Chapter 107
The difficulty of the stages increases as you progress. This is a very simple theory. Suhyuk was faced with two choices.
Stage 2 and Stage 4.
‘Run away or take on the challenge.’
It was obvious what the viewers wanted.
-Definitely Stage 4
-We need to go, LOL
-Beat those demon bastards!
-Scared? Scared?
The viewers clearly didn’t want Suhyuk to run away.
『’MissionVillain’ has registered a mission.』
『Break the demon bastards’ heads? Stage 4 challenge, 10,000 points』
『’UnstableAssets’ has registered a mission.』
『Reclaim the throne, 20,000 points』
『’Nunadie’ has registered a mission.』
『Complete Stage 4, everyone survives, 50,000 points』
『’ViolaDefenseForce’ has registered a mission.』
『Save Viola and pass Stage 4, 50,000 poin…』
『…』
Was it because the trial’s difficulty increased?
Missions appeared one after another as if they had been waiting. This meant that many viewers wanted the tougher path.
With risk comes reward.
And for Suhyuk, who needed a lot of points for skill levels, items, and enhancements like Jinwoon’s surgeries, these missions were good opportunities to increase his returns.
So.
“Thank you for all the donations.”
Naturally, Suhyuk had no intention of refusing these missions.
-LOL, already accepted
-He’s in money mode
-Possessed by Suhyuk
Enthusiastic cheers filled the air. But some were also worried.
-But is this really okay?
-This is crazy
-Let’s just die quickly and retry
Hundreds of demons. Each one of them had strength comparable to a Valkyrie. On their side, there was one Valkyrie, Vigo who was more of a hindrance, and Suhyuk himself.
If their goal was to escape the city, it might be different. But if the demons’ goal was the Thunder Throne, they would surely be desperate to protect it.
It seemed beyond difficult, almost impossible.
Step-.
Just as Suhyuk made his decision, Vigo started moving again, stumbling. Was he about to attack Viola?
He raised his spear again, preparing to strike. One of the missions was that everyone must survive. If Suhyuk couldn’t just leave him behind, then he had to bring him along.
Crackle-.
With lightning at his feet, Suhyuk increased his speed. Given Vigo’s current state, he wouldn’t react in time.
“Get a grip.”
Thump-.
Suhyuk’s hand grasped Vigo’s throat tightly. Whether it be a machine or person, when there’s a malfunction, brute force is often the remedy.
Crackle-!
Vigo’s eyes rolled back in his head. After shaking briefly, he fell to his knees and collapsed on the floor.
Shortly thereafter.
Whoosh-.
A dark crimson energy that had inhabited Vigo’s body began to seep out.
‘That must be it.’
The remnants of the demon that had controlled Vigo. Suhyuk didn’t hesitate. He charged his fingertips with lightning and lashed out.
Boom!
The clash of thunder accompanied a surge of electricity that penetrated through the demonic residue. The dark energy burned away noisily, and as it dispersed, the natural color slowly returned to Vigo’s eyes.
“Huh…?”
Vigo sat there for a moment, dazed, looking around him. His gaze then turned towards Viola and the body of Belveim lying at her feet.
“So that wasn’t a dream…”
Vigo’s hands shook as he was struck with shock and realization of what he had done. It seemed that he hadn’t lost all memory of the events.
It was convenient not to have to explain, but it was still unfortunate not to have heard more from Belveim.
Swoosh-.
Suhyuk picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground. The reward for Stage 3, ‘Betrayal’, was the sword that Belveim had used.
‘So I’ve acquired it like this.’
It was a sword wielded by a Valkyrie. Despite the centuries that had passed, the blade was neither dulled nor corroded, signifying it was no ordinary weapon.
Suhyuk quickly checked the item’s options.
【 Holy Sword – Valkyrie 】
Grade: Unique
This is the sword used by Belveim of Valhalla, a Valkyrie. It is imbued with the spirits of numerous warriors and a sacred power.
Stamina +5
Stamina recovery rate +50%
Inflicts 20% additional damage on demonic entities
Permanently regenerates durability
As he held the sword, the tips of his fingers felt as if they could be cut by the sharpness emanating from the blade. It was like it had just been sharpened, maintaining the best condition.
He felt revitalized all over. The sensation of his body feeling lighter, as if about to take flight, could only come from wielding a blessed sword of high quality.
‘Nice.’
Both the performance of the sword and its options were pleasing. The addition of 5 stamina stats went without saying, and the stamina recovery rate was a hallmark trait of a holy sword.
In fact, this was precisely why Suhyuk favored holy swords.
‘The stamina option and recovery rate are great, but the sword’s performance itself is better than what I was using before. It’s a good sword.’
He finally had a proper sword. Indeed, a holy sword was perfectly suited for wielding lightning. As he secured his reward and everything was ready.
“Screaaam-!”
The cry signaling the start of the next stage rang out. The sound came from some distance away, but there were clearly many voices.
“Oh, demons!”
“Aaaaah!”
“Citizens’ militia! The knights!”
Citizens screamed at the emergence of demons, calling out for help, seeking the citizens’ militia and the kingdom’s knights.
In an instant, the outside of the mansion turned into chaos.
