You Picked the Wrong Opponent (2)
Was there ever a time when I wasn't utterly confident? No, I won't deny it. Right now, I'm more solid than ever...!
Having the empire's strongest knight order as my party members. When in my life would I ever get tangled up with heavyweights like these again?
So I steeled myself. 'I have to milk this opportunity for all it's worth.'
Was it thanks to the points I'd dumped into my luck stat? Whatever the case, this was a stroke of heavenly fortune that wouldn't come twice.
Our fates ended at the Yusra Archipelago. So I'd do everything I could here!
That was my plan.
The first step, naturally, was securing the island's treasure.
Of course, my inventory already held the island's treasure: the crown. Not a speck of greed remained in it, thanks to Grandfell's settings keeping the collapse progress from rising.
So. 'At least we've stopped the giant evil from awakening.'
─Stop the Resurrection of the Seven Deadly Sins: Gluttony. (In Progress)
▲ ●Prevent the island's treasure from being tainted by greed. (In Progress)
Was it because the island's treasure was still intact? The quest was still in progress.
'From here on out, it's bonus stage time!'
Acquiring the island's treasure. Hunting monsters for loot. Everything depended on me now.
I couldn't even whine about having no allies anymore. 'No excuses.'
The Lion Heart knight order. They were following right behind me.
As I thought that, Harcon, walking beside me, spoke up.
"Indeed, a landscape as beautiful as the legends say. Save for one thing."
...One thing? His words carried a weighty undertone.
I looked at him wordlessly, and Harcon posed his question.
"Sir Hoyeol. What are your thoughts on the rat pup up in the tree?"
...Wait, hold on. What did he just say?
'...S-Sir Hoyeol?!'
What the hell was that cringe-inducing title just from hearing it?!
From adventurer Lee Hoyeol to Sir Hoyeol. I could guess why the honorific had changed. Even if I didn't know the reason, Harcon had misunderstood—in a very favorable way.
'Misunderstanding? Fine by me.'
Plus, with my actions and speech, I might even pass for nobility. Hell, even I get confused sometimes. Cheap green tea starts tasting sweet and all that.
But. 'Hearing it for real makes me want to die...'
I'm dying of embarrassment here. Sir Hoyeol? And worst of all, my sisters pop into my head—especially No. 3, that menace. If she ever found out, it'd be teasing material for life.
My black history was plenty as it was. 'Thank God our fates end at the Yusra Archipelago.'
Let's never cross paths outside, please.
That's what I wanted to say, but I replied coolly.
"Sir Harcon. What are your thoughts?"
"I believe it best to deal with it, troublesome though it may be."
"I shall respect your decision."
Suppressing my shame brought the conversation back into focus. Rat pup in the tree, was it? He meant a squirrel or something.
'Are even the squirrels high-level here?'
Troublesome but better to handle it, he said. Let's at least check out this max-level squirrel.
As I looked up into the tree, a message appeared.
[The Yusra Archipelago begins to be tainted by greed.]
[Collapse Progress: 8/10]
...Holy shit, only one left? Excluding the crown I'd acquired, that is. Even checking again, only one island treasure remained.
That meant every player in the Yusra Archipelago was converging on this island. No time to mess with squirrels.
I added, "But for now, can you follow me?"
Clank—
No need for further words. Harcon, who'd been drawing his sword, sheathed it and nodded.
"Of course, Sir Hoyeol. We pledged to be your sword and shield on this island."
Harcon's icy gaze turned to the tree. "That rat pup won't loiter nearby for a while, it seems."
Was there really a squirrel? I tilted my head but let it go. Gawking around too much was undignified.
I swallowed a sigh, resenting myself for adapting to this exhausting personality.
*
Extortion, threats, murder. He'd committed every evil under the sun, yet no judgment came. Instead, he'd earned the grandiose title of Supernova.
"What god in this world? If there was one, I'd be dead already."
Nothing frightened Kinber anymore. Players higher level than him? No matter their level, one dose of his deadly poison and they'd beg for mercy.
Countless high-level fools had charged in overconfident and died. Weaklings went without saying.
Yet that ruthless Kinber was trembling in terror.
[Body and mind paralyzed by killing intent.]
[Status Ailment: Terror]
I'm sorry. Please spare me. He wanted to scream, but no voice came.
'Th-that's Harcon Kingsguard...!!'
The empire's strongest knight order, Lion Heart. Their leader, the lion himself, the captain.
Just meeting his eyes. Kinber couldn't twitch a finger.
'P-please...!'
Clank— The sound of a sword drawn. A cold voice followed.
"Sir Harcon. What are your thoughts?"
"I believe it best to deal with it, troublesome though it may be."
Because he'd never felt it before. Kinber was all the more vulnerable to terror.
'N-nooooo!'
If he could, he'd bash his head on the ground and beg. But.
"I shall respect your decision."
Thunder from a clear sky. Kinber's legs gave out.
"...!"
He felt his pants grow wet. But shame was beyond him. The fear of death overwhelmed everything.
—You're wrong.
Was that a comrade's voice? Or the hallucination nagging him? He couldn't tell. Then.
"But for now, can you follow me?"
...Huh?
"Of course, Sir Hoyeol. We pledged to be your sword and shield on this island."
Clank— Harcon sheathed his sword at Hoyeol's words. Then he truly passed by.
