Chapter 59
Chapter 59
9. Wandering and Settling -1
The method for persuading the Alliance was fairly simple and brutish. But in an emergency, simple and brutish speed becomes efficiency.
"Noah Won, hey! You can't go in here⋯⋯!!"
BANG-!
I kicked the conference room door open with the gray-haired mage still clinging to my leg and dragging along. Then, toward the people staring at me with bewildered expressions.
Especially toward Muyeon, who had maintained his composure even amid this commotion, his fist clenched under the table and ready to strike at any moment, I shouted.
"President Joero is an 『Elf』! I have proof on me!"
"I have a black box here too! Everything he did and every skill he used is recorded in detail⋯⋯ If you'll permit playback, I believe it will add credibility!"
As Elijah, who had followed me in, lightly waved the USB containing the stored data, the man in the black suit seated at the head of the table slowly turned this way.
That man⋯⋯ was the Glass Sword Lord's friend, Muyeon.
There was no time to observe him thoroughly. But if I had to describe the impression from that brief glance, he was a man who exuded an atmosphere akin to solid rock. And yet, somehow. Hm.
This was nothing more than a feeling. But he was like a rock with a great crack running through it. As if he might crumble at any moment.
Through the seaweed-like strands of Muyeon's hanging hair, cold eyes swept over us without emotion. So he could tell whether someone was lying just by looking.
That brief gaze made me feel as though everything had already been seen through.
And in fact, it had been. Muyeon did not particularly doubt my words, and his attitude made the other Alliance members pay closer attention to what I said.
I did benefit from him. But even without that, the circumstantial evidence was sufficient, so I was able to persuade them soon enough.
The Hunter Alliance, one of the two great powers of the D-rank hunter world, had a pyramidal structure. Starting from the lowest rank, Copper, the numbers decreased as you went up, and the executive-level Golds numbered just over thirty.
And at the very top, Diamond, only three remained.
At present, inside the abandoned factory where Joero was conducting his ritual, there were about twenty people I had brought⋯⋯ and if you added Joero's subordinates, exactly thirty-one people in total.
Except for the few who were carrying out an important Stage outside, virtually the entire executive corps of the Alliance was gathered.
Condemning a faction leader with most of the guild's core gathered⋯⋯ This could rightly be called a motion of no confidence.
There was one point I needed to address here: the Alliance was not yet my ally. This was an important point.
Right now I had opened this assembly by borrowing the authority of the System and the Glass Sword Lord. But if I failed to brand Joero as a traitor, this place could instead become my grave. After all, arms bend inward.
In any case, this meant that what came next was what mattered. I had to prove that Joero was an 『Elf』, and further—that he was a harm to the Alliance.
"President Joero! To think you would go so far as to do something like this⋯⋯ This is why the System is punishing you for committing such atrocities! And on top of that, to lay your hands on martial arts practiced only by heretics and traitors!"
"⋯⋯Who are you?"
Since this was such an occasion, I had brought along the gray-haired mage, a mere Silver-rank nobody whose face Joero didn't know. I thought she could serve as a mouthpiece to whip up support for our side.
But the Hunter Alliance was a vertical structure. And the hunter profession itself had the characteristic of not being oppressed by the majority. As long as you were strong enough, you could fold everyone in half.
In other words, for hunters, the equation of force = authority always held true.
Even if I persuaded the Gold-rank Alliance members, I lacked the authority to bring down Joero, who was Diamond-rank. So I had brought someone from the opposing faction as well.
"Joero, you abandoned the Preta Path and laid your hands on the Hell Path."
"⋯⋯Muyeon!!"
The man radiating a pressure comparable to Sergios—Muyeon, the Glass Sword Lord's friend and the president leading the Hunter Alliance's traditional faction.
And the third Diamond-rank member, who had been sitting without presence, hidden behind the power dynamics between the two factions. A dwarf wearing a pure-white hood that covered their entire body.
"This will have to be reported to the higher-ups⋯⋯ No wonder the Prophet said they had sensed a source of trouble. When I return, I'll have to write a notice and inform the Alliance members of this matter in detail."
