Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 102

1 AM, the usual time for ordinary office workers and student users to log off from the game.

Just a few months ago, I would have been lying in bed, sleeping at this hour.

But now it was different. With the shutdown system that had once shackled my ankles gone, I felt invincible.

“Hiyaaaap!”

While riding my wolf, I picked herbs sprouting from the ground.

This moment, when many players were away, was the perfect opportunity to tackle my backlog of quests.

I could easily catch up on my studies. Missing a class here and there wouldn’t hurt my grades.

I’d just sleep at school. That was all I could think about.

“Haap!”

I galloped joyfully with my wolf. But even at this hour, there were people still playing the game.

I zeroed in on an opponent riding in from the other side.

[Sniper]

[Soft & Chewy Cow]

[Hwarang]

It was Hwarang, who was reversing my herb-picking route.

But he had one problem—the size of his mount was an issue.

Hwarang was tall. His horse was big too. With those long legs overlapping, there was a significant synergy effect.

Because of his height, he couldn’t reach the herbs that had sprouted on the ground.

To get the herbs, Hwarang would have to dismount.

But not me.

Thanks to my shorter stature, if I leaned sideways while mounted, I could easily grab the herbs.

As Hwarang dismounted, I dashed ahead, lowering my body alongside my wolf.

Swish-!

Attack- Attack- Attack-!

I couldn’t let a single herb slip away. The herbs in this area were mine.

I zipped past Hwarang.

“Hey, you!”

I heard the voice of the defeated opponent behind me.

But I didn’t stop. I was the strongest now.

I waved my hand behind me as I sailed away.

Frowning as I circled the forest, I noticed that a lot of people had entered Deron.

Despite the early hour, many users were still around.

How were these people not sleeping? I grumbled while defeating the quest monsters.

1:30 AM.

I had accomplished all the sub-quest requirements.

It was time to return to the World Tree’s Resting Place and complete my quest.

“Let’s go!”

I urged my wolf toward the World Tree’s Resting Place.

Attack- Attack- Attack-!

Passing through the narrow tunnel formed by the trees, I arrived at the massive city.

I blankly gazed around. The entire world was covered in green question marks.

It marked the completion of my quests.

What a nostalgic feeling. Until now, I had only cleared the efficient sub-quests, so this sight was something new in Deron.

A new story, new encounters, and new locations.

Everything was fresh.

I shook my head.

In this early hour, I was feeling unusually sentimental.

I hurriedly began completing the quests.

As in most RPGs, the stories of the sub-quests assigned for leveling up were quite standard.

But among them were quests that provided unique information.

[Do you know about the Legendary Windwalker?]

That was one of them.

[Forest Keeper Gis]

After bringing the feathers that NPC Gis wanted, he began to mumble strange words.

“Hmm, you really did bring them?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure. It was just an old legend passed down from ancient times.”

“What legend?”

“When the forest falls into chaos, the ruler of the skies will reveal themselves.”

Gis left that remark and began examining the feathers I had gathered.

Winds sprouted from his fingertips, starting to check each feather one by one.

“This isn’t it, and neither is this… Hmm…”

Gis tossed away the feathers that showed no special reaction.

When only one feather remained, that feather exhibited a different response.

“Oh.”

When the wind from Gis’s fingertips touched the feather, it wrapped itself in the breeze.

“This is it, this is it. The legend was true.”

“Was that what you were looking for?”

“Yes, this feather is what I sought—more precisely, its owner.”

“Congratulations.”

“Outsider, may I ask for one more favor?”

“Absolutely.”

Nodding in agreement, the quest was updated.

Could it be that we were off to hunt a special Elite Monster?

[Do you know about the Legendary Windwalker?]

Follow Gis to the location where the feather was found 0/1

Once he finished speaking, Gis started to follow me.

Since it wasn’t a quest that entered a private channel, it seemed to be a type that could only be completed one at a time.

I led Gis through the city.

I still needed to collect rewards for other sub-quests.

“Hey, this doesn’t seem right.”

“Be quiet.”

As I didn’t follow the quest direction, Gis started grumbling behind me.

Annoying and bothersome. But what could I do? He had to follow until I completed the quest.

After quite a bit of time, I completed all the quests. And I received an interconnected quest again.

My level had risen to 4.

I was now level 70.

But the main quest still had not been unlocked.

That meant I needed to improve my favorability.

I led Gis out of the World Tree’s Resting Place.

“Hey, this isn’t the way.”

“Be quiet.”

I began to map out the optimal route.

Thus, Gis’s quest became the first one I tackled.

Whether it was because of the elf clan’s racial traits or Gis being a special NPC, he managed to keep up with my wolf’s speed quite well.

As soon as we reached the starting point of the quest, Gis began to move on his own.

“Hmm… what are these traces?”

To be honest, it felt like walking a dog.

If I had at least held a leash, it might have seemed more fitting, right?

I followed Gis on my wolf.

“Just as I thought, here it is… the Windwalker!”

The moment Gis said that, a slight shimmering effect appeared in front of us.

That meant we had entered a personal channel.

“Kiiieeee!”

At that moment, a piercing cry from the sky echoed.

Gis and I looked up simultaneously.

Flap-!

In the wide open blue sky, a griffon with unique plumage was flying swiftly.

By this point, I could tell. The Windwalker was a special Elite Monster that spawned nearby.

“This is it…!”

