◈ Episode 199. The News of Victory
A bombshell dropped on the AAU out of nowhere.
“S-so you’re saying we’re supposed to believe that? Again?”
A video conference of the branch heads.
It wasn’t only Park Minjae, the head of the Korean branch.
The branch heads who had belatedly received the news.
As if they had all agreed upon it, every one of them pressed their fingers to their temples.
Their heads were throbbing too much to bear!
“A message asking them to spectate a duel appeared, so they accepted it……”
“And then their vision suddenly changed.”
“When they opened their eyes, a magnificent colosseum appeared……?”
“No, how are we supposed to believe this?”
The last one to let out a lament was Park Minjae.
“It’s times like this that I wish I could become a player, even if just for a day. Seriously, our dear players would have no reason to lie about something like this……”
Baker Chat, the head of the London branch.
He burst into a hearty laugh, as if he found it fascinating.
“According to Shreig, he’d never seen such a splendid colosseum before. And that’s counting from the days when Arcana was nothing more than a game!”
“A colosseum built of jewels and gold……”
“There isn’t one, is there? Not even on the Arcana Continent.”
Even when they dug through their memories and databases from their days as developers.
There was no colosseum that matched the players’ testimonies.
No, in the first place, even the method of entry made no sense, didn’t it?
“They didn’t enter a rift or a portal.”
“Exactly! They simply closed their eyes and opened them!”
“And the flow of time was different, too.”
Head of the western United States branch.
Joshua had spoken with Rocks’s group and discussed matters related to it.
They said the duel in the colosseum had lasted at least several dozen minutes, but when they returned to reality and checked the time, not even several dozen seconds had passed.
“……
Just where in the world did they all go as a group?”
At any rate, damn Arcana!
Whenever they learned one thing, a whole avalanche of unknowns came pouring down.
Feeling stifled, Park Minjae lowered his head.
Thanks to that, he failed to notice the gazes of the branch heads pouring down onto the crown of his head.
“But, Branch Head Park.”
“I’m listening. I’m not sleeping, I’m thinking.”
“There is one person who might know, isn’t there?”
“……
Pardon?”
At the insinuating tone, Park Minjae raised his head.
What poured onto him were.
The expectant gazes of the branch heads.
He could sense it.
“……
You can’t mean Chief Lee of Yusra, can you?”
A player and the chief executive of the Yusra branch.
And at the same time.
The only existence who could answer the questions pouring in.
Lee Hoyeol.
‘That’s a bit much.’
But meeting such a Hoyeol one-on-one.
Was a burden even for Park Minjae.
So Park Minjae hurriedly changed the subject.
“Right. Now that we’re on the topic, isn’t he incredible? To defeat the Sword Saint, Shegwin, with a sword! A total jackpot incident!!”
Perhaps it was the effect of deliberately borrowing the words of young people.
One by one, the branch heads nodded.
“Shegwin wasn’t exactly an NPC designed for players to defeat or oppose, was he? He was an NPC made to be like an insurmountable mountain to players.”
That was true.
In a way, it was the same as the Magic Tower.
The Sword Saint.
Literally, the pinnacle of the sword.
Because he was far too strong, he could not be designed to influence the Arcana Continent.
That was also why they had given him the single-minded setting that he knew nothing but the sword.
“Considering his age in the setting…… he was also someone who should have died naturally long ago.”
“We’ll have to listen to the players a little more regarding that part. There are aspects that are difficult to understand at the moment.”
Shegwin regaining his youth.
That alone was astonishing enough.
But after losing the duel against Hoyeol, he became an old man again.
Then, engulfed in green flames, he vanished along with his sword.
It was a good thing there hadn’t only been one or two witnesses.
“……
But even if this becomes known, it’ll be hard to believe, won’t it?”
No matter how many players had witnessed it.
It sounded absurd enough to make one wonder if they had all seen a hallucination together.
Humanly speaking, it was far too outrageous a story.
Especially.
“No matter how Chief Lee Hoyeol is……”
To think he had defeated the Sword Saint with a sword.
As mentioned earlier, Shegwin was not an existence designed to be defeated by a player.
He possessed stats and unique skills so fraudulent that, if players found out, they would be unable to hide their shock.
Because of that, the conversation turned to that as well.
“Well. Could there not have been some sort of mistake?”
“A mistake?”
“As you know, the Sword Saint is a character designed as the pinnacle. He was made so that he could not be defeated with a sword. That’s why he was an old man, and why he was supposed to naturally exit as Arcana’s story progressed.”
“……
Well, that’s true.”
“Could it not have been a situation where the players were unable to make normal judgments? After all, isn’t it clear from the players’ testimonies? As if the luxurious colosseum weren’t enough, Shegwin regained his youth, then became an old man again and was engulfed in green flames.”……
Well, it was a relief that the topic had circled back.
But listening quietly was making his temper rise again.
Park Minjae let out a rotten smile.
