Chapter 86: Chaos and Heroes (4)
"We're on a roll. We're going to keep advancing like this."
"We have to. We can't afford to give them any time."
Mercenary leader Robert gave my back a reassuring pat. I nodded, my response vague. In the midst of our ongoing mop-up operation, we had decided to continue our advance. After
all, we had just secured a significant victory in a head-on battle.
However, my focus was elsewhere. In the corner of my vision, hidden from Robert's sight, a different scene from another world was unfolding.
"You don't look too happy? You should be celebrating right now. Thanks to your decision and judgement in identifying the enemy's weakness, we were able to win and survive. It's all thanks to you."
"...Everyone's fighting like that right now."
Robert tried to lift my spirits, but I couldn't muster a smile and mumbled in response. The screen I was looking at showed my sister, Kang Do Yeon. She was decimating a separate
detachment that had been pulled out, filled with enemies presumed to be players or units.
The mask no longer served as a stabilizer. That meant she was killing enemies as mechanically and indifferently as the other legionnaires, of her own volition. The sight was
overwhelming. Even if dozens of people attacked her, they wouldn't be able to defeat her.
"Only the victors survive... It's that kind of ecosystem..."
I barely managed to pull myself together, repeating that this was just a simple survival competition.
"Hmm, you should rest for a bit then. I'll handle the aftermath."
Robert excused himself after sensing the mood. When I was left alone in the vehicle, I leaned back against the seat.
"I still have the same amount of gold. The 300G I got from killing the surviving Moonlight Elves. That means we didn't kill any player or unit that we just observed."
[Correct.]
I checked my gold. The change was 0, which meant that the legion hadn't killed a single unit or player since they surfaced.
If they were weak, they would have been eliminated. If they survived, they would have become stronger.'
At this point, any surviving unit would have reached a certain level of strength. At the very least, they wouldn't accidentally engage in a fight, which meant they might know
about the legion.
"The players who have units on Earth must be making a lot of profit."
I let out a hollow laugh. I only knew of two cases, but regardless, a crazy war was happening on Earth, where I lived, compared to the world where Eve was. That meant it
was easier for players to obtain gold.
"There's a limit of two assassination rights per player, but that's still a considerable amount. No matter how I think about it, it's too overpowered."
It kills the target without question. Of course, it was said to be 'just that', but that alone was already overpowered.
[Let me tell you one thing, there are no patches in this game. It goes from start to finish as it is.]
The monstrous birds, resembling enlarged eagles, began to dive towards the helicopters and tanks. But it wasn't just the birds that were prepared. Beasts crossing the
land, creatures running on the ground, and more. All creatures of the demon world obeyed the being who was once their king.
"What... what is this? What kind of magic is this?!"
"It's not magic, you fool. It's a divine power. A power granted only to those at the pinnacle of demonhood."
He, who had landed on the ground, scoffed at the Kobold chieftain whose eyes were wide with shock. The chieftain, who had believed that the magic passed down to him by his player Rozes was a miracle, was speechless in the face of the true power of the Demon King. Meanwhile, the Nols were shooting down the unmanned drones that were scouting the area with their beam weapons.
"By the way, your player was supposed to be dying, but you seem perfectly fine."
"He... he's currently recovering."
The Kobold chieftain managed to answer, trembling. He couldn't take his eyes off him. The presence of a true high-ranking demon, who had broken the curse-like seal left by the hero and regained his power, rekindled his genetically ingrained sense of obedience.
"Focus on the battle at hand for now."
Seeing this, he chuckled leisurely. Soon, the Kobolds and Nols also received permission from their player and dispatched their main forces, which they had reorganized.
Fools. In the end, we will be the ones to survive.'
He had his own plan. From the moment he woke up using the power given to him by his player, he had been assessing the situation and exploiting the weaknesses of the current alliance system to regain his power.
"Ah, my ancestral king. What is happening in the demon world right now?"
"Lord of the Demon Beasts, Gartin. I'll give you a legion. Go and kill the humans."
He woke up one of his subordinates who had been sealed like him. This half-human, half-bird creature, covered in black feathers, bowed to the ancestral king he was seeing for the first time in a long while.
"With this fully restored power, I will sweep away those trashy humans."
"...You might want to stay on your guard. The world has changed, and even the strongest can be taken down in one hit by some irrational rule."
He laughed at the sight of his ever-loyal subordinate.
"What... what is that..."
"Take this. It will serve as another means to maintain your loyalty."
He threw a ring to Gartin. Gartin, who had been clicking his beak, caught it, put it on his finger, and soared into the sky in an instant.
"There are units among the humans... no, there are. There are some outstanding ones among them. Legion Commander Gartin alone won't be enough."
"He might not be. But isn't it your job to fill that gap? If you truly want to break free from the limits of your pitiful bloodline, then struggle on your own. We're all just fighting to survive."
He laughed openly at the Kobold chieftain's words.
He preferred the present situation. It was the same when the demon world fought against the hero. The only difference was that now, it was truly a wild world.
Where has the goddess gone? Don't tell me this so-called goddess is frolicking in another world, creating her own units?'
In the end, even the goddess, who had cowardly attacked the demon world using the irrational means of a hero, was nothing more than a frog in a well, just like him. He knew that now.