《Game of Divine Thrones》 Chapter 1: Base Camp (1)

Chapter 1: Base Camp (1)

On a peaceful day. Gods who felt dissatisfaction over their mundane lives decided to rebel against the Creator. The Creator, in his wrathful anger, imprisoned all the gods, and summoned all sentient beings into a single game world. The Nebulus world. There, all beings had the opportunity to gain limitless power. Once they¡¯d reached a certain level, they would then be able to take on the challenge for the Divine Thrones. Since these beings would only be able to return to their world once all the Divine Thrones have been reced, they overcame any challenges that were thrown at them. And after forty years¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve sealed away the 72 demon kings of Solomon.¡± Chun Woohyuk, the ck-haired youth on the Steel throne, spoke. He was looking over his subjects just as a lord would. ¡°I¡¯ve destroyed Lilith¡¯s subjects, I¡¯ve driven the Dragon and Giant races close to extinction. Not to mention the countless other mythical creatures I¡¯ve destroyed as well.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s subjects did not speak. They had nothing to add to such a simple truth. ¡°Why then am I still not qualified to challenge a Divine Throne?¡± No one could match Woohyuk in terms of fighting prowess. Be it the Elf Queen, who reached the pinnacle of all magic, nor the Necromancer whomanded a hundred thousand souls, none were his opponent. ¡°Excuse me, but...¡± Allen, the grand wizard spoke up, causing all others in the room to turn to him. ¡°Maybe the timing just isn¡¯t right, if you could just wait until the next update...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. The others woulde for me.¡± Woohyuk had created many enemies. His immense power had caused many people to create factions with the sole purpose of opposing him. Also, he didn¡¯t have many allies either. At this rate, he would slowly get driven into a corner. ¡°There must be something I¡¯m missing. It can¡¯t be the fault of this world, from the very start this had always been a perfect system.¡± Woohyuk had no doubt that the Creator wouldn¡¯t have bothered making a world that couldn¡¯t be beaten in the first ce. Subsequent updates only existed to give the yers small advantages. ¡°Are you really nning on returning to the past?¡± ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d just stay here and y house with you all? There are no more regions to explore and no quests left toplete.¡± He¡¯d already done everything that could have been done. Still, for some reason there were many things that he couldn¡¯t attain. It was his first attempt, so he had gone fumbling around making mistakes, and it wasn¡¯t like the other yers were justzing about either. If he had the chance to restart¡­ He would surely do things differently. ¡°But...¡± Woohyuk stopped Allen from continuing. ¡°This peace won¡¯tst. You should know that better than anyone, sir Allen.¡± There was no such thing as guaranteed safety in the Nebulus world. Soon, another challenge would befall the inhabitants of the world, and many would die once again. Woohyuk was confident that he was the only one who could put an end to this endless nightmare. ¡°Lord, I trust you¡¯ll take care of that bastard Logan when you go back.¡± ¡°You might as well deal with Marcus as well. There¡¯s no saving him once he goes mad.¡± ¡°Ivanov and Alice as well, you should just...¡± Names of their most hated enemies started being thrown around by his subjects. Woohyuk nodded and turned to the pink-haired knight next to him. ¡°Lady Leifina, do you have anything to add?¡± ¡°...Please leave the cooking to someone else. I simply have no talent for it.¡± Leifina said this with a trembling voice seeming rather unwilling to admit it. Woohyuk took out a scroll from his pocket with a satisfied look. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if you don¡¯t like it. I¡¯ll be leaving, then.¡± [Return Scroll]. It was the reward he had gotten from the three goddesses of Urdabrun, uponpleting an Epic quest. It was a unique item that could only belong to a single person, and would be soul-bound the instant it was given to a human being. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, men. Thank you for everything.¡± A piercing light erupted as Woohyuk tore the scroll. * * * Woohyuk opened his eyes to the chirping of the birds as he took in his surroundings Poorly-made cabins with a firepit in the middle. Arge forest. Unconscious people strewn about all around him. ¡®Base camp, huh.¡¯ It was the the starting zone for all adventurers, a ce which had disappeared many years ago. He was finally back. ¡®I¡¯ll finish this damned game once and for all.¡¯ A single failure was enough. Woohyuk immediately stood up from his spot. ¡®Things are about to get noisy over here.¡¯ He recalled his memories from his first day at base camp clear as day. He didn¡¯t really want to stand out, so he stealthily made his way over to the edge of the group A few secondster, a little girl appeared in mid-air, stepping out of a ck portal. She had blond ponytails tied with cute ribbons, sapphire blue eyes and a stunning red dress. She looked just like a noble from out of a movie. ¡®That girl was always problematic.¡¯ Keeping a low profile was always the answer when it came to her. Therefore, Woohyuk decided not to make a move unless things got out of hand. ¡°Wake up, everyone! There¡¯s a lot to do today!¡± The first thing the girl did when she appeared was to shout loudly. Combined with her high pitched voice, the screech startled most of the camp awake. ¡°T-the hell is this?¡± ¡°She¡¯s flying?!¡± The people at camp were incredibly surprised upon seeing the girl, who promptly smiled back at them. ¡°Hello! My name is Eve. It is a pleasure to meet you all.¡± ¡°You brought us here?¡± A muscr man pointed at Eve while asking. Eve shook her head. ¡°The Creator was the one who brought you here to this Nebulus world. So, don¡¯t worry about anything and just work hard, alright?¡° Eve winked at him with a cutesy pose. ¡°Creator my ass.¡± ¡°Send me back home!¡± ¡°I have to go to work tomorrow, jeez!¡± People began to voice theirints from all over the camp. Eve sighed in annoyance as she raised her right hand and a pistol appeared in it Bang! Startled, they all took a step back, fear clearly seen in their eyes. ¡°Listen while you still can, you simply have no choice in the matter. If you insult the Creator or cut me off again, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± The base camp immediately became quiet. Eve smiled happily and continued with her speech. ¡°Good, good. Then let¡¯s begin the tutorial.¡± A massive screen appeared next to her with a wave of her hand. The screen depicted a map of the forest. ¡°Common sense no longer applies here. If you want to survive, you will have to do your best.¡± Eve silently scanned those before her. Her eyes eventually falling on a little girl which appeared to have a simr age to her. ¡°Hey, you. You¡¯ve been living under your parents¡¯ care your whole life, right?¡± ¡°Uh? Yes...¡± The girl replied nervously. Eve shook her fingers as she spoke. ¡°No, no. No need to be afraid. I¡¯m trying to help.¡± The girl looked at Eve nkly. Her innocence was clear as day. ¡°No need to be a good girl here. No one¡¯s going topliment you for doing good deeds. Well, you might get attacked formitting bad ones though.¡± ¡°What should I do, then?¡± The girl raised her hand as she spoke. Eve pointed at the map with the gun in her hand. ¡°You just need to survive. Also, if you manage to find some items in the forest, it¡¯ll help you a great deal.¡± ¡°Like a treasure hunt?¡± ¡°Exactly, except that other people can steal your treasure, so you best be careful.¡± The people at base camp were simply shocked upon hearing it. Steal? From a little girl like her? They weren¡¯t able to understand Eve¡¯s advice. After all, they simply had no idea what was waiting for them in the forest. ¡°Ah right, aside from the items, there are dangerous monsters in there as well, so don¡¯t go around alone, ok? You should stick together if you don¡¯t know how to fight.¡± The little girl immediately paled upon hearing the word monster. Eve snickered for a second before turning back to the rest of the crowd and then pointed at Woohyuk with her left hand. ¡°You there, you¡¯ve been very calm from the start. Would you pleasee here for a bit?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyesnded on Woohyuk, who promptly nodded and stepped forward. ¡®Same asst time.¡¯ This was to be expected. He hadn¡¯t done anything that would warrant any change just as of yet. ¡°You seem like a calm person, so I¡¯ll give you a small test. I¡¯ll bring a monster here, would you like to try defeating it? I¡¯ll even give you a weapon to help you out.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± A single dagger fell in front of him as soon as he voiced his agreement. At the same time, a green-skinned goblin ran out of the forest. It was equipped with a poorly made leather armor and a crescent axe. ¡°M-monster!¡± ¡°Run!¡± Eve sent out another warning seeing the crowd be agitated. ¡°Stay still and observe until the end of the tutorial, else I¡¯ll put a bullet in your head.¡± ¡°....¡± Everyone collectively stopped in their tracks and those who had ran rtively far quickly scuttled back nervously. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡± The goblin stepped forward with a snarl, causing the crowd to flinch back in fear. Woohyuk was obviously bigger than the green creature, but the axe looked far more threateningpared to Woohyuk¡¯s dagger. Everyone thought that even if Woohyuk were to win, he¡¯d be sure sustain great injuries. Naturally, monsters would obviously be better in a fight than humans. Whoosh! The goblin¡¯s axe cut through the air, aiming for Woohyuk¡¯s right shoulder. It was rather fast, but Woohyuk managed to dodge it fairly easily. ¡®What a joke.¡¯ His abilities may have been reset, but his battle prowess hadn¡¯t gone anywhere. He was easily able to predict the goblin¡¯s movements simply based on its posture. ¡®It¡¯s been too long since I toyed around with one like this.¡¯ Still, he didn¡¯t let his guard down. At this stage a single mistake could still be fatal. Woohyuk quickly thrust a dagger into the goblin¡¯s neck. ¡°Gyeeh!!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes widened as the goblin went down with a squeal. ¡°He took it down so easily.¡± ¡°Does he know martial arts?¡± Woohyuk crouched down, ignoring the crowd¡¯s reaction. He removed the monster¡¯s armor and attempted to put it on. ¡°Is he really trying to wear that?¡± ¡°No way that¡¯s going to fit.¡± The goblin¡¯s armor was far too small for Woohyuk. So¡­ why was he even trying, was what was racing through everyone''s mind. Chapter 2: Base Camp (2)

Chapter 2: Base Camp (2)

¡°Adjust.¡± As soon as Woohyuk whispered the word, the armor transformed to fit his size. It wasn¡¯t something that was at all possible in real life. Everyone at camp was left speechless upon seeing what happened. ¡°Y-you saw that right? The equipment changed its size as soon as he said ¡®adjust¡¯.¡± Even Eve seemed rather surprised at this development. She stared down Woohyuk for a full second with her deep blue eyes. ¡°Well, you still deserve the gift, afterall you did defeat the goblin all by yourself.¡± A small red marble appeared in Eve¡¯s left hand. [Flint Stone]. It was an item that would create a small spark when injected with mana. ¡°Do you know how to use this as well?¡± Eve whispered to Woohyuk as she handed him the item. Woohyuk responded with a nod. ¡°Here, take it.¡± Eve simply returned to her original position. Seeing as she didn¡¯t ask any further questions, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t going to press the issue. Which worked out perfectly for Woohyuk. ¡°It is time to receive your adventurer watches.¡± A watch appeared on everyone¡¯s wrists as soon as Eve finished speaking. Causing a ck screen engraved with white words to simultaneously appear in front of everyone. - Status - Skills - Adventure Log - Quests ¡°It¡¯s fairly easy to use, since we modelled it after the smartphones that you people use in your own world.¡± While Eve exined each category to the adventurers, Woohyuk took a quick look at his Status. [Chun Woohyuk] - Job: Human adventurer - Title: Newbie - Stats: Strength: 8 Vitality: 6 Dexterity: 7 Intelligence: 5 Spirit: 5 ¡®I can¡¯t help but sigh.¡¯ He¡¯d known it would be like this, but it didn¡¯t make the disappointment any less. After all, all of his hard work had just been wiped out ¡®Well, at least the stats should rise rtively quickly.¡¯ He would simply have to go and monopolize everything. There were many treasures hidden throughout the world, not to mention the many rewards avable Naturally, Woohyuk had already begun nning the best way to get them all ¡°I¡¯ll hand out the supplies now.¡± As she gave everyone a wink, a small brown leather bag appeared on everyone¡¯s shoulders. They included basic first aid supplies, along with bread and water. ¡°Since the tutorial is now over, we¡¯ll officially begin the game. The first mission is to survive here for 15 days.¡± ¡°Do we not get weapons?¡± A nervous looking businessman asked, causing a mischievous grin to erupt on Eve¡¯s face. ¡°Of course you do. Everyone starts with the same stuff.¡± A single dagger dropped in front of them and after everyone had picked it up, she continued. ¡°Please protect this base camp. If the fire in the middle where to go out, the supplies will no longer appear.¡± These supplies included food, without which survival would be quite difficult ¡°Good luck, then. Ah, also, remember that the more monsters you defeat, the better your final reward will be.¡± Eve disappeared back into the ck portal with a wave of her hand Almost immediately after, a horde of goblins appeared near the camp. They numbered about a hundred, simr to the amount of people in the camp. ¡°S-so many!¡± ¡°How can we even kill them?¡± Most people stepped back in fear, their legs already trembling. ¡°We need to fight!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to die here if that fire goes out!¡± Some of the more muscr men started to shout seeing the masses cower in fear. But it was clear that it was mostly bravado, and that even they weren¡¯t ready to charge the front lines ¡®I should probably head out.¡¯ Woohyuk stepped forward with an axe in one hand and a dagger in the other. He was intent on umting the most points in this mission. Whoosh! The axe flew forward, burying itself deeply in one of the goblin¡¯s heads. The surrounding monsters angrily began to sprint towards Woohyuk ¡°Grr!¡± Several axes were swung his way and it seemed quite dangerous, but Woohyuk managed to calmly dodge them all. He slit the throat of a nearby goblin in the process, causing red blood to spurt out like a fountain ¡®This body isn¡¯t all that bad.¡¯ The monsters¡¯ attack patterns were simple. He could probably take on all hundred of them by himself. Seeing Woohyuk take down several goblins all by himself, spurred others to join in. However unlike him, they would gang up on a single goblin in order to take it down. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Die, you monster!¡± Swear words could be heard all across the battlefield. A primal sense of violence began to take over everyone in camp. Lost in that crowd mentality, the camp descended into a gory, battle induced madness. * * * The survivors decided to take a moment of rest in the nearby tents. Several of them had received some serious injuries due to having been caught up in the heat of the moment. Thankfully, the overall casualties were rtively low since Woohyuk had handled the majority of goblins by himself. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Hm? You guys actually don¡¯t look too bad. Oh?¡± Eve made a surprised face as she stepped out of the ck portal. Her eyes full of curiosity as they drifted towards Woohyuk. ¡°Looks like there are actually a few talented people here. Anyway, I¡¯ll be announcing the results of this battle.¡± A massive screen appeared in the sky when she raised her right hand. It was a list of people who contributed the most in the previous battle. [Contribution Rewards] 1. Chun Woohyuk (80.3%) - Ring of Growth, ck Machete 2. Ma Gwangpil (3.4%) - Trident 3. Lee Jaesung (3.1%) - Long Sword 4. Park Gunwoo (2.6%) - Short Bow 5. Hwang Donghwan (1.5%) - Toolbox ¡°There will be many more chances from now on, so don¡¯t be too depressed if you aren¡¯t satisfied with the results. This is only the beginning.¡± Eve then proceeded to hand out the rewards to those on the list. ¡®This isn¡¯t bad.¡¯ Woohyuk put on the purple ring as he nodded to himself in satisfaction A white text disyed in front of him on the adventurer watch. [Ring of Growth] Type: essory Rank: D Durability: 2300 (Unrepairable) Effect: 20% bonus exp It didn¡¯t directly increase hisbat ability, but it was still a great item to own this early. The slightest bit of difference in stats was monumental at this stage. As long as he maximized the use of the ring, he would outlevel and effectively outgrow everyone else. ¡®Things should get easier from now on.¡¯ Woohyuk tried waving the machete in the air a few times. The adventurer¡¯s watch disyed a new text in front of him. [ck Machete] Type: Weapon Rank: E Durability: 1200 Effect: Dex+3, Night Vision He couldn¡¯t ask for a better weapon to use in the forest. Arge ck de. It was excellent in clearing a path through the forest and its dark look wouldn¡¯t reveal his location. Of course, the added night vision ability was an incredibly useful bonus as well. ¡®It was a lot harder to earn thisst time around.¡¯ He recalled getting all of these items in his first attempt, but due to the severe injuries that he had sustained from that first battle, he was never able to utilize them to their full potential. It was something that had always bothered Woohyuk. ¡°You may now go ahead and explore the forest at your leisure. The next monster wave will only take ce this time tomorrow.¡± Eve said, as she finished handing out the reward to thest yer. ¡°So is this area safe?¡± One of the female students in the group asked, to which Eve nodded back. ¡°There will be no further attacks as long as the fire is burning. But people from other camps can still invade, so you should still be careful.¡± The crowd looked at each other nervously. ¡°Does crime go unpunished here?¡± ¡°The system doesn¡¯t interfere, so you should all just focus on getting stronger.¡± The businessman who asked the question grit his teeth. He hadn¡¯t gained anything from thest battle. ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m going to give you guys a small tip. You should try to find something you¡¯re good at, and specialize in that. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to do a few challenges once in a while as well.¡± Eve was in her own way telling them how to take advantage of the hidden bonuses. Woohyuk naturally understood this tip, but for most people it only added to their confusion. ¡°I¡¯ll take off, then. Good luck everyone!¡± Eve disappeared back into the ck portal. ¡°We should talk about what we¡¯re going to do from now on.¡± One of the men spoke up, holding a trident in his hand. [Trident]. It was a decent weapon to use, especially considering its long reach. ¡°Mr. Woohyuk, do you have any ideas?¡± The man turned to ask Woohyuk the question. Woohyuk already knew his name due to having looked carefully at the rewards list a while ago. ¡°Everyone can just do what they want.¡± Woohyuk didn¡¯t even bother turning around to respond, causing the man to frown. ¡°You¡¯re telling us to act alone? Here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man looked at Woohyuk with an incredulous look before coughing nervously. ¡°Looks like you know something about this ce, Mr. Woohyuk. Could you share some information with us? Anything would help.¡± ¡°...¡± Woohyuk stood up from his spot, grabbed an axe and simply handed it to the man without saying a single word. ¡°What do you...¡± ¡°Go get more wood.¡± ¡°Wood¡­?¡± Woohyuk pointed at the firece. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right. It would be troublesome if the supplies stoping.¡± The man nodded. The base camp also wouldn¡¯t be safe during the night without a fire. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some wood, then! After all, this is a collective problem that we should solve together.¡± The man gave Woohyuk a quick nce. He looked like he hadn¡¯t given up trying to force Woohyuk in joining. ¡®Arrogant bastard.¡¯ Woohyukughed inwardly. It was stupidly obvious how the man was attempting to assert himself as a leader in the camp. ¡®He was really annoyingst time around as well.¡¯ Ma Gwangpil. He was greedy, and would always stick his nose in other people¡¯s business. The kind of man that stopped at nothing to gain more power. ¡®I¡¯ll leave you be for now.¡¯ He did have to take care of the man at some point, just not right now. He had too many more important things to do. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯ll be joining us, Mr. Woohyuk?¡± Gwangpil looked overjoyed in an instant. He seemed to be happy that things were starting to go his way. ¡°Ten people including us, we don¡¯t need more than that.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Gwangpil immediately began to gather volunteers. * * * ¡° By the way, what abilities does that ring have?¡± Gwangpil asked, as Woohyuk chopped away at the wood. ¡°Secret.¡± ¡°...¡± The man red down Woohyuk with a serious look. He almost seemed like he was ready to fight, but Woohyuk honestly didn¡¯t bother with him. He knew those were just empty threats. ¡°Go gather some more wood if you have nothing to do.¡± ¡°Alright...¡± The man backed off rather quickly. He¡¯d realized that his petty intimidation tricks wouldn¡¯t work on Woohyuk. ¡®He¡¯ll soon be leaving into the forest with his followers.¡¯ Woohyuk thought to himself as he watched the man go. He already knew where the man was headed. ¡®It¡¯s still a bit early to go to the Centralke.¡¯ There was ake thaty in the center of this massive forest. It was filled to the brim with powerful monsters and it would be far too reckless to challenge on day one. ¡®Maybe somewhere else.¡¯ There were a few other ces he had in mind that would provide him with some decent items. A hot spot, as it were, and Woohyuk was nning on exploring one of them today. ¡®I should leave.¡¯ Woohyuk dropped his axe on the floor before looking around. There was plenty of firewood all around him. ¡®This should be good for a few days.¡¯ Of course he didn¡¯t cut wood for everyone because he was a good samaritan. He wouldn¡¯t have sat on the Steel throne in his previous life if that were the case. ¡®I wonder if my strength and vitality have risen a bit.¡¯ In the early stages, exercises like this helped raise a person¡¯s stats. It was actually a terrific idea to perform some manualbor on the first day. In fact, In was arguably more efficient than fighting monsters to level up. ¡®Let¡¯s see.¡¯ Woohyuk fiddled with the watch for his basic info. [Chun Woohyuk] - Job: Human adventurer - Title: Newbie - Status Strength: 10 Vitality: 8 Dexterity: 9 Intelligence: 5 Spirit: 5 His strength, vitality, and dexterity all had risen by 2 points. The strength rose from cutting wood, and the dexterity probably came from dodging the goblins¡¯ attacks. ¡®This is not bad.¡¯ Although it was still disappointing to see his stats so low, it was just barely eptable. His skills would make up for the rest. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± A female student asked when he took out his machete. She was one of the people who had decided to stay within the camp. ¡°Yeah. I have things to do.¡± Woohyuk left after the curt reply. There weren¡¯t many hours of sunlight left in day. ¡®The monsters be even more violent at night.¡¯ Also, the creatures he was nning on fighting today were going to be rather difficult. Still, it will be totally worth it, especially considering all the items he can loot from their hideout. ¡®I need to speed things up.¡¯ He was still missing something if he was going to be able to keep up with the n he had set himself. There was no need to think about all the possibilities at this point. His goal was now to achieve the impossible, surpassing the limits of the human body. With such a determined mindset, he was ready to plow through anything that stood in his way of sitting on a Divine Throne ¡®I¡¯ll kill anyone that stands in my way.¡¯ Swoosh! He swung down his machete, slicing any nt in his path. Chapter 3: Vampire Bat Cave (1)

Chapter 3: Vampire Bat Cave (1)

[Vampire Bats] They inhabited dark caves and old, abandoned mines. Living in a colony, when the sun went down, they¡¯d go out and hunt for food. They weren¡¯t easy opponents, as the adult ones could get as big as a tall human. ¡®Last time around I came with a group¡¯ Woohyuk reminisced as he walked along the trail. On the sixth day, the survivors had banded together to explore the Vampire Bat¡¯s cave. Still, most of them had given up early on, and only 10 of them had managed to make it to the Boss room. ¡®That was the first time I killed.¡¯ The reward consisted of only three items. Naturally, this was a source of conflict, and the group led by Ma Gwanpil had tried to cut out the rest. Ma Gwanpil had died as a result of his greed and only 3 people had walked out the cave with their lives, each with a single item. ¡®Now that I think about it I was quite lucky.¡¯ He had prepared a secret weapon, otherwise he would have died then. Thanks to that he had learned a valuable lesson. ¡®It¡¯s not worth grouping up with just anybody.¡¯ Rather than trusting strangers, he would be better off going at it alone. After all, one couldn¡¯t know when a so called ally would decide to stab you in the back. ¡®Careful preparation is more important.¡¯ Woohyuk crouched down and picked a blue de of grass [Spirit Grass] It was amon ingredient used by many alchemists. Best known for its antiseptic properties since it could be chewed and ced on an open wound. ¡®I¡¯ll be needing a few other things as well.¡¯ Woohyuk scanned his surroundings as he made his way through the forest. Walking around with the ck machete in his hand, he spotted a light blue mushroom growing in the shadow of arge tree. ¡®There you are.¡¯ Woohyuk grabbed it and ced it in his leather bag [Ghost Mushroom] It was typically used to make the Hermit¡¯s Elixir, but simply eating it would, to a certain degree, conceal your presence, at least for a short duration. It was a very useful item if you nned on entering a location that was crowded with monsters. ¡®It might not be super effective against bats due to their excellent sensory abilities¡­.¡¯ The caves were very deep, so it was best to avoid any unnecessary battles. If he were to kill every monster one by one, by the time he¡¯d make it out the sun would have fallen. ¡®Now just one more left.¡¯ Woohyuk approached a silver thorned tree and began to peel its bark with his dagger. This one would be useful when it came to dealing with the boss monster. ¡®I can¡¯t only collect nts all day.¡¯ Not unless his dream was to be an alchemist. After having collected enough, Woohuyk trudged on through the forest. Coincidentally, just as he had arrived before the Vampire Bat Cave, a group of people walked out from the bushes. ¡°Ah! Someone is here!¡± ¡°Are you all by yourself?¡± They stared a Woohyuk in surprise. It was a normal reaction considering that he looked like an ordinary college student strolling around in this dangerous forest. ¡®This is annoying.¡¯ Woohyuk frowned as he observed the party before him. It was a mishmash of 20 people, all seemingly from a different base camp. ¡°Are you lost?¡± The man holding a ck machete asked. He wore a military uniform with a sergeant¡¯s insignia. ¡°No¡± ¡°Would you like to join us? From the looks of it you¡¯ve alsoe to explore the cave.¡± They indeed had the same destination, causing Woohyuk to be somewhat conflicted. ¡®If I don¡¯t join them, they will simply follow from behind.¡¯ It seemed like he had little choice but to join them, otherwise he¡¯d be giving them a free ride. ¡°Alright¡± ¡°Good choice, here take this first.¡± The man handed him a makeshift torch, the cloth dipped in oil causing Woohyuk give the man a second nce. ¡°He came well prepared.¡± Indeed a military man¡¯s survival skills in the wilderness were on a different level. Of course, whenpared to the knowledge that Woohyuk had acquired over the years, he would barely qualify as a rookie. ¡°The name¡¯s Kang Taejoon, nice to meet you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Chun Woohyuk.¡± He had no reason to hide his name. They shook hands and he joined up with the group. ¡°Mana Channeling¡± Kang took out his flint stone and lit his torch, before going around and doing the same to the others. ¡®They are indeed afraid of fire.¡¯ Unfortunately the torch would also serve as a beacon to attract more monsters. Woohyuk simply walked into the cave, by wielding the ck machete his night vision was sufficiently high to not require additional lighting. ¡°Let¡¯s all go in!¡± Kang Taejoon dered as he lead the party inside. Everyone stopped chatting among themselves and followed him inside with a nervous expression. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°Are there no monsters?¡± The cave was pitch ck. Of course the torches would help to see things nearby, but the cave was so deep that the surroundings were bathed in darkness. Swoosh! The pping of wings could be heard as a giant Vampire bat appeared before the group. ¡°Ba...bat!¡± ¡°It¡¯s so big!¡± The people in front were caught in a panic as they swung their torches defensively. As the bat retreated from the fire, someone stepped out and stabbed it with a trident. Chizic The bat fell to the ground with a squeal. Seeing an opportunity, those closeby brought their torches to bear. Wharr The Vampire Bat ignited into a ball of fire, still pinned to the ground with the trident. The smell of burnt flesh assailed their noses. ¡°This ce looks a bit dangerous¡­.¡± ¡°What to do, should we continue?¡± Many were frightened as they looked to Kang Taejoon for guidance. However Kang firmly rejected them. ¡°Other ces will be just as dangerous. There might be some good items inside so we have to keep going.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just sit this one out?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather go out and do something else.¡± As expected, there were many who wanted to back out. Kang let out a sigh before continuing. ¡°Fine, those that want can go out and stand as lookouts at the cave entrance.¡± ¡°Thanks¡± The group of frightened people instantly ran outside. Unfortunately for them a monster broke out from the ground, blocking their escape. It was a Brown worm. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± ¡°Mommy! Help!¡± Their loud screams rang out through the cave. Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but be embarrassed at the sight. ¡®By making all that noise even more monsters would be attracted.¡¯ Things might get a bit dangerous in that case, so although he didn¡¯t want to stand out, he had little choice right now. Cut His ck machete severed the oversized brown worm in two. ¡°Ah, thank you!¡± A woman that was about toe under attack from the monster thanked him profusely. After which she immediately bolted towards the exit, without once looking back. ¡®So he isn¡¯t just some regr guy.¡¯ Kang thought to himself as he watched Woohyuk return. After all he was someone who wielded the same weapon as he did, that alone spoke volumes. ¡®That¡¯s good, I can make use of his skill.¡¯ Although Woohyuk didn¡¯t stand out too much, he still appeared as decently skilled. This would make it easier to clear the cave and get the loot. ¡®But the items will be mine.¡¯ Kang thought to himself. If Woohyuk tried to challenge him for them when the time came, he would make sure to assert his dominance. ¡®Well, I don¡¯t think he would simply roll over and give me everything.¡¯ In his mind he had already prepared himself for the eventuality. ¡®Even if he¡¯s very skilled, there is no way he¡¯d be able to handle our group all alone.¡¯ ¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep going.¡± Kang led the group sporting a satisfied smile. * * * ¡®You are quite the leader.¡¯ Woohyuk mused as he followed behind Kang Taejoon. Since the monsters were afraid of fire, they gathered in a tight cluster. Their group was currently twelve people strong. It was all due to having a stable leader in Kang Taejoon, else there would have been many more defectors. ¡®Originally they would have probably given up half way.¡¯ This cave hadn¡¯t been cleared until the 6th day. Although the level of difficulty wasn¡¯t all that high, the environment was tricky. The fear of the unknown, fighting in dark cave and having to keep moving forward into what felt like a never ending abyss. They would have turned back long ago had it not been for Kang. ¡®Still, it must have changed due to me.¡¯ Woohyuk imagined what would have happened had he not participated. The Brown worms early on would have surely resulted in quite a few casualties. After a while they would have had no choice but to turn back. ¡®Well, it¡¯s still a good thing.¡¯ In terms of clearing speed it was faster to team up with Kang Taejoon. Those deadweights had already escaped and Kang did a good job leading the group. ¡®He must think he¡¯s using me.¡¯ He had been pretending to be ignorant of the fact. Regardless, without him this group would never be able to take out the boss. ¡°Is there no end?¡± A manined with a tired expression. Kang looked back and let out a small chuckle. ¡°The cave is indeed deeper than I expected, but let¡¯s keep going a while longer. ¡°...¡± The man was clearly dissatisfied but still kept his mouth shut. They hade a long way to simply turn back. ¡®Their patience is wearing thin¡¯ None of them knew how much further it would be, and staying alert for long periods of time was naturally quite tiring. ¡®It should be showing up soon.¡¯ He noticed the cave passage slowly getting wider. Woohyuk pulled out the ghost mushroom and silver bark from his leather bag. Just as he had expected, after a few minutes the passage led into arge room. ¡°Wow, so big.¡± ¡°So there was a ce like this in the cave.¡± While the rest of the party was busy admiring the surroundings, Woohyuk went ahead and ate the ghost mushroom. The gummy texture and bitter taste assailed him, but he didn''t let it bother him. ¡®The real thing starts now.¡¯ There was a boss that guarded this room. Fossil Bat When threatened it would emit a magical ultrasound pulse which would cause its enemies to hallucinate. Unable to distinguish friend from foe, the group would kill each other off until none remained. It was for this very reason that he had just eaten the Ghost mushroom ¡®It was quite hard back then.¡¯ Later on everyone would have a certain amount of magic resistance, but even then the Fossil Bat¡¯s magic still held some sway. Although it wouldn¡¯t cause them topletely hallucinate, the majority of people had fallen to the ground with a splitting headache, attempting the control their urge to kill. ¡®They won¡¯t be able to resist it.¡¯ It was very hard to increase your magic resistance on day one. Even if you did, the amount would have been negligible, so it was safe to assume that Kang¡¯s death had already been decided. ¡®I¡¯ll just stay on the sidelines for now.¡¯ He was not nning to join in on the battle until the group was wiped out. Woohyuk felt no obligation to help, nor save them. If he were to rescue them, they would simply betray him when they arrived at the hidden room. ¡®I won¡¯t repeat the same mistake.¡¯ Last time around he has led a sessful raid on the Boss and many had lived. But it was all for naught since they had simply betrayed him when it came to the items. ¡®I¡¯ll stay over there.¡¯ Woohyuk inconspicuously made his way to a corner and hid his presence. Since he had ingested the Ghost mushroom, no one noticed him as he disappeared into the darkness, ¡°Where are the items?¡± ¡°Could they be hidden somewhere?¡± The party met up in the center of the room. Feeling something was off, Kang Taejoon spoke out. ¡°The space is unnaturallyrge, maybe there¡¯s a reason for it¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, could there be a Boss monster? In RPG¡¯s there usually is one guarding the treasure.¡± A man holding a longsword spoke out, but Kang chuckled lightly. ¡®No way¡¯ But at the same time, for some reason he couldn¡¯t help but have an ominous feeling building up within him. Kang looked around carefully while holding his ck machete. ¡®There¡¯s nothing here.¡¯ But all the while he had the sinking feeling of being watched. Kang Taejoon nervously made his way to the edge of the room in order to examine the cave¡¯s inner walls. Puluk A loud pping sound reverberating throughout the room. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Is there a bat here?¡± The party raised their weapons while gathering in the center. ¡®Indeed there¡¯s a bat.¡¯ Kang thought as he raised his head and his heart sank, his body frozen stiff. A humongous bat with piercing red eyes and a wingspan spanning the entire ceiling was speeding towards him. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Oh my god, what is that!¡± The party members fled towards the edges of the room as the Fossil batnded in the center with a loud thump. ¡°Ahh!¡± One of them had been to slow to escape and was caught by the bat¡¯s fangs as blood spattered everywhere. Thud! At the same time, a block of stone fell down, blocking the only exit. There was no option to run away this time. ¡®Fuck¡­¡¯ Kang Taejoon stared at the silver monstrosity as he ground his teeth. It was simply too overwhelming and he had no idea how to defeat it. ¡°Where is Chun Woohyuk?¡± He felt that Woohyuk might have an idea since he hadn¡¯t been fazed by the previous bats or worms. He looked around but couldn¡¯t see him anywhere. Just an abandoned torch was left lying on the ground. ¡®... not here.¡¯ Did he run away? Kang was left speechless. ¡®This isn¡¯t the time.¡¯ He had to act, relying on his experience in the military, Kang Taejoon calmed down and observed the Fossil Bat. Wielding the ck machete, he was able to see in the darkness just like Woohyuk. ¡®The head must be its weakness.¡¯ The Fossil Bat¡¯s body was covered with rocks, except for its head and wings which were defenseless like any other bat. ¡°If you guys want to survive, listen closely!¡± Kang Taejoon shouted at his party members that were scattered across the room. Chapter 4: Vampire Bat Cave (2)

Chapter 4: Vampire Bat Cave (2)

¡°You need to swing your torches from side to side toward the bat! It¡¯s the only way for you guys to attack him.¡± ¡°...¡± The party members hesitated to act, fearful of what might happen to them. After all they had just seen one of their own die. If they were to do as Kang Taejoon said, many of them would share the same fate. ¡°If you don¡¯t act, we will all lose our lives here. Hurry up!¡± ¡°Ah, okay¡­.¡± The party members slowly began to make their way forward. ¡°I¡¯ll be borrowing this.¡± Kang seized the trident from the man next to him. He took a deep breath and thought to himself. ¡®I have to seed.¡¯ Failure would result in all of them dying here. Opening his eyes, Kang shouted out. ¡°Now, let¡¯s rush at it together!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the vanguard!¡± Seeing Kang Taejoon run ahead, the other members soon followed with a loud battlecry. Although they were terrified, they didn¡¯t have any other option. Wharrr Kang threw a spinning torch flew towards the Fossil bat¡¯s left wing. Wham The Fossil Bat easily pped it away with its wing. ¡®Now¡¯ Making use of this opening, Kang Taejoon lunged forth with the trident, aiming for the bat¡¯s right wing. Chizizic ck blood spilled out of the wound as they heard the sound of leather being torn. ¡°Kyaaahk!¡± The Fossil Bat screeched angrily as it emitted a circr red pulse with its body at the center. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°AOE magic?¡± The party members tried to run away, but the pulse travelled too quickly and none were able to escape ¡°Ahhhakkk¡± ¡°Kaaaak¡± Screams filled with agony echoed across the cave as everyone crouched down on the ground holding their head in pain. ¡°Go away you bat monster!¡± ¡°I will kill you, disgusting creature!¡± A feast of ughter had begun. Other members would appear as monsters in their eyes, and when they tried to speak to others it would onlye out as unnatural shrieks. The first casualty was the man holding a longsword as he died to an arrow from the woman holding a short bow. She in turn had her heart pierced from behind by a dagger, while her assant was likewise stabbed by another. A literal abyss. It wasn¡¯t long until all except Kang Taejoon were nothing but cold corpses. He was able to hold on due to his ability to see in the dark allowing him to move around with greater ease. Kang breathed heavily as he examined the scene. They ally dead around him. ¡®There is only one left now.¡¯ He turned his gaze toward the Fossil Bat. Because of the grievous injury it had suffered, he guessed that it wouldn''t be able to move much. ¡®I should catch my breath first.¡¯ All the others in his group had died, but he had to somehow make his way out of this. ¡®I can always find more people.¡¯ From the very beginning, he didn¡¯t really care much whether they lived or died. They were but tools to be used in order for his ns to seed. ¡°Khaha¡± He let out an evilugh, it was time to deliver the killing blow to the Boss. Woosh! However the Fossil Bat didn¡¯t simply stand idle and ept death as it casually pped Kang Taejoon away with a flick of its left wing. ¡°Ugh!¡± Kang was sent tumbling across the floor. Unable to even move a single muscle, he fainted on the spot. ¡®This is a good time to step in.¡¯ Woohyuk who had been watching the entire scene from the corner of the room, raised his ck machete. Although he had been in the same room as the rest, he hadn¡¯t been affected by the illusion of the Fossil Bat¡¯s pulse. ¡®Looks like my Magic Resistance was sufficient.¡¯ It was only possible due to having inhaled the smell of the silver bark. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like he had gained total immunity. Although he didn¡¯t fall under any illusions, he still had to endure the splitting headaches. ¡®There is a time limit of 15 minutes.¡¯ That was how long he had until the effects of the silver bark wore off. As Woohyuk rushed towards it, the Fossil Bat swung his wing to intercept his approach. However he was on a different levelpared to Kang. He dodged the gust of wind produced by the bat¡¯s wing, as he moved forward. Sometimes he would be pushed back, but he would always be making ground. ¡®It is easier than before.¡¯ The injury Kang had caused to the bat¡¯s wing made things easier than in the past After closing the distance, it was the Fossil Bat which made the first move. ¡°Kiyaaa¡± Woohyuk rolled to the side, dodging past the bat¡¯srge fangs, as he prepared to climb it. ¡®It should be close enough.¡¯ Woohyuk took a running start, then leaped into the air,nding on the Fossil Bat¡¯s chest. Pukkk He sunk his sharp dagger deeply into the bat¡¯s neck. Then, using it as leverage, he hoisted himself up andnded on its head. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± Suddenly the angered Fossil Bat let out a piercing cry and the dangerous red pulse appeared. ¡°Ugh!¡± Woohyuk nearly lost his footing as a headache assailed him, but quickly managed to recover his bnce. He then stabbed his ck machete deeply into the Fossil Bat¡¯s head. Although it struggled desperately in an attempt to throw him off, Woohyuk held on tightly. ¡®This is nothing.¡¯ He is someone who had sat on the Steel Throne, overlooking all other Lords. The strongest being on Earth. It would be ridiculous for him to lose to a simple bat, now that he was aiming for Divine throne ¡®5 minutes left.¡¯ Not much, but still plenty of time to finish this guy off. Woohyuk clung tightly like a leech, as his machete continued to dig deeper into the Fossil Bat¡¯s head. A few secondster¡­. Thud! It fell down heavily to the ground. Woohyuk wiped the sweat from his forehead and then pulled out the ck machete. ¡®I did it.¡¯ All that was left now was to get the loot, so he headed to where he knew the hidden room would be. Touching a familiar engraved rune on the wall, a blue light appeared, revealing a door. ¡®That was a few hours faster than I had expected.¡¯ It was all thanks to joining Kang Taejoon¡¯s group. Woohyuk walked into the hidden room and examined the items which rested on the altar. [Vampiric Dagger] Type: Weapon Rank: D Durability: 3200 Effect: +5 Strength, Health absorption. [diator¡¯s Belt] Type: essory Rank: D Durability: 2600 Effect: +5 Stamina, 5 Equipment slots. [Adventurer¡¯s Stimnt] Type: Consumable Effect: +15 to all Stats (1 hour) All three were very useful items for him right now. The Vampiric dagger would increase his sustainability inbat, the diator¡¯s Belt gave extra equip slots while the Adventurer¡¯s Stimnt would be key for Boss fights, making his current solo y slightly more viable. ¡®In the past I had only gotten the Vampiric dagger.¡¯ Back then he had to split the items with the other survivors who had helped out. It was only natural to divide the loot ording to everyone¡¯s contribution, so he hadn¡¯t monopolized everything. Instead, it had been more important to develop good rtionships with trustworthyrades. ¡®I will still need to build some good rtions.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that he was shunning all help this time around. When the right people came around, he would spare no expense to help them develop well. ¡®Let¡¯s take the rest of the loot.¡¯ There were still a few things left to collect, such as the Bloodstone inside the Fossil Bat¡¯s corpse. When Woohyuk went to leave the hidden room, he heard a voice in front. ¡°Did you n this from the very start?¡± There stood Kang Taejoon, blocking the exit while wielding a ck machete and trident in each hand. ¡°Oh, so you didn¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Run away? Don¡¯t be ridiculous, after everything I¡¯ve been through to get here.¡± Woohyuk nodded to himself. It was indeed the case that people were not likely to simply give up after seeing such special items. ¡°Do you really think you can win against me?¡± ¡°Well, at least I can try.¡± He was confident in his advantage in weapons due to the longer range of his trident. ¡°Come, I will give you a free lesson.¡± Woohyuk provoked him with a gesture of his hand wielding the Vampiric dagger. ¡°Haaa!¡± Kang Taejoon rushed towards Woohyuk and hurled his ck machete. Woohyuk casually deflected it with his own machete, bringing a smile to Kang¡¯s face. ¡®Chance!¡¯ It was brighter in the room due to a moonstone ced in the ceiling, so it was possible for Kang to see Woohyuk clearly even with his regr eyesight. As soon as he saw the opening, he struck with his trident. So far everything was going ording to n, and he was confident in his victory. Shortly after... Ting The sound of steel meeting its counterpart rang out ¡®He avoided it!?¡¯ After sidestepping Kang¡¯s lunge, he struck down on the trident, knocking it away. An incredible reaction time. ¡®Ridiculous¡¯ Kang couldn¡¯t help but mumble to himself as Woohyuk closed the distance. He tried to strike once more with his longsword, but Woohyuk had alreadye too close, and so his longer ranged weapon became a hindrance instead. Pook The Vampiric dagger plunged deeply into Kang¡¯s stomach, greedily beginning to absorb his blood. ¡°You son of a bitch! You¡¯re a criminal against humanity.¡± He red daggers as he shot out one poisonous curse after another. Woohyuk simply tilted his head with a small smile. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°You used uspletely and then abandoned us at the most crucial moment.¡± ¡°I used you?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Kang Taejoon couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing, but Woohyuk continued. ¡°Someday you would kill your own colleagues just to take their items¡± ¡°What nonsense are you¡­.¡± ¡°You seemed pretty skilled so I went through my memory. Sergeant Kang, It¡¯s a rather old story but it stayed with me because it was so outrageous. An adventurer who during the night went ahead and kill all the others in his base camp, using a Pardon card to eliminate his sin. He then used all the items he collected as capital to start a hitman business.¡± Woohyuk went ahead and pulled out the dagger, causing a fountain of blood to spurt out from his stomach. Kang Taejoon groaned painfully as he dropped to the ground. ¡°Sergeant Kang would then lead a life of depravity, doing anything for the sake of money and never sparing anyone that might be an enemy. In order to continue on, he would constantly need to change his face, but in the end he was still killed. Aren¡¯t you curious as to why?¡± Kang naturally had no idea what Woohyuk was talking about. ¡®What future, I am gonna die here.¡¯ ¡°Bullshit.¡± ¡°One day Seargeant Kang received a request to kill a man. Since the pay was quite substantial, he was happy to go ahead with the contract without asking any questions.¡± Woohyuk squatted down and met Kang Taejoon¡¯s gaze, causing the man to tremble unconsciously. ¡®Are these really the eyes of a human?¡¯ He had met all kinds of people during his time in the military, but this was the first time meeting a pair of eyes that didn¡¯t exude any arrogance or superiority, simply murderous intent. The eyes of a demon ¡°Right before dying, Kang¡¯s killer exined to him why he was being targeted. It was because he had murdered a great person, a close friend of his.¡± ¡°Wh..who are you?¡± Kang stuttered as he asked nervously. The story was reaching the climax. [Death Sentence]. Kang felt like hes was receiving a judgement from the God of Death Woohyuk stood up and said. ¡°A man who will sit on the Divine throne.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you a second time.¡± Kang Taejoon who felt his time was near, closed his eyes firmly. Swish! The ck machete was drenched in blood. * * * Woohyuk arrived back at base camp just as the sun began to fall. Upon leaving the Vampire Bat cave, he had gone to a different hunting ground. ¡®Today¡¯s objectives have all been achieved.¡¯ It was time to rest in order to have another sessful day tomorrow. Although the Vampiric dagger was useful to replenish stamina,ck of sleep and fatigue would still cause his overall ability to drop. ¡®I still need to eat well.¡¯ Simply consuming bread and water wouldn¡¯t be enough to sustain him through his active schedule.As he approached the camp¡¯s fire, he could hear them arguing. ¡°This is all on you. You were the one that rmended we go there, else we never would have gone.¡± ¡°How is it my fault? It was a decision we came to after much discussion.¡± Ma Gwangpil and Lee Jaesung. Woohyuk immediately knew what they were arguing about without even needing to hear the rest. ¡®They¡¯re talking about the Central Lake.¡¯ Lee Jaesung had seen theke on the map and suggested they go there. They had then encountered many monsters and suffered casualties, but it was also difficult for Ma Gwangpil to avoid the me since he had led the group. For this very reason he was trying to shift the responsibility to Lee, because he had been the one with the idea to explore there. ¡®It was wrong of them to move forward without first scouting the area.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t Lee Jaesung¡¯s fault since he had merely pointed out an option on the map. Woohyuk however kept his opinions to himself, as he had no intention of interfering. Instead, he dropped down the deer which he had just hunted next to the fire. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that a deer?¡± Ma Gwangpil asked as he approached with a surprised expression. Woohyuk then used his ck machete to draw a line on the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t cross that.¡± ¡°Why, do you really n on keeping the deer to yourself, there are many people here you know?¡± Woohyuk watched the others silently, seeing everyone stare hungrily at the deer. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me eating what I¡¯ve caught?¡± ¡°Sure, but wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to help each other out? I mean we¡¯re all on the same boat right?¡± Woohyuk chuckled to himself as he began to consider it. ¡°I might have some leftovers, you can share what¡¯s left once I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ okay, we will wait.¡± Others nodded in agreement with Ma. ¡®Helping other people is not my style.¡¯ Well, in the end it was also beneficial for him if others were able to keep the base camp in good condition. Woohyuk cleaned Spirit grass and dagger, before butchering the deer. ¡®The blood can be used as bait to attract other monsters.¡¯ He had already drained it of blood, all he needed to do now was separate the meat. Having done this thousands of times, his movements were quite skillful. Skinning the deer and separating the fat, before removing any unwanted organs. After dividing the meat from the bones, he added rock salt to it to enhance the vor. ¡®If only I had some spices it would be even better.¡¯ He could have gone out of his way to pick different herbs, but he didn¡¯t want to waste any time. Woohyuk stabbed two Y shaped branches into the ground as support, on opposite sides of the fire. Then, he pulled out the trident from his diator¡¯s Belt and attached a piece of meat, wrapping it in Spirit grass. ¡®The fire won¡¯t be able to burn it.¡¯ Although it was typically used for alchemy, the grass also had this kind of use. Using the trident as a spit, he ced it on the two supporting branches and turned, slowly roasting the deer. As the meat began to cook, a delectable aroma spread throughout the camp. ¡®If I could have just one bite.¡¯ ¡®I almost fainted just smelling it.¡¯ They could hardly suppress the urge to rush to the fire. Afraid to annoy him, they also refrained from speaking out. ¡®The taste isn¡¯t bad.¡¯ Woohyuk had a satisfied expressions as cut strips of venison with his dagger. He ced the cooked meat on arge leaf, as he continued to eat all alone like a huge glutton. ¡®I also need to think about tomorrow.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t forget to cure some meat using the rock salt, that way he¡¯d have enough jerky for quite some time. ¡°The rest is yours.¡± As soon as he stood up, everyone rushed towards the fire and began arguing about how to divide what was left. Woohyuk simply observed them from his own corner as he thought to himself. ¡®This is bound to affect the future.¡¯ Since it was early on the changes wouldn¡¯t be dramatic, but it might result in important differences down the road. Be it the first clear on the Vampire Bat cave or the fact that he had killed off Kang Taejoon earlier on, both were crucial points ¡®Well it was unavoidable in order to secure an early advantage.¡¯ Aka, a snowball effect. Overwhelming strength was the best way to deal with any future uncertainties. ¡®I look forward to tomorrow.¡¯ Woohyuk stared into the sky to see a particrly bright moon that night. Chapter 5: Rock Climbing

Chapter 5: Rock Climbing

[Contribution Rewards] 1. Chun Woohyuk (82.3%) - Sage¡¯s Pouch, Goddess¡¯ Tears 2. Ma Gwangpil (3.6%) - Beginner Adventurer¡¯s Backpack 3. Lee Jaesung (3.1%) - Hunter¡¯s Flute 4. Park Gunwoo (2.6%) - Guide¡¯s Headband 5. Hwang Donghwan (1.5%) - Fishing essories ¡°You guys must have struggled this time around. The difficulty keeps increasing, so if you don¡¯t improve yourselves, you won¡¯t live until thest day. Eve cautioned as she handed out the rewards. The day¡¯s survivors stared at her with eyes filled with resentment. ¡®What kind of monster appears on thest day?¡¯ ¡®Can I even make it till tomorrow.¡¯ Today¡¯s invading monsters were Red worms. Unlike their brown cousins which Woohyuk had encountered in the cave and wouldunch surprise attacks from underground, these Red worms assaulted them head on from the get go. They were sorge that they were simply in a different league whenpared to the goblins the other day. This caused many to be very frightened, which resulted in casualties. ¡®A lot had died back then.¡¯ Early on almost everyone preferred to stay back at base camp rather than venturing out into the forest. By performing simplebor tasks their stats could rise, but since he needed to save stamina, Woohyuk didn¡¯t even have the energy to waste on them. ¡®Maybe they will act differently after today.¡¯ He had deliberately held back, so as to increase the burden on others. It was all in order to help them acknowledge the reality of the situation they were in. ¡®It would be best if as many of them as possible are able to survive.¡¯ Thest day was far from being easy. Of course they wouldn¡¯t be much help, but at the very least it would be better than nothing. ¡®Let¡¯s take a look at the items I got.¡¯ Woohyuk looked over his rewards after synchronizing with his Adventurer¡¯s Watch. A text box appeared in mid-air. [Sage¡¯s Pouch] Type: Personal Item Effect: Infinite storage, permanent preservation [Goddess¡¯ Tears] Type: Personal Item Effect: Creates freshwater ¡®These are pretty good.¡¯ Unlike on the first day, only the top rankers received items. The Sage¡¯s pouch could hold any equipment, as well as food. It could adjust its size ording to the owner''s needs, bing small enough to fit in one¡¯s hand, orrge enough to pass as a small sized bag. The Goddess¡¯ Tears would give one ess to drinking water so long as they had mana. I would help him save a lot of time searching for water. ¡®Now I¡¯ll be able to venture out further.¡¯ Actually, he was now fully equipped to spend his nights outside of the base camp, but it was worth it to return to collect the daily rewards. ¡°Here are the supplies as promised¡± With a wave of her hand, a bunch of wooden boxes appeared near the fire filled with various types of food, clothing and medical supplies. ¡°Cheers adventurers!¡± Eve left through the ck portal with a wink. As the day¡¯s survivors went to inspect the boxes, Ma Gwanpil moved to block them. ¡°Stop, do you really think you can go ahead and just take stuff?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious that those that fought hard, putting their lives on the line receive more?¡± He was nning to redistribute the supplies based on their contributions. Since it didn¡¯t sound unfair, many nodded in agreement. ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll start with Chun Woohyuk.¡± Hearing Ma Gwanpil¡¯s speech and seeing the acquiescence in others, Woohyuk went ahead with an annoyed expression. He walked up to a wooden box and spoke. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°Ah, did you want to gather things yourself, sure go ahead.¡± Ma Gwangpil immediately backed off. Hardly sparing him a nce, Woohyuk went ahead and take only the items he would need, cing them in his leather bag. ¡®If I don¡¯t take much, he won¡¯t be able to use me as a precedent to hoard more for himself. ¡¯ Regardless, it would be easy for him to find food in the forest, so he had no reason these supplies that provided minimal nutrition. ¡°... Is that really enough?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± ¡°If you ever need more, don''t hesitate. We will keep a portion aside for you.¡± Woohyuk simply turned and walked away without answering, spending even a single second of his precious time on that guy would be far too wasteful. ¡®I need to hurry up.¡¯ He would have a busy schedule today, nning to do something that ordinary people could never even consider. Woohyuk walked into the lush forest wielding the ck machete. * * * [Primordial forest] The ce was named so due to the primitive creatures that inhabited it. ¡®It¡¯s a great ce for beast tamers.¡¯ Although it would dependrgely on the species, but by grabbing them young or as eggs, it would be possible to raise them. Naturally, for higher leveled species, the tamer¡¯s abilities would have to be extraordinarily high. ¡®In that respect Ivanov was incredible.¡¯ Dragonlord Ivanov. He had obtained arge egg in this forest,ter seeding in hatching his very own Red dragon. ¡®This time around it¡¯ll be mine.¡¯ Woohyuk trembled at the thought of all the casualties he had suffered when going up against Ivanov in the past. Although ultimately he hade out on top, it had cost him the lives of many capablerades. ¡®It should be here.¡¯ Woohyuk stopped before a steep cliff, ncing at the wooden sign nted into the ground. ¡®He must have liked that.¡¯ Ivanov was a rock climbing enthusiast. Upon seeing the sign, he had decided to climb up. ¡®I¡¯ll give it a try as well.¡¯ He was sure this was the ce since he had checked Ivanov¡¯s personal Adventure Log. ¡®I should first reduce any unnecessary weight.¡¯ Woohyuk went ahead and emptied the items from his leather bag into his Sage¡¯s Pouch. He then ced the ck machete in his belt slot, so he could climb barehanded. ¡®Let¡¯s do this.¡¯ After throwing the empty leather bag into a nearby bush, he began to ascend the steep cliff wall. He moved his limbs slowly, but methodically, appearing almost like he was climbing a verticaldder. ¡®I have a lot of experience with this.¡¯ This world required adventurers to be capable of surviving the most extreme situations. He once had to cross a log bridge, and even escape from an ind surrounded by man-eating sharks. Rock climbing was a cinch inparison. ¡®It¡¯s important to always keep my body bnced.¡¯ Woohyuk would only move one arm or leg at the time. The friction from sticking close to the wall would aid his ascension, and any significant protrusions or cracks would serve as grips to take much needed rests. Of course he didn¡¯t forget to maintain his stamina by using different muscles. As he reached a t ledge, he performed a full chin up and hoisted himself up. Before him was arge crack, wide enough for him to fit in as he climbed with his arms and legs outstretched, pushing against the rock surface. Just like a true rock climbing expert. If he were to fall from this height, he was sure to lose his life, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t show any signs of fear. ¡®Nature cannot conquer a man who seeks to sit on a Divine throne.¡¯ As he made his way up the cliff wall, he heard a sharp cry, causing him to frown. ¡®They¡¯ve finally appeared.¡¯ [Fire-winged bird] Their name came from their red feathers, which when fluttered in the wind, appeared like wings bathed in dancing mes. They liked to build their nest in the safety of high cliffs, and swoop down with their sharp de-like beaks upon any intruders. They were a tricky opponent to face when your arms and legs were tied up. ¡®Ivanov was lucky.¡¯ He had in his possession a Hunter¡¯s Whip, so he was able to confidently deal with them It was an item that he obtained from a hidden treasure chest in forest, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t feel like it would be necessary. ¡®My weapons should be enough.¡¯ Trident, ck Machete, Vampiric Dagger, Short Bow. Although the bow couldn¡¯t be used in this case because it required both hands, the others could be retrieved and wielded at a moment¡¯s notice. Woohyuk nced at the Fire-winged bird, while holding on to the cliff with both hands. ¡®They look quite tasty.¡¯ He didn¡¯t at all feel any danger. Although he wasn¡¯t able to freely move his body in such an environment, it wouldn''t be a problem. ¡°Mana Channeling¡± He activated the rune engraved on the Vampiric Dagger. [Revealing existing rune] [Innate Magic: Collect] ¡®I didn¡¯t know about this back then.¡¯ Divine Runes. Equipment that was engraved would have additional options. Although they required one to activate them with mana, they were still very useful. ¡®I¡¯ll kill them all.¡¯ It was a good opportunity to farm experience points while also refilling his stamina. Huiriric He expertly threw the Vampiric dagger, sinking it into the head of a Fire-winged bird which was flying above. As the bird fell down, Woohyuk activated the dagger¡¯s innate spell: Collect, and both the Vampiric dagger and Fire-winged bird appeared back in his hand. He ced the corpse in his pouch, as the blood on the dagger was absorbed into his body ¡®I¡¯ll try toplete an achievement.¡± One could receive rewards for setting incredible records or seeding at difficult tasks despite being low leveled. There were many kinds of rewards; the most basic ones were of course equipment, but for notable achievements one might receive skills or follow up quests. ¡®The goal for now is one hundred.¡¯ He felt he could hunt that many before arriving at his destination. He would then receive a Ward Drum, which was a decent reward. Not to mention that he would also get the meat and feathers from the corpses. ¡®My dinner tonight has already been decided.¡¯¡¯ Woohyuk formed a small smirk as he stared at the flock of Fire-winged birds be frenzied. * * * Woohyuk stood at the top of the cliff, overlooking the vast forest. ¡®I can¡¯t see any end to it.¡¯ It meant that there were still many opportunities to unearth, but after just 15 days, they would all disappear forever. ¡®I¡¯ll need to focus only on what I truly need.¡¯ Time was running out, he could only search for the very best items ssified as Hidden Treasures. I can¡¯t dwell on the others. ¡®Then let¡¯s go inside.¡¯ Woohyuk turned around to see a huge cave [Dragon¡¯s Nest] It was a very dangerous ce for a beginner to step into. If a real dragon were to be inside, he could be reduced to ashes with but a simple breath. ¡®I can¡¯t back down now.¡¯ Ivanov had somehow managed. Drawing confidence from this fact, Woohyuk walked inside. Although he wasn¡¯t able to see anything, he could feel it instead. Arge amount of mana. Absolute silence, as if he were walking along the bottom of a deep ocean. Although he could feel some movement nearby, he wasn¡¯t able to see anything. [Dragon Heart] It was the only thing capable of producing mana in such quantities. In other words, this cave housed a true dragon. ¡®It hasn¡¯t attacked.¡¯ If it had wanted him dead, he would never have made it this far in the first ce. Dragons had the greatest perception range among living creatures. ¡®It ns to test me.¡¯ Dragons were highly intelligent, so Woohyuk was still quite nervous. [Who dares enter myir] While Woohyuk was walking, a voice appeared in his mind. At the same time, a pair of great gold eyes blinked in the dark. [What is your name?] ¡°I¡¯m Chun Woohyuk.¡± He answered without hesitation. [I am Adakar, Elder chief of the Golden dragon tribe. I would hear your purpose ining here before I test you.] ¡°To sit on a Divine throne, and put an end to these trials. That is my goal.¡± Adakar stared at the puny human before it for some time. Although his appearance waspletely normal, he could feel something unique about him. [That is an ambitious goal, I¡¯m assuming you are willing to undergo the highest difficulty test?] ¡°Of course.¡± He naturally had to obtain the best rewards possible. Adakar nodded as it was the response he had expected. [I shall now test your mettle.] A dazzling golden light appeared and swallowed up the cave. * * * Woohyuk stood on a battlefield filled with countless corpses. A red g fluttered with the gusts of wind. ¡®This ce¡­.¡¯ Northwest Territories, Ravenhill. It was the time Dragonlord Ivanov had invaded andid waste to the region. ¡®So you¡¯re showing me my past.¡¯ It was so simr to what had happened at the time. Ivanov¡¯s Red dragon had brought with it a storm of death, leaving a trail of corpses in its path. A painful memory that he would much rather never revisit ¡®But I¡¯ll never forget.¡¯ Ever since deciding that he was going to sit on a Divine throne, he would think of their names everyday; Seo Youngkyu, Han Yujin, Lee Donghoon,Sylvia, Harris. ¡®It was all my fault.¡¯ By cing his focus on the Central ins, he had neglected other areas. He hadn¡¯t anticipated the fact that Ivanov would hit him from the rear. ¡®I won¡¯t make that same mistake again.¡¯ Since this was his trial, he had no reason to shirk away from it. He came back in order to create a better future, and not once has he doubted his decision. Woohyuk was willing to ept the me for hisplete neglect of his subordinates. However, he would never give up until the very end. If he feared too much repeating the same mistakes, he would never make his way to a Divine throne. It wasn¡¯t vainglory It wasn¡¯t pride, arrogance or selfishness. It was a true desire to achieve something more important than his own life. This dream wasn¡¯t only for himself, but for all his subordinates that put their trust in him. He would always move forward. If he stumbled and fell down, he¡¯d rise once more. Even if he were to lose those dearest to him, it would only make him strive that much harder. His goal wasn¡¯t to be a hero admired by everyone, but simply to put an end to this entire nightmare. For that, he was willing to give up everything, be it human emotion, peaceful days or warm memories. Whatever it was that stood in his way, he¡¯d cut it down. ¡°You can¡¯t judge me with this test.¡± Woohyuk swung his sword through the air, causing a tear in space. Chapter 6: Killing in the Night

Chapter 6: Killing in the Night

[Illusory world] That ce had just been an illusion, and Woohyuk had been aware of it from the very beginning. ¡®It¡¯s a technique used by high level Devils.¡¯ Illusion spells that would show you repressed and unwanted memories of your past or future in order to crush your spirit. To break it, one would need an indomitable will. Whether or not your Intelligence or Spirit stats were high didn¡¯t matter. You could only ovee it with a strong belief in oneself. As Woohyuk casually emerged from the illusory world, Adakar spoke to him. [Excellent, one with a strong will. Although there technically are a few more tests, we can go ahead and skip them.] Although it had only been a brief evaluation, Adakar was able to confidently judge his qualifications due to his vast experience of meeting many individuals over the years. ¡®He is so simr to that guy.¡¯ There had once been a man who had reigned over the entire Dragon species. [Carlos] He had gathered all the tokens which had been hidden across God''s historical site and as a result of it obtained the hidden ss, Dragon lord. Although heter died a pathetic death due to a betrayal, his inheritance remained. ¡®Perhaps this human can reach his level.¡¯ [I have a task for you, if you were to seed, you could gain control over the entire Dragon race] ¡°What is it?¡± [Collect the 9 Dragon tokens and release us from the restrictions imposed on us by the Gods] Woohyuk took a moment to think things through, surprised by this unexpected turn of events. ¡®Control over the Dragons.¡¯ Woohyuk had certainly heard about the special ss, Dragon Lord, but had never encountered anyone who had obtained it. Ivanov had only managed to tame a Red dragon. ¡®This is an incredible opportunity.¡¯ If all the dragons became his subordinates, his ession to the Divine throne would be faster than anyone else. Still, it could also prove problematic. He had no advance information as to where to find the nine tokens or how long that could even take. That was a serious inconvenience for Woohyuk who was constantly in a race against time. ¡®Well, let¡¯s figure it out as we go along.¡¯ The upside was simply too attractive to ignore, so he had to take up the challenge. It was this mindset that had allowed him to achieve all that he had. ¡°I ept.¡± A white text appeared in his mind upon his answer. [Acquired title ¡®Legendary Explorer¡¯.] [20% increase in Item drop rate from monsters.] [20% increase in Perception and Speed within a Historical site] It wasn¡¯t a title which he thought could be acquired in this forest. Normally you could obtain ones like Goblin yer, Human Hunter or Novice Explorer. [Also, take this.] Adakar picked an egg from the nest behind him and offered it to Woohyuk. It was the reward for passing the test. ¡°Are there more eggs?¡± [The rest are for future adventurers. Although I am inclined to give them all to you, I am duty bound to follow the instructions of the Creator.] Woohyuk became quite annoyed at the thought of it. In this way Ivanov could still make his way up here and obtain an egg. ¡®Nothing I can do about it.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like he could defeat the Gold dragon before him, nor was he willing to stay here and wait for Ivanov to make an appearance. Woohyuk ced the dragon egg in his Sage¡¯s Pouch, and turned around as he made his way out of the cave. ¡®I will be going ahead first.¡¯ He would tame his own dragon even before Ivanov did and destroy his territory Although it hadn¡¯t gone as expected as he wasn¡¯t able to prevent Ivanov from obtaining his dragon, it had still been a fortunate encounter, and he felt he had profited instead. * * * A crescent moon hung in the night sky. The base camp was as silent as a dead rat Besides the crackling of the firece in the center, there was no other movement. ¡®Just as I expected.¡¯ Jang Taeseok nodded to himself, as he examined the situation from behind a bush. He had found this location earlier in the afternoon, when the monster attack was already underway. ¡®There was this one guy who fought well.¡¯ Still, except for him, the rest were nothing special. The assault of therge Red worms had caused most of them to be scared stiff, not even participating in the battle and only watching from the backline. ¡®It¡¯ll be a piece of cake to crush these weak yers.¡¯ Jang Taeseok had his own unique story as to how he became a wanderer. On the very first night they had been transported here, there was a dispute in their camp, and it actually led to someone extinguishing their central campfire. After that, it had been impossible to light it once more. All the supplies in the camp like tents and cooking utensils disappeared. ¡®I will make this my new home.¡¯ There was no rule against changing base camps. Eve had already mentioned that she was unwilling to interfere in matters between adventurers and that there wasn¡¯t any penalty for murder. So he came up with a n. In the middle of the night he was to move in and wipe out the adventurers in this other camp. ¡®Killing all the women would be a bit wasteful¡­¡¯ Afterall there were several women that would prove useful as outlets for their sexual desires. He¡¯d upy it first and then deal with the specifics, Jang Taeseok thought to himself as he snapped back to reality and gestured to his group. ¡®Get ready, we are going in.¡¯ His subordinates nervously followed behind Jang Taeseok. After checking to make sure there wasn¡¯t any scout, they broke into their first tent. ¡®They must all be sleeping and haven''t noticed anything.¡¯ The campfire would ensure that there were no monster attacks during the night, so it was natural for the base camp to have let their guards down. Jang Taeseok sported an evil grin as he looked into the tent, but his expression quickly fell. ¡®What, where is everyone?¡¯ There wasn¡¯t a single soul in sight, almost like they had known in advance . The same held true as the examined the other tents. ¡®Did they all leave the basecamp?¡¯ The campfire was still lit so it didn¡¯t make any sense for them to have left. Something was wrong, as he felt an ominous feeling creep up. Just as he was about to give order to his group a scream rang out in the night. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Surprised, he ran forth to the source of the sound, only to find one of his subordinates with an arrow stuck in his neck. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Jang Taeseok swore without thinking. ¡®They got us.¡¯ No, they had known from the very beginning, but how could that be? It was the only thought running through Jang Taeseok¡¯s head at the moment. ¡°Agh!¡± Another scream rang out, this one quite a bit closer. Rather than running about in panic, he decided to observe his surroundings. ¡®I can¡¯t fall for their tricks.¡¯ If he didn¡¯t keep a cool head, the situation would just go from bad to worse. Jang Taeseok finally lifted his ck machete and with a rather unwilling look, cried out. ¡°Gather around, we will retreat for now.¡± Things weren¡¯t going as nned so he decided to take his group and quickly escape from this base camp. There were more screams that ensued as they made their way out to the forest, but he simply ran straight, without once looking back. ¡°Huk¡­ huk¡± They panted, as some group members weren¡¯t able to keep up with his speed. Jang Taeseok finally raised his hand, signalling them to stop. Hearing the rustling of the leaves nearby, one of his subordinates who wielded a short bow, let loose and arrow in that direction. Complete silence followed, only adding to the tension. ¡®Did it get him?¡¯ Although there hadn¡¯t been any further movement, one couldn¡¯t be sure unless they verified it in person. An arrow appeared just as Jang Taeseok was about to make a move. ¡°Kuluk¡± His subordinate which held the short bow spat out some blood, his stomach pierced by an arrow which came from behind. ¡®It has to be.¡¯ The only way one could move freely in such darkness was by wielding the ck machete, and there would only be one such person per camp. ¡®I have no choice but to go out.¡¯ He had to go by himself and deal with this threat before the casualties got any worse. He already knew his opponent¡¯s approximate position due to the arrow¡¯s flight, so as long as he was careful about the ranged attacks, he had good odds ofing out on top. ¡°Kuhuk¡± ¡°Plea...se¡± The screaming came from his own group as he left them to hunt down this threat on his own. Jang Taeseok frowned ¡®He is picking us off one by one.¡¯ He was determined to kill this guy, as he continued his search for Woohyuk. But ever since he had begun actively looking, a stillness pervaded the forest ¡®Where are you?¡¯ He had looked around so carefully but found nothing. ¡®Still can¡¯t find...what if...¡¯ Jang Taeseok broke out in a cold sweat. No, it couldn¡¯t be. It was impossible for a single person to have taken care of his entire party. As he was thinking about what he should do, a man¡¯s voice rang out from behind him. ¡°And now you¡¯re all alone, Jang Taeseok.¡± ¡°...¡± He spun around with a heavy look, to see Woohyuk staring back at him holding a bloody machete. ¡°I regret not finishing you off that one time when we battled in the valley. That time you led a special strike force and had given me quite a hard time. You even went ahead and put a bounty on my head after surviving from that Devil world. ¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°In the end you were caught and cut up by one of my retainers, but I had always imagined how it would feel to kill you with my own hands.¡± After finishing his sentence, he went ahead and sever both of Jang Taeseok¡¯s arms. He fell to his knees and screamed out in agony. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Blood spurted out as an unbearable pain overcame him. The machete moved so fast that he had never seen iting. ¡®Just too much of a difference in stats.¡¯ An incredible gap had been created between them in a span of just two days. He had also trained very hard, but it had all been for naught. Jang Taeseok looked up at him inplete despair, as the shadow of death loomed over him. * * * ¡°I¡¯m so d that Chun Woohyuk is part of our camp.¡± Ma Gwangpil said as he continued to pull out the feathers. Park Gunwoo nodded beside him. ¡°He¡¯s quiet, but a good person. He even provides us with food.¡± All the survivors were holding a birds wing, which they received from Woo Hyuk in exchange for helping pull out all the feathers. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us something about yourself? You don¡¯t talk much but everyone is curious about you, Chun Woohyuk.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s face turned furrowed in annoyance. ¡®This guy again again....¡¯ Still, looking at the faces of those around, he realised that he would still have to exin himself. At the very least he didn¡¯t want some strange rumors to start spreading. ¡°Actually this is my second time here, that¡¯s why I know more than you guys.¡± ¡°Could you share some important information with us? As you can see after tonight¡¯s raid on the camp, everyone is on edge, and many haven¡¯t yet adjusted to the strange forest.¡± ¡®This sneaky guy.¡¯ After carefully considering it. Woohyuk finally answered. ¡°If you follow me tomorrow, I¡¯ll teach you guys a few things.¡± ¡°Where do you n on going?¡± ¡°The Centralke.¡± The expression on many survivors, including Ma Gwangpil¡¯s immediately stiffened. The mere mention of the name brought up some bad memories. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous, please reconsider.¡± ¡°The choice is up to you.¡± ¡°Can you ensure our safety.¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s lives are their own.¡± An awkward silence ensued as Woohyuk would only let out a bitter smile. ¡®Was it too forceful?¡¯ For those that were ignorant of the facts, it would sound like a sure death. Naturally he had a n, but even he wasn¡¯t sure if they would be able to handle it. ¡®Maybe one or two of them will choose to follow.¡¯ In the past there were still a few that had courage and would be useful. Although some things in the timeline had changed, it shouldn¡¯t have affected their very nature. Woohyuk decided to wait a while longer. ¡°I will go.¡± It was Lee Jaesung who stood up and broke the silence. He confidently met Woohyuk¡¯s gaze, clearly having made up his mind. ¡°Is there anyone else?¡± In response to his question, a few more volunteered for a total of ten. Among them there was even a highschooler and a nine year old girl. ¡®That¡¯s a bit surprising.¡¯ They couldn¡¯t have been very impactful in the past since he had no memory of them. Maybe they had previously died during this very raid or even stayed in hiding until the end. ¡®I won¡¯t stop them.¡¯ They could actually turn out to be useful subordinates, that is unless they run away at the first sign of danger. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll lead this many people.¡± It would instead be a burden if there were too many and tomorrow was going to be a bit unusual. ¡®My stats are still way too low.¡¯ Hunting as a group can work if there is a good leader. It could help him avoid certain dangers but still challenge high level hunting areas. ¡®They will actually be doing physicalbor more than anything.¡¯ Woohyuk began to roast his red feathered bird skewers over the fire, as Jaesung approached him and asked. ¡°Can you let me know what you have nned?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget the Flute.¡± ¡°What? Are you....?¡± Woohyuk nodded back to him, causing Lee¡¯s expression to stiffen. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like a good idea¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that.¡± He didn¡¯t want to give an in-depth exnation since that would only bring up even more questions. Also any information wouldn¡¯t be helpful for them at this point anyways.. ¡°...Okay.¡± ¡°There is one thing I can tell you¡± Woohyuk spoke to Lee Jaesung who looked disappointed. ¡°If you return tomorrow, you¡¯ll be able to deal with your own problems.¡± Their eyes met as Lee Jaesung responded. ¡°Then I¡¯m looking forward to it. Chapter 7: Central Lake (1)

Chapter 7: Central Lake (1)

[Central Lake] It was the area within the Primordial Forest where one could find the highest grade items, but simply arriving there was quite risky. One had to cross hordes of monsters, and despite Ghost mushrooms being quite effective at the lower levels, there was a limit to how many monsters it could evade detection. ¡®I had a lot of trouble that time around as well.¡¯ Regardless, the Central Lake was only the final destination, and he was in no hurry to get there right away. ¡®We can fight our way there.¡¯ They had to cull the overwhelming number of monsters, using the opportunity to grow in strength as well. It would take some preparation before the operation ran smoothly. [Hunter¡¯s Totem] Type: Consumable Effect: +20% Agility to allies within a 10m radius (2 hours) [Hunter¡¯s Flute] Type: Musical Instrument Rank: E Durability: 700 (can¡¯t be repaired) Effect: Monsters are attracted to the sound of the flute. [War Drum] Type: Musical Instrument Rank: E Durability: 800 (can¡¯t be repaired) Effect: +20% Strength and Vitality to allies within a 12m radius ¡®This should be fine.¡¯ As of the third day one could choose their daily reward items based on contributions. Ten Hunter Totems, although they were mere consumables, their effects were more than worth it. ¡®Unnecessary equipment would just be a burden.¡¯ It was one thing to store it within the Sage¡¯s Pouch, and another to use it freely inbat. Equipment that was stored in the diator¡¯s Belt could be essed at a moment¡¯s notice, but that wasn¡¯t the case for the pouch. Regardless, other than Hidden pieces, the utility of regr items wouldn¡¯t be that high, so he was better off investing in items that could support his growth in the short term. ¡°Let¡¯s begin here.¡± Woohyuk gathered the party around him as he activated the totem. A blue aura spread out, raising everyone¡¯s agility by 20%. ¡°Should I start?¡± A woman, Song Anna, blinked innocently as she asked. Woohyuk nodded back and she began to y her Hunter¡¯s Flute. A peaceful melody drifted through the trees, but it didn¡¯t take long for it to take effect. ¡°Krururu¡± A group of angry goblins came into view. They were equipped with various items that made them look like a hunting party. As soon as the female high school student, Yoo Gayong saw them, she began to beat the drum with a branch she had picked up along the way. A red aura spread out, increasing everyone¡¯s Strength and Vitality by 20%. ¡°If you follow the n, no one will get hurt.¡± To which Woohyuk¡¯s party members nodded back. In fact, the n wasn¡¯t anything fancy. It consisted solely of eliminating the iing monsters while protecting the backline in Song Anna and Yoo Kayoung ¡®Buffs are crucial in group battles.¡¯ It was the main reason for bringing them along. If he were to be fighting alone, he would constantly need to be watching over them, but with the buff at least they could now take care of themselves. ¡®It¡¯s a bit annoying, but¡­.¡¯ Considering that it was still early, it was worth it to invest some effort in training them, rather than dragging around dead weights the whole time. The n was to start off with the rtively easy Goblin area, and then work their way up to higher levels of difficulty. Woohyuk walked up to the iing goblins, wielding a machete in each hand. * * * ¡°Hu Huu¡­.¡± Lee Jaesung sat on a goblin¡¯s corpse as he tried to catch his breath. He looked down at the Longsword and Iron buckler in his hands, his bodypletely exhausted. ¡°Good job everyone.¡± Song Anna said as she looked to her teammates. She still seemed to be surprised by what had just urred. It was an entire hill of goblin corpses. A ridiculous number, especially considering that only 2 hours had psed. ¡°Is there a secret to fighting so well?¡± Huang Dongwhan asked Woohyuk as he casually tinkered with his Adventurer¡¯s Watch. It hadn¡¯t been so much a battle, as a one-sided ughter. It had been quite thrilling to watch Woohyuk single handedly dispatch so many goblins. ¡°Just raise your stats.¡± A straightforward reply, but Woohyuk felt it was the most honest one. ¡®If you arecking experience, then you need to try just about anything.¡¯ At the end of the day stats are just another resource to make use of. Later on, skill would be more important, but not nearly as much at these early stages where your stats yed a much more significant role. ¡°Do your stats grow as you kill more monsters?¡± ¡°Yes, but they have to be at a simr level to you.¡± This was a world based on a game system, somon sense didn¡¯t necessarily apply. Woohuk then made use of their break time to teach his party the basics of stats. ¡°I see, so as Agility rises, your Perception improves¡­.¡± ¡°Magic resistance is rted to Spirit, thanks for sharing.¡± While all the party members were nodding their heads, Song Anna handed Woohyuk something. ¡°Is this edible?¡± [Clown mushroom] ¡°If ingested in small doses it acts as a hallucinogen, but can be lethal poison if one eats too much. It is used in alchemy, but it is dangerous for beginners to experiment with.¡± Song Anna immediately dropped the Clown mushroom to ground, her face turning blue with worry. Woohyuk then proceeded to pick it up, and handed her a Ghost mushroom instead. ¡°If you find yourself in a tight spot, use it to lower your presence, it can save your life.¡± ¡°Oh, can I have one more? I have a sister ....¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider it if you have something useful to trade.¡± [The Law of Equivalent Exchange] He wasn¡¯t nning on giving any handouts, preferring to be strict in order for them to learn this basic rule. ¡°Then what about this?¡± She pulled out a scroll from her leather bag. [Fire magic:: Fire Bolt] Woohyuk stared at her in surprise. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± ¡°From a treasure chest I found in the forest.¡± She had indeed been very lucky to find it while simply collecting firewood near the camp. Although it was a decent item, Woohyuk shook his head. ¡°You should use it.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°You are the only mage in the party, it makes sense for it to be with you.¡± For the scrolls one obtained in the forest, the skills could be mastered immediately. Woohyuk made sure she learned the Fire Bolt skill and then handed her another Ghost mushroom. ¡®It isn¡¯t yet time for me to focus on magic.¡¯ Generally an adventurer could only have two sses. If we included the Elixir of Paradise that could be found in the Central Lake, then a maximum of four. Still, the mage ss wasn¡¯t something he considered as being absolutely necessary. If he were to learn the Fire Bolt skill, there was a good chance that the Apprentice Mage ss would be forced on him. ¡®I¡¯ll only settle for Hidden sses.¡¯ Any other mundane sses would make his return meaningless. Woohyuk then stood up as he eximed. ¡°Pack your stuff, we still have a long way to go.¡± * * * His decision to be the leader of this party was all a nned investment on his part. He wanted to nurture a dependable force that would be on his side. Woohyuk didn¡¯t want to lead the whole camp, so he decided to raise Jaesung into that role. He didn¡¯t want the two-faced Ma Gwangpil who only appeared respectful in his presence to end up running things. ¡®He even helped me back then.¡¯ In the long run, he knew that investing in Lee Jaesung would surely pay off. He had all the right qualities for leadership, making him a suitable representative. He was nning on pushing him into the leadership role after this Central Lake adventure. ¡®They will be my elite force.¡¯ Despite the grueling schedule, his party members followed his instructions without anyints. It was all because of their firm resolve in joining him in the first ce. ¡°That¡¯s all for today.¡± Everyone let out a breath of relief upon hearing Woohyuk call an end to the day. Lee Jaesung immediately plopped down as he attempted to catch his breath. ¡°It feels great to be alive.¡± ¡°I feel the same, although Chun Woohyuk killed most of them by himself.¡± Huang Dongwhan nced at Woohyuk. He felt that he was on apletely different level, one that he would never be able to catch up to. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still manageable.¡± Woohyuks physical strength was quite high due to the harsh goals he had set for himself. Seeing the piled up giant spider corpses, Huang Dongwhan stuck out his tongue as he asked. ¡°What are your current stats?¡± ¡°Secret.¡± Not only stats, but any information from one¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s watch was personal and shouldn¡¯t be shared casually, so Woohyuk made sure his party members learned that as well. ¡°I agree, you can¡¯t trust peoplepletely, even if we are adventuring together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, even just the other day¡­¡± As the others talked among themselves, he took the time to examine his own status. [Chun Woohyuk] - Job: Human adventurer - Title: Legendary Explorer (20% increase in Item drop rate from monsters, 20% increase in Perception and Speed when in a Historical site] - Stats: Strength: 18 +5 (Vampiric Dagger) Vitality: 16 +5 (diator¡¯s Belt) Dexterity: 17 +3 (ck Machete) +3 (ck Machete) Intelligence: 9 Spirit: 12 ¡®Not quite there yet.¡¯ The growth of his stats was twice that ofst time, and the additional stats from his items helped a lot. ¡®Only passive effects of items that are in a slot will register.¡¯ It was another reason why his belt was so useful. Any item that increased the amount of slots was highly sought after. ¡®As expected, Intelligence hasn¡¯t increased much.¡¯ Although there were still some ways for him to increase his Intelligence, having given up on magic his options were rather limited. His Spirit however had grown rather nicely since he had constantly been pushing himself to his limits. ¡®Looks like we are on schedule.¡¯ It would take another three days to reach the Central Lake. They couldn¡¯t dawdle too long since there would be other teams aiming for it as well, which couldplicate things. ¡°Quickly grab the loot and let¡¯s keep moving.¡± ¡°Are we going back to camp?¡± Woohyuk shook his head in response to Song Anna¡¯s question, as he pointed towards the bushes. ¡°We are going to find us a proper meal. You can¡¯t replenish your health by simply relying on thebat rations.¡± That meant that they would be hunting for regr animals, instead of the usual monsters. The party members nodded and followed behind him. ¡°Let¡¯s have boar for dinner.¡± Woohyuk said as he threw a spear into the bushes. Shortly after a pig¡¯s squeal rang out in the forest. * * * Every monarch was always on the lookout for talent, and Woohyuk was no exception. He would carefully examine the many adventurers in the base camp during the night, trying to find any that were particrly skilled. He mostly focused on those that hadn¡¯t survived in the past, due to his unfamiliarity with them. ¡®Yoo Kayoung is definitely skilled in magic.¡¯ Despite it being her first time encountering magic, she exhibited high sensitivity. Although he hadn¡¯t asked her about it, her starting Intelligence stat was probably rather high. ¡®Could she achieve a second tier?¡¯ sses wouldn¡¯t be fixed forever. Even after changing from human adventurer to apprentice mage, if one was qualified, they could achieve a higher ss like Royal mage or Archmage. ¡®I¡¯m more worried about Song Anna....¡¯ Although she was doing quite well for a nine year old girl, she still hadn¡¯t learned any magic skills nor had she chosen any ss. Since she is part of my group, I will help her out in her path. ¡®I know something which would be very useful for her.¡¯ It could end up being a good investment, at the very least it will be beneficial to Yoo Kayoung as well to not be held back by her. ¡°What are you up to?¡± Woohyuk asked Song Anna as he stepped into the tent. Her and Yoo Kayoung were just about ready to go to sleep. ¡°Looking over my Adventurer¡¯s Log¡±, Song Anna replied. Her right hand that was fiddling with her watch, held a Goblin¡¯s ring which raised her Strength by +2. It was the reward forpleting the kill 100 Goblins achievement, and could be obtained by simply being part of the party, and not necessarilypleting the action oneself. ¡°Take this.¡± Woohyuk handed her a scroll [Healing Magic: Heal] He had received it from killing Jang Taeseok. At best it could only heal minor injuries, but it was still useful early on. ¡°I only have this ring right now¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, think of it as me making an investment.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Woohyuk left the tent after making sure that she learnt the skill properly. Lee Jeaseong who had been waiting for him outside asked curiously. ¡°What do you mean by investment?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find outter.¡± Only focusing on survival during his time in this forest would be a mistake. An intensepetition awaited them after this and the size of the factions would only grow bigger. In order to prepare for that eventuality, he had to start growing his own forces early on. ¡®In the past I only thought of surviving by myself.¡¯ He didn¡¯t have a monarch¡¯s mindset from the very beginning, causing him to have missed out on a lot. One¡¯s own strength was still very important, but building up a force couldn¡¯t be neglected. ¡®They will be my first 10 subordinates.¡¯ As they continued to risk their lives on countless asions, their growth rate would also skyrocket. He had great expectations of them and was willing to nurture them, especially with regards to skills, of course that was so long as they never turned their backs on him. With overwhelming strength, anyone can destroy or steal from others. On the other hand, leading from example and obtaining the respect and admiration of others, that was the correct path for one who wished to challenge the Divine Throne. ¡°Is this all part of your n?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Woohyuk stared at Lee. ¡°I never do anything that doesn¡¯t benefit me.¡± Chapter 8: Central Lake (2)

Chapter 8: Central Lake (2)

Huang Donghwan The return of Woohyuk¡¯s party to Base Camp brought along some significant changes. Lee Jaesung had surpassed Ma Gwanpil for the very first time taking second ce in the rankings. Huang Donghwan and Yoo Kayoung had managed to respectively finish fourth and fifth. It was quite the embarrassment for Ma Gwanpil who thought of himself as the leader of the camp. He then tried to worm his way into the party, only to be shut down right away by Woohyuk. ¡°We aren¡¯t recruiting anymore.¡± Ma Gwanpil felt quite troubled, knowing that if things continued this way, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to hold on to his current ranking. ¡®What are they up to?¡¯ But following Woohyuk¡¯s orders, none of the party members spoke about what they had been doingtely. He even felt that they were purposefully avoiding him ¡®I don¡¯t like him ever since that time.¡¯ He was especially upset with Lee Jaesung who had taken the Metal Breastte reward from him. ¡®Tomorrow, I will definitely reim my second ce.¡¯ He med it on his confusion upon seeing the swarm of Giant Mantises attack earlier today. As he attempted tofort his own ego, Ma Gwanpil led his followers into the forest. The next day¡­. [Contribution Rewards] 1. Chun Woohyuk (60.8%) E-grade equipment and consumables (X2) 2. Lee Jaesung (8.4%) E-grade equipment and consumables (X1) 3. Yoo Gayong (6.2%) F-grade equipment (X1) 4. Huang Donghwan (5.3%) F-grade consumables (X1) 5. Song Anna (4.7%) Daily necessities ¡®No way¡­.¡¯ Rather than catching up to Lee Jaesung, he had beenpletely knocked out of the rankings. Ma Gwanpil¡¯s situation was so desperate that he had even been outdone by a 9 year old girl. ¡®The future looks grim.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t evenin about his current situation, after all it had been him who suggested that the prizes be given ording to the contribution ranking ¡®Still I have some hope.¡¯ Woohyuk only had a group of 10 followers, whereas he had 40 people behind him. If he were to put important decisions to a vote, using his majority he could at least restrict Woohyuk from doing as he pleased. So as to not lose what little power he had, Ma Gwanpil desperately focused on expanding his influence. Meanwhile, Woohyuk¡¯s party was making somest minute preparations for their trip to the Central Lake. ¡°Why do you need a toolkit and fishing gear?¡± Lee asked out of curiosity. He was equipped with an imposing Metal breastte as well as greaves, very much looking the part of a proper knight. ¡°You will know once we get there.¡± Woohyuk never revealed his ns before it was necessary. Huang Donghwan nodded as it was the expected answer. ¡°Well, at least now this ce is well fortified, so they won¡¯t miss my toolkit too much.¡± They had created several structures to aid in their defense against monsters or even other camps. Sentry towers, barricades, palisade, a warehouse, weapons storage, etc¡­. Since they were all overseen by Woohyuk, the defenses were now quite solid. ¡°Are we all ready?¡± ¡°Yes, all good.¡± Hearing Lee Jaesung¡¯s reply, Woohyuk raised his ck machete into the air. ¡°Then let¡¯s head out.¡± As usual they were just a small group. * * * Lost Paradise It was the name of therge ind located within Central Lake. There were differing opinions as to what purpose it served and why the Creator had built it in the first ce, but one thing was certain. ¡®It is no paradise, but rather hell.¡¯ At the very least it was a ce that it was difficult to return from with your life. The ind itself was already difficult enough, but there were also thepetitors to watch out for. All those that managed to make it to the Central Lake would have decent equipment and skill, so one could only imagine what would happen if they were allpeting to obtain the best rewards. ¡®We need to make a go of it today.¡¯ The world was a big ce and there would always be many hidden talents.¡¯ If he were to encounter strong fighters, thepetition for the best items would be very fierce, making it less likely for him to obtain the Paradise Elixir. Something which was crucial for Woohyuk who was aiming to have an additional hidden ss. ¡®Charging straight ahead is the right answer.¡¯ After two days of continuous hunting, his party members had all grown magnificently. Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna who were originally after thoughts, had now be key members of the party. ¡°Make sure to take the items that drop after killing the monsters.¡± While hunting, there was a low chance to obtain items from monster¡¯s corpses. Repair kits, Magic crystals, pieces of Treasure maps, Health potions, Ancient coins, etc¡­. There were many useful items that were sure toe in handy, so even if they were in a hurry, they would still take the time to collect the loot. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to use the herbs at the appropriate time.¡± Bay leaf, Rosemary, Elemental grass, Fire nt, The Aspen Tree skin, Cloud mushroom. Even ordinary nts which had existed back in the real world, would often have some special effects. His party members had stared at him suspiciously when he first taught them about it. ¡®How does he know so much?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something one could learn in a mere 15 days A survival expert. Perhaps if he were to be abandoned on a deserted ind, he¡¯d be fine, was what went through everyone¡¯s mind. ¡®He doesn¡¯t look that old.¡¯ Yoo Kayoung thought to herself as she stared at Woohyuk¡¯s back with a smile. There were many things which she wanted to ask him about, but because of his cool and aloof persona, he was difficult to approach for a casual conversation. ¡®At least he isn¡¯t a bad person.¡¯ Woohyuk was a perfect gentlemanpared to those men who would try to eat her with their eyes every night. She was determined to follow him. Something about him just oozed with confidence, it was a woman¡¯s intuition. One couldn¡¯t cower in the face of danger if they wanted to survive, else they would fall behind too much. It was much better to stick with him than to stay back at the camp. That had been Yoo¡¯s original judgement and thest few days had proven it to be right. ¡®Did he lose all his previous party members and he¡¯s the sole survivor?¡¯ It was a story that somehow fit his current personality. He didn¡¯t want to get too close to others since he had recently been scarred by a traumatic event. As Yoo was lost in her own thoughts, Woohyuk suddenly stopped advancing. ¡°What is it?¡± She looked to the front only to spot another party. ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you Chun Woohyuk?¡± A woman with bright, long hair stepped forward. She had a great body, clearly she was very fit and cared a lot about her appearance. Upon seeing Yoo Kayoung somehow lost some confidence in herself. ¡°Do you know her?¡± Lee Jaesung who was standing next to Woohyuk whispered. For him, it was simply too surprising that Woohyuk even had any acquaintances. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Hong Yuri¡± ¡°Ah so you remembered my name? Anyways, it¡¯s nice to see you. Although the meeting ce is a bit weird, how have you been? Are we still friends?¡± Hong Yuri approached as she gave Woohyuk a wink. She wore a bright red shirt, exposing skin in all the right ces. ¡°On your way to the Central Lake?¡± ¡°Yes, I think there should be decent items. You too?¡± Woohyuk nodded back, causing Hong Yuri to smile. ¡°Great! Why don¡¯t you join us then? The monsters around here are quite troublesome.¡± Hong Yuri was part of a decent sized group, being around twenty people strong. ¡®They seem to have a decent fighting spirit.¡¯ It was a level of strength that was simr to his own party, at the very least they had seen some battle and wouldn''t flee at first sign of trouble. ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous, they are all good people.¡± Hong Yuri whispered as she ced her hands behind her back and leaned forward ever so casually to give a view of her ample chest. A natural temptress, but such a honey trap wouldn¡¯t work on Woohyuk. ¡®This annoying girl is getting too close.¡¯ They had attended the same college, but weren¡¯t at all close. She was indeed quite pretty and popr at school, so they weren¡¯t even in the same league back then. ¡®Beauty is a dangerous thing.¡¯ It would attract men¡¯s desire and need to control them. Although he would have preferred to keep his distance from her, it wasn¡¯t really possible given the current situation. ¡°There is one condition.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± Hong Yuri stared at him curiously. ¡°Did you find some kind of map?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve simply memorized it during the tutorial.¡± Woohyuk replied as he ced his index finger on his temple. ¡°Oh, can you wait a little bit? I need to discuss this with my party members.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you be less stiff? It feels too awkward.¡± ¡°But I¡¯mfortable like this.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She shook her head, shortly after returning with someone else. ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Seo Changseop. Did you really memorize that map?¡± ¡°Yes, especially the area around the Central Lake.¡± It was the map of the forest which Eve had shown them early on, marked with various kinds of information including monster¡¯s habitats. Seo Changseop was naturally rather skeptical considering the amount of information that had been disyed. ¡°The Hunter¡¯s ring is an item which we¡¯ve recently acquired, do you happen to know where we found it?¡± ¡°Southeast, about an hour¡¯s walk from here.¡± Woohyuk pointed out the direction. Taking out a piece of his treasure map, Seo Changseop¡¯s eyes widened in admiration as he realized how urate the approximation was. ¡°That¡¯s correct, we will let you take the lead with your knowledge of the map.¡± * * * As they moved forward, Woohyuk made sure that his group was at the back. He had never discounted the possibility of them betraying his party. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be so stupid¡­.¡± Still, it was best to be prepared either way. Their current friendly rtionship was only temporary. ¡®It¡¯s better off like this.¡¯ In the future he woulde across many situations where he would have to cooperate with other groups. Also, with his many years of experience he could easily judge if someone would betray himter on. Not only was the risk not that high, it would actually shorten their travel time to the Central Lake. ¡®There¡¯s not much downside.¡¯ As long as he kept the key information to himself, they wouldn¡¯t be able to act against him too early on. Anyways, they¡¯ll never be able to ovee the final hurdle. Woohyuk nced at Hong Yuri who was walking beside him. She in turn gave him a beaming smile. ¡°I¡¯m so d to have met you. I felt so lonely since I didn¡¯t know anyone else.¡± ¡°It must have been hard on you.¡± ¡°Of course! Thest thing I remember was going out drinking with my friends, before appearing here. I thought I had been caught up in a case of human trafficking!¡± ¡°Hong Yuri then went on to exin all the many times she had suffered, trying to elicit hispassion. Like how on the very first night she had almost been raped in her own tent. Woohyuk sighed. ¡®So annoying.¡¯ She was obviously tempting him, but he wasn¡¯t the least bit interested in her. Perhaps if it had been 40 years ago, he would have fallen for her moves. ¡°How have you been? You seem to have changed quite a lot since we¡¯vest met.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve undergone some things as well.¡± He recounted his recent experiences, while heavily redacting any parts that were too exceptional. Hong Yuri however was still more than surprised. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s awesome. So what happened to her?¡± ¡°She died.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­.¡± ¡®Such an annoying reaction.¡¯ Woohyuk sighed to himself. ¡®It would be better if she cut to the chase when she spoke.¡¯ All her unimportant filler anecdotes were really starting to annoy him. ¡°Woohyuk, why don¡¯t youe back with me to our camp. We have plenty of space, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± He had been expecting her to bring up the subject eventually. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°I feelfortable around you,tely I¡¯ve been surrounded by men who can only think about getting in my pants.¡± She whispered thest part so that the others wouldn¡¯t hear. Although he felt it was mostly flirting, he could still feel some truth behind her words. Of course Woohyuk still had no intentions of going along with her. ¡®In the long term, it is truly too hard for a beauty to survive.¡¯ He had seen many cases of attractive women acting as entitled queens, only toter be nothing more than sex ves. In some extreme cases they would even be abandoned andter raped by humanoid monsters. Only through one¡¯s own personal strength can one escape such a fate. ¡°I¡¯m a bit embarrassed to say this but I¡¯ve always had a bit of a crush on you¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thatter.¡± When Yuri tried to continue ying her little coquettish games, Woohyuk quickly shut her down by pressing his finger to his lips. The bizarre sound of a chicken squawking rang out. ¡°Kieeeek¡± It was a Cockatrice. ¡°Time to fight.¡± ¡°The roaming area of these mutant chickens was quiterge.¡± As Hong Yuri¡¯s party members prepared themselves for the battle ahead, it didn¡¯t take long for several Cockatrices to appear around them. ¡°Eat it now for it to be effective.¡± Upon hearing Woohyuk¡¯s order, his party of ten including Lee Jaesung began to chew on some Rosemary. It would increase their immunity towards certain toxins. ¡®The Cockatrice¡¯s saliva is very poisonous.¡¯ If one were to ingest it by ident, it would almost certainly be fatal. The same was true if they drew blood by pecking with their sharp, pointed beaks. At least by ingesting the rosemary, they could decrease the chance of fatality by about half. ¡®I am not sure how well prepared.they are.¡¯ Woohyuk had already mentioned the Cockatrice¡¯s characteristics to their party, just in case they were to meet some. Still, they at least had some skill and so far there were no losses. ¡°You guys better pray that they aren¡¯t on the menu for dinner.¡± Although they looked like chickens, their taste wasn¡¯t all that good and the cooking process was actually a bit tricky. ¡°Can you eat its snake tail?¡± Woohyuk shook his head in response to Lee Jaesung¡¯s question. ¡°That is where its poison is produced, so your tongue will melt before your taste buds even register anything. ¡°....¡± In everyone¡¯s mind their image of it being likened to a chickenpletely vanished. Chapter 9: Paradise Lost (1)

Chapter 9: Paradise Lost (1)

Four people had died in their battle with the Cocatrices, all of them belonging to Hong Yuri¡¯s group. It was due to therge number of Cocatrices that they had encountered, so the survivors were naturally quite tired. Many of them wanted to turn back, but Hong Yuri didn¡¯t agree. ¡®If we were to turn back like this, I might just be another sex ve.¡¯ It was a terrible thought, but the reality was many men had already attempted to have their way with her. If she hadn¡¯t cozied up to Seo Changseop early on, her chastity would have been soiled many times over. ¡®I need to make him a King.¡¯ It was her protection so as to keep others away from her body. Even if many in the group wanted to turn back, she couldn¡¯t afford to. Her partner had to be the very definition of strength, or else she couldn¡¯t survive in this hellish world. ¡°Woohyuk, what is your n now going forward?¡± Hong Yuri wanted to rope in Woohyuk to her side as much as possible. He was a good fighter and seemed to have a lot of knowledge. Although he was a bit cold and aloof, he was still more than worth it. ¡°Put an end to this nightmare.¡± ¡°... do you mean escaping from here? I think about that everyday as well, do you have some way to get out?¡± But Woohyuk simply stayed silent, causing Hong Yuri to sigh as she shook her head. ¡®What should I do with him?¡¯ If things kept going this way, it would naturally lead to a conflict between the two parties. Seo Changseop was quite an ambitious man, so he wouldn¡¯t back down in the case of good items appearing. Woohyuk doesn¡¯t look that naive though. ¡®Is he simply confident in himself?¡¯ Looking around Woohyuk¡¯s party hadn¡¯t taken much damage, getting off with light injuries. It was clear that they were all quite skilled. ¡®Oh my God.¡¯ She had thought that due to their inferior numbers, they could easily get the upper hand in negotiations, since fighting hadn¡¯t really seemed like a possibility for them. As Hong Yuri came to terms with hertest misunderstanding, Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Really? Great, my legs were beginning to hurt.¡± ¡°This is just the start.¡± ¡°... start?¡± Hong Yuri had a forbidding thought. This man was far too hard to control, and he didn¡¯t seem all too interested in her body. If ever the two groups got into a conflict¡­. ¡®I¡¯ll have to toss him aside.¡¯ Although she was thankful for his help, that was all there was to it. It wasn¡¯t anything worth losing her life over. Hong Yuri thought to herself as she made up her mind. ¡°Wow the water is crystal clear.¡± ¡°There it is.¡± People shouted out upon arriving at the Central Lake. It was almost like standing before a sea, because it was so vast that one couldn¡¯t see the end of it. ¡°We will need a boat to get to the ind.¡± Seo Changseop said as he approached Woohyuk, who nodded back. ¡°Swimming isn¡¯t an option.¡± The Centralke hadrge and deep waters, teeming with sharks and monstrous seals. Woohyuk¡¯s exnation caused Seo Changseop to start sweating in fear. ¡°A canoe won¡¯t suffice in this case.¡± If they were to identally flip over, it would spell death for all on board. Still, building a shiprge enough for thirty people was no easy feat. Time was of course a factor, but the biggest hurdle was shipbuilding knowledge. ¡°Follow me, I have a way.¡± Woohyuk led the party along theke¡¯s shore. After walking for a few minutes, they came upon a marooned galley. ¡°Although some sections are damaged, it still looks operable.¡± ¡°We can repair it¡± Huang Donghwan had brought with him a basic toolkit, so all they were missing was the lumber. The group quickly organised some logging parties and set to work. Woohyuk took charge of the repairs, giving out detailed instructions, while Seo Changseop guarded the perimeter from monsters. ¡°The boat''s design is such that it requires rowing on both sides.¡± ¡°Our numbers are high enough to man it.¡± The sails would only act as a secondary boost, so this galley could only be operated by a sufficientlyrge group. ¡®It¡¯s purpose is to force us to cooperate, despite the inherent uingpetition on the ind.¡¯ Cooperation was required to make full use of the galley, but a conflict could erupt at any moment. Woohyuk thought back to the past. ¡®It was a nightmare.¡¯ The group that had originally found the galley had headed straight over to Paradise Lost without making much preparations and had quickly been wiped out. As a result of that, all subsequent teams had to build their own boats in a bid to cross theke, which led to many conflicts. Many people had been impatient and wanted to leave for the ind immediately. They would build shoddy canoes or rafts, but without exception they¡¯d all end up as shark food. ¡°Do you think it''s fine, captain?¡± Lee asked as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. He was standing on the deck with his tools. ¡°Good enough.¡± Woohyuk answered after meticulously checking the galley for damage. He gathered the others to push the galley into the water. Once all was set, he had everyone except for the wizards go below deck, to man the oars. Anyone still above deck would be prepared for battle. ¡°It looks just like a sea.¡± Seo Chanseop said nervously. Although theke¡¯s exact size was unknown, it was stillrger than Lake Baikal in southern Siberia, where he had spent some time as a foreign student. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± Woohyuk began to beat the drums, and those below deck attempted to follow the rhythm as the galley slowly began to pick up speed. In the real world more manpower would have been needed to get such arge vessel moving, but under in such a game setting, their group¡¯s strength sufficed. After some time, a piercing cry resounded in the sky. It was a Three wed Eagle. ¡°Can we take them on by ourselves?¡± Seo Changseop asked as he stared at the Three wed Eagles in the distance. They were only five of them currently on the deck. Besides Woohyuk, Seo Changseop, Hong Yuri, Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna were there as well. ¡°We have two mages.¡± Yoo Kayoung had focused on Fire spells, while Yuri had her Ice magic. Woohyuk moved the three women towards the back, as Seo Changseop and himself took the vanguard. Huirrriric He threw his Vampiric dagger, sinking it deeply into one of the iing Three wed Eagles. Seeing their kine under attack, the others shrieked angrily and honed in on Woohyuk. Swoosh Swoosh Two quick shester, the heads of two eagles rolled on the deck. It was so fast that the others had trouble following the movement of his machete. Seo Changseop swallowed down nervously. ¡®He¡¯s been hiding his true skill level this whole time.¡¯ Equipped with three Growth rings, Woohyuk¡¯s progress had been outstanding, especially after theirtest intense party hunting. Currently, there was no one that could take him on in a one-on-one fight. Be it Stats, Combat sense or Weapon proficiency, he was superior to him in every regard. It was natural for Seo Changseop to feel a sense of crisis. ¡®What if he¡¯s also aiming for the best items?¡¯ If they were to distribute the spoils based on contribution, he would have to make heavy concessions to Woohyuk, making this gruesome endeavor rather pointless ¡®I¡¯ll have to get rid of him.¡¯ Although he was an acquaintance of Hong Yuri, he was first and foremost a dangerouspetitor. He had been watching them recently and they didn¡¯t seem to be that close either. Seo Changseop¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits as he saw Woohyuk make short work of the Three wed Eagles. * * * The surviving adventurers hadter gone on to rename the Centralke as [Quiet Sea]. It was based on its ridiculouslyrge size, but tranquil surface, unlike the waves one would typically find at sea. For them, the Central Lake was both a natural wonder to hold in awe, as well as a deadly trial to ovee. Sharks would ram their heads against the hull of the boat, in an attempt to capsize it, while Three wed Eagles would swoop down from above, harassing those above deck. Although Woohyuk¡¯s party had undergone some ordeals, they had mostlye out unscathed. Despite its shabby appearance, the galley was actually quite sturdy and Woohyuk¡¯s performance as captain allowed them to safely arrive to Paradise Lost. Once on the ind Woohyuk left his own party members on the boat. It was to defend the galley from monster attacks such as the Rainbow lizards which could spit fire from their mouths. ¡®He is quite sneaky.¡¯ Seo Changseop chuckled to himself. Since his party kept control of the ship, their only ticket out of here, it wasn¡¯t easy to betray him. ¡®This is actually works in my favor though.¡¯¡¯ Woohyuk was the only one that was excessively strong. After dealing with him, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to trick the others into leaving the boat. Seo Changseop followed behind Woohyuk as he secretly gave out instructions to his own followers. ¡®I will wring him dry until he has no worth left, and then I¡¯ll kill him. The earlier he¡¯s taken out, the better.¡¯ He would still have to wait however until they found the ind¡¯s hidden items, but Hong Yuri was always sticking close to him, so he wasn¡¯t worried about losing track of him. ¡®Even if he catches on to our n, we can always torture it out of him.¡¯ After losing a few fingers, they all start to sing like canaries. Of course he was quite formidable so it would result in some losses, but it was all within his expectations. ¡°This ce looks quite dangerous.¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± While alert of his surroundings, Seo Changseop tried to listen in on the conversation between Woohyuk and Hong Yuri. Exploring such an unknown ce, any information was incredibly useful. ¡®A Star Snake¡­.¡¯ From the name alone he was unable to guess much of the monster¡¯s characteristics. As Seo Changseop mulled over the snippets of Woohyuk¡¯s conversation, an eerie sound came from the forest. Shhh Shhh Shhh ¡®So they appeared right away.¡¯ Seo Changseop frowned as he prepared himself for battle. Numerous translucent snakes which shone like a gxy of stars appeared from all sides. ¡°KKaya! So gross!¡± Hong Yuri didn¡¯t waste a second as she sent out an Ice bolt. However, the Star Snake simply ate the magic attack, holding it for but a second before spitting it back out. ¡°Move!¡± Woohyuk roughly shoved Hong Yuri out of the missile¡¯s trajectory. The Ice Bolt flew right between them,nding on an unfortunate man standing behind them. ¡®Magic attacks won¡¯t work.¡¯ Seo Chanseop thought to himself as he watched the man be an Ice statue. He quickly overcame any hesitation before swinging down his ck machete on an iing Star Snake. Puak The point of impact shone brightly and resulted in a dull sound. ¡®What?¡¯ Clearly he had swung with enough strength to cleave it in two, but the snake appeared unscathed. Seo Changseop continued to chop down wildly, all the while avoiding its sharp fangs. Churrr Eventually the Star Snake lost its luster and copsed on the ground. Until the very end there were no visible injuries on its corpse. ¡°There¡¯s a quicker way to kill them.¡± Woohyuk said as he looked at Seo Changseop panting from his frantic swings. He simply stepped on a snake¡¯s head and crushed it with his weight. ¡®Show off¡¯ Seo Changseop thought to himself, but he took the advice and focused on their heads. While he was busy killing Star Snakes, a series of screams came from behind him. Looking back, Changseop¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The road to Hell began here. * * * Seven people had lost their lives in the battle against the snakes. Due to their enchanted scales, It was difficult to cut them down with their mediocre weapons. So far their expedition had suffered eleven deaths. Seo Changseop was beginning to get nervous. ¡°Do you have a destination in mind?¡± ¡°Paradise Tree, located at the ind¡¯s center.¡± That was where the greatest prize was located. As It followedmon gaming sense, the rest of the party didn¡¯t doubt him for a second. ¡°Look over there.¡± WooHyuk pointed out an enormous tree in the distance. ¡°Finally!¡± Changseop cried out in tion. ¡°It¡¯s too early to celebrate.¡± ¡°What? If...¡± Could there be powerful monsters? He wanted to ask but didn¡¯t say it out loud. ¡°How are we supposed to defeat that¡­.¡± A Giant Star Snake was coiled around the tree, staring at them as it flicked its long serpentine tongue. ¡°Are you nning to give up?¡± WooHyuk asked Hong Yuri and Seo Changseop, but the two didn¡¯t give an immediate answer. A single misstep and they¡¯d be swallowed whole by such arge monster. ¡°Let¡¯s hold a meeting to strategize.¡± Hong Yuri said in an attempt to hide the terror on her face. Many ideas circted but they all concluded that they would have to wait for some kind of opportunity. ¡®Attempting it now would simply be suicide.¡¯ We need to think about our own lives, Seo Changseop thought to himself as he clicked his tongue in defeat. ¡°Just making it here can be said to be a sess, we can simply return in the future after increasing our strength.¡± ¡°Then you guys can watch from here.¡± ¡°... What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll y it myself.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Everyone looked at him in amazement. Ignoring their reaction, Woohyuk examined his Adventurer¡¯s watch to take a look at his Status page. [Chun Woohyuk] - Job: Human adventurer - Title: Legendary Explorer (20% increase in Item drop rate from monsters, 20% increase in Perception and Speed when in Historical sites] - Stats: Strength: 45 +5 (Vampiric Dagger) +2 (Goblin¡¯s Ring) Vitality: 41 +5 (diator¡¯s Belt) Dexterity: 43 +3 (ck Machete) +3 (ck Machete) Intelligence: 15 Spirit: 27 ¡®It¡¯ll be a bit tight.¡¯ Intelligence aside, he would have liked for his other stats to at least exceed 50 in order to deal with that monster. His current strength was a little on the low side, but he had a way to deal with it. The Adventurer¡¯s Stimnt which he had obtained from the Vampire cave would increase all stats by 15 for one hour, whereas the Burnt Por tree bark would give an additional bonus to his Spirit. ¡®Speed is the key here.¡¯ If he wasn¡¯t able to demonstrate superior agility, victory couldn¡¯t be guaranteed. To that end, he took out a Cloud mushroom from his storage and threw it into his mouth. The result was a thin protective aura appearing as well a 5 point boost to Dexterity. ¡°You can help me out if you want, but if you have a hidden agenda, it will be the end of you.¡± Woohyuk cautioned the rest of the group as he finished his preparations. It acted as both advice and a warning Chapter 10: Paradise Lost (2)

Chapter 10: Paradise Lost (2)

