Volume 42 Chapter 5

“Yawn!”

Lee Hyun gave a huge yawn.

“I’m tired. I seem to be lacking vitamins. And I haven’t been eating meat these days.”

He had no time to rest due to the sculpting master quest and the war with the Haven Empire.

After exiting the capsule, he cleaned his house and did the laundry.

He was diligent in areas like housework.

“In the future, I need to verify the price fluctuations in Royal Road and look at the quests in hunting grounds. An analysis regarding the future of the Arpen Kingdom is required.”

Lee Hyun nodded while thinking.

He could understand why modern people liked hiking. It was because things always piled up like a mountain.

“I will just be happy to have my money grow.”

Lee Hyun turned on the television while eating rice.

Today was Sunday but it was broadcasting a story of the Versailles Continent.

In the past, he had talked on the phone with Shin Hye-min and now he was watching her on the tv. There was a lot of valuable new information and unlike other stations, they were sympathetic to the Arpen Kingdom.

The corporation favoured him.

“This can be considered a virtue of South Korea. They are too tired to see objectively.”

The influence of the broadcasters on the public was absolute.

In order to raise taxes, he needed to maintain a favourable relationship with the stations.

One slip could lead to annexation.

“One of the 1,000 representatives of Royal Road, today we have the swordsman Bers-nim of Kensington.”

“Yes. Recently he defeated the Brakra Dungeon with some friends and posted the video in the Hall of Fame.”

“I heard it has great popularity.”

“The risk involved in the Brakra Dungeon is high and no one had explored to the end. The scene of the 5 people party exploring the dungeon and defeating the boss monster is a lot of fun. In the end 3 people died.”

“Is the video ready?”

“Of course. Now let’s watch it.”

Lee Hyun watched the video of the Brakra Dungeon hunt.

The way they hunted was very different.

Lee Hyun’s hunting style had gradually developed in Royal Road.

Unconditionally fast.

He sprinted at full speed while living his life.

Of course, it was also important to have the judgement of a leader. If he didn’t give some time for rest and relaxation then the expedition would be abandoned early on.

Fast and daring.

A lot of ordinary people wouldn’t be able to follow him.

A leader needed to bring out the full capabilities of their colleagues. Those who didn’t realize their own limits would be left behind.

In the end, the assassin whose name was revealed to be Seasoned Crab and Python were strong enough to hunt with him.

In the Brakra Dungeon exploration, Bers gave priority to safety.

He calmly analyzed the nature of the monsters and placed the magician, thief, knight and archer. Every time a battle started, there would be definite roles and strategies.

Lee Hyun felt bored seeing such a perfectionist.

“I would have quickly defeated half of them.”

At least 1,000 dungeons in Royal Road had been explored.

There were daily large and small battles on the Versailles Continent.

Users would increase their level through common hunting, quests and war.

In the early days of Royal Road, they competed over who would get a higher level.

Higher levelled people were respected. Many famous people formed guilds and expanded their forces.

And after some time, the criteria of who was strong started becoming more diverse.

Those who succeeded in hunting monsters first or special quests was proof of strength.

An arms race started between border disputes and new powerhouses emerged.

Vocation skills and personal combat senses meant there was more meaning to becoming strong than levels.

Level was always important in Royal Road but the so called 1,000 representatives of Royal Road had special achievements.

Just like Lee Hyun.

“What extent have my skills reached now?”

Lee Hyun evaluated himself.

“I was the strongest while ruling the desert. However, that was limited to the quest.”

Nevertheless, he had reached the peak so it was easy to judge when looking down.

Sadly, he was strong enough even if he over-rated himself.

“On the basis of the level or combat skills, there isn’t much difference since the time I fought Bardray in the Melbourne Mine.”

The quest had given him plenty of stats. The proficiency of his combat skills rose through the quest but the compensation was too small.

Swordsmanship had reached advanced level 5. When considering how hard it was to raise swordsmanship as a sculptor, it was a great achievement.

The proficiency of Radiant Sword and Sword-cloning also rose.

But that was the only good thing.

While Lee Hyun was busy with his secret sculpting technique quest, Bardray and the Hermes Guild were training.

They defeated other prestigious guilds, raised the Central Continent and gained a lot of level from dungeons.

Their skill proficiency increased while hunting and they received stat points as rewards.

Their achievements grew steadily like Lee Hyun.

“They have become stronger. And I’ve lost quite a lot of levels and couldn’t raise my other skill proficiency.”

Lee Hyun compared his strength to other users.

He fought with Bardray in the Melbourne Mine but that was just the start of the war.

It would be a desperate fight to subdue each other. Vitality, health and a variety of combat skills were required in a confrontation.

If he was at a disadvantage then he could use Sculptural Destruction to raise his combat stats.

