The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor

Chapter 5 : Power to Reject Death

After the drinking party, Weed headed for the village of the Orcs. Weed shapeshifted into the Orc Karichwi again, who had a massive and vicious body.

"Kyaaaah, so cute!"

"This is how you look like as an Orc!"

"Look at those forearms. So muscular"

These people had an unusual taste.

Hwaryeong and Surka liked Karichwi's appearance.

Yellowish teeth coming out of his mouth and a big nose.

Eyes brimming with confidence!

He had a bulging beer belly, proof overeating!

It looked nothing like a human or, for that account, like any other race you'd normally see. He was so ugly, that the word 'monster' was too genteel to describe him.

Weed had found the Orc village without much difficulty.

Orcs came to the Yuroki mountains, to hunt around the area, only a few months after the quest had ended.

"Chwichik! Selling zombie teeth for 5 million gold. Chwichik profit. Please buy."

"Rotten Ancient Soldiers' sword. Good condition! For only 20,000,000 gold."

"Wear a cursed bracelet for the low amount of 8 million gold. Chwiik"

The Orcs were selling items they had acquired after the victory against the Undead Legion for absurdly high prices. But only a crazy person would buy it for those prices!

Some Orcs spoke in earnest with Weed.

"Good stuff. Buy some. Chwiik."

"I'm not interested. Chwiik."

Usually, that was enough to make them give up, but some Orcs were persistent.

"Do you want to buy this, Kari? You seem interested, see if it fits"

The Orcs were aggressively soliciting customers!

"Well, come take a look. Chwiik!"

Weed didn't even have to take a look. He knew how the Orcs tried to ensnare their customers.

The Orc Village also had another characteristic.

They were completely devoid of any intelligence.

"Kari. Kari."

"What's the matter. Chwik." Weed, showing no interest, replied.

"Hold on, those are humans. Chwit."

"They are my prisoners. Chwit."

Therefore, that reason was good enough to get them into the village. Because of the Orcs low intellect, they couldn't follow complex reasoning.

"Oh, who cares. Congratulations. Say chichichit. Mmm this one looks good, you going to eat it?"

The Orc soldiers were drooling over Hwaryeong, Irene and Romuna while looking at him.

In the eyes of the Orcs, Surka was so small she wasn't even considered food.

Sensing prey before them, the Orcs erupted into a hearty laugh.

As Weed was used to dealing with them, the situation wasn't of much concern to him.

"I'll eat later. Chwiik!"

"Oh Yea? Count me in. Chwiit."

"I'll pay 2 gold. Chichik."

"No money. Instead, how about 80 zombie eyeballs? Chwik."

Zombie eyeballs were high quality japtem worth 5 silvers each.

"Deal. Chwik"

"As usual, arms for me Chwichik"

"I'll save them for you. Chwiik!"

However, Hwaryeong and Irene's complexion went pale as they listened to Weed's and the Orcs' deeds during the war.

It seemed as if they were going to be hawked and eaten!

Weed brought his party to the Orc Elder's home. The house was made out of roughly chopped wood, and when it rained, water leaked through the roof.

"Kari, you're home." The Orc Elder greeted Weed with eyes full of affection.

"Elder, as requested, I accomplished my quest, and returned. Chwiik."

"Yes. Your contribution will not be forgotten. We, the Orcs have defeated the Dark Elves and have proven ourselves to be the rulers of Yuroki Mountains. Chwichichik!"

*Ttiring!*

He gained 3 levels by completing the quest given by the Orc Race.

The Orc Elder continued saying.

"Here are the promised goods. Chwit!"

Quest reward items! For completing the quest from the Orc Village, the reward was either Gem or an Ore.

'I hope I would get an expensive gem'

Processed gems from sculpting sells for more money. Weed held considerable expectations.

However, what the Orc Elder brought back was a black lump

"Chwichwik. This ore was discovered a long time ago. We found this being used in parts of some armor we took during a hunt. You can take it to a Blacksmith and have it applied to your armor to enhance it. Chwiit.Take care of it."

A black lump!

At first, Weed did not know what the item was.

It was neither a type of equipment nor a mineral ore.

