“This chaotic situation is finally starting to settle down.”
Labo muttered after hearing about Iceberg’s situation.
The long battle was coming to an end.
The fortress has been taken, and the users are desperately trying to escape to the port city of Blawima in search of a last escape route.
‘I couldn’t take Blawima away, but that doesn’t matter.’
All you have to do is spread out a net between Iceberg and Blawima.
“Concentrate your forces to the east. You can ignore the pyramids. Prioritize targeting commanders and named users.”
– Your honor.
After hearing Dearan’s answer, Labo turned his gaze forward again.
The NPC army of the Swallowed Kingdom was considerably reduced in number. This was because they were torn apart by the swords of Labo and the four knights of the Dark God.
Elaine, who realized that Labo’s target was her, was hastily retreating to Blawima.
Even she was informed of the Iceberg situation.
“Escape? Players… …?”
It was also reported that they were being slaughtered by monsters and the Nightbringer.
“… … Huh!”
Elaine Akmun was quick to judge this.
“All troops! Ignore the Demon King and pass by, and head towards Iceberg! Help the players escape!”
“But, Your Majesty!”
“Our soldiers are from the New World and can be resurrected in the New World! However, if you are trapped here, it is the end for you.”
“That is not the problem, Your Majesty!”
The Commander NPC shouted in confusion.
“Then Your Majesty’s safety is in danger! Isn’t the Demon King right there?”
“Either I die here right now, or the players get trapped here and end up in the New World! It doesn’t matter whether it ends this way or that way!”
Now the distance between the Demon King and Elaine is only fifty steps.
If even the NPC soldiers blocking the gap with their deaths disappear, the distance will be shortened even faster.
Nevertheless, Elaine gave the order.
“I need a gamble. I will escape alone. You guys, help at least one more player escape.”
Because I decided that if there was going to be a decisive battle, now was the time.
“… … I’m sorry for ordering you to be executed.”
Elaine said, looking at the soldiers.
In effect, it was an order to save the players and die. They would not return.
But isn’t the queen also risking her life?
“Good luck, Your Majesty.”
The commander, bowing his head, shouted.
“All troops-! Ignore the Demon King and pass by! We’re going to Iceberg!”
The NPC legions immediately withdrew their hostility from the Demon King.
Splitting into left and right, they passed through the Demon King’s sides and began to run towards the Iceberg.
Labo and the Four Knights didn’t bother to stop him either.
Among the tens of thousands of NPC soldiers ebbing away like the tide to the left and right, Labo laughed in disbelief.
“Are you serious, Elaine?”
Elaine had already turned around and was galloping away on her horse.
Towards the east, towards the port.
Alone, without escort.
“Those soldier NPCs can be regenerated, but that’s not the case with named NPCs… … Once they die, they won’t respawn until the stronghold is recaptured from the Dark Cult forces.”
It’s different from the user.
She cannot be resurrected.
You are literally playing One Coin with only one life.
“And your stronghold is Snow White. If you die, it’s over. Even the world crystal is hanging around your neck.”
If she’s not careful, she could lose not only her life, but also the fate of the world.
“And yet, you sent all your troops to rescue the users… … .”
Labo shook his head and burst into laughter.
“How unreasonable!”
It was an unreasonable judgment that could not be believed to be made by AI.
No, maybe.
Could this be the last gamble that AI can make?
“Then I will take that life!”
Labo, who had been kicking the ground, ran after Elaine. The distance that had been distant for a moment was shortened to fifty steps again.
Elaine gritted her teeth and rode her horse.
Death was right behind.
* * *
Among the users who attempted to escape from Iceberg, less than half of them were able to break through the monster’s encirclement.
Half of those users fled into the coniferous forest between Iceberg and Blawima.
But even if they broke through the siege, the escape was not over.
The Demon King’s army formed a pursuit force and pursued the users at a faster speed. Nightbringer members appeared from all over and slaughtered the users.
But there was something strange during this time.
While they would take down regular users without hesitation, they would not even take down named users, but would keep them alive on the edge, and then use paralysis or sorcery to drag them off somewhere.
‘What on earth are you aiming at?’
——————
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Captain Dre gritted his teeth as he watched the other guild masters being dragged away.
It’s difficult to even save a comrade who is being dragged away, and right now everyone is scattered and running away.
It was difficult to concentrate fighting power.
There were many users who tried to get it but ended up downloading it.
Now is the time to live, rather than just following along and falling down. It would be better for those who are going to live to live.
‘But, if it’s a situation where you’re hunting named users so obviously… … .’
Captain Dre broke out in a cold sweat.
‘I guess I’ll be targeted soon too.’
It was an accurate prediction.
Before he could run much further, Captain Dre could see shadows blocking his path.
Among the Orc soldiers, the Orc Wolf Rider Legion was the most mobile.
“There are a lot… … !”
Captain Dre gritted his teeth as he watched the wolf riders charging from all sides.
“Captain!”
“I will help you!”
The Invincible Fleet guild members who were running nearby tried to help.
“Don’t worry about it and just go your own way! Since we’ve been targeted by these guys, escaping to Blawima is impossible anyway.”
Captain Dre waved his hand and ran towards the wolf riders, shouting alone.
As the best raid leader on the server, Captain Dre was skilled in PVE, but he was having a hard time doing it alone.
I managed to take down three orc wolf riders on my own, but that was it.
