Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 33 - True Enemy (1)

Puff–!

 

[Giant Lava Koi: Lv.420]

 

As much as it was difficult to deal with, its main body was bound to be weak.

 

If it ran rampant like that and had high vitality, you couldn’t call it a level-420 monster anymore.

 

Therefore.

 

Puff–!

 

Puuff–!

 

A stone spear.

 

Even the stone spear could land an effective hit.

 

Perhaps it never thought the lava would split.

 

The giant koi had dozens of stone spears stuck in its side.

 

It was flapping its tail.

 

Although short-lived, its movement was restricted.

 

There was no way Harkon and the Knights of Lionheart would miss that gap.

 

Swoosh–

 

Harkon’s sword was dyed with a dark light.

 

‘…It’s not a skill or anything like that.’

 

Why do I think so?

 

It was simple. I could recognize it at a glance.

 

‘How strong is it?’

 

This lofty ground.

 

『His innate magical talent is such that he can imitate most magic just by looking. Furthermore, the potential of his body is comparable to that.』

 

…Thinking about it again, I had put in all the good things.

 

In his setting, Grandfel had a martial prowess comparable to his magical talent.  He must be able to gauge Harkon’s state that made the sword shine.

 

‘It’s definitely different from mana.’

 

However, unlike magic, I couldn’t even imagine.

 

Where I should start to reach that level.

 

I didn’t have a clue.

 

Of course.

 

“I’m a little interested.”

 

I opened my mouth arrogantly.

 

But let’s still think of it as a good thing.

 

Rather than thinking pessimistically that it wasn’t possible.

 

Overflowing with unfounded confidence would be better.

 

Of course, if I aimed for the level of Harkon.

 

Radiating light from the sword

 

Fatigue would never leave my body.

 

Sshh–

 

Indeed, as I expected.

 

Harkon really scooped up the Giant Lava Koi.

 

“Everyone, get up! This is an opportunity!!”

 

“Disposal contribution! Secure it at all costs!”

 

“First of all, once the split lava…. What?!”

 

There was no time for other players to take dibs on it.

 

Clink–

 

Harkon put the sword back to its scabbard.

 

Just like that, the battle was over.

 

Thump–!

 

Then, the head of the giant koi fell to the floor.

 

It died just like that.

 

At the same time, a message appeared.

 

[Your level has gone up]…

 

I leveled up for about 10 levels.

 

I went from level 166 to level 176.

 

‘This experience point is not bad.’

 

It was a little unexpected.

 

Since I had a party with the Knights of Lionheart.

 

I also had to contribute to the disposal so that I could gain experience points.

 

Apart from the lava, the Giant Lava Koi itself wasn’t hard to deal with.

 

It seemed that a considerable amount of contribution was recognized in that regard.

 

[With high disposal contribution, you automatically acquired the loot.]

 

….No, not just a considerable amount, but more than half of it?

 

I checked the inventory right away.

 

The treasure of the island I had acquired was radiating its presence.

 

[Treasure of the Island, Silk Koi Scale]

 

[Grade: Unique]

 

[Restriction: None]

 

[Effect: When crafting, grants the effect of flame attribute enhancement / grants the effect of  evasion probability enchantment/ grants the effect of opening aesthetic stat on the crafted item]

 

[Explanation: Silk that cannot be exchanged for jewels of the same value. It is so rare that no one will dare to evaluate its value.]

 

Wow.

 

Following emerald crystal, I got another material item.

 

But it’ wasn’t an item to complain about…

 

‘There are more than 3 confirmed effects?’

 

Pure emerald crystal.

 

Its effect couldn’t be confirmed until after production.

 

As I said, the effect varied depending on the producer’s proficiency.

 

However, silk didn’t have such conditions.

 

‘Even if other effects are ignored, a new stat is opened.’

 

[Aesthetic] stat…

 

It was a stat that I had never heard or known of, but I felt good.

 

Sin I was a demon hunter without a single unique stat.

 

If anything new was opened, I would be able to gratefully use it.

 

Indeed, it deserved the explanation stating that it couldn’t be exchanged for a jewel of the same value.

 

“It’s beautiful.”

 

Above all, Grandfel’s aesthetic sense was flawless.

 

It was the biggest guarantee of its quality.

 

That train of thought stopped there.

 

“…Wait, what about the treasure of the island?”

 

Someone said.

 

They probably said that because the message didn’t appear to them even if the named monster was defeated.

 

If they asked me politely and formally.

 

I could answer without difficulty.

 

However.

 

…How come the eyes that look at me have become more unusual?

 

Roll–

 

To be exact, their eyeballs were rolling.

 

Those gazes seemed to be looking at the message window and at me alternately.

 

I was in a state of alert.

 

Enough to make me care about why they did that.

 

‘I’ve burned out.’

 

Mana exhaustion.

 

Because I was almost running out of mana.

 

…I lost all the energy in my body.

 

Fortunately, when the Giant Lava Koi collapsed, the volcanic eruption stopped and the lava quickly cooled down.

 

At this point, I didn’t need to maintain the magic anymore.

 

Then, Harkon approached me.

