Chapter 107 – Serena’s Play

"Phew…"

Serena lowered her bow, having confirmed with her own eyes that the twin sisters had been defeated. There was no point in providing supporting fire any longer. She had managed to help the twins fight without being disturbed by the mage, as much as she could.

'I confirmed my brother's affiliation...'

She had no intention of harming her brother, but somehow their affiliations had ended up on opposing sides. It was good news for Serena that her squad members, Sol and Sarika, were with her brother. However, she couldn't simply run off to join the Imperial Army wearing a name tag.

Serena decided to do her best in her current position. She knew her brother would welcome her efforts.

"…Lena."

But she couldn't help feeling heavy-hearted. She had fired her arrows in a way that wouldn't directly hit her brother, but still...

"Serena, are you listening?"

"Ah. Brigid…"

Brigid, who approached from behind, was a first-year student like Serena. She was a female student clad in heavy armor so thick that her school uniform was completely hidden from view.

"Let's head to the battlefield as well."

"Alright. You go first. I'll follow."

Serena, playing as an Imperial Army player alongside Brigid, who possessed strong defensive abilities, managed to earn more than 100 points in just two rounds. She had been hoping that her brother would be part of the Imperial Army, but now she knew he belonged to the opposing faction.

*Whoosh.*

Serena aimed her bow at the back of Brigid's head.

"Don't blame yourself for the twin sisters' loss just now. Go and lend your strength to the others; they'll appreciate it."

"Okay…"

Brigid likely knew that Serena's brother was Kim Sang-hyuk, yet she showed no suspicion or doubt. It seemed like she never even considered the possibility of Serena turning against her.

Serena couldn't bring herself to shoot an arrow at the back of her fellow tanker's head, a person who had such pure and unwavering faith in her.

'I can't change roles by hurting others.'

Serena truly loved her brother, but this time, it seemed like she had no choice but to resent the divine force that had placed them on opposing sides.

"…Sigh…"

"…Serena. You really do love your brother, don't you?"

Serena was taken aback.

"Did you just figure it out?"

"Yes. A tank must be able to detect the signs of an attack before anyone else."

Brigid, the female warrior. Her worth in the database was 1.13 million coins.

Possessing a talent for "protecting allies" that surpassed anyone else's, she had already noticed Serena's change of heart.

She was merely pretending not to know.

"Why didn't you do anything?"

"Brigid has protected me all this time. I couldn't repay such kindness by becoming an enemy."

"Your brother really likes Serena, doesn't he?"

"…"

Serena's cheeks flushed red.

"I'd like it if he did... We've actually been out of sync for quite some time."

"I'm envious. I'm an only child, so I've always thought it would be nice to have a dependable older brother."

"I'm sorry for having those ill feelings, Brigid."

"There is no need to apologize. We're more family than friends."

Family. The warmth of the word filled their hearts.

"I'm glad it was just role play, Serena."

"Really?"

"What would have happened if it hadn't been a situational play?"

As Brigid walked ahead, she spoke these words with heavy meaning.

"If Serena's brother might truly die if she didn't betray him, then Serena would have had to harm me, right?"

"...."

It was an incredibly astute observation.

Though not all high-level dungeons impose rules in the form of power struggles,

There could be a horrifying situation where one would have to let someone dear to them die to save a sibling's life.

"Ah, I'm sorry. It's just a habit of mine."

"It's alright. I've grown somewhat used to it."

Brigid always had the habit of contemplating the worst possible scenarios.

This was the secret to maintaining her composure during trying times.

"Follow the carriage!"

"Yes! Chief of Staff, Brigid!"

Serena and Brigid, leading dozens of Imperial Army NPCs and a prisoner carriage, moved towards the main force.

The fierce battle between Necromancer Kibele and Climbing Master Hilaria was still raging within the main unit.

Other academy students were also fighting valiantly, but these two were the most conspicuous.

The two fought with divine fervor through an unstable terrain akin to a chain bridge.

Brigid drew her massive shield, pressing it firmly against her body, and exhaled deeply.

"Secure the sniping position, Serena. I'll protect you no matter who comes."

"I'm sorry, Brigid."

"Serena?"

Serena halted, wearing a sad expression.

Sensing a different atmosphere, Brigid grew tense.

She couldn't help but feel uneasy, having witnessed the power of her comrade Serena up close until now.

"Have you decided to go to your family?"

"I won't harm Brigid. We're allies."

