Chapter 280.

Beep— Beep—

Orden Spy Retrieval Mission . The Association needed the strongest and the stealthiest member of the Chameleon Troupe for this mission they named ‘Sunrise’ . Boss was the most suitable member, of course, but the reason I volunteered in her place was simple .

It wasn’t just because I could turn back time and Boss couldn’t .

I was worried about her .

It was a strange feeling .

I didn’t want to see her get hurt .

Beep— Beep—

Boss must have thought the same thing . Before I came here, we had a little argument over who would participate in this mission .

I won in the end, but… Boss was probably watching me from somewhere right now .

Beep— Beep—

I took out the [Mysterious Magnifying Glass] again, which allowed me to identify other people’s emotions and weaknesses . Boss’ emotions that I witnessed the other day continued to linger in my mind .

“Haa… . ”

I heaved a sigh .

I suddenly remembered that it had been 8 years since I first woke up in this world .

That’s enough time to graduate from both middle and high school .

More than half of those years, I spent with Boss .

Beep— Beep—

Over the years, through all the laughter we shared, she changed me and I changed her . She had become close to me before I knew it .

“…Yi Byul . ”

I muttered her name .

It was then that I realized this could be an interesting pun .

‘Yi Byul (Separation) had become close to me before I knew it . ’

Beep— Beep .

My thoughts were starting to get off topic when the Morse code finally stopped .

I ceased thinking and turned my attention to the screen which displayed a pair of numbers .

[7 . 273853, 20 . 141379]

Converted to latitude and longitude, the result was: [7º16’25 . 9”N 20º08’29 . 0”E] .

These coordinates, according to the map… was in the middle of Orden’s palace .

“…What the . ”

The coordinates were pointing to the center of Orden’s palace .

Well, to be fair, this mission wouldn’t have come with such great rewards if it was easy .

I picked up the radio and whispered, “I received the coordinates . ”

—Roger that . Contact us after rescuing our agent . Also, please wear the camera we gave you . After we confirm that our agent is safe, we’ll let you know the location of the underground fortress .

The radio stopped there, and I took out the [Book of Truth] to make sure all of this wasn’t a trap .

My question: ‘Is this mission a facade for capturing the Chameleon Troupe?’

The answer: ‘No . ’

“That was a waste . ”

Though it sounded simple, the question actually took up two streaks of Stigma, because it required an understanding of human psychology and its structure . Fortunately, thanks to the Orb of Regeneration, it would take only three hours to fully recharge Stigma .

“Mmm~”

I stretched before I began the mission .

I put on some armor and other equipment I brought with me .

First was the carbon fiber armor reinforced with magic, rare ores, and enchantment — the [Black Lotus Uniform] .

===

[Black Lotus Uniform] [Masterpiece] [Composite Attribute]

A masterpiece born of great dexterity . When you look at this armor, you can’t help but admire the craftsmanship of the Dwarves, the ‘creation race’ .

「Defensive power — 7/10」

「High-rank Shock Absorption」

「High-rank Magic Power Circulation」

「High-rank Physical Strength Enhancement」

「High-rank Magic Power Reinforcement」

「Pinnacle-rank Instant Acceleration」

===

Even though this uniform weighed as light as a t-shirt, it had the sturdiness of a military tank . In addition, I granted it four ‘high-rank’ and one ‘pinnacle-grade’ enchants through Four-colored Enchant .

I put extra effort into the last option, 「Pinnacle-grade Instant Acceleration」 .

“I’ll try it out today . ”

A while ago, Boss severed one of Kurukuru’s wings . I ground it into powder and used it as material for Four-colored Enchant . As a result, I was able to reproduce Kurukuru’s speed, though only for a moment .

After the great [Black Lotus Uniform] was the [Black Lotus Robe], which was meant to be worn over the uniform .

My creativity was at its limit, so I ended up naming all my equipment after ‘Black Lotus’ .

Somehow their names made them feel more luxurious .

