V51C4P1 – The Fight of Karichwi the Orc
The entire crowd in the area went wild after Weed had finished singing.
“Victory is ours!”
“Please, vanquish the Haven Empire for us!”
“That’s Karichwi the Orc! He looks so much scarier in person.”
People who had directly witnessed Karichwi’s singing were unable to hold back their excitement.
– Tchwick, Tchwik, Chitchwiit.
Weed spiritedly waved his arms and began to dance, moving his shoulders up and down.
The dance of the gigantic Orc, Karichwi!
His moves could only be described as those of tipsy middle-aged men and made no conventional sense as a dance, but the audience found themselves deeply absorbed in the atmosphere all the same.
“That’s so cool!”
“Kyaah. Just look how relaxed he is.”
“You are the best. Weed-nim!”
The crowd was even more enthusiastic than they had been during the construction of the pyramids. They had reached a state where they seemed ready to respond positively to anything that he would say.
‘This is my chance.’
Weed’s sharp eyes ran through the audience like a scanner. More than a hundred thousand people were gathered but a few of them especially drew his attention, either because their equipment and clothes stood out from the rest of the crowd or because they otherwise looked highly strong and competent: they were the so-called high-level users. Weed knew the name of each and every user who was above level 500 in the Arpen Kingdom, although they wouldn’t be aware of this. Mooching off the strong and powerful more thoroughly than a leech was a basic virtue of a tyrant.
Weed called them out loudly from the stage.
“Ghoragoll-nim. Tssswich.”
“What? Me?”
“Yes. Please come over here to the stage. Tchhwick!”
One by one, Weed selected and called 40 users in total and asked them to come upon the stage.
“Why did he call us?”
“I’m not sure…”
It was apparent that these users were quite confused as they quietly whispered among themselves. None of them had any personal connection to Weed. Only about seven of them had even brushed past him once in Morata, bought his sculptures or joined in a construction project. They were quite puzzled and also curious to find out how Weed knew their names. In other words, they were in their most susceptible state to be used and taken advantage of.
“Chhwick. Please allow me a moment.”
As 40 users stood there waiting, Weed demonstrated his sculpting skills on blocks of wood.
‘Waiting often raises people’s expectation. And the power of imagination forms the basis of any fraud.’
Some would say that greed and imagination are two of the things that make life so enjoyable.
Still in the body of a monstrous orc, Weed wielded his small carving knife. In no time, a lion, a tiger, an elephant, a hippo, a giraffe and various other sculptures of animals were made. They couldn’t even be counted as Fine pieces, just ordinary carvings made out of wood. And he attached a long rod into the stomach of each of the wooden animals so that it would be easy to raise them high above the crowd.
“Ghoragoll-nim. Tschwit. I hereby appoint you the captain of the Lion Unit.”
“…Sorry?”
It was so out of the blue that Ghoragoll just stared at him wide-eyed.
“Lead Northern users to battle and stop our enemies. Tsschwich!”
Ghoragoll — a user at level over 510 who had started the game in the Central Continent and later moved over to the North. He once belonged to one of the prestigious guilds, but was fed up with the whole situation after the guild lost its territory [1], which led to his decision to move to the North.
“Do you really trust me?”
“Of course I do. Tsschwiit. I’ve heard a lot of admirable things about you.”
Ghoragoll was a generally kind and generous person which made him popular among the public, and had an excellent sense of combat.
“Understood. I will fight until my very bones turn to dust. I shall not take a single step back from the battleground.”
Weed called the rest of the 40 users one by one and a.s.signed them all as the squad captains as he handed them each a flag of an animal sculpture. They were deeply moved by the fact that they had just been appointed as captains by Weed while so many users and broadcasting companies were watching. They thought they had been given incredible honor and authority.
“It’s an honor beyond comparison.”
“Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds from the Haven Empire won’t be able to come any closer without stepping over my dead body.”
“I shall never let you down.”
At this moment, Weed was more than some famous user who was called ‘the G.o.d of War’. Being the king of the Arpen Kingdom gave him great authority, and he currently had more than a hundred million users watching in the background. He was making use of the high viewer ratings to his advantage!
The high-level users were determined to fight the Haven Empire to death for him after receiving a crude piece of wooden sculpture-flag that they wouldn’t normally pay a single Silver coin for if it hadn’t been made by Weed.
“I’m recruiting members of the Lion Squad. We’re going to head straight into the battlefield, so join right now!”
“We are the Elephant Squad. Let us trample on the bodies of our enemies just like our squad name!”
The squad captains a.s.sembled the users in the plain and rushed towards the directions from which the Haven Imperial Army was advancing. Their heads must be filled with nothing but the thought of winning an epic victory by any means. True, they wouldn’t have much of a choice other than fighting to the best of their abilities when all the broadcasting companies and the one hundred million people were watching them closely!
‘Which means I can exploit them without having to pay them, not to mention the fact that I don’t have to take any responsibility if they die while fighting.’
No remuneration!
No insurance!
Weed had just gained new battle commanders who would give their bodies and souls to fight for him by simply calling their names in front of the crowd and giving them a cheap sculpture.
