Chapter 57

◈ Chapter 57. Our Pride Aligns (1)

─Halt the Demon King Summoning Ritual. (In Progress)

●Defeat the Demon Legion Commanders. (0/10)

Perhaps it was because the investigation was complete.

A new quest objective had emerged.

As I watched, I gradually began to understand.

'There was a reason they were desperately trying to block us.'

To successfully complete the Demon King Summoning Ritual.

The Demon Army had been desperately trying to block our path.

Once I realized this, I could also guess why the Demon Army had suddenly swarmed in.

They must not have expected the defensive line to collapse so quickly.

“Is there a way to quickly evacuate the survivors?”

Harkan asked the Shadow Mercenary Corps.

“Hmm.”

Hmm?

So, is there a way or not?

Kichi, who had been spacing out, met my eyes.

Startled, she then urgently called out to someone.

“...Alkari. We need a portal. Hic.”

Alkari was the old man who had offered me a potion.

If he can manifest a portal, he must be a mage class.

‘He seemed to have a deep understanding of potion-making.’

The more useful things, the better.

It wouldn’t hurt to have a conversation with him.

“Though I didn’t step forward because you were here, if you need my help.”

Alkari looked at me and began to gather his mana.

Still, he didn’t step forward because I was here.

He must be misunderstanding.

‘Of course, he can manifest it.’

Not as good as the portal in the Magic Tower, but I can manifest a portal too.

No matter how high-level the magic.

With Granfel’s talent, I can instantly understand the process of exploration, interference, and manifestation.

If there’s enough mana to back it up, manifesting a portal isn’t difficult.

But.

‘I need to conserve mana.’

In the battle with the Demon Army just now.

I consumed a considerable amount of mana.

Who would have known?

That there would be so many survivors, and not just a few.

“...Thank you, Sir Knights.”

“No, we’re not in a position to receive thanks.”

“Thank you again, Adventurer...?”

I looked at the girl who bowed her head to me.

...Please be a bit more humble.

Don’t take gratitude for granted.

I barely nodded my stiff head.

‘Did the rest fight against the demons?’

All the survivors who were hiding were elderly or weak.

People who couldn’t fight properly.

They need to be evacuated to a safe place quickly.

‘But there’s no need to add to the confusion.’

They haven’t realized they’ve fallen into another world.

A safe and familiar place for them.

There’s only one place, even without saying it.

“The coordinates will be set to the Kingdom of Yusra.”

Alkari summoned the portal wisely.

With the distance between the coordinates and the number of portal users being quite large.

It seems a considerable amount of mana is being consumed.

Alkari drank the potion like water.

Harkan gave instructions to Jessica and a few other knights.

“You will join us after the survivors have settled.”

The evacuation of the survivors was carried out quickly.

Is this also measured by contribution?

I checked the flashing quest window.

──────

─Current Contribution: 32,700p

──────

...It was a significant increase.

Harkan said to me.

“Sir, I don’t know what you think, but I believe we need to quickly resolve this and rescue other survivors. They can’t all be in this area.”

“I agree.”

“Oh, I spoke out of turn to you.”

Knowing that good deeds bring contribution, there’s no reason to oppose.

Of course, before that, quickly resolving...

That means we need to finish the Demon King’s extermination.

‘Demon King Summoning Ritual.’

I recalled.

The words of the passing Akshan Demon Hunters.

But no clear memories that could help came to mind.

‘Just demons, but not the Demon King.’

It’s been 12 years.

The background is different.

But one thing was certain.

All rituals require a sacrifice.

Just as the [Exorcism Ritual] requires a demon item as a sacrifice.

The Demon King Summoning Ritual must also require a sacrifice.

‘...Wait a moment.’

Thinking this, the scenery of the street suddenly looked different.

The street where blood and corpses were endless.

I turned around and looked at the carnage again.

It was as if a line had been drawn with blood and corpses.

“...!”

That straight line connected to the center of Frost.

‘Could these corpses and blood be the sacrifice?’

I organized my thoughts at this point.

It was still a premature guess.

But even if the guess turns out to be true.

My actions won’t change.

Kneeling, I closed the eyes of the unperceived corpse.

Ignoring them.