===

[Black Lotus Robe] [Luxury] [Multiple Attributes]

A masterpiece born of great dexterity . When you look at this robe, you can’t help but admire the craftsmanship of the Dwarves, the ‘creation race’ .

「Defensive power — 5/10」

「High-rank Shock Absorption」

「High-rank Concealment ∙ Stealth」

「High-rank Anti-Magic Force」

===

Not only did the robe come with a stealth function, but it was also equipped with an ‘anti-magic power’ function, making me immune to almost all petty spells .

Furthermore, I also brought the [Black Lotus Walker], which increased my speed, and the [Black Lotus Wrist Protector], which increased the power of my arrows .

Click— Click—

I was now dressed from head to toe in the complete set of ‘Black Lotus attire’ .

Lastly, I put the invisibility cloak over Spartan who was sitting on my shoulder .

“Are you ready?”

—Pururu .

Now fully grown, Spartan was as big as the length of my forearm .

“Let’s go rescue that agent . ”

—Pururu .

Spartan was already aware of the coordinates . He closed his eyes and started shaking .

Soon, Spartan’s Authority ‘Long-ranged Teleportation’, which allowed for instant travel over a long distance, activated .

When I opened my eyes again, I was in front of Orden’s palace .

“Okay, Spartan, you should head back now . ”

—Pururu?

Spartan shook his head, but this place was too dangerous for him . One hit in the wrong spot and he could die .

I didn’t want to risk losing Spartan, so I forcefully sent him away .

After I made sure Spartan left— I turned on the camera I received from the Association, which was hanging at the end of a necklace around my neck .

“This is Black Lotus . I turned the camera on . Can you see?”

—Yes . Thank you for your cooperation . Please capture the palace as much as possible… .

**

Meanwhile, Aileen created an island of her own inside the commander’s tent of the underground fortress . She built walls with boxes of snacks from all around the world and placed cute stuffed animals here and there for decoration .

“Mm~ Mmm~”

The combination of snacks, a penguin plush, and a shark plush was indeed beautiful .

“Aren’t you guys the cutest~?”

Some people might criticize Aileen for being so laid-back during a serious mission, but this was how she always was .

Aileen never had the chance to experience real fear because she had been incredibly powerful since she was a child . She was always first place, revered by all . Many people expected her to become the strongest Hero in history .

However, as Aileen grew stronger, she became lonelier .

To Aileen, who became a High-rank Hero at the tender age of thirteen, ‘friends’ were nothing more than a fantasy . Aileen turned to these stuffed animals to soothe her loneliness .

A penguin with glasses and a baby shark that sang songs .

“Huhu… . ”

She took a step back to examine the room she decorated . The longer she saw it, the more satisfied she became .

‘Now this is worth willing to save the world for,’ Aileen nodded her head in satisfaction when suddenly…

Tok, tok—

Someone knocked on her door . Aileen flinched .

“Guys, go hide for a minute . ”

Aileen whispered, and her Spirit Speech activated right away .

Sssss… .

Spirit Speech descended from the ceiling like a powder and concealed the animals from view .

“Okay, come in . ”

As the door opened, Aileen returned to her chair and took out her laptop . She even started typing to pretend she was working .

“Oh, what are these? There’s a ton of snacks here . ”

Aileen recognized the guest’s voice right away .

It was Jin Seyeon .

“I’m not going to give you any, so go awa…?”

Aileen turned around, declining Jin Seyeon’s request in advance .

But Jin Seyeon wasn’t alone . She was with Chae Nayun .

Chae Nayun scratched the back of her neck nervously and bowed .

“Haha… . How are you, Captain Aileen? It’s me, Chae Nayun . ”

“…Who are you? Where’s your team leader? What’s Yun Seung-Ah doing right now?”

“She’s training with Kim Suho . ”

“…She’s flirting during a serious mission?”

Tzzt— Tzzt—

The moment Aileen frowned, the radio began crackling again . This time, a window popped up on her laptop screen . It was a video call .

