TMSDL 40

Chapter 40 – Moonlight Sculptor: My Dad Is a Legend

KMC Media ran an ad campaign to promote Weed’s latest adventure broadcast.

“Weed is back.”
“Weed, plunging into the inferno!”
“The return of the God of War!”

Clips of Weed hunting orcs and leading the undead played across the screen with grand, stirring music.

“What? Weed is back?”
“Do you live under a rock and not watch the news?”
“There’s been too much news since the Roanoke incident, lol.”
“Weed’s in Roanoke. He created his character in Hell Difficulty, Level 5.”
“We could hear the sounds on the Roanoke live stream. I ran over here when I heard the video would be released.”
“Oooooh!”

The broadcast drew in viewers who previously hadn’t paid much attention.

As the program began, the screen first showed a short clip of Weed, eyeless and missing his right arm, brutally defeating orcs.

“So this is like a teaser? A sneak peek of the full broadcast?”
“No way I’m missing this.”
“I used to sneak in vacation days to catch Weed’s quests as a new hire. Now I can just watch at work on my phone.”
“Even in this short clip, he looks stronger than before.”
“Wait—this is supposed to be Hell Difficulty Level 5? Why does it look easy?”
“If it were us, we’d be dead already. No way we’d even get this far.”
“How does he fight without eyesight? Seriously risking his life.”

The viewers were fired up.

Once the teaser ended, the scene shifted to the studio where Oh Juwan was seated.

“Hello, everyone. Thank you for waiting. We could go over Weed’s exploits from over 20 years ago or explain what Roanoke is about, but…”

KMC Media moved the broadcast along quickly.

While they had been preparing a regular program with multiple panelists, Weed had suddenly joined a 100-man battle, forcing the schedule forward.

“Weed, now living as a blind gladiator, has entered the 100-man battle for the sake of a slave girl. The battle will begin shortly. Only one person can survive in this deadly arena.”

“Now that’s romantic.”
“Fighting for a girl? Damn.”
“She’s really pretty. Too bad Weed can’t see her.”
“Only one out of a hundred survives?”
“That really is hell.”
“Insane difficulty.”
“Why do all the other gladiators look so jacked?”
“It proves that with enough muscle, you don’t need brains.”
“Muscles make life easier.”
“In school, having muscles was like having magic that made friends.”

“Just before the fight begins, the tension and glares exchanged between gladiators are intense. We only hope Weed stays safe.”

“Weed looks insane right now.”
“We’ve only heard audio so far, but he has no eyes, no arm, and his body is covered in scars. He really survived all that?”
“He looks small compared to the other gladiators.”
“It’s been so long since I saw him on TV. I hope he doesn’t die here…”
“Wait… there’s a message window that popped up.”
“We can see message windows now?”

Until now, the Roanoke live stream hadn’t shown message windows. Everything was inferred by visuals. But in the video transmitted by KMC Media, buffs being activated on Weed could be seen.

The knight who lost his eyes
Hears the sound of the wind
The sword lifted with one arm is heavy
But he raises it with will alone

“What is this?”
“Wait, is that an epic?”
“Weed’s sword is glowing.”
“It’s definitely an epic. The strongest buff in Roanoke.”
“Shh! The fight’s about to begin.”

Weed was serious.

From the moment he entered Roanoke, not a second had been taken lightly.

No amount of wealth in reality mattered if he lost his daughter.

“I’ll show you what kind of fight I’m capable of.”

As Weed stepped into the 100-man battle, his resolve was firm.

His goal wasn’t just to save Britina.
Nor was survival alone the end.

This was a fight for loot and experience.
An opportunity for growth—to meet his daughter again.

Rodoain’s physical traits are fully activated.
Base physical stats increase by 100%.

Crack! Pop!

Weed’s bones and joints shifted, his body growing by more than 30%.

His bones stretched, muscles swelled, and blood vessels throbbed as his heart pumped violently.

Doom! Doom! Doom!

The deadly battle where 99 of 100 would die began.

Weed charged at a nearby gladiator, relying on instinct and the sound of the wind.

“Guh!”

His sword cleaved the man clean through the waist.

His sword skill, amplified by the epic buff, was lethal.

Gladiator Basseisus has died.
Fame increased by 2.

“That bastard!”

“Basseisus is dead!”

The other gladiators shouted in alarm.

