Reinforcement (5)
“Tsk tsk. What in the world is His Highness thinking?”
In the banquet hall, Marquis Constantinu eyed the arrivals from Ballus Territory with undisguised disdain.
Marquis Constantinu was one of the three stars of the Goyad Kingdom.
He, too, harbored no fondness for Hyun-soo, that mere outsider.
“Nel, Prime Minister of Ballus Territory. Greetings to Marquis Constantinu.”
Constantinu turned his head away from the woman named Nel.
A thorough snub.
No one else in this banquet hall wielded such influence.
Thus, the others present were treating the Gwangmyeong guild members with similar contempt.
Constantinu surveyed the kingdom's talents filling the hall.
Nobles and promising figures from across the nation—these were the ones destined to lead Goyad into the future.
Before long, nobles from various regions crowded around him.
“The Star of the Kingdom! It's an honor to meet you, Marquis Constantinu!”
“Ho, a scion of the Brak family? I hear you've become a knight.”
“Yes! I shall strive diligently to become a knight who protects you, Marquis!”
“Marquis, greetings!”
“Haha, so many coming to pay their respects—my heart swells with joy.”
Constantinu tilted his glass in delight.
The hall's revelers were starting to loosen up with the wine, one by one.
“You're drinking heavily today.”
“When else but on a day like this?”
Constantinu downed another glass, then furrowed his brow in confusion.
Boldrom Fortress evoked the image of a colosseum in its layout.
Built around massive circular walls, its center lay wide open to the sky.
And from that open sky above, black auras rippled ominously.
“Hm?”
The black auras coalesced and plummeted toward Constantinu.
KABOOM-!
CRUNCH-!
“...?”
Constantinu blinked in bewilderment.
Moments ago, these nobles had been laughing and chatting with him—now they lay torn to shreds, their blood spraying everywhere.
The alcohol's warmth fled his veins in an instant.
“Aaaagh!”
“Kyaaah!”
Constantinu spotted a young woman and man who had descended to the ground.
The woman's long red hair was infamous.
She wielded immense power and worshipped the evil god—a mad dog, they called her.
People knew her as the First Calamity.
First Calamity Helinya Appears!
First Calamity Helinya Lv. 436
The man beside her gripped a massive greatsword shaped like rippling waves.
Standing over 2.2 meters tall, a giant among giants.
No other Calamity could match him in close combat.
Second Calamity Rogal Appears!
Second Calamity Rogal Lv. 429
Constantinu staggered back.
Status Ailment: Calamity Activates.
A Massive Slaughter Instinct Paralyzes All Reason.
Terror and Fear Dominate Everything.
“Urghhh...”
“Guhk...”
Constantinu glanced around. Those untrained in martial prowess.
Frail-bodied folk foaming at the mouth and collapsing.
Even Constantinu was engulfed by overwhelming terror and dread.
Soon, Helinya raised her snake-headed staff.
Book of the Evil God Activates.
A Massive Barrier Engulfs Boldrom Fortress.
Intrusion into Boldrom Fortress Is Prohibited.
Helinya's Level Is Too Low to Fully Utilize the Book of the Evil God.
Lv. 450+ Cannot Enter Under Any Circumstances.
Lv. 400+ Has a Slim Chance of Entry.
Lv. 300+ Can Enter After a Long Wait.
The Book of the Evil God.
A power bestowed by the evil god upon the Calamities.
It resembled the ability once manifested by the Fifth Calamity, Jack.
Helinya slammed her staff into the ground.
CRUNCH-!
“You've killed Lord Demon, so now you pay the price.”
The ground where the staff's tip touched turned to sand and sank away.
The sinkhole grew steadily larger.
And from within...
Kikikikiki
Kidik-kidik
An unidentified screech echoed out.
The faces of those present hardened in terror.
From the sunken earth rose something the size of a human arm—something unknown.
'Antennae?'
It was the black antennae of an insect.
Soon, a colossal creature over 2.5 meters tall emerged.
Giant Ant Lv. 354
Burrowing up from below came some 150 Giant Ants.
What heightened Constantinu's tension were the ants spreading wings and taking flight.
Soldier Ant Lv. 375
The Soldier Ants wielded spears and swords, numbering around twenty.
'So the First Calamity dabbles in summoning...'
With a swing of Helinya's staff, black auras seeped into the ants' bodies.
Giant Ants' Physical Defense +30%.
Giant Ants' Magic Defense +30%.
Kyaaak-!
One Giant Ant lunged at a noble.
One of his knights stepped forward to block it.
The brave knight swung boldly at the Giant Ant.
TANG-!
The knight's eyes widened in shock.
“Wh-what the hell...?”
Not even a scratch on the Giant Ant's carapace.
The knights averaged Lv. 320.
Against Lv. 350 Giant Ants with 30% boosted defense, they stood no chance.
The ant seized the knight with its side mandibles.
RRRIP-!
The knight's armor crumpled like paper, and with a crunch, he was torn in three.
SPLOOSH-!
“Die.”
The Calamity had begun.
“Uwaaaah!”
“Protect the nobles!”
“Prime Minister, this way... Aaaagh!”
“Uwaaaah!”
Constantinu's face drained of color.
Even the finest knights' weapons barely fazed the Giant Ants.
Constantinu assessed the situation with the coldest clarity.
'The end of Goyad...'
Not all the people needed to die for it to be the end.
These 600-odd souls were the kingdom's future leaders.
