Chapter 156 – What Has Bloomed (3)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The aftermath of the London incident did not calm down easily.

Above all, what the world paid attention to was the UK’s precipitously changed attitude.

The UK, a nation that had been acting independently centered around Second Sun since the Cataclysm.

The Guild Master of such Second Sun, Shureig, had declared it.

“From now on, we participate in the holy war.”

That they would jump into the [Unfinished Holy War].

Because Second Sun had a close relationship with the UK government.

It was an announcement that was safe to see as basically the UK’s participation in the war.

“To think even Second Sun would move.”

“Seriously, at this rate even Unification of the World might jump in too, no?”

“Say something that makes sense.”

“Aw, Director. Can’t I even make a joke? Anyway, it’s a spectacular sight.”

The Aquariu Oak Trees blooming on the streets of London.

These trees must be the number one contributor that changed the dreary and stiff UK. No, if we’re being precise, wouldn’t Lee Ho-yeol who sprouted such trees be the number one contributor?

“He has surpassed the level of influence of a mere player.”

Leaving aside Skal who insisted on mysticism.

Looking at just Rox, who was protecting the 2nd place in the rankings, it was so.

Although Rox had a high reputation as a player, exercising power to the extent of moving a nation was impossible.

However, Lee Ho-yeol was different.

“It’s not that he threw a fit with brute force, but the fact that he made people’s hearts move first is what’s more amazing!”

Indeed, it was an active role that lacked nothing to be called the ‘Miracle of London’.

Of course, there was one more thing that became as much of a hot topic as the Aquariu Oak Trees. The sky was incomparably clear, yet. People holding umbrellas were frequently seen on the streets.

“This is the place, right? Where Lee Ho-yeol beat down the wraiths!”

Ho-yeol’s umbrella fighting.

People raising umbrellas and imitating the famous scene were seen everywhere on the streets. Though to call it a battle, it was merely swinging an umbrella with restraint once but.

Thanks to that, there was no difficulty for ordinary citizens to imitate it.

That scene spread as a syndrome to the point of being reported on the news.

Yusra Kingdom.

Nam Tae-min, who was quietly watching the screen, opened his mouth.

“……It’s seriously no joke.”

A Barbarian swinging a greatsword.

Nam Tae-min knew better than anyone else how tiring it is to deal with a wraith on which physical attacks don’t work.

Similarly, the sentiment of the Berserker, Leonie, wasn’t much different.

“Did he clad the umbrella with magic power or something? What is that.”

Just what is it, seriously.

Looking at the video of Ho-yeol’s umbrella fight, they realized it anew.

That even though they had grown, the gap between Ho-yeol and them had widened distantly.

The eyes of the Magic Lancer, Hisagi, shone sharply.

Fighting by wrapping magic power around an edged weapon is Hisagi’s specialty.

Thanks to that, he could notice the characteristic better than anyone else.

“He probably didn’t use magic power.”

Because of that, the doubts of the three deepened even more.

“Then, is that umbrella genuinely a unique item or something?”

“Shit, say something that actually makes sense…….”

“No, then do the eyes Mr. Ho-yeol showed make sense?”

“……That doesn’t make sense either, haah seriously.”

A presence approached the side of those three people.

From Frost to the Yusra Kingdom.

It was Harkon who moved for the maintenance of the Lionheart Knights.

“Ah. Commander Harkon, it’s been a while.”

While rebuilding the Yusra Kingdom, Nam Tae-min and Leonie had shared their joys and sorrows with the Lionheart Knights. Hisagi, who joined late, had also finished introductions with Harkon to some extent.

Thanks to that, Harkon asked without minding.

“It seems you were in the middle of talking about Sir Ho-yeol.”

“Ah, did you perhaps hear the news?”

“If it’s news about Sir Ho-yeol, are you talking about the dungeon rift?”

“As expected, rumors about Mr. Ho-yeol are widespread even in Frost huh?”

He could know without even trying to find out.

Sir Ho-yeol moved, cleared a rift, played a huge active role.

Because there were rumors that could be heard even while staying still.

But wait a minute……?

Harkon’s eyes headed towards the smartphone Nam Tae-min was holding.

“……Sir Ho-yeol?”

Harkon’s sudden soliloquy.

Is this perhaps his first time seeing a smartphone.

Or is he surprised by the umbrella combat like us.

The three people racking their brains in their own ways.

“This is!”

However, they only see as much as they know.

There was no correct answer among them.

Because Harkon was truly looking at something different from the three.

A long umbrella dyed pitch-black like darkness.

The silver aura riding up such a long umbrella.

It was unmistakable.

“……Is it so. Is that Sir Ho-yeol’s unique light?”

Harkon continued his words with a trembling voice.

“At what point in time did he reach the realm of sword force (劍罡)!”

……Sword force?

They couldn’t understand what he was suddenly talking about but.

