Chapter 193
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: Preparing for the End: All-Out War - 1
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Only Players could protect this world.
This mysterious game had been designed that way from the very beginning.
However, not every Player could be a ‘hero.’
No matter how strong a Player was, without altruism or a sense of duty, they were bound to look out for themselves first.
Countless Players had participated in war events like the <Invasion of the Black Orc Kingdom> or <Titanomachy>, but far more had remained silent, watching the fire from across the river.
But this incident… this <World Quest> was something they could not ignore.
“If you just stand by and watch your neighbor's house burn, the fire's bound to spread to your own, right?”
Those were the words of Mexico's number one ranked Player, Fernando Velasquez, just before his departure about two days ago.
Until now, he had remained silent in response to any request regarding events outside of Latin America. The fact that he had made such a long journey was a testament to the significance of this World Quest.
In other words, it was a crisis that the entire world could feel on their skin.
- Top-tier Players flock to Zurich, Switzerland. 111 Guild Masters and 21 S-Rank Players in attendance…
- The largest Player summit in human history. Chairman Brown Jackson: "We will find the answer to save the world from destruction."
The world’s power was converging in one place.
*Whir— Whir— Whir— Whir—*
Atop a hill, a long line of helicopters and cars was arriving in front of a large marble building.
Multiple magical defense barriers were erected around it, and hundreds of security personnel were on high alert, guarding the perimeter.
*Click! Click! Click! Click!*
And just beyond the restricted line, a multinational crowd of reporters had gathered, their passion for covering the event burning brightly.
"Ah, I'm reporting live from Zurich, Switzerland…"
"—The world cheers them on, hoping they can protect our future…"
Their voices mingled, creating a sense of urgency and a strangely vibrant atmosphere.
"Powerhouse Players from all over the world are gathering here right now!”
The reporters began to list and introduce the Players as they appeared one by one.
"Ah— it's Li Jingtao! He has never once made an official public appearance until now…"
“DS, Edward Woods, and the other heroes of the United Kingdom have arrived!”
And…
"Oh— it looks like those two groups are in a standoff. This could turn violent!"
With the strongest figures from each region gathered in one place, the atmosphere was, knowingly or not, growing heated.
"Well, what do you know, you came too? This is quite a surprise…"
"What? Why? Did you think I wouldn't be invited?"
The two men currently in conversation were key Players from Spain’s two major guilds.
They stood facing each other, glaring, oblivious to the cameras surrounding them.
"Hehehe— no, don't misunderstand. That's not what I meant. Who would doubt your skills?"
Then, with a good-natured smile, they shook hands and began to catch up on recent events.
"I wasn't trying to pick a fight either. In any case, it's been a while. Is this the first time since the raid on the Ent Forest two years ago?"
*Click! Click!*
The sight of Players, adorned in dazzling items, entering under the spotlight and exchanging greetings and pleasantries… felt somewhat detached from the purpose of preparing for battle.
Some observers even quipped that it looked less like a summit to save the planet and more like an item fashion show or a Player of the Year awards ceremony. It was true that the mood seemed somewhat relaxed.
However, it would be a mistake to assume the Players lacked a sense of crisis. For them, life-or-death battles were a daily affair, and they knew how to maintain their composure even in the face of great disaster.
That was why they could afford to be cheerful in moments where a civilian couldn't even crack a smile.
But then, the once-raucous atmosphere suddenly fell silent, as if doused with cold water.
"......."
As if someone had pressed pause, the voices of the Players completely vanished.
Like meerkats hearing a predator's roar, they craned their necks and stared at a single point.
"—Huh?"
The cameras naturally followed their gazes, shifting focus.
An Asian man dressed in black was slowly ascending the stairs.
"…He's here."
It was ‘Steel Rain,’ the strongest Player, widely considered the most likely ‘Hero candidate’ at this point in time.
Behind him appeared Emilia Müller, Donald Harris, and Woo Seong-mun.
Everyone present recalled the achievements they had accomplished together.
At this moment, they were undeniably the most powerful and most supported faction.
*Step— Step—*
They broke the silence, striding through the crowd of Players… and disappeared into the white building.
"......."
As if influenced by the scene, the Players who had been idly gossiping also began to file into the building one by one. A reporter broke the somewhat awkward silence.
"Has Steel Rain reached a point where his mere presence commands such influence? There's a certain… gravitas to him."
It was widely expected that the representative who would stand against the Demon King—the ‘Hero’—would be decided here today.
***
- …The target of this World Quest is the ‘Demon King,’ and many are helping us track this mysterious entity. However, what we must focus on is the battle to come. The reason we have gathered here is to strengthen our resolve and consolidate our forces before this great battle.
