◈ Chapter 177. The Full Story Behind the Circle Incident
I realized the truth of what had happened.
You just had to go and cause trouble, formality……!!
It wasn’t as if I had slept standing up—I had been standing perfectly straight while unconscious!
Truly, it made me feel firsthand what it meant for a dark past to take control of one’s body.
It was humiliating, but let’s try to think positively.
‘Still, it’s a relief.’
Suppose I had fainted and collapsed on the floor as I was.
Clack—
I set down my teacup and spoke with perfect composure.
“I nearly ruined my attire.”
……
Yes, of course, that damned outfit would have been disheveled.
But the first thing that came to mind was my family.
‘It would’ve been front-page news.’
If my parents—especially our Mrs. Choi—had seen breaking news of their son collapsing, they wouldn’t have been able to sleep a wink out of worry. The same went for my older sisters.
Even now, they simply didn’t show it.
Every time I entered a Rift, they asked after me.
‘In that sense, one worry’s off my mind, but…….’
Clang—
……
The problem was, what the hell was the source of that metallic sound?
Had something gone wrong with my heart?
Had they replaced it with an artificial heart or something? I wondered.
‘Nah, surely not.’
I had only been unconscious in bed for a few hours at most. Besides, for someone who supposedly had a serious physical problem, I felt far too good.
And above all else, I could see the messages.
[Your achievement resounds through space-time.]
[The beings of space-time speak of your qualifications.]
[You have acquired the title, “Transcendent.”]
I slowly read through them, savoring each line.
Then I checked my status window.
First, my level had risen by six, to 550.
[Name: Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo]
[Title: Last Adventurer, Noble, Transcendent]
[Class: Demon Hunter]
[Level: 550]
[Stats]
Strength: 110 / Agility: 120 / Magic Power: 461 / Luck: 12 / Aesthetic: Medium
[Available Points: 6]
Where had I gained the experience from?
It wasn’t hard to guess.
It must have been thanks to [Akshan’s Legacy].
They were the demon hunters of hell who had hunted three true-name demons in the level 900 range. Even if all I did was activate [Akshan’s Legacy], considering my contribution, gaining about six levels made sense.
‘I didn’t do anything, but for now, let’s just say thanks.’
So.
What happened to Gamigin, the Demon King of the Fourth Throne?
One thing was certain.
Gamigin had definitely fallen into hell.
Which meant he would never be able to show himself again, whether on the Arcana Continent or in reality.
Strictly speaking, however, I hadn’t hunted Gamigin myself.
So it was understandable that I hadn’t gained the experience for defeating him.
Tsk. The phrase “sour grapes” came to mind.
‘I might’ve felt even more wronged, actually.’
In Arcana’s system, the maximum limit for leveling up at once was 50 levels.
A high-ranking Demon King whose level was impossible to even estimate.
If I had defeated Gamigin and only gained 50 levels, I might still be lying in bed, kicking the blanket in frustration……
‘Ah, damn this formality.’
Of course, only internally.
For that reason, my eyes turned to the reward I had acquired instead of experience.
This was already my third title, so I should have been getting used to it by now.
……
Why did it feel so unfamiliar?
My achievement hadn’t resounded through the Arcana Continent, but “space-time”?
I didn’t even know where that was, and the next message was even more absurd.
“The beings of space-time speak of my qualifications…….”
By qualifications, did it mean my qualifications for the title “Transcendent”?
I didn’t even know what space-time was, so how was I supposed to know who the beings of space-time were?
But judging by intuition.
‘Even at a glance, they must be some pretty impressive people, right?’
Still, considering that I had acquired the Transcendent title, it seemed the discussion about me had ended on a positive note. Whoever they were, they might be people I ought to be grateful to.
No sooner had that thought ended than I opened my mouth.
“They dare discuss my qualifications? Unacceptable.”
Of course, separate from my own thoughts.
There was no way Grandfell’s lofty pride would accept another’s judgment.
I get that you’re stubborn, but let’s let this one slide, Grandfell.
It was a title acquired after throwing none other than a high-ranking Demon King into hell.
Shouldn’t I be allowed to have at least a little expectation……?
With a reasonable amount of hope, I checked the title’s effect.
And I was shocked.
[Transcendent: Effect sealed because conditions have not been met.]
……
I thought the bottomless jar had finally done it.
*
I rested until the next day and returned to my daily life.
Marcelo offered me his congratulations.
“To think you have reached the realm of the Circle. Congratulations.”
The “Circle.”
How many magic books had I pored over in the Magic Tower? There was no way I wouldn’t know the concept. Simply put, the Circle was the ultimate realm all mages sought to reach.
