Chapter 142 – When I was down (2)
Edgar was a member of the original Rehabilitation Brothers. Those were the enjoyable days. In reality, he was a youth soccer team manager who taught young talents, leading early footballers into leadership positions. In Elder Lord, he enjoyed a world of fantastic adventures. He became a member of the Rehabilitation Brothers, met Robina and became lovers.
However, those good days didn’t last.
“I never have good eyes for people. Isn’t that right?”
“……”
Robina’s arrow flew past his cheek. Edgar touched his cheek and took a step back as his past memories resurfaced.
Misfortune came without warning. The students he taught were forced to leave the squad because of violence. Edgar had no backing so all of the responsibility was placed on him. He hadn’t succeeded as a player, and his dream of becoming a world-class manager was canceled. To make matters worse, the business of his parents failed and his immediate livelihood was at risk.
He didn’t have time to play the game. He had to face reality. He started work as a laborer. He also reduced the amount of time he met Robina in the game and in reality.
He tried not to but he became more sensitive. Edgar started to gradually lose himself. He was conscious of his shabby self as well as Robina who could fly away like a free-spirited bird at any time. He tried to ignore the cracks but the struggle cut at Edgar’s heart.
As his lover, she quickly noticed the changes in Edgar. His anxiety, his longing for her affection, and his occasional lack of confidence weren’t part of the man that she once loved. That’s why Edgar confessed everything. He talked about losing everything and the economic threat in front of him.
Once the story ended, Robina replied. “What, you became like this because of money?” She was born in a rich house so she couldn’t understand Edgar’s desperation. “Well, it is like this. It doesn’t really matter anymore. We’re finished now.”
The words stabbed his heart.
“I don’t love Oppa anymore.”
If she had shown him the same smile and comforted him, he would’ve been able to stand up again for a short while. No, if she hadn’t broken up with him, she would’ve been a reason for him to fight reality.
But there was no such thing. Edgar collapsed. The one who gave him a chance was the Heaven and Earth Clan. The Heaven and Earth Clan looked at Edgar, who was active in the Rehabilitation Brothers, and suggested he join them.
Heaven and Earth was a large clan. The clan as a whole relied on economic logic. Heaven and Earth Clan members were paid and those in executive positions would be able to earn far more than before. So he joined the Heaven and Earth Clan. Thanks to his excellent performance, he was promoted to head of the Maillard branch.
“At that time, I tried to die but I didn’t die.”
Edgar muttered as he jumped forward. Robina stepped back quickly. But he had no intention of a one-on-one fight with her. He turned right away and headed towards a member of the Rehabilitation Brothers.
“I didn’t die and the pain made me stronger.”
He was Edgard, Maillard’s Heaven and Earth leader. The confused Robina fired an arrow, but the shield warriors were already blocking her arrows. They persisted pursued Robina. They had already heard all about her strength from Edgar, and used specialist techniques against her.
Once Robina was blocked, the rest was easy. When looking objectively, the Heaven and Earth members were far superior.
“Don’t kill as many as possible!”
Edgar shouted, “Use the Concrete method!”
The Concrete method, the act of imprisonment that users feared the most in Elder Lord, was declared. While originally prohibited for users, it was occasionally done in warfare between opposing clans.
People protested to Elder Saga Corporation but their answer was the same as always: User freedom!
“Hah, you’re going to use the Concrete method against us? Are you insane?” Robina shouted.
Edgar didn’t care.
“We are the Heaven and Earth Clan!”
The Heaven and Earth members shouted. The Rehabilitation Brothers started to be pushed. The Heaven and Earth members were strong because they didn’t act individually. It was a virtue that Edgar taught them.
Now the members of the Rehabilitation Brothers were captured one by one. The battle seemed like it would end with the Heaven and Earth Clan’s victory.
“I will rise up.”
He would toss of the illusion of the old lover haunting him and rise to a place much higher than Robina. He would succeed through Elder Lord. If he kept rising in the Heaven and Earth Clan, he would someday become a ranker.
At that moment, a voice could be heard in the distance, “I guess I should come out.”
It was a somewhat familiar voice.
Edgar turned his head. A huge orc was hiding awkwardly behind a rock. Next to him were two figures, a small gnome and a dark elf, who were watching the fight. Crockta and two unidentified people.
As Edgar made eye contact, the dark elf dropped the fried corn he was eating.
“Uwah, our eyes met…cough!”
“Don’t worry.” Crockta whispered to the dark elf. “Raise your head proudly as Crockta’s friend.”
Crockta glanced at Tiyo. Tiyo was already a proud person, so his neck was automatically stiff. How wonderful. It was enough if they stood shoulder to shoulder.
Crockta nodded and raised his body. It was the appearance of the superstar orc, who drove people to join an orc fan club.
“Are you Crockta?”
“Indeed…really manly…!”
The Heaven and Earth members stopped moving. The faces of the Rehabilitation Brothers being tied up by them brightened. The story that Crockta rehabilitation the three founders of the Rehabilitation Brothers had been passed down like a legend.
He hadn’t been seen since leaving the north, but now he showed up in Maillard. He was truly like the rumors.
A red headband that seemed to represent his strong will. Wild eyes and a large body covered in tattoos. In addition, the greatsword that was almost too big to be a sword, Ogre Slayer! The appearance of an orc warrior who would make people shrink back just looking at him.
This was the founder of the Rehabilitation Brothers.
“I really get to meet him…!”
“Get ready to be hit by Crockta!”
The atmosphere reversed once Crockta placed Ogre Slayer on his shoulders. The same was true for the Heaven and Earth members. They only saw Crockta in captivity, so they never faced him with his full pressure unleashed.
Now overwhelming pressure was pouring out from him.
“That…Crockta…!”
