Chapter 319 – A Hair’s Breadth (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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● Follow the bloodstains and track the mixed-blood demon. (In Progress)

The quest goal flickered.

So you were the culprit who caused the monsters of the Zero Mountain Range to flow backward.

Befitting one who appeared in the latter half of the class quest, it was an extraordinary ability.

However, it was questionable.

‘Natural Enemy.’

To a Demon Hunter, [Natural Enemy] was an indispensable bread-and-butter skill. It was no exaggeration to say it accompanied one from beginning to end, and thanks to that, one had no choice but to gradually become skilled in its application.

‘But it didn’t activate.’

If it were a big-shot demon like a mixed-blood demon, I would have felt its presence from the moment I set foot in the Zero Mountain Range. No, [Natural Enemy] would have activated a step faster.

However, [Natural Enemy] did not activate even at the point when the quest goal flashed. If so, there could be only one thing to consider. That the mixed-blood demon was clearly different from the demons encountered so far.

I opened my mouth.

“Is it a trivial trick?”

A cold condemnation toward the demon.

Although it was an action no different from usual.

The problem was that there were listening ears around.

Players flinched and bowed their heads first.

“Th-Thank you for saving us!”

“We apologize if we were a hindrance.”

“The four of us all achieved level 400, so we thought we could hunt without much trouble by this point and set foot in the Zero Mountain Range…… Even if you say it’s trivial, we have no words! We will know our place properly in the future!”

No.

Just what was my image like.

That players were this flustered?

As I said, it was all because of the demon!

I answered generously.

“I am not blaming you all.”

Our noble Lord Granfel’s pride was endlessly complex. While despising demons, he could not let them be, yet he could not tolerate procedures going awry because of a mere demon.

Literally.

‘It’s truly a storm and stress emotion.’

In the past, I would have desperately ignored it.

Whether others’ gazes were favorable or not.

Because I wouldn’t have been able to stand the surging self-loathing.

But now it was different.

Because I had gained the ability to realize this nonsensical, embarrassing pride. Whether that was thanks to Granfel’s setting of realizing what he spat out, or thanks to my own struggles, I didn’t know.

I continued speaking.

“And from now on, it is ‘your’ time.”

“……Yes?”

“I am referring to ‘you’ all, not you all.”

“……Ye-Yes?”

At my words, the players looked at each other. Exchanging bewildered expressions, it seemed they didn’t understand my meaning. That too was not the players’ fault.

‘The problem is this way of speaking.’

I added one more word.

“Look behind you.”

“……?”

And it was because those people were consistent.

At this moment.

While unable to let the mixed-blood demon who caught his ankle be. Simultaneously, the answer that I and Granfel, who could not tolerate procedures being twisted because of a mere demon, put forward.

It was simple and clear.

“……Behind us?”

At my words, the players turned their heads.

“!!!”

Before long, they cried out in surprise.

“Th-That outfit is……!”

“Do you know them? I’m relatively a newbie…….”

“A-Akshan! The Demon Hunters who were a buzz in the n-news!!”

[Legend, ‘Hero of the New Era, Akshan’ materializes.]

Back when Arcana was just a game.

There was only one reason why Demon Hunters captured players.

Style over substance (Pom-saeng-pom-sa).

The coolness flowing from that appearance.

Why, it was still amazing even then.

A reasonably tight charcoal-colored combat suit.

A fluttering black cloak.

To the black mask that covered more than half the face as the finishing touch.

In addition to that, the era had changed.

Back when Arcana was just a game, Demon Hunters were all show and no substance. Since the appearance of the demon race monsters, their treatment had improved to a level unimaginable in the past.

‘It’s just that it wasn’t obvious because there was only me.’

There were exactly seven Demon Hunters materialized by the Akshan legend.

They revealed themselves from behind while keeping a reasonable distance from each other.

Players who had been entranced by that appearance came to their senses.

“As expected……. Ho-yeol-nim is…….”

That’s right, as they speculated, my class was a Demon Hunter.

As I’ve said time and again.

I had no intention of hiding my class?

‘Although I did feel the necessity of secrecy recently.’

Because I realized that the more hidden cards I had, the better.

However, to be frank, a tiring personality…….

To put it nicely, pride was settled heavily in my heart.

Even if I didn’t go out of my way to say it first.

