◈ Episode 30. You Picked the Wrong Opponent (1)
The leader of the lions.
Harkon Kingsguard’s gaze sank.
At first, doubt came before anything else.
‘……
I wasn’t mistaken.’
To establish amicable relations with the Magic Tower, His Majesty the Emperor had sent them gifts.
One of those gifts.
An exterior that seemed fractured.
And yet, even on its own, it possessed the bearing of a work of art.
That was unmistakably the Hexagram Brooch.
A magic tool of that caliber was by no means common.
‘But how does an adventurer have that magic tool……?’
The Magic Tower was more than an organization.
Mages who moved solely in pursuit of truth.
If they had ever taken an interest in continental supremacy.
‘It would not have taken them even a full year to unify the continent.’
That was why he understood it even less.
Lee Hoyeol, was it?
Even from the name alone, he was certainly an adventurer.
‘By what means does he possess a magic tool of the Magic Tower?’
Had he stolen the magic tool from the Magic Tower?
Impossible.
That was a possibility not even worth considering.
Then there was only one answer.
‘The Magic Tower gave him the magic tool.’
And voluntarily, at that.
To be honest, Harkon could not understand it.
‘Why to an adventurer?’
Even if they pursued the truth.
The Magic Tower was not an entity friendly to anyone.
If one were to describe them in a single phrase……
Yes, they were a kind of “natural disaster.”
For the sake of pursuing truth.
They were monsters capable of destroying anything that stood in their way.
‘……
No, the reason is not what matters.’
Harkon made up his mind.
“Now that I have learned you are connected to the Magic Tower, telling you to withdraw because it is dangerous would be presumptuous of me.”
Without knowing the cause.
In the current situation, where they had fallen into the world of adventurers.
All Harkon could do was pray.
And yet, to think he would meet an adventurer connected to the Magic Tower.
‘If it is the Magic Tower, then about this situation……. No, they may already have found a solution.’
This was an opportunity that might allow him to make contact with the Magic Tower.
Even if it meant being caught up in that natural disaster.
Harkon had no intention of letting that opportunity slip away.
“So, adventurer, will you join us in bringing down that monster?”
But before that, verification was needed.
Whether that adventurer truly was connected to the Magic Tower.
Or whether he had acquired the Hexagram Brooch through heavenly fortune.
‘If his abilities prove questionable…….’
He could ask about the brooch’s origins.
Whatever the reason, that magic tool had been a gift bestowed by the Emperor.
The Lionheart Knights, the strongest order of knights in the Empire and said to be the Emperor’s hands and feet.
As their commander, he ought to have at least that much authority.
‘I will know once I see.’
Harkon thought he had hidden his inner thoughts well enough.
But at the reply that came back, he was shocked.
“However, in all things, there is give and take. Be sure to remember that always. Commander of the Lionheart Knights, Sir Harkon Kingsguard.”
……
How could this be? He had seen through him!
And precisely at that—his intention.
In that short exchange, Harkon realized.
‘He understood my intention, and yet readily agreed.’
Remember that there is give and take.
Even so, he had not simply let it pass.
‘I made a mistake.’
The moment his intention was exposed, the positions between himself and the adventurer were completely reversed.
That was right.
Now the ones who had to prove themselves were not the adventurer, but them.
“I will remember it. Adventurer.”
As if repenting for that oversight.
A vow upon the heart.
And then, now.
Sssssk—
Stairs embroidered across the sky.
The moment one stepped forward.
The stair vanished, only to rise again in a strange sight.
It was magic in the truest sense.
Tatadat—!
As Harkon climbed those stairs, he recalled the conversation from moments ago.
—Harkon. I will support you.
—Support us? What do you mean by that, adventurer?
—I will open the way.
Harkon gritted his teeth.
‘Can I call myself the Emperor’s knight even like this?’
He had harbored unnecessary suspicion.
And on top of that, he was being shown consideration.
At a time when they should have been proving their own ability.
Crack—!
“I will not disappoint you now, adventurer.”
Focus.
Goooooo—
A sword glowing faintly.
Sword aura.
Soon, Harkon’s sword pierced the turtle’s neck.
Successive sword strikes from the knights flew in.
They had cut off the monster’s breath.
But Harkon did not rejoice in the slightest.
‘It is only natural that I have no right.’
He did not think he had repaid his debt to the adventurer, Hoyeol, merely by giving up the achievement.
If anything, he had incurred an even greater debt.
And so Harkon did not delay.
He shouted to the knights.
“Complete your preparations quickly. We will continue together with the adventurer, Lee Hoyeol.”
*
[You have leveled up.]
