The third update was a simple one, bringing some changes to the playstyle of the users.
Though rankers and pros hardly use it, the ‘auto-attack and defense’ feature is extremely important for regular users.
This system autonomously handles attacks and defenses on behalf of the caster and is divided into several types.
Users can understand skills better now, and once they reach a certain level, their ‘mana sensitivity’ increases, allowing them to feel mana.
While it was necessary, if you had to nitpick, these are just convenience patches.
Considering it’s an annual update, it’s pretty trivial stuff.
Viewers murmured, questioning if they were slacking off, but I saw it differently.
“It just means they have no time to worry about other things.”
It’s a hint to pay attention to the ‘two races’ right in front of them rather than these minor updates.
After that, various events and interviews took place, and finally, the countdown to the New Year began.
─5!
“Meowww!”
[3333]
[222222]
[33]
[999999]
[Starting now!!]
[22111]
[1]
“1.”
Beeep.
[Special Update: The Era of Chaos is uploading…]
[The connection with ??? becomes closer. More class changes are now available.]
[The World Quest, ‘Truth of Light and Darkness,’ gets an upgrade.]
[Stability regarding fusion increases. Side effects may occur with excessive fusion.]
[A path leading ‘up’ has been discovered.]
[Some stats are increased…]
…
[Two disasters will occur.]
[The God of the Dead rises from the casket.]
[The God of Balance looks upon the world within the scales.]
[The World Quest, ‘Era of Chaos,’ is assigned.]
[A user group buff, ‘Challenger of Chaos (180 days),’ is granted.]
[A guild group buff, ‘Challenger Alliance (180 days),’ is granted.]
[If the God of the Dead is not defeated within 180 days, resurrection will occur across the continent.]
[If the God of Balance is not defeated within 180 days, ‘balance’ will be restored across the continent.]
[Make the right choice.]
The world will split.
A beautiful yet ominous aurora blankets the night sky as a dreadful balance fits into the additional world beyond the sky.
With ominous portents shrouding the entire world,
the war has begun.
■
That day was a peaceful day.
A small town on the outskirts of the Iteen Kingdom.
With a population of less than a thousand and only seven knights as its core power, it was a petite city.
Nevertheless, the residents, knights, and the lord were happy.
Although there weren’t many entertainment options due to its rural nature, the outskirts were more peaceful than anywhere else.
Even the outsiders who often caused trouble rarely came around, how peaceful it was.
Knight Levan was satisfied with his current life and decided to dedicate his life to this town.
“What is the difference between the dead and the living?”
Before ‘he’ showed up.
A long black hat that obscured his face and an outfit resembling a clown.
His lanky body and legs looked somewhat ridiculous, and the purple staff in his hand looked like a magical tool.
“Surely the living are too shabby compared to the dead.”
So he let his guard down.
“Why live? Dying is so comfortable.”
No, would the result have changed even if he hadn’t let his guard down?
Levan surveyed his surroundings with his left arm torn off.
Swoosh…
It’s raining.
The peaceful town turned into a wreck. Now, there are more corpses than living people.
Everyone is dead. Because of that man.
And Levan will die too.
“If you die, you don’t have to eat, you won’t suffer, and you don’t have to sleep. How convenient.”
“……”
“I’ll ask again. What’s the difference between the dead and the living?”
The clown leaned in close to Levan’s face.
Kuh-gung…!
Lightning struck.
“……”
The guy’s face was a skull.
With blackened eyelids of a dead person.
Levan spat the blood in his mouth onto the guy’s face.
Despite being quite a humiliating action, the clown merely stared at Levan.
“…The living are not monsters like you.”
“Is that so?”
“Kill me.”
Levan closed his eyes.
Rather than ugly begging for life, he would end it with those who have already departed.
He didn’t expect any kind of support.
If the strength the clown showed was real, even the kingdom’s elite knights would just be his toys.
So Levan died honorably as a human…
‘It should’ve ended here.’
“Why act like it’s the last moment?”
“?!”
I’m not dead.
In Levan’s view, there were beings that shouldn’t be alive.
“Ah, aaah…”
Levan’s acquaintances, family, lovers…
All rushed towards him with blurry eyes.
