NOVEL NEXT Chapter 189
Chapter 189 – The Savior (9)
[Achievement Unlocked]
The Great Achievement. Certainly, the Master Program recognized my accomplishment of defeating the Colony-Type Bug and provided substantial rewards. Countless achievements had been unlocked up until now, but this specific message was a first.
[Points: 25000P]
[Reward Selection Available]
‘How much is all this?’
The first thing to catch my eye was the massive points. A staggering amount, one I had never accumulated even once in my work until now, landed directly in my hands.
It felt as if I could do anything with this.
[Selectable Reward: Descent]
But that wasn’t all. I seemed to have options to choose traits or items, and I discovered something new in the rewards.
[Descent: Synchronize one Guardian to the User’s body *Requirements – Absolute trust between both parties]
After reading its description, I was frozen in place. I kept doubting my comprehension, reading the text repeatedly.
If this is true, it means I can summon Riena into this world using my body. There were conditions, but they didn’t concern me much.
I knew how much she trusted me. I could willingly offer my body since I trusted her just as much.
“–, –?”
‘No, it’s not over yet. Focus on the task.’
Shaking off my daze, I returned my attention to the screen.
While I had captured the leader of the bugs, the credits wouldn’t just roll and end everything.
On the screen, residents were murmuring with bewildered expressions as they stared at the remnants of the annihilated bugs, and Riena was taking a deep breath while directing them.
The aftermath was also important, so I continued watching, constantly checking if there was something I needed to step in for.
Fortunately, there were no special reactions any longer, at least not in the screens I could see anymore.
The border was quiet for the moment, and even if some bugs survived the death of their leader, they had vanished without a trace.
“Can I take a breather now?”
With a bitter smile, I relaxed into my chair. The short time I had raced through had been quite intense.
Both I and the residents on the screen had run relentlessly against the evolving enemies.
While I still had matters in reality, the residents could finally catch a small break, couldn’t they?
The activated games were still there, so if utilized well, they wouldn’t face any deficiencies.
If need be, activating a game related to resources with the remaining points could also help them.
‘There are plenty of options. I might as well start a tycoon game.’
Once I thought about it, numerous good ideas began to emerge. Seriously contemplating each possibility made time pass quickly.
In a way, I was not considering how to fight the bugs—we were brainstorming to help them instead.
*
“Is the classification of the injured done? What about those who haven’t received potions or treatment?”
“It seems everyone has been classified. We are prioritizing the seriously injured and also providing aid to those with lighter wounds.”
While Junyoung was happily pondering, they moved bustlingly.
Treating the injured was a race against time. Paladins, including Riena, exerted their strength without a moment’s pause. Thanks to this, even those who were poisoned or severely wounded managed to save their lives.
“The main force appears to have wiped out the remnants of the bugs. It turns out the leader had a significant influence.”
“I expected it, but thank goodness. Their organized movements were indeed orchestrated by this giant brain.”
With the Neural Body now dead, news of our victory continued to flow.
As Riena led the Sacred Brigade to finally penetrate the enemies’ stronghold and kill the Neural Body, the main force led by Balun smoothly exterminated the disordered bugs.
Listening to Eve’s report conveyed by the Wind Spirit, Riena finally let out a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the ground.
Startled individuals rushed toward her, pale-faced and sweating cold, but there was little they could do. Riena was exhausted after squeezing every bit of her mana and stamina, and only time could heal her.
“Now, rest. If you think of what the Black Monsters have done and what they are, you’ve done something great.”
“True, but I still feel uneasy.”
Eve, putting away her gun, gently smiled and grabbed Riena’s shoulder, but Riena shook her head even as she managed a smile.
“They retrieved the Assassin just before dying. He’s not dead. There must be a way to heal him. But right now, where is he?”
Riena remained tense, fully aware that the Assassin might appear at any moment.
Yet, the Assassin did not reappear even at the collapse of the bug’s core, the Neural Body. Consequently, the Colony crumbled helplessly, and the victory returned to the residents.
Ultimately, the Assassin was also a part of the Colony, and Riena thought it was highly unlikely he had fled alone from his kin.
“Even if he abandoned his kind and escaped, what could he do alone? Their terror stemmed from this giant brain. The overwhelming reproduction speed, their orderly and systematic tactics, and rapid evolution.”
