Chapter 231
Chapter 231
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 231
Chapter Title: Lion King (1)
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Rokan naturally headed first to the human territory.
Because he had canceled Polymorph midway, the reuse cooldown still had a little over a day left, and he judged there was no business with the elves and undead who had already mutually destroyed each other.
It was also easier to obtain information compared to other races.
“Hehehe, sir, what’s so urgent?”
“The background of the war, and the current progress of the war.”
With just a bit of money slipped their way, informants spilled even the most trivial details, so there was no need for suspicion or legwork.
“Aha… You wish to hear my insightful perspective, I take it. Very well. I shall tell you what I know.”
Why bother paying for information everyone already knew?
The informant hesitated for a moment before flashing a knowing grin and opening his mouth.
There were quite a few who gathered information this way, cross-referencing it with their own knowledge without revealing what they truly sought.
In fact, people occasionally—very occasionally—came all this way just to hear his plausible analyses mixed with trivia.
So instead of questioning it, he cleared his throat and began his tale.
“It’s a long story from the beginning… But in the end, doesn’t it all boil down to one thing? The power each race holds has grown far too great. Each one possesses a Grand Master, the kind that might appear only once per era at best. How could they not itch for action? They might fear their opponent just a little, but crush one, and they could swallow the entire race whole. Petty incidents erupted, sparking quarrels between races, but in my view, it was simply the pent-up power of each race exploding. Of course, there are groups like the undead and elves, who harm rival races just by existing—impossible to coexist under the same sky. The gnomes are somewhat frail by comparison, but what can be done? With the other races drawing swords, they had to join the fray just to defend themselves. Alas, what a pity. If only the gnomes still had those ancient weapons from long ago, they might have aimed for something grand. But their weapons are so ineffective that as long as they avoid direct clashes…”
The informant’s words flowed endlessly.
Normally, Rokan would intimidate him into getting to the point, but this time, he listened patiently for over two hours.
He needed to grasp the situation of this era in as much detail as possible.
‘This is interesting. Seven Grand Masters, no, five now.’
Of course, the words of an armchair critic who’d never set foot near a battlefield couldn’t be trusted 100%, so he had to filter them, but the man spun a fairly plausible tale.
He seemed reliable, especially since his answers on the current situation and even the gnomes’ “ancient weapons” came close to the truth.
So Rokan probed deeper. What exactly had the gnomes tried to block using their airships?
“Well, I don’t know about that. I’ve heard they were destroyed trying to stop ‘it,’ but as for what ‘it’ was… It almost feels like someone deliberately hid it. Ah, but one thing’s clear: ‘it’ was trying to destroy the world—not just a specific race, but the entire world.”
But even he didn’t know. Compared to the present era, tales of the “ancient” past seemed better preserved, raising hopes, but it was futile.
“Stormwind… Hmm, I’ve heard of it. Probably…”
The same went for Stormwind. It matched exactly what Rokan knew—or rather, a bit less.
“What about the Lion King, then?”
“Ah, you mean Lord Gaokan? Second to none, of course! Who isn’t afraid when war breaks out? But with Lord Gaokan and the Lion Legion, we feel secure. That man alone could face every Grand Master from the other races…”
And finally, he asked about the “Lion King.”
This era wasn’t too far in the past from the present, so Rokan had a rough idea.
In particular, Lion King Gaokan—the origin of the “Golden Lion” faction’s name—was a figure he’d encountered multiple times while progressing through scenarios.
‘He was that strong?’
But believing he was that strong was hard.
Unless he was a cut above Grand Master, taking on all the races’ top Grand Masters single-handedly?
Even accounting for “national pride,” no, “racial pride,” it was tough to accept.
‘At best, he could handle two of them.’
So Rokan adjusted his estimate of Gaokan’s level in his mind and continued extracting information.
‘The Lion Legion…’
Most impressive was the existence of the Lion Legion, Gaokan’s direct subordinates.
All High Masters, they had grown under his guidance, boasting superior skill against peers.
If the enemy leaders didn’t step up, the Lion King wouldn’t even need to; they could mop up and unify the continent, or so went the widespread opinion—not just the informant’s subjective view.
Thus, the current war wasn’t the 4-vs-4 showdown Rokan expected, but elves vs. undead, and trolls, orcs, goblins vs. humans + rabble (gnomes, dwarves).
“It’s about time for news to come in.”
But even he hadn’t heard yet about the elves and undead’s mutual destruction.
The elves weren’t the type to spread rumors, and it was still too early to grasp the situation.
“Oh, and sir, if you’re looking to earn merits, head to Erhi Castle. Rumors say the Lion Legion’s gathering there—likely a major battle soon.”
“Got it.”
