Strike 101

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Before departing from the Papacy of Ares.

Hyun-soo sent a reply to Barad.

The content of the reply was simple.

“I will depart immediately to the Kingdom of Goyard with Saintess Aria and the Paladins. Please do not worry too

much.”

The details could be explained later.

With a flutter,

Hyun-soo released a falcon and looked at Aria and the Paladins, who had finished preparing.

[Paladin Cocoon Lv.323]

[Paladin Genel Lv.331]

Their levels were thrillingly high.

It was a moment to realize again how remarkable Saintess Aria was.

Moreover, the Ares religion, concerned about Aria who had recently been kidnapped and the loss of the Fifth Calamity by the Calamity Church, assigned its top ten Paladins to her.

And the Paladins mounted their horses, wearing ragged robes.

When Hyun-soo found it strange, Aria explained.

“Every single move we make can become the subject of gossip, so the Paladins and I often act like wanderers when we go out.”

At her words, Hyun-soo nodded in understanding.

They began to ride, and a reply arrived.

[Currently, a man named Duke Luckburg and eight other nobles wish to meet you. Additionally…]

Barad explained the current situation in detail.

‘A position for Lord Barad?’

This was something that could anger Hyun-soo too. There was even more shocking news.

There were assassins hiding among them.

After explaining to Aria, she said,

“It seems a powerful entrance would be appropriate. What Lord Barad needs now is exactly that kind of entrance.”

Hyun-soo understood her point.

The reason why Barad hadn’t yet purged the assassins.

He wondered if that powerful entrance was possible.

‘I’m still just at level 200…’

Something crossed his mind.

He took it out from his inventory.

It was a brown coat dropped by the Fifth Calamity, Jack.

Surprisingly, the coat looked similar to a modern coat.

What might seem like just a piece of cloth was actually a coat with astonishing power.

(Disaster’s Coat)

Grade: Unique

Durability: 9,000/9,000

Defense: 403

Requirement: Level 200 or above

Special Abilities:

· Charisma increase by 30.

· Active Skill: Dignity of Disaster.

· Active Skill: Command of Disaster.

· Passive Skill: Command of Disaster.

· Passive Skill: Instant Death.

· All effects increase by 5% when additional Disaster Artifacts are equipped.

Description: An artifact symbolizing the Fifth Calamity, Jack, it’s the closest thing to a legend among artifacts.

The artifact closest to legend.

‘Do all the calamities have one of these artifacts?’

It was deducible from the description of the artifact.

Looking at its effects, Hyun-soo marveled.

‘With this…’

He could make a strong entrance. Hyun-soo immediately wore the brown coat.

As they rode, rain began to fall suddenly.

Swooshing through the rain, they arrived at the Kingdom of Goyard.

Walking through the corridors and entering, Hyun-soo immediately activated it.

[Dignity of Disaster]

[Creates an eerie atmosphere as if disaster is approaching, emitting a strong sense of oppression.]

[As an effect, black currents flutter from the feet with every step.]

[Applies the status effect: Fear.]

Hyun-soo walked in with the strongest demeanor possible,

Eyeing the eight nobles threatening Barad as if they were insignificant.

Then, standing at the entrance, he warned them before heading back inside.

He counted down in the center.

“One.”

Brock, the vice-captain of the hidden Crimson Dragon squad, couldn’t hide his dismay.

[Assassin Brock Lv.299]

“Two.”

How could an unknown person have seen through their identities?

However, what puzzled them was the assassin’s senses telling them he was weaker.

Brock thought differently.

‘Barad cannot be killed.’

Then, he would kill the nobles and the man in front of them.

Three, before the sound ended, Brock signaled the assassins to move like flashes of light.

‘It’s a success…!’

Brock exulted as he plunged a dagger towards Hyun-soo’s neck.

The dagger was 3 cm away from the neck.

That moment.

[Command of Disaster]

[The Command of Disaster controls everything around with telekinesis.]

[It’s so powerful that movement is impossible.]

[Lasts for 6 seconds.]

Brock could only roll his eyes.

Looking around with those eyes,

The assassins targeting the nobles, and the other members targeting the man in front, were all caught in mid-air as if time had stopped.

The man, looking at him with chilling eyes, lowered his raised arm.

Puhahahahak-!

In Brock’s eyes, splendid swords engraved with the name ‘Ares’ struck down in a single blow.

Brock, losing an arm, saw his members being bisected in an instant, and finally lost consciousness.

As Hyun-soo walked past the fallen Brock, Barad was seen smirking in a way that others couldn’t see.

And so it began. 

The plan we had woven together.

“Why did we have to come here?”

“My benefactor. If it’s Hyun-soo’s words, I had to come.”

The affectionate gaze of Saintess Aria made the nobles step back.

Duke Luckburg looked at Barad, Hyun-soo, and Aria with shaking eyes.

And then, one of the nobles said something he shouldn’t have.

“Th-thank you for saving us.”

Duke Luckburg’s face crumpled miserably. 

He had given them a pretext.

Sword King Barad stood up.

“So it is, Hyun-soo. You’ve saved the kingdom’s top eight nobles. You all must feel a great deal of gratitude towards my friend.”

Barad’s eyes sharpened like a hawk’s.

