Hyun-soo, who reconnected to Ares, recalled.
Ranked 3rd in the world among blacksmiths. Ranked 2nd in the world in blacksmithing.
Wang Kang, with 50 million total subscribers, is stoking the furnace for Chinese users.
The article Hyun-soo saw before reconnecting to Ares was impressive.
– Chinese users are expected to participate with a significant number of legendary artifacts.
– More than 200 unique items.
– Chinese users supported by the Black Dragon Forge, one of the world’s strongest forges.
Hyun-soo made his first legendary artifact 10 months ago.
At that time, he was the only user in Korea who had made a legendary item.
However, once a single artifact is released in a game, it starts to accelerate.
When Hyun-soo made his first legendary item, there were less than 20 legendary items worldwide.
But now, over 80 legendary items have been released.
‘Maybe even more.’
Because users keep growing stronger.
‘Chinese users bringing multiple legendary items. How many will appear? Four? Five?’
He doesn’t know.
Suddenly, Hyun-soo examined himself.
One transcendent (advanced) twin dragon sword.
One legendary crown crafted by a divine being.
One legendary necklace of calamity.
One legendary armor of calamity.
“……When did it get like this?”
Hyun-soo’s level is 339.
The average level of Continental War participants is 370.
But Hyun-soo’s strength to counter them is:
‘I have five legendary items.’
Moreover,
‘I decided to participate in the Continental War. Since it has come to this, I want to be MVP.’
He also wanted to obtain new materials for transcendent grade artifacts.
So he needed a way to become even better.
‘I will add another legend to these five artifacts.’
Suddenly, he imagines.
Whether China brings six, seven, or ten legends.
‘There is no one with more than five legendary items alone.’
And the way to add another legend.
Recreating the Lord’s Coat and the Gauntlets of Calamity.
He ponders the word calamity.
The word humans fear the most.
A way to use their primal fear.
‘And a way to make a better coat and gauntlets.’
Hyun-soo made up his mind.
He found one of the things people fear the most.
‘This is it.’
How to create something more special?
‘Cutting power, defense, telekinesis, leap.’
He had no intention of giving up any of these.
Instead, he would dramatically enhance their performance while reducing others.
‘The set artifact effect from wearing four artifacts.’
He achieved a significant rise more than enough.
Because he wore them as a set, all performances improved by more than 10%.
‘Lower these and instead create my own calamity that makes enemies fear.’
Different from fire.
Instead of burning himself, it makes the enemies tremble in fear.
Hyun-soo smiled.
‘Even without an offensive twin dragon sword, I will become MVP.’
Then he recreated and heard the notification.
[You have recreated with skill surpassing the original creator.]
This notification came from the Gauntlets of Calamity.
[The effect of the Gauntlets of Calamity is improved by 5%.]
Next, the Lord’s Coat that was previously recreated.
He recreated that as well.
Then Hyun-soo was surprised.
[Your skill has improved compared to the last recreation.]
[The effect of the Lord’s Coat is improved by 4%.]
“……!”
Hyun-soo realized.
‘I have grown more than I did when I made this half a year ago.’
Finally, it was recreated.
[The grade of the Lord’s Coat is upgraded.]
[The tenth legend is written.]
Thus, Hyun-soo will enter with six legends or more.
Unfortunately, the gauntlets did not get upgraded.
However, what Hyun-soo noted was this.
Reducing the % increase from set artifacts.
Creating his own calamity by lowering everything except cutting, defense, leap, and telekinesis.
[Skill Dark Night (黑夜) is applied due to the set artifact effect.]
With this power, he believed he could significantly contribute to approaching the MVP.
Hyun-soo logged out.
‘I need to get a good night’s sleep before the competition.’
This was to participate in the Continental War in the best condition.
***
The whole world is heated.
The day of the Continental War has dawned.
Each broadcasting station is covering the Continental War with commentators and MCs.
– The number of viewers is enormous.
– Many are watching to see Ares’ festival.
– What is the Continental War?