¡°That¡¯s ridiculous, I was just worried about you, Chun Woohyuk.¡± Seo Changseop denied as he waved his hands from side to side. Hong Yuri and the rest of their party¡¯s expression was the same. ¡®Then let¡¯s get started.¡¯ Woohyuk walked ahead as he loosened up his muscles, casually activating the Hunter¡¯s Totem As he came right up to the Paradise Tree. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ After all he was about to solo the strongest Boss monsters in all of the Forest, so he definitely couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡®I should end it as soon as possible.¡¯ Woohyuk dashed forward and began to climb the body of the Queen Star Serpent. He moved so quickly that Hong Yuri even lost sight of him a few times. Tssss! Sensing Woohyuk¡¯s body heat upon it, The Queen Star Serpent hissed menacingly as it released countless spheres of light which circled its body. Woohyuk had to constantly be dodging the attacks as he made his way to the top of the Paradise Tree ¡®I¡¯ll have to try this again.¡¯ Woohyuk looked down from the top as he sighed. Back then he had beenpletely unable to prate the scales of the Queen Star Serpent, and had struggled quite a bit toe up with a solution. The only thing that had worked was to repeatedly stab the same area. In fact, he would jump off from the top of the tree and use the downward momentum to increase his damage. ¡®My health should be sufficient.¡¯ He also didn¡¯t use The Vampiric dagger when they had hunted as a party in order to not impede the growth of his Spirit stat. As long as he didn¡¯t make any big blunders, nothing should go wrong. Woohyuk took a deep breath, before jumping down from the top of the tree. Plunging towards the Queen Star Serpent which had by now left the tree and was down on the ground. * * * ¡®What a crazy guy.¡¯ Seo Changseop stared at Woohyuk, left speechless. Dozens of times he repeated the action of dropping from the top of the tree, all the while avoiding any iing Light spheres from the Serpent as he plunged the ck Machete on to a specific point of the Queen Star Serpent¡¯s head. A single miscalction and he¡¯d be falling down to his death, and yet he had fearlessly repeated his actions without any hesitation. ¡®Is it the concept of focusing all of one¡¯s strength on a single point.¡¯ It almost felt like he was attacking with an awl. Although it appeared almost suicidal, it was indeed effective as the Queen Star Serpent¡¯s scales were soon prated. ¡®Is this even possible?¡¯ He had been nning to escape if Woohyuk were to fail and therge snake retaliated against them. Seo Changseop exchanged a nce with his party members. Shortly after the Queen Star Serpent¡¯s corpse hit the ground with a loud thud, causing a cloud of dust to rise up in the area. Tubuk tubuk The sound of footsteps rang out, and as a ck figure appeared within the cloud of dust, Seo and his party quickly surrounded him. ¡°Are you wondering why I left you guys alive?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You let us live?¡± Hearing Woohyuk speak, everyone stared at him. "You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die." It was a famous passage from the book of Genesis. Seo Changseop raised his ck Machete and eximed. ¡°What did you just do?¡± ¡°Look above your heads.¡± The party members looked at each other and took a step back in surprise. There was a red marker floating above each of their heads. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°You are all sinners, and you have been marked for the evil deeds you¡¯vemitted.¡± Betraying one¡¯srades or breaking promises was forbidden within Paradise lost. It was the Creator¡¯s way of saying that unconditional survival was the purpose of this game. Swoosh! Swooosh! Woohyuk swiftly swung his ck Machete, severing the heads of those closest to him. Caught off guard, Seo Changseop quickly ordered his party to attack, but due to the heavy cloud of dust, it was difficult to keep track of Woohyuk. ¡°Shit¡­.¡± Seeing the red markers disappear one by one, Seo Changseop felt the fear of death creeping up on him. ¡®He must be exhausted.¡¯ Woohyuk must have suffered considerable damage at the hands of the Queen Star Serpent. At the very least his Stamina should have been depleted, leading to an impairment in judgement and dull movements. And yet, the inconceivable was urring right before him. In a state of panic, Seo Changseop didn¡¯t even notice Woohyuk sneak up behind him. Puah! ¡°kuluk¡± He looked down to see a Vampiric dagger prate through his stomach, as Seo Changseop puked arge amount of dark red blood. At death¡¯s door, he turned around to meet Woohyuk¡¯s gaze. ¡°By killing those that have been marked, I can absorb 10% of your stats. In that sense, you guys are pretty good prey.¡± He¡¯s the Devil, there was no way the guy was even human. From the very beginning he wasn¡¯t someone that they could deal with. Seo Changseop closed his eyes for the veryst time, as the Vampiric dagger continued to suck his blood. ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time youe out?¡± As Woohyuk finished speaking, Hong Yuri stepped out from behind a tree. She had no red marker above her head. ¡°Woo, Woohyuk, I¡­.¡± Hong Yuri stammered as she tried toe up with an excuse, but considering the situation it wasn¡¯t something that was easily resolved. ¡°I will ask you just a single question.¡± Woohyuk continued as he walked towards her. ¡°Why is it that I should spare you?¡± Her face became extremely pale. ¡°Well...you will be marked if you kill me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nothing, the mark will disappear as soon as I leave this ce.¡± ¡°If you take me with you, I will definitely be of use to you. I can use some magic, and know how to cook a little. If you get lonely, you can use me for some fun. From this moment I am all yours be it my mind or body, so please spare me, please ....¡± Hong Yuri grabbed onto Woohyuk¡¯s leg as she pleaded for her life while weeping. Woohyuk looked down as he spoke. ¡°Does that mean you are willing to do anything for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I abandoned Seo Changseop because of you. Please trust me, I can quickly pick up anything I focus on.¡± She had good intuition. She knew that Seo Changseop had no chance of besting him, so deliberately hid herself as the battle began. Woohyuk nodded back and helped her to her feet. ¡°Follow me, I have something to show you.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Taking Woohyuk¡¯s hand, she used her remaining free hand to wipe her tears. Her heart kept beating rapidly as she had yet to calm down. ¡°Would you consider bing a vampire?¡± ¡°Va... vampire!?¡± Hong Yuri¡¯s voice trembled in response. In her mind appeared an image of a fair skinned blonde man. ¡°Your stats would suffer a 30% debuff during the daytime, but during the night they would be increased by 30% instead. There isn¡¯t much of a downside because you are still able to go out into the sunlight, but you would be weak to Holy magic. ¡°Would I develop fangs? Transform into a bat?¡± ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be any major changes to your appearance. The fangs are a matter of course, whereas any transformation would be possible depending on your growth.¡± Woohyuk tapped a engraved rune upon the Paradise tree and a passage to a hidden room appeared. He walked inside and then returned holding a bronze cup. [Lilith¡¯s Unholy Chalice] It was a perfect fit for a woman who employed a honey trap to ensnare the hearts of men. ¡°The official title is that of Blood Queen. It is a hidden ss and is also unique. It is only avable to women as they can raise their own army of vampires and stand as their ruler. ¡°The Blood Queen¡­.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m not forcing this on you, and this is only a suggestion.¡± Hong Yuri still had her misgivings. Of course the debuff during daytime was a big minus, but overall the Blood Queen ss was still very attractive. She could even develop her own forces and no longer be ruled by men. ¡°Will I be able to be of use to you with this power?¡± ¡°You would be required to enter a master/ve contract with me. You must henceforth serve me as your Lord, and be ready to answer my call if need be.¡± It wasn¡¯t a bad deal. Woohyuk obviously had a bright future and she was basically destitute right now. Of course the immortality of a vampire was also a very attractive point. ¡°Fine, I ept.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, there are still ways to regain your humanityter on, but of course it won¡¯t be easy.¡± Woohyuk handed her the Chalice. As Hong Yuri injected her magic into it, it became full of crimson blood. ¡°Make sure to drink it all without spilling, until the veryst drop.¡± ¡°...¡± Hong Yuri closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then proceeded to down the contents of the Chalice. Although it was rather nauseating and more than a little salty, she steeled her heart as she thought of her future. It wasn¡¯t long before she managed to empty the bronze cup. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Strange, I can sense everything much more clearly now.¡± Still dazed, Hong Yuri dropped the Chalice on the ground. Having lost its previous luster, the bronze cup turned to dust as it hit the floor scattering into the wind. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin the ceremony.¡± Woohyuk pulled out a Bloodstone as he ced his arm on Hong Yuri to support her. He cut his finger and then Hong Yuri¡¯s, dropping a drop of blood from each of them onto the Bloodstone. ¡°As your Lord, Imand your absolute obedience. My blood shall enve you, and your blood shall serve me.¡± ¡°O..okay, I¡¯m yours¡± The Bloodstone absorbed both drops of blood and then wound itself around Woohyuk¡¯s left index finger. Shortly after a ring with arge red jewel appeared. [Blood Pact] It was an item that allowed him to keep a vampire as a ve. Of course it would only be effective so long as the Lord was stronger than his servant, but Woohyuk never even considered being surpassed by Hong Yuri. ¡®That¡¯s one less to worry about.¡¯ [Blood Queen Alice] She had been part of the alliance that had invaded his territory in the Central ins, along with Dragon Lord Ivanov and the Necromancer Logan. Although he had managed to kill her by staking her with a silver cross through the heart, she had been truly troublesome. ¡°Well done, here is your reward.¡± Woohyuk ced his wounded finger before her and allowed Hong Yuri to sink her fangs into it. Her expression was one of embarrassment however as she looked up at Woohyuk. ¡°When you return to camp, go ahead and secretly start turning your own vampires. Do be careful and avoid healers as much as possible as well as relics like a cross.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I simply follow you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early for that.¡± After taking back his finger, Woohyuk pulled out a shiny gold key from his pocket. It was an item he had obtained from killing the Queen Star Serpent, and would allow him to unlock the treasure chest located in this hidden room. ¡®I wasn¡¯t able to obtain thisst time around.¡¯ Items would automatically be assigned ording to the level of contribution in the hunt. Of course if they remained unimed for 10 minutes time then they would be fair game, but this hardly ever happened in Boss raids. ¡®There were too manypetitors back then.¡¯ In the past, several groups had participated in the raid, all with significant strength so he could only receive a small slice of the pie. This time around the group had been marked as sinners, so Woohyuk was able to kill them all and monopolize everything. Click The treasure chest snapped open, and a mysterious potion appeared. [Paradise Elixir] Category: Consumable Effect: Enables you to wield two additional sses, all stats +5 and can control animals captured within the Primordial Forest. ¡®Good thing I didn¡¯t miss out on it this time.¡¯ It was a unique existence and would disappear upon consumption. Woohyuk then went on to examine the other items after downing the contents of the Elixir. [Ghost Queen Star Serpent] Category: Jewel (Growth)Grade: D (0%) Durability: 2300 Effect: Intelligence +5. Absorbs hostile Magic spells, and then fires them back upon the assant. Transforms MP into an invisible shield able to block physical attacks. [Calm Sea¡¯s Silence] Category: Jewel (Growth)Grade: D (0%) Durability: 2300 Effect: Spirit +5, increases MP recovery by 20%. Silences enemies within a 5 meter radius. [Judgement Sword - Grandia] Category: Weapon (Growth)Grade: D (0%) Durability: 5600 Effect: Strength +10. Reveals the sinner¡¯s mark upon guilty targets for a duration of 1 hour. (Invisible to others), After bringing them to justice, absorbs up to 10% of an enemy¡¯s vitality and stats (dependent on the gravity of their sin). ¡®They are quite useful.¡¯ Growth type items absorb some of the yer¡¯s experience, allowing it to increase its Grade and gain new abilities. Naturally the drawback was that it would restrict the yer¡¯s own growth, so equipping too many could be detrimental instead. In the past it was Alice and herpanions that had reached the secret room, and he hadn¡¯t been able to obtain any of these crucial items. Back then he had already been strong, but he didn¡¯t have any way to deal with a Mage¡¯s magic, which had always held him back. ¡°Could I have some as well? I¡¯ll have to be by myself for a while and except for my stats increasing a bit, my overall power hasn¡¯t increased much.¡± ¡°Sure, take these.¡± Woohyuk passed her some items which wouldn¡¯t have been useful to him anyways. [Carmi¡¯s Temptation] Category: Jewel (Growth)Grade: D (0%) Durability: 2800 Effect: Dexterity + 15 , Causes creatures within a 15 meter radius to fall in an illusion. [Red Crescent Moon] Category: Jewel (Growth)Grade: D (0%) Durability: 2800 Effect: Vitality +15, Use 5% of one¡¯s blood to summon up to 100 Vampires or hide within a shadow for a duration of 1 hour. [Cursed Princess¡¯s Song] Category: Jewel (Growth)Grade: D (0%) Durability: 2800 Effect: Intelligence +15. Sacrifice 10% of your blood in order to create a blood vortex, or cast a Rage buff with a radius of 100 meters for a duration of 1 hour. These were only for the Blood Queen. When normal people tried to grasp those items, a ck aura would reject them, but since Woohyuk was her Lord, that didn¡¯t ur. ¡°Howe I didn¡¯t get a weapon?¡± ¡°Choose from one of those.¡± Woohyuk pointed to the various kinds of weapons sitting on the altar. Hong Yuri took her time examining her options, before settling a rapier while providing a bonus to agility. ¡°Have you used a sword before?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ no.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll teach you.¡± ¡°Truly? Thank you¡± Hong Yuri attempted a weak strike, but Woohyuk easily pped it away with Grandia Chaang ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°You need to fix that posture. We don¡¯t have much time so try to focus.¡± And so ensured a strict fencing ss. Wiping away a tear, Hong Yuri picked up her rapier from the ground. Instead of a Queen, she was feeling much more like a maid. Chapter 11: Crown Game (1)

Chapter 11: Crown Game (1)

Woohyuk¡¯s party didn¡¯t return to the base camp immediately, but rather stuck around searching for more hidden items on Paradise Lost. Fishing with the rod had a certain advantage, one could find a silver key within the fish¡¯s stomach. They kept to an intense schedule, hardly resting, but none of them regretted not returning to camp. After all, the items to be found on the ind far exceed the worth of the daily rewards. Those in the party that had yet to achieve a ce in the rankings, were especially happy. Also, they took very little damage due to the proper use of the many herbs they had collected. The Fire nt increased fire resistance which was useful against the Rainbow Lizards which spat out fireballs. The Cloud mushrooms created a shield around the user, helping deal with the poisonous fangs of the snakes. Bay leaves on the other hand sped up one¡¯s recovery and doubled as painkillers, which was useful when Song Anna was low on mana and a Heal wasn¡¯t readily avable. They managed to extract the maximum profit from the adventure, while paying the lowest cost. By day three on Paradise Lost, everyone on the team had achieved a good haul. Be it items or scrolls with various effects. Apart from the items obtained from Seo Changseop¡¯s party, everything else was distributed evenly. Woohyuk then sent Hong Yuri away first, after giving her some rough guidelines which she should work towards in the near future. Although she didn¡¯t want to leave his side, she noticed that due to the blood contract, she was unable to go against his wishes. ¡®Next it¡¯s time for the first official Boss fight.¡¯ Although he wasn¡¯t entirely sure if their Base camp was still up and running, he figured that Ma Gwanpil would have put his all into defending it. He had spared him all those times for that very purpose. ¡®At the end of the day it wouldn¡¯t matter much since there are many more camps.¡¯ Still, it would indeed be much simpler if they could just return to their original camp, so he was still hopeful. Woohyuk led his team as they blitzed their way through the forest. The real game was just about to start. * * * The first seven days were like a noob protection period. The interference from the system was set to a minimum, so that adventurers could adapt to the sudden change in environment. As such, those that had been sitting on theirurels because things had been easy, would be in for a rude awakening as of day 8. And that day was today. ¡°Unfortunately there won¡¯t be any more contribution rewards to distribute, instead you will be given a new opportunity.¡± ¡°Opportunity?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The adventurers in camp gossiped among themselves as Eve had just finished stepping out of her ck portal. Seeing her, they were naturally anxious as to what was toe. ¡°It¡¯s a team game this time around, and the rules aren¡¯t too hard. You all simply need to get into groups of eleven and point out who you want to be the leader, majority rules. With a wave of her hand, arge screen appeared detailing the specific rules. [Description and Rules of the Crown Game.] 1. When the leader dies, the group is disbanded. However, if eleven peoplee together once more, a new leader can be elected. 2. If you kill the leader of another group, your team rises a single tier, and can now hold an additional 10 members. 3. If your group reaches tier 10, the leader¡¯s crown is promoted to silver. In such a case however, a separate examination is also required. 4. The leader wielding the crown is entitled to expel one of their members every 10 minutes. But, if the majority of their members are against them, the leader can be impeached and reced. 5. Using the [Ring of Solidarity] teammates can exchange voice and text messages with each other to facilitatemunication. 6. If someone is teamless for a duration of 3 days, they will die of a heart attack. (An exception is made for solo leaders). ¡°What the hell is this¡­?¡± ¡°Are we seriously being encouraged to fight amongst ourselves?¡± Being the leader seemed like a dangerous position, if a conflict were to break out, you would always be the one that was targeted. For the most part, most adventurers truly didn¡¯t want to take up the mantle of leadership. ¡°Oh and by the way, if a member were to kill his own leader, they would be penalized. A red marker would appear above the sinner for 24 hours time and they wouldn¡¯t be able to join any other groups. If killed, 10% of their stats would be absorbed by their killer. ¡°...¡± At the very least that gave a certain level of security to the leader within their own group, but still most were reluctant to be leaders.¡± ¡°Is it possible to escape from this forest by reaching a very high tier?¡± ¡°No, you won¡¯t be able to get out through this game, but the more members your group umtes the better. After all, the next stage is much more intense than this one.¡± Eve winked at the young man who asked the question as she wagged her finger. She looked at the group of survivors, before pointing to Woohyuk. ¡°Someone has already been elected as a leader. The rest of you better make a group unless you want to die of a heart attack.¡± Everyone turned to look at him. Above his head a bronze crown appeared with the number 1 on it. ¡°Let me give it a try as well. Those that have faith in me, gather around.¡± As soon as Ma Gwanpil spoke up, several people rushed towards him. However, there had been those that had been already ready and the quota quickly filled up. ¡°Oh shit¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just group up amongst ourselves.¡± Those that had been left out had no choice but to arrange things amongst themselves. Currently there were 58 survivors in the camp, so it was certain that after 5 leaders were elected there would be at least 3 people left out. ¡°Shit¡­¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± As those desperate three cried out in despair, Eve chose to speak up. ¡°Since you guys seem about ready, we can get started with you very first Boss raid.¡± ¡°Boss?¡± Everyone looked at Eve with a frightened expression. Even those that had stayed the whole time in the camp had heard about the fearsomeness of a Boss monster. On the very first day there had been a rumor going around about a team that had entered a goblin camp, only to have been wiped out by the Goblin Chieftain which wielded an obsidian spear. Everyone looked at Woohyuk. People had beenining about him recently because he had been away for so long, but in this situation they had no problem relying on him once more. Thud Thud The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard approaching. [Minotaur] It was a monster which was half human half bull, standing at an average 3 meters tall with fearsome horns. ¡®Those annoying guys.¡¯ Woohyuk shed back to his first encounter with Minotaurs. They wieldedrge heavy two handed axes with ease, and if provoked would run you through with their horns. Even adventurers which had appeared in the rankings had trouble handling them. However, they weren¡¯t a problem for Woohyuk who had been non stop hunting, as well as sessfully clearing Paradise Lost in thest 7 days. Suguk The longsword Grandia, which looked a lot like a ymore, easily severed a Minotaur at its waist. [Destruction] One of the runes engraved on the sword shone with a white light. As soon a Woohyuk began, his party followed suit. Song Anna yed her flute, and a red aura spread out, buffing the party with a 20% increased attack and movement speed. At the same time a fire lizard, the size of a lion appeared beside her. [Smander] It was a summoned fire spirit using the Greenwood Spirit Sword. The Smander jumped into the fray, using its long tail as a whip as it struck a nearby Minotaur. ¡°Moooo!¡± An angry Minotaur aggressively swung its two handed axe, Lee Jaesung dodged to the side, before countering with a sh of his Red med Broadsword to its ribs. Hwarrrk me spurt out from the sword, cooking the insides of the Minotaur a well done. On her end, Yoo Kayoung wielded her Sage¡¯s staff, sending a dangerous looking Fireball with a 20% increase in damage. Boom! It struck the Minotaur''s head, burning it to a ck crisp. The party¡¯s teamwork had trulye together. Since they had hunted together on so many asions, their motions were seamless with no hesitation. ¡®It was worth the time invested in them.¡¯ Woohyuk thought to himself with a satisfied expression.¡¯ He was ughtering any Minotaurs which crossed his path as he made his way forward. ¡®I need to take care of that guy.¡¯ [Minotaur Captain] It was armed with a huge double edged axe, as well a sturdy ck iron breastte engraved with magical runes. If they were to encounter that guy, even his own party would suffer. ¡®I¡¯ll need to settle this quickly.¡¯ Woohyuk nced at the Minotaur Captain as he made his way over. * * * The Base camp was littered with Minotaur corpses. A total of 47 adventurers had survived. An entire group had disappeared. ¡®Well, for the most part those that ran away are basically done for.¡¯ Although some may yet return, it was quite unlikely. ¡®The first day isn¡¯t that bad.¡¯ Without the red marker, one could still find a different camp with groups that had openings. The problem however was that more often than not, the camps had sumbed to this first Boss assault. That meant that there were even more people wandering around without a base, and that number was only likely to increase. Quite the chaotic situation. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ oh, you guys did a good job over here. Well, as promised, here are your supplies.¡± Although there wouldn''t be any more daily rewards, the supplies would continue to be given until the veryst day. Still, Woohyuk wasn¡¯t guarding the Base camp for that sole purpose. ¡°Alright, another important piece of information is you need to be here in 7 days if you want to leave. If the number of adventurers within the camp exceeds 100, you are better off reducing the number yourselves, or else a death match will ur. ¡°What happens if we are left behind?¡± A young man wearing sses raised his hand and asked nervously.He wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to go to the next area, just as he had begun getting used to life over here. ¡°You will be erased, along with the forest.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± The adventurers looked at each other in surprise. If they didn¡¯t want to die, they would have to ensure the camps existence no matter what. ¡°Let me give you a hint before leaving. If you kill a monster, something like this might drop.¡± Eve held a copper coin up with her right hand for all to see. It was a coin with the image of a forest stamped on it. [Ancient Coin] It was an item that previously had a very low drop rate. ¡°By collecting these, you can purchase items from the new shop feature in your Adventurer¡¯s watch.¡± Hearing Eve mention it, everyone hurried to check out their own watch. Under Menu, they found that a General Store option had been added. ¡°There is also a currency exchange function, so you don¡¯t need to worry about carrying any excess weight.¡± Eve stacked 10 copper coins together and they fused into a silver coin. She then repeated the process and obtained a gold coin. ¡°You all understand right? Have a nice day adventurers!¡± Eve gave them all a cute wink and then disappeared, leaving the many adventurers to examine the items in the shop. [General Goods Store] -Megaphone: 1C -Bottled Water (350ml): 1C -Combat rations (1 person): 3C -Health potion: 5C -Magic crystal: 5C -Emergency Kit 1S -Repair Kit: 1S -Daily necessities (Select 1) 3S -Adventurer¡¯s Stimnt: 5S -Treasure Map fragment (Random): 1G * C: Copper, S: Silver, G: Gold There were many useful items avable. As those that had collected some coins thought about what they should buy, Woohyuk focused on his recently acquired loot. [Berserker¡¯s te Armor Set] Category: Armor Grade: D (Growth) Durability: 8200 Effect: Strength +30, Agility +30. The more blood it absorbs, the stronger its defenses be. Decreases Stamina by 20% and Increases Strength and Agility by 20% [Minotaur Captain¡¯s Illusory Axe] Category: Weapon Grade: D (Growth) Durability: 6300 Effect: Strength +10 Make the Axe appear illusory for the opponent, send an energy wave 10 meters in one direction, knocking back opponents. ¡®A difficult decision.¡¯ The Berserker armor set piece was quite useful. By using the Vampiric dagger and Grandia, he could make up for the loss in Stamina. Although metal armor didn¡¯t have as much Magic resistance as cloth or leather type armors, the difference could be made up with the Ghost Queen Star Serpent or Calm Sea¡¯s Silence. On the other hand, the Minotaur Captain¡¯s Axe appeared to be quite useless for him. Woohyuk took a look at his party members. ¡®It doesn¡¯t suit Lee Jaesung.¡¯ He yed the role of a Tank Knight, with a one handed sword and shield, so the two handed axe wouldn¡¯t work for him. Of course Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna weren¡¯t even considered. ¡®It should be a good fit for Kim Dogyun.¡¯ Since arriving on Paradise Lost, he had been wielded a double-edged axe, ughtering monsters through sheer force. It would work well since he was already used to axes. ¡®Is he reliable though?¡¯ Reliability The important thing was to find the right owner that could be counted on. After all, it was still a decent weapon with impressive effects that could only drop from Boss monsters. ¡®I¡¯ll need to manage the team carefully.¡¯ Regardless of how high his personal strength was, if he were to be impeached by more than half of his members, he would still lose his position as leader. That meant that he had to have a core of five members that he could rely on no matter what. Holding the Minotaur Captain¡±s Illusory Axe. Woohyuk headed to where Kim Dogyun was sitting down. Chapter 12: Crown Game (2)

Chapter 12: Crown Game (2)

¡°Do you have a moment?¡± ¡°Of course captain.¡± Kim Dokyun promptly answered, his eyes drifting to the axe Woohyuk was holding. ¡°Your movements have improved.¡± ¡°Yes, well these guys were a bit tough...¡± Woohyuk was the sole adventurer among the camp that could solo a Minotaur. Although Lee Jaesung was strong, and with hisrge Kite shield he could survive a one on one by staying defensive, that was all. ¡°Everyone has their own limits, and only by oveing them can one survive in this ce.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s past 40 years had been far from clear sailing. If ever he felt himself bingcent with his level, a new challenge would appear that drove him to the brink of despair. Every day had been like a nightmare. Still, he had a strong willpower which allowed him to ovee any obstacle ¡°Raise your weapon, I¡¯ll give you some pointers.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kim Dokyun quickly epted as he stood up and lifted his double-edged axe. Testing him myself is the best way to know him. Since he had spent so many years on the battlefield, he could quickly grasp his opponent¡¯s character. Woohyuk thought back to the words of a Lord he had dueled with in the past. ¡°I shall answer your questions with my sword.¡± Thinking back to those words, he could only sigh in agreement. It meant that one couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin with vague words. Still, his wisdom didn¡¯t help since he had fallen to his sword. ¡®Actions speak louder than words anyways.¡¯ No matter how careful you are with how you speak, one¡¯s true nature will eventually be revealed by one¡¯s actions. The more dangerous the situation, the more likely this would be true. Swooosh! As Woohyuk swung the Minotaur Captain¡¯s Illusory axe, Kim Dokyun¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Woohyuk had activated its Illusory effect, leaving behind an after-image. Chaeng! Dokyun did his best to defend against Woohyuk¡¯s attack. He also could feel the killing intent oozing from the de of the axe. ¡®... fear.¡¯ His whole body had be frozen stiff, and involuntarily let out a few tears even if he knew others were watching. ¡®This is true power.¡¯ It was what he had been longing for so long. Woohyuk was doing things that appeared impossible. Even though he was aware that he had been here before, he was still on another level. ¡®I want him to acknowledge me.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t thinking about anything else, just that he wanted to prove his worth to this man before him. Dokyun strained his eyes and pushed his focus to the maximum, as he managed to defend several of Woohyuk¡¯s attacks. As soon as he spotted an opening, he even tried a quick counterattack. ¡®He has good fighting spirit.¡¯ Woohyuk thought to himself as he examined the fighter before him. Although he appeared to be quite emotional, he wasn¡¯t weak. A primitive struggle, perhaps he was simply trying to live up to his own expectations. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem like someone that would easily betray me.¡¯ Although he would still need to keep an eye on him, he was rather confident with his assessment. [Monarch¡¯s Intuition] It was rare for him to miss a threat. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Hearing those words, Kim Dokyun dropped his axe down. Sweat was pouring down his forehead and his exhaustion was clear. ¡°In the future use this weapon instead, yours doesn¡¯t look that good.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kim Dokyun grasped the axe that was given to him with a shocked expression. The adventurers nearby that had been watching the exchange couldn¡¯t hide their jealousy. ¡°Ahem¡­ attention everyone.¡± As everyone quieted down, Ma Gwangpil stepped out from the crowd. He held a red Megaphone card in his hand. ¡°I think we currentlyck members in our camp, since we have already lost half of our original numbers. Why don¡¯t we use this Megaphone to attract other adventurers?¡± By using a Megaphone card, one was able to send text messages to any adventurers within a 100 meter radius. Of course this wasn¡¯t all that impressive, but these cards could be infinitely stacked. Bybining 10 of them the radius would then be 1 km. There were also no restrictions as to how many Megaphones one could purchase, so long as once had enough Ancient Coins. That¡¯s a good idea, but how do you tell people how to find us? There aren¡¯t any clearndmarks or directions.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we decide where to meet up? It could be the entrance to the Goblin Vige or the giant rock near the Maned Wolf¡¯s habitat. Both should work fine since they are easily essible and the danger level is low. Some adventurers were worried instead. Although it was better to have more people, if something went wrong, they might suffer from an invasion like had happened the other night. ¡°What do you think, Chun Woohyuk? You¡¯ve been here the longest so I¡¯d love to hear your opinion.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Woohyuk turned around, clearly disinterested. Ma Gwangpil however couldn¡¯t contain his smirk, as it had been within his expectations. ¡°So let¡¯s put this to a vote. We can consider Chun Woohyuk as abstaining and decide amongst the remaining leaders okay?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it like that.¡± Although they had been forced into forming different groups, the majority of adventurers still followed Ma Gwangpil. The entire time Woohyuk was away from camp, it had been him that acted as the leader. As such, it was no surprise that the result of the vote was unanimous. ¡°Let¡¯s pool together 10 Ancient Coins, otherwise we won¡¯t be able to contact those that are too far away.¡± ¡°I have three over here, they dropped from a monster I killed recently.¡± ¡°We have two¡­¡± The two leaders did their best to get in Ma Gwangpil¡¯s good graces. They were afraid of Ma Gwangpil who could decide to off them at any time. ¡®Nothing has changed.¡¯ Woohyuk who he thought had died after being absent for so long, had suddenly returned. At first he thought it would throw a wrench in his ns, but it seemed he still held the initiative. After all, the public opinion was against Woohyuk as they felt he was an arrogant and selfish lone wolf. ¡®Just give me some time and I¡¯ll catch up to you soon enough.¡¯ The Megaphones will be used to attract as many survivors as possible, and then he¡¯ll be able to begin his expansion n. The more underlings he had under him, the easier it would be to hunt monsters and his position would be secure. Right now I can only look up to you, but soon we shall stand as equals. During his meeting with the two other leaders, Ma Gwangpil was building his determination. Meanwhile, Woohyuk was simply reading an adventurer¡¯s journal inside his tent. Lee Jaesung came in and asked. ¡°Are you going to allow him to do as he pleases? It might be quite noisy if he brings in many outsiders.¡± ¡°He is just bait.¡± Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s response, Lee Jaesung couldn¡¯t help but smile.¡± ¡°You mean¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± Woohyuk had always been one to keep his cards close to his chest. There was simply no advantage to revealing one¡¯s ns so early. ¡®I need to obtain a Silver Crown.¡¯ Although he didn¡¯t n on building his forces this early, he could make use of the efforts of others. All he had to do was kill 10 individuals. In his mind he was already thinking about who he should kill off. * * * The first seven days his focus had been on quickly improving his strength and finding key items. While all the other adventurers had been confused, he had monopolized the best hunting grounds. But, for thesest few days, he no longer had to go down the same route. After all this was only a tutorial, so except for a few unique Hidden Pieces, there wasn¡¯t much else that caught his eye. Woohyuk was trying to decide what they should focus on, The ideal scenario would be to attract many talented yers to his side, and then helping them grow quickly. Of course, that was only if it was possible. The Primordial Forest consisted of several sectors. Generally people would be separated ording to race or culture and it was almost impossible to meet yers from a different sector. The only ce they might meet was near Trial cliff, where the Dragon eggs were hidden, since this was in fact the intersection between all sectors. Still, it would require incredible luck since apart from himself, others weren¡¯t aware of this fact. Although it wasn¡¯t currently an issue,ter on there wouldn¡¯t be any problem with regards tomunication since there was a universal trantor that operated in real time. Regardless of what foreignnguages others would speak, you would always hear in your own native tongue. For that reason, Woohyuk had decided on what he should focus on. ¡®Finding Hidden Achievements.¡¯ If you seed in something the system judged as impossible, there would be significant rewards. Not to mention that it would help one qualify for a Divine Throne. Only those that consistently exceeded their human limits had a chance of reaching the realm of the Gods.. Although it was a rather abstract goal, Woohyuk felt it was his best way forward. After all, he had 40 years of knowledge when it came to achievements. ¡® The Silver Crown should be my priority.¡¯ In order not to get caught up in the uing chaos, it was best to prepare in advance. Ma Gwangpil will rope in quite a few survivors, but it won¡¯t be enough to reach ten leaders. ¡®I¡¯ll have to work hard to find themter.¡¯ In a situation where leaders were constantly trying to kill each other, their numbers would drastically decrease. Not to mention that as of the 8th day, ck whirlpools would appear randomly in the sky, dropping zombies into the forest. [Abyssal Gates] Originally they were the gates used by the Demon Legions¡¯ invasion which were under themand of the 72 Demon kings. But, since it was the tutorial only low level undeads would appear. Even so, Zombies were quite troublesome to deal with. If you were bitten by them, the infection would quickly spread throughout your body and unless you were injected with the vine in the first hour, you¡¯d turn into one of them, just like in so many movies. The vines came in the form of syringes and could only be obtained from the daily supplies, so those adventurers who didn¡¯t have a base camp were at high risk. This only caused the battles for the remaining base camps to intensify. As such, the day the Crown Game began, it was favorable to act quickly. ¡°Hello friend, did youe after seeing the message?¡± A man who looked like a gangster appeared before Woohyuk. He wore a rather worn out leather armor and wielded a Kukri knife. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ever since the General Goods Store hade online, adventurers were now receiving many messages. Others had also had the same idea as Ma Gwangpil and either wanted to formrge groups or find enough members to elect a leader. The message the man spoke about was concerning thetter. ¡°Are you all alone? That¡¯s really unfortunate, but you¡¯re not the only one. I¡¯ve also seen several of my colleagues be eaten in front of me.¡± Minotaurs loved to feast on human flesh, so upon conquering a Base camp, a sumptuous buffet would ensue. Sometimes if they were really starving they would even eat live humans that had suffered grievous wounds on the battlefield. ¡°How many are in your group?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s difficult to talk about, why don¡¯t you follow me first and I¡¯ll guide you to our meeting ce.¡± He was acting very cautiously in front of a stranger, so Woohyuk simply nodded back and followed along. ¡°My name¡¯s Oh Seokju by the way, what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Chun Woohyuk.¡± Oh Seokjoo turned around to look at Woohyuk. ¡°My friend, there is no need to be so formal, try and be more friendly. The atmosphere in the camp is too cold, it might lead to internal conflict. ¡± To which Woohyuk didn¡¯t even bother responding, causing Oh Seokjoo to sigh. ¡°You must have truly had a bad experience. I understand, you are probably also worried about your family or girlfriend. I¡¯m sorry for being inconsiderate.¡± ¡°Actually neither, my family died in an airne crash when I was in college and my girlfriend at the hands of some bad people.¡± The atmosphere between then quickly became awkward. Trying to break the tension, Oh Seokjoo let out a few coughs. ¡°I''m sorry to have brought it up, I didn''t know you had such a tough past. Anyway our situation is that great, so we might be meeting them soon!¡± ¡°Is this meeting location still far?¡± Hearing his question, Oh Seokjoo came to a stop. A faint glow was emitted from the sapphire ring on his right hand. ¡°Oh that¡¯s¡­..¡± Oh Seokjoo then did a hand signal to someone, and an arrow flew out from the bushes, headed straight for Woohyuk¡¯s head. Swissh! However Woohyuk casually tilted his head to the side, avoiding it as if it had been expected all along. ¡®What!?¡¯ Oh Seokjoo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡®It didn¡¯t feel like he was on to me¡­¡¯ ¡°Just what kind of monster are you?¡± That kind of dodging was simply impossible unless one¡¯s Agility was monstrously high. That was even taking into consideration that he was expecting the ambush. ¡°I didn¡¯t put too much thought into it. I just figured at most you¡¯d have a few weak adventurers hidden in the forest.¡± ¡°....¡± Oh Seokjoo took a step back and raised his Kukri knife. At the same time countless arrows appeared from the bushes, headed towards Woohyuk. ¡°Honestly I didn¡¯t expect you would survive the battle in the valley. We had you surrounded and outnumbered, with few ces to hide. So when I saw you again on the Eeth continent, I was rather surprised.¡± Woohyuk continued to speak without any hesitation as the arrows were all blocked by an invisible barrier he had summoned. ¡°Sergeant Kang and Jang Taeseok were small friespared to your group. They at leastmitted crimes for the sake of money, not killing or torturing like you guys.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Oh Seokjoo couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, utterly confused by what was going on. It felt the like guy before him was talking about the future as if he were intimately aware of it. Normally he would have quicklyughed off such words, but considering the situation he paid close attention. ¡°After her death, I greatly regretted not wiping you all out when I had the chance.¡± ¡°Stop Bullshitting, You, kill us? Take this!¡± Oh Seokjoo shouted as he burst forth with his left hand, sending out a lightning bolt. A victor¡¯s smile on his face. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t have thought that I could use magic.¡¯ That shield of his only negates physical attacks. He had seen one which acted simrly before. Even if it were able to block magic, his Spirit Stat would have to be absurdly high to block this attack, because he had invested heavily into Intelligence. Shaaaak But that was only Oh Seokjoo¡¯s fantasy. The Queen Star Snake Ghost¡¯s effect appeared, absorbing the lightning bolt and immediately charging it to Woohyuk¡¯s left hand. ¡°Back then I had some difficulty dealing with your magic attacks, but things are different now, I¡¯mpletely prepared.¡± Woohyuk spoke confidently as he stared Oh Seokjoo down. A red marker and a crown appeared above his head. ¡®This time around I won¡¯t have any regrets.¡¯ [Crimson Crow] They were a bandit group that had be notorious across the continent. Although therge organizations had banded together to eradicate them, some of them had slipped through their fingers, which had always been a regret of his. Woohyuk then turned to look at the group of bowmen in the forest. Chapter 13: Crown Game (3)

Chapter 13: Crown Game (3)

There was a hoard of items stashed away in the Crimson Crows headquarters. Of course the majority of it was low tier equipment and supplies, but there were still a few useful ones like Ancient Coins and Repair kits. Woohyuk stepped out of the cave after taking only what was valuable. He now had a tier 7 Bronze Crown above his head. ¡®I got lucky this time.¡¯ He had arrived just as they were having a meeting, This made it very convenient for him as he was able to take them all out at once. Also, since he knew he was in a bandit¡¯sir, he didn¡¯t need to ask himself whether the person before him truly deserved it, and could just go ahead and kill. ¡®I should get back soon.¡¯ Although he hadn¡¯t received any specialmunication from Lee Jaesung, but now he figured that Ma Gwangpil would have already fallen into trouble. That guy had been making too much noise recently and he was sure to have attracted the attention of some bandits. Whoohyuk headed back to camp as he whistled a light hearted tune. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I have handled these kinds of cleaning operations.¡¯ Ever since he had be a Monarch, most of these tasks would have been handled by his subordinates. After all, there were just too many things that required his attention. Of course that was still the case to a certain extent, but at least for the time being, it would be best if he handled these situations. It was still a bit early to send Lee Jaesung to kill other humans. It wasn¡¯t a question of ability, but rather if his heart could handle it. ¡®Taking care of it myself should be fine.¡¯ By equipping the Berserker¡¯s te armor, he was confident even if he were to face off against hundred people. Due to it¡¯s penalty however, he usually wore a different armor, but he could quickly rece it by keeping it in his diator¡¯s Belt. Of course that kind of recing only applied for equipment from the same category. There was arge downside however, in that using that function to rece his armor during battle, the system reced anything that was categorized as an armor, for example his helmet and gloves. ¡°The captain has arrived, inform Lee Jaesung immediately.¡± ¡°Do you even need to send someone? You can just send a message you know.¡± ¡° Oh right¡­.¡± His mind upied with his many future ns, he arrived at the camp. Woohyuk tossed the corpse of a goat he had been carrying at the feet of his party members. Put that away in the tent, it¡¯ll be tonight¡¯s dinner.¡± It was a goat which had recently been hunted by the Crimson Crows, and was still fresh. ¡°Have you already taken out six leaders?¡± Lee Jaesung asked in surprise, to which Woohyuk simply nodded back. ¡°And the members that followed them¡­.¡± ¡°I killed them all.¡± Of course saying it like that would lead to confusion, since they had all been bandits with plenty of blood on their hands. Lee Jaesung couldn¡¯t help but sigh upon hearing his response. ¡°There is no one we can currently trust right now, even within our own camp.¡± He was referring to Ma Gwangpil who has secretly been pressuring the other two leaders to ostracize those from Woohyuk¡¯s party, causing the atmosphere at the camp to be rather tense. ¡°We can just keep to ourselves, no need to worry about the others.¡± It was the time to build a strong internal core. To this end, Woohyuk sent Lee Jaesung a message as to how they should proceed. ¡°Okay, but that Ma Gwangpil is ratherte. It¡¯s been quite some time since he left with his party.¡± ¡°That guys in trouble for sure..¡± ¡°Really? How do you¡­.¡± ¡°I just happen to know.¡± A vivid recollection of what had happened back then appeared in his mind. Those opportunistic bandits would circle camps, taking hostages and as a result many had been injured or even died. Woohyuk gathered his party together because he wasn''t willing to lose any of his precious members. Now was the time to prepare for the battle between camps. * * * ¡°Save me, please¡­.¡± A woman in leather armor fell down to the ground and begged for her life. The male adventurers around did seem rather down, because she was quite pretty. ¡®Do we really need to kill her? Even if she tried to steal from us, we are still in need of members.¡¯ ¡®Maybe I¡¯ll be able to convince her to join us.¡¯ She was one of the members that had joined recently , but under false pretenses since she had been caught trying to steal from them. Although she was now captured, many were willing to give her a second chance. People resort to all kinds of things when their survival is on the line, was the rationale many in the camp were considering. However Woohyuk appeared and mercilessly ran Grandia through her heart. Puaak! ¡°Kuluk¡± The woman puked out arge amount of blood as she gave Woohyuk a venomous look. Above her head appeared a two tiered crown along with a red marker. Ma Gwangpil, who had been watching the ordeal, clicked his tongue in disappointment. ¡®Tch¡­ what a pity.¡¯ He had wanted to prevent Woohyuk from killing her, butcked any proper justification to do so. He was in the wrong, keeping her alive simply because she had a pretty face, putting the rest of the camp in danger, so he definitely couldn¡¯t bring it up. ¡°You were very fast, it hasn¡¯t even been half a day.¡± Eve said as she stepped out of the ck portal. She looked around for a bit and then came back to Woohyuk with a puzzled expression. ¡°Did you not increase your numbers? How bold of you. Well, it isn¡¯t any of my concern. Since you¡¯ve reached the qualification, I have to ask, are you ready to undergo the examination for your promotion?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Above Woohyuk''s head there was a tenth tier Bronze crown. Eve let out a bright smile as she handed him a map. ¡°The task is rather simple, you need to carry these crates to the marked area on the map. There isn¡¯t any time limit, but if any crates are lost, you need to return here to pick up a new one.¡± The destination was simply an empty clearing on the way to the Central Lake. The number of crates matched the amount of members in your party, so there wasn¡¯t any need for return trips. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll wish you good fortune in your battles toe! See you next time!¡± As Eve disappeared, Woohyuk instructed every member of his party to pick up a wooden crate and carry it on their backs. They were all rather heavy, as if they had been filled to the brim with stones, but at least it was manageable enough that everyone was able to carry one. Even the smallest among them had to bear the burden. ¡°Are you fine? It¡¯s a bit unreasonable to ask this of you¡­.¡± ¡°This is something we have to do.¡± Song Anna gave Yoo Kayoung a smile. Although she appeared small and feeble, her Strength stat was such that she wasn¡¯t inferior to any of the men in the camp. ¡°Once you are all ready we can get started.¡± Woohyuk said as he took the lead. Lee Jaesung who followed right behind him smirked and mentioned. ¡°I think you¡¯re going in the wrong direction, shouldn¡¯t we be going that way?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t simply go like this.¡± Although it sounded like a simple transportation mission, it couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. The path toward the Central Lake was always teeming with adventurers which were in search of items. If they were to encounter a team that were carrying suspicious wooden crates, one could easily imagine the misunderstanding it might cause. It wouldn¡¯t be a big deal if it were only one or two groups, but there were too many unknowns which could slow them down too much. ¡®We need to have a means of transportation.¡¯ Woohyuk had drunk the Elixir of Paradise, was able to tame any creatures within the Primordial forest. As such, he n was to capture a few of them to act as mules, allowing them to easilyplete the quest. ¡®I already have one in mind.¡¯ Although they were a bit wild, he kind of liked their personality. Woohyuk swung his ck Machete as he cleared a path through the bush. * * * There were many unique items within the Nebulus World that only a single yer could acquire. For example Hidden pieces which were found in secret rooms. Only the very first adventurer to arrive would obtain them. These included the Elixir of Paradise, Ghost Queen Star Serpent, Calm Sea¡¯s Silence, Lilith¡¯s Unholy Chalice and the Vampiric Dagger. On the other hand, there were titles that were only given to those that were the first toplete certain achievements, like Human Hunter which one obtained from killing ten people or Goblin yer from killing one hundred goblins. Just like those, there was a title for the very first person to achieve a Silver Crown. Of course it wasn¡¯t anything like a hidden ss or skill, but obtaining it was still very beneficial this early on. For that reason, Woohyuk used this method to cut down their travel time. [Jabber Woks] They stood on two legs with well developed muscles as well as a long tail to bnce themselves. Basically they were dinosaurs. They had small arms inparison to their legs, sharp ws and horns, as well as bright reptilian eyes. Due to theirrge numbers as well as sturdy scales giving them a high defense, Woohyuk chose them as mounts instead of horses. The process of capturing them was rather simple. He had obtained a Hunter¡¯s Whip at the Crimson Crow¡¯s cave, and simply whipped them all into obedience. If any animal trainer would have seen it ur they would have been shocked. Usually when taming an animal or monster it was important to first build a connection and foster trust. Woohyuk however didn¡¯t have any time for all that. He only needed a mount he could control and didn¡¯t want to keep them as pets. The quickest way to tame them was to first wear them down, before mounting them. Rabbit meat, which was their favorite food, wasn''t even needed. In that way eleven Jabber Woks were subdued and used as mounts. Since Woohyuk was now considered their owner, he summoned them whenever the need arose. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have any of the proper equipment such as reins or a saddle, so the ride was far fromfortable. On their end, the Jabber Woks were also dissatisfied with their treatment, but didn¡¯t dare cry out due to their fear of Woohyuk. As the party was about to set off, Son Anna yed a Marching Wind Tune, increasing movement speed by 20%. Her buff could now be applied to only her own party, so it wouldn¡¯t lead to the ufortable situation of increasing the speed of one¡¯s own pursuers. For this reason, even though they had passed by several adventurer groups along the way, there hadn¡¯t been any incidents. Before the other party could even speak up, they had already disappeared from view. There were still the asional few that managed to react quickly and fire off some arrows or magic spells, but Woohyuk easily deflected them with his Vampiric dagger. The same was true for the many roaming Zombies. Yoo Kayoung would even help Woohyuk out with her Fireball spell, and if there were too many Song Anna would chip in by summoning her Sylph wind spirit. ¡°Anna, that one!¡± Yoo Kayoung pointed at a female Zombie approaching in the distance. Sylph was promptly sent out, decapitating the unlucky Zombie as a fountain of tainted ck blood spurt out. ¡°Nice one!¡± They only required a single hand to grasp on to the Jabber Woks to steady themselves, so Song Anna was able to be quite proactive with spells. She had a high synergy with her spirits, and was also able to y the flute. For those reasons, even if she had learned a priestess¡¯ healing skill first, she still had a high chance of changing to apprentice Spirit Summoner or even Poet. ¡®She was worth the investment.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t known it would turn out like this, but Woohyuk was now looking forward to Song Anna¡¯s growth upon seeing her perform so well as a Bard. Perhaps she was even the youngest adventurer to have seeded in their second ss. ¡°Stop here, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Woohyuk raised his hand and everyone brought their Jabber Woks to a halt as they examined their surroundings. It was an empty clearing, except for a visible magic circle and a giant Butcher Zombie that was held back by a thick metal chain, restricting its movement to within the magic circle. ¡°Grrrrr¡± The Zombie started swinging its giant Cleaver aggressively upon catching sight of Woohyuk¡¯s party. In order to sessfully ce the wooden crates within the magic circle, the Zombie had to be taken care of first. Woohyuk ced his crate down on the ground and headed towards it. If one distanced themselves too much from their crate, it would be considered ownerless and if this persisted for 10 minutes it would disappear. Although he was on a clock, he wasn¡¯t too worried. ¡°Kuaaaak¡± As soon as Woohyuk stepped into its aggro range, the Butcher Zombie entered a frenzied state, Smashing down its Cleaver with all its might. Naturally, the attack didn¡¯t harm a hair on Woohyuk¡¯s head, as he leapt onto the Cleaver¡¯s hilt, using it as a bridge to directly reach the Zombies head. Swoosh! The Butcher Zombie¡¯s head was sent flying through the air, as Woohyuk had used two hands to wield the ck Machete and provide enough force. Uponnding back on the ground, he signaled Yoo Kayoung. Boom! She in turn sent out a Fireball, bathing the Zombie¡¯s body in mes. Since no other Zombies appeared, the party proceeded to move the crates within the magic circle. Shortly after, Eve appeared through her ck portal. ¡°Wow, did you guys use some method of transportation? The other groups only thought of carrying the boxes by hand. Well, if the brain is stupid, the body shall suffer.¡± ¡°Are we the first?¡± ¡°Indeed, Chun Woohyuk¡¯s party has the fastestpletion time. For this reason you shall receive 5 Leadership Skill Points. As a reference, others will only receive a single point uponpletion.¡± As soon as Eve finished her exnation, a white text appeared before Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. [Leadership Skills description] 1. Mobility (Lv.1) - g Soldier: Movement Speed of allies within a 15 meter radius is increased by 10 %. 3 hours cooldown. 2. Growth (Lv1) - For a duration of 1 hour, a 10% increase in Experience gained by allies within a 100 meter radius. 3 hours cooldown. 3. Luck (Lv.1) - For 1 hour, a 10 % increase in Drop rate from monster for allies within a 100 meter radius. 3 hours cooldown. 4. Barrier (Lv.1) - Creates a semicircr barrier to protect allies within a 1 meter radius. The amount of damage the barrier can absorb depends on the Leader¡¯s Mana . 3 hours cooldown. 5. Stronghold (Lv.1) nt your g into the ground. For a duration of 1 hour, 1% increase in all allied Stats by within a 15 meter radius. 3 hour cooldown. 6. Command (Lv.1) Able to assign 10 Bronze Crown to one¡¯s subordinates. (10 man Commander) 7. Negotiation (Lv.1) - Bring into the fold a leader of a group of 10 or less members. (Only possible in the case of mutual agreement.) 8. Call to Arms (Lv.1) - Summon a single Commander and their 10 members to your current location. 6 hour cooldown. 9. Authority (Lv.1) - Give an order to one of your subordinates that they aren¡¯t able to refuse. 6 hour cooldown. He already knew what to do next, so he clicked the list of skills one by one ording to the n he had set for himself. Chapter 14: New Trial (1)

Chapter 14: New Trial (1)

Barriers, Strongholds, Command, Call to Arms and Authority. Thepetition for the best hunting grounds would be fierce in the near future, so the Barrier and Stronghold skills were a must. Even if there were to establish themselves first, there would always be some wolves roaming to get a slice of the pie. Command was obviously a must since it gave him the ability to establish a certain hierarchy, delegating power to those he trusted most. Naturally the most important decision would still be made by him, but it was still a good thing to have amander that could act somewhat independently. Call to Arms and Authority were needed in case of emergency situations. Calling over an entire 10 man party as well as theirmander could be critical in certain situations. Likewise, if a certain situation arose where disobedience couldn¡¯t be epted, the Authority skill could be used. Of course the other skill had their own advantages, but since he didn¡¯t see a use for them in the near future, he left them alone for now. There would still be many opportunities to earn points, such as climbing a tier, also one could achieve skill points with a good performance in the uing Canyon battle. ¡°To impeach a Silver Crown leader, it now requires 60% of members to be in agreement.¡± ¡°You can advance in tier by killing another Silver Crown holder. Of course, you can once again promote to the next level by reaching tier 10, but that isn¡¯t possible within this tutorial.¡± Killing ten Bronze Crown holders would also allow him to advance a tier, but since he felt it was far too inefficient of a use of his time, he decided to focus on other things. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°None¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to our next meeting, bye!¡± After Eve disappeared, Woohyuk handed Lee Jaesung a Bronze Badge. Since they were only eleven members in the group, only a single Commander could be appointed for now. ¡°You guys head back to camp first.¡± ¡°Will you be going off alone?¡± ¡°I have a few things to take care of, so you might not see me for a little while.¡± He no longer had any reason to stay at the Base camp. Most of the better rewards were located in the center, so staying at the camp that was in the outskirts was simply too wasteful. Woohyuk gave Lee Jaesung some brief instructions regarding how to use his new powers ofmand, before mounting his Jabber Wok and taking off into the forest infested with roaming zombies. * * * In the past, not much had been known about the Primordial forest since it had disappeared 15 days after the start of the game. It was onlyter that the survivors had shared information and sifted through Adventurer Logs to figure out what they had missed. Even then, that would only cover a small part. There were always people that weren¡¯t willing to share their secrets, resulting in a lot of information being lost. Still, Woohyuk hadn¡¯t given up. He had even gone so far as to hire an archaeologist to study nameless manuscripts and explore ancient ruins. In that way he had obtained a few clues. ¡®First things first, I¡¯ll need a flying mount.¡¯ A Dragon¡¯s egg would only hatch after the Canyon battle, so he would have to tame his own for now. Having made his way over to the Central Lake, he climbed the mast of the Galley and stared at some Three wed Eagles in the distance. ¡®It probably wouldn¡¯t befortable on its back.¡¯ However, he wasn¡¯t in a situation where he could be picky. He used a de of grass to let out a loud whistle, and was able to attract the attention of one of the eagles which flew over. Chaak He quickly struck with his whip when it got too close, wrapping it around the Three wed Eagle¡¯s ankle. After that, no matter how much it pped its wings and struggled to break free, it couldn¡¯t win the contest of strength against Woohyuk. Lowering his center of gravity and yanking hard on the whip, he managed to m the eagle hard against the ship¡¯s mast. The rest wasn¡¯t too difficult, once it was dazed and sprawled on the deck, he had only to mount it and train it strictly using his whip. ¡®Hopefully it won¡¯t have any trauma.¡¯ Despite it being a monster, there were cases where it might lose its mind after being forcefully tamed. That would of course be very dangerous if that were to happen while flying at high altitudes. However there wasn¡¯t much he could do in that regard, since there wasn¡¯t any better flying mount within this tutorial. Climbing up on its back, they headed back into the forest. Seeing the scenery of the forest from up in the sky was a real treat. There were lots of hills and rocks spread out across the forest. After a long flight, they finally arrived at one of the Abyssal Gates from which the Zombies dropped. ¡®Here it is.¡¯ In the Primordial forest, there were several of such gates which would move around, spelling disaster for any wandering adventurers. Interestingly enough they never approach the Central Lake or Paradise Lost. Maybe it was designed so that those zones only encouragedpetition between adventurers, after all they were dangerous enough as they were. Regardless, Woohyuk was very much interested in this Abyss, since it was connected to the 72 Demon Kings, something that no one could have possibly known back then. ¡®It¡¯s worth a shot.¡¯ Although it acted as a dimensional gate, adventurers weren¡¯t able to use it. Still, it was possible to destroy it using magic, that was if you were able to withstand the thunderbolts which would strike periodically. Not to mention that in his current situation, he had to defend the Three wed Eagle from any strikes as well. It sounded like an impossible proposition for any beginner adventurers, so Woohyuk was certain that there would be a hidden reward. This world was known for rewarding yers for unusual or unexpected actions. As he approached the Abyssal Gate, a bright purple bolt of lightning struck him, but it was instead absorbed by the Ghost Queen Star Snake. Raising Grandia with both hands, he attempted to find secure footing atop his eagle, and then swung down towards a crack that had appeared within the vortex of the Abyssal Gate, activating the magic runes engraved on the sword. Whuiiiic For but a moment, the ck vortex shone a dangerous red, before returning back to its original color. At the same time however, another purple lightning strike dropped on his head. ¡°Ahak¡­¡± Woohyuk felt somewhat dazed from the attack. He didn¡¯t suffer any damage because it had been absorbed by his barrier, and was instead consuming his mana. ¡®I¡¯ll need to start using the magic crystals.¡¯ He had been saving them forter since they could be used to increase his Intelligence Stat, but he had no choice. Retrieving a crystal from his Sage¡¯s Pouch, Woohyuk stared out into the Abyss. ¡®This will take some time.¡¯ In the first ce he knew that it wouldn¡¯t be an easy task. Although he had made great progress, in the grand scheme of things he was still very much at the beginner level. It might even take him half of a day simply to get rid of that dam Abyssal Gate. It was a situation where he could only pray that he¡¯d be sessful before he ran out of Magic Crystals. As he found his footing once more, Woohyuk raised Grandia up high. * * * ¡°Huuu¡­¡± Lying down on the ship¡¯s deck, Woohyuk stared up at the clear blue sky, watching a pearl white cloud sail above. ¡®That was a tough one.¡¯ It had been several times more exhausting than when he had soloed the Queen Star Snake. The battle had been very long, and his mana was constantly being depleted which put him in and out of a weakened state. The Three wed Eagle was likewise exhausted and was resting while perched atop the sail¡¯s mast. Although he had rewarded it with its favorite fish, the battle had still taken quite a toll and asking it to battle some more would be simply too much for it. As he felt theke¡¯s cool breeze brush past him, Woohyuk raised the reward he had just obtained. [Small Trumpet] Category: Consumable Effects: Can only be used within a specific location. As soon as he had managed to sever the Abyssal Gate in half, a treasure chest covered in bones had dropped. From it, he had obtained this Small Trumpet as well as a piece of the Central Lake map, but it¡¯s location wasn¡¯t clearly indicated. ¡°There must be some reason for it.¡¯ It was highly likely that the crucial information was hidden by a concealment spell, and that it simply wasn¡¯t possible for him to remove it at his current level. He first thought about seeking help from the Elder dragon, Adakar, but he felt it wouldn¡¯t be too fruitful of a visit. After all this was the guy that only gave him a single Dragon egg, and was such a stickler for rules. ¡®Is there anyone else?¡¯ There was possibly a designated guide hidden within this world, some NPC-like character that would help him in his quest. Woohyuk looked at the trumpet, as he thought back to all the creatures that lived in the forests orkes. ¡®Mermaid? Siren? Satyr? Fairy?¡¯ There were a number of possibilities that might have a connection to Paradise Lost. After all it was the key location in this tutorial. The Central Lake being simply too dangerous due to the amount of sharks. Woohyuk stood up and called the Three wed Eagle down to the deck. It promptly came to him and leaned over to help him get up. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the ind.¡± The Three wed Eagle soared into the sky with a piercing shriek, as it acknowledged its owner¡¯smand. As it steadied itself at a certain altitude, Woohyuk looked back at the forest. The Abyssal Gates had all disappeared and there was no longer any opportunity for others to obtain such a trumpet. ¡®Things seem to be progressing well.¡¯ The clues he had previously picked up on had all pointed to a final destination within the tutorial, and now he just had to find a way to arrive there. Fortunately his first attempt with the Gates had worked out, but he still had to stay on his toes. This wasn¡¯t over with until he got what he wanted. Upon arriving on Paradise Lost, Woohyuk unsummoned the Three wed Eagle. Using the system, once he¡¯d tamed a creature he would be able to call it out at will. ¡®Let¡¯s see if we can find this guide.¡¯ ¡®It was his third timeing here, so he tried to focus on areas he hadn¡¯t been to before. If it was able to evade the detection of the many yers that hade here, it was either a magical being, or was innately talented at stealth. As he was walking around examining some trees, Woohyuk cut down the Star Snakes that attacked him using Gandia. It was different from the time he hade with Seo Changseop, since he didn¡¯t need to waste any effort on these snakes. The Magic runes on Grandia wasn¡¯t something these snakes could resist with their level of defense. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t be Medusas or Lamias.¡¯ Their temples were both located in a space. Although there were many snakes on Paradise Lost, it seemed to be connected to the Original Sin, rather than to any creature that might act as his guide. On the other hand, it seemed more important to pay attention to the trees and forest. Both Elemental and Fairy, maybe¡­. ¡®A Nymph?¡¯ Nymphs were Elemental spirits, and among them was a type which shared their vitality with trees, the Dryads. They were small and beautiful creatures, proficient in magic. If they wanted to hide within a forest, they certainly had that capability. They were cautious by nature, so there was a good chance it would be them. Woohyuk wandered around Paradise Lost, searching for specific trees that a Dryad might inhabit. Although apart from the Paradise and Life tree, all the others looked pretty much the same, Woohyuk was using his vast experience and instincts to spot minute differences. ¡®The Elves would surely know.¡¯ Since they are a people of the forest, they were sure to havemunicated with Dryads in the past. Well, actually they might not because of all the Elves he¡¯d talked with in the past, none had mentioned anything about Dryads. As Woohyuk let his mind wander, he appeared before arge oak tree. It emitted a certain air of ancientness, as if it had taken root a very long time ago. He could also feel a small trace of magic, although it was very faint. Woohyuk proceeded to pull out an axe from his Sage¡¯s Pouch. He knew that it wouldn¡¯t show itself if called upon, so he put on a little show of taking an exaggeratinglyrge swing. ¡° Kaaaak! Stop!¡± The voice of a young girl rang out from atop one of the branches, as the oak tree emitted a green energy. Woohyuk looked up at the Dryad. She was a true beauty, with bright green hair and clothed in nothing but leaves. The pupils within her deep blue eyes however shook in fear. ¡°Why are you screaming?¡± ¡°If you cut down this tree I¡¯ll die!¡± ¡°Are you a Dryad?¡± ¡°Stop pretending to be so ignorant. I¡¯ve seen you searching the forest for me.¡± The Dryad pointed at Woohyuk usingly, upon which Woohyuk put down the axe in his hand to reassure her. ¡°I mean you no harm, I¡¯m just in need of your help.¡± ¡°You already took all the treasures here and you still want more?¡± She had been observing him from the very start, so she knew that he was looking for something other than treasure. ¡°That much won¡¯t be enough to put an end to this game. That¡¯s something you should be aware of right?¡± Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s question, the Dryad became quite surprised. ¡®He isn¡¯t your everyday greedy human?¡¯ Now that she thought about it, he seemed to have far too much knowledge for a beginner adventurer. Even back then when he had killed hispanions, he had known about the red marker as well as the Hidden treasures. Maybe he had returned due to some quest. ¡°My name¡¯s L, what about you?¡± ¡°Chun Woohyuk¡± ¡°What can I help you with?¡± Woohyuk then lifted up the partial map for her to see. Immediately L¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Is your ability sufficient to decipher it?¡± ¡°Sure, that¡¯s what I¡¯m here for.¡± She prepared some vague answers, but seeing his straightforward attitude by directly showing her the map, she decided to jump straight to the key point. ¡°But I have no intention of doing this for free. Don¡¯t even think of using any threats, you¡¯ll have to y nice and get me to like you if you want my help.¡± Although she had previously pretended to be feeble, the truth was that she could easily knock Woohyuk down on his ass. She heldplete authority within this ind. Looking down at Woohyuk, L crossed her arms condescendingly. ¡®She appears rather prideful, so any attempt to seduce her might backfire.¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you a suitable gift in exchange.¡± At first Woohhyuk appeared worried, as he pulled out a few feathers from his pouch. Upon seeing them, L¡¯s eyes glowed in wonder. ¡°Wow...beautiful!¡± Chapter 15: New Trial (2)

Chapter 15: New Trial (2)

L, who had not once left the forest, had never seen the plumage of a bird which nested on high cliffs. A bright sparkling red feather, it was the right item to win over her curious heart. ¡°It¡¯s fine, here, have them all.¡± ¡°No, just one is fine, I don¡¯t have long to live anyway.¡± L was destined to disappear along with the forest in just six days time. A Dryad that had been cursed and had her own tree burnt to the ground as punishment for teaching humans the location of Gods¡¯ treasures. However, due to the Creator¡¯s arrangements, her death penalty was put on hold. ¡°Is there some way I can help you?¡± ¡°Probably not, The curse the Gods have ced on me is rather harsh.¡± Seeing her expression darken, Woohyuk quickly handed her a feather to brighten the mood. As she held onto it, she became lost in her thoughts. ¡°Did you know I¡¯ve had quite a few dangerous adventures so far? This might be my first that goes so well.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve visited basically everything there is.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell me your story, I¡¯d love to hear it since I¡¯ve only been cooped up in this forest my entire life.¡± Woohyuk sat down with his back against the oak tree, as he began to recount his adventures over thest 40 years. At first L listened closely from up on her branch, butter on she came down and sat on Woohyuk¡¯s shoulder, engrossed in the story. There had been no monsters that came to bother them. So long as Woohyuk kept telling his tale, L would chase away any that dared approach. ¡°Did that really happen? I can¡¯t believe it¡­.¡± ¡°I have no reason to lie.¡± He didn¡¯t have any red marker above his head, which meant he must be telling the truth. L leaned against Woohyuk¡¯s neck as she swung her legs back and forth. It had been quite an entertaining story, at times humorous andter romantic, but for the most part his memories were filled with sadness and loss. Despite the epic tales and quests, there was still a personal and heartwarming touch to them. She had really been sucked into his wondrous tale. ¡°I really enjoyed that, so this is my condition. Stay with me until tomorrow night, you must have so many more stories to tell.¡± ¡°Sure¡± Woohyuk was quick to agree. Both his mind and body had be very weary from all the punishment he had been putting them through. Not to mention that without L¡¯s help he wouldn¡¯t be able to decipher the magic spell on the map. ¡°How about taking a walk while narrating? It¡¯s boring to just sit down the entire time.¡± L sat atop Woohyuk¡¯s shoulder, guiding him by pointing with her finger as they made their way around the forest. They would eat any wild fruits they¡¯de across like raspberries and cherries. She would also invite the many animals living in the forest toe and meet Woohyuk. The Star Snakes would give way to them and they never met any other adventurers, just the asional breeze that brought them the smell of the forest. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today, it is alreadyte into the night.¡± L guided Woohyuk back to her oak tree, she watched him as he fell into a peaceful sleep. The time flew by and it was soon morning. The time she could spend with him would soone to an end. ¡°I wish I had met you earlier.¡± He was not from this world, but for some reason he had been summoned here. Even still, it felt like she had known him for so long, they just seemed to click together. ¡®It feels like a new door has opened up for me.¡¯ As if she had discovered some new colors in the world that she previously had been unable to perceive. L was satisfied. Despite it being all in her imagination, the stories she had heard about the outside world was what she had always dreamt off. As the time passed in the woods, L let her imagination run wild. Thinking how her life might have been different if she had participated in Woohyuk¡¯s past adventures as well as how she might have influenced him as well. And so, the second morning was upon them. ¡°I will fulfill your request as promised, but apart from that, I have something else to give you.¡± L took out two strange looking fruits and handed them over to Woohyuk. [Paradise Tree Fruit] Category: Consumable Effect: Alchemist ingredient. Gain a secret knowledge when eaten at a Historical Site. [Life Tree Fruit] Category: Consumable Effect: Alchemist ingredient. Learn all recipes associated with a particr material in your hand. ¡®Amazing¡¯ Items that had been spoken of in legends but never actually found. None of those trees had ever been recorded bearing fruit, and there had been no information of any fruits being found on Paradise Lost. Seeing Woohyuk¡¯s amazement, L was more than satisfied. ¡°I wanted to give you more, but unfortunately I was only given one of each. Also there isn¡¯t any need to worry since there aren¡¯t any side effects. ¡°Thank you¡± ¡°Then all that is left is the map right? I¡¯ll decipher that for you right away.¡± L sat down on Woohyuks palm, as she ced her tiny hands upon the map. Basking it in a blue light, a red marker finally appeared on the map. ¡°Lastly, I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°When you head over to the continentter, bury me near your home, that way I¡¯ll be able to hear your stories long after I am dead.¡± L had been sentenced to death by the Gods due to helping a human, but instead she would now disappear within a few days. By helping Woohyuk as she just had, she was sure to die, but she felt it was worth it since she only had a couple days left anyways. ¡°I promise that I¡¯ll do this for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to have met you. You allowed me to dream of a different world, giving me hope once more¡­.¡± Betrayal. She had once helped out a young man, risking it all for a budding romance, but the result was that she had been abandoned. The wrath of the Gods had fallen on her shoulders and until the veryst moment that young man had never appeared. The temptation of a sweet love. Woohyuk had been the one to make her feel such warmth and kindness once more. With a smile on her face, L took herst breath while sitting on his palm holding on to a handful of feathers. Her body soon transformed into blue energy particles, before assembling into the shape of a seed. [Oak Seed containing L¡¯s Dreams] Category: Personal item Effect: Upon nting, the seedling of an Oak tree shall grow. Specific level required for it to embody L¡¯s soul ¡®We might meet again in the future.¡¯ As the guide for a Hidden Quest, she had been given a heavy task. Getting a bit emotional, Woohyuk proceeded to take a look at the map. The red marker was located in the North Eastern direction of Paradise Lost. It was a nice day and the sun was out, he didn¡¯t have any reason not to begin his exploration immediately. As he climbed onto the Three wed Eagles back, Woohyuk Thought about what the future might hold. He had finally deciphered the location, and he could almost feel like his goal was within reach. * * * ¡®Is this the ce?¡¯ From atop the Three wed Eagle, he looked down into the waves of the sereneke. There weren¡¯t anyndmarks to go by, but ording to the map this should be the right spot. He tried blowing the Small Trumpet, and immediately there was a reaction. Menacing clouds were drawn in overhead, basking the area in darkness. The trumpet and map disintegrated into dust as arge shadow rose from the depths of theke. It was an incrediblyrge monster, so much so that from this distance he couldn¡¯t see its entire body with just a nce. It¡¯s slightest movement turning the previously tranquilke into what a severe storm might look like. Shortly after, it finally broke through the water¡¯s surface, causing Woohyuk to doubt his own eyes. ¡®Kraken?¡¯ A Kraken was a monster that lived in the depths of the sea. It looked a lot like a giant squid and would often attack ships with its long tentacles. He had encountered one in the past which had almost been the same size as Paradise Lost. Inparison, this one was much smaller, so perhaps it was still very young. ¡®I had heard that there were two Krakens.¡¯ He finally understood why it was that despite all his travel, he had only ever met the one. Woohyuk stared at the Kraken, all the while attempting to calm down his mount. Water twisters and pirs near the Kraken would periodically shoot up into the sky. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Even if he was just a young Kraken, If he were to fall into theke, he would instantly be caught up in its turbulent waters and be fish food. Likewise, if he were to suffer a direct hit by any of those long tentacles swinging about, his life would end immediately. The water pirs continued to be sent into the sky as a result of any minor movement on the monster¡¯s end. Therefore he also had to keep an eye on all of its tentacles, simply to dodge those pirs in advance. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t drag this one out.¡¯ Once its health drops past a certain threshold, it enters a frenzied state, making even wilder movements. This would only make it unpredictable, increasing the number of water pirs sent out as a result of it. There would also be the asional tidal waves, so it was necessary to end this as quickly as possible. ¡®Luckily I have a method to attack it.¡¯ He had umted arge amount of lightning magic which had been able to store from his attacks on the Abyssal Gate. He wouldn¡¯t have to put his life on the line by having to physically try to harm it in person. Woohyuk maneuvered his eagle and sent out a purple lightning bolt toward the Kraken. QuaQuaQuang The Kraken¡¯s body convulsed in pain upon suffering from the lightning strike. Making a strange cry, it released copious amounts of jet ck ink, attracting countless sharks and other aquatic lifeforms to the surface. ¡®Is it calling its subordinates?¡¯ Some fish were able to leap out of the water and spit out jets of water from their mouths, while others could use some lightning spells. As a result, he was forced to engage it from an even higher altitude. Woohyuk also had to continuously rely on Magic Crystals, because it still required mana to send out the Lightning as well as to store it this whole time. ¡®I might run low on them.¡¯ He could always purchase more Magic Crystals in the System¡¯s Shop using Ancient Coins. Generally it was a bit of a waste since it wasn¡¯t the most efficient way to raise one¡¯s Intelligence Stat, but he didn¡¯t really have a choice at the moment. If he wasn¡¯t able to ovee the Kraken right now, he wouldn¡¯t get another shot at it. Woohyuk maneuvered his Three wed Eagle using a firm grasp, making sure to avoid any iing water pirs. ¡®It would be nice if I could tame it.¡¯ Because he had drunk the Paradise Elixir, If he managed to bring its health to a very low state, it was theoretically possible. Of course at that point he would have to deal with the Kraken¡¯s frenzied state. . The question remained whether he could endure it until it was sessfully tamed. QuaQuaQuang Woohyuk sent out another purple lightning strike, all the while keeping an eye on the Kraken¡¯s tentacles. It wasn¡¯t simply because he was flying in the air that he would be safe. He relied on his Perception to detect any danger, and immediately direct his mount to dodge out of the way, all necessitating his full attention. In essence, he had to be perfectly attuned with his Three wed Eagle in order to ovee this challenge. Fortunately he had a lot of experience riding other mounts like Griffins, Gargoyles and even Wyverns, so his skill level wasn¡¯t an obstacle. Still, his current mount wasn¡¯t ideal and was far from stable. Taaang The Kraken¡¯s tentacles mmed into theke¡¯s surface, sending countless water pirs flying his way. Woohyuk quickly directed the eagle to fly higher, but since it was a sudden movement, he had to hold tightly onto its neck to prevent himself from falling off. The eagle¡¯s head was basically pointing to the sky as it desperately tried to gain altitude. For Woohyuk, it felt like he was hanging on to the edge of a cliff. QuaQuaQuang It was proving to be a rather long battle, because the young Kraken¡¯s resistance to Lightning magic was higher than he had expected. Despite the incredibly powerful lightning strikes, he wasn¡¯t taking much damage. As he was thinking to himself that this might not be possible, the Kraken raised all of its tentacles at the same time, then smacked the water¡¯s surface directly under Woohyuk. Taaaaaaang The water rose up like a massive fountain. In this case it wouldn¡¯t be enough to simply fly higher, so he had to immediately make that judgement and dodge to the side. ¡®It would be nice to have Song Anna here.¡¯ With her flute¡¯s buff, he would have a much easier time. But of course, summoning her here in this situation was simply ludicrous. That battle was far too intense and he couldn''t afford to be distracted for even a single moment. QuaQuaQuang After facing both the Abyssal Gate and young Kraken, his Intelligence Stats had risen considerably. This resulted in arge increase of his mana pool, allowing him to send out even more lightning strikes. ¡®I¡¯ll need to shake things up.¡¯ The number of lightning strikes he had left was beginning to dwindle, at this rate he would have to personally go and finish it off using Grandia. As Woohyuk worried about how to continue, the Kraken finally couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and let out a deafening roar ¡°WooOOOOO¡± Its body turned somewhat red as it entered its frenzied state. Seeing it enter such a state, Woohyuk kept his cool as he calmly continued to send out some lightning. It was such a giant creature that even if it¡¯s health had dropped to low levels, he still wasn¡¯t confident in climbing on it and dealing with his sword. ¡®I might have to use up all of my lightning.¡¯ He had originally wanted to keep some in case of an emergency, but he couldn¡¯t hold back in this situation. If he wasn¡¯t able to defeat it, the rest was meaningless. Dduk Dduk DDuk Large raindrops dropped from the dark clouds, as strong wind gusts blew Woohyuk and his eagle around. It was the worst weather possible considering the circumstances. Using all of his focus to avoid the tentacles, Woohyuk sent out hisst lightning strike. QuaQuaQuang The Kraken¡¯s eyes momentarily became dazed, and Woohyuk spotting the opportunity urged his mount to descend upon its head with all haste. ¡°I am your master now, there¡¯s no need to resist anymore.¡± Waaap! Woohyuk smacked the Kraken¡¯s head with his whip, and soon after the dark clouds began to roll away as the creature''s rampage came to a stop. [Acquired title ¡® Ruler of the Calm Sea¡¯] [You can now summon the ¡®Kraken¡¯ when at sea.] [All creatures within the Calm Sea shall follow your instructions.] [You can receive air bubbles to help you breathe underwater.] [Acquired ¡®Cursed Vessel, ss Bottle Abyssal Ship¡¯] Chapter 16: Sea Gods Temple (1)

Chapter 16: Sea God''s Temple (1)

¡®I¡¯ve seeded.¡¯ Aplishing an incredible Achievement. Based on its level of difficulty, it was safe to say that no one other that himself would have been able to receive that reward. It requires one toplete various steps, oveing monumental obstacles all along the way. However Woohyuk was far ahead of any other adventurers. There had been many of them watching him in the sky as he cleaved the Abyssal Gate in two, but since he was well out of range of any of their spells or attacks. They were like a dog chasing after chicken only for it to fly up to the roof. 1 By now many of them would be arriving at the Central Lake, but he didn¡¯t feel any threat now that he had the title of Ruler of the Calm Sea. If ever a naval battle were to break out, he was confident in emerging victorious even if he were to face off against every other yer in the sector. Woohyuk peered into the ss bottle, then smashed it open on the Kraken¡¯s head. Zzangrang! It was an imposing sailboat with a skull symbol on its ck square sails, it¡¯s bow in the shape of a dragon¡¯s head was made entirely out of bones. Not to mention the dozens of cannons on either side. He didn¡¯t know what the curse was about, but was willing to give it a shot. In every respect it was a cut above the Galley which he had anchored near the shore. Woohyuk threw the miniature ship into theke, causing the space to shimmer as if one were seeing a mirage in the desert. Finally, the Abyssal Ship resumed its original size. Chulssuk As he sailed the ship across theke, he could hear the sshing of the water as the ship¡¯s speed would cut through any waves. It¡¯s hull emitted an ominous dark energy as it raced across the water. ¡®It must be a pirate ship.¡¯ Pirates had asionally been hired by Lords when there was fighting to be done at sea or in strategic straits. At the end of the day however, pirates were still ouws at sea, and wouldn¡¯t be easy to control. Woohyuk had used his Three wed Eagle to arrive on the deck of the Abyssal Ship, and the guy was trembling weakly, attempting to gain some sympathy from his cruel owner. ¡°Go stay at the crow¡¯s nest.¡± The battle against the young Kraken had truly been far too exhausting. If it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that he had tamed it using the ability of the Paradise Elixir, it would have surely flown off mid-battle. It was simply impossible to fully tame such a creature with a few cracks of a whip. Woohyuk then went below deck and headed towards the captain¡¯s quarters. Generally speaking the source of the Curse could be found there. KKiiiiiic As he opened the door, a round wooden table and bed came into view. Woohyuk walked inside and picked up the captain¡¯s diary that was lying on the table. Bang! The door was suddenly mmed shut, and a ck figure appeared as it strode towards him. Completely unfazed, Woohyuk asked. ¡°Are you the captain of this ship?¡± ¡°There was a time when I was, but now I am but a ghost lost at sea.¡± Pirates had a tough life, Sailing to find treasure sounded good and all, but the seas were treacherous. Still, sometimes they were even less so than your colleagues or subordinates that might stab you in the back. ¡°Tell me about this curse you¡¯ve been afflicted with.¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s see if you are worthy.¡± As the ghost captain finished speaking, a cuss that was lying in the corner of the room flew into his grasp. A crescent de with arge round guard above the hilt . It was your typical pirate sword. Woohyuk swung Grandia without any worries. ng! The sharp sound of the two swords crossing rang out in the room. ¡°I am more than qualified, I¡¯ve tamed the Kraken.¡± ¡°So it was you, I was wondering why it stayed so calm despite seeing this ship.¡± The ghost captain lowered his cuss as he began to tell his tale. ¡°My name is Drake. I was once known as a Pirate King and would roam the seas without any fear.¡± Woohyuk sat down on a chair as he listened to his story. Drake had been very interested in any legendary treasures, and had fortuitously obtained a treasure map of a Historical Site found at sea. After many years of searching, he had finally located this Historical Site and entered the Lost Temple . Unfortunately this attracted the Sea God¡¯s wrath, who cursed him for trespassing. He and his crew were cursed to be forever erased from the memory of others. Still, because of Drake¡¯s brilliant career and abilities, he along with his crew would remain as ghosts of the Abyssal Ship, to obey its next captain. ¡®As expected.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t known about Drake, but he had anticipated some clues to that long lost civilization. It was a ce that even the most prominent archaeologists from his time weren¡¯t able to locate, so Woohyuk had theorized that it might be located in the Calm Sea. ¡°Since you were able to defeat the Kraken, you should be able to easily arrive at the Sea God¡¯s Temple.¡± Deep within the temple, in a certain treasure chest, Drake and his crew¡¯s heart had been stashed away. Only by finding them and stabbing each of them would they finally be released from the Sea God¡¯s curse. ¡°If I ept this request of yours, what would I get in return?¡± ¡°To properly man this Abyssal Ship, you need a team ofpetent sailors. We would be of great value to you at sea, so even if you were to release us, we would continue to follow you in your lifetime. Also, as a bonus I can tell you the location of a few Hidden treasures I know about.¡± Even after returning to the Eeth continent, he wouldn¡¯t be sailing for quite some time. Still, in order to sit on the Divine Throne, he would need the added benefits of those treasures found at sea. ¡®I was nning on visiting anyways.¡¯ If he didn¡¯t explore the Temple now, he wouldn¡¯t get another chance in future. Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Good¡± ¡°You can im ownership over the Abyssal Ship by grabbing hold of the ship¡¯s wheel located on the bridge above deck. Still, this ship isn¡¯t capable of diving underwater.¡± Drake ced some equipment on the round table. It looked like scuba gear, including breathing assistance, flippers and diving mask. All of it had been designed by him through years of research. ¡°At first I used these, but it was still far too dangerous down there, so I had to invent something else. ¡± The movement speed under water was far too restricted, and if you take into consideration the time one had before having toe up for air, the chances of any exploration being sessful was close to zero. ¡°For that reason I developed another invention, it¡¯s really too bad I didn¡¯t have the chance to reveal it to the world.¡± Drake left the captain¡¯s quarters as he guided Woohyuk to histest invention. ¡®It¡¯s a submarine.¡¯ Although it was made out of wood, that didn¡¯t mean one should underestimate it. In this world, high-quality wood could be incredibly durable. Woohyuk closely examined the submarine¡¯s structure. There were fins that were implemented much like on a fish, to reduce any resistance. An engine was installed that could be powered by mana, and it was even equipped with torpedoes to be used as weapons. It was the very pinnacle in fusion of magic and engineering. ¡°Did you attend some engineering university or something?¡± ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about, I simply designed it. As for the actual production, it was done by a team of Alchemists and Shipwrights.¡± He was a man ahead of his times. Woohyuk was beginning to warm up to the guy due to his many talents. ¡°In your previous life you were a Pirate King, how about being an Inventor King in this one?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad at all.¡± Drake nodded in response oblivious to Woohyuk¡¯s grand ambitions. * * * After iming ownership of the Abyssal Ship, Woohyuk used the submarine to head straight for the Temple. Although he had to navigate through the pitch ck darkness of theke¡¯s bottom, it wasn¡¯t a problem since he still had the added night vision from the ck Machete¡¯s passive. Also, it did help that he was able tomand any of the creatures. ¡®It¡¯s really quite deep.¡¯ Theke wasn¡¯t named as a sea without reason. Before being brought over to the Primordial Forest area, it had almost certainly been part of some sea. The submarine¡¯s lights would illuminate the different aquatic creatures wandering about. When they sensed Woohyuk, they would wiggle their fins and tail in order to express their happiness. ¡®I could use them as guards.¡¯ He only had control over any living creature, and could still encounter trouble in the form of ghosts like Drake or even a being connected to the Sea God. Woohyuk thought about which of them he should use. The Kraken¡¯s incredible size made it unsuitable for summoning in areas that had limited space. Then a familiar fish came into view. [Kelpie] Waist up it was a horse, but it¡¯s bottom half was that of a fish, making it amphibious. Of course, since it didn¡¯t have any rear legs it¡¯s movement speed onnd was a bit pathetic. He tamed the Kelpie and immediately unsummoned it. He continued forward for quite some time, until he could finally see the bottom of theke, teeming with strange looking fish that were hurrying to greet him. Woohyuk took a look at the map provided by Drake, before carefully examining his surroundings. He had to carefully navigate the seabed since some unexpected seaweeds or rocks could cause severe damage to the vessel if he was inattentive. ¡®I¡¯ve arrived.¡¯ From a distance, the remains of an ancient civilization gradually came into view. There were impressive columns and pyramids, as well as a formation of rocks resembling Stonehenge. It would be a real treat for any archaeologist looking to unravel the many historical truths that had been lost in time, but Woohyuk had his eye on the prize. ¡®Where would the temple be?¡¯ It was said that the long lost civilization had been one of city-states, so the Temple would most likely be situated on a hill overlooking the city or perhaps even at the heart of the city. Woohyuk continued to patiently explore the ruins, but since it seemed to take far too long, he decided to employ a few sharks to act as scouts. ¡®There are so many wreckages.¡¯ Whether it was due to the rough waters, or something else, the remains of countless pirate ships littered the entire floor. It was to the point where one could call it a ship¡¯s graveyard. As Woohyuk was taking in the sights, one of the sharks made some abrupt gestures, warning of an iing drowned man dressed in a sailor¡¯s outfit. ¡®Undead¡¯ No doubt it was another being that had been cursed by the Sea God. As Woohyuk gave the order, the shark bolted ahead and ripped its body apart with its sharp teeth. Shortly after the undead had been taken care of, another shark had returned and wiggled its fins excitedly, to show that it had found the desired location. Following its lead, Woohyuk finally arrived at the Lost Temple. Araeosystyle columns supported arge triangle stone roof.2 The architectural stylepletely matched with what was known about the Sea God¡¯s Temple. [Would you like to enter the Lost Temple?] [YES / NO] As Woohyuk selected [YES], a bright light epassed his surroundings. * * * When he opened his eyes, arge stone room came into view. There was seaweed growing along the walls and it was a very dark and humid environment. ¡®I guess I must be inside.¡¯ Some Historical Sites would teleport you inside just like this one, in fact most were inessible without some special entrance method. To a certain extent, the Creator was also taking into ount some conveniences for the adventurers, making it so that this starting location wasn¡¯t submersed underwater. ¡®There shouldn¡¯t be anyone here besides me. This was a space that was shared among all the sectors, but he strongly believed only he had the ability to make it here. Also, yers weren¡¯t allowed to harm each other in these kinds of locations. People couldn¡¯t be waiting here in ambush, and also when you leave you are given invulnerable to any attacks for a short duration. The only thing they allowed was to physically block others from getting the treasures using your body. It was a dirty group tactic thought upter on, so the best thing to do was to prioritize taking all the treasures as soon as possible. ¡®What monsters might there be?¡¯ Some mutant being, half-human and fish was the most likely scenario. Woohyuk walked forward carefully along the passageway, with his sword Grandia raised. It wasn¡¯t only monsters, there would also be various traps which he would have to be wary of. It could be an arrow suddenly being shot out, or an iron te full of spikes falling from the ceiling. Still, since he was familiar with so many of the traps, he was able to make it past the passage without suffering too much damage. Upon exiting, he arrived at arge amphitheater, only to be greeted by a group of ugly half-human sea monsters. [Dagon] They were all quite diverse in their appearances, some covered in scales and fins like a fish, others with hard shells and pincer ws like crustaceans. Swoosh! Swooosh! The Dagons¡¯ bodies were cleaved at the waist with a single swing of Grandia. Dark green blood sttered across the floor and columns. The moisture in the air along with the blood and guts spilled on the ground gave rise to a very bad fishy smell. Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but frown as he looked around. His priorities were to find the Guardian monster and the Secret Treasure room. But he also had to carefully explore and discover anything this ce might hide, since he wouldn¡¯t be able to returnter on. ¡®Should I eat it now?¡¯ Eating the fruit from the Paradise Tree which L had given him would give himplete knowledge about any hidden secrets in this site. Still, he wasn¡¯t willing to resort to that just now. The fruit was very valuable and it was still likely that he¡¯d discover an even more important Historical Site in the future. ¡®I¡¯ll try to settle it myself.¡¯ He still had 3 days that he could spare over here. He could also choose to summon his party to help him look around, or even go up to the surface to ask Drake for any tips. ¡®He didn¡¯t seem to remember much though.¡¯ Due to encountering the Sea God, Drake¡¯s expedition to the Temple had ended rather early. Woohyuk picked up his pace, hoping that the Sea God was nowhere to be found. ¡°A human actually stepped foot in here, how arrogant.¡± Woohyuk turned his head to the source of voice. It was a young man with bright blue hair and the lower body of a fish. He was staring right at Woohyuk. ¡°Nice to finally meet you, I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± He hadn¡¯t imagined that the Guardian monster would suddenly appear before him. Maybe it was because this time around it was an intelligent creature. The Sea God¡¯s children. Most of them had been killed over the years, but there were some that had been exiled to guard the Temples. His name was Triton, and he was quite strong because he was a demigod. Still, due to the Creator¡¯s arrangement, he would suffer from a considerable debuff. It was something that Woohyuk who had explored countless Historical Sites, was able to quickly pick up on. ¡°Who are you, you can¡¯t be from the Royal line, due to your ck hair.¡± Triton asked as he approached Woohyuk. There was a waterway on the floor which allowed him to move despite the absence of legs. ¡°I am the one who will be a God at sea.¡± ¡°How rude, do you even know who I am!¡± Triton became enraged as he sent out several Ice arrows towards him, but the attacks werepletely absorbed by the Ghost Queen Star Serpent. ¡°You are the one that doesn¡¯t seem to understand the situation.¡± Woohyuk eximed as he sent Triton¡¯s magic right back at him. The water rippled as the spells skimmed its surface. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to learn a lesson in humility. ¡± The Ice arrows that were sent back connected hard with Triton''s body. Chapter 17: Sea Gods Temple (2)

Chapter 17: Sea God''s Temple (2)

¡°Kuhuk¡± Triton groaned in pain as he tried to catch his breath. Now he was swinging the blue fin and moving a lot across the cold stone floor. Aplete defeat. Woohyuk had made use of the effect of Calm Sea¡¯s Silence to prevent Triton from using any magic spells for an entire minute. As a result, he had no choice but to engage in closebat. He had hurriedly pulled out a trident, but nheless wasn¡¯t Woohyuk¡¯s match. After all, Woohyuk was enjoying a nice buff from his Legendary Explorer title, whereas Triton''s full strength was instead suppressed. Even when it came tobat experience and weapon proficiency, Woohyuk is not inferior to the demigod Triton. He had defeated countless mythological creatures in order to sit on the Iron Throne. Although his Stats were significantly lower, he still had a Monarch¡¯s dignity to maintain. Triton trembled as he looked up and met Woohyuk¡¯s merciless gaze. ¡°Unless you want to lose your pathetic life, guide me to where the Hidden Treasures are.¡± ¡°...¡± It was his first time feeling fear from an insignificant human being. Swallowing his pride and suppressing his shame, Triton went ahead and led Woohyuk to the treasures. Srrrrc As Woohyuk ced his hand on the engraved rune, the stone wall transformed into a door, which he quickly pushed open. The inside of the room was quite dark and smelled very humid, so Woohyuk summoned Kelpie. ¡°Explore the inside.¡± This could have all been Triton trying to set him up, using the excuse that as a designated Guardian monster he wasn¡¯t able to enter the Secret room. As Woohyuk stared him down, Triton simply shook his head. ¡°There is only a small well, inside of which the treasure chest can be found.¡± Since this is a Sea god¡¯s temple, it was designed to be retrieved through salvage. After the Kelpie fetched the chest for him, Woohyuk was finally able to open it up and have a look at the treasure inside. [Mermaid¡¯s Kiss] Category: Jewel Grade: A Durability: 30000 Effect: Able to breathe underwater and walk on its surface. 100% increase in swimming speed and increased intimacy with aquatic lifeforms. [Deep Sea¡¯s Orb] Category: Personal Item Grade: S Durability: 50000 Effect: Able to have vision and exert a certain control over the sea, depending on the amount of mana used. To control living creatures a certain level of intimacy is required. [Lost Lyre] Category: Instrument Grade: S Durability: 50000 Effect: Able to delete any memory associated with you from the minds of unfriendly beings. The length of the memory depends on the amount of mana used. ¡®Interesting¡¯ As expected from the tutorial¡¯s endgame quest, the items¡¯ Grades were very high. Especially those items that could be considered to have traces of divine power, such as the Deep Sea¡¯s Orb and Lost Lyre. ¡°Are you satisfied now? That¡¯s all the treasure that was in the well.¡± ¡°Good, now we just need to go find the rest. That is, unless you¡¯d rather I torture the information out of you.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s eyes held a dangerous glint, causing Triton to swallow down nervously. He knew that it wasn¡¯t any empty threat and was trying to quicklye up with a good excuse to not cooperate. As Triton considered his options, Woohyuk pulled out the Paradise Tree Fruit from his Sage¡¯s Pouch. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, and if I eat this and I find out that you¡¯ve left out any treasures, I''ll execute you all on the spot.¡± Triton¡¯s face paled as the Dagons gathered behind him stared pitifully. Will you guarantee our safety if I do what you ask?¡± ¡°Why would I go out of my way to kill you, it¡¯ll only stain my sword.¡± Triton had no idea that the entire Primordial Forest would disappear in just a few days. Unlike L, he had been exiled here and wasn¡¯t in contact with the outside. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll hand them all over to you.¡± He ended up making the rational decision, as he led Woohyuk around into the depths of the Temple. ¡®So there is other treasure.¡¯ He had assumed that there wouldn¡¯t only have been the single Secret room given the level of difficulty required to arrive here. As he went down a flight of stairs leading to the basement, he thought back to an ancient document he hade across. ¡®It had mentioned that he had been pushed out of the rankingpetition.¡¯ Just like the 72 Demon Kings, the Gods had also fought to establish their position, and the Sea God had suffered several defeats. Following his relegation, he had concocted some devious n. Although there weren¡¯t any details regarding it, it surely targeted the other Gods. ¡°It was the main reason that they betrayed the Creator. The Gods wanted to fight for their rankings, while the Creator only sought peace and stability.¡± As Triton arrived at their destination, he spoke rather nostalgically before arge blue gem. ¡°Surely you can understand the boredom brought on by eons of peace. Hey, strong human, take this. It will definitely be of use to you in your adventures.¡± Woohyuk walked over and grasped the gem. It briefly emitted a bright light, then was dislodged as he held it in his hand. [Heart of the Sea] Category: Personal Item Effect: A gem containing the secrets of the Sea God. When used as a crafting material, it can lead to varying results depending on the user¡¯s skill level. ¡®Is it possible to make Hidden weapons with it?¡¯ ording to the documents he had read, there were Ancient weapons out there which were said to be able to face off against the Gods. Although there were no longer any traces of them left, he was convinced that it was true. ¡°And the sailors¡¯ hearts?¡± ¡°They are over there.¡± Triton pointed towards an ordinary looking chest, left in the corner of the room. Opening it up, he stabbed all the hearts inside using his Vampiric dagger. Jurrrk The hearts melted into water that spilled onto the ground. After taking care of them all, he noticed something else at the bottom of the chest. A fragment of a piece of rock emitting a faint blue light. Curious, Woohyuk picked it up to have a closer look. [Azure Dragon¡¯s Token] Category: Personal Item Effect: One of the nine tokens required to be a Dragon Lord. Intimacy with Azure Dragons is increased simply by having it in your possession, and it is possible to enter a contract with them. ¡®There you are.¡¯ He realised why it was that no one had been able to be a Dragon Lord in the past. It was a ss which was basically unavable unless someone retraced the same steps he¡¯d taken, by returning to the past. He wondered what abilities that ss would have. ¡°There isn¡¯t anything else, do you have any further instructions?¡± ¡°Well¡± He had already obtained all of the items so it was fine to cut Triton¡¯s head off. Still, even if he were to actually let him off, he would still disappear in a few days. ¡°I do have one question for you.¡± Woohyuk turned to face him as he asked. ¡°Are you willing to serve under me?¡± ¡°....¡± He had a tough decision ahead of him. * * * ¡°What? Did the tree just disappear?¡± The blonde woman Alice asked as she looked behind her. She was using an ash tree staff and a worn out leather armor. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± The party members shook their heads in response, as Alice tried to make sense of it all. ¡®Could it be an illusion.¡¯ This was a strange world they had been sent to, so it wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibilities. Didn¡¯t they encounter a snake that was unharmed after being stabbed, and a lizard which spat our fire from its mouth? Having gone from an everyday bartender to this unforgivingnd, Alice really missed her warm showers and plush mattress. ¡°This forest is no joke, it isn¡¯t just one or two things that we have to be wary of.¡± ¡°Right, even fighting the Cocatrices wasn¡¯t this bad. Wait, maybe we can bring them and let them clear a path for us.¡± Cocatrices were a snake''s natural predator. Their corrosive spit could even melt the scales of these weird snakes. Of course, the incrediblyrgeke made such a n impossible. ¡°How could we capture one alive and carry it all this way on the boat? Don¡¯t you remember how many of us nearly lost our lives on the way here?¡± Fortunately they were able to find a galley and repair it. The monstrous Seals and Three wed Eagles were a problem, and if one was to fall overboard, the sharks circling the boat would ensure you¡¯d never see them again. ¡°We also need to think of thepetition. Luckily we were first and didn¡¯t need to fight others for this galley or there would have been even more casualties.¡± ¡°Enough chit chat and focus on the battle, these guys are also poisonous so be careful.¡± Edward¡¯s words caused everyone to fall silent. Alice came over and hugged his arm. For her, Edward was a warm lover and only support within this wretched ce. He had saved her from the hands of lecherous men, preventing them from raping her and was also a true leader that had brought them this far. She knew that she would do anything for him, because he was talented and handsome, her ideal type. Chh Shhhh As the Star Snakes approached from all sides, the party prepared itself for battle. They held wooden staffs in their hands and not swords, because they realized that striking them with a blunt object was more effective. Puk Puk A dull sound echoed throughout the forest, when all the snakes were taken care of, he gave the sign to keep pressing forward. ¡°Sorry Edward, I¡¯m always slowing you down.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that Alice, you are a crucial part of this team.¡± Against the Star Snakes, Alice¡¯s magic waspletely useless. Her heart warmed at the thought of his protection. He had never scolded her this whole time even if she didn¡¯t contribute to the battle. ¡°Are we still far from the ind¡¯s center?¡± ¡°It should be close now, we¡¯ve taken the most direct route.¡± An ind named Paradise Lost, there were surely treasures rted to Paradise and Life trees. Alice¡¯s group hurried along as they thought of the rewards that awaited them. ¡°Wow, that guy is huge.¡± ¡°How on earth are we supposed to defeat that thing?¡± Upon reaching the Paradise Tree, they were shocked by the enormity of the Queen Star Snake. Just the thought of facing it caused many of them to despair. ¡°Let¡¯s get started with the hunt, there must be some way.¡± Edward lowered his voice, holding a Ghost mushroom in his hand. * * * ¡°It¡¯s fallen!¡± ¡°Oh wow!¡± Alice¡¯s party watched as the Queen Star Snake¡¯s corpse copsed on the ground. One of them even went ahead and gave it a kick. ¡°Son of a snake!¡± That was Dous, he worked as an analyst at a big investment banking firm on Wall Street making the big bucks. Due to his rather arrogant personality he would often be the cause of conflict within the party. It went without saying that Alice didn¡¯t like him very much. ¡°It¡¯s good that we didn¡¯t suffer too many casualties. How about we go see what the rewards are?¡± Edward ced his hand on the engraved rune on the Paradise Tree, and the Secret room appeared. The entire party quickly entered, looking around. There was a lot of equipment stored on top of the altar. ¡°Let¡¯s take our time to look well, there must be some special items.¡± Edward said with a tinge of eagerness as he held a gold key in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine, no one could have beaten us here.¡± ¡°Of course, to do so one would have to be a God.¡­¡± Edward was unable to continue speaking as a trident pierced his stomach from behind. ¡°Edward!¡± ¡°Quickly tie her up!¡± Dous, who now had a red marker above his head pointed towards a shrieking Alice. A member of their party punched her with his full strength. Puk Bleeding from her mouth, Alice dropped to the ground as the man proceeded to tie her up with some rope. ¡°Why did you kill Edward! Why!¡± ¡°He is too soft, trying to be a hero all the time. He didn¡¯t represent the team¡¯s values.¡± The entire party had already sided with Dous. Alice continued to sob as her hair was aplete mess. ¡°I should have convinced him to kill you back then.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t have, I made sure to always be helpful.¡± Dous replied as he picked up the gold key from the ground. He then went ahead and opened the treasure chest, with high expectations. [Paradise Potion] Category: Consumable Effect: All Stats +15 ¡®What? Is this for real?¡¯ A +15 to all stats wasn¡¯t any to scoff at, but it didn¡¯t seem to match the difficulty that they had undergone. ¡°It¡¯s too bad he¡¯s dead. Had I known the treasure would be so pitiful, I would have used him a bit longer.¡± Although he didn¡¯t like to admit it, the truth was that Edward was indeed apetent leader. After all, he was the one who led the party that had the first clear on this Boss monster. ¡°I¡¯m feeling rather down, so I need something to cheer me up.¡± ¡°Are you going to do it in here?¡± ¡°Well we can¡¯t do it outside, it¡¯s full of snakes.¡± Alie trembled as she overheard the conversation of these perverted men. It was more in anger at the fact that her beloved Edward had died at the hands of his own team members which he had so much faith in. Rather than the fact that she would soon be vited by these depraved men. ¡®I¡¯m sick of this.¡¯ It was better if such a world had never existed. I want to kill I want to trample on it all. These strong desires began to form within her. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to have a taste of you. Such a pretty face that is just begging to be eaten up.¡± Ptuu! Alice spat in Dous¡¯ face, causing him to be enraged and ce a dagger up against her neck. ¡°Careful now, you wouldn¡¯t want to meet you little boyfriend so soon now would you?¡± ¡°...¡± Alice caught herself from saying any hateful retorts. She would have to silently endure for now in order to get her revenge. ¡°Shit, I¡¯ve lost the mood. Let¡¯s go out and get some food once you are done taking all the items.¡± ¡°Should we sleep here tonight?¡± ¡°Yeah, It¡¯ll be dangerous outside.¡± Alice sobbed quietly as tears rolled down her face. ¡®If only I had the strength¡­.¡¯ She would wipe out all these depraved men that were devoid of humanity. As Alice cursed her own weakness, a woman¡¯s voice appeared from out of nowhere. ¡°Do you seek power?¡± ¡°Who, who is it?¡± Startled, Alice raised her head. Before here stood a real beauty with long silver hair, wearing a tight, ck leather suit. ¡°My name¡¯s Lilith, also known as the Silver-Haired Witch¡­ it wouldn¡¯t mean anything to you anyways.¡± Lilith crouched down until she was eye level with Alice, her dark ruby eyes peering inside of her. ¡°I like a pretty woman like you that is filled with hate, so I¡¯ll give you a chance. A Hidden ss, Queen of Thorns.¡± L, who had previously managed Paradise Lost, was no more. As such Lilith had been able to interfere. Alice reached out and grabbed the hand that Lilith had extended to her. ¡°You shall now be just like a ck swan, a harbinger of ominous deeds, reborn as the mother of a new race. You have nothing to fear, perhaps this suits you even more that Blood Queen would have. Alice¡¯s eyes turned blood red as sharp, thorn-like wings sprouted from her back. Chapter 18: Deathmatch

Chapter 18: Deathmatch

Oblivious to the recent developments, Woohyuk continued his exploration of the Central Lake. Since there were no longer any items to be found on Paradise Lost, he decided to go salvaging treasure underwater for the rest of the day. With Triton as his subordinate, salvaging had be that much easier. Despite him being exiled and bound to the Temple, they were able to bypass such restriction by taming him and summoning him outside the Temple. Although he was half human, he was still ssified as a monster by the system so taming was possible. Triton had naturally been beyond himself with fury, but now had no choice but to obey Woohyuk¡¯smands. After all, he was capable of training any monster within the Primordial Forest, and in the eyes of the system Triton was just that. He continued this underwater exploration for a total of three days, causing several rumors to fly around in Woohyuk¡¯s sector. Sightings of a giant squid or cursed ghost ships, as well as wreckages of sunken galleys appearing on theke¡¯s shores. Since then, adventurers wouldn¡¯t even dare approach theke, since any self built vessels that had ventured out had never been seen from again On the morning of the 15th day, Woohyuk returned to base camp. He had somest minute preparations to take care of before leaving for the next stage. ¡°All of your instructions have been taken care of.¡± ¡°Good work¡± Lee Jaesung had continued to send out reports on any important changes. Ma Gwangpil had constantly increased his numbers, and they now far exceeded the maximum one hundred. ¡®The more people the better.¡¯ At least that was the case until the end of their second boss fight. Woohyuk then gave out instructions to his party for the uing final battle. ¡°Did you get along with the others in the party?¡± ¡°Yes, we are nowpletely at ease with each other.¡± Since he hadn¡¯t been confident in leading the party when Woohyuk wasn¡¯t around, he was given a simple task. To first establish some lines ofmunication and to get to know each other. To that end, he had everyone introduce themselves and say about their life beforeing here. Only then did they go hunting together in order to strengthen that bond and trust in Lee Jaesung¡¯s leadership. Woohyuk hadn¡¯t at all been worried about him, because he knew full well about the past Lee Jaesung¡¯s abilities. Not to mention that if they were to find themselves in a bind, they could justmunicate through their party chat and Woohyuk could use the Call to Arms skill to summon them to his side. ¡°Show me the things I asked you to collect.¡± As soon as Woohyuk finished speaking, Lee Jaesung began to unload the fruit of their efforts during thest few days. Since he had an Intermediate Adventurer¡¯s backpack, that had the effect of reducing the volume of items stored inside by 50%, he had been able to store quite a lot. Ghost mushrooms, Fire grass, Oriental Arborvitae bark, Fox¡¯s blood, Ash Tree sap, Lavender, Red Coral reef. These were the ingredients he needed to concoct the Hermit¡¯s Elixir. Woohyuk then retrieved 3 silver coins and purchased an Alchemist kit from the General shop. cing the ingredients inside in a specific order ording to the recipe. It wasn¡¯t only a matter of knowing the right order. If you didn¡¯t have the right timing, proper heat control, or the correct ratio of ingredients, even if you managed to ce them in the right order, the result would on be an inferior or even unusable elixir. Despite him not being an Alchemist, Woohyuk still knew several recipes. For one, he had memorized quite a few of them before choosing to return, but he had also picked up a lot of them as he learned to survive in this world. The Hermit¡¯s Elixir was one of thetter, and was useful in many ways if you knew how to properly concoct it. Woohyuk examined the light blue liquid within the vial with a satisfied expression. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Please hand them out to everyone, you will need it for the uing battle.¡± In order for them to be able to move around within the fierce setting of the Canyon Battle, he wasn¡¯t willing to lose any of them in the uing tribtion. Woohyuk then exined to Lee Jaesung his next steps. * * * ¡°It¡¯s already thest day! If you happen to still have some Ancient Coins left, don¡¯t bother saving them since they¡¯ll just be scrap metal in the next stage. Any Ancient Coins bearing the forest stamp wouldn''t be legal tender within the Canyon. Hearing Eve¡¯s rmendation, the yers were quick to ess the General Shop function. ¡°So, shall we get started with the second boss fight?¡± In the distance they spotted a giant lizard with dark blue scales approaching. [Basilisk] I led an army of hundreds of Vipers. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Too Ma...many.¡± Several of the yers took a few steps back in fear. This was on a different scale than the Minotaurs since there had only been about a hundred of them in that wave. Regardless, there was no ce to run to. Today was thest day, and if they didn¡¯t manage to defend the camp, they would disappear along with the Forest. Waiting behind some barricades they had erected from felled trees, the yers raise their weapons. ¡°Uhm, what are you going to do?¡± Ma Gwangpil asked nervously as he looked to Woohyuk. Rather than responding, he raised his hand and sent out a spell. A ten meter long wall of me appeared in front of the barricades. He had made use of Yoo Kayoung¡¯s spell, Fire Wall. She and the rest of the party weren¡¯t involved in the battle and would remain hidden using Hermit''s Elixir. The searing mes made it impossible for the Vipers to cross, as they had to take a detour and before aiming for the camp. The Basilisk however did not have that problem. Due to its high magic resistance, it simply swung its tail aggressively, stamping out the fire and clearing the barricades. It had been its signal to attack, as the Vipers nked the camp from either side, a chorus of hisses marked their arrival. As Woohyuk felt theme under pressure, he summoned 100 Cocatrices. Although he wished he could have caught more, he simply hadn¡¯t had enough time to do so. Also, there was a limit to how many he could use because it did require some mana to summon each of them. ¡°Caw Caww!¡± The group of Cocatrices engaged the iing Vipers as they crowed like roosters. Of course they alone wouldn¡¯t be enough, so the other yers joined in the melee. All the weapons they had collected so far were on disy. Others simply used their magic spells or shot arrows. The battle with the Vipers was going better than expected, but the Basilisk was still a problem. Opening its mouth it unleashed a dark green cloud of poisonous gas on the nearby adventurers. ¡°Gguuuk¡± ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t breathe¡­.¡± The afflicted yers dropped to the ground as they groaned. Among them, there were even some that had been turned into stone statues. The Basilisk had an innate ability to cause paralysis and even petrification if one were to gaze into its eyes. Then there were the scales. Dark poison would be transferred to you through your weapon if you tried to attack its scales. The amount of poison one received was proportional to their damage output. As such, everyone had to attack together and share the burden, else even if they had ingested a herb like Rosemary, their lives would still be in danger. Thud! As the Basilisk was busy stomping down on some Cocatrices, it stepped on a pitfall and fell into the trap. Of course, its size was such that only its front legs had fallen inside. At the very least however it would buy them some time. ¡®It¡¯s time.¡¯ Woohyuk removed a yellow flower from his Pouch and ced it in his mouth. [Rutaceae Flower]. A type of flower that neutralized certain poisons and raised your resistance to petrification. With the Alchemist kit it was possible to brew an elixir that would have been more effective, but he simply hadn¡¯t had the time. Woohyuk raised Grandia as he watch the Basilisk struggle to lift its legs out of the trap. * * * ¡°Wow, you guys have many more survivorspared to other camps!¡± Eve had her usual bright smile as she stepped out the ck portal. The battle¡¯s survivors however stared back with a nk face. The camp was a huge mess. Corpses upon corpses of Vipers had been stacked up and resembled small hills. All the camp¡¯s defense that they had worked so hard on had all been destroyed. There had been 35 casualties, leaving behind 120 survivors. It was a situation where there were 20 people too many. Reading the unease in the yers¡¯ expressions, Eve spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it, you only need to settle things by this time tomorrow, so there¡¯s no need to cut each other up this very moment.¡± If they were lucky, those that would be cast out could find some other camp that had some open slots. Still, there were slim chances of that urring, since it was unlikely that other camps in their sector would have survived such a fierce battle. As the people who joined recently looked at each other, they noticed a red number floating above their camp. 110 Upon seeing it, they all understood its meaning. ¡°Will the death matches be against other groups? ¡± ¡°Right. Also, if you were to have a group of 101 people, you simply need to get rid of the most useless member.¡± Leaders didn¡¯t suffer any penalties when killing their own members. Immediately, several leaders then turned to look at Woohyuk. If he were to kill off all of them that only had a Bronze Crown and assimte their members, he could then have full authority as to who ckers were to be kicked. This would avoid any death matches, which might be attractive to their regr members. He had pretended that he wasn¡¯t interested in expanding his influence, but now that they saw he had a Silver Crown and was able to form a 100 man group, it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. A dangerous person. Woohyuk was like an insurmountable mountain in their eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any more questions then I¡¯ll get going. Fight until the very end!¡± As Eve disappeared, an awkward silence ensued. Ma Gwangpil chuckled to himself as he saw the various leaders be wary of Woohyuk. ¡®Everything is going ording to n.¡¯ Last night, one of Woohyuk¡¯s party members hade to see him. Nam Kiryang He had expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that Woohyuk only groomed a select few within his party and was worried that he could be discarded at any given moment. If Ma Gwangpil epted him as a subordinate, he could feed him inside information, and at the most crucial moment act as a hidden de. ¡®This is the best chance.¡¯ Due to his recent battle against the Basilisk, Woohyuk appeared to be quite tired. Not to mention, that since the very beginning of the battle, none of his members had appeared. Probably it had been just as Nam Kiryang had said, and that the party had gone off to the Central Lake. Ma Gwanpil decided to exploit the current situation. ¡°By the way, Mr. Chun Woohyuk, you sent all your party members elsewhere just as a Boss invasion was urring. We all need to be responsible for protecting the camp.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You even sent your party to search for more treasure even if it¡¯s thest day. Shouldn¡¯t there be some sort of ountability?¡± Woohyuk was now alone, and he had 60 survivors directly under him. He felt it would be easy to kill him off as long as the other 50 fell in line. ¡°I never did such a thing.¡± ¡°Lying until the very end, but anyone can attest that not a single one of your party has participated in the battle.¡± Ma Gwanpil¡¯s words shook the other leaders awake, as they had just now realised it. They angrily stared at Woohyuk. ¡°Do you have a point to make, stop wasting my time with pointless rhetoric.¡± ¡°Perhaps Mr. Chun Woohyuk¡¯s party should be included in the twenty people that are required to leave. Isn¡¯t that right everyone?¡± The other adventurers slowly nodded. Although Woohyuk was strong and had contributed a lot to the camp, him being alone meant that he would be able to deal with suchrge numbers. At least that is what they all firmly believed. Swiish! A Fire Arrow flew towards Woohyuk, who calmly sidestepped it. Several people then rushed to him all at the same time. Woohyuk then ran around, without counter attacking, only focusing on defending. His goal was to suffer the attacks of as many of them as possible. ¡®I can¡¯t simply kill them.¡¯ He could only absorb the stats of those that had a red marker. As Woohyuk kept up his act of struggling, many of those that had been standing to the side, decided to join in. About 80 people, the majority of the camp¡¯s yers, had decided to turn their backs on him, blinded by the allure of the many items he had on disy. Still, none of their attacks had managed to cause Woohyuk to take any real damage. He had long changed to his Berserker¡¯s te armor, making him all but invincible amongst this rabble. Any magic spells sent his way were absorbed, while arrows were either dodged or deflected. Close quarterbat was useless as well. With a single swing of his sword Grandia, he could easily knock back 10 of them and escape any encirclement. Not one among them could match his speed. ¡®I guess I can get started.¡¯ Most of them were now marked as sinners, so he didn¡¯t have to keep the act up any longer. ChaAhh! Blood fell like rain drops after Woohyuk suddenly decided to get serious. The yers were startled, but quickly resumed attacking. Woohyuk would even cut their weapons in half and wherever he passed, fountains of blood followed. As more and more adventurers fell, people tried escaping, but would be cut in half before they could make it out of the camp. ¡°Sa, save... Ahh! He showed no mercy. Not only were these worthless pieces of trash, but their death served as a delicious meal to fuel his growth. Woohyuk continued to ughter as he felt his Stats noticeably grow. Towards the end of the battle, he came face to face with Park Gunwoo, the one who had shot the Fire Arrow. Suguk Park Gunwoo¡¯s head spiraled through the air. He had been Ma Gwangpil¡¯s right hand man, and the one to instigate the attack. The Mages that had been near him soon suffered the same fate. ¡°Kuhuk¡­¡± ¡°Euuuk¡­¡± Death penalty judgement, regardless of their age or gender. Grandia which had judged so many sinners, headed towards thest person with a red marker. It was Ma Gwangpil, standing there with his legs shaking as he held his two handed axe. ¡°I hate guys like you the most. I truly wanted to kill you on the very first day, but had to instead be patient.¡± ¡°Please, I was wrong. It¡¯s my first time¡­¡± Ma Gwangpil couldn¡¯t continue as the broadsword pierced his stomach from behind me erupted from the de and soon engulfed him. ¡°Kaaaaah!¡± Ma Gwangpil suffered a painful death as he screamed in agony, his body convulsing momentarily before falling to the ground like a puppet that had its string cut. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Not bad at all.¡± Lee Jaesung replied as he retrieved his broadsword from Ma Gwangpil¡¯s corpse. Woohyuk nodded back, then took out his Lost Lyre from his Pouch. ¡°Now, I just need to take care of something¡± The camp still had another 30 adventurers that hadn¡¯t attacked him, so he had spared their lives. However, he didn¡¯t want them going to the Canyon and spreading word of what he had done here. ¡°Listen closely, I will put my all in this performance.¡± A unique melody rang out as he plucked the strings on the Lyre. His party members blocked their ears as they grimaced. Chapter 19: Adventurers Canyon

