Chapter 52: Frost (3)
Chapter 52. Frost (3)
AAU.
They were as shocked as the players.
Sighs erupted from branches around the world.
Frost had fallen.
It was unthinkable.
Lets think about it calmly. Its clear now. Just as time flows in the real world. Time is also passing in the Arcana World.
Which means.
Arcana is not just a game.
Or even that it used to be a game.
It was an acknowledgment that it was now another world.
Ive always suspected that, but this! Its too fast. We all know what kind of city Frost is, right?
with a siege difficulty that rivals the Imperial Capital.
Yeah! Thats what I dont get, how the hell did the Demon Bastards take Frost? Even considering the passage of time, its impossible to get there?
Wait, the passage of time?
Oops.
Why did I think the passage of time was the same!
Suddenly, I remembered the setting.
The passage of time is different!!
What? What does that mean?
Damn, I forgot, a day in real life is four days in Arcana!
24 hours in the real world. = 96 hours in Arcana.
That was when Arcana was a game.
It was a setting that remained.
Maybe thats why.
I had overlooked that simple setting.
time passes four times faster than in real life? That makes sense.
So the demon spawn didnt suddenly get stronger?
Sh*t, does that mean its no wonder Frost fell?
A moment for everyone listening.
A terrible possibility had arrived.
Then what the hell is Arcana World at this point?
Even Frost, with its high walls, had fallen.
Small towns, cities?
I dont think I need to mention it.
Sighs leaked out from everywhere.
What is humanitys counterattack, what the!
The Arcana World is being trampled by demons.
And most importantly.
Those demons are updating the Arcana World into the real world.
AAU calmly tapped his calculator.
What do you think the odds are that players will be able to retake Frost from the demons?
impossible.
Id say at least level 600, by which time ranked players would have their eyes on the Frosts lordship.
And yet Frost had fallen.
That the demons that brought Frost down were level 600.
maybe it was even stronger than that.
Could current players defeat such a demonic monster?
Damn!
Its impossible, no matter how you look at it.
AAU concluded.
Wait.
Until Ho Yeol showed up.
The Control Room.
Ho-Yeols image flashed on the monitors that filled the walls.
His hair the same color as his eyes.
Suit and shoes again.
The same impeccable attire.
He hadnt changed since his first appearance.
That wasnt the only surprise.
No, the reason for AAUs surprise was not the NPCs following Ho Yeol.
No, it was the Arcane themselves.
No way.
It was the Lionheart Knights again.
In the setting, knights swear allegiance to their lord.
Even if I build a relationship with them, I wont be able to lead the knights?
How could Ho Yeol, a mere player, show up to lead the Lionheart Knights, not once, but twice in a row?
That alone should be a cause for concern.
That, the Shadow Mercenaries!
The Shadow Mercenaries.
They, too, had shown up in force.
Youve made connections with the Black Curtain, too?
The Black Curtain.
The Shadow Mercenaries are called that for a simple reason.
Until now, theyve remained hidden behind a black curtain.
They could have some influence in the latter stages of the game. Yes, if you want to make a comparison, theyre in a similar position to the Tower.
They may not be on the front lines, but their influence is
The idea was that they could shake up empires and continents, right?
I dont think the player would know how true that is at this point? Of course, the ridiculously expensive commission fees would give you some idea.
Haha.
A moment, then a burst of laughter.
The Magic Tower, Lionheart, and now the Shadow Mercenaries?
I couldnt believe it.
But to be able to spit out a laugh like that.
It was like a breath of fresh air.
Yes, it was too early to be discouraged.
Ho-yeols arrival.
AAU.
It was the moment their conclusion changed.
First of all, lets stay calm and see how Lee Ho-yeol will do!
*
Theres a reason for everything.
Ugh, its cold.
Dont sound weak, Ms. Kichi. Remember, were on a mission to retake Frost.
Yes, I understand. But cant you say that cold is cold? Ugh, Yusra Kingdom was warm and sunny, so it was just right .
Im a Knight of the Lionheart.
And for appearing in Frost with the Shadow Mercenaries.
Its all for a reason.
.
.
.
I didnt realize there was a situation.
I had a conversation with Harkon about Frost.
Lionheart, the most powerful knightly order in the Empire.
The leader of that order, Harkon.
Obviously, he has a lot of experience with sieges.
I thought I might get some siege tips.
Harkons response surprised me.
Frost has fallen, my lord, is that true?
The point at which Harkon was updated to reality.
At that moment, he was on an expedition to a village not far from Frost.
Harkon gritted his teeth impatiently.
My lord, you must realize that this whole saga has come about because I failed to deal with that Demon Legionnaire! If I had done my job, even the last one of His Majestys men, Frost would have been!
The Demon Legion Leader.
Although I dont even know the Demon Legion organization chart.
Definitely a class quest.
The fact that he is related to the subjugation of the demon lord is evident from his name.
I secretly hoped that if I did well, I could eat him raw.
Demon Legion Leader, if you have any information on him, please send it to me at.
I can prepare in advance.
Why, there was a lot to prepare for just now.
First of all, I need to purchase demonic items to activate the [Demon Ritual].
The money Ive saved at the Magic Tower will allow me to prepare thoroughly.
I feel like Ive earned my keep.
By the way.
My lord. We, the Knights of Lionheart, will be with you.
These words far exceeded my expectations.
Harkons eyes were determined.
His Majestys last command was to slay the Demon King, until he took it upon himself to do so. We intend to slay the Demon King of this world, or rather, the Devil himself.
