Chapter 12 - Divine Pioneer Group (3)
Chapter 12 - Divine Pioneer Group (3)
"You know someone?"
"Yeah, I'm sure it's that hyung."
Hermann said there was a guy from the neighborhood he knew among the people from the Technology Bureau.
Should I call it a small world, or just good luck?
Thanks to this, Hermann headed toward Nicholas, a pioneer from the Technology Bureau, saying he could secure at least one more vote.
If he could bring in just one more person through Nicholas? 9 votes to 7. It's a guaranteed victory.
"Now, let's proceed with the vote."
As time passed, Adrian urged us to start the vote with a victorious smile.
That confidence wasn't something he could exude just by getting a few extra votes; it seemed he had a winning strategy, just like us.
'Is he confident he can get more votes from somewhere else?'
Hermann's acquaintance, Nicholas, had conveyed that he would do as we wished.
If so, the most votes Adrian could have was 8.
8 to 8 is a tie. If he was certain of victory, he clearly hadn't anticipated what we were about to do.
"Adrian Belpain."
As expected, his name started coming up a lot.
It went past 6 votes and headed toward 7.
"Vivian Lashupra."
"Huh?"
The atmosphere started to shift when Vivian's name, who had been crossing her arms as if displeased, started to get more than 4 votes.
Not only Vivian herself, but Adrian's face also began to stiffen rapidly.
"Vivian Lashupra again."
"W-wait. This makes no sense!"
Once it passed 5 votes, Vivian, rather than Adrian, screamed with a pale face as if wailing.
Adrian, realizing what was happening, quickly turned his head to glare at us, but I just smirked as I met his gaze.
"Adrian Belpain with a total of 7 votes. Vivian Lashupra with a total of 8 votes. 1 abstention. Vivian Lashupra is elected."
Lea, the priestess who acted as the moderator, announced the end of the vote while turning the ballot box upside down to empty it.
Vivian stood frozen like a statue with her eyes wide open, looking as if her soul had left her body, and the mask Adrian had been wearing finally began to crack.
"I don't quite understand."
Adrian glanced at the dazed Vivian and opened his mouth in a voice that was struggling to suppress his anger.
"For starters, that elf woman doesn't even seem to want it. Can we really entrust our fate to someone like that?"
Adrian panted, pointing his finger at Vivian.
Since his gaze was directed straight at us, he was effectively saying that to us, who had supported Vivian.
"I hear your attitude is strange, too. I thought your argument was that we should decide fairly based on the vote results and accept them."
It was then that Vivian, who had been dazed, came to her senses and furrowed her brow.
She stood up, her vivid green eyes shining, and instantly took control of the atmosphere.
Her appearance was, at best, in her late twenties.
However, as an elf over 100 years old, she possessed a certain kind of intimidation.
"It is true that I wasn't keen on it, but as long as there are those who believe in me, I have no intention of doing this half-heartedly. Adrian Belpain, as you said, I am the Pioneer Corps representative. Do you intend to deny and ignore it from the start?"
"Tsk..."
The authority and symbolism that Adrian had claimed were now entirely passed on to Vivian.
Since he had said it himself, Adrian, having no justification, could not defy the elected Vivian.
'She's doing well, just as expected.'
At the same time, I was reasonably satisfied with Vivian's actions and capabilities.
She is a being with quite good qualities as a support unit to perform various auxiliary tasks such as administration, medical care, supplies, transportation, and negotiation within the Pioneer Corps.
"For starters, everyone seems to be misunderstanding something."
That was when I opened my mouth.
At the sight of me speaking for the first time, everyone's gaze, which had been on Vivian and Adrian, shifted to me.
"The most important thing is the will of the One who assigned us this mission. No matter who becomes the representative, it is impossible to move the Pioneer Corps as one pleases. Because fulfilling His will must be the top priority."
"Ho... did you study theology? You know it very well. As if you've experienced what happened in legends from long ago yourself."
"Myself?"
Adrian mocked me at my words, but I actually scoffed.
I am the one who has played this game more than anyone here—no, even more than the Player who picked us right now.
"You'll see when we try."
There's no need to talk until my mouth hurts.
They would feel it with their own bodies soon enough anyway.
The Alchemy Association is located deep inland.
It is a place where safety is guaranteed so they can focus on various research, and the most prioritized traits and proficiencies are related to research.
It literally means they are bookish nerds; can they endure as much as those who have stepped to the threshold of death while fighting the monsters of The Swarm, even if only for a short time?
'I'll execute any troll who crosses the line.'
