It's incredibly massive.
Well, I think it's worth it.
Why, I'm familiar with Claudi's settings.
'It's like holding a dragon in your hands....'
But I can't fathom the extent of Claudi's status that has materialized on the Arcana continent without my knowledge. Above all, it is a great family recognized by the continent, right? Even in such a family, the head of the family is Grandfell.
'Well done, indeed.'
I don't know how Mary is related to the Claudi family.
A great patriarch does his job.
I said nonchalantly.
"You didn't attend the banquet."
Claudi's invitation.
It was addressed to everyone on the Arcana continent who knew of the Claudi family. Mary knew the Claudi, so there was a good chance she would have received an invitation.
'This is a bit abrupt, to say the least.'
Anyway, this guy's back end is...!
I hope you didn't miss it on purpose, Mary.
Did my desperation reach the wind?
Mary's blue pupils twitched once more.
"Oh, my.... or did you extend an invitation to me as well?"
"There are no exceptions to Claudi's invitation."
"I apologize. I never thought you would have extended an invitation to me...."
If Mary was on the Arcana continent, there's no way she wouldn't have gotten the invitation, which makes sense after hearing what happened next. Mary politely explains.
"I didn't want you to see this...."
Zech─
With a look of helplessness.
She reveals her right hand, which she had hidden behind her back.
Between her fingers, she holds a lit cigarette.
"...I'm ashamed to say that I can't live a day without cigarettes. I went to the Demon World for a while to fulfill an interdimensional request."
Let's leave the cigarette addict's confession aside for a moment.
"Gold coins, you're chasing an illusion."
And let's not forget the innocent who thinks riches are worthless.
Demon World.
I figured I could get some valuable information from her.
I know a little about the Demon World.
Only the concept existed in the AAU's database, and it was realized by adding settings that even the AAU didn't know about. Besides, I hadn't forgotten what the demon king and other demons had said.
'A hybrid from the demon world.'
The Seven Deadly Sins.
That's what they called the 72 demon kings.
In that sense, it's not a story to be taken lightly.
'It has come true.'
There's even a way to travel to and from the Demon World from the Arcana Continent. In Mery's case, it was a request from the Spacetime. In the Demon World, there are probably top ten ranked demon kings who are incomparable to those swallowed by the Bad Omen's belly.
At that point, how could Grandfell's temper remain calm?
"We'll talk about that later."
"As you wish."
It was a brief conversation.
I've never had a conversation where I was so worried about the aftermath.
Grandfell, before the High Ranking Demon King appeared on the continent of Arcana.
He was a man who could have entered the Demon World.
'I'm not going to live up to my name, I swear.'
But like I said, that's a story for another day.
There's a bullseye in front of me.
I stare at the Bad Omen.
It's huge, but my head is stiff as always.
Never look up to them.
Sereung─
Just slowly raise the illusion breaker.
Mary speaks from the side.
" ... Forgive me for not being able to keep up."
I bite my lip.
I'm a quick study.
I realize where she's coming from.
'Apparently, you owe the Claudi family a lot of money.'
Me, Lee Hoyeol.
A man who is relentless about getting his money back no matter what.
In addition, the importance of giving and receiving that Grandfell emphasizes.
Nevertheless.
'I don't really want to know what the debt is.'
In the process, dark history will inevitably be revealed.
But the point is.
Like the message that came to mind, Mary's willingness to settle the debt.
So let's call it a done deal and move on.
"You don't owe me an apology."
"...Yes?"
"What's done is done, along with the bad omen."
"...!"
The words snap her out of her reverie, and her gaze shifts to the bad omen. Dawn's Set Effect. The effect of her morale at its peak. Her reaction is dramatic no matter what I say.
But in a good way.
"Thank you for saying that."
Violet magic crackles at Mary's fingertips. Even with Grandfell's talent, it would take several viewings to recognize the structure.
Sereung─
But it's good because it's different.
If Mary's strange magic is added to the sword strike of the Illusion Breaker, wouldn't that also be a kind of anomaly? I didn't hesitate to swing the Illusion Breaker.
