What Remains Unchanged Despite It All (1)
My vision flickers.
Heaven and Earth Sole Respect
Fine, let's gloss over the skill's name. Though honestly, I'm not in the mood to gloss over it.
As you can see, it was a skill name that pierced right through the utterly arrogant Grandfell and struck me down to my bones.
Swish.
But there was a reason I decided to let it slide.
Thanks to my experience with curses, I recognized it immediately.
This is that, isn't it?
Grandfell's flowing long hair...!
The culprit behind this mess was undoubtedly tied to Grandfell's past.
Darkness Understanding (Curse): Dramatically increases affinity for compatible mana. However, you must confront the past that serves as the source of that compatible mana.
- Current compatible mana affinity: 10%
Thanks to Darkness Understanding, I had come to understand Grandfell's past.
That's how I acquired this ridiculously named skill, Heaven and Earth Sole Respect, and its effect had clearly caused my hair to grow long like Grandfell's from the past...!
This is driving me insane.
Should I call this a blessing?
Maybe because I only understood 10% of Grandfell's past, my hair hadn't grown long enough to reach my waist.
Still, it easily surpassed my shoulders—anyone could tell my hairstyle had changed.
If this were the Arcana Continent, I wouldn't even complain.
But this is reality, isn't it?
There are way too many eyes watching.
And among those eyes are ones from my enemies.
They teased me for weeks about dyeing my hair like an idol.
This is going to torment me for at least three months.
But the water's already spilled.
Accept the situation, Hoyeol.
Now that it's out in the open for everyone.
It's better to just get even more brazen about it.
You know that from countless experiences, right?
And...
This wasn't the time to wallow in shame anyway.
I slowly raise my head.
A mass of flames greets me.
The Extreme Flame Dragon.
It was Yunak Seus, burning away its remaining lifespan in a blaze of full power.
"Is that your best, Yunak Seus?"
Suddenly, it comes to mind.
Something I saw while surfing the internet, exploring curiosities.
A list ranking the most painful agonies a human could feel.
The top spot was definitely scorching pain.
I steeled my resolve firmly.
Better to die of shame than burn to death.
But just as my determination proved pointless, a voice rang out.
It was the Holy War Alliance forces who had come to support me after wrapping up the Zero Mountains cleanup.
"...Chief?"
More precisely, Marcelo.
And a few senior mages from the Mage Tower, including Bellie.
They had witnessed me in this state.
"Chief Lee Hoyeol... That's you, right?"
I could tell just from the trembling voice.
They must be wondering what the hell happened seeing my flowing hair.
If it were just cutting long hair short from the start, they could guess it was a change of heart or something.
But this was the opposite.
No excuse possible.
Of course, excuses were beneath this guy's personality anyway.
I opened my mouth as always.
But...
"Withdraw. This is my battle."
Why does my tone sound a bit more arrogant...?
More like it's carrying more weight.
A speech pattern befitting the skill name Heaven and Earth Sole Respect.
For a moment, cold sweat trickled down my spine.
...Hold on, no need to go full prime even in temperament, right?
It was Grandfell's prickly nature that I, Lee Hoyeol, was desperately suppressing with my shame.
Perhaps because Grandfell's influence had grown stronger.
A subtle change crept into my speech.
"If you do not doubt me."
Prickly as a hedgehog.
The silver lining was the quick-witted Marcelo.
Marcelo bowed his head and replied.
"We shall obey the Chief."
Thank you, Marcelo...!
Only after Marcelo and the senior mages withdrew could I collect myself.
Having felt the skill firsthand, I needed to recall its exact effects and limits.
Heaven and Earth Sole Respect (10%): Unleashes the talents of the unparalleled genius who even mocked the goddess herself. Grandfell Claudi Arpeus Romeo.
Even mocking the goddess?
The description goes even further.
More than that.
Grandfell's talents.
I thought I'd already benefited plenty from those talents until now.
I could replicate any magic I saw at a glance.
My physical potential rivaled that magical genius, manifesting sword aura effortlessly.
Thanks to that face-burning talent.
I've thrashed about without sinking into pride this far.
But the moment I unleashed my mana.
I realized.
That hadn't been Grandfell's full power.
Brilliant silver scatters in my vision.
It wasn't like drifting hair.
It was the power of the great Claudy family head.
Suppressed in my pathetic body, Lee Hoyeol.
Bound by the limits of a mere player.
Grandfell's true power.
『Grandfell's talents were not limited to one field.』
Ziiing—
The sword in my grip resonates intensely.
-My liege.
You truly move me.
The sword aura enveloping the blade shines even more vividly.
No, beyond shining, it flows uncontrollably.
I recall an unchanging truth.
Sword aura thickens further on the precipice between life and death.
It never ends, no matter how much I draw.
Truly.
And this with only 10% of the past uncovered.
Sword aura like this already.
What kind of life...
Did you live in the remaining 90% I don't know yet, Grandfell?
...
"Hahk."
The plate armor heaves greatly.
The lion emblem of Lion Heart engraved on the shoulder pauldron.
The emblem bubbles under the Extreme Flame Dragon's heat.
"Hahhk."
From his trachea to his lungs.
He must have suffered severe burns.
Is this what it feels like to breathe in fire?
"Kuhk..."
Harkon desperately lifts his upper body to survey his surroundings.
