Debuff Master

Chapter 650

“That item can check the game logs?!” Yong Tae-Pung exclaimed out of shock.

“Yes,” Siegfried replied with a nod. Then, he said, “If the rat had spoken to Diesel in real life, then it would be difficult, but it would be a different story if they had met up with him at least once in the game.”

“I-I guess it would be possible to tell if the item could really check the game logs, but I’m still skeptical if such an item even exists.”

Siegfried smirked and replied, “Yes, there is such an item.”

“Really?”

“Yes, Uncle. I also think that the rat has met Diesel at least once in the game, so we can trust the item's judgement.”

“Do you have that item now?”

“It is not with me.”

“Then?”

“Unfortunately, I cannot use that item.”

“Why so? Does it have restrictions?”

“Well... It said someone dirty like me cannot use it...” Siegfried said, sulking a bit.

“Huh?”

“Only pure and honest people can use it—or something like that.”

“I-I see...”

“Anyway, let us try it out,” Siegfried said. Then, he shouted out the tent, “Dame Oscar! Come in!”

Oscar immediately entered the tent and knelt on one knee, “I, Oscar, greet my liege.”

“Dame Oscar.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Check everyone here.”

“As you command, sire,” Oscar replied with a bow before drawing the sword on her waist.

Shwing!

The Sword of Truth: Fragarach let out a blue luster.

[Sword of Truth: Fragarach]

[A replica of the holy sword used by the High Elf Hero, Mac Lir.]

[Evil creatures will not be able to wield this holy sword.

[Type: Two-Handed Sword]

[Rating: Mythic]

[Level Requirement: 240]

[Attack Power: 6,000]

[Requirements: Infamy lower than 1,000, Fame more than 1,000, Less than three dishonorable titles, and a pure heart.]

[Options: Swordsmanship +15 Levels, Critical Strike +500, Strength +200, Mana +3,000]

[Effects: The target will speak the truth when this sword is placed against their neck. This sword will become more powerful the purer the user’s heart is.]

“As all of you can see with your Runes of Insight, this sword has the ability to find out the truth, but the problem is that it only works on NPCs,” Siegfried said.

“It has only been tested on NPCs, but...”

“Yes, Uncle. But it can check the game logs, so it is worth a shot.”

“Alright,” Yong Tae-Pung nodded in agreement.

“So, who wants to go first?” Siegfried asked the executive members.

“I don’t want to be rude to anyone, so why don’t we go clockwise from their seats?” Yong Tae-Pung suggested.

“Sounds good, Uncle,” Siegfried agreed with a nod. Then, he turned and said, “I will leave it to you, Dame Oscar.”

“Yes, sire,” Oscar raised her fist to her chest and bowed.

Then, she walked over to the executive members with her sword in hand.

***

The process was simple. Oscar would walk up to an executive member and place her Sword of Truth: Fragarach on their shoulder before asking the same question.

“Have you recently met with the Guild Master of the Oberg Guild, Diesel?”

“No?”

“Have you recently met with the Guild Master of the Oberg Guild, Diesel?”

“Not at all.”

“Have you recently met with the Guild Master of the Oberg Guild, Diesel?”

“Why would I meet up with that bastard?”

“Have you recently met with the Guild Master of the Oberg Guild, Diesel?” Oscar asked BadGuy.

“I...” BadGuy trailed off before continuing, “Yes, I did.”

It was then.

“Huh?”

“You did?”

“With Diesel?”

The executive members started murmuring among themselves.

“T-That was! I ran into him by pure coincidence in a dungeon! That’s all!” BadGuy exclaimed, seemingly flustered.

Oscar immediately followed up with another question. “Did you discuss anything about the Geyser of Life with Adventurer Diesel?"

“There’s no way I would—argh...!” BadGuy suddenly grimaced in agony.

“I will ask you again. Did you tell the Adventurer, Diesel, anything regarding the Geyser of Life?”

“I didn’t—"

“Did you really not tell him anything about the Geyser of Life?”

