◈ Episode 496. The Noble Ones (1)
The consciousness of the Ten Thrones.
The air within that consciousness was heavy. It was because every one of the Ten Thrones was watching through the Demon Eyes. Watching the fusion of two utterly different worlds—the Arcana Continent and the world called the adventurers’ world.
Beneath a translucent veil,
where its form showed only faintly,
one of the Ten Thrones spoke.
“So, another maw of Behemoth has appeared.”
It was a simple explanation, but its meaning was anything but light.
Behemoth, the great beast of the Demon Realm. Considering the effort and time the Demon Realm had spent to bind it, and considering that, thanks to it, a path to the Arcana Continent had been opened…
“It means that rock was an existence comparable to Behemoth.”
If so, it was truly astonishing.
“Of course, it is not surprising that such an existence appeared on the Arcana Continent. It is a land where beings with powers that cannot be rashly judged, including dragons and elves, openly exist. However.”
The voice sank lower, more sinister.
“It is astonishing that someone overwhelmed a being on par with that Behemoth.”
The Demon Eyes floated in both worlds, reality and the Arcana Continent. Thanks to that, the Ten Thrones had witnessed it. The miraculous moment when “he,” who had drawn his last breath on the Arcana Continent, was revived in the adventurers’ world.
Beneath another veil, someone spoke.
“Perhaps the adventurers’ authority has returned to them.”
“By the adventurers’ authority, do you mean resurrection?”
“That is so.”
The authority of resurrection granted to adventurers.
They knew of it well.
If that were true,
the future seemed plain to see.
“In the past, the reason adventurers were able to grow so rapidly lay in the authority of resurrection. Because they did not fear death, they were able to surpass their limits again and again and become stronger.”
“Do you think they will become a threat to us, beyond even the Demon Realm?”
“Who knows.”
What would change no matter how hard such insignificant creatures struggled?
However, he was an exception.
Yes, they were speaking of Hoyeol.
“Are you listening?”
The Ten Thrones possessed power far too great.
Because even their mere encounter with one another would cause an uncontrollable influence upon the Demon Realm, the Ten Thrones faced each other even within the space of consciousness with veils between them.
“Noble Paimon.”
Thus, even within the consciousness, calling each other by true name was taboo. Likewise, merely speaking one another’s names could affect the Demon Realm.
But the situation was different from usual.
“Who is it that called my name?”
“Paimon, are you truly curious about my identity?”
“No, not particularly.”
Behind an especially ornate veil.
“You cannot be the only one who wishes to press me.”
Srrk.
Paimon reclined in an antique chair and tilted his teacup. He already knew why they had gone so far as to break a taboo and address him by his true name.
The questioning continued.
“Why did you withdraw?”
The advance of Paimon’s army into the Arcana Continent.
No matter who looked at it, it had been a golden opportunity.
A golden opportunity to swallow the Arcana Continent?
No.
In a sense, that existence was more dangerous than the Arcana Continent itself.
It had been the last chance to eliminate Hoyeol.
“At that time, he was in an extremely unstable state.”
“He was neither as calm nor as complete as he is now.”
“Paimon, you should have been fully capable of doing it.”
Words like nails being driven in followed.
“Even foolish Baal would not have made such a judgment.”
Baal.
The moment that name was uttered,
Rummmble—the space of consciousness shook violently.
An influence incomparable to when Paimon’s name had been spoken. Paimon thought, Thanks to that idiot mentioning Baal, several hundred thousand demons in the Demon Realm must have died just now.
Of course, it was no concern of his.
Paimon opened his mouth leisurely.
“I do not know whom you are calling foolish.”
“……
What?”
“Are not the truly foolish ones you, with your narrow and limited insight? They say one sees only as much as one knows. Yet you still behave like ignorant imps.”
It was laughable.
Paimon briefly recalled it.
That encounter on that day.
“You think I could have defeated him sufficiently?”
Of course, on that day, you were clearly staggering in peril.
But that was not proof of weakness.
Furthermore.
“The owner of the First Throne, foolish? Surely that was a joke.”
They still had not grasped even Baal.
Even if he tried to humor them, it was not enjoyable in the slightest.
To the point that he never wanted to set foot in this place again.
