C207
Second floor accommodation in the villa.
I looked out the window.
In a meadow where all kinds of flowers bloomed, two girls were playing together.
The girls, who appeared to be just over fifteen, scattered flowers at each other as they played.
Behind them, a young man from the Self-Defense Squadron watched the two of them closely.
It was a peaceful moment, as if taken from a painting.
I shifted my gaze to the desk.
A withered and broken flower floated in a vase of water.
"It's like a dream. I want to keep protecting this paradise. I'm sure I'll make any sacrifice for it." That's what Adilang had said.
"It's a good dream."
The world is too desolate to live without any purpose.
Especially in a place so crazy.
Most of the Silver Star Guild Masters had given up on ascending the tower.
They focused on decorating the Lobby and enjoyed the game their own way.
In fact, there are more of this type in Pick Me Up. As you climb the tower, the Lobby gets bigger and the things to worry about increase exponentially. Hardly anyone studies with a thick book just to play the game.
"Do you like it?"
I saw the two girls smiling happily.
It must be nice.
They don't need to fight monsters.
They don't need to train hard.
There's hardly any risk of synthesis.
For them, this world is not a hell where life and death intersect several times a day, but an earthly paradise on another level.
I remember what Jenna said when Anything didn't log in for a while.
It wouldn't be bad if the Master didn't come.
"Does she still think that way?"
I smiled slightly.
It's late, and it's almost night.
Beyond the glass rising like a mountain, twilight is visible.
Several days have passed since then, and our shift remains the last.
Anything logged in early after a long time, and the conversation among herbivorous players still continued in the guild chat.
"They're here."
Firm steps were heard down the wooden corridor.
I closed the curtain of the window.
Bang!
The old wooden door swung open abruptly.
"Today I must get an answer."
In front of the door stood a woman with a long sword slanted.
Sijal, the leader of the Self-Defense Squadron.
Although I had rejected joining, she kept coming here again and again.
"Aren't you tired?"
"Consider it sincerity."
Saying that it's sincerity seems a bit rough.
I looked past Sijal. Several armed members of the Self-Defense Squadron were staring at me.
It seems they wanted to intimidate me, but it was a rather tender gesture.
"If you join the Self-Defense Squadron, I'll guarantee you a good position. We know you're strong. We don't plan to stay only on the 40th floor. We'll go higher. If you join us, you'll receive a lot of help in the future. I guarantee it."
How noisy.
I touched the Horse Statue on the desk.
I felt like drawing my sword.
But it wasn't the time yet.
"You... oh, forget it."
After talking to herself for about ten minutes, Sijal looked at me with tired eyes.
"Try living here all your life. Let's see if your turn comes."
Sijal scoffed and left with the members of the Self-Defense Squadron.
If they really wanted to overthrow them, they probably had many opportunities before.
But it seems they hesitate to take the step.
Trickster93: Why do you reject?
Meanwhile, a loud Master burst into Anything's chat.
He was a member of the Self-Defense Squadron who kept pestering Anything after rejecting joining.
Trickster93: You have an incredibly strong hero, Han Israt. That guy is famous. We don't need much help. If you just lend us that guy, we'll take care of the rest.
Anything: Sorry, I'm not interested.
Trickster93: Are you scared?
Anything: Yes. He can't get hurt here.
Trickster93: Ridiculous!
The conversation continued.
Trickster93: Are you a woman?
Anything: Yes.
Trickster93: You seem like a coward. I've seen many of your videos on YouTube and it seems like you didn't do much. You were always carried by the hero. Typical of a player who benefits from others, right? I didn't expect to find one here, hahaha. Even in the game, you get a virtual character to carry you, hahaha!
Anything didn't respond.
I started rolling the Horse Statue in my hand.
Trickster93: It must be easy when that hero wins the events for you, right? Did you ever do anything for yourself? If I were the Master of that hero, I would already be a high-ranking player.
Trickster93: Don't act tough, just lend him to us, haha. We'll show you how to use him. With your lousy skills, you wouldn't be able to handle him anyway.
Clack.
The closed door opened again.
The figure that appeared was not Sijal, nor Jenna, nor Belkist, but a thin, haggard man.
The man, with a tired expression, carried two daggers at his waist.
"This must be a hero from that Trickster bastard."
The timing was perfect.
"The Master asked me to convey a message to you."
"..."
"I'll be direct. Your Master is incompetent, join us. Don't you want to work with a competent master?"
The paint of the statue chipped a bit due to the force I applied.
Trickster93: If you're a woman, you should be playing with flowers, why are you trying to imitate high-ranking players? It doesn't suit you, hahaha. You fit perfectly here, especially with that Blue Rose flower maniac.
Anything still didn't respond.
Nor did I open my mouth in front of the man in front of me.
"If you're going to speak, at least pretend to listen. You have no manners. You're supposed to be a champion of a big tournament, but it turns out you're a coward."
"..."
"Stop touching that stupid statue!"
The man struck the Horse Statue in my left hand.
Crack.
The head of the Horse Statue crashed to the ground and broke grotesquely.
[Ding!]
[Trickster93 has been blocked.]
"Now are you ready to talk?"
"Yes."
"That's good..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the blade of my sword plunged into his left shoulder.
I covered the man's mouth to prevent him from screaming.
"?!"
"So you want to bring this place down?"
I smiled as I twisted the blade of the sword.
The sound of flesh and bones tearing echoed in the room.
