Chapter 63 – That Difficult Thing (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Bzz, bzz

The loudly vibrating smartphone.

Hisagi Kazuma checked the caller.

It was exactly those guys, no need to even look.

The shaved-head man next to him asked carefully.

“Kazuma. Will it really be okay?”

“What is?”

“We will always follow you but. I’m asking if you can handle it.”

To the Player of South Korea, Lee Ho-yeol.

Inazuma, the pride and symbol of Japan, bowed their heads.

That sight spread out to the whole world by the Players broadcasting live.

“We are heavily indebted to you. Thank you very much.”

There were no instructions from the Japanese government side for that action.

That’s right. It was Hisagi’s arbitrary decision.

Hisagi narrowed his eyes.

“Well. What are your thoughts on it?”

“……Us? Well, probably no different from you.”

“Isn’t it obvious since we saw it?”

Darkly tanned skin.

The woman who cut in spat out saliva with a *jjak* sound and continued speaking.

“Shitty bastards. Not even knowing anything properly.”

Frost.

In the same space.

Because they watched it with the gaze of the same Players.

The Inazuma Guild members were able to bow their heads to Lee Ho-yeol with all their hearts.

If there had been no Lee Ho-yeol, right now Hokkaido would be…….

“Are you saying we can’t even give that much of a greeting of gratitude to a person who saved the lives of hundreds of thousands, no, millions of citizens? Just because of the reason that he’s a Korean? I’ve thought this since before but those higher-up bastards are……!”

“Don’t get angry. You’ll only upset yourself.”

“……Huuu. So are you gonna go, Kazuma?”

The shaved-head asked in a tone that didn’t match his rough impression.

Hisagi’s snake-eyes flashed.

“Yeah, since I gotta teach the old fogeys reality.”

.

.

.

Rghk

Hisagi knelt down.

The ones sitting surrounding him were the cabinet ministers of the Japanese government.

They began to spew out venomous remarks toward Hisagi.

“Do you not think it is a lack of capability, Hisagi?”

“Bowing your head to a Joseon person? Like an idiot……!”

“At a time when Gaon has overtaken Inazuma. It’s because you don’t know how big of a meaning your action held!”

Lick

Should I kill them.

Hisagi sincerely pondered while licking his dry lips.

To skewer those greasy bodies like a skewer.

It probably wouldn’t even take a few seconds.

But he would have to endure it.

Even setting himself aside.

For the sake of the comrades riding on his shoulders as well.

‘I was like an idiot.’

In Frost, Hisagi realized.

That he had been having a huge misconception until now.

[Recapture of Frost].

Thanks to the suddenly popped up quest, he had forgotten.

Blinded by Contribution, he had forgotten that Frost, the location where the Demon King revealed its appearance, was Hokkaido.

It was after facing Lee Ho-yeol that he came to realize that fact.

‘Even thinking back on it, I have nothing to say.’

To be exact, it was after witnessing Lee Ho-yeol rescuing the survivors.

Not even stopping at rescuing the survivors.

But even to recovering the sprawled corpses.

Hisagi felt dizzy in his mind for a moment.

……If Lee Ho-yeol had been just a little bit later.

‘The residents of Hokkaido would have…….’

They could have become an appearance like those.

Thinking like that, he felt like a retard.

‘For what sake did I do such a thing.’

However, the one who gained enlightenment was only Hisagi.

Because these higher-up bastards were exactly the same.

“Even thinking of the national interest as the top priority isn’t enough. Tsk.”

“Tell me about it. Didn’t I tell you we should delay their entry a little more!”

“Your words are right. If a few dozen civilians in Hokkaido got swept up. And if we used that as an excuse to blow a missile. It would have been much better than the current situation.”

If it’s for their own interests.

The bastards who treat others’ lives like discarded old shoes.

As the misconception was broken, reality began to enter his eyes.

‘In the end, I’ll be used and thrown away too.’

Of course, Hisagi had no intention of obediently getting done in.

Such Hisagi stood up from his seat.

Those who were sipping sake flinched and asked.

“What are you doing, Hisagi?”

“Our talk hasn’t ended yet!”

“Ahem. Sit back in your seat!”

They seem to be misunderstanding.

Instead of answering, Hisagi emitted killing intent.

Class, Magic Spearman.

Player Rank 6.

His nickname is Spear of Lightning.

Because the killing intent he emitted with determination was thicker than a snake’s deadly poison.

“H-Hisagi!”

“It seems there was some misunderstanding in our words…….”

“I-It wasn’t meant like that.”

Clang

Trembling hands.

The sake cups they dropped shattered, and.

It was to the point their groins were soaked in either sake or something they didn’t know.

Hisagi answered.

“From now on, there will be no Inazuma cooperating with the government.”

“……W-Wh-What?! What kind of talk is that!”

“Do as you please regarding punishment for that.”

Hisagi flashed his eyes.

“That is, if you can still holding onto your breath while doing so.”

