NOVEL NEXT Chapter 42
Chapter 42: Paladin, Have You Fallen? (3)
I entrusted Tteunteuni with the task of delivering a letter to the Ashgrey Fog Tribe.
This time, I’m not going to send a mini totem like I did with the Sky Tree Tribe.
It’s not a grand mission, and I don’t have enough totems to spare to send another one.
If I ask Muri-halmeoni to make one more mini totem, she might actually die from overwork.
Distributing mini totems to other tribes and having them join the Tribal Federation is a distant prospect for now.
Kweeek~!
Tteunteuni, who had grown twice as large as when I first saw him, nodded as if understanding my words, grabbed the letter, and soared into the sky.
It’s a letter written by Paya.
Tteunteuni’s translucent body shimmered as it flew into the air, becoming even more transparent.
Then it moved at high speed, so fast and blurry that it was hard to see unless you looked closely.
What? Can it use stealth mode now?
It breathes fire, becomes invisible, and even understands human speech?
Spirits are so overpowered!
If it evolves further from here, wouldn’t it be able to fight even low-ranking demons?
…I shook off the thought that it might be better than a totem.
Eh, I’m still better. I offer wide-range, continuous DoT healing, status ailment removal, and zombie control for tanking.
I even share good skills with elite barbarian units.
As I watched Tteunteuni leave the mountain amid the cheers of the barbarians, I shifted my gaze to the message window.
My cheerful, impotent friend was diligently sending messages.
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: I’m in the mountains!]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: Currently hiking like a dog lol]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: I climbed a bit, and I don’t see Demon’s Eye anymore]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: The view is great~! This is why my dad joined a hiking club!]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: I take back what I said about pro-adultery hiking club members!]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: Phew! The air is good! I don’t feel demonic energy when I climb this high. It’s freaking clean air]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: Is this why barbarians live in the mountains? To avoid demonic energy? Is this the wisdom of primitive people?]
He’s sending a message bomb like my first online friend, Hanna, probably because he’s bored walking alone.
I didn’t reply because it was annoying.
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: No one’s around, should I jerk off?]
What a crazy bastard.
Let’s contact Hanna.
[I was a bit harsh earlier]
[Sorry]
The reply came immediately.
[Not a Netkama: No, don’t worry about it]
[Not a Netkama: Did you eat?]
That’s a difficult question.
I mean, I’m not even human and I don’t have a mouth, so how can I eat?
I really want to eat too.
[Yeah, I’m eating now]
If I don’t answer, she’ll think I’m angry again.
[Not a Netkama: What did you eat?]
[Cricket-like insect stir-fry]
I answered vaguely.
It’s not entirely a fictional dish. I’ve seen barbarians make it.
Harry and Luna were absolutely horrified. Rake also frowned and didn’t eat it.
Kanto ate it very enthusiastically. He almost ate half of it by himself.
Something about a ‘warrior’s meal’. Well, insects are high-protein foods, so it’s not entirely wrong.
[Not a Netkama: Ugh. How can you eat that? It’s disgusting.]
[Insects are easy to raise and eat. They’re the food of the future.]
The Blue Moss Tribe actually raises insects for food.
I understand. They were short on livestock until they raided the village.
[Not a Netkama: This world has no future, so what’s with the future food talk?;;]
[Not a Netkama: Did you really eat that?]
[Yeah, if you cook it well, it’s crispy and delicious.]
Kanto ate it well, saying it was crispy.
[Not a Netkama: Should I try it sometime?]
Gasp.
I almost got caught lying and forced to eat bugs.
I need to fix this.
[No, it’s men’s food.]
[If you eat it, you’ll grow a penis.]
[Not a Netkama: Lol, you crazy bastard.]
[Not a Netkama: I’m going to eat the fish I caught earlier.]
That was close. I need to be more careful with my lies.
Anyway, I’m glad she seems to be in a better mood.
After chatting for a while, I watched the Tribal Federation’s war preparations.
I’m going to start the ‘Symphony capture’ as soon as Tteunteuni returns.
He’s become a spirit, so he should be back within a few days since he’s faster than before.
The wide-area aggro that Princess Dina pulled has also had a significant impact on the followers in Symphony.
