Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Multiple Simultaneous Attacks
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I stared blankly at the world message for a moment.
“What did it say?”
This was genuinely shocking information.
“Hayes taking down a Thunderbird? That’s not supposed to happen, is it?”
Of course, Hayes was a sword master regarded as nothing short of legend in Ardania. She could be called the Human Empire’s second strongest.
However... calling her second was just empty words. The gap in combat power between her and me was utterly massive. She wasn’t on the same level as the guy who’d charged in solo and smashed the fanatics’ heads.
‘Hayes is strong, sure, but if we’re splitting hairs, she’s only hero-grade... She beat a special boss that isn’t even a legendary elite or legendary boss? And a flying monster at that?’
I turned Kasim, who’d been heading for the guild tower, toward the west gate and gazed down at the city.
The battle was nearly over.
I could see knights below severing the lifeline of the wyvern that had plummeted from the sky. The wyvern struggled to rise and resist, but battered by the hail of gunfire and reeling from the crash, it couldn’t withstand the knights’ assault.
“Oh, right.”
I opened my inventory and swapped gear before anyone could spot me. Even if people had already seen, there was no need to wander around in this getup.
It didn’t take long to reach the west gate on Kasim.
Scattered soldiers and knights lay below, with healers darting busily between them and urgently mobilized workers pitching in.
“Grab every songpyeon you can carry! Tell ’em it’s for the knights!”
“Surgeries indoors! You’ll get dust in the wounds!”
“Use your personal potions! We’ll reimburse at 1.5 times!”
The scene was chaotic, but not as bad as it could’ve been. The groans erupting everywhere ironically signaled that fatalities weren’t too high.
More than anything, this was the castle interior—stockpiled with manpower and supplies. Follow-up measures were underway swiftly.
‘The daily training was worth it.’
Endless wild boar meat pouring from Wild Boar, common-grade cloth and leather drops from monsters, and the buildings that spawned alongside castle construction—these let the Human Empire fully provide for its citizens’ food, clothing, and shelter.
In other words, the empire’s citizens were now completely free from the brutal labor they’d endured their whole lives.
But no nation stays comfy forever.
Those who’d suffered under harsh labor...
Now endured harsh training.
‘Gotta finish the guerrilla zone soon... Every empire citizen ought to spend a full month there each year...’
A plan that’d spark a coup back on Earth, but this wasn’t Earth—it was Ardania.
I arrived at my destination and canceled Kasim’s summon.
Thud.
As my boots hit the ground, a knight clad in heavy plate rushed up and saluted.
“Sir! Iron Castle First Legion West Gate Gatekeeper Five reporting. Post-battle cleanup in progress.”
“Casualties?”
“Confirmed so far: 87 dead, 241 serious injuries, 458 minor.”
“Heavy losses...”
The gatekeeper’s eyes went wide, clearly disagreeing with my assessment.
‘Fair enough.’
Against tens of thousands of massive monsters unleashing powerful abilities, a mere 87 dead was a resounding victory by any normal measure.
‘But these are regenerating monsters. With a mythic-grade castle, the losses should’ve been even lighter.’
Shaking my head, I headed toward the wounded.
At their center lay Hayes, her skin charred pitch-black.
“You’re here?”
“You good?”
“Not good, but... I feel like I could fly. Never dreamed I’d take down that damn Thunderbird... Cough!”
Hayes’s body heaved as she wolfed down songpyeon.
I snatched the chunk that flew from her mouth and shoved it back in.
Buff food lost its effect if even a single piece spilled.
“Eat slower.”
“Feels like I’m dying any second, so I’m rushing... Huff huff!”
She finally chewed it all down, then chased it with a potion.
As the hero-grade songpyeon’s effect kicked in, the charred skin sloughed off, fresh new flesh sprouting underneath. Hayes stuck out her tongue in awe.
“Wow. Back in the day, a wound like this would’ve killed me or left me crippled.”
The massive Chuseok songpyeon stockpile I’d hoarded was paying bigger dividends for my troops than for me.
Today alone, without them, the death toll would’ve been way higher.
“Anyway, you got lucky.”
I turned from Hayes. There sat Steelstone, legs crossed in lotus position.
“Seriously...”
Hayes sprayed potion over herself as she spoke.
“Never thought we could actually catch a Thunderbird.”
Unexpectedly, a storm of emotions flickered across Hayes’s face—relief, sorrow, emptiness, and more.
I could guess the reason soon enough.
“You’ve fought it before.”
“Fought? More like chased, lost comrades, watched my home get wrecked, hid in shadows whenever thunder cracked from the sky...”
