◈ Chapter 291. Highly Advanced Magic Is Unification Under Heaven.
I guarantee it.
There were no players who were not dissatisfied with their actions. Before the Zero Mountains update, they had merely irritated people. Afterward, they had crossed the line.
The Kingdom of Yusra.
The Golden Calf Tavern.
The players murmured.
“They broke the unwritten rule, and badly at that.”
“I mean, no matter how wide the mountain range is, what, did they rent the whole place out?”
“And why are they walking around with guns? That’s what seriously pisses me off.”
After the appearance of the Zero Mountains.
High-level players had become relatively less dependent on rifts.
After all, even without rifts, a quality source of experience points called the Zero Mountains had been updated. But if one asked whether activity in the Zero Mountains was entirely comfortable, that was not the case.
“Why else? Because they’re overflowing with greed.”
Anti-Arcana specialized weapons.
Even if monsters were hunted with products of science, no experience points or loot were awarded. That was why Unification Under Heaven’s actions could not look good in the players’ eyes.
“Leaving everything else aside, named monsters aren’t common, right?”
“Exactly. But they went around taking those down indiscriminately too.”
“Meaning they’re not even thinking about efficiency.”
Why force themselves to hunt monsters that gave neither experience nor loot?
It was simple.
The players who hunted them directly received nothing.
But it benefited the one who ruled them, the [Monarch], Liuo Junchun.
“According to people who raised the Monarch class in the old days, the experience penalty is pretty heavy. That’s why he’s pushing through with sheer numbers!”
Even if they could reap only one percent of the results.
The supermassive guild, Unification Under Heaven, were people who would not hesitate to push forward.
In a word, they were beings who did not care about means or methods.
In that sense.
-“Has this served as a warning, then? Unification Under Heaven.”
The moment Hoyeol mentioned Unification Under Heaven.
“N-No way, is this real?!”
Cheers erupted in the Golden Calf Tavern.
No matter how vast Unification Under Heaven’s forces were, no matter how arrogant they were.
They could not keep up with Hoyeol and the Holy War Alliance.
At least, if one was a player. More precisely, if one had been burned by Unification Under Heaven.
It was only natural for anticipation to sprout in one’s heart.
“Are we finally going to see those bastards tuck their tails between their legs?”
Their excitement lasted only a moment.
When Hoyeol finished his declaration, only then did the background enter the players’ sight. They had failed to witness it properly because of the intense halo radiating from Hoyeol.
“……
But isn’t that Unification Under Heaven’s uniform?”
Players in red uniforms lay sprawled across the ground.
Dark red blood was scattered widely around them.
It was a惨状.
“Urk.”
All over the tavern.
Players retched one after another.
A few quick-witted players began to guess the flow of events.
“The Great Evil…… He said it was the Seven Deadly Sins, Envy, right? Maybe, like Frost’s Demon King Decarabia, that thing needed sacrifices.”
“Don’t tell me those sacrifices were Unification Under Heaven guild members?”
“Wait, then……!”
Things naturally began to make sense.
Why Hoyeol had mentioned Unification Under Heaven by name.
The players, horrified despite themselves, murmured.
“Liuo Junchun, that bastard, don’t tell me he used his own guild members……?”
There was such a thing as common sense.
But the problem was that Liuo Junchun was a person far removed from that common sense.
The players murmured even louder.
“Come on, no matter what, that’s going too far.”
“Maybe Liuo Junchun was threatened by the Great Evil too?”
“Then are you saying Commander-in-Chief Lee Hoyeol’s judgment was wrong?”
“You, that’s blasphemy.”
“No, why are you guys so extreme?!”
Then they flinched.
Their voices had gotten too loud.
Because they realized it.
“……
Hup.”
The players hurriedly shut their mouths.
The reason was simple.
The resident old-timer of the Golden Calf Tavern……
No, the resident nuisance, Rockid of the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
If he had witnessed this chaos, he would surely have roared at them.
“……?”
But only a strange silence flowed through the tavern.
Only then did the players look around and let out sighs of relief.
Because Rockid and the other members of the Shadow Mercenary Corps were nowhere to be seen.
Someone spoke up.
“That’s a relief, but what’s going on?”
Would he have gotten the nickname resident nuisance for no reason?
Rockid was not someone who easily left the Golden Calf Tavern. And his capacity for liquor was so strong that it was common for the number of beer barrels he had emptied since morning to exceed several dozen by evening.
