Nevertheless, It's Laughable (2)
Shring!
The sword of Baal, which had obliterated the Seorn Continent in a single strike. The moment an unimaginable destructive force hurtled toward me.
Gr-gr-grk—?!
A grotesque sound rang out, and Baal's forearm creaked unnaturally. The demons of the Demon Realm, who had trampled Seorn to rise, cried out at the sight.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Why is he swinging at... empty air...?"
"Lord Baal!"
Even if every demon revered Grandfell as an inescapable nemesis.
There was nothing I could do about those demons. Because the scene unfolding before my eyes was the unchangeable past.
And the reason I could be certain it was the past? As a demon hunter, I could see the demon kings I had personally sent to hell with my own hands.
In that sense, I couldn't help but flinch once more at Baal.
Transcending timelines, past and present. Baal had sensed my existence. And not content with that, he had swung his sword.
A being worthy of sinking an entire world with one slash.
But.
Hadn't this guy already spat it from his own mouth?
"I expect no understanding from inferior kin."
Before the approaching blade of Baal. Before the destructive power that had shattered the Seorn Continent in one blow.
I continued without retreating an inch.
"Count it an honor. I shall enlighten you personally."
Of course, this was a thoroughly calculated move.
The same went for the words I had uttered. Did I know how to hunt Baal because of them? No, nothing of the sort.
I simply trusted.
In the experience I had accumulated as a player...!
'No battle will occur.'
Yes. No matter how strong Baal was. No matter that he had sensed my presence.
The system doesn't lie. Since no recommended level had appeared in the message.
'You can't even touch me, can you?'
Baal, you couldn't lay a finger on a single hair of mine. Not even the perfectly tailored hem of my coat.
'Petty? So what?'
I told you. This wasn't baseless confidence.
This was the brazen reason I hadn't so much as blinked.
Krr-gr-grk!
The sound of muscles tearing echoed from Baal's forearm. Unlike me, the demons on the surface wore expressions of utter concern. The demon kings' panicked voices rang clearly in the demon hunter's ears.
"Why squander such a grand sacrifice, Baal!! Do you know how much the Demon Realm has sacrificed for this day? We cannot be satisfied with merely the Seorn Continent. Fulfill the contract. Open the gate to the Arcana Continent with that sword!!"
Ah, so that's why he looked so grim? From what I gathered, the contract required Baal to open a path to the Arcana Continent after Seorn.
But as you can see. Because he detected me watching through the curse.
He had swung the sword meant for the Arcana Continent at me instead.
"What utter incompetence."
"How can that one claim to be king of kings...?"
"...Everything's gone wrong. The heavens close."
"To miss such an opportunity!"
"Baaaaal!!"
Krr-gr-grk...
The demon kings' wails became reality. The sword swinging at empty air halted. The grip on the blade loosened. Baal's forearm twisted grotesquely, crumpled, and began getting sucked back into the cracked sky.
Thud...!
Soon, silence returned as if nothing had happened.
A message appeared before my eyes.
The Demon Realm merges with the 'Seorn Continent'.
Two entirely different worlds becoming one. Where had I heard this before?
Yes, this too was bizarre. The demon worshipper, Karim Jeba, had said it.
—"Demons are merely a means to an end. Surely you know this? What the Arcana Continent needs is the true truth!"
Thanks to that, I had realized. Back then, I had no idea what he meant. But he was talking about me, the one who dealt with the bizarre.
Yes. Baal himself was undoubtedly at the pinnacle of the bizarre's domain.
Or rather, considering he was one of the Ten Thrones who had always existed... It wasn't that he had entered the bizarre's domain like me. He was born from it.
But that's precisely.
Why I'm certain I can hunt you, Baal.
Struggle all you want.
Because I've been steadily advancing step by step in the bizarre's domain.
And the one whose nature demands reaching the pinnacle if it exists is none other than His Noble Grandfell.
Besides.
'At any rate, we're on the same tier right now, aren't we?'
Someone might sneer that it's excessively brazen. But.
