Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 83 - Is it finally moving (2)

An official meeting of the AAU.

 

The branch heads of each branch logged into the video chat one by one.

 

The faces that appeared were miserable, as if asking to be called ugly.

 

It was unreasonable to blame the camera.

 

Not a single person looked good.

 

“You’ve all worked hard.”

 

The reason was simple.

 

It literally had been a stormy week.

 

But they couldn’t be condescending.

 

“Work hard, my ass. There’s someone else who really suffered.”

 

A person who had worked harder than they were.

 

No, it was one player.

 

They couldn’t measure the weight of his suffering, but they could guarantee.

 

Even if all the hard work of AAU employees in each branch was combined.

 

They couldn’t handle the weight of that one person.

 

“It was a terrible week, wasn’t it?”

 

“It is still terrifying. Very much so.”

 

“When I heard the news for the first time, I was so heartbroken.”

 

The senior mage of the Mage Tower had gone missing.

 

It was a state of emergency.

 

As it had been emphasized many times.

 

The mages of the Mage Tower were so powerful.

 

They were tied to the Mage Tower.

 

In such Mage Tower, the senior mage belonging to the strongest group went missing.

 

If by any chance he showed hostility to the players…

 

“It almost became a disaster. A catastrophe.”

 

“Our Korean branch manager, I can tell just by looking at his face.”

 

“…Maybe because it’s in the past. I can sigh now.”

 

The Mage Tower was located in Seoul, South Korea.

 

South Korea achieved brilliant economic growth thanks to the Mage Tower effect.

 

However, at the same time, it was also South Korea that had the highest probability of being the place the senior mage went to.

 

“They say Seoul might disappear from the face of the earth!!”

 

Just thinking about it again made him dizzy.

 

If Seoul had become a battlefield like in his dizzying imagination.

 

The damage caused by it would have been hard to measure.

 

However.

 

“In the end, we’re indebted to Lee Hoyeol again this time.”

 

Indeed.

 

At the same time, in Korea. In Seoul. In the Mage Tower.

 

A player who had worked harder than they were.

 

Lee Hoyeol was there.

 

He had played a very active part.

 

Even the AAU executives, who had made significant contributions to the worldview of Arcana beyond Arcana’s experts, couldn’t understand Hoyeol’s performance.

 

“To be honest, I had some doubts at first. He’s great, but he’s in the same position as the chief mage? Even if this is Player Lee Hoyeol we’re talking about, where is the chief mage of the Mage Tower usually?”

 

“But those doubts were useless.”

 

“That’s right. In such a ridiculous rupture…”

 

[Cracked Dimension Gap] rupture.

 

Recommended level 900~1000.

 

Hoyeol had confidently cleared the rupture that could only be regarded as a bug.

 

“I didn’t expect him to come back safely like nothing really happened!”

 

“I’m still dying to know what happened inside. I want to cling to his pants and ask.”

 

“Hey, it won’t work.”

 

Difficult to interview.

 

Internal matters.

 

Even if they begged.

 

Would that make Hoyeol’s resolute attitude waver?

 

But one thing remained the same.

 

“So what if he doesn’t do interviews? So what if he says everything that shouldn’t be said? It’s not just any other person, it’s Lee Hoyeol. How many times has it already been this time.”

 

Yeah, Hoyeol deserved it.

 

He was fundamentally different from other players who couldn’t be careful about their words and actions due to star disease.

 

Well, from the time he first appeared until now. Hoyeol showed a consistent attitude.

 

“It’s beyond being popular, it’s almost religious. The reaction of the public.”

 

Everyone was muttering Homen not for no reason.

 

It was thanks to Hoyeol that branch heads could smile with faces that showed no trace of blood. But AAU knew. No, they had to be concerned about it.

 

“But except for Lee Hoyeol…”

 

If it hadn’t been for Hoyeol.

 

Could mankind, the players, have solved this situation?

 

The answer to that was, of course, ‘NO’.

 

“Honestly, the gap is too wide.”

 

“Who can clear a 900-1,000 level rupture? Although the Chief Mage accompanied him, it was also Lee Hoyeol’s ability that moved the Chief Mage. That’s a personal ability, too.”

 

“The bottom line is that other players have no choice but to work hard.”

 

The players must have felt it through this situation.

 

Their powerlessness.

 

In that sense, the new update was good news.

 

The only thing that could overcome that powerlessness was the level.

 

Experience point was what it took to raise that level.

 

In this newly updated rupture.

 

It seemed they could at least raise their experience.

 

“It’s been a while since we got the [Predator] content.”

 

“The top players are going to have a war of nerves.”

 

“In the predator zone, a war of nerves is good.”

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

──────

 

A new rupture, ‘Predator’s Swamp’ is added.

