Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: The Gate Uproar
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Hardworking Pay-to-Win Knight 160
⤷QkyuQkyu2020: Oh. Suddenly getting exciting?
⤷StarSea: ↑Are you high?
Of course, there were occasional supportive comments.
⤷Terraria: But couldn't a gate open or something? The monster outbreak happening right now is kinda similar to a gate if you think about it, so why all the fuss?
But the reaction was cold.
⤷FlopFlop: Just because it could happen in real life doesn't mean it's okay in a novel? A ton of people died in traffic accidents back in the modern era, but would you buy it if a modern novel's protagonist got randomly hit by a car and died?
⤷StarSea: Same as getting killed by a falling palm tree. A bunch die every year, so maybe a final boss just happened to be passing by? Ah, no, this is seriously bad. There's no foreshadowing or anything…… You need to revise it now, author! This plot makes no sense!
Everyone was refusing to buy it, but actually, it was a perfectly logical development. It just required one single premise.
That it was based on true events.
In a novel based on real events, plausibility and realism aren't that big a deal. If it actually happened, who cares if it "makes sense" or not?
'Plus, Rozarian exploited that situation masterfully.'
When New Buds Sprout had been constantly describing the timeline in Ardania. International politics. Events unfolding across the continent.
Why? They had nothing to do with the protagonist at the time.
'Telling the readers exactly what the timeline was.'
If the reader were an Ardania native instead of someone from Earth, they'd be thinking about gates the whole time they read.
'Because they know what year the gates opened.'
Even if they didn't realize it outright, the characters' offhand remarks and continent-wide descriptions would keep reminding them. Naturally, readers would start thinking.
When conflicts arose between people.
Would the gate open and resolve it?
When all sorts of problems cropped up.
Would monsters wipe everything out?
When new characters and situations emerged.
Is it about time? Is it now?
But it still didn't happen. And just when readers thought, 'Oh, next year maybe?'...
That's when the gate exploded open.
Honestly, it was chilling. To the point where you doubt if it's really based on true events.
The scene where every conflict, relationship, character, and faction gets shattered by the massive gate event was downright destructive.
"But…… it won't look that way to Earth readers."
Still, he couldn't exactly step forward and defend it, so he just closed the replies window and got up from his seat.
Ding!
He took the elevator out of the Room Tower. To avoid being recognized, he pulled his hood low.
Shwaaaa!
Rain was pouring down. Hands in his pockets, he stepped out onto the road.
Crackle.
An ice barrier formed over his head, deflecting the raindrops. It was pouring like crazy, but the streets were packed with people.
'Well, it's not Ardania. No one here's staying inside because of a little rain.'
Despite the downpour, people were out strolling as usual, lounging in Gwanghwamun Square. Using their abilities, magic tools, or smart pets to relax regardless of the weather.
But in one corner of Gwanghwamun Square, a huge crowd had gathered.
"……What's that?"
Curious, he approached and saw a massive hologram screen broadcasting something.
And it was a scene very familiar to him.
[Die.]
With a low voice, the swung sword shattered the protective aura and aimed for Hyperion's head.
But it hit the guy's shoulder instead of his head, and Hyperion's magic sword targeted the attacker.
Crash!
A barrier rose like an illusion, shattering pointlessly as the magic sword sliced off the right hand along with the sword. And just as it went to stab the heart!
Pop!
The severed arm was a fake—the attacker swung his sword with a perfectly intact arm, knocking away the magic sword. Hyperion, who had charged in, was pushed back instead.
[Okay, stop! Did you see that?]
[No, I missed it. Incredible speed. Even with this much slow-mo…… All in 0.01 seconds?]
[It's transcendent-level combat, for sure. Hyperion's a transcendent-grade monster, but Game Master Han Jaeyeon's apostle is the real shocker. How many authorities did we just see in that split second…… Not a transcendent, but holding his own against one? Unbelievable.]
On the giant hologram, two men were gabbing about his fight with Hyperion.
'Ah, they finally aired Survival Island.'
Well, it had been filmed ages ago. If anything, this was late.
[He killed two transcendents but still isn't one.]
[But he's basically quasi, right? Look—head-on clash, Han Jaeyeon stays put while Hyperion gets pushed back four steps? Doesn't make sense. Transcendents are like walking fortresses. To shove one like that means he has some posture-control authority, at least.]
[Or maybe just insanely strong?]
[Hahaha. I'd call that nonsense, but I can't say for sure. As a Game God's apostle…… maybe he allocates stat points freely? Could be something where he pumps stats as needed every moment. Look—sword aura. Demon-infused sword aura, and the arm regrows……]
'Allocating stats every moment? Even with reset potions, I only have under 90. Still, not totally off-base. They have a rough idea about Land Breaker and my strength.'
The hologram showed a high-level qi cultivator and a mage analyzing the fight with sharp insight. The people sitting in front kept gasping in awe.
"Whoa, my god. Insane, for real."
"Didn't they say that Han Jaeyeon guy's only 24? Fighting transcendents at that age?"
"The Magical Girl helped him, right?"
