◈ 348. [Side Story] New Year’s Day (4)
“This is the king who commanded the ‘Goblin Invasion’ that swallowed a third of the entire world in the western part of the continent. The damage suffered at that time was so great that it is said that the western part of the continent has not yet been able to recover the damage at that time.”
In the area from the center of the continent to the west, there is the Principality of Bringer. Further west from here are a few small city-states in the desert.
It was because of the goblins at that time that the western part of the continent was so uniquely empty.
‘I wasn’t that strong in the game… … .’
I was honestly perplexed. Jackal was so serious about the goblins that he perceived as a bonus stage, and he didn’t know how to explain.
“Usually goblins can’t use their brains and their strength is weak. They are weak creatures that only run around in groups, but it was different under the god-king.”
“How was it?”
“I gathered goblins scattered across the continent under my command, organized an army, and systematically commanded it. Created, issued, and mastered the equipment. And the war of conquest began.”
The jackal swallowed dryly and explained.
“Numerous other dynasties perished because of his skillful mercenary skills. It is said that all the kingdoms of the western part of the continent were swept away helplessly even though they said they were at the cutting edge of magical civilization. At this time, only the number of collapsed kingdoms is said to exceed ten.”
“… .”
“Fortunately, the assassins sent by the Allied Forces managed to assassinate the God King, and the Goblin God King army, which had no replacement, disintegrated… They say the situation is over. It was after the West had already become a mess.”
The God King was resurrected here in the Lake Kingdom.
And in this boss stage, we are preparing to invade Inse again… … .
‘… Jackal is right. We must not be vigilant.’
I corrected my slack mind.
No matter how great of an enemy he actually is. To think that the game was a bit easy, and to be relieved. wake up me!
Didn’t you make a wish that no one would die in the temple just this morning?
In order to do that, you always have to tighten your consciousness. always… !
“Anyway, you know me very well. Isn’t that what it used to be anyway?”
“Because I’m from the West… . In the West, people still shudder at the mention of the Goblin God King. If you say that name to a crying child, it will stop.”
The jackal sighed and looked up at his Colosseum.
“Anyway, that’s why all the goblins under my command have gone under the God King, and restoring this place is still a long way off… … How long will it take to complete the project alone?”
“… .”
Hearing that, I raised my eyebrows.
Anyway, there is still some time left before the next defense. In the meantime, let’s take a look at this for a moment.
“Hey Jackal. I’ll help restore the Colosseum, so instead… … Can you help me in this defense battle?”
Then the jackal got down on one knee in front of me with a serious face.
“Your Highness, I am already your servant. If you need me, no matter what! Just give me orders!”
“Of course I will. But since the role you need is that of the owner of the Colosseum… … .”
I woke up and saw a flag with a jackal’s face waving miserably in the middle of the Colosseum.
“Instead, let’s change the flag to mine.”
It seems that the place where the next [Imperial Declaration] will be used has been decided.
***
On the way to the dungeon, I came to Area 1 [Dry Drainage], which I had previously occupied.
This is because new resources are created in occupied dungeons. This resource can be collected at the end of each stage.
So, what is that resource?
[Reward for occupying the dry drainage in Area 1]
– N-grade reward box: 1
Yes.
It’s a random box… … .
Since the occupation is over and farming is no longer possible, dungeon exploration clear rewards are provided for free at every stage.
In certain areas, unique materials or consumables are created, but in areas like this, which are not so distinctive, they just spit out random boxes.
After recovering the N-grade gray box created in the middle of the dungeon room, which was originally a boss room, I smacked my lips bitterly. It’s a reward down to District 1.
Well, in the long run, it’s a good thing to be able to farm additional boxes for each stage by occupying multiple areas… … In the end, you have to play random pranks again.
‘Come to think of it, the boxes have been piled up in the meantime.’
The reward boxes from Stage 11 were unopened and collected. I think I’m going to have to get rid of all of them.
I tossed the box in my hand and rode the teleport gate back to the mansion. I think I’ve been working pretty hard for New Year’s Day.