After examining for some time, faint traces of an armor was found.

It could be used to make gloves, boots, shoulder pauldrons, and belts. Things that were partially made out of mithril could be sold for a hefty sum.

The mithril could be melted in a furnace, but without proper skill proficiency, the process of hardening the metal would result in an unusable piece of junk metal.

'Mithril. To handle this properly, I definitely have to go to the City of Artists. I also have to pay the city a visit to obtain more knowledge of the Moonlight Sculptor profession.'

The City of Artists, Rhodium!

Many Guilds of the artisan and production classes gathered there.

"I sincerely thank you, Elder. Chwit."

Weed placed his reward inside his backpack.

Without missing a beat, the elder continued talking.

"Now the Orcs can hold their heads up with pride. Chwitchwit. We have proved to the arrogant Dark Elves that we are the masters of Yuroki Mountains. Chwiiit. Up to the last moments, through tough challenges, the Orcs survived."

*Ttiring!

'It'll be a busy time in the Yuroki Mountains'

After some time, Orcs with the appearance as handsome as Weed were made.

Curious of the new race, a lot of people were interested and chose Orcs as their initial character. Multitudes of new players arose in the Village of the Orcs. There were a lot of Orc players with "Chwiik" in their name!

Thanks to expensive prices and unconventional commerce in the village, the Orc players ran around the mountains hunting while looking heinous and selfish, but it also produced many opportunities.

Spacious hunting ground of Yuroki Mountains!

Infested with high-ranked monsters!

When they chose to start as an Orc in the Village of Exiles, they were able to get many value experiences. They wouldn't have been able to if they chosen the human race.

Weed bowed his head slightly towards the Orc Elder and walked out of the village.

***

With his party, Weed went to the castle of the Dark Elves to look for the Necromancer and submit his report.

"Commander!"

In the castle were Dark Elves and the Soldiers of Rosenheim Kingdom.

Royal Knights and Centurions alive and well.

Buran, Becker and Hosram!

Weed noticed that Dale was missing.

"Buran, where's Dale?"

"Da, Dale... Heuheuk!"

The Royal Knights had somber faces, both Buran and Hosram bursted into tears, while Becker was trying hard to hold back his tears.

"Dale, along with the Wyverns, got swept away by the Lich's magic spell."

"How'd it happen!"

Weed eyes turned red and began to cry.

Deep sorrow, sadness, regret, bitterness and pain!

These were the feelings that Weed felt.

With a glum look, Weed sat to the spot next to Hosram, where Dale would usually sit.

Dale was hardworking and reliable, he got promoted to the rank of Centurion, and was given charge of the main force. 'Dale.'

Rosenheim Kingdom soldiers were sorrowful, but Weed took the chance to increase intimacy.

"Nevertheless Commander, as a parting gift, he and the wyverns sent one of Barr Khan's main forces straight to hell."

"I'm sure he regretted nothing, we all would have followed you anywhere."

Hosram, Buran, and Becker's affinity and loyalty was at its best. To other soldiers of the Rosenheim Kingdom and the Royal Knights, Weed's order was absolute.

It wasn't unusual for a commander to mourn for the loss of a subordinate. Weed's ability, charisma, and leadership that allowed him to complete the quest earned deep trust amongst the soldiers.

Weed's companions thought that they had mistakenly judged him.

Pale reflected.

'Although he cares a lot about money... he also has a tender heart.'

Surka and Irene had the same thoughts as Pale.

'What an affectionate response Weed, having to mourn for fallen soldiers.'

'The fallen Kingdom soldiers, even the careless ones, are being cherished.'

With tears silently forming on the rim of his eyes, Hwaryeong and Romuna tried not to smile. Weed had lost a lot of subordinates, but they believed his pain would come to pass.

In regards to depression and loss, these were some of the feelings that the world did not allow Weed to have. But reality was a little different. Weed was sad about something else.

'My contribution!'

If the soldiers of Rosenheim Kingdom were sent back alive, the contribution he spent to borrow them will be returned. It their levels were higher than he first borrowed them, he will receive extra contribution points. Contribution was related to rewards and money.

