CH 297

“Today is the day to celebrate the heroes of our country. Eat all you want, and drink all you want!”

Useful festival foods started pouring out like a waterfall. Not only did they taste good, but they also had a practical buff effect. It was meant to celebrate the actual victory of the national war, but all the gathered users and viewers watching the broadcast knew. As the king said, it was a place to treat the heroes Fibiel, and among them, Ha Leeha, the first-ranked contributor and recipient of the Medal of Honor, drew attention from people around the world.

[Achievement: Medal of Honor – Fibiel(A+)]! 

You have been crowned the greatest war hero of Fibiel. Your name has been placed under the king, and you will be widely known throughout Fibiel and every corner of the continent. When the country and the continent are in a crisis, people will call out your name and pray. However,  isn’t it right for other countries to be wary of Fibiel’s hero?

Reward: 18 stat points, Intimacy with Fibiel’s NPCs +30%, Continental Reputation +1,000, when contribution exceeds 3000 points, Foreign countries and royalties(excluding Ezwen) will decrease intimacy by 10%

You are the first registrant of the achievement [Medal of Honor].

The first three registrants of the achievement will be recorded in the Hall of Fame, and 200% of the existing effect will be rewarded.

Effect: 36 Stat points, Intimacy with Fibiel NPCs +60%, Continental Reputation +2,000,  when contribution exceeds 3000 points, Foreign countries and royalties(excluding Ezwen) will decrease intimacy by 20%

*****

“Wow, amazing. That Ha Leeha guy will also get a city.”

“What city?”

Even while listening to the broadcast in real time, the user did not stop slashing did not stop, and the user next to him also indifferently and mechanically raised his shield and swung his sword. The orcs of the Sentinel Mountains were knocked down and beaten.

“The king said that he will be given a new city or castle as a reward.”

“Wow……. From Minis?”

“Yeah. It’s not finalized yet, but they will be drawing a new border when they sign the peace treaty. At that time, he will become the lord of one of the cities or castles.”

Even those who did not go to Aelstock knew what was happening in real-time. Most of the users were about to swear at the event, saying that the rewards were low and the penalties were huge, but when they saw Leeha’s reward, they couldn’t say anything. Middle Earth definitely gave an unconventional reward. It’s bad because the rich keep getting richer, and the poor keep getting poorer.

“That’s crazy, freaking awesome. When will we be able to get something like that?”

“We can barely catch an orc with a 2-person party, what are you talking about…?”

“Still! He’s not even Alexander and is a completely unknown user. We can become stars too if we are given the chance.”

“He must have been lucky. That’s right, if we’re lucky enough, we can also get first place in contribution, so there’s nothing we can’t do.”

There was a gap that made people sigh, but there were also those that gave people hope. Compared to the gap and status of the rankers, Leeha’s name seemed easier. Because it was easy(?) for an outsider to instill dreams in users, Leeha aroused complex emotions from the users. He gave hope and confidence, but also jealousy and envy.

“Shut up and let’s hunt. After we create a troll-hunting party, we will be able to level up in no time. One day-”

——Ohhhhhh—–.

The movement of one user, who was trying to draw the attention of an orc, stopped.

The shout that vibrated through the air from afar was definitely not something a normal monster could make. It could mean that the field boss of Sentinel Mountain, the Cyclops, had appeared.

“Amazing, it seems the Cyclops is out.”

“Here?”

However, the location was odd. The Cyclops usually appear a little deeper in the troll zone. A location where the number of trolls decreased and ogres start to appear in large numbers. The Cyclops respawning there was fairly common. In other words, the Cyclops’ cry should not be heard in the middle of the Sentinel Mountains, where trolls, let alone an ogre, did not even come out.

—Mwoaaaaaaaaa——!

Another cry was heard. The faces of the two users hardened a little. The sound was definitely louder and clearer than before. If it was loud enough that they knew it shouldn’t be far away.

“Isn’t it strange?”

“Should we go and check?”

“No, no, no. I feel like we might die if we check. Let’s go. The Cyclops is big. I don’t like the feeling that I would die like a fly.”

This was the reason why Middle Earth had a lower percentage of adventurers compared to other games. It was the sense of intimidation from large monsters. There were a lot of users who thought that it was not real but could not overcome the sense of realism.

