Chapter 332: Me? (3)

Alberu Crossman was well aware that the matters he handled as the crown prince of the Roan Kingdom were of utmost importance. Moreover, he understood the immense significance of his actions within the virtual reality game, Raising My Precious Absolute God.

The world.
The hunters were the looming threat over the world, where Nameless 1—the planet on which the Roan Kingdom existed—lay. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the impact that future events in the virtual reality game would have.

A world beyond a single world.
Even beyond a dimension, connected to an entity known as the Absolute God.

- Yes.

That’s why he had to maintain a serious stance.

A prudent attitude.

- Yes, calmly...

Yes, I’ll try to stay calm...

- No!

But you know what?

- What the hell are you doing?

Cale Henituse.

There’s no way to remain calm when it comes to this guy.

- Oh, come on.

He was a firm yet kind figure.

His love and care for his people knew no bounds.

Though still the crown prince, he was a ruler who represented not just the Roan Kingdom, but the entire Nameless 1.

- Do you really know what the Eight Evils are?

Facing Cale Henituse, Alberu couldn’t maintain that composure.

"Well, isn’t it the boss of the field?"

Wow.

Look at the nonchalant attitude of this bastard.

- Yes.

Might as well accept it.

What good would come from getting angry?

Alberu ran his hands over his face.

How did he maintain such a radiant appearance while handling so many matters?

People at the court always murmured about it, but at that moment, his face was more twisted than ever.

However, he spoke calmly.

- The Eight Evils are the most difficult fields in the game. Even the players of Raising My Precious Absolute God don’t dare to approach them.

- The fields of the Eight Evils are known, and some players have tried accessing them. But in the current state, they can’t even handle the intermediate bosses.

Even Ahn Roh Man, the president of a nation called Roan—with Seoul as its capital on Earth 3—and the number one player, hadn’t managed to defeat any of the final bosses of the Eight Evils.

"Ah, I see."

Cale’s casual attitude made Alberu’s face twist even more.

- Ah, you, see? Ah, you, see?

"Yes."

Cale shrugged. His attitude was so irreverent and cheeky that Alberu could only laugh.

- Haha, ha!

He who laughs last, laughs best.

Cale suddenly stopped.

Alberu laughed so hard that it echoed in the room.

- The Eight Evils. The eight areas scattered across the world of New World are dangerous and mysterious for all living beings, not just the players.

Alberu calmly explained, with a bright smile on his face.

Cale sat up straight and listened attentively.

- Ha, ha!

Alberu continued laughing as he explained.

- The players of Raising My Precious Absolute God have not defeated even a single one of the Eight Evils. The New World is a vast and complex realm, with countless countries and alliances—far more intricate than our world of Nameless 1.

Even though it’s just a game setting, its history spans tens of thousands of years—so detailed and rich that Alberu increasingly found himself thinking...

- The New World is so realistic that one can’t help but believe it’s real.

It was a serious conversation. Alberu maintained his radiant smile.

"Yes."

Cale responded enthusiastically, nodding and listening carefully.

Alberu leaned back in his chair and continued.

- So, you’ve conquered the Third and Seventh Evil.

A smile appeared on Alberu’s face.

- I like it.

"Well, yes, that’s right."

Cale obediently nodded.

- Yes. It’ll be a very useful card for me to become an Emperor.

"What?"

- I’m in the middle of a mission to become Emperor.

Emperor?

Cale couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

"So, what about the hero?"

Alberu was silent for a moment. When he mentioned becoming Emperor, his face was filled with ambition, but now he seemed annoyed.

At that moment, On calmly spoke.

"Both roles would suit you."

On, who was beside Cale, calmly waved her tail as she spoke.

"You could be both emperor and hero, couldn’t you?"

Cale nodded.

"Emperor and hero. It would be great if you could be both. Your Highness will conquer the world of Raising My Precious Absolute God."

A playful smile appeared on Cale’s face.

If Raon had seen it, he would have thought it was the perfect face for a con artist. But the smile soon disappeared.

On calmly spoke.

"One could be the hero upfront. The other, behind the scenes, controlling the evil. That way, conquering the New World is entirely feasible."

On seemed quite content.

"Plus, the system will also help us. We can face our enemies and destroy everything."

Cale thought.

‘What has Ron been teaching On?’

The 13-year-old girl spoke with incredible ferocity. The problem was that she was right.

‘She’s very smart.’

That was a good thing.

‘Hmm.’

Cale felt a slight discomfort.

- Uh, well.

Alberu also seemed uncomfortable. Both looked at each other and spoke.

- On is right.

"Right?"

They decided to focus on the task.

- We’ll talk in detail about the hero mission when you return to Roan. In the meantime, let’s expand our influence in the game. How does that sound?

"Sounds good. I’ll focus on the Eight Evils to expand my influence."

- Yes. I’ll handle the more visible areas.

Ah.

Alberu added, as if remembering something.

- Do you think our enemies won’t notice our efforts to expand our influence?

The massive update.

