Chapter 357: The Worst Game (3)

- Human, do I still have to remain invisible?

“Yes.”

While Cale answered, looking into the void, On and Hong quietly leapt onto the side walls.

Wiggle.

The egg in his arms moved, and Cale gently tapped it to calm it down.

“…”

The egg fell silent after that. The egg was wrapped in a flower baby carrier, but not only that:

“Hatching requires warmth. It’s autumn in the Western Empire and it’s cold!”

Cale turned his gaze back to look into the void again.

- Human, human.

Raon spoke again.

- Why do only I have to be invisible?

Cale answered lightly.

“You’re strong, you shouldn’t be seen.”

- !

Silence fell.

– Hmph, hmm!
Raon snorted proudly.

– Well, if that’s the reason… fine. I’m a great dragon, after all. I’ll hide for a while!

With that, Raon settled down without further fuss.

Cale continued walking naturally.

Tap, tap.

On and Hong followed him like knights on either side.

The Western Empire—Briz.

One of the Three Great Powers of the New World. One of only two empires on the continent.

– Human, didn’t you say we’re heading to the inn first?

The Three Great Powers.

The Eastern Lehnti Empire—land of knights.

The Western Briz Empire—land of art.

And to the north, the Kingdom of Lan—the land of training.

‘Art, huh?’

Cale recalled Rosalyn’s reaction when she first heard about the Three Great Powers.

She had focused on just one thing—art—
And then said:

‘Maybe this is the strongest country.’

Cale didn’t deny that statement.

- ‘Oh, Most Evil One! I’ll explain to you about Briz!’

The Fierce Dark Bear transmitted information about Briz to Cale.

- ‘All art in the New World began here! Briz is the birthplace of everything!’

It wasn’t an exaggeration.

The Briz Empire was a land where music, painting, literature, and countless other forms of art truly lived.

From nobles to commoners—
Every class had its own unique culture.
And the people of Briz took deep pride in that culture.

So much so that the nobility spared no expense in preserving and supporting even the commoners’ art.

Ahn Roh Man had said it himself.

‘There are real artists in Briz.’

And the reason was simple.

‘Briz respects the art of foreigners… that is, players. In fact, they treat them kindly.’

Briz was such an open country.

But did that make them weak?

‘Culture is ruled by Briz.’

It was said that even the upper classes of other nations tried to imitate the culture of Briz’s nobility.

Ahn Roh Man had once said:

‘Culture is money.’

And Briz… was wealthier than the Mercantile Kingdom Union—
A mid-tier power among the strong, the moderate, and the weak.

He added, as if stating the obvious:

‘And money can buy power.’

The Briz Empire had invested heavily in one thing—
Power, to protect its culture.

“It’s different…”

Cale stepped out of the alley.

As he made his way toward the city center, the landscape of Ane—the capital of the Briz Empire—gradually unfolded before his eyes.

Painting studios.
Music academies.
Artist guilds.

They were everywhere.

Each street corner burst with its own color—its own character.
Personality and beauty were woven into every alley and storefront.

Luxury.
Elegance.
Cheerfulness.

This city had everything.
Briz was overflowing with style.

‘It’s the place with the most missions.’

Because when you pack this much personality into one place…
You also get chaos.

And so, among players, Briz had earned a nickname.

A mission warehouse.

Nya!

On tapped Cale’s leg.

Cale turned his gaze toward where she was pointing.

– Human!

Raon exclaimed in surprise.

– There are so many temples!

Religion was inseparable from culture.
And Briz allowed all religions.

That’s why temples of every faith had gathered here, in the capital—Ane.

‘Still… the fact that this place doesn’t descend into chaos…’

It meant only one thing.

Briz had the military strength to control it.

Enough to stand tall as one of the Three Great Powers.

Cale fully agreed with Ahn Roh Man’s assessment.

– Human! That’s the Temple of Joy! And next to it—Temple of Abundance!

– Oh, oh!

Raon was completely amazed.
Cale also came to a stop.

Nyaa!

Nya!

On and Hong clung to Cale’s legs, their tails twitching with curiosity.

“This fat pig! This is the sacred ground of our great Temple of Joy! Get out of the way!”

“What are you even saying, you constant mocker? We’re rich, we have a lot, maybe we went a little overboard—but now you act like this? Joy is frozen solid. Your god must be a total cheapskate!”

“What?! You glutton who does nothing but eat all day!”

“What?! You bastard!”

The lower priest from the Temple of Abundance charged forward, his round body wobbling with every step.

The lower priest of the Temple of Joy nimbly sidestepped the lunge—then threw a clean punch in return.

‘…Oh, well.’

