V51C1P4 – The Star of Palrangka

“I will accept your challenge.”

Five heroes of the Bromba Kingdom, and seven royal knights from the Kelton Kingdom… Weed raised his Loa Sword to face them. The warriors who had come to defeat the evil Necromancer were felled one after another by the excellent swordsmans.h.i.+p of the said Necromancer. Each time they exchanged blows with their weapons on horseback, their power could not match their opponent’s and their techniques were overwhelmed. The heroes used skills to fight him, but the Necromancer penetrated through their weak points and struck them down in a single hit.

“Kuargh… You have such formidable skills with your sword, yet you resort to summoning the undead?”

“Well, a villain always tries harder.”

As he was dealing with the heroes, Weed felt that he had definitely become stronger than before.

‘It looks like my combat power has increased by more than 15% while I pa.s.sed through the Path of Struggle, though I need to fight more to know for sure. There have been quite a lot of improvements in my abilities, including stats, skills, and the increased self-recovery power as a Destroyer of Struggle.’

More heroes from the Bromba Kingdom and knights from the Kelton Kingdom were gathering.

“We may be enemies, but now it’s time to put our strength together.”

“To eliminate that Necromancer, we need to cooperate.”

Weed had to draw his Thunder Spear as well in order to fight multiple opponents on horseback.

“Taste the power of Bromba’s authentic Helanberg Spear Technique!”

“Kelton’s swords are not weak. Take this! Barret Sword Skill!”

Weed galloped his horse, fighting with the Bromba warriors on his left and the Kelton Knights on his right as he charged forward.

“Kyyyaaa!”

Princess Remi was too busy screaming on top of her lungs to do much of anything. Spears and swords brushed past her body even as Weed was protecting her.

The warriors from the Bromba Kingdom attacked both of them without discrimination but those from the Kelton Kingdom, a nation known for its chivalry, deliberately avoided aiming their strikes anywhere near Princess Remi.

‘I’ll still block everything, just to be safe.’

Weed moved his sword and spear continuously and deflected all the attacks.

*Dudududu!*

Quick exchanges of attack and defense while riding on horseback! Unlike a warrior, his profession did not provide any skill that would enable him to protect another person, so he had to block each attack by himself manually. As Weed was overwhelming his enemies in terms of basic strength, each time he pushed off their weapons both the knights facing him and their horses reeled from the impact.

< You have defeated Mandal’s famous knight, Dekanje, who was also known as the Swordsman of Devilish Skills. Your Fame in Combat increases by 31.>

< You have subdued Count Nedal Delishar of the Bromba Royal Army.>

It was difficult to fight multiple enemies at once on horseback, but that also made it more fun. Weed followed the demand of his heart that had been burning with combative spirit ever since his venture through the Path of Struggle, and fully enjoyed the dangerous battle.

< A true hero of the Bromba Kingdom, Ongrim has lost his life to your sword.

Your Fame in Combat increases by 1,382 points.

Your Sword Mastery skill proficiency increases greatly.>

< Due to repeated battles, 1 layer of the magical seal on Thunder Spear was lifted.>

Weed checked the status of the spear after seeing this message window that was showing something other than his accomplishments in battle.

“Appraisal!”

< Sealed Thunder Spear: Durability 136/150. Attack Power: 146 ~ 223.

The greatest masterpiece of the supremely skilled dwarven blacksmiths Rondhand!

In his later years, Rondhand the dwarf tried to instill his weapons with the destructive power of nature itself, which was beyond any simple magical item.

After being tempered dozens of times, this spear was cast away on a mountain that was constantly hit by unending lightning strikes somewhere in the Subain Kingdom. Having endured several hundreds of millions of lightning bolts, the spear was finally reborn into a new weapon that contains the power of thunder within it.

# Requirements :

Can be used by Knights only

Level 570 or higher.

Advanced Level 6 in Spear mastery skill.

# Options :

Has the ability to call forth a lightning strike — through spending the user’s mana, the spear will summon thunderbolts that sweeps a certain area.

Confers 97% immunity to all lightning-type spells, and the weapon can absorb the spells’ power.

Increases the effects of all lightning-type spells and attack skills by 228%.

Improves Attack Speed by 21%.