This meant that the hunters and enemies not only acted in the game but also influenced the real world.

Noticing Alberu’s concern, Cale spoke.

"Billions."

- What?

"They say that’s the number of NPCs and humanoid creatures in New World."

- !

"Excluding players, minor NPCs, and flora and fauna."

- ...

Billions.

Alberu was speechless. It was an unbelievable number.

"It’s impossible for the hunters to discover them all."

The system had created an AI to deceive the hunters and protect the New World and itself.

"The existence of the hero mission means that the system can act independently without being discovered by the hunters."

- I see. Then we shouldn’t worry too much about the hero’s mission. The system will help us to the fullest.

"Yes. However, it seems the AI doesn’t know everything about the system."

A derivative entity cannot know all aspects of its original entity.

"It seems even the system doesn’t know everything."

It was difficult to detect all the changes that billions of entities could cause.

- That’s true. Even the worlds and gods you’ve encountered didn’t know everything.

That’s why the hunters could do what they did.

"Yes. The system and the derivative AI will make things easier for us."

- Yes. Then I’ll continue with what I was doing. But Cale Henituse, you?

Alberu expressed his doubt.

- The Seventh Evil had Neo, the Leader of the Purple Blood Family, as its boss. Now that he’s dead, the hunters will know and keep an eye on the Seventh Evil.

The Third Evil is another story.

Since Cale is the hidden boss, he can deceive the hunters.

But the Seventh Evil is different.

"Ha."

Cale chuckled.

- !

Alberu hesitated.

Cale smiled with interest.

"The temporary boss of the Seventh Evil, Gomdori, will handle that."

- Gomdori? Sounds strong.

"He’s smart."

Cale recalled his conversation with the Dark Bear, Gomdori.

‘Leave it to me! I’ll fool them all!’

‘How?’

‘After the massive update, I’ll replace that damn dragon Neo...’

The Bear was very cunning.

‘This egg.’

"Hehe."

Cale chuckled.

‘I’ll say that what hatches from this egg will be the true heir of the Seventh Evil, the next great dragon. I’ll take care of everything.’

The Bear was very persuasive.

‘Count Lupe of the Third Evil can connect with the system. I’ll handle hiding the existence of Eden Miru and deceive everyone.’

Gomdori wasn’t just a messenger. Neo had placed him as an intermediate boss for a reason.

‘Deception and manipulation are my specialty.’

Deception and manipulation.

‘Plus, I was the one who stole the NPC recording device from the First Evil. I’m very skilled at manipulation.’

Manipulation and device theft.

Gomdori didn’t realize how talented he was.

It’s not just about fighting that shows strength.

"Now I have a very competent subordinate. I trust him."

Ha, ha.

Cale chuckled.

"I’ll introduce him to you soon. He’ll be a great ally."

- Really?

A radiant smile appeared on Alberu’s face. On, who was watching them, shook her head and then stopped.

‘Hmm?’

Choi Han had a peculiar expression. To Cale, it might seem like Choi Han’s usual calm demeanor, but On could see something more.

‘Does he feel guilty?’

Choi Han had the expression of someone who had made a mistake. On watched him curiously, innocently, as the conversation between Alberu and Cale continued.

"Ah, your highness."

Cale added, "It's better to keep the hero mission a secret. We should only share it with those we trust. Even if the system helps us, staying cautious is the smarter move.

Yes, indeed...

Mmm.

Alberu hesitated for a moment before speaking.

- We’ll talk more in detail when you return to Roan. Ahn Roh Man seems to have his own plans.

Ahn Roh Man, the President president of a nation called Roan of the Earth 3 and current top-ranked player in the game, was the one who introduced Alberu to the virtual reality game and helped him.

"Really?"

- Yes. That’s why I haven’t mentioned anything about the hero’s mission to him.

"You did well."

This is what made Alberu so reliable.

"Anyway, we don’t know where the enemies might be, so it’s better to be cautious."

Under Alberu’s gaze, Cale continued speaking.

"...Somehow."

Cale organized his thoughts and spoke.

"I suspect that the enemies, including those with transparent and five-colored blood, infiltrate everywhere in the game, posing as NPCs or players."

- Really?

"Yes. Not just Neo."

Neo, the final boss of the Seventh Evil and Leader of the Purple Blood Family.

‘Lord of Evil. I wanted to tell you about the First Evil. The final boss of the First Evil also seems like a mutant. Or, like you, someone from outside.’

After seeing Eden Miru turned into an egg, the Dark Bear, Gomdori had told them that story.

"I suspect the First Evil is also a hunter."

- So that’s why you’re interested in the Eight Evils.

"Yes. And I don’t think they’re limited to the Eight Evils."

They’re creating a world and a God.

They must be everywhere.

Perhaps.

They’ve already become kings.

Heroes.

Or absolute beings.

And they could be manipulating the New World.

"Yes. And they are our enemies."

The world Cale and his allies faced wasn’t broken or in ruins, like the worlds they had visited before.

The world they would face in the future was…

"A world where the enemies have extended their hands and are everywhere."

