Episode 299
“You have safely restored it.”
Having reconnected to RP, Hanbit reunited with the Sage at the Black Tower.
He was waiting in the exact same posture.
“It was thanks to the power you awakened. Though it is still lacking.”
“Quenching the waves is inherently the realm of the gods. Yet, you solved the problem with only a fraction of their power. You have every right to be proud.”
“…….”
Hanbit scratched his cheek at the sudden compliment.
Of course, he was already experiencing firsthand what it meant to be the realm of the gods. After all,
the very existence of a life form capable of entering the Sea of Souls was a disregard for that.
“If you achieve true awakening, how far do you think you will be able to wield power? There are still many souls in confusion.”
“That is not a realm I dare to speculate on. However, I believe you can certainly complete what your father could not accomplish. That must also be a wish that Lady Serenia could not fulfill.”
He gazed at the horizon as if retracing memories of the past.
Following his gaze, Hanbit asked a question that suddenly came to mind.
“According to stories I heard in the other world, it was said that your father damaged a part of Barcasia’s soul. Is that a plausible story?”
“It is not impossible. That might be the reason Barcasia is currently asleep. Considering the divine power of that goddess, it would have been possible for her to maintain consciousness until now.”
“…Does that happen even though only a part was damaged?”
“It is the soul of a god, after all. It is impossible to know how far the repercussions of such minor damage will reach. You will be able to hear the details once Lady Serenia awakens. It will take some time.”
The Goddess of Silence remains sealed in the cradle.
Although part of her shackles has been released, she has not yet awakened.
“Do you have any information regarding the restricted areas?”
“It is impossible to predict future events where divine power is used. However, there is a possibility that a great transformation will occur even before reaching your awakening. Right now, hurrying is the priority over the enemies.” *
Swoosh*—
As the sage lightly raised his hand, objects resembling crystal balls appeared arranged in a circle.
They were magical tools, like CCTVs, that displayed views of various locations around the world.
“So you have been watching with this all this time.”
“Indeed. There has been no enemy movement yet, but the flow of mana around the Holy Kingdom is shifting.”
The realm of the Holy Body Faction, beyond the Sage’s reach.
It was impossible to know what plans were being executed there.
At best, one could only speculate based on the surrounding currents.
“As long as soul devouring is anticipated, I believe they will attack indiscriminately. I have warned my comrades to watch out for Sirius.”
“It is not only the people of the Sea of Souls who possess their true nature. The beings here whom you call NPCs are also pure souls that have changed their form. Sirius—no, Barcasia—may have even prepared a method to devour them.”
“Yes. That is why I intend to defend the widest possible area. Those who have a connection with me will stand with me.”
“Hmm.”
The Sage, who had been listening, turned his gaze to look beyond the sea.
And after a moment, he quietly continued.
“You have come.”
“Yes?”
Whoosh—!
A fierce gust of wind blew in just as he showed a puzzled reaction.
Atop the tower, a woman in a red dress stood with her brow deeply furrowed.
It was Ivela, the Investigation Corps' most powerful mage.
*Thwack!
* Pushing off with a foot as if it were a familiar movement, she landed lightly at the top of the tower.
"Phew."
Having removed her hat, Ivela let out a sigh and turned her gaze.
Her sharp eyes were fixed on the Sage.
"Master, didn't I tell you not to call me that?"
"It is the fastest way."
"My magic is fast, too!"
Ivela looked completely different from her usual self.
They appeared to be closer master and disciple than expected.
"So, why are you here?"
Sighing once more, she looked at Hanbit and asked.
It was the Sage who offered the answer.
"I will tell you."
He summarized and conveyed the necessary details in a calm voice.
The long story was summarized quickly and concisely.
"I knew… it did feel strange."
Ivela, a special being even among NPCs, sensed the anomaly that had struck the world.
However, she, too, was unable to move properly.
"How is the Investigation Corps' situation? If the Holy Faction moves properly, there should be changes."
“I’m scrutinizing them closely, considering they’re from the Holy Kingdom, too. It’s something Charlotte has been agonizing over for a while.”
The sight of the members killing elves changed Captain Charlotte’s perception in many ways.
The cruel thought that her own members could become enemies.
However, that possibility was far too high.
“The worst-case scenario is the Holy Body Faction taking over the surface. With their military power, they could easily swallow up a decent-sized nation.”
“That is why I am trying to call in the members on the front lines. They are damn disobedient, though.”
The front-line assault members were the strongest force within the investigation team.
Although Hanbit had met them, they remained a mystery to him. They were the kind of
people who showed absolutely no interest in anything other than finding Erfort.
Furthermore, their strong individualistic tendencies made it difficult to even get them to join forces.
“I’m going to head to the frigid sea for now. I’ll ask the others, but I’d like you to persuade the nations to prepare for the Holy Body Faction’s attack.”
“…Well, it’s not really a matter of faction anymore. Except for the Holy Body Faction, everyone else should rightfully be our ally.”
Ivela nodded, crossed her arms, and pondered.
Considering the original purpose, it was not right for the investigation team to lean toward one side.
However, now was a time when such logic of power was meaningless.
“Master, isn’t it about time you lifted the restriction?”
she asked, gazing at the Sage.
A restriction akin to a seal locking away one’s inherent abilities.
Naturally, it was the Master who had made that decision.
“…I suppose it can’t be helped.”
The Sage closed and opened his eyes for a moment, muttering quietly.
Just as he raised his hand to move
—Clang!
Suddenly, the crystal ball placed to one side shattered.
“It was Sirius.”
Hanbit, who had been glancing sideways at the crystal ball, saw
it destroy with the final sight of Sirius unleashing the power of the sun.
