Chapter 115
I structured the text to conclude the exclamation with “little wonder.” I finalized the paragraphs describing the reactions of the six senior members. I decided to group the scene where Ji Gyu-tae emphasizes ‘Coordination’ under the theme of coordination. I determined that “the players of Coordination” sounded more natural than “Coordination's players.”_TITLE: Demon God Worshippers
They had stopped short of total secrecy, but they had moved with extreme discretion all the same—showing themselves as little as possible until their full strength was assembled, and gathering power in the meantime.
And now the leadership of the Demon God Worshippers judged that they had gathered enough.
"As things stand, those bastards on the Continent don't even reach our toes. This is the moment. I do not believe we should delay any further."
The speaker was someone buried in a thick cloak. Another rose at once to oppose him.
"We get one chance. Rush the work and botch it, and who takes the blame? No. Even if someone does shoulder the blame, the outcome won't change."
"Which is why I'm telling you this is the moment. Drag it out just to be more certain, and all you'll do is hand those Continent bastards an opening."
"And who decided that? Time is on our side. Why? Because we hold overwhelming power."
The two glared at each other as if they were sworn enemies, and the pointless argument dragged on for another ten minutes or so.
Then the one seated at the head of the table spoke.
"Branch Head Ji Gyutae. What do you think?"
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Well. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter when we move. Our enemy, however, is the entire Continent. We may even have to stand against the proxies of the gods. Suppose we win and come to rule it—if we no longer have the strength left to hold what we've taken, what meaning is there in the victory?"
The figure in the high seat nodded.
"So what would you have us do?"
"It's premature. Better to know our enemy for certain before we move. And..."
Ji Gyutae let the sentence die.
"And?"
"There is one nuisance. No—two."
"And you still haven't dealt with them?"
"If I had, they wouldn't still be a nuisance. He's strong. Strong in a way that doesn't make sense."
"Hoh. Someone who gives even you a headache. Interesting. Who?"
"A player named Shin Yujun."
"...Don't tell me. An Earthling?"
"Yes. An Earthling."
"Certainly unusual. Did you meet him back on the previous planet? Or after coming to this Continent?"
"Neither."
"Then the problem is simply that he's strong?"
"The real problem is that he's a first-year Earthling player."
"......"
At those words, all six of the people gathered there went still with shock.
"A first-year?"
"The player who put Branch Head Ji Gyutae in a bind is a first-year? You aren't joking?"
Some of them simply could not believe it, and little wonder. In their minds a first-year player was fixed as a green novice who knew nothing of the world. Even the fifth-year players who had come from Earth could not stand as their equals—and a first-year?
"Hard to believe, I know, but it's the truth. Within mere months of being summoned here, he became strong enough to crush the players of Coordination without breaking a sweat."
"......"
"......"
"If that were all, I wouldn't even have brought it up. Not long ago he crossed into the Demon Realm and killed the Demon King we intended to use in our plans."
"Wh—what...?"
The one seated at the head shot to his feet.
"The Demon King is dead?"
"Yes. I went and confirmed it myself this time."
"Then..."
"Duke Jonas has taken the Demon King's seat."
"Could this not have been Duke Jonas's own doing? Why are you so certain that first-year player killed the Demon King?"
"I beat it out of Jonas myself."
"...And he told you willingly?"
"Hardly."
"Very well. I understand for now. I'd like to know just how strong this first-year is. Can you say?"
"As I said, Shin Yujun killed, alone, a Demon King who had obtained our power. That in itself should be proof enough."
"Hm."
"It follows from his being a first-year, but the greater threat is that his rate of growth is astonishing. Strong enough to kill a Demon King in only a few months? Honestly, who would believe it?"
"I must say I still don't... Are you certain you looked into this properly?"
Ji Gyutae's face hardened.
"Do I look like a man who makes mistakes?"
"N-no. Of course not."
Sweat poured off the one in the high seat—an old man whose appearance suggested he had lived a very long time. High-ranking though he clearly was, he was daunted by Ji Gyutae. The moment laid bare just how firmly Ji Gyutae stood among the Demon God Worshippers.
"If it is as Branch Head Ji Gyutae says, he is certainly someone we must watch. Leave him be, and the odds are high he becomes the greatest obstacle to our work."
At that, the other five Demon God Worshippers nodded.
"We'll have to deal with him, then?"
"Won't Branch Head Ji Gyutae see to it himself?"
"Do you need help?"
"I could handle it alone, but moving in person at a time like this carries too much risk. I also have far too much to do. I'd like to borrow a few elite warriors."
The one in the high seat nodded, his face stiff.
"How many?"
"Five. No—give me ten."
"Ten?"
The man at the head asked it as if he could not quite believe his ears. Ji Gyutae's eyes sank, cold and deep.
"It has to be clean. Send anything half-measured, and all you'll do is give him a chance to grow."
He would not stand by and watch that happen. Ji Gyutae swallowed the rest.
To him, Shin Yujun was not some faintly irritating presence. He was an enemy who had to die—for the sake of the great cause, and to repay every loss and injury the man had dealt him. Look into Shin Yujun, and he was the very one who had ruined every plan Ji Gyutae had set in motion.