Under his scrutinizing gaze, Luckburg slowly bowed his head in acknowledgment.

“I, too, feel a great debt of gratitude towards him.”

“Is that so?”

Sword King Barad gained leverage. 

He spoke in a cold tone.

“Now that I think about it, too many harsh incidents have been occurring in the territory you govern…”

Finally, Barad had a pretext.

Now the people would stand by Barad.

Therefore, he contemplated doing something he had long been unable to do.

“How about you and the nobles here try to bring prosperity to the Arham territory?”

Arham territory.

Located on the very edge of the Kingdom of Goyard, it’s a land abandoned due to its barren soil and the monsters stirring around it.

For 20 years, its people have consistently been fleeing to find a new homeland.

The reason for sending them there was simple.

They were being demoted.

From the most luxurious and splendid territories to the most worthless place, where it wouldn’t be strange if they were attacked and killed at any moment.

“We accept your command.”

Duke Luckburg and the other nobles no longer had the strength to oppose him.

And Barad looked at Hyun-soo with an exhilarated expression.

‘He was just one of the many I had hoped for in my heart.’

A wish that it would be nice if he could also be considered a close friend.

He was making that wish come true.

Finally, what Barad had planned was about to be realized.

***

Hyun-soo received a notification.

[Sword King Barad’s dream is becoming a reality.]

[It started from your fingertips.]

[You are taking a step forward for him.]

Hyun-soo looked puzzled. 

He did not know about the dream Barad harbored.

He simply knelt following his words.

Following him, Aria and the Paladins went outside.

Everyone in the Goyard Kingdom present knelt like Hyun-soo.

“I hereby grant you the title of viscount for saving everyone here.”

Hyun-soo was inevitably surprised.

[You may rise to the rank of a Viscount in the Goyard Kingdom.]

[As a Viscount, you will receive 5,000 gold from the nation every month.]

[You can command and lead soldiers.]

Hyun-soo would now indefinitely receive an equivalent of about 5 million won every month.

‘But it’s not enough for me.’

There had been many offers like this, simply accepting the title of viscount because of his friendship with Barad?

‘It’s right to refuse.’

Then.

[You may even become a king in the future.]

His thoughts shifted.

Barad smiled subtly, nodding slowly.

He too knew that Hyun-soo wouldn’t just remain a mere viscount.

In the Korean server, about 200 users held the title of viscount.

23 were barons.

7 were viscounts.

And about 2 were counts.

Yet, not one of them.

‘Has heard this notification.’

Hyun-soo’s heart raced.

He was once a weakling. 

The story of such a weakling possibly becoming a king.

“I accept the command.”

[You have been elevated to the rank of Viscount in the Goyard Kingdom.]

Barad smiled contentedly.

Then, he looked down a distant corridor.

It meant to save Bella.

Then, Hyun-soo received a notification.

Ding!

[Sudden Quest: A Woman Prepared for Death is generated.]

[Sudden Quest: A Woman Prepared for Death]

Grade: A

Requirement: Someone to save Bella

Reward: ???

Penalty for Failure: None

Description: Bella might find peace in a few days. Comfort her.

Before going to meet Bella, Hyun-soo wore a puzzled expression.

The reward was listed as ???.

However, he did not mind it.

He hurried to meet Bella.

***

Special User Management Team.

Team Leader Kim murmured, “Bella was destined to die originally.”

She was a pitiful woman.

In reality, she possessed talent comparable to the Sword King. Over time, she would shine even brighter.

“Now she can continue to grow.”

Of course, with Ares’ high degree of freedom, unpredictable events like this often occur.

And the two of them knew what the reward marked as ??? was.

“Loyalty…”

Kim Tae-seok smirked bitterly.

The loyalty of a woman with talent to succeed the Sword King. 

That was the reward.

The problem was this:

[Sword King Barad will grant a significant reward to Hyun-soo, the user who saved Bella.]

[One possibility is that Bella might be sent to him later on.]

The Special User Management Team predicts rewards in such a way because notifications inform them.

And the two saw Hyun-soo as exceptionally astute.

By saving Bella, Hyun-soo was confident that Barad would do something comparable for him.

And the notification was proof of that.

However, soon Kim Tae-seok said,

“Would Bella really follow Hyun-soo if Sword King Barad asked her to?”

“Probably not. Bella’s loyalty to Barad is far deeper and stronger than Barad or even we can imagine.”

“Right, and Barad will eventually retract that command due to Bella’s strong refusal.”

After finishing their conversation, the two stood up.

It was 3 PM. 

Busy monitoring various users, they hadn’t even had time to eat.

They talked while heading out to eat.

“The Guild Bright Future could use an exceptional knight.”

“NPCs accomplish things that users can’t, after all.”

Users log into the game, but NPCs live there.

Thus, NPCs possess a great power to transform the finiteness of a user into infinity.

Protecting the stronghold is also the role of NPCs.

After their late meal, they returned.

Kim Tae-seok was shocked by the notification that popped up on the monitor upon his return.

[The grace of the lord is activated.]

[……]

[……]

[……]

Tae-seok doubted his eyes as he saw the last notification.

[Knight Bella has harbored another sun in her heart.]

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