Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 51

“Ugh!”

As soon as I logged into the game, I quickly checked my condition.

My muscular arms and legs were nowhere to be found. Instead, I had white hands and feet that looked just like my real body’s.

Moving my tiny palms around, I realized just how much power that enormous demon body possessed.

The height that allowed me to overlook the surrounding buildings had vanished.

I had transformed into a very small girl, just like my real-life self.

Of course, I was an incredibly powerful girl since I was a game character.

Helena—[Yeo, have you returned to your original form?]

Yeo—[Yeah.]

Helena—[I’m so glad…]

Helena, or rather, Sohee in reality, hugged me tightly as soon as she arrived at school today.

Sohee was the one who had observed my transformation up close more than anyone else.

She said she found my transformation into a demon in real-time horrifying and terrifying.

Sohee shared that she had nightmares because of it.

Feeling anxious from the nightmare, Sohee held on to me all day long, as if terrified I might turn into that dreadful demon.

The strange looks from my classmates were a bit odd, but I couldn’t let my friend be scared.

I had no choice but to let Sohee cling to me.

After finishing my conversation with Helena, I surveyed my surroundings.

The invasion event had ended forcefully, but it didn’t seem to have a significant impact.

Still, just in case, I turned around and went to find Nerim.

[Nerim]

Hell Witch Job Instructor.

A witch wearing a black hood deeply pulled down stood in front of the witch’s workshop. As I approached, she delivered her scripted line.

“Do you have business with me?”

Her response was no different from a regular user.

When I was progressing through a hidden quest, she would reveal her face after removing her hood.

But since she didn’t do that, it seemed the hidden quest was completely over.

Even showing her my sword, she didn’t exhibit any special reaction.

This time, I headed to the Sun God Temple with the Demon Sword equipped.

Maybe it’s because wearing it caused the friendliness of NPCs related to the Sun God to drop by two levels.

The NPCs at the Sun God Temple did not want to talk to me.

They all turned their heads away and ignored me.

Of course, once I unequipped the Demon Sword, the friendliness returned to normal.

I had a feeling there would be more hidden easter eggs related to this Demon Sword.

But for now, it was just a hunch.

I set out to the hunting ground with my Demon Sword. When obtaining a new weapon, it’s only right to test its performance.

Yesterday, right after I got the Demon Sword, the invasion event occurred. That meant I hadn’t properly swung the weapon yet, so this time, I planned to use it correctly.

As time passed, low-level users had grown significantly.

This meant that the once empty top-tier hunting ground was now crowded with players.

The top hunting ground for this season, [Drake’s Territory]

A place where 45 elite monsters poured out, and I had also used this hunting ground to level up.

When I was leveling up, it was hard to find anyone in this area.

But now, quite a few people were roaming nearby.

“Looking for a 43 Thief party!”

“Need a Wizard to rush to max level!”

Just like I had witnessed in the low-level zone before, people were searching for party members.

Some were silently standing with signs, while others were shouting at the top of their lungs, actively seeking out companions.

“I descend upon you…”

As I stepped into the hunting ground, I muttered quietly.

I had uploaded the video declaring myself as the Blood Demon, and the number of people recognizing me in-game had sharply increased.

I gripped my Demon Sword, feeling two conflicting emotions at once.

—I want to hunt quietly without being noticed by people.

—I want people to recognize me.

It’s a feeling anyone can relate to while playing a game.

Whenever someone unrelated recognizes me unexpectedly, that feeling is truly delightful.

It felt like I was a famous celebrity.

If I were Deron playing with a keyboard and mouse, I would have shown off without shame.

Flourishing my Demon Sword, I would display my strength without restraint.

The desire for admiration is something everyone has.

There’s nothing weird about that feeling.

From the sword exuding a murky light, black energy began to creep out.

That black energy intertwined with the red blood energy escaping from my body, creating an incredibly spectacular sight.

At that moment, I activated the Paladin class buff skill, [Holy Blessing].

Golden divine power erupted brilliantly from the sword spirit. Not stopping there, I also used the divine blessing dopant potion, which could be used without worry in a regular field.

“Wow…”

Even before I had started hunting, a passing Thief began admiring my appearance.

I shrugged my shoulders and walked forward.

“Isn’t that Yeo?”

“Who’s Yeo?”

“That, middle school girl… from the raid circle.”

“Ah…”

They recognize me. People around me began to acknowledge who I was.

Indeed, famous people shine wherever they go.

My lips involuntarily curled into a smile, and I felt a sense of euphoria.

“But she’s really small.”

“How did she customize her character?”

“Is she really a middle schooler?”

“That can’t be! A middle schooler thinking too deeply?”

“Surely, there’s an uncle inside her?”

“An uncle like that?”

It was a hushed conversation between them that I couldn’t hear, but a character enhanced by various stats had sharp hearing.

I heard every word.

