Chapter 146 – To Protect Our Pride (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The moment she entered the Yusra Kingdom, Golden Palace.

“You crazy bastard.”

Leonie opened her mouth.

What did you say?

To protect the pride in your heart?

Shudder, she couldn’t stand the goosebumps breaking out.

Nam Tae-min felt wronged.

“Why are you making a fuss? It’s exactly the same as what Mr. Ho-yeol said.”

“Are you crazy. What about it is exactly the same?!”

“We are in the same boat but. Irresponsible remarks, Nam Tae-min.”

“Look here, Mr. Hisagi Kazuma. Are you really the one to say that?”

-“There is nothing more important than pride. Because I realized it, even if belatedly.”

Feigning ignorance when you spat out words no different from me in front of the reporters.

Shake shake, Hisagi shook his head.

“It would have probably been conveyed enough just with words.”

“What would?”

“I’m saying there was no need to go as far as pounding your chest with your fist.”

“Huh? Why not? It’s manly and nice.”

“The original didn’t make people cringe like you did.”

Exactly the same my foot.

There’s no point in conversing further, the difference in opinion won’t narrow.

Fine, let’s quit.

Because something more important than trivial interviews or arguments was waiting.

─Prove your worth in the corresponding region. (In Progress)

Proving our worth precisely.

Nam Tae-min, Leonie, Hisagi.

The moment they witnessed the quest, the three people realized.

-‘So that’s why us……!’

Why did Ho-yeol make the three guilds, which had ill fate or were completely unrelated, ally together? It was precisely for this quest. The three people involved could be certain.

“Imagine it. Let’s pretend we operated like we did in the past.”

First of all, before even imagining, she could guarantee one thing.

Hisagi struck first.

“At the very least, Inazuma and Gaon would not have been able to achieve the growth we have now because of keeping each other in check.”

“Right, that’s what I wanted to say. Wait, why is it Inazuma and Gaon again? The order is wrong. The order. Whether by ranking or alphabetical order, naturally we should come first…….”

“Isn’t that right, Ms. Leonie?”

“Okay. I can tell just by looking right now.”

In the past, competitions between guilds.

Competing for first clears over rifts was obvious, and a battle of nerves unfolding even inside the rifts was a daily occurrence.

How many times did they refuse to back down due to pride even knowing it was a loss for each other?

“It’s all thanks to everyone accommodating each other on their own.”

“Because there’s no benefit to entering the same rift as you guys.”

“Even during the days of Arcana Continent Chronicle, I had never hunted like this.”

Berserker crazy for battle.

Thanks to the Giant Coalition, they were able to display their occupational disease properly.

Guild members of Gaon and Inazuma, including Leonie and the Berserker Guild, acquired experience points at a speed incomparable to before.

The result of that was showing through their levels.

Nam Tae-min, level 408.

Hisagi Kazuma, level 405.

Leonie, level 399.

It wasn’t a growth possible solely due to the synergy effect of the Giant Coalition.

What had an even bigger influence was precisely the clearing of the Demon King’s Castle rift.

Because it was thanks to the demon monsters disappearing as if hiding their figures after the so-called, ‘Suppression of the Demon Kings’.

“Even simply calculating it, our rift clearing time increased by more than double.”

The reason demon monsters are tricky?

Since they are growth-type monsters, it was partly because their levels were high. But as expected, the biggest headache was status abnormalities. Especially if someone got inflicted with ‘Fear’, time would inevitably be delayed.

Nam Tae-min poured out passionately.

“Not just us, but all players need to be thankful! To create this kind of situation. Just how much hardship Mr. Ho-yeol must have gone through.”

“No.”

“What do you mean no again? How do you always at the end of every sentence……!”

This really makes me flare up again?

Hisagi continued his words unbothered.

“Something like the Demon King’s Castle rift probably wasn’t even a hardship. At Mr. Ho-yeol’s level, that is. As you know, didn’t you clear not one but three Demon King’s Castle rifts in barely a little over 10 minutes?”

……Hearing that, it’s not wrong again.

But, even when you say the right thing, you have to do it so annoyingly!

The one who stopped Nam Tae-min who was about to flare up again was Leonie.

Swish

Arcana’s official homepage.

The player ranking section.

Scanning the levels of the rankers, Leonie opened her mouth.

“Liu Ojun-chun, he reached level 400 too.”

“Level 400 with the Monarch class? He’s a tough guy too. A tough guy.”

“That’s probably why he’s taking the seat of the head of the super-giant guild called Unification of the World.”

Scanning the levels of other players, the levels of the two collaborators naturally entered her eyes. Leonie’s eyebrow twitched. ……Oh, look at these guys?

“But somehow, it feels like both your level growths have slowed down?”

“……?”

“No, what were you two doing while I caught up to level 399? Playing around? Haven’t I said it time and time again. If you had hunted even one more monster instead of arguing with each other in that time……. Sigh, whatever. What’s the point of saying it.”

Nam Tae-min and Hisagi exchanged wronged glances.

“Excuse me, Ms. Level 399. I see it’s because you still don’t know anything.”

“From level 400, it truly reaches a different dimension.”