Was it because sharp words had been exchanged?
“How insolent, Paimon.”
Or were they finally revealing their true colors?
Because if it was not the First Throne, it was meaningless.
Paimon had been one who remained satisfied with the Ninth Throne.
He had thought they all remembered that fact.
It seemed the passage of time had made them forget.
Paimon rose from his seat and spoke.
“Insolent? Who do you think has the right to say that?”
“……
How dare you!”
“I, Paimon, advise you all.”
Only when he stood did Paimon’s eyes finally reveal themselves.
Unlike his leisurely conduct, like that of an aloof noble,
Paimon’s eyes burned impurely, like those of a demon.
“From now on, why not pray earnestly?”
Paimon’s voice had changed completely.
Only then did the remaining Ten Thrones,
excluding Baal,
realize something was amiss.
“Pray that there is a reason for his actions unrelated to me.”
Paimon had not overlooked his promise with Hoyeol.
Hoyeol, who had promised a reunion in the Demon Realm, had created a sore that would not easily settle. Therefore, Paimon judged that there must be a proper reason for both him and himself to postpone their reunion.
“As the lord of the western Demon Realm.”
Paimon had his own guess as to that reason.
“I intend to receive him by any means necessary.”
One of those possibilities.
What if I have been overestimating my own status?
If my status is not sufficient to face you.
Paimon intended to obtain a status that would not fall short before Hoyeol.
In other words, a rank.
“Keep in mind that we are currently in the midst of the ‘Proof of the Ten Thrones.’”
That was right.
Even if he had to trample the higher Ten Thrones
and seize their thrones,
Paimon intended to stand on equal footing with Hoyeol
and welcome him when he entered the Demon Realm.
Even if, in that process,
he ended up aiming at
the owner of the First Throne,
Baal.
Within the consciousness Paimon had departed, a disgusted voice followed.
“He is utterly impossible to grasp, Paimon.”
*
It was settlement time after a long while.
[Name: Granfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo]
[Titles: Last Adventurer, Noble, Transcendent, Dark Dragon, Heaven Above Heaven, Owner of the Ten Thrones, Great Master of the Strange, Savior of the Black Curtain]
[Class: Demon Hunter]
[Level: 1,065]
[Stats]
Strength: 241 / Agility: 239 / Magic Power: 981 / Luck: 16 / Aesthetic Sense: High / Tenacity: 50 / Charm: Present / ???: Present
[Available Points: 4]
The first thing that caught my eye was my level.
The experience points that had been completely blown away thanks to dying on the Arcana Continent.
And a few stat points.
“Still, do you know how hard I worked to raise that level?”
Starting from level one thousand, the amount required to level up had risen to a ridiculous degree.
That meant that unless I took down a big shot entirely on my own, I could not even dream of a fifty-level increase.
That was also why I couldn’t simply squander my life while relying on the effect of [Last Adventurer].
“At least this time, the opponent was who it was, so it must have offset it.”
Fusion Intellect Yugweed.
In the end, I had not defeated the Fusion Intellect. After all, in what could be called the true final phase, the Fusion Intellect had self-destructed by Yugweed’s will.
“And yet……”
Even the amount of experience I acquired from that slight contribution alone must have been enormous enough to make up for the death penalty and still raise me by four levels. On top of that, there was the newly acquired [Noble] title replacing [Sublime], and even the {Nature} ability expressed as [???].
No matter how regretful the fallen levels were.
“At this rate, I could die a few more times……?”
The moment I thought that,
“One must cherish the body one has inherited.”
……
What?
Now the attitude of a noble isn’t enough?
Are you trying not to forget the Confucian spirit of a scholar too, Granfell?
Of course, I also did not want to die if possible.
“Who in the world wants to die?”
I was not showing it outwardly,
but no matter how many times I died and revived,
it felt like something I could never get used to.
“Sometimes, at this rate……”
I had even worried, just a speck, that the system that did not lie might lie this time, and that the effect of [Last Adventurer] might betray me.
Was he trying to comfort such feelings of mine?
Granfell-style speech.
My mouth spat out a declaration unprecedented until now.
“I shall devote myself further so as not to cause my family concern.”
