episode_0219

Day when the sun sets (2) ― World Central Castle Entrance

“Keuuch― Haa― Haa―”

The adventurers let out a heavy breath after confirming that all the frogs had fallen.

The Cherry Blossom Guild Leader, who was clutching his heart with trembling hands, slowly knelt down.

The Cherry Blossom Guild members supporting him and those with long-distance skills fell to the floor.

Seongju glanced at them carefully and secretly clicked his tongue.

If there had been inspiration at a time like this, it would have been easier to stop the frogs.

Although they were surviving with the adventurers’ skill distribution and buff skills, it was inevitable that their absolute output was clearly insufficient compared to the awakened ones.

But now was not the time to sound regretful.

Their bodies are already blocking the path between platforms.

I had to break through that wall of corpses and quickly reach the platform.

“Stop lying down and everyone stand up! Get rid of those corpses right now-”

The lord of the castle, who had been giving orders while looking at the sky, was suddenly cut off.

His pupils, which were showing the blue sky, were seeing a second dark cloud approaching from a distance.

All the adventurers who were following the castle lord’s gaze quietly opened their mouths without saying a word.

Pupils fluttering and shoulders gradually losing strength.

Ssssseu!

Without realizing it, I took a step back.

“Aaaagh―!”

A faint scream echoed through the citizens who were staring blankly at the sky.

Before I knew it, the workers who had been running to the back of the castle were falling to the ground and screaming.

“I… … that… … .”

A long, white finger trembles and finally points to a place.

Black dots piled up on the high castle walls.

Kkkk!

Suddenly, the ground that was noisy suddenly became quiet… … .

Seongju smiled bitterly and shook his head.

A wave of zombies on the ground starting to climb up the castle wall like a corpse ladder.

and-

“… … .”

The waves in the sky getting closer and closer.

“Ugh―”

“Big black―!”

Adventurers who groaned involuntarily and farmers who burst into tears.

I looked around at the citizens of the world who were trembling and closing their eyes as if preparing for the end.

In moments like this—

The majesty of someone that naturally comes to mind.

He would have blown them all away with a single wave of his hand.

However, he had already fallen into the trap he had set and was blown away to a very distant place.

All black pieces began to advance on the chessboard where the king disappeared.

Because reality is not a game-

Even when the king disappeared, the game continued.

A chessboard with no checkmate or stalemate.

Before we knew it, the black pieces had completely tightened the newly prepared king.

Seongju laughed and recalled the one-line strategy given to him.

All you have to do is survive.

You have to make a move for that.

“… … Because the game of reality never ends.”

A Hell Dungeon placed in a city world where adventurers are not allowed.

The theme is survival.

Seongju quietly picked up the new king on his strategy board.

and-

widely-!

“Run—!”

The castle lord’s shout resounds through a world steeped in despair.

Everyone looked at Seongju with surprised faces.

Seongju raised his voice again while swinging at the citizens of the world.

“Everyone who wants to live, run away!”

Seongju shouted what the citizens most desperately wanted.

However, as soon as he finished saying those words, he raised his voice louder.

“Dan—!”

“Citizens of the world must remain here―!”

The Seongju made eye contact with each and every citizen gathered at the castle entrance and opened his mouth again.

“Everyone who wanted to leave the world for their own reasons should leave—!”

“Dan—!”

“Citizens of the world must remain here―!”

“Why did you guys stay in the world―!”

“At a time when the Church of Salvation was constantly promising peace—! Why did you stay in this dangerous world instead of going to paradise?”

Everyone who saw Salvation Church knew about Salvation Church, which continued to advertise and broadcast day after day.

That place would be the happiest land in today’s Republic of Korea.

However, not everyone went to the Salvation Church.

In fact, there were some who came to the World rather than the Salvation Church.

The reason is simple.

“Why did you need power! Why did you want to become stronger! Why did you choose struggle instead of happiness―!”

“Why did you stay in this world fighting zombies and collecting points so stubbornly?”

Because I needed strength.

Because we needed a ‘world’ where everyone becomes strong.

“The reasons may vary, but one thing is certain—! You needed strength! I needed strength because of something that my weak past self could not overcome-!”

Seongju clenched his rusty iron sword and screamed louder.

“Have you lost your precious people due to lack of strength?! Or maybe you were so powerless that you didn’t even have the courage to get your precious person back?! Or maybe I just couldn’t forgive myself for losing my precious person―!”

