Chapter 136 : Chapter 136
Chapter 136: Newbie Hunter (2)
[Kiyaaaaa......]
The ear-splitting wail gradually subsided, and the body of the ghost assassin in front of my eyes slowly scattered.
No matter how much of a Ghost type it was, it couldn't withstand demonic energy mixed with the Destruction Dragon's demonic energy.
Especially since demonic energy itself was quite effective against Ghost types.
'Then......'
There was no time to be dazed.
If a ghost assassin came to me, there was a high possibility that an assailant had also visited my companion, Luna.
Bang!
After kicking the door open, I barged straight into Luna's room.
As expected, Luna seemed to have also been attacked by a ghost assassin, sitting on the bed looking exhausted in the messy room.
"You're here?"
"Seems you resolved it well."
Ghost types were certainly tricky opponents, but it was also true that they weren't a big problem for a spatial mage of Luna's caliber.
Of course, that's only in a head-on confrontation, and since Luna would have been ambushed while sleeping, it must have been dangerous.
"Are the ghosts we saw just now the Newbie Hunter you mentioned seeing?"
"That's right. I was right, wasn't I?"
"Well... let's say you were right about them being ghosts."
Of course, strictly speaking, the identity of the ghost assassins hasn't been revealed as the Newbie Hunter yet.
But what's clear is the fact that ghosts, whether they are Newbie Hunters or whatever, targeted us, and it's highly probable that this is related to the recent death of a player.
'There are one or two strange things.'
If the Newbie Hunter's identity is indeed those ghost assassins, where on earth did those ghost assassins come from?
And what is their purpose?
There have been many stories about the Newbie Hunter so far, but the common point among them was that the Newbie Hunter's goal was Ascension Stone Fragments.
But the ghost assassins who revealed themselves now were not players.
Natives of the Lagna Continent.
More precisely, ghost soldiers created by sacrificing natives as the price for necromancy.
'Someone who isn't a player cannot view the Anonymous Bulletin Board.'
'However, the Newbie Hunter seeks out those who expose themselves on the Anonymous Bulletin Board.'
'Then......'
The conclusion derived from this was very simple.
'There is a mastermind who created and sent the ghost assassins. That person is the real Newbie Hunter.'
Only now did I seem to understand what kind of existence the Newbie Hunter, who had been full of rumors until now, was.
Also, how they could spread the Newbie Hunter's notoriety across the continent.
However, a question still remained.
'If there is one question... it's how such a thing was possible inside a large city where a temple of the Punishment Order exists.'
The barrier erected by the Punishment Order's temple, one in each large city, prevents the intrusion of ominous existences like Ghost types.
Yet, with the Punishment Order's temple standing strong, ghosts are running rampant in the middle of a large city like this?
It was impossible.
That's why it was also a very bad situation.
"Tsk, this has become troublesome."
The hypothesis that the Newbie Hunter isn't a single person is one most users agree on.
But it was unexpected that they consisted of such a systematic group.
"Let's leave Elysian for now. Since we've already been discovered anyway, staying here longer will only become troublesome."
"Ah, okay."
For now, it was time to leave this place.
***
Luna and I hurriedly left the commercial city Elysian.
Since a murder incident had occurred just recently, the exit process was a bit more troublesome compared to when we entered, but since both Luna and I had identification tokens prepared in our own ways, it wasn't too difficult.
"Where did you say you saw the Newbie Hunter... I mean, the ghost before?"
At my question, Luna seemed lost in thought for a moment before speaking as if she remembered.
"I saw it in the Imperial Capital. Even then, a player had died in the middle of the Imperial Capital."
"......The Imperial Capital?"
If it were anywhere else, maybe, but a ghost roaming in the middle of the Imperial Capital where the Emperor resides was unusual.
Especially since, in addition to the Punishment Order's temple, separate barriers are deployed in the Imperial Capital.
"Are you saying the Newbie Hunter is capable enough to penetrate those countless barriers and send ghosts in?"
"Hmm, is that so? It's not a part I've thought much about, but that's true too."
If the Newbie Hunter is a player capable of such a thing, it would be correct to see them as far exceeding the level I had thought.
'But it's strange. No matter how proficient in necromancy, they shouldn't be able to break through the barrier of the Punishment Order's temple and the barriers installed in the Imperial Capital that easily?'
A necromancer who can ignore not only Elysian's barrier but even the Imperial Capital's barrier where the Emperor resides...
"I cannot understand."
It felt like I was falling deeper into a labyrinth the more clues I got, perhaps explaining why the Newbie Hunter's existence still hasn't been revealed.
No, strictly speaking, it wasn't even a confirmed fact yet that the mastermind behind the ghost assassins is the Newbie Hunter.
"By the way, are ghosts breaking through the Imperial Capital's barrier such a big deal?"
"What do you think would happen if a ghost appeared in the middle of the palace where the Emperor resides? Naturally, the Empire has thoroughly prepared for that part."
"Hmm, I see."
Luna nodded slightly and said.
"But do they necessarily have to break through the barrier? Can't the ghosts detour or go around?"
