Chapter 151 – Seed of Tears (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Granfel’s thick skin definitely helps with mental management.

Because if it wasn’t for that, I think I would have been quite startled.

Thinking, so this is a [Dungeon], even though I mentally prepared myself it’s fucking annoying right from the start.

‘Indeed, it’s just like the rumors.’

I didn’t even have time to realize it was a trap.

No, would it be more accurate to say I didn’t even have time to touch the trap?

Because all the players, including Shureig and me, did was take a few steps into the rain fog. If so, there’s only one possibility to think about.

Shureig glared at London above his head and muttered.

“Are you saying it begins with breaking through a trap from the start.”

Well, even though he’s surprised, he doesn’t seem to find it absurd.

He must think it’s something plausible if it’s a dungeon.

Indeed, befitting an experienced person.

In that sense, it was a relief.

“Shureig.”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

“How does it seem in the eyes of you who knows the geography of this place well?”

As for me, it’s to the point where it’s like a spot the difference game.

Because I didn’t know much about London.

Nod

Shureig immediately answered with a voice full of conviction.

“It’s exactly the same as I told you. Except for the fact that there are citizens in that London over there. And as you realized, your words about falling into a trap seem to be correct as well.”

Shureig bit his lower lip.

“Whether it’s that side, or this side. Someone is, I mean.”

He probably thinks it’s still at an uncertain stage.

Soon, Shureig instructed the guild members.

“Explorers begin grasping the structure of the trap! The remaining players are to protect the explorers in preparation for an unexpected ambush.”

Indeed, it’s the world-class guild Second Sun. It means they don’t rely on the Explorer’s Federation and have Explorer class players they nurtured independently.

However.

“This is driving me crazy. Man, what kind of trap is this?”

A dungeon rift with a minimum recommended level of 600 and a maximum of 900.

‘It’s not that the explorers are lacking.’

Even if the Head of the Explorer’s Federation, Fabian came, it’d be hard to see through this kind of trap in a short time.

However, as I said, there’s nothing to worry about.

I looked at Hiel flapping her wings in the London on the opposite side.

“Just as there are times to clash head-on, there are also times to let it flow flexibly.”

Whooooosh!

For some reason, the tone spat out was quite grandiose but.

If someone asks what I mean.

It simply meant I’d use the pouring rain as plant nutrients.

‘Please, I hope this soliloquy gets buried by the sound of the rain……’

Though I earnestly prayed inside.

“……Yes? Did you perhaps say something?”

Shureig ended up hearing it after all.

Damn formality.

Facing a polite question, I had no choice but to answer again.

“Watch, Shureig. Because you will soon find out.”

“……?”

Following my gaze, Shureig’s eyes moved along.

There’s no need to even mention Hiel’s presence.

Shureig, who realized it, got flustered and stuttered.

“Hiel? Isn’t that Player Lee Ho-yeol-nim’s contracted spirit? Don’t tell me……! Did you see through the existence of the trap through spirit summoning? As expected, you are incred……! Wait, what is that?”

Another London reflected in the sky.

Something stretching descending from that sky.

That something was ‘roots’.

Yes, the roots of a plant that uses water as nutrients.

[Pentagram of Pure Knowledge] was helpful again.

Though it was thanks to the item’s effect.

I spoke shamelessly like a person who knew it originally.

“Do you all remember the summer of the Arcana continent?”

Total silence

What’s with the sudden nostalgia selling?

They seem bewildered.

The only one who played along to my tune was Shureig as expected.

“It differs depending on the region, but the summers in the southern regions like Hesiyas were truly fantasy-like. Because once it rained, the rain wouldn’t stop as if there was literally a hole in the sky. Exactly like right now.”

Thank you for responding to my loose muzzle, Shureig.

I feel like giving you a 10 compliment stickers if I could.

Because it was an incomparably appropriate answer.

“Correct, Shureig.”

“Yes, correct?”

“Have you all ever seen Hesiyas submerged in water?”

“……No. It does not exist in my memory. What about you guys?”

Shake shake

The players shaking their heads while checking each other’s moods.

Out of the blue, bringing up not only the summer of the Arcana continent.

What would be the reason I brought up the name of the southern city, Hesiyas?

Because those roots belong to a plant that only inhabits Hesiyas.

‘Aquariu Oak Tree’.

Because it was the roots of that Aquariu Oak Tree.

For a fleeting moment, Shureig was agonizing.

“……Hearing your words and thinking about it, it is strange. Hesiyas isn’t a high-altitude area, nor would it have a drainage system equipped like the Imperial Capital. So how was it not submerged in water?”

I spoke calmly.

“That is exactly the power of {Nature}.”

[Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].

The knowledge regarding the Aquariu Oak Tree that pops up in my head through the effect. It was so. The Aquariu Oak Tree was a plant where each and every tree grows using an enormous amount of water as nutrients.

