Light of Arad: The First to Walk - Chapter 212



Only Krnovel

212

Jinseong’s thoughts became more solid after he thought about the possibility of contamination.

There should be no wheels.

Even if you stop by Zelva while there are no adventurers, you must not enter the Castle of the Dead or meet Azalea.

That is, they must not be noticed by adventurers. But what are their actions now?

‘Even if the Empire steps in to stop you, you’ve already shown that you’ll meet Azalea no matter what. You won’t care if there’s an adventurer by your side or not.’

For Vivi, there are beings that should not exist.

However, there are beings that try to move. In that case, it would be right to view it as contamination.

‘The Red Ghost Soryun’s intention for coming here… … Finding out and dealing with that would be the solution to this contamination. Hmm, then-.’

-Ms. Vivi, how’s the search for Becky going?

– Wasn’t it quick enough in a game? Did you really have to search through the castle of the dead like this? It’s driving me crazy to have to go through all the places I’ve already passed by?!

Starting with understanding Vivi’s current location and situation.

Jinseong smiled with satisfaction. In fact, even in the epic quest of the main scenario, there was a phrase that said that quite a lot of effort was needed to find Becky.

Even though Vivi chose the [Grim Seeker] route, which doesn’t require any raid-type strategies, she ultimately has to do what she has to do as someone possessed by Plain: Arad.

-What are you joking about, I’m really fighting. I didn’t know I’d experience something like a lack of mana since I was possessed. Fortunately, Jinseong-ssi explained it well, so I’m good at breaking patterns… … Oh, am I good at that?

-What are you saying, Chili, you really don’t know? Luke Raid didn’t really have any issues with patterns, did you? It was important to choose the light route and the dark route and get the timing right, but since you don’t do that, it’s not really that hard.

-So, you say that to people’s faces?

-Okay, okay, both of you, focus! Anyway, there’s still nothing to overlap, so keep going, but if you encounter a named character or feel like you’re about to start a quest, tell me right away!

If Vivi, with Azalea, were searching the entire Castle of the Dead in ‘real time’, it could take several days.

Chili Shrimp has also chosen the [Joint Investigation Team] route, so it is essentially following the path of the Luke Raid era, so it will not appear for the time being.

If you have figured it out, then there is no need to waste any more time as a genuine person.

“Heukgu. Get some sleep.”

[Click click click, what is that noise all of a sudden?]

“I’m going to have to be busy tonight.”

The decision to take action.

Jinseong has decided to take a look at the group led by Jeokgwi Soryun, the most radical group among the Grim Seeker hardliners.

[That guy who pretends to be noble but is extremely barbaric… … I can smell that guy. Do you know him?]

“Hmm? Ah, that’s right. By accepting Shiroko’s thoughts- and not only that… but also the ability.”

Unlike his usual sarcastic, teasing warning, Heukgu’s voice was serious.

That point was enough to remind Jinseong of the characteristics of Jeokgwi Soryun once again.

“Now that I think about it, it’s not like I’m borrowing Heukgu’s ability to go beyond the norm or anything. Soryun also uses an ability called [Predation].”

The martial arts she learned from her parents from Suzhou are not her only weapons.

One of the abilities that the Fifth Apostle developed by accepting the formless thoughts of Shiroko is [Predation].

Some of the seven founders of the Grim Seekers were granted not only the spirit and memories of Sirocco, but also the special abilities of the apostles, and the ability granted to Soryun was [Predation].

[Sirocco was no different from that ignorant turtle guy in terms of eating… … Hehe, it fits perfectly.]

“If it was just about eating, then it would just be overeating. Tch, devouring someone with a specific ability and absorbing that ability… that’s the power of Soryun.”

After swallowing a target, use the target’s special ability.

This is only possible until the target ‘dissolves’ in the space that can be called Soryun’s stomach, and after the target dies, the special abilities that were absorbed also disappear.

‘It’s cruel. The longer the prey struggles to survive without being digested, the longer Soryun can use the abilities he took from them… … Ugh, I have to approach it with the utmost caution.’

Night has come to Zelva and the Castle of the Dead.

It was only after it was completely dark that Jinseong left the tent.

* * *

Zelva is an island made of Anton’s corpses.

Instead of being a typical volcanic island made of granite, basalt, or dirt, you literally have to walk around on a cracked shell.

And the Tartans who were here didn’t even make anything resembling a road.

These two things alone make it difficult for ordinary people to even walk, but it is even more dangerous at night when there is no special lighting other than moonlight.

‘It’s obvious, it’s obvious. I’ve even gone around looking for Anton George.’

Nevertheless, Jinseong was moving quickly and quietly as if running on a well-paved road.

Rather, there was no hesitation in his movements, to the point where even the moonlight desired the darkness obscured by clouds.

‘If there had been any camouflage-related items, I could have actually seen the transparency effect, but ugh.’

I thought of a few items in the game Dungeon & Fighter that would essentially give you the same effect as invisibility, but they were out of reach now anyway.

Fortunately, the [Joint Investigation Team] and [Adventurer’s Guild] camps are brightly lit even late at night, but beyond the [Grim Seeker] camp, there is virtually no artificial light.

‘The tent prepared by the Grim Seeker… … isn’t there. Of course not. Thieves would have no reason to come here with bad intentions and just be in a place where they could be watched.’

It is clear what they are aiming for.

Finding an ‘opportunity’ to kill Azalea.

From Jinseong’s perspective, who knows that Azalea will die here because of them, there is nothing special about it, but from their perspective, who do not know whether or not there will be such an opportunity, they cannot help but be on edge.

‘More than anything, when you never get that chance… … what are you going to do? It would be good to know at least that. I think it might have something to do with the fact that Red Ghost Soryun came in person.’

