Chapter 104 – It Reeks

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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[Name : Granfel Claudi Arpheus Romeo]

[Title : The Last Adventurer]

[Class : Demon Hunter]

[Level : 377]

[Stats]

Strength : 62 / Agility : 66 / Magic Power : 287 / Luck : 6 / Aesthetic : Low

[Available Points : 44]

Karimzeva was not a monster. Naturally, this meant he didn’t give experience points.

Therefore, just by hunting the Demon King’s Army, I had leveled up a whopping 44 levels……!

‘……Amazing.’

The Arcana system where the experience points required for leveling up increase exponentially as the level gets higher. Even I had experienced that vicious system in the [Predator’s Swamp].

To think it rose by 44 levels.

However, there is no surprise.

I casually muttered.

“It is an extremely natural resulting achievement.”

Of course, it must be so.

Right, because the demons I hunted were indeed numerous.

Furthermore, were those demons ordinary demons.

Demon King’s Army, and subordinates of a Greater Demon King at that.

‘There were definitely Legion Commanders mixed in as well.’

I can’t remember every single one of the numerous messages that popped up.

Moreover, my attention was diverted to the battle between Senios and Karimzeva at that time.

Someone might flinch and ask.

To have defeated that many demons in a state of having your attention diverted.

Did I have that much leeway?

Of course, there was no leeway, but there were circumstances.

‘A very pathetic circumstance at that.’

Senios’s Ice Magic.

Karimzeva’s Flame Magic.

The two magic of extreme opposite compatibility clashed and turned into pure magic power.

A feat possible because they were two polar opposite attributes.

Thanks to that, I freely used the pure magic power surging throughout the rift.

‘Just like how I interfered with Bangrit’s magic power.’

Because it was the magic power of two Elder Mages, Demigods.

That amount of magic power was enough to let even me manifest magic like spending water.

Of course, because it wasn’t my magic power, there was some loss in experience points, but I feel pricked by my conscience to blame it on that.

As if that wasn’t enough.

‘A battle on a different dimension.’

In the battle of the two demigods, which would have been overwhelming for Lee Ho-yeol just to blankly watch, I witnessed ‘something’.

I realized it thanks to Granfel’s talent.

To express it in words.

Opening of the eyes.

Should I say it felt like opening eyes that were closed.

It felt like I opened my eyes and looked at a ‘realm’ of magic one dimension higher.

『My innate talent for magic was at a level where I could mimic ordinary magic just by seeing it.』

And thanks to unconsciously mimicking that realm.

I made the Demon Legion Commander turn pale in ‘Fear’.

And in the end, I was even able to execute Karimzeva with an [『Anomaly』].

I could be certain.

That this so-called realm actually existed.

Because I had experience.

The experience of greatly benefiting from Granfel’s talent, where I immediately grasped the structure of magic,search, interference, and manifestation,even during the days when I was ignorant about magic.

It means I was at least capable of realizing that the realm existed.

Of course.

“Regrettably, that scenery is blurry.”

The realm was literally the realm of Demigods.

At that time, I was unconsciously immersed.

It was merely mimicking the realm.

To put it simply, thanks to Senios and Karimzeva, my eyes were forcefully opened for a brief moment.

‘No matter how much I like to get things without effort…….’

It would be something that pricks my conscience to covet the realm of Demigods with a mere level 377.

However, I ended up having a thought that pricked my conscience even more.

“However, anomaly is also a realm that does not fall behind that.”

Right, technically speaking, it wasn’t wrong.

Because I defeated Karimzeva, who had risen to the realm, through an [『Anomaly』]. Because I knew that fact, a goal arose. This time was merely mimicking the realm but.

‘If I can open my eyes with my own power and even manifest an [『Anomaly』].’

At that time, perhaps I really won’t have to be pathetic.

Although I don’t know when that will be.

However, there is a saying that even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Allocating stat points is also part of that step.

‘Strength and Agility are enough with the Class Quest rewards.’

Just like always.

