◈ Episode 152. Seed of Tears (3)
Nam Taemin had sent a text.
[The key to clearing the dungeon is pinpointing the location of the dungeon core.
The rift in question—the dungeon core's location—is near Chelsea Bridge.
The probability that it is the AAU London Branch is very high.]
Is that so.
It seemed the AAU had noticed something as well.
Of course, I had also roughly guessed the location of the dungeon core through [Archenemy]
, but still.
"……
After the Cataclysm, the symbol of Chelsea Bridge Road was changed to the AAU London Branch."
Unfamiliar—the geography of London.
If Schreig's guidance had not been there, I might have had to open a map app and search for the way. Of course, manifesting a portal because it was bothersome was also burdensome. 'Who knows what might be at those coordinates.' It meant the portal could become a shortcut leading straight to a trap instead.
Moreover, hadn't the trap of this dungeon rift been related to rain?
I was already soaked from head to toe.
It was unpleasant enough as it was.
I refused any further forced showers.
"Still, I can hardly believe it even seeing it with my own eyes."
Schreig's voice was overcome with emotion.……
Judging by his expression, it did not seem like empty words.
Wondering what he was looking at,
I too surveyed the surroundings, following Schreig's gaze.
London, where the rain had stopped.
Aqua Rius oak trees lined the streets.
Barely ten-odd minutes.
A fleeting amount of time utterly insufficient to grow into giant trees.
As expected, it was the effect of Hiel's blessing that had sprouted the World Tree's seed.
The roots were firm, and the trunk stretched straight.
Above them, branches spread out lushly.
At the tip of each branch, brilliant sprouts began to bloom.……
No matter how I looked at it, they were excessively ornate. [Pentacle of Pure Knowledge].
The Aqua Rius oaks in my knowledge were never like that.
I could guess the reason.
It must be Hiel's influence.
Damn, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. 'It wasn't my place to say anything.' This feeling, as if looking at my own 『Magic』 with the [Aesthetics] stat added!
They say children are a reflection of their parents?
I am sorry, Hiel.
As soon as I looked at her, Hiel opened her mouth as if she had been waiting.
"That sublimity seems to have influenced me as well."
Yes, it is all my influence.
I am sorry, Hiel, for letting you drink bad water.……
But wait, [Sublime]
?
It was not a word I could simply gloss over.
Because [Sublime]
was a title I had newly acquired on the Arcana continent.
I opened my status window to check the effect of [Sublime]
once more. [Sublime: Sublime one, the continent of Arcana remembers you.]
That was it.
The exact opposite of the long and detailed effect of [Last Adventurer].
It was merely a single line.
And yet, the reason I had not felt bad?
That single line had looked incredibly significant. 'The continent of Arcana remembers me.'
Whether it was influenced by integrity or something else, I could not tell.
It meant the system had not pretended not to know about my desperate struggle against millions of demons. And how many gains had I acquired through that struggle?
Starting with the most important—lifting Marcelo's terminal curse. [Telescope of the Demon Eye(魔眼)
].
And tremendous experience points enough to ignore the death penalty.
That was why I could generously overlook the vague effect of the title.
Was the joy of winning greater because I had not expected it? '……There is definitely something to this.'
It was not just for show—[Sublime]
clearly had additional effects not explicitly stated. Something that could not be identified even with Grandfel's civil and martial talent.
"I see. You have worked hard, Hiel."
Words spoken calmly, contrary to his overwhelming emotions.
Slip—Hiel raised the corners of her mouth and bowed her head.
"Such praise is undeserved for one as lacking as I."
Of course, there was no time to continue chatting amicably.
The dungeon's core, the AAU British Branch, was gradually drawing near.
Suddenly, Schreig shouted urgently.
"……
Enemies. Roughly five of them!"
Schreig, Level 402.
Now, his level was similar to other top-ranking players including Nam Taemin. But he was once one of the players counted among the top three, along with Scal and Rocks.
Clack—his calm demeanor despite the sudden appearance of enemies was proof of that.
I was well aware of Schreig's class.
He was one of the few players I had known since before my Awakening, Schreig. The reason I knew? Simple. Because he was incredibly cool.
A Swordsman-type class, Fencer.
As expected, a gentlemanly bearing befitting the land of gentlemen.
Schreig drew his weapon and took a combat stance.
His weapon, like a large needle, was a foil.
A stabbing sword (刺劍) specialized for thrusting.
"Zachary, can you hear me? What's the situation? What about the civilians?"
Even while focusing on combat, he did not forget the safety of the fallen civilians.
Naturally, this was a sight that Grandfel's pride could not help but approve of.
