109 - What the Hell Was That?
-?
-???
-??? What the hell? Hidden camera?
Who was Evans?
The leader of one of the top ten guilds, Silver Lion, and a top ranker to boot. In real life, he was part of the family owning a massive European conglomerate with a market cap of 200 billion dollars.
Search his name online, and you'd find endless articles about this elite among elites.
For someone like that to go down so pathetically?
Moments later, as viewers realized Evans hadn't even mounted a proper resistance before dying, the chat exploded like a waterfall.
As the reputation of Silver Lion and the other top ten guilds tanked simultaneously...
One of the panicking Silver Lion executives snapped out of it.
"Quick! End the broadcast! Now!"
"Y-yes, sir! Contacting them right away."
At the command, all twenty screens covering the battlefield went black.
"Damn it. How the hell did it come to this?!"
Viewers would rage at the abrupt cutoff, but there was no choice.
Letting the rest play out could shatter the guild entirely.
They had to avoid that catastrophe at all costs.
Guild Master has died.
Guild members' stats reduced by 20% for 1 hour.
In a normal guild war, the guild master's death would end it instantly. But this was an inter-nation war, so it dragged on.
Instead, a massive debuff hit the guild members, and the fortress defenders seized the moment.
"The Grand General has felled the enemy leader! Charge!"
"Waaaaah!"
The 2,000 border guards following Gillian clashed with Silver Lion.
Silver Lion had twice the numbers, but with their guild master gone and morale shattered, they crumbled helplessly.
"Whoa, Your Highness? What now?"
The revolutionaries watched the chaos in confusion.
They were rebels against the kingdom, so they should fight the border guards... but.
The First Prince raised his sword without hesitation.
"Everyone! To arms! Our target is the barbaric Gilliant Empire scum!"
"Pardon? But Your Highness, letting them self-destruct isn't the best play?"
"Foolish talk. We've rebelled against the kingdom, yes, but we're still Ramark men. How can we side with invaders attacking our own army for gain?"
"However..."
"Enough! Did you not see the Gillian general charge out to defend us? No dissent. Everyone! Drive out the cowardly Gilliant!"
"Waaaaah!"
The revolutionaries roared and charged Silver Lion.
Plip, plop.
Thick clouds finally unleashed raindrops.
Heavy sheets poured over the battlefield, but the heat of combat didn't cool.
"Kill them! Drive out the invaders!"
"Smash the Gilliant bastards!"
"Damn... damn it!"
Silver Lion's vice guild master bit his lip.
Worst-case scenario. Even if the god of war descended, they couldn't turn this around.
He decided swiftly.
"Everyone, retreat! Survive and run! Head to warp zones ASAP!"
"What?! No way! The money we poured into this quest..."
"You wanna die fighting?! I'm vice guild master! Follow orders!"
"Tch. Damn it. How did it come to this..."
Player death meant login bans—from hours to over three days, based on level and cumulative deaths.
With 80% of Silver Lion's forces committed here...
Mass logouts would spiral out of control.
Reputation hit was secondary; they could lose top ten status.
"Run! Survive above all! Forget everything else—just live!"
"Kaaak!"
In the end, Silver Lion scattered in disarray.
But the defenders led by Gillian and the revolutionaries pursued relentlessly. Half of their 5,000 couldn't escape alive.
Of course, Carpe and his retainers racked up massive contribution points by downing the most Silver Lion members.
* * *
About an hour before Silver Lion's rout.
Shocking events unfolded in Ramark's royal castle, rivaling the border fortress.
"Guh... guh... Wh-why?"
A minister was slain by the hand of Rohan, the king's guard knight.
Now, only five living souls remained in the room.
The king and queen, their two guard knights.
And Prime Minister Sergail.
"Whew. Finally, this moment has arrived. I've waited so long."
"Pr-Prime Minister! What is the meaning of... eek!"
King Crion Ramark of Ramark screamed at the sword at his throat.
For some reason, the knight sworn to protect him held the blade there.
The queen beside him faced the same from the other knight.
"Tsk. Sir Rozan, Sir Jaynin. Such rudeness. Pointing swords at Their Majesties? Lower them at once."
"As you command."
At Sergail's order, the knights sheathed and stepped back.
They obeyed the prime minister over the king.
"Wh-what in the..."
"Still haven't figured it out? There's a limit to foolishness."
Sergail approached the king.
"Not so unfamiliar, is it? Your Majesty did it once yourself. Now it's my turn."
"M-my doing?"
"Yes. Just like you usurped the First Prince's throne, I'm doing the same."
The king's face paled further.
"Prime Minister! You wanted to be king?!"
"Hardly. King of this rat-tail kingdom? I'd decline even if offered."
"Then why? I favored you so!"
"Ah, yes, Your Majesty cherished me despite no connections. Never dreamed I'd rise to prime minister..."
