Chapter 234: The Bizarre Evolution from Question Mark to Gwicheol's New Name
[Illusion Breaker – Sword that Slashes Phantasms] [Grade: Legendary]
Okay, fine, legendary items come with fancy epithets. But Illusion Breaker? Gwicheol, where the hell did you get that naming sense from?
"'Tis a resonance not unworthy."
……Like father, like son, huh.
Who else? He learned it from me, from Grandfell.
The one silver lining is that it doesn't sting as much since I didn't name it myself.
Context aside, it actually sounds pretty badass at first glance.
So that's not why I was shocked.
◈ Effect: Combat power massively increases against 'prototypes'.
◈ Description: An ego sword possessing noble self-awareness.
Only the effect had changed, but it was no ordinary shift.
Effects unique to specific targets weren't rare in Arcana. Take the demon hunter's signature skill, Predator-Prey Relationship, for example.
The issue was……
'Combat power massively increases against prototypes.'
That part.
Monsters on the Arcana Continent didn't look that alien.
Prototypes were rare. Hell, this was my first time seeing one here.
–In this moment, I shall become the Sword that Slashes Phantasms.
Yet Gwicheol had adapted perfectly to the situation, just as it declared.
And not just any adaptation—it came with a massive power boost against them.
I eyed Gwicheol.
At this point, it was starting to get scary.
'……This is what makes it a legendary item.'
The moment I claimed Gwicheol, the players' records updated too.
I'd brushed it off as showboating like its owner at first……
'Legends earn their name for a reason.'
In that sense, I owed it thanks.
–At last, I feel it, my liege.
That such a magnificent ego sword calls me liege without fail?
A sigh of relief escaped me.
Thank goodness our affinity was high enough.
'I never would've seen this effect otherwise.'
So for this moment, at least—
Gwicheol.
I'll overlook your cheeky mouth.
–This is the form for cleaving phantasms.
Sching—
My swordsmanship hadn't changed.
The effect stemmed from Gwicheol, not my body, so my arm strength and swing speed remained the same.
Couldn't miss Grandfell's signature graceful flourish.
But then.
Swish.
My jacket fluttered half a beat late.
Clunk!
The prototype's shoulder was cleanly severed.
For real?
I'd sliced through that massive hunk of metal like nothing.
No resistance at my fingertips.
If I had to compare, it felt like cutting tofu with a razor-sharp knife……!
Even—
"!"
Shegwin jolted in surprise, staring at me.
……Don't look at me like that.
I'm just as shocked, even if I don't show it.
–A perfect cleave.
Illusion.
……Everything's great, but isn't it rolling its tongue a bit much?
Before I could dwell on Gwicheol's pronunciation—
A question hit me.
Phantasm this, phantasm that……
'Does that mean prototypes are phantasms?'
Prototypes and phantasms. There had to be a story there.
But that wasn't important now.
With part of its body severed, the giant prototype wouldn't just take it.
As expected.
Ziiing—
Its pattern shifted.
Having patterns meant at least a named mob.
The light gathering at its head was no joke.
A rough estimate in my head.
'Mana barrier won't hold it.'
Pure mana barrier.
A spell manifesting a barrier from pure mana.
No complex interference needed, so mages pulled it out in emergencies.
But drawbacks aside—
'The mana drain is insane.'
I had no reason to skimp on mana, of course.
Still, I shouldn't rely on First World Tree's Blessing forever.
Especially since our prideful Grandfell despised relying on blessings.
So I intoned.
"Art thou prepared?"
Gwicheol's new name.
"Illusion Breaker."
If word got out someday, it'd be a spectacle.
Grandfell Claudi Arpeus Romeo's beloved blade.
Illusion Breaker.
'……Worlds apart from Shegwin's Atlas.'
Be grateful only Shegwin's watching.
I raised Gwicheol—no, Illusion Breaker–high.
◈ Combat power massively increases against 'prototypes'.
I knew exactly what "massive increase" meant.
Siren's Blessing had jacked my luck through the roof—I'd felt the fallout in body and soul.
So I stared straight ahead.
At the giant prototype.
At the beam it unleashed.
"!"
Frontal assault.
The opposite of Shegwin's smart play to disable the head first.
But I was certain.
–Of course, liege.
Illusion Breaker agreed.
Sching—
I swung at the pouring beam.
The blade traced a horizontal line.
The light split in two along it.
Shatter—
It scattered and vanished.
Truly.
Like a fleeting phantasm.
Leaving only flickers behind.
"I shall forsake none of the path I have walked."
In response, Imperfect Swift Swordsmanship gleamed.
The text warped, transforming anew.
I continued.
"For that is my sword path."
Rumble—!
The giant prototype crumbled.
I turned to Shegwin.
"A fine bout, Shegwin."
Looks like I won again.
*
The Giant Alliance.
The three bickered as usual.
For a fairly serious reason.
"We have to handle this ourselves, obviously!"
"Are you confident?"
"Snake-Eyes, since when have we cared about confidence?"
Nam Taemin pressed on solemnly.
