After about two days, I finally entered the final stages of Spirit Stone crafting.
I had imbued [Desert Eagle] and [Black Lotus Bow] with spirit patterns and gave the Spirit Stone itself elasticity, making it possible to apply it to clothing.
Clothes, coats, shoes, necklaces, rings, etc... I covered myself with so much of it I reached the point where I wondered if I was going to be metal poisoned. Even so, I still couldn't use up all of it. There was still a soccer-ball-sized chunk of it left.
"As for the rest..."
It would only be proper to give it to Rachel. I put the Spirit Stone in my backpack and got up.
Considering how hard I worked on it, it felt only proper to demonstrate this set's capabilities.
Since it required no other preparation other than basic exercise, I simply stretched after putting on all the gear.
Imbuing my Desert Eagle with Stigma, I stretched out my hand.
Whooosh...
An updraft rose from where I aimed, condensing and swaying into a cube. Upon being imbued with the fire attribute, a flame burst inside it. Since it was self-sustaining, it required no ignition sources or combustible materials.
The wind then scattered out in a loop, wrapping around the fire to assume a ring-shaped form. I merged its fluidity with solid properties by giving it the earth attribute, effectively turning the space it occupied into a sturdy barrier.
"Not bad."
Anyone would be astonished upon witnessing this sight, thinking it was a goblin fire.
There were limitless uses to the Spirit Stone, but I couldn't, unfortunately, summon spirits like Rachel. We were simply too fundamentally different.
I merely borrowed the Spirit Stone's powers. She communicated with the spirits themselves. If I were to categorize us, she would be an elementalist and I an invoker.
Truth be told, she would be able to use the Spirit Stone far more efficiently than I could.
I sighed, suddenly doubting the value of what I was doing here.
I missed Evandel. I knew she was already big enough for me not to worry about her. She might even just be oversleeping after having fun since the nagger wasn't there, but I suddenly missed her.
But I was well aware of where these constantly fluctuating emotions were coming from.
My certain "expectations" for what this Hall existed for and what would be at the end of it.
"No way."
I brushed it off with a laugh.
The system had already made a decision. I could no longer return to my original world, and that fact would never change.
I sat back and opened my smartwatch's gallery to look at Evandel's photos, but several pictures of Rachel caught my eye instead.
"173 pictures."
I always did take a photo if I thought it would be a good shot, and I also looked around her fan cafe to save any good photos of her.
I didn't know why I collected them.
To put it bluntly, perhaps it was out of the compassion and sympathy she evoked from me.
Her current reality made me feel sorry for her, especially when comparing it to the person she was in my setting. Her principles of action, beliefs, and past were all pitiful.
But I never did consider sympathy as beneficial. It was just an emotional parasite that was extremely misleading despite its inability to turn into affection.
That was why seeing Rachel made me feel uneasy. She could mislead me into thinking I had feelings for her that I didn't have for anyone else in existence.
"... Damn." I cursed, lying flat on the pavement, only to laugh right after.
I remembered the bet I had with Rachel over sticks.
Six days ago, I triggered my luck at some point in that bet, causing her to stumble. Screaming, she was nailed to the ground from the top of her head.
"Pff, huhu. Fufufufu..."
The more I thought about it, the more I found it ridiculous.
* * *
The heroes of the Hall felt nostalgic for the past. As in the old days of the academy, they held on to their pens and computers and devoted themselves to their studies.
However, finding no clear answer, most guilds gave up or headed to the [Store], They could find many theses on the 'Hallnet,' which they could access from the Store's computer.
[Ruby Dungeon]
— A large-scale dungeon that appeared in Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea. Its interior is filled with red sulfur, and monsters ranked intermediate grade 5 or higher, like silverfish, starfish, and firenha, live in its magma.
— The mana concentration in its entrance was measured to be about 2%, but it soared to 4.6% in deeper places. Access to it was prohibited due to the risks and possibilities of having breathing problems and mana flood if exposed to its high mana concentration for prolonged periods. However...
Rachel also purchased the above information with public points to dig deeper into the problem, but she still had trouble getting an idea.
Ruby Dungeon. British Dungeon. Perishmare.
