A Fortress of Laborers
Since the rulers of these domains usually had terrible relationships with Tae-hyun, they had no choice but to prepare!
“Let’s secure the perimeter and build a fortress immediately.”
“Yes, sir!”
The expedition led by Tae-hyun held a massive advantage in this regard. Tae-hyun himself was a master blacksmith, and many of the NPCs accompanying him were also highly skilled smiths, allowing them to construct a fortress in no time.
“Where are you planning to build it?”
“Well... the Demon Realm is mostly a desolate wasteland unless you’re near the domain of a layer’s ruler. It’d be best to find a spot that’s naturally easy to defend.”
Feng shui! Even in Pan-On, feng shui existed.
Utilizing hills, cliffs, rivers...
A cave atop a mountain range was also good, but places with no escape route were dangerous.
“The best terrain is one where we can threaten to blow ourselves up along with anyone who breaches the fortress, but you can’t find that just anywhere.”
“Isn’t that just extortion, not feng shui, Senior?”
“Shh. Tae-hyun did all of that back in Pan-On 1.”
“What did he do...?!”
“I can only tell you about the landslides and falling rocks. The victims still don’t know why they got hit.”
Tae-hyun sent Yong-yong and Heuk-heuk to scout the area. They were the best candidates for aerial reconnaissance in this situation. Now that everyone’s levels had recovered to over 400, they wouldn’t easily get beaten up anywhere.
'Even if they run into a boss monster, they should at least be able to escape.'
—Golgol-i. You get on top too. Just in case.
—Master. I am an undead...
Golgol-i absolutely hated the idea, but Tae-hyun was not one to show mercy. In the end, Golgol-i climbed onto Heuk-heuk’s back.
—Ugh, smelly undead bastard.
—Silence! Do you think I ride you because I want to?!
—Suddenly, I feel like wrapping myself in Sadiq’s sacred flames...
—The moment you do, I will pierce your wings!
“They seem to get along well. Right, Yong-yong?”
—???
One of the rankers raised his hand and asked.
“Kim Tae-hyun! What should we do?! Are we going hunting?!”
When they were in front of the temple, they had been despairing like people whose lives were ruined, muttering, 'Why did I start this game? Why am I suffering? Why am I the only unlucky one?' But once they accepted Tae-hyun’s offer, their minds returned to normal. Back to their glorious days as rankers!
'Yes! It’s not over yet!'
'I will rise again through this quest!'
'I am a ranker! I won’t die in a place like this!'
They all made firm resolutions, their eyes shining. They knew what kind of quest they were participating in. The Demon Realm Subjugation Quest, which currently had the attention of every player in the game! If they performed well here...!
“Hmm? Hunting can wait...”
“Then what is it?! Scouting?!”
“No. Construction. Carry these supplies.”
“...”
“...”
The rankers blinked. Did they hear wrong?
“I... I think the World Tree took some of my hearing while I was praying. Did I mishear?”
“I said it clearly. Carry the supplies.”
“Kim Tae-hyun! Isn’t this too much?! What do you take us for?!”
The ranker Johansson shouted in anger. True to his barbarian class, Johansson had a fiery personality.
“If you wanted to mock us, you should have just mocked us! How dare you insult us like this! And you call yourself a ranker representing Pan-On?!”
“What kind of nonsense is that? Who’s mocking who? I’m giving you the job because you guys are fast workers.”
“That is the insult!”
Johansson stomped his foot. He didn't have a single piece of gear, but his aura was still fierce.
In truth, Johansson was right. What ranker in the world would do such menial labor? Even if they were starving to death, they had their pride. Unless they were a specialized architect ranker, no one mined materials, carried them, dug the ground, and piled stones.
Of course, from Tae-hyun’s perspective, he simply couldn’t understand their complaints.
“How is this an insult? It seems you guys don’t really know what a real insult is... Hmm. How should I explain this to you?”
At Tae-hyun’s words, Suana, a ranker from the former Guild Alliance, gasped in horror.
“I... I understand without an explanation!”
“Ah, really? See? She says she understands.”
'What a coward!'
'Is Kim Tae-hyun really that scary?!'
Of course, from Suana’s perspective, she had plenty to say to the other rankers.
'You bastards haven't even experienced him!'
If you're so brave, try facing him yourselves!
The rankers from the Guild Alliance—specifically those who had directly faced Tae-hyun—carried a strange sense of pride.
This was just one example.
No matter what the topic was, the conversation magically drifted to: "So, have you ever run away from Kim Tae-hyun?"
Yes, indeed. After facing Tae-hyun, their noses had risen to a bizarre height! It wasn't that they themselves were great, but as Kim Tae-hyun’s reputation soared day by day, they fell into the illusion that they, who had faced that very Kim Tae-hyun, were also somehow amazing.
Of course, to the other rankers, it was just absurd nonsense.
'What’s so great about running away?'
'Have they finally lost their minds?'
“Kim Tae-hyun. Just because she says OK doesn’t mean we do. She was part of the Guild Alliance in the first place.”
“The Guild Alliance kids are a bit weird. They just nod their heads whenever you speak.”
Suana wanted to pull out her bow and shoot them instead of replying. The other rankers rushed to hold her back.
“No, I don’t get what you’re so unhappy about. If we work together, we can finish quickly. Isn’t that a good thing?”