“Whatever.”

“No, really, starting from level 400, the required experience amount makes no sense! Honestly, even if you beat up Recommended Level monsters for several days, the level barely fluctuates at all……!”

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I checked my status window.

[Name: Granfel Claudi Arpheus Romeo]

[Titles: The Last Adventurer, Sublime]

[Class: Demon Hunter]

[Level: 490]

[Stats]

Strength: 72 / Agility: 77 / Magic Power: 401 / Luck: 7 / Aesthetics: Low

[Available Points: 50]

Didn’t I say it over and over again?

The damn level up system of Arcana.

That the amount of experience points required for leveling up increases exponentially starting from the hundreds units. However, to the point where that complaint feels like whining.

From the Arcana continent expedition, I ended up returning with the system’s limit, a whopping 50 level increase……!

‘Even after taking the death penalty.’

The message that popped up the moment I closed my eyes.

[You have died.]

[Death penalty is applied.]

[Acquired experience points will decrease.]…….

Even after an enormous amount of experience points decreased, it’s still at the limit.

If I had hastily broken my Quernberg Mechanical Tower savings, I would have felt wronged for no reason.

Is it because there is a clear evidence called numerical figure.

I could feel what kind of act I had done and returned from.

Yes, hunting the Demon King that was coiled up in the Simuard family wasn’t enough.

Taking a hit from the Iron Castle’s magic power ray cannon together with millions of demons and oxidizing grandly.

It certainly was an incredible action to the point where even the system misunderstood and bestowed a title, seriously.

“I cannot be measured by something like numbers.”

……Right, I acknowledge this loose muzzle for once.

Because I realized that to Granfel, levels or the number of enemies are truly nothing but mere numbers. That’s why he must have thrown his body into the middle of millions of demons.

Truly befitting the stormy period of puberty that feared nothing.

Anyway, let’s allocate the 50 points first.

I was about to invest all the points into magic power as usual, then paused.

You know, don’t they say a person enlightens on something during a kaleidoscope moment?

Thanks to that, I too realized one thing.

“A Demon Hunter has a hunting method unique to a Demon Hunter.”

From the past until now.

The characteristic of a Demon Hunter is consistent.

That excluding when hunting demons, they don’t have a single strength to show off.

That can be seen just by looking at the stat point investment method. Since it was a Demon Hunter who had no choice but to divide and invest their precious stats into strength, agility, and magic power when even focusing on one would be a shame.

However, I realized it through this desperate struggle.

That exactly that growing method was actually helpful in hunting demons.

Because I swung my sword with strength, handled the crossbow with agility, and manifested magic with magic power.

For the sake of hunting demons, they do not discriminate against any means and methods.

That appearance itself is a Demon Hunter.

Its entirety.

‘Strength and agility are also worth investing points into.’

The crossbow that was beyond expectations.

Above all, now that I have reached the realm of Sword Force.

Unlike before, the importance and cost-effectiveness of strength and agility stats had skyrocketed. It meant it was too disappointing to cover it solely with the Class Quest rewards.

‘Swordsmanship and marksmanship. A bit more on agility which influences both.’

12 points to strength.

15 points to agility.

And 20 points to magic power.

I finished the point allocation.

Now out of 50 points, the remaining points are 3 points.

Truly blood-like points.

‘……Right.’

I tightly closed both my eyes and invested 3 points into luck.

If you ask why the whopping 3 points, instead of 1 point.

That’s because double digits look better than single digits.

[Luck: 10]

Let’s be honest with myself.

Because for this moment, I wished for a fluke.

I opened my inventory and took out a demon’s item.

The spoils of a Demon King purified through the exorcism ritual.

Because [Map that Connects to All Things] became a piece of ordinary paper because I activated its teleportation effect, but I still had two of the Demon King’s spoils left.

‘If only I had the leeway, I would have purified both.’

I knew demons would swarm, but I didn’t know in my wildest dreams that millions would swarm. Thanks to that, the purified spoil of a Demon King was one. And if you ask what spoil I chose as the sacrifice…….

“It’s still hideous.”

The eyeball…….

No, it was the [Eye Burning with Malice] dropped by Flauros.

The reason I purified the pupil first is simple. As something dropped by a Demon King with a higher rank, the probability of it being a better item would be even slightly higher.

Of course, it’s not like I invested points into luck just by looking at a single Demon King spoil either.

‘Without intending to, I got a lot of things to open up.’

For the purified spoil of a Demon King.

For the effect of the title, [Sublime].

Furthermore, for the [Unfinished Holy War].

Even putting in my heart desiring the quest to be resolved well.

‘Please, may I at least fasten the first button well.’

Putting aside the pathetic inner feelings for a moment, I checked the information one by one.

And I realized.

[Demonic Eye’s Telescope]

1 point.

[Sublime: O sublime one, the Arcana continent remembers you.]

1 point.

[Breaking News: Giant Coalition, “Decided to participate to protect our pride.”]

1 point.

Indeed……!

The system, luck, do not lie.

*

Mage Tower.

Crystal Hall where the Round Table conference is held.

The Adept and Apprentice Mages couldn’t help but be startled entering.

