Chapter 286. Clouds of War (3)
—Village? There’s really a village in Africa?
Aileen’s tone went up as if in surprise.
I looked at the map on the village lord’s desk and said, “Yes, the village is named Crean. We just took down the lord.”
—What? It even has a lord?
“It was a humanoid monster resembling a lizard. Tenzuhar was his name.”
—….
Aileen became quiet for a moment, and other voices began to buzz from the other side.
“Ah~ It’s that kid again~?”
Jain grumbled unhappily. I smirked and turned the transreceiver off.
“I’ve been curious, Jain. How do you know Aileen?”
“Me? Mm~ It’s nothing special~ I used to act as a Hero in the past. She was my superior. That stupid brat is only two years older than me. I hated how she acted all important because of her Gift~”
Tzzt—
The transreceiver buzzed as soon as Jain finished her sentences.
—Who’s living in the village?
It wasn’t Aileen’s voice but Yun Seung-Ah’s. Jain, who had a bad relationship with her, frowned.
I cleared my throat with a cough, then replied with my voice changed to Black Lotus’s.
“Humans.”
—Are they doing okay?
“They’re physically healthy. It looks like they were brainwashed, but it didn’t look like they were being abused. They think of themselves as ‘miners’ who have been living here for a long time.”
—….
It became silent once again.
Since I wasn’t hearing any static noise either, I guessed that they turned off their transceiver and started a meeting.
I checked the ‘minigame’ while I waited for a response.
「…Half a day had passed since Litrain was chosen. Many knights congratulated her, but it was obvious how much they envied her.
Litrain’s physical strength improved the moment she was chosen, and she received close to 130,000 points. It was clear that Litrain’s sponsor was an unprecedented magnate.
The knights couldn’t understand what such a rich sponsor saw in Litrain.
An uneducated squire who came to the capital without a plan, a country bumpkin who would only remain a baggage carrier, that was who Litrain was in their eyes.
No one knew whether Litrain was aware of the knights’ dissatisfaction, but she began to turn her life around. The moment she was ‘chosen’, she set up a shrine for her sponsor in her small room and prayed before every meal. Being ‘chosen’ was her dream. Now that she achieved it, her happiness knew no bounds….」
“Hm.”
Things seemed to be progressing well. Though, she didn’t really need to worship me…
Seeing Litrain, who was praying before eating, I pondered.
===
[Buster Call] [High-rank]
—Using Stigma’s magic power, summon from the Tower of Wish vassals, who swore loyalty to Kim Hajin, or his possessions.
===
My sole active-Gift, Buster Call.
By adding another word or two after ‘Tower of Wish’, I felt like I could use it to summon Litrain as well.
For example, [summon from the Tower of Wish or another dimension…]
“Oi, Kuong.”
I spoke to Kuong who was standing around silently.
—Yes?
“You said we live in a higher dimension, right?”
—Yes, compared to the minigame’s dimension.
“Then is it possible to summon a being from a lower dimension to a higher dimension?”
—Mm, I’m not sure since I haven’t tried. But it could be possible. Afterall, you are from an upper dimension.
“…What’s the difference between an upper dimension and a lower one?”
—Simply put, higher dimensions are more stable. To people from lower dimensions, beings from
higher dimensions are like gods.
‘Stable…’ I was thinking about the meaning of this word when Kuong kindly explained it.
—More stable dimensions have weaker humans. The most stable dimension would be one where an individual human would have the least freedom to interfere with nature.
It was clear what Kuong was saying.
But why did I think of my original world, ‘Earth’?
The Earth I lived in didn’t have magic, mana, magic power, martial arts, or anything of that nature.
Although humanity advanced technology to overcome nature, countless number of people died during the process. It was certainly the world where ‘an individual human would have the least freedom to interfere with nature.’
I stared at Kuong with a look of suspicion. But Kuong only grinned without saying anything.
“Now then—”
Tzzt— At that moment, the transceiver buzzed again. Kuong also said his time was up and disappeared.
—This is Beetle. Can you hear me?
“…Beetle?”
—It’s a codename. What are your plans from now?
“…We plan on using the village lord as our pathfinder.”
—Pathfinder? Ah, got it. Let us know when you reach the next village. I have a meeting to attend to now.
With that, the transreceiver went quiet.
I looked at Tenzuhar, who was tied up and dangling from a rope in the ceiling. His eyes were closed as though he was unconscious, but I could see his status.
[Status – nervous he might be discovered.]
He was pretending to be unconscious.
“Open your eyes. Otherwise, I’ll kill you.”
“….”
“Five, four, three….”
“I, I’m awake!”
Tenzuhar shot his eyes open before I even reached two.
“Oh~ He was awake~?” Jain grinned and approached him.
Tenzuhar made a submissive smile and rubbed his hands together. “Slurp. I, I just woke up… Slurp.”
“….” I left him dangling in the air and spoke, “Oi.”
“Yes?”
“…Can you act as our pathfinder?”
“Pathfinder?”
“That’s right. We have to keep going.”
Even if I could avoid traps using my excellent eyesight, it likely couldn’t compare to a humanoid monster who had knowledge of the area.
