Chapter 136 – Mountain of Sabres, Forest of Swords (5)
"……"
Kenzo grabbed his head.
“……!”
He slammed his head into the table. The nearby gnomes looked up at his behavior.
“Hey, young man.” A large, muscular gnome approached. Contrary to his manly body, his face showed the traces of time. “I don't know what it is, but it seems like you are worried about something."
He placed a big beer glass in front of Kenzo. It seemed bigger in comparison to the average gnome's size. In the hands of the muscular gnome, the beer looked even bigger.
“I’ll buy you a glass.”
“…Thank you."
This was Quantes Bar. It was located near the inns, but it was a place where men drank forlornly under the dim lighting. They both drank the beer at the same time.
“Yes, what is worrying you? Is it okay if I listen once?"
Kenzo looked at the man, studying his wrinkled face and his deep eyes. He looked like a senior in his past life.
There was a strange mood.
In reality, he had no such experiences. At most, there were salary men who got drunk and old men whispering about the past. They didn't care of other drunk people. It was a bleak period where people became suspicious of any young person who entered a bar.
But because he watched a lot of dramas and movies, Kenzo felt like he could get something from this man. In movies, weren't there always advisers who gave answers when protagonists lost their way? This gnome's appearance seemed to suggest that.
“My problem…" Kenzo opened his mouth. It was just an artificial intelligence anyway. He could confess his problem without any hesitation. “I am learning under someone right now. He asked me to do one thing, but I will be in a difficult position if I do it. So, should I do this or not…?"
Kenzo was troubled.
They might be moneylenders, but they were still users. It was their play style to attack NPCs. They didn't consider it a crime to act against NPCs. If Kenzo attacked them, he could be stigmatized as someone who attacked fellow users.
That was the source of his troubles.
“I don't know the details, but you seem to be in a rough spot."
"That's right."
The gnome touched his chin and ordered something from the bartender.
“Bartender. Please do what I asked before."
"I understand."
The bartender approached with something. The gnome laughed and shook the contents of the bottle.
“This is Mukarasanebo."
“Mukarasanebo…"
It was a very precious wine in Elder Lord.
"Yes. Did your teacher make you do that while knowing your position is difficult?"
“That’s not it. He doesn't know about my position." He couldn't explain to Crockta about the relationship between users.
“He doesn't know?"
"Yes. He won't understand."
"I see. Huhuhu."
The man laughed and poured Mukarasanebo into their cups. Kenzo quietly stared without drinking.
“This precious thing…"
“It's okay. Drink."
"Thank you."
Kenzo and the gnome drank the Mukarasanebo. He could feel the unique aroma and taste; it was indeed worthy to be a product called the nobility of wine.
“Do you know why your teacher did it?"
“Well, that…"
Crockta hadn't mentioned why he wanted Kenzo to get rid of the moneylenders. Maybe it was to get rid of the bad guys harming the city or there was a hidden element that Kenzo didn't know.
The gnome laughed. "You don't know anything about each other."
"……"
“Then is your mentor a trustworthy person?”
Kenzo thought about it. Was Crockta trustworthy? He didn't know much about Crockta. Unlike the image of his species, he was very gentlemanly until he turned into an unmatched warrior in battle. But Crockta had saved him from the creatures in the forest. When Kenzo asked to be taught and said that it was to help people, he nodded with a satisfied expression. It was a short time, but Kenzo could feel what he was like as a person.
Kenzo nodded. "Yes. He is."
The gnome smiled and said, “Then trust him.”
"Huh?"
“I could tell the answer just by looking at your face." The gnome shook the Mukarasanebo. There wasn't much left. He gave Kenzo the last cup. “It is a precious drink but you can have the last cup."
Kenzo looked at the cup and shook his head.
The gnome said, “I’ll tell you my story. I have lived my whole life in Quantes, but I am leaving today."
“Today?”
“As you can see from the Mukarasanebo, I had a lot of money. I was a successful businessman, but thanks to a little mistake, I've lost everything. All I have now is my body, so I am going to another city to work."
