Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 148
>Chapter Title: Outlaw Slayer
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
[Holy shit, he's insane!!!!]
>└What! Why!! What now!!
>└Kaiser did it again! Insane for real, wow!!
>└What is it!! Spit it out!!
>└Kaiser! Kaiser opened the Outlaw Challenge!!!!
>└……What!?
The moment Kaiser opened the Outlaw Challenge, the GodOse homepage and community forums exploded.
Outlaw Challenge.
>The devilish challenge no one had dared attempt since Arthur's disastrous failure.
>Even the Top 10 Guild Masters had turned a blind eye to it.
>After over a year without a single attempt, how could anyone resist the hype?
-Fuck, so the Sargis folks get to watch it live? So jealous, seriously!
>-Ah, I just graduated from Sargis yesterday!!!
>-Kaiser live ticket prices are insane……
And with the challenger being Kaiser, words weren't even needed.
The forums filled up with chatter from the massive influx of users.
>Plenty envied the Sargis players who could witness Kaiser's Outlaw Challenge up close.
Of course, most posts brimmed with excitement and anticipation, but some were negative.
-No matter what, the Outlaw is a bit much……
>-Why bother……? He's already plenty deified as is. Why risk it?
>-If he fails, his deification crumbles and his image gets fucked. Doesn't he know?
>-We've hyped him up so much he's lost all fear.
>-For real lol. Thinks he can do anything. Yeah, he's amazing, but the Outlaw? Too far lol. Solo too? Fuck off!
At any other time, maybe not, but this time, plenty agreed.
It was only natural.
Even for Kaiser, the Outlaw was a boss on another level.
No one could understand why he'd risk tarnishing his own image.
-You think Kaiser's doing this without thinking? He must believe he can pull it off.
>-For real lol. Didn't watch the Contractor footage?
>-That guy's not the Outlaw. Never seen him before, so no comparison…… But the Outlaw wrecked even Arthur at under 50%. How do you even beat that?
>-But why does everyone assume he has to beat it fully? Just dropping it below 50% proves something.
>└……True?
>└Probably 'cause of the image Kaiser's built.
>└Yeah, if I were him and lost, it'd feel weird. Like childhood dreams shattered?
Opinions varied, but one undeniable fact united them.
Why challenge it at all?
>Why take the risk?
It didn't make sense for Kaiser to open the challenge just because he's a battle maniac or attention whore.
-Maybe related to meeting the City Lord?
>-Exactly. Otherwise, it doesn't add up.
So the conclusion: it had to do with the City Lord.
-Ah, dying of curiosity here.
What story could drive him to hunt the Outlaw?
>What connected the Outlaw and the City Lord?
With everything so fresh and new, curiosity peaked.
By now, whether he could beat the Outlaw wasn't the point. Deep down, everyone figured it was impossible.
[Hey! Holy shit!!!!]
That's when it happened.
[Kaiser!! Kaiser finished the Outlaw Challenge!!!]
>[He killed the Outlaw, holy shit!!!!]
Right as everyone pondered the Outlaw-City Lord link.
Unbelievable posts hit the forums, snowballing from a few to dozens, then hundreds.
-……What? Finished what?
>-No way, he killed the Outlaw? That possible??
>-What? Looks real? Posts keep coming.
Every refresh brought more proof, but no one could believe it.
How the hell did he kill that monster?
[All you doubters, come out!! I'm the winner who watched live!! (jpg)]
One post popped up.
>Thousands of users raved in the comments, with a photo of Kaiser looking up before the fallen Outlaw amid the crowd.
-What, for real???
>-No way, he killed the Outlaw? How??
>-Fuck, I should've gone too!!! Had shit to do……
└Lol, you missed it? Regret it forever.
>└For real, goosebumps all the way.
>└Seriously, not graduating Sargis was my best move this year.
>└You too? Hey, me too!
>└Wow…… You guys are demons……
>└Fuck……. Wanted to film it so bad, but GodOse cracked down on copyrights hard.
-……The ultimate "impossible" criminal. Currently stabbing the resurrection marker live. Forgive me…… (jpg)
>└LOL he's really doing it lololol
Explosive reactions, naturally, and the news spread everywhere.
[Outlaw Challenge Ends After a Year!?]
>[Kaiser Writes Another Legend!]
>[Graduation Quest Score: How Many Points?]
Articles flooded the homepage and portals, with guilds zeroing in.
"……Kaiser killed the Outlaw?"
>"Possible? Monster among monsters."
>"This…… The Top 10 Guilds can't just sit back anymore, right?"
>"Wonder what Arthur's face looks like."
The Top 10 Guilds couldn't ignore it, stopping everything as expected.
The nerves irritated in Brion finally snapped in Sargis.
And the biggest reaction came from……
"Outlaw, huh…… What about it, Arthur? Think you could take it now?"
>"……Obvious question."
In a pub in Hof, Arthur—master of The King—answered his comrade's sudden query with a blank face, mid-drink.
"I could crush it easily now. Under two minutes."
