Chapter 239 – Like a Dragon (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The senior mages were waiting in front of the office. Kiko Armin, Belier Yusia, Bangrit Tom, Matis Dean Karl, Nasro… Even some seniors I had no interaction with.

‘What’s up all of a sudden.’

But their expressions were all dark.

There was only one thing I could guess.

First of all, it probably isn’t about the Arcana Continent, right?

That it would be handled according to discipline.

I had just announced it at the Crystal Hall a moment ago.

If so, then.

‘…As expected, is it that?’

That I would borrow the magic tools until the moment of death?!

Especially with the dark circles that seem to have come down to her chin.

Looking at Senior Kiko adds more credibility to the guess.

It’s understandable why so many seniors came.

‘Is it because I borrowed a whole bunch of your school’s magic tools?’

Seeing that the Senior of Ice Magic, Kerten Rebel, was also here, it seems to be correct. So how should I explain this… It was the moment I was wracking my brain.

Kiko opened her mouth first.

“I am sorry, Chief Lee Ho-yeol.”

No, what’s there to be sorry about.

I was more at fault for borrowing a whopping twelve decisive battle magic tools without any coordination.

Even though my conscience was pricked, I brazenly opened my mouth.

“You have nothing to apologize to me for.”

“…No, it’s not that.”

“Because I know you came to seek me out for a reason.”

Then shall we talk while slowly moving.

Anyway, up to the top floor.

It was about to be lonely climbing the stairs alone…

…Step

Right before the top floor of the Mage Tower.

I stopped walking.

…I wondered what their business was, but what the.

‘I die? Die, why would I die?!’

The root of the problem was because of this damn excessively direct manner of speaking. Therefore, the senior mages including Kiko had completely misunderstood…!

“We cannot let the Chief go like this…!”

That I am entering the Arcana Continent prepared for death!

I look back at my past traces.

Thinking about it like that…

This overreaction is somewhat understandable.

First of all, leaving the access device alone.

How should I say it, did it feel like leaving a will?

‘Such a nuance, asking them to take good care even if I’m not here.’

The same goes for borrowing a bunch of decisive battle magic tools.

And taking it a step further.

Specifying a loan period that’s perfectly suitable to be misunderstood as a resolute declaration of entering a battlefield.

‘In the end, this was also something I brought upon myself.’

Naturally, I should correct the misunderstanding.

Actually, I want to explain the [The Last Adventurer] effect in detail. But just as players couldn’t understand magic, it wouldn’t be easy for senior mages to understand the concept of a system.

In the end, speaking like myself was the best.

“Receiving your concerns is not bad either.”

“…!”

“However, there is no need to worry about this either.”

Because I will return perfectly alive.

No, strictly speaking, I might die once though…

Anyway, I will return to the Mage Tower again.

“Do you all not know it as well.”

“Know what…?”

“That I always keep the words I spit out.”

“…!”

“Believe in me. I will return.”

I even add an unnecessary comment.

“If only to evaluate your documents.”

Anyway, I really am excessively devoted to my work, aren’t I?

“!!!”

The faces of the seniors finally brightened a little bit.

But Matis’s eyes were still full of concern.

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

Even though it’s hard to explain, you can really be rest assured, you see?

Sending such a gaze, Matis bowed his head.

“We will be waiting for Chief Lee’s return.”

You don’t have to bow your head like that though…

I nodded my head and continued walking to the top floor of the Mage Tower.

Let’s see.

I have corrected both the discipline and the misunderstanding.

It’s finally time to return to the Arcana Continent.

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.

.

Thud!

Matis closed the door of the office.

And muttered softly.

He knew.

‘The Chief has always strictly kept what he said.’

Because he had seen it all this time, he didn’t doubt it this time either.

The Sir would definitely return to the Mage Tower.

However, because the Sir was one who unfailingly kept the words he spat out.

There were words that pierced his chest.

“…Until the moment of death.”

During the conversation on the stairs leading to the top floor, Matis listened to the conversation between Ho-yeol and the other senior mages. Even in that conversation, Ho-yeol did not deny those words until the end.

Matis spoke in a low voice.

“Are you always keeping death by your side, Sir?”

