HC: Pacifist | Ch. 320 - Unsung Hero (Patreon)

Roth waited expectantly as the retinue of golden moles approached him. The other moles around him quieted down. One could hear a pin drop on the rocky ground, even without the enhanced hearing granted by [Mole Form]. The champion of the previous edition of the burrowthon addressed all others in the vast cavern with a voice filled with gravity and ceremony: 

“My fellow diggers. My fellow athletes. Rejoice! Today is a day of days! In all the eras of the Molympic Games, never has everyone won all four events. However, finally, someone has distinguished themselves enough and proven to be more of a mole than anyone here. I present to you the first true champion of the Molympic Games!" 

The moles squeaked with excitement, echoing the golden mole's announcement. The mole elites squeaked in unison in a piercing tone, prompting all the other moles to silence. Once the cavern was silent again, the former burrowthon champion resumed the announcement.

"This fine hero has proven himself worthy of the greatest of honors. It is only proper that we entrust him with the treasures of our race. They have been kept safe in the Molympic Bongos for eons. Now we give it to the champion!”

The golden mole stretched out its sharp, powerful claws and swiftly slashed through the skin of the bongos. Gasps and murmurs spread through the crowd as the ancient drumheads split open, revealing their hidden treasures. From the smaller bongo, the mole retrieved a crown. From the other, a neatly folded cloth. He passed it on to two colleagues, who stepped forward, presenting the items to Roth.

The moment he accepted them, he received a notification.

Congratulations! You have achieved a feat worthy of the Hall of Fame. Would you like to have your achievement inscribed for posterity? [Y/N]

Roth’s eyes widened as he read the message. The Hall of Fame? He had expected to earn a valuable prize by winning all four sports of the Molympic Games, but he had never imagined that it would be worth the Hall of Fame.

The message hovered before him, inviting him to decide, but seeing no timer, he turned his attention to the items in his hands. The crown was surprisingly hefty. It was made from pure gold, and its intricate etchings covered its surface. Embedded in it was a massive diamond, flawless and clear. When Roth turned the crown slightly, the diamond caught the light, casting shimmering reflections across the chamber. 

Crown of the Molian King (Legendary)

Description: A crown of dwarven craftsmanship crafted from the finest gemstones and gold ever dug up by the Molian race. It gives whoever possesses it the right to rule. 

Item effect: 

Allow the user to rule the Molian race. Put it on to access the management menu;

+20 to all stats;

+100 earth affinity;

Rulers respect you more;

Doesn’t have to be equipped to grant its bonuses to the user;

Cannot be dropped or destroyed.

You’ve inspected an incredible treasure!

+10 insight

Roth’s breath caught in his throat. This crown was more than just an item; it symbolized absolute authority over the Molian race. And the bonuses… +20 to all stats and earth affinity? He quickly checked the first bonus related to earth affinity.

Solid Ground (Stat Bonus)

Description: You can feel how the earth beneath your feet is alive and can feel its power.

Effects:

+500 hp;

+30% digging speed;

+10% damage resistance.

This would make any warrior drool, though it was of limited use to Roth. But the crown’s real value was its authority—he was now the ruler of the Molians! 

Roth was speechless. He had become a close friend to many races, but it was his first time becoming the ruler of one. What did that entail? The thought of rewards disappeared as he realized the responsibilities. He had a whole race depending on him for guidance and protection. He couldn’t even turn down this honor. The crown could not be dropped.

Looking back, the rewards from the Molympic Games foreshadowed this outcome. The burrowthon winner gained control over construction, whack-a-mole granted authority over the army, undercover mole provided influence over trade, and the cockroach races bestowed the power to govern laws. Together, these prizes represented the key branches of government. Now, as king, he had permanent access to all of them.

Roth checked the other item. He unfurled the cloth: it was a flag. The fabric was unlike anything he had ever seen. He was immediately struck by its texture and the way it moved. 

It had almost a living quality to it. The centerpiece of the flag was a powerful image of a mole. One of the former champions approached with a simple flagpole made of sturdy iron and asked Roth for permission to borrow the cloth from him. Roth accepted, and after a few moments, the golden mole returned the flag mounted on a pole to him.

Flag of the Molians (Rare)

Description: This flag is crafted from durable root-fiber silk harvested from the deepest parts of the earth. It symbolizes the unyielding spirit of the Molians. 

Item Effects (Guild): If hoisted by a guild, it grants [Burrow] and [Sonar].

Item Effects (One-Hand Equipment):

• Can deal no damage;

• +30 resilience;

• +20 endurance;

• +15 dexterity;

• +10 wisdom;

• +150 hp;

• Grants the user [Turbo Tunneling] and [Digging Dexterity].

Restrictions: Level 30.

It was a respectable rare flag, even though it couldn’t compare to his current epic ones: [Flag of the Green Woods] and [Flag of the Eight Spires]. Roth looked up and found that all the moles were waiting expectantly for him to say something or to decide what he would do about the Hall of Fame.

The last time he was offered the opportunity to add his name to the Hall of Fame, he’d agreed just to spite Loki. However, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to do that this time. According to Jack, Loki was recently seen in Sapphira. What if he knew where the moles lived? Did he want to draw that kind of attention?

After some thought, Roth decided to hide his name this time.

World Announcement: Congratulations to an unknown hero for becoming the King of Molians!

You’ve unlocked a new title: [Unsung Hero].

The Unsung Hero (Epic)

Title description: You have chosen to walk in the shadows, your heroic deeds known only to a few. While the world may never sing your praises, your actions speak louder than words, and your presence remains a secret force for good.

Title effects:

Grants the ability [Camouflage], allowing you to blend seamlessly with your surroundings, becoming nearly invisible;

Doubles the effectiveness of stealth-related skills;

Halves the effectiveness of enemy stealth-related skills.

