episode_0075

As I always said, leveling up in this game is extremely difficult.

That’s why if you reach level 70 here, you’ll be considered a near-powerful player.

If you go to a small country other than an empire, you may be treated as the strongest there.

That’s just the level 70s at the beginning.

So what happens next?

When you reach level 80, you will be ranked in the top five in the empire. The number of superhumans reaching level 80 was only a handful in an era.

That is why they are recorded in history as infinitely great superhumans, outstanding generals or great magicians, and wise men.

It will be written in an ancient book and praised by people forever.

From level 90, there are less than ten people in the entire history of the continent who have reached this level, and 100 is an unprecedented level.

Of course, it was recently broken because of the sun goddess, Enen… Anyway.

[Lv 87]

The numbers floating above my head are not just numbers.

Not only is he the most powerful man in the current empire, but he is also a great man who would be difficult to compare to in history books.

That person is looking down on me.

He didn’t even seem that interested in me.

“So, where has our warrior Nari been and what has she been doing?”

No, quite the opposite.

Obvious hostility.

His expression gradually becomes frowny, as if he had seen something disgusting.

Kookookookook!

Accordingly, the surrounding air gradually becomes heavier. The magical power leaking out of his body weighs down the surroundings.

There is no way that someone with that level of skill wouldn’t be able to suppress his magical power.

In short, he was now deliberately pressuring me.

Even though I’m not the type to be easily distracted, I found myself having trouble breathing. But the more I felt that way, the more I held my head up high. I couldn’t show myself weak here.

There are dozens of people around me who are trying to judge me. If I want to keep the concept of a loser, I have to at least pretend to have guts.

“I guess you didn’t hear the report. I came here to investigate the brainwashed Biklon of the neighboring territory.”

“I know that. It was quite a while ago. A few days have passed since then, and what have you been doing instead of moving to the next territory?”

I was looking after the kids for a bit.

But I can’t say it outright, so I just muddled it together.

“But you weren’t the owner of a territory. I was a little late because I needed to clean up after myself.”

“Ha, damn. That punk guy must have done well.”

He scoffed. His expression clearly showed disbelief.

As if they sensed the atmosphere becoming tense, the faces of the people around them gradually hardened.

“Do you know this? I’m actually quite religious. Even though I’m not a knight, I’ve always believed in the Goddess and tried to follow her… But lately, I’m starting to doubt the Goddess’s will.”

“Do you know why?” he asks. He takes a deep breath and speaks to me again.

“Because a loser like you became a warrior.”

There was obvious hostility directed at me. Just facing a level 87 enemy made me feel like I would be crushed to death.

“Why? Why on earth? Did it become you? Do you have a good personality? Or are you far more skilled? I don’t know if you have talent, but if that’s the case, that guy over there would have been fine. If it was the power of a warrior, that guy would have surpassed you in no time.”

He pointed his index finger at Pharrell Douglas.

Even though he was directly pointed out, the guy just silently lowered his head.

“I really hate people like you. People who get lucky and then act like it’s theirs. Lazy and arrogant.”

“So.”

I shrugged.

“So what do you want me to do?”

This is what a bad guy likes. If something like this happens, he doesn’t have to put up with it.

“Anyway, the goddess chose me. Not you or that guy, but me.”

Even if he was the strongest in the empire, it was no different. He was able to break the mold even in front of the emperor, so this is nothing.

Perhaps he also tried to draw the holy sword. A person of that caliber would have been a strong candidate for the warrior. However, the goddess did not look at him and instead gave me her blessing.

Because it was meant for me in the first place. No one else would have even been a candidate.

“···This guy.”

When I said that, his expression distorted into a grim expression. It seemed like what I just said was quite upsetting.

“If you weren’t a warrior, you would have died by my hand in no time.”

Anyway, this made me realize one thing. I was completely smitten with this guy. I guess I had my eye on him before we even met, but this time, he completely drove the wedge in.

“Stay where you are. I will catch the Four Heavenly Kings. I will catch them myself and prove to the goddess that you chose the wrong warrior.”

I guess he was quite upset that he didn’t become a warrior.

Knock knock knock!

After saying that, he turned around and walked away.

As he moves away, the pressure that had been weighing on me disappears.

