◈ Episode 26. As Expected of the Chief (1)
A blazing sun.
Beneath it, the Yusra Archipelago shone brilliantly.
Though he was capturing the beautiful scenery of the Yusra Archipelago on camera,
the face of NetTuber Park Hwigang was full of gloom.
“……
I’ll wait just a little longer.”
Who was he waiting for?
You could tell by looking at the title of Park Hwigang’s livestream.──────Title: Lee Hoyeol Fan Room) Waiting at the Yusra Archipelago~──────On the day Hoyeol defeated Count Ascura’s knights.
Park Hwigang had watched Hoyeol’s movements from the very entrance of the rift.
In Park Hwigang’s heart, Hoyeol was already a hero.
And wasn’t that only natural?
For one thing, the number of viewers made no sense.
Park Hwigang’s stream had never averaged more than fifty viewers.
But after Hoyeol’s live broadcast.
-I’m here on a pilgrimage to the holy site~-This is the stream that Lee Hoyeol first picked, right?
-Ahem, Lee Hoyeol? How disrespectful
-Say Hoyeol-nimViewers flocked to Park Hwigang’s stream, which had become a hot topic.
No, even apart from the viewer count, Hoyeol was a hero to Park Hwigang.
He was simply overwhelming.
Without even being properly armed,
the sight of him overpowering Count Ascura’s soldiers and knights.‘……
He was just like a comic book protagonist.’That was right.
Park Hwigang had come to admire Hoyeol.
To the point that he personally edited the recorded footage of Hoyeol,
even adding music to create a highlight video.
Perhaps thanks to Park Hwigang’s hard work,
interest in Hoyeol had not died down, at least on Netube.
The level of that interest was being reflected in the viewer count of Park Hwigang’s stream, which was practically Hoyeol’s waiting room.──────Current viewers: 19,412──────He wasn’t even filming various parts of the Yusra Archipelago.
He was simply filming the portal.
Even so, the viewers’ chat showed no sign of slowing down.
-Don’t you know the protagonist always appears last? lol-But can Lee Hoyeol hold out alone in the Yusra Archipelago?
-What’s that supposed to mean?
-Yusra Archipelago’s a treasure island, so the item competition’s gonna be insane. What if the players gang up on him? Especially those Supernova bastardsIt was a reasonable concern.
With so much attention focused on the spoils,
all sorts of people were bound to swarm in.
Among them, the “Supernovas” could not be left out.
Supernovas.
Existing Arcana rankers.
No, new powerhouses threatening the very system of Arcana.
It was a term referring to players who had newly risen to prominence after Arcana became reality.
-True, those bastards don’t care about means or methods
-That’s how they climbed that high-For real, they’re vile bastardsMost people, including players,
had some idea of what the Supernovas really were.
After all, in the days of Arcana,
surpassing in reality the gap that had opened up back then was not an easy thing to do.
On top of that, incidents and accidents never ceased to follow the Supernovas.
Since such Supernovas must have gathered at the Yusra Archipelago as well,
players and guilds alike had no choice but to stay on guard against them.
-Doubt not
-Only Homen
-Anyone doubting him, go watch the highlight video againOf course, that was only possible when they were on the same level.
The viewers had faith.
The overwhelming sight Hoyeol had shown them.
The composure he never lost in any situation.
His utterly dignified attitude.
Even the vessel to brush off the world’s attention as though it were nothing.
He had shown them far too much.
However.-……
But is Hoyeol-nim even coming?
-Doubt not……
-Aren’t you the one doubting him the most right now??
For some reason,
not even Hoyeol’s shadow had appeared.
Arguments continued over that as well.
-As expected, a man who doesn’t care about mere money!!
-Only Homen-For real, you can tell just from how he doesn’t do ads or appear on broadcasts
-He doesn’t need to rush over just because it’s a treasure island, yeahA fanatical faith in Hoyeol.
The viewers interpreted everything in a positive light.
Well, it was because they had such faith
that tens of thousands of people were watching a stream that had been showing nothing but the portal for hours.
At a time when other streams were broadcasting the Yusra Archipelago live, no less.
