Misconceptions Are Free (1)

A quest!

The Frost reconquest had begun with Hoyeol's manifestation of magic. And at that very moment, a quest window appeared for all the players gathered at Frost.

It was more than enough to snap the players out of their panic.

"How long's it been since we last saw a quest?"

"Rewards based on contribution, right?"

"Let's charge in anyway."

"Get ready, everyone. We're attacking right now."

Not only the guilds diving straight into the siege, but even...

"Brothers, we can't just sit this out, can we?"

...the netuber players who had come to Frost just for the stream.

This quest was one no one who had ever enjoyed Arcana could ignore.

"I was holding back, but I can't anymore!"

Frost's influence had been immense, after all. With the heads of its mascot-like residents—Marlon and the others—displayed on the walls, the barely suppressed emotions were now fueled by the quest.

The player communities exploded with posts.

Yes, their reasons varied, but the atmosphere shifted in an instant.

"How insolent."

Without a moment's hesitation. Thanks to Hoyeol manifesting magic straight at the gates!

Yet for some reason, the players around Hoyeol were plunged into confusion.

It couldn't be helped. The magic extending from Hoyeol's hand was...

"...What the hell is that?"

...in a form no one had expected.

Frost's gates were thick steel. To breach them would require unleashing high-grade magic of considerable power, and even that might not suffice.

But the magic Hoyeol had manifested... no matter how you looked at it...

Fwoosh—

"...Hey, isn't that [Light]?"

The most basic of basic skills. Its only effect was to illuminate darkness. Just simple mana orbs—[Light], wasn't it?

"...Did he hit the wrong hotkey or something?"

"You lunatic, there are no hotkeys in reality."

"Nah, he's gotta be joking. It's too weird not to be."

Floooat—

And not just one or two. The mana orbs—Light—flying toward the gates and walls.

"...How high is his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mana, seriously."

There had to be over a hundred of them. Wasting that much mana in this situation?

As the players teetered on the edge of bewilderment, the Light orbs adhered to the gates and walls.

"...?"

And that's when it began.

Whoosh—!

"...Wh-what?!"

Crackle—!

"The form's ch-changing?!"

Whoooosh—!

"W-wait, what?! What skill is that?!"

Marcelo, the Mage Tower's chief mage. Even he had been awed by it. Hoyeol's 'bizarre' mastery of magic now revealed its true worth.

Through processes of detection, interference, and manifestation too swift for the eye to follow.

Of course, you only see as much as you know.

"What level is this guy, Lee Hoyeol...!"

Detection, interference, manifestation. Players who didn't even grasp the basics of magic could only gape in awe.

"As expected of Sir Hoyeol...!"

Harcon Kingsguard and the Lion Heart Knights were no different. Regardless of their insight, they were knights forever. They could recognize excellence but couldn't evaluate beyond that.

"...This is insane."

But for those in the know, there was no crazier sight...!

Shadow Mercenary. Seventh seat, Alkari. He sniffed the air.

"...!"

The mana traces carried on the wind made even his hunched spine twitch.

Alkari chuckled. Beside him, the last seat, Rackid, snapped.

"Why're you laughing like a creep, old man?"

"Heh heh. I think I know why the captain came along."

"What? You know the reason for that hassle? Spill it."

Alkari glanced at their captain, Kichi. She wore a thoughtful expression.

Alkari answered for her.

"Well. At least for this job, it's best not to step up. No, not just this mission. As long as that noble lord keeps his eyes wide open, toning down that prickly personality would be wise for our safety, Rackid."

...Has this geezer lost it?

Rackid looked puzzled. But Kichi's thoughts weren't far off from Alkari's. If anything, they ran deeper.

She had watched him, after all. She knew.

...This is why I said we'd never meet again. Why of all places!

Not content with manifesting such advanced magic. Wielding sword aura too. And that terrifying growth rate on top.

So Kichi's face was inevitably complicated.

...Can't shut it down now...!

And that unyielding personality to boot. Her instincts screamed: This is a bad matchup, no matter how you slice it.

A quest I had no reason to refuse. It felt like a bonus quest, something that came naturally with the class quest.

'Contribution system, huh.'

Of course, I wasn't aiming for first place or anything unrealistic.

'Just pitch in while I'm at it.'

Look at the sheer number of players here. And they were in guilds, experts at these mass battles.

Sure, I had the Lion Heart Knights and Shadow Mercenaries, but their feats wouldn't count toward my contribution.

'If they did, I wouldn't even bother mentioning it.'

So my realistic conclusion was simple: 'Do at least one thing right.'

In that sense, my top priority was 'Frost Investigation.'

I interfered and manifested while thinking.

'Good thing I practiced.'

I'd nearly burned down the Mage Tower lab, but anyway. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had paid off, considering the potential applications.

Fire, wind, lightning, water... The basic pure mana magic, Light. Various elemental magics manifesting from those mana orbs.