But Edgar didn’t back down. He took one step forward and said, “You were once whining behind the steel bars, but act so brave now that you are outside.” Edgar mocked him in order to diminish Crockta’s influence. “I will let you know the truth of this world, along with your rehabilitation friends. The Heaven and Earth Clan is unbeatable.”
Crockta grinned. He was an enemy, but Crockta liked this type of man. Crockta was focused on him but Edgar desperately endured the pressure. An average person legs would’ve already collapsed.
“Edgar,” Crockta called out to him in a soft voice. “You told me over a drink. A leader is a ‘castle’.”
Edgar’s eyes trembled. Crockta was convinced. Edgar remembered what happened when he went on the drinking binge with Crockta.
“I remember all the words you said when drunk. At that time, we were friends. So I am warning you in advance.”
Crockta raised his greatsword. It was a big sword. The amount of blood that had covered it would be enough to make a sea.
“The Heaven and Earth Clan will soon perish.”
“……!”
It was close to a declaration of war.
“I will get rid of it.”
Crockta remembered many of the ruins he saw on the broadcasted videos. The Heaven and Earth Clan. They spread war and famine in Elder Lord. They were multiplying the pain in this room without knowing what they were doing.
Edgar shook his head. “You alone? Don’t make me laugh.”
At his signal, the Heaven and Earth members surrounded Crockta. The members of the Rehabilitation Brothers couldn’t fight anymore so they just watched the confrontation.
“You should discover yourself if it is funny or not.”
Crockta raised his greatsword. His opponents had moderately large numbers. But he was the warrior who slaughtered a large army in the north. In addition, he had reached the Hero realm beyond the Pinnacle. This much…
“Heaven and Earth!”
It was laughable.
“War!”
The Heaven and Earth members rushed forward while shouting. Crockta stood still and faced their assault. They weren’t a group of ragtag fighters. They were well trained soldiers in a formation that suited individuals as well as group roles. Indeed, it was understandable why the Rehabilitation Brothers had suffered one-sidedly. There weren’t many groups of users with such skills.
He saw Edgar heading towards him in the lead.
‘All I needed when I fell into hell was for her to hold my hand.’
His drunk face was overlaid on top.
‘But she kicked me out. I was too weak. It doesn’t matter. I will no longer care.’
He swung his sword. The woman called Robina didn’t know how valuable she had been to Edgar. There was no need to know. The past didn’t matter, only the fact that swords were pointed towards Crockta. In any case, Edgar was a man desperately living in the present.
In order to rise to the top!
“Great momentum!”
Crockta shouted. He didn’t know why this guy was struggling against the world, but he liked it nevertheless.
“But it is still lacking! Bul’tarrrrrrrrrrrrrr!” Crockta shouted and ran forward.
There were dozens of materials. Crockta was like a chariot as he wielded his greatsword. No one could stop him. Every time he waved his sword, users would be torn apart as their blood scattered every which way and as their bodies turned into white particles.
He looked beautiful.
“This… is Crockta.”
The members of the Rehabilitation Brothers watched him blankly. Crockta was surrounded by numerous enemies. Every time he wielded his greatsword, blood poured out and white particles filled the air.
Red and white scattered in every direction around him.
They started thinking. He really might end the Heaven and Earth Clan with his own hands.
***
“How is it?”
Now Crockta and Edgar were the only ones left. The rest had turned into white particles.
“……”
Edgar couldn’t say anything. Now matter how great the NPC was, he hadn’t expected them to be so overwhelmed. There wasn’t a drop of blood flowing from Crockta’s body. He was fine, while Edgar’s companions had been turned into white particles.
“…I admit defeat.” Edgar sighed.
The end. After this, he would be demoted. Gaining another opportunity wouldn’t be easy. He wanted to execute Crockta, but everything was ruined by the dumb guard Lee Jungmin. No, maybe they couldn’t afford to go against Crockta in the first place.
No.
Edgar had a hunch. The Heaven and Earth would disappear in the near future. He watched Crockta and couldn’t think of a way to stop this orc. Would the top rankers and Choi Hansung of the Heaven and Earth Clan be able to stop this person?
“It was in vain.” Edgar had barely grabbed the rope to climb up, only for it to be cut.
Crockta called out to him, “Edgar. I declared that I will destroy the Heaven and Earth Clan.”
“……”
“Then what will you do?”
“……!”
He looked at Crockta. If this man really took down the Heaven and Earth Clan, the world of Elder Lord would be upset. No one thought that Crockta could eliminate the Heaven and Earth Clan alone, but he spoke like he knew the future.
Crockta grinned. “Edgar. On that day, you said that you’d treat me as a brother.”
“I just…”
“My brother.” Crockta came closer and whispered in his ears, “I will never turn away when you fall.”
“……!”
“I will reach out to you.”
Edgar’s eyes trembled.
Crockta had listened when Edgar said what he wanted. Someone who would stand with him even if he fell into hell. He wanted to hear that the person wouldn’t turn away. If someone had said that to him, it wouldn’t have been so painful.If someone had just held his hand.
Then he wouldn’t have accepted the Heaven and Earth Clan’s proposal.
“If I had met you sooner…”
Edgar closed his eyes. He didn’t regret it then, but he was regretting it now.
Edgar said to Crockta, “Crockta.”
“Um.”
At that moment, Edgar pierced his own neck with his sword.
“What?”
Suicide. Blood flowed down his neck and he soon turned into a flurry of white particles. Edgar muttered something towards Crockta just before the connection was terminated.
Crockta watched carefully.
“It was a great victory Crockta dot.” Tiyo said from behind him. But Crockta didn’t move.
He thought about Edgar’s last words. Edgar had spoken without any sound.
‘Beware the Heaven and Earth Clan, Brother.”