Chapter 19: Adventurer''s Canyon

Sitting as a group in the woods, Woohyuk thought back to the events in thest two weeks. He hadn¡¯t missed out on anything important. There had been several unforeseeable events, but the end result had been quite positive. With regards to the underwater ruins, he had been quite lucky being able to find the treasure rather rapidly. Overall it had been a satisfactory performance, but the next battlefield would be many times more fierce. As he watched the wild boar grill on the fire, Woohyuk examined the day¡¯s spoils. [Basilisk Scale Armor Set] Category: Armor (growth} Grade: D (0%) Durability: 7200 Effect: Vitality +30, Agility +30. 30% chance to inflict poison damage, proportional to your attack power. [Basilisk¡¯s Curse] Category: Jewelry (growth} Grade: D (0%) Durability: 2600 Effect: Can be used to apply lethal poison to equipment, as well as increase Poison resistance and Petrification resistance. [Basilisk¡¯s Essence] Category: Personal Item Effect: Alchemist and crafting material. Simply possessing it will keep Vipers at bay. They were all items that were sure to be of great use in the future. Especially the Basilisk Scale Armor Set because it had excellent Physical and Magic resistance and was light weight. It was a good candidate for his main armor. Actually he had been hesitant as to whether or not he should have tamed the Basilisk, but seeing the items, he had made the right choice since they were simply more valuable. Not to mention that the Basilisk would usually be stronger, but suffered from a debuff in order to make it a suitable level for such an early stage, making it even less valuable to tame. He didn¡¯t need to worry about the pile of items he had been umting. Even if it was a bit rare, an Organizational scroll would allow him to automatically sort items ording to their category. ¡°Tonight might be tough, since we don''t have many left in the camp.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that they¡¯ll make a move, we¡¯ve spotted them eyeing us from a distance during the daytime.¡± There were several messages being posted on their Adventurer Watches. There were many topics being discussed, but one thing for sure was that there were no longer any recruitment messages. Using the Megaphone to attract others at this point, when the battle for camps was at its peak, would basically be suicide. When sending a message through the watch, it would reveal your location to all those near you, which was too risky since people might decide to attack and rob you. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, I¡¯ll take care of them as soon as they approach.¡± The Cocatrices that had survived the battle were now deployed around the camp¡¯s perimeter. As soon as any yers approached, it would crow loudly like a rooster. Any ck Machetes that had been obtained from the loot were distributed among the team, and they were more than ready for any night invasion. ¡°You just need to follow my instructions.¡± Those that had been given a ck Machete would help Woohyuk out, while the rest stayed and guarded the campfire. If they were to encounter any danger, they should either drink their Hermit¡¯s Elixir or ask Woohyuk to summon them to his side. Those were his instructions for tonight. ¡°Boss, the meat seems to be ready¡­.¡± Before Lee Jaesung could finish speaking, Woohyuk had already reached out with his pair of chopsticks and ced a slice of meat in his mouth. After seeing he had started eating, the rest of the party soon followed suit. ¡°Eat as much as you can, we will be busy again tomorrow.¡± As it was more or less theirst day, it was important to take a break and prepare for the next stage. Of course they still had to protect the camp from any wandering bandits, but could spend some time bonding as a team as well. ¡°It seems like a dinner night out with some friends. ¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, If only there was some soju it would be perfect¡­.¡± Hearing Kim Dogyun bring it up, Huang Donghwan also had a sad expression. In fact, except for Song Anna and Yoo Kayoung, they all nodded solemnly in agreement. ¡°If we seed in the uing Canyon Battle, we will all get a chance to drink some alcohol.¡± The night before leaving for the Eeth continent would be a festival as a reward for them surviving so far. It was the only time that they would be able to safely drink alcohol since yers wouldn¡¯t be able to harm one another. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Huang Dongwhan murmured to himself, ¡°I have to survive no matter what. When I was in college, I was the student president and would go out drinking a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident in my drinking ability as well. No matter how much I drink, I never get drunk.¡± Nam Kiryang said as he took a bite of his meat. Sanghoon who was sitting next to him asked. ¡°Nam Kiryang didn¡¯t you say you were a movie star? Even Ma Gwangpil waspletely tricked, your acting must have been pretty good.¡± ¡°I was basically an unknown actor, I regret not bing a soldier like Jung Sanghoon.¡± Jung Sanghoon was part of the special forces unit, and knew many survival techniques. He wielded two short swords, appearing very much like an assassin. ¡°By the way Park Taesoo, didn¡¯t you say that youpeted in archery?¡± ¡°Right, I took silver in an inter-universitypetition.¡± Park Taesoo answered Huang Dongwhan¡¯s question a but shyly. His main weapon was a longbow and he was able to make full use of his skills. ¡°Yeah your skill with the bow is no joke. Especially when you were teaching Yoo Kayoung how to use the bow, you looked like a real expert.¡± ¡°Huang Dongwhan was good with his hands. I thought you were an architect when I saw you building those lookout towers and barricades with just that toolkit set. ¡°When I was young my father taught me a bit of woodworking, but it¡¯s nothing to be proud of.¡± Somehow it had be a game of praising each other. Woohyuk who had been silent this whole time, tried to bring in Shin Changkyu and Hong Jinpyo. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys say anything?¡± ¡°Ah, there isn¡¯t anything I¡¯m good at¡­.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± Shin Changkyu was just an ordinary University student. He had learned a bit of kendo, but not enough to make a difference in a live battle. The same held true for Hong Jinpyo. ¡°Don¡¯t demean yourselves so much, even this nine year old girl is doing well.¡± Woohyuk said and he patted Song Anna on the head, causing her to blush and hide her face. ¡°What about you boss, what did you do beforeing here? There¡¯s no way you were an ordinary office worker like¡­.¡± Lee Jaesung asked curiously, and the others all focused their attention on Woohyuk as well. ¡°I was a sergeant in the military, one day away from being discharged.¡± ¡°...¡± An awkward silence ensued. Flustered, Lee Jaesung hurried to apologize as he bowed his head. ¡°Sorry for asking such a silly question¡­.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing., we are all on the same boat now.¡± Woohyuk didn¡¯t want things to be so formal between them, as his current position was just that of a regr leader. ¡°If you were to return now, you might get in trouble and be court martialed for desertion.¡± ¡°Not to worry, by then everyone will have forgotten about me.¡± His team didn¡¯t know that the entirety of the human race had been summoned to this world. If he were to tell them it would only lead to confusion, so he held his tongue. ¡°It isn¡¯t a problem that can be solved in the short term. For now we will just go to this new continent, get married and live our lives¡­.¡± ¡°I will follow the boss until the very end. When he decides to establish his own country, that¡¯s where I¡¯ll settle down.¡± ¡°If you think about it, it¡¯s a pretty good idea to help found a new country. I might also receive a small fiefdom.¡± ¡°Even if we don¡¯t be the country¡¯s founders, simply receiving a knight¡¯s title we could eat well and live afortable life. As he heard them all discussing, Woohyuk smiled as he thought back to the old days and those who had served under him. ¡°I can¡¯t necessarily promise those that follow me any great wealth, but at the very least you will be closer to achieving your goals.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take us too seriously, we were just horsing around.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if you keep all the gold and silver to yourself, we will still follow you until the end.¡± As they ran out of slices of meat on the wooden board, Lee Jaesung stood up ced some more meat on the fire. The party chatted happily among themselves as they watched the meat sizzle. ¡®How many of them will survive?¡¯ Six at the very most, no more than that. Woohyuk raised his head as he thought back to the bloody Canyon war. A crescent moon hung in the night sky, and for some reason he felt a bit lonely. * * * Wake up! You will soon be going on a mission!¡± The yers slowly opened their eyes as they heard Eve shouting. Confused, they looked at their surroundings. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°It feels like a castle.¡± They were in a fortress surrounded by high cliffs. They had just been transported to a new stage, and were still disoriented. ¡°To all of you that survived the Primordial Forest until thest day, wee to the Adventurer¡¯s Canyon, the second stage.¡± Even willed a page to appear exining the basic rules. [Adventurer¡¯s Canyon Settings] 1. There are two fortresses on either side of the canyon valley, each with 1000 members. 2. The first to destroy the Guardian stone in the opponent¡¯s castle is the victor, there isn¡¯t any time limit. 3. If you are the first to strike an allied member, you receive a red marker for a full day and are unable to return to your fortress. 4. You can differentiate friend from foe by the light above your heads, and only those in the same camp can send messages to each other using the Megaphones. 5. There are many Monster camps and hidden treasure to be found between the two camps. Even some Epic monsters that can bring benefits to your entire alliance. ¡°You can think of it as a territory game. Monster camps can be used as outposts once you''ve cleared them.¡± The Canyon had several ces with steep terrain next to major road intersections that held important strategic value. Also, if one were to activate the Guard Tower there, it would be possible to appear there using Teleport scroll. ¡°Are supplies still provided?¡± ¡°Of course, daily necessities such asbat rations and clothing will still be given daily.¡± The fortress also contained several facilities like cksmiths, inns, grocery stores, auction houses, taverns, chapels and monasteries. Unfortunately the use of most of them required coins, so the daily supplies provided near the town square¡¯s fountain were still crucial. ¡°Oh and of course the supplies will only be provided so long as the fountain isn¡¯t destroyed. There are no guards, so you will have to distribute your personnel ordingly.¡± The Adventurers looking at each other. There were several groups, so reaching a consensus didn¡¯t seem easy. At that moment, a huge white man wearing a shiny te Armor stepped forward and asked. ¡°Is there nomander? I believe I spotted a Barracks back there. Is there anyone else here besides us?¡± ¡°You will have to create your ownmand structure, but just as you pointed out Isaac, that is indeed a barracks.¡± By spending coins it was possible to continuously recruit soldiers. Ghost soldiers that moved in formations ording to the system. They couldn¡¯t be considered as full fledged soldiers, but could still be useful to put pressure on the enemy side. ¡°For any further details, you can visit the barracks and an exnation page for you to peruse will appear. The same is true for any other facility.¡± All the buildings, just like the barracks were unmanned. The only exception was the Labor camp, which would house any captured enemies and force them to do hardbor, producing coins as a result. ¡°Then I¡¯ll continue with the exnation. The gates will open in one hour¡¯s time, so you can have a meeting before that to organise yourselves. Oh and by the way, don¡¯t even think about escaping.¡± The entire battlefield was nked on either side by steep and rugged canyon walls. Even if you managed to climb to the top, an invisible and indestructible barrier would block your path. As Eve disappeared, the yers all looked at each other warily. Although they were all on the same side, due to their experiences in the Primordial Forest, they were simply unable to trust each other so easily. ¡°First let¡¯s gather all the leaders and have a meeting. We can¡¯t gain anything if there is any infighting.¡± Isaac sat on the edge of the stone fountain, above his head appeared a Tier 2 Silver Crown. ¡°I agree with Isaac, we can think of this as our new Base Camp, so let¡¯s all get along. Samuel, a dark skinned man wielding a huge two handed axe as well as also having a Silver Crown, made his way to the fountain. A total of 23 people, it was a pretty small meeting. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect that we would meet here.¡± Hong Yuri elbowed him yfully on his side. She also had a Tier 1 Silver Crown. ¡°It¡¯s only natural.¡± Any yers that had a Master/ve rtionship were bound to be sent to the same camp. Woohyuk had purposely sent her away to develop her own force since he knew they¡¯d meet up again. ¡°Yes, yes. Can¡¯t you see all my subordinates? I grew my forces faster than expected.¡± There were currently too many people so Hong Yuri was keeping her fangs hidden. Looking at her pale face, Woohyuk simply nodded back. ¡°It was definitely worth sparing you.¡± ¡°But I won¡¯t be aging anymore? When I was in university I used to drink a lot, so I had some trouble maintaining my skin¡¯splexion.¡± ¡°Yes, by constantly drinking blood you won¡¯t age or get any gray hair.¡± The life expectancy of a yer in this world was triple that of back on Earth. As a vampire however, as long as she wasn¡¯t staked in the heart, she was basically immortal due to the race¡¯s characteristics. Of course there were also other methods to rejuvenate oneself, but it wasn¡¯t anything he had to worry about just yet. ¡°Can I have a child as a vampire? It has always been my dream to raise my children as a housewife.¡± Hong Yuri sneakily brought Woohyuk¡¯s hand to her chest, but Woohyuk simply pulled himself from her grasp, given her an irritated look. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but not something you should focus on right now.¡± Woohyuk examined the other leaders behind Hong Yuri. There were four Silver Crowns at the meeting, the rest being Bronze one¡¯s of different Tiers. Nothing had changedpared to the past. The only thing was that due to the arrival of Hong Yuri, one of the past Silver Crown leaders was now missing. ¡®I think his name was Inoue¡¯ It was a guy that always carried around a katana, trying to embody the spirit of the samurai. He couldn¡¯t remember his full name, but it didn¡¯t matter much anyway. ¡°Let¡¯s start by introducing ourselves and the amount of people we lead. My name¡¯s Isaac William and I have 99 subordinates. Isaac had the ability tomand 21 more people, but the maximum number per base camp was only 100. Therefore, usually Silver Crown leaders only had 99 people with them on arrival. ¡°Samuel Martin, 99 people.¡± ¡°Hong Yuri, 99 people.¡± ¡° Chun Woohyuk, 10.¡± ¡°...wait, just ten people?¡± Isaac interrupted. Samuel that was standing next to him also stared disbelievingly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There must have been a tough fight during youst night. Maybe you had some infighting within your camp.¡± The other leaders were staring at the equipment Woohyuk had on him and it all appeared to be of the highest quality. As they looked at him suspiciously, Hong Yuri spoke up. ¡°My boyfriend isn¡¯t a bad guy, he just happened to encounter mostly strange people, right babe?¡± ¡°...¡± Woohyuk didn¡¯t bother responding. Chapter 20: Blue Misty Forest

Chapter 20: Blue Misty Forest

As the mood began getting awkward, Isaac waved his hand and smiled. ¡°Haha we aren¡¯t doubting you, everyone had their own difficulties. Anyways let¡¯s continue.¡± ¡°We are 28 on my end, let¡¯s continue with the introductions¡­.¡± Due to therge number of people it took quite some time simply for everyone to introduce themselves. After some basic greeting, the leaders finally got down to nning as they walked around the Fortress ¡°As far as I can see, there are three main paths to attack. We shouldn¡¯t leave any of them undefended, so let¡¯s divide the tasks now.¡± ¡°I will go in the middle.¡± Isaac nodded back at Woohyuk. ¡°Since Chun Woohyuk¡¯s group has the least members, it doesn¡¯t matter which one you choose. For the other Silver Crown leaders however, we should try to avoid any ovep.¡± There were currently four Silver Crown leaders. As the top yers in the camp, it was in everyone''s interest to separate them as much as possible. Not to mention that they were the most ambitious amongst the leaders, and were more likely to quarrel over prime hunting grounds and treasures. [You take the right path.] [Will we be going separate ways?] [I need you to do something for me.] Woohyuk secretly gave Hong Yuri an order. It was possible because of their Master/ve rtionship, and there wasn¡¯t any way for others to overhear. [Okay¡­ I¡¯ll do as you say.] Hong Yuri who had been expecting them to spend some time together, so she looked a bit down. She had developed some feelings for Woohyuk, but first and foremost she was his faithful servant. ¡°I¡¯ll take the right side.¡± ¡°That¡¯s surprising, I thought you¡¯d apany your boyfriend.¡± Isaac looked between them as Hong Yuri simply wagged her finger. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight him for items. When he¡¯s next to me I always have to worry about that.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go down the middle as well, if Mr. Samuel is okay with it.¡± ¡°I have no reason to object, this arrangement is fine.¡± Samuel dly agreed to give Isaac the middle path. It was unknown what could be found there and there was already an extrapetitor in the form of Woohyuk. After deciding which route each group would take, Isaac continued speaking. ¡°Since today is the first day, let¡¯s focus on properly mapping the region. Oh, and also try to collect as many coins as possible. The Ancient Coins were necessary to operate any of the fortress¡¯ facilities, and it was rather urgent to get the barracks going. The Ghost army was a necessity, so they had to start investing in it early. ¡°Since it is about time for the gates to open, we can call an end to this meeting and inform the other members.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get going! Fight!¡± Hong Yuri gave him a wink as she waved him goodbye. Her promoting the idea of a non existing rtionship between them was a bit annoying. But given their current situation, it wasn¡¯t worth publicly making a big deal out of it. Of course, he still couldn¡¯t let her get away with her coquettish actions. [In the future don¡¯t talk to me in that fashion without my express permission.] [Hmph...] He returned to his party, ignoring Hon Yuri¡¯sints. ¡°Get ready, we will be heading out shortly.¡± ¡°Yes Boss.¡± They all summoned their Jabber Wok and mounted on top. This time around they had taken the time they had some leather saddles and stirrups, so the journey was a lot morefortable thanst time. ¡°Did he manage to tame the Jabber Woks?¡± ¡°He has some impressive abilities.¡± People watched in awe as they passed by on their way to the gate. Isaac¡¯s face however dropped upon catching sight of them. ¡®What are you up to?¡¯ He had known that he must have been an outstanding individual, but he truly wasn¡¯t going to back down. There were sure to be valuable treasures at the center of the stage, it wasn¡¯t an ident that he had chosen the middle road. ¡°Let¡¯s pick up our speed so as to not fall behind. They¡¯ve already gone ahead of us and can monopolize all the items. Isaac took the lead while pulling out his Ice sword Ranghilt * * * There were several reasons as to why Woohyuk chose the middle path. The main goal was to be the first to upy key hunting grounds. Although this stage¡¯s area was quiterge, people will flock to the early hunting grounds. There would roughly be around 330 people in each path. If you were to get tied uppeting for resources this early, you would lose out on the best treasures. For this reason the closest hunting grounds needed to be bypassed. If you create a sizable lead with the other groups on the same path as yours, you won¡¯t get bogged down. To that end, the Misty forest found in the middle path was ideal. Visibility was very low, and it was easy to lose one¡¯s way. A route that would be harder and longer to cross the greater your numbers were. The middle path was basically straight and a shorter distance, but it was teeming with monsters and had an inhospitable terrain. This was unlike the two side path that involved many detours but were rtively safe. Of course this kind of difficulty was actually favorable for Woohyuk¡¯s party. Not only did he have advanced knowledge of the proper path, the Jabber Woks would help mitigate any mobility issues due to the swamp like terrain. ¡°Kill anything you encounter.¡± Their current location was the Blue Misty forest. This area''s visibility was so low that it was impossible for them to see more than a couple meters out. In this kind of ce, amon technique was to leave marks on the trees to ensure that they weren¡¯t going in circles, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t feel the need to do so. ¡®I¡¯ve spent three days and nights fighting here.¡¯ It was a good ce for enemies trying to infiltrate the opposing camp because of the fog, so there were a lot of fights that had taken ce there. After spending so much time there, a perfect map of the forest had been drawn in his mind, and by simply seeing a few blurry outlines, he could easily situate himself. ¡®We aren¡¯t far now.¡¯ He was confident that he wouldn¡¯t lose his way. Everything was exactly the same as it had been previously. ¡°Huh, mom!?¡± Song Anna looked at the silhouette with a look of incredulity. It was definitely her mother. She was waving her way, showing a loving smile. Whiriic! Woohyuk didn¡¯t hesitate to throw his Vampiric dagger, sinking it into the woman''s temple as blood spurted out. Song Anna screamed in agony Woohyuk stopped advancing and spoke. "It''s only a Doppelganger. It¡¯s able to read people¡¯s minds and take the form of the person most precious to them.¡± Because of this monster¡¯s high intelligence, they could perform a rudimentary strategy of gettingrades to turn on each other. For those that stepped into this ce for the first time, it would usually end up in conflict as they cut each other to ribbons. Woohyuk patiently waited a short while before recovering the Vampiric dagger. After about 10 seconds, the dead woman became an ugly and faceless monster. ¡°No matter what you see or hear, don¡¯t break rank. They can even assume the form of our teammates.¡± Except for those standing in line in front or behind you, everyone else is a Doppelganger. The whole party swallowed down nervously as the followed Woohyuk once more. * * * The Blue Misty forest covered quite arge area, so even on their Jabber Woks it took some time to traverse. As they arrived at a fork in the road where a Guard Tower was situated, Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°Remember that if you take the left route you¡¯ll arrive at the Banshee¡¯s Temple.¡± ¡°Will you be leaving it forter?¡± Lee Jaesung asked worriedly. If Isaac caught up to them, he might be able to conquer the area first. ¡°It isn¡¯t easy to defeat.¡± The temple¡¯s guardian, Banshee Queen wasn¡¯t a push over. Although that area would give decent items, it wasn¡¯t going to be conquered any time soon. ¡®I have to prioritize my actions.¡¯ His time was limited as thepetitors were constantly snapping at his heels. Although they were allies, this early on they were more of a threat then the actual enemy. Crimson Crow¡¯s leader, Oh Seokju had been the worst example. Of course he was already dead, but there would always be some bad apples like him. ¡°We won''t activate the Guard Tower since others could then use it to teleport to this location.¡± It was an action that went against the interest of his own alliance, but no one on his team was against his decision. They had all seen the many sides of humanity in thest couple weeks. As he took the right path, Woohyuk tried to juggle all the possible variables in his mind. Isaac shouldn¡¯t be crossing through the forest today. As he tried to cross the swamp, his group was sure to be tied down. ¡®That is if things follow the original timeline.¡¯ There was one detail that had caught his attention. A Sword he had spotted at his waist. It was one he had never seen before. Simply based on his feelings, he could guess that it was a Magic sword. He didn¡¯t know how he had obtained it, but he was sure it was some butterfly effect of his own actions. ¡®Something has changed.¡¯ Just what had urred in Paradise Lost while he had been exploring the underwater ruins. Without taking any attention off these underlying questions racing through his mind, Woohyuk cut any disturbance that appeared in front of him at the waist. Chaaak Blood stter everywhere, stained the nearby nts. At the same time, a Growth Ring that had apanied Woohyuk this whole time turned to dust. It had reached the end of its durability and since it wasn¡¯t repairable, there wasn¡¯t anything he could do. His six other rings would soon follow suit. Woohyuk raised Grandia once more as he was approached by a woman with light blue hair and her eyes closed ¡®It isn¡¯t a big deal.¡¯ Although the new sword was intriguing, it wasn¡¯t that urgent. Puk ¡°Wuuuk¡­¡± The excited expression on a pink haired woman disappeared as she crumpled to the ground in pain. Grandia had pierced through her armor and stabbed her in the heart. ¡°Why have you forsaken me, Master? To this very day I¡¯ve followed you faithfully, always believing¡­¡± Woohyuk simply turned his back on it, not deigning a response. Dark shadows were beginning to emerge in greater numbers. ¡°Stay here, I will take care of them all.¡± ¡°What? Then what about us?¡± ¡°I alone am enough.¡± As a Silver Crown leader, he had a way to easily differentiate allies from enemies. Barrier. It was a skill that only his party members could cross. Woohyuk activated the skill around his party, and a semi-circr transparent barrier was erected around them. ¡°What about me?¡± Song Anna asked as she raised her flute. She was able to help even from within the barrier. ¡°Just watch from back there for now.¡± It might be difficult if Isaac heard her ying the flute and headed over, not to mention that it might disturb nearby spirits. ¡°Oppa, what are you doing over here?¡± 1 ¡°Woohyuk, is that you? So you¡¯re still alive.¡± The surrounding Doppelgangers had taken the form of several of their loved ones. There were those that only existed in his memory. It was impossible for them to meet currently and some had even died in past battles. Still, Woohyuk didn¡¯t hesitate to cut them down. Ahhh! Blood continued to spurt as he cut them down one after another. As his onught continued, new Doppelgangers would appear. ¡°I will always believe in Master, I¡¯m sure you wille to my rescue¡­¡± ¡°It was all a lie, you were just a power hungry tyrant sitting on your throne.¡± ¡°We were nothing more than trash in your eyes, to be discarded after you achieved vainglory¡­¡± ¡°You heartless murderer! Someone please save my daughter!¡± All instances that could possibly be used to traumatize a yer were attempted. Nheless, Woohyuk continued to press forward, not once slowing down. If anything, he was picking up speed. Eyes wide open, he would cut down any Doppelganger that stood in his path. ¡®My burden is heavy.¡¯ He had to live up to the expectations of those that had fallen, and achieve their dreams in their ce. For those reasons he had to continue moving forward. Such was the fate of one who wished to sit on the Iron Throne, let alone the Divine one. After having thought about it for quite some time he realized that he was the only one that could put an end to this game. He carried the burden of the living, as well as of those that had already passed on. The weight of the emotions and dreams that his sword carried wasn¡¯t something that could be understood or mimicked by these soulless Doppelgangers. ¡°That¡¯s just your cowardly excuse.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just trying to justify all the bloodshed you¡¯ve caused.¡± ¡°That uncontroble rage boiling inside of you shall be the end of you!¡± ¡°You said that you¡¯d protect her and make her happy! My daughter believed you!¡± Hui aaaang! Grandia which was soaked in blood was being wielded like a fierce tempest. All those that had pointed out his sins or shorings, were now scattered across the ground, like lifeless puppets. The smell of blood permeated the area as the nearby vegetation was no longer green. The eerie sound of death was carried in the win. When suddenly the surroundings calmed down. Tok Tok The sound of footsteps preceded the appearance of a dark silhouette approaching the party. The whole group stared at the presence with a tense expression. A man that had been entirely bathed in blood. It was none other than Woohyuk. ¡°We need to hurry, get in formation.¡± The smell of blood was sure to attract any nearby monsters. The party quickly set off without saying a word. It was all out of consideration for Woohyuk. Although they weren¡¯t able to see the battle first hand, the Doppelgangers¡¯ scream told them everything they needed to know. However, contrary to their concerns, Woohyuk waspletely unfazed. He had experienced those kinds of situations countless times while facing demons. ¡°In the future, don¡¯t hesitate.¡± Woohyuk said as he helped Song Anna on her Jabber Wok. He then further borated. ¡°In this world there is no such thing as a paradise which you can escape to. If you want to survive you can¡¯t avert your gaze from reality.¡± It was some cold words, but she could feel the warmth they carried as they touched hands. Just then [...Give me.] She heard a whisper from out of nowhere. ¡°...!?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Woohyuk asked as he saw Song Anna looking around nervously. ¡°Clearly someone just spoke¡­¡± It had no idea what she had just heard. ¡°Could it be that there are still some left out there?¡± ¡°It must be because you are too nervous.¡± The party quickly dismissed it, but Woohyuk¡¯s thoughts were different. ¡®She can already interact with spirits.¡¯ The source of the Blue Mist in the forest was the existence of spirits. Of course it wouldn¡¯t be long before others learned of this, but to connect with them this early was certainly unusual. ¡®A young prodigy.¡¯ Perhaps her potential was even higher than Yoo Kayoung. As he wrapped up his thoughts, Woohyuk contacted Lee Jaesung. [Take good care of Song Anna, she has some potential.] [Sure thing Boss.] Woohyuk climbed onto his Jabber Wok and continued forward. Due to the heavy mist he could only see a few contours, but that alone was enough for him. If there had beenndmarks, anyone could easily make there way through without needed his knowledge. Such was his current situation. Although some things had changedpared to thest time, his willpower and goal were the same. Regardless of the problem he encountered, he was confident he¡¯d find a solution. As had been the case so far. Thinking back to the faces of those he cut down, Woohyuk pulled on the reins. Chapter 21: Fantasy Swamp (1)

Chapter 21: Fantasy Swamp (1)

[Fantasy Swamp] It was an even more dangerous ce than the Blue Misty Forest. There were many reasons for this, but if he had to pick one, it would be this [Mirage] It would have been easier if it had urred in a desert instead. One would be tricked into thinking they were walking on a dirt road, and instead fall into the swamp waters. Knights with heavy te armor or the mage ss which had a weak constitution were especially vulnerable. ¡®We had really been rather helpless back then.¡¯ Same areas of the swamp would even have a higher y ratio, creating a terrain that was simr to quicksand. Once you stepped inside, the mud would suck you in and simply with the force of gravity, it was very difficult to escape. Once you would sink past your waist, it was basically impossible to get out by yourself. Of course the deeper waters in the swamp were hardly safe as well. It was easy to get tangled up in the long reeds and nts . ¡®We weren¡¯t able to help one another that time.¡¯ It went without saying that the monsters would instantly notice the vibrations in the water and flock to your location. The mostmon monsters found in the area were the Lizardmen.A bipedal creature that walked on its two legs. It¡¯s entire body was protected by durable scales, while it had sharp teeth and nailsced with a hypnotic poison to attack. They did look a bit funny however because of their short height. Still, they wielded their tridents proficiently and could use their long tails to sweep you off your feet and send you falling into the swamp. Also, their numbers were such that it was basically impossible to brute force your way through the swamp, a flying mount was necessary, but it was something no one would consider at first. ¡°Take a short break, I¡¯ll scout ahead.¡± Woohyuk raised his hand and brought them to a halt as they pulled on their reins. Even though it had been some time since they¡¯d entered the swamp, they had yet to suffer a casualty. On one hand it had a lot to do with Woohyuk¡¯s knowledge of the terrain, but the benefit of riding a Jabber Wok couldn¡¯t be understated. It was a simr beast to the Lizardmen and was at ease travelling through the swampy waters. Jabber Woks were the best mounts for this area. If they didn¡¯t have them, the party would have been forced to walk in single file, holding out sticks as they made their way like blind folk. Woohyuk took advantage of the Jabber Wok¡¯s ability to navigate the terrain, as he investigated the surrounding area searching for a ce that would be suitable forbat. He wasn¡¯t looking for anything special, just a ground that was solid and reasonably wide. Most importantly it was rtively far from the water. ¡°This will do fine, gather around me.¡± After getting his party into position, he used a stick to draw an oval line on the ground. It was to mark the safe zone, and had a radius of about 5 meters. ¡°Will we be doing some group hunting? ¡± ¡°Yes¡± Woohyuk nodded back in response to Lee Jaesung¡¯s query. Because of the dangers of encountering a mirage as well as the treacherous terrain, it was better to pick a spot and let theme to you. Efficiency wise? It was ideal. A hunting ground that none other had set foot in. Not to mention that there were plenty of monsters. Of course it was a rather difficult location to arrive in, it would only be well known as a hunting hotspot about halfway through the Canyon Battle. It was an important step for them to upy this area on the very first day. ¡®For now we should be focusing on our growth.¡¯ If they were to blindly set out in one direction, they ran a high risk of being surrounded by Lizardmen. In order to be able to achieve all the goals he had set for himself, he first had to increase the team¡¯s overall strength. ¡®We should spend about a day here.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t too concerned about being overtaken by anypetitors. Even Isaac wouldn¡¯t be able to make his way here until tomorrow morning, when the barracks would be up and running. ¡°Prepare for battle.¡± ¡°Yes Boss!¡± All the members unsummoned their Jabber Woks and as they all took out their weapons. Woohyuk then nted a g on the ground, using his leader skill Stronghold, then turned to Song Anna. ¡°You can¡¯te under attack under any circumstance. Only use your elemental spirits defensively.¡± ¡°Ye? Yes.¡± Song Anna had a magic spell that could cleanse her allies from any abnormal conditions. If she were to be severely injured, the others would be helpless. Of course this wasn¡¯t the case for Woohyuk who had incredibly high Magic resistance. ¡°Let¡¯s get started then.¡± As Song Anna yed her Hunter¡¯s Flute, a group of Lizardmen armed with tridents silently made their way to them. Woohyuk, who stood at the front as the vanguard, was the first to engage them. Chawaaak A green, sticky blood sttered across the ground like some paint. Shortly after the sounds of metal shing rang out all around. Boom! The sound of a Fireball connecting brought a change of pace. A Smander drew an arc through the air with its fiery tail, as a Fire Arrow sprang forth. A fierce fight where none of them held back. In the first ce there was no ce for them to escape to. As the number of Lizardmen¡¯s corpses continued to pile up, Woohyuk applied the Basilisk¡¯s poison on Grandia. * * * The Lizardmen in Fantasy Swamp weren¡¯t limited to only wielding tridents. There were also archers and shamans. They would be moremon the deeper one went into the swamp. They would be difficult to deal with since they could strike from a distance, so Woohyuk focused on hunting on the outskirts as much as possible. If any of them would be attracted by the flute¡¯s melody, Woohyuk would quickly dispatch them by either throwing his Vampiric dagger, or using one the magic spell he had umted with his Ghost Queen Star Snake. Due to this, they hadn¡¯t taken much damage. They were nurtured as a select group of elites, so even if they skipped the easier hunting grounds on their way here, they all performed well. As the sun began to fall and darkness reigned, the party still didn¡¯t return to the Fortress. The current goal was topletely monopolize the area, so they couldn¡¯t activate the Guard Tower to return. Of course, when they had created a sizable lead for themselves, they would be more team oriented. Although there was a significantpetition for resources within the alliance, at the end of the day the real enemy still existed across from them. Woohyuk took a look at today¡¯s gains while he got a fire started. [Lizardmen Poison] Category: Consumable Effect: A hypnotic poison that can be ingested or applied on equipment. [Lizardmen Boots] Category: Armor Grade: D Durability: 5600 Effect: +7 Agility. Can increase movement speed but by 20% for 10 seconds, but will result in a 20% decrease once the duration is up. They were the Achievement rewards for killing one hundred and five hundred Lizardmen respectively. The first one would be useful when interrogating any enemy captives, while thetter could be used when a burst of speed was necessary. There was also the one thousand kill reward which would grant a Lizardmen¡¯s Bracelet, providing +7 Vitality and a 20% increase in Health regeneration. It was a decent item, but it was hardly a priority and he could do without it. He already had plenty of equipment to restore his Health. ¡°Is that good, Boss?¡± Lee Jaesung approached as he pointed at a Camo tent. Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Get your stuff sorted out and then we¡¯ll eat.¡± Today¡¯s menu was Lizardmen steaks. They were basicallyrge geckos, and were nutritious with decent taste. Woohyuk sliced off a part of the flesh and stuck it on a skewer. Seeing his actions Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna grimaced in disgust. ¡°Can''t we just eat ourbat rations?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never eaten lizard meat¡­.¡± These days we will have more meat than we could possibly eat with all our hunting, there is no need to rely on thebat rations. It was fine to eat it once or twice, but Woohyuk had to put his foot down. ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult for you to survive in the future if you only rely on those supplies.¡± Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna picked up their skewers, trying to hold back tears. As they waited for the Lizardmen¡¯s meat to cook, they spoke among themselves. ¡°Do they always swing their tails like that?¡± ¡°I was almost knocked down the first time they did it against me.¡± The Lizardmen¡¯s tails were an unusual form of attack, and could be dangerous if one were unprepared. Of course, prior to the battle Woohyuk had already briefed them as to how they should respond. The Lizardmen twisting their body was the tell that they would attack next with their tail. At that point one couldpletely evade it by jumping backwards. Because their physique was rather small, they would almost always aim for the legs, making it easier to dodge. Naturally it was also because they hadn¡¯t met any of them that were more than 2 meters tall, like the Elder Lizardman. ¡°Boss, is it a good idea to have a fire here?¡± Jung Sanghoon asked worriedly. They were on a small hill, a ways off from the swamp area. There was still a mountain range behind them however, so there might be new monsters that would be attracted by the sight of the fire. ¡°This Brazier is simr to the campfire back in the Base Camp.¡± Although it was less effective than the one back at the camp, it could still negate small amounts of aggro. Of course this only applied to monsters. ¡°No wonder it cost 3 silvers.¡± Upon entering the Canyon stage, new items had been made avable at the General shop. Camping gear, Return stones, Teleportation scrolls, etc¡­. They were all useful, but except for the things that they needed right away, he didn¡¯t buy any others. The reason was that the prices in the Fortress would be significantly lower than those on their Adventurer¡¯s Watches. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one will be attacking us tonight.¡± The Canyon valley was basically a symmetry, and the opposing side would have to face the same things they had. Those of them who chose the middle path would also be held back by the swamp. As for those that had chosen the paths on either side, they would face strong monsters, so they had no chance of reaching Woohyuk¡¯s party within a short period of time. ¡°The taste is actually not bad.¡± ¡°Right, it reminds me of a frog I had roasted back in the day.¡± ¡°Jung Sanghoon, you''ve eaten just about anything. I lived my whole life in the city so I haven¡¯t even eaten fried grasshopper yet. As the party chatted away, Woohyuk took the time to get in touch with Hong Yuri. The Bloodstone ring emitted a faint red light as he infused mana into it. [Are you up?] [I slept well, the night air is so refreshing.] As a vampire, Hong Yuri would operate better during the night. For that reason he had instructed them to stay at the Inn after earning a few coins to pay their stay. [You¡¯ve already faced off against the Harpies. That¡¯s fine, so long as you make sure to activate the Guard Tower over there.] After passing by the Windy Hill, which was the Harpies¡¯ area, they would arrive at an abandoned castle which was the Chimeras¡¯ir. Hong Yuri¡¯s mission was to take over that area as soon as possible. It was all for the sake of saving Woohyuk some time. [Okay, leave it to me.] Hong Yuri replied confidently. Due to the nature of her race, her stats increased by 30% during the night. Likewise she had no problem seeing in the dark so she could somehow manage even if he gave her demanding tasks. ¡®I¡¯m sure she will be fine.¡¯ Although she didn¡¯t seem to be as talented as Alice, who had climbed to the rank of Vampire Lord, she wasn¡¯t so useless as to not take advantage of the Hidden ss¡¯ overpowered skills. At the very least she should be ahead of Samuel, who would be exploring the Squally Mine and the Centaurs¡¯ Vige. ¡°So, was the taste okay?¡± ¡°...Yeah¡± Song Anna replied shyly to Lee Jaesung¡¯s question. Woohyuk, who had been watching her reaction, spoke up. ¡°In the past, when I was part of the Canyon Battle, I would eat anything I got my hands on in order to survive.¡± ¡°What kinds of creatures did you eat?¡± ¡°Goblins, Centaurs, Harpies, Nagas, Griffons¡­.¡± Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna¡¯splexions worsened, as the very thought of eating all those creatures made their stomachs turn. ¡°I don¡¯t care as long as it doesn¡¯t give me an upset stomach.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really picky about what I eat¡­¡± Jung Sanghoon and Nam Kiryang didn¡¯t feel like it was a big deal. Actually, everyone except for Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna nodded in agreement. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the taste isn¡¯t all that bad as long as it is cooked properly.¡± As Woohyuk said this, he stared at the two girls meaningfully. Yoo Kayoung was the first to catch on and became flustered. ¡°Me, I mean we¡­?¡± ¡°I think the both of you would make great cooks.¡± He would have to move about by himself sooner orter, so before that happened he needed to prepare a suitable chef for the party. It couldn¡¯t be just anyone, it required a certain attention to detail . Not only did they have to make the meal taste good, they often had to neutralize the monster¡¯s own poison as well. As Woohyuk didn¡¯t appear to be backing down, Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna could only swallow down nervously. There was no going against the Boss. They approached as Woohyuk proceeded to teach them various recipes. Chapter 22: Fantasy Swamp (2)

Chapter 22: Fantasy Swamp (2)

Woohyuk overlooked the Lizardmen¡¯s camp while flying from atop his Three wed Eagle. A Watchtower, Altar, Shaman cauldron, Naga statue¡­ There were many things that caught his eye, but he was searching for just a single target. Elder Lizardman. The Naga temple at the center was a bit too difficult for him right now, so he would just leave it alone for now. The Elder Lizardman however wasn¡¯t all that challenging, so he feared that if he didn''t take care of it himself, Isaac or one of the other groups might steal it from him. It would have been possible to brute force their way through as a party, but it was simply easier for Woohyuk to go at it solo. The Elder Lizardman had several Elite soldiers, Archers and Shamans to support him. ¡®It was really tough back then.¡¯ Since he didn¡¯t have the Ghost Queen Star Serpent back then, he had the vanguard drink the Star Snake¡¯s Protective potion. It was the reward for ying one hundred Star Snakes. And would erect a shield around the user that could absorb damage in proportion to one¡¯s Intelligence, all without consuming too much Mana. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to save it this time around.¡¯ Since it was a consumable item, it was important to save it for a rainy day. The Adventurer¡¯s Canyon was still considered as an extension of the Tutorial, but it was very much a battlefield. There was no knowing what situation he might encounter down the road. It was apletely different dynamicpared to the first stage where one only had to survive a certain number of days while defending the camp. As he flew lower, he entered the aggro range of the Lizardman Archer on the Watchtower, who drew his bow despite its surprise. Swoosh! The arrow sprang energetically from the bow, but wasn¡¯t able to hit its intended target. The Archers eyesight simply couldn¡¯t keep up with the sharp turns of the Three wed Eagle. Hearing themotion, Lizardmen began to flock to his location. A Shaman threw an Ice bolt at Woohyuk. Saaak The Ghost Queen Star Serpent easily absorbed it however. Woohyuk then took the chance to toss his Vampiric dagger at the Archer up on the Watchtower. Puuk! It sank cleanly into him as the Lizardman Archer fell down all the way to the ground. Seeing theirpanion¡¯s corpse before them, the Lizardmen shook their Tridents angrily, but what could they do? They were helpless as he was out of range. Like dogs barking at a chicken that had flown to the roof. The only threats were the Archers and Shamans. The Elite Soldiers with their superior physique could stab him with their Tridents if he got too close to the ground, but Woohyuk wouldn¡¯tmit such a rookie mistake. He took out the Archers one by one using his Vampiric dagger, as he continued to absorb any spells thrown his way. ¡®It would be best if I can deal with them all at the same time.¡¯ Although they were a type of lizard, they still had some level of intelligence. They were descendants of the Nagas, an ancient race that had once been a thriving civilization. As soon as they found out that he could return the magic spells he had been absorbing, they would likely stop attacking him with magic. As soon as he had umted enough of spells, that¡¯s when he would strike at the Shamans. The Vampiric dagger continued to im the lives of the Archers one after another, and just as he was about ready to begin the massacre, a giant Lizardman appeared in the distance, leading a squadron of Elites. Elder Lizardman It single handedly wielded a trident that was sorge an adult man would struggle to simply lift it. ¡®It actually came to me.¡¯ That would make this even faster than he¡¯d expected. Woohyuk didn¡¯t hesitate to send a fireball its way. Srrrr As the Elder Lizardman swung its Trident, a wave of frost burst out, negating the Fireball. A magical weapon with considerable power. Still, this had all been part of Woohyuk¡¯s n as it was merely a cover for the Vampiric dagger that sunk into the Elder Lizardman¡¯s ankle. Green blood began to flow from the wound. The Elder felt something was off, and looked down to examine its ankle. [Basilisk¡¯s Curse] The Vampiric dagger had been coated in a deadly poison that was strong enough to ovee even the Lizardmen¡¯s strong immunity. Of course, the Elder Lizardman didn¡¯t sumb quite that easily. Although it felt its leg was a bit weak and paralyzed. It didn¡¯t significantly hamper its movement. ¡®I should be able to finish him off more quickly in close quarterbat.¡¯ After taking care of all the Lizardmen Shamans, Woohyuk decided to go down. As he approached the ground, the swamp¡¯s Mirage began to affect him. Still, Woohyuk didn¡¯t need to summon his Jabber work to validate what kind of terrain he would encounter beneath his feet. There wasn''t enough time to do so, and it wasn''t necessary either. Every single one of the Lizards would be rushing towards him, so he needed at least enough room to take three steps in any direction. Woohyuk raised Grandia as he focused his senses. Be it the ripples in the swampy water or the vibrations from the ground as the Lizardmen charged, he could clearly feel them. He could even have a good idea as to which areas were firm ground and which he might sink in. This was only possible due to his high Agility Stat, but naturally his 40 years ofbat experience yed a crucial role as well. Chaaaak Woohyuk shifted over to the right as he swung his sword, sending spurts of green blood sailing through the air. Tridents which had been split into pieces, sank into the depths of the swampy waters. Bang! A Fireball made its way to an Elite Lizardman¡¯s head. Unlike the Elder Lizardman, these guys didn¡¯t have the necessary Magic resistance to survive it. They were just a bit bigger and appeared more threatening due to their size. Of course if many were to rush at the same time it could be a bit troublesome, so Woohyuk focused on dispatching these Elites. As their numbers started to plummet, the Elder Lizardman took action. Due to his impressive regeneration, he had already fully recovered from his ankle injury. Woohyuk gave him his undivided attention as the Trident continued to emit Frost magic. Kng! The trident and sword were caught in a deadlock, as it became a battle of strength. It was difficult to say who had the advantage as their weapons crossed, but the bnce of power soon shifted. The Elder Lizardman was using a two handed weapon while Woohyuk was using just the one. Puuk! The Vampiric dagger sunk into the Elder¡¯s thigh, just as it was about to attempt to strike with its tail. The Basilisk¡¯s venom paralyzed it momentarily and Woohyuk didn¡¯t miss the opening. Swoosh! Woohyuk separated the Elder Lizardman¡¯s body with a quick and clean sh. Seeing the chief die, the other Lizardmen were frightened as they took a step back. They had already sumbed to fear and were no longer a threat. Of course if he got too close to the Naga Temple then they would attack once more, but he wasn¡¯t nning on doing so. Woohyuk didn¡¯t want to kill more Lizardmen than was necessary. It would be more beneficial to leave just the right amount of them behind to bog down Isaac¡¯s advance. ¡®I¡¯ll give you a hard time.¡¯ He recalled Isaac¡¯s past actions. He had held back some crucial piece of information, putting the entire alliance at risk. He had also anticipated what hunting grounds Woohyuk had aimed for, and purposely monopolized them first. An English prince who was extremely cunning and would resort to any means, all the while publicly portraying himself as a white knight. They had been on the same side and he had many followers then, so it hadn¡¯t been easy to deal with him. Of course, it was a very different situation this time around. Looking at the Lizardmen that had begun to back off, Woohyuk picked up the loot from the ground. [Elder Lizardman¡¯s Trident] Category: Weapon Grade: D Durability: 7200 Effect: +10 Strength, can Freeze a target, resulting in a drop in the movement speed. Able to neutralize Fire magic of equal power. Elder Lizardman¡¯s Fighting Spirit] Category: Jewel Grade: D Durability: 2600 Effect: +10 Spirit. 20% increased resistance to Poison and Hypnotic magic. 20% increase in Health regeneration [Elder Lizardman¡¯s Ceremonial Jewel] Category: Personal Item Effect: Can be used as a material by Alchemists or cksmiths. Simply carrying will terrorize Lizardmen within a 15 meter radius. All useful items. Although they weren¡¯t good enough to be his main equipment, they would perform well when in swampy areas. Most importantly the Elder Lizardman¡¯s Ceremonial Jewel wouldn¡¯t fall into Isaac¡¯s hands. ¡®He had crafted the Seven-Colored Rainbow Ring with this¡¯ An overpowered jewel that could push the potential of seven skills beyond their own limits. It was powerful enough for a man that had been but an ordinary Head Knight, to rise up and be a full fledged Lord. Therefore, when the ring eventually found itself in the hands of the Necromancer Logan, it was a disaster. ¡®This time around it¡¯ll be mine.¡¯ He had absolutely no intention of facing another army of 100,000 undead. There were seven crafting materials required, and they were all unique. The only way to obtain them was to be at the very front of the pack. cing his loot in his Pouch, he then climbed atop the Three wed Eagle. * * * Woohyuk¡¯s party had managed to leave the Fantasy Swamp before noon struck. It had all been due to the Elder Lizardman¡¯s Ceremonial Jewel. Any Lizards that still hesitated to stay clear of their path would be taken care of with a single strike of his Trident. Even when the Lizardmen copsed to the ground, their wounds frozen over, the party didn¡¯t ask any unnecessary questions. The reason was simply that Woohyuk was not one to share information about his equipment, skills or history. Naturally by history they meant his story since he¡¯d been summoned to this world. They already knew all about Woohyuk¡¯s past back on Earth. How after a tragic ident his entire family had died, leaving him an orphan. Even during his military service there was this one time where he had been suspected even if he had been the victim. He had led a tough life. No matter what he faced, it couldn¡¯t be worse than the loss he had suffered. Perhaps it was that mentality that made Woohyuk so strong. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break and eat something.¡± As soon as Woohyuk finished speaking, Jung Sanghoon dropped the Lizardman he had been carrying on his shoulders. While Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna proceed to bleed the corpse, Lee Jaesung took out any cooking utensils and set everything up. ¡°You guys pay attention as well. One day something unexpected mighte up.¡± Even if they weren¡¯t in charge of cooking, they all had to know the basics. The party members nodded as they gathered around the fire. ¡°The most important thing is to get rid of any poison. For Goblins and Lizardmen, this can be easily done by using their blood.¡± More often than not it was a certain reagent in the monster¡¯s own blood that could counteract the poison. That''s why when bleeding the corpse one had to first prepare a wooden barrel to conserve a portion of that blood. ¡°If that isn¡¯t possible, then simply wait an entire hour. There are still some cells that remain active even after death, so the wait time is necessary. After Yoo Kayoung and Song Anne helped butcher the corpse, Woohyuk exined how to cook the edible parts. ¡°First, you can throw away the hands, feet and organs, since they usually have strong concentrations of toxins, that is unless you can use them as Alchemist material. For the rest you can either roast or fry it.¡± The party members were engrossed in Woohyuuk¡¯s exnation, as if attending a university professor''s lecture. He seems to know everything. Almost as if he were someone who had lived in this world his whole life. ¡®Just how long has he been here?¡¯ At first she had simply thought that he had been a survivor of a previous Primordial forest stage. But, just how long ago was this ¡®second time¡¯ that Woohyuk had mentioned. Yoo Kayoung let her imagination run wild. It was said that a yer¡¯s life expectancy was tripledpared to previously, so it could be as much as 10 years. Woohyuk still looked young. Then if shepared his age to hers¡­ ¡®It isn¡¯t the time to be thinking about those things!¡¯ Yoo Kayoung scolded herself as she shook her head to snap out of it. Now was the time to learn how to survive. Not to mention that she was in charge of cooking. A single mistake on her part could poison the entire party. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Woohyuk asked, seeing all the strange expressions pass through her face. Yoo Kayoung panicked and quickly waved her hands. ¡°Oh it¡¯s nothing¡­.¡± ¡°If there exists any revulsion to this task, quickly ovee it. These meats are now in your hands.¡± Woohyuk said as he pulled the skewers of meat from the wooden barrel. The Lizardmen¡¯s sticky green blood dripped from the meat. ¡°No it¡¯s fine, leave it to me.¡± She had memorized all the recipes. Yoo Kayoung then began preparing some sauces to help improve the taste. Using colorful ingredients, most of which she was first seeing, she focused on her work. The party stared at her work in anticipation of the meal. ¡®She is going at it pretty hard.¡¯ Woohyuk nodded as he saw the determination in Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna¡¯s cooking. It was something he hadn¡¯t expected. ¡®Maybe this time around I can eat some normal food.¡¯ He thought back to Leifina who had been a trusted subordinate of his in the past. Her cooking skill had truly been terrible. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t allow her to take that role once more. Woohyuk made a firm decision deep within his heart. Chapter 23: Bronze Rock Mountain

Chapter 23: Bronze Rock Mountain

The Lizardman meat grilled by Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna ended up tasting rather good. The chewy texture just melted in their mouths, as the spicy sauce gave it just the right kick. Not to mention, that it provided a 20% increase in Health regeneration for one hour¡¯s time. An impressive result considering that it was their first attempt. Still, for one that had talent on the path of a Mage, bing a simple cook feltcking. That was because they weren¡¯t aware that there existed a Hidden ss associated with the profession. Woohyuk had already collected any details he could from information brokers before returning. ¡®Of course I know all about it.¡¯ Hans, the King of Cooking, had been acknowledged by all for his culinary skills He had gone to serve under Zhang Wei, one of the Overlords, demonstrating his skills to the world. He had been responsible for the food supplied to soldiers in the rear of battlefields. Any soldier that ate his food, would receive several buffs, greatly increasing their abilities. Even if their opponents were stronger, they would still manage to hold on until reinforcements arrived. [Food Chef] It had been Han¡¯s secret, a Hidden ss. However, because the ss was a reward due to a special achievement, it wasn¡¯t possible to obtain it without having a talent for cooking on the same level as Hans. The only other way was to rope him in early on. ¡®It¡¯s not impossible.¡¯ The question was how to tempt him. As a proud chef, he wouldn¡¯t sumb to mere mary incentives. Perhaps some kind of rare ingredients? ¡®Stymphalian birds¡¯ They lived in flocks, around the Bronze Rock mountain which he was currently heading to. [Stymphalos Lake] It wasn¡¯t quite asrge or deep as the Calm Sea, but it likewise had an ind within and was a decent size for ake. A solid ship was absolutely necessary in order to cross its waters. The normal boats wouldn¡¯t be enough against a flock of Stymphalian birds, which sent out their metallic feathers. Even if your team¡¯s Leader used the Barrier skill to defend against them, the Aquatic monsters would then be a problem. Archer Fish were able to leap out of the water and shoot a jet of water from their mouths, while Thorned Lizards would attempt to climb and upy your boat. If one was unfortunate enough to fall into the water, there were Electric Eels waiting. With attacks that had an average voltage of over one thousand, unless you had high magic resistance, most would die from the first charge. In many ways, it was even more dangerous than the Fantasy Swamp. However for Woohyuk, it was the easiest of areas. ¡°Where are we going next Boss?¡± ¡°I think heading to that mountain range is a pretty good idea.¡± Jung Sanghoon spoke up and answered Lee Jaesung¡¯s question. He argued that by upying the high-ground of the rugged mountainous terrain, they would be able to exert their presence over all three paths. Although it was a good idea, Woohyuk shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± That mountain range was the Griffins¡¯ habitat. Although they resembled eagles at first nce, they were far from easy opponents since they were even bigger than elephants. ¡°Then should we start cutting down some trees¡­¡± ¡°A ship has already been prepared.¡± Woohyuk walked up to theke shore and raised his hand. The space above the water shimmered momentarily, and then the Abyssal Ship appeared. The party members'' eyes widened immediately upon seeing it. ¡°It¡¯s a pirate ship!¡± ¡°Kya! That¡¯s awesome!¡± Kim Dogyun and Nam Kiryang cried out as they excitedly climbed the hanging from the side of the ship, making their way up. Drake then made his appearance on the deck ¡°You¡¯ve brought some rookies on board, Captain.¡± ¡°Eeek! Ghost!?¡± Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna¡¯splexions turned blue. Drake erupted in a fit ofughter, enjoying their reaction. ¡°Hahaha! Your wife and daughter seem to be scared of me. Did you bring them along to tour the ship?¡± ¡°These are my teammates, and they all already have a ss.¡± Woohyuk replied with a serious expression. Drake nodded back as if it had been expected. ¡°As expected, you are explorers! Where are we headed?¡± ¡°That ind, we can set off immediately.¡± Drake and his entire crew had sworn allegiance to Woohyuk, ever since he had lifted their curse. As the Abyssal Ship sailed across the water, it carried with it a ck mist. A sailboat with unrivaled speed and firepower. Not to mention that there was the additional Pirate King¡¯s Curse buff. At least when it came to naval warfare, there would be no Lords that could match Woohyuk. The same would hold true now, since no one would be able to cross theke so long as Woohyuk was staying there. ¡®The Kraken might be a bit too much.¡¯ Although the waters were deep enough for arge ship to navigatefortably, anything more than that would be overkill. Woohyuk then pulled out his Deep Sea¡¯s Orb as he stared at the distant Bronze Rock mountain covered in white snow. ¡®This might work as well.¡¯ It indicated that it would control the Seas, but it appeared to work on bodies of fresh water as well. As Woohyuk injected his mana into the crystal orb. Although there wasn¡¯t much of a change, at least the annoying fish and lizards were mitigated to a certain extent. For now they only had to focus on the Stymphalian birds Woohyuk stared at the flock of monster birds flying in the distance. A crane-like with a beak and feathers made entirely out of bronze. Their dung was poisonous as well, so it was best to dodge any falling excrement. To avoid any unnecessary hassle, he summoned Triton. Although he still suffered from the same debuffs, his ability was still considerable. The Stymphalian birds¡¯ magic resistance would easily be ovee with his magic. ¡°Take care of them, but make sure to keep a few of them alive.¡± Following his orders, Triton silently advanced. With a wave of his hand, dozens of Ice Arrows flew out towards the Stymphalian birds Pik! The Stymphalian birds that had their head pierced, dropped down into theke. Angered by their loss, the other Stymphalian birds shot their sharp feathers towards the Abyssal Ship Whuic! Whuic! For the most part however, these attacks were neutralized by the Barrier skill he ced on ships prow. The asional Bronze feather would embed itself on the deck, but the party wasn¡¯t scared. They were being thrown from a rather long distance, so it wasn¡¯t at all hard to avoid. The ck mist that enshrouded the ship was invisible to allies, and didn¡¯t hamper their line of sight. Whuiiic! Yoo Kayoung with her magic and Park Taesoo with his arrows stepped out to aid Triton. Two more Stymphalian birds dropped down into the water. As the battle proved to be unfavorable for them, they soon turned around and escaped. Woohyuk turned to look at Triton. ¡°Please go ahead and fetch them.¡± ¡°...¡± Although it was clear that he felt such a mundane task was below him, Triton had no choice but to obey. If Woohyuk had ordered him tomit suicide, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to let out a word of protest. Leaving Triton behind in theke, the Abyssal Ship continued on to the ind. Influenced by the increasingly colder air, the party members couldn¡¯t help but shiver. ¡°I never expected this kind of ce.¡± ¡°It feels like we are in ska.¡± ¡°Will we encounter a pr bear?¡± Icebergs could be seen floating in the water beside the ship. It wouldn¡¯t be strange even if Penguins which were supposed to live exclusively in the South Pole, appeared. ¡°Listen closely to what I¡¯m about to tell you.¡± As soon as Woohyuk spoke up, their excitement died down as they became focused, staring at the bronze feathers he held in his hand. ¡°There will be Bronze Rock Golems in the caves of that mountain.¡± It was one of the trickier monsters to deal with because their entire bodies were made of a Bronze Rock, giving them an absurd level of Defense. Not to mention that their Bronze properties made them highly resistant to magic as well, an absolute defense. Hunting them with magic simply wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°Special tools will be more effective than regr weapons, because the only way to break through their defense and reach their core, was to focus all of your strength on a single point.¡± It was the same principle he had used to hunt the Queen Star Snake. When trying to break apart a rock, a hammer and spike worked far better than an iron sword. ¡°It might not be possible with the ones we have in our Tool Kit, they are simply too small¡­¡± ¡°We can make our own spikes.¡± They just happened to have some good material on hand, the Stymphalian bird feathers. Their melting point was lower than iron, so it wasn¡¯t all too difficult to cast. The only difficulty lied in making the mould, but even that wasn¡¯t much of a challenge. After all, the shape of a spike was rather simple. Upon arriving at the ind, they disembarked from the ship, and Woohyuk asked his teammates to start a fire. He took the time to buy all the things he needed for forging from the General Shop. A small semicircr furnace and a stone mould. Although it was rather primitive, it would do just fine to make the bronze spikes. As he hammered a chisel in order to create the proper mold in the stone, the party focused on finding timber to feed the fire. ¡°Hukhuk... I was almost shocked to death.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to really be pr bears....¡± They had also spotted arctic animals such as emperor penguins and arctic foxes within this Bronze Rock Mountain. That was one of the reasons that the Gremlins living in the caves would oftene out to hunt. ¡°You will have to get used to this ce, I¡¯m nning on staying at least three days.¡± It would be troublesome if any of his party members were to get injured while he was away. Throwing a wrench into his ns. Woohyuk immediately started forging the spikes as soon as the mould was done. ¡°You seem so experienced in this, as if you were a cksmith.¡± ¡°A genius in so many things.¡± His party couldn¡¯t help but praise as they watched him work. Shortly after the liquid bronze was poured into the spike¡¯s stone mould. As soon as what appeared to be arge bronze nail had cooled off, he removed it from the mould and tested it by hammering a nearby stone. Quazic Cracks appeared on the rock as it began to crumble. Decently sturdy. The bronze feathers from the Stymphalian bird were imbued with some magic, so it was a great material, equivalent to ck iron. ¡°Lend me your hammer weapon for the next little while.¡± ¡°Sure thing Boss, I can just fight with a different weapon. Huang Donghwan replied as he held an axe in each hand. They were weapons that he had previously obtained from the Minotaurs. They looked rather impressive, but Woohyuk shook his head. ¡°Gremlins are faster than you think. Here, use this instead.¡± Elder Lizardman¡¯s Trident. It was no longer useful for Woohyuk since they¡¯d already left the swamp. Huang Donghwan bowed enthusiastically with a beaming smile. ¡°Thank you Boss!¡± ¡°Use that axe to cut some trees down, we will be here for some time and need a ce to stay.¡± Tents and a campfire weren¡¯t enough to stay in such a cold climate if a blizzard were to suddenly strike. After finding a suitable location with a t area, Woohyuk used a branch to draw on the floor. Designating where each building should go. ¡°Just think of it as building a camp in the North Pole.¡± It wasn¡¯t going to be some temporary camp that they¡¯d abandon. Since this location had strategic value, it was worth investing some time into building a proper camp. Following Woohyuk¡¯s instructions, they quickly went to cut down some trees. As they struggled to drag a log, an Emperor Penguin suddenly appeared next to them. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a penguin.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this supposed to be more like the North Pole, not the South?¡± Curious, Jung Sanghoon tried to reach out to touch it, as the Vampiric dagger flew out, sinking into the Penguin¡¯s neck. ¡°Kill them as soon as you encounter them. If you let them live, they will bring back other penguins and try to steal our things. ¡± These Penguins were scavengers and thieves. Their image as adorable plushies was instantly shattered. ¡°What about their taste? Penguin meat shouldn¡¯t be too bad with all the fat they had to keep themselves warm.¡± Woohyuk however shook his head in response to Kim Dogyun¡¯s question. ¡°It has a fishy taste and is too chewy, so it isn¡¯t edible. Unless there is absolutely no other food, I wouldn¡¯t rmend it.¡± Even the legendary Cooking King, Hans, had said that penguin meat wasn¡¯t meant to be eaten. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Nam Kiryang appeared to be quite sad. ¡°Okay, well at least we still have those Stymphalian birds we can roast. ¡± ¡°Today¡¯s dinner will be fish.¡± In order to win over Hanster on, he had collected several live Stymphalian birds. As Triton approached holding the live birds in each hand, Woohyuk simply handed him some fishing gear. ¡°Catch enough for 12 people.¡± ¡°...¡± Triton received a fishing pole and a with a sad face, as he was instructed to catch them some fish. Sending a half-fish fishing, it was too cruel but he simply had no choice. ¡°Boss, what are the Gremlins like?¡± Lee Jaesung asked upon his return. ¡°It is simr to a Goblin, but more intelligent and crafty. They can resort to all kinds of trickery.¡± The big difference between the Gremlins and their cousin Goblins that could be found in Squally Mines, was that the Gremlins were good with tools. They could build rudimentary machinery and were adept at handling weapons. ¡°Incredible, they are like smart Goblins.¡± ¡°Originally they were nothing special.¡± That is until they were brainwashed by someone. Woohyuk looked up at the Bronze Rock mountain. Jake, the genius mage that had long ago disappeared from the Eeth continent. His hideout was now right under their noses. Chapter 24: Bronze Rock Mountain (2)

Chapter 24: Bronze Rock Mountain (2)

The camp waspleted by the time the sun had set. Log cabins, Watch towers, Barricades, as well a Campfire in the center that they¡¯d use for cooking. The defenses would all be necessary against the Stymphalian birds and Gremlins. Any camping gear they had previously bought from the Shop had disappeared after seven hours, making it useless for longer term bases. ¡°It reminds me of the old days.¡± ¡°Mr. Jung Sanghoon, did you fish while in the army?¡± ¡°He¡¯s had an extreme life.¡± The party was able to eat some grilled Rainbow Trout and Eel that had been caught by Triton. Always reminiscing about the old days on Earth Everyone had undergone their own hardships, sharing it with the others and takingfort in theirpany. ¡®They are quite close.¡¯ It was nice to see them bonding together and building some camaraderie. Woohyuk took a look at his Adventurer Watch as he enjoyed his grilled Eel on a stick. [Chun Woohyuk] - Job: Human adventurer - Title: Legendary Explorer (20% increase in Item drop rate from monsters, 20% increase in Perception and Speed when in a Historical site, Ruler of the Calm Sea (can summon Kraken and create underwater Air Bubbles.)] - Stats: Strength: 103 +10 (Grandia), +5 (Vampiric Dagger), +2 Goblin¡¯s Ring Vitality: 100 +30 (Basilisk¡¯s Scaled Armor Set), +30 (Berserker¡¯s ted Armor Set), +5 (diator¡¯s Belt) Dexterity: 102 +30 (Basilisk¡¯s Scaled Armor Set), +30 (Berserker¡¯s ted Armor Set)+3 (ck Machete) Intelligence: 47 +5 ( Ghost Queen Star Serpent) Spirit: 98 +5 (Calm Sea¡¯s Silence), +10 (Elder Lizardman¡¯s Fighting Spirit) The Stat bonuses associated with having two full Armor Sets was quite advantageous. When it came to Sets, the items would quickly take up the limited spaces avable in his diator Belt, but if one was able to obtain all the Set items, they could be bound together and take up only a single slot. ¡®My growth hasn¡¯t been too bad.¡¯ He had been hunting with seven Growth Rings for quite some time, so it hadn¡¯t been a problem to support his four Growth items. Also his current low Intelligence wasn¡¯t something that he was too worried with, he could always find a way to increase itter on. Instead, it was his Spirit that he was more concerned about. There were many creatures that could wield in High tier magic in Historical Sites. For this reason it was an absolute necessity to increase his resistance to magic by increasing his Spirit whenever he could. ¡®I should get it to at least 150.¡¯ Simply letting it grow naturally by obtaining experience points wasn¡¯t enough, he would need to use some special Jewelry Woohyuk stood up and joined his party. ¡°Tomorrow we will be exploring deep into the mines.¡± Jake¡¯s hideout had originally been a railway mine. Very dark and humid, just like an abyss. They would need good preparation before tackling this one. ¡°Once in the caves, everyone but me should always be moving around in pairs.¡± Their group only has five ck Machetes. The fear was that if someone without any night vision strayed from the group, they could easily get lost. I''ll let you guys figure out how to split yourselves up, but I will be needing the help of two or three of you to learn how to fight the Golems once I¡¯m gone.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be easy, so he needed those with good Dexterity and battle experience. Jung Sanghoon met his gaze as he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Anyone else. Also only those using leather armor can do it.¡± With that alone Lee Jaesung, Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna were excluded. It took but a moment before Nam Kiryang and Huang Donghwan volunteered. ¡°Just tell me what to do and I¡¯ll find a way to hunt them.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± Both of them could handle themselves in a fight. Woohyuk then took out three bronze spikes from his Pouch and handed them out to the three volunteers. ¡°I¡¯ll forge you some hammers to go along with them tomorrow.¡± Naturally a hammer would be necessary for his n with the spikes to work. Fortunately, due to the regr attack from the Stymphalion birds, they had more than enough feathers as raw materials. ¡°If three of us help you, then we will be an odd number left, and won¡¯t all be able to be in pairs.¡± ¡°One of you can just act as a reserve.¡± After the Boss was taken care of and the Secret Room plundered, they wouldn¡¯t need to venture too far into the mine because the Golems would appear about midway. ¡°We will be stepping into some tough battles soon, so I¡¯ll give you all a small reward ahead of time.¡± Woohyuk took out some Emperor Penguin eggs and handed them to Yoo Kayoung Everyone was about to stand up after cing their skewers on the ground, and were immediately surprised. ¡°Is that from a penguin?¡± ¡°They are so big.¡± Although penguin meat tasted terrible, their eggs were a delicacy. Watching the eggs boil in the pot, Lee Jaesung couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Boss, can I catch some Penguinster?¡± ¡°Sure, you guys can do what you want, just prioritize your own safety.¡± It was absolutely necessary to take risks in order to grow strong, but if you took it too far and lost your life, it was all for nothing. Woohyuk put down a stone mould and began carving out the shape of a hammer. Ting! Ting! Sharp banging sounds echoed far into the blizzard around them. * * * ¡°Huk Huk¡­¡± Nam Kiryang panted as he stared at the many fragments of bronze rocks scattered across the ground. He held a bronze hammer and spike in each hand. It had already been some time since they had stepped into the cave, but he had long ago lost track of how many Golems they had taken care of. Maybe it was more urate to say that they didn¡¯t have the time to keep count. Everyone of them had been constantly moving as they dealt with the many Golems and Gremlins. ¡®The Boss seems fine.¡¯ Seeing Woohyuk leap atop another Bronze Golem, Nam Kiryang tongue dropped in astonishment. Despite having fought for so long, he hadn¡¯t even slowed down a bit. Jung Sanghoon had served in the special forces, but even he admitted to being inferior to Woohyuk. Obviously since this was a game world, not everything relied onmon sense, but still he wondered how it could be possible. Wasn¡¯t he also human? Bang! The Bronze Golem¡¯s fist smacked into the ground, causing the entire cave to shake. Although it was very powerful, one simply had to avoid it. Woohyuk nimbly climbed up on its arm and hammered the spike into its right shoulder. Quazic Cracks began to appear on the Golem¡¯s bronze rocks, as some pieces crumbled and fell to the ground. Its left fist was already making its way towards him, but was toote. Taang! Thest hit managed to seal the deal, and the Golem¡¯s entire right arm fell down to the ground. Woohyuk, who had just dodged the left arm¡¯s strike by climbing onto its head, was now positioned above its left shoulder as he smacked another spike in. Quazic This time around he was aiming to reveal the Golem¡¯s core. The Bronze Golem tried to attack once more with its fist, but before it could connect its left arm also fell. He had been in its blindspot. Woohyuk waspletely immersed in this sculpting style of hunting. Shortly after a shiny blue core appeared through some cracks. It was the Bronze Golem¡¯s power source. After pulling it out, the Golem copsed into a pile of Bronze rocks, no longer having anything to hold it together. ¡°Is anyone hurt?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s just a scratch.¡± Jung Sanghoon answered as he raised his forearm. A light cut. The skin was torn, but it didn¡¯t seem deep enough to limit his mobility. ¡°Go and get treated by Song Anna.¡± Since they had just finished a battle, they could afford the small break. After checking to see that everyone was ready, they then resumed their exploration in the caves. It didn¡¯t take them long to reach the point where the railway tracks ended. Woohyuk turned around to his party and instructed. ¡°Drink a health potion if you aren¡¯t full, we will soon be facing the Boss monster. A masterpiece created by Jake while he had been living here. It was an incredibly difficult opponent for any team that was raiding it for the first time. Woohyuk first rified with his team a few points which they had to be aware of, and then proceeded ahead. They walked into arger space, focusing on the giant Bronze Golem standing in the center. ¡®It¡¯s been quite a while.¡¯ Last time around he had almost lost his life while trying to deal with it. The biggest difference it had with regr Bronze Golems was that it was able to shoot out Lightning. If you were to get too close to its body, it would send out its high voltage Chain Lightning, that would continuously jump between enemies. ¡°If you follow what I¡¯ve told you, we won¡¯t take much damage.¡± First Woohyuk ran forward, while his party spread out along the cavity¡¯s edges. They were waiting for Woohyuk to first secure the Bronze Golem Boss¡¯ aggro, before engaging. The Golem cast its Chain Lightning once he got too close, but Woohyuk calmly absorbed it as he ced a bronze spike on its right leg. Zizizic Some cracks began to appear, but it wasn¡¯t too much of a threat to it due to itsrge size. Just as he managed tond a second hammer strike on the spike, the Golem Boss¡¯rge metal fist made its way to Woohyuk¡¯s head. Quaaang! The entire cave trembled, as if an earthquake had just struck. Rocks even began to fall from the ceiling, shattering on the ground. A blow so powerful it had created a small pit in the stone floor. Its attack speed was also notably faster than the regr Bronze Golems. Still, it wasn¡¯t at a level that could threaten Woohyuk. Combat instincts forged after years of encountering all kinds of situations. His body had little to no wasted movements as he always sought the most optimal result. Tatadak Having leapt high into the air, he was now running along the Golem¡¯s arm. At the same time an invisible shockwave was sent out as it rippled like waves. Calm Sea¡¯s Silence. Using its effect to Silence any of the Golem¡¯s Skills or Abilities, Woohyuk took the chance to ce another spike on its shoulder and hammer away. The bronze spike was embedded deeply into the bronze rock, as deep cracks began to form. Although it looked as ridiculous as attempting to bring down a mountain with a set of tools, there really wasn¡¯t any other way. With Grandia¡¯s current Grade, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to leave a scratch on its body. ¡°You guys can now help as well.¡± Except for when it came to dealing with the Lighting magic, the strategy wasn¡¯t so differentpared to when they faced the ordinary Bronze Golems. Also, since it was still a golem after all and relied on an artificial power source, there would be a significant cool down after it used its magic several times. Woohyuk had secured it aggro and so all Lightning strikes would be first directed at him, making them easy to absorb. When the monster had discharged all of its magic, two of them appeared on each of its shoulders, hammering down their spikes. Meanwhile the rest of the party was busy dealing with the Gremlins that had appeared form a side passage. Although they were using their greater numbers and crashing into them wave after wave, Lee Jaesung stood at the front with hisrge Kite Shield, allowing the group to hold their ground. He also used his War Cry, giving a nice buff to the entire party. It was a very useful skill that could stack along with Song Anna¡¯s Flute buff. While they listened to the Flute¡¯s melody, they continued engaging the Gremlins. ¡°It¡¯s about the time, back off.¡± Hearing Woohyuk speak, the three holding bronze spikes jumped off the Golem¡¯s body,nding back on the ground. Shortly after, strong electrical currents could be seen spreading from its power source, coating its entire body. Chizzzzzic Woohyuk had jumped high into the air,nding safely on his Three wed Eagle that he had just summoned a short while ago. He then fired a few Ice Bolts towards the Bronze Golem Boss, just to ensure that he kept the aggro despite putting some distance between them. As he had expected, the Chain Lightning was sent his way. The Ghost Queen Star Serpent proceeded to hungrily devour the attack. After that Woohyuk controlled the Three wed Eagle to engage the Boss, keeping the aggro on himself. Thud! They continued their work with the spikes, until the sound of both its arms rang out throughout the cave. They had already dug quite deep, so it didn¡¯t take long to expose the buried power source and pull it out. Having lost its energy source, the Bronze Golem Boss likewise fell down to the ground into a pile of rubble. ¡°Huu...I thought I would die if it were tond just a single hit on me.¡± ¡°It looks like andslide urred here.¡± ¡°No more Lightning right?¡± The three of them holding bronze spikes wiped the sweat from their brow as they each had their ownment. Woohyuk briefly nced at them to make sure they were fine, before going to help out the other group. Swiish! Grandia cleaved through the remaining Gremlins one by one, cutting the weapons they held in their hands in two. After some time they were all put to rest, and silence reigned in the cave. ¡®Shall I go have a look?¡¯ The secret hideout of the Genius Mage, Jake. Woohyuk stepped over the pile of bronze stones as he walked towards the entrance. Chapter 25: Tomb Labyrinth (1)

Chapter 25: Tomb Labyrinth (1)

Srrrr A narrow passage appeared after he touched the engraved rune on the wall. Along the way, there were Moonstones embedded on the ceiling, so it wasn¡¯t too dark. Jabok jabok Woohyuk moved around,pletely at ease. It was a ce he had previously explored, so there wasn¡¯t any need to be worried about traps. He soon arrived at a smallboratory. He saw some vials containing bubbling blue liquid. Leftovers from failed experiments. This ce had been abandoned ever since Jake passed away, unable toplete his life¡¯s work due to a worsening disease. ¡®You just wanted your work to be recognized.¡¯ A man who had led an unfortunate life. He had to live in seclusion due to politics His research had been deemed sphemous by the Church, and his apprentices had all been hunted down and publicly executed. It was a dark age for Magic Engineering It had been a tremendous loss for all, and they had been subsequently unprepared to fight off the Demons. ¡®Then again, the clergy had no idea that their Gods would have been punished by the Creator himself.¡¯ The Eeth continent had fallen into chaos following the Gods¡¯ exodus. There was a good chance that Jake''s legacy would be useful in his journey. ¡®Last time around it had been Isaac that had obtained most of it.¡¯ Of course it waster lost to the Necromancer Logan. The research and items he had stolen from Isaac had no doubt had helped him extensively in his future experiments. Woohyuk went around theb, storing anything he found of use. [Jake¡¯s Pocket Watch] Category: Jewel Grade: C (Growth) Durability: 8000 Effect: Immobilizes beings that have been created as a result of Magical Engineering, for 10 seconds. ( 15 meter radius, limited to beings weaker than the user.) When used as a pendulum, can hypnotize weakened opponents [Jake¡¯s Hextech Ring] Category: Jewel Grade: C (Growth) Durability: 8000 Effect: Drive all experience points gained toward a single Stat ( 50% loss in efficiency). Summon Jake¡¯s Experiment Set. [Jake¡¯s Airwalker Boots] Category: Armor Grade: C (Growth) Durability: 8200 Effect: Can increase height of your jump by emitting air pressure from the sole of the boots. Also, it can instead suck in air, allowing one to stick to a wall or ceiling. [Jake¡¯s Research Journal] Category: Personal Items Effect: an exhaustive collection of iplete designs. With enough understanding and skill, they can be used as a basis for new Magical Engineering inventions. [(Boss) Bronze Golem¡¯s Belt] Category: Jewel Grade: C (Growth) Durability: 8000 Effect: +15 Spirit, 10 Equipment slots. [Organizational Scroll] Category: Consumable Effect: Can stack Items of the same type into a single slot. However, any misceneous materials will be lost. ¡®That¡¯s pretty good.¡¯ The Hextech Ring was useful if you werecking in a particr Stat. Of course there was the 50% loss as a penalty, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Jake¡¯s Airwalker Boots on the other hand would make it much easier to explore certain Historical Sites. Especially for higher tier Historical Sites, the improved mobility gave him more options. Jake¡¯s Pocket Watch could be used to interrogate prisoners, hypnotizing them to quickly get the answers you needed. Unlike the Lizardmen¡¯s Poison which was disposable, this couldst forever as long as you didn¡¯t neglect the durability. Everything was useful, it was quite the haul. Bronze Rock mountain had more itemspared to the other areas they¡¯d ovee, because it was closest to the map¡¯s center. After transferring all his items from his diator¡¯s Belt, to his new one, Woohyuk then left theb. ¡°We are all done over here.¡± ¡°Will we be heading back to base?¡± ¡°Might as well go and have some lunch.¡± He had left Triton behind to guard the base, so there was nothing to worry about. Any Penguins that tried toe and plunder, wouldn¡¯t be his match. ¡°Here, wear this from now on.¡± Woohyuk handed Lee Jaesung his diator''s Belt, then took out his Pocket Watch. He picked out a Gremlin which had just appeared from the passage way, and used the Hypnotic effects on it. ¡°I am the God of Gremlins. If you disobey any of my order three generations of your species shall be cursed.¡± The Gremlin¡¯s eyes widened as it stared at the pocket watch swinging back and forth. * * * Woohyuk had hypnotized ten Gremlins into defending their new base. They were good with their hands, quickly building themselves a resting area near the camp. They then went ahead andpleted any defensive structures ording to their instructions. Now, even if the Stymphalian birds were to attack, they wouldn¡¯t be able to cause any damage. Since they had managed to settle down and the group''s situation was stable, Woohyuk left them behind as he headed over to the next area. [Valley of Kings] A desert zone where the three paths of each side would meet. Just like its name indicated, it was basically a t road with several valleys interconnected in aplicated mess. A ce whereby properly making use of the terrain, one could defeat arger force using gueri warfare. Of course, there was no one lying in wait for Woohyuk. Just like in the previous stage, the very best reward would be found in the center of the map. If you managed to destroy a Fossil Dragon which could whip up sandstorms, you would receive 100 coins and your allies would each receive 10. There was also a Faction Buff that wouldst an entire day. Faction buffs could also be stacked if your side managed to hunt several Epic monsters. 1 Stack : 15% increase in Health and Mana Regeneration. 2 Stacks: 15% increase in damage dealt to Monsters. 3 Stacks: 15% increase in Movement Speed. 4 Stacks: 15% increase in damage dealt to yers Fossil Dragons would respawn after 3 days, so controlling the center was very important. Of course, there were also many items to be found that improved your own personal strength. For example, smack in the middle of the Valley of Kings, there was the Twilight Tower. It had multiple floors and you would receive a reward for thepletion of each level. It was something that all had attempted, no matter how fierce the Faction battles had be. ¡®The difficulty of that tower is no joke.¡¯ A Historical Site meant to test humanity¡¯s limits. It was naturally something that he couldn¡¯t pass on, because he hade back in time for that very reason, to achieve the impossible. ¡®But it isn¡¯t time yet.¡¯ There was no point in challenging it right now. It wasn¡¯t going anywhere and the Canyon Battle wouldst quite a while. It wouldn¡¯t be toote to return after first exploring other Historical Sites. Then the first ce in the Valley of Kings to visit should be¡­ [Tomb Labyrinth] It was a Historical Site whose existence had been rather unknown. Hidden within a cave found deep in a gorge, a narrow space between two cliffs facing each other. The cave entrance was so remote that it would take a truly peculiar person to discover it. ¡®That guy definitely wasn¡¯t normal.¡¯ Logan had been famous for his entric personality, but at the time that he had discovered the Tomb, he hadn¡¯t been anything special. He had seen some goats climbing up and down the cliff wall using their powerful legs and hooves, and it had caught his attention. He then set out to capture a Golden Goat, and rode it to climb the highest cliff for the thrill. He then rode the goat on the way down, jumping along the cliff walls before stumbling upon the Tomb. It wasn¡¯t that he had been searching for a Historical Site, he was just aplete weirdo that lived for the thrill of danger. Riding the goat on the cliffs was just a high for him. ¡®Logan¡¯s method wasn¡¯t bad...¡¯ The Golden Goat was a good mount, strong and slim, but it wasn¡¯t easy to catch. It wasn¡¯t restricted to a single area and would roam around the valley, making it a matter of luck. As he stood before the steep cliff wall, not looking down as Woohyuk steadied his breathing. Just the sight of staring into the gorge¡¯s deep abyss, would give him a fright. ¡®I can¡¯t use the Three wed Eagle this time.¡¯ There were numerous Gargoyle statues ced near the entrance of the Tomb Labyrinth. A defensive measure against any that would employ such a shortcut. They reacted only to flying mounts, and had a surprisingly high Agility. Fight the Gargoyles in such a narrow space was basically suicide. Anyways, he had his own method. ¡®Let¡¯s start.¡¯ Equipping Jake¡¯s Airwalker Boots, he stepped front and cautiously took his first step down Srrrk His boot began to slide down, and the friction it caused led rocks fragments to fall into the darkness. It seemed that the suction ability of a single boot wasn¡¯t enough to hold his entire weight for an extended period of time. Tak He stopped sliding down as soon as his left foot pressed up against the wall. He stuck out like a tree rooted to the cliff. He then proceeded to take one step at the time, making his way down to the cave entrance as if he were taking a stroll. ¡®Works pretty well.¡¯ It almost felt like he was walking across a frozenke. The key was to maintain a steady pace. As soon as he lost his bnce or moved too quickly he might fall down to the ground and die. There was no reason not to be extra careful. After quite some time, he finally arrived near the cave. Woohyuk hung his arms around the Gargoyle¡¯s neck, swinging and using the moment to arrive at the cave¡¯s ceiling. The sole of the boot continuously sucked in air, attempting to remain glued to the ceiling for as long as possible. Shortly after his left foot came down, and he was rooted in ce. Having sessfully passed that critical moment, Woohyuk could finally let out a sigh before jumping down to the cave¡¯s floor. He could hear the wailing of dead spiritsing from deep within the cave ¡®Logan, your ss shall be mine.¡¯ The ability to summon and controlrge numbers of Undead. Logan¡¯s past achievements were a testament to its power. There was also the need to conquer death, if he wanted to challenge for the Divine Throne. ¡®The Necromancer ss is one of the best for solo yers.¡¯ All he would need was a corpse, to summon a soldier. Unlike humans, they didn¡¯t need to eat or sleep and werepletely loyal. In essence, even if he only had a small team with him, he wouldn¡¯t be easily outnumbered with such a ss. ¡®I need to make it to that Secret Room before Logan does.¡¯ He had no idea when it was that he¡¯d arrive, so he had to hurry up. Woohyuk raised Grandia as he walked along the cave. Paddk Upon turning the corner, he encountered a Skeleton Soldier holding a sword and buckler in each hand. It was a rather difficult undead to deal with because one had to shatter its bones to destroy it. Naturally this wasn¡¯t an issue for Woohyuk. Swoosh! A vertical sh from Grandia split the Skeleton in two, the quick movement causing a small gust of wind. Shaaaa The blue magic burst for Skeleton¡¯s bones as it scattered into the wind like dust. At the same time however, a couple of arrows flew out towards Woohyuk. Whuic Whuic Skeleton Archers. Woohyuk calmly dodged the iing arrows, and countered with a Chain Lightning. A sharp crackling sound broke out as the lightning jumped from skeleton to skeleton. ¡®I knew it would be useful here, so I¡¯ve stored quite a lot of them.¡¯ He had managed to buy bits and pieces of info about the Dead Man¡¯s Labyrinth from information brokers, but of course didn¡¯t know all of the Site¡¯s details. There had been a few that had managed to enter this ce aside from Logan, but not many of them had survived. In such an unknown area, it was best to move around carefully. ¡®Alright, Tomb Labyrinth.¡¯ Akunaton, a king that wanted to maintain his power even after his death. He had invited the Dark Wizard Nakron to study the secrets of immortality. An endeavor that had continued for ten years, uninterrupted. Even if the treasury had long run dry or a gue had broken out, all of the King¡¯s focus was on this research. Eventually Akunaton had been assassinated by his younger brother, his corpse ced in thisbyrinth that he has spent most of his life designing. There is a legend that says that Nakron was able toter resurrect him, but it remained unconfirmed. Logan was the only one to have explored the deepest regions of the Labyrinth and live to tell the tale. ¡®It¡¯s really too bad I wasn¡¯t able to obtain it back then.¡¯ If only he had been able to read the Adventurer¡¯s Log in Logan¡¯s watch, it would have made this trip so much easier. Woohyuk clicked his tongue as he kept exploring. Since it was designed as a King¡¯s tomb, there were far more traps than in other ruins. Poisonous arrows shooting out form the walls, ground copsing into a pit filled with sharpened spears, this ce had it all. ¡®Is this the right way?¡¯ The maze was soplicated that it would have been nice to have Ariadne¡¯s Thread. Although he really wanted to eat the Paradise Fruit, in the end Woohyuk chose not to. He was confident enough to ovee this Historical Site with his own ability. Sagak Sagak Using the Vampiric dagger, he left a mark on the wall. With his 40 years of experience as an adventurer, there were no Sites in this world he could not conquer. Chapter 26: Tomb Labyrinth (2)

Chapter 26: Tomb Labyrinth (2)

Having no idea how much time had passed, Woohyuk finally arrived before the first Boss of the Labyrinth. [Skeleton Knight] Blue mes flickered within its hollow eye sockets, as an ominous ck energy leaked out from its two-handed sword. [Superior Undead] Even among necromancer summons, there were different tiers of undead. The higher its tier, the stronger its power and skills were, as well as how many subordinates it could lead. ¡®Another one of Nakron¡¯s pets.¡¯ [Nakron, King of the Dark Wizards] The secret behind his power was never uncovered, but one thing was for certain. ¡®He is the very best Necromancer.¡¯ Knowing the Historical Site¡¯s background was quite important. For that reason, grave robbers, who preferred the term archaeologist, would do a lot of research prior to any exploration. It was the same concept as a student studying about his teacher¡¯s style before undertaking a big test. ¡®Maybe it truly is all part of a test.¡¯ He didn¡¯t believe for a single second that Nakron hade to this Tomb Labyrinth simply to uphold his promise with Akunaton. In his view, that puppet king was nothing but a toy. He had quite the entric personality himself, so he needed to think differently if he wanted to ce himself in his shoes. As Woohyuk¡¯s mind was upied with such thoughts, the Skeleton Knight had begun his charge from atop his Skeletal Warhorse. Tagdak Tagdak The sound of its hooves resounding across the cave, as the knight swung itsrge sword, creating a gust of wind. Woohyuk dodged to the side, evading the Skeleton Knight¡¯s deadly charge. However he didn¡¯t stand idle, activating Grandia¡¯s Destruction Rune as he severed the horse¡¯s front limbs. ¡°Kheee!¡± The horse tumbled down to the ground, crying in pain. Before the Skeleton Knight was able to pick itself back up from the fall, Woohyuk¡¯s shadow was upon it. Bak He severed the Skeleton Knight¡¯s left arm and it fell down to the ground, the bone turning to dust. Seeing it in an awful state, Woohyuk raised Grandia up high in order to deliver the killing blow. Whiaaaak At that very moment however, the ck aura that had been surrounding the greatsword, shot out towards Woohyuk. [Legion of Vengeful Spirits] An ability that could overwhelm the opponent¡¯s mind and take over their body. Taang! Fortunately he was able to neutralize it with a sh of his sword. The Destruction Rune was able to affect Spirits. As he endured the Spirits¡¯ painful cries, Woohyuk dodged the Skeleton Knight¡¯s sh and then... Paddk Severed the Skeleton Knight in half with an indomitable downward sh. With those skills it was simply 100 years too early for it to threaten Woohyuk. That would have been the case whether it was alive or undead. Saah As the blue me in the Skeleton Knights eyes disappeared, its bones shattered and turned to dust, scattering with the wind. Woohyuk looked at its remains as he clicked his tongue. ¡®I purposely didn''t break its sword.¡¯ He felt it had simply been a bit more troublesomepared to his usual way of handling things. Woohyuk walked over to the fallen Skeletal Horse, sitting on it as he took a short break. A Historical Site consisting countless Undead, the many battles slowly eating away at his Stamina. ¡®How long have I been here?¡¯ About a day had passed, in which he had been exploring nonstop, as he reached rather deep into thebyrinth. ¡®I need to eat something.¡¯ Even if he could keep going due to his strong mental fortitude, if he were to skip out on eating and sleeping, his fighting ability was sure to suffer. Woohyuk took out some ingredients and began cooking. It didn¡¯t take him very long since he was only making some beef bibimbap. It was mostly boiling water for the rice and adding some sesame oil on top. Once the rice was cooked, he ate his beef bibimbap with a stic spoon. ¡®Thesebat rations are so delicious.¡¯ What had he eaten over the course of thest 40 years? The faces of all his former subordinates, including Leifina came to mind. ¡®It had been my mistake, only picking subordinates based solely on their fighting ability. ¡¯ It was starting to be clear to him why he hadn¡¯t been able to reach the Divine Throne back then. The Gods would eat various rare delicacies, but he never sampled even a single one. ¡®Wait for me Hans, I¡¯ming for you.¡¯ It was just another reason to quickly settle his business here and leave the Tomb Labyrinth. After drinking thest of the miso soup, Woohyuk set off once again with renewed vigor. * * * The second Boss he encountered was an Undead Cyclops. It was a one-eyed giant that enjoyed eating human flesh just like the Minotaurs, and were also known for their perverse sexual acts. Even after its death, these traits remained. In fact, it had even been strengthened by Nakron¡¯s spells, giving it abilities that it previously didn¡¯t have. Wharrrr A me flew out from the Cyclops mouth, heading straight for Woohyuk. It was simr to a Dragon¡¯s Breath. Woohyuk slinked to the side, dodging the me as he unleashed an Ice Bolt at the Cyclop¡¯s feet. He started off by reducing its mobility before engaging it in full. ¡°Kuruaruarua!¡± With its feet frozen stiff, its single eye shes red while it swung its spiked club. Out of nowhere, a single spike on the club shot out like an arrow towards Woohyuk. It must be pretty enraged. Still it wasn¡¯t on a level that could catch Woohyuk off guard, as he relied on his senses and perception to dodge any iing spikes. Eventually he had closed the distance and Grandia¡¯s sharp edge had all but reached the Cyclops. Wharrrr Rather than evading or defending, the Cyclops chose to counter attack instead with its me breath. With the fighting spirit of a lion, the Cyclops didn¡¯t value its undead life, looking instead to drag down Woohyuk and make them die together. Whuiaaang The jet of mes was split in two with Grandia¡¯s sh, and as soon as they dissipated, Woohyuk tossed an Ice Bolt into the Cyclop¡¯s open mouth. ¡°Kurua?¡± The Cyclops used its hands to touch its now frozen mouth, with a look of incredulity. While it was distracted, a shadow loomed above its head. Swoosh! The Cyclop¡¯s head swirled through the air, before falling down on the ground. A grayish-brown blood spurting out from the severed neck. Woohyuk didn¡¯t stop there however, continuing to cut its body up into small pieces in order to make it more difficult for it to rise up once more. ¡°Huu..¡± Landing back on the ground, Woohyuk let out a sigh as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. A fight where he had to push his body to the limit, his low stamina making his movements sluggish ¡®I can feel it now.¡¯ That sense that made one feel alive. To Woohyuk who had faced death on so many asions, he was very familiar with the feeling. It had been the case for the past 40 years, whenever he stood at the crossroads between life and death, Woohyuk would feel a calmness in his heart. A feeling that gave him confidence that he was treading on the right path. Now that he thought about it, death had always been right by his side, whether he liked it or not. As he reminisced about his past, Woohyuk set forth once more. His long ck shadow stretched out as he passed a torch. * * * He had yet to encounter the third Boss, and was instead faced with a group of undead. The one which was now approaching Woohyuk, was a Duhan. A headless knight that rode around carrying its head with one hand. It was one of the undead that was difficult to deal with physical damage alone, because it was equipped with heavy te armor. Naturally it wasn¡¯t difficult for Woohyuk to deal with. Kazik! He split the Duhan¡¯s in two at the waist, immediately after casting Chain Lightning at the other Undead Spirits. Zizzizizic After dealing with the remaining undead, Woohyuk carefully observed his surroundings. It looked no different than the other rooms where he had faced off against the previous Bosses, but somehow he could feel a lingering dark energy. ¡®Could it be a vengeful spirit?¡¯ If it was a Higher-tier Spirit, it was possible for it to be invisible for a certain period of time. Woohyuk raised Grandia as he pushed his senses to the limit. Whuiic! A spiked metal ball, attached to a chain dropped from the ceiling, swinging in an arc. As soon as Woohyuk jumped and rolled to the side to dodge it, a series of poisonous arrows shot out from the wall. Ting! Ting! He used the Ghost Queen Star Serpent¡¯s effect to erect a translucent shield around him, deflecting the arrows. A chain trap. If you managed to avoid the first one, the second would be lying in wait. ¡®You don¡¯t seem to want to reveal yourself so easily.¡¯ Feeling the increase in difficulty, Woohyuk stared cautiously at the spiked ball in the air. It was quite annoying to deal with since it could sense the intruder and act ordingly. ¡®I¡¯ll have to deal with that thing first.¡¯ Woohyuk chose to jump up instead of dodging to the side. Huoooouk Bursts of air were sent out from his Airwalker Boots, allowing him to jump far above the ball. Karang! Grandia¡¯s sharp edge managed to cut through the metal chain, causing the spiked ball to roll helplessly on the ground. Thud! As the heavy sound of the collision rang out in the room, Woohyuknded back on the ground and spoke out. ¡°Enough hiding, it is useless.¡± Even if the Spirit was invisible, he could guess its identity. For one to only utilize traps and hide themselves until the very end¡­ ¡®It has to be Akunaton himself.¡¯ At first he was confused as to why Nakron had returned to find the dead king, but it was clear that he had turned Akunaton into a Wraith, to serve as the third Boss. He might be thest one, since I don¡¯t see any other passage leading elsewhere. ¡°You seem to be very confident in yourself,grave robber. Do you know whose tomb this is?¡± After a short time, the spirit replied. As he had expected, it was indeed Akunaton. A Wraith whose body was virtually undetectable, unless you were fully focused on its silhouette. He might have some useful information, so Woohyuk decided to suck up to him a bit. ¡°I know all about you, Akunaton. You were a good king, only that you betrayed your brother, dying by his hand.¡± ¡°Then why are you interrupting my slumber? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being cursed by the dead?¡± Hearing Woohyuk praise him, Akunaton¡¯s voice softened somewhat. He must have been one of those that was weak to ttery in his life. There was also a possibility that he could learn some clues that would lead him to Nakron, so Woohyuk focused intensely on the situation. ¡°I am but an Archaeologist that hase here seeking the truth. I don¡¯t have anything inmon with those grave robbers.¡± ¡°Is that true? Is it regarding a history about me?¡± ¡°Right, I am searching for artifacts that may unearth the truth in history. Currently you are remembered as a king that lived a life of opulence and debauchery, even raping your own daughter.¡± The words Woohyuk spoke were actually true. It wasmon for history to be rewritten by the victors, and Akunaton¡¯s case was no exception. ¡°I was but a man in search of the secrets to immortality. Who has spread such absurd rumours?¡± ¡°Maybe you should ask Nakron, he must know everything regarding the situation.¡± ¡°Nakron! That ungrateful wizard, I never want to see him again. He turned me into this, and even used my children in experiments. As Akunaton spoke about Nakron, he got quite worked up, his booming voice echoing throughout the chamber. ¡°Will you help me prove the truth? The way I see it there might not be anyone else but meing here.¡± ¡°... Of course brave Archaeologist, take this and head to the hidden room over there.¡± After handing Woohyuk a golden key, Akunaton turned his head and pointed towards the wall with an engraved rune. Seeing the door to the Secret Room, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. ¡°Is it possible to gain entrance without defeating you?¡± ¡°Normally not, but those who are chosen by me are an exception.¡± ¡°What do you mean by chosen?¡± ¡°The golden key you have in your hands. I usually keep it in a separate dimension, far out of reach of any grave robbers.¡± ording to his words, if he had simply cut him down, he might not have obtained the same golden key. Woohyuk wondered if Logan had made the same decision back then. ¡°Do you know what is inside?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, all I know is that there are also some treasures in there which Nakron had stolen from me.¡± ¡°Hearing him mention treasure, he couldn¡¯t help but think of the Golden Chalice which Logan had been so proud of.¡± A magical item that would be filled with wine by simply pouring some mana into it. ¡®This time I won¡¯t have to listen to any stories about that guy¡¯s achievements.¡¯ Logan was the type to boast to his enemies. The only reason he could learn so much about this Tomb was because Logan boasted so often to his enemies. Although that was now all in the past, it had be very useful information for Woohyuk. Woohyuk ced his hand on the engraved rune, as he imagined the face of Logan who would work so hard just to arrive here for nothing. Chapter 27: Necromancer

Chapter 27: Necromancer

Srrrrrk What previously looked like an ordinary wall, formed the shape of a door and sank in. As Woohyuk was about to step inside, Akunaton said his goodbyes. ¡°I¡¯ll count on you to please get the truth out and banish those lies said about me. ¡± Once the rune had been activated, the magic that kept him bound to this ne disappeared. After watching him vanish into particles of blue light, Woohyuk walked into the Secret Room. The inside of the room was iner than he had expected. For a room that hid such treasures, he had expected to see a lot more gold. Instead the murals were full of murals rted to Akunaton. There might be some meaning behind them, but the real reward was more pressing. Using the golden key to open the treasure chest, he found an old leather bound book. [Nakron¡¯s Grimoire] Category: Consumable Effect: Passes on all of Nakron¡¯s knowledge to his sessor. A terrible curse is ced on any who read this without being a Necromancer. ¡®Grimoire...¡¯ Usually it would contain some strong magic and spells. Its main purpose was basically to pass on knowledge to others. Depending on the author¡¯s will, it could be simply reading the actual content, or an illusory setup to teach certain skills. In his case, he was almost certain to gain something rted to the Necromancer ss. Nakron was a Wizard that had specialized in the field of Death. Woohyuk ced the Grimoire in his Pouch and then looked at the item ced on the altar. [ss Change Scroll: Necromancer] Category: Consumable Effect: Hidden ss, obtain the Necromancer ss. [Akunaton¡¯s Golden Chalice] Category: Personal Item Effect: Produces the wine which Akunaton loved most. Drinking it will relieve pain, as well as increase all resistances by 20% for 10 minutes. [Scroll: Teleportation] Category: Consumable Effect: Teleports to any location you¡¯ve previously visited. ¡®It was an instant scroll.¡¯ It must have been the reason they had missed Logan back then, despite having the area locked down. An item that could be used not only in this Canyon Battle, but also on the Eeth continent. Although it was a consumable, it could bring you to any location you¡¯ve ever visited, without the need for a dimensional portal. This kind of item wasn¡¯t easy to obtain, so he would have to save it forter. After collecting all the loot, Woohyuk immediately activated the Necromancer ss scroll. [Advanced to Hidden ss, Necromancer.] [Affinity with the dead increased by 25%] [Resistance to Dark Magic increased by 25%] [Unique spell: Rise of the Dead] ¡®Is that all?¡¯ There was only a single skill that apanied the ss. Woohyuk then went to sit on the altar, as he activated Nakron¡¯s Grimoire. His surroundings instantly vanished, turning into a sandy desert as a middle aged man appeared before him. A lifeless face, dressed in a dark red robe and wielding a Bone Staff. It could only be Nakron. ¡°Congrattion for passing my trials. If you want to be a true Necromancer, carefully read this book from end to end, every character within carries a deep meaning.¡± An illusion created by the remnant magic within the book. The question was meaningless, naturally he would choose the ss aftering so far. A short whileter, Nakron continued. ¡°The path you will walk won¡¯t be easy, but an unimaginable reward awaits you at the end.¡± He seemed to be referring to the second tier ss advancement. Even that loudmouth Logan had never mentioned any of this. ¡®It looks like Logan didn¡¯t receive this.¡¯ He must have seen the chest, but been unable to open it. Finally he understood why he would brag so much about his exploration of the Labyrinth. At first he thought it was just that he was proud, but now it was clear that there was a certainplex involved. He probably resorted to everything before giving up. The treasure chests in Secret Room were indestructible, and couldn¡¯t be moved either. ¡°Before ending our greeting, I will tell you one thing. There is a gift I hid away for you, if you are able to obtain it, it will be of great use to you on your journey.¡± Nakron pointed to the Twilight Tower. A Historical Site which even Logan hadn¡¯t been able to conquer. He had never imagined that it had been connected to Nakron. ¡°Then I wish you the best of luck, you who wish to walk the path of the dead.. A heavy sandstorm engulfed Nakron, as the illusion copsed. Woohyuk then began reading Grimoire''s first page. It was his first time seeing such anguage, but he could somehow understand it immediately. The early pages didn¡¯t have a high degree of difficulty, so the required Intelligence was rather low. The problem was once again his Spirit. Reading this old book requiredplete focus, and would quickly sap your mental energy. Of course he would be able to read it quicker if he had a higher Intelligence Stat, but he couldn¡¯t wait that long. The Twilight Tower was such that it couldn¡¯t be conquered if he didn¡¯t take the time to delve into the book¡¯s secrets. Apparently Nakron had hidden some clues rted to it in this Grimoire, so he had to find them as soon as possible. Sarrrk The sound of him flipping pages rang out in the chambers lit with torches. * * * Woohyuk began to form his army of Undead inside of the Tomb Labyrinth, as he continued to peruse Nakron¡¯s Grimoire. It wasn¡¯t all that difficult to do. They were originally bound to Nakron, so at first wouldn¡¯t heed hismand. Still, most of them had begun to see reason after being properly beaten and whipped. After spending a day¡¯s time on this, he had gathered quite a force. ¡®Twelve Skeleton Knights , six Skeleton Archers, eight, Duhans, two Mummies....¡± The two Bosses that had been killed were also revived, unfortunately their condition wasn¡¯t because he had done a real number on them using Grandia. After Reverse Summoning his undead, Woohyuk stepped out of the Labyrinth. His next destination was now the enemy faction¡¯s Fantasy Swamp. One of the main reasons for heading over there was to score First Blood. The rewards for killing the first yer from the opposing faction in this Canyon Battle were plentiful. One Leadership Point and 50 Ancient Coins. Considering that the level of difficulty wasn¡¯t all that high, it was quite a decent reward. ¡®I need to get some meritorious achievements.¡¯ In order to freely explore the Historical Sites all around the map, he needed to first break down the enemy¡¯s morale somewhat. Of course he couldn¡¯t overdo it, else he risked ending the Canyon Battle prematurely. He would have to kill in moderation, earning just the right amount of skill points and coins. Any monsters he woulde across on the enemy¡¯s hunting grounds would be a bonus as well. ¡®By now I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve encountered the Elder Lizardman.¡¯ Most of the people would skip the Blue Misty Forest entirely. It was easy to lose your way, and there would be a lot of infighting within your own faction. It might have gone on even longer had it not been for the first wave of Ghost minions summoned from the Barracks. It was one of the reasons why it was so important to always keep the Barracks going, churning out new troops. ¡®I¡¯ll need to kill those minions as well.¡¯ The minions would move in a straight line to the opposing side¡¯s Citadel. However because they were Ghosts, they wouldn¡¯t get bogged down by swamps orkes, and also note under the attack of any monsters. It would be problematic if either your Barracks wasn¡¯t producing, or if your minions were being killed by the opposing faction. Woohyuk made his way across the Valley of Kings, while his mind was elsewhere. Since the minions from both sides would fight each other, there was an inherent bnce so long as there wasn¡¯t any external intervention. Of course, the adventurers wouldn¡¯t leave them alone though. The minions would drop items when killed, and so, after about a week the other side hade up with a devious n. An attempt to control the minion wave. A strategy which involved slowly killing off the opponent¡¯s minions, while reducing the casualties on your side. Eventually, arge wave of ghost minions would build up on your end, that you can use to invade deep into enemy territory. For a level 1 Barracks, a typical wave consisted of 12 Ghost minions. It took them quite a while to arrive into the enemy¡¯s territory and would be expected to engage with their opponents rather often. Originally they would sustain simr casualties as their counterparts, so a bnce existed, but if there was any external assistance, the difference between the two could grow significantly. ¡®It had been chaos back then.¡¯ They had felt safe due to the presence of minions, when suddenly enemy¡¯s minions had started showing up on their side and in greater numbers. Invading their hunting spots. There had even been some cases of them entering the Citadel and managing to inflict some casualties. Aplete failure in defending their borders. This time around he had made his own preparations, not wanting to repeat any of his previous mistakes. ¡®I¡¯ll kill the guy who came up with this n.¡¯ It had been an ordinary adventurer that had suggested the strategy. Before being summoned to this world, he had yed aputer game that had been quite simr to the Canyon Battle, and so he knew many strategies that could be applied here to make their opponents'' lives more difficult. [Lee Shinwoo] It wasn¡¯t just once or twice that he had suffered due to that guy. The strategy to make an early invasion into the opponent¡¯s side had all been his doing. Since he was only a regr subordinate and not a leader, it would be rather easy to take him out. Not to mention, that he had also taken the middle path, just like Woohyuk. Suguk Woohyuk raised his head , while splitting a Giant Scorpion that had jumped out of the sand in two. It was still a long walk to the opposing side¡¯s Stymphalion Lake, and he couldn¡¯t use his Three wed Eagle here because of the many Gargoyle statues hidden across the entire Valley of Kings. If his Eagle were to be caught and petrified by the Gargoyles while in midair, he would find himself in quite the pickle. ¡®It would be nice to catch a Golden Goat.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t to the extent that he would dedicate a significant amount of time to track it down, but he would definitely capture it if it were to pass by. A mount that was able to jump up and down cliffs with ease, despite carrying an adult on its back. Not to mention that it was also considered as a rare cooking ingredient, and could be used to rope in Hanster on. As Woohyuk was making his way across the map, a Goat¡¯s bleat rang out. ¡®What a good timing.¡¯ He had to admit that he had quite the luck when it came to material gains, but was truly too unlucky when it came to the most important moments. Not far away from him, an entire tribe of goats were climbing a rocky cliff. ¡®I was truly amazed by the sight of them when I first saw them climb.¡¯ Even back on Earth, mountain goats had been excellent climbers, just that he hadn¡¯t been aware of it. A very interesting animal. Sometimes they might be hunted byrge Desert Eagles that would push them down the cliff with their sharp ws, hunting them as prey. Woohyuk waited patiently, because he wasn¡¯t confident in catching them if he approached directly. From here, he could tell that the goats seemed to be heading towards a certain oasis. A ce within the desert that had clear water, palm trees and nts. He climbed the cliff using Jake¡¯s Airwalker boots, carefully tracking their tribe. In the Valley of Kings, there were many oases that it was easy to be lost if you only relied on them, so they couldn¡¯t be used asndmarks for directions. ¡®There were always incidents urring around an Oasis. ¡¯ All the Goats had ended up dying to this one instance of poisoned spring¡¯s water. It was alsomon to use an Oasis as a camp, due to the cover of the trees. Of course if this were to be discovered by the opposing faction, they would use fire attacks to take advantage of the situation. ¡®I don¡¯t have to worry about all that right now.¡¯ Woohyuk was after all the first person to reach the Valley of Kings. The earliest any other adventurer might get here would be on day 7. After arriving at the oasis, Woohyuk hid his presence as he approached the Golden Goats. They were busy quenching their thirst, their heads down, slurping the spring water. Grab Woohyuk jumped onto the back of one of the Golden Goats, causing it to buck in surprise and cry out. ¡°Maaaeeee!¡± None came to its aid however. The other goats were all frightened and cried out as they backed away. None of them had chosen to charge and attack with their imposing curled horns. Stiish! He smacked the Golden Goats rear with his leather whip, as Woohyuk grabbed its horns and did his best not to be thrown off. Just like Logan had boasted, it was very much like a bucking bronco The point was to defeat it in a battle of power, and then give it some food as a prize. The stick first, only then the carrot. When the Golden Goat was finally exhausted and copsed to the ground, Woohyuk stood up and brought a herb to its mouth. It was the Golden Goats favorite food. Catching sight of it, its eyes glimmered excitedly. ¡°Meeeee¡± Its cry had changed to one that was rather obedient. Woohyuk stroked the Golden Goat¡¯s head, a text appeared before him. [Land Mount: Sessfully tamed a Golden Goat.] [Earned a ¡®Golden Horn¡¯ as a reward for this Achievement.] ¡®So this is the Golden Horn that Logan was always so proud of. Staring at the horn on his palm, Woohyuk held a satisfied smile. It was a musical instrument that doubled the Mana and Stamina Regeneration of any allies who heard it. It was even decent enough for him to use when he was solo. Woohyuk blew the horn, and the other goats approached as if they¡¯d been possessed. It might as well have been a death sentence for them. Chapter 28: Necromancer 2

