To Defy (2)
Jeong Han-taek, the leader of South Korea.
“Tch.”
He smacked his lips bitterly. After the cataclysm, knowledge of Arcana had become common sense. It was only natural that a president leading a nation required even more extensive expertise. Yet there was a clear difference between knowledge gained from study and that etched into one's bones through direct confrontation.
Jeong Han-taek looked up from the report. Amid the grim-faced aides, he addressed the National Security Office Director, the relative expert among them.
“So, these regular updates... They used to be a weekly event on Thursdays, right, Director?”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“But they've been scarce since the Zero Mountains appeared?”
“Precisely, Mr. President.”
“And now, this rare update has gone awry...?”
The patch notes from the update.
“Hmm...”
Jeong Han-taek struggled to comprehend the world's reaction to it. Hadn't player levels worldwide soared far beyond before, led by Player Lee Hoyeol? He continued.
“Including our Giant Alliance. I've heard players are aggressively exploiting the Zero Mountains for steep growth. Statistically, rift collapse incidents from failed clears have plummeted. You reported that to me just yesterday, didn't you?”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
Jeong Han-taek peered at the patch notes again, furrowing his brow.
“Still, no matter how I look at it, this doesn't seem like good news.”
A few aides nodded at his murmur.
“That's a reasonable view, Mr. President.”
The Director steadied his breath inwardly. This wouldn't be an easy discussion. The silver lining was that President Jeong Han-taek seemed open to hearing it out. He pressed on.
“Let's rewind to before the cataclysm, Mr. President.”
“Very well.”
“As you know, pre-cataclysm, Arcana was managed by Cosmo, the predecessor to the AAU. Tuning Arcana was their job. But after the cataclysm, they lost that ability.”
Jeong Han-taek nodded. That much was easy to grasp. Arcana had transcended a mere game to become another realized world. Ordinary Cosmo employees had no power to tune reality itself.
“Years of international trials cleared Cosmo's staff of wrongdoing. Except, of course, for CEO Raymon Sean.”
Indeed. They'd scoured the Earth. Yet Raymon Sean's whereabouts remained unknown.
“This is a blatant defiance.”
“...Defiance, suddenly? What do you mean, Director?”
“Raymon Sean, now Arcana's sole administrator. The trust between him and the players is starting to crack with this update he announced.”
“The foundation of that trust is shaking?”
Even among players. Even among nations. Opinions on Raymon Sean were sharply divided. His defenders' argument was simple: If he wanted to drag reality to ruin, why offer massive rift clear rewards? Why share update details with players?
“Hm.”
Jeong Han-taek's stance was neutral, forcing him to probe further. His brow furrowed slightly.
“Over one update like this? They're not withholding rift clear rewards, and unlike the last incident, they shared the details properly, didn't they?”
The Director's reply was concise.
“Players see it differently. They believed—even Arcana's CEO, Raymon Sean, couldn't directly interfere with Arcana.”
“...!”
At those words, realization dawned on Jeong Han-taek. He pinched his temple, called a brief timeout, then resumed.
“I can see how they'd feel that way.”
Players staked their lives battling rifts and Arcana's erosion. If that very Arcana Continent could be tuned at Raymon Sean's whim?
“It'd leave a sour taste, alright.”
“Whether the update benefits humanity is beside the point. What matters is that Raymon Sean can directly tune Arcana Continent. Now that's proven...”
“So that's the defiance. Taboo or not, it's crossed a line.”
Now grasping the gravity, Jeong Han-taek pondered his nation's future.
Think, Han-taek.
He couldn't act rashly under AAU accords. Other leaders were likely agonizing similarly.
Compared to them, I'm...
His situation was relatively better. Inevitably so.
Who would've predicted this far?
Raymon Sean, whose reputation was split.
Player Lee Hoyeol.
The one consistently hostile toward him was Hoyeol. Of course, Jeong Han-taek had no intention of sitting idle, relying on Hoyeol. He swiftly directed his aides.
“With players in disarray now, those slippery eels who never change their spots will start stirring. That's our job: uproot the weeds, prune the yellow sprouts.”
......
Yusra Kingdom, Golden Palace.
“It's been a while, Sir Harcon.”
“Oh ho, those eyes burn with even fiercer resolve.”
“That obvious? I've been crossing life-and-death battlefields, after all.”
“Is that so? You speak with such confidence; now I itch to witness how thick your sword auras have grown. Regrettably, no time today.”
Stride, stride.
Harcon Kingsguard and the Giant Alliance's three guild masters exchanged greetings without slowing. At the rear, Leoni, struggling to keep pace, spoke up.
“Heard the news?”
“Of course. A truly unforeseen turn.”
“That bastard's pulling something he's never done before.”
Nam Taemin scowled at the situation.
“What, a balance patch?”
Even when Arcana was a game, balance patches were rare. Nonexistent, practically. If a balance-disrupting element surfaced on Arcana,
Cosmo deemed it natural flow or event.
Guide removal via new quests to restore balance. If not, have NPCs handle it. Or quietly erase it from memory when forgotten.
They tuned without harming player immersion. Come to think of it, Harcon—the very NPC who'd performed such roles—was beside them. In reality, not Arcana Continent.
Smack! Nam Taemin clapped fist to palm.
“...Wait! Could this be because Arcana Continent lacks balance tuners? All the big shots like Master are here. So Raymon Sean forcibly intervened?”
“Nam Taemin.”
Hisagi's voice was icy, snake eyes narrowing. He shook his head.
