A Basement-Dwelling Loser, the Inquisitor – Chapter 157

[Rene]

[It’s the Time of Last Judgment]

[New Dimension | 8,655 viewers | 00:11:23]

“Players who know that the Sirius Team is absent from our faction… probably don’t have much reason to worry about us… They already learned how powerless our faction is without the Sirius Team during week three and week four…”

The fact that the pro gamers from Sirius are on the same side provides an immense advantage.

From their individual performances to boosting our morale.

But more importantly, it means we have a focal point for our team.

Since most of our troops are Rebongi, if they follow me, I can be that focal point.

But what about the Rebongi who aren’t following me, or can’t follow me?

What about those Rebongi who moved to breach or block another direction?

Could they really unite?

Of course, it was impossible.

There was absolutely no reason for them to follow the orders of someone they didn’t even know, so they could only move according to their judgment.

A team that doesn’t unite, no matter how strong each individual is, is destined to lose in war.

In such a situation, the members of the Sirius Team could serve as that focal point… but they were absent now.

Therefore, we had to find another way to win.

Of course, if I could command everyone, that would be ideal, but realistically, that was impossible.

While I could use my position as the Leader to stay back at the main base and take care of various things, my role in this war was not as a commander, but as a vanguard.

I had to step forward, defeating heretics while moving ahead.

If I didn’t, we had already confirmed during week four that we’d have no chance of winning at all.

“So, we won’t fight… I mentioned earlier that it might be best to run away, but to be precise, we’ll only intercept the heretics coming to our main base…”

─ What good does that do?

─ In any case, I doubt they’ll come this far since they’re too busy fighting among themselves.

That Rebongi’s words were correct.

For the heretics to win this war, they need to take down as many opponents as possible.

In other words, since our faction is small and lacks important NPCs, there’s no reason for them to target us first.

In other words, just holding out here means our faction’s troop losses will be greatly reduced.

“Our goal is to minimize troop losses… Just that alone will earn us points, and reduce the means for the opponent to earn points… Right?”

─ Why is this girl so smart???

─ She only thinks well in this context;;;

─ But doesn’t that mean we also won’t earn many points either?

─ Looks like they just want to make it a tie for the final point tally?

─ If we don’t earn many points today, it’s going to be really disadvantageous…

“Of course, we’re not planning just to hold out… I’m thinking of forming a special unit…”

My role ultimately is the vanguard.

Just holding out when the battle starts means nothing whatsoever.

So in order to minimize troop losses while maximizing points, this was the only method.

“A special unit that avoids regular battles while taking down the enemy’s important troops… I’m thinking of five members including myself…”

What I needed were Rebongi who could provide solid support for me or who have skills not to be outclassed by the heretics.

… Well, there must be some.

Even though Rebongi have been preferring chatting streams lately, the root of my streams is still New Dimension.

“Only those who are truly confident, please step forward…”

And at my words, nearly twenty Rebongi took positions.

From here, I could choose four.

The way to confirm their skills was simple.

With the authority of the Leader, I could check their performance in previous wars.

“…Then, I’ll go with these four.”

★

Five minutes into the war, as expected, almost no heretics were coming to our main base.

Of course, there would be heretics spying on my stream, so the strategy I set would likely be known already.

But even if they knew, the advantage of this strategy was that there wasn’t much they could do to respond.

“Then let’s start moving slowly as well…”

Since I knew the situation was flowing as expected, it was now our turn to move.

” Bard, please assist me as much as possible… Assassin, when the fight starts, create as much confusion as you can… Warrior, distract, and Spiritist, assist that warrior… Got it?”

At my words, the four nodded and, with my signal, we all set off.

First destination: the central plains, the largest battlefield for the heretics.

Our main goal was to infiltrate the sides of the central plains and create chaos on the battlefield.

“Hmm…”

On the way to the central plains, there was almost no encounter with heretics.

It was natural since they must have mostly headed to the central plains.

We could say that the faction that wins there would win in the week five war.

And depending on how we turned that place upside down, our performance would also be determined.

After about ten minutes of running, the central plains finally unfolded before us.

─ Wow, damn, lol

─ The scale is insane

─ Every time this happens, New Dimension really gets me pumped lol

─ For real

We moved through a terrain filled with high hills to avoid the heretics’ gaze.

This way, we were in a position to see the situation in the central plains at a glance.

What unfolded before us was honestly a scene best described as magnificent.