They are now diligently patrolling the area where the ‘Celestial Light’ skill was cast.
Did the aftereffects of that light reach even such a distant region?
It was two hours later when I received another message from the cheerful madman.
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: Found barbarians!]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: They’re coming this way with wooden spears! I put down my weapon and raised my hands.]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: Malak! Malak! Malak! I’m shouting like crazy.]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: I’m begging with both hands lol.]
I can picture a goofy-looking man in his 20s shouting, “Malak! Malak! Maalak~!”
The barbarians must be surprised.
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: “Malak? How do you know His name? Answer me, civilized one.”]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: “It seems you are praying to Malak right now. How can a civilized person pray to a Loa…”]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: It’s working! It’s working! These guys are clueless!]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: It’s a bit frustrating because two-way communication isn’t possible, but it’s not a big problem since I can understand them!]
[Good]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: The barbarians have decided to take me with them!]
[Okay, wait for the letter.]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: They’ll give me food, right? They won’t starve me, will they?]
[But there might be bugs.]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: Well, it’s a prison, so there will be bugs.]
[No, for your meal.]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: ?]
[?]
I’m sorry. But I can’t help it.
In Hanna’s case, I told them to feed her well, so she didn’t have to eat insects, but you’re too far away for me to protect you.
Take care of your health by diligently eating high-protein foods.
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: You’re kidding, right?]
[Lol]
I closed the message window.
* * * * * *
The community was abuzz with talk of Princess Dina all day long.
[I Trusted the Monkey Man but: At that level, wouldn’t she be able to fight the Dark Cloud Demon?]
[Samurai Jackson: A level 8 emitted that kind of light. What if it’s level 10? This might not be an impossible fight, right?]
[Skynet: We need to revise the Paladin information.]
I was glad that everyone seemed to have hope, unlike with Abraham, but I was also uneasy.
[Close-Range Spy: Hmm…is that so?]
I don’t agree with this guy’s opinion, but I have to say things are getting too heated.
I’m worried that everyone will go crazy about leveling up and start poking beehives.
The already heated community became even more chaotic with the appearance of Princess Dina herself.
[Princess Dina: I’m leaving a message from a safe place.
Many people have sent me private messages, but I don’t check the community or messages often, so please don’t send them.
I don’t use the community much. It’s full of useless things.
I think communities, whether in reality or here, are for losers.
Everyone, spend less time looking at the community and focus on growing stronger.]
It’s a controversial post from the start.
[Close-Range Spy: Hey, take that back, you brat…]
[Full Play: Can’t argue with someone that capable.]
[Not a Netkama: Yeah, you’re so great.]
[Fallen Power Knight: I agree with reducing community usage. Or it would be good to reactivate the community as a place for information sharing.]
Many people, whether refuting or agreeing, commented on Princess Dina’s post, and I was no exception.
[Ultra Sanz Crazed for Nighttime Massacre Mode: Have you ever fought a high-ranking demon?]
I thought this person might have experienced it.
Princess Dina, who hadn’t replied to anyone, posted the following message a few hours later.
[Princess Dina: To the community users.
Until now, I thought I had to stand alone.
I believed that if everyone worked hard to grow stronger in their respective positions, we could eventually overcome this harsh world.
I still hold that belief.
However, I didn’t know that there would be those who, despite having grown sufficiently, would fall into the swamp of despair and make extreme choices.
Abraham’s death changed my thinking a little.
To prevent this from happening, to prevent the loss of valuable strength, I’d like to make a suggestion.
Celestial Light is a performance for that purpose.
I believe that the Dark Cloud Demon must be defeated by a small elite force.
I think we need at least several high-level users of level 8 or higher to have a chance of winning.
I have the hidden skill ‘Silent Dancer’. I can silently eliminate medium-ranked demons.
If any Paladins above level 7 are interested, please send me a private message. I’ll raise you.
I don’t need anyone below level 7. I’m going to ask you information that only those above level 7 would know, so lying is useless.
Again, I don’t need any riffraff.
Low levels, grow on your own and survive on your own. Prove your worth that way.
That’s the rite of passage.
That’s all.]
It was content that would once again heat up the community.
Unlike George’s ‘raid’, Princess Dina proposed a ‘special forces’ unit.