Steel eating player chapter 178
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Humans, a species called Homo sapiens, are often referred to as ‘social animals’. Over the course of their long history, they gradually grew larger and eventually formed an international community.
It was all out of necessity. It was because I was able to achieve something that I could never have done alone if I united with my family, tribe, country, and world.
In other words, to face threats that individuals cannot tolerate together—that was the decisive reason for the formation of a large group called ‘humanity’.
However, at the beginning of the 21st century, just today, the ‘player’ has emerged that destroys that theory. They alone did what the majority had to work together to solve.
That is why, by this ‘game’ phenomenon, the function of the state will inevitably be faded and the cooperation of the international community will gradually collapse… … This was the mainstream opinion of sociologists.
And it was actually happening.
Like feudalism in medieval Europe, the world was divided around powerful players.
Most of them would lose a common goal, move for their own benefit, and take advantage of the world’s crises.
“I am here at the gathering place of Mount Otris! Currently, many famous players are gathering!”
Therefore, it was very unusual in this era that the world’s best armed forces are gathered in one place and the whole world is cheering with one heart and one accord.
“This is very surprising! Never before have so many players voluntarily joined when a war event breaks out! Even when the gains are uncertain and the chances of losing their lives are high!”
A small town 22 km from Mount Otris, where the player group’s operation meeting hall was set up.
“A lot of people say that Stilane’s leadership has had a world-changing effect on this phenomenon!”
However, Lee Hyun-wook did not think that his contribution was 100% at that point. Anyway, as a more and more catastrophe occurred, the limits of the ‘individual’ had to be revealed again, and it is natural that the need for unity increases accordingly.
In other words, even if it is not Lee Hyun-wook, mankind will unite again against a common enemy. That was also the case in his previous life.
‘But nonetheless, there are some who are selfish.’
Being selfish means putting one’s own goals ahead of common ones, and they create noise.
‘Even in this place now, there are a lot of those kinds of people.’
Lee Hyun-wook and Emilia Muller approached the operation meeting room and listened to the conversation coming through the thick iron gate, using Hugin’s senses sitting on his shoulder.
So no matter what the circumstances, in order to get the right control, we need to choose a commander in a reasonable way! No, can you tell me that you caught my attention with a TV show? Do you know what kind of middle and high school classroom this is?”
“… … You can’t look at it that way! It’s not that we want to follow him because he’s good at talking, doesn’t he show us something?”
“Ha! Are you talking about that giant sword that falls from the sky? I admit it’s great. But what is that? If you have a good weapon and take command, a tank commander should have led the corps in World War II, right?”
Before Hyun-wook Lee’s arrival, it seemed that those who arrived first were arguing over who should be the commander.
‘No matter how much support you get from the world, if you can’t wield those in your hands, it’s all useless.’
shudder
The quarrel stopped when Lee Hyun-wook opened the door and entered.
“……”
In a large space without a single chair, the world’s most famous players were standing here and there.
It was as if they had come to a standing party and looked unordered.
Still, everyone’s eyes naturally turned to Lee Hyun-wook at once, so there was no need for a stage or microphone.
Lee Hyun-wook was silent for a moment and looked at them.
Have you ever seen such a big crowd gathered in one place?
This was a phenomenon that had never been witnessed in a previous life.
Then, he made eye contact with familiar faces such as General Choi Jeong-cheol, Kang Seo-yoon, and Anyang Duo, and he nodded his head slightly.
And Kang Seo-yoon was reminded of her face, but it seemed that she was the one who had a fight before Lee Hyun-wook came in.
“First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the representatives of each guild and each country who gathered at the place I announced.”
Yes. This was the gathering point pointed out by Lee Hyun-wook.
“then… … Do I dare to think that everyone here is supporting my operation?”
Lee Hyun-wook’s purpose was to control the army, so he went out strong from the beginning, but he expected a backlash.
And again, a bald man raised his hand. His name was Melvin Arts, a Dutch player.
“Look, it seems like there’s a little bit of a leap forward.”
Lee Hyun-wook looked at him as if he was saying what he meant.
“It’s absurd to think that we’re all going to come under your command just because you spread the coordinates of this place.”
He smirked and spit in a strong tone. Then, he made eye contact with someone, and at that moment, Hyun-wook Lee looked at him with Hu-gin’s eyes.
‘Alain Gidam, are a lot of Futouré members here?’
was a European guild masters meeting that argued that the world should be reconstructed centered on players.
“We have come to face this calamity, and are willing to fight the final battle. In other words, we were not invited by you, but we came together naturally with a noble heart.”
Then the words ‘That’s right’ came from all over the place.
“Of course, I know the power of the low-altitude drop you showed, and I know that it is a key weapon in this operation.”
At that time, Hyun-wook Lee raised his hand and stopped him.
“But I have to tell you this first.”
