The World of Masks

A group steps into the barren wasteland. A wilderness scorched by the warm sun chokes the group's breath. Merchants have been carefully pushing away parts of the luggage that are occupying the cart for a long time. Even the trained mercenaries drenched their chapped lips slightly.

It's been 15 hours since we entered the Wasteland outside the realm of the Holy Neutral City. With the exception of a break in the middle, the group's body continues to hang down like a watered cotton ball. I really wanted to throw my fist at the sun and make a swearing speech.

The surrounding mountains were also unable to grow a single tree, leaving the yellow lining as it was. All I see around me are tall shrubs and twisted branches that don't know what's flying around in the wind. Everything else was just dirt and stone.

'I don't like this.'

When I first accessed the game, I was amazed at the beautiful nature and the magnificent castle that I had never seen in real life. The landscape in the game, which seemed to have moved one scene of the movie evenly, was now turning into a rough and barren landscape, forcing him to do all kinds of hardships.

Jack, who couldn't even steal the sweat from his forehead due to the presence of a mask, was grumbling.

'When I gagged him, he turned into a hologram.'

Perhaps this shattered mask did not apply physical force only to hostile behavior. I couldn't steal the sweat that poured like rain into the mask, and I had to keep walking, so I literally felt like I was going to die. I took out the water bottle placed in the bracelet and lifted the mask slightly to expose my mouth and then lightly slashed my neck. The water that shifts to the stomach as the collar moves, revitalizes the body. The cool feeling in the center of my body was not so good.

Peek-a-boo.

A Class C mercenary who was leading the group in the lead signals that the group has stopped moving like a lie. As the leader who walked to the top of the cart sat on the front and started talking to the representative, the mercenaries who had been walking so hard began to sit down, one by one, on the ground. Jack also sat comfortably on the ground with the other mercenaries. Walking through a dry windy wasteland all day was hard, even with a jack that raised its stats very high. It reminded me of the fragrance of military life.

It reminds me of the night march with a full captain. '

Jack shakes his head to get rid of the memories he doesn't want to think about again. When I think about it, I don't understand how I survived that period. If you hear the sound of going to the army again, you take your tongue seriously.

'The problem is that what we're doing now is completely out of military service.'

No, I thought it might be worse than an army because I was on the move with a bunch of grubby mercenaries pretending to kill people. But Jack's situation was better than the rest of the mercenaries. Unlike mercenaries with water bags, sleeping bags, emergency food, and extra weapons, Jack had an inventory bracelet. This alone was several times more profitable than the other mercenaries.

The mercenaries who were chewing beef jerky all day just sat there and heard the sound of greeting.

"I'm staying here tonight!"

At last, the morale of mercenaries and merchants rises sharply from fallen camp orders. It was because both groups of humans were now at their limits. The mercenaries begin to lay down in full force as camp orders are issued. It was on a dusty wasteland, but it was not a disability for those who were exhausted to the bone marrow. But unlike those who lay idly on the ground, Jack had to get up. From now on, I had to start a real job as a Class F mercenary. In other places, there were a few people who were raising the island. They were Class F mercenaries like Jack or slaves brought in by merchants to work on their affairs. Most mercenaries focused on what they needed to do, and servants and slaves fed or prepared food for the animals pulling the cart. Jack performed tasks that required only strength, mostly without the skill of carrying groceries or firewood. It took some skill and skill to light a fire with flint, cook in the middle of the wilderness, or temporarily pitch a tent with some support and cloth. And none of the group intended to have Jack do any of those things, which is obviously a novice traveler. So, Jack's work was naturally dominated by physical labor. And Jack was also more comfortable there. The steadily placed strstat was showing its value at this time. Despite the obvious hardness of the body, I saw Jack pretending to carry a heavy load, and I looked at others with surprised eyes.

I made a big circle out of the cart and created obstacles for the raid, just in case. Then, one or both large tents started to build inside. As time went on, the Moon of Light and Shining Stars held out their heads as the sun disappeared to the other side of the sky. By the time the blazing campfire matched the tapestry beats and began to boil the food in the cauldron, the world had become completely darkened and silent.

Jack takes a look around, taking in his own bowls and utensils. All but a few vigilant mercenaries were busy shoving food in their stomachs. Hard bread that seemed to be a substitute for a hammer and stubble floating stew, but the fasting gained from all the hard work of the day was able to shut out all those negative things. Jack's collar echoes "gulp" at the pungent smell coming from the food he is holding. As he searched around, Jack soon moved on. The goal was to sit around one corner and eat.

"Hello? May I join you?"

The servants, who were eating food for no reason, looked embarrassed. He could not have imagined that the traveler would talk to them. When the servants were speechless, Jack laid an iron plate on his face and glued his butt to the ground. Then I put my mask up a little and began to eat carefully. Suddenly, Jack makes the air around him awkward. The servants snarl at Jack without saying anything, and pick up and swallow only the food. Jack, who was eating hard despite the awkward atmosphere, looked at his servants as his empty stomach went somewhat.

"Excuse me, I have a question."

I wonder what Jack felt when he said that. I asked him about the border between the golden meadow and the wasteland. One of the servants, who was gazing at each other, opened his stuttering mouth.

"Well, that's because the realm of the Holy Neutral City is over."

Jack looks at the man who opens his mouth. He looked like he couldn't eat properly. He was an impressive man.

"Excuse me, what's your name?"

"My name is Nidanese."

"Yes, I'm Jack. I'm sorry, can you tell me more about that?"

Nydan nods and starts explaining to Jack.

"This world was completely destroyed 50 years ago by the Demon King. Cities and villages, mostly farms and forests, burned down, rebuilt and rebuilt for 50 years, but still rarely equipped. because until 50 years ago, this wasteland was one of the most fertile grain fields in the Kingdom of Laden."

Jack looks around, his eyes wide open. The darkness had already covered the landscape, but I had no idea that this barren wasteland would have been fertile before.

"But even that dreadful Demon King couldn't mess with the Holy Neutral City. Of course, there are some cities that have fallen apart, but that's okay compared to the damage they've done elsewhere."

I've already heard this from Jorba. Jack nods and urges you to keep talking.

"The Holy Neutral City is basically protected by the power of the gods it serves. The prairie boundary Jack mentioned means that it is the realm of the sacred neutral city. Within the influence of the Holy Neutral City is a sign of the Demon King's destruction, which boasts abundance of divine power, but has not yet been restored beyond its borders."

Indeed, it seemed that the grasslands full of life were maintained by the power of the god.

"But I guess the Demon King was really scary."

Surprisingly, the keyword "Demon King" seemed like a huge keyword that penetrated this game. In Jack's question, Naidan shudders as he swallows his saliva.

"As you may not know, for people around the world, the Demon Lord is fear. Older people who live a long time will be stunned when they hear the word 'Demon King'. At that time, there was no such thing as hell. A horde of monsters filled the horizon has been destroyed, pillaged, raped, and arson."

You feel thirsty, and Naidan quickly takes the barrel next to him.

"If you follow the current destination, you will be ruined. It used to be called Kinichak, which was destroyed 50 years ago and still unrecoverable. Well, no one wants to settle back in a place so thoroughly destroyed."

Then Naidan stared at Jack.

"Maybe I'll stay there tomorrow. If you go there, there will be traces of the Demon King's army."