Flowers and Weeds (1)
AAU had finally grasped the gravity of the situation.
"Did the Chief even forgive them this time?"
America's response was nothing short of arrogant. Was it to protect their own citizens? Or did it mean the entire country—and America as a whole—could no longer back down from involvement in the incident? They unleashed a full-frontal assault on the Mage Tower's leadership.
"Is this for real?"
News arrived late, too. From the AAU United States East and West branches. Photos from staff painted a picture of sheer horror.
"They even mobilized rift decisive battle weapons?!"
"From the pictures, it looks legit."
"They were serious?"
"We weren't asking for much—just for the idiots spewing nonsense to step forward. Why the overreaction? If the Chief hadn't intervened..."
That Meteor Strike would've cratered American soil without a second thought.
In that sense, Seong Hyunjun and Yoon Sugyeom let out sighs of relief, at least for now.
"One worry down, right, senior?"
"......"
Yoon Sugyeom didn't answer. Hoyeol's parting words gnawed at him.
The judgment of the Demon King you all cried out for.
What judgment would America face, exactly?
The question didn't linger long.
Clench.
"Trouble."
"......!!"
Branch Chief Park Minjae clutched his head. The man who never rattled easily, no matter the crisis. But imagining what came next made his head spin.
"Chief, you okay?"
Yoon Sugyeom approached, voice laced with concern.
Park Minjae nodded, steadying himself. Then he glared at the monitor. Specifically, the rift generation coordinates streaming in from Another Space Ho.
"Sugyeom. Things are about to get noisy."
"......Pardon?"
"Non-stop."
Park Minjae's warning came true instantly.
LOCATION: United States Territory
Multiple rifts spawning continuously...
"R-Rift! Where?!"
Endless rift generation alerts updating without cease. Was Another Space Ho glitching? It was enough to make one wonder.
And then.
"All coordinates... they're all in the US!!"
Dozens, hundreds of rifts. Every single one spawning on American soil.
Seong Hyunjun flinched. Could this be the "judgment" Chief Lee Hoyeol mentioned...?
"He meant these rifts?"
Seong Hyunjun wasn't alone in the thought. Everyone wondered if Lee Hoyeol had reached a realm where he could spawn rifts at will.
But Park Minjae shut down the absurd notion.
"You all really see the Chief as a Demon King?"
He emphasized each word deliberately.
"No matter what the world says, you can't waver. What did the Chief show us at rifts? He dove in solo, ignoring appropriate levels. And you think that man would spawn rifts to judge anyone?"
"......"
"Hoo."
Park Minjae caught his breath and spoke the truth.
"America's just been cast outside the fence."
"......Outside the fence?"
"Didn't it seem off? Rift generation frequency dropped sharply after Zero Mountains appeared. Because of the mountains' 'weight'?"
......Nod.
One who bought it: Seong Hyunjun, nodding once. Still green, that one.
Park Minjae shook his head.
"From a developer's view, maybe not wrong. Updated high-difficulty content like Zero Mountains, holding back new stuff until players conquer it."
Nod, nod.
"But you know Raymon Sean, that bastard?"
"......!"
"Arcana Continent era still treating reality like a game?"
Raymon Sean. His updates showed no mercy for humanity. Worse, malicious. Felt like optimal extinction strategies dropped in regular patches.
"Humanity survived because the Mage Tower wrapped Earth— the whole world—in their fence. Remember the Tower's lore?"
Yoon Sugyeom's eyes flashed.
"......Absolutely Inviolable!"
"Right."
Park Minjae nodded.
"In the Arcana Continent era, the Mage Tower was the unyielding beacon to the end. Supreme force maintaining continental balance. Even if empires fell, the Tower stood firm."
"So the rift drop after Zero Mountains... because the Tower claimed Earth as their domain?"
"Finally catching on?"
Yes. Humanity's brief respite from Arcana's erosion was thanks to the Mage Tower. Declaring Earth their inviolable protection zone.
Yoon Sugyeom ventured further.
"Even the demon monsters mostly...!"
"Yeah. Demons don't know boundaries, as the Chief said. Invaded Tower territory without care. But those who know the Tower's terror? Different."
Gulp.
Park Minjae wet his dry throat.
"Arcana monsters swarming every rift now. Ones sharpening teeth outside the Tower's fence. Why leave tossed-out prey alone?"
That gaze shifted from the Mage Tower leadership to the mega-beast decisive weapons.
A situation for neither laughter nor tears.
Park Minjae spoke calmly.
"Well, dragging those out has purpose now. Eugene McCain."
The dam burst. The Mage Tower's final bulwark crumbled.
No better way to put it.
"Why poke the bear and invite the whip?!"
Giant Union's analyst, Nam Cheolmin.
Arcana Continent brimmed with dangers. Nam Cheolmin, relatively low-level, rarely ventured in recklessly.
