffee?

Thinking this, ...

Suddenly, a huge uninvited guest appeared: Gaon.

Zing─

Gaon and Berserker.

Barbarian and Berserker.

With Hojeol in between.

Tension flowed between them.

But the tense standoff that seemed unlikely to end quickly

“Remember you.”

“...!!”

ended with just one word.

*

The world can be so warm.

Even though we were acquaintances and hadn’t had a proper conversation,

to step forward so readily.

I still feel the warmth of the world.

‘I regret it.’

Nam Taemin and Leonie.

Both had a connection from the Ascura Count’s rift.

Back then, to these kind people,

‘Lack of formality. No car to give.’

...I said everything, good and bad.

Of course, regret was a non-existent word for Granfel.

I was calm and composed.

“I will not forget the favor.”

“Eh.”

Nam Taemin waved his hand at my words.

Gaon, the best guild in Korea.

And Nam Taemin, the guild master of Gaon.

Even I, who didn’t care about players in the past, couldn’t ignore Nam Taemin.

In Korea, Nam Taemin was a hero beyond a player.

“This is nothing. Sir Hojeol... or should I say, Hojeol? Anyway, we owe you a favor too!”

The favor he was talking about was probably the battle in the square.

Should I call it a favor?

‘It was just good luck.’

Back when magic was limited to creating walls.

Winning a major victory against advantageous cavalry.

But like regret,

humility was also a non-existent emotion for Granfel.

“Is that so. Everything has give and take.”

The Lion Heart Knights, and now Gaon too?

...I don’t know. I’m scared of this me now.

I looked at Leonie.

“I have been watching your progress.”

Berserker guild.

Not as strong as Gaon, but one of the top guilds.

I still remember her wielding dual swords.

Though I couldn’t properly mimic it due to the lack of suitable swords.

“Eek.”

But why is she so surprised?

Leonie’s reaction to my words was clearly startled.

This straightforward personality wouldn’t let such a question pass.

“What are you so surprised about?”

“No, no. What’s there to be surprised about. I...?”

But I’m not the kind to press for an answer to a difficult question.

“That’s a relief.”

Besides, now wasn’t the time for friendly chatter.

With the golden palace just ahead.

Haron spoke to the two.

“Thank you, adventurers. Your blessings will be a great help in the fight against evil.”

The Lion Heart Knights, armed with buffs.

A healer-looking player approached me and asked,

“Do you need any buffs? Like Prayer of the Goddess or Blessing? My skill proficiency is the highest in the Gaon guild!”

I replied coldly.

“I don’t believe in gods.”

...I’m really going to lose it. I really am!

A cheesy line.

Saying such a line without any change in expression.

To be honest,

I’m more scared of speaking than facing the great evil...

‘Prayer boosts mental fortitude, and Blessing enhances physical abilities.’

Both were buffs that were almost useless to me.

So I was just saying I didn’t need any buffs.

Damn.

My inner shame is boiling.

So I didn’t hesitate.

Toward the palace of greed.

I moved quickly.

Click─

Before someone could pick up on my words...!

*

AAU Korea Branch.

Seong Hyunjun accessed the official Arcana website.

He checked the newly added update log.

“...I knew this would happen!”

“What? Another patch?”

“Yes, senior. It’s definite. This is something even Raymond couldn’t predict!”

Yusra Archipelago.

Or, more precisely, the Kingdom of Yusra.

This was a large-scale content that Seong Hyunjun had been preparing since his days as an Arcana developer.

Not only Seong Hyunjun, but the Arcana development team couldn’t have been unaware of the Kingdom of Yusra.

“Why didn’t he do it alone if he wanted to?”

The target of his complaint was Raymond Shen.

What did he mess with?

“...Hyunjun, am I imagining things?”

“No, you’re not. The Kingdom of Yusra was supposed to be destroyed. Even when Raymond Shen went missing and Cosmo collapsed!”

“But why is it appearing now...?”

Why is a golden palace, which didn’t exist at this point, reappearing? And with a great evil, a monster no one has heard of?

“What’s this Seven Deadly Sins, Greed? Just add what you know.”

Still, it was fortunate.

At least the update log was posted, albeit late.

He needed to extract any information that could help players from the log.

That was the role of AAU.

However,

“...Senior?”

Seong Hyunjun couldn’t say anything.

“What a mess.”

Senior Yun Soo-gyun was no different.

His mind went blank.

Seong Hyunjun forced himself to speak.

“Well, there’s the Lion Heart Knights! And there’s Lee Hojeol. The large guilds are still strong...”

“The Lion Heart Knights? Do you think they’ll risk their lives here? They’ve been lucky so far, but don’t expect more help.”

“...You’re right, but...”

But he quickly trailed off.

Yun Soo-gyun urgently made a call.

“It’s impossible! No one, absolutely no one should enter!”

On the monitor,

a desperate update log appeared.

“A new collapse rift, ‘Golden Palace,’ has been added.

Recommended level: Lv.600~650

New boss monster, ‘Seven Deadly Sins, Embodiment of Greed’: Lv.650

New monsters have been added.

‘Sleepless Soldier’: Lv.500”

Yun Soo-gyun shouted,

“We’re all going to die!!”

.

.

.

But that prediction was wrong.

No one died.

It was like a flash of lightning.

The lightning cut through the collapse rift, the Golden Palace,

from level 600 to 650.

The prediction was wrong again.

At the forefront were the Lion Heart Knights.

“Knights of the Lion’s Heart.”

Haron’s sword was imbued with a blade of light.

His eyes shone with determination, matching the blade of light.

So the prediction was all wrong.

“Offer your hearts. So that Sir Hojeol can reach the great evil!”

They truly risked their lives.

“There it is.”

In the distance, the throne, the embodiment of the Seven Deadly Sins, Greed, was visible.