Chapter 148
The news that Arcadia is a virtual reality consisting of a single and integrated server serviced all over the world hit the world and made a noise. And, of course, it was her subordinates who died because of her sudden action.
“yes? No, even if you ask us about how to maintain a single server...”
“Sorry. The original technology of capsules is not possessed even by the head office. For details, it is better to contact Ajin Electronics...”
Reporters asking about related information. And then, when everyone is struggling with calls from programmers and IT workers who call blindly with excitement and curiosity. Executive Director Myung-Han Kwon was more serious than ever at the sudden video call.
[I received the gift from Korea very well. Kwon Myung-han Sang. Unbeknownst to us, Japan has done something very interesting in the area responsible for it.]
Kazuki, the general manager of Arcadia Japan, greets you with a thorny tone. The executive director who recommended his hostile attitude also countered.
“Please call me by your title, Governor Kazuki. I must have forgotten... Although I am the managing director, in reality I have the same authority and position as you.”
Unlike other branches, President Lee Mi-yeon resides in the Korean branch. Because of her presence, Kwon Myeong-han was given the title of executive director, but his practical authority and responsibilities were no different from those of other branch heads, so he was the general manager of the Korean branch.
“And again, everything that is happening in the Japanese continent this time has nothing to do with us. Of course, I was aware of the related situation in advance, but the person in charge immediately notified me of the related fact through the contact channel with your company.”
[...I haven\'t received anything from us...?]
Kazuki, who has never heard of it before. Seeing him like that, Executive Director Kwon Myeong-han sighed and said,
“Check again. Our side has clearly conveyed the relevant information, so unless something went wrong with their reporting system, there\'s no reason Kazuki wouldn\'t be aware of it.”
Although he spoke politely, the remarks of Executive Director Myung-Han Kwon stimulated the planting. As if he didn\'t like that, Kazuki made a snarky expression and criticized something else.
[Let\'s check that later... If not, what are you doing right now? Isn\'t it normal procedure for the Korean branch to stop this from happening in advance!]
“Normal procedure? What the hell does that mean?”
Executive Director Kwon Myung-han asked with a puzzled face as if he had no idea. Seeing him like that, Kazuki said in frustration.
[They should have adjusted some of the balance to prevent the progress of related quests, or if that didn\'t work, the operator should have actively intervened to stop it! What are we going to do if we just blindly let users do what they do! Do you know how much damage has been caused to the Japanese continent by this incident?]
Kazuki lays out various ways to prevent this incident to the executive director, who recommended the gist of ‘game management is not like that\'. Executive Director Myung-Han Kwon, who had been silently listening to his words,\'s expression gradually changed to one of absurdity. And then I couldn\'t help but burst into laughter.
“Cheuk.... hahahahaha.”
[What are you doing now! Do my words sound funny!]
Kazuki\'s face flushed red as if he had received a huge insult. Seeing him like that, Executive Director Kwon Myung-han felt ironic. And I realized How fun and exciting it becomes when you are looking at this situation from the perspective of a third party, not your own. And realizing anew that he was a human no different from Kazuki, who was trembling and trembling, Executive Director Kwon Myeong-han left a sincere advice.
“Infinite freedom. And endless possibilities.”
[...?]
Kazuki looks at him with strange eyes as if he can\'t understand him who suddenly makes an incomprehensible sound. Irrespective of his gaze, Kwon Myung-han continued to speak.
“The motto that Arcadia, which we service, pursues. Users are free to move as they please and choose only the things they want to do. Their small movements, each of these actions become the story of Arcadia and become a huge narrative. If you think of these points... you will probably feel how fictitious it is to imagine the main scenario in the company and expect users to move according to our will like pieces on a chessboard. Just like I did.”
[What the hell is that...]
“Didn\'t the user who moved to the Japanese continent say Dex? As a gift, we will hand over all the play information that our Korean branch has collected about that user to them.”
[That\'s a thank you sound.....]
“There\'s nothing to be thankful for. The information we collect is only public information released on the Internet. The user\'s detailed information is restricted from reading by Alice, so I couldn\'t check any of the items.”
[what what? What the hell is that...?]
“Oh and... one last piece of advice.”
Taking out a large bag of popcorn from the desk drawer and tearing it open, Executive Director Kwon Myeong-han turned to Executive Director Kazuki, who was making an absurd face, and said.
“The narrative created by the user has no choice but to be solved by the user. You will realize just how feeble and powerless our management is in this game. I wish you luck.”
Having given such authority, the managing director unilaterally cut off the connection with Kazuki. And with a calm and relaxed face after a long time, he lifted a popcorn and put it in his mouth. Today\'s popcorn must have been the sweetest popcorn in his life.
* * *
When the Japanese branch of Arcadia Co., Ltd. is grasping the facts. The actions of Carlos and the Black Pirates were unstoppable.