He felt great regret because the death of Dale, the Centurion, had lost him a lot of contribution points.

Weed's eyes were still sore as he faced the Rosenheim Kingdom's soldiers.

"In addition to Dale, who else died?"

Amongst the soldiers, 25 people have lost their lives as they fought with the wicked Lich. However, our fallen comrades will be honored.

"Not anymore. Although they are no longer here, they will remain in our hearts forever. We should never forget them."

"You are right. Commander"

Its a miracle that all the soldiers didn't die fighting in the quest against the Undead Legion. The healing power of the priests contributed greatly to the success of the mission, a lot more than he would have thought.

Buran, Becker, Hosram, and others who were ranked as Centurion leveled up a lot. Thanks to his quest, the soldiers' level had grown by an average of about 70 levels. They would probably be promoted when he returned them to Rosenheim Kingdom.

The once ordinary soldiers would climb at an unprecedented rate. The Royal Knights had also leveled up by about 10 to 20 levels or even more.

After checking on the Rosenheim soldiers and the Royal Knights, Weed went to the Black Temple to meet with the Necromancers. Weed's companions followed up to that point and stopped.

The black-skinned Dark Elves were walking around the citadel and had sparked Weed's party's interest.

"Weed, we would like to walk around the castle and take a look"

Weed considered Romuna's request, and then nodded in agreement. He didn't have anything else to do other than to report the success of his quest.

"Yes, please do so. I'll report the quest and then I'll come meet you."

Alone, Weed went into the Black Temple.

***

Underground of the Black Temple!

Necromancers were still wearing their robes with neutral faces, waiting for Weed to arrive.

While waving a Bone Wand, they said.

"We have waited for thee. Thy ability as commander was truly remarkable and will eternally be exalted."

"It was no big deal. I had found their weakness" Weed replied politely.

Actually, I did not consider myself to be doing so well with the quest. If fought alone, the Legions of Undead would be similar to beating an egg on a rock. However, maximizing the Orcs' and Dark Elves' abilities was a great investment. It was not a big deal, thanks to them it wasn't hard to claim victory.

"Thanks to thy ferocious spirit, we were able to defeat the Legions of Undead and put Shire to his eternal rest. To hell with ambition where it'll burn with fire. Thanks to thee, the continent will no longer see works of Shire and the Undead Legion."

*Ttiring!*

Messages of his level increasing continued appearing. He had simultaneously gained a whopping 17 levels. To some extent, the quest limits the experience gained depending on the allegiance of the recipient.

Completing a A rank difficulty quest meant receiving a lot of experience. Weed noticed that his level went over 300, to level 306.

'I've regained all the levels I've lost.'

He has lost a significant amount of levels from creating Wyverns, yet he had gained all it back.

The Necromancer raised his thin hands and said.

"On behalf of all Necromancers, I will bestow upon you the compensation."

Weed would never dream of refusing them. With an A rank quest, the rewards you received were bound to be enormous. Receiving the Lich Shire's book of Necromancy would be just the icing of the cake.

'At least a unique item! Or 3-4 rare items should be fine too.'

Looking back at the quest he had completed for the Church of Freya, receiving something similar to Agatha's Sword was to be expected.

"But I'm sorry, we have absolutely no proprietorship of treasures."

"..."

"Acquitted as hermits who could not attend to the world, we have no treasures to award you with"

"Isn't there at least a treasure that you've saved that could be awarded to me?"

"For hundreds of years we have lived in the shadows of obscurity. Treasures of the Necromancers are scattered throughout the world, secluded from the sun."

"..."

In the end, it all made sense. Looking miserable, Weed felt like curling into a ball.

Weed's robes were so tattered that he was close to being naked, and his boots were so ragged his toes were sticking out.

The Necromancers looked no different from beggars. It was enough to make Weed fall into despair. However, the Necromancer shook his head.

"Do not be discouraged, there is something that we would like to give to you."

"What is it?"

"As the leader of the Necromancers, I would like to present you with a special gift for all your assistance. This power is exclusive for to the Necromancer class!"

The atmosphere was very solemn.

