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123
-Black Dragon you’re great.
-Jaeha-hyung, you’ve got this.
-You were streaming through all that garbage, huh.
-Scum just keeps crawling out of the woodwork.
“……?”
Emerging from the fortress, Hanbit noticed the suddenly changed chat atmosphere.
Expressions of encouragement were being posted at a near-flooding level.
“What’s going on all of a sudden?”
“My name is showing up too?”
Kim Jaeha also expressed puzzlement.
It was too strange a reaction for something that would come out while just walking down a path.
Ding—
[Apprentice Mage has donated 100,000 won.]
[So that’s what you were going through;]
[Sword God has donated 1,000,000 won.]
[You’ve got this.]
[Spirit has donated 5,000,000 won.]
[Hang in there.]
Donation messages beginning to appear one after another.
Just as Hanbit’s puzzlement was deepening, Liwei’s voice reached him from the side.
“So that’s how it was.”
“What do you mean?”
“A post went up on the community. Something about that guy smelled like trash from the start.”
“……?”
Trash meant the section chief.
Hanbit met Kim Jaeha’s eyes and immediately checked the community.
“…Ah.”
Scanning the trending posts, he quickly pieced together the situation.
A press article containing accounts of Black Dragon being threatened.
Below it was an expose post bearing Section Chief Lee Hojoong’s name.
Looking at the posting times, it seemed Yeonwoo had moved one step ahead.
“Let me make a quick call.”
Hanbit muted his mic and immediately called Yeonwoo.
After a short ring, a voice came through right away.
(Hyung, I was about to call you too.)
“What happened? The body cam footage was released as a press article.”
(Having us put it out directly wouldn’t look great. There are reporters stationed at the police station, so I casually gave them a tip.)
The section chief’s threats had all been left in Yeonwoo’s hands.
He had heard legal measures were being taken, but he never imagined the press would be used as well.
“How’s the section chief reacting? With that personality, he’ll probably fight tooth and nail.”
(He’ll be in a panic right now. I did some digging into various things and came across something big.)
“Something big?”
(Tax evasion, embezzlement, crimes connected to illegal funds. He had quite a lot going on. Between connecting the dots from Jaeha-hyung’s materials and my own digging, a whole bunch of charges started dangling out.)
“…Are you some kind of detective?”
He had intended the section chief to face consequences for threats and blackmail — but the man had his own additional crimes.
It was simply remarkable that Yeonwoo had figured it out.
(Ah, and if there’s any more evidence to submit, please send it over.)
“Why evidence? Not enough?”
(You can never be too prepared. Threatening and blackmail content is good, and any smaller wrongdoings would be welcome too.)
“I’ve been sending you messages all along…… I don’t think there’s any other evidence in particular?”
“Other evidence? Should I give you this?”
Just then, Liwei unexpectedly spoke up from beside him.
It was so out of nowhere that Hanbit immediately asked back.
“We’re talking about the Taeyul Corporation section chief right now?”
“I’m talking about that trash too. Don’t know if it counts as a crime, but I got this message.”
Liwei immediately forwarded a message.
「Black Dragon lied to you earlier. This deal only exists because that guy assaulted me. I’m going to get the information out of him, so cut that piece of trash loose and let’s join forces. I’ll meet your terms generously.」
“…He really did everything.”
Having confirmed the contents, Hanbit let out a sigh.
It was so exactly what the section chief would do that there was nothing left to say.
“But how did the section chief message you? Don’t you have blocking set up for non-friends?”
“If I blocked everyone, what would I do if someone wanted a match? Everyone avoids me because I’m a vanguard as it is.”
“…….”
An answer that made his consistent heart abundantly clear.
Being a vanguard would mean all manner of messages flooding in — and he was bearing even that?
A remarkably pure kind of madness.
“I’ll put it to good use.”
Hanbit forwarded the message Liwei gave him to Yeonwoo.
Whether it counted as a crime was uncertain, but sending everything over was the right call.
Crunch—
Having turned his mic back on, Hanbit kept moving forward in search of the exit.
And when he stepped outside the snowy mountains, he looked at Liwei standing beside him.