The gnome's expression was so serene that Kenzo couldn't imagine such a story. The gnome continued speaking, "It is because of a loan."
“……!”
Kenzo's eyes widened.
“A friend who was my most reliable adviser told me not to trust them, but I believed I could control everything. They used a crafty method to cause me to pay a tremendous amount of money. I shouldn't have believed in the foreigners who suddenly appeared…"
He laughed bitterly, “I lost everything."
Kenzo couldn't say anything. The weight of his life felt like it was pushing down on his shoulders.
“Somehow, I feel like I caused your mood to become worse."
“Ah, no."
“Either way, everything is your choice. But if someone you trust is giving you advice, you should listen."
The gnome rose from his spot. Kenzo tried to catch him, but the gnome had already stepped back. “I was lonely but I'm glad I got to meet you at the end. This is the last of the Mukarasanebo, the last cup. Please enjoy it slowly."
He handed money over to the bartender. They briefly exchanged glances. The gnome must have a long relationship with the bartender here.
“Be well."
“You too."
The gnome left the bar, walking in a regal manner under the moonlight.
Kenzo looked at the clear liquid in the cup. Mukarasanebo, the wine that was called nobility due to its flavor. He raised the last cup to his mouth.
It was bitter.
***
Kenzo moved through the darkness. It wasn't difficult to find the users in Quantes. He tracked those who showed suspicious tendencies. They were careful, but he had imitated a ninja and learned tracking and stealth skills.
In the process, he learned how they tightened the noose. They lent money to people. They used tricks to increase the interest rates, harassing those who couldn't pay it off. By the way, a lot of gnomes were deceived. The inhabitants of Elder Lord were familiar with these tricky methods, so they had no choice but to believe.
In addition, there were users who bribed the officials of Quantes. The gnomes who appealed to the officials were dismissed.
The gnome who gave Kenzo the Mukarasanebo had also been hit like this. The users were reproducing the scams of reality in the game.
“Why aren't you giving me the money?"
"Money, I don't have it. I just borrowed 100 silver but the interest rate…"
“It is written! Didn't you see the contract?"
“I tried to pay it back but you weren't there…"
“Then try to find us! It can't just be given to you! Do whatever it takes! Am I wrong? You should be familiar with all the people here." They were no different from the gangsters, or Yakuza, in reality. “If you don't have the money, there is this. Your house. Sell your house. Then all the money will be paid back. Eh?"
“This house has been in my family for generations…"
“Then give us the money!"
"Hiik!"
There was a disturbance as the furniture in the house started to be smashed.
"P-Please stop!"
“The money?"
"……"
"Nothing?"
“The rate is too…we no longer…"
“Then get out of this house! Foreclosure!"
Users armed with weapons and armor entered the house and threatened the gnomes. The guards of Quantes arrived after being informed of the turmoil. The users immediately changed their attitude, showing their papers and letters.
"Ah! You worked hard! We’re a little noisy, so we're sorry. Do you see these papers here? We are doing legitimate work. Don't worry."
The guards faced the users and saw that there were no problems with the documentation. They looked at each other and nodded. “Please be careful of making a lot of noise. A report was received."
"Ah. I'm sorry. Hahaha."
"Then."
After the guards left, it was a repetition of the previous situation.
“Typical NPCs. Kukuk. Hey guys, shake this house. What is going to happen?"
"Brother. Is this little one yours?"
It happened when they tried to touch the family of the victim.
Kenzo felt something inside him break. A memory from his past. Whenever he was bullied, he could endure anything about himself; however, he couldn't stand any insults to his family. However, he didn't have the power to resist. The wounds from that period time still hadn't healed, and felt like it had festered over with gangrene.
It was why he wanted to become like a hero in cartoons and help people.
'Don't be stupid.'
Kenzo revealed his body and entered the house. The people inside were bewildered at the emergence of another user and called out, “Who is it?”
Kenzo replied with his sword instead of words. He was a high-level user, and in recent days, he had gone through Pinnacle training with Crockta. The overall level of the users had increased a lot, but he could nonetheless slaughter these types of people.