“Yes?”
“Now, the Mowglay Drop is no longer usable. So, you shouldn’t expect its power.”
At those words, the high-status giants began to roar.
The 100t Moglay drop that blew up the Titan’s Deus Phalanx with one blow… … In fact, there was no choice but to come to this place believing in that overwhelming weapon.
But now, I can’t use it… … .
At that time, a wizard player from ROK AMT came forward and gave mana to a cube-shaped item. Then a hologram came out of the cube.
I thought it was some kind of video… … .
“Before, you must have witnessed a dark elf spy hiding among us. So everyone here should have been checked by a high-level analyst player. Anyway, they are very clever.”
In the meantime, the hologram screen kept changing, and now it was a scene of monitoring the Dark Elf corps garrison.
“And they would have witnessed my drop of Mowglay, and if they hadn’t been prepared for that attack… they wouldn’t have left their forces out in the grasslands like that.”
He pointed to the hologram while talking… … I saw something falling from the sky, beyond the clouds.
“So, I tried it with a different weapon once.”
visor–!
With that sound, an object that was falling at the speed of sound was enchanted with green magic, and stopped tall in the air.
“uh?”
“what?”
Next, a close-up screen, a large window appeared. It was wrapped around some purple chains.
“… … Maybe that’s an item neutralization net?”
“Can you spread it out that wide?”
The item neutralization net was a suppression skill that temporarily sealed all weapons it touched. When it is extracted and given to an item, it becomes a “class 3 ability restraint chain” that is essential when boarding an aircraft.
When caught, all the abilities of the item disappear, but as the mass of Mowglay is sealed, a phenomenon occurs that violates the laws of physics in which the kinetic energy evaporates in an instant.
“That skill seems to be manifested through a specific item. And there must have been such an item near the four ‘Victory Flags’ that we had to conquer.”
As such, Lee Hyun-wook revealed his fatal problem.
It was completely intentional… … .
‘With this, I shake off those who are clumsy.’
Just because the giants in this place didn’t have all the necessary parts. It was necessary to filter out the dissonance that would ruin Lee Hyun-wook’s ensemble, and this will be the bait.
then one
“Well, then, a head-to-head match is virtually impossible.”
One man said so.
‘After all, Alain Gidam, you are finally here.’
Hyun-wook Lee knew that he was the organizer of the Omega team and the head of Puture, an extremist organization in Europe.
Although he is not a villain, he was one of the darkest characters, and was a hindrance to Lee Hyun-wook’s plan.
‘Once we have to filter out those guys, the operation will be easier.’
Unsurprisingly, as soon as Lee Hyun-wook exposed his weakness, he appeared prowling around like a wolf who smelled blood.
“My name is Alain Gidam, the deputy master of the guild. I am also the Director of External Relations at EPU.”
He introduced himself out of the blue, looking around the others, not Lee Hyun-wook, and then walked out. It meant that he was going to make this stage his own.
“Now, let’s see what I prepared this time.”
He proudly took out the hologram generator and activated it. There were a lot of graphs in his data.
“This is a comparison of the enemy’s power and ours prepared by our guild’s analysis team. The red graph on the left is the power calculated from the number of enemies and average level values, and the right is the estimated total power of us and players.”
It was quite complex, but the meaning was simple.
The left graph was much higher than the right graph.
“… … The conclusion is that our win rate is only 7.8%. Of course, this means a head-to-head match, but we are in the middle of a siege right now, so we have to actually play head-to-head.”
And here and there, the analysis of the Guild has the best hit rate in the world. And in Lee Hyun-wook’s eyes, he was right in terms of simple comparison.
Alain Jidam turned his head and looked at Lee Hyun-wook.
“Is there any reason to overturn this statistic? So, I mean, do you have any other hidden weapons? If not, your words may deceive you and result in the worthless death of thousands of players.”
Those words were mixed with sarcasm.
Hyunwook Lee always brought out a new card.
And I had a feeling that it wouldn’t happen this time.
However, Lee Hyun-wook nodded as if it was natural.
“Yes, of course, this time too.”
“… … Oh, are you?”
“So we’re going to try a frontal attack.”
He looked a little confused, but then smiled.
“Ha, then, can you tell me what it is?”
Perhaps Lee Hyun-wook seemed to know that he would not reveal his plans prematurely. And I was going to cut down on Lee Hyun-wook’s influence by sticking with it tenaciously.
“……”
When Lee Hyun-wook didn’t answer, his smirk deepened.
“Now we’re in a boat, aren’t we? I remember the last words you said in your wonderful speech in Dresden. Well, it was a joint word. So you should also trust us and open up everything. That’s a real ally. Wouldn’t that be a real team?”
When those words were finished, Lee Hyun-wook kept his cynicism.
“If you don’t like me not trusting you… … .”
