Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Chapter 24: Achievements (4)
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It felt like I'd been doused with ice water.
I squeezed my eyes shut and gritted my teeth.
"Damn it."
I'd started running Purification again, which had stopped at some point, but my Chaos Value had already surpassed 60%.
It was higher than during the Promotion Exam—an uncharted territory for me.
The violence, impulses, and murderous urges weren't as intense as I'd feared.
But the craving for mana was vivid.
I felt like a beast that could only think of that one thing.
My sense of self was being devoured by the instinct hungering for mana.
Sensing the crisis, I immediately hurled my spear aside and crouched down right there.
Then, hugging my head, I threw myself into Purification.
It was almost an instinctive reaction—I didn't want to lose myself.
"Hoo, hoo."
For a while after, I focused solely on purifying the tainted mana.
Bit by bit, the Chaos Value began to drop.
Once it dipped into the 50% range, I could finally think straight again.
Of course, anger still surged now and then.
I wondered why every hardship had to be a new kind of hell.
The resentment and hostility toward the system, buried deep in my chest, seemed to feed on the tainted mana and grow wildly.
But it was better than violent impulses boiling over.
At least this didn't come with that alien sense of "me" vanishing.
Of course, it wasn't a situation to relax in.
'Seven minutes left.'
I had to purify as much as possible before that timer ran out.
Otherwise, the Chaos Value would climb again.
"H-Hey, K?"
"Hyung? You okay...?"
Just then, the sacred barrier vanished, and Yang Tae-ho and Kim Yul emerged, approaching cautiously.
But with Purification urgent, I shot them a sharp glare and waved them off roughly.
They seemed to get the message and stopped in their tracks.
They even actively blocked other players from coming near.
Thanks to them, I could focus on Purification without interruptions.
"Hoo."
When the timer dropped to the 2-minute mark, my Chaos Value had fallen to the 20% range.
Not satisfied, I whipped myself to purify faster—when a blue dot came racing toward me on the map at tremendous speed.
"What the...?"
The one who appeared on the charred ground was Shamell.
Our eyes met when my Chaos Value was in the mid-20s.
More rational than before, but still far from normal.
A bit irritable, maybe? My mood was lower than usual too.
In the end, my greeting to Shamell wasn't exactly polite.
"You're a step late. The general-grade one's already down."
"What...?"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
I slung my spear over my shoulder, stepping on the general-grade corpse for emphasis, my words laced with provocation.
"What lecture are you planning to give me today?"
Shamell's face twisted in fury as she pointed at me and unleashed her tirade.
"You ill-mannered punk! You take down one general-grade and get all high and mighty..."
But I, harboring plenty of grudges against her nagging, cut her off mid-sentence.
"I'm saying this because I've held back as long as I could—what I'm trying to say is, when someone's done a good job, you should acknowledge..."
"Uhahahaha! Wow, the moonlight sure looks pretty tonight!"
"M-Madam Viscount, you're here? Yul was so, so scared!"
Of course, Yang Tae-ho suddenly shoved his hand over my mouth with nonsense, and Kim Yul blocked Shamell's path, fawning over her—so I couldn't quite finish.
Irritated, I pried Yang Tae-ho's hand off and glared at him.
"What?"
"Don't pick a fight for no reason! She's not in her right mind right now 'cause of the Chaos Value thing?"
But Yang Tae-ho tried blocking my mouth again, whispering urgently.
'When did I pick a fight?'
I'd just voiced my complaints, and now I was being treated like a troublemaker.
Absurd—I let out a scoff, just as more blue dots appeared on the map.
A dozen knights arrived following Shamell. Looked like a rescue squad.
'How'd they get here so fast?'
The question didn't last. Shamell's arrival gave me the gist.
'That old hag's 8th Company got mobilized?'
Over the past couple days, the church forces had been assembling for a full assault to retake Kalom Castle.
Unit movements were inevitable in the process.
Shamell's 8th Company must have been on the move too.
If their path passed close to the 4th Company, it explained everything.
Not a formal rescue from the church HQ, but volunteers from nearby camps who'd heard the news.
'Even if we'd held the barrier, it wouldn't have been too risky.'
Of course, I wouldn't have monopolized this much mana then.
'Even after the Authority-boosted mana fades, gold medal's still in the bag.'
I let out a lazy breath and raised my hand to rub my neck—a habit after a hunt.
The moment my hand touched, as if waiting, system messages popped up.
「Rescue squad has arrived.」
「All protectees are safe!」
「Congratulations! MISSION - Sub Scenario: Escort completed successfully!」
「You made a major contribution to the mission success!」
「4800 Main Scenario Contribution awarded as success reward.」
The official declaration that the nighttime raid had ended safely.
But not everything was wrapped up.
I turned toward the east on the map, shrouded in dense trees.
