Master Swordsman’s Stream - Chapter 312

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 312

The outcome of a History Book depends on what possibilities a participant discovers.
These possibilities are divided between each individual’s capacity and the countless seeds the Development Team plants throughout the map.
In terms of capacity, it refers to events like Seo Jun becoming the Black Mask—something completely unforeseen.
Who devours whom, who interferes, who succeeds—none of it can be predicted, planted, or designed.
But depending on how, what, and how much is discovered, a significant degree of design is possible for countless possibilities that can affect both individual stat upgrades and the overall story.
“Our friend from China seems to be a bit late.”
From the perspective of Team Leaders who had planted these possibilities, the most impactful seed at present was Shin-geom’s quest.
A quest bearing the name Salvation Quest could live up to its name.
“It’ll be cleared before day twelve is completely over. Should we call that a relief or not, I wonder.”
Day twelve.
The day marking one year since the rift opened.
The previous Black Mask from China had intended to stage a climax where, right up until this day, he would capture a limited number of people daily to build his strength.
Then, the moment day twelve arrived, the situation would shift dramatically.
But that scenario had already been scrapped, and now all participants were focused on the portals. It was the final phase.
In this shift, countless possibilities were buried, and Shin-geom’s quest became critical.
“The progression was slightly delayed, but in the end, he managed it. The probability of not even finding the quest itself and the difficulty of completion were among the highest seeds we planted.”
To summarize the current situation: seven portals have advanced to phase two, which means fifteen participants are bound to those portals.
Ten others remain unobstructed by Seo Jun and freely destroy portals.
The remaining two are Shin-geom and Yasuo.
The portals were continuously being destroyed by the free ten.
When the ten participants destroyed one portal, they moved to another region, searched, and joined the next destruction quest.
“What would have happened if Shin-geom hadn’t cleared the Salvation Quest?”
Phase two portals develop a solution method from the moment the Black Mask’s restrictions lift. Each solution method and its timing differ.
They were designed to entangle participants from the start.
The moment Seo Jun’s restriction lifts, if other participants are also free, then ultimately the Black Mask and participants would clash—but this structure would put the Black Mask at a severe disadvantage.
Therefore, the more the Black Mask succeeds in interference, the more favorable his position becomes.
And the Salvation Quest, being difficult both to discover and to clear, gives participants the advantage.
“Even if Shin-geom had failed, the participants would’ve won without much trouble.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Yes. Aren’t you the Team Leader from Korea? Sure, there’s the Destroyer Set, but he doesn’t have a One-versus-Many Specialized Ability, and his health is depleted now—so even if a massive number of participants moved chaotically, joined separately, and fought in complete disarray, he’d lose.”
Another Team Leader chimed in.
“But now that Shin-geom has successfully cleared the quest before day twelve passes, they’ll coordinate better. And there’s that other problem we know about—he has to leave midway. The fact that he knows this himself but does it anyway… honestly, if I could hold him accountable, I really would.”
They had no way to hold participants accountable for sabotaging the History Book.
If such a thing existed, who would do it? Besides, it would contradict the very purpose of the History Book content.
“The Salvation Quest just cleared. Phew. As long as the game doesn’t end too tamely.”
The Team Leaders in the conference room exhaled sighs of worry.
The legend of the Mountain of Transcendence.
There exists an avatar of a Transcendent Being who guards or watches over Pangea.
And this avatar of a Transcendent Being is of a level that even Fragment can interfere with.
This entity, sensitive to human malice, watches over Pangea even in sleep—and Fragment has been working since a year ago to dull that sensitivity.
Later, when his collaborator arrives to help create a perfect portal and the collaborator kills someone while drawing on his power, the Transcendent Being would notice.
But that veil has fallen away, and the Transcendent Being, understanding the situation, has begun bestowing blessings upon the heroes.
And it has sealed the movements of its collaborator, Seo Jun.
“Seo Jun hears the news and immediately logs out. Well, makes sense. There’s nothing more he could do. About forty minutes left?”
“I’ll go have a word with him.”
“Do that. Not that words will change anything. But then again, the AI isn’t even granting abilities like Hound control anymore. Now we really need to start pushing the Black Mask hard!”
Please, let the Black Mask not be defeated outright and utterly ruined.

* * *

Seo Jun logged out despite having time remaining.
He had been happily purchasing the fourth piece of the Destroyer Set—a bracelet.
His body froze in place, wreathed in light.
And Fragment sighed and explained.
If only there’d been one more hour, he boasted, he could’ve dismissed that bastard entirely.
‘It’s not irritating.’
Naturally, the other side could have made such interference moves as well if things went right.
‘I factored this much in.’
For one day, Seo Jun wouldn’t be able to move his body.
After that, Fragment would release him.

[My power will soon surpass that bastard! Today was supposed to happen, but he got exposed and sealed early—a day’s delay before I surpass him. But my power keeps gathering from those portals right now, kekeke! So I’ll release you then! And wreak havoc to your heart’s content!]

It sounded like it was earnestly fighting some entity.
And the participants were told they could now locate portal positions in real-time along with their allies’ locations.
Just like Seo Jun.
A blessing that dealt additional damage was also included, but since Seo Jun had nearly drained its power, the effect would be negligible.
Which was quite fortunate, he said.