Cale muttered to himself without thinking.

‘Is it okay for them to do that?’

Indeed.

While Cale stood there in disbelief, people simply walked past him.

They were players.

“Oh! Looks like a mission’s about to trigger! Let’s go!”

“I need one from the Abundance side!”

The players rushed toward the commotion, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

After all, a quest could pop up at any moment.

A cheerful flute melody floated through the air.

A street musician, seemingly inspired by the scene, began playing on the spot.

Nearby, street artists barely glanced at the scuffle.

They didn’t even flinch.

‘…Is this really, okay?’

Cale couldn’t help but wonder.

– Why? What’s wrong?

The Gluttonous Priestess asked casually.

– They grow through fighting.

The Sky Eating Water replied with complete indifference.

‘…That’s true.’

Cale understood.

On one side, she was a priestess.
On the other—she was the ancient water that once passed judgment under the God of War.

– …Human.

Raon whispered softly.

– This place feels strange.

Indeed. It was strange.

Cale sighed inwardly.

An ominous sense of anticipatory fatigue settled over him.

Without a word, he turned and walked toward the inn that the Fierce Dark Bear had pointed out.

Jingle.

Cale entered the inn and said to the owner naturally.

“A room, please. A suitable intermediate room. I think I’ll stay for about three days.”

“Yes! This girl will guide you!”

The owner explained everything with a radiant smile.

Soon after, a young woman approached—she seemed to be in charge of showing guests to their rooms.

“I’ll guide you!”

With her leading the way, Cale began walking up the stairs.

The first floor was a dining hall.

The rooms were all located upstairs.
A typical inn layout.

“Is this your first time in the capital of Briz?”

The young woman asked with a cheerful tone.

Cale smiled kindly and nodded.

“Yes. It’s my first time.”

The young woman looked a lot like the innkeeper—she was probably his daughter.

“I see! It’s a beautiful city, but… a bit crazy, isn’t it?”

“Ha, ha, yes.”

Cale gave a polite chuckle in response.

The young woman glanced sideways at him, curious.

“Are you a tamer?”

Nya!

At that exact moment, Hong lifted his head proudly and strutted forward like a noble beast.

Cale gave a faint, mischievous smile.

“Well… who knows? We’ll see.”

Then—
On silently approached the young woman and brushed lightly against her leg.

“Wow!”

The girl let out a surprised exclamation, her eyes sparkling with delight.

On’s soft fur and her eyes that shone with light.

On and Hong were elegant, beautiful cats—graceful in every step.

“Come.”

At the sound of Cale’s voice, they approached him without hesitation.

The young woman opened the door to the room, handed Cale the key, and exclaimed, “It’s the first time I’ve seen a tamer! That’s amazing!”

Cale gave a soft smile, and the young woman continued with a radiant expression, “Having animals follow you like that means you’re a good person! I’m so glad someone kind has come to our inn. I hope you enjoy your stay and make wonderful memories!”

“Ah!”

She suddenly looked around, then leaned in and whispered cautiously, “Many foreigners stay at our inn. Most are good people, but you know…”

Cale looked at her calmly.

“What do you mean?”

Cale asked with a clueless expression.

“Don’t you know?”

The young woman looked surprised, and Cale added with a slightly awkward smile.

“Yes. Actually, I just came from a village. I don’t know much. I’ve been training in the forest all the time, even back in my hometown.”

– Human, you lie so naturally now.

He ignored Raon’s remark.

“I see. So, it’s like that.”

The young woman glanced over Cale’s plain clothes—simple, like those of a novice adventurer—then leaned closer and whispered.

“Lately, foreigners have been causing a lot of trouble. So, it’s best to be careful. There are many dangerous groups out there.”

A faint, bitter smile crossed her lips.

“This used to be a romantic city… but lately, that romance feels like it’s disappearing.”

Cale listened with a serious expression and nodded slowly.

“I see. So, how much is that information worth?”

Silence fell.

The young woman’s gaze settled on Cale.

The terrible Dark Bear.
That guy had far too many connections among the Eight Evils.
And this was the inn he recommended.

What kind of place is an inn that knows one of the Evils?

At the very least…
This wasn't a world filled with goodness.

“What? You want to pay me?”

The young woman burst into laughter.

“I thought you were just some country bumpkin.”

She shrugged with a grin.

“This one’s on the house. If you’ve got more questions, ask my father—he’s the boss around here.”

“Is he really your father?”

“Why?”

Cale smiled faintly and looked at the young woman.

“Stop lying. You’re the boss.”

The smile vanished from her face.

Cale continued, his tone calm—almost indifferent.