“Rooargh! Let’s go!”
“Fight! Defeat our enemies!”
Even after part of the a.s.sembled users had left following the lead of the squad captains, the atmosphere among the remaining crowd was still incredibly excited.
Weed called out some more people and started making more sculptures. The higher leveled users in the audience were looking expectant.
‘What if…’
‘He’s doing it again?’
‘There’s still a chance. Maybe he’ll choose me to be a squad captain, too?’
And indeed, he began to a.s.sign a new batch of squad captains!
While there were a lot of users gathering in the Garnav Plain, they certainly did not have enough commanders who could lead them. In addition to this, due to the sudden a.s.sault from the Haven Empire the users were currently all tangled up and disorganized. If they went on to fight the empire without having established an appropriate command structure, they would not be able to fully utilize what combat strength they had. Despite their great number, once a few of them choose to flee rather than fight, the entire army can dissolve and collapse in but a second. The Northern users who had come all the way since they first started the game in Morata had unshaken will to fight for the kingdom, but even so there would be a considerable number of other users mingled in this crowd who were planning to just step back and watch if the situation doesn’t seem to favor their side.
‘Good management is crucial for a big organization. I need to make sure n.o.body’s going to sit idly doing nothing. I can win this battle if I can get everyone to work.’
So the solution he had come up with was to issue an excessive amount of appointment letters.
Weed a.s.signed many strong and competent users as squad captains, making them fight for him. But he also knew that not every user would become loyal to him just because they were given honor and authority to command.
“Darby-nim, Tsschwit. I’ve heard a lot about your ordeal in the eastern sh.o.r.es. Ttschwiik!”
“Thank you. It’s such an honor to be recognized by you, Weed-nim.”
“Chwiick. Provonce-nim, I believe you have been giving out bandages to novice users every week? Tsschwit. I’m quite amazed by your dedication.”
“It’s really nothing compared to what you have done for everyone, Weed-nim.”
“Makte-nim, Tschwiwiik, I’ve hoped to meet you someday for so long; it’s good to finally be introduced to you. Chwiick.”
“It’s an incredible honor, Weed-nim.”
Compliments and pretense of familiarity — that much was enough to fill the newly appointed squad captains with determination to give their lives in the fight. Most people’s way of thinking was simple; they were willing to fight for someone who appreciated their ability and worth. And these users had just been recognized by Weed, the king of the Arpen kingdom and the hero of Royal Road.
‘Weed-nim had been watching my steps all along.’
‘Wow… Am I going to become famous now?’
‘I wasn’t aware I had such a great reputation! Weed-nim knew about it, which means everyone knows about me, right?’
Of course, this had all been another one of Weed’s little tricks.
– Mapan: About 340 meters to the east, you’ll see a person carrying two swords on his back. That’s Dusso, a famous dual-blade swordsman. He partic.i.p.ated in the construction of the G.o.ddess Freya statue.
– Pale: A famed archer named Zeveh is currently approaching from 420 meters to the south. I’ve once done a quest with him. He’s an excellent ranged sniper, and likes it when people compliment his looks.
– Surka: To the north! The monks from the Namad Monastery are coming towards your position. I think they’d be interested in the position of Lords.
Weed’s companions had been feeding him information on the talented users whose abilities were yet to be discovered. For every high-level user who found themselves caught in Weed’s net, he issued a letter of a.s.signment and sent them to areas where battles were taking place. Of course, most of them would probably die while fighting, but wars always required sacrifice.
Weed hired more than a hundred new squad captains, thus establis.h.i.+ng some control over the users who had a.s.sembled in the Garnav Plain seeking for something to do. Depending on their fame or connections, some squad captains were leading tens of thousands of users following them to battle.
As the news of Weed’s arrival spread many users continued to flock in, so the crowd around the stage didn’t show any sign of thinning.
“Me! Please select me as a squad captain, too! I’m at level 484.”
“I wish to fight, too. I’m a Royal Knight of the Arpen Kingdom. I’m confident that my Contribution Points are second to none.”
“I’m originally from Bamboo Shoot Porridge, and I’m online for about 22 hours every day. I want to become like Weed-nim!”
The naïve and innocent users were begging him to pick them as squad captains. The war that had begun with the sudden a.s.saults from the Haven Empire had now turned into something fun and exciting after the appearance of Weed.
Over time, the reports from his companions became less frequent, and the number of talented users among the remaining audience decreased. In selecting the commanders Weed needed to take into consideration various factors such as the candidate’s level, personality and leaders.h.i.+p, as they will take control over at least several tens of thousands other users. Even so, it would be wrong of him to simply disperse the remaining people here; once you start eating a meal, you must finish it to the last grain of cooked rice in the bowl. Weed yelled out a Lion’s Roar.
– Everyone else who’s still here: you will fight together with me! Tcchhwwiick!
“Woooooaaah!”
“Kyaaaahh!”
“Tchtchtcchtchtchwiit!!”
The entire plain seemed to explode from the audience’s cheering screams. The heated atmosphere gave them the illusion that the ground was actually shaking.
