Chapter 217: Tumult (3)

The remaining users in Elder Lord gathered in the safety zones of each city, following government orders.

The broadcasters who could bridge the reality and Elder Lord became special envoys of the government. They were promised a certain compensation in exchange for their cooperation.

The chaos was overwhelming at the start of the crisis, but as the situation calmed down, users showed behavior not too much different from usual.

Fortunately, with many high-level users remaining, it was easy to take care of the sustenance needs of the users.

"What the hell is the government even doing?"

"It’s not like we’ve ever seen them do their jobs properly. That’s that, but those ElSa Co. guys are even worse. They made this garbage game..."

The user who was speaking trailed off.

The world that he was stuck in felt almost too real to call it a ‘garbage game’. Having spent so much time here, he now found it confusing whether he was playing a game or had actually become a part of this world.

"Maybe we're actually the NPCs and our memories from outside are all lies? Like we're just brains in a vat or something..."

There were also those who spoke of such science fiction scenarios.

"Whatever. It’s just nice not having to go to work."

"Right? Do you think we should be thanking the Ashen God?"

"Cut the crap. No one in the world knows when this whole thing will end, and here you are, fooling around..."

"It was just a joke. Who would seriously think that?"

"Forget it. You all seem so relaxed, must be nice. I’m just gonna go get some food."

"Food? Shouldn't we eat together later?"

"What, are we a bunch of school kids now? Waiting to eat together? Eat that tasteless food on your own. I'll be back when it's time, so don't worry about me."

"Come on, you’re acting on your own now?"

"If you're jealous, go buy your own food with your own money. Oops, you’re a low-level user, right? My bad."

"Y-you, watch your tone."

Inside Elder Lord, conflicts arose based on one's level and wealth. Low-level users stayed in tents terrified without moving an inch, while high-level individuals indulged in luxuries or continued to act independently even in those times.

And, to keep them under control, the ranked users and broadcasters connected to the outside world had to move busily.

"Shouldn't we do something about them?"

"Let them be," Rommel, who was observing the scene, said.

"We can't control everyone. If there's a problem, they'll have to deal with it themselves."

The world of Elder Lord was different from reality. It was a place where one could be stabbed with a knife or fall dead at any moment. And now, with the crisis at hand, their penalty was death itself.

It was a burden they had to bear themselves.

"What are they saying outside of the game?"

"The same. The experts are analyzing it, that's all they say. We’re all tired of hearing the same stuff now, so we’ve kind of stopped talking about it."

Rommel felt uneasy.

It had been a stalemate for a long time. Even considering the difference in time between Elder Lord's world and reality, a week had passed. Yet, there was no significant news from the outside. The same things have been repeated from the beginning until now.

"We should meet with the mayor again," Rommel suggested.

"Ah, I’ll call a few more to come with us."

"No need. I'll go alone this time. I can take care of myself. There shouldn't be any problem."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Don't worry."

Like that, Rommel left the 'User Village.'

Despite the users being locked in, the world of Elder Lord continued to follow its own logic. The outside world demanded information regarding it, and Rommel occasionally went out to gather it.

Known as a commanding genius, Rommel had a high reputation even among NPCs, making him suitable for such information gathering. The mayor of Apalanchia knew Rommel well, and since the outbreak, Rommel had met and talked with him frequently.

The guards, familiar with Rommel's face, greeted him warmly and let him in. The mayor welcomed Rommel in the reception room.

"Oh, Rommel! You've come again. It’s good to see you! What brings you here today?"

"I’m just here to express my thanks. I'm truly grateful to you for setting up a place for us on the outskirts of the city. Thanks to you, everyone is doing well."

"Hahaha, it's nothing. Even those cursed by the stars have their own circumstances, especially in these troubled times... We must help each other," the mayor twirled his mustache as he spoke.

"And well, you might say that, but you're probably curious about the Ashen God," he added.

"Not necessarily."

"Haha, no need to be shy. I’ve already told you that the strongest of each race gathered and are headed north to strike the Ashen God. But now, it seems they've hit a snag."

