The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor

"Down with the King."

"Kill all the nobles."

"It's Embinyu god's will. Kill all the heretics opposing the Embinyu Church!"

In the vicinity of Serabourg Citadel, an army of 400 thousand appeared.

The emergence of the rebels! It was composed of both peasants from nearby villages and whole armies from the kingdom, converted to following the Embinyu Church. They came under pretense, waving the Rosenheim Kingdom’s flag while being under the banner of the Embinyu god of destruction.

A message window popped up for all active players in Serabourg Citadel and Rosenheim Kingdom.

DING!

“What’s happening?”

“What’s this disturbance in the middle of the night?”

The players buying goods in the market for a hunt with their party members rushed towards the castle wall. Beyond the walls of Serabourg Citadel was the Embinyu Church army, which stretched beyond what the eyes could see.

“Did a war break out?”

“Are we safe here? What is the status of Serabourg Citadel’s defenses?”

The players could not hide their anxiety as they looked around Serabourg Citadel. While it was the capital of Rosenheim Kingdom, it was not prepared for a sudden siege. Even the castle gates were hurriedly closed only after the Embinyu Church appeared. The loyal forces were hastily dispatched but could be seen emerging without even equipping their armor properly.

“Ah, really. I even prepared a great house in Serabourg Citadel.”

“I have a business in the Square!”

“Can the Rosenheim Kingdom repel the enemy?”

“There is no kingdom that has yet driven back the Embinyu Church.”

“What will happen to us when Serabourg Citadel gets taken over?”

The players fell into panic. When there was a monster raid, the monsters were easily eradicated by the kingdom’s forces. It was unfathomable for a flock of monsters to even reach Serabourg Citadel. But with the Embinyu Church, it was a different story. They possessed shamans, priests, summoners, warlocks, and dark paladins. Not only that, beyond the castle wall, the end to the crowds of tamed monsters and cultists couldn’t be seen.

The cultists of Embinyu! They were composed of ordinary residents of Rosenheim Kingdom. They were at least level 200, and by believing in the god of Embinyu, they possessed demonic strength! They feared no death, and by increasing their faith through battle, their level rose fast.

The moonlight revealed the shape of large demons that would be critical in the siege warfare. Along with them the 9th High Priest Belloni, from the 11th sect of the Embinyu Church could be seen.

The army of the Embinyu Church that the players could only see on television, was gathered in front of them.

“Apparently the Embinyu Church is regarding everyone who does not believe in their god to be enemies.”

“Are they going to attack us alongside the Rosenheim Kingdom’s forces?”

“They don’t show mercy to beginners. They are a group that destroys everything in their path.”

Panic was radiating from the people behind the castle wall. The sudden message of siege caused people to run in panic in the streets and about the square. In the Rosenheim Kingdom’s palace, the soldiers and knights finished their battle preparations and were moving out to the castle wall.

“Will they let me live if I surrender and convert to the Embinyu Church?”

“You could join the crowd outside and be safe there, but that is probably the worst possible choice.”

In reality, there were many players in the central continent under Embinyu Church occupation that chose to convert.

“In the beginning, they give you items and teach you Embinyu Church magic for free. But afterwards, you can’t go to other kingdoms, and you start to get notoriety or other bad stats. In the end, you can’t ever leave the Embinyu Church and become one of their minions.”

Death or conversion, only one of the two!

“Then what will happen to us now?”

“Just wait and see. The Rosenheim Kingdom’s forces could drive back the Embinyu Church.”

*****

“Check out Serabourg Citadel. It’s a scoop!”

“Did we dispatch anyone there?”

“There is a female player, Lendelina.”

“Then get us connected to her!”

Every broadcast station was in an emergency. Rosenheim Kingdom was under attack by the Embinyu Church. This was a rare event that couldn’t be seen often, and on top of that, it was about the Embinyu Church, which had spread like a wildfire throughout the continent. That’s why the officials in the broadcast stations were watching the situation with mixed interests.

“Broadcast it live as soon as we are ready! Any station out there that’s already on air?”