“The wish token ends here. Thanks for the help.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll be going. If there’s a good match, let’s meet again.”
-Look at that cool attitude;
-Unlike a certain someone.
-Big hero T_T
-I won’t forget this.
-But no more competitions please……
-At this point, let him have one.
Liwei genuinely turned and disappeared into the forest.
Who knows when they would meet again — but when that day came, another competition would likely be in store.
“Ah, come to think of it.”
Just then, Kim Jaeha, standing behind him, spoke up.
He took out a small snowflake-shaped crystal from his inventory and handed it to Hanbit.
“What is this?”
“I found it when I went underground after using the card. When I picked it up, a warning message appeared saying something about treasure.”
“Ah.”
A treasure of the Snow Drake’s that Hanbit hadn’t anticipated either.
But looking at it on the outside, nothing came to mind.
Crouching down, he extended his hand and checked the snowflake crystal’s information.
[Traces of Glacier]
Rank: ?
Grade: ?
Description: Traces that broke off from Glacier, the Ice Elemental King. Improper activation may cause the entire body to freeze permanently.
-Huh?
-Elemental king traces?
-Another one appearing here?
-Jaeha-hyung pulled through.
-I believed in him.
The chat stirred at the name of an elemental king written in the description.
“Oh, I’ve never heard of Glacier before!”
Avantgarde, who possessed a wealth of miscellaneous knowledge, was surprised at the unfamiliar name.
Hanbit was aware of Glacier’s existence, but this situation was beyond his anticipation.
‘Ice is a first.’
In past runs, he had come across traces of various elemental kings.
But he had never found one belonging to Glacier.
“Since this is an elemental king’s trace too, it can be used with Elemental Manifestation, right? Try it right now.”
Kim Jaeha, recalling Hanbit’s skill, urged him on.
The hidden skill Elemental Manifestation, obtained by absorbing the traces of Saelion.
The description had said it would be upgraded as additional traces were added.
“I’ll try.”
Drawing his pale blue-white sword, Hanbit stepped away from the others.
Looking at the snowflake crystal resting on his palm, he slowly brought the blade close.
At that moment.
Crack crack crack—!
An enormous chill erupted, beginning to freeze everything around Hanbit.
‘So this is what it feels like.’
Like Saelion’s flames that had enveloped him, this cold too carried no hostility.
Not a stinging cold, but a pleasant, refreshing coolness.
Shhk—
The surging cold naturally converged toward the blade.
Then it traveled up Hanbit’s hand and was absorbed into a single point deep within his body.
When the cold had finally disappeared entirely, an alert rang.
Ding—
[Hidden Achievement: Second Elemental King’s Traces unlocked.]
[Hidden Elemental Skill: Elemental Manifestation (Rank 3 — Epic) upgrades to (Rank 4 — Epic).]
[You may now select the attribute corresponding to the traces you possess.]
-Oh.
-Evolution.
-What happens when you collect them all?
-How high does it go?
-Could it reach Mythic?
-Legendary alone would break everyone’s mind. Lol.
Along with the snowflake crystal vanishing from his hand, the messages that had appeared one after another.
Just as anticipated, the rank of the Elemental Manifestation skill had evolved.
He had no idea how many elemental king traces were out there — but either way, it was a power he had to keep accumulating.
‘Ice, huh…….’
Each attribute carried its own strengths.
And the ice attribute was extremely effective in one-against-many fights.
Just like monster waves surging forward.
“Hyung, I got one more trace thanks to you. I’m genuinely grateful.”
“I just picked it up without knowing what it was. Good it was useful.”
“Useful is an understatement — this is something truly massive.”
Kim Jaeha scratched his head as he spoke, but it was an achievement beyond any sensible expectation.
Having unexpectedly gained an enormous power, Hanbit moved toward Ifrit with noticeably lighter steps.
“Hey, he’s heading back over there.”
“How many vanguards has he gotten one over on?”
“Didn’t they go there on their own though?”
Players were scattered all along the path back.
The murmuring voices each conveyed their own opinions.
“Almost there.”