“The ring of the heart allows magic power to circulate faster and more purely. The efficiency of pure magic power shows a considerable gap in output compared to magic power that is not……”
To explain it with a simple example, it was easy.
“When I look upon you, I realize my own inadequacy.”
That was right.
Even Marcelo, the true chief of the Magic Tower, had yet to form a Circle.
So I had no choice but to realize it.
Clang—
I had figured out the cause of the metallic sound that rang out in place of my heartbeat.
Skipping the process and looking only at the result—
I had achieved the tremendous feat of defeating a high-ranking Demon King, obtained the qualifications of a Transcendent, and as a result, my Circle had been opened.
However.
‘So this means I can’t keep getting away with shortcuts forever.’
Level 550.
Because my vessel was far too lacking to be called a Transcendent, I was unable to properly circulate the heart’s ring—the Circle.
That grating metallic sound—
That was why I kept hearing it!
“This is not something to be congratulated for.”
I couldn’t even make use of this thing called a Circle, so what congratulations was I supposed to receive?
I had spoken calmly.
But judging by his expression, Marcelo, you’re misunderstanding things however you like again.
“Indeed. To you, even the Circle must be nothing more than a realm you merely pass through.”
No, I’m telling you, that kind of overestimation is what makes me grit my teeth and struggle like this?! I wanted to thrust out my chest in indignation and let him hear the clanging of my heart.
But as if this damned mouth would ever speak the truth.
“A realm beyond the Circle. How intriguing.”
……
Your attempt to change the subject is painfully obvious, Grandfell.
In any case.
Shortcut or not, I had thrown a high-ranking Demon King into hell.
And yet the effect was sealed?
I couldn’t let that stand, if only because it was unfair.
‘I’ll satisfy those conditions somehow.’
It probably wasn’t as simple as my level being too low. If it were, it would have appeared as a system message. At any rate, how was I supposed to find out what those conditions were……?
If I could, I would have liked to grab one of those beings of space-time and ask them directly.
‘For now, should I start by digging through magic books?’
I could already hear my head creaking.
Just as I was racking my brain for a method, Marcelo opened his mouth.
“As expected, I knew you would be looking toward a more distant future.”
What are you talking about now?
I haven’t even solved the Circle issue yet—what future?
However, no doubt showed on my face.
So Marcelo continued.
“At present, while the Tower Master is absent, the only person in the Magic Tower who knows about the Circle, and realms beyond it, is Elder Mage Yugweed. If you were to speak with her regarding the matter……”
……
Ah.
Wait, I’d forgotten for a moment.
Just like Akshan, the Magic Tower had a senior, didn’t it?
*
The Magic Tower’s round table conference.
This time, unusually, it wasn’t attended only by the mages of the Magic Tower.
The people who would normally have gathered at Yusra’s Golden Palace were assembled in the Crystal Hall instead.
The reason was simple.
“You mustn’t overdo it.”
It was for Hoyeol, who had collapsed.
Hisagi glared at Nam Taemin with his snake-like eyes.
“For saying that, you look rather excited.”
“…….”
Endure it.
Nam Taemin did not answer.
Hisagi’s class was Magic Spearman, which made him as proficient in magic as he was in hand-to-hand combat.
Since the Magic Tower had joined the Holy War and accepted players as apprentices, that meant Hisagi was among them.
“I feel as comfortable as if I were at home.”
He trained under Harkon as much as anyone, and now he was improving his magic at the Magic Tower too. That was cheating! I’m jealous. That was precisely why Nam Taemin gritted his teeth and ignored Hisagi.
“Well, if it’s your first time, I suppose you might be dazzled. The view of the Crystal Hall certainly is beautiful. Wouldn’t you agree, Miss Leoni?”
I was embarrassed and sat away from them, so why the hell are you acting like you know me?
Leoni kept her mouth shut, not wanting to get involved.
But this time, Nam Taemin turned his head toward her.
“As expected, you were thinking the same thing as me, huh?”
And what are you on about now?
“Snake Eyes is seriously obnoxious, isn’t he?”
The giant alliance really didn’t get along at all.
As Leoni shook her head in exasperation, Kichi quietly spoke to her.
She had been getting bored, simply sitting still and watching the mood in the Magic Tower, a place where she had committed no small number of sins.
“You three seem close. Are you friends?”
“……?”
Glare—
‘Ah, I shouldn’t have poked her for no reason.’
She should have known from that spiky hair.
She was practically a hedgehog, wasn’t she?
