Chapter 180
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: Rebellion, Counterattack - 1
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On Mount Othrys in Greece, a gray castle wall stretched along its ridges. Above it, figures dressed as ancient Greek soldiers stood sparsely.
At a glance, the scene looked like a recreation of an ancient Greek ‘Polis’.
But once one realized that the green below the fortress walls was not mere undergrowth but a forest of trees, the truly colossal scale of the castle became apparent.
The fortress and its soldiers were of such an overwhelming scale that Mount Othrys, with its elevation of 1,728 meters, seemed like a neighborhood hill…
This was the ‘Giant Fortress,’ the stronghold of the Titans, and the northernmost of the four ‘Victory Flags’ that the Players had to capture—the so-called ‘First Battlefield.’
And about three kilometers away, on a hill, Players dubbed the ‘United Human Army’ were formed up in ranks.
“Move it!”
It was a massive force of 1,981 Players.
However…
“…Seeing it up close makes it feel even more unreal. How can it be that big?”
“Haa, damn it. I’m honestly a little scared.”
Thus, even before the battle had begun, their morale was visibly shattered.
It was only natural. Though they were three kilometers away, everything about the enemy fortress looked as if it were only a few dozen meters distant, its sheer, terrifying size crushing their spirits.
“And the problem is, we’re the ones who have to charge that ridiculous thing.”
“Haa, honestly, I’m starting to regret joining this side. Should I have just followed Alain Giam? No, should I sneak away now?”
Previously, many Player groups had refused Steelrain’s command and opted out of this siege.
Even now, they were insisting that attacking the Giant Fortress was like hitting a rock with an egg.
Despite this, more than half of the Players, inspired by Steelrain and countless other heroes, had marched forward with determination, but…
Faced with the reality of it, they couldn't help but admit the sharp accuracy of the phrase ‘hitting a rock with an egg.’ Their instincts were screaming that this was madness.
“Ah, no matter how I think about it, I can’t imagine that thing collapsing. That’s a cliff, not a castle wall.”
“And now that Steelrain’s Moglei drop is useless, there doesn’t seem to be any other way to bring it down…”
Just then, a massive fireball arched over their heads.
*Fwoooosh—*
“Thirteenth magic volley, launch complete!”
“Fourteenth magic volley, prepare to launch!”
To one side, mage Players, like line infantry musketeers, changed ranks, repeating the sequence of launching and casting.
The fireballs they sent soared through the air for a long moment before finally striking the Titan fortress.
*Kwaaaang—!*
But…
“…Doesn’t look like it did much damage.”
Yet no one showed any sign of disappointment… because this had been going on for six hours.
“Is… is it right to keep doing this?”
From the moment they had faced the fortress walls, they had been bombarding the enemy with mana.
‘Large-scale area-of-effect magic’ of every element—fire, water, lightning—was formed high in the sky, then sent flying even farther with the help of link magic or wind spiritmancers.
Thus, like catapults in a traditional siege, they were hammering the fortress walls from a distance, completely unopposed.
*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*
“Damn it, it’s not making a dent.”
But the ridiculously massive wall didn’t budge, and the Titan Hoplites standing beyond it now seemed to be wearing expressions of boredom.
And the ones most skeptical of this futile attack were, naturally, the mage Players themselves.
“…The analyst Players observe that we’ve only chipped away about 1/36th of it.”
The guild master from the Netherlands commanding the area-of-effect attack wiped his sweat and scowled at his subordinate’s report.
“What? So we have to do this for days on end just to break the wall’s defensive barrier?”
“Yes, and the mage Players will probably die from exhaustion before that happens. Even now, they’re clamoring for a break. At this rate, we might see cases of mana exhaustion before the day is over.”
Historically, capturing a fortress by force was next to impossible, a fact proven by the annals of war.
That was why the most orthodox siege method was not to attack, but to surround the fortress and wait for its supplies to run out.
But even if they were properly besieging the Giant Fortress, they could not afford to be patient.
The reason for this was the ‘objective’ of this <War Quest>.
1) Secure all 4 ‘Victory Flags’ for at least 1 hour within 168 hours (In Progress)
- Warning! Failure to complete objective ‘1’ will cause the ‘Titans’ morale to soar, significantly increasing their combat power.