‘It means I can’t lie to hide it.’

Anyway, it was what I had expected.

Actually, every time they speculated about my class in the news, I flinched.

Starting from Black Mage, to Infinitely Deep Darkness, to the opinion that Dark Dragon was actually the class. It meant there were several times I almost turned red while exploring the bizarre.

However, reality always exceeded expectations.

“You were the leader of Akshan!!”

I doubted my ears.

……Akshan leader?

Me?

Why?

How?!

‘Again?’

It goes without saying, but players didn’t know about the [Legend] system. So they were mistaking the Akshan Demon Hunters who materialized due to the effect of the legend as real.

If I changed my perspective…….

‘It will look as if they merely responded to my command.’

Tracing the rank, I was no different from the youngest of Akshan.

To call such a me the leader of Akshan.

There’s no insubordination like this.

However, that wasn’t the end.

Players began to whisper.

They started to unfold their own imagination.

“It certainly makes sense.”

“If it’s Ho-yeol-nim’s reputation……”

“Then Akshan disappearing from the continent was also a big picture……!”

Anyway, the abnormal structure of Akshan was the problem. As long as they could hunt demons, it was a situation brought upon by our seniors who didn’t even listen to their own evaluation from the world.

‘More than that, you all can talk, can’t you?’

Whether they knew the saying that silence was an affirmation or not.

The Demon Hunters merely moved their steps silently even after hearing the players’ words clearly. I wasn’t the type to add lengthy explanations either.

In the end, there was only one option allowed for me.

‘I don’t know anymore either.’

Resignation.

Right.

In order to realize pride, choice and focus were necessary. Let’s leave the mixed-blood demon to the Akshan seniors and find Jesse and Mary first to keep the procedure.

“The fact that Akshan moved is……”

“That means this is the work of a demon, right?!”

“It’s big news, this……!!”

In the process, I didn’t know how much more the bubble would inflate but…….

Let’s think positively.

In general, didn’t legends get stronger the more they inflated?

I murmured.

“Is it finally the beginning of the legend.”

Anyway, this snout didn’t rest for a single word.

Nonsense spat out solemnly with a dignified expression.

The players’ eyes widened.

“The, the beginning of the legend!”

Looking at the players as if they had witnessed a great sight.

I swallowed a sigh.

I had many sins, don’t I……?

──────

Mixed-blood demon.

The euphoria springing from the body where strange blood flowed.

Authority.

“Hehe.”

Gremory was intoxicated by the experience given by authority.

Lust, I will surely tear that bastard apart someday.

To the extent that the resolution she had harbored became colorless.

It was the world of adventurers that she had thought would be unfamiliar.

However, those she encountered were favorable to her. They did not even question her appearance covered in blood and were willing to give their everything.

“It is an honor to serve you.”

She even received guidance to the destination, the Zero Mountain Range.

Gremory harbored a smile.

Lust, you will regret it for a long, long time.

‘This authority is truly for me!’

Gremory was certain.

At this moment, she was using the authority more skillfully than even Lust, that sex maniac. It was confidence. A superior appearance that not only demons but also humans and even elves could not approach. Confidence springing up thanks to the authority added to that.

Look at the evidence if you can’t believe it.

“……Wow.”

Weren’t the gazes of the foolish humans heading toward me?

Gremory looked at the Zero Mountain Range.

It was as vast as its appearance on the Arcana Continent.

‘He won’t be able to find me in this place.’

No matter if he was a natural enemy, the Zero Mountain Range was endlessly vast.

Especially if she hid her body in the Hundred Thousand Caves.

He wouldn’t be able to find her even if he searched alone for decades.

‘That amount of time is enough.’

Because she would grow her influence with the newly acquired authority.

Gremory swallowed a smile.

She imagined the natural enemy, the Demon Hunter, being eaten by her.

‘The sight of that arrogant guy kneeling and begging for mercy…….’

It felt like even her mood, which had been spoiled after being toyed with by Lust, was improving.

However, Gremory had overlooked. That the authority of a Great Evil was not something that could be handled so easily. Even more so, the fact that the authority mixed with her completely different blood had no choice but to run even wilder.

Soon, a side effect that even Lust hadn’t expected struck Gremory.

“……What?”

The group of adventurers who were leading the way as her minions stopped in their tracks.