His claymore slashed at the users. They turned into white particles in an instant. The only gnome NPC working with the moneylenders was trembling. Kenzo grabbed his collar and demanded.
“If you don't want to die, tell me where all the people in your organization are."
The gnome started thinking. Kenzo swung his greatsword. A few pieces of hair from the gnome fell down. If it was a little more angled, the gnome would've died instantly. The gnome shook.
“This is your last chance. One. Two…"
The gnome came clean before he finished speaking. He told Kenzo all the important points, including the number of people in their group and the position of the leader. Kenzo gained the information and brandished his sword. The gnome's head was hit and he fainted.
The night wasn't over yet. Kenzo began to move. The moneylenders were spread all over the place, but their core force was together. Kenzo dealt with the remnants. He repeated this work until it was daytime.
As the users got in contact with each other, he soon became surrounded by a lot of them.
Strong. A few were on a level similar to Kenzo. This made it more annoying. The level of the users was good enough not to bother anyone this way. Nevertheless, they gave out loans and bullied anyone who couldn't pay.
It didn't matter that they were committing evil against NPCs. Just…he remembered the deep eyes of the gnome who bought him the Mukarasanebo. There was also the face of the child who looked up at the users surrounding him with fear. The family begging for the child not to become hurt. The mother's tears as she embraced her children.
All of this meant he couldn't hold back his irritation. He couldn't bear these feelings and wielded his blade.
“You are a user like us. What are you trying to do?" They asked him.
Kenzo ignored them and rushed in. It was an unfavorable fight. There wasn't much difference in level and they outnumbered him. Maybe some of them were superior to Kenzo. He was alone.
However, it didn't feel like that. He grasped his claymore and recalled the time with Crockta. Swords were flying towards him. There were many of them. A fast speed. He shouldn't have been able to avoid them.
However, Kenzo didn't die.
[Your assimilation rate has risen.]
[Your assimilation rate has risen.]
[Your assimilation rate has risen.]
[Your assimilation rate has risen…]
Unity with the world. The world of Elder Lord was pushing at his back.
Kenzo gripped his claymore and plunged into the encirclement.
Then.
The world slowed.
Praise the Orc:
Current schedule: There will now be 14 chapters a week, meaning two chapters every day.
Chapter 137 – Mountain of Sabres, Forest of Swords (6)
Crockta looked up at the night sky. It was the eve of the full moon. It had been several days since he first gave Kenzo the mission.
Tiyo and Anor had finished their sightseeing tour of Quantes and all the preparations were finished. They were leaving Quantes tomorrow. After leaving Quantes and Maillard, they were thinking of going to the southern part of the continent where Tiyo's father was. It was also the place where the Heaven and Earth Clan was based, and they were one of Crockta's targets.
He heard that the Heaven and Earth Clan might be related to his enemy, the Thawing Balhae Clan. Therefore, they would decide on their next move after purchasing information from Maillard's Information Guild.
Apart from that, he also didn't like the person called Choi Hansung. Someone needed to put a stop to the war he perpetrated. If he refused, Choi Hansung would get to see Crockta's Ogre Slayer.
As he thought about the future, he noticed something moving in the darkness. Crockta turned his head and said, “You came.”
It was Kenzo.
Crockta grinned. Kenzo's appearance made it obvious as to what he had done. Kenzo was covered in blood. That wasn't all. Crockta could feel something in him that wasn't there before.
"You have reached the Pinnacle."
Kenzo’s atmosphere was different now. Now that he reached the early realm of the Pinnacle, he couldn't be compared to other high-level users. The realm of the Pinnacle was for those who realized the true value of Elder Lord. It was a rating that only a few of the strongest, often called rankers, reached.
"Yes, I've reached the Pinnacle."
Kenzo’s voice was tired. He attacked the moneylenders infecting Quantes day and night. He didn't bother with tools. He killed them when they were alive, then again when they reconnected. He continued to kill.
