Chapter 159 : Chapter 159
Chapter 159 : Supreme King (3)
As the Supreme King disappeared, the interior of the Imperial palace, where it was difficult to even breathe due to the Demonic energy he was emitting just a moment ago, became clear at once.
I didn't know where he went, but this probably meant there was nothing more to talk about with me.
‘So it ended up like this.’
I tried to stop the Supreme King through persuasion if possible, but the Supreme King wasn't someone who could be reasoned with in the first place.
The Supreme King would not stop.
Running without stopping, he would eventually try to consume not only the Eastern Union but also the entire Empire as sacrifices to achieve his goal.
Therefore, a certain choice remained for me now.
Whether to stop the Supreme King, or not.
Stopping the Supreme King would absolutely not be easy.
Not only was the Supreme King himself estimated to be a strong individual of Level 8 or higher, but above all, the Ascension Stone Fragments the Supreme King had taken seemed to be more than anyone else until now.
In other words, there was a high possibility that the Supreme King currently harbored more powerful Demonic energy than any other existence.
‘He’s managing to maintain his reason in such a state, but it looks like that won’t last much longer either.’
The Supreme King’s whole body looked more like something resembling a human rather than a human appearance due to the Demonic energy overflowing to the point of excess.
Actually, his voice was also a creepy metallic sound, and his whole figure was completely invisible due to the surging Demonic energy.
If I had to stop such a Supreme King, I too would have to be prepared to pay a price incomparably greater than before.
‘The problem is, whether there is even a choice for me not to stop the Supreme King.’
What would happen if I didn't stop the Supreme King?
The Supreme King would not stop and would offer all the major cities in the Eastern Union and the Empire as sacrifices for the magic circles, and eventually, some magic would be completed.
I didn't know if that would succeed or fail.
But what was certain was that both the Empire and the Eastern Union would suffer devastating blows, and in the process, countless people would be sacrificed.
Was it right to turn a blind eye to their sacrifice?
This world was once a game world.
Therefore, there was one common topic of debate for players including me.
-Are the natives in the Lagna Continent humans like us?
I remember the public opinion on the Anonymous Bulletin Board regarding that was exactly half and half.
-Natives are NPCs, how are they humans?
-FR lol at this rate they’ll say my dog Poppy is human too.
-No matter what, saying data fragments are humans is too much, isn't it?
-If all these guys are humans, then are we all murderers? Saying nonsense.
The opinion that the natives of this world are merely NPCs.
-Does this world still look like just a game? This is just another world. Then of course these people are humans too.
-There are still bastards harping on about NPCs lol seriously losing faith in humanity.
-The natives of the Lagna Continent are people like us. Just a fact.
-But NPCs are objects that react the same way mechanically in the first place. No matter how high-performance the AI is, they can’t be this much like real people. They are just people.
The opinion that the natives of this world are also humans like us.
I hadn't reached a plausible conclusion about that yet, but at least the ones I had experienced and felt until now were no different from real humans.
Leaving aside the essence, if they were indistinguishable from real humans, wouldn't that alone be enough qualification to call them humans?
‘Leaving that aside, if the Supreme King’s magic succeeds, there is a possibility that it will be a problem in itself.’
The Supreme King said.
If he succeeded in opening the sky, one would be able to choose one of the two.
Whether to open the door, or to close it.
‘Akiro said something similar too.’
I think I know now.
What it means to open and close that door.
The scenery I saw beyond the sky was clearly the scenery of Earth.
Also, the Supreme King wishes to return to his hometown through opening the sky.
‘If he succeeds in opening the sky, does it mean a path to return to Earth can be opened?’
If that happened, what exactly would occur?
Simply thinking, players in this world would be able to return to Earth, but would it be a simple story ending there?
If so, would there be a need to say grandiose words like opening the sky, or opening and closing the door?
I didn't think so.
‘Is that path really a path used only for us to return to Earth?’
Great Sage Akiro said.
The path to the Great Heaven has opened, and although it is only a half-measure, it is true that it has opened.
Then if we came to this world due to that half-opened door, what would happen if the remaining half of the door were to open completely?
‘Perhaps…….’
Two worlds connect.
Worlds that shouldn't be connected originally connect and the sky opens in the true sense.
As my thoughts reached there, I felt my heart turning cold.
‘If the two worlds really connect…… what happens?’
Feeling like my thoughts had reached a deduction I shouldn't make, I shook my head.
‘Come to think of it…… Great Sage Akiro said I have the qualifications to choose.’
The words Great Sage Akiro and the Supreme King said swirled in my head.
What choice should I make?
It wouldn't be a choice about whether to stop the Supreme King or not.
In a way, the choice I had to make regarding that was practically decided.
‘I stop the Supreme King.’
