Chapter 101 – The Battle for the Crown

Swoosh!

Immediately upon teleporting, a fierce wind greeted us.

If it hadn't been for the NTR Hot Pack, I would have been unable to withstand it and would have groaned.

"Henna!"

"Yes, Sang-hyuk… I'm here!"

Sarika and True Queen Isolde were present as well.

Isolde, with her smartphone floating in the air using her own abilities, had her pink rifle firmly gripped and was in battle mode.

There were no injured amongst us, but many unfamiliar faces. Were they all NPCs?

Among the gathered rebels, a familiar blond man approached me and started a conversation.

"Oh! I knew you'd be alive!"

He was the NPC who had awakened me in the wagon.

"I'm very glad you're standing beside me."

"So... um, what's your name?"

"Olaf."

Olaf? Wasn't that from a story featuring a princess who uses ice magic?

We needed more information, so we remained silent and let the NPC continue speaking.

"We're on the verge of striking the empire's forces from behind. Now, let's find out who the true ruler of the North is."

Olaf readied himself with an axe in hand. A man who appeared to be a rebel general was also an NPC. He recognized us and approached, leading a group of soldiers.

"Who are you? Since when have you been affiliated with the rebels? Who authorized this?"

The question was directed at me, Henna, and Sarika.

It was time for us to prove our allegiance.

"We came to fight against the oppressors of the empire. There's always a need for capable warriors, right?"

[Calm response: Pt+2]

Success!

"Are you not a horsethief?"Sarika, the horse thief! Do you plan to steal even the rebels' horses?!"

Sarika's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"I'm not a thief."

"What!?"

"I was a thief! But I have been reformed, thanks to Isolde's grace!"

"How dare you casually mention her name? You horse thief!!"

Holding back laughter

Sarika desperately tried to contain her laughter at being treated as a thief.

"With hair resembling a horse's tail..."

"… Can I kill this NPC?"

"No… Pfft…"

Now the general's gaze shifted to Henna.

"And who are you?"

Henna flinched.

"You're dressed like a witch... Hmm…"

"Ah, uh, that's over there."

I suddenly realized.

He can't perform a role-play like this in front of everyone!

"What is your true identity?"

"Eek!"

As the burly man bellowed, Henna quickly hid behind me.

"Sa-, Sang-hyuk…"

"She's my wife."

Wife status: Activated.

"She possesses magical abilities, so she'll be of assistance to the soldiers, General."

"…Very well. I acknowledge you as part of the rebellion. But first, you must swear an oath of loyalty before the True Queen."

It's freezing. Do we really have to do this?

– ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Oath of loyalty to Sol

In this other world, is NTR's fairy Sol the True Queen?

"Follow my lead!"

"Ah, yes."

It seems there's no option to refuse...

Like soldiers at morning roll call, we braved the frigid winds and recited the oath of loyalty alongside the troops.

Aren't we supposed to be on a stealth mission?

"I swear to dedicate my life and blood to Isolde, the rightful queen of this land!"

"I am of this land."

I swear, nonetheless!

"May this oath persist beyond death!"

Let it persist!

"Alongside my fellow comrades, I pledge allegiance to my lord!"

I pledge!

Do they go through this every morning and evening during roll call?

Isolde stifled a laugh, her face beaming with a grin.

"I accept your oath. Senior."

[True Queen's Smile, Pt+3]

Hmmm…

I stepped forward as though safeguarding Sol.

I am uncertain of our actions here, but protecting the True Queen is undeniably a crucial mission.

We are rebels.

"General, what is our purpose here?"

"Here, at the [Temple of the Giants], lies dormant the treasure of the north, the queen's tiara. The Imperial Army must have acquired that information by now."

The queen's tiara.

It seems to be the item we shall vie for this time.

'This scenario… They are sparsely connected.'

If I recall correctly, without an ancient crown, one cannot be acknowledged as a true king.

"Whosoever obtains the crown shall become the rightful ruler of this land."

That means this gravitational wave is not the end.

"They've caught our scent as well, but don't worry. We'll be able to strike them unawares first."

The situation seems better now than at the beginning.

We started off at a disadvantage, so we should at least grant ourselves this much of a head start.

The Imperial Army has not yet pinpointed our location, but the General knows where they are.

"They don't seem to realize that we're here yet. Are you ready to catch them off guard?"

"Yes."

