Chapter 127 – Endlessly Deep Darkness (3)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The Explorer’s Union.

Their lofty reputation and prestige started from the Arcana continent.

And remained valid even to this day, after the cataclysm.

The fact that they received high evaluations was largely due to the AAU’s influence.

“Just knowing information about Arcana doesn’t solve everything. There is a need to predict variables through that information. In that aspect, the union explorers are experts. The fact that they appeared in reality might be a great blessing for humanity.”

In reality, the Explorer’s Union provided a lot of cooperation to humanity, including the AAU.

Because they conveyed information about the Arcana continent that only they knew to humanity.

Of course, it wasn’t for free.

Even if they were crazy about exploring.

They were thoroughly strict when it came to weighing their interests.

Though they took quite a lot in return for doing so.

Thanks to that, it couldn’t be helped that a notorious reputation spread among players.

“Explorers? Of course it’s good to have them. But ambiguous explorers actually end up being more of a hindrance, and they need to be at least in the upper ranks among union explorers for it to be meaningful to bring them along……. But their ransoms are no joke, right?”

To the point where even rankers who practically swept up money shuddered!

Thanks to that, some upper-tier guilds even went out of their way to find players possessing the explorer class to foster them, even if belatedly.

It was because the estimate came out that it would be comparatively cheaper.

In that sense, this incident couldn’t help but become a hot topic.

[Explorer’s Union, “All we want is the Tepheran expedition…… We do not need compensation.”]

The great Explorer’s Union had made a declaration of volunteering unpaid.

[Explorer’s Union President Fabian Delon, “I wish to be of help to player Lee Ho-yeol.”]

On top of that, they stepped forward with a very polite attitude.

Those who showed the most baffled reactions were the ranker players who had connections with the Explorer’s Union.

Players making somewhat ambiguous expressions.

“S-Should I say this is gratifying? Or should I say it’s bitter?”

Isn’t this attitude too different!

Union President, Fabian Delon.

To think that snobbish curly-haired jerk knew how to speak such polite words! However, feeling purely bitter was something that pricked their conscience.

Because Fabian’s counterpart was Ho-yeol.

-Honestly I kind of understand Fabian acting like that ㅇㅇ

-I know right, the accumulated reputation is on a different level.

-You can pretty much tell the estimate just by looking at what Lee Ho-yeol has done hahahaha

-Fr haha plainly speaking, right now with Lee Ho-yeol having received the Tepheran quest, it’s a golden opportunity for the Explorer’s Union?? That’s why they’re acting so humble hahaha

-……Then don’t tell me they’re acting like that to get carried???

At that time, Yusra Kingdom.

The Explorer’s Union main base.

High-ranking union explorers were seated.

A subtle war of nerves flowing amidst the exchanging gazes.

‘The one participating in the Labyrinth of Tepheran expedition will be me.’

‘They will definitely try to keep me in check.’

‘Even if there’s nothing to gain, I need the track record.’

The Union President, Fabian, caught on to the meanings contained in those eyes.

‘Everyone has their own ulterior motives. Among them are those aiming for my position too.’

With the next Union President election right around the corner.

Although he wasn’t the type to cling to a title.

Fabian had no intention of easily handing over his seat.

Because Fabian was confident.

Crack

Fabian lightly turned his neck.

“For your information, I also intend to participate in the Tepheran Labyrinth expedition.”

“……!!!”

At Fabian’s declaration, the union explorers’ pupils widened.

It was understandable.

Because it had truly been a long time since Fabian stepped out for external activities.

Someone spoke as if mocking him.

“It seems you’re feeling rushed with the election season approaching?”

An obvious provocation.

However, Fabian lightly shrugged his shoulders.

“Rushed, you say. I am confident that I am still the best explorer, even if I rested for a few years? However, since the thoughts of you who hold the votes might differ. I simply thought of it as a good opportunity to prove my robustness.”

Gulp

The explorers swallowing dry saliva.

‘It’s not a bluff.’

Although Fabian was past middle age in terms of age, his body, including his appearance, still remained at its peak.

The muscles revealing themselves as he lightly warmed up would be the proof.

