◈ Episode 288. Do Not Speak That Name
What I need is an overwhelming victory.
Because the entire world will be watching my battle against the Great Evil. For it to serve as a stern warning. Even if my opponent is a Great Evil, I must not waver in the slightest.
‘This is what I was prepared for from the moment I declared the holy war.’
A peace maintained by my existence.
I don’t know about Granfell.
But Lee Hoyeol, a humble commoner, does not have the nerve to be comfortable in such a position.
I do have something called shame, you know.
Here I am, in such an important situation, worrying about my sparkling outfit.
How could I possibly claim to be a perfect absolute being?
But I can act like such an absolute being.
‘Even if I don’t feel like it, I have no choice.’
That damned loose mouth of mine has said far too much until now.
So the difficulty of this battle.
Has no choice but to rise once again, all on its own.
A Great Evil.
Even if it is a mortal enemy acknowledged by Akshan.
I must not be shaken in the slightest.
For the sake of peace in both worlds.
Reality and the Arcana Continent.
I have to desperately act shameless.
Someone might ask.
Is such a thing possible in a situation where your life is on the line?
If so, I would ask in return.
Are you really only worrying about that now?
I’ve been struggling like this since the days when I had nothing at all.
For me to receive such concern now is.
‘A little embarrassing.’
Besides, things are different from back then.
Because I am not alone.
Alkari let out a sigh.
“Akshan, are you saying they have truly returned……!”
As if our dependable seniors, who did not lose their pride even in hell, were not enough. There was Tempest, Akshan’s guardian spirit who had awaited those seniors. And even the Shadow Mercenary Corps, who inevitably had their own grudges piled up against the Great Evil.
A gruff voice rang out.
“……Damn it.”
“Wahaha.”
“You’re laughing? You’ve really lost your mind.”
Henderson and Rockid.
Even the two men who had been in the worst condition opened their eyes and pushed themselves up. The ones most surprised were the Shadow Mercenary Corps, who knew their condition better than anyone.
Alkari flinched and searched for something.
Then he picked up two potion bottles that sloshed with liquid.
“……They did not drink elixirs, so how?”
What do you mean, how?
It must be thanks to the Dawn set effect.
But I stayed silent.
Because Rockid was frowning.
“Damn, it’s so bright I couldn’t keep my eyes closed quietly.”……
Amazing, Dawn!
To think it could wake someone who had been on the verge of death.
With nothing but glare.
At this rate, it won’t be hard for cameras all over the world to find me.
Self-luminous, that’s what I am, truly.
My eyes met Rockid’s as he looked at me.
“I knew it would be you.”
He spat out curtly, then shook his head.
“No, I knew it would be you, sir. Damn it, I’ve never spoken politely in my life…… Sorry about that. I’m injured, so please be generous.”……
Did emphasizing the employment relationship work?
Rockid, who had not bowed even to the elf Elsidoer, was answering obediently. Was he only pretending on the surface? With Rockid’s personality, there was no way he would care about what others thought.
Besides, the Dawn set effect only applies to those who regard me as their commander. There could be no clearer proof than that. Before I could say anything, the members began murmuring first.
“……Looks like he hurt his head pretty badly.”
“Leave him be.”
“So you were capable of speaking like that, Mr. Rockid……!”
Was he embarrassed by the murmuring?
Rockid’s face flushed red, but the timing was good.
Because the Seven Deadly Sins’ Envy let out a roar.
“You dare act so relaxed before a Great Evil, before this body!”
My senses had been sharpened to the limit by the effect of [Natural Enemy Relationship].
My five senses caught the change.
It was an effect that allowed me to gain the upper hand in every aspect concerning demons. In other words, it allowed me to gain the upper hand even in grasping patterns, which was essential for攻略 boss monsters.
I warned them.
“Beware the darkness, my men.”
Hidden Piece, [Envy’s Maw].
Ever since we entered, the scenery of the mountain range had been covered in pitch-black darkness.
To beware the darkness meant, in Granfell’s style of speech, to beware all directions.
And then.
Wriggle—!
Massive hands stretched out from within the darkness.
Wolf shouted.
“Everyone, dodge with all your might!”
The Shadow Mercenary Corps hastily scattered and evaded the attack.
Tempest also avoided Envy’s clutching hands that rushed in like a storm, moving with storm-like agility. Of course, I stood still where I was and did not move a single step.
I merely stared at Envy.
It might have looked as though I had gone mad and wanted to die.
But I said it already, didn’t I?
An ordinary hunt is not enough.
