Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Assault on the Ice Queen's Paradise
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After twelve hours of rest, we begin lining up.
We couldn't rest for too long. After twenty-four hours, the high-grade monsters we'd painstakingly wiped out would respawn.
"Check your gear! Inspect your consumables thoroughly! Squad leaders, confirm your squad members' conditions and report!"
Soldiers gathered around the pillar of light. Naturally, they were all elite troops. It wasn't just about combat power—there was a far graver issue.
'Cold.'
Even the Orc Fortress, under constant assault from Ice Elementals, had been freezing cold. It was a phenomenon born from relentless chills pouring into the enclosed dungeon space.
If the Orc Fortress was that bad, what must the heart of the frost monsters' domain be like?
'I ran auto-hunt nonstop and even shelled out cash, but... only 2,000?'
It started at 300 dia—30,000 won in cash—for a Ring of Cold Protection. But after I bought over a thousand, the price shot up to 50,000 won. It wasn't the insane bubble like with those old Return Scrolls, but it was getting burdensome to keep purchasing.
'I'd love to equip every soldier with a Ring of Cold Protection, but...'
I knew it. Without distributing them, soldier casualties would spike.
Of course, for those without rings, I'd done my best—handing out thick insulated clothing and undergarments enchanted with warmth spells.
'But there's a limit.'
Ardania's mages had clear limits in skill and mana. Despite all the preparations, the dungeon's chill would inevitably cause massive losses.
Yet even knowing that, I couldn't pour more money into the exchange.
'Not enough cash...'
Donations from the novel site and actor pay were bringing in amounts incomparable to before, but it still fell way short.
"Sir! All 11,301 personnel ready!"
Steelstone approached and reported as I stood still. I surveyed the troops.
124 Steel Shield Knights, 88 Silver Cross Knights, 42 Flame Magic Corps.
And twenty-one thousand-man companies, minus nine lost to heavy casualties.
'Down to 10,000 after pulling the wounded. The losses are steep.'
Even so, it was an overwhelming force. These were veterans among elites, including knights and mages.
It was the full might I could muster—no shortcomings.
"At ease."
"At ease!"
I stepped forward. Soldiers bundled head to toe in thick leather, faces barely visible, fixed their gleaming eyes on me.
I spoke.
"Honestly, I want to go in alone."
I met each soldier's gaze one by one. Despite the sudden words, the 10,000 elites listened in utter silence, without a rustle.
"If I could go in alone and smash their heads, I would. That way, I wouldn't have to watch you die on the battlefield."
Guilt sometimes gnawed at me. Did we really need to conquer castles like this? Was I sending healthy people to die for my own greed?
But even thinking that...
I still mobilized them.
"But I can't. I can do a lot, but I'm no god."
I walked slowly to stand before the pillar of light. For hours now, no monsters had emerged from the dungeon. They were dying the moment they came out, so they'd hunkered down instead.
Rather than mocking their fear, I worried.
I knew the casualties would be enormous.
"I want to do it alone. I don't want to see you die. But..."
I turned. Countless soldiers watched me.
I spoke, like a sigh.
"I need you."
"......!"
My words rippled through the densely packed ranks like waves. Indistinct groans escaped as bodies shifted.
Then, in an instant.
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
Someone stamped their foot, and as if on cue, everyone matched the rhythm.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The faint footfalls swelled into earth-shaking thunder.
I looked at the soldiers.
They looked back at me.
Eyes blazing, feet pounding the ground, battle spirit surging.
I shouted.
"Can you protect me!"
"Yes!"
Roars erupted. Soldiers screamed wildly, stomping as if to cave the earth.
"Can you die for me!"
"Yes!"
"I'll die first!"
"Just give us the order!"
My questions unleashed thunderous cheers and battle cries.
I turned.
"Then!"
Stomp!
The footfalls ceased instantly.
I felt countless eyes on me.
"Let's go."
With that, I entered the dungeon.
[Ice Queen's Paradise]
For a moment, I thought I'd been transported to the Arctic or Antarctic.
A vast white space filled solely with snow and ice.
Thud!