"Sure, she helps, but how much can she really do? Look at that. How many sword auras is he tanking? Sword aura's so vicious you need a major hospital to heal it."
"Hey, if he can kill transcendents at that age, he's transcendent by 30 for sure, right?"
He listened to the murmurs for a bit, then turned and headed back to the Room Tower.
All the while thinking.
'Everything's changing.'
Of course it was. He was no longer a barbaric, violent outcast from another era.
Now he had quasi-transcendent combat power, the backing of a top-tier god, and economic power to rake in tens of billions effortlessly.
But.
"It's not enough."
Yeah. Not the end yet. He'd climb higher. Become even stronger, more important, greater.
"Meow!"
"Ah, already?"
He hurried back to his one-room, emptied his inventory, and set auto-hunt again.
Guildmates tempted him to run [Tower of Myth] or [World Dungeon], but he was too busy. Sure, endgame content like that paid way better than auto-hunt…… but Revenge had a saying.
Clocking in is part of the play.
Not that you play games at work—earning money to whale is part of the play too. In reality, 12 hours of work funding charges beats 12 hours of in-game grinding for character growth.
'Focus on the contest for now. Log in.'
He resumed dictation.
'Log out.'
Kept writing.
'Log in.'
'Log out.'
53 days into the Five Dragons Contest. Just one week left till the end.
A notice went up on Oryong Net.
[Hello from Green Dragon! We're shocked by the hot response! Lots of inquiries about the already-settled event payouts, so here's the notice!
Expanding the event settlement to 20 billion!
No worries—run till the very last second!]
"Ah, no double royalties, just points, but glad anyway."
He closed the notice and kept dictating. He'd cleared out 300 dropping works, but new ones kept coming—now serializing 250 total.
Meanwhile, When New Buds Sprout's comments section was on fire daily.
⤷StarSea: You idiots! You think the author went off the rails because of your comment shitstorm!?
⤷CommentsOnlyOnFlops: Yeah, your mom ^^
⤷StarSea: Mom insult?
⤷CommentsOnlyOnFlops: No, wishing her long life ^^
⤷StarSea: ……
Every chapter, the comments exploded. And that was it.
The so-called [Gate Incident] spread across communities.
[Some contest literary work.]
<Image>
<Image>
[Three-line summary.]
1. Extraordinary entry in Five Dragons Contest. Near-pure literature with barely any magic or martial arts.
2. Cranks out massive fans and haters. Comments section a daily arena.
3. Author cracks, opens a gate in pure lit work LMAOOOOO <--NEW!
The incident kept snowballing. He ignored it and kept dictating.
Buoyed by his praise, Yes churned out five chapters a day of Emperor Knight Never, sending manuscripts. With backlog, Novel Arena saw 15-30 chapters daily.
A storm of uploads!
Emperor Knight Never hit #5 on Novel Arena. At this rate, top 3 seemed possible.
Time passed.
Day 58 of the contest. His controlled serials raced toward completion, impact growing.
And finally, it happened.
An 8th-class mage and literary titan, master of the Blue Candle Sect. [Star-Counting Night] posted commentary on SNS about When New Buds Sprout.
[Regarding When New Buds Sprout.]
Read it on a friend's rave rec. Started reluctantly, couldn't stop.
Excellent writing.
Fantasy on another level from lazy stuff slapping modern thoughts/philosophy/common sense on a medieval backdrop.
Precise prose, living characters. Vast narrative and unwavering theme pulling readers—makes you doubt it's a newbie.
Not a stunning beauty or superpower holder, yet why do readers love Nuttina? Her medieval wisdom stems from insights into humanity that hold up today.
Dialogues revealing new layers and unseen ties each read elevate it to masterpiece tier.
And in that regard.
The gate.
Is.
Truly.
Regrettable.
I get needing a big event, but did it have to be a gate? Noble revolt or war would've been perfect.
Pity the author, swayed by readers despite such skill.
The ripple was huge.
[When New Buds Sprout (8th) NEW!]
It finally hit the top 10 bestsellers. A miracle given the contest-mismatching theme and style. But not all good.
[Inbox: 9999(+)]
No other contacts public, yet messages flooded. Some were 5,000-character critiques.
He wanted to grab them and hurl to Ardania, but powerless, he ignored and serialized.
Everyone said the work was collapsing. Rookie author swayed by readers. He tuned it out.
Yeah. Tuned it out.
'Swayed? Rozarian doesn't even see replies.'
No worry about the work crumbling. They claimed she overreached from comments, but no. She was just following the planned story from the start.
Day 60 of the contest. Five Dragons Contest ended.
He finalized all works.
[Hello, author!^^ From Green Dragon Publishing.]
Sending settlements split in two!
E-book settlement.
Contest settlement.
Was a blast during the event.
Keep up the great work!
Settlement: 2,286,000 won
The ever-growing settlement shrank again. Well, he'd mostly hands-off lately—expected.
But no matter. The real one's elsewhere.
Contest settlement: 1,922,114,000 won
And that wasn't even the end.
Once finalized……
"Whoa."
Sponsorships poured in.