◈ Episode 283. You Are Not Special (2)
[Jacket of the One Who Waits for Dawn]
[Grade: Epic]
[Restriction: Lv. 700 / High Level of Fame]
[Equipping restrictions have been greatly alleviated through the Artisan’s Dexterity.]
[Applied Artisan’s Dexterity Effect: - Lv. 300]
[Effect: Manifests when set item is equipped]
[Description: Equipment crafted solely for the ‘One Who Waits for Dawn’. A masterpiece, an excellent work, a grand work. No modifier could express its nobility, and so no modifier was attached.]
What is the action most familiar to me, Lee Hoyeol?
If someone were to ask.
I would probably answer that it is enjoying a leisurely teatime and straightening my attire. Thanks to that, the motion of draping the Jacket of Dawn over my shoulders was incredibly natural and swift.
‘This is emotional in many ways.’
The first day of work.
Did I feel this way when I put on a jacket then too?
How embarrassing that fluttering jacket was.
Are you comparing this to your first day at work, Hoyeol?
Even surprising himself for a moment.
I gazed at the scenery changing before me.
At the end of the portal’s light.
Soon, the target coordinates, [Rose Vine Citadel],
came into view.
‘By the way, you seem to be firmly mistaken about something.’
My gaze naturally turned toward Leoni.
Being soaked in dripping blood was certainly enough to make Grancel, who lives and dies for his attire, hesitate. However, pride stands above even that guy’s sense of formality, and it is a complicated thing.
‘As if he would frown.’
Of course, I don’t know what Leoni’s pride is.
But if I consider Grancel’s exalted empathy of pride.
It wouldn’t be strange to say this.
“It seems you are greatly mistaken about formality, Leoni. However, I shall overlook it for now. For now, it is enough that you have realized pride.”
Did she come to her senses even a little at my words?
Leoni faintly opened her eyes and looked at me.
Then she opened her mouth softly.
“...You are especially shiny today.”
...Shiny?
Who?
Me?
I thought she had her eyes barely open because of the blood covering her.
So it was because I was shiny?
More than anything, I wanted to ask what she meant by that.
“Unnie!!”
Leoni immediately lost consciousness and staggered.
The guild members of the Great Alliance, Berserker, rushed over urgently.
Let’s see, the mana consumed to manifest the portal was considerable, but.
Manifesting healing magic is no problem.
“First, a potion...?!”
The players rummaging through their inventories froze.
Even though they knew 『Magic』 and [Skills] were different.
They must have flinched seeing me use healing, a healer’s exclusive domain.
But it wasn’t to the extent of being surprising.
‘At best, this probably isn’t even intermediate level, right?’
Even for Grancel, who reaches his hand into anything indiscriminately.
He thinks about efficiency.
[First World Tree’s Blessing]
As long as this exists.
The necessity for me to delve deeply into healing magic drops.
‘Meaning I spent that time flipping through other spellbooks instead.’
In short, my healing magic is merely at the level of a hobby. But Grancel’s talent doesn’t just disappear. More than anything, I had just witnessed Hiel’s wide-area buff with my own two eyes.
‘That was good inspiration, Hiel.’
If I add that to the process of imitation, interference....
“Ugh... Crazy....”
Leoni immediately spat out curses.
No, it was no surprise that she came to her senses.
The players’ faces brightened drastically.
“What should we even say. Thank you, Commander-in-Chief...!”
“On behalf of our unnie and Berserker, truly, thank you!”
“We should be greeting you face to face properly, and yet....”
Watching the players unable to raise their heads, I realized once again.
...It seems “shiny” wasn’t something I could just brush off?
I wanted to check this face with a mirror or a smartphone front camera right away if I could, but I’m not so out of my mind as to do that with monsters right before my eyes.
So for now, looking with my eyes is the best option.
I subtly turned my eyes to examine my appearance....
Wait.
W-what the hell is this dazzling splendor?!
There is a saying about a halo shining.
But this is at the level of ‘self-luminescence’ beyond a halo.
It’s not an exaggeration.
Silver threads embroidered upon a deep navy base.
Every single one emits a brilliant light.
Dawn.
Are you truly living up to your name?!
Resenting the fluttering jacket.
I had been thinking I needed to level up as quickly as possible.
At this rate, there’s no point in leveling up and equipping the jacket.
Why, just imagine.
This was far more shameful than draping the jacket over my shoulders.
‘It’s like walking around with reflectors attached to my whole body....’
No wonder I felt the experience was quite substantial!
