The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor

Chapter 8: Reckless Challenge

The camel contained a month’s worth of food, enough water for ten days and sculpting materials.

Weed also carried a large backpack containing 15 days worth of water, salt and food.

The reason for not having more food and water was that it would be a burden when marching through the desert.

Of course, the food and water was still a tremendous weight on his shoulders.

“Ohh, I will die.”

Before he knew it, 10 days had passed.

His high perseverance and resilience were a great help in the desert.

His perseverance stat increased by 35 points.

Unlike the Nodulle days, his perseverance and vitality increased several times faster.

“Surely this much endurance isn’t necessary for a sculptor? A genius sculptor wouldn’t have to come to the desert to master sculpting.”

Weed felt like his talent was far from being a genius.

It felt like the sun was directly above his head. The skin exposed to sunlight was itchy and hot.

Unknown skin diseases occurred but was healed due to Freya’s blessing.

“Hestiger also walked this way.”

Weed had another reason for coming to the Desert of Tranquility.

‘Hestiger did it. Then I can do it too.’

Hestiger had mentioned it when Sculpture Resurrection was used.

-After taking the elves home, I wandered the world. I went to all types of places with the elves. Past the south and west, through the Desert of Tranquility and past some swamp lands before boarding a boat made of nails.

“A boat made of nails? You really have ridden anything. Continue to speak.”

-After finding traces of the gods, I ended up fighting in the land of the giants…

There had to be an end to the Desert of Tranquility.

And it was a type of gateway into another world.

‘The 10 forbidden zones might be due to the unique terrain or monsters, but they have only one story and role.’

They placed a specific role on the Versailles Continent or were important gateways.

Hestiger had continued his adventures beyond the Desert of Tranquility, so it wasn’t a place of unconditional death.

‘There is a reason why it is dangerous. And risking my life in extreme environments is perfect for sculpting.’

Weed’s commitment meant he finally came across an oasis.

It wasn’t as large as Puhol Water Park, but it was quite wide and had a small forest.

“Puheheheng!”

The tired camel ran like crazy.

Weed already knew the outcome and walked slowly to conserve his vitality. And not long afterwards, the oasis disappeared.

A desert mirage!

The camel was devastated while Weed thought idly.

‘The moment when hope turns into despair. The mind is constantly being tempted. But I will never give up. It is important to master sculpting.’

At this moment, Bardray was raising his level through hunting. Fabio and Herman were getting closer to mastering blacksmith through the helium.

There were hundreds of millions of Royal Road users. They wouldn’t be standing still.

“Becoming the first master will be huge.”

Weed cared about his important money the most.

* * *

A month.

He continued heading south through the Desert of Tranquility.

“It isn’t bad.”

Weed’s skin was scorched.

Humans were adaptable and could survive in the desert. It was unlike the first time where he didn’t have a camel.

Despite not fighting, the experience from the desert accumulated and gave benefits.

“Stop eating.”

The drawback was that the food supply was reducing.

Weed’s baggage steadily decreased.

‘If I eat sparingly then it should last another 20 days.’

For the hundredth time that day, he thought about returning to the north.

Now he passed the distance where he could return. If he didn’t find an oasis then he really was dead.

‘If I revive, an undead won’t be able to withstand the desert and I will die twice.’

His level would drop as well as his sculpting skill proficiency.

Weed shook his head.

‘Let’s go. I think this is the right way. There are no supplies left to go back. I sometimes make mistakes.’

As he walked through the desert, he thought back on his life.

It was a hungry, dark time.

‘There was no electricity and we had no food for a week. Compared to that, I still have 20 days of food and water.’

If he turned around now, he wouldn’t be able to challenge the Desert of Tranquility again.

He wanted to go to the end, even if he lost his life.

‘I will see it through. Risking my life in the worst environment is essential and I won’t give up until I make a sculpture.’

A day passed.

He continued walking with minimal rest during the day and evening.

Another day, then two passed as the remaining food and water decreased. Sometimes miraculous mirages would appear to tease him.

Weed and the camel silently crossed the desert.

The camel that caused trouble in the beginning now followed him obediently.

After 10 days passed, he was more aggressive about saving water and his thirst became severe.

Weed’s lips were dry and cracked.

Even if he tried to talk, he wouldn’t be able to due to the pain in his throat.

He bowed his head and walked against the wind and sand.

‘I must pass through the Desert of Tranquility. Even if I don’t find an oasis, taking into account the size of the Arpen Kingdom in the north, I will arrive at the end if I keep on walking.’

He still made a sober judgement.

After 14 more days, the food ran out first. His vitality fell to the ground without the jerky to stop it.

Even the camel was tired and collapsed.

Weed spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Come on. You still have the power to move.”

He walked four more days while encouraging the camel.

His body was exhausted and suffering from hunger. Even if the message window didn’t pop up, his body was in such a bad state that he could barely walk. Finally, he was down to his last sip of water.

‘I will die. Was I wrong about the Desert of Tranquility? I was so close to becoming a sculpting master only to die in the end.’

The camel’s eyes were staring at the canteen.

It wanted the water it didn’t think it would receive.

Weed poured water into the mouth of the camel.

‘I can drink water anytime, but this would be your last.’

The camel was a NPC.

Even so, it had walked through the desert for more than two months.

Weed yielded the last drops of water to the camel.

“Kuoong.”

The camel’s body recovered a little bit after drinking the water.

“I am sorry but let’s continue. I haven’t died yet.”

Weed didn’t give up and continued moving towards the south.

The hot sun shone down on him.

Of his 70,000 health, less than 5,000 was left.

His vitality was also extremely low.

‘It would be nice if an oasis appears. I couldn’t overcome the Desert of Tranquility but at least an oasis…!’

He kept walking through his strong desire.

However, the water and food he desired didn’t appear. Only endless sand ridges were visible.

After walking for an hour, Weed finally collapsed in the sand.

‘I can’t go on anymore.’

The only thing left was death.

Weed was about to lose consciousness when he saw the camel’s mouth getting closer.

‘This guy…’

The camel’s yellow teeth had headed towards Weed’s neck.

‘If you try to eat me, I will resist with the Power to Reject Death.’

Weed finally lost consciousness.

Snap.

The camel grabbed Weed’s collar and continued to walk south.

“Puhuuung.”

It marched through the desert at a steady pace. It crossed the ridges and headed towards the sun.