Harkon spoke up.
This a sign that your will and ours are aligned.
I have no reason to refuse.
What is my will?
The completion of the class quest.
Youre going to help me with the quests, arent you? Over and over again!
I couldnt ask for a better ally.
Just in case I change my mind.
I spoke directly to Harkon.
I respect your pride. Lord Harkon.
.
.
.
Those were the circumstances that brought the Knights of the Lionheart together.
The Shadow Mercenaries?
There was nothing to say about that.
Whats done is done.
Me and the Shadow Mercenaries.
It was an armored relationship from the start.
I remembered my first meeting with the leader, Kichi, quite clearly.
Hmph-
Is there something wrong?
Oh, no, I didnt mean to give you that stabbing. No, its just that Im a little startled.
Why, shed been hiccuping since the beginning.
I listened to Kichi introduce himself and then said coldly.
So you want to make a fresh start here, in Yusra?
Shadow mercenaries.
Theyd do anything for money.
Kichi defended himself.
Haha, youre spot on, arent you? Youre spot on, haha.
It was true.
I didnt have to ask, I just looked it up.
This is a mercenary organization that charges ridiculously high fees.
Theyre strong enough to handle any job.
Theyre just terrible value for money.
Too bad.
Its not that theyre unknown or poorly rated.
Driven solely by money?
I hate people like you.
Integrity itself.
As far as Grandfell was concerned, there was no people with more pride.
He could see why Hakuna had asked him to judge them.
Hmph!
Make no mistake.
That wasnt a cry, it was a hiccup.
That shoulder shaking was a hiccup.
Unless, of course, she was showing tears.
Grandfell is not a man to be shaken by tears.
But.
But Ill take your word for it.
Hmm? What?! A resolution?
That I want to leave the past behind and start anew.
Boom!
I signed their papers with a thud.
Well see if you can find your pride.
Kichi was visibly overjoyed.
Of course, it would be short-lived.
Soon enough, I declared to the Shadow Mercenaries.
This is your chance to prove your resolve.
Yes, Shadow Mercenaries.
Dragged into the demon slaughter by force.
There is a give and take in all things.
This was the kingdom of Yusra that I risked my life to protect.
If you want straws, prove your worth.
Kichi snorted.
What a penniless and risky request?
Its an offer I never would have made in the past.
But he was leaving the past behind.
A fresh start, after all.
Yes, Ill do it. No, I should do it. No, I will do it. No, just leave it to me. Hmph!
Ill take it.
Im good at being organized.
.
.
.
The Knights of the Lionheart are voluntary.
Kichi and the Shadow Mercenaries, semi-forced.
Those are the circumstances under which I appeared in Frost with them.
But theres one thing I forgot to mention.
Why would I!
The North Sea, with Russia on the horizon again?
No packing.
My outfit without a coat.
I just blame the local conditions.
.
.
.
But the chill in my bones didnt last long.
Hell in the real world.
Frost in flames.
All around him was heat, not cold.
Harkon forced down his emotions.
We will retake it, Your Majesty.
Not much to do with Frost.
A feeling that even I cant describe.
I can only imagine how the Lionheart Knights feel.
But the best knights in the Empire.
With the enemy in front of them.
They would not be swayed by emotion.
My lord, there must be survivors out there, right?
Knighthood.
They are stronger when they have something to protect.
Pounding-!
The lions heart began to beat wildly.
We will reclaim Frost from evil today!
Morale soaring with the shout.
That Lionheart Knight is still going to help me with my class quests, isnt he?
There will be no one with a stronger backing than me.
There was no hesitation from the brave Knights of the Lionheart.
Harkon cut to the chase.
My lord. Our first priority is to get into Frost.
I agreed.
[Class Quest: Slaying the Demon King].
Demon King.
Their numbers are starting to grow.
You are the last demon hunter.
Tear down the throne of evil.
Train your weakened body. (Repeat)
Investigate the northern city of Frost. (Ongoing)
Investigating Frost is the first priority of this quest.
First, you must open the gates of Frost.
If not, then tear down the walls.
Thats what I thought.
This is bad, but this?
Isnt this a siege?
A real siege, not like Count Ascuras!
It was common knowledge that Silver had the advantage in a siege.
After all, its a demon, so it should be able to capture it.
Thats because the devil had a condition.
Fair enough.
They didnt take Frost by siege, but by dirty tricks.
On that subject.
Theyre keeping their gates shut.
How arrogant.
No wonder I cant stand by and watch.
In siege warfare.
All you need to attack a gate or wall whit a siege weapon.
If you just want to blow up frost.
Youd actually be better off with a bomber.
Its not like its inaccessible like a crack.
This is the power of modern civilization.
Hows that, demons?
I could have been a little smug.
But I couldnt.
There are survivors!
What, really? Lets see.
It looks like theyre dragging him somewhere. Or is he already dead?
What are you demonic bastards up to?
Footage from a drone above.
According to the players, there are definitely NPCs inside.
No, it seems there are Arkanians inside.
We dont know if theyre alive or dead.
They couldnt be caught in the explosion.
There was only one way out, then.
It has the power of a missile.
Something that can delicately control its power.
Of course, that could only be magic.
I checked the message that popped up.
[Skill, Natural Enmity is activated].
A demon.
The evil energy emanating from Frost was enough to affect me outside the city walls.
I drew upon my powers.
Searching, interfering, manifesting.
A quick series of steps.
I turned to the tightly closed gates.
I manifested my magic.
And a message popped up.
!!!
Right here, in front of all the players, including me.
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