37. Kim Emperor and the Warriors (1)
The Village of Peace had been attacked. The Army of Chaos continued to rush in, burning and destroying everything they could see. On top of that, they wore armor and even commanded threatening magic alongside skilled swordsmanship. They moved systematically like soldiers thanks to Arorong controlling every one of them.
She was controlling them with care so that it could look like a desperate fight. It was a crisis, no matter who looked at it. In particular, the viewers of Kim Emperor TV felt they were watching something that wasn’t fun at all. Jin-woo was almost blocking the entire front line with his body. He was holding it tight enough to make the viewer scream, and he was even pushed to the verge of death countless times.
Bang!
He narrowly avoided the fireball by rolling away. Then, he rushed to two soldiers in front of him, grabbed their backs, and marched them directly against the burning wall.
Boom!
When he broke through the wall and came out the other side, the upper body of the soldiers had disappeared. Jin-woo’s clothes were also burning, and he tore them away roughly with one hand.
Telecommunications: It’s very tense.
Rendezvous: How did they survive this?
Humble Waist Movement: If you hold out a little longer, people will come. [100,000 won donated!]
FingersTheBest: Be strong. [70,000 won donated!]
RealManKimEmperor: They would have died if it wasn’t for Kim Emperor.
Jin-woo was barely holding on while stealing almost all of the attention. Although the players were building a defensive line, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Jin-woo was blocking the enemies by himself. All chat rooms were cheering for Kim Emperor. Donations also exploded. Jin-woo had so much money that he didn’t care, but it still felt good. It was proof that the viewers were immersed and supporting him.
The occasional aggressive text didn’t exist either. Everyone was all of one mind.
‘It feels good. Is this why people normally stream?’
All attention was focused on Jin-woo, so he understood the Emperor of Gold a little. His viewers were swept away by the extreme tension, but Jin-woo was relaxed. Arorong was doing her best to match his movements. This was because she was sure she would suffer even more if she made even the slightest mistake. Even the Emperor of Gold was working overtime to produce a great sense of urgency.
“Ugh! It’s hard to hold out!”
“There’s too many of them!”
“Eaarghh!”
The Army of Chaos was relentless. The players were devastated and brutally slaughtered. The monstrous enemies rushed the injured players and quickly finished them off. No emotion could be felt from the slaughtering soldiers, so it was even more terrifying.
“H-Harongi!”
“U-Ugh!”
Puck! Puck-puck!
Even though they knew it was virtual reality, the players were terrified. It was a different kind of horror from the Land of Nightmares.
Cookie Chip: Wow, that’s awful.
Secret Container: Right. It’s scary.
Fluffy: There’s so many.
SlurpingUdon: Everyone’s dying.
Everyone was taking the situation very seriously. The places that relayed the wasteland offline also started playing Kim Emperor TV one by one. As things in the wasteland battlefield calmed, the fierce struggle in the Village of Peace stole the spotlight. It showed the horrors of war. So, naturally, attention was drawn to it.
Bang!
The tower, which had been the village’s symbol, was toppled down by the swarming soldiers. From that point on, the defensive line that was barely maintained also began to be pushed back. Se-yeon and Arorong controlled the Army of Chaos according to the players’ movements.
‘It’s almost time.’
Jin-woo turned his head. He saw a player fall on the ground and desperately crawl backward. He broke his leg, and the soldiers came to slaughter him, their faces covered in blood. They made creepy sounds as they strangely turned their heads.
“Kyaaaa!”
The moment the player was about to be slashed, Jin-woo rushed in and struck them down. He lifted the player and shouted.
“Everyone, retreat to the shelter!”
The shelter provided in the village had a narrow entrance and a thick iron door, so it was designed to be holdable even with a small number of troops. As the players retreated towards the shelter, the Army of Chaos rushed them more violently. Just watching was enough to give everyone goosebumps.
“Waaaaaaaa!”
A Golden Angel who had been waiting in advance was crying. She was an NPC that played the role of a child who had been secretly placed before the war broke out. Normally, she walked around giving players quests to impress them. Now, she was crying loudly with soot on her face. The rabbit doll she was hugging tightly was also dirtied.