At those words, the cabinet ministers realized reality.

“……!”

The position of Hisagi whom they grabbed and shook……!

If judging by strength, a Player who enters the top ten fingers in the world.

It meant putting forth ordinary bodyguards would be meaningless in front of Hisagi.

To stop Hisagi, they would have to bring in a Player at least on the level of Nam Tae-min.

However.

‘There’s no way something like that is possible……?’

Because Players of that level wouldn’t move for something like money on a private request.

It meant Hisagi’s words were not empty talk.

‘We’ll really die……!’

The frozen cabinet ministers.

Leaving them behind.

“Then, this snake will take his leave now. Have a comfortable time enjoying yourselves.”

Hisagi bowed his head and left the room.

He did it in the end.

Hisagi shrugged his shoulders.

“It might have become impossible to live in my motherland, though?”

Setting aside the immediate future for now.

Because there’s no way they would leave alone a snake that escaped from its barrel.

Hisagi pondered seriously.

“Well, asylum wouldn’t be bad either.”

Because his motherland was a needlessly powerful nation.

If considering the complex intertwined interests between nations.

Although there wouldn’t be many countries that would accept him…….

Japan or the likes, he would not even care about.

No, someone who wouldn’t even keep them in mind.

Hisagi knew of one person.

The entire Inazuma bowing their heads.

A vessel that received that polite greeting as if it were natural.

The formality flowing out from that action.

Hisagi folded his fingers and calculated his balance.

“……Just how much would be needed for immigration by investment to the Yusra Kingdom.”

*

The taste of alcohol in this world gradually fit his taste buds too.

“Kyaa. I really like this green bottle~”

“Cheap taste buds don’t go anywhere. Captain.”

“Chheeaaaap? Are yooou ignoring me because I’m from the slums?”

“……Wow. Captain is already drunk. So disgraceful.”

The sister who doesn’t touch alcohol.

The kid who abhors annoying things.

The old man who escapes saying he got old.

Excluding those few.

The Shadow Mercenaries threw a drinking party under the guise of a regular meeting.

Kitch hiccuped and shouted.

“Hey, fatty! Turn down the volume a bit!!”

“Ah geez, hold on a second. I’m going to appear. Here.”

“A disgrace and a downright mess. Phew.”

Loud TV sound.

The fatty, Rockid, was sitting extremely close in front of the TV.

A mass of muscle that made even a 100-inch TV screen look petite.

Unlike his intimidating aura, Rockid’s eyes were sparkling.

“Wow. To think only they were watching this good stuff.”

He thought it was just a picture frame.

When he touched something, pictures popped up.

And moving pictures at that.

This was an item one couldn’t buy in the Arcana continent even if given hundreds of millions of gold.

Even just that is fascinating enough to make one’s eyes widen.

Rockid concentrated on the flowing news.

-There are quite a number of favorable reactions regarding Inazuma’s actions. What do you think, Expert-nim? Do their actions represent the attitude of the Japanese government?

-I don’t think so. According to a personnel from the Japanese government side, Inazuma’s action this time does not match the government’s opinion in the slightest…….

Amidst the unfascinating and uninteresting conversation exchanging.

The data screen constantly popping up.

A familiar face, Lee Ho-yeol, was there.

“So. Next. It’s me.”

Right, Lee Ho-yeol.

Rockid understood generously.

‘Well, that guy did play an active part a bit too.’

But he, this great Rockid, also played a huge active part.

Just like how they praised Lee Ho-yeol, they should hold up this great Rockid too.

“……So until when are they going to show only the exact same face?”

However, rendering that waiting pointless.

No matter how much he waited, no matter how much he changed the channel.

It was all stories about Lee Ho-yeol.

“……What regarding having the exact same front and back?! Suddenly. What is this. This thing.”

When the breaking news ended just like that.

And a cheeky CF popped out.

It was natural for Rockid’s patience to explode.

Gulp gulp

Rockid, who approached huffing and puffing, gulped down western liquor like water.

Rockid, who emptied three bottles of western liquor in a row fitting his build, asked with an aggrieved face.

“What am I lacking compared to that Lee Ho-yeol?”

It’s starting again.

The complaining of the lowest seat that was lightly ignored as usual.

The only one who reacted was the Captain whose drunkenness had risen, Kitch.

Kitch giggled and said.

“……Can’t even use magic. Cannot fight either.”

“Let alone magic, what fighting?! What fighting does a mage do…….”

“Tsk tsk tsk. You don’t know anything, Rockid. Hiccup.”

That monster, you see.

Even freely wielding Sword Energy…….

“Hiccup”

She had a lot she wanted to say but.

Her body, her tongue wouldn’t listen.

However, she felt like she definitely had to say this far.

Kitch drove a wedge into Rockid.

“And above all…….”

“……What. What kind of drunken habit are you trying to resort to again.”

“Lee Ho-yeol is much more handsome than you.”