“…O-Of course! Slurp.”
Tenzuhar seemed to ponder for a moment but quickly gave an enthusiastic reply. He must have realized this was the only way he could live.
It was then.
[How have you been, Hyung-nim?]
A message popped up in front of me.
[It’s jajangman. It’s been a while ㅋㅋ ^^]
“…What’s this?”
[I stopped in TOW (Tower of Wish) to pull some cards. I’m messaging you because I pulled something interesting. ㅋㅋ Hold on, let me see if I can send you the card info.]
“The hell?”
Chae Nayun’s voice was also transmitted along with the message. The ringing sound gave me a slight headache.
[ㅋㅋ Look at this ㅋㅋ I screamed the moment I pulled it ㅋㅋ It’s the first 8-star card I pulled ㅋㅋㅋ]
A card info popped up in front of me.
===
[Infinite Communication] [8-star] ＊Effective Good＊
—Select 55 Players for unlimited communication.
—Text and voice will be transmitted simultaneously. The receiver cannot reject your communication without the 7-star card, [Refuse Communication].
—The user of this card becomes immune to mental interference-type effects.
===
[Hahaha, how is it, Hyung-nim? Have you pulled an 8-star card before~? Ah~ It’s been a while since I quit the Tower but pulling this makes me want to go back. I have an important mission to do too….]
“Geez, so loud….”
Wasn’t she supposed to stay in the underground fortress? Why did she go to the Tower?
[…Ah, oops, my bad. I put the sound up too high ;;]
Well, it seemed she figured it out.
Chae Nayun’s voice, which was akin to a roar, fell to the level of a whisper.
“Haa… haaa….”
[Ah, Hyung-nim, I set it so the communication is bi-directional. If there’s anything you want to say, you just have to text me.]
“…What kind of a card is this?”
How did she pull an 8-star card anyways with her luck?
I clenched my head and collected my breath.
**
The next day.
Chae Nayun, Kim Suho, and several other Heroes returned to the underground fortress after pulling cards in the Tower of Wish’s Card Kingdom. Aileen had ordered them to do so in case they might pull something that could help their mission.
Kim Suho pulled an 8-star card and three 7-star cards, while Chae Nayun pulled two 8-star cards.
[Ah, ah, Kim Suho, can you hear me?]
“…Yeah.”
Currently, Kim Suho was suffering from Chae Nayun’s attacks.
[My voice isn’t loud anymore, right?]
“Oh yeah.”
[ㅋㅋIsn’t this card amazing?]
Kim Suho sighed and replied, “It is.”
[I was slightly mad when the first 8-star card I pulled was some communication non-sense, but ㅋㅋㅋ I love that you can’t reject it ㅋㅋㅋ]
“…Can’t you just talk?”
Unable to stand it any longer, Kim Suho nudged Chae Nayun who was standing next to him. But Chae Nayun remained silent and shook her head.
[No, I have to get used to this. It’s harder to use than you think.]
“…Ehew, do what you want.”
Kim Suho shook his head.
While they were testing the cards they acquired, the command tent’s door opened and Aileen walked in. She glanced at Kim Suho and Chae Nayun before shouting loudly.
“All members! Come out!”
Her voice carried a small portion of her Spirit Speech power. Immediately, all 177 members of the underground fortress walked out of their barracks in a daze.
Seeing them standing in a line, Aileen said with satisfaction, “You all bought cards yesterday, right?”
But replies were unenthusiastic as most Heroes present were elites who were too powerful to serve under someone else.
“Tsk, well I’m sure you’ll know what cards are useful. Exchange them if you need to. Anyways, the reason I called you is…” Aileen put on a serious expression. “…to tell you that Africa has villages.”
“Huh?” Chae Nayun and other Heroes, who were busy taking out their cards, all tilted their heads.
“Orden kidnapped humans and built villages in Africa. The Association says it’s to deter us from dropping nuclear bombs, but who knows… Anyways, we decided to form a reconnaissance team.”
The Chief Strategist, ‘Yi Gongmyung’, ordered the Special Task Force to form a reconnaissance team to scout the outside.
“It’s voluntary, so let me know if you want to participate. It’s going to be a dangerous mission, so I’ll offer the three 7-star cards I have.”
“I’ll participate!” Someone shouted and raised her hand the moment Aileen finished her speech. It was Chae Nayun, who has recently taken a liking to ‘dangerous missions’.
“I’ll participate too.”
“Same here.”
“I’ll go as well.”
Kim Suho, Shin Jonghak, and Jin Seyeon quickly followed after. The reconnaissance team now had four people.
“Mm, great.” Aileen nodded contently.
“I’ll be the pathfinder”
Then, the man who introduced himself as Rebé spoke up. He had stayed in the underground fortress even after his mission was over, serving as a janitor.
“…If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s finding the correct path.”
With a smile, Bell looked back and forth between Kim Suho, Shin Jonghak, and Chae Nayun.
**
On the other hand, Jin Sahyuk was establishing an independent path all by herself.
“Fuck… shit… I’m gonna burn to death.”
She cursed with every step as she walked through African land.
She was toiling under the hot sun just to find Bell, who had cut off contact with her.
