Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons-Chapter 357: Preparing in the Real World

Arthur watched their panic with no expression. Amazing how quickly pride evaporated when survival was at stake.

"You should have thought about your family before insulting the person protecting you and by extension them," he replied, his tone carrying no sympathy.

"Please!"

The lead protester dropped to his knees. "I was wrong! I was stupid! But don't let my children pay for my mistake!"

Tears streamed down his face. Around him, his companions joined the desperate chorus of pleas.

Arthur remained unmoved.

These men had chosen their path when they decided to attack Jasmine's legitimacy. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Natural consequences were often the best teachers.

But movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention.

Jasmine stepped forward, her golden-silver eyes studying the kneeling figures with an expression Arthur couldn't quite read.

She sighed deeply, the sound carrying weight that seemed disproportionate to the situation.

"Let them go."

The protesters' heads snapped up, hope blazing in their desperate faces.

"They've got families to protect," Jasmine continued, her voice carrying across the plaza.

"We would be killing them by putting them in prison during the attacks. I'm not such a heartless person, just because they made one mistake."

One mistake. She's being generous with her terminology. They could have turned everyone against us...they could have devoured us if we didn't have enough power.

Mayor Richards frowned, clearly disagreeing with the decision. "Protector, they showed you disrespect—"

"And they've learned from it." Jasmine's tone brooked no argument. "Haven't you?"

She fixed the protesters with a stare that made them shrink back instinctively.

"Yes! Yes, we have!" The lead protester's voice shook with gratitude. "Thank you, Protector! We're sorry! We'll never—"

"Don't thank me yet," Jasmine cut him off. "When the attacks come, you'll be on the front lines with me. Prove your words with actions."

The protesters exchanged glances, understanding the implication. They'd been spared immediate consequences but would face far deadlier tests soon enough.

"We will!" The scarred warrior struggled to his feet. "We'll fight! We'll prove ourselves worthy of your protection!"

Arthur watched the transformation with fascination. Minutes ago, these same men had questioned Jasmine's right to power. Now they spoke of proving themselves worthy of her attention.

The other protesters echoed their leader's sentiments, each trying to express deeper gratitude than the last. Their shame could be seen plastered on their faces.

One of them, a younger player with intelligent eyes, stepped forward hesitantly.

"Protector... we were wrong. About everything."

His voice carried genuine remorse.

"You saved us from our own stupidity. That's... that's what real leadership looks like."

Jasmine nodded, accepting the apology without dwelling on it.

The crowd had been watching this exchange with growing respect. Seeing their Protector choose mercy over justice, understanding over revenge, it painted her in an entirely different light.

Whilst she had chosen vengeance over mercy in the trials of the protector Sylvia, that was for the people who had made her life a living hell.

She didn't want to turn the lives of these players upside down for a mistake of that calibre, and she didn't care much about the leadership role.

She would have rejected the protector position had Arthur not placed her there. Still, she was merciful to those whose brains were on the slower side. She would only punish those who stepped completely out of line.

Arthur teleported back to the podium, his aura rising. The crowd's attention snapped to his position immediately.

His voice rose across the plaza.

"Before I was interrupted, I wanted to let everybody know something crucial."

Time for the real conversation.

"The merge—everyone, every single one of you knows about it by now. But do you know what it actually is? Because I certainly don't."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The merge was whispered about in fearful tones, but concrete information remained scarce.

"There are two possible options that I think are highly likely, and we need to keep them in consideration."

The plaza fell silent. Players leaned forward, hanging on every word. Nobody dared to let out a sound, afraid they might miss crucial information.

"I have investigated this world's history. Not many know this—in fact, very few know this. Perhaps they could be counted on one hand."

Arthur's gaze swept across the assembled faces.

"But everybody needs to know this now. This information will make or break your survival."

"This world wasn't always like this."

Gasps erupted from the crowd. Several players exchanged confused glances.

"The demons aren't a species from this world. They're invaders. Parasites that tried to conquer this realm long ago but ultimately failed."

The fundamental truth they don't know.

Shock rippled through the gathering like physical waves. Players who'd assumed demons were simply another kingdom, perhaps pushed back to distant territories, suddenly faced a far more terrifying reality.

"So..." Arthur continued, his voice dropping to deadly serious tones.

"That means either this world merges with our current reality—Earth—bringing demons to our families, our homes."

Option one: Hell comes to Earth.

"Or we will experience what this world experienced. Full-scale demonic invasion."

Option two: Earth becomes a battlefield.

The implications crashed over the crowd like tsunamis. Players with families on Earth went pale. Those who'd thought Armageddon was where everything was going to end suddenly realised that they might have been too naive, thinking it was the only possibility.

"For those who have families in the real world, be careful. Log out and stay beside them. When either option arrives, you're on the safe side, protecting your family with the power you gained from this world."

Choose love over levels.

"For those who don't have families on Earth, you can stay here and grind. Level up. Get stronger."

Arthur's expression hardened.

"But not at the cost of death."

Arthur explained to the people once again about the possible consequences, and it shocked them to their core.

Although Arthur had already told the people of village #420, to spread the word about everything he had said. Not everybody had the connections or time to spread it to a large number of people.

I need to return back to the real world. There isn't enough time to let the people know anyways...no body is foolish enough to die now.