“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since we saw the mercenary corps captain too, hasn’t it?”
But the players’ question did not last long.
For the same reason as before.
Because they appeared on the TV screen.
“……
Hey, look over there.”
“Red uniforms, a few Unification Under Heaven guild members are still alive……?”
“But that big guy isn’t Unification Under Heaven…… Isn’t that Rockid?!”
A massive frame that could not easily be hidden, Rockid.
Including him, the members of the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
All of them were caught on camera wearing Unification Under Heaven’s uniforms.
Unification Under Heaven, the Shadow Mercenary Corps, the Great Evil, and even Hoyeol.
The situation seemed far more complicated than expected.
There was only one thing they could be certain of.
“……
This might get really tangled up, huh?”
The evidence was clear.
Yet the Unification Under Heaven they had seen.
Liuo Junchun’s attitude was all too easy to predict.
“Those bastards are incredibly good at forcing unreasonable claims.”*The Shadow Mercenary Corps.
All members were transported to the Magic Tower. The severity of their injuries was beyond what ordinary healing magic could even touch. Bellier, the senior of healing magic, breathed out a sigh.
“Phew, this won’t be easy.”
The Healing Magic School.
Bellier and the skilled mages already had more than enough work piled up.
They were already overwhelmed carrying out the request Chief Lee Hoyeol had asked of them.
A sigh she could not bring herself to swallow.
“As if dragons weren’t enough, now even the continent’s troublemakers……”
The Evil Fruit (惡果)
swallowed by the dragons.
The dragons were fine in their current state.
But no one knew when or how the seeds of the Evil Fruit they had swallowed might adversely affect their bodies. Just when they had been searching through everything from ancient books to records of the Dragon-Demon War to find a solution, this had been added on top.
Bellier shook her head.‘Still, it’s rare for him to ask a favor, so I should do my best.’Moreover, at this moment, the atmosphere in the Magic Tower was far from ordinary....
The lobby of the Magic Tower.
Reporters spoke in front of cameras.
“The bodies of Unification Under Heaven guild members discovered at the scene where the Seven Deadly Sins, Envy, appeared in the Zero Mountains are estimated to number at least over a hundred…….”
“The reason why members of the Shadow Mercenary Corps were wearing Unification Under Heaven’s uniforms is also raising enormous questions among the public…….”
“It is also impossible to predict how Player Lee Hoyeol will react. After all, the Shadow Mercenary Corps belongs to the Holy War Alliance.”
The crushing of the Great Evil.
The resurrection of Akshan.
Hoyeol’s class.
And even the meaning of Claudi.
Numerous pieces of bait had been revealed and thrown out anew.
Yet the public’s attention could not help but turn toward Unification Under Heaven and the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
Because that was the only question still unresolved right now.
Players all throughout the Magic Tower.
Each checked the live Magic Tower news on their smartphones.
Their gazes naturally turned toward the special room of the Healing Magic School.
“Why on earth were they there? And wearing Unification Under Heaven’s uniforms, no less. Don’t tell me they were trying to stab us in the back?!”
As for the infamy of the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
Any player capable of entering the Magic Tower knew it well.
Even if they belonged to the Holy War Alliance.
If a greater reward was offered, they were beings who could stab someone in the back at any time.
That was the Shadow Mercenary Corps they knew.
“Come on, no way.”
“Why? No one knows what’s in a person’s heart.”
“If that were the case, do you think Chief Lee would have stayed still?”
“Ah.”
In truth, there was no clearer answer than that.
Chief Lee valued pride above all else.
And yet betrayal?
The Shadow Mercenary Corps would have been hunted along with the Great Evil and then some.
“And in some footage, the Shadow Mercenary Corps was caught fighting the Great Evil. Well, even then, judging by how the Great Evil’s gaze was fixed on Chief Lee, it doesn’t seem like they were much help……”
Most of all, if they were mere traitors.
There would be no reason for Chief Lee to care for them in the Magic Tower.
There must surely be some other circumstance involving the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
That was why it felt unpleasant.
“……
Aren’t they going to slip away using this as an excuse?”
Liuo Junchun was cunning.
They could state with certainty that among all famous rankers, none possessed a mind more crafty than his. Skal, who had held undisputed first place back when Arcana was nothing more than a game, had maintained a consistent air of mysticism, so leaving him aside.
“Even Rocks, his rival, isn’t that bad.”
Nam Taemin, Hisagi, and Schrayg were the same.