No matter how much she thought about it, these three dungeons seemed unrelated to each other.
The other guilds were in the same situation. In just 48 hours, more than half of them were already about to leave.
Sighing, she looked at her watch.
3:45 a.m.
She was the only one left in their laboratory. She couldn't afford to return to her room. After all, Reisleufer only agreed to ally with them because of her brain.
With the only thing she could put on the table being that she graduated as Cube Theory's first placer, she had to achieve a meaningful feat now more than ever.
After an hour or so of anguish, she finally picked up her smartwatch in frustration. Looking around the Hall community to cool off, the name [Xtra] stood out on the [British Royal Guild Members List],
[Xtra: Did you guys say you were studying theory?]
Rachel was startled. Could he read minds, or did he just text her at the right timing? For some reason, she felt her cheeks burn up.
[Me: Huh?]
[Me: Oh, yes. We are learning theory.]
[Me: Oh, more importantly, you were safe. I expected as much.
[Xtra: Use this as a reference in theory.]
[Me: o a o ?]
It took her 30 seconds just to type in that emoticon, but Xtra just ignored it and sent a fairly large file.
She was about to open it, but he sent another message.
[Xtra: As for the guys who attacked you, I captured nine of them alive.]
"Oh..."
Rachel unknowingly let out a sigh of relief, which made her think she had gone too soft. To be relieved that those who attacked her were safe... She forced her resolution to harden.
[Me: Thank you for your hard work.]
[Xtra: Do you know their names?]
He sent a photo of his tightly bound captives' faces. Looking at them made her shudder, but she still managed to type down their identities meticulously.
[Xtra: Okay. Take a break.]
Their conversation ended there, but Rachel still had something she had been meaning to say.
[Me: By the way, you know that our bet isn't over yet, right? (j »_»)j]
It was the only way she could finally unearth Xtra's identity. Unfortunately, he didn't reply.
She stared at her watch for about five minutes, waiting for a reply, before clearing her throat.
"Ahem."
Continuing the boring bet didn't matter all that much anyway. She checked the file she received.
It wasn't very surprising at first. The first chapter was just a light interpretation of theories that everyone knew.
However, as time passed with her eyes perusing its content, astonishment colored her expression. The door to the lab swung open soon after, and Marcus entered. Startled, she turned off her smartwatch.
"Vice-captain! They're summoning everyone to the conference room!"
"Huh?"
"Quickly now! They said it's an interim review!"
"What's happening now-"
He dragged her out and escorted her to the [Meeting Room], The sun was beginning to appear out of the horizon.
Many guilds had already gathered inside by the time they arrived, from America's The General and Lake Ford to China's Chinese Empire and Geum Hwa Yeosoon. Rachel sat down at the round table.
"Hey, how long will the British Royal Guild be alone? That seat must've gone cold now." Shu Fon, La guild-Lumiere's Vice-captain and representative, sneered.
But Rachel wasn't angry.
"Everyone who knows nothing or has nothing is like that. How could a mercenary they hired have the highest points in their guild?"
China's Chinese Empire, allied with Shu Fon, joined in.
She didn't listen to them.
"Hahaha. That's right."
"Hohohoho."
Without even responding to their grotesque sneer, she turned on her smartwatch again.
[We will start the interim inspection.]
[If you have completely solved the problem or if there is a guild that has solved it to some extent, please step onto the podium above.]
[For your reference, the results of today's inspection will be distributed worldwide on the Internet.]
A crystal podium sprouted in front of the round table. Rachel pondered about it, but she couldn't go to it. Even though Xtra's theory was radical, she couldn't even understand the beginning of it...
[On another note, it seems the British Royal Guild representative is still alone.]
The Hall spoke to her.
"Pff-"
"Fufufu-"
"Ahem-"
Simultaneous laugher echoed in the room, causing Rachel's face to burn up.
[If possible, please reconcile.]
Even the Hall made fun of her.
Mean bastard.
[Hmm. Anyway.]
[Looks like no one has answered it yet. If you're wondering if the development of your theory is correct or not, you can send it to me as a file first.]
That part tempted her. Giving the file she had to it wouldn't pose any risks.
