You Picked the Wrong Foe (1)
The leader of the lions. Harcon Kingsguard's gaze darkened.
At first, doubt came before anything else.
……I didn't see wrong.
The emperor, seeking friendly ties with the Mage Tower, had sent them gifts. Among them, one with a fragmented appearance. Yet even on its own, it carried the poise of a masterpiece. That was undoubtedly the hexagonal brooch.
Magical artifacts of that caliber were never common.
But how did an adventurer come to possess a Mage Tower artifact……?
The Mage Tower was more than a mere organization. Mages who moved solely in pursuit of truth. If they had any interest in continental hegemony…
It wouldn't have taken them even a year to unify the continent.
Which made it all the more incomprehensible. Lee Hoyeol, was it? The name alone screamed adventurer.
How did he get his hands on a Mage Tower artifact?
Steal it from the Mage Tower? Impossible. Not even worth considering.
So there was only one answer.
The Mage Tower gave it to him. Willingly.
Frankly, Harcon couldn't wrap his head around it.
Why give it to an adventurer?
No matter their pursuit of truth, the Mage Tower was friendly to no one. In a word… yes, they were a kind of natural disaster.
Monsters who could destroy anything blocking their path to truth.
……No, the reason doesn't matter.
Harcon steeled himself.
"Now that I know you're connected to the Mage Tower, telling you to withdraw for your safety would be presumptuous, wouldn't it?"
Thrown into the adventurers' world without knowing the cause. All Harcon could do now was pray.
But to encounter an adventurer linked to the Mage Tower…
If it's the Mage Tower, they might already know about this situation…… No, they may have even found a solution.
This could be a chance to make contact with the Mage Tower. Even if it meant getting caught in that natural disaster.
Harcon had no intention of letting it slip.
"So, adventurer, will you join us in slaying that beast?"
But verification came first. To confirm if this adventurer was truly tied to the Mage Tower. Or if he'd simply lucked into the hexagonal brooch.
If his abilities seem suspicious……
He could inquire about the brooch's origin. Regardless of the reason, it was a gift from the emperor. As the Lion Heart Knights—the empire's strongest order and the emperor's right hand—their captain surely had that authority.
I'll know when I see.
Harcon thought he'd hidden his intentions well. But the response left him stunned.
"However, remember that all things come with give and take. Keep that ever in mind, Lion Heart Knight Captain Harcon Kingsguard."
……Impossible! He saw right through me!
And pinpointed my intent exactly.
Harcon realized it from that brief exchange.
He grasped my intentions yet accepted willingly.
Remember the give and take. Yet he didn't let it slide.
I slipped up.
The moment his intent was exposed, their positions flipped completely.
Yes. Now it was they who had to prove themselves, not the adventurer.
"I'll keep it in mind, adventurer."
As if repenting his blunder. A vow upon his heart.
And now.
Whoosh─
Stairs embroidered across the sky. The moment he took a step, they vanished and reappeared in a bizarre spectacle.
Magic, pure and simple.
Clatter─!
Harcon climbed those stairs, recalling their recent exchange.
—"Harcon. I shall support you."
—"Support? What do you mean, adventurer?"
—"I shall clear the path."
Harcon gritted his teeth.
Can I still call myself the emperor's knight like this!
Unnecessary suspicion. And now, consideration besides.
When they should be proving their worth.
Crunch─!
"I won't disappoint you now, adventurer."
Focus.
Hummm─
His sword glowed faintly. Sword aura.
In an instant, Harcon's blade pierced the turtle's neck. The knights' strikes followed in succession.
They'd severed the beast's breath.
Yet Harcon felt no joy.
I'm not worthy of it.
Just forfeiting the achievement didn't repay his debt to the adventurer, Hoyeol.
If anything, he'd only incurred more.
So Harcon didn't hesitate.
He shouted to his knights.
"Reform quickly. We continue with the adventurer, Lee Hoyeol."
*
……That welcome message stopped precisely at the twentieth.
A straight 20-level jump.
As expected of a named monster. The strongest in the Yusra Archipelago, no less.
166 now, huh.
Leveling fast, but… feeling the shortfall was inevitable.
No need to look far—the recent battle proved it.
If I'd hit just 300……
Borrow a better artifact than this brooch from the Mage Tower. Blast magic nonstop with its effects and hunt the giant turtle.
But lamenting the impossible was pointless.
Fine. Whatever.
I opened my inventory.
Trophies auto-acquired thanks to high contribution. Specifically, to check the island's treasure.
◈ Restriction: Lv.500
◈ Effect: None
◈ Description: An ancient crown.
……What the hell.
A window with zero balance?
First thing that caught my eye: the grade.
Normal ▶ Magic ▶ Rare ▶ Unique ▶ Epic.
I wasn't showing it outwardly, thanks to my nature. But I was deeply shocked.
An Epic-grade item……!
Epic items barely appeared in Arcana's history, right?
Sure, in the decade-plus since I left Arcana, some unknown Epic might've dropped.
But even accounting for that, Epics weren't something you just stumbled upon. No info on them existed.
Not even auction house trades.
That was why I called it unbalanced.
Come on, Epic grade. Shouldn't it have effects befitting that grandiose name?
Lv.500 restriction is brutal enough.
No effects! And a one-liner description. Zero effort.
