Chapter 5 - Destined for the Spotlight (2)
Chapter 5 - Destined for the Spotlight (2)
Episode 5 - Destined to be the Center of Attention (2)
"So, if I sum up what you guys are saying, Leon might not die? I'll just wait and see then. Seems like it'll be decided in a few minutes anyway."
"It's not like there's zero chance."
"In my experience, less than 10% of units survive. Can he really get through this kind of bullshit? Just how broken of a unit is he? lol"
"FR. If he survives? Just treat him like royalty, that guy's the real deal."
"Ugh, I don't know. I've got so much to do my head's gonna explode. I'm just gonna leave him be for now."
"That's why you don't pick Hardcore, you dumbass lol"
The community users mostly advised giving up, and in terms of probability, that was the correct strategy.
Even I would have given up.
Because it would just be a waste of time anyway.
With the Facility Raid event triggered, even I saw a 90% or higher chance of the unit currently being produced dying.
If the unit I had my eye on didn't survive, it would just be a waste of precious time.
Unlike other events, the Facility Raid event had very little room for player intervention.
It was one of those shitty events criticized for feeling like the developer's malice, making the player feel helpless.
'Is it a good thing he's a newbie in this regard?'
However, this unknown player didn't give up.
Either they were too new to know about that filth and malice, or they were too busy getting used to the game, including the controls, to even care.
You could curse them for being frustrating, but to me, that frustration became a ray of hope.
'I will survive.'
I clenched my fists without realizing it.
You can tell by the reactions of the UltiField Gallery users.
He was already attracting attention here and on the community boards for having top-tier traits.
And even though an absurd, unfair situation followed, if he just survived...
If that happened, my stock would soar once again.
"Honestly, I hope he doesn't die. I'm curious to see how far he can clear if he starts with such an OP unit."
A comment someone left kept lingering in my mind.
The more I survived, the more the UltiField Gallery would take an interest in me, and in the player's gameplay.
Then, the possibility of this newbie player making the worst decision and crashing and burning would decrease.
It seemed my task going forward was set.
"Oh, Leon... you're back?"
"You weren't asleep yet? If you don't have anything to do, it's better to sleep as soon as possible and replenish your stamina."
As I opened the dormitory door and walked in, my roommate, a boy of the same age named Hermann, looked at me nervously.
"W-why, why?!"
"Because we have to keep grinding tomorrow and the day after."
Hermann, who came from a minor family on the frontier, seemed uncomfortable just by my presence, walking on eggshells as naturally as breathing, but I had no intention of bullying him.
If anything, I was in a position where I wanted to help him.
Unlike me, he was just a kid who hadn't fully grown up yet, dragged here simply because he possessed the talent of [Excellent Calculation].
'The player's screenshot said "scheduled," but it definitely won't take long.'
A few minutes in their time.
In that case, it's highly likely it will only last a few days at most in this time.
I need to get my body in the best shape possible within that time.
All of us.
Under the soft moonlight streaming in from outside the window, I changed into my pajamas and looked at my pale white hands and slender arms. A body imbued with talent. Right now, this was my last line of defense.
"Haa... haa..."
"I can't do any more..."
The training ground, where training had been in full swing, was filled with the heavy breathing of exhausted trainees.
While the scarecrows stopped operating and remained fixed in place.
Even trainees from high-ranking noble families were sitting on the floor or collapsing, catching their breath without regard for their dignity.
"Look over there."
"That crazy monster."
However, even in the midst of that, there was someone who was swinging their sword without rest, drawing everyone's attention.
Someone who wielded a sword larger than their own body with ease, cutting down the scarecrows that surrounded and attacked from all sides.
"You can do it! Move faster!"
Swordsmanship instructor Alex, who had deployed a whopping five scarecrows against Leon, shouted excitedly over and over.
There was only one reason why the other students received relatively less attention from the instructor.
It was because of Leon, who showed absurd growth with each passing day.
"As expected of the [Martial God] talent. His swordsmanship already looks better than that of an average knight."
"...!"
Rosaria, standing nearby, flinched at the instructor's words of constant admiration.
She clearly possessed the same [Martial God] trait and was rapidly increasing her proficiency with various weapons, including her specialty, the spear.
However, from the very first day, Leon had been swinging only a sword, crazily increasing his proficiency.
Above all, it was that right there.
"He got faster!"
"What is that... that makes no sense."
As his stamina and magic power were whittled down to less than half due to the self-torturous, grueling training, Leon's trait [Limit Break] triggered.
His body, with silver hair fluttering, became even faster and stronger.
As his sword flashed like a bolt of lightning, the five scarecrows that had been attacking him dizzyingly were finally cut down one by one and rolled on the floor.
Everyone watching was astonished.