Although it appeared to be a magical artifact, it was a formidable object capable of bypassing the Sage’s detection.
“Toward the Sea of Frigidity.”
The Sage’s expression darkened as he confirmed the destroyed crystal ball.
As expected, Sirius headed toward where the White Dragon was.
Turning his gaze, he looked at Hanbit and spoke.
“Take out the Jewel of the Abyss. Given your current state, you should be able to endure it, so I will help you use it.”
“…Understood.”
The black dodecahedron orb that appeared after Xiaohui and the Boss died together in Occupied Territory 32.
It was an item that, when possessed, diminished physical abilities in exchange for enhancing technical skills.
It would be ideal if the Sage could tune it personally.
*Swoosh*
—As Hanbit took out the orb, it immediately floated away.
*Rust*
—A blue line wrapped around the black dodecahedron floating in the air.
It enveloped the orb like a case.
*Whoosh*
—The spinning orb quickly returned to Hanbit.
Then, it suddenly headed toward the mark on the back of his hand. *
Swoosh*—The
orb vanished with a strange sensation.
Soon after, a message appeared.
[The Orb of the Abyss has been absorbed.]
*Sssss*—A
peculiar flow felt within his body.
He wondered what was happening, but the messages continued.
[Resisted the physical ability reduction effect.]
[Resisted the physical ability reduction effect.]
… … .
The messages, fluctuating as if an error had occurred, did not cease.
However, the results appeared quickly.
[The physical ability reduction effect is not applied.]
[All skill efficiency increases by 200 percent.]
“This is the result of slightly tampering with the structure of the Dragon Blood and the Jewel you possess. We are short on time, so you would be best to depart immediately.”
“…Understood.”
At the urging, Hanbit nodded and took out a red Warp Crystal.
It was an object likely imbued with Serenia’s divine power.
It was a tool to break through the barrier set by the Goddess of Turmoil and head toward the frigid sea.
“Ivela, I’m counting on you.”
“Don’t worry.”
Ivela grinned.
She and her comrades would surely deliver the best possible result.
Turning his gaze, Hanbit used the Warp Crystal and said,
“Then I shall depart.”
***
The conference room of the Holy Kingdom’s Grand Temple, draped in a red curtain.
This place, where even light barely penetrated, felt like a space intentionally cut off from the world.
“I really don’t like this.”
A woman with pink hair, leaning back in her chair, frowned.
It was Cheon Su-rin, ranked 3rd.
“It can’t be helped. Sirius has always had a lot to hide.”
Everett, the 5th ranked member presiding over the meeting, also looked weary.
The RP, which had been severed along with the sudden changes, was restored.
As soon as it returned, Sirius poured out orders and left.
There was absolutely no detailed explanation.
“An order is an order.”
The man, who had been listening to the conversation with his arms crossed, spoke in a low voice.
It was Vishne, ranked 7th.
“Our leader is Sirius. In other words, he is the representative appointed by the Goddess of Turmoil. It is only right that you obey any command.”
“Representative? What representative? He must have pulled some trick to gain your trust. I don’t trust Sirius.”
Cheon Su-rin scoffed.
At that, Vishne’s eyebrows twitched sharply.
“Are you saying you don’t trust the Goddess?”
“I said I don’t trust Sirius. Is your translation function broken, or are you deaf?”
“That is exactly what it means to not trust the Goddess!”
Bang!
Vishne slammed his fist down hard on the table.
Naturally, unable to withstand the force, the wooden board cracked in half with a loud crunch.
“Looks like I’m going to get chewed out again.”
Xiaohui, who had pulled his chair away earlier, shrugged his shoulders.
Then, looking at Everett, she said,
“I don’t care. I’m just going to kill the Black Dragon.”
Xiaohui, who had fallen into the Black Dragon’s trap and failed to seize Territory 32,
naturally desired revenge.
“How do you know where that Black Dragon will come from? Right now, I’m just going to move efficiently.”
“Can’t we just attack Edlen? They have the deepest ties to that side, so they’ll come to stop us.”
“No, it’s the Kingdom of Livray. The atmosphere with the princess was ominous.”
“Talk about atmosphere. Vishune, stop the drama.”
“Ifrit is a high possibility, too?”
Where would the Black Dragon prioritize stopping them?
Speculation on this did not lead to certainty.
“Wait, wait a minute.”
Everett quickly raised her hand to quell the confusion.
Her gaze rested on the map that had spilled onto the broken table.
“…You can each look at your own maps. In the end, the order was an invasion. Regardless of the Black Dragon, it was to kill the players… no, the NPCs as the top priority.”
Sirius’s order was clear.
The order was to kill every NPC on the surface, excluding the Holy Faction.
Targeting NPCs, who weren't even players, didn't make sense, but it was an undeniable fact that Sirius was the leader.
"I heard you're bringing monsters along. Has anything been researched?"
Vishne asked, examining the map.
One of the conditions of this order was the deployment of special experimental monsters.
Again, no one except Sirius had any information on this.
"Kang Cheol will handle that. I heard he's preparing it right now, but I don't know where he is." "
Can we really trust a guy who was on the side of the Goddess of Silence? I feel very uneasy."
Cheon Su-rin recalled the face of the steadfast man with an uncomfortable expression.
Rank 2, Kang Cheol, a player who had defected from the Hardliners.
Because they had no interaction or anything, they had never even had a proper conversation.
"Suspicion is your right, but it's meaningless to bring it up now. Sirius trusts him, and the Pope said it's fine."
Everett shrugged his shoulders and stood up.
Then, recalling the formation he had organized in his mind, he spoke.
I’m going to tell you your assigned area, so listen carefully. You will only do this once.
