In politics, the moment you admit it, it's over.
"What is this?"
"It's obvious. It's a leak from the inside."
"...!!!"
"Ho, do you think there's some kind of wiretap in that place?"
"Before that."
The shrill voice of an aging politician cuts through the chatter.
"Are you all innocent?"
Even if the president has laid down the law.
Desperate denial is the only way to save face.
But who can imagine?
Hoyeol is determined to restore the honor of the two families.
He opens a portal and visits the Blue House.
To talk to the president and get a promise from him.
The party in the first place.
Hoyeol's actions were unpredictable from the beginning.
However, the exact circumstances may never be known.
"They said they got the list.... You don't think so, do you?"
"Does that make any sense?"
"It's probably just a scare tactic."
"What kind of wind is blowing in the Blue House?"
The number of rice bowls that have been emptied in the political arena is incalculable. I've seen more than a few people whose political careers have ended because they naively confessed to saying those things.
Yeah.
In times like these, it's best to stick your flippers out.
It's a fundamental part of political life and common sense.
But common sense didn't apply to this situation.
"I knew it, those rats."
The number of people who surrendered and came to the light was zero.
"You don't disappoint my expectations."
The moment when President Jeong Han-taek's patience ran out.
A full-scale investigation began.
"Oh, no...! How dare you arrest a member of the National Assembly who represents the people... Ugh!"
Non-arrest privilege of the gold badge?
That only works in pre-cataclysmic times.
Times change, laws change.
-Restraint. Prosecutor, "I already have the list...."
-State secrets, sure to be leaked to the world....
-Prosecutor, "Sentence up to life imprisonment possible."
Before the cataclysm.
Selling out the country was just a metaphor.
Sure, you could get away with a few irregularities.
In times of peace, the country never really fell apart.
But post-Cataclysm, it's different.
With players with superhuman abilities.
The country had to be more vigilant about intelligence for security.
-"President Jeong Han-taek. Even now, we will establish the pride of the Republic of Korea."
Yes, it was the new common sense.
It was also the law of the land.
Even the people could only nod in agreement.
-What is this?
-No;; there were so many thieves in the country?!
-I can understand Sinhwa, but Heavenly Unity? That's really crossing the line. hahaha
-Liu Zunqun wasn't so fast for nothing.
The media was the most sensitive to such public reactions.
VBC.
"Gulp."
At the meeting, Hyun Yongseok was scolded for holding back his laughter.
He sat quietly and looked around at the faces of the attendees.
It was clear.
'Wow, there were so many people who accepted?'
Especially the press.
They were all shaking their heads in disbelief. I can't believe that our home's fireworks can be this much fun. Hyun Yong-seok sipped his coffee.
"Then think about it."
To summarize the meeting, it was simple.
Turn yourself in and save face.
With even the gold badges tied up in knots, do you think the minions have the ability to pull a fast one? What kind of crazy person would be attached to a station with that kind of power?
"Jongjin, you're in a good mood this morning."
"You're definitely blushing, senior."
"What are they doing to me, crazy?"
The reason why Hyun Yongseok, a socially awkward man, has been able to survive in the jungle of a broadcasting station so far is because of his sheer ability.
That's why it was so funny.
"Is that the result of that prosperous social life? With iron shackles?"
I hear some of my bosses are already packing their bags. There's nothing I'd enjoy more than the retirement of an insignificant boss, with no severance pay.
"Hehehe."
"Senior, do you know that you look very strange right now?"
"Hey, Jongjin, listen to me."
"...?"
I burst out laughing.
The self-proclaimed madman of VBC had turned into a businesslike maniac this time.
Hyun Yongseok continues with a twinkle in his eye.
"Do you think it's possible for a person to change overnight?"
"...It's impossible, I guess?"
"Yeah, but why do you think the president, who has been sticking to his neglectful ways, is catching the people who sold out the country by broadcasting breaking news in the middle of the night?"