At this moment, those who revered Leon, those who envied him, and those who were wary of him all had the same reaction.
"I need to head to the magic training ground before I collapse from exhaustion."
"Do so. With such outstanding talent and passion, everyone cannot help but have high expectations for you."
It was an excellent training session, enough for the strict Alex to nod with a satisfied smile, but Leon had to move to another training ground before he could even wipe off his sweat after removing the posture correction devices he was wearing.
Rosaria bit her lip, unable to say anything, just fidgeting and watching Leon.
'It can't be helped, they wouldn't believe me even if I told them right now.'
Feeling the gazes of the other trainees on his back, Leon moved on.
In his heart, he wanted to warn them in advance that an unknown threat would soon befall this place, but doing so now would only invite suspicion.
The best he could do was push himself even harder to raise his abilities.
And all he could do was stimulate others to prepare in their own way.
"They said they prepared 5 combat spells for today. It's an absurd amount, but they said they want to see how far you can go since you learn so well."
"...How long do you plan on coming to meet me?"
Today, without fail, Seira was waiting in front of the training ground.
Since the first day, she had been consistently waiting at the entrance at this time, saying she would take Leon.
"But if not now, there's no time for us to be alone. We're both so busy."
Seira said it was to be alone with you, as if it were nothing.
No matter what expression Leon made, as she said, this short time that happened once a day was close to the only time the two could talk freely.
"Something might happen within a few days."
"What does that mean?"
"Always stay on edge and build up your strength as much as possible. So you can at least protect yourself. Since you have the [Magic Specialization] trait, if you focus on just one spell, you might be able to raise your proficiency to a usable level."
So, Leon left a word of warning for Seira.
Naturally, she widened her blue eyes as if she couldn't believe it, but that was ultimately as far as Leon could openly tell her.
'I hope you survive.'
After that, Leon gritted his teeth with a stern face while receiving grueling training from combat magic instructor Viola alongside Seira.
It's not just Seira beside him.
As the time spent at Eisenblut grew longer.
As he struggled for the purpose of surviving.
Ironically, he was gradually blending more and more into this world.
Whether they liked him, hated him, were wary of him, or revered him.
All of that acted in combination, and the fact that this world was not a fake that could be reset without consequence, but a real reality, dawned on him.
"You're tenacious."
With Seira already exhausted and passed out.
Magic instructor Viola, watching Leon, who was sweating and covered in crackling lightning, sighed without realizing it.
It was enough to make Viola, who had been looking at him askance from the beginning, soften her sharp eyes and admire him.
"I thought you were just a playboy young master from a great family who grew up without knowing the ways of the world, but I was wrong. You've gotten even worse over the last few days, so what on earth made you so tenacious?"
"If I collapse, the world will be destroyed."
"That's a truly arrogant answer, but in principle, it's also true, so I have nothing to say. Yes, that's better than slacking off without motivation."
Viola laughed heartily as if it were amusing after hearing his answer.
The Guardians that the trainees are trying to become now are literally protectors.
They are knights on the front lines facing the ancient evils that are always eyeing this world.
Therefore, Leon's answer is correct in a broad sense.
'No, it really will be destroyed.'
Of course, Leon, who didn't mean it in that sense, just looked on without a word.
The Demon World's forces are a problem, but it's safe to say that everything ultimately depends on the player's interference and mood.
If the player loses interest and quits the game, there's no way this abandoned world could handle the events that will explode in the future on its own.
"It's inconvenient not having a status window."
After a few particularly busy days passed like that.
Leon was on his way back to the dormitory, rubbing his sore eyes.
If you place the cursor on a unit and right-click, you can see the unit's detailed status window.
Not only the traits and proficiency progress, but even things like current emotional state.
Leon, who was curious about how high he had raised his proficiency in the two combat methods—swordsmanship and magic—through several days of grueling training, missed the status window.
[Post: It's started. Please survive ㅠㅠ]
"Just focus on watching Leon."
"Wow, crazy. Out of all those many raid types, he got an Aerial Assault lol"
"What is it, is it bad?!"
"Yeah. Your Leon's chance of dying just went up by at least 50%."
"Aerial Assault is the raid event with the highest number and intensity. Even if his traits are OP, his combat proficiency is probably still hovering around level 10, so you might as well consider him dead..."
That was when the community window popped up without warning.
The moment the player posted the message.
The moment the community users reacted.
And, the moment the disaster began in this world.
"The sky... it's the sky!!!!"
As soon as he saw the words "Aerial Assault," Leon's face turned toward the sky.
In the dark night sky, in the sky covered with dark clouds where the moonlight was only half visible, something huge was wriggling.
Simultaneously with a shout bursting from his mouth reflexively, something fell toward Eisenblut on the ground at tremendous speed.