– The Continental War is a large-scale territory battle between the defending Korea and the attacking China. Korea will have 1,000 users participating, while China will have 1,100 users active.
– Why do Chinese users have 10% more?
– Because the defense position is advantageous in territory battles.
– Who are the participants?
– Most participants are top 1% users selected by the branches and the commanders temporarily assigned to each side. For Korea, the commander is Lee Hwan, master of the Hwarang Guild and Korea’s number one ranking.
– It seems that the top three guilds in Korea are also participating in large numbers.
– That’s right. It’s rare to see this many rankers gathered in one place.
– How is victory determined in this Continental War?
– Korea wins if it endures for two days, while China wins if it breaks the powerful barrier inside the castle and captures the Korean flag within it.
– As we speak, users from both sides are appearing.
– Many of the users dominating the world rankings are visible from China.
– But we must remember that we have Lee Hwan, who shines as the 7th in the world rankings.
On the castle wall.
Lee Hwan, master of Korea’s top guild, Hwarang Guild, looked at the Chinese users from the fortress.
‘World rank 4 Pond, world rank 8 Wei, world rank 15 Kou, world rank 19 Liu…….’
Lee Hwan’s expression darkened with despair.
As the commander, he knew well about strength.
Pond, who is ranked 4th in the world, can handle more than twenty Korean users alone.
‘Among our participants, I am the only one within the top 50 in the world rankings.’
On the other hand, the enemy has more than seven users within the top 50 in the world rankings.
Although Korea also has a few more rankers within the top 50, most did not participate.
‘It must be because it’s hard to predict victory with such a difference in strength.’
Lee Hwan’s participation was inevitable.
As the number one ranking in Korea and the master of the strongest guild, he had no choice but to participate.
If he hadn’t participated, it would have been like running away.
Lee Hwan is the strongest ranker who built the Hwarang Guild by any means necessary.
Although he was greedy and ambitious, he cherished his country in his way.
He looked back.
The users had excited expressions.
They hadn’t faced Chinese users yet.
No.
‘They haven’t faced real strong opponents yet.’
Lee Hwan had faced them.
The unofficial rankers of Korea.
Their strength was truly at an astonishing level.
It was a difference as vast as the sky and the earth compared to those outside the top 100.
– The Continental War will begin in 30 seconds!
– Users worldwide have started the countdown.
Lee Hwan and the users standing on the castle wall were tense.
Lee Hwan looked at the Chinese users.
‘What strategy did they bring?’
There was also someone among the Chinese users to be most wary of.
He was none other than Zhuge.
Zhuge, although a user, is a strategist for a kingdom in the Chinese server.
His ranking is low, but his influence is on par with world rankers.
It’s still unknown what strategy he has devised.
Then the countdown began.
– 5 seconds.
– 4 seconds.
– 3 seconds.
– 2 seconds.
– 1 second.
– The Continental War begins!!!
Bwoooo-!
The sound of horns echoed from both countries.
Soon, seeing what unfolded before his eyes, Lee Hwan’s eyes shook.
The same was true for the users behind him.
“……”
For a moment, everyone was overwhelmed into silence.
‘Zhuge, you bastard……!’
Their strategy was a war of attrition.
At the forefront of the Chinese users was Wei.
He is the world’s number 2 necromancer.
Also, Lee Hwan felt something was up as he saw many Chinese users wearing robes, hoods pulled low to hide their faces.
And a significant number of them were necromancers and summoners.
They deliberately increased the proportion of necromancers and summoners among the participants.
Especially, Wei’s power is the most terrifying.
Right in front of him, about 400 undeads, each reaching level 340, appeared.
Following that, about 1,500 undeads from high-level necromancer users began to advance across the bridge.
And 200 Chinese users were hiding among the undeads.
“Priests, imbue the archers’ arrows with holy power, fire!”
Fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh—
Arrows flew relentlessly.
However, the problem was that China continuously summoned undeads with a time lag.
“Lee Hwan….”