—I have been informed that you finished setting up the fortress .

Yi Gongmyung’s face appeared on the screen .

“Yup, we did . What’s next?”

—We’ve got a plan going on our side currently . Soon, the person we hired will be rescuing our spy from Orden .

The Association had dispatched a spy into Orden’s territory about three months ago . They were able to win over a few people whom Orden had been trying to recruit .

“…Hired?”

—Yes . He’s skilled enough to break in unnoticed .

Aileen wasn’t convinced . The Association had deployed spies many times, but Orden had uncovered them all .

“Wait, are you sure that the spy’s trustworthy? What if he betrays us?”

—You can trust him .

The problem was the ‘vow’ that all spies had to take . This vow served as a safety net to prevent spies from turning on the Association . However, Orden possessed the ability to discern the difference in magic power caused by said vow . So, the spy this time was sent in without a vow, oath, or even a seal .

“…Well, I guess I have no choice but to trust him . How’s the mission going?”

—The rescue agent departed a few moments ago .

“And who is this rescue agent?”

—It’s someone you all know well .

Though Yi Gongmyung’s voice was full of confidence, his answer wasn’t enough to satisfy Aileen .

Aileen folded her arms with a frown .

“What’s his name?”

She asked again, and this time, Yi Gongmyung was straightforward .

—’Black Lotus’ .

“…What?! Black Lotus?”

“What? For real?”

Not only Aileen but also Jin Seyeon and Chae Nayun were surprised .

—Yes, we entrusted Black Lotus with the mission to rescue the spy .

“What, are you serious?”

—Why would I lie about it?

“Uh… . Kuhum . No wonder that old geezer from the Association was brimming with confidence . ”

Yi Yukho, the current chairman of the Association . When Aileen met him a week ago to discuss the current mission, that old, bald codger had told her not to worry .

“Black Lotus seems like a safe bet, as long as he doesn’t betray us . ”

Though she sounded calm on the outside, Aileen was quite surprised . She never imagined the Association would hire Black Lotus . The present circumstance reminded her once again of the grave importance of their mission .

—Right . Black Lotus is currently heading towards… . Ah, he turned the camera on .

“Camera? Please show us!”

Jin Seyeon shouted out of surprise . Chae Nayun also pushed her head towards the laptop screen .

“Ugh, get out of my way, all of you! Hey, do you even know who Black Lotus is?”

Aileen placed her hand on Chae Nayun’s cheek and pushed her away .

“Of course I do, though I’ve never met him in person . ”

“Then you don’t really know him . Move!”

—I’ll share the view of Black Lotus’s camera with you .

Yi Gongmyung turned on the view that was connected to Black Lotus’ camera .

Pat! With a tiny flash of light, the screen switched to a view of Orden’s palace .

—This is Black Lotus’ point of view . Coordinates are being updated in real time, so please assist him if the situation gets out of hand .

“Okay, okay . ”

Aileen, Chae Nayun, and Jin Seyeon all gathered around the screen .

At first, Black Lotus seemed to be wandering around the palace aimlessly .

Then, suddenly, he rushed to the gate at the speed of light .

“Wow! Oh wow, he’s so freaking fast . Er, I mean… he’s really fast . ”

Chae Nayun was thoroughly impressed with Black Lotus’ speed . But realizing that her language wasn’t appropriate given the situation, Chae Nayun slapped her mouth with her hand in embarrassment .

“You’re right, he’s very fast . He… seems to have gotten stronger . ”

Jin Seyeon muttered . She wasn’t at all aware that the increase in Black Lotus’ speed was due to the equipment he had on .

Aileen also nodded in agreement .

“He moves like lightning . ”

“…It’s almost too pretentious for an archer . ”

Suddenly, they heard an unfamiliar voice .

—I’ve entered Orden’s palace .

It came from the laptop . It was Black Lotus’ voice .

At that moment, as he turned a corner, Black Lotus spotted a humanoid monster .

The monster seemed to be a guard on patrol . Black Lotus quickly hid behind a wall .

