Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 68 - Akshan's Legacy (2)

Back when Arcana was a game.

 

Traps were familiar to players.

 

“Finally, treasure…!”

 

“Hey, wait a minute. Don’t touch the box!”

 

“Argh! W-What?! The box moved?!”

 

“You idiot!! That’s mimic!”

 

Starting with monsters disguised as treasure boxes, mimic.

 

To the dangerous traps lurking throughout the dungeon.

 

Not only the explorer class with skills to dismantle such traps, but there were also Nettubers who use trap breakthrough as content.

 

“For me. It’s just too easy.”

 

Therefore.

 

When traps popped out in the Qirnberg Machine Tower.

 

Nettubers who specialized in targeting traps rushed to turn on the broadcast.

 

“In my heart, I want to run there right away. It’s a shame. really.”

 

Although they were regretting it on the outside.

 

This was a great opportunity to attract viewers.

 

Because broadcasting through other people’s broadcasts was already more than worth it.

 

However.

 

Apart from that, the level of the Qirnberg Machine Tower’s trap was unusual.

 

Above all, that pattern.

 

The complex pattern was different from the traps they had seen so far.

 

“If you jump here, it’s easy…?!”

 

“No, arrows flying from all sides at this timing?”

 

“…Hyungnims. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can break that, either.”

 

Did the technology of the Machine Tower melt into the trap?

 

It was so elaborate that it felt vicious.

 

Thanks to this, many players fell to their knees in the trap.

 

“Ah, if you falter here!”

 

“Yeah, it just turns into a hedgehog.”

 

“Making a record is out of the question.”

 

“I’m glad though. It doesn’t seem to do any major damage.”

 

If there was one good thing from this.

 

Apart from the difficulty of the attack, the trap didn’t seem to have much lethality.

 

It was because the traps were all made of silver.

 

“That makes it clear. It’s definitely competitive content.”

 

Qirnberg Machine Tower was not designed to take a player’s life.

 

Just like the quest goal that appeared.

 

It was definitely competitive content where players competed and got rewarded accordingly.

 

“It’s like, the groundwork is laid out.”

 

“Players, prove your skills!”

 

“Well, let’s wait and see who’s going to win first place!”

 

The moment it became certain.

 

Interest in the Qirnberg Machine Tower was bound to grow.

 

Yeah, amidst the pouring interest.

 

At last, Hoyeol began to move.

 

And the startling surprise–

 

“W-What the hell?”

 

“What am I looking at?”

 

“I-I don’t think the trap is broken.”

 

Hadn’t it been said before?

 

The trap of the Machine Tower was so elaborate that it had never been seen before.

 

They knew it wouldn’t break down out of nowhere…

 

An incomprehensible sight was unfolding before their eyes.

 

Sk–

 

The traps missed.

 

Swoosh!

 

Hoyeol didn’t avoid it.

 

Swish–!

 

Hoyeol was just walking calmly.

 

Indeed.

 

The traps were avoiding Hoyeol!

 

As if a barrier was forming around Hoyeol.

 

All the traps that flew into Hoyeol missed their target.

 

It was only natural that the amazing sight required commentary.

 

The chat window exploded.

 

Even the Nettubers who specialized in traps.

 

They couldn’t explain such an unheard-of scene.

 

“I-I’ve never seen this kind of attack before!”

 

“…I didn’t expect him to just walk through the trap.”

 

“What have I been doing all this time, hyungnims?”

 

“…I suddenly feel like I should retire.”

 

Is that also a skill?

 

If it’s a skill, how in the world does such a skill exist?

 

Which class uses that skill?

 

In the end, as always, only questions followed.

 

Amidst the astonishment.

 

Hoyeol reached the portal on the other side.

 

It only took one minute.

 

A record that was achieved by walking confidently without running.

 

The chat window exploded again.

 

It’s just Homen…!

 

*

 

Exploration, interference, manifestation.

 

Of those three stages.

 

The most difficult step was by far the exploration.

