Chapter 281 – Starting from Zero (5)

===================

Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

Elements familiar to humanity exist on the Arcana Continent. That is because Arcana is a game developed and serviced by AAU’s predecessor, Cosmo.

Nam Chul-min swallowed dry saliva.

‘Of course, coming to the present…….’

Although claims were being raised from the AAU side that Arcana was not a simple game but a world that existed originally……. What’s certain is that it means baits that could be felt as welcoming exist in Arcana.

From legendary animals like dragons.

At this moment.

To the weapon held in Ho-yeol’s hand that appeared on the monitor.

Excalibur.

The renowned sword stuck in a rock that only the chosen one could pull out, passed down through the King Arthur legend. The analysts, getting excited, opened their mouths one by one.

“R-Really Excalibur?”

“Why are you asking that? Can’t you tell by looking? The General Commander pulling it out with his hand. Simply swish! Easily pulling out the sword that was stuck so firmly it looked like it surged from the rock!”

“Above all, the location is unusual. The Sanctuary of the Little Champion. If it’s a holy place like that……. It’s certainly understandable that an item presumed to be Excalibur was buried there.”

All the analysts, including Nam Chul-min who was listening, nod their heads.

It was a sight where the person concerned would have cringed if he were watching.

Since that person in question was focusing on discipline inside the cave beyond the screen.

“Who was it?”

“……?”

“The one who said it’ll become completely quiet if we distribute it as a press release.”

“I, I said that.”

“It was a very good idea.”

Nam Chul-min clenched his fists.

‘Everything depends on the General Commander’s intent.’

However, Nam Chul-min was thinking ahead.

That this world needs to respect the General Commander a little more.

Isn’t Ho-yeol receiving enough respect even now?

No, the world constantly desires proof.

Because humans are creatures that cannot be satisfied in the first place.

The government?

-High-ranking official, “It is regrettable that there is no information sharing.”

-“Matters directly related to the safety of the citizens must surely be….”

-“We should follow the example of World Unification….”

Far from being grateful.

They had been constantly manipulating public opinion saying the players of South Korea including Ho-yeol do not share classified information with the government. Every time that happened, Nam Chul-min responded with a sneer.

‘It’s obvious where that information will go over to.’

Wondering just how much they guzzled from the World Unification side.

Public opinion?

-Hearing about it, it seems like that’s true too???

-Real, if information is just shared, civilian casualties would be zero, no?

-Honestly, I am curious about what Lee Ho-yeol goes around doing;;

-Strictly speaking, even when the dragons went wild…….

It’s not that he’s trying to blame the public.

When biased information pours out, it’s not strange for such opinions to sneakily raise their heads either. However, the path Ho-yeol had walked up till now was radiant like the sun.

‘You cannot cover the sun with your palm.’

A clumsy media play?

Meaning it can be lightly trampled upon.

Why, it was like that even now.

-No, if the Dark Dragon wasn’t there, it was the destruction of Earth lol

-Real, he cleaned it up neatly, the forced hating is severe

-Do they think continuing goodwill makes it a right lol lol lol lol lol

However, Nam Chul-min knows.

That someone would bite at Ho-yeol again without ever getting sick of it. Because he knows that fact, perhaps his chest was overwhelmingly full right now more than any other time.

The big picture being drawn.

‘Laying the groundwork with the simultaneous conquest of the Zero Mountain Range caves.’

The corners of his mouth rising on their own.

‘Amplifying expectations with a Goddess, an existence comparable to the Dark Dragon.’

Lastly, the culmination.

‘The decisive strike with Excalibur pulled from a rock.’

Just by imagining it, a thrilling heroic epic popped out. Of course, whether to reveal everything to the world or not would depend on Ho-yeol’s intentions. But anything was fine for Nam Chul-min.

“You continue to prove yourself, General Commander.”

Since Ho-yeol was an existence who made them feel proud just by being able to advance together. Moreover, all this happened merely 1 hour into plunging into the conquest.

Saying it differently, it meant it was starting from now.

Nam Chul-min braced his mind firmly.

‘I must not narrowly miss a single one.’

Meaning was contained in each and every one of Ho-yeol’s actions.

To uncover the meanings bestowed upon each of those actions without leaving anything out.

That would be exactly his job to do.

The other analysts knew that as well.

“We cannot know whether he possessed Excalibur originally or discovered it this time, but……. The important thing would be that he pulled out the sword. The vessel of a King, the alias of Dragon Monarch is not without reason.”

