Chapter 834

‘How many days had passed since His Majesty left?’

Beyond the Heavens’ Commander Brod could not remember. That was how long and taxing the war against the Luvien Empire was.

The Luvien Empire had arrived at the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom with 2.5 million troops in tow. Of course, there were also a considerable number of Sword of the Gods among them. However, what was more surprising was that it was not the dukes, which were called as the Empire’s Stars, that held the baton and commanded the army, but Nerva Sephiroth himself.

Sitting on his throne a bit further away from the battlefield, Nerva Sephiroth looked at the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom with pity.

“Heok... heok...”

“Aaaaaaaack!”

Brod looked around him. He saw one of the Beyond the Heavens’ soldiers dying as a spear struck his heart.

“Ugh.”

In another area, he saw Spear God Ben, who had lost one eye and was wearing an eye patch to cover it up, squeeze the last of his strength to swing his spear.

“Uwaaaaaaaaah!”

‘How many days has it been?’

All of them were struggling and breathing roughly. Even Locke, who had been forced to log out three times, was still swinging his axe and cutting down several knights that surrounded him. The Fist and Feet of Beyond the Heavens, Ares and Khan, had also died several times but they still continued to fight against the soldiers of the Luvien Empire each time they revived.

“Kghhhhhk!”

Ali, who had been preventing the magic and arrows of the Luvien Empire from pouring down on them, slowly fell down from the sky with an arrow stuck deeply in his chest.

“Urk!”

His Majesty’s Shadow, one-armed Luo, charged fiercely with a devilish look on his face, despite the blood that almost dyed his entire body red.

They were currently in a very bad situation. Almost 40% of the Beyond the Heavens’ troops had died, while another 30% of the surviving troops were sporting serious and grave injuries. All of this made it difficult for them to hold out. On the other hand, the troops of the Luvien Empire continued to appear.

Even Brod had started to grow exhausted. He could no longer remember how many enemies he had cut down. With the Swords of the Gods’ systematic way of attacking, all he could do was fall back whenever there was danger and recover with the help of the priests, before charging forward and attacking once again.

‘Your Majesty...’

Brod looked up at the blue sky high above them.

To be honest, the Named NPCs of the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom were already at their limits. The players were not doing any better. Each of the players of the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom, those that were hailed as high rankers, had been forced to log out at least 2~4 times during the course of the battle. Most of them had lost their rankings in the top 100 too.

Slash—

Brod’s breath came out in rough gasps as he supported himself with his sword after he took the head of the enemy soldier that was aiming for his neck.

“Kghhk...!”

Even the great veteran Spear God Ben seemed to have no more strength to lift his spear. They were constantly being pushed back by their enemies, until the fight reached their gates.

At this point, Brod decided that the soldiers' participation in this war no longer held any meaning. They opened their gates and sent all the wounded and exhausted soldiers inside. It was a sad and painful choice.

‘It’s better for them to live longer, no?’

Brod, who was pushed back to the gates, continued to look around as he struggled to defend against his enemies. He could see that even the skilled and powerful Spear God Ben was shaking and struggling to remain standing up. Great Demon Elpis had also lost his left arm while Sword of the Gods Luo leaned weakly on the walls, blood dripping all over his body.

“Sir— Sir Luo’s condition is unusual!”

“Hurry and fetch some potions!”

“We don’t have any more potions left...”

Sword of the Gods Luo looked like he was on the verge of death. The word

hopeless

barely described their situation.

Brod was certainly a powerhouse that could take down hundreds of thousands of soldiers on his own. However, the problem was that Nerva had joined the war, and he was a figure that was on equal footing as Brod.

With him at the helm, the Named NPCs, who were already struggling from the pressure brought about by the Swords of the Gods, were tormented even further. In fact, it was probably apt to say that the wounds and injuries that the Named NPCs suffered were mostly caused by Nerva. They had no choice but to employ a hit and run strategy, while suffering tremendously.

“Haa... Haa...” Brod was breathing roughly but he continued to stare ahead and did not give up.

At that moment, the Luvien Imperial Army split and opened a path, as Nerva walked forward. Complex emotions were swirling in Nerva’s gaze. Brod just glared at Nerva. If looks could kill, Nerva would have been dead many times over.

Nerva had used a dirty trick by poisoning Brod’s knight order, in order to be chosen by the Battle God. Brod hated him for what he did. However, he no longer had the strength to even lift his finger.

“...”

Nerva stared at Brod for a very long time. Then, he spoke bitterly, “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Shut up!” Brod shouted, his eyes turning bloodshot. In Brod’s eyes, Nerva was nothing more but an enemy.

Nerva looked around. They were no longer fit for battle. The surviving players stepped forward and surrounded Brod to protect him. Nerva looked at them and asked, “Is there anyone here that is willing to surrender to the Luvien Empire and come under my command? If you come under my command, I will give you the honor of sharing the glory and honor in the new world.”

Nerva truly meant those words. He wanted the talents that were being nurtured by the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom. They stood tall and their eyes remained steadfast and proud, even though they were all in a situation where they might die. They did not even lose their respect and trust in their king. Nerva actually felt that it was a waste.

“Your king is nothing but a trivial vessel that lacks qualifications. He cannot become an emperor.”

It was a waste for such a small vessel to hold these people in his hands.

However, Grandpa Ben said, “Hoho. I’m sorry but you shouldn’t compare your dirty vessel with His Majesty’s vessel. How dare you discuss His Majesty’s vessel, huh?”