It would consume art but it was necessary to compete with Bardray. He wouldn’t be pushed too badly early on.

Sculptural Destruction was important in a fight but his real skills couldn’t be too weak.

“I also have Sculpture Life Bestowal and Great Disaster Nature Sculpting.”

Skills that had a huge penalty!

He didn’t have the efficiency of a combat profession.

Lee Hyun had been struggling shoulder to shoulder with them but now he became relatively weaker due to the time consuming quest.

When looking at the 1,000 representatives of Royal Road, he couldn’t feel absolutely confident. Their combat skills and expertise were overwhelming.

Weed just went shoulder to shoulder with them using his sculpting skills and nature.

“I’m lacking a lot in normal combat abilities. Sculpture Transformation also has its drawbacks.”

Sculpture Transformation gave him the characteristics of the body he changed into.

He could fly through the air or have the power of a huge race.

However, there could be advantages and disadvantages.

A chaos warrior’s short range teleportation could be beneficial on the battlefield. He had used it with Hestiger to maximize his power during the battle for the Earth Palace.

The Hermes Guild and northern users had been shocked by Weed’s combat capabilities.

Crossing the battlefield using teleportation while blowing away the enemies with his fighting abilities!

The huge achievement was possible because he took full advantage of his fire resistance.

Even his weapons fully supported him.

The Dragon Sword, Red Star.

The combination of the Red Star, chaos warrior and Hestiger exerted a huge amount of havoc.

“I can’t exert that combat power again. And it is always risky using the Red Star.”

The combat capabilities of a chaos warrior was limited. Even if he continued using the risky Red Star, he didn’t have Hestiger at his disposal.

“The problem is in the future. Time Sculpting might be an absolute weapon. It is reassuring in many ways.”

The television had finished showing Bers’ adventure and now had two people talking.

“Defron-nim, how do you feel about the north defeating the Haven Empire?”

“The Hermes Guild’s armed cavalry. It could indeed be said that they were defeated. The Arpen Kingdom lost their palace but it was a trap they designed. Are they going to recover the occupied territories now?”

“Yes, it is just a single battle but the Haven Empire was defeated.”

“These are your opinions. However, that is just a teaser for the war. In fact, the Arpen Kingdom has managed to block them for now. But that won’t happen in the future. If their troops don’t increase then it will end.”

“The difference between the Haven Empire and the Arpen Kingdom is too severe. Comparing the military…won’t it be a problem if the Haven Empire constantly causes a war without any justification?”

“War is natural in Royal Road. If the Haven Empire rules the continent then there will be no more fights.”

A debate unfolded about the northern war.

Lee Hyun wasn’t impressed with any remarks about the Haven Empire.

‘Well, everyone needs to make a living. There are no good or bad guys in the world.”

It was natural for their position to be like that.

If Bardray managed to invade the Arpen Kingdom then he would unify the rest of the continent.

“There is no need to create justification. Even at the expense of 1~2 villages……”

But he didn’t like that the Hermes Guild was threatening his rice bowl.

The debate lasted for a few minutes before stalling.

“I understand your criticism about the Hermes Guild. But there is value in a world ruled by the Hermes Guild. The Versailles Continent can’t be won with just dialogue and negotiations.”

“But if the Hermes Guild can’t stabilize their territory……”

“There will be some problems in the process. The users might not understand but once the Hermes Guild rules the continent, there will be a leap forward in true development.”

The Hermes Guild trying to conquer the continent was due to the very nature of Royal Road. Therefore Lee Hyun watched without much inspiration.

“I should try the other channels or watch the news.”

Then the host Oh Joo-wan temporarily stopped the discussion.

“I will make an important announcement. I just received news that the Hermes Guild is working to stabilize the empire and have called a temporary truce with the Arpen Kingdom. This news came from a senior official in the Hermes Guild and there will be an official announcement after a while.”

A truce!

The war wasn’t completely over but there would be a brief break in order to settle the internal matters.

The theme of the debate rapidly flowed towards the temporary truce with the north.

The damage to the Haven Empire must be worse than expected in order to leave the Arpen Kingdom alone for a while.

The evaluation of the experts was like a lion having their whiskers pulled out.

“Those guys won’t stand still in the future. They will use all types of despicable means. Even so, haven’t they given me some time?”

Lee Hyun thought for a moment before concluding it wasn’t a bad thing.

He had feared that additional troops would advance from the Haven Empire. Anyway, there was a brief gap for him to breathe.

But this was just the beginning of a cold war!

The experts participating in the discussion stated that the Haven Empire wouldn’t mobilize their army until the preparations were perfect. Instead, they launched all types of policies that would press on the Arpen Kingdom.

The Haven Empire would try to overwhelm and cause the Arpen Kingdom to decline with their economic power.

