LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 88
Chapter 88
“Is all of that parrying? Really, all of it?”
The damage output was astonishing, but what left him more speechless was the control.
The insane skill to flawlessly perform the notoriously difficult parrying without a single failure and apply it perfectly in every situation.
And that wasn’t all.
What about his distance management?
He avoided attacks with minimal movement, maintained the optimal distance for offense, and never broke that distance even once.
“This doesn’t make sense…”
As an archer, maintaining distance was the most critical skill, making ArcherCoin particularly sensitive to it.
From his perspective, what he witnessed surpassed the level of a seasoned player or even a veteran expert.
This was… something beyond human capability.
– Amazing.
Suddenly, a comment from an article about Kaiser popped into his mind.
At that moment, he found himself agreeing with it.
“Ah…”
That word was the only way to express the overwhelming emotion ArcherCoin was feeling now.
The kind of feeling one might have when admiring a masterpiece.
Yet, he was experiencing that from just one man.
Kwaaaah!
“Ah.”
What snapped him out of his daze was a deafening roar that seemed to tear through his ears.
Thanks to it, he regained his senses and noticed the ominous mist that looked like dark clouds.
It was the aura of death, signaling the start of phase two.
“This time, it’s really dangerous.”
Playing around with a boss that had the Warrior trait had been unbelievable and absurd even in hindsight.
But that was as far as it went.
There was a clear reason why a tank was essential when dealing with the Death Orc Warrior.
[Touching the Aura of Death applies various status effects. It stacks up to 5 times and increases based on exposure time.]
A shield to withstand the Aura of Death.
In other words, a sacrificial role was mandatory.
This wasn’t optional.
Just like a mage was indispensable for defeating the Goblin Chief due to its “Selfish Defense” trait, a tank was a necessity here.
“No matter how good your control or strong your damage is, there’s no way you can deal with all those status effects and win.”
Even with just the blindness effect, half of your vision would disappear. If slowed or weakened by fatigue, moving as you wished would be impossible.
Under such conditions, fighting one-on-one while dealing damage?
“Absolutely impossible.”
That was the consensus.
…Or rather, it had been the consensus. Until now.
Tap!
As soon as the Aura of Death activated, Kaiser leaped forward without showing any signs of slowing down.
It wasn’t an illusion.
Crack! Thud!
In an instant, he flew in and landed a flying knee strike that shattered the boss’s jaw.
The Death Orc Warrior, who briefly saw the spinning sky with half-rolled eyes, quickly snapped back to its senses.
Smash!
And its head turned again.
This time, another flying knee strike hit it.
But this wasn’t just an ordinary knee strike.
A fleeting image of a dragon seemed to appear, followed by a sound explosion incomparable to before.
“Wait, was that a Dragon Strike?”
“Did we see it wrong? How can a swordsman use a Dragon Strike?”
“I mean… maybe?”
Their doubts didn’t last long.
Kaiser kept pressing the attack.
Faster than before.
Slash!
It was as if the Aura of Death had no effect on him. Kaiser was toying with the boss.
“What the… Why isn’t he getting any status effects? Is it a trait? Does such a trait even exist?”
“It’s because he’s a god. Status effects don’t work on gods.”
“Crazy… And he’s dodging every attack on top of that? Is this real?”
“Wait, isn’t that Combat Instinct? Did he already get the boss down to 20%?”
“This is insane.”
Compared to the two people now chattering non-stop, ArcherCoin was silent.
He simply stared blankly at the unbelievable scene.
Everything defied common sense.
From start to finish, nothing unfolded as expected. Each moment was extraordinarily abnormal.
Yet that made it even more artistic.
“……”
Without realizing it, ArcherCoin found himself moving forward as if entranced.
Thunk.
“Ah.”
Something caught his foot, and he stumbled slightly.
Looking down, he saw ProfessorHoguWatt offering him a tub of popcorn.
“Want some?”
Under normal circumstances, he would’ve scoffed and ignored such a ridiculous offer.
“…Sure.”
But after witnessing so much, he was beyond rejecting popcorn.