“……
Doubt not.”
It was just as Park Hwigang muttered that.
“……?”
A familiar silhouette appeared in the frame.
A glittering sandy beach.
Towering palm trees.
A suit and dress shoes that did not match the scenery in the slightest.
And yet, even that attire
was made to seem natural by his unique aura.
At last.
Hoyeol had appeared in the Yusra Archipelago.
“I never doubted you, Homen.”*
─Investigate the great evil of the Yusra Archipelago. (In Progress)
A great evil, huh.
When I checked the quest, I wondered if it could really be true.
Because I remembered what the demon hunter of Akkshan had said.
-Great evil. It means exactly that—a colossal demon. I have never faced one myself, but they certainly exist. A great evil is something that cannot possibly hide, precisely because it is so vast.
The story that began like that immediately turned into a lesson.
-So, as for exactly what kind of beings those great evils are…….……
Enough with the lessons.
I’d just been racking my brain at the regular conference until a moment ago.
Let me rest a little, too.
Thinking that, I threw myself into the portal.
“……!”
And the moment I set foot in the Yusra Archipelago.‘……
Because it is so vast, it cannot hide.’I understood what the demon hunter had meant.[Skill, “Natural Enemy Relationship,” activates.]……
The fact that Natural Enemy Relationship had activated
meant that a demon existed nearby.
However, I did not panic.
Because with a demon hunter’s intuition,
I could feel it beneath the soles of my shoes.‘The entire Yusra Archipelago is within the influence of the great evil.’So the quest hadn’t been acting all weighty for nothing, had it?
I could truly feel that I had faced a “great evil,” just as the words implied.
The Yusra Archipelago looked beautiful on the surface.
Though I had learned the truth behind that beauty,
naturally, there was no hesitation in my steps.……
No, if anything, I was overflowing with confidence.『No demonic temptation, deception, or trial can leave even a scratch on Granfell’s noble pride.』No demon.
Naturally, that would include a “great evil” as well.
So I could boldly
speak my impressions upon entering the Yusra Archipelago.
I declared to the great evil I felt beneath the soles of my shoes.
“You look quite fitting, groveling in such a humiliating posture.”...
『A new region comes to your side.
New region, “Yusra Archipelago,” has been added.
New monsters have been added.‘Golden Sand Scorpion’: Lv.390‘Golden Sand Viper’: Lv.400‘Gem-Collecting Giant Bat’: Lv.400‘Emerald Tiger’: Lv.420…….』The new update details.
Therein lay the reason I had no choice but to turn away from the Yusra Archipelago.
For starters, the levels of the monsters appearing there were no joke.
If it had been a rift, its recommended level would have started at a minimum of level 400.
In that sense, it was a relief.‘Good thing it’s in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.’In the case of new region updates, monsters that appeared in the relevant region were often summoned along with it.
For example, imagine if the Yusra Archipelago had been summoned right next to Jeju Island.‘It would be the same as a rift collapsing before anyone could do anything.’By now, a state of national disaster might have been declared.
In any case, it was fortunate in many ways.───────Natural Enemy Relationship: Combat power rises dramatically when fighting demonkind.───────Unintentionally, I was benefiting greatly from that “great evil.”
Putting aside Granfell’s personality, which hastened his own death,
I had confidence as well.‘Still, couldn’t I somehow manage it?’Natural Enemy Relationship.
On top of that, the magic I had newly picked up by watching over others’ shoulders at the conference.
And even the mana recovery item I had borrowed from the Magic Tower.
This confidence had its own basis, you know.‘Even so, an Emerald Tiger is a bit much…….’I should start safely with a scorpion…….
I was walking through the Yusra Archipelago while thinking that.
Grrrrrrr─!……
You scared me!
Even its roar was profoundly majestic.
The howling of gnolls and blood-soaked wolves I had heard before—
it had enough force to make those sound like whimpers.
I could sense it.
So this was what they meant
when they said speak of the tiger and it will come……!
“Damn it. Healer, I’ve got a status abnormality!!”
“Recovery!”