Chapter 28: Necromancer 2

¡°Saaave me!¡± A man struggling to stay afloat in the swamp waters cried for help, but not one even so much as took a second nce at him. The battle against the Lizardmen was now in full swing, and everyone was busy taking care of themselves. They werepletely outnumbered. A situation where even if you managed to kill one, two would take its ce and there was no end in sight. ¡®Shit¡¯ Lee Shinwoo ground his teeth while watching the guy sinking into the swamp, until he couldn¡¯t even see his hair anymore. Despite the fact that they couldn¡¯t move around properly due to the ongoing Mirage, the Lizardmen just kept oning. Chang! Chang! The sharp sounds of metal nging rang out across the battlefield. There was simply no time to catch your breath. Lee Shinwoo threw the Trident in his hand. Puuk! It nailed a Lizardman Archer in the head, causing it to copse. Resorting to long range attacks using whatever weapons he could find around him. For now it was just the safer way to fight. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t take any unnecessary risks.¡¯ In order to survive until the very end, he had to resort to some tricks. This was also a kind of strategy game, and the survival rate varied greatly depending on what role you yed. ¡®I¡¯m not some cannon fodder like those guys out there.¡¯ He was someone who had gained recognition from their leader, Na Sangyoon. When it came to strategizing, there where none better than him. An ability that pro gamers had developed back on Earth. His value waspletely different from those adventurers that had been allowed to join simply to fill the numbers. Even if he wasn¡¯t too active in the battle, no one would me him.He was someone that had to be protected. Without his brilliant strategies, they wouldn¡¯t even have won theirst battle. This current map was very simr to a game he had yed long ago, ¡®Aeon Of Strife¡¯. He had yed a key role in his team winning multiple trophies in globalpetitions. If he were to help Na Sangyoon to the best of his abilities, they were sure to emerge victorious. The problem was only the right timing. If he were to divulge his tactics all at once, then his value would drop drastically. ¡®It¡¯s important to take my time.¡¯ Pro gamer Lee Shinwoo, everything was a game for him. Survival games, strategy games, psychological games¡­. The rules may be different, but at the core they are the same. There would always be winners and losers. ¡®I¡¯m going to trample over all thepetition!¡¯ In order to win, there was nothing he wasn¡¯t willing to do! Making that promise to himself, Lee Shinwoo picked up another trident. As he searched for a suitable target, the sound of loud footsteps approaching rang out. Thud! Thud! The Elder Lizardman It appeared along with his escort of Elite Lizardmen, violently plowing through the exhausted adventurers that had already been on theirst legs. ¡°Aggh!¡± ¡°Help!¡± The number of casualties continued to increase, until Na Sangyoon couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and ordered the retreat. ¡°Get back into formation! Fall back!¡± They had already been at their limit, so there was no way they could face this new enemy. Na Sangyoon led the party back along the path where they hade from. It had been Lee Shinwoo¡¯s idea. Marching in single file, while thest in line dragged a branch across the ground, marking the way. That way they could make a hasty retreat if necessary. After some time, they had managed to lose the Elder Lizardman and its minions. Na Sangyoon called for them to halt and take a break. ¡°Huu! Huu¡­ I thought I was going to die there.¡± After thest battle, it almost looked like they would be wiped out before even encountering anyone from the opposing Red faction. A high level of difficulty. Worried about their situation, Na Sangyoon turned to look at Lee Shinwoo. ¡°Do you have any good ideas?¡± ¡°...¡± Lee Shinwoo took his time to carefully craft a response. What Na Sangyoon was looking for was a strategy that allowed them to keep advancing, but that minimized their casualties. ¡®Is it necessary to follow the path?¡¯ The three paths were separated by two mountain ranges. Although the terrain was rough, by moving along there they might be able to make better time. ¡°I think it would be best to bypass this area entirely.¡± ¡°Do you mean climbing the mountains?¡± ¡°Yes, if there aren¡¯t any monsters then it¡¯s the safer option.¡± It was definitely worth a try. Nodding in response, Na Sangyoon ced his hand on Lee Shinwoo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Take some people with you and go scout the terrain ahead beforeing back.¡± ¡°Sure¡± Na Sangyoon¡¯s orders were absolute. He was definitely a good leader who served in the Special Forces, so he had solid fighting skills to back it up. Lee Shinwoo bowed slightly as he headed towards the mountain range along with ten scouts. They didn¡¯t advance very quickly, since they were still in swamnd and could only prod ahead with a wooden stick like blind men. ¡°Let¡¯s advance carefully. You have to knock on a bridge before crossing it, even if it is made of stone.¡± The scouting party stared at Lee Shinwoo after hisment, seeing him walk casually with his hands folded behind his back. He is someone who only knows how to nag without actually doing anything. However, because he had Na Sangyoon¡¯s trust, they could openly go against him. As he noticed the frustration in their eyes, he began humming to himself. ¡®This is true power.¡¯ He could basically be considered as the second inmand of their group. Although he couldn¡¯t fight as well as Na Sangyoon, he used his mind instead. He was an invaluable asset to Na Sangyoon who was trying to increase his influence. It was also the case that other members hade to recognize his worth. Even if Na Sangyoon were to die, he was confident that the party wouldn¡¯t turn their backs on him. ¡®Only those that prepare for any eventuality will be able to survive in this world.¡¯ He was known as ¡®Zhuge Liang¡¯ Shinwoo among pro gamers, due to his creative fierce strategies. It was an innate talent of his that he had often used to ovee opponents in countlesspetitions. For him, this was simply his new battlefield. No matter what challenge was thrown his way, he would ovee it with strategy. As Lee Shinwoo went clenched his fists, reminiscing about his glorious past, suddenly¡­ Puuk! A Vampiric dagger lodged itself into his neck. ¡°Kuhuk¡­¡± Lee Shinwoo fell to the ground, letting out soft groans as he coughed out a mouthful of blood. Immediately, a System announcement rang out in everyone¡¯s mind. [Chun Woohyuk from the Red faction has achieved First Blood!] The startled group of scouts pulled out their weapons as they looked around. ¡°An ambush!?¡± ¡°Impossible¡­¡± It was simply too unlikely that the Red faction had been able to make it to their side of the map so quickly. However the scouting party could only see the truth that was staring them in the face. ¡°Did anyone see anything?¡± ¡°No, nothing¡­¡± They were certain that the assant must be hiding nearby, after all with a name like Chun Woohyuk, it couldn''t simply be some Ghost minion. ¡°Shit, request for backup¡­¡± An archer with a bow tried to send a message to Na Sangyoon by touching his Ring. Puuk! Grandia ran the man through his stomach, as the sword stuck out from the other side. ¡°Wh...When did he¡­¡± They hadn¡¯t sensed him at all. After realizing how strong he was, they all rushed him as one. ¡°Die you assassin scum!¡± ¡°How dare you kill ourrade!¡± It was a situation where it was many against one, so they were able to shake off their fear due to these odds. Inbat, fighting spirit was crucial. Whichever side was the one to back down, would be at a disadvantage. Whuiic Arge double-edged axe swung down towards Woohyuk¡¯s head. A rather dangerous attack, but for Woohyuk it moved much too slowly. Pak! As he ever so slightly moved out of the way of the axe¡¯s trajectory, he punched lightly to middle age men, his body floating in the middle. A straight punch to his stomach. Even if he didn¡¯t practice much these days, the power of his punch was enough to burst his inner organs. ¡°Kyaaaak!¡± A young woman wielding a staff collided with the middle aged man and they both fell down. After that, she couldn¡¯t stand up any more because her shoulder was dislocated. ¡°Haahap!¡± As Woohyuk raised his fist to finish them off, a young man wearing sses appeared, swinging his longsword with all his might. It was a decent attack, but that was all. Before the sword could connect, Woohyuk delivered a spinning kick to the young man¡¯s face, causing it to sink in. The remainder of the scouting party was likewise quickly taken care of. Woohyuk moved so fast that ordinary people couldn¡¯t follow his movement, and the power behind each strike was quick and deadly. He was still far from true martial artists that had great Lightness Body Skill, Shadow Steps, Exploding Bow or Eight Consecutive Spins. 1 Looking down at the scouts¡¯ corpses scattered across the ground, Woohyuk let out a bitter smile. ¡®I¡¯m a bit rusty..¡¯ When he had been wandering around a bit aimlessly, he had encountered and studied under a man who was known as the strongest martial artist. All his movements and sword skills had been learned from him. Unfortunately he wasn¡¯t able to fully exhibit his skill due to theck of practice these days. ¡®Anyways this should be enough for now.¡¯ Either way, he had already achieved his goal. It was better for them to die of internal injuries or smashed in faces,pared to having their limbs cut off or even be split at the waist. As Woohyuk raised his hand, everyone including Lee Shinwoo, rose as undead. ¡°Grrrrrrr¡­¡± ¡°Kiyaaaac!¡± They seemed to be in good condition, which was the reason Woohyuk had gone out of his way to kill them without inflicting too much damage on their bodies. Their eyes had turned red and they looked very much like zombies, but were more useful since they could wield weapons. That was especially the case for Lee Shinwoo, as he had been the only one to maintain a certain part of his individuality. [Undead Lee Shinwoo] -ss: Dark Shaman (Humanoid)-Abilities: Leadership (98), Aura of Death (+10 to all Stats of allied Undead within a 35m radius) Bondages of Death ( decrease target¡¯s movement speed by 20%, for 10 seconds.) -Stats: Strength: 21 Vitality: 34 Dexterity: 25 Intelligence: 52 Spirit: 48 ¡®He¡¯s be a Superior Undead.¡¯ Apart from the Necromancer¡¯s actual ability, the quality of the undead also depended on the ability and characteristics of the corpse. Lee Shinwoo had been a famous pro gamer. He excelled at controlling andmanding multiple groups of units in real time. That was the reason he had such high Leadership, as well as the Aura of Death that would buff his nearby allies. ¡®It was a good thing I left his head undamaged.¡¯ Woohyuk looked at his undead Lee Shinwoo with a satisfied smile. A mage type rather than a melee fighter. He even knew a Crowd Control skill that could significantly slow the opponent¡¯s movement. ¡°You shall be their leader.¡± ¡°Haahhac!¡± As the undead Lee Shinwoo made a strange cry, the others quickly fell into rank. Woohyuk nodded as he watched him lead them from the front, while they marched behind. ¡®He will be quite helpful.¡¯ It was incredibly difficult to properly control countless undead at the same time. Having a basicmand system would greatly simplify things. In this regard, his undead Lee Shinwoo had truly been a hidden gem. For the time being, he didn¡¯t even need to worry about having his position as leader threatened. ¡®It isn¡¯t easy to wrest control from me.¡¯ Only if a summoned undead surpassed its owner in ability, was betrayal even possible. To literally be swallowed by death itself. Still, so long as he was mortal, there would be certain limitations as to how far he could progress as a Necromancer. Of course it wasn¡¯t like that was something he could do anything about. ¡®While I¡¯m here, I might as well increase my numbers a bit.¡¯ He had only read the first 30 pages of Nakron¡¯s Grimoire, so his ability to raise undead wasn¡¯t all that high. If the quality of those revived was low, he would have to make up the difference with numbers. Woohyuk equipped his Airwalker Boots as he made his way to the Elder Lizardman¡¯s camp. * * * The undead Elder Lizardman ended up being pretty good as well. He had relied on several stacks of the Basilisk¡¯s Poison in order to kill, so the corpse had been mostly undamaged, meaning that there was little loss in terms of its abilities or defense. It was also a Superior Undead. Unlike the undead Lee Shinwoo however, it was a melee type with an affinity to fire. When it came to an Undead¡¯s affinity, it wasn¡¯t unusual for it to be the opposite of what it had been while it was living. It wasn¡¯t always the case however, since Lee Shinwoo didn¡¯t previously have any affinity to Light. It possesses two abilities. Spirit Swamp, that was able to confuse the opponent¡¯s senses with an Illusion. The second was Elder Lizardman¡¯s Wrath, which was able to cause any nearby undead Lizardmen to explode. In certain respects, it was even better than his undead Lee Shinwoo, who apart from his high Leadership, didn¡¯t have any great abilities. ¡®But if he were to grow, that would be a different story.¡¯ Undead were also able to increase their Stats and Skills by gaining experience. The souls of the dead had been trapped inside, so for the most part they hadn¡¯t changed much, just that their consciousness was no longer there. Logan¡¯s elite undead guards had even been strong enough to carry out assassinations against some of the weaker Lords. ¡®That was what happened to Isaac.¡¯ He was letting Isaac live even if he was a constant irritation, because he would still be useful for the final Canyon Battle. Back then he wasn¡¯t able to punish Isaac for his transgression, but not this time. After using a Return Stone to arrive at their Fortress, Woohyuk contemted what he should do with his new Leadership skill point. ¡®It is basically between Command and Call to Arms.¡¯ Since for the moment he was nning to maintain his small group of elites, the Negotiation skill wasn¡¯t all that important. Barrier, Stronghold and Authority were all useful, but the immediate benefits or raising them wasn¡¯t all that apparent. After some time, he decided on raising Call to Arms. He wanted to make sure that he could bring his team over to him whenever they were needed. ¡®I should get in touch with them.¡¯ After obtaining Nakron¡¯s Grimoire, his n had changed a little. He had returned a bit earlier than he had nned, in order to properly read through the book. [Are you guys ready to return to the Fortress, I will use Call to Arms] [Hey Boss, is it urgent?] [Not really, what is going on on your end?] [Miss Yoo Kayoung was cooking some Penguin meat and we were just about to eat. Is it okay if you call us over after lunch?] They seemed to be quite curious about its taste. Woohyuk''s mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl into a wicked smile. [Take your time and enjoy your meal.] [Thanks Boss!] Lee Jaesung replied excitedly. ¡®That is something you only need to try once.¡¯ It tasted like a fusion of pig¡¯s blood, a snake¡¯s scale and a cow¡¯s leathery hide. It¡¯ll be a good experience for them. In the future they will be able to appreciate all kinds of foods. As he imagined the tragic lunch his team was about to enjoy, Woohyuk skipped his way over towards the central fountain. Chapter 29: Fortress Defense 1

Chapter 29: Fortress Defense 1

¡°Good work everyone¡± Isaac proimed as he activated the Guard Tower near the Temple. It was their second one now. Although the road here had been harder than expected, they had been able to pull through because he had his Frost Sword Ranghilt. Sir Colton will take charge in my stead, while I return to the Fortress to handle some matters. ¡°Yes, Prince¡± A middle aged man in te armor bowed his head politely. Isaac ced his hand on his shoulder. ¡°I told you not to call me that over here, just Master will do.¡± Isaac didn¡¯t want others to know that he was British royalty. It would be fine if it were Brits that found out, but there group had people from all nationalities, so he didn¡¯t want any conflicts. Their numbers kept decreasing, so he had to maintain his image as a leader to keep up morale. ¡®Maybe I can be a legend like King Arthur.¡¯ No dream was unachievable so long as he had Ranghilt with him, a Magic Sword that grew along with its user. It was so powerful that it was likely a match for Excalibur, and its appearance was quite mysterious, making it good to attract followers. ¡®I was chosen by this sword.¡¯ Upon arriving on Paradise Lost, they had taken a short break. Suddenly the sword had risen to the surface. After ruthless internal fight over it, he had been the one to im ownership. As he imagined himself sitting at a round table, surrounded by his knights, Issac pulled out a Teleport Scroll. He wanted to check the map to see what region had been upied. ¡®No big changes as of yet.¡¯ The color of the Guard Towers were updated in real time, marking which team had captured what. Blue represented meant that they had been upied by the Blue Faction, while Red was for their side. If it was grey, that meant Neutral. The Guard Towers had been designated as indestructible by the system, so it had to be one of those colors. ¡®I should push Samuel a bit more.¡¯ All of their paths had secured two Guard Towers, whereas his side had only done one. They still had the advantage since the enemy camp so far had only activated two along the middle path. Still he felt it was necessary to push Samuel a bit, just as a means to exert his dominance. After cing the Teleport Scroll back in his pouch, Isaac reappeared back in the Fortress using a Return Stone. Upon his return, several leaders came up to greet him. ¡°Mr. Isaac, you are back.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Every day it was Isaac that was in charge of distributing the supplies, so the other leaders would constantly suck up to him. The de facto Commander in Chief. With the leadership he had shown over the past few days, his position was more or less secure. ¡°Hello all, the meeting will go on as usual. Let¡¯s first make sure everyone is here¡­¡± As Isaac looked around, he stopped at one person with a surprised expression. Someone he hadn¡¯t been expecting was among them. ¡®Chun Woohyuk, so you¡¯re still alive.¡¯ Since the first day, he hadn¡¯t once seen him. Up until a few hours ago he had thought him dead. ¡®How did he manage to score First Blood?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe that he had achieved that with only 10 subordinates. There must be some secret behind this. Isaac decided to first hear his story. ¡°Mr Chun Woohyuk, we¡¯ve all been very worried about you. So you¡¯ve made contact with the Blue faction recently, did you suffer many casualties?¡± ¡°None.¡± A clear and concise answer. Isaac¡¯s face turned into a frown. ¡®Did he really not take any casualties?¡¯ Even from his own group, thirteen people had lost their lives despite him being the one leading them. Being tricked by Dopplegangers, the Swamp terrain, killed by Lizardmen¡­. At every twist and turn they had encountered countless difficulties, so he couldn¡¯t help but think Woohyuk was lying. ¡°urate information is necessary for us to n properly in the future, so please tell us the truth. I understand that it might be hard, but all of us have suffered.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s confirmation caused amotion among the leaders. Obviously none of them were convinced. They could believe that he got the First Blood, but how could all of his party members have survived. ¡°Where are your subordinates right now? We¡¯d like to check on them if possible¡­.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll bring them over here.¡± Woohyuk took his time, as he casually sent Lee Jaesung a message. [Get ready toe over.] [Sure thing Boss] Seeing Lee Jaesung and the others appear next to the fountain, Isaac¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡®Unbelievable¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like he had convinced others to join his group to make up the numbers. The leaders gathered here were the same as always. Isaac let out an awkward cough as he continued speaking. ¡°Ahem, so it was really the case, sorry for doubting you. Anyways, I think we¡¯d all like to officially hear how it is you encountered the enemy.¡± Isaac put an emphasis on the word ¡®officially¡¯, as a way of reminding everyone of his position. However Woohyuk replied very simply. ¡°I just encountered a Blue Faction Scout in the mountainous area near Fantasy Swamp, so I killed him.¡± He didn¡¯t want to reveal that he had made it all the way to the enemy camp, as it would only lead to more annoying questions. As expected, they didn¡¯t doubt his words, not even considering the alternative as a possibility. ¡°So it was a scout¡­ how bold of them. How many people were there?¡± ¡°Eleven¡± ¡°...Maybe they decided to assign more people to the middle path.¡± It might have been the case that they had attempted a rush strategy. Sending an elite squad forward, deliberately choosing not to activate all the Guard Towers along the way. Isaac didn¡¯t question it much since it was a likely scenario. ¡°We need to secure our borders as well as patrol the mountain ranges where the enemy might be hidden.¡± He had been nning to explore those mountain ranges anyways. The three paths were separated by mountain ranges. It seemed that Woohyuk had encountered some scouts while adventuring through there. ¡®There must be some useful information that he isn¡¯t sharing.¡¯ Issac had seen a lot of that type at the base camp. People who just like Woohyuk were blinded by worldly desires. Keeping these secrets for themselves, they didn¡¯t think of the bigger picture.. They were like cancerous cells, especially in these trying times when they had to band together in order to survive. ¡®I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on this Chun Woohyuk.¡¯ Although he felt that he was rather smart and good at fighting, he wasn¡¯t a true leader like he was. The same thing went for his girlfriend. It was unusual to sleep during the day and hunt at night, and there were dark rumors flying around about witches. As he recognized the need to suppress the pair, Isaac officially began the meeting. In order to prepare for eventual raids from the Blue Faction, the following issues had been agreed upon at the meeting. 1. Each Guard Tower had to be manned around the clock and by someone with a Teleport Scroll. 2. If that Watchman were to catch sight of the enemy or anything strange going on, he needs to notify any nearby Leaders with a Megaphone The next discussion was regarding how to divide their numbers across the three paths, but it was quickly dismissed by the majority of leaders. That because currently everyone needed to focus on hunting in order to afford a Teleport Scroll 1 Gold each. An item that could only be purchased after collecting 100 Ancient Coins. There were currently 897 people in their faction, so it was difficult to provide each and everyone of them with one. The cost of upgrading a Barracks to produce second tier Minions was 300 gold. If every single person provided one gold they could afford it , but at that point they could each buy themselves a Teleport Scroll instead. A situation in which limited resources had to be used as efficiently as possible. Of course Woohyuk was an exception. ¡°This dish is just too delicious.¡± ¡°It feels like I¡¯m eating out at a high end restaurant.¡± Jung Sanghoon and Nam Kiryang indulged in the smoked meat that had been served on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll never eat penguin meat again¡­.¡± ¡°It was so disgusting. Just thinking about it again is giving me goosebumps.¡± Kim Dogyun and Huang Donghwan who were sitting across the table shivered noticeably. They were all hungry, and quickly wolfed down the meat before them. ¡°What does the Chapel do?¡± ¡°There was also a Monastery...¡± His members were not yet aware of each of the Fortress¡¯ facilities since they had only gone hunting since day one. Feeling everyone¡¯s eyes focus on him, Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°By praying to the Creator in the Chapel, you can gain a temporary buff to Stats and Resistances. In the Monastery, you can heal pretty much any injury, as well as visit the Library.¡± Adventurers with Healing magic were very rare. Even if they did have the skill, it usually wasn¡¯t very powerful and could at most heal some minor cuts and bruises. The Holy spells in the Monastery however can heal anything but the most critical of injuries. Of course, it would however take some time. ¡°Library... I¡¯m sick and tired of reading books.¡± ¡°I also hate studying...¡± Other than Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna, none of them wanted to get anywhere near a book. ¡°In this world, knowledge is power. When ites to your ss, you only get to choose two of them, so you need to n it carefully.¡± There were several possiblebinations, Knights wielding Magic, Warriors that could Summon Spirits, Bards employing Shamanism, etc¡­ Their second ss wouldn¡¯t be avable any time soon, but it was best for them to prepare in advance. ¡°Wow, the possibilities are endless¡± ¡°What ss you choose needs to be carefully considered ahead of time. Once chosen, there is no going back¡­.¡± His party began to look worried. Both sses couldn¡¯t be Melee fighters, nor could they both be squishy Ranged attackers. Abination of sses thatplemented their Strengths and Weaknesses was the ideal scenario. It was rather difficult for those inexperienced with the matter to choose correctly. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here for the next little while, so read some books in the Library and explore your options.¡± The Library didn¡¯t only have magic books. In fact most of them were just general knowledge about the Eeth continent. There was a ton of useful information that would help them in their future adventures. Woohyuk got up and led them to the Library, before heading to the Auction house. ¡®First things first I need to dispose of all this loot.¡¯ He had been two or three steps ahead of the other adventurers this whole time, and so had collected quite a lot of useful items. Arctic Fox Fang, Lizardmen¡¯s Trident, Pr Bear Pelts, Gremlin¡¯s Tools, etc¡­ Individually they might not be worth much, but if you collected it inrge enough items, it added up to a significant sum. Woohyuk thought back to the past as he put the items up for auction. ¡®The amount of coins one can obtain in this Canyon map is limited.¡¯ At first no one had thought about this since there were plenty of monsters to hunt, butter on there would be fiercepetition for just a single coin. There were no enemies or allies. In order to prepare for that scarcity, he had to gather sufficient resources in advance. This Canyon Battle was bound tost quite a while, and he couldn¡¯t predict how long it would take him to get through the Twilight Tower. ¡®The more the better.¡¯ In order to maintain a certain bnce between both factions he hadn¡¯t gone after the Fossil Dragon just yet, but other than that was nning to monopolize it all. He currently had 1200 gold coins. The Elder Lizardman, Bronze Golem Boss, Skeleton Knight, he had hunted dozens of times more elite monsters than the other leaders. If he wanted to, he could upgrade the Barracks for each of the three paths, but even then he didn¡¯t have enough coins tost him until the veryst day. Only after visiting all the areas he had in mind, would he have enough leftover to contribute to the Faction. After registering all his items, Woohyuk headed to the cksmith. The durability of his equipment was quite low because he had swept through countless hunting grounds without rest. It was simply inefficient to purchase repair kits. Although they had the advantage of being able to be used in the field, they were far more expensive and should only be used in emergency situations. ¡®I should also stop by the General Store on the way back.¡¯ Now that he was a Necromancer, he needed to stock up on Mana Crystals. It was time to focus on increasing his Intelligence. He could do so now by utilizing Jake¡¯s Hextech Ring to redirect all experience to Intelligence. Even if there would be a significant loss, he still had three Growth Rings on him, which made things more manageable. ¡®I also need to visit the Stables.¡¯ I need to get a horse to carry my luggage around. Jabber Woks were useful in swampy terrain, but otherwise were much slower than horses. Also their frames weren¡¯t suited to be proper mounts. As he listed all the things he needed to get done while in the Fortress, Woohyuk walked into the smithy. Susak He felt a presence from behind him. It seems like someone had put a tail on him. Obviously it had been on Isaac¡¯s orders. He could have then and there caught this spy and punished him, but Woohyuk chose to let it go. ¡®It¡¯s not worth it.¡¯ Inflicting any damage on your allies while within the Fortress would make you a criminal in the system¡¯s eyes, and you would be sent to the underground prison. A forcedbor camp where you would be forced to continuously work to provide coins for your alliance. If you didn¡¯t work hard enough, you could be put to death through a majority vote. The slightest mistake could cause you to lose everything. ¡®Well, it should be fine if I just ignore him.¡¯ Anyways, for the time being he was nning on either staying at the Inn or reading Nakron¡¯s Grimoire in the Library. He wouldn¡¯t fall for Isaac¡¯s little tricks. Luckily him getting a new Magic Sword didn¡¯t seem to change much. As he thought about how he would toy with him in the future, Woohyuk began to repair his equipment. ng! ng The constant banging of a hammer echoed inside the smithy. Chapter 30: Fortress Defense 2

Chapter 30: Fortress Defense 2

After taking care of everything, Woohyuk went to the Library to delve into Nakron¡¯s Grimoire. It was naturally a great ce to read a book, since there were few people that visited, and absolute silence had to be maintained at all times. He even took the time to rmend a few books to his party members. Surprisingly, not a single one of them had run off, apparently choosing to study their future path rather seriously. If their will power was that weak, they wouldn¡¯t have made it here to begin with ¡®Incredible ability to focus.¡¯ Woohyuk was amazed as he stared at Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna. He had given them each a book on magic. For Yoo Kayoung, it was an Introduction to Magic by The Great Sage, while Song Anna got an Introduction to Summoning by the Elementalist, Eleanor. Although they were books for beginners, they wouldn¡¯t be an easy read. Still, neither of them had taken their eyes off their books in over an hour. ¡®If they are able to survive, they will grow to be quite strong.¡¯ As long as they faithfully followed him, he would nurture them well. A profitable investment. In order to quickly ascend to the position of Lord, he would needpetent subordinates. ¡®It had taken me quite a while.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t easy to evaluate one¡¯s character or intention on the Eeth continent, which had be a den of Demons. There were even many sses that were aligned with the 72 Demon Kings, leading people to betray their own kind. That¡¯s without even mentioning all the internal power struggles that were never ending. A world where blood constantly flowed. Woohyuk wanted to avoid getting tangled up in that mess as much as possible. ¡®Right, I need to focus on reading this more quickly.¡¯ Nakron¡¯s Grimoire was among the highest difficulties for books. Despite having read 50 pages, he still hadn¡¯t been able to learn much. He couldn¡¯t skip any pages and so he couldn¡¯t look ahead to see how many pages there were. Also Magic Books didn¡¯t have any physical constraints like regr books, and could theoretically have limitless pages. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to finish it someday.¡± Woohyuk took a short break to stabilize his mind, before diving back into the book in earnest. Although he was a bit slow due to his low Intelligence, he never let it affect him as he kept his cool. Crystal-clear mirror and calm water. Unfamiliar characters on the water''s quiet surface, twinkling like moonlight. While he was focused on understanding the passage, A System message suddenly appeared before his eyes. [Unique Magic: Learned Corpse Explosion.] [Resistance to Death has increased by 1 Level.] ¡®As expected, a bountiful reward.¡¯ Depending on the situation, a spell like Corpse Explosion could be very useful. It was a Hidden Skill which even Logan didn¡¯t get. Resistance to Death was unfamiliar to him. It probably had a positive effect on his Necromancy, but there was no way to know without testing it himself. Suddenly some noises were heard from outside, just as he was considering where to test out his new skill. Maybe something¡¯s happened. Woohyuk put down Nakron¡¯s Grimoire in his Pouch, and went out of the Monastery. ¡°Minions havee, please help!¡± A man was running around the Fortress, screaming at the top of his lungs. He was a Bronze Crown Leader from the same attack path that Hong Yuri had taken. After walking up to him, Woohyuk asked. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you able to take care of the Minions?¡± ¡°The Blue Faction had upgraded their Barracks on our right side. The Minions are now much stronger, and their numbers have also increased.¡± When one upgraded to a level 2 Barracks, a single wave would then consist of 24 Minions. Not to mention that 8 of those would be cavalry, which would be difficult to deal with for inexperienced Melee yers. ¡°What are the casualties like?¡± ¡°Three dead, and five critically injured.¡± The man went on toin how they had taken so much damage because they had been in the middle of a Chimera hunt. As he headed towards the Fortress'' entrance, Woohyuk thought about why this might have ured. ¡®We had thought that they had given up on the right side.¡¯ After seeing him achieving First Blood, perhaps the enemy had mistakenly believed that the enemy faction had focused greatly on the center and neglected the sides. Since their faction had captured two Guard Towers on the right. The yers there became toox due to the overwhelming advantage that appeared on the map. [Wake up, there¡¯s a situation.] [...Yes?] Being suddenly woken up by Woohyuk, Hong Yuri replied in a somewhat sleepy voice. [An enemy raid is attacking your path.] [Ugh¡­ I¡¯ll be right there] [How many coins do you have right now?] [Around 420..Gold?] It would be more than enough to upgrade the Barracks. After giving her some instructions, Woohyuk summoned his undead near the Fortress¡¯ entrance. ¡°Hi, Hiiic¡­¡± The Bronze Crown leader gasped in surprise. Woohyuk reassured the man that it was fine, and then waited for the Minions on the right path to arrive ¡®It''s actually good timing.¡¯ As of yet he hadn¡¯t had any chance to utilize his Necromancer skills. The only thing he had done so far was revive dead bodies. In order to properlymand the troops, he ced the Superior Undead towards the back. ¡°You guys take care of the defense.¡± ¡°Hiahak¡± ¡°Kuruaa!¡± A total of 60 Undead, of various types. As he wondered which of them he¡¯d sacrifice to use Corpse Explosion, he heard Hong Yuri¡¯s enticing voice. ¡°It¡¯s been too long, babe ~ ? ¡± ¡°All ready on your end?¡± ¡°The upgrade has been done, and my troops are on standby.¡± It waste in the evening, and the sun was about to set. Soon it would be the Vampires¡¯ time to shine. Although he didn¡¯t really need the help, he wanted to see Hong Yuri¡¯s leadership ability firsthand. ¡°When the sun sets, make sure to help out.¡± ¡°Of course, I can let you do all the hard work, right babe?¡± Hong Yuri winked as she clung to him. Just then Lee Jaesung¡¯s party arrived from behind. ¡°Boss, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°What is happening with their Minions?¡± Seeing everyone¡¯s confusion, Woohyuk shrugged Hong Yuri off, and pointed towards the right path. ¡°The enemy has upgraded their Barracks on this side.¡± Although their Barracks were now of the same level, it wouldn¡¯t be enough because the enemy Barracks had spawned second tier Minions for longer, and had gathered into arger wave. If left to their own devices, it was possible that they¡¯d sessfully invade and destroy many facilities within their Fortress. ¡°So all we need to do is block their Minions?¡± ¡°I will defend the right side over here, you go take a look at the left.¡± Isaac was still stationed in the middle so it was probably fine, but he was a bit worried about the left side. As Lee Jaesung led his party to the left side, the adventurers belonging to the right path had gathered. ¡°Monsters!¡± ¡°There are so many of them!¡± When these new adventurers saw the undead for the first time, they freaked out. To reassure them all, Hong Yuri stepped up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them, they arepletely safe since they¡¯d been tamed. Look, you can even do this to them and they won¡¯t even react.¡± Hong Yuri flicked the forehead of the Skeleton Knight Captain, causing the yers¡¯ eyes to widen in surprise. ¡°For real?¡± ¡°How did you do that?¡± Woohyuk¡¯s undead also had a red tag above them to mark them, as they¡¯d been recognized by the system to be allies of the same Faction. As the yers were conversing among themselves, an army of Minions appeared in the distance. At first nce, there seemed to be about 100 of them. [Go engage them] Woohyuk ordered them with his mind, as the undead moved out, making strange sounds A battle between Undead and Ghost Minions. Although thetter had twice the numbers, the Undead employed better strategies. Boom! The two Mummies standing in the front suddenly exploded like some grenade, hitting their cavalry. Corrupted flesh and sharp bones flying everywhere. Its damage was even higher than most magic spells. ¡®I¡¯ll need to be careful using it if there are allies nearby.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a spell he could use willy nilly because of itsrge AoE. Woohyuk then sent a message to Hong Yuri, as he watched the Minions being pulled down from their horses. [Don¡¯t let any of them through] [Got it] Hong Yuri had made a long line of defense behind the barricades. By cing all of her vampires in a straight line, since they were 99 yers, the other adventurers couldn¡¯t do anything but watch. Cang! Cang! As soon as the two forces met, the nging of metal rang out across the battlefield. A very close fight. Woohyuk then used Corpse Explosion to halt their momentum. Boom! Boom! Explosions would randomly appear in different areas, as the number of Minions began to dwindle. As the battle wasing to an end, more reinforcements showed up. More or less 50 this time around. Woohyuk then ced his Superior Undead towards the front. [Kill them all.] The fighting prowess of his Superior Undead was far above that of these second tier Minions. Most of them were elite monsters from high level hunting areas, so they had good stats and skills. Sasashak! Dark Arrows sent by the Undead Lee Shinwoo smacked into their cavalry. He had recognized that the cavalry was their greatest threat. The Cyclops had thought the same, as it swung itsrge club towards them. It then released the sharp spikes from its club, stabbing deeply into their bodies. Although they had taken a lot of damage from these two attacks, the Minions¡¯ advance wasn¡¯t halted. They didn¡¯t have any free will and would only react ording to the System¡¯s instructions. ¡°Chuiahak!¡± ¡°Kurrrru¡± The Elder Lizardmen and the Skeleton Knight Captain who had been watching from the side, finally entered the fray along with their troops. ¡°Neeeigh!¡± The Skeleton Knight Captain¡¯s horse cried out as it charged through the Minions. At the same time, a volley of arrows from the Skeleton Archers was sent out. Pusususuk The frontline of Minions fell, the Elder Lizardman carved his way through their ranks, leading its Lizardmen to cleave through any Minion they encountered. Before its unpredictable tail and its spear skills, the Minions were entirely helpless. ¡®That fight went pretty well.¡¯ Seeing his troops in action, Woohyuk was more than satisfied. That should be enough practice for now. He had gotten to practice his new skill a bit, so there was no reason to drag out the battle any longer. Woohyuk signaled her with his eyes, and Hong Yuri nodded back. ¡°I was getting bored.¡± At night, Vampires would get the instinctive craving for blood, turning them into wild predators. As Hong Yuri stepped forward, the Vampires quickly followed suit. [Blood Queen] For any vampire, her very existence was all that mattered. A ss that was basically a Lord unto itself. ¡°Do your best, let¡¯s kill them all.¡± It was a ss in which blood was used for everything. The vampire race would consume its own blood energy in order to fight its enemies. They had explosive speed and strength, but had to finish the fights quickly. Shsuk Their sharp nails shed at the Minions¡¯ necks. When the battle was finally over, Woohyuk reverse summoned his Undead, and pulled out his Lost Lyre from his Pouch. ¡®Nothing good wille out of them knowing this much about me.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t good for your enemies to know your abilities, but the same was also true to a certain extent for your allies. As Woohyuk was in the middle of ying his Lyre, Lee Jaesung¡¯s voice appeared. [There aren¡¯t any problems on this side, Boss.] It seemed that the Barracks on the left hadn¡¯t been upgraded. Maybe they couldn¡¯t afford it right now, so they wanted to test the waters first. [Good work, return to the Fortress.] Their second tier Barracks had been operational for enough time now, so there was no need for them to constantly be stationed here. Unless the enemy faction employed some special tactics that is. Woohyuk then divided the loot with Hong Yuri. The drops from the second tier Minions were quite plentiful. Coins, Mana Crystals, Repair Kits, all them littered the ground. Isaac made an appearance just as Hong Yuri was smiling, staring at the pile of Coins in her hands. ¡°Have all the Minions been taken care of?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Woohyuk grunted in reply, as he stared at Ranghilt that he was holding. ¡®It¡¯s a Magic Sword with Ice properties...¡¯ The only ce he could have obtained that in the Primordial Forest was in the Calm Sea. It looked like Isaac had benefited from some change in the timeline due to his actions of exploring the bottom of the sea. ¡°They nearly got us this time. Focusing their troops in the center while upgrading the Barracks on the right. They just might have a talented strategist on their side.¡± Isaac was still worried about the center path. It was all working out well for Woohyuk, the longer he kept messing up, the longer he could drag out this Canyon Battle. ¡®It seems he hasn¡¯t been to the top of the mountain range yet.¡¯ He had most likely decided on first amassing enough Coins. Climbing and exploring the rough mountainous terrain was after all very time consuming. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, thanks for your hard work. Because of you we were able to limit the amount of damage.¡± Although some yers near the border had suffered from the initial attack, after that there hadn¡¯t been any other casualties. Upon receiving the Megaphone message from those that hade under attack, they had used a return stone toe help. ¡°I just did what I had to do.¡± ¡°I see, truly a positive attitude.¡± ¡°Was there anything else you wanted to add?¡± As Isaac continued topliment him, Woohyuk replied rather coldly. Ahem! ¡°Actually, there was the contribution quota to collect as well. Of course you don¡¯t have to pay it right now, but please do so as soon as you can.¡± He must have forgotten to mention it earlier because he had too many things on his mind. Woohyuk took out 5 Gold and 5 Silver Coins from his Pouch and handed them to Isaac. ¡°Is that enough?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the correct amount.¡± Ten Coins per person, per day. It wasn¡¯t arge sum, but wasn¡¯t all that small either. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Satisfied, Isaac returned to the Fortress. As soon as he had left, Woohyuk summoned Triton. ¡°Are there any Magic Sword with the Ice attribute to be found in the Calm Sea?¡± ¡°...¡± Triton¡¯s expression was a bit awkward. It took him a moment to ovee his inner conflict, before painfully speaking. ¡°You must have encountered someone wielding Ranghilt. It is a sword that my father hid within a separate dimension.¡± After the intrusion of the Pirate King Drake, the Sea God had ced a countermeasure in case someone would manage to steal his treasure from the Temple. That was the Frost Sword, Ranghilt. It was designed to select the strongest sessor it could find, and then manipte its master¡¯s consciousness in order to kill whoever was responsible for plundering the treasure. All so that they can be returned to their rightful ce. Since this was a Magic Sword, it was capable of anything. It was necessary not only for Woohyuk to be on guard against it, but his party members as well. ¡°So it¡¯s also the work of the Sea God?¡± Woohyuk nodded to himself as it was what he had expected. ¡°What should we do then? Isaac is on our side.¡± Hong Yuri looked at Woohyuk, worry stered across her face. If a Silver Crown leader on their side were to be killed, it would be a severe blow to the entire Faction. Woohyuk however was very determined. ¡°I won¡¯t leave behind any loose ends.¡± There was no advantage in letting an enemy that was bound toe after him in the future, live. It was a painful lesson he had learned of the course of thest 40 years. Even if their alliance were to weaken somewhat, they were still strong enough to emerge victorious. ¡°Are you able to suppress Ranghilt?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Triton was of the Sea God¡¯s Royal lineage, and so he would be able to seal Ranghilt. After sending him away, Woohyuk turned to Hong Yuri. ¡°It¡¯s time to start?¡± ¡°Start where?¡± ¡°The Witch¡¯s Sanctuary.¡± It was the third area on the right path. There was something there that he absolutely had to obtain. ¡°Are we partying up? That¡¯s awesome!¡± Hong Yuri¡¯s eyes beamed as she clung tightly to Woohyuk¡¯s arm. Chapter 31: Witchs Sanctuary 1

Chapter 31: Witch''s Sanctuary 1

A full moon hung in the night sky. Hong Yuri led her vampires in a battle against a group of Chimera specimens. Hwarrrk Her ck med Whip wrapped itself around the Chimera¡¯s body, filling the area with the smell of burnt rotting flesh. . ¡°Ugh, how disgusting! Who created these things.¡± Hong Yuriined as she pinched her nose. Woohyuk who was standing nearby, responded. ¡°It was Lucas, an infamous Alchemist.¡± Lucas had delved deep into the secrets of forbidden biological experiments, flying under the radar of the Holy Aeperian Empire. Later, he had joined up with Logan in order to create his Elite Undead Guards. He was one of those guys that he had to take care of when he arrived at the Eeth continent. ¡°Anyways, we need to settle this area quickly because my vampires are having trouble due to being unable to resupply their Blood energy.¡± Currently, the only ce where Hong Yuri had been able to feed on a creature''s blood so far had been the Harpies¡¯ zone. It was quite exhausting to always visit the area of those half human half bird mosnters, simply to satisfy her thirst. ¡°Bear with it a bit longer, soon enough you will be able to feed on humans.¡± On any of the paths, after crossing three areas, one would find themselves at the Valley of Kings. It was an ideal ce for vampires. There was no shortage of targets to feed on. ¡°Are there seriously no other monsters besides these undead in the Witch¡¯s Sanctuary? If only there was a Centaur¡­¡± The Centaurs could be found in the second area on the left path, the ce where Samuel was currently struggling to ovee. Although they weren¡¯t as tasty as the female Harpies, they were still much better than Goblins or Lizardmen. ¡°There will be some Ravens soon.¡± Large crows with ck, razor sharp wings. They looked rather strange, and the vampires would need to take care when sucking on their blood so as to not cut themselves. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s news, she could only lower her head in frustration. ¡°Let¡¯s just quickly kill this Witch and get it over with.¡± ¡°Ah, but I¡¯m not nning on killing her. I want to take her alive.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°She is very valuable.¡± It was the reason he had sent Hong Yuri to the right path, all so that he could keep this Witch away from the others. If it had been Samuel that had been sent here, the attack on the Abandoned Castle wouldn¡¯t have been done properly. Although he had the perseverance, his skills just weren¡¯t up to par. ¡°What are you nning on doing with the Witch?¡± ¡°You will know soon enough.¡± Woohyuk wasn¡¯t like Logan, that would just go around without a n. Hong Yuri, on her end gave up on asking, and just focused on killing the monsters. ¡°Kiaaaahak!¡± A Chimera with thebined parts of a wolf and leopard rushed towards Woohyuk. It was rather fast because it had been designed with the purpose of being speedy. Still, Woohyuk could easily read its movements. As he shed twice with Grandia, its body was split into four, sending pieces of flesh scattering. ¡®I can finally use some techniques.¡¯ His Strength and Agility were now rather high, so using basic skills was possible. What needed at the moment from his sword attacks was speed. After all at this level, it would help shorten the amount of time it took to ughter his enemies. Chawaahahak! His sword drew an arc through the air, flexible and able to predict its enemies movements. Its movement was both graceful and beautiful enough to be considered as a form of art. [Art of Killing] In the Martial Arts world the techniques would have different names, but it made no difference to Woohyuk, someone who had once stepped into the Sublime realm, even touching upon the mysterious Divine realm. Leaving behind the mutted Chimera corpses on the ground, Woohyuk stepped into the Witch¡¯s Sanctuary An endless cemetery that spread out across the ruins. A deathly silence filled the air, as not even a single mouse was in sight. Only the asional cawing of crows. Feeling frightened, Hong Yuri clung to Woohyuk. ¡°I¡¯m scared, It feels like a ghost might pop out of nowhere.¡± ¡°Are you afraid of ghosts?¡± ¡°Not really, it¡¯s just this whole creepy vibe¡­.¡± Woohyuk let out a sigh, a vampire that was afraid of being in a cemetery. ¡°You have nothing to worry about, you are the Blood Queen.¡± Unlike regr vampires, she wasn¡¯t at all easy to kill. First you would need a Holy Relic to stop her from regenerating, then you¡¯d need topletely deplete all of her blood energy. After that, you still needed to stake her in the heart and leave her outside in the sun before being able to kill herpletely. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s detailed description, Hong Yuri couldn¡¯t help but be filled with curiosity. ¡°Have you killed one before?¡± ¡°A long time ago.¡± [Alice] Upon arriving on the main continent, she had entered a contract with Gremory, one of the 72 Demon Kings. All of it had been for sake of saving the one she loved. That woman had been deprived of her Blood Queen ss this time, but she was sure to still be quite the nuisance. Although it wasn¡¯t to the point that he would go out of his way to search for her, if they were to cross paths, he would instantly get rid of her. ¡°You seem to have experienced everything.¡± ¡°Does that frighten you?¡± Hong Yuri waved him off with a surprised expression. ¡°No, nothing like that¡­.¡± You¡¯ve had a tough life¡­ But those words got stuck in her mouth, and she never spoke them outloud. ¡®Honestly we were never that close.¡¯ He simply wasn¡¯t the outgoing type to quickly be friends with others, and she didn¡¯t have a lot of things inmon with Woohyuk back then. When he had encountered some difficulty, she had kept her distance. Although she would like to cheer him up, she constantly worried about making his life more difficult by meddling instead. Because she had been quite popr back in school, if she were to show too much affection towards him, it would instead attract the jealousy and ire of her many admirers. ¡®But now things are different.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure if she could survive in this world without Woohyuk. He was the only one she could rely on, and Woohyuk needed her as well. A sort ofpanionship. Although she was still weaker than him, at least she could still provide a helping hand if he was in a tough spot. ¡®I like his manliness.¡¯ At some point she had begun developing feelings for him, and the more she got to know him, the stronger the attraction became. If this went on, she just might fall in love¡­. As Hong Yuri was dealing with this internal dilemma, Woohyuk suddenly stopped walking. ¡°What is it?¡± Hong Yuri asked, nervous that he might have somehow be aware of what she was thinking. ¡°Some annoying guys have appeared.¡± Woohyuk then pointed at the branches up on the tree. An unkindness of Ravens were staring back at them. ¡°There are so many ¡­¡± Without needing to count, it was obvious that there were more than 30 of them. Although flying monsters were tough to deal with, Woohyuk had already prepared a countermeasure. Chaak! A leather whip shot out, wrapping itself around one of the Raven¡¯s ankles. As the Raven pped its wings in vain, attempting to escape, Woohyuk swung it around like a kite, smashing it into its kin. ¡°Caaaw!¡± Ravens that weren¡¯t able to avoid the collision in time, drop down to the ground. Seeing their prey arrive before them, the vampires rushed out with their weapons drawn. Puuk! Puuk! A sword was embedded in one of the Raven¡¯s eyes. Although their wings were sleek and sharp, their head and legs were basically defenseless. It wasn¡¯t all that hard to take care of them as long as they aimed properly. ¡®The real problem still awaits.¡¯ The Ravens merely acted as scouts for the Witch. The third eye located on their forehead acted like surveince cameras within the Sanctuary. By now, the Witch had surely been alerted to their presence, so they had to move quickly. While avoiding the sharp ck wings of the Ravens that flew around like arrows, Woohyuk equipped his Airwalker Boots. ¡°You hold them in position with the whip, and I¡¯ll do the rest.¡± ¡°Alright¡± Hong Yuri nodded back, as she focused on the Ravens flying in the air, her eyes turning a blood red. [Bullet Time] Vampires were able to momentarily heighten their reflexes and movement speed by sacrificing a porting on their Blood energy. Chahak! The leather whip snapped out, wrapping itself around the ankle of a Raven that had been flying a bit too low. As Hong Yuri separated one from the group, Woohyuk began jumping into the air. Huuk Huuk Jets of high pressure air were emitted from the soles of his boots, allowing him to soar up even higher. Sukuk A series of strange midair acrobatics ensued, as he cut apart the Ravens and blood rained down to the ground. Seeing a festival of blood take ce, the vampires were naturally beyond themselves, pouncing on any of them that dropped to the ground. As the Raven hunt hade to an end, Skeleton Soldiers were one by one beginning to appear within this cemetery. ¡°Make sure to feed, we will be quite busy after this.¡± The vampires needn¡¯t be told twice, as they sank their fangs into the corpses, using their ability to replenish the Blood energy. They had been quite famished. Woohyuk then summoned all of his undead troops and slowly made their way forward. ¡°Are we not sticking around to hunt them all?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford to waste time.¡± By the time they took care of all the Skeleton Soldiers within the cemetery, the sun would be shining in the sky. They had to keep pressing forward. ¡°Right, your goal is the Witch.¡± Using her tongue to wipe the blood around her mouth, Hong Yuri caught up to Woohyuk as she walked beside him. Elite monsters were the key to any zone. Even if they weren¡¯t Boss monsters, they would still give additional rewards if you were the first to kill it. ¡°But where is the Witch? Now that you mention it, I don¡¯t even know where it is we are going.¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the Chapel.¡± This had been a part of Elrond¡¯s territory. Although it was now under a Witch¡¯s Curse, many of the previous structures remained intact. Woohyuk thought back to the past as he cut down a Skeleton Soldier using Grandia. ¡®Back then lots of people lost their way in here.¡¯ Due to the heavy mist within the cemetery, if you ever stepped off the path, it was very hard to get back. The terrain didn¡¯t help either with its many hills, so if you ran around blindly one could easily trip up and be injured ¡®Just like Inoue.¡¯ That guy had suffered from injuries due to being too hasty and pushing his troop too hard in order to break through the line of Skeleton Soldiers. Of course they had Return Stones so it wasn¡¯t like everyone had been killed, but because of that Woohyuk had to take over his role as leader for that raid. ¡°Oh, but I¡¯m a vampire. Can I even go inside a Chapel? What if there are relics¡­.¡± ¡°The Witch¡¯s Chapel was originally designed as a ce of worship for Lilith. It was onlyter remodeled by humans for more orthodox worship. Following the war between the Gods and Demons, Lilith had been sealed, falling into a long slumber. She was only able to awake once more due to the waning power of the Gods. Ever since that time, the Chapel had resumed its original function, and any relics found inside were now Corrupt. ¡°Then can I find some useful items in there?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± In the Witch¡¯s Sanctuary, there were mainly items that were Corrupt and affiliated with Darkness. Hong Yuri raised her ck whip, a look of anticipation stered across her face. ¡°I think I¡¯m beginning to understand why so many boys in our ss would y games all day long. I guess they must also be busy hunting now right?¡± ¡°They are probably sleeping now, it¡¯ste¡± An eternal sleep most likely. As he thought about his ssmates¡¯ faces, he swung down with Grandia. * * * Even despite taking a shortcut, they had been walking for quite some time, and the Witch¡¯s Chapel was not yet in sight. Weary, Hong Yuri couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Woohyuk, how much longer is it?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there now.¡± Woohyuk had repeated that same phrase more than once now. It had been six hours since they¡¯d entered the Witch¡¯s Sanctuary. Even for the Blood Queen, endurance wasn¡¯t her strong suit. ¡°Don¡¯t they have items like blood transfusion packets here? Or even some sort of syringe injections¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find it in the Chapel.¡± Although they weren¡¯t nearly that modern, there were certain items that allowed you to store quantities of blood. As Woohyuk was diligently exining it to Hong Yuri, the sound of heavy footsteps could be heard. ¡°So you¡¯ve appeared.¡± It was the Witch¡¯s first Guardian. A giant monster that was basically an amalgamation of different body parts, just like a Chimera. [Abomination] Because it was an Undead type, it wasn¡¯t possible to simply kill it by cutting its neck or stabbing it in the heart. ¡°You take the Ghouls.¡± Following behind it, there was an army of about 100 Ghouls, their eyes a glittering blue. A type of monster that was both stronger and more intelligent than a Zombie. They could infect a mortal through their bite, but of course it wasn¡¯t something that Vampires needed to worry about. After all, they were also just another kind of undead. ¡°Did you guys hear that? Kill them all!¡± Following Hong Yuri¡¯s lead, her Vampires leapt into the air, baring their fangs. As the battle began in earnest, Woohyuk led his undead to engage the Abomination. Bang! Bone fragments assaulted the Abomination as he used Corpse Explosion on a Skeleton Soldier. Still the damage wasn¡¯t much. It was covered in the tough hide of an Elite Monster, so it didn¡¯t take much damage. ¡®That won¡¯t be enough.¡¯ It looked like he would have to personally step in. A glint passed by Woohyuk¡¯s eyes as he stabbed Grandia into the Abomination¡¯s body. Puuk! He was able to cut through the tough hide, exposing the flesh behind. Feeling threatened, the Abomination shot out a dark green Poison Mist from its body. [Breath of Death] If one was to inhale it, their whole body would be paralyzed, It was a poisonous magic that targeted one¡¯s mind. Chapter 32: Witchs Sanctuary 2

Chapter 32: Witch''s Sanctuary 2

Just as the poison was about to touch him. Huuk! Huuk Bursts of air were emitted from his boots, catapulting Woohyuk back. It was a tense moment, but Woohyuk calmly proceeded to counterattack. Hwarrrk A Fireball was sent flying to the Abomination¡¯s head. Just another one of his spells that he had gathered with his Ghost Queen Star Serpent. In general, Holy spells or Fire based magic were quite effective against the Undead. Puk! Puk As Woohyuk stepped back a bit andunched Fireballs from afar, his undead minions assaulted the Abomination¡¯s legs. Pagak A Skeleton of his was hit by the Abomination¡¯srge fist, copsing instantly. Still, it didn¡¯t continue to eliminate his undead, since the damage of Woohyuk¡¯s Fireballs was begining to stack and melt its torso¡¯s outer skin. ¡°Oooah!¡± The Abomination thumped its chest in anger, as it charged towards Woohyuk. Leaping high into the air with the aid of Jake¡¯s Airwalker Boots, Woohyuk stayed out of the Abomination¡¯s range, as he continued to harass it with spells. ¡®It¡¯s quite easy this way.¡¯ Back then it had given him a hard time. Barrier, Flute, Return Stones... They had used everything in their arsenal, but even then there had been many victims. This led to the Canyon Battle being more difficult in theter stages. As the dark green Poisonous Gas began to disperse, Woohyuk decided to continue in close quarters. Then¡­ Dangung The Abomination¡¯s head cleanly severed with Grandia. Without the protection of the high grade leather skin, it was just an ordinary undead. ¡®I¡¯ll make sure topletely erase you.¡¯ Without its head, the rest of its body was quickly cut up into pieces. As the rotting pieces of flesh scattered across the ground, Woohyuk turned to see what was happening on Hong Yuri¡¯s end. ¡®She¡¯s almost done as well.¡¯ Vampires were simply superior to Ghouls. It was just far too unlikely for them to lose since each side had more or less the same numbers.They probably took little damage, after all they had their Blood Queen with them. Whuick Whuik Hong Yuri wielded her rapier as she pierced the heads of nearby Ghouls. She hade along nicely since her training session with Woohyuk. ¡®Herbat sense isn¡¯t all that bad.¡¯ Her timing and ability to change between the rapier and her whip was well practiced, she must have spent hours in it. After observing her until she had wrapped up her end of the battle, Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Although she was a bit out of breath, she naturally obeyed Woohyuk. As they continued to make their way forward, walking up a hill¡¯s small incline, the rumbling of hooves from within the fog was heard. ¡°Is it cavalry this time?¡± ¡°There''s nothing to worry about, he¡¯s alone.¡± Elrond¡¯s Baron, Jean Pierre let. A knight which had beenpletely corrupted by the Witch¡¯s spell. Focused on the ck silhouette that began to emerge from the heavy fog, Woohyuk raised Grandia. ¡°Stay back for this one.¡± He wasn¡¯t at all an easy opponent. Able to fight against a group of 30 yers by himself, he was the Witch''s second Guardian, and was quite strong. As Woohyuk took a step forward, he heard Elrond Baron¡¯s voice. ¡°Yo...u...can...not...go...any...fur...ther...¡± A single sentence to demonstrate its dominance. Because it was simply a corpse under the control of the Witch, he couldn¡¯t know if the words it spoke were its own, or those of the Witch. ¡® I still need to give this a try.¡¯ It would take a considerable amount of time and energy to defeat him, so after thinking for a bit, he asked the approaching Baron. ¡°Do you remember your daughter? She who had your wife¡¯s eyes and good looks.¡± ¡°....¡± Elrond¡¯s Baron grasped the reins as he sat erect upon his warhorse. As he looked at Woohyuk with his pale face, he nodded back. ¡®Fortunately it seems that there remains a small portion of his consciousness.¡¯ He had entered his contract voluntarily, which allowed him to retain a certain degree of freedom. A difficult situation that might instead be resolved with the right words. ¡°After your wife died of an illness, you focused everything on properly raising your daughter, making sure she¡¯d live a happy life. The Baron¡¯s love for his daughter was boundless, to such a point that it had an adverse affect instead. He had forbidden her from leaving the mansion, or contacting other noble men, afraid that his beautiful daughter would be the object of lust for these men. ¡°It was all in order to protect your daughter that you chose to sell your soul to the Witch, right?¡± ¡°You¡­ how¡­who...ar...e...you...¡± The Baron could detect the power of Death oozing from Woohyuk. Rather than answering his query, Woohyuk simply summoned a Skeleton Soldier. ¡°Necro...mancer.¡± ¡°I am Nakron¡¯s sessor, this book is my proof.¡± He held out Nakron¡¯s Grimoire, the horse the Baron rode on took a few steps back as it neighed in fear. Srrrrng Elrond¡¯s Baron unsheathed his long sword. ¡°His...appren...tice...is...not...able...to...co...me...he...re...¡± ¡°I have a proposal to make. If you let me pass, I will release the curse on your daughter, taking her under my wings and protecting her until this chaos is resolved.. The Baron¡¯s daughter was located in the Chapel. If he left her there, she would end up Corrupted. However, the world outside of the Sanctuary was full of danger, so it wasn¡¯t easy for the Baron to ept Woohyuk¡¯s proposal. ¡°I...only...follow...my...ow...ner¡¯s.....mands...¡± The Baron charged towards Woohyuk. Woohyuk rolled to the side, as he shed with his sword. Chang! The sharp sound of metal shing rang out on this small hill. Elrond¡¯s Baron turned his horse back around to face Woohyuk. ¡°That...sword...skill...from...the... Master¡± A graceful movement like the wings of an ancient crane. Although itcked strength, it was totally differentpared to others. ¡°Trying to find the origin of my skills is pointless, but yes I¡¯ve learnt some martial arts in the past.¡± ¡°Yo...u...are...too...dan..ger...ou..s...I¡¯ll do...my...best...¡± A ck energy burst out of the Baron¡¯s body. [Dark Knight¡¯s Curse] A deathly aura that made your senses sluggish and eroded your Vitality upon contact. Although the situation looked unfavorable for Woohyuk, he didn¡¯t retreat. It was because he somehow felt something was up. ¡®It was worth trying to talk to him.¡¯ All that remained now was to wait for the Baron¡¯s decision. Depending on that, the results might be very different. Clop! Clop! The Baron spurred his horse as he charged towards Woohyuk once more. His long sword carved through the air as it made its way towards Woohyuk¡¯s right shoulder. The exact same attack as previously. Chang! But hisck of determination made all the difference. Woohyuk dodged the sword strike and followed up with a midair spinning attack. Grandia¡¯s sharp de moved gracefully like a masterful brush stroke, closing in on the Baron. Finally¡­ Dangung The Elrond Baron¡¯s head was sent flying into the air. A natural and continuous motion, like the flowing of a river¡¯s water. Hong Yuri that had been staring intently at the duel, was left with her mouth hanging. Chulpuduk A headless corpse copsed on the hill¡¯s slope. Landing back on the ground gracefully, Woohyuk went over to his horse. It was of course to gather the loot. ¡®As expected, you didn¡¯t avoid it.¡¯ By pretending to do his best in the fight, the Baron was able to exploit a loophole in his contract. It was all in the hope that Woohyuk would honor his end and save his daughter. As he stared into the Baron¡¯s closed eyes that made him look at peace, he picked up what looked like an exquisite longsword. [Argent¡¯s Oath of Loyalty] Category: Weapon (Growth) Grade: C Durability: 10,500 Effect: The person who takes this pledge is bound to their Lord by a life and death contract. Within a 100 meter radius of the Lord, they gain 20% Experience bonus and Stats. (The pledge can only be made once in a person¡¯s lifetime, and can only be annulled by the Lord himself. ¡®It¡¯s the let¡¯s family heirloom.¡¯ Although the family had fallen very low, it had once been one with great influence. A lineage of Knights sworn to loyally serve their Lord. However once the Baron¡¯s Lord had chosen to sell his soul to the Demon King Dantalion, between them had be null. A contract with a Demon King was only possible by giving up absolutely everything. At that the Baron decided to give up his soul to the Witch, all in order to protect his daughter from the invading demons. After cing Argent¡¯s Oath of Loyalty in his Belt, Woohyuk urged them to keep pressing forward. Hong Yuri caught up to walk alongside him, as she asked. ¡°What are you nning on doing with the Baron¡¯s daughter? If you have no use for her, can I make her into a Vampire?¡± ¡°No, I will look out for her.¡± There was a reason that he had tried to talk with Elrond¡¯s Baron. It was the same reason that he had chosen to forfeit his own life. If he thought the Woohyuk didn¡¯t have the ability or intention to look after his daughter, he wouldn¡¯t have epted the deal in the first ce. It was quite difficult to grasp an opponent¡¯s character simply by crossing swords, but the let family was one that had produced many talented swordsmen. ¡®She is also quite skilled with the sword.¡¯ [Leifina] She would be Argent¡¯s next master. A subject that would not abandon him no matter what. He absolutely had to obtain her in order to seed in future ventures. Kiiiic As he opened the Chapel¡¯s door, the inside was engulfed in a sinister darkness. A ce filled with evil energy, as a white haired witch stood before an altar filled with candles. ¡°Wait for me outside.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Woohyuk slowly walked inside, leaving behind a weary Hong Yuri. Seeing him enter, the white haired Witch began to cackle maniacally. ¡° Kukuku What an amusing fe, trying to take me on all by himself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to kill you.¡± Woohyuk replied calmly, his hands devoid of any weapons. ¡°You¡¯vee all the way here and won¡¯t fight me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even bother trying to trick me. Do you think that I will be so easily fooled like the Baron?¡± The Witch spoke as she picked up the Crystal ball which had been on top of the altar. Inside it appeared the image of the Baron¡¯s headless corpse. ¡°He had an honorable death, protecting a life that is more important than his own.¡± ¡°You''re talking about the Baron¡¯s daughter. Ha! If you can take her away, go ahead and try. Of course, it won¡¯t be easy!¡± The white haired Witch waved her wand, sending scorching blue mes towards Woohyuk. He kept advancing using the Ghost Queen Star Serpent to defend himself. ¡°This Chapel is where Angrboda was born, one of Lilith¡¯s kin, and she is much more powerful than you. ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m a fraud?¡± ¡°Yes¡± It was a simple trick used by Angrboda, using others to assume her form. As Woohyuk grasped the wand and yanked it from her hand, the Witch panicked as she tried to cast a spell in a rush. Suddenly, the sword Argent was thrust before her. ¡°See yourself for who you truly are.¡± ¡°....¡± The white haired Witch stared at her reflection on the sword¡¯s de. A beautiful woman with pink hair, certainly not a wrinkled old woman. The Witch¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°This woman¡­¡± ¡°The Daughter of Elrond¡¯s Baron, Leifina let. That is your true name. Angrboda had used her powers to confuse her into seeing and thinking herself as the Sanctuary¡¯s Witch. She was basically held hostage in case the Baron chose to go back on his word. ¡®Last time I had been lucky to identally discover this.¡¯ When he had tried to kill her using the Argent sword he had recently acquired, he just happened to see her reflection upon the sword. A hidden reward. Only the very first yer to defeat the Baron could obtain the Argent sword, as well as have a chance to win over Leifina. Leifina, who had returned to her original form, sat down and cried as she was overwhelmed with grief. Guilt, she truly believed that the Baron had died all because of her. ¡°I had no choice but to kill your father.¡± ¡°... I know.¡± He had died the moment he had sold his soul to that Witch. Woohyuk had simply helped him find some measure of peace. At the time, Leifina had been able topletely hear their conversation due to her Crystal ball. ¡°Take this, it is rightfully yours.¡± Woohyuk ced Argent back in its sheath, then handed it to Leifina. She in turn stroked her sword affectionately, as she asked. ¡°... will you take me with you?¡± ¡°If you make an Oath of Loyalty to me, I promise to never turn my back on you.¡± Although Leifina was at first a bit hesitant, sheter nodded as she agreed to use Argent¡¯s effect. ¡°I owe you too much, I¡¯ll help you in any way that I can.¡± While she had been sequestered in her own mansion, the Baron had made sure that she learned swordy. Despite her beautiful appearance, she had never taken to any feminine hobbies, seeking instead the path of honor through the sword. Leifina''s skills which she had learned from family techniques passed down across generations, were actually quite good. It was a cut above his current team. ¡°I Chun Woohyuk shall always be there as your Lord. To provide for you, there will always be bread and meat on your table, and I will never ask you tomit a dishonorable act. Woohyuk took back Argent from her hands, gently tapping each of her shoulders. Leifina then bowed her head, andpleted her end of the oath. ¡°As the eldest daughter of the let family, I vow to fight by your side until my dying breath.¡± As the Oath waspleted, Leifina raised her head, a somber expression on her face. Although she had be the knight she had always dreamed of, her heart was heavy. ¡®Father wouldn¡¯t have been happy.¡¯ The Baron had only taught Leifina some swordy in order to improve her body¡¯s constitution. It was because he didn¡¯t want to see her dying from a disease like her mother, not to turn her into a Knight. Still, Leifina had decided to go against his will. Tired of being cooped like a caged bird, she wanted to break out and get revenge on her father¡¯s enemies. ¡®With this man it might be possible.¡¯ There hadn¡¯t been many that were capable of beating her father in a duel. A man that one day will leave his mark on history. epting Argent, Leifina looked up at Woohyuk, as a white text appeared before her eyes. [Acquired Hidden ss: Iron Maiden] [An unbreakable bond has been created between the Lord and the Oathtaker.] [You can Teleport to the Lord¡¯s side once per hour.] [Poison Resistance increased by 25%] [Unique Skill: sh Cut] Chapter 33: Ice Sword 1

Chapter 33: Ice Sword 1

¡°This¡­¡± ¡° It¡¯s a Hidden ss that only you can get.¡± An Iron Maiden was very simr to a Valkyrie, in that she belonged on the battlefield. Although she relied mainly on Light based sword skills, she also had ess to a limited amount of Holy spells. The biggest difference was that she only swore allegiance to a single Lord, and not the God of light, bing more powerful when in his presence. It was a buff that made it very much worth it for them to stick together. ¡°Can you stand?¡± ¡°Yes, of course¡­¡± However, as he had expected, Leifina stumbled back to the ground as she tried to pick herself up. Her body was simply devoid of any strength. The Crystal ball that had been ced on the altar for some time now, shattered as soon as the Illusory magic was broken. She was no longer receiving any Mana to support her. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it, your body is very feeble right now.¡± He had asked the question despite already knowing the answer, because he wanted to make sure that Leifina understood how serious her condition was. Woohyuk bent down and picked her up with ease. ¡°Wha.. what¡­¡± Leifina¡¯s face turned a deep red, unable to control the blush as this was her first time being embraced by a stranger. Even if they were now in a Master- Subordinate rtionship, it was still an awkward situation. ¡°Don¡¯t resist, you are mine now.¡± ¡°....¡± It was quite the misleading statement. As Leifina continued to struggle with hertest dilemma, Hong Yuri¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Woohyuk, are you all done?¡± ¡°Yep,e on in.¡± Having his permission, Hong Yuri rushed inside. Immediately she scanned every inch of Leifina¡¯s body that donned a stunning blue dress. ¡°Wow¡­ You¡¯re such a beautiful woman.¡± ¡°There are several beauties in the Eeth continent.¡± Although the natives here had small differencespared to the humans that came from Earth, it was only small things like the color of hair or iris. The biggest difference was the life expectancy. Natives here tend to live three times longer than humans. It was also one of the reasons that humanity¡¯s lifespan had increased upon arriving here. The rate at which they aged had been reduced, making it theoretically possible for humans to live to see three hundred years pass. ¡°I¡¯m so jealous, to have such a face without even any stic surgery¡­.¡± Hong Yuri muttered to herself as she frowned. It was the feeling of being discarded to the side, as a celebrity garnered all the attention. Not to mention that the very first thing she saw was her rival cradled up in Woohyuk¡¯s arms. A tough opponent indeed. Hong Yuri¡¯s eyes continued to narrow as Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°Are you getting jealous?¡± ¡°As a woman, of course I am.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy on such useless emotions, this world isn¡¯t so forgiving.¡± ¡°I know that already.¡± Hong Yuri looked away dejectedly. Ignoring her reaction, Woohyuk walked up to the stone wall behind the altar. Srrrk As he came in contact with the engraved rune on the wall, the Secret room appeared. He then turned around to look at Hong Yuri. ¡°Stop pouting ande on in.¡± ¡°... Okay.¡± He is not the kind of person to engage in any give and take. Hong Yuri followed along pathetically like a domesticated cat that had a dog¡¯s cor around her neck. ¡°Take them, they are all yours.¡± Woohyuk spoke to her kindly, and Hong Yuri¡¯s mood had brightened considerably. she nodded back excitedly as she examined the loot before her. [New Moon¡¯s Attraction] Category: Weapon (Growth) Grade: C Durability: 10,500 Effect: When thrown, an illusory chain is sent out, binding your opponent. Following which Hypnosis can be used to manipte him with your thoughts. [Blood Fountain] Category: Jewel (Growth) Grade: C Durability: 9,800 Effect: Can store up to 300% of the user¡¯s maximum Blood Energy. Reduces cost of all Blood Energy rted skills by 20% The New Moon¡¯s Attraction was a rather unusual weapon with short des sticking out on either side of its handle. Because they came in a pair, they were useful in both close quarter and mid rangebat. The Blood Fountain was exactly what it sounded like, an on the go personal blood bank. Using it you could store excess Blood Energy to be used at ater time. It was also very convenient because it took the form of a pendant. ¡°Wow¡­ why is it that all the equipment is suitable for me?¡± ¡°Vampires are favored by Lilith.¡± If Hong Yuri hadn¡¯t entered the room with him, all that would have appeared was the Witch¡¯s two-handed staff and the Baron¡¯s cursed ring. That is what could be found in any of the other Sectors. Both of those items were quite trashy, so it was better to help Hong Yuri a bit. ¡°Master, are you allied with the Night n?¡± ¡°Hong Yuri is my ve, through the Blood ring we wear.¡± Woohyuk pointed out the Blood rings they both wore, but Leifina was unconvinced. Clearly she felt that vampires couldn¡¯t be trusted. If the Silver Haired Witch were to learn of this¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, I am also considered to be on the path of Darkness.¡± ¡°... ah, you are part of the Dark forces?¡± ¡°I have the Necromancer ss.¡± Being bombarded with all this information, she couldn¡¯t help but look between the two of them. Hong Yuri teased her by releasing her fangs. ¡°And I¡¯m the Blood Queen.¡± In order to reassure her, Woohyuk summoned a Skeleton Archer. ¡°It isn¡¯t because we wield the powers of Darkness that we necessarily have to join hands with the Demons or anything. So don¡¯t be so ufortable about all this, just look at this guy, isn¡¯t he cute. Following Woohyuks orders, the Skeleton Archer began tap dancing before them. Leifina blocked her face with her two hands, as if she were staring at some sort of heresy. ¡°Everything is just all messed up.¡± * * * Upon returning to the Fortress, Woohyuk exined to Leifina how it was that he became a Necromancer, since he was sure that she¡¯d still have some doubts based on her personality. Although she didn¡¯t seem to be convinced, at least she no longer brought it up. It was her Master¡¯s choice, so she could only follow along. After having a good night¡¯s rest at the Inn, Woohyuk decided to take a short break. He had already achieved many of the goals he had set out for himself, he had to stop and evaluate his progress. ¡®Only two more Temples to go.¡¯ The third area on the left path was filled withva and didn¡¯t have any items that caught his attention. Simply sending Lee Jaesung to lead the party there would suffice. Also he easily defended the central path, since the enemies wouldn¡¯t be able to cross the Stymphalian Lake. With Hong Yuri taking care of the right side, he likewise had nothing to worry about. ¡®For now, I¡¯ll need to deal with Isaac first.¡¯ After having learned that Ranghilt was targeting him, it no longer was a problem that he could ignore. The Sea God¡¯s curse following him around wasn''t something that he had ounted for, and could throw a wrench in his future ns. As the rays of sun began to creep up on the horizon, Woohyuk went to the Auction house to collect his money from the sales. A total of 3 gold coins and 2 silver ones. Nothing but pocket change. As he headed to the Tavern to buy some food to bring back for Leifina, he heard Isaac¡¯s voice from behind him. ¡°Good morning Chun Woohyuk.¡± ¡°....¡± Seeing Isaac approach him without his usual posse, he knew something was off. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes became sharp like daggers. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯vee to see what was up for auction. I heard that there were a bunch of new items put up yesterday.¡± Isaac smiled gently as he eyed the coins in Woohyuk¡¯s hand. And ice cold gaze, it seemed that he was already under the influence of the sword Ranghilt. ¡°All of the items have been sold off.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s too bad. Still, it¡¯s fine since I just wanted to see some new items on a whim.¡± It was a decent excuse since he wasn¡¯t doing anyrge raids at the moment.. Isaac approached Woohyuk, casually leaning as he put his hand on the nearby shelves. ¡°Let¡¯s see, a new item seems to have been put upst night by Hong Yuri.¡± Between the two of them they had indeed collected quite a lot of lootst night. As he watched Isaac browse through the Auction house, Woohyuk thought to himself what would be the best way to take care of him. ¡®It would be best if I let him think he was the one trapping me.¡¯ To begin with he wasn¡¯t one of those naive people. Even if he had mentally sumbed to the influence of the sword, his inherent qualities wouldn¡¯t simply disappear. Ever since a young age he had received the very best education due to his royal lineage. A man that admired King Arthur and had practiced fencing and horseback riding. Good acting would be needed, in order to fool someone that had been born into a life of politics. ¡°Have you explored the Mountain Range yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy farming for gold coins and haven¡¯t had the time. I was nning on going there today however.¡± Once the Guard Towers were properly manned, it would be difficult for enemy troops to invade because due to the Teleport scrolls, it was very easy for the upying side to quickly reinforce. Trying to invade the enemy¡¯s territory was simply too unreasonable. It was only a strategy that had been viable in the early stages, when the borders hadn¡¯t been properly secured yet. It might also resurface a little bitter on once the casualties began to pile up and the manpower across the border would be stretched thin. Isaac was aware of that, so he hadn¡¯t been in any hurry to explore the mountains in search of enemy yers. ¡°How long are you nning on going out?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll depend on the situation. Why don¡¯t you join us, Chun Woohyuk. If you do, I can even exempt your team from the daily quota.¡± He was no doubt trying to lead him into a trap and gang up on him with his loyal subordinates. Even if they would then be marked as traitors, it wouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal since it only meant that they would need toy low for about a day, without returning to the Fortress. ¡°Sure, but my team members are a bit tired, so I don¡¯t think they will be able to join us. We¡¯ve run into a lot of trouble these past few days.¡± ¡°Just you alone is fine then, let¡¯s meet up at the Fortress¡¯ entranceter.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get something to eat and head right there.¡± He didn¡¯t need the help of his team to take care of Isaac. The two of the parted ways, as Woohyuk thought about their uing battle. * * * Initiating an attack on yers from your own Faction would give you a red marker. One couldn¡¯t enter the Fortress under those conditions since you¡¯d be treated as a criminal and locked up in the underground prison. So if Isaac was the first to strike, he would be able to return for a whole day. The same was true for any Teleport Scrolls. Appearing near any of the towers while marked as criminal was likewise suicide since there were plenty of guards on duty. From Isaac¡¯s point of view, the best time to strike was as they were preparing to return from their trip to the mountains. Of course the only reason he took such a risk in the first ce was all due to the influence of his sword, Ranghilt. ¡®He has no choice in the matter.¡¯ However it would also be best for him to tie up this loose end before the end of this stage¡¯s Canyon Battle. If he were to allow such a dangerous variable to make its way to the Eeth continent, it very well might endanger his future prospects. Woohyuk calmly examined his surroundings as their team explored the rugged mountainous terrain. He couldn''t detect any killing intent as of yet, so he guessed that he was at least nning to wait until they reached the peak before showing his true colors. However there was a big w in their n That¡¯s right¡­. ¡°Kyaaaaah!¡± They hadn¡¯t factored in the existence of the Griffons. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± A man decked in te armor asked nervously as he pointed out the Griffon in the distance. It was sorge that its shadowpletely enveloped their team climbing the mountain. Srrrng Isaac stepped in front of them as he unsheathed Ranghilt, staring at the Griffon intently, as if he were being controlled by someone. ¡°That will likely be a headache for uster on, so it¡¯s best to take care of it right now.¡± A magical blue aura was emitted from Ranghilt, as Woohyuk watched with rapt attention. ¡®He¡¯s going to use the sword¡¯s power.¡¯ Since it was one of the Sea God¡¯s treasures, it must have considerable power. Of course how much of that power could be manifested, relied entirely on its user. Whuiaaaaa! A burst of frost shot out from the sword, as Isaac swung Ranghilt towards the iing Griffin. Chawaaak! Griffon¡¯s body suffered from a deep cut, as blood spurted everywhere. It pped its wings angrily, as it rushed towards Issac. ¡°Kyaaaahk!¡± It struck out with its sharp beak, attempting to peck Isaac head to death. Just then, the magical blue frost once again enveloped the sword. Puuk! Ranghilt managed to pierce into the Griffin¡¯s body, as the frost aura began to freeze it from the inside. Soon after, the Griffin was turned into an ice statue that crashed its way down the mountain. As the dust from the battle hung in the air, Woohyuk¡¯s senses were heightened. ¡®It¡¯s even more dangerous than I had expected.¡¯ He felt that he would struggle to defend the Griffins attack based solely on the barrier provided by his Ghost Queen Star Serpent. It was because his Intelligence Stat was not yet high enough, so he didn¡¯t have enough Mana to absorb such a blow. Not to mention that they were quite high up on the mountain. Rolling down head first as a frozen statue wasn¡¯t something he had any ns on experiencing. ¡®I need to change the setting.¡¯ And he happened to know just the ce that was nearby. After waiting for the dust to settle, he spoke to Isaac. ¡°I think there is a nest of these guys near the peak.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same thing, this mountain range is much more dangerous than I thought.¡± Given the level of danger, it was very unlikely for an enemy force to be hidden within these mountains. There were nothing but rocks and hills as far as the eye could see. Even if one went out of their way to do some extreme rock climbing, they¡¯d just end up as food for the Griffons. As Isaac was busy thinking as to how they should proceed, Woohyuk spoke up once more. ¡°They might have already noticed us since we¡¯ve created quite themotion.¡± ¡°Do you have any suggestions?¡± ¡°Last time I came here I happened upon a cave. How about hiding there for a while until things settle down a bit?¡± The mountain they climbed was quite steep, so it would take them too long to climb all the way back down. Isaac¡¯s party seemed to agree with Woohyuk¡¯s suggestion, since they didn¡¯t like the idea of facing any Griffons during the climb down. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, please lead the way.¡± ¡°Then follow me.¡± Woohyuk nodded as he began to walk down the path. He could feel their evil stare fixed onto his back. ¡®Looks like they are nning to take action soon.¡¯ A remote and dark cave would be a great spot to betray an ally. Monitoring Isaac¡¯s party with his strong perception, he continued walking forward. Chapter 34: Ice Sword 2

Chapter 34: Ice Sword 2

¡°There it is.¡± Isaac nodded upon hearing Woohyuk speak. ¡°We should search it first though.¡± Since it was a cave that was hidden away, it was normal to think that there might be a monster. Woohyuk however walked in without bothering to unsheathe Grandia. ¡®There¡¯s nothing inside.¡¯ That is except for the one treasure chest located at the very back. It contained a Teleport Scroll, which was actually a decent item. ¡°Have you discovered anything?¡± ¡°No¡± Woohyuk quickly responded as he headed straight for the treasure chest. Just as he managed to snatch the Scroll from the chest, Isaac¡¯s party appeared behind him with their weapons raised. ¡°You took the item!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t I the one to find it though?¡± ¡°Sure, but it¡¯s still quite rude of you.¡± ¡°If you have anyints, try and take it from me¡± An open provocation. The men standing next to Isaac stared at Woohyuk, visibly angry. ¡°You must be very confident in yourself.¡± ¡°Why, do you think you can beat me with just this number of loyal dogs?¡± He didn¡¯te here to beat around the bush. As Woohyuk spoke, Isaac couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°So you already knew that I was aiming for you.¡± Ranghilt¡¯s ego had taken over. It was the case where both parties thought themselves to be the hunter. ¡°Maybe, maybe not.¡± ¡°Either way, you will be judged for your transgressions against God!¡± ¡°Transgressions against God? What a farce! Isn¡¯t it the case that your Sea God rebelled against the Creator?¡± Isaac¡¯s followers were confused regarding their conversation, but Isaac himself didn¡¯t seem to care at all, as he raised Ranghilt. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, but it seems your arrogance knows no bounds. You even want to keep such a treasure to yourself.¡± ¡°You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about, but it matters not. Come, I¡¯ll cut down however many people you throw my way.¡± The truth was that Isaac had only brought five of his loyal subordinates with him. He only had to be wary of Ranghilt, the others were a piece of cake. He curled his finger provocatively, and everyone rushed towards him. Chaeng! Chaeng! Woohyuk simply defended, enduring an attack from each of them. Of course the reason was that he wanted them to be marked as sinners. As soon as they had attacked first, his fierce counterattack followed. Huiaaaaang Grandia swept through them without any resistance, he might as well have been harvesting wheat. After bringing the battle to a close, Woohyuk looked towards Isaac who was just standing there. ¡°Why are you just watching?¡± ¡°I was merely interested in how you¡¯d do.¡± This Magic Sword had its own ego, and as such could make its own decisions. It was an item created by the Sea God and therefore bound to follow its will, but if the Sea God was no more, perhaps it wouldn¡¯t need to follow its orders any longer. At that time, it could find itself a better host instead. In Ranghilt¡¯s eyes, Woohyuk was a much better host to upypared to Isaac. ¡°Interested?¡± ¡°Tell me more about this Sea God. What happened to him, did he die at the hands of the Creator?¡± Ranghilt had only recently awoken from its long slumber, so it was natural to ask such a question. Woohyuk though for a moment, then responded. ¡°If you can defeat me, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°Okay, as you wish.¡± Isaac sighed as he stabbed Rangilt unto the ground. A cold air was emitted, as the cave quickly began to freeze over. ¡®It¡¯s trying to establish a favorable environment.¡¯ In order for the sword to express its full potential, an environment that matched its Ice element was important. Buffeted by these bursts of cold air, Woohyuk raised Grandia. ¡®I won¡¯t be using the Undead.¡¯ They weren¡¯t yet at a high enough level that they could be impactful in a fight of this calibre. As Woohyuk closed the distance between them, Isaac used Ranghilt to send a whirlwind of chilling cial winds his way. TaAng! The cave walls began to crack as they were coated in ice. As Isaac prepared his next strike, Woohyuk ran across the slippery surface, quickly narrowing the gap between them. Wooddk Icicles began to drop from the ceiling, blocking his way. As he dodged to the side in a bid to continue pressing forward, Ice spikes appeared from the ground this time. The cave¡¯s environment was currently entirely under Ranghilt¡¯s control, and it was very difficult to predict where the next attack woulde from. Still, Woohyuk had an impressive Agility and abat sense far above the norm. So much so that even being disadvantaged to such a degree, didn¡¯t make too much of a difference to him. ¡®It¡¯ll be best to end this quickly.¡¯ Due to Ranghilt¡¯s magic, ice continued to umte within the cave. If this battle went on for much longer, it wouldn¡¯t just be limited to a couple icicles or spike being sent his way. As Woohyuk had finally arrived rather close, a giant Ice Wall was erected before him. No doubt it was cast in self defense, finally feeling some measure of danger. Dangung A horizontal sh from Grandia split the Ice wall in half, but cold winds were waiting for him on the other side. [Frost Wind] It was less powerful than its counterpart, Ice Storm, but was still annoying to deal with because of its wide AoE. Relying on the Ghost Queen Star Serpent to defend against the magic spell, Woohyuk quickly struck towards Isaac¡¯s neck. ng! The shing of metal rang across the cave. With their swords raised, they stared into each other''s eyes. Whiric! Woohyuk took a step back as he threw his Vampiric dagger. It wasn¡¯t the most urate shot, and Isaac was able to dodge by instinctively leaning to the side. ¡°Unlike your swordy, it seems you didn¡¯t put much practice into your throwing skill.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°... Huh?¡± Isaac felt something was wrong and turned around just in time to see the dagger headed straight for his head. The ability to recover the dagger was a result of a certainbination of engraved runes. However, no one ever said that such an ability could only be used to recover the weapon, and not in battle. Despite his best attempts to dodge, the Vampiric dagger still managed to cut through his neck. Jurrrk It left a sizable cut behind, as blood began to flow. ¡®Sess.¡¯ He had applied the Basilisk¡¯s poison on the dagger¡¯s edge. It would only be a matter of time before Isaac would be dead now. Even if he would be able to drag it out a bit longer by relying on Ranghilt¡¯s magic, his movement would still be affected, and eventually he wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the poison which stacked with his buffs from his full Basilisk¡¯s Armor Set. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Isaac groaned as he was brought down to his knees. As the poison spread throughout his body, paralysis began to set in. Woohyuk raised Grandia, and finished him with one quick stroke. Puuk! Stabbing straight into his heart. Just then, his ice cold eyes stared straight into Woohyuk. [Take me] It was Ranghilt¡¯s magic trying to tempt him. Of course Woohyuk didn¡¯t fall for its guile. ¡°Pick it up.¡± Triton who had just been summoned to this cial cave, nodded back. As he grasped Ranghilt, it instantly ceased to emit any blue mana. ¡°Am I able to control it as well?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible if you were protected by a certain set of runes.¡± With the rightbination of runes engraved upon his armor, he might be able to resist the sword¡¯s influence despite his Spirit Stat being too low. The biggest problem would be finding a cksmith on the Eeth continent with such a mastery of runes. Of course, Woohyuk himself wasn¡¯t at all worried because he already knew where to find the very best cksmith. ¡°It¡¯s easier than I expected.¡± [Runesmith Dexter] If he had been able to survive until the very end, it would be difficult to say if Woohyuk would still have been able to keep his position as the strongest human, and that is after considering that he didn¡¯t even have a Combat ss. While thinking about him, he gathered the loot in the cave. * * * Isaac''s death certainly led to a copse in his group. Colton, who had been his second inmand, tried to keep his forces united, but struggled because his Crown tier wasn¡¯t high enough. Within their camp, it was only Colton that was aware that Woohyuk was behind his leader¡¯s death. This was because the fact that they had set out to kill Woohyuk was a tightly held secret that couldn¡¯t be easily spread. No one else could even suspect Woohyuk of any wrongdoings since he returned to the Fortress within a day¡¯s time. The absence of any red marker was the biggest proof that he didn¡¯t have anything to do with it. Naturally everyone just concluded that Isaac and his subordinates had been unlucky and fallen to a pack of Griffons. As the situation began to stabilize, Woohyuk sent Lee Jaesung to the left path. On his way back he had gone and activated the Guard Tower near the Bronze Rock Mountain, so now the only one remaining was thest one on the left path. There were a few voices here and there that said that the center path wasn¡¯t secure, but they were the minority. Currently Woohyuk was the one with the most clout in their faction, as rumors spread that despite having a small team, he was a Silver Crown leader with considerable skill. That,bined with Hong Yuri¡¯s full support and the fact that he was basically unopposed, he became the faction¡¯s Commander in Chief. ¡°Is the food good?¡± Woohyuk asked Leifina who seemed to be engrossed in her roasted Lizardman. They had been together for two days now, and just finished their raid on the Banshee¡¯s Temple. Now only the Naga Temple was left. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s better than I had expected.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°But Master, can I try cooking next time? I seem to struggle every time¡­.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible.¡± Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s harsh rejection, Leifina couldn¡¯t help but be a bit confused. Didn¡¯t he really im that she couldn¡¯t ever cook? As the situation became increasingly awkward, Woohyuk rified. ¡°Cooking can also be considered a form of battle. A single mistake and the food won¡¯t turn our well, which can negatively affect your allies.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Trust me, you are good with a sword and have a beautiful appearance, but God is fair and you simply don¡¯t have any housewife skills.¡± Leifina instantly blushed hearing the praise. As she turned silent, Woohyuk continued to eat, enjoying the savory meat with chewy texture. If it had been done by Leifina, it would never have turned out this way. As he imagined what her burnt Lizard meat might look like, he heard the sound of someone approaching. Based on their stride, height and footsteps, it was likely a yer and not another Naga. It seemed that they were a ratherrge party, and had decided to attack the temple as one. Keeping an eye on them, Woohyuk handed Leifina the Banshee¡¯s Cloak. ¡°Put this on for now, we have some visitors.¡± A Hidden Piece that could turn the wearer invisible so long as you had enough Mana to supply it. In order to obtain it, Woohyuk had to endure endless shrieks the other night. A situation where the average person would have long been driven mad. If a group of adventurers were to encounter such shrieks, it was likely to result in a simr situation to what happened back at the Vampire bat cave. However they were now at the Naga temple. A ce infested with Nagas, a serpent-like creature with four arms. ¡°Oh, so it was Chun Woohyuk. Were you hunting here all by yourself?¡± Colton said with a friendly smile. A tier 1 Bronze Crown leader, but the number in his group far exceeded the maximum capacity of his party. He currently had about 30 people with him, and if you ounted for those that had been left behind as lookouts at the guard towers, he had about 60 followers at the moment. A situation where he had absorbed most of Isaac¡¯s forces. ¡°One of my party members returned to the Fortress just now to take care of some stuff, but I have no qualms being alone here.¡± Those manning the Guard Tower had seen him arrive with Leifina, so it wasn¡¯t like he could deny her existence. Colton, feeling something was off, looked at the surroundings in amazement. ¡°Did you handle all these monsters?¡± ¡°No way...¡± Although Nagas looked simr to the Lizardmen, they were considerably taller with hard scales. Not to mention that it was difficult to deal any damage to them in the first ce because they could wield ancient magic spells like Shrink and Blink Breaking out of his stupor, Colton continued. ¡°Would you like to join us? After all, we don¡¯t know what¡¯s behind there.¡± At the end of the passage stood arge bronze door, with unique patterns on it. Pretty much anyone that had survived this far could guess that a Boss monster resided behind them. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you don¡¯t get in my way.¡± He didn¡¯t know what his intentions were, but he knew that he was up to no good. If he let him escape with a Return Stone, he might be back with reinforcements. Woohyuk opened the bronze door, giving Colton¡¯s group a friendly smile. * * * ¡°Geuh¡­¡± Colton spat out a mouthful of blood as he copsed to the ground. Around there were countless corpses that had suffered the same fate. A one-sided massacre. Despite having attacked Woohyuk sneakily while he was supposed to be focused on the Naga Boss. ¡°Shit¡­¡± He thought that he would be able to kill Woohyuk Although he was busy because he needed a higher tier in order to properly unite the group that had begun to drift ever since their leader¡¯s death. Of course he still had to take revenge for his Master¡¯s death. At first he pretended to be weak, letting them attack him, but suddenly he seemed like apletely different person as he had burst out with his full strength. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have tried going after him.¡¯ At first he had thought that it was only due to being tricked in some way that Isaac had fallen to Woohyuk. There was no way that he wouldn¡¯t be able to kill him despite their advantage in numbers. ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ It was only as he drew hisst breath that he realized the depths of Woohyuk¡¯s strength. A truly terrifying being, one that Isaac couldn¡¯t even hold a candle to. ¡°How do you feel, being cut down by the one you used to follow?¡± Woohyuk asked in a t voice. Before him stood the pale undead Isaac, wielding a Bastard sword. ss: Dark Knight Commander (Humanoid) Abilities: Leadership (200), Death Temr (Can raise his victims as Dark Knights), Darkness sh (Sends out a ck wave of up to 100m), Aura of Death ( +10 to all stats of allied Undead within a 35m radius) Enchanted Darkness ( weapon gains the Darkness attribute). Stats: Strength: 116 Vitality: 98 Dexterity: 103 Intelligence: 58 Spirit: 72 The reason he summoned him was to test the Death Temr ability. It was quite the unusual skill and he wondered what the difference would be between that and his own Rise ability. Puuk! The Bastard Sword pierced right through Colton¡¯s te armor, stabbing into his heart. The sword sharpness had been greatly improved due to the Dark energy surrounding it. Woohyuk watched the situation unfold, curious as to what might happen. It didn¡¯t take long for Colton to rise, a Dark energy likewise being emitted from his sabre. ¡®There is an extra ability.¡¯ His undead summons however didn¡¯t gain that darkness attribute, and their Stats were also a bit lower. As Woohyuk stood there with a satisfied expression, Leifina appeared from behind him. ¡°Master, allow me to fight next time. It is shameful for a knight to stand by and watch as their Lord is in danger.¡± ¡°This was nothing, we still have a long road ahead of us.¡± Woohyuk said as he ced his hand on Leifina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Be strong enough to always stand by my side. Until that timees, I¡¯ll protect you instead.¡± As their eyes ment, Leifina couldn¡¯t help but shyly avert her gaze ¡°...Okay.¡± For but a moment, a delicate atmosphere hung in the air. Chapter 35: Battlefield Chaos 1

Chapter 35: Battlefield Chaos 1

Upon exiting the temple, Woohyuk took Leifina and headed straight for the Valley of Kings. Due to Isaac and Colton¡¯s death, their faction had now been considerably weakened. Things might spiral out of his control if he didn¡¯t quickly restore the bnce between the two opposing sides. ¡®It¡¯s finally time.¡¯ This was the true battlefield, not the hunting grounds that served more the role of appetizers. A fierce battle would soon erupt. For that reason, he had to hunt the first Fossil Dragon and keep their faction¡¯s advantage. ¡®There are also other things to take care of.¡¯ In order toter hunt the Griffons that inhabited the Mountain ranges, it was necessary to first create an army of undead Gargoyles. Other than the monsters found in the Twilight Tower, the Griffons were basically the most powerful monsters in this stage. Dealing with them while also having to traverse the mountainous terrain was simply too demanding. As the sand was blown by the shifting winds, Woohyuk stared at the scene of the valley from up high. A deste area, not one where you¡¯d want to stay too long. ¡°Lord, I can¡¯t see anything.¡± Leifina said as she looked around. She was still wearing the Banshee¡¯s Cloak, since Woohyuk always prioritized her safety. ¡°We will need to look elsewhere.¡± It was arge area since it connected to the three paths on either side. Also, the Fossil Dragon didn¡¯t stay in a fixed location, so it wasn¡¯t easy to find right away. Whiriic! The Vampiric dagger sunk into a Desert Eagle that had flown a bit too close. Turning into an undead, he then had it fly low near the canyon cliffs in order to activate the sleeping Gargoyles. ¡°Krrrk!¡± Those ugly looking Gargoyles quickly gave chase, pping their dark stone wings in an attempt to catch the eagle. Although they used their petrification magic, it wasn¡¯t that effective because Undead were innately resistant to Curse magic. Using the Desert Eagle as bait, Woohyuk hunted the Gargoyles down one by one. Swooosh! The stone creature was cut cleanly in two, as Grandia had just ranked up in Grade. Its attack power and sharpness had increased noticeably, and there was now a faint light aura covering the sword. A weapon that was especially powerful against creatures of Darkness. Considering the many battles toe against the Demons, it was a weapon worth nurturing until the very end. Landing safely back on the ground with the use of his Airwalker Boots, Woohyuk stood among a pile of rubble consisting of broken Gargoyles. Leifina, who had been watching from the side asked curiously. ¡°Is it still possible to raise them as undead?¡± ¡°That depends on the Necromancer¡¯s ability.¡± If the corpse had be mutted to the point that it was barely recognizable, then its stats would suffer as a result of that. If only he couldbine the parts of different monsters to create a Frankenstein-like being. ¡°Although it is a powerful ability, I worry that the Lord¡¯s reputation will suffer as a result of it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± Either way the Eeth continent had long been engulfed in chaos. A ce where people would sell their souls to the Demon Kings, and your fellow man couldn¡¯t be trusted. In such a situation, a thing like reputation was basically worthless. The only exception were certain sses such as a Saint. After reverse summoning the Desert Eagle that had begun to turn to stone, Woohyuk kept advancing. * * * [Chun Woohyuk from the Red Faction has killed the Fossil Dragon.] [10 Copper coins are awarded to every yer in your Faction] [Health and Mana Regeneration is increased by 15% for the next 24 hours.] The death of a Fossil Dragon would result in a stage wide system message. The sandstorm that had previously been raging, also calmed down. Looking down at the three gold coins that had appeared in his right hand, Woohyuk finally exhaled. ¡®It wasn¡¯t at all easy.¡¯ Normally you would have to gather a team of 300 just to hunt such an Epic Monster. It could summon the sand soldiers wielding spears, as well as its Dragon¡¯s Breath which was very deadly. His secret behind this sess was the Ancient Ring he had acquired from the Naga¡¯s Chief. It gave him the ability to teleport 100m in any direction, ignoring all obstacles in his path. It was absolutely necessary in order to dodge the Dragon¡¯s me breath which had the added ability to stun him, after which he would suffer at the hands of its Sand Spearmen. Still, because he had relied on it so heavily, his Mana was now extremely low. Because he had only recently switched to the Necromancer ss, his Stats weren¡¯t ideally distributed and he didn¡¯t have enough Mana to fully utilize all his items. ¡®I need to rest.¡¯ There was an Oasis located not too far from him. As Woohyuk began walking towards it, a small creature popped its head up from a whole in the sand. It was a young Desert Fox pup. ¡°Lord, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not dangerous.¡± Desert Foxes were very timid creatures, and would rarely attack unless provoked. As Woohyuk blew his Golden Goat¡¯s Horn, the young Desert Fox cautiously approached, its long ears twitching. The magical sound which worked to attract the Golden Goats, also seemed to interest it. Leifina¡¯s eyes sparkled seeing its cute appearance. ¡°Are you going to tame it?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± Desert Foxes would fetch a pretty penny on the Eeth Continent. They were the pet of choice among aristocratic women, so it was definitely worth capturing. ¡°You seem to have a way with animals.¡± ¡°I just practiced a bit.¡± While having heavily researched everything there was to know about taming Dragons, he had naturally picked up some taming skills. The most important thing was to build a rtionship with it.. The taming would easily fail if he tried tomand it without first trying to understand it. Woohyuk thought back to the past as he leisurely stroked the fox¡¯s fur. ¡®There was that woman that put her life on the line when it came to taming.¡¯ [Monster Trainer, Choi Kayoon] She had idently picked up a Jabber Wok¡¯s within the Primordial Forest, and had received the Monster Trainer ss upon arriving at the Eeth continent. Later, as she tried to tame countless kinds of monsters, she even managed to promote her ss to the second tier. Although it was a Unique ss, it wasn¡¯t one that Woohyuk was interested in. It was simply absurd to think that he could challenge the Gods by relying on monsters he had tamed. Not to mention that now that he was a Necromancer, it would be very difficult to be a Monster Trainer unless he put countless hours into it. The requirements for obtaining a secondary ss were far more demanding than the first. It was much more difficult than simplypleting an easy quest or speaking to an instructor. ¡°Can I hug it?¡± ¡°Sure¡± Leifina carefully ced her arms around the young fox. A look of maternal love filled her face. ¡°Don¡¯t get too attached to it since we will be selling it eventually.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we still need to give it a name though?¡± She indeed had a point that naming it would be useful when he had to order it around. Thinking about it for a moment, Woohyuk finally decided. ¡°Let¡¯s call it Ahri.¡± ¡°Ahri?¡± ¡°In my country that is what we call the Nine Tailed Fox.¡± He vaguely remembered it being from some kind of game he had yed. As he made his way to the Oasis, Woohyuk thought back to those college student days all those years ago. * * * ¡°Shit¡­¡± Sitting on the rubble remains of a Bronze Golem, Na Sangyun let out a sigh. Nothing had gone well since Lee Shinwoo¡¯s disappearance. ¡®If only he hadn¡¯t sent him¡­.¡¯ Considering how long it had been, he was surely dead by now. He didn¡¯t know who Chun Woohyuk was, but his name had resounded time and time again. It was one thing to obtain First Blood due to an early invasion of the enemy''s side, but quite another to hunt a Fossil Dragon. ¡®We are on the backfoot now.¡¯ Although he had never seen a Fossil Dragon, just by its name alone he could easily guess that it was a powerful monster. No doubt it was found in the map¡¯s center. The idea of losing to another yer made Na Sangyun restless. ¡°Huuu¡­¡± Stay calm, you need to keep your cool. In such a hectic battlefield, one wouldn¡¯t be able to survive if their judgement was impaired. First things first he had to gather together his forces which had been scattered. After that it still wouldn¡¯t be toote toe up with a suitable n. Thinking back to the harsh training he had undergone in the Special Forces, Na Sanghyun was able to stay focused. ¡°Boss! Big news!¡± A skinny, middle aged man ran towards him while screaming excitedly. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve spotted a Ghost ship!: Ghost ship? Na Sanghyun couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. Although they had encountered several of those strange bronze birds, they had never seen a ship here in the Stymphalion Lake. ¡°Bring me there.¡± His curiosity had been piqued. Just where did that Ghost shipe from, and could he obtain it. ¡®There might be some Hidden treasure inside it as well.¡¯ In such a game world, basically anything was possible. Since he had to capitalize on any opportunities that came his way, Na Sangyun hastily made his way to theke¡¯s shore. Pung Pung He arrived in time to see the Ship using its cannons to bombard his troops ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ He unconsciously took a step back as he noticed the huge difference in strength between the two sides. His Base Camp had basically been razed to the ground, and his men were for the most part already dead. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Faced with such a hellish scenario, Na Sangyun couldn¡¯t help but worry. Clearly retreating was the right move, but he wanted to at least know who it was he was facing. That way he could at leaste up with some countermeasures for then next time they met. ¡°Ca..Captain, let¡¯s escape as soon as possible!¡± A guy next him eximed nervously ¡°Let¡¯s just wait a little bit.¡± The crew from the Ghost ship disembarked on the ind. Hidden behind some rocks, Na Sangyun gripped tightly the Return Stone in his hand. ¡®With this I can always escape.¡¯ They weren¡¯t all that expensive, priced at just a single silver coin, and could be purchased without limit at the Grocery store back at the Fortress. The only question was the timing of when to use it, and how much risk he was willing to take. ¡®It¡¯s probably some kind of monster. They must outnumber his men since they were the first to engage. Na Sangyun gulped as he stared at the sailboat covered in a ck mist. Soon, ck shapes began to appear as the cannons stopped firing. Tubuk. Tubuk. The Na Sangyun¡¯s scout became pale upon getting a better look at their opponents. [Don¡¯t be afraid, you only need to go see what is going on.] [Ah¡­ okay.] Na Sangyun couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he looked at the man who couldn¡¯t stay calm. This subordinate was truly trash. It was the result of epting just about anyone since he needed to replenish his troop after so many losses. ¡®There¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡¯ There were so many unexpected situations that popped up, that he could always use extra meat shields. In order to maintain his core strength, some sacrifices on the frontline were necessary. The ability to weigh the value of people¡¯s lives and send subordinates to their death was one of the most important parts of being a leader. The person who had taught him this was Lee Shinwoo. He had insisted that everyone had their own role to y, and he couldn¡¯t have agreed more with him. It was what had led him to be a Silver Crown Leader, as well as the Commander in Chief for the Blue Faction. ¡®I should use him as cannon fodder.¡¯ A man who was easily frightened and didn¡¯t have any outstanding fighting capabilities. Just the right candidate for such a situation. ¡®He probably won¡¯t choose to escape either.¡¯ Currently, the man¡¯s daughter was being enjoyed by some of his subordinates back at the Fortress. The same was true for any woman in their alliance. Everyone had their own role to y, and any disobedience wasn¡¯t tolerated since it could lead to disharmony. Na Sangyun licked his lips as he recalled her soft skin and painful moans. Just as he was about to instruct the man to go forward and scout¡­ Puuk! Na Sanghyun¡¯s heart was pierced from behind. ¡°Kuhuk¡­¡± It had all happened far too quickly, as he fell down to the ground, blood leaking from his mouth. [Red Faction¡¯s Chun Woohyuk had defeated the enemy Commander!] A system message was broadcasted in everyone¡¯s mind. A pleasant surprise to those on the red team, and terrifying new to anyone on the blue side. Wudddk. The other man quickly used his Return Stone. He knew that there was no longer any point in sticking around now that Na Sanghyun was dead. ¡®He ran away just as I expected.¡¯ Woohyuk removed Grandia from Na Sangyun¡¯s corpse. He needed to leave one alive in order to spread the news about the way he had easily killed Na Sanghyun. If even before fighting, your opponent was filled with fear, the battle was already half won. ¡®They probably won¡¯t be back here any time soon.¡¯ By blocking the central path, it would make it difficult for the other side to make any progress. As he led his Undead army to the other side¡¯s Guard Tower, Woohyuk thought back to Na Sangyun¡¯s past deeds. ¡®He was really dangerous.¡¯ Because he had been trained in the Special Forces, his ability tomand his men was excellent. When paired with Lee Shinwoo who was an excellent strategist, the two of them had been formidable foes. The most notable time had been that battle in the Blue Misty Forest. Those two along with Jang Taesuk, had led a party deep into the opposing territory, causing mayhem behind enemy lines. A person that was sure to bring him trouble if he were to be left alone. ¡°Lord, how long are you nning on staying here?¡± ¡°About one or two days.¡± In order to make any progress in Nakron¡¯s Grimoire, he had to invest at least that much time. As Woohyuk captured the enemy tower, a system announcement once again rang out. [Red Faction¡¯s Chun Woohyuk had upied an enemy Guard Tower!] [The Guard Tower cannot change hands within the next hour!] ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t any need to go into the opposing side¡¯s swamp and engage in reckless ughter. He could always step in if his side was at a disadvantage, but it was more difficult to stop his own alliance if they were to gain too much momentum. After assigning his two newly obtained Leadership Points into Call to Arms and Command, Woohyuk summoned Triton. ¡°Go catch enough fish for three people.¡± ¡°...¡± This time he wasn¡¯t even handed a fishing rod and had to jump into theke while restraining his temper. Chapter 36: Battlefield Chaos 2

