Chapter 349: Omen: Defeat, Victory, Defeat, Victory, Victory
Chapter 349: Omen: Defeat, Victory, Defeat, Victory, Victory
My first target was the male User who had all but rushed to the front of Ko Yeonju’s group.
Player Status
1. Name: Lee Chanhee (Year 3 User)
2. Class: Requiem Assassin (Secret, Requiem Assassin, Master)
3. Nation: Barbara
4. Clan: Hashashin (Clan Rank: A Zero)
5. True Name · Nationality: Prayer for the Dead · Republic of Korea
6. Sex: Male (25)
7. Height · Weight: 176.3cm · 63.7kg
8. Alignment: True · Neutral
[Strength 88] [Durability 82] [Agility 96] [Stamina 84] [Magic Power 94(+2)] [Luck 80]
(You have 0 stat points remaining.)
Stat Comparison
1. Ko Yeonju: 536 / 600
(You have 0 stat points remaining.)
[Strength 89] [Durability 90] [Agility 97] [Stamina 85] [Magic Power 93] [Luck 82]
2. Lee Chanhee: 524 / 600
(You have 0 stat points remaining.)
[Strength 88] [Durability 82] [Agility 96(+1)] [Stamina 84] [Magic Power 94] [Luck 80]
Not bad.
In the Hall Plain, being ‘strong’ was a harmony of one’s Class, stats, and abilities (unique, special, and latent). From that perspective, Lee Chanhee’s class and stats were more than acceptable.
Just as I was about to look at the other two, I had to avert my Third Eye. Kim Deokpil had approached and suddenly stuck his hand out toward me.
“Gimme a smoke.”
“…”
For a second, I considered gently placing my middle finger on his palm, but I quickly changed my mind. I calmly took out a cigarette and tossed it to him. But Kim Deokpil, with the agility of a dolphin, performed the trick of catching the airborne cigarette with his mouth.
“Nice catch!”
He gave me a thumbs-up and sauntered toward the door. I was speechless for a moment.
“Haha. I’ve felt this since our time at the Academy, but it seems User Kim Deokpil has taken quite a liking to the Mercenary Lord.”
Seo Jinwoo’s voice suddenly flowed from behind me; I hadn’t noticed him approach. I let out a soft sigh and spoke nonchalantly.
“Ah, yes… But I don’t see the Goryeo Lord. I was told he wanted to see me.”
“Ah. He was here just a moment ago, but something urgent came up and he had to step out. He said he’ll be back soon, so why don’t you wait for a bit? Not everyone is here, but since some others are, you could take this opportunity to get acquainted.”
So he’s not here. Is that why the atmosphere is more relaxed than I expected?
At Seo Jinwoo’s words, I shrugged. I plopped down in an empty seat and slowly began to look around.
Since I’d decided to wait, I figured I’d spend the time productively by examining the other Users’ information. I turned my head back toward the three I’d been observing earlier.
The man standing quietly to the side was, as I’d seen, Lee Chanhee, the ‘Requiem Assassin.’ The man staring at Ko Yeonju with a burning gaze was ‘Doctor’ Son Si-hyeok, and the woman chattering with an excited expression was ‘Nurse’ Kang Ye-bin. Seeing them having a heartfelt reunion with Ko Yeonju, I could guess the four of them were quite close.
Lee Chanhee… Ah, he was an enemy. I believe he followed Ko Yeonju later on… And Son Si-hyeok and Kang Ye-bin were famous for working as a duo, weren’t they? My memory of them is a bit hazy…
I tried to jog my memory as I looked at Son Si-hyeok and Kang Ye-bin’s Player Statuses. Come to think of it, their names were rarely mentioned by the time I had become fully active. I couldn’t remember the details, but I had a feeling they had probably died.
The four of them seemed to have so much to talk about that their chatter showed no signs of stopping. I smacked my lips for a moment and turned my head in another direction. This time, I planned to examine the woman with a mystical aura who was handling tarot cards, and the gloomy man next to her with his head bowed as if he were dead.
It was then.
Hm?
I suddenly felt a stare from my left, someone looking intently at me. Turning toward the gaze, I saw a woman with long, straight hair. Even when our eyes met, she didn’t look away.
She had a slender, oval-shaped face, and her full, firmly closed lips stood out. Her nose was high, but the tip was rounded. With her slim, graceful waist and long, sleek legs, she certainly gave off a slender impression.
But if there was one flaw, it was her eyes and her aura.
The woman’s eyes were as tranquil as a Seraph’s, but because the corners were slightly upturned, I couldn’t shake the impression that she was a little angry. When that was combined with her other features, it created an inexplicably arrogant and cold atmosphere. It was like facing a frigid winter gale.
Player Status
1. Name: Nam Daeun (Year 4 User)
2. Class: Sword Empress (Secret, Sword Empress, Master)
3. Nation: Barbara
4. Clan: Cheondun (Clan Rank: B Plus)
5. True Name · Nationality: Queen of Swords, Misandry · Republic of Korea
6. Sex: Female (24)
7. Height · Weight: 168.5cm · 48.5kg
8. Alignment: Cool · Scar
[Strength 93] [Durability 78] [Agility 95] [Stamina 91] [Magic Power 94] [Luck 93]
(You have 0 stat points remaining.)
