◈ Episode 205. A Lucky Day (1)
A majestic triumphal arch manifested by [Aesthetic Sense].
At the end of the path lay the dungeon's heart.
And there was the Siren, the dungeon's boss monster.
Up until that moment, I had simply admired it in pure awe.
So this is what it means to have the additional effect of a [High] grade. 'A navigation service or something.'
A hundred thousand caves.
And this was merely the first one.
To think I'd been drifting in a sea of lava from the very start.
Faced with overwhelming helplessness and self-loathing.
It was like a blessed rain during a drought that had nearly triggered a bout of existential despair.
'Does this mean I might even be able to solo-clear from now on?'
Would I eventually need help from Fabian or an explorer?
That was what I had been seriously pondering.
Not that I particularly disliked Fabian.
From Lord Hoyeol to Commander Hoyeol.
It was the titles Fabian called me by that irritated me.
'Haiel, Diend, and Gwicheol weren't enough, and now Fabian too?'
Listening to their chatter…….
I felt I might collapse from dizziness before even clearing the place.
It was the moment I was walking with far lighter steps, giving thanks to my [Aesthetic Sense], that—
[Quest: Lava Siren]
The quest had appeared just now.
♪♩♬—The clear, pure voice of the Siren echoed.
Diend finally shut his mouth.
Haiel slowly closed his eyes and unleashed an appreciation.
"It is a song that brings happiness even to the listener."
As expected, Haiel.
Truly befitting a fragment of Grandfel; you lack nothing in refinement.
Of course, even to the ears of me, I Hoyeol, who has kept my distance from classical music, it was sweet.
'By the way.'
The amount of mana I stealthily checked.
I had burned through half of it in an instant.
Not surprising.
'Because delicate control has always been difficult.'
Blindly freezing everything wasn't the answer.
Because the goal was to make the lava cold like the sea.
Which was why I had no choice but to manifest ordinary ice magic instead of Absolute Zero.
Anyway, indulging Grandfel's stubbornness is no easy feat.
—Slay the Lava Siren. (Failed)
—Fulfill the Lava Siren's wish. (Success)
Still, choosing the latter option seemed like the right call.
Not knowing the circumstances was one thing.
Even knowing them, slaying the Siren wouldn't have sat right with me.
An 800-level dungeon boss monster.
It was a shame about the experience points.
It's not like Sirens are the only monsters out there.
Perhaps because I had accumulated experience and paid my dues.
Figuring out the situation wasn't all that difficult.
Back when Arcana was merely a game.
The existence of monsters in dungeons was only natural.
It was only natural for backgrounds and settings to follow.
But now that Arcana had become reality.
Arcana lay outside the domain of Cosmo and the AAU.
As could be seen from the information provided by the AAU.
Things that had been mere concepts in the development stage existed as if they had been there from the very beginning.
They lived and breathed on the continent of Arcana.
They had simply appeared in reality through rifts.
'Each with their own backgrounds and settings.'
Yes, that was why the AAU
had officially declared that Arcana was no longer a game.
That was the reason they announced.
'So the Siren had a story too.'
Instead of slaying such a Siren.
I had resolved the quest entangled with that story.
'Tough. So tough.'
I had felt it in Tetpern, too.
Somehow, that story is never easily revealed.
While I was grumbling, a sniffle reached my ears.
"......It is a song that strikes the heart, my lord."
Is this the fellowship of those burdened with stories?
Diend, his eyes clouded with moisture like gathering storm clouds.
Truly befitting a fragment of Grandfel.
You're quite the handful too, aren't you?
'If not me, then who would comfort him, again.'
But before that.
Let's check the quest rewards first.
[Dungeon: You have cleared the Lava Siren.]
Even though I had not slain the Siren, the dungeon's boss.
The clear message had definitely appeared.
Which meant.
The Siren and I were no longer in a hostile relationship.
I didn't know about other players, but to me, the Siren was not treated as a monster by the system.
Well, no further explanation was needed.
♪♩♬♩♪—Paying no heed to my gaze.
One could tell simply by watching it swim through the cooled lava.
Moreover, messages appeared in succession.
[Hidden Location: You have entered the Sea of Lava.]
Hidden Location.
The dungeon's very designation had changed.
Just like regions such as Yusra, Frost, and Muon.
