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nTransator: Ekdud

nProofreader: coyotte508

nTL Check: KobatoChanDaisuki

nChapter 32 – Central Island (5)

nHansoo shrugged at the glares directed at him.

nOf course he had no thoughts of going up.

nThis was merely a threat.

nSince he wasn’t to here to pick up a few more runes.

nAnd because of that he couldn’t concede any of the crystals that would come out from now on.

n“The Lords should have a conversation with me.”

nEveryone made a bitter expression as they approached him, they disappeared from sight to somewhere else while everybody was watching them.

n…………………………………

n“Tsk. I’m not sure if it was a good thing.”

nGuktae mumbled alone after the conference ended.

nHansoo’s proposal was very simple.

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n‘He’s really a special case.’

nGuktae actually knew that he would concede all the duties of defense and roam about alone.

nSince there’s nobody to stop him even if he did so.

nIt would be just that if he decided to not hunt any of the undead and hunt continuously below and only come back to cut off the Demon’s head around the time everybody became a mess fighting it.

nSince the possibility of somebody blocking him if he told them he would take the last hit was a question in itself.

nWho could block him with such power and invisibility.

nBut Hansoo didn’t do such things.

n

n‘…What is he thinking? What?’

nIn conclusion, it meant that he would take over the risk of the Demons by himself.

nIf you take into account the strength of the Demons, it meant that Hansoo took on a huge burden alone even if you were to calculate for the benefit of the crystals.

nFrom his actions it seemed like he a person who grew impatient because he couldn’t save someone.

nThough there’s nothing bad about it.

n‘The demons… are peculiar.’

nThere wasn’t enough information because only one had come out.

nHe didn’t know if they all used similar skills or if stronger ones would come out from now on.

nSince the problem wasn’t strength but rather their Advantages.

nIt didn’t seem like that they couldn’t beat Hansoo if everyone in the clan charged at him.

nBut things like that had really horrid Advantages.

nLike rock paper scissors.

nIt was already hard to kill it due to the fact that it took hits very well but for it to also use area of effect magic.

nIt wasn’t that they couldn’t kill it if they used skills and traits but at least a few tens of deaths would occur.

nIt wasn’t a low number even in terms of the whole and if that were to happen every time the Demons came then they might all die off.

nSo Hansoo’s of proposal of him taking over the problem with Demons was not bad.

nAnd the crystal wasn’t that tempting either.

n‘That’s just a trap.’

nIt wasn’t really attractive to the Clan Lords who had to save as many as possible from their clans even if the artifacts that could be gained from collecting those were good and even if the crystal could be used in emergencies.

nAnd the reason why they wanted to get it so bad was because it would be very straining if it were to fall into the hands of others.

nNo one knew what sort of crazy thing a Sovereign who had attained his own safety would do when things became dangerous.

nSince they could just escape even if the defenses fall.

n‘It’s just better for nothing to get solved.’

nHim monopolizing it all was the best option but this was impossible.

nThe many Clan lords distribute the crystals.

nThis was a good plan but it didn’t really mean much.

nThere won’t be much profit if you think of the numbers they would lose while acquiring the crystals as well as the fact that these would make it difficult to determine each other’s strength.

nAnd there were a few non-clansmen with a bit of strength.

nThese guys won’t hesitate to hit them from behind during the decisive moments of taking the crystal.

nSince they could just take the crystal and go up.

nIn whichever way, it was better if both the demons and crystals didn’t exist.

nThe fact that Hansoo would take everything didn’t differ much from the rule which said the drops from a monster which somebody killed goes to that person.

n‘Though it gets on my nerve that one person gets all the crystals…’

nHe also looked over the catalogue.

nIncredibly menacing artifacts were lined up.

nIf he had to choose between these things going into the clan lord’s hands or Hansoo’s hands then he would choose the latter.