Stat Comparison
1. Kim Soohyun: 564 / 600
(You have 6 free stat points remaining.)
[Strength 96(+2)] [Durability 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 92(+2)] [Magic Power 96] [Luck 90(+2)]
2. Nam Daeun: 543 / 600
(You have 0 stat points remaining.)
[Strength 93] [Durability 78] [Agility 95] [Stamina 91] [Magic Power 94] [Luck 92]
I barely managed to swallow the groan that almost escaped me. I had heard of her reputation in the first playthrough, but to see such high stats without the aid of equipment was truly eye-opening.
However, she wasn’t without her problems.
Her Durability stat is holding her back.
It felt like I was looking at my past self when I struggled with Stamina issues, and a bitter smile formed on my lips.
Still, that aside, she was impressive in her own right, and a woman who sparked a lot of questions. I was curious about her True Name, ‘Queen of Swords,’ compared to my own, ‘Master of the Sword,’ and the ‘Scar’ listed in her disposition also piqued my curiosity.
Nam Daeun stared at me for a while longer before finally averting her gaze. She must have interpreted my staring into space as me looking away. In reality, I had been reading her Player Status.
Bang.
“Oh dear. I’m a bit late.”
Just then, the sound of the door opening was followed by a voice looking for me. I looked at the door and confirmed that the Goryeo Lord had arrived.
“Is the Mercenary Lord present?”
At his question, I quickly turned off my Third Eye and stood up.
*
As soon as he entered, the Goryeo Lord apologized and called off the commanders’ meeting. Several clan lords who were supposed to attend had been held up by personal matters. He mentioned problems with the formations and coordination with the other units, but it felt as though he was speaking around the real issue.
To be honest, if I had one complaint about the Eastern faction, it was their war preparation process. I understood their haste, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that their preparations were far too sloppy and full of holes. The very act of canceling the Commander’s Assembly revealed that their chain of command was not yet clearly established.
I think I see why the East suffered a major defeat in the first battle.
Of course, this complaint stemmed from a relative comparison. In the first playthrough, Han Soyoung had been absolutely thorough when it came to preparing for war. She could be endlessly bold when necessary, but if the situation and conditions allowed, she would always follow a very organized process. That was the ‘Iron-Blooded Queen’ for you.
“I’m truly sorry, Mercenary Lord.”
Looking at the Goryeo Lord, who looked so haggard that dark circles were etched under his eyes, I shook my head to signify it was fine.
Besides, the era when Han Soyoung was at her peak was a time when the concept of ‘war’ was already established and familiar among Users. The Users of today were still accustomed to ‘expeditions,’ so their lack of experience was unavoidable.
“Now that the deployment date is upon us, I’m losing my mind. We’ve finished all the preparations, yet I don’t know why problems keep popping up.”
Then you should have prepared thoroughly in the first place. I forcibly swallowed the words that were about to leap from my throat.
“It’s alright. I know you’re always busy.”
“Haha. Thank you for saying so. Still, if I may make an excuse, I was in the middle of discussing a proposal from Lee Hyoeul.”
“A proposal? Weren’t the preparations almost complete?”
“Ah. That’s true, but she suddenly said we need to be wary of variables. She suggested we should select competent Users separately to prepare for unforeseen dangers… But to do that, we’d have to tamper with the current formations. Arbitrarily pulling Users out could disrupt the balance we’ve worked so hard to achieve.”
The Goryeo Lord then adopted a deeply contemplative expression and continued in a low tone.
“I’m only saying this because it’s just the two of us, but honestly, I’m well aware that this war isn’t perfect. So I think I have a vague idea of what Lee Hyoeul is getting at. I don’t personally like her, but… I’ve never lost anything by listening to her. So I believe it’s worth considering.”
I stared at the Goryeo Lord, feeling a little surprised. In truth, he was fated to die in this war. From what I knew, after their great defeat, the Eastern faction would be pursued by the enemy, and the Goryeo Lord would take part in holding them off.
After his death, public opinion of the Goryeo Lord was generally favorable. He was a bit direct and stubborn, but he possessed the capacity and skill of a Clan Lord. In a way, his public persona was somewhat similar to mine, yet also very different.
“For now, that’s not a matter we can decide on immediately, so we’ve decided to take more time to think about it. The deployment is the urgent priority right now.”
“…I understand. But I heard you called for me.”
“Ah. I’ve been so distracted I forgot the main point. Actually, the reason I asked you to stay behind was to ask for a favor.”
“A favor?”
At my question, the Goryeo Lord nodded once.
“Yes. The favor concerns Baek Seoyeon. I am truly grateful that you lent her to us for a time. Thanks to that, numerous clans were able to deal with the spies in their midst.”
“Don’t mention it. In any case, I’m glad it was handled well.”
“Indeed. Now, by rights, we should return her to you. But as I understand it, Baek Seoyeon was sentenced to death at Istantel Low Clan’s trial.”
“That’s correct. I have no intention of letting her live, and if possible, I plan to execute her before we deploy.”
