All of Them Are Unqualified

Capital City, Antonium.

The empire's final bastion had not fallen.

Even after unprecedented losses, it refused to yield to the demons.

A desperate last stand.

"Hold the line! Stake your lives on it!"

"If the walls crumble, it's all over!"

"We'll die holding them back if we must!!"

Had even the heavens pitied their brutal struggle?

"……Is that true? The demons have vanished?!"

The demonic forces rampant across the empire had been annihilated overnight.

And not just them.

The demon kings themselves.

Their movements had grown subdued, unlike before.

Clop clop—

Scout parties combed the outskirts of Antonium meticulously.

They could scarcely believe their own eyes.

"Wh-what in the world is this?"

Just as the reports had claimed, the demons were truly gone.

As if frightened by some "something."

Vanished without a trace.

"……You, head back and relay this to His Majesty!"

The emperor and all of Antonium breathed a sigh of relief.

"Our supplies were running dry. A miracle."

"I don't know what schemes they might be hiding……."

"Cut the paranoia. We have no choice, do we? We just seize this chance without dropping our guard."

"You're right."

They finally had a moment to catch their breath.

But they had overlooked something.

Demons that grew stronger through negative energy.

Why, even after revealing themselves on the Arcana Continent,

they had only grown stronger day by day.

The source of that power.

Rumble—

Troops surged toward Antonium.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

They were neither demons nor reinforcements.

"Your Majesty! Duke Ymir leads his soldiers……!!"

"Marquis Kasano has raised his banners against the empire!"

"The eastern lords have declared an alliance……!"

They were rebels intent on toppling the empire.

The emperor ascended to Antonium's walls.

He gazed upon those encircling him.

A bitter smile crossed his face.

"……What fools we were to misunderstand."

You who ignored the carrier pigeons and the imperial mages' telepathy.

In our folly, we thought you routed by demons.

I blamed myself day and night for failing to protect you.

But.

"You were aiming for me from the start."

A wry smile escaped the emperor's lips.

"……A seat no one should envy."

The crown that felt like it would crush him to death under its weight.

Did you truly wish to bear it?

If it was something the throne could relinquish.

I would gladly hand it over.

Whoosh—

The emperor gently closed his eyes against the blowing wind.

The scent carried on it had changed.

No more blood or scorch.

"……If it's truly over."

If the demons have truly vanished from the continent.

If the people need not groan in agony without my burden.

I would yield the throne without hesitation.

The emperor vowed.

"Such an end would not be so bad."

Meaning he was exhausted beyond endurance.

The emperor murmured as he opened his eyes.

"So even if we meet again, don't blame me too harshly, Harcon. The debts I owe you already overwhelm me."

Thud—

With the emperor's hollow words.

The view from the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower shifted.

To the myriad forces surrounding Antonium.

"Our alliance ends the moment we topple Antonium and drag the emperor down. Trust no one's word after that, Duke."

Until the demons evaporated overnight.

The Arcana Continent had groaned in torment.

Yet those gathered showed no fatigue.

It was only natural.

They hadn't faced the demons.

They had ignored the suffering masses.

Holed up in their castles like rats, hoarding strength for this day.

"The continent demands a new emperor!"

"Emperor! Your incompetence brought the continent to ruin."

"This is no rebellion—it's revolution!"

Boom—

Its sole purpose: demon hunting.

The mechanical tower could not discern right from wrong.

It merely recorded Antonium's scenery in its memory banks.

Boom—

As the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower moved to step forward.

A single man blocked its path.

Deep blue hair.

Brilliant azure eyes.

And sword aura sharper still.

The young-looking man spoke.

"So this is the machine that wanders doing pointless things."

Shing—

Without hesitation, he aimed his sword at the tower.

Blue sword aura so vivid it chilled the air just by sight.

Its brilliance pierced the eyes.

Visible even in broad daylight, even to those without sword energy insight—so intense.

In a word: sword aura beyond sword aura.

Murmurs rippled through the surroundings.

"That's Sir Segwin……!"

Sword Saint, Segwin.

The continent's sole Grand Sword Master.

And a Transcendent.

"But why would Sir Segwin draw his blade on the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower?"

"……Because demon activity has quieted?"

"Has its value faded? Even so, no need for the sword. Demon kings still lurk on the continent……."

Amid the pouring concerns.

Segwin crooked his lips sneeringly.

"I despise commotion."

Swoosh!

He swung without restraint.

Segwin's blade cleaved the air.

Rumble!

The Quirnburk Mechanical Tower began to crumble.

Cleaved clean through.

Gears spilled like blood in a wretched ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠collapse.

An unreal sight.

Gulp!

That transcendent might shocked Antonium, who had made Segwin an enemy.

Even his allies recoiled.

Yet the tower neither gasped nor wavered.

In its final moments.

What it stored in memory was merely Segwin's words.

-"So this is the machine that wanders doing pointless things."

Demonkind's nemesis.

Demon hunter that pursued even extinguished demons.

The ultimate weapon inheriting Akkshan's pride.

There must be reason in calling demon hunting pointless.

Last demon hunter.

May you discern Segwin's true intent…….

Thud!

.

.

.

I stared at the flurry of rising messages.

Alright, let's think rationally.

Content aside, I'd braced for this.

As I said, I'm experienced.

Akkshan's tradition.

Inheriting quests from fellow demon hunters was expected.

……But what the hell is this scale?!

For starters, it wasn't just one quest.

No, a main quest all of a sudden?

I could only curse Grandfell.

This blabbermouth.

'Your words really took root!'

Even then, if my condition were fine, I might've welcomed it.

A main quest.

