Those Who Meet Shall Part, Those Who Throw Shall Return (6)

Users and NPCs each have their clear strengths and weaknesses.

In the current era, after the opening of the second Ares, NPCs still overwhelmingly outclassed users in level.

One must remember that just four years ago, users had started at level 1.

The mere fact that users had caught up to the NPCs was astonishing.

NPCs' advantage lay in being born and raised here, growing naturally in this world, while users' edge came from quests that allowed them to pursue that growth.

Users advanced by clearing quests to gain stats, skills, and more.

They could even learn information unknown to NPCs through quests.

And another benefit of quests:

The ability to anticipate future events.

Sometimes these impending events were announced, sometimes not.

Quite unfriendly, really.

But users had no complaints.

At least it gave them a heads-up now and then—what more could they ask for?

And now, Hyun-soo had learned of one such impending event.

Hyun-soo's face twisted in bewilderment upon seeing the message from Arte, and at the same time, a quest triggered.

The times are troubled...

Hyun-soo had personally thought that if he waged a territory war, users would be the first threat.

'Posts confirming they've crossed to the Asgan continent server to hunt my hidden territory are popping up everywhere.'

Fortunately, they wouldn't touch Ballass Territory.

This was thanks to Nel's strategy.

'We need to pull most of Ballass Territory's forces out. Leave only the minimum residents and blacksmiths. In name, Lord Bak will step back, and we'll make it look like Brelin is the lord.'

'Why? Won't that leave Ballass vulnerable if attacked?'

'Ares is modeled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠after the Middle Ages. A world of endless wars, ruled by strength, with scant human rights.'

'Right, so we need more troops...'

'But users aren't like that.'

Back then, Nel had filled in Hyun-soo's blind spot.

'Modern users live in the 21st century. Russia, which started the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian War, faced global condemnation. Modern people despise one-sided plunder and massacres against the powerless.'

...So users won't indiscriminately attack Ballass, which looks like civilian territory, for fear of massive backlash? But crazies exist everywhere, right?'

'Yes. But even crazies gain nothing from raiding Ballass now. They'd only incur your wrath. Question: How many users want to buy your anger? Global users are burning with competitive spirit, not personal vendettas against you.'

'What about NPCs?'

'Even rebels wouldn't dare plunder a nation under His Highness Barad—they'd be annihilated.'

Hyun-soo had been impressed by Nel's wisdom.

'For contingencies, we've disguised Lord Bak, Gale Squadron members, and Lookk as ordinary residents.'

Hyun-soo knew he had to return to Atlas.

"Arte, I'm heading back. Send a messenger bird if anything comes up."

Before tearing his return scroll, he whispered to Nel.

Hyun-soo looked puzzled.

'What's this? She's not the type to log out at a time like this.'

Hyun-soo tore the return scroll.

Meanwhile.

Hye-in had also confirmed the triggered quest "Rebels" and logged out immediately.

"An unprecedented crisis for Hyun's Forge."

If users and rebels both discovered Atlas at the same time, Hyun's Forge could fall in an instant.

'One wave we can weather, but two? Impossible.'

Yet Hye-in sensed something off.

She checked the info she'd gathered on her computer.

Screenshots filled the screen.

Click.

She checked more info.

"Kabel...?"

She mulled over the name.

Posts claiming Kabel was a fraud, no longer an info broker, or had been duped by an imposter were flooding in.

Aside from Fond, rankers from most regions had been scattered into high-difficulty dungeons.

In other words, empty-handed.

'Excluding Fond, the others hold no malice toward Hyun-soo. So they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't bring full armies—just minimal escorts.'

Thus, not much of a threat.

But what puzzled Hye-in:

"Why Kabel, of all people?"

She knew of him too.

His price tag far exceeded even Korea's rank 1, I-hwan.

Known as the Shadow, he'd never shown his face.

Buying info from him was notoriously hard.

Her suspicion boiled down to this:

'The rebels aren't heading toward Atlas.'

Hye-in posed the question:

Do NPCs buy information too?

The answer was yes. They purchased from top brokers when needed.

"Did Kabel send the rebels into the Endless Maze too?"

The two groups trapped in the maze shared common traits.

First: Large-scale armies.