Rachel alternately glanced at her smartwatch then the Hall's text.
[No one?]
She desperately thought about the best move to do here with her eyes closed.
[I'm disappointed. Interim inspection adjourned-]
Just before the interim inspection was over, she raised her hand.
* * *
Litelson refused to give up his faith in his master, believing he would come at the most opportune moment to condemn their captor.
Currently, he was tied up so tightly he couldn't move at all.
Wanting to open his eyes, he rubbed his blindfold against the ground. The sand felt like it was clawing his face, but he didn't care.
Rustle, rustle-
He had to repeat it around a thousand times, but he eventually freed his vision. His world brightened as soon as he opened his eyes. Looking around, he found Xtra standing still. That damn bastard still hadn't taken off his gas mask.
Litelson activated his artificial eyes, knowing full well recording their captor's figure alone and sending it to his master would be a great feat in itself.
'What the hell is he even doing?'
Amid his contemplation, Xtra suddenly beckoned. As soon as he did, a gust of wind erupted.
What came next was a far larger surprise.
Whooosh—!
Flames blazed along the air currents it created, surging upwards like a reverse waterfall. Condensing like clouds in the sky, they all fell like rain, incinerating the ground.
Chills momentarily crawled down his spine.
What the hell was that? How could a mere mercenary use such a powerful ability?
Staring at the scene, he recorded everything, wasting not even a single second.
However, Xtra unexpectedly turned around, forcing him to close his eyes.
Stomp, Stomp—
His footsteps made his heart race.
His presence felt as if it loomed over the entire area around them. When he stopped walking, Litelson opened his eyes.
An earthen wall now surrounded them.
"Lancaster won't come," He said, causing him to look up at him in surprise. "How do I know? This is the message history between your master's officers."
He showed him Lancaster's records of texts, which Kim Hosup had hacked.
It took a while to gain access to it since their communication lines were connected through a personal satellite, but it at least made it possible to receive intel from Central Aisa.
[What should we do with Litelson and the others?]
[Leave them. They're just nothing but rabble anyway.]
[They could rat on us.]
[If they come to you alive, cut off their throats yourself.]
"You think I'll fall for your lies?!" Litelson exclaimed as soon as he removed the rag covering his mouth, his saliva dripping on his smartwatch.
Xtra shook his head.
"You don't have to believe me. After all, it's because of Rachel that you're still alive."
"What?"
"Your captain isn't just neglecting you. He's trying to kill you while the person you tried to kill told me to spare you."
"... Are you crazy?! Stop lying!"
He had neither the will nor the intention to listen. Since a long time ago, he only ever put his faith in those he wanted to believe.
Smiling faintly, Xtra nodded.
"Okay. Then keep waiting here for maybe a week or two. You won't become monster food inside this earthen wall, at the very least."
At that moment, Litelson realized he wasn't the only one the mercenary was referring to.
The old man desperately turned his head to either side, his eyes landing upon his fellow compatriots. Tied up like him, they listened to them with their breaths held.
"At that point, Lancaster will assume you're already dead, and this 'shell' will crumble down on its own."
After a brief pause, he recited the nine survivors' names.
Jenny's father, Litelson.
Bobby's mother, Daisy.
Alice's parents Liam and Stan.
Lucy's husband, Eron.
Lily's husband, Rio.
Toby's wife, Sony.
Ellie and Ryan's son, Caleb.
Dexter's older brother, Oscar.
"Rachel remembered all your names. She's been living with it all her life."
"D-Don't let him deceive you! Don't listen to him! Cover your ears!" Litelson shouted, but even he couldn't help but feel a certain doubt boiling in his heart.
Xtra continued, ignoring him.
"You can pretend to be dead and cut ties with Lancaster, you can return to him to repay this favor with death, or you can go to Rachel and make peace with her."
He got up, turned his back against them, and made a door on one side of the hollow earth wall.
"It all depends on your choice."
He left.
Silence subsided inside the dark mud wall. Only one person disappeared, but the space around them suddenly felt too empty.
They couldn't even talk to each other.
What did they fall for, were they really fooled, or were they being fooled now... They needed time to think about it for themselves.