“If they intended balance adjustment, would we have reached this point? Updates have always disregarded players, arbitrary from the start. And lastly.”
His critique cut sharp on multiple levels.
“Doesn't Arcana Continent have the Grand Commander?”
“...Damn, can't argue in front of him.”
“Steel your pride, Nam Taemin.”
Their subtle sparring.
“What are you two always bickering about? Seriously?”
Leoni clicked her tongue just as they reached the Golden Palace's round table. The Holy War Alliance meeting was already underway, packed with attendees.
Yusra's king, Hakuna, scanned the room and spoke.
“Seems everyone's here.”
Lee Hoyeol had submitted leave notices to the Mage Tower and Yusra Kingdom before entering Arcana Continent. Marcelo, present, recalled Hoyeol's notice.
Personal matters.
He dared not speculate on Sir Hoyeol's private affairs. He simply worried that Hoyeol, missing this critical development in real-time...
Exploration of the anomalies.
The urgent news on the smartphone Hoyeol had given him. The update would profoundly impact Arcana Continent.
I don't know when you'll return, Sir.
At least in the adventurers' world, he wanted to ease real-world concerns.
Not his thought alone. Everyone here attended for him.
Perfectly traversing reality and Arcana Continent.
With anomaly mastery, Hoyeol's absence.
We can't perfectly fill your seat, Sir.
But adventurers and fellow Arcana natives were present. Marcelo smiled faintly.
Still, we'll cooperate as you would.
The meeting began with his resolve. Parchment floated via magic, inscribed with the regular update details.
(Includes Balance Patch)
Main Balance Adjustment Targets
● Demon Clan Boss Monsters, Demon Kings. All Demon Kings except the top 10 in hierarchy will be deleted.
This decision stems from the potential negative impact of superfluous Demon Kings. We ask for your broad understanding, players.
......
*
The Southern Sea Witch. She gazed southward from the coast. Wind direction, sea scent, the quiet whisper in her ear...
Puff—
Smoke accompanied her sigh.
“Looks like it'll stay quiet today, somehow.”
Day after day without fail, the incessant Omen had fallen silent these past few days. From noticing its presence to now, rare days even for the witch watching it.
“Thanks to that, I made some gold on cigarettes.”
Gold procured via Spacetime Salon requests. Few transcendents could access the upper echelons. She qualified, so unlike most scraping for salon gold, she splurged freely on cigarettes without issue.
Of course.
“Cough, cough.”
Her body rotting from harsh tobacco was the problem.
“...Can't keep this up forever.”
Her gaze returned seaward. Those few aware of her tie to the Omen always asked.
—“You hate that thing's guts? No way to stop it, body's dying anyway—why stare at the sea endlessly?”
The witch answered.
“...It talks to me.”
If even she didn't heed its curse, the Omen might rampage again. Might gape its maw toward the continent. So she stared at the damned sea.
“Crazy bitch, that's me.”
The Omen had long devoured her sanity too. Yet despite her efforts.
“...?”
Change brewed not on Arcana Continent, but in scant lines from a wholly separate world. Imperceptible precursors, naturally.
“...!”
Creep—
A colossal shadow surged beyond the horizon. Only then did the witch realize.
“Wh-why...?”
The Omen had manifested on the continent.
*
Work never ends, does it?
Finally restored Claudy Mansion, now the wrecked territory was the issue. Territory recovery could wait.
“Time flees swifter than afternoon tea.”
A day passed in real time; time for the quill.
Why a quill suddenly? What a question.
Upload the family letter, obviously.
Tormented by Grandfell's filial piety, yet admiring. How did he pen thousands of characters daily? Pride of the dutiful son, obviously—no need to ask.
Scritch—
I set down the quill and spoke.
“I beseech thee.”
In reality, simple magic sent letters winged home. Here on Arcana Continent, extra steps needed.
“Convey the missive, and return with reply.”
Roooar—
The letter tore through dimensions.
Truly remarkable filial devotion.
Only I would expend such mana on a morning greeting. Time lag meant replies would take a bit.
I'll tour meanwhile.
Claudy Mansion. Reversal magic restored it; maybe salvage some Claudy settings. Like the revived Four Families statues—something usable.
The scarcer, the more we scrape together.
I vowed sternly as family head. Then.
Roooar—
...Reply quicker than expected? Parents who matched my lengthy family letters. Even with time difference, too fast. Pre-written? Before I could think.
I unfolded the letter. A chill voice escaped me.
“No pride to be found.”
Printed A4: Regular Update Details
Thursday there still. Rare new update. Timed perfectly as I entered Arcana Continent. Nearly missed it oblivious.
In that sense.
“I shall not forget this grace, Father, Mother.”
Filial piety paid off. Let's see.
Demon King deletion?
Balance purpose unknown. But bad news for me. Beyond that, sniping me, Lee Hoyeol.
Experience and loot from Demon Kings—how much is that?
Playing dirty? Grandfell's pride well-earned.
But Raymon Sean. You blundered big.
The Omen stirs.
Demon King deletion. Feeding them to the Omen, right?
Truly.
Overlooking it?
Who's in that Omen's belly. I spoke resolutely.
“No need for tedious processes.”
My words triggered the quest objective blink.
Shhh—
Hunt the Omen. (In Progress)
Tedious quest goal erased, new one updated.
“Akshan.”
Unyielding predator-prey dynamic. The moment demon hunter faces demon.
The skill Predator-Prey Relationship activates...!
“Hunt begins.”