30 Years Have Passed Since the Prologue

15 – 5. Morning Star (5)

*

The tutorial is too difficult.

As soon as he recalled those words, Kim Sun-woo’s inner self trembled. But Ivan ignored Sun-woo’s reaction and continued his thoughts.

This is really tough. Even objectively imagining Sun-woo’s era and the progress of the game, it’s challenging.

Ivan leaned against a tree, sighed, and exhaled.

Just one guy. Even if there was someone at Dmitry’s level among the members, it wouldn’t have been such a fight.

Kill two soldiers at the eastern end, set traps, sprint to the western end intentionally making gunshots.

After repeating such actions for over 30 minutes, even Ivan is getting tired.

Since gunfire should ring out only once per skirmish, the difficulty has doubled. Thanks to that, he has earned a long sword wound on his arm.

Ivan took out the last healing potion but stopped.

Hmm… it’s bearable. Let’s not use this.

Taking a break to catch his breath, Ivan sat under a tree and organized his thoughts. Let’s assume this is the tutorial right after choosing the character ‘Izabel.’

I’ve passed the character selection screen. Now, in the loading screen, the world setting like ‘What the hell is this, you otaku?’ spills out, and the loading bar completes.

If it’s a aaa-grade game, there would be a cutscene here. Conveniently, there is.

Train terrorism. Academy cliche.

Now, the train terrorism happens, and she wakes up in a pile of dirt. In front of her, an NPC is wounded in her place.

If we play from here, there’s a problem.

‘How did she escape?’

Escaping from the buried car is a problem itself. Let’s assume there’s a puzzle inside that, solving which would allow her to escape.

After that, elite soldiers of unknown identity rush in?

Without explaining the combat system? And on top of that, the tutorial boss…

‘There was line-of-sight detection.’

Thinking about Echidna’s case, it’s even stranger. His tutorial was simple enough to crack with one hand.

Then, was this not a combat event but an escape event?

Or perhaps it was a defeat event. It might be an event where you escape after being captured. There are many games like that.

“No. These guys were trying to kill Isabelle.”

The armed forces weren’t considering capture; they were clearly contemplating murder.

If that’s the case, it meant he shouldn’t get caught. Usually, in defeat events, the player is rescued by allies immediately after the battle.

Rescued…?

Allies…?

“Me…?”

Ivan’s expression cooled down icily. His chest tightened. Was I the ally?

In other words, was I an NPC?

Ivan forcefully suppressed the pounding of his heart. Controlling boiling emotions was a familiar task. He calmly counted on his fingers one by one.

Was there a character named “Ivan Petrovich” in the original game?

Serving in the military, rolling around like a dog for 18 years, fighting with a spear against civilians, and even establishing an orphanage after retiring – were all those events pre-set?

If so, what would be the fate of the original “Ivan Petrovich”? Would he survive until the end? Would his face be revealed in the ending scene?

Forcibly cutting off negative thoughts that were surfacing, Ivan placed a healing potion inside his bag.

There was only one way to confirm.

Why did the difficulty of this event become so chaotic this time? Was it truly a situation where without allies, death was inevitable?

Swiftly climbing up a tree, he moved towards the train.

—

– Chaeng! Kagaak!

The blades clashed, sparks flying. Despite the force, and difficult to gain an advantage with skill alone.

Isabelle bit down on it, twisting the blade.

A beautiful, textbook-perfect parry, as if copying the swordsmanship manual. The trajectory smoothly continued without the slightest error, deflecting the enemy’s sword.

It was the best Isabelle could do. She had no confidence in delivering a more beautiful attack than this.

“Sometimes there are guys like that.”

Aeipolus laughed, parrying Isabelle’s sword.

“Have you seen those guys stuck in their rooms, swinging a stick alone, claiming they’ll perform faster and more flexible attacks, memorizing textbooks like model students? Huh?”

“Shut… up!”

“You’re wrong. A knight of Tilles.”

– Kaang! Kang!

The attack is being blocked. However, every attempt at defense inevitably resulted in more than a mere setback.

Though there were no visible wounds yet, Isabelle could feel it. Gradually, she was being pushed into a corner.

The distribution between offense and defense is a mess. Unable to take another step forward, she could only retreat further and further backward.

And behind her were civilians. Ones she had to protect.

There’s no turning back now. With determination, Isabelle, her external and internal forces in unison, swung her sword.

-Clang!

“Isn’t the essence of swordsmanship about making contact with the opponent? Ultimately, swordplay is just a methodology of driving the blade into the opponent’s body!”

-Clang!

“Being the daughter of a hero and experiencing such a situation at this age! It’s nauseating to witness the indolence of the Alliance.”

“Shut up!”

-Clang! Clang!

The anger-fueled sword no longer guaranteed the finesse of technique.

It swung haphazardly, driven by the desire to vent frustration.

But Isabelle had too much experience dealing with such clumsy attacks.

-Clang, Clang!

She twisted the blade, flicking her wrist to deflect the blows. The sword slipped from Isabelle’s hand, bouncing and rolling on the ground.

In reality, it could have been finished a bit faster. However, the concept of [Hero’s Bloodline] heightened his vigilance.

After all, a hero, Maximilian, always pulled off miraculous feats at the last moment.

But now it’s over. Aepelios chuckled. Only precious soldiers were lost for nothing.

“No one could protect you. Isabelle, Maximilian’s daughter. Do you have any last words?”

Isabelle stared at the fallen sword, biting her lips. Facing death with composure is commendable, but now she had to look at her opponent. Immaturity. Aepelios mocked Isabelle, raising his sword.

*

Ivan watched the scene from the tree.

