◈ Episode 47. But Hiding Is Useless (1)
Minkook Ilbo.
Reporter Jeong Man-seok's fingers danced above his laptop keyboard.
Tadadadak—!
He hadn't held even an ounce of expectation.
Just who was Lee Ho-yeol?
He had seen countless Players, yet among them, none had a trajectory as unbelievable as his! Above all, Ho-yeol's personality was notoriously infamous even in the reporting department.
Securing an interview with him was like plucking a star from the sky.
One could feel murderous intent in that icy gaze.
At that point, it wasn't a concept—it was genuine…….
It felt as though he was crawling into a slaughterhouse of his own volition.
"……What if he buries me with magic for being rude?"
He couldn't help but worry sincerely.
Because the questions he had brought were so absurd that even he found them ridiculous.
No matter how much the higher-ups had forced them on him.
These were questions no different from openly asking him to take Myth Guild's side.
"As if Lee Ho-yeol would actually answer these. Really."
But such was the sorrow of a working adult who had to do what he was told.
Jeong Man-seok steeled his pounding heart and approached Ho-yeol.
And posed the questions.
Please, just don't bury me in the ground.
Praying earnestly.
But then.
"Jackpot. Jackpot……!"
What was this?
The one and only Lee Ho-yeol had agreed to the interview.
It wasn't even curt replies.
By Ho-yeol's standards, it was an incredibly sincere answer.
Jeong Man-seok couldn't help but shrug his shoulders.
Tadadadak—!
"And to think he'd snipe so openly like this."
Don't hide cowardly.
And don't bother with such obvious schemes.
From the standpoint of a reporter simply taking notes.
Jeong Man-seok honestly felt a slight thrill.
'……Like something weighing on my stomach is finally settling?'
Just how many reporters, himself included, had suffered?
These past few days, his fingers had felt like they were rotting from writing articles about Myth Guild that he hadn't wanted to write. In such a situation, Ho-yeol had essentially openly targeted the root of the problem.
Suddenly, his dancing fingers faltered.
"But wait, what does this mean?"
Show yourself boldly before me.
He could understand that much.
But the part about all authority being his.
Jeong Man-seok wondered.
"……No way. 'Authority' can't mean that authority, right?"
Authority.
A function activated for Players who own a territory.
That was a term used back when Arcana was just a game.
After all, there had never been a precedent of a Player's territory being updated into reality.
[Head shaking]
Jeong Man-seok shook his head.
Unless, hypothetically, he had single-handedly defeated the Great Evil, Greed of the Seven Deadly Sins.
"No matter how you look at it, that's impossible."
Even if it was Ho-yeol, it was only natural that he wouldn't have built enough connections or influence in the Yusra Kingdom to obtain the Authority function.
Jeong Man-seok tried to guess the meaning.
"Well, maybe he's close friends with King Hakuna? Is that what it means?"
That seemed more likely.
In any case, that wasn't what mattered.
Jeong Man-seok loosened his stiff wrist.
"Whatever it is, this is a jackpot scoop."
And an exclusive interview at that.
There was no fear of it being stolen by someone else.
He ought to write it with all his sincerity, if only out of gratitude to Ho-yeol.
The moment Jeong Man-seok's fingers began to move again.
Vreeem—His smartphone vibrated.
It was the Chief.
Was this what it felt like to top the civil service exam?
"Ahem."
Jeong Man-seok cleared his throat and touched the call button.
Then came an urgent voice.
—Reporter Jung! Did you meet Lee Ho-yeol?
Did he merely meet him?
He had firmly secured the interview as well.
Jeong Man-seok answered leisurely.
"Yes, I met him."
But the reaction was unusual.
—You did? That was fast. Are you still covering him? Are you near Lee Ho-yeol? Then change the interview content immediately! Throw out the Myth Guild questions!
"……Huh? W-what did you say? Throw out what?!"
Wait, this was the interview he had risked his life to get.
For a fleeting moment, Jeong Man-seok felt like he might cry.
Whether the Chief knew how he felt or not.
A scolding came back.
—What's wrong with you, Jeong Man-seok. You haven't even checked the video that just dropped?
"……Video?"
Crap.
At those words, Jeong Man-seok urgently checked the group chat.
There, he found a NetTube link.
It was a video released by Gaon.
"?"
The video showed the Yusra Kingdom revealed to the world.
"……So those weren't just empty words?"
There was truth to that day.
*The world-class message that had appeared to all Players.
[Someone has uncovered the secret of the Yusra Islands.]
[The ancient kingdom, the Yusra Kingdom, reveals itself.]
That 'someone' was 'Lee Ho-yeol'!
The video released by Gaon contained the battle between Ho-yeol and the Great Evil, Greed of the Seven Deadly Sins.
The opening of the video.
The pressure exuded by the Great Evil was truly enormous.