“Moreover, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the union’s honor is on the line for the Labyrinth of Tepheran expedition. Like the Mage Tower, the Lionheart Knights, and Muon. Just as they showed their robustness. It means there is a need for the Explorer’s Union to step forward as well.”

A flowing silence.

It was because everyone caught on to the meaning contained in Fabian’s words.

A few players outright bit their lips hard.

‘Isn’t he saying he’ll step forward with the top elites?’

‘Then there’s no way our turn will come.’

‘……Damn it, I thought we could finally get carried by Lee Ho-yeol.’

‘Fucking level.’

The meeting that ended with his declaration of participation.

Left alone at the round table, Fabian shrugged his shoulders.

“The rookies these days lack spirit. Spirit, I say.”

He muttered playfully.

“Since when did explorers rely on the union.”

Fabian had a conviction.

That fundamentally, an explorer must have stubbornness.

A stubbornness that won’t yield to anyone.

In that sense.

He couldn’t see that conviction from the people who attended today’s meeting.

“At this rate, I’m going to end up doing something that doesn’t fit my aptitude again.”

If this had been the Arcana continent.

Fabian would have laid down the Union President seat without lingering attachment.

However, this was the world of adventurers.

Because he couldn’t entrust the future of the Explorer’s Union to such unreliable people.

“Anyway, he’s amazing.”

An adventurer, Lee Ho-yeol.

Didn’t they say he found out there’s a labyrinth in Tepheran through a darkness spirit?

Labyrinth, it might be trivial information to some, but to Fabian, it was incredibly significant information.

Even just the labyrinths he cleared on the Arcana continent numbered in the hundreds.

Because Fabian had enough experience that it wouldn’t be inadequate to call him an expert of labyrinths.

Moreover, Lee Ho-yeol, who is he?

“At least I won’t have to worry about this old man’s life.”

The man who achieved the annihilation of the Demon Kings, the kings of demons.

Simultaneously, the Chief Mage of the Mage Tower and the real power of the Yusra Kingdom. On top of that, the savior of the holy land, Muon, and the one who sprouted the Seed of the World Tree…….

“……Lastly, even an alias called the Endlessly Deep Darkness.”

Is all of this really the achievement of a single person?

Fabian clicked his tongue without realizing it.

“There really wasn’t a separate 10 Great Mysteries.”

So on one hand, he was looking forward to it.

Just what kind of man is Lee Ho-yeol?

However, such expectations of Fabian.

“Union President Fabian-nim. A reply has arrived.”

“A reply, you say?”

“It is a letter sent by Sir Lee Ho-yeol.”

“Oh-ho, thank you.”

The moment he received the returned letter from Ho-yeol, crumbled.

A brilliantly decorated gold leaf paper.

This was the letter he had sent.

“……Hmm?”

The letter he sent returned as it was?

An ominous premonition.

Fabian flinched and opened the letter, only to be shocked.

“!”

A truly elegant handwriting.

Below the letter he had sent.

Ho-yeol’s reply was written.

──────

Propose a more detailed objective according to procedure.

──────

“……Procedure? Objective?”

Just a single line.

No, even including the postscript, just two lines.

──────

P.S. Unnecessary luxury is not good.

──────

“L-Luxury?”

Ho-yeol, who valued formality above all else.

He chose the expensive gold leaf paper to match his tastes, yet to think he would be pointed out for luxury.

No, beyond that, what does he mean by a concrete objective?

Fabian muttered, dumbfounded.

“……This is already not going to be easy.”

A sense of tension felt after a long time.

Without him even realizing it.

Cold sweat trickled down from Fabian’s forehead.

*

“Rejected. The objective is unclear.”

Actually, I can guess the reason.

With the Mage Tower and other Arcana factions being active right now.

The Explorer’s Union side probably felt they had to do something too. They might have decided that the [Labyrinth of Tepheran] would fit their aptitude and serve as a suitable opportunity.

However, everything must follow procedures.

Meaning everything needs to be done with certainty.

So that they can’t say something else later.

Even an application to exit the tower required clarifying the objective, after all.

“Banshee William. You don’t seem to get tired.”

Rejected.

I pushed away Banshee’s application to exit the tower and thought.

But if they just properly presented their objective…….

‘As expected, it would be good to review it positively.’