“Fuck. That bastard’s shining so much it’s hard to hit him properly!!”
A dense palm grove.
An Emerald Tiger rampaged beneath it.
As expected, its movements were as extraordinary as its level.
Judging by their flashy equipment, the players were clearly skilled too.
Yet it felt as if the Emerald Tiger was the one hunting the players.‘Of course it would.’The terrain was far too advantageous for the Emerald Tiger.
Palm grove and emerald.
It was as good as the Emerald Tiger enjoying a camouflage effect.
On top of that, the blazing sunlight beating down.
With their vision disrupted, the players had no choice but to move passively.
“Fuuuck. That’s why I said we shouldn’t split up!”
“You really were blinded by the achievement……!”
“Can’t be helped. We’ll have to run if the situation allows it!”
From the sound of it, they seemed to be taking a step back.
Yes, a wise choice.
There was no business that could withstand numbers.
If they reunited with their companions, they would likely be able to hunt the Emerald Tiger without much difficulty.
Unfortunately,
I had no companions to reunite with.
However.
Step─To take a detour just to avoid a mere tiger.
That was even less of an option.
I took one more step forward.
Rustle─Palm leaves brushed against my suit.
The players who noticed that presence flinched.
“……
What? Huh? Y-you are?!”
Leaving those players behind,
I faced the Emerald Tiger.
“A wild beast cannot be handled like a dog.”I manifested 『Magic』.
“So understand, even if I am rough.”……
Would the day ever come when I got used to lines like this?
Thankfully, my hands and feet did not shrivel up so badly
that I failed to manifest magic.
The wall rising at this moment was proof of that.
Rumble─!
My mind spun rapidly.
The urgent matter was to restrict its movements.
Because with my stats, even following it with my eyes was a struggle.
Strength: 27 points.
Agility: 33 points.
Total: 60 points.
Even if I was exerting power beyond my stats thanks to Natural Enemy Relationship, that thing was level 420.
Letting something like that rampage as it pleased?
There could be no greater act of suicide.
Therefore.
East, west, north, and south.
As though locking a beast in a cage,
I raised stone walls.
Rumble─!
As expected, it was worth pouring all my points into mana.
The manifestation of magic had become much faster than before.
The effect of the brooch was also quite useful.[Effect: When using magic, recover 10 percent of the consumed mana.]I hadn’t expected a 10 percent difference to feel this significant.‘Bringing down the walls at this timing would be insanity.’Before, I would have manifested 『Reversal Magic』 here
and tried to damage it by collapsing the walls I had built.
But I recalled the Emerald Tiger’s agile movements.‘That would be suicide all the same.’Not only could it dodge all the fragments,
it had the level of movement that would let it seize the gap when the stone wall collapsed
and tear out my throat with ease.
So I manifested magic in succession.
Whoosh─!
Flames flickered in my palm.
The chief mage of the Magic Tower, Marcelo.
The advanced magic he had presented at the conference.‘I have enough mana remaining.’Now then, I intended to properly test its destructive power.
I made the flames flickering in my palm grow larger.‘Centrifugal force.’In the process of interference, I added a new concept: science.
Fwoooooosh─!
What I manifested
was, quite literally, a storm of flames.
Its firepower was enough to make even me, the one who manifested it, flinch.‘……
So he isn’t the chief mage for nothing?’It was far more excellent than I expected……!
Sorry, Marcelo.
Sorry for picking a needless fight during the search process.
That storm of flames
engulfed the Emerald Tiger as it climbed the stone wall.
If I had to compare its destructive power,
Jesse Heinness.
Her [Heavenly Punishment]
was, of course, on a far higher level.‘But.’My storm of flames did not easily die out.
Even now, after leaving my hand,
it continued to burn the Emerald Tiger.
Taking that continuous damage into account as well.‘Wouldn’t it be roughly similar?’As if to support my guess,
messages appeared.[Your contribution to the elimination of the Emerald Tiger has been recognized.][Your level has increased.][Your level has increased.][Your level has increased.]……
Amid the flashing messages,
I faintly heard a voice.
“……
Ho-Homen!”