[Your affinity with the Lava Siren has greatly increased.]
[Your influence in the Sea of Lava has increased.]
[Your amity with the Lava Siren has reached its maximum.]
Messages appearing one after another.
The moment my speculation became conviction.
Reaching maximum amity with that region, in other words,
meant that the 'authority function' could be activated in that region.
'Wait.'
......This was not something to regret over experience points.
Hadn't I just successfully planted my flag in the Zero Mountains?
Conquering the hundred thousand caves, of course.
As well as reaching the mountain range's highest peak.
It meant I had established a forward operating base.
"All things begin with a first step."
Just this once, I'll admit you can put on all the airs you want, Grandfel.
Let's think of the distant future.
The rewards from this choice looked far better than experience points.
'For now, my façade... a very lavish façade at that, had kept the demon side from grasping the situation.'
At least in the Holy War.
Humanity and the continent of Arcana remained at a constant disadvantage.
In such a situation, I had recruited as an ally something that could be called a third force.
I had enlisted a monster as a friendly force.
'Of course, the Siren might be a special case.'
Frankly, there were plenty of monsters entangled in ill fate with humans.
But there was no risk of me confusing that.
Yes, because I possessed [Aesthetic Sense].
Whenever a path simply opened.
Whenever a quest appeared.
I just had to follow it, right?
But as I said, it is no easy path.
'No, to speak plainly, just look at the Siren from earlier.'
Even knowing that story, realizing it was practically impossible.
It would have been impossible even for me without the cheat buff called [First World Tree's Blessing].
Under normal circumstances, failure would have been inevitable.
In that sense, perhaps I had accomplished something great......?
"At times, the scenery of an unfamiliar path is not so bad."
But the proud Sir Grandfel would never boast of his hardships to others.
Only the system truly understands my grievances.
[The Siren's Song blesses you.]
[Your Luck has greatly increased.]
[Remaining Time: 23 hours 59 minutes]
'!'
I had thought the tone was sweet even to my tone-deaf ears, but it was a buff.
And a [Luck] stat increase buff the likes of which I had never seen.
'Did you say greatly increased?!'
Back when Arcana was merely a game.
The role of the [Luck] stat had not been concrete.
Literally, luck.
Small things like landing critical hits or evading attacks.
Big things like succeeding in equipment enhancement.
At best, that was all it amounted to.
But I knew from experience.
After all, every single point
that I invested into [Luck] as if making a donation, what had happened each time!
And when I dismissed such [Luck] as mere superstition?
'Demon Kings suddenly came pouring out.'
Anyway, it was chaos.
In that sense, this
was absolutely not a message I could overlook.
The buff's duration was only one day.
I now had a reason to spend the remaining day as productively as possible.
I opened my mouth.
"Haiel, I leave this place to you."
Telepathy is more efficient between us than a hundred words.
Since it has become a region rather than a dungeon.
It would need a foundation worthy of being called a region.
For now, creating a space to set foot on was the priority.
"I, Haiel, shall obey my lord's will."
The one to play that role was the complete opposite of the 'Aquarius Oak' that had grown by taking vast water as its nutrient.
It was the 'Bludia Ornamental Tree' that grew by taking vast heat as its nutrient.
Groooo—
Haiel immediately manifested the {Nature} ability.
Then, in the Sea of Lava.
Bludia Ornamental Trees shot up from the very bottom.
As befitting an ornamental tree, they are splendid.
Can a cat simply walk past a fish store?
Grandfel speech poured from my mouth.
"A pure heart befitting pure land."
Interpreted: the tree's trunk is transparent.
That was why a tree bore a name related to blood.
Because the lava spreading through its roots, trunk, and leaves looked just like blood flowing through veins.
—?
Suddenly, the song stopped.
The Siren poked half its face out from the lava and observed the growing ornamental tree.
No wonder it was surprised.
The growth speed was such that you could see it becoming lush in real-time.
Well, it was familiar to me.
'It's the blessing of having cultivated miraculous herbs into spirit medicine.'
Something like a Bludia Ornamental Tree.
Naturally, it would grow rapidly.
Before long, the thickened branches seemed capable of serving as footholds.
'Then, with peace of mind.'
Now, it was time to properly make use of the greatly increased Luck effect.
The first thing that came to mind was, of course, hunting.
