Published at 2nd of December 2020 04:15:07 PM
Chapter 653: 653
V57C1P2 – In Morata
Bard Ray fought against the fierce cold winds in order to obtain the Ironblood Warrior job class . He crossed the iceland and withstood monster attacks with his body .
The unique trait of the Ironblood Warrior was that they became even more fortified when fighting powerful enemies in extreme environments .
‘I want to forfeit . ’
Bard Ray wanted to quit more times than he could count, but he kept walking .
He recalled the scenes of Weed walking across the desert and becoming the Sun Warrior . His competitor had accomplished a very similar feat .
His body was wracked with intense pain like hundreds of rats were burrowing inside his flesh, but his pride drove him forward, step after step .
He remembered the times he lived through, how he had been praised as the God Warrior .
‘I will do this . I will finish it even if it costs me my life . ’
He continued on for the sake of becoming the Ironblood Warrior . He felt he was at his limit, but a scrap of strength remained inside him and urged him forward . Only when huge flakes of snow began to fall upon him, did he feel true despair .
‘This is crazy… Just…’
He lowered his head and kept his pace . Thick packs of snow formed on his head and shoulders, but he did not have the power to brush them off .
At first the snow was around his ankles, but now it was above his waist, crushing his will once again .
‘This is truly insane . Would the deserts have been easier than this?’
The wind, like blades, carved at his flesh and seemed to cut to his bones .
He could only believe that Weed’s quest to walk across the hot desert had been easier .
‘Keep going . One step and another . I cannot afford to collapse here . ’
A part of him felt relieved that the broadcast station was live streaming the scene .
If it weren’t for the station, he would have quit long ago .
It was a first for Bard Ray where a quest wasn’t about fighting incredible monsters, but pushed him to transcend his own limits .
< Perseverance increased by 1 . >
Since it was the path to advance into the Ironblood Warrior, alerts about stat gains popped up on occasion .
‘Just a little more… Just until today . ’
Bard Ray dragged his feet onwards . Even the commentators in the station were heated .
– That is Bard Ray for you . Typical players wouldn’t have made it as far as he has in such a crude environment .
– It’s all frozen . The only edible thing around is snow .
– He can’t even walk properly . God Warrior Bard Ray . We always saw only the extravagant side of him but in his heart he had such immeasurable will .
The response from the viewers was also positive about Bard Ray’s new appearance .
It was a chance to look at the human side of a man who once stood above the Hermes Guild .
– Amazing . I won’t be able to get anywhere near what he’s doing .
– I am watching as I am bathing in a hot tub at Puhol Waterpark . I feel like I should be out there hunting at least one monster .
– Wow… The people in the highest ranks in Royal Road have extraordinary determination .
– He was walking straight until yesterday . Now he’s dragging his feet . Was he injured or something?
– He looks completely wasted . Even his armor is frozen .
– Look at the scenery up ahead! An ice lake appeared, then a mountain behind it!
The viewers were impressed by the scale of Bard Ray’s effort .
The broadcast stations got a great hit from a show for which they had had little expectations .
The view rating of Morata’s war preparation and Bard Ray’s adventure were evenly split!
Morning, lunch, dinner, late night and onto dusk .
Bard Ray ceased to stop . He felt like if he stopped to rest, he wouldn’t be able to continue .
‘Weed, Weed, Weed, Weed…’
If Weed didn’t exist, he would have given up earlier .
Miraculously on the 5th day, massive icebergs were afloat in the far ocean .
Bard Ray walked almost unconsciously and he bashed against something in his way .
Ptch .
He was too exhausted to think about where he was walking .
Blink!
< You have arrived at the location of the Frost Sword .
A legendary find!
You have discovered the Frost Sword before it was lost beneath the ocean .
This sword was pinned to the icelands for almost a thousand years and was imbued with the aura of ice .
This sword only acknowledges one master . >
< The adventure discovery increased Reputation by 8,500 .
All stats increased by 4 .
Willpower increased by 10 . >
Bard Ray grasped the Frost Sword . His arm, shoulder and body froze instantly .
C-c-c-crack!
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The pain was immense, wiping his mind completely .
< Release me from your grasp . >
Echos from the Frost Sword travelled inside him .
Bard Ray was able to make up his mind even in pain .
‘I must not let go of it . ’
Each step added up had brought him to this place .
If he were at that moment to have let go, all would have been for nothing .
His consciousness was fading, but his heart did not have a hint of renouncement .
His honor disappeared the day he lost to Weed . In order to regain his pride, he could endure far more severe pain .
Significant time lapsed . On screen, only a minute had passed, but Bard Ray contemplated countless times .