Joshua, you dare suspect our chief?
When were you busy flattering him to his face?
At any rate, how shameless.
Some of them had no pride to speak of.
“Hoo-ha—”
Just as Park Minjae’s true nature, the one that had slammed headfirst into Raymon Sean, was about to burst out.
Urgent news was delivered to each branch head.
“?”
It was none other than news of an update to Arcana’s official website.
Someone cried out as if screaming.
“It’s not even Thursday today, is it? Don’t tell me it’s an emergency update?!”
Fortunately, it wasn’t the worst-case scenario.
What appeared wasn’t an update log.
Yes, what appeared on the website was a single video.
“……
Arcana’s official account? Raymon Sean uploaded this? Wait, Raymon uploaded a video? This is the first time a post other than update details has been uploaded, isn’t it?!”
“Calm down. First, let’s play it.”
Soon, the video was shared in the branch heads’ chatroom.
“……!!!”
Joshua, who had been especially talkative, shut his mouth.
What appeared in the video that played was a colosseum.
Hoyeol standing face-to-face with the Sword Saint.
And after a splendid exchange of attacks and defenses.
Hoyeol stood upright after defeating the Sword Saint.
*
Yes, of course it would become a hot topic.
‘Even I was shocked watching it.’
The duel with Shegwin, now pinned on Arcana’s official website.
It wasn’t filmed from a player’s point of view.
Angles that made it seem as if cameras had been shoved in from every direction.
And editing that could put a blockbuster film to shame, too.
There was only one person who could pull off something like this.
‘Raymon Sean.’
Thanks to him filming it as if it were an action movie, the community was in an uproar.
As if putting slow motion on the scene where I exchanged blows with Shegwin wasn’t enough. He didn’t stop at packaging it nicely; he even slathered gold all over it.
-Is this for real lol Doesn’t he look more like the Sword Saint than the Sword Saint?
-Even with slow motion my eyes can’t keep up fr
-I knew it ever since he fought with an umbrella lol His swordsmanship
Naturally, there was no way I could feel at ease.
Because those movements hadn’t originated from my swordsmanship.
Everything was because of the Ego Sword.
A [Legendary]-grade item.
It was thanks to Gwicheol……!
‘What a brazen face.’
But on my face.
There was no way that truth would be revealed.
I hadn’t said that even I was shocked for no reason.
Even knowing the truth, I could have been fooled by how serious my expression was.
Indeed, it would not be out of place to call it a duel over the seat of the Sword Saint.
Click—
What I set down was a teacup with a teabag steeping inside.
But even if I understood it.
There was no way Grandfell’s mood would allow it.
I opened my mouth in a low voice.
“Raymon Sean, you do not have the qualifications.”
At the final moment.
The exceedingly blue sword aura that Shegwin had emitted.
Whether it was because he had regained his pride.
Or whether it was due to the effect of the title [Noble].
I could not know.
But one thing was certain.
“The qualifications to turn his final moment into a spectacle.”
I wasn’t reprimanding those who cheered for the victory.
They had no way of knowing what circumstances existed between Shegwin and me. They probably didn’t know why the flames of hell had swallowed Shegwin at the final moment, either. They wouldn’t even know what the fire of hell was.
But.
You know all of it, Raymon Sean.
To do that while knowing everything.
Was something Grandfell’s pride simply could not tolerate.
“I shall look forward to the day we meet.”
I don’t know when that will be.
But I’m looking forward to it, too.
You’re the root cause of everything, Raymon.
I also have something to repay you for.
‘If not for you.’
I wouldn’t have had to worry about dying of shame!
Enough. Let’s stop lamenting my lot when the person in question can’t even hear it.
Besides, there was something I had to check right now.
Victory in the Duel of Spacetime.
The reward paid out for victory.
It was gold coins.
Exactly one hundred of them.
“Gold coins……”
That damned integrity and innocence.
I know full well that you aren’t obsessed with riches and glory, Grandfell.
But these aren’t ordinary gold coins, so try examining them with a bit of patience.
[Gold Coin of Spacetime]
[Grade: Epic]
[Restriction: Transcendent]
[Effect: Can be used as currency in Spacetime.]
[Description: A gold coin circulated in Spacetime, the realm of Transcendents.]
Gold Coins of Spacetime.
In short, they were money used in the [Veteran Community], 『Spacetime』.
As for their detailed uses, I could only guess for now.
AAU had passed along some information, but I would only know how it had been implemented after experiencing it myself. Just like the Duel of Spacetime.
Still, I already knew how to use them in the social hall.
“Mm.”
See that?
The moment he hears they’re needed to order tea, he just lets it pass.
Just how important does he consider teatime?
Of course, the victory reward didn’t end with gold coins.
The video of the duel had been uploaded to Arcana’s official website.
The revenue that followed would be paid out to me.
It was truly real wealth and glory, so to me, it was a useless reward, but.