“Huu, huu… huu….”
She walked through the desert without a single equipment on her.
If a monster or a humanoid monster appeared, she killed them with her energy.
Monsters who smelled blood then approached her, and she quickly killed them as well.
Not long afterwards, humanoid monsters who smelled magic power approached her. They called themselves the ‘humanoid monster patrols’, though Jin Sahyuk quickly dispatched them as well.
Killing, walking, killing, walking.
She repeated this cycle for a long time before smelling a lingering scent in the air. It was different than the smell of blood or magic. It was the smell of a person she knew.
“This… sniff, sniff.”
Like a dog, she sniffed the air in all directions.
“It’s Bell.”
It was undoubtedly Bell. But it wasn’t just Bell’s scent she smelled. There were at least four more, which meant Bell had companions…
“What is that son of a bitch planning this time?”
Jin Sahyuk closed her eyes and sent a transmission once again.
—Bell, answer. I’m in Africa. Your scent is here. What are you scheming?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5…
Five seconds later, a reply came back.
—Oh~ You came all the way to Africa~? I’m scouting the area with my companions right now.
—Companions?
—Yep~ Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, Shin Jonghak, and Jin Seyeon. You know all four of them right?
Kim Suho and Shin Jonghak.
They were the two men Jin Sahyuk detested the most. Her face quickly distorted to a frown.
—…What are you planning to do with Kim Suho? Get over here, now.
—But I can’t~ I’m restricted by Spirit Speech. I have to obey them until Orden dies.
—Stop fooling around, you son of a bitch. I know you can get rid of it any time you want.
Jin Sahyuk kept sending Mental Transmissions until her hair stood on ends.
But when Jin Sahyuk’s language began to turn bad, Bell cut off contact once again, and Jin Sahyuk had no choice but to stomp her feet in anger.
“You motherfucking piece of shit, wait ‘til I get my hands on you…”
Demon Realm, demon merchants, Baal’s descent.
There were many questions she wanted to ask, yet Bell avoided her like he developed a new hobby of leaving people on cliffhangers.
“I’ll kill you.”
‘Bell, the eternal death you so wanted, I’ll grant it to you personal the moment I see you again.’ Jin Sahyuk clenched her teeth and began to chase Bell’s scent.
**
Africa’s blazing sun set.
The scorching heat quickly disappeared, replaced by a freezing cold, and the world became shrouded in darkness.
I used this opportunity to leave Crean with Boss, Cheok Jungyeong, and Tenzuhar. We planned to head to the second village.
We let Tenzuhar guide us.
“Not all humanoid monsters are loyal to Orden, slurp. Monsters are at the root of humanoid monsters, slurp. We instinctively desire battle and strength, slurp. If a humanoid monster stronger than Orden appears, Orden’s humanoid monsters will surely turn on him, slurp.”
Tenzuhar insulted Orden to gain our favor.
“This is a secret, but I never liked Orden, slurp. In fact, I’m on the side of humans, slurp. I’ve been planning on taking Crean’s humans and escaping from Africa, slurp.”
He was clearly lying, but I let him be.
“So what do you want us to do about it?”
But Cheok Jungyeong seemed to think otherwise as he placed his hand on Tenzuhar’s head.
“Ah, hahaha, n-nothing, i-it’s just that I, I wanted you to know that there are humanoid monsters like me….”
“I’m looking at a humanoid monster like you right now. Stop blabbering nonsense and explain where we’re going.”
Cheok Jungyeong shot his eyes open and glared at Tenzuhar.
“Y-Y-Yes, of course. A mid-rank village called ‘Lupiton’ is a little ways ahead. Lupiton’s lord is ‘Pleron’, a snow-bird humanoid monster.”
Tiriring—
At that moment, Boss received a text message from Jain.
“Mm~ Jain says she’s excavating ores.”
“Great.”
‘Premian’ was an excellent ore, a treasure that was only found in Africa. In fact, most ores found in Africa were rare and precious. I designed Africa to be a high-risk, high-return place.
“Looks like it’s time to upgrade my equipment.”
Premian was a delicate, thin ore. Just applying it on the surface of an item could improve its toughness many times.
At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if I overgeared myself to victory.
“….”
Then, Boss looked at me somewhat enviously. I smiled, thinking that it was cute.
“I’ll make one for you too, Boss.”
“…Mm, I won’t decline.”
“Make me one too, kiddo. I don’t need anything grand, just shoes. There aren’t many that fit my feet, and even if I find one, it quickly breaks.”
Cheok Jungyeong asked for a new equipment too, when Tenzuhar suddenly looked back at me.
His lizard-like eyes were sparkling brightly.
Curious, I waited for him to speak.
“…Slurp. I, I’m also afraid I’ll be assassinated… slurp.”
“What? Did this lizard go mad?”
“Ah, hehe, I’m kidding, slurp.”
As Cheok Jungyeong was about to smack Tenzuhar…
chwaaaa—
The sound of wind shook the area.
“…?”
Because it was quiet until now, the sudden change was easily noticed. Furthermore, the air contained a faint scent of magic power.
I turned to the direction the wind came from and infused magic power into my Thousand-Mile Eyes.