I answered with what I had been thinking all along. That was all I did, but I could see the fatigue that had clouded the Goryeo Lord’s face lift, if only slightly.
Then, the Goryeo Lord spoke again.
“That’s a relief. In that case… do you happen to like events?”
A relief?
At the Goryeo Lord’s out-of-the-blue question, I tilted my head, not understanding for a moment. A faint smile played on his lips.
*
Time passed, and the day of the deployment ceremony finally dawned. Personally, I still thought the preparations were severely lacking, but we were forced to move up the deployment because of the Golden Lion’s antics (or more accurately, because we didn’t know what they would pull).
Murmur. Murmur. Murmur.
As soon as I arrived at the site of the deployment ceremony, I couldn’t help but be slightly astonished. The place was a sea of people, a massive crowd of Users gathered from all over the Eastern City.
Around the altar set up in the central plaza, which reeked of having been hastily constructed, the 16,000 Users participating in this battle were arranged in some semblance of ranks and files according to their assigned units. But everywhere else, the swarming crowd left no room to even set a foot down, radiating a palpable heat.
Waaaaaaaaaah!
Suddenly, a tremendous cheer shook the surroundings. At the center of the cheers were the Goryeo Lord and his attendants, who were dragging a single female User with them.
Upon reaching the very center, the Goryeo Lord immediately ascended the altar. I quickly craned my neck to get a better look. There, I could see the attendants forcing the captive, Baek Seoyeon, to kneel in the middle.
After a brief moment of preparation, the Goryeo Lord’s deployment speech began.
—My dear Users of the East. We have waited for a long time.
The moment the Goryeo Lord began to speak, the clamor died down in an instant.
—I will not speak at length. The time has finally come.
Waaaaaaaaaah!
The cheers erupted once more. As if using Sound Amplification Magic, the Goryeo Lord continued his speech with clear pronunciation even amidst the roar.
—The current situation is…
As I listened quietly to the speech, Ko Yeonju, who was standing to my right, spoke in a whisper.
“Soohyun. Why did you refuse?”
“Pardon?”
“The event. You could have gotten quite a bit of attention.”
“I don’t know. I don’t mind the event itself, but I wasn’t keen on being the main attraction.”
I replied simply and stared at Baek Seoyeon, who was kneeling with her head bowed in the center. I couldn’t see her face, but it was obvious at a glance that she was in a wretched state.
Her clothes were torn here and there, and her hair was a disheveled mess. Seeing that, I knew instinctively. She must have passed through the hands of countless Users while being lent out to various clans. Focusing solely on her ‘gender,’ Baek Seoyeon was certainly an attractive woman.
—…because of this. Now, please look over here for a moment. You all know who this Vagabond kneeling here is. This Vagabond is Baek Seoyeon, one of the masterminds who tried to throw the Northern Continent into chaos.
Boooooooooo!
—Haha. The reason Baek Seoyeon is here now is, yes, as you all know… because the Mercenary Lord, who is currently the talk of the continent, User Kim Soohyun, captured her. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to the Mercenary Lord.
In that instant, I felt the gazes of the surrounding crowd fixate on me. It wasn’t just one or two. What followed was a fiery chant.
Ooooooooh!
Kim Soohyun! Kim Soohyun! Kim Soohyun!
What do you want me to do?
Don’t chant my name.
Kim Soohyun! Kim Soohyun! Kim Soohyun!
Stop it. Please.
“Oh, they’re chanting my hubby’s name. Soohyun, give them a wave.”
“No.”
I refused flatly. While I felt a slight discomfort, Ko Yeonju’s voice was filled with excitement.
After some time passed and the chanting of my name began to die down, I was finally able to focus on the altar again. The Goryeo Lord had approached Baek Seoyeon and drawn a sword that glinted in the sunlight.
—We do not doubt for a moment that we will be victorious in this war. Now, before we deploy, I will ask you all one thing. Baek Seoyeon is a Vagabond. What should we do with this Vagabond?
Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!
—That’s right. Some clans often claim that we should rehabilitate Vagabonds, that we must embrace them again, but I think differently. Vagabonds are the enemies of Users, and they are the clear, primary enemy that must be annihilated without exception. To give a recent example, you are all aware of the Vagabond Extermination Plan. And you also know how that turned out…
A subtle diss at the Golden Lion Clan.
But in this situation, the Goryeo Lord’s speech was quite persuasive, and the Users’ chants to kill her grew even louder. In time with the chant, I could see him slowly raising his sword.
—From this moment on.
Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!
—I hereby declare the East’s march on Barbara!
Woooooooooooooah!
And with the declaration of deployment that followed, at the very moment the Users’ fervor reached its peak…
The Goryeo Lord swung the sword down in a single stroke.
Splurt!
It was a clean strike.
Baek Seoyeon’s head seemed to fly through the air for a moment before it tumbled across the floor. A thin fountain of blood sprayed from her neck, scattering beautifully in the air.
—We will begin with the East Gate units immediately. Everyone, to your positions!
Baek Seoyeon was executed.
Her public execution signaled the true beginning of the full-scale deployment to Barbara.