Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 193 - Can you chase after me? (1)

The Zero Mountain existed even when Arcana was just a game.

 

A message wouldn’t appear just by discovering it.

 

[Achievement: Lighten the shadow of the Zero Mountain.]

 

[Effect: Slightly increases the probability of item acquisition in the Zero Mountain.]

 

[Duration: 23 hours 59 minutes]

 

First achievement.

 

It was a message that could only be seen before the Cataclysm.

 

It was only natural.

 

In reality, Zero Mountain was the first region to be updated.

 

‘Did it appear because the ruptures are space of oddities?’

 

Well, it’s good to see you anyway, accomplishment.

 

Although the effect and duration were simple.

 

Where was this place?

 

I had unlocked the circle.

 

My magic manifestation had risen significantly.

 

Thanks to this, even if I arbitrarily manifested the basic magic light, the mana I had didn’t change much.

 

Doing something like brightly illuminating the entrance of the vast Zero Mountain. It was not a difficult task.

 

Float–

 

‘I said something wrong and this happened, seriously.’

 

Even if it wasn’t a difficult task.

 

I wondered if it was even necessary to do this.

 

At least the achievement effect soothed my heart.

 

Of course, as always.

 

“Things like wealth and fame are just an illusion.”

 

No kidding. This bastard’s pure integrity!

 

Even if Grandfel is like that.

 

You need to open your eyes and come to your senses, Hoyeol.

 

There were so many things to take care of in the Zero Mountain.

 

Back when the effect of the [map] was still effective.

 

In order to get my money’s worth, I had asked the map about every bit of information I could find. Among them, the key was information about bi-herb and the [Hexagram Brooch].

 

Right.

 

Somewhere in this vast Zero Mountain.

 

[Hexagram Booch] and bi-herbs existed.

 

They were not just any bi-herbs,

 

From the days of the ancient kingdom.

 

These were precious elixirs that had already disappeared from the Arcana Continent.

 

‘I guess it’s thanks to the dragons.’

 

No matter how desirable the elixir was, how many people in the history of the continent would have climbed Zero Mountain where the dragons slept?

 

As I said, even the League of Explorers quit the expedition to Zero Mountain before reaching the halfway point.

 

I opened my mouth.

 

“You’re faithful to your role as a watchman.”

 

The most powerful living beings, dragons.

 

Don’t refer to them like they’re a guard dog, Grandfel.

 

I’m afraid they’ll wake up hearing that nonsense… 

 

Even though I was flabbergasted, I repeated the information in my head.

 

‘I can’t immediately catch anything right now.’

 

The elixirs lived midway up the Zero Mountain.

 

The area that never got touched started from there.

 

Well, I had expected that much.

 

Anyway, it seemed there would be a problem with getting the Hexagram Brooch.

 

“A cave without light.”

 

At that time, I got information about the hundred thousand caves.

 

So I thought I could find the cave in Zero Mountain.

 

I had never felt this hopeless.

 

‘No, it’s natural for caves to not have lights, right?’

 

It was impossible to search through 100,000 caves alone.

 

Yeah, it was good.

 

Let’s see the bigger picture, I’m not alone, am I?

 

Any player was fine.

 

If anyone found the ‘cave without light’ and got the [Hexagram Brooch], I could purchase the brooch at a fair price.

 

‘I’m not greedy for money. But it’s not as if I don’t have money.’

 

But I ended up talking again.

 

“I am very familiar with the dark.”

 

Please refrain from saying misleading words, Grandfel.

 

With a sigh, I climbed Zero Mountain in the usual manner.

 

Float–

 

With every step I took.

 

A sphere of light appeared.

 

In Zero Mountain, where you never knew what kind of monsters would appear.

 

‘Isn’t this like advertising that I am here?’

 

I was worried about that, but it was fine.

 

The light was like a lump of mana.

 

No matter where or what kind of monster appeared, I could immediately interfere with the light.

 

Therefore, I could just respond by manifesting magic.

 

“Night walks aren’t bad either.”

 

Grandfel might seem carefree.

 

However, in order not to sink.

 

I was constantly racking my brain even now…

 

*

China was the only country that hadn’t signed the AAU agreement.

 

After the emergence of the Zero Mountain.

 

Right away, China began its own activities.

 

Their movement was easy to capture.

 

“China’s fleet is sailing to the Zero Mountain!”

 

“I’ve never seen such a radical move before.”

 

“…What the hell are they up to?”

 

Even though China was not a member of AAU, they hadn’t done anything nonsensical.

 

Why didn’t China join AAU? It wasn’t because they were ambitious, they simply wanted to solidify their power system.