 

Exploration was simply the first step of magic.

 

If you did it wrong, you couldn’t go to the next step.

 

Even if you did manage to go past it, the magic efficiency would be extremely low.

 

‘It’s only natural.’

 

Even the chief mage of the Mage Tower.

 

Even Marcelo couldn’t filter out the mess in the exploration process.

 

But to me.

 

No, it didn’t apply to Grandfel.

 

『His innate magical talent is such that he can imitate most magic just by looking.』

 

Who made up the setting?

 

Seriously, it was such an amazing talent.

 

I was able to break through the trap on foot.

 

‘Of course, it was possible because everything was made of silver.’

 

Because I could skip the most important process, exploration.

 

This became possible.

 

No matter how great Grandfel’s talent was.

 

It was unreasonable to explore an unfamiliar target all at the same time. If the trap was made of a material other than silver…

 

‘Unable to walk, I would have had to run and break through.’

 

Either I would let it be.

 

Or dodge it like other players.

 

Well, the result wasn’t bad, anyway.

 

– Current ranking

 

• 1st place: 1 minute 01 seconds

 

• 2nd place: 4 minutes 41 seconds

 

• 3rd place: 4 minutes and 50 seconds

 

Unexpectedly, I won first place.

 

The record gap with second place was also significant.

 

Maybe it was because the level of the trap was high.

 

“Wow. These traps are no joke, Hoyeol-ssi.”

 

Nam Taemin arrived breathing heavily.

 

The record hadn’t been broken.

 

He didn’t seem to have made it to the top three.

 

Nam Taemin said while wiping his sweat.

 

“Huh, just 10 seconds short.”

 

The trap was so difficult that even Nam Taemin stuck out his tongue.

 

As expected, the technology was unusual.

 

That’s why I doubted it even more.

 

‘…Is this really Akshan’s decisive weapon?’

 

I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it even if I checked the quest window again.

 

The Akshan base that I knew.

 

It had nothing else besides three meals of rye bread.

 

To think that Akshan had such a high level of decisive weapons all over the continent…

 

‘Even if I don’t believe it, I will find out. I will.’

 

I had to proceed with the quest to find out.

 

In that sense, I looked at the portal.

 

The portal manifested through mechanical items.

 

It was a great technology that you wouldn’t see in Akshan.

 

I took a step forward.

 

As I got closer, a message came up in front of me.

 

[Qirnberg Machine Tower – Center]

 

[Recommended level: Lv.450]

 

[Collapse progress: 0.1%]

 

The first thing that caught my eye was the recommended level.

 

To think it was level 450.

 

However, I wasn’t worried as I was before.

 

‘Because the proper level isn’t the standard for players.’

 

Yes, Qirnberg Machine Tower was the demon hunter’s decisive weapon.

 

It was a machine tower built to deal with demons.

 

Just looking at the trap now, that seemed to be the case.

 

“It’s not bad to take a break like this sometimes.”

 

It was natural to think like Nam Taemin.

 

Because the damage of the trap was weak.

 

Even players who couldn’t avoid the trap didn’t suffer much damage.

 

So everyone probably thought it was an easy rupture, a simple competitive quest.

 

But I knew.

 

This was serious.

 

I can’t give it up…!

 

‘What fool would give up their legacy?’

 

I didn’t have much expectations.

 

But I didn’t want to have things taken away by others.

 

Of course, that included the quest reward.

 

So I quietly headed to the portal.

 

“I’ll go ahead.”

 

“Yes? Ah, I’ll come, too!”

 

Nam Taemin hurriedly followed.

 

As I passed through the portal, a message came up in front of me.

 

[You’ve met the conditions.]

 

[You will be rewarded.]

 

[Teams will be assigned according to the ranking.]

 

…Wait, after the trap, it’s team matches?

 

I was startled for a moment.

 

Then a series of messages appeared.

 

[You’ve ranked 1st place.]

 

[You’ve broken an overwhelming record.]

