Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Rookies Storm Bilbar Mountain
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A certain mysterious group had established their primary base of operations on Bilbar Mountain. Initially, they were dismissed by the public as mere bandit riffraff indulging in common plunder, but after they managed to give Viscount Chainver a significantly difficult time during his initial suppression efforts, they suddenly became a trending topic within the gaming community.
Even so, the incident was regarded as just one regional event among many in the lowest-tier territory of the continent. Naturally, the news lacked a major ripple effect, and the initial buzz seemed destined to fade away into obscurity. For a time, the reports about Jermi were indeed getting buried under more pressing global issues.
Yet, the embers of interest that seemed on the verge of dying out began to flare up with a new intensity, thanks to the involvement of the top-ranking rookies.
That was the catalyst. Rookie #1, Blazefist Roxy, and Rookie #3, the Holy Warrior Baek Eun—two stars who had been in the spotlight for quite some time—were now officially joining the bandit purge. Both were already expected to surpass level 100 in the near future and ascend to the named ranks. Roxy, in particular, had never once relinquished her spot at the very top of the rookie rankings, so her every movement was guaranteed to draw an audience.
It was like tossing fresh fuel into the flames, but then, gasoline was suddenly poured onto the fire. The Iron Mask Man had reappeared. He was the enigmatic key player who had previously crushed two other prominent rookies and led Kaum Territory to an unlikely victory. This was the same mysterious user who had effortlessly overwhelmed even Kotaro, a player Roxy herself publicly acknowledged. His presence in Viscount Chainver's campaign turned an interesting regional skirmish into a global spectacle.
Interest shifted toward the inevitable competition between the three powerhouses. Since the Viscount’s rewards were scaled by individual contribution, users predicted a fierce battle for the top spot. A personal stream soon went live, with a broadcaster fully committing to capturing the actions of those three players, ignoring the quest entirely in a manner reminiscent of Timothy during the war. Viewership skyrocketed past 10,000 in an instant as the Viscount’s infantry began their march into the mountain pass.
Steel clashed against steel as the purge began. The bandits proved their quality immediately, smoothly blocking the infantry charge while archers from the makeshift fort fired in perfect unison. First-time viewers were shocked to realize the bandits were level 100—an insanely high level for a region where the average barely reached 50. Their formations were impeccable, their tactics were advanced, and their equipment was well-maintained. They moved with a discipline that made many question if they were truly outlaws.
The vanguard faltered under the pressure, leading to a frustrating deadlock. "Where are the knights?" viewers asked, though they suspected the Viscount was saving his ace force for the final push. It looked as though another retreat was imminent until Rookie #3 made his move.
Thud! A massive shield rose in the frontline, and a man in silver plate armor raised his mace toward the heavens. Holy light descended from the sky, enveloping the Holy Warrior Baek Eun as he began his grand entrance. The Viscount had hired these users to break exactly this kind of stalemate, and they were exceeding all expectations.
Boom! Bang! Shiiiing!
Roxy and Baek Eun began to rampage through the enemy ranks. Roxy, a Blazefist, utilized an advanced fighter class that combined high strength and mana with fire attributes. Her gauntlets triggered powerful explosions on contact, effectively turning her into a walking bomb that cleared clusters of foes with every strike. Meanwhile, Baek Eun operated as a versatile jack-of-all-trades tank, shielding allies with massive defensive walls, providing buffs and minor heals, and empowering his own mace to crush the level 100 bandits. He was handling three distinct roles with pure perfection.
As the chat flooded with praise for Roxy and Baek Eun, a question arose: "What about the Iron Mask Man?" The streamer panned the camera to find him, but the sight was underwhelming. The mysterious hero was simply standing in the rear, casually tossing throwing daggers from a distance like a low-level scrub. Disappointment began to grow among the viewers as they wondered if the rumors of his prowess were exaggerated.
* * *
Luke allowed himself a small, satisfied smile at the message. He had been focusing on dagger spamming to push his proficiency over the final hump, and he was pleased to see it work. He noted that the battle was progressing well enough, with the two rookies slowly shifting the momentum in the Viscount’s favor.
'But this is only the beginning,' Luke thought, turning his gaze toward the fort. The group’s high-level executives still hadn't emerged. The bandits' true strength would only shine under their veteran command, and Luke knew the flow would reverse once they appeared. He was intentionally keeping a low profile for now, knowing that flashing his true power too early would draw unwanted attention and complicate his planned infiltration of the stronghold later.
He could feel the stinging gazes from both allies and enemies—looks of doubt, suspicion, and betrayal. He knew they expected the man who crushed rookies in the previous war to be doing more than just chucking daggers. Even Roxy kept glancing in his direction with a sulky, annoyed expression mid-fight. Luke simply turned away, finding her attention burdensome.
Until the executives showed themselves, Luke decided to spend his time pickpocketing the corpses and rears of both sides. His thieving instincts never failed him, even in the middle of a chaotic battlefield.
More time passed until a series of authoritative shouts echoed across the pass. "Everyone, reform your ranks! Our noble cause shall not break here!"
The bandit executives had finally appeared on the field. Luke’s lips curled into a grin as he gripped a set of paralysis-enchanted throwing daggers. 'The time has finally come,' he thought.