 

‘However, they dispatched a fleet to the Zero Mountain where some kind of danger may be lurking… And the fleet was carrying members of the Union Guild, including Liu Jinchun.’

 

Meeting of the branch heads.

 

Korea’s Branch Manager, Park Minjae.

 

He frowned as he looked at the related data.

 

“They departed quite early.”

 

“It’s as you said. To be exact… It’s as if they set off as soon as the regular update details appeared, right? This means they’ve taken a significant risk.”

 

“Their movement is certainly strange.”

 

The time when China’s fleet departed was at a time when there was a lot of uproar about the destruction of mankind due to the emergence of Zero Mountain.

 

It was a situation where the Earth could have been destroyed If the Mage Tower and Hoyeol hadn’t come forward.

 

‘In a situation where they might get swept away by the waves. He picked up all the members of the Union Guild and headed to the Zero Mountain…? Without considering the possibility of a coup or infighting?’

 

In fact, in some ways, it could be seen as a winning move.

 

China was not a member of AAU.

 

At the same time, Union didn’t participate in the Holy War.

 

There was only one option for them to solidify their position.

 

Only the Zero Mountain.

 

‘But the China I know wouldn’t have done that.’

 

It was evident from their actions after the Cataclysm.

 

Those people were content to rule China.

 

They didn’t reveal their ambition to dominate the world.

 

But at this moment, the tide had changed.

 

“It seems that there has been a change within China.”

 

It was not clear exactly what the change was.

 

But since AAU was the creator of Arcana.

 

The AAU could guess.

 

“…!!!”

 

The branch heads.

 

No one opened their mouth, but everyone was thinking of one person. Yeah. A [sovereign] class holder who had no choice but to rule, Guildmaster of Union.

 

Park Minjae opened his mouth.

 

“Liu Jinchun. I think we should keep an eye on his moves in the future.”

 

*

 

In the portal of the Mage Tower.

 

Players also received the news about the Union.

 

“Wow, these guys really have inflated liver.”

 

(TL notes: having an inflated liver means acting way too recklessly without fearing the consequences.)

 

“Dmitry, your stomach looks inflated…? Your muscles were the only thing worth looking at. What happened? Did you binge eat due to the pain of heartbreak?”

 

“…How did you know?”

 

“You posted a tearful selfie yesterday~”

 

How could he only pick and choose things that women didn’t like?

 

Bicker–

 

Camila and Dmitry got into an argument.

 

“Should I praise him for being quick on his feet?”

 

Rox murmured.

 

Shining and Union.

 

Rox and Liu Jinchun.

 

Since they were rivals.

 

He was confident he knew Liu Jinchun’s way of thinking better than anyone else.

 

Plus from the days when Arcana was just a game until now.

 

They were the two men who never came down from the top ranking.

 

“Union is taking a gamble.”

 

“Gamble? What made you think like that?”

 

“He must have judged that the effect of the first achievement was more important than the danger of the Zero Mountain. Because Liu Jinnchun’s [sovereign] class can maximize the effect of the achievement.”

 

[Sovereign].

 

It wasn’t a hidden class, but it was one of the very rare classes. No, among the ranked players, Liu Jinchun was the only one who had the [sovereign] class.

 

Maybe it was safe to say that it was a hidden class.

 

Dmitry shook his head.

 

“Certainly, with the monarch’s class effect…”

 

The [sovereign] class could acquire some of the experience points gained by the subordinates.

 

Naturally, it was not just the experience points.

 

It also included buff and other achievement effects.

 

In that respect, the sovereign was definitely a fraudulent class.

 

However.

 

“It’s amazing that he grew it to that point~”

 

At the same time, the sovereign was also a class that was evaluated to be absolutely impossible to cultivate in modern society. Because the players who pledged loyalty to the sovereign suffered a one-sided loss.

 

Dmitry pouted.

 

“That bastard was just born in a good country.”

 

“So you’re jealous?”

 

“Don’t say crazy things. I’m a free spirit.”

 

“That’s why you’re freely failing~”

 

Bicker again–

 

Apart from the racket, Rox agreed with that opinion.

 

If it wasn’t for support from his nation.

 

Liu Jinchun could never break through the level-500 barrier.

 

‘But he’s never acted this blatant.’

 

He led a fleet to find the Zero Mountain.

 

In many ways, that move was concerning.

 

Rox looked around.

 

Two men were towering above the crowd.

 

There was also one person who couldn’t be seen but must be around as well.

 

“They must be thinking the same thing, right?”

