I Won't Forget This Debt
In simple terms, it was straightforward.
"......Finally, it feels like proper training."
Even the [First World Tree's Blessing] effect couldn't offset it.
Even the mighty Grandfell couldn't bluff through a workout this grueling.
That was what it meant to transcend limits through training!
I'm seriously stunned in every sense of the word.
Transcending limits, proper training—whatever fancy label you slap on it, the secret to a demon hunter's strength boils down to grinding, right?
It's that consistent, jaw-dropping persistence. For real.
Grandfell, you're the same.
You push your body to the brink where even the World Tree buff can't recover it, and now you say? Finally proper training?
Then what the hell have I been doing all this time?!
'I'm feeling slighted here, for real.'
But what stunned me most was the message.
Additional rewards granted for training that transcends limits.
I'd seen something similar before.
Stat points had gone up by an extra one or two, right?
That alone was an insane bonus. One stat point equals a whole level's worth.
But this time?
You have acquired the stat 'Tenacity'.
It's different. A whole new stat unlocked.
Just like with Aesthetics, the moment I acquired it, Tenacity's effects etched themselves into my vision and mind.
Tenacity: Converts mental strength into a stat. Each increase in Tenacity boosts the converted stat further.
I couldn't help but flinch.
This is on the level of a demon hunter's exclusive stat, isn't it?!
Why am I so bold today...?
I can confidently say no one in Arcana has stronger mental fortitude than a demon hunter.
The structure of Akkshan ensured weak-minded folks couldn't survive.
It was the same back then.
Endless grinding quests weren't enough—they were more horror game than RPG.
No reason to stick with demon hunter over Arcana's vast content.
Hell, even I'd have quit.
If Arcana hadn't forced us offline, that is.
Then my chuunibyou would've naturally faded, I'd have parted with Grandfell, made a new account, and leveled something else.
Strictly speaking...
I skipped the process again this time.
Acquiring Tenacity normally would require insane training.
Like honing your body even in hell.
But this shamelessness isn't going anywhere.
Even now, I spoke to the demon hunter who hadn't stopped his push-ups.
"At last, we stand on equal footing."
Then I resumed my push-ups.
Sure enough, I could feel the new stat Tenacity's effect.
"I am still quite at ease."
Demon hunter—nay, beyond that, mental fortitude.
I could sense Grandfell's mind propping up his body.
Not just my imagination—a message confirmed it.
Due to Tenacity's effect, 'Strength' temporarily increases.
Squeezing my muscles, I checked the value.
......Wait, what the hell?
Even temporarily, Strength up by 50 points?!
It was enough to make my muscles twitch in shock.
No wonder.
Even if Grandfell's mental strength far exceeds a normal human's...
[Tenacity: 1]
My freshly acquired Tenacity is just 1.
As the description says, the converted stats depend on Tenacity's value.
Then how much will it boost later?
I had to be stunned.
What absurd efficiency is this?
Is Tenacity's effect overpowered, or is Grandfell's mind the cheat?
No way to know right now.
But one thing was clear.
For the foreseeable future, all level-up points go into Tenacity.
Obviously.
No matter how mighty Grandfell's mind, it couldn't bridge the stat gap forever.
Finally, with my shirt soaked in sweat, translucent against my skin, I spoke.
"A fine bout."
A fine bout?! In the world, no contest could be more pointless, Grandfell.
Bet you're thrilled to have beaten your one and only junior.
"......"
Only then did the demon hunter stop his push-ups and rise.
Whoosh—
Hellfire began to envelop his body.
"......"
No chit-chat. Sticking to the rules till the end.
No greeting, just like the start.
But I clearly caught it.
'?'
A glimpse under the hood—his mouth.
That smirk was definitely upturned.
He was smiling.
'......That bastard just mocked me, right?'
Strutting because he won?!
Yeah, thanks for awakening Tenacity.
But jumping straight to push-ups?
Then leaving with a smirk?
Our Akkshan seniors have some character!
Still, Grandfell didn't take it lying down.
"Some things need no words to connect."
......No, he went further.
I declared at the demon hunter vanishing into hellfire, right at his retreating back.
"Next time, I shall repay this debt, O demon hunter."