Then if there was a choice given to me, it would be the story after the sky opened.
After the sky opens, will I open that door, or close it?
Naturally, I hadn't reached a conclusion on this yet.
Amidst complex thoughts, I left the Imperial palace.
Thanks to the Supreme King clearing away the soldiers, I could leave the Imperial palace of Arkendale very easily.
‘First…… there are many people I need to meet.’
What choice must I make?
Even to get an answer to that, I moved my steps.
***
The first person I met was Guar, the Lord of Biarritz and my companion for this journey.
“Vell, you’re here. I actually had something to talk about regarding the Supreme King.”
“Just as well. What I have to say is also about the Supreme King.”
“What is it?”
“I met the Supreme King and came back.”
“……What?”
Guar must have been surprised enough to drop the cigar he was holding, as he spoke urgently without even caring that a cigarette burn was forming on his clothes.
“Wh-What does that mean? Tell me in detail!”
“The Supreme King looked for me. He already knew of my existence.”
“Such……. To think he knew you were Cain, is that possible even for the Supreme King?”
“He didn’t seem to know up to the point that I am Cain but…… well, that isn’t important.”
I spoke the conclusion straight away.
“It seems persuading the Supreme King is impossible. The Supreme King’s will is firm.”
“Hmm, is that so? I was expecting it to some extent. Then is the only thing left to assassinate the Supreme King?”
“That won’t be easy either. This is Arkendale, and not only the knights guarding the Supreme King but the Supreme King himself is a formidable opponent.”
“We will need troops.”
“Right. But a mediocre level won’t do, they’ll only get in the way.”
“Hmm, I will try to prepare for that part. But the enemy won’t be just the knights of Arkendale, right?”
“Yeah. The Supreme King is probably employing quite a few players as well.”
“I see…….”
Guar let out a groan for a moment.
He had no choice but to have many thoughts.
Since I also felt like my head was going to explode with various thoughts.
“How about revealing the truth about this on the Anonymous Bulletin Board instead? There must be more than one or two people who have antipathy toward the Supreme King’s madness. Even if just a few high-level players stepped forward, it would be a great help.”
“Not a bad idea, but I think we need to be cautious about disclosing information.”
“Why is that?”
“Considering the Supreme King’s goal, there is a possibility that we might actually increase the number of enemies.”
“……What does that mean? Don’t tell me there is something you haven’t told me?”
It seemed necessary to at least reveal to Guar what the Supreme King’s goal was.
Of course, I didn't intend to talk about things like Ascension Stone Fragments and Beyond the sky.
“The Supreme King’s goal is to return to his hometown.”
“Return? What does that mean?”
“The Supreme King believes he can return to his hometown if he pays the price through human sacrifice.”
Therefore, if I were informed about the truth regarding the Supreme King, there was a possibility that the Supreme King, using this conversely, would draw players to his side as allies.
Many players still considered the natives of this world not as humans, and there were countless who would consider doing it willingly if they could return to Earth by sacrificing them.
That was the reason why using the Anonymous Bulletin Board could inevitably become a clumsy self-defeating move.
Guar’s expression hardened stiffly.
“Such……. You mean such a thing is possible with human sacrifice?”
“Everything has a price. Rephrasing that, it also means anything can be done if one can pay the corresponding price. Since this world is such a world.”
The key keywords penetrating the World of Justice are contract and price.
In short, if one could pay a reasonable price, it wasn't impossible for impossible miracles to occur.
“Do you also want to return?”
“……It would be a lie if I said I didn’t want to return. It is true that there are things I miss. But if that is built upon countless blood, I don’t particularly want to return.”
“I see. Indeed, I knew you would say that.”
Guar cared for his territory and subjects terribly more than anyone else.
No matter if the return to Earth was at stake, there was no way such Guar would exchange all the lives of his subjects even if asked to.
“Anyway, you mean it is difficult to tell the truth on the Anonymous Bulletin Board…….”
“Yeah, so just try to find only the troops available for now.”
“……Understood.”
Guar nodded slightly.
I didn't know how many troops Guar could find, but it wouldn't be enough.
Anyway, this was the capital of Arkendale, which could be seen as the heart of the enemy.
‘Can’t be helped.’
If the combat power was inferior to this extent, I had no choice but to take out one of the cards I didn't want to use.
[Accessing Anonymous Bulletin Board.]
Talking about the Supreme King to an unspecified number of players is clearly dangerous.
However, what about someone who definitely has antipathy toward the Supreme King's way and is hostile?
For example…… someone who has been wary of the danger of the fragments even to the point of killing people.
-Dragon Slayer: Ballak, I have something to talk about regarding the Supreme King. Leave a secret comment. I will wait.
Ranker of the past, Ballak.
Another name is Newbie Hunter.
It seemed the time had come to receive his help once.