Chapter 219
Chapter 219
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 219
Chapter Title: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend? (4)
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[It's a Dimension Stone. I'm sure of it.]
Besial confirmed it as well.
Though hidden by her robe, the unique aura of the Dimension Stone couldn't be concealed.
‘A ring… is it?’
It wasn't so much a necklace made from Dimension Stones, but rather a collection of rings, each set with a Dimension Stone, strung together to form one.
And among them, some radiated a particularly malevolent energy.
I couldn’t believe it, but they were actually proceeding with that plan.
“My dear, do tell. By what method do you claim we've been strengthening the Disasters?”
A question she could only ask because she knew I couldn't answer.
If I didn't know, that would be the end of it. If I did, I'd be caught in a contradiction.
Such was the nature of the Dimension Stone's existence.
[Since ancient times, whenever humans found something precious, they'd fight and tear each other apart to possess it, inevitably leading to their own ruin. Watching that was always a blast.]
‘So you'd deliberately toss them something precious?’
[Nope. When they were busy fighting, I'd just wait for the right moment and swipe the precious thing for myself.]
Besial chuckled.
Perhaps the treasures that vanished without a trace during wars were all Besial's doing.
“I suppose I'll get that answer from you in prison.”
“Oh, my.”
Black flames began to spread slowly from the ground.
The enhanced Black Flame, reacting to my hostile intent, began to move on its own.
“What a troublesome child. I carved out time from my busy schedule to come here, and you're making me waste it so meaninglessly.”
“Lady Shrue. I will hold him off. It would be best for you to withdraw this time.”
“But I haven't received *that* yet.”
“You are aware of how strong Kim Se-hyeon is.”
“Mmm…”
Shrue touched a finger to her cheek as if troubled, then shook her head.
“Still, no. I need to fill all of these to get close to my target.”
As she spoke, Shrue caressed the rings on her necklace.
There were five rings in total.
Of those, two were glowing with a murky light.
‘I defeated two Disasters before the Disaster of Defiance.’
The numbers matched.
Because what Shrue was doing was collecting the remnants of the Disasters in those rings.
‘Should I take her down here, or should I let her go on purpose?’
In the distant future, during the war with the Order.
Shrue plays a rather significant role then.
Even setting aside the plan Sie mentioned.
So, if I capture Shrue here, things might get easier in the short term, but the events of that future will change significantly.
‘…No.’
If it's something I don't know, isn't that plan—the one that never properly progressed in the game—already a deviation?
Letting that plan proceed is the greater risk.
“Those will never be filled, Shrue Foreiner.”
*Fwoosh!*
The Black Flame erupted in concentric circles, and darkness swallowed the space in the shape of a dome.
I had forcibly isolated the space, inside and out, to prevent Shrue from escaping.
“Wait, are you planning to drag me into this too?”
“They have two people. We need two on our side to even the numbers.”
“Why have you been acting as if I'm on your side...? Well, it's not like I'm on their side either, but...”
Emiliana let out a deep sigh.
But that didn't mean she was willing to cooperate with me.
[Humans get that look in their eyes when they're up to something.]
‘Hey, how long are you going to stick around? Don't you have administrator duties?’
[I'm doing them right now. All these important factions are gathered and ready for a big fight. Where else would I be?]
‘...Sounds like something interesting is happening somewhere else.’
[N-No, it's not!?]
‘You don't have to say it. It's obvious. Busan, right?’
Besial's eyes darted around with a ‘how did he know’ expression.
The foreshadowing was laid quite a while ago.
Whether L-Team returned to the US or not, they would have passed through Busan first.
If Jeon Do-jin hadn't managed to clean up the problematic factions in Busan by now, the situation would have surely festered and blown up.
“Well, I suppose it's fine. It seems what I was looking for isn't here anyway.”
Shrue, with an indifferent expression, tapped the empty air with her hand.
Space tore open.
A familiar sight.
Before that thought could even finish, I raised my voice without realizing it.
“A Gate!?”
“If one has the power to move between dimensions, a barrier like this is nothing, my dear.”
Shrue smiled sweetly, waved, and stepped into the Gate.
Damn it. A mere human can open and close Gates at will?
Does that plan make something like this possible for humans?
“Stop right there!”
“I won't let you pass, Kim Se-hyeon!”
Spade immediately blocked my path.
Come to think of it, this guy managed to keep up with me earlier.
Despite the significant difference in our agility stats on paper.
“Even if your agility stat is superior, blocking you isn't difficult if I know where you're going.”
“Tsk.”
Shrue's body hadn't completely passed through the Gate yet.
If I knocked Spade aside and moved quickly, I could just barely catch her...
“Let Shrue go. Only then can I tell you what I know. I am not your enemy.”
Spade whispered so quietly that only I could hear, causing my body to falter.
“…What?”
And in that brief moment of hesitation, Shrue vanished completely beyond the Gate, which then disappeared.
I glared at Spade for a moment before letting out a short sigh.
He had already raised both hands, signaling his surrender.
I dismantled the barrier I had created around us.
“And I assume the Saintess over there will provide an explanation as well?”
“…That man will explain everything, so I see no need to speak.”
If there hadn't been any proof, I would have ignored Spade's words and gone after Shrue.
But there was proof.
Clear proof that the Saintess had buffed Spade.
“To think the gap between us is so wide that it can only be closed with a buff from the Saintess… You're beyond the rumors. An incredibly strong man. The difference is so vast, I don't even feel the urge to compete.”
As Spade brushed the dust off his body, a faint powder of light scattered from him.