Inside a grand hall reminiscent of a national assembly chamber, hundreds of Players were seated.
- …Therefore, we need the full support of everyone gathered in this room.
A tall, elderly man stood at the podium, his voice amplified by magic.
He was the chairman of the World Player Association (WPA), Brown Jackson.
Lee Hyun-wook was also seated, watching him.
- Player (LV: 43)
‘…His level is much lower than I thought.’
Brown Jackson was a first-generation Player, one of the first to Awaken, yet his level was remarkably low. But the Players neither doubted his judgment nor ignored his arguments.
Because…
‘His true abilities are not as a Player, but as an intellectual.’
He was a sociologist who studied how the world could coexist with the game, and in that field, he was considered the foremost authority. He had also distinguished himself as one of the most brilliant dungeon raid tacticians.
‘His strategies currently boast a 98% success rate.’
That was why, when he had called this summit and sent out invitations, the strongest figures from every region had answered without complaint.
They believed he would present a solution to fend off the global catastrophe known as the <World Quest>.
‘But… as much as I’d like to rely on his talent, the enemy this time is just too strong.’
No matter how brilliant he was, his insight would be inferior to that of Hyun-wook, who had fought the Necromancer firsthand.
In the first place, the Players of this era hadn't even devised a way to conquer the ‘Wave Encroachment Zones.’
‘In the end, I have to be the one to control them. That’s the only answer.’
Hyun-wook lifted his head and slowly scanned the Players around him, the strongest from their respective regions.
- Player (LV: 89)
- Player (LV: 84)
- Player (LV: 78)
‘Tsk— is this all they amounted to at this time? This will never be enough.’
Wasn't their enemy a Necromancer who had conquered the world eight years in the future and evolved even further since then?
‘And with the Demon King in the picture… he’ll be even stronger than I anticipate.’
As Hyun-wook was lost in these thoughts, a voice cut through the air.
- …May I say a word first?
- Yes, esteemed Master Heinrich, please speak.
- Ahem— I would like to make a formal request to Steel Rain.
The smooth yet assertive voice belonged to a prominent German Player named Heinrich Volkov.
He was also a member of <Futur>, which had been attacking Hyun-wook, following in the footsteps of Alain Giam.
- Please, for this one time, refrain from acting unilaterally.
It seemed the Futur faction intended to keep nipping at Hyun-wook’s heels, even now.
‘Such a foolish ploy to secure their own interests even at a time like this…’
A look at the man’s information revealed he wasn’t a ‘Villain.’ That meant he was obstructing Hyun-wook for entirely different reasons… reasons so anachronistic and selfish they were sickening.
‘Scum like him existed even in my past life, right up until the very end.’
Those who prioritized their own profits and pride even as the world was being devoured by Villains… Hyun-wook didn't look at him, instead slowly raising his gaze to Chairman Brown Jackson.
The chairman then pointed at Hyun-wook and spoke.
- …Steel Rain, would you care to say a few words?
But before he could, Heinrich Volkov’s voice came through the speakers.
- The Hero, haha— this obvious and childish title can only go to one person.
He rose from his seat as if giving a speech, and all eyes fell on him.
As a first-generation Player and a Guild Master, he was adept at handling crowds.
- Mr. Chairman, I would like to add a few more words.
- …Yes, please do.
Heinrich Volkov slowly turned, making eye contact with the Players he knew. He was an old man known for his excellent manners and for taking good care of people, earning him a great deal of respect.
In other words, his words carried significant weight.
- I, Heinrich Volkov… this old coachman has learned one thing through countless struggles to pull the carriage of humanity out of the mire that is this game. And that is…
He paused for a breath, then glanced at Hyun-wook before continuing.
- …You must not harness a single, powerful horse and pull the carriage in only one direction. Of course, if it were a shallow puddle, that might be different, but the place we are stuck in is not such a place. If a single force pulls, the carriage will only wobble and sink deeper.
He spread his hands, gesturing to all the Players.
- Strength is, after all, the most basic science, is it not? To support a great weight, you don't use a single strong pillar, but rather understand the center of gravity and distribute the force as much as possible to bear a greater load. Similarly, to lift a carriage from the mire, the answer is to use many horses to pull and push from various directions. Therefore, I insist that power must be distributed. This situation is no different. Power and authority concentrated in a single individual… will only become poison.
A few Guild Masters, presumably from Futur, shouted, "Hear, hear!"
Several other Players, unrelated to him, also nodded in agreement.
- This may be a poor analogy, but please… let us pool our wisdom to pull out this carriage.
With those words, he glanced once more at Hyun-wook before taking his seat.
The so-called Hero’s Boon, an achievement that would go to only one person, had an option of a threefold increase to ‘all stats.’
