n

n‘Let’s see.’

nTaejin, one of the Lords, mumbled inwardly.

nHe didn’t know if the Demon Lord’s Castle was dangerous or not.

nBut he just needed to decide between the two.

nBetween whether his clansmen could be included within the 500 who would go up or not.

nIf that was possible then there was no reason for him to go to the Demon Lord’s Castle.

n‘I need to do some traffic control.’ (*TL: Where have we heard this before? o.o…)

n

nThere was a location where they had gathered one of their clansmen each for quick communication during times of emergency.

nAnd they could talk through these people and voice their opinions.

nIt was created for an emergency and if this situation wasn’t an emergency, what was this then?

nAnd their decisions had come to a consensus through the people who voiced the Lord’s opinions for them.

n

nIf they fight with other clans so they could take all of their members up with them then they would all die.

nIf that happened then even 300 of 500 was too much.

nThe best option was for the twelve clans to fill up the 500 spots one by one to ascend.

nIf that happened then they could at least take 40~50 people up with them.

nThey didn’t like the fact that all twelve clans ascended alive with similar ratios but it was still a profit.

nThey had gotten strong quickly by going through the underground dungeon and were armed with artifacts.

nThey didn’t know the situation in the other islands but if they took 40~50 elite members like them then they could still utilize them to an advantage above.

n‘This is solved for now.’

nOnce a consensus is met then an answer was set.

n

nIf they defended here then there was no such occurrences where the Clan Lords and their elite members couldn’t ascend.

nSince the problem between clans had been solved, the problem was now non-clansmen.

n‘Hmm…there’s quite a lot of non-clansmen.’

nIt was better the more people you had for defense but the story changes once the people who could live was set to 500.

nThe current total population was 1300.

nAbout 600 clansmen and 700 non-clansmen.

nThe non-clansmen felt uneasy joining clans after seeing the strange scene where people, who were on bad terms even to the point where they tried to kill each other, unnaturally and forcefully get reconciled through the symbols of the clansmen.

nThey would guarantee their safety but it was obvious that people will avoid it if they see their free will being controlled in such a way.

nAnd even more so if there was an existence above them called the Lord whom they had to listen to even if they were to command them to suicide.

nThey might’ve gone in if the situation was dangerous but the fact that the defense progressed flawlessly also contributed in keeping the ratio of clansmen and non-clansmen.

nBut there were too many non-clansmen currently to leave them to just die.

nIf only 600 clansmen are left then the casualties would increase at a shocking rate.

nSo they had to stop them from going.

nBut they didn’t need to stop them.

n“Our clan chooses to defend!”

n“Us too!”

nEvery clan started to shout their choice in defense from all over.

nAnd then all the non-clansmen mumbled.

n‘There’s no way they could leave’

nTaejin laughed inwardly.

nThe weak always had their choices limited.

nAnd now those people had to wait for their choices.

n…………………………………………

n‘Bitches…’

nSangtae, one of the people who were in a non-clansmen union, grinded his teeth.

n‘Dammit… I should’ve went into a clan when thing were normal.’

nBut he couldn’t go in from uneasiness after seeing the clansmen who had received the symbol.

nHe hadn’t joined a clan because he thought he could ascend without many problems if they defended like this but for such an unexpected event to happen.

n‘Well. Even if I did go in, I might’ve been cut.’

n500 was that low of a number.

nBut in such a case, something bad would happen.

nThere was no way they would leave a spot for the non-clansmen to ascend.

nSince they’ll be too busy trying to take all of their people.

nIt seemed like the other non-clansmen who were quick to catch on had realized this already as they mumbled about.

nThey had three paths they could choose from in that case.

nExclude the clansmen and head towards the Demon Lord’s Castle with non-clansmen.

nForm an alliance between the non-clansmen and fight the clan for the spot of 500.

nAnd final choice.

nStay with the clans to fight and hopefully wait for the empty spot that may come their way.

n‘Goddamit.’

nSangtae shook his head.

nIn reality the two options above were basically impossible.

nThe non-clansmen adventurers had long been ripped apart by the clans.

nThe two options above were only possible when they form an alliance and agree with each other to create a clan vs non-clan composition.

nBut if they only had the choice of choosing from the two above then they would’ve gathered their strength in some way.

nSince they couldn’t just sit and die.

nThe damnable fact was that hope still existed.

n‘The third option is the problem.’

nIf they continue to defend then the number of clansmen will go down.