After walking for a short while,
Hanbit’s group reached a position where the city walls were visible.
At that moment.
[Moving to a cutscene.]
With the message, the scene before him changed.
***
Hanbit’s darkened vision cleared rapidly.
The scene that appeared was Ifrit’s city wall.
The view closed in on a few soldiers positioned above.
“Heard there was quite a commotion then? Said a monster wave or something came.”
“I was off duty so I only heard about it.”
Evening, with the sun resting on the horizon.
The two sitting in chairs leisurely recounted the stories they had been told.
At that, a soldier standing guard watching the outside let out a sigh and said:
“I was at that scene. You don’t know that even the wall came down and we nearly all died, saved only by an adventurer?”
Having covered a night shift, he had witnessed the monster wave situation with his own eyes.
Trolls moving like the undead breaking the wall, and the guild master unable to kill them.
If not for the outsider adventurer with the gold bracelet, he didn’t want to imagine the outcome.
“That’s the adventurer called Black Dragon, right? There have been some rumors.”
“I heard he let the dwarf people into the city. Wonder if that’s hygienic.”
They showed more interest in the eccentricities of the adventurer called Black Dragon than in the monster wave.
Because he had brought the dwarves, avoided by everyone, into Ifrit.
“It was only natural to bring them in for repairing the wall. Creating this meaningless wall in the first place was the real problem.”
“Unnecessary worry. What city is safer than Ifrit? The monster wave was just a one-time freak accident.”
“The mayor knows what she’s doing. Look at how much the city’s fortunes improved from drawing tourists with the wall.”
The danger of the monster wave and the safety of the walls.
Just with these two issues alone, the perspectives were worlds apart.
The two sitting at ease in their chairs had not a worry in the world to begin with.
The man standing guard let out a sigh and said:
“I’ll say this for certain — the monsters’ attacks will continue. In the end, because of this wall…….”
Rumble rumble rumble—!
Just then, a strange noise struck their ears.
The soldier turned his head and immediately looked at the forest.
“This……!”
What met his eyes was a pitch-black horde of monsters pouring out from the forest’s edge.
Their numbers were far greater than what he had seen the night before.
Thud—!
Reaching out, he touched the magic stone attached to the wall surface.
The installed magical device let out a loud sound.
A device built using knowledge left behind by the Sage.
Clang—! Clang—!
The warning sound, like the toll of a bell, spread instantly across the entire city.
“Wow, are all of those monsters?”
“Huh? Weren’t the adventurers out on patrol?”
The two soldiers who had barely risen from their chairs were still at ease.
Veteran adventurers including the guild master had vacated their positions for the patrol.
And still they felt no concern.
“Well, we can make good use of the turrets.”
“What was the way to use this again? Where was it written?”
“Get out of the way!”
The man who had been standing guard moved at the two who lacked any sense of urgency.
Moving along the walkway built atop the wall, he quickly approached the crystal below the installed disc.
At that moment, a tremendous impact shook the wall.
Boom boom boom—!
The soldier, body shaken, barely grabbed the wall and steadied himself.
Finally looking below, a large boulder had embedded itself in the center of the glass wall.
“…Ogres?”
The massive monsters gradually revealing themselves from the forest.
In their hands, each of them held enormous boulders.
Whoosh—!
Boom—!
“Ugh!”
The boulders that continued flying in shattered the walls.
Crash crash—!
The section that had broken during the night was nothing by comparison.
Right now, several sections were shattering simultaneously.
The soldier, teeth clenched tight, raised his voice.
“Everyone to the turrets!”
Shhk—
With the man’s voice, Hanbit’s vision blurred.
And when the scene changed again, he was standing alongside his companions.
“Already the second wave?”
“Faster than the reported timing.”
Kim Jaeha and Avantgarde were surprised by the pace outstripping the known progression.
Zenon and Gorik reappearing alongside them.
The first to kick off was the adventurer.
“Nia……!”
Thump—!
Zenon calling his daughter’s name as he ran at great speed.
Hanbit too tightened his grip on his sword and immediately followed behind.
Along the path he had passed, a cold chill was scattering into the air.