Requirements to unlock [The Unsung Hero]:

Decide not to have your name inscribed in the Hall of Fame. {Complete}

“I-I can’t believe this,” Roth let out.

Roth received an epic title called [Hero of Ages] when he accepted the honor of having his name written in the Hall of Fame. However, he had never imagined that there was a parallel title reserved for those who chose anonymity. It granted [Camouflage], regardless of class. Roth could already learn [Camouflage] due to his hidden class, though. It still granted him one new skill slot, though. He wouldn’t need the skill slot that had been occupied with [Camouflage], leaving it free to learn a new skill.

This title also weakened enemies’ camouflage. Reducing enemy rogues' camouflage by half was a good bonus. However, the notifications kept coming.

[Unsung Hero] and [Hero of Ages] have combined into a new title: [Unsung Hero of Ages].

The Unsung Hero of Ages (Legendary)

Title description: You are both a beacon of hope and a silent protector. Whether known or unknown, your actions have shaped the course of history. You embody the balance between fame and anonymity, wielding the powers of light and shadow to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Title effects:

Grants the ability [Ethereal Camouflage];

It triples the effectiveness of stealth-related skills;

Reduces the effectiveness of enemy stealth-related skills by 75%.

Lowers the number of reputation points required to unlock [Adored] to 1500 [Forever Beloved] to 7000;

Provides a permanent 10% boost to all reputation gains.

Requirements to unlock [The Unsung Hero of Ages]:

Achieve the titles of the [Hero of Ages] and [The Unsung Hero]. {complete}

Ethereal Camouflage (Common)

Skill description: You’ve transcended the physical limitations of mere concealment, allowing your body to phase through dimensions. 

Skill effects:

Active. Become invisible and intangible;

Skill's effects are broken if you attack others;

Scales with subterfuge;

Restrictions: Rogues, lvl 40.

Both epic titles blended into a legendary one. It granted him an improved version of [Camouflage], which made him invisible and intangible! Did that mean that he could phase through walls now? Would attacks just phase through him? Additionally, the powerful effects of [Hero of Ages] were further improved, and the number of reputation points required to reach maximum relationship with a faction was reduced again. He was on a roll!

As he had suspected, the crowd of moles had only remained silent while he was busy deciding what to do about the Hall of Fame. Once he chose anonymity, the moles let out an excited round of cheers.

“All hail the King of the Molympic Games and the King of Molians! All hail the king!”

Squeak!

Squeak!

Squeak!

You’ve achieved maximum reputation with all Molians.

Roth was contaminated by the festive mood and raised the crown and the flag of the Molians heroically for all the moles to see, making the crowd go wild. As he turned around, letting all the moles catch sight of their new king, he caught movement from the corner of his eyes. The hair on the back of his head pricked up, and he felt goosebumps on his arm.

He didn’t know how long Zin had been standing next to him, but perhaps because of his new title, he could finally spot his camouflaged shape. He felt his heart race, and his mouth went dry. Roth pretended he hadn’t seen the assassin, but he was too late. Zin hadn’t missed the moment when Roth spotted him.

Terrified Prey!

Zin whispered, and the eye froze. He had used some sort of skill and broken his camouflage. Roth immediately used one of his life-saving skills.

Peace Decree!

[Peace Decree] has been silenced by [Terrified Prey].

You’re silenced by 10 seconds.

“What?”

What kind of skill was this? Roth panicked.

Ethereal Camouflage!

[Ethereal Camouflage] has been silenced by [Terrified Prey].

As Roth turned to run, Zin’s pommel hit his head.

Pommel Strike!

“Ouch!” Roth shrieked. He had clearly felt the blow to the head. It felt so real.

You’re stunned for three seconds.

Roth couldn’t run now. Zin started slicing and dicing him with his blades impossibly fast. It had been weeks since he’d endured this level of pain. 

Triple Strike!

-331

-512

-231

Bleeding Blow!

-213

-10

-10

-10

It hurt. It hurt badly. The pain was such that he could hardly think or hear Zin’s taunts. With each of Zin’s attacks, there was a chilly, unpleasant feeling, as if someone was drilling a hole into his teeth. Around him, there was also a mighty wind, dealing little cuts all over his skin. 

You’ve been hit by Zin’s wind blades.

-10

-10

-10

-10

-10

What was this? Some sort of wind affinity bonus?

“You’ve got such high endurance and resilience. I can’t believe that someone with your stats refuses to fight. What a waste,” Zin lamented leisurely as he worked down Roth’s hp.

Roth glanced over at his new subjects, looking for a helping hand, someone who would save him from all this pain. The surrounding moles were outraged at the sight of their king being attacked, but as they tried to approach, they were sent flying by the wind waves caused by Zin’s attacks. They were just level 30 and below. What could they do against such a powerful assassin?

“Good job with those reflexes. You deserved your moment in the sun back in New Earth. This is payback for stealing from me. It will teach you to never again stand in my path.”

Thief’s Covetousness!

A golden beam shot out of Zin’s eyes and locked in on the crown Roth had been holding. Was he trying to steal his crown? Roth clenched his teeth. He couldn’t do anything about it, though. A bubble formed around the crown momentarily, lifting off Roth’s hand.

However, the diamond in the crown vibrated, and the bubble popped. Zin clicked his tongue. “Lucky you. Bye, Roth.”

A last series of attacks slashed Roth’s hp, and he died.

You have died.

[Nine Lives] has been activated. Lin dies.

Ch. 319 - Off to the Races

INDEX

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Author's note: I realize there's a part where I say that Jack told Roth Zin was in town. This is because I will write a chapter soon that will take place somewhere during the games and explain the situation in Sapphira.

Thank you for being so supportive!