Only after they were far did Kinber regain his senses.
"...I survived?"
...How the hell did I survive?
Kinber muttered, "Did he spare me?"
Lee Hoyeol, that guy? Out of pity for someone who'd pissed himself? Or because trash like him was just a rat pup not worth noticing?
The reason didn't matter. Kinber wiped tears from his eyes.
"Fuck..."
One emotion only. Pure relief at being alive, and Kinber sobbed.
Kinber realized anew. '...They're on another level.'
Harcon Kingsguard. A monster beyond monsters.
And Lee Hoyeol, who wielded that Harcon as sword and shield.
Kinber reconnected his cut call.
—Kinber, you idiot. Can you hear me now?
—You said signal issues, so shut up—what now?
To his raging comrades, he said quietly, "I'm pulling out of the Yusra Archipelago."
—...What the fuck, asshole? Hey!!
"Last thing. If you don't wanna die, don't touch Lee Hoyeol."
—What?!
Click— Shouts erupted, but whatever. Kinber never wanted to set foot in the Yusra Archipelago again.
Lee Hoyeol or Harcon. If he ran into either again, his head really would roll.
....
"What the fuck's wrong with this idiot suddenly?"
Supernova Park Hyunjoong ground his teeth.
Kinber acting on his own wasn't new, but today he'd crossed a line.
"That motherfucker."
The investment for today alone was huge. Mid-tier prey wouldn't break even. No jackpot, but at least solid gains were needed.
Park Hyunjoong grew anxious. '...You know my situation, you bastard Kinber!'
Trusting fellow Supernovas regardless of skill was a dumb call. Backstabbers at heart.
Park Hyunjoong gritted his teeth. "You may back off, but I can't."
Then. A voice whispered in his ear.
—You can do it.
—It's simple. Kill and take.
—We're almost there. Do your best.
"...What the fuck."
The call was clearly ended. Park Hyunjoong flinched at the vivid voice. But only briefly.
"I'll make it happen. Me!"
—If you don't wanna die, don't touch Lee Hoyeol.
"...Whatever it is, I don't wanna die."
Lee Hoyeol aside, that is.
*
Thududududu—
Dozens of helicopters flew over the Pacific. Below lay, naturally, the Yusra Archipelago.
Immersion suffered from the air, but filming from helicopters was the best option. Live monsters roamed the islands.
"Still, the angles suck. Jongjin, why not just bungee jump? You've got a parachute."
VBC newsroom. A teasing joke from Hyun Yongseok drew a whiny reply.
—Urk. I'm dying of airsickness already. For real!
"Gotta earn your keep. You miss every chance."
—Urk! Such a nag! Still on about Lee Hoyeol...!
Urgh! Ruining my appetite, seriously.
Hyun Yongseok briefly removed his headset, then put it back on.
"Good work anyway. Thanks to you, ratings are cruising."
Today Arcana, live broadcast. Real-time viewership at 15 percent. Not thanks to retching Yoon Jongjin, but Gaon.
Shining snagging two treasures or whatever. National focus naturally went to Korea's guild, Gaon.
—Did it look good? The end was insane.
"These mobs are huge, so distant shots worked better. Viewers loved it. Worth making you puke."
—Phew, glad.
Gaon slaying a named monster and claiming an island treasure. Ratings aside, even Hyun Yongseok was pumped. Plus.
"Just nail one finale shot."
Players swarming the final island. More players meant more drama.
—Especially close-ups on those Inazuma bastards. After how rude they were to us, total humiliation pics...!
Urghhh!!
"...You just killed my lunch."
Yeah, as Yoon Jongjin said. Capturing Inazuma's Hisagi Kazuma's expression shift would be gold.
Unlike Gaon, Japan's Inazuma had zero treasures.
"Guild rankings might even flip."
Growing anticipation.
Thududududu— As helicopters chased Gaon to the final island.
—Holy shit. They're all crazy fast?
"Why? They arrive already?"
—Hold on. Zooming in.
The enlarged feed revealed Yoon Jongjin's fuss.
"Whoa. Spectacular."
Shining, Cheonha Tongil, and more. Guilds and players flooding the island's center.
—Rare sight, senior?
"First time for me. Never gather like this normally? Rifts are competitive, no mutual gain."
—Treasure island gives us a show. For real.
What drama would unfold on the final island? Even as PD, Hyun Yongseok felt like a viewer.
But he was pro. "Secure Gaon and Inazuma angles first."
—Roger. Hold on.
"Then watch easy."
Combat makes angles tough. Nail key shots.
Yoon Jongjin nagged daily, but he was pro too.
"Okay. Taemin's mask looks good."
Gaon guild master Nam Taemin's face on angle. But wait.
For some reason. Nam Taemin's face twisted in horror... No, beyond horror—agony!
"What the hell's he seeing...?"
Me too!
Yoon Jongjin's camera whipped around fast. And there.
"...Whaaat?! S-Senior! Hoyeol, Lee Hoyeol!!"
Lee Hoyeol again. But not alone.
Hyun Yongseok, staring at the monitor. His face matched Yoon Jongjin's shock.
—S-Senior. Lion! Rawr! Lion!! That lion emblem!!
VBC helicopters buzzed wildly.
"...Lion Heart knight order?! What plot twist is this?!"
Soon, every camera locked on the same angle.