Yoon Jongjin thinks hard before answering.
"I don't know, what is it?"
"I don't know, either!"
"What, then why did you ask?"
Hyun Yongseok clenches his fists.
"Because that's what we're going to do from now on."
"What?!"
"Who the hell is putting any pressure on the Blue House.... No, pressure is a bit of a stretch, isn't it? Was it because of his good influence that traitors were captured in droves overnight? If we find out, we'll have won the jackpot, won't we?"
"...That, by the way."
Doesn't that mean you're going to dig up the Blue House?
I knew this guy was crazy, but I didn't expect this.
Yoon Jongjin was already losing his mind.
Of course, Hyun Yongseok didn't seem to mind.
"First of all, if you look at the time zone.... Something must have happened in the afternoon to evening hours.... Let's see, wasn't that the time when the chief of the Magic Tower revealed Heavenly Unity true face and caused quite a stir? But, wait. What was Mr. Hoyeol doing at that time?"
*
Nam Taemin lowers his voice and opens his mouth.
"What a situation it is."
It's a small voice, but I can hear the anger in it.
He has every right to be angry. Apparently, the information that I and the Great Alliance would be attacking the three caves at the same time had leaked out to Heavenly Unity.
I frowned to myself.
'You were preparing very carefully, right?'
They took advantage of my concentration on the caves.
Trying to sacrifice to a great evil.
I almost didn't make it.
'I missed something crucial.'
My class, the Demon Hunter.
Demon hunters and demons have an absolute [natural enemy] relationship.
It's because of this relationship that I was able to finish the cave and go in search of the Seven Deadly Sins Envy.
When I thought about it, I realized.
'This is why secrets are necessary.'
I began to think seriously about the importance of 'hiding'.
'If you knew I was a Demon Hunter.'
A man of Liu Zunqun's stature would have planned a more elaborate sacrifice to Envy. Shame aside, this might not be a laughing matter.
After all, I'm revealing a hidden hand.
Objectively, I was shrouded in mystery.
But in the process of defeating this Seven Deadly Sins Envy, a few clues were revealed.
Akshan.
Demon Hunter.
And Claudi.
Of course, that's not enough to be sure.
'All sorts of magic, swordsmanship, Hiel, and Diend....'
After all these years of trying.
Even with my ties to Akshan.
I've never been labeled a Demon Hunter.
For that, I am grateful.
'Demon hunter's shabby skill set.'
Can you imagine me as a Demon Hunter?
Back when Arcana was just a game.
There must be a lot of players who got caught by Akshan and the Demon Hunter and deleted their characters in shame.
While I was thinking, Nam Taemin spoke up.
"I'm really sorry about this, Mr. Hoyeol. You've given us your valuable time, and it's unfortunate that information leaked out."
Basically, Grandfell is merciful to humans.
It's not your fault you got hit in the back.
It's the guy who hit you in the back.
Fortunately, Nam seemed to get the hint.
"It must be the new analyst."
The Alliance had greatly increased the number of analysts in preparation for the attack on the cave, and it was likely that a spy from the Heavenly Unity was hiding among them, and Nam had already taken action.
-"I'm going to deliberately release other information and watch, and if I can see what false information is leaking out, I can step on its tail."
Everyone has a specialty, right?
"Baek Yiseol is like that, Nam Cheolmin is like that.'
It reminds me that the more trusted allies you have, the better.
Of course, it's time for me to showcase my specialty.
Nam Taemin scratches his head thoughtfully.
"By the way.... I wanted to clear it without Hoyeol's help if I could, but I'm embarrassed that I ended up getting help like this, haha."
Unlike Hisagi and Leonie.
Nam Taemin finished the deepest part of the cave by himself.
That's when he realized something.
Levels aren't everything, after all.
'Class Quests.'
Taemin started his class quest after recapturing Frost. Perhaps it was during this process that a noticeable gap between them began to emerge.
