◈ Chapter 358. Do Flowers Bloom in Abandoned Lands? (1)
It wasn't mindless chatter.
They were words that truly welled up from the heart.
Chūnibyō at that age.
'You really are something else.'
Liu Aojun Chun.
That bastard.
I should have realized every time he called himself 'this seat'……!
Anyway, it seemed he was up to his old tricks again.
'Founding a nation in this mess?!'
This is why achievements matter.
Thanks to that, from just a few lines of messages, I could guess what Tianxia Tongyi was aiming for and why they had committed the act of 'founding a nation.' In short, Tianxia Tongyi must be planning to live up to its name.
The Arcana Continent now was no different from a boiling blast furnace. With the Empire that had begun its reconstruction at the forefront, countless forces that had poured out from the Ominous Nests were each sprouting new buds.
To put it simply, it was the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period.
To Liu Aojun Chun, who had not only the [Monarch] class but had even completed the advanced job change into [Tyrant], what was the Arcana Continent? Truly, he must be no different from a fish released into the ocean.
'He watched the continent through the Yongseongrak and made his judgment.'
Anyway, the problem is that he mistakes goodwill for a right.
It's not like I opened the portal to the Arcana Continent for your benefit.
Of course, Liu Aojun Chun wouldn't be able to return to reality from the Arcana Continent through normal means.
His connector must be like a one-way train, and it wasn't as if he could use the Magic Tower's portal.
Liu Aojun Chun was one of the few humans who could make Granfel's patience explode.
'Do you think I'd sit by and watch him use the Magic Tower's portal?'
Cold words flowed from my mouth.
"It is not something that can be grasped through mere imitation."
……
Wait a minute, Granfel.
'Are you angry about that?'
Four Families and Five Counts.
They certainly gave off a similar scent.
Above all, Liu Aojun Chun must know of the Four Families' existence through the eyes of the Yongseongrak. And of all things, five counts—who knows, he might have made it five, one more than my four, conscious of my Four Families.
However.
'Please don't get such a petty competitive streak, Granfel.'
That side is a dark past, whereas ours is lofty pride, isn't it?
But, despite my appeal.
To Liu Aojun Chun, who was no different from a demon.
Granfel's pride was bound to be all the more cruel.
"However, do not think to act recklessly on the Arcana Continent."
Soon, the order fell.
"Haiel, Diend. Answer my call."
"Haiel has answered the Lord's call."
"Diend has answered the Lord's call."
Haiel bowing his head before me, and Diend shrouded in darkness.
Somehow, their identical speech and actions were in perfect sync.
It seemed they had dyed each other with their own colors, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth, but…….
I commanded my loyal right arm and left arm.
"It is time to imprint upon those unparalleled in arrogance who the true master of the continent is. Do not let them grasp a single thing without my permission."
Granfel's pride, of course.
From my, Lee Hoyeol's perspective as well, it was an extremely natural course of action.
I would have welcomed with open arms their growing stronger through the buffs the Holy War Allied Forces had active on the Arcana Continent, but.
'Tianxia Tongyi is unmistakably a hostile force, after all.'
Especially Liu Aojun Chun—what's so pretty about that bastard?
Would I want to let him enjoy the buffs I suffered to spread?
In that regard, my heart aligned with Granfel's after a long time.
Through [Curse, Understanding of Darkness].
Perhaps because I had come to know about one-tenth of Granfel's past.
I couldn't tell exactly what the reason was, however.
'……Should I be happy, or should I be sad?'
Whether I had awakened to pride or been stained by a dark past.
Anyway, everything depended on how one thought about it.
And to fall into such philosophical contemplation.
The weight of the burdens I bore right now was already overwhelming enough.
"Haiel shall follow the Lord's will."
"Diend shall accept the Lord's command."
Haiel and Diend returned to the Arcana Continent, and I immersed myself in work once more.
That's right. Fusing the Dragon Heart into the portal wasn't like having an ancestor grant a wish for free.
『Search, Interference, Manifestation』
I carved the structures of the Magic Tower's portal and the Dragon Heart into my mind alternately.
I was the only one who had equally entered the realm of the Marvel, able to understand and handle the Dragon's Heart, a being of [『Marvel』].
Immersed in my work, I suddenly muttered.
"Crimes of obstructing work execution will also be included in the punishment."
……One thing's for sure, it seems you're even worse than me when it comes to holding grudges, Granfel.
*I first heard news of Tianxia Tongyi.
It was in the evening, after finishing afternoon work.
