Chapter 156

Chapter 156. Beneath the Surface (3)

Had I known that enhancing my weapon would add a voice function, I would have reconsidered the enhancement.

But at the time of using the enhancement stone, I was unaware of that issue.

– Even in this moment, there are vulnerable people suffering.

As a result, I had to endure an incessantly nagging voice at random intervals.

– If you’ve become my master, you should protect them instead of roaming the battlefields.

Hearing voices during battle constantly disrupted my concentration.

The conversation with Kerak was different from having a direct verbal exchange.

It was similar to the experience I had during the meeting with the system and the 7 Great Gods.

It felt like something was stirring inside me.

To be precise, it felt like someone else’s consciousness was intruding into my mind.

It was a very unpleasant and awkward way of conversing, to say the least.

“Sigh.”

Hence, every time Kerak spoke, my face automatically scrunched up.

“Please, shut up.”

I tried covering my ears in frustration, but it was pointless.

The voice of Kerak, having surpassed mere sentiment to gain consciousness, echoed directly in my head.

This nuisance that chose to speak whenever it wanted felt like it would give me neurosis.

Given this situation, I couldn’t help but think.

‘Could it be that Finelpenia gave me the enhancement stone to mess with me?’

Considering my distrust towards the 7 Great Gods, it seemed a plausible conjecture.

However, even if that hypothesis held some truth, I couldn’t discard Kerak’s spear.

「Spear Embodied with the Ideals of Kerak」

• Category: Relic

• Acquisition Difficulty: Unique

• Rank: ★★★★★★★

• Bound User: Player Kang Hyunwoo (K)

• Description: The consciousness of Kerak, in harmony with Finelpenia’s divinity, has regained its sense of self. Kerak, who died never closing his eyes due to guilt for not protecting the weak, will become a dependable ally when it meets a master who can fulfill its lingering desires.

• Special Effect: If the legitimacy and necessity of actions are recognized by the ideals of Kerak, attribute mana increases by 1000% for 60 minutes.

※ Usable only by the bound player.

Even considering the clear numeric benefits, it made no sense to part with this weapon.

‘A ten-minute boost has become a sixty-minute one.’

Even at the risk of neurosis, it was something to hold onto.

Having absorbed the attribute stone I purchased yesterday, I was very close to reaching 20,000 in attribute mana.

A tenfold amplification would instantaneously elevate it near 200,000.

‘Considering the recovery speed after potion doping, I might be able to use it eight times… maybe nine times.’

Using such a powerful wide-area attack capable of wiping out 5-star evolved species up to nine times—neurosis seemed a small price to pay.

I acknowledged the necessity of the enhanced Kerak spear.

Though that didn’t mean I liked the vocal intrusion shaking up my head from time to time.

So, in an act of venting my frustration, I threw Kerak spear against the fortress wall with a loud ‘thud’.

– Although I do not feel pain, that gesture was quite unpleasant.

I beg to differ.

“You annoy me every time you open your mouth.”

– A strange logic indeed. I’ve only spoken words.

But the way it speaks is different from any ordinary person.

– I am a weapon no less important than your life. Yet, to treat such a weapon in this manner shows a total lack of knightly manners.

“Of course not; I’m not a knight.”

So, please just shut that loudmouth.

Once again, I struck the fortress wall with my spear, retorting sharply.

Though it wasn’t enough to shut Kerak up, it wasn’t productive to continue wasting time on the fortress wall.

Thankfully, not far from where we stood, the tankers, including Yang Taeho, had finished gathering the monsters.

Quick-footed dealers had already begun the hunt. I couldn’t afford to lag behind in this competition.

Shaking off Kerak’s talk like brushing off dust, I kicked off the fortress wall.

‘Inferno.’

The ground beneath me erupted in flames, signaling the resumption of battle.

It took merely two days for the Orders’ army that crossed the western gate to wipe out the monsters within Villea Fortress and completely occupy it.