The nameless camel. Weed sometimes called it the dumb camel.

It was thirsty and at its physical limits. Yet it didn’t stop walking.

Finally, the camel saw an oasis. It was a lake with clear waters and an extensive forest. It was a paradise where desert animals were playing.

“Kuhweeek.”

The camel continued dragging Weed as it ran forward.

A oasis that was a mirage would disappear when people neared it, but that didn’t happen now.

“Huhuhung.”

The camel smelt it.

It could smell the forest and fresh water.

The travel weary camel plunged into the water with Weed.

* * *

“Kuck. M-my breath…”

Weed regained consciousness.

“Ugh, what the?”

He spat out the water in his mouth and found himself in a lake with clear water.

It was a paradise with animals and shady trees.

A sandstorm was in the distance but this place was peaceful.

An oasis in the Desert of Tranquility!

“It can’t be. This is a dream.”

Weed shook his head.

“There is no justice. There should be some compensation for my hopes and dreams. It is a world where cowards will win.”

He continued to grumble at the oasis.

Ddiring!

“U-unbelievable. I am looking at the real thing.”

Weed dunked his head and drank the water.

Gobble.

Although the clear water was lukewarm, he kept on drinking it.

The message windows that popped up!

“Finally, the hardship is over. The oasis in the Desert of Tranquility has been found.”

Weed glanced at the camel drinking next to him.

“Dumb camel. You lived. I think you saved my life bringing me to this place…”

Chap chap chap.

The camel kept drinking water from the oasis.

‘The camel is drinking.’

Weed’s face stiffened, but he couldn’t blame it for drinking the oasis water.

“Y-yes. You have to drink to live.”

He dreamt of a camel purse or bag but the subordinate had suffered for him.

If only Yellowy could see his master becoming a human!

Weed made a realistic and calm judgement.

“You gained some merits by bringing me here. So, I will excuse this. Anyway, I’m currently not in a position to give you money.”

“Puhueeeong.”

Weed finished rationalizing the camel’s behaviour.

* * *

Weed examined the message windows after his physical state returned to normal.

“Person who Walked through the Desert of Tranquility. It is a title associated with adventure and survival. The benefits are enormous.”

The increase in health just before death would be a big help for survival.

He wasn’t crazy enough to think about walking through the Desert of Tranquility again.

“Will there be benefits if I come again?”

It was like changing his mind after entering the bathroom.

He was tired of the sand, but now he was quite satisfied.

Weed looked around.

The camel was resting in a sand bit while all types of animals were drinking the water.

Ddiring!

“There is plenty of food. Anyway, there is currently no risk of dying.”

There were many rare animals and food at the oasis.

The trees had abundant, ripe fruit hanging from it.

“By the way, there is a house.”

He saw a shabby house built near the forest.

The house wasn’t made from durable branches, but rotten pieces of wood.

“Somebody lived here?”

Weed thought about it as he approached the house.

“Among the users, I am probably the first to discover this place. If so, there is likely a high reward for finding the oasis in here.’

His heart started thudding.

It was a trend that occurred whenever he found a jackpot in Royal Road!

‘If I discover a treasure chest… No. Be vigilant. I might be hit in the back of the head.’

Before entering the house, he lowered his body and looked around.

The camel and other animals were staring at the strange human, but Weed didn’t care about it.

‘There are no signs of life so it is unlikely to be an enemy attack, and I don’t see a trap.’

The tension was enough to make his lips dry.

‘Will this house be a source of good or bad luck? If I look back on my life so far, I can’t guess at all. Should I just quietly make a sculpture?’

Weed shook his head.

If there were six numbers in the lottery, he would get five. It was impossible to match the last number so he would only receive the second-place prize.

Kiiik.

Weed finally opened the door of the house.

Unlike the external appearance that seemed like it would collapse, it was a well-appointed house with a bed, table, etc.

The table contained a sword, a book and a flag.

“There is a reward for the discovery. But that flag…”

Weed was surprised to see the markings of the flag.

“Isn’t this the flag of the Pallos Empire?”

During Nodulle’s quest, Weed had created the Pallos Empire.

Then, ‘eh I don’t know. It is barley bread or grass porridge. I will just do it roughly.’ Therefore he had created the crude form of a sword stabbed into a sack.

The mark was found in desert villages and was also found here.

“I can gain the items. The items have been left behind in an empty house. It is a typical pattern for a jackpot.”

Weed salivated as he turned his attention towards the sword.

“I am looking forward to it, but I will delay a little bit.”

He would leave the most delicious food to eat later.

He had to stop his right hand from instinctively grabbing the sword.

“Be cautious. Don’t be caught off guard.”

There was a chance that the sword was a cursed object.

The legendary oasis in the Desert of Tranquility.

Anything associated with it was likely to be a S grade difficult quest or higher.

Of course, the rating of the item would also be great.

Weed read the title of the old book.

-The Great Desert Warrior.

“Well, the title is fairly ordinary… This is!”

Weed’s eyes flashed.

It was due to the name of the person who wrote the book.

-Desert warrior Hestiger.

* * *

Yoo Byung-jin watched Weed’s boring desert crossing.

“Stupid. No matter how strong he is, even he won’t return alive.”

Weed didn’t give up. However, he was sure that he could survive the Desert of Tranquility.

Like his name, Weed was able to stop the Hermes Guild’s invasion of the Arpen Kingdom.

“How terrible. It is close to two months. Even though the situation on the continent was rapidly changing, why does he have a desire to go to the desert?”

Weed’s current position in the Arpen Kingdom meant he could obtain big profits.

He would be able to monopolize numerous quests on the Northern Continent and create the best hunting team.

Weed’s rapid hunting speed and growth in the dungeons meant he would be able to threaten the top rankers of Royal Road.

He gave up the obvious benefits in front of him and walked through the Desert of Tranquility. It wasn’t something that someone could easily do.

Yoo Byung-jin suddenly asked Versailles.

“Versailles. How much time did Hestiger take to conquer the Desert of Tranquility?”

History had changed due to Weed’s time travel.

Hestiger’s adventures were also an important part of history.

-143 days.

“Is that so? It is much longer than Weed.”

-Hestiger brought five camels with him. He only walked a certain distance in the Desert of Tranquility every day and made sure there was plenty of food and water.

The Desert of Tranquility was a place to test the limits of human patience.