“We only have 137 hours left, about five days…”
And they had to capture a total of four locations, yet due to a lack of firepower, they were currently attacking only two.
Meanwhile, as the United Human Army went through this trial and error, those who advocated the ‘siege-is-futile argument,’ like Alain Giam, were appearing on broadcasts, providing live commentary and scathing criticism of the scene.
- …Look at this. Isn’t it becoming clear that our opinion was correct?
He was on a French broadcast, providing analysis while watching the siege live.
- It’s been six hours now. They are attacking with all their might, but nothing has changed. Not a single Titan has been killed.
- Still, considering that Archmage Choi Jeong-cheol’s ‘Semi-Armageddon’ has not yet been used, some suggest that Steelrain is deliberately waiting for a certain timing. What are your thoughts on this?
At the MC’s question, Alain Giam smirked.
- Even if it’s powerful, how can it break through all four Victory Flags? Mr. Choi’s Semi-Armageddon is known to have a cooldown of about 24 hours. And according to our <Granpinette> Guild’s analysis, even that won’t be enough to destroy the Giant Fortress’s barrier. It would take about 1.9 shots.
- Ah, Granpinette’s analysis team is famous for its accuracy. Yes, it certainly seems the situation is bleaker than expected.
Furthermore, the fact that ‘Steelrain,’ the key figure in this operation, had not once been caught on camera despite the dire situation was also a source of anxiety.
Alain Giam seized on that point.
- …Where is he now? Isn’t Steelrain the one with the most suitable ability for hammering the walls like this?
- That’s right. The fact that he hasn’t been seen on camera firing his steel weapons is indeed raising some questions.
- In my opinion, now that his only weapon, the Moglei drop, has been neutralized, he’s probably holed up somewhere, agonizing over what to do.
- Are you saying… you don’t believe Steelrain when he said at the command meeting that he had a hidden strategy, Monsieur Giam?
Alain Giam scoffed at the MC’s question.
- Haha—a strategy… frankly, I don’t believe it. He made such a bold proclamation in front of the whole world, and now that his method of attack is gone, he’s probably just wasting time because it’s too embarrassing to admit it.
- Ah…
- So, it’s a bit much to say this, but… it seems he’s leading countless Players to their deaths for the sake of his own pride. I sincerely hope he comes to his senses.
His words were somewhat speculative, but as time passed, his argument gained more and more traction.
Meanwhile, on the northwestern ridge of Mount Othrys, the ‘Second Battlefield,’ the gravity mage Lee Seong-yoon and the other members of the <Zmeun-narae> Guild were stationed.
And they… were also doing nothing but watching the magical bombardment.
“…Seong-yoon, isn’t it about time we stepped in?”
The one asking was Kang Seo-yoon, the master of the <Zmeun-narae> Guild, and the guild members standing behind her wore expressions of agreement.
Together, they had completed a ‘Hidden Quest,’ conquering the ‘Tartarus Labyrinth’ and obtaining an anti-Titan weapon called the ‘Authority of the Hecatoncheires.’
That weapon was, at present, the one and only tool capable of breaking through the Giant Fortress’s thick magical barrier.
And it was likely designed for that very purpose.
But Lee Seong-yoon, who held the right to use the weapon, was hesitating to make a decision, much to his comrades’ frustration.
“We only have about five days left. If we drag this out any longer, with the staff’s cooldown, we’ll be pressed for time at the end. You know that, right?”
Lee Seong-yoon nodded but ultimately voiced his reservations.
“…We need to wait a little longer.”
“So what exactly are we waiting for?”
The reason for his hesitation was the ‘note’ he had received from Lee Hyun-wook the night before.
‘He knew what this staff was.’
It was an operation carried out secretly only among Guardian members, yet how Lee Hyun-wook knew about it was a mystery.
Even more… he claimed to know about the death of Nicholas Steel, who had been like a father to Lee Seong-yoon.
And he had said that if Lee Seong-yoon followed his plan, he would reveal who murdered Nicholas Steel.
“……”
At that point, Lee Seong-yoon realized that his mindset, always rational and cool-headed, could be swayed by someone else.
‘…How in the world does he know that? Is it the power of a transcendent-grade object? But even so, for it to be able to reveal the truth of a past event… I don’t understand.’
In any case, his main concern was whether Lee Hyun-wook was truly a trustworthy person.
