Chapter 278. Player's Common Sense Starts from Me (2) – System Messages Don't Lie
The system messages don't lie. That's the basic common sense of a player.
So Lee Hoyeol couldn't have possibly detected [Stealth].
[Stealth (Master)]
Hides your body in the surrounding environment. The farther you are from the opponent, the drastically lower the chance of detection.
A master-level stealth skill proficiency. And the description explicitly states "drastically"? Even a dragon living at the peak of the Zero Mountains wouldn't notice unless this side released killing intent first. At distances over a few hundred meters, detection was impossible.
'The aggro system is a different realm.'
The goal was purely information gathering, not a surprise attack. Naturally, there was no hostility toward the man or the special forces.
'It should have been absolutely undetectable...'
With countless experiences under his belt, the incomprehensibility only grew.
Then, a fleeting thought crossed his mind. What if the inexplicable was actually to be expected...?
'...The Black Dark Dragon.'
Even dragons couldn't detect it. Then, if it was a being greater than a dragon—the Black Dark Dragon.
'It might be able to pierce stealth...!'
And that Black Dark Dragon was right before his eyes.
The moment he made that judgment, the man realized what they were doing.
"!"
Tailing the Black Dark Dragon...!
This was an unforeseen development. And it was a judgment for the sake of their monarch.
If they ran into Hoyeol like this.
'That arrow will turn toward my lord, not me.'
Nod—
So the man signaled the special forces. Right now, tactical retreat was the order.
Ignoring the Black Dark Dragon's warning just to get info on the Giant Alliance? The cost-benefit didn't add up.
Whoosh!
As he withdrew, the man swallowed a sigh of relief. And he realized once more.
That in this moment, his survival was due to the Black Dark Dragon's magnanimous mercy.
'If it weren't for him.'
I might have ended up like those whose communications had been cut off.
Thinking of them sparked a "what if."
'The possibility that Lee Hoyeol is involved in their disappearance...'
If it was Lee Hoyeol, he could suppress the Cheonha Tongil elites in short order and emerge unscathed.
But the man soon shook his head. After all, his movements were being broadcast live worldwide in real time.
Just moments ago.
'He was surrounded by journalists and cameras.'
Even manifesting a portal for travel wouldn't align with the timing. Moreover, Lee Hoyeol had no reason to contact Cheonha Tongil's elites. Decisively, the mercy shown to them proved it.
'He's no ordinary vessel.'
Meaning he wasn't the type for backroom schemes.
"...Then who the hell is it?"
He'd suspected the Giant Alliance from their troop muster. If it was because of Lee Hoyeol, it made sense. Welcoming the monarch grandly was a vassal's duty, after all.
His thoughts plunged into confusion. What snapped the man out of it was a vibration.
Bzzz!
"...!"
The missing ones had returned to the assembly point as if nothing had happened. Casually, no less.
"What the—?"
More than regret over wasted effort, it was baffling. Even if the monarch had left the Zero Mountains for a login device.
Defying orders and returning like it was nothing?
"As one of the Five Stars, I can't overlook such conduct."
He couldn't fully fill the monarch's absence. But he had to hold them accountable for breaching discipline, even if just a little, in the monarch's stead.
"Move out swiftly."
The man and special forces headed to the assembly point. Unaware that the culprits they'd desperately sought—the Shadow Mercenaries—were holed up there.
*
Squeak squeak!
A rat vanishing desperately into the bushes.
Reviving beginner's spirit didn't mean reverting to that era's speech patterns.
But the reactions around me made me feel the impact of my beak firsthand.
"To bestow eternal night—such an impressive expression."
Don't nod like you're moved, Hisagi.
And who's that taking notes over there?!
Damn, I'm already regretting picking this cave.
'With Grandfell's personality, he'd praise the note-taking too.'
Better to ignore it.
I averted my gaze to the rising message.
Someone might ask why I suddenly brought up a proverb about rats.
The reason is simple. The "little champion" in the message refers to a rat.
"Its form resembles a labyrinth."
Where Hisagi pointed was a real rat hole in the bushes—not a metaphor, an actual rat hole.
I wondered how they found it, but seeing Hisagi's snake eyes made it click.
'Well, snakes are natural enemies of rats.'
Though Hisagi wasn't a real snake.
Anyway, my body hesitated for a split second. Grandfell of all people hesitating. That's rare.
'Not because he's scared, obviously.'
Level 850 was high, but I'd stood tall before higher rifts and monsters without flinching.
So the reason Grandfell hesitated was one thing.
'His damn obsession with his attire.'
Worried his clothes would wrinkle entering a tiny rat hole, probably.
Sure, it's a rare glimpse of humanity, but... isn't the direction of his concerns way off from normal people?
Oblivious to my thoughts, Hisagi continued.
