Chapter 43
Chapter 43
7. Things You Shouldn't Know -2
Communicating with the Glass Sword Lord felt closer to a phone call than a chat. When I sat down, closed my eyes, and focused, it felt like a voice was coming down from somewhere high above.
"It's been a whi■e! Have you been well?
"Yes. I've been well."
We could hold a conversation like this.
The System translator still cut out abruptly here and there to sabotage things, but thanks to studying the Glass Sword Lord's world language diligently⋯⋯ once I got through the annoying work of translating the original content and then guessing the source text based on the scrambled pitches.
"Let's test how hard you've studied. This morning I collected ripe persimmons from the moonlight tree (月光木) in the manor's front yard and ate them, but they were so astringent that I noted it in the ledger to remem■er."
"⋯⋯Ah, yes. You had some bad persimmons. But why would you put that in a ledger⋯⋯"
"You're getting the gist of it?
I had managed to nearly eliminate the parts I couldn't understand. I could confidently claim over 95% accuracy on everyday conversation.
But this translation distortion phenomenon got worse when the Glass Sword Lord released important information—System-related knowledge or valuable tips, for instance. For smooth communication, it seemed I'd need to study to a native-speaker level.
I sat in a formal kneeling posture, focused, and while keeping the connection with the Glass Sword Lord active, I sorted through questions in my head. The time had come to ask what I was curious about.
There was a lot of information I wanted to obtain, but time was limited. I had to prioritize and hear the important things first. Broadly dividing the categories of information I wanted, there were three.
One was growth. Martial arts, Hidden Pieces, the atmosphere of C-rank and how growth worked there. This one was so important it hurt my mouth just to explain its significance.
The second was survival. I was currently on the bad side of a faction called the [Hunter Alliance], and looking back at their movements, they seemed to have connections to higher-ranked hunters as well. If I could learn about them, I could think of countermeasures accordingly.
The last one was about the Glass Sword Lord personally—building rapport. This relationship was based on the Glass Sword Lord's goodwill, so the closer I got to that being, the better. In other words, raising intimacy during this time could be considered an investment in the long run.
If I had to pick one of the three⋯⋯ I'd go with, of course.
Survival.
I chose my first question. Let's ask about "『Master Binder (主縛)』."
Just as the atmosphere of the entertainment agency I'd belonged to had closely resembled the shitty personality of its CEO bastard, an organization's nature could be outlined by looking at its top.
The B-rank hunter who had bestowed skills on the [Hunter Alliance] sniper and the mage from the second tutorial—if I asked about that being, wouldn't I get a clearer picture of the Alliance's true nature⋯⋯ that was my thinking.
"Who is 『Master Binder (主縛)』?
"『■■』-!!"
THUD-!!
The moment I uttered those words, the Glass Sword Lord's roar rang out, and I felt a powerful impact on the crown of my head. I gritted my teeth against the stinging pain that had struck my skull.
We weren't even in the same space. This wasn't like the tutorial where we were connected by some kind of power—it was a sort of chat-phone call, so how could he hit me⋯⋯
[-> Download Slot 1: 『Pain』 (Downloading⋯⋯ 78%)]
⋯⋯Bestowal.
Did he turn pain itself into a skill and bestow it?
While I was shocked by that unimaginable application, the Glass Sword Lord's message continued like a storm.
"It's too early for you, Noah Won! Do not dare speak a higher hunter's ■■ so care■ess■y! If you must refer to one, at least remove ■ from the name and call them by the shell a■one! ■■■■■⋯⋯"
"⋯⋯You're speaking too fast for me to understand."
"Hah, a higher hunter's ■■, ■■, damn it, ti-tles carry power. Merely speaking one can get you caught, and just as I did to you⋯⋯ no, they can make you download something even worse. So it's safest not to put them in your mouth at all."
Titles?
So it's like the epithets attached to people in martial arts novels.
"Yes, I'll be careful."
I nodded. If what he said was true, I needed to be dozens of times more careful. To think you could punish a lower-ranked hunter through "bestowal"⋯⋯
If a C-rank like the Glass Sword Lord could do it, then beings above him could certainly do the same. If merely speaking a name could create a connection, as the Sword Lord said, there was no telling what a B-rank hunter friendly to the [Hunter Alliance] might do to me.
But the Glass Sword Lord seemed to think the warning wasn't enough.
"You⋯⋯ yes, you probably can't grasp it yet. How vast and immense this world is, and how much power higher hunters hold within them."
The Sword Lord added an explanation.
"Normally you'd come to know this naturally over time, but Noah Won, you are extraordinary and already seem to be crossing between layers. It would be better for me to explain in advance just how strong each rank is. Listen carefully."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯!!"
This was.
Yes, this was something I'd really been curious about. How strong could a hunter under the System become? How much power did the beings beyond the telescope actually hold?
The Glass Sword Lord spoke bluntly.
"A completed D-rank hunter is at the level of being able to govern a single nation. A fully matured C-rank hunter, on the other hand, is at the level of being able to rule one world—a single planet."