Manifesting all those elements at once, perhaps?

'Mana consumption's noticeable.'

I suppressed the newly unlocked stat, [Aesthetics], as much as possible. Not the time for its effects.

But it was worth the precious mana drain. At the site where diverse elemental magics intertwined.

'...Found it.'

I pinpointed the most effective elemental combo for breaching the gates.

Even rethinking it, it was pure brute force...!

'No choice. This is my best shot.'

Desperate flailing. Using everything I had, and didn't have... my own way...!

Fire(火), Ice(氷). Frost's gates were vulnerable to those two elements combined.

Principles? Reasons? No clue. If I knew, I wouldn't be burning mana like this.

But no need to know more now.

'Guess or force it. Same difference if it hits.'

Just concentrate the firepower. I manifested fire and ice right away.

Through the process. Magic poured onto the gates.

Indeed, even blind hits paid off.

Crack—!

Craaaack—!

The firmly shut gates began to crumble.

Cheers erupted everywhere. The players couldn't hide their shock.

"...Breached the gates this fast?"

"What the hell was that skill? The destructive power's insane!"

"...For real?"

If I could, I'd correct them.

'Without me, you'd say that...'

How much struggling to take the gates, and they chalk it up to raw power...!

But this lofty pride wouldn't budge for such trifles.

"With valor at our side, I harbored no doubts."

No time for that anyway. Beyond the crumbling walls, a menacing aura flowed.

Clank—!

Harcon, speaking to me, donned his helmet.

"Sir Hoyeol. From here, we shall carve the path."

Shing—!

As Harcon and the Lion Heart Knights drew their swords.

Rumble—!

The walls fully collapsed. The quest window flickered.

Contribution up from breaching the gates?

'5,000 points.'

No comparison, so high or low? Unknown.

But not important now. Bonus quest or not...

From the breached gates, Frost's demons revealed themselves.

Indeed, worthy of the Demon King's legion. Perfect formations. High-quality gear. Swift movements, as if anticipating the wall's fall.

Demon King's army. Yes, save for the bright red skin and horns, they were disciplined enough to pass as human troops.

The players' momentum faltered.

"...This ain't normal."

"Better not rush in."

"Keep distance."

Utterly unlike the demons they'd faced. Systematic.

A demon's voice boomed.

"Kill them all! Don't let them in!"

Some in attack formation, some defense. Even specific tactics.

But so what?

I straightened my wind-tossed clothes. Utterly impassive.

"Pathetic."

To me, to Grandfell, all demons were mere trash. That Demon King's army? Just sorted garbage, like proper recycling.

Besides.

"Jessica, Enoch."

"Yes, Captain."

"We'll shatter their lines from the front with me."

"Understood."

We matched their system.

'Not just the Lion Heart Knights.'

I turned. Kichi, meeting my eyes, spoke up.

"...We'll support the Lion Heart Knights as much as possible. Like always, handle your roles. Got it? Let's go."

The Shadow Mercenaries, bound by iron hierarchy.

So this was justified confidence.

I declared as I advanced with them.

"No time to waste."

Clack—

Class quest. Ultimate goal: Demon King subjugation.

"Stand aside, you filth."

*

Frost had ten gates total. Natural for a metropolis.

With the quest active, it was good news for the mega-guilds—no point competing.

Especially ranking 1st and 2nd: Shining and Cheonha Tongil. They had to split.

"We're pros at this, right, Rocks?"

Back in Arcana days, territory-holding Shining had siege ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠experience galore.

Matching that: Cheonha Tongil. And in sieges, they held the edge over Shining.

"No better chance than this."

Cheonha Tongil's overwhelming numbers. Master Ryu Ojuncheon ranked only 14th.

But their true strength: headcount and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠average levels.

"Charge!"

They unleashed mass tactics. Attacks flooding the gates. Frontline dumps mana, rotates with rear. Recovers, rotates again.

"Heh."

Ryu Ojuncheon smirked. Even Shining couldn't keep up.

His quest window sparkled.

'Rewards tied to this contribution must be huge.'

Frost wasn't normal now. Lord's survival uncertain.

Ryu's expectations swelled.

'...If the lord's dead?'

Top contribution could make him Frost's new lord. A metropolis lord—even in game days—had immeasurable value.

'I can claim overwhelming first!'

For Cheonha Tongil, and himself.

He checked rising contribution.

'Rocks, you couldn't dream of this.'

As master, he racked up [Command] points. Shining couldn't match.

Just look at Jessie Haynes. Rocks lacked his command.

Ambition boiled.

"Hahaha!!"

At the same time. Ryu Ojuncheon couldn't know Hoyeol's contribution had surpassed 5,000.

He burst into mad laughter.

"I'll show you what overwhelming contribution means, Rocks!"

Yes, sometimes ignorance is bliss...