Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Rex's Era of Tribulations
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Rex couldn't overcome the madness of the group.
In the end, he decided to form a liege-vassal contract with all the test subjects, Duke included.
Liege-Vassal Contract.
Not a temporary contract like one with mercenaries, but a contract between liege and vassal.
The vassal swears loyalty to the liege, and the liege swears respect to the vassal.
The weight of this magical contract is never light.
It's like placing each other's hearts on a scale, with the promise that the one who breaks it will have flesh torn from their heart.
If the liege abandons the vassal, the liege offers up their lifespan and realm. The same goes in reverse.
Because of this heavy responsibility, liege-vassal contracts are rare in the modern world, and only verbal agreements are exchanged.
Most vassals must be able to stab their liege at any moment depending on the situation, and lieges must be able to abandon their vassals at any time.
But Rex shared this contract with numerous test subjects.
It was due to Rex's conviction.
'I said I'd take responsibility.'
If he can't take responsibility, he doesn't touch it from the start. But if he promises to take responsibility, he does it thoroughly.
He hadn't considered a verbal contract from the beginning. He had planned for a liege-vassal contract, which is why he rejected people due to the burden.
But now, he couldn't do that anymore.
"I swear eternal loyalty!"
Countless soldiers prostrated themselves before Rex.
Having completed three-digit contracts, Rex turned his head toward Duke, exhausted to the point of nausea.
"Now, only Mr. Duke is left."
Duke nodded and knelt before Rex.
Toward Duke, Rex proposed a slightly more special contract.
"I'll gladly accept anything."
Rex began explaining Blood Oath like an insurance salesman pitching a policy.
Blood Oath.
A contract with a hero that's a bit heavier and more special than a liege-vassal contract.
Naturally, it was Rex's unique ability, which could classify people as heroes.
According to Rex's explanation, the conditions set by the liege are engraved on the hero's soul under Blood Oath.
In other words, it's entrusting all one's convictions and future to the liege's hands.
But in return, the hero manifests a special new power.
As soon as Rex's kind explanation ended, Duke accepted the Blood Oath without hesitation.
'It appeared in the original story too.'
He already knew about Blood Oath well enough, and since he was fully prepared for it, there wasn't a shred of doubt.
Thus, the Blood Oath between Rex and Duke began.
Rex placed his hand on his chest and closed his eyes.
"Hero Duke. Do you swear to offer me your loyalty?"
"I swear on my soul."
With those words as the incantation, the chains of the Blood Oath connected between the two.
With their souls linked by chains, Rex opened the interface.
'Now, time to add the tags.'
In the game, when performing a Blood Oath, the liege could attach pre-set conditions to the hero like hashtags.
Heroes with various conditions attached could have certain actions or tasks systemically forbidden, reducing betrayal or rebellion probabilities.
But piling on conditions wasn't a good idea either.
It could turn them into idiots with more restrictions than abilities, and it greatly lowered affinity with the hero.
Moreover, forbidden conditions weren't absolutely binding.
They were merely engraved on the soul to make the hero 'feel unwilling'—not unilaterally making the hero a pushover.
It was a lesson learned from his newbie days when, trusting conditions, he messed with a hero's wife and dog, only for his nation to fall.
In short, properly balancing Blood Oath conditions was also a liege's capability.
'But I'm a 30,000-hour veteran!'
A ghost player who poured sleep and daily life into Hell Online!
Recalling his identity, Rex meticulously adjusted the conditions for Duke.
'First, [Rebellion Prohibited] as basic.'
'[Independent Judgment Prohibited]... No, attaching that to a one-man army hero would rot him.'
'[Private Troops Command Prohibited]... Ah... His charisma stat is high, it'd be a waste. Troops raised by Duke would be incredibly competent.'
'[Promotion Limit]. No way. Feels like endgame material; keeping him in a low position would be such a waste.'
After much deliberation, there weren't many conditions he could attach to Duke.
In the end, only broad ones like [Loyalty Oath], [Rebellion Prohibited], [Betrayal Prohibited] remained, which were less effective.
