Chapter 138: The Way of the Veteran Shaking the Command (1)
“Human, you… what exactly… is your identity?”
Karakal asked once again.
His pupils still quivered, but that was hardly what mattered now.
How the opponent could have…
How on earth did he know about the Frosted Blade Tribe’s…
“Do you know about the essence filled with soul? Is that what you’re curious about?”
“That is so,” Karakal admitted.
The essence filled with soul.
Literally, it was the gem that held the blessings of the ancestors of the Frosted Blade Tribe.
Well, that’s how the Ice Trolls put it, at least.
In reality, it was a crystallization of magic gathered from the fighting maniacs who had died spilling and exchanging blows in combat.
‘I’ll need to dance around this topic carefully.’
Jinhyuk quickly concocted an appropriate scenario on the spot.
Let’s see.
The genre would be… ‘medieval fantasy’, perhaps?
[Lv1 ‘Faint Scent’ has been activated.]
The scent emanating from Jinhyuk’s body became increasingly faint.
“This can’t be!”
Karakal’s pupils seemed to quake like an earthquake.
He wasn’t just shocked by a skill that concealed scent.
It was the unique magic flowing from the skill that startled him.
‘Just as expected.’
The corners of Jinhyuk’s mouth lifted slightly.
Indeed, it seemed that someone of a ‘Hero’ rank could perceive the origin of the skill’s power.
“Were you… affiliated with the Empire?”
An exclamation slipped from Karakal’s lips.
At the same time, his mind began racing.
‘That would explain everything.’
The overwhelming strength the opponent possessed.
His knowledge of the essence of the Frosted Blade Tribe.
All of it could fall into place if he was a member of the powerful and knowledgeable Empire.
“Yeah. I came from there. Just been blending in with the players for the past few days.”
‘Faint Scent’ was an ability he had obtained during his time in the ‘Kaladium Kingdom,’ one of the kingdoms affiliated with the Empire, while assaulting the mental ward.
It was a skill primarily used by the empire’s assassins and was imbued with the empire’s unique magic due to the kingdom’s significant influence in the fifth stratum.
Karakal had recognized that fact.
Of course, Jinhyuk had anticipated this as well.
“As the tribe’s leader who also inherits the knowledge of the previous chiefs, you know this too.”
Jinhyuk continued speaking without a change in expression.
“As you are aware, our empire is strong. Naturally, I have the abilities befitting someone sent directly by the royal family.”
There was no need to explain why he was with players or why he had descended to the lower floors of the tower instead of the middle sections.
Keeping things vague would rather reinforce the opponent’s conviction.
Moreover, the first condition of the copy:
-1. In your battle with Karakal, make him submit.
There was no mention it had to be done through sheer force.
This meant he just needed to break the opponent’s will in any way possible.
‘The second condition for the copy will only be feasible once this entire issue is all over, so this is enough for now.’
And, as if to support his prediction,
Karakal’s combative spirit quickly faded away.
The spear’s point was directed downward.
“What is it that you want from us by going this far?”
Resignation mixed with a trace of hope spilled from his voice.
With that statement…
[The first copy condition has been completed.]
A blue status window appeared in front of Jinhyuk’s eyes.
***
As expected.
Now, it was just a matter of sealing the deal.
“What I want is war.”
Jinhyuk declared succinctly.
At this, Karakal’s expression darkened significantly.
“War, you say?”
“Yes. The sickly vampires and those annoying Maein. We need to clear them all out this time.”
He planned to deal them a blow that wouldn’t let them show their faces for a good while.
After all, skulking and licking their wounds in their hidey-holes suited them best.
“If we join hands with you, do you think we can win the fight against them?”
“I can’t promise much. If you join me, you’ll lose many tribesmen.”
Against vampires and Maein, even a powerful tribe like the Frosted Blade Tribe would inevitably suffer great losses.
Half of the warriors, perhaps even more, could die.
“Warriors are always prepared to die. The problem is the noncombatants. If our betrayal becomes known… and if we lose, the tribe could vanish.”
“Right. There’s definitely that possibility.”
Jinhyuk didn’t deny it.
The worst-case scenario would require accepting even such an outcome.
However…
“Is this really okay with you? Are you genuinely content with just barely keeping alive?”
“Of course not! But perhaps it’s better than the tribe’s end. At least…”
“No,” Jinhyuk interrupted Karakal sharply.
“That’s worse than death itself.”
A life lived in slavery held no meaning.
Better to fight valiantly, even if it meant dying a grotesque death.
“Yeah. Maybe… that could be.”
Karakal grimaced as if swallowing molten iron.
Chastised by the impactful words, drops of blood trickled between his tightly clenched fists.
“If we stand with you, will our tribe survive?”
“As I’ve said before, I can’t promise much.”
However, there was one thing he could assure:
“Honor and pride.”
And…
“Freedom. I’ll help you keep that.”
“…!”
Merely a handful of words were uttered.
But the weight behind those three words was matchless.
