Emperor of Solo Play - Chapter 147

Chapter 147 – Frost Knight (3)

5.

The Main Scenario Quest was the most important main content in Warlord.  This was why there was a clear demarcation on when it starts and ends.  

This was why the updates regarding the Main Scenario quest had been put on the System-wide Announcement.  It updated the Users of the start and end to the Main Scenario Quest.

It had notified everyone of the start and end of the Corrupt Count episode.

Then it notified everyone of the start and end to the Immoral Prince episode.

At that moment, the 5th such Announcement had been sent out, and it shook the foundation of Warlord.

Of course, any news regarding Warlord shook the online world.

– The third Main Scenario Quest has just started!

– Finally, it begins!

– Is the 2nd Advancement going to be released?

– Something seems a bit off this time.

This Main Scenario Quest was different from the ones before.  The game had been clear in spreading the name of the User that had opened up this new era.

– So who the hell is Hyrkan?  Which 30 great guild is he in?

His name was Hyrkan.

– ㄴ You dolt!  That's the Hahoe Mask's character name!

– ㄴ Uh?  The Hahoe Mask was named Hyrkan?

– ㄴ The Hahoe Mask's name isn't the Hahoe Mask?

– ㄴ Wasn't it Huh-Maeung?

The User called the Hahoe Mask was known more by the nickname he had created than his actual character name.

6.

It was a small tunnel that a person could barely pass through.  He had left behind Nero as he headed towards the decisive battle.  As he was passing through the tunnel, Hyrkan became flustered for a moment.

‘My god.’

He had become the main character that heralded the start of the Ruined Kingdom episode.  Of course, it was something he had always wanted.

However, this should have occurred at the peak of the Urugal mountain.  It shouldn't have happened right now.  It should have happened when he caught the fire breathing Slime Dragon.

‘……the Frozen Kingdom and the Urugal mountain range.  The key was placed in two locations?’

It wasn’t as if he didn't understand the concept behind it.

Originally, Warlord's Main Scenario Quest had many roads that led to a single destination.  The event that triggered the Ruined Kingdom episode in the Urugal mountain range may have just been one of several methods one could have used.  The probability that there were multiple trigger points rather than one was high.

It just meant that the Stormhunters hadn't been able to find the clue located in the Frozen Kingdom.  In the meanwhile, someone else had succeeded in climbing the Urugal mountain range.

‘Shit.  Did I perhaps change the content of the Main Scenario quest?  It seems a lot of Quest independent of the Ruined Kingdom episode was released too.’

This hadn't been a ploy hatched by someone else.  Hyrkan's own hands had changed the events, and he couldn't blame anyone for what happened from now on.  

‘This is driving me nuts.’

The Ruined Kingdom was Hyrkan's last chance.  After the Ruined Kingdom episode, the Dragon's Army episode would start.  He didn't have much knowledge about what would happen there.  When the Dragon's Army episode was starting to get interesting, a grudge formed between the Hahoe Mask guild and the Stormhunters guild .  No, it wasn't a grudge between the guilds.  Only Hyrkan had been excised and thrown away.  Then he was crushed without mercy.

Hyrkan shut his mouth tight.

‘I'm guessing the larger framework won’t change…….’

For the first time, he checked the exact content of the Quest given to him by Nero.

The Quest Window formed inside the dark space.

[Kingdom's Revenge]

– Quest Rank : Epic

– Quest level Range : Over 195

– Quest Content : To save the the beings suffering under the Frost Dragon's curse, defeat the Frost Knight.

– Quest Reward : Ancient Power ‘Frost’

At that moment, Hyrkan's mishap came to a pause.  He stopped walking.  Until now, this was the most forceful stop he had taken.

Hyrkan stood there for over one minute.

“Frost?”

As he stood still, a short word came out of Hyrkan's mouth.

Eventually, he repeated the short word.

“Frost!”

Since he started Warlord, Hyrkan uttered the strongest exclamation he had ever spoken.

7.

Ancient Power.

It was the core content that permeated the Ruined Kingdom episode.  It was judged to be the greatest content in the Ruined Kingdom episode.  It was the crux of the Skill Enhancement System.