If an enemy’s weapon touches the spear, there is a fixed chance of sending an electric shock to that enemy.

In the event of dealing a critical hit to an enemy that is weaker than the user, there is a 33% chance of stunning that enemy.

If seven hits are successfully carried out, the spear will randomly either generate chain lightning in the vicinity or form a lightning s.h.i.+eld.

Enables the user to use the following lightning type skills: Ascending Thunderbolt, Thunder Wave, Lightning Storm, Lightning Shake,

Thunderbolt Centered Offense

and Area Sweeping Thunder [1].

# Currently, the power of Thunder Spear is sealed:

The spear can presently unleash only 76% of its maximum attack power. The seal on the spear will be released when it is used by a person with sufficient combat capacity. >

As Weed’s spear skills improved, the seal that was locking Thunder Spear’s true power was also slowly being lifted. Eventually, the heroes that had come to get Weed were completely annihilated, unfortunate as it was.

The Defeat of Justice!

“Rise, restless, sleepless spirits. Take revenge on the living souls, the ones who killed you! Dead Rise.”

Whenever he recovered enough mana Weed would summon a large amount of additional undead creatures in the area where Van Hawk was fighting.

“Kill the Necromancer!”

“We can’t keep fighting like this. That Necromancer is the true enemy of the Kross Kingdom!”

The royal armies from the various kingdoms that had been engaged in battle among themselves began to target the undead.

On top of that, now there was an army of almost 10,000 soldiers marching toward Weed.

“I see they’ve finally reached their make-or-break moment. Corpse Explosion!”

Making gigantic chain explosions after luring the enemies towards him!

< You have gained a large amount of experience points. >

< Your Notoriety has increased by 84. >

< Due to merciless slaughter by the undead, the power of the dead has increased by 61. >

Weed did not miss the moment when the opportunity presented itself, and thereby gained great combat accomplishments!

He used the wide range of the battleground, fell back, and found good places for ambush.

“Van Hawk. Take a squad of Skeleton Soldiers with you and run north. We have to push the enemies back.”

“I will kill them all.”

“No, just push them back.”

He induced the troops including paladins or priests to fight against the armies from the other hostile kingdoms, rather than against his undead legion. The undead would not necessarily lose even if they did fight, but he tried to maintain the enmity between those nations.

“Van Hawk. This time, strike the Mapon Kingdom and save the troops from the Kross Kingdom “

“Understood.”

He even occasionally made attempts to keep the balance between different forces in the battle as needed. As he led the flow of the battlefield, he gained more combat accomplishments.

< You have gained experience points. >

His experience points were acc.u.mulating at a frightening rate!

< The Annihilation of the Conner royal army! You have made a distinct achievement as a commander of war.

Your Fame increases by 374 points. >

Combat, combat, combat, combat!

The undead had grown stronger, more agile, and numerous.

< The Skeleton soldiers have won a significant victory! A stronger energy of death is bestowed upon them.

Your Summon Undead skill proficiency has increased. >

The seven kingdoms’ troops became weaker as time pa.s.sed. The Drakes in the sky were spewing out fire, and the armies of Barbarians and Elves were attacking them from the outskirts.

“Avenge our lord, Duke Gregtide!”

“Kelton’s pride won’t waver so easily!”

Even despite all that mess, the troops of the seven kingdoms were failing to join their forces.

Over time, it was the Bromba Kingdom that collapsed first, followed by the Mapon and Kross Kingdoms that were attacked by joined forces. Kelton, the kingdom of knights, held on until the end, but the final winner was the Kingdom of Bayner!

“We won!”

“The Bayner Kingdom has won this battle!”

The knights raised up their b.l.o.o.d.y swords and cried out.

However, in less than five minutes the cheers from the Bayner Kingdom faded entirely, as there were currently savage Barbarians in short leather armor rus.h.i.+ng furiously towards them. Beyond that, they could see rocks flying in the air that were thrown by the one-eyed Cyclops.

****

“A wandering Gratorgue warrior has made its appearance!”

KMC Media’s studio.

A Gratorgue, a being that was known to have reached level 750, showed up on the Path of Struggle. At this point, the viewing rate was already over 32.8%.

Oh Joo Wan was startled and said to Pakclas:

“Pakclas-nim, I believe the Gratorgue did not appear when the Hermes Guild was pa.s.sing through the path?”