Shhh─
I don't need to aim.
What I need is the destructive power to pierce through that massive bad omen.
You're living up to your name, aren't you?
Gwicheol spoke in a strange tone.
The voice penetrates my head.
-Go. It's an illusion. Can you withstand the truth?
What is the truth?
Why does it sound like a different truth...?
However, those lingering feelings soon completely disappeared.
Soooo─
Mary's violet magic added to my sword strike.
The outstretched blow reaches the bad omen.
Kukwakwakwakwang!
It's so destructive that it knocks us both backwards.
Mary mumbles to herself.
"...Why didn't that work?"
The bad omen doesn't even flinch.
She doesn't seem to know why.
I do.
The message pops up.
[Attack rejected].
At first I wondered if it had something like the [Blessing of the First World Tree].
But that's not possible.
He's not as exalted as the World Tree.
"Even a worm can roll."
To put it in Grandfell terms....
Raymond Sean's crude and insignificant creature.
It was just a prototype.
'It's not a buff.'
If such a thing were possible, given Raymond Sean's petty personality, there would be no need to attach such troublesome conditions to the bad omen. As if to prove that point, the quest goal blinks.
─Hunt the Bad Omen. (Ongoing)
●Suppress the small evils scattered across the continent. (Ongoing)
I knew it would be like that too.
'There is a preceding pattern.'
It's a pattern that screws with me for trying to learn a lesson and go after the main body first. If I were alone, I'd be a lost cause. But I told you, I'm not alone.
This is an Akshan bucket operation.
I murmured calmly.
"Is it still necessary?"
"...what are you talking about?"
Shhh.
From the bad omen to Mary's fingers.
My gaze to the cigarette, to be precise.
"Ugh...."
Mary flinches and looks at me.
Is this also an old-fashioned mentality that forces people to quit smoking, Grandfell?
It is always my responsibility to clean up after myself.
Continue speaking as shamelessly as possible.
"Perhaps it will help you."
Floating─
A teacup suddenly floating in the air.
"...?"
Mary extinguishes her cigarette, accepts the teacup, and looks at me with a puzzled expression on her face. There is nothing to be said for looking at me like that.
The noble pride of Grandfell. There was no way the Akshan seniors would readily admit that magical power distribution was necessary until the preceding pattern was completed.
Dalcak─
An out-of-the-ordinary tea time, but why not be spontaneous?
I stared at the buff message in my mind.
I chirped.
"Enjoy tea on the beach doesn't sound so bad."
*
Hiel.
Diend.
Iron Castle.
Following Hoyeol's orders, the three divided up and inspected the continent. To be precise, small chests that struggle. Gunner, who was controlling the flying boat after re-sorting from the Iron Castle, was startled.
"Oh no!"
He'd caught sight of Antonium's soldiers exposed to the threat of the small bad omen. He grabbed the controls of the airship to defend Antonium, an ally of the Holy War Alliance, and them.
Hush!
"...,Are you listening to Iron Castle?"
He noticed a change in the bad omen.
He witnessed a human forearm rising from the body of a bad omen.
It wasn't just a bad omen that Gunner witnessed.
"Did it swallow a human as well?"
"I'm glad to hear you're alive, but...."
"How does it make sense to tear that guy down?"
"What's going on in that thing's stomach?!"
The only ones who remained unfazed were Hiel and Diend.
"You must be old friends of the Lord."
She was Hiel, who served Hoyeol as her lord and acquired knowledge about Akshan. Moreover, the intuition of the {unique spirit} comparable to that of the Spirit King is sufficient to recognize the unique power of the demon hunter.
"Indeed."
The right amount of proper magic to reach the Dark Spirit, Diend.
It made him realize just how dark Akshan's past was. Diend nodded grimly. A infinite deep of darkness, a brightness befitting an ally of the Lord, he acknowledged Akshan.
Chainwalker muttered.
"...Are you really saying we can just let go, Lord Hoyeol?"
Did you say it was a bad omen?