At that prickly reaction, Kichi swallowed a sigh, thinking she hadn’t gained a thing.
‘……No, still, we’re on the same side.’
Soon, however, Leoni relaxed the tension around her eyes.
Right, the fault lay with those two lumps.
Leoni suppressed her temper and replied.
“We’re just business associates.”
“Then you’re just like me!”
“You’re the captain of the Shadow Mercenary Corps, Kichi, right?”
“That’s right, but what’s with ‘captain’? Just call me casually.”
“Should I?”
……
No, does that mean you immediately drop the honorifics?
‘Anyone can see I’m older than you?!’
Only then did Kichi recall Leoni’s rough way of speaking.
Maybe she shouldn’t have told her to speak comfortably.
She regretted it a little, but there was no taking it back.
And more importantly……
“We will now begin the round table conference.”
At Chief Mage Marcelo’s words, silence fell.
No one felt comfortable chattering any longer.
Kichi observed the atmosphere of the Crystal Hall.
‘Why is it so intense?’
The Magic Tower.
She had heard the rumors that its discipline was strict.
But still, even so.
With this many people gathered here—
There was no sound at all except breathing?
‘It’s honestly kind of scary.’
This, too, was because of Hoyeol.
More precisely, it was a change brought about by Hoyeol’s formality.
Naturally, Kichi had no way of knowing that.
‘……So it really is the Magic Tower for a reason?’
Just as Kichi was newly impressed by the dignity of the Magic Tower—
Marcelo got to the main point.
“We were victorious in the Demon King Battle. Beyond a simple victory, we achieved our planned objective. We succeeded in eliminating a high-ranking Demon King.”
The calm declaration of victory shattered the silence.
Only a very small number of people had known about the plan.
“Wait. A high-ranking Demon King?”
“The Demon King appearance message—so that was real?”
“I knew I wasn’t mistaken!”
“……But they already defeated the Demon King?”
Murmur, murmur—
No matter how they thought about it, it made no sense.
The appearance message had clearly appeared at the very instant the Rift was cleared and collapsing.
Who, in that instant, could possibly defeat a high-ranking Demon King who triggered an appearance message in a Rift with an appropriate level of 800 to 900?
As if answering their doubts, Marcelo said,
“Chief Lee Hoyeol accomplished it according to plan.”
“……!!!”
……
Lee Hoyeol?
Everyone knew.
They knew that he had entered the [20th Throne] Rift alone.
They had confirmed it through the update notes.
They also knew what monsters had appeared in that Rift.
“There were two at level 900, and one at level 920. Not only did he defeat them alone…… he also defeated a high-ranking Demon King the moment the Rift was cleared?”
Impossible.
The players of the Magic Tower murmured among themselves.
At their reaction, Jibril snorted.
“What exactly is impossible about that?”
“Miss Jibril, they’ll hear you!”
“And what if they do? I’m an adept mage, you know? Honestly, everyone’s faith is so lacking.”
Was it because rumors without feet had grown wings and glided all over the place?
The mages of the Magic Tower, excluding the players, showed no agitation.
But the commotion did not last long.
“By the way, how strange. I don’t see Chief Lee anywhere.”
“?”
At Jibril’s words, Klee looked around the Crystal Hall.
She had suspected as much from the moment Chief Marcelo stepped onto the platform.
But Hoyeol truly was nowhere to be seen.
He wasn’t the kind of person to miss a conference……
Just as Klee tilted her head in confusion—
“And there is one more piece of news.”
Marcelo continued.
It was something no one had expected.
“Additionally, for the time being, Chief Lee Hoyeol will step down from all chief duties and take a period of rest. All tasks he was responsible for, including external operations, will be handled by me from this point onward.”
What?
“The Lee Hoyeol is taking a rest?”
“……Mr. Hoyeol is?”
“!!!”
A rest.
It was clearly not an ordinary matter……
The top floor of the Magic Tower.
Clang—
Even now, after I had finished speaking with Yugweed and come out—
My heart was still creaking with a metallic sound.
Thanks to that, the reality of it was damned hard to ignore.
Yugweed’s words could be summarized in a single line.
If I could not digest this Transcendent power, I would die.
If that single line were reduced to one word, it would be qi deviation.
Therefore, I made not merely a decision, but an extraordinary measure.
Scribble—
I moved my quill across the parchment.
『Application for Leave
Applicant: Lee Hoyeol
Affiliation: Leadership
Position: Chief…….』
“Sometimes, one requires time to look back upon oneself.”
……
That’s all well and good. But could you not write your soliloquy as the reason, Grandfell?