‘……
Let’s think of it as savings.’
If I save it up, I’m sure it’ll be useful someday, even in old age.
In any case, the formal victory rewards ended there.
In truth, what came now could be called the real reward.
I checked the title.
[Transcendent: Your transcendent level is sufficient to be called a Transcendent.
- Current Achievements Reached: Circle (All magic manifestation power increased by 1,000%) / Incomplete Swift Swordsmanship / None / None…….]
The Incomplete Swift Swordsmanship newly appeared among the achievements.
That was right.
This time, too, it was Grandfell’s talent.
Just as he manifested magic merely by witnessing it.
He had witnessed Shegwin’s Swift Swordsmanship while crossing blades with him.
And in the end, he had acquired it.
‘The effect isn’t specified yet because it’s still incomplete, but……’
If I polish and refine it.
Wouldn’t a proper effect appear, just like with the Circle?
To me, it was a gain that felt far more tangible than gold coins or money.
After all, it meant I had acquired the swordsmanship of none other than the Sword Saint.
Shegwin’s swordsmanship.
I recited.
“I shall continue walking the path of your sword.”
You really do say things in an elegant, roundabout way, Grandfell.
“Even if only to seize true victory.”
And you really do hold grudges like no other, Grandfell.
What is true victory, you ask?
Beginning, middle, and end: demons.
Naturally, it referred to victory in the Holy War.
Shegwin had succumbed to temptation, but at the final moment, he regained his pride. And above all, what was wicked was the demon that had exploited and deceived Shegwin’s weakness.
‘So you’re piling pride on top of pride again……’
What’s the point of struggling for a hundred days?
Just when I can endure it, he even adds someone else’s pride on top of it.
But as I said, I suppose everything is my karma.
Still, let’s think positively.
‘……
Right, at least that wasn’t pinned on the website.’
A name shameful no matter where it’s revealed.
[Name: Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo]
I’m sincerely glad I set my personal information to private…….
……
The social hall of Spacetime.
All that could be seen was a woman sprawled across a table.
……
How long has that person been like that?
The man who entered the social hall clicked his tongue.
“Witch, do you earn gold coins just to spend them all on tobacco?”
“Why don’t you shut your mouth?”
“……
Tsk, I’m too scared to even talk to you.”
Warrior of the Sunrise.
The short black-haired man took a seat.
Clink—
He took out a single gold coin and placed it on the table.
Immediately, a cup filled with water appeared in midair.
“Ah.”
『Moon’s Purified Water』, worth one gold coin.
As soon as he swallowed it, the fatigue in his body vanished as if washed away.
The man looked around the social hall.
“……
Witch, I feel this every time, but keeping tobacco made from precious elixirs in your mouth all day seems like overspending, no matter how many gold coins you have. It’s not like you’re trying to show off how many gold coins you’ve got.”
Tobacco that cost a full ten gold coins per stick.
Aside from the ‘Witch of the Southern Sea,’ who was puffing away at something so precious as usual.
There was no sign of the other Transcendents.
The man shrugged.
“Everyone seems busy in one way or another.”
Looking at the state of the Arcana Continent, that made sense.
Now was precisely the time for the Transcendents.
The time when each would put their own will into action.
In that sense, it was unexpected.
“How unusual. The old man isn’t here.”
Shegwin.
Unlike the other Transcendents.
An old man who pursued only the path of his sword.
“I had something to ask him.”
Whether Shegwin had regained his youth or whatever else had happened.
It was not important to the man.
After all, aside from discussions related to the sword, neither of them had any interest in the other.
Then, something suddenly entered the man’s field of vision.
A parchment.
Glance—
The man glanced at the woman sprawled under the effects of the tobacco.
“You didn’t even check this. Should I open it?”
It was rare for new news to arrive in the social hall.
She can’t even answer. That’s full-on addiction, I’m telling you, addiction.
The man shook his head and unfolded the parchment.
Agitation appeared on his face.
“……
Death in the Duel of Spacetime?”
……
Shegwin, that old man?
Having exchanged a few conversations with him, he knew.
Shegwin had been a swordsman of considerable skill.
Was he not a Transcendent just like himself in the first place?
“……
Who was it?”
The man checked the name of his opponent.
And he flinched.
It was a name he had never heard even once until now.
Which meant he could guess only one person.
“A newcomer?”
That was right.
The name of the man who had not been revealed during the achievement evaluation.
Was written on the parchment.
The man recited the name.
“Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo.”
“……?!”
That was when it happened.
Thud!
The witch who had been sprawled in the next seat straightened herself up.
With eyes already fierce, she opened them even more sharply.
She said to the man.
“Say that again.”
“……
What are you suddenly talking about?”
“That name. Say it again.”
……
The name?
Had she not heard it properly because it was long?
The man muttered once more.
“Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo.”
Then the witch repeated it.
“Grandfell…… Claudi……? C-Claudi family……?!”