Episode 197.
Boom!
Bang!
The mountainous region east of Temosha.
A chaotic battle was raging in the forest beneath the cliffs.
“Kill them all!”
“Wizards, wipe them out from the back!”
The anti-state forces continued their attack, utilizing all sorts of cover and concealment.
Their distinctive armor made it impossible to even guess their origins.
“Retreat while providing cover!”
“Don’t stray too far!”
“Pass over some extra potions!”
The Kingdom’s defenders were being pushed back due to their inferior numbers.
The enemies’ appearance, even sooner than anticipated, led to an incomplete response.
The battle was unfolding with difficulty, as even the path to retreat to the city was treacherous.
Nevertheless, they were holding out thanks to the two players.
Whoosh!
Silver afterimages scattered through the complex terrain.
Leading the charge, a girl with sky-blue hair was swiftly slashing through the enemies.
“Hey! I said block them properly there!”
“I am!”
Noeul replied with a frown at her twin sister’s reprimand.
In his hand stood a white staff, a mixture of pure white and gold.
The baptism of flames and spheres of gravity spewing out engulfed dozens of enemies at once.
It was an effort to buy time for their allies to escape to the city.
However, the reason for the difficulty in the retreat lay elsewhere.
“Why did you bring kids along?”
“Do they look like just kids to you? I heard there are over 200.”
The two men and women displayed exceptionally extraordinary movements and strength.
It was clear from the Black Dragon’s broadcast that they were definitely not NPCs.
Players.
And players from the Holy Kingdom at that were unprecedented beings.
*Pow!*
Just then, a spear fell and lodged itself directly in front of Haneul, who had been wreaking havoc in the enemy lines.
Reacting with astonishing reflexes, the girl quickly stepped back.
*Whoosh!
* A purple mist spread widely around the ground where the spear had struck.
It felt ominous at first glance.
“That rat-like thing is damn fast.”
A woman who had jumped down from the cliff above muttered a curse.
Ruffled her short hair, she walked into the fog as if nothing were wrong and drew her spear.
[Hiyori]
Sky focused on the name tag that had surfaced.
A name that looked Japanese, with a dark red line drawn next to it.
It felt similar to the mark caused by habitual PK, yet different.
*Pow!*
Just then, Noeul, who was not far away, also allowed another player to approach.
Normally, she would have kept her distance, but in this terrain, it was unavoidable.
Everyone, including Asid, was engaged in a desperate battle, making it impossible to ask for help from others.
'Still, I have to do this.'
Sky tightened her grip on the dagger.
Now that she had taken charge of Temosha, defeat would have a negative impact on the Black Dragon.
She absolutely did not want to bring about such a result because of them.
*Sssss*
The area of purple fog gradually expanded.
As long as the identity remained unknown, she had to deal with the enemy before it grew any larger.
It seemed possible if she moved as fast as possible.
*Swoosh*
Sky, her body hardened with determination, melted into the shadows.
Then, she accelerated and charged at the enemy.
“This is why kids are no good.”
Hiyori, who had been watching Ha-neul, shook her head in disbelief.
At the same time, an attack flew in from a blind spot behind a tree.
*Kaang!
* Reacting without even looking, Hiyori swung her spear and blocked it.
“Ugh!”
Ha-neul, having been pushed back by the impact of the blocked attack, was pushed far away.
Landing on the ground, she remained in stealth mode.
‘How… … .’
“You’re curious how I blocked it, aren’t you?”
Reading her thoughts, Hiyori asked leisurely.
As Ha-neul remained silent, she continued speaking to herself.
“It’s just lack of experience, lack of experience. I can see right through you.” Hiyori
’s gaze landed precisely on Ha-neul, who was indeed in stealth.
It was just a preposterous story about seeing right through everything.
However, the situation was too dire to dismiss it as a lie.
*Pow!*
“Your brother looks like he’s on his way soon.”
At the sound of the explosion, Hiyori smirked.
Noeul, who had been fighting back while holding his staff,
was now in a precarious situation, now in danger.
He is barely holding on thanks to the two spirits and a hidden skill, but if he shows even a slight opening, he will be breached.
“…….”
Haneul pondered.
The enemy players here are stronger than the vanguard.
At the very least, it was clear they were different from someone like Adventurer A.
