Chapter 222

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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“Hmm.”

Han-bit fell into thought for a moment while listening to Haemu’s story.

An alliance between the Hardliners and the Moderates.

The necessity was beyond question, but LLLL’s condition required more information.

“If they’re 6th in the rankings, they must be in a different league, but they set a condition for me to enter?”

“The Sacred Body Faction declared you their main enemy, didn’t they? Naturally, the interest of the rankers is bound to increase. Of course, I don’t know what happened among those top-tier players.”

Haemu added, saying he also had almost no information.

The top rankers had been shrouded in mystery until then.

Even the lifestyle of single-digit rank players was difficult to guess.

“Is there a possibility that they are a person from the Sacred Body Faction?”

Ryu Seong-ryong, who was listening to the story, had doubts.

As the boundaries between factions were ambiguous, it was necessary to be wary at all times.

“Of course, I can’t be sure. But LLLL is… ah, damn, the pronunciation is hard too. Anyway, that person showed great interest in the Black Dragon. They also expressed strong suspicion about the consolidation of the Sacred Body Faction. If you don’t know about the Goddess, it’s a strange flow, isn’t it?”

“Consolidation… I see.”

Ryu Seong-ryong nodded slowly.

Haemu said he had heard stories of the Goddess and another world from the Black Dragon.

On the other hand, to an ordinary person, the movements of the factions could only appear sudden.

Since players from the Holy State were in a situation where their existence was not even known.

‘…Did they reach 6th place through ability alone?’

Han-bit was surprised by a slightly different part.

The experience-holders of the Goddess and another world had rapidly increased recently.

Especially the rankers of the Sacred Body Faction distributed at the top had a high probability of being people on the side of the Goddess of Turbulence.

To have risen to 6th place among such beings by demonstrating pure game ability was honestly impressive.

Looking at the ranking list again, Han-bit threw one question.

“2nd place Kang-cheol and 8th place Nightmare were not part of the Sacred Body Faction; do you have information on them?”

“I don’t know about Nightmare, but I have some connection with Kang-cheol. Shall we go over it since the topic came up?”

Haemu took out his smartphone and placed it on the table.

An image that appeared to be an RP screenshot was floating on the screen.

“What is this? Odin?”

Two men stood side-by-side with a forest in the background.

The one on the left was definitely Odin, but the one on the right was a face he was seeing for the first time.

“This man is Kang-cheol. He’s also Odin’s master.”

“…Ah.”

Along with those words, the conversation during the Snow Drake subjugation came to mind.

Indeed, Odin had mentioned his master before.

He didn’t expect him to be 2nd in the rankings, though.

“You said he’s an acquaintance?”

“There was a time when we were active together. Now he’s gone over to the Sacred Body Faction with Odin.”

“…He’s gone over?”

“That’s why an alliance is even more necessary. Because eight out of the top 10 rankers have become part of the Sacred Body Faction.”

Kang-cheol was definitely in the Hardliners on the ranking screen.

However, he had moved to the Sacred Body Faction.

Han-bit didn’t know if it was the decision of his affiliated company, but the situation of the 2nd place in the rankings moving was unusual.

Had Odin also joined there after following his master?

“What is the possibility that Kang-cheol is an experience-holder of another world?”

“I’ve also recalled past conversations, but no such sign was particularly visible. He’s such a taciturn person that he might have kept it inside. Of course, the feeling of Kang-cheol and the Sacred Body Faction are completely polar opposites.”

Haemu added, saying he was just someone who was serious about play.

He could roughly guess his personality, but no matter how much he thought about it, it was strange for a decision by the 2nd place in the rankings.

“One thing. There is a story I heard from the Goddess.”

Then, Ryu Seong-ryong spoke up.

“A story from the Goddess?”

“Yes.”

Nodding, he dropped his gaze for a moment.

Then, as if retracing his memory, he continued.

“There was a man who was frustrated for a long time after failing to save the world. With his mind and body collapsed like steel, his crying out to be sent back to the world once more exceeded a full day. But since the man’s soul was already broken, he had to be sent back to Earth. It was a story like this.”

“Are you saying that is Kang-cheol?”

“I think the possibility is very high. Because he seemed similar to the personality I heard from Haemu.”

Ryu Seong-ryong looked at the seat next to him.

Haemu, who was listening with his arms crossed, made a difficult expression.

“He’s a man with a pointlessly strong sense of responsibility. But if it’s as you say, it’s even stranger. A person who was on the side of the Goddess of Silence suddenly crosses over to the side of the Goddess of Turbulence? That Kang-cheol, who wouldn’t even bring up the ‘b’ in betrayal?”

“It is difficult to accurately guess the reason immediately. But considering Odin’s actions, some strange points are visible.”

Ryu Seong-ryong, who touched the smartphone screen, checked his notes.

Scrolling for a moment, he continued the explanation.

“On the morning of the day the update started, he suddenly withdrew from his guild, Galaxy. Considering Odin’s usual personality, there was no way he would make such an irresponsible decision.”

“Well, that’s true. Honestly, I was surprised too, but if it was to help his master, Kang-cheol, it’s not like it’s completely incomprehensible. He’s a guy who must repay a debt of gratitude.”

“Indeed. That debt of gratitude is important. What could Kang-cheol be trying to do by moving to the Sacred Body Faction? Isn’t it strange to say he’s simply increasing the possibility of a clear?”

Odin stepped down from the position of the head of Guild Galaxy and moved to the Sacred Body Faction.

It was a quite shocking thing to those who knew Odin’s usual appearance.

Although it was not known to the public, it was only a matter of time before it hit the media.

“Well, it’s not a question that will be resolved here.”

Han-bit, who had been listening to the conversation, came to a conclusion.

What was important right now was the actions they would take.