The gray-haired mage had told me this was the neutral faction priest, 'Minion.'
He supposedly stayed out of these factional fights, communicating with the Hunter Alliance's main branch and handling the administrative work of distributing notices to Alliance members. Given the gravity of the charges against Joero, he had appeared from somewhere and joined in.
With this, the authority was two against one.
Snap!
I snapped my fingers to draw attention and stepped forward. Time to wreck you, Joero.
"I will begin. Are you prepared?"
"⋯⋯Brothers, seeing this, my heart is uneasy. This white-haired man before you is a hunter registered on the kill order for obstructing Alliance events at every turn. Do you think it is proper for him to preside over these proceedings?"
Attacking the messenger from the start, I see. I let out a cold, derisive snort.
"I will say it again: I am here as the acting representative of the C-rank hunter 『Glass Sword Lord』. The System has even marked it to facilitate the smooth progress of this matter, so if you doubt me, you are welcome to check my Status Window."
"Status Window? Ridiculous. It is possible to show one's Status Window to others, but it is not difficult to falsify its contents either. The universe is vast and magic is diverse."
"Well, let's say that's true for now. Then I'll ask President Muyeon, who has ties to the Glass Sword Lord. Wouldn't he have a way to vouch for me?"
"If it's Muyeon, he could fabricate lies to bring me down. He is a frank man, but hasn't the traditional faction been losing ground to the radical faction recently?"
Denying for the sake of denying. If he was going to come at me like this, there was a way. I just had to make him keep making these excuses. People tend to accept one or two denials as plausible.
'Popular star Han Seolhwa, full denial of 13 consecutive dating rumors!'
The moment someone denies things to a suspicious degree, the atmosphere turns strange. Let's see how far you can go, you bastard.
Just as I was working out the framework to slowly chip away at Joero's fundamental credibility, someone I hadn't expected stepped forward. It was the neutral faction priest, Minion.
He took one step forward with a stride so narrow it was almost childlike, then testified.
"I don't know about this person called the Glass Sword Lord, but I will vouch that the System is showing a slight interest in the 『Elf』 charges against President Joero. I'll stake my Alliance cafe board on it."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
I wondered whether staking something like that even carried any credibility.
But Joero let out a low groan and his momentum deflated, and seeing Muyeon nod gravely as well, Minion's words apparently carried their own weight.
Curious as to why, I glanced at Hori, and she said one thing in a voice that sounded half-dead.
"Heaven Path practitioner."
Ah. That made sense.
Given that the Glass Sword Lord, a Heaven Path practitioner, also held the ominous and unsettling post of System Debt Collector, the Heaven Path seemed to be a path closely connected to the System.
In the first place, the Heaven Path ritual 『Rite of Order』 itself was a method of growing closer to the System, so if one had trained deeply, it wasn't strange to sense such movements.
Now that the charges themselves had gained weight, attacking me as the messenger would be less effective. Time to drive the nail in completely.
I pulled a booklet from inside my coat and waved it.
"This book is the Hell Path ritual I obtained from you. Why did you attempt to use such a brutal ritual?"
"Brutal, you say. The Hell Path and the Preta Path are not so different. Would you kindly stop painting me as some strange person based on drifting rumors?"
"There's a flaw in that argument. I've heard that the Hell Path has a demonic nature at its core. The Preta Path may sacrifice others, but one can still resolve to save someone. The Hell Path, however, is said to move solely in the direction of serving oneself⋯⋯"
Thwack!
I rolled up the booklet and slapped it against my palm as I shouted.
"Then, if the Hell Path and the Preta Path are no different as you claim—could you explain what benefit the Hunter Alliance could gain from this ritual?"
"That is⋯⋯"
Right, there was no way he could explain it. I looked around at the assembly and clearly revealed the purpose of this booklet, 『Erzsebet's Reforging』.
"This ritual does speak of reforging the body, but it was in fact created for cosmetic purposes."
"Cosmetic?!"
"Yes, cosmetic."
The gray-haired mage let out a gasp of horror that was almost a scream. Seeing the beastman children still thrown onto the magic circle with their limbs bound, she seemed even more appalled.