“Yes.”
At a ranker’s voice, Lee Hwan nodded.
“They intend to capture us within three hours.”
Lee Hwan looked around at the users and shouted.
“Save your skills and magic!”
“What? But….”
“The speed at which they come is faster than the speed at which we kill them!”
It was Zhuge’s strategy.
Users have a limit.
That is the cooldown time for skills.
If everyone uses their skills immediately, they can sweep away those undeads.
But if they do that, the Chinese users will push in right away.
Korean users with skills on cooldown will be killed by their skills.
“What should we do?”
“They’re already crossing the bridge.”
“The priests’ ability to weaken the undeads has a clear limit!”
The priests’ ability to weaken the undead only works within 20 meters.
Moreover, only 30 priests were participating in this battle.
Lee Hwan was torn.
‘Use skills to kill the undead? Or somehow block them with normal attacks?’
Lee Hwan’s heart was burning.
Users were starting to realize the seriousness of the situation.
“……They’ve almost crossed the bridge!”
“Do we use our skills!?”
“Commander, your orders……!”
“…….”
Lee Hwan’s face contorted.
‘We have to weaken the undead.’
To the point where they can be killed with a few arrows.
But that was impossible at the moment.
In the end, he had to make an inevitable choice.
Lee Hwan was about to shout.
“I authorize the use of all skills….”
At that moment.
“No.”
A woman approached.
‘Wasn’t her name Nel?’
Lee Hwan frowned.
“I know what you’re going to say. But that kind of talk that everyone knows is….”
“That’s not it. Let the undeads approach the castle.”
“What?”
Lee Hwan’s face twisted.
“At our forge….”
Hearing that, Lee Hwan’s eyes widened in surprise.
“……There is such an artifact?”
“Yes.”
Lee Hwan pondered for a moment.
‘Is there really such a thing?’
Lee Hwan hurriedly brought up a hologram.
He linked to the Ares community and searched for the artifact.
And he was astonished.
‘……It really exists?’
Soon, Lee Hwan made a decision.
“Respond with normal attacks, absolutely no skill usage!”
“……What!?”
“W-what…!”
“If you disobey, you will be forcibly logged out! And priests, gather in front of me!”
By now, the undead had crossed the bridge.
“The undead are right in front of the fortress!”
“The number of undead has increased to 2,200!”
“The number of undead we have shot down is only 300!”
“At this rate, we will be captured immediately!”
But Lee Hwan waited.
Screams and shouts were rampant everywhere.
Commentators also shouted.
– I know what Commander Lee Hwan is thinking!
– But right now, we need to deal with the undead first!
– If those undead are not dealt with, they will climb up the walls….
Cold sweat dripped down Lee Hwan’s back as he waited.
Then, the commentators’ surprised voices were heard.
– ……Huh?
– Isn’t that a mineral?
Soon, everyone’s eyes turned to the sky.
A large amount of minerals rose into the sky and began to melt.
Smelting.
Impurities were removed.
Refining.
And the tremendous sound of hammering captivated viewers worldwide.
Tatatatatang—
And then it cooled down.
Chiiiiiik—
Viewers and commentators had puzzled expressions.
The completed form.
That which was floating in the sky.
There was no one who didn’t know what it was.
– A bell?
– It’s a giant bell!
One commentator recognized it.
– It’s the Bosingak Bell, designated as a national treasure in our country.
– The Bosingak Bell is used for the New Year’s Eve bell-ringing ceremony!?
– Why is the Bosingak Bell here?
At that moment, a man spoke.
“Pull.”
The bell disappeared from their sight.
They looked around to find the bell.
And soon, they discovered it.
– I-is it Crazy Rookieeeee!!!!!?
Crazy Rookie Hyun-soo. The bell was placed in front of him.
This bell, resembling the New Year’s Eve bell, was not actually called the Bosingak Bell.
Its real name.
‘The Bell of Ramas.’
It was a holy bell that saved Cassel territory from the undead.
Cliche Novel 