It’s their world.

“Yes. It’s the enemies’ world.”

Cale had to go there and fight.

We need to gather as many allies as possible.

"Yes. I’m on it."

Alberu looked at Cale with anticipation, and Cale responded with a confident smile. The shrewd Alberu had deduced the answer from the information he had received.

- The Lair of Neo?

"Yes."

The massive update.

The new field that would be created in the Seventh Evil during the update. Neo planned to take his subordinates and Aipotu slaves there.

- Who wants to go?

"For now, our allies and those from the Central Plains."

They didn’t know how many enemies they would face. Or how many beings controlled by the enemies they would have to face.

‘We might face an entire world.’

In that case.

"And we’ll ask for help from all the worlds we’ve visited."

Xiaolen.

Central Plains.

Aipotu.

We’ll ask for help from everyone.

- The more allies, the better.

Include Roan too. No, including Nameless 1.

At Alberu’s words, Cale’s smile widened.

- But can we create portals like the ones in Neo’s lair?

"Sheritt-nim is handling it. And we also need to shake up the God of Death a bit."

- Haha.

Alberu laughed.

It’s interesting.

They could have many allies in New World.

‘The darkness for Cale.’

Some would join Cale, known as the worst.

‘The light for me.’

And some would join Alberu, who was on a mission to become emperor.

Two great forces would form in New World.

‘It’s interesting.’

It really is interesting.

At the same time, his responsibility increased.

Alberu gladly accepted this responsibility.

He was used to carrying heavy burdens.

With a radiant smile, Alberu spoke.

- Come back soon. There’s much to be done.

"Sure."

With those words, they decided to exchange more details through messages, and the visual communication between the two ended.

Fwoosh.

Cale stared at the turned-off screen and paused.

Knock, knock, knock.

At the same time as someone knocked on the door, it swung open.

"What’s up?"

In his indifferent tone, Choi Jung Soo responded.

"We’re back."

Next to him, the former Deputy Chief Priest and former Holy Maiden, Cotton, smiled awkwardly.

Choi Jung Soo had been working on something else with Cotton.

"We’ve contacted the Demon World."

"Haha. Our leader wants to meet with you, Cale-nim. Haha."

Meeting Cotton’s leader meant meeting Choi Jung Gun, the Choi Family member she protected.

And also…

"We’ve also received news from the team leader. It seems he’s found something in the basement of the Temple of the God of Chaos."

Lee Soo Hyuk—now known as Sui Khan—who had stayed behind to search for traces and the Temple of the God of Chaos with Zopf, the dragon with the past attribute, had contacted them.

After handling the Dragon Lord Neo...

"Things are piling up."

But they weren’t bad news.

Cale gestured for Cotton and Choi Jung Soo to approach.

"Let’s hear it."

There was still much to confirm. And Choi Han, while observing Cale, glanced at the turned-off communication mirror. The conversation about the game between Alberu and Cale.

‘Mmm.’

When they entered the game to save Eden Miru. After checking Eden turned into an egg, he reviewed his status screen to make sure everything was correctly recorded before the massive update. That’s when the system appeared with several registered abilities. Choi Han recalled an ability he had tried to forget.

[Skill Name: Abandoning Life]

[Class: Unique, Exclusive]

An Ancient Power inherited from the Fake Dragon Slayer Syrem, who had been a subordinate of the White Star.

One of its abilities.

‘Abandoning Life.’

An Ancient Power that allowed powerful feats at the cost of one’s life. Choi Han made a death vow in front of Cale when he obtained this power.

‘I make a death vow. If I use this power that consumes my life, my lifespan, or negatively affects my body, I will lose a dear one.’

Cale had questioned Choi Han’s desire to make a death vow.

‘Abandoning Life means sacrificing part of your life, right? That means dying, doesn’t it? So, what kind of death vow is that?’

Knowing Choi Han, who was willing to sacrifice his life for his companions, Cale had raised a doubt, and Choi Han gave an answer that satisfied his curiosity.

‘No, the price isn’t death. If I use this power, I’ll lose a loved one.’

Not himself, but his companions. That’s why Choi Han had no reason to use ‘Abandoning Life’.

He couldn’t use it.

"......"

But in New World. That’s a world where the laws of this world and the vow of the God of Death don’t apply.

‘No.’

Choi Han shook his head. He wouldn’t think too deeply about it. First, he had to focus on what was in front of him.

There was still much to do in Aipotu.

Much to organize.

Much to prepare for the future.

There was a lot to do.

Choi Han tried to push the thought about the status screen out of his mind.

"......"

And On continued watching Choi Han with a curious expression.

Only she had noticed Choi Han’s expression.

‘His hand.’

She looked at his hand, which remained firmly clenched.

At that moment, she heard Cotton’s voice.

"Do you want to go to the Demon World?"

Cale’s expression twisted at hearing that, and he unknowingly responded.

"Me?"

Cheapskate couldn’t hold back his shock.

- Oh, heavens! Now to the Demon World?

Cale felt the same.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Mayank]