‘It means there’s a reason it only inhabits Hesiyas.’

Because even in the Empire, the only place where that much rain falls was Hesiyas.

In that sense, Hiel truly is my alter ego and mirror…….

No, she was befitting of a contracted spirit.

‘You understand even without me having to say it, Hiel.’

Awakening the {Nature} ability as her status rose to a Unique Spirit.

It was Hiel who became able to sway the lives of plants.

As long as magic power backs her up, making plants grow.

It means it’s not difficult.

“Wait a minute, Shureig. What is that?”

Shureig, who was mulling over my words, finally turned his head at the guild member’s call. And he realized it. The roots of the Aquariu Oak Tree stretching down from the sky.

Shureig looked at me wondering ‘No way’.

“……Don’t tell me, the power of nature you mentioned?!”

I nodded my head instead of answering.

A phrase used once again, seeing is believing.

Right now, watching it would be much easier to understand than a hundred words.

It’s not an ordinary Aquariu Oak Tree.

A whopping Unique Spirit.

It’s an Aquariu Oak Tree that received Hiel’s blessing.

Moreover, an environment overflowing with water that becomes its nutrients.

Soon.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh

The oak tree began to grow at a terrifying speed!

“Sh-Shureig! Trees! Suddenly from the sky, roots, trees!!”

By the way, Hiel.

……Who do you take after that you too like things quite flashy?

You are utilizing the recently permitted {Nature} ability to your heart’s content. Like planting street trees. Aquariu Oak Trees taking root everywhere on the streets of London.

‘No matter how much magic power efficiency increased thanks to the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge], there’s a limit.’

I was worried if my magic power could endure this.

……Strange?

For some reason, I couldn’t feel any magic power consumption at all.

No matter how much my magic power efficiency had improved, this was at an impossible level. Because as you can see, Hiel was practically pouring out magic power even at this moment.

At this rate, isn’t her mana pool larger than mine?

The moment my doubts were growing.

Suddenly, the words of the Senior of Spiritiology, Feiyan Roth, came to mind.

-“I’m sure the Chief knows it well, but Unique Spirits are different from ordinary contracted spirits. Should I say they are entities that cannot be classified by ‘rank’?”

As expected, is it thanks to being reborn as a Unique Spirit?

If Hiel came to possess her own unique mana pool that is not subordinate to me, all my doubts could be explained. Is this what a parent feels looking at a child who grew up well.

Thank you for growing up well on your own, Hiel.

Taking root stably.

The Aquariu Oak Trees gradually increasing their size.

The moment new sprouts began to bloom one by one.

Finally, a change arrived.

“……What is it?”

The dense rain fog began to clear.

The rainwater that had risen to their ankles also dried up.

And even the streaks of rain that had been pouring since a while ago.

Whoooosh…….

Swish…….

Drip…….

Drip….

Drip.

“The r-rain stopped!”

It died down completely.

Simultaneously.

My and the players’ vision flashed.

A brief moment of intense light pouring down.

What entered our vision was similarly the panorama of London.

However, there was definitely something that had changed.

“……P-people! It’s the citizens!”

“Damn it, I don’t know what exactly happened but wake them up first!”

“Excuse me, are you alright? Please snap out of it!”

Although they didn’t seem to have regained consciousness yet.

We encountered the London citizens who had disappeared without a trace.

I too encountered Hiel.

Hiel bowed her head elegantly to me and spoke.

“I apologize for responding to your call late.”

What is there to be sorry about between us, Hiel.

I felt rather proud and wanted to praise her.

However, grasping the situation was always important.

First, I looked up at the sky.

Is it only dark clouds.

Another scenery of London was no longer seen.

Then I asked Hiel.

“Hiel. Did I, did we lose consciousness like them?”

To my question, Hiel answered.

“Ho-yeol-nim, you were simply standing straight and motionless. You did not speak any words until you awakened, but I was able to hear the telepathy you sent.”

As expected, was that a hallucination.

I got caught in the trap properly.

With this, it became certain.

That [Dungeon] is truly a place boasting an annoying difficulty level.

However, no matter how much I think about it, I couldn’t simply blame the dungeon for this.

‘Setting aside the recommended level.’

If it wasn’t for Hiel right now.

Players including me would have been submerged in the rain and drowned while caught in the status abnormality. Yes, I could feel an evilness that surpassed the distinctive characteristic of a dungeon from it.

As if proving my intuition, a message popped up.

[Skill, ‘Natural Enemy Relationship’ is triggered.]

As if demons weren’t enough.

I repent for my actions when I grumbled about even a dungeon being generated.

To think a dungeon and demons were a set.

Reality was much more of a gutter than I thought.

However, just like me, the demon hidden in the rain fog wouldn’t even be able to imagine it. Whether that bastard is one who infiltrated reality, or one rolling around in the Arcana continent.

“It is time to pay the price.”

The survivor of Akshan and the last Demon Hunter.

