◈ Episode 101. Demigod Battle (2)
The demon hunter’s senses, now deeper than ever, were telling me.
‘I’m certain. I’ve grown.’
This was a different kind of growth from an increase in level or stats.
To put it simply, it felt as though the proficiency of the [Natural Enemy Relationship] skill had increased. Though, of course, [Natural Enemy Relationship] didn’t actually have skill proficiency.
‘That doesn’t mean I can jump in between those two.’
Don’t forget. Know your place.
Even if [Natural Enemy Relationship] had activated.
My combat power was pitiful compared to those demigods.
Furthermore.
“I leave the disposal of the demons to you, Chief Lee Hoyeol!”
Senios didn’t seem to want me joining the fight. So what I had to do on the battlefield was simple. I should do what I was good at.
Yes, demon hunting.
A gaze looking down upon the lowly from on high.
Indeed, it was a view befitting Grandfell.
I stared at the demons pouring out of the rift.
Judging by their appearance.
As expected, they seemed different from ordinary demons.
‘So they really are the Demon King’s army.’
Their appearance resembled the demons I had seen during Decarabia’s time.
In orderly ranks and files.
The Demon King’s forces advanced toward Senios and me.
However, naturally.
“How insignificant.”
I felt no sense of intimidation.
No, it was only natural that I couldn’t.
Even apart from Grandfell’s pride, which remained aloof before any demon.
‘Compared to that question mark I saw back in Bangrit’s case…….’
Yes, I had experience.
‘That one was on a completely different level in terms of force.’
The demon that had appeared after smashing through a rift, “???”.
On top of that, I had faced an unknown demon that tore off a fragment of the rift and swung it around, and I had even cut off one of that monstrous thing’s arms with [『Strangeness』].
Yes, this was confidence with a basis.
I opened my mouth in a low voice.
“I will permit no further approach.”
At this very moment, when demons were pouring in.
The rift’s collapse rate must have been rising rapidly.
Just as Decarabia had done.
Demon Kings were the kind of beings who would devour even their own subordinates, even demons, as sacrifices.
The sight of demons pouring into the rift, the site of the ritual.
I couldn’t simply stand by and watch.
That said.
“However, I will not permit you to flee either.”
I couldn’t send demons back to the already devastated Arcana Continent.
So, in accordance with my heavy pride.
I had no choice but to hunt down the demons pouring out.
I closed my mouth.
A creed of not engaging in needless conversation with prey.
Yes, silence was my declaration of war.
Goooo—!
Mana surged from the effect of [Natural Enemy Relationship].
On top of that, I had consumed as many elixir herbs said to be good for mana regeneration as possible, without overlapping their effects. I immediately manifested magic.
Crack, crack, crack—!
I skipped the process of exploration and interference.
“!!!!!”
The ground beneath the advancing Demon King’s army rippled like a carpet.
Through the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge], I had acquired knowledge of all minerals. To me, the earth, the very foundation beneath my feet, was no different from something in the palm of my hand that I could knead however I wished.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-bang—!!!
Demigods.
If Karimjeva could create lava.
And Senios could freeze the atmosphere.
Then I, too, was capable of causing an earthquake.
“?!?!!!”
The ground split apart.
The Demon King’s army fell into the depths below.
How far had they fallen?
I couldn’t know, but one thing was certain.
‘They’re tough, as expected.’
The Demon King’s army.
And demons under a high-ranking Demon King, at that.
It was only natural that a single earthquake wouldn’t be enough to bring them down. The fact that no level-up message appeared proved as much. But I did not hesitate.
I manifested again.
Crack, crack, crack, crack—!
It wasn’t that I had caused another earthquake in succession.
Even if I had [Natural Enemy Relationship] and the boost from elixir herbs on my side. I couldn’t consecutively manifest magic on a scale comparable to those demigods.
‘No matter how efficient it’s gotten.’
I was level 333.
My absolute mana was even lower than that.
However, at this moment.
Rumble, rumble, rumble—!!
Just like before.
The earth was shaking with a thunderous roar.
The split ground.
As if trying to swallow the demons that had fallen underground forever.
The gaping maw began to close tightly.
“Haha. What do you think, Karimjeva? Does he still look like a green adventurer to you?”
“……!”
“Having grown old with nothing but our heads swollen uselessly. It seems it is time for senile old men like us to step aside. More importantly, how long do you intend to keep looking elsewhere?”
It was a sight impressive enough to draw even Karimjeva and Senios, who were immersed in battle, into turning their gazes.
……
Even to me, it did look fairly convincing.