The adventurers who risked life and limb with him.
No, his proud disciples were there.
Everyone's condition was no different from his own.
"This is...!"
Among them, Nam Taemin looked especially critical.
A barbarian's ferocity dulls pain, but doesn't cancel it.
The price for ripping off several dragon scales would be steep.
Twitch...!
Harkon moves his hand to rummage through his bosom.
To find the elixir for emergencies.
Only one bottle of elixir.
Yet Harkon clutched the elixir and crawled toward Nam Taemin.
Drag—
The moment he dragged his unresponsive lower body toward Nam Taemin.
He sensed a presence.
Forcing open his heavy eyelids, there stood the Mage Tower's Chief Mage, Marcelo.
Harkon spoke.
"...Taemin over me."
"No need for concern, Sir Harkon."
Marcelo swallowed a sigh.
Not content with being crushed, the boiling plate greaves caught his eye.
From knees to toes, surely pulverized.
Amazing he hadn't lost consciousness, and in this state, worrying for others.
"Senior Bellie will heal him."
It must have been a battle wagering their lives.
Marcelo cast a healing spell.
Except for his crushed legs, Harkon's condition improved rapidly.
"...!"
That's why Harkon could witness it.
Lee Hoyeol facing Yunak Seus.
Harkon spoke.
"...Chief Marcelo, may I ask one thing?"
"Of course."
"If I'm not seeing things..."
His voice trembled.
"...That's the Sir I know, right?"
Someone might say: Was the long silver hair such a shock?
But Marcelo had guessed.
There was a more fundamental reason for Harkon's question.
A change only a lifelong swordsman like Harkon could perceive.
"Sword aura...? No, that's not sword aura or even sword gang."
The stage above sword aura: sword gang.
But that seemed to transcend even sword gang.
Even assuming extreme training during those mysteriously vanished six days.
It was an unreachable realm.
Sword gang shines brightly.
Beyond shining, it flows uncontrollably.
The gap between those realms was tens, hundreds of times.
So Harkon had to ask.
If that was truly the Lee Hoyeol he knew.
Marcelo answered.
The response was, oddly, ambiguous.
"I want to believe so as well."
...
When did I first notice the sense of incongruity?
Tracing back, it started from the Arcana Continent.
More precisely, when Claudy showed interest in twilight mana.
The great Claudy family.
Even among them, called Claudy himself: Grandfell.
Why would such a Grandfell take interest in something like twilight mana?
Of course, Mary was awed seeing him grasp it instantly.
But the doubt lingered.
Twilight mana was trivial compared to Claudy's greatness.
Yet watching closer.
For longer.
She realized.
The reason unknown.
But Claudy was not unleashing his abilities from that era.
At full capacity.
Mary had flown in on her broom to worry for and support such a Claudy.
Color returned to Mary's face.
"You've finally reclaimed it."
The brilliant abilities from that past era.
"... ."
Jessie watched the same scene from behind Mary.
Hair grown long in the week they hadn't met?
Gazing quietly at Hoyeol, Jessie spoke.
"He feels somehow unfamiliar."
Impressions differ by perspective, naturally.
But unchanging facts exist plainly regardless of viewpoint.
Such a fact existed on this battlefield too.
Ziiing—
What roused Nam Cheolmin was the analyst's occupational disease.
Another emergency update.
Emergency Update
New boss monster added.
‘Extreme Flame Dragon Yunak Seus’ : Lv.3,500
"...!"
The elder dragon Yunak Seus, who swallowed evil eyes, was level 2,500.
Yet as the phase progressed.
Its level jumped another 1,000.
Data always remains and helps somehow. But...
...Will there ever come a day to use this?
He thought that even while drones recorded.
Thousands of levels.
An unattainable realm.
So he couldn't believe it more.
Watching via drone, recording, hearing the voice clearly, yet unbelieving.
"What am I even seeing...?"
Because Commander Hoyeol was overwhelming such a monster.
At first, he thought.
As the black dark dragon ruling all dragons.
Maybe Yunak Seus wasn't going all out.
But Yunak Seus was clearly not at full strength.
The current Yunak Seus rampaged not as king of all, but as a tyrant.
And Hoyeol overwhelmed that.
Moreover, it wasn't ordinary hunting.
It was more like...
-"I shall entertain you to the end, Yunak Seus."
-"Lukewarm. Is that your true power?"
-"Burn everything you have white-hot."
Indulging whims.
Like playing with a rampaging young beast generously.
Nam Cheolmin swallowed a hiccup unconsciously.
"Hic."
Because he realized anew.
To toy with a level 3,500 monster in his palm...
Conservatively, the Commander's level neared at least 4,000.
"I-Is that even physically possible?"
Before and after the cataclysm, Arcana's level system barely changed.
Every 100 levels, experience needed for level-up surges—the so-called wailing sections.
Vast info flashes in his mind.
Pre-cataclysm average monster levels.
Post-cataclysm rift appropriate levels.
Average levels of rift monsters.
No combination reached it.
"...Impossible."
Hoyeol's estimated 4,000 was unreachable.
Then what the hell?
Is this scene I'm seeing...?
Amid differing perspectives.
One fact emerges again.
The heat slowly dying down.
Hoyeol speaks.
"You've toiled through eons, Yunak Seus."
The king of all things had fallen.