Because they wouldn’t have even imagined that I would be perfectly alive.

Now that the rain has stopped thanks to the Aquariu Oak Trees.

The rain fog obscuring vision no longer exists.

It meant I could see clearly.

Inferior kin, exactly where you are hiding.

I asked Shureig.

“Shureig, may I trouble you to finish guiding the way?”

“Ah, yes! Of course.”

“Is there a building that can be considered a symbol at the end of the street?”

“If it’s a symbol, around Chelsea Bridge Road, it would have to be…….”

*

Everyone expected a day like this would come eventually.

Because there was no rule that newly generated rifts would endlessly be the same as the rifts until now. Because you need to expect the worst and prepare to respond to the impending crisis.

The AAU’s apocalypse declaration was also announced with such intentions.

However, the London incident surpassed the expected level.

The UK, which took a direct hit, was truly in a state of chaos.

A press conference room.

A man with a visibly tense complexion barely forced out his words.

-“We will do our best to resolve the situation.”

Let alone Number 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s residence, the royal family in Buckingham Palace.

Even the leaders of the UK along with countless citizens.

Disappeared into the dungeon rift, the rain fog.

Even if the military moved right now, it wouldn’t be enough.

The only ones who could approach the rain fog, the rift, were players.

Naturally, the world’s attention had no choice but to pour onto the UK’s guild, Second Sun.

But for what reason? Second Sun’s Guild Master, Shureig, didn’t show the slightest movement.

“Why is Shureig acting like that?”

“Don’t tell me, he got scared looking at the recommended level?”

“No, even if you are scared, isn’t this a situation where you should pretend you’re not?”

“Before that, with Shureig’s personality, there’s no way he’d act like that.”

“……Wait a minute, the angle is a bit strange?”

It wasn’t that they were scared, but a status abnormality.

The rain falling near the rift induces a status abnormality.

It didn’t take a long time for everyone to learn the truth. Because it didn’t take a long time for the man holding up a long umbrella, Ho-yeol, to reveal his figure.

AAU South Korea Branch.

The three men were watching that sight.

Sung Hyun-jun clenched his fists at Ho-yeol’s appearance.

“I’m telling you, it clearly stimulates emotions! A black long umbrella of all things!”

“An umbrella is just an umbrella.”

“……I don’t really want to know what kind of emotion that is. Hyun-jun.”

Anyway, Yoon Su-gyeom studied Branch Director, Park Min-jae’s mood.

……Shouldn’t he be busy with an emergency convocation right about now?

Since it was an incident where even getting the Branch Directors together for a meeting wouldn’t be enough.

Park Min-jae noticed that gaze.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No, I was just wondering if it’s okay for you to be here.”

“Things that only come looking for me when they’re desperate. What makes them think I’ll meet them?”

Lee Ho-yeol proved himself again today.

The government surrounding him.

As if he didn’t care at all about the checks of the world.

Confidently.

Because he revealed his figure in the UK like a hero.

However, the vessel of I, Park Min-jae, isn’t that broad.

“Even out of spite, I’m not going.”

AAU.

Though bound as a single agency, in reality, it’s safe to see each branch as an independent agency. It means it won’t become a huge problem just because I skipped a few Branch Director meetings.

Why, the UK Branch Director has already skipped dozens of times…….

“……!”

Wait a minute.

In a flash, Park Min-jae felt a sense of incongruity.

……Why the UK of all places?

The AAU London Branch, which recently had infrequent interactions.

And not long after, the [Dungeon] rift generated in London.

Is this truly purely a coincidence?

“……Damn it.”

Park Min-jae couldn’t deduce it with his own brain alone.

Isn’t it obvious?

You need to know something to even try racking your brain.

However, Park Min-jae didn’t stay still.

He hurriedly took out his smartphone.

“What’s wrong suddenly, Branch Director?”

Even at the question, he shook his head and.

Tapped sparsely on the keyboard with his fingers.

Sender is Lee Ho-yeol……. How nice would that be.

‘I need to know his number first. Sheesh.’

So he has no choice but to go through an intermediary.

The sender is Nam Tae-min.

To summarize the transmitted message in three sentences, it was this.

[The core of conquering dungeons is identifying the location of the deep part of the dungeon.

The location of the deep part of the relevant rift, dungeon, is near Chelsea Bridge.

Very high probability that it is the AAU London Branch.]

.

.

.

“……Did the AAU side figure out something?”

Immediately forward the message to Ho-yeol.

I hope it’s helpful information.

Vibrate

Eh, a reply?

Mr. Ho-yeol already checked the message?

I just hope it was helpful…….

Nam Tae-min checked his smartphone with nervous eyes.

“……Hahaha.”

And then let out an empty laugh.

The reply returned from Ho-yeol was four characters again this time.

However, the content was slightly different.

-I know.

“I’m telling you, I can’t predict him because he’s truly endlessly profound?”