Chapter 35

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Mythical Level

Brain-Broken Hunter.

This character was created half-jokingly to check if the game company was actually running the game. Despite starting as a joke, a lot of effort was put into it, but it turned out to be a "troll" in every sense of the word, wreaking all sorts of havoc across the continent.

For example, stealing from named NPCs, joining as a mercenary in a city at war and plundering the supply lines, or robbing the priests of the Goddess's Temple.

'That was just a warm-up.'

However, with no punishment given, the Brain-Broken Hunter's actions became even bolder. He cut off all resources heading to a city, assassinated key figures, and froze the warp to trigger a monster wave. This was recorded as the first monster wave caused by a player, and despite an entire city sinking into the abyss, there was still no punishment.

'At the time, I thought the game company was just letting the game run.'

Why didn't they do any marketing for such a well-made game?

I agonized over the decreasing number of concurrent players many times.

... Looking back now, it seems that the number of players was being summoned into the game, but I had no way of knowing that at the time.

If I had known, it would have been the scariest game ever.

I was witnessing people disappearing one by one in real-time.

In any case, after that, I had no choice but to go on a rampage.

As a result, I couldn't even log in as the Brain-Broken Hunter.

... Because there was no place in the entire continent where a bounty hadn't been placed on him.

'It's been about a year since I last logged in.'

Yet, the character I had left alone for a year was here.

Of course, for half a year, I only played Wilhelm, preparing for the grand expedition to the Demon Realm, so most of my characters had been left alone for at least half a year.

The characters I had left alone were moving freely.

As if they had become NPCs.

'They must have hidden here.'

Kramdel. The city of monsters.

Here, even if the entire continent searched with all their might, they wouldn't find him.

It was a wise choice.

“Meeting a half-dragon here, huh, caw. Isn't it 150 years since we last met, Isabella, caw?”

“... Yes. It's been 150 years since I've met a fellow half-dragon.”

Perhaps because she had experienced all sorts of things in a short time, Isabella no longer panics at sudden events.

She even shows a relaxed demeanor, going along with my rhythm.

'She's grown.'

Isabella, who was trapped in the desert, was learning about the world.

“150 years?”

Isaac was taken aback.

150 years.

Humans can't live that long.

Moreover, I, the king of corpse crows, was standing right next to him. Thanks to my testimony as a monster, the credibility of my words increased.

If I had turned Isabella into a real half-dragon...

Isaac was still a fake pretending to be a half-dragon.

And this place is Kramdel.

If he were discovered as a human, he would die.

There's no place to run inside Kramdel's fortress.

I saw the panic flash across Isaac's eyes.

“Still, I'm curious, caw. There are cases where humans pretend to be half-dragons, caw?”

“Yes. There were humans who used the weapons of the glorious Celestial Dragons to pretend to be half-dragons.”

“What did you do to those humans, caw?”

“... I killed them all.”

Swoosh!

Isaac stood up from his seat.

He was only covering his vital areas with a small towel.

Yet, his wings were still visible, for a simple reason.

'He used an equipment transparency potion.'

Isabella was using the same thing, so it was certain.

He was hiding the appearance of his equipment with an 'equipment transparency potion.'

[Mikela's Helmet]

[Mikela's Sword]

[Mikela's Armor]

[Flash of Lightning Shoes]

[Lightning Guide Ring][Typhoon Guide Ring]

[Lightning Imp Mystery]

Despite this, I could clearly see the equipment Isaac was wearing.

'The items are still there.'

It seemed that the treasure-level items I had equipped in the past were still intact.

After a while, hesitation appeared in Isaac's eyes.

'He's considering whether to run.'

But this is Kramdel.

Even if Isaac had level 10 treasure-level items, once he entered, there was no way to escape freely.

He would turn to stone the moment he was spotted by Medusa's eyes.

Medusa's eyes scan Kramdel 24/7.

There are no warps or teleportation scrolls in Kramdel.

Thus, running away was only possible in dreams.

Isaac couldn't be unaware of this fact.

“Haha! I, a half-dragon, was just momentarily stunned to see a fellow half-dragon after so long. You said your name is Isabella? I'm Isaac.”

Isaac, who had given up on running, laughed heartily and extended his hand.

Isabella just stared at it blankly.

“Indeed, that's strange, caw. Shaking hands isn't a half-dragon's way of greeting, caw?”

“Yes. It's a human way.”

As soon as Isabella answered, the surroundings became noisy.

“What? A human?”

“Is he a human in disguise?”

Especially the snow maidens who were with Isaac.