Sabak, sabak, sabak, sabak.

Jinseong moved forward, clearly defining what he had to do.

“……because.”

And finally, I heard a voice carried by the night wind.

[True.]

I noticed it around the same time as Black Goo’s warning.

It meant that the body’s basic abilities, including the five senses, had also improved to a considerable level, but Jinseong couldn’t care less about that at the moment.

The place where the sound was coming from was a hole where gas would once spout out intermittently.

Of course, since it is a hole in Anton’s shell, it would not be an exaggeration to say that its size is the size of a sports field. It is a place that is quite large to surround, and can be hidden from the sight of those trying to observe from afar.

‘In other words, there must be two or three guys guarding the outside of the hole on that side.’

Thanks to the irregular terrain that could not exist naturally, it was not detected, but further access will never be easy.

Jinseong lay face down on the floor.

Fortunately, if I could just get close enough to eavesdrop on their conversation, I could achieve my immediate goal to some extent.

[Kekekeke, if Anton were alive, the sea would laugh so hard it would leave. A bug crawling on his back.]

Shash, Shash, even though Heukgu burst into laughter at the moving Jinseong, Jinseong did not react.

That also meant that he was seriously wary of the power of the hardliners in the Grim Seeker faction, including Jeokgwi Soryun.

How long has it been since you approached it very carefully, but never slowly?

“Do it.”

“But… shouldn’t we give ourselves enough opportunity? If we move so blatantly-”

“Shut up. How long are you asking me to wait? Do you think that girl Azalea will ever wander off on her own? Do you think she’ll ever be away from Ezra and the other founders again? No. It’s only now.”

“But you still have to wait. It won’t be easy for even one Azalea…….”

“That’s right. And there’s Roy and Erica. Even if that’s Roy, Erica’s transformation into Ashtoreth isn’t something that can be easily stopped-.”

“You idiot! That’s why I came here myself!”

It was a well-known fact that the one who shouted and yelled was Soryun.

Also, since he understood the topic they were talking about, Jinseong couldn’t help but feel a sense of ominousness.

‘I thought So-ryun came to talk, but… … If I just listen to what he’s saying now, why… … .’

Azalea Rott’s death is as the nameless follower of Soryun said.

That he must wait patiently until Azalea is alone, and then wait until he kills her.

In fact, Azalea’s death, as Jinseong knows, takes place in that manner.

But what about Soryun’s argument now?

“While they don’t know yet. While they’re still unguarded about us. Now is the only time. If they get in the way, we have to wipe out Roy and Erica to show them our intentions.”

“but-.”

“It’s okay. This isn’t indiscriminate killing, it’s mass murder. I’m just paying the price for Azalea’s crime of protecting the apostle. It’s justifiable killing.”

“That claim was clearly rejected by Lord Soldoros……”

“Soldoros-. Lord Soldoros just doesn’t know when to step forward. Yang-Eol, that tall guy must be pushing the wind in. He said it wasn’t the time yet.”

Jinseong swallowed dry saliva.

I also know under what circumstances the rejection that Soryun spoke of occurred.

Soryun’s claim that we should kill Azalea and immediately ascend to the Demon World.

However, Soldoros agreed to neither the former nor the latter.

Eventually, he would have been driven out of the Tower of Despair by Yang-Eul, and would have traveled between Arad and Heaven to hear news about Azalea before finally arriving here.

‘In the end, this time it’s about stopping Soryun. Whether Azalea is alone or not… … If she gets in the way, I’ll kill Roy and Erica too. What I have to do is stop that.’

Now Jinseong has a rough idea of ​​the situation.

I also thought that there was no need to fight Soryun.

Even if you move recklessly, what if you still can’t ignore Soldoros and Yang-Eol’s words?

Jinseong himself might be able to do something in the direction of pretending to be someone related to [Tower of Despair].

‘It’s okay to spread rumors. Anyway, I’m constantly checking Vivi’s main scenario situation… … Around the time Vivi clears Luke, the Grim Seekers will be coming! Isn’t it enough to just spread a rumor like this? Soldoros, no, Yang-Eol is coming… … Even just hearing stories like this will make So-Run move. Either to confirm the truth or to escape.’

There are countless other ways to do this.

If we can just take out the little ones and leave their followers behind, there will ultimately be no effect of ‘contamination’.

Vivi, who is supposed to be the forged blade, will go through her own trials as planned.

‘Okay, this is enough.’

Jinseong slowly turned his body.

Still lying flat on his stomach, he struggled for a moment to change direction.

Once again, the conversation of Soryun’s gang was heard.

“So we have to change public opinion.”

Soryun said.

One of her followers asked:

“Public opinion?”

“Yes. If the moderates turn their backs and rush in, the hardliners won’t be able to take it. Eventually, even the hardliners will raise their voices… If that happens, even Lord Soldoros won’t be able to just sit by and watch.”

“Would it be enough for us to kill Azalea?”

“Azalea’s death would be a big deal, but do you think the moderates would act like that? Compared to our hardliners, they are inferior in quality and quantity.”

“You just have to make them roll their eyes. To do that….”

Soryun answered.

And he added one more word.

It is a word that pauses for a moment.

A statement that makes you give up on the methods you just thought of.

“I must kill Azalea as cruelly and brutally as possible. I will send her severed head to the moderates and her body to the Tower of Despair.”

Above all, this is an unacceptable remark to the most veteran of the game Dungeon & Fighter.

“T, to that extent-.”

“Huh, if that was the original plan, I would’ve cut off the limbs separately-.”

It was such a cruel remark that even the followers of Red Ghost Soryun flinched and stuttered.

Jinseong couldn’t stand it.

“Because I told you to listen, you little punk.”

The dark knight has revealed himself.