V57C2P2 – Doomsday

“Let’s have a look around.”

“Sounds great.”

They headed over to the Bull Square where all the cooking was taking place and fed themselves with all kinds of dishes.

“They are so delicious.”

“The octopus dish is really good. Let’s vote for this place.”

“Alright.”

They joined the line after line, tasted the food and voted.

“Due to the fairness of the contest, anonymous votes are not accepted.”

They were restricted by the Mapan Council merchant hosting the event.

“Please provide your names.”

“Weed. This is Seoyoon.”

“Would you mind repeating that?”

“Weed and Seoyoon.”

“Do you take me for a…”

The merchant who was about to blow steam was silenced by Weed who lifted his mask slightly.

“Y-Your highness.”

There was no reason for Seoyoon to lift her mask, but she did it anyway after Weed.

“I am Seoyoon.”

“Gasp.”

The merchant, after seeing Seoyoon’s face up close, was about to pa.s.s out!

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“What is it?”

The people lined up behind them began to stir up noise. Some of them, who were near the merchant, had seen Seoyoon and just stood with their jaws dropped.

“Holy.”

“S-Seoyoon…”

In the midst of the preparations for the protection of Morata, many people saw her. But, her appearance up close was unreal.

Weed slid Seoyoon’s mask back on.

“Are we good to go?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Alright then.”

Weed escaped the scene as quickly as possible before any commotion could erupt.

They toured the back alleys and purchased souvenirs from the market.

On top of the Art Centre, with no eyes around, they kissed pa.s.sionately.

***

The sun climbed above the horizon and finally, the hour of defense began.

Weed and Seoyoon spent the entire night talking to one another and held hands tightly.

“The day is here.”

“We will surely prevail. We have everyone’s support.”

Weed nodded. Of course, he did not believe in such romantic thoughts.

– Swift Coldwind: Kaybern has risen from the lair. The direction is north as predicted.

The first report arrived. The avian were observing from all the way out near Kaybern’s lair.

– Pale: The a.s.sault squad is ready on your command.

– Arkhim: Hermes Guild is in position. We are good to engage on your orders.

Siege weaponry meant to protect the walls was meaningless against a dragon, and so the players hid in the buildings and trenches.

The Hermes Guild was present in large numbers, 250,000 of its forces were mobilized for this war.

A little over 10,000 members were to use the Brazier of Sacrifice and were on standby until the dragon’s arrival.

– Everyone, please evacuate the city! The dragon has departed!

The sharp sound of the horn flute warning of emergency evacuation echoed through the city.

“The dragon will be here any minute.”

“This is so tense.”

The players who attended the festival were leaving through the gates hurriedly. A portion of them had come inside to observe the war and were willing to die for it.

“Will we survive today?”

“Who knows? Maybe we will be stomped to death or perhaps we will be burnt alive.”

“Maybe we will die under a crumbling building.”

The Arpen Empire officially announced evacuation protocol and encouraged players not partic.i.p.ating in the war to leave Morata.

Still, many players remained in the city buildings.

Their survival depended on the success of defeating Kaybern before the city’s entire destruction.

“Hextech cannons final check!”

“Confirm the siege weapons and report to your stations!”

The Hermes Guild was the busiest before Kaybern’s arrival in the north.

They inspected their gear and prepared their attack strategies.

Some units were equipped with spears, great swords, axes and iron maces; preparations only possible by the Hermes Guild.

“The ballistas were loaded with silver harpoons that were sprinkled with holy water.”

“Do harpoons have any effect on dragons?”

“We don’t know. No one has done it yet. We will know when we fire them today.”

The gigantic ballistas stationed at every defense tower were loaded with a variety of arrows.

The plan was to fire mercilessly at the dragon with siege weapons and with that the city structures were subjected to damage.

– Swift Coldwind: ETA is approximately 20 minutes. I will continue tracking.

The dwarves, the a.s.sault squad and the Hermes Guild! Plus the other players who willingly partic.i.p.ated to lend a hand; everyone held their breath and waited for the dragon to appear.

Then..

Finally, Kaybern emerged in the southern sky of Morata.

– Kraaagh! Peris.h.!.+

The Black Dragon screamed towards Morata.

Kaybern had turned even more ferocious after its lair had been robbed.

< Physical abilities are restrained under the Dragon Fear.

You feel absolute power and fear.

Health points are reduced by 41%.

You will suffer temporary paralysis.

Movement is restricted!

You are unable to move for 11 seconds.

Lack of Wisdom restraints use of skills by 89%.

You will consume more mana and more likely to fail the cast. >

Dragon Fear erupted!

The rumbling voice of the dragon spread across the city like a tide.