It wasn't Haiel or Diend returning with news.
Yusra Kingdom, Golden Palace.
Thanks to searching the Marvel—internet surfing—as usual before the Holy War Allied Forces meeting, I was merely the first to access the breaking news rising in real time.
[Breaking] Annihilation of Tianxia Tongyi……?
[Breaking] Core branches of Tianxia Tongyi out of contact
[Breaking] Liu Aojun Chun's whereabouts unknown…… Tianxia Tongyi executive says, "I don't remember anything……. I will make no comment regarding Liu Aojun Chun."
But, annihilation?
'It doesn't add up.'
Tianxia Tongyi had widely announced their scheme to the world through the founding message. I had thought the press would surely have much to say about it…….
Why were there no articles, no comments, no community posts?
I couldn't know the reason.
But Tianxia Tongyi's founding of a nation had been an event great enough to move even Granfel's heavy pride. Especially if the message had appeared, the player community should have been burning hot…….
-Wtf, they really got obliterated
-That's all blood? But there are no casualties???
-Damn, this is horrifying dddddd
-If it's well-deserved, hit like lol
The players were only interested in Tianxia Tongyi's end.
If it were the past me, I would have grabbed my head and agonized alone from now on.
Even if only to see through what scheme lay behind the founding and annihilation.
But not anymore.
"Tianxia Tongyi has vanished without a trace."
Our Holy War Allied Forces is overflowing with dependable, trustworthy people for situations like this. Especially players who know more about Liu Aojun Chun than I do.
"I ask your thoughts on the matter."
The guild masters of Gaon and Inazuma respectively.
Nam Taemin and Hisagi.
Hisagi was the first to open his mouth at my question.
"Until his corpse is confirmed, the truth of the rumors cannot be known. Since before the Great Upheaval, Liu Aojun Chun was a thorough man with a reputation for trusting no one."
Nam Taemin nodded vigorously at Hisagi's words.
I wondered what was going on between the two who were archenemies.
It must mean Liu Aojun Chun was a truly tiresome existence.
"Honestly, considering his despicable personality, I wonder if it isn't a self-orchestrated farce by Tianxia Tongyi turned into that mess. At a glance, it looks like they were attacked and Liu Aojun Chun was either killed or fled, but……."
Nam Taemin continued as if truly curious.
"Who in the world could do such a thing? Maybe if it were the Zero Mountain Range, but to storm into China, which is practically Tianxia Tongyi's home turf. To sweep away Tianxia Tongyi without leaving a shred of evidence."
Harkon, who had examined the wounded, muttered lowly.
"Indeed, swordsmanship of this level is rare."
His expression was so meaningful…….
'Hey, it looks like he suspects who did it?'
In my, Lee Hoyeol's heart, I wanted to press Harkon right away, but.
It was Harkon, of all people; there must be a good reason he was holding his tongue.
'I'll ask him when we're alone.'
Moreover, I had to get to the main point now.
Was the topic of Liu Aojun Chun and Tianxia Tongyi something to be discussed at the Holy War Allied Forces meeting to begin with?
It wasn't an agenda item worth bringing up at the Holy War Allied Forces conference.
To Granfel, Liu Aojun Chun was no different from a demon, an existence not worth thinking about.
Yes, the core of the matter lay elsewhere.
"You may begin."
"Y-yes! Commander-in-Chief!"
At my permission, his glasses rose eagerly.
Nam Cheolmin hurriedly
opened his laptop and projected a hologram into the air.
"As you know, China is the only country in the world that did not sign the AAU treaty! With the power of a super-giant guild called Tianxia Tongyi and the active introduction of modern weaponry. Thanks to that, they have been resolving the rifts generated within China autonomously."
A sight I had witnessed at the Zero Mountain Range as well.
It wasn't a coordination possible from practicing a mere once or twice.
Of course, since they were actively borrowing the power of modern firearms.
The players of Tianxia Tongyi wouldn't have been able to acquire pure EXP.
However.
'It was all for the sake of just one person.'
Liu Aojun Chun.
To that guy, something like that wouldn't have been even a trivial problem.
Since he was the one who had even offered his guild members as sacrifices to evil.
The growth of his guild members or his country's players.
There's no way he cared one bit about it.
Such festering insides could not be easily healed.
'Rather, it would easily burst in a situation like this.'
Clickety-clack—the keyboard.
As he tapped the keys, an estimate rose above the hologram.
"At least 200 million. The estimated casualties if the rifts occurring in China over the next month are left unchecked is 200 million. And if, by any chance, undead-type monsters with the trait of expanding their forces appear……."