 

New monsters are added.

 

‘Crazy Little Wolf’: Lv.450

 

‘Berserker Blood Goblin’: Lv.460

 

‘Sky Blade’: Lv.500

 

‘Ragged Fighter’: Lv.520…

 

──────

 

Thursday.

 

A real new update, not a bug.

 

The update caused a commotion in the community.

 

– The recommended level must be crazyㄹㅇ???

 

– Except for Lee Hoyeol, everyone should be a bit nervous, right?ㅋㅋ

 

– But isn’t it a bit weird?? There is no unity in the mobs;;;

 

From the time Arcana was a game until now.

 

There was consistency in the monsters that appeared.

 

It was natural for gnolls to appear in [Gnoll’s Habitat] and for goblins to appear in [Goblin’s Habitat].

 

In that sense, this rupture was a little strange.

 

[The Predator’s Swamp].

 

Considering that it was called a swamp, crocodiles or lizardmen should be more likely to appear.

 

Species, as well as the environment in which they live. As some comments point out, there was no sense of unity with the monsters appearing.

 

If they had to find similarities.

 

It was the level.

 

However, it was the rule that you had to know to truly be able to see.

 

“Isn’t this the first time it appears as a rupture? The predator zone.”

 

“Right. If it had appeared before, the reaction in the comments wouldn’t have been like this.”

 

“It comes out at the right time.”

 

The Nam brothers of Gaon were having a conversation.

 

Naturally, those two were familiar with it.

 

Nam Taemin raised the corners of his mouth.

 

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a fight. Don’t you think so, hyung?”

 

The predator zone.

 

The explanation was simple.

 

As its name suggested, it was a zone where predators flocked.

 

That’s why there was no unity among the monsters that appeared.

 

It was a place where the so-called predators from the nearby area gathered.

 

So if he had to add a kind explanation for the reason why they flocked…

 

“The predators fight each other over the loot that exists in the swamp.”

 

Hisagi told the guild members.

 

Yeah, he understood that far.

 

The loot of the swamp.

 

A place where strong monsters flocked to take the loot.

 

That’s the predator zone.

 

The rupture that appeared this time, [Predator’s Swamp].

 

But there was one question.

 

“Does that mean the monsters will fight against each other?”

 

“Hey, you punk! Are you new to the predator zone?”

 

“Yes, it’s my first time…?”

 

“What, it’s really your first time?!”

 

Ehem, if it was their first time, they would just feel unfamiliar.

 

Perhaps feeling sorry for getting angry all of a sudden.

 

The bald man coughed and continued.

 

“Yes, monsters also fight in the predator zone. Not only that, they even kill each other. Didn’t I tell you? They’re from different areas. It means that there won’t be anything like blood ties and regionalism.”

 

Indeed.

 

The predator zone was a place where battles never ended.

 

Of course, the level of the monsters that appeared was higher than their level.

 

Appearing in the predator zone meant they had to survive a series of such struggles.

 

“They’re a good catch. Those predatory bastards.”

 

“…Yeah, they’re indeed good catches. But you know, unnie.”

 

“What?”

 

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

 

“Can’t you shut up? How many times have I told you I am okay?”

 

No, she wasn’t okay.

 

She was in a fired-up state.

 

Leonie’s pouty lips spoke for that.

 

Anyone could guess the reason.

 

“Unnie, we usually sleep early and get up early.”

 

Recommended level 1,000.

 

How did Hoyeol get into such a ridiculous rupture?

 

‘Even if we had known, nothing would have changed…’

 

Far from being helpful, they would have become a burden.

 

However, knowing that fact and only knowing that fact after waking up were very different…!

 

‘I really look like a moron.’

 

It was hard to explain, but…

 

How should she put it?

 

A different feeling from helplessness.

 

It was a sense of shame that transcended helplessness.

 

But she realized exactly what she had to do.

 

“Just shut up. From now on, I will sleep only when I die.”

 

Predator’s Swamp.

 

She would raise her level as soon as possible in the new rupture.

 

A predator zone where battles never ended?

 

There was no hunting ground more suitable for berserkers who became stronger as the battle continued.

 

Of course, Leonie wasn’t the only one who had that idea.

 

“The primary goal is to raise 10 levels, nothing more.”

 

“The first goal of our Union is the loot of the swamp.”

 

“I’m sure there will be a lot of angles for Nettube coming out here too?”

 

Even if each person had a different purpose.

 

if you were a predator.

 

If you were strong, you had no choice but to gather in the [Predator’s Swamp].

 

Yeah, because they knew that.

 

Though they might have different ideas.

 

Everyone couldn’t help but think of the same person.

 

Yes, Hoyeol.

 

“I have to work hard to catch up with Hoyeol-ssi.”