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Nam Taemin’s blood boiled.

 

“No, this is how you’re going to play?”

 

Union…!

 

They moved quickly even before the AAU officially announced the emergence of Zero Mountain. Even if they weren’t affiliated with AAU, that was a foul move!

 

“No, as a fellow player, he doesn’t have morals.”

 

Hisagi stopped the fuming Nam Taemin.

 

“Union must have also taken risks.”

 

“Risk? What risk?”

 

“The Zero Mountain that appears in the reality will be different from the Zero Mountain on the Arcana Continent.”

 

“…?”

 

The title of rival.

 

In front of such a title, only the modifier ‘well-meaning’ was added.

 

He just had to listen to Hisagi explaining it.

 

But it was something that Nam Taemin’s pride couldn’t tolerate.

 

But no matter how much he racked my brain, he couldn’t understand.

 

‘…Is he talking about the dragons? No, Hoyeol-ssi sealed it properly. It won’t be much different from the Arcana Continent.’

 

In the end, Nam Taemin opened his mouth.

 

“Wait, let’s tie our shoelaces and then talk.”

 

“…Where do you have shoelaces on that armor?”

 

“No, just do what I said.”

 

Despite Hisagi’s cold snake eyes, Nam Taemin bent down and squatted.

 

Then he raised his head.

 

He mouthed to Leonie, who had a sullen expression.

 

“…What is he saying?”

 

Leonie thought seriously.

 

‘Should I kill him?’

 

The fact that she didn’t feel any intent of malice only made her feel more insulted.

 

She always felt that way when she looked at Nam Taemin and Hisagi.

 

Even if he didn’t bend over like that.

 

‘I can see and hear you. You big-sized bastards.’

 

Thinking like that, Leonie gave him a cold look.

 

Nam Taemin sighed.

 

“Yeah. What kind of brain would a berserker and a barbarian have?”

 

“?!”

 

…Was he really asking to get punched?

 

The urge was rising but she held back.

 

Hadn’t she made up her mind?

 

Let’s have some formality, too.

 

Leonie finally opened her mouth.

 

“It came out of the sea. So the lower part of the Zero Mountain, which featured the relatively low-level monsters, must have been submerged in the sea, right?”

 

“…Wow, are you a genius?”

 

“Your brain isn’t all muscles. Why don’t you try to use it?”

 

Although it was a conversation that was far from formal, Leonie was satisfied with herself. She didn’t curse, so it was a significant development by her standards.

 

Hisagi nodded.

 

“That’s right. All the information we knew about Zero Mountain before the Cataclysm was useless. All low-level areas have been submerged in the Pacific Ocean.”

 

…What, was he listening to everything?

 

Nam Taemin pretended not to know and got up.

 

“It certainly makes sense.”

 

Zero Mountain that was exposed above sea level.

 

Indeed, it seemed that its level could only be gauged by entering and confronting it.

 

In that regard, Union really did take a gamble.

 

“We need to be nervous, too.”

 

Leveling up.

 

Even though they had gotten stronger thanks to the Arcanains–including the Knights of Lionheart–they didn’t allow themselves to get cocky. They still had a long way to go before they could do their part in the Holy War.

 

Soon, players entered the portal.

 

When the view changed, what greeted them was some kind of light.

 

“What is this?”

 

Was it because of the time difference, or was it because Zero Mountain stood tall enough to block out even the sun? They could only see the light, the spheres shining in the dark.

 

“Is this the work of Union?”

 

No, were they that kind of people?

 

Was that possible?

 

In addition, there were too many lights visible.

 

To be able to manifest this level of light.

 

Even if the mages of Union poured all their mana into it, that wouldn’t be enough.

 

Thanks to this, their thoughts were naturally directed to one person.

 

Having the strength to enter Zero Mountain.

 

The kind heart to light up the darkness for others.

 

The magic ability to manifest light on a large scale.

 

All of that.

 

They could only think of one person.

 

Were they thinking the same thing?

 

Nam Taemin, Hisagi, Leonie.

 

Those three exchanged glances.

 

“…Hoyeol-ssi?”

 

.

 

.

 

.

[Small changes occur due to the effect of Noble.]

 

…What?

 

Also, what kind of noble deed did I do without my knowledge?

 

Tell me the whole truth, Grandfel.

 

However, despite my pestering.

 

Grandfel just leisurely recited.

 

“Are you after chasing me? My light.”

 

And carried on.

 

“In that case, I will move forward without any concerns.”

 

[The skill, ‘Natural Enemy Relationship’ is activated.]

 

To a place where I could feel the presence of a demon.