Chapter 125 – Endlessly Deep Darkness (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The war of nerves between World Unification and Shining.

Although that taut tension was cut short by Ho-yeol’s unexpected appearance.

Shining’s Guild Master, Rox, didn’t feel entirely bad about it.

‘It makes them realize their place in various ways.’

He realized it once again.

His mind was most at ease whenever he was the underdog.

Once he bit, he wouldn’t let go.

Because the position that brought out his true nature best was none other than being an underdog.

In contrast, Dmitri was full of complaints.

“Lee Ho-yeol, why on earth is he doing this to me?”

This is taking things too far, really!

A voice filled with resentment continued.

“The demon race vanished too. There’s no need to worry about status abnormalities either. I was planning to raise our stock after a long time. But why did a monster like that follow us into a rift we are playing in? I’m saying!”

Twirl twirl.

Camilla, twirling her hair with her finger, snorted.

“Raise stock? You probably just wanted to pick up girls~”

“……What?”

“Why, did you make a promise? That you’d call their names during an interview~?”

“Y-You, how did you know that……?”

“You complaining to Ho-yeol-ssi is also because you’re jealous, right?”

“J-Jealous? Who? Me? Of Lee Ho-yeol? No way? Not at all?”

“Pfft”

Even though Jesse withdrew, the relationship between those two hadn’t improved one bit.

They knew stopping them was useless.

Instead of mediating, Rox pointed toward Ho-yeol.

“He probably came to maintain his combat sense.”

“Combat sense? Pfft? In this kind of rift?”

“Isn’t he trying to use as diverse skills as possible?”

“……Is that so?”

“Open your eyes wide and observe, Dmitri. Don’t just stare at girls~”

“Hey you little.”

[Tepheran Fence].

Compared to Ho-yeol’s estimated level, the recommended level was absurdly low. However, among the currently generated rifts, it was a rift boasting the highest level.

“Instead of blaming Lee Ho-yeol, you should blame your small vessel.”

Now that the threat of the demon race had vanished.

Like the [Demon King’s Castle] or [Shattered Dimensional Rift].

There doesn’t exist a rift that can accommodate Lee Ho-yeol.

Rox thought so.

In contrast to him.

“How offensive.”

He was displeased.

Liu Junchun’s eyebrows twitched.

With Ho-yeol’s appearance, all topics shifted in that direction.

“Because it’s not the first time.”

The things World Unification had achieved.

No, the achievements that he, the Sovereign of World Unification, had accomplished.

Hadn’t they overpowered Shining and occupied the peak of the guild rankings?

It wasn’t enough even if he received the world’s attention beyond his motherland.

The attention directed towards him didn’t last long.

“……Lee Ho-yeol.”

It had been like that.

Every time he accomplished something, Ho-yeol was there.

Even during the [Mantra Mine] rift which he had been confident would be a First Clear, Ho-yeol was ahead of him. And regarding the [Demon King’s Castle] rifts, there wasn’t even anything to say.

Merely little over 10 minutes.

Even before Liu Junchun could fully exit his guild house.

Because the [Demon King’s Castle] rifts had been cleared and vanished.

Glare

Liu Junchun stared at Ho-yeol.

Not with the gaze of a player.

But with the gaze of a class, a Sovereign.

‘Just how did he mobilize the Mage Tower?’

He could have understood it if Ho-yeol’s class was a [Sovereign] just like his.

Ho-yeol’s estimated level was at least 900.

If it were a Level 900 Sovereign…….

Because freely wielding the Mage Tower wouldn’t be just a dream.

However, Liu Junchun knew.

‘However, a Sovereign wouldn’t be able to do that.’

A Sovereign’s weapons were his vassals.

It meant neither magic nor swords.

But look at Ho-yeol over there.

“……Just what is that?”

“He broke through that encirclement?”

“Just how many attack skills does he have? Are you tracking them?”

“Yes? Yep! I am, but it’s hard to keep up with that speed…….”

Wasn’t he single-handedly facing a large army?

Liu Junchun’s mind grew complicated.

In the past, he hadn’t thought much of such a Lee Ho-yeol.

An individual is ultimately just an individual.

Because Liu Junchun knew the limits of an individual.

However, before anyone knew it, the Mage Tower was accompanying his actions.

Let alone the Yusra Kingdom that established a close relationship with the King, Hakuna. The Goddess Religion, the Lionheart Knights, and even the Shadow Mercenaries.

By now, he couldn’t help but admit it.

‘Above Shining was Lee Ho-yeol.’

A sky above the sky.

Is this what they mean by ‘heavens exist beyond the heavens’?

Only now could he understand Rox’s attitude.

Why a man like Rox evaluated Lee Ho-yeol so highly.

Liu Junchun’s eyes blazed.

‘To think I can’t even guess the class of such an opponent.’

Clench

With a frustrated heart, Liu Junchun clenched his fists.

He shouted at his guild members.

“We have no time to stay still. We will commence capturing.”

Rumble!

“Tch.”

Talk about bad luck; is it going to rain now?

The rift’s sky was becoming dark.