Chapter 36: Battlefield Chaos 2

While Woohyuk was busy upying the enemy¡¯s Bronze Rock Mountain, a man was running alone across the Valley desert. His name was Ted. He had been one of the Bronze Crown leaders on the left path that had been under Samuel. ¡°Just how did this happen?¡± He still couldn¡¯t believe it. As the dry sand struck his face, Ted thought back to what had urred in theva area. ¡°Wasn¡¯t my n perfect!?¡± It was very simple once he thought of it. Mount sneak attacks on other groups while they were focused on hunting in secluded areas. It came naturally to him who had spent his whole time in this world betraying those around him, and it was all supposed to have gone off without a hitch. ¡°Just who were they?¡± Without any hesitation they had activated their Barrier, blocking any iing arrows or spells. They were then able to turn the tables and defeat those red marked sinners. It was as if they knew in advance that they would betray them. ¡°... I¡¯ve lost everything.¡± His group, with whom he had hunted down other yers since the beginning of the Primordial Forest, had been wiped out. Even his Identity had now been revealed. Although he had used a Pardon card to erase his red mark, it still wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to return to the Fortress. The Fortress was now under the strict management of the new Commander. ¡°If I am caught there, I¡¯m done.¡± This was the same person who achieved First Blood, killed the Blue Faction¡¯s Commander as well as captured one of their Guard Towers. It sounded like things only a God could achieve. There was no way such a guy would leave him alone. Although he might be safe inside of the Fortress, the moment he stepped out his life would be forfeit. Also they obviously wouldn¡¯t hand him any supplies, so he would only be returning to starve inside that Fortress¡­ ¡°This is the worst.¡± He should have been a bit more patient. Regardless of how few the opponents were, there could always be some variables that he hadn¡¯t ounted for. The penalty for attacking one¡¯s allies was death, but they were just blinded by their greed as they saw all the items they could loot. ¡°I¡¯ll just go after the smaller teams.¡± That had be Ted¡¯s new targets upon arriving at the Canyon. He could use the monsters instead of always doing the killing themselves. That way, they could hide their identity as yer killers for as long as possible by not receiving and red markers. Of course since they were on the same side, he would only personally take action when there was a juicy piece of equipment or item on the line. That had only been his third time attacking his allies, which was nothingpared to the amount he had piged back in the Primordial Forest. He had controlled himself considerably, but in the end still got caught. ¡°I have no choice but to think about the future now.¡± Sooner orter the battle between the two sides would erupt in full force, and bandits like him will gradually start to emerge. He just needed to pull them over to his side and somehow find a way to survive. There was no need to worry about whether or not his faction woulde out on top, since they had Chun Woohyuk in their camp. Ted roamed around the valley, searching for a ce to rest, until an Oasis came into view. ¡°That¡¯s a nice spot.¡± He would no longer be able to receive a part of the supplies given by the system, so he had to be self-sufficient from now on. As he was about to take another step forward, he felt something pressed up against his back. ¡°Drop your weapon, I¡¯ll give you three seconds.¡± A threatening voicemanded from behind him. Ted began to sweat nervously as he dropped the Kukri dagger down onto the sand. ¡®Did they already manage to catch up?¡¯ There was no way that they were part of Samuel¡¯s ipetent bunch, so maybe they were Chun Woohyuk¡¯s subordinates instead. As Ted raised his hands in surrender, his assant spoke once more. ¡°You aren¡¯t Chun Woohyuk, are you here as one of his scouts?¡± An unexpected question. It was only now that Ted realised that his opponent was from the opposite faction. In this case, he might have a way out of this. ¡°No, I am simply on the run.¡± He would fill his story with half-truths, and sell just the right amount of information to make himself valuable. ¡°Why is that, did youmit some sort of crime?¡± ¡°Nothing like that, just a minor dispute of hunting grounds that escted needlessly.¡± ¡°Exin in greater detail.¡± As the neer was quite curious, Ted came up with a usible story. In order to keep his attention, he would include tidbits of valuable intel here and there. ¡°Interesting¡± His n had worked. After some time a group of Asians appeared and bound Ted¡¯s hands. ¡°Mr Inoue, what do we do with this one?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep him alive for now, he appears to have some use.¡± If everything he had told them was true, they just might have an unexpectedly good haul. Inoue let out a satisfactoryugh as they dragged Ted back to their Oasis. An interesting strategy was beginning to form in his mind. * * * ¡°It¡¯s a big blunder to have let Ted escape.¡± Nam Kiryang said with an expression of worry. He and his team were currently taking a break towards theter stages of theva field. ¡°It all happened a bit too fast. As soon as things were looking bad for him, he instantly used the Pardon card.¡± ¡°While Park Taesoo had been busypeting with their Archers. In that time, his red mark had been erased, causing him to hesitate whether or not to shoot. Although Jung Sanghoon had started to chase after him, the distance between them had already been too great. ¡°Did you inform the Boss?¡± ¡°Yes, he said to only activate the Guard Tower and no longer care about Ted.¡± Lee Jaesung replied to Kim Dokyun¡¯s question. As the atmosphere turned gloomy, it was Huang Donghwan who spoke up. ¡°At the very least I¡¯m d none of us got hurt, we could have died back there.¡± If it weren¡¯t for Woohyuk¡¯s warning with regards to Ted, they might have all lost their lives. As everyone nodded in agreement, Lee Jaesung stood up and said. ¡°Let¡¯s return to the Fortress, we no longer have anything to do here.¡± Because they killed so many monsters, the other groups in the area could barely hide their hostility. If they were lucky enough to pick up a Pardon card like Ted had, they might decide to also attack them. As the party was preparing to head back, a man¡¯s voice rang out in the distance. ¡°Hey there yellow monkeys, have you been looking for me?¡± It was Ted. Kim Dokyun''s face was filled with anger as he raised his axe. ¡°Can we kill him this time?¡± ¡°The Boss told us to forget about him¡­.¡± ¡°But hasn¡¯t he appeared right under our noses? It doesn¡¯t seem to be that dangerous.¡± Ted¡¯s teammates had all died, so naturally one would think it was a great opportunity. Although Lee Jaesung was somewhat worried, he also nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s take care of him ourselves.¡± Even if they would subsequently obtain a red marker, at worst they could ask Woohyuk to summon them to his side andy low for a while. There weren¡¯t any from their faction to witness the scene anyways, so Lee Jaesung quickly made the decision to take action. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere and just wait for us, you racist!¡± ¡°Ha, do try to keep up this time!¡± Nam Kiryang and Kim Dokyun were the first to jump ahead. Jung Sanghoon followed from behind, but he looked quite worried. ¡®Something¡¯s off.¡¯ Even if he didn¡¯t have the red mark any longer, it didn¡¯t make sense for him to return. Why would the guy who ran away, leaving his teammates to die, return to deliver himself to them. ¡®It must be a trap.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know where or how, but he firmly believed it to be true. Just as Jung Sanghoon was about to cry out and warn his team, an arrow came flying their way. ¡°Ahaak!¡± ¡°Kuhuk!¡± Many of them that had been running towards Ted, dropped to the ground, screaming in agony. An unexpected ambush. ¡°Oh shit!¡± ¡°Are you guys okay?¡± For those that didn¡¯t respond, it was unknown whether they were simply knocked out, or no longer breathing. Jung Sanghoon followed the direction from where the arrow hade, to the top of the hill. It was a good ce to ambush a group of people passing by since they held the high ground. ¡°Quickly ask the Boss to use Call to Arms¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t do anything like that if I were you.¡± A voice was heard from atop the hill. It was Inoue that had spoken. ¡®When did he... ¡¯ Lee Jaesung couldn¡¯t help but stare in surprise, since he was holding Song Anna hostage with a katana ced against her neck. ¡°If you don¡¯t want this little girl to die, you¡¯d all best put down your weapons.¡± Song Anna was terrified as Inoue instructed her to take off her Unity Ring. An act of voluntary withdrawal from their team, causing the ring to disappear into a cloud of dust. After which Inoue and his men walked down the hill to surround the party. ¡®What should we do¡­¡¯ If they were to escape, there was no way to save Song Anna. There was no way he could leave her behind since Woohyuk had instructed him to protect her. Worried about what decision to make, he finally decides to inform Woohyuk, as he tries to buy time. ¡°What is it that you want?¡± ¡°Manpower, if you follow us willingly, we won¡¯t hurt you. We are just looking for vebor.¡± The prisoners of war could be brought back to the Fortress and put to work in order to produce Ancient Coins. In the current situations where the number of monsters was on the decline, it became a viable source of ie. ¡°Okay, we will do as you ask.¡± ¡°Lee Jaesung!!¡± Jung Sanghoon couldn¡¯t help but cry out reproachingly, but didn¡¯t say anything else. Eventually the entire party put down their weapons. * * * Bound by rope and walking in single file, Lee Jaesung¡¯s party was led across the dry desert. All of them were tired and their lips cracking from the sun¡¯s heat. Still, they didn¡¯t allow their marching speed to ever slowed down since they didn¡¯t know when they might encounter the enemy. ¡®This time Liang Tsuyu will surely be surprised.¡¯ Inoue smiled to himself as he thought about the number of prisoners he had captured. Ever since Na Sangyun had died at the hands of a man called Chun Woohyuk, so Tsuyu was his only remaining rival. She was a Chinese woman, and also an influential leader in their faction. Although Inoue wasn¡¯t at all weakerpared to her, he simply didn¡¯t like that fact that she looked down on him. ¡®I will be the next Commander in Chief.¡¯ Although currently Liang Tsuyu had greater influence, that wouldn¡¯tst long. It was his first time putting such a big win under his belt. An achievement that would continue to bring in profits even after the number of monsters had dwindled. He no longer had to rely on Liang Tsuyu for help, and his skill in battle was superior to hers. ¡®I¡¯ll dominate all of you.¡¯ Be it enemies or allies, he would always be on top. Inoue thought back to the Great Japanese Empire that had once fought a war against the entire world. ¡°Mr. Inoue, what should we do with this one?¡± A subordinate of his asked regarding Yoo Kayoung. ¡°Have her sent to the Inn.¡± Inoue knew full well how Na Sangyun had established his dominance, and a big reason had been the contribution system he had established. Na Sangyun had encouraged women who didn¡¯t want to fight on the frontlines, to voluntarily sell their bodies in exchange for protection. Of course the word encouraged was a nice way to put it, since they were basically forced. If they didn¡¯t cooperate they wouldn¡¯t receive any portion of the supplies. Still, even for women the contribution system wasn¡¯t all that bad. Apart from their share of the daily supplies, they could even earn some coins from the men who solicited them, and as a result could have a standard of living that matched that of an average yer. Of course that was all merely Inoue¡¯s thinking. As a woman, Liang Tsuyu had actively opposed the merit system, and he believed that it would negatively impact her when the time came for the next Commander to be chosen. ¡®I¡¯ll have the majority on my side.¡¯ After all, most of the leaders in the camp were men. Would they even consider abolishing such an advantageous system? Not to mention that many of the women had already be used to the situation and be ¡®domesticated¡¯, meaning they wouldn¡¯t be able to take care of themselves. Inoue was intimately familiar with their way of thinking since he would visit the Inn very frequently. Submitting to their reality rather than resisting, simply going about each day hoping to survive. They likely wouldn¡¯t care if their pimp had changed. ¡®She does look pretty though.¡¯ Inoue drooled as he eyes took in every square inch of Yoo Kayoung¡¯s curvaceous body which was walking along lifelessly. Just the right age to be considered as a mature beauty. Although he didn¡¯t know if she had already experienced other men, her body alone was good enough to keep him entertained for quite some time. As he imagined Yoo Kayoung¡¯s naked body pressed under him on the bed, his scout had returned and screamed out. ¡°Big problem!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Monsters!¡± Monsters? Inoue didn¡¯t understand. He had spent quite some time now in the Valley of Kings, and had yet to encounter any group of monsters that could threaten them. ¡°Exin what you saw in greater detail.¡± ¡°A horde of Undead are headed our way!¡± Countless Undead Surrounded Inoue¡¯s party, as they prepared for battle. ¡®Shit, to encounter such a force in this situation.¡¯ Because of the captured prisoners, they couldn''t run away and avoid fighting. As the Undead began to appear among the gusts of sand, the atmosphere became tense. They were simr in numbers to his own force, but they all looked different and some even resembled adventurers. Inoue who had been examining them carefully, couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. ¡°Why is it that they are marked as part of the Red Faction?¡± It wasn¡¯t along the usual path, so they couldn¡¯t be Ghost Minions summoned from the Barracks. Before he could understand their origin, the Undead had begun their attack. Dududud! An unstoppable momentum, causing Inoue¡¯s party to unconsciously shirk back. Shortly after the sound of steel shing rang out across the Valley of Kings. Chaeng! Chaeng! Suddenly a Skeleton Soldier exploded, incapacitating some of Inoue¡¯s men Pung! Pierced by sharp bone fragments, they groaned in pain as they dropped down to the ground. Complete chaos. While they were all upied with the Undead, Woohyuk appeared from behind and cut the rope that bound Lee Jaesung. ¡°Hurry up.¡± ¡°Boss!¡± Their party was ecstatic. Meanwhile Woohyuk and Leifina headed over to where Inoue was, as the other members picked up some weapons from the ground. ¡® I had no idea he was on the other side.¡¯ Although his sword skills weren¡¯t anything special, he was a crafty opponent. Maybe they relied on Ghost Mushrooms in the Blue Misty Forest, hiding from monsters to quickly advance. Although he didn¡¯t consider him to be much of a threat, he had no intention of sparing him either. Suguk Grandia¡¯s de emitted a faint light, leaving a fountain of blood in its wake. Chapter 37: Barons Secret 1

Chapter 37: Baron''s Secret 1

The rescue operation had been rtively sessful. As soon as Woohyuk had stabbed Inoue in the neck, causing him to shriek endlessly, many of the enemy yers had decided to escape with a Return Stone. In the middle of all the confusion, Ted tried to escape after killing Huang Dongwhan, but failed. He was eventually executed by Woohyuk. The red marker that would have arisen from such a situation, was absolved due to using a Pardon card. Pardon card that he had obtained from Killing Kang Taejun back in the Vampire bat cave. After returning to the Fortress with what remained of his party, Woohyuk assigned his prisoners of war to forcedbour. From the viewpoint of his Faction, it was another great achievement, but for Woohyuk¡¯s party, this was a heavy loss. The death of their teammates couldn¡¯t be forgotten. There were just four survivors, Lee Jaesung, Jung Sanghoon, Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna. ¡®The loss was really too big this time.¡¯ He had no idea that Ted was in possession of a Pardon card, because they had been on different attack paths in the past. On the Fortress¡¯ outskirts, he gave his fallen teammates a warrior¡¯s funeral, staring into the distance with a sad expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boss. I shouldn¡¯t have¡­.¡± Lee Jaesung who was standing next to him spoke in between sobs. Even Jung Sanghoon was trying to hold back tears, they all felt responsible. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t your fault.¡± If anyone were to be med it would be this cursed world. A ridiculous game system that constantly pitted them against one another. ¡°I¡¯ll be gone a few days, so you guys take the time to rest up and use the Fortress¡¯ facilities as much as you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be staying in the Fortress?¡± ¡°No, I have something to take care of.¡± He couldn¡¯t afford to stop and grieve for the ones they¡¯d lost. If anything, they only added to the burden he had to carry. To put an end to this travesty of a game so that these kinds of tragedy never urred again. After the small funeral they held for their fallen teammates, Woohyuk went to the Mountain Range to hunt down some Griffons. Using Nakron¡¯s Grimoire, he managed to achieve an overwhelming victory against them. Now, all that was left was the final destination, the Twilight Tower. The reason he required these Griffons was that he was nning to try something different this time. If he tried climbing it the regr way, starting from the first floor, it was unlikely for him to reach the top. ¡®If even Logan failed, it would take me far too long.¡¯ He already knew that Nakron¡¯s treasure was left on the final floor, so he had to change his way of thinking. ¡®A new approach.¡¯ Since it was a test given to Nakron¡¯s sessor, he had to take full advantage of a Necromancer¡¯s abilities. Recently, after investing hours upon hours of pouring through the Grimoire, he had finally managed to learn a spell that strengthened the body of a Summon. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would be enough, but at the very least it was better than nothing. ¡°Wait for me here.¡± ¡°Are you really thinking of trying that?¡± Looking up at the Twilight Towers that pierced the clouds, Leifina couldn¡¯t help but have a worried expression. Even if he were to fall from halfway, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to find traces of his bones. ¡°There¡¯s no other way.¡± Despite it being beyond dangerous, he had to step up to the challenge. All in order to put an end to this nightmare. Woohyuk climbed onto the back of an Undead Griffon. ¡°Empower¡± With that spell alone, the Griffon¡¯s body donned an Ebon Armor enhanced with the Darkness attribute. The red eyed Griffon then soared into the sky, with a vanguard of undead Griffons and Gargoyles leading the charge. ¡°Kiyaahak¡± Gargoyle statues that adorned the outer walls of the tower, came to life as they were instructed to attack the intruder. Suguk Grandia¡¯s de glowed with a faint light, as it cut down one Gargoyle after another. Countless of them continued to descend from the tower, but the numbers of undead troops under Woohyuk¡¯smand also wasn¡¯t small. As the sun began to set, he was still making his way to the top of the tower. It was a situation where he could only hope for an entrance to exist. Although the possibility was low, this was a world that tended to reward unusual behavior, so his instincts were telling him that it existed. Woohyuk managed to briefly catch his breath, as the Gargoyles continued to rain down from the sky. * * * ¡°Huuu¡­¡± Woohyuk let out a sigh as he leaned back against the cold stone wall. Fortunately there had been an entrance at one of the upper floors, so all had worked out. He had even tried to fly higher, but there was no other entrance. The outer wall of the tower had such a high durability, that it was impossible to break his way in by relying on Grandia. ¡®I¡¯ll have to start here.¡¯ As he walked up to the door inside, he saw the number 95 engraved upon it. Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but smile to himself. Considering the towers total height, there would probably be 100 floors, but there was no set of stairs leading down from this 95th floor. In other words, if one were to climb up the tower using the orthodox method, they wouldn¡¯t be able to reach this floor. From the very start, it was a ce that only Nakron¡¯s sessor had any hope ofing to. ¡®Will this ce have a different level of difficulty?¡¯ The kind of ce that only the very strongest could obtain the Hidden treasure, such as the Calm Sea in the Primordial Forest. Perhaps there exists a path even beyond what I¡¯ve discovered. As his thoughts reached this point, Woohyuk became filled with energy. [Come over] [Yes, Master] In a sh of bright light, Leifina and her pink hair appeared next to him. The Iron Maiden¡¯s ability to appear by his side. Since it could be used every hour, he didn''t have to be as stingy with its usepared to Call to Arms. ¡°This ce¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re inside the tower.¡± Even if he wanted to exin in greater detail, Woohyuk simply had no advanced knowledge about this area. Back then the highest they had climbed was the 30th floor, and that had been in conjunction with the other SIlver Crowned leaders. ¡®I barely even survived that time.¡¯ Due to the high level of difficulty, casualties continued to stack up the further up they climbed. The first clear rewards were also shared among the many Sectors, so even if you managed to clear a difficult floor after a bitter struggle, the reward might not even be worth it. Because of that, pretty much everyone had decided to give up climbing towards the middle part. Even if they performed exceptionally well, they were still sure to have casualties. ¡°Shall we go in?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Leifina replied enthusiastically as she drew Argent. Woohyuk opened the door as he thought back to his past. Chawak They were bathed in a bright light. * * * As they opened their eyes, a whitendscape came into view. Snow fell gently from the night sky, as Woohyuk had an expression of interest. ¡®Is this a new Stage?¡¯ Obviously they had entered the 95th floor of the Twilight Tower, but rather than a dark stone room, a new World greeted them instead. Even he couldn¡¯t help but be confused. Still, Woohyuk managed to remain calm because he had encountered many such situations in the past. ¡®It is simply connected to another dimension.¡¯ In the case of Historical Sites, it was possible to hold an independant world within them. In other words, they acted as a medium between the two dimensions. Woohyuk was lost in his thoughts as he left his footprints in the snow. ¡®There must be some trigger I need to discover.¡¯ If there weren¡¯t any obvious guides to hand out the quest like Eve, then it was likely that one had to first fulfill certain requirements before being given the quest. For now, he would need to gather some information. ¡°Fina, wear your Veil.¡± Leifina¡¯s beautiful appearance was sure to attract unwanted attention. Whether it was in the East or the West, beauty would always be a source of conflict. At first, Woohyuk had also suffered greatly because of her. It was one of the main reasons he had acquired the Banshee¡¯s Veil for her. That way they could avoid any unnecessary problems. ¡°Are you going to call over your team?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no longer possible.¡± They were now in apletely different dimension, having travelled across space and time. It was impossible to use Call to Arm or use any Return Stones until he exited the floor. The Silver Crown above his head had disappeared, and the Unity Ring was disabled so he couldn¡¯t evenmunicate with them. ¡®Of course I never nned on bringing them along either.¡¯ Their numbers had already been reduced to just the four, and anyways they weren¡¯t yet at a level where they could help him out. It was better to leave them back at the Canyon, where they could influence the result. ¡°You¡¯ll be in trouble if you remain trapped in this world.¡± ¡°I only need to return before the end of the Canyon Battle.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve already conquered all the other areas.¡± ¡°Everything before can be considered as simple appetizers, while this is the main course.¡± Whenpared to the Twilight Tower, the Banshee or Naga¡¯s Temple couldn¡¯t even be mentioned in the same breath. One of the few Sites that had never been conquered, even in his past 40 years. Due to its limitation of only being essible during the Canyon Battle Stage, the Twilight Tower had always been rated as the highest difficulty Site. These were the challenges that Woohyuk, as a returner, would have to ovee in order to achieve new heights. It was best to put aside any thoughts about the Canyon Battle for now. ¡®Hong Yuri will manage to keep the bnce.¡¯ Because the opposing faction had already suffered considerable losses, she could single handedly press forth and destroy their Guardian Stone if she¡¯d wanted. In fact, the game was already basically over. But, in order to give Woohyuk the time to conquer the Twilight Tower, the Canyon stage had to be dragged on for as long as possible. Thinking of the party he had left behind, Woohyuk picked up his speed as he spotted a vige in the distance. * * * Woohyuk and Leifina were currently thawing their frozen bodies inside a warm tavern. This was a small town, so it would be the best ce to gather information. As the sun had set, the men that had finished their day¡¯s work gathered for drinks, and there was a lot of conversation he could pick up on. ¡°Monster sightings have begun to increase near the Northern Gate.¡± ¡°It probably has something to do with Winter, maybe the Kingdom¡¯s soldiers are just panicking for nothing.¡± Not much seemed to catch his interest. Most of what he heard were stories from hunters and their encounters with monsters. ¡°Lord, some of them seem to be looking at us strangely.¡± Leifina was covering her face despite being indoors, and the two of them were outsiders. Even if they were keeping to themselves, they were bound to attract attention. ¡°Nevermind, if something happens I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± He had been fortunate enough to have managed to snag a purse on the way here. It wasn¡¯t much, but at least it should be enough for a room tonight. They should proceed cautiously until they receive the Quest. ¡°Hey there, it¡¯s my first time seeing you in these parts, where are you from?¡± A drunk, blond haired man came over to strike a conversation with Woohyuk. From his appearance, he was also a hunter. Woohyuk only answered his question because he might be of some use. ¡°From far away, maybe you can help me out?¡± ¡°If you have any questions, feel free and ask. The name¡¯s Robert, I¡¯m a local and I know all sorts of things, what are you interested in?¡± Robert pulled up a chair and sat down, then pointed at his empty ss which he ced down on the table. The meaning was clear, if he wanted his questions answered, he would need to pay for the man¡¯s drink first. Woohyuk nodded back as he ordered him a beer. ¡°What is the most popr topic in town these days?¡± ¡°Popr¡­ hmm, there are quite a few of them, but if I¡¯d have to pick one, it¡¯s this talk about a Werewolf in town right?¡± Robert turned to ask one of the hunters who was sitting nearby, waiting until he confirmed in annoyance. ¡°A Werewolf?¡± ¡°Right wolves are normally active at night, and there are rumors that during the Winter, if they struggle to find prey, they might even attack human settlements.¡± After epting his ss of beer, Robert continued to talk about his story of Werewolves. The other day a murder ured in a nearby vige, and the doctor¡¯s examination revealed that it was done by arge beast. The night of the incident many vigers testified to hearing the howling of wolves, and even the chicken that they raised had gone missing. Although they investigated thoroughly, all that came up were a set of wolves¡¯ footprints in the snow. ¡°Amazingly, the footprints were only in pairs, meaning it walked on its two feet, half man, half wolf.¡± ¡°Has your Lord prepared any countermeasures?¡± ¡°Unfortunately Baron Bernin is bedridden due to falling ill. Also, problems with wild animals have always been an issue in these parts, although this is certainly a special case.¡± It seemed like the Lord didn¡¯t investigate much since it might just have been rumors. As he was considering how to continue, a white text appeared before him. [New Quest] Name: Get to the bottom of the rumors. Type: General Content: Investigate the night murders in Baron Bernin¡¯s vige, and try to minimize their losses. Reward: Dependent on the level of contribution and results. Other: Time limit of (3 Days) Once failed, cannot be retaken. ¡®As expected.¡¯ There seemed to be many restrictions, but it was a Quest that he absolutely had to seed in order to proceed to the next level. Woohyuk felt that he had to learn more from Robert. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear some more, let me buy you another drink.¡± ¡°Really? I have nothing toin about!¡± Robert smiled as he continued to talk. * * * While sitting down on the inn¡¯s bed, Woohyuk organized in his mind what he had learned from Robert. Legend about a Werewolf Eyewitness testimony Unusual activity of monsters Missing Hunters. Although he wasn¡¯t exactly sure what it all amounted to, he at least had an idea on how to proceed. ¡°Lord, what kind of food is this?¡± ¡°It isbat rations that are usually given to soldiers.¡± Since he had to buy Robert a few beers, they didn¡¯t have enough coin to eat anything back at the tavern. Leifina, who was busy eating beef bibimbap with a spoon, looked up at Woohyuk in surprise. ¡°Is this really what your soldiers eat? It¡¯s better than I expected¡­.¡± ¡°....¡± Leifina¡¯s taste buds were simply not that of the usual nobility. Woohyuk sighed as he watched her eat contently. ¡°Fina you never change.¡± ¡°Huh? What is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Oh, forget about it.¡± They weren¡¯t so close that he could tell her everything just yet. Compared to the deep bonds they had forged over the 40 years of adventuring together, theirs was now just a superficial rtionship. Even if they would live together from now on, it would take some time to break the barriers in their hearts. ¡°Lord seems to know me very well.¡± ¡°Do you dislike it if I call you by that nickname?¡± ¡°Fina¡­ I don¡¯t hate it¡­.¡± Leifina¡¯s face blushed as she hesitated to answer. Woohyuk replied as if understanding her thoughts. ¡°You must be embarrassed to share the same room.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the Lord¡¯s wish, then I won¡¯t say no.¡± Lately Leifina had been reading romantic literature, regarding the passionate love between a man and woman. It was no surprise to him that she had misunderstood. Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but smile as he¡¯d experienced simr situations with her in the past. ¡°You don¡¯t have anything to worry about, I have no intention of touching your body.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I know you must have had some reason to choose to serve under me, and I will do my best to help you achieve it when the timees. All I ask is that you be by my side when I need you most. That was all, at least for now. Leifina¡¯s expression becameplicated. ¡°Lord...I¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin anything.¡± After all, he already knew her almost as well as she knew herself. As the two of them finished their meal, the howling of wolves rang out in the night. Aaooo! ¡°Hurry, it¡¯s shown up.¡± It waste in the night, so not many people were out on the streets. As they came out of the Inn, they saw a few people holding torches and gossiping among themselves. ¡°Robert¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Oh dear lord¡­¡± The attack had already urred, and the Werewolf was long gone. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Robert was attacked while he was drunk, he was quite unlucky.¡± From the way he heard them talk, this time around there hadn¡¯t been any eyewitnesses. While the guards searched the area, Woohyuk walked up to Robert¡¯s corpse. The gash was done by a sharp nail, and going by the fresh prints left in the snow, it was safe to assume that it was the work of a Werewolf. ¡°It seems like it is out for blood.¡± It wasn¡¯t merely hunting to satisfy its hunger, but an indiscriminate attack. There was also the possibility that it couldn¡¯t differentiate between its victims due to being caught up in a frenzy. ¡°Is there some mastermind behind all this?¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s what I¡¯ll have to figure out.¡± He only had 3 days to get to the bottom of it. Not to mention that the Canyon battle was still in progress, so he had to wrap this up as soon as possible. Woohyuk pushed his perception to the maximum as he followed the trail of footprints. Chapter 38: Barons Secret 2

Chapter 38: Baron''s Secret 2

The footprints had disappeared due to the blowing of the wind, and the trail was lost inside of the forest. The search parties were out all night, but no sign of the Werewolf was found. The next day, a somber atmosphere hung in the vige air. Not knowing when the beast might strike next. Noticing that the security in the vige was on alert, Woohyuk and Leifina decided to pay the guard Ralph a visit. ¡°Have you reported the situation to your Lord?¡± ¡°Yes, I just did.¡± ording to what Robert had saidst night, rather than Baron Berin, it was his second son, Jeremy that was now acting Lord. It was because his firstborn son, Charles, had gone missing ever since his hunting expedition had left a week ago. Although the daughter Jenna was a year older than Jeremy, she couldn¡¯t inherit since she was a woman. ¡®There must be a conspiracy behind all this.¡¯ Although he didn¡¯t know any of the details, it sounded like it might be a quarrel regarding the session of the Baron¡¯s title. The problem was discovering the rtionship between that and the Werewolf. Only by unearthing that would he be one step closer to uncovering the truth. ¡°What are you nning on doing now? If you want to stay in town, we can definitely use your help.¡± ¡°We would certainly like to help out with the investigation.¡± ¡°Is that so, we really appreciate the aid.¡± ¡°Well, I do have some conditions.¡± He asked for three days worth of lodging and food, as well as some information. Since the demands were very reasonable, Ralph was happy to agree. ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem, if there is anything else you might need, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± After an easy negotiation, Woohyuk and Leifina joined up with the guards. It was all in order to learn more about the surrounding area as well as hear some of their stories. As the search continued within the woods, the clip-clop of a horseshoes striking the ground was heard, and a horse carriage soon appeared. ¡°It¡¯s the Lord¡¯s carriage!¡± ¡°Is Jeremy here?¡± The members of the Guards unit were quick to bow their heads. Soon after, a sandy-haired young man stepped outside. ¡°Are you all residents of Roden Vige?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Lord.¡± Ralph proceeded to inform Jeremy ofst night¡¯s incident. After pausing to reflect a moment, Jeremy quickly pulled out his longsword. ¡°My father is seriously ill and I wouldn¡¯t want any problems to ur at this time. I¡¯ll stay to personally resolve this situation.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s eyes glinted upon seeing the confidence on Jeremy¡¯s face. ¡®A man with a thirst for power.¡¯ He was also at that age where they would resort to anything in order to achieve their goal. At the very least a suspect. He was almost certainly tied into all this somehow. As Woohyuk came to that conclusion, he silently followed behind Jeremy and his Guards. * * * Although Jeremy had mobilized all the soldiers he had brought along with him, they didn¡¯t discover much. The same was true on Woohyuk¡¯s end. He hadn¡¯t sensed anything connected to the Werewolf even when he pushed his perception to the max. As the sun went down, he felt the need to have a chat with Jeremy. ¡°Why are you asking about how my brother went missing?¡± ¡°It might help us solve our current problem.¡± Charles¡¯ disappearance as well as the appearance of this Werewolf were too close in timing for it to be a coincidence. Jeremy hesitated for a moment, and then with a look of unwillingness, motioned his guards to leave them. ¡°Step back for a bit.¡± ¡°Yes Lord.¡± As soon as Leifina who had been sitting next to Woohyuk left as well, Jeremy finally turned his gaze upon him with a serious look. ¡°You can¡¯t repeat anything that I¡¯m about to tell you. It is rted to my family¡¯s honor.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your secret with me into the grave.¡± Woohyuk had gained Jeremy¡¯s confidence due to his prowess in clearing the monsters during the daytime. It was the only reason that he had considered opening up to him about his family matters. They sat face to face, as Woohyuk listened closely to what Jeremy had to say. Although it was a fairly long story, it could be summarized as this. A forbidden love between two siblings. Baron Berin¡¯s anger upon learning of it. And Charles¡¯ escape in order to avoid any punishment. On the surface at least, it didn¡¯t seem the least bit connected to their Werewolf problem. ¡°So, is Charles alive then?¡± ¡°Possibly. He might have even joined up with some unsavory people in order to save our sister that has been locked up in the mansion.¡± Now that the Baron¡¯s illness had worsened, he might be looking for an opportunity to exploit. Distracting everyone with a Werewolf, and then striking at his true aim. ¡°If you help me, I¡¯ll make sure you are generously rewarded.¡± Jeremy had pretended to be oblivious of the rtionship between his siblings, but he had to now send out hunters to kill Charles Because the situation had devolved to such a point, if Charles were to return, he would make sure to put him to rest, as per his father¡¯s instructions. His reason foring out in the open like this was to act as bait and he felt that Charles wouldn¡¯t miss such a chance. The preparations back at the manor had likely already beenpleted, so he only need Woohyuk¡¯s help to hunt down the Werewolf. ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem, I¡¯ll make sure to do my best.¡± That was if what he had told him was true. He had decided to ept Jeremy¡¯s side of the story, he simply didn¡¯t care about the Nobility¡¯s love gossip. The important point was to get to the root cause of all this and reveal and eliminate its instigator. As Jeremy signaled to his Guards that they could return, a wolf¡¯s howl rang out in the night. Aoooo! ¡°Werewolf!¡± ¡°Quickly!¡± The hunters picked up their weapons as they ran towards the source of themotion. Arge Werewolf was seen biting a viger that had fallen down. ¡°Monster!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got you now!¡± Arrows were let loose stabbing into the Werewolf¡¯s fur. It yelped in pain as it angrily charged towards the hunters. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Help!¡± Its sharp ws quickly tearing those poor souls to pieces. Woohyuk quickly closed the distance using the teleport function of the Naga Chief¡¯s ring. Chaeng! Grandia shed with the beast¡¯s ws, resulting in sparks flying out. The eyes of these two killers met. ¡°Just who are you?¡± ¡°Grr¡­.¡± Rather than answering, the Werewolf turned its back on him and fled into the woods. However Woohyuk had no intention of letting it get away. Even if he wasn¡¯t fast enough to catch up to it, he at least had a fresh trail he could follow. He wasn¡¯t willing to stay passively in town waiting for clues to be delivered right to him. Even if it was a bit unreasonable, he wanted to shorten the Quest¡¯spletion time as much as possible. As he tracked it down, Woohyuk thought back to their short encounter. ¡®It isn¡¯t any ordinary Werewolf.¡¯ If it were some cursed or one that had entered a contract with a demon, his perception should have been able to pick up some traces of Mana. Either way, it was surely an important clue. ¡®I wonder where it is you are headed.¡¯ Something seemed to be controlling the Werewolf¡¯s behavior, which meant it was being used for a specific purpose. If he kept following its trail, it was bound to lead to something important. After running across the snow covered forest for quite some time, he saw a manor appearing in the distance. Judging by its size, it was almost certainly Baron Berin¡¯s residence. ¡®So it¡¯s headed there?¡¯ If Jeremy¡¯s story had been true then there would only be one reason as to why the Werewolf would be headed there. To rescue Jenna that had been imprisoned in her own room. Still, he didn¡¯t understand why it was that it had allowed him to follow its tracks. Surely this would be a significant hindrance to whoever it was controlling the Werewolf from behind the scenes. ¡®Something¡¯s off.¡¯ The Werewolf¡¯s identity seemed to be more important than he first assumed. As the Werewolf leapt over the perimeter fence and dashed into the manor, Woohyuk took the time to evaluate the situation. There weren¡¯t any guards in sight, so any hunters Jeremy would have hired for the ambush must have been lying in wait inside. ¡®Why is nothing happening?¡¯ By now there should have been some signs of a struggle. While Woohyuk was confused by what was going on, Leifina appeared in a sh of light. ¡°Lord, everything is quiet back at Roden vige.¡± ¡°What about Jeremy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s leading his men,bing the forest in search of the beast.¡± For some reason this gave him an ominous feeling. Woohyuk ordered Leifina to quickly don her Banshee¡¯s Veil, as they made their way into the manor. ¡®It must havee by here.¡¯ The stench of blood pervaded inside. The bodies scattered across the floor were still warm so the assault could only have taken ce a few minutes ago. As he made his way up the stairs, where he felt a dark, viscous energy. ¡®As expected.¡¯ An Abyssal Demon had been behind all this. The one behind this must have entered a contract... ¡°Give yourself up, your part in this conspiracy has been revealed.¡± It was Jenna, the Baron¡¯s daughter. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you were able to figure it out.¡± A woman¡¯s sinister voice rang out from inside the room Eventually the door opened and Jenna appeared, surrounded by a dark, vile energy. ¡°Were you vying for the position of Baroness?¡± ¡°Baroness? I couldn¡¯t care less about such a title, all I wanted was to get my revenge.¡± So it was revenge. Woohyuk remained silent. ¡®There must be some story behind all this.¡¯ In order to gain the best rewards for the Quest, he had to aim for the highest level ofpletion. ¡°What could have possibly been done to you to force you to make a deal with an Abyssal Demon?¡± ¡°Are you curious? Fine, I¡¯ll tell you what this so-called family of mine has done to me.¡± Jenna began narrating her story, as her anger caused her hair to blow backwards, as if she were standing in a storm. ¡°The Baron¡¯s Berin Family line is one that many generations back had been mixed with Werewolves¡¯ blood. Every now and then a descendant was born with the ability to shift.¡± They would live most of their life as a regr human, but under a full moon, would transform into a Werewolf. Relying on this power, the family managed to expand its influence, and attempts were made to produce more heirs with such an ability. A typical case of inbreeding. In order to preserve the purity of their bloodline, incest was the only way to increase the odds of an offspring carrying that Werewolf trait. Jenna had suffered as a result of this. After being raped repeatedly by her older brother Charles, she had be pregnant and fallen into despair. Destined to live as a birthing machine for her family, she could no longer take it. Just as she was about toomit suicide, a Demon reached out to her, promising the power to take take her revenge Jenna on her end didn¡¯t hesitate to make a contract with the Demon, using her newfound powers to curse her father, the Baron as well as Charles. As a result, Charles had lost his sanity, turning into a Werewolf every single night, whereas the Baron had fallen into a deepa. She alone could control their fates. Jenna¡¯s goal was for Charles to be hunted down by his own brother, Jeremy, leading to the perfect tragedy. A y set to be revealed before as many people as possible. When the Werewolf would be killed and Charles resumed his human form, the true nature of the Berin family would be bare for all to see. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for your interference, all would have gone ording to n.¡± ¡°Did you use Mind Control on Jeremy as well? All for the sake of your n? ¡°Since he resisted my will, I had no choice but to take more forceful measures. Anyways he was just as bad as the rest of them, peeping every night through the door as Charles raped me. She waspletely blinded by her revenge. Woohyuk unsheathed Grandia with a look of determination. ¡°I will put you to rest, so you have let go of your hatred and close your eyes in peace.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t die! Not until I manage to bury this cursed family with my own two hands!¡± Jenna¡¯s shadow whipped out towards Woohyuk. At the same time, the Werewolf suddenly appeared, staring directly at Leifina despite her wearing the Veil. ¡°Is that woman precious to you? I will make you feel the same despair, forcing you to watch her die before you!¡± The Werewolf¡¯s sharp ws swiped out, aiming for Leifina¡¯s neck. Chaeng! She used Argent to sessfully parry its flurry of attacks, her quick swordy appearing as streaks of light in the air. It was the sh skill from the Ecklet family¡¯s secret manuals. Still, it was difficult to take down the Werewolf that had been strengthened by the powers of Darkness. ¡°I¡¯ve lost too many people as it is.¡± Woohyuk said, as he cut down the whips that had made a beeline towards him. ¡°Some were women I¡¯ve loved, others subordinates whom I¡¯d sworn to protect.¡± The distance between the two of them gradually shortened. Feeling a sense of crisis, Jenna struck out with her shadow whips even more vigorously, clearly struggling. Still her attacks were casually blocked, as if he were dealing with a mischievous child. ¡°I must put an end to all this despair.¡± Grandia shone with a faint light, as he pierced Jenna¡¯s heart. Red blood flowed from her mouth. ¡°You¡­What...do...you...know¡­.th..is... ¡± As she muttered iprehensible gibberish, she fell down to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Woohyuk looked down at her with a solemn expression. ¡°Rest now, by sunrise everyone will know of your plight.¡± ¡°I.just...wanted...to...pay...them...back...¡± Tears of regret streaming down her face, Jenna drew herst breath. After confirming that she was dead, Woohyuk turned to see how Leifina fared. The Werewolf was covered in cuts, as it fell to the ground. ¡°You did well by yourself.¡± ¡°It was a tough opponent.¡± The Werewolf¡¯s body shone brightly, before transforming back to its human form. In the end, Charles had died, and Jenna had gotten part of her revenge. Woohyuk walked up to her corpse and closed her eyes, so that she may rest in peace. He then took Leifina deeper into the manor. As he searched the ce, he came across the Baron¡¯s journal, hidden in his private quarters. ¡°This should do the trick.¡± A document that recounted the Berin¡¯s family secrets as well as describing their curse. Woohyuk took his leave, ignoring the Baron¡¯s corpse that had its neck shed by the Werewolf. ¡°What are you going to do with Jeremy?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just leave him be.¡± Once the Journal was made public, the Baron¡¯s entire family would have no future. As Woohyuk was wondering where to go next, a group of priests approached him. ¡°Do you work for Baron Berin? I am Benedict, a Head Inquisitor.¡± They had been dispatched by the Vatican to confirm the validity of the Werewolf rumors. Woohyuk handed them the Journal and exined what had urred inside. ¡°That is quite the terrible tale indeed, I will need to go inside and examine the scene.¡± As Benedict led his priests inside the manor, a white text appeared before him. [Completed Quest: Get to the bottom of the rumors] [Achieved Highest Completion: Obtained the Moonshadow Ring] Moonshadow Ring, just by its name alone he couldn¡¯t guess what its abilities were. Woohyuk touched the dark ring that appeared on his right hand. [Moonshadow Ring] Category: JewelGrade: C(Growth)Durability: 12,500Effect: +15 Intelligence, Nightvision, able to hide or manipte information about the user¡¯s Stats or Items. ¡®What an unexpected gain.¡¯ He had no idea that he¡¯d be able to obtain this before even setting foot on the Eeth continent. Its ability to hide information was crucial because there were certain Mages or even Items that could spy on others. In that regard, the Moonshadow Ring was an absolute necessity. ¡°Lord, What should I do with this equipment?¡± Leifina asked as she raised a shiny ck breastte armor. She had also obtained her own reward. ¡°You keep it.¡± Other than her sword Argent, the rest of Leifina¡¯s equipment was just too shabby. Armor from a Tier 2 Minion as well as a belt with just 3 slots. She definitely needed to upgrade her equipment since they had no idea what they¡¯d face in the higher floors. As the two of them equipped their new items, a golden staircase descended from the sky. Staring at the arched doors at the top of the stairs, Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the next stage, Leifina.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Leifina let out a pearughter as she followed behind him. Chapter 39: Night Raid

Chapter 39: Night Raid

While Woohyuk and Leifina were tackling the higher levels of the Twilight Tower, Lee Jaesung and other Bronze Crown leaders were preparing for the eventual battle in the Valley of Kings. Their current location was the Blue Misty Forest, as they felled some trees in order to build a ship to cross the Stymphalion Lake. ¡°It¡¯s so much harder when the Boss isn¡¯t around.¡± ¡°Nothing to do about it since he said that he will be gone for a little while.¡± Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon spoke as sweat poured down their faces. Unlike in the past, the party¡¯s mood was rather somber. Even if it had been a few days since they had lost their friends, none had forgotten that battle. ¡°Let me help you big sister.¡± ¡°Huh? No it¡¯s fine, you are ying your Flute after all.¡± Yoo Kayoung smiled back at Song Anna as she loaded a log onto the cart. Her Flute¡¯s buff was very useful in these kinds of situations. ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°What are you worried about?¡± Yoo Kayoung wiped the sweat off her brow as she approached Song Anna, who lowered her face with a dark expression. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times now, it wasn¡¯t your fault. Stop beating yourself up over it.¡± Song Anna felt guilty for being the one that was held hostage by Inoue. As her heart felt heavy, Ahri, who was sitting next to her, raised her head and wagged her tail. ¡°You see, now Ahri is bored. Start ying the Flute again.¡± ¡°...¡± Song Anna¡¯s mood cheered up a bit seeing Ahri¡¯s cute antics. She resumed ying her Flute, falling into a trance as the time flew by. Soon after they had finished cutting down the trees. [...Come here.] She heard a soft whisper. Startled, Song Anna spun around, but there was no one there. ¡°Who...who are you?¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time that this voice that was nothing but a soft whisper spoke to her. [Come here.] The voice was a bit clearer. At the same time Ahri stood up and ran in a certain direction. ¡°Hey! Ahri!¡± Panicking, Song Anna chased after her. In truth it wasn¡¯t that dangerous since all the monsters had already been taken care of. If ever she was to get lost, she could always use a Return Stone to arrive back at the Fortress. ¡°Where were you headed huh? Bad Ahri.¡± Song Anna picked her up and scolded her. Still, rather than focusing on her, Ahri was staring straight ahead. Naturally, Song Anna also followed her gaze. ¡°A rock¡­?¡± There was arge rock in the middle of the forest. [Please release us from this rock.] ¡°Why is it that you are locked up in there?¡± [An evil witch cursed us, binding us to this rock.] The forest''s blue mist was the result of the Witch¡¯s desire to control the abilities of an Undine, a water spirit. This forest had been an ideal ce for the Witch¡¯s hideout, and she had bound the Undines to the rock with a Magic Array. [The others can¡¯t hear us.] Only an innocent child who had yet been corrupted by the world couldmune with a spirit. It was an ability which could only be discovered by trying. Song Anna went ahead and destroyed the array, following the Undine¡¯s instructions. [ce the fox on the rock.] The white fox had the innate ability to weaken the Witch¡¯s magic. It didn¡¯t take long for the rock to split open, causing a soothing blue energy to burst out. [Thanks to you we are now free.] As the mist in the forest began to clear, Song Anna who had been hugging onto Ahri, saw some white text appear before her. [Hidden ss: Child Blessed by the Seven Stars] [Intimacy with Spirits increased by 25%] [Due to the Undine¡¯s blessing, the First Star has risen] [You can nowmune with Spirits and summon them to the Material ne.] ¡°What, what is this?¡± Song Anna stood there with her mouth agape. The Undine emitted a blue aura as she sat upon her shoulder. [You are our friend, and have thus been Chosen.] ¡°What happens if I summon you to this ne, giving you a real body?¡± [I have no idea, want to give it a try?] Song Anna nodded back. As soon as shepleted the contract with Undine, they were both bathed in a blue light. Soon after a little girl with blue hair appeared and was of a simr age to Song Anna ¡°Uh¡­..oh¡­¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve made a contract with me, although I don¡¯t know if I can be of much help, I will follow you from now on.¡± The Undine stared at Song Anna with a smile. * * * In front of the Fortress¡¯ Fountain, a slim Chinese woman interrogated her prisoners. ¡°So you refuse to talk until the very end?¡± ¡°I really just don¡¯t know anything about Chun Woohyuk¡­.¡± The prisoners that had been captured were all subordinates that served under other Bronze Crown leaders and had no intel on Woohyuk. Although they repeatedly imed to not know anything about Chun Woohyuk, Liang Tsuyu didn¡¯t believe them. ¡°A Silver Crowned Leader that only has 10 subordinates¡­ do you guys think you can joke around with me because I am a woman?¡± ¡°I heard they are an elite group¡­¡± ¡°Ha, this is a waste of time. Looks like I will need to meet him myself in order to learn more.¡± Liang Tsuyu sighed, after which an aide of hers asked. ¡°What should we do with them?¡± ¡°Put them all in the Labor Camp, regardless of whether they are men or women.¡± Ever since Inoue had died, Liang Tsuyu had forbidden any prostitution. Of course there were still some women who continued to sell their bodies in secret, but at the very least the brothel and the sexist atmosphere it created was gone. Now that she had settled all internal problems, how to win the main battle was still quite the headache. Due to the loss of two Silver Crown Leaders, their faction was in quite the tough spot. ¡°We need some sort of special tactic, something that can swing the momentum back in or favor.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we try a sneak attack during the night?¡± Lately the Red Faction had been rather passive, so there hadn¡¯t been any major conflicts during the day or night. Aside from Chun Woohyuk¡¯sst invasion, that is. ¡°We have no choice but to do that.¡± ¡°Yes, even if it isn¡¯t anything huge, at least it will stop the enemy¡¯s momentum.¡± ¡°Alright, gather all the leaders, we will hold a strategy meeting.¡± Following hermand, her subordinates were darted in their own direction. While she sat on the near fountain, pulled out her Estoc (1) A scar running down her cheek was reflected on her de¡¯s surface. ¡®Just you wait Chun Woohyuk, I¡¯ll take your head tonight.¡¯ It had been a few weeks since she had arrived in this new world, and she had to fight and w her way to her current position. After putting so much effort in growing her own personal power, when she stopped to look around, she noticed that she was stronger than any other man and became her group''s Leader. If it was a one-on-one duel, she had some confidence. After visualizing how her duel with Chun Woohyuk would go, she opened her eyes exuding a sharp aura. * * * Night fell and the moon shone in the sky. Liang Tsuyu covertly led an elite unit to invade the enemy faction. Their objective was the Guard Tower situated near the Witch¡¯s Sanctuary. Due to the heavy fog in the area, it would be quite difficult for the enemy to detect them. Especially now that it was the middle of the night. [Make sure not to make a sound. It is said that she operates at night.] They had learned from the prisoners that Hong Yuri preferred to operate during the night. Even then they still chose this ce as the target, because the n was to leverage her close rtionship with Chun Woohyuk. ¡®You will have no choice but toe running once you learn your lover is in danger.¡¯ She would ambush Woohyuk as he ran over to save his girlfriend. Her eyes shining like a cat, Liang Tsuyu carefully examined the Guard Tower that sat on the hill before them. There were only a few patrols, so it didn¡¯t appear that they were expecting their arrival. [We need to settle this quickly. If we cause a bigmotion, we might get ourselves in trouble.] They naturally wanted to suffer as few casualties as possible. As Liang Tsuyu took the lead, her subordinates d in leather armor followed behind. When they silently crept their way up the hill, a woman¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°What is your purpose for showing up over here?¡± It was Hong Yuri. She looked down at Liang Tsuyu, as she stood atop a thin tree.. ¡°You guys hurry and climb!¡± Liang Tsuyu ordered her team, and then pulled out her Estoc Upon seeing her response, Hong Yuri harrumphed. ¡°You want to fight with me? Hmm...but I¡¯m not interested in fighting unless it¡¯s against handsome men.¡± ¡°Stop spouting nonsense ande down here you bitch!¡± ¡°What? Did you just call me a bitch!?¡± Hong Yuri¡¯s eyes turned blood red as she sent her New Moon¡¯s Attraction flying towards Liang Tsuyu ¡°Kuk¡± Liang Tsuyu rolled to the side, avoiding the New Moon¡¯s Attraction by a hair¡¯s breadth. However her next attack soon followed. Cachaeng! Sparks jumped out as their steel des shed. Hong Yuri licked her lips as she stared at Liang Tsuyu. ¡°You are so weak, even your face is so much uglier than mine.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Angry, Liang Tsuyu tried to stab her repeatedly. A technique that could send out a flurry of stabs depending on the user¡¯s level of skill. Although it consumed quite a lot of Stamina, it could usually be used to suppress the opponent. Of course this was only the case against ordinary people. ¡°Ha!¡± Hong Yuriughed as she jumped into the air. Shortly after her translucent chain bound itself around Liang Tsuyu. ¡°Shit¡± ¡°Escape if you can.¡± An electric shock ran through the translucent chain. As Liang Tsuyu screamed in pain, her men attacked Hong Yuri as one. ¡°That was nice, I really wanted to try out this technique just once.¡± Hong Yuri let out an evilugh as she dodged the iing arrows. A blood vortex originated from her hand and then spread out. KoOooooooo! [Cursed Princess¡¯ Song] Its destructive power was so great, because it used up 10% of all of her Blood Energy. A spell that reversed the blood flow in your opponent''s body. Even if they managed to endure it, if they were within the Blood Vortex AoE, the skills they could use were limited and their Stats dropped as well. ¡°Just what ss do you have?¡± ¡°Blood Queen.¡± Although she was nothing but a maid in the eyes of a certain man. Hong Yuri grabbed a nearby enemy and sank her fangs into his neck, bright red blood flowed down into her throat. ¡°Vampire¡­?¡± Liang Tsuyu trembled, a look of incredulity upon her face. It wasn¡¯t a monster that she was facing, but rather a yer. Something about this situation was just too wrong. ¡°Why are you so scared? Should I turn you as well? You look like you would be quite useful.¡± As Hong Yuri bared her fangs, dozens of vampires appeared beside her. [Red Crescent Moon] Even without having to rely on the Call to Arms skill, she could summon up to 100 vampires to her side at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Dammit¡­! Everyone, retreat!¡± ¡°No...Now?¡± ¡°Yes, right now!¡± Seeing their leader use her Return Stone, the rest of them quickly followed suit. Hong Yuri tossed the man she had just fed on to the ground, with an expression of boredom. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for Woohyuk, you¡¯d all be dead.¡¯ Using Carmi temptation, she could have put them all in an illusion. She could have also hypnotized Liang Tsuyu after she¡¯d been tied up by the translucent chain. Still, she had to let them go in order to keep the bnce between the two sides. Liang Tsuyu couldn¡¯t die until Woohyuk cleared the Twilight Tower. As soon as she died, there would no longer be any Silver Crown leader on the opposite side. ¡®They just got their asses handed to them, so it should be quiet for some time now.¡¯ Since they didn¡¯t know Woohyuk¡¯s whereabouts, they also had to be on guard as to where he might strike next. Hong Yuri bit her bottom lip as she thought about Woohyuk and Leifina being together in the tower. ¡®Let¡¯s worry about thatter on. If I start getting jealous, I¡¯ve already lost. He wasn¡¯t the kind of man to easily sumb to a woman¡¯s charms anyways. She may be the one suffering through some tough training instead. Hong Yuri had a bitter smile, as one of her vampires approached. ¡°Queen, I¡¯ve brought the prisoners.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± In order to expand her influence, she needed to grow her number of vampires. Hong Yuri sank her fangs into the unconscious captive¡¯s neck, causing him to wake up to a scene of pure terror. * * * After Liang Tsuyu¡¯s failed sneak attack, the Canyon Battle entered a period of rtive calm. Although the Red Faction was in a favorable position, Samuel¡¯s ipetence was such that he wasn¡¯t able to bring an end to it by himself. Before leaving, Woohyuk had left his coins as well asmand to Hong Yuri. During the daytime Lee Jaesung would be actingmander in her stead and controlled the other Bronze Crown leaders. Although there were still some deaths everyday, the number was quite low and wasn¡¯t enough to cause any real shift in power. It was at this point that Woohyuk climbed the higher floors of the Twilight Tower one by one . The higher each floor, the bigger the stage would be, as well as the difficulty of the quest required to clear it. From suppressing a Noble¡¯s rebellion, to rescuing a princess who had been captured by a fallen Empire. Woohyuk eventually managed to clear any trial thrown his way, and finally stood before the door numbered 100 as it opened. Chapter 40: Mysterious Woman

Chapter 40: Mysterious Woman

¡®Finally thest stage.¡¯ Woohyuk advanced cautiously as he observed the city¡¯s night scene that he had been transported to. On this climb up here, he hadpleted many quests and received bountiful rewards. Although they were for the most part consumable items and not equipment, they were still very useful. ¡°It¡¯s quite quiet.¡± Leifina mentioned while looking at the empty streets. The quality of her equipment had seen a remarkable change in thest few days. ¡°I guess it is the dead of night.¡± There must be some reason that they were sent here at such a time. As he looked around for anything that might serve as the trigger for his quest, he heard the sound of carriage wheels racing down the street. ¡°Could it be that?¡± To be in such a hurry thiste at night. Although it naturally could be due to a number or reasons, at least it was a bit suspicious. His gut was telling him so. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Let''s chase after them.¡± He also had to keep a certain distance from the carriage so that they didn¡¯t notice that they were being pursued. When it turned into a rather long straight road, he got a clearer view. It was a ck carriage being drawn by a pair of majestic white horses. ¡®Must be some noble.¡¯ Avoiding detection of the carriage¡¯s escorts, Woohyuk summoned two undead desert eagles. [Hop on] A ground mount simply had too many limitationspared to an airborne one. They soared up high into the sky, tracking the carriage from up above. [Where are they headed.] [I think it will be far away.] It seemed to him that there was a high level of urgency because they were moving through the night at full speed. He had no choice but to follow them from a distance until they arrived at their destination. Due to a high level enchantment protecting the carriage, he wasn¡¯t able to detect who it was riding inside. As the pursuit was in full swing¡­. Chaeng! Cha Chang! Out of nowhere a group of masked men jumped out and assaulted the carriage. At the same time, a box with white text appeared before Woohyuk and Leifina¡¯s eyes. [New Quest] Name: A secret that mustn''t be revealed. Type: Chain (1/3) Content: Uncover the identity of the ck carriage¡¯s passenger and investigate the forces behind the attack.Other: Once failed, cannot be repeated. This time around it was a chain quest. As you progressed along the different steps in the quest, the requirements would be increasingly more difficult. It wouldn¡¯t be a simple ending like needing to kill or capture a certain figure. On several asions there were a few surprising twists, and he had almost failed to react ordingly because he had been trying to rush through the levels. [Should we go help?] [Let¡¯s just observe for now.] It wouldn¡¯t be toote to step in after the carriage¡¯s passenger fell into danger. As the assassins continued to attack, the escorts began to drop one by one. The carriage door was then swung wide open, as a silver haired woman wielding a dark scythe stepped out. Clothing that could only belong to the nobility and a beauty to match her position. Suguk The dark scythe harvested the lives of the assassins, one swing at a time. She clearly had considerable skill for such a delicate figure. Woohyuk examined this silver haired woman with a look of interest. ¡®You didn¡¯t even need any guards in the first ce.¡¯ She was on apletely different levelpared to the assassins. Was the secret that shouldn¡¯t be revealed regarding her? If so, it might exin why the carriage had been attacked by a group of assassins in the dead of night. ¡®A young noblewoman carrying a dark scythe.¡¯ It certainly wasn¡¯t something you could see everyday. It didn¡¯t take long for the battle toe to an end. The silver haired woman then looked up into the air, riding her de of any blood with a single swing of her scythe. ¡®Looks like she knew all along.¡¯ It was impossible to stay in the shadows after being discovered, so Woohyuk flew down to have a talk with her. ¡°We don¡¯te with any ill intentions, we just want to talk.¡± ¡°....¡± The silver haired woman simply raised her dark scythe, a nk look on her face devoid of any feelings Peace talks failed, as her guards were the first to engage. ¡®I guess I have no choice.¡¯ It was what he had been expecting, but at the very least he could pat himself on the back for trying. Woohyuk moved gracefully, cutting his way past the guards. In the midst of his ughter, a scythe tore through the air, aiming at an opening in Woohyuk¡¯s defenses. Cng! The sound of metal shing rang out as the scythe and longsword crossed, sparking dancing in the air. It was a breathtaking fight, but Woohyuk still had many trump cards. Whiriic! The scythe was sent flying through the air, as Woohyuk struck it from an unexpected angle. A pair of chilly golden eyes stared back at him. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± She asked, in a voice that seemed devoid of any emotions. He couldn¡¯t even sense an ounce of fear from this silver haired woman. ¡°I truly have no intention of doing so.¡± Woohyuk replied, despite having Grandia ced against the neck. It had been her side that initiated the fight. He naturally could simply cut her head clean off, but he had to keep in mind the content of the Quest. ¡®Based on her looks, she might also be an assassin herself¡¯ There had been many cases where assassins employed the honey trap to lower their target¡¯s guard. The more the nobles basked in the power and wealth, the more they gave in to their inner lust. ¡°You should run away now, more of them areing.¡± ¡°Who is them?¡± It seemed to be the hidden forces that he needed to uncover for his Quest. However, just as he was about to ask once more, multiple Dark Arrows were shot from far away, causing sonic booms as they sped through the air. Woohyuk swung Grandia and deflected an iing Dark Arrow to the side. The silver haired woman however took the chance to recover her scythe, and quickly enter her carriage once more. ¡®Did they teleport here?¡¯ Seeing the Warlocks appear, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but have his curiosity piqued by thistest development. It was due to the Dark Energy that the previous attack emitted. They were most likely also one who had entered into a contract with a Demon. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ask the man that seemed to hold the senior position. ¡°Just a traveler passing by.¡± ¡°Why is it that you are interfering with us?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, I had no rtion to them.¡± Woohyuk pointed at the corpses of the assassin strewn across the ground. They all held a certain ck tattoo, mostly being part of some Rogue Guild. ¡°I can¡¯t let you go because you¡¯ve seen her face.¡± Upon finishing, the Warlock raised his staff and a Dark Arrow shot out, speeding towards Woohyuk¡¯s heart. ¡®It¡¯s a good chance.¡¯ The magic spells he had previously absorbed were starting to be a bit obsolete due to their low level. Woohyuk absorbed any iing Dark Arrows with his Ghost Queen Star Serpent which had recently ranked up a Grade. [Fina,e over.] [Yes, Lord.] Leifina appeared beside him in a sh of light, causing the Warlocks to frown. ¡°Is that a Pdin? They don¡¯t seem to be ordinary travellers.¡± ¡°Well, I have my own circumstances.¡± There was no point in exining everything in detail to his enemies anyways. Woohyuk gave her a look, and Leifina nodded back. [I¡¯ll take the left.] She had progressed nicely in her time with Woohyuk. At the very least she had reached a level that he wouldn¡¯t need to constantly be worried about her safety. Woohyuk looked straight ahead as he raised Grandia. Sword dance between these two opponents ensued. * * * Due to the Warlocks¡¯ interference, the silver haired woman was able to escape aboard her carriage. They weren¡¯t able to catch up given the massive head start she was given. They didn¡¯t know her destination, so it would be difficult to catch her anytime soon. ¡®At least we have a clue.¡¯ The assassins that were sent after her would likely have more intel on her. They must be based somewhere in the city, and it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to find them based on their unique tattoo. ¡®A Rogue Guild wouldn¡¯t want to be in the limelight.¡¯ They had to carry out requests with a certain level of secrecy, so they couldn¡¯t be headquartered in amercial area or a high ss residential one. They preferred ces that were rarely frequented and had poor living conditions. ¡°Password.¡± A man blocked a back alley entrance, as Woohyuk walked up with Leifina. A password was necessary if one wanted to enter without the Guild¡¯s tattoo. ¡°I¡¯vee to meet your leader.¡± ¡°Password.¡± The manpletely ignored his request. Clearly they were careful no to allow any strangers inside. Woohyuk nodded as if this was the expected result. ¡°Moonlit Hourss¡± He had done some reconnaissance about the group prior toing here, asking around in the city. Naturally he made sure to learn the password ahead of time. He didn¡¯t say the password right away, because he wanted to buy himself some time to scan the ce, looking for any traps or enemies in case this guild would be hostile to them. ¡°...Follow me.¡± The man led Woohyuk inside. Taking so many twists and turns that it felt like they were in a maze. KKiiic After walking around for some time, they finally came to the Guild¡¯s headquarters as they opened the wooden door before them. As the man gestured for him to go inside, Woohyuk stepped in cautiously. ¡°You are a new face.¡± The voice of a middle aged man rang out in the dark candle lit stone room. It was a level of darkness such that an average person wouldn¡¯t be able to make out the others¡¯ features. ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t youe here to ce a request?¡± ¡°My questions are part of my request.¡± The man became silent as he examined Woohyuk carefully. ¡°You can ask one question.¡± ¡°Do you know who the passenger was in the ck carriage that was assaultedst night?¡± Shiiing! The sound of multiple swords being drawn at once rang out in the room. In addition to the boss, several of his subordinates had been hidden within the room. Just one of many traps prepared in case of intruders. Woohyuk had already been aware of this, and wasn¡¯t bothered. Even if they were invisible, he could still grasp everything within this room by simply pushing his perception to the limit. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± ¡°Silver hair, golden eyes, young woman with pale skin, about a foot shorter than me. Also she carried a dark scythe.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Strong enough to single handedly take care of all your subordinates. It just happened to take ce as I was walking by the other day.¡± As he exined his encounter the other night, filling it with dramatic ir, a guy appeared in front of Woohyuk. Ferdinand, the Master of the ck Morris Rogue Guild who was known as the city¡¯s top assassin. ¡°You seem to be from a very remote area if you don¡¯t recognize her by face, but why are you so interested in her?¡± ¡°Is she that well known?¡± ¡°Going only by that description, then indeed one would assume that she¡¯s Elizabeth Valencia, the second Princess of the Ravenna Empire.¡± It was instead almost certainly a lookalike, but even Ferdinand couldn¡¯t confirm the facts regarding this. ¡°Do you know who is behind this?¡± ¡°Count Oscar, but his role in all this is unknown.¡± Elizabeth, the eldest of the two, had a twin sister Isabe who had died six months back. It was also well known that Count Oscar had professed his love for Isabe. Although it had been an impossible love and the union between the two could never happen, it didn¡¯t make sense for him to have taken such extreme measures. ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time since Elizabeth hasn¡¯t shown her face in public, but it¡¯s unlikely that she¡¯s been kidnapped otherwise the Royal family would have been in an uproar. ¡± ¡°How did youe to know of her existence?¡± ¡°It happened while investigating Count Oscar for a different request. We found out that he had been attending some secret meetings.¡± After Isabe¡¯s death, the Count was said to have locked himself in his house. So when he showed interest in something other than a social gathering, a rival noble was naturally curious and requested an investigation. Ferdinand himself had been the one to stalk him, and stumbled upon a woman who had the same appearance as Elizabeth. ¡°Did she let you leave unharmed?¡± ¡°I almost lost my head while trying to evade that scythe. No matter how much they looked alike, it can¡¯t be Elizabeth. She fought like some beast.¡± Monster¡­ the moment he heard that wonder a certain character came to mind. Lucas, the same guy that had performed the banned experiments and created chimeras. If he happened to be present in this world¡­. ¡°Where is Isabe¡¯s body kept?¡± ¡°In an underground Mausoleum beneath Beatrice Cathedral in the kingdom¡¯s capital, Marlene. It is a ce that none can enter. The security was extremely tight because it was a ce reserved only for the royal family. Even a Rogue master like Ferdinand wouldn¡¯t be able to break inside. Still, Woohyuk was thinking about something else entirely. ¡°It might be possible if the entity wasn¡¯t human.¡± ¡°Do you think the Demons are involved?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Ferdinand revealed aplicated expression. Demons were truly difficult to handle and was considering putting and end to his involvement ¡°Why are you looking for her?¡± ¡°It is due to a request, there is a noble willing to pay a lot of money.¡± Ferdinand didn¡¯t reveal his client¡¯s information, and given his profession Woohyuk didn¡¯t press him for a name either. ¡°How much do you know about the secret meetings that Oscar was taking part in?¡± ¡°Nothing other than the fact the location changes every time.¡± Ferdinand hadn¡¯t been able to learn much becausest time around he had been discovered. Still at least he had discovered that there was a woman who held the same appearance as Elizabeth. ¡°At least we are certain that the carriage fromst night was headed toward the capital. As it happens, there will be arge banquet held at the Imperial Pce.¡± If Elizabeth being reced by this look-alike was part of some grand conspiracy, then there was a good chance that something might go down during the banquet. Hearing Ferdinand¡¯s exnation, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but be interested. ¡°Is the Imperial Treasure also located in the basement of the Beatrice Cathedral?¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s history is unclear because it had urred so very long ago, it is said that the treasure has some connection to the Demon God which Leonard, the Empire''s founder and first emperor had defeated. ¡®Demon God...¡¯ He had met Solomon¡¯s 72 Demons Kings, but had never heard of him. Just going by its name alone, it seemed to be of a higher position than the Demon Kings. Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but want to learn more about him. ¡°Will you be staying here for some time? Any more questions I can help you with?¡± ¡°... Let¡¯s put an end to any meaningless hostilities between us.¡± ¡°With a single hand gesture, several Rogues appeared inside the room. Leifina, who had been nervous this entire time, let out a sigh of relief. [Fortunately everything turned out well.] [This is just the start.] Clearly it wouldn¡¯t be easy to obtain Nakron¡¯s hidden reward. Woohyuk sat down on the chair, thinking about the rtionship between Princess and Demon God. Chapter 41: Mysterious Woman 2

Chapter 41: Mysterious Woman 2

Ferdinand ended up being quite cooperative with Woohyuk. It was because he considered him to be quite skillful. After all, he was the only one in ck Morris to have faced off with that woman who bore the Princess¡¯ face and her strength, so at the very least he would treat Woohyuk as his equal. ¡®Thanks to him I¡¯ve learned a lot.¡¯ The Rogue Guild excelled at gathering information. They will be very useful in solving his quest. While they took a carriage to the capital city of Marlene, he summarized in his mind what he learned from Feridnand. ¡®God yer.¡¯ He was also the Ravenna Empire¡¯s first Emperor, Leonard Valencia. He was chosen by the Heavenly God, then yed the Demon God bing a hero and putting an end to the chaotic times. Later, when peace reigned, his weapon was sealed in the basement of the Beatrice Cathedral. This was in order to prevent any of his descendants from abusing its divine power. That¡¯s all that was known publicly, and he would have to investigate what the royals were hiding regarding this treasure ¡°It looks good on you.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± Leifina blushed as hemented on her stunning blue dress. They were currently on their way to the Imperial Banquet, impersonating nobles to gain ess. ¡°What did you say my name was again?¡± ¡°You¡¯re Dorothy Serpin, Count Quint¡¯s wife.¡± They still needed to work some more on their acting skills and had the whole ride to practice. Woohyuk leaned in to whisper into her ear, as he held he ced his hand on her waist. Leifina¡¯s blue eyes froze like a startled deer. ¡°It might take awhile for you to get used to this, but then again we are still a long ways from the capital.¡± Woohyuks ced a kiss on Leifina¡¯s cherry red lips, causing her eyes to widen in surprise once more. ¡°Ah!¡± The gazes met, one was cold like a deste field of ice and the other hot like a burning me. In the end Leifina gave up, closing her eyes as she lost any strength in her arms. ¡°In order to not arouse any suspicions in the nobles, you need to be able to act as naturally as possible. ¡°... I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± Getting their names on the list hadn¡¯t been an easy feat. It was only possible due to Andrew, Etrona¡¯s Prince. He was Elizabeth¡¯s fiance and the patron who paid Ferdinand to investigate. Upon receiving a report from Ferdinand, he was the one who got in touch with Woohyuk. ¡°ording to Andrew, the security at the event will be very thorough. We need to be careful. ¡± They weren¡¯t able to respond instantly to sudden threats, because all of their equipment was being held in his Sage¡¯s Pouch. ¡°Even if it gets dangerous, I¡¯ll be standing next to you Lord, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Right now I¡¯m not your Lord, but your husband.¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­ sorry.¡± ¡°We have to make sure that you remember that by the time we arrive.¡± ¡°Huh? Again?¡± Leifina stammered and blushed deeply as the indecent man sitting beside her attempted to kiss her once more. * * * The Banquet¡¯s hall within the Imperial Pce was decorated to demonstrate their opulence. Woohyuk and Leifina got a glimpse into the everyday life of the high nobility. ¡°I¡¯m worried about the fact that the price of fox furs has been on the risetely. ¡°Really? Is it the same in the Etrona kingdom?¡± ¡°If I had known this would happen, I would have bought another spare shawl ahead of time.¡± Ridiculous stories that were far removed from any regr person¡¯s lives. Nothing that was of interest to them. ¡®I haven¡¯t seen the Count.¡¯ Although they weren¡¯t able to confirm whether or not he had received an invitation, it was more likely that he simply decided not to attend. Perhaps he was just biding his time outside, waiting for an opportunity. [How are they going to break in?] [Probably using their Demonic powers.] Entering a contract with a high level Demon would grant one a ridiculous amount of power. There were sure to be some remnants from the Demon faction left over from the time the Demon God once reigned. [Elizabeth looks under the weather.] [No woman would be happy knowing that she was being sold to a neighboring country.] An age old tale of a political marriage to strengthen the ties between two countries. It was the fate of those born to royalty, one that they couldn¡¯t escape. Probably the reason she hadn¡¯t shown her face recently was due to such unhappiness. As Woohyuk was observing the young princess Elizabeth, a handsome well groomed young man approached Leifina. ¡°You are breathtaking, may I ask your name?¡± It was Prince Joffrey. Leifina grabbed both sides of her dress and gave a curtsy. ¡°I am Dorona Serpin, and this here is my husband Count Quint.¡± ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s Count Quint. I¡¯ve heard quite a lot about you, it¡¯s nice to finally meet you.¡± A pretentious greeting. Count Quint was a foreign noble that served Prince Andrew, so his face was unknown to the Royal family. It was clear that Joffrey wasn¡¯t at all interested in him. ¡°I am honored to make your acquaintance, Prince.¡± Woohyuk did his best to fit, as he looked at the jewelry on his hand. A ring with arge blue sapphire. It was highly likely that it was an inherited family heirloom because he wore it on his right index finger. ¡°You are quite the fortunate man, Count Quint. To be able to spend a lifetime apanied by such a beautiful woman.¡± Joffreys eyes burned holes in Leifina¡¯s dress as he stared at her curvaceous body. Eyes filled with lust. Leifina avoided his gaze, appearing all innocent, when suddenly. ¡°Oh my God!¡± ¡°Fire!¡± Arge fire suddenly broke out in the middle of the hall. The frightened nobles jumped around endlessly while the Royal Guards stormed the ce to put out the fire. [It¡¯s begun, get ready.] [Yes, Count] The only person their enemies would be aiming for was Princess Elizabeth. The whole ordeal with the fire was only a distraction. ¡®Your majesty, this way please.¡± The guard proceeded to escort the Royal family to safety. At that very moment, a gust of ck smoke blew by, and Princess Elizabeth was gone ¡°Huh, Elizabeth?¡± ¡°What happened to her?¡± While everyone was confused, Woohyuk grabbed Leifina by the wrist and ran towards the window. [On my signal,e to my side.] [Lord, don¡¯t jump¡­] Before Leifina could even finish, he was out the window. He quickly equipped the Naga Chief¡¯s Ancient ring, and in a sh of light , teleported in pursuit of the assant. ¡®As expected.¡¯ Woohyuk followed the traces of corrupt energy as he jumped along the treetops. Definitely a Demon. Although it seemed to be a rather High level one based on how easily it had managed to grab the Princess hostage right under the noses of the Royal Guards. ¡®I only need to find out what are the forces working behind the scenes.¡¯ Clearly it would only be in the next chain of this quest that he would actually be required to put a stop to them. Based on his past experiences in the tower, it was sure to getplicated. Taahc As Woohyuk dropped down to the ground, he was surrounded by a group of Warlocks. They weren¡¯t willing to let him pursue his target so easily. ¡°Move, you are just in the way.¡± Woohyuk swung Grandia with an annoyed expression. Blood began to flow under the dim moonlight. * * * The long pursuit continued deep into the forest outside of the capital, until before him stood the silver haired woman holding a dark scythe. ¡°Where¡¯s the Princess?¡± ¡°...¡± Rather than answering, she attacked with her scythe. Cng! Cng! Their metal weapons continued to sh against each other, drawing streaks of light through the air. As the battle reached its peak, gold pupils shone brightly, causing her entire scythe to be bathed in a menacing ck me. ¡®She is using demonic powers.¡¯ A Demonic energy poured out of her body on a level he hadn¡¯t expected. It was a natural ability and not obtained from a contract. A chimera experiment that had used the corpse of a High tier Demon as its base. ¡°Who created you?¡± Woohyuk asked the silver haired woman while parrying her attacks. It was a true masterpiece. Her appearance was identical to Isabe¡¯s, who had died of an incurable disease, but the inner organs had beenpletely switched out. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard that curiosity killed the cat?¡± A red head appeared in the air and eximed. Her identity was quite clear from the small pair of horns protruding from the top of her head. ¡°You are a follower of the Demon God?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say I once was.¡± ¡°Are you trying to challenge for the vacant Throne?¡± If the Demon God had perished, there would naturally be a session battle to decide who would take his ce. ¡°You¡¯ve deduced so much, quite impressive for a human. I, Demon Aris can acknowledge as least that much.¡± With a single nce from Aris, the silver haired woman backed off. ¡°This is Irene. She¡¯s one of my better works,so I felt it was worth naming.¡± ¡°How did you mask her Demonic energy?¡± ¡°Well.. I found the right vessel.¡± Saint Marina was Leonhardt¡¯s wife, and her descendants had a chance of inheriting her divine powers. She had managed to hide the Demonic magic on the inside, by choosing a vessel whose corps had a trace of Divine power. ¡°You¡¯ve truly done quite the sacrilegious thing.¡± ¡°Actually this sess only came after 665 previous failures. Although she is still a bit unstable, she¡¯s at least yed her part in this n.¡± For Higher tier Demons, Chimera specimens were very much disposable. Regardless how well they were made, they would only ever be nothing more than a hybrid. Even if the vessel held traces of Divine power, it would still be discarded once it''s served its purpose. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to break into the Royal¡¯s Treasure room, she won¡¯t be enough. There are many magic arrays to prevent any demons from breaking in. Irene¡¯s beautiful body only needs to hold up until I manage to obtain his power.¡± ¡°As expected, the hidden treasure is indeed the Demon God¡¯s legacy ¡± From the very beginning he didn¡¯t fully believe in the legends. Now that he stopped to think about it, all the Quest he hadpleted in the previous floors were somehow connected to Demons. Although there were varying levels of difficulties, that was the one point they always had inmon. He now better understood why Nakron had instructed him to head to the top of the Twilight Tower. ¡°I will exterminate this world after having his power. All hypocrites and people who always put on pretenses deserve to die.¡± ¡°You have a dangerous way of thinking.¡± ¡°Dangerous? It¡¯spletely normal in this system.¡± Aris let Woohyuk in on a little secret that humans weren¡¯t aware of. That this was a world that underwent a cycle of Destruction and Creation every five thousand years. Only the Heavenly God and Demon God were outside of this cycle, and human history would repeat itself over and over again. When one day, the Demon God began to question its purpose. What is the point of a world that can¡¯t progress? ¡°He tried to put an end to such a system, but was instead struck down by the Heavenly God and the humans that sided with the Creator. Demon God¡¯s power was sealed within his own sword, and the first emperor, Leonhardt hid it under the Beatrice Cathedral in ordance with Heavenly God¡¯s orders. That way, when the time came the world would be destroyed once more. ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡± ¡°Just on a whim. It¡¯s my first time meeting a human that is aware of the existence of the Thrones. The preparations are all in ce anyways so there isn¡¯t anything that you can do to stop it.¡± She wanted people to know the truth behind what Leonhardt had done. Not even his wife Marina or his descendants knew the specifics about what had gone down, nor what the secret treasure actually was. Just what kind of expression will they have in their final moments? It was something that Aris, who had been in love with the Demon God, was truly looking forward to seeing. ¡°Can you be a Demon God by obtaining the sword?¡± ¡°Eventually, but first you¡¯d have to escape the cycle of reincarnation.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°Unfortunately that is impossible for you, because I hold the key.¡± Aris smiled like a mischievous kitten, as she pulled out a ring with arge red ruby set upon it. It was the same style as the one Prince Joffrey had been wearing. ¡°It¡¯s known as a Key Stone.¡± ¡°Leonhardt split the actual Key into three different pieces, as a precaution.¡± Rather than taking control of the entire continent, the Valencia family was tasked with protecting this Divine Treasure, generation after generation. A man who thirsted for power, yet wasn¡¯t brave enough to challenge for his right to sit on the Throne. Hiding the weapon which could put an end to this ridiculous system. Leonhardt, who had been praised as the Hero in a chaotic world, had been such a man. ¡°Then there are still two more out there.¡± ¡°They will be in my possession soon enough. I¡¯ve always kept an eye on them, and have prepared the perfect stage for the end of the world. As Aris finished speaking, an earthquake struck, causing a huge tremor At the same time, Demon energy began to flood in from the capital¡¯s outskirts. It was on such a scale, that it looked like countless Demons had been awakened from their slumber. Quazizic The Earth itself began to crack, as the entire capital city began to rise into the air. Woohyuk summoned Leifina to him, and quickly grabbed hold of a nearby tree to stabilize himself ¡°Ha Ha! Do you understand now? The Marlene Capital was built upon the Demon God''s eye The epicenter where the world¡¯s destruction would begin. Leonhardt had built the city upon the injury where he had struck to kill the Demon God, despite knowing that it would eventually be the first ce to be destroyed. ¡°This is on apletely different level.¡¯ Beyond anything he¡¯d ever seen, even when he had shed with Solomon¡¯s 72 Demon Kings. Be it the time he captured Delpheon, the capital of the Holy Epherian Empire from the Central ins, or even when he had gone up against the three Goddesses of Urdabrun. None of it couldpare. ¡°The time hase. I no longer require the Princess, so you can have her back.¡± As Aris finished speaking, a ck portal appeared and Princess Elizabeth fell out. She was in quite the predicament since her hands and feet were bound. ¡°The Imperial Pce¡¯s magic defenses are so strong that I couldn¡¯t capture multiple people.They no doubt increased their defenses even more since the attacks so, I¡¯ll need to send in this little girl of mine. By sending in Irene that would pose as Elizabeth, obtaining the remaining rings was a foregone conclusion. As Woohyuk moved to catch the falling Elizabeth, his Quest was updated. [New Chain] Name: Prophesied End Type: Chain (2/3) Content: Protect Princess Elizabeth and prevent Aris from getting her hands on the Demon God¡¯s Sword. Other: If failed, can not be retaken ¡®Those are some extreme requirements.¡¯ Still, there must be some reason for saving Elizabeth, perhaps the divinity within her could be of some use inpleting this Quest. ¡°Lord, it¡¯s dangerous here!¡± Leifina shouted as she held onto arge rock. As the entire capital city of Marlene broke off from the ground and rose into the air like a floating ind, the air currents threatened to throw them off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Woohyuk stabbed Grandia into the tree in order to not be blown away. He held on tight, barely able to keep his bnce. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°This world is about to be destroyed.¡± He didn¡¯t know if everything Aris said was true, but he would have to find a way to stop her. Woohyuk calmly began exploring his options as the smaller trees around him were being uprooted by the savage winds. Chapter 42: Prophesied End

Chapter 42: Prophesied End

After rising high up into the air. The crust of earth carrying the capital city of Marlene finally stopped and hovered in ce. As soon as Elizabeth woke up, Woohyuk hurried his group as they made their way to the Imperial Pce. They encountered several groups of enemies on the way, but they weren¡¯t Woohyuk and Leifina¡¯s match. ¡°That¡¯s absurd¡­¡± It was Elizabeth¡¯s reaction to hearing their side of the story. Learning that she had her Imperial Ring stolen from her by the Demon Aris, she felt a pang of guilt, falling into despair. ¡°It isn¡¯t toote, please make sure to cooperate with us and help as much as you can.¡± ¡°Yes, I will naturally do all I can to prevent this world from falling into ruin.¡± It was the obligation she felt, as one who came from such a dignified lineage. Elizabeth felt the weight of responsibility upon her shoulders due to the fact that she enjoyed her privileged life all based on the misdeeds of her ancestor. ¡°Where is the Royal family¡¯s secret room?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lead you there.¡± In case of an emergency, there was a secret room that was stocked with food and defended by additional magic arrays. It also had a secret tunnel that connected it directly to the basement under the Beatrice Cathedral. ¡°It will take Aris some time to get there as well.¡± ¡°Even if she was a rather High tier Demon, she still was going up against this world¡¯s highest level of magic arrays, as well as a squadron of Holy Knights.¡± As the heart of the Empire, it had been designed to be impregnable by Demons. To break through they would at the very least need to be on the level of Solomon¡¯s 72 Demon Kings. As Woohyuk was busy trying toe up with a way to defeat Aris, their path ahead was blocked. ¡°I hope you stop trying to interrupt our work.¡± A noble man who rolled his hair up appeared before them. It was Count Oscar. Clearly he had entered a contract with Aris in order to have Isabe revived. ¡°Are you going to kill the woman you love twice?¡± ¡°Aris has promised me that after she bes the Demon God, she will set Isabe free form this fucking world.¡± Count Oscar had no idea that he had been yed. The fatal w in the contract with Demons was that it was irreversible. Even if the end result wasn¡¯t at all what you had expected, it was toote to go back on your word. ¡°You are so naive.¡± ¡°You can me me for being stupid all you want, but I¡¯d do anything for Isabe.¡± At the Count¡¯smand, monsters rallied forth and assaulted their trio. Woohyuk summoned his undead to face them. ¡°My sister is already dead! So please¡­¡± ¡°What do you know? Unlike you, Isabe was the very embodiment of wisdom and dignity. The most perfect woman in the entire world!¡± Count Oscar shouted at her, treating Elizabeth like clueless and pathetic existence. As Elizabeth¡¯s eyes trembled in shock, Woohyuk raised Grandia up high. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve our consideration. You are nothing but a lost cause that can¡¯t distinguish between love and obsession.¡± ¡°Shut up! Who do you think¡­.¡± As the Count began to curse frantically, the words were caught in his mouth. The man before him stood like a coiled viper before it struck, giving him a venomous stare. Apletely different feeling than even the assassins he had once hired. ¡°I also would have done the same as you, relying on either Demon or Gods if it meant putting and end this System.¡± In the moonlight, Grandia emitted a slight glow. After entrusting Elizabeth¡¯s safety to Leifina, Woohyuk stepped forward. ¡°Because of my firm belief in myself, I can keep my head high despite all the death of those around me.¡± Grief was a luxury he couldn¡¯t afford. In order to put an end to this ongoing nightmare, he has to challenge for the right to sit on the Divine Throne. Sacrificing the opportunity to enjoy all the good things in life, all in order to achieve that goal. Only by tiptoeing along the line of life and death, always pushing himself to new heights, did he stand a chance of achieving that goal. What are limits? What is the meaning of it all? He had asked himself such questions countless times. However even if he couldn¡¯t find the perfect answer, he wouldn¡¯t stop his path froward, since it was all he knew right now. ¡°I will ask you a final question.¡± Woohyuk said as he closed the distance between them. ¡°How heavy is your sword?¡± And then he struck, not caring about what his answer might be. In a state of shock, Count Oscar stood there, blood leaking from his mouth. ¡°Kuhuk¡­¡± Monster. The man standing before him with his dark blue eyes, induced more fear in him than any of the monsters he had met from the Deep Abyss. Even he who had entered a contract with a High ranked Demon, couldn¡¯t help but tremble in his presence. If there was such a thing as a Demon God, it would surely be him. As his soul shouted in agony, Count Oscar finally closed his eyes for thest time. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Woohyuk¡¯s question had caught Elizabeth off guard. ¡°Beware of a Demon¡¯s ability to affect your mind. Those without a strong will can easily be controlled.¡± If one found themselves stuck in an Illusion, the only thing they could rely on was themselves. Elizabeth nodded back in silence. * * * the Imperial Pce was in chaos, Evil Spirits and Demons faced off against Holy Knights and Court Mages in an epic battle. Woohyuk¡¯s party however detoured around them, heading straight for the tunnel within the Royal family¡¯s secret room. ¡°Who else knows about this ce?¡± ¡°Other than the Royal family, just the Captain of the Royal guards and the Court¡¯s Archmage, but they are sworn to secrecy.¡± Although it was but a shadow of its former glory, the Ravenna Empire was still quite strong. By now the Generals and Cardinals were no doubt leading the troops to victory. Although Elizabeth was relieved upon seeing this, thinking that it would all be fine, Woohyuk thought differently. ¡°Don¡¯t be so relieved, this is a n that they¡¯ve had in the works for a long time.¡± The higher a Demon¡¯s rank, the better their attention to detail would be. He doubted that Aris would have forgotten to ount for such obvious variables. As Woohyuk urged his party to move faster. ¡°Kuuuk¡± ¡°KKaaaahak!¡± Screams rang out at the other end of the corridor. ¡®Were we just a moment toote?¡¯ Had it not been for the Count¡¯s intervention, they might have made it on time. Upon arriving at the secret room, the royal coupley on the ground, their corpses still warm. ¡°Father! Mother!¡± Elizabeth copsed to the ground, as Leifina tried to support her. Tubuk Tubuk The Captain of the Royal Guards stepped out of the shadows. ¡°Sir James?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t waste my breath with any excuses, Princess.¡± James spoke with a strong conviction, red blood dripping down from his sword¡¯s edge. ¡°Your family had to pay for their crimes, even if it means this world¡¯s destruction.¡± James had no doubt fallen for the Demon Aris¡¯ guiles. She must have shown him some kind of proof. ¡°Even if they did...you the Captain¡­¡± ¡°I am prepared for the dishonor attached with my betrayal. Rebel or kingkiller, you can call me what you¡¯d like.¡± James¡¯ family had suffered many casualties when Leonhardt had fought against the Demon God¡¯s army. It madeplete sense that he¡¯dsh out in anger when learning the truth. Still, Woohyuk had noticed that he hadn¡¯t been the one who killed the royals. ¡°It was Irene¡¯s doing. The wounds on their bodies match those of a long scythe, not a sword.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are your family members being held hostage? You seem rather nervous. ¡± Woohyuk was well aware of the many tricks Demons liked to employ. As such James¡¯ little performance didn¡¯t hold up. ¡°... You caught on rather quickly. I also felt you weren¡¯t an ordinary person when I first saw you.¡± ¡°Did she tell you to buy as much time as possible?¡± ¡°Right, she said that you were sure toe, and to wait for you here.¡± James no longer had any reason to lie, so he had no problem telling them the truth. Rather than unsheathing Grandia, he summoned his Undead Isaac. ¡°You will be dealing with him, so do your best.¡± The Undead Isaac¡¯s blue eyes focused on James, and a fierce duel ensued. * * * After leaving the Undead Isaac and James to their fight, the three of them rushed along the tunnel leading to the basement beneath the Beatrice Cathedral. Just when they had almost arrived at their destination, Quaaaang! A booming sound was heard and the entire building shook ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°The sound of a bombardment.¡± As if arge cannon had been fired, just on that was strong enough to cause this entire floating ind to tremble just by its recoil. ¡°I set a series of lenses upon the injury of the Demon God¡¯s eye¡± ¡± Aris appeared next to them and exined. A weapon that stood at the very pinnacle of Magical Engineering. Condensed mana flowed through the lenses before shooting a bronze cast barrel, bing a golden ray gun which struck the world¡¯s surface. Its destructive power was such that it could level a small kingdom with but a single shot. An invention which Aris had only seeded in creating after experiencing multiple failures. ¡°Right about now, in ce of the Etrona kingdom there will be arge crater.¡± ¡° Why even bother with this if the entire world was facing destruction?¡± ¡°I already told you, this is my revenge.¡± She must have truly been in love with the Demon God. Her situation being not so different from that of Count Oscar. Woohyuk showed an apathetic reaction. ¡°Why did you bothering here? You must have already collected all three rings.¡± ¡°That stupid Prince was more useless that I thought. The blood of the Divine Chosen must be present in order to break through the final barrier, just like Saint Marina once had. Aris¡¯ purple eyes focused on Elizabeth. Fortunately she had spared her life back then. ¡°And what if we refuse to cooperate?¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s isn¡¯t anything I can do. I had kept you alive all this time for my own personal enjoyment, but if you keep trying to interfere¡­¡± Aris summoned the Abyssal Scythe, wielding it with both hands. It was the same weapon that had previously been used by Irene. ¡°I have one question for you before we fight.¡± ¡°What is it? Just so you know, my measurements are a secret.¡± ¡°Do you know about the ssic double standard?¡± ¡°What? I have no idea what you''re talking about.¡± ¡°If you love someone, it is romance, but if others do, it is instead an affair.¡± He had met many simr women, who acted heartbroken and felt wronged, just as if they were a tv drama¡¯s main character. Alice had been the perfect example. Because of a lost love, her humanity had be twisted to a point that she was beyond saving. ¡°You¡¯re quite the talker.¡± Having hit a sore spot, Aris¡¯ eyes narrowed into slits, swinging forth with her Abyssal Scythe. Whiric! A spinning dagger flew her way. It had been thrown by the Rogue Guild¡¯s Master, Ferdinand. He had arrived along with his elite guild members. ¡°I came here just in case, as expected we expected it is indeed a Demon ¡± ¡°Where did this fly pop out from¡­¡± Aris, who had to stop and dodge the dagger, had quite the annoyed expression on her face. As if she had encountered some irrelevant worm. ¡°I don¡¯t usually work for free, but I guess I can make an exception for the destruction of the world.¡± The Rogue Guild¡¯s God was the Grim Reaper. Even if they were known to dwell in the darkness, It wasn¡¯t to the point that they¡¯d fraternize with Demons. ¡°Ha Haa¡­ Good. I¡¯ll invite you all to join me at the Treasure Room, the party is about to start.¡± Aris gave off a wickedugh, she sheathed her weapon. As soon as she was gone, Woohyuk andpany rushed through the passage. [What is she nning?] [No idea.] Even he wouldn¡¯t know before encountering whatever she had in store for them. As the entered a rtivelyrge room, the first thing they saw was a pure white magic array in its center, along with the bloodied Prince This was the room that could only be essed after cing all three Imperial Rings in their sockets, located on the wall. Aris had opened the entrance in advance, allowing everyone toe in. [That...is...] [It¡¯s the Demon God¡¯s sword] A Legendary sword forged in the darkest regions of the Abyss. It emitted the most concentrated form of Mana he had ever encountered. ¡°Wee to Hell. Doesn¡¯t everyone want to wield that sword? I assure you that if you seed in doing so, any dreams can be achieved.¡± Hearing Aris¡¯ speech, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but agree. An artifact that contained the power of the Demon God himself. Although he wasn¡¯t familiar with it, it no doubt held incredible power. Still, that meant it was all the more difficult to wield. No doubt this was a trap. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Kuhuk¡± Out of nowhere screams rang out. The Rogue Guild members had begun to assault one another with their daggers. The Hallucination Magic had affected them. It was a defensive measure that was triggered when a certain number of people stepped inside the room. A countermeasure against any possible invaders. ¡°Hahaha! These small fries are all fighting each other, how fun.¡± ¡°You, Bitch!¡± Ferdinand knelt on the ground, holding his head in pain as he stared angrily at Aris. Woohyuk¡¯s party however was in good shape. In the first ce Princess Elizabeth wasn¡¯t affected, whereas Woohyuk and Leifina currently had very high Magic Resistance. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing we used it in advance.¡¯ [Archangel¡¯s Blessing] It was the reward he had received for clearing the 97th floor. A consumable with only three charges, that would make its user immune to any negative Status Effects for one hour. ¡°You can resist even this amount of mana¡­ that incredible. Once again you didn¡¯t disappoint.¡± Aris eximed as she looked at Woohyuk and Leifina with renewed curiosity. The kind of look that suggested she wanted to add them to her collection. Woohyuk however wasn¡¯t in the mood to entertain her strange hobbies. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to finish that duel.¡± Grandia¡¯s de shone with light glow as he aimed for Aris¡¯ neck. Chapter 43: Prophesied End 2

Chapter 43: Prophesied End 2

¡°Looks like you think of me as an easy opponent.¡± Kng! The Abyssal Scythe moved to intercept. It served exactly that purpose, arge weapon that was swung around with great momentum behind it. As the highest level demon beneath the Demon God, Aris could naturally wield it with ease. ¡°Although I have to acknowledge that you are quite strong for a human, you are still very far from defeating me, a Demon King. Even if I¡¯ve been in deep slumber for quite some time and not in peak form, you still aren¡¯t my match!¡± An ominous dark energy was emitted by the Abyssal Scythe, swallowing up Grandia¡¯s white aura as soon as the two shed. As Woohyuk was forced to take a step back, Aris turned to Irene that was waiting behind here. ¡°Go and fetch me some blood from the Princess.¡± Irene was still an iplete Chimera, and would have to absorb what Divinity existed within Elizabeth, in order to have a chance in breaking through the final barrier. Of course if she were to do so, her inner organs would turn to mush, since as a vessel she wasn¡¯t stable enough to ept such power for long. ¡°That would be pointless.¡± ¡°Anyways, when the Demon God¡¯s eye bursts, Only those chosen by the Demon God¡¯s sword can survive the uing destruction.¡± Just because one managed to obtain the sword, doesn¡¯t mean that it had acknowledged its owner and be able to immediately use its powers. Even if Irene betrayed Aris and attempted to keep the sword for herself, she wouldn¡¯t be able to control its power and die. ¡°Oh, now that you mention it, it''s possible that her body will indeed bepletely corroded before even obtaining the sword. Since she can only be considered as a half-saint at most, she wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the Divine powers that flow through her. ¡°You must truly hate your own test subject.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing personal. If anything, I do have some lingering attachment since I¡¯ve taken good care of her so far. Right, Irene?¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± Irene, who was interlocked in a battle against Leifina, replied in a t tone. Like an emotionless doll. Born as a Chimera experiment, she could only go along with her creator¡¯s orders. From the very beginning it was her sole purpose in life. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Is revenge really your only motivation?¡± ¡°What will you do next once you destroy the world and wield the Demon God sword?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°It means nothing to me that this world is gone. Just getting my revenge is satisfying enough, and I will continue to repeat doing so until this ridiculous system is broken!¡± Light and Darkness continued to collide, intertwining in the air. A battle that would leave any spectator speechless. Elizabeth couldn¡¯t help but stare in admiration. ¡®Everyone is doing their best.¡¯ Regardless of how minor a role they yed, they were giving it their all. But what about herself, this empire¡¯s Princess... ¡®I hate myself for just standing by and watching.¡¯ Born into the Royal family, she had lived a passive life, just going along with her family¡¯s wishes. However this was a defining moment that would decide the fate of the world. She couldn¡¯t help but hope that she could contribute in her own way. As those emotions bubbled within her, she fell down to her knees and recited a prayer from memory. ¡®Oh God above.¡¯ Please aid those before me who fight sin in your stead. Bless them with the power to uphold their faith. Please, let this my earnest plea not fall upon deaf ears¡­ Shortly after Elizabeth opened her eyes. Hwarrrr! The Grandia and Argent swords erupted into Golden mes. [Judgment''s mes] It was the Holy Magic which Saint Marina had used in the past to aid Leonhardt in his triumph over the Demon God. ¡° An Archangels power!¡± Aris panicked, as she stepped back in fear. She had never expected Elizabeth, a 17 year old girl who was known to be nothing but a useless yes-woman in the royal family, to have been able to achieve such a feat. ¡°It¡¯s time to put an end to our fight.¡± Woohyuk leapt forward towards Aris with his eyes exuding a certain calm confidence. His speed surpassed anything he had shown previously. Aris hastily tried to parry with her Abyssal Scythe, but itcked substance whenpared to Grandia which had been imbued with a Saint¡¯s Holy Magic. ¡°Kahh!¡± The Demon King Aris shrieked in pain as she was struck by the Golden mes, her Demonic energy slowly leaving her. He then turned to see how Leifina was doing. Irene was likewise overwhelmed by the mismatch in their weapons. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± Woohyuk eximed as he approached Irene, who just stood there, ready to ept her death. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you giving it your all to be happy?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m just a tool.¡± That was what Irene thought of herself. Nothing more than an object that moved ording to her owner¡¯smands. There was no purpose to her life. ¡°No, that¡¯s wrong.¡± She didn¡¯t have to live her life being another¡¯s tool. Even a Chimera, had life within it, and a will of its own. She could aspire for more. ¡°Your master has lost her powers, now you will have to decide your future for yourself.¡± ¡°Happiness¡­are you saying I should try to be happy?¡± ¡°You are free to make your own choices now.¡± After Woohyuk finished speaking, Irene looked at Aris lying helplessly on the ground. Because she was a Demon King, she had yet to sumb. But at least she had exhausted the majority of her Mana and wouldn¡¯t be a threat. Regardless of what decision she made, she would no longer be bound by her former master. Still, she had lived her entire life as an obedient tool, never having thoughts of her own. Even the very idea of happiness was a strange concept. She needed someone to guide her, even if it was only showing her the right path. ¡°I... Will you take me with you?¡± ¡°If you want to be myrade, I¡¯ll allow it.¡± Comrade. Her former opponent was now treating her like an actual person. Not a tool, but someone of real value. Irene could hardly believe what she was hearing. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want, even that thing that men and women do at night.¡± ¡°...¡± In order to infiltrate the Royal family, she had been taught by Aris the arts of sexual seduction. Woohyuk nodded back, as he stared at Irene¡¯s nk expression. ¡®Looks like this was a bonus achievement.¡¯ Ever since they first met, he had that feeling that he shouldn¡¯t kill her. It was his intuition from the past 40 years ofpleting countless quests. [Lord, is this really okay? Just a few moments ago she was Aris¡¯ loyal follower....] [It¡¯s fine, no need to worry.] Although she was clearly a bit unstable, she was still much better than most humans that would try to stab him in the back. Not to mention that this was the Twilight Tower¡¯s 100th floor, the ce where one could find the very best rewards. It would be wasteful to not ept her. ¡°Is your body fine?¡± ¡°Ah? Yeah¡­ thanks to¡­¡± Elizabeth, who was still on her knees from praying, blushed as Woohyuk put his arms around her to pick her up. ¡°How do we break through the final barrier?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s impossible without a Saint¡¯s power¡± The Magic Array created by Saint Marina by relying on the powers of Heaven and Earth. Only the Chosen could cross such a barrier. Woohyuk however didn¡¯t ask Elizabeth to go over and bring him the sword. If that happened, ording to how the cycle of reincarnation urred, the prophesied destruction would ur immediately. ¡®It must be the reason for Irene¡¯s existence.¡¯ Aris must have nned on using Isabe¡¯s corpse to avoid triggering the destruction system. She just wanted to retrieve the sword. It was a wellid n, but in the end it had failed. No doubt it was because she had overlooked the fact that the Chosen wasn¡¯t Prince Joffrey, but rather Elizabeth, who was regarded as being useless within her Royal family. A box with white text appeared before him now that the situation had settled. [New Quest] Name: Man who challenges the authority of the Gods. Type: Chain (3/3) Content: Get past Saint Marina¡¯s array and ovee the Demon God sword¡¯s trial. Reward: Depending on the yer¡¯s actions and results. Other: If failed, can¡¯t be retaken. Thest step in his Chain Quest, and just as he had expected it was connected to the Demon God. Even if this world underwent its cycle of destruction and rebirth, the Throne couldn¡¯t be left vacant. This world was linked to the Twilight Tower¡¯s 100th floor, a ce where the very best rewards were held. ¡®Nakron was quite mysterious.¡¯ [King of the Dark Wizards] Given that title, it felt unlikely that the treasure he had hidden away here was the Demon God¡¯s sword. Perhaps there were still additional rewards that he could obtain. ¡°Huh.. huh.. I really thought I¡¯d die there.¡± Ferdinand whose entire body was covered in wounds, said as he sat down, clearly exhausted. He had been busy fighting off his own Guild members that had lost their sanity. ¡°You survived longer than I had expected. ¡± ¡°I won''t die easily, I was quite strong back in my days.¡± ¡°Please guard the entrance if you still can.¡± Soon the rest of Aris¡¯ Demon horde would be upon them, so after talking with Ferdinand, Woohyuk quickly turned to Elizabeth. ¡°You can get started.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± Elizabeth nodded as she looked back between Irene and Woohyuk. The resemnce to her older sister that had died just six months ago was uncanny, so she couldn¡¯t help but think of her. ¡°I am not Princess Isabe.¡± ¡°... I know.¡± Everyone already guessed based on what Aris had said. Just as Elizabeth was getting ready to start. Quazick! The entire Cathedral shook after the booming roar rang out. The Demon God¡¯s eye had been reactivated and was gathering mana from across the capital. ¡®... How dangerous.¡¯ Elizabeth however knelt down in front of the magic Array with a look of determination. As she began her prayer, golden energy seemed to gather around her, as if a miracle was about to ur. ¡°I...can¡¯t give...you...his...legacy...¡± Aris whose body had been severed in half, could barely speak. It was impossible to kill herpletely since her core remained in the Dark Abyss. Sealing her properly would take too long, so Woohyuk just ignored her and let her lick her wounds. ¡°Give it up. If you truly loved the Demon God, wouldn¡¯t it be fine to ept his choices?¡± ¡°I...tried...to...stop...him...this...was...all¡­meaning....less...but...he...was...¡± He had given up on everything in order to champion a different future for them all. Aris shed tears as she recalled the Demon God¡¯s final moments. ¡°I just wanted to meet him once more.¡± If she had to ovee the sword¡¯s trial, she felt that there would be a chance that they would be reunited, at least for just a moment. Since the Demon God¡¯s power still resided in the sword, it meant that there still existed at least a remnant of his will within it. ¡°I will tell him about you, who has gone out of her way to create so much trouble due to being heartbroken.¡± Now that he thought about it, she was more than just filled with revenge, driven by her strong emotions.It might just be that she could be the key in resolving this next challenge of mine. As Woohyuk thought about the different possibilities, the golden energy struck out once more, and finally the magic array was no more. ¡°I did it!¡± Elizabeth eximed as she looked back with a triumphant look. Woohyuk nodded back to her as he stepped forth to grab the sword¡¯s hilt. ¡®Is this the first step?¡¯ He had never felt so close to the Divine Throne before. Of course it wasn¡¯t like he would suddenly be the Demon God just because he passed this trial, but at the very least he would be taking his first step on such a path. Definitely a reward worthy of Nakron¡¯s rmendation. Woohyuk wrapped his fingers around the sword that was embedded into the ground, as darkness surrounded him and he was swallowed up into the Abyss. * * * ¡®This ce¡­¡¯ It was a battlefield littered with corpses. A deste area quenched in blood, as a murder of crows circled above in the gray sky. A ce fitting for a Demon. In the middle of all this stood a man with long, flowing ck hair. He held onto a dark sword with a single hand, cutting down any enemy that blocked his path. Although he wasn¡¯t able to see his face, he could already guess his identity. ¡®It must be the Demon God.¡¯ Did he enter into one of his memories? Woohyuk decided to make his way toward him Swoosh Swoosh! Any enemy that stood in his way was cut down, absolute death. Wherever Woohyuk passed, a bloody mess followed. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°...¡± The Demon God stared back at Woohyuk with a nk face. Dark crimson eyes that portrayed his nobility. The loneliness he exuded however made it hard to guess how long he had been stuck killing. ¡°Do you know Nakron?¡± ¡°He must have been the one that sent you here.¡± The Demon God replied, as he raised his dark sword. Starting off with such an aggressive stance didn¡¯t bode well for any hopes of conversation. ¡®I don¡¯t actually know him well, we¡¯ve never met.¡± ¡°... I have. He was one that challenged for the Throne, but failed.¡± ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°In a sense. Anyway, it¡¯s time to see if you are qualified.¡± Kng! Sparks flew out and the entire area around them shook as the two weapons shed. After receiving the first blow, blood began to seep out from Woohyuk¡¯s mouth. ¡®He¡¯s incredible.¡¯ Exuding a formless pressure that was incredibly difficult for a human to endure. Even if he wasn¡¯t anywhere close to his full strength, he still managed to quite easily overwhelm Woohyuk. After crossing swords a few more times¡­ ¡°Kuluk¡± He had reached his limit. Upon seeing the kind of condition Woohyuk was in, the Demon God instead renewed his attacks and became even more violent. As if he had no intention whatsoever of showing any mercy. Kng! Kng! The dark sword ripped through the air as it aimed at a gap in Woohyuk¡¯s defenses. A streak of Dark Energy shed his way, but Woohyuk did not sumb so easily. It was due to his increased resistance to Death that he had obtained from Nakron¡¯s Grimoire. He had also lived on a knife¡¯s edge for thest 40 years, so his mental strength and tenacity was quite strong. ¡°You look tired.¡± ¡°Hah...Haah¡­.¡± Woohyuk managed to catch his breath for the first time since crossing swords with the Demon God. He had already far exceeded his limit by continuing despite all the damage he¡¯d received, but still his speed didn¡¯t drop at all.. ¡°I have topliment your skill. Even if this was just a shadow of my true self, held together by my will, you have fared quite well against me.¡± Even though he had basically lost most of his power, the Demon God was still a being who had reached the very top. It wasn¡¯t something that just any human could deal with. Still, Woohyuk felt that he must have a weakness to exploit. ¡°Aris says hello by the way.¡± ¡°...Did you seal her?¡± ¡°No, but I did put a stop to her crazed n.¡± Hearing his exnation, the Demon God nodded and then appeared to be lost in his thoughts. ¡°I know her well, I¡¯m not surprised to hear she¡¯d go to such lengths.¡± ¡°Do you have anything you want me to tell her?¡± ¡°No, just that I hope she lives a happy life.¡± Demons weren¡¯t emotionless creatures. They were much like humans and angels, just that they originated from the darkness deep in the Dark Abyss. Just like humans search for meaning in their lives, so too did demons. For Aris, it was herself, but now wasn¡¯t the time to be concerned with her. ¡°Human, it is time to end this. If you manage to seed, you can assume my title and your path to the Divine Throne will be shorter than anyone else.¡± Demon God wouldn¡¯t continue to exist once his wisp of will that he had left behind was gone. The Demonic Energy would be absorbed by his sessor, which would gain his title. The Unique Demonic Inheritance. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good to hear.¡± Woohyuk replied, as Grandia erupted in Golden mes. Chapter 44: Asura 1

Chapter 44: Asura 1

¡®Fortunately I had obtained this back then.¡¯ It was the reward from the 96th floor, Herald¡¯s Wings. A consumable item that allows you to share your vision with someone one you¡¯ve met for a duration of 3 days, but only a maximum of 3 times. In other words, he had given Elizabeth the ability to observe this fight. Still, because it was a high level Holy spell, it took this long for her to be able to cast it once more. ¡®Now the difference in our weapons is gone.¡¯ All that was left now was to somehow withstand the opponent¡¯s attack. To that end he would have to use Mad Queen¡¯s Revenge, which he obtained on the 98th floor. It allowed the user to reflect 98% of the iing attack¡¯s damage back on the assant, and was likewise a consumable with just 3 charges. He basically was forced to use up almost all the consumables he had obtained as rewards in the past few floors, but he felt it was worth it. The distance between the two of them soon narrowed. Kng! Light and Darkness shed, creating cracks in space and time. The resulting power was so great that it resulted in a storm around them. Woohyuk could only feel the pain as his blood flow was reversed. ¡°Kuuuuk¡­¡± Even if he was only actually receiving 2% of his attack, it was still beyond what any average yer could endure. His chances of winning were quite low considering how much damage he had already suffered. He only had two more charges left. ¡®He has no openings.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t even imagine how strong the Demon God had been in his prime. It was absurd that a pampered emperor like Leonhardt had managed to y him. At most he might have delivered the final blow after he had been weakened in his fight against other Gods. ¡®Is that the only way?¡¯ If going straight for the kill didn¡¯t work, he could have to use the strategy of giving flesh to cut bone. The problem was that the opponent was simply too strong Leifina had appeared next to Woohyuk and was wondering how she could help. ¡°Lord!¡± She cried urgently. It seemed that she learned of his situation from Elizabeth and had teleported to his side. ¡°Is she your subordinate?¡± The Demon God asked as he nced at Leifina. Woohyuk however had a troubled look. ¡°Why did youe here?¡± ¡°I want to help too! If you go on like this¡­.¡± Leifina had already decided that she would live and die alongside Woohyuk, as she raised Argent with a determined expression. Hwarrr! The sword erupted in a Golden me, Elizabeth¡¯s spell buffing them once more. Iron Maiden was a Holy ss, so she had no trouble handling the me. Shortly after Leifina struck with her ming sword, trying tond a sneak attack on the Demon God. The Demon God forced Woohyuk back, just in time to defend Leifina¡¯s strike. Light and Darkness collided once more! A new confrontation, but it was settled very quickly. ¡°Kaaaaak!¡± Leifina was blown away and coughed out some blood. She simply wasn¡¯t on the same level and couldn¡¯t endure a strike from the Demon God. ¡®She is brave, but acts too irrational.¡¯ Ever since fate had brought them together, Leifina would follow him through thick and thin, just like in the past. It was the reason she coulde here without any hesitation. Also she was in proximity of Woohyuk, she also was able to benefit from the effect of the Mad Queen¡¯s Revenge. In other words she had taken the role of being a meat shield. It was something ridiculous considering that their opponent was the Demon God, but he didn¡¯t want to let her efforts be for naught. Kng! However his second blow was once again parried, and the bacsh resulted in a screaming pain racing through his body. Feeling dazed, Woohyuk ground his teeth to snap out of it. ¡®I must protect them.¡¯ There were so many people that were counting on him, so he had no choice but to seed in his challenge. Of course he wasn¡¯t so naive to think that he had no limits, but at least in this moment, he was ready to leap over any wall that was put in his path. ¡®Anyone blocking my way forward will be cut down!¡± Grandia¡¯s Golden mes roared once more as he struck again. The third blow that carried with it every ounce of his remaining strength. The Demon God finally faced Woohyuk seriously, seeing him put everything on the line. ¡®This¡­¡¯ He felt it was familiar, causing long forgotten feelings to resurface. With an expression longing and sadness, the Demon God whispered as he had a faint smile on his face. ¡®Yes, if it¡¯s you¡­.¡¯ He might be able to achieve it some day. A world that went beyond that of the system, a ce not even Gods dared dream of. It¡¯s the reason he was Chosen. Hopefully his dreams cane true. Quaziik! With a cracking sound, his Dark Sword shattered into multiple pieces and the Golden me sword cut down the Demon God with a diagonal sh. His body was split into two, bing a dark light that lost its shape, but rushed towards Woohyuk and was absorbed into his body. At that same time his surroundings became a pitch ck darkness. Like being in a vacuum in space. ¡°Kuluk¡­¡± Woohyuk kept coughing out mouthfuls of blood. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if he were to drop down and die now. His heart was at peace however. ¡®I¡¯ve achieved something insane this time.¡¯ He had managed to kill the Demon God in a duel. Well to be fair it was but a shadow of the former Demon God strength, but was still an incredible achievement. As Woohyuk was still onlying to terms with what had all urred, a white text appeared before him. [Challenge: Sessfullypleted the quest, Challenge the Authority of the Gods.] [Hidden ss: Asura has been granted as a reward.] [Demon God¡¯s exclusive weapon: Obtained the sword Verserios.] [The souls of those killed by Verserious are absorbed into the Asura world.] [You canmand Demons of a lower rank than you.] [Affinity with Darkness increased by 25%.] ¡®So it was the Asura ss.¡¯ Verserios seemed to be the name of the Demon God¡¯s sword that he had grasped, causing him to be transported to this ce. A never ending battlefield, that must have been his Asura world. As he began to digest all the new information, a dark energy bubbled within him, helping to recover all his injuries. Demonic Energy Since he had assumed the mantle of Asura, he could naturally wield such energy. Of course since he wasn¡¯t an actual Demon, it would still take him some time to familiarize himself with it. ¡®Now¡¯s not the time.¡¯ Woohyuk sobered up, recalling that Leifina had been sent flying in the battle. As he wandered in the dark in search of her, more text appeared before him. [ording to the Creator¡¯s will, any yer that has seeded an Epic Achievement, can be granted a special opportunity.] [The system spirit shall now verify¡­] [Nakron has been chosen as your Patron.] ¡®Huh¡­¡¯ He had never imagined that Nakron would be a part of the system, let alone be his patron. Did that mean he could count on him in order to challenge the Throne? What did he get out of all this? Before he could find an answer to these questions, a man wearing a dark red robe appeared before him and spoke. ¡°Great job, adventurer.¡± ¡°Nakron...what is it that you want?¡± ¡°I want you to be the next Demon God.¡± Nakron continued to exin that those who challenged for the seat of a Divine Throne but failed, would be assimted by the system. The only way to escape such a fate was to support a candidate for the Throne, and have them seed. Woohyuk however felt it was a good deal since he was nning to do so anyway. ¡°Then as promised, here are your rewards for seeding.¡± As soon as Nakron finished, his Quest was updated. [New Quest] Name: Rebuild the World Type: Unique Content: Minimize the damage from theing Chaos and put the continent back on the right path. Other: If failed, can not be retaken. Reward: Differs depending on the contribution and results. ¡°If you would rather not, you can also give it up and leave the tower at this point. This is only a bonus quest.¡± ¡°No, I will ept it.¡± He couldn¡¯t bear to leave without Lefina, and of course he had no intention of missing out on this bonus. ¡°Then I wish you luck, I¡¯m sure you can do this.¡± Nakron¡¯s image turned into ck smoke as he vanished into the darkness. Shortly after a bright light shone carrying him from this ce. * * * ¡°Count Quint! Countess Quint!¡± He heard Elizabeth¡¯s voice as his consciousness returned. Woohyuk woke up to find himself lying on the cold stone floor. He held his head with one hand, his other grasping the ck sword Verserios. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He was still quite dazed due to the damage he had umted in all his fights. Leifina was likewise not doing so hot. ¡°Asura...sir?¡± Aris who was crying, her body still cut in two, murmured. She could sense a certain familiar scent from Woohyuk. ¡°He told me that he would like to see you live happily from now on.¡± ¡°Did Asura...you?¡± ¡°It is but a title, but yes I definitely received it.¡± ¡°No way¡­.¡± Aris couldn¡¯t believe the turn of events. Even if he was rather extraordinary for a human, to be the one that he had chosen as his sessor was simply unheard of. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°... What is it?¡± ¡°Is there a way to restore the Capital city, Marlene?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing his question, Aris lowered her head as she hesitated. Clearly she felt confused as to how to respond to him. ¡°It is your duty to answer me.¡± ¡°Hmph, the two of you¡­¡± Despite being annoyed at beingmanded, Aris quickly shut up. It was all done ording to the Demon God¡¯s will, rejecting his choice would be the same as betraying the one she loved. Faced with the familiar dark energy, Aris¡¯ desire for revenge gradually faded. ¡°Are we different?¡± ¡°... Not really.¡± There are manyplex facets which made up a Demon¡¯s identity which humans had difficulty understanding. A being from the Dark Abyss. The method of inheritance involved fusion with their sessor. Since he had absorbed his Demonic Energy, Woohyuk was now literally the embodiment of the Demon God. Even though her previous lover had lost his will, Aris still felt that he lived on inside of him. ¡®We can still be together, although it may not be the same as before.¡¯ Her only purpose left in life, Aris became ecstatic at the thought of it. ¡°I...take me with you.¡± ¡°How can I trust you when you just tried to destroy this world?¡± ¡°I want to be close to the Asura energy within you, no matter what happens I would never betray you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I won¡¯tin regardless of how you treat me. I can even be your ve if you want, so please¡­.¡± Aris begged sincerely as she stared at Woohyuk. Woohyuk then turned to look at Elizabeth. ¡°Are you okay with this?¡± ¡°Me? Well...¡± Elizabeth hesitated as she averted her gaze. Aris was naturally an enemy of all humankind. Still, if she left things as they were now, the entire continent, no the world would all be gone. ¡°Why is there even anything to think about you idiot. Demons can¡¯t be trusted.¡± While Woohyuk was waiting for her response, a voice rang out from behind them. Joffrey¡¯s body stood up, covered in blood. ¡°Are you Leonhardt?¡± ¡°Ho ho¡­ Good guess, I am indeed the King, Holy Leonhardt Valencia.¡± In this secret room, there was an additional Magic Array that would allow Leonhardt¡¯s spirit to descend once someone of his royal family died in this ce and be blessed by the Heavenly God¡¯s powers. As long as he existed in this world, he would be an obstacle in his Quest to rebuild the continent. ¡°You will be the first victim to die at the hands of my new sword.¡± Woohyuk said as he raised Venerios. Seeing his opponent, Leonhardt couldn¡¯t help butugh. He then summoned a dimensional gate and his armor appeared. ¡°This world is destined to die, it is Heavenly God¡¯s will.¡± Even if everything were to be destroyed, the world would enter reincarnation and he would be the King once more. That was why he didn¡¯t care whether a descendant of his like Elizabeth lived or died. Hearing him speak, Elizabeth couldn¡¯t hide the revulsion in her eyes. ¡®I can¡¯t believe we share the same blood.¡¯ The type of rtionship one would only want to deny, but now it was more important to take him down. Hwarrrk! A Golden me appeared on the floor where Leonhardt stood, a Saint¡¯s restriction magic The mes had been powerful enough to subdue even the Demon God, but this opponent was different. ¡°Hahaha! Are you serious? Trying to take me down with spells from the Heavenly God?¡± If they fought with spells from their same God, Leonhardt, who was Heavenly God¡¯s Champion in this world, was of a higher position. Leonhardt swung his sword Baltia, as it was bathed in Golden mes. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You just stand to the side over there, your turn wille soon enough.¡± Leonhardt licked his lips pervertedly as he gave Elizabeth¡¯s body a lookover. A young woman that closely resembled his ex-wife, Marina. Returning to this world after being gone a long time, the pent up desire within him was ready to explode. ¡°I feel bad for the Saintess that was married to you.¡± ¡°Tch¡­ Even in the end she didn¡¯t know the truth about me, but it was better that way since nothing would have changed even if she had..¡± A silly woman that was caught up in her own faith, she would never have gone against the Heavenly God. Like a mere doll that moved ording to the puppeteer''smands. From the very beginning Leonhardt had only ever considered Marina as a means of venting his sexual desires. ¡°Now I understand how vile you truly are.¡± Woohyuk said as he quickly closed the distance between them, a certain rage crossing his eyes. ¡°You can go ahead and die now.¡± His dark sword Verserios aimed at Leonhardt¡¯s neck. Kng! The sound of their des shing, as Light and Darkness collided once more. The difference being that the roles had been inverted. ¡°You dare challenge me, Heavenly God¡¯s Champion, when you aren¡¯t even a real Demon God yet?¡± ¡°You speak as if you¡¯ve already won.¡± ¡°What?¡± Suspicious, Leonhardt looked to the side. The Undead Isaac and James were nking him from each side wielding their longswords. ¡°Kuu¡± Leonhardt jumped backwards in order to dodge the attack, but just then a ck shadow appeared from behind. Puuk! A poisoned dagger struck from behind, stabbing right through his throat. Ferdinand had been hiding in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. ¡°Kuluk¡± Leonhardt knelt on the ground, blood gurgling in his throat. Woohyuk then walked up to him and raised Verserios to finish the job Swoosh! His neck was cut, as his head sailed through the air. Chapter 45: Asura 2

