Because I Exist, It's Possible (2)
It had been a while since I'd seen a class quest. This really drove home just how massive the Demon King Struggle was as an event. I checked the quest window again.
Gate to Hell
The Arcana Continent of Annihilation.
The new evils desire to seize the throne that has fallen into hell.
However, they overlook your existence.
The final demon hunter.
Burn the arrogant demons with the flames of hell.
📍 ─ Train your weakened body. (Repeat)
📍 ─ Witness the throne that has fallen into hell. (In Progress)
The moment I read it, I understood. Why the demons had opened the Gate to Hell—something utterly disadvantageous to them.
That's right. The demons were after the throne that had fallen into hell alongside the demon king they'd lost to a demon hunter's hand. In other words, the throne that had plummeted to hell with them.
So what about the throne? The old me would have vented my frustration, blaming the ten-year gap. But as I said, to avoid sinking into pride. I hadn't stopped struggling. And this item was proof of that.
◈ Magical telescope for remote viewing
The demon eye's view slowly shifted. Toward the soaring flames of hell. Toward the throne rising amid the inferno.
Nam Taemin, who had been watching silently, finally spoke.
"......Is that a chair?"
That's right.
"More precisely, it's the demons' throne."
"The throne......!"
"So the Demon King Struggle is a fight to claim that throne!"
Harcon's assessment was spot on.
Hakuna wore a troubled expression.
"To brave hell's flames just for that throne... it must hold immense power. Well, even I was granted monstrous strength by the Gluttony of the Seven Deadly Sins......"
Hakuna had once been possessed by the incarnation of Gluttony.
The ancient Yusra Kingdom knew no battles or strife. As its king, Hakuna naturally lacked any combat prowess. Yet even through Hakuna's body, Gluttony had unleashed its full might.
In Arcana system terms...
The demon who claims that throne would ascend to boss monster status, elevating its tier.
Indeed, players were quick to grasp such things.
Hisagi muttered lowly.
"This is not good."
"What do you mean, Hisagi?"
"A demon willing to endure hell's flames to claim the throne must already be a formidable one. If such a being seizes it......"
"......!!!"
He was right.
Shall we drag in Raxiros, the hegemon of the Demon Realm's west, as an example? If he were alive and claimed the throne...
It would mean a level 1,000 named monster transforming into a boss monster.
"The demons have good reason to take the risk."
Marcelo delivered an objective judgment.
"Ah, so that's why. Now I get it."
Even Kichi, who had raised the question, circled her finger in understanding.
Well, the mystery was solved, but the mood had plummeted.
And understandably so.
"The key is to stop a demon from claiming the throne."
"The path won't be smooth. The moment we intervene in the struggle, we'll become the enemy of every demon there. Relying on their treacherous nature is......"
Harcon and Tarim, veterans of war, grasped the crux swiftly. They were even considering strategic gains amid the demons' infighting over the throne.
Of course, I cut them off.
"Such a thing is intolerable to my pride."
As if.
Expecting anything from demons? For Grandfell, it was better to just sink away.
But as I said, it wasn't mere grandstanding. I was alive. Because I existed, there was a path forward.
What had sparked the Demon King Struggle in earnest to begin with?
'Because Akkshan was annihilated.'
Yes, the Demon King Struggle was a double-edged sword even for the demons. Opening the Gate to Hell with their own hands—a death trap, no less. That was why it hadn't commenced for so long.
'With their natural enemy, the demon hunter, wide awake.'
No demon had the guts for that.
But Akkshan was wiped out in the Holy War. And I—the last survivor of Akkshan, who had hurled Gluttony and several demon kings into hell—was deemed slain through the sacrifice of millions of demons.
They concluded there were no more obstacles to the Demon King Struggle.
They had no inkling of my [Last Adventurer] effect!
"The foolish horde overlooks it."
That was why I declared it so brazenly.
"My very existence."
......Wait, hold on.
It's not wrong, but did you have to say it that dramatically?!
Much to my inner scream's dismay.
"!!!"
Everyone's gazes locked onto me.
Instead of digging one rat hole, I should have dug a fox hole to escape through. ......I really live such a grueling life.
*
Another bomb had dropped at the AAU.
A cooperation request from the new AAU branch: the AAU Yusra Branch.
"Demon King Struggle? What the hell is that?!"
Tak-tak-tak-tak!
Typewriter sounds echoed nonstop everywhere.
Seong Hyunjun and Yoon Sugyeom hurriedly scoured the database.
Seong Hyunjun cried out desperately.
"No, senior. We have info on the Demon Realm, but hell? You sure it's not a mix-up? Hell and Demon Realm kinda sound similar, right?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Search everything you can."
"......Senior, was that pronunciation just now? You didn't swear, did you?"
Epic item setting: Hell's Torch. Item set in commemoration of Romantic Explorer Lorentsk discovering hell's entrance. Specific storyline under development.
Demons slain by demon hunters fall to hell and cannot revive. No demon is exempt.
Searching "Hell" in the database yielded only dusty old info and settings. For example...
Seong Hyunjun spoke up.
"Epic item setting: Hell's Torch. Commemorative item for Romantic Explorer Lorentsk discovering hell's entrance. Specific storyline in development."