“Yes…that’s right…”

Pakclas was staring absentmindedly at the monitor screen. Weed was beating down the monsters ruthlessly as he walked along the Path of Struggle.

‘Just what kind of person could fight like that?’

Forward, and then forward.

He had been engaging himself in combat for not just one, but more than thirty hours straight. It wasn’t even a one-sided ma.s.sacre; in each fight he was dealing with tough and formidable enemies, and people could feel Weed’s mettle and fighting spirit even from watching the video.

“Come. I’ll take on anything. Do you think you can handle me?”

Weed’s att.i.tude seemed to scream such lines, although he did not say it out loud.

Who would dare to stop this man while he was running through the Path of Struggle with his Loa Sword in hand? Even an enemy with a higher level would find it difficult to face such vigor.

“According to our data, Gratorgues are tremendously powerful foes. It doesn’t seem there has ever been any user who managed to hunt one down alone. Do you think Weed will be able to overcome this crisis?”

“…”

“Pakclas-nim. Will Weed yet again survive in this encounter with a Gratorgue?”

“I believe… he probably will.”

Pakclas did not want to admit it, but all the other options had been eliminated. He already knew that Weed had cleared the advanced training hall. He might have avoided the fight entirely or escaped from the Gratorgue, but he must have survived in the end.

‘Please let it be that he has lost. Even better if he made a fool of himself while doing so…’

He knew that people were mocking him and laughing at him, not only in the viewers’ message board on the KMC Media homepage, but also in every community and forum related to Royal Road. He felt that he would be able to recover some of his broken pride and dignity if Weed got beaten down by the Gratorgue within an inch of his life and barely managed to flee.

“Weed is attacking the Gratorgue. He uses the Heraim Fencing skill as he strikes, and then steps back immediately… Even in that situation, he manages to make successful chain attacks. Oh. He was caught by the counterattack… but no, it was the Sword Cloning skill! The secret sword skill was used with such a crucial timing!”

In the following scenes, even the Gratorgue met its demise.

Pakclas, Necrat, and Bindel felt that they would not be able to replicate such movements even as they watched the video.

‘He is a real warrior. He might not have chosen Warrior as his profession, but it is ingrained in his blood, flesh, and heart.’

They could see that he was full of combative spirit, not fear. This was the moment they realized that the real reason they had managed to pa.s.s the advanced training hall was because they were many, rather than because they fought well. Just as the name ‘Path of Struggle’ suggested, the advanced training hall was originally meant to be an extremely difficult stage of trial.

“He has come to the end of the Path of Struggle after killing all the enemies.”

Pakclas and Necrat only wished to finish the broadcast program soon and go home.

“But what is that blue portal?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s a portal leading to the exit..”

“Necrat-nim, didn’t you clear the Path of Struggle, too?”

“Yes, but I didn’t see any portal when I reached the end.”

Pakclas hoped that it would be nothing special. He thought he would die of jealousy if he found out that Weed had received a tremendous amount of rewards as he walked upon the Path of Struggle.

(To be continued…)

From the proofreading team

[1] As mentioned in a previous note, those skills were listed back in v44c4 and came up with some translations for their names. Since they’re bound to come up often now that Weed is using the Thunder Spear a lot, we will be translating them a bit differently to get closer to the original meaning.The six skills of the Thunder Spear are (again, thanks a lot to Maxximal):

전격 계열 스킬 뇌격의 비상 (litt. “series of electric shock soaring like torpedoes attack”) — previously translated as [Electric Shock], now translated as [Ascending Thunderbolt].

뇌격 파동 (litt. “lightning wave”) — translated as [Lightning Wave]

번개 폭풍 (litt. “lightning Storm”) — translated as [Lightning Storm]

번개 흔들기 (litt. “lightning wave” or “thunderbolt wave”) — missed by the translator in v44c4, now translated as [Lightning Shake]

뇌전 중심 진격 (litt. “thunderbolt/ lightning center offense/advance”) — also missed by the translator in v44c4, now translated as [Thunderbolt Centered Offense]

휘몰아치는 전역 천둥 (litt. “whole area filled with thunder”) — previously translated as [Turbulent Thunder], now translated as [Area Sweeping Thunder]