The Suspension Bridge Effect is Incredible
"Sancho! Look at that vast field! It's deceiving us with its appearance!"
"I don't understand what you're saying, sir."
"Don't you see how the swamp monster is disguising itself to deceive us? You have a long way to go to become a knight!"
"Oh, how could humble me ever understand the noble intentions of my lord!"
Don Quixote was exaggerating reality, and everything he saw was coming to life. There were a few conditions for him to turn objects into monsters.
"Magician Plato, where are you! Reveal yourself now!"
"Ah, that rascal? Is this another one of Plato's tricks, sir? If I see him, I'll give him a good beating!"
The first condition was that Don Quixote must recognize the object with his eyes. Objects he hadn't seen yet or those he planned to see did not transform into monsters. In fact, he often claimed to see a dragon or something else protecting a princess, aside from what was directly in front of him.
"Haha! Sancho! Don't doubt it. Even if they were truly wicked monsters, they could never catch up to Rocinante!"
"Indeed, Rocinante is the best steed!"
The second condition was that the objects Don Quixote transformed were originally part of the gate. Even if he looked at us menacingly or acted like villains, our appearance didn't change.
"At this rate, the windmills might combine to become a giant dragon… Plato's abilities must not have advanced that far!"
"Stupid magician! Reveal yourself in front of my lord!"
The last condition was that objects couldn't transform into monsters beyond their original limits. The windmills remained as they were, only moving, and the sheep didn't suddenly grow large like bears. The shepherd didn't cast any kind of group curse or unleash any meteorological phenomena as described in the fiction.
"Damn, why are they so fast?! Melanie, aim for Rocinante's hind legs!"
"Sancho is the problem. He's blocking all the shots."
As soon as the clear conditions were revealed, everyone targeted Don Quixote. However, Sancho effortlessly thwarted them with incredible agility.
"He doesn't seem to listen to Coercion. It's probably because of Don Quixote."
It wasn't that they didn't want to deal with Sancho. There were times when they even targeted him specifically. Each time, Don Quixote praised Sancho's courage and spirit, making him stronger each time. We tried to target Rocinante first to reduce their mobility, but Sancho blocked that perfectly as well.
This combination is a scam.
Rocinante had long since transformed from a pitiful horse to a rogue warhorse.
We couldn't target Don Quixote because the distance quickly widened, and when we tried to target Rocinante, Sancho blocked them. Even when we took down Sancho, Don Quixote would resurrect him in a stronger form, making it impossible to solve sequentially.
"Even after relentless attacks, there's no end in sight. We've already taken down twenty windmills, but half are still standing."
"Seems like we have no option but to go all out, Instructor."
"Sigh…"
This conversation unfolded when we had already defeated about ten windmills and their rampaging sheep.
There was an opinion that directly blocking Don Quixote from the front would be too disadvantageous. We believed it was better to attack from behind while dealing with the monsters. However, as the situation evolved into a prolonged battle, that strategy seemed increasingly futile.
Kim Sukgu and Lee Minjoon shared a quick glance. The instant Kim Sukgu nodded, Lee Minjoon teleported ahead to obstruct the path.
If it's Don Quixote…
I continued to ponder the intricacies of Don Quixote's character. Despite its chaotic appearance, this gate had its own narrative. The windmills and the shepherd were potent because they were directly from the novel, but the swamp monster didn't appear.
Don Quixote's descriptive prowess fell short, resulting in the emergence of low-level monsters.
It's clear that adhering to the novel's narrative yields strong results. Don Quixote must be in the midst of his pilgrimage.
Immediately, I thought of the princess Dulcinea and Don Quixote's friend Carrasco. Their appearance would undoubtedly bring immense power. However, they were more like allies than foes.
"Team Leader Lee Minjoon! I'll follow right behind you to block the path!"
"Understood!"
"Melanie!"
"I know, Instructor!"
As I contemplated, the situation was rapidly changing. Melanie, deeming sniping ineffective, summoned a massive firearm to bolster our firepower. Her first move was to destroy the terrain in front of Don Quixote, slowing their advance.
"Young ones! If you resort to such extreme tactics, I can no longer hold back!" Finally, Don Quixote started to get angry. He had never shown anger, even when Sancho was relentlessly killed or when we tried to take down Rocinante. But now, he was getting mad because his path was blocked.
"Leave these foes to me, sir! I've longed to confront them!"
"I'll handle this one! Keep your focus on Don Quixote and Rocinante!" Without hesitation, Lee Minjoon shouted, intercepting Sancho. At last, a cohesive strategy seemed to take form.
If things proceed this way…
In the original work, Don Quixote's pilgrimage was interrupted by Carrasco disguised as a knight. Blocking their path now was no different from issuing a duel.
"Instructor! We should only engage with Kim Minsoo here! Minsoo, challenge Don Quixote to a knightly duel!"
Without questioning my request, Kim Sukgu nodded in agreement. Minsoo looked puzzled but acted promptly.
"Melanie, summon a large firearm and provide close-range support!"
Things were starting to align with my vision. Now, it's all about timing. I moved closer to Melanie, focusing solely on suppressing the monsters Don Quixote had created.
"Don Quixote! Stop all this and face me in a duel!" Minsoo's awkward tone was cringe-worthy.
