Level Up Machine

Chapter 133 Consecutive Incidents (1)

A massive building reaching up to five floors. Although it wasn’t adorned with any special decorations, it exuded an overwhelming aura that seemed to dominate those who looked at it.

The door of the building was engraved with a dragon that seemed to come straight out of Eastern mythology. It was the guild mark of the Leviathan Guild.

“…The timing is quite unfortunate.”

Han-seong murmured as he looked at the Leviathan Guild’s main building.

Yeong-sik and Tiria nodded at his words.

“I was planning to visit tomorrow anyway… Did you hear why they contacted us?”

“No. But judging by Park Si-a’s tone, it seems quite serious.”

“…Could it be that the machine monsters we saw appeared in the East?”

“Hmm. I can’t be sure about that.”

“…I don’t think that’s it.”

Yeong-sik spoke in a low voice.

It had taken them five days to return to the East, avoiding the machine monsters’ attacks.

It was hard to believe that the machine monsters could have reached the East faster than the Salvator Guild in just those five days.

‘It’s not entirely impossible, though.’

If the Creators’ plan was almost complete, and they started executing it immediately upon being discovered, it wouldn’t be out of the question.

However, if that were the case, the East wouldn’t be as peaceful as it was now.

There would have been significant chaos due to the machine monsters’ attacks, and a major battle would be happening at the northern border.

‘Judging by how quiet it is, that’s probably not it… This is the first time the Leviathan Guild Master has contacted us so urgently.’

Even though they were in an alliance, it was customary to set a date and time for meetings.

‘Does that mean it’s that important?’

Yeong-sik frowned at the ominous feeling that a series of troublesome events was about to unfold.

The machine monsters found in the central region were already troublesome enough.

If another incident were to happen on top of that, it would lead to a hectic and overwhelming daily life.

“Well then, shall we go in?”

Upon receiving Park Si-a’s message, Yeong-sik, Tiria, and Han-seong headed straight to the Leviathan Guild’s main building. Yeong-sik, leading the way, was about to knock on the main entrance when he paused.

“Hmm? What’s that carriage?”

“Which one?”

Next to the Leviathan main building, there was a carriage adorned with a Taeguk pattern. Despite his frequent visits to the Leviathan Guild for various reasons, Yeong-sik had never seen this carriage before.

“That’s…

“That’s the guild mark of the Han-ul Guild.”

Han-seong narrowed his eyes and spoke. The familiar name ‘Han-ul’ prompted a reaction from Yeong-sik.

“Han-ul Guild is one of the three major guilds in the East, right?”

“Yes. Abaddon, Leviathan, and Han-ul. These three are the most powerful guilds in the East.”

Han-seong nodded and continued speaking.

“Each guild mainly operates in different kingdoms. Abaddon is active in the Ixis Kingdom, and the Han-ul Guild primarily operates in the Marcia Kingdom.”

“Then it means they came here from the Marcia Kingdom.”

“That’s right.”

Yeong-sik’s eyes lit up at Han-seong’s answer.

The arrival of another one of the three major guilds was good news.

‘We can get their cooperation for investigating the machine monsters.’

The Han-ul Guild, while considered weaker compared to Leviathan and Abaddon, was still one of the top three guilds.

There was no doubt they would be helpful.

“Then there’s also a possibility that the Abaddon Guild’s carriage is here too…”

Yeong-sik said, looking around.

If they could bring in the Abaddon Guild along with the Han-ul Guild, they could form an alliance of the strongest guilds in the East.

Tiria’s expression stiffened slightly as she opened her mouth.

“The Abaddon Guild probably didn’t come.”

“Why not?”

“They’re not on good terms with the Leviathan Guild. Actually, most guilds probably despise the Abaddon Guild.”

Tiria spoke with contempt in her eyes. Considering her personality, it was a rare sight.

“Despise them?”

“Yes. The Abaddon Guild, like the Light Shield Guild, grew through human trafficking and various illegal methods. Later, they started promoting the Summoner Protection Act, pretending to be a legitimate guild.”

“Hmm.”

Yeong-sik nodded in understanding.

In other words, they had built their power through shady means and were now pretending to be righteous.

“But isn’t there any sanction from other guilds?”

“Well…”

Tiria let out a deep sigh and trailed off. Han-seong picked up where she left off.

“The Abaddon Guild is deeply connected with the Ixis Kingdom. It’s a completely different situation from the Leviathan Guild, which is at odds with the Elnote Kingdom. And above all…”

“They have Kim Jae-hyun.”

The Guild Master of the Abaddon Guild.

Locust Kim Jae-hyun.

He was undeniably the strongest summoner in the East.

The Guild Master of the Leviathan Guild, Park Si-a, and the Guild Master of the Han-ul Guild, Bae Yeong-hoon, were also considered top-notch in the East.

However, it was widely accepted that in terms of sheer power, Kim Jae-hyun was stronger than the other two.

“…How strong is he?”

“Not much information is available. But he’s definitely stronger than Park Si-a.”

“Leviathan and Abaddon had a conflict before. Park Si-a was defeated then, quite overwhelmingly.”

Han-seong said in a calm voice. Yeong-sik narrowed his eyes at the new information.

‘Stronger than Park Si-a…?’

Yeong-sik recalled the image of Park Si-a single-handedly holding off the Blue Giant.

