Just as Carl was about to teach Hasumi how to use the Long Sword, a crimson spatial rift suddenly tore open in the training grounds of Kyo's Netherworld Village.
An exchange attendant NPC from the City of Glory stepped out of the rift.
This attendant handled various exchange functions in the City of Glory. Basically, any item players found in the Trial of Glory had to be brought to her to exchange for Contract Stones.
She was the kind of background NPC players saw all the ti, but never really rembered.
But the mont Carl saw Anan take a defensive stance, he imdiately realized that the person before them was only borrowing the appearance of that background NPC.
"It's quite lively here. I suppose I should adjust my tone. Hasumi, the Empire has decided to reward you for your recent performance. Please return at once for your debriefing."
From the attendant's tone, Carl instantly guessed that she was being controlled by the Imperial Consul, Madam Calamity.
She had probably appeared in this form to avoid suspicion and prevent too much out-of-ga information from being exposed, especially since uninford players were present.
"Reward… ?"
If this had happened before, Hasumi probably would have wagged her tail and rushed off to receive her dal the mont she heard that the Empire she served wanted to reward her.
Well, in truth, her tail was practically pointing at the sky right now.
"I didn't expect my recent efforts in Netherworld Village to reach the ears of the Empire's high command. However, at this stage, I still have important duties to carry out in the village. The reward ceremony doesn't need to be too grand. Sothing simple will be enough!"
Seeing Hasumi's smug look, Carl really wanted to jab her hard in the ribs.
The Saintess's attitude was much more direct. After all, she had already been used once by the Holy Nation and the Oath developers working together.
"What reward? You just want to squeeze every last bit of value out of this dumb dog, don't you?" the Saintess mocked the newcor coldly.
"Dumb dog… um, Lord L, even if you called a loyal hound, I would gladly accept that title, but 'dumb dog' is a little… hurtful," Hasumi said.
Hasumi did not know the Saintess's true identity. In her eyes, the Saintess was a champion player who had just won the Pokémon League, as well as one of the players she wanted to win over with her charm.
"Shut up! It's because you're always so gullible that you were tricked by Ca… by that woman! She threw everything completely off track."
As the Saintess said this, she secretly glanced at Carl.
Carl responded with a gentle, almost indulgent look, which made the Saintess's scolding falter.
Although Carl inviting Hasumi to Netherworld Village and causing her popularity to skyrocket was the source of the Saintess's massive sense of crisis, the Saintess also understood one thing very clearly now.
As a banner character whose popularity had the shelf life of a monthly idol, being abandoned by Oath was only a matter of ti.
That was why she spoke up to warn Hasumi directly.
"In any case, no matter what this person says, don't let her fool you. If you go back now, you'll only be thrown away all over again," the Saintess said firmly.
But Madam Calamity clearly did not agree with the Saintess. She smiled and replied.
"Not every Destined Character is like you, accepting support from the Headmaster's faction while secretly thinking about how to stab them in the back."
"Destined Character" was probably what the people of this world called banner characters, whose grand lives had been arranged from birth.
"Our Empire's Hasumi may have left the Headmaster's side midway through, but she has gained the support of many Saviors in Netherworld Village. The Empire considers this an extrely valuable contribution. That is why I have been entrusted with granting Hasumi the reward she deserves."
Madam Calamity's attitude toward Hasumi did not seem strange to Carl.
The reason Oath hated Hasumi so much was that they could not squeeze any money out of the players she had attracted to Netherworld Village.
But in the Empire's eyes, Hasumi, who had now gained the support of countless Saviors, was absolutely a valuable and popular banner character who deserved praise, rewards, and a major upgrade.
"This is your enhancent template. I obtained it from the Academy. I believe your current Data Volu should be more than enough to withstand this power upgrade."
Madam Calamity did not waste words. A pale golden card appeared in her hand, and she tossed it toward Hasumi.
The special powers obtained by banner characters could be strengthened further.
For instance, Elysium had given Carl a permanent illusion ability.
Most banner characters had not even displayed the full strength they were supposed to have according to their own settings.
The most typical example was the standard five-star Annihilation unit, Griff.
After absorbing so many Sacred Contract Stones, Hasumi was naturally capable of handling this upgrade.
At that mont, Hasumi glanced at Carl, and Carl naturally nodded.
There was no reason to refuse a free buff.
As long as it was not so "brilliant" rework that changed an attack-scaling character into an HP-scaling one, it would be fine.
Hasumi crushed the pale golden card, and the enhancent power granted by Elysium rged directly into her Character Core.
"I feel it. My radiance has indeed beco even more dazzling."
Hasumi drew her rapier. Under everyone's watchful eyes, she released her various skills and ultimate move one after another.
The final result made even Carl nod repeatedly. It was honestly quite decent.
Hasumi's upgrade was not purely nurical. It also added several chanics with future potential.
From a character that no serious player would ever touch, she had improved into a version 2.0 beginner support unit that gacha strears could just barely hype up.