As soon as Gis finished speaking, a slight shimmering effect appeared before us.

We had entered a personal channel.

“Creeeaaak!”

At that moment, we heard a heart-wrenching cry from the sky.

Simultaneously, Gis and I looked up.

Flap-!

In the expansive blue sky, a griffon with peculiar feathers was soaring rapidly.

At this point, I understood. The Windwalker was indeed a special Elite Monster that spawned around here.

“This is it…!”

The moment Gis finished speaking, the effect indicating the area shimmered.

I sensed it had become private.

“Creeeaaak!”

That heart-wrenching sound echoed from above.

Gis and I gazed up together.

Flap-!

In the open azure, that peculiar feathered griffon was gliding through the skies.

“It’s real…”

Gis nodded in awe as he gazed at the sky.

I approached his side and asked, “Aren’t we going to hunt it?”

“Hunt? That thing? How would one hunt the ruler of the skies?”

It did seem possible to hunt it with ranged attacks or flying skills.

But Gis lightly chuckled, shaking his head.

“Don’t say silly things. I’m satisfied to have verified the legend. The Windwalker has appeared, which is ample evidence that the forest is in danger; I can convince the stuck-up elders.”

The moment Gis finished speaking, the quest was completed.

And the personal channel also closed.

Gis, having fulfilled his role in the quest, vanished right there.

He returned to his original position.

I immediately rode my wolf toward the World Tree’s Resting Place.

My instincts were telling me that the connected quest wasn’t over yet.

And as soon as I arrived in the village, I realized my intuition was right.

Above Gis’s head floated another quest.

“Hmmm… do you still have business with me?”

“Yes.”

“I suppose it’s because of that griffon. Looks like you read that storybook.”

I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but I nodded nonetheless.

“Bring me the materials I mentioned. I’ll make you a perfume to attract the griffon.”

Small fruits, animal meat, fresh blood, and herbs.

And a rather expensive ingredient, a dragon’s heart.

All the materials Gis asked for could be purchased at the Auction House.

I immediately bought all the materials and handed them to Gis.

“Hmm, did you really get them already? Just a moment.”

After receiving the materials from me, Gis began to craft something strange.

After about a minute of waiting, Gis handed me a scented vial that exuded a gentle fragrance.

[Perfume to Attract the Griffon]

A vial that emits a scent loved by griffons.

Beware, it’s fragile and can break easily.

“Remember, griffons are highly sensitive to scents. If you fail to tame it, don’t expect a second chance.”

I nodded at Gis’s words.

There was no way he would show me that peculiar Windwalker for no reason.

With a shining determination, I left the city.

Thoughts of leveling up vanished from my mind. I wanted to ride that unique griffon.

I raced my wolf to the rocky mountain—it was the griffon’s habitat.

But even upon reaching the rocky mountain, there was no sign of the Windwalker.

I searched the barren landscape with my wolf, but no matter how long I waited, the Windwalker didn’t appear.

Could someone already have caught it?

As it was a new area, I had no information, only frustration.

I slumped on a large rock with my wolf, letting time trickle by aimlessly.

Just in case, I typed in the Guild Chat.

Yeo—[Has anyone seen the Windwalker at the rocky mountain?]

But I received no replies.

Thus, time slowly drifted on.

From 2 AM to 3 AM, then from 3 AM to 4 AM.

Finally, it was 5 AM.

I sighed and got to my feet.

I would have felt less wronged if I had leveled up during this time.

It seemed I’d have to come back later.

Just as I turned to descend the rocky mountain, a unique griffon with blue feathers caught my eye at the edge of my vision.

It was already flying in from quite a distance.

It looked like this creature didn’t spawn at the rocky mountain itself.

“Huh…!”

I held my pounding heart, waiting for it to approach.

The griffon was flying straight toward the rocky mountain.

As it got closer, I quickly took out the [Perfume to Attract the Griffon] from my inventory.

[Would you like to use the perfume?]

All surrounding griffons will be drawn to the scent of the perfume.

*Note: While hunting during the perfume’s duration, summoning papers will drop from the griffon.

There was no hesitation.

I shattered the perfume.

Suddenly, a pink aroma slowly spread, drawing in all the nearby griffons.

The Windwalker was also lured by the scent.

I unsheathed my sword.

The moment the Windwalker landed on the rocky mountain, I charged forward, swinging my sword.

“Uyaaap!”

Crash!

As my massive sword sank into the Windwalker’s neck, it began to screech.

“Kiieee!”

Hit with a devastating strike, the Windwalker twisted and began flapping its wings.

It was clearly trying to escape.

There was no way I’d let it get away. I remembered the time wasted and swung my sword fiercely.

Slash-! Slash-! Slash-!

Crash!

I slashed all over the Windwalker’s body, from its wings to its torso.

In the end, its health dipped to zero, and it collapsed on the ground.

I hurriedly checked the items dropped by the Windwalker.

[Summoning Paper for the Sky Ruler Windwalker]

What I desired had dropped.

I immediately used the item.

“Come forth!”

With outstretched wings and extended legs.

It was the special pose required to summon a mount.

Before me, a giant magical formation began to form.

The summoning effect of the mount.

It was a familiar magical formation.

At that moment, my wolf was dematerialized.

Immediately, a griffon with blue feathers leaped out from the magical formation.

“Piiyaaaak!”

The newly summoned Windwalker let out a mighty cry.