Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Guild Master Isn't Enough with Just the Game
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I logged into the game, and for some reason, the atmosphere was buzzing.
"What's going on?"
Judging by their expressions, it didn't seem like bad news.
Seeing the bulletin board window up, something fun must've happened there.
Another Spaceking personality controversy?
Kali looked at me and said,
"Real-world bug secondary explosion."
"It's blowing up again."
"Ah, this is getting worse and worse. What if they actually ban Vipa for real?"
That again.
"They say the number of people experiencing real-world bugs has spiked simultaneously, whether from siege overimmersion or whatever."
"Bugs my ass. It's just mental illness."
The guildmates crowded around the bulletin board, chattering away.
Vipa was a virtual reality game.
It worked by linking your brain's electronic signals to create a virtual avatar that felt and moved like your real body, then diving into electronic game fields with it.
Was there actually something wrong with it?
Maybe some side effect from ramping up the connection density or something.
Just to be safe, I asked,
"No one in our guild, right?"
"Psh. Even if we got a real-world bug, we'd keep gaming anyway. What's the difference?"
Such a hardcore gamer response.
Kali clicked her tongue.
"Tsk. The world's full of too many lunatics."
I flinched inwardly, pretending it wasn't about me.
Right before the surprise attack hit, I'd experienced a Vipa bug in my dream, so it didn't feel like someone else's problem.
I chimed in casually.
"Vipa's had controversy from the start."
"Fine for office drones, but college kids in their prime? One bug and their life's ruined."
Kali picked up my thread, glancing at Enkar and Mino.
"What? We're fine. Our game's already wrecked anyway. Loyalty till we die."
"Just don't quit on us."
Mino and Enkar saluted us playfully.
Cute kids.
Kali and I smiled contentedly, and the two grinned back.
They'd been infamous game addicts among players even before.
Meeting me had evolved them further.
I'd scouted them early, taken them under my wing directly when they applied to Fulminak, and they soaked up everything I taught, making training them a real joy.
"I raised these kids right."
I muttered proudly, and Kali burst out laughing beside me.
I'd logged in early, so we had some time. Unlike the overall situation, this short break had everyone online.
They were tending their territories, checking heroes and gear to kill time.
Mino and Enkar were busy tearing into the free bulletin board.
"Whoa, this guy's saying he sees his status window in real life."
"Skill window doesn't pop up, though. Bugs are kinda systematic if you look close."
"No clue how it works? Pump your brain full of power and hold out—no room for bugs to sneak in. Why can't they do that?"
"What the hell, you psycho."
Enkar and Mino, besties even IRL, laughed over the bulletin board window.
"Siege is wrapping up, so the game addicts are starting to get brain fog."
"Like you're not one."
"I ain't pretending? I own it."
"God, overimmersed otakus are everywhere. Non-combatants whining about real-world bugs."
Ouch, hits close.
Am I actually hit with a real-world bug? Nah, just a weird dream, right?
The maknaes kept yapping excitedly.
"Fulminak superiority hits different."
"Bulletin board's nothing but bug reports or siege talk right now. Heh. They must be jealous as hell. Should've lined up early if they wanted in on sieges."
Pride swell.
Listening to them, I glanced at Kali and asked,
"No word from Goldbunker?"
"Not yet. Spaceking got nuked and went quiet. But you see the stream?"
"?"
Her sudden topic caught me off guard, and Kali smirked suspiciously.
"Game broadcast."
I'd watched, but after the real-world bug video and my weird dream, it hit too close.
I teased,
"You had time for streams amid all this? I was busy eating and sleeping."
"I can't live without Vipa, even IRL."
"..."
Getting out-hardcored stung a bit. But fair.
I shifted topics.
"Why's siege always so tense? Stress building before I even log in."
"Everyone probably feels it."
"Those two look fine."
I nodded at Mino and Enkar.
Kali glanced too and replied,
"They would. Joined Fulminak as grunts, hit rankings, snagged main member spots."
Sparkle.
Then, voice chat lit up.
Gilgamesh.
I excused myself from Kali and headed to the battleship's strategy room.
"Yeah, what's up?"
Everyone was on deck, so the room was empty.
["Our term end timing's awkward. Should we sit tight till Spaceking flips to war mode?"]
"Either way, they'll hit Iscaria first."
["Ha. True."]
