[CHAPTER 2: Protect the Commercial City of Talassa.]  
[Time Remaining Until Invasion: 71 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds]

Only a few days remained until the invasion.

What should I do in the meantime?

“Yongyong, is there anything you want to do?”

“Kyuuu!”

My Yongyong said he was happy just being with me and had no other wishes.

Is he trying to be too cute? 

I handed him a mana stone, patting his head, and for a split second, I could’ve sworn I saw a mischievous, “just as planned” expression on his face. Was it just my imagination?

Taking Yongyong with me, I headed out of town and toward a nearby hunting ground.

“Kyuuu.”

“Hm? You’re telling me to be careful?”

Following Yongyong’s gaze, I noticed two young girls stepping out from the trees, and as soon as they made eye contact with me, they knelt on one knee.

“We greet our benefactor.”

“We greet our benefactor.”

The young girls knelt, calling me their benefactor.

“W-Wait a minute!? Who are you?”

Looking flustered, I watched as the two stood up and introduced themselves as Rin and Rang.

Just then, a strong gust of wind blew, making me close my eyes for a second. When I opened them, the two young girls had transformed into two adult women with fox ears on their heads and nine tails behind them. Some kind of cosplay…?

“I am the fox you saved in the village.”

“And I am the fox you saved in the forest.”

The fox from the village and the one from the forest…

It clicked.

The fox I had met near the Iron Village and the one I’d saved in the city.

“Oh! I remember now! Those foxes from before!?”

“That’s right, benefactor.”

“Tsk, took you long enough to remember!”

One of the women punched the other on the head, who then sat down with a yelp.

“Mind your manners in front of our benefactor.”

“S-Sister!? Remember, no violence in front of the benefactor!”

As I watched their antics, a question arose.

“What brings you here?”

The fox who appeared to be the older sister let go of her sister’s collar and looked at me.

“We came to thank our benefactor in person. And we have a favor to ask.”

“Please help our tribe! I mean, please help us!”

As they told me their story, I listened thoughtfully.

This was the first time I could truly raise a red flag—no, spark a revolution—or at least help some struggling monsters.

The answer was clear.

“I’ll help you, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you, benefactor!”

“Thank you! I mean, thank you very much!”

They bowed deeply, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I told them if they bowed again, I might reconsider helping, so they quickly raised their heads and agreed.

But their fox village was quite far from here—could we make it in time?

“With the invasion just a few days away, let’s go now.”

“Trust us,” said one of them, and suddenly a giant fox appeared before me.

It was even larger than a bear taxi, and before I knew it, I was lifted into the air and placed on the fox’s back.

“Is this your first time flying, benefactor?”

“Flying!? Y-Yes, it’s my first…”

“Please rest assured, we will escort you safely.”

With each step, the fox lifted us higher, and it felt as though we were walking on clouds. What…what is this!?

Terrified, I trembled, and the younger fox, Rang, hugged me from behind to comfort me.

“Our benefactor is more timid than I expected?”

“One more word of disrespect to the benefactor, and I’ll have no mercy.”

Startled by Rin’s sharp tone, Rang hid behind my back.

Their antics somehow helped me relax.

Looking down from high in the sky, I was met with a beautiful view of the land below.

Had I ever seen the world from above?

This was the first time.

With the wind rushing past, we flew onward until we reached the fox village.

Landing on the ground, they used magic to help me dismount, and as I looked around, I saw a small village. Slowly, foxes began to emerge one by one.

Among them, an elderly fox approached me.

“Greetings, benefactor. I am the chieftain of the Eunho tribe.”

“Hello, I’m Yuna!”

After greeting the fox who introduced himself as the chieftain, we quickly got to the point.

“If you share your strength with us, the Eunho tribe will serve you loyally for all eternity.”

“Hm.”

The chieftain tensed as I pondered.

“I’ll decline.”

“W-Why is that!?”

The fox sisters seemed just as surprised.

They stared at me in confusion.

“I’m not helping the Eunho tribe for a reward. I’ll help simply because I want to.”

“…”

There was a moment of silence.

The foxes didn’t say a word.

I took out several mana stones from my inventory, giving one to each fox.

After a moment, the foxes, having absorbed the mana stones, began sprouting additional tails until they each had nine.

Amazed by their new tails, they gradually transformed into human forms.

They were all stunningly beautiful, their fox nature clearly suited to enchanting humans.

The foxes bowed their heads to me.

The elder fox approached me.

“Benefactor, are you aware of the saying that foxes repay kindness?”

“I read that in a storybook once.”

“We foxes are bound to repay any debt of kindness. Without doing so, we cannot ascend and become celestial beings.”

As the elder knelt on one knee, the other foxes around him followed suit.

“The Eunho tribe will be your steadfast allies.”

[You have become the first to befriend the Eunho tribe.]  
Reputation increased by 100,000 points.

“Even if your path is one of thorns, the Eunho tribe will walk it with you.”

[You have earned the absolute trust of the Eunho tribe.]  
Reputation increased by 100,000 points.

“The Eunho tribe will not hesitate to give their lives for you.”

[You have acquired a new title.]  
**Beloved of the Eunho Tribe**

---

[Time Remaining Until Invasion: 3 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds]

[Time Remaining Until Invasion: 2 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds]

[Time Remaining Until Invasion: 1 hour, 59 minutes, 59 seconds]

[Time Remaining Until Invasion: 0 hours, 0 minutes, 59 seconds]

[The main quest has triggered channel unification.]

With channels merging, a vast number of players appeared in Talassa.

A massive fortress wall was erected around Talassa, and the combined efforts of players and NPCs had created a powerful barrier.

At the center stood a towering spire, the core of the barrier, and the 12-layered magic circle was so powerful that even a dragon would struggle to break through.

Then came the sound of drums.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.

Hearing the sound, players climbed the walls and looked through telescopes, only to drop them in shock.

The player beside them, asking what was wrong, picked up the telescope and peered beyond the horizon.

A monstrous army of hundreds of thousands was advancing toward Talassa.

A golden window appeared at that moment.

[CHAPTER 2: Protect the Commercial City of Talassa.]  
Invasion Commencing.

As the tension built among players, a voice rang out.

“We will protect it! With our strength! Our city!”

One of the top 10 guilds.

The guild master of Olympus, Zeus.

With his thunderous declaration, countless players cheered.

One by one, the leaders of the top 10 guilds made their appearances.

Among them was the commander of one of the top 10 guilds, known as the Admiral.

The Frey Guild’s master, Katlea, raised her Twin Dragon Blades and called out, inspiring another round of cheers.

“Activate the skill: ‘Fight to Live, Live to Fight.’”

A massive turtle ship appeared overhead.

Three turtle ships materialized, their cannons ready, the sound of them loading filling the air.

A deafening roar resounded, and bombs rained down on the distant monster horde.

Though the explosion took out a portion of the monsters, the rest only accelerated their charge.

To hold back the massive army of monsters, the long-range players unleashed their most powerful skills, yet the monsters kept pouring in endlessly.

As they neared the fortress wall, tension grew.

One of the top 10 guilds, the Order of the Holy Knights, made their call.

“Draw swords!”

The knights unsheathed their blades and prepared for battle.