“The world is against me. It is difficult for a dictator to find peace.”

Lee Hyun wasn’t in a position to actively compete with them in the future.

The Haven Empire had declared a truce but that didn’t mean peace would last.

The Arpen Kingdom was a sharp thorn in the Haven Empire’s side and gave them the bitter taste of defeat so he never believed in peace in the first place.

“I need to restore my lost levels as much as possible and also raise Time Sculpting. I should wander around creating sculptures. Well, it will be a success either way.”

Lee Hyun was burning with motivation.

Time Sculpting and Sculpting Master!

Now he could accomplish those goals.

He was familiar with working hard.

Take one step and shovel endlessly. Eventually he would obtain huge achievements.

In addition, Lee Hyun had a great talent in using tricks to overcome difficulties.

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“Did you see it?”

“Of course.”

“Seriously awesome.”

Korea University’s virtual reality department.

The students who arrived before the lecture time sat in groups and talked about Royal Road.

Royal Road was always the topic of conversation in the virtual reality department.

“Did you hear? Our senior is Weed, the God of War.”

“I know. I heard it at the freshmen welcoming party but it is a lie.”

“A lie? Based on what?”

“Common sense.”

“Everybody is saying it from the seniors to the professors.”

“It is just a joke on their juniors. There is no way such a legendary existence is our predecessor.”

“I’ve heard stories from the seniors about his school life.”

The seniors of the virtual reality department just laughed as they listened to the freshman’s words.

Lee Hyun. It was hard for them to believe without seeing Weed, the God of War, directly. The seniors wouldn’t have expected Weed, the God of War, to have such a personality.

‘In particular, we hunted with him.’

Lee Yoo-jung and Min So-ra’s eyes met in a significant gaze.

They hadn’t forgotten their experience hunting with Weed.

Melbourne Mine!

A great event where Weed and Bardray met for the first time.

It was a hot topic at the time.

Lee Yoo-jung, Min So-ra, Choi Sang-jun and Park Soon-jo!

They were the ones who took classes along with Lee Hyun.

The test that required hunting in Royal Road. They sat in a corner and listened as the freshman received assignments.

“Soon-jo, can you help me out?”

“Should…right now is hard.”

“Even if it is at a later date. You might be able to obtain something.”

“It is really difficult.”

Choi Sang-jun asked to borrow Park Soon-jo’s equipment.

It was hard now that the Black Lion Guild was in a difficult situation.

“Please give it back with no damage.”

“Nice! I’ll return it in 10 days!”

“I told you that it was 5 days.”

“You are a good friend. But how are you so strong as a thief?”

“That…it is a combat oriented character.”

“How did a thief become that strong?”

Choi Sang-jun was confused.

Normally a thief’s specialty was to steal things. It wasn’t a profession necessary in a hunting party.

If they ambushed a monster then the damage would be enormous but typically their offensive power lagged behind. They were unmatched in the field of trap detection and dismantling.

“There is a considerable opportunity when looking at the monsters wandering around the dungeons. Every time I fight……”

“One day I’ll catch up. Wait a bit.”

Choi Sang-jun diligently raised his level to 400 but Park Soon-jo was more skillful when it came to hunting monsters in dungeons.

Therefore it was tough for their skill proficiency and level to grow.

Between two people, the one who was the most respected was the one with a higher level. They played a fundamental role in a hunting party.

The easy truth!

Lee Yoo-jung who was listening to Choi Sang-jun and Park Soon-jo’s conversation suddenly said.

“But didn’t oppa get a leave of absence from school?”

Min So-ra immediately said.

“Who, Lee Hyun oppa?”

“Yes.”

“His leave of absence is to immerse himself in Royal Road.”

Choi Sang-jun interrupted the girls’ conversation.

“That hyung? I frequently saw him on television. He performed the final secret technique quest successfully. Kyah, the people who have appeared on broadcast. Well, Bardray is still the best idol.”

“Isn’t he doing well?”

“Of course not. Bardray will win the war.”

“There is no studying. I really envy him.”

Lee Yoo-jung’s arms fell on the table and she lay her head on it.

Those in the virtual reality department enjoyed Royal Road. The cutting edge technology meant that students were motivated to learn.

Apart from Royal Road, the subjects covered a vast area.

-Economics of Virtual Reality

-Mathematics for Urban Management

-Virtual Physics

-Biology of the New World

-Virtual Marine Experiment

-The Technological Applications of Physics Engines

-Birth of the Modern Magician

-Microscopic World and the Virtual World

-New Civilization and Philosophy

-Human and Virtual Environments

-Virtual Reality and Life

-Virtual Revolution, Ergonomics

-Crisis of Reality

-Structure and Function of the Brain

The subjects covered all sorts of technology and liberal arts.