WhiteFur: Ah, it’s the kid who gave me a quest. It was a quest to find a cat.
Seaweed Flavored Chocolate: I remember her because she was cute.
Conscience Man: Gosh, Kim Emperor, save her!
Dimart: No, no. He’ll die trying to save her. Just ignore her!
ShoePhone: No, we need to save her!
Hula: Then what if he dies? They can’t even stand this without Kim Emperor. It’s more of a loss for Kim Emperor’s character to disappear.
It was a little far from Jin-woo. The soldiers were advancing so fast that it looked like they were going to kill the child at any moment. Yet, Jin-woo ran forward without hesitation and picked up the Golden Angel.
‘She seems to like it.’
Her expression was one of fear, but he could feel the Golden Angel was excited. Her lips twitched as she cried.
[Golden Giant (Ariel, Middle-World) is touched.]
Romance: Kim Emperor is so freaking cool [150,000 won donated!]
Elonti Panties Squad: Oh, you saved her! [200,000 won donated!]
Franken: This bro is real! A gentleman with a warm heart… [300,000 won donated!]
Punisher: Heck, the reinforcements haven’t arrived yet?
Grilled Zucchini: The portal is destroyed, and they have to cross the dungeon.
It was already saved as a clip and was spreading fast. Jin-woo was the last to start running towards the shelter. The soldiers were close behind him. They were so close that it appeared unlikely he could reach it.
Drrrrrr!
The huge door to the shelter was slowly closing. The players and NPCs at the entrance looked at Jin-woo with anxious eyes.
Drrrrrrr!
Kim Emperor was running!
Cookie: Run!
Frying Pan: Uwaaaa, I can’t see it.
Chickenkenchic: The door is closing! No, what are these bastards doing! They are so scared that they’re stuck inside. I’m going to die of frustration. Oh, my.
A huge crowd followed Jin-woo’s back. It was like watching a tsunami rushing in. It looked like he would be caught right away. The door was almost closed as the players reached out to Jin-woo.
“Run!”
“Quickly!”
Jin-woo flew just like that. His body floated, and he slid towards the gap of the door. He rolled on the floor with a player on his shoulder and the Golden Angel in his arms.
Bang!
The door closed as soon as Jin-woo rolled inside.
“Ooh!”
“T-that’s a relief.”
“Uwaaa!”
Heungmin: He made it!
Luxury Cutlery: Wow… crazy…
Affordable Potion: I thought I’d have a heart attack.
The Golden Angel was handed to the NPC, acting as the parent. The NPC was a demon, but there was no sense of incongruity as she cried while holding the Golden Angel. This was all the result of special training. The players looked at the scene with warm eyes, feeling the rewards of their hard work.
Foil: Was she Amy’s daughter?
Black Box: That’s a relief.
Black knife: I’m touched… T.T
But it was too early to feel relieved.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The thick iron gate shook violently. As the latch rattled, the players rushed to block it.
“Ugh!”
“I don’t think it will last long!”
“The door…!”
The door turned red and warped with heat. The burned players retreated in surprise. The NPCs hugged each other and screamed.
‘I should at least reward Heo-young for it.’
It was very realistic acting. Jin-woo thought so while looking at the scene. He brought large items from within the shelter to block the door. The players also rushed to follow Jin-woo and moved to block the front door. The door, which had been shaking violently, barely quieted.
The players breathed a sigh of relief.
Left Alone: Wow… they somehow survived.
Perennial Solo Man: There’s no horror movie as scary as this.
Billiard Kick: Kim Emperor! I’m on my way to the rescue of you, so please wait!
Dream of an Outsider: That’s terrible. [70,000 won donated]
When Jin-woo gave the signal, the NPCs immediately started acting. Some grieved as they were holding the dead bodies prepared in advance or grabbed their injuries and groaned. The female players comforted the Golden Angel, who took on the role of the child NPC, and the Golden Angel laughed as they embraced her. Either way, it looked horrendous from the outside.
“Miss Karen?”
“Mi-Miss Karen!”
NPCs shouted like that. Jin-woo quickly approached the noise to see Karen was lying on the floor. Blood flowed from between her fingers as she grasped at her stomach. The players following him were surprised to see her.
