Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: Zombie Trio (3)
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Hit and run.
When this most orthodox strategy against strong foes or powerful groups met Rokan's master skill, it created tremendous synergy. A single Gale Incarnation had taken down dozens of Red Crusaders.
Considering that before reaching master level, Rokan had struggled just to take down two or three, this was an incredible feat.
Even by simple calculations, repeating this a few more times would wipe out the Red Crusaders entirely.
Of course, the number he could take down would vary depending on when the high master-level Red Guards intervened, but if Mitty, Hamel, and Polten kept performing well, Rokan was confident he could finish them off in just a few days.
'Their vigilance will ramp up even more... But on our side, we can power up too.'
The more raids they conducted, the stronger the vigilance from Chrono, the Red Guards, and the Red Crusaders would become, making it harder to drag things out over time. But since his side grew significantly stronger with every battle, it was fine.
One rare item per Red Crusader squad. And not just any rare item, but one you could choose. It was an enormous benefit.
'For now, I should use them to boost survivability.'
Rokan poured all those rewards into strengthening Hamel, Mitty, and Polten. He replenished the Absolute Barriers they'd consumed, and based on previous battles, filled in their lacking stats.
Even though he'd actively incorporated their opinions, pinpointing exactly what they wanted was never easy. But Rokan—who was who?—nailed it better than they could themselves the moment he heard them out.
'This would be better than that.'
He even dug up options they hadn't known about and tossed them their way, so they had no choice but to bust their asses adapting to the new power without disappointing him.
And exactly one hour later, when the Gale Incarnation cooldown reset, they gathered again, pinpointed Chrono's location, and launched another raid.
"Kyaaack! I'll kill you all!"
The pattern was the same. Mitty and Hamel used every consumable at their disposal to draw the attention of Chrono and the Red Guards, with Polten providing support.
While they fought tooth and nail for survival and aggro, Rokan swept through the Red Crusaders with Gale Incarnation, destroying as many as possible.
Some weren't fully destroyed, only half-wrecked, but aside from a tiny fraction of users, no one dared snipe them. They feared catching Rokan's ire.
They were enemies anyway, but if Rokan—who clearly had reached master level—came at them seriously, even hunting normally would become impossible.
'Yeah, better avoid the downpour.'
Rokan agreed it was the smart choice. Even if the entire upper echelons of the Black Dragon Legion's guilds swarmed him, he was confident he wouldn't just hold during Gale Incarnation—he'd devour them all.
No need to mention the Golden Lion faction; even the Black Dragon Legion would regret stealing the mobs he'd marked.
The only tolerable theft was snagging injured Red Crusaders out of his sight. Attempt it in front of him, and they'd be treated like monsters regardless of race.
After repeating these battles—monopolizing Red Crusaders and whittling down their numbers—fewer than 200 remained.
"Damn it, retreat!"
As their numbers dwindled, Rokan's guerrilla tactics started losing effectiveness. Mitty, Hamel, and Polten could hold out longer, but Chrono and the Red Guards responded faster to the Red Crusaders' plight.
Thanks to that, even Rokan struggled to wipe them out after the initial raid.
He could somehow handle one high master-level Red Guard, but two or more meant preparing for death.
'But no need to die for a few more.'
Death didn't scare him, of course. But throwing away his life just to grab a handful more Red Crusaders would be idiotic.
Unlike other master skills, Gale Incarnation had a short cooldown, so it was better to chip away repeatedly.
Thus, Rokan ordered the trio to retreat and bought time before escaping.
"Now the real fun begins."
The Red Crusaders were down to about one-fifth of their original numbers.
But the enemy's true forces were Chrono and his ten Red Guards anyway.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the real fight started now.
"Looks like the time has come..."
And right on cue, good news arrived.
[Ancient Emperor Chrono's body cannot withstand the excessive power and begins to crack.]
[Ancient Emperor Chrono's realm is forcibly lowered.]
"Perfect."
Chrono had dropped a step from the untouchable grand master realm.
Now, NPCs from various races—even high masters—could step in.
"Things are about to explode."
Rokan's plan to chip away a few more times changed.
Further reducing the Red Crusaders would make it easier for NPCs to intervene, but that came with issues.
Who would claim the kills?
They couldn't get user-level loot, but the corpses of an ancient emperor and Red Guards were prime research material on their own. Securing them meant extracting the essence of ancient magic.
And that wasn't all. It could accelerate resolving their race's long-standing wishes.
So, no one but humans would pass it up.
"Maybe snag one..."
Rokan didn't aim too high.
Just one.