All over the continent, the creature cringed. It was writhing in agony, apparently unable to fully conceal itself as it tried and failed to extend its tail.
Chainwalker's fist trembles.
'The Iron Castle is crying.'
The Iron Castle's magic cannon fires magic power extracted from high-purity magic stones and amplified with the essence of dwarven technology. Even if you were able to swallow a Demon King Castle in one fell swoop, you wouldn't be able to withstand the power of the Magic Cannon.
"Is this really a plan...?"
Do you really believe in those who wriggle in the belly of the bad omen?
It was a moment of anguish for Chainwalker.
News came from the airship.
"…A hand holding a sword came out of its flesh?"
All dwarves are blacksmiths.
So if it's made of minerals.
they'll be able to tell right away what mineral it is.
So.
"... A silver sword?"
Chainwalker's pupils twitched violently.
It took him a moment to realize the identity of those rampaging in its belly.
It didn't take long.
Chainwalker shouted.
He chided himself.
"Damn you, Chainwalker, you didn't notice this time!"
It was them.
It was Akshan.
Raging in the belly of the bad omen.
The trusted ally Lord Hoyeol had spoken of.
They were the Akshans that the Holy War had turned their backs on.
Chainwalker looked down at the continent.
"Yes, there's no mistaking it, it's definitely you guys...!!!"
Whatever the arrangement.
You're the only Akshan on the Arcana continent who would carry out such a reckless operation.
You're the only ones, aren't you?
Chainwalker turned to the airship.
"Listen up, everyone. Our sworn comrade-in-arms, Akshan, has returned. It is they who are rampaging in the flesh of the last survivor of the Akshan, at the behest of Lord Hoyeol!"
A moment of silence.
And then communications.
Communications at an overwhelming volume.
"What, what?!"
"Akshan. Are those humans in that belly really them...?"
"Then this is not the time to be doing this, Chainwalker!"
Chainwalker nodded.
"That's right."
Hoyeol had said.
There's nothing to worry about.
It was so Akshan, so last man standing.
Akshan.
They didn't need anyone's help.
They didn't want anything in return.
They simply carried the burden alone.
But weren't the chainwalkers there to witness?
Akshan's end.
I promised myself countless times that I would not repeat that mistake again.
Even if they say there is no need for them to come forward.
I wanted to never ignore them again.
Chainwalker spoke.
"You are all skilled dwarven warriors. Use your judgment, Akshan, to aid your sworn comrades."
Tudadadadada!
At the same time, the noise rings out all at once.
The sound of a airship accelerating.
Chainwalker declared.
"We have a chance to right the wrongs of the Holy War!"
The airship raced toward the bad omen.
"Damn it, it's not even moving!"
A barrage of attacks from the outside fails to make a dent.
But we don't give up.
As long as there is Akshan beyond that belly skin.
"Don't back down. Even if you can't do any damage. You're stalling. Distract it so it can't disturb Akshan. Do not stop flying, even if it means crashing!"
But the dwarves were not prepared.
Several decades of Arcana Continent time.
In the belly of the bad omen, waiting for the time for Operation Bucket.
Burning with determination.
Demon Hunters who never stopped practicing, not even for a moment.
And then.
Kwajijijijijijiji!
The power of the [Natural Enemy] that was triggered when they encountered the demon.
Yes, Hoyeol was right.
Akshan, who had begun the operation, did not need any support.
A veteran pilot who has experienced many hardships.
Even Gunner stuttered.
...What am I seeing?
"Ch, Chainwalker, are you there?"
"I'm listening, Gunner. What's the situation?"
"Would you like to tell me the properties of silver?"
Suddenly, the properties of silver.
"Isn't it a brittle, dull, commonplace mineral, even less useful than iron ore? Isn't it a mineral that can't be used for anything but special purposes?"
"...Yes, it was."
"What exactly are you trying to say, Gunner?"
"Chainwalker, that thin sword made of silver...!"
Gunner says in horror.
"It sliced that big guy... in half! Can you believe it, it means that the guy who swallowed the Demon King's Castle ended up in trouble!"
"..."