Seongju looked at the survivors of the apocalypse and the citizens who chose struggle rather than peace.

Kkkk!

Howling loudly and-

Cooo! Cuuu!

Steroids climbing zombie ladders and sticking their arms out on castle walls.

and-

A world where the shadows become darker again.

Seongju looked at the citizens who were watching it all and said,

“Why did you cry and regret losing something so precious—! Why are you willing to lose even the most precious thing? ”

Why are you putting your head on the ground at this moment when your life is threatened?

“Why are you alive because of someone’s sacrifice—! How can they give up the second life they gave them so easily? You are not victims of the past! You are now citizens of a world where everyone is strong! These are my citizens who gained strength by struggling and fighting―!”

World gave you the power you truly desired.

“But why- why are you just crying like that time-!”

The lord of the castle raised his rusty iron sword high in the sky.

Listening to me now-

To all the citizens of the world who did not leave and remained with me –

“Raise your sword! Raise your spear! When you lose someone precious, increase the strength you don’t have―!”

Kiiing—!

Mana.

A brilliant color fills the entire bodies of the adventurers who are quietly listening to the castle lord’s words.

The adventurers, each with their own weapons in hand, responded to the will of the castle lord.

All the citizens of the world who remained without leaving for the Salvation Church slowly stand up and strengthen their resolve.

“We have fought, fought, and practiced enough within the walls—! Now we have to leave the world and take a step towards the real world―!”

“The power you truly hoped for is not mana and weapons! The strength you truly must have is the courage to take the step you were unable to take when you lost something precious―!”

Raise your sword!

Raise your spear!

With the courage to take one step forward!

Cuuu!

Behind the castle, Steroid, who had broken through the world’s walls by climbing the zombie ladder, slowly raised his fist from the ground.

Pumping muscles on steroids.

No, it’s the beating of zombie birds with full bodies on steroids.

“Crraaa—!”

The darkness was coming with the roar of steroids shaking the ground.

Black rain falling with black clouds covering the sky again.

Fuwaaa!

Frogs are piling up again on top of the already thick wall of corpses.

Seongju, who was pointing the tip of his sword towards them, suddenly turned around.

He shouted as he pointed towards the central area and downtown area of the world, not the frogs.

“Basaaaa—!”

Kiiing—!

Adventurers who use their mana without hesitation following the castle lord’s lead.

Flame-type skills immediately began burning the world.

Grumbling!

A flame burning in the spire of the gray central castle.

The frogs, who had barely completed their landing with a thump, raised their heads and caught fire in their eyes.

“Kkisss—!”

thud-! thud-! thud-!

The rush of steroids approaching loudly from behind and the howling of the frogs sounding overlapping to a degree that gives you goosebumps.

Seongju shouted to the adventurers looking at the burning world.

“We return to the world again! Until then, I will be with you as your castle and wall-!”

“I will be with you as your master―!”

That’s why I-

He is the lord of your castle.

“As the owner of the world and the first adventurer, I promise you—!”

Both hands gathered behind the waist.

A blunt iron sword in his hand.

A small light flickered as he stared straight ahead with his still, motionless violet eyes.

Sooo!

A neutral power ‘train’ is approaching the world at high speed from afar.

A train surrounded by zombies that appeared to be sound stalkers continued to run in silence.

Kiiing—!

A brilliant purple light surrounds the world, as if responding to the faint light sent by the train.

Let’s continue the adventure we couldn’t do at that moment with the strength we hoped for.

“We—!”

Seongju held an iron sword in his hands and captured his enemy in his purple pupils.

Frogs start jumping with fully stretched thighs.

And a thick barrier of corpses blocked the world’s path of advancement.

“Definitely—!”

I screamed at the top of my voice and kicked the floor.

I rotated my entire body as I passed by the frogs leaping towards the flames that enveloped the world.

Twaaa!

A wall of corpses collapsing as a result of the horizontal slashing done with all its might.

Before you know it, your vision becomes clearer and you see a train arriving at the train platform.

Kkkk!

As if threatening themselves, the sound stalkers crowded around the train let out howls.

Waaa!

Adventurers charge loudly as if to counter the howls of those guys.

Seongju, who once again drew the purple iron sword at the head of them, whispered.

Kiiing—!

[2. Survive.]

“Survive.”