Chapter 235 – Did You Think I Would Let It Slide

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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It wasn’t just Park Min-jae.

Including the branch directors of each branch.

Those who remembered Arcana’s beta test froze.

The abruptly transfixed faces of the branch directors.

“Branch Director Baker, are you alright?”

“Hm, it’s nothing.”

“It’s a relief if you are alright. By the way, this is the General Manager again!”

The AAU London Branch Director.

Baker silently nodded.

‘Of course, it is a surprising phenomenon.’

[Prototype Model: D].

A prototype from the beta test days.

Even though it was said to be fake, it was strictly a dragon.

The power of its breath would transcend imagination.

‘To neutralize a Dragon Breath with a sword.’

The moment the sword and breath touched.

The breath turned to dust and scattered in the air.

A sight that one would doubt their own two eyes even if they watched it firsthand was proudly uploaded on the Arcana official webpage.

However, he could understand it.

‘Because it is none other than General Manager Lee Ho-yeol.’

So the reason he was transfixed to this extent.

Was because there was another reason.

That was the very existence of the prototype monster itself.

AAU South Korea Branch.

Park Min-jae mumbled in a low voice.

“…He definitely said so.”

The conversation with Raymon Sean popping up in his head.

-“That there is no need to interfere with what is already complete.”

Back when Arcana was merely a game.

He understood it to mean that they could not tamper with the Arcana currently in service in those days.

However, one’s vision is proportional to what they know. After the Great Cataclysm, when settings that were only in the development stage were realized and popped out from rifts.

Park Min-jae finally realized the hidden meaning.

“That it was an already completed world…”

Cosmo didn’t develop the Arcana Continent.

The meaning that the Arcana Continent was already complete.

But he couldn’t believe it.

What rebutted that speculation until the end was their experience from the beta test days. Because during the beta test days, he and everyone else had watched the incomplete state of the Arcana Continent.

He couldn’t just blindly believe Raymon Sean’s words.

“Why is a prototype suddenly…?”

Yet, the prototypes that were evidence popped out from a rift.

‘Don’t tell me…?’

Park Min-jae’s pupils shook.

‘Is it saying the beta test was all fake?’

Fake, in other words, an illusion.

If the Arcana Continent was truly a world that existed originally. Then the beta test was merely a play to deceive them. It meant Cosmo, and the AAU, had danced on Raymon Sean’s palm all this time.

“This son of a bitch.”

Grind!

Park Min-jae gritted his teeth to the point they ground.

He thought his inner thoughts couldn’t be known, but to think it was to this extent.

He truly felt completely defeated.

“…Branch Director?”

“Hold on. I’m calming my overturned stomach.”

“Ah, yes!”

He already had a dirty rebel temperament.

Because it was like being smacked in the back of the head by the very author that temperament couldn’t tolerate.

He must be getting agitated like this in front of his subordinate employees.

However, Park Min-jae managed to change his complexion after all.

“Hoo, I’m okay.”

Was this also the age of social life?

As if that could be it.

He was someone who had lived his whole life just blatantly ramming into things if he couldn’t accept them. Frankly speaking, he lacked confidence in social life more than Sung Hyun-joon. Then how did he suppress his anger?

If someone asked, Park Min-jae would point to the monitor.

“…You saved me again this time, General Manager Lee Ho-yeol.”

That was the case.

The sting of being smacked in the back of the head by Raymon Sean.

Because Ho-yeol, none other than he, was about to return the favor right before his eyes.

Someone shouted.

“With this, it’s the final floor. I mean, the Control Room!”

Park Min-jae raised the corners of his mouth.

“Now feel how it feels to be smacked, you son of a bitch.”

*

A friendly competition.

The match was a hair’s breadth.

Shegwen had been hacking away the Giant Prototype with his swift sword, as if he couldn’t let consecutive defeats following physical training happen. However, it was his mistake to lose his gaze to me.

‘I understand though.’

He heard the sound Illusion Breaker.

Could he endure not looking back?

Rummbbble-!

As the Giant Prototype fell with a roar, a message popped up.

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]…

There’s so many that it’s somewhat dizzying.

It was a dungeon I entered in the first place to meet Raymon Sean. I wasn’t expecting level ups or loot…

Human’s mind truly changes from when they enter to when they leave.