A ranker isn’t a ranker for nothing.

It means they have tact accumulated through numerous experiences.

So sword force is the name of the ability that struck down wraiths with an umbrella.

The three asked with sparkling eyes.

“Commander Harkon, may we ask what that sword force is?”

*

The Mage Tower’s office.

“Fail. Bensih William.”

What woke me up from suffering through the Chief’s duties like always was a vibration.

The smartphone on my thigh ringing without rest.

I know without even checking it.

It’s definitely those figures of love and hatred.

……I sincerely wanted to ignore it but.

There’s no way this damned etiquette could ignore contact.

The accumulated group chat messages popped up.

Not to mention the enemy who saved my name as ‘Endlessly Deep Darkness’, I don’t even want to. Similarly, I looked at Number 2’s message with eyes as blurry as possible.

However…….

Oldest sister, even sister shouldn’t do this to me seriously!

A video uploaded to the group chat.

It’s Ah-rang.

To be exact, my one and only niece holding a pink umbrella.

I can tolerate it even if everyone in the world swings umbrellas around. Since I have no justification to control them.

However, I didn’t want to see my one and only niece being tainted by my dark past……!

“Indeed, it is an excellent posture.”

Do not evaluate Ah-rang seriously, Granfel.

Of course, the video wasn’t everything.

Even an enemy is flesh and blood.

Because after teasing, everyone eventually asked about my well-being.

‘Of course, the nuance is a bit so-so but.’

They seem to have heard the news about the holy war quest as well.

Asking if I’m doing activities together with friends after going around alone.

Still, saying that it’s a relief I have friends.

And saying it puts their minds at ease more than before.

“There is nothing to worry about.”

Of course, I had no choice but to send a polite reply according to etiquette so.

Let’s stop here.

If I mix words with the enemies any longer.

My, Lee Ho-yeol’s, mental strength won’t be able to endure it.

I turned my eyes back to my duties.

[Quest: Unfinished Holy War]

From the Arcana continent to reality.

The holy war with demons is not over yet.

There are no rewards, nor spoils at the end of this war.

Only pride remains.

Prove your own pride.

Unlike other players.

There was no quest objective saying ‘Prove your value in the relevant area’ in my holy war quest. Honestly, I’m not in a position to be evaluated by anyone.

Of course, the players’ quests were still in progress currently.

Murmur murmur

The noise coming from outside the office door must be the proof.

They were players who flocked to the Mage Tower to prove their value.

The mage-type players seemed slightly excited.

Because aside from me and Jesse Heinness, there were no players holding a position in the Mage Tower.

‘They’d think of it as an opportunity.’

If they prove their value and are recognized.

Not only entering the Mage Tower and receiving a position.

They say they can receive the Mage Tower’s knowledge passed down to them.

It’s completely understandable to have expectations.

However.

“The standard will be strict.”

It’s none other than a holy war quest where they will confront demons on a different dimension from those until now. It means the players’ abilities, high levels are essentially demanded.

Still, it would be best to consider it a stroke of luck in misfortune.

‘Imagine if I stepped up to evaluate.’

The skilled mages of the Mage Tower are basic.

Just as I did to Bensih William.

Am I not the one who frequently issues rejections even to Senior Mages depending on the case?

So I was also sincerely worried. What if an unfortunate incident occurs where not a single person enters the Mage Tower if I take on the player evaluations.

“It is a regretful matter.”

Regretful my ass.

You need to be thankful for everything, Granfel.

Above all, if I extended my hands to evaluations as well, I’d really die, die.

─Temper the weakened flesh. (Repeat) ▲

● Run 40KM (In Progress)

● 3,000 Push-ups (In Progress)

● 2,000 Pull-ups (In Progress)

● 1,000 Burpee Tests (Success)

……I mean I’d really die from exhaustion.

Since investing stats into [Strength] and [Agility], the requirements of the Class Quest have risen sharply.

They are truly figures that make me dizzy just looking at them.

Of course, I couldn’t show it in the slightest so.

I merely murmured calmly.

“With great power comes great responsibility as a law.”

Even though my [Strength] stat hasn’t even reached one hundred to call it great power. Anyway, it means starting from the Class Quest, there are too many things to do besides evaluations.

Vibrate

Suddenly, the smartphone vibrating once again.

This time it was a phone call.

Enemy, Lee Ye-rim, is she trying to attack my mentality with words now after everything else? I suspected blindly, but unfortunately it wasn’t. It was Nam Tae-min whom I was planning to contact anyway.

“I am listening.”

……Just say hello.

Would thorns sprout in your mouth if you just greet normally.

This is why I want to avoid phone calls as much as possible.

Fortunately, Nam Tae-min reacted unconcernedly.

-“Gasp. Gasp. Mr. Ho-yeol, is it a good time to talk?”

Separate from the reaction, his voice sounded like his breath was about to give out for some reason but.