I was about to go all-in with points on magic power but hesitated.

‘……Why 44 points of all things.’

A 44 level rise.

Two of the character ‘death (死)’.

But I was someone with words I had spat out.

Even though I declared that I am irreligious and don’t believe in gods.

It looks a bit bad to be swayed by mere superstition.

[Magic Power : 331]

Just as I resolved.

I invested all points into magic power and moved my gaze.

I checked my immediate goal, the quest window.

─Verify the factions that participated in the Holy War. (In progress)

●Encounter the Saint of the Goddess Order. (In progress)

First, I should probably figure out what kind of person the Saint of the Goddess Order is. Naturally, there was no need to get up from my seat. I said shamelessly.

“This is also an anomaly.”

Don’t speak so grandly about web surfing in the Mage Tower, Granfel.

‘Later, he’ll even call early morning delivery an anomaly.’

I proceeded to search for information about the Goddess Order.

‘……What?’

And I regretted it.

Thinking that I should have invested at least 1 point into Luck.

Why, because the sense of smell of the Demon Hunter was telling me.

‘There’s a Saintess but no Saint?!’

A serious smell was reeking from the Goddess Order!

*

The appearance of the Goddess Order Holy Land, Muon.

The one swelling with anticipation more than anyone else at that update log was none other than the Guild Master of Bohemian, Guyber.

Guyber recalled the humiliation from the last rift, [Predator’s Swamp].

‘It’s a disgrace I want to forget.’

The [Predator’s Swamp] rift generated in Europe.

Thanks to that, it was Bohemian who had entered the rift with full support from the EU.

However, the rift clear eventually ended in failure.

The goal that they would show the greatest performance?

Effectively, the moment Lee Ho-yeol appeared.

It was no different from going down the drain.

‘There’s nothing to regret about that.’

But even putting Lee Ho-yeol aside, it was a massive failure.

Everything was due to his own judgment error.

The greed of trying to snatch two named monsters at the same time.

What he lost because of that blunder was far too big.

‘I have no face to show to everyone.’

Because there were even guild members who were killed in action during the battle.

Saying that they had no choice but to be fooled by that pattern.

He couldn’t even make excuses.

Because as expected, it was due to Ho-yeol.

Because Ho-yeol acted as if he knew everything.

‘He made Gaon, Inazuma, and Berserker ally and respond.’

Because with that judgment, he succeeded in sprouting the Seed of the World Tree. He realized that a gap existed between him and Ho-yeol that was even embarrassing to feel an inferiority complex about.

However.

An opportunity to wash away his sorrow had arrived for him as well.

The appearance of the Goddess Order Holy Land, Muon!

Guyber’s class was Paladin.

And a Chosen Paladin carrying out a Class Quest at that.

Although he wasn’t a Paladin of the Goddess Order, there is always something connecting orders together.

‘Furthermore, we had an amicable relationship with the Goddess Order.’

Just taking himself as an example, his affinity with the Goddess Order NPCs was quite high.

Considering that point…….

Guyber racked his brain.

No matter how much he pressed the calculator.

‘Rather than clearing a rift, this is a more profitable business.’

The probability of receiving a quest.

No, even if he couldn’t receive a quest, the current Muon would definitely be in a chaotic state.

Like a bolt out of the blue. Because it was essentially teleporting from the Arcana continent to Earth.

‘It means we can raise affinity during the process of explaining.’

It meant he wasn’t swelling with dreams for nothing.

Guyber did not hesitate.

As soon as Muon’s coordinates popped up, he headed straight for Muon.

By the way.

“……Guyber, something is strange?”

That Muon was different from what he imagined.

It didn’t look like flames soaring or falling into the grasp of demons like during Frost.

A pure white citadel.

Because Muon’s appearance was exactly the same as when Arcana was a game.

“Guyber, those on top of the castle walls are Paladins, right……?”

Right.

Excluding the Paladins who were sending hostile gazes from on top of the castle walls.

As expected, the reporters gathered at the scene.

