Chapter 332: The Soldiers’ Great Battle

Chapter 332: The Soldiers’ Great Battle

The provocation that Genie, a high ranker and the guild master of the former Legend Guild, sent to China had heated up the entire country. Chinese Ranker Kanex even posted this:

[I applaud Korean Ranker Genie for her courage. The truth is China has always mocked Korea in SNS saying that they will suppress them easily. But as we have witnessed Red Dragon Order’s annihilation a few days ago, South Korea might not be as easy of an opponent as we thought.]

Then, he added:

[In addition, she did not lose her ‘pride’ and spoke bravely, despite being a citizen of the small Asian country named Korea. Come if you can. These words may sound harsh and unkind to us but if I were a citizen of their country, I would definitely raise a thumbs up for them.]

Unfortunately, only a small number of people agreed with this ranker’s statement. Another ranker even posted an opposite opinion. This ranker was none other than the Great Wall Guild Master Nangong Hao.

[She’s very arrogant. I don’t think this is something that those who fled from the captured attack base Berdk should say, at the very least. In fact, it’s already safe to say that the battle for Berdk was the core of the power struggle between our countries.]

Many of the Chinese related to these words. People began to leave comments in sympathy with this statement.

[I heard that there's a Korean saying that even a worm will writhe when stepped on[1] but it seems like they’re just writhing by themselves.]

They literally meant that the Koreans were wriggling and writhing around. They believed that South Korea was only trying to make one final struggle after being severely pushed back. But Nangong Hao did not stop talking.

[Also, it seems like there’s a special territory that we are not aware of, if you look closely in the video of the Red Dragon Order’s massacre. I believe they’re just telling us to go to them and invade...]

This was the end. This was Nangong Hao’s answer to South Korea’s Genie’s provocation. The rest of his answers were done by the rest of the Chinese citizens.

[He’s saying... How dare you act up in front of us, right? LOL.]

[Ah. LOL. Nangong Hao, if you stab them directly like that the Koreans will be shocked.]

[Nangong Hao’s territory is ranked second among all the powerful territories in Athenae. His territory is teeming with Hidden NPCs and he has the Qin Shi Huang’s Warriors as his soldiers.]

Most of the Chinese players agreed wholeheartedly with what Nangong Hao said. Since they stepped on South Korea, the players there were writhing around. Besides, they firmly believed that the land that Player Genie, no, to be exact, the Food God, owned would only be shabby when compared to Nangong Hao’s territory. Then, Hu Yitian said in one of his interviews...

[Food God? I’ll finish him in 20 seconds if he appears in front of me.]

Some people frowned at his cocky remarks, but most of the Chinese players cheered. And just like the Chinese players had expected, another mission that would show their military might appeared in the Continent Cloud again.

***

[Mission! The Soldiers’ Great Battle has begun.]

[The location of the ‘Warriors’ Secret Warehouse’ hidden in the Continent Cloud will be revealed to players of both Asgan and Cairon Continent.]

[Benefits and privileges will be given to each continent’s players that will be able to send troops to the locations marked in the map and open the Warriors’ Secret Warehouse.]

[Players will have a 20% buff for EXP and artifact drop rate during the two day duration of the Soldiers’ Great Battle.]

[Players will receive penalties if they attack NPCs.]

[Only one player can lead the troops from their continent.]

[Players will be given two hours to vote for their representative. Participating players will be given special rewards.]

[The mission participants must be elected through the players’ voting and must be at least Level 500 with a REP higher than 800.]

[NPCs participating in the Soldiers’ Great Battle will be resurrected outside the Continent Cloud upon death. However, they will not be able to enter the Continent Cloud again.]

[The Soldiers’ Great Battle will begin once the voting period ends.]

These series of notifications rang loudly in the ears of every player present in the Continent Cloud. Nangong Hao laughed loudly and mockingly the moment he heard the notifications.

“Keuhahahahahahaha!”

Nangong Hao was laughing loudly because this event seemed almost tailored for himself. Right? He was the guild master of the Great Wall Guild, and was the person leading the ‘Behemoth’ territory, the largest existing territory in Athenae. The strength of his Named NPCs were also beyond anyone’s imagination. What about his troops? Normal territory troops would have an average level of Level 200, with stronger ones at around Level 300. The troops in Nangong Hao’s territory exceeded Level 370. And, he even had around 3,000 soldiers in numbers. Nangong Hao thought, ‘This is God’s will. He wants me to smash the nose of that arrogant woman named Genie.’