I let out a long sigh as my breathing became a little easier.

“Hoo···.”

Well, that was expected. There’s no way my curse would pass so easily. It was quite painful to be hated by the strongest person in the human world… but it can’t be helped.

Of course, I also said things that were a bit harsh.

But I can’t help it. I’m getting annoyed too.

If you criticize me without even knowing what I sacrificed to become a warrior, I can’t help but say something.

After ending the conversation like that, I looked around and observed the atmosphere.

I heard some pretty harsh words, but they didn’t really stick in my mind. Compared to all the hate I’ve received so far, this is nothing special.

It’s not even ticklish.

More than that, I was curious about the atmosphere around the place where the chewing gum was made. Now, how would my party members react…

‘huh?’

The party members’ reactions to seeing it that way were somewhat unexpected.

Each of the two showed contrasting reactions.

Camilla and Adele had expressions of delight on their faces, as if they had said what I wanted to say, while Jules and Lily… were grimacing with all their might.

Yuris looks at me with a hazy face, and Lily mutters something with an annoyed look on her face.

“···Not knowing anything.”

Well, I’m the one getting cursed at, but I wonder why those guys are upset.

“Don’t worry too much, warrior.”

“Uh, um··· yes.”

I nodded my head in bewilderment at Yuris’s consolation.

Although there were various incidents, we were able to hear the plan of the people who were investigating.

“We plan to expand the search area centered on the location where the damage occurred.”

“That’s a classic method.”

In order for the puppet master to use his abilities, he has to get close to them anyway. His abilities are deceptive, but he can’t use them at long range.

That means that even if the guy ran away, he wouldn’t have gotten far. So the investigators’ current plan was to gradually expand the search area and find the guy…

But there was one thing that bothered me a little.

“Kill. Kill. Kill······.”

We examine the puppet male locked in the detention center. Although numerous priests are trying to purify him, the male is still brainwashed.

I pointed at the guy with my hand and asked.

“But isn’t that guy completely brainwashed?”

There are exceptions to the puppet master’s abilities.

There are many restrictions on the distance at which brainwashing can be done, but for already brainwashed targets, the distance restrictions are quite relaxed.

And, down to the root of the unconscious, completely brainwashed people can give orders from a significant distance.

And as in Oleg’s case, the puppet is capable of making some concessions.

There are so many variables, and investigators probably don’t know that.

“Don’t you think it’s possible that the puppet master brainwashed them in advance and then gave the order after they escaped the encirclement?”

“I thought about that too. That’s why I asked them to create a siege not only here but all over the empire. I don’t know where they’ll be found, but he’s already a rat in a cage.”

“Oh.”

This time, pure admiration came out.

In a word, it means that a heavenly net has been spread out.

It is a net spread out by pure human power.

The area where the incident occurred is searched for and the surrounding territory is gradually surrounded.

It was a possible method because there was an overwhelming amount of manpower.

Is the empire really an empire?

It’s a method our small, elite party can’t even think about.

“Well, that’s about it···.”

It’s a classic and not bad way. Honestly, I don’t have time to get involved.

“Then we will also do our own investigation.”

After saying that, I left the place.

My research method is always the same: I place one-eyed bugs everywhere and wait.

Maybe it was because the investigators did a better job than I expected, but there wasn’t really anything for me to do.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve had time to spare.’

It’s been a while since I had this much free time. So I decided to go for a walk for the first time in a while. I also had time to go.

In this territory with no special features, there is one place that seems out of the blue. It’s like the place in Chunghoe Castle.

Pass the square and go further in.

A back alley appeared, which could be found anywhere in the empire, and I continued to walk inward.

Then a shabby, abandoned house popped up.

An abandoned house located on the outskirts of the territory, where even ghosts might pop out.

There was no sign of life here, as if people had forgotten about it.

It’s probably actually forgotten, because this place has it.

Squeak···.

When I opened the door, I saw a hole just big enough for one person to pass through.

Its presence is so faint that it seems like it could slip out of consciousness at any moment.

Yet, once discovered, it is an ominous pit that you will never forget.

I turned on the system and looked at the name of the pit.

[Forget#!^$◇ ◆ ◈What is it?]

Enen.

It’s time to find out more about what she’s hiding.