"Pay close attention. The enemy may not know our whereabouts, but they know our objective! They'll be desperately trying to stop us from obtaining it."

"It's similar…"

Even if I can't recall the game's details, the situation is crystal clear.

This is a battle between the rebel army and the imperial army, determining which side is truly serving the real king.

It's obvious that the side possessing the crown will have an advantageous start in the next mission.

[「Perception·Red」activated]

[■Discipline Restrictions■]

Tch.

I attempted to scan them swiftly using a high-performance detection skill, but I was blocked from doing so.

The constraints imposed by external gods are inescapable. The adversary must be battling under the same limitations.

If that's the case, we must verify it with our own eyes.

Where we stood was on high ground, offering a view of the temple where the crown slumbered.

Advancing a little further, we would reach a precipice, and upon that deep chasm, the temple stood.

To elucidate further...

The dungeon was situated in a sunken landscape reminiscent of a canyon, with both sides featuring colossal statues resembling buildings, seemingly embedded within the walls.

Each of these statues held aloft something akin to a plate with their hands, and connected to each plate was a bridge formed by chains.

Battling on these chains appeared exceedingly perilous.

The surface of the plates seemed destined to become the most intense combat zone...

Skipping past all of these plates, at the deepest part of the gorge, a small entrance leading to the temple was set within the wall.

It was quite a distance away.

If it weren't for the sight correction provided by the understanding, the entrance would have remained hidden from view.

That was our objective.

Fortunately, the rebels' starting position was favorable, allowing them to commence their endeavors from the midpoint.

The Imperial Army's camp was situated at quite a distance.

"We shall deliver the crown to the True Queen, regardless of the obstacles we face! Are you prepared to risk your lives, brothers?"

"Yes!"

"Follow me. Swiftly and silently!"

The Imperial Army was not composed of fools, having sent scouts to survey the area.

We trailed the general, crouching and advancing hastily, eliminating the imperial scouts before descending to the Giant's Plateau.

'Are there any Academy students?'

However, it was a moment when anyone could have noticed something amiss.

"They're over there, too. Eliminate them, rookie!"

I promptly dealt with them using a silenced Glock.

*Fwish!*

"Exemplary skill."

[Superior's Order Executed, Pt+3]

[Swift Processing Pt+2]

"We shall descend the bridge one at a time."

Is this really a safe spot?

One misstep could lead to plummeting off the cliff. What if we were to be discovered?

"Isn't it high enough for a fatal fall?"

No one refuted my statement.

A towering, vertiginous cliff...

This is no mere game. It cannot be considered 'play' just because the academy students engage in role play.

But I have faith in Enn and the female students behind her; they were truly born into a harsh world. At least, I step onto the bridge first, with the mindset that I will lead the way.

"Senior! It's dangerous."

"I'll check it out first."

The Imperial forces haven't noticed us yet.

"Always be ready to use the ring and escape. If you fall, it'll be disastrous."

I walk calmly through the snowstorm. Fortunately, the bridge is not slippery. As we reach the other side, I spot the Imperial Army NPCs, who haven't realized our arrival yet.

I hide the sound in the blizzard and take them out with a silenced Glock. That's when it happens.

*Boooooooohoo!*

The sound of the Imperial Army's horn!

"Even if we're discovered, our task remains the same. Advance!"

"Wow!"

The NPCs move towards the temple entrance. We send the NPCs, including Olaf, to the temple first and regroup.

"It's alright. They still have quite a distance to cover. We just need to strike the crown player first!"

"Yes, senior!"

"Sang-hyuk, someone is here!"

Already!?

The blonde twin sisters we saw in the first episode glided and leapt over the chains as if they were flying.

Their physical abilities were astonishing, rivaling those of circus acrobats.

When did they fly all the way here?!

"Prepare to face them!"

I can't tell which one is the older sister and which is the younger, but one thing is certain: both intend to fight us.

"We won't miss this time! Kim Sang-hyuk!"

"Just you wait, Kim Sang-hyuk!"

Kannika and Sanvika, the sisters, are coming!

Armed with long spears and umbrellas, they assume a poised stance reminiscent of Chinese martial arts masters and start sprinting in a straight line.

Ratatatat!!

Sol immediately fires her rifle, but only succeeds in scattering the snow piled on the plates.

The blonde sisters move with the agility of wild animals.

