Episode 29-Ordeal (9)
‘Because I can’t play the game at the same time anyway.’
A kind of system that started to work in earnest after the number of residents doubled. I was convinced that my choice was right when I saw that they were running well on their own without any further intervention from me.
To me, watching them move around on their own and do their own thing even though they are not doing anything is like watching an idle game with auto mode turned on.
This is correct for now. Whether you’re gathering resources or hunting, in that game, unless you go to a specific area, monsters that go beyond common sense won’t appear.
So what I need to pay attention to now is Riena, who is rolling in a relatively difficult game. You must completely clear Chapter 1 to change jobs and obtain more equipment and skills to become stronger.
[Clearing Chapter 1 is required to unlock Stage 2]
‘What on earth will change in stage 2?’
That wasn’t the only reason. I wanted to test this game to see if activating the Dark Blurs at level 2 would increase the number of villagers that can be deployed, but unlike the first game where they were unlocked at level 2 without any conditions, there was a condition.
I was planning to bring in more people like Varun who had awakened his characteristics other than Riena, but I was in a position where I had to clear Chapter 1 as soon as possible for that plan.
Of course, it was possible to activate another game without going to step 2, but since I had come this far, I didn’t want to take a gamble and go against the master program’s recommendation.
“—.”
Soon, the long-awaited Riena was brought into the game world and met face to face on the screen. When I waved my hand using the greeting emote, she smiled awkwardly and waved back.
‘I’ll finish it within today.’
Looking at that, I decided to finish Chapter 1 today. To begin with, the play time of this game is not very long.
So far, the speed has been adjusted considering Riena’s fatigue, but in fact, if you look at the expert’s strategy, Chapter 1 can be completed in less than an hour.
It is clear that there have been changes, such as the appearance of the Soul Eater in the village, but the set composition itself has not changed, so if you hurry, it will not be impossible to see the boss today.
“Come on, let’s go.”
I chuckled and quickly moved the character with her behind me. The strategy video wasn’t meaningless. At least it was definitely helpful in using shortcuts and solving scattered puzzles.
‘Ghost knight.’
As a result, we saw the mid-boss of Chapter 1 just a few minutes after starting the activity.
“…”
Empty eyes looked at us, but murderous intent soon overflowed in those eyes. He was an outstanding knight in his lifetime and a strong man of a different class from other ghost soldiers.
According to the story, all those who came here to investigate were unable to overcome that ghost knight and were killed before even seeing the true boss.
‘I’m scared for no reason.’
I swallowed my saliva for no reason at the sight of him wearing blood-stained armor and holding a blood-stained sword on the screen.
At best, it’s just a monster in a game, but I’ve come to the realization that it’s not that anymore. I’m like this, so what would Riena be like if she actually faced such a monster?
From Noble mtl dot com
“—.”
But when I turned around, she drew her sword and nodded with an unwavering face. It looks different from when he was terrified when he saw the Soul Devourer.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that she had shown overwhelming power over the opposing warrior in the previous war.
I didn’t know if it was the power of the Heavenly Protection that she had acquired, or if it was her own growth.
One thing is certain, as she continues to fight not only bugs but also monsters in the game, she is steadily accumulating experience that is difficult for warriors from other tribes to experience. The one who was able to destroy the spell of the shaman who was with the looters at once was Snowball, who had acquired the blessings of God in the game.
‘Experience booster?’
I laughed out loud when I saw Riena running without hesitation towards the ghost knight who was yelling horribly at us.
Experience does not only work on one side. For Riena, who is currently dealing with a ghost knight showing off her excellent swordsmanship, her previous experience fighting warriors from other tribes will be of great help.
[Hot blood flowing…a real article]
“uh?”
But then. The ghost knight, who hesitated at Riena’s sword, which was not inferior in strength or skill, suddenly opened his mouth.
Originally, it was an event that did not exist in the game, as the Demon Devourer, an elite monster with no set lines, opened its mouth.
[Please kill me]
He said this while raising his sword towards the embarrassed Riena. It was a completely different action than asking for death, but it was clear that there was a story that no one knew about.
“–, —?”
It’s not just me who’s embarrassed, Riena is the same. As I stood still, unable to speak, Riena, who noticed, opened her mouth first and said something.
[The being in front of me is a terrible demon. A being that plays with the bodies and souls of countless people living peacefully, including me, a mere escort knight. You too, don’t try to go without qualifications. You too are just being manipulated. The minimum qualification is to kill myself]
Riena seemed to be asking about the identity and intentions of the ghost knight. As asked, the ghost knight answered the question as to why he was acting like this.