I really hope we finish him this time.
For reasons he couldn't name, he felt uneasy. For the first time, Ji Gyutae let an anxious face show.
Drip.
Drip. Drip.
Droplets gathered along the ceiling fell at steady intervals. The place was so thick with silence that each one rang out far too loud.
"The sound-blocking barrier really is something. The dripping's louder than our footsteps."
Rayl sounded genuinely amazed. To Yujun and Manuela the magic was nothing worth noting, but magic-users were rare among the Hon, and they marveled at every little thing.
That was when a woman stepped into view, dressed in a red garment cut like a cheongsam. The corners of her eyes swept sharply upward, giving her the look of someone with a temper.
"What are you people?"
"Guests."
At Yujun's answer she laughed as if she couldn't believe her ears.
"Where exactly do you see guests? You're intruders."
"Then why ask, if you already know."
"...Are you making fun of me?"
Yujun drew his sword. Her manner made it plain she was an enemy, and he saw no point in wasting more words on her. The instant he kicked off the ground and lunged, the blade came around.
The woman in red—Iere—sucked in a useless breath and toppled backward onto her rear. The sword never touched her, fortunately, but the sight she made was far from dignified. Yujun set the edge against her throat.
"......"
Iere swallowed hard.
"W-what do you want?"
"Information."
"Information? What kind?"
"What's your name?"
"...Iere."
"Good. Tell me what this place is."
"......"
Iere squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again.
"I can't."
"You can't? You'll die if you don't."
"It isn't that I don't want to talk. There's a restriction on me. I'm not allowed to speak about this place."
"Who put it there?"
"I can't tell you that either."
"Demon God Worshippers?"
Iere's eyes went wide. That reaction was answer enough.
"Are you one of them?"
She shook her head. So the restriction, it seemed, did not cover admitting that much.
"She's under a restriction. Why not just kill her?"
Jo Su-a's tone was chilling. Iere flinched, her eyes darting as she searched for a way to live, and Yujun spoke low.
"Move even a little, and you die. I don't say things twice."
"...All right."
In the span of only a few months, he had become a man who could kill another human without a moment's hesitation. If Iere tried anything foolish, he was ready to take her head on the spot. She seemed to know it. Cold sweat broke across her skin, and she gave up on resisting.
"There's no need to kill her."
"Why? She's useless."
Yujun turned his head toward Manuela.
"You can do it, right?"
She nodded.
"Yeah."
Manuela possessed an exceptional talent for brainwashing. Hand the woman over to her, and even with a restriction in place, the information they wanted ought to come easily. Yujun bound Iere tight with Bind.
"Ugh."
Pain crossed her face, and she grimaced.
"What are you going to do to me?"
"Shh! Hold still."
Manuela came closer, her expression serious, and set a hand on the crown of Iere's head.
"Nngh—!"
All at once Manuela snatched her hand back and retreated several steps.
"What's wrong?"
"The restriction is powerful. With my strength, breaking it and laying a brainwashing over it is impossible. Sorry."
"It's that bad?"
He knew very well how exceptional her mental abilities were. If even she declared it impossible, then getting the information through brainwashing was off the table.
"What's under here?"
"I can't tell you that either."
"Hm."
Yujun scratched his head. That a single restriction could give him this much trouble was infuriating.
Times like this, an item is the answer.
He opened his inventory and began rummaging, then stopped.
Wait.
There was no need to use an item at all. He had Ancient Magic (EX++), the highest-grade skill he knew. Even No-Pay Casual Gamer had never possessed a skill of this rank, and a high-grade skill gem was socketed into this one besides.
I have a feeling this will solve it somehow.
This time Yujun stepped in close to Iere. He could use mental magic capable of undoing a restriction; he had simply never tried it, and so even he didn't know how effective it would be.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to try lifting the restriction."
"......"
Manuela stared at him as if the idea were absurd.
"Touch a restriction without a proper mental barrier, and you could end up an idiot."
"I know."
"And you're going to try anyway?"
"It's fine. I'm pretty sound of mind."
The S-rank trait Equanimity let him keep his composure no matter the circumstance. And with his Ancient Magic ranked as high as it was, there was little reason to worry. Yujun set his hand to the restriction magic binding Iere.
A vast quantity of mana poured out. For the moment, he felt nothing wrong. He could see a deep gray energy wound tightly through Iere's brain.
So this was the problem.
The backlash was severe. Force the thing loose, or try to erase it, and Iere might die. Her death didn't particularly matter—but a careless touch could cost Yujun his life as well.
...Well. That would be if I didn't have Equanimity and Ancient Magic.
Tok. Tok. He fed in more mana and began to prod the gray energy. A tremendous recoil slammed into him. The pain was hard to bear; the corners of his eyes tightened, and dark crimson blood spilled from his mouth.
So a mere touch does this.
He hadn't cast a spell just now. He had only brushed it with mana, and that alone had done considerable damage. Yujun drank a mid-grade health potion and steadied his stance.
Now then. Let's do this properly.