Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: In the Name of Glory (9)
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***
Notum looked at the human surrounded by the 'bad guys' and briefly wondered if they were the humans sent to deliver a message to her.
'Iron human? No. Little big human? No. Therefore, that horse isn't mine.'
Notum was a good troll, and based on her experience that humans in the forest wouldn't bother her if she left them alone, she vaguely understood what trading was.
'Save human, get horse. Clear forest path, get more horses. Therefore, if I save the skinny human, that horse is mine.'
Notum was really hungry, and the bad guys she picked up and ate on the way were disgustingly tasteless, and the moment she put them in her mouth, her tongue hurt so much she had to spit them out. And if she ate the human, she wouldn't get more horses in the future, so trading with those skinny, plump humans was the best way to fill her starving belly.
'Grwor. Notum smart.'
Having finished thinking that, Notum leaped forward to the humans who were desperately defending the carriage and trying their utmost to fend off the mutes.
Thud!
"Grwor."
"T-Troll! Knight! A troll is blocking our path!"
"Damn it! Of all times, while escorting the young lady! Villark! Daron! You two, get out and pull the carriage! The rest, hold off the mutes! I'll deal with it and clear the road!"
Slash!
The man who said that quickly shed his bloodstained leather armor and thrust his sword at Notum.
'Iron humans shed their shells and become regular humans.'
Notum nodded as she looked at the iron human shells scattered here and there along the roadside. Humans seemed to really hate getting bad guy blood on them.
'Definitely... the first human who recognized me in the forest said I wasn't an enemy... like this?'
Notum decided to forgive the humans for their irritable reaction. Small creatures were noisy right before dying anyway. So, she decided to mimic exactly what the human she met in the forest had done to reassure them.
Thud.
"Wh-What the...?"
The knight doubted his own eyes. Bare-bodied without any armor, and exhausted from repeated fierce battles. Fighting a troll in that state was suicidal. He had resolved not to drop his sword until the last moment and stepped forward, only to see the blocking troll kneel and raise both hands, as if surrendering.
"Naked human. I help. In return, give horse to Notum."
"I-It spoke?"
"Not speaking horse. Getting horse."
The knight's mind blanked out at the utterly absurd situation. So, a troll from the forest suddenly surrendered and offered to protect them? In exchange for the dead horse corpses?
"Argh!"
"Damn it, Nex!"
It was incomprehensible, but there was no time to think. They had to grasp at any straw.
"...Fine! If you help, I'll grant your request!"
At the knight's words, Notum rose with a satisfied expression. Those weak bad guys could be easily killed if they didn't swarm and harass her.
Notum stood with her back to the carriage, uprooted a nearby tree, and unleashed her pent-up ferocity.
"Grwoooooor!!!"
While the knight and soldiers behind her marveled in admiration, the girl who had been trembling inside the carriage was now watching with sparkling eyes.
***
Before long, the mages gathered around Notum were slapping their knees and chiming in enthusiastically to her story.
"Not just any humans—knights for sure! They must've ditched their blood-splattered armor to avoid mute infection!"
"S-So, you saved them?"
Notum nodded at the question from a mage who had scurried over to listen.
"Saved them. In return, got all four horse corpses tied in wooden boxes. Ate them tasty."
"Horse corpses tied in wooden boxes... oh! A four-horse carriage!"
"You saved a noble of great standing! A talking troll rescuing a noble lady—straight out of a bard's tale!"
The professor, sitting nearby and listening along, nodded in agreement.
'Yeah. Feels just like a story. Like a fairy tale.'
The professor calmly pondered as he watched the mages whispering about which noble's daughter it might have been.
It really was like a fairy tale. A troll emerging from the forest suddenly appears before knights and a noblewoman in peril and saves them. Like a scene from the heroic ballads sung by tavern bards.
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Gentlemen. What do you think of the current situation?
- Speed Wagon: No spoilers. I'm recording the whole broadcast screen.
- Mukaba: If I weren't tied to the church, it'd be fun to just follow Notum around from now on.
- Take a Look: Nah. Notum's tied to the church too, right? This is how you tag along.
- Jokasss: Exactly. No matter how you look at it, this feels like her personal storyline.
Hero Unit. Hero. True to the name, a hero. Heroes aren't self-made; they're elevated by others. Every Hero Unit has their own epic saga they undergo to become heroes. The countless Hero Units in GG aren't mere companions players pass through—they're characters who grow based on their unique experiences and histories.
Notum's story, no matter how you sliced it, seemed like part of such a personal storyline.
'This one's got something special. Something really important.'
The wasteland survivor's instincts were screaming. This is big. Miss it, and you'll regret it forever!