Those who took a lot of food and water could go further in the desert. However, taking a lot of food and water wasn’t always the answer.

They couldn’t walk more than a minimum distance in the wide desert or there was the risk of death.

They also couldn’t rest too long in the desert. They had to walk diligently and endlessly.

The Desert of Tranquility was a difficult place to clear, even if they knew the answer.

Even after the level of the users was raised, it was likely to be one of the worst among the 10 forbidden zones.

“Weed’s perseverance is incredible.”

-He probably believes he can earn huge money by becoming a sculpting master.

“He is a big fan of money. Giving me 100 won less for hot chocolate… Wait, is that why Weed only took one camel?”

Yoo Byung-jin was baffled by this fact.

“It is surprising for someone like him. It is such a reckless and stupid thing to do.”

Weed had experienced it and knew that the Desert of Tranquility wasn’t an easy place.

He had almost died from a lack of food or water in the past, so one camel wouldn’t help. It was reasonable to bring a lot of camels loaded with food and water.

However, it was a trap that would make the desert harder to conquer.

“Don’t tell me… Did he find a clue about the Desert of Tranquility?”

-I will analyze the reason.

Versailles searched through Weed’s decisions and experiences so far to come to a conclusion.

Yoo Byung-jin thought for a moment.

‘From Continent of Magic to Royal Road. Perhaps he overcame numerous challenges due to his brain and instincts. Weed, he is a terrific guy the more I think about it.’

-The clue to the Desert of Tranquility is located in Petra’s temple. It is buried under sand in the southern desert and no users have found it yet.

“Then?”

-Weed seems to have been scared by the price of the camel.

“What?”

-The camel was overpriced so he only bought one.

* * *

Two months had passed on the Versailles Continent since Weed disappeared.

In the first few days, numerous people gathered at Puhol Water Park to meet Weed.

The fanatics of the Grass Porridge Cult!

“Where is Weed-nim, Weed-nim!”

“I believe. Ohh. I believe in Weed-nim. For the glory of the Toadstool Porridge unit!”

“Now I should follow Weed-nim. Weed’s words and actions will be my moral guidelines. Weed!”

The grass porridge fanatics walked through Puhol Water Park and bowed at every one of Weed’s sculptures.

Some users had a strange atmosphere reminiscent of fanaticism, but there was no reason for it.

‘There is something funny.’

‘Um. I don’t feel like this. I should pretend harder to believe.’

‘Kyahahat. In this area, I am more crazy.’

Weed had defeated the Embinyu Church and built the Arpen Kingdom in the north, so many of his loyal fans joined the Grass Porridge Cult.

However, it had been a month since Weed appeared anywhere.

“He is at the hunting grounds.”

“He disappears like the wind. I don’t know when he will make another wonderful sculpture like the water park.”

Puhol Water Park had opened but there were still construction projects in progress.

The water park was crowded with handsome men and beautiful women. Naturally, Puhol Water Park was open 24 hours a day for admission fees and merchandise sales.

The glamour especially increased at night.

Before Weed left Puhol Water Park. His little sister Yurin had visited while he was making the sculptures.

“Oppa, can I do some work at the water park?”

“Uh, yes.”

“I understand.”

It was a short conversation typical for the brother and sister.

Yurin decided to show her skills as an Aqualight Painter at Puhol Water Park.

“Wake up. Yap!”

Yurin added light and colour to the water.

In the evening until the sun rose, there was a spectacular water and light show at the fountain. Below it, people ate delicious food and enjoyed dancing.

The brilliantly illuminated water park!

After Weed had been hiding for a month, the people of the Arpen Kingdom started talking.

“I want to hear some news about Weed.”

“I think he is on another tremendous quest. Sooner or later, we can see it through the broadcasts.”

“He is always living a hard life. He might be resting somewhere under Sculpture Transformation. A place like a resort.”

“Weed-nim isn’t like that. He is hunting in the Arpen Kingdom. He is clearing unresolved dungeons. Doesn’t he need to beat Bardray?”

The Haven Empire had an immense interest in Weed’s actions.

After making the tax cut, the Haven Empire’s security and economy was recovering.

Yet they wasted time trying to determine Weed’s location.

“Is there any news or information?”

“He hasn’t appeared anywhere.”

“Is it possible he is acting within the empire?”

“Not at the present time. But given his nature, we will raise the activities of the intelligence network.

There would be restrictions on the user of the hunting grounds.

The Central Continent was famous for its hunting grounds and good quests so it was always flooded with people.

New skills and permanent stats could be obtained from the Central Continent.

“We have to stop Weed from getting stronger in the empire. Have assassins ready to attack as soon as he appears.”

“We will increase the assassination squads. Many users in the guild want to kill Weed.”

“Comparing Weed to a warrior… Sculpting keeps on seeming like a better job. It has somehow become stronger.”

Lafaye gave a small sigh.

If he was a swordsman, knight or warrior then they could take some measures against his skills.

Weed maximized the characteristics of a sculptor so his combination of skills was endless.

“It isn’t good for us that we don’t know what he is doing. Every time this happened, he shows off his amazing skills in a new quest.”

“Maybe he will die during a hunt or quest? It isn’t uncommon for there to be deaths in unreasonable quests.”

“I wish it was that simple… Weed has the survival instinct of a cockroach.”

* * *

Weed was looking at a book written by Hestiger.

“A treasure map? Or a huge quest reward? Maybe it contains the place where he hid treasures of the Pallos Empire.

The list of chapters in the book was shown.

-The correct personality of a desert warrior.

-How to look after the weak.

-A person who overcomes greed will be successful.

-Building up precious pride

-Endless perseverance is needed to solve a bad threat.

-The original owner of objects that fall to the ground.

-If you concede once, you are proud. Concede twice and you are honourable.

-Take care of the people around you.

-There is no respect to those who don’t take care of young children, the elderly and women.

“What is this?”

He had been filled with expectations but it was just filled with themes for reflection.

“I am glad that I didn’t leave Hestiger as ruler of the Pallos Empire. Perhaps this continent would be filled with virtues such as kindness and devotion.”

Humans being kind and not criticizing each other.

Weed couldn’t live in such a tough world!

Weed thought about writing an autobiography about his success in Royal Road.

-Taking away someone’s property after hardships.

-Items that have no owner. The one who obtains it at the last moment will be the owner.

-If you close your eyes to injustice, you and your family will live a peaceful life.