Through the Ruined Kingdom episode, the Users would be able to find relics of the Ruined Kingdom, which was crumbling away…  One could find traces of castles, dungeons and the hidden mysteries.  One would be able to gain the Ancient Power through various quests.

Moreover, there were different ranks to the Ancient Power one could obtain.

There was the Transcendent Rank that would allow one to strengthen the rank of a Skill.

There was the Legend Rank, which added a special ability to the Skill.

Then there was the Mythos Rank where a Class ability was added.

Amongst these three, the Transcendent Rank was the least difficult to obtain.  It was something the light Users would be able to gain.

The Legend Rank would need a good amount of work to obtain for the light Users, but if one was dedicated, it could be earned.

However, the Mytho Rank was impossible to get through will and determination.  Basically, it wasn't a content for the light Users.  This was a content for those that consumed the game too fast…  From the game's perspective, it was for the Users that disgusted the game developers.  

It was a basically a content that said, 'Let's see if you bastards can beat this!'

The problem wasn't that it was simply difficult.  It was complex.  One had to discover various Quests, and one had to complete it all.  One had to travel to various location in this vast world of Warlord, and one had to gather Ingredients that could only be obtained by the User.

Moreover, no one had attempted it yet, so Hyrkan would be a pioneer.  As expected of someone, who had opened up this new era, he would be achieving these accomplishments first!

This was the reason why he was doing all of this.

Hyrkan didn't have to worry about coexisting with anyone else in the Ruined Kingdom Episode.  He didn't even keep the idea of coexistence inside his mind.  This was the reason why he had insisted on a monopoly.

If he went through the standard procedure, he would have to give up leveling up for two to three months to earn the Mythos Rank power.  He would have to focus solely on the quests.  However, the Ruined Kingdom episode of the Main Scenario Quest gave the Mythos Rank Ancient Power through the Quest Reward.  Of course, there was a caveat that it was only a reward if he was able to get the Quest Reward before all the other Users in Warlord.

Moreover, Hyrkan knew of 5 types of Mythos Rank Ancient Power.

Frost, Flame, Thunder, Darkness and Radiance.

When Hyrkan developed a profound interest for the game, this was the extent of information that had been made available to him.  At the time, there were only two hundred Users that possessed all 5 Mythos Ranked Ancient Power.  It wasn't a lot of people.  It was one year after the Ruined Kingdom and the Skill Enhancement system had been released, yet only two hundred Users had gained the power in a population of millions.  Moreover, only two hundred people had it amongst the people, who had dedicated their lives to this game.  

Of course, Hyrkan hadn't been one of them.  He couldn't even dream about obtaining it.

However, Hyrkan had the chance to obtain one of this Ancient Power right now.

‘This is weird.  The Ancient Power reward for climbing to the top of the Urugal mountain was a Legendary Rank.’

It was his chance to to obtain the Ancient Power of Frost.

It was a surprising opportunity, but on the other hand, he felt a very deep apprehension towards it.

‘So why would the Mythos Rank suddenly show up here….’

However, his apprehension didn't last long.

‘Frost…….’  

“……wow.”

He had thought about obtaining the Mytho Rank Ancient Power.  However, he never would have expected to obtain it this way.

This was why Hyrkan wasn't afraid of the change.  This wasn't the time to be afraid of the change.

‘I have to seize it.’

Hyrkan estimated how much time had passed.

He had expended more time than expected, because of Nero.  However, he didn't need to take a break by logging out.  On the contrary, this was the perfect time to do this.

‘No matter what.’

At that moment, it was like the time he had faced the Immoral Prince and Argardo….  No, he found a purpose that exceeded the one he had from before.  He had found a purpose that was worth putting everything on the line on this battle.

‘I have to catch it no matter what..’

Hyrkan started running after he exited the secret tunnel leading to Nero.

“Ooh-ha-ha-ha!”

He headed towards the Frozen Throne where the Frost Knight ruled from!

8.