“Mr. Kim Emperor…”
She struggled to reach out. Jin-woo grabbed her hand and took out a potion from his subspace. He sprayed it on her wound, but only green smoke came out, and the wound wouldn’t close.
“I-Is she poisoned?”
“Oh, my…!”
“Healer, are there any healers here?”
There was a healer among the players. She was a player who had received the power of a Heaven Constellation, but she was still a beginner and had no detoxifying magic. Detox potions were also out of stock, thanks to the hoarding. Moreover, everything in the village burned down.
Players gathered around Karen. The power of the Constellation was said to be better than potions, but the player looked at Jin-woo with tears while using Heal. Then she shook her head. Jin-woo wore a complicated expression.
She couldn’t be cured because there were no injuries in the first place. This was all a fantasy that Haruring worked hard to make. Yet, Karen looked at Jin-woo with eyes full of sorrow. Tears streamed down her cheeks. The players kept silent and looked at her.
“Please… protect everyone.”
Karen barely smiled and closed her eyes. She became light, starting from the tip of her toes, and she slowly began to disappear. Her ending was sublime, a beautiful walkout. Karen was scheduled for a long vacation as a reward.
Cookie Chip: Is she dead?
Angry Lion: Oh, my… Miss Karen…
End of Annual Vacation: What happens when NPCs die? Can’t we revive them? Is it just over?
Kill the Manager: I’m crying… G&P should have saved her.
Her hand that Jin-woo held also disappeared. The players and NPCs remained silent while Jin-woo took a deep breath.
“She dreamed of conquering the upper floors of the Maze… she must have found hope by meeting all of you.”
“She must have gone to a good place. She will live inside the Maze… I’m sure of it.”
The waiting NPCs spoke their lines with the best timing. It made the atmosphere even sadder. Golden powder flowed down from Jin-woo’s hand. Viewers looked at the golden powder that left Jin-woo’s hand and fluttered in the air in silence. Some players closed their eyes, and some even cried.
Jin-woo stood up, clenching his fist.
“…Let’s treat the injured first.”
Jin-woo’s voice was calm, but it sounded even sadder. Jin-woo looked at the injured. He didn’t say anything else but silently took potions out of his subspace and distributed them. It was quite a large amount.
Billiards kick: That light…
Brain Muscle: Light Emperor…
Wasabi Chips: Potions are very expensive right now…
Pumpkin: T.T…
Miss Mrs.: I think that would be more than a few million won…
Thanks to Jin-woo’s potions, everyone regained their fighting spirit. It didn’t matter if it was virtual reality or a game. The players were outraged, and so were the viewers. Now they burned with a sense of revenge. Their eyes had changed.
Hulauff: Wow, I took a vacation.
Firemax: I’ll kill those bastards.
Red Pepper Paste: Damnit…
Cute Fairy: I’m logging in now.
The reactions were more intense than Jin-woo expected; this was enough to instill a clear goal and crisis. The plate was laid out, so it was time to move on to the climax. Sadness caused anger, so it was now time to change all those emotions into catharsis.
Thud! Thud! Bang!
The door shook violently, and the objects that were blocking it were pushed back. Jin-woo stood in the front, wearing the sword and shield given to him by the other players. They stood beside him. Their number was only a little over twenty, but everyone looked determined.
“I don’t think it will last long.”
Jin-woo said in a low voice.
“But… let’s stop them somehow.”
“Yes! Let’s stop them!”
“Let’s stop them!”
“Uwaaaaargh!”
Shoe Seller: Sob… I’m about to cry.
Tangerine Flavor: Kim Emperor is cool… he’s just shiny…
Orange: Is Kim Emperor a god?
The viewers felt something filling their hearts. The same was true of those who gathered and watched offline. Their food had all cooled down, and their beer had gone flat. No one could take their eyes off the screen.
Gulp!
They were nervous as if they were in the field themselves. They clenched their fists and followed Kim Emperor’s gaze, looking at the door swinging wildly. It had reached its limit.
Bang!
The thick door burst open as the objects blocking it burst into flames. The soldiers began to push through the flames.
“Stop them! Aargh!”