Suddenly, Ho-yeol’s heterogeneous magic power came to mind.

That rippled in the Demon King’s castle of conflict.

That unfathomable heterogeneous magic power.

‘Is your lack of fear towards death also related to your past, Sir…’

As the founder of Black Magic, Matis had wandered the continent and witnessed numerous black magics. Naturally, he couldn’t help but be more familiar with the dark side of Arcana than others.

The dark side riddled with death, that is. However, being close to death and not fearing death are completely different.

Matis could guarantee it.

‘No one else except the Sir.’

Could be so upright in the face of death.

That’s why he couldn’t fathom it even more.

What kind of past the Sir harbored.

He only made one rough guess.

“Claudi…”

Only that it would be related to that incomprehensible word.

*

The spaceship Another Space.

“Ah, have you heard the news?”

“News? I’d need time to look away first.”

“Tsk, if you say it like that, words disappear even if I had something to say, you know? It makes me look like someone who is easily distracted.”

Zero Mountain Range.

Since the day a dragon was captured at the very peak.

The man had not taken his attention off the Zero Mountain Range.

The reason was simple.

Because the dragon that tore through the dimension and disappeared somewhere hadn’t returned.

“So are you really not curious?”

“What news is it to make such a fuss?”

“This is really big news, Senior!”

It better be big news.

“Or else I’m going to seat you here instead of me.”

Only then did the man take his eyes off the mountain range.

Then he took the tablet the junior was holding.

On the screen was news from Earth conveyed from the AAU’s side.

“…What’s this?”

“How is it, I was right, wasn’t I?”

“Today isn’t April Fools’ Day, right?”

“No, Senior. Even if the time difference between Earth and here is huge. You went too far ahead with April Fools’ Day. Anyway, you know now why I was clinging so much, right?”

Big news.

Raymon Sean pulled the trigger of the World Quest.

And because of that, the path leading to the Arcana Continent opened.

And that medium was none other than the access device for Arcana Continent Chronicle.

The man swallowed dry saliva.

“This isn’t news to just be happy about, is it.”

Undoubtedly, it would bring about huge repercussions.

Damn it, his mind which was already complicated became even dizzier.

However, the man’s worry did not last long.

It was thanks to the time difference between Earth and space, just as he mentioned.

“S- Senior?”

“…!”

A strange déjà vu felt from the voice calling him.

The man reflexively looked at the instrument panel.

Then, just like that time when the dragon tore the dimension and descended.

“!!”

The instrument panel showed no signs of coming down from its maximum reading.

What those words meant was simple.

That a dragon had returned to the Zero Mountain Range.

Tap tap tap!

As he operated the lever, the lens of Another Space moved.

Soon, the landscape of the Zero Mountain Range floating on the monitor.

But it was strange.

“…This shouldn’t be the case?”

Nothing could be seen except fog.

A black hole wasn’t captured like last time.

An unexpected situation.

The voice heard by the flustered man.

“Senior, not there but upwards…!!”

“Upwards?”

The man frowned and asked back.

There is no place higher than the peak of the Zero Mountain Range on Earth.

However, he wasn’t talking about upwards from there.

The Zero Mountain Range located in the Pacific.

Upwards on that latitude.

Accurately, 37 degrees north latitude and 126 degrees east longitude.

The capital of South Korea, Seoul.

A black hole was swaying in the sky above Seoul.

“Wh- Why is that in Seoul…!!”

The shock was but for a moment.

The hastily transitioned field of view of the lens.

Another Space soon specified its precise location.

The man opened his mouth.

“The Mage Tower…”

His voice trailed off.

“Don’t tell me, did General Manager Lee Ho-yeol…?”

.

.

.

Well done, Lee Ho-yeol.

No matter how much I think about it.

Manifesting the anomaly portal at the top floor of the Mage Tower was a good move.

It’s different from just a portal.

There couldn’t be a more appropriate expression than really tearing the dimension.

Kwwajjiiijik!

As if a rift was appearing.

The void tore open.

Magic power was sucked into the torn dimensional gap.

Its intensity must have been so great.

Did the two people and one cat who were quietly watching flinch.

The Tower Master with its tail standing straight up says to me.