Labyrinth.

Content that was notorious since the days when Arcana was merely a game.

Not only were all sorts of vicious traps lurking in wait.

But the appearing monsters were also troublesome on the level of named mobs.

In some cases, the difficulty was supposedly tougher than [Dungeons] of a similar recommended level…….

‘It’s natural to need an expert’s help.’

Now that the demon race’s activities have decreased.

The probability of [Natural Enemy] being activated was also low.

‘I don’t have confidence. Confidence.’

In that sense, there would be no better reinforcements than the Explorer’s Union.

Of course, if I dragged a horde of mages from the Mage Tower.

We could somehow clear a labyrinth or whatever but.

“I alone am sufficient.”

……Sufficient my foot. All talk.

Anyway, as you can see.

There’s no way this lofty pride would tolerate mobilizing the mages of the Mage Tower for personal use.

For now, I folded away my thoughts regarding Tepheran and the Explorer’s Union at that point.

‘Worrying about it any further is meaningless.’

I already delivered my reply to the Explorer’s Union side.

And the [Labyrinth of Tepheran] rift hasn’t even surfaced yet.

So for the time being.

─Weight of the Chief (Repeat)▼

Let’s faithfully bear the weight I have shouldered.

I checked the quest objectives.

Among the numerous objectives, a newly surfaced one.

●Successfully conduct the Round Table Conference. (In Progress)

Round Table Conference.

The Tower Master and Senior Mages.

And it’s not the Round Table Conference of the past where only Chief Mages attended.

I can’t even open that even if I wanted to anyway.

The Tower Master is absent due to circumstances.

And only one out of the five Elder Mages was left.

That was right.

It meant it was a new Round Table Conference, not the one from the past.

A change for the Mage Tower not to repeat past mistakes.

I murmured while rising from my seat.

“Time is like the tea enjoyed in the afternoon.”

In simple terms, it means time is gold, but…….

……Would it kill me to speak normally.

Anyway, it means there is no such thing as being late in my dictionary.

I adjusted my attire and moved my steps.

Towards the Crystal Hall where the Round Table Conference is held.

*

Murmur murmur

The commotion in the Crystal Hall didn’t easily die down.

Because this kind of gathering, an event, was a first for everyone.

The Mage Tower’s fledglings, the Apprentice Mages.

As if they were truly chicks looking around, they restlessly turned their heads left and right.

Although they attended this place representing the Apprentice Mages, they couldn’t maintain the little dignity they had.

“……Wow, that’s Senior Mage Belier-nim!”

“It’s my first time. Seeing the Senior Mages gathered in one place!”

“Everyone really looks so cool!”

Twenty Senior Mages.

Because all of them were seated in the Crystal Hall.

This was a sight that couldn’t be easily seen even at regular conferences.

“The other kids will really be so jealous, right?”

“Right!”

“What’s there to be jealous of? You can just attend the next conference.”

“Ah, right! I just can’t get used to this easily.”

In the new Round Table Conference, Apprentice, Adept, Senior, Chief, Elder.

All mages of the Mage Tower could attend regardless of rank.

Unlike the Apprentice Mages.

The Adept Mages who had drunk the Mage Tower’s water a little longer.

Narrowed eyes.

Jibril surveyed the air in the Crystal Hall and then opened her mouth.

“What does everyone think?”

At the question, a few Adept Mages stepped forward and responded.

“You are certainly beautiful today as well. Miss Jibril…….”

“No, enough with such flattery. I mean regarding the Round Table Conference.”

“Ah, my apologies.”

A conference where all the mages of the Mage Tower gathered in one place.

A symbol of closure.

Things unimaginable in the Mage Tower of the past were happening.

Jibril’s eyes shone sharply.

“……Exiting the tower as well. The Mage Tower is definitely changing.”

Of course, if anything, she welcomed it.

It was absolutely not something to dislike.

She was just curious about the catalyst for this change.

Jibril poked Klee’s forearm, who had been sitting quietly.

Poke

“J-Jibril?”

“As expected, this is also his influence, right? Miss Klee?”

“Haha, wouldn’t it be so?”

“He’s certainly extraordinary.”

Why, there’s no need to trace far back.