-Listen to others, but don’t give.

-A raised puppy can betray you.

-You will sleep well if you do actions that don’t provoke your conscience.

-Prepare for events that might involve the people near you. Don’t extort unless you are prepared.

A brilliant wisdom when living in a rough world! It was a proverb for success in the modern world.

Of course, it wasn’t easy to live in the world. However, it was easier if a person didn’t care about others.

Those who wanted to help the poor would find themselves in difficult situations.

It was futile to insist on fairness rather than a shortcut.

Those who were criticized would reflect on their actions.

As king of the Arpen Kingdom, he sometimes felt happy when seeing the joy of the users.

He had gone through much mental suffering because of that.

“I have to overcome it. I can’t be weakened. I have overcome numerous conflicts and temptations. The path of a dictator is lonely.”

Weed quickly looked through Hestiger’s book. And he found something a little bit different near the end.

-The Great Emperor of the desert.

“What is this?”

-Traces of the Great Emperor can’t be found anywhere in the desert. After sweeping through the continent with the Pallos Empire’s warriors, he disappeared somewhere.

Many warriors wanted to take the place of the Emperor.

They wanted to sweep away the weak senate and rule with absolute power.

The power of the Red Lion troops could change the world in a day. But as one of the founding members of the empire, I rejected their proposal.

“Foolish guy!”

Weed couldn’t help sighing.

His ideals were always at odds with Hestiger. If someone cooked a meal then it should be eaten.

“It is the typical case of losing money while living a good life.”

-After defeating the Order of the Devils, I travelled the world with the elves.

I went to many places and found traces of a new world.

My fate led me into the Desert of Tranquility.

Beyond this place is a mysterious and dangerous world. Maybe this oasis will be the last place I can rest on my trip.

After Hestiger was revived using Sculpture Resurrection, he said that he went on some adventures after going through the Desert of Tranquility before arriving at the land of the giants.

“I came here just to find traces of Hestiger.

Weed continued reading the words while complaining.

-Those who come here will read this.

If you walked through the Desert of Tranquility then you would have felt it with your body.

The poor soil makes it hard to raise crops so the tribes needed to fight with our own strength.

There were endless disputes and everyone suffered until the Great Emperor ended the cycle.

“He understands it properly. Hmm hmm. The desert became a better place to live thanks to me.”

He hadn’t wanted to hand over the Pallos Empire to Hestiger so he had created the senate system.

-I was able to be strong while accompanying the Great Emperor.

He jumped into dangerous battles where warriors risked their lives.

He was strict with the weak and cruel to the enemy.

Sometimes he has excessive discipline and unreasonable punishment for his men, but I only understood the deep meaning behind his actions later.

He was fighting a wicked group trying to take control of the world, while we were only thinking about fighting for the desert.

How could I not look up to such greatness?

I couldn’t properly understand the heavy burden on the Great Emperor’s shoulders.

After establishing the Pallos Empire, I felt a sense of pride for being part of it.

If you listen to the story of the Great Emperor and understand, then you are also part of the desert.

As a warrior who followed the Great Emperor, I will leave behind a small gift for any descendants.

I have left the skills I’ve learnt and the sword I received from the elves.

At the back of the book was a drawing of the handsome Hestiger wielding a scimitar.

Ddiring!

“Lava River and Devastating Sandstorm!”

Weed’s chest moved like he was touched.

“He delivered it properly.”

He had been envious after seeing the revived Hestiger use Lava River. He felt like the reward for walking through the Desert of Tranquility was worth it.

“And this sword is a problem.”

Weed looked at the sword that belonged to the elves.

It seemed like a venerable old sword just be looking at it.

He had invaded the Central Continent during the quest and plundered many treasures, but this sword wasn’t among them.

It was a sharp, black blade with a blue gem embedded. An unfamiliar energy wrapped around the sword.

“I just have to hope for a good weight and attack power… It feels like a magic sword.”

Weed agonized over choosing the sword.

Agatha’s Holy Sword and Kolderim’s Daemon Sword had been used for a considerably long time.

It was difficult to find good weapons that suited him. The Red Star couldn’t be used often in case the dragon appeared.

Weapons that enhanced swordsmanship or certain attack skills had their effect lessened due to Weed’s class.

He didn’t care about design or if the sword was famous.

“Well, I can obtain a free sword.”

It was like finding a savings account after three years.

“Inspect!”

“Why are there so many options?”

His eyes widened as he read all the options.

“Increase damage, weaken defense and there is even a defense skill?”

It was like a comprehensive gift set where nothing could be thrown away! Weed couldn’t believe it and checked the sword several times.

He doubted it was real and even bit the sword with his teeth.

Kwaduduk!

“It is the real thing.”

Weed felt his whole body becoming energized.

“Good luck has come to me… I can’t believe it but it is real.”

A picture of his family situation passed through his head.

In a house where electricity and gas were disconnected, he shared ramyun with his sister.

“If I had this sword then I would have been able to sweep away all the monsters. And how much would I get if I sell this at auction?”

An auction estimate wasn’t possible.

It was a weapon with far better specifications than anything that had ever appeared at auction.

In fact, no user would be able to use it because of the level restriction or affinity to nature restriction.

However, there would eventually be a demand for more advanced weapons.

The weapon left behind by Hestiger was rare enough to be recorded in history.

Considering high quality weapons required blacksmith skills and special materials to be created, if he sold the sword then there would be people waiting in line.

There were Middle Eastern rich people who would buy rare weapons just for the sake of it, so there was no telling how high the price would go.

“I will use it.”

Weed made a decision.

His current level was 451 and he had 2,245 Affinity to Nature. Due to the blacksmith skill, Weed could use it immediately.

If he used new equipment then it would be more advantageous against the Hermes Guild and the stations would pay great attention.

“Thank you. Hestiger. You are paying me back in this manner.”

Weed looked around and found small stones near the oasis.

The stones were placed in front of the house as an altar and barley bread sacrificed to Hestiger.

“I will pray for you. Good luck next time.”

Despite the criticisms that were a result of his jealousy, Hestiger was a wonderful desert warrior and great for the Pallos Empire.

“Our ideas about justice might be different but our hearts are still the same.”

When converting it to a price, it was exactly less than 1 silver.

Weed decided to carefully read the book left by Hestiger.

There was a chance he could find treasures of the Pallos Empire. There were some disgusting parts but he had to read it.