nBut those guys probably want to fill up 500 completely to ascend.

nSince it was better the more you had if you thought of the place above.

nWhich meant, there will be space where non-clansmen would be able to come into.

nA much higher chance than the first two which had the chance of a complete massacre.

n‘Damn.. can’t really do anything then.’

nIf this happened then as long as they don’t think of getting all the non-clansmen to have a fight, they could only get on the good side of the clan unions.

nIt might be barely possible if the 700 remaining people gathered their strengths but if they were split like this then they had no choice.

n‘Fuck…As long as we group up then we might be able to do something.’

nActually the main point of this game was very simple.

nIf they split their power then both sides die.

nSo everyone had to choose one side.

nEither to defend or to attack.

nBut if one side advocates strongly then the other side could only obediently follow unless they were determined to have a battle royale.

nSo there was no way for the non-clan powers to win.

nSince the clan unions were unified in thought whilst the adventurers of non-clan powers were split up all around.

nAnd even if they were to emphasize that it was more beneficial for the clan unions, they could only get pushed around whilst holding onto a dim thread of hope.

nSangtae shouted loudly after pondering.

n‘This can’t go on like this.’

n“Hey! Is there nobody to go with me! Damnit! You know what will happen if you stay here!”

nA few non-clansmen fliched at these words but nobody had walked out on their own.

n‘Damnit…’

nBut while the Clan Lords were looking at Sangtae with ridicule, one person came out from the crowd and walked up next to Sangtae.

nAnd Sangtae frowned as he saw this.

nSince a person that was totally out of the expectation had walked out.

n“Why are you all so surprised?”

nHansoo, who had walked out into the eyes of the people, shrugged his shoulders as he looked at them.

n“….if you stay here then you will definitely be part of the 500 though.”

nHansoo chuckled at Sangtae’s words as he spoke.

n“Well. There’s always personal circumstances. I’m going to the Demon Lord’s Castle.”

nAnd then one of the non-clansmen shouted with hope.

nEveryone knew.

nThat Hansoo had a strange psychic power.

n‘Did he perhaps… choose to go to the Demon Lord’s Castle because he knows something?’

n“If we follow you, will it be safe?”

nThe reason why their ankles were caught was because they could not even imagine how dangerous the road to the Demon Lord’s castle would be.

nSince if there was a confirmation for such a thing, there was no reason to stay around here.

nHansoo shrugged his shoulders at those words.

n“I don’t know. The same amount of 500 might survive if we go there, or maybe even less”

nWill more survive if they all combined their strength to head towards the Demon Lord’s Castle?

nHe didn’t even know this.

nSince there are too many factors.

nBut he knew one thing for certain.

nIf they stay here then no more than 500 can survive.

nIf 600 were to survive in the end, will the remaining 100 peacefully die?

nOf course there will inevitably be a collision and the others who aren’t part of the 500 will die.

nOn the other hand, Eres had managed to ascend with 600 people out of 1000 after choosing to go to the Demon Lord’s Castle.

nHansoo chuckled as he saw the dejected looks on the people as he spoke.

n“But if you aren’t part of a clan it’s better to go. If you stay here then the ones taking the risk are you so why would you try to stay here.”

nEven if they were die off the same way, it was a problem of ratio in the end.

nEven if the same amount of people die on the way as they would if they defended, once they arrive there then they can ascend together.

nBut on the other hand, if they were stay and defend and succeed the non-clansmen who aren’t chosen by the clansmen would all die.

nAt those words, the expressions of everybody who had been pondering this turned fierce as the mumbling got louder.

n“I’m going.”

nTaehee questioned Hyunwoo’s words which he spoke out after hearing the story.

nThe Hyunwoo she knew was a safety-first believer.

nBut then he was risking on such a dangerous looking gamble.

n“Really?”

nHyunwoo smirked as he spoke.

n“There’s something I had found out about him separately.”

nThere once was a movement that went around in order to collect intel about Hansoo.

nAnd as such movements occurred, Hyunwoo became curious as well.

nNo, this was not only Hyunwoo’s question.

nEveryone was curious about that guy fighting there.

nSince it was weirder to be not curious about that guy who was so eye catching.

nAnd so the rumors of rumors and opinions of opinions combined.

nIt started from the people who had been with Hansoo since the 1st tutorial area and went up to the people who had seen Hansoo so far where the intel grouped up and got organized.

nAnd the conclusion that came from it.