Swoosh—the graph shot toward the ceiling.
Passing 300 million, toward 400 million, 500 million.
'You must have guessed it too. That the ending would turn out like this.'
I, who had witnessed the founding message.
Meaning I know this too was part of their plan.
Good words couldn't possibly come out.
Truly, disappointing to the very end. Liu Aojun Chun.
I muttered.
"Even the place one leaves behind must be beautiful."
……It's not wrong.
Of all things, why are you quoting a phrase stuck to a highway rest stop bathroom wall, Granfel……!
The saving grace was that the only Koreans here were me, Nam Taemin, and Nam Cheolmin.
Taking advantage of Nam Taemin tilting his head in confusion, I continued.
"It is a cowardly and irresponsible exit."
Running his mouth calling himself 'this seat' only to abandon over a billion people and irresponsibly vanish without a trace.
At this point, it's safe to say you've surpassed Raymond Sean, Liu Aojun Chun.
'Truly unparalleled in despicableness.'
Paladin Order Captain of the Goddess Church, Talim.
He opened his mouth, gazing at the map floating above the hologram.
"On the map, China appears to be connected by land to the majority of countries. If the rifts collapse, not only China but neighboring countries as well will suffer enormous damage."
Let's raise a realistic issue at this point.
China was the only country not affiliated with the AAU treaty.
They had rather turned that around to gain diplomatic superiority over the rest of the world.
Of course, it sounded nice to call it diplomatic superiority.
'In reality, it was a 'so what' attitude.'
That such China would now collapse due to the annihilation of Tianxia Tongyi.
Was becoming clearly visible.
In such a situation, what reaction would the AAU and the world show?
You could tell just by looking at the public's reaction.
-Who cares if they perish or not? Not my business.
-Right? Who told them to shoot at monsters? lolololol
-Even if you cry and whine, lost EXP doesn't come back~
-If they hadn't trolled, they would've seen Arcana's ending, gg
-For now, I think we should block the borders first
An obvious thing, but.
I am but a single player.
I do not know the emotional rifts entangled between nations.
However, I do know that many nations have had headaches over China's conduct. Even at the Zero Mountain Range, the AAU had strongly condemned the atrocities of Tianxia Tongyi, which had brought an aircraft carrier.
But, as Talim said, rifts are a great catastrophe.
Because you cannot know what consequences they will bring.
The AAU will have no choice but to support China at the appropriate time.
But in that process, they will demand an enormous price from China.
'Whether as compensation or whatever.'
I could understand.
'Because that is the politics of reality.'
But could Granfel tolerate that?
Now that he knew the situation involved hundreds of millions of lives.
Granfel's pride, which never weighs such things, could not remain still.
And Granfel's temper.
At least at this gathering.
If you are a member of the Holy War Allied Forces, you would know it well.
So I didn't have to say it.
Before long, a new hologram rose.
"I've designed a China rescue operation accordingly!"
Every member of the Holy War Allied Forces focusing on Nam Cheolmin's words.
Looking at that sight was comforting.
Because it seemed I was not the only one stained by pride.
Then Harkon suddenly opened his mouth.
"Cheol-min. Can you postpone the explanation for a moment?"
"……Yes? Ah, I shall do so."
"Thank you."
He continued meaningfully toward me.
"I have something to tell you, Commander-in-Chief."
"What is it about, Harkon?"
"It is about the 'right person' for this situation."
……Right person?
Truly, he is Harkon, leader of the Lionheart Knights.
As expected, he had someone in mind?
*Garden of Grace.
Elsidor leisurely tended the flowers.
He did not know what flowers that arrogant human had planted, but.
Was it because this body's hands touched them?
"Hmph."
An arrogant laugh escaped.
"At this level, they wouldn't lose even to Sisley's flowers."
However, Elsidor's self-praise did not last long.
The developed hearing of an elf.
Thanks to that, there was a sound he heard.
Clip-clop—
Since he had a guilty conscience.
"Ahem."
Elsidor feigned composure.
Kinbel, that trash, had clearly said no one could guess their actions.
Though he didn't know the exact reason, it was thanks to leaving no evidence, he had said.
But Elsidor was not as shameless as some.
A cold voice resounding from behind.
When he turned around, Hoyeol was there, caressing the flowers.
At the words that immediately followed.
Clink!
Elsidor dropped the trowel.
"It seems you have weeded out the weeds, Elsidor."
"……!"
As expected, this man sees through everything……!!