Virtual reality could be called an expensive playground. It was the subject of great interest so the universities established competitive courses involving virtual reality.

Once Korea University established a virtual reality department, similar departments were formed at universities around the country.

Students were eager to take classes related to virtual reality so it was easy to fill the class roster.

It was understandable that the students majoring in this subject continued to grow.

Min So-ra sighed deeply.

“We are thoroughly buried in studying. I suppose we should just enjoy oppa’s spectacular adventures.”

Choi Sang-jun laughed.

“It will be different once that hyung returns to school. It won’t be easy for him to obtain the credits.”

“Really?

“Of course. Besides, we don’t know how long the Arpen Kingdom can endure in Royal Road.”

Then Park Soon-jo spoke.

“That hyung, it is good for us that he isn’t attending. Virtual reality can be understood from the papers.”

“…….”

“Weed, the God of War, is a character that has never been defeated in adventures.”

Weed, the God of War!

He might have been slain by Bardray but it was a difficult environment and he never once lost on the scale of a war.

The battle of Morata against the northern lords as well as defeating the Haven Empire’s marine corps in Jigolaths.

Everyone expected to hear about defeat regarding the war but he overcame it!

That’s why the Royal Road users thought that Weed was incredible.

He overcame any disadvantage regardless of how small and large the troops were. He fiercely survived or came from behind in any environment.

“I wish that oppa will return to school.”

“Yes. It was fun when he attended school. These days I am only studying.”

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The users gathered at the Earth Palace to stop the Haven Empire didn’t leave.

“Merchants who desire money and are courageous should trade in dangerous areas. The value of achieving your dream is 3 gold a day.”

“Those who want to hunt in a dungeon, let’s gather for a week of crazy hunting.”

“Huhu, hahahaha, hohohohok! I am Cockle Hunter from the Onion Porridge unit! Follow me!”

“Farmer seeking someone to guard the fences. Protect the grain from monsters and animals in the Hullio Mountains. If it goes well then I will offer you onion juice and melon for the rest of your life.”

Users accepted quests and participated in commerce as they ran towards a new frontier.

The merchants who heard about the Earth Palace reconstruction plan announced their intentions to invest.

“This is business. Now this land. We can build shacks on this spacious land and make a fortune.”

“People will gather together. There will also be trade. Once stores are established then people will come and we will make money. A merchant is a job that needs to eat every day.”

“Kidukkiduk, the food business is uncertain. Don’t people have to eat? It is good to have the cooking skill. Put plenty of seasoning on cheap ingredients and they can be sold.”

The merchants bought land owned by the kingdom in order to construct buildings.

One of the most active professions in the Arpen Kingdom were the merchants as they made income through trading and investments.

“I should go……”

“Do you want to join me in the construction of the Earth Palace?”

“That’s fine. Later I can proudly look at the palace.”

“I couldn’t participate last time because of an adventure so it worked out well.”

“True, have you brought a shovel and a sack?”

“Of course. A shovel and a sack are required in the north. I have 5. There is no room for loot in my backpack.”

950,000 users of the Arpen Kingdom instantly committed to working on the construction site.

They followed the instructions of the architects and cleaned up the remnants of the Earth Palace.

“Dig while moving in a straight line from here.”

“Until where?”

“Keep digging for 3 kilometres.”

“The Bamboo Shoots Porridge unit will do it. 2 hours should be plenty of time.”

“Even one and a half hours will suffice.”

The waterways, roads and boundaries were very easy to set for the construction of the building.

The architects were devoted to the reconstruction of the palace and only developed the basic outline for Dawn City.

Squares and roads needed to be connected from the Royal Palace. Grand Buildings, sculptures, stores, markets and even guild offices were built.

There were a fierce competition between tenants and 300,000 shacks were completed in no time.

“Excellent, the real deal. Comparing it to Morata’s shacks is impossible. Does it make sense to separate the bedroom and living room in the shacks?”

“It doesn’t seem like rain will leak through. Even insects will find it hard.”

“A swimming pool in front of the shanty village. The amenities are amazing!”

Dawn City was different from Morata in many ways.

Morata had the basic shape of a village that grew due to settlers and tourists. On the other hand, the Dawn City would become the Arpen Kingdom’s capital city and people recognized that the investments were endless.

Morata was the heart of the Arpen Kingdom and that hadn’t changed even after the Earth Palace was built. Even those who didn’t participate in the construction of the Earth Palace came from other areas to visit.

However, hundreds of thousands participated in Dawn City so it was off to a powerful start.

And orcs also came with their families.

“Chwiik, there are many humans here. Let’s go somewhere else.”

“Wait a minute, there is 6 months worth of work here, chwik chwik!”