n‘He can be trusted.’

nSurprisingly they said he was strong from the start.

nThere were plenty of ways to take advantage of others in the beginning.

nHe could kill people to pull runes.

nOr he could hunt and steal all the runes by suppressing others with his strength.

nBut he wasn’t like that.

nNo, he was actually extremely thorough in distribution.

nHe had eaten things to the point where it was close to monopolization but as they heard, he only fought in dangerous places.

nWhich was the same if you looked at him fighting the demons right now.

n‘And I like the fact that he doesn’t get swept around by useless emotions the most.’

nOne of the things he hated the most were people who wanted to get carried around.

nBut as they heard, if they couldn’t pay up for their own worth then he did not care about them.

nOf course they couldn’t confirm just by piecing together rumors.

nThere was just one important fact.

nThat others were probably thinking the same way as him.

n‘The chance has come.’

nIt has been a while since the rumor of him being rather trustable had been going around.

nSince he proved it with his actions rather than words.

nHe didn’t neglect in hunting down the undead while taking down Demons.

nAnd because of that he was worth having as the center.

nAnd they had to group up in order to break the game where the clans were the center.

nIf they go on with the current situation, the clans won’t have to take any risks while they had to shoulder all of the risk.

nThe non-clansmen adventurers would die off in piles even if they chose to defend.

nAnd the ones who couldn’t get into clans would be thrown off in the end.

nHyunwoo shouted loudly as he walked towards Hansoo.

n“I’m following!!!”

nAnd then Hyunwoo discreetly poked Taehee.

n“Hey. You follow too while shouting loudly.”

nTaehee chuckled as she shouted.

n“I’m going too! Dick-like clan bastards!”

n‘…you don’t have to go that far. Why is this girl’s mouth so dirty?’

nWell whatever happened, as the two walked out straightforwardly as they shouted, mumbles were heard from all around then curses were heard as well.

n“Eyy. Bitches. Being bossed around is annoying!”

n“I’m going too! Fuck! There’s no way that the fairy would have set it so only one of attack or defense would be easy!”

nThey weren’t heading out because they were just pissed.

nSince it was an important judgment where their lives were at stake.

nBut if they carried on like this then the situation will flow the way the clans wanted after they swing back and forth under the clan’s dominion.

nThey were confident that this was more dangerous than going to the Demon Lord’s Castle.

n“This crazy…you can’t move! It’s not child’s play, why would you move at such incitements…”

nWhile a clansmen got flustered and tried to stop them after seeing everyone moving and mumbling, something ruthlessly flew down and embedded itself from the sky.

nBoooom!

n“Huuuuurrk!”

n“Why are you blocking them when they’re saying they’ll go on their own feet. Leave them be.”

nHansoo smirked as he spoke.

nThe Clan Lords turned gloomy as they saw the giant chain sickle which had flown from Hansoo and landed in front of the clansmen’s foot.

nIt was a weapon Hansoo brought back one day whilst fighting the Demons.

nThey had known what this was.

nSince it was on the catalogue.

n

nCost.

n60 crystals.

nAn armament that couldn’t even be compared to which costs 15.

nFrom the beginning the fairies probably didn’t expect that someone who would buy such a thing would come out .

nSince they probably didn’t think that there could be a guy who could monopolize all the Demons that came out.

n“You guys over there should think about it again? Since a man’s thoughts can change.”

nGuktae clenched his teeth as he looked at Hansoo who was talking to them whilst retrieving the chains.

n‘Damnit… He’s the problem again.’

nThe thing that made so many people move was not the words that Hansoo had spoken.

nThe core point was the actions and the power that grinded the Demons which Hansoo had shown while defending.

nHe might’ve been less annoyed if they struggled to form a non-clansmen union but the fact that this had happened because a guy who didn’t do anything and only hunted stepped out and spoke a few words annoyed him even more.

nBecause the effort in which they put in to gather people and have a power struggle felt like it was being mocked.

n‘Damnable bastard.’

nGuktae was locked in worry as he looked at the 200 non-clansmen who were running behind Hansoo and were increasing rapidly.

n‘Do I need to pull out the special forces?’

nGuktae pondered if he should forcibly shut this situation down with the hidden piece that he had prepared for a moment but he shook his head instead.

nIf they were to collide in this situation, it would be a battle royale.

n‘I’ll follow your orders for now.’

nGuktae started to quickly converse with the other Clan Lords.

n