“What?! Whaaaat did you saaay?!”

I can endure everything else but I can’t endure that!

Rockid’s face turned bright red.

To such Rockid, Kitch added sincerely.

“Hiccup. Anyway, don’t mess with him. If yooou don’t want to diiiie.”

Rockid was also quick-witted.

‘Even up to the old man and the Captain?’

Following Alkali, even Kitch.

Since they were evaluating Lee Ho-yeol extremely highly.

It meant there was a reason.

Regarding that, Rockid also had no objections.

‘……Because that magic itself was no ordinary thing.’

So Rockid couldn’t help but scream.

“Then where should I go to relieve my unfairness!!”

As expected, the only one answering was the heavily intoxicated Kitch.

“Lee Hoo-yeooool? Around this time, he’s probably at the Mage Tower?”

Rockid clicked his tongue inwardly.

There’s a limit to being diligent.

Although he felt it since he observed him in the Yusra Kingdom.

There would be no one who lives the world as exhaustingly as Lee Ho-yeol.

‘That strength is understandable.’

Anyway.

“……But you told me not to mess with him. Why are you telling me that?”

“Because it’s too noisy. Just thought perhaps you’d go quiet if you get beaten aaaa biiiit.”

“I have no intention of going to find him and getting beaten. And what? Mage Tower? Why would I go find a place swarming with those monsters again because it’s good or what? Am I crazy?!”

*

Drip, drip.

Pouring beads of sweat.

Popping up messages.

[You have fulfilled the conditions.]

[The reward is provided.]

I spoke while breathing heavily.

“Light work.”

This damn bastard’s bluffing.

A class quest that increases strength and agility.

I repeat aerobic and anaerobic exercises every single day.

Because I digest a massive amount of exercise.

It’s natural for basic physical stamina to rise even excluding stats.

“Having tea after exercising is not bad either.”

Clink

Enjoying tea time while suffering from thirst.

As always, I threw a question.

‘……Won’t I really die at this rate?’

I thought I’d drown in pride and formality and die.

However, I was feeling it with my body.

Was it thanks to struggling so much.

The fact that now I couldn’t sink as I pleased even if I wanted to sink……!

“I’m gradually getting used to even this.”

Right, because humans are animals of adaptation.

Thanks to the improved physical stamina, it meant vitality remained in my body no matter how grueling a daily routine I digested.

Really, it was undeniably a troubling matter.

Why, even just now it was like that.

In the past, I could take a legitimate rest using the physical fatigue of my body as an excuse but.

Due to the rise in my physical stamina.

It meant I had no choice but to dance to the tune of Granfel’s endless pride chanting.

As soon as we returned from defeating the Demon King, the Mage Tower.

And the laboratory at that.

However, what use would whining further be.

‘……Never mind.’

Because I knew this pride would never bend.

I threw away my lingering attachments and checked the quest window.

“Akshan. That’s a nostalgic name.”

[Class Quest : Legacy of Akshan]

The beacon fire of survival has been definitively conveyed.

The Last Demon Hunter.

Retrieve your legacies that were lost due to evil.

─Train your weakened physical body. (Repeat)

First, as expected.

It seemed the smoke blooming up from the demon’s remains was indeed a beacon fire.

Since it says the beacon fire of survival has been definitively conveyed.

Although I can’t know the specific situation.

It was probably fulfilling the quest condition while defeating Decarabia.

‘I can only wait until the next objective pops up.’

Legacy of Akshan, huh.

Still, let’s think about it logically.

‘Naturally, there is a high probability of it being in the Akshan base. Well.’

The problem is that that Akshan base disappeared from Arcana overnight but.

In the past, Players seemed to have considered it as nothing important.

-Isn’t it just a region deletion since it’s a failed class??

-For real, the fact that it’s not even in the update details is probably because there isn’t a single Demon Hunter player.

-It’s right to delete contents that only eat up storage capacity for real lol

Well, I would have thought so too.

If it were back when Arcana was an ordinary game.

However, I came to know through experience.

That Arcana was not an ordinary game.

Because even in the Yusra Archipelago which was thought to be a simple treasure island.

There was a story of an ancient kingdom and a Great Evil.

There was a high probability that there was also a behind-the-scenes story tangled in the Akshan base.

‘And that’s what popped up as a class quest…….’

I roughly get it.

I opened my mouth.

“I look forward to the day I reunite with you all.”

Without even remembering a face or a single name.

It’s truly shameless beyond compare.

‘The quest objective will naturally pop up when the time comes.’

So for right now, it’s right to faithfully engage in the given daily routine.

Organizing my thoughts.

As soon as I sat on the chair with an upright posture.

Sssrk

Letters popped up on the parchment.

Checking the sender first, it was the Chief Mage, Marcelo.

Clink

I calmly tilted the teacup.

I read off the popped-up letters.

‘……This is?’

But its content was unexpected.

And considerably at that.