Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 9

Immediately after returning to the Lunaris Capital City, I check the quest rewards while gathering information on the currently active raid.

Fortunately, the raid boss at this time is the [Crimson Orc Warrior]. It hasn’t changed. This implies that I can still utilize my past experiences.

However, one unexpected thing is that the raid boss has not been defeated yet.

Could it be because the game’s difficulty has increased? This situation is entirely different from the one where raid gear started dropping a month into the game’s launch.

I check the recruitment status for party members, both in-game and out. All raid groups are setting the level requirement to maximum level, and they’re demanding the best gear that currently exists.

And since they claim to be testing essential game skills, it’s clear that ordinary players would lose their motivation even before applying.

The maximum level for the current season is 25. My level is 19. I don’t have much left.

If I grind in the hunting grounds or clear hidden quests like this one, I should be able to reach the maximum level within three days.

Worry starts to creep in. The fact that the raid boss hasn’t been tackled yet must mean that its difficulty is incredibly high.

I log onto the website to watch trial videos. However, the boss’s patterns have not changed.

What has changed is the players’ equipment. It’s different now; in the past, I was manipulating my character from a distance, using a keyboard and mouse, but now I’m directly thrust into the game world, weapon in hand, facing off against a gigantic boss monster.

It couldn’t help but be different.

“Hmm…”

A small groan escapes from my lips.

This isn’t going to be easy.

But right now, the only thing I can do is level up.

I need to make good use of the limited time given to me to hit that maximum level. Thoughts of the raid can wait until then.

Resolved, I quickly make my exit. Leveraging my gaming experience, I hop from hunting ground to hunting ground. I also need high-grade armor to prepare for the raid, so I have to earn a lot of gold.

I accept various repetitive quests at overlapping hunting grounds and head out to hunt.

Many players ask to join my party when they see my weapon, but I decline them all. I check on the states of users while moving between hunting grounds.

The speed at which they hunt is excruciatingly slow. Just watching them makes my stomach churn.

Taking such party members on a hunt is like going out with shackles on my ankles.

I know well how enjoyable it is to play in a party with like-minded people.

The past me preferred party play too.

But things are different now. The situation has changed. To grow quickly, solo play is forced upon me.

As my new highlander dazzles the surroundings, massive monsters fall one after another.

It’s faster and more convenient than when I was playing with a mouse and keyboard.

With overwhelming speed, I cut through monsters. It becomes my daily routine to traverse less popular hunting grounds where fewer people go.

Fallen monsters, piling gold, and my steadily growing character.

It didn’t take long to reach maximum level.

[Level Up!]

I close the message that pops up as I achieve level 25.

It took me two days to go from level 19 to the maximum level.

From the day I created my character, it took four days to reach max level.

If I posted a screenshot of my character creation date, no one would believe it.

In this world of Deron, on average, it took about a month for players to reach maximum level.

With the increase in difficulty, the growth rate of players had become incredibly slow.

Now that I’ve reached maximum level, it’s time to unlock my second job.

Among the jobs I had in mind, I think of what I need most now.

Should I further strengthen my lower tier class, or choose a higher tier job available from rank 2 onwards?

I adjust my job choice based on the raid situation. In this current circumstance, I needed to tank.

That was the right judgment.

[Paladin]

A higher class available from rank 2, which varies its stats based on the deity it serves.

However, one condition is necessary for the Paladin job change: I must raise the favorability of that temple above a certain threshold.

But this can also be solved with gold. Donating a significant amount of gold can quickly raise the favorability.

Once I change to the Paladin class, I purchase some plate mail and visit the temple.

In this world, the healer job is quite popular. Healing from the back is generally easier than facing monsters with swords.

I walk into the temple and head towards the center. To make a donation, I need to speak to the priest praying in the middle.

“Holy Priest.”

“Oh, adventurer! It’s good to see you.”

“I would like to make a donation to the temple.”

“A donation… You say? The heart devoted to the development of the church will surely touch the goddess.”

The priest NPC stands up with a bright smile at my words.

Then, a translucent window appears before me.

I manipulate the interface that popped up on the screen. After buying my equipment, I have 150 gold remaining. It’s an impressive amount when converted into real-life currency.

In less than a week, I’ve earned substantial wealth.

But now is the time to move forward. I was not living in a situation of poverty, so I decide to donate 100 gold.

The value of the 100 gold donation significantly boosts the favorability.

The priest’s expression then changes as he addresses me.