"⋯⋯Excuse me?
Planets suddenly entering the conversation left me dazed. Didn't the power balance suddenly jump in the middle there?
"Haha, you think the gap is large? But it's not strange. Rather, D-rank is too narrow⋯⋯ D-rank is essentially a tutorial section within the broader System framework. So to speak, you all are just learning to walk."
"Is the difference really that great?
"There may be differences depending on the individual and the world, but there is no exaggeration in my words. Hmm, Noah Won. You've probably heard it too? That some races are born at C-rank or above from birth. Though each individual being granted the System is another matter entirely."
I did seem to have heard something similar. That in this vast universe, other races like elves and dragonkin existed. Though I'd never once seen such other races so far.
"The reason lower-layer humans are assigned D-rank is one thing: to catch up to those races' evolved bodies and refined souls through this process. It's the System's remarkable consideration to at least even out the starting line. That's why important functions aren't unlocked."
"⋯⋯Then the guild function I'm using now is also⋯⋯"
"Yes, it's a function that unlocks from C-rank. If you haven't attained basic strength, you can't even withstand a higher hunter's gaze. Speaking of which, haven't you ever found it strange, Noah Won? That only one hero is selected from each planet to deal with the Monster Trees (怪樹) invading worlds."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
Indeed, that was true.
There was no need for the System to select exactly one hunter per planet, was there? It could have selected twenty or thirty. But if the reason it didn't was⋯⋯ because one was enough.
If the premise was that this one person would manage an entire planet and fend off the monster trees' invasions. Selecting more than one hunter would actually be a loss.
Just as you don't plant multiple seeds in a cramped space, it would be troublesome if hunters from the same planet got into conflicts with each other. But what those words meant was.
⋯⋯That hunters starting at D-rank hadn't even reached the starting line. And I was just preparing to cross that starting line myself.
But suddenly, curiosity welled up.
"If a C-rank hunter is strong enough to rule a single planet, then what in the world is a B-rank like?
"A B-rank hunter at their peak could be called a planet itself."
"What does that mean⋯⋯"
"It means that, though it would take some time, they can physically destroy a planet. This isn't a joke either. I heard that the 『Shattering Lord』 from my own guild carved away half of his home planet through excavation work."
Those words made my head spin. Destroy a planet?
But the Glass Sword Lord, who spoke of such miracles, seemed to regard it as no big deal. No, more precisely, there seemed to be something even more important than that. Just as you cannot admire the glow of a firefly when the sun is before you.
"You noticed? Yes, the power to destroy a planet is ultimately incidental. What matters more is attaining 『qualification』, but I only have a vague sense of that myself⋯⋯ shall I wrap it up with the advice to focus on inner cultivation for now?"
Qualification, huh.
I didn't understand it, but I filed it away in my head. Someday I'd figure it out.
It hit me anew. Then what in the world is A-rank⋯⋯
No, let's not think about it. Don't even ask. B-rank alone was already dizzying enough. The gap between ranks was far larger and higher than I had expected.
So much so that I doubted whether a human like me could ever reach that level. But when I lowered my gaze from staring up at the sky, hope was visible down there.
My goal.
Driving the plant bastards off Earth and restoring the original Republic of Korea, the original world—didn't this mean that just reaching mid-C-rank would make it seriously worth attempting!
Of course, what the Glass Sword Lord had explained so far was that even a single alphabet letter's difference meant a gap that was vast and wide. Mid-C-rank was easy to say, but reaching that point would require countless more efforts.
But didn't I have a kind of guarantee?
└ Azure Wind Wanderer (D / B)
Progress: 20% (2-star / growth restricted)
‘The significance of the System lies in wandering the wide world, so roam various worlds and feed it various rains and clouds. Then you shall be able to command wind and rain at will.’
(Additionally, progress can be increased by consuming Credits)
The Azure Wind Wanderer's potential was B-rank. Even if I devoted myself solely to this one thing, compared to those with nothing, a well-paved road lay before my eyes. And one step further.
The very fact that the B-rank hunter 『Sky Roamer』 bestowed such a skill on me guaranteed my potential, I thought.
The Glass Sword Lord moved the conversation forward.
"Anyway, it's best to be cautious about looking into higher hunters. But if that's what you were asking about, you want to know about the [Hunter Alliance], right?
"Yes, I've ended up on bad terms with them."
"Actually, in the upper worlds, the [Hunter Alliance] isn't such an absolute power. They hold 5th place among the top 10 guilds, so they're certainly a guild with formidable strength, but they can't strut around the way they do at the D-rank level."
So there was no need to curry favor with the [Hunter Alliance] now, and once I ascended, I could just join a reasonably strong guild. With that, the Glass Sword Lord casually dangled the bait of asking whether I'd like to join his own guild.
⋯⋯Not an absolute power in the upper worlds, he said.
But at D-rank, the [Hunter Alliance] was practically the only large-scale guild. There might be small gatherings like the secondhand market I ran, but I'd never seen an organization as large and vast as the Alliance.
