Knight Captain's Reckoning
"Go on, attack!"
"Tch...!"
But knights had to obey orders.
In the end, a few charged forward.
Yet the moment they moved, they froze in place.
Burtan unleashes Ki Wave
"Wh-what...!"
With their balance shattered, Armor Knights and Armor Cavalry closed in. They encircled the knights tightly, leaving no escape.
Mounted archers and Armor Mages positioned themselves outside the encirclement. Even that was enough to leave the knights rolling their eyes in confusion, unsure what to do.
"Ugh, you dare... you dare!"
But the knight captain still hadn't come to his senses.
"You dare!"
His face twisted in rage as he drew his sword and swung at the skeleton in front of him.
However, the Armor Knight easily blocked the attack with its shield.
He tried several more times, but the Armor Knight didn't budge an inch.
Its HP dipped slightly with each hit, but Dark Spirit healing from the spirits kept restoring it constantly.
It was an overwhelming display of superior power.
"Raaagh, die!"
Yet the knight captain couldn't grasp reality.
What gave him such confidence?
The fact that this was the Quenam Empire?
That meant nothing to Mu-hyuk.
If he wouldn't snap out of it...!
He'd have to treat him properly.
Whoosh.
Mu-hyuk drew his dagger and stepped forward slowly.
The skeletons parted like the Red Sea, clearing a path for him.
As he closed the distance to face the knight captain head-on, the man's struggles gradually weakened.
He was finally confronting the chilling aura radiating from Mu-hyuk.
"Th-this is the Quenam Empire!"
"So?"
"His Majesty himself resides here!"
"And?"
"You think you'll get away with harming me?!"
"Don't care."
"You dare, you...!"
"That word's getting old."
He was already within arm's reach.
Swoosh.
Mu-hyuk swung the dagger in his hand. It arced down as if to smash the knight captain's head to pieces.
Crack!
But the helmet was sturdily made—no damage from Mu-hyuk's strike.
Still, the knight captain inside reeled from the pain pounding his skull, unable to think straight.
"Ugh, uwaaah...!"
"I told you. Let's fix that head of yours first."
Mu-hyuk swung the dagger again.
Bang, crack!
The dagger hammered the helmet like a blacksmith's tool.
"Guh, guk! Kek...!"
Each time, the knight captain staggered back or tried to collapse, but even that was impossible.
An Armor Knight had slipped in from the side to prop him up.
"St-stop...!"
Mu-hyuk had no intention of stopping.
He kept up the relentless assault.
Until the knight captain's eyes rolled back.
"M-mercy...!"
He was on the verge of passing out.
"Stand down!"
At that moment, a heavy voice boomed from somewhere.
It was Nio, the chief steward of the Quenam Empire.
"What is the meaning of this outrage?!"
Mu-hyuk glanced at him. The knights before him snapping to attention suggested he was no ordinary figure.
But that didn't mean he'd stop. His rage over Ye-rin hadn't fully subsided.
A lingering fury still knotted in his chest. He had no desire to hold back, even in a game that wasn't reality.
Swoosh.
He plunged the dagger down once more.
Crunch.
The helmet's durability finally hit zero and shattered. The knight captain fainted and crumpled to the ground.
"Hoo."
Only then did Mu-hyuk sheath the dagger in its scabbard at his waist.
He turned to look at Nio.
Nio stared back with a fearsome gaze.
Tension hung in the air like a powder keg.
"Hah."
Duke Amur appeared with a chuckle, breaking the standoff.
"Chief Steward Nio. Long time no see."
"Ah, yes. Indeed, Duke Amur."
"So, what's this about?"
Duke Amur deliberately eyed the knights from the Kairon continent. The knight hemmed and hawed until the steward bellowed at him.
"Speak up!"
"Y-yes. Well..."
As the knight's story unfolded, Nio and Duke Amur's expressions hardened.
"So that's what happened."
Duke Amur turned to Nio.
"Looks like rot's setting in from the inside. Wouldn't you agree, Chief Steward Nio?"
"That's a harsh way to put it."
"Hah, from what I've heard, it doesn't seem harsh at all."
"Even so, a knight to a mere outsider...!"
"Not a mere outsider. He's Baron Mu-hyuk, noble of the Forma continent."
Technically a baron-in-waiting, but no need to split hairs.
"A noble...?"
"Yes."
Nio squeezed his eyes shut.
"A mere knight insulting a noble."
"Ugh...!"
"We have much to discuss, it seems. Oh, and Baron Mu-hyuk."
"Yes, Duke."
"My apologies. I'll ensure you get a proper apology and ample compensation from them. Count on it."
"Thank you."
"Steward, come inside with me. We'll talk more."
"Yes..."
