Chapter 168
Chapter 168
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: ACT.30 Facilitator (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If it didn't run on mana, I would have taken it to Choi Yeon-soo to trace the communication and pinpoint their location.
But since it was an item, that wasn't possible, so destroying it was the better option.
I moved my foot and used Extreme Eye on the device's remains.
"So it can only listen and speak."
That was a relief.
Thinking they might be watching from somewhere, I'd planned to hide my full power by using only Black Flame and not darkness, but that final bomb forced my hand.
Based on the communication and my inspection of the device,
that group couldn't 'see' what happened here.
They'll misunderstand and think my specialty is Black Flame, which means I can still use the 'Army of Darkness' to catch them off guard.
'A completely new faction...'
The ones to be most wary of aren't monsters or Disasters, but humans.
Especially those who, like me, have played a fair bit of the game.
A bitter smile formed on my lips as I thought about all the threats I had to fend off, both internal and external.
I gazed at the spot where Jacob had vanished without a trace and muttered.
"It would've been great if I could have looked into his memories."
[You don't have an item with that kind of ability, do you?]
"Right. It would have been nice to have a skill like 'Hades's Insight', but it can't be helped."
[...I'm tired of being surprised.]
Hades's Insight.
An S-rank skill that allows one to read a portion of a dead person's memories.
If I had it, I could have read Jacob's memories to uncover the identity of these 'facilitators', but unfortunately, there was no way to obtain Hades's Insight at this point.
'No, wait... is there?'
Thinking about it, it didn't seem entirely impossible.
The issue was having to travel to Greece, but it wasn't out of the question if I was willing to take a little risk.
I took out the Dimension Stone from my inventory and fiddled with it.
It's supposed to contain dimensional power and even allow travel between dimensions, so couldn't it be used as a medium for spatial travel?
If I handled it right, it seemed plausible.
'Maybe I can squeeze it out of Min Gyeong-hoon.'
Min Gyeong-hoon was struggling with his research on Dimension Stones due to a lack of samples. If I gave him one and told him to research in that direction, he'd obviously jump at the chance.
Though he'd probably try to research every possible use for it even if I left him alone.
After a moment of thought, I shook my head.
"Forget it."
Hades's Insight is a unique skill.
There would be so-called 'facilitators' in Greece too, so it was safe to assume Hades's Insight had already been claimed by someone else.
Besides, now that I knew the Dimension Stone was essential for stacking my Disaster Eater trait, I couldn't use it carelessly.
It would be better to find a different way to look into Jacob's memories.
'That aside.'
I stared down at the Dimension Stone.
Cheon Jin-ha didn't know about the Disaster's existence.
Instead, he knew something existed deep within the mine.
In other words, he and I believed different things existed in the same space.
According to the Disaster of Solitude, what Cheon Jin-ha knew about was none other than this Dimension Stone.
It seems the Dimension Stone was handling the 'mana supply', one of the conditions for stigma creation.
The other conditions were coincidentally met by that mine.
[Why would the Disaster give you the Dimension Stone?]
Besial tilted his head.
I remained silent, not answering.
Perhaps Kairum had vaguely noticed the power I possess, 'Disaster Eater'.
Just as Yurgan recognized it immediately.
'They use it in so many ways.'
Strengthening gates, creating stigma mines...
Since it's an unknown, its applications are diverse.
It's an item that wasn't in the original game, so I lack information, while they're using it like some all-purpose sauce in every way imaginable.
...Wait a minute.
"Don't tell me those guys are using this to continuously supply themselves with stigma?"
A chilling thought.
Based on the circumstances so far, most Dimension Stones have come from the Order or groups related to it.
Furthermore, according to Cheon Jin-ha, they even know how to create artificial stigma mines with these stones.
This leads to the conclusion that a hostile faction has an infinite supply of stigma.
'No.'
After thinking it over calmly, I shook my head.
That can't be right. If that were possible, there'd be no reason for Paradise to hand over stigma to the Order.
Why would they accept it when they could be infinitely self-sufficient?
If they needed more, they could just artificially create another mine.
'Even with a Dimension Stone, creating a stigma mine isn't easy. It's only possible to convert specific locations that meet certain conditions.'
This makes more sense.
Even if it's possible to create stigma mines for self-sufficiency, it's not 'enough'.
Because artificially creating a mine is tricky.
What's certain is that there are probably one or two more artificial stigma mines like this one out there.
In other words.
"It's a chance."
I drew my lips into a wide grin.
I couldn't get one here, but if I visit the other locations, there's a good chance.
It's an opportunity to obtain a stigma containing an S-rank skill, if I'm lucky.
Even among S-rank skills, there are duds, but since I can choose whether to acquire it for one-time use or permanently, that wasn't an issue.
[When you smile like that, I get anxious.]
"Why are you anxious? Ah, is it because you got your administrator privileges back?"
[There's that, but... you have a habit of doing strange things.]
Besial grumbled under his breath.
His tone was much milder than before.
It seems his time in hell had a positive effect.
"A lot of it burned."
Even though I had retrieved all the Black Flame that was spreading through the forest before facing the Disaster, the surrounding area was nothing but ash.