“Urgh!!”
“Push them away!”
Jin-woo and the players blocked the narrow entrance with their bodies. Jin-woo took his shield and struck the soldiers. Although the players were engulfed in flames, the line wasn’t broken. Everyone clenched their teeth and endured it.
Mandible: Aaargh…
I Like Cats: Hamapung is dead…
Backdo: It’s a big deal.
Yandere: Oh… they broke through.
However, when one player fell, a rift opened in the line. Jin-woo’s body began to be pushed back gradually. It lasted a while, but the numbers were too many. Was there no hope now? It was when the chat room was colored with regret.
Boom!
There was an explosion that rocked through the entrance. The advancing soldiers’ heads turned at once. The eyes of the players who were blocking the soldiers opened wide.
Honk!
At the same time, the sound of a horn rang out, and plants soared from the ground, smashing the soldiers. The players and viewers looked towards the village through the collapsed shelter entrance.
Whoosh!
An old man was holding a golden staff while riding on an elephant’s back. When the old man raised his cane, water spewed out of the soaring trees from all sides. Originally, the staff couldn’t produce that level of power. It was the spirit magic that had been acquired by using a lot of dimensional gold coins.
“T-that…!”
“Golden Rundalf!”
“Wow! It’s Rundalf! And even the panties squad?”
Golden Rundalf and the Elonti warriors were there.
“Elonti Warrior! Forest manure is right in front of us! Let’s bury all that garbage and turn them into wood!”
“Uwoooooorgh!”
In the eyes of the players and viewers, the Elonti warriors wearing only underwear looked very reassuring. If those people had been enemies, they would have grimaced because it was disgusting, but it couldn’t have been cooler considering they were on the same side. Not only Elonti but also the followers of the Demon Realm appeared.
“What you can burn is not a village.”
“All that burns in our hearts!”
“My fist is on fire too!”
The bandaged Crazy Demon smashed the soldiers.
“We are here.”
“Me too.”
Luna and Maze also joined the battlefield. Kim Emperor, Crazy Demon, Rundalf, Luna, and even the newly entered Maze. The party that had left many stories behind reunited and joined to defend the village with a new form. And Choi Hee-yeon was also there. She was slightly different from her original appearance, as her stature became smaller, and her cute side was emphasized.
She was quite famous as a swordswoman. The video of her clearing a dungeon with her top-notch swordsmanship skills was quite a topic of discussion. There were rumors that she might be Choi Hee-yeon, but she always denied it.
“Huh? Cutie Swordswoman Hee-yeon!”
“…Oh, that…”
“It’s the Cutie Swordswoman Hee-yeon!”
“There, I…”
“I feel reassured when I see Cutie Swordswoman Hee-yeon.”
The players nearby recognized Hee-yeon. She flinched whenever her name was called.
“Is she the Cutie Swordswoman Hee-yeon? …She’s not unusual. I heard she was an old enemy with the Shadows of Doom.”
“Cutie Swordswoman Hee-yeon… I have heard her name from the forest warriors.”
The Demon Realm and Elonti warriors evaluated her like that. Her face had turned red. It was her first time playing a game, so she wasn’t aware of the importance of the nickname.
When the players who came to support them saw the devastating scene, they all roared with anger.
“Kill them all!”
“These bastards killed Miss Karen!”
“You damn bastards!”
The players rushed into the soldiers. Arorong and Se-yeon amazingly controlled the enemy army. The sight of the soldiers collapsing by the hands of the players filled the viewers with emotion.
Frisbee: Ooh! I feel full of energy!
Kim Singer: I got goosebumps.
Lancer: Kill all those guys!
Kim Gap-jin: Wow! awesome. It’s so freaking cool.
The Offline was also a mess.
“Awesome!”
“Kyaa, this is it!”
“Give me more beer! No, I’d like Makgeolli, please!”
Instead of beer, Makgeolli was sold like hotcakes. Jin-woo lifted his half-broken shield.
“Let’s join, too! Charge!”
“Eaaargh! Let’s kill them all!”
“Letzgo!”
Jin-woo and his cohort also advanced out of the shelter. Kim Emperor and the warriors were heroes born out of tragedy.
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