“CTS started broadcasting 20 seconds ago.”

“Last time I got into a lot of trouble with the boss for being 4 minutes late… Anyway, switch it on as soon as we are ready. Just show them the video and let’s worry about the rest later. Contact the programming department and call any available support from other teams. And why are the presenters coming so late!”

Every broadcast station erupted in commotion. While they couldn’t suddenly switch to a different program during an important broadcast, most of them initiated a live broadcast because it was a huge incident of the Embinyu Church invading the capital of Rosenheim Kingdom.

Even KMC media’s staff was hurriedly jumping around, but they had a reason for it. They specialized in broadcasting Royal Road, and through their coverage of many incidents from the game, they received recognition from the viewers.

“Our preparations are complete.”

“Get the exact location for each of the delegates, make sure the program switcher transitions the video correctly. Just remember, we are going live without rehearsal so get it right from the start.”

KMC media also initiated a live program. When the broadcast started, the viewers gathered and began to post about Rosenheim Kingdom in various message boards.

“How many players contracted to us are active in Serabourg Citadel?”

“Including Jenkins and Roads, about twenty.”

Information continued to flow to KMC media. It was necessary for them to contract for exclusive information from active adventurers, warriors and magicians for paramount situations such as the invasion by the Embinyu Church.

“Um...”

The head producerPD 1 hesitated in front of Director Kang.

“What got you on edge during a live broadcast?”

“Before Shin Hye Min went behind the host desk, she told me something.”

“What was it?”

“Apparently War God Weed is in Serabourg Citadel right now.”

“Are you sure?”

When the staff of KMC media heard that War God Weed was in Serabourg Citadel, rather than expecting something amazing they couldn’t settle their nervousness. No matter how they saw it, the Embinyu force was too formidable for Weed to do something great.

*****

Weed heard about the Embinyu Church invasion near his rest time.

• Weed-nim, there is war in Serabourg Citadel!

Mapan sent a whisper like he was screaming and other party members sent him a whisper nearly at the same time.

• Where are you? I heard that the Embinyu Church is attacking Serabourg Citadel, are you okay?
• This is Pale. I hope you are safe and what’s happening? I will go there right…
• Did you hear the news? The Embinyu Church...

This wasn’t much, because the number of people on Weed’s friend list that had permission to whisper him weren’t many.

Sabrina: This time, Serabourg Citadel.

Edwin: The Embinyu Church is growing scarily big.

Pin: I think it will be difficult to block them off at Serabourg Citadel.

He also received information from the Travelers of the Wilderness Guild. And...

• Little brother, are you okay?
• I just heard something right now…
• Disciple, people are telling me the place you are at is dangerous.
• What are you doing right now? Are you perhaps in Serabourg Citadel?

The Geomchis sent lines of whispers.

Weed sighed deeply.

“They said scumbags were expected to pay hospital fees when they simply tripped.”

It has been a long time since he came to Serabourg Citadel, but it was truly ridiculous that the Embinyu Church had to attack the moment he was visiting.

“The only thing I can do right now is to observe… Rather, there is one thing that I can do only at this moment. I will regret it for the rest of my life if I miss this chance.”

Weed rushed toward the Square. Seo Yoon followed after him even though she could be attacked by other players in the Square for her PK status. For a PK’er like Seo Yoon to be running around while the Embinyu Church was encamped beyond the wall was unheard of. Nevertheless, the soldiers nearby still took caution and avoided her.

“I need to purchase some items first.”

Weed bargained for items from the stalls.

“With the Embinyu Church outside if you are not careful you could lose all your trade. Take my offer and sell it cheaply to me.”

Buying below the cost wholesale! Weed currently had a capital of over 160 thousand from selling japtem. After seeing Weed’s activity, the merchants soon changed the crowded Square into a wholesale bazaar.

“Selling weapons for cheap.”

“Try putting on some armor. It’s armor that will protect you from the Embinyu Church’s attack!”

“I have general goods. This is an opportunity that comes only once in a lifetime. I am clearing out all my stock.”