I quickly respond with my Glock, but the opponents open their umbrellas, deflecting every shot and closing in!

"I'll just cleanly break your legs. Stay still~~!"

No, I can't let it happen!

The breakthrough power is beyond imagination!

At that moment, a colorless protective shield took the hit from the twin sisters' iron club-like umbrellas instead of my arm and shattered.

"Sang-hyuk!"

It was Henna's barrier that blocked the umbrella attack.

Applying the void platform... Excellent!

Immediately, I swung Benelli's gun, which was hanging on my shoulder with suspenders, aimed, and seized the opportunity to attack.

TOOOOONG!!

"Ah!"

I quickly opened the umbrella, but I couldn't easily move from that spot.

"Are you the older sister? Kannika?"

"It's Sanbika! The one holding the umbrella is Sanbika! Remember!"

Alright. The one with the umbrella is Sanbika. I remembered.

"What kind of manners is it to attack without even greeting? Sanbika."

"I hesitated at first and missed my chance! This time, I'll properly concentrate on the Imperial Army!"

What about Kannika?

Sol is blocking her with the NTR rifle, but she's skillfully evading the shots.

Somehow, Sarika maintained balance while blocking Kannika's breakthrough route.

In that critical moment, we responded in perfect harmony with each other's squad members.

There's truly nothing I can accomplish alone.

My eyes meet Henna's.

"I'll support you, Sang-hyuk!"

"Alright."

Should I give it a try?!

Sanvika folds her umbrella, crouches down, and gazes this way with one leg stretched out.

It feels like facing off against a unique Chinese martial arts master.

Just by looking at her, it's apparent how incredibly flexible her movements are.

'Even with her martial arts skills, her movements aren't easily discernible.'

This means that the opponent is better in close combat.

However, if I exploit that aspect well, I might be able to find an opening.

"I was planning to finish it by just breaking your leg. I won't care if your handsome face gets crushed."

"Bring it on!"

Sanvika opens her umbrella and charges.

I calmly aim with the Benelli, release the safety, and fire immediately!

*Thump!*

She must have thought she could block it with that, as she continues rushing forward without losing momentum.

I pump the action to eject the spent shell and aim once more.

The special effect of the masterpiece "Benelli: Moonlight."

The third round of the Benelli transforms into a moonlight bullet!

The moment I pull the trigger with the force of shattering a glass rod,.

Moonlight's Edge.

'Huh?'

I am baffled by the complete absence of recoil.

Could it be broken? Just as I was about to switch to pistol shooting...

Whoosh!

[Moonlight Lead Bullet]

[Power Correction + 25]

"Argh!"

As the blue light burst from the barrel, Sanbika, who was struck by the lead bullets, was sent flying, umbrella and all.

If I had shot it above the umbrella, it would have likely penetrated it.

'If it were a moonlight slug, it might have pierced that steel umbrella too.'

Kannica, including her allies and foes, were all astounded by the power of the Moonlight Bullet.

Sanbika, who had been aggressively lunging forward, flew 15 meters and tumbled after being hit by the buckshot, making the impact quite significant.

Will her value increase now?

Sanbika, lying face down on the ground, gasped for breath and squeezed out her voice.

"What do you mean, Class D? You cheat…"

"It is D. Sang-hyuk, indeed."

It's a prestigious academy with history and tradition, isn't it?

'Anyway…'

Should I force out their true nature? Or not?

Is it right to conserve my strength when my opponent is attacking with a killer intent?

However, it was true that I felt dizzy at the thought of using the term "personality excretion," while embedding lead bullets into the tender and alluring body of the blonde female student.

"No."

On the contrary, perhaps it was possible precisely because they were such lovely blonde twin sisters?

After all, only the heroine could intervene without letting them die in dire situations.

It might very well be a prime opportunity to learn how to control one's strength.

'Then, lead bullets won't do.'

Lead bullets have nothing to do with strength control.

"Moonlight Lead Bullet" would transform the heroine into a rocket, soaring through the air, fueled by propulsion wrapped in jelly.

In that case, there is only one reliable tool for an expert who can skillfully control their strength.

The hand.

'To set up a chance for manual excretion…'

Non-lethal rubber bullets are the ideal choice.

After discharging the lead bullets, I loaded my Benelli with suppression rubber bullets.

"Senior! Here I come!"

As if to deny any moment of respite, the twin sisters charged once more, leaving no time for distraction.

*

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