 

“I can’t help but feel in awe of your magic, Sir Hoyeol!”

 

His words shocked me twice.

 

‘I’m actually the one who should be in awe.’

 

His humility, once.

 

‘No, more importantly, everyone is listening. What?!’

 

…Sir Hoyeol?

 

And the embarrassing honorific, twice.

 

For a very short time.

 

I was shocked again, but I didn’t show it.

 

I answered without changing my expression.

 

“Your swordsmanship was also excellent. Sir Harkon.”

 

Fortunately, no one laughed at me.

 

It was only natural.

 

Didn’t I tell you?

 

Sometimes I got confused with my method acting, too.

 

“…Nonsense.”

 

“I’ve never seen Harkon so polite.”

 

“The way he talks is kind of arrogant, too. No way, does he have a higher title than Harkon…?”

 

In my heart, I wanted to correct them.

 

There was nothing in the honorific at all.

 

And what do you mean an arrogant tone?

 

That this was the most polite attitude for me.

 

But I couldn’t say that.

 

“!”

 

Because a message popped up in front of me.

 

[The Yusra Islands begin to be stained with greed.]

 

[Collapse progress: 9/10]

 

The collapse progress had risen.

 

Of course, the message didn’t just appear in front of me.

 

The players buzzed.

 

“It seems something has belatedly come up…”

 

“Wait, these numbers aren’t right in the first place.”

 

“Isn’t the treasure of the island hidden somewhere else?”

 

Other players might get confused.

 

But I didn’t.

 

The treasures of the island I had acquired didn’t affect the collapse progress.

 

Because it was me.

 

There was no feeling of greed in Grandfel.

 

Then why did the message appear?

 

I had a guess.

 

A treasure of the island already acquired by someone.

 

That treasure of the island was once again stained with greed.

 

*

 

Supernova Park Hyunjoon kept biting his nails.

 

His body was drenched with cold sweat.

 

– Really? It’s the last one. No more chances?

 

– Are you going to keep watching like that?

 

– You said you wanted a treasure? You coward.

 

An ongoing voice.

 

However, Park Hyunjoon was not wearing earphones.

 

Then was this voice auditory hallucination?

 

It was natural to be suspicious and wary.

 

Park Hyunjoon didn’t have the spirit for such feelings.

 

“Shut up. I’ll figure it out…”

 

Park Hyunjoon looked at the situation.

 

Then, he spotted Hoyeol.

 

A supernova had run away but maybe that guy still had minimum loyalty.

 

It was exactly as Kinber said.

 

If, without knowing anything, Hyunjoon had touched Hoyeol…

 

“I don’t want to die yet.”

 

He would have died just like that.

 

He could feel it when he looked at the current situation.

 

Not only he had cut through the lava, but he also threw dozens of stone spears.

 

And next to Hoyeol was one of the strongest NPC groups, the Knights of Lionheart.

 

Even if the Kinber hadn’t run away, going after Hoyeol would be committing suicide.

 

At this rate, Hoyeol would definitely acquire the treasure of the island.

 

“Fuuck. This isn’t going to work out.”

 

But if he went back empty-handed…

 

“…It will be over for me.”

 

He couldn’t go back like this.

 

He needed the treasure of the island.

 

Another auditory hallucination rang in Park Hyunjoon’s ears.

 

– Then you can take it away, right?

 

– What’s wrong with having a desire?

 

– What’s the point of being self-conscious?

 

– You just have to take it away.

 

‘There’s no point in being self-conscious.’

 

Park Hyunjoon’s eyes flashed at those words.

 

“…Yeah!”

 

If it didn’t work, he could kill another guy and take it from them.

 

And Park Hyunjoon knew.

 

The easiest prey among those who acquired the treasure of the island.

 

“There are those bastards, League of Explorers…!”

 

League of Explorers

 

It was one of the NPC groups that visited the Yusra Islands.

 

Just like the name suggested, they were explorers.

 

Naturally, they didn’t have outstanding fighting capabilities.

 

It was also a characteristic that turned up when they acquired the treasure of this island.

 

‘I heard they acquired the treasure of the island without a fight.’

 

It was a method that only the explorer class had.

 

Park Hyunjoon’s eyes further calmed down.

 

Yeah, the method wasn’t important.

 

‘What’s important is the fact that those bastards have the treasure of the island.’

 

Park Hyunjoon wore his earphones.

 

“I will hunt the League of Explorers.”

 

– …Who the hell are you? Are you crazy? Touching an NPC?

 

– Haha. You and Kinber are really crazy!

 

– Are you serious?

 

Hunting players and hunting NPCs were two different things.

 

Besides, this would turn the whole League into an enemy.

 

Considering the influence of the League of Explorers in Arcana, it was something that shouldn’t have been done rationally.

 

However, Park Hyunjoon would do it.

 

“I’ll take responsibility. Just watch.”

 

[Greed of Seven Deadly Sins is watching you.]

 

[Your judgment is clouded by unbearable desire.]

 

[Status abnormality: Greed occurs.]

 

His eyes were already black.

 

And now.