‘Is there some special reward?’
It’s a sad story of someone being robbed of everything and being eaten as an undead, but in the end, I couldn’t concentrate on what was going on on the monitor, so I had other thoughts after hearing that story.
As if he had killed the Soul Devourer and was recognized for his accomplishments, obtaining the Heavenly Protection that was originally unobtainable in this area.
‘Are we going to do it? of course.’
Unlike me, Riena seems to have made up her mind. He was looking at me and saying something, and I could sense his state of mind just by looking at his eyes.
Having no intention of backing down, I willingly attempted a dash attack towards the ghost knight.
[A person who knows no fear]
The ghost knight, who began swinging his sword to counter my attack, commented that he had no fear, perhaps because he recognized my character as a real person like the Soul Devourer. Anyway, it’s even weirder when a character who is controlled by my will beyond the monitor feels emotions.
[But is that all there is to skill?]
“this.”
The problem is that almost all of my attacks are blocked by the enemy’s guard. No matter how many different combo attacks can be performed, the limited movements and attacks of the game character cannot follow the sword of the ghost knight who has awakened as a skilled person rather than a monster in the game.
“—!”
The dealer who can fill it is Riena. She came in one step later than me, and while I was pushed back, she dug into the gap and cut the enemy’s body with her sword.
No matter how brilliant the ghost knight’s sword skills were, she, as a skilled warrior, was able to match them all.
[This might be possible]
The ghost knight, who was swinging for a split second and exchanging swords that clashed with each other while making a loud noise, muttered absentmindedly. I also circled around next to her, waiting for an opening, and if Liena was pushed back, I immediately intervened and blocked the enemy’s attack.
It is a method of fighting together that we have learned in our own way.
Even if you don’t succeed in attacking, you can raise your guard and block with your body. As a result of this pincer attack, the ghost knight quickly collapsed, with his body cut and one arm falling off.
The final blow was a skill that she and I cast in succession, and a strong blow exploded, shattering the body.
The unfortunate guard knight, who could not sleep even after death, entered eternal sleep like that.
‘Now the boss battle.’
By activating the device that the ghost knight was guarding, we captured all the puzzles to be solved and the essential enemies to be defeated. All that’s left is one boss holding on in the castle.
I looked at the corpse of the ghost knight lying on the floor. Even a mid-boss has become this strong, but how strong is a real-life demon lord? Although it did not regain all of its strength due to the setting, it was a terrible-looking monster.
“hmm?”
However, when Riena took a break to replenish her stamina. I was a little embarrassed when I saw her rummaging around.
She went into the collapsed building and brought something with her. It is none other than the gold coin that fell on the floor in the background.
She noticed it and politely held it out to me with both hands.
‘no way.’
Embarrassed, I looked down at the gold coin in my hand. It was clear that she had misunderstood the previous gold ring incident.
It’s true that I like gold, but now I can’t pick it up unless it’s a certain item, such as a potion, weapon, or specific item.
How should I convey this? When I shrugged my shoulders using the emotional expression ‘well’, she panicked and didn’t know what to do, so she put the gold coin in her arms.
Unlike me, she can use and handle all the items here, so if she can take care of it like that and use file transfer, it might be passed on to me.
Then you might become rich quickly. That’s because things like that are common in the background of this game. The castle I have to go to now has a lot of goods that the owner of the castle, who was a nobleman, had accumulated while he was alive.
“Let’s go now.”
I laughed and took her with me to the castle. Inside the castle, where the sky is covered with dull dark clouds that do not know how to clear, an ominous feeling is blooming in addition to the unique dark fantasy atmosphere.
In addition, ghost soldiers appear to obstruct the path.
They howl viciously and attack, but since the soul eater, an elite monster, is already dead, they are nothing more than wasteful stamina.
I entered the castle, which at one time may have been splendid and majestic, but was now just a den of monsters full of blood stains and unidentifiable slime. I ran in and took out the monsters before Riena could even step forward.
My character’s stamina is infinite anyway. When entering a boss battle, her strength is more important than mine, so it is correct to divide the roles like this.
[The coveted souls have arrived]
And finally. In the banquet hall of the castle, where strange and disgusting lumps of flesh dominate every direction, we encounter the boss who has taken over the castle and is dreaming of descending into this world.
Deus, the devil of death. The flesh giant dragging his half-made body on the floor was the boss of Chapter 1 and the demon lord about to descend into this world.