Chapter 45: Asura 2

A fitting end for a fake hero. His soul shrieked in agony as it was swallowed up by Verserios. ¡°Ooaah!¡± So long as he remained locked up in his Asura world, he couldn¡¯t enter the cycle of reincarnation. As Woohyuk wiped the blood off his sword, a white text appeared before him. [Verserios can change its shape ording to its user¡¯s will.] [If required, you can even summon the Spirits of those you have absorbed.] ¡®Spirits.¡¯ They were a bit different than the regr undead, because they retained a certain amount of skills and abilities from when they were alive. After thinking about it for a bit, Woohyuk decided to make Verserios into a longsword. ¡®This should be better when trying to absorb their souls. ¡¯ Also he needed different kinds of weapons. When he would arrive in the Eeth continent, there were plenty of troublesome opponents waiting for him While taking a short breather, Woohyuk examined Verserios¡¯ stats. [Demon God Sword Verserios] Category: Weapon Grade: S (Growth) Durability: 72,500 Effect: Allows the user to wield the power of a Demon God. Can absorb the soul of its victims and summon them to fight for your side. Its power increases the more souls it absorbs. Can only be wielded by an Asura, and can be stored within its owners body without the need for storage equipment. ¡®Simply amazing.¡¯ S Grade items were rarely seen. Even those at the Overlord level in the past couldn¡¯t necessarily get their hands on them. Not to mention that it was even a Growth type weapon so who knew just how far it could go. It should be really strong since it contains the Demon God¡¯s power that is used to destroy this world. ¡®I still need Grandia though.¡¯ It had the overpowered ability to steal Stats by killing red marked yers, so he was looking forward to what it would look like as its Grade advanced. As he assimted Verserios into his body, he heard a loud bang. ¡°They¡¯ve already made their way over here.¡± He needed to settle this first before being able to establish peace. After looking around for a bit, Woohyuk then walked up to Aris, who was worried she¡¯d be left behind. * * * The Demon God¡¯s eye was closed once more. It was all done by Aris which had stopped gathering the Mana from within the capital. After bing a member of Woohyuk¡¯s group and regaining her powers, she helped out to restore the capital city Marlene. There weren¡¯t any further conflicts between the two sides since all remaining Demons were of lower rank than Aris, so they naturally submitted to Woohyuk upon learning of his status as Asura. The Holy sword Baltia was sealed under the Beatrice Cathedral, in the same ce where Verserios had been previously. Elizabeth had vowed not to wield it unless there was an existential threat to her people. And so, the kingdom was gradually rebuilt. Construction projects were undertaken across the capital, while refugees arrived from the outskirts or the devastated kingdom. There was also a meeting among the upper echelons to investigate what had caused such an unprecedented catastrophe. Due to this, Elizabeth had been the busiest of them all, the only survivor from the Royal family. Also, because she was regarded as a rather weak woman, there were many trials she would have to ovee in order to cement her position. Woohyuk and Leifina stood by her side in the pce during these trying times, throwing their support behind her. Naturally there were countless ambitious nobles that had seen this chaos as an opportunity to aim for the throne, but they were easily dispatched by Ferdinand and his ck Morris guild. As a result, Elizabeth was soon crowned as Queen. By gathering loyal supporters to her side, it didn¡¯t take long for her position to be secure. Commoners went back to their daily lives, as if nothing had happened, and peace reigned across thend. ¡°Will you be leaving now?¡± ¡°Yes, I have many things to do.¡± Elizabeth nced at Woohyuk, who hade over to say his goodbyes.¡± A ck haired man with cold eyes like a winter¡¯s frozenke. She knew that this day woulde, but her heart ached all the same. ¡°Then goodbye.¡± ¡°...Wait!¡± Just as he had turned around, Elizabeth ran up to him and hugged him tightly from behind. Her shiny silver hair blowing in the spring breeze, while the scent of blooming flowers was carried in from the open window. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡­ I love you.¡± At first she had thought it was just a crush, but over time she realised that it was something much deeper. Feelings that she had never experienced before. The same emotions that she was taught to be wary of, since she should be satisfied by her future of being used for political marriage. ¡°...¡± ¡°I know we can¡¯t be together, but I felt that if I didn''t confess right now, It would be something I¡¯d regret for the rest of my life.¡± Her eyelids trembled and tears poured down Elizabeth¡¯s face as she buried her face in Woohyuk¡¯s back. She was but a 19 year old girl, for whom her first love was more important than all the wealth in the world. ¡°We can¡¯t.¡± Woohyuk turned around as he ced his lips upon hers. The sweet rose and only wolf¡¯s breath are fixed. ¡°Hmm¡± Elizabeth blushed deeply as her mind raced, her face looked just like an angel. ¡°Just a little something to remember me by.¡± ¡°Well ... Can I ask you one favor?¡± ¡°If you manage to achieve all the goals you¡¯ve set out for yourself, can you pleasee see me once more?¡± Elizabeth murmured like a shy little girl. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will be possible, but I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you Quint¡­ no, Chun Woohyuk.¡± Elizabeth stood a step back and gave him a beaming smile. She seemed to have cleared up the confusion in her heart. Woohyuk then left Elizabeth¡¯s room, meeting up with Leifina that had been waiting by the door. ¡°That took a while.¡± ¡°There was some business to discuss.¡± He felt it was better to keep what happened between Elizabeth and him to himself. As they made their way down the corridor, Wooyhyuk pulled out the item he had received forpleting the final quest. [Lemegeton] Category: Personal Item Effect: You can Seal and then Command Solomon¡¯s 72 Demon Kings. When you¡¯ve sealed them all, a hidden ability will activate. ¡®I never expected Lemegeton to have been here all along.¡¯ The legendary book which was known as the Lesser key of Solomon. He now understood why no one had ever found it 40 years ago. Since it was a reward given out forpleting the 100th floor of the Twilight Tower, he was sure it would y a key role in reaching the Divine Throne. ¡°Finally Heavenly God never showed up.¡± ¡°It is because he can¡¯t go against the System¡¯s arrangements.¡± The Demon God¡¯s Throne was destined to be upied eventually. The reason Verserios had previously been stuck in the ground and sealed, was to maintain the current system. The Royal family weren¡¯t made privy to any details, only being told to unseal the sword on a specific date. This would release the Demon God¡¯s power, which would then destroy the world. When the world would enter the cycle of reincarnation, Leonhardt would be reborn and once again found another kingdom allowing him to once more live a life of opulence. Of course now that Verserios had a new owner, the future was uncertain. ¡®300 years is enough.¡¯ ording to Aris, the destruction was only supposed to ur then, but she didn¡¯t want to wait that long. To that end, she invented the Demon God¡¯s eye in order to bring about the world''s destruction ahead of schedule. ¡®The Demon God rebelled against the system.¡¯ Woohyuk wasn¡¯t sure what decision he would have made if he had been faced with the same circumstances as the Demon God who upied the Throne. Still, it wouldn¡¯t be toote to decide on his answer after first making his way up to that position. For now, all he needed to concern himself with was how to continue moving forward. ¡°Should we head back?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Leifina shouted excitedly as she followed behind Woohyuk, stepping into the golden dimensional portal that appeared before them. * * * At the Twilight Tower¡¯s entrance, Samuel was preparing his party to lead the raid. ¡®Huu¡­ I¡¯m a bit nervous.¡¯ Thest Historical Site. Just based on its location and size, it was obvious that it would be the one with the highest level of difficulty. It was a given that it might be too hard for Samuel and his team who were far from being the cream of the crop. Still, he had no other choice. Pretty much all the hunting grounds had been cleared and there weren¡¯t any other areas to earn Ancient Coins. The only two remaining were the Griffins¡¯ area and this tower, and everyone by now knew that the Griffins were not something they could deal with. For that reason, when he proposed to his team to tackle the Twilight Tower, most were in agreement. ¡°Mr. Samuel, do you think we are enough?¡± ¡°If we aren¡¯t confident, shouldn¡¯t we consult with Lee Jaesung¡­¡± Of course there were still some among them that had their doubts. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, at worst if it bes too dangerous you can always use the Return Stone to escape.¡± Samuel was running out of areas to prove himself, and he needed a big win to restore the team¡¯s and alliance¡¯s confidence in him. He was sure of one thing. ¡®Chun Woohyuk¡¯s definitely inside the tower.¡¯ Despite being their Commander, he had been absent for quite some time now. The only ce that could catch the interest of such a man would be this Twilight Tower. Even if he had no idea as to what they¡¯d encounter inside, it was easy to assume that the rewards would be plentiful. Samuel¡¯s n was to meet up with him inside and quietly profit from behind. He smiled to himself as he was about to give the order to enter. [The Twilight Tower¡¯s final floor has been cleared.] [The Twilight Tower will disappear shortly.] [All adventurers who are inside will be teleported out to their respective Fortresses.] An announcement that struck them like a thunderbolt. Everyone, Samuel included, was shocked with their eyes open wide. ¡°He¡¯s already reached the very top!?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s so high¡­?¡± Although it wasn¡¯t like the Canyon Battle had just begun, but the idea that someone reached the top of such a high tower in so little time, was simply too absurd. While everyone was stunned,ing to terms with thetest announcement. ¡°Ah ah ah!¡± A woman¡¯s shriek rang out in the air. Panicking, Samuel looked up in the sky and froze. ¡®A Griffin¡­¡¯ He had almost died to one of them while out scouting the mountain ranges. Although he hadn¡¯t been on the receiving end of any of their attacks because he had run away immediately, it had still been a traumatic experience. However this one was a bit darker, as if it had died and been brought back to life. ¡°That...it¡¯sing this way.¡± ¡°Samuel! Quick, make a decision!¡± The adventurers behind urged Samuel on as they looked up nervously. Samuel quickly pulled out a Return Stone from his pocket. ¡°Everyone retreat immediately!¡± Now that the Twilight Tower was no more, there wasn¡¯t any reason for them to stick around any longer. If he risked his party members¡¯ lives for no reason, he woulde under criticism as an ipetent leader. Seeing Samuel¡¯s party retreat instantly, Woohyuk could only shake his head. ¡®He¡¯s as fast as ever at running away.¡¯ Even after they went to the continent, he had managed to survive quite long due to his timidness. Still, since he hadn¡¯t improved his strength and influence much, eventually it caught up to him and he perished. ¡°Wake up, we are back on solid ground.¡± ¡°Lord...I still feel a bit dizzy.¡± She murmured, half asleep. Woohyuk sighed and hugged on to her tightly. ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to do that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so shy, I have an obligation to take good care of you.¡± Even while they had stayed in the Royal pce, it had been Woohyuk that stayed by her side, nursing her while shey unconscious. That meant that Woohyuk would wash her and change her clothes as well. When she thought about what he¡¯d done, her face began to heat up and turned red. ¡°Please put me down, I can walk by myself.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As Woohyuk released her, she quickly put some distance between them. A women¡¯s protective instinct. She couldn¡¯t control her shyness, ¡°Are you acting cute on purpose?¡± ¡°No way¡­.¡± Leifina, who had tried to deny it, quickly shut her mouth because she saw Woohyuk staring straight at her. ¡°Let¡¯s take our time heading back.¡± ¡°... Okay.¡± A man who always did the unexpected. Leifina followed behind him with a grim look. Quaaddek! Large cracks began to form across the Twilight Tower, as it began to copse into a pile of rubble. A mysterious building left there by the Creator. It housed countless tragedies, noting the rise and fall of many small kingdoms. The same was true for the future of these adventurers. They would have to have to resolve different situations in this chaotic world. Using a Return Stone, the two of them left the shifting sands behind. * * * Upon returning to the Fortress, Woohyuk received some updates on their current status from the Leaders. Two years had passed for him inside of the Twilight Tower, but out here in the canyon it had only been a fortnight. After a day¡¯s rest, Woohyuk led his undead army to scour the mountain ranges and valleys in search of any rewards that might still be hidden. Unfortunately, aside from the mountain tops, they didn¡¯t encounter anything valuable. He only managed to collect some more Leadership Skill points and Teleport Scrolls. After concluding that he had more or less piged everything, Woohyuk decided it was time to put an end to this Canyon stage. There wasn¡¯t any reason to drag it out any longer. Just three hourster¡­ ¡°Kuaahak!¡± ¡°Sa, save¡­Kuhuk¡± The adventurers from the Blue Faction that were defending their Fortress¡¯ entrance, copsed to the ground in agony. Some chose to fight to thest man, and had to be killed. Quazizzic Their Guardian stone was shattered with a single sh from Grandia, causing a white text to appear before everyone¡¯s eyes. [Chun Woohyuk from the Red Faction has destroyed the enemy¡¯s Guardian Stone!] [The Red Faction is Victorious!] [A grace period forbidding any violence is now in effect.] [All surviving adventurers from the Blue Faction have been sent to the Labour camps.] [Red Faction members are free to travel between either Fortress.] [The General Shop function within the Adventurer''s Watches is now disabled.] [Items sold in Taverns are now free to those from the Red Faction.] [Any criminal acts are now forbidden,w breakers will be sent directly to prison without any exception.] [Red Faction¡¯s Leaders can consult and decide what to do with their prisoners of war.] The stage hade to an end. All the monsters across the entire map had now disappeared. Any survivors from the Red Faction had been teleported to the entrance of the Blue Faction¡¯s fountain. ¡°Congrattions on your victory in this battlefield!¡± Eve smiled as she looked down at the yers that stared back with solemn expressions. ¡°What happens next?¡± ¡°Do we have to fight again?¡± Seeing everyone¡¯s anxious expressions, Eve wagged her index finger. ¡°No, no, with this the Canyon Battle hase to a close. This is also where we will part ways.¡± Of course the trials that would continue to be forced upon them were basically endless. They would now head to the main stage, and be forced to carve their own path. This game would not end until all the Thrones were upied. Hearing Eve¡¯s description, the adventurers couldn¡¯t help but despair. ¡°Eeth continent?¡± ¡°Clearly it would be teeming with monsters.¡± Fear of the unknown. As she watched their reaction with a satisfied smile, Eve waved her hand and summoned a ck portal. ¡°I can understand your worry. One advice I¡¯ll give you is to gather your forces!¡± During this grace period, the survivors had the time to build up their forces. The battle for the Throne. It was a ce where Crowned Leaders would face off against within a desert map. The winner would rise in tier, absorbing their opponent¡¯s forces. The highest tier they could reach was the tier 10 Gold Crown. The Leaders gulped, excited at the prospect of leading a group of 10,000. ¡°Not to worry however, you won¡¯t be facing off against each other since the matchmaking avoids those from the same Sector. Good luck!¡± The grace period onlysted until the following night, depending on when the Canyon Battle had been brought to an end. In order to eliminate any exploits, the Leaders ability to expel members, as well as the members ability to Impeach their leader had been temporarily disabled. Only voluntarily leaving, or assimting forces with the use of the Negotiation Leader skill was possible. As Eve disappeared, the remaining yers started discussing among themselves in their groups. Chapter 46: Danger at Sea 1

Chapter 46: Danger at Sea 1

¡°What are you going to do now that everyone wants to join your group?¡± Hong Yuri whispered to Woohyuk. There are even those that had secretly removed their Unity ring while others weren¡¯t watching. ¡°I won¡¯t ept any of them.¡± Even if he went to the Eeth continent leading an army of 10,000, it would be meaningless if they ever encountered a dangerous situation. There would also be the disadvantage that the starting location changed depending on howrge your group was. ¡°You cane out now.¡± Upon hearing Woohyuk speak, two gorgeous women stepped out of his shadow. Aris and Irene. They became Woohyuk¡¯s subordinate, as such they would always watch his six. He decided to ept them in his group and they¡¯ve been following him ever since. ¡°Uhm, who are they?¡± ¡°They are with me.¡± The elegant silver haired beauty and the fiery redhead quickly caught her attention. For some reason the number ofpetitors kept rising. As Hong Yuri couldn¡¯t control her jealousy , a white text appeared before everyone. [Leader¡¯s vote to decide the fate of the Prisoners of War shall now begin.] [One¡¯s voting power can differ depending on your Crown tier.] [The options are: 1. Sell into very 2. Death Penalty 3. Abstain] When sold into very, the prisoners of war would be sold to the Demon world and would spend their remaining days in what felt like Hell. It was the easy option that would trade their lives for coins that could be used on the Eeth continent. The death penalty also had its own benefits. Instead of coins you could receive the items that the prisoners had on them. ¡°I¡¯ll pick number 1.¡± Woohyuk said, as he used his finger to click and cast his vote. All the other leaders that had been holding out to see his decision, quickly followed suit and pressed the number one as well. [Announcing the result of the vote¡­] [#1 has been selected, Sell into very.] [Coins are distributed to each group ording to their contribution.] A team¡¯s contribution considered a number of different factors. From killing enemy yers, to capturing prisoners or securing Guard Towers. Based on these criteria, it was obvious that Woohyuk¡¯s contribution was far higher than all the rest. ¡°Boss, Are we going inside the portal to fight other Sector teams?¡± Lee Jaesung led the party to meet up with him and asked, to which Woohhyuk nodded back. ¡°It would be best for me to obtain the Gold Crown now.¡± At the end of the Grace Period, the crowns above their heads would disappear and the tier would instead be reflected by the Unity ring. A silver ring would represent a silver crown, and likewise a gold ring would be a gold crown. What changed from before was that once the Grace Period was over, the maximum limit that a leader could recruit would drop. Those that didn¡¯t have a Unity ring could no longer be recruited. This was to incentivize yers to join a group before the period was up. ¡®There no reason for me to repeat the same mistakes asst time though.¡¯ In the early stages, leaders focused solely on building uprge forces. This led to the formation of coalitions and when such big groups fought against one another, it would create chaos across the continent for quite some time. Later local factions as well as the Demons joined in, furtherplicating things. It all resulted in a big mess In order to avoid being caught up in such troubles, he would have to rely on his personal strength and subordinates. There was also a decent reward granted to the first person to achieve a Gold Crown. ¡°Should I gather some more members?¡± ¡°No, with just these three I will be fine.¡± By three he meant Leifina, Aris and Irene. Woohyuk examined the remaining yers in Lee Jaesung¡¯s party one by one, before speaking once more. ¡°You guys should take a break and use this time to find some good seeds.¡± yers that had given up on expanding their groups could be found drinking at the tavern, having a good time. A festive atmosphere descended upon the Fortress. There was no longer any reason to fear any attacks from others, so they could set their mind at ease. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯ll be enough?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Woohyuk then led the three women to the Dimensional Portal Hong Yuri grumbled to herself as she watched them go. ¡°They are sticking to him like chewy rice cakes. Why can¡¯t it be me?¡± * * * Night had fallen, and Woohyuk headed towards the Tavern. He had managed to achieve the tier 10 Gold Crown and acquired some talented followers. Any that didn¡¯t meet his standards he¡¯d force to take off their rings and be teleported out of the battlefield, or else he¡¯d kill them on the spot. ¡°Asura, can we do our own thing now?¡± ¡°Anything is fine so long as you don¡¯tmit any crimes.¡± ¡°Hee hee Thanks.¡± Aris smiled like a mischievous kitten as she disappeared into the night. She seemed to have quite an interest in the many facilities found in the Fortress. ¡°Lord, are you sure it¡¯s fine to leave her unsupervised?¡± ¡°She can¡¯t do any of her usual shenanigans because she is my vassal.¡± She had given herself to Asura, so she couldn''t resist Woohyuk¡¯s order to behave herself. Even if he were to try and abandon her, she¡¯d just beg to stay by his side and stubbornly follow along anyways. Woohyuk swung the Tavern door open and walked inside. Even if the hour was quitete, it was still crowded inside. ¡°Boss, over here.¡± Lee Jaesung and his crew had managed to secure a table ahead of time. ¡°Sorry for making you guys wait.¡± ¡°We are always willing to wait for you.¡± Lee Jaesung and the rest of them were quite exhausted, since they had been through some hard times. Therefore, Woohyuk took out his Akunaton¡¯s Golden Chalice and poured some wine in the empty beer mugs. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alcohol fit for a king, though I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯d like it.¡± Because it was one of the finest wines, it was far better quality than anything that was served in the Tavern. Lee Jaesung and Sanghoon took a few gulps from their mugs and smacked their lips contently. ¡°Kiyaa! this is the best.¡± ¡°It tastes awesome.¡± Minors like Yoo Kayoung, Song Anna and her Undine, only took a single sip to taste it. Woohyuk also rmended Leifina and Irene who were sitting beside him to try some. ¡°I¡¯m weak with alcohol¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if you stumble I¡¯ll make sure to catch you.¡± ¡°Do I have to drink some as well?¡± ¡°It will be helpful so that everyone gets to know each other.¡± Seeing the two women drink some wine, Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon asked curiously. ¡°Boss what is the name of the young silver-haireddy?¡± ¡°She is as beautiful as Leifina.¡± Irene¡¯s appearance was simply too perfect. She stood out even if all she did was stand still and not speak. It waspletely normal for men to fall for her. Woohyuk looked toward her as she sat there gracefully, like a proper youngdy. ¡°Irene, do you fancy either of them?¡± ¡°...¡± Her golden eyes nced over the two aspiring suitors, but she soon shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°...¡± The two of them couldn''t help but lower their heads in defeat. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve done what you¡¯ve asked and all is set.¡± ¡°You just need to be there for the in person test tomorrow.¡± When Woohyuk announced that he would be recruiting yers for his group, volunteers rushed over like a swarm of bees. There were just five skilled yers that had passed the screening. The standards Woohyuk had set were higher than they¡¯d expected, causing the majority to be eliminated half way through the test. ¡°Good work, let¡¯s just have fun for tonight though.¡± Only four of their original ten had survived. It was nice to have this kind of rxed meeting, especially because he hadn¡¯t seen them since his time in the Twilight Tower. As they chatted among themselves, Woohyuk examined the Undine that was seated next to Song Anna. The ability to have a spirit as apanion and give them a body to walk on this ne. It was on apletely different level that simply contracting with a spirit to borrow some of their power. With their own bodies, the spirit could grow like any other yers and learn new skills. What could the other six abilities be? While Woohyuk was lost in his thoughts, the Undine spoke to him. ¡°Well¡­¡± She seemed hesitant to speak. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Woohyuk then heard the Undine¡¯s voice in his mind. [Do you have a Demon inside of you?] Since the Undine was a spirit, she was sensitive to mana and had detected the Demonic Energy inside of him. ¡°Yes¡± [Why did you join hands with one?] Elemental Spirits were a pure form of magic, and natural enemies of Demons. It seemed that he would have to exin himself. ¡°Let¡¯s go talk somewhere else.¡± Woohyuk took the Undine by the hand and left the Tavern. The rest of the party watched them leave with a look of confusion. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Is it because she¡¯s new?¡± An awkward silence hung in the air ever since the two of them had left. Jung Sanghoon forced a cough and looked between Leifina and Irene. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two drink some more, look we even have snacks¡­.¡± Naturally men were animals that didn¡¯t know when to give up.¡± Before the two women had even responded, Lee Jaesung was filling up their mugs. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun tonight, since we don¡¯t have anything scheduled for tomorrow.¡± The banquet went on, but the two bachelors weren¡¯t able to score that night. * * * After a lengthy exnation, Woohyuk finally managed to convince the Undine. In fact she had only been worried about Song Anna¡¯s safety. Although Woohyuk seemed to have some Demon Energy within him, he didn¡¯t appear to be hostile. Now that the confusion had been settled, Woohyuk focused on picking out some new talent. The recruitment of new members went on throughout the day, and a total of ten were selected. Compared to the maximum of ten thousand that he could now lead, it was indeed a small number. However based on his past experiences, it would suffice. ¡®I don¡¯t need to gather too many in the early stages anyways.¡¯ If your group was too big, they wouldn¡¯t all be sent to the same starting location. The higher the number, the more time it would take to gather everyone together. He would much rather head to the Eeth Continent, than wait for his team to assemble because his group was too big. Soon after the Grace Period hade to an end, and Woohyuk was in a hurry to get going. ¡°Hey¡­ is this goodbye again?¡± ¡°We have little choice since this is how the system operates.¡± Hong Yuri looked at Woohyuk¡¯s group enviously. She likewise had obtained a tier 10 Gold Crown and led arge group of people. Considering her position and responsibility, it wasn¡¯t possible for her to join Woohyuk¡¯s group. ¡°Can I truly just go along with what you¡¯ve told me?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Woohyuk told her what her best path forward was. Unless she encountered an unexpected variable, she should be able to quickly take control of a small area. ¡°Okay¡­ then until next time.¡± Hong Yuri waved her hand, full of regret. The other members of the Red Faction shared the same sentiment. They watched as Woohyuk walked away, looking forward to meeting him again in the future. ¡®It¡¯s quite different fromst time.¡¯ Back then Isaac had been that star that everyone wanted to join. Woohyuk¡¯s group however had beenrger than this time, but it had been filled with weak yers. He now had a start that simply couldn¡¯t bepared to back then, so things would be different. While thinking of his future ns, Woohyuk stepped through the Dimensional portal. * * * ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°This ce¡­¡± Woohyuk¡¯s party opened their eyes, disoriented. They were on an uninhabited ind filled with lush nts. Looking around, there was nothing but an expanse of blue sea and sky. ¡®As expected.¡¯ There were several starting locations, but the mostmon ones were uninhabited inds. The waters were teeming with rabid cannibal sharks, so swimming out of here wasn¡¯t an option. If it were in the past, their party would have to cut down some logs and do their best to make a seaworthy vessel. ¡°Hop on.¡± Woohyuk however already had his own sailboat. After climbing up on the deck, Woohyuk ordered Drake to set sail. ¡°Head to Landium in the Arpen region.¡± Landium was a ratherrge port city, so sailing in with a ship that flew a pirate g would be suicide. Fortunately they could just capture another vessel on the way. ¡°You heard the Captain!.¡± As Drake went to hold the wheel, the Abyssal Ship began sailing ahead. The weather was ideal, no clouds and a nice breeze at their backs. As the rest of the party stayed on deck and stared at the glistening sea, Woohyuk pulled out the Dragon egg from his Sage¡¯s Pouch. ¡®I should take the chance to raise it during this voyage. ¡¯ He wondered what type of dragon it would be. After waiting for some time, cracks began to form across the shell¡¯s surface and a naked girl with blonde hair jumped out. Anyone who saw her would know it was a Gold Dragon. ¡®Did it give me it''s daughter?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected that they would hatch in human form however, causing him to be a bit embarrassed. ¡°Fa...ther?¡± A tiny pygmy like girl, shivering from her wet body. After wrapping her up in a cloth, Woohyuk called Aris over. ¡°Why was it born in this form?¡± ¡°A Dragon recognizes their guardian while they are still in their eggs. Maybe that¡¯s why it naturally assumed a human form.¡± A convincing exnation. Now however he would have to name here. He thought about it for a while and then decided. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Lia¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty name. Take good care of her, she seems to like you.¡± Lia stared at Woohyuk with a twinkle in her eyes. Woohyuk yed with her for a little while before handing her over to Leifina. ¡°Here, think of her as your daughter. Take good care of her.¡± ¡°Mo...ther?¡± Hearing Lia mumble, Leifina couldn''t help but be surprised. She had no idea how to deal with children. Chapter 47: Danger at Sea 2

Chapter 47: Danger at Sea 2

¡°Hold her for a bit.¡± ¡°Ah? Yeah¡­¡± Leifina let out an awkwardugh as she was handed Lia. The mysterious fairy-like child, caused her maternal instincts to kick in without her even realising. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± Lia said as she pointed at Leifina¡¯s chest, clearly wanting some milk. Leifina however froze and stood there with a nk expression. ¡°Lord¡­.¡± ¡°Give her this to drink.¡± Woohyuk took out a bottle of milk that he had prepared in advance from his Sage¡¯s Pouch. Watching her sip the milk, Aris spoke up. ¡°You need to find a way to control her.¡± ¡°I will need to tame it properly before that happens.¡± Because of her ridiculous amount of mana in her body, it would be troublesome if she decided to throw a tantrum. Dragons had be a thing of legends on the continent. After the war between Gods and Demons, they had moved to another ne, in search of a new home. Because this had urred a very long time ago, there wasn¡¯t a known method of raising them. ¡°It is quite a special creature to be able to speak so soon. It must have learned the humannguage while it was waiting in its egg. Dragons were highly intelligent creatures and could quickly learn just about anything. Woohyuk searched around in his Sage¡¯s Pouch before fishing out a light blue dress. ¡°Use it to cover Lia.¡± It was some spare clothes he had collected due to Elizabeth¡¯s help. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so cute!¡± Aris shrieked as she saw her being covered in the dress. Completely unlike the mad Demon that was hell bent on destroying the world just a few days ago. It felt like being so close to Asura made her quite a bit more docile. ¡°Since she is able to speak, she¡¯ll need a friend.¡± Woohyuk called over Song Anna and Undine so that they could all get along. ¡°You girls y nice.¡± ¡°Sister¡­?¡± Lia gave them a smile, and Undine smiled back. ¡°Hello, my name¡¯s Undine and I¡¯m a water spirit.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m Song Anna.¡± She stammered, dazzled by the cuteness of their new friend. Leaving the three girls behind to y together, Woohyuk stared at the vast expanse of sea as he nned his next moves. ¡®First I¡¯ll need to get my hands on the Seven Color Rainbow Ring. Crafting high grade items like that would also require the use of Scrolls. Of course even if he had the required Scrolls and raw materials, it still couldn¡¯t be crafted without someone who had the cksmith ss. Not to mention that they would have to be decently skilled as well. ¡®I¡¯ll need to find Dexter for that.¡¯ The Seven Color Rainbow Ring was a S Grade Item. It had only been due to pure luck that Isaac had managed to obtain it. He obtain the instruction manual for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring¡¯s exining the crafting method what materials were required, all due to dumb luck. He even managed to meet up with Dexterter on, finding someone to craft him his ring. He had learned this from Isaac¡¯s boasting in the past. ¡®It all began at Landium.¡¯ The port city that served as a trading hub to nearby regions, would soon be a battlefield. Naturally Woohyuk was the only person that was aware of this. He actually didn¡¯t know all the details, which was why he was in such a hurry. It would be annoying if he missed the event. ¡°What drives you to work so hard?¡± As Woohyuk was busy ounting for a number of variables, Irene approached from behind. ¡°To desire to put an end to this nightmare.¡± ¡°Will that bring you happiness?¡± Irene asked, staring at him with her golden eyes with a look of interest. ¡°Maybe, at least everyone else will have a chance to find happiness.¡± ¡°Do I count among those?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°It seems that it was a good decision to follow you after all.¡± Although she had be his vassal, Woohyuk hadn¡¯tmanded her to do anything as of yet. His sole intention was to help her figure out her own identity, and thanks to his help Irene was changing little by little. ¡°It¡¯s too early to tell, there is still a long and treacherous path ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready for it.¡± She should have died, but Woohyuk had given her a new chance. For the first time she was given the freedom to make her own choices, and had decided to follow Woohyuk a while longer. Irene looked out into the horizon, a sight which she had never seen before. Everything was so foreign to her, and yet at the same time mysterious. Just as she was about to open her mouth to speak once more. ¡°Boss, big trouble!¡± Jung Sanghoon who was posted up on the crow¡¯s nest shouted out. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We have several pirate shipsing our way!¡± Jung Sanghoon could see quite a bit further than them due to the spyss installed up there. It was an emergency, so Woohyuk called everyone to gather above deck. ¡°You guys can just stay here for now.¡± There was no need to use all of his party members for this. All he had to do was sweep away any enemies before they came too close. After all, he was nigh invincible when at sea. ¡°Ooooh Ooh!¡± As he summoned the young Kraken, it popped its head above water and bellowed. The pirates that hade over to loot the ship were stunned, but quickly opened fire with their cannons. Bang! Bang! There were several boats in their fleet so they had a decent firepower, but it was far from enough to take down the Kraken. Attacking into that was basically the same asmitting suicide ¡°Cr...azy!¡± ¡°What is that!?¡± Despite being young, the Kraken was more than big enough to blot out the horizons when it raised itself above the water. Despite being tamed by Woohyuk, its unbridled nature came out when faced with pirates in the sea. It could even temporarily affect the weather in currents for a short period of time. Cuooooooooo! The pirate ships lost their ability to navigate their vessels as they collided with one another. ¡°Captain Dirk, what should we do now?¡± ¡°... Shit.¡± It was toote for them to turn back, as fear spread among their ranks like a virus. Every time the Kraken swung one of its tentacles, a ship would be smashed into pieces with a loud crashing sound. Any that fell into the sea became prey for the circling sharks. ¡°Captain! What are your orders!¡± A pirate shouted out while desperately clinging to the ship¡¯s mast. If things continued they would be annihted, they were desperate enough to try just about anything. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Dirk examined the monstrosity before them, it was quite clearly a Kraken. Did they even have any chance against such a mythic creature? As he began to ept his fate, an unknown half-man, half-fish creature jumped onto their deck. Triton. Upon seeing such a foe the pirates quickly drew their cusses. ¡°Kill this monster!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t die so easily!¡± Since they already knew they were about to die, they at least wanted to go out with a bang. Unfortunately for them, Triton was much stronger than they had expected. Sasasasak! Numerous Ice Arrows flew across the deck. Even iftely he had mostly done menial tasks, he was still a Demigod after all. Despite the many debuffs he continued to suffer from, he could still easily deal with such small fries like these pirates. ¡°Who..who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just following my master¡¯s orders.¡± Triton had high expectations of Woohyuk upon seeing the potential he had in him. That¡¯s why he had chosen to support him as much as possible. He believed that Woohyuk was well aware of how unfair the System was, and that he would be sure to join the Gods¡¯ side. ¡°Master? You are that monster¡¯s minion! ¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± The one he served was far scarier than that Kraken would ever be. Even humans would have to fear him soon enough. Thinking of the Demon Energy that resided within Woohyuk, Triton stabbed Ranghilt onto the wooden deck. * * * ¡°Kuuuk!¡± Jung Sanghoon kicked Dirk that had been tied up by some rope, urging him to keep walking. Including him, several other pirates had been captured alive. ¡°You had quite therge crew.¡± Woohyuk said in a t tone. He stood before the group of pirates holding Jake¡¯s Pocket watch in one hand. ¡°They¡¯re all dead¡­ Because of that damned Kraken¡­.¡± ¡°Weren''t you the ones that tried to plunder us?¡± ¡°That¡­.¡± Dirk had no retort. Obviously they hade to engage in some looting, but if he told the truth, he was likely to have his head chopped off ¡°Which Fleet are you with?¡± ¡°We are part of Sea Snake¡¯s Fury, a group that was led by a Pirate King before he died about three years ago.¡± Pirates were adventurous and free spirited, they would often join new groups only to leave after some time. That was unless someone with the right influence and charisma appeared to reign over all the sea. For that reason there were several Pirate Fleet. All the groups had their own defining characteristics, because people that had a lot inmon would often join up on the same Fleet. ¡°A Pirate King? What was his name?¡± Hearing his former title, Drake appeared on the deck. Naturally all the tied up pirates had an expression of sheer terror uponying eyes on him. ¡°Wahak!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Ghost!¡± None of them recognized Drake¡¯s face. Dirk finally understood everything. ¡°No wonder the Kraken didn¡¯t attack this ship, it¡¯s because this is one of those legendary Ghost ships.¡± ¡°When I ask a question, you answer rookie.¡± Drake ced the edge of his cuss against Dirk¡¯s neck. Although he was acting rather impulsively, Woohyuk decided to let it slide. ¡®He had said previously that he knew the location of a certain treasure.¡¯ Although it wasn¡¯t the right time to do so right now, eventually he¡¯d like to explore the sea and search for new opportunities. Finding treasure and seeding achievements that had never been done 40 years ago. Who knows, there might be a key treasure that could only be found at sea. ¡°Re... Red Beard, Barbarossa¡­¡± ¡°Barbarossa? Who would have thought that it would be that punk that would seed me.¡± ¡°Wait, Could you be the first Pirate King?¡± Now that the Sea God¡¯s curse had been lifted, any pirate worth his salt, including Dirk, knew the story of the first Pirate King Drake. Drake nodded and removed the cuss from his neck. ¡°I¡¯ve been living a nameless existence for some time now, the life of a ghost, even if it hadn¡¯t been my intention.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Dirk muttered to himself with a looked of incredulity. Francis Drake. Regarded as a hero among pirates, and the owner of many Secret Treasures. One day he had suddenly gone missing, and there were rumors flying around of how he had been cursed by the Sea God. ¡°How are the pirate groups divided these days?¡± Barbarossa was betrayed and killed by his own crew member, Edward Teach. The men under him split up, some following Edward while others formed their own groups. Edward Teach, otherwise known as ckbeard. The entire seas were now in chaos due to his ambition. The Sea Snake¡¯s Fury which Dirk belonged to were enemies with him. ¡®Looks like we can keep him alive.¡¯ Woohyuk thought to himself as he continued to listen in on the conversation between the two pirates. In the past the chaos in Landium had been connected to Edward Teach, and Dirk just so happened to have some information about him. ¡®Hopefully we might even be able to get in touch with Sea Snake¡¯s Fury.¡¯ Back then when he had interrogated Isaac he didn¡¯t learn every single detail, so a bit of information gathering was necessary. After summoning his ghost crew members to watch over the imprisoned pirates under Dirk, Woohyuk spoke with Drake. ¡°Do you aspire to be the Pirate King once more?¡± ¡°Not at all, I was just curious as to the current state of affairs.¡± Even though the Sea God¡¯s curse had been lifted, Drake was unable to step beyond the ck mist that enshrouded the Abyssal Ship. That was one of the main reasons he had decided to follow Woohyuk and use the chance to repay his gratitude. ¡°The weather is suddenly taking a turn for the worse.¡± ¡°The sea is a fickle mistress as always.¡± Dark clouds could be seen gathering on the horizon. As the waves began to rock the boat, Woohyuk pulled out his Deep Sea¡¯s Orb. ¡®A storm ising.¡¯ With the orb he could observe what was urring far away from them, in another part of the sea. Based on what he saw they could expect strong winds and toppling waves. It was to a point that he wasn¡¯t sure if he had enough mana to control such weather. Still, giving it a try would be much better than just standing to the side and watching. ¡°Haha! Not to worry Captain, this ship is strong, she can take it.¡± Drake grabbed hold of the wheel as he let out a wildughter. At the same timerge raindrops began to stter on the deck, falling from the dark clouds above them. Woohyuk had his party hide below deck, while he and Triton went to the ship¡¯s bow. ¡°Is there anything you can do?¡± ¡°...Well.¡± The debuff ced on him was too restrictive, so even if he now found himself at sea, in his element, he still wasn¡¯t able to calm a storm of this level with his ability alone. As Woohyuk continued to stare at him with an apathetic look, Triton finally caved ¡°Okay, I will try¡± He was ready to prove that he could be trusted with such important tasks. As Triton held the Deep Sea¡¯s Orb, the ship that was previously being rocked around by rough waters, seemed to calm down somewhat. By influencing the sea¡¯s currents, he was able to at least stabilize the vessel somewhat. ¡°Quite a good job.¡± ¡°I am after all a Prince of the sea, not some fisherman you hand a rod to in order to catch a meal.¡± He had so much toin about. Woohyuk decided to give him a little encouragement. ¡°If you help us weather this storm safely, I will appoint you as first mate.¡± ¡°You finally acknowledge my abilities.¡± ¡°Right, so from now on you will be in charge of catching all the seafood we consume.¡± ¡°....¡± He wasn¡¯t sure anymore if he will ever be treated properly in the future. Triton stared out into the sea, almost tearing up as he thought about his situation. Chapter 48: Seaport Landium 1

Chapter 48: Seaport Landium 1

After several weeks of sailing, Woohyuk and his party finally arrived at their destination. The port city, Landium. It had a huge marina, packed with merchants that never stopped haggling. A city full of life, with several attractions and interesting ces to visit Liaughed as she watched the crewmen unload a nearby ship. ¡°Mom, who are those people?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, they are just sailors.¡± Leifina was surprisingly good at raising kids. Although her cooking ability was atrocious, at least she wasn¡¯t hopeless at other wifely duties. ¡°Wow, there are so many different races.¡± Jung Sanghoon eximed as he admired the city¡¯s diversity. It went beyond just the skin color, as some people had very distinct physical features. As such, Woohyuk¡¯s party didn¡¯t even stand out. ¡°This city¡¯s atmosphere seems to be one of freedom and diversity.¡± By paying a tax to the crown, the city could enjoy certain freedoms. Although thew varied from country to country, in this city, if a ve managed to live here for 3 months without being caught, he was deemed to have earned his freedom. Immigrants would flock to this city. There wasn''t any authority that interfered in their everyday lives, so long as they did not infringe on the rights of others. ¡°What will you be doing now?¡± ¡°First, I¡¯ll need to gather some information.¡± In the past he hadn¡¯t heard about anything special urring in Landium. His starting area had been a remote ce in the Arpen kingdom, and it had taken him some time to make his way out. 40 yearster he had naturallyunched an investigation, but too much time had passed and they didn¡¯t learn much. ¡°What should we do with these captives?¡± ¡°Bring them to the inn.¡± Sending them to thebor camps would be the norm, but in such a case he would have to prove his identity, and he would rather keep a low profile. Because there were so many criminals, their rules were very strict. Woohyuk made sure his party managed to settle down at an inn, before striking out on his own. ¡®Typically, in free cities such as this one the merchants would hold all the power.¡¯ In Landium, Kaliss and Erica were the major powers. Although they had a partnership and ran the city together, they were also rivals. For some reason, a dispute had arisen between them in the past, which led to a civil war that Kaliss¡¯ side had won. ¡®Isaac didn¡¯t reveal everything.¡¯ Even many years after the fact, he had been reluctant to speak publicly about the details that had urred. No doubt because he had been involved in something shady. Due to such a reason, he hadn¡¯t been able to get the full picture. It was onlyter on, through his intelligence agency, that he was able to learn that Edward Teach had been involved. ¡°I¡¯ll have a dark beer.¡± Woohyuk had entered a tavern and ced his order with the middle-aged bartender. The bartender took a look at his clothes, before handing him a beer mug and asking. ¡°You a mercenary?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mercenaries weremon in Landium, since there were a lot of opportunities with all theing and going of merchants. The bartender gave him a nod. ¡°It must be your day off.¡± ¡°My employer has been ying around in the red light district for thest few days.¡± ¡°Then he must be quite rich, since the prices in this city aren¡¯t at all cheap.¡± The bartender spoke with countless customers everyday, so he happened to know a lot. Woohyuk had struck up this conversation with him to find out if there was anything of use he could learn. ¡°Have you noticed an increase in suspicious looking people around here?¡± ¡° Now that you mention it, there are more adventurers than usual which act strangely and have a weird ent.¡± Considering the timing, they were most likely yers that had juste out of the Canyon Battle and were exploring the city. Still, he couldn¡¯t jump to any conclusions. From his past, he knew that it was sometime around now that the civil war had broken out in Landium. ¡°What about their appearances?¡± ¡°All different, some had worn out clothes like sailors, whereas others looked like high nobility, with colorful clothing.¡± The problem was that they are all on the same side. After learning all he could from the bartender, he ced a silver coin on the counter. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you keep today¡¯s talk between just the two of us.¡± Sooner orter someone woulde searching for him. The bartender gulped, then stealthily put the silver coin in his pocket. He realised that Woohyuk wasn¡¯t your everyday mercenary. ¡®Edward Teach has no doubt already had his men infiltrate the city.¡¯ Given the circumstances it felt like a safe assumption to make. The pirate, better known as ckbeard, was a cunning strategist that knew how to take advantage of the fear in men¡¯s hearts. No doubt, he would find a way to be hired by Kaliss or Erica. As Woohyuk was taking a look around the tavern, an argument broke out among some of the clients. ¡°You bastard! What did you say?¡± ¡°Know your ce, who do you think you are raising your voice at me?!¡± Brawling in broad daylight. The bartender nced over and gave them a stern look. ¡°Just give it up, aren¡¯t you a mercenary under merchant Erica? Somehow you look so weak. ¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Based on the bullshit you spew, you must work for Kaliss! ¡± Clearly both factions were not on the friendliest of terms right now. Ordering himself another beer, Woohyuk continued to listen in on the argument between these two mercenaries. ¡°Is it wrong? Erica¡¯s faction is led by a young woman, so the mercenariesck any military discipline.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak such rubbish. Erica is much wiser than Sebastian, and has a good business sense.¡± ¡°Then why were your caravans raided not too long ago? And even by some no name bandits.¡± Erica¡¯s merchant caravan had been attacked by bandits and all of the goods were stolen. Some of their employees had died and contracts were left unfulfilled. It had all been very damaging to their reputation. ¡°Those weren¡¯t any ordinary bandits! Even our elite mercenaries were helpless before them!¡± ¡°Nothing but excuses. We are not afraid of you guys that follow a woman who has never even lifted a sword.¡± Unable to retort, the mercenary that worked under Erica had reached his limit, and took a swing at the other guy. As the fight began, spectators crowded around, betting on who woulde out on top. ¡°Don¡¯t you think blondie over there is the better fighter?¡± No, I think I¡¯ll pick the brown haired one.¡± It was quite the pathetic showing since they were both rather drunk. Eventually, the mercenary that served under Erica stumbled into a nearby table, as he attempted to duck an iing swing. Wajangchangchang Food, tes, sses, everything fell on to the floor. As the mercenary from Kaliss¡¯ faction stood above him with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Someone interfered. ¡°Who do you think you are!?¡± Kaliss¡¯ mercenary shouted angrily, his face red-hot. The new opponent that interfered was a handsome young man, but it was all an illusion. In fact it was Woohyuk, but he was wearing his Jester''s Mask, which he had put on before even stepping into the tavern. It was his reward from the Twilight Tower¡¯s 99th floor. Although it didn¡¯t actually change his appearance, those around him would see him as apletely different person. ¡°I won¡¯t repeat myself, get out and don¡¯t make a scene.¡± Woohyuk said confidently as he grabbed the mercenary by the cor. His eyes ring fiercely through the mask. Kaliss¡¯ mercenary was stunned as he swallowed down hard. ¡°Huhuk¡± His drunkenness disappeared in a sh, as he felt an instinctive pressureing from this young man. It had something inhuman about it. He decided to run away, tripping over himself as he fled in fear. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Woohyuk helped the groaning mercenary that worked for Erica to his feet. ¡°Who... who are you¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± He might have caught a break into what was going on in Erica¡¯s faction. After leaving another silver coin with the bartender, Woohyuk made his way outside. * * * Ryan, a third rate mercenary. That was his name. Born to a low ss family, he had only learned some basic swordsmanship and had lived quite a hard life. The kind that you didn¡¯t know when a dagger might find itself buried in your back, or whether you¡¯d wake up to see the next day. Somehow he had managed to join arge faction like Erica¡¯s, but his situation hadn¡¯t improved much. As a third rate mercenary, he was the lowest of the low. Not to mention that he had to buy his own weapons and armor. He¡¯d been working there for two years now, and was hoping to climb up thedder. He had survived many dangerous crises, but this time he wasn¡¯t so sure he¡¯d make it. It was because recently Erica¡¯s faction had run into trouble. ¡°Are you losing customers?¡± ¡°Yes, due to Kaliss¡¯ interference, other than our longtime loyal clients, many are trying to avoid doing business with us.¡± Because his main function was that of a caravan escort, Ryan was well aware of the difficulties that Erica¡¯s faction was facing. An economic system in which craftsmen in the city would produce goods, and they then rely on merchants to sell their wares abroad on their behalf. Naturally being able to acquire and hold on to customers was a top priority. ¡°It¡¯s because you are a new merchant group, your foundation is still weak.¡± ¡°Although it appears that we are losing to Kaliss¡¯ faction, if we were topete fairly they wouldn¡¯t even be our match.¡± Erica, the eldest daughter of a prominent long distance merchant, used her excellent business acumen and merged many small stores to create her faction. Feeling threatened by this, the merchant Kaliss decided to y a bit dirty. There was no doubt that he had a hand in the recent bandit attacks. ¡°Did you take any countermeasures?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure because I¡¯m far from the inner circle , but Erica probably won¡¯t continue to take blows like this. She must be nning her revenge.¡± It is said however that they won¡¯t be able to solve this alone, and that external help would be required. As Woohyuk walked along the back alley with Ryan, he pondered on what he had just learned. ¡®Could Edward Teach be working together with Erica?¡¯ He is a calcting man, so he wouldn¡¯t bet on the losing horse. If it wasn¡¯t the pirates, then who did Erica reach out to for help? Where everyone''s interests were aligned was quiteplicated to unravel, and it was difficult to make an educated guess based solely on the information he currently had. Just as he was about to ask Ryan another question. Tahak! ¡°Sorry.¡± A street urchin dressed in filthy rags that was running collided with Ryan. Ryan however didn¡¯t give it much thought and just shrugged it off. ¡°Give it back.¡± His actions couldn¡¯t escape Woohyuk¡¯s sharp eyes. It was amon technique used by pickpockets and thieves. Pretending to run into your mark, while stealing their belongings. The boy was quite nimble with his hands, so Ryan had never noticed. As the young thief tried to run off, Woohyuk acted quickly, grabbing on to his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what happens to thieves?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me this once.¡± He had acted because there was nothing for him to eat. Children abandoned by their parents, wandering around the city¡¯s alleys, struggling to survive. Although it was still true that what he did was wrong, he couldn¡¯t bear to cut his hands off as punishment. ¡°Do you want to be given a chance?¡± No doubt anything would be desirable when the alternative was to lose a limb, so the boy nodded back with a petrified look on his face. ¡°How well do you know this city?¡± ¡°Well¡­ the merchant¡¯s district is on the east side, the workshops on the west¡­¡± Orphans like him would have to travel across the city, looking for any opportunity in order to survive. If put to good use, he might be a rather efficient means of obtaining information. ¡°If you do as I tell you, I¡¯ll give you something to eat.¡± He needed them to keep an eye out and try to identify any suspicious looking characters. Even if there weren¡¯t any results, he would still guarantee them some food. If they did find something, there would be a bonus. This applied to any orphans, not just the boys. ¡°Alright, I get it.¡± The boy disappeared into the back alley with a baguette in his mouth. Ryan scratched his head with an awkward expression. ¡°I¡¯m in your debt once more.¡± ¡°Not to worry, I know how you can repay me.¡± ¡°What can I do for you¡­¡± ¡°Please get me a meeting with Erica.¡± The quickest way to learn what he needed to know was to have a face to face meeting. He also had the Jester¡¯s Mask which hid his real face, so he had nothing to worry about. ¡°I don¡¯t have that kind of pull.¡± ¡°You can simply pass along my message to her then.¡± Since she was in a tough spot, she was more likely to grant an audience to one that offered an olive branch. His next steps would be crucial. He needed to find out if he could obtain one of the materials for the Seven Colored Rainbow Ring by helping Erica. He still didn¡¯t know for certain where it was that Isaac had obtained it in the past. Since he no longer had much time, he had to make a judgement call. Woohyuk followed behind Ryan, as he thought about how to confront Erica. Chapter 49: Seaport Landium 2

Chapter 49: Seaport Landium 2

In a bathroom filled with steam, a beautiful youngdyy in a bath of warm water, an expression of worry on her face. She was Erica Donovan, the second most influential person in the port city of Landium, after Sebastian Kallis that is. ¡®What should I do¡­.¡¯ Her rtionships with some of her major customers had been deteriorating due to thetest attacks on her caravans. To make matters worse the items that had been stolen had all been luxury goods. This tranted into arge financial loss, not to mention that it was difficult to procure recements within a short time frame. ¡®I really have to make my decision regarding Sebastian.¡¯ Currently all the preparations had been made, and they were just waiting for the green light. They had hired additional elite mercenaries, as well as porters to spy on theing and goings of Kallis¡¯ faction. Waiting to fight when she had the superior numbers would be ideal, but currently they weren¡¯t mismatched either. Erica looks down at her body, stopping at herrge breasts as she thought of all the humiliation she had been forced to endure. A mature beauty that any man would fall for, but it didn¡¯t do her any good when trying to lead. She was only disregarded time and time again due to her sex. ¡®I need to seize this chance.¡¯ If she managed to ovee this feud between Kallis and her, no one could look down on her any longer. Erica stepped out of the tub, wrapping her supple body in a pink towel. As she was busy drying herself off. ¡°Erica, a man is here to see you.¡± She heard her maid¡¯s voice from behind the door. ¡°What does he look like?¡± ¡°He was armed as a mercenary. He came along with Ryan, one of our faction¡¯s mercenaries. ¡°... Let him in, I¡¯ll see him in a bit.¡± Any mercenary willing to work for her cause was wee. After quickly drying her hair, Erica put on a red dress and headed to the waiting room. Upon opening the door, she caught sight of the red haired young man sitting casually on the chair. ¡°What did youe see me for?¡± ¡°I would like to sign an employment contract.¡± Cutting straight to the chase. This kind of attitude demonstrated a certain confidence in his skills. Erica¡¯s green eyes scanned him from top to bottom. ¡°First I¡¯d like to hear a bit more about your experience. How long have you been a mercenary for?¡± ¡°5 years.¡± Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s arrogant tone, the mercenaries guarding Erica frowned. Erica however didn¡¯t mind. Her current situation didn¡¯t allow her to be picky. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you already know this, but mercenaries are typically divided into different ranks, between 1 and 3. What level do you want to challenge?¡± ¡°Special.¡± The room became silent. Erica became interested as she answered. ¡°Each level corresponds to a certain difficulty, are you sure that you want to choose Special?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± There was only a single Special ranked mercenary within their entire merchant faction. At least that was ording to Ryan. AsWoohyuk remained calm and met her gaze, a gray haired man that was standing behind Erica walked forward. He had a sharp gaze, different from the average mercenary. ¡°If so, then you shall face me.¡± ¡°Are you Darius, the Gray Wolf?¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯m a bit well known in this area.¡± Darius¡¯ brusque response signaled his dissatisfaction with Woohyuk. He seemed ready to draw his sword as soon as Erica gave the order. ¡°This ce isn¡¯t suitable for a duel, let¡¯s go to the public training area. It is nice weather today as well. ¡°I understand.¡± After receiving Woohyuk¡¯s acknowledgement, Erica took the lead and led her mercenaries. Despite not knowing when the battle against Kaliss¡¯ faction would take ce, she was willing to make a public appearance, which was pretty bold of her. ¡®She looks like a confident woman.¡¯ Although she lost in the civil war in the past, she didn¡¯te off as a weak person. Maybe she suffered from an internal betrayal. ¡°Don¡¯t take this too far since this is simply to judge your skill level.¡± After arriving at the training area, Erica set the rules for the duel. They should avoid any unnecessary provoking or injuring of their opponent as much as possible. Basically a mock duel. ¡®Is this supposed to sword dance?¡¯ Although it was annoying, he would have to be a bit serious in order to prove his skill. Woohyuk stared at Darius with an expressionless face. His opponent was looking back at him, his hand ced on the hilt of his sword exuding a terrifying fighting spirit. ¡®Should I put in a bit more effort and wipe the floor with him?¡¯ If he didn¡¯t make the difference in their strength clear, he might challenge him in the future. As his thoughts reached such a point, Woohyuk released the Demon Energy that resided deep within his body. It was a power simr to that used by martial artists from Murim. It functioned along the same principles, so it was possible to use it to defend yourself or even incorporate it in your swordsmanship if your ability was high enough. Darius¡¯ eyes widened upon seeing dark energy burst out from Woohyuk¡¯s body. ¡°You couldn''t have¡­ did you sign a contact with a Demon?¡± ¡°No, nothing like that.¡± Although he didn¡¯t have an official rank among Demon hierarchy, Asura was the former Demon God. A ss of its own whenpared to ordinary Demons Just like Solomon¡¯s 72 Demon Kings, he could easily subdue those weaker than him with his presence alone. As Woohyuk took a step forward, Darius broke out into a cold sweat. ¡®What¡­.¡¯ The pressure alone made him instinctively shrink back. It waspletely beyond any aggression he had ever faced, it didn¡¯t feel like he was facing a living being. Shiiing! After a long struggle, he finally managed to draw his sword. He was able to do so because the difference in their stats wasn¡¯t too big. Due to the fact that Woohyuk was equipped with several Growth type items, his stats growth was a bit constrained. ang! As their swords shed, a dull sound rang out. Darius had put his all in order to block it, but there seemed to be an invisible force that was pressuring his entire body, making it difficult to even move properly. As a result¡­ Puk! He wasn¡¯t able to avoid Woohyuk¡¯s iing fist. As Darius was sent flying to the ground, the mercenaries that had been spectating couldn¡¯t help but gossip among themselves, a look of disbelief on their faces. ¡°My God, Darius¡­¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Within the port city of Landium, Darius was a fearsome character. He was the #1 ranked mercenary and would trample any who tried to face him. He had received the nickname Grey Wolf for just such a reason. However in this duel had been so one sided, as he had been easily beaten by a handsome youth. Trembling like a coward that had been conscripted to join the battlefield against his will. ¡°Ah, I think I managed to win somehow.¡± Woohyuk said, as he ced his foot on Darius¡¯ head. Seeing his performance, Erica couldn¡¯t help but p her hands in excitement. ¡°That was really amazing. You were able to knock down my strongest mercenary without breaking a sweat.¡± ¡°Did I pass your test?¡± ¡°Of course, Oh and could you let Darius off, there are a lot of people watching.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± At Erica¡¯s request, Woohyuk retrieved his Demonic Energy. ¡°Huh...huh¡­.¡± Darius backed off instantly, as he struggled to catch his breath. ¡°I¡¯d like to have a chat with you if you have time.¡± ¡°Then follow me back to the mansion.¡± Erica reached out her hand, asking to be escorted. Her look made it clear that she wanted to rope in Woohyuk to her side. ¡®As expected.¡¯ He had assumed that she would be interested in something connected to Demons. A true merchant could go to any lengths to make profit, but most would draw the line at selling their souls. ¡®When ites to negotiations, I¡¯m pretty confident.¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t easily part with her valuables, so before even beginning any talks, it was necessary to have the upper hand. Woohyuk chuckled to himself as he watched Erica walk elegantly. * * * ¡°Are there any other conditions?¡± ¡°....¡± Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s question, Erica couldn¡¯t help but have an awkward expression. ¡®Just what the hell did he want?¡¯ There was certainly something that he was aiming for, but he didn¡¯t reveal his cards so easily. It was all for the purpose of making the other party impatient. Erica put on her best fake smile, as she thought to herself that he wasn¡¯t at all an easy opponent. ¡°I must say that you are quite the unique person. I sincerely don¡¯t know what it is you are interested in, could you be a bit more specific.¡± She had heard that Demons would typically require a soul when entering a contract. Woohyuk however not expressed any interest in items connected to souls, and had refused any luxury items or extravagant rewards she had offered. It was her first time meeting such a man. That only meant that she had to be more cautious. He wouldn¡¯t havee all the way here unless he was looking to make a deal. ¡°The only thing in the world, which you can im to be priceless. Thest thing you would want to give me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit difficult¡­ give me a moment to think about it.¡± He was quite the guy to be ying a guessing game at a time like this. Erica pondered over what Woohyuk had said, before revealing a surprised expression. ¡®Could he know about that?¡¯ Her father¡¯s heirloom which she kept secretly stored in a secure warehouse. Erica had kept its existence a secret because that was what her father had written in his will. If that is what he wants to ask for¡­. ¡®What should I do?¡± He was too strong for her to make an enemy out of. No matter what, she had to draw him to her side, but her father¡¯s will made her feel guilty about using it. As Erica sat there worrying, Woohyuk spoke. ¡°You don''t seem to have what I want.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps I should visit Sebastian instead, I hear he has many rare artifacts.¡± He threatened to join the opposing faction, under Kaliss. As Woohyuk stood up and made his way towards the door, Erica quickly caught up and grabbed him by the wrist. ¡°Wait! I have something you might like!¡± The fate of her entire merchant faction was on the line, she couldn¡¯t afford to be nostalgic about such an antique. Seeing her look of desperation, Woohyuk smiled inside. ¡®Got you.¡¯ Now all that was left was to identify this treasure. * * * [Seven Color Rainbow Ring - Crafting Recipe] Type: Personal Item Effect: A Scroll which allows you to create a Seven Color Rainbow Ring. The required materials are: (1. Elder Lizardman¡¯s Jewel, 2. Medusa¡¯s Bronze Mirror, 3. Hydra¡¯s Dark Breath, 4. Cerberus'' me Heart, 5. Arachne¡¯s Curse, 6. Lich King¡¯s Dark Crystal, 7. Argos¡¯ Ice Heart.) ¡®Now I¡¯m sure.¡¯ Just in case of encountering a counterfeit, he used his Archeologist¡¯s Golden Magnifying ss, which could be used to evaluate an item¡¯s authenticity. It was the special reward he had received for being the first Gold Crown Leader. Seeing that Woohyuk was satisfied, Erica, who was still standing in front of the vault, asked. ¡°Then do you agree on our contract?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It wasn¡¯t like Erica would be able to stop him from leaving, but he was still worried about Edward Teach. The kind of person who would use his fleet to plunder up and down the coast, there was no reason to let such a person live. ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, you can move into my mansion¡­.¡± ¡°I have my own amodations for tonight.¡± He had decided to support Erica, so he had to figure out everything there was to learn about his enemies as soon as possible. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Woohyuk took his leave. ¡®The sun is about to set.¡¯ It was a good time to act, under the cover of night, or at least he figured that is how a pirate might think. As Woohyuk went about investigating in a deste alley, a street urchin dressed in rags came up to him and shouted excitedly. ¡°I found some suspicious people!¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°In the Craftsmen section!¡± ¡°Take me there.¡± Woohyuk followed behind the boy, arriving at the west side where the Craftsmen were located. Upon arriving at their destination, Woohyuk saw a group of thugs with nasty expressions.. ¡®They are probably guards.¡¯ Their hiding ce must be nearby. After tossing the boy a silver coin, Woohyuk took the time to learn the pattern of the guards shifts as well as their patrols. ¡®Is it there?¡¯ A three story building. It looked like a crafter¡¯s warehouse that had been abandoned for some time now. Woohyuk carefully snuck inside, equipped with his Banshee¡¯s Veil. ¡°Did you bring the item?¡± ¡°There have been some dys due to storms at sea.¡± A discussion about smuggling items. Just like he¡¯d guessed, they were likely a group of pirates. Woohyuk kicked down the door and proceeded to quickly knock them out cold. Puk! Puk! ¡°Ahg!¡± ¡°Sa..save me¡± They were helpless since they couldn¡¯t even see him. It wasn¡¯t until after he had dealt with all the guards that arrived upon hearing the noises, that he removed his Banshee''s Veil and questioned those that were still conscious. ¡°Are you guys under ckbeard?¡± ¡°No no, we are part of Sea Snake¡¯s Fury.¡± As the pirate denied it, Woohyuk checked the guy¡¯s tattoo. It was indeed the symbol of Barbarossa¡¯s Pirates, a cuss with two snakes intertwined ¡®Interesting,¡¯ This battle was now moreplicated than he had originally expected. As he thought back to events that had urred in the past, Woohyuk took out his Jake¡¯s Pocket Watch. Chapter 50: Kaliss versus Erica 1

Chapter 50: Kaliss versus Erica 1

From his interrogation of Barbarossa¡¯s pirates, he had learned quite a bit. They were just the vanguard that had been sent ahead by Captain Low, who had noticed some unusual movement on the part of ckbeard. They had been investigating here for quite some time, but had yet to make any progress due to not having any contacts in the city. ¡®They had rushed out here without a n, and were being oppressed by local powers.¡¯ Deep Sea¡¯s Vortex, which was led by ckbeard, had surely already partnered up with merchant Kaliss¡¯ faction. This was no doubt one of the reasons that Sea Snake¡¯s Fury had copsed in the past. ¡°Hurry up and ask for reinforcements.¡± Having learned all he could, Woohyuk had returned to the inn and released Dirk¡¯s pirates. They would only be able to get in touch with their fleet once they were out at sea. ¡°Boss, is this ce going to be a battlefield?¡± ¡°There is no such thing as a safe zone in this continent.¡± A world of endless trials though up by the Creator. Paradise could not exist in such a ce. Woohyuk led his party that was now on edge, as they explored every square inch of the city. ¡°Dad, Ahri used to live in the desert.¡± ¡°... I know.¡± The only one who remained rxed was Lia. She giggled as she continued to chat with Ahri. It was one of her Dragon abilities that allowed her tomunicate with animals. As she watched Lia cradled in Leifina¡¯s arms, Aris spoke up. ¡°Asura, should I go ahead and do some reconnaissance?¡± ¡°Be careful not to get caught.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Even if she was weaker than before, she was after all still a Demon King. She shouldn¡¯t have any trouble infiltrating Kaliss¡¯ manor. In fact, the only reason he hadn¡¯t already sent her out to kill Sebastian was that he still had to draw out his real target, Edward Teach. It wouldn¡¯t be toote to deal with Sebastian after everything had been dealt with. As Aris disappeared into the shadow, ¡°Boss, there are some suspicious looking characters over there.¡± Lee Jaesung walked over to him as he pointed towards an alley tucked away in a corner. Woohyuk nodded back at him as he equipped his Banshee¡¯s Veil. ¡°Wait here for me a bit.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± It wasn¡¯t difficult to manage his group, due to their low numbers. As he stepped into the alley, he heard the voices of drunk men. ¡°Phew~ Until when do we have to stay here? ¡± ¡°I am curious as well, can¡¯t we just defeat them with our current numbers.¡± Not your usual casual conversation. Woohyuk honed in on what they were saying, while trying to hide his presence as much as possible. ¡°I want to quickly capture Erica and y with her all night long. Her body is just my type.¡± ¡°Wake up from your delusions Arthur, if she is captured alive, it¡¯ll definitely be the Captain that has dibs on her.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he give her to us once he tires of her. Of course by the time the Captain is done with her, she¡¯d be damaged goods.¡± Considering the context, it seemed that this Captain that they were referring to was most likely ckbeard. His true target. He couldn¡¯t slip up however, and let through the big fish escape while trying to capture these small ones. It would be better for him to gather some information first before alerting them. ¡°I want him to arrive quickly, so that I could at least get a whiff of Erica¡¯s perfume.¡± ¡°You seem to be too obsessed with her. There are plenty of women out there, so just forget about her and have some fun in the red light district. ¡°Ha! Shit, If I''d known I would have saved up some money beforeing here.¡± The one who kept fantasizing about Erica patted his empty pockets. One of theirrades then handed out a couple silver coins. ¡°Let¡¯s go together. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had some fun.¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s gotten into you that you are suddenly so generous?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t free, just pay me backter with some interest.¡± It sounded like the pirates would be headed to the red light district. Despite supposedly being undercover, they seemed to be taking it pretty easy. ¡®It¡¯s a waste to just let them walk away like this.¡¯ As subordinates under ckbeard, they were sure to know something useful. Given that their Captain¡¯s ship had yet to arrive, it sounded like a good time to take them out. Puk ! Puk! ¡°Ugh..¡± ¡°Kkuhuk¡± Woohyuk knocked them all unconscious with some well ced blows. He then gave his party some instructions, and Lee Jaesung quickly had them covered up in bags. ¡°Let¡¯s head to Erica¡¯s mansion.¡± He now had some evidence that he could present to Erica. Once she learned of ckbeard¡¯s part in this conspiracy, she was likely to reach out to the Sea Snake¡¯s Fury in order to bring them to her side. ¡®I need to make sure Erica¡¯s position is secure before leaving.¡¯ Being on good terms with arge merchant association would be helpful to his future ns. It was the main reason that he hadn¡¯t hypnotized or threatened Erica. He preferred to cultivate a good rtionship since it could be beneficial in the long term, even if it took a bit more time. While he led his party from the front, Woohyuk was trying to figure out what kind of present Erica would like. * * * As he had expected, Erica was quite surprised to learn of this news. She had known that Kaliss had been involved in some shady dealing, but not that he was in bed with pirates. Afterpleting the interrogation in front of her until they were both satisfied, Woohyuk used his Lost Lyre on the two pirates, wiping any memories of their encounter. He was worried that ckbeard might notice if a couple of his men had gone missing. ¡°It was a good idea to hire you after all.¡± Erica exhaled deeply in relief. Watching from the window, her eyes followed the hypnotized pirates leaving thepound. ¡°You must have been quite worried.¡± ¡°Of course, there are so few people I can trust in this city.¡± A society that functioned solely on interests. In order to survive here as a young child, Erica had used her father¡¯s wealth to be a merchant. She wasn¡¯t willing to sell her body like the other girls in the red light district. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a nice gift since you seem to be lonely.¡± Woohyuk handed her Ahri, which he had kept in his bag, causing Erica¡¯s eyes to widen in wonder. ¡°Wow¡­ is this a Desert Fox?¡± ¡°If you keep it with you, at least it can keep youpany.¡± Song Anna and Lia might be sad, but he couldn¡¯t be carrying around a pet all the time. Leaving a good impression with Erica as well as finding Ahri a new owner, it was like killing two birds with one stone. ¡°It¡¯s super cute, I really like it.¡± Erica stroked the fur on Ahri with a loving smile. Ahri seemed to be like her as well as it purred happily. ¡°We named it Ahri, but since you are the new owner you can call it what you like.¡± ¡°Ahri¡­ that¡¯s a pretty good name. I think I¡¯ll stick with that.¡± Erica gave Woohyuk a beaming smile. It wasn¡¯t her usual business smile, but one filled with warmth, that came straight from the heart. There was a knock on the door, just as she had been steadily getting closer to Woohyuk. Knock knock ¡°Erica, your ride is ready.¡± ¡°... I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± Erica couldn''t help but be a bit peeved that the mood had been ruined. ¡°Where are you headed?¡± ¡°Jeweller Guild in the Craftsmen''s district. We just finalized a new deal. ¡°Then I¡¯ll escort you there.¡± After all Woohyuk was employed by Erica¡¯s merchant association as a Special mercenary. Darius, The Grey Wolf was absent today due to his injuries from their fight, so he would have to fill in. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea.¡± Erica beamed as she clung close to Woohyuk. Upon stepping out of the mansion, there was a ck carriage waiting for them. ¡°Here, sit next to me.¡± ¡°As the Special mercenary, it was a must for him to stay close to Erica. As Woohyuk stepped inside, the driver coachman whipped the horses. ¡°Hyaah!¡± The carriage set off, there were only 10 guards including Woohyuk, because their destination was quite close, being inside the city. ¡°What region do you hail from Woohyuk? I¡¯m from Floren.¡± ¡°I¡¯m from Ertonia.¡± ¡°Oh, youe from quite far. Since you have manyrades, you must have had quite the adventure making you way here.¡± Erica tried to strike up a conversation with Woohyuk. He was definitely the kind of person she wanted to have around for as long as possible. Their current contract onlysted until this situation was resolved, so it wasn¡¯t enough to tie him to her. As the two of them continued their conversation. Chaeng, chaeng! A group of ruffians appeared from a nearby alley, bringing the carriage to a halt. There were about 30 of them, outnumbering the guards 3 to 1, so it was quite the predicament. ¡°Uh, what should we do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Woohyuk scooped up Erica and then kicked the carriage door open. Bang! He saw Erica¡¯s guards were already sprawled on the ground. ¡®They¡¯ve acted faster that I thought.¡¯ This assassination attempt before ckbeard even arrived, meant that something had changed. Woohyuk essed his Demonic Energy and easily subdued the assants all at once. ¡°Kuhuk.¡± ¡°What...what is this.¡± It was the same technique he had used against Darius, the Gray Wolf. The only difference was that it was applied over a wider area, rather than a single person. As their assants were easily subdued with Woohyuk¡¯s strength, the mercenary guards escorted Erica over. ¡°Who sent you?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t talk.¡± ¡°... Unfortunately that isn¡¯t the right answer.¡± Erica signalled a nearby mercenary with her eyes, who mercilessly struck the man down with his sword. Chawaah! Blood spurted out like a fountain from the stump like neck, as the head had been cleanly severed. At that time, Aris appeared from the shadows. ¡°Asura!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There is a Demon in Sebastian¡¯s manor!¡± She couldn¡¯t get close enough to confirm its identity, otherwise she might have been spotted, but from what she had gathered this demon was quite strong. After hearing Aris¡¯ report, Woohyuk had a troubled expression. ¡°Things are getting more and moreplicated.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Woohyuk rted to demons as well? Are you in a bind because of me¡­.¡± Erica thought Woohyuk had been a human that had somehow turned demon for some reason. Seeing her worry for him, Woohyuk just shook his head. ¡°It isn¡¯t a problem. Just like humans do, demons also fight one another.¡± It was indeed true that Solomon¡¯s 72 Demon Kings would often butt heads when their interests and values conflicted. There was a hawkish faction within the demons that advocated that all living beings on the Eeth continent had to be ruled harshly with an iron fist. On the other side was the more moderate faction that felt that they only needed to obtain the minimum amount of souls to develop their strength. Most of them were centrists, but even they didn¡¯t get along because they stillpeted for their ranking. It led to the distrust and conflicts between them being worse than even the other races. ¡°With you permission, Asura, I can go ahead and take care of her. She seems to be of a lower rank than me.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t engage.¡± Aris was still severely weakened and wascking a lot of her Demonic Energy. This was because she was held in captivity for so long, suffering under the Judgement mes. It would still take her a long time to recover her full strength. For now, the better option was toy low and wait for ckbeard to arrive, so as to not startle their opponents. ¡°Okay, but so as to not be caught off guard, I¡¯ll continue to surveil them.¡± ¡°If anything happens, contact me right away.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± As Aris melded into the shadows, Erica, who was still being held by Woohyuk, spoke up. ¡°Uhm, Woohyuk¡­.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you release me now?¡± Her face was burning red, having been held by this male stranger for so long. She hadpleted many business transactions, but had little to no experience with men. After letting go of her, Woohyuk walked up to the mercenaries that had attacked them. ¡°Are you guys going to keep quiet about this?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Looks like there is no other way.¡± There was no point in dying the inevitable, as he swung Grandia that was covered in a light aura, causing heads to go flying. * * * In a room filled with extravagant artwork, Sebastian was having a conversation with a woman who had a mix of ck and light purple wings. ¡°I¡¯ve done as you said and sent out some men to assassinate her, but I have this nagging feeling.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about Sebastian, even if this attempt fails, we can always aim for the next one.¡± Humans were cautious by nature, which was quite annoying. Lady Amanda stared out the window, window with a bored expression. ¡°If Erica survives this attempt, she will go back and gather a lot more guards. That means that we will suffer more casualties. ¡°Stop with all the negativity, it was a decision you made based on the highest percentage of sess. By the way, I have something to show you.¡± As Amanda pped her hands, two subi dragged a man inside. It was the Gray Wolf, Darius. Seeing who it was, Sebastian¡¯s mouth opened in surprise. ¡°How did you manage to capture him? Was the assassination sessful?¡± ¡°No, for some reason he wasn¡¯t by Erica¡¯s side. We found him in a tavern, so I sent over a subus to seduce him, and he was easily kidnapped.¡± Now that Erica wasn¡¯t being guarded by Darius, she was far less likely to survive the attempt on her life. Raising her wine ss, Amanda showed a splendid smile. Chapter 51: Kaliss versus Erica 2

Chapter 51: Kaliss versus Erica 2

Afterpleting the deal with the Jewellers Guild, Woohyuk escorted Erica back to the mansion. There had been no further incidents in the following days. Still, he was quite concerned about the fact that demons were involved. ¡°Did the pirates that were supposed to help us not arrive yet?¡± ¡°I told them I¡¯d be in touch when everything is set in ce.¡± Doing just as Woohyuk had rmended, Erica had refrained from stepping outside as much as possible. The war between the two factions would soon break out. If she were to die, Erica¡¯s faction would quickly crumble. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Darius in quite some time, it¡¯s been a while since he took leave due to sickness.¡± ¡°Do you think there is a chance he would betray you?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s quite unlikely, because Darius¡­.¡± He¡¯d been in love with her for quite some time. It was the main reason he had sided with her this whole time despite Kaliss¡¯ obvious dominance. Hearing Erica¡¯s exnation, Woohyuk¡¯s face formed a frown. ¡®He might have gotten himself captured.¡¯ Due to his ego, he most likely went out drinking after his loss against him. Intoxicated, he doubt made for an easy target and had likely endured several rounds of torture by now. ¡°If he does return, you should be wary, there is a good chance that he might be under the demon¡¯s control.¡± ¡°... Alright.¡± It was possible that in the past it had been Darius that had unintentionally betrayed Erica in such a way. Erica would have surely died, and Isaac would have fled after robbing her heirloom, under the pretense that their side no longer had any hope As the picture started to be clear in his mind, Woohyuk made his way to the door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°There is something I need to go check on.¡± A group of guards stayed behind with Erica, to ensure her safety as he went out. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve found some suspicious looking people.¡± ¡°The orphans now addressed Woohyuk as Master.¡± He offered food to any that worked well, not to mention the possibility of a bonus, earning their goodwill. ¡°Where did you see them?¡± ¡°Near the docks.¡± It seemed like one of their groups had arrived. It could either be Sea Snake¡¯s Fury or Deep Sea¡¯s Vortex. After giving them some money for the information, Woohyuk followed the street urchin and headed towards the docks. ¡°What did they look like?¡± ¡°Most of them were dressed in ragged clothes, like sailors, but their boss seemed pretty imposing, and had a ck beard.¡± Edward Teach, it was surely him. As Woohyuk picked up his pace, Aris appeared from through a ck portal. ¡°Asura, the demon¡­¡± Along with Sebastian, the two had gotten into a carriage and headed towards the merchant''s district. If she were to continue to tail them, she risked revealing herself once she used her powers, so now they didn¡¯t know their exact destination. Woohyuk took a second to digest Aris¡¯test report. ¡®What are they up to?¡¯ The Merchant¡¯s district wasn¡¯t a suitable area for them to meet with ckbeard. It was usually quite crowded and the amount of guards were higher than other ces. ¡®Are they trying to create some turmoil before the real attack?¡¯ A coup disguised as a riot of sailors. Sebastian, who would always care about the public¡¯s opinion, needed a justification to seize power. Having deduced what their opponent¡¯s n was, Woohyuk turned back and returned to Erica¡¯s mansion. ¡°Gather your mercenaries, the battle will begin soon.¡± ¡°Alright, understood.¡± Erica nodded back with a determined look. She then gave out some instructions, as the maids were sent running around the mansion. Shortly after, their hidden armory was unlocked. The best weapons which she had spent most of her fortune on, were handed out to her mercenaries. ¡°You guys protect Erica, They will try to infiltrate during the chaos.¡± He would have his hands full with ckbeard¡¯s pirates as well as the demon. After deploying his party throughout the mansion, Woohyuk rode his Three wed Eagle and headed to the Merchant¡¯s district. ¡°Sa, save me!¡± ¡°Ahaahaack!¡± As expected, the area was inplete chaos. Pirates, acting undercover as sailors, went around fighting and looting everywhere. Their numbers were too high, so the city guards didn¡¯t have the courage to interfere, only watching from the side. ¡®Looks like Barbarossa¡¯s Sea Snake¡¯s Fury hase as well.¡¯ Sea Snake¡¯s Fury seemed to have been aware of ckbeard¡¯s n, and hade over to intercept them. Woohyuk decided to see how things yed out before interfering. ¡°ckbeard! It is time for us to get our revenge for your betrayal against Captain Barbarossa!¡± ¡°Hahahah! You talk big for a bunch of leftover small fries, I¡¯ll wipe you all out here and now!¡± The two pirate fleets engaged in an all out battle, plunging the streets into further chaos. It was a very even fight, so whoever killed the opposing leader first was sure to emerge victorious. Woohyuk attempted to throw his Vampiric daggerced with Basilisk¡¯s Poison at ckbeard. ¡°Hohoho, I didn¡¯t know that there was another demon here as well.¡± Amanda appeared from the shadows, blocking knocking his dagger out of the air. ¡°Are you the demon which is sponging off Sebastian?¡± ¡°Sponging? That¡¯s a bit insulting.¡± ¡°You must really like something about this city.¡± ¡°Well, to be honest it isn¡¯t as bad as I¡¯d thought, but I came here under orders.¡± Amanda had been sent to Landium by the Demon King Belial. Since they had only recently been released from their seal, the actual 72 Demon Kings were still quite weak. They were in no position to engage in any aggressive conquest, and could only send their subordinates ahead to establish a base. ¡°Are you trying topete with me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not like I¡¯m in any position to back down. We also need our own base.¡± Even if two demons were from the same species, they would still fight when it came to interests. Amanda¡¯s arms turned into dark spears, as she rushed towards Woohyuk. Huick huick The sharp spears aimed for Woohyuk¡¯s vital points as they tore through the air. Higher ranked demons like her were able to morph parts of the body at will by using their Demonic Energy. Still, because she had been in slumber for so long, her abilities were quite a bit lower than usual. Kng! Grandia and the Dark Spear shed, they were quite evenly matched as they caused sparks to fly out. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ Amanda¡¯s Stats were likely higher than Woohyuk¡¯s, so he couldn¡¯t subdue her through sheer presence alone. Her battle sense was also quite good. Staring into her eyes, Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this.¡± ¡°Good, I also don¡¯t like drawn out fights.¡± Amanda replied, as she took a step back. At the same time her Dark Spear erupted in a frightening me, emitting a blistering heat that one could feel even from a distance. ¡®I also have my own hidden card.¡¯ Verserios, Asura¡¯s exclusive weapon. It certainly had quite the powerful ability, able to absorb the souls of its victims. Amanda¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, upon seeing him switch out Grandia for Verserios. ¡°What, what is that!?¡± It was her first time feeling such a pressure. The Demonic Energy inside Woohyuk was very strange, and that sword was even more unusual. An Abyss that seemed to want to suck you in just by its sheer existence. ¡®Just what is his identity?¡¯ Just by Hierarchy alone, he would have to be quite a bit higher ranked than even Belial, but she couldn¡¯t match his likeness with any of the 72 Demon Kings which she knew of¡­. As Amanda hesitated, Verserios was already tearing through the air, aiming for the opening caused by her momentarypse. Amanda tried to hurriedly parry the attack Chwaaak! But Verserios was able to cleave right through her Dark Spear. Pooah! Piercing right into her stomach. ¡°Kuluk¡± Amanda spat out a mouthful of ck blood, a look of incredulity on her face. Absurd destructive power, the gap between their weapons was simply toorge. ¡®He¡¯s difficult to deal with.¡¯ Although she didn¡¯t know who he was, she knew that she might not survive if they continued fighting. Aftering to such a conclusion, Amanda urgently tried to negotiate. ¡°If you kill me, won¡¯t you be bringing a lot of trouble upon yourself?¡± ¡°Why would you think that?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯d anger Lord Belial. I am his most cherished subordinate, his vanguard here to conquer a piece of the Eeth continent. In other words I am important to him.¡± Belial might be able to live with the loss of a potential base, but if one of his top subordinates were killed, he surely wouldn¡¯t stand still and do nothing. Not to mention, that he belonged to Ars Nortorial. He would have to tread carefully, or risk angering an entire circle of Demon Kings working together. In order to be able to aplish the n he had set out for himself, he couldn¡¯t afford such interferences or else he¡¯d waste too much of his precious time. After contemting a while, Woohyuk finally nodded. ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°The continent is a big ce. There are many areas which we can use as a base, even if it isn¡¯t this one. If you show me mercy, I can return and exin the situation to Belial.¡± If another High ranked demon had taken the city first, Belial would likely simply shift his target to a different region. There was no use in trying to fight among themselves, since it would just result in an unnecessarypetition. ¡®She has the nimble mind of a schemer.¡¯ She definitely knew what to say in order to save her own hide. Still, he couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of Amanda returning for revenge, so Woohyuk summoned Aris. ¡°Hihing Asura. Why did you call?¡± ¡°What is the situation with Erica?¡± ¡°The mercenaries under Kaliss came, but were easily taken care of. Also Darius made an appearance and was captured just like you¡¯d instructed.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s party was strong enough that the mercenaries never managed to even set foot in the mansion. After having his main force wiped out so quickly, Sebastian immediately fled, going into hiding. Erica however was over the moon, as she had her men scour the city in search of him. Once Aris hadpleted her report, Woohyuk introduced her to Amanda. ¡°This here is Aris, she is of simr rank to Belial whom you serve.¡± ¡°...Sorry but can you tell me what her rank is? I have to report this when I return.¡± ¡°We are from this world, so we don¡¯t have a ranking among the 72 Demon Kings.¡± Two Demon Kings native to this world. To Belial that was ranked 68th, they would be quite the foes. Amanda nodded back, knowing that they stood no chance. ¡°Okay, I will inform him about this as well.¡± ¡°Are you confident in persuading him not to target this ce again?¡± ¡°Belial is a moderate, so he¡¯d want to avoid conflict with you as much as possible. Of course we were to establish a treaty, then our rtionship can be more clear. Amanda took the initiative to establish a non aggression pact with Woohyuk. A promise to not attack each other¡¯s territories. Any break in the treaty would require an advance notice of 30 days, during which no aggressive action could be taken, ¡®It¡¯s a treaty with a Demon King.¡¯ A pact with a spawn of evil which he would have to one day defeat. Still, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea for Woohyuk who currently had a lot on his te. It wouldn¡¯t be toote to take care of Belial down the road. ¡°Good, then let¡¯s agree to a non aggression pact.¡± ¡°Thank you, then I¡­.¡± ¡°Wait, there is one more thing though.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Release the curse ced on Darius.¡± He needed someone to protect Erica when he wasn¡¯t in Landium, and Darius was the best person he could think of. ¡°Oh, you mean that gray haired mercenary? Sure, I¡¯ll do that right now.¡± ¡®But can¡¯t he first remove his sword?¡¯ Amanda sighed, as she looked down at Verserios that was greedily absorbing her Demonic Energy. * * * Shortly after Amanda left to report to her master, the civil war was brought to an end, resulting in Erica¡¯splete victory. Sebastian was caught trying to flee the city in a carriage and was beheaded. The Deep Sea¡¯s Vortex however managed to escape back to their ships, having fled at the first sign that the odds were turning against them. Unfortunately he had missed out on killing ckbeard. His conversation with Amanda had gone on longer than he had expected, so he hadpletely forgotten about him. At least he had managed to sign a treaty with the Demon King Belial, which was quite beneficial for him at the moment. ¡°ckbeard isn¡¯t likely to show his face back here any time soon either.¡± Low, who had seeded as Captain of Barbarossa¡¯s fleet, shook hands with Woohyuk. Although he had arrived a bit,te, he had yed an important role in bringing an end to the civil war, and also had a treaty with Erica. For Woohyuk, he was definitely an acquaintance worth forming a rtionship with. ¡°I hope you can take care of ckbeard in my stead.¡± ¡°I swear an oath before the Sea God, that I will hunt him down until the end of the world and end his miserable life. Else, Captain Barbarossa won¡¯t be able to rest in peace. Low had been Barbarossa¡¯s closest confidant and first mate. As he took his Sea Snake¡¯s Fury crew back with him and headed back out to sea, Erica approached. ¡°Fortunately everything turned out well.¡± ¡°Now you are the city¡¯s ruler.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t even a good thing though, if anything the burden I have to bear has increased.¡± Erica was always trying to help out the city¡¯s poor people. She had also had a tough time when she was young, so she could sympathize with their situation. ¡°You will do a good job.¡± ¡°Thanks, but it is all due to your help, Woohyuk.¡± Erica gave him a brilliant smile, as her hair was blown by the wind. She was such a pure girl, it reminded him of another woman he knew. ¡®...We may yet meet again.¡¯ One of the many he had lost in the past, however this time it would turn out differently. ¡°Let¡¯s head back and discuss your ns for the future.¡± ¡°Great, we can have some tea as well.¡± ck tea was quite fashionable among the upper ss in Landium. Woohyuk walked back with Erica, as the cries of seagulls began to fade. Chapter 52: Northeastern Guard Camp 1

Chapter 52: Northeastern Guard Camp 1

After seeding in the civil war, Woohyuk¡¯s party took a short breather. Everyone was still tired from their long voyage, and there were many things they could still do in Landium. One of them was getting a ss. By visiting the training instructors spread out across the city, they could perform quests which rewarded them with standard sses like Apprentice Knight, Apprentice Mage or Apprentice Ranger. The same was true if they visited the Craftsmen or Alchemist Guild. Various options were avable depending on each of their abilities. One could also learn some valuable information from fellow guild members upon joining. It was only due to Erica¡¯s favor that Woohyuk and his subordinates could enjoy such benefits across the city. When it came to Woohyuk¡¯s party, she could always spare some time despite her busy schedule. Oveing thetest cmity together had earned him a strong ally. As everyone was busy over the course of the next few days, Woohyuk was flipping through Nakron¡¯s Grimoire as he stopped to check his Stats. - ss: Necromancer, Asura - Title: Legendary Explorer (20% increase in Item drop rate from monsters, 20% increase in Perception and Speed when in a Historical site, Ruler of the Calm Sea (can summon Kraken and create underwater Air Bubbles.)] - Stats: Strength: 152 +15 (Grandia), +5 (Vampiric Dagger), +2 Goblin¡¯s Ring Vitality: 148 +35 (Basilisk¡¯s Scaled Armor Set), +35 (Berserker¡¯s ted Armor Set), +15 (Naga Chief¡¯s Ancient Ring) Dexterity: 150 +35 (Basilisk¡¯s Scaled Armor Set), +35 (Berserker¡¯s ted Armor Set) +15 (Banshee¡¯s Veil) Intelligence: 137 +10 ( Ghost Queen Star Serpent) +15 (Moon Shadow Ring) +15 (Jester¡¯s Mask) Spirit: 143 +10 (Calm Sea¡¯s Silence), +10 (Elder Lizardman¡¯s Fighting Spirit) +15 (Bronze Rock Golem¡¯s Belt) - Other +25% affinity with Death +25% Resistance to Darkness +25% bonus to Darkness Skills. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ All the growth items he had obtained back in the Primordial Forest, had all gone up one Grade. Although they hadn¡¯t gained any new effects, the stats increase they provided was beginning to bear fruit. When they reached their maximum grade, he wouldn¡¯t suffer a loss even when added to the Organize Scroll. Of course if one was a skilled cksmith, they could break them down into raw materials in order to create even higher ranked artifacts. Unfortunately even Dexter, the fabled legendary cksmith had likely not reached such a level at this stage in the game. Basically it meant that in the near term, he would be sharing his experience with his items in order to fuel his growth. ¡®I should get used to Asura¡¯s abilities as well.¡¯ Even if the Demonic Energy had be a part of him now, it didn¡¯t mean that he could wield it with ease. It was simr to Qi which was used by martial artists in Murim, just that its power was more pure That meant that if he pushed himself to the max, without having gainedplete mastery over it, he might fall into the darkness. His Weapon Verserios was something he had to be on guard against for the same reason. If he were to lose control over such a sword that had the ability to absorb the soul of others, it could lead to a catastrophe. ¡®For now I should simply be content with being able to wield it.¡¯ He would have to do just like the martial artists from Murim and practice daily, increasing his mastery of his new energy bit by bit. After closing his basic stats page, Woohyuk turned to see Aris lying on the bed, ¡®Ah ~ Asura,e over here ~ ?¡¯ Despite her appearance of a girl in her mid teens, she didn''t at all act that age. After all, she had already lived several times longer than an ordinary human¡¯s lifespan. ¡°Do demons have periods where they are in heat?¡± ¡°Not really...who cares? No one is here, juste over and we can enjoy the moment.¡±¡¯ Aris hummed to herself as she pulled Woohyuk towards her, thinking that he would finally give in. Just then, the door opened and Leifina walked in. ¡°Lord, everything is ready.¡± ¡°Great.¡± At Erica¡¯s request, Woohyuk and his party were setting off to the Northeast Guard Camp. They were doing an escort mission for Erica who was in a tight spot financially and really needed this deal to go off without a hitch. Woohyuk agreed to the request since he would have to pass by there anyway as it was on his way. ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t want to leave Ahri behind.¡± Lia, who had arrived with Leifina, held onto Woohyuk¡¯s leg as she sobbed. She was fond of Ahri. ¡°Ahri will be better off here.¡± Woohyukforted her as he stroked her golden hair. He had been a bit worried about her personality because she was after all a dragon, but it seemed that she had quite the gentle heart. She will grow up well so long as her heart isn¡¯t broken. Of course that didn¡¯t mean that he was willing to pamper her either. ¡°Mom! Waaa!¡± Lia ran over to Leifina as she bawled her eyes out. Leifina would only hug her back in an attempt tofort her. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, when we get a chance we cane back to visit her.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Sure, when we are free we cane back and y with just the two of us.¡± Leifina¡¯s parenting skills were improving by the day. Soon others would even mistake her as Lia¡¯s real mother. Lia wiped her tears as Woohyuk made his way out. Near the entrance, he spotted Lee Jaesung waiting for them with the rest of the party. ¡°Everyone that has decided to leave has gathered here.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get going.¡± Some of those that had joined them decided to instead stick around in Landium, to carve their own paths. Woohyuk epted their decision, asking only to receive regr updates through their Unity ring. Even after leaving for another province, it wasn¡¯t a terrible idea to leave some subordinates behind in Landium to be his eyes and ears. As they made their way outside the mansion, they spotted the merchant caravan as well as the mercenaries that were waiting. ¡°Looks like this is goodbye after all, it was really nice to meet you.¡± Erica came to see Woohyuk off, standing there while petting Ahri which she held in her arms. ¡°If you have any business, just send me a letter.¡± The Unity ring, that allowed people tomunicate across long distances was typically only given to yers that had been summoned to this world. Leifina, Aris and Irene however were an exception, seeing as they were considered rewards earned during the Tutorial¡¯s Canyon Stage. ¡°Irya!¡± After Woohyuk¡¯s party climbed on their respective horses, the lead coachman cracked his whip, and they were off. A new journey began once more. Although he had established a sizable advantage over any other yers, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but be a bit nervous because he wasn¡¯t headed on the same path he had tread in the past. Dulgruk gulgruk A long procession of wagons stretched out along the road as the caravan moved out. * * * In the Ionia province, east of the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s capital, there was a vast in. It was primarily developed into a farming area that produced enough food to satisfy the capital consumption for the year. It was also a strategic area for the military, and they built several outposts and guard camps in order to ensure stability in the region and secure the food supply. The Northeaster Guard Camp was more heavily armed than others, because of the Corcas mountains that nked the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s eastern coast. An area that had been a hot topic in the past, since the Corcas Mountains were home to numerous monsters¡¯irs. Long ago it had been the home of dragons, but ever since they had left for another ne, none were left with im on these mountains. The Rhine Kingdom found out about this, and formed punitive expeditions. However, despite several attempts at clearing the monsters, they had yet to see a positive oue. It wouldn¡¯t have been that big of a deal if that was all there was to the story. But to add insult to injury, once a year the monsters woulde down from the mountains,ying waste to any viges in their path as they moved west, and then back down south. For that reason Northeast¡¯s Gate was considered as being on the front lines. ¡®It must be a pretty profitable business.¡± Landium¡¯s merchant groups could make a healthy profit by being their exclusive trade partner. Ever since Kaliss¡¯ fall, Erica would now be the one who stood to gain the most from this. If she was able to secure this deal, her position as the top dog in Landium would be secure for quite some time. ¡®The power struggles will soon begin.¡¯ Woohyuk thought back to the past as he stared out into the golden fields. A sh between rival ns, where many lives were lost. If the Overlords back then had been able to quicklye to the negotiation table and settle, the tragedy of those countless deaths could have been avoided. Still, Woohyuk had more urgent things to considerpared to achieving peace on the Eeth continent. ¡®First things first, I need to gather all the materials.¡¯ The seven ingredients required to craft the Seven Colored Rainbow Ring were all unique. In Isaac¡¯s case, most of them had only been obtained muchter, or were bought from others. Woohyuk however was not willing to leave it up to chance. For one, it might take too long, and he also didn¡¯t know how this timeline¡¯s future will be affected based on his actions. ¡°Lord, will we really be joining the punitive expedition?¡± Lefina asked as she rode on the horse beside him. She was worried that the army might discriminate against them since they were mere mercenaries. ¡°There¡¯s no other way.¡± ording to his intel gathered before returning, the Arachne Temple had been conquered before the Nobility¡¯s revolt. In other words, it was this punitive expedition that had managed to clear the Arachne¡¯s from within the Corcas Mountains. If he were to allow his unique treasure to be taken by them, it might lead to furtherplications. ¡°Master, whomands these expeditions?¡± ¡°I was told it was a very high ranked person from the kingdom.¡± Following the many unsessful punitive expeditions, it was decided that the scale of this one would be farrger. They epted the aid of mercenaries as support, even offering the opportunity to join the army with official status if they were able to prove themselves. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Jung Sanghoon looked somewhat worried. ¡°What would we do if Boss is made an officer within the army?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Receiving a fief was something he could get behind, but he wasn¡¯t interested in joining the army only to follow someone else¡¯s orders. In the future, it would be necessary to have his own army in order to gain control over the Rhine Kingdom. ¡®It¡¯s a good starting spot.¡¯ They were on a penins, guarded by the sea on all three sides, whereas its onlynd border required one to cross the Corcas Mountains. Located at a mediantitude, its climate was quite mild. It was also the perfect size for a small kingdom, not too big, nor too small, so it would be quite quick to rally forces to defend. For Isaac that had been unable to step beyond the Rhine Kingdom despite being given such an excellent starting location, only showed howcking he truly was. It had only been due to sheer luck that he had even ascended to the position of Lord. ¡°Dad, I see something over there.¡± Lia, who was riding in front with Leifina, pointed out with her finger. The Northeastern Gate. It was of strategic value, so its defenses were solid. ¡®We¡¯ve finally arrived.¡¯ They had been on the move for over a week now, and everyone was drained. Woohyuk looked around while the caravan¡¯s leader spoke with the guards. ¡®Has the main force not gathered yet?¡¯ The number of tents that he could make out in the distance were fewer than he had expected. They couldn¡¯t have too many people without the proper supplies. Well, he could still afford to wait a couple days. [They are giving us strange looks.] Because most of their party members were of Asian descent, they looked quite different than the natives from the Rhine Kingdom. Naturally this led to a less than warm wee. [Not to worry, our status here is guaranteed.] They wouldn¡¯t dare to mistreat mercenaries sent by Erica. Of course he would still act properly on the surface, but resort to underhanded methods like denying them any merits. ¡®This kingdom¡¯s soldiers have a lot of pride.¡¯ As official soldiers, they felt that they were on a different level than mere mercenaries. It was no surprise that they wouldn¡¯t properly give merit to mercenaries, even those that had earned it. Even themanders who were supposed to be impartial, were easily we blinded by the potential gains and falsified reports. This kind of cheating was quitemon in the military. Woohyuk on his end decided not to pursue their arrogance for the time being. All he wanted was information regarding the Historical Site, caring little for the military¡¯s merit system. ¡®I need to find out the Arachne Temple¡¯s location.¡¯ A Historical Site in the Eeth continent might disappear entirely if certain conditions were met, and along with it went the hidden rewards. If you rushed ahead too quickly without proper nning, you¡¯d be doomed to fail. In the past there must have been many Sites that disappeared in such ways. Considering that they often had hidden treasures that were connected to the Throne, he would rather focus his time on exploring the major Historical Sites, instead of expanding his power as he had done in the past. ¡°You¡¯ve travelled a long and hard road to get here. My name¡¯s Tenon, I¡¯m Aiden¡¯s Lieutenant here in the Northeastern Guard Camp. Tenon was awaiting their arrival at the camp¡¯s gate, greeting both the head of Erica¡¯s caravan, as well as Woohyuk. Chapter 53: Northeastern Guard Camp 2

Chapter 53: Northeastern Guard Camp 2

The young, brown haired lieutenant seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. He was part of the local militia, so most likely this was his hometown. Although his rank was lower than that of the army¡¯smander, he must have great ability to have been selected as the lieutenant. As he examined Tenon, he thought back to the past. ¡®They were quite the thorn in my side back then.¡¯ When he had invaded the Rhine Kingdom in the past, he hade through the Corcas Mountains, and faced off against the Northeastern Guard. Of course he didn¡¯t recall if Tenon had been there or not, but their fierce resistance had left a deep impression on him. He had always wanted to meet theirmander and lieutenants. Of course at that time he had been too busy marching on to the capital, and there hadn¡¯t been any opportunity to do so. ¡°Commander Aiden, they are here delivering the supplies from merchant Erica.¡± As they stepped into arge tent, Tenon informed the middle aged man who was busy examining some paperwork. He portrayed the image of a seasoned veteran perfectly, even having a few scars on his face. ¡°Why is it that you guys came instead of Kaliss? How unusual.¡± ¡°That¡­.¡± The official leading Erica¡¯s caravan briefly exined what had recently urred in Landium. The riot of sailors as well as Sebastian¡¯s death. Aiden simply nodded, after all it was amon urrence in these free cities. ¡°Thank you for sticking to the scheduled delivery date despite your internal conflicts.¡± Due to the punitive expedition, the Northeast Guard camp was quite crowded. Countless strapping young men were drafted as new recruits, not to mention that they had to prepare to wee the kingdom¡¯s official army. Had Erica¡¯s shipment of supplies been dyed, it would have brought about many difficulties for them. ¡°These are mercenaries from Landium, theye highly rmended.¡± Tenon said, as some soldiers were sent to examine the condition and quality of the merchandise. Aiden took the rmendation letter he had been handed, as he nced over at Woohyuk¡¯s party. ¡°Women without armor, are they mages?¡± ¡°Yes, they can prove useful in battle.¡± Although they hadn¡¯t received any formal training at an academy, Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna¡¯s magic mastery surpassed that of an Apprentice. All the while Aris and Irene stayed hidden in Woohyuk¡¯s shadow, not wanting to draw any attention to themselves. Likewise Undine had temporarily returned to the Spirit Realm. ¡°She is too young. She¡¯s at an age where all she can do is help out with some house chores.¡± Aiden seemed unconvinced by Song Anna¡¯s addition to the party. From a soldier¡¯s point of view, women and children required protection. ¡°She will only provide support from the rear. She is a Shaman and can use musical instruments to buff.¡± She also had the ability to heal, but not the Priest ss. Still, the ability to heal small wounds was better than nothing. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Aiden reluctantly agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t care too much so long as she doesn¡¯t interfere during battle. Also her name seems to be on the rmendation list....¡± He was the one that was inmand of the Guards and mercenaries, so whenever he wanted he could choose to change them to the reserve force if their performance wasn¡¯t up to par. While he was thinking of his young daughter back home, Tenen spoke. ¡°There isn¡¯t anything wrong with the supplies.¡± ¡°Good, then have them sorted and shipped to the warehouse.¡± They had to clearly log everything in order to avoid any trouble with the kingdom''s soldiers. Those guys would always manage to pull some shady stunt in order to enrich themselves. ¡°Yes sir.¡± Aiden took a closer look at Woohyuk while Tenon was busy ordering the men to have the goods moved. ¡®He¡¯s the real deal.¡¯ A sharp gaze and the aura of a veteran. His curiosity was piqued and he wanted to know more about this man. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Chun Woohyuk.¡± ¡°Are you trying to achieve merit in the army?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. It is up to the Commander to judge the contribution of the soldiers.¡± Even if Aiden were to urately report Woohyuk¡¯s achievements, the Commander of the kingdom¡¯s forces, which had been appointed to lead the punitive expedition, could simply ignore the report. The only other way was to somehow be personally noticed by Marquis Nelson who was in charge of all the borders. ¡®That¡¯s unlikely since Nelson is busy with the Dane¡¯s kingdom.¡¯ Kallenoa, the southern province of Marquis Nelson¡¯s territory, was essentially the most important ce within the Rhine kingdom from the military¡¯s point of view. This was because it was the only border province that didn''t have the Corcas Mountains as a natural barrier, and was instead a in directly connecting to the Dane kingdom Naturally Rhine couldn¡¯t lose control of that area, so Marquis Nelson wouldn¡¯t be leaving Doria castle any time soon. Due to this, Sirien, which was located to the north, as well as Trevis in the center, were the other two border provinces, and each had their own Guard Camps, operated somewhat autonomously. ¡°... I¡¯m prepared to do my best.¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m not sure about your ability, I wish you luck.¡± Few people ever returned from a punitive expedition to the Corcas Mountains. Even the Guards who were experienced in fighting these monsters every year, also suffered casualties. Aiden picked up a new file, as he gave onest nce at Woohyuk¡¯s party that was heading to their lodgings. * * * The Kingdom¡¯s military and the Northeastern Guard didn¡¯t get along well. This was due to themand structure which separated power between these two branches, often leading to conflict. However, even if the kingdom¡¯s armymander and Aiden didn¡¯t always see eye to eye, at least things never got out of hand. Aiden was also a military officer appointed directly by Marquis Nelson. ¡®So themander that time was that guy.¡¯ Marquis Nelson had finally surrendered, but the Northeast Guard Camp¡¯smander had fought until the veryst man, choosing to die on the battlefield. He had resisted until the end in order to protect his hometown. As the sun fell and they were in the barracks dedicated to mercenaries, Woohyuk¡¯s mind drifted to the past. ¡®Definitely better than your average Commander.¡¯ He had known few Commanders that had managed to stick to their belief regardless of the adversity. In the future, when he would seize control of the Rhine kingdom, he would put Aiden in a more prominent position. ¡°Boss, is Aiden our leader during the punitive expedition.?¡± ¡°Kind of.¡± . Although it was true that for mercenary squads, some level of autonomy was given, the Guard¡¯s Commander was still their direct superior. Refusing his orders would lead to a world of trouble. Upon hearing his exnation, Jung Sanghoon asked another question. ¡°What is the status of our Guard Commander ?¡± ¡°He¡¯s ranked fifth among the officers under Marquis Nelson.¡± The Northeast Guard Camp was the second most important base after Doria Castle which was on the frontlines, not just anyone would be put in charge of it. There would always be a minimum of 1,200 troops stationed here at all times. Now that the departure date for the punitive expedition drew ever closer, that number had doubled due to therge number of conscripts. ¡°He¡¯s got a lot of influence then.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a powerhouse in the northern military. ¡± As a trusted Commander serving under Marquis Nelson, even a Count wouldn¡¯t be able to disregard him. However in truth they didn¡¯t rate him too highly, because he only ever faced off against monsters. As Woohyuk was busy conversing with his party, Tenon walked in. ¡°Sorry for the intrusion at such ate hour, but Commander Aiden would like to have a word.¡± Woohyuk was the only one being summoned. ¡°Why all of a sudden¡­?¡± ¡°Is it urgent..?¡± Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon couldn''t help but blurt out. They didn¡¯t understand why he was being summoned, since all their arrangements had already been taken care of. ¡°Okay.¡± Woohyuk simply acquiesced and followed Tenon out. They made their way across the camp in darkness, before entering arge tent to see Aiden waiting, apanied by soldiers. ¡°You asked to see me?¡± ¡°ording to Erica, you yed quite an important role in Landium.¡± ¡°I helped out by fighting in a few of the riots, which earned me the rmendation letter.¡± ¡°Are you truly able to best your opponents without the use of weapons?¡± A sudden question, but this had been Woohyuk¡¯s intention all along. ¡°If it is close quarters, I can probably take on about thirty men. Of course this is only if they are weaker than me.¡± ¡°... What ss do you have? I¡¯ve never heard of such abilities.¡± Aiden rubbed his chin as he leveled his gaze at Woohyuk. A look mixed with both expectation and wariness. ¡°I¡¯m a Martial Artist. In order to be one you need to reach a fairly high level.¡± ¡°Surely it would be possible for an Asian living outside of the Theresia Empire.¡± Aiden nodded to himself. Having spent so long on the battlefield, he had also encountered a few Martial Artists. They were capable of deflecting arrows barehanded and smashing through te armor with their fists. If he was such a Martial Artist, then he would also be able to use such skills. ¡°Was that all you wanted to ask?¡± ¡°Just a few more questions¡­ Would it be possible to have a little demonstration of your skills?¡± Aiden seemed to want to evaluate his abilities with his own eyes. ¡°Sure.¡± Once Woohyuk had epted, a few soldiers that were waiting behind Aiden stepped forward. They all looked a bit weak based on the fear he sensed from them. Woohyuk unleashed his Demonic Energy, pressuring them all at once. ¡°Kuhuk¡± ¡°Br..., can¡¯t breathe¡­.¡± Aiden¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he watched his men fall down in pain. ¡®Truly incredible.¡¯ Is this a Martial Artist? How could such a young man be so strong. Aiden even began to doubt the path he had walked on his entire life. ¡°Is that sufficient?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, I¡¯ve gotten a good look at your abilities.¡± As soon as Woohyuk retracted his energy, the soldiers gasped for air, as they stood back up one by one. They felt like they had undergone a near death experience. ¡°The energy you use seems to be a bit dark, are you really using Qi?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned a type of cultivation that allows one to quickly develop their Qi, but I haven¡¯t made any contract with Demons.¡± The only reason he had let Erica know that he was connected to Demons was to facilitate their negotiations. For Aiden however, he had no reason to do so. Not only do most humans hate Demons, it was doubly so for an upright soldier with upromising values, unlike a merchant that wouldn¡¯t mind operating in gray areas. ¡°I have something to suggest.¡± As soon as his ability had been confirmed, Aiden cut straight to the chase. Basically he would temporarily give Woohyuk the position of second lieutenant to keep in check the kingdom military¡¯s overbearingness ¡°They sound quite troublesome.¡± ¡°You have no idea.¡± The kingdom¡¯s military engaged in all kinds of illicit activity. From skimming food and munitions that wereter sold off to free cities for profit, to even falsifying reports. If ever there ended up being a problem, the responsibility would instead fall to the Guard Camps. Even the upper echelon were in on it, so Aiden wasn¡¯t able to interfere. For that reason, Woohyuk¡¯s unusual power was needed.¡± ¡°I have a condition in order to ept your offer.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If you find a Historical Site during this punitive expedition, I want to be told about it and be the first to ess it.¡± Although his rtionship with Aiden was important, the Arachne¡¯s Temple was the top priority. The Seven Colored Rainbow Ring was an irreceable artifact which he would need for his future ns. Without it, even if he were to gain control of the entire Rhine Kingdom, his overall n would suffer. ¡°That¡¯s a surprising request. Here I thought you would ask for a rmendation letter.¡± With a rmendation letter from Aiden, it would be easy to be a low ranked officer under the Marquis. It wasn¡¯t as desirable as being an officer in the kingdom¡¯s military since he would have to be on the frontlines, but it was a great opportunity to rack up some merit. Woohyuk however had no intention of heading to Doria Castle. ¡°I wille and see you if I need help.¡± ¡°I will do my best to support you so long as it is within my power.¡± Aiden decided to invest in Woohyuk. He felt that here was a good chance that he would amount to something in the future. ¡°I¡¯ll be going then.¡± As their conversation ended, Woohyuk stepped outside the tent. Tenon, who had been watching the situation unfold from the side, spoke. ¡°In the end you didn¡¯t bring it up.¡± Recently there had been rumors of adventurers with watches on their wrists appearing throughout the kingdom. However since they were posted at the border and quite far away, their intel wasn¡¯t exactly the most up to date. Still, due to thistest news the army and nobles were quite troubled. Not to mention that as time passed, their numbers seemed to grow exponentially. ¡°We don¡¯t want them to have their guard up against us.¡± It was too early to judge them simply because they all walked around with the same watches on their wrist. They must have their own circumstances. It wouldn¡¯t be toote to ask once the punitive expedition waspleted. ¡°I hope we don¡¯t suffer too many casualties this year.¡± ¡°... the kingdom¡¯s army is always a problem.¡± The only way for those in the army to achieve merit was by defeating pirates or killing monsters. Due to this, the army would often take absurd risks, but it was the Northeastern Guard which had to take the brunt of the damage most of the time. Marquis Nelson also knew about this, but there was little he could do. The only adjustment he came up with was to send more men in the punitive expedition, but of course this didn¡¯t help much. ¡°5,000 infantry and 3,000 archers¡­ the young king must be quite determined this time.¡± ¡°I hope ourmander this time around is at least decent.¡± Gaius, General of the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s 5th Legion. Whether this expedition resulted in victory or defeat, ultimately depended on his ability tomand. Aiden sighed as he looked at the red wax seal before him. Chapter 54: Corcas Mountains Punitive Expedition 1