-You have passed the test of the desert.

Now there is a great mission on your shoulders.

The accomplishments of the Great Emperor might disappear in the distant future

Walk this path for the glory and prosperity of the Pallos Empire and the desert tribes.

Ddiring!

The Great Emperor Quest!

Many fragments of the quest related to the Pallos Empire and its emperor were scattered across the desert.

“Yes. I should have expected this. This guy can never just give me anything good. Haven’t I already achieved the founding of the Pallos Empire?”

There was a smile on Weed’s face that showed the adversity he had been through.

‘An S-class difficulty quest? It is like when Dogmeat was a puppy and my stomach growled with anger. I was hungry enough to eat two bowls of jajangmyun. I could clear the bowl and eat the dumplings!’

There was a lot of work to do in the future so he didn’t want a quest.

He needed to raise his low level and master sculpting, so there was no time to think of quests.

Nevertheless, the quest couldn’t make his mood turn bad.

“If I succeed in the quest later, I can sell dolls of the characters that appear on broadcast.”

He was already estimating the profit after it finished!

“But wasn’t there a quest in the Land of Big Footprints?”

Weed frowned a little bit.

It was a quest to go beyond the end of the world to find traces of the adventurer Lodsiker. It was a quest received from Hestiger who had been revived.

“This guy is really causing me trouble.”

* * *

Kwaaaang!

The ground shook from the giant’s kick.

“Spread out and attack. Maintain your focus.”

“Yes!”

“Let us succeed in the giant hunting!”

There were over a hundred users.

They scattered and worked as a unit to gain the giant’s attention.

The giant tried to grab the human and elven users but it didn’t work.

-Kuwaaaaaah!

A roar that caused their whole body to tremble.

Every time the giant walked, its feet would rip up tree roots from the ground.

“Squad 1 start attacking.”

“Yes!”

The users unleashed a barrage of arrows towards the giant.

The magicians cast gravity magic that slowed the giant.

“Attack!”

The users bravely rushed towards the giant.

Among them were Pale, Maylon, Romuna, Irene, Surka, Bellot, Hwaryeong and Zephyr.

“I believe in Pale-nim.”

“I will do my best. But wouldn’t it be better for another archer to take command?”

Bellot said with a smile.

“Pale is the strongest and most decisive one among us.”

“I think you are overestimating me.”

“There is a clear reason that is undeniable. You are Weed-nim’s battle slave.”

“…”

The Crimson Wings Guild discovered the giants.

The level of the giants was at least over 700. On average, most giants were around level 750.

It was a level difficult for the users to deal with, but the giants weren’t highly skilled.

The giant had huge strength, size and attack power, but persistently attacking would eventually kill it.

“It is boring without Weed-nim so shall we go?”

“It will be dangerous.”

“Rather than following Weed-nim…”

“I acknowledge this.”

Pale and his friends were bored of hunting in the Arpen Kingdom so they came to the land of the giants to play.

In addition, numerous strong players came to hunt in the land of the giants.

The Crimson Wings Guild were able to gain immense fame by opening new hunting grounds and treasures.

Users didn’t win every battle with the giants so the efficiency wasn’t good. Still, if they won then new metals and magic ingredients could be obtained so it was like a jackpot.

Users like Pale and his colleagues ran like ants.

Surka approached bravely and used her fists while Irene used healing magic on those who were fighting.

Numerous magic and physical attacks razed the giant as some users were killed.

“Kuooohhh!”

Once the giant’s health was halved, they would try to escape but spirits of earth were summoned to stop them.

Traps were already installed on routes where they anticipated the giant would escape.

High level users in the north naturally became familiar with civil engineering works thanks to Weed.

They dug the ground in advance and placed blades that would weaken the giant’s movements.

Zephyr used fishing line like a spider web and caught the giant’s ankle.

The giant collapsed, receiving combined attacks from other users.

The videos of the battle against the giants went through tremendous analysis.

The users were vigilant until the end.

“Wahhhh!”

“Hooray! We did it!”

The users cheered loudly.

* * *

Weed took a moment to savour his new skills and equipment.

“I need to achieve my goal for coming to the Desert of Tranquility.”

It was to create some pieces without the help of the sculpting skill.

There was nothing special about the materials. Instead, he used the fine sand of the Desert of Tranquility and the water from the oasis to make mud.

‘Let’s start with the rabbit and fox sculptures that I’ve done countless times.’

The form was so familiar that he could create them with his eyes closed.

He trimmed the clay with his fingers and formed the shape of a rabbit.

Without the help of sculpting, the texture wasn’t smooth as marble and the tail and ears easily fell.

Weed looked at the sculpture he had made from the earth.

It was more like a cheap souvenir than what he normally sold.

“Well. My old days are surfacing. It is like I am making a real wooden sculpture.”

Sculpting was quite difficult. If he made even a small mistake or lost concentration then the value of the work would fall. In addition, he needed to constantly make new works.

“I crudely mass produced sculptures and then sold it over and over.”

He recalled the beautiful memories of his beginning days!

Due to the sculpting skill not working, the mud was hard to shape because using just a little bit more force would crush it.

“Let’s start over from scratch. I needed to understand the characteristics of the earth.”

Weed drank water from the oasis, ate fruits and made sculptures all night.

Fine sand grains weren’t a suitable material for sculpting.

But a real sculptor wouldn’t blame the materials.

Weed created mud by wetting his hand.

“There are plenty of free sculpting materials… No, this isn’t it. I need to throw away the past and make real sculptures.”

The sculpting material would heavily affect the art subject.

‘A sword master needs to go against stronger enemies. I won’t be able to master sculpting by making comfortable sculptures. Materials and skills. They both play a role.’

As the sun rose on a full day of work, Weed had completed 130 sculptures.

“It is done.”

The sculptures formed five lines in front of the oasis.

“If I add up all of the artistic values, it is approximately 250 points.”

All of the sculptures had artistic values of 1 or 2. It was understandable that his sculpting proficiency didn’t even increase by 0.1%.

“This isn’t it. Should I have just made a helium sculpture at Puhol Water Park?”

In order to return to the Arpen Kingdom, he would need to cross the Desert of Tranquility again.

He had barely risen to the top of the mountain and the situation wasn’t serious enough to go back.

* * *

Hard work and persistence.

It was a necessary part of a successful life, but Weed was beyond persistent.