“……What’s going on?”

Could it be some special day?

The Senior Mages were seated in the Crystal Hall beforehand.

Without missing a single person.

However, what drew their gaze more than anything else was Chief Mage Marcelo.

“Chief Marcelo, it’s a relief.”

“He woke up safely.”

“I wonder if his body is completely fine now?”

Murmur murmur

The incoming voices.

Marcelo didn’t care.

No, he had no mind to care.

For some reason, his physical body was overflowing with vitality.

Marcelo clenched his fist and opened it.

‘……It doesn’t creak?’

His joints, which groaned just by moving, were perfectly fine.

The pain in his heart that came visiting without a specific time had also disappeared.

Because of a questionable feeling, Marcelo had asked Velliere.

-“Senior Velliere. Did you perhaps……. cast some healing magic on me?”

Healing School Senior Mage, Velliere Yusia.

As they were acquaintances since childhood.

He knew well regarding Velliere’s magical talent.

While he was unaware.

Had she perhaps reached the realm of healing magic?

Was his physical body circulating with vitality thanks to her healing magic.

However, Velliere smiled radiantly and shook her head.

-“It would have been wonderful if such a thing was possible. But no.”

Even turning his gaze to Senior Matisse, he couldn’t hear a clear answer.

Because Velliere wouldn’t have lied.

It means there is another reason.

‘Then…….’

There was only one possibility that came to mind.

-“Chief Lee Ho-yeol said this. I have returned after hunting millions of demons.”

Chief Lee Ho-yeol.

Could it be that among the millions of demons Chief Lee disposed of in the Arcana continent, there was an individual related to the ‘curse of numbered days’? Of course, he didn’t confirm that the curse had completely disappeared.

Magic Family, Simuard.

Wasn’t it the curse of numbered days that neither his grandfather, nor his father, nor anyone could avoid? Even if his body’s condition got better, even if the curse of numbered days really disappeared.

Marcelo couldn’t feel it practically.

However.

Clench

Marcelo clenched his fist.

His eye corners sank coldly unlike before.

‘If the curse is related to a demon.’

I would not be able to maintain my composure in front of demons anymore.

‘In that sense, I come to respect Sir anew.’

The moment Marcelo finished his thoughts.

Ho-yeol revealed his figure in the Crystal Hall.

Focus of attention.

Interest pouring in an instant.

More than anything else, those who were impatient were the Senior Mages.

‘To return to the Mage Tower before the sun high in the sky even set.’

‘He hunted millions of demons? Is that a possible thing?’

‘Will we finally be able to hear that tale of heroism? Man, if I knew this would happen I would have wrote continent expedition as the purpose in my tower absence application……!’

Twenty Senior Mages.

The thoughts each harbored were slightly different, but it was natural to have interest. Not out of doubt, but because natural questions couldn’t help but follow Ho-yeol’s actions.

“Let’s hear it. What kind of things happened.”

Even the fledgling mages who didn’t know the detailed situation knew the fact that Ho-yeol entered the Arcana continent. At this moment, everyone in the Crystal Hall was just waiting for Ho-yeol’s mouth to open.

Amidst that massive expectation.

Ho-yeol broke the ice.

“Do you all know?”

“……?!”

Starting with a question no one had expected.

.

.

.

Though there’s a saying that words can pay off a debt of a million nyang.

……I somehow think that’s not about me.

To stand tall with a stiff posture.

And abruptly throw a question first thing.

It would be completely unreasonable for an answer to return to such a question.

The flowing silence

I was busy just trying to salvage the cold atmosphere.

Long into the silence, I finally opened my mouth.

“The saying that seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.”

Putting the pause to shame, what I spat out was merely a proverb.

To think I’d thrust a Korean proverb to Arcana people.

……Am I perhaps beyond the level of a boomer?

However, fortunately, the meaning seemed to have been conveyed.

Because I could see some people nodding thankfully.

Thanks for responding, Senior Mage Vangrit Tom.

Everything has a give and take.

Even if I have nothing particular to give, I’ll gladly offer you green tea.

Resolving myself momentarily.

I quickly took out an item from the inventory.

Seeing is believing (百聞 如一見).

No matter how much I explain the sight of the Arcana continent with words, I thought seeing it once would be faster for understanding.

What I pulled out is a Demon King’s spoil.

[Demonic Eye’s Telescope]

[Rank: Epic]

[Restriction: None]

[Effect: Share vision with a Demonic Eye for a short period of time.]

[Description: A pupil that shares vision with the eyes of the Demon Realm. However, keep in mind. The deeper you look into it, the higher the probability that they too will notice your existence.]

The countless Demonic Eyes that floated in Arcana’s night sky.

An incredible effect that can share vision with those very Demonic Eyes.

It meant I can check the Arcana continent in real time.

I continued speaking confidently as if boasting of a big catch I reeled in.

“From now on, I will show you all the sight of the Arcana continent.”

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.

.

Crystal Hall.

Chief, Senior, Adept, Apprentice.

There was no need to classify the ranks.

Because everyone was keeping the same thought while being astonished.

“Exactly how……?”

To think he could return alive and perfectly fine from such a hell?