With the final intel tucked away, Rokan set off immediately.
“This should be fun.”
He had a rough grasp of the situation.
If he had Grand Master-level power himself, he’d think a war against other races was worth trying.
Moreover, the Grand Masters’ supposed superiority was just armchair talk; they’d never truly clashed in earnest.
Only the dwarves had bowed first after some incident with the Lion King, but at that level, their confidence would be sky-high—they’d ignore public opinion and want to test themselves.
Thus, Rokan’s steps naturally turned toward Erhi Castle.
War was enjoyable, but his biggest draw was witnessing the Lion Legion’s prowess and Lion King Gaokan’s might firsthand.
‘Lion King and Lion Legion…’
Just how strong were they to take on all other races?
Unlike the modern era, every race moved independently now.
Not Golden Lions vs. Black Dragon Legion, but pure racial strife.
Of course, the haughty elves had retreated after mutual destruction with the undead, while airship-less gnomes and Lion King-subdued dwarves followed humans—but if the Lion King died, they could stab him in the back.
Or perhaps at a critical moment.
‘That’s how confident they must be.’
Yet he took them in and turned his back on them, which conversely showed the Lion King and Legion’s supreme confidence.
It was also evident in how the four races that would later form the “Black Dragon Legion” chose a temporary alliance against humans rather than infighting.
This only fueled Rokan’s fighting spirit.
In his previous life, until defeated by the King of Genesis, he’d never lost confidence against anyone.
And now, he was growing stronger faster than before.
Compared to the same timeframe then, it was incomparable; even against his past High Master self, he could hold his own—so while the Lion King might be out of reach, surely he could take the Legion?
Harboring a few devious thoughts besides, he entered Erhi Castle.
[Lion Unit Recruitment][Quest]
Join the Lion Unit and participate in the war.
-1.5x EXP during war participation
-Additional EXP and Fame proportional to merits
A quest popped up simultaneously: join the Lion Unit and fight in the war.
Even as a duke, Rokan’s quests amplified EXP by only 1.3x under perfect conditions—this was a massive opportunity.
“Lion Unit?”
But alongside temptation came suspicion.
Was Lion Unit different from Lion Legion?
The Legion consisted of those directly trained by the Lion King, so selectivity made sense, but this might relegate him to a separate operational role.
Feeling uneasy, Rokan approached the administrative NPC at a table in the square.
“How do I join the Lion Unit?”
“What’s your level and class?”
The administrator glanced up at Rokan’s question and replied mechanically.
Apparently, assignments varied by level and class.
“Level 324 Master Berserker.”
But staying calm upon hearing that was impossible.
Even in an era overflowing with Masters, Berserkers punched far above their level.
They fought recklessly, so few survived, but those who did warranted major titles and lands.
“Master Berserker…”
Perhaps thinking he might soon be nobility, the administrator straightened up.
He had to be deferential to a potential superior.
‘He’s scared.’
No, it was more fear of the class.
Master Berserker only appeared if one stubbornly chose the mad Berserker path all the way.
Who in their right mind would?
The thought of potential political or physical issues made him wary.
“Good.”
Confirming the attitude, Rokan grinned, baring white teeth, and switched to casual speech.
Having wielded ducal authority and ruled over users and NPCs as the King of Violence, even this felt intimidating.
“As a Master Berserker, you can join any unit you desire. I recommend the Lion Fangs—the frontline mid-support unit—or the Lion Claws, which handle cleanup and remnants. If you wish, the Lion Manes escorting the magic legion…”
“Hold on.”
“Yes, sir!”
Rokan frowned while listening to the terrified administrator’s outburst. Something felt off.
“Mid-support for a Master?”
“Y-yes. Is there a problem…?”
Sending Master-level assets to second-line mid-support? What nonsense was this?
In normal battles, fodder might lead, but at this level, it was meaningless. Rokan alone could solo ten thousand Expert-class including Masters.
Wasting that manpower just to deny a few Master skills was inefficient.
Yet the administrator spoke as if it were obvious.
“Then who’s up front?”
“Why, naturally… the Lion Legion and Lion King.”
The puzzle clicked.
Lion King and Lion Legion.
They ended every battle alone. No need for other support.
“Damn, no way into the Lion Legion?”
“W-well…”
A blessing for humans, but not for Rokan.
He wasn’t here for cleanup. He wanted to witness—or feel—their combat power firsthand.
Terrified by the savage tone, the administrator whispered.
“I’ve heard you can if you defeat one of the Legion or earn the Lion King’s recognition…”
“Perfect, that’s it!”
Bam! Thud.
At that moment, Rokan slammed the table with his fist, eyes gleaming.
His choice was obvious: face the Lion King.