Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Episode 2.
‘It’s starting soon.’
Gunter stared intently at the dust rising at the edge of his vision.
Simultaneously, the merchant guild caravan stirred.
“What are those guys?”
“Probably bandits. They don’t even have a flag.”
“That’s a lot of people for bandits… and they’re on horseback?”
“Prepare for engagement! Everyone halt!”
Of course, they weren’t mere mounted bandits.
They were the Holy Army of the Luthien Theocracy.
Fanatics who worshipped the Seven Evils, the main enemies of this game.
Their objective was singular: to capture the Silver Compass Merchant Guild Master alive.
‘Because the Guild Master’s true identity is a Secret Society member fighting against the Seven Evils.’
That was the secret this guild held.
This was precisely why this ambush scenario was placed at the start of the game, in Act 1, Scene 1.
The protagonist would save the Guild Master, get scouted into the Secret Society, and thus begin a grand journey to save the continent.
Therefore, what he had to do now was simple.
‘Survive until the protagonist appears.’
And he was confident he could achieve at least that.
‘Stat open.’
==================
[Level : 25]
[Strength-22 Stamina-18 Agility-20 Magic-4 Charm-50 Luck-10]
[Remaining Stats : 0]
==================
Stats clearly superior for an extra.
The result of fierce training and real combat.
‘Magic is a bit disappointing, though….’
Magic was something he had given up on developing from the start. It couldn’t be helped.
It was natural, given he had no skills.
[Ninety-Nine Overlord Knight King warns you to focus on the upcoming melee instead of thinking about other things]
[Red Street Pillar worries, telling you not to let your face get hurt]
[Addict Saintess tremblingly prays for your safety]
…The enemies were picking up speed.
“Assume defensive formation!”
“Combat readiness! Establish forward defense line!”
The allies also became rapidly busy.
Eddie was seen running around, urging his subordinates.
“If even a single hair on the Guild Master or her daughter is harmed, you’ll regret it!”
Ryan scowled beside him.
“Ah, that annoying bastard.”
Surprisingly, the allies weren’t in great disarray.
It was because they mistook the disguised Holy Army for mere bandits.
Waaaaaaah!
Finally, the enemy vanguard closed in to point-blank range.
Eyes burning red.
Axes and swords with gleaming blue edges.
Screech—!
It was the moment Gunter drew his sword.
“Hey, isn’t something a bit strange?”
Ryan tilted his head.
“…What is.”
“Why does this feel so off.”
Ryan tapped the handle of his twin hammers.
It was a habit he had when he felt uneasy.
“Such a large group of bandits right near the border city… it’s strange, isn’t it?”
Occasionally, Ryan could be this sharp.
But this time, there was no need to worry.
Gunter reassured Ryan.
“Forget it. Just pretend to fight and then fall back.”
“Huh? What do you mean….”
“Today isn’t our stage.”
Ryan’s bewildered voice was drowned out by the shouts of other companions.
Mercenaries charging forward.
“Kill those bastards!”
Gunter followed closely behind.
Slice—!
He cleanly severed the neck of an enemy soldier aiming for Ryan’s flank.
Using the corpse as a shield, he pushed forward, then kicked the knee of an approaching enemy with his foot.
“Kuaaak!”
CRUNCH—!
Ryan’s hammer descended onto the head of the fallen enemy.
Before the spurting blood even hit the ground, Gunter ran forward.
“You crazy bastard! Where are you going alone!”
He heard Ryan’s panicked shout, but he didn’t have the luxury to pay attention to him now.
‘Where is it.’
He scanned his surroundings, trying not to get swept up in the exhilaration of battle.
Then.
He saw a man walking calmly towards the Guild Master’s carriage, which had retreated to the rear.
He was unperturbed even as the guards pointed their swords and spears at him.
‘…It’s the boss!’
The boss appeared before the protagonist.
He was disguised to look no different from the other soldiers.
However, one could tell from his leisurely demeanor in such a chaotic melee.
Act 1, Scene 1’s boss.
Aaron Burnecker, a 2nd-tier Paladin.
Not exactly a top-tier fighter in this world with its 8 tiers, but….
‘He can easily annihilate the Guild’s escort forces.’
It was thanks to a direct contract with a minor evil god.
Even Eddie, the Guild’s sole contractor, wouldn’t last more than a few seconds against him.
Only the protagonist here could face him.
“Uwaaaak!”
“A contractor! There’s a contractor!”
“Run!”
Indeed, screams began to erupt from the front.
A black flash filled the edge of his vision.
Gunter gritted his teeth.
‘…Come quickly.’
He knew this ambush was scheduled.
He hadn’t stopped it, even though he knew.
If he had given a heads-up and eliminated the incident entirely, not only would his return be impossible, but the very premise of the protagonist meeting the ‘Secret Society’ would have been distorted.
That was a variable whose outcome was unknown.
So, he had no choice.
The path of protecting the overall scenario, even if a few had to die.
Therefore, there wasn’t much Gunter could do now.
Screech—
To cut down as many enemies before him as possible.
To make even one more person hold out.
To prop up this stage so it wouldn’t collapse until the protagonist arrived.
Since the boss had appeared, the protagonist should appear soon too.
Gunter believed so and ran forward again.
“Come quickly!”
He snarled and swung his sword at the enemies before him.
Just a little more.
Just a little more, and they could hold out.
