NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 101
“Congratulations!”
“You’ve completed the quest!”
As the Knights left, a system window appeared before the Otherworlders.
Since the quest condition was to ‘defeat the Knights,’ it automatically cleared.
Of course, I was also watching the scene with my Player’s Eye activated.
The Otherworlders checked their alarms, and joy spread across their faces.
“Yes! Now I don’t have to worry about going to prison!”
It seemed they were quite worried about the risks they’d face if they failed.
After all, from their perspective, it was a matter that could significantly impact their future gameplay, so they must have felt quite anxious inside.
‘Hmm…’
As I watched them, I plunged into thought for a moment.
Come to think of it, I feel like there was a ‘???’ in the reward section of the quest.
While the ‘increased probability of future disaster response’ is one thing, I suspect ‘???’ might be the reward I have to give.
After all, when I sent Chaerin on an errand before, the reward also popped up as ‘???’ initially.
And to be honest, I wanted to give them something anyway, even without the system prompting.
‘After all, they risked themselves to stand by my side.’
I’d have to give them something out of gratitude.
But the problem is, I don’t really have anything to give right now. There were quite a few people who received the quest.
“…What should I do about this?”
“Ugh, right?”
Then suddenly, something caught my eye.
It was the items left behind by the Otherworlders from the hunting squad who had died. Although some of them vanished after they died, the items they dropped were still lying on the ground.
The remaining people looked at those items with expressions of helplessness.
Now that the Otherworlders were dead, those items had become ownerless, but it felt odd to just take them.
Items in this place still hold real value in the other world, so it was no wonder everyone was hesitant.
As I observed them, I had a bright idea.
I gathered the ownerless items and said to the Otherworlders,
“I’ll take care of these and distribute them to you. Is that okay?”
“Y-Yes!”
“Oh, that’s great for us.”
After all, the hunting decree had caused the Otherworlders to accumulate quite a good amount of weapons.
Since my weapon pouch was almost full, I would eventually need to sell some at the shop and distribute a bit of cash.
Probably, the value of those items wouldn’t be insignificant, so they’d be satisfied.
‘Anyway, I’ve got some leftovers from the Deep Layer too.’
I probably wouldn’t have to worry about money for a while.
Of course, I’d have to go down to handle the hunting decree before I could trade those items for money.
“… …”
I stared silently into the woods for a moment.
It was now up to fate.
Thus, I sent the Otherworlders back with my gratitude.
*
And that night, a festival was nearly held in the Community.
+
[The Otherworlders who joined the hunting squad for money are so pathetic, lol]
What boss?
No way, lol
How could you even think you could catch the one who defeated the Knights?
Just think about the cost of the lost items, and keep your hands to yourself, lol!
+
[Who are we? True heroes who risked everything for cooperation]
[The items you lost! No matter what happens!! Absolutely!!! Won’t come back!!!!]
[Don’t worry~ We’ll use the rewards well~~]
[You pathetic idiots]
Of course, this festival was only open to some users.
Those Otherworlders who participated in the hunting squad only suffered losses, so they were practically in a mourning state.
Mostly, the ones mocking them were those who joined Yor’s side and those who simply watched the battle on stream.
Given that it was a large-scale event with almost hundreds of participants, there were plenty of viewers who saw it on the stream.
+
[I always heard he was strong]
Wow, I never thought he could take down a whole Knights order by himself;
Seeing the final moments of the Fourth Knights captain George was nothing short of impressive, for real.
+
[Lol, was that even a proper fight? He just used underhanded tactics to win]
[N-Now come the hunting squad, lol]
[Aren’t you the fool who could create such a situation? Making a favorable environment for yourself is a skill too]
[Besides, he even fought man to man at the end, lol]
+
[This scene really gets me going…]
(png)
His clothes were almost torn, and the frown he had, along with his muscles that flashed occasionally, made my heart race every time I saw him…
+
[I wish the blood wasn’t there though]
[Isn’t that even better?]
[Huh? Seriously?]
[I really wish you’d just drop dead]
[Look at those muscles, his body is amazing]
[I seriously want to get a taste of that]
[Ugh, today’s Community is so peaceful, lol]
Of course, there were also plenty of posts related to Yor.
No exaggeration, most of the popular posts were about him.
The videos that were recorded this time really sparked interest among them.
