Chapter 178

Trace of the Monarch (1)

Nate and Hibiki's active Mana was just about 50,000 each.

In other words, since most of their potential Mana had already been activated, the means of increasing their battle power were limited apart from backing it up with items.

Of course, they were hunters that belonged in the top-tier in that state by Earth's standards, and as they both had extraordinary Unique Skills, they could be considered powerful beyond doubt.

But what if we widened the range of comparison?

First of all, there was a big gap between them and me, who was the outlier on Earth.

Lately, most of my Mana were converted and used as divine power, so there was no meaning in the numerical value, but my Mana was estimated to be over 1 million. Indeed, a comparison was futile.

Even by other species' standards, 50,000 wasn't a prominent figure for the top-tier Awakened.

Due to that, I became interested in ways to expand active Manas for my human colleagues.

It was around that time that I found an eye-catching item on the Main Quest list.

- In the dimension "Lutresia," traces left by the long-lost devil "Monarch of Evolution" are being discovered one after another.

- Explore the dimension and collect tangible and intangible assets left by the devil and offer them to the System. Based on its value, we will exchange it for experience points.

- NOTE: The mentioned dimension has never started the tutorial quest and currently has no open gates. Therefore, you will need to purchase a 'Dimensional Leap Ticket' to reach it.

The number of quests on the Main Quest list was vast and was updated from time to time.

In that case, Awakened beings would often prefer to enjoy a rich option without worries when choosing a quest, but the reality was different.

Sentient beings' minds were all the same. They didn't rush in if they didn't expect to yield good results relative to their invested money and time.

The same was true if the quest had high risks.

By always selecting the best conditions, competitors gathered, and the preferred quests were set.

And such quests were bound to get Cleared quickly according to the principle of free competition.

If there were such popular quests, of course, there were unpopular quests.

There were the Red Gate quests that were full of risks. Meanwhile, some types weren't particularly dangerous, but people still tended not to choose them.

The newly released quest concerning the Monarch of Evolution was one of those.

The Awakened beings' response to such quests was mostly along the lines of the following:

"What? It's a dimension that we have to purchase Leap Tickets for just to travel to?"

Buying tickets undoubtedly consumed experience points.

It meant that the priority should be to determine whether such investment costs could be returned or not.

However, looking at the description that the System provided...

"Isn't that crazy? It didn't even exactly notify how many experience points it would give. Rather it will generate rewards based on the situation? Who in the world would take on this kind of quest?"

There was a fixed cost, but the return was uncertain.

It was similar to gambling.

Nevertheless, even such shitty quests often attracted Awakened individuals if one more condition was satisfied.

That was if the difficulty was too easy.

In a word, a case that was expected to be a piece of cake.

But that quest wasn't like that either.

I mean, it doesn't have any hints as well? Is that all? There's a discovery of the Monarch of Evolution's traces? What does that even mean? Who discovered it, and how was it discovered? And what is to be discovered from that point on?"

The contents of the quest were too vague.

Therefore, I tried not to pay attention.

While we were compiling a list of quests for the guild members to participate in to build experiences, the quest was mentioned, but everyone didn't respond well because of the reasons mentioned above.

Since I had never heard of the Monarch of Evolution's name in my previous life, I had no reason to focus on it, so I was about to turn to other quests naturally.

However, Genograche, who was fooling around since there was no Gate to that needed immediate Clearing, suddenly joined the conversation.

- The Monarch of Evolution? Are his traces still around? I thought the System scattered so many quests that Awakened ones have swept them all. I guess there's more, huh?

Everyone looked at him in wonderment, and he explained.

Genograche said that the Monarch of Evolution had appeared and swept the magic kingdom after he had already been sealed in the sword, so he had never faced him himself.

However, he seemed to be a devil that once had a notorious reputation in every dimension.

He swept the magic world to the brink of reunification.

- The scariest fact... is that not only the devils but also the other species volunteered to crawl under him and become his subordinate. It was said that the Awakened beings even bought a Leap Ticket to come all the way to the magic kingdom to beg."

Why the hell?

The reason was simple.

"It's only a rumor, after all, but he had a special ability."

Our ears were wide open as we listened to the words that followed.

"The ability to evolve the Awakened one step further?"

It wasn't the evolution of unique skills.

Rumor had it that his ability was linked to the growth of potential Mana, which was considered impossible.

"Even the Awakened ones who had stopped growing because they have used up their potential Mana were said to have been blessed with the 'grace' to overcome their stagnation when they went to him. Well... I've never seen it myself, so I was half-confident. But I think the System took the rumor quite seriously."

The System put up a new item on the Main Quest list.

- Capture the 'Monarch of Evolution' alive and surrender it to the System.

The System's reward in exchange for the quest's completion was huge amounts of experience points.

Eventually, skilled Awakened from different worlds gathered in the magic kingdom to capture him, and there was a war between the Awakened that followed the System and the Monarch's forces.

The victory must've leaned toward the Awakened, causing the Monarch and his men to flee from the magic kingdom and hide.

It wasn't known who ultimately captured him.

However, it wouldn't be wrong to assume that someone succeeded because the quest eventually disappeared from the list.

My eyes widened when I heard all of the details.

"Hmm, is that so?"

But I couldn't go since the Adgons had appointed me to help them find an incarnation candidate.

"I think we'd better get some rest, too."

The Celestial Dragon Guild had an advantage that other-dimensional species didn't have.

We didn't have to buy a [Leap Ticket] to get to that dimension.

We had an item called the [Door of Hope], after all.

Furthermore, they're a dimension that hadn't even finished the tutorial, so we didn't have to pay for admission.

Although Mana Cores would be consumed for the [Door of Hope] to be activated, they were much cheaper than the value of experience points.

