V51C8P2 – Last Resort

– Only one minute before the 2nd Legion arrives!

– The 3rd Legion is joining forces with us as we speak.

– Our troops are gathering from all over the Garnav Plains. They will slaughter the Northern users and advance to the area Weed is in!

The Imperial Army’s sudden change in tactics caused a commotion among the broadcast stations.

The sky gradually brightened as dawn rose on the battle which had started at midnight.

The sight of countless imperial troops gathering from all directions was shocking.

– The Phantom Knights are quickly advancing from the East.

– The 9th Legion are arriving from the West, and the 14th Legion from the North.

– The Imperial Army’s movements are phenomenal. And yet, their location and movements have changed a little bit since Weed appeared. It seems like they were waiting for him.

– It reminds me of how wild animals roam around their prey then suddenly take a bite out of their necks.

It seemed that Weed and the users who followed him were put in danger by the Haven Empire.

Though the Northern users were hurriedly gathering, there were other troops there to prevent that from happening.

When they had no choice but to die or run away, Weed used the Sculpture Resurrection Skill.

The appearance of Emperor Geihar von Arpen!

– It’s amazing, the sculpture is alive!

– Emperor Geihar… The emergence of the historical figure who united the continent, turning it into the Arpen Empire!

– It seems that Weed had planned this all along. What can we actually expect from this?

– It appears that the reason that he had countless users make sculptures on the Garnav Plains was for this very moment. But obviously, the destruction of those sculptures is something to consider.

– Destruction, you say?

– The Summon Flaming Meteors spell destroyed many sculptures. The users are working on their restoration, but the damage will still be significant.

– I think even getting there will be a problem.

In the broadcast video, the Imperial Army was coming in from all sides, like a pack of starving wolves.

This was a scene in which the users who were with Weed on the outskirts were quickly dying.

– If this continues, neither Weed nor Emperor Geihar will be able to handle this.

– Running away doesn’t seem easy either.

– The sky has been blocked by the 2nd Legion. On the ground, the Imperial Army is in their way no matter which direction they choose. They’re completely surrounded.

* * *

“Keuoh, they’re killing them… Won’t drinking this help me revive?”

Emperor Geihar took three bottles of makgeolli and gulped them down one by one.

Weed was checking the progress of the battle in the meantime, but Mapan was more accurate.

– Mapan: There are too many Imperial troops that are moving towards you, Weed-nim. According to CTS Media the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th Legions are on their way, and the 7th Legion will arrive even faster!

Weed had decided to stay here, but his confidence was not without reason.

Geihar von Arpen!

The hero who unified the continent could do anything!

“Hiccups. Gguh uh uh uk. I’m getting drunk. Good. Yoohoo!”

Emperor Geihar shook his arms and danced.

– Mapan: There’s no weakness in the siege network. And we’ve discovered that some of the 3rd Legion troops possess magical scrolls! If their AoE spells fall from the sky, the users protecting Weed-nim will quickly fall.

There was no hopeful report.

Since Mapan was bound by strong interests rather than loyalty, it would not be strange if he joined the Hermes guild now.

Mapan was faithfully reporting because he believed in Weed.

Experience and feelings!

His belief was that Weed would not just let up and die.

“If it’s like this, we’ll all die. Master! Hurry up and do something.”

“Isn’t there one more bottle of makgeolli? I need a little more to feel just right.”

“That was the last one a moment ago.”

“Too bad. I was going to have a lot of fun.”

Weed was highly suspicious of whether the revived emperor had become an alcoholic.

‘It wasn’t in the history books, but there’s no way he could have died of alcoholism, right?’

The hidden consequences of Time Sculpting.

If even the flap of a b.u.t.terfly’s wings may alter the future, Weed’s actions in the past might have resulted in Emperor Geihar becoming an alcoholic.

Emperor Geihar, who loved free alcohol, spoke with sad eyes.

“A lot of time has pa.s.sed. In this era, most of the friends I have given life to are probably dead.”

“Maybe so.”

The Iron Blood Warrior Bahamorg was revived.

Although many tribes, including the long-living marine life, may still be alive, most of those whom the Emperor himself gave life to were killed.

“My friends… I’m trying to mourn my children’s death… I’m short of a drink”

Emperor Geihar was sad.