By now, all the editors of the streamers were probably working late into the night, editing the footage.
Fortunately, most users showed a favorable reaction toward him.
The hunting decree itself was already a source of mixed opinions, and seeing it so thoroughly smashed was quite cathartic.
Beyond that, the fact that he was a ‘man’ was significant in itself for the users.
Naturally, with so many viewers, the dialogues exchanged between Rayleigh, Yor, and him were caught on tape.
Though they weren’t fully captured due to distance, users generally knew what was going on.
+
[So, is the hunting notice getting lifted now?]
I dunno.
+
[That’s still uncertain; it depends on the Emperor’s will]
[Honestly, it won’t get lifted; it was the Emperor’s decree after all; there’s no way he’d go back on that]
[Isn’t canceling actually a better way to save face? He returned hundreds of precious knights alive, and sending them back with another hunting squad would just be asking for trouble]
[For real, lol; they’d be inhuman to send another Knights squad after doing that]
Of course, it wasn’t a matter that could be easily decided.
For an individual to think of it, it was indeed a huge issue from their perspective too.
Now it was left to fate.
And fortunately… this time, fate smiled upon Yor.
*
It’s said to be an era of chaos.
Since the demons began to roam the world again… or rather, since the Otherworlders appeared in Gaia.
Scholars around the world began calling it the era of chaos.
And in such an era, countless things change.
Many ideologies clash and fade, blurring the lines between right and wrong.
Truths once revered for long become stale and outdated notions at some point.
Shouts of the madman that once seemed like nonsense become the teachings of sages that shake the world the next day.
People termed it a chaotic era.
From the moment Otherworlders fell here, the people of Gaia had already received far too many thoughts from them.
It’s a flow that can’t easily be stopped. Even if they die, they revive and drift around the world.
The options available for the original inhabitants are quite limited.
Either drown in the currents or ride the waters to coexist.
Fortunately, this Emperor seems to belong to the latter group.
Having sat on the throne for a long time, the Emperor could at least gauge which direction the current was flowing.
The world was demanding to embrace the manifestors.
Even if the people of Gaia had yet to accept it, the Otherworlders were yearning for it.
Thus, it didn’t take long for the Emperor to make his decision.
“I shall cancel the hunting decree.”
A few days later, all hunting declarations from the guild were revoked.
*
The hunting decree was lifted.
I heard this news precisely a few minutes after the edict was issued.
Not even hours, but mere minutes.
The person delivering the news wasn’t Yoo Chaerin or Im Haneul. They would still be hearing about it.
It wasn’t Shin Hanbyeol or anyone else I knew either.
“The proclamation just went out.”
The visitor was a messenger sent directly by the state.
A middle-aged knight who looked somewhat experienced held a letter.
They didn’t seem to have any intention of fighting; they conveyed their message rather humbly.
“And they are very grateful for the return of the knights as they were. Thanks to you, we didn’t lose valuable talents for the nation.”
Thud.
After sharing that, they threw something towards me.
It was an object that felt familiar yet strangely unfamiliar.
It was none other than the Empire’s Identification Tag.
Featuring beautifully carved patterns of the empire engraved on wood, it signified the status of a common citizen within the Empire.
Wow…
Seeing that, my mouth dropped slightly open.
The implication was quite clear by handing it over.
“It’s not much, but please accept it. This Identification Tag has been directly issued by the Emperor. From now on, no one will stop you from entering the territory.”
My hand trembled slightly as I held it.
It could almost be said, “Finally…”
I might feel like I’m receiving it out of goodwill.
But considering the backlash they had to deal with just to deliver this Identification Tag… it was no mere item.
In fact, it could be described as quite radical.
With this, I can confidently enter the city.
Even if it’s not the civilization I hoped for, at least I can walk into the city honestly.
Is this for real? Is there some kind of trick behind it?
My mind was flooded with questions while a subtle thrill filled my chest.
Moreover, the messenger didn’t stop there.
The next words were even more shocking.
“And I invite you to the Imperial City. Please come and share your story with us.”
They were inviting me to the Imperial City, where nobles reside.
It was a place where not even ordinary citizens could easily enter.
It was a decision that could be deemed shocking, going beyond radical.
I felt a trace of doubt for a moment.
‘What on earth are they thinking?’
I silently stared at the messenger who brought the news.