She spoke listlessly, leaning back against the wall.
With her armor in ruins and nothing decent to look at, I pulled a robe from my inventory and draped it over her.
“Thanks.”
Hayes gave a wry smile and continued.
“Like I said, pure luck. I never faced the full disaster-grade—y’know, special boss—thing, but at least I knew the Thunderbird’s habits. And that psycho Edward’s too. Add this castle’s massive advantages: the barrage was brutal even by my standards, the barrier blocked all ranged attacks, forcing the Thunderbird to land. And then...”
She trailed off and turned her head.
In the cleared space where people had stepped back sat Steelstone, still in lotus position.
“Talk about luck. That timing of all things...”
Whoooo...
A faint golden glow enveloped Steelstone’s body.
Proof that his Reverse Meridian Rejuvenation Technique had hit ten stars.
Completion of the heart method.
“For one of them to reach sword master realm...”
“Hoo...”
Steelstone let out a deep exhale. So profound it kicked up dust around him. He regulated his breathing a few more times, then opened his eyes.
“...Ah.”
I smiled at his dazed expression.
“Congrats.”
“Thank... you, Your Majesty.”
As he spoke, Steelstone toppled sideways. I caught him and handed him off to one of the Steel Shield knights watching.
“He’s out cold. Take him to the barracks.”
“Y-Yes, Your Majesty! Loyalty!”
A tall, dark-skinned female knight with striking features scooped him up eagerly and carried him off. Her face looked oddly delighted for some reason, but it had to be my imagination.
“Well, that worked out.”
I regretted not bagging the Thunderbird myself. Battles like that inevitably caused casualties, and with my legendary luck gear stacked high and blessings past stage two, the drop rates between me and a regular player were worlds apart.
Still...
‘It worked out fine.’
Taking down a legendary special boss over such a vast area without my help carried enormous significance.
Right here, right now.
My knights and soldiers had proven they could handle a special boss on their own.
‘Add the wall-mounted batteries and Giggas legion, and it’ll be even easier. Can’t abuse it, though.’
Siege objects weren’t all equal: guns gave experience, but artillery barrages and Giggas summons didn’t. Considering how hard it was for soldiers to level guardians or complete collections like me, best to save them for true crises.
“Phew. Finally, I can breathe.”
Hayes stood, somewhat recovered as time passed.
Her exploits in the battle must’ve been something else—soldiers gazed at her with awe-tinged eyes.
“Hmm. Two masters now, huh...”
I was inwardly impressed when—
“Report! Incoming report!”
I turned at the shout. Far off, a mounted soldier galloped furiously toward us. His uniform and banner marked him as a messenger.
He reined in before me, dismounted, and saluted.
“Sir! Quickdraw Regiment Lieutenant Cloud reporting!”
“Right. What’s the word, Lieutenant Cloud?”
“Under attack! Wildcat Castle’s getting hit by lightning-attribute monsters!”
Wildcat Castle sat at Q-19, three hundred kilometers north of Iron Castle—the continent’s northern tip.
“When’d it start?”
My calm demeanor steadied the excited lieutenant as he replied.
“About three hours ago. They’re holding the line for now.”
“Enemy numbers?”
“Roughly three thousand.”
Covering three hundred kilometers in three hours meant he’d used a teleport scroll.
‘But even for a teleport scroll, that’s late, isn’t it?’
On second thought, each castle had only one teleport scroll—no spares. Hard to use lightly. They’d probably tried holding with their own strength first.
Coming anyway meant they’d judged defense impossible.
“Report! Incoming report!”
Another messenger arrived.
“Sir! Quickdraw Regiment Lieutenant Morningstar!”
“Attack? Where?”
“Three thousand from the Heavenly Thunder Legion hit Blue Hammer Castle! Defense is crumbling!”
And it didn’t stop there.
“Report! Incoming report!”
“Huff huff! Big Fang Castle...!”
My eyes narrowed at the steady stream of arriving messengers.
“Ha, you bastards.”
Simultaneous attacks.
If Iron Castle had been under siege, I couldn’t have done a thing even with the news. Might not have gotten it at all.
“They came looking for death.”
But things hadn’t gone as they’d planned. The forces that hit Iron Castle got wiped out fast.
“Thanks for the relay. No need to worry—just head to the barracks and rest.”
“Huh? But it’s war...”
“No need to worry.”
Exactly. No worries at all. The Human Empire was about to unleash its final, ultimate weapon.
“I’ll handle it myself.”
I summoned Kasim, thinking:
Before the day ended, I’d swing the Heaven-Cleaving Sword ten more times.