“Master. I hadn’t even thought about that…”

Weed was forced to take out the expensive wine he had saved in order to comfort him.

It was a high-quality wine, worth much more than 3000 gold.

“Golggak. Golggak. Ggeuhuk. I’m getting drunk.”

Emperor Geihar opened the bottle and drank it like he would a bottle of makgeolli.

“Weed-nim! The outskirts are falling apart!”

“A large military presence has emerged in the South! I can see them with my own eyes!”

“Ggyah ah ah ak! The Griffin troops are circling the sky! They could attack at any time!”

Users fell and died.

Meanwhile, Myul’s 2nd Legion circled the sky, observing the ground.

They didn’t underestimate Weed and attack right away, but instead waited for the right opportunity.

An unprecedented crisis!

Emperor Geihar drank his wine and closed his eyes.

“Master?”

“Cool…”

“Master. Did you happen to fall asleep? Get up. This is not the time.”

“Zzzzzzzzzzz!”

Weed confirmed that Emperor Geihar was deeply sleeping and pulled out the Loa Sword.

A fair-weather friend, this wasn’t unheard of in human relations.h.i.+ps.

What’s the difference between him and a common drunk?

“If only you did half of what Hestiger did… As expected, sculptors are a lazy and self-indulgent bunch.”

While trying to strangle Emperor Geihar, he hesitated.

‘But still, I’ve made an investment… No. Let’s cut it down right now. It’s better to run away now… But it’s not over yet.’

Although it would be easier to turn away from the approaching crisis, he could not make a decision due to his regret over Emperor Geihar.

3.2 seconds later!

Finally, Weed made his decision.

“This is the only way for me. I have to take action.”

The plan to hunt in the form of Karichwi the Orc had failed.

He wanted a free meal, but he was forced to pay for it.

It was time to show his true colors as the G.o.d of War.

Weed took out a lump of gold with his sculpting knife and materials.

One lump from his backpack, then two, started to pile higher.

He told people that he had no money, that he was poor, that he invested everything in the Arpen Kingdom… But in fact, he was rich!

He gathered the yellow gold he got from his adventures and hunting, and put it to the side.

“Holy Fire!”

Weed raised the Flame of Hestia and melted the gold into one large ma.s.s.

*Sha Sha Sha shak!*

He called the Wind Spirit Xing Xing and simultaneously cooled and shaved down the hot gold.

“Ah tteu tteu tteu.”

< You have taken fire damage.

Health has been reduced by 31 points. >

Even though it was reduced by his Fire Resistance and Resilience, he still took some damage. Without thinking about it, Weed quickly worked on a sculpture. The sculpture was taking shape faster than any sculpture he had made before.

“Wow. I’ve never seen so much gold.”

“Weed-nim is amazing.”

The nearby users gathered and watched.

‘There’s n.o.body you can trust in this world, but there are many thieves.’

Fortunately, it was a sculpture he had carved several times in the past.

A skeleton without a speck of fles.h.!.+

Surpa.s.sing the boundaries of life and death and leading a terrible fight, a being who can fight any number of enemies with confidence.

‘It’s a lich.’

The sculpture of a golden skeleton s.h.i.+ning brilliantly!

It seemed to be an ill-matched combination, but for now it was cool.

The whole thing was made of gold, so of course it was cool.

It would have been a bit more ordinary if it wasn’t for its golden halo.

Like the term “beautiful skin”, the sculpture’s materials were great.

‘Well, I’m a bit short on ingredients.’

Weed felt like he needed more gold while carving its upper body.

The 4th Legion continued to attack, and there were reports of Hermes Guild users everywhere.

Myul’s Griffin Knight Legion slowly came down towards the earth.

Weed felt secure because he had been guarded while he was summoning Emperor Geihar.

‘Let’s just do a rough job. Having one short leg shouldn’t matter when using magic.’

– Please name the sculpture you made.

“Let’s go with Golden Lich.”

– Is Golden Lich correct?

“No, wait a minute… It should raise the hopes and dreams of young children. It must be a cute name… Look at Pororo and Tayo. Hmm. Let’s choose Clongy [E/N: Pororo and Tayo are respectively Pororo the little penguin and Tayo the little bus, two Korean computer-animated series for little children. The name Weed gives to his statue is “Kkorongi”, a matching cute-sounding name. We tried to find something that felt a bit cute to English readers while keeping a similar p.r.o.nunciation, please tell us what you think].”