[Fortunate my ass! Even if multiple such blessings stacked, it’d still be better to have my power! Why! Why do you deny my power! You stupid collaborator!]

Actually, it had been Seo Jun who said it was fortunate.
Anyway.
Seo Jun decided to simply log out and wait.
‘The portals absolutely won’t be fully destroyed until I’m released.’
He had breathing room.
Since he only needed to defend one, Seo Jun could now get by standing watch at just that single location.
‘There were fifteen people bound by restrictions, was it?’
He couldn’t be bothered to interfere further.
He actually thought a day’s rest was welcome.
Preparations were complete, after all.
Tap, tap, tap.
Someone knocked on the door, and Seo Jun opened it.
“Hello. Team Leader.”
“Hello, Participant Kael.”
“What brings you here?”
Was this a final check?
Or had something gone wrong with his day off?
The Team Leader entered the room and took a seat.
“I’d like to ask directly.”
“Go ahead.”
“Are you confident?”
Worried, then.
“This whole situation feels off to me.”
“Public opinion?”
“Well, yes.”
“There haven’t been riots or anything?”
Seo Jun chuckled as if amused.
“Hahaha… nothing quite like riots. Just constant arguing.”
“What are the other Team Leaders’ views?”
“Here, we have no reason to fight. Everyone but me is certain of absolute defeat.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“And you, Team Leader?”
“I’m the only one who’s met Seo Jun in person, so I’m betting on that groundless confidence of his. Rationally speaking, though, it seems difficult.”
“Don’t worry. And tell the other Team Leaders not to worry either.”
This Team Leader felt, with strange clarity, how worry was actually evaporating from their mind as they watched Seo Jun’s overflowing confidence.
Trusting himself so deeply…
‘A fanatic.’
The Team Leader left with a laugh.

* * *

During day thirteen, Seo Jun was immobilized in an invulnerable state.
So he spent day thirteen logging in occasionally to check the situation.
There was no point in staying connected longer.
He could think just as well outside.
‘Groups of five or more started gathering. They’re destroying portals systematically and fast now.’
If this continued, by day fourteen, nearly all phase one portals except Seo Jun’s would definitely be destroyed.
This was the expected outcome, so it didn’t matter. From day fourteen onward, he’d kill everyone and be done.
‘Since phase two portals remain, I only need to defend one of them.’
Among the seven, Seo Jun chose Astheros.
A place where three participants had been assigned and bound to a quest to hold back monsters emerging from phase two.
And day thirteen ended.
Just as Seo Jun anticipated, time was running short, and the participant group showed coordinated movements, staying in contact even as they continued moving.
Seo Jun spent four hours of day thirteen—the entire evening—alone in his hotel room.
Quietly.
Eyes closed, lost in thought.
‘Profit, loss.’
But something mattered more.
Seo Jun clearly understood that he won popular support precisely by doing what he wanted while still winning.
That’s why he’d done it.
‘I wanted to. It seemed like it would work. That’s all there was to it.’
The viewers probably wanted the same. They wouldn’t want to see him lose.
It wasn’t as though he’d lost everything.
In the process, Seo Jun had gathered everything he could and given his best effort.
So now.
‘An hour has passed.’
He entered the Capsule.
Day fourteen began.

[Now go! Kill them to your heart’s content and open the prelude to invasion!]

His body moved.
Seo Jun immediately boarded a train bound for Astheros from the Train.
Since seven disasters had struck the continent, the number of NPCs boarding the train had visibly decreased.
The atmosphere was ominous.
The train arrived quietly and swiftly at Astheros.
On the streets of Astheros’s capital, too, NPCs were few and far between.
Only small children playing with a ball in back alleys.
Passing through the streets, he entered a building and boarded a Teleport Magic Circle toward the location he’d finally chosen.
The great city of Brion.
Belying its title as a great city, there were far fewer people than in the capital just now.
Only Astheros soldiers fighting Hounds were visible.
Those not in urgent combat saluted him whenever they saw Seo Jun.
Growl!
“We need reinforcements!”
Those locked in combat had no such leeway.
They still didn’t know that Kael had come to destroy them.
It was a pity.
The portal was in the Sewers beneath Brion.
The battlefield would be the city itself.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Seo Jun walked leisurely through the half-ruined great city toward where the portal lay.
Since most were predicting his defeat, he moved even more deliberately.
From the Sewers entrance, participants emerged.
“Pleasantries won’t be necessary, right?”
Seo Jun spoke.
“No. Still, it’s good to see you, Kael. Really, truly a pleasure.”
“I pray that Kael holds out as long as possible. The longer you resist, the more reinforcements will arrive.”
“It’s over.”
Their number was six.
Since Seo Jun had deliberately made a scene about the penalty, these participants would be as confident of victory as those outside.
But.
Would the AI not know this?
An AI that knows even his real body’s data?
And yet the AI doesn’t help him.
This meant at least—
That even the AI trusts him.
Doesn’t it?
He could handle it.
“Let’s take the hit first, brothers.”
Seo Jun immediately activated Invincibility.
“Wait—right from the start?”
“Run!”
“The Duration is minimum ten seconds! Ten seconds to dodge!”
And.
Three Judgment Swords fell from the start.
This was merely the beginning.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————