Hence, before I left, I selected Nate, Hibiki, Euclid, and other guild members of S-Class or higher and sent them to the mentioned dimension.

They were met with minor problems along the way.

I thought it was a quest with rock-bottom popularity, but other member dimensions of the Union had declared that they would send Awakened beings to clear it as well.

Eventually, the expedition team became a combination of humans and other species.

At that point, I had already headed to the Darion dimension to find Rosuelen.

"Did you get the call through the Union?"

I looked at Secretary Kim.

He nodded anxiously.

"Yes, I did."

From the Union's perspective, they regularly exchanged communication with the expedition team dispatched after conjoining the two dimensions' forces, but it was suddenly cut off.

"Hold on for a minute."

Even if the one who had contacted secretary Kim were a commissioner, they couldn't have been very high in rank.

I contacted Bachurka directly and was able to figure out what was going on.

"The Union will send a team of investigators, but it seems to be very behind in their priorities."

"What?"

Like the Earthlings, the other species that composed the exploration team were of the same level.

Such beings weren't treated as important as others from the standpoint of the Union.

"Well, I don't plan to wait until then anyway. I'll head there myself."

It seemed that I would have to go on an expedition to the alien world even though I had just returned to Earth.

It couldn't be that something serious had happened, right?

Hoping that it would turn out as nothing to be concerned about, I stood up from my seat.

I voiced out the thought that reached my head.

"Please inform Genograche to drop whatever he's doing right now and run back. He must not have entered a Gate yet."

I could already hear the devil's grumbling noise in my ears.

*

As soon as the devil in golden armor returned to the guild, I immediately activated the [Door of Hope] and went through the portal.

Paht!

The coordinates I inputted were the same ones Nate and Hibiki used to cross from Earth.

The landscape before me was unfamiliar.

"What's this?"

I tilted my head for a moment.

"Let's go there for now!"

Paht.

The last time I sent guild members, the place was definitely a field without any infrastructure.

In that short time, many decorative structures and buildings carved out of trees had been erected. The natives had gathered to concentrate on something in front of a bonfire.

They muttered something in front of the fire and froze when we appeared.

"Huh? huh?!"

Through the interpretation magic, a baffled voice was heard.

'They're Lutresians.'

Their skin was luminous gray, and the head attached to their shoulders was similar to that of Earth's seals.

"Excuse me. I'd just like to ask something."

They most likely didn't even know what the Union was since they hadn't even started the tutorial.

Rather than explaining the situation in detail, I was trying to ask them who I was looking for.

Then the Lutresians seemed to have reached a conclusion after they murmured among themselves.

The individual who murmured the loudest in front of the bonfire approached me cautiously and then asked me a question hesitantly.

"Are you the emissary of a god?"

I was slightly baffled.

Interpretation magic was in effect, but I could still tell what language the other was using.

The being in front of me used a completely different language from what they used to communicate with each other.

Well, it didn't differ much. As a result, it was interpreted perfectly, allowing me to establish communication.

I also manipulated the translation magic and answered in the same language.

"What do you mean?"

Then the seal seemed to understand my answer as a negation.

"So it means that not all of you are."

I looked at him with wary eyes.

The emissary of a god?

Technically, I might've belonged in that category.

The problem was that such a concept shouldn't exist for the Lutresians, who hadn't even started the tutorial, let alone the Main Quest.

I raised an inquiry.

"Why do you ask such a question?"

Then the Lutresian spoke with a complicated gaze.

"I am the religious leader here."

Was he?

I checked his body again without replying.

There wasn't even a handful of divine power sensed from him.

Only then did I know what he meant by 'god' and 'religion.'

'It's a similar situation to the Mother Goddess of the land that the Botarchs serve.'

They believed in a god in a dimension where the deities' influence was yet to reach.

It's a fake religion that served a god that didn't exist.

I continued digging up information.

"But why are you suddenly speaking in a different language?"

"This is a secret language that only religious leaders can speak. It's sort of an ancient language. They won't be able to understand."

"?!"

"A few days ago, individuals that looked just like you came here. They, too, said that they were not the god's emissaries. Have you come here for the same purpose as them?"

I thought he was talking about the guild members.

"To be precise, I'm here to look for them."

The seal then pointed to the forest beyond the horizon.

"They went to the Devil's Forest."

"Devil's Forest?"

He still couldn't hide his vigilance and fear, but his expression that seemed to hope we would hastily leave their territory began to show as well.

"It's where the devil that took refuge here a long time ago hid, though it didn't last long. The god's emissaries, who followed the sacred voice, tracked and hunted the demons, and they didn't reappear for a long time. That's where the demons last fled and concealed themselves."

Nate and Hibiki would have heard of that story as well.

The seal asked me a question in return.

"So... Is your party planning to depart to that place immediately?"

The priest seemed to be afraid of something.

I spoke in a doubtful voice.

"You seem like you want us to disappear soon."

The religious leader glanced at those who looked at us with a mixture of awe and fear before replying.

"Even if those that came not long ago had denied that they were emissaries of a god, they showed truly amazing miracles. If such things repeatedly happen, our believers' faith will be shaken. I'm honestly afraid that you two will stay here for a long time and cause yet another miracle. Then all my believers... will leave to search for different religions."

To be honest, it wasn't a pleasant thing to hear. Genograche and I didn't even intend to stay there and reign as gods of that species.

After confirming that there was no more information to dig up, we left for the place called the 'Devil's Forest.'

We felt a gaze for a moment behind our backs as we did so, but it disappeared with a loud chattering noise.

Glancing back, the religious leader gathered his faithful followers together and was eagerly giving a speech.

I decided not to pay more attention to it.