As he sat down beside him, the warrior known as Swordsman12456, who had been fidgeting with his sword sheath the whole time, placed his weapon back into his inventory.
Swish.
Then he quietly sat down nearby and grabbed some popcorn.
While munching on popcorn, ArcherCoin had a thought.
‘…Would he give me an autograph if I asked? No, what am I saying? Come on, ArcherCoin, you’re not the kind of guy who loses his composure like this.’
Unknowingly, he had entered the first stage of fandom: denial.
* * *
Meanwhile, at that very moment.
While Do-hyeon was engaged in his solo attempt.
Berge, the master of the Hero Guild, was in the guild master’s office, receiving a report from the scout he had sent out.
“Hmmm.”
A man who always ranked in the top three in terms of appearance among current God of Savior stars.
The one and only master of a guild that claimed to embody true heroism in this era.
People praised and followed him.
But that was only true for the general public who only knew him through TV or articles.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Those who knew Berge’s true nature never considered him a hero.
“A man obsessed with money.”
“A cold-blooded businessman with no empathy.”
Someone who would sacrifice anything for money and power.
A man as two-faced as a coin.
While the world hailed him as a hero, those on the opposite side feared him more than the devil.
“Tell me. Do you really think this makes sense?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Hmmm…”
This was why Scout Choi Hyun-seok was incredibly tense.
At first glance, it seemed like his boss treated even subordinates politely, using honorifics and showing kindness. But in truth, he was a ruthless man who could fire someone with a smile.
Tap. Tap.
Whenever Berge tapped his finger on the desk like this, it was a sign to tread carefully.
It was his habit whenever he was deep in thought.
Tap.
Finally, the tapping stopped, and Berge let out a small sigh.
“…Do you think this makes any sense?”
And it was understandable, considering how ridiculous the report sounded.
“You claim that after making contact, he fought through 20 opponents on his own, without a single casualty, in just 30 seconds? Is this really what you’re reporting? Seriously?”
“…I’m sorry.”
Choi Hyun-seok felt incredibly wronged.
‘But it’s true. What am I supposed to do?’
He had only written down what he experienced.
Actually, he had even toned it down slightly, yet it still sounded unbelievable.
Realistically, how could someone who just graduated from Raven tear through 20 high-level users in less than 30 seconds?
Even a passing dog would laugh at the idea.
While reality is often stranger than fiction, there were limits.
Who would believe this?
Sigh.
It was frustrating, but what could he do?
This was his workplace, and he had to endure such grievances to make a living.
Speaking out would only harm him in the end.
So, he simply lowered his head, hiding the frustration evident in his expression.
“Choi Hyun-seok.”
“Yes, Master.”
“I know Kaiser is an incredible man. I’ve seen some of his feats myself. But… isn’t this too exaggerated?”
Berge’s voice was calm.
However, the incredulity in his tone was unmistakable.
“Kaiser is human, isn’t he? Why are you making a movie? You expect me to believe this? Why not just say he soloed the Death Orc Warrior in ten minutes too?”
“Well, it’s not an exaggeration, it’s actually…”
“Anyway, let’s leave it at that.”
Berge cut him off effortlessly, and Choi Hyun-seok wisely closed his mouth.
He had learned through experience that pressing on about his grievances would only result in more than just a reprimand.
“‘Beware of the orcs’… What does this mean? Do we have the luxury to care about orcs right now? Who submitted this report?”
“It seems one of the subordinates posted it… but there’s a reason for…”
“Sigh. Fine. This nonsense isn’t our priority right now.”
…It wasn’t nonsense. It was true.
After hesitating briefly, he decided to keep silent.
“Forget it. I don’t care.”
If there was a problem later, he could just claim ignorance. He had done his part.
It was simply the Master who chose not to listen.
Resigned, Choi Hyun-seok lowered his head, and Berge continued speaking.
“This part is interesting. He met with the High Priest… Why do you think he did that?”
“We’re investigating it, but there are very few clues. We suspect it’s related to reclaiming the top spot in Raven…”
“The top spot in Raven… Come to think of it, didn’t Myeolsal also meet the High Priest shortly after arriving in Brion?”
