Level Up Inquisitor [EN]: Chapter 181

181. The Silent War (5)

“Ugh… this place is really tough.”

“That’s because the efficiency is so great. Even considering all the dungeons on the ground in the same level range, there aren’t many places like this.”

Lia and Rhoden, sitting on a rock, were talking.

They, who had remained in Eltris, were hunting in a newly discovered level 200 dungeon.

Although they were a party with great skills through matchmaking, this dungeon was fast and dangerous in everything from the level of the monsters to the regeneration speed and combat tempo.

In such a difficult dungeon, it was necessary to reorganize and rest at the right time without overdoing it.

With two users from the rankings, there was no way they would make a mistake in that regard.

“Lia, how about a snack?”

“You’re trying to get me to cook again, aren’t you!”

“Ah, no.”

Roden, caught with his true intentions, flinched.

To be a little more precise, he wanted the poisons that would come from her cooking.

As they had been hunting so hard, the powerful poisons she had made in large quantities before were starting to run out.

From the beginning, her food was beyond the scope of what a living thing could consume, so Rhoden and Alisa took turns preparing meals.

“I guess I don’t have any talent…….”

Lia, frustrated, sat down with her knees bent.

At first, she thought it was just a coincidence, but after failing several times since then, she couldn’t help but realize her terrible cooking skills.

“I’m trying to do well, but why is it like this… I even cooked outside the game, but it’s not a system problem. I can’t believe I’m such a cooking idiot that I can’t even make ramen…….”

“Hey, what can’t you do if you don’t have talent? You’ll definitely improve if you keep doing it.”

“Are you trying to get me to do it again now?”

“…….”

When did she, who used to be so clueless about everything, become so perceptive?

Roden, averting his eyes, quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, did you see the article that came out this time?”

“What article?”

“The *Warlord* developer is investing in AI as well. So that it can be used in reality.”

Of course, in the dozen years or so since then, it wasn’t just virtual reality technology that had changed from the past.

The way *Warlord* was operated was only possible because of perfect artificial intelligence technology, and the developers had such advanced AI technology that it seemed like they had tortured aliens to get it.

“Really? Well, cars drive themselves these days. It’s about time such a story came out.”

Already, autonomous driving systems and traffic systems tailored to them were common.

With the exception of a few dedicated lanes, it was illegal for people to drive manually. Due to the risk of accidents caused by imperfect human operation, direct driving was prohibited unless there were special circumstances.

The flying cars that I drew on drawing paper when I was young were still far away, but a lot had really changed over time.

AI was not a topic that came up once or twice, and even basic income was being seriously discussed.

The things that only happened in movies were happening one by one.

“Well, who would have thought that this kind of virtual reality would be possible a few years ago? Things change quickly without us knowing.”

“Still, it’s a little scary that such stories are already coming out.”

“Haha, what’s so scary about AI? At best, you can just hit it in the head with a hammer.”

Roden smiled as he pretended to swing.

Lia raised a simple question to that.

“But that’s the same for Rhoden, isn’t it?”

“Ah… come to think of it, it is.”

Roden, who had inadvertently agreed, suddenly came to his senses.

“No, how can you say such harsh things…….”

“Ah! I, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to say that……!”

Roden, hurt, collapsed and grabbed the floor, and Lia, horrified, clung to him and fidgeted.

But while they were making a fuss,

Alisa was looking down at her personal screen without moving.

What was on her screen were the many war news reports that had hit *Warlord*.

It was also full of information about the movements of the six major guilds, including Apollyon, and the Orders that had begun to enter the scene.

‘To bring in the Orders…….’

Alisa’s sharpened gaze turned to one side.

Apollyon, who obtained the core fragment in the eastern wilderness, secured a total of three fragments by adding ordinary fragments.

And they brought in the Earth Order and the Water Order in exchange for the relic fragments they had.

This was to compensate for a defeat in the fight against the Dawning and Nightmare guilds, who had learned the truth even in this fragmentary way.

‘At this rate, even the Order of Light will get caught up.’

Alisa, whose head was filled with complicated thoughts, continued to worry.

Her information network was on a different level from ordinary individual rankers, and there was no possibility that the information was wrong.

Alisa, who had been silent for a while, jumped up from her seat.

[‘Alisa’ has left the party!]

“Huh?”

Roden raised his head at the sudden message.

When he turned his gaze, Alisa, who had packed her staff, was ready to leave.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ll be able to hunt with you for a while.”

