What If It Were Me Too? (2)

Is it because one eye is covered by an eyepatch that I'm seeing things? ...No, that can't be.

System messages appear in my mind. Even if I couldn't see ahead, I could still perceive system messages with perfect clarity.

Even so, I muttered in disbelief.

"Is this for real?"

The Arcana Continent, barreling toward destruction. The despairing modifier that used to adorn the entry message was gone.

But that wasn't why the Cheonha Tongil guild members were shocked. Since it was their first entry, they had no idea what the message used to say.

So then.

The identity of that man who brought hope. Were they shocked by preemptively guessing it?

Not yet. There was nothing to speculate from the message alone.

The reason for their shock lay in the messages that followed.

"N-No way...!!"

Yes. The reason the Cheonha Tongil guild members were shocked the moment they set foot on the Arcana Continent was this absurd buff.

A blanket 50% increase in experience gain with no conditions. It was a buff beyond the wildest dreams of real-world players.

And that was just the beginning.

.... Each one was a buff capable of upending the order of Arcana. The messages kept popping up relentlessly, as if competing with each other.

They were players elite enough to set foot on the Arcana Continent even within Cheonha Tongil. As knowledgeable players, they instantly grasped what these buff messages meant.

All seven shared the same thought.

'This is a chance for complete rebirth.'

Performing missions on the Arcana Continent amid these absurd buffs. By the time they returned to reality.... They were confident they would have grown beyond recognition compared to before.

So they couldn't help but be moved.

"To grant me such an opportunity—it's an honor, my liege!"

Of course, the感動 didn't last long.

Just as they marveled at the buffs, their minds raced. The message had clearly said "that man."

'What kind of man could bring buffs like these across the entire Arcana Continent?'

The question didn't linger. Didn't it keep saying? Legends grow ever grander as they pass from mouth to mouth.

In that sense, the man's legend was naturally widespread across the Arcana Continent.

To the point of overflowing in message form. The final message blinked.

"......?!!"

Black Dark Dragon.

At that word, the faces of the Cheonha Tongil guild members paled.

That name echoed ceaselessly not just across the Arcana Continent, a completely different world, but in reality too. As someone said, it rang out billions of times a day.

"L-Lee Hoyeol...?"

Yes, it was Lee Hoyeol's epithet.

In their shock, they carefully reread the messages. A single man, Black Dark Dragon, arrangement.... Their seasoned player knowledge drew a conclusion.

"All of this... changes brought by that bastard Lee Hoyeol...?"

Back when Arcana was just a game. Occasionally, buffs would trigger based on player achievements.

But this was different. Not buffs limited to hunting grounds or villages, but effective across the entire Arcana Continent. Moreover, each effect was powerful enough to shatter order and balance.

Their player knowledge spoke.

"......What kind of achievement could do this?"

Even their vast knowledge as veterans couldn't fathom it.

Amid the confusion, they didn't forget their loyalty to their liege. Loyalty warned them.

"My liege, we can't handle him...."

Lee Hoyeol was on another level. Several dimensions apart!

If all this was due to Lee Hoyeol's influence, the Arcana Continent was already in the palm of his hand.

The heaven-like Arcana Continent now looked like the heart of enemy territory.

The Cheonha Tongil guild members made their decision.

"We must retreat now, my liege."

However, they—and their liege—had overlooked something. What Ryu Ojuncheon shared was only vision.

"......Can't you hear me?"

That their liege couldn't hear their voices. Or see the messages.

And.

"......More importantly, how the hell do we log out?"

That logout functions didn't exist on access devices.

Yusra Kingdom.

I moved a chess piece sprawled on the round table.

Across from me sat King Hakuna.

To outsiders, it might look like we were leisurely playing chess for a break. But I'm wronged hearing that.

Was Grandfell the type to take breaks easily? This was just an extension of work.

Moreover.

'Why touch the chess pieces, anyway?'

I don't know how to play chess. I know Go-Stop or baduk, but chess? No clue. Not even the piece names or functions.

'Is this a pawn? The crowned one's the king, right?'

Yet he shamelessly moved the pieces.

"The remaining forces number three major factions."

It wasn't just an excuse—this truly was work. As commander-in-chief of the Holy War Alliance, I was reviewing ally and enemy forces with Yusra's king, Hakuna.