Leaving aside whether their personalities were good or bad.
The only one whose inner thoughts could not be read was Liuo Junchun.
Was that why?
Hoyeol’s declaration of war against Unification Under Heaven.
Even when Unification Under Heaven gave its answer, the shock was not great.
-“Rather, Unification Under Heaven is the victim.”
Sighs erupted throughout the Magic Tower.
“I knew this would happen, these bastards……!!”
“They’re already starting the victim cosplay.”
“Do they think we’re going to believe that bullshit?”
Naturally, it was an argument that did not work on the players at all.
Of course, there was no way Liuo Junchun did not know that fact.
Soon, breaking news appeared.
“……
They’re expressing concern over the deterioration of relations with Unification Under Heaven? How much in bribes did these bastards eat?! No, in the first place, who the hell are those bastards supposed to be?!”
“They really are filthy bastards, just like always.”
“Wait a second…….”
Included among them was the opinion of Unification Under Heaven’s homeland.
China.
No, it went beyond that level.
Its supreme ruler had become Unification Under Heaven’s spokesperson and was speaking for them.
-“From this point on, any attack directed at Unification Under Heaven will be regarded as an attack against our great nation.”
They had expected this from the moment Unification Under Heaven appeared in the Zero Mountains accompanied by an aircraft carrier.
But reality always exceeded expectations.
“They had this much immense influence……?”
The world clicked its tongue at Liuo Junchun’s scheme.
“……
There wouldn’t be anything like CCTVs in the Zero Mountains, would there?”
Unification Under Heaven and the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
Before the Great Evil showed itself.
What kind of incident had occurred between the two forces?
Because there was no evidence of that.
Unification Under Heaven was brazenly acting like this.
Putting forward the enormous shield of their homeland.
They were trying to pressure Hoyeol instead.
A confrontation that went beyond player versus player.
If a nation stepped forward, then another nation had to step forward as well.
But at least the players of South Korea knew.
“I don’t expect a damn thing from those trash.”
In the past, they had clung to Inazuma and the Mythology Guild.
When Inazuma and Mythology settled their pasts, they clung to Unification Under Heaven.
Living off the bribes they ate.
“That would be helping, if they would just stay still……”
It was obvious they would start subtly shaping public opinion with the instincts they had honed in the political arena.
Predicting how the situation would unfold made their chests begin to feel stifled.
Unless clear evidence existed……
“At this rate, it won’t be long before the backlash hits.”
Unification Under Heaven guild members and the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
Even the parties holding the key to the incident.
Were either no longer of this world.
Or were unable to open their mouths due to severe injuries.
Unless something literally “magical” happened……
Thud.
That was when the sound of someone’s presence was heard.
“?”
Judging by the fact that it did not click, it was not Hoyeol’s footsteps, at least.
Thud.
The legs stepping down the Magic Tower’s stairs were also much thinner and bonier than Hoyeol’s legs. But in that moment, the players of the Magic Tower—no, the apprentice mages—felt at ease for the first time.
The man who appeared in the lobby.
He was none other than a co-chief who held the same position as Hoyeol.
The genius who had overcome death, Marcelo Simuard.
Marcelo opened his mouth before countless cameras.
“I have heard that there is such a saying in this world. Any sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic. I will leave one remark concerning that before continuing the story.”
Marcelo’s mana rose into the air.
The founder of theoretical magic.
At the same time, the mage capable of using the widest variety of schools of magic in the Magic Tower, Marcelo. Marcelo’s mana began to draw a picture in the air.
“Any sufficiently advanced 『magic』 can replace science.”
Soon, the full view of the Zero Mountains appeared in the air.
It was precisely the Zero Mountains of the past.
A player wearing a rabbit mask appeared in midair.
-“What are you doing here?”
-“This area belongs to me. It’s under Lord Yuzio’s jurisdiction, you see?”
-“I did hear about that. That there were people inside using the unknown traits of the Five Stars as a pretext and selling the Five Stars’ reputation. I didn’t know it was true. You’re quite bold, aren’t you?”
-“Unfortunately, I have no intention of letting you off, even if you beg.”
Murmur, murmur─“……
What are those guys doing among themselves?”
“Killing each other is Liuo Junchun’s will?”
“I-If they don’t remember, then that’s not loyalty, it’s brainwashing!”
Unification Under Heaven.
It was the moment their hideous true face was revealed to the world.
Yes, like 『magic』.