"They say monsters haven't appeared yet? Good, that is a relief. Then it would be best to form ranks and prepare from now on. It seems monsters are appearing from the dungeon core."
Schreig assessed and relayed the situation.
I stood beside him.
And looked ahead. 'Exactly five.' Their appearance—how should I describe it? Water-filled mannequins, perhaps.
Five water humans were approaching us.
Situation assessment complete.
Having ended the call, Schreig spoke to me.
"According to the additional patch notes, their name is Wraiths of the Sorrowful City. Their level is between 600 and 650. And this is just my gut feeling, but……"
Grind—Schreig clenched his teeth.
"If they are wraiths, physical attacks likely won't work on them."
To some extent, I agreed.
Regardless of the name.
Isn't there an old saying about cutting water with a sword?
Just looking at them, they clearly did not seem susceptible to physical attacks.
Tremble, tremble—Schreig's hand, gripping his sword tightly, was shaking.
It was not fear.
That was anger.
Because those who had reduced London, his homeland, to this state had appeared before his eyes.
"Damn it."
He must be furious that he could do nothing with his sword.
I understood that feeling completely.
And yet, even while I could guess that feeling.
There was a reason I said I only agreed "to some extent."
I opened my mouth.
"Can you guarantee it?"
"……
Pardon?"
"Are you truly certain that physical attacks will not work?"
"Th-that is……"
Schreig seemed to not understand.
If it were the old me, I would have thought I was spouting nonsense.
What kind of cringeworthy words was I about to spout this time.
I might have started lamenting my fate inwardly.
But there was something I had realized after dying and coming back to life. 'In the end, the players' strength is needed.'
Perhaps on the Arcana continent, but
in reality, I could not face millions of demons alone.
In the end, the cooperation of players was necessary.
And not just any—with pride as a given.
The cooperation of players possessing outstanding skill as well.
So watch closely, Schreig.
I slowly raised my hand.
I took a combat stance.
And what I held in my hand was none other than a black long umbrella.
"……!"
I spoke to the surprised Schreig.
"From now on, what you must do is simple. Watch."
And then I concentrated sword qi.
No, sword force into the umbrella.
I continued calmly.
"To be precise, witness sword qi."
"……
S-sword qi?!"
Sword Qi (劍氣).
A realm that demands high qualifications simply to witness, let alone wield.
However, if one could wield sword qi, a swordsman's combat power increases exponentially.
Because I had witnessed strength beyond level from sword qi users like Harkon, Yesica, and Enoch.
Naturally.
A black blade enveloped in such sword qi.
Even if it was not a sword, but merely an umbrella.
It could harm the wraiths.
"Sword qi? I do not know what you are suddenly talking about……! It is dangerous alone. Moreover, with such an umbrella……!"
But Schreig could not have known that fact.
It was not strange for him to be shocked.
That was why I told him to just watch. 'Seeing is faster than understanding.'
Five charging wraiths.
I aimed the umbrella at them.
A silver aura enveloping and rising from the umbrella.
Suaaak!
A decisive strike.
Along with it, the wraiths collapsed.
Astonishment settled on Schreig's face.
"……
What is this?"
Unlike him, I was not surprised in the slightest.
I did not rejoice or despair at having defeated monsters with an umbrella. Five level 600 monsters felled in one blow. A level approaching 500, and on top of that, was it because [Archenemy] had activated?
If not, was it because of my experience fighting desperately among millions of demons on the Arcana continent?
They alone did not make me feel any tension. 'You have really grown a lot, Lee Hoyeol.'
It was not for nothing that I entered the dungeon rift alone……
Player, Lee Hoyeol.
Estimated level, at least Level 900.
He had already roughly known his strength.
Schreig—because he possessed the common sense of Arcana.
That he had once risen to 3rd place in the player rankings.
This meant he had experienced the hardships and emotions other rankers were currently feeling, far earlier than them.
That was precisely why he could not understand.
Lee Hoyeol, just what in the world was that man?
His main means of attack was magic.
Yet, it would not have been surprising to see him wield a sword.
Because his swordsmanship had been witnessed through the mass media.
But this was beyond the pale.
An umbrella.
Felling five level 600 monsters with an umbrella!
Schreig clenched his fist. '……
Is this the difference in level?'
The gap.
It was not just the gap with Lee Hoyeol. Because all he could bring up now was past glory. He knew that better than anyone. 'I must have hit my limit long ago.'
To be precise, the limit of the class, Fencer.
In reality, no occupation was noble or base.
But in Arcana, classes had such distinctions.
At the very top were the exceedingly rare Hidden Classes.
Examples of those who had changed to Hidden Classes would be Scal or Jesse Hainess.
Their strength, their potential was such that explaining it in words would make one's mouth hurt.