It was one of two things.
Either the Saintess was on the Order's side and buffed him to stop me, or she was on Spade's side, and he was a spy *in* the Order, which is why she acted that way.
Seeing as they both reconfirmed Shrue's disappearance, the latter was certain.
The fact that Emiliana had been hesitant to act, as if she were watching someone, was further proof.
“Planting a spy in the Order… Salvatio plays a bold hand. To be positioned as an Apostle's aide, you must be quite trusted.”
“It took some effort. By the way, the fact that you were lying in wait here... does that mean you had information on this matter?”
“…It was just a hunch. There were quite a few suspicious things. It wasn't just the Disaster of Defiance that was strengthened.”
“That's true. This is the third time, after all. It would be stranger not to notice something was off.”
It must have been a natural-sounding answer, as Spade immediately accepted it.
I have to hide the fact that Sie gave me the information.
It would be problematic if Sie's position within Salvatio were to be diminished or if she were expelled.
“…This is why I tried to steer the conversation and subtly change locations.”
Emiliana grumbled, rubbing her forehead.
No wonder she kept trying to urgently get my attention.
She knew everything but acted that way because she didn't want me to find out.
“Kim Se-hyeon. We share a common enemy in the Order. That is the only reason I am sharing information with you.”
“Get to the point.”
“Salvatio was also trying to use the Order. But, as you've noticed, their actions are quite different from EOA's. Yes, for example… that thing around Shrue's neck is suspicious, and Shrue herself is suspicious.”
Spade glanced at Emiliana.
Emiliana looked quite displeased that so much information was being revealed to me.
Apart from that, I felt there was another reason Spade was being so cautious.
“Spade. Just how much are you going to explain?”
“The fact that he was lying in wait means he already knows everything. They say the enemy of my enemy is my friend. It's better to just share the information.”
“Are you aware that this is clearly against His will?”
“I don't see it that way at all. If you're dissatisfied, I suggest you leave.”
“What did you say? Spade, you're not in a position to say that to me!”
“The same goes for you, Emiliana.”
The Saintess bit her nails, making a sharp sound.
Then, with a fiercely hardened expression, she turned away.
“You've ruined my mood. Let's go.”
The Saintess's guards appeared in a flash, forming layers of protection around her.
Their expressions remained unchanged, as if they had seen this side of her many times before.
[So that's the Saintess's true face. Wow. The angel who chose her as a saintess is hilarious. Could they really not have known?]
“They might not have cared.”
[Huh? No way. She's a saintess.]
Being a low-level devil until now, he really doesn't understand the nature of angels and gods.
Come to think of it, gods will soon start appearing on the sponsorship list in earnest.
It meant not only the players but also the enemies would become drastically stronger, so I wasn't exactly thrilled.
“Now that she's gone, I'll talk. Those things on her necklace. Their identity is something called a Dimension Stone. Shrue is using them as a means to harness the power of the Disasters.”
Spade said.
I gave him a look that said 'keep talking'.
“That's all I can say for now. Shrue doesn't tell me everything either. Rather than giving you uncertain information…”
“That 'person' Emiliana mentioned earlier... are you talking about your leader?”
“…We'll meet again later. If you follow the original story and come to America, you are bound to meet him.”
Spade cleverly avoided the question and took his leave.
I had deliberately cut him off mid-sentence, but he dodged it more skillfully than I expected.
And yet, the fact that he didn't deny it said something about his character.
[Harnessing the power of the Disasters… I really can't understand what goes through humans' minds. Do they normally think of using the power of something that tried to kill them all? Do they have any idea what could happen?]
“That's the frightening thing about a cult with the characteristics of a religion.”
There are better things to worship.
Worshipping demonic beasts and trying to summon high-level ones... those guys are not normal by any stretch.
To go beyond that and try to use the power of a Disaster...
‘…Han Hyeok-jun.’
The thought suddenly struck me.
If the Order's Apostles have already mastered how to use that power, just like Shrue did earlier, then Han Hyeok-jun could be in grave danger.
[Ahem, hem, hem. Wait a minute. I have something to say.]
I was about to hurry away, but Besial blocked my path with a series of coughs.
“I'm busy right now. Later.”
[Hey, don't be so prickly. Would I bring you bad news? Sure, I used to dislike you and find you annoying, but all that's in the past now. For real!]
I recalled the saying that those who talk too much always have something to hide.
But since Besial seemed determined to get his message across, I had no choice but to stop.
“So, what is it?”
[Ta-da!]
[The 'War God of Evil Spirits' shows great interest in you.]
[The 'Holy Undead' wishes to share its power with you.]
[The 'Guide of the Sky Road' tempts you to become its incarnation.]
[The 'Ruler of Tartarus' is….]
*Ping! Ping! Ping!*
As Besial manipulated something, a sudden explosion of sponsorship messages began to pour in.
Some were simple messages, while others were sponsorships that sent coins or items as if they were offerings.
…I had tried to block that side of things in advance to avoid getting involved with gods if possible.
I haven't even entered the next main quest yet, so how did they approach me first?
No, there's no need to ask.
I immediately called out to Besial.
“Hey.”
[Y-Yeah?]
“How much did you get paid?”
[Paid?! How cynical can you be!? I purely thought this would be helpful to you…!]
“How much did you get paid?”
[…A little?]
“How much is 'a little'?”
[Just a small commission.]
“Is that so?”
I smiled brightly.
“I'll give you a choice. Should I make that your funeral contribution, or will you admit your mistake and we'll move on?”
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