Chapter 4: Defying the Script

Seyul stood arrogantly, without a single scratch.

It wasn’t just how it looked his stamina bar hadn’t even budged.

Even though more than ten orcs had attacked him all at once, not a single strike had landed.

The orcs, on the other hand, were in a miserable state.

Most of them lay collapsed in pools of their own blood.

Only one remained alive.

“Heh… what a pathetic sight.”

The old orc, who had been temporarily acting as the leader, chuckled bitterly at himself.

He was the last survivor, but his body was in shambles.

Seyul was the only one still standing.

Though the old orc was alive, his legs had been slashed to the point that he could no longer move.

“I misjudged the situation.”

Blood flowed endlessly from his mutilated legs.

Sensing his impending death, the old orc spoke in a resigned tone.

“I should have realized something was off the moment the gods sought you out.”

” Whether you accepted their power or not, we should have run.”

But they hadn’t.

They had assumed there was no way they could lose to a single human without any special power.

“A mere human… The gods wouldn’t have come looking for you unless you were hiding something.”

” And yet, why did someone like you allow yourself to be captured as a s*ave?”

“…Is that all you have to say?”

Seyul gazed down at the old orc indifferently.

“Speak your last words.”

Was it because the orc had questioned why he rejected the gods’ power?

Seyul had chosen to keep him alive until the end, granting him a chance for final words.

“How merciful of you. Then I shall accept that kindness and speak… Human, I acknowledge your skill with the spear. ”

“However, this is a monster’s domain. Human techniques alone won’t get you out of here. Sooner or later, you’ll regret refusing the gods’ power.”

“You still don’t understand.”

Seyul’s voice was calm.

“That doesn’t matter to me. It’s not that I refused them because I thought I’d never regret it. I just wanted to own my choices regrets and all.”

His tone was filled with something deeper resignation, acceptance.

The old orc, who had spoken mockingly before, found himself at a loss for words.

‘…If that’s the case, then this old fool’s meddling was pointless.’

“Is there anything else you wish to say?”

“No.”

The old orc’s answer was firm.

His life had been steeped in blood and violence.

He had always assumed he would meet his end at someone else’s hands.

So, he accepted it without resentment.

“…At least, if you’re the last thing I see, it’s not the worst way to go.”

The battle had been drenched in blood.

Yet Seyul remained untouched.

His dazzling silver hair and pale skin remained untainted, as if no filth could stain him.

Even as he raised his spear to strike the final blow, he looked like a goddess of war.

Burning the sight into his retinas, the old orc passed away.

And with that, the last orc vanished.

[What the heck?]

[Why did he die so dramatically?]

The chat was filled with a different kind of chaos this time.

[“If you’re the last thing I see, it’s not the worst way to go.”]

[What kind of line is that?]

[Why is an orc acting cool all of a sudden?]

[Aren’t lines like that supposed to be for named bosses?]

[Why is a tutorial mob giving a death speech like that?]

[Did he realize how pretty Seyul is?]

This was just some nameless enemy that appeared on the extreme difficulty setting.

And yet, he had left behind what could only be called a “final words” moment.

Could things like this even happen?

‘…That was satisfying.’

Meanwhile, Seyul felt a sense of liberation.

Not just because he was free from slavery.

This fight had solidified his path forward.

“Let’s go.”

With those quiet words, Seyul took a step forward.

A small step, but a decisive one toward the future.

“H-Hey!”

“You can’t go that way!”

The other slaves, who had survived thanks to Seyul, tried to stop him.

But he didn’t listen.

No matter what they said, he was determined to move forward.

Even though this was just a game, today’s events had given him a major realization.

The realization that he could step off the tracks laid out for him and make his own choices.

That was why Seyul didn’t look back.

At first, he had planned to follow the story, but now, it didn’t matter.

Regardless of the outcome, he simply wanted to go in this direction.

Both in the game and in real life, he vowed to follow his will from now on.

[Where are you going?!]

[Are you insane?!]

[That’s not the right way!]

[You’re going the wrong direction!]

[Over there! Go that way!]

[You idiot!]

[Turn back right now!]

[Follow the Divine Sword route, damn it!]

Of course, the path he was taking was not the intended one.

Frustrated viewers spammed the chat, cursing and desperately trying to push him back onto the correct route.

But it was useless.

He ignored the chat.

He gave no reactions.

He disregarded the game’s progression entirely.

Seyul’s stream was all about doing exactly what he wasn’t supposed to do.

Under normal circumstances, viewers would have started leaving by now.

And yet, for some reason, more and more people were tuning in.

[What’s going on?]