Island's treasure my ass……!
Emotions rollercoasting. But I didn't let it show.
I didn't get worked up over junk like this. Experience taught me that, no need to dig into settings.
Plus, another proof.
Sure enough, my guess was right.
It's not the treasure itself advancing the collapse. It's the treasure being tainted by greed.
The crown—one of the treasures—went into my inventory, but progress didn't rise. Proof.
I thought to myself.
I didn't covet it anyway.
If I had, it'd vanish fast. The moment I checked the crown's info.
But maybe something's hidden.
It's Epic for a reason.
As I consoled myself, another thought hit.
……Why'd they forfeit, anyway?
Harcon and the knights came to mind. Thanks to them yielding kill contribution, I soloed the exp—and auto-got the island's treasure.
Unimaginable development.
"As expected, honorable to match your fame. Lion Heart Knights."
……No surprise there.
I saw their excessive kindness as natural.
Still, I needed to know why. I'd said it myself.
Remember the give and take.
Moods change coming and going, like the bathroom. Should've kept quiet.
As I regretted that.
"We've incurred another debt to you."
……What?
Debt? You guys? What debt?
A flurry of thoughts raced through my head.
Because I made stairs? That big a deal?
But I replied without blinking.
"If you're keeping it in mind, no issue."
"Of course. Your words are etched in this heart."
Maybe because I didn't blink. I noticed.
He'd firmly misunderstood something.
Where'd this mix-up start?
No way to trace it. But no need to dwell.
Why? Like the saying goes.
……If you can't avoid it, enjoy it.
Plus, this wasn't one-sided. Give and take, right?
Get more than expected? Just return in kind.
The benchmark? Whatever.
Grandfell, with his lofty pride and aversion to debts, would know best.
Harcon removed his helmet, revealing a refined, gentle middle-aged face for a knight captain. He placed fist to chest again and said,
"I know not your purpose. But at least here, in the Yusra Archipelago, the Lion Heart Knights shall be your sword and shield."
If this were Arcana the game, I'd screenshot nonstop. Lion Heart Knights saying that? Life achievement, total hype.
……It's that shocking.
But more shocking still.
⊳ Yusra Archipelago Limited
Yusra Archipelago limited, but still. Their oath of loyalty auto-formed a party.
Info on them popped up. Their levels visible above their heads.
Harcon Kingsguard: Lv.600
Jessica Bright: Lv.430
Enoch Loren: Lv.400……
600.
Seeing that number, I could boldly claim: No player or guild in Yusra could match my party's power……!
A mere Lv.166 as party leader.
Should feel the pressure, at least.
But burden? Not in my dictionary anymore. Talking would just tire my mouth.
"I respect your decision, Sir Harcon."
I said shamelessly.
What to do leading these knights? Clear.
Clack─
Stepping forward, I continued.
"Then, to the next island."
Somehow, recoup my investment!
*
The Yusra Archipelago begins to be tainted by Greed.
The rising message. Kinber licked his dry lips.
"Calm down."
Supernova. That's what they called him, thanks to this patience.
Hold and hold. Endure until the perfect chance.
The Yusra Archipelago begins to be tainted by Greed.
"……Fuck!"
But this treasure island vibe? Made holding back extra tough.
Like whispers egging him on.
—Move.
—You okay just sitting?
—What if someone snags the treasure?
"……Shut up."
Not giving up. Just waiting for the sure shot.
Kinber believed himself clever.
"Everything has its hit-and-run moment."
He'd killed dozens, hundreds of players—and still roamed free. Proof of his smarts.
Why hold his breath now? Simple: Yusra prey wasn't easy.
Coward bastards.
Players moved in guilds, at least parties. He did too.
Strike only when prey strayed. Quick kill.
Long fights are over.
Noise draws others. Then, success or not, his streak ends.
So Kinber lurked here.
On this remote island.
Fewer players reach far-flung spots.
Kinber licked his dry lips again.
"Brainless flower-headed idiots."
Skip the easy path for the hard route? Beyond Kinber's ken.
Just grateful.
"Thanks to you reality-blind fools."
I'm taking the shortcut.
As Kinber's eyes gleamed.
"……Oh ho."
Prey sighted afar. Juicy prey.
Didn't expect this. Worth watching the portal.
"Lee Hoyeol."
The player with the shocking debut. Kinber knew his strength.
Impossible not to. TV, net—every channel buzzed with him for ages.
That's why juicy.
"Perfect when they're clueless."
Acting like hot shit. Full of hot air.
Best time to pop the balloon.
"That arrogance dooms you today."
Strong or not, prep was tight. Debuffs, status ailments, rare-grade paralysis poison…
Stuff no solo could handle.
Kinber signaled.
"Everyone, ready."
But.
No signal came.
—……Kinber?
You said ready up, punk?
"……."
—Why's this fucker silent?
Party's angry voices in his ear. But Kinber couldn't speak.
Lee Hoyeol.
And knights in plate armor, escorting like guards.
That lion emblem…
No doubt.
Lion Heart Knights.
"Th-that can't be real?!"
Kinber realized.
"……Not arrogance."
A overwhelming gap no shortcut could bridge.
Then.
Im-impossible……
……How'd he spot my stealth?!
Lee Hoyeol. Walking side-by-side with the middle-aged knight, their eyes met.