.
.
.
…But why was it.
The protagonist didn’t appear even after Gunter cut down a few more enemies and the monstrous paladin slaughtered over half the escort forces.
[Ninety-Nine Overlord Knight King suggests fleeing]
‘…Why.’
Gunter thought, staggering.
Of course, Forgotten God was a game with choices and branching paths.
However, this was Act 1, Scene 1.
The protagonist’s appearance here was a fixed event.
It meant it was a fundamental value that would never change.
‘Butterfly effect? Something like that?’
But he didn’t have time to dwell on his confusion now.
“Not much longer!”
“Kill them all!”
The enemies poured in like an endless wave.
Gunter realized he could no longer hear the screams of his companions.
His own stamina was also nearing its end.
[Ninety-Nine Overlord Knight King sends a warning to snap out of it]
An arrow flew in.
Thwack!
A dull impact pierced his right arm.
Without a groan, Gunter immediately dropped his shield and switched his sword to his left hand.
“Left-handed sword my ass… cough!”
He cut down one of the enemies who had approached carelessly.
But—
CRUNCH—!
His left shoulder was shattered.
It was a hammer.
[Red Street Pillar closes both eyes]
Gunter’s arms hung limply.
But he didn’t give up.
He hunched over and bit the sword that had fallen to the ground with his teeth.
The enemies’ jeers poured down.
Someone spat, someone kicked him.
‘…Why.’
[Addict Saintess covers her mouth]
‘This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.’
Gunter charged at the leading enemy, ramming his body into him.
A soldier, losing balance, stumbled.
But with the sword held in his teeth, he couldn’t land an effective follow-up strike.
Clang—!
His teeth, holding the sword, broke, and Gunter coughed up blood.
The sword rolled on the ground.
‘…I have to go back.’
He had to pick it up again.
But how?
“You piece of trash….”
Then, at that moment.
The soldier who had threatened to kill him as if he were about to, hastily retreated.
In his blurred vision, someone was approaching.
“Hmm, the last one, is it.”
Thump— Roll, roll.
The head thrown by the paladin rolled next to Gunter.
The face, leaving a crimson stain like a wet sponge, was familiar.
Ryan.
Come to think of it, the corpse with only its upper body remaining a few steps away was Eddie.
He was reaching desperately towards the Guild Master’s carriage.
[Ninety-Nine Overlord Knight King lets out a heavy sigh]
“……”
Gunter tried to stand up.
But it wasn’t easy.
He could only manage to lift his head.
“Fight more? With that body?”
Under the bright midday sun.
The paladin, with a bored expression, repeatedly touched Gunter’s neck with his sword, then pulled it away.
The divine radiance of the evil god, protecting him, writhed on the blade.
“……”
It was proof of a ‘contractor.’
A death that he, a mere mortal, could never resist.
Gunter, gazing up at it, slowly opened his mouth.
It was neither a curse nor a plea.
It was a name he had suppressed for years.
“Suhyun.”
A crooked smirk spread across the paladin’s lips.
“A heretic, and you have a last word?”
The sword fell.
…He saw it clearly, but he couldn’t avoid it.
Like the misfortunes that had plagued his life.
He couldn’t resist.
“I’m sorry.”
His vision flipped upside down.
The world spun dizzily.
The sky and earth mixed and collapsed, and then everything went dark.
* * *
Looking back, Jonghyun’s life never even got to the starting line.
“Jonghyun, Dad will buy you a robot.”
Dad ran off, leaving behind Mom with her swollen belly—
“You have to take good care of Suhyun. Okay?”
Mom left the world after saying just that.
Overwork and illness.
He was about nine years old.
The life that unfolded after that, one doesn’t need to add tedious details to know what it was like.
Well… it wasn’t all bad moments, though.
“Oppa, I got a perfect score! My percentile is almost 99!”
“Wow, it was worth throwing money at it, huh?”
“Hehe, just wait a bit! I’ll make you live in luxury.”
That was enough.
To make the helmet and hard hat he wore instead of a graduation cap not feel like a curse.
‘Yeah, brighter days will come.’
He lived desperately, believing so.
But what was this?
Suddenly dragged into a game for no reason and facing death.
A cold, dark space.
He thought.
‘Is this really how it ends?’
In the deep silence.
His senses rapidly faded.
Was he dying?
Or perhaps he had already died.
Rather than fear… it was just hollow.
[You have experienced death]
He didn’t give up.
Because he believed that if he didn’t give up, a path would somehow open.
[Counting death records]
[1/99]
But reality was cruel.
Even as time passed, no matter how long he endured.
Even if the world he lived in changed.
The essence remained unchanged.
Born poor.
One who couldn’t even reach the starting line.
Leaving a mark if touched.
Crushing and scattering if stepped on.
A weakling destined to lose.
Gunter spat out a curse, not knowing who it was directed at.
‘…Damn it.’
He didn’t want to die like this.
What was the point of childish complaints now that he was already dead?
But he didn’t want to admit it was the end.
My life shouldn’t end like this.
‘Just once….’
Such a plea.
It was repeated endlessly as he sank into the darkness.
.
.
.
[Trait: ??? is partially unlocked]
And then, his eyes suddenly opened.
‘……?’
His vision became clear.
In the deep, endless darkness.
A translucent status window glowed alone.
[‘Death Return’ begins]
[Waiting for Death Return…]