[Why is everyone freaking out?]

[Damn, the chat is a total mess.]

The first reason was the sheer chaos in the chat.

Newcomers, curious about the commotion, stuck around to figure out what was happening.

[Wait, is that his real face?]

[Yeah, because of the regulations, all streamers have to show their real faces now.]

[Even with customization, you can’t get a face like that. And that’s unedited?]

[He’s gorgeous.]

[Holy shit, he’s insanely pretty.]

[His skin is so pale…]

[He’s ridiculously cute.]

The second reason was Seyul’s appearance.

Even in this world, where beautiful men and women were abundant, he was stunning.

His looks alone mesmerized those who stumbled onto the stream.

And finally, the third reason

[You’re way too pretty, so I’m sending a big donation!]

<Huueung has donated 10,000 KRW>

[You simp.]

[Why the hell are you donating?!]

Viewers who were die-hard gamers started attacking those donating out of admiration for his looks.

[This is pissing me off!]

[Stop donating, damn it!]

<Huueung has donated 20,000 KRW>

[Lol! What are you gonna do about it?]

[For real, why do you care if someone donates?]

[If you’re gonna complain about donations, why are you even watching?]

[Because I wanna see this dumbass crash and burn.]

[I’m here to watch him self-destruct like a dog, that’s why!]

Furious gamers, enraged by Seyul’s chaotic gameplay, were now fully invested waiting for his inevitable downfall.

Rather than leaving the stream, the viewers stayed, eager to watch Seyul crash and burn from his reckless gameplay.

As a result, instead of losing viewers, his stream kept gaining more.

The influx of new viewers was also because this was a fresh playthrough of a major game that had been dormant for a while.

And a big part of it was thanks to Semi’s joke of using Seyul’s face as the thumbnail.

As a result, the viewer count had already broken into three digits, reaching around 120.

‘The wind feels nice.’

Seyul had no idea that over a hundred people were watching him right now.

He strolled leisurely, enjoying the scenery.

The environment in this world was beautiful.

Unlike Korea, where nature wasn’t as accessible, this world provided an endless supply of breathtaking landscapes.

Even the feeling of dirt beneath his bare feet was strangely endearing.

But then—

<Human, you must not go that way.>

A familiar voice suddenly rang out, stopping him in his tracks.

The owner of the voice was enveloped in a blue glow.

[Oh, it’s the Water God.]

[Yeah, this is about the time he shows up.]

It was one of the Five Gods the Water God.

The moment Seyul saw him, his pleasant mood evaporated, and he frowned.

“I told you to disappear. Why are you here?”

He had left before so why had he come back?

But in truth, this was the point in the game where he was meant to reappear.

<I do not approve of you, but I cannot stand by and let you die. I have come to warn you. Someone is coming for you. The leader of the orcs you killed.>

The Orc Chief.

He was an early-game boss monster.

At first, he wasn’t there, as he had temporarily left his post.

But once the player killed the orcs and escaped, he would immediately come for revenge.

And at this point, the Water God would appear to deliver a warning.

Fight or flee?

Normally, the player was given two choices.

But

<You must not fight. Run away!>

Seyul was given only one.

The power gap was simply too vast.

[Wow, even the Water God is telling him to run.]

[Truly a god-tier judgment.]

[If you fight early on, you have about a 50/50 chance…]

[But this guy? He has zero chance.]

[He didn’t get the blessing, so his stats are way too low.]

[There’s no way he can win.]

[RUN!!!]

Even the experienced players in chat agreed with the Water God.

“The Orc Chief is coming for me?”

Caught off guard by the warning, Seyul didn’t immediately dismiss him.

“I didn’t even see him before.”

<He was away at the time.>

“So now he’s coming, and you’re telling me to run?”

<That is correct. You finally understand.>

The Water God sighed and pointed in a specific direction.

It was the path the player was originally supposed to take.

<Go that way. It is the safe route. Someone there will help you. You must learn how to fight.>

An early-game mentor

A powerful NPC who would become the player’s teacher.

Surely, he wouldn’t refuse this, right?

This was just a guide. Who in their right mind would reject a simple navigation tip?

<Please, I am telling you this for your own good. Just listen.>

The Water God was practically begging him to follow the correct path.

But

“Nope.”

Seyul didn’t listen.

Without a shred of hesitation, he flatly refused.

And then, as if to make his stance clear, he suddenly lay down on the ground.

“I don’t want to go that way, and I’m not running either.”

Seyul declared boldly while sprawled out on the dirt.

[What the actual]

One of the new viewers finally understood why the chat was in complete chaos.