Bitten by the fourth wolf rider, and trampled by the fifth wolf rider.
Chomp!
The wolf riders surrounding him all fired nets at once. Captain Dre, who was under abnormal status binding, started to be dragged away.
The guild members screamed at the sight of him like that.
“Captain!”
Captain Dre grumbled calmly.
“Ah, I told you to just go away… … Should we have a tearful farewell?”
“No, that’s not it!”
One of the guild members pointed above Captain Dre’s head.
“Back!”
“… … ?”
Captain Dre turned around with a puzzled expression, and saw a tattooed wizard leading thousands of NPC troops charging towards them.
The named NPC of the Swallowed Kingdom, the engraver.
After failing to strike the Iceberg and retreating north, they too were escaping east.
“Ugh!”
The tattoos all over the engraving wizard’s body glowed blue, and dozens of magic balls appeared behind his back.
Kwakwakwakwang-!
The magic ball that was shot swept away the wolf riders in one breath. As it was set as a boss NPC of the new continent, it was not an ordinary power.
Captain Dre, freed from his bonds, slowly rose to his feet and asked the engraver.
“You’re the NPC that fought us back then, right?”
When the second territories in the New World were taken away, it was this engraving wizard who swept away the Allied Forces.
Captain Dre remembered clearly.
“Why do you want to fight again?”
The engraving wizard responded bluntly and gestured toward the east.
“Just focus on escaping.”
“Why are you helping us?”
“By Her Majesty the Queen’s command.”
In addition to the force led by the engraving wizard, there is also a force led by the moonlight knight, and an NPC army that has come running from the east.
Everyone started fighting against the monster legions everywhere and helping the users escape.
“Whether you’re a player or our NPC, the enemy is the same. There’s no hope if we remain divided any longer.”
The engraver who had lightly raised Captain Dre who had fallen spoke briefly.
“We have to work together. All of us.”
“… … .”
It was a fair story, but Captain Dre thought it sounded like a dream.
Because it is human nature to be divided and fight in any situation.
Even in Iceberg, didn’t they waste time deciding who would become the lord even though the enemy was right in front of them?
Will being pushed into a corner change one’s nature?
Despite his doubts, Captain Dre began to move east again with the NPCs.
First of all, survival came first.
* * *
Aaron’s delay didn’t last long.
If it had only been monsters, it would have been different, but once Cain intervened, it was difficult to hold out for long.
Cain mercilessly defeated everyone in the Free Knights League and subdued Aaron as well.
But even though the knights were all killed and forced back to Iceberg, Aaron was not finished.
After subduing them, they are simply dragged towards the Demon King’s army’s headquarters.
“Hey, Mr. Cain? Where are you going now… … ?”
“… … .”
Cain did not answer and silently led Aaron away.
The place Cain took Aaron to was the Gate installed inside the main camp. In the middle of the geometric device, a dark portal swirled.
Unlike the portals installed in the city, it was a device that allowed for return travel by specifying only the entrance and exit.
Although it was extremely expensive and had a limited lifespan, Labo was willing to pay gold and notoriety to use the device.
Cain then took Aaron and went inside.
Aaron was nervous about the appearance of the Dark Portal he was using for the first time, but it was the same as a normal portal, only different in color.
With a familiar feeling, the two teleported and walked out to the other side of the portal.
“……uh?”
Aaron looked around the place he had arrived at and made a stupid sound.
It was a very familiar place.
I was embarrassed because I was so used to it.
“This is… … a beginner’s village?”
The center of the Old Continent.
It was the entrance to the beginner village, a small town where all users start the game.
“I’ve captured every city in the game, but there’s one place that I can’t systematically capture.”
Cain opened his mouth slowly.
“Right here.”
“… … .”
Aaron gaped and looked around the town he had been visiting for the first time in years.
Named users who had been dragged by monsters appeared one after another through the portal installed at the village entrance. As expected, they were all looking around with bewildered expressions.
“If we gather you all and lock you up in Iceberg, you’ll definitely cause trouble. That’s why we’ve decided to select the named and famous guild master users separately and lock them up here.”
Cain shrugged.
“If you separate your head and body, they’ll be a bit more docile. But you guys have been causing trouble from the start… … So while we’re putting you back in, we’re going to sort you out a bit.”
“How… … this… … .”
Aaron looked at the only entrance to the beginner village.
I don’t know when they prepared for this, but there were thousands of monsters lined up beyond the densely installed barricades and iron bars.
The beginner village has a perfectly linear structure so that beginners will not get confused.
There is only one entrance.
It turned out to be a great prison.
“Are you ready for a life of cuteness, Aaron?”
Following this, users of the Hunters’ Cooperative poured in through the portal.
The paralyzed whirlwind, the bound Ma Jang Dong Dong Dae Jang, and the aged Nam Bang Bulpae were also brought in through the portal.
Aaron couldn’t close his mouth as he watched his colleagues appear one after another.
“Have a fun and happy time. While watching the world end.”
Cain, who had been laughing, went back into the portal.
“… … .”
At that moment, someone approached Aaron, who was standing there blankly, dumbfounded.
Aaron looks back in surprise.
“Welcome. Welcome to the beginner village!”
Smiling kindly, the oldest NPC who has been with this game from the beginning to the present… …the village chief recited his lines.
“Have a nice time here in this warm and peaceful place!”