What I need is an overwhelming report of victory.
The sight of me remaining utterly unshaken even before a Great Evil.
‘I can see it.’
In that sense, I have no choice but to thank Granfell’s talent once again. Because Envy’s pattern of spewing attacks across the entire field, its structure, was formalized and appeared in my mind.
So I opened my mouth.
“Your attempt to use the rift between dimensions is not bad.”
Of course, even while I was talking.
Shaaaaaak!
Envy’s clutching hand, having lost its target, was heading toward me.
But who is Granfell?
A man of pride who does not yield to the interference of a mere demon.
That means the words he begins to utter must be uttered to the very end.
“However, your misjudgment was failing to understand your place.”
It would have been endlessly effective.
Against an opponent who had not entered the realm of the mysterious.
I know better than anyone just how much one can get for free with the mysterious. After all, how much have I profited from the mysterious until now? Thanks to that experience, I realized it.
That the mysterious must be answered with the mysterious.
The Seven Deadly Sins’ Envy.
Of course it was strong.
Its level might even be more than twice as high as mine, now that I had reached level 700. But I can guarantee it. In the realm of the mysterious, I am ahead of that thing.
‘You couldn’t cross over into reality on your own, could you?’
Envy, who had targeted Senior Bangrit, had an accomplice named Karimzeva.
Of course, Karimzeva could not open a rift between dimensions alone either.
So the two must have cooperated.
But the important thing is that it was not by one’s own power.
‘Even if I imitated the structure of the connector.’
That was thanks to Granfell’s outstanding talent.
It wasn’t because I received help from someone else.
To put it simply, you made a grave mistake.
“You do not interfere with dimensions in such a manner.”
The mysterious manifested.
Do not delude yourself into thinking you are the only one who can interfere with dimensions.
I closed the rifts between dimensions that had opened.
Imagine it.
“……!”
From its body.
Through the rifts between dimensions.
What would happen to Envy’s clutching hands that had been stretching out all across the field?
What do you think?
They would be severed just like that.
Like that right arm back then.
“U-Uaaaaaaaagh!!”
Even at Envy’s scream, I recited calmly.
“Did I not say that the right arm was only the beginning?”
Thud.
Drop.
Thump.
Arms were severed and fell just like that.
My eyes met those of the Akshan seniors.
Of course, there was no surprise in them.
Why, they say even praise can make a whale dance. But even when Arcana was nothing more than a game, I don’t remember ever receiving anything like praise from Akshan.
However.
‘I really am a demon hunter through and through.’
I’m slowly getting used to Akshan’s way of communicating.
It means that just by looking at their dry gazes, we understand each other.
Actions over words.
“!”
Clack.
Temporarily putting away the crossbows in one hand.
Shing.
The demon hunters raised the swords in their other hands and charged. The moment a close-quarters battle began, the tenacity of the seniors, who had not broken even in hell, shone in full force.
“Do not cling to me!”
Even if it desperately tried to shake them off, it would not be enough.
I felt it while doing training quests together, too.
Their persistence is no joke, every single one of them.
Tadadadat!
They are even more professional than I am.
Before the demons’ unique regenerative ability could take effect.
They poured sword strikes onto the wounded Envy.
Slice, slice.
As you can see from my simple skill window.
There are no flashy techniques for a demon hunter.
However, the overwhelming total stats born from [Tenacity].
And the destructive power that bursts from them.
That would make even concise movements appear grand.
“Kuaaaaaaagh!!”
Naturally, they could only be effective hits.
‘This is not the time to stand here admiring them.’
I have no intention of stepping back and leaving everything to the seniors forever.
If I simply stood by and watched, I could not know when the seniors’ harsh gazes would fall on me, asking what I was doing in front of a demon.
Besides, what I need is victory.
Even if I put my whole heart and soul into it, it must look as though I have not.
An overwhelming victory with enough composure to be seen.
‘I have to press the attack while I have the chance.’
I raised Gwicheol.
—Master, is that the one I must cut down?
The 『Pride’s Sword Path』 that I can only unleash together with Gwicheol.
It would be a little wasteful to use that ever-changing swordsmanship now.
Judging by the situation, the current pattern did not look as though it would last long.
I answered Gwicheol.
“It does not even have that much worth.”
Was that arrogant?
Well, whether this is arrogance or not will be clear if you keep watching.
I had confidence.
At the same time, I believe in my own struggles.
Even if I skipped the middle process.
I have never walked only the easy path.
The same goes for using Gwicheol.
The 『Space-Time Duel』 I fought against Sword Saint Shegwin.