"However, like a cave, it has a unique system. Upon entry, your body size shrinks. To the point where a little rat looks like a monster several meters long."
I'd felt it in the [Sea of Lava] with the sirens, but Zero Mountains caves definitely had tricky elements. Something beyond levels that made them impossible to clear with raw power alone.
'That's why experience matters.'
Hadn't I realized levels are just the canvas size? What you draw on it depends on your experiences, yielding different results.
In that sense.
"It shall be a fine challenge for you all."
Zero Mountains—especially cave experiences—would nourish players greatly. Including me, Lee Hoyeol.
And Hisagi shook off his hesitation quick.
'No need to squeeze through the hole if he shrinks.'
No worry about wrinkled clothes, so Grandfell feared nothing.
I stepped toward the rat hole without hesitation.
Hisagi followed. "Thank you for trusting me and choosing this one."
...Anyone hearing that would think I made some grand decision.
The reason I picked Hisagi's cave was simple: highest recommended level.
Has pride infected him too? Assigning grand meaning to every action—pure Grandfell, Hisagi.
'No more clones, please. For real.'
I swallowed a sigh and stepped forward.
Entering 'Sanctuary of the Little Champion Beneath the Mountains'.
.
.
.
Squeak squeak!
The rat cries rang loud enough to pierce eardrums.
With the entry message, I felt my body shrink.
'Anyway.'
The name "sanctuary" wasn't for show. Built by rats, maybe? Shoddy yet reverent atmosphere.
'Like the Goddess Church's holy site, Muon.'
Comparing a rat sanctuary to the Goddess Church's sanctum—Tarim might take offense.
But that's how it felt.
"Magnificent."
Above all, the massive scale overwhelmed the crudeness. Actual size might be meh, but to my shrunken eyes, immense.
While I admired aesthetically, Hisagi prepped for raid.
Setting base camp, dividing vanguard and rearguard. Proper systematic raid.
'I'm still lacking.'
Irrelevant if soloing like old days, but now bearing guilds to Holy War Alliance. These experiences would pay off someday.
Prep done, Hisagi said, "Then we'll commence operations. If you see any shortcomings, please reprimand harshly anytime, Grand Commander Lee Hoyeol."
Who am I to reprimand?
I'm clueless on party/guild raids. Can't borrow Grandfell's prestige—player tactics differ starkly from Arcana's.
But I bluffed shamelessly.
"Then I'll watch, Hisagi."
Not just hanging back, though. Pacing is key even in struggle. Bluntly, level 850 is solo-clearable ignoring fairness.
But I must foresee not inches ahead, but near future.
'Solo progress means nothing.'
Exp? Needed for proper jacket anyway. But not tied to this cave—plenty ways for me.
'I can enter Arcana Continent.'
So step in when needed, observe otherwise. Grandiose, but watching alone is profitable.
But...
True to its uncharted depths. From peak dragons, Zero Mountains defy levels.
Ten thousand caves too.
Squeak squeak squeak!
Enormous cries from all sides.
Soon, giant rats emerged.
"Mr. Hisagi! Formations look meaningless like this!"
Obviously. House-sized rats swarming? Vanguard/rearguard yields no edge.
Hisagi raised his spear. "Breakthrough at one point!"
Sensible. AOE brawl in open space? Suicide.
But balance is off.
Squeak!
Auras rising from sanctuary spots. Likely boss "Little Champion's" power. Morale skyrocketing.
'Home team buff, huh.'
Ours? Hisagi mid-500s. 300 levels behind recommended. Others worse.
Knowing that.
'Hisagi and the other two couldn't enter either.'
They trusted my power, so Giant Alliance raided.
To meet expectations, I'll go all out.
But killing monsters isn't always best.
Proper pacing needed. As supervisor, boost away morale to match home buffs.
So first.
'Handle that annoying buff.'
Two ways: Smash sanctuary to douse them. Or give alliance equal buff.
Decision quick.
Players need not fish, but fishing methods.
Little Champion ruling like a god here? We have a small but great one.
"High El."
Yes. Perfect stage for support-specialist High El.
Soon, High El manifested in midair to my call.
Wait...
Why so huge, High El?!
Sudden thought: As {unique spirit}, not player, cave shrink system skips High El?
"...!!!"
Thus, already flashy, flowing High El looked nobler, greater.
Murmurs from players.
"W-Wait... what is that?"
"Halo too bright—can't see the face."
"But no such being in Arcana..."
"N-No way... i-is that... the G-Goddess...?!)
Whaaat?! Goddess?!
Mistaking High El for Arcana's top religion's Goddess?
'Face invisible, sure, but Goddess?'
And why just stand there smiling gently like a goddess, High El...?
Even as Grandfell's clone, no need to copy excessive shamelessness.