*Ttiring!*

The message window appeared before his eyes.

Weed did not worry so much.

'For a prestigious A rank difficulty quest, the reward wasn't so bad.'

The increase in health, mana and stats made the skill a great supplementation for Weed.

Unique to a former high rank wizard profession, the necromancer!

It wasn't such a bad thing as long as he received the skill of the second class advancement of the Necromancer class, the Blood Necromancers.

"I will accept it."

"You chose well."

*pajijijik!*

Weed's hand transformed to the shape of a Death Knight's.

"Skill description. The power to reject death."

'In battle, the person whose life drops to 0, dies. However, using the power to deny death, I'll be able to continue fighting' Weed thought that his new skill was pretty useful.

A skill that allows you to die and return as an undead while retaining your level before death. Not to mention that turning into an undead will help him prevent item loss on death.

Stamina and vitality were both doubled, and depending on which undead he transformed into, he would gain different skills.

Above all else, death can turn into a strategic advantage now with which he could continue playing.

'I no longer have to wait for 24 hours to play the game.'

Dark Gamers such as Weed made their money through quests.

Dying meant a substantial loss of experience and items and it deprived Weed from the opportunity to make money for 24 hours. The delay on the one day suspension means less monetary loss.

Although that came with formidable advantages, there still existed side effects. Even if he always revived as an Undead, he could not necessarily be sure of having victory in his grasp. On the contrary, he would suffer great consequences from dying twice.

All this is said.

"We necromancers have suffered greatly because of misunderstandings, forthwith it can be resolved. We the disciples of Black Magic, will once again prosper in this land."

"May you be successful."

"It may be a stretch, but we have suffered a great plenty while not trying. But there is one thing I would like to know. Is the continent of Versailles really peaceful?"

"Yes?"

"Unknown to most, evil hidden beneath the world has begun to move, this evil is known as the Embinyu Church. There are 12 leaders of this religion."

"Religious leaders?"

"The churches of Freya and Rui are different from the dark group hiding in Valhalla's temple. They believe in the evil god and will try to dye the world with darkness. Amongst them is the 12th leader who is hiding in the land of Baseurin. Although peaceful in daytime, during night, demonic festivals unfold. As a result, the entire city is under their control"

'Baseurin.'

It seemed to be an undiscovered region, and information was always helpful.

Weed said his farewells and exits out of the Black Temple.

***

The people of the central continent looked up at the sky with resentment.

Cloudless sunny weather!

The Sun was blazing hot.

"It's hot, it's hot."

"Damn. Where have the rain gone to."

For the past few days, there had not been a drop of rain. A haze had settled over the land as the heat continued to skyrocket. As the atmospheric temperature continued to rise, flame type magic became dramatically stronger. A 20% increase or more, was granted due to effect of the weather. Seeing as magical power varied depending on the surrounding environment of the caster. As a result, Wizards didn't have you use the full extent of their power to cast a powerful spell.

"Level 272 Wizard specializing in fire magic. Can I join your party?"

"You don't have to cast a strong magic flame. What are you trying to barbecue?"

Wizards who specialized in Fire Magic received their share of inhospitality. However, Wizards who specializes in Ice Magic, even those who were just becoming proficient with their magic, were in the spotlight. Even if their magic was a little weak, they were taken to many exhilarating places.

Scorching Heat!

Sweat running down his spine!

Even during short battles, stamina descended quickly. Surprisingly, there were only a few people who left the continent of Versailles in frustration. Instead of complaining, more people seemed to arrive in the continent of Versailles. It seems like the world had a twisted sense of fun. Dynamically changing the land.

The pleasure of overcoming difficulties to weave a new path.

The fact the original temperature of the Versailles continent has not returned was not surprising.

"Apparently this is the curse of King Belsos, if so, there's a way to solve it"

"Let's go find a way before anyone else finds it!"

"Maybe, if you overcome the heat, you'll earn an enormous amount of fame."

The members of the Crimson Wing Guild were shunned by the people who had witnessed their downfall, while other guilds fought for the place that had been opened by their demise.