Lee Hyun-wook looked at Alain Gidam.
“… … Don’t talk too long, please turn it off.”
At that moment, the intestines became cold.
Still, isn’t this place quite heavy?
But turn it off… … I didn’t think they were wrong.
“What, what, what did you say now… … .”
“Did you expect me to discuss like a gentleman?”
Lee Hyun-wook snorted and strode closer to him. Then Alain Gidam took a step back without realizing it.
“This moment is too important and urgent for that, so if you don’t like it, don’t rush into my plans and get out of here with your gang. This is my garrison.”
Alain Gidam’s expression stiffened as if it was an entirely unexpected reaction. No one would have really expected this to happen, and it was the same with Lee Hyun-wook’s closest aides.
“……”
Together, they looked around in bewilderment.
Until now, Stilane had shown overwhelming force on the battlefield, but he was polite at official events.
So, Alain Gidam was thinking of taking him to a logical dead end by listening to it piece by piece. So, I was thinking of leading this battle by turning the hearts of the guild masters with practical power to themselves.
But I didn’t know that he would give such an insult to my face.
“Uh, how can you say such a vulgar thing in a place like this… ha! How are you going to take the commander of this important battle on the subject of treating someone who came to fight with you in this way?”
Lee Hyun-wook wasn’t the type of person to play the guts like this. But he’s also busy fighting enemies, so he didn’t intend to deal with this kind of nonsense with such a vain mind.
“… … I will make sure.”
Lee Hyun-wook had a cold and gentle expression.
“I have asked you to join me. And as a prerequisite, they asked me to trust you. That doesn’t mean I’m going to trust you too.”
He is calmly saying that he will not believe you.
“It’s not a sport. It’s not a fair rule to disclose any information I have, it’s stupid. Even if there are enemies hiding around us.”
“……”
“So, don’t make a hole in my plan and get out of it.”
When Lee Hyun-wook told him to turn off one after another, Alain Gidam’s face turned red. But I didn’t question it.
Yes, it may seem fair at first glance to open a ‘core strategy’ in a place where an unspecified majority gather, but it was a complacency.
Those who understood this nodded their heads one by one.
“But if you believe in me and stay here…”
Lee Hyun-wook turned his head and looked at the others.
“… … I can assure you that I’ve never failed. If you believe in me and fight, whatever you want, you’ll get it at the end of this fight. If you want an end you will have an end, if you want peace you will have peace, if you want an item you will have an item, if you want money you will have money.”
He showed off himself for the first time and raised his voice.
‘Even if you don’t like my attitude, you can’t help but believe in the achievements I’ve made. And since you’ve come this far, you’d want to invest in the most likely side, and that’s me.’
This would be able to filter out completely gluttonous people like Alain Gidam, while leaving the necessary power behind.
While thinking that, Hyun-wook Lee made eye contact with a tall Asian man standing in the corner. He leaned his back against the wall and looked at Lee Hyun-wook with an interesting expression.
He was the gravity wizard, Lee Seong-yoon.
But the staff he was holding caught my eye.
[Item information]
– Name: Power of Hecatecheires (Special)
– Effect: When a large amount of mana (1,000) is injected, Meteor is summoned. (Standby for reuse: 72 hours)
‘Even if Mowglay doesn’t work, it does.’
That’s why I needed him in this battle.
Immediately after that, Hyun-wook Lee secretly sent a message to him.
Its contents were as follows.
– (…) If Lee Seong-yoon wants to trust me, I hope you will save ‘Hekaton Keires’ until I contact you separately. (You may be wondering how we know the information about that item, but we’ll talk about it later)
If you look up to this point, as Lee Seong-yoon, questions only pile up, and he may not have the heart to accept Lee Hyun-wook’s request.
‘But I know Lee Sung-yoon’s great desire’
In my previous life, I had been fighting with Lee Seong-yoon for three years.
During that time, I listened to his inner thoughts.
‘So, if you attack it, it will surely come over.’
– … … And if you believe me, I know who killed Nicholas Steele, the former commander of the Wight Tree Guard, so I’ll tell you.
Do not tell this story to anyone.
Our common enemy lurks nearby.
Nicholas Steele, a paladin who was the most trusted of St. Emilia Muller and the protector of St. Dome.
And he was the first chairman of the Guardian, and to Lee Sung-yoon, he was a man who was practically a father, a spiritual supporter.
Seongyun Lee pursued his death for a while, but found no evidence… … Later, it is revealed that Gordon Price is a traitor, who has killed numerous Guardian members, including Nicholas Steele.
‘I can’t reveal this right now. Gordon Price is now fairly trusted within the Guardian.’
So, slowly, I was thinking of squeezing his breath.
***
Shortly after Lee Hyun-wook’s bold remarks, about half of the players’ troops left and set up a separate camp far away.
