The Healing Solaris Cleric

Chapter 167: Ready to Kill (3)

As usual, players logged into MID Online. However, the screen that greeted them was quite different from what they were used to.

What? Why is there a black screen all of a sudden?

It can't be lag... is it?

Faced with this unfamiliar situation, the players’ gazes darted around the screen. The screen was pitch black, as if surrounded by blackout curtains, letting no light through. In that silence, a faint sound began to echo in their ears.

Dum... d-dum... dum... d-dum...

It was a repetitive rhythm, like a drum or a war drum being struck in time. Then, after a brief moment, a heavy, heart-pounding sound was heard.

Whooooom!

It was the sound of a war horn, signaling the start of battle. As if the curtains were being drawn aside, the dark screen suddenly peeled away, revealing a battlefield in the midst of chaos!

"Kill them!"

"Don’t let those filthy monsters cross the border!"

"Kiieeeek!"

Tens of thousands of soldiers swung swords and spears, while wizards cast spells that rained down on the battlefield. Their enemy was none other than an army of monsters!

Whooosh!

The camera zoomed around, darting between the fierce combatants. The battlefield was so vast that its end could not be seen.

The video concluded with the leaders of the humans and monsters charging at each other with their weapons raised. As the screen faded to black once again, letters slowly appeared, as if embossed on the darkness.

[Extra Ep.1 - The Invasion Has Begun.]

***

[Pegasus surprises with massive December update reveal!]

[MID Online's first-anniversary event! Starting tomorrow, December 15.]

[Extra Episode: The Invasion. What’s the story behind it?]

[Pegasus stock soars again after releasing Invasion Event video.]

Pegasus was a company known for its lack of communication with players. It was infamous enough to earn the nickname The Icon of Silence! However, when they had something to say, they made sure to announce it, either through Switter or FaceNote. This time was no different.

[The first-anniversary event, The Invasion, has been revealed. Please enjoy it.]

It was a polite yet brief post. But despite the short message, the players responded with overwhelming responses.

-Your account didn’t get hacked, right?

-As expected of Pegodsus... What a gift for the end of the year. Who said there’s no Santa?

-Wait, but an event out of nowhere? This feels so out of the blue.

-Ugh... I was supposed to go on a hot spring trip with my family to Japan for the holidays... Canceling it to play the game.

└ You’d better stock up on food for the event.

-The intro video when you log into the game was amazing. What could the event be about?

└ With all the recent issues about hunting zones, maybe it’s about allowing infinite monster hunts?

Even players who were usually uninterested in hunting were captivated by the video, and the reaction was hot. That excitement was just the right temperature to warm Kai's heart.

"It looks like Pegasus really went all out with this one."

After all, it had been months since he first got wind of this event. Back then, the development was complete, and they were just fine-tuning the release date, so the preparations would inevitably be flawless.

"Well then, it's time for me to get on the move too."

Libertia was growing explosively without him even needing to intervene as word had already spread in the community that it was the only city where elves and merfolk could be seen! Broadcasting companies also announced that they were rushing to schedule programs featuring visits to Libertia. Of course, celebrities, rankers, and MewTube stars were also lining up to visit.

Hmm. That means all the money in their wallets will be mine.

This realization helped Kai make a quick decision.

"Then there's no reason for me to stay here any longer."

There was no advantage to revealing that he was the lord of Libertia.

Kai opened his contact list and scrolled through the names.

"The contact should be here somewhere... Ah, here it is."

[Minerva]

Finding the name he was looking for, Kai smiled softly.

***

Though no elves lived in the Elven Forest anymore, it was still a mysterious place known as the Elven Forest. Kai had told Minerva to meet him there.

Hearing the footsteps approaching from behind, Kai turned and smiled. "You're here."

In his line of sight were players dressed in cleric robes bearing the symbol of the Solarian Church.

Though, there seem to be more paladins in armor than clerics.

Seeing the faint smile on Kai’s lips, Minerva calmly motioned for her guild members to stand down and walked slowly toward him. "... Why did you call me here?"

"You can't possibly be asking because you don't know, are you?" Kai furrowed his brows, showing his disappointment.

At that, Minerva sighed. "The main church under the high priest’s direct order, commanded me to support you, the Radiant Paladin, with all my heart... Was that your doing?"

"Well, yes."

As soon as Kai calmly admitted it, the members of the Pray guild erupted in anger.