Flash!
As soon as I returned to the mansion, I returned to my room and spilled the reward boxes I had collected on the bed.
‘A few N grades, 20 R grades… … A little less, and 3 SR ratings… … .’
It might be a way to open them all.
I’m going to use a slightly different number this time. I opened the system window and opened the achievement shop.
This time, Ader Nome updated the Achievement Shop a little with [Guardis Blessing], and I was thinking of purchasing one of them and using it.
Its function is-
[Reward Box Synthesizer]
This is it!
This is a function that combines a certain number of lower level reward boxes and upgrades them to the next level reward box.
The formula is:
> Synthesis of 10 N-rank boxes → 1 R-rank box
> Synthesis of 10 R-rank boxes → 1 SR-rank box
> 5 SR-rank boxes synthesis → 1 SSR-rank
box … In the case of now that the game is on track to some extent, it is better to synthesize and aim for high-grade equipment than to open N-grade R-grade and collect useless consumables or equipment.
‘It was a function supported by the game.’
Even if the number of boxes is a little short, it is possible to synthesize it by adding magic materials to fill the points.
It was a lottery inside a lottery, and I was in agony, but the viewers loved it… … .
Tring!
After consuming the achievement points to purchase the function, I started synthesizing the boxes in earnest.
N-rank boxes and R-rank boxes and the lack of numbers are poured with a little magic material… … Finally, it was synthesized into two SR grade boxes.
Flash!
The gray box and the blue box disappeared with a purple effect, and then two purple boxes rolled out. hmm not bad
‘Five SR grade boxes, including the original three… … This is enough to aim for the jackpot.’
Five Purple Boxes!
You will be able to pick up a good enough tem. I reached out to open the box… … .
“… .”
… I stopped stretching and glanced at the synthesis formula of the [Compensation Box Synthesizer].
> Synthesis of 5 SR grade boxes → 1 SSR grade box
“… .”
no.
no no That’s not it.
That’s real efficiency garbage. You’re an idiot if you cheat like that.
Come to your senses! I’ve converted that a few times in the game, but only shit items came out! Seriously, I wonder if this nickname is ‘Reward Fireworks’! Your rewards are exploding!
‘Don’t be fooled! Don’t be fooled! Don’t be fooled-‘Titling
!
“Dehehehe?!”
But my hand was moving wildly without my knowledge, and I was squeezing five purple boxes into the synthesizer. Aww! stop-!
Degururu.
“… oh.”
committed it
I opened my mouth slightly as I looked down at the golden box in my hand.
‘It’s okay, something good will come out. There’s almost no chance of going bad in the SSR, right?’
Aim for a more certain shot! Never addicted to drawing!
After swallowing a dry saliva, I vigorously opened the box.
“Did you get an opening item?!”
And what came out with the dazzling golden effect was the
[Great Commander’s Flag Fragment] (3/5)
– One of the five pieces of [The Great Commander’s Flag (EX)] exclusive equipment for character ‘Ash’.
– When all five pieces are collected, one flag is completed.
It was a piece of flag… .
“… .”
flutter flutter.
Fragments of the shredded flag fluttered, appealing their presence in the box. It’s inanimate, but I want to kill it.
“still… how… We are gathering… … .”
He gritted his teeth and murmured.
The crystallization of all the blood, sweat and tears collected from stages 11 to 14… … The crystallization of our friendship, effort and labor… … A piece of flag that can’t even be used right now… … !
‘Will the effect of the finished item be enough to overturn the world? Just don’t do that… … I will kill Ader.’
I threw a piece of the flag into my inventory while sending a death notice to the guilty director.
Anyway, chapter three. If I collect two more, I will also have a dedicated equipment.
Let’s think good… … .
‘… I’m going to go to the smithy tomorrow and do some indiscriminate shopping.’
As much as the heartache I suffered today, I’ll have to wear some gear tomorrow… … .
***
Is it thanks to the hot New Year’s stew? Or was it because he received the blessings of the Goddess at the temple? Or was it because I was lying down and getting some fresh air?