Soon after, Ho-yeol, who had defeated all the scarecrows, retracted his weapon.

It seemed he intended to step back at this point today.

Liu Junchun felt relieved without even realizing it.

“……!”

……Even if it was just for a moment, to think he thought it was a relief.

And he felt a sense of incongruity towards such a self.

That was how it was.

Rox and Liu Junchun.

Same situation, facing Ho-yeol.

The two’s thoughts were completely different, but.

Soon, their thoughts ended up matching exactly.

“!”

The two.

No, before the eyes of all players who had entered the [Tepheran Fence].

Because a message floated up.

[A darkness spirit appears.]

……A darkness spirit, you say?

Simultaneously, everyone’s gazes headed to one place.

Towards Ho-yeol.

“……Don’t tell me, he came to the Tepheran Fence for this?”

.

.

.

Why is everyone making such serious expressions?

I was worried.

……Did I look too unsightly perhaps?

Regardless, I am a Chief Mage equal to Marcelo in their eyes. Yet I had struggled tooth and nail against scarecrows that wiping out instantly wouldn’t be enough.

However.

[A darkness spirit appears.]

I swallowed my relief at the message that surfaced.

I was worried for nothing.

It’s actually a relief if it’s something like this.

‘Anyway.’

It exploded, and it exploded big time.

Feiyan’s gaze looking at me felt quite resolute.

Feiyan spoke to me in a voice fraught with vigilance.

“……It’s a darkness spirit.”

A darkness spirit, she says.

Unfortunately, my knowledge regarding Spiritology is still at a scratching-the-surface level.

Naturally, I don’t know what a darkness spirit is.

However, I retorted shamelessly.

“I know.”

“……?”

This damn brazen face.

However, I’m not wrong again.

Because I knew through the message that a darkness spirit had ‘appeared’.

It’s not that I’m just rationalizing.

Because I also recognized it too.

No, instinctively.

My flesh was reacting first.

To be exact, the magic power flowing through my body.

The ‘suitable magic power’, at that.

Yes, I knew this sensation.

‘When I first met Matis.’

It felt similar to then.

If there was a difference.

If back then Matis’s magic tool, his ring, reacted to my suitable magic power.

Right now, it would mean that the environment of the rift, that guy called the darkness spirit, is reacting to my suitable magic power.

“I have no words if you already knew…….”

Feiyan bit her lip and continued.

“It’s entirely my own responsibility for failing to consider such a possibility as a Spiritology Senior. I will gladly accept the punishment regarding that after we resolve the situation.”

Responsibility is important.

But whose responsibility is it?

In order to distinguish that exactly, appropriate procedures are needed.

According to procedure, I asked Feiyan.

“Report the circumstances. Feiyan.”

“I will relay it as briefly as possible.”

Listening to that story of Feiyan’s…….

It was nobody’s responsibility, just plain bad luck.

The problem was that the picky appearance conditions for a darkness spirit matched perfectly.

I spoke calmly.

“There is nothing for you to take responsibility for. Senior Feiyan.”

“……?”

Feiyan fell silent for a moment.

Soon, did she finally understand the meaning of my words?

She asked back at me.

“What do you mean by that, I?”

What do I mean.

Simply put.

It means there shouldn’t arise a matter to take responsibility for.

Wooo

‘Suitable magic power’ resonating in my body.

Just like when I manifested Black Magic.

I controlled the overflowing suitable magic power.

‘It’s not a difficult thing.’

They only share the name magic power.

Suitable magic power is a completely different concept from magic power.

My first meeting with Matis.

-‘It is possible to manifest Black Magic even in a state of magic power exhaustion.’

And after that first meeting.

I had grasped the potential utilization of Black Magic.

Right, the fact that 『Black Magic』 is also one of the wells I dug.

Of course, Black Magic was a field whose concepts hadn’t been established for long.

However, thanks to that, I read through all the books related to Black Magic.

Therefore, I didn’t take a single step.

“Wh-What is that?!”

A sky that had grown even darker.

A black figure blooming in the empty air beneath that sky.

Is that the darkness spirit?

“The message clearly said it’s a darkness spirit!”

“Yes?! Go close and film it, you say? No, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m legitimately scared, you know? That thing is getting bigger as time goes on!”

“Everyone, check your status abnormality resistance first!”

Assessing the situation.

The players started moving noisily.

Quick-witted players braced for combat.

For example, World Unification, or Shining.

It probably wasn’t an overreaction.

[A darkness spirit appears.]

Since the days when Arcana was merely a game.

This [Appearance Message] had existed.

There were conditions for the message to pop up.

“Seeing an appearance message pop up means it’s a named mob at the very least! Hyung-nims, noona-nims. World Unification, Shining, Ho-yeol-nim, spirits, and even the appearance of a named mob. It feels like my luck is way too good today……. Don’t tell me, today isn’t the day I die, right?!”

Exactly as the NetTuber player said.

It means it is a message that surfaces when a monster exceeding the recommended level of the concerned area appears.

There’s a reason why the Mage Tower Senior, Feiyan, made a resolute expression.

However, I still didn’t move.

Was it because I was overflowing with confidence after hunting Tepheran Scarecrows?