Chapter 54: Corcas Mountains Punitive Expedition 1

TL: Posted a Continent and Kingdom Map found at the bottom that can help better understand the chapter. Gaius, the appointedmander of the punitive force arrived just three dayster. As all the troops came under his control upon his arrival, the Guard Camp became quite busy. While Aiden went out to greet Gaius, Woohyuk was training his party. Tak Tak They swung their swords at wooden scarecrows that had been nted in the ground. ¡®This isn¡¯t enough.¡¯ Despite having undergone the tutorial maps of Primordial Forest and Canyon Battle, they were still very much beginners. They had never had any professional instruction when it came to using a sword. Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna were slightly better, but even they were only on the level of an Apprentice Mage. As Woohyuk clicked his tongue, Leifina approached. ¡°Lord, do I really have to stay behind in the camp?¡± ¡°I need someone to watch over Lia.¡± She was still far too young to experience the horrors of the battlefield. Leaving Leifina behind was the right choice to avoid her growing up with a twisted personality. ¡°Dad, look what mom gave me.¡± Lia showed him a rabbit plushie as she giggled happily. She finally received the gift he had bought in a shop in Landium. Lefina was worried about giving it to her right away in case she dropped it during their journey. ¡®She is growing up better than I thought.¡¯ He had been a bit worried about what kind of personality she might have, but it didn''t seem to have received any negative influence. He only needed to develop a bond between them and provide the proper upbringing. After giving his party a break, Woohyuk went over and picked Lia up. ¡°What do you do if some stranger offers you something to eat?¡± ¡°I run away and then tell mom and dad about it.¡± ¡°What if you get lost or find yourself in a bad situation?¡± ¡°I first hide myself and then use the ring.¡± He had given Lia a Scout¡¯s ring in case of an emergency. It was something he had obtained from looting the defeated Kaliss¡¯ merchant group. An artifact that could send a voice message to a single person, and could only be set up ahead of time by physically touching them. Lia didn¡¯t have a Unity ring, so it was the only method that would allow her tomunicate with Woohyuk when they were seperated in case of an emergency. ¡°Everyone gather at the camp¡¯s entrance!¡± While Woohyuk was spending some time with Lia, a soldier appeared in the training grounds and shouted out. Before their departure to the Corcas Mountains, themander wanted to inspect the troops. ¡°Let¡¯s end the training here.¡± Hearing what Woohyuk said, the party members stood up with determined expressions. A new battlefield. They might lose life if they didn¡¯t give it their all. ¡°Will Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna be joining?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± With Woohyuk¡¯s new position as temporary Second Lieutenant, he hadmand over a unit of 500 people. It was quite a sizable force, and since they would likely be posted in the rear, things should be rtively safe. The soldiers rushed to gather at the camp¡¯s entrance, and quickly formed ranks. 8,000 from the Kingdom¡¯s army. 2,500 Guards. 1,500 Mercenaries. A total of 12,000 soldiers had been assembled. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s incredible.¡± ¡°How can they gather so many¡­.¡± Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon had their mouths agape in astonishment. It was on a scale then times that of the Canyon Battle. ¡°You¡¯d best get used to it.¡± In the future, whenrge ns fought against one another, it often involved armies of at least 10,000 people. If they felt like it, they could easily conquer smaller kingdoms by simply cooperating with each other. Of course would only be possible once they had settled all their infighting. ¡®Everyone is likely busy growing their own forces.¡¯ Marcus, who was known as the Mad Lord, was likely looking for a position as a mercenary in the Yen Principality by now. Logan, the Necromancer that had led an army of 100,000 undead and was even capable of making empires quake in their boots, was probably braving the cold in Norton Kingdom. There were also Dragon Lord Ivanov and Alice that would be in the Talis and Enoa Kingdoms respectively. As he waited among the troops for Gaius¡¯ arrival, Woohyuk thought about his past. He had begun in the Owen kingdom, located to the southwest of the Holy Aperian empire. Like any other adventurer, he struggled to survive, living day to day as a mercenary. Unfortunately due to this he had gotten caught up in n battles, and ended up losing many colleagues. Later, he made his way to the Croa principality, but had once again suffered many losses since he had been targeted by the criminal group Crimson Crows. Eventually Leifina and himself had boarded a ship heading to the Lioness Kingdom, which was located on the far eastern shore of the Eeth continent. It was a ce with many Martial Artists, and was where Woohyuk had gotten a fortuitous encounter. ¡®It¡¯s too far for now.¡¯ Although he was nning on visiting eventually, it wasn¡¯t high on his list. Even if he wasn¡¯t able to build up his Inner Force by obtaining the Martial Artist ss, he could have a simr result using his Demonic Energy. Not to mention, that unlike Inner Force, Demonic Energy wasn¡¯t independent of his Stats , but instead had the advantage of growing naturally along with their increases.. As Woohyuk focused on the Demonic Energy within him, Gaius and his officers made their appearance on the tform before them. ¡°I have a favor to ask of you before we set out.¡± He was the expedition''s Commander, and was naturally decked out in a dazzling armor. His manner of speaking also portrayed the dignity of his status. Having such an impressive leader, gave the troops confidence in winning the battle. ¡°Never turn you back to the enemy. We are the proud army of the Great Rhine Kingdom. We will never beg for our lives even if it means losing everything!¡± Knowing no retreat on the battlefield A soldier¡¯s basic virtue. However flexible thinking was equally important. Such kinds of rigidmanders wouldn¡¯t be able to make the right situational judgement, making it easy to mistakenly put his men in danger. ¡®We can only know after seeing how he performs which type he is.¡¯ Although the Rhine Kingdom had stood for a long time, that may simply have been due to its advantageous geographic position, which made it easy to defend. It wasn¡¯t until Logan led the Niflheim Alliance to attack, that it had finally fallen. But there was no evidence to suggest that it had been because he had the superior army. As he marched alongside the troops, Woohyuk raised his head to look at the vast blue sky and tall Corcas Mountains that towered above them. Their of vicious monsters, no doubt a bloody battle would take ce today. * * * ¡°Huu...Huuu.¡± The soldiers breathed heavily as they climbed the rugged mountainous terrain. Aiming for the peak on the very first day. Gaius was quite the ambitiousmander, and wanted to capture the high ground as soon as possible. ¡®This likely won¡¯t end well.¡¯ If one overlooked the terrain when crafting their strategy, they were doomed to fail, regardless of how many men they had. Aware of this fact, Aiden had been purposefully slowing down their marching speed. The Guards were for the most part used as scouts and logistical support. They had left 500 to defend their camp, so they only numbered 2000 on this expedition. Even though there were also more than 1,500 mercenaries to bolster their numbers, they still didn¡¯t even amount to half the forces of the kingdom¡¯s army. It looked like it would be quite difficult to gain any significant merit unless arge scale battle would ur. ¡°Stop!¡± Aiden brought them to a halt as the distance between them and Gaius¡¯ troop had increased too much. They were currently on a teau, in the middle of the mountain range. A ce which would serve as a great area to make camp. Woohyuk nodded to himself as he watched the Guard unit begin to erect tents. ¡®It¡¯s a good choice.¡¯ It was unclear whether they could actually reach the summit before sunset. The higher they climbed, the more likely they were to encounter monsters. If they were to march through the night and have to face monsters on this steep terrain, they would suffer many more casualties. ¡°Boss, where should we set up?¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± It was best to avoid the outer edges, since they were the most vulnerable to any night attacks. As Woohyuk picked out an ideal spot, his subordinates moved quickly to set it up. ¡°There are fewer monsters than I expected. I thought this ce would be infested with monsters which was why they had to invade the ins.¡± ¡°I guess it is about that time.¡± Monsters gathering as a group of different races would usually only be for a specific purpose. One such reason was to hunt humans. If ever they became riled up and bloodthirsty, the Elite monsters among them could act as their leader and build an army to invade. The very fact that they had encountered so few of them so far, meant that they had already gathered in a different part of the mountain range. ¡°Will they be attacking us soon then?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Monster hordes would gather in the northern parts of the Corcas mountains, and then make their way down all the way to even the steps of Doria Castle. So if they went in too deep, it was easy to be surrounded by them. Even if you faced them head on, it was hard toe out on top since you were always outnumbered and fighting on awkward terrain. ¡°What will we do after we set up camp?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go scout the surrounding area.¡± This was absolutely necessary because there might still be monsters nearby that could ambush them when they least expected it. He also wanted to explore a bit, in hopes of discovering the Arachne Temple. Woohyuk left their camp apanied only by a few elites. ¡°You''re going out to have a look, Woohyuk?¡± Tenon asked, as he was currently posted at the entrance to oversee the suppliesing in. This Lieutenant was always keeping busy, even going so far as to help manage the logistics for the mercenaries. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before sunset.¡± ¡°Be careful out there, the monsters in the Corcas Mountains are more cunning than you think.¡± Actually it wasn¡¯t that the monsters were more intelligent here, but rather due to them being under themand of boss monsters. For that reason, the key to a sessful punitive expedition was to quickly cut the head of the snake. ¡®I¡¯m not sure if Gaius will be able to achieve that though.¡¯ As he pushed his perception to the max, Woohyuk stepped into the forest. It shouldn¡¯t be possible for monsters to catch them off guard, because Woohyuk¡¯s senses were very sharp. ¡°Boss, what kind of monsters do you think live here?¡± Jung Sanghoon whispered as he followed from behind. He was a former special forces soldier, so his physique was better than other mercenaries. Despite the arduous climb, he hadn¡¯t shown signs of tiring. ¡°Goblins, Orcs, Trolls, Ogres¡­.¡± Other than the beast type monsters that they had encountered so far, there were also many humanoid monsters in the continent as well. Amon one where the Orcs. They had green skin, the same as Goblins and Trolls, but were only about as big as a full grown man. They were also known for their hideous appearance and their ability to breed like rabbits. Their poption was much higher than that of Trolls or Ogres. Hearing his exnation, Jung Sanghoon¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Humanoid monster... they won¡¯t be easy to deal with.¡± ¡°Sometime they can ambush you when you least expect it.¡± In the past, they had managed to defeat the Kingdom''s army on several asions. Of course this wasrgely due to the Demons¡¯ influence from behind the scenes. As Woohyuk was thinking about what had urred in the past, the sound of metal shing rang out across the forest. Chaeng Chaeng Chaeng The first sign of monsters, but because they were still far off, it was hard to guess howrge their force was. As they rushed to the source of themotion, they arrived at a scene of a squad of mercenaries being besieged by a horde of Orcs. ¡°There are too many!¡± ¡°Break out!¡± They had been caught unawares, not knowing where the monsters hade from. Woohyuk took the troops he had brought along and went to the aid of the mercenaries that had been trapped. Chawaak! The Orcs¡¯ burgundy blood sshed all over the ground, staining the area¡¯s nt life. It was a battle that they had the advantage in despite being outnumbered, because of the difference in skill. Naturally he could have made it much easier by relying on his Necromancer or Asura abilities, but Woohyuk decided against it. It could lead to trouble if his abilities became revealed so early on. ¡°It¡¯s hard in a ce like this.¡± He was nning to use his Banshee¡¯s Veil or Jester¡¯s Mask to settle the task Aiden had given him. However if he revealed his abilities before so many soldiers, it would all be for naught. In arge scale battle it would be possible to summon undead because they might be mistaken for monsters, but anything more would be risky. ¡°Kueeek!¡± As their numbers continued to fall, the Orcs slowly began to retreat little by little. Clearly they had begun to notice that the battle was not going well for them. Instead of pursuing, Woohyuk went to meet up with the mercenaries that had been encircled. ¡°Are you guys okay?¡± ¡°Yes, all thanks to you, sir.¡± A middle aged man with brown hair, bowed his head to him. He was Daryl, the leader of the 3rd Mercenary squad. He was very skilled with the sword, and was a rather well known figure among mercenaries in the Rhine Kingdom. ¡°Where¡¯s Rick?¡± ¡°He climbed a bit higher.¡± There were a total of 3manders for the mercenary squads, including Rick. Although they led simr sized squads, Woohyuk¡¯s rank was highest. That was because he was the leader of the 1st squad. It was normal for Daryl to use honorifics when addressing him. ¡°Go back and request support from Aiden.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As Daryl led his remaining men back to camp, Woohyuk turned to the direction that the Orc horde had disappeared in. ¡®They were hidden somewhere ¡¯ Based on the tracks found on the ground, it seemed that they had a hideout nearby. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes gleamed as he studied the Orcs¡¯ tracks that led in a single direction. *TLN : Raws read the monsters as Aken, but I have no idea what they are and they were described exactly as an Orc would be, so I went with that. Chapter 55: Corcas Mountains Punitive Expedition 2

Chapter 55: Corcas Mountains Punitive Expedition 2

By following the tracks left behind by the surviving Orcs, they were able to discover a cave entrance was hidden behind some shrubs. Aiden decided to immediately investigate inside, leaving only the bare minimum of troops behind to secure their camp. ¡®It¡¯s quite deep.¡¯ Woohyuk felt something was off as he followed behind the Guards with his men. With this cave forking into so many paths that lead to different exits in the mountain range, it was impossible to predict which path the monsters woulde from. ¡®I¡¯m d I learned of this.¡¯ In the past he had only focused on upying Heidelberg, the capital city of the Rhine kingdom. Since that had been his priority, he hadn¡¯t thoroughly explored the Corcas Mountains. Even by the time Isaac had died to Logan, he still hadn¡¯t finished exterminating the monsters here. Harrrk The flickering torches created long shadows across the wall. Everyone¡¯s nerves were on edge The cave consisted of aplex system of tunnels, so no one knew when a monster might pop out. [It¡¯s quieter than I expected.] As they continued marching, Lee Jaesung who had kept his silence until now, messaged him. He was a leader of a toon, just like Jung Sanghoon and led 20 mercenaries. [Did they know we wereing and retreated elsewhere?] Jung Sanghoon replied, as he grasped the hilt of his sword in case. They thought that their appearance might have changed the monsters¡¯ ns, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t want to jump to any hasty conclusions. [Be careful in case the remainder of their tribe was still here.] Their numbers had to be very vast if they could invade the ins every year. It wouldn¡¯t be easy for them to survive if they made amotion and were suddenly surrounded from all sides after having gone too deep inside. As Woohyuk pushed his senses to the limit, he heard the sound of a drum being beat, echoing down the tunnel. Doong! Doodoong! Doong! He suddenly had an ominous feeling. Aiden quickly prepared the troops into a defensive formation ¡°Kyyaaak!¡± Orcs poured out from the many forked paths. Their numbers too many to count, as theypletely filled up the cavern. ¡®Looks like many will die.¡¯ Fighting in such an enclosed area wasn¡¯t ideal. It was a situation where something had to be done or they¡¯d face a tragic end. Rather than revealing his abilities however, Woohyuk sent Aris and Irene instead. [Kill them] [Yes!] [...] The orcs were sliced in half by the ck scythes that these two women wielded. Their sess in turn caused the troop¡¯s morale to rocket. ¡°Kill these monsters!¡± ¡°Oooaaah!¡± The Guards and Mercenaries shouted their battle cries as they fought back against the horde of Orcs. Chaos Corpses continued to pile up on the ground, as the groans of the wounded resonated through the cave. After quite some time¡­ ¡°Ugh.. ugh¡­.¡± The attacking Orcs had almost all been killed, leaving only just a few that were still fighting. The survivors struggled to catch their breath, as they took in their surroundings. It was truly a hellish sight. Such that it made one feel quite lucky to still be alive. [Hide again in my shadow.] [Hey¡­] [Okay.] As Aris and Irene disappeared, the soldiers that had been near them looked around in surprise. ¡°Where did they go?¡± ¡°I could have sworn they were just here¡­¡± The women had appeared out of nowhere and greatly contributed to the battle. Although it was dark and they weren¡¯t able to get a good look at them, they had been very skilled. After getting his men in order, Aiden turned to look at Woohyuk. ¡®Are they with him?¡¯ He felt that he had been hiding something, but didn¡¯t expect something on this level. ¡®He might not be interested in pursuing a career in the military after all.¡± He now better understood why he was searching for a Historical Site. A man seeking more power. Even if he were to achieve some merit, he wouldn¡¯t settle for a fixed position in the army. As Aiden was receiving casualty reports from his Lieutenants, a soldier shouted out. ¡°There¡¯s a strange magic circle here!¡± At once everyone turned to look at him. Behind him on the stone wall, was a strange symbol painted in burgundy blood, with a dark pentagram on top. ¡®It¡¯s David¡¯s Star.¡¯ King Solomon¡¯s symbol. It meant that there was a Demon sealed nearby. In Historical Sites, such kinds of symbols would appear invisible unless certain conditions were met. In this case, it seemed that the Orc¡¯s blood had been used as a medium to reveal its presence.. Woohyuk approached the array on the wall and ced his right hand on David¡¯s Star. Shaaaah The dark magic circle disappeared as it was absorbed inside Woohyuk. At the same time, the wall gave in and a tunnel appeared. A secret passage, no doubt leading to a Historical Site. ¡°Are you going inside?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°...Good luck.¡± Since it was something that had been agreed upon beforehand, Aiden left his group to explore the site. The reason he didn''t join them to clear the Historical Site together, was due to their current situation. It was unknown whether the Orcs would return, perhaps even in greater numbers, so making their way out of the cave was the safer option. ¡°Anyone that is willing to join in on this exploration, is wee.¡± Woohyuk turned and spoke to the soldiers under hismand. It was a unit consisting solely of mercenaries. Unlike the Kingdom¡¯s army or Guards, they didn¡¯t nearly have as much of a sense of duty, and mostly only thought about riches and treasures. The offer was likely very tempting since any Historical Site was like a gold mine. ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± ¡°Me too¡­.¡± As he had expected, they all wanted to join. Woohyuk nodded back, as he pulled out Grandia. An unknown Historical Site that hadn¡¯t been discovered even in the past. He would have to proceed with caution. Jubuk Jubuk The squad marched along the tunnel. * * * The inside of the ruins was filled with spider webs. Naturally, it was easy to guess that this was the Arachne¡¯s Temple. Woohyuk made his way forward, defeating venomous spiders which were as big as brown bears. ¡®It¡¯s soplicated, like a maze.¡¯ It was divided into several levels, and theyout would shift periodically. Therefore, it was impossible to return where they came from, much less map out the area by leaving marks where they¡¯ve passed by. One wrong turn, and they could find themselves surrounded and trapped by venomous spiders. ¡°My sense of direction ispletely out of whack.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ve descended quite a bit.¡± Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon were also having a hard time. The men in his squad were likewise exhausted, but given the nature of the Site, they couldn¡¯t afford to stop and rest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are almost there.¡± Woohyuk said as he cut two spiders in half with a single swing. By absorbing the David¡¯s Star, he had obtained some basic information regarding the Arachne¡¯s Temple. This would help shorten the amount of time their raid would take. A benefit granted exclusively to the pioneers. On the Eeth continent, the first people to discover a Historical Site would usually be rewarded in some way. ¡®The Spider Queen¡­.¡¯ A woman who had once been cursed by the Great Earth God, turning her into a Spider Queen. Upon seeing her reflection in the mirror, she had gone crazy and secluded herself in this deep abyss for a long time. Although he pitied her fate, they were bound to sh since she represented one of the ingredients in his Seven Colored Rainbow Ring. He didn¡¯t think he could settle things this time by simply talking it out, seeing as the other party had already lost their sanity. As they moved on to another chamber, they came across a strangely shaped spider. [Explosive Spider] Its bright red color made it easily distinguishable from its venomous brethren, and it also moved much more quickly. ¡®This doesn¡¯t look good.¡¯ Woohyuk left his men behind and approached the spiders by himself. Then... Pung! The closest Explosive Spider scuttled its way over to Woohyuk and blew itself up in a violent explosion. Poisonous liquid was scattered across the area just like if a grenade had gone off, even corroding the stone walls. ¡®It would have been dangerous if we just forced our way through.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if they could survive a direct blow from that, but at the very least they¡¯d take heavy losses. Woohyuk stared at the Explosive Spiders before him, as he erected a shield with the Ghost Queen Star Serpent. ¡°Yoo Kayoung, cast a Fire Wall behind me.¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± She raised her staff and a wall of me split the chamber in half. It was a magic spell which he had put to great use in their battle against the Orcs. ¡®I should be able to take care of them by myself.¡¯ The spell¡¯s true purpose was to restrict his own squad¡¯s field of vision. Woohyuk then summoned some of the weakest of his undead creatures. He sent them front one by one as he cast Corpse Explosion on them. Bang Bang! The undead monsters blew up, taking any nearby Explosive Spiders along with them. The battle was soon over, and Woohyuk advanced once more with his men. ¡°Is this the final door?¡± ¡°Finally¡­.¡± Beyond the bodies of spiders scattered across the ground, were three bronze doors. A white text floated above each of them. Easy, Difficult, Medium ¡°What difficulty are you thinking of choosing?¡± ¡°Should we go all out?¡± Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon couldn¡¯t even hide their despair. Of course Woohyuk wanted to choose the middle option, but the level of difficulty didn¡¯t necessarily mean the other two weren¡¯t the right path. ¡°Let¡¯s split up from here on out.¡± In order to avoid any confusion, Woohyuk proceeded to split the troops into groups himself. The Easy door would be tackled by a group of 120 mercenaries that were the weakest among them. The rest of the men would be sent to the Medium difficulty. ¡®It would be best if we can challenge all three.¡¯ Separating their forces was the best way to maximize their chances of sess. He was still confident that he could deal with the Difficult path by himself. After all he had an army of undead. Kieeeeek. He opened the bronze door in the middle. Sarrr Ominous sounds rang out from the darkness. ¡®Is it Arachne?¡± He no longer had to rely on items with night vision properties, since his Demonic Energy more than made up for it. There was a monster crouched in the middle of a circr space. It looked like a spider with its several legs, but its upper body closely resembled that of a human. It was far from ugly though. ¡°Why did you break into here?¡± Arachne asked in a cold tone, as its red eyes narrowed. At the same time, the bronze door mmed shut behind him, and what little light had filtered in before was now gone. ¡°There is something I need here.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t allow anyone to take things from me anymore. Not a single thing.¡± Arachne quickly turned hostile. As she raised her hand, baby spiders began to hatch from the eggs that had piled up along the edges of the room. ¡°Give him a most painful death!¡± The number of baby spiders was such that they carpeted the ground, as they swarmed towards him. As they approached, Woohyuk pulled out Verserios. ¡®It¡¯s a good chance to use my Demon powers.¡¯ They were now in a confined space with no witnesses, so even if he cooked up a storm, no one would learn of it. As Woohyuk stabbed Verserios into the ground, ck mes spread out, melting all the baby spiders. ¡°Are you a Demon? That¡¯s a surprise.¡± Arachne said with a perplexed expression. She had easily evaded the mes by climbing up to the ceiling, not taking any damage. ¡°While you¡¯ve confined yourself here, the world has greatly changed. Many of the Gods have been sealed by the Creator, and the 72 Demon Kings have awakened from their slumber.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what has happened, I hate this world. I wish only that everything disappears so that there are none left toy eyes on me!¡± She certainly appeared crazy. Arachne then spun her web to create a spiderweb on the ceiling. ¡®Negotiating with her didn¡¯t seem like an option.¡¯ Woohyuk raised Verserios without saying a word. I wasn¡¯t like continuing down this path would ever work. A decisive surprise attack should be the best way to end this quickly. Whuiiic! Verserios ripped through the air, as it flew towards Arachne. However, now that she was on her spiderweb, Arachne¡¯s agility had doubled and she was able to just barely dodge with some nimble movement of her slender legs. Quazzik! Verserviors tore through the spiderweb, embedding itself on the ceiling. As the pieces of rock began to fall from the ceiling, Arachne spun herself a new web. ¡°Due to my beauty I had men courting me every single day. I had a promising future!¡± Among them there had even been a handsome prince. He was quite popr, with good looks and excellent swordsmanship. Unfortunately the prince eventually ended up marrying a princess from a neighboring country. When Arachne found out, she cursed the Earth God out of anger. She med it for not listening to her prayers, and as a result she was turned into the Spider Queen. ¡°I won¡¯t believe anyone. Eventually they will be sure to betray me and stab a dagger in my back!¡± Having justpleted her new web, Arachne cried, her words dripping with malice. She had aplished the task very quickly, no doubt because of her innate spider abilities. She kept speaking, all the while looking down towards Woohyuk that was approaching her. ¡°Did you underestimate me because I¡¯m a spider? Ha! But I also have a secret weapon. Take a good look at this beauty!¡± The spiderweb which Arachne had spun was actually a high level magic array. [Status Effect Magic: Petrification] The kind of magic that can instantly turn the opponent into a statue. Woohyuk however continued to advance unhurriedly. He was immune to most poisons as well as petrification magic, due to the Basilisk¡¯s Set he was equipped with. ¡°As your Master, Imand you.¡± A dark energy burst out of Woohyuk''s body like a raging me. He had released the Demonic Energy, increasing its output by a whole levelpared to before. ¡°Kill the enemy which lies front of me¡± As Woohyuk finished speaking, a ck vortex appeared around Verserios devouring anything nearby. Chapter 56: Corcas Mountains Punitive Expedition 3

Chapter 56: Corcas Mountains Punitive Expedition 3

Guooooooooo! Arachne¡¯s body trembled upon hearing the screams of the trapped souls. ¡®What¡­.¡¯ Her spiderwebs had no resistance whatsoever faced with these ck mes, quickly burning up. As she felt herself being dragged towards Verserios the was stuck on the ceiling, Arachne gnashed her teeth. ¡®I need to activate the magic array.¡¯ If things continued this way she was sure to be swallowed up by that mysterious weapon. Arachne hurriedly spun her web, reforming the magic array once more. A ck beam shot out once she was done. ¡°I did it!¡± She wasn¡¯t sure about other things, but at least she could im to be confident regarding her curse magic. Even if she were facing a Demon, they would suffer when facing greatly if they received a direct hit from this spell. As Arachne felt proud of her work, her web was ripped apart by a sudden gust of wind. Chaaahhhak! The suction power of the vortex had suddenly increased dramatically. Arachne looked down at Woohyuk in amazement. ¡°He¡¯s fine despite taking the Petrification spell head on¡­.¡± He was no ordinary Demon, but if he had been one of the 72 Demon Kings, it would have been impossible for her not to recognize him. ¡®I never thought he would be so strong.¡¯ She felt like she had hidden away for too long and her battle sense had been dulled. Arachne spun her legs, frantically spinning her web despite the look of hopelessness on her face. Then. Puook Verserios ran her through from behind, clearly piercing her stomach. It had the ability to move ording to its owner¡¯smand. ¡°Kuhuk¡± Arachne puked out a mouthful of dark red blood, as she moaned in pain. It felt like her body was on fire. Her head slumped down, as thest of her Demonic Energy was absorbed. ¡®I don¡¯t know what to do.¡¯ After pulling Verserios out of her, he looked at Arachne¡¯s unconscious body. It was fine to let her die, but it wasn''t like it was his only option. ¡°What should I do?¡± As Woohyuk asked the question, Aris and Irene stepped out of his shadow. ¡°Hmm¡­ it would be wasteful to kill her.¡± If he was able tomand Arachne, who was the Spider Queen, it could be beneficial for him in many ways. Still, it was unclear whether she would be loyal and obey him. It would be better to carve out her heart and feed it to Irene. With her Replication skill, she could absorb her victim¡¯s abilities, even if it was only a weaker version of it. ¡°We should let her live.¡± Irene was in agreement with Aris. Even if it took a bit of effort, she felt that it would be worth it to properly train her. ¡°Then I¡¯ll put you in charge.¡± Woohyuk looked to Aris. Since she was also a Demon, she could make use of her superior hierarchical status tomand her, and Arachne would be forced to obey. ¡°Okay.¡± As Aris carried Arachne out, Woohyuk ced his palm on the engraved rune on the wall. Srrrrk A small hidden room was revealed, with a red altar in the middle which held some items. [Arachne¡¯s Curse] Category: Personal Item Effect: Ingredient for crafting or Alchemy. Simply by holding it you can prevent spiders from approaching. [Cradle of Grief ] Category: Jewelry Grade: C Durability; 12,500 Effect: When activated, any enemies within a 15 meter radius are sent into a state of confusion, after which they suffer from a 35% decrease in Spirit for 10 minutes. ¡®This was Isaac¡¯s artifact.¡¯ Like many adventurers, Isaac had also started off as a mercenary. It wasn¡¯t entirely surprising that he had participated in the Rhine kingdom''s punitive expedition. Woohyuk thought back to the past as he ced the items in his Sage¡¯s Pouch. ¡®Back then there had been a rebellion.¡¯ Following the failed punitive expedition in the Corcas Mountains, the Rhine kingdom royalty had been weakened. Many nobles that were dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, formed an alliance and revolted. yer ns were also split among both sides, as they engaged each other in fierce battles. Isaac had been a part of the rebel camp. His power was too weak to assume the throne, but he had gained significant merit and was appointed as themander of the Teutonic Knights. The many leaders that followed him received high positions as well. ¡®Things will be a bit different this time.¡¯ For one Isaac was dead, but there were still the other leaders that were alive. If he left them to their own devices, the entire Rhine kingdom would still be plunged into chaos. He didn¡¯t want the kingdom¡¯s power to be consumed by any infighting. After all, he was nning on taking over the country in the near future. As he nned his next steps in his mind, Woohyuk walked out of the hidden room. * * * The main reason he chose the Rhine Kingdom as his starting location, was mostly due to the Seven Colored Rainbow Ring. It was here that the Crafting Scroll as well as all the crafting materials could be found. Still, as for its long term prospects, the Rhine kingdom was also an attractive location. ¡®The 72 Demon Kings will soon make their move.¡¯ The Generals of the Demon army, that had once faced off against the Gods. It would be advantageous for one to have already established their base before those colossal being moved in earnest. Having elite vassals under him was likewise important in order for his ns to seed. ¡®First order of things is to wrap up this punitive expedition.¡¯ Either way the monsters here in the Corcas Mountains would have to be dealt with sooner orter. Even if it might be a bit difficult to clear the ce right now, it was something that had to be done. Upon returning to the camp set up by the Northeast Guard unit, Woohyuk and his party prepared to break camp. It was now time to move on to the next stage of the operation. Most of the soldiers under him had managed to ovee the trial in the Arachne¡¯s Temple without too many difficulties. ¡°We haven¡¯t received any news from the scouts we¡¯ve sent to contact Commander Gaius.¡± Tenon announced at a meeting ofmanders that was held within arge tent. They were currently in a strategy meeting, with ayout of the mountain range on a table before them. ¡°If the Kingdom''s army is in trouble, we can¡¯t stand by and do nothing. It is our mission to aid them so that this punitive expedition goes smoothly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite worrisome, the expedition has just begun and yet¡­.¡± Daryl, the leader of the 3rd mercenary squad said with a worried expression. He had almost gotten his men killed by a horde of Orcs, so he was quite a bit more cautious that previously. Rick spoke up seeing that there was no objection among the othermanders. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we continue to explore the cavework? We can try to help out the Kingdom''s army, but we might alsond ourselves in trouble instead.¡± They now better understood why the previous punitive expeditions had failed. If they were able to properly scout and map out thework of tunnels, it would be considered as a huge contribution. ¡°That might be a good idea. Compared to the 5th Legion, our numbers are inferior.¡± Aiden nodded as he was in agreement with Rick. ¡°If we are able to prepare properly and try once more, we can reduce the number of casualtiespared to the previous times. Even if they have some measure of intelligence, in the end they are only monsters.¡± ¡°That makes sense, but it might be a bit too much topletely ignore the Kingdom¡¯s army.¡± In the event of the 5th Legion¡¯s defeat, the Northeast Guards would have to take responsibility. If others were to spin the story in a way that suggested that they ignored the army¡¯s plight in order to run around and obtain merit, they could find themselves in trouble. ¡°Anyways it was the Commander¡¯s decision that was wrong¡­.¡± ¡°Still, it isn¡¯t like it''s a good thing for the kingdom to lose more soldiers.¡± If this punitive expedition were to fail, the monsters from the Corcas Mountains would once again descend and invade the ins. Aiden eventually chose to go to the army¡¯s rescue, because he couldn¡¯t bear to see his homnd devastated. Even if it meant enduring theints of Rick and the other mercenaries. After the officers¡¯ meeting came to a close, the Northeast Guards and the mercenary squads began their march towards the top. By the time the sun hung above their heads, a group of soldiers were seen running down the mountain up ahead. ¡°Are they from the kingdom''s army?¡± Aiden brought the army to a halt and watched carefully. There was a group of two or three hundred Orcs chasing them down. ¡°Archers to the front.¡± Hearing Aiden¡¯smand, a unit of Guards carrying longbows walked forward and drew. Shooshooshoo! Countless arrows were sent out, turning the Orcs into pincushions. The ratio of archers in the Guard was quite a bit higher than the Kingdom''s army. Theirposition was more advantageous for fighting in this mountainous terrain. ¡°What happened to the main force?¡± Aiden interrogated the 5th Legion¡¯s soldiers after the Orcs had fled. They looked so haggard that they must havee from a huge battle. ¡°We were caught in an ambush by monsters and suffered great casualties.¡± ¡°Many of us were split off into different groups, easily picked off. We saw Commander Gaius retreating back to a fortified position with the remainder of the army, but were too far to join him. In essence, the Orcs hadid a trap for them, and now the entire Legion risked being wiped out. These were the lucky few that had managed to break out of the encirclement and flee for their lives. ¡®I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this.¡¯ All he could do now was to focus on reducing the amount of casualties. Aiden had the men double time it, as they rushed to Gaius¡¯ fortified position toe to his aid. * * * Their fortified position was a gruesome sight to behold. Soldiers with limbs cut offy on stretchers, as voices calling for help could be heard all around. They could only me fate for putting them under an ipetentmander. All this wouldn¡¯t have happened if Gaius hadn¡¯t been so eager to put an end to this punitive expedition so soon. As the few able bodied men attempted to rece the wooden barricades, Woohyuk looked on in disgust. ¡®He¡¯s truly ipetent.¡¯ Although his first impression of him hadn¡¯t been good, he didn¡¯t expect it would be to this extent. Because they had lived through such a long period of peace, these high positions were upied by cunning opportunistic politicians, rather than experienced generals. It was further evidence of the Rhine kingdom¡¯s internal corruption. ¡®I¡¯ll have to reorganize the internal departmentter.¡¯ There was a saying that still water decays. If he didn¡¯t resolve any internal issues, the country would be a mess while he was away. In order to properly rule a country, it was necessary to have a good and fair system of government that resulted inpetent ministers. Naturally, Gaius would be reassigned when he took power. Such a foolish and irresponsiblemander, even leading 100 men would be beyond him. ¡®Well, he may still prove useful for now.¡¯ By making use of his current rank, he was able to avoid procedures. As Woohyuk approached therge tent, soldiers moved out to block his advance. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I am the 2nd Lieutenant, inmand of the 1st Mercenary squad, here to pay my respects to the Legion¡¯s General.¡± ¡°...Please wait a moment.¡± He wasn¡¯t even part of the Guards, so they gave him strange looks. A short whileter, permission to enter was granted and Woohyuk walked inside the tent. Gaius was sitting down in front of his desk, looking restless. ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡± ¡°Did you say your name was Chun Woohyuk? I heard a lot about you from Aiden.¡± The mercenary that had discovered thework of underground tunnels and helped defeat an army of Orcs. Because he wasn¡¯t any regr mercenary, Gaius had granted him an audience. ¡°Do we have any countermeasures in ce for the monster army encroaching on the camp?¡± ¡°Countermeasures? We will simply fight to thest man. It is impossible for the 5th Legion to be defeated.¡± For Gaius, the fortified position was hisst stand. If he chose to retreat and live instead, his career in the army would be over, and he¡¯d lose any influence. He would rather die than choose such an option. Woohyuk nodded back as it had been the answer he¡¯d expected. ¡°You are so stubborn.¡± ¡°....You should be more careful with your choice of words. I¡¯m the Commander in Chief of this punitive expedition, while you are nothing more than a lowly mercenary.¡± As Gaius got angry at Woohyuk, other soldiers within the tent pointed their spears at him. Woohyuk however didn¡¯t blink as he retorted. ¡°A man who pushes his men to the death, because of his own pride, does not deserve tomand.¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind after achieving some merit? Currently you don¡¯t even have Aiden here to take care of you. It wouldn¡¯t be a big deal even if I were to kill you right now. ¡± As Gaius signaled them with his eyes, soldiers tried to arrest Woohyuk. Just then a ck mist appeared and spread out within the tent. It was Woohyuk using his Cradle of Grief ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Gaius was in a state of confusion, as he held his head in pain, staggering as he leaned over his desk to avoid falling down. In such a weak state that he would copse to the ground with the slightest touch. Being ignorant of curse magic, he couldn¡¯t understand what was happening to him. ¡°I¡¯ll have to make you my Vassal, even if your mere thought of it disgusts me. ¡± ¡°Wh...at...are you¡­¡± Gaius was unable to continue, because Woohyuk had ced his Demonic Energy within him, turning him into his puppet. ¡®Sess.¡¯ Even if they were apart, his Asura ability was able manipte his body and make him move ording to his will. The type of control was slightly different and more direct than a Necromancer¡¯s undead. It had many advantages, but it was also only possible to possess a small number of individuals at once, because his mastery of the Demonic Energy wasn¡¯t sufficient to properly control more. ¡®From now on I¡¯ll lead.¡¯ Now that he could control this figure head as he pleased, It would be easier to bring this punitive expedition to a close. Seeing Gaius sitting at his desk with a nk expression, Woohuk turned his gaze upon the map of the mountain range. Chapter 57: Corcas Mountains Punitive Expedition 4

Chapter 57: Corcas Mountains Punitive Expedition 4

The morale of the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s 5th Legion had hit rock bottom. It was all due to the reckless advance on the first day that had led them to being surrounded, unable to break out of their position. Woohyuk instructed Gaius to gather the punitive expedition together and entrust them with different tasks to bolster their defenses. ording to the scout¡¯s report, the monster¡¯s army had already arrived before them, so a direct confrontation was no longer possible. As he was overlooking the fortress in preparation for the uing battle, he received a message from Leifina. [Monsters are invading the Guard camp.] [How many?] [About three thousand.] They had left only 500 Guards to defend the camp. It would be difficult for them to hold on for an extended period of time. Even if they fought their hearts out it wouldn¡¯t be long before they were defeated. Woohyuk quickly summoned Aris and Irene to his side. ¡°You two go help out Leifina.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°....¡± The Guard camp wouldn¡¯t fall so easily because it was a well fortified military base. As the two women disappeared, he spotted the monster army approaching in the distance. Vast numbers such that they were surrounded on all sides. Woohyuk looked down at the enemy from his position up on the watchtower. ¡®Is that guy the boss?¡¯ There was a huge Elder Troll that appeared to be leading the horde, escorted by Wild Ogres. He was almost certain of his guess based on its size and well as its equipment that looked superior to its fellow monsters. He considered sending some magic spells his way, but hesitated at thest minute. Trolls were a race that had an inherently absurd level of regeneration. ¡°I¡¯ll have to wait until it approaches.¡± Woohyuk ced the troops at their encampment¡¯s entrance. They had a decently defensible position, having set themselves up on a hill, as well as digging a moat and building a rough wooden palisade. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem to defend this ce for quite some time, so long as their supplies held up. Shooshooshoo! As the Orc rushed to cross the moat, the archers wielding longbows set up along the wall let loose their arrows. Upon seeing this, the Elder Troll gave out new instructions, having them attack the encampment with a catapult. Quuuang! Arge rock rained down from the sky, crushing a few soldiers upon impact. ¡°Aggh!¡± ¡°Help!¡± The cries of the wounded rang in the air. ¡®Looks like we will need to deal with that soon.¡¯ Since they had no siege engines of their own, it was hard for them to retaliate. Looking around to make sure he was unnoticed, Woohyuk secretly summoned the countless undead he had been collecting, assembling them on the other side of the moat. A total force of 1,200 undead. It was a mix of different types. From flying units like Gargoyles and Griffins, to Cavalry and even Mages. ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°They look like undead¡­.¡± The soldiers stared with wide eyes. It never crossed their minds that Woohyuk might be a Necromancer. [Exterminate those monsters before you.] Upon hearing Woohyuk¡¯s order, the undeadmanders led their troop in an assault against the enemy. At first nce, it seemed like quite the reckless n. However due to Isaac¡¯s Death Temr ability that would summon his victims as Dark Knights, their numbers didn¡¯t suffer too much. His Leadership Stats had also increased, and he was now able tomand 500 undead. Whuiaaaak! Every time that Isaac struck with Darkness sh, a ck wave flew out from his sword, felling any monsters before him. He was mainly targeting the Ogres and Trolls, which due to theirrge size, were difficult opponents for most of the undead soldiers. ¡°Grrrr¡± In response to this sudden counter attack, The Elder Troll ground its teeth and redeployed the army. Roughly half were sent to deal with the undead¡¯s assault, while the other have pressed on to capture the encampment. They had to cross the moat in order to take the camp, but they hade prepared. Kuuung! Large trees that had been recently uprooted were carried by Trolls, ced down as logs to create a makeshift bridge. This allowed the smaller Orcs to make their way across. ShuShuuShu! Arrows continued to rain down upon them, put the Orcs pressed on fearlessly. This was because the Elder Troll had used a Battlecry to boost their morale. Hwarrrk! As the Orcs crossing the wooden bridge neared the camp¡¯s entrance, a me barrier blocked their path. Yoo Kayoung had cast her Firewall. Also, Undine summoned a dark cloud to rain above the wooden bridge. The rain made the wooden surface quite slippery, resulting in many Orcs falling down into the deep moat. ¡°Kahak!¡± ¡°Krrrrr¡± Screams filled with pain resonated in the air. Seeing that they weren¡¯t making any progress in capturing the encampment, the Elder Troll attempted to call a retreat, in order to first wipe out the undead army. Just as he was about to give the order. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± A squadron of Gargoyle and Griffons appeared from the sky, performing a vicious ambush. They were being led by the undead Lee Shinwoo, who as a Dark Shaman, could fight from atop a flying mount. Hwuiiiic The Ogres nearby swung their fists to knock them out of the sky, but the airborne undead were unharmed due to the corpse strengthening skill they had been buffed with. As the Elder Troll continued to take damage, it began to fear for its life and began to retreat. Just then, a dark blue wave appeared and hit it¡¯s ankle. [Bondages of Death] A curse spell that reduced the opponent¡¯s movement speed by 20%, for a duration of 10 seconds. ¡°Hyaaah!¡± As Lee Shinwoo gave him the signal, Isaac spurred his horse forward by forward as he charged over with his Dark Knights. Dudududu! The teau shook as if an earthquake had struck. ¡°Chuiic! ¡°Krawraw! The surrounding Ogres and Troll did their best to escort the Elder Troll to safety. However, as soon as Isaac and James struck with their Darkness sh, they quickly copsed. Eventually they had closed the distance with the group escorting the Elder Troll, and James lifted his longsword, casting Oathbreakers¡¯s Curse. A skill technique that targeted a party¡¯s unity, causing you to betray your own allies. Although it didn¡¯t cause any direct damage, its impact was enormous. Monsters turned around to attack their colleagues nearby, sending the enemy group intoplete chaos. As victory was within their grasp, James headed straight for the Elder Troll. It wasn¡¯t able to run away, because its escape route was being cut off by Dark Arrows sent by Lee Shinwoo. Kng! His longsword surrounded by a dark aura, shed with the opponent¡¯s staff that was bathed in mes. Although the Elder Troll had a magic ss, it had a superior physique. Still, when it came to a close quarterbat, James that had previously been the Captain of the Imperial Guards, held the advantage. Seizing an opportunity, he managed to plunge his longsword deep into the Elder Troll¡¯s nk. As he shook from the injury, Lee Shinwoo shot another Dark Arrow from atop his Griffon. He aimed at its ankle which was undefended from its magic shield. ¡°Grrrrr¡± The wounded Elder Troll roared as it dropped to its knees, demonstrating its unwillingness to admit its defeat. It tried to cast a Fireball, but James¡¯ longsword was faster, and didn¡¯t give it the opportunity. Suguk Following a dark sh, its head was sent flying through the air. Jame¡¯s longsword was enchanted with the power of darkness, giving it a superior sharpness. So much so that it was capable of cutting through the Troll¡¯s tough muscles with a single strike. ¡°Chuiic?¡± ¡°Kraw?¡± Seeing their boss be beheaded, the monster horde lost their will to fight, and fled in chaos. Watching them flee, Woohyuk opened the gate and had the 5th Legion give chase. ¡°Don¡¯t let a single one of them live.¡± It was a good chance to cull the numbers of these monsters that caused problems every year. Of course it wasn¡¯t like he thought that this one victory meant that they would manage to exterminate all the monsters, but at the very least they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them for the next little while. Woohyuk unsummoned his undead, and then gave chase along with the rest of the 5th Legion. * * * After a month of hunting, the Corcas Mountains Punitive Expedition had finally ended in sess. Upon exploring thework of tunnels they had discovered on the first day, they were able to wipe out several monster nests as the 5th Legion and Northeast Guards made short work of them. Unlike previously, merit was properly assigned. Anymanders that tried to falsify reports were severely punished, and mercenaries weren¡¯t discriminated against in this regard. The same went for any embezzlement of military supplies. The roots of such an absurd long standing practice werepletely stamped out. Although the expedition hade to a close, the mystery about the undead army and demons continued to be a hot topic among the soldiers. They simply couldn¡¯t understand where they hade from. It was all due to the fact that Woohyuk had properly hid his identity and skills the whole time. ¡°Where will you be headed to next?¡± Aiden asked Woohyuk who was about to mount his golden maned swift horse. Their Guard camp was currently busy with cleaning out any internal issues, and although he wanted to hold on to Woohyuk¡¯s party for as long as possible, he didn¡¯t have any justification to do so. ¡°Ionian ins.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rich area. The harvest this year is bound to be plentiful as well since there won¡¯t be many monsters invading.¡± ¡°That may be the case.¡± Woohyuk agreed with a nod. His eyes however gave off an unusual sharpness. ¡®It¡¯s right about the time they make a move.¡± He didn¡¯t know all the details, but many ns had joined hands with the nobles in order to rebel against the Rhine Kingdom royalty. His next goal was to put an end to their ambition. In order to avoid any disruption to his future ns, he needed to eliminate any unwantedpetitors. ¡®It was also said that they had the key to Medusa¡¯s Temple.¡¯ A hidden treasure within the Royal Pce. Before returning, he learned from his informationwork the pce held the key and map of Medusa¡¯s Temple. It was a ce that held one of his much needed materials to craft the Seven Colored Rainbow Ring. In order to get his hands on it, he would first have to assume control of the Rhine Kingdom. Aside from the Arachne¡¯s Curse, the other materials wouldn¡¯t be discovered for quite some time, so he could afford to spend some time here. ¡°I happen to know Count Huntington personally. I¡¯ll write you a rmendation letter which should allow to obtain a decent position.¡± Count Huntington came from Hayswick, which was where Aiden originated from as well. With his help, things would go a lot smoother. Woohyuk looked at Aiden in surprise. ¡°Are you close with the Count?¡± ¡°I once saved his life on the battlefield.¡± Count Huntington was well known for his good faith, so he was sure to take good care of one who was sent by a person to whom he owed his life. As he waited for Aiden to draft the rmendation letter, Tenon came over to talk. ¡°Hey, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Shoot.¡± ¡°In the Corcas Mountain ruins¡­ what kind of treasure did you find?¡± Tenon had been interested in Historical Sites since he¡¯d been a small boy. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t help but be curious as to what Woohyuk had obtained. ¡°Nothing special, some crafting material and a magic artifact.¡± ¡°Wow...:¡± Tenon¡¯s mouth was wide open as he looked at him in surprise. Until during the expedition, he appeared rather innocent right now. ¡®Maybe in the past it had been him that discovered the Historical Site.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t an easy feat to see through the camouge that hid the Cave entrance. One had to be quite the observant person in order to do so. As Woohyuk merely stared back at him in silence, Tenon asked once more. ¡°Hmmm¡­ then did you use a magic spell onmander Gaius, using the artifact you obtained that time?¡± Tenon couldn¡¯t wrap his head around how it was possible for a stiff and inflexiblemander like Gaius to suddenly show such a performance. Woohyuk must have used the same unique power like the time with those two mysterious women. ¡®It¡¯s such a waste to leave him rot over here.¡¯ In addition to Aiden, Tenon was also quite talented. Although he was still a bit rough around the edges, with the right training, he was sure to shine. ¡®If I get the chanceter, I should make him my vassal.¡¯ Woohyuk¡¯s n for the future included not only his own personal growth, but also the development of talents that showed good potential. As the battle for the Thrones would soon be underway, concentrating all the power in a single leader wasn¡¯t the right path. Taking the bigger picture into ount, any internal conflicts among humans would be their biggest threat, so a fair system ofpetition was necessary. The Overlords in the past however tended to be too focused on the interests of their own n, or secr power. After much struggling, he had also finally seeded, only to have missed out entirely on the purpose of this entire system. Back then Woohyuk had realised this far toote, and as such had chosen to embark on a different path this time around. For him, the Rhine kingdom was something he absolutely had to secure. He would establish a University of great renown, as well as an Internal system that attracted talents to his side. ¡°I can¡¯t reveal that unfortunately, I have my own reasons.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you did it with any evil intentions. Many things have changed for the better ever since you have intervened.¡± Both Aiden and Tenon had a good impression of Woohyuk. Without him, they would never have achieved such a result. As such it was better to turn a blind eye, and not speak of certain things. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again.¡± After receiving Aiden''s rmendation letter, Woohyuk and his party left the Northeast camp. A new journey began once more. Although it will be a tough road ahead, his mind was at ease. At least so far, everything seemed to be going ording to his n. ¡°There aren¡¯t many monsters in the Ionian ins, right?¡± ¡°It is said that their dark beer is their specialty.¡± Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon discussed their destination as they felt things were too quiet. Then, other members jumped in as well as they were drawn in by the hopeful atmosphere, talking about what they¡¯d like to achieve in the future. An unexpected moment of optimism considering their many trials toe. The unknown path was more colorful and exciting than he had expected. Sharing a simple dream the party continued to discuss among themselves as a golden field unfolded before their eyes. Chapter 58: Ionian Plains 1

Chapter 58: Ionian ins 1

In the dead of night, a small vige was ravaged by a fire. The sound of horses¡¯ hooves thumping against the ground as they galloped through, as well as the screams of the peasants filled the air. A ruthless ughter. The Hwarang n passed through, leaving countless corpses behind them. ¡°There¡¯s nothing interesting here.¡± ¡°Yeah, just a rural vige right?¡± Gwak Seyoung returned empty handed, while Han Jangmi wiped the blood off her dagger with a smile. It had been quite some time that they had arrived at the Eeth continent now, but they had yet to achieve any big sess. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to bring together all our members that have gotten lost.¡± ¡°They have to find their way here themselves, you are the leader after all.¡± It was impossible to find all of her n¡¯s 10,000 members. After all, many of them had started in different areas, such as uninhabited inds scattered around. As the n¡¯s leader, it was her priority to first establish a base, so that others knew where to gather. At least by using the Call to Arms skill, she was still able to summon 30 members to her side every 6 hours. ¡°I¡¯m a bit worried that Count Ludwig won¡¯t hold up his end of the deal.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t be able to turn his back on us, he needs us for his own ns.¡± A conspiracy to overthrow the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s royal family. With the recent death of thete king Frey, and the crowning of the young prince John, the nobles were beginning to show their fangs. And Count Ludwig was the most ambitious among the lot of them. Recently, he had been increasing his own private forces, taking advantage of the kingdom¡¯s instability to nurture his own army. ¡°If you can be granted some territory, we wouldn¡¯t need to be travelling all the time. It¡¯s hard to know how long this war willst.¡± Gwak Seyoung was sick and tired of this mercenary life. The kind of job which you always need to worry about money, and just getting by day to day. By bing famous you could at least get a better sry, but that required putting your life at risk. It just wasn¡¯t the kind of profession which had good long term prospects. ¡°ording to their n, they want to put an end to it before winteres. Their n does sound rather decent.¡± ¡°Is it because of the food supply? It might not even matter whether or not we seed.¡± The Hwarang n was tasked with taking over the Ionian ins in the uing battle. The goal was to control this year¡¯s harvest, and prevent it from going to the capital city of Heidelberg, as well as its surrounding areas. Until that point, they should avoid any confrontation with the kingdom¡¯s army as much as possible, or else other nobles might catch wind of their n. ¡°There is no guarantee that Count Ludwig will win the war, and a prolonged battle is not to our advantage.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to hide our n though because our numbers keep growing. Should we have applied to the punitive expedition in the Corcas Mountains?¡± ¡°... What would be the point of fighting alongside the kingdom¡¯s army, it would only expose our abilities.¡± ¡°Still, if they see our group of 3,000 moving about, wouldn¡¯t it raise a few eyebrows?¡± In addition to the original members that had already gathered , they also recruited new members here in the Rhine kingdom in order to fill the vacant spots of those that had perished. Unlike previously, if the n¡¯s leader were to die, the subordinate could keep the Unity ring for a duration of one month, giving them a chance to join another n during that period. Naturally they could no longer get together and internally elect a new leader to that position. ¡°Have you been in touch with the Akatsuki n? They¡¯ve been looting rather aggressively in the Issilon province these days.¡± ¡°No, they regard us as rivals, but don¡¯t seem to want to go on the offensive because they are wary of Count Ludwig. Still, we will need to keep an eye on them.¡± ¡°Those arrogant Nippos, can¡¯t wait to get rid of them in the future. We can take them on since we are allied with the Exodus n.¡± The Exodus n was based in Floren, so they were rather close to the Akatsuki n. Because of the geographical proximity, they often found themselves in conflict. Of course if the Hwarang n chose to fight against the Akatsuki n, they would help out. ¡°If you want to fight it out with them, you¡¯ll first need to be well prepared, right? ording to mytest intel they are also allied to another n.¡± ¡°What¡¯s their name? It should be a small sized one if I don¡¯t know about them.¡± ¡°I''m trying to collect intel from our members, it seems like half-animal, half-human.¡± As their entire human race had been moved to this world, the Eeth continent was filled with yers moving about. The human race however was just a small portion of them. There were many races that they had seen for the first time. As the n¡¯s vice-leader, Kwag Se-young tried to avoid any confrontation with them. As the two were talking among themselves, a farmer ran up to them, dragging his little daughter by the hand. ¡°Please help us! Our vige was attacked by bandits!¡± He cried out in desperation. Unfortunately he had sought salvation with the wrong people. As Han Jangmi gave him a look, Gwak Seyoung swung his one handed sword, cutting off the man¡¯s head. ¡°Dad!¡± The little girl shrieked in agony, as she saw the farmer being killed. Gwak Seyoung stared at her for a moment before forcefully silencing her. ¡°Oop oop ¡± ¡°Shut up unless you want to die. I¡¯m not known for my patience.¡± After undergoing the baptism of the world tutorial in the Primordial Forest and Canyon Battle, Gwak Seyoung had be quite the merciless being. He had long left behind his days as a college student. In order to survive, he had killed all those who stood in his path, no longer able to feel any remorse. ¡°We sell her as a ve?¡± ¡°Yeah, young girls like her can fetch a good price.¡± Buying enough supplies to sustain and equip their numbers was quite expensive. Han Jangmi nodded as she seized the terrified girl. Be careful not to get caught by Count Huntington, we are rather close to his manor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will move around quiet as church mice.¡± Soon, ck market vers would arrive from Media, the free port city in the Erutonia province. Gwak Seyoung smiled to himself as he watched his n members gather one by one. * * * ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I came to see Count Huntington.¡± ¡°What is your name please?¡± Rather than answering, Woohyuk simply handed over Aiden¡¯s rmendation letter. As the guard disappeared inside, Lee Jaesung who was standing behind him, spoke up. ¡°Their security is pretty tight.¡± ¡°I heard he is a very cautious man.¡± The kind of person that would knock on a bridge before crossing, even if it were made of stone. It wasn¡¯t that he was a miser, just that he selected the people around him very carefully. Count Huntington was also paying close attention to the many yers wandering about his estate. We should be careful in order to not appear to be too suspicious. ¡°Please follow me, I¡¯ll bring you to see the Count.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the guard to return and lead them inside. As he entered inside the manor, he saw the maids hard at work, preparing to receive the guests. Woohyuk carefully examined the interior. ¡®He seems very interested in art.¡¯ The room was filled with exquisite painting and sculptures to the point that it was quite impressive. He was without a doubt a patron to several artists. Despite his vast experience, Woohyuk could safely im to be rather ignorant when it came to art, since he had spent thest 40 years entirely on the battlefield. The guard paused before the door and spoke up while the party was busy admiring the art. ¡°Please go in, the Count is waiting.¡± The living room was very luxuriously decorated. As Woohyuk stepped in, he heard a deep voice. ¡°So you¡¯ve achieved great merit in the Corcas Mountains?¡± It was Count Huntington, who sat on his chair reading a book in a very refined manner. ¡°I was just a bit lucky.¡± ¡°Humble, I like that.¡± Aiden was not the type to lightly rmend someone. If he had managed to grab his attention, he couldn¡¯t be an ordinary person. Count Huntington promptly snapped his book shut, as he took a look at Woohyuk¡¯s party. ¡®Their members are all of different ages.¡¯ Such a lineup was quite unusual in a mercenary group. Almost as if they were a ragtag collection of war refugees. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to hear your purpose ining here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for a job.¡± An employment contract to ensure a stable life, that was all Woohyuk asked for. ¡°Talented mercenaries such as yourself are always wee. There are a lot of disturbances cropping up these days.¡± ¡°Can you be more specific?¡± ¡°Actually it¡¯s been rather quiet on my estate, but looting and banditry across the Rhine kingdom. Even a Lord was killed.¡± The thing that all they bandits had inmon however was that they all wore this unique type of watch on their wrists. Count Huntington thought as he found that same Adventurer¡¯s watch on Woohyuk. ¡°Can you exin how you obtained that? I feel a bit ufortable due to the many bad rumors circting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. We were defeated in battle, sold into very and then dropped off in uninhabited inds in the middle of a remote Sea.¡± Woohyuk briefly summed up the past events. Hearing his story, Count Huntington¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Survival game¡­ but terrible crimes are beingmitted.¡± ¡°There are many whom after being subjected to such severe conditions, have lost part of their sanity.¡± ¡°Who could be behind all this? It should be impossible for vers alone to achieve this.¡± Count Huntington suspected that the Empire¡¯s nobles were behind all this. It was because watching diators fight to the death in the coliseum was a big part of their culture. ¡°I have no idea. They are very careful to the point that they¡¯ve left no evidence.¡± ¡°I see, but then you can¡¯t remove the watch until you take care of the ve master?¡± ¡°RIght, but it isn¡¯t a big deal since it acts as nothing more than a device that records our personal information.¡± Woohyuk had recounted this story hundreds of times in the past, but none from this world would have believed him if he said the truth and imed toe from another world. ¡°I still have my doubts, but I¡¯ll believe in you since you were rmended by Aiden. Tell me more.¡± After his curiosity was at least somewhat sated, Count Huntington began negotiating in earnest. He asked that they defend hisnds from any attacks, and in return he¡¯d provide Woohyuk and his party with food and lodging. Of course there would also be a separate remuneration. Every time they resolved a situation, they would be awarded based on their contribution. ¡°Follow me, I will guide you to your lodgings.¡± As their contract was ironed out, the guard was called to the door to escort them. The Count however called for Woohyuk, asking him to stay behind. ¡°Mr. Mercenary, I have a personal request to ask of you.¡± ¡°....¡± Seeing him look around carefully, he figured it would be a sensitive issue. Woohyuk turned around, waiting for the Count to continue. ¡°By seeing how I decorate my manor, you no doubt know how much I adore the arts. To that end there are a few talented arts which I personally sponsor.¡± Unfortunately one of them had recently disappeared, the famous painter, Mikaelovich. Taking into ount that the canvas he had been working on remained here in the manor, there was a strong possibility that he had encountered some personal issues. He had wanted to mobilize some of his soldiers, but they were already stretched thin with the recent attacks, so he wanted to ask Woohyuk for his help. ¡°Do you have any clues?¡± ¡°Well, although Mikaelovich doesn¡¯t have a wife nor kids. There is this path in the woods which he often liked to walk. Count Huntington provided him with everything he knew about Mikaelovich. His physical traits, manner of speaking, habits, personality¡­. The description was so precise, that he could quite easily form an image in his mind. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do my best to find him.¡± ¡°He must be brought back alive, and his arms and legs can¡¯t be injured either.¡± If he had been kidnapped, no doubt the part involved would soon contact the Count for a ransom. Count Huntington however was worried that he couldn¡¯t ensure Mikaelovich¡¯s safety even if he were to pay. He felt it would be a better idea to rely on a resourceful mercenary such as Woohyuk. As he finished his discussion with the Count, Woohyuk returned to their lodgings and chose who would apany him. ¡®We can¡¯t stand out too much.¡¯ Since they were trying to covertly find a person that had gone missing, they couldn¡¯t travel as arge group and attract too much attention. After considering it for some time, he finally decided. ¡°Jung Sanghoon, Song Anna, you two follow me.¡± ¡°Then should we defend hisnds?¡± ¡°Right, just make sure to report any incidents to me immediately.¡± Even if Woohyuk wasn¡¯t around, there wasn¡¯t any issue when it came tomanding. There were currently 3 types of Officer positions within a n, Gold, Silver and Bronze medal, which allowed one to control 1,000, 100, and 10 members respectively. Since there were only 10 people left behind, as a Gold medal officer Lee Jaesung would have no issuemanding them. ¡°Boss, have you picked a n name yet?¡± Lee Jaesung asked Woohyuk as he was about to leave. In order for the n to gain some recognition, a name was very important, but it had been put off this whole time. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thister.¡± He didn¡¯t want to attract any attention to themselves this early. Upon arriving on the Eeth continent they were given 3 months before having to name the n, so they still had plenty of time. As he recalled the mistakes he had made in the past, Woohyuk walked out. Chapter 59: Ionian Plains 2

Chapter 59: Ionian ins 2

The n system, many had not fully understood its nature until the very end. The ranking updated in real time, and rewards would be given out every four months. It only applied to the yers, so if you were highly ranked, you could gain many benefits. This in turn incited conflicts among the ns aiming for the top spots. ¡®Back then, the n wars were quite savage.¡¯ Caring about your n¡¯s rank was an inevitability. This was because there were regr updates released, reporting stats like the number of people in the n, average stats, equipment level and amount of monsters killed. Eventually, this forced coalitions to form among ns that shared simr interests so that they could achieve a better ranking. These coalitions would frequently sh leading to many wars on the Eeth continent. ¡®Would the Rhine kingdom still be under the Red Hawk alliance?¡¯ Although they had managed to defend the kingdom for some time, they were eventually overrun by the Niflheim alliance led by Logan. They had invested greatly in developing their navy due to their advantageous geographical location and also maintained good diplomatic status with neighboring countries. ¡®What might be different now that Isaac isn¡¯t around?¡¯ Although the rebel camp was missing an entire medium sized n, he felt that this shouldn¡¯t have too big of an impact. After organizing the thoughts in his head, Woohyuk looked at arge tree stump. ¡°This looks like a good ce to sit down and enjoy nature.¡± ¡°Any signs of Mikaelovich nearby?¡± It had been three days now that he had gone missing, so it was proving difficult to find any clues. As Jung Sanghoon continued to search the surroundings for any tracks, Undine appeared. ¡°The spirits say that they saw a man being dragged away.¡± ¡°What did the assant look like?¡± ¡°I was a Demon with a child¡¯s appearance. It had dark green hair and golden eyes.¡± Upon learning this crucial information from the nearby spirits, they now knew that it was a single person that had acted alone. Still, it was still unknown whether or not the Red Hawk alliance was involved in some way. Woohyuk had his party summon their Jabberwoks, as they took off in the direction mentioned by the spirits. ¡°Someone has joined hands with a demon?¡± ¡°Well.¡± It wasn¡¯t always as simple as that. The keyy in the reason for Mikaelovich¡¯s kidnapping. If all the Demon wanted was to obtain somend from the Count, then it didn¡¯t quite make sense. ¡®Is it simply personal curiosity?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like Demons werepletely uninterested in the arts. There had been many cases of them fighting among themselves over collectibles obtained from humans. Since the victim was a famous painter, it was certainly a possibility. ¡°Hey, what are Demons?¡± Song Anna that was riding beside him on her Jabberwok, asked cautiously. She had also felt the Demonic power asionallying out of Woohyuk. ¡°Intelligent beings from the Abyss.¡± Actually, the difference between Gods and Demons was almost negligible. They just drew their powers from different sources, but both sides had various kinds of personalities. For the most part, Demons sought chaos, whereas Gods wanted to establish order. Still, there were many exceptions to this, so one couldn¡¯t just carelessly make assumptions. ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s quiteplicated.¡± Just like humans. Song Anna muttered to herself. ¡°Is your ability still at the first stage?¡± ¡°Yes, it hasn¡¯t increased.¡± The Child Blessed by the Seven Stars was a unique ss. It was somewhat simr to a Shaman, but the abilities were much more powerful. However, the number of abilities was limited to a maximum of seven. These nights she would often have dreams in which she was Ahri. ¡°How many contracts can you hold at elementals?¡± ¡°Just the one.¡± She had tried to summon both the Fire Elemental Smander and the Wind Elemental Sylph at the same time, but failed. There seem to be some sort of restrictions . As Song Anna was pondering on her failures, Undine spoke. ¡°The trail ends here.¡± They were now at the edge of the forest. Woohyuk got off his Jabberwok and stepped over some shrubs. ¡®It must have noticed the spirits and defeated them with its demonic power.¡¯ There was a chance that it''s hideout was nearby, so it was worth searching the area just in case. ¡°Did he return to the demon world?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unlikely.¡± The Demons that were awakening one by one, were already fighting over their ranking. It was difficult to im ownership over a human, unless they were one of the 72 Demon Kings. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s response, Jung Sanghoon raised his sword. ¡®It must be right since the boss says so.¡¯ Woohyuk had yet to be wrong. The tragedy that had urred in the Canyon Battle could only be med on them, since they had ignored his warning. ¡®I need to be careful not to repeat the same mistake asst time.¡¯ This is good timing to use his Rogue skill, ¡®Trap Search¡¯. A hideout would always have a healthy amount of traps. Chulkuk Just as Jung Sanghoon lowered himself, a small hole appeared on the middle of the nearby cliff and a long muzzle stuck out. Bang! A magic bullet shot out, heading straight to Jung Sanghoon¡¯s forehead. It was a very dangerous moment, but luckily he had already been dropping down, and was just barely able to dodge. ¡°Kuook!¡± Jung Sanghoon groaned as he rolled on the ground. Having seen what happened, Woohyuk and Undine bothunched an attack against the cliff. Pung, Pung! Colorful magic spells exploded on the area, mangling the muzzle. As the situation had been resolved, Woohyuk went to check on Jung Sanghoon. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes, luckily I was able to avoid it at thest minute.¡± If he hadn¡¯t cast Trap Search when he had, he would likely have a hole in his head right now. Woohyuk nodded back, as he saw Jung Sanghoon look relieved. ¡®His burst of speed is quite impressive.¡¯ Lee Jaesung was an Apprentice Knight so his Defense was quite high, but this also meant that he was a bit slow to react to fluid situations. The same was true for Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna. Their sses were primarily magic based, so their physical abilities were low. Jung Sanghoon however was there to cover for his teammates¡¯ shorings. He had to perform well in this role until Woohyuk was able to scout a capable Ranger. ¡°Then let¡¯s resume the search.¡± They all nodded back in response. Since there were some suspicious traps in the area, there was sure to be something hidden nearby. The party peeled their eyes as they searched for a hideout. Whiriic! In a gust of wind, a dark shadow appeared within this lush forest. ¡°What are you guys doing over here?¡± It was a young looking boy with dark green hair and golden eyes. As if that weren¡¯t enough to link him to their suspect, he had a pair of ck wings as well. ¡°Where¡¯s Mikaelovich?¡± ¡°So you are searching for him as well. Are you here at the request of Count Huntington.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How surprising, aren¡¯t you also a Demon?¡± Count Hunting was a follower of the God of Light. Perhaps he simply didn¡¯t know that the one he¡¯d employed was a Demon, but why would a Demon act as a human¡¯s messenger? Loengreen couldn¡¯t understand the situation. ¡°First answer my question.¡± ¡°Mikaelovich is safe, he¡¯s with me.¡± ording to Loengreen, Mikaelovich was a homosexual. That was the reason he had never taken a wife. Of course he could never reveal this secret to Count Huntington, who regarded homosexuality as a cardinal sin and would burn him alive at the stake. ¡°So he wasn¡¯t kidnapped?¡± ¡°Although at first he was unwilling, eventually I was able to convince him. Only I can understand himpletely.¡± In consideration for the kindness which the Count had shown him, Mikaelovich had wanted toplete his work of art. Loengreen however was well aware that the other demons were starting to awaken, and had wanted to keep him safe. ¡°So it was like that.¡± ¡°If you understand the situation, then please return, there might be othersing here due to the sound of the gunshot.¡± The enchanted mechanical trap installed on the cliff had been created by Loengreen, with the aid of Mikaelovich. As Loengreen politely asked them to leave, Woohyuk had to think about it for a moment. ¡®He seems to be quite considerate.¡¯ Among Demons, there were those that were indeed quite virtuous. Hopefully he would be able to resolve this peacefully. Even if he defeated him, Woohyuk might run the risk of alienating Mikaelovich, making him uncooperative. ¡°Do you think you can ensure his safety here in the forest?¡± ¡°It¡¯s much better than in the viges that are so often raided these days. I¡¯ve seen several suspicious people within Huntington¡¯snds. ¡°Suspicious people? Did they also wear watches like this one here?¡± Woohyuk showed him his left wrist, upon which Loengreen nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, they seemed to be nning something. If you''re on Count Huntington¡¯s side, then Mikaelovich could be in danger.¡± Loengreen patiently exined the situation since he regarded Woohyuk as a fellow Demon. Something that he had never expected in the past. Since on the surface he appeared to belong to the Demon camp, he has been benefiting from this misconception. However just his word to confirm that Mikaelovich was safe wouldn¡¯t be enough to satisfy the Count¡¯s request. ¡®I¡¯ll have to find apromise.¡¯ Count Huntington was searching for Mikaelovich out of concern for his safety. If Huntington were to know of this, he would surely understand. Considering the situation, it wasn¡¯t necessary to bring Mikaelovich to see Huntington. ¡®Besides, he knows some crucial information.¡¯ For Woohyuk, Mikaelovich¡¯s safety was less important than rooting out the rebels. That meant that at least for now, Loengreen was a better ally than the Count. ¡°I have a solution to make this problem go away.¡± ¡°What do you have in mind.¡± ¡°Have a letter handwritten by Mikaelovich stating that he was eloping with a noble woman and that they were in love. For that reason, the work of art would have to be dyed.¡± Of course he had to also properly ask for the Count¡¯s forgiveness in this matter. Upon hearing Woohyuk¡¯s idea, Loengreen quite happily nodded in agreement. ¡°I ept your proposal, it seems like a good solution to this entire dilemma.¡± ¡°Now there is something I want from you.¡± The location of all the n members in the Red Hawk Alliance. With Loengreen¡¯s help, he¡¯d be able to quickly track them down. As he began to make some ns for the future, Woohyuk opened his eyes, giving off a sharp gaze. * * * Upon hearing thetest information from Loengreen, Woohyuk didn¡¯t dy and quickly returned to deliver the letter to the Count. As he had expected, Count Huntington was relieved to learn that Mikaelovich was safe and sound, no longer caring about his whereabouts. ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡± As soon as the Count pped his hands, a guard came over with a pouch filled with coins. A total of 100 gold coins, a fair bit of money for a mercenary. Compensation based on results, as promised. Of course he can choose a different reward. If he so desired, he could choose somend with a small estate. Still, coins would be more useful in the uing war. Woohyuk however, made an unexpected decision. ¡°I¡¯ll take 50 gold, as well as the unfinished painting.¡± Mikaelovich had asked that he bring him the painting he had been working on. Count Huntington stares at Woohyuk with a stern look. ¡°You are quite wise, choosing a way to get both.¡± For Huntington, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to hand over the canvas. After all, Mikaelovich had already announced in his letter that he wouldn¡¯t be able to work on it for some time. Although he might return someday to pick up his brush once more, until that time came the unfinished painting was worthless. After obtaining his rewards, Woohyuk began to investigate the whereabouts of the Redhawk Alliance. Of course they had yet to actually form an alliance, but were destined to do so because their goals all aligned. ¡°Have the spirits found nothing?¡± ¡°Indeed, maybe it¡¯s because there have been too many people passing by.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s question put Undine in a difficult spot. The general principle was that spirits didn¡¯t involve themselves in human affairs. Unless they were contracted with a human, spirits would go to their own dimension, bing one with nature. They werepletely indifferent to what urred in the mortal world unless a creature such as a Demon drew their attention. ¡°I guess there must be some nobles supporting therge ns from behind the scenes.¡± Jung Sanghoon who had been silent this entire time, suddenly spoke up. There was the possibility that some vassal had betrayed Count Huntington. ¡°Perhaps that is the case.¡± ¡°Then we should tell the Count¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like him knowing will make any difference.¡± Many nobles had already turned their backs on the royal family. Unless they obtained proof, pretending to be ignorant was the safer choice. If the nobles were to catch wind of that fact that their ns had been discovered, they might choose to move up the timeline instead. ¡®Either way, they are like mice trapped in a jar.¡¯ Loengreen and Aris were secretly watching over Count Huntington, so the rebels wouldn¡¯t have an opportunity to strike. As the party stared into the empty fields, the sound of wheels rolling was heard in the distance. Dulgruk, Dulgruk ¡®Huh? Isn¡¯t that...?¡¯ Woohyuk¡¯s eyes narrowed as he watched the light brown carriage approach. Chapter 60: Ionian Plains 3

Chapter 60: Ionian ins 3

Although it had tried to blend in with stacks of hay at the top, it was almost certainly a merchant''s carriage. There was something off about a merchant choosing to haul hay as goods, after all, it was quite expensive to engrave a magic array on the carriage. ¡®Is he a smuggler?¡¯ There were indeed a few smugglers who acted illegally, providing goods that were deemed as contraband and sourced from free cities. They were the core of what was known as the ck market. Weapons, drugs, ves, magic books, etc. They would deal with anything so long as it meant they made a profit. ¡®It¡¯s worth looking into.¡¯ Unlike Erica¡¯s merchant group, these smugglers wouldn¡¯t have any qualms dealing with all kinds of criminal organizations. It was very possible that they were in some way conected to the rebellion. ¡°Let¡¯s intercept that carriage.¡± Woohyuk jumped on to his horse and kicked its nks. Neeeeigh! The swift horse blew from its mouth as it galloped forth. Seeing Woohyuk approach at great speed, the smugglers dropped the act. ¡°We¡¯ve been discovered!¡± ¡°Quickly, maximum speed!¡± The coachman whipped the horses frantically, but the gap between the two continued to narrow. Finally, Woohyuk¡¯s swift horse had arrived at the carriage¡¯s side. Whiriic! The Vampiric dagger flew out, sinking into the coachman''s ribs. ¡°Kuhuk¡± As the coachman slumped down, the carriage lost its conductor and began to lose control. Seeing that they wouldn¡¯t be able to escape, the guards turned to look at Woohyuk, then charged towards him. ¡°You insolent whelp!¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± In these guards¡¯ eyes, Woohyuk was but a young pup, still wet behind the ears. A fatalpse in judgement. These guys weren¡¯t able to recognize the veteran that stood before them and the result was a terrible ending. ¡°Uhaaahak! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± Seeing that their guards were useless, the smugglers¡¯ eyes widened in worry. ¡®Who is he?¡¯ This man appeared to be more of a mercenary, rather than a knight serving under Count Huntington. A young man with red hair. Although he wasn¡¯t able to recognize him, the smugglers chose to flee since they knew that his opponent was quite skilled and that they wouldn¡¯t be able to best him. ¡°Yah!¡± Of course that was just their wishful thinking. After summoning Irene to take the coachman''s ce, Woohyuk chased at full speed. It wasn¡¯t long before he caught up, brandishing Grandia and causing a few heads to go flying. ¡°Please, spare me!¡± The only survivor pleaded desperately for his life. Woohyuk grabbed him by the neck and yanked him down from his horse. ¡°What are you guys carrying in your carriage.¡± ¡°That¡­.¡± The man hesitated to respond, as he had an awkward expression. Naturally he was worried he¡¯d be branded as a criminal. However he had worse things to worry about just then. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer right now, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± As Woohyuk showed him his Vampiric dagger, the blood drained from his face. ¡°Eeh! We transport ves! If you want, they are all yours. Please show mercy¡­.¡± The man fell down to his knees as he bowed his head. Woohyuk signalled Jung Sanghoon to deal with him, as he went to inspect the carriage. ¡®Is it some sort of concealment magic?¡¯ He was quite certain that he couldn¡¯t hear any soundsing from inside. It could still be a trap, so they first had Undine undo the magic array. ¡°It should be fine now.¡± Although she was a water spirit, they would always think of her as an adventurer like them. She was currently going the route of a Cleansing mage. It was all due to Song Anna entering a contract with her, which allowed her to obtain a physical body. ¡°Keep an eye out.¡± Leaving the group behind, Woohyuk went ahead to open the doors. Upon looking inside, his forehead began to crease. ¡®It¡¯s only children.¡¯ To be more precise they were all young girls, so their destiny wasn¡¯t hard to fathom. First stop was a free city, and then some remote location where they¡¯d be sold off as sex ves. There were some nobles with certain peculiar tastes that would pay good coin for these young women. ¡°Please don¡¯t hit me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ask for any more food¡­.¡± The children dressed in rags shrunk back in fear as they begged for his mercy. ¡°Woohyuk reached a girl with brown hair which sat closest to him. ¡°Come here for a bit.¡± ¡°....Okay.¡± The brown haired girl trembled noticeably as she reached out and held his hand. A gaunt appearance, clearly she hadn¡¯t been eating her fill. Woohyuk stroked her head to reassure her. ¡°Where do youe from?¡± ¡°The Erutonia province.¡± Erutonia was located just south of Ionia. No doubt she had been kidnapped and was now headed towards the free city of Media. ¡°What is your vige¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Denber, but it''s gone now. Some bandits came and burnt it to the ground.¡± Even if she were released, she would have nowhere to go now that her parents had been murdered. As the brown haired girl sniffled, Woohyuk took out an apple from his pouch. ¡°Here, have this.¡± ¡°Tha... thank you.¡± She was so famished that she bit into the apple on the spot. Woohyuk spoke to them once more after giving each of the children an apple. ¡°You won¡¯t be sold into very.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll just be sent to a merchant group in a free city where you¡¯ll be asked to do a few house chores.¡± Erica wouldn¡¯t treat these orphans badly. At the very least he never that they wouldn¡¯t be treated as sex ves. Upon closing the carriage door, Woohyuk turned to the middle aged man. ¡°Who did you have dealing with on Count Huntington¡¯s side?¡± ¡°Ah, it was sir Andrew.¡± Andrew was a fairly high ced vassal within the Count¡¯s retinue, however it seemed that he had a hand in smuggling orphans from the Ionian ins. ¡°What about the ns? Surely some of those people that walk around with watches just like these have also been your customers, right?¡± As Woohyuk showed him his Adventurer¡¯s watch, the middle aged man nodded back frantically. ¡°Ye...Yes, I was going to sell then some information.¡± Ionia¡¯stest developments as well as any military weaknesses. Because they were looking to learn as much information as possible, the Hwarang n made use of the many smugglers scattered across the kingdom. These smugglers could easily obtain all sorts of information through their many contacts and customers. ¡®The Hwarang n.¡¯ As Woohyuk heard what the middle aged man said, he looked up to the sky. It was a name he had seen many times in the n rankings. Still, because in the past they had been very far apart, he had never had the opportunity to face them. By the time Isaac took power, their n had already been dissolved. ¡°You¡¯ll have toe with me for now.¡± Now that a traitor in his circle had been uncovered, it was time to have a face to face chat with the Count. After knocking the man unconscious and cing him on the back seat, Woohyuk turned his head. * * * Count Huntington was furious upon learning of the nobles¡¯ intention to revolt. It had been a year now that the Crown Prince, John, had assumed the throne. He had known that the power struggles had intensified in wake of king Frey¡¯s death, but he hadn¡¯t expected them to be aiming for the throne. ¡°I was wrong in misjudging sir Andrew.¡± Huntington sighed as he looked out the window. He was a talented swordsman, yet he betrayed his own lord, even plotting against him. He had ced his faith in the wrong person. ¡°I will capture and bring him here myself.¡± Woohyuk, who was staring at the map of Ionia, mentioned. A less skilled fighter might fail, so it was better to make sure. ¡°I would appreciate it. There aren¡¯t many that could best sir Andrew in a fight.¡± If it was a fair one-on-one duel, even the Commander of the Knights, Gilbert, wouldn¡¯t necessarily be able toe out on top. If Woohyuk didn¡¯t go out and deal with him, things might be moreplicated. ¡°I¡¯ll ept a reward in gold.¡± It would cost coin to send the girls all the way to Landium, and all the preparations were already in ce. There wasn¡¯t even a need for him to send a letter, because he still had members of his n staying in Landium. They could simply exchange messages through the Unity ring. ¡°It¡¯s quite surprising to me that you care so much about these children that have no future.¡± Count Huntington was beginning to have an even better opinion of Woohyuk. Mikaelovich¡¯s disappearance had been easily solved, and despite his appearance, he appeared to be quite righteous. He had wanted to offer him a position as a senior knight, but the timing wasn¡¯t right. ¡°For peace in the Rhine kingdom.¡± Woohyuk couldn¡¯t ignore the plight of these poor girls, since this was the kingdom he would soon rule. The Eeth¡¯s continent¡¯s natives would age at the same speed as humans did back on earth, until the age of twenty. After that, they would age very slowly, which meant that they could continue to work in their respective professions for a very long time. In other words, these girls represented valuable human assets. ¡®I need to create a ce in which everyone can thrive.¡¯ Even if he couldn¡¯t abolish the current ss system, the act of viges being looted and burnt to the ground had to be stopped. If the people¡¯s safety wasn¡¯t guaranteed, in the long run the kingdom¡¯s power would wane. ¡®No doubt John is feeling overwhelmed right now.¡¯ He was quite young to bear a king¡¯s burden. Even if he managed to survive, he wouldn¡¯t ever be regarded as a wise king. Unlike Frey who was known as the Honorable King, his personality wasn¡¯t that great. In the past, his failure to stamp out the noble¡¯s rebellion was directly tied to hisck of human empathy as the King. It would be best to allow him to be poisoned by Count Ludwig. ¡°I don¡¯t know if King John is aware of this treachery yet. He has to gather the soldiers immediately and kill these traitors.¡± ¡°In order for a secret letter to be sent to the king, It has to be someone reliable and familiar with the capital¡¯s politics.¡± Either way it would all be in vain, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t want to burst the Count¡¯s bubble. It would be troublesome if he were to feel guilty and fall into a depression. For now all he had to do was to give it his all to protect Ionia¡¯s grain harvest. ¡°I need to find a way before this entire kingdom bes one huge battlefield. Count Huntington on his end, wanted the other nobles to suffer due to their greed. Woohyuk then set out, leaving the nervous Count behind. ¡®He said that they would meet near the water mill.¡¯ It was where he learned Andrew would meet with the smugglers. Wheat was the Rhine kingdom¡¯s main produce, so there were many water mills along the river in order to grind it into flour. After entrusting the smugglers¡¯ guard to Jung Sanghoon to watch over, Woohyuk headed to the outskirts the Count¡¯s territory. ¡®A one-on-one duel.¡¯ On the Eeth continent, there were many talented individuals that were self-taught. Even if he had be quite strong, it was never a good idea to underestimate others. It didn¡¯t take long to meet a man that was rxing by the river¡¯s side. Woohyuk walked up to him and unsheathed Grandia. ¡°Are you Andrew?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Andrew smiled as he looked back at Woohyuk. He thought that the young man with red hair standing before him was the smuggler he was set to meet. ¡°I challenge you to a duel.¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t see you throwing your gauntlet, I guess you aren¡¯t a knight. It doesn¡¯t seem like you''re the person I was waiting to meet either.¡± Knightly etiquette required one to throw their gauntlet when challenging another to a duel. If the opponent picked it up, it meant that they epted the challenge. Andrew felt annoyed that the etiquette hadn¡¯t been followed, but on the other hand he had also been hoping for this secret meeting to have gone off without a hitch. ¡°Are you afraid to face me?¡± ¡°Not at all. I might have some apprehension if it were Gilbert, but I¡¯m not the least bit afraid of some nobody like you.¡± Andrew replied and he unsheathed his longsword. His face contorted into an unpleasant expression. The very fact that someone else had showed up to their secret meeting ce, meant that something had already gone wrong. ¡®Most likely the smuggler has been caught.¡¯ They had left many loose ends, so it wasn¡¯t that surprising that they¡¯d been found out. Still, it was a rather unfortunate turn of events since they were almost ready for the surprise war. It would have been easy to kill off Count Huntington if they had gone unnoticed for a few more days. As Andrew clicked his tongue, he parried Woohyuk¡¯s strike. Kng! His expression changed to one of surprise. ¡®He is actually quite skilled.¡¯ He knew that he couldn¡¯t be anyone ordinary since he had sought him out on his own. Although his swordsmanship was wless, it was his presence that stood out. A living energy that once he encountered gave him an eerie feeling, one that instinctively cause him to shrink back. Andrew became nervous upon experiencing such a feeling for the first time. ¡°What the hell are you?¡± ¡°Just an ordinary mercenary.¡± A totally unbelievable lie. He must be the second strongest among Count Huntington¡¯s knights. There weren¡¯t many people that could make him feel fear. ¡®I need to go all out.¡¯ There was a technique which he had yet to show off. As he was exchanging blows with Woohyuk, Andrew¡¯s eyes narrowed. He lifted his sword to strike once more. Shaaah However he disappeared from sight, leaving behind nothing but an afterimage. Vanishing into the shadows, he had disappeared from Woohyuk¡¯s field of vision. ¡®Sess!¡¯ Andrew, who had just appeared behind Woohyuk, had a victor¡¯s smile. [Shadow Step] The only person he wouldn¡¯t be able to catch off guard and kill with this technique was Joshua, the Shadow Swordsman, and his teacher. It was a secret skill which he had never even shown to the Knight¡¯s Commander, Gilbert. Because he was confident in this skill, Andrew never doubted that he¡¯d achieve victory as he aimed for Woohyuk¡¯s neck. ¡°It¡¯s too slow.¡± A cold voice came from behind him. ¡°...Huh?¡± Andrew turned around with an expression of shock, only to see Woohyuk standing behind him. ¡®Wait, what?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t even seen him move. He just realised that Woohyuk¡¯s vanishing arts was a higher level skill than even his own Shadow Step. Puk! His fist smashed into Andrew¡¯s face. As he fell down to the ground with a groan, Woohyuk kicked his longsword away. ¡°You¡¯ll have toe with me for a bit.¡± An overwhelming difference in strength. It had taken less than a minute for him to be disarmed and helpless. Even taking that long was only because Woohyuk hadn¡¯t given it his all. ¡®Aplete defeat.¡¯ Even if he were to try again, the result would be the same. The man who stood before him had already reached the peak, a ce he would never rise to in his entire life. Just the very thought of it made him lose all his fighting spirit. Andrew trembled in fear at the sight of him. Chapter 61: Ionian Plains 4

Chapter 61: Ionian ins 4

Andrew confessed to his sins, however he didn¡¯t know much sensitive information, so a deeper investigation wasunched. Within the Count¡¯snds, those that had joined the rebellion were quickly rounded up, including some yers as well. To date three ns had been identified. There were the Hwarang, Exodus, and Akatsuki ns. They all operated in different provinces, and were supported by nobles intent on rebelling. On the other hand, the ns that allied themselves with the royal family were only a small and medium sized one, so they couldn¡¯tpete against the rebels. ¡®The key lies in taking out the ns.¡¯ Woohyuk discussed some countermeasures with Count Huntington as they looked at a map of the Rhine kingdom. He finally had a good grasp on where everyone¡¯s loyaltiesy. ¡°Arpen which lies to the north and the northeastern Ashton are close allies. Nobles from those areas enjoy close ties with the royal family.¡± Whenever the monster horde descended from the Corcas Mountains, it was the kingdom¡¯s army which hade to the rescue of the local nobles on numerous asions, which had earned them their goodwill. Of course it was still the better solution to defeat the horde at the border, in Marquis Nelson¡¯s territory if at all possible. Each year the army would be sent out to support. ¡°Then are the rest all enemies?¡± ¡°Perhaps, he mentioned that the loyalist faction had mostly been eliminated.¡± Any noble that refused to rebel had attracted the wrath of these ns that sided with the rebellion. It was the reason behind the increase in looting and burning of these viges. Woohyuk thought about something, as he pointed to Cerendia in the Royals¡¯ territory. ¡°How many troops are stationed here?¡± ¡°Just the 1st legion. The other four have already been sent out.¡± In order to put an end to thetest banditry in the kingdom, the army was busy searching for them across the country. However it was unknown whether some of the Legion¡¯s top officers had already switched sides. ¡°This would be the best time to move against the capital.¡± ¡°Everything is in chaos, even monsters are making an appearance.¡± Despite seeding in thetest punitive expedition, monsters were still making an appearance across the kingdom, their poption suddenly increasing. For that reason, the 5th Legion had to stay behind in the Northeast Guard camp. The same was true for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Legions, as they were all upied. Without an explicit order from the king, they couldn¡¯t abandon their current post. ¡°Still, If I were then, I would take over the Ionian ins first.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ is it because of the food supply? ¡°Right, wars have a tendency to drag on.¡± The Ionia province was strategically important because it was thergest grain producer in the kingdom. If it were to be seized by the enemy, the flow of food to Heidelberg capital city would be cut off. The other provinces didn¡¯t produce nearly as much grain to export and satisfy the capital¡¯s food requirements. ¡°I¡¯ll have to send word to the 3rd Legion¡¯s Commander that is stationed in Erutonia.¡± ¡°Are you certain he can be trusted?¡± ¡°Although his political ideologies aren¡¯t exactly clear, he likely leans to the loyalist faction. He was one of the pirs which King Frey the Honorable relied on heavily.¡± Maximus, Woohyuk had also heard of his name in the past. It was said that he had been the most sessful among the Legionmanders, but ultimately there were no ounts of his deeds. That was because Count Ludwig, who assumed the throne had rewritten history to suit his purpose. ¡®I¡¯m a bit worried since Maximus is in Ludwig¡¯s province.¡¯ Little was known about Count Ludwig. Anything he knew he had learned from Isaac¡¯s stories, but that was far from a reliable source. After all, it was Isaac whoter chased out the Count, taking the throne for himself after he¡¯d obtained the Seven Colored Rainbow Ring. ¡°What is Count Ludwig currently up to?¡± ¡°It is said that he is conducting military drills every day.¡± It was all in order to instill proper discipline and increase his strength for the uing military invasion. Since the whole kingdom had been thrown into chaos, his action hadn¡¯t yet aroused any suspicion. As Woohyuk was trying to figure out Count Ludwig¡¯s next move, Gilbert walked into the room. ¡°Count Huntington, we have reports that monsters have invaded yournds.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°they appear to be roughly 5,000.¡± Other than the Corcas Mountains, there were several other locations that housed monster nests throughout the Rhines kingdom. Still, even taking that into ount, the size of the invasion this time was unusuallyrge. Count Huntington reacted quickly. ¡°It¡¯s an emergency, gather all the vassals at once.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± Giving the Count a small bow, Gilbert nced at Woohyuk curiously. Among Count Huntington¡¯s men, more and more people were bing curious about Woohyuk. ¡®He managed to defeat Andrew in a one-on-one.¡¯ Because he had been busy hunting traitors thest few days, this was his first time seeing him in person. Although he wanted to challenge him at least once, the timing wasn¡¯t right. Gilbert clicked his tongue and he turned to leave. ¡®Looks like I will be relying on you once more.¡¯ Count Huntington led all the soldiers under hismand and set out to hunt the monsters. ¡°Help!¡± ¡°Monsters areing!¡± As they appeared at the scene, they came across some fleeing peasants that were pleading for help. Everyone had been caught off guard by the unexpected invasion. ¡°Don¡¯t let a single one of these vermin escape with their lives.¡± Upon hearing the Count¡¯s orders, their knights carryingnces galloped forth to engage the numerous monsters. Dudududu Orcs that had been plundering the nearby farm, were trampled on by the knight¡¯s charge. There were also therger Trolls and Ogres that were difficult to deal with in closebat, so the archers were sent in to finish them off. Although they performed admirably, it was not enough to take out all the monsters. They were only able to gather the soldiers that had been stationed in Hayswick, so they were still very much outnumbered. As the army struggled to hold on, Gilbert appeared leading another group of knights. ¡°For the Count!¡± These vassals of the Count bolstered their numbers, bringing their total to 4,000 soldiers. Even if they were still fewer than the monsters, the difference wasn¡¯t all that noticeable since they were elites. They ughtered any monsters that stood in their way. Suguk An Ogre¡¯s thick waist was cut cleanly in two by a single sh of Grandia. The nearby soldiers that managed to see such a spectacle, had their eyes wide open in shock. ¡°He¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Incredible, just like the rumors.¡± A man that was able to crush monsters three times his size. In the Rhine kingdom, it was rare to find one with such skills. Having just managed to cut off a Trolls head, Gilbert clicked his tongue. ¡®I didn¡¯t know it was to such an extent.¡¯ He moved just like a veteran that had spent his whole life on the battlefield. Leaving a mountain of corpses in his wake, this kind of ughter could only be a result of countless experiences resulting in it bing a sort of instinct. His performance even sent chills down Gilbert¡¯s spine, despite him being confident in his own sword skills. ¡®He is not someone who will remain a mere leader of mercenaries.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure what Woohyuk had done in the past, but one thing was certain. Woohyuk hade sensing the bloodshed of the uing war. Gilbert swung his longsword, as he realised how incredible this young man was. * * * The battle against the monsters only ended just before sunset. After finally bringing order to his ownnds, Count Huntington finally took the chance to write to Maximus. He knew that he had to gather allies before the damage to the kingdom got any worse. ¡°If things continue down this path, we will all die.¡± Huntington said while sending a carrier pigeon. He was already feeling overwhelmed before the actual war had even begun. If the rebel army were toe, they would have no choice but to hole up on Hayswick, waiting for reinforcements to arrive. ¡°They came from the south.¡± ¡°Those monsters were most likely chased out from Erutonia, looks like Maximus¡¯ punitive expedition is still ongoing.¡± The 3rd Legion had some presence in the Ionia province, but their numbers weren¡¯t high because the area was normally quite peaceful. ¡®Were they trying to distract him?¡¯ The Erutonia province was ruled by Count Ludwig. From prisoners they had caught and tortured, they learned that he was supporting the Hwarang n from behind the scenes. As other ns continued to arrive, the army was helpless to stop them. It was all a setup to keep Maximus tied up. ¡®The attack mighte tonight.¡¯ There was no better timing for them if they wanted to take control of the Ionian ins. ¡°I¡¯m going to go do some scouting.¡± Leaving the Count behind, Woohyuk went to the front gates of Hayswick. As he walked through the deserted estate, Loengreen appeared by his side. ¡°I found some suspicious looking people.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°To the north of the Count¡¯snds.¡± They were about 3,000 strong, many of them wearing the iconic adventurer watches. Woohyuk nodded back and summoned his Three wed Eagle. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Are you nning on dealing with them by yourself?¡± ¡°They still don¡¯t know about us.¡± Count Ludwig had yet to realise that his n was going to fail, because they had already captured all the spies within Huntington¡¯snds. The same went for the Hwarang n. They had captured some of their members and hypnotized them in order to pass along false reports. This allowed them to trick their leader Han Jangmi into moving ording to their ns. ¡®No doubt they had nned to have Andrew open the gates from the inside in the dead of night.¡¯ As long as they captured Hayswick¡¯s main castle, the Ionian ins would fall under their control. When Maximus decided to deploy the 3rd Legion, Count Ludwig would send his own army to block their path. They would then do a pincer attack, attacking from both sides to defeat the 3rd Legion and then move on to the capital, joined by the other nobles. ¡®Of course things won¡¯t go as they nned.¡¯ Now that Woohyuk knew their n, he no longer needed to hesitate. As they moved to the north, Woohyuk finally removed his Jester¡¯s Mask. He didn¡¯t want any locals to recognize him now that his persona had be well known. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good looking.¡± ¡°... I don¡¯t swing that way.¡± ¡°That aloof personality is also quite attractive.¡± ¡°....¡± Leongreen however was speaking the truth. He really felt that Woohyuk appeared more noble and majestic than anyone he¡¯d ever met. A mysterious Demonic aura that seems to attract other Demons. Even Agares who until recently he had served for a long time, seemed insignificant inparison. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Loegreen pointed a bit west with his index finger. A forest that was just on the borders of Count Huntington¡¯snds. It was the best ce for the Hwarang n to hide. Woohyuk had his eagle set him down on solid ground, as he proceeded to summon his undead army. ¡®It¡¯s better to take care of them without the Count¡¯s help.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t fight at ease when his forces were around, because he couldn¡¯t make full use of his abilities. Until the end of the war, he still very much needed the support of the loyalist faction, including Count Huntington. Even if it was a bit annoying, his best course of action was to keep a low profile, since it would speed up his timeline. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are their monsters here?¡± Soldiers that had been hidden in the bushes cried out in surprise. It was their first time seeing an undead monster. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate, quickly eliminate them.¡± Han Jangmi shouted from behind an oak tree. This caused Woohyuk to focus on her. ¡®Is that woman the leader?¡¯ The kind of face that made her look like she was in her mid 20¡¯s. Judging by the leather armor and bow slung around her shoulder, she most likely had the Ranger ss. If he was able to capture her, all of the Hwarang n members would have to surrender. ¡®She is more valuable alive.¡¯ Killing the n¡¯s leader wasn¡¯t the best idea, because it will only force all the members that were now n less to rush to join another group. However if he were able to hold the leader hostage, he could prevent such a scenario. That was because unlike back in the Canyon Battle, it wasn¡¯t quite so easy to leave your n for another here on the Eeth continent. The only way to do so was to remove your Unity ring, which would cause its destruction. However a Unity ring could no longer be reced, so such an option would on be used as ast resort. ¡®Most won''t want to travel the Eeth continent by themselves.¡¯ The n system was of a great help to yers that had just arrived and were getting used to this newnd. In their opinion, losing their Unity ring was tantamount tomitting suicide. Even if Han Jangmi was captured by the enemy, they wouldn¡¯t easily forsake her. Woohyuk silently made his way to Han Jangmi¡¯s location. ¡°Are you the one controlling those monsters?¡± Gwak Seyoung who was standing above on a tree branch asked and he pulled out his dagger. ¡°...¡± ¡°Judging by yourck of response, it looks like I was right.¡± Those that emitted Demonic energy form their bodies were usually some kind of Mage. Gwak Seyoung stuck out his tongue as he stared at Woohyuk. He then swung his dagger down as a signal Swoosh! Countless arrows headed towards Woohyuk in the darkness of the night Chapter 62: Prelude to War 1

Chapter 62: Prelude to War 1

Gwak Seyoung had noticed Woohyuk¡¯s arrival and assembled a group of archers to ambush him. It was a good surprise attack, but they had picked the wrong opponent. Whiric! After using the Elder Naga¡¯s Ancient Ring to teleport to his side, he threw the Vampiric dagger. ¡°Kuhuk¡± Gwak Seyong twisted his body awkwardly, just barely managing to dodge the attack due to his superior Dexterity. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± As the fight between them was heating up, Han Jangmi arrived with her longbow. Woohyuk instantly turned towards her and quickly narrowed the distance between them. ¡°Stop!¡± Gwak Seyoung jumped down from the tree branch, in an attempt to chase him down. However Loengreen suddenly appeared to block his path. ¡°I¡¯ll be your opponent.¡± ¡°You¡­ a Demon?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯m his helper.¡± Gremory, the Demon King whom he served had yet to awaken, so Loengreen was rather unrestricted in his actionspared to other Demons. As a senior demon that had been ranked 3rd in his region in the past, he could easily deal with these beginner level yers. Even if he was severely weakenedpared to the past, it still wouldn¡¯t affect him in a battle of this level. Gwak Seyoung gulped as he stared into Loengreen¡¯s golden eyes. ¡®Even Demons have made an appearance here.¡¯ The one which was with Count Ludwig was strong enough to take on hundreds of yers by himself. No doubt the young looking Demon before him was of a simr strength. In such a situation, there was truly nothing he could do. ¡°Why are you attacking us? Have you sided with the Royal family?¡± ¡°I care little for the machinations of you humans. I¡¯m simply attached to beautiful things.¡± ¡° Beautiful things? Is that your aim? Han Jangmi?¡± Although she had a wild personality, she was rather good looking. Seeing that Gwak Seyoung hadpletely misunderstood him, Loengreen could only sigh helplessly. ¡°Huuu...let¡¯s just say that it is a personal matter.¡± ¡°We have Demons on our side as well. What will you do if you encounter each other on opposite sides of the battlefield?¡± ¡°Hmm, in that case we will have to have a nice talk to work things out.¡± Anyways, for those that served different Demon Kings, they saw each other more as rivals than friends. Not to mention that this would be hisst time cooperating with Woohyuk, so he didn¡¯t see any problems in the foreseeable future. While Loengreen kept Gwak Seyoung busy. ¡°Kkaaahack!¡± Woohyuk caught Han Jangmi, who continued to resist despite him cing his Vampiric dagger against her neck. Checkmate. All the archers that had their bows drawn immediately put an end to their attacks. ¡°What the hell do you want!?¡± Han Jangmi shouted while trembling in fear Like being stared at by a fearsome viper. She became so frightened that she quickly dropped her dagger. ¡°You.¡± Woohyuk replied cheekily as he gave her a light cut on her neck. A green liquid coated on the Vampiric dagger then dropped on the wound. [Lizardmen¡¯s Poison] It was a consumable item that would hypnotize an opponent. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Shortly after Han Jangmi¡¯s eyes rolled back and turned white, bringing a smile to Woohyuk¡¯s face. ¡®Sess.¡¯ Having captured the queen bee, he now had ten thousand worker bees at his disposal. * * * In a luxuriously decorated study, Count Ludwig sat by the window, reading the report. ¡°It seems like we have suffered a small setback in our n.¡± The report exins how the Hwarang n had failed to capture Hayswick, and that his spies on the inside had been weeded out. Even though he hadn¡¯t received any message from Han Jangmi, he had a good idea what had transpired. It was due to the borate spywork which he had established in the Ionia province, long in advance. ¡°It seems like the preparation was insufficient. We were too reliant on Andrew¡¯s skill, taking his words at face value.¡± A young looking blonde haired man replied while studying the portraits hung on the wall. Melphis He was trying to turn the Rhine Kingdom into a Demon¡¯s den under the orders of the Demon King Vk. ¡°If capturing Hayswick isn¡¯t feasible, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to directly march onto the capital city Heidelberg instead?¡± ¡°Sure, we can quickly poison King John. If he were to learn of our rebellion this early, he might take precautions.¡± He already had some nobles from the capital that had pledged to cooperate with him. Of course whether or not they would actually seed in such an attempt was unclear. Originally he had wanted to first capture Hayswick before giving the order for the assasination, but now things were bing more urgent. ¡°But it seems that there are other Demon in the Rhine kingdom other than yourself, Melphis. I¡¯m worried that they might intervene.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many that have awakened, and even if they have, they¡¯d be in a severely weakened state.¡± If they were to be attacked by a strong Holy spell, they might even die a true death. Rank was important for Demons. He would have to regain his strength in order to survive the uing battle. In essence, even if the other side was a high ranked Demon, they wouldn¡¯t step out into the limelight so soon. ¡°What should we do about Maximus? I think we could try to rope him in to our side.¡± ¡°Just leave him be, he won¡¯t be much of a hindrance either way.¡± Having received a letter from Count Huntington, Maximus was breaking camp, making haste with his Legion to reinforce the Ionia province. Since they were nning to just go straight for the capital instead, they wouldn¡¯t have to bother with him. As soon as their n had been discovered, they had to move quickly and make snap decisions on the fly. Melphis walked to the window and spoke once more. ¡°I¡¯ll go and contact the other nobles, they need to be informed of the change in the n.¡± ¡°Okay, then I will prepare for war.¡± ¡°Oh, and I hope that the ves I¡¯ve requested are ready by the time I return.¡± Melphis seemed to like young virgins. Count Ludwig let out a sigh upon seeing him a ck shadow disappear through the window. ¡®It¡¯s quite difficult to satisfy your taste.¡¯ Every night he would request a new virgin, to the point that there weren¡¯t any left. However he had no choice but to expand his search to find more, since he doubted he could achieve victory in the uing war without the Demon¡¯s support. As Count Ludwig reread thetest report once more, a woman with reddish brown hair walked into his study. ¡°Father, are you busy at the moment?¡± ¡°Oh, Anais, what is it that you want?¡± His daughter had wanted to be queen since a young age. She was ambitious just like her father, and wasn¡¯t the type to simply obey men. For that reason, despite being of age, she was still unmarried. She had made an appearance at several banquets hosted by the Royal family, but hadn¡¯t received any favorable responses. ¡°Am I truly to marry Count Ethan¡¯s son?¡± It is necessary in order to pull over the nobles from the Issilon province.¡± Not everyone was happy with Count Ludwig¡¯s ns on seizing the throne. Even if their rebellion was sessful, there might be further bloodshed if his position wasn¡¯t secure. He had to prepare in advance for such an eventuality. ¡°I¡¯ve heard bad things about him though.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t treat you badly.¡± Count Ethan¡¯s son liked Anais. The reason was that she was a feisty woman that wouldn¡¯t be easily tamed, unlike the other noble women. However that didn¡¯t at all cause Anais to feel relieved. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that he forces himself on the maids every night, tying them to his bed.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°He even skins his captives alive, smiling the whole time.¡± ¡°If ever there is a problem, I¡¯ll take full responsibility and fetch you right back.¡± Count Luwig stroked Anais¡¯ head adoringly. Even if those rumors were true, this political marriage was an absolute necessity. He would have to endure any humiliation until he was able to obtain the Rhines kingdom. ¡°If father is willing, please make Melphis my guard. He¡¯s a Demon so he can stay hidden from sight if there isn¡¯t any danger.¡± ¡°Okay, we can discuss this with Melphis when he returns.¡± After a long conversation, Anais continued to cry as she buried her face in Count Ludwig¡¯s arms. Although she appeared quite pathetic, like some sad woman in a movie drama, it was all an act. ¡®I won¡¯t be sold like somemon livestock.¡¯ She had no intention whatsoever of being sacrificed for the sake of her father¡¯s ambitions. The edges of her mouth curled into a smile. * * * In the banquet hall within the Rhine¡¯s royal pce, various kinds of delicacies were being served. King John was enjoying a sumptuous feast in thepany of several high nobility. ¡°Your Majesty, I heard that you managed to hunt three deers this time around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true Gawain, I was lucky today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that it was due to your skill.¡± King John became satisfied upon seeing their ttering smiles. Everyone was busy entertaining him and tried to make him happy. For this reason he had yet to learn of the threat that was about to befall his kingdom. This year the punitive expedition in the Corcas Mountains was sessful, so the kingdom is bound to prosper.¡± ¡°Oh, and did you apprehend the bandits that have been attacking the viges recently?¡± ¡°Yes, I was told that they were nothing but a band of thieves.¡± No one ever told John the truth. It was because he had long purged the loyalists from his circle, executing them one by one. He had used them of no giving him the respect he was due because of his young age. He even had his own mother imprisoned for trying to interfere in this matter, so there was no longer anyone that was willing to go against King John¡¯s whims. ¡°Your Majesty, the monsters have been wiped out and the bandits brought to justice, why not send the army back to defend the border?¡± ¡°You mean to send them to Marquis Nelson? He should have more than enough troops as it is.¡± ¡°The movement on the Dane kingdom¡¯s side seems unnatural. They seem to be engaging in open provocation and their number of troops stationed along the border continues to grow. ¡°Well¡­.¡± Hearing this news from the man nobles around him, King John began to worry. Doria Castle which stood on the frontlines was extremely well defended. An army of just 10,000 could manage to hold it against even 40 or 50,000 enemy troops. The problem was the Corcas Mountain range to the north. If the Dane kingdom chose to cross along the mountains, although the path would be treacherous, they could advance mostly unhindered. Unlike in the past where it had been teeming with monsters, ever since the sessful punitive expedition, the dangers had lessened. ¡°Surely it is too much to ask the Guard Camps and 5th Legion to patrol the entire mountain range by themselves.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine not to send them all out, maybe just leave the 1st legion behind. The capital will be safe so long as the borders are secure.¡± The Rhine kingdom was located on the Ionel penins, and was surrounded by the sea on three of its sides. Cerendia, which was the Royal family¡¯s territory was also surrounded by six provinces, which meant that it was quite secure. It would be very difficult for an invading force to make their way over to the capital. It was more likely for it to copse internally instead. ¡°That Dane kingdom is indeed a nuisance. I will order the Legionmanders to move ording to your rmendations.¡± ¡°A wise choice, your Majesty.¡± ¡°The people living along the border provinces will be pleased.¡± Naturally these nobles were sending the army away to Marquis Nelson, so that their rebellion could go off without a hitch. King John however had no inkling whatsoever as to their betrayal, only thinking himself a wise King due to heeding their counsel. Because he only surrounded himself with those that ttered him, he never knew the truth of what was going on in his own country. ¡°Oh, sir Gawain, what do you think about the union between Izuna and the Royal family?¡± ¡°The Izuna kingdom is a strong ally and it will be beneficial for the kingdom¡¯s future for the two countries to be tied by blood, especially if you need to request their aidter on. Because they were neighboring countries, Izuna and the Dane kingdom had bad blood between them. It was basically the same story between Rhine and Dane. However the nobles that knew that the rebellion was about to ur tried to dy the marriage as much as possible. ¡°Why don¡¯t you first send a messenger first, your Majesty? You have yet to make contact with them ever since your father¡¯s death.¡± ¡°If you simply demand for the princess¡¯ hand in marriage right away, it might not sit well with the Izuna royals who are known for their pride.¡± ¡°You think so? Then what should I send as a gift?¡± ¡°I think that some essories produced by craftsmen in the free city of Landium, as well as some deer pelts which are a specialty from Cerendia would be excellent choices, your Majesty.¡± ¡°Sir Gawain, would like to take the role of being the envoy? I am quite busy these days with stately affairs.¡± Count Gawain was a nobleman from the Floren province with whom King John was quite close. He in turn bowed politely to King John. ¡°I will follow your Majesty¡¯s arrangement.¡± ¡°Once youe back from the Izuna kingdom, tell me more about what princess Lizbet looks like. I don''t like the idea of marrying a woman when I don¡¯t even know her appearance. King John was ignorant of any details regarding Princess Lizbet, because the other nobles purposely withheld any information regarding her. ¡°Yes your Majesty, I will return with a portrait of her.¡± Count Gawain smiled upon seeing the anticipation on King John¡¯s face. Although he was polite and deferential, his eyes hid a certain sharpness. Within themy an ambition for power. ¡®He¡¯s like a silly little kid.¡¯ What was the point of helping prop up another man on the throne, when he could take it for himself instead. Count Gawain smiled creepily as he thought of the Queen mother locked in her chambers. Chapter 63: Prelude to War 2