"This is only the beginning. The City of Glory will soon face a true trial. Monsters from the Abyssal Frontier will gradually flood into the areas surrounding the city."
What Madam Calamity was describing should be the main content of Oath's version 2.0.
Elysium had brought in so many players for two reasons. One was to extract Emotional Antidotes from them. The other was to fight against the Calamity Plague.
Every previous version of Oath had only been a minor skirmish. In Anan's words, it was all staged, like children playing pretend in kindergarten.
In version 2.0, Elysium had finally decided to let players face the most dangerous entities in this world, truly uncontrolled plague monsters.
"The Dawn Knights you belong to will also be deployed to the front lines. When that happens, nominating you as Knight Commander and releasing a brand-new form for you will not be a problem."
Madam Calamity was painting a wonderful future for Hasumi.
But from that promise alone, Carl realized that in version 2.0, the Abyssal Knights really were likely to beco stepping stones.
Based on the current plan, Anan and the Abyssal Knights' storyline would probably conclude sowhere between version 2.0 and version 2.4.
So what about version 2.5? By then, it would most likely be the Empire's turn.
And Madam Calamity's attitude toward Hasumi was actually how a normal person should treat a popular character.
Hasumi was now Netherworld Village's signature heroine.
Her popularity was on par with the current Saintess, so it was only natural for the Empire to step in and support such a rare talent.
Unfortunately, even when faced with all the benefits promised by the Empire, Hasumi still looked to Carl for guidance.
"Decide for yourself."
Carl had not signed any formal contract with Hasumi.
And he understood that the current Hasumi was already capable of making the right decision based on her own judgnt.
So Hasumi's gaze swept over Kyo, Mio, the Saintess, and basically everyone present whom she considered a player.
Then she gave a solemn reply to Madam Calamity, who might very well be one of her superiors in the Empire.
"Everyone in Netherworld Village is working hard to fight the plague. For that reason, I have decided to stay by their side and continue fighting alongside them. At the sa ti…"
"I thank the Empire for these honors and for granting a stronger power."
"But when I displayed this power, this radiance, I did not see even a flicker of excitent in the eyes of the Saviors traveling with . Therefore…"
Hasumi took out the source of her character's power from her chest, the Character Core of the Dawn Radiance.
"I still choose to follow Lord Carl and continue my training. No matter how powerful I beco, if the Saviors are not interested in that power, then it has no aning!"
At that mont, Hasumi truly understood.
So what if her character strength was high?
Sooner or later, she would be replaced by the next banner character with even higher numbers.
If that was the case, then it would be better to make her combat chanics more interesting and cooler. Interesting enough that players would never get tired of using her.
"What are you saying? Power is everything. As long as you have enough power, the Saviors will choose you!"
Madam Calamity's tone carried a deep and serious confusion as she stared straight at Hasumi.
"While you are playing around here, do you have any idea how many Imperial soldiers are dying at the border, Hasumi?"
"Follow your orders. Accept your new power and return to your unit."
"Otherwise, when the Plague Torrent arrives, the City of Glory behind your Saviors and this village will all be destroyed."
Version 2.0 would likely feature gaplay similar to a monster siege. Under normal circumstances, the Oath developers certainly would not allow the City of Glory to be overrun.
But as for the parts of the City of Glory that had already fallen, been completely taken over by Carl, and turned into Pokémon Sanctuaries, the Oath developers were probably eager to see them reduced to ruins.
That was also why Madam Calamity scolded Hasumi for being too relaxed.
Those plague monsters would not fight fair. If you could not stop them, then you could not stop them. If you could not win, then you could not win.
If you lost, you simply beca food for the other side.
"Don't worry. When the Plague Torrent arrives, we'll use our own thods to defend the City of Glory and purify that wave of plague directly."
As he said this, Carl revealed the kind of calculating smile that made the Saintess shudder.
"You're more than welco to stay here and see for yourself how Hasumi masters a brand-new combat style capable of purifying the plague."
In any case, Carl had already registered gaplay protection for the later series of combat systems.
Whether it was the Empire or the Holy Nation, anyone who took a liking to this combat style would have to co and negotiate with Carl.
When the Empire and the Holy Nation had fought the Calamity Plague in the past, they had only treated the symptoms, never the cause. All they could do was beat those monsters into dormancy and seal them away.
But it would not be long before those monsters appeared on the battlefield again.
That was also why the two major powers, the Empire and the Holy Nation, were being forced back step by step by the plague.
"As you wish. Although I think this purification thod of yours sounds completely absurd, perhaps it can still satisfy my curiosity."
Madam Calamity did not intend to leave.
She was very curious to see what a sheltered young noble like Carl, soone who could barely hold a sword properly, could possibly teach Hasumi, a knight who was already quite experienced in battle.
Especially when Hasumi was willing to risk betraying the entire Empire just to hand her Character Core over to Carl for editing.
(To be continued.)
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)
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