On the other hand, people were gradually adapting to the heat. Inside the Kingdoms and Cities, some people lingered near a fountain. Before people left to hunt or to explore, they would buy a bucket of water. Drinking cold water while walking, the heat was forgotten for a short time.

Those who were intimidated by the prospect of hunting under the sun, plunged themselves into underground dungeons. The cool underground dungeons and dens became very popular hunting grounds.

Many users seeked cooler temperatures and traveled north. But it was difficult withstanding the cold ground, recently almost everywhere seemed lost to the cold.

The Curse of King Bellsos affected many players on the continent.

***

"Looking for party without success..."

Rosetta who chose a profession with Fire affiliation and looked around while sitting by the fountain.

People were searching for parties so they could start hunting.

"My fire attacks is effective as any magic attack. Fast and powerful, although not as much range as spells."

There weren't many wizards who chooses to hunt alone because it was difficult to overcome their disadvantage of having low health and defense, but majority parties were prepared to defend them.

"If there's an opportunity, would it hurt to learn an Ice attack? Since I am fully qualified to advanced to a Necromancer, I am forced to wait for it. The problem with learning a new skill is that the system can only raise it a little bit, but by joining a party, it can be raised significantly..."

It was then, when one of the nearby NPC villagers opened their mouth and spoke.

"Rosetta. Did you hear the rumors?"

"Yes?" Rosetta was slightly acquainted with the locals.

"The story of an amazing adventurer named Weed. The Lich Shire full of hatred led a Legion of Undead but was stopped by a single man named Weed."

"Umm, which Weed are you talking about?"

"Yes, he has sent the Lich Shire and his Legions of Undead to their everlasting rest, and will never again be able to conspire evil. Although many soldiers and paladins had lost their lives, we can finally rest our eyes, eh?"

So far no one knew of the quest progress other than Pale's party!

Everyone had come to hear of the news of the defeat of the Undead Legions.

"Weed! Weed completed the quest."

"The Lich Shire is dead!"

"Necromancer, I can now advance to the Necromancer job!"

Rosetta too, took part in the uproar that swept the entire subcontinent by shouting here and there like an erupted fountain, everywhere, a similar scene was taking place.

***

The Versailles Continent story.

Shin Hye-Min was in the middle of today's broadcast.

"Yes. Sources say that monsters who had invaded the Reuwan village were eradicated. People have once again begun to resettle in the village."

Oh Juwan continues where she left off.

"We are indeed fortunate. This is result of many mercenaries who worked hard to defeat the monsters, is it not? Crisis is opportunity! Thousands of mercenaries who fought the battle gained a lot of experience. Although the village was ravaged, congratulations to all for winning."

Shin Hye-Min and Oh Juwan had bags under their eyes.

All kinds of random events seemed to pop up around the Versailles continent. Not resting, ever vigilant, the broadcast was extended.

'I could not travel with Pale-nim yet again.' Shin Hye-Min felt pain in her chest.

Because of the broadcast, Shin Hye-Min hasn't logged into Royal Road for several days to meet with her lover, Pale, yet alone talked to him!

'Ah, Pale-nim and the others should have departed for their trip to Plains of Despair.'

She too, wanted to go along but had been no time. Fortunately after completing today's broadcast, she would receive a three day holiday.'You can finish this broadcast.' She thought sorrowfully.

Putting up a smile while casting her feelings aside, Shin Hye-Min continued the broadcast.

"Now let's talk about the heat wave that's been occurring these days, do you think that the Crimson Wing Guild are responsibile for this and caused them to disband?"

"Yes, in fact, I don't think anyone could have anticipated just how large the ripple effect that this event created."

"At the center of this is Crimson Wing Guild, which boasts a formidable power."

"It wasn't by chance that they have achieved their place as one of the top ten guilds of Versailles continent. They were a huge guild, owning 7 castles in 25 different villages. The guild has 150,000 available for immediate deployment in case of any form of emergency. The collapse and dissolution of a strong guild was very unexpected."