Shields and great swords clashed, and countless spells struck the battlefield.

It felt like I was looking at a battlefield from a different world.

My heart raced.

“…Let’s go.”

I said that and quietly drew my great sword.

To be honest, if I could, I’d love to use my warhammer, but many preferred using the great sword over the warhammer, so it was unavoidable.

“Rene?! Are you heading that way?!”

─ Crazy

─ Aren’t you scared? lol

─ Beast’s heart, whoa

─ So damn cool

─ My head got so dizzy for a moment, damn it;

From behind, someone’s scream echoed.

Even in the chat window, they seemed to struggle to understand my actions.

What on earth did I do?

I couldn’t understand, but that didn’t mean I was going to stop.

Time was limited.

I began to get closer to the fighting heretics.

They seemed unaware of me while they were engaged in battles with the enemies in front of them.

“Let’s go together, Rene…!”

─ Bard is wailing, lol

─ Does she think everyone is a beast like her for real, lol

─ But it’s impressive, right?

─ For sure, lol
And just as I was about to swing my great sword at the heretics.

“…Huh?”

“Ah?!”

My vision faded to black.

★

The development team of New Dimension, New Advent.

All members of that development team were gathered in the meeting room.

It was the final day of New Dimension’s colossal content: Day of Judgement.

Content that could bring about a tremendous upheaval in the worldview.

As creators, it was only natural to want to witness the end live.

The projector was currently displaying the central plains, where the biggest battle was taking place.

The current situation showed the Elun Cult in the lead.

However, the counterattack from the Scadi Cult was fierce as well, indicating only a slight advantage.

… But what they were focused on was not the battle between the two cults.

They were merely checking the figures from the corner of the screen regarding the two cults’ battles, but their concentration was on a player’s movements… to be precise, on that player’s broadcast.

The traveler clad in full body armor with the ominous jet-black helmet was now looking down at the central plains from atop a high hill.

[…Let’s go.]

[Rene?! Are you heading that way?!]

And just like that, as the words echoed, the traveler unsheathed her massive great sword and threw herself forward.

“Whoa.”

“Insane…”

The normal way to descend from the hill the traveler was on toward the central plains would have been to return the way she came, going down the hill and taking a long detour.

Because the most direct route to the central plains was far too steep.

Steep didn’t even begin to describe it; it was a literal cliff, as a slight misstep in balance could send one tumbling down…

But that traveler… the Inquisition Officer had no hesitation.

She dashed down the cliff as if it were nothing.

“I’m really curious about what she’s up to…”

At the Team Leader’s quiet remark, everyone nodded in agreement.

[Let’s go together, Rene…!]

The bard, assigned to assist her, used the Spiritist’s help to follow the Inquisition Officer in midair.

Before long, they were right in front of the battlefield.

As they watched, the planning team in the meeting room bit their lips.

[…Huh?]

[Ah?!]

The moment she swung her great sword, the screen went dark.

“This event is really happening…”

It was a situation the planning team never anticipated.

Something they thought was absolutely impossible was unfolding on their screen.

“Planning Team Leader, is that event… clearable?”

At the Art Director’s question, the Planning Team Leader nodded silently.

“I’ve set it up so that a player equipped with Albion gear can clear it. It won’t be easy, though. Besides, it’s not an issue since it’s not an event that ends even with a loss.”

So, don’t worry and just enjoy the show, said the Planning Team Leader, and the Art Director agreed, turning back to the projector screen.

[What’s… going on…?]

The New Dimension planning team had prepared various hidden events for this campaign, with ‘Hunting Heretics’ being the most difficult among them.

This occurred when a player from a third faction had defeated two or more important NPCs from each cult.

If that player were to head to the central plains during the week five war, the hidden event would trigger.

And currently, the Inquisition Officer had taken down a total of five important NPCs.

Three from the Elun Cult, two from the Scadi Cult.

In other words, the conditions were met.

[I will judge the heretics here.]

The event’s content was simple.

Three important NPCs from the Elun Cult. Three important NPCs from the Scadi Cult.

In total, six important NPCs would battle against that player.

However, the simplicity of the premise belied its extreme difficulty.

Completing the conditions and then clearing the challenge itself was quite the formidable challenge.

That was the ‘Hunting Heretics’ event.

“It’s interesting that it’s happening to her.”

“Right? … But what happens if she wins?”

“What do you mean?”

At someone’s question, the Planning Team Leader smirked and replied.

“The opposing side wins.”