“Come to think of it, he had Dragon Monarch too, right? Because he has so many aliases…….”

“Perhaps this is him trying to warn us in advance. To prepare ourselves. Why, isn’t there a saying as well? Once you draw a sword, you must at least cut a radish.”

Thanks to that, active opinions went back and forth among them.

“How about putting footnotes as subtitles when making the final edit? I feel like it would be too much of a shame if only we knew these deep meanings contained in the General Commander’s actions!”

Nam Chul-min nodded his head.

“That’s not a bad idea?”

To those who harbor pride, they would recognize it without needing explanations, but the world didn’t only consist of prideful people. Surely, if it’s the General Commander, he would bestow mercy upon such people as well.

Tap tap tap!

For fear of forgetting the meanings they realized.

Analyst leaving records by typing.

Engrossed, they flinched, albeit momentarily.

“……?”

Brrrr─

It was due to feeling a sensation of the hairs all over their bodies standing up in an instant.

Nam Chul-min was no exception.

In Nam Chul-min’s case, he could actually react a little more sensitively.

“……?”

Because that unpleasant sensation was not unfamiliar.

However, the fact that it was thanks to uncommon ‘experience’.

He could not know right away.

He had no choice but to be so.

‘……No. This is not the time to be distracted, Nam Chul-min.’

To chase the source of the unpleasantness.

The Zero Mountain Range is vast.

And the weight he shouldered as an analyst was heavy.

*

World Unification.

Zero Mountain Range Sector 7, assembly location.

A red flag with Seven(七) written on it flutters.

A large build and a man of below-average height.

The two whispered quietly and exchanged conversations.

“It’s exactly the same whether on the continent or here.”

“What is?”

“That guys with nothing much are louder. Ptooey!”

Rakkid slightly lifted his mask and spat. It is not the crow mask. It is the mask the self-proclaimed Five Stars of World Unification used to cover their faces.

“Huhuhahat! What can you do about their true nature.”

“True nature?”

“Aren’t humans ultimately beasts too? Have you ever seen fierce beasts hunting in groups? The weaker the animal, the more natural it is to stick together!”

“Ah, so that’s exactly why I go around alone.”

“Uhaha! As expected, you have a side that clicks with me.”

The one hanging out heartily with Rakkid was the 3rd Seat, Henderson.

For their objective, the two men had infiltrated World Unification’s assembly location and had to act with the utmost caution. For such a thing, isn’t it a combination explicitly conspicuous from their appearances?

There is no room for refutation.

A location far away from the assembly place.

Pupils turned entirely white.

“Vice Commander. That……. Did it really have to be those two?”

8th Seat, Nadivo.

His ability is 『Sense Sharing』.

Nadivo shared the senses of the two men, Henderson and Rakkid, to all the members of the Shadow Mercenaries.

Instead of answering Nadivo’s question, a sigh flowed out.

“I knew they would be like that. Those idiots! How is that an infiltration like that? More than that, why the hell did that crazy bastard Rakkid choose a mask that doesn’t even suit him?!”

Not a pig, nor a wolf, but a rabbit mask!

“It’s a good thing Isabelle Marl originally kept the rabbit alive.”

If it wasn’t for that, it was a bizarre appearance that would unerringly draw suspicion first, ruining infiltration, plans, and everything. As if that wasn’t enough, did they boil and eat Mandragoras?

“Why are both their voices so loud……!!”

The 5th Seat, Herkiora, clutching his head.

“……Still, they must have a plan in mind, right?”

The 4th Seat, Fimbi asks with a face full of worry.

“What are you all worrying about.”

Alkali laughed heh heh.

Even if Commander Kitch had untrustworthy corners occasionally.

Vice Commander Wolf was different.

Because he was a man far more competent than he looked.

“Relax. Because it’s according to plan.”

Wolf observed the senses being transmitted from Nadivo.

The boss of defeated soldiers.

A dishonorable past was also helpful in times like this.

A familiar scenery and smell.

Seeing one thing tells you ten.

It means World Unification’s abnormal governing structure inevitably induces competition among members. Thus, at this moment, World Unification’s assembly place was no different from a battlefield.

Henderson and Rakkid.

Why were those two put together?

The reason is simple.

“Because they shine on the battlefield, those two.”

Excluding himself, Henderson and Rakkid were the most accustomed to the battlefield among the members. Meaning they could read the atmosphere of the battlefield quickly. The atmosphere they read was felt through Nadivo.