Above all, this would be an important issue for Adrian himself.
When I was a Player.
The stress I received from units that didn't listen and went off-script was immense.
If it really didn't work out, I would intentionally lead such units into the wasteland to abandon them or let them die, but since it was my unit that died, I took the penalty regardless.
What about now?
If a unit kills a unit, the Player doesn't take a penalty.
For a hardcore clear, to prevent the destruction of this world.
I was prepared to become a human butcher if necessary.
"Stop. Now that I am the representative, I will not tolerate internal discord. I assume He would want that as well."
Vivian stepped forward and poured cold water on the atmosphere.
"Accepting the results of a vote you participated in applies even to those who voted for me."
"...I'll keep that in mind."
Vivian, who had glared at Adrian, glared at me this time as well.
Since I was the reason she had to take on such a huge responsibility, I felt a pang of conscience and smiled bitterly as I saluted her first.
[Post: Wow, is it finally starting? Why is the tutorial over an hour long?]
ㄴThat's why it's a trash game lol
ㄴNow is the most important time. We need to create the first pioneer settlement in the closest place with the best conditions.
ㄴNo, why is everything always important?
ㄴIs it hard? I feel like you could just set Leon loose and do whatever you want.
ㄴHonestly, I'm curious. How far can you go if you start with an OP unit like that? If it's a newbie playing for the first time, their controls will be a mess, so I wonder if Leon can survive? lol
ㄴfr, just A-moving would be better than trying to micro poorly.
I'm not sure if it's accurate, but all the events that had taken place over the past month seemed to have been just over an hour for the Player.
On the community screen that appeared before my eyes, the Player's perspective, looking at the wide Corrupted Land map composed of various configurations while designating the completed units, was attached.
'Expectations are too high.'
The reactions of the UltiField Gallery users were mostly focused on how well Leon—that is, me—would perform.
Because a good unit and its performance are always what users want.
No matter how skilled the Player is at strategy and tactics, or if a god of control descends and performs dazzling micro.
Due to the nature of <Ultimate Field>, if a unit slips up, everything goes to waste.
Furthermore, the Player who will be controlling me now is a newbie.
How far can they go if a newbie, who struggles with the crappy control feel that's hard to adapt to at first, controls a unit with cheat-level specs?
Honestly, even I was curious, so I felt like I would be constantly checking the posts.
ㄴI bet one vote Leon dies before even halfway
ㄴThen I'll bet a gifticon lol
People even started betting on my life.
There wasn't a single prediction that I would clear it; they were all just predicting when I would die.
'I will survive. And I will clear this.'
Thanks to that, I had one more reason to survive.
"According to the records, the moment we step outside the Corrupted Land, His will will dwell within you."
When the entire Pioneer Corps had finally finished their preparations.
Lea, the priestess who was accompanying us, looked at the barrier visible in the distance with a tense face.
The final barrier, not far from Eisenblut.
It is the front line that blocks the erosion of the Demon World and serves as a boundary.
For the past several hundred years, no one has ever stepped beyond that.
Even if they wanted to, the demonic energy of the Demon World was already thickly laid out there.
By this place's standards, it is definitely a historic moment.
So, it wasn't strange that countless people were lined up, cheering for us as we headed toward it.
"Where will we end up?"
"Probably the most advantageous place. A place with water resources nearby, easy food supply like farming, and above all, good terrain for defense in case of an emergency."
Seira, sitting next to me in the carriage, muttered as if nervous.
I answered her words. It was an answer from a somewhat veteran player who had seriously attempted hardcore clears.
"How can you be so sure? The priests said it depends on His will."
"It's not hard to guess. The goal is the same, after all."
As Rosaria clicked her tongue, I smirked.
If the Player were acting on their own, maybe... but since they are getting advice from the UltiField Gallery, it was highly likely that things would unfold similarly to my prediction.
"Look there. Now, we're crossing the barrier."
And before long.
We reached right in front of the massive barrier.
The giant iron gate, which seemed like it would never open, opened, and the priests who had drawn out their divine power stepped into the unknown land with us, tense.
"Ugh!?"
"Could this be...!"
And at that moment.
The seal engraved on the back of my hand shone brightly, and a powerful energy began to dwell in all of our bodies.
It was a strange, bizarre sensation I had never felt before.
It felt as if something was wrapping around my entire body and trying to move it by force.
"Th-there. He says to head there."
Thanks to being the representative, Vivian, who was riding a horse at the front, reached out and pointed to where the Player was indicating.
I wonder if they are clicking the right mouse button toward the place they've picked out by now?