“There are two ways to approach the Sixth Evil. One is to enter the Sixth Evil’s hell directly. The other is—”

His gaze dropped downward.

The girl had no shadow.

“…to approach one of the secret shadows under his control.”

The young woman’s expression turned cold.

The name of this inn was Moonlight Shadow.
And in truth, this place was one of the information networks established by the hidden demon—
The Sixth Evil’s master.

‘Normally, players would spot her missing shadow, talk to her, and accept the mission to reach the Sixth Evil.’

That was how the game was designed to go.

But Cale… wasn’t a player.

The young woman looked at Cale and asked, “Where are you from?”

Cale smiled softly again at that question.

He was now a Semi-NPC.

Before coming here, he had run a few experiments—with the teddy bear, of course.

‘Oh, Most Evil One! If you don’t reveal your identity, normal players and NPCs won’t be able to figure it out! But since your nature is evil, if you step into a place with affinity to your nature, the opposing side may sense it.’

Through that, Cale had uncovered a few limitations. And secrets.

Thanks to those tests, he now had the flexibility to act as a tamer… or as something else entirely.

“Where are you from?” the girl asked again, her expression still serious.

Cale noticed a shadow slowly forming at the young woman’s feet.

He opened his mouth.

“The Seventh Evil.”

At the same moment, a memory surfaced—something the teddy bear had told him.

‘Oh, Most Evil One! Now that you’ve conquered the Third and Seventh Evils, the next place you can go is the Sixth Evil! Because, according to my research, the demon of the Sixth seems to be a mutant! He might be… like me!’

This was his chance.

A chance to gather clues about the God of Chaos’s Tail—
and, at the same time, establish a direct connection to the Sixth Evil.

Cale intended to do both.

“Ah, that fairytale place?”

The young woman shrugged casually.

“No wonder something felt off. Someone wandering around with cats and a lost expression… If you’re one of those fairytale characters, it all makes sense now.”

She sighed as she spoke. But the shadow at her feet continued to grow.

She still wasn’t convinced.

“But… how? No—” she shook her head, “—it doesn’t matter how. The important thing isn’t the ‘how.’”

Her voice dropped slightly.

“They said more and more of the Eight Evils have started to emerge.”

The Great First Step.

That major update had brought massive changes—including an overhaul of the Eight Evils. As a result, NPCs tied to the Evils had begun appearing across the continent, triggering new missions.

“Why did you come out? And why… are you looking for me?”

“I’m just passing through. I have another goal.”

Cale’s eyes briefly dropped to the shadow that had grown even thicker at her feet.

‘The shadow’s information goes directly to the Evil.’

Recalling the teddy bear’s warning, Cale threw out a quiet hook.

“What’s your goal?”

“The Temple of the God of Sun.”

“…What?”

The young woman froze, clearly caught off guard. She hadn’t expected that answer.

Cale approached her.

When she halted, he leaned in and whispered, “There are rats hiding in the Temple of the God of Sun.”

He was referring, of course, to the priests of the God of Chaos.

Cale’s gaze drifted down.

Her shadow was swaying more violently now.
A second shadow was beginning to form—another presence.

He spoke calmly.

“Those rats are trying to destroy this world.”

If the Sixth Evil truly was a mutant…
If he could perceive the distortions of this world like Count Lupe, or the teddy bear…

Then this was the time to act.

Cale murmured quietly—his words strangely soft, utterly at odds with the infamous cruelty associated with the Eight Evils.

“And I will save this world.”

A gentle smile touched his lips.

It was the smile of a harmless, wandering adventurer.
But the expression on his face—
was almost identical to Alberu’s, when he smiled with sharp intent.

* * *

That night, Cale left his room at the inn and set out.

His destination—
The Temple of the God of Sun.

The time when the sun sleeps and the moon rises.
The perfect time to infiltrate the temple of a god who serves the day.

Nya!
Nyaa!

– Human, why are you wearing the Arm suit?

Cale was clad in an Arm suit beneath a long, radiant robe.

He wasn’t sure why… but it felt good.

Comfortable. Natural.

Somehow, it just suited him.

* * *

Pat!

“Well.”

In the same alleyway where Cale had first arrived in the capital, Ane—
a figure appeared.

Clad entirely in black, including a mask that covered his face.

“…I’m not supposed to talk.”

Choi Han muttered to himself, walking silently forward.

He, too, was wearing an Arm suit.

By the way—
nowadays, the so-called Secret Society of the God of Chaos was known as Arm.

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Proofreader's Comment:
"Tension layered with elegance—this chapter walks like an artist and strikes like a tactician. Classic Cale."

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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]