Shifting the Nuisance
Tae-hyun planned to throw every single famous ranker's name to them. Let them experience the same nuisance I did!
Since these guys are specialized in raising people's blood pressure, the effect is guaranteed!
Tae-hyun felt a deep sense of pride. These Chimera prisoners were uniquely specialized in infuriating people. Their levels were too high to shake off with brute force, they were too mad to be reasoned with, and they possessed a relentless persistence that meant they would chase you to the ends of the earth even if you ran. If anyone got caught by these prisoners, ranker or not, they would have to quietly submit to their tests. Of course, those tests would turn into incredibly tedious and annoying quests!
"This fellow absolutely needs a character test—frequently, thoroughly, and rigorously. We can't have someone with poor character becoming the Emperor, now can we?"
"You speak the absolute truth, Your Holiness."
"To think you would help your rival... As expected of the Pope of the Archisus Church, your magnanimity is truly vast!"
[Contribution points from the quest are risi—]
...
Tae-hyun decided to just keep his mouth shut.
"Cain. Explain it in my stead."
"?!?"
After all, wasn't Cain an absolute expert at destroying any existing affinity?
Only after writing down the names and known locations of all the famous players in meticulous detail did Tae-hyun and his party finish their preparations to leave. They had found the bishop of the Archisus Church and secured the Dragon's Stone Tablet. Now, all that was left was to return and complete the quest.
"Da-bi, how is the territory doing right now?"
"The demons are attacking, but it seems they're constantly being repelled."
Tae-hyun nodded at Lee Da-bi's words. It was exactly as he had expected. Even looking at it objectively, the defenses of the Valley were just too... vicious. An impregnable fortress! Honestly, even Tae-hyun himself would probably start cursing if he were told to capture that Valley.
"I wasn't overly worried, but we still need to head back quickly."
"Why? They're holding them off perfectly fine right now."
"Mmm. There's another problem."
What Tae-hyun was actually worried about was something else. Specifically... the demon army giving up and moving on to another location!
Of course, demons were incredibly proud and arrogant creatures. Leaving the Valley, the headquarters of the Archisus Church, to go elsewhere was practically admitting defeat. They wouldn't make such a choice easily, but...
[Carbanog notes that since their opponent is Akisus, even the demons might resort to any means necess—]
Exactly! I think so too!
But this time, the circumstances were a bit different. Since their opponent was Akisus, wouldn't the demons swallow their pride and choose another path? That was his concern. Right now, they were still throwing themselves against his territory, but if the demon army moved elsewhere, it would become a massive headache.
I need to completely annihilate them before they go somewhere else. That way, they won't be able to crawl out of the Demon Realm for a while.
It was obvious to anyone that the current demon army was connected to the Ice Duke, Furneus. If he dealt them a proper blow, they wouldn't be showing their faces for a long time.
"What about the Dragon's Stone Tablet?"
"Nothing bad is going to happen just because we return it a bit late. Let's deal with the demon army first."
Something bad WILL happen! Right now, every other territory besides yours is being boiled alive!
Because they had turned on the "air conditioning" using the Sky Castle, Tae-hyun's party was incredibly relaxed. Honestly, it didn't really matter to them if they waited another two or three months before completing the quest.
Sigh. It's not like I can even say anything, though.
Alcott swallowed his words. Tae-hyun's performance in this quest had been far too overwhelming. Honestly, if Alcott had come alone, let alone finding anything, he probably would have been captured by those prisoners and forcibly turned into a Chimera. Since he had benefited this much from Kim Tae-hyun, he decided it was best to just keep his mouth shut!
Is this really going to be okay?
One of the players gathered in the area couldn't help but wonder. The people gathered here hadn't just assembled on a whim. They had come together after countless preparations and meticulous calculations. Yet, the thought still lingered.
Is this really okay?
"Preparations are complete!"
But it was far too late to hesitate. The quest was just about to begin.
"I express my gratitude to all the party leaders gathered here! Everyone here comes from different countries and different guilds. But our goal is one and the same! It is a Dragon Raid!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
The gathered players erupted into enthusiastic cheers. While a few cautious rankers wore tense or worried expressions, the vast majority of the players seemed to be swept up in excitement.
A Dragon Raid! It was a phrase that made one's heart race just by hearing it. At a time when not a single player had surpassed level 300, a dragon—estimated to be over level 600 or 700—was not a boss monster that players were meant to be able to defeat. In fact, there was only one player in existence who had ever slain a dragon. Kim Tae-hyun!
If they succeeded, they would become the second players in history to successfully hunt a dragon, right after Kim Tae-hyun.
While the in-game rewards from the Dragon Raid itself would be astronomical, the external rewards were equally immense. Every ranker participating here would undoubtedly carve their name into history. Even in Pangaea Online, where new stars rose and fell in the blink of an eye, an event of this scale was exceedingly rare.
In fact, representatives from broadcasting stations all over the world were currently waiting on-site with expressions full of anticipation. And that wasn't all. Some of the staff members present had entirely different objectives.
"Who are those people? They don't look like broadcast reporters..."
"I heard that if the Dragon Raid succeeds, they're going to make a movie out of it."
"!!!"
A documentary-style film capturing the entire process of the Dragon Raid! Prominent movie streaming giants had greenlit the Dragon Raid proposal, and as a result, the filming preparations were already complete. If the raid ended in success, it would make for an absolutely perfect finale.
Upon hearing this, even the most composed players couldn't help but look intrigued. To appear in a movie! And one that would be screened worldwide, no less!
There were several dragons in Pangaea Online, but there was only one dragon that the players could unite to target right now. The Red Dragon who had spread the heatwave across the continent, Nitinger!
"All preparations are complete! We are going to slay Nitinger!"