- professor: Speed Wagon? In World 3, how many Hero Units have their personal storylines fully revealed?
- Speed Wagon: Depends on the starting seed. Professor, you started official? Levit Princess 2-World Clear seed?
- professor: Yeah. Bought the official clear seed back when I was leveling a warrior char. Had the cash then. Starting with Levit Princess official 2-World Clear seed.
- Speed Wagon: Then 34. Anyway, 1-World Clear seed is just the one Levit cleared, all included in 2-World. So base Nolac Rataya, Pam Rataya, Gundar Rataya, plus a dozen or so from the successor Princess family spilling out. Roman Gacia Manson we met last time pulls his own history anywhere, so count him. Charlotte's there. Castle Knight's still kicking... Roughly 34 that I know. Now 35 with Notum.
- professor: Just 35? Didn't 2-World have over 170? Why so few in World 3?
- Deer Drug Please: Yeah, Thousand Stream Emperor cleared without any of that~
- Jokasss: That guy's why. Skipped every Hero Unit he could've saved, cleared anyway, so World 4's a total dystopia now. Root problem. No farming, just bulldozed through, that's why World 4 sucks. Professor, you're doing great right now. Keep it up.
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Lately, with no end in sight for World 4, rankers are saying we need to properly clear World 3 again. Heard a lot of strategy party rankers watch your stream. General folks skip it 'cause it's too frustrating, but for those achievement-hunting to properly pass World 3, you're the pioneer.
The chat was all praise for now. The professor's face twisted as he watched the cheerful atmosphere.
'That's nice to hear, but right now I need in-game helpful info over meta game stuff? Basically, I'm #1 in World 3, so keep headbutting the wall solo?'
More viewers good. Rich strategy folks even better. But I'm comfy now? The guy I live with has a 10 million ceiling security key. Money's fine. What matters is clearing this game, storming Gedroits Company, and separating the time bomb Hyde in my head.
[Do I really have to full clear to go there? No other way?]
'Got a few ideas, but all impossible right now.'
My level's so low I'm rolling with these scrubs, but GG's fantasy backdrop means gods, dragons, all sorts of overpowered beings exist.
First, dragons. They use Dragon Words—cheat magic that happens as spoken. Simple principle: this world runs on collective will shaping laws, right? NPCs are GMs. Dragon titles: 'Voice of the World's Will', 'Pillar Holding the World's End'. Their resource share is on another level. A million civilians couldn't match a dragon's will on the world.
Dragon Word is basically a game admin defining their will verbally.
Example: Villager 'Finn'. Everyone from family to coworkers believes [Finn lives healthily]. Dragon says [Finn is dead], world judges 'more believe Finn's dead'—Finn dies. That's Power Word of Kill.
To counter, become a grand hero whose name everyone knows, or a spiderweb-politics king whose death shakes the world—to rival dragon influence. No way they'd grant a 'die and you die' plea's wish.
'Such beings could separate Hyde and me fine. Like system control panels IRL.'
But greedy lazy dragons demand equal tribute. With church's 'die or go die!', impossible now.
[Dragons, huh... Sounds fun? You said 'ways' plural? Others?]
'Similar vibes. Ask a major church's god like the Radiant Church. Pope might broker. Dragon embodies world's will solo; god embodies followers' will count. Raw influence? Lo-Haram edges dragons? Other: Head west to Blueline Mountains' elven village, get guide to elven holy site, wish there.'
Spirit magic ultimate: 'Wish upon a Star', aka wish spell. No one's used it; just old elven history records. Uses world tree to engrave caster's will into world foundation? No users, so elf brag or real? Low odds, but noted.
Anyway, dragons/gods/world tree—all endgame bosses. Ignore for now. Prioritize surest: [Full Clear -> Grab GC by collar, make them save me].
'And for full clear, per chat, build world power multifaceted in World 3.'
For that, snag as many Hero Units with thick storylines like Notum. Even non-companions help anywhere if alive.
".....Grworp. That's how ended up captured here."
"Whoaaa...."
"Such a thing...."
Oops. Daydreamed through Notum's story end.
- professor: Stream watchers? TL;DR Notum's story in 3 lines.
- Speed Wagon:
1. Noble he saved recommended him to Kingsland West defensive line. Pay: 2 horse corpses/day.
2. Lived as soldier gaining fame near month, spotted noble beating young beastkin like trash—ate him.
3. Turns out named marquis's second son. Facing execution, saved noble lady's family + Radiant Church advocate: death penalty waived, perform church's 'holy mission' for penance.
- professor: Thanks thanks.