In that case, going to rescue Noeul for no reason would be a foolish act.
Firmly
finishing his thoughts, Haneul once again placed great strength in his hand gripping the dagger.
Then, he unleashed the Gale Flash toward Hiyori.
Whoosh!
Scattering silver afterimages as he surged forward, Haneul's sword struck the woman holding the spear.
“……!”
The decisive blow, delivered with astonishing speed, created a crack in Hiyori’s relaxed demeanor.
Crash!
Reacting slightly late, her spear clashed against Haneul’s dagger.
Squeak!
Haneul twisted his blade and slid his way in.
Just as he reached right in front of Hiyori’s nose, the human form suddenly distorted.
“What is this now……!”
Confused, she faced an illusion created by the Silver Moon Dagger.
Haneul’s true form was already heading toward Hiyori’s neck.
The Shadow Bind, used simultaneously, writhed and attempted to swallow the ground.
At that moment.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, an iron rod flew down from above.
Crash!
The attack, grazing near Haneul's shoulder as it struck, caused a massive shockwave.
The girl, having quickly stepped back, examined her opponent.
[Axion]
A man with a stiff, rigid aura, wearing chain-rimmed glasses and a neat suit.
Holding the iron rod in his hand, he looked at the momentarily frozen Hiyori and spoke coldly.
"Are you falling behind in speed?"
"Why are you asking when you already know the answer? If you're going to act all high and mighty, you handle it yourself."
"Yes. That would be more efficient."
Despite the grumbling, the man, Axion, nodded.
Haneul, watching the two of them, frowned.
'What is that?'
The shoulder area of the armor grazed by the iron rod was completely destroyed.
The difference between what was visible and the actual destructive power was so great that it was difficult to gauge.
Although she was always confident, she could not easily picture a outcome where she would defeat that person.
In that case, she thought it would be better to buy time until she died and let her allies escape.
Of course, it would be even better if she could take that woman with her.
Swoosh—
wind settled into the blade of the sword of the sky, which had braced itself for death.
And just as she was about to kick off…
(There are players mixed in with the Holy Kingdom forces. I will go, so please wait instead of engaging head-on. Noeul, Haneul, just hold on a little longer.)
The voice of the Black Dragon flowed from the party chat.
“…Ah.”
Haneul, who was about to throw herself, snapped back to reality.
Planting her foot on the ground, she surveyed the situation once again.
Boom!
Bang!
Countless people were still fighting.
Because the twins' feet were bound, most of those who were retreating were trapped.
“Then I will take care of this.”
As if to deny them even a moment's respite, Exion lifted his foot while letting his iron pole hang down.
Ta-da!
He charged forward in an instant with incredibly light footwork.
However, the heavens could not avoid the attack.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind swept past at tremendous speed.
The whirlwind that followed its afterimage was strong enough to engulf the surroundings.
Crash!
Hanbit's sword, having flown in with a Gale Flash, struck down the charging man's weapon.
The disparity was evident in the result.
“……!”
Crash!
Unable to withstand the force, Exion was slammed into the ground with a tremendous impact.
His favorite iron staff was severed in half at the waist.
Whoosh!
Exion quickly got up and stepped back.
Then, a woman's voice was heard from the other side.
“What? It’s the Black Dragon?”
Hiyori’s eyes changed as she recognized Hanbit’s face.
Paying no heed to her fallen comrade, she gripped her spear and took a stance.
Swoosh—
A purple mist emanated from it.
Seeing this, Hanbit realized the weapon's true nature.
'You certainly found that.'
The Spear of Mist.
It was a weapon obtainable from a dungeon under the jurisdiction of the Holy Kingdom.
The scattering mist allowed the user to detect the minute movements of creatures within the area.
Furthermore, depending on the exposure time, it drained the creatures' power and made it their own.
“I will handle it. Do not touch it.”
Just then, Exion intervened, drawing a new staff.
A strange fervor could be felt in his cold expression.
“What kind of bullshit is that? Who decides that?”
“You’re going to lose anyway.”
“You’re kidding. Is that why you just got slammed into the ground?”
The man and woman had started arguing before anyone realized it.
Hanbit spoke to Haneul, who was standing behind them.
“Mr. Avant-garde went to where Noeul is. You go with him and help.”
“Ah, yes!”
Ta-ta!