The instant my feet hit the ground, a wave brushed my body. Turning, I saw monsters scattered across a massive snow-covered mountain like black stones on a go board.
I knew what the wave was immediately.
"A human's appeared!"
A snow woman shrieked from hundreds of meters away.
'Sneaking in won't work.'
A chill ran down my spine. If I'd tried stealth assassination again, I'd have been spotted at the start and swarmed.
Even with real-life recovery for stamina and wounds... facing over 10,000 enemies like that would've been fatal.
"Graaaah!"
"Whoooosh!"
Monsters surged from all sides. I charged toward them.
[Critical hit!]
[Critical hit!]
[Critical hit!]
I shattered the cores of incoming Ice Elementals left and right, stacking Swift Blade Form buffs with each critical.
Unlike Expert Convergence's +5 strength, stamina, vitality, agility per crit, Swift Blade Form boosted only attack speed.
10% per stack, up to 20 stacks.
Considering Point Thrust Sword Demon's class buff of 50% attack speed, it peaked at 250%.
Whoosh!
With attack speed boosted, every swing burst the air. In-game, it was just hits per second, but...
In reality, attack speed meant far more.
Whoosh! Clang!
Sword force intensified. Doubled speed was natural. Transitions from attack to defense and back became seamless, gaps vanishing.
Crunch! Boom! Crack!
I slashed surrounding foes madly while scanning. The dungeon was vast; no sign of the target.
'What kind of boss is it?'
Best case: Ice Queen hadn't respawned, so a decent rare-grade was boss.
'Like right before this turning point.'
If so, I could snipe the boss amid gaps. My speech to 10,000 elites would look silly, but it'd be ideal.
Sadly.
"How dare you! Do you know where this is!"
It didn't happen.
Frost Snow Woman (Hero)
Lisa
A woman shrouded in blizzard howled shrilly, revealing herself. I kicked off instantly, launching skyward.
Crunch. Creak!
I twisted my body. Squeezing muscles produced a thick, rope-like groan.
The moment maximally twisted muscles released.
Bang!
Air exploded as my bone longsword shot like a beam. Infused with inner energy, it far exceeded thrown weapon limits.
Boom!
"As expected of a hero-grade..."
The blizzard deflected it; the bone longsword smashed only the ground.
"Roooar!"
A roar echoed. A new foe crested the hill.
Yeti Brawler (Hero)
Tutu
"No, what... two bosses?"
Both snow woman and yeti had standout IDs—boss monsters, not mere elites.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Another appeared from the opposite side.
Ice Machine (Hero)
P-422
Twice the size of other Ice Golems, with a complex design.
Like a robot from an animated film.
'Three bosses.'
My worst fear was the Ice Queen respawning inside, unable to exit but active here. Unlike other spots, this was her turf, so possible.
And now, not quite that bad...
But far from good.
"Don't approach! Blast from afar!"
"Bind its movements!"
Under the intelligent snow women's command, chills poured from all sides. My 9-enhanced Ring of Cold Protection cut cold damage 90%, but I couldn't ignore snowdrifts or ice walls blocking my path.
Boom boom! Crunch!
I smashed ice with brute force to advance, but far more attacks rained on me. Thousands of monsters had gathered. And the boss monsters charging from afar!
But I wasn't alone.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Shield soldiers with large shields and sword-shield soldiers appeared here and there. The sturdiest formed the vanguard, bashing monsters to carve space.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Spearmen and archers followed. Positions randomized, but thousands strong, they quickly clustered and engaged.
"Move like we practiced! If five isn't possible, form up with four or three!"
"Don't break formation!"
Elites farmed dungeons daily. More used to chaotic melees than mass battles.
Grind! Scratch!
Then the Ice Machine crouched. Its thick shoulders opened...
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
Ice projectiles battered soldiers.
"Argh!"
"Block! Get down!"
Sprayed blood froze midair, splattering the ground. Teeth gritted, but fending off attacks left me helpless.
Pop pop pop!
Fortunately, knights arrived.
"I'll take the front!"
Steelstone blocked the Ice Machine with his shield. Far off, Hundred swung his sword.