“They’ve arrived.”
Vigo said, steadying himself after his earlier bout of self-reproach.
“I know.”
Suhyuk responded, turning to Viola. There wasn’t time for a long discussion. Suhyuk immediately shared his objective.
“I’m planning to go find the throne.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
Suhyuk nodded.
“I have a basis for trying.”
“A basis?”
“We just saw it together, didn’t we?”
Suhyuk indicated Belveim, who had been slain by Vigo while under control. While they hadn’t gotten a definitive answer from Belveim, the recent events provided a significant clue.
‘It means they’re hiding something.’
Suhyuk prided himself on having confronted demons more than anyone else in the Tower. And as such, he knew their habits well.
“If there were really hundreds of demons lurking in this city, they wouldn’t need to resort to such tactics.”
Viola’s eyes widened as she realized something.
Suhyuk was right.
It didn’t make sense for the demons to use such cunning tactics out of fear of just one Valkyrie and one human. It suggested they were hiding something.
“If there’s any hope…”
Valkyries were beings willing to sacrifice their lives countless times for their mission.
“Let’s go.”
She nodded firmly, determined.
“Belveim was right. If it’s a forsaken place anyway, it’s better for someone to occupy it rather than let it fall to the demons.”
That someone was obviously Suhyuk. Viola’s eyes conveyed as much.
“Then it’s decided.”
Smirking behind his mask, Suhyuk smiled. Judging by her expression, she seemed to have no more hesitation. Having a Valkyrie as an ally would be a significant advantage.
Most importantly, if they left her behind, the trial might end in failure, regardless of whether they reclaimed the throne.
“Let’s go, then.”
“No.”
As Viola was about to step outside the mansion, Suhyuk stopped her. Confused, she looked at Suhyuk, who pointed in a different direction with his finger.
“We’re going this way.”
*
The three Valkyries had each protected the throne in their own ways.
Elaine, as a noble of Conrad Kingdom, had ensured no new king rose in the kingdom for 500 years.
Viola, as the guardian knight of the kingdom, had protected the throne from the closest position.
And Belveim.
She had been stationed at the mansion connected to the throne, ready to safeguard it at any moment.
“I never knew this place existed…”
Viola walked through the underground path with a sense of wonder. The only way to illuminate the path in the darkness was a small orb of light that Viola had created.
“You didn’t know?”
“No, not at all.”
Viola had served in the royal palace of Conrad Kingdom for hundreds of years. Even she didn’t know about it, which meant no one else knew about this path.
“Then the secret was well kept. Belveim must have been dedicated to her mission in her own way.”
Despite her betrayal, Belveim was still a Valkyrie. Until she discovered that Asgard had abandoned the throne, and by extension, abandoned them, she had been devoted to her mission more than anyone.
“With a path like this…”
Walking along the path, Viola mumbled, contemplating the possibilities.
“If the royal palace hasn’t fallen, we might be able to retrieve the throne.”
A glimmer of hope emerged. Viola’s face began to show some signs of life. Suhyuk noticed the wound on Viola’s back.
“Are you alright?”
“This?”
Viola nodded, indicating she was fine.
“Yes, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“The wound isn’t small.”
“When the war with Muspelheim was at its peak, I fought even with wounds much worse than this. This is nothing.”
Suhyuk nodded at her response. His concern wasn’t just about the extent of the wound. Though the wound on her back wasn’t small, he didn’t think a Valkyrie would be unable to fight because of it.
What he was more concerned about was something else.
‘It’s more a mental than a physical issue.’
Her mental state. No matter how strong someone’s mental fortitude was, she had lost two comrades she had been with for centuries.
Moreover, one of them had betrayed her and tried to kill her.
‘I…’
For him, it was an event that felt like just twenty years ago. He had been betrayed by Kim Ilsoo, whom he had trusted as an old friend, and half of his other friends had died.
In his madness, he had chosen to die there alongside Kim Ilsoo. He had failed, but still. Back then, what had kept him going were his surviving comrades.
For Viola now, the only thing keeping her going was her mission. As they walked, drawing closer to their destination.
“You desire the power of lightning, right?”
Viola asked, difficultly revealing her true thoughts.
“You already possess some of it.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Suhyuk didn’t avoid answering. She was right. This was his true intention. He had no intention of hiding it. If he did, Viola would see him as someone inscrutable.
“That’s good.”
Viola nodded slightly and spoke.
“If something happens to me, prioritize the mission over me.”
As expected. What was keeping her grounded was her last remaining mission from Asgard. Suhyuk directed his gaze forward.
They came upon a staircase leading upward. This was the central temple of the Conrad Kingdom, leading to the Thunder Throne.
Before they ascended.
“That will never happen.”
Suhyuk responded, cutting off Viola’s words decisively. Viola, who had a solemn expression, turned to look at the side of Suhyuk’s face. Vigo also seemed surprised.
Both were touched. But Suhyuk’s response wasn’t purely altruistic.
– Joking?
– Just try letting her die
– Protect her at all costs
– Haha, no way he’d really do that, right?
– More than half the popularity of this stream was due to Viola.
– Perhaps that’s why half of the new missions were directly tied to her survival.
‘If she dies, the losses will be huge.’