"I'm not so vulnerable as to be defeated by a holding-back attack. What will you do?"

If Serena betrays her, Brigid has only one course of action.

To prevent Serena's sniping from piercing Cybele, the very heart of the Imperial Army's main force,

She has no choice but to desperately restrain herself here.

An intense energy circulated between the two.

"What if this wasn't a staged drama?" Brigid asked.

"Yes."

"I know someone who would brave any danger for their sibling. I'm going to set that person free from now on."

"…?"

Serena aimed her bow at the wheel of the well-running prisoner carriage and sent it flying with a single shot. As the carriage tilted to one side, the hastily covered tent fell open, revealing a hooded female student within.

"Who…? There was no one like an academy student here!"

Brigid's confusion was only momentary. The female student pushed her hood back, unveiling her radiant blonde hair and striking red eyes. Stella grinned as she locked eyes with Serena.

"Serena. I've been patient for so long. I…"

"You did well."

Serena then turned to Brigid.

"Didn't you notice? During the first round's 'Operation to Capture the Rebels', I secretly allowed Stella to sneak in."

"You let the rebels in? You've been betraying the Imperial Army like a spy since then!?"

"Ha, what a pathetic thought."

Stella shone brightly, standing out among the damp and dejected captive NPCs.

"I was originally unaffiliated, you know? From the very beginning, I killed both rebels and imperial soldiers alike as soon as the opportunity arose."

Unaffiliated.

Stella was chaos personified, belonging to no one side. There were occasional academy students of this kind.

In a dungeon where the discipline of dividing forces and battling against one another was enforced, there was a person who declared, "No? I won't be part of any faction."

This individual possessed an extreme spirit of defiance. For them, teamwork was never an option from the start. During combative exchanges, they would often stand alone in peculiar places, exerting their utmost strength before eventually succumbing to madness. Such a troublesome anomaly was right here.

"This is less like spying and more like..."

Serena chuckled softly.

"An alliance of sisters for our beloved brother. Once it's confirmed whether our brother is a rebel or an imperial soldier, I'll inform you and have him dropped off at the most advantageous point."

"…So, then…"

Are you going to release Stella here? Brigid tensed up, acutely aware of Stella's formidable reputation. Stella was a magician with A-class magical prowess, akin to Deherit, one of the current Imperial Army generals. If such an asymmetric force were to be unleashed here...

"So, Serena."

With a cool demeanor, Stella effortlessly tore apart the prisoner's cell using a burst of her magical power and stepped outside.

The Imperial Army NPCs simultaneously aimed their spears at her, but she didn't even blink.

"Which side does your brother belong to?"

"The rebels."

"Isn't Serena going with them?"

"I've already fired, haven't I? I'll take responsibility for this situation till the end."

Stretched out.

Stella yawned and stretched.

"You're so earnest, Serena. You could just ignore that and go help your brother."

"… You keep calling him 'brother.' Stella, you're adorable."

"Ah, umm! Brother! I'll be on your side!"

"Stella, it's been a while since we had a battle like this. Don't you think we should gather some PT?"

Serena knew Stella wouldn't listen, but she tried anyway.

Stella snorted, seemingly uninterested.

"Being on my brother's side is the top priority. Even if I end up fighting, he's a D-class brother. He can't afford to get hurt anywhere, can he?"

Straight to her brother's side.

Thrown out as an independent since the first round, the only thing she had pursued with 0 Pt was the safety of her brother's arms.

"Did you see that? Brigid."

Serena knew.

"I'm going to set free the fearless Stella. That's my choice."

"...Hmph."

Even the greatest Brigids in the world cannot outwit an A-class wizard.

The one thing tankers despise the most are wizards.

Magic, by its nature, is impossible to evade and will always land a hit. Additionally, its power is so great that if struck head-on, one's nose is bound to break.

"Serena is toying with the Imperial Army. I'll be the one to save her brother."

"Fight on, Stella!"

"Got it, understood?"

Stella declared as she wrapped her body in red lightning, erasing the blizzard and snowfield with her own power.

"Step aside."

"… I can't let you go. You're planning to annihilate the Imperial Army."

"You know me well."

"Serena intends to let it happen."

Serena nodded. She had unleashed a ferocious beast devoted solely to her brother, so there was no need to dirty her own hands.

"Yes. This is for the best."

"For the best? We are the Imperial Army! We must find a way to stop this situation."