– Is Clongy correct?

“That’s right.”

<

A masterpiece! You have completed Clongy!

The hero who will save the world, the king of the vast northern continent!

A new work by the widely renowned sculptor, Weed.

It is a sculpture of a lich made of pure gold.

The skeleton who creates a subtle fear!

The bones inside its body are expressed with amazing detail and beauty.

Why one leg is short is unknown, but given the perfection of the other parts, the sculptor must have his own profound purpose for it.

Artistic value: 12,381.

Special options:

– All undead who look upon Clongy will gain a 24% increase in the efficiency of Health and Mana absorption.

– Lowers the enemy’s morale.

– Inflicts pain and fear onto the enemy.

– Luck reduced by 55%.

– Black Magic Resistance reduced by 10%.

– Enhances the effectiveness of undead summoning skills.

– Reduces the cooldown of unique undead skills.

– Without the fear of death, Attack increases by up to 3 times as Health decreases.

– All stats increased by 33.

– Knowledge increased permanently by 1.

– Increases rate of trophies received in this area.

– Effects do not stack with other sculptures.

Number of masterpieces completed so far: 36

Fame has increased by 5,321.

Art stat has increased by 44.

Endurance has increased by 1.

Leaders.h.i.+p has increased by 3.

Wisdom has increased by 2.

Faith has decreased by 2.

Making this sculpture has increased your Insight stat by 2.

As the result of creating a masterpiece sculpture, all stats have increased by 1. >

Completion of a masterpiece!

Weed worked in a hurry, but still a masterpiece was made.

Though he was a master sculptor, there was also some luck involved.

“As expected, true art is in the fine detail and the value of the materials. Sculptural Shapes.h.i.+fting!”

– He’s using Sculptural Shapes.h.i.+fting!

Weed’s height slowly shrank from the form of Karichwi the Orc. His shoulders narrowed, and his log-like limbs became thinner.

The rich hair rustled down to the ground as the wind blew.

As his flesh dried up, it peeled off, leaving only the bones.A skeleton… He had become a lich!

< The change in body shape has made a lot of your current equipment unusable.

You cannot wear any equipment that has Holy Power or is made of Mithril.

Please obtain new equipment according to the shape and type of your body.

Due to the influence of Sculptural Shapes.h.i.+fting, your Knowledge and Wisdom stats have greatly increased.

Strength and Agility have decreased significantly, and your Art stat has been reduced by a third.

Health and Mana have greatly increased.

Physical limits have disappeared.

With a master level understanding of the sculpture, you have become a perfect lich.

You have been given a Lich’s special characteristics.

Life Vessel!

Create a vessel and store away your health. If the vessel remains intact, you will not die unless from a very powerful magic or Holy Power.

As an undead, the efficiency of Health and Mana absorption increases by 45%.

Health and Mana will not regenerate under direct sunlight.

You take more damage from Holy Power.

These effects will last until Sculptural Shapes.h.i.+fting is called off. >

< Transformation into a masterpiece sculpture!

Due to the nature of the sculpture, you have been given evil characteristics.

Every time you kill a living human, there is a fixed probability that your stats will increase.

Curse and fear power have increased to 200%.

Notoriety has increased by 42%. The power of the dead builds up 26% more. >

The name is Clongy!

However, it was Weed who had transformed into the frightening lich.

*Cha cha cha chak.*

He wore Bar Khan’s full set of equipment, and raised the Staff of the Fallen Saint.

“Come back to the land you lived on. This is a dark place. A black and rotten land. Engrave the law of darkness that will never disappear to everyone. Undead Rise!”

He immediately used undead summoning magic.

A whole skeleton army rose, with Death Knights as the base units.

Phantom Knights were summoned, and even Doom Knights appeared from the bodies of Hermes Guild users.

“Call Death Knight van Hawk. Call Vampire Lord Torido!”

With black smoke, his men were called in.

– Ggeu oh oh oh ro ro ro oh oh oh eung!

Weed followed with a Lion’s Roar.

The skeletal undead army clattered their jawbones and shouted.

“Keu keh keh keh ket!”

“Eu he he he he he he.”

“Blood! Death!”

(To be continued…)