"We live by pride, die by pride."
Leoni Bellucci muttered unwittingly.
"Madman."
Here's what happened.
They heard about Lee Hoyeol's week-long vacation and, as always, were grinding monsters in the Zero Mountains for levels when—
One of the 100,000 caves in the Zero Mountains.
Fifth for players excluding Hoyeol.
Lv.700 recommended level.
Back in the day, no one would've fought over it—way above the trio's Lv.500s.
But.
"Imagine making Hoyeol handle a mere Lv.700 dungeon. Inefficient, right? Especially on vacation?"
They couldn't rely on him forever.
They knew their place.
Even before the Giant Alliance, Gaon, Inazuma, and Berserker had topped the rankings.
"It's not arrogance. Think of our foes—demon kings, legion commanders. Pure difficulty? This is peanuts."
"A rare sensible word."
"Who said it was wrong?"
"Then what were you muttering?"
That constant pride talk……
'It's contagious!'
Nam Taemin alone, she'd ignore.
But even Hisagi Kazuma synced with him on pride.
Purely on merits, Leoni had no objections.
"Whatever, drop it. No big deal."
"Lame."
"Mind your own."
Plus, they weren't the only ones who found it.
No prior intel, maybe hesitation.
But caves were like rifts—free entry/exit.
Easy retreat in crises.
Hisagi eyed the cave slyly.
"Of course, such crises must be avoided."
Leoni glared.
"……Now your speech is infected too."
She shook her head, pulling out her smartphone.
To ally Second Sun leader Shreyg.
And—
"Oh, Skal too."
One more pride carrier.
As Leoni typed—
Ding—
All three notifications rang simultaneously.
"……!!!"
Arcana official homepage alert.
"What day is it?"
"Not Thursday."
"Damn."
Not Thursday meant unscheduled emergency.
"Of all days, Hoyeol's first vacation day……!!"
They'd sighed in relief at his Mage Tower and Yusra Kingdom vacations.
Now this, like it was waiting.
"No decorum at all!"
Grinding teeth, Nam Taemin opened the site.
Analyst Nam Cheolmin called fast.
"Bro! What's up? Why the alert?"
–H-Hard to explain……!
"Huh? Not an update?"
Posts were weekly Thursdays or emergencies.
But—
–It's a video, not an update!
"……!"
Forgotten.
Post-cataclysm, the sole video: Hoyeol vs. Sword Saint Shegwin in the coliseum.
Nam Taemin asked.
"Hoyeol again?"
–Yeah.
"Hah."
Makes sense he took leave.
He hit play.
The other two crowded.
"……What?"
"Battery dead."
"Data's gone."
"……Earn a ton and still cheap."
Huddled over the screen.
Question marks on their faces.
Hoyeol……?
"……What's that place?"
Meanwhile, AAU was in emergency mode.
Frantic atmosphere.
"……Why so serious?"
Seong Hyunjun, back from Park Minjae's chatter, was baffled.
CCTV of the Chief Commander on the official site?
Unexpected, sure.
"But not riot-level, right, sunbae?"
No backup.
Yoon Sugyeom's face was grim.
"Hyunjun-ah, you wouldn't get it."
"Huh? What, sunbae?"
"Voice down first."
Noisy office, but he whispered, pointing at the screen.
"Structure's identical."
"……Pardon?"
"That building with the Chief."
The all-white lab-like one?
Gulp.
"Matches HQ structure."
"HQ? Which?"
"Cosmo HQ, pre-cataclysm."
"……Wha—?!"
Simple implication.
Outbursts everywhere as Seong realized.
"Not even an hour yet!"
"Pinned Raymon Sean's location that fast?!"
"No clue what happens now."
A low voice amid chaos.
"No point whispering now."
"Branch Chief……!"
"It's fine."
Park Minjae from his office.
Loosening his tie.
He eyed Hoyeol's footage.
Expected success, but this quick?
He muttered.
"……That bastard."
Raymon Sean, shady as hell—hiding meetings made sense.
But uploading CCTV to Arcana?
"What're you scheming?"
Impossible to read.
But not the only mystery.
Video kept playing.
"……Hold on, Branch Chief?"
Warping floor.
Floating stairs.
Hoyeol descending calmly.
"What're those monsters?"
Hundreds of prototypes surrounding him.
But pointlessly.
"Th-They're kneeling!"
Prototypes kneeling in worship.
Shocking, yet—
Steady strides.
How far down?
Hoyeol raised a torch.
Flames intensifying.
"Th-That's…… the Sword Saint from before?!"
Sword Saint Shegwin appeared.
"Sunbae, what am I even watching……?"
Yes.
A chain of outlandish scenes overshadowing Raymon's plot.
Park, with Cosmo tenure, should've been steady.
Yet he gaped most.
"……Giant prototype."
He knew it.
Pre-open beta temp monster: Prototype Model: D.
D for Dragon.
Stammering.
"H-How'd he block a dragon breath with one sword……!"
Pride's Sword Path debuted in glory.