"You arrogant bastard!"

"How dare you treat Minerva like that...!"

Well, I do understand their reactions.

To their eyes, it was no surprise that Kai appeared to be the worst of villains. After all, he was indeed planning to exploit the fact that Minerva had the hidden Saintess class in order to use Pray, one of the world's top ten guilds, for his own gain.

If she refuses my proposal, the Pray guild will undoubtedly face a troublesome situation.

Refusing the high priest's command would be equivalent to declaring the Solarian Church as their enemy. Moreover, the Pray guild had grown based on the Solarian Church, and if their friendship with the NPCs dropped drastically, their position as a top guild would be in jeopardy. In other words...

She has no choice but to accept my proposal.

And that prediction proved accurate.

"...What do you want?"

"I trust a smart person like you has already grasped the situation."

"So, what is it? Are you asking us to hand over the guild we've built up to you on a silver platter? Don’t you feel any shame?"

"Shame? Not at all."

As Kai shrugged nonchalantly, wearing a mischievous expression, Minerva bit her lip in frustration.

"The Radiant Paladin. We've done our research too. Your class is classified as top-secret within the Church, so I couldn’t access much, but I understand that it’s a remarkable job. And as a fellow player belonging to the Solarian Church, I congratulate you. However, if you intend to use that position to swallow up our guild, that's a different story."

Letting out a light sigh, Kai looked at her indifferently.

Right. There’s only one thing I need to make clear here.

After all, she couldn’t disobey the high priest’s command. However, as a guild master, she couldn’t simply follow him without question. Her pride wouldn’t allow it. What Kai needed to protect here was her dignity.

"...I thought our conversation was off-key from the start, but it seems you've greatly misunderstood something." Raising his index finger to focus her attention, Kai continued, "I admit that I used my position to ask the high priest for a favor. As a result, you are now in a position where you must assist me."

"Do you think I’ll just simply comply?"

Though Kai found Minerva’s bluff amusing, he shook his head. "Of course not. I know well how you built one of the top ten guilds in the world. I don’t know exactly how the high priest conveyed his request, but I simply want to establish a friendly relationship with the Pray guild."

"...Is that all?"

Minerva still showed signs of distrust as she scanned Kai. But all she could see was his gentle smile and a seemingly kind face.

"Of course. I think the high priest might have misunderstood because of my high position in the Solarian Church and made it sound like you should assist me. Let me propose again. Wouldn’t you consider partnering with me for this upcoming Invasion Event?”

By framing the relationship as horizontal rather than vertical, Kai gave Minerva the illusion of choice. And that, by itself, gave her a justifiable reason.

My guild members are watching... And...

In other words, the decision is ultimately hers.

Not being a fool, Minerva could easily see through Kai’s intentions.

If I refuse here, he won’t be as gentlemanly next time. He’ll probably go running to the high priest.

If Minerva refuses here, I can just use more forceful methods later.

The key point was that, on the surface, it appeared as though Kai was offering a proposal and giving Minerva the freedom to choose. This preserved her pride as the master of a top ten guild and a famous Saintess class player.

"Hmm..."

After pretending to think for a moment, Minerva stared at Kai and slowly said, "Before I answer, let me ask you one thing. You, Unknown... no, Kai, could easily handle this event alone without partnering with a guild, right? I also know you have connections with Cheonhwa."

"Of course, I can handle the event alone, and I could also partner with Cheonhwa this time. But I’m a wanderer by nature. If I stick with one group for too long, my image becomes fixed."

"I see."

Minerva immediately understood from that one sentence. The same went for the Pray guild members who had been listening to the conversation.

He’s the kind of person who can team up with anyone if he has the chance.

Does that mean he plans to act like a freelance mercenary?

Hmph. So, he’s basically saying he’ll play both sides.

It’s not a bad offer for us either. Unknown, or Kai, is still the hottest name in MID Online, so collaborating with him would give us significant gains in this event.

While there was no room for escape, their interests were quite aligned.

He’s a dangerous person. He’s not just a skilled fighter.

Making sure her guild members couldn’t see, Minerva subtly furrowed her brows before extending her right hand. "Let’s eat this event up."

"Yes. I look forward to working with you in the future as well."

With the Pray guild, one of the world’s top ten guilds, now firmly under his control, Kai genuinely smiled, satisfied.