Stopping the Demon King Summoning Ritual would be meaningless.

Yes, my pride in my heart said so.

‘Moreover, if my guess is correct...’

The urgent ones are not me but them.

This prideful act of collecting corpses.

It’s not just hindering the Demon King Summoning Ritual but causing chaos.

I opened my mouth.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t dance to your tune.”

If you’re scared, die.

*

AAU.

The branch was busy.

The appearance of the Demon Army.

It was a different situation from the time of the Great Evil.

In the Korean branch, Seong Hyunjun searched through a USB.

“Please, please, there has to be something...!”

In the days when Arcana was just a game.

It was a USB used in Cosmo.

Maybe there were backup work files.

Seong Hyunjun desperately searched through the folders.

“The Great Evil was unheard of, but the Demon King is different.”

His senior, Yun Sukgyeom, was the same.

He also began searching through his work notebook.

Then, suddenly, he found something.

“...I, I found it, Senior!”

“What? Let me see.”

“It’s not specific information, but here’s the concept.”

“Right, right. My memory wasn’t wrong!”

Demon King.

The boss monsters that would appear in Arcana in the distant future.

Since it was really in the distant future.

In the backup files he found, only the basic concept existed.

But what’s the point?

Thinking about the time when they were just spinning their thumbs during the Great Evil.

“Right, the concept was based on real Demon Kings.”

If the concept hasn’t changed.

The Demon King that appeared in Frost is also real.

So, it must be a Demon King from legends or myths.

At least, a sigh of relief was let out.

“Thank goodness.”

“What do you mean, thank goodness? The problem is, what kind of Demon King is it?”

“Oh, we need to find that out...!”

Thud!

Seong Hyunjun hit his forehead.

Then, Yun Sukgyeom found something in his notebook.

“...I found it too.”

“What? What is it, Senior?!”

“The concept for the Demon King Raid Stage Composition.”

Stage composition?

That could be really helpful information.

Yun Sukgyeom clicked his tongue.

“But this is just a concept.”

“Still, you never know!”

“Right. Even if nothing else, the probability that this concept remains is high.”

“Let’s see. Demon King Summoning Ritual?”

Yun Sukgyeom had a reason for his confidence.

Because there was a familiar word at the end.

Seong Hyunjun’s eyes widened.

“...Contribution System! Senior, could this be...?”

“Right, the ongoing quest also has a contribution system.”

“But the quest’s goal is to reclaim Frost.”

“Right, but in a broader sense.”

Yun Sukgyeom displayed the map of Frost on the monitor.

The walled metropolis, Frost.

Yun Sukgyeom drew a circle along the walls of Frost with his finger.

“Perhaps reclaiming Frost might be treated the same as stopping the Demon King Summoning Ritual. Why? Think of the entire city of Frost as the Demon King Summoning Ritual site.”

“...Huh? What do you mean?”

Seong Hyunjun examined Yun Sukgyeom’s notebook again.

Then he realized that Yun Sukgyeom’s words weren’t just talk.

Seong Hyunjun cautiously spoke.

“So, depending on the progress of the players’ quest to reclaim Frost, the Demon King Summoning Ritual could either succeed or fail? That’s what you mean, Senior?”

“The probability is high.”

“If the Demon King Summoning Ritual succeeds...?”

“Like the time of the Great Evil. We can only hope for a miracle.”

But miracles are called miracles because they don’t happen often.

Moreover, the two of them knew better than anyone the strength of the Demon King, unlike the Great Evil.

Seong Hyunjun let out a sigh mixed with words.

“I wish someone would give out contribution points generously.”

“So, who’s currently leading in contribution?”

“Hmm, among the players who have revealed it, it’s Unification of the World.”

Click.

Seong Hyunjun continued.

“Unification of the World Master, Liu Ojun Chun. Contribution: 1,800.”

“...1,800?”

“I can’t shake the feeling that it’s lacking. I’m not sure, but...”

Seeing that number, his anxiety only increased.

Shiver.

Yun Sukgyeom, trembling, asked again.

“Then, if we estimate including the players who haven’t revealed it?”

“...Then it would be Lee Ho Yeol, right?”