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n‘Isn’t it crazy. Such a thing…’

nAn object that you could buy with 15 crystals.

nAll of your allies within 300 meters had all of their stats increased by 15% even if you were just holding it.

nAnd if you beat the drum, the effects were even more glorious.

nOne beat to increase the regeneration speed of those who heard it, two beats decreased the perception by 15% but increased strength and agility by 25% and three beats even increased resistances.

nYou couldn’t use it for 5 days once you beat it three times but even the thought of another clan other than his having this was frightening.

nAnd no matter how he looked at it, the worth of this thing was not merely 15 crystals.

nThe only reason he could think of as to why it had been listed as 15 crystals was one.

nIt was a price that seemed like could be gained if the clan lords hit and killed each other and fought.

nIf it was an absurd price such as 100 then he might’ve given up but 15 was pretty doable.

nAnd it seemed like every object on the catalog was like this.

nHe didn’t know if it was intentional but all the group use objects were much more formidable than self use objects.

nAs if it was promoting them to hit and receive hits from each other en masse.

n‘Wicked bastards.’

nGuktae clicked his tongue as he thought of the fairies.

nThen Sunghoon, one of the clansmen, standing next to him asked.

nA person who had gotten the position of a personal guard because he was his friend and most trusted person.

n“Then shall we give up making the special force?”

nGuktae shook his head at those words.

nThere was no rule saying that the special forces had to be used against Demons only.

n“Please keep preparing them. And… there probably is somebody who has known Hansoo since the first tutorial. Please find them no matter what and gain some intel. Whatever you can get.”

nSunghoon wholeheartedly nodded his heavy expression at those words.

nAnd Guktae threw another sentence at that Sunghoon:

n“And please go down there and find as many people with special psychic powers.”

n2000 people.

nIf you search then they would exist.

nPsychic powers that were good against Invisibility.

nNo, not just invisibility.

nHe had chosen people based on how good they were against other humans because he had thought power was the most important thing.

nThis was a miscalculation.

nEverything from that Demon to that guy called Hansoo.

nTheir opponents were not mere humans and problems that would be hard to solve with people who could swing their swords well will continue to come up from now on.

nIn order to prepare for all sorts of situations, he needed people with vastly different skills and psychic powers.

nHe had to prepare thoroughly from now on.

n‘It’s ok as long as I do it properly from now on.’

nHe had met a tiger after looking at deers until now.

nWhich meant he just had to prepare a way to deal with the tiger.

nSince when did humans fight against tigers barehanded.

n‘Still… it doesn’t seem like it’ll be hard to leave this island at this rate?’

nHansoo would take care of demons as others dealt with the undead in turns.

nHe didn’t want to acknowledge it but the rules were set up without much commotion thanks to Hansoo.

nCasualties would constantly occur but a lot of people could survive at this pace.

n‘But I should still prepare.’

nThere was no need to think of the tiger as a friend even if it is helping you.

nGuktae started to prepare as he thought of Hansoo who could be anywhere.

n……………………………

n“Wow… It seems like a lot more of us would survive than I thought?”

n“It seems so….”

nEveryone gazed at Hansoo who was fighting fiercely with the Demon in the distance.

nAt first there was a bit of a resistance when Hansoo said he would monopolize the crystals but after a while it was clear that it wasn’t a bad choice.

n‘Yeah. It’s already hard for us to have a look at crystals… It’s better for that guy to grapple around with Demons and for us to all ascend together alive.’

n20th day of the defense at this moment.

nThe amount of people alive was a huge number of 1300.

n600 had died but if they had gone up against the demon, and if the crystals were set loose, then the number of the people alive and dead would be reversed.

nBut Hansoo, who had cut off the Demon’s neck, shook his head.

n‘….Now the hidden piece will activate.’

nDefensive Battle.

nIt really didn’t suit his personality.

nBut despite that, he had been focusing on the defense whilst jumping around back and forth and killing off demons constantly.

nHe was managing with his best ability in order to gain crystals to arm himself and to set up the rules so no internal fights occurred.

nHe hadn’t even taken a step towards the Demon Lord’s Castle because he was also taking care of those who were trying to aim for his back.

nSince as long as the hidden piece didn’t activate, there was no point in going to the Demon Lord’s Castle.

nHansoo mumbled inwardly.

n‘I’m not sure if you guys coming back would have been better instead’

nHe had seen and learned from watching Keldian and Eres but he could only imitate them and do as well as them.

nBut Hansoo shook his head.

nIf it was something that could be solved with one strong sovereign then there was no reason for humanity to have gone extinct.

nHe had come back in order to do things that Eres couldn’t.