A spell that split the earth like a massive earthquake and then restored it to its original state. Just hearing it sounded like an incredibly high-level spell. But only I knew the truth of it.
‘It’s just reversal magic.’
That was right.
It was merely reversal magic.
A simple reversal spell, like the one I had used to transform the silver dagger and restore its durability. Only the scale had grown; the principle was exactly the same.
Of course, the fact that it consumed only a minuscule amount of mana was also the same.
‘I can see why they’d misunderstand.’
To Karimjeva and Senios, who didn’t know my shabby circumstances, it must have looked exactly like I was manifesting high-level magic.
Of course, naturally. I had no intention of voicing this miserable truth myself.
Rumble—!
Reversal.
When the split ground returned to its original form once more.
The numbers of the Demon King’s army had visibly decreased.
Those who remained could not move rashly.
I looked down at the ground and said.
“The only place permitted to you is underground, in the abyss.”
Yes, this was my best.
Soon, the results of that best effort began to appear as messages.
[‘Fracture’ occurs in a Demon King’s Army cavalryman.]
[‘Suffocation’ occurs in a Demon King’s Army infantryman.]
[‘Burn’ occurs in a Demon King’s Army centurion.]
……
What they must be feeling underground.
The weight of the earth.
And geothermal heat.
‘At best, it’s only at the level of basic scientific knowledge.’
But if this, too, was strangeness, then it was [『Strangeness』].
As if proving that fact.
Messages appeared one after another.
[Your level has risen.]
[Your level has risen.]
[Your level has risen.]
……
*
The portal had disappeared from the Magic Tower.
That news spread rapidly.
-What the hell is going on???
-Fr, I’m only now realizing how precious the Magic Tower was
-Wtf, what’s the point of figuring out where the rifts are?? There’s no way to get there
-Why is the Magic Tower suddenly acting like this??
There were players among them who could use portals. But their effects were worlds apart from the Magic Tower’s portals, incomparable in every way.
“The mana consumed is enormous, and the same amount of mana is consumed every time a portal user enters. In other words, as things stand, it’s impossible for players to enter the rifts quickly……”
There was a reason guilds from all over the world had flocked to Seoul, South Korea, where the Magic Tower was located.
Of course, there were those who learned of that fact before the rest of the world.
That was why they moved into action.
“We have no choice but to accept reality and make a decision.”
Nam Taemin continued.
“At our level, it’s impossible to check all eleven rifts. Especially now that the portals are gone. So we need to set a clear target.”
Jesse Heinness.
Camilla.
Hisagi Kazuma.
Leoni.
Every single one of them was a ranked player who would not fall short no matter who brought up standards. Yet they could not refute Nam Taemin’s words. Because they had grasped the situation.
‘He may not need our help.’
‘No, the fact that the portals disappeared from the Magic Tower…….’
‘That has to be what it means.’
But they could not simply stand by and watch.
Whatever the case for other players.
They knew well the weight that Hoyeol was carrying.
To turn away while knowing, when ignorance might have been one thing?
To borrow Hoyeol’s words……
Yes, it would go against their “pride.”
“Our target is the nearest rift.”
Nam Taemin’s plan was simple.
Regardless of whether Hoyeol was there or not, they would enter the nearest rift.
Then clear that rift.
Of course, they did not know how much help their actions would be.
But if they could share even a little of Hoyeol’s burden.
“Whew—”
It felt as though their heavy hearts might ease, even if only slightly.
Since their destination was the same, there was no need to split up the group.
Gaon’s private jet.
The players were quickly boarding when someone spoke.
“Huh?”
It was breaking news significant enough to make the private jet change course.
“……
Th-the rift has been cleared?!”
What?
Only about an hour had passed since the emergency update appeared and the rifts were generated. They were surprised, but if it was Hoyeol, they could imagine such a thing happening.
However.
“Wait, isn’t this rift different from that one?”
“Huh? What the hell, the locations really are different?”
“If they’re different, that means two rifts have already been cleared!”
Yes.
There wasn’t only one cleared rift.
Two.
No, three.
No, in real time.
“……
Wait, does this make any sense?”
Breaking news kept appearing.
It wasn’t some false report or tabloid gossip being spouted by a newspaper.
It was an official announcement from the AAU.
──────
[AAU] Eight of the eleven generated rifts cleared…….
──────
At that news, the world had no choice but to be thrown into turmoil once again.
Had the news reached the studio as well?
From the video someone had left playing.
The excited voice of the host could be heard.
-What on earth is happening? As far as we know, there have been no players who have entered the rifts yet, have there?