Berge paused and smiled faintly.
“Could this really be a coincidence?”
“…”
Choi Hyun-seok didn’t answer, but his blank expression spoke volumes.
“No, this isn’t a coincidence. There’s a connection here. This guy is the first to achieve an S-rank, after all.”
“…I agree. I think so too.”
“Keep a close eye on him, Mr. Hyun-seok.”
“Yes. Trust me. I’ll make sure we track him down and secure him.”
Berge smirked slightly at Choi Hyun-seok’s enthusiastic reply.
“Do you think you can capture him? Based on this report, he’s basically Superman.”
“…”
“Don’t bother. There’s no justification.”
“But the current public opinion… and it was Kaiser who picked a fight with the top 100 guilds…”
“Hyun-seok.”
“Yes.”
Berge cut him off as if the discussion wasn’t worth his time and swiveled his chair.
The sky outside the window was a bright blue.
“So, which guilds have taken action so far?”
“…Didn’t most of the guilds already move? Including ours.”
Berge, still gazing at the blue sky dotted with white clouds, continued speaking.
“It’s all for show.”
“…Excuse me?”
“If they were serious, they would’ve sent assassins, manipulated the media, and played dirty. Do you think they’d stay this quiet? Since when did they all become fans of fair play?”
“Then why bother…”
Choi Hyun-seok swallowed nervously and stopped himself from finishing the question.
He realized it might sound like he was second-guessing, so he hesitated.
Fortunately, Berge didn’t seem to mind and coolly explained.
“The importance of guilds.”
In God of Savior, guilds are indispensable.
With a player base of over a billion, there were countless troublemakers, and the only entities capable of regulating and restraining them, aside from NPCs, were guilds.
Just like in real life, where connections often determine one’s success, the game was no different.
In fact, it was often worse.
That’s why players criticized guilds yet still joined them whenever possible.
And for star players, joining a solid guild was even more crucial.
“But Kaiser broke that norm.”
So, he had to be stopped.
If he succeeded without a guild, it would make people question the very necessity of guilds.
Wannabes trying to imitate Kaiser would start popping up everywhere.
Even the smallest of disruptions can cause ripple effects.
Everyone might understand that not just anyone could achieve what Kaiser did, but the seeds of distrust once sown are never light.
“If that’s the case, shouldn’t we do more than just put on a show… I mean, shouldn’t we take stronger measures to keep him in check?”
“Before that, we give him an opportunity. Kaiser’s symbolic value is worth that much.”
“…”
“If we successfully bring him in, there will be pushback for a while, but the benefits would far outweigh it.”
Berge tilted his head slightly and continued nonchalantly.
“No matter how amazing you are, in the end, you’re just a latecomer for now. So, wake up to reality and join us.”
“…Ah.”
“Guilds are corporations. It’s instinctive to maximize profit when there’s a chance to do so.”
But that too was about to end.
“Soon, he’ll realize this was his last chance.”
Kaiser was currently in Brion.
It was a place where masters of the top 10 guilds, including Myeolsal, had challenged the throne and failed.
Anywhere else, it might be a different story, but in Brion, the Hero Guild was the strongest.
That was Berge’s pride.
“No matter who you are, you can’t win there.”
It wasn’t baseless confidence.
“How are you going to gain the NPCs’ fame and trust?”
The core of the graduation quest there was reputation points.
A quest that was poison to someone like Kaiser, who enjoyed traveling alone and was surrounded by enemies on all sides.
On the other hand, the Hero Guild, true to its name, had built unparalleled fame and trust among all factions.
There was no contest from the start.
“Kaiser, you will fall there.”
That was the inevitable outcome.
With so much attention focused on him, there would be an explosion of disappointment from those who had pinned their hopes on him.
“The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment.”
Even then, it wouldn’t be too late to act.
For now, he could sit back and enjoy the sight of reckless rookies challenging the tiger, thinking themselves clever.
No doubt, there were many others sharing his thoughts.
“This will be fun to watch.”
Whether it was a war to recruit him or crush a rising star.
Imagining the chaos to come, Berge gazed at the sky and smiled.