A Fool's Charge

Thanks to Carbanog settling down in a corner of the temple, his territory had received a massive bonus. However, from Tae-hyun's personal perspective, it wasn't of much help. Carbanog's combat capabilities were significantly lower compared to Archisus or Sadiq! At best, the authority he possessed was... What Tae-hyun needed right now, especially with an impending battle against Gardu and potential friction with the established churches in the future, was raw combat power.

Identify.

The name had changed slightly, and another skill had been added.

"...!!"

Tae-hyun wanted to check the detailed effects Carbanog had on his territory, but he didn't have the time. It wouldn't be surprising if Gardu invaded at any second. There was nothing stupider than being late with preparations because he was busy checking what had changed in his fief.

Clang, clang, clang—

Fortification work was well underway along the coast.

Thank goodness. They haven't attacked yet.

"Hey. Go to Merchant Leader McCraney and tell her that the pirates will be landing here. I want to get as much help from the kingdom as possible."

"Yes, sir. Right away."

"I'm counting on you."

Since he was making this request without spending any contribution points, Tae-hyun wasn't entirely sure how it would play out. However, there was a decent chance of receiving help from the kingdom. While this was a battle to defend Tae-hyun's territory, on a larger scale, it was also an act of aggression by the pirate Gardu invading the Atali Kingdom.

Naturally, if the threat persisted, the kingdom would mobilize its royal army. The problem was when they would arrive! It would be fantastic for Tae-hyun if they came quickly to fight alongside him, but in the worst-case scenario, they might only show up after everything was over. Since Gardu wasn't here to conquer the territory but to take Tae-hyun's head, he would likely retreat quietly after burning the fief to the ground. If that happened, Tae-hyun would be the only one suffering losses. He absolutely could not let that happen.

Wait... Is there a way to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠drag another noble's territory into this?

Even in this tense situation, Tae-hyun was busy plotting how to drag others down with him. If possible, he wanted the battle to take place in another noble's territory rather than his own!

If the coastal fortress here gets destroyed... and I retreat to another noble's fief to the south instead of the Valley of Despair and Sorrow... will Gardu chase after me? Or will he ignore me and head straight for the Valley?

Tae-hyun was fairly certain Gardu would chase him. After all, he had provoked the pirate leader to an extreme degree.

Perfect. If the coast is breached, I'll make a run for another noble's territory.

If the other noble NPCs had heard his thoughts, they would have mobilized their knight orders immediately to hunt Tae-hyun down!

Creak, creak—

"Raise it! Higher!"

"We have enough wooden ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠palisades! They've all been reinforced to be fireproof!"

"Let's add more layers to this wall! Bring everything we have!"

"Is the moat in front deep enough?"

"Great! Keep digging!"

A vast beach met the sea. Passing through it and heading upward led to a fortress fronted by a deep, excavated trench.

"But wouldn't it be better to build the walls higher?"

"We ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were told to build multiple low walls instead. I'm sure he has a plan, right?"

"True. As long as I get my ticket, I don't care."

Instead of building a single high wall, they constructed multiple low walls in layers. This was so that even if one wall fell, they could retreat to the next and continue the fight!

"Hey, this watchtower doesn't have a ladder."

"Ah, right. I need to bring a ladder over."

"Uh... is that a ship over there?"

"Do you know how many ships pass by here? Just get back to work."

"No, it's heading straight this way."

"..."

An archer player with excellent vision spotted it first and shouted.

"Enemy spotted!!"

In the distance, Gardu's massive fleet was approaching.

"Charge!"

"That's right! A direct charge! That is the only way to show Gardu our burning hearts and boiling blood!"

"Pirate Leader! Give us the order! Order the charge!"

Upon hearing that Gardu had appeared, the pirate NPCs rushed over, their eyes gleaming with excitement. Tae-hyun responded to them as kindly as he possibly could.

"...What kind of bullshit is that?"

"Well, a charge..."

"Why?"

"Because... charging is cool?"

"It's passionate... and, uh, it gets the blood pumping..."

"Listen, boys."

Having nothing left to lose, Tae-hyun no longer hid his true thoughts when dealing with the pirates. Back in the waters of Uruk, he had walked on eggshells around them, fearing they might throw him overboard if he crossed them. But this was his own territory. There was absolutely no reason to walk on eggshells anymore!

"Shut your mouths and stay put until I give the order."

"..."

"..."

"He's a completely different person..."

One of the pirates grumbled, but Tae-hyun ignored him.

"Count Kim Tae-hyun."

"Ah. Count Anong."

Tae-hyun quickly adjusted his attitude. It was Count Anong, leading his knight order! It was a shame that this would be the last time he could borrow the Count's strength, but that didn't mean he could treat him carelessly. Who knew when he might be able to exploit him again in the future!

Count Anong spoke with eyes full of respect.

"To personally step forward to defend against a pirate raid... You are truly a model for all nobles, Count."

"Well, I try."

Since many details had been conveniently omitted, Count Anong genuinely believed Tae-hyun was acting out of a 'pure heart to protect the Atali Kingdom.'

"It is only a pity that this battle marks the end of our formal arrangement."

"If you find it so pitying, you could always help me more..."

"That is impossible."

"Tsk."

"Did you just say 'tsk'?"

"You must have misheard."

Tae-hyun feigned ignorance without a single change in his expression.