"I have read it, and I had President Muyeon read it as well for verification. If anyone doubts whether that is truly the case, you are welcome to come and read it yourselves."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
"Not to save the world, not to become stronger⋯⋯ but to offer up children as sacrifices in order to become prettier. Surely you don't believe that getting plastic surgery yourself benefits the Alliance?"
When I deliberately played it up in a comedic tone, a small snicker escaped from around the room. A few Alliance members had apparently failed to hold back their laughter.
Grind.
Meanwhile, the sound of teeth grinding came from Joero's jaw. It was as good as proof that I was doing well.
I had made him strange, and I had made him ridiculous. The latter was what mattered. A funny person may be respected, but a ridiculous person is not easily respected. With this, the buildup was complete.
Now it was time to stab with the blade.
"I actually know. You didn't want to change your face with this 『Erzsebet's Reforging』—you wanted to hide your ears, which had grown long after you became an 『Elf』. Isn't that right?"
"Slander."
"Then you must admit that you carried out this low-grade ritual, squandering the Alliance's resources, purely for the ridiculous reason that you didn't like your own face. Of course, no one would believe such an excuse."
"Any further defamation⋯⋯!"
When ordinary people's emotions are disturbed, the difference shows first in their vocalization. Joero was the same. No matter how long he had reigned as president, it seemed he had never professionally trained his voice.
"Enough!"
I crushed it with a voice full of unwavering conviction.
So that every gaze had no choice but to turn to me. So that every ear had no choice but to focus on my words.
I met the pouring gazes head-on and gave a bold jerk of my chin toward Joero, whose eyes were blazing with fury.
"Unwrap those tightly bound bandages and show us your ears! Wouldn't that resolve everything? If it were me, I would have shown them long ago out of consideration for the people gathered here!"
"⋯⋯If you wish, I will show you."
"Don't say it as if you're doing us a favor. That is something you should have done from the start."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
Joero ground his teeth furiously as he unwound the bandages wrapped around his head. He had wrapped them so meticulously that it took quite some time just to undo them. And what was revealed was—
A face hideously burned and scorched, and the traces of where ears had been—cut off with a blade and then cauterized. He had removed them so thoroughly that it would have been difficult even if he had been aiming for it.
He glared at me and tried to voice his justification.
"I ended up like this while hunting a monster fused with flames some time ago. It was a severe injury, so I wrapped it in bandages because I didn't want to show others—"
"Is that so. Then take this."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯?"
Whoosh-!
The glass bottle I threw flew in a parabola. Joero snatched it with one hand, then inhaled sharply as if he had seen poison.
"I thought that might be the case, so I stopped by the Alliance warehouse and brought a potion. I heard it's a valuable item capable of rapid regeneration. If you sprinkle it on, we can confirm right here and now."
"I, Muyeon, president of the traditional faction, have authorized the release of this valuable item. Any loss incurred will be covered at my discretion."
"Th-this is⋯⋯"
"Sprinkle it on. President Joero."
Joero stood frozen, holding the potion in one hand.
Of course he would. The fact that he had hurriedly prepared a ritual—and one that was nothing more than exchanging bodies—already gave me 99% certainty.
All this commotion had been Joero's plan to disguise himself as an 『Elf』 and infiltrate the Alliance. I still didn't quite understand why he had chosen young beastmen as sacrifices⋯⋯ but if we sat that bastard down and put him to the question, he'd probably tell us.
The Hunter Alliance members began to glare fiercely at Joero.
Because he had been trying to damage the Alliance's interests. Even a pyramid scheme collapses the moment its top dog starts running. He had lost the people's trust in this moment.
Confusion spread among the eight radical faction members who had been helping Joero prepare the ritual. Some of them clearly showed their suspicion.
"Th-that can't be⋯⋯ the president is an Elf⋯⋯? Now that I think about it⋯⋯"
"I knew something was off. I said something was off— Gurk?!"
Stab-!
He was stabbed from behind by a comrade's blade and collapsed on the spot.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯!!"
Stab! Stab! Slash!
Grisly sounds rang out in succession. Four of the radical faction members—half of them—ambushed the nearby radicals, struck their vital points, and then⋯⋯ began gathering at a single point as if to protect Joero.