The settling of the orcs.

There was a law in the Arpen Kingdom that orcs could only have 10 children. But the orcs grew so fast that they soon occupied a large portion of the population.

But the orc population couldn’t increase indefinitely in a city.

The orcs were very independent from a young age. And it was the law of orcs to find a new habitat for their females and children.

The Haven Empire’s army carefully moved towards Vargo Fortress.

Five corps, 1.5 million troops!

The Haven Empire mobilized troops on a huge scale.

This was also a scheme of the Hermes Guild’s leaders.

The leaders had considered two aspected to their northern conquest plan.

The expedition that crossed the Poros River to the north were composed of elites. And in the east, small and medium sized combat units were organized by commanders with combat experience.

In the future, there would be rebellions in the north so it was a good opportunity to train the soldiers in the east.

But the first thing that annoyed the Haven Empire was the terrain.

“Aaaack!”

“My body has sunk down to my waist!”

They fell down cliffs or plunged into swamps hidden by leaves.

The Haven Empire gained a lot of experience fighting in the mountainous terrain. But it was their first time with the hilly areas surrounding Vargo Fortress.

“Why? These obstacles weren’t written on the map.”

“This looks like a map created by orcs.”

“It is an inferior product!”

“How did we get lost in the woods again?”

“We don’t have space to move the soldiers?”

“Yes. The trees are so dense that not even one person can pass.”

The ranger unit that the Haven Empire was so proud of finished their scouting. But in the meantime, the terrain changed and quite a considerable amount of obstacles sprang up.

This was because of the users at Vargo Fortress.

After the rangers passed, the farmers and landscapers raised the crops in the mountains.

“Haha, I will raise these man-eating thorns.”

“I’ll give plenty of fertilizer. It is very easy to raise because I don’t have to worry about pests.”

“The north also has very fertile land. This is the beginning of a good harvest of thorns.”

The farmers led by Miretas worked on the crops through the mountains.

Stones piled up would become a fortress. The plants could delay and damage the army.

The vanguard of the army chopped the plants as they passed but if the roots were intact then they would revive. Unless they pulled up the roots, the main army would constantly receive damage

“If there are any obstacles then burn them with chemicals!”

The commanders of the Haven Empire were anxious and wanted to increase the speed of the march.

They wanted to occupy Vargo Fortress. The overall level of the users were lower so they wanted to advance quickly.

“The leaders of the operation made a mistake. It would have been better to go to the plains.”

The forests and mountains weren’t an obstacle to the rangers. Arrows flew towards the Haven Empire’s army. Even a beginner could boast considerable skill in the forests and mountains.

Assassins appeared at night and got rid of the regular soldiers before quietly vanishing.

The Hermes Guild had the best rangers but they couldn’t defend the rear and sides.

In the end, the Haven army had to burn the bushes and trees with chemicals.

Smoke blew for dozens of kilometres across the mountains.

The forest fire lasted for a few days. Although there were some traps, they completely disappeared in the fire.

“March on!”

The army marched through the charred remains and arrived at Vargo Fortress.

The high Vargo Fortress was designed to look down on invaders.

“It really is an enormous fortress.”

“Originally the walls were 10 metres and now they have tripled in size.”

“What should we do? It will be tough for the soldiers to climb so should we ask the magic unit?”

The tactic of using magic and archers against the northern users had been absolute. In contrast, this army had plenty of knights and rangers.

“It won’t be easy for the magic units to reach here. How many magicians are on our side?”

“8,000 people.”

“That isn’t a lot.”

Magic knights cost a lot of money.

It took a long training period and vast amounts of magic items being consumed.

The Haven Empire used an astronomical amount of funds for the war.

“A magic unit is useful in siege warfare. Have the soldiers rest sufficiently before we attack.”

“There is no damage.”

“Have the soldiers start climbing the walls.”

“Yes!”

The Haven Empire started their siege on Vargo Fortress.

The blacksmith users installed stone shields, ropes and ladders for the infantry. It was somewhat poor equipment but it was impossible to prepare for this due to the mountains blocking their view.

“Occupy the fortress!”

“Advance! Advance!”

“Wahhhh!”

200,000 soldiers of the Haven Empire simultaneously ran towards the walls.

Most of them were NPC soldiers but there were a mix of Hermes Guild users.

The Hermes Guild users enjoyed wars of conquest. Attacking enemy fortresses could give them considerable riches and achievements.

“Shoot!”

The archers hidden by Vargo Fortress started firing.

Unlike the human soldiers, there were many dwarves and elves.

The dwarves and elves mainly lived at Vargo Fortress. Due to the Haven Empire, they lost their homes and joined the Arpen Kingdom to participate in the war.

In addition, there were users waiting at Vargo Fortress.