He wasn't instructed to act, but when told to introduce himself as Carrasco, he took it upon himself. Given the gravity of the situation, it may have seemed natural, but it came off as absurdly comical.
"Who are you?"
"I too am a knight, and my name is Kim Minsoo!"
The exchange felt childlike, but the situation was serious. Don Quixote swinging his sword, a robust Sancho out of character, and Rocinante with sharp teeth eyeing Minsoo.
"You dare challenge me to a duel! Brave words indeed! I, Don Quixote, with the legendary sword bestowed upon me by my forefathers, will…"
"Hey, Kim Minsoo, just go at him already! You've challenged him, so make your move!"
With each of Don Quixote's embellishments, his weapon, armor, and colors seemed to shift. I couldn't fathom why the protagonist would patiently wait for a villain's transformation.
"Ah! Yes!" Minsoo charged at Don Quixote without hesitation.
Both Kim Sukgu and I did our utmost to ensure the monsters wouldn't obstruct Minsoo.
It doesn't feel entirely like the original work, but it's definitely following its narrative.
The strategy for conquering the gate was becoming clearer. Recognizing Minsoo as the protagonist made everything fall into place.
Minsoo will definitely not die in this gate.
A character crafted with such care wouldn't perish in the first gate. Any crises would merely serve as catalysts for growth.
Though the prospect of facing Don Quixote in the first gate seemed daunting, there must be a straightforward way to overcome it. Boss battles and offense-defense scenarios were known for their high difficulty and overwhelming numbers.
However, understanding the clear conditions changes everything. Properly executing designated roles offers the best chance of success. I should have grasped this sooner, even with limited knowledge of the content, but it took time to realize.
Minsoo will emerge victorious, no matter what.
In the original tale, Don Quixote falls to Carrasco disguised as a knight and pledges to abstain from wielding a weapon for a year. He ends up bedridden but regains his sanity.
For a touching conclusion, he reconciles past transgressions and peacefully departs. Indeed, the protagonist fated for defeat from the outset was Don Quixote.
"Aaargh!"
As expected, the conclusion came swiftly. Kim Minsoo looked exhausted, but he didn't appear to have sustained any serious injuries. With Don Quixote fallen and unable to speak, Sancho and Rocinante were gradually losing their strength as well.
"What's the situation?"
"Things are under control here as well."
Internally, I applauded Kim Sukgu and Lee Minjoon for their cliché-ridden lines. But Don Quixote wouldn't fall here.
There's still one story thread left.
Originally, Sancho was supposed to deliver his letter to Princess Dulcinea and confess. But in this gate, neither Dulcinea nor Carrasco existed from the start.
The reason was obvious.
Minsoo will defeat Don Quixote, and Melanie will play the role of the princess.
Melanie wasn't cut out for the role of Dulcinea. The only thing they had in common was being Westerners. The novel portrayed Dulcinea as a woman with finer manners than most men.
"Sancho… Sancho's gone too… I haven't even told the princess how I feel…" Don Quixote, defeated, scanned the area with a look of despair.
True to his role as a gullible protagonist, Minsoo didn't deliver the final blow. He seemed to empathize with the monster, looking at it with sad eyes.
"Princess… My Princess Dulcinea…" As Don Quixote called out the princess's name, his gaze focused on one spot. "There she is… My princess…"
The reason I had Melanie summon a large firearm was simple: to appear larger from a distance. To someone not seeing clearly, it would seem like a single mass.
"I'm coming!" Don Quixote, seemingly oblivious to his earlier defeat, sprang up with astonishing speed. It happened so quickly that even Minsoo, standing right in front of him, couldn't react in time.
"Melanie, move!" No matter how loudly Kim Sukgu shouted, it was too late. Melanie, who had been continuously summoning high-powered firearms, couldn't control her skill perfectly.
Lee Minjoon found himself restrained by the revived Sancho and couldn't provide support, while Minsoo belatedly chased after Don Quixote.
"All weapons, discharge!"
Now it's my turn. The author's real aim was likely for Kim Minsoo to just barely rescue Melanie. But as long as I'm around, that fatass won't see Minsoo making a move on any other woman.
"Accept my heart, Princess Dulcinea!"
"Your role is over."
[Coercion activated! Suppressing Melanie!]
Using my skill, I subdued Melanie, who had lost her composure, and reversed the summoning of her firearms. I hadn't approached her just to observe the battle. I knew exactly what Mr. Double Chin was trying to orchestrate.
My arms encircled Melanie's waist, drawing her near just as Don Quixote passed by, almost grazing us. For a moment, her eyes met mine, her face flushed as though she had never been held by a man before.
"Why! Who are you to obstruct my reunion with the princess!"
The Don Quixote bested by Kim Minsoo vanished, giving way to a version that appeared three times larger. This likely represented Don Quixote's true form. Had Minsoo managed a complete victory at this point, the gate would likely have concluded.
I won't let him.
Weapons sprang from the huge case into the sky before embedding themselves one by one into the ground.
Well, since there was no instruction to take only one, I took everything that looked good.
"I'm Baek Tayang, the true knight, the hero who has come to punish you."
It's time to bring the story to a close.