I can’t just be happy thinking everything is a blessing in disguise, really.
My feelings are truly complicated.
I only want to throw off the jacket I barely put on.
But I can’t do that.
‘Because he is waiting.’
The rift of the [Dimensional Tear].
The question-mark demon I encountered there.
I looked back to that day.
It was a being that had revealed only a part of its body from beyond the torn dimensional rift.
Even so, I could feel its extraordinariness.
So if you ask how strong it is?
I just happen to have an appropriate comparison.
‘Tearing through dimensions means it is a being that has entered the Eerie.’
Me.
Or it means a demon comparable to a dragon.
So the real raid target was separate.
‘Of course, it had the cooperation of Karimzeva.’
The same goes for me.
If I hadn’t imitated the structure of the connector.
I wouldn’t have been able to open a portal to the Arcana continent this quickly.
‘Moreover, to the extent of devouring Vangrit as a sacrifice.’
The meaning of those words was simple.
It was probably incomparably stronger than other Demon Kings, except the upper-ranked Demon Kings. Now that I must face such a being. It is impossible to throw off the jacket just because self-luminescence is embarrassing.
More than anything, I was desperate.
[Trousers of the One Who Waits for Dawn]
[Shirt of the One Who Waits for Dawn]
[Vest of the One Who Waits for Dawn]
[Belt of the One Who Waits for Dawn]
[Jacket of the One Who Waits for Dawn]
All of them Epic grade.
Dwarf-made.
The set effect of the grand-work items...!
So I ask everyone for their understanding.
“I understand.”
“Thank y—...”
“Therefore, I hope you will understand as well.”
“Yes? What do you mean...?”
Demon Hunter.
And Grancel’s complicated pride.
Were paradoxically shouting.
The pride that said I cannot stand by and watch a demon breathe in the Zero Mountain Range, yet I cannot abandon my plans for a mere demon.
This was the conclusion reached after deep deliberation.
“From this moment forth.”
I raised the communicator and continued.
“The raid is over.”
...
Nam Cheolmin felt a chill run down his spine.
—“From this moment forth, the raid is over.”
The Commander-in-Chief is not one to say unnecessary things.
The raid is over.
If he declared it, it truly means it’s over.
Nam Cheolmin wasn’t the only one flustered by the sudden situation.
“C-Chief Analyst?”
“Did something fail to please you?”
“Is it... because our level is lacking...?”
Nam Cheolmin kept his mouth shut and quickly ran through his thoughts.
‘...Could I have overstepped my bounds?’
By rashly requesting support from the Commander-in-Chief?
If it was his fault, that would rather be a relief.
If he was disappointed in the Great Alliance’s level....
‘If that’s the case, there’s no answer.’
He could fix his own mistakes, but the Great Alliance’s lack of ability was not something fixable in a short time.
Sweat burst forth from the sweat glands all over his body in an instant.
“I have no choice but to ask directly.”
It was frightening, but something he couldn’t let pass without confirming.
“Hoo—”
It was the moment Nam Cheolmin took a deep breath.
Hoyeol’s words continued.
—“From now on, it is time for the hunt.”
“...?”
At first, he couldn’t understand the meaning.
He simply thought it didn’t seem like the Commander-in-Chief was disappointed in the Great Alliance.
He was busy letting out a sigh of relief.
But watching, he came to realize.
A hollow laugh burst out on its own.
“So this is what you meant by the raid being over.”
Raid and hunt.
Players of Arcana could clearly feel the difference in nuance.
A raid requires attention to preparation, combat, rest, and all elements, whereas hunting was much simpler.
Yes, just as Hoyeol was showing now.
The analyst stammered.
“It has been... exactly 3 minutes and 30 seconds since Commander-in-Chief Lee Hoyeol entered the [Rose Vine Citadel]...!”
As if he couldn’t believe it.
He checked the monitor again and spoke.
“H-he has defeated the boss monster...!”
[Rosewood Marionette: Lv. 750]
The dignity of a boss monster?
Before overwhelming force, no matter how much of a boss monster it was, it was helpless.
Because it crumbled and scattered into dust before it could even unleash the patterns commonly called phases.
“At this rate....”
At the same time.
Looking at the monitor showing Nam Taemin fighting desperately, he swallowed dryly.
Because his younger brother’s words came to mind.
—“I wonder if we can share the burden Mr. Hoyeol carries?”
He had brushed it off as no big deal back then.
He shouldn’t have done that after all.
Nam Cheolmin muttered without realizing it.