 

“To repay the debt of Hokkaido.”

 

“…No way, Lee Hoyeol won’t show up, right? No, he even cleared the level 1,000 rupture. If he’s aiming for this rupture, isn’t that too immoral?!”

 

*

 

Wow.

 

This rupture was tough.

 

To think that the monsters that appeared were at least level 450.

 

Above all, it was the predator zone.

 

In other words, it was a Colosseum where only monsters who were crazy about battle gathered.

 

I tilted my cup and opened my mouth.

 

“It must be very noisy.”

 

No, beyond being noisy, it’s too difficult for me…!

 

My level was only 296.

 

More than anything else, it was a rupture where the battles never ended.

 

‘I don’t think I’ll have any magic power left.’

 

Although the effects of the hexagram brooch and Duke Swallin’s Cherished Item had boosted my mana regeneration considerably… It was true that the absolute amount of mana was insufficient due to the low level.

 

‘I am not a predator.’

 

The interrogation of the demon worshipers was not over.

 

To be honest.

 

I wanted to ignore this nasty rupture.

 

– Approach the oddities (In progress) ▲

 

• Attack the rupture. (Repeat)

 

• Witness the Arcana continent. (Successful)

 

Not only I had a repeated quest to attack the rupture.

 

I even found out that the ruptures were connected to the Arcana continent.

 

Furthermore, I also found out that the demons were active on the Arcana continent.

 

This guy’s pride couldn’t stay still.

 

“They may need an education.”

 

…Yes, this tiring personality that couldn’t live without formality also couldn’t stay still.

 

In that sense, it was a good thing that I had dug several wells. Even if my mana dropped during the ensuing battle.

 

“There are a lot of things that I can use.”

 

First of all, I had black magic.

 

I was trained in swordsmanship, even if I hadn’t had the chance to swing it.

 

Even if the training period was short. In addition to Grandfel’s talent, I was taught by an excellent teacher named Harkon, the leader of the Knights of Lionheart.

 

“Bitter but fragrant.”

 

Also, the tea made of bi-herbs that I had been sipping since earlier.

 

‘Even if it doesn’t taste good.’

 

It was worth reading books on bi-herbs while preparing for the regular conference. Just drinking the bi-herbs as tea had quite a significant effect.

 

[Your vitality regeneration increases slightly for 3 hours.]

 

And lastly.

 

There was still one thing left to check.

 

I opened the inventory.

 

What I took out was a small piece of pentagram star.

 

It was the [Pentagram of Impure Knowledge] that was purified through exorcism.

 

Yeah, it was time to test my hypothesis.

 

Without hesitation.

 

I immediately checked the information on the item.

 

[Pentagram of Pure Knowledge]

 

[Grade: Epic]

 

[Restriction: None]

 

[Effect: When equipped, acquires knowledge of all minerals and plants in the Arcana continent.]

 

[Description: A magic tool containing immeasurably vast knowledge.]

 

…Yeah, I had a feeling.

 

Indeed, an epic-grade item!

 

The effect alone was outrageous.

 

Acquire knowledge of all the minerals and plants of the Arcana continent!

 

I kind of expected it, but in case the disappointment was great, I threw my expectations.

 

‘Isn’t this beyond my expectation?’

 

Other players didn’t know.

 

There was no effect that I could use better than this.

 

Acquiring knowledge of all minerals?

 

This meant that the efficiency of magic that used minerals had increased.

 

Acquiring knowledge of all plants?

 

All plants naturally also include knowledge about bi-herbs.

 

Yeah, what if it’s the predator zone where the battle never ends?

 

I have [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge]…!

 

My confidence soared so high that it wouldn’t be strange if I ran to the rupture right away.

 

However, there was a procedure for everything.

 

I got up from my seat.

 

Yeah.

 

Even if I went and entered the rupture.

 

I had to wrap this up before going.

 

– Chief’s weight (Repeat) ▲

 

• Conduct verification at Topaz Hall. (Successful)

 

• Conduct the regular conference successfully. (In progress)…

 

I tidied up my disheveled clothes.

 

This was the pride of the host of the regular conference.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Two elder mages.

 

And the chief mage, Marcelo.

 

They looked down at the Crystal Hall.

 

To be exact, at Hoyeol who was listening to Banglet’s presentation.

 

Marcelo opened his mouth.

 

“You need to make a decision. At the same time, it’s the chance to make everything right. Akshan and the demon hunter, the unforgivable sin of the Mage Tower. In addition, losing to Sir Lee Hoyeol is the first step toward repaying our debts.”

 

The elders, who were listening silently, sniffed.

 

“I’m sure the Tower Master is thinking the same way.”

 

Then they nodded.

 

“I will tolerate your agenda. Marcelo.”

 

“…!”