“Chief Lee, if you happen to change your mind, just say the word anytime.”

Anyway, look at that cat’s trickery.

Trying to pass on the Tower Master position whenever there’s a chance…!

Naturally, I effortlessly ignored it.

“You don’t need to worry about the approval votes of the executives, Chief Lee.”

Now even Yugweed is chiming in, it’s really driving me crazy.

Still, at least Marcelo was definitively on my side.

Because he was looking at me with just a worried gaze rather than words.

‘Actually, I have a lot of things I want to tell you though.’

[Quest: Marcelo’s Research]

The Mage of the Tower, Chief Mage Marcelo.

In order to reach a magic one dimension more advanced.

He wishes to accompany you.

Excluding the Demon Hunter Class Quest, it could be said it was the first large-scale quest I started. Even though I was succeeding and carrying out numerous quests.

Marcelo’s research quest was still currently in progress.

‘Because the goal is absurd.’

To explore anomalies and return to the Arcana Continent!

Putting that grand goal to shame.

If Raymon Sean hadn’t put forward the answer sheet of the access device.

He would have only reached a level similar to now in the distant future.

Marcelo knows that point too.

That’s why he can’t lift his head.

However, do not overlook Granfel’s pride, Marcelo.

‘I don’t know about right now.’

Would Granfel be satisfied with an answer spoon-fed by someone else, and Raymon Sean the prey at that? Why, you can tell just by looking at how he’s not using the much more convenient access device right now, can’t you?

Furthermore.

‘There are only 10 access devices at most.’

With an anomaly imitating the structure of such an access device, manifesting a portal where I can travel back and forth to the continent by myself was the limit. Therefore, to evaluate the portal manifested right now in Granfel’s style…

“Doesn’t it look inefficient to you as well, Marcelo?”

It would be a structure that couldn’t be worse.

“…!”

I nonchalantly continue my words to the surprised Marcelo.

I really wanted to kindly explain the thoughts in my head, you know.

Just like I said before.

The amount of magic power it’s consuming in real time is no joke…!

‘At this rate, I’ll run out of magic power before I even enter.’

As expected, condensing it into a single word and conveying it was the best.

“Let us resume the research regarding anomalies after I return.”

As expected, it was Marcelo.

I wonder if he caught onto my hidden meaning perfectly even though I spoke so cryptically.

Color returned to his face immediately.

Marcelo bowed his head and offered his greetings.

“I will keep those words in mind and wait, Sir.”

Receiving that send-off, I advanced towards the anomaly portal.

If light poured out from a normal portal.

Thick darkness poured out from the anomaly portal.

However, what was my alias?

‘I hate to mention it from my own mouth but…’

It meant ‘Boundlessly Deep Darkness’.

To be preemptively terrified by this mere darkness.

My dark past is darker and scarier, you see…

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.

.

Try opening my eyes in the darkness.

I’ve arrived.

The Arcana Continent.

A familiar message welcomes me.

[You have entered the Arcana Continent heading towards ruin.]

I had said I would return to the Arcana Continent.

This time too, as expected, you kept your words, Granfel.

In that sense, it reminds me of the time I stepped onto the Arcana Continent through the [Map that Connects to All Things].

In a near-death state.

Right before oxidizing with millions of demons along with the magic power cannon of the Iron Castle.

I definitely spouted off like this.

-“This is merely the beginning.”

-“I am a Demon Hunter.”

-“I am exactly your natural enemy and terror.”

That’s right.

Shouldn’t I keep every single one of those words without leaving any out?

The current Lee Ho-yeol.

Do not think he is the same as the Lee Ho-yeol from back then.

I recited coldly.

“Did I not say it. That millions were merely the beginning.”

[The skill, ‘Natural Enemy Relationship’, activates.]

Then messages popped up.

[The Sage of the Demon Realm, Shahin Pakhum is inflicted with ‘Terror’.]

[The Cruel Swindler, Russell is inflicted with ‘Terror’.]

[The Corpse Scavenger, Demon Worm is inflicted with ‘Terror’.]

[The Fleshy Armor’s Capiscreem is inflicted with ‘Terror’.]…

Tens of millions of messages.