‘I would have been sad if it didn’t give me experience points.’

The prototypes dropped considerable experience points instead of loot.

You could tell just by looking at how I gained 9 levels even before defeating the Giant Prototype. So I checked my status window with some expectations…

It was beyond expectations.

[Level: 680]

…Level 680?

[Available Points: 59]

Wait a minute, 50 levels with just that one?!

It means I acquired experience points up to the system’s limit.

A whopping 50 levels at once.

This is a luxurious experience points surpassing those accumulated in the Kirenberg Machine Tower.

Naturally, a question arose.

‘Just what on earth is that hunk of machinery…?’

Of course, there is no need to doubt a good thing.

It didn’t spit out loot, but I am sincerely satisfied with this much.

Apart from the level, there was a more important harvest.

Because I opened the second Transcendent accomplishment.

[Transcendent: Your transcendent realm is sufficient to be called a Transcendent. – Currently attained accomplishments: Circle (All magic manifestation power increased by 1,000%) / Sword Path of Pride (Currently liberated path: First Path) / None / None…]

Named the Sword Path of Pride.

‘…Who’s to say, it’s truly grand.’

It’s an accomplishment worthy of Granfel just from its name.

However, its effect was truly like me, Lee Ho-yeol.

Thanks to digging countless holes to live.

It means I came to be able to gain the upper hand against any enemy in terms of compatibility.

‘Following my sword path.’

My companion, Ghost Iron, will also change his name.

…No wait, the name isn’t important.

Its form and effect will change.

‘It means its potential is infinite.’

Currently the liberated path is only the ‘First Path, Illusion Breaker’.

However, as I struggle, I will naturally reach the other paths too.

Just like I have done until now.

It was the moment I organized my thoughts.

The Illusion Breaker spoke.

-Atlas says he admits defeat.

Really?

Looking at Shegwen at those words, he seemed to still be surprised somehow.

He looked like he had a lot to say, it seems he misunderstood in many ways.

However, how much desperate story is in the Sword Path of Pride.

Granfel is not someone who would explain every detail lengthily.

So he simply spoke as if nothing happened.

“Finally, the nuisance has vanished.”

[B5-Deep Research Room]

“Let us proceed, Shegwen.”

Before that, the Deep Research Room was waiting, but seeing from the bottom of the stairs, prototypes were not visible. Befitting the name Research Room, there were only countless monitors lined up.

If I just pass by, there is the end of the deep section, [B6-Control Room].

You must have been watching everything on CCTVs from there, Raymon Sean.

Well, you want to converse with me?

‘Nothing’s impossible.’

I too have many things I sincerely want to ask.

However, before that, I simply want to make sure the calculation is clear.

Me as well, and Shegwen as well.

We have a bit of debt to receive from you, don’t we?

We go down the stairs reviving our motivation.

Bzzzt-

Suddenly, a noise penetrating my eardrums.

“!”

Clang!

Shegwen reflexively raised Atlas high.

Dungeon, a space where no one can guarantee what kind of situation will occur.

However, I chanted with a voice as usual.

“There is no need to be vigilant.”

Because the buzzing sound just now was very familiar to me.

It was noise.

It’s right to say it’s the white noise that comes out when a frequency is misaligned.

“?”

However, Shegwen did not drop his guard immediately.

That’s understandable too.

Because to an Arcana-in, there would be no sound more unfamiliar than this.

By the way, I have a question too.

‘Did you suddenly turn on the radio or something?’

I complained inwardly to Raymon Sean and looked toward the origin of the sound.

[B5-Deep Research Room].

…Wait a minute, numerous monitors began to emit static.

I’m used to the Tower Master’s cat trickery.

Thanks to that, I realized.

Another cheap trick is starting.

‘Do you think I would even give you a glance?’

I’m someone who lightly ignored even a quest that would make a player go wild.

With these merely buzzing monitors.

I can’t be stopped in my tracks…

‘…Huh?’

However, regardless of my inner thoughts, I stopped in place.

Because the screen floating on the buzzing monitors grabbed my gaze.

It was a familiar screen.

Even if not every day.

Because I access it more than once a week, it can’t help but be familiar.

That thing floating on the screen was definitely the Arcana official webpage.

I wouldn’t have stopped if it was just the webpage.

But, there was some video playing on that webpage.