It was as if the throne had been carved out of an enormous ice.  There was a knight wearing a massive armor that was made out of semi-transparent ice.  It filled up the massive throne.  Each decoration on its armor looked to have be sculpted by hand, and it was an extraordinary sight.  It held the pattern of dragon scales, and it looked as if it was about to come alive.  The helmet was reminiscent of a Dragon's horn, and one could see a pale and frozen face beneath the helmet.  It was an ogre with frightening looking teeth.

Frost Knight.

It was in charge of maintaining the Frost Dragon's curse.  Its enemy had arrived right in front of it, yet it didn't even bother getting up from the throne.

“This place had been judged by the being that is great yet harsh.”

It sounded ancient and grave.

“How are you dirty this place.”

It started to move slowly.

“This place had committed disrespect…….”

It spoke slowly as it clearly enunciated each word.

“It will repay the transgression through eternal servitude.”

As if it had said all it had to say, the Frost Knight slowly got up from its seat.  The process of it standing up wasn't easy, simple, or brief.

Zzuh-juh-juhk!

The Frost Knight's body had become one with the frozen throne.  As it stood up, one could hear the sound of ice shattering.  One could even see cracks form on the throne.  How long had it sat there frozen to the throne?  It made one wonder if the Frost Knight had never gotten up even once after taking seat.

‘The bastard talks too much.’

At that moment, Hyrkan faced the Frost Knight.  At that moment he had to defeat it, so the small details didn't register in his eyes.

In the first place, Hyrkan didn't hold the Frost Knight in any reverence.  He had entered the newly liberated region ruled by the Frost Knight with a do or die attitude.

“I want those laughable cursed beings to wake up.”

Hyrkan said those determined words inside his head.  He was more coldly focused than any other battle he had conducted before.

He was at a point where he desperately needed to change.  However, he couldn't half-ass it through fear.  It would only be to his detriment if he worried over it.  Thanks to the Stormhunters guild he had learned that shaking from fear would only harm himself.

Hyrkan’s gaze looked around his surrounding, and at the same time, he bit down on the Ifrit’s Essence inside his mouth.

[Ifrit's power is seeping into your entire body.]

At that moment, the snow from the blizzard that had touched Hyrkan's body fell to the floor as water droplets.

At the same time, Hyrkan opened both his arms wide as he scattered what he had been holding in his hands.  The Skeleton Fragments let out a dull sound as they hit the floor.

Ooh ooh ooh…….

The Cursed Monsters were summoned by the Frost Knight.  They let out a low and anguished sound as they got into formation.

Ddul-goo-ruhk, ddul-goo-ruhk!

The Skeleton Warriors summoned by Hyrkan took form, and they opened their mouths wide as they let out a silent scream towards their enemies.

Ddahk ddahk!

The declaration of war was done through Hyrkan's hand.

The Skeleton Warriors wearing a variety of armors started charging towards the enemies.

Hwah-roo-roo!

During all of this, the Skeleton Magicians had already formed hefty fireballs, and they threw it towards the enemies.

The fireballs were sent flying towards the group of Cursed Monsters.

Zzuh-juhk!

At that moment, an Ice Wall rose up from the ground to block the fireballs.  Fire impacted on ice.

Kwah-gwahng!

Accompanying a loud sound, the fire and ice fell as it scattered across the ground.

Rain of Fire.  Hail of Ice.

Kahng!

The Skeleton Warriors and the Cursed Monsters fought within this shower.

It was 30 against a hundred.  If one was basing it just on numbers, the Skeleton Warriors were at a disadvantage.

Shweek, shweek!

However, the Skeleton Warriors swiftly evaded the attacks of the Cursed Monsters.  The advantage from the fact that there were a 100 of Cursed Monsters became nullified.

The Skeleton Warriors had fought the Cursed Monsters for 20 days under Hyrkan's command.  There was no way the Skeleton Warriors would lose against the Cursed Monsters.

He had trained them for this purpose.

‘I invested 20 days for this day.’

