Continental War (2)

Logging back into Ares, Hyun-soo recalled what he'd seen.

World blacksmith ranking 3rd. World forge ranking 2nd.

Wang Gang, with his 50 million total subscribers, was firing up the furnace for Chinese players.

The article Hyun-soo had seen before reconnecting left a deep impression.

Hyun-soo had first created a legendary artifact 10 months ago.

Back then, he was the only one in Korea.

But in games, once one artifact spreads, it accelerates. Others follow suit.

When Hyun-soo made his first legend, there were fewer than 20 in the entire world.

Now, over 80 had been released.

'Maybe even more.'

Players kept growing stronger.

'Chinese players bringing multiple legends. How many? Four? Five?'

He had no idea.

Suddenly, Hyun-soo checked himself.

One Transcendent Twin Dragon Sword.

One Legend-Above-Legend Supreme Blade.

One Legend God-Forged Crown.

One Legend Calamity Necklace.

One Legend Calamity Armor.

"......When did I end up with all this?"

Hyun-soo's level was 339.

The average for Continental War participants was 370.

But his edge against them?

'I've got five of these alone.'

And moreover.

'I've decided to join the Continental War. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Might as well go for MVP.'

He also wanted new transcendent-grade artifact materials.

So he needed a way to stand out even more.

'Equip these five artifacts with yet another legend.'

He imagined it suddenly.

Even if China brought six, seven, or ten legends.

'No one wields five or more legends alone.'

And the way to add another legend here.

Recreate the Lord's Coat and Calamity Gauntlet.

He mulled over the word calamity.

The word humans feared ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠most.

A way to exploit their primal terror.

'And a way to make an even better coat and gauntlet.'

Hyun-soo made his decision.

He'd found one of the things people feared most.

'This is it.'

How to make it even more special?

'Cutting power, defense, telekinesis, leap.'

He wouldn't give up a single one.

Instead, he'd boost their performance dramatically. At the cost of nerfing others.

'The set artifact effects from wearing four pieces.'

Overwhelming boosts across the board.

Because it was a set, all performance improved by over 10%.

'Nerf those, and create my own calamity that terrifies the enemy instead.'

Different from fire.

Not burning him, but making enemies tremble in fear.

Hyun-soo smiled.

'Even without an offensive Twin Dragon Sword, I'll claim MVP.'

And as he recreated them, notifications rang out.

Then the Lord's Coat, which he'd recreated before.

He recreated that too.

Hyun-soo was shocked.

"......!"

Hyun-soo realized.

'I've grown since I made this half a year ago.'

Finally, it was recreated.

Unfortunately, the gauntlet didn't upgrade.

But what mattered to Hyun-soo was this.

He'd nerfed the set % boosts.

And nerfed everything except cutting, defense, leap, and telekinesis to create his own calamity.

With this power, he believed he'd play a huge role in claiming MVP.

Hyun-soo logged out.

'Gotta sleep well the day before the event.'

To enter the Continental War in peak condition.

The whole world was buzzing.

The day of the Continental War had dawned.

Broadcasters worldwide covered it with commentators and MCs.

On the walls.

Korea's top guild master, Hwarang's I-hwan, gazed at the Chinese players from the fortress.

'World rank 4 Fond, 8 Wei, 15 Kou, 19 Riu......'

I-hwan's face darkened with despair.

As commander, he knew strength well.

World rank 4 Fond alone could handle over 20 Korean players.

'Among our participants, only I'm in the world top 50.'

The enemy had over seven in the top 50.

Korea had a few more top 50s, but most weren't participating.

'Probably skipped due to this power gap.'

I-hwan had no choice but to join.

National rank 1. Master of the top guild.

Skipping would've been outright cowardice.

I-hwan was the ruthless ranker who'd built Hwarang without mercy.

Greedy and ambitious, but he cared for his country in his own way.

He turned back.

Players wore excited expressions.

They ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hadn't clashed with Chinese players yet.

No.

'They haven't faced real powerhouses.'