– Arkhim: All commanders report losses.

– Boemong: Combat team’s loss is minimal. We are suffering from a mild paralysis but it will wear off soon.

– Gaushu: No harm.

– Lamifter: We need 3 to 5 minutes for the mages to fully recover their focus.

The Hermes Guild members had equipped themselves with gear and accessories in advance and withstood the Dragon Fear.

The players in the a.s.sault squad of the Arpen Empire suffered greatly in comparison.

“K-hmm. Are you alright?”

“It is quite noisy.”

“I think we are still behind the Hermes Guild.”

“Those guys filled their pockets for so long…”

A lot of spectators who remained in the city for a splendid scene lost their lives.

“Agh!”

“Wah!”

The Dragon Fear swept a large area of the city.

The shantytown, back alleys and merchant buildings were cleared of players.

“Save me!”

“Heal me. I’m about to die!”

The novice players that took life threatening damage ran out to the streets and called for help. Some ran into the buildings of priests, borrowed bandages and wrapped themselves.

– Oberon: Weed-nim! The damages to the players are ma.s.sive!

“Whew…”

Weed let out a sigh.

This was exactly the reason why he ordered evacuation, but it was not possible to search every house and deport those hiding in such a huge city as Morata.

– Oberon: I will send a rescue team.

“It is what it is. Do what you can.”

The priests on standby rushed out to the streets and saved the players. The novice players fully recovered from just one or two healing spells.

They laid low so that they would not be noticed in the eyes of Kaybern afloat in the sky.

Kaybern, like it did with other cities, circled above the sky.

– Humans! You have been hiding like pests.

Inevitably, they were discovered. Tens of thousands of players were moving in the city and were eventually caught in Kaybern’s vision.

The Black Dragon, Kaybern!

It was the most dangerous dragon that was cursed by the humans and dwarves.

Kaybern exploded with a ma.s.sive roar that reached from one end of the city to the other.

– Only annihilation and death awaits you.

It was a line often spoken by monsters, but having come out of the dragon’s mouth, the message was conveyed with knee-crumbling pressure.

“Uuuuhh!”

“We are screwed. Are we… going to die now?”

The players on the ground raised their heads and trembled in fear.

Kaybern’s words weren’t just a threat.

The Black Dragon gulped deeply and began puffing up its enormous body.

“It’s a Dragon Breath!”

“Everyone, run!”

The players on the streets fell into a panic and began scattering in all directions.

The Hermes Guild members that were waiting to engage waved their heads.

“A Dragon Breath right off the bat. Plan B it is then.”

“We did take into factor that this was a huge city with huge variables, but for things to turn like this already.”

Weed too could do nothing but sigh.

“The breath will cause too much damage.”

Kaybern’s breath attack on the city was not solely the fault of the novice players. It was one of usual Kaybern’s tactics in war. Few were likely to survive a direct breath attack. That also applied to Weed.

– Kuaaaaaaaah!

Darkness poured from Kaybern’s mouth and struck the city. Like a storm, even the winds were sucked in. It swept the earth and the buildings above it all at once.

The players in Morata felt the ground tremor and the earth quake.

“Where is it? Which direction?”

“I think it flew northwest.”

“Was the Great Library struck?”

“I think it wasn’t in that direction…”

Moments later, an avian player reported the status.

– Sambidul: The humiliating sculpture of Kaybern has been destroyed. The buildings around it melted down and the fire is now spreading.

The gigantic sculpture meant to draw the attention of Kaybern. The sculpture of the Black Dragon being smacked by a dwarf became the first target.

Along with the sculpture, a part of the city was laid to waste but it was a smaller loss than expected.

– Arkhim: When it goes for the bait, we will engage in battle. Everyone, be on your toes!

The Hermes Guild members prepared to come out of hiding.

The moment Kaybern descends to the ground would be the start of their attack.

The merchant councils had piled mountains of treasure in Bingryong and Wyvern Square to tempt Kaybern to land.

It was not just by the northern councils but also the councils of the Central Continent that chipped in for the golden mountain.

In the Townsquare were numerous onlookers that gathered to see the treasure before the dragon’s arrival.

‘Bite the lure.’

‘The dragon will dive when it sees this.”

‘Bingryong Square is perfect. The location will be advantageous for an all-out Hermes Guild attack.’

‘The instant it comes down, I will end it…’

The members filled themselves with a fighting spirit. For quite some time they simulated the dragon hunt through boss monster raids.

– Sambidul: Kaybern is preparing a magic spell!

The second news of misfortune followed.

Kaybern, instead of coming down to the ground and destroying buildings, was casting a magic incantation. It wasn’t just a normal magic spell, but an ultimate fire spell.

(To be continued…)