 

Park Hyunjoon looked at the body lying on the floor.

 

“Fuck.”

 

He had killed the NPC from the League of Explorers.

 

It felt the same as killing a player.

 

He had killed the man who begged for his life.

 

Now he showed up and killed people.

 

Park Hyunjoon was not soft-hearted enough to be shaken.

 

He had killed too many players, too many people.

 

But his body was trembling.

 

“…Fuck!”

 

He had acquired the treasure of the island.

 

The message that appeared made him realize that fact.

 

[The Yusra Islands begin to be stained with greed.]

 

[Collapse progress: 9/10]

 

Nevertheless, the desire that boiled inside didn’t stop.

 

His chest felt stuffy.

 

“Fuck. Fuck.”

 

Park Hyunjoon unbuttoned his clothes like a madman.

 

“Ugh!”

 

He haphazardly scratched his stuffy chest.

 

Then, the crowd that gathered screamed.

 

“Adventurer? Did you just…?”

 

“Ugh, aah! Julie? Wake up! Julie!”

 

“Don’t tell me, you got Julie…!!”

 

The League of Explorers interrogated.

 

Park Hyunjoon was bewildered.

 

‘…Why am I doing this?’

 

Now that he had killed, he should run.

 

Why was he scratching his chest here?

 

But the thought didn’t last long.

 

“I can’t stand it. Fuuck!”

 

He felt suffocated to death.

 

He scratched with his fingernails, but he couldn’t get rid of the stuffiness.

 

The effect of status abnormality, greed.

 

Park Hyunjoon, whose judgment was blurred, didn’t hesitate.

 

Thrush–

 

He cut his stuffy chest with a dagger.

 

In his clouded consciousness.

 

He heard a voice.

 

– Great.

 

– But your death is not a noble sacrifice. You, blinded by greed, brought it upon yourself. Unfortunately, I have nothing to give you.

 

– I can’t give you even a speck of dust.

 

“…!!”

 

It was the voice of the demon who deceived him.

 

Until the last minute.

 

[Collapse progress: 10/10]

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

[Collapse progress: 10/10]

 

The collapse progress rose without a hitch.

 

At the same time, a message appeared.

 

[The great evil of the Yusra Islands is born]

 

[The collapse begins.]

 

Thump thump–!

 

The field of view shook.

 

It was on a different scale from the giant turtle and the volcanic eruption.

 

Literally, in the Yusra Islands, each of the islands was shaking.

 

“In the end, it collapses even though we don’t even know what it is?”

 

“Yeah, if it ends like this, I’ll feel regret for the stuff I’ve thrown away!”

 

“Considering it’s a great evil, it must be a demon. Let’s quickly switch equipment.”

 

Sure enough, as the top players gathered.

 

They seemed to have expected the worst.

 

But I was certain.

 

It was a misjudgment.

 

‘It’s not an enemy that can be dealt with at the level of the current players.’

 

Harkon strengthened my judgment.

 

His eyes were different from before.

 

“This energy is demonic.”

 

His level was 600.

 

Even Harkon, who had finished off a named monster with a level of over 400 in a single blow, was clearly nervous.

 

Yeah, the great evil was called the great evil for a reason.

 

I could feel it showing up.

 

Yusra Islands.

 

The ten islands merged into one.

 

Then the hidden cracks came together and collapsed.

 

The true nature of the Yusra Islands was revealed.

 

It was a huge golden palace.

 

A scene that seemed to embody the word greed.

 

Still, I was a demon hunter.

 

I could feel it in my head.

 

A palace built by greed.

 

Greed of the Seven Deadly Sins was in there.

 

At that moment, the quest window flashed.

 

– Investigate the great evil of the Yusra Islands. (Successful)

 

– Prevent the resurrection of Greed of the Seven Deadly Sins (In progress) ▲

 

• Don’t let the treasure of the islands be stained by greed. (Pending)

 

• Defeat the incarnation of Greed of the Seven Deadly Sins. (In progress)

 

The moment my intuition turned into a certainty.

 

I inadvertently opened my mouth.

 

“I’ve been waiting.”

 

…No, I haven’t.

 

I want to end it as quietly as possible…!

 

In the first place, my condition was not meant for this.

 

“You despicable demon pretending to be a great evil.”

 

The biggest issue was mana exhaustion.

 

In a situation where I ran out of mana, whether it was a great evil or the incarnation of a great evil.

 

Getting rid of it was impossible…

 

‘?’

 

What, I don’t feel the powerlessness of mana exhaustion…?

 

Rather than feeling helpless, my whole body was full of vitality.

 

‘!’

 

Only then I remembered.

 

『No demon’s temptation, deceit, or trial can damage Grandfel’s lofty pride.』

 

The demon hunter and the demon.

 

Beyond the natural enemy relationship.

 

The relationship between Grandfel and the demon.

 

『Perhaps what the demons should be most wary of is not the demon hunter class, but the human named Grandfel himself.』

 

Lightly adjusting my clothes.

 

And tidying up the brooch’s position.

 

I continued to speak with an upright posture as always.

 

“Time to go to hell.”