Thanks to that? His phone rang non-stop. All international calls.
Nam Cheolmin eyed the screen.
"Jeez."
Starting with Shining. He knew many US guilds and players.
All begging Giant Union for help.
"It never had to escalate this far."
Marcelo gave chances. The Grand Commander gave ample opportunities to correct mistakes. But America responded with attacks, not apologies.
Nam Cheolmin viewed coldly.
"......I'd ignore them outright."
Fooling the Tower? Forgivable, maybe. But Hoyeol sacrificed for humanity.
Watching him up close, Nam Cheolmin knew.
"Even out of spite."
Hoyeol's burden? A mortal would choke on it in a day.
Simple example: Stamina training, via brother Taemin.
-"Bro, Harkon said Hoyeol never skipped a day. Training volume on another level. When does he even sleep?"
Such sacrifice nearly tarnished by malice overnight.
If he were Hoyeol... betrayal alone would've made him shun America.
Yet now.
"Still waiting till the end, huh, Grand Commander."
Hoyeol and the Tower hovered there. In the sky.
Till the absolute last. Refusing to abandon hope in humanity.
"......Damn it."
Fling!
Nam Cheolmin tossed his glasses like trash and answered.
As expected, US AAU branch.
He didn't hold back. Like activating his brother's Rage skill, he unloaded.
"Instead of calling me, beg forgiveness first! Collapse rates skyrocketing—still not grasping reality? You really wanna turn America into hell?!"
Nam Cheolmin warned.
"Collapse is the final countdown. Not too late yet. Spill everything truthfully. That's my last advice—and warning."
A personal note.
"If any pride remains."
A resolute voice replied.
"Thanks for saying that."
Eugene McCain. Connections paid off now.
Eugene hung up, approached fainted Joshua. Poured potion from table into his mouth.
"Ugh."
Arcana—unbelievable even seeing it.
"......Eugene? Where you going?"
Eugene ignored Joshua rising, left the chief's office.
Mage Tower. Lee Hoyeol. How to communicate with them above?
Eugene didn't hesitate.
Arcana's way, surely...
Atop the branch building roof, Eugene spoke.
"I'll tell all truthfully, Lee Hoyeol, Yusra Chief."
A gaze fell upon him. Beyond physics. Hoyeol's eyes from distant sky, piercing.
Eugene thought.
'Spill everything honestly?'
He resolved to take all blame. Gladly, if it ended this crisis.
But watching, it was absurd.
Eugene said bitterly.
"A mere pawn like me holds no such value."
With rifts spawning, civilian damage inevitable. Yet no word from above.
Civilians secondary to their safety.
But thanks to that.
"What's best for America."
Eugene spoke freely.
"Lee Hoyeol Chief, the White House orchestrated this."
First words out, he paused.
Crack-crackle—
"......?"
Non-player. Rifts invisible to him.
"!"
But fracturing sky appeared.
Simple meaning: Rift collapse imminent.
Eugene swallowed dryly, continued.
"All our foolish, rotten faults. Citizens innocent. So, Demon King. Grant them mercy."
Clench.
Eugene closed eyes. No mercy for himself.
A sliver of responsibility, that's what he felt.
Answer came.
"You saved them."
......I saved them? What?
Forgiveness?
"......?"
Eugene opened puzzled eyes.
Shhh.
Silver particles spreading everywhere. Visible.
Non-player, Arcana-ignorant Eugene. Yet he sensed.
"L-Lee Hoyeol Chief?"
The area rippled silver, like his hair. Gloriously.
Soon, unbelievable sight in Eugene's view.
Crackle-zzt.
Near-collapse rifts. Fading gradually.
Meaning simple: Lee Hoyeol reversing rift collapse rates.
"Ah."
Tension released? Eugene knelt unwittingly.
Voice continued to him.
"I ask."
Why? The dry tone felt warm.
"Do I still appear a Demon King to you?"
*
Witness secured. Interrogate properly in Topaz Hall or the Abyss.
Priority: cleanup.
I gathered mana.
Reversed collapse rates, but that's it.
I haven't fully grasped rifts as [Strange Phenomena].
So now.
Clear every US rift one by one.
Hundreds of rifts.
Solo? Impossible before collapse.
But now.
Behind me: Arcana's strongest force, Mage Tower.
Quick and swift clears.
I spoke.
"Vivace will do nicely."
Hadn't even drawn the [Conducting Baton of Rhythm].
Suddenly spouting music terms—what intent?!
But no time for shame. Perfect timing...
No, thanks for distracting my embarrassment.
"I've awaited this moment! My forbidden magic for all to see...!!"
"Senior Bensy William."
"......Yes?"
I continued meaningfully.
"From this hour, I bestow upon you a 'heavy responsibility.'"