– Let’s go. Tchwick. Let’s fight. Tsshwit. And let’s feast! Tsschwit!
“Hooray!”
“Please, defeat them all for us!”
“Let’s kill them all!”
– We will head towards the 11th Legion. Tsshwick!
Weed chose the 11th Legion as his target. It may look like a random selection, but the important reason behind it was the fact that there was currently a live broadcast by CTS Media.
“GO!”
As Weed in the guise of the confident orc Karichwi began to march, all the users standing around the stage followed him.
The advance of an endless line of users!
The parade gained in size several times over due to the users who kept coming to join them on the way. Several million people a.s.sembled as if it was nothing, and more users came online to become part of their march. With Weed taking the lead, the confidence felt among the crowd was through the roof.
“Having to face us… This 11th Legion has the worst luck.”
“Wow. I can’t believe I’m actually going to fight with Weed-nim. I’ve been looking forward to this battle for days, and it’s well worth the wait.”
“Will we win, or lose?”
“I’m not sure if it’s even possible for us to lose with this number.”
“Yes, just look around you. There are so many famous users!”
The high-level users both from the Central and Northern Continent responded enthusiastically to Weed’s calling. Due to their newly a.s.signed position as squad captains, they were very keen to win his favor and gain some fame and popularity. Marey and the other Bards who had been following them in order to watch the battle against the 11th Legion were mentally hit by the second wave of shock.
“I don’t understand; how can people react so pa.s.sionately to a song with terrible lyrics that was all off-pitch?”
“They say music can move people’s mind, but I’ve never imagined such strong influence would be possible.”
“He’s certainly more extraordinary than what I’ve heard.”
“The moment he turned into Karichwi the Orc, everyone became completely mesmerized by his presence.”
***
Ultar, the Legion commander in charge of the 11th Legion, was demonstrating his strong charisma.
“Beat them all to death! Teach a lesson to these uncivilized worms; let them know what it means to resist against the Empire!”
The Imperial troops charged in, eliminating the Northern users. Some soldiers were wielding a Flaming Sword, and the Northern users who were struck by their blades were engulfed in a fire taller than 5 meters and soon perished.
< Chain of Flames has been triggered. >
The fire spread to the nearby users, exploding and terrifying the crowd. The Hermes Guild members were also running at the head of the marching troops, in the middle of a heated battle.
– Steer: Weed has made his appearance.
They did not care at all about the news of Weed’s arrival.
‘The other legions will take care of him.’
With no less than 20 different Legions advancing simultaneously, it didn’t really feel like their problem.
Swinging weapons and using skills against the overflowing enemies everywhere… While committing such a vicious ma.s.sacre, they were intoxicated by their own power.
‘This is fun. It’s the real fun of playing Royal Road, slaughtering the weaker users. For too long we have been forced to restrain ourselves from such entertainment…’
– Steer: Weed is currently approaching the 11th Legion!
“…”
The new intel gave Ultar and the other Hermes Guild users a pause.
‘Weed is coming to get us?’
‘He’s going to be here?’
Ultar wore a contented smile. He himself was one of the strongest users in Royal Road, ranked within the top 30 in terms of level.
‘I’m going to fight Weed.’
Excitement and fear that sent tingling sensations to his limbs… This was a welcome feeling to a person such as him who enjoyed combat so much.
Lafaye sent him a private message.
– Lafaye: I believe you have already heard the news.
“Yes. Weed is coming, with quite a lot of people at his tail.”
– Lafaye: And you are confident of your victory, I a.s.sume?
“I’m sure we will be able to wipe them all out. Losing is not an option that is worth any consideration.
– Lafaye: I trust in your strength, of course, but I sent an order to a few other Legions nearby to support you just in case.
“Hmm. I don’t think that was necessary…”
The ever-cautious att.i.tude of the Heads of the Hermes Guild had always got on Ultar’s nerves. He acknowledged Lafaye’s great contribution in leading the Hermes Guild to its current status, but Ultar still felt his actions were often too tentative.
‘If it had been up to me, I’d probably have taken over the whole Northern Continent and completed our conquest a long time ago. It’s foolish not to use all the power you’ve got.’
Even so, he had to admit that he was quite impressed by the Summon Flaming Meteors spell and the Alkin disease.
– Lafaye: This is just in accordance with the battle plans we had established earlier. But I’m afraid it will take some time for the other legions to arrive at your position, as they would have to break through the enemy troops first.
“*Snicker*. It won’t matter if they get more delayed. Let them take all the time they need.”
– Lafaye: I am also trying to hasten the preparation process for another casting of the Summon Flaming Meteors spell. It will be available in about an hour. We will also make sure to support you with as much use of Spears of Annihilation as possible.
Ultar struck down a dwarf warrior who was rus.h.i.+ng at him.
“Understood.”
– Lafaye: I wish you luck in the coming battle.
In all honesty, Ultar couldn’t help but feel that all those contingency measures were a bit too much, but he did not refuse Lafaye’s offers. He knew that it would be forever recorded in history as his own accomplishment if he could seize the victory here.
(Continued on next part…)