Episode 231:
A new aspect unfolded as Kassim Zort attacked AHO.
People started to have questions.
Why do demons spread the gray disease?
Why are horse people immune to gray disease?
Beyond the national level, the World Players Association declared war on Mine.
As if there was a backlash against such actions.
Following the United States, terrorist attacks continued in the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and Germany.
A time when players hesitate due to the unprecedented rampage of demons.
China’s ambition to become a great power.
One Belt One Road was declared.
This was to dispel rumors that China was behind the demons.
Close to 1,000 players newly issued S-class licenses.
Led by them, many demons were killed.
The world was shocked by China’s potential, which was already considered to be in vain.
As the number of S-class awakeners increases, S-class player licenses are also issued more frequently.
Even so, the number of S-grade players that China has is far greater than all the S-grade players of the great powers combined.
The United States has three SS-level players and New Korea has one SS-level player.
Is it because everyone knows that the relationship between the three countries is not very good?
Naturally, the three kingdoms began to be compared for the next world hegemony.
China has infinite growth potential coming from its enormous population.
The United States is still the world’s most powerful country.
New Korea has grown solidly by strengthening its internal stability.
At that time, the world’s attention was focused on three countries.
The World Players Association announced that Ji Jin-hee, Park Seong-jin, Kwon Kang-hyeok, and Kwak Si-yang have officially become top S-tier players.
This was to appeal to the fact that the New Korea Players Association and the World Players Association maintain a close relationship.
This is a period when the power of the new Korea rises significantly.
Taehyun’s appearance, which can be said to be at his peak power, is Earth and Abyss.
It wasn’t found anywhere.
* * *
Quaaaaaaa.
Taehyun crossed the gate.
Using the skill ‘Portal’, he was reverse summoned to where Rosaria was.
‘I’m quite used to reverse summoning now.’
Is it because the magic stat is growing rapidly?
The load on the body was greatly reduced.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Rosaria receiving a massage from the succubi.
[contractor. It came sooner than I thought.]
Rosaria said, looking at me with a calm expression.
Actually, a lot happened while Taehyun was away.
She also knows that time flows differently in the Abyss and on Earth, so she does not treat it as a big deal.
Taehyun nodded and looked at her arm.
The arm that had been torn off by Orgal a while ago had been perfectly regenerated.
“Has the power returned ‘completely’?”
[Didn’t you tell me? It won’t take long.]
“Thank goodness.”
Only then did Taehyun look around.
Various types of monsters were withered and dead.
Even at a glance, I could see that it was Rosaria.
[They are Orgal and Igmun’s henchmen. These are the guys who dared to invade the main woman’s castle directly.]
“….”
Just looking at the monster’s appearance, it didn’t look like a typical S or S+ grade.
No, if it’s enough to invade a place like this.
‘Is it a monster of at least SS to SS+ rank?’
Rosaria is already evaluated as the weakest among the great dukes.
He was injured by Orgal and sent his entourage to the battlefield, spreading rumors that his surroundings were lax.
It was natural that the high-ranking monsters thought it was a good opportunity.
but.
‘That was foolish.’
Even if Rosaria is evaluated as the weakest among the princes.
That is only for those who are of the rank of archdukes.
In reality, there is a gap between anti-aircraft and SSS grade monsters that cannot be narrowed even if they come in droves.
‘A high-level guy would know that much… but why…?’
When Taehyun was shaking his head at the incomprehensible behavior.
Rosaria spoke first.
[Oh, the contractor must not have known. How a non-growth type can grow. One of them is coveting the magical power of someone of a higher rank than oneself. There is no way a strong monster would give up its body to a weak monster.]
“…!!”
It was an unexpected story about how non-growth-type monsters grow.
Rosaria, on the other hand, smiled and continued speaking.
[The turf war is a good opportunity for them to grow. [It must have been a plan to harm the wounded original woman and take over her place.]
And now, the plan has failed and all of them have become good medicine for Rosaria.
‘Isn’t it true that not all high-ranking species are inferior?’
Taehyun once again realized that there was no significant difference between humans and higher-species monsters.
“That’s good information. So what happened to Typhon?”
[The scope is already being reduced through Orgal’s subordinates. At least it didn’t seem to have been sealed in its true nature.]
It meant that more time was needed.
It was well within the expected range.
“is it.”
After saying that, Taehyun turned his gaze to the succubi who were massaging Rosaria’s tentacles.
[Hmm~ It looks like you have other business. You guys just leave.]
[Yes. Queen.]
[Caught. Take a break.]
[Please sing again. Caw.]
As the succubi retreated, only Taehyun and Rosaria remained in the huge hall.
[Tell me.]
“I met a guy on Earth who called himself Hazard’s contractor.”
[Hoo. Did Hazard create a contractor?]
Rosaria made a surprised expression.
He reigns as the king of dragons following Baal, the Demon Dragon King.
Due to the arrogant nature unique to the Balaur tribe, I thought they would not make a contract.
“He told me some things I had never heard before.”
Rosaria’s expression also changed strangely at those words.
[What do you mean?]
“Hazard said he was going to kill you.”
As soon as I heard Taehyun’s words.
[Ahahahaha.]
Rosaria laughed out loud.
[The princes are always targeting each other. It’s no big deal.]
It wasn’t wrong.
Taehyun also had the same thought when he heard Asisat Ebi’s words.
