The Unified Front Arrives
The Unified Front.
Day 1.
“Whoaaa!”
“Push the orcs back!”
Unified Front.
More than tens of thousands of orcs had formed an army and were charging.
On the opposite side, tens of thousands of users and NPC troops stood ready to face them head-on.
[Unified Front - Baran Kingdom Total Annihilation Operation has been entered.]
The opening of the battle came after a massive quest had been announced just days earlier.
When the Orc Empire army gathered in one place, the Kingdom army responded by mobilizing its full forces as well.
That single colossal front line was the Unified Extreme Front.
Every user who had been excluded from the training grounds had converged here.
“It’s enormous.”
More than 300,000 simultaneous connections were being maintained on the battlefield!
Fafnir was conducting reconnaissance near the command post.
“Experience points have been acquired.”
“Contribution points have been acquired.”
“As expected, it’s sealed off.”
Scouting was the new event and patch notes.
[New Patch Notes]
• Examples of players using the event-issued formal equipment excessively beyond the intended purpose have been identified and corrected.
• Players can now receive no more than five sets of Kingdom army formal equipment per person.
Other necromancers hadn’t been able to enjoy the equipment, so this patch had been aimed squarely at Fafnir.
“I was hoping to use it only for this battle, but I guess it can’t be helped.”
There would be big fights ahead, so the message was clear: eat just enough and quit while you still can.
“The front over there is a total mess.”
Fafnir looked out toward the front line.
Immediately, something unusual caught his eye.
“The Arc Guild is weaker than I thought. Even if the opponents are special troops……”
Arc Guild.
Rank 1 guild in the novel, composed of pro gamers, geniuses, and athletes, yet its members were struggling everywhere right now.
It wasn’t just the Arc Guild.
Horizon Gallery Guild, Naver Cafe, Cocoa Open Chat—
All the low-age guilds, the ones with loose command systems, were suffering just as badly.
“In contrast, military-style guilds like the Shadow Reaper Guild, Bone Band, Iron Blood Invincible Blood Alliance are racking up consecutive victories.”
The guilds showing real strength were the ones made up of office workers and middle-aged adults.
These guilds had absorbed the orcs’ attacks without retreating, then counter-attacked by encircling and devouring them.
“……I can guess the reason.”
Fafnir nodded while watching the battlefield.
“Military-style guilds are naturally strong at group battles.”
Most low-age free-form guilds lacked familiarity with control and command systems.
Although their personal physiques had reached the limit, without any grand strategy they simply fought randomly and died pointlessly.
In a war of ten thousand against ten thousand, that flaw was devastating.
“One hand and ten fingers can’t beat ten hands, so wars really do require control and cooperation.”
Military-style guilds had weaker physiques compared to their gear.
But through strict control, role division, and cooperation, they achieved efficiency several times higher than free-form guilds.
There was more.
“That strategy……”
Between the tanking of heavy-armored users, mages, and archers, a few hundred mounted users charged the orcs’ rear and slaughtered them.
With the hammer-and-anvil tactic working perfectly, hundreds of orcs were cut down in an instant.
“I remember there being a trope about recruiting military experts in the novel. It really was true.”
Former soldiers, medieval clubs, tacticians—
By recruiting countless specialists, they had become overwhelmingly powerful in group combat.
“I should work harder too.”
Just then, four male and female users approached Fafnir.
“Fafnir-nim!”
A bright smile from the black-haired monk maiden.
It was Hilde.
“Hello, long time no see!”
“Yes, long time no see.”
Fafnir and Hilde greeted each other.
Hilde’s eyes widened suddenly.
“Wow, but your level has skyrocketed, Fafnir-nim! A strong enemy notification is popping up!”
“What about you, Hilde-nim?”
“I’m at 105 now. My friends helped, and I can play Horizon at the company too.”
Horizon had spread everywhere, regardless of age group.
Recently, at Hilde’s company, instead of company dinners they had been going on capsule-room expeditions.
“What about you, Fafnir-nim?”
“121.”
“No way……”
Hilde cupped both hands over her mouth.
“How did you manage that?”
“Just worked hard, and I had good luck.”
More than luck, it had been thanks to the novel’s knowledge and control.
Fafnir waved his hand and asked.
“Who are the people behind you?”
“Ah, my sister and friends.”
At Hilde’s words, two male users introduced themselves.
“I’m Drexler. Hilde’s friend.”
“I’m Veron.”
“……Nice to meet you.”
Drexler and Veron spoke confidently, but the tall woman answered in a voice barely above a whisper, head lowered.
Fafnir’s eyes widened.
“Drexler and Veron…… they’re the lords of the Sky Island Labion, right? So the ‘friends’ he mentioned must be the Scania Guild!”
Scania Guild.
In the novel, an ultra-giant air guild centered on the Sky Islands, ranked among the global top fifty.
“You’ve got to be kidding. Hilde-nim’s friends are that big? I didn’t see that coming.”
The novel hadn’t given any related tropes, so he had no idea.
“Well, if they’re that influential, they should do their part……”
Instantly, Fafnir’s eyes sharpened.
The male user who had introduced himself as Drexler had deliberately blocked the space between Fafnir and Hilde.
“Hmm?”
From the way he was acting, he seemed worried that Hilde was being deceived by a strange person.
That was easy enough—give her time to build trust slowly.
The remaining person was Hilde’s younger sister.
“What’s your sister’s nickname, by the way?”
“……”
“Excuse me?”
Fafnir tried to ask again, but Hilde quickly clarified.
“Sorry. I’m an assassin, so my nickname is secret.”
“An assassin……”
Assassin.
Because all skills were concentrated on one-on-one combat, it was hard to join party play or large events.