After about two days, I finally entered the final stages of Spirit Stone crafting.
I had imbued [Desert Eagle] and [Black Lotus Bow] with spirit patterns and gave the Spirit Stone itself elasticity, making it possible to apply it to clothing.
Clothes, coats, shoes, necklaces, rings, etc... I covered myself with so much of it I reached the point where I wondered if I was going to be metal poisoned. Even so, I still couldn't use up all of it. There was still a soccer-ball-sized chunk of it left.
"As for the rest..."
It would only be proper to give it to Rachel. I put the Spirit Stone in my backpack and got up.
Considering how hard I worked on it, it felt only proper to demonstrate this set's capabilities.
Since it required no other preparation other than basic exercise, I simply stretched after putting on all the gear.
Imbuing my Desert Eagle with Stigma, I stretched out my hand.
Whooosh...
An updraft rose from where I aimed, condensing and swaying into a cube. Upon being imbued with the fire attribute, a flame burst inside it. Since it was self-sustaining, it required no ignition sources or combustible materials.
The wind then scattered out in a loop, wrapping around the fire to assume a ring-shaped form. I merged its fluidity with solid properties by giving it the earth attribute, effectively turning the space it occupied into a sturdy barrier.
"Not bad."
Anyone would be astonished upon witnessing this sight, thinking it was a goblin fire.
There were limitless uses to the Spirit Stone, but I couldn't, unfortunately, summon spirits like Rachel. We were simply too fundamentally different.
I merely borrowed the Spirit Stone's powers. She communicated with the spirits themselves. If I were to categorize us, she would be an elementalist and I an invoker.
Truth be told, she would be able to use the Spirit Stone far more efficiently than I could.
I sighed, suddenly doubting the value of what I was doing here.
I missed Evandel. I knew she was already big enough for me not to worry about her. She might even just be oversleeping after having fun since the nagger wasn't there, but I suddenly missed her.
But I was well aware of where these constantly fluctuating emotions were coming from.
My certain "expectations" for what this Hall existed for and what would be at the end of it.
"No way."
I brushed it off with a laugh.
The system had already made a decision. I could no longer return to my original world, and that fact would never change.
I sat back and opened my smartwatch's gallery to look at Evandel's photos, but several pictures of Rachel caught my eye instead.
"173 pictures."
I always did take a photo if I thought it would be a good shot, and I also looked around her fan cafe to save any good photos of her.
I didn't know why I collected them.
To put it bluntly, perhaps it was out of the compassion and sympathy she evoked from me.
Her current reality made me feel sorry for her, especially when comparing it to the person she was in my setting. Her principles of action, beliefs, and past were all pitiful.
But I never did consider sympathy as beneficial. It was just an emotional parasite that was extremely misleading despite its inability to turn into affection.
That was why seeing Rachel made me feel uneasy. She could mislead me into thinking I had feelings for her that I didn't have for anyone else in existence.
"... Damn." I cursed, lying flat on the pavement, only to laugh right after.
I remembered the bet I had with Rachel over sticks.
Six days ago, I triggered my luck at some point in that bet, causing her to stumble. Screaming, she was nailed to the ground from the top of her head.
"Pff, huhu. Fufufufu..."
The more I thought about it, the more I found it ridiculous.
* * *
The heroes of the Hall felt nostalgic for the past. As in the old days of the academy, they held on to their pens and computers and devoted themselves to their studies.
However, finding no clear answer, most guilds gave up or headed to the [Store], They could find many theses on the 'Hallnet,' which they could access from the Store's computer.
[Ruby Dungeon]
— A large-scale dungeon that appeared in Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea. Its interior is filled with red sulfur, and monsters ranked intermediate grade 5 or higher, like silverfish, starfish, and firenha, live in its magma.
— The mana concentration in its entrance was measured to be about 2%, but it soared to 4.6% in deeper places. Access to it was prohibited due to the risks and possibilities of having breathing problems and mana flood if exposed to its high mana concentration for prolonged periods. However...
Rachel also purchased the above information with public points to dig deeper into the problem, but she still had trouble getting an idea.
Ruby Dungeon. British Dungeon. Perishmare.