Even just the events that occurred during the recent excursion outside the tower.

Were enough to shake the Mage Tower.

“To subjugate a darkness spirit.”

Including Senior Feiyan.

An excursion where Adept and Apprentice Mages of the School of Spiritology set out as a group.

Because mages of various ranks had set out.

The incident that happened at [Tepheran Fence] that day couldn’t help but be known by everyone in the Mage Tower.

Murmur murmur

So amidst the commotion.

“Endlessly deep darkness, huh…….”

“If a spirit calls him that, it means he’s amazing, right?”

“Endlessly deep darkness……. It somehow suits him. Right?”

“I heard he was even incredibly skilled with a sword.”

Endlessly deep darkness.

It could be said to be a matter of course that Ho-yeol’s alias was constantly being mentioned.

The Senior Mages were no exception. The Senior Mages passing a word each while looking at Feiyan.

“Not only were you the first among the Seniors to step outside the tower, but you also got to see a good sight, Senior Feiyan.”

“In addition to achieving your objective for exiting the tower, you even obtained information regarding the darkness spirit. I guess you’ve lessened your worries regarding the next regular conference? I’m envious.”

Because she had greatly benefited from Chief Ho-yeol in various ways.

Feiyan mumbled and laughed sheepishly.

“Well, it’s not wrong. Haha.”

Flame Magicology Senior, Banshee William.

He even pleaded with desperate eyes.

“Just how did you write your application to exit the tower, Senior Feiyan? Actually, I feel a bit wronged. Where else is there a Senior who desires to exit the tower more desperately than me! Look. I’ve already written dozens of pages worth of applications alone……!”

Of course, that chatter couldn’t last long either.

Because his natural enemy, Matis, opened his mouth.

“Banshee William, you have a need to learn silence.”

“…….”

Banshee’s laments about his circumstances that rarely stopped once triggered.

Feiyan conveyed a look of gratitude to Matis.

Matis lightly nodded his head and thought.

‘Darkness spirit.’

The only intersection between Black Magicology and Spiritology.

However, just like Feiyan.

Even if it was Matis who established Black Magicology, he didn’t possess much knowledge regarding darkness spirits.

However, he could guess the reason why Ho-yeol was able to subjugate it.

‘……Darkness is encroached upon by deeper darkness.’

The conversation they shared regarding the properties of Black Magic.

Perhaps the Chief remembered that conversation.

In a way, it was to be expected.

‘Chief Lee Ho-yeol’s potential concerning Black Magic is immeasurable.’

An unimaginable ‘suitable magic power amount’.

Just what kind of past did he possess?

To come to hold such suitable magic power.

Matis had once worried about that point too.

As mentioned.

That darkness is encroached upon by deeper darkness.

Because Matis knew the properties of Black Magic better than anyone.

‘……Corruption.’

If Ho-yeol’s suitable magic power were to run rampant…….

Because the aftermath was something he didn’t even want to imagine.

But such worries vanished for Matis.

Because hadn’t he witnessed it?

-“Elder Mage Senios…….”

『Where the Permafrost Sleeps』.

Ho-yeol’s figure mourning Senios there.

Yes, Chief Lee Ho-yeol was managing his inner balance better than anyone.

His posture that didn’t waver, as always, would be the proof.

The moment Matis concluded his thoughts.

Click

Clear footsteps rang out in the Crystal Hall.

Ho-yeol and Marcelo.

Lastly, the two Chief Mages attended the Round Table Conference.

The commotion dying down just with their appearance.

Everyone’s gazes focused on the two.

……Gulp

But for what reason was it.

Ho-yeol’s eyes were much more sunken than usual.

Beyond being calm, to the point of looking cold.

.

.

.

……It’s too late to be quiet now.

I heard everything from outside!

Them whispering calling me ‘Endlessly deep darkness’!

I’m seriously worried.

I might die an untimely death just from being embarrassed.

The only fortunate thing is that these inner thoughts don’t show.

I spoke calmly to Marcelo as I moved my steps.

“Shall we begin.”

To enjoy.

The designation Endlessly Deep Darkness is too much for me.

If I can neither avoid it nor enjoy it, let’s finish this as quickly as possible…….