Yup. Crystal clear now. Notum's no side Hero Unit. My char's got backstory 'family fallen, rebuild!' level? Look at Notum. Story depth worlds apart.
Professor eyed Speed Wagon's summary, guessing Notum's Hero Unit type.
'Freshly civilized savage. Pure but not dumb, firm good-evil sense.'
"Notum. Why kill that noble?"
"Grwor? Dumb question. Furry human pup attacked by weak useless adult male. Those shouldn't live. Ate him before pups hurt more. Skin soft, but bones only, weird taste—but leaving bodies breeds ground corruption. So ate."
'Protected weak young first met too. Treats beastkin as humans. Friction city in racist Lordric. Tobrun back alleys full orc slaves. Last bit... Troll tribe custom? Notum raised in tribe young? No troll habitats near Lordric?'
Like sweet potato vines—endless digging. Too sprawling for guesses. Core info lacking just spins wheels.
'Solid one takeaway: Take Notum out of Lordric to thrive.'
Saved high noble lady, reward's frontline duty? Penance mission near-suicide. No acceptance here however hard.
Thoughts derailed.
'Hmm. Post-assault team think later. Note, ignore now. Focus: assault team. 5 water mages + armed troll. So far... iffy. Imbalanced.'
Notum solid companion. Hero Unit high value, sturdy melee tank—versatile. Mages... flawed class. Powerful but infiltration unsure.
'If rest props up... maybe.'
Next: Bald monk eyeing Notum warmly post-story, hovering beastkin male.
Professor eyed the ripped dude blanketed in dark blue beast fur expectantly. Beastkin. One beastkin perk hoped.
"Hey, furry friend there—what's your name? Which soul do you follow?"
Professor called carefully, distant tone, word choice precise.
Beastkin chats need care. Radiant Church preaches light equal all, treats nonhumans beasts—dogshit doctrine. Spread worsens racism; beastkin hate human types like me. 'Beast pup speaking human? Dirty stinky'—I'd snap too.
'Which soul' asks shapeshift form politely. Blunt 'what you turn into?' = 'Treating me beast?!' Rage, clam up. Assault team harmony gone.
Effort worked: Arm-crossed ignoring beastkin lowly replied.
"....Wolf soul."
'Ooh! Wolf lycanthrope! No way!'
Beastkin. Werewolf. One more scratch—jackpot. Please!
"N-Name?"
"....Borka. Borka Dalun."
'Aghhh— so close!'
- Speed Wagon: Bust.
- Jokasss: Lycanthrope wolf form—perfect Rataya material.
Exactly hoped: Ancient beastkin hero lineage from World 1. Wolf beastkin Rataya clan. All emerge Hero Units. Notum here, maybe more—prodded, alas plain beastman. Obvious why here. Infinite reasons racist Lordric hauls lone beastkin.
Plenty northbound time, ask slow. Beastkin wolf form—another frontliner....
'Melee three. Mages five. Balance trash?'
Last obvious priest, effectively six backliners.
'Wait. Bald robes—monk maybe?'
Monks rare combat priests. Unlike paladins: Start priest, devout service, snap 'can't sit'—day pray, night train martial. Player-grow easy; NPC natural rare. Monk heals+fights all-rounder.
"Um.... Priest?"
"...."
No reply. Prickly. Monks odd priests, fine.
"Priest? Church briefed, I'm hero Professor leading. No heresy ties, so please calm...."
Crack!
"You dare!"
Professor soft approach, suddenly monk glares, sheds white robes, bellows.
"Kept calling priest—who priest?! Daring attach moth honorific to we black mana connoisseurs!"
Eh? Not priest?
"Bl-Black mana? Then, black mage?!"
Water mages gasped too, unknown identity.
"Then why wear robes? That head, center bald circle—clear monk style...."
"Those damn moths stole my staff! Burned my robe! Babbling purify evil, forced this on me, shaved my head!!!"
Elder raged, spewing black mana proof—real black mage.
'Then.... Mages 6, warriors 3? Nine of us breach three occupied cities, punch mute queen nest hordes, kill queen? No healers?'
Doomed. No answer. Mute den crawl means chaotic melee; mages glass cannons post-nuke. Mages shine stable rear big booms or field flips. Elite infiltration mismatch.
'How fix.'
"Ugh this cloth, this building! Too bright. Can't take, can't take!"
Black mage elder stripped undies, crawled table shadow primeval—professor snapped.
"Logout"
Ding-!
[Valid logout spot confirmed - Next login: Radiant Church annex. Logout?]
Professor nodded; surroundings slowly darkened.
Screw it. This trash game, booze up Ian's stash first. Despair prof logged for sleep rethink.
***