Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Eldar's Request for Aid
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Kramphus's final ranking was 1,430th, while Runda's was a staggering 38,702nd.
In truth, since Kramphus knew more about the game than anyone, he held the reins of their strategy.
Or at least, that's what Kramphus thought.
Kramphus spoke up.
"Let's hear what he has to say."
"Is that okay?"
Kramphus understood Runda's concern.
As far as he knew, Eldar had formed a "loose alliance" with Nebula.
Therefore, Eldar must have noticed the attack from Kramphus and Runda.
This was evident from the fact that Eldar had whispered specifically to Runda, not Kramphus.
Runda's fox tribe, the Rennar, were crossing the wasteland southward, so there was a chance they might encounter Eldar's forces coming down from the North Sea coast.
'Which means this chat might be an attempt to sow discord.'
In Lost World, system-supported alliances couldn't be formed or broken at the players' whim.
Once multiple gods were incorporated into a single mythology, that fact became known to all their subordinates.
That's why players relied on mutual trust to form these loose alliances.
'And such loose alliances are always one step away from collapse.'
Sowing discord between players was commonplace in Lost World, so both Kramphus and Runda were wary of it.
Kramphus said,
"Here's what we do. You handle the contact alone, Runda. I'll pretend I'm not here."
Runda nodded.
"Got it. Even if Eldar thinks I'm alone and tries to bribe me with tribute or something, you can catch it."
"Yes. I think the odds are pretty good."
"How good?"
"At least fifty-fifty, I'd say."
"Fifty percent."
Kramphus didn't know the details of the battle on the North Sea coast.
But he did know two players had vanished from it.
To face two or more players alone, a reverse espionage ploy was essential.
"Then we'll turn that against them."
"Turn it against them?"
Kramphus explained,
"First, we accept Eldar's terms to lower his guard. Then we set up an ambush and hit him hard."
Runda nodded.
"I've been uneasy about heading south with Eldar lurking behind us on the North Sea coast, but if we can pull that off..."
"It'll secure our victory."
"Alright. Let's get started."
Runda accepted Eldar's whisper.
Eldar said,
"Greetings, Runda, god of the Rennar."
"...Hello?"
"I am Eldar, god of the elves."
"I can see your nickname, so I know that much."
Runda's expression twisted into a 'What kind of weirdo is this?' frown.
Kramphus picked up on the answer right away from Eldar's speech patterns.
He opened a notepad and typed.
'Role-player, huh?'
Runda's eyes widened, and she gave a slight nod.
Runda said,
"What brings the god of the elves to contact me?"
Eldar lowered his gaze hesitantly for a moment.
Then he lifted his head and spoke.
"I come seeking your aid."
"......"
Runda exchanged a bewildered glance with Kramphus.
He hadn't anticipated this either.
Runda said slowly,
"...What kind of help exactly?"
"I, Eldar, was forced into an alliance with Nebula under duress."
"You don't want the alliance with Nebula?"
"Indeed. He crushed the gods of the centaurs, Solongos and Im Chun-sik, with overwhelming strategy."
"Without your help?"
"Yes."
Runda shook her head, not quite grasping it.
"Normally in a 2v1, the two should win. Especially early in Lost World, numbers matter most."
"The level gap was massive. He dominated the battles. Have you never heard of Nebula?"
"Uh, no way..."
"Yes. He has reached the supreme rank, victorious against gods in countless worlds."
"...In other words, he's rank 1?"
"One could say that."
Runda swallowed hard, and Kramphus furrowed his brow.
Both hoped it wasn't true.
The long-time rank 1 was indeed "Nebula," but Lost World allowed duplicate nicknames.
Since neither Kramphus nor Runda were top-tier players, they assumed it was some lower-ranked player with the same name.
Kramphus thought,
'Hegemonia was rank 2 not long ago. Same game, same continent even.'
But they couldn't complain about bad luck.
A problem had arisen, and they had to solve it.
Eldar continued,
"In any case, I begged pathetically for my life and have survived thus far. But it was a choice born of necessity for survival. I beseech you to allow me to aid you."
"Hmm."
Runda glanced at Kramphus, asking what to do.
He typed,
'If it's true, perfect. But it could be a trick. Ask to share info.'
Runda nodded.
"Eldar, I'd like to trust you, but I need information first."
"Very well. I'll provide anything to earn your trust. How much I've suffered under Nebula..."