“Still, we can’t let our guard down. Just like how they suddenly popped up in the Land of Elves on the opposite continent, the Monster Colony might rise again at any time.”
Eve attempted to reassure her by citing valid points, but Riena could hardly let her guard down after experiencing the war against the bugs at a traumatic level.
They needed to trample the bugs down completely so that they could never raise their heads again, and for that, she firmly believed they must keep the entire world under surveillance.
“…I understand your point, but you need to rest first. You’ve saved countless people, this world, Saintess.”
Eve sighed and caught Riena’s staggering body.
With Riena’s condition nearing 0% on the status screen, she wouldn’t be able to awaken until regaining her stamina.
“I’m not too worried.”
“That is…”
“Didn’t everyone see? What she showed us. There’s no guarantee that crises won’t appear again in the future. But as long as she who expelled all those monsters is here, I believe we have nothing to worry about.”
Eve managed a wry smile as she looked at the crowd gathering around her.
The sight of everyone from different races, origins, and ages connecting as one in concern for her was a rather refreshing shock for Eve, who had lived disconnected from the outside world for so long.
“Riena is not wrong. We still haven’t seen the end of the bugs. The lord hasn’t said much either.”
“However, Your Majesty, to prevent them from growing into a huge colony again, it is imperative that everyone truly collaborates. The Kingdom of Baruk, the Dwarves, the Elves have formed a complete alliance, but there are still many who have not.”
Riena’s news reached Balun, who was busy sweeping the nests with the main force. As he chuckled, those around him pointed out the pragmatic problems.
Because not all factions were tightly interconnected like on Earth, proper monitoring or tracking remained impossible.
“Nevertheless, it’s our duty to act. Just because they are ignorant and wary, should we leave the Black Monsters to their own devices? You never know what they could do.”
While Balun was assured of victory, unlike the other relieved and excited individuals, he had already sunk into distress. He hated the thought of failing to capitalize on the opportunity they had fought so hard to gain.
Knowing how many had died or been injured in the battles with the bugs intensified his urgency.
It was easy to find those missing arms and legs.
“However, for that plan to succeed, we must also persuade the Emperor of the Empire. There’s no certainty whether that arrogant ruler of that vast nation will cooperate or, assuming they do, that they’ll respect us.”
“That’s not something to worry about just yet. We’ll have to give it a shot. Of course, Kun, you’re not wrong to say it’s risky for us to take the lead from the beginning.”
Balun stroked his beard and chuckled. Thankfully, while they had poured immense effort into battling the adversaries, they naturally expanded their forces and gained many allies.
The alliance with the Elves, in particular, who neared the Empire’s border, was one of those. Though there was certainly an unfamiliar and alienating tension, their shared experiences of life and death against a merciless foe had deepened their bonds.
If they led with the Elves to inform the facts and seek cooperation, they were confident that even the Emperor would not be able to ignore their requests.
“Since there has been friction and damage done to the Elves, it is indeed a problem that needs resolving. Let’s speak to Elder Seria about this.”
“I’ll contact her right away.”
Balun intended to use his time efficiently. Although much still needed sorting, restoring the land and cleaning up the remnants was now up to the Elves.
“Since the barrier has disappeared, they are face-to-face with us now. Given the current situation, we must be cautious.”
“Indeed, Elder. We must first make it clear that they cannot dare to lay eyes upon this land.”
Most of the Elves, including Seria, agreed. Considering the collapse of the World Tree through unimaginable means, it was impossible to ignore external forces.
“Who should be sent as an envoy?”
“I’ll go. I have spoken with the Arin Tribe before, so I’m not afraid of heading into unknown territory.”
Luna volunteered for the envoy. Having previously gone as a representative of the Elves to meet Balun at the Arin Tribe’s royal palace, she was the right choice.
“The goal is to explain the Black Monsters to them and seek cooperation in monitoring them. However… I’m not sure if they’ll believe us outright. After all, we’d thought lightly of things before and suffered hugely.”
“We must persuade them.”
The discussions between Balun and the Elves revolved around meeting the Emperor of the Empire to warn him about the bugs and establish an agreement to prevent encroachments into the Elves’ land.
As long as this went well, the Arin Tribe could attain what they desired without having to reveal their identity to the Empire.
Providing them with vision through the screens of that unknown space was merely a bonus.
My Desktop Village has Appeared 190화