* * *

Beginning from Act 1, chapter 4, numerous sub-scenarios unfolded sequentially.

Not only the Bontar Plain but also the adjacent 5-star corrupted area needed to be cleared.

Consequently, the battles in the scenarios began shifting from the south gradually toward the central region.

Battles ensued almost daily; monsters and people died, soaking the earth with dark, red blood.

One day it would be a siege, another day a direct confrontation, and on the next, a surprise operation was frequent.

The order army, which had been in retreat for the past few years, embarked on a full-fledged offensive Phase.

Throughout such clashes across battlefields, the absorbed mana exceeded 7 million.

Relative to others, Kim Yul, who had a higher capacity, was nearing his third awakening.

Although it seemed incredible based on objective numbers.

From a personal standpoint, the numbers didn’t seem that significant.

‘4th advancement criterion is 100 million mana.’

The transition from the first to the second, and then to the third awakening period was far stricter.

Honestly, it felt overwhelming even to think about it.

‘I felt the ten million mana threshold for a gold badge was somehow manageable.’

Ten million mana wasn’t a range that was impossibly out of reach.

It felt like an amount that could somehow be gathered over a few years if savings were made.

Neither overwhelming nor discouraging was the number, at least.

However, the 100 million mana number felt entirely different.

‘…… How on earth will I gather 100 million?’

This scale is beyond what mere fragments could ever assemble.

If I maintained my current pace, when might a fourth awakening be on the horizon?

Honestly, is it even possible to awaken a fourth time through this method?

That was the dilemma I faced.

As a sigh of frustration escaped my lips, I felt someone sidle up beside me.

“What’s the matter, huh? Something wrong?”

A voice came from Yang Taeho, drenched head to toe in black blood like me.

He was carrying Ahhel, who was exhausted after a forced march, showing signs of fatigue himself.

Kim Yul, standing behind Yang Taeho, also wore a tired expression as he gazed at me.

With almost a month spent traversing battlefields, they seemed extremely worn out.

I looked at the two of them and shook my head.

“No, nothing.”

“So no need to worry then, huh?”

“Yes.”

Our party had cleared the sub-scenario of retaking the Sirmal Port and had just walked from there to the nearby Callum Fortress.

‘From Villea Castle in the south to the Sirmal Port in the center.’

After over 20 sub-scenarios, the order army succeeded in connecting the southern and central transportation routes.

As proof, about an hour ago, a message indicating the main scenario Act 1, chapter 4 had been cleared appeared.

However, we had no intention of returning to Habon Fortress for the victory celebration afterwards.

Our destination was not Habon but Viceta.

“Are we heading over now?”

“Well…….”

In response to Kim Yul’s question, I didn’t give an immediate, clear answer but instead opened the order’s homepage.

The first notification was from a senior priest assisting the high priest of the Order of Palao.

It was intended to convey military schedules and main scenario information decided during the 7 Orders’ meeting.

According to the notification, they would make a declaration of advance in Viceta in four days.

It meant that main scenario Act 1, chapter 5, aimed at reclaiming the new frontline base and connecting supply routes, would begin in two days.

“Let’s hunt a bit in Callum before then.”

There were many corrupted areas nearby as Callum Fortress had only been recovered recently.

With Ahhel’s inclusion, movement had become smoother, and I aimed to cover as many 4-star corrupted areas as possible before Act 1, chapter 5 began, but.

“…… Right now?”

Upon hearing Kim Yul’s question, which was filled with tension, I hesitated to respond immediately.

Seeing the exhausted faces of the party members and the limp back of Ahhel, I felt like doing something cruel.

While I hesitated, Yang Taeho rubbed his weary face vigorously and spoke.

“We have no complaints if you wanna go.”

“Same here. Didn’t mean to imply anything by it.”

Kim Yul quickly added, as if not to be outdone.

But having seen the fatigue all over their faces, I sighed, giving into the idea.

“Let’s rest today and start early tomorrow morning.”