Nerva looked around after hearing Spear God Ben’s sharp and scathing words. His gaze seemed to ask everyone present if they would stand by his side, even if it were just one person. However, there was no one. A complicated expression flashed in Nerva’s face as he raised his hand.

Seeing their emperor raise his hand, the soldiers of the Luvien Imperial Army raised their bows and aimed it toward them. Hundreds of thousands of arrows were now poised and ready to take their lives.

Meanwhile, Nerva wondered if there was anyone that was afraid. Alas, there was no one. The foreigners that were the main pillars and executives of the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom stood tall in front of all of their NPCs, who did not show any fear either.

Then, Brod muttered, “His Majesty will come back as an emperor.”

“We have to welcome him with great fanfare then. Hoho.”

Even the dying Luo opened his mouth and muttered, “...My king...

urk...

said that he would become the emperor.”

“...”

Nerva was left speechless. For a moment, he felt very envious. It was a pity that the man they served was nothing but a small and trivial vessel. Just when Nerva was about to swing his hand down...

[The new emperor of the new era has been born!]

“...!”

Nerva stopped in his tracks. He was so shocked that he even forgot to breathe for a moment.

“Your Majesty, please look at the sky!!!”

Nerva, who heard the shouts of someone from his army, turned to look at the sky only to see the gigantic and translucent figure of the new era’s emperor sitting on his throne.

[The New Emperor’s Video will now begin.]

[You cannot refuse to watch the New Emperor’s Video.]

Both players and NPCs could not refuse the video that was about to play shortly. Just like that, the figure of the new emperor slowly grew clearer in front of everyone.

[His first step was swinging his sword to eat bread.]

The video that was playing in front of everyone was the advertisement video that Joy Co. Ltd. had prepared. It seemed that Joy Co. Ltd. was already certain that the first player that would become the emperor was none other than Minhyuk.

At that moment, everyone saw Minhyuk wielding his wooden sword to eat bread.

[The New Emperor made his way through Athenae, just so he could eat.]

Dozens of screenshots flashed in their eyes. There was a screenshot showing Minhyuk smiling brightly while enjoying some soup and garlic bread with Valen in his house. There was also a screenshot where Minhyuk met with the Witch of Agony Alicia while eating spicy braised chicken. Then another, where he happily grilled and ate some samgyeopsal for the first time in a long while.

Another notification rang as the screenshots flickered past their eyes.

[He continued to run for food. Then one day, he met them.]

A screenshot of when he met the Pinnacle Strong Men appeared. There was also the scene where he met with Legend Guild and reunited with his friends. The video showed how he laughed with Genie, Khan and Locke. Then, a screenshot showed Minhyuk sitting on a boat with an old man.

[Then, he met an old man.]

Several screenshots passed by once again. A screenshot with him smiling while eating ramyeon with Spear God Ben and a screenshot showing how they both defeated the Great Mage.

[He met the queen’s escort knight.]

Dozens of screenshots that showed his first meeting with Brod flashed in the sky above them. Then, Elpis’ figure appeared.

[He made toast for the pitiful person that he met in the Demon World.]

A screenshot showed Elpis eating toast.

[He made a grave for the poor and pitiful one’s mother. The poor and pitiful one wept and knelt before him.]

The sky showed the day Elpis swore his eternal loyalty and allegiance to Minhyuk.

[He fought against the Great Demon for the sake of those that lived for him.]

A screenshot of Minhyuk flying toward Great Demon Verus to save Elpis flashed by.

[In the end, he won with the countless people that stood by his side.]

Dozens more screenshots flickered in front of their eyes.

Elpis smiling brightly.

Brod smiling happily.

Haze nagged at him saying,

‘Your Majesty, please behave a bit...!’

Love, Hope, Happiness grinning at him with their tongues sticking out.

There was also one with Luo walking behind Minhyuk with a small smile on his face.

The dozens of screenshots turned into hundreds as it showed the people that Minhyuk had built ties with, who eventually became members of the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom.

There was also one showing Centurion Park training the soldiers.

A scene of Gorfido going out to fish every day.

There was also a scene where Beanie and Luna rolled around.

Tens of thousands of screenshots had now appeared, with more of them appearing until they reached millions. The screenshots turned smaller and smaller, turning into dots that filled the sky.

[He took the first step just to eat bread.]

[Then, one day his small steps became the steps of many people as many people gathered around him.]

[He was once the humblest and most trivial player.]

[But people gathered around him and now, he’s beginning to take the biggest steps.]

A screenshot of Minhyuk smiling faintly as he looked at the people cheering for him flashed in front of everyone.

[He was a normal human being.]

[He became the king of a small kingdom.]

[One day, he became a true and genuine god.]

[His vassals and subjects that believed in him also became gods.]

Tens of thousands of screenshots go by quickly, just like a video.

[And now...]

A small smile appeared on the faces of the Named NPCs and the players of the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom. They had been waiting for this moment, with utmost faith that he would achieve it.

[He became the First Emperor of the New Era.]

All of the screenshots disappeared, revealing the face of the emperor. The new emperor sat on his throne and looked at his people with a soft and gentle smile on his face. At the same time, another set of notifications rang.

[The Beyond the Heavens Empire has been established!]

[The Emperor of the Beyond the Heavens Empire is

Minhyuk

!]

The shabby and trivial steps became the greatest and noblest steps.