“Kueok!”

“Shield properly!”

“Maintain a quick thrust!”

The Haven army ran through the storm of arrows. Some soldiers fell down but the elite soldiers kept moving.

“They are coming. It is starting now.”

“Grow the plants!”

The elves demonstrated their growth enhancing magic.

Seeds sown in the ground suddenly grew among the Haven Empire’s army.

The thorny vines planted by the northern farmers!

Some of the plants were like vampires and liked blood so the rare vines grew like it was a jungle.

5 meters, 10 meters, the thorny vines grew and grabbed the soldiers around them.

The Haven army was entangled in vines 100 metres from the walls.

“Now. Fire away!”

The arrows of the elves and users poured towards the Haven Empire.

The soldiers were hit by the arrows but didn’t die.

The siege troops wore armour designed to minimize the damage of arrows. The soldiers were going to climb the walls so the priests and magicians placed blessings on them.

“Drop the rocks! Archers continue to shoot!”

Vargo Fortress’ resistance!

The users desperately attacked the soldiers of the Haven Empire climbing up the walls.

The commander of the Haven army clicked his tongue as he looked at the walls.

“It is too high.”

“It will be quite tricky for the soldiers to capture them. It will be embarrassing as a commander if the army receives large damage.”

Soldiers kept falling from the high walls.

The soldiers were crowded in the vicinity of the walls so they kept receiving damage from the archers of Vargo Fortress.

There was no room for the soldiers of the Haven Empire to avoid the arrows so they died.

If this continued, then morale and overall combat power would decrease.

“Concentrate the siege weapons on the gates!”

The Haven Empire started to use their siege weapons.

Huge pieces of stones started flying towards Vargo Fortress.

“Stones!”

“Don’t avoid the fight. It is already decided that we will die here so don’t back down!”

Vargo Fortress was a natural fortress but it gradually turned ragged under the attacks of the Haven Empire.

But the fortress had too many defenses.

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There was one word attached to Vargo Fortress.

Orc, orc, orc, orc, orc, orc, orc and orc.

There was no end to the orcs.

“This is home, chwiik!”

“This is a fight. Our meal, chwik chwik!”

No one knew the orcs would reproduce so much in the north.

They reproduced among themselves and those from the Plains of Despair continued to be transplanted.

The northern merchants continued expanded the marine trade. Horse drawn carriages were often attacked by monsters so they preferred going by sailboat even if it was slower.

The trade routes with the east was particularly active.

After the Embinyu Church was destroyed, Rosenheim Kingdom and Brent Kingdom were restored.

Merchants carrying supplies along the trade route lured the orcs.

“There are many weapons and food in the north. The transport costs are free!”

Food, weapons and for free.

There was no need to bargain with the merchants.

Enough orcs started moving.

“We are happy with labour. Transportation and construction associated work is quite profitable. Even if it is only a couple of days, won’t it be able to feed your families?”

“Do you fight well? Of course, you are orcs. Orcs are famous for their bravery. It is risky but the rewards are very big…wasn’t there a famous orc called Karichwi?”

Mapan’s business actively brought in the orcs.

A labour supply using the orcs.

The orcs actively took care of monsters in the north. They fought and established villages in the Arpen Kingdom.

Unfortunately, there weren’t many human residents on the Northern Continent. The fall of the Niflheim Empire and the harsh weather meant the population plummented.

This void was filled by the orcs.

Some people thought there would be ethnic conflicts between the orcs and the humans.

“Orcs. The orcs are aggressive and will eat humans.”

“Our children are anxious about the orcs. Looking at the horrible faces of the orcs…I absolutely won’t allow orcs in my house.”

Many residents spoke like this.

In fact, many villagers anxious about the orcs became satisfied.

But there were many obstacles to the population expansion of the orcs.

The orc species were conscious of local events.

They didn’t back down from any monsters invading their territory. The orcs would persist until they died.

And the remaining orcs would want revenge.

The settlements were being threatened so the orcs endlessly flocked to Vargo Fortress.

More orcs continued rushing to Vargo Fortress during the battle. Therefore, the fight for Vargo Fortress never seemed to end.

It continued even with the battle at the Earth Palace with the Haven Empire was over.

The orcs appeared at Vargo Fortress as well as tormented them across the mountains.

No matter how mighty the Haven Empire, they couldn’t exhibit the same tactics as the plains. The siege weapons couldn’t crack Vargo Fortress.

The long range arrows of the elves killed the technicians of the siege weapons.

The dwarves would repair any damage done to the fortress.

The undead even woke up at night.

“Huhuhuhu, fresh blood.”

“My body, my body!”

This was the location of Barkhan’s Immortal Legion.

The undead heard the large scale battle and woke up to fight the Haven Empire.