Count Anong nodded and said, "In that spirit, I shall demonstrate the true might of our knight order today."

"What might?"

"A charge, of course. The moment those wicked pirates disembark from their ships, we shall charge them directly—"

"Ah, I said we don't need ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that!"

"...?!"

Why is everyone so obsessed with charging?

He had gone through all the trouble of burying countless bombs and digging traps along the coast. What was the point of a charge? He felt like charging them all straight into the afterlife!

"Tae-hyun-nim. A few player parties are saying they want to go out first and launch a preemptive strike..."

"Tell them to shut up before I launch a preemptive strike on their heads. Those fools don't know their place... What can they do besides die if they go out there?"

"...S-Should I really deliver the message exactly like that?"

"Yeah. Tell them exactly that."

With such a massive event looming, Tae-hyun's temper was incredibly frayed. Alcott, who happened to be walking past, swallowed hard at the sight. That was the exact same nasty attitude he had seen all too often back in Pan-On 1!

I-I should avoid him.

Snap—

"...!"

Of all things, there was a stray branch on the path, and the sound of it snapping echoed with agonizing clarity.

"Alcott?"

"Ah, yes?"

He had spoken formally without even realizing it!

"Why are you speaking so formally? Act like you usually do."

"Uh, right."

"And walk quietly. You're being noisy."

"Okay..."

Meanwhile, the Power Warrior guild member went over to deliver the message.

"He said to shut up before he launches a preemptive strike on your heads."

Naturally, the reaction was explosive.

"Stop joking!"

"That makes no sense!"

I knew that was too harsh...

The Power Warrior guild member thought to himself, wearing a tearful expression. No matter how much authority Tae-hyun held, saying something like that was bound to make the players angry...

"There's no way Kim Tae-hyun would say such a thing!"

"Exactly! There is no way the great Kim Tae-hyun would say something so classless! You bastard, what kind of trick is this? You changed his words on the way, didn't you?!"

"..."

The Power Warrior guild member was utterly speechless. Were these guys carrying eyes just for decoration?

"...Now that I think about it, I must have misheard. He said to go launch a preemptive strike on their heads."

"I knew it!"

"Kim Tae-hyun believed in us all along!"

"Let's go!"

"Huh? What the? Why are those guys charging out?"

Tae-hyun glared at the front of the fortress with an irritated expression. Cain, standing beside him, replied.

"Looks like they rushed out on their own."

"There are always those who refuse to listen."

"What should we do?"

"What do you mean, what should we do? Let them do whatever they want, whether they live or die. I clearly warned them."

Tae-hyun had no intention of saving those who ran wild without knowing their own limits.

Meanwhile, a different concern was brewing within Gardu's fleet.

"Grrr..."

"Lord Gardu. What is the matter?"

"Even though I thought we arrived quickly, they've already built a fortress in that short span of time... Every single thing that bastard does is detestable and annoying."

"It is exactly as you say. Truly a detestable and annoying bastard... What should we do? Shall we turn the ships and look for another landing point?"

"Do you think I would turn my ships because I fear that bastard's shallow tricks?!"

Thud!

"M-My apologies!"

"Turning the ships to land elsewhere and circle back is exactly what he wants. We go straight through the front. I will show him the difference in our strength!"

"Yes, sir!"

"And yet, this is suspicious..."

Under normal circumstances, Gardu's personality would have driven him to immediately dock his ships on the beach and order a charge. He was arrogant because he was powerful; that was the essence of Gardu. However, because he had been thoroughly humiliated by Tae-hyun, his wariness of the man had skyrocketed. It was a backstab so severe it had literally altered a boss monster's personality!

"There might be some kind of trap on that beach... Hm?"

"Waaaaah!"

"Let's go! Let's go!"

One party was mounted on horseback, while another was charging on foot. Their plan was to land a heavy blow on Gardu's vanguard as they disembarked and then retreat!

It seemed like a crazy idea, but they had their own logic. First of all, they had never fought Gardu directly. At best, they had only watched old videos of him. Consequently, they had no idea that with their current stats, they would start the encounter with a barrage of severe penalties the moment they faced him.

Furthermore, they had no intention of fighting Gardu himself. In large-scale battles like this, the boss monster usually appeared late, meaning only weaker monsters would show up initially. If so, they could strike first and run away, which gave them a solid chance of success! They would rake in contribution points and leave a lasting impression in such a massive battle.

"You're streaming this, right?!"

"It's live! Let's go!"

"Even Kim Tae-hyun might be impressed when he sees what we're doing! I have a really good feeling about this..."

"...It wasn't a trap."

Gardu cast aside his doubts and spoke. To think such pathetic weaklings would charge like that, leaving their fortress behind! This meant the warriors gathered here were completely disorganized. He had suspected a trap on the beach, but it was clear they were simply unprepared.

"They are nothing but a rabble. To think he brought such trash. That bastard Kim Tae-hyun must be truly desperate."

"They must be terrified of your majesty, Lord Gardu!"

"Indeed. Mwahahaha! Wipe those fools out and charge!"

Creak—

The muzzles of magic cannons protruded from the ships. The charging players failed to notice the development.

"Why aren't the pirates landing?"

"Hurry up and get off the ships! We need to hit you with our charge bonus to maximize the damage..."

Whoosh—

Boom!