“The goddess is calling out to you for your generous devotion, adventurer.”

As soon as the priest finishes speaking, a message asking if I wish to change to the Paladin class appears before me.

Without hesitation, I hit the accept button.

At that moment, a dazzling moonlight falls from the sky.

Like being illuminated by a spotlight, spectacular effects burst forth, signaling my job change.

When obtaining a job from the church, the user’s affiliation changes.

I would shift from being part of the Adventurer’s Guild to the affiliation of the respective church.

Of course, there was nothing mandatory about it.

It merely unlocked additional functions as a member of the temple.

I could purchase holy water at a discount or even waive the side effects of resurrection.

I immediately check my job skills.

[Paladin]

[Divine Blessing: Goddess Lunaris]

The blessing of the Moon Goddess, Lunaris.

All stats increase by 10% on nights when the moon rises.

[Armor Mastery: Full Plate]

The penalties for full plate armor are removed.

Additional defense increases by +50.

[Shield Mastery]

All shield penalties are removed.

Damage taken is reduced by 10% when equipped with a shield.

[Holy Blessing]

Bestows powerful divine blessing upon my weapon.

Damage increases by 10%.

All damage dealt to dark attribute and demon clan monsters increases by 20%.

[Steadfast Faith]

Reduces physical damage taken by 10%.

Reduces magic damage taken by 10%.

Reduces damage taken from holy properties by 50%.

[Mark of Glory]

Adds a holy attribute damage with a certain probability when attacking.

Activation probability 20%.

[Goddess’s Touch]

Recovers 30% of my maximum health.

If used on another user, the effect is halved.

My minimum preparations are complete.

Now I need to either gather a party or recruit party members myself.

Of course, my choice is the latter. The reason I picked Paladin is to become a party leader.

I confirmed through raid videos just how crucial the tanker’s skills are.

The dealer line could simply be filled with Wizards, who can deal significant damage while munching on instant noodles.

That’s all. It should be a straightforward party setup.

The number of players needed for the raid is 40.

Out of those, 30 are expected to be wizards.

*

That day, a post recruiting party members was put up on various websites related to Deron Online.

The number of recruits and the specifications of the party leader were detailed. The party leader’s specs were fine—if anything, they were good.

However, the requested dealer lineup and trial times set by the party leader were truly bizarre.

7 healer-type jobs and 2 sub tanks. The dealer line filled with 30 wizards was somewhat understandable, but the trial times from 5 PM to 10 PM raised a red flag.

Naturally, this strange party recruiting post was captured and posted on the [Deron Online Gallery].

[Deron Online Gallery.]

[The Cringe Party Leader Has Emerged LOL] [221]

(Image)

Party trial time from 5 PM to 10 PM LOL, typical loser! Logging into Deron right after school LOL, right until shutdown time LOL!

[Comments]

[Gold Spoon Loser LOL]


[Is that guy really a loser? The specs look good though?]


n [5 PM? That’s when kids get out of school!]


[The loser party leader… this is precious…]


[So cute LOL, perfect for a trial with school friends LOL]


[Can you only be a loser if you game from 5 PM to 10 PM?]


[Oh wow, a female middle school leader…]

The peculiar thing wasn’t about anything other than the trial time of the party from 5 PM to 10 PM. It was easy to guess the implications of that time frame.

It attracted tremendous aggro. The topic of the gallery rapidly shifted, inundated with discussions about the gold spoon loser party leader.

Of course, it was a common occurrence. The users were idly hanging around the gallery, and this was a juicy bait that hooked them.

Posts began to multiply at lightning speed.

[Is the loser party leader a girl?] [7]

(Anime character self-portrait)

Hmmm… A middle school party leader… Accepted…

[Comments]

[What’s accepted?]


n [My future wife]


n [Neat]

[A middle school party leader is lucky… She probably has middle school friends…]


[If I join, will I also become a middle school girl?]


[This is my sister’s guild!]


n [Hey, sis, let me join too!]

The tremendous aggro attracted meant that an extraordinary volume of applications was flooding in.

After shutting down the game due to the shutdown law, Hayun, lying in bed, stared blankly at the suddenly overwhelming support messages.

‘What…’

Messages are updating in real time. 10, then 20, 30, 100, 200, 500…

It becomes hard to keep track of each one.

Hayun’s small hand begins to tap through the screen of her phone meticulously.

She checks each applicant’s messages to review their specs.

The recruitment for the party continued until the gallery changed its hot topics.