n‘Keeping more than 50% of the people alive by 20th day. I succeeded Eres. But didn’t I win this? I saved even more.’

nHansoo had a broad grin.

nHe couldn’t unify them as well as Eres but had reduced the damage from the Demons as much as possible so he saved even more.

nAnd when this happened, the fairy, who couldn’t watch the peacefulness of the people, appeared and the hidden piece got activated.

n‘It’s here.’

n“Hello! Everybody! It’s already the 20th day! The people here have really defended well! Normally there’s only around 500 alive by now.”

nAt these words the people made expressions full of pride as they still grinded their teeth.

nSince it felt like they **ed the fairy up from the fact that they dodged the hidden motives of the fairy and had defended in such an excellent way.

n‘If it stays like this…then we can ascend without many problems’

nBut the fairy grinned as it looked at those people.

n“But what do we do. It gets really bad from now on. Everyone, do you even know how to get out of this island?”

nEveryone mumbled about at those words.

nHow could they know such a thing?

nThe fairy laughed as it spoke.

n“Very simple. After a month, a portal will open from the crystal you guys had been defending. You guys can ascend higher through that.”

n“Huh…”

n“But there is a very slight problem. That crystal has a limit. Only 500 people can leave through that crystal.”

n“…”

n“What to do? Too many survived. Usually I don’t even need to come out… since occasions where more than 500 people surviving don’t happen often.”

nEveryone’s expressions started to gain an edge.

nThe current survivors were 1300.

nAnd if they defend in this spirit then at least 1000 could live.

nHowever, the amount that could leave was 500.

nBut then the fairy grinned whilst watching these people.

n“Don’t worry too much. There’s a place with a much larger crystal! There’s more than enough for all of you to escape through in that place!”

n“…where is that?”

nAs someone asked, the fairy grinned as it pointed to the Demon Lord’s Castle which could be seen from afar.

n“Over there. It normally doesn’t work but… I’ll start it up now. Heehee”

nHooooong.

nAt those words, a grand noise started to resonate from one location within the Demon Lord’s Castle and everyone who heard it grinded their teeth.

nAnd at the same time the people started to split up.

nAnd Hansoo also had a cold expression.

n‘It starts.’

nActually, this was more of a surprise event if you looked at it differently.

nIt was a hidden piece that didn’t happen unless the requirement of more than 50% living by the 20th day has been accomplished.

nSince if it was below that, the numbers would reduce to below 500 whilst defending.

nWould Eres have gone to the Demon Lord’s castle because she wanted to?

nEres didn’t know what would come out when he went there back then.

nHe didn’t know what he would gain but it was obvious that more people than if theyf were defending would die.

nIn a situation where Eres wanted as many people to live by combining their strengths, there was no reason for him to go.

nBut there was only one reason which made Eres head towards the Demon Lord’s Castle in such a situation.

nIt was all due to this damnable hidden piece.

nEres had defended too well.

nAnd ironically too many people had survived.

nWhile other teams couldn’t even keep 200 alive out of 2000 on average, Eres had kept over 1000 people alive before the 20th day arrived.

nIt was the result of firmly rejecting the mini-crystals and combining the people’s strengths.

nActually it wasn’t only Eres who had activated this Hidden piece.

nThere was a few times when people who had gained amazing traits and skills had fought well against the demons and forcefully united the remaining people in order to keep more than 1000 people alive has existed.

nAnd the people standing in front of the hidden piece had to make a decision.

nTo head towards the Demon Lord’s Castle despite the dangers.

nOr defend and defend… and have a huge battle royale in order to choose the 500 in the end.

nAnd after collecting all the intel from the Final Brigade, there was nobody he knew who had chosen the first option other than Eres.

nIt was obvious, since at least 500 could survive even if they didn’t go.

nAnd if the 500 people who could live said that they won’t go, the remaining people won’t be able to go anyway.

nSince they won’t have enough power.

n“We aren’t going. It’s better to focus on defending.”

n“We don’t have a reason to go either. Instead of everyone dying by going, let’s save 500.”

nThe forces split up and grouped up with Clan Lords as the center.

n‘He had taken these people huh.’

nHansoo started to admire Eres.

nAnd thought.

nThat he would never be able to become like Eres in his life.

nHansoo walked forward as he warmed up his body.

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