I Don't Need To Log Out-Chapter 182: Demons (4)

"Sorry for taking your place," Gellard said.

"Huh? My place?"

Evan blinked in surprise. He hadn’t checked the leaderboard in over a month.

At first, they all kept track of it, but as they fell behind, the players stopped looking.

Arlon had reassured them that the level difference didn’t matter as long as they honed their abilities.

But unlike them, not all players had this information. Most still believed that levels were everything.

They also sought out powerful skill books.

And where was the best place to find both rapid leveling and valuable skill books?

The Keldars’ side, of course.

The Keldars secretly fed experience points to the players who joined them, offering their own kin as easy prey. This allowed defectors to level up far faster than the average player.

And since the Keldars occupied parts of Trion, they also had access to skill books left behind in the conquered territories.

Evan opened the leaderboard for the first time in ages.

Leaderboard (Level)

1- Arlon (121)

2-June (88)

3- Gellard (87)

4- Evan (84)

5- Carole (80)

6- Maria (80)

7- Zack (78)

8- Lei (77)

9- Pierre (75)

10- Al (72)

***

The first thing he noticed was that their overall ranking wasn’t as bad as he’d feared.

During the first week, half of them had already dropped out of the top ten.

But, just as Arlon had said, their training paid off, allowing them to climb back up. The field training this past week had made a significant difference.

Then he noticed something else—he was no longer in third place.

Evan had accepted that he would always come after June, who now felt like a big sister to him. But he hadn’t expected someone else to surpass him.

Of course, if he knew that Gellard had been spoon-fed experience points, it would have made perfect sense.

The third thing he realized was that Carmen wasn’t on the list. But that was natural—she hadn’t focused on hunting during field training. Still, he didn’t think she had fallen too far behind. She had trained diligently in other areas.

At first glance, it seemed like the gap between Arlon and the others had shrunk.

But in reality, it had grown even wider.

The leveling speed dropped sharply after level 100. Despite the numbers looking closer, the real difference was far greater now.

And the reason was simple.

First, Arlon could train at night, and his training granted him experience points.

Second, as he had told them before, leveling wasn’t their priority right now.

What mattered most was adapting to this world—treating it as real and developing their abilities accordingly. That was why Arlon hadn’t pushed them to grind levels. There would always be time for that later.

Besides, since their skill levels would outpace their actual levels, they would be able to level up more efficiently this way.

But this logic didn’t apply to Arlon. He was already good with his abilities, so he needed to level up.

This way, he could have better stats, especially with his title.

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So, while the leaderboard wasn’t as bad as they had feared, Gellard’s position was a problem.

"If you’re wondering how I got here, I’ll tell you," Gellard said with a smirk. "Since I switched sides, they helped me level up."

He spoke as if he hadn’t just been used as a servant to Arn a short while ago.

"So, if you want to, I’m sure you could switch to our side as well," he added.

Before Evan could respond, Carmen stepped forward.

"I have only one question for you," she said, her tone unreadable. "Do you know this world is real?"

Gellard’s smirk didn’t fade.

"Of course, I do. That was the first thing they taught me after bringing me here," Gellard said, his smirk unwavering. "Soon, everyone else will know it too."

Carmen’s grip on her staff tightened.

"So you’re fine with killing all those Trionians?"

Gellard tilted his head, almost amused. "When you put it like that, it makes me sound like the bad guy. But isn’t that exactly what you’re doing too?" Read new chapters at novelbuddy

Carmen’s breath hitched.

"Think about it," he continued. "As long as we play, we’re going to kill someone. That’s how this world works.

You’ve been doing it since the moment you arrived. The only real choice you have is who you decide to kill after learning the truth."

He spread his arms as if inviting them to see things from his perspective.

"And let’s be honest—the Keldars have given me far more than the Trionians ever did. Did you know that when this war ends, I’ll get to come here physically? To actually live in this world?"

Carmen’s eyes widened.

"That’s right," Gellard said, taking a step closer, his voice turning softer, almost coaxing. "A world of swords and magic—something every kid on Earth dreamed of at least once. You won’t tell me you’d refuse that, will you?"

Carmen hesitated.

The worst part was that what he said made sense.

After all, wasn’t that why people played games? To experience the thrill of wielding magic, the exhilaration of combat?

And she had killed plenty of Keldars already. Did that make her any different?

She wasn’t one to judge others, not when her hands were just as stained.

For the first time, doubt crept into her heart.

Maria noticed immediately.

"Don’t listen to him, Carmen." Her voice was firm, unwavering. "You’re not a child. He’s just twisting words to make himself feel justified.

But we both know there’s a difference between killing a Keldar and killing a Trionian."

Carmen glanced at Maria, conflicted.

"Really?" Gellard laughed. "And what difference is that, exactly? That the Keldars are the ’bad guys’ because the Trionians say so?"

"I know what you’re trying to do," Maria shot back. "You’re making it sound like we’re all the same as if there’s no right or wrong.

But you know that’s not true. The Keldars aren’t just fighting a war—they’re invading, exterminating, and taking everything that isn’t theirs."

Gellard snorted. "Spoken like someone who’s never questioned what they’ve been told. You think the Trionians are so innocent?"

Maria took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"Nobody’s innocent in war. But that doesn’t mean we should just throw away what’s right.

You can try to justify what you’re doing all you want, but in the end, you made your choice. Don’t try to drag Carmen into it."

Carmen clenched her fists. Maria was right.

She had already chosen her side.

Just because she had blood on her hands didn’t mean she had to abandon everything. There was a reason she fought, a reason she trained.

She wasn’t going to become someone like Gellard.

"You’re wrong," she said at last, her voice steady. "This isn’t about picking who to kill—it’s about choosing what we’re fighting for."

Gellard sighed, shaking his head. "What a waste."

But before he could say anything else, a shadow moved behind him.

Evan had lost his patience.

In a flash, he appeared behind Gellard, his knife gleaming in his hand.

And he swung.