Furthermore, analysis by Player researchers had revealed it was the only power capable of killing the Demon King.
In essence, the entire world would be entrusting its fate to the Player chosen as the Hero.
And these individuals, the strongest in their regions, were reluctant to consolidate power in a single person.
It was akin to feudal lords not wishing for the birth of an absolute, centralized authority.
Soon, the place turned into something of a public hearing, with demands and questions directed at Hyun-wook pouring in from all corners.
- Ahem, I also believe that for Steel Rain to receive the Hero’s Boon, he must offer something in return. For instance… sharing the Laputa technology that many have spoken of… yes, something like that.
- I don't deny that we need Steel Rain, but I agree that a distribution of power is necessary.
Hyun-wook needed to dismantle Heinrich Volkov's logic right here and now and persuade them.
A threefold increase to all stats, plus the unique ability to kill the Demon King—the Hero’s Boon…
To obtain it, he needed to win what was essentially their vote, and these people were the core of that electorate.
If they developed a dislike for him and voiced it, the repercussions would be significant.
Hyun-wook listened to their clamor, slowly scanning their faces.
And he realized that beneath their wariness lay a much deeper emotion.
‘…These so-called great Players are already terrified.’
They were the strongest beings who had held sway over the world until now, but in the face of an incomprehensible phenomenon, they became weak.
The fear of the unknown… it was the oldest and most powerful emotion of mankind.
And the existence known as the Demon King was a terrifying adversary that was beyond the Players' comprehension.
'In other words, rather than seeing me as a threat… they want some kind of proof from me.'
As they were no different from feudal lords, it was a natural instinct for them to be wary of a centralized power.
But when an irresistible invasion came from the outside, they would inevitably look to a king for a decision.
'So, what they want from me isn't a distribution of power.'
On the contrary…
‘…It’s a definitive proof of power.’
Feeling their gazes upon him, Hyun-wook chose his words carefully.
But just then—
- Hmm?
Brown Jackson pressed a hand to his ear and muttered something.
It seemed an urgent communication had just come in.
- Ahem, everyone…
Whatever news he had received, his expression had grown even darker.
- I have just received an update. It seems… the Demon King's location has been identified.
A stir went through the hall.
- Now, let's take a look.
He turned his back and infused mana into a round object on the wall, a ‘Crystal Projector.’
*Vwong—*
A hologram emanated from it, and a video began to play.
*Whooosh—*
A snowfield appeared… a coniferous forest battered by a blizzard.
"…That's Siberia, isn't it?"
A man, who appeared to be the master of a prominent Russian guild, spoke up.
The sight seemed quite familiar to him; it was the tundra forest region of Eastern Siberia.
- That is the Eastern Siberia Observation Post No. 3. We have been monitoring a horde of Ice Trolls there for the past two years.
Quite some time ago, several high-level gates had opened in Siberia. However, due to the harsh nature of the region, the gates were discovered very late, by which time the monsters had already established a foothold.
But since the area was uninhabited and there was no significant damage, there was no urgent need to conquer it.
Left unchecked, the Ice Troll horde grew, and the blizzards in the area began to intensify.
‘That was because of the legendary item, the Winter's Heart.’
Because of it, Siberia's cold expanded its influence, and a belated campaign to subjugate the Ice Trolls was launched.
‘But by then, the Ice Trolls had evolved into completely different monsters.’
*Thump— Thump—*
"Hey, are those Ice Trolls?"
Now, in the video, colossal figures emerged from between the conifers.
"…What the, they're bigger than what's been reported."
"They look at least twice as big. What's going on?"
These evolved creatures knelt and bowed their heads to someone.
Their object of reverence was a lone figure floating in the air… the Necromancer, no, the Demon King.
Watching the scene, Hyun-wook became certain of one thing about the Demon King.
‘…So he does have the ability to subjugate monsters.’
He had previously been seen joining hands with the Titans.
Back then, it was only a guess, but this scene confirmed it.
- And this is not only happening here, but also in the Sahara Desert, the Amazon, and other locations.
The video ended, and Chairman Brown Jackson continued his explanation.
- The monsters in harsh terrains that we have been unable to easily deal with… the Demon King is gathering them.
Sighs of despair erupted from various corners of the hall.
Just then, Brian Till grabbed a microphone and spoke.
- Everyone, this is a very serious matter!
At his scream-like shout, everyone turned to look at him.
He was a top-tier analyst Player, on par with Brown Jackson.
Thus, he saw through to the exact meaning of that one scene.
- Until now, what was the reason we held a relative advantage when fighting monsters?
He shot up from his seat and began to argue passionately.