"There wouldn't be absolutely no way to detour, but to do that, they would have to infiltrate the temple and the Imperial Household that cast the barrier or cooperate with them─"
While speaking, I felt like I discovered a loophole in my thinking about how the ghosts could reveal themselves within the large city and the Imperial Capital.
"......Don't tell me."
Even while thinking it couldn't be, compared to other possibilities I thought of earlier, this one was overflowing with possibility.
To the point where it felt like the answer.
"What's wrong? What is it?"
"Users were making one grave mistake."
"Huh? What mistake?"
"It might not be only players doing the newbie hunting."
Luna's expression hardened stiffly.
"......What does that mean?"
"Generally, Ghost-type ghosts cannot approach large cities where the Punishment Order's temple is located. But if someone intentionally deactivated the temple's barrier at the right time or summoned the Ghost types from within the city, the story is different."
"Don't tell me... are you saying the Newbie Hunter isn't a player right now?"
"No, the possibility of that is low. Anyway, it seems almost certain that the place the Newbie Hunter gets information is the Anonymous Bulletin Board. Especially seeing that they targeted a player who stopped by Elysian this time, they must have targeted players who visited Akiro's Labyrinth."
"Wait, what does that...?"
The conclusion drawn was simple.
"The Newbie Hunter appears to be a high-ranking noble of the Empire or someone with the authority to access the barrier. Plus, they are well-versed in necromancy."
"......Hah."
Luna seemed quite shocked about the Newbie Hunter's identity.
"......Then what do you intend to do now?"
"We are going to the Imperial Capital."
If our existence hadn't been discovered by the Newbie Hunter, maybe, but since we've already been discovered, ultimately only one fate remains for us.
Kill or be killed.
"We must strike first before we get hit."
***
"There is a high possibility that the Newbie Hunter is closely cooperating with the Imperial Household."
"......What does that mean?"
"To create artificial ghosts with necromancy, living humans must be sacrificed as the price. Even a high-ranking noble of the Empire cannot do such a thing in the middle of the Imperial Capital. If discovered, not only would their title be stripped, but they wouldn't be able to keep their life either."
Probably, the Newbie Hunter warned the Imperial Household about the danger of players, that is, travelers or explorers.
And the Imperial Household accepted that danger and created a ghost army with necromancy together with the Newbie Hunter, and full-scale newbie hunting likely began with that.
'If the Imperial Household is truly deeply involved, it's not at a level that will end as an ordinary matter.'
Although they are hunting players under the name of Newbie Hunter right now, a long tail is bound to be stepped on someday.
Someday, a player who notices the Newbie Hunter's identity like me will appear.
No, perhaps some players have already noticed.
If the truth about the Newbie Hunter becomes known, how will other players react?
Most likely, it wouldn't be very good news for the Empire.
Although players show foolish appearances on the Anonymous Bulletin Board and don't easily unite with each other, once they form a force, they are also a group possessing overwhelming military power that can bring down the Empire in one go.
'In the worst case, a war between the Player Union and the Empire might break out.'
And that was highly likely not good news for me or other players.
Anyway, right now, the relationship between the Empire and players wasn't bad on the surface, and that's why we could oppose the conspiracies of forces including the Twilight Troupe together, but what if the Empire and players go to war?
It was obvious that other forces would secretly start moving, taking advantage of that gap.
Clouds of war are coming to the Lagna Continent.
'First, find the Newbie Hunter.'
And whether I kill the Newbie Hunter or settle this situation, anyway, I had to go to the Imperial Capital for now.
"What are you thinking about so deeply?"
"Because it seems this isn't an ordinary matter."
"Hmm, that's true. To think the Newbie Hunter is a noble......"
Luna also hastened her steps as she felt the seriousness of the situation.
Elysian and the Imperial Capital weren't that far apart as they were neighboring cities.
Once we pass this plain, the walls of the Imperial Capital should reveal themselves.
At that moment.
[Ooooooooooh──]
[Kyaak, kyaaaaaak.......]
A wailing sound like a ghost cry heard from somewhere.
There was no way I wouldn't know what this bizarre phenomenon was.
"It seems we were being pursued. Prepare yourself."
"......Ugh, I really hate ghosts."
Instead of taking out weapons that wouldn't work anyway, Luna and I gently raised our demonic energy.
With that, ghosts began to reveal themselves one by one.
Although the numbers were large, they weren't ghosts in assassin attire like we saw before, but ghosts dressed as soldiers.
"As expected, ghost assassins aren't that common."
Well, if they could mass-produce that level of ghost assassin, this world would have fallen into the Empire's hands long ago.
Ghosts created by necromancy were bound to follow their abilities from when they were alive, and therefore, from the Imperial Household's perspective as well, it was a burdensome magic in many ways as they had to sacrifice capable talents.
"Here they come!"
With Luna's shout, ghost soldiers began to fly in from all directions.
"Hmm."
Thinking about how to deal with them didn't take long.
'That would be good.'
I activated the authority imbued in Akiro's Ring.
[Akiro's Law is activated.]
[The law of 'No Entry for Miscellaneous Spirits' is applied.]