It was like a swarm of ants was covering the Haven Empire.

Those engaged in the siege at Vargo Fortress received new commands.

-The war will be briefly paused. Immediately head to the conquered areas in the north. It is important to prepare for the future conquest of the north.

A considerable amount of damage had been done at Vargo Fortress.

The troops were reduced by 100,000. 200,000 troops also died from the orcs filling the mountain ranges.

But they still had 1.2 million troops remaining.

They were engaged in a fierce fight at Vargo Fortress.

The complete destruction of the fortress and the orcs were their goal.

“Let’s go to the occupied territories.”

“Commander, we marched all the way here. But now we have to leave without even destroying the fortress?”

“It is nonsense. We just barely climbed up the mountains.”

There were many unhappy about the decision to leave Vargo Fortress.

“They are orders from above. We have to unconditionally obey the commands of the Hermes Guild.”

“It can’t be helped since it was Commander Draka’s decision.”

Draka who led the army towards the Earth Palace at his own discretion.

The result was failure.

The responsiblity for the defeat and disobeying orders meant his status changed to a general user.

Failure to gain achievements naturally resulted in strict punishment from the Hermes Guild.

“We suffered after coming to the north.”

“Commander-nim, is it good to stretch our forces over the conquered northern areas? Draka and all the users will have to defend the conquered territories.”

“That’s right. It won’t be easy and we can’t ignore them. Anyway, we need to do our duty. And defense suits me more than war.”

Alcard’s abilities were more suitable to defending fortresses.

He was the commander in charge of the 12 siege of Fort Odin and showed the best results. The elite troops of the Hermes Guild defended it for 4 days.

Then Bardray and the Royal Guards came and overwhelmed the enemies while the defenders were tired.

Alcard had a careful nature and was assigned a position to attack the north because he wouldn’t make any mistakes.

He had slowly marched and barely arrived in front of Vargo Fortress before receiving the command to return.

“Everyone retreat! We have to quickly return to the occupied areas!”

Alcard gave the command and the troops started marching.

The orcs watching the army retreat were puzzled.

“What are they doing? Chwiik!”

“There is more work to do. Just go, chwi chwik!”

An alliance composed of orcs, dwarves, elves and barbarians were waiting at Vargo Fortress. In particular, this area was very favourable for the Arpen Kingdom so the ratio of NPC residents was very high.

A lively commerce between species that actively advanced Vargo Fortress.

The orc users heard news that the Haven Empire at the Earth Palace lost and showed their yellowish teeth.

“Chwik! If so, chwik! Must, chwi chwi chwik, we, chwik, attack, chwi chwi chwiik!”

“They are turning around, chwi chwi chwik.”

“Chase after them, chwi chwik!”

“Chwiik, don’t be impatient. It could be a trap, chwi chwik!”

“We are lacking too much. I would be glad if it is a trap, chwi chwik!”

“I don’t care about dying, chwiii chwik!”

“We won’t receive any damage, chiiik!”

The orc tribes that weren’t afraid of being wiped out!

The orcs were brave warriors that constantly fought.

If there wasn’t spacious land and a supply of food then there would be a limit on the population of the orcs. Any orcs afraid of combat would be incompetent.

That’s why the orcs stormed at Alcard’s retreating troops.

The Haven Empire were fiercely chased through the mountain and they lost 250,000 troops.

The orcs had great physical ability and grew quickly as a beginner.

Alcard showed his defense skills and managed to reduce the damage by 50,000. But his top priority was to reach the occupied areas.

250,000 troops were lost and 160,000 inevitably fell behind due to the excessive march.

Anyway, Alcard’s army safely passed the mountains and arrived at the occupied areas. And the users who lost their lives at the Earth Palace joined, building a huge force.

Alcard was appointed as the governor of the occupied territories. Now he was ruling one fourth of the northern territory, a vast amount of land.

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“Huhuhu, another classic has emerged. Hopefully I will have a chance for my song to spread through the continent.”

The bard Murray lightly tapped the beat with his fingers.

A melody rang out as the leaves started dancing.

Murray was a bard who wrote poems and sang songs.

The nature of the profession meant that bards considered adventurers as friends. Sometimes they could borrow the power of nature to produce a magical stage.

Murray was one of the best bards on the continent so naturally he watched the war.

A battle that absolutely couldn’t be missed! All bards on the continent gathered to make a song of Weed’s victory.

‘He should beat the Haven Empire.’

‘Weed has high fame on the continent.’

‘In order to make a popular song, the protagonist should be Weed.’

The feature of a bard was their songs. If their song became known then their fame and composition skills would increase.

They could easily enjoy the best fame through singing.

Just like a sculptor and paint, it was very beneficial for a bard to obtain fame.