......For real, I lost to you, Grandfell.
*
Tears of the Demon King's Castle.
Ranked 56th.
Demon King Gre Mory wiped her eye corner.
A wistful voice echoed through the hall.
"With no comrades above or below, I feel so lonely."
Above: Rank 55.
Below: Rank 57's throne.
She'd thought the Demon King Struggle would fill those seats.
But an unforeseen variable arose.
Akkshan's revival.
And the death of upper demon king Gamigin.
Gre Mory spoke.
"What do you think?"
"......Pardon?"
The one addressed was a human.
Not corrupted, not a devil worshiper—just an ordinary man.
Once the lord of this small castle.
He broke into cold sweat.
'......I must answer well.'
As he steeled himself, Gre Mory whispered.
"Look straight into my eyes."
"......!"
He raised his head, met Gre Mory's gaze.
And despaired.
'How can you be so cruel to me......!'
It felt like a goddess's trial.
How could this vile demon who shattered my territory, slaughtered my people, retainers, kin—appear as the most beautiful woman?
He clung to his sanity and answered.
"......Forgive my impertinence, but unless Akkshan truly revived, it's impossible."
"Hmm, I suppose so."
Gre Mory puffed her cheeks.
Her cascading salmon hair, radiant skin, vibrant expression.
No one would doubt she was a demon king—she was that alluring.
"But still, I just can't wrap my head around it."
Her gaze turned to the man.
"Do you know? The offerings for Lord Gamigin were far more abundant than usual, unintentionally."
"All the demons who joined the Demon King Struggle became offerings."
In truth, Gamigin had manifested using scheduled offerings plus twelve demon king-caliber true-named demons.
Gre Mory had witnessed Gamigin's majesty herself.
"Our foolish, dim-witted Lord Gamigin."
The man doubted his ears.
'......Foolish and dim-witted?'
Demon kings had rankings—a fact he'd learned conversing with Gre Mory lately.
Upper demon kings were on another level.
Gre Mory winked slyly.
"You must think it's irreverent, right?"
"N-no!"
"It's fine. A lowly human couldn't understand."
"......Y-yes."
Ranks 1-10 were upper demon kings.
Even among demon kings, their treatment was unique.
Gre Mory was relatively mild; most treated them like tools.
They barely communicated, after all.
"Used till the end, then tossed into hell...... I just feel down about that poor fate."
"......I see."
Gulp.
The man swallowed dryly without realizing.
Enchanted by a demon— is this the feeling?
He knew it was all facade and lies.
Yet gazing at Gre Mory's feigned pity, true compassion sprouted in his chest.
Gre Mory wiped her eye with a finger and said,
"But it's not all sorrow. There are those moving for us, driven to the brink."
One was Sword Saint Shegwin.
Gre Mory couldn't forget Shegwin's form spied through the demon eye recently.
The aura from that aged human body was beyond imagination.
"Truly grateful yet pitiable beings."
Still, ultimately human.
Frail, dying day by day—unlike her.
In that sense, Shegwin was clever.
Abandoning humanity, walking the path of corruption.
Gre Mory's lips curved.
Some demon kings must regret it.
Even aged, Shegwin's body was prime for possession.
Of course, Gre Mory had no interest in human flesh.
......Gulp.
Look—even her enemy swallowed at the sight.
Her own body was perfection as-is.
"I, Gre Mory, am sad."
Gre Mory rose and approached the window.
Demon eye-filled night sky.
Soon, her eyes blackened.
The demon eye's view pierced her mind.
'Incomprehensible, Shegwin.'
Retreating from the empire's capital, Antonium.
An unfathomable decision.
Gre Mory, unfamiliar with war, thought so herself.
Other demon kings' reactions were obvious without checking.
'All watch your moves.'
Shegwin's destination was unexpected.
After slaying useless nobles and grasping demonic power...
To head to the mountains, abandoning the empire teeming with humans.
Gre Mory's lips twisted.
"......Surely not mimicking humans?"
Even if so, pointless.
Didn't matter.
Corrupted or not, root was pathetic human.
"You need only light the way."
The sight through Gamigin's demon eye.
-"Akkshan has returned."
The chill then was indescribable.
