Light of Arad: The First to Walk - Chapter 139



Only Noblemtl

139

As soon as he finished exchanging brief greetings with Shusia, Jinseong looked around the inside of the tavern.

Naturally, the first person he looked for was Azalea Lott, but she did not catch his eye.

“……Lord Caracas?”

Jinseong looked straight at Caracas.

Caracas shrugged.

“Didn’t you say you’d tell me where to meet? You didn’t say you’d bring me here.”

It means that he is not flustered at all even when facing the truth, and he is here in the first place because he is confident.

As he had promised, he found Azalea Rott in just three days.

“Ah? Oh, ma, right, that’s right. Sorry, I was in a hurry, this, okay.”

Jinseong nodded his head with an awkward smile.

Caracas smiled and stood up from his seat.

“He’s been classified as one of our people of interest, but since you’re looking for him like that, it seems like there’s something more important than ‘what we know’…”

It may seem like nonsense, but it’s not.

Caracas looked at the truth.

But if we are to judge by the fact that ‘it looks like absurd but is not’, then the one facing Caracas was the same.

“It’s up to the Adventurer’s Guild to figure that out, right?”

Jinseong asked with a bright smile.

Caracas shook his head and muttered.

“……Haha, I guess so. There’s no way you’d say that so easily.”

“Our ‘deal’ didn’t end there.”

Jinseong said bluntly.

Rather, I would say that I know more about Karacas now that I am in Plain: Arad than when I was a user of the game Dungeon & Fighter.

‘To survive a dangerous adventure, well, I get it. What’s good for me, what’s bad for me. I have to be able to quickly calculate the pros and cons, considering what’s in my favor…’

Compared to the in-game Caracas, which shows the spirit of a romantic adventurer.

As expected, as an adventurer in ‘reality’, and above all, as the leader of a guild of such adventurers, this kind of personality is absolutely necessary.

Nevertheless, it was also interesting to note that for Jinseong, Caracas was not just an inconvenience or an annoyance.

“Okay. The location is where we rode the mole last time. I told Azalea Rott to go there around noon today, and I guarantee on my name that no one from our Adventurer’s Guild followed her or tried to eavesdrop on her conversation.”

He is thorough. He weighs the pros and cons, but in the process, he never uses mean words or actions to try to gain even a little more benefit.

“That’s true. Good.”

Jinseong was greatly satisfied as he realized Caracas’s disposition once again.

It wasn’t just because of my current attitude.

Even while weighing the pros and cons, what if we take into account that thorough personality?

“Then, what I was talking about last time… is, ahem, well… of course, when the time comes, you will take action on your own-.”

“That? What was it?”

“Mom, you can’t pretend not to know! Isn’t that right, why……”

“Ah, Resistance. Yes, of course. I will definitely tell you ‘when the time comes’, so don’t worry too much.”

In the end, how effective was Jinseong’s subtle suggestion to arrange a meeting between the Resistance and the Adventurer’s Guild?

And how much more can we get from the Adventurer’s Guild in the future using that as an excuse?

“Hmm… Okay.”

“Well then, see you next time! If you need anything else, let me know!”

This is because Jinseong has once again confirmed that he will not be inferior to the Adventurer’s Guild in terms of initiative in the future.

“What errand are you running for us-.”

Karakas muttered, but Jinseong had already gulped down the teleportation potion, so he couldn’t hear the rest of the words.

“-……How did the Adventurer’s Guild become like this…….”

“Haha.”

“Heh heh heh heh……”

“Hey, don’t laugh, Aganzo, Schmidt!”

Caracas had no choice but to vent his anger on the other NPCs at the Moonlight Tavern, Greatsword Aganzo and Captain Schmidt.

How many minutes had passed since Jinseong arrived at a subtle point between Elven Guard and Storm Pass, a point that couldn’t be clearly identified even by the world map of the game Dungeon & Fighter?

“You were looking for me, Jinseong.”

A powerful voice rang out, contrasting with the sound of careful footsteps.

Jinseong immediately turned around and tried to say hello.

“Azalea-…… Lady?!”

Jinseong wanted to welcome Azalea Lott back to his reunion, but he couldn’t just be happy.

Because there was someone who stood by Azalea’s side.

The clothes were extremely shabby, almost like those of a monk.

But the confidence, or perhaps you could say intimidation, that is revealed in his stiff expression.

Moreover, his body is not only as thick as a rock, but is also a head taller than Jinseong, the Dark Knight.

The man was glaring at Jinseong himself from next to Azalea.

Many things suddenly came to Jinseong’s mind.

Where was Azalea and what was she doing during this time?

‘This is a part that doesn’t even appear in DnF. That’s why I tried to find Azalea through the Adventurer’s Guild.’

Who would be a good person to hang out with Azalea?

‘None. None. It would be normal for Azalea to have no contact with such an overbearing man. At least… … from what I remember.’

It is something that is completely incomprehensible when you look back on your knowledge and compare it to the reality right before your eyes.

Then, on the contrary, what if we try to fit the reality we have already faced into our own knowledge here and there?

‘No way… No way?!’

Just one person.

There was someone who reminded Jinseong of him, even if it was just because of the physical characteristics he encountered.

One of the original seven founders of Grim Seeker.

The first leader of the Grim Seekers.

After handing over the position of leader of the Grim Seekers to Azalea Rott, he was obsessed with assisting her.