He had observed the rookie named Lee Hyun-wook for quite some time. He had also predicted that he would refuse the ‘Guardian Quest.’
But his exploits began to exceed expectations, defy common sense, and go beyond the realm of understanding… Now, he had become far stronger than himself, making Lee Hyun-wook the de facto number one Player in South Korea.
How to deal with such a person going forward was a major challenge for the Guardians as well.
But one thing was certain.
‘Whatever his goals may be… humanity needs his power, now and in the future.’
The ones who truly wished for Steelrain to be a real hero were none other than the Guardians.
Lee Seong-yoon clutched the staff and waited for the right moment.
***
In any group, a leader emerges. This holds true even for slaves under the dominion of another group.
Immediately after infiltrating the slave settlement, Lee Hyun-wook asked the first people he met to take him to their leader, and they guided him deep into the ‘burrows.’
“…That man is like a leader to us.”
The boy who had guided them, Hans, said. Soon, a middle-aged, blond Caucasian man walked out of a dark room.
He was quite tall, but like the other prisoners, he was rail-thin and dressed in rags, a very shabby sight.
But the moment Lee Hyun-wook saw his eyes, he knew instantly.
‘This man is the leader.’
His eyes were clearer than anyone else’s, which was to say they held a powerful will. It had to be the determination to escape this place, no matter what.
‘To have eyes like that after enduring six years here is rare.’
And he was neither surprised nor intimidated by the arrival of strangers.
Of course, he couldn't be completely calm in this unexpected situation, but he didn't act rashly.
“I am Joachim Wolff, the first assault team leader of the <Löwe> Guild.”
And the way he introduced himself by his past title showed that he had not resigned himself to this wretched reality.
‘And the <Löwe> Guild…’
It was the name of a guild that had once been one of the largest in Europe but had fallen along with Berlin while mounting an all-out response to the Third Wave.
If he was the first assault team leader of that guild, he must have been at least level 60 to 70 at the time.
In other words, he was the greatest potential asset to be gained here.
“I am Lee Hyun-wook, from Korea.”
The two men shook hands and entered the room. A crude wooden table stood there.
“Please, have a seat. This is the most comfortable chair we have here.”
He joked, and as Lee Hyun-wook sat down, he took the seat opposite him.
“So… you came from a foreign country to rescue us. From Korea, no less.”
Besides Joachim Wolff, there were four other men and women in the room. They seemed to be the prisoners’ leadership group, and they couldn't hide their surprise, murmuring, “Korea?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Why would someone from Korea come all this way, undertaking such a dangerous task? Did… our government make some kind of request?”
“A war event is currently taking place all over Europe. Support has come from all over the world. I am one of those reinforcements, and I personally planned this prisoner rescue mission.”
Lee Hyun-wook considered mentioning that he was leading the player coalition known as the ‘United Human Army,’ but thought it might actually undermine his credibility.
After all, they would probably think it unlikely for someone entrusted with such a grand mission to infiltrate a place like this himself.
‘And this man is sizing me up right now.’
His eyes constantly scanned Lee Hyun-wook from head to toe, likely to determine if he was someone they could trust with their escape.
It was amazing that he still maintained such a cool-headed rationality, not blindly trusting someone who appeared out of nowhere after six years talking of salvation.
He might even be suspecting that this was a Dark Elf using Polymorph to test them.
“Um, and it’s a bit awkward to say this, but it’s been six years since I’ve heard any news of the outside world, so I haven’t heard of your fame, Mr. Lee Hyun-wook. If you don’t mind my asking… what is your level?”
And since ability was the most important indicator of trustworthiness, he rather bluntly asked about his level.
“I possess a ‘non-level growth trait’ that allows me to control metal.”
At those words, the prisoner leaders murmured among themselves. Then and now, S-ranks were objects of envy, heroes one might only meet once in a lifetime. The idea that such a being had come to save them completely changed their perspective.
“…Ah, you’re an S-rank. Then you must have gained great fame while I’ve been imprisoned here.”
Lee Hyun-wook neither confirmed nor denied it, but Joachim Wolff nodded, as if thinking that an S-rank was someone he could trust to some extent.
“Did I pass the interview?”
“Haha, an interview? I simply wanted to know what kind of person came to save us.”
In a way, it could have been offensive to be evaluated by the very people he had come to save, but Lee Hyun-wook actually appreciated his proactive judgment.