His body was completely covered in ice and he was on the brink of freezing to death .
It was a different feeling from the times when he was farming for equipment in the Hermes Guild .
‘With this sword… Honor, will be mine again . ’
To become the strongest man in all of Versailles, he was willing to pay any sacrifice .
At long last…
< The sword has chosen a new master .
Stamina has been replenished .
Exhaustion, Coldache, Freeze have been lifted . >
Fatigue disappeared .
The thick sheets of ice on his body melted away and transformed into dense muscles .
< You have advanced into the Ironblood Warrior .
You have survived the harshest environment and possess unbreakable willpower . Your advancement is complete . Your fortified body knows no fear .
Protect your comrades and lead battles to victory .
You must overwhelm all battles . >
< Physical abilities are enhanced by 20%
Endurance is greatly enhanced according to current Strength stat .
The more powerful the enemy, the greater the enhancement bonus .
All status effects are overcome more quickly .
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Recovery rate increased .
Willpower can heighten magic resistance .
Increases combat effects of allies by a flat rate . >
Bard Ray let out a light sigh . Only then he knew that his adventure was over .
It was two days until Kaybern’s attack on Morata!
Bard Ray arrived at the northern gate of Morata via the teleport gate .
“It changed beyond my imaginations . ”
He had heard from Arkhim but could not spare the time to watch the news .
The scenery had transformed completely from when he stepped out of the city gates to become the Ironblood Warrior .
The walls were reinforced by double and triple layers; residential areas were deconstructed and remaining buildings were patched securely with steel and rocks .
Countless structures similar to the goddess statue and the Light Tower were visible .
“It’s Bard Ray!”
“Oh, it is really him!”
The players cheered at the sight of Bard Ray . They too had waited for his return .
After all, the fight against Kaybern would have been quite empty without his presence .
Though he had lost to Weed, his honor as the God Warrior did not dissipate .
Some players still assessed that Bard Ray was stronger than Weed .
“Welcome . I will show you how much Morata has changed . ”
Bard Ray looked around Morata with Arkhim’s guide .
“Indeed it seems there has been a lot of change . With only a glimpse I can tell that it is an entirely different fortress . ”
“The bond between the Northern players and their ability of quick construction is worthy of praise . ”
It took them less than a day to construct shelters and defensive walls .
Beginning after breakfast, the first structures were complete around lunchtime .
The supply transport, design and construction seemed to have been carried out by different minds but the results were satisfactory .
They were excellent in haphazard but rapid construction .
“Where is the expected location of the fight?”
“The dragon’s lair is located to the south, so we predict that it will come from the same direction . Still, it would be favorable if the battle can take place in Bingryeong or Wyvern Square . We have put the bait in place . ”
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“Bait?”
“The dragon destroys the most noticeable and the most expensive valuables . So, we crafted some traps . ”
“Let’s go see them . ”
Bard Ray took a closer look around Binryong Square and was convinced .
There was a sculpture of the black dragon that spanned over several hundred meters!
It was yet to be complete, but it was so realistically detailed and yet somehow a bit uglier .
Furthermore, it was a depiction of the dragon getting its butt whacked by a goblin, a creature that the dragon didn’t even consider as a life form .
“This… This will surely enrage the dragon . What if it fires magic spells or breath from afar?”
“That is our concern, but the Mapan Council and the northern merchant councils offered their assistance . ”
“In what way?”
“They plan to stack piles of gold in the town square . ”
If the dragon were to see the treasure, it would never destroy them .
Even the Light Tower, the arts center and goddess statue were to be dressed with gold in the hopes of avoiding the dragon’s attack .
“The dragon will certainly destroy the statue of mockery . If it goes as planned, we will seize our opportunity in either Bingryeong or Wyvern Square . ”
“Everyone will commence the attack at the town square . ”
“Yes . Fortunately through negotiations we retained our command over our guild forces . ”
Arkhim asked that if the war began, they were granted the authority to fight independently .
Weed agreed to the proposal .
It would have been a handsome sight to lead the Hermes Guild members, but truthfully they were a hassle to lead effectively .
Unlike the Northern players used for human wave tactics, they were elite players with impressive combat abilities .
He thought that the Hermes Guild hunting the dragon on their own accord was much more advantageous .
“Granted . But I am sure the dragon will ascend when it’s in danger . ”
“It is vital that we prevent its flight, but for the worst we have prepared Mule’s griffin strikers for an aerial fight . We have to put an end to the fight that very day . ”
Bard Ray observed the preparations in Morata and was filled with excitement for the day of war .
(To be continued…)
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