“This crazy... Does level 240 make sense?”
“Isn’t it a bug? What main scenario is this!”
The first main scenario announced throughout the Japanese continent. The fact that it was created for the first time received a lot of attention and Japanese users ran to protect the Shouen Empire. However, what they encountered was a powerful pirate group with an average level of over 180.
“joy! Those who call themselves adventurers are all weaklings.”
Carlos completely wiped out a village again. As he polished his sword, he murmured in disappointment. And at his reaction, Jaeyoung said with a slightly absurd face.
“...Have you ever thought that you are too strong?”
Caribbean, one of the five forbidden regions. The basic level of the heinous criminals of the Caribbean was set so high that even rankers could not dare to deal with it, probably because the purpose was to prevent users from easily approaching it. And especially in the case of Carlos.
[Lv. 240 Carlos, the Pirate King.]
As if he boasts that he is a special NPC among specials, he boasts his overwhelming power alone. It would be the same among Korean users, but there was no way that there would be any users who could deal with him in Japan, which started the service later than Korea.
“Aren\'t you able to deal with me enough? I don\'t know if it\'s powerless... To be honest, the intense smell of blood and bad karma that I feel from you is so huge that even I can\'t handle it.....” Carlos speaks seriously next to
Jaeyoung, twitching his nose. When the vicious pirate king, who had pushed ten villages away while laughing, praised (?) that he was more vicious than himself, Jaeyoung put on a shit-chewed expression. Of course, Tan shook his head as if agreeing with his thoughts.
“Hey. After all, a bad bastard recognizes a bad bastard. There are humans who recognize the evil and vicious exploits of their masters! Look at this. I\'ve said it over and over again...”
And Tan whispers in Jae-young\'s ear about the dreaded special lecture, bothering him. As Tan\'s words went through one ear, Jaeyoung asked Carlos.
“So... how long do we have to continue doing this?”
A strategy used by Carlos and the Black Pirates so far.
It was a typical pirate strategy hit and run.
Guerrilla warfare that appears in an instant and completely destroys a town or village that looks easy on the coast, sweeps up all the necessary items there, and flees by boat to another place. That\'s why the huge land power of the Shōen Empire, whose naval power was destroyed in a careless moment, had no choice but to watch the Black Pirates gnashing their teeth and running away.
“Ah, I was going to discuss the matter anyway. Maybe they figured out our trick, and now every village has put away all the cannons that can be used as weapons somewhere, so supply is running out.”
Until now, the Black Pirates had been supplying themselves with plunder. However, perhaps that method was widely known, there were only villages where food, artillery, and other useful items had disappeared.
“First of all, after robbing villages and interrogating the captive Navy bastard about the surrounding terrain... the best place for us to sit-in is right here.”
A map of the Shoen Empire\'s maritime operations obtained as loot. Carlos\'s eyes lit up as he pointed to a single bay in the wide-spreading coastal area.
“Poseia, the largest naval base in the Shoen Empire. I\'ve heard that it\'s a heavenly fortress and stores a large amount of military supplies. If we take control of this place, we won\'t be able to even touch the land power of the Shoen Empire.”
Terrain in the form of an elongated bay. Therefore, it was the best place to deploy space defense for a long time if the land power could not enter at once and Carlos\'s fleet, which could not even be easily approached, took control.
“But... there is one problem.”
“problem?”
“That\'s... I found out that the entire Poseia has a defensive magic circle installed by the archmage himself. Although it consumes an enormous amount of mana... Its defense is said to be strong enough to lightly block attacks from normal naval guns.”
As the largest naval base in the Shoen Empire, Poseia is equipped with a thorough defense system. It was unclear whether Carlos\'s fleet would be able to penetrate it with the firepower of his fleet, and no matter how he penetrated the defensive magic circle, it was clear that he would suffer enormous damage until he completely captured the fortress.
“Umm... It must be difficult to attack easily.”
“Because all the maritime forces of the Shoen Empire are concentrated. After getting a hot taste from us outside, we are hiding in that Poseia and locking it with a bolt.”
Carlos completely submerged the 1st naval fleet of the Shōen Empire, which was the most important force. Because of this, all the other remaining fleets avoided direct engagement in a defensive fashion.
Waiting for the supplies of the Black Pirates to run out completely, they entered a battle of attrition without a promise. It was not urgent right now, but there was a high possibility that it would turn into a serious problem if a solution was not prepared in the near future. And Jaeyoung asked Carlos who was thinking about something with a serious face.
“Then, if you can neutralize only that defensive magic circle, is there any problem in taking control of Poseia?”
“...Without the defense magic circle, that would be a piece of cake.”
“Then don\'t worry about that. I will take responsibility and release it.”
“what....?”
Carlos is making an absurd expression at those words. Jaeyoung gave him a strange smile and told him an unknown story.
“Who is the answer to those who only believe in the defense and stage sit-ins?”