Ego (1)

Counterattack. And the vanguard was, as expected, the ultimate weapon, the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower.

The Quirnburk Mechanical Tower rampaged fiercely. The dwarves, who boasted technology rivaling the Mage Tower despite their different paths. After all, wasn't this the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower they had crafted solely for hunting demons?

Ku-gu-gu-guung—! The earthquake rumbling as the mechanical tower ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stepped onto the earth.

"……What the hell is that?"

"R-Run!!"

"Uwaaaaaah!!"

To the demons, that reverberation was pure terror.

"That machine is taking down demons!"

"God……."

"What in the world!"

To those who had suffered under the demons, it became hope.

Of course, the demons didn't just sit idly by. To halt the mechanical tower, they endured massive losses and infiltrated its interior.

Weeeeeeng—!

But that was a miscalculation. As confirmed in the rift, the mechanical tower's interior was a trap-filled nightmare. No, to demons, it was worse than hell itself.

"It's silver!! You fucking bastards!!"

The traps of silver—the very ones that had tricked players into treating ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠them as competitive content—exploited the demons' weakness.

Only after suffering colossal casualties could the demons finally halt the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower. And that was just one out of dozens.

"What the hell kind of monsters are they……?"

The demons' momentum crumbled instead. Their foe was a relentless machine. One that sacrificed itself to perform the exorcism ritual until its bitter end.

In the end, the demons chose evasion over assaulting the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower.

"The Quirnburk Mechanical Tower is our beacon!"

"Follow the mechanical tower!"

"The tower guards our backs. Don't retreat!"

Survivors gathered in the direction the tower advanced. Some used it as an escort to reach their destinations, while others drew courage from it to fight the demons.

Did hope still linger on the Arcana Continent after all? A new blessing from the World Tree descended upon them. For the first time since the demons' emergence, their forces faltered.

Word spread rapidly across the continent.

Ku-uuuung—! Vibrations felt from afar. The roar as the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower moved. Even the dwarves hiding in their shelters felt the tremor.

"……So there were survivors in Akkshan?"

That became the trigger for the dwarves to act.

Du-duung-sil—!

Shortly after they moved, something appeared in the skies over the Arcana Continent. An airship so massive it seemed unbelievable it could fly. The pinnacle of dwarven technology had taken to the air.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang—! Bombardments pouring from the airship. Alongside the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower, the dwarven airship became another catastrophe for the demons.

Why was all this happening on the Arcana Continent? Neither those mounting the counterattack nor the demons could even imagine the reason.

How could they? All of it stemmed from just one person.

It was only natural they couldn't fathom it yet.

The news from the Arcana Continent delivered by the nymph finally made it feel real.

……Whoa, I've really kicked off something massive.

'No wonder they made such a fuss about it being a true legacy.'

The Quirnburk Mechanical Tower. True to its name as an ultimate weapon against archdemons, it was apparently wreaking havoc.

I'd thought it could properly hunt at least one demon from within. But to think even those ruthless bastards were avoiding it.

It must be thanks to the favorable matchup.

The demons' greatest weapon was always status ailments, after all. Even the Mage Tower's elder mages, called demigods, had been swayed by them.

'Machines are naturally immune.'

That realization gave me pause.

……Could Akkshan have accounted for that matchup too?

If so, they were true demon hunters.

'Their mindset is that of demons' natural predator.'

Of course, I couldn't just admire it. I'd activated the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower myself. Yes, I had rightful claim.

The mechanical tower massacring demons on the Arcana Continent. Rights to its accumulated experience and prestige……!

This was honestly beyond imagination. Prestige aside, how much experience had piled up in that tower? The nymph had just said it:

"To stop just one mechanical tower, hundreds of thousands of demons swarmed it."

That meant one tower had felled nearly that many before falling. Even a rough estimate was insane!

Greed welled up. But that was my private affair, not for showing.

"I wish to head to the continent at once."

This time, our intentions aligned. If Grandfell simply wished to set foot on the Arcana Continent out of pride to hunt demons, then I wanted to do the same to claim the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower's experience……!

"Even if dozens—no, hundreds of millions of demons bar the way, it matters not."

I had a title, after all.

[Last Adventurer: You cannot die on the Arcana Continent. Upon death, you instantly return to reality and cannot access the Arcana Continent for a set time. - Cooldown: 24 hours]

Not in reality or rifts, but at least on the Arcana Continent, no worries about dying screaming or drowning in pride.

So if I could just find a way to reach the Arcana Continent……!

'Jackpot.'

Despite my impure motives, did she sense resolve in my words? The nymph spoke.

"I can understand that sentiment."

Then continued.

"However, for the time being, there seems little cause for concern. With the mechanical towers and the dwarves joining in, the demons appear thrown into great chaos."

Right, can't forget the dwarves. I pondered. Why had the dormant dwarves moved? If I had to pick, it was surely the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower. But the specifics eluded me.

'……Something's there.'

All I could guess was that the dwarves knew something about Akkshan's annihilation.

Of course, not worth dwelling on now. If related, a quest would pop up.

