◈ 544. [STAGE 31] Scarecrow (4)
“Knowing how to give up efficiently is also a king’s virtue. Prince Ash. Blindly pursuing an ideal is nothing but selfishness and brazenness in the end.”
“… .”
“The world calls a leader who knows how to find a good compromise between the ideal and reality. If you can’t do that, you’re just a dark soldier.”
Diarmudin, who spit out the story he had heard then, asked me.
“Which one are you? Do you want to walk the path of Myeonggun or tumble down to Amgun?”
“… .”
My contradictory way of acting, saying that I would fight to save the world and that I would save even one more ally on the frontline.
My contradiction in trying to balance the continuation of this increasingly harsh battlefield with human life.
In the meantime, it was possible to keep together, but these two goals are collapsing with each other in dissonance in the face of the enemy’s offensive, which has become stronger in the third year.
Know.
Blindly insisting that you won’t let your allies die, and acting recklessly and overreacting is something that only immature children would do.
This is a frontline, and losses are inevitable.
We have already lost a lot in the past and will continue to lose in the future. Isn’t that an accepted fact?
But nonetheless.
“… majesty.”
if there is a way
If there is a way to save people who are suffering right in front of their eyes. If there are obvious possibilities along the way.
Shouldn’t we at least try?
“I have something to tell you, Your Highness.”
It was Janice who approached me.
When I gestured to her to speak, Janice hesitated for a moment, then spoke resolutely.
“… There is a way.”
“How?”
“If the fear state of the captive ally is magic cast by the enemy, I think I can solve it.”
The various heroes around them became surprised.
But I wasn’t surprised. I knew it from the start, and I was rolling it in my head, including Zenith’s ability.
It’s just that I hesitated.
“If that scarecrow monster magically feared it, I might be able to dispel it. but… .”
“but?”
“… The distance has to be close.”
This hogu-headed man right in front of you.
Because it was a strategy that had to be thrown to death.
***
Zenith’s skill set is as follows.
passive. [Give us peace (Dona Nobis Pacem)].
It is one step further enhanced from the normal healing magic passive, healing light, and it is possible to ‘remove status abnormalities’ along with recovery.
It was thanks to this skill that I was able to cancel the ‘petrification’ status ailment of my allies during the battle of the Gorgon Sisters the other day.
And this time, the scarecrow army’s ‘fear’ status ailment can also be canceled with this.
Next skill 1 and 2.
1 skill. [Deus Non Vult].
2 skills. [God wants it (Deus Lo Vult)].
Skill 1 is a skill that increases the defense power worn on the body by forming an armor part made of divine power. Skill 2 is an attack power increase skill that forms a weapon made of holy power to attack the enemy.
The effect looks simple, but the increase in defense and attack power is quite large. In addition, since it depends on the application of divine power, the uses are endless.
But in this battle, it’s not that important… … Ultimate is important now.
ultimate. [If you want peace, prepare for war (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum)].
If viewers of the classics were watching, would they have shortened it to ‘Pyeongwon Jeonjun’?
It is an ultimate skill that has a very outstanding effect, and it can apply the effect of skill 1 and skill 2 to all allies within a certain range.
In other words, it is possible to heal allies within a certain range, recover status ailments, equip them with divine power armor, or lift divine power weapons.
It is a powerful skill completed by Zenith, an SSR-class priest, as an area healer and area buffer.
However, it has three problems as well as outstanding performance.
First, only one effect can be activated at a time.
Healing health, canceling abnormal conditions, increasing defense, increasing attack power.
Well, to say it’s a problem so far is just a bit disappointing. What follows is the real problem.
second. have to be close
All of Zenith’s skills are close combat specifications.
From passive to direct contact with an ally, the effect is activated. Not to mention Skill 1 and Skill 2, it is a skill that sticks to the enemy and fights.
The ultimate is also a way to give effects to allies around you, but of course you have to go directly around the allies who will receive the effect.
Well, up to this point, I can say it’s not bad, but… … .
third. Zenith cannot move for 1 turn before and after using this skill.
First of all, it takes 1 turn, or 3 minutes of casting time, to use. You have to stop still and concentrate your mind for 3 minutes.
And after using it, regardless of how many allies within range and how much holy power was used, you will be exhausted for another 3 minutes.
Normally, the healer moves with allies, so it might be a penalty worth taking.
But now, all the opponents I need to recover with this ultimate have been caught by the enemy, and when I sense this, I jump up and down.
Even if you luckily use the skill in the range, you are still in the middle of the enemy line.
If you get exhausted for 3 minutes after using it, it’s like shouting “kill me!”
‘It’s really embarrassing to put one demerit on a good skill like this just to strike a balance!’
I don’t want to make difficult choices! I want to write a lot of balance-destroying characters who overuse ignorance OP skills! Why don’t you understand people’s hearts? This bastard’s fantasy world!
“after.”
I sighed and clicked my tongue at Janice.
“Okay, let’s get close. But then can you restore it properly? Sensing you, those scarecrows will run to kill you.”
“There is a way. I’m sure His Highness knows that too.”
Janice looked at me gently. I narrowed my brows in dissatisfaction.
Lucas, who was standing between them and looking around, asked curiously.
“What is that method, lord?”
“… They get caught on purpose.”
