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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Over a month had passed since the Yor subjugation raid began. Roughly the same amount of time since Chae-rin had shared the quest.
The community had exploded. Shared quests were rare, and the quest giver was a popular streamer.
The nature of the raid had changed.
The forums were filled with speculation.
Was the quest real? Was it too dangerous? Should they stop the subjugation?
Some players even leaked the information to the Knights, creating further chaos.
The forums were a constant battleground, but that was nothing new.
The good news was that more players were joining the quest.
But as time went on, anxiety grew.
+
[Is Yor even alive?]
He disappeared almost a month ago.
He’s probably monster food by now.
+
[Don’t say that!]
[I’m getting worried… What if we’re arrested before we even get to fight? I can’t abandon the quest now.]
[It’ll be fine, it’ll be fine]
[We don’t know yet. There would be some trace if he was dead.]
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[Chae-rin, you bitch]
You said you’d announce the date!
When are we supposed to go?!
+
[Seriously lol. She just keeps gathering people.]
[Would you announce it immediately? The Knights would find out.]
[A month is too long…]
The Knights, of course, knew about the quest. There were no secrets on the internet.
The Fourth Knight Commander, trapped in the forest, couldn’t do anything, but the cities were different.
Security had tightened. The Knights were searching for otherworlders who’d accepted the quest, treating them as rebels.
Guards questioned every otherworlder they encountered, asking if they’d accepted the quest. Chae-rin, her face well-known, was in hiding.
The complaints grew louder.
When would they fight?
Then, the rain came.
‘This is it.’
Chae-rin and Ha-neul, emerging from hiding, quickly uploaded a video. They posted the announcement on their channel and the community forums.
It was short and simple.
[Tomorrow. Be ready.]
Chae-rin spent the rest of the day preparing.
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The rain fell heavily that night, as if making up for the long dry spell. The forest was shrouded in a thick curtain of water.
Puddles formed on the ground. The air grew cold. Even the ferocious monsters of the deeper layers stayed hidden, conserving their energy.
“…Sigh.”
I reached the outer edge of the deeper layers without encountering any resistance.
I couldn’t go any further. I sensed the Knights’ camp ahead.
I found a sheltered spot and slept.
“…Ugh.”
The rain stopped abruptly at dawn, leaving behind a thick fog. Visibility was near zero. The air was damp, the ground muddy. Not ideal conditions for travel.
It was worse than usual, even for early morning. The weather was terrible.
I stretched, preparing for the day ahead.
‘Let’s see…’
I wasn’t in peak condition. My body was stiff, tired. The dampness had sapped my strength.
But my senses were sharp.
And the Knights wouldn’t be in peak condition either.
That would be my advantage.
I headed towards their camp.
A surge of anticipation coursed through me.
My goal was to repel the Knights, not to kill them. I disliked them, but I didn’t hate them.
They were just following orders.
I remembered the Knight who’d expressed regret while surrounding me.
Perhaps there was room for negotiation.
‘Killing Knights is troublesome.’
They were backed by the Empire. Killing them would only complicate matters.
I reached their camp.
Two sentries were tidying up, preparing for the day.
“This weather… I haven’t camped in this kind of weather in ages.”
“I envy the otherworlders. They can just… log out, and sleep comfortably.”
Most of the Knights were still asleep. It was the perfect time to strike.
I gripped my spear and charged, aiming for the sentries.
Distracted by the weather and their conversation, they didn’t notice me until it was too late.
Whack!
“Ugh…”
One sentry crumpled to the ground. The other, startled, tried to shout.
“Intruder—!”
Whack!
I silenced her with another blow.
‘Two down.’
Only a few hundred more to go.
I dragged the unconscious sentries into a nearby tent.
Even Knights needed sleep. And they didn’t sleep in their armor.
Many were shirtless, the heat and humidity making armor unbearable.
And most of the Knights were women.
‘Ahem…’
I cleared my throat and whacked them with the butt of my spear, sending them into a deeper sleep.
One Knight woke up, mumbling in her sleep.
“Wow… is this a dream? A man…”
“It’s a dream. Go back to sleep.”
Whack!
She looked tired, so I helped her out.
I wished I could take them all out like this, but it didn’t last long.
“Wake up! Intruder! The sentries are down!!!”
A Knight in another tent had found the unconscious sentries.
The camp erupted in chaos. I clicked my tongue.
“Tsk.”
I’d hoped for a more peaceful approach. But it was almost time for them to wake up anyway.
“Reserves! Deploy the reserves!”
Clank!
Armored Knights emerged from another tent. A reserve force, ready to respond to any attacks.
They were in their usual five-woman formations, wielding large shields.
They looked tired, but their eyes were filled with determination.
I sheathed my spear.
I remembered the Fourth Knight Commander’s words. My spear work was crude.
‘He was right.’
I was self-taught. My fighting style was based on necessity, not training.
But even an untrained fighter could learn a few things.
The characteristics of different weapons. Spears were versatile, with a long reach. That’s why I preferred them. But they were difficult to wield in close quarters.
Daggers were fast, but their range was limited.
Axes were slow and heavy, but their initial strike was devastating.
Simple concepts, even a child could understand.
But used correctly, even simple concepts could be deadly.
I produced a large warhammer, looted from a dead otherworlder.
The weight felt good in my hands.
I’d considered using it before, during my first encounter with the Knights.
But there had been too many of them then, and I’d been afraid of leaving myself open to counterattacks.
But now?
The fog limited visibility, there were fewer Knights, and I was confident I could react to any counterattacks.
I swung the warhammer, aiming for the shield.
Crash!!!
The Knights flew backwards, like ragdolls. The shield-bearer, taking the brunt of the impact, lay unconscious.
The otherworlders began to arrive.
“Wow, the atmosphere is intense. Good morning everyone… huh?”
“Call the others!”
“Get him!”
Knights charged towards me.
But I wasn’t worried.
This time, I was the hunter, not the hunted.
I drew my spear and charged, taking down dozens of Knights before they could react.
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[Your Text Here]
Bonk time