Chapter 653 - V57C1P2 – In Morata (1/2)

V57C1P2 – In Morata

Bard Ray fought against the fierce cold winds in order to obtain the Ironblood Warrior job cla.s.s. He crossed the iceland and withstood monster attacks with his body.

The unique trait of the Ironblood Warrior was that they became even more fortified when fighting powerful enemies in extreme environments.

‘I want to forfeit.’

Bard Ray wanted to quit more times than he could count, but he kept walking.

He recalled the scenes of Weed walking across the desert and becoming the Sun Warrior. His compet.i.tor had accomplished a very similar feat.

His body was wracked with intense pain like hundreds of rats were burrowing inside his flesh, but his pride drove him forward, step after step.

He remembered the times he lived through, how he had been praised as the G.o.d Warrior.

‘I will do this. I will finish it even if it costs me my life.’

He continued on for the sake of becoming the Ironblood Warrior. He felt he was at his limit, but a sc.r.a.p of strength remained inside him and urged him forward. Only when huge flakes of snow began to fall upon him, did he feel true despair.

‘This is crazy… Just…’

He lowered his head and kept his pace. Thick packs of snow formed on his head and shoulders, but he did not have the power to brush them off.

At first the snow was around his ankles, but now it was above his waist, crus.h.i.+ng his will once again.

‘This is truly insane. Would the deserts have been easier than this?’

The wind, like blades, carved at his flesh and seemed to cut to his bones.

He could only believe that Weed’s quest to walk across the hot desert had been easier.

‘Keep going. One step and another. I cannot afford to collapse here.’

A part of him felt relieved that the broadcast station was live streaming the scene.

If it weren’t for the station, he would have quit long ago.

It was a first for Bard Ray where a quest wasn’t about fighting incredible monsters, but pushed him to transcend his own limits.

< Perseverance increased by 1. >

Since it was the path to advance into the Ironblood Warrior, alerts about stat gains popped up on occasion.

‘Just a little more… Just until today.’

Bard Ray dragged his feet onwards. Even the commentators in the station were heated.

– That is Bard Ray for you. Typical players wouldn’t have made it as far as he has in such a crude environment.

– It’s all frozen. The only edible thing around is snow.

– He can’t even walk properly. G.o.d Warrior Bard Ray. We always saw only the extravagant side of him but in his heart he had such immeasurable will.

The response from the viewers was also positive about Bard Ray’s new appearance.

It was a chance to look at the human side of a man who once stood above the Hermes Guild.

– Amazing. I won’t be able to get anywhere near what he’s doing.

– I am watching as I am bathing in a hot tub at Puhol Waterpark. I feel like I should be out there hunting at least one monster.

– Wow… The people in the highest ranks in Royal Road have extraordinary determination.

– He was walking straight until yesterday. Now he’s dragging his feet. Was he injured or something?

– He looks completely wasted. Even his armor is frozen.

– Look at the scenery up ahead! An ice lake appeared, then a mountain behind it!

The viewers were impressed by the scale of Bard Ray’s effort.

The broadcast stations got a great hit from a show for which they had had little expectations.

The view rating of Morata’s war preparation and Bard Ray’s adventure were evenly split!

Morning, lunch, dinner, late night and onto dusk.

Bard Ray ceased to stop. He felt like if he stopped to rest, he wouldn’t be able to continue.

‘Weed, Weed, Weed, Weed…’

If Weed didn’t exist, he would have given up earlier.

Miraculously on the 5th day, ma.s.sive icebergs were afloat in the far ocean.

Bard Ray walked almost unconsciously and he bashed against something in his way.

Ptch.

He was too exhausted to think about where he was walking.

Blink!

< You have arrived at the location of the Frost Sword.

A legendary find!

You have discovered the Frost Sword before it was lost beneath the ocean.

This sword was pinned to the icelands for almost a thousand years and was imbued with the aura of ice.

This sword only acknowledges one master. >

< The adventure discovery increased Reputation by 8,500.

All stats increased by 4.

Willpower increased by 10. >

Bard Ray grasped the Frost Sword. His arm, shoulder and body froze instantly.

C-c-c-crack!

The pain was immense, wiping his mind completely.

< Release me from your grasp. >

Echos from the Frost Sword travelled inside him.

Bard Ray was able to make up his mind even in pain.

‘I must not let go of it.’

Each step added up had brought him to this place.

If he were at that moment to have let go, all would have been for nothing.

His consciousness was fading, but his heart did not have a hint of renouncement.

His honor disappeared the day he lost to Weed. In order to regain his pride, he could endure far more severe pain.

Significant time lapsed. On screen, only a minute had pa.s.sed, but Bard Ray contemplated countless times.

His body was completely covered in ice and he was on the brink of freezing to death.

It was a different feeling from the times when he was farming for equipment in the Hermes Guild.