And the first-class contributor to the overwhelming expansion of Grim Seeker’s power.

‘Prophet Ezra!?’

Jinseong realized that the man in front of him was the prophet Ezra, ‘a man who lived near death.’

* * *

He didn’t say a word.

He just kept his mouth shut and stared at me with a look that seemed like it would tear Jinseong apart.

Just with his arms crossed, even half a step behind Azalea, Jinseong was at a loss as to how to deal with this energy that was pressuring him.

‘Even though he’s not holding a weapon, he still feels this much pressure… … Yes, it would be impossible without Ezra.’

He was the first person to accept the spirit of Sirocco.

The Fifth Apostle, the Formless Shiroko.

It is known that he was defeated by the four Weapon Masters during the past Scream Cave Incident, but the moment he was attacked, Sirocco split his spirit and scattered it throughout Arad.

The seven largest thoughts among them were each absorbed by people living near the Cave of Screams, and the first and largest thought to be accepted was Ezra, a resident living near the Cave of Screams.

Ezra, who accepted Sirocco’s ideology, also meets six others who accepted Sirocco’s ideology.

Shiroko’s thoughts, the memories contained within it, were the apostle Hilda and the plan Hilda was trying to achieve.

The prophecy of the that will lead Arad to destruction, Ezra and six others learned about it and finally came together to establish an organization, which is… … .

“Mr. Jinseong?”

“Ah, yes, it’s been a while, Azalea.”

There is a current called Grim-Seeker, with Azalea as its leader.

Ezra created a group, but failed to present a clear vision for the group.

And Azalea, who wanted to stop Hilda’s plan, had no force to gather strength to help her.

The two finally met and talked, and realized that they could fill in what the other lacked.

So Ezra handed over the position of leader of the Grim Seekers to Azalea.

And according to Jinseong’s memory, after stepping down from the position of leader, he focused on expanding the group rather than presenting a vision.

‘Right now, we’re literally gathering members of the Grim Seekers and working hard to spread out branches all over the continent of Arad… … That’s what it means. Yes, the Grim Seekers didn’t rise up overnight. It’s not detailed in the in-game story, but it wouldn’t have been possible without prior preparation.’

And right now, when Jinseong himself is a user, he is simply turning through the or ascending to the heavens again to face Apostle Anton and others. Does this mean that the explosive expansion of Grim Seeker’s power is taking place!

‘That’s not all. Ezra eventually-.’

Jinseong swallowed dry saliva and organized his memories.

Information related to Ezra suddenly came flooding in, to the point where I couldn’t properly understand Azalea’s words.

“It’s been a long time… It’s almost as if the words ‘it’s been a long time’ are meaningless. It may be a long time if it’s long, but it was a short time if it’s short.”

“Huh? Haha, is that so? I was busy running around here and there-”

“How many hardships have you overcome… and how much have you grown? It was amazing the last time I saw you, but now it’s unbelievable.”

What does it mean when she smiles warmly at Jinseong himself?

It is not a lie, but it is her sincere feelings of admiration as she watches her own growth.

Jinseong seemed to know her feelings, but at the same time, with a feeling of bewilderment, he simply gave her a thank you.

“Thank you… Ahem, thank you. I’m glad to see that you look healthier than the last time I saw you, Azalea.”

“Youth is the only weapon.”

In reality, she has lived for thousands of years.

In a place where the flow of time slows down, should we take it as a joke that she, who has only just woken up from hibernation, says that “youth is her only weapon”?

At a point where it was awkward to laugh but also embarrassing not to laugh, Jinseong had to chuckle awkwardly.

Azalea also seemed to like such a genuine reaction and took a moment to catch her breath.

Then he opened his mouth.

“So, why did you ask to meet me today? Do you have any information regarding the Apostle? I heard there is a new Apostle in Heaven, so is there anything related to that-.”

“stripe.”

A heavy bass voice cut her off.

It was a sudden call, enough to make Jinseong flinch for a moment.

Azalea turned around and looked up at the man.

“It’s okay. This person. I told you, didn’t I?”

“……Hmm.”

It was a part where the truth could be inferred.

They were probably in some branch of the Grim Seekers.

The reason the Adventurer’s Guild was able to find Azalea so quickly was because they had strongholds that could be called ‘branches’ all over the place, and when Azalea heard from the Adventurer’s Guild that Jinseong was looking for her, she had already talked to Ezra about Jinseong himself.

‘It’s surprising. It’s different from what I’ve seen as a user. This is what it looks like when it’s a human face.’

Jinseong glanced at Ezra.

Ezra is known to be a big shot of the ‘Grim Seekers – Moderate Faction’ who has handed over the leadership position to Azalea and is assisting Azalea.

Still, there was one reason why Jinseong felt nervous without realizing it when he saw him.

‘Even when I faced the boss monster, it felt quite intimidating… … It wasn’t because of the flashy accessories or costumes, but rather the aura radiating from the character Ezra herself.’

Because the user’s encounter with the prophet Ezra was in a hostile relationship.

A special dungeon that can be considered the predecessor of the Legion Dungeon.

The Oculus – The boss monster of the Temple of Resurrection.

And according to the flow of the main scenario quest?

‘The Fifth Apostle, the final key to reviving the formless Sirocco.’

The person who resurrects the apostle who was defeated in the Cave of Screams and becomes the starting point of a powerful impact that even causes the destruction of part of the Sky Castle is none other than ‘Prophet Ezra’.