Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Recapture Battle (1)
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2 against thousands.
That absurd scenario had become reality. And with an unbelievable outcome—the two emerging victorious.
Of course, it came at tremendous cost.
The moment one reaches Master level, they become a "monster," but even Osram's mana had limits. He'd incurred massive financial losses using bombs and potions as tools.
Not only that, but the outpost itself had crumbled to ruins, requiring enormous funds for repairs.
So, he didn't bother.
Rokan coolly abandoned the Sanuha Territory. Instead of doing anything else, he left it in a state ripe for easy recapture in a rematch.
Given its geography and terrain, it was a place that could be seized at any moment, so he gave up defense without a second thought. He'd already taken everything worth getting from it anyway.
So, what had Rokan gained from such heavy investment?
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up...]
A mountain of piled-up experience points!
That was everything Rokan had gained. With Osram sticking to him like a guardian, all the experience from the enemies Rokan slew flowed straight to him.
Pets or summons aside, items and experience earned by mercenaries or guardians went to the user.
Thanks to that, Rokan monopolized thousands in experience and items.
Power leveling in the truest sense!
He'd entered the so-called "dead level zone" where levels barely budged no matter how hard you tried, but he'd shot up several levels in one go.
'If you can buy experience with money, it's always a profit.'
Money overflowed anyway. Plus, he hadn't released them yet, but flooding the market with his stockpiled cash would easily buy two more big-ticket items.
Enhancement stones and cosmetic potions.
With those in hand, Rokan had no reason to skimp on spending for levels. If anything, the real issue was the shortage of bombs, explosive potions, and poison potions.
He'd scoured major cities to stock up, but the sheer volume he dumped in one go left him wanting more.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes. Now, let's prepare for the next phase."
Rokan had no intention of stopping here.
Excluding the outpost he'd gifted the emperor, he still held several others. And he planned to pull the same stunt there.
And one more thing.
He'd prepared for what would happen once word spread of their rampage here.
[Miderang Territory is under attack.]
Once Berserk's aftereffects wore off and a few more hours passed, two alerts appeared in Rokan's view.
Just like Sanuha Territory, a recapture battle had begun at another territory in the Black Dragon Legion's camp.
Rokan teleported to Miderang Territory the instant he confirmed it. His outposts in the Black Dragon Legion's zone were already prepped.
"Hurry! Breach the lord's castle no matter what!"
"Thieves might have bombs—search for anything suspicious first and report it! Preemptively!"
The pattern was the same. They'd heard about Sanuha's failure, so they were wary of bombs and potions, and the attackers weren't undead but orcs—a slight difference.
Unfortunately, bombs weren't the core of Miderang's defense.
Pew-woong. Bang!
Rokan, blocking the lord's castle entrance once more, fired a signal flare into the sky—one of the mechanical engineering items.
Thoom!
In response, the sky filled with catapult boulders.
Miderang's walls were already in ruins, so instead of bombs, he'd positioned catapults on the adjacent mountain.
Camouflage netting kept them hidden until Rokan's signal released it, unleashing the rocks.
"Kuwaaaak!"
"How do we block that!"
"Magic—fire magic! Intercept them! If not, at least divert...!"
As the enemies panicked from the unexpected bombardment, a figure charged from the rear. Needless to say, Osram.
He demonstrated what a High Master truly was, whipping out aura like a lash to shatter their formation.
"Damn it! Just lure him in! Grab his leg if you have to—turn him into catapult bait!"
At this point, the enemies went all-in. Catapult fire raged on. Some moved to destroy them first, but that would take time.
So they switched to a water ghost tactic.
Even if recapture failed, snagging a hostile High Master meant profit. They might jump straight from baron to viscount.
They didn't know he was High Master—just assumed Master level—but even a Master was a national asset.
Lacking confidence to take him in straight combat, they aimed to sacrifice lives and drag him under the catapults.
"Mountainsplitting Sword."
Kwaaang!
"......"
"......"
Until they saw Osram cleave a house-sized boulder with one swing.
"......Fuck, that's not human."
"No hope. Run!"
After that, it was total collapse. What could you expect from a being beyond human limits?
The orcs who'd come for recapture fell into deeper chaos than from the catapults.
All that remained was one-sided slaughter!
"You just gonna stand there?"
Meanwhile, the lord's castle side with Rokan had reached a stalemate.