Tae-hyun genuinely couldn’t comprehend why the rankers were complaining. Because he looked like he was teasing them on purpose, Johansson grew even angrier. Even if they had lost all their gear and become beggars, they hadn’t come here to be insulted like this!
“You’re looking down on us because we lost our gear, our levels, and our classes!”
“I’m not? I’m just telling you to do it because it’s faster.”
“Then what are the rankers in your party doing?!”
“They’re already working.”
“Don’t make me laugh! If they’re working, I’ll be your slave!”
“Johansson is right! Where do you get off telling such pathetic lies...?!”
As Johansson spoke up, the other rankers clamored in agreement. It was always easy to follow along once someone else took the lead!
Just then, Choi Sang-yun and Jeong Su-hyeok appeared from behind.
“Hey. Why aren’t you guys helping?”
“Please help out quickly. We’re short-handed.”
“...”
“...???”
“Uh, you guys, what are you...”
“What do you mean, what are we doing? We’re working. Why are you guys slacking off?”
“Can’t you see a mage carrying bricks right now? Normally, as a mage, I shouldn’t have to carry supplies like this, but since you guys are just standing around, I have to do it.”
Jeong Su-hyeok glared at the rankers with an extremely displeased look. Tae-hyun had brought them here, so he had stayed quiet, but why were they wasting time instead of doing their jobs?
“N-no. Aren't you guys rankers...?”
“Guys.”
Tae-hyun called out to the rankers in a gentle, soft voice.
The rankers’ heads snapped toward him.
“Do you want to work, or do you want to go back to the World Tree?”
“We’ll work!”
“We’ll do our best!”
The rankers quickly read the room and scrambled into action. Johansson also hurriedly tried to lift a boulder.
“Mr. Johansson?”
“Ah, yes! What is it, Mr. Kim Tae-hyun?”
“What did you say just now?”
“Oh, no, well, I... I’m sorry. I have a bit of an anger management issue...”
“Haha, it’s fine. I have a friend named Cain under me. He used to have anger management issues too, but now he’s great at managing his anger.”
“N-no! Not Cain! Anyone but him!”
Ordinary players knew Cain as 'Kim Tae-hyun’s soul duo,' but a few rankers had a rough idea of the truth.
Johansson wailed as he was dragged away by Tae-hyun. As he was dragged, Johansson repented. I’ll manage my anger from now on!
Rankers basically had high base stats. In other words... they made excellent laborers!
In particular, Johansson was showing incredible power. After carrying boulders on both shoulders back and forth a few times, a fortress wall quickly began to take shape.
However, there was someone even more amazing than Johansson.
A mysterious NPC!
“Whoa, who is that six-armed knight?”
“He looks like a knight brought by the 4th Prince, but what kind of NPC is he?”
“Did they bring him along just for this? Look at how fast he digs. That’s insane.”
“He’s like a human excavator...!”
As he swung his arms wildly, tasks that would normally take several people were finished in an instant.
—Master. Master.
“No enemies nearby?”
—No enemies, but I found a ruin.
“Oh... we should check it out.”
Tae-hyun looked around at the rankers. Then he looked at Cain.
'Hmm. If I take Cain with me, people might suspect he's Cain.'
He wanted to keep Cain’s identity hidden if possible.
Tae-hyun thought about which of the rankers wouldn’t be missed even if they died.
“Johansson, Suana.”
“Ah.”
“?”
“We’re going scouting. Come with me.”
“I-I knew it! You believed in my skills after all!”
Johansson was deeply moved. He thought he was only being used for menial labor, but as expected of Kim Tae-hyun! He had an eye for talent!
In contrast, Suana trembled with anxiety. The time she had spent in the Guild Alliance was not for nothing.
“I... I prefer menial labor.”
“!??!”
Words Johansson had never heard in his entire life! Johansson looked at Suana, completely bewildered, and asked:
“Hey! Kim Tae-hyun is looking highly upon you, so why are you acting like that?!”
“I-I don’t really like it. I’m perfectly fine with him not looking highly upon me.”
“Ayy! Quiet down. Just follow us! Don't ruin my chance to go!”
“L-let go of me!”
“Kim Tae-hyun. By the way, where is Cain?”
“Cain is doing his own quest right now.”
It wasn't a lie. However, Johansson seemed to interpret it differently.
“Well, he does need to do his own quests. He did seem to cling to you a bit too much. Kim Tae-hyun, don't worry. Even without Cain, you have me.”
Johansson thumped his chest.
Carbanog finds it ominous that he can smell Cain on that barbarian.
'...Don't say that...'
Carbanog’s words made even Tae-hyun feel uneasy!
Beside them, Suana sneered.
“You don’t even have any gear, so what can you do compared to Cain...? Honestly, can your career even compare to his?”
Cain was considered one of the best tanks in the world and had achieved excellent results in tournaments. In contrast, Johansson's national team had been eliminated in the qualifiers, and he had lost all his gear, leaving him in a pathetic state.
They were completely incomparable!
Suana was thoroughly annoyed with Johansson. It was only natural, since she had been dragged along because of him.
“I... I am absolutely not inferior to Cain!”
“Get some gear first before you talk. And honestly, even if you had gear, wouldn't you still be below Cain?”
“Nonsense! I am Johansson! Do you think I'd lose to Cain?!”
'Hmm. I feel like ditching both of them.'
He had brought them along because they wouldn't be missed even if they died, but Tae-hyun was already starting to regret it. They were twice as noisy as he had anticipated.