As I said, while I shouldn't be obsessed with levels,
wasn't I in a paradoxical situation where I had to raise my level?
The moment I turned, my oblivious jacket flapped—
'Setting aside the level restriction that remains far off.'
Even just to verify the efficiency of [Tenacity].
I needed to level up and acquire stat points.
Thus, I immediately manifested a portal.
Target coordinates: the Zero Mountains.
From now on.
Monsters without stories, tremble in fear.
"Follow me, Diend."
*Another Space.
Another space station orbiting Earth.
After the Great Upheaval.
It was an AAU-affiliated spaceship launched to respond to rifts.
It was thanks to the Another Space that they could identify the locations of rifts appearing in real-time.
No anomalous signs detected—
a middle-aged man staring at the instrument panel.
He let out a sigh after a long while.
Only now did it feel real.
"So there really isn't one. The regular update."
"You sure are suspicious."
"Suspicious? Drifting in the dark cosmos while looking down at Earth, you can't help but become suspicious. I still suspect it sometimes."
The Zero Mountains, visible clearly even from space.
And it wasn't just clearly visible?
Its highest peak soared so high that it felt close even from space.
So naturally, what existed at its summit
should have been clearly captured through the Another Space's observation lens.
"I wonder if this is some hidden camera prank. I suspect that what we're seeing through the lens is actually all manipulated footage. Look, does that make sense to you? Clouds in space."
Fog in space.
Not to mention phenomena scientifically inexplicable.
Things impossible without magic.
The man playfully feigned anger.
"Damn it! If I hadn't seen magic with my own two eyes, I could never have acknowledged it. Bloody hell, I saw it. A scientist who believes in magic."
At the lament, the woman shrugged.
"Still, it's nice to see you energetic after so long. And that bastard Raymond Sean hasn't lied so far."
If there's no update notice, then there's no update.
Rifts not listed in the notices are no problem.
At best, appropriate level 200 or below.
Most were cleared quickly by players fired up about leveling up.
"So don't worry too much on a good day."
"Ugh. What is it?"
"A heated compress."
"Why are you putting this hot thing on my face?"
"Because I'll keep watch in your place. So you can close your eyes for just a moment."
The man grumbled but let out a groan of relief.
It definitely felt like fatigue was fading.
And so.......
It was the moment the man unknowingly fell into a short slumber.
"S-Senior?"
"Hmm?"
"Over there, that......!"
"!"
Thud—His eyes snapped open reflexively.
The compress fallen to the floor.
He could tell from the urgent voice.
It blew up.
In that instant, one possibility came to mind.
Emergency update.
The appearance of a rift caused by it.
The Another Space's role was, if even a moment sooner,
to quickly identify and report the rift's location to Earth.
"Damn magic."
But the Another Space, floating in space based on science, could not perfectly understand Arcana's concepts.
Therefore, a fully automated system was impossible.
Reality and the continent of Arcana.
To overcome the gap between the two worlds,
he had to grind his own body—a scientist who had witnessed magic—into the task.
"Where?"
As if he had never closed his eyes.
The man's eyes snapped wide open.
His gaze turned to the instrument panel.
But.
"...What?"
No anomalous signs still detected—
The man thought.
......Is this really a hidden camera prank?
But he realized from the following words.
"Not there, ov-over there......!"
The finger pointed at none other than Earth.
That's right.
The summit of the Zero Mountains was distorting.
"A black hole......?!"
So violently that one couldn't help but think so.
Clearly different from a rift.
This was a spectacle as if space was being torn by force, by sheer power.
"......!!"
That's right.
The two had witnessed something similar before.
During the emergence of the [Torn Dimensional Gap] rift.
"Impossible."
But the situation was different from then.
Space distorting like a black hole.
A massive form gliding toward it.
The man sent a transmission to Earth with a trembling voice.
"This is AAU Another Space. Anomalous signs detected at the summit of the Zero Mountains. A dragon is tearing through space...... No, tearing through the dimension and beginning its glide!!"
...[The Demonic Eye Telescope].
The scenery of the Arcana continent reflected in the telescope.
I was overwhelmed with an unparalleled sense of betrayal.
No, you said my Luck had greatly increased?
Dragons, elves, transcendents, and even a Demon King.
This isn't just luck.
Was it a chain letter?
What the hell is this sudden chaos!