“It’s like the calm before the storm…….”

At Fimbi’s words, everyone nodded their heads.

“Hmm. Let’s see, it’s like a flask that could explode at any moment.”

Alkali’s metaphor was accurate.

“Who infiltrated doesn’t matter. Actually, even if we hadn’t infiltrated, the result would have been exactly the same. Ultimately, a bloodshed will occur at the assembly place.”

“Bloodshed……? You’re saying they’ll shed blood?”

“Even so, they are allies, right? Even if we caused discord like true professionals. Would those guys point swords at each other as easily as flipping a palm?”

At Fimbi and Herkiora’s doubts, Wolf answered.

“Because it’s a structure where they have no choice but to do so.”

“A structure where they have no choice but to do so?”

“The group called World Unification.”

When members band together for mutual benefit, it is called a group.

In that sense, World Unification is heterogeneous.

It’s not that they act for the sake of the members.

Only one person.

Since they thought and acted for the Monarch, Liu Ouzhunchun.

“Actually, a Monarch of the Arcana Continent is such an existence.”

An existence capable of reversing even absurdity into rationality.

Therefore, a dangerous existence.

However, that’s a story limited to a Monarch.

The loyalty of the members is solely directed towards the Monarch.

Since it wasn’t for the sake of the group or other members.

Alkali chimed in to Wolf’s words.

“Even if the greenhorn Monarch is alive and well, it means World Unification has rotted to the point it’s time to burst. What we did was merely slightly poking the pus that would have burst someday anyway. Heh heh.”

The sight of them unhesitatingly pointing blades at each other was the proof.

At Alkali’s words, the members seemed to have finally understood.

Wolf confirmed the plan once again.

“The more the discord spreads, the higher-ups will start intervening. We cannot know when our cold-hearted Monarch of World Unification will reveal himself, but…….”

He would probably reveal his figure soon.

Even if it’s Liu Ouzhunchun who wouldn’t be phased by any threat.

If his own life is on the line, he would have no choice but to hand over the connector.

“Until then, it’s actually better to run wild noisily.”

In that aspect, Henderson and Rakkid were qualified.

“That’s true. They are incredibly noisy, those two.”

With Herkiora grumbling, the conversation concluded for the time being.

With this, the members’ doubts disappeared.

They just had to watch the situation.

Wolf had been feeling a sense of incongruity since before plunging into the plan.

‘Did he really not know.’

Liu Ouzhunchun.

Would a Monarch of that level really not have known that his group was decaying? No, going beyond being ignorant, this was at the level of instigating internal strife. Meaning the weak points of the structure were so clearly visible that it brought about a sense of incongruity.

However, Wolf soon shook his head.

‘There is no reason to do so while knowing.’

The lives of Monarchs he took with his own hands number over ten.

Thanks to that, Wolf knew well regarding Monarchs.

The power of a Monarch is proportional to their group.

If the group becomes powerless, the Monarch also becomes powerless.

There is no reason for a Monarch to do acts that make their own group fester.

As Alkali said, Liu Ouzhunchun probably merely had immature corners.

Because he was an adventurer, not a Monarch of the Arcana Continent.

Wolf shook his head.

‘The focus became blurred, Wolf Saccharin.’

With Kitch having hidden her traces.

And shouldering the position of Commander right now.

Perhaps I am paying too much attention even to small things.

‘Everything is according to plan.’

urging himself, he watched the situation.

Meanwhile.

He discovered an existence drawing attention in Henderson and Rakkid’s field of vision.

“……?”

It was a man bearing an attire ill-fitting with the adventurers of World Unification who boast high-level armaments. Speaking of the biggest characteristic in terms of appearance…….

“Who is that?”

The man had no right arm.

.

.

.

Demons grow by feeding on negative emotions.

That is the essence of a demon.

And a great evil is no exception.

However, even if it’s a great evil, it cannot evade the natural omen relationship.

No, rather, because it is a massive evil.

It means they cannot hide from their natural enemy even in the vast Zero Mountain Range.

To the point of being able to smell that stench even from deep inside a cave.

Natural Enemy.

Demon Hunter.

A message is output in Ho-yeol’s field of vision.

[Skill, ‘Natural Omen Relationship’ is activated.]

“Presumptuously, you revealed your figure before me again.”

A frigid voice rings out.

“Wait for your disposal, Demon of the Question Mark(???).”