"Nitinger! Nitinger! Nitinger!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Let's save the continent from the heatwave!"
The ranker who had orchestrated this entire operation, Lin Zhipeng, nodded with a satisfied expression.
Lin Zhipeng, a top-tier ranker and an outstanding knight player. He had made an immense amount of preparations for this raid. To prevent any interference, he had intentionally excluded rankers from the mega-guilds, instead persuading and recruiting rankers from mid-sized guilds or those who played in smaller groups. He had also mobilized his personal network to draw in reporters and investors... As a result, dozens of highly skilled parties had been assembled.
This was a terrifying force, easily capable of tearing a major guild to shreds! Even Lin Zhipeng hadn't expected things to go this smoothly.
As expected, the heatwave is a huge motivator.
While he coveted the fame, achievements, and rewards of hunting a dragon... above all, the heatwave was the biggest factor. Even the top rankers couldn't properly enjoy Pangaea Online right now because of the heatwave. The insane heat!
"By the way, Lin Zhipeng. Why didn't you recruit rankers from the mega-guilds like the Guild Alliance?"
"Yeah. Even if we don't go that far, what about the major guilds' rankers...?"
"Think about it. If we brought those guys along, do you think things would go smoothly? They'd definitely try to sabotage us just so their own guilds could take the lion's share of the loot."
"Ah. That makes sense."
"I thought Lin Zhipeng would side with the Guild Alliance since he's Chinese..."
"I'm Taiwanese, you bastard! Who are you confusing me with?!" Lin Zhipeng shouted, gnashing his teeth.
He was one of the rankers who had a terrible relationship with the Guild Alliance. Yet, people kept looking at his name and mistakenly wondering, Oh, is he close with the Guild Alliance?
"Sorry, sorry. All the names sound so similar."
I'm going to push that bastard into the most dangerous spot, Lin Zhipeng cursed inwardly before shouting aloud, "We move out! Let's drag Nitinger out!"
[The third wave of attacks has been repelled!]
[The morale of the demon army is falling!]
[Contribution points are...]
[As a reward...]
"They're retreating again!"
The Valley was practically in a festive mood. A landslide victory! It was an overwhelming triumph without a single casualty. The demon army charging into the Valley was utterly melted by the brutal firepower raining down from above. Since the demons couldn't even breach the fortress in front of the Valley and kept retreating, the players couldn't help but be ecstatic. Thanks to the massive influx of players who had initially been terrified of the demon army quest, it was a roaring success!
"Please give us one more chance, Master! Though their walls are high, the subordinates I lead are still fully intact!"
An intermediate demon commander (Thousand-man Commander) knelt before the general and pleaded. Although the demon army had melted away, those were mostly low-grade minions. The superior demons had kept their forces intact and remained in the rear. If they pushed forward with this entire force...!
"No."
"But why, Master?!"
"The defenses of the Archisus Church are far more formidable than expected. It might actually be wiser to withdraw."
The demon commander was cunning and cold-headed. Though he wanted to conquer the Valley immediately, he accurately assessed the current situation.
"But our reputation! How will the other demons of the Demon Realm look at us, Master?!"
"If our opponent is Akisus, even a retreat is hardly shameful, is it?"
"Indeed, that is true, Master!"
The Thousand-man Commander was instantly convinced!
"Since that Akisus bastard is the king of this nation, we shall burn and trample the other lands of the kingdom. Now! Move out!"
[The demon army is withdrawing!]
[Victory in the siege battle!]
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
As the demon army completely withdrew, the players in the Valley erupted into a massive roar. We won! To win so easily against that brutal and terrifying demon army!
"But wait, where are they going?"
"Y-Yeah, where?"
At the exact moment the situation Tae-hyun feared was unfolding, he managed to arrive at his territory just in the nick of time.
They really are withdrawing?!
[Carbanog curses the demons for having absolutely no pride!]
Demons have always been like that.
Tae-hyun quickly assessed the situation. Inside the Valley, an astronomical number of players were joyfully raising their cups in celebration, while the demon army was proudly retreating. What was the move in a situation like this?
"Pelmarne, assist me! Cast the strongest buffs possible on the party I am about to form!"
"Yes! Understood!"
"Yong-yong, take flight!"
As Yong-yong soared into the air, the gazes of the players inside the Valley instantly shifted. A mount that eye-catching was rare even in Pangaea Online. Furthermore, that golden dragon mount was...
"It's Kim Tae-hyun!!!"
"What? Kim Tae-hyun? Where?"
Upon hearing that Tae-hyun had appeared, people threw down the food they were holding and rushed over in a stampede. A level of popularity so fiery it made them toss aside the beers they were happily drinking!
As Tae-hyun hovered in midair, the players looked up at him with pounding hearts. What was he going to say? A congratulatory speech for the victory? Or something else?
"Level 200..."
"200?"
"What's two hundred?"
"...and above, gather up! Only the first one hundred players will receive the quest!"
"???!?!"
"W-What? What kind of quest is it?"
"There's no way people would blindly accept a quest without even knowing what it is—"
Even if it came from Tae-hyun, some people were understandably bewildered. Accepting a quest out of the blue without even knowing what it was made absolutely no se—
Thud!
"Get out of the way! I'm level 240! Please let me join!"
However, the quick-witted players had already begun charging forward like madmen. They were literally shoving aside anyone blocking their path to clear a way!
"Move! If you're not going to participate, get out of the way!"
"Ah! Why did I have to be in the back?! If the hundred slots fill up first, are you guys going to take responsibility?! Move! I said move!"
"W-What is it? What's going on? Why are they doing this?"
"It's a quest hosted by Kim Tae-hyun! Who cares about the reason?! You just do it!"
"!?!"