“Make it, make it.”

He continued making sculptures even when the sun shone on the oasis or the night sky was filled with stars.

‘I can’t just make anything. It is true that the help from sculpting is great, but I have accumulated experience and senses. How can I become a sculpture master if I can’t create something without the skill?’

He felt like he needed to go back to the beginning.

‘I made a resolution to become a sculpting master.’

Weed recreated all the sculptures he had made so far.

He couldn’t use sculpting so it was difficult to revive all the characteristics.

The Tower of Light brilliantly illuminated Morata at night, but this one was just a rugged tower.

‘People’s hearts are important. Sculpting is an art. It isn’t a technique. Swordsmanship can win over stronger enemies, but sculptures don’t make sense unless they touch a person.’

Weed made famous pieces.

His sculpture transformations such as the hummingbird, orc Karichwi and the barbarian warrior were all popular. Even the recent Squashy Wriggler was famous.

He had 0.5% proficiency remaining but it didn’t even increase by 0.1%.

He had a few expectations but it wasn’t that good.

“There is only 0.5% left. I need to increase my proficiency even by a little bit.”

He had walked through the Desert of Tranquility and endured the burning sun to make sculptures.

“Don’t give up. I won’t leave until I become a sculpting master.”

He thought about sculpting as he walked through the Desert of Tranquility.

The camel walked next to him but left after a few hours.

After having a lot of thoughts about loneliness and pain, he realized something.

“People who live in the desert.”

Weed had been impressed with them using the Nodulle and Hilderun quest.

There was a thrilling experience as he beat random monsters.

It was an enjoyable experience but he couldn’t pause because the quest had a time limit.

“The memories are still here. There is a sculpture I can make.”

Weed stacked sand and started to carve the shape of a person.

“Everything. Even though the memories and time we shared have disappeared.”

Weed still had clear memories of his time as the Great Emperor.

He sculpted the people who served him in the desert.

Thousands of desert warriors had followed Weed.

Some were killed in battles and only a few remained until the end of the Pallos Empire. But I made sculptures as I remembered them.

“A lot of the useless ones died early. I should have handled them better…”

Weed relied on his memories and also used some shortcuts.

At that time, the hunting scenes and quests were relayed through the broadcast. He could make sculptures by referencing the videos.

Of course, it was difficult to express the personality and feelings of a person just by looking through the video. It was impossible without understanding the individual characteristics and personality of a person.

Weed realized this experience as he systematically made the sculptures.

“It is a little bit better.”

It was good to make sculptures out of sand since he could modify any mistakes.

“It looks like this the day before. Hrmm.”

Weed’s sculptures slowly filled up the empty spaces in the oasis.

At first, he just tried to create some of his subordinates.

“I don’t think it is perfect. The wind will blow the sand away so I need to make it quickly.”

He sculpted the weapons, clothes and unusual postures of the men.

“It is still insufficient.”

Most of his subordinates had ridden camels.

It was unfortunate but Weed had to start the sculptures from scratch again, this time adding the camels.

The appearance of the fierce desert warriors who rode camels while holding the scimitars!

The desert warriors faced the rough sands, winds and hot sun.

As their forms became more complicated, half of the elaborate works were destroyed.

“Let’s make it again. Until I really like it.”

He focused on expressing the hopes and dreams of the desert warriors of the Pallos Empire.

Time passed by slowly. However, he was so engrossed in the work that he had no concept of time.

One day, two days passed until time became meaningless. He would often destroy and start again in the middle.

Weed wouldn’t stop until it was perfect!

“I have to be more efficient.”

He made a machine to knead the water and soil separately.

The camel and innocent animals of the oasis would be mad to turn a large grindstone.

“If you don’t work then you will be my dinner today.”

Forced labor and exploitation! It was tough for the animals living at the oasis.

He was the Great Emperor that crushed the continent and now he was the tyrant of the oasis!

The clay formed by the animals were firmer and easier for Weed to handle.

“A lot of good people is needed to be successful. You really can’t live alone in this world.”

The sculptures took less time to make.

There was a limit to what he could do with the soil, but he used his fingers to make elaborate expressions.

In the end, there were thousands of desert warriors, the young men of the desert who died early.

The elite desert warriors made their appearance in the Desert of Tranquility.

One was the best sculpture.

The appearance of the unusually handsome Hestiger was made out of clay. Weed lowered the nose a little bit, but it wasn’t much different from the original.

“Now it is my turn.”

Weed started to shape himself in the clay.

He was sitting on the back of Bactrian Camel with his scimitar raised and roaring loudly!

He increased the leg length to improve the ratio of the body and sharpened basic features.

“This is really… It is my natural appearance. This is the best work that I can do. The materials could have been better but… The most valuable sculpture. Still, what if I had used high quality materials?”

He made desert warriors while fighting a sandstorm.

Because of that, there were no regrets.

Ddiring!

“This… The Great Emperor and Children of the Desert?”

“No. It is a little childish… It doesn’t need to be annoying. Just have it as Desert Brothers.”

They were subordinates but he had many fun memories with them.

Everyone dreamed of exhilaration while adventuring in Royal Road. Conquering the continent with the desert warriors was indeed a great adventure.

It was several hundred years ago so it was hard to find any traces of the Pallos Empire now.

“That’s right.”

Ddiring!

Weed had suffered a lot so he only expected a fine piece of masterpiece. Creating a magnum opus was more than he thought.

“Let me see. Sculpting skill confirmation!”

“It went up 0.3%.”

The compensation was small compared to his three months of suffering in the southern desert.

But he also obtained Hestiger’s legacy left behind in the Desert of Tranquility so it wasn’t a bad result.

“There is only a little bit more left and then I will no longer have to grind again.”

He somehow felt sad when he thought about no more sculpting labour.

Ddiring!

“Huh? What is this?”

Suddenly a message window popped up and a mystical female voice could be heard from the sky.

“Another quest?”

The secret sculpting technique.

It was the last stage in the Sculpting Master Quest. Although he completed the skill, he still needed to report it.

Obtaining the final secret sculpting technique and the war with the Haven Empire had delayed his report.

By the way, a message window stating that the Sculpting Master Quest was completed shone. In addition, the message led to the final stage!

“This is perhaps… The real process of becoming a master?”

A rotten smile was trying to spread on Weed’s face.

It would be stupid to deny the final stage of becoming a sculpting master.