Rather than getting all their goods plundered, the merchants were adamant on making just one more penny. The players also crowded to buy necessary items for cheap. The Square was overflowing with passion as people tried to buy and sell.

“Huh, a PKer?”

“There is no time to fight such a person. Just hurry and find the items you need.”

Rather than picking up items by killing the PKer, the goods were being sold for so cheap that the players did not want to miss this opportunity. The merchants also wanted money, because if they died, they would lose less in currency as their goods could be easily looted or lost.

Weed also cleaned out the grocer.

“Give me everything!”

Seo Yoon could not understand how Weed could visit the grocer when Serabourg Citadel was surrounded with battle that could erupt right in front of their noses. Weed’s next action was to go to the castle wall and yelled using his Lion’s Roar.

“Peanuts, squid and soft drinks. Cold soft drinks! Warm potatoes and sweet potatoes to eat while watching the battle!”

This opportunity was too valuable to waste while being swept away by the tension created by the Embinyu Church, an opportunity to make a fortune!

“Please give me two packets of peanuts.”

“Serabourg Citadel is bigger than you can imagine, will two packets do?”

“Then give me four packets please.”

Weed received the money after he gave the peanuts. At the grocers he cleaned out the nuts and other snacks and made massive amounts of profit.

“The characteristics of a natural born merchant.”

The greatest joy for a merchant was to make and swim in money. This magical fun of charging exorbitant prices to the customers during business!

*****

Nom Nom.

“When are they going to attack?”

“The Embinyu Church is kind of amazing. How did they manage to gather such a large force?”

“I think there will be a stunning battle here.”

The players in Serabourg Citadel sat on the wall and the roof of the stores eating snacks and waiting for the battle to start. There were players who chose to watch the spectacle and some unknown number of people participating with the Rosenheim Kingdom’s force.

There were many players who joined in the defense as the Embinyu Church indiscriminately looted, slaughtered and caused arson.

The quest also popped up for Weed.

“I need to reject this one.”

With his enormous fame, if he joined in the defense his duplicity with the Rosenheim Kingdom’s force would soar. He could easily be forced to take on the captainship of the castle gate or become an important figure for the defense force. Playing a central role in fighting against the Embinyu Church by taking command of a force of hundreds, or a thousand soldiers.

Weed judged that at the most, the number of soldiers defending Serabourg Citadel was around 20 thousand. However the opposing force, the Embinyu Church, was composed of over 400 thousand cultists and monsters. In addition the Embinyu priests, cursed shamans and paladins could exploit the monsters by depending on their power of evil spirits.

“It will be extremely difficult to defend against that.”

While they could rely on the castle wall to prolong the siege, in the end they would have to face the enemy heroically! If Weed equipped Balkan’s items while under Sculpture Transformation he could have become pivotal to the battle, but due to it’s side effect he could not make an appearance so recklessly. Also, due to the incident at the River of Lamentation, he was sure the Embinyu Church was just waiting for a payback!

“Living comfortably is much better than being immortalized as a hero after death.”

If he accepted the quest to defend Rosenheim Kingdom and deserted it afterwards finding the situation untenable, he would be branded with lasting dishonor. Weed, Seo Yoon, and many others who decided not to participate in the battle adopted a wait and see approach.

Weed’s face was laden with apprehension.

“I hope Rosenheim Kingdom wins...”

Sudden recovery from seriousness to happiness!

“Well, at least I made some money.”

When he thought of his pocket he became happy, but the current situation wasn’t optimistic.

Both the players trapped in Serabourg Citadel and the players affiliated with Rosenheim Kingdom were frustrated.

“Fire!”

At that moment, the vicinity of the mountain top that could be seen far away started burning brightly. It was the signal fire calling for reinforcements from all over Rosenheim Kingdom when Serabourg Citadel was in peril.

The dense crowd of the Embinyu Church army that stretched beyond the pyramid and the sphinx, came closer and closer, dragging their siege weapons with them. Soldiers formed from monsters clanged their weapons and roared in rough voices.