"It is as you've said but it can't be helped"

"As Hye-Min-ssi said. All their allied guild turned their backs on them, and avoid socializing with them. Other guilds who had been attacked by them, did not miss their opportunity for revenge... Their gate was reinforced only by ten thousand Archers! The way Terose commanded his army was electrifying, but it didn't stop the morale from falling. On the other hand, allied forces was became more powerful adversaries. Which forced the Crimson Wing guild to choose their last resort and disbanded"

"Truly Heartbreaking."

"However, the guild master Terose, with Dane, Do-Gwang, who all played a pivotal role in the guild, was seen together with other players, and seemed to be recovering. Perhaps their credibility will not disappear completely."

"Indeed! Many guilds are looking for a way to stop the intense heat, isn't that right Oh Juwan-ssi?"

"There is an increase of interest in recruiting new players to find a way repel the heat. In hope of doing so, will trigger a quest or find some treasures. To try and find a trail, they will start from the north and make their way to the deserts in the south where King Belsos ruins are."

"A great adventure to the Northern continent."

"Myths and legends always revolve around a boss type monster. I can't even imagine how strong the monsters flocking towards villages are or how frequently they invade. There are only a few high level players who are at the forefront of this, pioneering new hunting methods. It's actually quite amazing considering the monster's levels."

"I'm surprised that you know so much, have you been pioneering north?"

"I haven't been there myself, but more likely than not, people will gain interest in exploring the North."

There were not many people in the north due to the cold. However, there were adventures who were not deterred and traveled on foot.

Shin Hye-Min's eyes shone.

'I think it would interesting if I get a chance to travel to North with Pale-nim.' Shin Hye-Min said quietly.

"The northern part of the continent is currently warm. Don't you think it's a good time to travel?"

Then Oh Juwan face emerged with an outrageous expression.

"That is still not enough Shin Hye-Min-ssi. I cannot begin to imagine how cold the north of the continent is. I assume that even with the heat wave, majority of the area is still covered in snow. Because of the frozen grounds and snow over at the northern Kingdom, adventurers have a hard time looking for signs. However, those adventurers that managed to arrive at their destination, left tangible evidence, but had a hard time leaving again."

"They had done a good job"

Thereafter, Shin Hye-Min concluded the first section of the news, she proceeded to the 2nd section of what's happening in the continent of Versailles.

The second part was progression of professions from various sectors. On important issues, the professionals were called in for interviews before the show.

With this, he said with confidence.

"The Legions of Undead clearly seems to have failed. Until now, we have not receive any news of success."

"I have already suspected it. I am not surprised."

Each experts were allowed to voice their own opinion. They received a lot of criticism from viewers because they emphasized on the failure.

Shin Hye-Min said cautiously.

"The likelihood of success is remains, don't you think so?"

"It's impossible. Someone of Shin Hye-min-ssi's low level wouldn't be able to understand, the quests difficulty level is extraordinary."

"It becomes more obvious as ones level grows higher. We also once were like Shin Hye-Min-ssi when we first started playing"

"Rosenheim Kingdom's Red Mercenary Guild has been dispatched. Please rest assured. The Undead Legion will be stopped if they try to invade."

Shin Hye-min was embarrassed being unable to rebuke the veteran players' claims.

They didn't know the identity of Weed, as the company refused to disclose any information, but she was also reluctant to bring up her personal relationship with him. Shin Hye-Min's face showed the slight frown.

Everyone was clearly betting that he would fail, despite all the incredible things he had already accomplished, they still scorned him. These things were gradually beginning to pile up under the surface, bringing her temper to a boil until a sound in her headphones indicated that a message was being conveyed.

News!

Shin Hye-Min addressed the broadcast with a genuine laugh.

"We have just received new information concerning the topic that everyone wants to know. The results of the Legions of Undead quest."

"...?"

"Is it as we have said, a failure?"

The experts were clearly puzzled when Shin Hye-mine said.

"The Lich Shire has been killed, and the Undead Legions had been put to rest."

"That's not possible!"

The experts stood their ground.

It was completely against common sense that something like this could happen.

"I can't believe it! Are you sure about your sources?"

"It is the common story throughout the all residence of the continent of Versailles and amongst Rosenheim Kingdom's Red Mercenary Guild."

"Yes?"

"We're gonna have to come back to you another time."

"..."