Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: The White-Furred Troll's Arrival
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A white-furred troll stepped into Orzon's palace.
Though aged, traces of his past as a warrior lingered on his body.
The deep scar above his left eye, the scabbard worn as familiarly as his own skin, and his still-robust physique were proof enough.
Following this elderly troll came younger trolls serving as his attendants.
A left-wing guard hurried forward to the lead troll and spoke.
"Duke Parshian, my apologies, but you cannot enter armed."
"I've traveled dozens of days with barely a handful of escorts, and still?"
"Yes."
"Then I suppose I'll have to disarm. But can one who calls himself emperor truly fear an old troll like me?"
The guard faltered, unsure how to respond, his face a mask of awkwardness.
Parshian unfastened the scabbard from his waist and handed it to the guard with a smirk.
"It's warranted."
Parshian turned at the voice echoing from afar.
The palace folk, recognizing the speaker first, bowed their heads.
It was Kyle Rak Orzon, emperor of the Blackscale Empire.
Parshian eyed Kyle.
Young.
Thanks to his years of experience, Parshian could gauge other races' ages at a glance.
The glossy scales around his eyes, the unhardened ridges on his tail. He's past fifteen but not yet twenty. This young lizardman unified the entire continent?
Even from distant Danri, Blackscale's might as a superpower was common knowledge.
Whispers held that in any continental war, Blackscale would likely emerge victorious.
Yet it was astonishing that such a youth had achieved it.
Kyle spoke.
"I've heard Duke Parshian is a great general undefeated in wars across the seas... Would you compare yourself to a coward who forces his people to risk their lives in battle while leaving the bloody command to his brother?"
Parshian couldn't very well agree.
The empire was newly formed, rife with unrest like the mages within, so its future was uncertain. Still, it dwarfed his own domain on the eastern continent.
If Danri and Blackscale went to war? It might be worth a fight. But my homeland is too far, and Blackscale is close.
Parshian bowed his head and replied.
"With the heavens watching and your wisdom reaching to the skies, you need not even rise from your seat. I spoke rashly, fretting over this dull troll's sword-swinging ignorance. Forgive me."
Though risen to duke through battlefield valor from lowly blood, Parshian's words revealed cunning beyond mere blade-work.
Kyle said,
"No need for forgiveness. We'll meet at the banquet, Duke Parshian."
As Kyle passed, Parshian lifted his head.
Not as easy as I thought.
Parshian had journeyed to Orzon for Kyle's imperial coronation.
The long road brought delays from weather and mishaps, missing the ceremony, but Kyle extended the banquet in consideration.
Thus, Orzon's palace now hosted myriad royals, nobles, and luminaries.
Attending the banquet to gauge Blackscale's intentions is vital. But there's another matter of equal import.
Parshian followed the guard to his quarters for the banquet period, pondering.
I must uncover what they know of the southern continent.
Danri had begun on Blackscale's continent but, after the long "Great Crossing," settled the western one.
This was Parshian's homeland too, though he'd spent nearly his life on the western continent, his talents recognized there.
Returning, he'd assumed the king no longer needed him.
Even Danri's scant western holdings rivaled other nations, yet to Danri folk, they were mere relics of the Crossing.
Coming from the homeland felt like demotion or exile.
But reality differed.
A "southern continent" had emerged under Blackscale.
Rumors said it lacked dominant powers.
Land size dictates national power.
Blackscale had been mighty, but Danri needn't fret much.
Distant, it held little interest.
Yet Blackscale revealed its potential, unifying the continent overnight.
It could swallow Danri's remnants if inclined, but showed no aggression—perhaps wary of overextension.
But war will brew elsewhere.
Parshian foresaw it on the southern continent.
Not grand-scale, but...
A contest for who claims more land.
Danri was remote.
Parshian planned swift action to glean Blackscale's secrets.
"The fourth continent is empty land?"
Runda's words drew a nod from Seong-un.
"Yeah."
Empty land.
In Lost World, it didn't mean truly vacant.
Finding utterly barren land there was rare.
From poles to equator, dry land teemed with folk.
Perhaps varied races adapted to terrains.
Thus, "empty land" signified unclaimed by any player.
"But Shacha's there. You traded with him. Doesn't that mean advanced civilization?"
"Let me share something amazing."
"Amazing... fact?"
"Shacha's primary race is Deep Ones."
"And?"
"Deep Ones are fish."
"Ah."
"They live in the ocean, no less."
Froglin could dwell underwater and build subaqueous cities at higher civ levels.
But freshwater or brackish only.
They tolerated seawater but felt pain in high salinity, limiting them to lakes and rivers.
Seong-un explained.
"Deep Ones are the opposite. Fine in high-salinity seas, averse to freshwater. Not instantly lethal, but uncomfortable. Their drought resistance is weaker than Froglin's too."
Wisdom nodded at Seong-un's words.
"So the inland might be mostly empty. Shacha's scale?"
"Their nation is sizable. They control most coastal areas I've checked, with undersea cities likely. But Deep Ones dominate the population; others are enslaved. The Yabun Pirates were mostly Deep Ones."
Krampus nodded.
"So we're heading to the fourth continent, then."
"Right."
"A chance to revive AR1026 too."
"Exactly."
Seong-un pulled AR1026's icon from inventory, placing it on the conference table.
"On the strategic value of reviving AR1026 in this game..."
He glanced around, noting Jangwan glaring through his lion mask's eyes.
"...I won't belabor. No need. More gods in the pantheon is always better. Folks for various roles. You all know."
Other reasons abounded.
Was AR1026 still intact post-shattering?
Not just AR1026; any could shatter mid-game.
If game changes barred unsealing, it altered sealing's meaning.
Not truly death by lore, so probably fine. No sudden twists after following rules so far.
Eldar spoke.
"Um, so... just AR-nim?"
Seong-un shook his head, producing two more icons: Im Chun-sik's and Solongos's.
"They died early, but not talentless."
Runda said,
"Might they resent you?"
"So what? They won't resent you all, so for alliance's sake—and theirs—they won't sabotage."
Another motive: player connections, like his cousin link, warranted meeting more.
And who refuses revival?
Unsealing required a ritual: the "Trial," set by the player but performed by their enlightened minions.
Trial difficulty scaled by internal metrics: fetching herbs from a hill was under 10 points; human sacrifice, 300; slaying colossal beasts needing masses, 1000.
Slaying unknown monsters on uncharted continents for treasure? High score.
"Pinned ancient ruins sites. Something there should yield enough for AR1026. If short, delay the other two."
Jangwan said,
"So not just for AR, huh? This is..."
"What?"
"Imperialism. Colonial expansion."
Common in Lost World.
Inter-continental rivalry bred civ gaps.
Advanced ones colonized laggards.
Not easy if players present, but...
The southern continent was empty.
Per confirmed intel.
Best to expand before clashing with continents 1 or 2.
Seong-un said,
"Anyway, not criticizing that, right?"
Jangwan hemmed and hawed, then replied.
"...No."
Seong-un shrugged.
"Good enough. When AR returns and sees our game lead, he'll be thrilled, no?"
Jangwan sighed but conceded.