I reluctantly explained.
“Zenith was deliberately captured by the enemy scarecrow and dragged into the heart of the enemy legion… That’s where you use the wide-area recovery skill.”
“Is that possible? Aren’t you controlled by the fear of your enemies at the point of captivity?”
“Zenith has magic to heal abnormal conditions, so she can solve her fears on her own.”
I should be able to assist with [Indomitable Commander] from a distance.
They don’t pay much attention to captive victims, so even while chained to the scarecrow, Janice will be able to use her ultimate.
Then there’s the problem… … .
“After I release the fears of the captives, Your Highness and all of you can come and rescue me. Isn’t this a pretty good chance?”
“… .”
I sighed at Janice, who spoke calmly.
“I might really die, Janice.”
“If this continues, all those caught there will surely die. I think it’s a gamble worth taking.”
“… I just want to ask you something.”
I was genuinely suspicious and asked.
“Are you the type to feel joy while sacrificing for others? Or just… … A masochist? Is that so?”
Janice smiled bitterly.
“no.”
“But why are you doing this?”
“I survived because of the good will of others. Even if I don’t give as much as I receive, I won’t run away when I can.”
“You are a priest… .”
no priest right really.
Zenith had already returned his priestly uniform and could no longer wear his last name, which he used to do out of habit, but this man was smiling kindly anyway.
“… One more question.”
I shot coldly.
“You’re not just looking for a place to die, are you?”
“… .”
“Now that you have been dismissed as a priest, aren’t you just trying to die a nice and rewarding death? I will never tolerate it for that reason.”
Janice opened her mouth a few times, then shook her head with a bitter smile.
“… I honestly can’t say I don’t have that kind of heart.”
See how honest this guy is.
“therefore… Your Highness, please save me.”
Janice looked towards the outpost.
“According to our doctrine, a priest cannot commit suicide. I will throw myself into a dangerous place, so that Your Highness and everyone… … Please save me.”
“… .”
Eventually, I nodded.
“It’s dangerous, but worth the walk.”
“Prince Ash!”
Diarmudin, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, shouted.
“Are you really going to ignore my advice?!”
“… .”
“Those who should die should die, and those who should live should live! Why can’t you make such basic judgments?!”
There are no wrong opinions here.
It all makes sense. The same goes for Diarmudin.
Still, I made up my mind.
“We will carry out the operation while maintaining the safety line. However, just in case, Lord Diarmudin, please do not participate in this operation and watch from afar.”
Diarmudin’s face contorted. I glanced at the old wizard and nodded.
“And in case we are wiped out, please return to Crossroads and come up with a countermeasure.”
“… .”
“I will trust you. The ivory tower owner.”
An operation was assembled in my head.
Turning away from Diarmudin, I clapped and shouted to my men.
“Okay, no time! Explain the operation immediately!”
I gave a command to my subordinates who looked at me with nervous faces.
“Operation name… Hit the scarecrow 10,000 times!”
“… ?”
The strange name of the operation made all of his subordinates look puzzled.
No, when it comes to MMORPG, it was common sense to raise stats by hitting 10,000 scarecrows in a beginner village!
Scarecrows are always so damn good!
***
After my instructions, everyone started preparing for the operation.
I also went into preparation. This time, it was a situation where I had to use all my abilities.
“Good after.”
I held the ceremonial longsword-Nightmare Slayer [Light and Shadow] in my hand.
“The time has come for me to use my trump card.”
With a cool pose (of course, I don’t know a thing about swordsmanship), I slowly drew out the long sword for the ceremony, but a crooked voice flew in.
“Do you know how to use a sword?”
It was Bonama or Diarmudin.
Diarmudin was hovering around me restlessly as if he was dying of concern for us even though he was making a fuss. I chuckled.
“This is not a sword.”
“It looks like a sword even though it’s a ceremonial one with no blade… .”
“I made it look like that. In fact, that is not the case.”
After unsheathing the sword, I held a ceremonial longsword [Light] in my right hand and a sheath [Shadow] in my left hand.
“Dear Mudin. All of your advice makes sense.”
“… .”
“But I can’t reach the ending I want if I handle everything in my own way.”
What I am trying to reach is neither a normal ending nor a good ending.
True ending – true ending.
Breaking reason, breaking laws, breaking limits, and only at the end can you grab hold of it.
therefore.
“I will show my force through my group into this world as I wish.”
Save people who should die,
clear stages that cannot be cleared, and
reach unreachable endings.
In order to do that, I will endlessly repeat the fuss, the fuss, the fuss. It’s okay to point fingers at them for being reckless, stupid, or full of stubbornness.
okay. Because this is the path I chose.
Diarmudin shook his head, laughing as if it was absurd.
“Did you know? That mindset… .”
“I know even if you don’t say anything.”
It’s not like cancer.
Myeonggun never asked for it.
What I was meant to be was from the beginning… … !
Bingle!
I turned the ceremonial longsword [Light] so that the handle was facing down.
Then, after placing the sword sheath [Shadow] on the handle,
click-!
combined the two
The deformation gimmick designed by Kelly Bey works, and the long sword handle and combined scabbard become longer.
Thus, the [Light and Shadow] held in my hand looked like a long spear
… … It looked like a flagpole.