He had gone through tremendous efforts until he received the invitation of the goddess.

Weed arrogantly raised his chin to a 45 degrees angle.

“Well, I am busy but I will accept the invitation.”

A spectacular staircase made of light descended from the sky towards the oasis.

“It means I need to ascend on foot.”

He noticed at least 100 steps.

Weed quickly climbed the stairs of light.

The stairs were alight with the flames that were Goddess Hestia’s symbol.

“It is pretty amazing.”

Weed climbed the stairs made of light and fire into the sky.

The stairs where he passed faded away.

Only the stairs in front of him remained.

‘If this scene is later shown on broadcast… Huhu, really awesome.’

After 30 minutes.

Weed had reached a fairly high place and looked down.

Due to the fact that there were no mountains and lakes, the desert stretched out endlessly below him except for the oasis.

‘My legs are a little sore. And why is it so scary? It is alarming when the wind blows.’

He enjoyed flying through the clouds at high altitudes on Wy-3.

At that time, he still felt confident because he could use his skills.

“I have to keep on going up. My body is still conditioned from the Desert of Tranquility.”

And two hours later.

The sea beyond the desert was now visible.

“Huhuhuk. Why is it so high? I can’t go back again!”

Weed clung to the stairs of light with his arms and legs as he crawled up.

* * *

“This isn’t it.”

“My sword is much better.”

Since Weed left, Fabio and Herman who were working on the helium occasionally fought.

“Look at mine. Can’t you feel the dignity of the sword?”

“What dignity? It is old-fashioned. This sharp sword gives off anticipation. And the metal processing is flawless.”

“A sword is different from armour. My will and direction is right.”

“If you are a real blacksmith then you should be able to deal with metals as needed. There are limits to your form.”

“What? What did you say?”

“It is only the beginning. I will teach you about blacksmithing.”

Fabio and Herman were both in their mid-40s so they were stubborn.

They tried to make the strongest sword with helium through cooperating, but it was impossible for them to coordinate.

One was the dwarf who reigned as the greatest blacksmith on the continent and the other was the best sword craftsman.

The characteristics of a blacksmith was pride and stubbornness.

Fabio was stern while Herman was kind to people. At this age, prestige was meaningless to them.

“This will be a competition.”

“Okay. That is what I wanted. The one who makes the best sword will be eligible to use this helium.”

“I will accept the competition.”

Fabio and Herman set the helium aside and proceeded on a competition to make a sword out of steel.

It took over a month and the stations became involved, but the result was ambiguous.

The performance of Fabio’s sword was slightly better but Herman’s was more perfect and beautiful.

They considered each other opponents and couldn’t be satisfied with this result.

“Once again.”

“This time I will show you what a real sword is.”

Fabio won with a slight difference in the rematch.

He made a historic sword.

It was a rare experience for a blacksmith.

The helium finally entered Fabio’s hands. But Herman smiled from behind him.

“The game isn’t over yet. I am the one who will make a really legendary sword.”

Herman also had some helium to make a sword.

In fact, this was one of Weed’s conditions.

“Melt the Goddess’ Knight Armour. Can you reuse it to make a better product?”

“Are you really giving it to me?”

“Yes. And I heard that the Great Emperor quest involves master blacksmiths.”

“Oh. Was there such information? I thought they were just killing randomly.”

“Conquer the Central Continent and kill any blacksmith master that they meet.”

“…”

“In order to increase your proficiency in the final stage, a special or legendary sword needs to be produced.”

“If the sword… So far I’ve only been able to make one.”

“Making the best sword is a basic condition to becoming a blacksmith master. Just like a sword master needs to succeed in a hunt or a great adventure. You have to be reputed throughout the continent to be recognized as a blacksmith master.”

“It isn’t a simple problem.”

Herman noticed that Fabio was at a standstill despite making so many good swords.

There were many good swords but he couldn’t make the best sword.

Fabio had collaborated with the Hermes Guild early on and worked with many rare materials, but he didn’t focus on the sword.

The Hermes Guild users that held his weapons focused on stable hunting rather than dangerous quests.

“Fabio will come here in order to process the helium. In order to stop him from becoming a master, have a competition with him and waste time.”

“Really?”

“Yes. No matter the results of the competition, just draw it out longer.”

Fabio came to the Arpen Kingdom to acquire helium and ended up wasting time in the competition.

* * *

Despite her berserker profession, Seo-yoon put down the sword.

‘I don’t want to fight unless I am guarding him.’

She found peace and stability of mind.

Other ranking users quickly surpassed her level.

But during Weed’s absence, Seo-yoon took charge of the Arpen Kingdom.

* * *

The Earth Palace.

The Grand Hall, a place where the king and high ranking nobles would gather together to discuss policies.

The main figures of the Arpen Kingdom were gathered together in one place.

There were as many as 300 people!

It started with Morata but the Arpen Kingdom became so wide that a large number of users lived in it.

Residents who were representatives of the cities and users with outstanding skills attended.

The lords of the northern colony who recently joined were also present.

Three months later, they had become permanent lords of the Arpen Kingdom.

“The Arpen Kingdom is the way to go. I would rather focus on internal stability than war with the Haven Empire.”

“Leave the Haven Empire alone? Do you think they will give up their dirty ambitions?”

“We needed to strengthen our army. The money of the Arpen Kingdom is just being poured into civil engineering works.

“But isn’t that ignoring Weed’s decisions? Consider the Grand Buildings, Puhol Water park, beautiful bridges and transportation network that connects the vast land. There is urban construction and economic development. The general users have welcomed Weed’s policies.”

“Good results aren’t the only things that matter. You have to look at the process. One person making arbitrary decisions…

“Weed-nim is king so he qualifies. In the first place, isn’t this Weed’s kingdom?”

“We aren’t slaves. We are lords so we can speak. That’s enough.”

“If the budgets of the civil engineering projects are reduced then the architects will ignore it. We should show more respect to the architects.”

There were a huge variety of representatives. Politicians couldn’t be excluded from this meeting.

King Weed monopolized kept positions and administrative decisions.

The senior lords were firmly against this.

While they were arguing loudly, Seo-yoon who was acting as the interim ruler emerged.

“…”

It was so silent that the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.

‘Beautiful.’

‘The Goddess. Not just the Grass Porridge Cult but Goddess of the whole world.’