“Are you stupid? What are you going to do after scrolling? If it feels like we have a chance, let’s form a raid team. Even if we die one by one, it should give us more experience than a few orcs. You say you want to be like Ha Leeha, but you’re afraid of a cyclops?”

“Fuck you. Let’s go.”

And with his friend’s provocation, the nerve-wracking fear he felt disappeared.

Along with the two of them, the surrounding users also quietly moved. The ants, expecting a pile of rice cakes to fall, instinctively began to clump together. Two people became four, then ten, then fifteen, while climbing up the Sentinel Mountains.

_Uwoooooooh — Uwoooooooh!

“The strange scream sounded like it came twice.”

“It must have echoed. Have you seen two field bosses appear at once?”

“I heard it, too. Isn’t there something strange.…?”

The users mumbled. Field Bosses have unique names. They were so-called ‘named’ monsters. In other words, they respawn when they die, but only if they die. There were no cases where two monsters with the same name appeared at the same time.

Uwooooooh, uwooooooh-! Step, step! 

“Oh, Ohh, what, what is happening?” 

However, it was different from usual. When they arrived at the troll zone while going through the mountain road, what they saw was not the skills of the users being cast. It was the gray corpses of users strewn about. The number exceeded one hundred. There were so many trolls that the number of corpses seemed few.

“W-why are there so many trolls? Besides, isn’t their color strange?”

“Ou-ssi, let’s just go. We came here, but with this many-”

“Waah, what is that?”

“Cyclops! C-Cyclops Qui一一” 

The players who came from the orc region took a step back. The number of trolls, which were far more numerous than usual, was surprising, but the number of eyes knocking down trees was a nightmare.

“Three, three?! There are three cyclops!”

[The ruler of the Sentinel Mountains, Quiquero has appeared.]

[The ruler of the Sentinel Mountains, Cleethio has appeared.]

[The ruler of the Sentinel Mountains, Mimas has appeared.]

[All large monsters in the Sentinel Mountains are 30% stronger.]

“Why are there three of them?!”

“It is not the time to say that!! Quick, scroll- scro-”

“No way, no.”

When he was about to take out a scroll, a light purple film was created surrounding them. What surprised them more than the curtain blocking space movement was the location of the man that had just arrived. Someone stood behind the users where no one was standing before.

“What, who are you-”

“It would be a problem if rumors spread.”

Sook- before the user could finish speaking, he swung his staff. With just one attack, the user’s body split in half. At that moment, the gathered users knew. The fact that they would not be able to beat those ‘monsters’ with their skills. And the fact that something will start from the Sentinel Mountains.

“N-No way…”

The most unfortunate thing was the fact that this could not be immediately spread. They would die before they could whisper, and it will take some time before they could reconnect again after getting a forced log out. The Internet Community will not have enough power to spread the news.

“Twe.”

As if he knew all of that Bluebeard, Count Le, slaughtered the low-level users. There was not even a wrinkle in his suit, and not a drop on his beard. Meanwhile, the Cyclops’ roar continued. Every time they roared, a cyclops appeared one after another from somewhere. According to the number, new ogres also appeared and the trolls were called out as if they were reproducing on the spot.

“Now, at this level, I guess it’s okay here. I’ll need another hour or two…. This is the only way to get it.”

Bluebeard sighed and shook his head. Behind him, large monsters roared endlessly. Their instinctive anger toward humans was about to spill out.

****

“Then Bluebeard-”

“He is on the move, Your Holiness. My students said that they encountered Bluebeard who came to Crolang in the northern frozen land.”

“Already…… He’s moving already.”

Pope Gaius IV touched his forehead. Browless gave the Pope a moment before opening his mouth again.

“Fortunately, my students killed Crolang, but……. The descendants of the aristocratic demonic corps and large monsters of the Second Human-Demon War still remain. If Bluebeard wants to raise them up, the continent…”

“Will get caught up in a war. It is not at the level of just a skirmish, but a fight for the survival of humanity… there will be a third Human-Demon War.”

“Yes.”

The Pope of the Holy City Ezwen fell silent.

(To be continued…)