‘Right. Who knows what variables will pop up? This is better than having them be clueless and getting us all killed.’
Just then, Joachim Wolff whispered, his voice so low that even the person next to him couldn't hear.
“So, how are you going to rescue us?”
Now they were getting to the heart of the matter.
But his eyes, which had been so clear until now, seemed to waver slightly.
“I, too, have dreamed of escaping for a long time, but honestly… there is no way. Six years have passed like this.”
“There are at least 40,000 people here. And half of them are elderly or children. Even if you opened a wide-area portal to the outside… the man-eating vines on the ceiling would pour down and block our path. So… the concept of escape is practically impossible.”
Yes, escape was impossible. That reality seemed to be making Joachim Wolff anxious.
“Yes, escape is absolutely impossible.”
Lee Hyun-wook acknowledged that point as well.
“Uh, then…”
“So we… are not going to escape.”
At those words, Joachim Wolff and the other prisoner leaders wore puzzled expressions, which turned to shock and disbelief at Lee Hyun-wook’s next words.
“…Instead, we are going to take over this entire Dark Elf kingdom.”
“—What?”
“—Excuse me?”
It was hardly surprising that people who had lived as slaves for six years would be shocked to hear such a thing.
Still, Joachim Wolff remained silent, trying to grasp the true meaning behind Lee Hyun-wook’s words, but the other leaders raised their voices impatiently.
“Wh-what did you just say?”
“Are you telling us to fight them ourselves?”
“Damn it… was I a fool for getting my hopes up…?”
In response, Lee Hyun-wook briefly explained his plan.
Currently, he had joined forces with the Dark Elf royalty and would use their ‘Forest Spiritmancers’ to control the water-infused plants.
Then, he would gather as many mage Players capable of using fire magic as possible to suppress the Green Wave and hold their ground here.
“…And, once the forces in the throne room are drawn out, we will infiltrate and assassinate the Great General.”
But even as he said it, he knew it would be difficult to persuade them. Their eyes were filled with distrust.
‘As I thought, it’s a plan that’s hard to believe.’
Not only had they never heard of ‘Steelrain’s’ fame, but they would also be judging a Player’s power based on the standards of six years ago…
‘How should I convince them?’
But just then…
“Gasp! Gasp! Joachim, we’re in trouble!”
A man rushed into the room, shouting.
He was panting, struggling to explain what had happened.
“W-we have to run, right now!”
***
At that moment, Park Jun-mo and Kim Se-hee were outside the burrows in their Dark Elf forms. They were monitoring the surroundings, on guard for any potential threats.
“Team Leader Kim, that man who just ran in… do you think something happened?”
“Seems like it, but I’m sure they’ll let us know if it’s anything.”
Even as she said that, Kim Se-hee focused her senses in the direction the man had come from.
Just then, the boy who had guided them, Hans, shyly approached Park Jun-mo and spoke to him.
“Um… you’re also one of us, right? A human?”
The two were still in their Dark Elf Polymorph forms, which was why he asked.
“Ah, yes we are!”
“Then there’s something I want to ask… Is the outside world still safe?”
They had heard that a war had broken out, but having had no other news of the world for six years, he couldn't contain his curiosity.
“I heard the Dark Elves invaded Europe. It was six years ago, but my family was in Leipzig. Do you think they’re safe?”
Park Jun-mo didn’t know where Leipzig was, and there was no guarantee it hadn’t been ravaged by the Titan Hoplites.
‘Still, I should say something positive.’
He found it hard to suppress a feeling of bitterness as he looked at the prisoners here.
And this boy, Hans, was he sixteen, maybe seventeen now? He must have been barely over ten when he started this life of slavery in the underground.
The thought made his nose tingle for some reason, and Park Jun-mo wanted to give him some words of hope, no matter what.
“Haha—nothing to worry about has happened yet. And Players from all over the world have gathered to stop it. We’ll probably win, and you all will be able to get out of here.”
“…I truly hope so.”
A mix of darkness and light flickered across Hans’s face.
“But the people who came to rescue us, surely it’s not just you, right?”
“Ah…”
As Park Jun-mo was wondering how to answer, Kim Se-hee, who had been watching from the side, nudged him in the ribs. It was a signal to watch his mouth.