“I said I did not—argh!”

“I will ask you again. Did you or did you not divulge information regarding the Geyser of Life?”

It was then.

“I... I did! I told Diesel about the Geyser of Life! It was me!” BadGuy lashed out. Then, he suddenly shook his head and immediately denied it, “Huh? W-What did I say just now?! N-No way! This is a scam! This is a ruse!”

“Did you provide Adventurer Diesel with information that would allow him to easily take over the Geyser of Life from—”

“I did! I did it! Huh? N-No, I didn’t! What the fuck?! What’s happening to me?!”

Oscar turned and said, “I have found the spy, sire.”

“Great job, Dame Oscar,” Siegfried thanked Oscar. Then, he stood up from his seat and walked over to the traitor.

He wasn't the only one who walked up to BadGuy.

“You fucking traitor...”

“We played the game together for so long...”

“You damn traitor!”

The executive members instantly surrounded him and...

“Jong-Hyuk.”

“Tae-Pung hyung-nim!”

“I trusted you yet...”

“N-No! I didn’t do it!”

“How can you say that when the evidence is clear?”

“That is...”

“I’m very disappointed in you,” Yong Tae-Pung drew his +15 Hwaryongdo and prepared to cut BadGuy down.

It was then.

“Wait! Calm down, uncle!” Siegfried shouted, stopping Yong Tae-Pung.

“Hmm? Why?”

“We cannot feed them false information if you kill him now.”

“False information?”

“He will probably call Diesel the moment you kill him.”

“...!”

“I'm certain he will do that the moment he logs out from the game.”

“Yes, that makes sense.”

“Let’s keep him alive for now and hit them right now.”

“R-Right now?!”

“Yes, Uncle. Diesel probably thinks that we're worried about the rat and hesitate to attack. He most likely told his men to rest for today, so this is the best time to hit him.”

“Then what about that guy?”

“We will keep him alive for now,” Siegfried replied. Then, he looked at BadGuy and said, “You know what happens to those who get killed by me, right?”

“T-That...!” BadGuy exclaimed, his face turning ghastly pale. He had heard countless stories of those who had lost their main weapon on top of various other expensive items upon getting killed by Siegfried.

“Do you want to die at my hands, or do you want to just shut the hell up?”

“I will...”

“I won’t be the one killing you if you just stay put. How does that sound?”

“Y-Yeah... Okay.”

In the end, BadGuy had no other choice but to accept the deal.

“Please round up your men, Uncle. This is a golden opportunity for us to take another step forward,” Siegfried said.

“A-Are you certain?”

“You know there’s no better opportunity to attack than when your opponent’s guard is down, right?”

“You’re right,” Yong Tae-Pung replied with a nod. Then, he said, “I will prepare our men, then.”

“Excellent. Then I will go scout the enemy first,” Siegfried said with a smile.

“You will go personally?”

“I am an expert when it comes to things like this.”

“Alright, you can go as you wish.”

Siegfried left the tent and camp to scout the enemy.

***

The Burning Forest was the region after the Sword Gorge. It was a forest that burned throughout the year, but it was burning without the help of any magic.

According to the investigations carried out by the Mandate of Heaven Guild, the ground beneath the Burning Forest had an infinite supply of the water of life. One day, a lightning bolt struck the forest, setting it ablaze, but the water of life constantly revived the trees in the forest, ensuring that they'd burn forever.

Fwaaaa! Fwaaaaah!

Every single tree in the forest stood steadfast despite the inferno. Thus, the forest was given the name Burning Forest.

“It’s night, but hiding in the dark here is impossible... Ughh...” Siegfried grumbled while standing on top of a large boulder and looking at the Burning Forest from afar.

The Oberg Guild had left some guild members and built a defensive line in the Burning Forest. The heat from the burning trees was scorching, but the guild members had consumed fire resistance potions to stand their ground.

“Well, it’s not like I came here to do something,” Siegfried muttered with a shrug. Then, he took out Inzaghi’s Clairvoyance and activated it.