‘Kuooh. Today I can properly see the Goddess.’

Seo-yoon laughed softly and said.

“Weed-nim has been away for a long time. So he requested that I attend in his place instead. There are unavoidable circumstances but I apologize before starting this meeting.”

The lord of Vent Castle.

Oberon the leader of the Cold Rose Guild shook his head.

“Things can occur at any time while living so there is no need to apologize. We can’t accept it. Please take a seat.”

“Oberon’s words are good. You don’t have to apologize at all.”

“That’s right!”

The users gathered in the Grand Hall felt sad about Seo-yoon’s apology.

‘It doesn’t matter if he comes later or doesn’t come at all. That is…’

‘It isn’t unpleasant that Weed-nim hasn’t come. Thank you so much.’

‘I hope he continues not to come… There is no need for him to.’

The people were endlessly generous.

Seo-yoon briefly said thanks and then started the agenda for the meeting.

“I heard there was an official demand for the Arpen Kingdom to reduce its civil works.”

“…”

Silence.

No one could say anything.

‘The civil engineering works. Who said such a thing? Ahh. I don’t remember anything. I’m just sucked in by her beauty.’

‘Goddess. Oh. Goddess…’

Seo-yoon searched the records.

“Monak-nim of Lund City has publicly criticized the civil engineering projects. Since you are here, can you tell me a more accurate opinion? If you have any complaints then please tell me.”

Monak was one of the top 1,000 powerhouses of Royal Road and was lord of the port city of Lund.

Everyone’s gaze moved towards Monak. Their faces all contained frowns.

“Eh… That…”

Monak stood up and said.

“The civil engineering works… The commitment of manpower in some areas is very inefficient… Ah, no. I guess I was wrong. I thought wrongly. The current policies of the Arpen Kingdom are perfect.”

Seo-yoon smiled softly.

She was glad that people praised Weed’s policies.

The lords were very satisfied after seeing her smile.

“Substitute Queen-nim. I have a proposal.”

Caldes who was famous for his reticence raised his hand.

“Tell us.”

“Yes. A large scale mine was found in the mountains near my city. Doesn’t the Arpen Kingdom have a shortage of minerals? If there is financial support then I can develop it quickly.”

“That is a good idea. Send me the correct data, I will review it and give you an answer by tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

Seo-yoon skillfully handled the administration tasks.

The lords didn’t make any unreasonable demands. The arguments that typically made meetings long disappeared.

There was a serious and enjoyable debate about the development of the Arpen Kingdom.

‘I have to remain as the lord of the Arpen Kingdom.’

‘If the Haven Empire tries to conquer the north then I will resist.’

‘Um… I need to maintain this position for my son. He has to inherit.’

Politics and sides didn’t matter around Seo-yoon.

* * *

Weed climbed the light stairs despite the pain.

Numerous stars were close to him.

Below the Versailles Continent looked like a beautiful blue planet.

Without Hestia’s blessings, he would have died from a loss of vitality.

As Weed ascended the stairs, he stared closely at the blue planet. The terrain and sea were dimly visible through the clouds so he was able to find signs of Morata and the Arpen Kingdom.

It was a very beautiful planet but Weed didn’t have the time to dwell on that. It was like walking down the street and finding money 400 metres away.

‘There is a new continent beyond the Plains of Despair. No one has been there yet… It is fairly wide. That is the entire form of the Desert of Tranquility. There is a dungeon area. And the 10 forbidden zones…’

He placed the overall picture of the planet in his head. He didn’t know when it would be useful.

Even if he forgot about maths or English, Weed remembered all the miscellaneous knowledge about Royal Road!

Finally, a large circular altar appeared at the end of the stairs of light. Goddess Hestia was waiting for Weed at the alter full of flames.

‘Is it dangerous?’

Weed walked towards the altar.

-You are a human who has reached the end of the arts. Welcome to the realm of the gods. This is the first time a human has come here.

Hestia’s affectionate voice.

Weed had gone through many experiences so he carefully kneeled down before the altar.

“I am a busy traveller and diligent sculptor. I think that the world and lives created by the gods are a beautiful sculpture. So I dedicate my glory to Goddess Hestia. Goddess. This is the realm of the gods?”

-It is a place where gods exist. To be precise, it is the place where the realm of the gods connects to the human world. Usually there are guards. After going past the altar, you will be in the realm of the gods.

Weed looked around.

There were lights floating in the shape of various creatures. If there were any intruders then they would materialize and attack.

‘They seem really strong.’

He had a gut feeling that he had to be at least as strong as Hestiger to break through.

‘If there are guards then it would be worth it. The gods would certainly have treasures. It would be nice if I could steal them all.’

Weed entered another piece of information into his head.

-You sculpt beauty into the world. Now I will give you a great mission.

“Tell me anything. I will follow Goddess Hestia’s words.”

The possibility of a forced quest was high so Weed decided to look at it positively.

-As a sculptor, you would have had many regrets in your life.

“Of course, it is natural… Ah, nothing.”

Weed involuntarily answered.

Fortunately, Hestia didn’t pay attention and kept on talking.

-A multitude of art works have been left in the world.

There is a wide variety of sizes and shapes.

It is recorded in history, moved people’s hearts and led to the development of civilization. But as a human, you can’t exceed the limits of the materials.

Weed listened to Hestia’s words.

The theme of the sculpture was important, but the characteristics of the materials also needed to be considered.

Fine materials would allow great and small details.

Weed envisioned the sculptures he created in his head.

-As a sculptor, you will open a new path in the road of art. So I, Hestia will give you a chance.

Weed swallowed his saliva.

‘The Goddess called me here to give me a chance. Something big is going to happen. A quest with a huge reward? I wish for a lot of money.’

-You will go beyond the limits of a human being.

“Beyond the limits?”

-Your sculpture will become a part of this world and everyone will be able to see it. By doing so, you will be able to challenge the most extreme form of art.

Ddiring!

The final stage of the Sculpting Master Quest!

Sculpting a star!

Weed licked his lips.

‘The last piece is really on an awesome scale.’

There was a pile of rotten wood left on the planet.

A star might look small compared to the sun or the moon, but the pride and glory of his star being among them would be enormous.

‘My name will be linked to a star. Of course, land speculation or viewing fees would be impossible. Well. That is too bad.’

Weed made a fist.

“If I do this then I will become a real master. I will finally become a sculpting master.”

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