No matter how much she thought about it, these three dungeons seemed unrelated to each other.
The other guilds were in the same situation. In just 48 hours, more than half of them were already about to leave.
Sighing, she looked at her watch.
3:45 a.m.
She was the only one left in their laboratory. She couldn't afford to return to her room. After all, Reisleufer only agreed to ally with them because of her brain.
With the only thing she could put on the table being that she graduated as Cube Theory's first placer, she had to achieve a meaningful feat now more than ever.
After an hour or so of anguish, she finally picked up her smartwatch in frustration. Looking around the Hall community to cool off, the name [Xtra] stood out on the [British Royal Guild Members List],
[Xtra: Did you guys say you were studying theory?]
Rachel was startled. Could he read minds, or did he just text her at the right timing? For some reason, she felt her cheeks burn up.
[Me: Huh?]
[Me: Oh, yes. We are learning theory.]
[Me: Oh, more importantly, you were safe. I expected as much.
[Xtra: Use this as a reference in theory.]
[Me: o a o ?]
It took her 30 seconds just to type in that emoticon, but Xtra just ignored it and sent a fairly large file.
She was about to open it, but he sent another message.
[Xtra: As for the guys who attacked you, I captured nine of them alive.]
"Oh..."
Rachel unknowingly let out a sigh of relief, which made her think she had gone too soft. To be relieved that those who attacked her were safe... She forced her resolution to harden.
[Me: Thank you for your hard work.]
[Xtra: Do you know their names?]
He sent a photo of his tightly bound captives' faces. Looking at them made her shudder, but she still managed to type down their identities meticulously.
[Xtra: Okay. Take a break.]
Their conversation ended there, but Rachel still had something she had been meaning to say.
[Me: By the way, you know that our bet isn't over yet, right? (j »_»)j]
It was the only way she could finally unearth Xtra's identity. Unfortunately, he didn't reply.
She stared at her watch for about five minutes, waiting for a reply, before clearing her throat.
"Ahem."
Continuing the boring bet didn't matter all that much anyway. She checked the file she received.
It wasn't very surprising at first. The first chapter was just a light interpretation of theories that everyone knew.
However, as time passed with her eyes perusing its content, astonishment colored her expression. The door to the lab swung open soon after, and Marcus entered. Startled, she turned off her smartwatch.
"Vice-captain! They're summoning everyone to the conference room!"
"Huh?"
"Quickly now! They said it's an interim review!"
"What's happening now-"
He dragged her out and escorted her to the [Meeting Room], The sun was beginning to appear out of the horizon.
Many guilds had already gathered inside by the time they arrived, from America's The General and Lake Ford to China's Chinese Empire and Geum Hwa Yeosoon. Rachel sat down at the round table.
"Hey, how long will the British Royal Guild be alone? That seat must've gone cold now." Shu Fon, La guild-Lumiere's Vice-captain and representative, sneered.
But Rachel wasn't angry.
"Everyone who knows nothing or has nothing is like that. How could a mercenary they hired have the highest points in their guild?"
China's Chinese Empire, allied with Shu Fon, joined in.
She didn't listen to them.
"Hahaha. That's right."
"Hohohoho."
Without even responding to their grotesque sneer, she turned on her smartwatch again.
[We will start the interim inspection.]
[If you have completely solved the problem or if there is a guild that has solved it to some extent, please step onto the podium above.]
[For your reference, the results of today's inspection will be distributed worldwide on the Internet.]
A crystal podium sprouted in front of the round table. Rachel pondered about it, but she couldn't go to it. Even though Xtra's theory was radical, she couldn't even understand the beginning of it...
[On another note, it seems the British Royal Guild representative is still alone.]
The Hall spoke to her.
"Pff-"
"Fufufu-"
"Ahem-"
Simultaneous laugher echoed in the room, causing Rachel's face to burn up.
[If possible, please reconcile.]
Even the Hall made fun of her.
Mean bastard.
[Hmm. Anyway.]
[Looks like no one has answered it yet. If you're wondering if the development of your theory is correct or not, you can send it to me as a file first.]
That part tempted her. Giving the file she had to it wouldn't pose any risks.