I-hwan had.

Korea's unofficial rankers.

Their power was on another level.

Worlds apart from those outside top 100.

Bwooooooo—!

Horns blared from both sides.

I-hwan's eyes shook at the sight unfolding before him.

The players behind him felt the same.

"......"

A moment of overwhelming silence fell over everyone.

'Zhuge, you bastard......!'

Their strategy: overwhelming numbers.

Leading China's players: Wei.

World necromancer rank 2.

I-hwan had noticed many Chinese in robes, hoods low, faces hidden.

Something was up.

And most were necromancers and summoners.

They'd stacked them heavily in their roster.

Especially Wei's power was terrifying.

Over 400 level 340 undead appeared right before him.

Then 1,500 more from high-level necromancers crossed the bridge.

And 200 Chinese players hid among the undead horde.

"Priests, infuse holy power into the archers' arrows! Fire!"

Pyupyupyupyupung—

Arrows flew nonstop.

But the problem: they kept summoning more undead in waves.

"I-hwan-nim......"

"Yeah."

I-hwan nodded at a ranker's voice.

"They plan to breach in three hours."

I-hwan shouted to the players.

"Conserve skills and spells!"

"Pardon? But......"

"They're coming faster than we can kill!"

Just as Zhuge planned.

Players had limits.

Skill cooldowns.

Pour everything now, and they'd wipe the undead.

But then Chinese players would rush in.

Cooldown-locked Koreans would die to their skills.

"What do we do?"

"They're already crossing the bridge."

"Priests' undead debuffs have clear limits!"

Priest debuffs only reached 20m.

And only 30 priests in the battle.

I-hwan agonized.

'Use skills to take undead? Or hold with basics?'

His chest burned.

Players were realizing the gravity.

"......They're almost across!"

"Use skills!?"

"Commander, give the order......!"

"......"

I-hwan's face twisted.

'We need to weaken the undead.'

Enough for a few arrows to kill.

But impossible now.

He had to make the call.

I-hwan was about to shout.

"All skills authorized—"

"No."

A woman approached.

'Nel, was it?'

I-hwan frowned.

"I know what you're gonna say. But spare me the obvious—"

"Not that. Let the undead approach the walls."

"What?"

I-hwan's face crumpled.

"Hyun's Forge has......"

His eyes widened at her words.

"......You have an artifact like that?"

"Yes."

I-hwan hesitated briefly.

'Does it really exist?'

He quickly pulled up a hologram.

Linked to Ares community, he searched the artifact.

And was stunned.

'......It does.'

I-hwan decided.

"Respond with basics only! Skills absolutely forbidden!"

"......Pardon!?"

"Wh-what......!"

"Disobey, and I'll force-log you out! Priests, assemble on me!"

The undead had crossed the bridge.

"Undead approaching fortress!"

"Swelled to 2,200!"

"Only 300 downed!"

"W-we'll be breached!"

But I-hwan waited.

Screams and shouts echoed everywhere.

Commentators yelled.

Cold sweat dripped down I-hwan's back as he waited.

Then commentators gasped.

—......Huh?

—Those minerals?

All eyes turned skyward.

Masses of ore flew up, melting.

Refining.

Impurities burned away.

Purification.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Then hammering sounds captivated global viewers.

Dingdingdingdingclang—

Cooling.

Sssshhhh—

Viewers and commentators looked puzzled.

The finished form.

Floating in the sky.

No one didn't know what it was.

—A bell?

—Giant bell!

One commentator recognized it.

—It's the Bosingak Bell, designated national treasure!

—The New Year's bell!?

—Why is the Bosingak Bell here?

Then a man spoke.

"Ring it."

The bell vanished before their eyes.

They scanned for it.

And soon found it.

—C-Crazy Rookie!!!?

Crazy Rookie Hyun-soo. The bell stood before him.

This New Year's bell lookalike wasn't really the Bosingak Bell.

Its true name.

'Ramas's Bell.'

The sacred bell that saved Kassel Territory from undead.