“This is insane.”

“I am getting more worked up from this than from watching a horror movie.”

In Rosenheim Kingdom, knights rode dangerously atop the castle wall and clanged their swords with the soldiers in encouragement.

“For the king!”

“Defend your positions. We just need to endure for one day. Reinforcements are being sent from all the regions in the kingdom.”

It was a scene that lit fires in the heart, but it caused as much fear.

“They are coming.”

“It’s starting.”

Players drooled. At last, the Embinyu Church started firing their siege weapons. While boulders and projectiles were being shot toward the walls, the demons, cultists and Embinyu soldiers charged the castle.

The battle between Serabourg Citadel and the Embinyu Church had begun.

“Fire!”

“Fire everything toward the enemy. Kill them all!”

The Rosenheim Kingdom’s archers and crossbowmen were firing their arrows and bolts. But some of the spells from the Embinyu Church managed to slam the wall.

“Concentrate your fire.”

The forces of Rosenheim Kingdom focused their fire of silver arrows on the charging horned demons, seeing it as a greater danger than the monsters or human enemies.

-GWRAAAR!

The archers on the wall shot enchanted and fire arrows that struck into the ponderous demons that lumbered toward them. After a flurry of attacks, the massive demons collapsed, losing their balance as they tried to take another large step. Pandemonium erupted as the 20 meter tall demons collapsed on the Embinyu Church’s soldiers.

“Honor the sacrifice for the gods of Embinyu!”

“Kill the enemy and take your own life.”

The cultists and monster troops darkened the castle walls.

“Endure!”

“We can fight them off.”

The cultists and monsters of Embinyu stacked their ladders and threw vines starting their climb of the wall. Magic attacks like Frost Wind and Sand Vortex flew at the soldiers on top of Serabourg Citadel’s wall.

The magicians of Rosenheim Kingdom entered the fray.

“River of Endless Fire!”

As the magicians thrust out their hands, the ground split and set the path into conflagration.

At that moment, a screech was heard from above and the Embinyu Church’s Wyvern Riders made their appearance. Unlike Wy-Three whom Weed sculpted, these Wyverns were extremely fast, sly, and brutal without compare. The Wyvern Riders descended from the clouds, throwing their spears and used their swords to attack the magicians and the soldiers below.

If it wasn’t for Royal Road, this battle would have only happened in dreams.

A small part of the players in Serabourg Citadel did feel exhilarated as they could watch the battle up close, but they were also electrified by the magnificence before them.

As time passed, the demons of the Embinyu Church became more aggressive. The large demons that were over 3 meters swayed their horns as they bashed into the castle gate. Some monsters climbed the walls like spiders. The Embinyu Church cultists clung to their spears and sword like weapons, pickaxes and cleavers and came like tidal waves. Warlocks made fireballs fall from the sky and filled the walls with agonizing cries.

*****

Weed stealthily backed away from the place where he was watching the ongoing battle.

“The wall won’t last long.”

Being the capital of Rosenheim Kingdom, Serabourg Citadel was quite large. The knights and soldiers were resisting the enemy advances, but the waves of the Embinyu Church were too colossal. Here and there flares soared up and walls gave a rumble as they collapsed.

But the Embinyu Church who was waging war in this place was not a power that could win against the whole might of the Rosenheim Kingdom. Along the border with Brent Kingdom and monster infested territories, Rosenheim Kingdom set up fortresses and outposts with permanent garrisons. But in Serabourg Citadel, the royal knights and the guards were being driven back by the Embinyu Church forces.

“At this rate Serabourg Citadel and the palace will be toppled and then...”

The whole public order of Rosenheim Kingdom would collapse. The Embinyu Church would spread everywhere unchecked and the Kingdom would be on the path to ruin. The whole of Rosenheim Kingdom could become a hunting ground seething with monsters like the few regions on the Central continent and mountains of quests asking to defeat the Embinyu Church would be generated.