Has my brazenness been a day or two?
I murmured toward the sealed heavens.
"Fled with tail between your legs, have you? At least you know your place."
Even a being at the pinnacle of the bizarre's domain, being a demon.
To me. To Grandfell. Baal was no different from a lowly imp.
'...Even so, calling it fleeing with tail tucked feels a bit much.'
I was in the midst of grasping my own place when my vision began to blur.
The demon worshipper's intent. An unstoppable flow. The true truth.
Having shown me Baal's power through the past, the curse had run its course.
...
Curse, 'Unstoppable Flow', has been purified.
Relationship with Akkshan has increased.
Influence in Akkshan has increased.
True to the repeating quest of Akkshan, my relationship and influence had risen.
Of course, that wasn't the important part.
My gaze turned to the wall of the infinite void, still dyed by the curse.
'At least my clothes won't get wrinkled.'
Thanks to the successful purification, the curse had vanished cleanly. The demon worshipper's corpse was gone too. Likely devoured by the infinite void according to its rules, now that his life force was spent.
I spoke.
"Utterly pathetic to the end."
In the end, I had denied even the demon worshipper's final tantrum and returned.
Why, he must have hoped witnessing Baal's power would break my spirit.
"You too. Even the demon who calls himself king of kings was the same."
If anything, it had only planted needless confidence in Grandfell.
That aside.
...What time is it now?
Time flows arbitrarily in the infinite void, but I had entered the curse. Even if it hadn't felt long subjectively, it was an incident enough to disrupt my schedule and procedures.
So the words from my mouth were obvious.
"A precious time wasted."
I spoke coldly and exited the infinite void.
Thud—
The door to the infinite void closed, and I ascended the stairs.
As I climbed, I reflected on my own bluster.
How much struggling would it take to make it all reality, I wondered...
Looking back, it wasn't entirely empty bravado, was it?
—"We cannot be satisfied with merely the Seorn Continent. Fulfill the contract. Open the gate to the Arcana Continent with that sword!!"
The fall of the Seorn Continent was in the past.
If I hadn't entered the curse. If Baal had opened the gate to the Arcana Continent as per the contract...?
Wouldn't the history of the Arcana Continent have changed drastically?
'Did my bluster end up blocking that?'
Of course, I couldn't be certain. Just Baal sensing my existence showed that timelines were a concept far too complex for me to grasp now.
'Maybe I should study some science after all.'
Tsk, times like this make me resent being a liberal arts guy.
Nevertheless, one thing was clear. Baal wasn't some utterly untouchable being.
Thanks to that, my steps felt light.
Click-clack.
As expected, time had passed, and sunlight bathed the Mage Tower. The tower was bustling with crowds from early morning. My shoe heels echoing in the lobby inevitably drew eyes.
In the end, murmurs arose.
"...It's Lee Hoyeol!"
"W-what? There's an underground in the Mage Tower?!"
"Did something happen this morning?"
"Send out the breaking news right now!"
But I paid no mind to others' gazes or judgments.
I headed straight for the portal. I had to hurry—tonight, I needed to visit the Arcana Continent too.
*
The players gazed up at the Zero Mountains.
"Man, back in the day, I wondered if I'd ever climb this."
"After the cataclysm, I totally forgot about it, honestly."
"Either way, feels like we've come a long way."
The thrill of first entering the Zero Mountains. Though not recommended for anyone, the number of players active there, led by rankers, was growing.
Tips and info on spawning monsters were spreading one by one.
An archer with a bow slung over their shoulder adjusted their glasses.
"From level 400 on, it's more efficient than most rifts, they say."
"Didn't expect everyone here to be around level 400 like me."
"I rushed here just for 400."
The four players maintained a healthy tension. Sword and shield, staff, bow. They gripped their gear and began ascending the Zero Mountains.
"Oh wait, hold up! I actually got a map from an explorer acquaintance. Said it'd definitely come in handy for the Zero Mountains someday..."
At the mage's words, everyone lit up.
