The Adventurers' World Changes Far Too Dramatically
The world of adventurers changes at a terrifying pace, something unimaginable on the Arcana Continent. Thanks to news spreading at breakneck speed.
The Mage Tower learned of it only after accepting players as apprentice mages.
Floating Garden.
"Aren't they going too far, those bastards?"
Humans are animals of adaptation. And among them, players stand out.
In rifts teeming with all sorts of dangers, survival demands quick adjustment to unfamiliar environments. Thanks to that adaptability, they didn't hesitate long in the Mage Tower.
More discreetly than even the greenhorn apprentice mages. The players whispered.
"Hey, did you see that Ryu Ojuncheon interview? We're going for Unification of the World. We're not clinging to the one and only access device like beggars. We'll monopolize the remaining nine. Isn't the guy a total psycho?"
The hot topic was, as expected, Cheonha Tongil.
From the moment the Zero Mountains manifested in reality, they'd been acting boldly, sparing no means or methods. Their ruthless moves were a thorn in everyone's side once again.
"You saw the video, right? They actually built what we only dreamed of."
"What video? Did I miss it?"
"What were you doing during the regular conference instead of paying attention? You."
"Huh? What do you mean? I was trying to understand the magic."
"Sigh. Listening doesn't mean you get it. Anyway, check this out."
Distracted during the conference? If 'someone' who lives and dies by the rules heard that, they'd shoot a frosty glare. But that remark was quickly forgotten.
The player who checked the video had eyes widening in shock.
"......A gun?"
Not just any gun.
"......No, wait. Isn't that an anti-kaiju weapon?!"
Monsters pouring back from collapsed rifts. Humanity's science had advanced to deal with them efficiently.
Yes, the odd part wasn't the anti-kaiju weapon—it was the people using it.
"Those are players, right? So why are they......?"
Human weaponry, including anti-kaiju gear, wasn't treated as [Equipment] in the Arcana system.
"Hunting with that crap doesn't even give proficiency, right?"
"Exactly. Especially considering the Zero Mountains' location. It popped up in the middle of the Pacific like a new continent. No direct threat to humanity from the monsters there."
"Then what's their goal?"
Not only no proficiency gain, but no experience either since it's not felled by your own power. Unless in a life-or-death pinch, players never touched anti-kaiju gear.
Shh— Finger to lips, they whispered even more secretly.
"But it means something to one guy."
"......One guy?"
"The Sovereign, Ryu Ojuncheon."
"!"
At that name, the players glanced around warily.
Cheonha Tongil had zero external contact, yet they were freakishly well-informed. The implication was clear: daytime whispers reach birds, nighttime ones reach rats. Cheonha Tongil spies could be anywhere.
A table some distance away. The cat finally stretched lazily.
Like elsewhere in the Mage Tower, magic manifestation was forbidden in the Floating Garden. Obviously.
And the cat wasn't a spy for Cheonha Tongil or whatever. Nor was it eavesdropping with magic.
It was just.
"What can I do if I hear it?"
The cat's hearing was overly sharp, that's all.
Anyway, thanks to overhearing, the Tower Master now had words for the lord.
A chance to properly torment Marcelo.
"Hey, little chief."
Silence.
This kid's gotten even more stubborn while I wasn't looking.
The Tower Master growled, then spoke again.
"Hey, Chief Mage Marcelo."
"What is it, Tower Master?"
"You're getting more annoying by the day."
"Is that so?"
"Your personality's starting to resemble Chief Mage Lee Hoyeol."
"I'll humbly accept the praise."
"......?"
He'd meant to irk him, but the kid seemed pleased—no payback at all.
Abandoning it early, the Tower Master flopped on its back and said,
"Seems there's one particularly noisy adventurer among them."
"I'm aware."
"And you're this nonchalant about it?"
Scritch.
Marcelo finally set down his quill. Not because the Tower Master was annoying him. Simply because his exploration of the anomaly had reached a brief pause.
"Precisely because I know, I press on with research undeterred by your interruptions, Tower Master. Now, stay still. You're shedding fur."
"Even your tone's starting to resemble that chief."
"I'll take that as praise as well."
"......"
With that, they fell silent for a while.
Hurt feelings? Hardly. Such banter had been daily routine since Marcelo was truly a 'little one'.
This silence had another cause. The Tower Master's cat whiskers twitched.
"Isn't it ridiculous?"
"What is?"
"The Tower Master and chief mage fretting over one adventurer."
"No. Not ridiculous at all."
"Good. Still sharp even as a little one."
Excluding this chief, who'd long surpassed adventurers' limits. Pouring attention into one mere adventurer meant it had that much value.
"I figured the name Sovereign would come up."
To players, [Sovereign] was just a class. One with a unique growth path. They didn't grasp how it manifested on the Arcana Continent.
But these two—these Arcana natives—couldn't overlook it.
Marcelo spoke.
"In times of chaos, Sovereigns always emerge."
Those calling themselves Sovereigns had talent. Not the exceptional mana of Mage Tower wizards, nor swordsmanship merging man and blade.
No—they wielded humans like weapons.
The Tower Master's tail swished.
"Creatures living solely to rule."
What became of self-proclaimed Sovereigns? No need to look back. The Empire's sole rule over Arcana showed their fates.
Beings they'd have ignored before. Continental power meant nothing to them.
But now.
'Thanks to this chief, perhaps?'
They realized Sovereigns were mere mosquitoes.
Sovereigns leech off others, sucking blood to build forces. Useless pests in this chaos.
The Tower Master said indifferently,
"Best to erase them from this world. No future troubles."
The simplest, most Mage Tower-like solution. Crush all annoyances—that was the old way.
Marcelo chuckled at the chilling words.
"Tower Master."
"Listening."