A map of the Burning Forest popped up in front of his eyes.

Click!

He took a screenshot of the map that contained the location of each enemy before returning to the Sword Gorge.

“Please take a look at this.” Siegfried gathered the Mandate of Heaven Guild’s executive members and briefed them on the matter.

“These are the locations the enemies are lying in ambush, and these are the coordinates of the traps that they had installed.”

“H-Hey, isn’t this a maphack...?” Yong Tae-Pung asked, shocked upon seeing the screenshot.

Evidently, this was his first time seeing such a detailed map.

“Yes, it is maphack.”

“What? It's a real maphack?”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“Wow...”

“This map is one hundred percent accurate, so we can attack them using this. That should allow us to conquer the Burning Forest without much losses.”

“Y-Yeah! Let’s go right now!”

“Okay, uncle.”

The Mandate of Heaven Guild accepted Siegfried’s proposition to attack the Burning Forest.

***

A few hours later...

“What?! They got through the Burning Forest?!”

Diesel was shocked by the latest report. The Burning Forest had all sorts of traps laid, making it extremely difficult to attack. The forest was like a natural fortress as well, but the natural fortress was actually conquered in such a short period of time?

To make matters worse, the Mandate of Heaven Guild had actually attacked them now of all times?

Diesel was certain that the Mandate of Heaven Guild wouldn't attack due to the spy that he had planted in their ranks, so he couldn't help but be confused by what was happening.

“Just what in the world is Sung Jong-Hyuk doing...?” Diesel grumbled in anger. Then, he slammed his fist on the table and roared, “You should have told me that you got caught if you got caught! Damn it! I’m going to call him, so you guys stay put for now!”

Diesel logged out of the game and called Sung Jong-Hyuk, but there was no response.

No, it was more like Song Jong-Hyuk couldn't respond to any calls right now.

Why?

It was all because he had to stay in the game after striking a deal with Siegfried.

Meanwhile, the Mandate of Heaven Guild set up defensive lines around the Burning Forest, and the man whom Diesel had been desperately trying to contact, BadGuy, was currently being made a public spectacle by the Mandate of Heaven Guild.

“Kyaak... Ptooey!”

“And you called yourself an executive member!”

“You fucking traitor! You sold your guild for some chump change?!”

“Dirty traitor!”

The Mandate of Heaven Guild members hurled all sorts of curses at BadGuy, who was bound up right at the center of the Burning Forest.

It was then.

“It’s time for your execution,” Siegfried said, flashing a sleazy grin.

“W-What?! Wait a minute! You promised you wouldn’t kill me! I did everything you asked, so spare me!”

“I did promise you,” Siegfried replied with a shrug. Then, his face transformed into that of a cunning demon as he asked, “But did I say anything about keeping my promise?”

“Y-You fucking basta—!” BadGuy cussed Siegfried but stopped midway upon spotting something.

Kaching! Kaching!

Bling! Bling!

The title, "I Am Backstabbing," was shining proudly above Siegfried’s head.

‘I-I shouldn’t have trusted this bastard...!’

Unfortunately, it was too late for him to regret his decision.

Whoosh!

Siegfried swung his +13 Vanquisher’s Grasp at BadGuy’s head.

***

“Lalala~”

Siegfried hummed a tune in delight while picking up the items that his latest victim had dropped.

“I should call it a day.”

“Kyuuu! Owner punk!”

“Yeah?”

“How are you going to survive later on?! Kyuuu! Nobody will believe you in the future at this rate!”

“D-Do you think so?”

“Haven’t you heard of the boy who cried wolf?! Kyuuu!”

“Hmm...”

“You better limit your backstabbing! Nobody will believe you if you keep this up!”

“I guess I should—huh?” Siegfried was about to agree with Hamchi when he stopped upon seeing someone in the distance.

That person was none other than Yong Seol-Hwa...

Snip, snip, snip!

She was cutting up tree branches and shoving them in her front pocket.