If their song became known then they could even give a nickname to people.

Roaming around the continent while singing, an attractive profession!

A popular profession that was good at making friends.

The characteristics of the job meant that they didn’t settle in one place or join guilds. Recent classics were <Orc Karichwi’s Nasal Voice>, <Unknown Hero’s Future> and <Hymn of Grass Porridge>.

Ohh.

Today’s I heard a chiik.

A strong nasal sound like there is a runny nose.

I saw an orc.

Earthworm like tendons, broad forehead and no hair.

Chwik, chwi chwi chwit, chwi chwi chwi chwit, chwit chwit chwit, chwiik!

Karichwi who has a nasty temper!

He talked to young and adult orcs.

Murray studied orcs in order to write his song.

The simple lyrics and accurate nasal sound that was difficult to produce made it popular among the orcs.

Murray was popular and could easily hold a conversation with the orcs. Listening to the song up close meant being sprayed by the runny nose so he needed to be careful.

“This is an opportunity to create a great song and I need to complete it faster than the others.

The battle of the Earth Palace was the goal.

Bards also experienced big battles.

Murray and the other bards had their battles in the squares and taverns of the city.

It went without saying that the first song would have the advantage.

“Dawn City, Earth Palace. Well…something different will emerge. The Earth Palace collapsed but the reconstruction can make a new story. Dawn City has a role so it should have a significant amount of time. The future of the Arpen Kingdom…yes, the sun rising in the morning.”

He had a flash of inspiration.

‘The Arpen Kingdom will take a leap forward in the morning.’

The morning that would open a glorious future for the Arpen Kingdom.

Right now the preparation could be called the dark night. The Immortal Legion and war with the Haven Empire was just a guide for the new beginning.

“There is unease about the future. The future isn’t determined at the moment.”

Murray suddenly wondered.

Weed and the undeveloped areas of the north.

‘The morning after…the morning will come, causing the birds from Lavias over the Arpen Kingdom to cry loudly. How far can Weed raise the Arpen Kingdom?’

He decided the title of the song.

<The Kingdom of the Rising Morning>

A song about the battle of the Haven Empire was too small. He would make a song about the overall evolution of the Arpen Kingdom.

Murray’s song would spread through the entire continent.

If that happened then the fame of the Arpen Kingdom and the self-esteem of the people living there would rise.

The Haven Empire imposed a decree on the continent.

-Block all trade and transportation to the Arpen Kingdom.

-Activities in the Northern Continent are prohibited. Things since as hunting, quests and travel are prohibited.

The beginning of the northern blockade.

The Haven Empire occupied some land in the north and dispatched troops to form checkpoints at the borders.

In addition, the Haven Empire blocked the movement of merchants and travellers.

A thorough isolation policy!

This was the Hermes Guild’s plan to slow down the development of the Arpen Kingdom.

The merchants trading with the Central Continent would suffer great harm and the tourists visiting the Arpen Kingdom would be blocked.

The Arpen Kingdom defeated the Haven Empire but they suffered some damage.

Even the players starting Royal Road would seriously reconsider picking the Arpen Kingdom. They were worried about receiving disadvantages and discrimination.

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“Kuaaaack!”

Seo-yoon leapt down from Wy-3’s back the moment they arrived at Morata.

“Thank you. Here is a snack.”

She pulled out dried horse meat prepared in advance.

Chomp!

Wy-3’s delicious meal!

Seo-yoon’s eyes warmed as she watched Wy-3.

Weed’s wyverns could fly long distances comfortably and their ability to glide was amazing. But among the wyverns, Wy-3 wasn’t comfortable.

‘Wy-3 is science.’

Wy-3’s value as a perfect air transportation vehicle!

Seo-yoon entered the office.

Weed was concentrating on a sculpture when she came in. It wasn’t easy to think he was a cool man devoted to the task but the reality was different.

“I have to finish this before it is too late.”

“Great King Leading the Arpen Kingdom.”

“Heh. Well, it is an undeniable fact.”

“Huhuhuhu, hahahahaha!”

His own sculpture!

Just like a plastic surgery beauty, there was a huge difference between his appearance and that of the sculpture.

The sleek jaw line and intelligent eyes were different.

Long legs, strong upper body and the faint sheen from the moonlight gave it a truly handsome appearance!

Weed meticulously searched the sculpture.

“It feels like looking in a mirror after just washing.”

The eyes, nose and mouth were the same but it gave off a seriously different feeling.

“Indeed…I could also look like this if I maintained myself well.”

Weed nodded.

A dangerous delusion caused by a harsh winter!

Seo-yoon nodded as she watched the scene.

The real Weed looked much better than the sculpture to her. She thought that Weed was better than other handsome men like celebrities and models.

A situation where wool covered her eyes.

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