- It’s because they were confined to one location, one group at a time, like stages in a game! But if they unite and fight as one… it becomes a problem of an entirely different dimension, the worst possible problem! A single stream can be controlled, but an entire ocean where all the waters have gathered is something we cannot dare to control.
At those words, Brown Jackson nodded as if in agreement.
Once again, a murmur spread, and a strange sense of despair began to fill the air. And if this place was stained with bewilderment and despair… it meant the rest of the world would fall into even greater chaos.
At that moment, a voice came through the speakers.
- …So, what you're saying is… a monster legion is being formed.
The voice belonged to none other than Lee Hyun-wook.
It was his first time speaking at this gathering.
The hall fell silent in an instant.
"......."
And all eyes were drawn to him.
He held the microphone, his face perfectly calm as he spoke.
"In that case, we'll need a legion of our own."
At this, Heinrich Volkov quickly turned on his microphone to add a comment.
- To create such a legion, unilateralism and dictatorship must be absolutely excluded.
Hyun-wook slowly turned his head toward him. And he offered a slight smile.
"Well… I already have a legion."
- …Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean all of a sudden?
At that moment, Hyun-wook extended his left hand, and Heinrich Volkov flinched involuntarily.
*Thwip—*
A round object flew into his palm and settled gently.
It was the Crystal Projector from the podium.
"Now, what I'm about to show you is a scene from just 30 minutes ago."
Hyun-wook said, plugging a pre-prepared USB into the Crystal Projector.
He infused it with mana, and a hologram shot up from his hand, playing a video.
*Wooooo—*
The video showed none other than Laputa.
It was no longer in the skies of Seoul, but floating over the mountains of Gangwon Province.
"Huh? Why is he suddenly showing us that?"
"…Shh, be quiet. There must be a reason."
Then, from the upper and lower sections of Laputa, something began to emerge in formation.
It looked like bees swarming from a hive, but…
*Whir— Whir— Whir— Whir—*
They were… all airships, and at a glance, their numbers were staggering.
At least a hundred of them…
"What— what the hell is that? Is that the Steel Fleet?"
"…No, the Steel Fleet is here."
"Then, where in the world did those come from…"
It meant he had mass-produced a fleet of airships several times the size of the Steel Fleet.
But that wasn't all.
The moment the screen changed, the Players couldn't believe their eyes.
"Gasp— are those all those metal giants?"
"Crazy, just one of them was so strong…"
Inside a factory, giant soldiers in the form of the Orihalcon Giant, Talos, were lined up in rows.
They were moving along a conveyor belt, as if tanks were being mass-produced before a war.
Of course, they couldn't compare to the Talos-Combat Mode made with ancient Gnome technology, but…
‘Still, they are combat weapons made of Adamant, using the technology from the Golem Research Lab.’
The screen changed once more, showing the ‘Armory’ in Gangwon Province.
Now completed and bustling with activity, its skies were filled with AD-2s, no, a superior model, the AD-3. And even more shockingly, there were now two War Boxes in flight, where before there had only been one.
"Wow…"
With these three scenes, Hyun-wook was telling them that he had more to show.
They began to imagine the power that would be unleashed if all of this fell under Hyun-wook's command.
Thus, the ‘magitech’ in which Hyun-wook had invested so heavily was finally displaying its true power.
‘Even while I was busy with other things, the factories I built worked day and night.’
He had secured a massive supply of materials from the Adamant mine in ‘Red Hole Village’ and the dungeon steel mine in the ‘Central African Republic,’ as well as special materials from ‘Yggdrasil’ and the ‘Divine Tree.’
The South Korean government, with Woo Seong-mun at the helm, had provided unstinting support for other components.
With that support, the best blacksmith Players and the Gray Dwarf race worked day and night.
All based on the supreme technology of ‘Laputa,’ using the item called the Hammer of Hephaestus…
"Master Heinrich, you said it takes many horses to pull a carriage out of the mud, didn't you?"
At his words, Heinrich Volkov could only stare blankly.
In his silence, Hyun-wook's voice echoed through the hall.
"…I already have a cavalry. So you don't need to worry about the number of horses."
Hyun-wook turned off the hologram and sent the Crystal Projector flying back to its original position on the podium. All the while, everyone's gaze remained fixed on Hyun-wook, not following the moving object.
He opened his mouth.
"And what I've shown you… is only a small fraction of it."
Right now, on Laputa, the construction of a ‘Mechanical Dragon’ was underway.
Besides that, a host of special weapons, which could not be revealed so carelessly, were being prepared.
"So, all of you… invest in me."
He wasn't pleading for support now; he was bestowing an opportunity to invest.
"I will mobilize all the world's resources and prepare for an all-out war against the Demon King."