Due to Kenzo's persistent pursuit, the users eventually gave up and withdrew from Quantes. Kenzo lunged a sword in their leaving backs to stop them from ever considering coming back to Quantes.
“That wasn't the only realization."
His emotions had been shaken as he watched the NPCs being persecuted, causing his assimilation rate to rise sharply. Only then was he able to reach the Pinnacle. At the same time, he realized something else.
He made a decision: if a wicked person ever appeared in front of him, regardless of whether they were an NPC or a user, he would raise his sword.
That…
They were people.
Crockta smiled. When Kenzo first said he wanted to help others, Crockta smelled something from him. Kenzo had fulfilled Crockta's expectations. Now he would do what he believed.
Crockta asked, “Yes, did I help you?"
Kenzo bowed his head and replied, "Yes. It is thanks to Crockta."
"Then listen to my condition."
"Of course."
If he reached this ground, he was supposed to listen to what Crockta wanted. Kenzo was nervous. He didn't know what the condition would be. Crockta said it would be within a capable range, but it was still ambiguous. Maybe he would be faced with a difficult request. However, he also believed in Crockta.
“My request is simple.”
Crockta moved Ogre Slayer. Kenzo also glanced at his claymore. What did he want to do?
Crockta slowly moved his greatsword. It was slow. It wasn't the realm of the Pinnacle, but there was no shaking. Crockta's blade moved on a gentle curve. Kenzo watched from a distance.
He didn't move. At that moment. The blade touched his neck.
“……!”
It was impossible. It was minor, but Kenzo got goose bumps as he realized the meaning. It was an attack beyond the level of speed. An area that he couldn't reach. It was the realm of miracles.
"This…"
“The next stage after the Pinnacle."
“……!”
“It means that the Pinnacle isn't the end."
After reaching the realm of the Pinnacle, he knew that there was 'something more.' But this couldn't even be called that. The word 'impossible' was all he could think.
“Now I will tell you what I want."
It wasn't the end. Kenzo once again shook after hearing Crockta'sn next words.
“Do some good with that strength."
It was an unimaginable demand. Kenzo realized that Crockta was a much bigger man than he thought. Kenzo nodded. It felt like Crockta's eyes were penetrating inside him. Did Crockta know that Kenzo would stand in front of him with this mindset after taking care of the moneylenders?
Kenzo bowed his head. He could only say one thing, “I understand."
For him, Crockta wasn't simply a person in the game. He was someone with a great spirit.
Kenzo said, “I will pass your teachings onto other people. The realm of the Pinnacle, and what to use it for. Will you also let them know it?"
"Of course."
Kenzo would gather people. There were a variety of ways to play the game. There would be those who harassed NPCs for profit. That was the way they played. Therefore, they needed to take care of such villains. They would be good for NPCs and bad for users.
What was this? Anyway, a hero needed to have a coexistence of darkness and light.
“Please make a name for the group," Kenzo requested. He wanted a name from Crockta. If they were to follow him, it seemed right that he give them a name.
“The road that Kenzo walks will be long and full of blades. The path of pandemonium that not everyone can walk!" Crockta declared, “With that type of mindset, I will call it Mountain of Sabres, Forest of Swords.
“Mountain of Sabres, Forest of Swords!”
A cool name. The words were true. Last night, he had gone through the moneylenders. In the place where the moneylenders turned into white particles, only their weapons and equipment were left behind.
It really was a mountain of sabres, a forest of swords.
“Those who follow you will be part of a Mountain of Sabres, Forest of Swords."
Kenzo looked at the red headband around Crockta's forehead. The red headband would be their symbol. This was the beginning of 'Mountain of Sabres, Forest of Swords', following 'Rehabilitation Brothers' and 'He's an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy.' Unfortunately, the name 'Mountain of Sabres, Forest of Swords' was unknown to most people.
The red headband was so intense that people just called them 'Red Headband'…
***
“Did something good happen dot?"
“Kulkulkul. No. Kulkul."
Anor and Tiyo stared at the laughing Crockta. They were leaving Quantes and heading to Maillard. They planned to go through there towards the cities in the south. The party was riding the caruks that they obtained from the north. The caruks were slower than horses, but they had good endure and physical strength. They moved well even when carrying someone of Crockta's size.