They noticed Guyber’s appearance and threw questions.

“Isn’t it an uncommon thing for Paladins to mobilize?”

“…….”

Nod

Guyber nodded silently.

The meaning of an Order mobilizing Paladins.

The player who knew it better than anyone else was Guyber.

‘But it’s my first time seeing Paladins on that scale too.’

The largest religion of the Arcana continent.

Befitting the Holy Land of the Goddess Order.

Muon possessed a citadel comparable to any major city.

No gaps could be seen on top of the castle walls of such Muon. The Paladins were densely aligned on top of the castle walls.

“……There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding.”

Amidst the pouring questions.

Guyber opened his mouth with difficulty.

He had no other way to explain it.

‘There’s no reason for them to be hostile to us, right?’

It was certain there was some misunderstanding.

But it was not a misunderstanding.

A presence heard from Muon.

Bwaaaaaah!

That was a horn bugle.

Soon, the magnificent sound that concentrated attention subsided.

A voice was heard.

“We are waiting for the Day of Judgment in the Goddess’s Holy Land, Muon.”

“Everything is the Saintess’s arrangement. We have no need for your help.”

“Therefore, anyone who approaches Muon.”

The declaration continued.

“We will execute them in the name of the Goddess.”

A clear declaration of hostility toward humanity.

.

.

.

──────

[Breaking] Goddess Order Holy Land Muon, “Do not wish for conversation.”

[Breaking] EU, “Deeply regretful, wish to resolve misunderstandings.”

[Breaking] Paladin Rank 1 Guyber, “It is certain to be a serious situation.”

[Breaking] AAU, “Currently figuring out the situation…….”

──────

Muon’s attitude that was entirely different from imagination.

When recalling the actions of the Goddess Order during the days when Arcana was a game. The shock had no choice but to be even bigger.

“To some extent, it’s understandable. The updated NPCs……. I mean, the Arcanians summoned to reality were also like that at first. Because they were dropped into an unfamiliar world out of the blue.”

At Sung Hyun-jun’s words, Yoon Soo-gyeom nodded.

“But isn’t that going too far? Senior, did you check the satellite photos?”

Since Muon, the Goddess Order showed hostility.

AAU also couldn’t just stand by and watch.

Naturally, it was AAU who operated satellites to photograph the appearance inside Muon.

Click

Clicking the mouse.

The panoramic view of Muon appearing on Sung Hyun-jun’s monitor.

“First of all, just the scale of the Paladins is at an absurd level. At least tens of thousands. Up to a maximum of 100,000. You know the gold that goes into raising one knight, right, Senior?”

“I know. Still, well. Let’s pass it off as understandable since it’s the Goddess Order, the largest religion of the Arcana continent. The questionable part is since when.”

“Yes, I have doubts about that too.”

“To raise Paladins of that level, a staggering amount of time would be needed……. Since when exactly?”

Everything is the Saintess’s arrangement.

That they have no need for help.

Just as declared.

Muon seemed to lack nothing.

Food, clothing, and shelter, everything was at a level where self-sufficiency was possible in Muon.

“That’s just a small country.”

“Is it really an arrangement?”

“As if preparing for a day like this…….”

Hoo

A sigh automatically leaked out, and on top of that, it became a headache.

Above all, he wanted to decline such a twist.

“It was only yesterday that we set our minds at ease thanks to Lee Ho-yeol…….”

Emergency updates and regular updates.

They are seriously acting up as a pair…….

But they had to do something.

Dadadak

Yoon Soo-gyeom spoke while tapping the keyboard.

“First of all, it seems a few of the players are going to move.”

“……If they are moving, does it mean they are approaching Muon?”

“Yeah, it looks like players who advanced from the Goddess Order.”

“Oh, there might be some possibility to that then?”

“Right. Still, they are on their side.”

So wouldn’t some level of conversation be possible?

However, he couldn’t have great expectations. As said, that so-called misunderstanding looked extremely deep and old. It could be seen just from the sharp warnings of the Paladins.