'Just hope it doesn't stink like the Goddess Church.'

They'd reemerged to hunt demons. Whatever their circumstances, they weren't without pride. My chest's pride attested to that.

"The time will come to meet them as well."

The nymph's report wrapped up there. Seizing the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠moment, I asked her about the Goddess Church's movements.

The nymph elegantly shook her head.

"No. Neither in the past nor recently have I heard of their activities."

As a forest spirit, she conversed with trees, staying informed on the Arcana Continent. Even she knew nothing of the Goddess Church, past or present…….

'They really just twiddled their thumbs.'

Judgment Day? Waiting idly for some grand event.

I was certain.

'Definitely rotten.'

Blasphemy be damned. The Goddess Church needed flipping.

Of course, no easy task. They were a massive force. Just look at the community uproar. Even tens of thousands of paladins stood ready in Muon, blocking fellow church players…….

'The holy city Muon is an impregnable fortress.'

And I had to meet some unidentified saint there—not even the saintess. Daunting already, but my immediate task was simple. To challenge a giant force, I needed to grow massive too.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Enter the rift and start by leveling up.

Not sticking to one thing, though. I addressed Cley, who'd been silent.

"Skilled mage, Cley Odia."

"Y-Yes?! I-I didn't hear anything. Even if I did, I'll keep it secret to the end. It wasn't like I was eavesdropping on purpose……!"

"I know."

Mechanical tower, World Tree, dwarves. Basically my boasts.

By nature, I'd flaunt them proudly, not hide. But others blabbing another's tales carelessly?

"You need only act with proper decorum."

Anything breaching decorum. Cley nodded eagerly at my words.

"Yes, of course! Everything follows decorum and procedure……. I'll focus on gathering rare herbs. Call if you need anything!"

Hwang-dung-ji-dung— Cley pulled her hand from her loose robe and reached for the cave's leaves. Faintly glowing blue blades. Clearly precious rare herbs.

But I spoke again.

"Cley Odia."

"……Y-Yes!"

"Even gathering rare herbs has its procedures."

"……Pardon?"

"Look around."

"?!"

It happened in an instant. The moment Cley reached for the herb.

Ssu-su-su— Ghosts surrounded her.

"Eek!"

As if they'd waited only for her to pluck it. They'd hidden in the cave walls, heads peeking out, staring at Cley.

"Th-Thank you, Chief……!"

Cley recoiled in terror, pulling her hand back. Then asked me.

"Chief, do you know about that rare herb?"

Of course. I had knowledge from the Pure Five-Pointed Star of Knowledge.

It told me the herb's name.

"Ghostwort."

"Ghostwort? It's new to my limited knowledge……."

"Ignorance is expected, Cley Odia."

Yes, naturally. Ghostwort wasn't some common rare herb.

I recited its effects.

"Ghostwort draws souls. Thus, it's a reagent for summoners and necromancers. To the ignorant, it's merely an ominous plant that summons wraiths."

Cley finally understood.

"Necromancer……. No wonder it's obscure."

Necromancers were rare on the Arcana Continent. Even among players, the class was exceedingly uncommon. Before its advancement conditions leaked, it was barely treated as a proper class.

But Ghostwort's obscurity wasn't solely due to that.

'Not the only reason.'

I eyed the disappointed wraiths. Seeking solace in me? They emerged from the walls, assuming combat stances.

'But you picked the wrong opponent.'

Even with a sword at my side. I'm a mage, after all. The Mage Tower's chief mage.

'Nepotism aside.'

Just as demon hunters ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and demons were natural enemies, mages and wraiths were no less.

I gathered mana and spoke.

"A question, Cley Odia."

"……A question? Yes, I'll answer to the best of my ability!"

"Do you think such a herb with unique effects grows anywhere?"

"Hmm, no! Rare herbs are deeply influenced by their environment!"

"Lady Cley, you are well-versed in rare herbs."

"N-No! Not to the level of praise from a spirit……!!"

Correct, as the nymph said. Even the somber mistletoe I'd gathered in the Predator's Swamp had subtly transformed into a rare herb under the World Tree seed's influence.

"Then, what factor do you think allowed Ghostwort to grow here, in the Mantra Mine?"

"Well, that's……."

Cley couldn't answer easily. Not my place to say, but naturally. Without the Pure Five-Pointed Star of Knowledge's full botanical and mineral lore, even I wouldn't guess.

'Ghostwort grows only where ghost iron is buried.'

Rarest of the rare minerals. Buried in this abandoned Mantra Mine.

Euu-su-su-su—! The Mosspike mercenaries' wraiths lunged at me.

Yes, ghost iron explained it. They'd entered the mine seeking that valuable ore.

But ghost iron isn't easily mined or smelted. Not my concern, though.

Mining? The Pure Five-Pointed Star of Knowledge covered it.

Smelting? Dwarves could refine any ore, including ghost iron. I'd just heard from the nymph.

'So you're the only problem.'

Swift scanning and interference. I cast my spell.

Jeo-jeo-jeo-jjeok—!

"!!!"

The wraiths froze solid.