[Graaang!]
Heavenly Dragon Roar shook the machine mid-barrage. Then...
"Grease!"
Smile's spell sent the staggering Ice Machine crashing. Smooth teamwork from our dungeon runs.
But...
Boom!
"Urk!"
"Ugh!"
Hero-grade wouldn't die from a fall. The Ice Golem spun like a top, flinging the two knights. Even qi-using knights took heavy hits from a 5-meter ice mass's leg.
'They can't hold long.'
Steelstone, Hundred, Smile—my best fighters, but short of soloing hero-grades. Bosses, no less?
"Hah!"
Shwaaang!
A snow woman firing ice spears amid blizzard faced Hayes. Unlike the knights' peril, she held even, but no quick end.
I had to break through.
'Hurry.'
I kicked toward the Ice Machine first.
"Graaaah!"
The white-furred Yeti Brawler blocked me. Unlike feral yetis, this boss moved differently!
But not my match.
Fleeting Decision, First Form.
One Sword Momentum.
Truthfully, One Sword Momentum sucked in melees. It poured one-breath qi into a single slash, draining massive inner energy, stamina, and mental power. 500% cost for 300% power—inefficient.
'It's an ultimate, basically.'
One-shot or get killed!
'But not for me!'
The yeti blocked One Sword Momentum. Its freakishly thick arm fur repelled sword qi. I whispered instantly.
"Log out."
Back in my lodging. I lay on the bed, regulating breath.
After about thirty minutes.
"Log in."
Fleeting Decision, First Form.
One Sword Momentum.
Slash!
Second One Sword Momentum severed the Yeti Brawler's right arm.
Thud! Boom! Slash!
But amid attacks, foes battered me from all sides. Some pierced my full plate, stabbing my side.
'Damn elite monsters...!'
No distractions now. I took hits, assuming stance.
"Log out!"
Back to lodging.
Spurt!
Blood gushed from my side. I clenched obliques to staunch it, then wrapped prepped bandages.
Routine by now.
"Ardania. Giant Gate. Open."
With martial arts dominating, sole intact chakra skill amid near-seal.
"Summon. Five-Colored Rice Cakes."
Pop!
A plate appeared. I devoured them.
[Consumed Five-Colored Rice Cakes (Rare)! Recovery and mana recovery +200 for 4 hours! Special resource recovery x3!]
Buffed, I rested. Bleeding slowed to a trickle.
After sufficient rest.
"Log in."
Fleeting Decision, First Form.
One Sword Momentum.
"Gurk... Gah!"
Relentless one-shots breached defenses; the Yeti Brawler's head flew.
Splat! Crack!
"Damn it all!"
Crunch!
Sword qi shredded all charging foes. Should've been easier, but interruptions caused havoc.
Slice!
"Urk!"
Ice sword through armor gap halved my biceps. Combat sense useless. Amid omnidirectional assaults, some hits inevitable.
"Log out!"
Back to lodging. Contracted muscles, stanched blood, bandaged.
"Ah, should've boosted vitality over strength? Flesh just shreds off..."
Full plate for this reason, but swarms overwhelmed. Unlike games where defense holds till 0 durability, reality saw holes and tears.
"Ah, rest longer this time..."
Exhaustion hit as upbeat music blared with internal announcement.
[Ding dong~ Dang dong~ Time to clock in~ Actors and staff, hurry to set~!]
"......"
Upbeat tune, grim mood.
"Ah..."
Dazed for ten minutes. An unfamiliar emotion surged.
"Don't wanna... go to work?"
Just fought a war; body wound-riddled. No strength, dizzy—yet must work?
But time marched on amid laments.
Inevitably.
"This... fucking!"
Grinding teeth, I rose. Shed clothes and bandages, showered.
"Born with money? Money born with people?!"
Dried hair, lotioned face.
"In this state! Going to work! Makes no sense! I need rest!"
Suited up, shod.
Click.
Exited private room. Staff and actors headed to set. Some refreshed, most haggard from tight schedules.
"Shit..."
Swallowed auto-curse.
I clocked in.