Again, the majority were Alain Gidam and Putouret.
And they started playing malicious press.
– [Exclusive] Six giant guild masters unite to criticize the strategy of Steelein “There is no chance of winning, we have to stop dog death”
However, the halo of the current name Stilane had become too intense for the world to be persuaded by those words.
Then came the news that the Dark Elf Corps and the Black Orc Corps had joined forces with the Titans to strengthen their defenses.
The next day… … .
“… … Sergeant Min-tae Ahn, are you really advancing tonight?”
“Okay, what did you hear earlier? Hey! Move quickly!”
No matter how scheduled the battle was, I couldn’t help but worry, and worried grumblings erupted here and there.
And the reaction was more severe the more private guild members were.
“Ha-I saw the video filmed with the Mana drone, and it didn’t make sense to penetrate there. It’s a real ironclad castle itself.”
They had to occupy four points called ‘Victory Flags’ on the side of the siege, and as a result of observing those points… … A huge fortress rose from the ground.
In other words, the environment for siege warfare was created.
It was also a fortress with an elevation of 6 to 700 rice.
“I saw it too. But there’s no Mowglay…”
“I do. I believed in one thing… Stilane said there was a way, but it’s frustrating because I don’t know what it is.”
And not to mention that the fortress was not just a stone wall, it had a strong magic barrier, but it reached a height of up to 45m, and magma flowed in some places.
It was an impenetrable fortress or wailing wall that could never be crossed.
woo woo woo–
Hundreds of transport planes and more armored vehicles and trucks were running endlessly towards it.
And ROK AMT took the lead.
“Hmm, there is going to be a battle soon… … It would be a real mess to know that Stilane isn’t here.”
The person who said that was Choi Jeong-cheol, a small stature soldier.
Yes. In this way, the player’s troops were all advancing for the siege, but there was no Steelein here.
However, no one was aware of that fact except for a few people who were close to Lee Hyun-wook, such as Choi Jeong-cheol and Kim Kang-seok.
“… … Captain, what do you think? What in the world was Lee Hyun-wook thinking when he made us charge?”
“I don’t know. But, I believe.”
And even they didn’t know what the hell Hyunwook Lee was preparing. He disappeared from the early morning, leaving only the words to pretend to attack while waiting for the right time… … .
“Yeah, if you don’t trust him, who will you trust? I can’t wait to see what other surprises you’ve prepared this time!”
***
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”
At that time, a moan flowed from a wine bar somewhere in the city that had stopped after Titanomachia, Rome, Italy.
“You, who are you…”
A dark elf, perched on top of a smashed oak barrel, asked into the air. Then the void shook…
woong
There a man appeared. He put the black helmet he had just taken off by his side and opened his mouth to somewhere.
“… … Is this kid right at the terminal entrance?”
“What? How do you know my identity…?”
At that moment, there was a sound of stepping on the stairs, and a few shadows descended here, into the underground wine cellar. However… … .
“Ugh! You, you- how are you still alive?”
Clipeus Griseo, the second prince of the Dark Elf Kingdom, which had recently collapsed in a coup d’etat, was there.
“Flos Louver imprisoned me without killing me.”
“Damn it, that was a mistake!”
The second prince approached silently and laid his hand on the face of the ‘gateway’. Then a light came out of his palm… … Nothing happened. But then, let’s put that palm on Lee Hyun-wook’s face and let the light shine.
woo woo woo–
Doesn’t his face change into a completely different shape?
Subsequently, Kim Se-hee and Park Jun-mo also became ‘polymorphs’ with the bodies of other dark elves lying around.
“… … Big ears bother me.”
Lee Hyun-wook said while touching his polymorphed face.
The ‘entrance hall’, who was watching the scene, squeaked.
“One man, what are you trying to do with my face?”
Hyunwook Lee raised his left hand without saying a word. Then, Mowglay was shot from behind and knocked down one wall.
bang–!
Behind the wall was a huge orb hidden.
It was the gate leading to the ‘Terminal’ of the Dark Elf Kingdom.
Lee Hyun-wook stood in front of him and looked at the second prince.
“Now I will give you back your ‘seat’.”
“… … Yes, the time has come.”
“But don’t forget what you have to do right after that.”
The seat of power (權座) had a double meaning.
First of all, it meant the rulership of the Dark Elf Kingdom.
And secondly, he spoke of the command of the king’s army.
What Hyunwook Lee said was the second one.
‘The highest power among the Dark Elf Corps is .’
It meant the Dark Elf Emperor’s Guard, a dark elf who had completely replaced its brain by planting a parasitic head plant, which could be controlled through a specific mana pattern.
And it was the emperor’s ‘seat of power’ that could transmit that mana pattern. That is, if you just take it… … .
‘We can overturn the game of this war at once.’
Steel eating player chapter 178
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