The thought of someone being stronger than her was hard to fathom.

‘And not just winning, but overwhelming her.’

Park Si-a was an opponent Yeong-sik could only overwhelm after wearing his suit.

Considering the extraordinary performance of the suit, it was difficult to imagine the power of this summoner named Kim Jae-hyun.

“Let’s go inside.”

Seeing Yeong-sik lost in thought, Han-seong spoke. They couldn’t stay outside the door forever.

“Yes.”

Yeong-sik opened the door and entered the Leviathan Guild headquarters.

A remarkably handsome young man greeted them.

“Long time no see.”

“Yes.”

Yeong-sik greeted Cheon Tae-hwang.

‘He’s changed so much again.’

Perhaps because he was wearing high-grade items, Cheon Tae-hwang’s aura was far stronger than when they had seen him during the battle with the Goldrun Guild.

‘Now that I think about it, wasn’t Cheon Tae-hwang’s class called Lord of the Sword?’

The name of the class that Gil-soo had recently acquired was Iron Wall Lord.

Given the similarity in the names of their classes, Yeong-sik thought there might be some connection.

“The Guild Master is waiting for you.”

Cheon Tae-hwang turned to guide Yeong-sik and his companions to the meeting room.

“You’re here.”

“Yes. But what is the urgent information you mentioned…?”

“Please sit first. We’ll talk right after the introductions.”

At her words, Yeong-sik, Tiria, and Han-seong turned their gaze to the men sitting next to Park Si-a.

“Nice to meet you. I am Bae Yeong-hoon, Guild Master of the Han-ul Guild.”

“I am Bae Seong-hoon, Vice Guild Master.”

The two men stood up and extended their hands for a handshake.

They were in their mid to late 30s.

Though they had a few wrinkles, they were handsome men with refreshing appearances.

Bae Yeong-hoon had short hair, while Bae Seong-hoon had long hair that reached his shoulders. Other than that, they looked very similar.

Bae Yeong-hoon and Bae Seong-hoon.

They were brothers who had come to this world together and both possessed formidable power that ordinary rankers couldn’t challenge.

Although they were brothers, their combat styles were completely different.

The elder brother, Bae Yeong-hoon, was a martial artist who crushed enemies with dazzling close-range techniques, while the younger brother, Bae Seong-hoon, was a mage who unleashed powerful long-range attacks.

The duo had been famous since the early days of the Han-ul Guild.

It was said that while there were rankers who could defeat Bae Yeong-hoon or Bae Seong-hoon individually, only a few could win against them when they were together.

When Bae Yeong-hoon and Bae Seong-hoon worked together, they were more than just two individuals.

They moved in perfect sync, as if they were using telepathy to understand each other completely, acting as one.

Bae Yeong-hoon would engage in close-range combat to buy time for Bae Seong-hoon to cast his spells, or vice versa, with Bae Seong-hoon using light magic to press the enemies while Bae Yeong-hoon delivered powerful strikes.

Sometimes, they would both adopt an aggressive offensive style, or they would take a defensive stance, making their combat style unpredictable.

Their strategies were on a different level compared to the typical coordination between a tank and a dealer in a regular party.

This was the driving force that elevated these two brothers, who didn’t even possess hidden classes, to the top of the three major guilds.

People would often say that their bond as ‘brothers’ was a strength comparable to a hidden class.

Their handsome looks and good nature also earned them an excellent reputation, to the point where they even had a fan club in the Marcia Kingdom, where they were primarily active. Their popularity was well-known.

Tiria briefly pondered over the greeting from the two men.

She turned to Park Si-a and signaled with her eyes.

“I have already explained to them that you are from the Salvator Guild. Don’t worry. If anything happens because of this, our guild will take responsibility.”

“…Yes. Understood. Nice to meet you. I am Tiria, the Guild Master of the Salvator Guild.”

Tiria nodded at her words and shook hands with the two men in turn.

In reality, it no longer mattered much if their position in the Elnote Kingdom was discovered.

The overwhelming power of the android legion and the guild members, including Yeong-sik, made it difficult for the kingdom’s forces to intervene.

However, that didn’t mean they wanted to provoke unnecessary conflicts with the Elnote Kingdom.

To be precise, it wasn’t worth it.

“Nice to meet you. As the rumors say, you are truly beautiful.”

“…Brother, it’s impolite to say that on a first meeting.”

Bae Seong-hoon sharply admonished Bae Yeong-hoon, who had spoken with a friendly smile.

“Come on. She’s really beautiful, so what’s the harm in saying so?”

“…Sigh. You should consider the situation before making such comments. Is this the right time for that?”

Bae Seong-hoon looked at him with a reproachful gaze.

Bae Yeong-hoon shivered and lowered his head at his words.

“Well… that’s true.”

He sighed deeply and nodded.

As he said, it was indeed not the right time for light-hearted jokes.

As Yeong-sik, Tiria, and Han-seong took their seats, Park Si-a immediately began to speak.

“The reason we called the members of the Salvator Guild here today is because we have some urgent information to convey. This information is likely to be important for the Salvator Guild as well.”

Everyone’s attention focused on her.

Important information for the Salvator Guild?

It was hard to imagine what it could be.

With a deeply somber expression, Park Si-a began to speak.

Her voice, as cold as ice, echoed through the meeting room.

“Luan von Elnote has been… assassinated.”