At the same moment, the timer hit zero.
'Damn it.'
The Chaos Value I'd worked so hard to lower surged back toward 50%.
That exhausting feeling of sinking into inescapable muck, no matter the effort.
A truly rotten experience.
* * *
Toma gulped dryly, glancing sideways.
His gaze fell on the edge of the camp.
There sat K on a protruding rock, brow furrowed.
Right after the battle, he'd talked with the female knight who'd brought the knights.
But minutes ago, he'd withdrawn to that spot, motionless.
'Should I go now?'
Toma had joined the escort mission, skipping the combat one, just to exchange words with K.
But a full day of marching left no openings.
Worse, the nighttime raid hit.
Fortunately, it ended without deaths or injuries.
Still, hard to approach K.
'Looks like he's purifying—don't wanna interrupt. Can't do that...'
Slaughtering hordes of 5-star evolved beasts must've spiked his Chaos Value.
He'd be struggling; no way to interfere.
Toma paced anxiously, agonizing.
'What to do, what to do?'
He'd imagined days like this jumping into the game.
But with K right there, he drew a blank.
'I really wanna thank him—at least get my face known...'
K's guide posts: eight in total.
Thanks to them, Toma dodged crises and grew steadily.
K deserved credit for at least half his current self.
He'd wanted to thank K if they met.
Bonus: build rapport.
But...
"You gonna just keep peeking forever?"
His party member prodded as Toma showed no sign of moving.
"Just go already? It's just a greeting—what's the big deal?"
"You nuts? What if he's purifying?"
Toma snapped back, and the party member shook their head.
"Man, whenever K comes up..."
They muttered in exasperation, but Toma didn't hear.
He was back to furtively watching K.
Toma's caution had reasons.
'Honestly, kinda scary.'
K's aggressive streak was well-known.
Approaching with high Chaos Value? Bad idea.
Watching K all day confirmed it.
'He definitely smiled.'
Toma had stood right by the sacred barrier.
Close enough to watch K battle the 7-star evolved beast.
That chilling smile, laced with ecstasy—still vivid.
How does someone smile in a life-or-death pinch?
K seemed unreal to Toma, the distance vast.
Plus overwhelming power beyond imagination.
'Couldn't even see the spear tip.'
Like a thrashing snake, or an elongating arm.
Watching K swing filled him with instinctive pressure, making him shrink back.
The sense you'd never close the gap, just get skewered.
From Toma's view, K's prowess was untouchable.
And he had AoE to wipe 5-stars.
Beyond any player Toma had seen.
'He's no ordinary guy.'
Like a nail that sticks out even in a pocket.
K remained atop a peak others couldn't reach.
'Influence'll only grow.'
If not friends, at least contacts.
Toma eyed chances to connect with K.
"How long you gonna dawdle!"
Then, the middle-aged woman who'd led the knights bellowed toward K.
"If you're scouting, hurry up!"
K sighed deeply, rubbed his dry face roughly, and stood.
As if waiting, someone approached K—the blond.
"Hyung, eat this. Sweet stuff helps the mood."
Toma watched K's reaction closely.
Still frowning, but didn't shoo his party member.
Even stuck the offered lollipop in his mouth.
Chaos Value must've dropped. Opportunity at last.
'Thanks to K-nim, we survived—so gratitude first.'
Without him, the escort might've been wiped by the 7-star.
Hell, Toma might not even exist now.
"Hoo."
Exhaling long, Toma sorted his words and stepped toward K.
But on his first step, eyes met the blond party member's.
The blond subtly twisted, blocking Toma from K's view.
'What...'
Toma flinched at the ambiguous positioning, freezing.
Meanwhile, the blond, blocking K's sight, jerked his chin toward the kids and asked K.
"We heading back with them like this? Mission clear popped, but."
Toma tuned in, unsure what to do.
"Rescue's here, so they count it clear. With knights joining, it'd be harder to let the kids die."
Spot on. Dozens of players couldn't match a dozen knights' protection.
'Not just killing monsters.'
Protecting was different from pure destruction.
"So what about us?"
"What else."
K rubbed his nape, answering the blond.
"Take the kids to the rear first."
Then join 8th Company.
"Already talked to Shamell. Gotta stop somewhere first—wait here."
K turned, adding curtly.
The blond followed.
Toma planned to tail them too.
He wanted that connection.
"Um..."
Steeling himself to speak—when.
"Stop somewhere? Where?"
The blond slipped between again, glancing back.
Toma's brow twitched.
Twice now—clearly intentional.
The blond was blocking talks with K.
Timing lost, Toma stiffened awkwardly.
"Dunno."
"Huh?"
"Gotta see when we get there."
"Wanna come?"
"You wait here—might need you for something."
"Hm... Got it. See you."
K soon left camp with another party member.
No chance to call out—gone in a flash.