Osram was farming experience on his own, so Rokan had zero reason to push.
Focusing on blockade and lining the inner castle with mechanical traps turned anyone ignoring him into fools.
A single axe to the back of the head finished those.
Thanks to that, the horde at the castle hesitated to charge when another alert hit Rokan's view.
[Regalia Territory is under attack.]
His main base, Regalia Territory, was under assault.
It was only natural. The enemies weren't stupid—they knew who'd wiped out thousands and targeted the opening to strike Regalia in revenge.
Likely using this place as bait. Impressively quick response.
'I knew it.'
Pew-woong. Bang!
Rokan fired a second signal flare.
The signal for Osram to withdraw. They'd planned for this in advance.
Osram feigned pursuit and slipped to the outskirts, leaving Rokan to move.
"Hire knights. Install traps."
Using the territory management window, he fortified the lord's castle.
Hired knights and set powerful traps everywhere. Even if he left, they'd pay dearly to breach. Recapture was fine now—as long as he milked more experience.
Their drops auto-looted to his inventory too, so moderate spending wouldn't show.
Leaving the rest to the hired knights, Rokan pulled out and opened his rune book to warp to the attacked Regalia.
Osram followed suit. NPCs lacked rune books, but for this, Rokan had supplied pricey location-save teleport scrolls.
"Regroup."
Confirming Osram beside him, Rokan ordered a pause. Just potions to restore spent mana.
Once mana hit over 80%, they moved in sync. Not to Regalia's inner castle.
Rokan had pinned coordinates behind the enemies' predicted attack route.
For one reason: to snag their elites.
"You sure about this?"
"Leave it to me."
Osram glanced back, grinding his teeth. After days defending castles, rage burned toward the enemy elites who always slipped away when cornered.
Excitement was poison in battle, but sometimes a fine fuel. Knowing that, Rokan nodded and charged in.
'Perfect.'
His pre-departure preparations paid off big. Massive budget sunk into traps along their path—ones that didn't exist before—and siege gear for long-range strikes.
Traps, being one-use, caught them off-guard since they wouldn't expect such expense, inflicting heavy casualties.
Swoosh!
No Osram. But traps aplenty. Enemies floundered, failing to capitalize on the ambush.
As expected, their five elite Masters hung back, probing. The moment Osram spotted them, he lunged.
"Mountainsplitting Sword!"
"Uh!"
"How's that bastard behind us...!"
The startled enemy Masters drew weapons to resist Osram's combo skill.
"Ruinous Strike!"
"Shield of the Malevolent God!"
"Clutch of Exploitation!"
A beat late, but their linkage was solid.
Combo skills varied hugely between Master and High Master, but one dulled Mountainsplitting Sword's power, another tanked it bodily, and the third siphoned Osram's life to the tank.
Osram took some health damage but blocked the assault.
"Crunch!"
"Surround Osram!"
"We end this here!"
Blocking fired them up more.
Osram glared daggers; they saw him as must-kill.
Sub-Master scrubs couldn't dent him properly, but tiring him out let their trio finish the job, they believed.
Ironclad Master or not, he was old.
A thought born of never facing his prime, but alone, they might seize a chance.
"Graaaargh! How dare you step up!"
Then, the ignored Rokan roared.
A soul-shaking bellow that staggered even Masters. Unprepared soldiers lost their minds entirely.
"Bombardment! Your opponent's me!"
Seizing the gap, Rokan volunteered for the small fry.
He'd downed a Master once, but they were still a handful. Osram could handle the trio fine.
'Whoever kills them, I profit.'
Experience, items, fame, merit—all his regardless. No need to overextend.
So Rokan swept soldiers and knights to keep Osram free.
All over 270, but non-Masters posed no threat.
Tank or not, anything axe-touched split. Damage? He outsped and outhit, recovering via Blood Mark.
No tedious stall—Rokan massacred too. Part of the "defense."
"What the hell is that guy!"
"They said Regalia's lord went insane..."
The trio's faces twisted. Eyes only on Osram, they'd dismissed Rokan as a squire—now he rampaged madly, triggering alarm.
Even full force might just corner Osram...!
"Take him out quick!"
One broke off. A Master-grade knight—dealer—slipped free, steeling for a stall against Osram.
"Insolent fools!"
Now Osram bristled. Two Masters daring to stall him? Eyes flashing, he unleashed hidden power.