Viewed from an observer’s perspective.

Silver hair.

An excessively flashy jacket and clothes.

And the sword held in his hand, unusual starting from its appearance.

That was me.

“…!”

Because it was an angle showing me from a distance, Shegwen was also seen on the screen. A live stream, again an incomprehensible experience for Shegwen.

Pabak!

Shegwen turned his head and examined the surroundings.

That image of Shegwen appeared on the screen in real-time.

I spoke calmly as expecting.

“There is no need to be surprised either.”

Of course, it was a word with different inside and outside.

Why, you ask?

Right now, inside, I was pouring bucketloads of cold sweat!

A memory suddenly coming to mind.

The CCTVs I ran into as soon as I entered the rift.

‘Is that from the perspective of the CCTVs?’

I try to sort out the situation calmly.

Currently, my appearance captured by the CCTV is being broadcast live through the Arcana official webpage. I’ve seen countless such CCTVs since I entered the rift until now.

‘…Then he’s watched everything all this time.’

Even making the prototypes kneel.

Even raising Ghost Iron just now against the Giant Prototype.

And the Illusion Breaker I’m holding…?!

As I thought that, the words I spat out came to mind.

-“Are you prepared. Illusion Breaker.”

Wh- That was permanently recorded on the Arcana official webpage?

You damn world!!

Just talking to a sword would look like I’m crazy.

Let alone the fact that the sword’s name is Illusion Breaker. I stared intently at the monitor.

Raymon Sean.

I don’t know with what thoughts.

He was live-streaming my every move.

I spoke in a low voice to Shegwen.

“With this, I too have ended up in the same position as you.”

How dare he make me a spectacle?

I’ll cancel saying I merely have a ‘bit’ of a debt to collect.

The crime of threatening my life through death by embarrassment.

I shall question more strictly.

Sight moving from the monitors.

Heading towards the stairs floating towards the underground.

No more hesitation.

Click-

[You have entered the B6-Control Room.]

Control Room.

The heart of the dungeon.

I stepped into the place where Raymon Sean, who would have been watching everything, was.

Only a moment my shoe steps rang in the control room.

The front of my eyes flashed.

What the, he’s not surely throwing another quest, is he?

As I said, a snob like me might fall for a trick.

But Granfel didn’t waver.

“Not even funny.”

First of all, I spat it out coldly.

However, wait a minute…

This isn’t a quest message.

[You have fulfilled the conditions.]

…Conditions?

The first thing that comes to mind is a quest objective. However, there was no quest objective that would be fulfilled by entering the [B6-Control Room]. Then, consecutive messages appearing.

That is…

[The reward has been distributed.]

It was a sudden reward message.

[You have cleared the rift, ‘Dungeon: CODE-009’.]

…I see.

‘So you’re going to kick me out like this?’

I don’t know what his hidden intentions are.

But you’re going to kick me and Shegwen, who are extremely pissed off.

Out of the rift?

But, I clearly said.

‘I have a debt I must return to you.’

My life’s value must definitely be collected.

So you can’t just close the rift and run away as you please, Raymon Sean.

I poured my all into raising my magic power.

Wooooosh!

Massive magic power to the extent that even the [Blessing of the First World Tree] struggled to regenerate!

The usage of that magic power is the anomaly space, the rift.

I will reverse the clear of the rift at this moment.

Is such a thing possible?

‘You don’t know until you try it.’

And whether it’s possible or impossible aside.

Raymon Sean.

Until I feed a proper punch to that face of yours.

It means I absolutely have no intention of going out of the rift.

[Your Magic Power is too low.]

Instantly, a message warning magic power exhaustion pops up.

But I do not stop.

Crackkkk-!

I clearly stare at the scenery of the shattering rift.

Happening inside my head.

The pedantic process of exploration, process, and manifestation.

-kccarrc

The collapsing rift started to reverse anew.

The front of my eyes flashed.

[You have entered the B6-Control Room.]

“Did you think you could get away with it through a reward or the like.”

My voice rings in the quiet control room once more.

“If so, that’s regrettable.”

Extremely coldly.

“Handing out a bribe will also be included in the disposal.”

So show your face, Raymon Sean.

-Come. Master of the Illusion.

My beloved sword, Illusion Breaker.

My fist damp with a sense of shame.

The pride punch is crying out!