Unlike world quests, its existence was debated among players due to zero info.

Even.

"Even those probing the Creator's fragments know not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of this tale."

……Your bravado holds even now, Grandfell.

Plainly put: AAU had no concrete data on main quests.

But the system doesn't lie.

And it sounds damn plausible, doesn't it?

'A dream for any player.'

A quest to become the empire's emperor?

Worthy of the main quest title.

But as said, the problem is my state.

My nose is numb—fat lot of good a quest does!!

Main quest? Akkshan quest?

All good, sure.

But first: unbind these whirring circles, liberate the Transcendent effect.

Yes, Grandfell.

Follow the 'procedure' you so cherish.

I heard it clear as day.

'Demon hunting is pointless.'

The Sword Saint.

Continent's sole Grand Sword Master, Segwin.

I sensed something off from the mechanical tower's record of him.

Maybe demon-related.

'Hope it's just paranoia.'

Anyway, to tackle the Akkshan quest, I must meet Segwin.

With [Omniscient Insight] nullified, only rift chance remains.

If coincidence strikes…….

'Collision inevitable.'

Would Grandfell ever yield?

Segwin smashed a perfectly fine mechanical tower.

To Grandfell, that's destroying a comrade.

So I intoned coldly.

"I shall hold you strictly accountable for such rash actions."

All the more reason.

I must resolve the circles somehow.

As fellow Transcendent, match ranks to even converse.

But foremost in my mind now:

Antonium.

The emperor's bitter expression on the walls.

Harcon Kingsguard, his right hand.

'If Harcon learns of this…….'

Harcon would move heaven and earth to save the emperor.

To rescue Antonium.

Then what of the [Main Quest]?

I eyed the objectives.

Like a [Battlefield Quest], choose a faction.

I coldly assessed both sides' forces.

Siege favors defenders fundamentally.

Especially Antonium, unbroken despite demon onslaughts.

Yet Antonium neared its limit, and the besiegers' numbers were vast.

And I'd witnessed with my own eyes.

The Sword Saint Segwin's overwhelming might……!

Knowledge reveals all.

Having reached sword aura myself, I knew Segwin's swordsmanship was absurd.

'Quirnburk's durability is immense.'

[Omniscient Lore of Pure Knowledge].

I knew every mineral composing it.

Not even the capital's walls compared to such precious materials.

'He sliced it like tofu.'

Beyond Harcon.

Beyond my current reach.

From a pure player view.

Empire and emperor had no chance.

Even furious Harcon joining changes nothing.

Choose defense?

Main quest fails spectacularly.

But.

"I cannot fathom your heart, Sir Harcon."

Me.

Grandfell.

Since when rational judgment?

No, all dictated by pride.

The heavy pride in my chest declared.

"Yet one thing is clear."

I murmured, savoring the words.

"Not a single one escapes."

What, oust the emperor and claim the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠throne?

You lot who hid tight while demons razed the continent?

Even charitably, old game-era habits?

Like the Mage Tower bound by excessive power.

But try to understand—no dice.

Mage Tower shattered its contradictions.

Besides, who said I wanted death facing top demon kings?!

"All of them unqualified."

Another alignment of wills.

"Segwin, you are no different."

Grandfell's pride.

And my, Lee Hoyeol's, indignation combined.

No hesitation.

My vision flickered before me.

Sword Saint? Continent's sole Grand Sword Master?

Impressive title.

But mine holds too.

Bottomless darkness.

A single ray piercing it.

Even Fallen Dragon Hunter!

'Damn, saying it myself doubles the shame.'

Epithets aside, I yield to none.

Yes, I'm a Transcendent like Segwin.

Effect sealed or not.

So my task was simple.

Creak—

I rose, gazing out the office window.

……I'll raise you for sure, spirit herbs.

*

Side chamber.

Elcidoir opened the side chamber door and strolled the Golden Palace.

Destination: naturally, the garden.

The Golden Palace servants whispered upon seeing Elcidoir.

"……He looks in a good mood?"

"Shh, watch your mouth! Scary if he hears."

"Same here, but isn't it weird?"

Since confinement to the side chamber.

Elcidoir's face was always deathly.

His sculpted elf features dulled.

Always glaring murderously.

"But they say he smiled even in the chamber!"

Elcidoir's expression had changed.

Why?

One reason came to mind.

"……Since visiting the garden?"

Yes.

Elcidoir changed after starting to tend Hoyeol's garden.

Servants clamored.

"As legends say, elves love nature!"

"……Did he make the garden in the chamber suddenly for the elf? Fits, right? Not his usual style!"

"Seems gruff but so thoughtful."

Twitch—

The elf's large ears flicked.

What, that guy's consideration?

Daring to call thoughtful the one who made me this?

Elcidoir ground his teeth.

"……I'll kill him for sure."

Yet [Hierarchy of Blessing] persisted.

Despite grim vows, he tended the garden diligently.

"Pathetic."

Why Elcidoir smiled again?

Simple.

It was a sneer.

"Struts like he's all that."

Watering this pathetic flowerbed himself—how lowly.

Worm-like.

Elcidoir regained pride mocking Hoyeol in the garden.

"Utterly meaningless toil."

One day.

"What changes with water?"

Another day.

"I'd show this arrogant fool Sisli's flowerbeds."

Heh heh heh.

Elcidoir's face brightened daily.

Exactly four days later.

Elcidoir entered the garden, face paling.

"?"

In days of sneering, cursing, gossip—unnoticed.

The flowers had grown incomparably.

Elcidoir muttered.

"……How?"

In mere four days.

Those pathetic flowers.

Larger, more vibrant, exuding deeper aura than Sisli's eternal blooms?