……
The welcome message stopped exactly at the twentieth time.
My level had risen by 20 in one go.
As expected of a named monster.
And one worthy of being the strongest in the Yusra Archipelago, judging by the experience points.
‘So that makes me level 166.’
I was leveling up at a rapid pace, but……
It was only natural to feel it was lacking.
There was no need to look far. Even the battle just now was like that.
‘If I were only level 300.’
I could have borrowed a magic tool better than this brooch from the Magic Tower.
And with the effects of that magic tool, I could have hunted the giant turtle while firing off magic nonstop.
But there was nothing more meaningless than lamenting what could not be done.
‘Enough. That’s enough.’
I opened my inventory.
The spoils I had automatically acquired thanks to my high contribution.
More precisely, to check the island’s treasure.
[Island’s Treasure, Broken Crown]
[Grade: Epic]
[Requirement: Lv.500]
[Effect: None]
[Description: An old crown.]
……
What is this?
An information window where not even a trace of balance could be found?
The first thing that caught my eye was the grade.
Normal ▶ Magic ▶ Rare ▶ Unique ▶ Epic
Due to my personality, I did not show it with my whole body.
But I was deeply shocked.
An Epic-grade item……!
‘Epic items have only appeared a handful of times in Arcana’s history, haven’t they?’
Of course, during the ten or so years after I left Arcana.
An Epic-grade item I didn’t know about might have dropped.
But even considering that, Epic items were not something you could easily see. There still wasn’t any information on them to begin with.
‘There were no records of them being traded on the auction house, either.’
That was why I said there was no balance to be found.
Yes, if it was Epic-grade.
Then in accordance with that grandiose grade.
Shouldn’t it have an incredible effect?
‘And the level requirement is ridiculously high, too.’
But there’s no effect!
Even the description was only a single line.
There wasn’t the slightest sincerity.
Island’s treasure, my ass. What kind of island’s treasure is this……!
My emotions fluctuated like a roller coaster.
Of course, I did not show it.
The fact that I did not rejoice or grieve over things like this.
Even without digging through the setting, I knew that through experience.
Besides, there was one more piece of evidence.
[Collapse Progress: 4/10]
As expected, my guess was correct.
What advanced the collapse was not the island’s treasure itself.
It was the island’s treasure becoming stained by “greed.”
The proof was that although the crown, one of the treasures, had entered my inventory, the progress had not increased.
I thought to myself.
‘It was greed I never had in the first place.’
Even if I had, it would have disappeared quickly.
The moment I checked the crown’s information, that is.
‘But there might be something hidden about it.’
Epic-grade couldn’t be Epic-grade for nothing.
I tried to console myself like that for a moment.
‘……
By the way, why did they give it up?’
I thought of Harkon and the knights.
Thanks to them giving up their kill contribution, not only did I monopolize the experience points, I even automatically acquired the island’s treasure.
It was a development I had never even imagined.
“Indeed, you are as honorable as your reputation suggests. Lionheart Knights.”
……
Of course you are.
I was taking that excessive kindness as a matter of course as well.
Still, I had to know the reason.
There was also something I had said, after all.
‘Telling them to remember give and take.’
As they say, a man’s mind changes between entering the bathroom and coming out.
If I’d known this would happen, I should have just kept my mouth shut.
While I was regretting that.
“I have ended up owing you yet another debt.”
……
What? You owe me? You people?
Just what sort of debt did they owe?
In that instant, all sorts of thoughts flashed through my mind.
‘Because I made a path, a staircase for them? Was that really worth that much?’
But I replied without even blinking.
“If you remember it, then there is no problem.”
“Of course. I have engraved your words into this heart.”
Was it because I did not blink even once?
I was able to notice.
Apparently, they were badly mistaken about something.
‘Just where did this misunderstanding begin?’
Even when I looked back, it was only natural that I could not tell.
But there was also no need to worry any longer.
Why, there’s a saying like that, isn’t there?
‘……
If you can’t avoid it, you have no choice but to enjoy it.’
Besides, this was not a one-sided relationship.
It was a give-and-take relationship.
If I received more than a misunderstanding was worth?
All I had to do was simply return it.
‘As for that standard, well.’
Because of his lofty pride.
Grandfell, who could not live while indebted to others, would know better than anyone.
When Harkon took off his helmet, the face of a middle-aged man was revealed.
For a knight commander, he had a handsome and gentle impression.
He placed his fist on his chest once more and said to me.
“I do not know what purpose you have. But at least here, in the Yusra Archipelago, we of the Lionheart Knights shall become your sword and shield.”