"An explorer's map?! Those aren't ordinary maps, right? I only saw one in a NetTube video... Heard it acts like navigation."
"For real?"
"I'll hold your staff. Take your time finding the map."
"Ah, thanks. Found it!"
◈ No restrictions
◈ Completion: 3.2%
◈ Description: A map drawn by a Federation explorer. Their footsteps will guide your path.
The info window looked pretty meager at first glance. Just the lowlands, and only 3.2% complete? One might wonder what use it even had.
But in the vast Zero Mountains, 3.2% was no small amount.
The explorer's footsteps illuminate the area.
Footprint patterns appeared across the area with the message.
"So these footprints act as markers?"
"Yes! Look closely... and info pops up!"
"To think you'd snag something this valuable."
"We'll do our best, mage!"
"Aw, no need."
Even in the Zero Mountains lowlands, where new strategies were updating, worry was natural at first. But the explorer's map lit the way, easing their mental burden.
Rustle!
Suddenly, a presence from the distant woods.
The players didn't panic, checking the nearby footprints. Small and cute ones suggested...
"Mountain sparrow, maybe?"
Mountain Sparrow: Lv.430.
They had it memorized by now, so details popped up immediately.
"Hard to believe something this small is 430."
"Remember rankers struggling with rabbits? No room for complacency."
"If they swarm, it'll be trouble. Lure them one by one!"
Not rankers yet, but level 400s were high-level veterans. Especially post-cataclysm ones had battle-honed instincts from life-or-death fights.
So they noticed. Trembling.
The unnatural bodily reaction.
"...Am I the only one getting tense?"
430 was tough but manageable with teamwork. Yet their bodies refused to obey excessively.
Gulp!
Not imagination. Something in the approaching brush. The pressure was indescribable for a mountain sparrow.
The mage steeled themselves.
'We have the map. From senior Hwigang.'
No threats in this area. It's a sparrow, a mountain sparrow.
But as they resolved, realization hit.
"...Wait, do sparrows make that much noise when moving?"
Then.
Rustle!
The thing from the woods fully emerged. Before they could gasp, their vision flickered.
Appearance message.
'Moon Glaive Bear' appears in the area.
"...!"
Matching info rose.
Moon Glaive Bear: Lv.700.
Why was a monster even rankers struggled with appearing in the lowlands? No time for questions in a life-threatening spot.
'Damn!'
No chance of winning. Run.
But could they escape a level 700...?
"Everyone, run—...!"
In that instant. Hesitation trailed off the words.
Too late. Had to tank one hit. Raising the shield with resolve—
"...?"
Then they saw. The Moon Glaive Bear's eyes.
Pupils glowing softly like the moon, entranced. Utterly captivated.
Ignoring the players, it lumbered its massive body elsewhere.
"Wait, the direction—?!"
But a 300-level gap made even overlapping paths deadly. The agile strength types dodged, but the spell-preparing mage? Too much.
"Ugh, ugh!"
Approaching mage and Moon Glaive Bear.
"...Huh?!"
But no disaster.
"Wha—?"
In that instant. Crumble— A rock wall erupted between the Moon Glaive Bear and mage.
And a voice.
"Are you four all there are?"
"...Wha—?!?"
Facing them. Ignoring their shock.
Hoyeol continued.
"Nevertheless, I do not believe in such superstitions."
Uttering incomprehensible words with utmost dignity.
...
Why do obstacles multiply the busier I get? At this point, it's science.
Not just the 'Moon Glaive Bear'.
From high to low. The Zero Mountains were flowing backward.
High-level monsters from upper regions swarming to the lowlands.
As if entranced by something.
"Nevertheless, I do not believe in such superstitions."
Very well, Grandfell. Even I, a believer in omens, yield this time.
Dismissing it as mere four players and a death omen wouldn't suffice.
The phenomena plaguing the mountains were far from ordinary.
I held my head high.
And sharpened my senses.
Why, I've learned from experience. The culprit behind foul deeds is usually a demon.
Then my vision flickered.
See? Told you.
Devil at the end, as always.