-That’s right. Officially, there haven’t. But don’t you already know? It’s certain that Player Lee Hoyeol has made his move. Otherwise, there’s no way to explain this!
-It truly is unbelievable. We knew Player Lee Hoyeol was extraordinary, but to think it would be to this extent……!
Rift collapse, missiles, nuclear bombs.
It was a situation where even extreme talk like that had been thrown around.
And in that situation, welcome news had arrived.
It was only natural that the world was in an uproar.
Of course, the players aboard Gaon’s private jet were also stirred.
Sighs of relief burst out here and there.
“……
Thank goodness.”
The fact that rifts were being cleared in real time.
More than anything, it meant Hoyeol was safe.
But they could not simply rejoice.
As they had said.
They knew.
“Damn it.”
Crack—
Nam Taemin unconsciously clenched his fist.
The emotions he had barely suppressed surged up.
Leoni muttered.
“In the end, he’s on his own again……”
*
The space of strangeness, the rift, disappeared.
Marcelo manifested a portal and said.
“With this, two rifts remain.”
The senior mages, including Marcelo, had closed nine rifts.
Those who had closed rifts first had joined the others at different rifts.
Naturally, the time it took to close the rifts decreased more and more.
However, Marcelo knew. He knew the process of the descent ritual of the Demon King Decarabia that had taken place in Frost.
‘His Lordship said that not all demons are the same simply because they are demons.’
He had said that even within the Demon King’s army, excluding the Demon King himself, a hierarchy existed. That was why Marcelo had carefully observed the demons while closing the rifts.
‘But there were none who stood out.’
So he could sense it intuitively.
“The remaining rifts will be different from the ones we have faced so far.”
In the remaining rifts, high-ranking demons.
And the great criminal, Karimjeva, would exist.
The evidence was right before his eyes.
‘Lord Hoyeol and Lord Senios are, even at this moment…….’
Hoyeol and Senios had not joined them.
That meant they were still inside a rift.
Marcelo looked at the manifested portal.
“We must hurry.”
Just as Hoyeol had said.
There was nothing to be gained from letting the outside know about this departure from the tower.
Marcelo knew how the world of adventurers operated.
‘His Lordship said that the moment we closed the rifts, everyone would be able to know about it.’
In other words.
Even if the purpose of their departure from the tower could be concealed.
The fact that the rifts had been closed could not be hidden.
In the end, on behalf of the Magic Tower, which could not step forward.
It meant that Hoyeol would once again be the one to take responsibility.
Step—
The senior mages entered the portal.
Suddenly, Matisse stopped and spoke to Marcelo.
“Chief Lee Hoyeol must be exhausted.”
Matisse said it because he, too, knew that fact.
“Yes. Since we are in a situation where we cannot step forward, it will inevitably appear as though His Lordship alone has taken on the closing of these rifts. He will likely be harassed quite a bit by the rumors of the world.”
The conversation between the two ended there.
In the end, they owed Hoyeol a debt yet again.
To repay that debt, they had to move more swiftly.
Even without saying it aloud, their intentions were understood.
In the end, the one left frustrated was Bangrit Tom, who had been silently watching.
‘……
Wait, isn’t it a good thing? To receive the world’s attention?’
Shake, shake.
After agonizing over it, Bangrit soon shook his head.
He had finished knowing his place.
After all, with my simple head.
How could I possibly fathom the grand intentions of two chiefs.
And Senior Matisse?
*
The importance of practical experience.
I was feeling those words with my own body.
[Your level has risen.]
[Your level has risen.]
[Your level has risen.]
……
No, apart from my rising levels.
Boom—!
Flame and ice collided, releasing a thunderous roar.
Karimjeva and Senios.
The magic exchanged in the death match between the two elder mages was on a completely different level from the magic I had seen until now. This was not something that could be lumped together under the category of high-level magic.
The pinnacle of flame magic and ice magic.
The magic unleashed by those two pinnacles was truly.
No different from the utmost extreme of flame magic and ice magic.
Secret magic that had never been revealed to anyone was manifested.
“What do you think? Do you still believe in the superiority of compatibility, Karimjeva!”
And to such secrets, secrets were used to respond.
“Shut up, you foolish bastard.”
The death match between those two.
『His innate magical talent was such that he could imitate most magic simply by seeing it.』
Was allowing me to look toward a “realm” one level higher.
It was opening my eyes.
No mere demon could interfere with me while I was immersed in that sight.
[‘Fear’ occurs in Demon Corps Commander Shartan.]
Even if that intruder was a Demon Corps Commander.