The legendary NPCs living in Atlas territory were Ghost Spear Ben, Talmor’s Corr, Great Sage Aruvel, Named Legend of Tactics and Strategies Haze, and Sword Saint Conir. Atlas territory also had additional five hidden NPCs that were born when they were training. All of the hidden NPCs in the territory were at ‘Epic’ rank. They did not belong to the ‘Legendary’ class, but at the very least, they could exert a strength that could rival the power of ordinary rankers with their levels exceeding Level 460.

‘I wonder how strong Nangong Hao’s territory troops are?’

Genie still believed that the troops of the territory known to be the second strongest among all territories in Athenae could be formidable. The Chinese players would definitely choose Nangong Hao as their Commander, a position that only one player could participate in.

Genie had also applied for this Commander position. Fortunately, Genie was able to be the one chosen to participate thanks to the influence of the rankers that kept on sharpening their swords and training inside Atlas territory.

[Asgan Continent’s ‘Genie’ has received 2,413,711 votes and will be the one to participate in the Soldiers’ Great Battle.]

[The chosen player would not receive any penalty even if they attacked NPCs.]

[Cairon Continent’s ‘Nangong Hao’ has received 41,133,624 votes and will be the one to participate in the Soldier’s Great Battle.]

The results were just as Genie had expected.

***

Minhyuk had gained a lot from that duel with Ellie. During their fight, he had realized his limits, which allowed him to obtain additional 50 stat points and an additional level in his Ellie’s Swordsmanship. And that was not the end of it. Just like Ellie had said, he received the Wishing Stone.

From what Minhyuk had learned, the ‘Wishing Stone’ could allow the player to wish for ‘cooking ingredients’ for the rewards that they would obtain, once they cleared a trial. This meant that this item was not just for show.

Then, Ellie told him, ‘Follow the directions in this map. Once you arrive at that place, you will be able to receive a Pinnacle Skill from someone else. Take note that it’s not my Pinnacle Skill, but another Pinnacle Skill.’

According to Ellie, it would be extremely difficult even for Minhyuk to learn Ellie’s complete Pinnacle Skill. That was why he should try and attempt to learn the other Pinnacle Skill first.

Ellie made sure to explain it to Minhyuk. She said, ‘Even I don’t know what will welcome you when you arrive there. However, one thing’s for certain. The world’s best swordsman, only next to the Sword God, is there.’

Minhyuk took the old and shabby map that Ellie had given him and made his way over to the place marked on it. Then, he thought, ‘Genie will do well, right?’

Minhyuk’s strength was now only at the same level with the members of the Let's Eat Sect. However, Minhyuk could not change to a ‘High Class’. There was only one reason, and that was because he was a God Class. God Class players were not given the benefit to change into a High Class since this was some sort of balance adjustment.

So, Minhyuk had to do his best to quickly become stronger. He moved swiftly, crossing mountains and rivers, until he was met with the sight of a gigantic volcano that was steaming with hot lava and smoke.

“...Are you telling me to go there?” Minhyuk asked in doubt for a moment. However, he still decided to jump. The place was like a lava vent[2]. However, it seemed like it was different from that. Minhyuk gathered strength in his legs and jumped in. Then...

Fwoosh!

“Ugh!” Minhyuk groaned unknowingly from the heat. He felt like his skin was going to melt if that ever touched his body. However, none of the heat touched his body as the lava engulfed him.

Before Minhyuk knew it, his feet were already standing stably on the ground. Looking up at the ceiling, Minhyuk saw the lava that he jumped into. He thought, ‘This is quite amazing and mysterious.’ Minhyuk was once again in awe at Athenae’s ability to make things look and feel realistic.

[You have entered the Innocent Hero’s Trial.]

[You have gained 100 REP.]

Despite the notification ringing in his ears, Minhyuk’s eyes remained fixed towards the front. At the end of his gaze was a statue of what seemed to be a young man with short black hair wearing full-plate armor. There were words written right below the statue.

[The World’s Most Pure and Innocent Hero.]

[He slumbers, awaiting the arrival of his descendant.]

[Sword Saint Conir. Level 796.]

“...!”

Minhyuk was shocked. At first he thought that the statue looked very familiar, from the man’s face, to his posture as he held his sword and executed his swordsmanship. Everything looked extremely familiar. It was so completely unexpected, and Minhyuk was shocked to the point that he mumbled unconsciously, “Why did Conir suddenly appear in this place...?”

1. Even someone gentle can be antagonistic when being treated with contempt ☜

2. A fissure where any volcanic material, like lava, flows out. ☜