Our allies' strength was etched in my mind from daily routines, so no need to mention. Now was the time to tally the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠enemy—demons—forces.

Tak.

My finger moved, placing a chess piece.

"Upper Demon Kings."

The term for the top 10 in demon hierarchy. Excluding 4th-ranked Gamigin, dragged to hell by me and the Akshan seniors. Exactly nine remain.

Tak.

"Great Evils, Seven Deadly Sins."

Tak.

"And the Primordial Evils."

Two more pieces placed in succession.

"Five of the Seven Deadly Sins remain, yes?"

"Indeed."

I nodded at Hakuna's words.

Gluttony, who possessed Hakuna, was uprooted and cast into hell. Envy was hunted at the cost of the Shadow Mercenaries' sacrifice.

'A lot, but not too many.'

But demons were growth-type monsters. Annoying things that grew stronger through negative emotions. The terror was not knowing how far a lowly imp could climb under what trigger.

Proof appeared in my class quest.

Given the grandiose class quest title [Akshan Reconstruction], it wasn't ordinary. But the total lack of info on hybrid demons showed how troublesome demons were.

'On top of that.'

Demons weren't all. Their power source—negative human emotions—spawned forces just as vicious in reality and Arcana.

Of course, natural. Debates like innate goodness or evil were philosophical in reality.

But Arcana had a clear answer. Why, the Tree of Good and Evil.

'Even the World Tree said as much.'

Coexistence of good and evil was natural. Even Grandfell of the world acknowledged it—though meaning evil would submit to good, so no issue.

Anyway.

'Please don't meddle too much, for once.'

Even the remaining demons were all heavyweights. I was busy enough with them.

The consolation? Reliable allies like Hakuna.

Hakuna stared piercingly at the chess piece.

......Because I moved three in a row? Was he taking chess seriously? Apparently not.

Soon, Hakuna looked up, his pupils gleaming with resolve.

"I, once possessed by a demon, cannot claim fearlessness against them. But please do not forget my existence, my benefactor. Be it here or the Arcana Continent, I stand ready."

The Arcana Continent was in upheaval. Via High El, I heard those poured out by Omen were breathing new life into the barren land.

Naturally, conflicts would arise. They all knew of Akshan, right? Yes. But Akshan was Akshan, and they were them.

'Akshan ain't gods, after all.'

Expecting conflicts to resolve just by invoking Akshan's name was absurd.

'Not that it's bad.'

As said, natural. But I knew too: Negative emotions from conflicts fueled demons.

So, moderate from behind the scenes.

With that resolve, another title ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rose....

'Ends up proving Black Dark Dragon right, huh?'

The colossal Black Dark Dragon, Claudi, orchestrating the Arcana Continent from the shadows! Mouth strikes again.

Spouting it makes it real somehow.

'Watch your words for a reason, seriously.'

In that vein, Hakuna, our Yusra king, better watch it too. At work or wherever, the most dangerous phrase is "make it happen."

'Learned the hard way from enemies.'

I told Hakuna sincerely.

"Best not to speak words beyond your grasp, Hakuna."

Of course, in Grandfell-speak, it didn't sound warm. But Hakuna, having endured it to the point of calluses, was fine.

Hakuna smiled faintly.

"I shall remember, my benefactor."

.

. . .

After Lee Hoyeol left, Hakuna alone gazed at the chessboard.

The three moved pieces were all pawns.

Hakuna recalled the names attached to them.

"Upper Demon Kings, Great Evils, and Primordial Evils."

Seven Deadly Sins' Gluttony. Hakuna knew its ferocity better than anyone. Thus, he could gauge their magnitude.

"Yet mere pawns."

Still, Lee Hoyeol likened all three to identical pawns. Someone might say he underestimated them. No—they grasped one meaning but missed two.

"Demons grow through negative emotions...."

In chess, pawns promote. Pawns symbolized even lowly demon grunts could grow unpredictably.

A metaphor vowing no complacency.

And simultaneously.

"Yet pawns can never become king."

A reminder of the dimensional gap. Hakuna etched the board deep in his mind.

Overlook even a word of Lee Hoyeol's, and its profundity escaped.

"......Hahk!"

Heart pounding raggedly. Unfamiliar scenery and sensations.

The hybrid demon opened its eyes.

What the hell happened...?