Once identity was revealed, future activities would become difficult as well.
“If she’s Hilde’s real sister, I can trust her, so credit isn’t an issue.”
Moreover, she was an assassin.
If Fafnir’s plan went smoothly, the assassin class would be essential, so a skilled assassin would be a welcome addition.
Still, he needed to confirm something.
“Hmm…… Understood. I get that your nickname is secret because you’re an assassin, but when you call each other, we need to set proper titles.”
“……Because it’s secret.”
“So the real nickname……”
“No, the nickname is secret. When you call me that.”
“Ah.”
“Calling me by my secret nickname is fine.”
Fafnir nodded and asked one last time.
“So what are everyone’s levels?”
“Mine is 158.”
“155.”
Drexler and Veron, future bigwigs, had high levels.
Fafnir asked Secret as well.
“……18, no, 135.”
135 was higher than Fafnir’s.
“Hrm, good.”
Fafnir cleared his throat lightly.
“135? That’s fine then.”
Now that he had all the information, it was time to head into battle.
“Understood. So all four of you are joining?”
“Yes! Shall we go right now?”
“That’s right. The tide is turning, so we need to move.”
Fafnir clapped his hands.
“All right, let’s go.”
They had come to the beach, so it was time to enter the sea.
Central sector of the Unified Front.
Countless orcs, ordinary users, and NPC soldiers were clustered together.
“Drexler and I will take the northern hills. Fafnir-nim, please take the south.”
“What about me?”
“Hilde, after we advance, take the rear.”
Drexler.
In reality, he and Hilde had met at university.
After falling for her at first sight, he had stayed nearby and kept company with her, hiding his feelings for years until she got a job at the company.
“We’ve hunted together a few times. Who the hell does he think he is……”
This time, he would clearly show Fafnir the gap in their skill levels.
Drexler and Veron stepped forward confidently.
“Let’s start.”
“Okay.”
Drexler drew his spear and swung it.
A whirlwind erupted.
“Ugh!”
“Ugh!”
The elite orc troops charged with momentum, but they were cut down instantly.
A 158-level spear knight user’s full-power attack was overwhelming.
“Then I’ll……”
Veron followed, waving his staff.
BOOM! Explosions erupted everywhere.
“That’s……”
“A dark mage!”
Veron’s job was dark mage.
A full-damage magic class that dealt extreme attack power with powerful dark mana.
“Whoa, what is that?!”
“Amazing.”
Users watching from around turned their gazes in an instant.
Two people gathered and pushed the orcs forward with overwhelming presence.
After the space between them and other users was blocked by Hilde, the flow of the battlefield became visibly smoother.
“Amazing.”
Considering how even small flows could influence the entire battlefield, this was truly extraordinary.
“Hilde-nim has grown much stronger too, and those two are way stronger than their levels.”
Especially Drexler the spear knight. Every time he blasted powerful skills, ten orcs exploded at once.
Even at the same level as the Kingsman Guild executives, the skill difference was like heaven and earth.
“Time for me to join in as well?”
Since he was in a party, passive experience would still come in, but that would be nothing more than sitting on a bus.
Fafnir quietly drew his sword.
“Hoo.”
Drexler, who had been using mana the whole time, wiped the sweat from his brow.
“Got a good warm-up.”
“Right?”
“Hilde, are you okay?”
“Huh! Thanks!”
A faint blush appeared on Drexler’s face at Hilde’s smile.
“……Every time I see her she gets even prettier.”
At this level, Fafnir wouldn’t even dare lay a finger on Hilde.
Just then.
“Ugh!”
-[280] HP
A large veteran black orc warrior appeared behind the orcs, radiating black aura.
“Ouch!”
Unable to use skills because mana had run out.
And it was the perfect counter.
“Black Spear!”
Veron quickly cast magic, but with no mana he couldn’t do much.
[-30 HP]
[-Orc blood thirst has shaken the soul.]
[-Skill cancelled.]
Even the spear he had just created vanished thanks to the blood thirst effect.
The orc warrior grinned.
“Ugh!”
The veteran charged and swung his axe.
The critical moment.
A single sword pierced the orc warrior’s wrist.
“Ugh?!”
Fafnir spun his sword in his right hand and severed the orc warrior’s neck in one breath.
The head flew off, landing on a layer of black aura.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, ah yes.”
Fafnir helped Drexler up and said.
“Don’t use mana skills carelessly. They’re looking for a counter-attack from the other side.”
“Yes…… Understood.”
It was the right thing to say, so he couldn’t object.
At that moment, Veron flinched and asked.
“Wait, hold on. Who is blocking the lower side if Fafnir-nim is here?”
If the lower sector was handled by Fafnir, the orcs on that side would just push forward.
However……
“I’m handling that side too.”
“What?”
“I’m a necromancer. The skeleton soldiers and skeleton knights are holding up well.”
“……!”
A necromancer with a sword was fighting well, and even the skeleton soldiers could clash with orcs?
Drexler and Veron’s faces turned blank with disbelief.
Fafnir, regardless, glanced around.
“I can just sweep them all here.”
Thanks to killing that orc warrior, the orc line had completely collapsed.
All that remained was to hunt the orcs.
Just then, Fafnir’s eyes widened slightly as he looked at one side of the battlefield.
“That’s……”
Fafnir immediately rushed over, grabbed the user who was moving among the orcs and soldiers.
“Secret-nim.”
“Y-yes?”
The user who had been called Secret jumped in surprise and looked up.
“You, you called me?”
“Yes. I have something to ask.”
Since they were right in the middle of the battlefield, Fafnir went straight to the point.
“Why have you been using only basic assassin skills the entire battle?”