—WTF;; Nam Tae-min and Leoni can't even resist.
—Demons with those status effects are seriously such a headache, you know??
—Think about the level. It's level 650.
Yes, that thing was a level 650 demon-type monster.
It was only natural that even Rankers couldn't handle it.
It wasn't that Nam Tae-min or Leoni were weak.
So the impact of the following scene could only grow even greater.
As if he had effortlessly overcome mere status effects.
Ho-yeol advancing toward the Great Evil.
At the same time, the camera angle switched.
—What the heck for real? LOLLLLL
—How is he fine? I really don't know;;
—Did Lee Ho-yeol just dispel the status effects?? Dang
As if that weren't enough, the moment Ho-yeol opened his mouth.
Nam Tae-min and Leoni had also been freed from the status effects.
Ho-yeol's voice was captured clearly in the video.
["There is no need for that. I am here."]
The comments left on that part were countless.
—3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50!
—I never doubted you, Ho-men
—Gaon you bad guys, you're only releasing this now??ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
At first glance.
It was a line that would naturally sound cringeworthy.
The dramatic situation had instead brought out the flavor of the line.
If it hadn't been for Ho-yeol, Nam Tae-min and Leoni might have really lost their lives.
Yes, that alone was a tremendous feat.
But the unbelievable turn of events began after that.
When it faced Ho-yeol, the Great Evil began to falter.
["Y-you, just who are you? How……?"]
And then began the demon hunt.
Yes, it could only be described as a hunt.
It was one-sided torment.
A dazzling spectacle of diverse magic filled the screen.
—It's here LOL stone pillars LOLLLL
—Wait, what's that shining thing??
—It looks exactly like bullets…… wait, what is this now?!
—It suddenly turned into arrows???
It was difficult to express in words.
In that fleeting moment.
Just how complex a chain of skills had been linked?
There were those who had watched that scene frame by frame in slow motion dozens of times, but their conclusions were all ultimately the same.
—Just Ho-men
Just as Nam Cheol-min had confidently declared.
It was a level of magic utilization that couldn't even be analyzed.
["This is absurd. How could I, to a human……?"]
Without even being able to mount a proper counterattack.
The muttering Great Evil, Greed of the Seven Deadly Sins.
In the end, it made a servile proposal.
["Yes! Very well! Let us make a contract! If you contract with me, I shall give you all of this. Do you not see? This splendid golden palace shall all become yours!"]
Gulp—Quite a few had swallowed their saliva there.
For it was an irresistible proposal.
But Ho-yeol's answer was firm.
["How unsightly you are. Foolish demon."]
As if it wasn't even worth considering.
A cold voice.
With that, the battle was as good as over.
["S-spare me! I-I don't want to die yet……!!"]
The Great Evil, Greed of the Seven Deadly Sins, begging for its life.
Just as Ho-yeol had said.
Even if it was a Great Evil.
Before Ho-yeol, it was nothing more than a trivial demon.
There was no mercy.
A silver dagger held in his hand at some point.
Shhk—Ho-yeol slit the Great Evil's throat.
—……Damn. Is the movie already over?
—No!! Don't turn it off yet, there's a post-credits scene!!
—Wait, isn't that Hakuna? The King of Yusra.
The King of Yusra, freed from the Great Evil's rule.
Ho-yeol placing the crown upon that king's head.
["It is time to correct past mistakes. Nameless King."]
At the same time as Ho-yeol's final line.
Subtitles rose like ending credits.
[Someone has uncovered the secret of the Yusra Islands.]
[The ancient kingdom, the Yusra Kingdom, reveals itself.]
—These guys edit so well LOLLLLL
—BRB gotta change my pants first
—Every single line from Lee Ho-yeol is pure gold LOL
—Lee Ho-yeol? Correct yourself to Lord Ho-yeol right now.
—If they couldn't release this until now because of editing, I acknowledge it.
The shockwaves spread across the world, beyond NetTube.
Breaking news was a given.
There were even broadcast stations running emergency programming.
"Didn't I tell you? Lee Ho-yeol is definitely a top-tier Ranker who hasn't disclosed his information. This video is the proof!"
Naturally, every story revolved around Ho-yeol.
But even after the video was released.
The sense of mystery surrounding Ho-yeol only grew rather than fading.
"But no matter how much we analyze the battle footage, we can't figure it out! We can't even guess his class. He definitely seems to be from a mage-type class, though……"
"At minimum level 500. No, I think he must be at least level 550."
"……Indeed! I'm beginning to understand the claim that he kept it hidden because he didn't want to attract fame through the rankings. He defeated a Great Evil and made history, yet he never revealed that fact until now?"
So it was only natural to have questions.
Why was this video released at this point in time?
Could it really be because they put effort into editing, as people joked?
The answer to that.