“...I’ll have to work much harder from now on, Taemin.”
With half-hearted determination and effort like now.
He felt he could never be of help to Hoyeol.
After the shock.
Analysts who had grasped the situation opened their mouths one by one.
“If this happens, the [Rose Vine Citadel] is cleared.”
“It deviated a lot from the plan, though? Is it really okay like this, Chief Analyst...?”
“For now, shouldn’t we check what plans the Commander-in-Chief has...?”
Yes, of course he had to check.
Nam Cheolmin pushed up his slipping glasses.
It was the moment he tried to communicate with Hoyeol through the player.
Ssk—
Hoyeol’s gaze turned precisely toward the angle.
“Urk.”
Instantly, groans burst out from here and there.
It was because of the intense light.
Nam Cheolmin urgently opened his mouth.
“A light so intense the camera focus is going out...? Is the lens broken? No, we just bought all new ones this time, so that can’t be...?!”
It was natural to show such a reaction.
The self-luminescence Hoyeol emitted.
To the extent that one couldn’t think it was emitted from mere clothes.
It was so brilliant.
Dawn, literally like the sun rising in the darkness.
But in complete contrast to that.
—“Analyst Nam Cheolmin.”
Hoyeol’s voice was incomparably cold.
Blink—
Nam Cheolmin opened his eyes with difficulty and answered.
“Could you tell him I am listening?”
Nod—
Up and down.
The player’s angle shook finely.
Then Hoyeol’s voice continued.
—“I shall leave the subsequent situation entirely to your judgment.”
“...Yes?”
—“As I said, from now on, it is time for the hunt.”
Hunt...?
The Commander-in-Chief had defeated the boss monster in the [Rose Vine Citadel].
It was already cleared.
He wondered if the Commander-in-Chief meant another dungeon.
‘No.’
Nam Cheolmin soon realized the meaning.
‘...This couldn’t possibly be hunting for the Commander-in-Chief, could it?’
What happened just now couldn’t be called hunting.
It was merely a one-sided massacre.
Furthermore, a mere level 750 boss monster couldn’t have dropped enough experience to be called hunting for the Commander-in-Chief.
“To think I couldn’t understand that meaning.”
I still have a long way to go, Nam Cheolmin!
Then what prey is the Commander-in-Chief talking about?
Could he be of help in finding that prey?
It was the moment Nam Cheolmin was thinking.
...A chill!
His spine turned cold once again.
This was the second time.
Only then could Nam Cheolmin notice.
“...Could it be?”
Hoyeol’s voice was heard, as if confirming it was the correct answer.
—“That ‘thing’ you are feeling is my prey.”
“...!”
Nam Cheolmin was shocked once again.
Because those words meant Hoyeol had a clear grasp of the Zero Mountain Range’s situation even from inside the dungeon.
To such a Hoyeol, there was really nothing he could help with....
“Damn it.”
It was the moment Nam Cheolmin hung his head.
Before being an analyst, he was a player.
A message appeared before his eyes.
“...!”
It was an appearance message that no analyst could fail to recognize.
Recommended level, [Not Recommended for Anyone].
An appearance message in such a Zero Mountain Range.
Was it a bug?
He could have had doubts.
But Nam Cheolmin did not hesitate.
Because the ‘thing’ in the message looked like an existence fully capable of being so.
Nam Cheolmin came to his senses and opened his mouth.
“From now on, I will relay the situation of the Zero Mountain Range to the Commander-in-Chief!”
[The Great Evil, Envy of the Seven Deadly Sins appears.]
[The Zero Mountain Range trembles with negative emotions.]
[The field is transforming.]
...
Great Evil.
Envy of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Thinking back to the fact that Greed, which had just revived, was level 600.
Its level couldn’t even be roughly estimated.
But it doesn’t matter.
『The pride of Grancel Cloudy Arpheus Romeo paradoxically soars highest before a demon.』
Whether it is a Great Evil, a Demon King, or a puny imp.
『No temptation, deception, or trial of any demon can leave even a scratch on Grancel’s noble pride.』
To Grancel, they were all the same demons.
『Perhaps what demons should be most wary of is not the Grancel class of Demon Hunter, but Grancel the human himself.』
I muttered toward the rising message.
[The Great Evil, Envy of the Seven Deadly Sins appears.]
“A Great Evil. You are greatly mistaken.”
Far from being nervous.
“You are not special, not even the slightest bit.”
I spat out venomous words.
“Prey.”
[Skill, ‘Natural Enemy Relationship’ activates.]