It was odd to have any detailed settings at all. Romantic Explorer Lorentsk himself was an unimplemented NPC with just a few basic outlines.
"And one more. Demons slain by demon hunters fall to hell and never revive again. No exceptions."
The rest was much the same. Hell, unlike the Demon Realm—which at least had basic lore—was barely mentioned.
Seong Hyunjun bit his lip.
"Will this useless info even help?"
Tak!
Yoon Sugyeom pulled his hands from the keyboard and swiveled his chair.
"It's not for us to judge. It's for Player Lee Hoyeol......"
No, the title needed updating now.
"The head of the AAU Yusra Branch."
AAU Yusra Branch. As a special branch, it had no branch chief—only a head overseer.
The world already placed heavy expectations on Hoyeol. Now he bore yet another burden.
"Man, that title sounds weighty."
Even the AAU was leaning on Hoyeol now.
There wasn't much a mere employee could do. Still, Seong Hyunjun and Yoon Sugyeom wanted to help, even a little.
"Right? We should scrape together everything and send it over."
Of course.
"Heh─"
AAU Korea Branch Chief Park Minjae felt much the same.
Park Minjae pulled a stack of documents from his drawer. Dusty files.
"Never thought I'd dig this out again."
Brush─
Wiping off the dust revealed its identity.
"It's been a while."
Back when Arcana was just a game, and he was still a Cosmo employee. Park Minjae had formally challenged his sky-high CEO, Raymon Sean.
His colleagues' reactions?
"They lost their minds, asking what the hell I was doing."
High pay. Low workload. Clocking out on time. Cosmo was heaven for developers. They had no complaints and didn't want to stir trouble.
But his rebellious streak wouldn't stay quiet.
"Back then, I couldn't stand unanswered questions."
Then or now, the biggest mystery remained: Why hadn't Raymon shared Arcana's continent-wide roadmap—even the broad player goals and story framework—with employees and executives?
Looking back, was I insane too?
"Biting the hand that dangled the carrot."
Well, that's rebellion for you.
Park Minjae had bombarded Raymon with a direct email, packaging his questions meticulously.
The result? A one-on-one with Raymon Sean. The conversation was logged in the file.
"Tch. Dust in the drawer."
Park Minjae wiped his mouth and opened the document.
As he skimmed, memories flooded back. One line caught his eye.
Sean:That seems to be the main point.
"His instincts were spot-on. That bastard."
I'd thought I'd asked slyly about sharing Arcana's purpose and framework. But he saw right through me.
Sean: There's no need.
Even now, it grated.
Sean:No need to interfere with something already complete.
Back then, I had no clue what nonsense he spouted. I just figured the sly fox had outmaneuvered me without giving an inch. Transcribing the secret recording had me fuming.
But time passed, and understanding dawned naturally. Age and wisdom? No—the cataclysm.
"......No need to interfere with something already complete."
Post-cataclysm to now. With more time, rereading it...
The meaning clicked. Seeing unfinished monsters and NPCs from one-line settings rampage in the Cosmo database proved it.
"It wasn't up to our development."
Park Minjae shrugged.
"Whatever. No point getting heated now."
Raymon Sean had vanished long ago. No more meetings possible.
But maybe he could serve a little payback.
"They say you see more when you know more, right?"
Revisiting the log revealed new layers. If Lee Hoyeol—who seemed to watch Arcana in real-time—saw this, he might uncover Raymon's true intent.
Park Minjae smirked.
"Don't you think so, esteemed CEO Raymon Sean?"
*
Yusra Kingdom's office.
With the Demon King Struggle erupting on the Arcana Continent, I was on standby for swift response.
Clink─
Of course, this lofty pride wouldn't skip teatime over mere demons.
Even so, Grandfell and I had compromised. I'd pause the ever-present green tea bags and brew medicinal herb tea instead.
"Indeed, numbers are but numbers."
......Don't imply a 300-won green tea bag beats a tens-of-thousands-won medicinal herb, Grandfell.
Short gripe aside, I reviewed the documents from AAU. Quite the stack on the desk.
'Cheolmin must have worked hard.'
Nam Cheolmin, Nam Taemin's brother. I'd placed him in charge of the AAU Yusra Branch.
Me? A figurehead boss.
Why volunteer? Handling AAU too would leave no body left.
My current schedule was hellish enough—without the World Tree's blessing, I'd be done for.
Add daily AAU meetings as branch chief? Pure nightmare......!
Thus, I demanded the new "head overseer" title.
'Lucky to have someone reliable.'
Nam Cheolmin was Gaon's—now the Giant Alliance's—brain. No doubts about his skills.
He'd outperform me in every way.
Imagine Grandfell nagging at branch chief meetings. Already exhausting...
Anyway. I examined AAU's materials. No high hopes— I'd seen their limits.
"Seekers of creation's fragments, AAU."
So don't package it so grandly, Grandfell.
Technically true. AAU were ex-Arcana devs.
But remaining info was scant...
'......Hold on.'
Or so I'd heard. Yet my eyes saw it.
『Arcana Continent』.
[Arcana Continent Chronicles].
To me, who knew both worlds. How to use seemingly useless info.
"Your explorations have drawn forth the [Strange]."
.
.
.
The new world event, 'Demon King Struggle', begins.