"A snag...?"

"Demons that were thought to be extinct have revived and are attacking them. Moreover, the barrier that the god has cast is so powerful that they can't even approach. At this moment, they can only let time pass..."

The mayor smiled before continuing.

"... But all the gods are with us. It should be fine."

‘Those strong gods of yours combined their powers, but they still couldn’t defeat the orcs.’

Rommel swallowed those words.

Those formidable orcs were now their allies. Moreover, the north and the continent, all races, and all gods had united their strength.

"What kind of being is the Ashen God?"

"We don't know much either. The Ashen God is said to be an ancient god who fell long ago at the hands of other gods... For some reason, it seems desperate to destroy this world, but we can't understand how such a being came to be. Hmm."

This was information that had already been gathered. Players had gathered and collected information not just in Apalanchia, but in Maillard, Arnin, or the cities of the southern empire. They all brought similar information to that provided by the mayor.

According to the game's logic, their only chance of salvation was to defeat the Ashen God.

If the Ashen God were to win, the world of Elder Lord would be destroyed, and all life in it would be eradicated. That meant the users would die as well.

Death in Elder Lord would lead to death in reality.

The thought sent shivers down his spine.

It was a dreadful quest.

In desperation, Rommel asked,

"Shouldn't we send an army then? Even during the expedition, they gathered a huge number of people just to hit the orcs...”

"It seems that conventional methods don't work at all against the demons and the Ashen God’s barrier. The people there are saying that ordinary people might just get in the way and die instantly, which, from our perspective, might be a blessing in disguise..."

"Was there a timeline for when the Ashen God would destroy the world?"

"I'm not sure about that. The grand magic attempted by the Ashen God is gradually gaining strength, but nobody knows for sure."

It was then.

Something caught Rommel's eye.

A system message.

[The Final Quest]

[The Ashen God is still alive and well. The power of the Ashen God is rapidly increasing. The world is moving toward a new beginning, a new cycle. We regret to inform you, but with your sacrifices, the universe will once again conceive life.]

[World Destruction - D-7]

[In one week, at sunrise, the world will perish.]

Rommel was at a loss for words.

The oblivious mayor continued with a forced smile.

"Anyway, don't worry too much. Crockta is there, isn't he?"

* * *

Polaroid, the designated cameraman of the Elder Lord world broadcast for the Under Games channel, clasped his head in his hands.

His broadcast program was connected to the Under Games channel. Currently, its transmission to the public has been suspended and was being solely used for discussions between the broadcasting station and government officials.

But recently, a secretive proposal had been made to him.

「Sung-Hyun.」

「If this works out, we’ll hit the jackpot. I'll make sure you're sitting on a pile of money when all this is over.」

「Even if anything goes wrong, we’ll take all the blame.」

In the brief absence of government officials, representatives from the Under Games channel had made him an offer to go north and broadcast the battle against the 'Ashen God.'

It was a task that required him to put his life on the line. But if successful, it would create the most thrilling footage the world has ever seen, a fight where people's lives were at stake.

A true ‘war of the gods’ that wouldn’t even compare to the previous expedition war.

The director of the broadcast had persuaded him that it would be the greatest broadcast since the beginning of the Elder Lord era.

「Sung-Hyun, we need to hurry. Do you think we're the only ones who thought of this? Other roadcasters, and streamers, they're all working on this behind everyone’s backs. Some are probably already on their way there, you know how crazy streamers are, right? If you hesitate on this, you'll end up neither here nor there.」

Polaroid closed his eyes.

It was a job that would put his life at risk. Even during the broadcast of the previous expedition war, he had been caught in fierce combat and had narrowly escaped death several times. But then, death had no real penalty, so he was able to be brave.

Now, things were different. His death in this world meant dying in the real world.

What good are money and fame in the face of death?

He thought of his wife and baby. They were newlyweds. When his fatigued wife smiled and handed him their newborn daughter, he cried in front of his wife for the first time. It was an overwhelming emotion he had never felt before.