This "information" sharing was system-enforced, impossible to fake verbally.
It was sensitive, so even in loose alliances, only essentials were shared.
Runda was startled when Eldar readily shared without hesitation.
And even more so when she checked the actual shared info in her status window.
"...You've been bled dry."
Eldar had struck first, but by Runda's standards, Nebula's retribution was terrifying.
She shared the info with Kramphus, who reviewed it too.
Eldar hadn't shared everything.
But they didn't need much to see.
'Shattered Eldar's main force, burned the elf village, drove the fleeing elves from his territory within a few years... Then followed them to their new settlement and demanded future resources too. Barely spared their lives.'
It wasn't an alliance.
Not even vassal treatment for NPCs.
Anyone treated that way would dream of revenge.
Yet Nebula did it for one reason.
'Planned to use them up and discard. Probably meant to claim the North Sea coast village after elves pioneered it.'
A chill ran down Kramphus's spine.
'Demon? Lost his humanity after becoming a god?'
Kramphus nodded for Runda to continue.
Runda asked,
"So how exactly will you help us?"
"Presumptuous as it is... I have no army to speak of."
"Yes, the shared info confirms that."
The elves seemed spent just surviving the harsh North Sea coast.
Those fit for arms were exhausted defending against goblins and ogres.
Doubtful Eldar would be much use even as an ally.
Eldar said,
"Fortunately, I'm not entirely useless. My groveling has kept Nebula's trust—for now."
"Meaning...?"
"I know Nebula's strategy."
Eldar's intel on Nebula's plan was simple: preemptive strike.
Not fighting on two fronts simultaneously, but striking one first.
Avoiding the hassle of facing both armies at once.
After the chat with Eldar ended, Runda said,
"Can we trust him?"
"You saw the shared info too, Runda. Honestly, no reason not to believe him."
"...True. After all that abuse, no way he'd still like Nebula."
"Plus, a preemptive strike fits Nebula perfectly. Doesn't feel off."
Eldar claimed Nebula was massing troops in Autocity to strike Kramphus—Satyros territory.
Abandoning Autocity's defensive advantage was a con, but Kramphus got it.
'Figures if he hits my land, ally Runda will turn back.'
Eldar's reported Lizardman main force: 1,500 strong.
Matched what Kramphus and Runda had scouted.
'Threatening numbers, sure. But if it's a siege on my terms, my forces and power alone can hold.'
Satyros capital Daymerit wasn't a true fortress, but a natural one.
A basin ringed by mountains, with three accesses: one river, one ancient ruin tunnel.
'Bridge and tunnel prepped to collapse anytime. Block those, and just defend the palisaded path. Not Autocity-level, but fortress enough for a siege.'
One minor issue.
Originally, Rennar forces were to hit Autocity right after striking Lizardmen, positioned at the border village.
But Daymerit was days inland from the border.
For a proper siege, they'd need to pull back to the capital.
'Satyros are hot-blooded. Won't retreat if Lizardmen invade. Especially with Pab as king.'
Kramphus had been performing miracles to stoke hatred for Lizardmen and Nebula, so extra caution was needed.
'Just a few days' difference.'
Runda agreed.
"So we stick to the original plan?"
"Yes. No major hitches."
"Won't Nebula notice?"
"Low chance."
No god knew everything.
Plus, all five races' gods had branded bugs and birds loathsome; zealots had been slaughtering them for months.
Scouting wasn't just divine power.
Spies among Autocity traders kept feeding intel: Lizardmen massing there.
'Burn faith on scouting, but top intel comes from people.'
This reconfirmed Eldar's words as truth.
"Also, Eldar can't send troops but promised one supply drop if we cross the border. Lets us take the short route, save time to the peninsula."
"That tiny edge will win it for us."
Eldar's betrayal created a minuscule gap.
Pull Satyros back a few days, advance Rennar border-crossing by a few.
'Small difference.'
Kramphus had seen many close calls hinge on such margins.
'Rank 1? But that arrogance turned a 2v1 into 3v1, Nebula.'
But Kramphus couldn't have imagined it.
Just as he'd eavesdropped on Runda's chat, Seong-un had been right beside Eldar.
When the chat with Runda ended, Eldar looked up at Seong-un.
"...D-Does this suffice, my lord?"
"Yeah. Good acting. You do this all the time, huh?"
Eldar thought otherwise.
It was because the shared info was too convincing.