Levan shed bloody tears and spat out curses at the clown, but the clown only tilted his head in confusion.
“It’s just the beginning, you know?”
■
[World Quest, ‘Era of Chaos’ is in progress.]
[Sub Quest, ‘City of the Dead’ is in progress.]
[You have entered the area of the dead.]
[Living ones’ stats are reduced by 40%.]
[Living ones’ movement speed is reduced by 30%.]
[The dead’s stats are increased by 50%.]
[The dead’s movement speed is increased by 60%.]
[Staying in this area for too long will trigger ‘Deathification’.]
[You are a Challenger. You are partially protected from the effects of the area.]
[You possess a dark artifact. No effect applies.]
“Levan… I am Knight Levan…”
In the small city of the Iten Kingdom.
On the day after the New Year, simultaneous undead attacks occurred all over the world, and I rushed to the small city where the news reached me.
The city that had already been attacked by the dead and had perished.
About a thousand residents living in the small city had already turned into undead, and I reached out to them to deliver peace.
I want to save them, but their bodies and souls are already steeped in magic.
If the soul has changed like this, it’s nearly impossible to bring them back to life.
[d-d-d-d]
[Wow, that’s horrifying…]
[Even though I came as fast as I could, I’m late.]
[They all died ㄷㄷㄷ]
[I heard it’s complete chaos in the West.]
[Did you see the North? Zombies are coming in like a mountainㅋㅋㅋ]
[It’s insane.]
[Can we save them?]
“It seems like it’s going to take a while.”
I said this while placing my hand on the forehead of the knight known as ‘Levan’.
Because they are so steeped in magic, they showed strength that even ordinary Rankers couldn’t beat, but after all, they are undead.
No matter how much the undead struggle, they can’t resist the ‘Holy’.
“If it were just one or two, I could handle it, but right now there’s so much damage happening everywhere…”
I’ve gotten quite strong, but purifying magic is a different issue.
It’s possible to save the undead that inherited magic, but if a demon directly led to their corruption, there would have been no chance to save them.
If I keep trying hard to save them in this state, it would be like pouring water into a bottomless pit.
It’s like pouring water into a lost barrel.
“First, we need to catch that guy.”
We have to capture the culprit who turned this city into a haven for the dead.
While digging through Levan’s memories, one prominent figure caught my attention.
An undead clown with a skull for a body.
The clown mocked the residents and knights of the small town with its overwhelming power and left after turning Levan into an undead.
From the traces left behind, it’s certain that it’s a top-tier undead.
[Are we not catching the angel?]
[Lily is the one who catches angels, right?]
“An angel… I have to catch one.”
I certainly want to deal with the celestial race right away, but I need to stabilize this situation first.
For now, the demon side is launching a large-scale assault compared to the celestial race, which is holding back.
Of course, I know this is a scheme by the celestial race, but it’s the harsh reality that we have to endure it even knowing that.
“First, let’s tidy things up.”
With the alliance and numerous rankers active in their respective positions, it should create an opportunity once things stabilize a bit.
This small town was devastated largely because it was so far out that information wasn’t properly communicated.
“!”
Magic.
I can feel considerable magic.
I immediately spread my wings and took to the sky.
─Lady Lily.
“Yes.”
─They report that thousands of undead have appeared near the Iten Kingdom. You’re right nearby; could you take care of it?
“I’m already on my way.”
Receiving the communication from the alliance, I arrived near the Iten Kingdom in a hurry, where thousands of undead were advancing, darkening the earth.
The power of the Iten Kingdom was insufficient.
Though they appeared to be simple undead, there were middle and high-tier dead among them.
[Oh wow]
[So many dogs???]
[Wow, LOL]
[UWAAH]
[They’re overflowing like dogs]
[When will we catch them all?]
[OMG]
I drew my spear.
Not the Kraken’s Spear, but the White Guardian.
The Kraken’s Spear might be better as a weapon, but it’s different when dealing with ‘undead.’
The White Guardian emitted a pure white light and flew toward the undead.
‘Roar of the spear.’
KWAHAHAAAANG!!!
A massive storm erased thousands of undead.
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