"But war mode should be fine for you guys, right? You don't get pushed easily in elite fights."
Goldbunker sucked at NPC hero training.
More like, they figured no need to invest, leaving them wide open to surprise attacks.
But their siege elites were item-stacked monsters, gear support overwhelming.
Tons of top rankers there meant solid skills.
Then my trainees took over rankings, weirdly.
Even if Goldbunker's rankers slacked with streaming bullshit, their siege main crew's skills held strong.
Spaceking's 'surprise' targeted that hero weakness perfectly.
["If we hold Iscaria till war mode, we might manage."]
"Hit me up if I can help."
Spaceking swallowing Iscaria wasn't someone else's problem.
I wasn't babysitting crisis-hit Goldbunker out of selfless charity.
Selflessness stems from selfishness.
Another animal instinct: you survive, I survive.
Gilgamesh sounded shocked.
["You'll help? For real?"]
"Of course. You're next after."
This alliance had to hold in war mode.
Spaceking hits Iscaria, then likely drops to our vassal Peronta.
No, definitely.
["Sigh. Who knows. Might skip south Peronta, steamroll straight to western Lopelta."]
Lopelta was Goldbunker's rearmost territory in this siege.
All gonna get eaten anyway.
["Plus, your front line's not even a capital—it's an imperial holding with federation allies. Hard to govern separately. Our lands from Iscaria to Lopelta are all trade hubs. Pure honey."]
"Well, can't predict how they'll play post-Iscaria."
Strategy's all about uncertainty prep.
But if Spaceking cared that much about land value, they wouldn't hit north.
They eyed Goldbunker's mines, sure, but Spaceking loved militarized territories most.
And our Diperonta Empire, with Peronta up front, was a military specialist state.
Also.
"If they gobble from Wichen to your lands, Spaceking gains sixteen extra troops. Can't let that slide."
Siege launch: twelve per territory.
Thirty-six total from three territories; front twelve are 'Elite First String.'
War mode: conquer adds bodies. Four per territory.
Two minimum defense stuck on new ones, but total force grows—huge.
Spaceking takes Wichen, all Goldbunker? Sixteen added.
Obvious they'd swing at us.
Fulminak couldn't sit.
["Yeah, whatever. Ha."]
Gilgamesh faked calm briefly, then exploded.
["Fuck! Lopelta, Candil, Iscaria this time—all prime cuts! Thinking Spaceking eats 'em boils my blood!!"]
"Got a good idea."
["...What?"]
"Say your real goal isn't beating Wichen, but holding Iscaria."
Gilgamesh went quiet.
Then,
["Ever hear of 'kill the dog after the hunt'? Be honest."]
Asking if I'd use Goldbunker to smash Spaceking, then swallow them too.
Honestly, couldn't deny.
If Fulminak tops Spaceking, Goldbunker becomes a snack.
No quick reply, so a sigh.
["Sigh. Let 'em deep into Iscaria, enable nuke spam, stream with you—my pure kind heart, and you exploit it."]
Latter's bullshit.
But he saw the situation objectively.
["You don't think I'm some dumb mark, right? I know you're calculating too. But allying with you screws Spaceking sure, what's in it for Goldbunker long-term?"]
"Chance I keep my word?"
Brief silence.
["Whoa! Almost bought it!!"]
"Just join. Facts."
["Whoa! You trash!!"]
"Like it's new. Vipa sieges ain't our first rodeo."
Even if I seem nice, it's all schemes.
Yup.
Allying me shifts Goldbunker's Iscaria survival odds from '0' to '?'.
Not promising "I'll save Iscaria!" already makes me saintly enough.
I'm straight-up showing my black heart.
"Sure, I might flip later. Bluntly, you're done the second nukes drop."
["Finally showing true colors."]
His tone dropped threateningly, but zero threat now.
"Not your true colors moment."
Without my help, Goldbunker's weakest-link NPC war would've folded ages ago.
But.
"Our south's maxed out. No more greed for territory grab games. My goals: crush Dart one-on-one, win Midgard siege finals."
["Spaceking's the target, no Iscaria lust?"]
"For now."
I could hear his brain whirring.
Then.
["Can't commit now. Post-war mode, we'll decide what's best for our guild."]
A sly smile tugged my lips.
"Sure."
Wise choice.
But I was certain: come war mode, I'd make Gilgamesh unable to let go.
I'd ensure it.