Their ears were not pointed. They were properly round human ears. Amid the rapidly chilling atmosphere, they urged Joero on.
"President, if we get out of here, you must keep your promise. The introduction to the 『Sower (播種者)』 for us too⋯⋯!!"
"What should we do now, President!"
Right. If he was going to carry out something like this, he would naturally have used his close associates, and he would have explained his plan to them. From what they were saying, they were apparently potential Elves as well.
Our side also prepared for battle. The justification was effectively finished, so now was the time for weapons to do the work.
We had superior numbers, and our combat strength was beyond comparison. And on our side was Muyeon, who could have become a C-rank hunter but had deliberately remained at D-rank. I didn't know for certain, but he was probably formidable.
"Heh heh⋯⋯"
Then Joero began to giggle as if he had half lost his mind. He glared at me with wild, gleaming eyes and spoke.
"How do you plan to fight them?"
"What?"
"How do you possibly plan to overcome the assault of the plants, which no one has ever seen the end of? Even those at higher ranks, even those at far higher ranks—none of them could claim to have 『closed』 a Gate⋯⋯ Do you understand? Not even in cheap rumors did anyone dare say such a thing."
The madness he unraveled with trembling hands⋯⋯
It looked closer to that of a soldier who had half lost his mind on the battlefield. He poured out his words as if screaming.
"Even B-rank hunters, who are near gods to us, are still tormented by those things. To escape this hell, would I have to become something beyond that—an A-rank hunter? Haha! A realm held by barely more than twenty in this vast universe? Me?"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
"There's no way I could. I know my place! My talent is only enough to barely aim for C-rank by walking this filthy path⋯⋯ Someday my planet will turn green and die. To that death that cannot be avoided and never stops."
"Ha⋯⋯ So you betrayed humanity and sided with the plant bastards?"
I stood askew and let out a sigh. In truth, it wasn't that I found Joero pathetic. Because I had imagined the what-ifs myself.
If that man's words were true, then even if I rose to C-rank hunter and cleanly swept Earth, the Gate would not close. And increasingly stronger monsters would invade. And someday, I would fail to hold them back and die.
Like a shark—if you can't swim endlessly, you eventually drown.
It was a bleak story. I fully sympathized with that part, but⋯⋯ still, I thought the timing was rather premature. If it were me, I would have held out as long as I possibly could. Even if I didn't know what came after.
And that wasn't what mattered.
"I have seen it! They showed me the 『Great Flood』! This is a war that cannot be won⋯⋯ So rather than dying and losing everything, it is right to secure even a handful of land to live on, Noah Won—!!"
"Is that so⋯⋯ So what did you plan to do by infiltrating the Hunter Alliance, even burning off your own ears?"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
"Since 『Elves』 are enemies of humanity, it couldn't have been for any good purpose. Cut the bullshit and just stick your neck out. I, for one, have no intention of listening any further to someone spouting that killing all of you is justified because I need to survive."
That bastard had morally gotten on my nerves. I'm no saint, but massacring a village and capturing children to offer up is hard to overlook.
And he had hurt Elijah. Those two reasons were more than enough.
I adjusted my grip on my shield and rolled my wrist, the one holding the shortsword. According to Elijah, this guy also had talent in close combat, but I was probably better. In that case, it was better to close in so he couldn't fire his bow.
I advanced. Like a leopard about to pounce on its prey.
Then.
"⋯⋯Heh, heh heh."
Something felt⋯⋯ off. He was laughing?
I shouted urgently.
"Everyone with a ranged attack! Kill President Joero! Right now!"
"Settled Elves dwelling in the branches facing northeast, move your branches with the gentle breeze! Cover the cries of beasts with the sound of grass blades brushing!"
"『Azure Wind Wanderer⋯⋯』"
"『Sowing (播種)』, 『Sprouting (萌芽)』!"
The moment Joero shouted that—suddenly, without any warning.
CRACKCRACKCRACKCRACK—!!
With the sound of the sky splitting apart, a Gate opened in the empty air of the abandoned factory.