Through that experience, I learned that the way to draw out Gwicheol’s performance to its maximum was to entrust everything to Gwicheol. However, since that day, I have never once entrusted my body to Gwicheol again.
And that was not all.
Even in situations where I could get an easy win through the mysterious.
Through hand-to-hand combat alone, pure magic alone, or swordsmanship alone.
I had accumulated all kinds of experience.
Because such efforts existed.
I can stand堂堂堂 before Granfell’s loose tongue.
I can stand upright even before a Great Evil.
Even in that state, I can deliver a fatal blow to it.
Flash—
A Hidden Piece.
A space that transcends the physical laws of reality.
Just like a rupture, what happens here does not affect reality. That means I can run wild without worrying about damage reaching the Zero Mountains.
Ssssss—
The light flickering in the sky gradually drew closer at a rapid speed.
Its pressure was enough to make even the Akshan seniors, who had been ceaselessly cutting the Great Evil to pieces, take a step back.
Fwoooooosh—
Soon, the light burned red and revealed its presence.
Even among Granfell’s talents, which allowed him to never forget anything he witnessed.
His magical talent was particularly exceptional.
Meteor Strike.
Yes, it was the very magic manifested by the rampaging body of the Tower Master.
For an overwhelming victory.
One naturally needs overwhelming destructive power.
“……?”
Envy, helpless before the fierce assault.
It barely lifted its head.
Then, flinching at the intense light of the meteor, it spoke.
“……Dawn?”
Meteor Strike plunging down through the darkness.
If one had to describe it, one might think of it as dawn.
But do not misunderstand, Great Evil.
“Regrettably.”
“……Regrettably?”
“There will be no dawn shining upon an inferior being like you.”
The effect of the Dawn set is only effective on allies, you see.
“If you understand, then hurry.”
“Hurry? This body? To do what?”
“Do you think you can withstand it?”
“……?”
“God’s judgment.”
“G-God’s judgment……?”
“Armageddon.”……
I knew it had been too quiet for me!
When the official name Meteor Strike exists.
Why, of all things, attach a meaningful alias like God’s Judgment or Armageddon?!
Is it because this is also part of the holy war, so you gave it such a sacred name? Honestly…….
‘A naming sense I cannot understand, nor do I want to understand.’
But there is one thing I can know.
Armageddon…….
No, the power of Meteor Strike would absolutely not be light.
[Natural Enemy Relationship]
The combat power amplified by it also includes the effect of Circle.
- Current achievement reached: Circle (All magic manifestation power increased by 1,000%)
My manifestation power.
From 1,000 percent.
Must have increased explosively once again.
Enough to easily surpass the shame burning within me!
*
Unreasonable.
Envy could not believe this situation.
It had guessed that the demon hunter was no ordinary being.
But this surpassed the level it had expected.
Not only did he summon the dead demon hunters from hell.
He even reawakened the Shadow Mercenary Corps, upon whom death had descended.
Everything was a continuous chain of unreasonable events.
That was why it began to doubt.
‘……It is not because of the Natural Enemy Relationship.’
I am one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
I am different from the mongrels of the Demon World.
Something like a Natural Enemy Relationship had been overcome long ago.
There was not only the shadow of Akshan behind him.
Envy reached that conclusion.
No, it had no choice but to think that way.
‘What in the world is he?’
It desperately searched for the reason.
For the reason that fledgling demon hunter.
Could be special.
And it arrived at one possibility.
The brilliantly shining garments.
Because of them, it noticed belatedly.
The color of his hair.
“……Silver hair.”
Soon, Envy’s pupils shook violently.
Silver hair. It stared straight into Hoyeol’s eyes and spoke.
“You are…….”
...
Meteor Strike erupted.
As expected, my prediction was correct.
In other words, I had definitively landed the finishing blow of Phase 2.
‘Let’s see, the next pattern is…….’
First of all, it seems the Hidden Piece ends at Phase 2.
Envy revealed itself as the darkness receded.
But for some reason, it was staring at me intently.
“……Silver hair.”
Then it continued.
“You are…… a Claudi.”
No, you only realized that now?
More importantly, if you realized it, you should have kept quiet.
At a moment when the whole world is watching.
Why are you clearly saying that name, syllable by syllable?!
I answered in an icy voice filled with emotion.
“Do not dare speak that name.”
“……As expected!”
“If you have uttered it, take responsibility for doing so.”
Ssssss—
Suitable mana surged upward.
Because the price for mentioning my dark history would be more than harsh……!!