Wow, impressive.
To think the Granfell of all people would declare that he would grow further without being smug.
In front of our Lee family, even you become downright honest, huh?
“To be honest, I welcome it.”
Because Granfell always ended up keeping the words he spoke.
Then what I, Lee Hoyeol, had to worry about
was nothing but erasing that slight ominous feeling.
[Available Points: 4]
Why did it have to be four points, of all things……! Was it because I kept talking about death that I was only seeing things like that? In the end, I, Lee Hoyeol, once again failed to ignore superstition and reached out my finger.
[Luck: 20]
Of course, our esteemed Lord Granfell apparently could not accept that points had been invested into [Luck]
for such a trivial reason. Thanks to that, he shamelessly added,
“This is my luck, offered to you who will depart on a long journey.”
Still……
“Elder Mage, Yugweed Lupin.”
If that was the reason, I’d have to pretend not to know.
*
Yugweed Lupin.
His funeral was held at the Magic Tower.
It went without saying, but there was no corpse.
Bensch whispered to Bangrit.
“It’s less solemn than it was for Lord Senios, Bangrit.”
“……
I suppose it would be?”
Bensch had not missed the mark because he lacked tact.
In truth, at Yugweed’s funeral, large and small conversations did not cease.
Bensch nodded.
“Lord Yugweed departed like a mage until the very end.”
That was right. Yugweed had become the earth itself and closed his eyes while manifesting his final magic to open a new era. Bangrit, who had been deep in thought, recalled a word.
“That’s right. They call this a hosang!”
“Hosang……? Ho……? Is that a word related to Chief Lee Hoyeol?!”
“Huh? I’m not sure about that much.”
This time, Bensch missed the mark in a way that did not disappoint.
“I see. Considering Chief Lee’s influence…… it wouldn’t be strange for several words named after him to appear. You know, like Homen! In that sense, impressive, Senior Bangrit.”
A former elder mage who did not belong to the Magic Tower.
Therefore, there had been no reason to go through such a procedure.
This, too, was Hoyeol’s consideration.
The Tower Master, Marcelo, smiled.
“Sir is truly kind.”
Elder Yugweed.
I do not know what circumstances or matters you faced. However, I think it fortunate that, in your final moment, we were able to remember you once more in the Magic Tower.
Marcelo quietly closed his eyes
and was remembering Yugweed.
At that moment,
the appointed time drew near, and as always, Hoyeol entered.
It was then.
Marcelo
felt a sense of incongruity.
“……
Wait.”
Why was it?
The Holy War Alliance Army was nowhere to be seen. No, to be more precise, the adventurers were nowhere to be seen. Now that this place, Seoul, and the Arcana Continent had been connected,
even the Arcanians, including the spirits,
had gathered at the Magic Tower to honor Yugweed’s end.
Yet not a single adventurer was in sight.
In such a situation,
Tick.
In the end, the clock hand pointed to the hour.
“Punctuality is important.”
A cold voice followed.
“I hope they have not lost their original resolve.”
*
The strange land, Seoul, had become part of the Arcana Continent.
What those words meant was truly complex.
So it was not strange.
The Korean branches of the large guilds located in Seoul.
[Guild House: Giant Alliance]
“G-Guild House?”
It was not strange that those branches would be overlaid with Arcana’s color.
[Another Guild House exists nearby.]
[Another Guild House exists nearby.]
[Another Guild House exists nearby.]
……
Messages flickered without pause.
Nam Cheolmin froze while putting on his black suit.
Up to this point, he could still understand it.
“Even on this street alone, branches of large guilds are everywhere.”
However.
[A competitive quest begins.]
He had not expected the next message.
[A siege battle over the Guild House begins.]
[Entry to the Guild House is restricted for defense.]
[The command room is sealed for defense.]
……
“S-Siege battle? Entry restriction?!”
He abruptly checked his wristwatch.
Before he knew it, the time for Yugweed’s memorial ceremony was near.
In front of the firmly shut door, Nam Cheolmin screamed.
“No, who decided that?! Open this door right now! What siege battle out of nowhere?! I don’t care if we lose a few branches like this……! But the Commander-in-Chief’s trust isn’t something we can get backkkk!!”