“…!”

“Look!”

The trio flinched in surprise .

—A monster is coming this way . I’ll dispose of him .

But Black Lotus was calm . He took out his bow and positioned an arrow against it . In the next moment, something mysterious happened .

Chwaaa—

The monster was definitely standing on the right side of the corner . However, Black Lotus aimed his arrow straight ahead . The arrow flew in a straight line, before suddenly warping to the right .

Crack—!

An impossible attack from a blind spot .

Naturally, it was unavoidable, and the humanoid monster fell to the ground after the arrow pierced his neck .

“That arrow just bent on its own . I’ve seen him do that before too,” Aileen muttered, pointing at the screen .

“Oh, you’re right . It wasn’t even a magic arrow . Interesting…” Chae Nayun also chimed in but stopped when she suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu .

‘A self-bending arrow . Where have I seen that before…?’

“His skill is almost god-like . ”

Jin Seyeon was also intrigued by Black Lotus’ skill .

It was then .

“What’s going on here?”

The door swung open and Yun Seung-Ah entered the tent .

And she wasn’t alone . Kim Suho, her training partner, was also with her .

“Shhh . Be quiet . We’re watching Black Lotus right now . ”

Yun Seung-Ah widened her eyes at Aileen’s remark .

Kim Suho couldn’t help but shout out in surprise .

“Black Lotus?”

“Yeah, we recruited him for the mission . He’s on our side for now . How’s that? Our connections are pretty amazing, huh?”

Aileen smirked .

As a foe, Black Lotus was fearsome; but as a friend, he was more dependable than anyone else .

Aileen knew how annoying Black Lotus could be from the time he blocked the bridge on the 8th floor of the Tower of Wish . But this time he was on her side and there was nothing to be afraid of .

“Oh… let me see . I want to see too . ”

Yun Seung-Ah and Kim Suho joined the trio .

Though the tent became a little cramped for space, there was still enough room for everyone .

“What? Black Lotus?”

However, this wasn’t the end .

Suddenly the entire fortress started to buzz with voices, probably because of Kim Suho’s shout out from earlier .

“Where~?”

“Did you just say Black Lotus?”

More and more people started to pour in, and soon enough, Aileen’s tent was filled well beyond its maximum capacity .

“Dammit, I can’t see! Get lost, all of you!”

The tiny commander— Aileen yelled in annoyance .

But no one seemed to pay attention to her . Rather, they pushed Aileen away and nestled in front of the screen .

“Heh~ So this is from Black Lotus’ point of view? I was actually really curious about him . I’m going to watch how he plays~”

Nicholas from the Temple of Justice seemed especially excited .

This was due to the recently formed rivalry between the Temple of Justice and the Chameleon Troupe as the latter began to gain recognition among the public .

—I believe the spy is in a different building .

At that moment, Black Lotus spoke again .

He had just entered the palace . The inside was very spacious and filled with several different buildings .

—I’ll head there right away .

Black Lotus rushed towards one of the buildings .

But the scene that appeared on the screen next was simply absurd .

“Huh… that’s… a lot of monsters . ” Jin Seyeon muttered .

Just as she said, the building was fiercely guarded . It was apparent even from afar .

There were at least a hundred monsters on land and a dozen in the sky .

—Can you make it?

Yi Gongmyung asked Black Lotus . He was worried because he hadn’t expected there to be this many guards .

—… .

There was a short silence, followed by a burst of small laughter .

—Piece of cake .

The screen changed swiftly .

Black Lotus was as fast as lightning but as silent as wind .

In only a second or so, Black Lotus had moved to a completely different location .

“Ooh~ Look at him go… . ”

Nicholas licked his lips with a grin .

“He’s really, really fast . ”

“And he doesn’t make any sound when he moves . ”

Yun Seung-Ah and Kim Suho also voiced their opinions .

The audience(?) gathered in the commander’s tent admired every move Black Lotus made .

The first mission finally began .

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