The situation flowed favorably for both Duke Amur and Mu-hyuk.
Only then did Mu-hyuk turn from them and pat Ye-rin's shoulder.
"Better now?"
"Yeah, he hit pretty hard... but it's okay. Oppa got mad for my sake."
"Good."
"Hehe. Oppa, you were in a bad mood too. Shall we rest now?"
"Sure. You tired?"
Ye-rin shook her head at Mu-hyuk's question.
"Wanna do it today then?"
"Yeah, sounds good!"
They had two days of rest anyway.
Plenty of time.
"Alright, I'll head to Gangneung after a while."
"For real?"
"Yeah, get ready."
"Got it!"
Mu-hyuk logged out immediately, got ready to head out.
A bit fatigued, driving was out, so he booked a train ticket for the first time in ages and boarded.
Quick trip.
He arrived sooner than expected and made his way near Ye-rin's place.
Ding.
A message popped up.
About three minutes later, he spotted her in the distance.
"Oppa!"
"Yeah, here."
Ye-rin threw herself into Mu-hyuk's arms.
Dragging their weary bodies, they wandered a few spots before checking into a nearby hotel for some sleep.
When they woke, the sun had already set, but they didn't mind. They strolled Gangneung's bustling streets, enjoying a date.
The Quenam Empire had fallen.
[Attacks from the Forma continent to the Kairon continent...]
The news spread everywhere.
Not just in Korea, but worldwide.
[With Quenam Empire declaring surrender...]
All attention focused there.
"Insane, just insane!"
"As expected of Mu-hyuk!"
Illusion's World reaped the biggest rewards.
They'd shadowed Mu-hyuk closely for footage, and he'd become the leader guiding players. Plus, his close ties with Duke Amur led to exclusive chats.
The footage was gold.
The skeletons' cool factor, his commanding charisma.
And the seamless skill synergy.
"The inquiries are blowing up."
"What kind?"
"Ad agencies. Begging to connect them with Mu-hyuk..."
"Hmm."
Kim Min-ho PD pondered his junior's words carefully.
"We're meeting for renewal anyway..."
"Really? Please put in a word!"
"CFs, right?"
"Yeah, tons! Like this one... whoa."
"Wonder if it's okay."
"Aigoo, it's good for Mu-hyuk too."
"True."
"Right?!"
"Fine. I'll mention it when we meet. But if I connect them?"
"Ad agency said special freebie..."
"Hmm. Okay, got it."
Perfect timing—Mu-hyuk was resting after conquering Quenam. Kim Min-ho PD sent a text.
Reply in 10 minutes.
Kim Min-ho PD smiled, looking forward to tomorrow.
Parted with Ye-rin and took the train back to Seoul.
Met Kim Min-ho PD waiting at the station and headed to a nearby café.
"Something to discuss?"
"Yeah, have some coffee first and listen."
"Ah, sure."
Mu-hyuk sipped an Americano.
Its signature bitterness.
Melted away the fatigue.
"Contract renewal and such..."
"Ah."
"We can offer even better terms this time. You crafted a top-10 enhancement weapon recently, and that one video blew up—huge gains all around. Plus your war exploits... haha."
"I see."
"Perfect for us. So, interested in renewing?"
"Hmm..."
Mu-hyuk pondered briefly.
A bit of a hassle.
With enhancement mastery, he could make real money now, so he'd planned to decline.
Spotlight had perks, but mostly annoyances.
"Take a look at the contract first."
"Sure."
Mu-hyuk reviewed it.
Conditions were solid.
"10 million won per 0.1% ratings bump?"
"Yes, best I've seen."
Definitely not bad.
1% was 100 million.
"Special bonuses: 400 million at +3%, 800 million at +5%. 1.5 billion at +10%, 3 billion at +20%."
"Impressive."
"Realistically aiming for 3-5%. If it explodes, 10% possible."
"Hmm."
"Plus 5% of paid viewership revenue."
"Paid...?"
"Domestic and international paid views. Steady income."
The more he heard, the more appealing.
Good money.
And ongoing.
Benefits outweighed the hassle.
"What do you think...?"
"Conditions improved a lot."
"Of course! Top-tier!"
"Yeah, alright. Renew."
"Haha, wise choice. Oh, and..."
"Yeah? More?"
"Ad agencies want an intro."
"Ads?"
"Yeah, probably CF offers."
No need to think.
Hassle.
Just imagining the grueling shoots made him shudder.
"Pass."
"Sums are huge."
"Still no."
"Ah, okay. I'll relay. Shall we draft the contract then?"
"Yeah."
Mu-hyuk signed the new contract and headed home.
Ugh, beat.
Day-night flipped; sleep crashed in.
Crash time.
He changed and hit the bed.