'Even for a Demon Hunter....'
The Demon Hunter's notoriously crude skill list. However, I also had some new class-specific skills that I had learned through class quests.
[Akshan's Upkeep].
[Akshan's Guardian Spirit].
They have tricky trigger conditions.
The effects of these skills are significant. Nam Taemin's class is Barbarian, so he's probably gotten more versatile and better unique skills than I have.
I nodded grimly.
"You've been working behind the scenes."
"Uh, no."
"Do you mind if I finish the job?"
The boss monster's loot is substantial.
It's hard to say it's the same boss monster.
Let's take a look at the loot after defeating the Seven Deadly Sins Envy.
[Name: Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo]
[Title: Last Adventurer, Sublime, Transcendent, Dark Dragon]
[Class: Demon Hunter]
[Level: 750]
[Stats]
Strength: 170 / Agility: 175 / Magic: 660 / Luck: 12 / Aesthetics: High / Tenacity: 5
[Points held: 0]
First of all, the level was a one-time gain of 50 levels from the cap.
Of course, the reward was greater than the level, it was the Great Evil drop.
'I've been wondering.'
Defeating a Great Evil is second only to Greed.
But it was the first time I'd ever gotten the loot of a Great Evil. Why, slain demons don't drop loot when they possessed humans.
'Greed was possessed Hakuna.'
So I had my own expectations.
It certainly had a different weight than a demon.
And the loot did not betray my expectations.
[Cocooned clogged with Envy]
[Rank: Legendary]
[Limit: Unknown]
[Effect: Sealed]
[Description: Sealed with a demonic curse, its effects are sealed. It must be purified to know its full effect].
Legendary item!
This was the second Legendary Item after the Gwicheol. I can't guess its effect until I purify it, but I'm experiencing the power of a legendary item through it.
I don't know what it will do, but I'm sure it will be absolutely mind blowing. Of course, there is one area of concern.
'Affinity.'
Something I learned when I got my hands on the Gwicheol.
Legendary tier items have special wear restrictions called affinities. It has been calling me its master since it was a raw metal. It had a high affinity for me, so I had nothing to worry about....
'Now that's a different story.'
Still, there's a part of me that believes it.
Why, it's the same title I earned by mastering Gwicheol.
It paid off.
[Achievement: One who writes 'Legend']
[Effect: Increases the affinity of all 'Legendary' ranked items slightly].
[Duration: Permanent].
Even a small amount is better than nothing.
And now.
Nam Taemin's answer quickly organized my thoughts.
"Of course. What I need is experience, not experience points or loot, so I'll make sure to capture every single one of Hoyeol's moves in my head!"
That's a pretty daunting resolve....
But I'm not in a position to be humbled.
He was Nam Taemin who was taught by Harkon to unleash the Sword Energy. That includes Hisagi, Leonie, and a few other players.
'But it's Sword Force, even if it looks like this.'
Maybe it could help Nam Taemin.
By the way, since we're having this conversation.
Before re-entering the cave.
I remembered my conversation with Nam Cheolmin.
-"I'd like to ask for your permission."
You said you wanted to use my cave attack video as educational material, right? Well, what commander wouldn't want to improve their power through education? I nodded graciously.
But then.
"Educate about what? Is there something to be learned from my struggles?
.
.
.
Educate what?
It was simple.
True education.
Nam Cheolmin gritted his teeth in anger.
'Did you still not understand the subject?'
I can't believe they had spies mixed in with the analysts.
Just a few spies.
They thought they could make up for the gap with the commander.
You really can't call it grasping the subject, Liu Zunqun.
Nam Cheolmin muttered.
"If you can't do it, I'll force you to do it."
He'd gotten permission from the commander-in-chief.
Click.
With a click, Hoyeol's appearance was revealed to the world.
Naturally, the world was turned upside down once again.
-What did I just see?
-What, did you just pull a sword out of a rock?!
-Excalibur is up!!!!!!