He hadn’t been been lax in his actions.  He hadn’t just been hunting to level up.  He had trained the Skeleton Warriors up to a point where they could easily defeat the Cursed Monsters.  In his training, he purposefully made it so that his Skeleton Warriors would have to fight a Cursed Monster in a one-on-one matchup.  He later increased it to a 3 vs one fight.  He purposefully allowed the Skeleton Warriors fight at a numerical disadvantage.

This was the solution to the first problem.

‘I blocked the slaves it had cursed..’

If he wanted to catch the Frost Knight, there were four obstacles he would have to overcome.  This was the solution to the first problem.

‘So the only thing left is….  I have to overcome the Frost Fog, Wall of Agony and the Frost Dragon’s Curse.’

Since he gave a solution to one of the problems, he had to come up with three more.

He had the three solutions, and he was about to put those answers into motion.

“Pooh-haha!”

He felt joy from just imagining it.  It was absurd, but he spontaneously let out a laugh.  He didn’t have to enjoy it through his imagination any more.  He could  enjoy it in reality.

“What shall we do?”

Half way up the Urugal mountain range.

Thirty Users were within a cave that had been placed midway up the mountain.  Their expressions were stiff as they waited for something.

“What do you think we should do?  We have to catch it!”

“You should it still for a moment.”

“What? What did you just say to me, you traitorous bastard?”

“How long are you… Whatever.  Yes.  I'm the traitor, so I'll keep my mouth shut.  Of course.  I'm the traitor, and I did something very wrong.  How dare I open my mouth?  I'll keep my impertinent mouth shut.”

They were the elite members of the Stormhunters.

They had attempted to fight the owner of the Urugal mountain's peak, and they had failed.  After experiencing failure, some in the guild mustered up their courage, and they had come up here for another attempt.

However, at that moment, their leader Shir wasn't giving them an answer as to whether they would be attempting the Raid again.

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me?”

“Oop oop! Oop oop! Oop opp oop!”

It was Hatch and Hahui.  Shir kept her mouth shut as these two acted out noisily in front of her.

In the end, Shir's silence bled into Hatch and Hahui.  The heavy atmosphere descended on the group, and it started pressing down on their will to even attempt this Raid again.  It seemed they wouldn’t be able to look at the Urugal mountain range for a while.  They felt the atmosphere press down on their shoulders and neck.  

It happened at that moment.

[The curtain to the new era has risen.]

[The one to open this new era is ‘Hyrkan’.]

The surprising news overtook them.

“What the hell?”

“A System-wide Announcement?”

The silence ahd bee heavy, and it had been hard to break.  However, the silence was smashed to pieces like a sheet of glass made of sugar.

“Who the hell is that?”

“Hyrkan?  Who is that?”

At that moment, another silence that couldn’t be compared to the one from before started to spread.

“Hyrkan…… My god.  Isn't that the Hahoe Mask's character name?”

Accompanying the silence, everyone looked towards a single User.

Storm Queen Shir.

Currently, she was one of the few that could be compared to the Hahoe Mask in terms of skill.

On the other hand, Shir's gaze was focused on the one that had spoken.

“P…please speak.”

“Are you sure the Hahoe Mask's character name is Hyrkan?”

“……ah, yes.  It wasn't as if he tried to hide it.  If you look at the Hahoe Mask's early videos, he named himself as Hyrkan.”

“Let's go.”

“What?”

Hatch queried at the sudden answer given by Shir.  As if the rest of the group agreed with Hatch's sentiment, they tilted their head in confusion.  One could almost see a question mark form on top of their heads.

“I still want to recruit the Hahoe Mask, but I don't want to hear that we are inferior to the Hahoe Mask.”

Shir spoke towards them in a low voice.

“I don't know about how I measure up to him, but I never thought that the Stormhunters guild was weaker than the Hahoe Mask.”

The expression on everyone's face changed at her words.  They swallowed the silence that had descended on them, and they started to manufacture courage within themselves.

“Let's try it one more time.”

“There is no reason why we can't kill it.”

“There is no reason why we should allow ourselves to left behind by the Hahoe Mask.”

At their words, Shir made a beautiful smile that was beyond description.

The Stormhunters once again decided to attempt climbing the summit of the Urugal mountain.