"You've gotten worse at lying."
"Hmph, what do you mean?"
"There must be a reason for empty words."
But that was the past Mage Tower. Especially now, with Hoyeol glaring fiercely from the chief seat. No repeating old mistakes.
The Tower Master replied coolly,
"Can't you see it too?"
"?"
"Obvious boils on the new era. Those Sovereigns."
"Mm."
Marcelo held his tongue.
Through the 'scientific product' Hoyeol gave him—what players called smartphones—he kept up with reality's news.
As 'someone' said. Beyond grand anomaly research. Info from Holy War Alliance meetings at Yusra.
Rankers like Nam Taemin, AAU updates.
So Marcelo nodded.
"High chance, indeed."
The Tower Master's tail stiffened.
"I'm serious, Chief Marcelo."
No 'little' prefix. Pointed ears. Bristled fur—deadly earnest.
"Shall we handle it ourselves?"
Just one adventurer. Even a variable-bearing Sovereign vessel—fragile as dust to magic now.
The Tower Master continued,
"Irksome enough already. Ignoring our gracious chief's rules. Declaring they'll take the obvious trap: Path of Conflict."
Marcelo replied earnestly,
"I understand your feelings, but I refuse, Tower Master."
Knew it. No expectations, so no great regret. But the reason piqued curiosity.
"That damn pride again?"
Marcelo laughed.
"Haha. Not entirely."
"Can't deny it fully, huh."
"I simply wish to hear your intent."
Truthfully, Marcelo's thoughts mirrored the Tower Master's.
History books chronicled Sovereigns' rampages on Arcana pre-Empire unification. Blood-soaked chaos.
Exaggerated, some equated Sovereigns to Demon Kings.
Thus, Hoyeol's view mattered most.
'The Empire weakened.'
With Empire faltering, dormant Sovereign vessels would stir.
Only Ryu Ojuncheon among adventurers, but Arcana's different.
Marcelo envisioned: Victory in Holy War, peace restored—would the continent still be Empire's?
Devoted to Mage Tower, hegemony irrelevant. But one thing certain:
'What picture do you envision, my lord?'
Mage Tower's response to Ryu Ojuncheon hinged on Hoyeol's vision.
Marcelo planned to discuss it with him.
'You said not a day would pass.'
Returning soon. No rush till then.
Slooow stretch—
"Still a boring fellow, you."
Interest waned, the Tower Master scratched its head with hind paw and hopped off the table.
Then caught one parting shot.
"Thank you, Tower Master."
"Sudden thanks? For what?"
"For confirming this teacup is mine."
Clink.
Marcelo thrust the teacup—green teabag inside—under the Tower Master's nose. His fur floated on the jade liquid.
......If this were the chief's cup?
Chill!
Cold stare imagined, fur stood on end.
But fleetingly, a thought struck:
'No way, this chief...... hates cats because of......?'
The Tower Master instinctively licked its fluffy paw.
'......Fur?'
Then shook its head. No matter how prickly, sharp, cold this chief—
Wouldn't hate me over mere fur.
*
I bolted straight from the palace, from Antonium.
Not literally—via portal.
Still, the awkward situation left me.
'Itching right down to my eardrums, really......'
Thud thud.
Figures approached. Empire soldiers guarding the recaptured city. Drawn by the portal's glow, probably.
"On His Imperial Majesty's orders."
Tense faces. Don't interfere, whoever you are.
But I've got similar business.
'Mine's a request, not an order, though.'
I checked the quest window.
Warring States Era
◇ A time of upheaval.
◇ Is it mere power they seek?
◇ The Emperor's incompetence?
◇ Or inescapable fate?
◇ The continent's powerhouses covet the throne.
◇ Your choice will forge a new current.
─Defend Antonium. (Success)
─Restore the Empire's lost glory. (In Progress)
● Restore the ruined city, Makima. (In Progress)
● Restore the ruined village, Holdemwood. (In Progress)
● Restore the ruined city, Polsta. (In Progress)
……
Main quest: Warring States Era. It popped up when Antonium was besieged by Shegwin and the rebels.
Hegemony at stake—worthy of 'main' label.
'Progress shifted by my choices.'
Burdened already, I avoided Empire ties. No desire to topple it for a new nation.
But if I had wanted Empire's fall......
The quest would've flowed that way.
'Such options existed.'
Beyond hassle. I, Lee Hoyeol, have loyalty.
Lionheart Knights owe me—no, what Harkon did for me. Can't stab Empire in the back.
'And no better ally than Empire.'
Someday—uncertain when—Arcana natives and players from reality will head here, led by me.
If Empire holds strong till then, synergies abound.
Of course.
'Focus on given quests first.'
Noble Grandfell cares naught for rewards. But I, Lee Hoyeol, always scrimp.
This quest's reward especially tantalizing.
Recall the Milky Way Grindstone. An Empire vault artifact. The final punctuation elevating Heroic Iron to legend.
'Something on that level......'
Stored in Empire's underground treasury. Expect grindstone-tier loot as reward.
'No time to idle, Hoyeol.'
Fleeting greed aside. I surged mana.
Interfered with earth, erecting walls instantly.
Crunch!
Actions speak louder than words.
"......Are you an Imperial mage, sir?"
Soldiers eased wariness, asking politely.
But again—actions over words.
Infused [Aesthetics] at [Supreme] in interference.
Awe dawned on their faces.
"Th-this isn't any Imperial mage I know!!"
"......A wall in an instant?!"
"Forgive us, but who is this noble lord?"
Normally, I'd puff my chest prouder.
But couldn't. A rising message shocked even me.
Is this for real......?
Ten thousand, hundred thousand, million, ten million......?
Great, starting with big handouts. But at this rate......
Won't the quest rewards bankrupt the Empire?!