I smiled to myself. Am I an uncle? There are users who sometimes adopt the middle school girl or high school girl concept, but I’m different. I’m a real, active middle school girl.

Just then, a Drake appeared in front of me.

I wanted to gather the monsters and hunt, but it was impossible since other parties were scattered throughout the hunting ground.

I focused my sword on the Drake.

The moment its red eyes turned toward me, the hefty body covered in scales charged my way.

I calmly surveyed the Drake with steady eyes. My breath, which had been slightly erratic from excitement, quickly steadied.

Feeling a faint sensation tickling my head, I moved instinctively, as my body willed me to.

With my legs spread shoulder-width apart and my sword pulled back, I thrust it forward just as a faint spark of lightning spread out.

That movement was nothing short of swift. Cutting through the wind, the sword lightly tore the Drake’s mouth apart, while my upper body shifted to evade the Drake’s attack.

The movement didn’t stop there. Pulling my back legs forward, I lightly rotated on the formerly extended front legs as a pivot.

The sword embedded in the Drake’s mouth slipped out to prepare for the next strike, soaring toward the sky.

Immediately afterward, I delivered a downward strike fueled by the rotation of my body.

Scrak-!

The moment the Drake’s head was severed, black lightning cracked down from the sky.

Though the attack fell upon the already dead Drake, I had successfully created a look that was spectacular, stylish, and overwhelmingly impressive, just as I wanted.

With just two strikes, I had decapitated the elite Drake.

—Am I too strong?

Compared to the average user around me, my tremendous strength was undeniably tangible.

“Wow, that’s insane…”

“Isn’t it thanks to the Orc Warrior Ring?”

“No, even with a ring, it needs a good weapon…”

Feigning ignorance to their whispers, I sheathed my sword.

Swish—thud—!

It was a clean finish.

Although I had only taken down one Drake, I could definitely feel my much increased attack power thanks to the Demon Sword.

At that moment, someone started approaching me.

The tank user donned in full plate armor moved like a giant fortress.

“Excuse me?”

The tank user’s gaze was precisely directed at me.

There was no one around. He clearly had come to see me about something.

Is this what happens when one becomes too famous? I raised my hand, signaling him to stop approaching.

“I’m not forming a party.”

“Excuse me…?”

“I said I’m not forming a party. I prefer solo play.”

Was he surprised by my unexpectedly polite refusal? He wore a strange expression.

The once refreshing look on his face was slightly distorted.

“Uh…”

“Even if you ask like that, it’s troubling.”

I politely declined his repeated requests.

The tank user seemed not to anticipate being refused, turning his distorted face to look back.

Behind him stood what appeared to be a healer and a wizard, all likely his party members.

The gazes of the three met, intertwining in silence.

It seemed they were exchanging opinions wordlessly.

At that moment, another Drake respawned.

I immediately swung my sword and dispatched the Drake.

After all, I had become too strong to hunt in this area.

Lost in my own strength, I was smiling subtly when suddenly I felt a powerful gaze beside me.

It was the tank user who had been suggesting a party earlier.

“No, this is our spot…”

Spot…

Spot?

I tilted my head, blinking in confusion.

Are you telling me I was the one who misunderstood everything?

You meant to say this was the spot where you were hunting, not that you were coming to ask to form a party?

“As strong as you are, but… for us…”

I couldn’t hear the tank user’s trailing words.

Heat rushed to my face, and my ears buzzed.

“Um, umm… Yeo?”

“Huh, huh…”

I felt a flush spread across my entire face.

Clearing my throat, I averted my gaze and sheathed my sword.

It wasn’t a party invitation after all. I had misunderstood all by myself.

What would others see in that scene?

No wonder the tank user didn’t look pleased. That wasn’t a typical response for someone being rejected for a party.

Other nearby users must have seen this too.

“Did you see that? Party, troubling.”

“Crazy girl…”

T-They didn’t say that. I only declined politely.

Party… troubling… What on earth? I certainly didn’t use those phrases.

I turned to glare at the users who were murmuring, but they didn’t avert their gaze.

Instead, they faced me defiantly, continuing their conversation.

“Her face is all red?”

“Guess she’s embarrassed…”

“She’s just enjoying it, right? In the event participation video, she says she’s the Blood Demon.”

“Wasn’t that staged?”

“They say she doesn’t have a Charisma stat. She thinks she’s really the Blood Demon.”

“They say if you call her Blood Demon, she loves it?”

I felt like I was suffocating.

In a panic, I turned around and began using the Return Stone.

As the casting sound of the Return Stone echoed, I caught snippets of the users’ voices.

“The Blood Demon is running away!”

“Blood Demon! Please, party, troubling. Join us!”

Zing—

Right after using the Return Stone, I opened my eyes in the middle of the Capital City.

I collapsed to the ground, clutching my head.

I definitely needed to change my character’s appearance.

When on earth would the game’s character change item be released?

Searching my hazy memories, I broke into tears.