Chapter 155 – Great misunderstanding

There were many legendary characters that many gamers knew of in the whole continent.

The Sword Saint of Destruction, Darius, Goddess of Combat, Veronica, and even the fameless Buga in this era would become someone of great repute.

There were legendary wizards, Tulman of the Silver Fortress, and the King of Knowledge, William.

Famous leaders like the Black Lord Incirsta, the Perfect Eagle, Nicola, and Goddess of War, Freya.

But no one amongst them received the same level of popularity as the Sword Saint of Ashes, Mephisto. He was the only person who challenged the Kirrlutz Empire all by himself. Just this bravery alone was enough to make anyone emotional.

It was approximately thirty years ago when the Kirrlutz Empire destroyed a small duchy when Duke Sutherland resisted them and reclaimed the land. It was a nothing but a small blot in Kirrlutz’s history of wars that dated a thousand years long, and there ought to be nothing significant about it.

But the Eagle Empire encountered a foe that caused countless headaches.

Mephisto appeared in the Kirrlutz’s capital and attempted to assassinate the Emperor by himself.

Naturally, he did not succeed. But Mephisto slew an entire company of Imperial Cavalry, killed countless guards, and even fought off the army from a neighboring territory. One Count, three Viscount, twenty officers, and nearly a hundred squires were killed.

If the casualties were limited to the nobles, it would only be remembered as an embarrassment to the Empire, but losing the squires made the Emperor in that generation completely furious. These squires were prodigious talents who would be the future elites and decision-makers of the Empire, and all of them were murdered by Mephisto. No matter how rich in talents the Empire was, she would still feel the pain of losing so many gifted youths.

The Empire made a task force that was truly the strongest in its history, with the four commanders from its four principal armies, the leader of the Imperial Alchemist Association, and even three Imperial Archmagi from the Tower of Stars and Moons.

Veronica was one of the four commanders, but even she was considered to be the one with the least experience amongst the group. One could only imagine how monstrous these individuals were.

Yet Mephisto still managed to escape, though he was gravely injured.

This event was a humiliation to the citizens of Kirrlutz. Perhaps it was the hardest slap on their faces after King Erik stole Lionheart. It was certainly sensational news in the continent.

Later on, the Divine Pantheon of Wind and the Sacred Church of Light tried various means to find Mephisto, wanting to help him with his hatred against the Kirrlutz Empire, while getting him to join their faction. Unfortunately, he seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

Rumors circulated that his wounds were so severe and he died soon after.

However, gamers eventually found that he provided an important quest and they could not be more familiar with him.

[……Why is this person here? The earliest appearance should be five years later! Is the Lionheart so attractive that even this crazy monster came out?!]

Brendel could not believe his eyes. If there was ever a moment his eyes would pop out of their sockets, this was it.

The current Mephisto had long hair that reached his shoulders, with its color the same as his eyes. Ashes. There would never be another person with such a color in this world. The unique color he had was due to his Element Power, Realm of Ashes.

The youth still remembered his quest against Mephisto, which was the first step of a chain quest to obtain the Iron Physique, a milestone that allowed one to break through level 100.

It was to have a duel with him and last for ten seconds. He took every single buff that he could possibly drink and eat and went up to fight against him, but he was sent back to the Revival Altar in three moves.

Mephisto did not overwhelm him in terms of levels, and one could say that he was perhaps level 100 or so at his peak, but the swordsmanship he had was just too frightening. Many gamers believed that his swordsmanship had reached level 25, bypassing the limitations of stats.

[C-crap….. I don’t really understand him well, but this isn’t someone with a good temper. Just look at what he did to the Kirrlutz Empire!]

Even though Mephisto seemed to be favorable towards Aouine in the game’s history, and he did not have any quarrels with the Druids, it was hard to tell whether he was a friend or foe when he appeared so suddenly.

[Maybe I could ask for help with Valhalla’s Fire Seed? N-no, what if I somehow offend him and it’s all over for us? There isn’t really a way through here other than the Blockade of Wolves, so he followed us—]

The youth felt that it was difficult to determine why Mephisto chose to come before them, and he decided to not act until the Sword Saint of Ashes did.

The situation persisted for several seconds.

Mephisto observed everyone just as they observed him. His glance swept past the ambassadors and the other warriors, before his eyes ended on Brendel. He extended his hand, and the greatsword behind his back flew by itself and landed on his fingers, and he pointed at Brendel with the weapon.

“Kirrlutz’s citizen?” He said.

Brendel’s jaws dropped. In that instant, he felt as though he had heard the loudest explosions in his ears, and a chill ran all over his back.

[Are you fucking kidding me? Kirrlutz? Why not call me a freaking Tauren? Oh for crying out loud, if this airhead really believes I’m from Kirrlutz, I’m going to be chopped into two right away. I’m not dying here to some bullshit misunderstanding!]

“No, no! Please, I believe you’re mistaken, I’m a full-blooded citizen from Aouine.” Brendel replied.

“Someone from Aouine? Indeed, it does seem like Aouine’s ambassadors are traveling with you, but your features seem to carry some traits from Kirrlutz’s noble lineage, and some of your men are wearing Kirrlutz’s traveling attire. In addition, how would someone from Aouine know the Legion of the Fallen Frost’s tactics?”

Brendel realized that his strategy to fight the wolves was the reason for luring this monster to him.

[But all the bloody gamers in Aouine know how to do that! Even the gamers in Madara are also capable of this shit! I’m innocent, you hear me, innocent! So this is how the innocent people feel when they are burned on the stake!]

The strategy was really nothing more than a test of experienced one was. There was no technique to speak of, and any video on the internet revealed it all.

But this was not an explanation, and Brendel could only try to find another way to weasel his way out of the situation.

“There might not be many people who know this strategy, true, but why is it only limited to the Kirrlutz Empire? Surely there are mercenaries and generals who would know how to deal with the Winter Wolves, right?”

While the excuse sounded flimsy, it did not feel like there were holes to it. There were other kingdoms that had to deal with the Winter Wolves and the strategy used by the Fallen Frost Legion was not a secret. But Mephisto was not persuaded at all. In fact, he even had a faint smile of smugness, which Brendel interpreted it as ‘everything is within my calculations, stop trying to talk your way out of it’.

“Indeed. There are many who know about the strategy. But to do it better than the commander of the Fallen Frost Legion, young man, you are the first person that I have seen doing so. But the thing that’s even stranger, the whole of Aouine does not suffer from the Winter Wolves, true?”

[Hah?]

Brendel’s knees never felt weaker. It was as if an explosion had detonated in his mind.

[I’m innocent! I’m not guilty of your accusations, you idiot!]

He wanted to smack the ground with his fist. How did the strategy to grind for XP in the game become a fatal blow here? The worst part was how he could not find a way to refute Mephisto’s words. His hands clenched and unclenched, while he nibbled on his lips nervously. The experience from the game that he considered as cheats had come back to give him trouble.

[Big boss man, Sword Saint of Ashes, prithee, stop cornering me like this, I can explain it!]

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