"Agh! Agh agh... agh!"
I kicked the man's hand as he tried to draw his daggers.
Crack. The sound of a bone breaking accompanied the twist of his wrist in the opposite direction.
"Aaagh!"
"I'll do whatever you want."
In the green meadow outside the window.
The girls were handing a flower crown to Sijal walking down the street.
"Sister of the Self-Defense Squadron! It's a gift. They said you always work hard."
"It's okay, but..."
"Don't you need it?"
"No, I'll accept it. It's well made..."
Crash!
A suspicious object fell in front of them.
It didn't fall; it flew.
With both arms and legs broken like toothpicks, the body was completely covered in red.
At first glance, the object, reminiscent of a beetle, was...
"!"
The corpse of the man I threw out the window.
I jumped to the first floor and shook the blood off my sword.
One side of the flower garden turned red.
The girls stood frozen as they recognized the corpse.
Sijal turned around and shouted.
"Go to the shelter, both of you! Darhin, escort them."
"Yes!"
The two girls hurriedly ran under the guidance of the young man.
Sijal looked down at the corpse.
"What have you done?"
"Earlier, you said you were going to leave them behind, and now you come acting all friendly?"
"Mr. Han, what the hell is going on here?"
The door of the villa's first floor opened, revealing another visitor.
Adilang Curls, the Submaster of Seachorom from the Silver Star Guild.
I took a deep breath.
Sijal and the members of the Self-Defense Squadron. Adilang and his assistants. And all the heroes present in the meadow directed their gazes toward me.
Approximately a hundred people.
"Mr. Han, fighting among kin is strictly prohibited! Whatever the reason..."
"Silence."
"What?"
"I'll tell you only once, so listen carefully."
I loosened my grip on the sword.
And I told those who were looking at me.
"Drop everything you have and get out of here. From now on, if I see you, I'll kill you."
"..."
"Do you want me to make it clearer?"
I grinned maliciously.
"This place now belongs to us."
Suddenly, the atmosphere became tense.
Both Sijal and Adilang had empty gazes.
‘I'm sorry, but…’
Now wasn't the time.
Jenna was gathering information about the enemy.
But how could I endure such a madman?
He touched something he shouldn't have.
"That means…"
"A declaration of war?" Adilang asked.
I nodded.
[Ding!]
[You have left the Silver Star Guild!]
Anything immediately accessed the tactical menu.
And tapped the red sword-shaped icon.
[Master, would you like to give an attack order to the medium ruins (847D)?]
"That damn lunatic! Who do you think you are to meddle here!"
One of the men drew his spear and charged at me.
Of course, I cut the man's body along with the spear into two parts.
By kicking the man's torso, blood and chunks of flesh dyed the garden red.
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
The members of the Self-Defense Squadron drew their weapons in unison.
Sijal looked at Adilang.
"Adilang!"
Adilang frowned and pulled out a small wand, drawing a circle.
A blue portal formed.
"Non-combatants, evacuate through here! It's a passage to the shelter!"
The unarmed people began to hurry into the portal.
Perfect.
"Be it a Mad Dog or whatever, you won't leave here alive."
Sijal growled, baring his teeth.
"It seems I misjudged people."
Adilang stood beside Sijal.
Adilang was a Mage born with 4 stars, a unit leader during the liberation war.
‘They fit perfectly.’
Does the external enemy unite the internal ones?
It's a good show.
I just have to kill them all together.
Dozens of Self-Defense Squadron members surrounded me from a distance.
A perfect encirclement situation.
"Agh!"
From the left, a scream was heard, and a blood-covered corpse flew towards us.
He arrived early.
Seems like he smelled blood.
"Anyway, it was going to end up like this, why waste time?"
Belkist, who had burst through the encirclement, stood by my side.
Blood flowed from his sword.
"Up!"
Jenna, who had jumped several meters in the air, landed by my side.
"I expected it, just as I thought. Glad you came right away."
"Did you finish the investigation?"
"More or less. There's a Self-Defense Squadron fortress on the way to the crystal. Seems there's an object inside the fortress, and if we hold out there, it'll be considered an occupation."
Good.
The investigation is over.
What remains is...
I looked forward.
Two bitter enemies stood shoulder to shoulder.
Probably how they looked when they fought together in the past.
‘What a pity.’
Today's fight will be long.
Not just long.
This is just the beginning.
Beyond the sky, small dots were approaching.
The lurking bandits had noticed the opportunity.
Triangular formation.
To the right, there was me; to the left, Belkist; and below, Jenna.
"Don't underestimate them, archer."
"What do you think I am? I'll do what needs to be done."
Jenna reached for her short bow.
"Watch closely, brother Bel. I'll show them the taste of my arrows to those who block our way."
"Hmph!"
I swung my sword.
From today, the Silver Star Guild will dissolve.
Win or lose, that's inevitable.
Peace for all?
To hell with that.
In this world, the mighty win, and the winner takes it all.
I'll make them realize their dreams are foolishness.
[Master, would you like to give an attack order to the medium ruins (847D)?]
The system window appeared once again in my vision.
Anything was observing the ruins field.
We, formed in a circle, and the Self-Defense Squadron surrounding us.
[Yes (Select) / No]
Anything tapped 'Yes'.
[Warning!]
[The battle for occupation has begun!]
[Your relationship with the Silver Star Guild has changed to hostile!]
My vision was tinted red.
It was the attack signal.