With their transparent skin and two horns on their foreheads, snow maidens are one of the monsters that most despise humans. If they found out Isaac was human, they would tear him into hundreds, thousands of pieces.

As the suspicious glances continued, Isaac's laughter grew thin.

“Haha... I'm sorry. Because I lost my parents when I was young, I never learned the proper half-dragon greeting. If you tell me now, I'll try my best to do it properly.”

His words flowed smoothly.

Indeed, a brain-broken hunter.

Even the tone of his voice, speaking of losing his parents, was filled with genuine sorrow.

His bitter expression and self-deprecating gestures.

He was a character I had raised, and it seemed his behavior from back then remained intact.

But if you know he's a con artist and approach him, there's no easier opponent.

“It's a joke, caw.”

“...”

“Let's shake hands, caw.”

“...”

Isabella took Isaac's hand.

Isaac was staring at me with a blank look.

Regardless, I slowly submerged myself in the hot spring water.

I was honestly curious.

Why did the evolved monsters crave the hot spring water of Kramdel?

‘Hmm.’

The moment I submerged myself, I understood the reason.

<The effects of the low-grade 'Tears of the Goddess' relax and stabilize your entire body.>

... It feels very stable.

I could stay in the hot spring forever.

It seemed that the evolved monsters, who had become unstable, could regain their stability just by soaking in this hot spring water.

At that moment,

<The 'Blind Hand of the Goddess' has started searching for you.>

Rumble! Rumble!

“Caw?”

BOOM!

Swoosh!

... The hot spring water exploded.

*

Due to the sudden explosion of the hot spring water, 'Jeongseong Hot Spring' had to close for a day.

Taking advantage of this, Isaac tried to run away, but it was a futile attempt.

“Brain-Broken Isaac, caw.”

“... Do you know me?”

Outside, at the alley entrance, Isaac hesitated.

He seemed surprised to hear his name here.

I shrugged.

“Don't even think about running, caw. If you try to escape with 'Flash of Lightning,' I'll report you to the owner of the gate, caw.”

“...!”

The owner of the gate, Medusa.

There was no way to escape from her.

Moreover, if he left Kramdel, he would die.

Those hunting Isaac wouldn't let him go.

“From the beginning, you approached us intentionally. So, are you both humans?”

“I am a Seer, caw.”

“A Seer? A Guide of the Stars?”

He nodded.

Isaac hadn't just arrived in Kramdel a day or two ago.

Moreover, his habits wouldn't have changed, so he must be very knowledgeable about Kramdel's situation.

“Do you know about the rumors of the 33rd star, caw?”

“... I do know.”

At that moment,

<Medusa's eyes are scanning this area.>

Medusa was looking this way.

Perhaps because of the hot spring water explosion?

‘It seems only I can see it.’

Since neither Isaac nor Isabella showed any reaction, it seemed only I could detect Medusa's eyes.

If I made suspicious statements, Medusa would engrave a curse.

Especially if it was a sensitive topic, she would look even more closely.

We needed to change the location.

The clueless Isaac opened his mouth.

“That star...”

“Caw! What's going on all of a sudden, caw! Let's go to another hot spring, caw!”

“...?”

Isaac blinked in confusion.

I immediately walked out, pulling Isaac along.

“What are you doing?”

“Half-dragons need to catch up, caw! You should come with us, caw!”

*

I needed to learn more about the star.

The Blind Hand of the Goddess was searching for me.

And the hot spring water containing the Tears of the Goddess.

It seemed all related to the 33rd star.

“Where are we...?”

Isaac, who was dragged along, looked around.

A useless underground warehouse.

But in Kramdel, there was no safer place than this.

“Medusa was watching the hot spring area, caw.”

“...!”

Isaac's eyes twitched.

If they had continued the conversation there, the consequences would have been terrifying.

“How did you know about Medusa's eyes?”

But no one can detect Medusa's gaze.

At least, none of the monsters he knew could.

“Nothing is impossible for a Seer, caw.”

“... I can't believe it. So, this place is safe?”

“Medusa's eyes can't see here, caw.”

“Is there a place in Kramdel where Medusa's eyes can't reach?”

Isaac asked in genuine surprise.

Not just here, there were a few places Medusa's eyes couldn't reach.

But there was no need to tell him about those places.

“Tell me about the star, caw.”

“Why should I?”

Isaac, who had regained his senses, was being prickly.

No matter what, Isaac was like Sun Wukong on Buddha's palm.

“I know where the 'Shape-Shifting Potion' is, caw.”

“... Do you think I want something like that?”

“Don't