For their sake, he could not die.

「I'm sorry, but I...」

Then.

[The Final Quest]

[The Ashen God is still alive and well. The power of the Ashen God is rapidly increasing. The world is moving toward a new beginning, a new cycle. We regret to inform you, but with your sacrifices, the universe will once again conceive life.]

[World Destruction - D-7]

[In one week, at sunrise, the world will perish.]

After reading that system message, Polaroid froze.

The director connected to him was also left speechless for a minute.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Silence ensued for some time.

After some time had passed, the director spoke again.

「Sung-Hyun, I'm sorry I haven’t told you yet.」

「I've looked into it, and apparently the government doesn’t have a solution. That thing, the Albino, they busted it open, but there was nothing inside. They don't even know why or how this game is operating. The experts? They're clueless. Nothing. Some say it's a supernatural phenomenon. All the world's governments are busy keeping this a top secret.」

「So, Sung-Hyun.」

Polaroid was numbly listening to him, dazed.

「If you do this, then I'll take care of your family. I give you my word. I'll make sure they have nothing to worry about for the rest of their lives. It'd be best if you came back alive, but in case something happens... In case something goes wrong...」

He sighed before continuing.

「I'll make sure your daughter and wife live comfortably for the rest of their lives. I hate to make such an offer, but honestly, if you just die without broadcasting this thing, there’s nothing I can do for you. Government compensation? How far do you think that'll go? You know that too. There are not just one or two people trapped. It's a whole different scale. They'll never be able to compensate properly. If you just do some rough calculations...」

「Okay」

Polaroid cut him off.

「Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll broadcast it.」

The director didn't respond. Polaroid glanced at his palms for a moment. They were trembling. He blinked once and stood up again.

「I'm sorry. I'll be back later.」

Ignoring the director's words, he gathered his equipment.

Outside was already chaos. The system message must have reached the users by now. Those who had been leisurely until now were screaming and calling out for the government and Elder Saga Corporation.

Polaroid hid himself. If he got caught up in that, he would have to stay there. He was the only link between them and the outside world.

No, there was one more.

Before he realized someone was standing beside him.

"You are..."

It was Laney the Youvidser.

Laney had settled in the user village in Apalanchia after the situation erupted and had disappeared ever since. She seemed to be conducting her own investigation. According to an official, she was also ignoring the government's demands.

That Youvidser had just appeared.

"I heard everything," she said.

"You’re going, right?"

Polaroid looked at her. Her face was stern. Her eyes were so confident that it was hard to believe she was a person with a countdown ticking toward her death.

"Let's go together," she offered.

"What...?"

"Let's go together. It'll be tough on your own."

"Why would you..."

"I also received an offer from the outside. I also know they have no solution. If we're going to face death, anyway, might as well take a gamble."

Laney grinned.

"Besides, there's a man I really want to see there."

Polaroid knew who she was talking about.

It was the being that Laney was relentlessly pursuing.

The indomitable man who had never been subdued or defeated. The great warrior who stood alone against the empire and dueled a god to save his kind.

An NPC, but a name that heated the hearts of every Elder Lord user.

Crockta, the orc warrior.

He was there.

"You’re right."

Polaroid smiled faintly. It was the first smile he had on his face since that crisis began.

He too was involved in the Elder Lord broadcasting world. He knew about Crockta as well as she did, if not better. During the expedition force battle, he had focused his every angle on him.

Thinking of Crockta, an indefinable vague hope sprang up in his chest.

He was that type of person.

He gave hope and belief.

He always stood on battlefields where defeat was certain, creating victory in places where it seemed impossible.

Now, he was on their side.

Whether he knew it or not, Crockta was already fighting for their lives. The greatest warrior was their ally.

"So, let's go and watch him. That orc man will surely win."

Laney extended her hand.

Polaroid took her hand.

Laney used a skill. Gradually, their figures faded away.

When people busted the door open, there was no one in the room.