“Honor and pride… Freedom…”
Karakal pondered the words slowly.
In the tower’s lower stratum, his kind was treated as strong, but there was always someone stronger above them.
The trolls had always been used by more powerful races and forces.
Capriciously exploited when needed, and discarded as soon as they were no longer useful.
They were merely pawns to be used and thrown away by the strong exerting their influence to expand their territory in the tower.
But now,
a human offered to break them free from this yoke.
It was a brief meeting, hardly enough time to trust someone.
Then why did it feel so?
Karakal sensed the weight behind the words was not light.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Karakal’s heart started to pound violently.
His heart, long atrophied from a life of servitude and hopelessness, thudded with the belief that things could change for the first time.
“From the moment I first saw you… I thought you were an interesting human.”
Not like the mere blusterers who were all talk.
There was something irresistibly charming about what Jinhyuk said,
and the power to back up that charm was certainly there.
“Whether you are a player or sent by the empire, I do not care.”
Even if it was the wrong choice.
Even if it led to a more miserable fate.
“We will no longer…”
Karakal decided.
“…live as slaves.”
The Frosted Blade Tribe would fight.
“Krrooooo!”
“Oooooo!”
“To battle! Arm yourselves!”
“For freedom! Death to our enemies!”
A mighty roar spread along the lakeshore.
The counterattack began.
***
Far from the ‘Freshwater Lake’,
a spot where white snow lay tainted black, several men and women gathered.
The most noticeable among them were Bertion and Ophilia.
Beside them stood Hosenville, sent from the Maein Association.
Their expressions were sour, a sign that things weren’t going as planned.
Just then,
a man sitting atop a stone opened his mouth.
“Was he really that powerful? This Gang Jinhyuk you’re talking about?”
Bertion and Ophilia were indeed beautiful, yet they could not compare to this man.
Silvery hair down to his shoulders, eyes as red as rubies.
The aura emitting from his pale skin was enough to command awe.
If someone encountered him on the streets, anyone would take a second look.
But,
his significance wasn’t due solely to his appearance.
He possessed a title only attainable by those serving directly under the Six Grandlords, ‘Black Wing’.
And the man, Mihael, was one of those pure-blood bearers.
Bertion and Ophilia jolted slightly.
Even the haughty pair couldn’t dare to meet his eyes – such was Mihael’s absolute status.
“Yes. Regrettably, it seemed we two together could just barely handle him,” Ophilia replied reverently, bowing her head.
Bertion immediately countered.
“Ophilia! What are you saying…! No, my apologies. Certainly, he was a bit annoying, but that was only due to our carelessness. If we’re given another chance, we’ll surely cut off his breath without fail.”
“Oh? You’re asking for another chance?”
“Yes,” Bertion responded, teeth grinding with determination.
“I too would like to grant that for my cute underling, but given that the plan has already deviated significantly, we can’t afford to waste our moves on irrelevancies.”
“What? We may have been pushed back, but so far we’ve still been far…”
“No.”
Mihael’s gaze shifted to the distant sky.
The others also looked up.
Concentrating, they could see tiny machines that could almost be mistaken for dots flitting about. Without Mihael, they’d have been hard to notice.
“The cheek of them using such rats to spy on us…”
“Sir, do you mean they’ve discovered our location?” Ophilia asked, alarmed.
“It seems so. They’ve likely got a thorough grasp of all key locations in this forest. I expected that someone with a bit of wit would eventually find this place, but this is unexpectedly swift,” Mihael noted with amusement, his boyish grin as if delighted by a newfound plaything.
“We’ll have our men shoot down those drones immediately. And we’ll capture whoever’s controlling them alive,” Hosenville offered.
Such abilities typically worked only within a certain range of the user.
In other words, the foes were likely nearby the drones.
But once again, Mihael shook his head.
“Don’t you find it odd? That in this vast forest they pinpoint our location yet carelessly reveal their own?”
“A trap, do you mean?”
“What else can it be?”
And the reason for such a diversion was…
“The Ice Trolls are being targeted.”
Right. There was no other explanation.
A distracting unit here, while another moves towards the Frosted Blade Tribe at Freshwater Lake.
The man named Gang Jinhyuk must think he can beat Karakal, the tribal chief. Or perhaps…
‘He believes he can persuade him.’
Considering the way the blood clans had treated the trolls, it was more likely the latter.
‘They’re planning to turn the tribe’s spears against us.’
Breaking one of the tripartite alliances would indeed elevate the humans’ odds slightly.
Considering their impulsive actions, they likely had some hidden cards up their sleeve.
There may also be other forces supporting them from behind, not just Ellis.
‘How intriguing.’
Combining all circumstances, the adversary had evidently prepared countermeasures for victory.
But that was only if their scheme had remained undetected.
“They’ve sorely underestimated me.”
Mihael stood up.
While the humans might’ve tried hard to think things through, that was all they did.
Having experienced countless battlefields and overcome the brink of death,
the one still breathing to the end – was none other than him.
“I shall explain what we have to do now.”