My curiosity did not last long.

Because Nam Tae-min immediately continued his words.

-“I apologize for the suddenness, but does that sword force truly exist?!”

……Sword force (劍罡)?

I could intuitively know from those words.

He is receiving physical training from Harkon.

That’s a welcome sound amidst hearing this. This.

“It is so.”

As expected, it would be unfair if I’m the only one suffering like a dog from physical training.

*

“Sword force is a distant realm that you all cannot even dare to covet. Because before that, you must absolutely climb to the peak of another mountain called sword qi.”

Harkon continued his words.

“To awaken such sword qi, a body befitting it is needed.”

Run to make such a body!

Nam Tae-min on a phone call with Ho-yeol.

Leonie asked as soon as Nam Tae-min ended the call.

“……What did he say. Man, what did he say?”

Please, say that there is no such thing as sword force.

Say that Harkon was spouting nonsense.

‘It’s a different physical stamina consumption from combat.’

Her lungs were screaming.

Because it was painful enough that the curses she had quit would pop out again.

However, making her hopes pointless.

Shake shake

Nam Tae-min shook his head with a pale white face.

“……Commander Harkon’s words were correct. He said he did it.”

“This kind of thing? Seriously?!”

“Miss Leonie, there is no longer any room for excuses.”

A sense of tragic resolve resided on Hisagi’s face.

Nam Tae-min the same.

At first, he wondered if Harkon was making a joke.

Because sword force of all things.

He had neither heard nor seen such a skill in Arcana.

“Whether it’s sword force or sword qi, if Ho-yeol-sang says there is, there is.”

But he says there is.

“If Mr. Ho-yeol also did physical training. We have to follow.”

And he says he did it.

Are they crazy fanatics, or what.

While Leonie was clicking her tongue at the madness of the two people.

The two men gritted their teeth and ran forward.

Damn it, I don’t understand it but I can’t fall behind.

To think I’d miss rifts.

Leonie gritted her teeth and moved her legs.

By the way…….

“Hey, Nam Tae-min! But what’s that story about the AAU?!”

.

.

.

Ding

Park Min-jae checked the sender of the message.

[Nam Tae-min].

South Korea’s best guild, Gaon.

It’s natural for the Guild Master, Nam Tae-min to have an acquaintance with the AAU South Korea Branch Director. However, it was a rare occurrence for Nam Tae-min’s side to contact first.

“Let’s see.”

Glance.

Park Min-jae’s gaze heading towards the calendar.

No matter how I look, there are no scheduled events or anything. It would be a different story if it was official business, but they weren’t close enough to exchange contacts privately. Soon, Park Min-jae checked the message and blinked his eyes.

Because he couldn’t believe it.

“……What?!”

Because he couldn’t believe the content even after looking again.

Only after looking at the message again several times.

He was finally able to accept the content.

[Player Lee Ho-yeol. Request attendance at AAU meeting]

Lee Ho-yeol is attending the AAU meeting……!

All this time, at the AAU South Korea Branch.

No, leaving the Branch aside, the AAU.

Just how much courtship did they send to Lee Ho-yeol?

However, it was Lee Ho-yeol who never responded even once.

So it had been a long time since everyone gave up.

But that great Lee Ho-yeol.

Revealing his intention to contact through him first.

“Okay. Unconditionally okay!”

There was no need to coordinate the schedules of each AAU branch.

Is now the time to argue about time differences and such?

The one holding the knife handle is eternally Lee Ho-yeol.

The one on the receiving end just follows.

Park Min-jae hurriedly sent a reply.

“W-what in the world is going on?”

Suppressing his overwhelmed heart only briefly.

Suddenly, the formality and etiquette that came to Park Min-jae’s mind.

Crash!

Park Min-jae urgently ran out of the Branch Director’s office.

Unluckily, the one he ran into was none other than Sung Hyun-jun.

Park Min-jae asked Sung Hyun-jun straightforwardly.

“Hey, Hyun-jun. Man, I’ve shed my boomer aura a bit, haven’t I?”

“……Yes? Ah, yes. Right?”

“Right? But no matter how comfortable I am, you should take your hands out of your pockets a bit…….”

*

Now that a super-scale update called the Demon King Continental Clash is scheduled.

Getting swept up in unnecessary incidents is absolutely declined.

In that sense, an incident like the London situation cannot be repeated.

As mentioned, there is a need to examine the aspects of the AAU.

However, before that.

Yusra Kingdom office.

I scanned the document placed on the desk with a freezing cold gaze.

The purpose of the document is an interview request.

The submitter of the document, I know very well in the past and present.

Player Ranking 1st place, Skal.

But the procedure is wrong.

“Fail. Skal.”

The endlessly deep whatever was enough.

My other alias, Evil Dragon Hunter.

An apology for spreading it to the world comes first…….