Either voluntarily or under the command of the king, famously difficult quests were generated in Royal Road that concentrated on the rebels but not one kingdom has yet to successfully drive off the Embinyu Church. Rather there were mass exodus of players from the kingdom, leading to it’s downfall.

“I should escape before it’s too late.”

Weed rolled his eyes. Outside the castle were the Embinyu Church army with hundreds of Wyvern Riders controlling the sky. To survive he had to escape the castle but there was only the perilous way out.

As Weed looked around several guild members or friends bunched together looking for an opportunity to bolt outside.

“Looking for people to escape together. Calling for Warriors.”

“Anyone know how to ride a horse? Planning to get away on a horse through the South gate. Looking for people to come along. Preference to people over level 300!”

“Anyone who can protect a merchant? If anyone could give safe passage I will give a 2000 gold protection fee. I am giving up my carriage, I just need to come out alive!”

The Square and the street were in a pandemonium as players sought for refuge. Even the ordinary NPC residents planned to escape. As the Embinyu Church slaughtered everyone with indifference, once all the residents were killed it would be impossible to re-establish Rosenheim Kingdom. Countless quests would disappear, technology would be lost forever, and manufactured goods would decrease leading to irrecoverable loss.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the appearance of the Embinyu Church is a true catastrophe.

“With the situation like this, we should escape as well.”

“Yes.”

Weed and Seo Yoon decided to squeeze in with the most influential group.

“Excuse me, two Warriors...”

“Our party is full.”

“Is there a place for two people?”

“We don’t accept strangers.”

Even at this moment, the people were lording over the newcomers. The high level players grouped together to survive by themselves. If people wanted to join in, they had to pay for admission and there was a chance that they could be abandoned during critical moments.

“Excuse me, two warriors that know how to contribute.”

“Ah, it’s the merchants that sold peanuts for an exorbitant price.”

“......”

This way, that way, it was difficult for Weed and Seo Yoon to join any group. With Seo Yoon’s PK status it was like entering the eye of a needle. Back then Weed had received PK status after hunting in Todeum, but in extreme cases a PKer could be attacked by soldiers so their movements were restricted.

All heads of the groups and guilds had a meeting.

“In a short while the wall and the gates will collapse. When the Rosenheim Kingdom’s forces are fighting, let’s rush out all at once.”

“Everyone rushing to a different direction.... Then we will head east.”

“Then we will head west.”

“Us, the south. The Embinyu Church will be to preoccupied with seizing Serabourg Citadel, if we penetrate through the encirclement I don’t think they will chase after us.”

All groups coordinated their escape plans. But the group of 8 people that Weed and Seo Yoon were part of only looked around.

“Which direction should we run to?”

“I am going to the east. Karless-nim is part of it, so the chances of survival are highest there.”

“I am heading out through the south gate. Doesn’t look like many monsters are gathered there yet.”

The beginners were all forsaken to themselves but they had no choice but to be part of the escape plan. They would receive no protection as each group departed Serabourg Citadel. Rather the chance was high that they would be used as monster bait, but the beginners had very little options left to them.

“Sigh, we don’t have the capability to follow after them.”

“Us under level 100, let’s just die fighting the Embinyu Church when they break through.”

The beginners sat at the Square in self-abandonment and each group separated, leading their people according to their favorable escape plan.

Weed fell in deep worry.

“No, never like this...”

If he revealed himself now, no group would reject him. He might be called a coward behind his back but something like that was a natural progression of life, something to endure and overcome. A sacrifice that liberates the underdogs!

Any end of the world movie had a touching moment where through the actions of a few heroes, many survive. But rather than becoming a hero, Weed wanted to be that one person who survived till the end. Sentimentality with devotion and sacrifice just made life difficult.

“I must avoid falling into that temptation. Must never fall into temptation.”

Weed saw many people sitting helplessly in front of him. Befitting of the capital of Rosenheim Kingdom, there were many beginners. There were youths, heads of households and even elderly.

‘If I ignore them, then most of them will die.’

Weed closed his eyes tightly.

‘Let me just take the coward's way out. Besides, not one person gave me a helping hand in my time of desperation.’