Their annihilation would inflict irrecoverable damage.
At Helinya's gesture, dozens of Giant Ants turned toward Constantinu.
“Marquis Constantinu, fear not!”
Knights clashed with ants. Some shone exceptionally.
Sword saints of their domains.
Lv. 350 powerhouses.
Yet three or four Soldier Ants swarmed each.
“Hiiiik!”
“Th-this can't be!”
“Sir Ramas falls so easily...!”
The nobles and talents guarding Constantinu fled.
Those who once vowed their lives now bolted in panic.
Constantinu saw the ant baring its razor fangs right before him.
“Hiiiik!”
Then.
FWEEEE-!
BOOM-!
A single arrow blasted the Giant Ant 20 meters away.
'Wh-what...!?'
Constantinu gaped in shock.
The arrow shaft was half the length of a standard one.
The ant it struck thrashed, its thick carapace pierced, oozing viscous green blood.
Turning, he saw figures advancing amid the fleeing crowd.
Constantinu took them in.
Leading them: Nel, the woman whose greeting he'd ignored.
“We'll hold them. The mages are forming a barrier—buy a little time.”
In his terror-fueled petulance, Constantinu spat.
“How dare the likes of you block those monsters!”
Then a man struck down a diving Giant Soldier Ant from the air.
POW-!
Dragon Knight Riesel.
And.
CRUNCH-!
CRUNCH-!
CRUNCH-!
Ian and Hye-ji stood left and right, loosing arrows like mad.
Ian's shots lacked precision but warped the ants' forms.
Hye-ji's packed less punch but struck flawlessly.
Kyeeeek-!
Seven ants spat venom simultaneously.
Bak appeared, slamming his shield down.
CLATTER-!
The poison froze solid before reaching Constantinu.
Constantinu looked skyward.
Tae-hoon stomped the air six times.
PA, PAPAPA, POP-!
He kicked away Soldier Ants trying to devour nobles midair.
Then he leaped once more, heel-smashing a flying Soldier Ant from above.
KABOOM-!
Beyond the rising dust, a sword-wielding knight appeared.
One man dominated the battlefield.
SLASH-!
PAPAPAP-!
CRUNCH-!
Constantinu couldn't believe it.
Their visible levels shouldn't yield such power.
'What in the...?'
How could Lv. 330-350s overwhelm peers like this?
Constantinu spotted the anomaly.
'Artifacts...?'
Each wielded something extraordinary.
That was their strength.
Regardless.
Defensive Barrier Forms.
Dozens of mages completed the barrier, dividing allies from foes.
'...They saved me?'
Constantinu, who had mocked them as outsiders during the feast.
He'd sneered because he doubted their commitment to the kingdom.
But no.
Gwangmyeong guild had earned high affinity with him.
Yet Constantinu knew.
'We'll all die anyway...'
The situation was hopeless.
Meanwhile.
Nel exchanged whispers with Hyun-soo.
Hyun-soo issued orders.
Nel's eyes trembled.
She mulled it over deeply.
Nel never got her reply.
Helinya elegantly flicked her fingers.
Whispers and Guild Chat Are Now Restricted.
The barrier bought Nel precious time.
She scanned her surroundings.
Not just NPCs gathered here— a handful of users too.
Nel's heart raced with excitement.
'Finally.'
A moment long awaited.
Nel sprang into action.
***
AJ Internet Broadcasting Station.
Dozens of monitors streamed Boldrom Fortress's chaos.
The feeds came from users inside the fortress.
BJ Beren.
With 700,000 viewers and 400,000 subscribers, his content focused on noble life.
His chance attendance at the banquet had turned into a broadcast goldmine.
“No BJs willing to relay straight to us?”
“None, sir...”
Kim PD's face soured.
Indie BJs wouldn't share when they could hog the views.
Plus, public interest was skyrocketing.
700,000 viewers.
460,000 viewers.
390,000 viewers.
Secured by users on-site.
Sudden cheers erupted from stations.
BJs and experts analyzing the scene.
“...!?”
“...!?”
Kim PD and Director Lee gawked.
“Why are they there?”
“Why are they all together?”
Top Korean rankers, united—this shocked everyone most.
Viewership surged across broadcasts.
Riesel, Bak, Saint's child Bellia—familiar names in Ares.
The genius trio? Everyone knew their faces.
Then.
Bzzz.
'Hm?'
Kim PD took the call.
“An official notice? Not simple.”
Exclusive relay from them? Portrait rights lawsuits made it plausible.
But tricky.
Director Lee took the phone.
“I'd like to hear your terms. Give me a clear reason why we should.”
Director Lee was meticulous.
Even with his broadcast network connections, official notices demanded caution.
But.
“...What?”
Director Lee's eyes shook at Hye-in's words.
'We have to do this.'
He gasped.
“We'll issue it immediately.”
Gazing at the monitors, Director Lee marveled.
“Finally, huh?”
***
Broadcast Ending.
Viewers panicked.
Viewers migrated swiftly.
New arrivals gawked.
Current Viewers: 1,101,061
[Guild Gwangmyeong]
Experts reeled too.
Then, another bombshell.
Gwangmyeong Guild Changes Name.
Changed to Hyun's Forge.
Shockwaves hit.
Hyun's Forge, long veiled, finally spread its wings.
The tremor rippled beyond Korea, across the world.
Proven by one number.
Current Viewers: 1,613,013