Although I don’t know about Granfel, I am not that clueless about my own measure.

There was a separate reason why I could stretch my two legs straight on the ground.

And remain stiff from my waist to my neck.

-“Therefore, communion with a darkness spirit is impossible unless one possesses suitable magic power. And among those I know, the only one possessing suitable magic power of that level is Black Magicology Senior, Matis-nim…….”

That was right.

Even if Feiyan doesn’t know, I am.

The rough gemstone of Black Magicology acknowledged by the Black Magicology Senior Mage, Matis Dean Carl.

Of course, as to where that suitable magic power originates from…….

I don’t know, nor do I have any intention of knowing, but.

‘Whatever it is, let’s be thankful for now.’

Because thanks to it, it seemed I could avoid a battle against the darkness spirit.

I stayed frozen in place and stared at the darkness spirit.

“Chief Lee Ho-yeol! You should widen your distance……!”

Feiyan’s voice filled with concern was heard.

It is understandable to be worried.

As Feiyan said.

‘Hardly anything is known regarding darkness spirits.’

Furthermore, a darkness spirit was a heterogeneous existence that only appeared when conditions aligned.

That could be seen just from looking at the situation.

Because normally, ordinary people couldn’t even witness spirits in their natural state.

The darkness spirit was openly revealing its appearance.

‘It means its level of danger is unknown.’

However, I had conviction.

The conviction that I could commune with the guy.

The resonating suitable magic power was evidence of that.

Moreover, I knew the ‘property’ of suitable magic power very well.

-“Black Magic is simple.”

A tutoring disguised as a conversation shared with Matis.

I had learned many things regarding Black Magic from Matis.

Matis had simply explained Black Magic.

-“Just as darkness is buried by deeper darkness. Black Magic likewise pursues a more suitable magic power. For example, just like what you are seeing right now.”

To explain its property, Matis had pulled out a magic tool.

A compass that resonated with suitable magic power.

Whirrr

The needle that had been spinning between Matis and me eventually pointed towards me, didn’t it.

……My feelings at that time were truly.

Like the bitter feeling of having my dark past acknowledged by Black Magic.

Thank heavens my inner thoughts didn’t show.

-“Among attribute magics, you can say its property is similar to Flame Magic. I even exchanged written correspondences with Karimzhebar regarding that. That is why I can’t tolerate his atrocities any further.”

Although it just ended up making Flame Magicology Senior, Banshee William, look pathetic because of Karimzhebar…….

Anyway, it means there is a reason for my confidence.

Whether because of my dark past.

『The successor to a great family, but his family fell to ruin due to a demon.

The sole survivor of the family, Granfel Claudi Arpeus Romeo, hereafter referred to as Granfel, walked the path of a demon hunter to enact vengeance upon that demon.』

Or because of Granfel’s tragic settings.

Because I was a possessor of suitable magic power that surpassed Matis.

Such a me opened my mouth towards the darkness spirit.

“Are you the darkness spirit.”

If communion is impossible.

Just as a deeper darkness swallows other darkness.

I just need to make the darkness spirit submit.

That suitable magic power that I dragged up was precisely for that.

Sss?

Did my words reach it?

A gaze could be felt from the black figure.

It wasn’t looking at me.

The guy was examining the suitable magic power I had dragged out.

The distance between the guy and me becoming closer.

“……Wait, is it okay for us to just watch?”

“Lee Ho-yeol, what is he thinking?”

“Even if it’s Ho-yeol-nim, the distance is too close……?!”

Among those watching, the only one who wasn’t agitated was Hiel.

However, the hair-trigger situation did not last long.

Because the guy’s voice reached my ears.

“I submit to you.”

……Wait a second, what?

I can understand up to the submission part.

Because, as I said, I knew the property of Black Magic.

But what?

“Endlessly deep darkness.”

E-, Endlessly deep daaaarkness?!

Just what the hell is that bizarre designation that makes me want to die from embarrassment.

However, I couldn’t show it.

Because it wasn’t just one or two eyes watching.

“Endlessly deep darkness……!”

“The darkness spirit submitted to Ho-yeol-nim!”

“As expected, it wasn’t for nothing he visited such a shabby rift.”

That was right.

The guy was a heterogeneous spirit.

Even in a non-contracted state, let alone its shape, even its voice.

Even players who lacked communion power could perceive it.

Hence.

“C-, Chief Lee Ho-yeol……?”

“C-, Chief is communing with a darkness spirit……?”

“That makes no sense!”

Not to mention the reactions of the mages, including Feiyan.

……Won’t I really die from shame at this rate.

It was the moment when I was barely collecting my inner thoughts.

The darkness spirit, that guy flapped its mouth again.

“Endlessly deep darkness.”

No, seriously, please do something about that designation……!!

“Only you can solve the labyrinth of Tepheran.”

……What? Labyrinth of Tepheran?

In all my life, do I even have to listen through to the end of a spirit’s words now.

The moment I flinched at the unexpected ensuing words.

A message floated up before my eyes.

[10 Great Mysteries Quest: Labyrinth of Tepheran]