When I woke up the next day, I felt refreshed. The body is completely fine.
‘I’ll be able to accelerate my preparations for the next defensive battle.’
There was no reason to delay. I started getting active right away.
First, I stopped by the alchemy workshop. It was to promote the completion of the Defense Tower – [Magic Turret], which had been requested for research the other day, but it was in the final stage.
“It looks like the research will be completed sometime today.”
“Good. I plan to test it in the afternoon, so please wait until then.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After leaving the workshop while being escorted by the Alchemy Guild Leader.
After that, I stopped by the mercenary guild.
Due to the previous spy incident, an additional step was added to the identification process, but even after being filtered out, quite a few mercenaries were waiting in the guild.
I don’t see any particularly outstanding parties, but the overall level has gone up. You will now see more R-rank heroes than N-rank heroes.
Quickly skimming through the list, I closed the file and gave a concise order.
“Hire them all.”
“I understand, sir. but… .”
Lucas, who had followed me, was speechless, so I looked at him incredulously.
“but?”
“Suddenly, the barracks are saturated. It’s still fine, but if you hire more at this rate, you’ll run out of accommodation for your mercenaries.”
The number of troops that can be accommodated in the facilities of the Crossroads here is a little over 3,000, but this time it exceeded 2,000.
You might think that it can still accommodate a thousand more, but just last stage 10, the number of troops was a little over one thousand.
But right now, ahead of stage 15, it’s 2,000. In less than a few months, the army doubled.
If this trend continues, it will soon fill the acceptance threshold of 3,000. That’s what Lucas pointed out.
“Contact the Carpenter’s Guild and the Masonry’s Guild. Requested to build additional barracks. Let’s meet tomorrow and have a meeting.”
“Would you like to increase your troops?”
“There will be more monsters. For us, the higher the number, the better.”
It’s money anyway, as the number of monsters increases, the income from magic stones soars, so it’s all covered.
Even now, thanks to the Winter Silver Merchants distributing magic stones all over the continent, there is quite a bit of money.
However, the place of the dead is not easily filled.
For a successful attack, it would be better to maintain an overwhelming amount of power so that the monster can be stopped with as little damage as possible.
‘We need a hero more than anything else. Advanced hero… … .’
Again, the number of regular soldiers was generously expanded, but the number of hero characters was insufficient. In particular, there were no advanced heroes higher than SR grade.
‘hotel! hotel! We have to build a hotel with a casino!’
The ground is being prepared now, and construction of the hotel will begin in earnest after the cold weather passes.
Then, one by one, high-ranking mercenaries who are possessed by the casino will appear. My tourist city plan, please show the effect quickly… … !
Anyway, I’ll have to be content with this for now. I got up. Now I have to go to the smithy and shop for equipment.
He was about to leave the mercenary guild with Lucas.
jump!
The door of the mercenary guild was swung open, and five giants limped inside.
He wore thick armor over his large body, and his entire body, visible through the gaps in the armor, was wrapped in bandages like a mummy.
The face was also wrapped in bandages or covered with a robe, hood, or helmet.
Their bodies smelled of herbs and diseased spirits. The mercenaries in the guild, who recognized their identity, retreated in fright.
“Hey?!”
“I’m the ‘Leper Squad’… !”
“Why are these monsters here?!”
The other mercenaries stunned and moved away from them, as if they had seen something they couldn’t see, and Lucas was also full of vigilance.
But I was against it.
Involuntarily, my eyes twinkled and my spine stiffened with a thrill of joy.
‘Happy New Year, Holly Molly!’
It seems that this year has been very lucky from the beginning.
That would be
brilliant.
It was because a beautiful purple glow was shining behind the backs of these five gloomy and dangerous-looking giants.
All of these friends are SR-rank mercenaries!
I was so happy that I unknowingly smiled brightly and shouted with open arms.
“Welcome to Crossroads!”
“… ?”
The five giants, as if they were embarrassed by my attitude, stood still as they entered through the door.