“Yes……? Why all of a sudden?”

Roden and Lia, surprised, looked at her at the same time.

But Alisa just smiled and replied.

“I have something to check upstairs. Maybe… it might take a while.”

* * *

The war between the Nightmare and Dawning guilds, which had swept through the entire southeastern region for a while, stopped at a time no one expected.

It was the decision of both guilds that broke the expectations of those who thought that this war would be the end.

Clearly, it was a truce in which they temporarily withdrew their troops.

However, this was just the reason that was known to the outside world for those who did not know the details.

Their truce now was to fight a war with another force.

The situation in the northeast, where Apollyon and Griffin collided, was already mostly over.

The ancient spirit who had been rampaging eventually fell and disappeared, but the Apollyon Guild’s purpose was mostly achieved.

However, it was not too late to do anything.

Although it was devastated, the entire area was not completely in Apollyon’s hands, so the fight continued with fierce resistance.

And on the back side that most users do not know, a silent war was already taking place.

* * *

Clang!

Weapons clashed and flashed in the deep forest.

It was a scene where guild members of Dawning and Apollyon clashed, and it started when the Dawning guild members ambushed the follow-up unit while hiding their guild marks.

Although they did not declare war from the front, Dawning and Nightmare had already intervened in the conflict between the two forces, and small and large battles continued everywhere.

The northeastern battlefield was already in the form of a proxy war.

In particular, the Nightmare and Dawning guilds, which had joined forces this time, had a deep emotional rift due to the bad relationship that had continued from *New World* to *Warlord*.

However, as long as there was a common enemy like this, the guild members joined forces without complaint.

If they were stupid enough not to understand the current situation properly, they would not have been able to meet the conditions to enter the six major guilds in the first place.

“Ike…….”

Eile, who happened to be passing through the forest, lowered his head.

He happened to witness the fierce battle between the guild members of both sides, but he had no intention of directly intervening in their fight.

‘Time is running out, so there’s no need to make a fuss here.’

Eile, who quietly passed by the guild members, parted the bushes and went out of the forest.

The reason he set foot on this chaotic northeastern battlefield was simple.

It was to defeat the Apollyon Guild.

It was a somewhat absurd statement against a guild that had never been directly at odds with him.

However, the Order of Light chose the option of supporting the princess in the succession rights [the right to become the next ruler], and conversely, the Apollyon Guild sided with the prince.

The situation was completely opposite to the already created power structure.

To see the end of this succession war and collect all the relic fragments, he had no choice but to somehow defeat Apollyon and obtain the relics.

‘And I know Alkione’s story well…….’

Eile’s eyes narrowed as he recalled the story he had heard from Sir, the guild leader of the Iron Cross.

If you had any interest in the game industry, you couldn’t have not known Alkione’s infamy.

It was not at the stage of certainty, so he had to keep an eye on it, but as Sir said, it was necessary to be aware of it.

‘Here it is…….’

Eile, who arrived at the pre-arranged mission point, hid himself in the dense bushes.

In front of him, a cleared forest path was open, and it was the path where the followers of the Earth Order would soon appear.

Apollyon, who was thoroughly on the prince’s side, used the relic fragments they had secured in advance to bring in the Order forces, and the Earth Order and the Water Order, who accepted the deal, participated in this war.

A crucial game with relic fragments and relationships with the royal family at stake.

The Order’s affiliated users, as well as quite high-ranking NPCs, were fully involved in the war, helping Apollyon.

And as the princess’s side, what moved in return was Eile and the Order of Light.

‘They’re here.’

Eile’s gaze turned as he held his breath.

As per the route and time he had received in advance, the followers of the Earth Order rushed in.

They were heading to the most intense front line through the forest path.

Although it was only a reinforcement unit going to support one of the battlefields, it was composed of a considerable number as befitting the Earth Order, the strongest force.

[‘Mother of Life’ holds resentment.]

[There is no one who can stand against the mighty Earth Legion!]

Freyja sent confident messages as if she was excited after a long time.

As per her message, the followers filling this road were a number and force that Eile alone could not dare to handle.

However, there was one fact she had overlooked.

Eile was also affiliated with the Order of Light.

He was also the highest-ranking executive in the position of executor.

As he had received the route and scale in advance, there was no need to carry out all the operations alone.

Thud!

Swish!

The inquisitors who had been hiding in the forest in advance appeared all at once and drew their swords.

“Kill the heretics!”