“Right, if it’s not Lee Ho Yeol, it’s a major bug.”

Lee Ho Yeol’s performance!

Even from a developer’s perspective, it was inexplicable.

He single-handedly destroyed the walls of Frost, which boasted impenetrable durability.

The Ryan Heart Knights and the Shadow Mercenary Corps.

He commanded them, which most players couldn’t even converse with...

“How far has he advanced by now?”

The smoke rising from Frost.

Because of it, it was difficult to capture Ho Yeol’s entry into Frost.

Even the VBC’s footage of Ho Yeol’s every move was just smoke.

Yun Sukgyeom shrugged.

“Who knows. I don’t.”

But to offer a small help.

We can only do our part.

Yun Sukgyeom continued.

“Let’s keep watching. We have the AAU’s reputation to uphold. We at least need to identify the Demon King, right? We can’t keep hearing about salary theft forever.”

“Still, if it’s Lee Ho Yeol, he must have at least 5,000 points, right? Eh, even so, 5,000 is too much? Then, maybe 3,000 points...?”

“Tsk. Is this the time to think about that?”

*

If my guess is correct.

With the steep increase in contribution.

──────

─Current Contribution: 50,900p

──────

It means there’s a disruption in the Demon King Summoning Ritual.

Of course, it didn’t take long for the guess to become a certainty.

“...Something big is coming? Ah, it’s so annoying.”

He’s always complaining about being annoyed.

Anyway, they’re the Shadow Mercenary Corps.

Regardless of their personality, they are a group with definite skills.

He must not have seen it wrong.

Still.

‘...It’s coming?’

I laughed inwardly.

‘Yeah, I bet they’re scared to death.’

If they’re flying, it means the Demon King Summoning Ritual is in trouble.

Good to see my efforts paying off.

Just as I thought that...

What is that?

He meant it literally, right?!

Flap!

The sound of flapping wings.

At the same time, the thick smoke in Frost cleared.

What appeared was a giant bird.

If there were birds in hell, they would look like that.

Its appearance was enough to cause ornithophobia.

Its red pupils stared at me.

I could sense it.

That giant bird was a Demon Legion Commander.

─Halt the Demon King Summoning Ritual. (In Progress)

●Defeat the Demon Legion Commanders. (0/10)

The flashing quest window confirmed it.

So, I have to defeat 10 of these things?

I wasn’t the only one who realized this.

Harkan, who was waiting for the Demon Legion Commander more than anyone.

“I will complete the mission, Your Majesty.”

Roar!

Harkan’s sword began to emit a sword aura.

His sword, which I hadn’t seen before, was now shining with a unique light.

Sword Aura.

It’s said to become darker and emit a unique light as it grows.

‘He’s reached that level.’

Granfel’s talent.

Thanks to it, I could gauge Harkan’s growth.

So, naturally, I felt a sense of reassurance.

My comrade is so strong.

Of course, the Hell Demon Legion Commander was flying in the sky.

He must be waiting for an opportunity without coming down.

However, I didn’t plan to wait.

I couldn’t give Harkan wings, but I could provide a staircase.

But first, I needed to limit the creature’s movements.

I gathered my mana.

A suitable magic to break those wings.

While also conserving as much mana as possible...

While I was selecting the magic.

Rumble!

A chilling sound echoed.

At the same time, the sky darkened momentarily.

The flow of air changed.

Dark clouds gathered.

‘...This is.’

The crackling lightning in those dark clouds.

I had seen this magic before.

No, to be precise, it was a [Skill].

I opened my mouth.

“Jesse Hainess.”

In response.

[Divine Punishment] fell on the Demon Legion Commander.

Zzzz!

Its power was on a different level from the time of the Ascura Count.

As if it had a grudge against the Demon Legion Commander.

Without considering the mana consumption.

It was an extremely emotional and rough manifestation.

I bluntly evaluated the skill.

“There are still many shortcomings.”

...Shortcomings, my ass.

The real shortcoming is my level.

That’s why I didn’t hesitate.

I also needed to do something...

Only then could I get even a small share of the rewards.

I immediately manifested a staircase.

“Sir, I will complete the mission and return.”

Soon, Harkan stepped on the staircase and flew into the sky.