Truly unexpected by anyone.
Came from a daily newspaper in the Republic of Korea.
──────
[Exclusive] Lee Ho-yeol, "I hold the Authority of the Yusra Kingdom… You had best not hide or scheme… If you desire something, reveal yourself boldly before me."
──────
At least, any citizen of the Republic of Korea would immediately realize.
The article's comment section exploding in real time.
Yes, this was nothing short of a declaration of war.
—Whoa dang never imagined this danggggg
—Politicians tied to Myth must be shitting bricks LOLLL
—Seriously they were disgusting to watch, so satisfying LOLLL
—So they released the video because of this big picture dang
—If this isn't a hero, what is? LOLLL
The corrupt conglomerate guild Myth and the privileged establishment, tangled together in a filthy mess.
Toward those who had offended him.
An unyielding declaration of war, no different from any other time.
*The Myth Group, competing for the top spot among the Republic of Korea's business conglomerates.
The Seoul Deluxe Miss Hotel, one of the symbols of the Myth Group.
The top-floor Private Room.
There, a man and woman who ought not to be together were present.
Of course, they were merely in the same space.
The only one lying in the bed was the man, alone.
"You look absurd, intoxicated by the Lewd Dream."
Baek I-seol, Master of the Myth Guild.
She gazed at the man who would be intoxicated by a blissful dream.
"Where has your initial vigor gone. How foolish."
Drowned in pleasure, unable to distinguish dream from reality, he would cast aside everything for her. Fame, family, even his life. Discarded just like that.
"Like those fools."
Hah—The moment Baek I-seol let out a scoff.
Essence flowed out of the man's body and into Baek I-seol's.
Baek I-seol's pupils turned pitch black in an instant.
Fzzt—The Seoul Deluxe Miss Hotel, one of the finest hotels in the world.
Among them, a Private Room operated in secret for VIPs.
Considering the level of maintenance, a flickering light bulb should have been impossible.
So what the flickering light meant was simple.
"At this rate, it won't be long until I become a high-ranking demon."
That Baek I-seol was possessed by a demon.
Baek I-seol looked at the window.
Not the Han River beyond the window.
But at her reflection in the glass, she spoke.
"How is it? Do you feel we're getting closer to the goal, my dear?"
Long, pale fingers stroked the face of Baek I-seol reflected in the window.
A bewitching voice continued.
"Of course, it may differ from the method you had in mind. But what can you do even if you regret it? It's far too late to turn back now."
The corners of her lips rose.
That smile was undoubtedly a demon's deceit.
"Still, the day we bring it all crashing down is not far."
Having absorbed his essence, her business here was done.
Baek I-seol exited the Private Room.
The waiting executive assistant followed after her.
And spoke in a voice filled with obvious panic.
"Ma'am, have you by any chance seen the article?"
"You mean Lee Ho-yeol's interview?"
"……You knew? My apologies! I was just wondering."
She had put the man to sleep the moment she entered the Private Room.
Baek I-seol had had plenty of time to check the breaking news on her smartphone.
The executive assistant flinched at Baek I-seol's reaction.
'……She knew. At this rate.'
Everything about the Myth Guild.
Even the secret meetings to date, including today.
Could be exposed to the world.
Yet not a hint of agitation could be felt from Baek I-seol.
"What a relief. That it's not Leoni."
"……?"
"Things could have gotten very troublesome."
The executive assistant's confusion deepened at Baek I-seol's words.
Baek I-seol caressed the assistant's cheek.
"Don't worry."
"M-Ma'am……!"
"I am always in your debt."
It was only natural to have questions.
The executive assistant couldn't even imagine that she was an Incubus, a Succubus.
For even she herself wasn't aware that she was a victim of the Lewd Dream.
Yes, it wasn't just the executive assistant.
From the government official sprawled on the bed.
To businessmen, rising stars, even Rankers.
Countless victims of the Lewd Dream had become a source of confidence for Baek I-seol.
No, for the intermediate demon, the Succubus.
'He defeated a Great Evil alone?'
To the extent that she thought it wouldn't matter even if it were true.
'Heh heh. It seems it lacked the qualities of a Great Evil.'
Lee Ho-yeol, as long as he was a man.
He wouldn't be able to escape her seduction.
Baek I-seol withdrew her hand from the assistant's cheek.
"He said to reveal myself, so I have no choice but to reveal myself. But how much does he want revealed? Should I choose an outfit even more daring than what I have on now?"
The corners of Baek I-seol's eyes curved.
"Clear all of tomorrow's schedule."
To meet Lee Ho-yeol, she would go to the Yusra Kingdom.
Baek I-seol. No, the Succubus was swollen with dreams.
'What's a high-ranking demon? I might even become a Great Evil!'
Without knowing that the place she was heading to of her own accord.
Was her natural enemy's domain.