Not Chrono—a single Red Guard. He'd be satisfied with that.
Of course, with high masters from each race competing, landing the killing blow wouldn't be easy, but the rewards would be substantial if he pulled it off.
"Tch. Feels like I opened Hell's Gate too early."
Rokan felt a twinge of regret now.
The human race quest ranked high in difficulty among the eight race quests.
Truth be told, it shouldn't have been cleared yet.
Proof? Aside from Rokan, other users hadn't landed meaningful hits.
Not a single base had been properly defended—a testament to the event's overbalance.
"But... we'll reap some harvest anyway."
Still, it wasn't pure loss or mistake. The Fallen Wave followed by the ancient emperor's revival had wrecked both factions, but it cracked open a new turning point.
"War's coming soon."
The Second Racial War.
Once Ancient Emperor Chrono and his forces vanished, would the shattered power balance hold? Would they play nice, letting each other recover?
Fat chance. The great war from his past life was likely approaching faster.
And such a war was exactly what Rokan welcomed most.
[The Emperor summons you. Proceed to the imperial palace within 6 hours.]
"Hm?"
Then, a notification appeared for Rokan. A personal message, just like the emperor's previous summons.
An imperial call at this juncture...
With a rough idea, Rokan nodded. He excused himself from Mitty, Hamel, and Polten, then waited out the Gale Incarnation aftereffects.
[Audience with the Emperor.]
[All equipped weapons are automatically unequipped.]
[Equipping gear during audience with the Emperor may be deemed treason. Proceed with caution.]
Arriving at the palace, preparations to receive him were ready, just like last time. His weapons unequipped automatically, and imperial guards lined up beside the emperor.
"I greet Your Imperial Majesty."
"Rise, Count Regalia."
After kneeling on one knee and paying respects, the emperor called to Rokan.
He looked gaunt compared to before, likely from the ordeal.
No wonder—the ancient emperor's rampage must have brought massive backlash and pressure from within the Golden Lion faction.
Politically and mentally, it would've been a huge burden.
Without absolute monarchy, even his throne and authority might've been at risk. No surprise his expression was grim.
"I summoned you to entrust a special mission."
"Command me."
Knowing this, and guessing what came next, Rokan replied readily.
And without preamble, it was exactly as expected.
"In three days, the Interracial Conference will convene. I want you to attend."
'Just as I thought.'
The Interracial Conference united all eight races, transcending Golden Lion and Black Dragon factions.
Held only for critical issues requiring collective action, this was the first since the last racial war.
Until now, it had been a nominal clause in armistice treaties, just in case.
"I will go."
"...You'll face many shortcomings and hardships. Those attending are at least high master realm."
The emperor gravely stated the obvious.
And for good reason. Rokan had reached master level and developed a fearsome master skill, single-handedly devastating the Red Crusaders right after. But the gap between master and high master was vast.
'...Or so they'd think.'
Rokan saw it differently. High masters gained an extra master skill and hundreds of stat points, but in Gale Incarnation state, he was confident he wouldn't lose one-on-one.
Tough, but his cold assessment: he could tangle with mid-tier high masters.
Not everyone shared his view, though. Even the emperor, well aware of his exploits, seemed uneasy sending him, his grave expression unchanging as he continued.
"Still, I send you for one reason. We must preserve our strength now. After that one's fall, our humans' influence and voice will weaken—inevitable. Knowing this, I can't sacrifice other high masters. I hope you understand."
Harsh words, but it boiled down to using Rokan because he could die and respawn as a visitor.
Sending scarce NPC high masters to a battlefield where even they could perish was too risky for the race as a whole.
Especially for humans, already poised to lose power from this incident—they needed to conserve to have any voice left.
"Entrust it to me. I won't bring shame to Your Majesty or our race."
Ignoring it, Rokan exuded confidence, placing his right hand over his left chest.
Sure, it stung a bit, but the battlefield he wanted was opening. No way he'd botch it over pride.
"I place a heavy burden on you. Succeed, and I'll elevate you to marquis. And..."
"Loyalty!"
The emperor, apologetic, even promised a marquis title. Rokan had figured it'd take ages from count to marquis, but success meant huge gains.
And one more thing.
"Regardless of my intentions, humans can't appear weak to other races. I grant you master-grade equipment."
"Your grace humbles me!"
A grin stretched across Rokan's face. Master-grade gear was scarce; even with money, top stuff was hard to get. For the emperor to bestow it meant more than a single piece.
Likely a full set.
After weapon swaps, combos, and skill reworks, another power-up loomed.