Haneul, who had been momentarily dazed, headed toward her brother with a confident reply.
Judging from a distance, he was an opponent that three people could easily defeat with plenty of time to spare.
“Ah, I mean, I’ll go first!”
“I’m going first.”
The two continued to fight.
Hanbit threw a question at them that had just popped into his head.
“Is there something to gain if you catch me? You both seem to want to kill each other.”
Their appearance, looking as if they were hell-bent on something, clearly seemed to have a purpose.
It was the woman, Hiyori, who spoke up in response to that question.
“Of course. The oracle that came down today had a quest with your name on it…”
“Hiyori.”
Her words were cut off by Exion’s intervention.
Hiyori, watching this with an annoyed look, let out a sigh and said,
“Does he not get along with our Goddess? Or is he the one the Goddess of Silence cherishes? Well, whatever.”
Shrugging her shoulders, she aimed her spear.
Exion, standing before her, was also gripping his staff tightly.
'An oracle… …'
The oracle received from the Garden of the Rift in the Holy Kingdom.
It descended so suddenly that neither the timing nor the reason was known, but its content was absolute.
The fact that it appeared as a quest explicitly mentioning the name of the Black Dragon was crucial information.
Moreover, the timing was precisely aimed at the final episode of Raven.
This was absolutely no coincidence.
'I must hurry, too.'
Whoosh—!
A fierce whirlwind of flames rose from the pure white blade.
Hanbit, gripping the hilt with both hands, concentrated his mind more sharply than ever.
It took excellent effect thanks to his significantly increased stats and the vastly improved 'compression' of his black power.
Ta-da—!
Just then, the two people in front rushed forward, racing against each other.
As they appeared to be skilled fighters of the vanguard level, the distance closed rapidly.
Hanbit, who had been watching them closely, soon lifted his feet off the ground.
Bang!
The power, a mixture of spirits and magic, generated tremendous speed along with a shockwave.
And the moment the arcing sword struck the enemies.
Swish!
Along with the two players' weapons, their bodies were cleanly severed in two.
A single blow.
It was the result of a single attack.
“……!”
“Crazy…….”
Whoosh!
The two’s dying cries were engulfed in Sallion’s ensuing flames.
Their forms vanished in an instant.
[Experience points increased by 3,500,000.]
[Experience points increased by 4,100,000.]
Checking the experience message, Hanbit turned his gaze to the twins.
That place, too, had just been finished.
“Lord Black Dragon!”
The three of them hurriedly ran toward where Hanbit was.
Just then, Kim Jae-ha’s voice rang out.
(A player from the Holy Kingdom died here! Master and the Director of the Magic Research Institute created something amazing!)
The news, delivered in an excited voice, was already being seen on the screen.
A new turret weapon that even Hanbit had never seen before.
The player who died here must have been quite bewildered.
“Jaeha, please stay at Ifrit and prepare equipment for the NPCs to use. The more the better.”
(Understood!)
A reply returned in a reassuring voice.
Hanbit looked at the twins and Avantgarde and said,
“The other side is cleared up too?”
“Most of the pursuing enemies have fled. They lost their minds after the players died.”
The anti-state forces that had been fiercely chasing the Kingdom’s defense forces were nowhere to be seen.
To be precise, their backs were visible in the distant forest path, but killing them wouldn’t really matter.
“Black Dragon!”
While he was assessing the situation, Guild Master Asid rushed over urgently.
“Haa, so you were here after all. Thanks to you, I survived.”
“How is the damage?”
“It was a close call, but thanks to those two, the losses were quite minimal.”
He said, looking at the twins.
There was sincerity in his eyes, which seemed moved.
“That’s a relief. Aside from the monsters, there probably won’t be any additional troops. We’re heading to the Royal Capital, so please just defend Temosha.”
“I heard there was chaos in the Royal Capital… Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. We might need reinforcements later, so just take care of that.”
“Alright. For now, I’ll focus on defending Temosha.”
Nodding, Asid led his troops into the return column.
Watching their retreating figures, Hanbit took out a ring.
Then, turning his gaze to the three of them, he said,
“I will head to the royal capital.”
Whoosh—
as he used the ring, a sensation of teleportation enveloped his body.
And when he arrived at the square of the royal capital, Radianor, a message appeared.
[Go to cutscene.]