No intention to save her. He just had to confirm.

If Isabelle dies here, it means his prediction was wrong.

Of course, there might be games where you get a game over by losing to a tutorial boss. But this wasn’t one of them. The opponent seemed too strong for his current specs.

On the other hand, if he rushed in now to save Isabelle, well…

Now, it couldn’t be denied. Confirming that ‘Ivan Petrovich’ is just an NPC in this game.

So, even if Isabelle dies, he won’t intervene.

After all, the player character still has five more lives. If sacrificing one reveals something, it’s a good deal.

Ivan gazed down at Isabelle in the distance, lost in thought.

*

“You, no one has protected. Maximilian’s daughter, Isabelle. Do you have any last words?”

Time seemed to slow for Isabelle. Like the flickering of a candle nearing its end.

The flowing blade like waves, the face of the demon filled with anger and mockery, the distorted moonlight, the rough sound of her own breath.

Her sword lay fallen at her feet. A testament to her efforts and time discarded like trash.

“Raise the sword.”

A voice echoed. The words of Sir Auguste Dian, who mumbled unconscious, a very, very old ceremony of the knight order.

Consciousness slipped away a bit more. Vague images floated in.

Amidst a multitude of people, one person knelt.

Stand in the position of the weak and look at those like us with the eyes of the weak.

The reason we raise the sword is not for our courage, strength, or superiority.

It is simply because it is right. For the justice we must uphold.

A solemn declaration resounds. The knights lined up in the hall raise their swords in unison.

The old man at the forefront raises his sword, gently lowering the blade down.

Carefully, like a baptism. A swift motion. Placing the blade on the head of the one who kneels.

Because it is natural to raise the sword.

Not for your strength, but for your justice, raise the sword.

Again, a swift motion. Tapping both shoulders.

Now, your name is a knight.

Look at those like us with the eyes of the weak.

Isabelle awoke in silence, her breath even paused.

The demon’s blade was descending towards her head. Slowly, but her body felt heavier and slower than that.

And behind her, sounds of fear, shock, screams, and howls filled the air.

Stand in the position of the weak and look at those like us with the eyes of the weak.

For your justice, not for your strength, raise the sword.

The voice still echoed.

Yes, I will. Isabelle reached out towards the fallen sword as if entranced. She grasped the hilt.

Her body felt light, as if it had never been this way in her entire life.

The muscles throughout her body flexed, then gathered with strength she had never known.

When the sword of Aiphelos hovered just above her head, Isabelle had already assumed her stance.

“Whoosh—!”

Silence fell. From everyone around. Even the wind.

Not even the trembling breeze of the forest could distract Isabelle’s ears at this moment.

The clouds parted, and the moonlight shone brightly again.

The survivors behind her forgot even to breathe, their eyes fixed on the scene before them.

Above the crouched Isabelle’s head, the blade halted.

And, grotesquely, it protruded from the massive demon’s back like a sprouting branch.

“How…?”

Aiphelos couldn’t comprehend the situation. He glared at Isabelle standing below him with a vacant gaze.

No expression showed, for her head was bowed. Yet in that moment, he could discern distinctly. This little one. No.

This knight had just taken a step forward.

Aiphelos chuckled in disbelief. Pierced not just by a warrior but by his own daughter.

He coughed up blood and staggered back.

With a clang, the sword slipped from his hand. He staggered, retreating, and collapsed to his knees.

“Phew….”

Isabelle, too, drove the sword into the ground and sank to one knee, gasping for air. Exhausted. Completely.

Yet, she had prevailed. She had saved everyone standing behind her.

Ultimately, she had saved all who remained.

“Remarkable.”

In a low voice, she raised her head abruptly. A man was approaching in the distance, stepping steadily.

His weather-beaten beard hid his expression, but his azure eyes glinted sharply even in the darkness. He was smiling.

Seeing the blood dripping arm, the coat torn messily by branches, it was clear he had been in some battle.

She couldn’t have done it alone. Had that been why she hadn’t received aid? Isabelle chuckled softly, nodding her head.

“The others…?”

“This one was the last.”

“Impressive. Truly….”

“Well.”

With the look of someone beholding a well-grown nephew, the man chuckled softly.

Isabel chuckled to herself, finding the words surprisingly accurate even in her solitary contemplation. Honestly, it seemed like this man regarded himself as no more than a nephew.

“Huh? What are you doing?”

“Treatment.”

He was approaching the fallen demon, removing the vile lid of the confession potion.

*

Phew, thank goodness. Kim Sunwoo let out a sigh.

Indeed, fortunate. Ivan also smiled briefly.

It was a typical early awakening event, part of the tutorial.

Isabel probably killed all the enemies in this forest, likely annihilating everyone, including survivors, and emerged alone.

Thanks to his intervention, all the survivors lived. Fortunately, it seemed that Ivan was the only variable in this world.

Ivan sighed in relief. Well then, that was fine. With the fact that he wasn’t an NPC alone, he could achieve enough.

Now, there was only one thing left to do.

“What are you doing…?”

“Treatment.”

“Why me…?”

“I have many questions.”

If the difference in tutorial difficulty between Esidisi and Isabel was a common occurrence, then the other children of the Warrior Party would have some distribution of difficulty.

Should he intervene, or is it okay to just observe?

It was just right this time. Unlike with Esidisi, this time the mastermind behind the terror had revealed themselves directly.

He had to find out many things.

How could demons boldly flaunt themselves near Frechenkaya? How many Academy members were hiding, and what were they plotting? Who exactly was sitting in the leadership position?

There was a lot to find out.

And the Annihilation Squad had curiosity and plenty of means to satisfy that curiosity.