"Engaging in battle with dangerous independent criminals during an operation is a significant loss for the Imperial Army, Brigid."

Serena once again emphasized that Stella was an independent.

"If we do nothing, you and all the Imperial forces here will survive, but

if we obstruct Stella's path..."

"We'll scorch them all."

"We shouldn't risk fire and water alike. Let's keep our distance. Earn a moderate amount of Pt while playing the Imperial Army's game."

"…Ugh…"

Capturing rebels boosts the Imperial Army's Pt.

But the current independent criminal, Stella, who freely pursues her own game with 0 Pt... From the perspective of a player who excels in role-playing, she's akin to a bomb that must be avoided.

Entering combat would lead to immense losses.

and even in victory, the rewards would be meager. A bomb with no real compensation.

Knowing that this bomb would eventually strike the Imperial Army's headquarters, Brigid had no choice but to concede.

"I lost, Serena."

"What loss? We won together!"

Serena firmly grasped Brigid's hand.

"Let's let Stella go and take a brief rest here, shall we? After all, we still have the third round to do together."

Serena captivated those around her with a sweet and charming smile, as if to say, "We're still companions, aren't we? ♡" Brigid, feeling as though she'd been beguiled by a cunning fox, unwittingly trudged out of the way.

"You've made a wise decision, Brigid."

"…"

The ability to shape such scenarios was extraordinary. Brigid realized that the most dreadful situation had befallen the Imperial Army. All of this was orchestrated by a girl with enigmatic raven hair and a beautiful, smiling face.

'I've already been ensnared by her.'

The Empire was not the homeland Brigid needed to protect. It was merely a nation caught up in the midst of a grand performance. Thus, in this situation, rather than confronting Stella—an unaffiliated A-class ruffian—it was far more preferable for Brigid to conclude the exchange by siphoning the rebellion's strength alongside Serena, who acted as a safeguard.

This was a reality she had no choice but to accept, even if it was repugnant to her. In the end, Serena, a proud player in her brother's eyes, ensured Brigid remained unharmed and indirectly aided him by releasing Stella.

I had prepared for these three challenges from the very first round and accomplished them all.

Brigid couldn't help but be continually amazed by Serena's innocent visage.

"It took me quite a while to understand with my mind."

"There are some good aspects to it being a role play, right?"

"Yes."

It was none other than Brigid, who was fortunate that it was a role-play scenario.

If she had been a warrior risking her life to protect her country, she would have fought Stella to the bitter end and fallen.

The one forced to choose between life and death was none other than Brigid herself.

When she came to understand all of this, Brigid couldn't help but tremble with fear internally.

'…Let's not make Serena an enemy.'

Stella storms onto the battlefield.

With a cataclysmic thunderbolt...

**Whoooooooooong!!**

"Kuh!?"

Kibele is taken aback. It's because she was overpowered by an unaffiliated sorceress who didn't even know the rear of the imperial army.

'I can't escape like this!'

"Wow~ Reinforcements have arrived!"

Hilary laughs crudely and charges toward Kibele.

"Kibele! Face me!"

"K, Kuh! Step back!"

"If you win, I'll lay you down and caress your breasts!"

"Stop that nonsense!"

It didn't matter how many undead legions were summoned; they were powerless against the devil's lightning.

"Brigid, where is Brigid?!"

The Brigid troops remained motionless.

A sinking feeling washed over Cybele, and her vision blurred.

At that moment,

Kim Sang-hyuk returned.

"Gum-gum, barrage of bullets!"

Pew-pew-pew!

[Imperial Army Rebel Ratio Collapse]

[Rebels' Victory]

[Crown Holder, Kim Sang-hyuk]

[Moving to the Neutral Zone]

"Hilaria! See you in Round 3! I won't let you off!"

"Ha! Our Class D senior is better than your general, isn't he?"

"You picked the wrong team!"

The dungeon crumbled away.

[Round 2 Contribution: 1st Place Kim Sang-hyuk]

[1st place: Kim Sang-hyuk, 245 points]

[2nd place, Quintia, 188 points]

[3rd place: Serena, 133 points]

[4th place, Brigid, 124 points]

…

This time, the contribution rankings were displayed, and the lowest rank was revealed.

[34th place, Stella, 0 points]

"Why do I have 0 points? I just captured twenty Imperial soldiers. These game rules are truly bizarre!"

Stella stamped her feet in protest, even as the dungeon was being dismantled.

*

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