I Entered a Gacha Game That Had Been Abandoned for 10 Years

4 – Reunion (1)

In the short time remaining, as the Labyrinth Break, with only a few hours left, Kim Hyunwoo did what he could.

That was to request reinforcements to the nearby territories.

The territory Kim Hyunwoo had to rebuild, Larthania, was not in a state to regenerate from the moment he returned.

Fortunately, it seemed that not all nearby territories were in the same non-regenerative state as his, so Kim Hyunwoo sent messages requesting reinforcements with a slightly generous reward.

There was no immediate reward to offer, but if the reinforcements arrived and prevented the Labyrinth Break crisis, he could secure enough rewards to give to the reinforcements.

—

Time left until Labyrinth Break: 00:02:42

—

However, since it ultimately depended on the arrival of the reinforcements, Kim Hyunwoo anxiously awaited their arrival.

When there were only about 30 minutes left until the Labyrinth Break.

“My Lord, it seems people are coming from the east.”

“!”

Hearing those words from Loria, Kim Hyunwoo immediately turned his gaze to the east and saw soldiers walking towards the Lord’s Castle, treading on desolate territory.

—

★★★ Hero ‘Knight Alto’ has entered the territory.

※Caution, hero from another territory.

—

As the soldiers approached, an alert window appeared before him.

While Kim Hyunwoo felt relief on one hand, thinking it was a reassurance, on the other hand, he was considering obtaining additional information from the reinforcements who had come this far.

Because at the moment, he lacked overall information about this world.

So, when the reinforcements arrived, he began to think about what questions to ask to gather information. However, that was only for a moment.

“?”

Kim Hyunwoo noticed something strange.

“…There are too few soldiers.”

Even with a cursory glance, there were less than 50 soldiers, pulling a large carriage. After realizing something was off while looking at them, he noticed a knight with an arrogant expression who arrived with the soldiers about 10 minutes before the Labyrinth Break.

“Sorry, but we are not the reinforcements.”

“…What did you say?”

I could hear those words.

####

“Allow me to repeat, we are not the main force.”

The knight introduced himself as a knight from the northern territory of ‘Hallansia’ and responded to Kim Hyunwoo’s inquiry, who had emerged from the Lord’s castle.

Kim Hyunwoo frowned, momentarily confused, at the knight’s words, yet the knight, without any sign of hesitation, continued speaking, maintaining a confident smile.

“It seems you were expecting us.”

Observing the slightly mocking smile on the knight’s face, Kim Hyunwoo responded with a puzzled expression.

“If you’re not the main force, why did you come here?”

“Just following the Lord’s orders. We’ve come to seize the gains that will emerge when this territory disappears.”

Kim Hyunwoo, upon hearing the knight’s words, pondered for a moment, and then responded with an expression as if he had realized something.

“…Are you here to collect the Territory Stone fragments?”

Without waiting for an answer, Kim Hyunwoo chuckled, looking at the knight smiling without responding.

Territory Stone fragments.

It was an item that naturally appeared when a user who had quit the game left their territory unattended for a long time, resulting in the territory disappearing due to the maze break.

Territory Stone fragments were items that could replace the red stones, the cash resource in Arteil, when converted into in-game currency, and the number of fragments was determined based on the level of the territory.

The knight in front of Kim Hyunwoo was essentially saying that he was here to wait quietly, and when the maze break occurred, the territory was destroyed, and Kim Hyunwoo died, he would collect the Territory Stone fragments.

“Have you seen such bastards?”

Understanding this, Kim Hyunwoo cursed under his breath, and in response, the knight, instead of a smile, furrowed his brows.

“It would be wise to watch your words.”

“Talking nonsense.”

Kim Hyunwoo smirked as he glanced at the sword at the knight’s waist.

Of course, that didn’t mean he didn’t find the sword intimidating.

Even though he was aware of being in a game, the place he lived was not somewhere one could easily encounter threats of violence.

But given the current situation, the knight in front of Kim Hyunwoo was not a fearful figure.

From Kim Hyunwoo’s perspective, whether he died from the knight’s sword or the maze break triggered by the knight, it was all the same, and if the knight was targeting the Territory Stone fragments, the knight wouldn’t be able to swing his sword before him anyway.

In the context of Arteil, Territory Stone fragments only appeared when a territory exploded in the maze break.