Forgotten terror after Akkshan's annihilation revived.
Akkshan's revival.
The culprit was easy to guess.
Silver-haired demon hunter.
The man who appeared out of nowhere on Arcana continent vanished with millions of demons that day.
Confirmed through demon eye.
'But if truly revived.'
To hurl even Lord Gamigin into hell.
No surer proof.
Gre Mory turned from the window.
"So we cower pathetically."
Right after Gamigin was cast into hell.
Demon kings hunted Akkshan.
Now, fresh from battling Gamigin—the perfect chance to crush the revived.
But impossible to find.
'Where was that place?'
Utterly alien landscape.
Nowhere on Arcana matched; no trace of Akkshan or silver-haired demon hunter.
Even borrowing demon eye vision.
As expected of Akkshan.
"To chill me with mere appearance?"
But time was on their side.
Gamigin down, but nine upper demon kings remained.
Well, unpleasantly, the great evils couldn't be ignored.
Shegwin's role? Mere scout.
Akkshan or silver-haired demon hunter.
Bait to draw them out again.
Demons couldn't resist rushing in blindly, right?
Just wait till they bite the obvious lure.
"In that sense, Zero Mountains aren't bad, Shegwin."
*
Thursday.
Regular update.
Tension hung over AAU for the first time in ages.
"Please, something mild."
Seong Hyunjun clasped his hands prayerfully.
"Let our Chief enjoy his vacation properly!"
"Getting worse than me lately?"
"Pray too, sunbae. Wish hard, and it comes true."
"Heh."
"Just ho—......"
Click—
Yoon Sugyeom chuckled and spam-refreshed.
Then addressed muttering Seong Hyunjun.
"At least not demon-related."
"Think so?"
"They took heavy losses in the Demon King Struggle too. Victory means defeat elsewhere, right? No massive rampage like that."
Unless demon tribe monsters on another level—no need for Hoyeol.
Seong Hyunjun prayed more specifically.
"Then please, no demon tribe monsters......!"
"Who you praying to?"
"......God, or Buddha?"
"Huh? But technically, shouldn't Raymon Sean hear it?"
"Wait, cancel! Why pray to that bastard?!"
Had the prayer reached Raymon Sean already?
Click—
Arcana official homepage refreshed.
Regular update details appeared.
No one needed prompting.
AAU Korea branch.
No, all branches uttered the same.
"Ze-Zero Mountains!!"
Symbol of Arcana continent's legend.
Zero Mountains added as new region?
Seong Hyunjun's face lit up.
"Su-sunbae, isn't this good? Zero Mountains as a region means players won't worry about hunting grounds!"
Vast Zero Mountains held content for low to high levels.
Especially the 100,000 caves brimmed with items.
"......That's the problem."
"Huh? What's the issue?"
Issue?
Seong Hyunjun blinked blankly, but Yoon Sugyeom continued shakily.
"It's too damn big—that's the issue!"
Clatter!
Urgent footsteps.
Branch chief, Park Minjae.
Park Minjae bellowed immediately.
"Everyone, start calculations!"
"Calculations? What suddenly—......?"
"Seong Hyunjun, still clueless?"
Yoon Sugyeom explained for Park Minjae.
"Hyunjun, remember Zero Mountains' size?"
"Of course. So massive even dragons live at the peak—?!"
......Hold on.
If such Zero Mountains appeared in reality.
What aftermath?
Unprecedented tectonic shift.
If in a specific country...
That nation might vanish from maps forever.
Even if in the ocean...
Yoon Sugyeom said,
"Right, it'll trigger a whole new level of natural disaster."
"......!!!"
How to prepare?
Unlike rifts—planetary extinction-level disaster.
Someone muttered,
"Unless actual magic, how......"
"......?!!"
......Magic?
Everyone recalled.
Beings who could avert great calamity's disasters.
.
.
.
"You said it: everything has give and take."
Marcelo picked up his quill.
Scribble—
Neatly on parchment.
"I shall enact your words, milord."
──────
As of this moment, tower exit is fully authorized.
──────
Purpose: Salvation for salvation.
──────
All Mage Tower personnel, assemble.
──────
Acting Chief Mage, Marcelo Simuard.
──────