Rachel alternately glanced at her smartwatch then the Hall's text.
[No one?]
She desperately thought about the best move to do here with her eyes closed.
[I'm disappointed. Interim inspection adjourned-]
Just before the interim inspection was over, she raised her hand.
* * *
Litelson refused to give up his faith in his master, believing he would come at the most opportune moment to condemn their captor.
Currently, he was tied up so tightly he couldn't move at all.
Wanting to open his eyes, he rubbed his blindfold against the ground. The sand felt like it was clawing his face, but he didn't care.
Rustle, rustle-
He had to repeat it around a thousand times, but he eventually freed his vision. His world brightened as soon as he opened his eyes. Looking around, he found Xtra standing still. That damn bastard still hadn't taken off his gas mask.
Litelson activated his artificial eyes, knowing full well recording their captor's figure alone and sending it to his master would be a great feat in itself.
'What the hell is he even doing?'
Amid his contemplation, Xtra suddenly beckoned. As soon as he did, a gust of wind erupted.
What came next was a far larger surprise.
Whooosh—!
Flames blazed along the air currents it created, surging upwards like a reverse waterfall. Condensing like clouds in the sky, they all fell like rain, incinerating the ground.
Chills momentarily crawled down his spine.
What the hell was that? How could a mere mercenary use such a powerful ability?
Staring at the scene, he recorded everything, wasting not even a single second.
However, Xtra unexpectedly turned around, forcing him to close his eyes.
Stomp, Stomp—
His footsteps made his heart race.
His presence felt as if it loomed over the entire area around them. When he stopped walking, Litelson opened his eyes.
An earthen wall now surrounded them.
"Lancaster won't come," He said, causing him to look up at him in surprise. "How do I know? This is the message history between your master's officers."
He showed him Lancaster's records of texts, which Kim Hosup had hacked.
It took a while to gain access to it since their communication lines were connected through a personal satellite, but it at least made it possible to receive intel from Central Aisa.
[What should we do with Litelson and the others?]
[Leave them. They're just nothing but rabble anyway.]
[They could rat on us.]
[If they come to you alive, cut off their throats yourself.]
"You think I'll fall for your lies?!" Litelson exclaimed as soon as he removed the rag covering his mouth, his saliva dripping on his smartwatch.
Xtra shook his head.
"You don't have to believe me. After all, it's because of Rachel that you're still alive."
"What?"
"Your captain isn't just neglecting you. He's trying to kill you while the person you tried to kill told me to spare you."
"... Are you crazy?! Stop lying!"
He had neither the will nor the intention to listen. Since a long time ago, he only ever put his faith in those he wanted to believe.
Smiling faintly, Xtra nodded.
"Okay. Then keep waiting here for maybe a week or two. You won't become monster food inside this earthen wall, at the very least."
At that moment, Litelson realized he wasn't the only one the mercenary was referring to.
The old man desperately turned his head to either side, his eyes landing upon his fellow compatriots. Tied up like him, they listened to them with their breaths held.
"At that point, Lancaster will assume you're already dead, and this 'shell' will crumble down on its own."
After a brief pause, he recited the nine survivors' names.
Jenny's father, Litelson.
Bobby's mother, Daisy.
Alice's parents Liam and Stan.
Lucy's husband, Eron.
Lily's husband, Rio.
Toby's wife, Sony.
Ellie and Ryan's son, Caleb.
Dexter's older brother, Oscar.
"Rachel remembered all your names. She's been living with it all her life."
"D-Don't let him deceive you! Don't listen to him! Cover your ears!" Litelson shouted, but even he couldn't help but feel a certain doubt boiling in his heart.
Xtra continued, ignoring him.
"You can pretend to be dead and cut ties with Lancaster, you can return to him to repay this favor with death, or you can go to Rachel and make peace with her."
He got up, turned his back against them, and made a door on one side of the hollow earth wall.
"It all depends on your choice."
He left.
Silence subsided inside the dark mud wall. Only one person disappeared, but the space around them suddenly felt too empty.
They couldn't even talk to each other.
What did they fall for, were they really fooled, or were they being fooled now... They needed time to think about it for themselves.
