Popular NPC in a Gender-Reversed Game-Chapter 87: High Praise

The Knights’ March into the Forest

The news of the knights’ deployment into the forest spread fastest among the user communities.

[They’re finally entering the forest.]

“Look at how thick their armor is. Damn.” “How much must that armor cost?”

[Weren’t they wearing just chainmail before? Why the sudden full plate armor?]

[ㄴ Guess they’re taking a defensive approach because of the location.]

[And look at those shields, damn thick too.]

[ㄴ Heard a double-edged axe split one before.]

[ㄴ Gotta say, they sure care about their lives.]

[ㄴ Wouldn’t you? You only get one life, after all.]

[About 150 knights.]

“Purely knights, 150 of them. Damn.”

“Adding the players into the mix, Yor’s done for now.”

[Finally, the balance seems fair.]

[ㄴ Is it though? The power disparity is still insane.]

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[Doesn’t it seem like too few?]

[ㄴ 150’s too few for you? Really?]

[ㄴ Normally, hunting parties have thousands of soldiers and hundreds of knights.]

[ㄴ The forest terrain doesn’t allow it. Too many would just get massacred by the surrounding monsters.]

[ㄴ Looks like they picked elite troops and supplied them generously instead.]

[ㄴ Makes sense.]

Naturally, the community was abuzz with discussions. As with any raid, this event was massive, but it was also unique—the boss was an NPC that players had previously laughed and played around with on streams.

Not everyone was thrilled with the situation, but it was too late to change anything. The waters were already flowing, and reversing the tide was impossible. A few players still clung to slim hopes, but most had already accepted that this would likely be Yor’s end.

[Forget everything else. All the Otherworlders hyped for that 100 million gold bounty, like this post.]

“Starting with me, lol.”

[Liked, lol.]

[The streamers must be grinning ear to ear for their content.]

[Do you jerks really need to make money this way?]

In the end, most players just saw this raid as a festival to enjoy.

The Sixth Day

The sixth day dawned, and even the air felt different. It was stifling and oppressive, almost as if something heavy loomed over the forest. Crowds of people naturally generate heat, and on a hot summer day, it was even worse.

Maybe it was just my imagination, but I hadn’t felt great since morning. And, as always, my instincts were spot on.

Thud. Thud.

Before long, ominous sounds began echoing from deep within the forest. The clash of metal, the rhythmic stomp of hundreds of boots, and a variety of voices cutting through the air.

“...Here we go.”

It was immediately clear—the knights had entered the forest.

I furrowed my brow and moved carefully toward the commotion. To act, I needed to assess their strength first.

Moving through the treetops to avoid detection, I finally got a clear view.

‘Damn, there’s a lot of them.’

I’d expected as much, but seeing it in person was on a different level. Their steel armor, engraved with intricate patterns, made it clear they were knights.

What stood out the most, though, was how they moved. They advanced in squads of five—one holding a massive shield, the other four with swords. They moved as if they were a single organism.

It looked almost comical, but I couldn’t afford to underestimate them. Their formation was ridiculously difficult to breach.

To make matters worse, Otherworlders were trailing not far behind. Some strolled along casually, while others filmed their broadcasts. They didn’t seem like they were here to fight—more like spectators for a battle.

“There he is!”

“I see him!”

My musings were interrupted as someone spotted me and shouted.

I wasn’t particularly surprised. Just being in the treetops didn’t guarantee concealment, especially with hundreds of eyes scanning the area.

“Tch.”

Clicking my tongue, I lunged toward the squad closest to me, aiming to get a measure of their strength. I prepped my spear in a stabbing stance and leapt toward one of the knights.

“Incoming!”

“Shield up!”

Unfortunately, they were ready. The shield-bearer raised his guard, and the other four knights hid behind him.

Crash!

“Urgh!”

My spear, infused with sword energy, slammed into the shield. The knight’s face twisted in pain—it was a heavy blow, even with the shield.

But that was it. The shield didn’t break, nor did it give way. The steel was far too thick for my spear alone to penetrate, and behind it stood five knights bracing against the impact.

To make matters worse, I couldn’t press the attack. The moment my first strike ended, four swords lashed out from behind the shield.

Whoosh! Swish!

I swiftly retreated, avoiding their blades. Their attacks were sharp but tightly confined, as if they were determined not to stray beyond the shield’s protection.

Their extreme defensiveness would make it difficult for them to capture me, but that wasn’t the problem. The real issue was the sheer number of knights. While I engaged this squad, others slowly advanced, surrounding me like a creeping tide of turtles.

“He’s handsome, I’ll give him that... How did someone like him end up with demon blood?”

“Who told you to chatter during a mission? Focus. That’s not a human—it’s a demon’s spawn.”

“Ah, yes, sir. My apologies.”

Their idle chatter reached my ears, only adding to my frustration. The situation felt suffocating.

I needed to act before they completed their encirclement. One thing was clear—I couldn’t pierce that shield with normal attacks.

‘Then I’ll just hit harder.’

It was a crude solution, but also the most effective. There was no time for a drawn-out battle. I was outnumbered by hundreds, and stamina wasn’t on my side.

Thud.

I pricked my finger, letting blood seep onto my spear. The blood, imbued with my power, hardened and sharpened the blade beyond anything natural.

“He’s activating his ability!”

“Confirmed! Use the holy water!”

They were ready. As I charged again, they doused their shield with holy water. It was wasteful but undeniably effective.

The moment my blood touched the shield, it began to dissolve, the dark energy evaporating as if purified.

My attack stopped halfway through, unable to fully penetrate.

“Damn it, this fight is so f*ing annoying.”**

Not only was I severely outnumbered, but even my attacks were being neutralized. Their cautious, methodical approach felt like an immense power bearing down on me.

If I couldn’t break through, there was only one option left: retreat.

“He’s trying to escape!”

“Block him!”

They were quick to react, tightening their encirclement. A massive shield blocked my path.

But they hadn’t accounted for one thing—I still had a trump card.

I activated Seere’s Arm, targeting the shield. Though it had a ten-minute cooldown, it was perfect for creating an opening.

“What the—?!”

“Damn it, now?!”

The shield disappeared, and the squad scrambled in confusion. I discarded the shield and slashed at the knights with my weapon.

Slash!

“Urgh!”

They sustained minor injuries—nothing fatal, thanks to their heavy armor. But the opening was enough.

“Capture him!”

“Yes, sir!”

I dashed through their ranks, thinking to myself, ‘Where should I go?’

The answer was obvious: deeper into the forest.

The knights wouldn’t let me escape easily, pursuing me relentlessly in their squads of five. But they couldn’t close the gap—I was faster, and their armor weighed them down.

Arrows occasionally flew my way, but they missed, hindered by the forest’s dense terrain.

For now, I could escape. What lay deeper in the forest was a problem for later.

But I overlooked one thing—there was someone among them who could keep up with me.

“!”

A chill ran down my spine as an ominous presence closed in. My instincts screamed in alarm, and I turned to see a sword slicing toward me.

I spun and blocked with my spear.

Clang!

The pressure was immense, and I finally saw my attacker. A man in his early thirties with golden hair—a figure who had silently observed while issuing orders.

“You won’t escape here.”

The Fourth Knight Division Captain stood before me, his eyes locked on mine.