𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑𝟗
“Ha, to retreat because of those two.”
“I told you to come up with a proper plan!”
“What are you going to do about my dead guild members!?”
As soon as the Anis Kingdom players retreated, I was also able to escape very comfortably using Phantom Shift and Giant’s Sprint.
And the Anis Kingdom players, who had retreated to a place where the Apostle and the Thought wouldn’t follow, started chattering in voices full of complaints. It seemed they had charged in blindly without even coming up with a plan in the first place.
“Shut up! Who knew we’d be pushed back like that!? We had over 30,000 people!”
“Calm down!”
Anyway, the scene here resembled a marketplace, but I watched leisurely.
‘My job is done now.’
Since I had agreed to help once in exchange for the scroll, my job was as good as done.
So, I was watching the players’ arguments, which were becoming increasingly chaotic, like watching a fire across the river. In the meantime, Kangjin stepped forward and calmed down the players who were raising their voices.
“Now that we know the enemy’s strength for sure, we can come up with a more proper strategy.”
“Strategy, my foot. Did you not see it?”
“I saw it. But conversely, we just need to hold onto those two. Only 3~4,000 people died, so we have enough people.”
“It was a matter of time anyway.”
“And the enemies also lost one Apostle.”
Well, I was the one who eliminated that one, but he wasn’t wrong.
Also, at the words that one Apostle had disappeared, everyone seemed to think it was possible, and they maintained a brief silence.
“Certainly, the Apostle who was dropping lightning from the air did fall. But we’ve practically been defeated by the other two Apostles.”
“Moreover, it’s not just the Apostles, but the Thoughts are attacking together, so there’s nothing we can do.”
“If someone doesn’t hold back the Apostles……”
Because of the person who said those words last, several heads turned towards me.
Are they asking me to take on the two Apostles?
For some reason, I felt like I would see something dirty if I stayed here, so I spoke up before anyone else could.
“Then good luck. I wish you the best.”
“Where are you going!?”
“I think my job is done since I agreed to help once.”
“……”
Kangjin also seemed to remember and didn’t say anything else.
Frankly, I had caught one Apostle with just one Rare scroll, so Kangjin wouldn’t have any complaints.
Even though it was the weakest one among the remaining Apostles.
“But couldn’t you help us one more time? We’ll pay you.”
‘Payment?’
Well, how should I put it.
My heart was momentarily swayed by Kangjin’s attitude of breaking off the previous relationship and re-establishing it, so I decided to talk a little more.
“Well.”
Actually, it was a vague guess, but I thought I would end up fighting Beluin later.
There was no way all the countries would catch the Specter.
So, assuming Beluin would descend, it would be beneficial to catch the Specter now.
“Rather than payment, I’d like to hear the strategy first.”
However, I was doubtful whether I could catch it with these people, so I decided to listen to the strategy first and then think about it.
If it wasn’t good enough, I could just go back to the Harpe Empire.
Anyway, at my answer, Kangjin slowly nodded and soon started discussing with the other players.
‘Even if they discuss, will they come up with a good plan?’
From what I could see, the problem was the lack of skilled players who could stop the Apostles.
“First, we need someone to hold them back.”
“……That’s the biggest problem.”
“Damn it, if they hadn’t recovered, we could have captured them by pushing ourselves.”
‘Huh? Recover?’
I was momentarily puzzled by the word ‘recover’ and asked about it in detail.
“What do you mean by recover?”
“Ah, the Apostle was recovering health every time they killed one of our players. That’s why we decided to retreat.”
“Recovering every time they kill?”
“Yes, I saw it with a skill that checks health, so it’s certain.”
So, the reason they retreated was because of that problem.
It certainly made sense to retreat if there was no possibility of killing the Apostle.
“Wouldn’t it work to put a small number of tankers in front?”
“That would be the case if it were just the Apostle. But the Thoughts are attacking together.”
“And even if we block the axe attack, we get knocked back.”
“Hmm, if Rudin-nim takes on the axe-wielding Apostle……”
‘Tsk.’
It’s better to give up.
Frankly, if I took on the axe-wielding Apostle, who would deal with the remaining Apostle?
Furthermore, the Fifth Apostle was specialized in dealing with large numbers.
They seemed unaware that the Fifth Apostle was actually more difficult to strategize against than the other Apostles.
“Or, how about we take on the Apostle, and Rudin-nim catches the Specter?”
“Ah!”
The players exclaimed as if it were a good idea.
Seeing that, I was dumbfounded.
‘Look at these guys?’
Me, who only stalled for time against the Fifth Apostle, catching Beluin’s Specter?
And having seen Beluin’s Specter wielding the Sword of Ruin, I wasn’t particularly keen on facing it.
No, even if I did, it would be difficult for me alone.
“Rudin-nim. Would that be possible?”
“I only stalled for time against the Fifth Apostle, but the Specter……”
Well, it’s not like I can’t fight.
Originally, I was going to turn back as soon as I heard that, but feeling somewhat indignant, I nodded obediently.
“I’ll do it if you want.”
“Oh! Thank you so much.”
What’s there to be thankful for?
Thinking positively, fighting Beluin’s Specter would also be a kind of experience, so it wasn’t bad.
But first, I need to get compensated for that.
“But I’ll withdraw if I die even once.”
“Yes? Ah, yes. I understand.”
“And……”
* * *
The condition I set was very simple.
5 Luxury Shop Boxes.
Originally, I was going to fight for a modest 1,000 gold, but hearing them tell me to take care of everything made me think I might as well get some Unique items, so I asked for Luxury Shop Boxes.
If they gave them to me, good. If not, I could just go back to the Harpe Empire, so it was a win-win situation.