While playing Royal Road, Weed had always been cautious about killing civilians.

He had taken out Lich Shire and Barkhan Demoff, and even priests of the Embinyu Cult—but rarely harmed ordinary people.

“I’ll kill as many as I can.”

He had entered Roanoke to rescue his daughter.
Even in dangerous battles, he wouldn’t hesitate.
Anything for growth.

“Earth Dash!”

Movement speed increases by 50% for 2 seconds.

It was a movement skill learned by charging at scarecrows.

Weed dashed at a gladiator 4 meters away, sword swinging.

“No!”

His opponent tried to block, but Weed’s strength shattered the defense and pierced his throat.

Gladiator Morente has died.
“Alternate Blade!”

A hidden sword skill.

A phantom sword began orbiting Weed, striking nearby gladiators.

Gladiator Safrias has been severely injured by Alternate Blade.
Gladiator Urtende has been pierced in the thigh by Alternate Blade.

There was no need to read messages.

He moved by pure instinct and mental imagery.

He slashed the side of a well-built gladiator in leather armor.

Gladiator Safrias has died.
Level up!
Fame increased by 10.

He tripped a limping gladiator and stabbed him in the head.

Gladiator Urtende has died.

Weed’s previous growth now surpassed even Hell Difficulty. He fought at full potential.

After the fourth kill, the arena broke into a chaotic melee.

“Kill him!”

“Stay away or I’ll kill you!”

“We are the Rosenbaum gladiators! Come at us if you dare!”

Gladiators used maces and shields or swords and shields. A few had crossbows.

Swords clashed and arrows flew.

(Master, arrows are targeting you from multiple directions.)

A warning appeared, like missile lock-on.

Weed had become the primary target.

He deflected arrows mid-run.

(Master has been targeted by archer-gladiator Israbo.)
(Master has been targeted by the Demob group of gladiators.)

The AI provided real-time battlefield updates.

“He’s dangerous. Take him down first!”

“Surround him!”

Five shield-bearing gladiators from the Demob Arena advanced while three tried to flank him.

Experienced gladiators, they quickly formed tactics.

“Earth Dash.”

Weed didn’t calculate—he reacted on instinct.

Alternate Blade pierced one’s head.

Gladiator Freider has died.
“Horizontal Slash!”

A basic skill learned from training with scarecrows.

The sword cleaved through shields and cut down the men behind them.

Gladiator Deben has died.
Gladiator Tarogtem has been severely injured.

Weed finished Tarogtem with a final strike to the neck.

Gladiator Tarogtem has died.

Alternate Blade danced among the nearby enemies.

Even blind, Weed grasped everything with razor-sharp perception—his swordplay was devastating.

“20 of 100 gladiators are already down! While the blind gladiator dominates… bam-bam! The empire’s pride enters the field!”

The arena’s iron gates swung open.

A war chariot drawn by six horses stormed into the battlefield.

“It’s the Belcarium War Chariot, fresh from the conquest of Bayaha!”

The announcer shouted with near-bleeding passion.

“Eight imperial elite soldiers are aboard! Gladiators never imagined this weapon would join! If you want to survive, resist! If you want to be the last one standing, protect your life!”

The chariot raged through the arena.

Elite soldiers fired crossbows, lashed whips, and thrust spears from the roof.

Magic cannons spewed flames in all directions.

“Gaaaah!”
“They never said war chariots would be in play!”

Gladiators died screaming, while the audience roared louder.

“That’s the Belcarium Chariot they unveiled recently!”
“A real magical war chariot!”
“Kill! Kill those bug-like gladiators!”

As Weed eliminated gladiators, the AI narrated.

(This is the Belcarium War Chariot. Front-mounted crossbows fire rapidly with magic mechanisms. Blades line the wheels.)
“Old design.”
(Though outdated by Roanoke’s modern magic standards, it deals area damage equal to Tier 2 fire magic. Lasts 20 seconds, 5s cooldown.)
(Steel plating protects vital parts. Most attacks will bounce off.)
(Beware direct collision.)
(The elite troops atop the chariot far outclass standard gladiators.)

“Not the kind of enemies gladiators should be facing.”

(Gladiator fights were a form of entertainment. Popular gladiators drew huge crowds. Many had wealthy patrons. Noble families competed through gladiators.)
(But the empire’s strong military meant there were clear social limits to gladiators.)