Broadly speaking, the key was how violently the entire Sacred Body Faction would move.

“Come to think of it, both of you are in the Investigation Team, right?”

“Yes. It’s been a few months.”

“I’m also in the Investigation Team. Though progress hasn’t been made from there at all.”

Both of them, who were high-tier Vanguards, were then in the status of Investigation Team members.

A significant gap compared to players who were stuck in Episode 8.

Especially for Haemu, who had no experience in another world, it was a considerable ability.

“What are your rankings?”

“I am 612th.”

“I am 758th.”

Both of them were excellent rankers within the top 1,000.

Although the 1st to 10th places were receiving much attention then, they were quite skilled when looking at the whole.

“I’ll need to become strong quickly. Because if the top rankers attack, it’ll be tricky to handle.”

“I think it’ll be soon with your growth rate, Black Dragon. Isn’t the Restricted Area the place where you can properly demonstrate your experience and knowledge? As the rewards are also excellent to the point that it’s difficult to compare them with the inside of the Kingdom, you’ll be standing shoulder to shoulder with them in no time.”

“I suppose so.”

As Ryu Seong-ryong said, elements for a leap in power existed throughout the Restricted Area.

It was also a natural story that it would become dangerous to an extent incomparable to until then.

“It’s good for us if you become strong too. There are many people who crossed over to the Sacred Body Faction even within Astra. Grace is having a headache.”

Astra, which had gathered carefully selected Vanguards, was also not free from the chaotic faction movement.

Grace, who wanted to fix her crazy younger brother, must have been burning inside.

“I won’t drag it out either. I plan to reach the places I reached in the past as quickly as possible.”

The plan he had previously established had completely changed upon entering the Cube of Hell.

The Branch of the Lost World Tree was obtained there.

The invitation to the Investigation Team Headquarters that followed from that achievement was an unexpectedly fast development.

Han-bit intended to take as much advantage as possible by using that opportunity.

“Ah, come to think of it.”

Then, Ryu Seong-ryong spoke up as if he had thought of something.

“You received a reward from Proctor Ibella, right?”

“Yes. I was quite surprised because she was a person I hardly saw even in another world.”

Ibella was the strongest mage of the Investigation Team.

Han-bit was distracted at the time, but looking back, it was a mysterious situation.

Especially the words she had whispered lingered in his head.

“Ibella said she is on my side; do you have any ideas about that? If it was a joke, she was actually transferred to a position similar to my companions.”

“She will likely be on your side, Black Dragon. Because my entry into the Cube was also thanks to that person’s help.”

“…What?”

The casually thrown out remark was shocking.

Han-bit thought he would have used another method, but to have had Ibella’s help.

The flow itself was too bizarre.

“What happened?”

“Ibella explained that she is a person belonging to a different category than NPCs. Her interest in you, Black Dragon, was absolute.”

“?”

It was a situation that was not easy to understand even after hearing the explanation.

It seemed like he needed to face her directly and hear the answer.

“Ultimately, I’ll only know after proceeding. I might turn off the stream depending on the situation, so I will share what I find out. And this is another question…”

Han-bit conveyed the story of Chairman Kenji and Momo to Ryu Seong-ryong.

It was because of the expectation that he might know something.

“We have also investigated Kenji’s family matter. A request for cooperation came from the Japanese association side. Of course, I also personally looked into Grace’s younger brother, which is a similar case.”

Ryu Seong-ryong briefly explained the things that had happened in the past.

Results were not obtained even after investigating the cause and solution in various ways.

It only stopped at the level of speculation that it was something done by the Goddess of Turbulence.

Because if it were the Goddess of Silence, such aftereffects wouldn’t have been left.

“I also wanted to give help, but I didn’t obtain any information worth mentioning even after long-term investigation. Then, the death of Adventurer A occurred.”

Ryu Seong-ryong focused on the recent incident.

Normally, he would have struggled to find a medical cause, but he was different.

The coordinates of Area 8-35 where Adventurer A last stopped were provided by their center as trade content. And then, that area was in a state where access was completely impossible due to the control of the Sacred Body Faction.

“…Are you saying a player was involved in Adventurer A’s death? I heard there were no signs of external intrusion though?”

“There is also a possibility that a player used the Goddess’s power. Although we might know something more if we go directly to Area 8-35.”

That opinion, which placed weight on murder, was difficult to deny easily.

In a crazy situation where he had to bring up the word Goddess every time, it was also natural in a way.

“But why did he die? With that personality, did he get taken down while just charging in? Or did he curse the Goddess or something?”

“…That is also a possibility.”

Haemu’s casually thrown out opinion also made sense.

Ryu Seong-ryong also nodded and said.

“Anyway, the important thing is about the power left behind by the Goddess of Turbulence. If the influence applied to the player also affects the physical body in reality, couldn’t that be the solution to the problem?”

“If it’s to the extent of knowing the true nature of that power, one would have to be a top ranker.”

“My thought is the same. Perhaps one might have to rise to single digits.”

“Single digits is a long way off. Black Dragon, will you be okay?”

A single-digit ranker looked far off in that situation.

Especially in a situation where eight out of 10 people were in the Sacred Body Faction, reaching that place was absolutely not easy.

But to Han-bit, that was also just one of the processes.

“It’s okay. Anyway, I’ll join the alliance. Should I contact that LLLL person directly?”

“Ah, I’ll convey it for now.”

The three people stood up from their seats along with that conversation.

Han-bit’s quest waiting time was slowly approaching.

“Let’s exchange contacts frequently. Ah, and could I ask for an investigation into a player named Alice?”

“It is already in progress. I will tell you as soon as I discover something.”

The center started the investigation early after checking the Black Dragon’s broadcast.

Han-bit, who admired their competence, delivered his greetings once more.

“Thank you. Then, I’ll see you again.”