Sergail chuckled in disbelief.
"You should have investigated my background more deeply. Though you wouldn't have caught it anyway."
"...No way?"
"Correct. I'm from the Gilliant Empire. Bred as a spy from birth."
The empire, one of the four great powers, trained such agents.
Elite operatives schooled in politics, military, and combat, infiltrating nations.
Sergail was one.
Once in Ramark, he quickly assessed the situation.
Discovered the Second Prince overshadowed by the First... and the rest was history.
Pretended loyalty while inciting a coup from the shadows.
"Once prime minister, it was easy. Filled the king's guard with my men first."
As regent, Sergail faced no obstacles.
Figures like Grand General Gillian and Finance Minister Drek checked him, but he proceeded slowly, surely.
Five years later, he wielded unchecked power.
"Curious why an empire bothers with piddling Ramark?"
"..."
"All to kill one man: General Gillian. My liege deemed him worth the investment."
Remove him, and Ramark was prey.
"..."
The queen's brow furrowed, her expression unchanging till now.
"...So what of us? Kill us like the ministers?"
"That was the plan, but I'm human too. Considering your graces, I can't. I'll spare you."
"R-really?"
"Of course. But you'll accompany me to the empire. Live quietly in some deep mountain valley."
"Th-thank... ngh!"
The king nearly thanked his kingdom's destroyer, clamping his mouth.
Pathetic. Tears streamed unbidden.
Kuhahaha!
Sergail inwardly cackled at the sight.
Spare them? A lie.
He just wanted to see hope turn to despair.
Spilling the truth now? Same reason—to savor the king's anguish.
Others' torment before him brought unbearable ecstasy.
That was Sergail.
"Ah."
He narrowed his already small eyes at the queen.
Even in despair, she stared blankly, unmoved.
Far too good for the dim king.
Imagining that impassivity twist in pain... he couldn't hold back laughter.
"Now, time remains. One last mercy."
Sergail tossed a crystal orb to the floor.
It rolled to a stop, beaming light, projecting another scene in the air.
"Artifact with Vision magic. Shows distant places. Shall we watch General Gillian's end together?"
He snapped his fingers; the view shifted to the border fortress.
Gillian was decapitating someone.
"Oh ho. As expected of General Gillian. Worth the concern."
Contrary to Sergail's words, the tide favored Gillian.
He felled foes valiantly; guards and citizens united.
"Ooh!"
When invaders routed, the king forgot his plight, clenching a fist and cheering.
"Hmm... like this? Outsiders are still tricky."
But Sergail smiled, as if anticipated.
"Serves you right! Your plan's in ruins!"
"Haha. Nonsense, Your Majesty. Not a deviation."
"...What?"
"We expected this from outsiders. Luring Gillian out? Mission accomplished."
Sergail chuckled.
"Curious? As prime minister, I embezzled fortunes. Dodging the finance minister was tough, but massive sums."
First, he placed his men.
Then hiked taxes.
Funds piled in his pockets.
"Daring to steal the people's blood taxes...!"
"You, who ignored state affairs, preaching taxes? Amusing, but irrelevant. Unbelievable, but I didn't pocket it. All to kill Gillian."
"Wh-what?"
"Hired a group with national treasury gold. They'll do anything for pay. You've heard of them."
Sergail grinned demonically.
"Black Wing."
* * *
Rain drizzled at the border fortress now.
Defenders and revolutionaries faced an awkward standoff amid the downpour.
Those are rebels... what now? Arrest them?
But we just fought together, celebrated victory...
Tricky.
Hard to turn foes after allying.
Guards eyed Gillian helplessly; revolutionaries, the First Prince.
Carpe scratched his head awkwardly too.
What's next?
-...
Bro?
-Something's off.
What?
-Scenario says fight Gillian now. You agree?
Yeah. Defenders and revolutionaries won't march on the capital together.
-But can you beat Gillian now?
Hmm. No.
Tired maybe, but Gillian was unscathed.
Recalling his merciless slaughter of Silver Lion... unbeatable.
-That's the issue. This is a game, a quest. No unwinnable quests exist.
Yet Carpe couldn't win.
Contradiction.
-Something's left.
Carpe had two Magic King's Relics: Tina and Mirage.
Both had "unbeatable" event bosses solvable unconventionally.
First, fanatic priest Mainades.
Impossible for newbies; cleared by inserting Magic King's token in sarcophagus.
Carpe smashed it straight-up, of course.
Second: Weakened Serving Lord's Fragment.
Protect World Tree's Fruit for time limit—not defeat it.
Carpe smashed that too, ignoring the canon strat.
Huh... come to think.
-Your brute force skipped it, but Magic King quests have canon solutions by design.
So this one too.
A new event to beat "invincible" Gillian.
And it triggered immediately.
Ding.
Magic King Scenario 'Forced' Event: Assassination activated.