Sling!

Suddenly, they drew their weapons and declared with solemn expressions.

“O Queen. We will protect you with our lives.”

……What kind of bullshit was this all of a sudden?

Gremory did not want to draw attention.

Regardless of the existence of authority, this place was the home of the last Demon Hunter. According to Lust, that guy was in a state of being extremely provoked to hunt her.

And yet.

‘These trash.’

Weren’t they trying to cause unnecessary trouble?

Gremory stepped forward.

She had heard until her ears were sore since she was in the Demon Realm that the Zero Mountain Range was a dangerous place. Especially, there was a rumor that dragons lived on that peak.

‘Crazy lizards.’

They wouldn’t reach the level of a high-ranking Demon King, but dragons were also existences that could come and go in completely different worlds. Gremory was someone who had directly witnessed the ferocity of such dragons in the Demon Realm.

“……Absolutely not.”

Even with the Demon Hunter, her head was throbbing, so drawing the dragons’ attention was something that could not happen. Gremory pushed aside the players surrounding her and stepped forward.

“It is dangerous, O Queen!”

“Fall back.”

“But……!”

“I told you to get lost.”

In a situation where her life was at stake, she had no intention of being intoxicated by playing queen.

From now on, she had to move as quietly as possible to find a suitable cave, hide in it, and steadily grow her influence using her authority. It was the moment Gremory set foot alone for her purpose.

“……!”

Chills─!

Innumerable presences touching her skin.

She could intuit it.

That it was the movement of numerous people drawn by authority.

However, there was a separate reason why she got goosebumps.

“……What?”

Being enchanted by authority meant becoming a trivial minion.
For there was no owner who got goosebumps in front of a minion.

That was right.

What made Gremory flinch was the pressure slowly tightening around her neck.

“!”

East, West, South, North.

No, directions split even finer than that.

Was it thanks to the two kinds of blood wandering in her body.

Gremory grasped a more accurate number.

‘……Seven directions!’

The presences were tightening around her from exactly seven directions.

Gremory calmly recalled.

There was only one existence who could give this level of pressure to her, a Demon King.

‘Demon Hunter.’

However, it was the ‘last’ Demon Hunter.

It means the guy who was one could not be split into seven.

Gremory ground her teeth.

‘Whatever it is, it means he is not the Demon Hunter, right?’

……Don’t tell me, is it a dragon?

Still, it’s better than that man.

It was sufficiently worth a try.

‘Anyway, if I run away, it’s all over.’

Gremory had no intention of backing down. She intended to break through the crisis head-on. Of course, it didn’t take long for Gremory to regret her judgment.

Pshhh─!

Suddenly.

Arrows flying in from the blind spot of her vision.

However, all of them missed absurdly and ended up being stuck in the dirt floor.

“As expected.”

Gremory harbored a sneer.

“Intoxicated by my authority, you cannot even aim properly.”

“…….”

“Hehe. Can you not even answer?”

“…….”

But it was a clear misconception.

Click─

Noise echoed from the arrows stuck in the floor.

“?”

Swaaaaash─!

“……!”

The arrows glittered.

No, to be exact, fine threads connected to the arrows reflected light.

And then, they accelerated fast enough that Gremory’s gaze could not follow.

Zip!

They began to tangle with each other and tighten around Gremory’s range of action.

Goosebumps broke out on Gremory’s skin again.

‘……This is?’

Silver threads.

It was thread made of silver……!

Because she belatedly realized the identity of the glittering threads.

Gremory opened her mouth, wondering if it could be.

“……You all are?”

“…….”

However, what returned was silence this time too.

Right, hadn’t ‘someone’ said until she was sick of it?

He does not engage in unnecessary conversation with prey.

“Y-You bastards, how……!!”

That it was exactly the first rule of Akshan.

Swish─

Seven Demon Hunters pulled the silver threads taut.

Swaaaaash!

Using the silver threads as ropes, they surged toward Gremory as if gliding.

‘……No!’

Natural Enemy Relationship.

‘I can’t see them. Too fast. Where are they. Where are they approaching from?’

The hunter’s acceleration that the prey’s eyes cannot follow.

‘At this rate……!’

The tightening encirclement.

“P-Protect me……!!”

The prey’s struggle.

Coolly shining silver daggers.

And.

……Slice─!