In other words, even if one invaded another territory and triggered the Territory Stone in the same way, what they would gain would be nothing compared to the resources and Territory Stone fragments of their own territory.

The journalist who knew the fact frowned.

Kugugugugugug-!

■■■■■■■-!

In response to the monstrous roar and the massive vibrations that could be heard in the distance, he sighed and opened his mouth with a small smile.

“I know that I don’t need to get involved. Since my body will explode and die anyway,” he said.

“…”

The journalist who spoke with a twisted smile on his lips moved away from the soldiers who wore the same smile, creating distance between them and Kim Hyun-woo.

Not too close, but not too far.

The journalist stood at a distance where they could see each other’s faces and smirked.

As if he were going to enjoy watching Kim Hyun-woo die right there.

“Damn son of a bitch.”

Watching the journalist’s behavior, Kim Hyun-woo also laughed sarcastically as he looked at the journalist.

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■-!!!

As the monstrous roar gradually grew closer, Kim Hyun-woo turned his gaze.

Since there were no city walls or barricades, he could easily see the horde of monsters screaming beyond.

“There are so many of them.”

Although Kim Hyun-woo had already experienced the labyrinth break event dozens of times, it was only a game experience.

“…”

Even though the horde of monsters rushing towards him in a straight line was still far away, Kim Hyun-woo felt a sense of pressure.

As the horde of monsters approached, Kim Hyun-woo laughed sarcastically.

Leading the charge were goblins wielding rusty weapons and running in a frenzy, a characteristic feature of the labyrinth break event. Behind them were orcs and wolves that absorbed the labyrinth’s magic.

… And there was Ogre, almost as tall as a three-story castle on the verge of collapse, charging with a massive club.

“It would be my first time seeing a person explode and die.”

Kim Hyun-woo maliciously grinned as he heard the journalist’s voice, openly mocking him from a distance.

At a considerable distance, the knight Alto, who was watching the approaching horde of monsters from his position, saw Kim Hyun-woo and smirked, full of satisfaction and mockery.

“It would be quite enjoyable to witness it myself, even if I want to kill him.”

As Kim Hyun-woo expected, the reason Alto couldn’t kill him was because of the fragment of the territorial stone.

If the knight killed the Lord, he wouldn’t be able to obtain the fragment, and if things turned out that way, he wouldn’t be able to escape punishment from his master.

That’s why the knight felt some discontent, but soon he smiled as he imagined the Lord, who didn’t deserve to be called a lord, dying in front of him, being rude to him.

“…?”

The knight wore a puzzled expression.

It was no wonder, considering the drastic change in Kim Hyunwoo’s demeanor, which moments ago had been filled with intense tension, now replaced by a face brimming with uncertainty.

From a demeanor laced with negativity to one filled with inquiry.

And then, as a slight smile graced Kim Hyunwoo’s lips, the knight, too, mirrored the same puzzled expression.

The distance between the Monster and the Lord’s domain had now diminished significantly compared to before.

Yet, seeing the Lord, cornered and yet smiling in such a manner, there seemed to be no discernible reason for it.

“Is he mad?”

The knight entertained the thought.

But of course, Kim Hyunwoo was not mad at all.

The reason he unknowingly smiled upon seeing the horde of monsters drawing so near.

That reason was…

—

A ★★★★★☆ Hero, ‘King of the Beastmen,’ has entered the territory.

—

It was because of the notification window that appeared before his eyes.

At that moment.

Kwaaaah-!

Amidst the ranks of monsters charging towards the Lord’s domain, a massive booming sound erupted, and the monsters were sent flying in all directions.

A goblin, wielding a rusty sword, rolled on the ground with a bewildered expression as its head and body separated.

An orc, split in half, scattered its innards across the desolate land.

Forced out of the magic of the labyrinth, a plaything of dust, came bouncing out defeated.

And when the dust settled entirely.

Kim Hyunwoo could see it.

“…Merilda.”

The wolf with crimson eyes.

And simultaneously, the knight saw it too.

“Who do you intend to make suffer?”

“…!”

Exhaling a breath that seemed to freeze the air, the figure stood, its entire body tense, as it halted the advance of the monster horde.

“How dare you challenge me?”

With an intense glare that could easily tear Alto apart, its crimson eyes glimmered with vivid emotions.