“Well…”
Just then, Lee Hyun-wook emerged from the room, followed by Joachim Wolff, who rushed out shouting.
“—Everyone, you need to hide right now!”
What was this all of a sudden?
“Hey, what’s going on?”
Kim Se-hee asked, looking at Lee Hyun-wook, who answered in place of Joachim Wolff.
“They said a surprise inspection has started.”
It meant the jailers who managed the slave settlement were heading this way.
And the bigger problem was…
“I-it just had to be the ‘Warden’ himself on patrol!”
Hearing this, Hans, who was standing nearby, spoke up.
“Gasp! Then he’ll use his ‘Detection’ skill, won’t he? The Warden can count people so accurately, he even knows if someone is missing or dead…”
The highest-ranking Dark Elf among the ‘jailer’ class was on his way.
But Lee Hyun-wook’s expression remained calm.
“Is that elite monster coming from that direction?”
“Yes. We estimate he’s at least level 90 and an analyst type, so if we’re discovered, it’s over.”
“As you know, an elite monster around level 90 isn’t something a single Player can handle. And he always travels with an elite monster group called the ‘Special Inspection Unit.’ Even an S-rank can’t face them.”
His frame of reference was from six years ago, but the truth was that things hadn’t changed that much.
In other words, it was a very dangerous situation.
“And… frankly, if you’re an S-rank I didn’t know of six years ago, your awakening must have been relatively recent. I don’t think you could have achieved such overwhelming growth in ability.”
Lee Hyun-wook nodded as he listened to his explanation. Everything he said was rational. Even an S-rank had clear limits depending on the situation.
However, the current Lee Hyun-wook was, so to speak, on a different ‘dimension.’ That was something he would never know.
“I told you earlier that I would assassinate the Great General. And you didn’t believe me.”
“Why are you talking about that now…”
At that question, Lee Hyun-wook turned his body toward the direction the jailers were coming from and answered.
“I’ll prove it now.”
“Uh… wait a minute—!”
“D-don’t go that way!”
Protests erupted from all around, but Lee Hyun-wook paid them no mind and walked forward, prompting groans of despair from all sides.
But they couldn't stop him, and could only stare blankly at his retreating back.
“Damn it, where did these lunatics come from…”
“Th-this is going to bring a bloodbath down on us!”
“—Joachim, you have to stop him! Don’t you know we’ll all be killed if he acts like that?”
But Joachim Wolff, for some reason, hesitated, a conflict showing on his face, before slowly shaking his head.
“…Let’s wait and see.”
“What?”
“That man’s eyes… they weren’t the eyes of someone who could be stopped. And there was something in them, a look of conviction.”
Just as Lee Hyun-wook had sensed it in him, he too sensed that Lee Hyun-wook was someone different.
Thus, Lee Hyun-wook walked forward slowly, and soon a black raven—Hugin—landed on his shoulder.
Before long, he could feel approaching footsteps from the distance.
‘A total of fourteen of them…’
He activated the ‘Clairvoyance’ of his Insight Lens and pierced through the darkness.
- Dark Elf Elite Jailer (LV: 64)
- Dark Elf Elite Jailer (LV: 63)
- Dark Elf Elite Jailer (LV: 65)
There were thirteen of these…
- Dark Elf Warden (LV: 97)
Indeed, six years ago, this would have been a group of monsters that was not easy to face.
“Hm?”
“You there, stop!”
They spotted Lee Hyun-wook and shouted. He stopped and raised both hands. Seeing this, the prisoner leaders clutched their heads, muttering things like, “It’s over.”
“…Why is this one dressed like that?”
“Who are you? What unit are you from?”
Lee Hyun-wook’s attire was not fitting for a slave. It was, after all, made from black dragon leather…
Just then, Park Jun-mo gently tapped the shoulder of the terrified boy, Hans, and whispered.
“You asked how many of us were on this rescue mission, right? The truth is, we’re the only ones who came to save you.”
“—What?”
Hans was so surprised by the sudden confession that he asked back in a rather loud voice.
“But it’s okay. It’s a little embarrassing to say this, but…”
Park Jun-mo raised his index finger and pointed past the jailers to the back of Lee Hyun-wook, who stood facing them.
“…You could say that humanity’s strongest has come to save you.”
At that moment, Lee Hyun-wook extended his left hand to the side, and a greatsword materialized in his grasp.