Below them were popular classes like Barbarian, Healer.
Classes whose performance was backed by the many players who chose them.
If one were lucky enough to complete a class quest, they could change to a class comparable to a Hidden Class, or even directly into a Hidden Class.
And at the very bottom were unpopular classes like his own.
Schreig could guarantee it.
Fencer was a trash class that only looked good on the outside.
If he could turn back time, he would never have chosen a class like this.
Since it was basically a swordsman who wielded a sword.
Attack power had to be based on the [Strength] stat. A Fencer who had to target the enemy's weak points required an absurdly high [Agility] stat.
A class that had to invest in both Strength and Agility.
It was natural for efficiency to drop the higher the level went. 'A power I couldn't even dream of.'
Damn.
Schreig looked at his foil.
In the end, the obstacle was the power of his attacks.
A thrust-dependent attack style had too many weaknesses. 'What in the world is his class?'
Chief of the Magic Tower.
Immeasurably deep darkness.
Evil Dragon Hunter.
The titles gave no hint.
Magic.
Swordsmanship.……
And umbrella combat.
He could not guess even by watching.
But one thing was certain.
Schreig smiled bitterly. 'A being I can never catch up to.' Truthfully, he had come to terms with reality back in the Yusra Kingdom.
So he thought there would be no despair, but……
Schreig was furious.
"……
In the end, I cannot be of any help."
London.
The hometown where he was born and raised.
The streets he had walked through just this morning were buried in rain and fog.
His family in London, his colleagues, the citizens were in crisis.
It was hateful that he could do nothing with his own hands, with his abilities.
"How incompetent."
The moment Schreig hung his head.
"Are you focusing, Schreig?"……
Hoyeol's voice was heard.
Schreig raised his head.
Along with the voice, an unwavering posture.
Hoyeol, gripping the umbrella like a sword, continued speaking.
“You must witness sword qi.”
Sword qi?
He had no idea what the man had been talking about all this time.
Shreig recalled the words Hoyeol had tossed out in passing.
—“What you must do from now on is simple. Watch.”
—“To be precise, you must witness sword qi.”
He was overestimating him.
It was clear he had some serious misconception about him.
Shreig spoke in a voice tinged with frustration.
“Sword qi? I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’m different from other swordsman-class players! My class is a damn Fencer—filthy weak, with its limits painfully obvious. I don’t even know what this sword qi is, and yet for you to expect something like that from me……!”
“I know.”
“……
What?”
What did he know?
Did he know that my class was Fencer?
Or did he know my limits?
Before the questions could fade, Hoyeol continued.
“But it does not matter.”
“……?”
“Believe in yourself. Even if you lack the courage to do so.”
In an utterly serious voice.
“Believe in me, who believes in you.”...
I said, I know.
Shreig, you were one of the few players I’d known even before I awakened. Besides, what? Fencer was filthy weak, with obvious limits?
Honestly, if I could, I’d like to let you experience being a Demon Hunter for a day. ‘It doesn’t show as much now because I’ve grown a lot, but still.’ Back when I had just awakened, even hunting gnolls far below my level made my legs shake.
I guarantee it—no matter how ambiguous a class Fencer might be, it can’t compare to Demon Hunter.
What other class in the world has to invest stat points into [Strength], [Agility], [Magic Power], and [Luck] all at the same time?
That was why I could say it with confidence.
“Believe in me, who believes in you.”
I guarantee it.
Rank 3 in Arcana is not a position you can ever reach without talent.
So raise your head and watch carefully, Shreig. You must witness sword qi and grasp its true nature.
“If you wish to protect what is precious with those hands.”
Even if only to face the demons that would come in the future.
No sooner had I spoken in Granfell’s manner of speech than—
Once again, the [Wraiths of the Gloomy City] entered my vision.……
By the way, there were quite a lot of them this time, weren’t there?
So many that the pose I’d struck almost felt embarrassing. If I were alone, I would have held up my umbrella and dealt with them slowly, but there were unconscious civilians here. No matter what, rescue took priority over education.
Just as I was about to draw up my magic power—
“!”
A message appeared.[O sublime one. Your sublimity has brought about a small change.]……
I brought about a small change?
What change?
And before that, isn’t calling me a sublime one a bit much?
As I was thinking that—
A voice reached my ears.
Shreig’s voice, trembling violently.
“L-Lee Hoyeol-nim. That silver light wavering on your umbrella! That haze-like thing—is that the sword qi (劍氣) you were talking about? Wait, before that, do you happen to know what [Sublimity] is? Just now, I received some kind of message……!”
So you witnessed sword qi, Shreig.
But thanks to that, I realized it as well.
So this was the hidden effect of the title, [Sublimity]?