In that situation, Kangjin agreed and sent a guild member to buy Luxury Shop Boxes, and in the end, I was able to get 5 Luxury Shop Boxes in exchange for fighting Beluin’s Specter.
‘In other words, 5 Unique items.’
Thinking about the Unique items I would obtain later, I was having pleasant thoughts when I spotted a Thought in the distance and slowly slowed down.
“Then we’ll proceed as planned.”
‘Planned?’
Was there even a plan in the first place?
It was just that the Anis Kingdom players would rush in and attack, the Apostle would approach, and in that gap, I and a few other players would attack the Specter. If that was a plan, then it was a plan.
“All forces, charge!”
Waaaaah!!━
As soon as the attack order was given, the players charged towards the Thought all at once.
Originally, it would have been better to spread out and surround it in a wide formation, but unfortunately, the only means of attacking the Thought was the F-rank Light attribute skill, and its range was only 20 meters.
In the end, there was no other way but to charge like that to attack.
‘It would have been nice if the range was just 50 meters.’
It was funny to expect more from an F-rank skill.
Anyway, after watching for a while, I could see the two Apostles rushing towards the players, similar to the previous battle.
However, the important Fifth Apostle didn’t move.
‘Why isn’t that guy moving?’
Perhaps because of that, I could hear everyone chattering anxiously.
“Why isn’t that Apostle moving?”
“Maybe it’s because we attacked the Specter in the previous battle?”
“I’ll try to lure it with my guild members.”
‘Huh?’
Lure it?
I was puzzled by those words, but I didn’t stop them.
“Alright, let’s go!”
Instead, I decided to watch until the end. The player who said they would lure it led their guild members towards where the Fifth Apostle was.
And as soon as they got close enough, instead of responding, I could see the players being counterattacked with various magic spells. The players, undeterred by the magic, tried to lure it somehow.
Boom! Boom!━
However, the Fifth Apostle, a mage, only stared intently at the players who were slowly retreating from their position, and the intended luring didn’t work.
‘I knew it.’
Seeing that, I turned my head to look at the players who were watching with me.
Perhaps because of the obvious failure, everyone had worried expressions on their faces.
‘Besides that, the players’ skill level is too low.’
It wasn’t a joke. I thought it wouldn’t have been this bad if they had just brought the Emperor Guild.
Could it be that Kangjin lied?
At first, Kangjin said he had brought only the powerful guilds from the Anis Kingdom.
Then, they should at least be able to fight on par with the Apostles, but the result was, as you can see, they were being pushed back endlessly.
‘Hmm.’
Should I ask?
But since I had already received the Luxury Shop Boxes, there didn’t seem to be a need to ask.
Anyway, I could just fight the Specter and withdraw if I died.
“What do you think, Rudin-nim?”
“What do I think about what?”
“Ah, you didn’t hear. We were talking about how to lure the Fifth Apostle.”
“……I’ll handle it myself.”
I thought if I left it to these guys, I would end up just watching, so I decided to do it myself.
“Yes, I apologize.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Tat━
I said not to worry about it and ran towards where the Fifth Apostle was.
I saw the retreating players while running, but I didn’t even glance at them. As I approached the Fifth Apostle, I could see him casting magic spells first, unlike before.
“Jayer’s Guardian Shield, Elsyke’s Phantom Shift.”
In addition, the current Apostle hadn’t even summoned the stone statues, and his Divine Power had also disappeared.
In other words, he was defenseless. Realizing that while running, I dodged the incoming magic with Phantom Shift and started by separating him from Beluin’s Specter.
“Giant’s Sprint!”
I was already as close as possible to the Apostle using Phantom Shift.
Moreover, since I charged at a speed that was difficult to react to, the Fifth Apostle couldn’t even react in time, and in the end, he was hit by my shield and flew back.
Kwaaaaaaang!!━
[Beluin’s Fifth Apostle uses Dark Descent.]
But that was all.
The Apostle, hit by Giant’s Sprint, immediately used his Divine Power to summon a black monster, so I moved in a way to keep him in check and watched his movements.
‘If only Stealth had worked, I could have strategized against him.’
When I first used Phantom Shift, the Apostle knew exactly where I was and cast magic.
‘But……’
After sending the Apostle flying far away, I looked at Beluin’s Specter, which was a little further away.
I thought there would be some reaction since he even ordered the Apostle to kill me, but the Specter showed no particular response.
‘I thought it would come running at me, foaming at the mouth.’
With the Sword of Ruin, no less.
That was puzzling, but I could see the Phantom, which I had used earlier to dodge the Apostle’s attack, running towards the Specter, which was relatively closer.
━So you dare show your face again after running away.
Come to think of it, that’s a problem too.
━Earth Prison!
“Elsyke’s Phantom Shift.”
Well, perhaps meaning he wouldn’t miss me this time, the earth rose from all directions to trap me, but I simply escaped with Phantom Shift.
To be blunt, even if I were trapped in the prison, I could escape with force.
I could just break it with Thunder Strike.
Anyway, the moment I escaped from the magic cast by the Apostle, he immediately recognized my location and used various magic spells. I appropriately dodged the magic and watched the Phantom.
Kwakwakwak!━
The Specter remained still until the Phantom attacked, but as soon as it was attacked, it took out the Sword of Ruin from its hand and instantly cut down the Phantom.
So, it only wakes up after being hit at least once?
And another thing was that, like the Thought, ordinary attacks didn’t seem to work.
This was because the Phantom’s attack earlier had passed through as if there was nothing there.
‘To summarize……’
Does this mean I have to fight and win against Beluin’s Specter, which only takes Light attacks and uses various Divine Powers?
“……”
But the fact that it had similar properties to the Thought made me think of a way to strategize against it.
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