Second: Malice toward Hyun-soo.

Kabel had sent the smaller ranker groups into dungeons, as noted.

Hye-in pondered.

"Ally or enemy?"

Logging back into Ares, she found her answer.

"Kabel... you say?"

Hyun-soo realized his anonymous friend was Kabel and marveled.

Not just because he now had an ally to rely on.

He'd known neither the name nor the power, but learning his friend was even greater than imagined filled him with admiration and joy.

"Knew he was the real deal."

Hyun-soo explained everything to Nel.

"...Raon, you mean?"

Nel realized he was a staunch ally.

"Why do you think that?"

Why send those two similar groups there?

She racked her brains for the answer.

At that moment.

Arriving on the continent where one could walk the path of Asura, Kabel gave a wry smile.

'This method can only be used once.'

A method enabled by discarding all his past achievements.

Of course, as he now sought the Asura path, it didn't matter.

'You are the only one I've acknowledged.'

Kabel acknowledged no one— not even China's famed strategist Zhuge.

But staying in Atlas Territory, he'd learned Nel was its key figure.

'Only you, with your brilliant mind, can quickly piece it together.'

Kabel had merely directed them; creating the outcome was up to her.

"His Highness is consumed by loneliness, blinded to the world, toyed with by the sycophantic Count Hyun-soo like a leech."

Words from Sword Master Roman as he led the rebels.

The Goyad Kingdom housed two great sword clans, dubbed the Twin Peaks.

One led by Laisen, who had clashed with Hyun-soo before.

The other was Roman's Praider family.

Unlike Laisen, Sword Master Roman was quite young.

"Indeed."

"This is our last chance to open His ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Highness's eyes to the truth."

He surveyed the gathered rebels.

Though he spoke nobly, their hearts were pitch black.

'Without Bella or the bloodline, I'd be the one on the throne, not him? Laisen's too old. I'm Goyad's sole light.'

He masked his greed with false rhetoric about guiding the heir rightly.

And.

'If Count Hyun-soo falls, Roman nears the heirship.'

'Then great positions for us too.'

His followers thought the same.

Roman declared,

"This is reform for Goyad's future."

"Well said!"

"For Goyad!"

"For Goyad!"

A young knight asked,

"What of the territory's residents?"

Roman feigned bitterness.

"If they become our ears, our bodies, our tongues—they live."

After the brutal war, the Sword King would investigate.

Ballass residents would then testify it was just war.

"Otherwise, as brainwashed by Count Hyun-soo, they die."

Continental law forbade killing civilians.

Goyad law punished it harshly.

Ignoring it, Roman's greed was truly terrifying.

Soon they reached the forest.

But something odd happened.

"Isn't this the way we came?"

"...Strange. The info broker I bought from was renowned even across continents. Let's check this way."

Moments later.

"Back where we started!"

"Then this way."

Again.

"...?"

"...?"

"...?"

Roman panicked, then burst laughing.

"...They said he's a master of brainwashing—true enough. Magic's at work here. His territory's hidden nearby. Find it quickly."

Roman and the rebels pressed on, seeking hidden Atlas.

Then, they spotted an oncoming unidentified group.

'2,000...?'

Frowning at the dark mass, Roman noted,

'Not Count Hyun-soo's territory emblem...?'

He tilted his head warily.

'Rebels are NPCs, Fond's forces are users.'

Nel closed her eyes, deep in thought.

'Those two groups can only meet in the Endless Maze.'

Then it hit her.

NPCs distrust users.

Users distrust NPCs.

Moreover.

"Fond doesn't know their affiliation, and the rebels don't know who these Chinese invaders are."

Nel's eyes snapped open.

"I understand Kabel's intent, Hyun-soo."

Nel nearly shivered in awe.

Sending people everywhere.

Directing some here, some there.

Judging she'd figure it out.

Seeing the full board, she was truly grateful to Kabel.

"Your friend has given ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠us the only way to defend Atlas."

It was true.

4,000 rebels and 2,000 of Fond's elites were too much for Atlas.

"What is it...?"

"Use the enemy's own methods against them."

Hyun-soo knew it as "defeat the enemy with the enemy's strength."

But its true meaning was deeper.

"Catch barbarians with barbarians."

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