"Look at your expression. Tell me quickly. I want to know the good thing.”
“It is really nothing."
“Then why do you look so bright?"
Crockta was thinking about his meeting with Kenzo before leaving Quantes.
"Kulkul."
Kenzo had punished the moneylenders brilliantly. Furthermore, he even reached the Pinnacle. Then he declared that he would make a group to follow Crockta. The name was Mountain of Sabres, Forest of Swords!
Crockta hadn't done much, but it was pleasing to see, just like a filial child. Now the name of Crockta would once again shake the world. If he logged out at this time, he could see what his fanclub 'He's an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy' was doing.
The fame that everyone desired! It was healing.
"It is difficult to be famous. Kulkulkul!"
He wondered if he would be stalked by some fans. Crockta worried about this alone.
“I don't know what it is but…" Anor shook his head.
They rode steadily on the caruks and soon saw the sign for Maillard. They would soon arrive.
Maillard was a place containing the Information Guild and where Stella worked at the Blacksmith Company. In addition, there was the legend of the 'Rehabilitation Brothers' who rehabilitated problematic users.
Crockta recalled his old memories and drove the caruk quickly. Suddenly, they were able to see a group of people. Their eyes met Crockta's party. Crockta greeted them respectfully first.
"Hello. I am alive."
“…Ah, yes."
They gazed at Crockta, then checked Tiyo and Anor's foreheads before looking unimpressed. They were users. Users didn't have much interest in NPCs. In particular, they were users on par with NPCs. As the level of the users increased, they became more arrogant.
“They have a very cheap way of greeting peopled dot," Tiyo muttered. He talked to himself but everyone could hear him. The eyes of the users turned to him. Tiyo just shrugged.
The atmosphere became slightly tense. However, both sides didn't do anything else so there wasn't a conflict.
"Put up with it. He looks like a kid."
“Have you see them? I can't wait to catch those GB bastards."
“Wait and watch. Stay still until we get instructions from Brother."
Crockta heard their conversation. They said 'GB', which was the abbreviation for Rehabilitation Brothers. It looked like a group that wasn't on good terms with them.
“Hrmm…”
***
Crockta's group continued until they reached Maillard. They were able to reach Maillard, the great and beautiful city of the elves.
Anor's eyes widened. If Quantes was a city built with the technical skills of the gnomes, Maillard was a large elf city. The buildings were in harmony with nature, and the form was so beautiful that it felt perfectly with Anor's dark elf sensibilities. It was truly a city of elves, the cradle of elf users.
Anor wandered around with wide eyes and couldn't take his eyes off Maillard.
"Isn't it cool?"
“Really great. Wow…"
“Bah, this is nothing compared to Quantes."
They were able to easily enter because Maillard didn't have any restrictions on access. He was planning to leave after finding the Information Guild and Stella, so they weren't going to stay long. But the atmosphere inside was strange.
To be exact, it was the atmosphere among the users.
"……?"
Crockta was confused. The Maillard citizens were still the same. As inhabitants of Elder Lord, they were living their own lives.
By the way, the users with white stars on their foreheads were looking around and watching something. They were holding their weapons and seemed prepared to fight at any time. Some users stared at each other in a confrontational manner when passing by. A tight tension could be felt between the users.
“Interesting," Crockta muttered.
What was happening in Maillard?
“We will stay here tonight. Look around and come back again."
“I understand dot."
“I'll go explore!"
“Wait, let's go together dot!"
Crockta headed towards the Information Guild first. He headed towards the darker part of the city, towards the streets lined with shabby pubs. He was coming back. It was the place where there were real men. The headquarters of Maillard's Information Guild.
“Kulkulkul, it is still a beautiful inverted triangle."
Crockta muttered as he looked at the sign for the pub. It was right there. The 'Where are my Brothers?' pub!
Praise the Orc:
Current schedule: There will now be 14 chapters a week, meaning two chapters every day.