This was a flimsy Blood Oath, like begging the heavens not to betray or rebel.
'Feels不安...'
But Rex decided to go with it.
Trusting Duke's humanity.
'Reality isn't a game.'
With the confirm button pressed, a clear, beautiful 'ching!' rang out, and the soul chains vanished.
They didn't disappear; they just became invisible.
With the Blood Oath formed, Duke's status screen was newly updated.
Now Rex could view the stats Duke had hidden.
Rex checked Duke's info with trembling heart.
'Alright, player's view.'
The moment he confirmed Duke's abilities, Rex rejoiced.
Newly updated items in Duke's status window glowed golden, welcoming Rex.
'Whoa, Karma +390!? How much good karma has he accumulated.'
Karma was this world's karma system.
Based on 1,000, it decreases toward negative with evil deeds, increases positive with good actions.
In the game system, it prevented exploiting realms or massacring occupied lands.
And it applied to this shared game-system world.
Of course, high karma didn't mean lightning from clear skies or direct divine punishment...
'Lower values mean more bad luck.'
Crops fail in ruled lands, swarms of pests invade, equipment enhancement or research failure rates rise.
Rebellions occur frequently, supply routes get accidentally discovered by enemies.
'And if karma goes negative, it encourages higher karma people to hunt lower ones.'
If both positive, no encouragement to hunt.
Killing +100 with +200 lowers the +200's karma.
But both negative: killing -200 with -100 counts as good deed, raises karma.
A system encouraging dirt-covered dogs to hunt shit-covered ones.
Because of this, heavy evil karma draws overwhelmingly stronger foes seeking good karma.
'People in this world ignore this karma...'
The karma system itself is widely known here, even taught in academies.
They just overpower incoming retribution with overwhelming growth speed, a mindset from pre-empire days.
Once stepping on the superhuman path, slowed aging extends lifespan artificially, but time catches up.
Superhumans chase efficient realm advancement means frantically, willingly accepting evil karma for power.
Thus, to them, karma was a benchmark not for accumulating merit, but avoiding 'useless, inefficient evil'.
'But it's important to me.'
Even in academy, other students ignored karma in strategies, but Rex didn't.
He didn't want to crush disasters with levels or become a barbarian first.
To him, Duke's karma was extremely welcome.
'With this much good karma...'
Hiring Duke would bring great fortune to Rex too.
Facility/equipment enhancements, research success rates soar; good encounters increase.
+390 means erecting a Duke statue guarantees bumper crops in primary industry.
'And look at the trust stats.'
With loyalty breaking limits, rebellion/betrayal probabilities were at underflow levels.
In a word, Duke was a cheat hero for easy mode.
'Good hire...'
Then, strange text caught Rex's eye.
Distracted by the glowing trust stats, he now noticed other figures.
Name: Duke I. Awik (<>) Age: 247 Race: Human Level: 99
Intellect: 94 Technique: 98 Mind: 109 Might: 101
"Huh???"
Rex blurted out in shock.
First, the stats.
Some exceeded 100.
Impossible by normal means.
He could understand Mind over 100.
'Madness...!'
But compared to the title right below, over-100 stats were 'mere'.
<13 Reverse Heavenly Stars - Heavenly Pure Great Star Snake Star King> <Dragon Usurper (El Usurpador de los Dragones)> <Citadel Predator> <Dragon Mountain Blood River> <Nightmare Wandering Tartarus (Incubus Tartari Errans)> <Conqueror of the Twelve Labors (Triumphator Duodecim Laborum)>
'13 Reverse Heavenly Stars???'
Seeing that, Rex recalled academy history lectures.
Thousands of years ago, Great Conqueror Yallalt Khan conquered continents, building the empire on his legacy.
The Hexion Empire ruled 40% of the world.
That great empire fell 100 years ago.
No one foresaw 13 monsters toppling it without soldiers or armies.
Thus, their title: 13 Reverse Heavenly Stars.
12 became warlords; only one died...
'Why is that guy here????'
Rex's heart pounded wildly.
He thought it was a justice-driven mad hero, but it was a sealed nuke.