Why were those who weren't much at higher ranks so powerful at D-rank?
The Glass Sword Lord provided the answer to that concern.
"The System restricts involvement between each layer. If it were left unrestricted, a single B-rank hunter could annihilate all of D-rank. That's why the guild system is blocked as well. Among those, the layer wall between C and D is especially thick⋯⋯ and there is one sole means of breaking through it."
"You mean Hidden Pieces?
"Yes. In other words, at D-rank, the only opportunity to contact higher hunters is through Hidden Pieces. Are you starting to understand?
"⋯⋯Ah!"
Then receiving a skill from a higher hunter, as I had, was itself a nearly impossible, rare occurrence. But thinking about it that way, wasn't the [Hunter Alliance] strange? I'd seen two people receive skills bestowed from Master Binder alone.
And they seemed capable of pulling various other⋯⋯ strange tricks as well. Like being able to pinpoint my location, for instance.
There was one possibility I could think of.
"The Hunter Alliance has discovered and is managing a 『Hidden Piece』⋯⋯ just as I did in the tutorial."
"That's right. Wouldn't that be the most likely probability? Though I have no idea why they'd go so far as to use such artificial methods to scrape together worthless chaff."
Hmm.
There was no guarantee that only one Hidden Piece existed in this vast world. It wouldn't be strange for there to be a few more. Perhaps, given the size of their faction, they might be occupying more than one Hidden Piece.
So to speak, Hidden Piece farming.
At that moment, a devious thought flashed through my mind. This⋯⋯ if I played it right, couldn't I plunder it? In some form or another.
And if I could do that, the D-rank [Hunter Alliance]'s power would weaken significantly—so the threat directed at me might decrease somewhat. Though as with all good ideas, the problem was "how to do it."
Let's file it away in my head for now.
While I was lost in such thoughts, the Glass Sword Lord spoke up.
"Oh dear, it seems time is running out. Noah Won."
"⋯⋯Already? That's a shame."
"Unfortunately, there weren't many collection matters this week, so I'm short on spare time. Next time, we'll be able to communicate a bit longer. Then before I go⋯⋯ shall I leave a gift?"
Ding!
[2804D27F39EE]
A serial number was transmitted through the System messenger. Given the length and the arrangement, it seemed to be the coordinates of a stage.
"Back in my D-rank days, I once met a colleague who called himself a murim-in. He suggested I leave something behind for future generations before ascending to C-rank. I agreed, and I left a manual for the 『Glass Sword (琉璃劍)』 at those coordinates."
"⋯⋯Thank you!"
"You've probably started to realize this, but being bestowed something by someone isn't always a good thing. A fish in the sea cannot distinguish between food and a fishing hook⋯⋯ So instead of bestowing the 『Glass Sword』 directly, I'm giving you the location of the manual. Train hard!"
"Yessir."
I bowed my head from where I sat. Since we were on a call, I wasn't sure if this action would be visible to the Glass Sword Lord, but showing gratitude to a senior giving a gift was only proper.
Whoosh.
[Temporary communication with the gui■d 『Lumberjacks』 has ended.]
The Glass Sword Lord let out a laugh that seemed to echo from inside his helmet—then his presence vanished.
The Sword Lord truly was a tree that gave without holding back.
Let's organize.
Broadly speaking, I needed to run toward ascending to C-rank. Because ascension—and the bodily reconstruction that came with it—apparently boosted power by a huge margin, far more than I'd thought. For now, that was priority zero.
But rather than the complete transformation the System provided, going through the martial rite Sergios had given me, 『Battle-Demon Ascension (鬪鬼昇格)』, would likely let me reach a higher peak. That spear-wielder wasn't wasting time for nothing.
To do that, I had to become strong enough to withstand Sergios's attacks and match his rhythm, which meant learning other skills or raising the proficiency of existing ones.
"But I already have a few that are fully matured⋯⋯"
Excluding the 『Azure Wind Wanderer』, whose growth was blocked at my current level, and the 『Quick-Flash Inner Core』, which had fully completed its growth.
It would be good to steadily offer valuables to raise the progress of the 『Rite of Order』 while additionally acquiring the 『Glass Sword (琉璃劍)』 secret manual the Glass Sword Lord had left behind. Once I learned it, my skill count would finally reach three.
Also, I needed to grow Elijah just as much before I could undergo the rite⋯⋯ so then.
Ding!
I sent Elijah a message.
[Noah Won: An opportunity came up to obtain a C-rank hunter's skill. But.]
[Noah Won: It seems to be hidden in a stage, but I don't know what dangers might be inside yet. I figured it would be more stable to have one reliable hunter accompany me, so I reached out. Are you free?]
[Elijah: I just finished the Hunter Alliance basic training, so I have time to spare (shy)]
[Elijah: Send me the coordinates and I'll enter (shy)]
[Noah Won: Great, thanks.]
She accepted readily. Alright, let's go feast on our senior's legacy.