Even if this stigma mine becomes mineable again, it'll be impossible to hide it in this state.
'Though even if it recovers, it won't be mineable anymore.'
I glanced one last time at the mine where so much had happened, then headed toward the residential area.
***
"Many things didn't go as expected, but in the end, there were no problems."
In the place everyone had left.
Gyeryongsan, which had seen many visitors today, welcomed new ones.
Both had their faces hidden by robes, but one of them had stunningly beautiful blonde hair that swayed with every step.
"I see. I was hoping he would rampage a little more..."
"Isn't this better than him rampaging so much we can't recover it?"
"Huhu. You have a point."
The one who appeared to be the superior covered her mouth with her hand and laughed elegantly.
It was a simple gesture, yet the man who saw it couldn't hide his unease.
"Is something wrong?"
"Ah, no, not at all."
When she tilted her head and asked, the man immediately brightened his expression and shook his head.
'This is insanely hard to get used to.'
The man clicked his tongue inwardly and averted his eyes.
The Order, spread across the entire world.
Among them, the apostle overseeing East and Southeast Asia was her, Shurue Foreigner.
At the same time, if you were to list the most cruel and insane, she would immediately be ranked number one.
To think that such a woman usually appears as merely an elegant beauty.
Thinking that you really shouldn't judge a person by their cover, the man took a small box from his coat.
Then, from the spot where the Disaster of Solitude had perished, a black, haze-like substance emerged and was sucked into the box.
After confirming that every last wisp had been absorbed, the man closed the box.
"It's done."
"Then let's go. It's not good to stay here for long."
Watching Shurue walk away with light steps, the man narrowed his eyes.
'I have no idea what she's thinking.'
He might be her subordinate, but curiosity was curiosity.
Her actions, which seemed subtly different from the Order's policies, couldn't help but raise questions in his mind.
"Oh, right. Mr. Spade."
After about ten steps.
Shurue suddenly stopped and called his name, causing the man to flinch and automatically reply, "Yes."
"All you have to do is follow."
Shurue said with an enigmatic smile before starting to walk again.
In contrast, the man's expression grew even more complicated as he watched her back.
***
"...What is it?"
The man, his beard grown out and unkempt, exhaled a foul breath thick with the smell of alcohol.
Graham Dicloy.
His haggard appearance, unbecoming of the master of America's largest guild, Pentagon Eagle, made his advisor, William Hitman, narrow his eyes slightly.
'He's not himself today either.'
It was to be expected.
It had been nearly a week since his only sibling, his younger brother Harrington, went missing.
Despite using every means at his disposal, he couldn't be found, and there wasn't a single clue.
The Graham who had been known as the 'Gentleman Tyrant', who would choke the life out of his opponents with a placid face, was gone. In his place was only a broken man who happened to possess power.
"It's a report from A-Team, who went to Korea on business..."
"Didn't I tell you not to bring me reports like that for the time being, William?"
A terrifying aura filled the room.
Under pressure that would have made an ordinary person turn pale and wet themselves, William continued speaking calmly.
"Because I judged it to be a matter the Master should be aware of."
At William's words, Graham's aura subsided.
This was possible only because Graham trusted William absolutely.
Even in his drunken state, Graham knew well that when William expressed his opinion so strongly, there was always a reason.
Graham jutted his chin as if to say 'go on', and William nodded.
"Jacob..."
William trailed off without realizing it.
He suddenly wondered if it was right to say this in the current situation.
He didn't know how Graham, who was already on the verge of exploding, would react to more bad news.
"Jacob?"
"...is dead."
"I see."
Graham showed no particular reaction.
His calm response was unexpected, leaving William feeling bewildered.
"Jacob was strong. But with his personality, I always thought he'd get himself into big trouble one day. It finally happened. Well, that's how it goes, isn't it? The reckless ones leave this world early."
"Master."
"Have you identified the one who defeated Jacob?"
"He was wearing a communication device, so they were able to identify his name. They said it was Kim Se-hyeon."
"Never heard of him. Not a first-generation, must be a second-generation player."
"That is the assumption."
Graham's rough hand picked up the tequila bottle.
"There are a lot of exceptional ones among these second-generation players. Their adaptability, their quick wits... It's like they know the future."
"...I see."
"That's enough. You may leave. Depending on the situation, send L-Team over there too."
"L-Team... you say?"
"We have to get revenge."
Graham gave a chilling smile.
One that made even William, who had seen it many times before, flinch.
"Attacking Pentagon Eagle means attacking me. And I don't let those who cross me live. You know that well, don't you, William?"
"Understood. I'll make the arrangements."
William slowly made his way out of Graham's room.
Once the pungent smell of alcohol faded, William's expression relaxed.
'Kim Se-hyeon...'
Mulling over the name, William thought of the key figures in Korea.
'So there's someone else to watch out for besides the Strategy King.'
That guy went around announcing he was the Strategy King to gather forces from the start, making it easy to collect information on him. But now a dark horse has emerged from an unexpected place.
Realizing that things in this world never go as planned, William straightened his crooked tie.