Like a Dragon (1)

Senior mages were waiting outside the office. Kiko Armin, Bellie Yusia, Banggrit Tom, Matis Din Karl, Nasrow... even a few with no real connection to me.

What the hell is this all about?

But their faces were uniformly grim. Only one thing came to mind.

It can't be about the Arcana Continent, right? I just announced in the Crystal Hall that we'd handle it according to regulations.

So then...

...it's gotta be that, huh?

That promise to rent magical artifacts until I died?!

Especially seeing Kiko's dark circle practically hanging to her chin. It lent even more credibility to my guess. No wonder so many seniors had shown up.

It's because I borrowed a ton of artifacts from all your schools, right?

Even Curtain Revel from the ice magic school was here, so yeah, that seemed spot on. Now, how to explain this...

I was racking my brain when Kiko spoke first.

"We're sorry, Chief Lee Hoyeol."

No need to apologize. I was the one who'd rented two extra battle-ready artifacts without coordination. I had every reason to feel guilty, but I brazened it out anyway.

"There is no need for you to apologize to me."

"...No, sir."

"I know you've come here with a purpose."

So let's talk while we walk. Up to the top floor anyway. It was getting lonely climbing the stairs alone...

......

Clack—

Just shy of the Mage Tower's top floor, I stopped.

......

So that's what this was about.

Me dying? Die? Why the hell would I die?!

The root of the problem was this guy's overly blunt way of speaking. Kiko and the other senior mages had completely misunderstood.

"We can't just let the chief leave like this...!"

They thought I was heading into the Arcana ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Continent with death on my mind!

I reviewed my recent actions. Yeah, now that I thought about it... it kind of made sense for the overreaction.

For starters, plopping down that login device like it was no big deal. It kinda felt like leaving behind a will?

'Take care of things even if I'm gone'—that vibe.

Hauling off a mountain of battle artifacts didn't help. And topping it off, specifying the rental period in a way that screamed "final dispatch."

In the end, this is all on me.

Of course, I had to clear up the misunderstanding right away. I wanted to explain the [Last Adventurer] effect in detail, but just like players couldn't grasp magic, senior mages wouldn't easily understand the concept of the System.

In the end, the best way was to speak like me.

"It is not unpleasant to receive your concerns."

"...!"

"However, there is no need for worry."

Because I'd return alive and well. Well, technically I might die once... but I'd come back to the Mage Tower either way.

"You all know this, do you not?"

"Know what...?"

"That Grandfell Claudi Arpeus Romeo keeps his word."

"...!"

"Believe in me. I shall return."

I even added unnecessary flourish.

"If only to review your paperwork."

Always so dutiful to a fault, right?

"!!!"

The seniors' faces finally brightened a bit. But Matis still looked worried. No need, Matis. Trust me on this—it's really okay.

I shot him a reassuring look, and he bowed his head.

"We await your return, Chief."

No need to bow that low...

I nodded and headed to the top floor.

Alright. Regulations addressed, misunderstanding cleared. Time to head back to the Arcana Continent.

.

Thud!

Matis closed the office door. He muttered softly.

He knew it.

'The Chief always keeps his word.'

He'd seen it time and again, so he had no doubt this time either. The Chief would surely return to the Mage Tower.

But because he always kept his word...

There was a phrase that pierced his heart.

"...Until the moment of death."

During the conversation on the stairs to the top floor, Matis had listened intently to Hoyeol and the other seniors. Even in that exchange, Hoyeol hadn't denied it.

Matis murmured low.

"Do you always keep death at your side, my lord?"

Suddenly, Hoyeol's alien mana came to mind. The unfathomable, alien mana surging in the Castle of Conflict Demon King.

'Does not fearing death tie to your past as well...?'

As the founder of black magic studies, Matis had wandered the continent witnessing countless dark spells. Naturally, he was more familiar than most with Arcana's shadows—the places teeming with death.

But being close to death and not fearing it were entirely different.

Matis could assert it confidently.

'No one but you.'

Could stand so straight before death. That's why he couldn't fathom it—what past you carried.

He could only guess one thing.

"Claudy..."

It had to be connected to that enigmatic word.

*

Another Space Ho.

"Oh crap, you hear the news?"

"News? Got better things to do than gawk."

"Tch, say that and poof—my story's gone. You think I'm the type to slack off?"

Zero Mountains.

Ever since that day a dragon was spotted at the peak, the man hadn't taken his eyes off them.

Simple reason: the dragon that tore through dimensions and vanished hadn't returned.

"So you're really not curious?"

"What's the big deal, making such a fuss?"

"This is legit big news, senior!"

Better be, or I'll park you in my seat.

The man finally looked away from the mountains. He took the tablet from his junior.

The screen showed Earth news from the AAU.