If this had been inside the Arcana game.
I would have been taking screenshots without pause.
The Lionheart Knights were saying something like that.
I would have made a huge fuss, saying it was the achievement of a lifetime.
‘……
Because this is that astonishing.’
But there was something even more astonishing than that.
[The Lionheart Knights have joined your party.]
Though it was limited to the Yusra Archipelago.
Perhaps because they had sworn loyalty to me.
A party was automatically formed.
Information about them appeared before my eyes.
Which meant I could see their levels above their heads.
[Harkon Kingsguard: Lv.600]
[Jessica Bright: Lv.430]
[Enoch Loren: Lv.400]
……
Level 600.
The moment I saw that number.
I could assert it boldly.
No player or guild currently in the Yusra Archipelago would be able to match the strength of my party……! To think that someone only level 166 had become the party leader of a party like this.
‘I should at least feel some pressure.’
But by now, saying it only made my mouth hurt.
Because in my dictionary, there was no such word as pressure.
“I respect your decision, Sir Harkon.”
I said it shamelessly.
What I had to do while leading the knight order was clear.
Click—
As I moved my feet, I continued speaking.
“Then let us go to the next island.”
No matter what, I had to get my money’s worth!
*
[The Yusra Archipelago begins to be stained by greed.]
[Collapse Progress: 5/10]
A message floated up.
Kinver licked his dry lips.
“Calm down.”
Supernova.
His patience had played a part in why he had come to be called that.
Enduring, and enduring again.
That patience that allowed him to hold out until a certain opportunity finally came.
[The Yusra Archipelago begins to be stained by greed.]
[Collapse Progress: 6/10]
“……
Fuck!”
But perhaps because of the environment called a treasure island.
It was unusually hard to endure.
It was as if someone were whispering to him.
—Move.
—Are you sure it’s okay to just stay still like that?
—What will you do if someone takes the treasure from you?
“……
Shut up.”
He had not given up.
He was merely aiming for a certain opportunity.
Kinver believed himself to be clever.
“There’s a time to strike and pull back for everything.”
Even after murdering dozens, hundreds of players.
The fact that he was still walking around perfectly fine was the basis for that belief.
The reason such a Kinver was holding his breath was simple.
The prey of the Yusra Archipelago was not easy to hunt.
‘Cowardly bastards.’
The players were moving in guilds, or at the very least, in party units.
Well, he was the same.
But that was only so he could swiftly deal with prey when they strayed from the herd.
‘If the fight drags on, it’s over.’
Because the commotion might draw other players in. At that point, regardless of whether the hunt succeeded or not, everything he had built up would come to an end.
That was why Kinver lay in ambush here.
‘On this island, isolated in a remote place.’
With that much distance, fewer players would reach it.
Kinver licked his dry lips again.
“Idiots with flowers filling their heads.”
Why take a hard road when an easy path is right there?
It was something Kinver could not understand.
He was simply grateful.
“Thanks to you not knowing reality.”
Because I’m taking the shortcut.
It was then, as Kinver’s eyes flashed.
“……
Well, well.”
He saw prey in the distance.
And very appetizing prey at that.
To think he would run into him like this.
As expected, it had been worth keeping an eye on him from the portal.
“Lee Hoyeol.”
A player who had shown a shocking debut.
His strength?
Kinver was also aware of it.
No, there was no way he could not know.
Because no matter whether it was TV, the internet, or any other media, for a while they had all been noisy with talk about that guy.
That was why he looked appetizing.
“The best time is when they don’t know anything.”
When they were full of hot air.
As if they had truly become something.
That was the best time to burst prey like a balloon.
“That arrogance will get you killed today.”
No matter how strong he was, their preparations were meticulous.
Debuffs, status abnormalities, rare-grade deadly poison, and so on……
Methods that he could never handle alone.
Kinver sent the signal.
“Everyone, get ready.”
However.
Kinver’s signal never went through.
—……
Kinver? You bastard, you told us to get ready, didn’t you?
“…….”
—Why the hell is this bastard not saying anything?
An angry voice from his companion rang in his ear.
But Kinver could not say a word.
Lee Hoyeol.
And as if escorting him.
The knights in plate armor following behind him.
Above all, that lion crest was……. unmistakable.
That was the Lionheart Knights.
“H-How does that make any sense?!”
Kinver felt it then.
“……
He wasn’t being arrogant.”
The overwhelming difference in class.
One that could not be reached no matter what shortcut he took.
It was then.
‘H-How can this be…….’
……
How did he notice me in stealth?!
Lee Hoyeol.
His eyes met those of the middle-aged knight walking alongside him.