“And you said the reason for increasing the number of contractors is to pass through the gate to Earth?”
[okay. There is no harm in expanding the area.]
“Rosaria.”
Taehyun quietly met her eyes.
[Hmm?]
“Are you aiming for the ‘King’ too?”
[….]
There was a moment of silence.
[Is there any reason why that shouldn’t be the case?]
“Meeting Hazard’s contractor brought up a lot of thoughts.”
So far, other contractors except Zhang Linfeng.
Cody Cruz. Jihong Min. Kassim Zort. And even Asisat Ebi.
Even though they were the same anti-aircraft contractor, they acted as if they knew more information than Taehyun.
There may be some information they obtained on their own, but the biggest difference is.
‘How much information does the Archduke exchange?’
In that respect, Rosaria was not completely dependent on Taehyeon.
Although he occasionally provided useful information, most of it was obtained through give and take.
Rosaria did not take the initiative to inform us.
why?
Taehyun thought about that countless times.
She was at a disadvantage in the turf war, so even if she revealed a lot of information to Taehyeon, it wouldn’t be enough.
‘Do you not trust me?’
no. That said, he saved Taehyun’s life several times.
Even losing one of his arms.
in other words. I couldn’t help but suspect that she also had a purpose.
They say they entered into a contractual relationship.
‘In the first place, monsters and humans are probably incompatible.’
Taehyun quietly used the skill.
Tiring.
[The eye of a higher-ranking skill (S) has been activated.] This
was so as not to miss even the slightest change in Rosaria.
Taehyun asked again.
“Grand Duke Rosaria. “What is the real purpose of your contract with me?”
[….]
A moment of silence.
It was Rosaria’s laughter that broke the silence.
[Push… Haha… Hahahaha….]
“….”
[Why should I tell that to the contractor?]
“There is nothing more dangerous than an untrustworthy ally. Depending on your answer, the contract may be terminated.”
Taehyun said firmly.
It’s a shame to lose the power of Rosaria.
‘If I can’t handle it, I have to cut it here.’
[This is true. He really is a man like a sword. In this respect, he is similar to the king.]
“What is the answer?”
[My answer is the same as before. I can promise you one thing at a time. I will not do anything that will harm the contractor. Of course, including that place called Earth.]
“….”
It was an ambiguous answer.
[Hehe. Do you need any more guarantees than this? [The main woman is also starting to feel a bit upset.]
It was a pressure to not roll my head and answer quickly.
‘Anyway, it looks like a fox.’
Taehyun, who had made up his mind, opened his mouth.
“I was careless in this case. “I apologize.”
[He is truly a shrewd man. so? Could it be that you came back to ask that?]
Rosaria knew.
The problem Taehyun mentioned earlier cannot be solved in this amount of time.
There is something that needs to be resolved in the Abyss.
“Beelzebub. “We need that guy’s strength.”
[Huh~ You’re asking more and more difficult requests.]
Rosaria took it to mean that Taehyun wanted to make a pact of summoning with Beelzebub.
Taehyun corrected his request.
“You can’t make a pact of summoning with someone who also has a contract, right? “More than that, we need a few drops of his blood.”
In other words, he wanted me to know how to extract blood from Beelzebub.
[Ahaha, it’s not that difficult.]
It seems like an interesting memory came to mind.
Rosaria burst into laughter again.
[Beelzebub. He was defeated by a king in the past and survived by begging for his life.]
* * *
Beelzebub.
[This is an archduke who survived from the previous generation along with Lucifer.]
Archdukes from the previous generation.
Rosaria mentioned a name that Taehyun had never heard before.
Baal Lilith Behemoth Balrog Diablo Leviathan.
In addition, there are several monsters that have reached the rank of archduke.
All of them were eliminated against the king’s will, and Beelzebub and Lucifer survived by begging the king for their lives.
“It’s from the previous generation… so there’s a lot of stagnant water?”
Considering that the Abyss’ time is different from Earth’s.
The past time between the two Grand Dukes would not have been on a scale that Taehyeon could have guessed.
[okay. They are special even among the great dukes.]
“So, how can we get blood from him?”
[I am revealing that you are the key chosen by the king.]
“Why?”
[This person has once bowed down to a being called a king. If I were to borrow a human term, I would have suffered a major trauma.]
I did not immediately understand the word trauma.
What a trauma to the Archduke.
Because it is an absurd word.
However, Rosaria had different thoughts.
[I can still vividly see him trembling when he saw his face. Ahahaha.]
“Just mentioning the king’s name… I think I could die.”
[Hehe. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the power to touch his trauma?]
‘Complete hypnosis?’
However, if he uses that skill on the Archduke, Taehyun will be the one whose mind will collapse.
Rosaria, who read Taehyun’s thoughts, shook her head.
[The power used by the contractor is only a small portion of the power that the original woman possesses.]
Rosaria’s tentacles wrapped around Taehyun’s body.
and.
Tiring.
[A huge power seeps into me. Magic power increases by 10.]
[Immense power seeps in. Charisma increases by 10.]
Stats rise dramatically at once.
The message didn’t end there.
[The normal skill ‘Complete Hypnosis (S)’ is transformed into ‘Ataraxia (S)’.]
“This is…?”
[Now it looks a little more like ‘us’.]
Rosaria smiled inexplicably.