"...What the hell is this?"

"See? Told ya."

"Not April Fool's today, right?"

"No, senior. Even with the time lag between Earth and here, April Fool's is way too early. Now you get why I was nagging?"

Big news: Raymon Sean pulled the trigger on the world quest. A path to the Arcana Continent had opened.

The medium? None other than the login devices from the Arcana Continent chronicles.

The man swallowed dryly.

"This ain't exactly happy news."

It'd cause massive ripples, no doubt. Damn, his already tangled head was spinning more.

But his worries didn't last.

Thanks to the time lag between Earth and the cosmos, just like he said.

"S-Senior?"

"...!"

A strange premonition in the voice calling him. Reflexively, he checked the dashboard.

Just like when the dragon tore dimensions and dove.

"!!"

The gauge wouldn't drop from max.

Simple implication: a dragon had returned to the Zero Mountains.

Clack!

Pulling the lever shifted Another Space Ho's lens. Soon, the Zero Mountains appeared on the monitor.

But something was off.

"...This can't be right?"

Nothing but fog. No black hole like before.

In this unexpected mess, a voice reached the flustered man.

"Senior, not there—above!!"

"Above?"

He scowled back. Nothing higher than the Zero Mountains' peak on Earth.

But it wasn't that "above."

Zero Mountains in the Pacific. North of that latitude.

Precisely: 37° N, 126° E.

Seoul, capital of South Korea.

A black hole rippled in Seoul's sky.

"Wh-what the hell is that doing in Seoul...!!"

Shock was brief. The lens view switched urgently.

Another Space Ho pinpointed the exact spot.

The man opened his mouth.

"Mage Tower..."

His words trailed.

"No way... Chief Lee Hoyeol...?"

.

.

Well done, Lee Hoyeol.

No matter how I sliced it, manifesting the portal of anomaly from the Mage Tower's top floor was the right call.

Not just any portal. The phrase "tearing dimensions" fit perfectly.

Kraaaack!

Like a rift appearing. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠air tore open. Mana sucked into the dimensional gash.

The sheer force made even the two silent watchers and one cat flinch.

The Tower Master, tail straight up, spoke to me.

"Chief Lee, if you change your mind, just say the word anytime."

Look at this cat's scheming. Always trying to shove the Tower Master seat my way at every chance...!

Of course, I ignored it effortlessly.

"Don't worry about the leadership's approval, Chief."

Now even Yugweed was chiming in. Truly maddening.

But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at least Marcelo was solidly on my side. No words—just a worried gaze.

'So much I want to tell you, actually.'

The first major quest I'd started, excluding demon hunter class quests.

Even with countless quests cleared or ongoing, Marcelo's research was still in progress.

'Because the goal's insane.'

Explore anomalies to return to the Arcana Continent!

That grand ambition would've rung hollow without Raymon Sean's login device answer.

We'd only have reached this point far in the future.

Marcelo knew that too. That's why he couldn't lift his head.

But don't overlook Grandfell's pride, Marcelo.

'Not now, but...'

Would Grandfell settle for prey—Raymon Sean, no less—hand-feeding him the answer?

Look at how we weren't using those convenient login devices even now.

Besides...

'Only ten login devices.'

Mimicking their structure with anomaly magic let me solo-travel continents at best.

So, in Grandfell terms, this portal was...

"Does it not seem inefficient to you as well, Marcelo?"

Utterly pathetic construction.

"...!"

I continued calmly to the stunned Marcelo. Wanted to explain my thoughts kindly, but...

As mentioned, the real-time ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mana drain was no joke...!

'I'll burn out before even entering.'

Best to sum it up concisely.

"We shall resume anomaly research upon my return."

Marcelo indeed. He grasped my intent perfectly despite the mess of words. His face lit up.

He bowed deeply.

"I shall await those words, my lord."

With their farewell, I approached the portal of anomaly.

If a normal portal poured light, this one spilled thick darkness.

But what was my moniker again?

'Don't wanna say it myself, but...'

'Infinitely Deep Darkness.'

This darkness was nothing. My black history was darker, more terrifying...

.

.

I opened my eyes in the darkness.

Here we are.

Arcana Continent.

A familiar message greeted me.

Returning to the Arcana Continent, as promised. Another vow kept, Grandfell.

In that vein, memories surfaced via [Map That Communes with All Things]—the moment I first set foot here.

On the brink of death. Moments from oxidizing with millions of demons alongside Iron Castle Ho's mana cannons.

I'd boasted then:

—"This is but the beginning."

—"I am the demon hunter."

—"I am your natural enemy and your terror."

Yes. Time to keep those words too, right?

Don't mistake this Lee Hoyeol for that one.

I intoned coldly.

"Did I not say? Millions were merely the beginning."

Messages followed.