 

[According to your ranking and record, your team members are ‘1’.]

 

[Currently searching for suitable opponents…]

 

“!”

 

No, wait a second.

 

As soon as I checked the message, I felt a surge of injustice.

 

Alone in a team match…?!

 

It must be because I had set a record far ahead of others.

 

No, but.

 

‘What kind of rule is this?!’

 

In fact, I was relieved that it was a team match.

 

Because I had Nam Taemin by my side.

 

But the moment I walked through the portal.

 

It seemed that our location got mixed up.

 

Nam Taemin was nowhere in sight.

 

Crack–

 

Soon, the mechanical device started operating.

 

The foothold trembled as they exhaled steam.

 

Apart from my feeling of being wronged.

 

This body, which was unable to live without formality and procedure, was convinced of the situation.

 

“If that’s the procedure, then I have no choice but to follow it.”

 

…Don’t be convinced of this evil law, Grandfel.

 

Yeah, what can I do?

 

I couldn’t turn back the message that appeared.

 

I checked the quest window.

 

[Quest: Tournament]

 

A foothold that moves according to victory or defeat.

 

Win 30 points and be the first to reach the top floor.

 

– Current points (Win: +3p / Loss: -2p)

 

• 1st place: None

 

• 2nd place: None

 

• 3rd place: None

 

Clink–

 

There was a reason why the foothold was moving loudly.

 

If you won, this foothold would go up.

 

It must be moving below the ground.

 

By the way.

 

‘I have to get 30 points?’

 

It was 3 points for 1 win…

 

It meant that I had to win 10 games.

 

If I lost on the way, I had to squander the points I worked hard to accumulate.

 

Above all, the key was that I was alone in such a team match.

 

…I am lonely.

 

All I could hear was the sound of mechanical gears engaging.

 

I missed the talkative Nam Taemin…

 

“If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t care about the quest reward…’

 

…Yeah!

 

Quest reward!

 

Suddenly, I remembered the reward.

 

Maybe the reward would be helpful in the battle.

 

I opened the inventory and checked the reward.

 

‘…Huh?’

 

*

 

The broadcasting stations that pulled out a staggering viewership rating.

 

The recording was already in full swing in the studio.

 

“Tournament. I don’t know who designed the Machine Tower, but I want to praise them. Where else would you be able to see this? The way the players compete against each other!”

 

“That’s right.  Thanks to the Qirnbeg Machine Tower rupture, we’re able to watch a spectacle that we could only watch in the Colosseum back when Arcana was a game.”

 

“As we speak… Well, it looks like the opposing team has made their appearance!”

 

Clink–

 

Mechanical devices moved with a loud noise.

 

Players on top of it ran into each other.

 

The host spoke excitedly.

 

“It seems that all the players who passed through the portal moved to one place. As you can see, the players who entered through different ruptures became the same team, right?”

 

“This is another interesting system!”

 

“Well, first of all, the number of people on both sides is 3 to 3. This event…!”

 

Both teams mounted the mechanical devices.

 

A large cog wheel emerged from the center.

 

If you had a good sense, you would notice.

 

“…Are they scrambling for that cog?”

 

“They took that cog before the other team. It seems the winning condition is to put it on their mechanical device!”

 

“It is said that the mechanical device goes upstairs only when they insert that cog wheel. It’s a pretty good production.”

 

“As we speak, it seems that a war of nerves has already begun between the two teams.”

 

As the cast predicted.

 

A strange tension flowed between the two machines.

 

It was unavoidable.

 

“I think the average level of those players is similar.”

 

Those two teams met after searching for suitable opponents, weren’t they?

 

Their average level was exactly the same.

 

So naturally, they wouldn’t be able to move hastily.

 

“…Hey, wait a minute.”

 

Beep–

 

The audio was suddenly muted.

 

The cast puffed.

 

What was he doing at this critical moment?

 

“Why turn down the volume!? You crazy bastard!”