How Kim Yul received my words was uncertain, but he blinked, turning his eyes, and spoke.

“I wasn’t complaining, really. I just wondered if we were going right away, but it’s fine to go hunting immediately. I’ve recovered my mana……”

However, instead of hearing him out entirely, I turned and began walking towards the city streets.

Kim Yul and Yang Taeho followed soon after.

Though they glanced at each other, not uttering any more reassurances that they were fine, it felt like they thought resting was indeed a relief.

Dragging along like a lifeless puppet, ahhel showed no signs of movement during the process.

‘It indeed was quite intense.’

Ahhel possessed a staggering amount of mana when compared to ordinary players.

In mere figures, it would easily surpass tens of millions. Exclusively in attribute mana, at that.

Yet physically, he was hardly different from a civilian.

Since he had never trained his body using mana, it was a natural outcome.

Thus, unable to bear the schedule structured around a player’s stamina, he succumbed to exhaustion.

‘As much as I’d like to jump into 4-star missions right now.’

Seeing the party members’ fatigue and Ahhel having collapsed from exhaustion, it was wiser to take a moment’s rest and then proceed.

‘Tsk.’

I internally soothed my sense of regret.

‘We can always work harder tomorrow.’

Having already decided to give in, I attempted to think positively.

Thus, we found an inn to stay for the next two days.

After laying Ahhel haphazardly on a bed, we washed off the black blood.

During the ensuing meal, I decided to spin the roulette.

The victory message appeared before the victory ceremony could even take place, so all rewards except for the order rewards were directly claimable.

‘Since an additional main scenario is already planned, the process must have been streamlined.’

In fact, I heard that the scale of the victory celebration was expected to be reduced compared to what took place at Callum Fortress.

There weren’t really any complaints regarding that. To be truthful, it was rather favorable.

If the trend of simplifying victory celebrations continued, I wouldn’t need to waste time performing needless grandstanding.

Even if such celebrations were not made simpler, it wouldn’t pose a significant problem.

I had no intention of squandering time by attending needless events like victory celebrations in the future.

Having erased from my mind the victory celebration to be held in Habon, I spun the Authority Roulette.

While that cheap effect dazzled brightly, I clenched my fists.

‘Let it be Karlos.’

As a minimal safeguard to potentially exclude my younger sibling and the Seo brothers from the game.

Before the fourth player’s selection trial, I wanted to have at least one.

Fixing my gaze on the roulette, I earnestly repeated to myself.

“Please, Karlos.”

Amidst a blinding effect, a dazzling light erupted.

「Karlos’ Authority: One-time Use」

Miraculously, the authority I sought appeared.

But my expression was far from bright.

‘What was that just now?’

Just before the roulette moved to the Karlos segment, it stopped at the Palao segment.

Yet, a faint gold light flickered briefly, then moved again.

Witnessing an unmistakably unnatural situation, I squinted my eyes.

A vague discomfort I once encountered came rushing back.

‘The mana inflations from last time felt almost too apt.’

When I absorbed misfortune through Karlos’ Authority, I had advanced to gold rank.

Ever since, there had been a subtle and persistent feeling of discomfort.

And today, as I wished for Karlos’ authority, there it stood, clearly.

Would it be excessive self-awareness to think Karlos was making things convenient for me?

‘Why would the 7 Great Gods involve themselves?’

Not all of them treat players merely as meat shields.

But what reason would they have to offer favoritism to a specific player?

I was pondering between skepticism and curiosity.

While staring at the place where the roulette vanished in the air for a long time.

As I finally rose after a lengthy contemplation, Kim Yul keenly responded.

“Where are you going?”

It wasn’t just idle curiosity.

Forcing food into his mouth hastily, it felt like he was intending to follow me at any moment upon hearing my words.

Given that he likely thought the hunt was postponed because of him earlier, he seemed to continue harboring that in his heart.

Gazing down at Kim Yul briefly, I responded in a calm tone.

Damned System