‘They said arrangement, didn’t they……?’

Yoon Soo-gyeom chewed over the words.

“They definitely said they are waiting for the ‘Day of Judgment’.”

Naturally, he did not know what the Day of Judgment was.

From the horn bugle declaration, the only thing he could know was about who the ‘Saintess’ was.

[Saintess, Praiza].

The figure who had been considered a symbol of the Goddess Order since the days when Arcana was merely a game.

“Let’s see where to look.”

In order to know what the Day of Judgment and that arrangement of hers was.

It was necessary to look up the settings about her.

Yoon Soo-gyeom accessed the AAU database.

‘Even if simple, there will be information left.’

He searched for information on the Saintess, Praiza.

But, no search results came up.

Yoon Soo-gyeom flinched.

“……This doesn’t make sense?”

Praiza was an NPC who existed since Arcana was a mere game.

And a significant NPC called the Saintess of the Goddess Order at that.

There’s no way.

Yoon Soo-gyeom accessed the company messenger.

‘Even if there are no records left, it will remain in memories.’

Why, just like how it was with the Demon King Decarabia.

At least the person in charge of Praiza’s settings would know something.

It seemed there were employees who had thoughts similar to Yoon Soo-gyeom.

They were also already asking around for information on Praiza.

Dadadadak

Dadak

Tak

Soon, Yoon Soo-gyeom’s fingers stopped moving.

He quietly opened his mouth.

“……There isn’t.”

“Yes? What isn’t there? Ah, caffeine? Should I buy you a cup?”

“No. Not that.”

He continued with a dazed expression.

“There’s not a single person who planned the Saintess, Praiza.”

*

Praiza.

The Saintess of the Goddess Order.

A famous NPC since the days when Arcana was a game…….

Well, if it were like the past, I would have just thought, ‘Ah, she’s an Arcanian,’ and moved on.

Seeing ‘Saint’ instead of ‘Saintess’ written in the quest window, I might have thought it was a typo. I might have rather doubted the quest.

But I know.

After the Cataclysm.

Although it has only been a few years since rifts began to appear.

The existence of demons who have already ingeniously hidden in reality, in society.

Not to mention the Arcana continent, which is no different from the hometown of demons.

Even when I was playing Arcana over 10 years ago. Didn’t quests hunting demons possessing humans exist?

So I was seriously suspecting.

‘Is the Saintess, Praiza, perhaps a demon?’

If this were the Arcana continent.

And I spoke that thought out loud.

I would have been stoned by one out of three people.

From the Goddess Order’s perspective, there wouldn’t be absolute blasphemy like this blasphemy.

But, regrettably.

‘Because I am already more than half certain.’

Above all, it was specified in the Class Quest.

That there is a Saint, but no Saintess.

Moreover, at this moment.

Muon’s attitude deepens my suspicion even more.

“Waiting for the Day of Judgment in Muon…….”

That was right.

No matter how generously.

Even if I put aside the prejudice of a quest and look at it.

Granfel’s pride cannot understand it.

Goddess Order.

While possessing that many believers.

And having raised tens of thousands of those great Paladins. Why the hell.

Did they just suck their thumbs in Muon until the continent became a wasteland by demons? Waiting only for something called the Day of Judgment.

The one who incited that nonsensical action, calling it an arrangement, was none other than the Saintess, Praiza.

Noblesse oblige.

There’s no way Granfel’s pride could tolerate such behavior.

I muttered indifferently.

“That irresponsible behavior is evidence that gods do not exist.”

Anyway, what’s needed is to figure out the truth.

There was a need to track the traces of the Goddess Order in the Arcana continent.

It might be hard for other players, but it isn’t difficult for me.

Did she say Saintess’s arrangement?

Right, because I also had something called an arrangement.

That I have an informant planted in the Arcana continent.

The spirit of the forest, Nymphs.

I should head to a rift even just to summon a Nymph.

Come to think of it, there was a rift generated in this update.

I checked the update logs.