 

“No, listen. It’s really important.”

 

“What is it this time? This guy is making a ruckus again.”

 

“No! It’s not a ruckus, it’s about Lee Hoyeol!”

 

“Lee Hoyeol? Why are you bringing up Lee Hoyeol all of a sudden?”

 

The tournament quest.

 

Both teams meet opponents of similar levels to themselves.

 

Then, if you considered the average level of the opposing players who met Lee Hoyeol…?

 

“If we do this well, we might be able to figure out Lee Hoyeol’s level!”

 

…Lee Hoyeol’s level?

 

It was a topic worthy of the attention of the players, no, the world.

 

Viewers who saw through that fact couldn’t help but swallow their dry saliva and wait for Hoyeol’s appearance.

 

– Ahㅋㅋ So when is Lee Hoyeol coming outㅋㅋㅋㅋ

 

– ㄹㅇㅋㅋI’m waiting for when Lee Hoyeol will come out

 

– Did anyone say if they team up with Lee Hoyeol???

 

– I’ve searched all over the net, but there’s nothing but aggroㅇㅇ;;

 

Of course, so did the players in the machine tower.

 

Click–

 

A mechanical device rose when a cog was inserted.

 

Guild Master of Shining.

 

Rox checked the quest window.

 

-Current points (win: +3p / loss: -2p)

 

• 1st place: 15p

 

• 1st place: 15p

 

• 3rd place: 13p

 

A five-game winning streak.

 

He had earned 15 points.

 

Thanks to that, his rising ranking was tied for first place.

 

As you could see, there was a team that scored 15 points before him.

 

Rox could guess who it was.

 

“Lee Hoyeol.”

 

Lee Hoyeol, who set an overwhelming record in breaking through traps.

 

It was only natural for him to take the lead in this quest as well.

 

But Rox was confident.

 

‘It’s not an individual match, it’s a team match. Lee Hoyeol.’

 

It was also a team match with a balance system.

 

The higher Hoyeol’s level.

 

The lower his team members’ level must be.

 

Rocx was thinking of attacking the hole in that team.

 

‘We have no choice but to meet.’

 

Only two teams scored 15 points.

 

A head-to-head match was unavoidable.

 

Clink–

 

The mechanical device slowed down.

 

‘Come.’

 

The opponent on top of the mechanism revealed themselves.

 

Soon, Rox’s face was stained with astonishment.

 

“…!”

 

Unfortunately.

 

Rox’s prediction was exactly half right.

 

A five-match winning streak.

 

A fifteen-point notice.

 

Hoyeol was there.

 

But he was alone.

 

So, Rox’s overflowing confidence.

 

‘…You won 5 times in a row alone?’

 

It naturally turned into anxiety.

 

‘Impossible! How can you do that alone?!’

 

It was absolutely ridiculous!

 

*

 

Really, it was unbelievable luck.

 

Clink–

 

A mechanical device approached.

 

And a message appeared.

 

[Currently searching for suitable opponents…]

 

I thought to myself.

 

‘This is the end of my easy win.’

 

My level was only 295.

 

Not only that, I was alone.

 

It couldn’t find the right person for my level.

 

To put it the other way around.

 

I wasn’t a suitable opponent for teams with the same points.

 

Thanks to that, I was excluded from the match with other teams.

 

I won five consecutive games by default.

 

[There is an opponent with the same win point, Team ‘1’.]

 

But now it was inevitable.

 

Besides me, there was only one team that scored 15 points.

 

So, from now on.

 

‘I have to deal with three people.’

 

And they were players who had a much higher level than me.

 

But it was worth a try.

 

The other side was in a state of being exhausted from having to fight again and again.

 

Besides, I had the quest reward.

 

But this was just a match.

 

Ir wasn’t a life-threatening duel.

 

In accordance with the formality.

 

I gave a light bow.

 

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

 

“…!!!”

 

…But did I say something I shouldn’t say?

 

What’s wrong with their expressions?