>"Yeah, of course you could. The user-side Rebed, strongest holy knight after all."
>"No fuss."
>"Got it, got it."
His grinning comrade asked curiously.
"But if you went back to the past with your current skills? You've leveled up a ton since then."
>"Back to the Outlaw fight…… Pointless question. Not happening."
>"C'mon, just for fun. Could you do what Kaiser did?"
>"Hmm."
Still blank-faced.
>The textbook handsome man: golden hair, pale skin, epitome of a holy knight.
His perpetual blank expression symbolized his flawless perfection, but his comrade—knowing him for years—saw it.
That slightly downturned lip meant he was thinking hard.
But only briefly.
"See you're idle with that nonsense."
>"……Huh?"
>"We can move faster. Let's go."
>"Uh, wait? No, I'm still tired. Can't we rest a bit more? Think about it? Never going back to that forest…… Fuck, he never listens."
He sighed, forehead in hand, watching Arthur exit the pub.
Such a boring guy.
But what could he do?
He was their leader.
"Wait up, man!"
Arthur glanced back at the scrambling man, then faced forward.
His face stayed blank, but his lips curved down ever so slightly.
That question lingered.
'Fighting the Outlaw again……'
He'd do better, sure.
First time, 2nd phase caught him off guard, and his form was weaker back then.
But could he win?
'……Honestly, no clue.'
It wasn't a boss meant to be beaten.
'……Peerless even in Delrock days, was it?'
The current Top 10 Guilds: max level beyond max, sky above skies.
A guy not even level 50 threatening them? Absurd.
The gap was that vast.
……Yet why?
'Need to remember this.'
Somehow, he'd face him one day.
Heading to the Forgotten Forest, Arthur etched Kaiser's name in his mind.
* * *
Meanwhile, amid all the attention.
"What? Why's the castle front packed? Can't get through."
>"You don't know? Kaiser's inside right now."
>"What? For real? Shit, should've at least seen that since I missed the live!!"
>"Sigh, told you to flip your sleep schedule. Who lives like that?"
Sargis Castle entrance swarmed with players.
Kaiser, fresh off slaying the Outlaw, was meeting the City Lord—players ditched hunts to swarm for answers.
"Huh? He looks fine though?"
>"? What?"
>"Heard it was by a hair. One more hit and he'd be Kaiser Slayer. Atmosphere not right?"
>"This game's full of punks like that. Of course there were. But he countered instantly, killed the guy instead. Then glared at the crowd so menacingly, holy shit, so cool……"
>"Wow, epic……"
>"And that's not all. Charlie jumped in right then to guard his side, crowd joined to escort him? Total Moses miracle to the castle."
>"Peak romance."
The buzzing chatter was all Kaiser: his heroics, what quest next, what he'd show, graduation score, etc.
Guards shook their heads at the players.
"Keep security tight. No one's getting in."
>"Never seen a crowd like this……"
First sight in a year and a half left guards and NPCs baffled.
Some were impressed too.
"Truly an amazing figure."
>"Just rumors…… But Hansel said the apostles were buzzing that he took down the Outlaw bastards."
>"……What? You believe that crap?"
>"No, hear me out. He met the City Lord days ago too. One we rarely even see……"
Rumors spread like wildfire.
And as the castle exterior buzzed.
*Crash-*
"Ahh……"
Do-hyun faced City Lord Jay Ruddel and the head butler in the lord's chamber with the guardians.
The teacup slipped, shards flying, but Jay Ruddel didn't flinch.
The butler, who'd normally fret and clean, stayed put.
"That…… Is it truly real?"
>"Yes. This is what dropped from that bastard."
Do-hyun showed the unmerged half-key, radiating the Dark King's yin energy.
"This……!"
Jay Ruddel recoiled at the chilling aura.
How could he forget?
The energy from the one who drowned countless in death, sickened him, and killed the Knight Commander.
"So it really……"
>"Yes. The Outlaw is gone. The city is safe."
>"Ahh……"
Words failed him?
Jay Ruddel's eyes reddened, mouth agape.
Tears streaming showed his suffering.
"Thank you. Truly. How to repay this grace……"
He just bowed repeatedly.
Do-hyun watched quietly, then approached, hand on his shoulder.
Met his eyes, smiled softly.
"……Hero?"
>"Thanks are fine, but I have something to say too—and time's short."
>"What do you……"
What?
Before the question landed, Do-hyun struck first.
"Someone I want to introduce."
>"……Introduce?"
>"Chatty guy…… But you know him well."
The City Lord's eyes blinked, then widened in shock.
Incredulous, yet hopeful, questioning Do-hyun.
Is it who I think?
"Yes. Here, hold this a sec……"
Do-hyun nodded, handed over the yin energy.
The moment Jay Ruddel took it gingerly.
-No way, is this really the only way? Fine for a bit, but he's already sickly—holding that…… Ah, right. I asked for it, but still…… Huh?
"……Uncle?"
>-……Jay.
A ghost yapping nonstop at Do-hyun.
A terribly familiar face.