Only then did Rex notice the (<>) button by Duke's name.
Swallowing hard, he pressed it with trembling finger.
Flip.
With a page-turning sound, another page unfolded.
'Fuck, it's real. The world-swallowing serpent Opfir.'
The empire's worst traitor became Rex's first vassal.
'My god...'
Rex's vision darkened.
One betrayal is hard; two even harder.
'I've become Lu Bu's second father...'
That wasn't the only issue.
Just being Opfir darkened his vision; the titles below were ominous too.
Rex corrected his misconception of Duke.
He wasn't a knight turning into a demon king; he was a knight retired from demon king.
In fear, Rex's finger headed to contract cancel.
Cancelling now would cost lifespan and realm, but better than later disaster.
Then.
An unavoidable—but wanted-to-ignore—alert sounded in Rex's ears.
A system where Blood Oath heroes awaken unique skills at certain levels/conditions.
The problem was timing.
'Why now? I didn't do anything???'
Regardless, the clear, lively alert rang.
Rex Carnifex?
An unheard-of skill.
Rex checked the skill details with trembling hands.
And he couldn't help but think toward the alert.
'Don't congratulate me, fuck.'
Right after the Blood Oath.
Duke nodded satisfactorily at the Blood Oath power seeping into his soul and body.
'Finally...!'
How long was this wait?
Actually, his time as Wandering Knight Duke was less than 100 years.
Before that, he laundered identities countless times, monopolizing opportunities.
He ran desperately, life-risking time attacks.
Even by this world's mad standards for opportunities, he was called insane, using any means.
Meanwhile, he thought hard and managed karma.
Avoided novel characters' opportunities, devoured only game ones, careful not to disrupt original flow.
Many battlefields tempted him, but he restrained for butterfly effect fears.
Fortunately, learned empire was ancient record-erased nation by 12 Reverse Heavenly Stars in novel, so joined as Opfir in empire fall, siphoning some gas.
'That was fun at least.'
After, identity wash and 100 years hiding.
Occasionally Wandering Knight Duke for vigilante roles, but couldn't join big battlefields.
'Not anymore!'
No more butterfly worries, opportunities stuffed full.
Now, only rampage... shine as Final Boss left.
'Liberation!!'
Not exaggeration to say lifetime for this moment.
Like dumping 200 years' fortune into Bitcoin.
Duke eyed trembling Rex.
'You're my lifetime pension.'
His eyes gleamed with madness.
Suppressed till lab exit, but no need now.
'Never letting go.'
No use crying not wanting emperor later.
Duke's will: even forge golden throne from corpse to make him emperor.
'If you delist, I have to jump into Han River...!'
Not just pension.
200 years sunk cost.
Plans for future Final Boss alts with Duke main.
Rex's subordinates to babysit newbie Rex.
All need Rex.
Another loyalty filled Duke's chest.
This will, Rex's ability, Duke's potential synergized into one skill.
Description - Skill granted to one who lived a lifetime to meet a single liege. - It is a vow, curse, blessing, and protection to oneself. - Called loyalty, but indistinguishable from fanaticism.
Effects - While obeying liege's orders, all action judgments gain bonus modifiers. - While defying liege's orders, stats halve. However, if for liege's sake, bonus modifiers apply again. - Immune to charm, fear, sleep, etc., state abnormalities defying liege's orders.
Warnings! - If loyalty unrewarded, greater penalty than betrayal on liege! - High chance of results differing from liege's intent! - Too high rank accompanies mental/physical corruption! - Affects hero's own vassals too!
Status-less Duke couldn't sense bodily changes.
But real-time witness had other feelings.
'What, a bug? Why? How???'
Rex hastily withdrew finger from Blood Oath cancel.
Couldn't imagine what cancelling on that unpleasantly mad human would do.
'Oh, Jesus...'
What worldline is loyalty + madness fusion?
No religion, but now god felt essential to Rex.
Of course, Jesus wasn't from this world; no response as always.
Rex could only curse silent skies.
'Sniff...'
Rex, age 30.
His journey had just begun.