Chapter 63: Prelude to War 2

¡°Please reconsider, Commander Maximus.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go against the King¡¯s orders, Count Huntington. Even if there is indeed a rebellion as you say.¡± ¡°What if it isn¡¯t the King¡¯s direct orders that you are receiving, but instead those that have been tampered with by the rebels? Could you go against them then?¡± ¡°I have sent a messenger to the King, perhaps it will arrive before the rebels take up arms.¡± Commander Maximus wouldn¡¯t listen to reason. The Count could only sigh helplessly, as he watched him lead his entire army back to the East Guard Camp. ¡°That¡¯s quite unfortunate, we really needed Maximus in order to fight off the rebel army.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, we have the nobles from Arpen and Ashton that have already pledged themselves to our cause. It was a war where both sides had a simr sized army. The only problem would be the decline in morale upon learning of King John¡¯s death by poisoning which was what urred back then. They would have to prepare for this moment in advance, so that they don¡¯t copse once the figurehead of the loyalist faction is gone. ¡°At least he wasn¡¯t sent too far away. The Eastern Guard camp is the closest of Marquis Nelson¡¯s bases to here in Hayswick.¡± Currently, there was no other ce to ask for reinforcements other than the kingdom¡¯s army. Marquis Nelson¡¯s stance was that he stayed out of politics, only focusing on defending the border. Even if he were to learn of thetest ongoing rebellion, he would not carelessly mobilize his troops. The Ionia province can be defended, so what are your next ns?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave the minimum amount of troops behind, and head to the Aden river, in central Cerendia.¡± The loyalist Nobles would then lead their own forces to meet up in the middle of the Aden river. The location was just to the right of the capital city of Heidelberg. Considering that the rebel army would most likely have the same agenda, it was quite likely that the battle would take ce on the ins just south of Heidelberg. ¡°Who will you leave behind in charge of Hayswick?¡± ¡°There is no one I trust enough other than my son. Gilbert will have to join us as the vanguard.¡± Viscount Aljass, Woohyuk had met him a few times. A young man who was the Count¡¯s spitting image, and had a very prudent approach to everything. He wasn¡¯t as imposing as his father, but at least he wasn¡¯t likely to carelessly open the gates to an enemy. ¡®He should be able to hold for at least three months.¡¯ As it housed thergest granary in all of the Rhine kingdom, there was more than enough food stockpiled within the city. At worst Maximus should be able toe to their aid with his legion before their food stores run low. After discussing their next steps, Woohyuk headed to the city¡¯s dungeons. He wanted to have a nice chat with Han Jangmi before the uing battle. She would y a key role in the war. ¡°Are you insane?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Han Jangmi stared at Woohyuk with a nk look. She was tied to a torture chair, and her body was covered in wounds. Although the Hwarang n had decided to cooperate with them, he still held her as a hostage. It was imperative to keep a tight grip on the n¡¯s leader so that the rest of their members fell in line. ¡°Your n will help fight against the rebels, and if we win, you can also get your own share of rewards in the form of military merit.¡± ¡°Just kill me already! I don¡¯t want to go on like this anymore! Convince the other n members yourself!¡± Han Jangmi who had just regained consciousness shouted back. As she struggled to ept her fate, her dispirited face could be glimpsed past her ruffled hair. ¡°You have to stay alive until this war is over with. If after that you truly wish to die, I can always return and do it myself.¡± Woohyuk had no love for the Hwarang n. Although they can say that they were just trying to survive, it was hard to justify their acts of burning viges and killing innocent civilians. Had it not been for the ongoing war, he would have killed them all except Han Jangmi who was their most valuable member. ¡°Are you trying to take control of the Rhine Kingdom? Too bad it won¡¯t work! They have prepared for any eventuality!¡± Even if their n had to be scrapped, the momentum they had built couldn¡¯t be ovee. At least that is what Han Jangmi thought, she didn¡¯t worry about spilling the beans since she expected to be executed in the near future. Herck of faith in the loyalist faction¡¯s strength, was due to the fact that she had lost consciousness upon being captured as a hostage, and hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to witness Woohyuk¡¯s strength. ¡®She seems to have misunderstood the situation.¡¯ The Hwarang n had all voluntarily surrendered upon seeing him raise the dead. They quickly realized that Woohyuk was extremely strong. Of course having a superior Demon like Loengreen on his side had helped as well, also the fact that their n had been discovered yed arge role in their decision. It ismon sense to want to be on the winning side of a war. Because of this, other n members actually wanted Han Jangmi dead or at least for her to abdicate her position as n leader. Basically, Woohyuk would always protect her from being killed. ¡°Do you know how a queen bee dies?¡± ¡°....¡± If the queen bee can¡¯ty any more eggs or bes sick, the worker bees raise a new one, and then proceed to kill the old queen.¡± Power was but a momentary illusion. Pursuing it was like walking on a tightrope filled with danger. Any little mistake and it would result in your death. ¡°I¡¯ll be killed by my own n members?¡± ¡°They are preparing sneakily, maybe it¡¯s even that guy who was your second inmand.¡± ¡°...Gwak Seyoung?¡± Han Jangmi had an awkward expression. Gwak Seyoung had had a crush on her ever since their university days. After being summoned to this world, they had always worked together as he assumed the position of vice-leader in the n. ¡°There are many others as well. For them, you¡¯re nothing but a burden.¡± ¡°Shit...¡± ¡°Not to worry however, If you just do as I tell you to, you can maintain your position as the n leader.¡± ¡°Will I continue to be a puppet leader like this? Like a ve?¡± ¡°Your conditions will improve to the point that you won¡¯t have anyints, that at least I can assure.¡± Being able to control a n leader with a 10th tier Gold Crown held many advantages. That was because there were many things one could gain through the n system. After listening Woohyuk¡¯s proposal, her expression changed slightly. She felt that his olive branch was hard to refuse considering her situation. ¡°...Are you confident in winning the war? You should be aware by now what is really going on.¡± Although she had yelled at him to end her life, the truth was that she wanted to live. There was also the desire to take her revenge on those that had betrayed her. ¡°Of course, he who will sit on the throne has already been determined.¡± By going all out, he would have no difficulty seizing control of such a small kingdom. The reason he had been keeping a low profile was that he wanted to eliminate all the traitors in one big swoop. Seeing Woohyuk¡¯s rxed posture, she finally nodded. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll stick with you.¡± ¡°Good choice.¡± As the negotiations had been sessful, Woohyuk took out his Vampiric dagger and cut the ropes that bound her. ¡°Have you n members gather in front of Hayswick¡¯s gate.¡± A great war wasing, one that was on a different levelpared to the Canyon battle. Woohyuk put back his Jester¡¯s Mask, as he led Han Jangmi to better amodations. * * * As soon as the preparations for their departure were settled, Woohyuk and Count Huntington moved out towards the Aden river, leading an army of 35,000. It wasn¡¯t yet an impressive number, since it only represented the nobles¡¯ forces from the Ionian region. ¡®Once they are all together, the coalition¡¯s army should be about 100,000 strong.¡¯ As he rode upon his white horse, Woohyuk¡¯s mind was analyzing the current situation. His ultimate goal was to quash the rebellion and seize Heidelberg, the Rhine kingdom¡¯s capital. The rebel army he could ughter at any point, but ckburn would be a problem. The main castle in which the Devos royal family lived, built upon a high cliff. If the gates were shut and they had troops to man the walls, they could hold the castle indefinitely so long as they had enough supplies. It was one of the reasons that the rebels had first wanted to upy the Ionian ins. ¡®They must have already infiltrated the army stationed inside the castle.¡¯ Their n would most likely be to take advantage of the chaos brought on by the news of King John¡¯s poisoning, to open the gates from the inside. Perhaps it even involved the 1st legion as well as somerge sized ns. As Woohyuk was deep in thought, Count Huntington, who rode beside him, spoke up. ¡°ckburn is like an impregnable castle. Have you heard the story behind it?¡± ¡°I vaguely know of it.¡± A long time ago, thisnd had been known as the Ionel kingdom instead. The Devos family ruled in Cerendia, which was filled with forests and valleys. Back then the capital was in Evaron, where today¡¯s Hayswick now stood and Dragons upied the mountain ranges surrounding the kingdom. This was before the start of the Great God and Demon war. vis, the royal family at the time, had signed a peace agreement with them, which had held since the kingdom¡¯s founding. For generations they had been kept safe from any foreign invaders. Perhaps it was this supernatural protection which led the vis royals to feel invincible and be cruel tyrants, which led the nobles to rebell. The Devos family, like many other nobles, advanced on the Ionian ins. After a long drawn out war thatsted an entire year, the capital city of Evaron was finally captured. However, the ck Dragon Drakia chose to intervene. He had loved the kingdom¡¯s ancestor, Queen Ionia. It was because of this that he had stayed in the Corcas mountains and pledged to protect her descendants. With Drakia¡¯s help, the vis family was able to escape from Hayswick and recover their strength. The pce they chose as their new base was ckburn. An impregnable castle which has once been built by Drakia, who was concerned for Queen Ionia¡¯s safety. the castle¡¯s ck stone walls had inscriptions carved into them using the Dragon¡¯s magicalnguage, making the walls impervious to fire and repelling any low level Demons.They could also be self-sufficient so long as the poption was kept low. The rebels were like dogs staring up at a chicken that had flown up on the roof. One day, when Drakia had to leave to attend a Dragon¡¯s meeting, there was an incident in which someone had opened ckburn¡¯s gate from the inside. This led to a massacre in which all of Ionia¡¯s family line was murdered. Upon returning, Drakia was furious and polymorphed into a human form to engage in a massacre of his own. Although he took his revenge and killed all the rebels that had been involved in the attack, he still med himself for failing to keep his promise to Ionia, and never returned to ckburn. They never heard from him again, and after the God and Demon war, he followed the rest of his Dragon kin to another dimension. That was the story which had been made public, but only the Devos family was aware of the tomb hidden beneath the castle. ¡®Did he just say the vis royal tomb?¡¯ During their long period of being holed up in ckburn Castle, Drakia created an underground dungeon, cing the bodies of the members of the royal family there to rest, as well as ordering some monsters to stand guard over their treasures. When the Devos familyter discovered this, they secretly tried to study how to sessfully enter and exit the dungeon, but suffered repeated failures. It was said that the underground dungeon had been forgotten for quite some time, only to be opened by Count Ludwig. ¡®The only reward I know about is the key to Medusa¡¯s Temple.¡¯ He absolutely had to find out what else that ce held. If it was an artifact from before the God and Demon war, it would surely be impressive. As Woohyuk¡¯s eyes shone with greed, the Count continued. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? The Devos family which was one of the main actors in taking down the vis royal family, is now suffering the same fate.¡± Back then, the Devos family hadn¡¯t participated in the ckburn massacre, so they had enough power to rally the other nobles to their side and establish the Rhine kingdom. However unlike the vis dynasty, they didn¡¯t enjoy the protection of the Dragons. It would be all over for them as soon as those castle gates were opened. ¡°History is destined to repeat itself.¡± ¡°Although I fight for King John, I sometimes wonder if this is just fate.¡± Count Huntington¡¯s allegiance to the loyalist faction didn¡¯t only stem from his wife who was from the Devos family. There was simply no chance in convincing him to rebel since he was a believer in the Holy Church. However his religious zeal outweighed his loyalty to his liege, and as such would view everything through a religious lens. ¡°If the world acts ording to fate, the people won¡¯t suffer.¡± ¡°God¡¯s will can¡¯t be understood by a mortal¡¯s wisdom. We can only attempt to guess by observing how it is expressed.¡± Suddenly a lecture on theology had begun, causing him to be bored enough to fall asleep. As Woohyuk was busy absorbing the Count¡¯s words in one ear and out the other, the scouts that had been sent out returned with frightened expressions. ¡°Urgent news!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The rebels are heading towards up!¡± Their travel route had been leaked. Count Huntington drew his longsword as he put on a resolute expression. Chapter 64: Battle for the Throne 1

Chapter 64: Battle for the Throne 1

¡°Get into battle formation!¡± They were currently deep within the forest. If they weren¡¯t careful, they might suffer from an ambush resulting in devastating casualties. While Count Huntington took charge of the soldiers, Woohyuk took the time to examine the surroundings. ¡®It¡¯s a good ce for a cavalry charge.¡¯ In the forest where your field of view is limited, a knight''s charge was incredibly powerful. If you assaulted from an unexpected angle, you could throw the enemy forces into confusion, leading to a quick copse. ¡®I¡¯ll have to make use of the Hwarang n.¡¯ 45% of their members had the Ranger ss. By making full use of this ranged ss, he could somewhat offset their current disadvantage. As Woohyuk gave the order, Gwak Seyoung and the other Rangers climbed some nearby trees. Dududududu! The galloping sound of the horses¡¯ hooves thumping on the ground became louder and louder. ¡°Get ready!¡± Taking an overview of the area, Woohyuk examined the currentposition of their soldiers. 1,500 Spearmen 800 Swordsmen 500 Archers 200 Mages Most of them however were merely conscriptions that had been picked up by either the Hwarang n or the Count. From his own party, Leifina, Lia, Song Anna and Yoo Kayoung had stayed behind at Hayswick, guarding Han Jangmi. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing we have quite a lot of spearmen.¡¯ Unlike other positions, spearmen were rtively quick to train and cheap to equip. Not to mention that they were the ideal counter to the cavalry charge which they hading their way. After making his way to the right side of the formation, Woohyuk secretly informed Jung Sanghoon. [Keep an eye on Gwak Seyoung.] Even if they were allies at the moment, he would likely betray them without a second thought if it was in his interest. Unlike during the Canyon Battle, there were no system penalties for betraying your allies. [Alright, if I notice any odd behavior I¡¯ll notify you immediately.] As Jung Sanghoon left to perform his task, the enemy cavalry burst out from the bushes, and the battle had begun. The horsemen charged into their army¡¯s left nk, cleaving through the spearmen as volleys of arrows were exchanged by both sides Although the men moved quickly to try to fill up the gaps in their defense, they couldn¡¯t arrive in time. The enemy¡¯s fast moving cavalry had already broken through to the rear, where the majority of the archers were now exposed. ¡®As expected.¡¯ If they had some scouts that reported on their formation, it was only natural for them to target the squishy back line. That was the reason that Woohyuk had instructed Hwarang¡¯s Rangers to climb up on the trees, so that they would now be safe and have a clear line of sight to the enemy Shushushu! As Woohyuk sent the signal, the Rangers equipped with crossbows let loose all at once. They aimed at the iing cavalry. Neiiigh! As the arrows mmed into the horses¡¯ armor, they moaned as they swung their heads. The warhorses however were well protected, with almost no gaps in the armor so it was difficult to cause a serious injury with regr bolts. Their bolts didn¡¯t even manage to slow the enemy down, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t bother too much with it and had them continue firing. The left side had already suffered many casualties, so he couldn¡¯t allow the right nk to fall as well. ¡®Soon the archers will change their targets.¡¯ Seeing that there were many Rangers in position in the trees, the rest of the enemy forces wouldn¡¯t be able to stand still. No doubt they would also send in their own infantry as well. It didn¡¯t take long for Woohyuk¡¯s expectation toe true, as signs of battle erupted from the right nk. ¡°Takemand until I return.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Boss.¡± Lee Jaesung nodded from atop his grey horse. He was apetentmander, and could lead the men well even in Woohyuk¡¯s absence. ¡®It¡¯s about time for me to join in.¡¯ Huntington could somewhat deal with their cavalry, but someone else would have to take care of the archers.. Leaving his confused subordinates behind, Woohyuk ran into the forest. Shushushu! As they noticed Woohyuk¡¯s advance, they began to shower him in arrows. Of course he was able to easily defend using the barrier ability of the Ghost Queen Star Serpent. ¡®About thirty to forty thousand of them.¡¯ They werepletely surrounded, with the enemy even having at least then thousand archers. It was quite arge force. Perhaps they had known in advance that Count Huntington would choose to raise an army in the crown¡¯s defense. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter too much.¡¯ Even if they knew the city was mostly empty, Hayswick had strong, high walls, and wasn¡¯t likely to fall to any sneak attack. High ranked Demons wouldn¡¯t be able to enter either due to the engravings of sacred magic ced upon its manor, a legacy of Holy magic. He had even left behind some members from his party just in case of an emergency. Wookyuk unsheathed Grandia as he rushed to the enemy¡¯s archer formation. Chaahak Blood spurt out like a fountain, as the green vegetation was stained red. As he was busy ughtering the archers by himself, a group of spearmen appeared and surrounded him. Just as they were about to stab forth with their spears, a ck mist spread out, with him as the center. [Cradle of Grief] He was limited in how he could use his Demonic energy with so many witnesses, so this artifact was very useful when fighting against greater numbers. ¡°What, what¡­.¡± ¡°I lost strength in my arms.¡± As the enemy spearmen entered a confused state, Woohyuk summoned James. [Take care of them.] His Oath Breaker curse was especially strong against enemies that were already confused. He didn¡¯t want to summon too many undead and risk catching the attention of the Count. After all, he was a devout believer in the Heavenly God and was very sensitive to any dark magic. ¡®We just need to hold on a while longer.¡¯ Gaius was currently leading the 5th Legion toe to their aid. He had deployed the Legion without the proper authorization from the King, all due to Woohyuk¡¯s orders. The battle would almost certainly tip in their favor as soon as they arrived. As he saw a group of archers notching arrows in the distance, Woohyuk summoned a Lightning Bolt spell to his hand. * * * After a fierce battle, Count Huntington¡¯s army eventually prevailed. Although there had been many casualties, mostly due to the enemy¡¯s cavalry charge, it wasn¡¯t any crippling damage. If anything, now that the 5th Legion had joined up with them, their strength had instead increased. As the army cleaned up the battlefield, Count Huntington interrogated the prisoners. He absolutely had to figure out how it was that the enemy had known their route. ¡°Speak, who gave you such information?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I only do as I''m told.¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t yet understand your current situation.¡± ¡°No, please, Stop! ¡­ Ahhh!¡± The enemymander screamed in pain as the harsh tortutre resumed once more. As he lost consciousness, a soldier walked over carrying a bucket of water. Aahhh! As the cold water was sshed on his face, themander was startled awake once more. ¡°This is yourst chance, so you¡¯d best consider your next words carefully. Just for reference, ording to Holy Church¡¯sws, we can burn you at the stake after having received a confession from torture.: ¡°Bu..burning?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I do asionally feel merciful however. Of course only if I think you deserve it.¡± A quick death was considered a mercy to a captured soldier in his position. Themander finally spoke, as his body continued to shake. ¡°I heard that Count Ludwig has some spies.¡± ¡°Spies? Where, in the Ionia province?¡± ¡°Yes, he gets information from many ces.¡± Despite having captured many traitors, Count Huntington still wasn¡¯t free from Count Ludwig¡¯s informationwork. He was a very ambitious but also careful man who wished to seize the throne. Able to grasp the ns of any nobles that were hostile to him, as well as anypetitors. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble if he knows all of our ns.¡± As the Count had a troubled expression, Woohyuk who was standing beside him, spoke. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, they are most likely headed to Heidelber.¡± Since they didn¡¯t manage to seize control of the Ionian ins, the rebels almost certainly had to bring a swift end to this war. They couldn¡¯t drag it on into the winter because of ack of food. If the peasants started to starve, they would no longer have any support from the people. ¡°Then we must make haste. We can¡¯t allow Count Ludwig to enter ckburn.¡± ¡°... There are severalyers to his ns. If he finds himself in a tight spot, he can always switch to another one.¡± It was the rebels that more or less controlled the Capital¡¯s politics. If they were able to officially proim the loyalist force asmitting treason, the actual kingdom¡¯s army might return from Marquis Nelson¡¯s borders and strike them from behind. In that case, their first target would most likely be Hayswick in the Ionia province. Because of that, the loyalist faction had a high chance of being caught in an unfavorable pincer attack, all the while suffering from food shortages. As the enemymander finished spilling the beans, Count Huntington¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous, is there even still a single noble still loyal to King John?¡± ¡°He was the one to abandon his own loyalists, falling for the ttery of the rebels.¡± Count Huntington stayed in his territory, far removed from the Capital¡¯s politics. He wasn¡¯t even aware that the kingdom¡¯s subjects had already lost all regard for King John. The amount of ridiculous actions he¡¯d taken against his own people were beyond counting. Rather than hold a fair trial for those whom the rebel nobles had whispered poisonous words in his ear, he had them fight to the death in a one on one against his own royal guards. The former Commander of the 1st Legion was kicked out from his position without cause and then exiled after stripping him of all his wealth and property. At formal banquets, he had his royal guards fight each other likemon diators, for the amusement of his entourage. Of course this was mostly due to the instigation by those rebel nobles, but he bears the consequence all the same. Onlyter was he recognized for his ipetence, andbelled as a failure of a King. ¡°No wonder I have yet to receive an answer from King John.¡± ¡°Why are you still on his side, despite him imprisoning his own mother and engaging in such acts of tyranny? He was never a wise king, and wasn¡¯t fated to rule long.¡± ¡°If the King is useless, the throne changing hands every few years, there will soon be nothing left of this country. War will go on endlessly and only the number of orphans will increase. As vassals, isn¡¯t it our role to get the kingdom back on the right path, rather than rebel? Politics were always some murky waters to tread since the nobles¡¯ own interests were often mixed in, making it difficult to determine who is in the right. Still, usurping the throne was a different story altogether. Count Huntington felt that such wars for power only resulted in meaningless deaths. ¡°When the king isn¡¯t fit to rule, we don¡¯t need to serve him like you said. By neglecting this problem it would only lead to more victims. I¡¯m not ashamed of my actions because I¡¯ve done what I think to be right.¡± ¡°Do you really believe yourself to be so righteous, when you just told me everything about your side¡¯s ns?¡± ¡°I know full well that I won¡¯t be able to live after being captured, so I simply wanted to give you some heartfelt advice.¡± The enemymander knew that Count Huntington was the kind of person that would keep their word, despite his words being somewhat offensive. It was because he was well known to be a devout follower of the Holy Church and one of the religion¡¯smandments was to not break a promise. ¡°Thank you for your honesty, as promised I shall give you a swift death.¡± The Count signaled to the guard behind him, who put an end to the enemymander¡¯s life with a simple sh of his sword. Woohyuk then instructed Gaius to speak to the Count. ¡°Worry not, Count Huntington, regardless of what the King¡¯s instructions are, the 5th Legion will be at your disposal.¡± ¡°Thank you for believing in me Commander Gaius. But, are you feeling alright, you look a bit more pale than usual.¡± ¡°Nothing serious, just some herbs which I¡¯ve eaten in the Corcas Mountains that didn¡¯t sit well with me.¡± Gaius spoke ording to Woohyuk¡¯s instructions. He was then called over to discuss their countermeasures. If King John had already been poisoned and the loyalist factionbeled as traitors, their ns would have to change significantly. ¡°Well...are you beating them to the draw?¡± ¡°Yes, before moving, we first make sure the army is on our side, before the rebels take action.¡± Despite being the lowest ranked Commander among the five Legions, Gaius¡¯ influence within the kingdom was still significant. If he were to send a message out, the other Commander could ignore his plea. Even if King John had been poisoned, they wouldn¡¯t lose control of the overall situation, so long as they secured the sessor from the Devos Royal family. Using Gaius as a mouthpiece, Woohyuk exined the next steps in their n to Count Huntington. Chapter 65: Battle for the Throne 2

Chapter 65: Battle for the Throne 2

The Aden was a long river that cut across the Cerendia province. There were ins on either side of it, so they didn¡¯t need to worry about any ambushes. It was a suitable location to have head on, all out war. The army of loyalists gathered on the river¡¯s bank, northeast of Heidelberg. They would then advance southwest, to fight off the rebels However Count Ludwig had be aware of theirtest movements, and as such somest minute changes were made to their n. They still met as nned, but weren¡¯t in any rush to advance. While they set up camp and held their position, Woohyuk was in a hurry to secure the next in line to the throne. Duke Arnold, King John¡¯s nephew, was a well known silk pants who spent most of his time either hunting or whoring. ¡®It¡¯ll getplicated if he were to die.¡¯ At least until this war against the rebels was over with, he needed to keep the Duke alive. He was the pir behind which the loyalist nobles gathered, allowing Woohyuk to skip any kinds of formalities. Woohyuk stared at a distant valley as he was riding a horse along with Sanghoon. The forest in the northern part of Cerendia was teeming with wildlife and had spectacr views. It was one of the reasons that Duke Arnold would choose to go hunting here nearly every day. ¡°Check to see if there are any traps.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss.¡± Searching for traps was easy for someone of Jung Sanghoon¡¯s skill. As he led the way, scouring through the forest. Piing! An arrow flew right by him, burying itself in an oak tree behind Sanghoon. ¡°Oops, I missed my shot.¡± A blonde haired bearded man said from atop his white horse. Simply by his colorful attire it was clear that he was a high ranked noble. ¡°Are you Duke Arnold?¡± ¡°Yes, but who are you?¡± There weren¡¯t many that would speak to a royal such as himself in such a casual manner. As Arnold was still shocked by his brusque mannerisms, Woohyuk handed him a sealed letter. ¡°Although I can¡¯t reveal it right now, this is an urgent letter which requires your attention.¡± It was a letter from Gaius, the 5th Legnion¡¯s Commander. It basically outlined Count Ludwig¡¯s treachery in forming a faction with other nobles that opposed the royal family. ¡°A rebellion¡­ it¡¯s indeed dire news.¡± Duke Arnold¡¯s expression darkened as he finished reading the letter in its entirety. He had been expecting this to happen eventually, but not nearly so soon. As he was about to speak, the sound of approaching horses rang out. Those that had killed King John were not likely to leave his immediate sessor alive either. Woohyuk stepped front as he left the Duke¡¯s safety to Jung Sanghoon. Everything went quiet, until¡­ Swooosh! A poisoned arrow was shot straight toward Woohyuk¡¯s head. Taang! He deflected the arrow with Grandia, appearing quite imposing. As he went to ughter the enemy horseman, Duke Arnold¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡®Who is he?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t revealed his identity, perhaps he was a noble from another country. Still, he couldn¡¯t understand why he would choose to help him. ¡°Haaa!¡± A spearman jumped out from behind the bushes and charged towards him. Jung Sanghoon lept off his horse and buried his two daggers in the spearman¡¯s neck. ¡°Kuhuk¡­¡± As the enemy spearman dropped to the ground coughing out blood, Duke Arnold felt relieved. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Jung Sanghoon stood up and keptpletely focused on his surroundings once more. The Rogue ss had a passive skill which increased Dexterity by 15%. Even if the opponent was stealthed, he would be able to catch the slightest change in the environment if they revealed even the slightest w. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°No, thanks to you.¡± Duke Arnold thanked Woohyuk who was dragging a man with ck hair. Woohyuk nodded as he kicked the young man which he had already disarmed. ¡°Kuuuuk¡± The captive groaned as he fell down to the ground. He had the appearance of an Asian from back on Earth. Given that he was wearing an Adventurer¡¯s watch, it was very likely that he was from the Akatsuki n. ¡°Where is your leader?¡± ¡°Don, I don''t know¡­.¡± As the prisoner fed him some lies, Woohyuk crushed his fingers under the sole of his boot. ¡°Kuaaaah¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for games. From now on every time you don¡¯t answer you¡¯ll lose one of your fingers..¡± Of course the same punishment would apply if he were to lie. As Woohyuk pulled out his Vampiric dagger, the young man¡¯s face turned blue. ¡°I¡¯ll speak! Please, don¡¯t torture me!¡± The captive had already been conditioned to fear torture, no doubt having been caughtmitting all types of crimes by his own nmates. Seeing him tremble in fear, Woohyuk had a satisfied smile. ¡®That¡¯s good.¡¯ In order to properly rule over the Rhine kingdom, not only did he have to prevent the nobles from rebelling, but the ns as well. Woohyuk lifted his foot, listening to what he had to say. * * * ording to the young Japanese man, Akatsuki along with the Exodus n were currently hiding in the capital city of Heindelberg. The 1st Legion along with Akatsuki and Exodus, would help secure ckburn as soon as Gwain decided to make a move. This would allow them to control the kingdom¡¯s central politics. However, due to the swift response on the part of the loyalist army, the n was temporarily put on hold. ¡®As expected, they are involving the army.¡¯ King John who had air for brains, would do whatever Count Gwain told him. Woohyuk however wasn¡¯t too worried since he had already prepared some countermeasures. ¡®Currently the Commanders of the Legions are no doubt holding a meeting in the Marquis¡¯ territory.¡¯ Gaius sent them a detailed letter about the entire incident, strongly urging them to immediately bring to justice the three main culprits. Count Ludwig from Erutonia. Count Ethan from Issilon. Count Gwain from Floren. Their n to poison the King was also brought up, so the Legion Commanders would soon have toe to a decision. ¡®I have to make sure that at least Maximus makes the right choice.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t expect all the Commanders to side with King John, but Maximus¡¯ support was crucial. Woohyuk recalled the past as he watched the elevator descend down the cliff. It operated on a magical pulley system. ¡®It¡¯s really been a while since I¡¯vee here.¡¯ He could remember how hard he had tried to capture ckburn Castle back then. Not only was it built at the top of a cliff, but the walls had magical inscriptions on them, so not even siege weapons would leave a dent. Even surrounding the castle with a siege to starve them out wouldn¡¯t work since he was up against the Lich King Nigel. It wasn¡¯t like an undead army needed to eat in the first ce. ¡®It would be nice if I don¡¯t have to struggle so hard to capture it this time.¡¯ Even if the loyalist faction won the battle on the ins in Cerendia, it didn¡¯t mean that ckburn Castle would surrender as well. Count Gwain may choose to be stubborn and sit behind its walls, waiting for reinforcements which would prove quite troublesome. That¡¯s why after handing Arnold over to Count Huntington, Woohyuk immediately set off to capture ckburn Castle. DurrrrrrkChulkuk As the elevator reached the top, the brown wagon carrying supplies set off once more. Seeing that the guards hadn¡¯t bothered to inspect it, he figured that they were most likely carrying military supplies to the top. Woohyuk sped up to catch up with the wagon. No one stopped him because he was equipped with his Banshee¡¯s Veil. ¡®Are they going through Shadow Fort?¡¯ Before being allowed into ckburn, you had to pass through the fortress below it, known as Shadow Fort and served as a kind of outpost. Woohyuk climbed atop the wagon as the fort¡¯s gates opened, and a man who appeared to be inmand walked out. ¡°Is that what we discussed previously?¡± ¡°Yes it is.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s inspect the goods.¡± After speaking with the coachman, the man walked towards the back and opened the wagon¡¯s door. Wildfire. A highly mmable liquid which could be used as gunpowder in the Eeth continent. Inside there were severalrge containers stored neatly. As Woohyuk caught sight of them, his expression stiffened. ¡®Where the hell did they obtain all this?¡¯ The production method for Wildfire wasn¡¯t well known, and it was very expensive to purchase. It wasn¡¯t the type of weapon that just anyone could get their hands on. There are only a handful after Master Alchemists that can even produce this. Even a small amount of it represented great firepower, enough to control the fate of such a small kingdom. ¡°Good, transport it inside carefully.¡± ¡°Yes Commander.¡± The man was Kenis, the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s number one Commander. A soldier blinded by politics, now in bed with the rebels. Although he could seize the chance to silence him, Woohyuk decided to endure a bit longer. Right now, the Wildfire was a far more pressing issue. Dulgruk Dulgruk The brown wagon crossed over the drawbridge along with the rest of the convoy. It appeared that its final destination was a secretive warehouse within ckburn. As he looked down the cliff, Woohyuk formed a n in his mind. ¡®First I¡¯ll need to figure out who manufactured this Wildfire.¡¯ Although he had a guess, for now that was all it was. Such a crucial point couldn¡¯t be overlooked. ¡®It might be an unexpected harvest.¡¯ If he could secure a reliable source of Wildfire this early on, it would be very helpful to his ns for the future. Of course, just these alone would be more than plenty for quite some time. As the wagon finally reached the game, the soldier posted on the wall drew his bow. ¡°Halt! State your identity and your business.¡± ¡°Thomas, 3rd lieutenant from the 1st Legion. I¡¯m escorting some military supplies under the direct orders of Commander Kenis.¡± After his introduction, the gates began to open. The fact that the Shadow Fort¡¯s beacon hadn¡¯t been lit, meant that they had sessfully cleared inspection, and he had yet to be detected. The guards weren¡¯t willing to offend Kenis by holding up this shipment. The moment the brown wagon made its way inside the castle¡­ ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ Woohyuk suddenly suffered from a strong headache. The Dragon¡¯s magic inscriptions engraved on the walls were suppressing his Demon Energy. ¡®Being part Demon also has its downsides.¡¯ Choosing a path different from his previous one also had its own set of difficulties. The good news at least was that the Asura¡¯s power was enough to resist the Dragon¡¯s magic. There shouldn¡¯t be any problem so long as he didn¡¯t release any actual Demon Energy. The headache was also only temporary. ¡®Let¡¯s see where they are heading to.¡¯ ckburn was quite arge castle. It was only considered small because it was located inside of the kingdom¡¯srgest city, Heidelberg. Upon walking in, he felt like he was in a small city rather than a castle. There were at least three or four ces that they might use to hide the Wildfire. Among them, the ones that the Legion could ess¡­ ¡®Underground military warehouse.¡¯ It was out of the way, so they didn¡¯t have to be worried about their trump card being discovered. It was also highly unlikely that there might be an ident and the fire unleashed. The wagon came to a stop as Woohyuk was sifting through his memories. They were currently right before the entrance to the military headquarters for the entire Rhine kingdom. Inside, Count Gwain was in the middle of a meeting with a few others. ¡°Did you have any problems on your way here?¡± ¡°None at all, no one noticed a thing.¡± ¡°Good, you can head back, I¡¯ll handle it from here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Thomas gave a strong salute, and then left with his men. As he had some soldiers unload the containers filled with Wildfire, Woohyuk focused on the two men on either side of Count Gwain. ¡®Looks like the heads have all gathered.¡¯ They were the leader of Akatsuki, Shinichi Itto and Exodus¡¯ leader Sergei Mikhalov. Although it was his first time seeing their faces, he was quite certain of their identities. They were likely the only Japanese and Russians that would be allowed to set foot here. ¡°There are only a few days left, will just these be enough?¡± Sergei who was unaware of the potency of Wildfire, asked with a doubtful expression. Count Gwain could onlyugh heartily as he nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, you just need to do as you''re told.¡± ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t think we will have Duke Arnold. I have yet to receive any word from my subordinates that I sent.¡± Shinichi said as he rubbed his Unity ring. ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate, but it isn¡¯t the biggest of deals. Even if he manages to run away, he won¡¯t live long. ¡°But the war will begin soon.¡± ¡°We just need to watch what happens, either way ckburn¡¯s gate must stay shut.¡± If any force tried to force their way in, the Wildfire would be more than sufficient to send them packing. Count Gwain smiled as he could already imagine himself sitting on the throne. Chapter 66: Battle for the Throne 3

Chapter 66: Battle for the Throne 3

¡®So it¡¯s him.¡¯ Gwain was one of the court¡¯s nobles which King John favored highly, so with how much he relied on advice from his entourage, he was essentially almost running the Rhine kingdom as it was. Even John¡¯s nephew, Duke Arnold, didn¡¯t care too much. If he wanted to, he could easily get rid of Count Ludwig and be a strongpetitor for the throne. No doubt the Wildfire would act as his trump card when the time came. As he watched Gwain order his troops, Woohyuk starting thinking in hypotheticals. ¡®He must be deliberately hiding his ambition.¡¯ Count Gwain was only biding his time, as he pretended to yield the throne to Count Ludwig. Although he had a lot of influence on politics in the capital, it wasn¡¯t to the point that he would have the army do his bidding. That was the reason he needed to make use of Count Ludwig. Still, seeing as in the past it had been Count Ludwig that had emerged on top and taken the throne, his n would most likely fail once more. ¡®Obviously one of the two had betrayed the other.¡¯ Han Jangmi had already informed him that the leaders of Akatsuki and Exodus weren¡¯t on good terms. Such cracks could lead to internal conflicts and eventually aplete copse. Right now however he didn''t care about the feud between the ns, Woohyuk had some business with Gawain. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my subordinates and search for Duke Arnold. If he were to be found by the loyalist faction, it might hurt us.¡± ¡°Let us help as well, you could use the extra manpower to scour such arge area as northern Cerendia. As Shinichi tried to take the lead with his initiative, Sergei quickly jumped on the same boat. Apetition between them to secure favor. Shinichi simply ground his teeth. ¡®He¡¯s so arrogant simply because he¡¯s closer to Gwain.¡¯ Sergei started in the Floren province, so it was normal for him to have quicklye into contact with Gwain. He started up as a mercenary doing odd jobs for him around the estate, gradually working his way up. ¡®Watch out, I will surprise you.¡¯ Unlike Sergei, he kept his options open. Even now, he was still secretlymunicating with Count Ethan from the Issilon province. If Count Gwain discriminated against him, he would have no reason to remain on a sinking ship. Shinichi¡¯s eyes shone as he left along with Sergei. Woohyuk then took the chance to descend from the wagon. ¡®First let¡¯s secure this batch of Wildfire.¡¯ By stalking Count Gwain, he should be able to get inside the military warehouse without too many difficulties. Of course he would have to use some force on his way out. Recalling theyout of the undergroundyout of the kingdom''s military headquarters, Woohyuk set off. * * * ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A letter from the Queen, your Majesty.¡± The royal guard asked while giving his king a bow. King John proceeded to immediately open the letter and read its content. ¡°Typical, she¡¯s treating me like a child again. What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± ¡°She may have written this while her sanity had left her.¡± Queen Joanna had been confined to her quarters, upon being deemed too sick to walk around by the Court physician. It was all a plot by the nobles to hold her hostage and limit her influence. It was such an obvious ploy, but King John had never suspected a thing. ¡°What a joy kill, just as we were having a good time.¡± He had been busy boasting about the boar he had just hunted. Of course the truth of the matter was that it had only been killed by his huntsmen after an hour long chase, but the nobles showered him with praise all the same. Simply by being in King John¡¯s good graces, you could basically get anything you wanted. ¡°I agree, why don¡¯t you try some of this fine wine to change your mood. Ites straight from the Issilon province.¡± ¡°That''s a good idea, let¡¯s have a taste.¡± As King John held his cup in the air, a noble walked over and poured the wine inside. It didn¡¯t take long for the red wine to fill his cup. ¡°I feel like getting drunk tonight, I¡¯ll also want to be apanied by many women.¡± ¡°You can do as you please, your Majesty.¡± ¡°Who would dare stop you?¡± As the nobles which participated in the banquet cheered him on, King John downed his cup of wine in a single shot. Not long after however¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± King John fell down to the ground, as blood seeped from his mouth. He had finally been poisoned by the rebels. ¡°Why aren¡¯t any of you doing anything!¡± ¡°Call the court physician!¡± Some noblemen who weren¡¯t in on it shouted at the Royal guards to act, but they never budged. They had long ago turned their backs on King John. ¡°Everyone, attention please.¡± As the banquet descended into confusion, Count Gwain stood up and spoke, causing all eyes to turn to him. ¡°I¡¯ll take charge of investigating who murdered the king . Please stay calm and remain in your seats.¡± Naturally they wanted to frame someone else for their crimes. All the present nobles trembled in fear, hoping that they weren¡¯t the unlucky one to be the pazzi. ¡°If there is anyone who tries to escape, you can execute them immediately.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The Royal guards consented. He had alreadypiled his death list. All those that might interfere with their ns would need to be eliminated. Count Gwain left the banquet hall behind, as he approached the Queen¡¯s chambers. ¡°You are quite the trickster.¡± Woohyuk said, as he had been awaiting his arrival. ¡°How are you!?¡± Count Gwain had a startled expression. Woohyuk had changed his appearance to match that of Duke Arnold using his Jester Mask. After all, technically the Duke was next in line to inherit the Rhine kingdom¡¯s throne. ¡°Are you trying to seize power after assassinating the King? But how can you do so while I still live?¡± ¡°How did you get into ckburn? Did you work together with the 1st Legion¡¯s Commander?¡± ¡°Kennis? No, I don¡¯t see why he¡¯d help me. I¡¯ll just say that my helper was some foreigner from the far east.¡± ¡°Akatsuki n, that cursed Shinichi has betrayed me in the end¡­.¡± Count Gwain quickly jumped to conclusions based on Woohyuk¡¯s description. It was because Sergei, who was Russian, had a simr appearance to the natives from the Rhine kingdom. Shinichi would have been the only person that the Duke would refer to as a foreigner. Woohyuk struggled to control hisughter as he saw Count Gwain give new instruction to a member from the Exodus n. ¡®Looks like there will soon be a war between those two ns.¡¯ Sergei and Shinichi were both currently in the northern forests of Cerendia, out in full force with their entire ns. It was only a matter of time now before the two fought, and he really didn¡¯t care who it was that came out on top. The goal was to weaken the rebel faction¡¯s overall strength. ¡°Oh, I also saw that you managed to securerge quantities of Wildfire. Who did you buy from?¡± ¡°It is none of your business¡­.¡± With a nce from Count Gwain, the guards rushed toward Woohyuk. However, they never even managed to get close. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Kuhuk¡± Seeing his guards drop to the ground, Count Gwain¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡®Since when was the Duke so good with a sword?¡¯ He knew that he had enjoyed hunting, but never that he practiced any martial arts. It was as if he had been knocked on the head and became a new person. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance to answer my question, but I assure you this will be thest.¡± Woohyuk said as he ced Grandia against the Count¡¯s neck, his eyes hiding a violence behind them. Count Gwain gulped nervously. ¡°It¡¯s the Cohen merchant group from the free city of Media. I heard that they were able to procure it from the Owen kingdom.¡± The Owen kingdom was just south-east of the Holy Aperian Empire. It was quite the distance from the Rhine kingdom. Still, Woohyuk had a good idea who it was that the Cohen merchant group had dealt with. ¡®Could it be the Golden Rose Society?¡¯ A secret organizationposed of masters in their respective fields. It¡¯s purpose was to control the Eeth continent from behind the scenes, using their vastwork and deep pockets. They were definitely a group worth having friendly rtions with, since they were so influential that they had branch offices all across the continent. ¡®I might be able to get in touch with them this time.¡¯ Even in his past 40 years in this world, the mystery which was the Golden Rose Society had never been unmasked. Because of this, even he knew very little about them. It looked like he would have to seek out the Cohen merchant group to learn more. As he added another thing to his to-do list, Woohyuk quickly knocked out Count Gwain. ¡°Kuook¡± ¡°Sorry, but I need you to help me with something.¡± By using his ability, he would be able to save himself some time, as a ck mist enshrouded the two of them. * * * After turning Gwain into a puppet, he now had a firmer grasp on the capital¡¯s politics. Woohyuk then had Duke Arnold assume the throne. Of course, that was all just for show. The real power was in Woohyuk¡¯s hands, as King Arnold was more than willing to spend his days in the pce. He had never been one to thirst for power, and was rather content with just living a pampered life. All he hoped for was a swift end to the war so that things could return to the way they once were. The throne would be far too burdensome, so he promised to hand it overter. The nobles outside of ckburn however werepletely unaware of any of this. This was because Woohyuk closed the castle¡¯s gates and wiped out any rebels inside. Because of this, Count Ludwig simply led the rebel army to march on the capital city of Heidelberg, as had been the original n. On the ins of Cerendia, they naturally met the opposing loyalist army. It was a very close and hard fought battle, as the two sides tried to gain an edge over the other. However, as soon as Marquis Nelson arrived with his forces, holding a royal decree, the battle quickly tipped in the loyalist¡¯s favor. Soon after the rebel army was defeated, and forced to retreat to the Issilon province. They sent a carrier pigeon asking for Count Gwain¡¯s help. After poisoning King John to put a temporary puppet king in ce. However, contrary to their expectations, the throne had already been upied by Woohyuk. ¡°It looks like they will dig themselves in for a long drawn out war. What¡¯s the current situation in northern Cerendia?¡± Woohyuk, who had just read Count Ludwig¡¯s letter, asked the scribe. ¡°The kingdom army is chasing down any rebels.¡± The Exodus and Akatsuki ns had been busy going at each other¡¯s throats, that they had been caught off guard by a surprise attack from the 4th Legion. Although both n leaders were alive and had gotten away, it was only a matter of time now before they were caught. Woohyuk nodded and then continued. ¡°Don¡¯t give these rebels any time to recover. If we can¡¯t stamp them out soon, we will have to wait until after winter.¡± Even if they had achieved a big victory, dragging out the war wasn¡¯t in their interest. It was the reason that the loyalist faction and the kingdom''s army were still in the field, having yet to return to the capital. He would be awaiting their good news. ¡°Okay I will pass on your orders to the Legion Commanders.¡± After the scribe left, Woohyuk got up from the throne and began walking away. The new Royal guard quickly spoke as he followed Woohyuk. ¡°Boss, no¡­ Lord Regent. Where would you like to go?¡± It was Lee Jaesung. Although his skills were still a bitcking, there was no one he could trust implicitly. The other members who had fought alongside Huntington, also came to ckburn. ¡°To the Queen¡¯s chambers..¡± Now that the war was heavily in their favor, it was past time to have a face to face meeting with Joanna. She would know everything there was to know about the Royal Pce¡¯s underground dungeon. Upon arriving at her chambers, he had Lee Jaesung guard the door. ¡°If anything urgentes up, contact me right away.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Regent.¡± Although he had increased the security in the castle, he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. There existed a vacuum due to him having to kill the previous Royal guard as well as the Commander of the 1st Legion and other high position officials. Things would also getplicated if either Duke Arnold or Joanna were assassinated. As Woohyuk opened the door and stepped inside, he was greeted by the sight of a woman with long blue hair, sitting by the window. ¡°How can I help you, Lord Regent.¡± Joanna, despite turning 39 this year, she retained her beautiful appearance form when she was in her twenties. Since the average lifespan of a native on the Eeth continent was 300 years, they would age very slowly. ¡°I have some questions to ask you.¡± ¡°... Please speak, I can help you I will.¡± Joana felt greatly indebted to Woohyuk. Not only did he avenge her son¡¯s murder, he also prevented her from having to marry Count Gwain, a man she considered to be a psychopath. ¡°What is hiding beneath the royal pce?¡± ¡°There is a secret passage that takes you to the emergency safehouse for the royals.¡± The ce where the mysterious altar resides. Although the treasure from the vis Dynasty were hidden down there, the Devos royal family had been trying to get in for generations, with little sess. ¡°Take me there.¡± In order to obtain the Key to Medusa¡¯s Temple, he would first have to clear the dungeon beneath the Rhine kingdom¡¯s royal pce. As he organized in his mind all the pertinent information he had gathered in the past, Woohyuk ced the Banshee¡¯s Veil on Joanna. Chapter 67: Rhine Kingdoms Underground Dungeon 1

Chapter 67: Rhine Kingdom''s Underground Dungeon 1

Joanna, she was a wise and beautiful Queen. She would often advise King Frey the Honorable, and upon his death had done everything she could to protect her son from the ravenous nobles. It was due to this, that these same nobles had taken such harsh actions against her. They insisted that she was suffering from a mental trauma and would have to be confined to her chamber for her own safety. Eventually it went as they nned, and Joanna had been helpless to stop the poisoning of her own son. Perhaps she was the biggest victim of this entire attempted coup. ¡°Ever since he was a boy, John has been quite different from his father Frey. He had a big, but fragile ego, always seeking attention.¡± Joanna led him down the dark, secret passage as she reminisced about the past. She had yet to get past the sadness of losing her son. ¡°It isn¡¯t your fault that he is dead.¡± ¡°No, if I had been more assertive from the very start, perhaps things might have turned out differently. I was too naive and should have notice Count Gwain¡¯s ambitions ever since Frey had be bedriddem.¡± Joanna couldn¡¯t help but me herself. As he followed her, Woohyuk felt a pang of guilt. He had known the whole time that John was going to be poisoned. ¡®There¡¯s nothing I could do.¡¯ Woohyuk returning to this timeline was all in order to put an end to these endless trials set by the Creator, to free everyone. In order to achieve such a grandiose goal, some sacrifices were inevitable. It was a dilemma he woulde across often in theing years. ¡°There was this woman who was once betrayed by her own party. Unable to get over such an event, she had lived a wicked life ever since.¡± Woohyuk broke the ufortable silence between them. It was the story of the Blood Queen Alice. Woohyuk knew it well because he had faced off against her countless times in the past. ¡°Did you know her well.¡± ¡°Not really, she was more of an adversary.¡± Alice had never trusted someone again. She went about killing everyone that irritated her, only creating vampire vassals. From then on she only acted in her own self interest. It was the opposite case of Joanna. ¡°What ended up happening to her?¡± ¡°She conquered vast territories and rose to the position of Overlord, but that was all.¡± Alice¡¯s attitude of resorting to any means to achieve her own goals, wasn¡¯t able to rally others to her cause. No one wanted to be turned into a vampire against their will, and as such an anti-vampire alliance was formed. This resulted in her forces suffering numerous defeats due to being assaulted on all sides. Eventually Woohyuk had been the one to drive a stake through her heart, leading to quite the pitiful end. ¡°Are you trying to say that even bad people don¡¯t necessarily have everything go as they want.?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Woohyuk had no idea how tofort others. His experiences were limited to the 40 years he had spent on the battlefield. Still, his clumsy attempts at it were enough to touch Joanna. ¡°... Thank you for your concern, I haven¡¯t done anything to deserve this.¡± She turned to look at Woohyuk who was following behind her. She was still wearing the Banshee¡¯s Veil and as such was invisible. ¡®Despite of his appearance, he is quite kind.¡¯ Her first impression of him hadn¡¯t been all that good. Vicious eyes like those of a wolf, as well as a t inhuman tone. There had been nothing positive that she could take away from their first meeting, but her opinion was starting to change. ¡®Is he interested in me?¡¯ She was still rtively young by this continent¡¯s standards. Even with their age gap, she would still maintain her youthful beauty for the next 150 years. If Woohyuk was aiming to sit on the throne, what better way than to marry the Queen. Of course, a useless man like Arnold would give way to him either way. As Joanna was thinking of such things, Woohyuk¡¯s eyes locked with hers. ¡®He can see me?¡¯ Startled, she averted her gaze. She thought that Woohyuk had only managed to follow along based on the sound and footprints. ¡°Don¡¯t act so surprised, I have a unique ability.¡± By using his Demonic Energy, many things were possible. Of course the range that he could control was still limited due to his low proficiency in its usage. ¡®Its particrly difficult here.¡¯ Utilizing his Demonic Energy outside of his body was several times more difficult here because of the Dragon inscriptions set upon the castle walls. Basically he wouldn''t be able to use any of Asura¡¯s abilities in the Rhine kingdom¡¯s underground dungeon. Shortly after arriving at their destination, Woohyuk walked up to the red altar which stood in the centre of the chamber. ¡°What have you guys tried in order to gain ess to the vis¡¯ family treasures?¡± ¡°Pretty much everything.¡± At first we thought that it would require a sacrifice because of the altar. As such we brought goats as offerings, having our Court magician and High priests oversee the procedure. As we struggled with several attempts, we even tried utilizing the blood of family lines which had participated in the downfall of the Ionel kingdom. Unfortunately nothing had worked. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that no ordinary method has worked.¡± Woohyuk nodded, as he ced his hand upon the red altar. A slight flow of magic. To his experienced eyes, he who had cleared countless Historical Sites in his lifetime, it didn¡¯t feel like anything special. ¡°Perhaps it is simply a ce built to cherish her memory, like a mausoleum.¡± It sounded like a legend, the treasure of a royal family being stashed away. After all, the downfall of the Ionel kingdom was something that had urred centuries ago. There was still ongoing controversy within the Holy Church about the exact date of the Great God and Demon war, but at the very least it would have predated it. This was all Joahnna¡¯s thinking. Woohyuk however approached the problem from a different perspective. ¡®The existence of this treasure dungeon could only have been knownter on.¡¯ No one would have been able to enter this ce until the end of the Great God and Demon war, because Drakia would have been here guarding it. The reason only the Devos'' family knew of this secret was that they might have found an object connected to it since they had been the first to enter. If it had been but a rumor, it would have long ago be public knowledge, and yet it¡¯s existence had been kept secret all these years. ¡®There was someone who already found a way in.¡¯ Count Ludwig. Isaac, who at the time had been the Captain of the Teutonic Knights, has mentioned that the Count had learned of this ce from torturing Joanna. A few dayster they entered with the army, able to seize some treasures. Of course, the actual method used to enter had always been kept secret. ¡°I¡¯ll have to do my own tests.¡± His eyes shining with excitement, Woohyuk examined the chamber¡¯s stone wall with his Archaeologist''s Golden Magnifying ss. It was an object that could not only be used to verify an item¡¯s authenticity, but also its characteristics. Through it, he could discover hidden engravings or arrays. ¡®Surely there must be a clue somewhere.¡¯ The Demon that had sided with Count Ludwig wouldn¡¯t have been able to step foot in here. Unless one was on the level of the 72 Demon Kings, they wouldn¡¯t be able to resist the Dragon¡¯s magic. Likewise Woohyuk was only able to use Asura¡¯s passive abilities, now that he was being suppressed. In essence, it couldn¡¯t have been a Demon that hade here and forced its way in through brute force. ¡°How do you n to rule the country after the war ends, Lord Regent. You appear to have a specific purpose in mind.¡± Joana spoke as she watched Woohyuk continue to examine his surroundings, not once giving up. It was what she was most curious about. He was a man with many sides to him, so she couldn¡¯t help but anticipate his response. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to im that the current Rhine kingdom had risen to its current status due to King Frey and herself. Naturally she was deeply vested into its future. ¡°Firstly we must educate and recruitpetent officials to strengthen our internal system.¡± ¡°After that?¡± ¡°National prosperity and military power. Because our kingdom is a penins, increasing maritime trade with various countries would be an important step forward. Also, the kingdom¡¯s military system needs to be overhauled and expanded, while we will also introduce new educational institutions.¡± Woohyuk had already nned it all in advance, leaving Joanna speechless by his leadership qualities. ¡®This man has the making of a true monarch.¡¯ She had thought that he only excelled in swordsmanship, but it now appeared that his prowess extended to politics as well. He was on a level that he wouldn¡¯t require her advice. If he truly were to take the throne, the Rhine kingdom would likely enjoy many years of prosperity. As she thought until that point, Joanna retrieved a silver cross. ¡°It¡¯s a keepsake left to me by King Frey upon his death. It is said to be a royal family heirloom which is passed down from generation to generation.¡± At the time of his death, John had been too young, so King Frey had chosen to leave the silver cross with Joanna. Although its purpose was unknown, it was said to be connected to the old vis royal family. [Unidentified Silver Cross] Category: Personal Item Effect: Increased the owner¡¯s resistance to Curse magic by 10%. Capable of revealing what is hidden if the proper method is used. ¡®It¡¯s a Holy Artifact.¡¯ As he epted the Silver Cross from Joanna, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but examine it curiously. On the Eeth continent, the cross was a symbol of peace and salvation. It was mostly used in ceremonies, but when it came to high grade Holy Artifact¡¯s, it could also contain spiritual powers. As Woohyuk used his Magnifying ss to examine the cross, the white text was updated. [Queen Iona¡¯s Guardian Cross] Category: Personal Item Effect: By proving your sacred lineage, you can ess the Historical Site built by Drakia. Reduces the ability of Dark magic by 20% within a 1 meter radius.Increased the owner¡¯s resistance to Curse magic by 10%. ¡®I didn¡¯t think that there would be something like this.¡¯ Perhaps the entrance to the royal tomb would only be essible to someone of the vis family line, but who could it be? At the very least it wasn¡¯t like there was anyone walking around with the vis family name. ¡®They might not even know it themselves.¡¯ It was a strong possibility since their family name had likely been changed a long time ago, so it would be quite difficult to find them. This was particrly true for female descendants, since they would take the husband¡¯s name upon marriage. ¡®Still, they must be closer than one would think.¡¯ At least he was aware that Count Ludwig had managed to open the tomb in a matter of days, so Iona¡¯s descendants couldn¡¯t be too far. Woohyuk turned to look at Joanna. ¡°Did you say you were a princess from the Lydia kingdom?¡± ¡°Yes, I am from the Borges family.¡± The Lydia kingdom might have been a good ce for members of the fallen vis family to hide given its proximity. Perhaps even a political marriage between the two countries had taken ce before their downfall. Of course these were nothing but conjectures, but they were usible nheless. ¡°Come here for a bit.¡± If Joanna truly had Queen Iona¡¯s blood running through her veins, they could open the royal tomb right here and now. The problem is the method. To prove her ancestry, she would have to be sure of her identity. As he had an idea, Woohyuk led Joanna to the red altar. ¡°Did you discover something?¡± ¡°From now on, you need to think of yourself as a descendant of the vis family.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t quite understand¡­.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s hard to understand, please believe in me.¡± It was worth a shot. No one had been able to enter the tomb before because none had imed to be of the vis line. Perhaps Count Ludwig had in the past reached the same conclusion he had, Woohyuk thought as he began the ritual. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen this kind of magic array.¡¯ It was quitemon for ess to a Royal tomb to require one to prove that they are of royal blood. As such, experienced adventurers like Woohyuk were well aware of what was required. Once everything was set up, Woohyuk asked Joanna to activate the magic array. ¡°Go for it.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± Joanna nodded as she stood within the magic array with a skeptical expression. She then pricked her finger with a dagger, dropping some blood on the array. Saaaahac As the white magic array absorbed the drops of blood, it began to shine red. Seeing the change, Joanna chose to speak confidently. ¡°I¡¯m Joanna vis, descendant of the great Queen Iona. I ask that my identity be recognized and receive my rightful inheritance.¡± Although legally speaking she was still Joanna Devos, she would still regain her previous name since her husband had already died. If her lineage was now confirmed, she could even assume the name of Joanna vis. Therefore, there was nothing wrong with herst deration. As Woohyuk stared at Joanna with a look of curiosity. Srrrrrk A part of the stone ground gave way, as a staircase leading underground appeared right before the red altar. After peeking inside, he reached out to Joanna. ¡°Let¡¯s go in together.¡± Since it was a ce which was designed to only be essed by vis family descendants, it would be better to enter apanied by Joanna. There may even be more hidden treasure found inside the Historical Site. ¡°Alright.¡± Joanna nodded, having no intention of rejecting. She even became curious about her own ancestral line. The sounds of their footsteps echoed across the walls as the two descended further underground. Chapter 68: Rhine Kingdoms Underground Dungeon 2

Chapter 68: Rhine Kingdom''s Underground Dungeon 2

The Rhine Royal Pce dungeon had a simplistic interior structure, and was built for Queen Iona¡¯s descendants. Still, just in case, some monsters had been included to serve as guards. They were native species to the Corcas mountains that had been plucked and spread about the dungeon. Although they didn¡¯t attack Joanna, they showed extreme hostility towards Woohyuk. They were still bound by the orders which the ck Dragon Drakia had left them Swissh! He swung Grandia to cleave an Elder Troll in two, as both halves plopped down to the ground. This was the four hundred and sixtieth one, as Woohyuk continued to advance. ¡°Will you be fine without any health potions?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s abilities were on a different levelpared to other adventurers. Just based on his Stats alone, he¡¯d be ranked in the top 10. That was an incredible feat when taking into ount the number of Growth items which he had on him. He could without a doubt take on dozens of thesemon mob monsters at once. ¡®I should hurry.¡¯ While he was gone, he had left Arnold to oversee state matters. He didn¡¯t have much of a choice, but was worried since he clearlycked proper judgement when it came to politics. Not to mention that the rebellion hadn¡¯t been entirely stamped out yet. Things might be difficult if this was to drag on for too long. ¡°To be honest, I still can¡¯t believe that I have the vis family¡¯s blood flowing through my veins. What happened to them in the past?¡± Her Borges family line had a long and rich history. They had ruled the Lydia kingdom from generation to generation ever since the Great God and Demon war. If the prestigious vis family had married into them however, it would have made sense to make it public. By doing so they could stake a im to the Rhine kingdom¡¯s throne and control the entire Ionel Penins. The fact that it was never publicized, perhaps meant that the vis family members had never even informed them. Still, because this all would have urred such a long time ago, it was quite difficult to uncover the truth behind it all. ¡°Maybe there will be some clues to be found in here.¡± If there indeed was a Hidden Treasure to be found within the Rhine Royal dungeon, it was highly likely that only Joanna would be eligible to obtain it. That thing shed some light on the secret of the vis family. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes gleamed as he continued to ughter the monsters before him. ¡®Joanna is the key.¡¯ In the past, it was said that Joanna had been killed by Count Ludwig¡¯s daughter, Anais. She had felt that she was standing in her way of bing Queen. In his opinion, it had been a big mistake. In addition to this dungeon, there might still be other undiscovered Historical Sites which might be connected to the vis family line. ¡°What will you do after this exploration, Lord Regent. Will you let the world know that I am from the vis family?¡± ¡°No I will keep your secret.¡± Jonna was certainly a woman that was worth keeping by his side, despite the noble¡¯s resistance. Even after he would be sitting on the throne, he would still keep her next to him, in the pce. Perhaps he would even give her the role of Regent. He wouldn¡¯t have much time to stick around and actually govern, so he needed a trusted andpetent person to take care of that in his stead. Joanna, who had helped King Frey the Honorable rule for so long, would be the right choice. ¡®I should try to get closer to her.¡¯ Taking her as his Queen wasn¡¯t his ideal scenario, but aside from that he would support her in any way. Later, when he moved on to the Holy Aperian Empire, he wouldn¡¯t have time to worry about a small kingdom like Rhine. At that point, Joanna could aptly fill the role of Regent. As Woohyuk thought how he could draw her to his side, a bronze door appeared before them. Unlike in the Arachne Temple, there was just the one this time. ¡°Can I also go in?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He didn¡¯t think that there would be a Boss monster waiting this time. Perhaps it would be a different trial entirely. Of course, considering the type of dungeon it was, it was necessary to be apanied by Queen Iona¡¯s descendant. KKiiiic As Woohyuk opened the bronze door, a chapel withrge columns came into view. It was dark and the entire atmosphere gave off a spooky vibe. ¡® Is it a holy ce?¡¯ There was no rule saying that holy ces were only to worship Gods and Demons. It could also be dedicated to a hero or saint which left their mark in history. As Joanna walked forward, Woohyuk warily examined the chapel. ¡®There¡¯s someone here.¡¯ He could faintly feel their presence, a spirit of the dead. It didn¡¯t look like it wanted to reveal itself just yet, as if it wanted to observe them a while longer. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone here.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you go have a look at that?¡± Woohyuk pointed at an old book which rested on a worn out altar. Joanna nodded, as she walked up and turned to the first page. -Iona, Queen of the fallen kingdom, led her army across Elnox bay causing five tribal chiefs to surrender before her superior might. It was the story about the Ionel kingdom, sounding no too different from the legends. How Queen Iona had conquered the entire Ionel penins, and made a pact with the Dragons that lived in the surrounding mountain range. As Joanna finished reading the old book, a man¡¯s profound voice was heard. ¡°What purpose have you ining here, heir to such a noble lineage?¡± He asked the question as if he already knew who she was. Joanna took her time to think, before responding. ¡°I want to know how my family line continued after the ckburn massacre. Did they escape to another kingdom?¡± ¡°All those that had been gathered in ckburn were killed, but it is as you said. Those that were fortunate enough to have been away, survived. They then changed their family name and went into hiding, in order to avoid any pursuers. Drakia had left the Royal dungeon under the pce for that very purpose. In case one day someone from the vis family line could return and regain their glory. ¡°But there are no surviving records of the vis line. How does it not know that I simply changed my own family name?¡± ¡°There is indeed a way to prove that your bloodline is authentic, but first you have to be qualified.¡± In order to prove herself as Queen Iona¡¯s true sessor, she would have to pass several trials. As Joanna acquiesced, the spirit of an old man appeared above the altar. ¡°My name is Ericsson, and I served under Queen Iona as an advisor. I came to ckburn in case of such an eventuality.¡± Ericsson kept it a secret from Iona, as he aided Drakia in the construction of ckburn. After which, his spirit was bound to the Historical Site. If you thought about it, it was indeed a great act of loyalty. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go ahead and see if you qualify.¡± As Ericsson finished speaking, the pages in the old book began to flutter rapidly, stopping on a painting of a famous battle scene. It was Queen Iona wielding a longsword, as she fought off foreign soldiers attempting to invade their borders. ¡°It''s the Queen''s Retribution.¡± ¡°You know your history. In Doria Castle, she fought off 100,000 enemies, with a force of only 50,000. Do you know what the secret to her sess was?¡± ¡°She must have made use of the narrow terrain, using her defenders advantage.¡± Joanna had sat in on several strategy meetings alongside King Frey the Honorable, allowing her to have some knowledge into the arts of war. Hearing her exnation, Ericsson smiled warmly. ¡°Excellent answer. It appears that you take after Queen Iona.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°Wisdom and a sharp gaze. Women like you are a rare sight.¡± Ericsson then gazed at Woohyuk who stood behind, curious about their rtionship. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I just tagged along.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ anyways, I will continue with the questions.¡± Ericsson brought out a few more paintings rting to Ionel¡¯s history, and each time Joanna had the right answer. She demonstrated her ability without any hesitation. ¡°The name Hayswickes from the Battle for the Ionian ins. ¡®He is weak¡¯ is what Queen Iona had said regarding the opposing king. Giving a sound defeat to the enemy that wasn¡¯t even able to cross the Nalf bay HEISWEAK. Itter became a memento to Queen Iona¡¯s triumph. This was something which even the vis family might not know. Seeing Joanna pass all the tests with flying colors, Ericsson let out a cheerfulugh. ¡°If Queen Iona were to see you, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be very proud. You are fully qualified, so you can receive the promised rewards now.¡± A bronze door appeared in the stone wall behind the altar. Joanna was given a golden key by Ericsson, and went ahead into the hidden treasure room. She came back with some items, which Woohyuk examined with his Golden Magnifying ss. [Medusa¡¯s Temple Key] Category: Personal Item Effect: By injecting Mana into it, the location of the Medusa¡¯s Temple will appear in your head. Once in the correct spot, you can use it to enter the temple. [Blissful Flute] Category: Musical instrument Grade: A Durability: 30,000 Effect: Casts a Fear status effect on monsters within a 1 km radius. Power is proportional to the user¡¯s spirit. Restricted use to Iona or her sessors. ¡®She acquired a very useful item.¡¯ Simply by blowing into the Blissful Flute, they would no longer have to worry about any monster invasion from the Corcas Mountains. Still, it was an artifact which only Joana could use. Woohyuk however would be satisfied with only obtaining the Key to Medusa¡¯s Temple. ¡°Joanna vis, I hope that one day you can bring the Ionel kingdom to its former glory. With that, I¡­.¡± Ericasson¡¯s spirit began to fade away. Now that the Historical Site had been cleared, the magic array that bound him here was no more. As the entire dungeon began to shake and blocks of stone fell from the ceiling, Woohyuk brought Joana away and returned above to the Rhine Royal Pce. ¡°That was an unexpected oue.¡± Joanna said after she caught her breath. [Blissful Flute] A legendary artifact which Queen Iona had received by winning a bet with a Gold Dragon which lived in the Irene Mountains. Woohyuk felt that it must have been the Hidden Treasure since he had never heard about it 40 years ago. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll need to refer to you as Queen now.¡± ¡°A Queen of what? The Ionel kingdom was destroyed long ago.¡± In its ce the Rhine kingdom was established by King Philip instead. From her ancestor¡¯s point of view, this was an enemy kingdom. Still, it wasn¡¯t easy for her to abandon the attachment she had for thend. Joanna still needed Woohyuk. If he governed well, she would stay by his side to advise him. She would have time to worry about the rise of the vis'' family after the kingdom¡¯s situation had improved. ¡°Can you hand me Medusa¡¯s Temple Key? I need it for personal reasons.¡± ¡°Sure, here you are.¡± Joanna happily handed it over. It was anyway connected to a Historical Site which she had no intention of visiting, so it was useless to her. ¡®I wonder where it¡¯s located.¡¯ Even 40 years ago the Medusa Temple¡¯s location was unknown, because the group that had seeded in clearing it had lost their lies in a n war. It was the same for the other materials for the Seven Colored Rainbow Ring, in which he had only some clues, and not their actual whereabouts. In the future he would have to take his time exploring the continent, gathering more information. As Woohyuk inserted his mana into the key, an image appeared in his mind. Eeth continent map. Although there weren¡¯t any borders, names or cities, only a red X was there to mark the location of Medusa¡¯s Temple. ¡®Isuna kingdom?¡¯ Fortunately it was in a country that had friendly rtions with the Rhine kingdom. If he set sail from the free city of Media in the province of Erutonia, he could arrive there rather quickly. Of course, before embarking on such a journey he would first have to quell this rebellion and settle all domestic affairs. Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°Why don¡¯t you continue to hold onto the Banshee¡¯s Veil. Although it is supposed to be safe here inside the pce, one can never be too careful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve already decided to no longer cower from danger.¡± She wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve anything if all she ever did in the face of danger was hide. As he saw the resolution in Joanna¡¯s eyes, Woohyuk let out a bitterugh. ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 69: Suppressing the Rebellion 1

Chapter 69: Suppressing the Rebellion 1

While Woohyuk had been in ckburn, his party members which he had left behind in Hayswick were hard at work. Leifina would spend her time either ying with Ria, or honing her swordsmanship. Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna were busy studying the basics of magic from the city¡¯s mage. It was all due to the rmendation of Viscount Alsace, who was acting city lord. ¡°Sis, this area was the capital of the ancient kingdom, long ago.¡± ¡°Right, I heard of that.¡± Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna chatted as they spread some jam on their bread. They were currently in Count Huntington¡¯s manor, gathering for dinner as usual. ¡°Mom, when will dad be back?¡± ¡°Just be a bit more patient, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Leifina responded, as she ran hair fingers through her hair. Ria hadpletely adapted to a human lifestyle. She wouldn¡¯t transform into her Dragon form out of nowhere and cause trouble. She stared at Leifina with her big eyes. ¡°Try this one, it¡¯s really good.¡± Undine, who was seated next to them, offered them some dessert. Strawberry Cheesecake. The red from the strawberry blended well with the white cream. ¡°Thanks Undine.¡± Ria smiled as she epted the tter. She then proceeded to skillful cut herself a piece using her fork and knife. ¡°Mom, go ah~¡± Ria kept her mouth open as he brought her fork holding a piece of cheesecake to Leifina¡¯s mouth. Basically copying what Leifina had done to her in the past. Despite being a bit embarrassed to do so, Leifina proceeded to eat the strawberry cheesecake. ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Feed me too, I¡¯m also curious to know what it tastes like.¡± Leifina quicklyplied with her request, and as soon as the strawberry cheesecake went into her mouth, Ria¡¯s face lit up. ¡°It¡¯s sweet, I¡¯ve never eaten this kind of dessert¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it? I had no idea that human¡¯s food was this good.¡± Undine agreed with Lefina as she wore a huge smile on her face. She was also learning to fit in, here in the human world by following Song Anna¡¯s lead. As they were enjoying their meal, loud noises were heard from outside. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°No idea...¡± Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna immediately wore a worried expression. Leifina, feeling that something was off as well, stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on it, you guys stay here.¡± Leifina was also a Gold medal officer, just like Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon. She had the power to summon to her side up to 30 n members which served under here, with a six hour cooldown. So long as someone took care of Ria, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem even if all of them were scattered about. ¡®Did they attack again?¡¯ She had heard from Woohyuk that the rebels had been soundly defeated on the ins of Cerenia. Perhaps they were now trying to capture Hayswick in ast ditch effort to turn things around. Count Huntington had taken the majority of the troops with him to the capital to stamp out the rebellion, so there weren¡¯t many soldiers left garrisoned in Hayswick. ¡®First things first, let¡¯s evaluate the situation.¡¯ Leifina left the manor as she pulled out her sword Argent. Night had already fallen, but she had a ck machete in her belt slot, given to her by Woohyuk, so she was able to see just fine. ¡°Uaaaack! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± Soldiers shouting was heard across the city, followed by the sounds of metal shing. ¡®I¡¯m just barely toote.¡¯ Because they were foreigners, the soldiers had beente to inform them of the attack. As she arrived, she spotted a half animal half human creature, fighting the city¡¯s soldiers stationed on the wall. ¡®Are they monsters?¡± Leifina had never seen a hybrid, because they were a race which originated from another world. As she was reporting the situation to Woohyuk, someone swung a curved Scimitar from behind. Chaeng! Leifina gave her opponent an icy look. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Long ears like those of a fox, golden eyes that shone in the darkness and a long tail like a cheetah. It seemed to be some sort of hybrid mix between animals and humans. ¡°You are quite good, I thought you hadn¡¯t sensed me.¡± ¡°Are you also a part of those rebels?¡± ¡°Our goals are simply aligned at the moment, since our people need newnds to settle on.¡± Odd Eyed Katsy, their n leaderughed like a cat. After their ally Akatsuki had been crushed, they worked together with Count Ludwig toe up with a new strategy. In Count Huntington¡¯s absence, they were to attack the city and take control of Hayswick. Their Hybrid n was chosen because they could easily scale the city walls with their sharp ws. ¡°You can¡¯t do whatever you want. This ce is under the protection of my Lord.¡± ¡°Your reinforcements will never arrive in time. We have enough men to finish it all by tonight.¡± The Odd Eyed n were about 1,500 strong, half human half animal hybrids, whereas the soldiers stationed in Hayswick were no more than 500. Without the protection offered by the walls, they couldn¡¯t hold on too much longer. ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen!¡± ¡°Good, then let¡¯s fight! I¡¯ve been too boredtely, not having found a worthy opponent.¡± Hybrids had animalistic instincts and were innately aggressive. As Katsy swung her scimitar, Leifinaused her sh strike, and tried let¡¯s swordsmanship skillbook. Kng! Chaeng! Chaeng! They exchanged several blows for a few minutes, but as neither of them could gain the advantage, they soon broke apart and took the time to breathe. ¡°Looks like I can¡¯t do this by myself. I¡¯ll have to resort to a more dishonorable method.¡± With a signal from Katsy, the Hybrids standing nearby rushed to Leifina. Gritting her teeth, she did her best to fend off all their attacks. Hwarrrk! A fireball flew past the furry beast, which had a rhinoceros head. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my mom!¡± Ria was seen running over along with the rest of the party. She had essentially copied Yoo Kayoung¡¯s Fireball spell, but because she was a dragon, it was several times more potent. ¡°Chit!¡± Realising that these weren¡¯t any ordinary foes, Katsy called over more members from her n, causing the party toe under siege. Leifina tried to run to Ria¡¯s side, but was quickly intercepted by Katsy. ¡°Where do you think you are going? We aren¡¯t done ying just yet.¡± ¡°....¡± Sneaky cat. Leifina ground her teeth as she raised Argent. Then. Sasasasak! A ck shadow moved across the battlefield, causing a bloody mess in its wake. With deadly uracy, it quickly began ughtering the intruders. ¡°What, what?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± As the ughter continued, the eyes of the Hybrids widened, unable to understand this new foe. Katsy, however, was able to get a glimpse of the opponent. ¡®How is it that they have a Demon over here?¡¯ Melphis, the Demon on their side that she had met upon joining them, was like the embodiment of fear itself. Aplete lunatic that could massacre a few dozen armies by himself. If this new opponent was of the same level, all they could do was run away. As Katsy tried to escape sneakily, a handsome boy with dark green hair appeared from behind. ¡°How naughty, trying to run away after causing such a scene?¡± ¡°....¡± Loengreen. Catching sight of him, Katsy froze up. ¡®Shit, so scary¡­.¡¯ Her muscles tightened as she was instinctively filled with fear. ¡®They have one too.¡¯ She now knew why it was that the Hwarang n had failed. They had all fallen prey to this monster. She trembled her body as she knew what fate awaited her. Finally a dark shadow covered her sight entirely. * * * With Loengreen¡¯s aid, Hayswick was able to weather the storm. Katsy was locked up in the dungeons, and her subordinates had either died, or fled away. Now that the entire incident had been resolved, Leifina reported the results to Woohyuk. They also asked for some reinforcements in case of another attack. ¡®They¡¯ve done well.¡¯ Woohyuk had a satisfied expression as he mobilized 3,000 soldiers from the kingdom¡¯s army to reinforce Hayswick. The rebels no longer had any method to turn the tables on them. ¡°Lord Regent, the captives you mention have been brought over.¡± ¡°Bring them in.¡± Soldiers dragged two men that were violently resisting. Woohyuk simply looked down at them from his seat upon the throne. Sergei and Shinichi, the two leaders of therge ns which had joined the side of the rebellion. ¡°The first to speak will be pardoned. ¡°....¡± ¡°....¡± Sergei and Shinichi quickly exchanged a nce. Even if they kept their mouth shut, it would be meaningless if it was the other who spilled the beans. A ssic prisoner¡¯s dilemma situation, so the two quickly divulged everything. ¡°It was Floren¡¯s Count Gwain who had us join the rebellion. He conspired with several nobles in order to seize the throne. He orchestrated the entire n, from poisoning King John to smuggling in Wildfire which is stored in the kingdom¡¯s military headquarter.¡± ¡°We joined hands with Count Ethan from the Issilon province, along with the Odd Eyed n. He was about to marry off his son to Count Ludwig¡¯s daughter. Count Ludwig also has a rather powerful Superior Demon by his side which will be difficult to deal with. If you n on marching into the Erutonia province, you should keep this in mind.¡± Woohyuk interrogated them some more and then called his scribe. ¡°List their crimes.¡± ¡°Fraternizing with traitors, directly or indirectly involved in King John¡¯s assasination. Murder of five nobles, including Baron Dupon from the Issilon province. Looting and arsoning hundreds of houses in the outer viges, illegal dealing with ve traders¡­.¡± They hadmitted countless unspeakable crimes, and would typically be sent to the guillotine. Woohyuk then spoke. ¡°You have been used of disturbing the peace here in the Rhine Kingdom, as well as killing its innocent people. Do you have anything to say in your defense?¡± ¡°Nothing, I was wrong, please spare me.¡± ¡°If you show mercy, I will do anything you ask. Please give me one more chance.¡± Sergei and Shinichi¡¯s bodies trembled as they prostrated themselves before him. Acting very submissively, unlike their position as leaders of big ns. Woohyuk nodded, as he pretended to take it all into consideration. ¡°Surely it would be better to take you in as ves, rather than just killing you off. I can certainly benefit greatly by using your positions as n leaders.¡± ¡°Lo... Lord Regent, they are¡­.¡± ¡°Of course that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯ll simply forgive them of their crimes. Their verdict will be announced at ater time, for now they can be held in the underground prison.¡± Soldiers quickly came forward and dragged them off, as soon as Woohyuk had spoken. The magistrate however appeared quite furious. ¡°If you let those rebels live, it will be a stain on all those loyal to the crown. Are you certain you want to leave behind that kind of future trouble? ¡± ¡°It is necessary for the good of the kingdom as well as its military might. ¡± The n system would soon be in full swing. By making use of these two leaders, he could enjoy many advantages in the early stages. That was because rewards were handed out every three months based on a n¡¯s performance. The more ns you had serving under you, the easier it was to achieve a better ranking. At the moment he was too proficient with his Demonic Energy so he couldn¡¯t control all these n leaders, but it would certainly be possible in the near future. Of course it would also be fine if they themselves chose to serve him loyally, but given their strong personalities, he felt this was rather unlikely. ¡®Still, a person¡¯s personality can change dramatically after suffering a life changing event.¡¯ Marcus, formerly known as the Mad Lord, was such an example. He had started off as a mercenary in the Yan principality, climbing all the way to be an Overlord as he led his ck Lions Union. He had originally been a kind and benevolent Lord, but upon suffering a betrayal from the Demon King Amon, he turned into a vengeful killer. Apletely different kind of madness than the psychopath, Logan. Marcus, who had lost everything, clung dearly to his throne and as he tried to be a God. He would torture any in his kindgom at the slighest sign of disloyalty. If he were to spare their lives, perhaps a new Marcus would be born. ¡®I must definitely remove this cancer, Count Ludwig.¡¯ An ambitious man who had even gone as far as siding with a Demon just to sit on the throne. If he were to let him live, he would surely be a disaster for the entire continent. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes gleamed as he read the report about the kingdom¡¯s army given to him by his scribe. Chapter 70: Suppressing the Rebellion 2

Chapter 70: Suppressing the Rebellion 2

Eden Hall Castle, was located on the east side of the Issilon province. Behind its high walls, Count Ludwig and Count Ethan were in a meeting. ¡°I had no idea it would turn out like this.¡± ¡°Indeed, we were attacked by the kingdom¡¯s army.¡± It was these two men that were the pirs of the rebel army that had recently faced off against the loyalists under Count Huntington. Before having been poisoned by Count Gwain, King John must have issued a royal promation to them. Still, the kingdom¡¯s army arrived to reinforce the loyalist faction at the worst possible time, leading to their current situation which seemed devoid of hope. ¡°If we lose this castle, we won¡¯t have any future.¡± ¡°I know, we need to hold on to it no matter what.¡± Eden Hall was strategically located, due to its proximity to Cerendia, Ionia and Erutonia. It was something they could never lose if they had any hopes of winning this war long term. Still, it was sure to be a tough battle because they had yet to receive any reinforcements. ¡°Although there is arge difference between our two armies, it isn¡¯t all that bad because they don¡¯t have many siege weapons.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe we failed to capture Hayswick once more. I don¡¯t understand why it has been twice now that we don¡¯t manage to take that city.¡± The overall situation would have changed drastically had they managed to capture Hayswick, the old kingdom¡¯s capital. While Count Ethan had a disappointed look, Count Ludwig keptposed. ¡°ording to my informants, there must have been some other forces at y. Perhaps they had a n on their side we weren¡¯t aware of.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be surprised if Count Huntington were to side with those foreigners. He is far too cautious for that.¡± It wasn¡¯t just one or two things that were going against their expectations. Duke Arnorld sat on the throne despite him being on the kill list, while some unknown person took control as Regent... Not to mention that it hadpletely caught them off guard to learn that Count Gwain had been killed. In order to keep an eye on him, he had nted the Akatsuki n leader, Shinichi, as a double agent. Aside from that, he had been a worthypetitor. It felt like they were missing something important. ¡°We don¡¯t have to be too stressed, we still have a chance at this.¡± ¡°Did you say Melphis was going to participate in the next battle?¡± ¡°He told me that he woulde with his army, and it sounded like it would be quite big.¡± As Demon Kings awoke from their slumber one by one, their dimension was beginning to stabilize. Evil monsters had begun to spawn once more and Historical Sites appeared in their territories as well. Due to this, Melphis was able to assemble a Demon army, on the orders of the Demon King Vk, who was ranked 62nd. Their intention was to acquire the Rhine kingdom by any means necessary. ¡°We are now basically Melphis¡¯ servants. We might even have to sell our souls to him sooner orter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless to worry about that right now. If we follow their orders, the Demons won¡¯t touch us.¡± In order to reduce the impact of the kingdom¡¯s citizens, Demon King Vk wanted to rule the Rhine kingdom from behind the scenes. That was the reason that he chose to help Count Ludwig. If the rebellion were sessful, Count Ethan would be assigned the role of prime minister, and would essentially have great influence over central politics. Naturally, Count Gwain whom they judged to have a dark heart, was never fully let in on their ns. ¡°Huu¡­ I really want this war to end soon. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice for our two families to finally unite, as we increase our power?¡± ¡°In the near future, this will alle to pass. For now however, let¡¯s worry about holding on to the castle, the enemy will soon be on our doorsteps soon.¡± The kingdom¡¯s army along with the loyalist forces were currently advancing on their castle. As Count Ludwig finished speaking, a cloud of dust appeared over the hill. ¡°Speak of the devil.¡± ¡°Gather the men, the gates must not fall until Melphis arrives with reinforcements.¡± All their preparations had already been done. They had ballistas, capable of firing huge arrows, installed on the walls. Within the castle, a trebuchet thatunched heavy boulders across long distances was installed. They had also hired skilled mages to shoot down and siege towers or battering rams that approached. This battle would determine their fate, so they didn¡¯t hesitate to throw a ton of money into it. Both sides were certain to suffer a lot in these kinds of confrontations. ¡®Come on, do your worst.¡¯ Eden Hall had enough food stocked to feed the troops for three months. Even if their opponent was a strategic genius, a direct attack wouldn¡¯t work. But even if they were to try and starve them out, Melphis¡¯ Demon army should arrive long before that. As Count Ludwig smiled contently, he heard a bizarre screeching from the sky. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± There were a bunch of Gargoyles up above. Any soldier that saw them, trembled in fear. ¡°What are you doing? Shoot them!¡± Count Ethan scolded them, as the archers finally pulled themselves together. Shushushu! Still, those arrows weren¡¯t enough to damage the stone skin of the Gargoyles. ¡°Use the ballistas!¡± Count Ludwig ordered from behind. After some time, the ballistas fired theirrge arrows, causing a Gargoyle to shatter into pieces. ¡®At least it¡¯s effective.¡¯ Although it was quite unfortunate to have to use their ballistas simply for this, it couldn¡¯t be helped. It would be a far greater loss if they were to lose any of their mages why they were busy chanting. As the Gargoyles were being shot down one by one, arge shadow loomed over the heads of the rebel soldiers. The undead Griffon had made its appearance. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too big?¡± It gave off a pressure that was difficult to describe. They were definitely a target that needed to be eliminated, but the ballistas were all in the process of reloading and they had no effective means of attack. The mages tried sending Fireballs, but the Griffins¡¯ dark armor gave them ample protection. JJangrang! ss containers rained down among the soldiers as Wildfire exploded in their ranks. Seeing the strange color of this fire, Count Ludwig¡¯s face stiffened. ¡®This¡­¡¯ He had recently seen this liquid fire in the free city of Media. He had tried to persuade the Cohen merchant group to reveal their source, but they had refused. No doubt there was some huge power behind them. If they had somehow gotten involved in this war¡­ ¡®I have a bad feeling.¡¯ His instincts kicked it, as he fled into the castle¡¯s keep. ¡°Hyaaah!¡± From atop his Griffin, undead Lee Shinwoo ripped up his magic scroll [Fire Arrow]. Shortly after a barrage of fire arrows dropped on to the castle, shaking it to its core as several explosions urred. Quang! Qua Quang! QuaQuaQua! A blistering hot me engulfed the soldiers as it ravaged across the castle. Watching from inside the tower, Count Ludwig was stunned at the damage it had managed to unleash upon the sturdy castle walls. ¡°Can¡¯t¡­.¡± Apletely unexpected scenario. Just who was capable of pulling off something like this? As Count Ludwig was still bewildered by thetest fireworks, a nearby soldier shouted as he pointed to the gate. ¡°Count, the enemy is attempting to cross the moat!¡± While the soldiers in the castle were distracted by thetest attacks, their forces were busy erecting a makeshift wooden bridge to cross the moat. Behind, several siege towers and battering rams were waiting to be sent forward. Feeling a sense of crisis, Count Ludwig ran to shake a nearby mage to his feet. ¡°Pay attention! If they reach the gate with those we¡¯re all dead.¡± Fortunately the area where the mages were was protected by a magic barrier, so they hadn¡¯t suffered much damage. The same was true for any soldiers within the castle keep or any of the watchtowers. After gathering all remaining soldiers, Count Ludwig rallied them to fight desperately against the kingdom army. Unfortunately for him they had taken too many losses and morale was at its lowest, so it wasn¡¯t easy to make a stand. As things stood, Eden Hall falling into the kingdom army¡¯s hands was all but certain. ¡®Everything is going as nned.¡¯ Woohyuk nodded as he observed the ongoing siege from a distance. After appointing Joanna as Regent, he became the new Commander in Chief of the entire army. The forces under the loyalist faction had also agreed to follow hismand. Of course none of them recognized him because he had removed his mask. ¡®I no longer has to hide my identity.¡¯ Previously when he had been Regent, he had pretended to be another person, in order to avoid any unnecessary attention. But now he no longer needed to hide, so he removed his [Jester¡¯s Mask] ¡®I can¡¯t spend any more time on this.¡¯ It was important to put an end to this rebellion as soon as possible. if Count Ludwig died, the rebels had no future and would soon surrender. As Woohyuk was busy giving out orders to his officers, Jung Sanghoon rushed to his side on horseback. ¡°Commander, a Demon army is approaching from the east.¡± ¡°How big?¡± ¡°It looked to be about 70,000.¡± They never mobilized in small numbers, not to mention that these were demonic creatures. Even for a veteran soldier they would struggle to win a one on one. Basically their side would be at a disadvantage if they were to face off. After thinking for a moment, Woohyuk gathered that loyalist nobles. ¡°Help me by blocking the advance of this demon spawn.¡± The kingdom army had to focus on capturing the castle, so that Eden Hall would fall before sunset. The loyalist faction alone had 100,000 soldiers, so it wasn¡¯t likely it was a huge mismatch. After a short while, ck creatures were spotted charging in the distance. Red eyed Demons, their very appearance causing the soldiers to swallow down nervously. ¡°Charge!¡± Woohyuk unsheathed Grandia and took the lead atop his white stallion. His actions purging the fear from his soldiers¡¯ hearts as they shouted out courageously. ¡°Waaahh!¡± The shing of metal soon followed as the two sides crashed into each other. Now that the morale of his men was high, Woohyuk set out to find the Demon¡¯s leader. ¡®Maybe by now it has regained a fair bit of its power.¡¯ Amanda whom he had fought back in Landium, had only been awake for a very short time, and wasn¡¯t able to freely use her abilities. However this guy would be different. Just the fact that he could mobilize an army of 70,000 Demons meant that he was on another level. ¡®Doesn¡¯t look like this can be settled peacefully. The opponent had taken too many losses as it was, so taking a step back was no longer an option. If I don¡¯t take care of him right here and now, he will without a doubt aim his sword at the Rhine kingdom once more. As Woohyuk prepared himself for the tough battle ahead, he heard a cold voice in his mind. [Who are you?] Melphis. He wasmunicating with his mind, so as to not reveal his position. [Asura, Demon King] [Oh, do wonder I felt such strong Demonic Energy. Why am I hearing your name for the first time though? I¡¯ve never seen you among the list of 72 Demon Kings.] Just like the n system on the yers side, the Demons rankings were also updated every 3 months. Through it, a Demon can check the rank and status of any other of its kind. It was the reason that Melphis was full of doubts. [I came from another world, but my circumstances are my own.] [You might have your own reasons, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I will let you do as you please.] Melphis realised that it had been Woohyuk that had interfered with his ns time and time again. It was an easy guess because there really wasn¡¯t any alternate exnation. [...] As Woohyuk stayed silent, a ck portal appeared and a blonde haired young man stepped out, Melphis. ¡°Demon King Vk has instructed me to take possession of the Rhine kingdom at any cost, so I¡¯vee here leading half of his army.¡± ¡°I can understand your situation, let¡¯s just settle this.¡± ¡°You seem to be very confident simply because you are a Demon King.¡± Melphis smiled as he released his magic. His appearance then underwent a drastic transformation, bing a bipedal walking monster. In order for him to use all of his power, he needed to assume his original form. ¡°So ugly.¡± ¡°To be honest I don¡¯t much like this form either, but what choice do I have when I have to face off against a Demon King.¡± Melphis wasn¡¯t stupid enough to go up against a Demon an entire tier higher than his without some sort of trump card. The reason behind his confidence was because of the power bestowed on him by Demon King Vk, which allowed him to awaken. In his awakened state, not only would his Stats rise drastically, but Demon King Vk could also take direct possession of his body. ¡®Let¡¯s start.¡¯ If he was able to defeat this Demon from another world, he could then be the one to inherit his title. It was worth risking his life for this challenge. As Melphis raised his hands, dark clouds appeared and purple lightning bolts shot out. Chapter 71: Suppressing the Rebellion 3

Chapter 71: Suppressing the Rebellion 3

Urrrr Quang! Quang! As a tempest appeared out of nowhere, the soldiers on both sides turned to look at the dark clouds gathering in the sky. ¡°What happened to the weather?¡± ¡°Is it going to rain?¡± ¡°Krrrr¡± The monsters recognized what was going on, but the soldiers remained confused. Melphis cackled wickedly as he saw their confusion. ¡°Hahaha! They¡¯re all running around like frightened mice, strike them down!¡± At hismand, Purple lightning bolts shot out from the clouds above, while a ck mist began to form near the ground, blurring the soldier''s vision. ¡®So you¡¯re trying to control the environment.¡¯ His intention was to create an environment that matched that of the Demon world, so as to amplify the demons¡¯ strength. Woohyuk didn¡¯t hesitate to summon his own undead forces, upon seeing that the Demon King Vk was now involved. He had about 1,500 undead. Give the size of the two sides, it wasn¡¯t much, but at least it was better than nothing. Not to mention that the power of his undeadmanders couldn¡¯t be ignored. Especially Isaac with his ability to raise the dead as Death Knights, as well as James¡¯ Oath Breaker. Both skills could have a great bearing on the oue of the battle. ¡°Hiaaaaahc!¡± ¡°Krawrawraw!¡± Melphis frowned upon seeing the undead forces appear. ¡°So you¡¯ve been hiding this trump card the entire time. Still, it isn¡¯t even worth mentioning. Now that I have awakened with Demon King Vk¡¯s power, I can easily take care of these small fries.¡± Melphis¡¯ skin turned red, as his body grew to be two or three timesrger. With a simple flick of his finger, the heads of nearby undead lizardmen instantly exploded. He had drawn on the Demon King¡¯s power. ¡®Such overkill.¡¯ An awakened Demon would benefit from a huge surge in fighting prowess, but their body would sustain severe injuries as a result of such overdraft. Regardless of the fact that he was a Superior Demon, even he wouldn¡¯t be able to sustain such a form for long. Upon seeing Melphis who was overflowing with Demonic Energy, Woohyuk pulled out Verserios. ¡®This isn¡¯t the time to worry about other people.¡¯ He also could use Asura¡¯s power for too long, but if Melphis relied on such a power, Woohyuk would have to as well. For now, it looked like his best bet was to try to drag things out and drain his stamina. ¡®I should use that.¡¯ He could use the spirit trapped within Verserios, to waste some of his time. He had umted quite a few spirits, so it should be enough to hold him back for a while. As Woohyuk lifted Verserios up in the air. Huiaaaaah! ck spirits burst out and swarmed towards Melphis. ¡°What, so it¡¯s spirits this time?¡± Melphis was startled because these spirits appeared to be remarkably strong. Trapped inside the Asura world this entire time, unable to reincarnate, they had been endlessly engaging in battle and their fighting prowess continued to grow. ¡®So annoying...¡¯ He was embroiled in singlebat against a Demon King, when suddenly these pests joined in. Killing them one by one would take forever. He had to end the battle before his Awakened state was up. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare interrupt! You aren¡¯t my fit to be my opponents!¡± With a single roar from Melphis, those spirits that were near him lost substance and vanished. ¡°Now it is a one on one duel, bring it on Asura!¡± ¡°....¡± His sharp ws tore through the air as they reached for Woohyuk¡¯s neck. They carried enormous power that could cause enemies to explode on contact. Still, rather than dodging, Woohyuk chose to defend with Verserios. Kng! The entire space surrounding them shook as sparks flew out. ¡®Ouch, that really hurt.¡¯ Melphis frowned as he looked down at his ws. Meanwhile, Woohyuk pushed out even more of his Demonic Energy as he maintained hisposure. His surge in energy resulted in a shockwave which sent Melphis flying back. ¡°Ughh!¡± Melphis groaned as he assumed a defensive posture. Unconsciously shrinking back from Woohyuk¡¯s disy of fighting spirit. ¡°You guys take care of those Demon Spawn.¡± Woohyuk instructed Aris and Irene as he let them loose on the battlefield. He had been holding them back so far, as he wanted to see how things developed first. Now that he was confident in being able to tie up Melphis, there shouldn¡¯t be any surprise variables on their end. ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°Monsters...¡± The two women went to take care of the lesser demons, wielding their dark scythes. Melphis, seeing what had transpired, ground his teeth and rushed towards Woohyuk. ¡°You don¡¯t have time to rx! I am the one who wields Vk¡¯s power! Do not take me for some easy opponent.¡± From within Melphis¡¯ body, purple Demonic Energy began to soar. He was drawing the maximum amount of power that his body could support. To counter him, Woohyuk raised Verserios once more. As the gap between the two of them narrowed once again. Guooooooo! A ck vortex appeared around Woohyuk, drawing in anything near it. At the same time Verserios retroaction Seeing such a ridiculous phenomenon, Melphis felt fear for the first time. ¡®Is this what the true Demon King level is?¡¯ He thought that with the energy he received from Vk he would have a decent shot of winning, even if his opponent had been of a higher rank. It had all been an illusion of his. The man standing before him was on apletely different level. He emitted a pressure which he had never felt before. As he felt like he was a moth being drawn into a me, Melphis attempted ast ditch effort. ¡°Oaaah!¡± Drawing out into more of the purplish Demonic Energy, his ws grew longer and sharper, aiming for Woohyuk¡¯s head. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough to threaten Woohyuk. Upon releasing the first seal on his sword, Verserios was bather in a ck me, swallowing anything it came in contact with. Hwarrrk As the arm he had struck out was vaporized, Melphis screamed out in pain. Agggh! Still, the ck vortex was unrelenting, as he was unable to retreat. As Melphis continued to cry out, the dark clouds up above continued to unleash lightning bolts upon Woohyuk¡¯s head. Qwa Qwa! Qwang! Qwang! Very powerful lighting striking. As Melphis finally copsed to the ground, Woohyuk took the chance to catch his breath. ¡°Huu...Huu¡­.¡± Using the spirits at first and then relying on Verserios for so long, had truly pushed his body to the limits. An awakened Superior Demon was still a tricky opponent for the current Woohyuk. ¡®It¡¯s not over yet.¡¯ Although Melphis had lost consciousness, there was still the Demon King Vk behind him. It didn¡¯t take long for his will to descend on Melphis¡¯ body. The real battle was about to begin. As Woohyuk took the chance to rest up, Melphis slowly got back up to his feet. Unlike previously, he had a far darker look and his Demonic Energy had turned a shade darker. ¡°You¡¯re quite the troublemaker, Asura.¡± ¡°Is this Demon King Vk?¡± ¡°Yes. He didn¡¯t seem capable of taking you on, so I decided to step in.¡± As Vk finished speaking, Melphis¡¯ arm was regrown in but an instant. Woohyuk on his end raised Verserios as he carefully examined his opponent. ¡®He used to be ranked 62nd.¡¯ A Demon King which was proficient in Lightning Magic and wielded a lightningnce But he is using another¡¯s body so his Stats were lower and he didn¡¯t have hisnce with him. They should be about evenly matched right now. ¡®Still, I should be careful.¡¯ As soon as a Demon King decided to intervene directly, an all out confrontation was no longer avoidable. Not to mention that he was still exhausted from having to face Melphis. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he could get seriously injured this time around. ¡°....¡± ¡°If you have no intention of attacking, I guess I¡¯ll have to take the lead.¡± Since Woohyuk showed no signs of going on the offensive, Vk raised an outstretched finger. Taang! Soon after purple lightning bolts shot out one after another, all aiming for Woohyuk¡¯s heart. Ting Ting! As the battle had officially begun, Woohyuk deflected the iing bolts with Verserios, and closed the distance towards Vk. Of course, knowing his intentions, Vk wouldn¡¯t allow him to approach so easily. Quang! Qua Quang! Purple lighting descended from the dark clouds above, falling upon Woohyuk¡¯s head. As dangerous as it looked, Woohyuk ignored it, allowing his Ghost Queen Star Serpent to absorb all the iing bolts, leaving him unscathed. He soon after arrived before the Demon King andunched an invisible shockwave with him at the center. [Calm Sea¡¯s Silence] An artifact that was capable of silencing all of the enemies abilities within a 15 meter radius for 3 full minutes. ¡°...!¡± Demon King Vk vaulted backwards, into the air, dodging Verserios as he attempted to buy some time. Expecting this from him, Woohyuk activated his ck vortex once more. Kooohooooo! Unable to retreat any further as he was being drawn in, Vk exerted all his strength just to remain fixed in midair as he stared toward Woohyuk. ¡°In the end I still need to use that. It is not easy using another''s body.¡± [Incarnation] By descending with his full will within the vessel, he could temporarily use his full range of abilities. The trade off however was the Melphis¡¯ body wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the stress and surely die. Still, it was a sacrifice the Vk was willing to make. His true body was not yet ready to appear upon the Eeth continent. Upon seeing Vk open up a portal to the Abyss and begin the Incarnation ceremony, a frown crossed Woohyuk¡¯s face. ¡®So it''se down to this.¡¯ Facing Demon King Vk¡¯s full strength wasn¡¯t something that he could achieve with his current Stats. His only option here was to release the second seal ced upon Verserios. If he wasn¡¯t able to properly control his Demonic Energy upon unleashing the second seal, he might instead lose himself to the darkness, but he had no other choice. ¡®I have to give it a try. ¡¯ It was not Woohyuk¡¯s first time here, at the crossroads between life and death. For him, this was simply another one of the challenges that he would have to give his all to ovee. He felt no fear, nor hesitation in the face of death. ¡°As you master, Imand you.¡± As Woohyuk finished speaking, Verserios seemed to move with a will of its own, as it became even darker. Seeing his opponent¡¯s weapon transform, Demon King Vk quickly summoned lightningnce ¡®Nekima¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re finished, I also have my own weapon now!¡± Now that the Incarnation ceremony had beenpleted, Vk was several times stronger than he had been previously. As the sky above roared, a huge purple lightning bolt descended upon Woohyuk¡¯s head. Quang! Qua Quang! A strike that would cause one¡¯s hair to rise simply by witnessing it. However, after the dust settled, Woohyuk still stood strong. The second seal ced upon Verserios had already been released. ¡°Execute the enemy before us.¡± Woohyukmanded as a pair of dark wings sprouted from his back. He then shed forward with Verserios, unleashing a dark energy strike that flew towards Vk. ¡°Ugggh!¡± Vk groaned as he barely managed to stabilize. The strike had been so powerful that he had trouble defending against it even in his current state, where he could exhibit his full abilities as a Demon King. As he groaned, Woohyuk grasped Verserios with both hands and eximed. ¡°Let¡¯s y.¡± As Woohyuk was drawing on his Demonic Energy, far beyond the threshold at which he could safely control it, finishing the fight as soon as possible was his best option. As Woohyuk pped his dark, scaly wings, Vk focused all of his remaining energy into Nekima ¡®I still have a trump card left!¡¯ A secret skill that all Demon Kings possessed. For Vk, it was a sudden lighting bolt descending from the sky ''Lightning Fury¡¯. It would strike the head of Nekima, his lightningnce, as it gathered this power and became engrossed in dancing purple lightning. ¡°Have a good look at this killing blow of mine!¡± So far no opponent of his had remained unscathed upon being hit by ¡®Lightning Fury¡¯. As Vk unleashed his full power, Woohyuk nodded. ¡®As expected.¡¯ He had already faced him in the past, and so he was well aware of his own secret skill. A type of piercing attack. It was very powerful because all of his Demonic Energy was concentrated on the edge of hisnce But if it didn¡¯t manage to hit, it was all meaningless. Woohyuk, who had tapped into the Demon God¡¯s powers, was a step ahead of Vk in every respect. Pooah! Having avoided the thunderbolt from Nekima, he stabbed Verserios into his nk. Vk coughed out mouthfuls of ck blood, as his purple Demonic Energy began to fade. ¡°Kuluk!¡± ¡°Get stronger and return to face me, I¡¯ll be waiting for you anytime you¡¯d like.¡± After waving him goodbye, he struck the finishing blow. Vk¡¯s head was sent flying through the air with a clean stroke of his sword. Chapter 72: Kings Reign 1

Chapter 72: King''s Reign 1

After Demon King Vk¡¯s will had been banished from Melphis¡¯ body, their army went on to defeat the Demon Spawn. Later, after a fierce siege, they likewise managed to capture Eden Hall. Count Ethan had died to a stray arrow, whereas Count Ludwig was killed by Maximus, the Commander of the 3rd Legion. Leaderless, the remaining soldiers either fled or surrendered to the kingdom¡¯s army. The rebellion orchestrated by the three Count¡¯s had ended in their defeat. Still, Woohyuk wasn¡¯t satisfied with just that, and moved on to the provinces of Floren, Issilon and Erutonia. He wanted to fully purge any nobles that had participated in the rebellion. Many of them were taken back to the capital of Heidelberg, and sentenced to death by royal promation. Finally, everything had been taken care of. ¡°I will now step down from the throne.¡± Arnold had voluntarily abdicated the throne to Woohyuk. Although some loyalists had voiced theirints, it didn¡¯t amount to much. They couldn¡¯t go against all the momentum he had built for himself, not to mention that even Queen Jonna had supported him. After the grand coronation which she had yed a part in, Woohyuk officially assumed the throne and oversaw state matters. His first order of business was to undo as much as possible all the damage which the war had caused. The army had to be reorganized and the empty titles of the recently executed nobles needed to be filled. ¡®For now, we will have to focus on internal matters.¡¯ It would take some time for the Rhine kingdom to develop into a powerhouse. This was especially true following the disastrous rule of the wastrel King John. Correcting every problem within the kingdom one by one, Woohyuk also handed out noble titles to his own party members. ¡°You guys have achieved great merit, so you deserve it.¡± It wasn¡¯t only the capital where he needed reliable people in ce, but the provinces as well. Of course, those that still had room to grow such as Song Anna and Yoo Kayoung, were instead sent to Heidelberg¡¯s Royal Magic Academy. ¡°Lord, what will you do with those from the Hwarang n?¡± Leifina asked, as they had more or less finished the award ceremony. She was the newly appointed Royal Guard. Lee Jaesung, who had previously held the post, was instead sent to Erutonia to oversee the province. ¡°I will send them to Marquis Nelson.¡± It wasn¡¯t possible for him to continue using those that had openly engaged in banditry and murder on the kingdom¡¯s peasantry. The leaders of therger ns would continue to remain in prison within ckburn Castle. Depending on the degree of cooperation, they would receive different treatment. ¡°Then Commander Aiden¡­¡± ¡°We will deal with himter.¡± Recalling him to the capital at this time would only send the border into confusion. If there was ack of manpower, he could simply mobilize the 3rd Legion led by Maximus. As he epted a document handed over by his scribe, Woohyuk looked down at his vassals who sat on either side of the hall. ¡°Next order of business concerns Joanna, the Queen mother. What do you think I should do?¡± ¡°I think you need to officially marry her, that way your im to the throne would be more legitimate.¡± ¡°Indeed, if we mistreat her, it will only sour our rtionship with the Lydia kingdom, as well as the nobles that fought alongside us against the rebellion.¡± If Joanna were to marry another noble, another would arise with im to the throne, which couldplicate things. As Woohyuk was thinking things through, Joanna arrived seeking an audience. ¡°No, it''s fine, I will remain single for the time being. I still have many things to sort out in my head right now.¡± Not too long ago her son, King John had been poisoned. She wasn¡¯t ready to ept a new husband at this point in time. As Joanna shared her opinion, the other vassals nodded vigorously. ¡°If it¡¯s as Joanna says, then we can still dy it a while longer.¡± ¡°It indeed feels a bit early to be discussing marriage at this point.¡± Joanna continued to have a lot of influence among many of the nobles. As soon as she settled the problem, Woohyuk spoke once more. ¡°Joanna, you¡¯ll have your own personal guard.¡± Irene would be ideal for the position. Unfortunately Aris couldn¡¯t even be considered since she couldn¡¯t enter ckburn. ¡°Thanks for your concern. I will be staying in the Royal Pce, so if you ever want to speak, feel free toe visit.¡± Joanna left the hall with a big smile. She fully trusted Woohyuk. The vassals that didn¡¯t know what had ured between the two of them, could only misunderstand their rtionship. ¡®Why is it that Joanna and the King seem to be so close when they speak with each other?¡¯ ¡®They almost look like lovers¡­.¡¯ Since she supports him despite him having no connection with the Devos family line, they could only assume that they had a very close rtionship. It was probably due to Joanna¡¯s request that Woohyuk had appeared within ckburn and ughtered the rebels. Postponing the marriage must have been a decision made simply to keep up appearances for others. As these nobles came up with their own versions of events, the vassals confirmed Joanna as Queen. After the excitement had faded, Woohyuk turned to the next order of business. ¡°Next, we need to expand our educational institutions, as well as nurture new talents. Please let me know if you have any good ideas.¡± ¡°I think that it would be a good idea to expand the current academy within Heidelberg.¡± ¡°For Maesters, we should go hire them from the Holy Aperian Empire. It is difficult to ept any additional students with the current number of instructors.¡± They were all ministers which had passed histest examination. That was the reason that they all coulde up with practical ideas. Considering the fact that more than half of nobles couldn¡¯t even read, they were all quite talented. ¡®Things are going much better than back then.¡¯ In the past, he hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to wipe out all corruption within the country and have a fresh new start. The situation had been too chaotic with the invasion of the 72 Demon Kings as well as the multiple ns. However this time around, the first button had been properly sewn, so all his next ns would fall in line. Woohyuk continued to discuss how to manage the kingdom with his ministers, with a content expression. * * * In the za located in the center of Heidelberg, Choi Minho sat upon the edge of the fountain with a preupied expression. ¡°Shit¡± It had already been several months now since he had appeared here in the Eeth continent, yet he still hadn¡¯t found a ce to settle down. Just to make ends meet, he worked as a tier 3 mercenary as well as unloading ships back in the free city of Media. ¡®Every time something goes wrong, I¡¯m unfairly fired.¡¯ For Choi Minho, his current situation was tough to endure. He was born into a rich family and had always lived a life of luxury. While other students had to work part-time jobs, he drove expensive cars to pick up women and spend his nights clubbing. While others had to worry about getting a job and what they would do in the future, he was drinking expensive whiskey in thepany of beautiful women. Recalling his life of debauchery, Choi Minho couldn¡¯t help but clench his teeth in anger. ¡®I must make it back.¡¯ The game-like world of doing quests and killing monsters was bing boring. Why should he, who had such a bright future, have to undergo such trials. As Choi Minho grumbled to himself, a couple of young noble women passed by him. ¡°Have you heard the rumors? This time our new king is a dashing foreigner.¡± ¡°Oh really, I hope I can meet him at least once.¡± Mmm, girls... He stood up while he clicked his tongue. He had to find another job once again. Heidelberg was the capital city, so there would always be some opportunities for employment. ¡®I heard that they are investing intorge scale construction projects.¡¯ Following the war, the wages paid out to workers were given a small increase. It was due to the many casualties suffered during the course of the war. Of course it wouldn¡¯t be enough for a guy like him to settle down properly, but at least it would stop him from going hungry. In this world, he was cursed to be nothing more than a vagabond. ¡®Was it written that it was on the hill between the craftsmen and merchant¡¯s district?¡¯ Choi Minho tried to remember the announcement he had read in the za¡¯s bulletin board, as he started walking. By the time he had almost reached his destination. ¡®Huh?¡¯ An unexpected encounter urred. A young man whose face was familiar to him was in a conversation with a gray haired old man wearing a robe. ¡®He¡¯s¡­.¡¯ Chun Woohyuk. Yes, that was definitely his name. He remembered him since they had both attended the same high school. He had a crush on a girl but she ended up like that guy instead. He ended up spending a lot of money to steal her from him, but it had still left a sour taste in his mouth. Judging by his shabby appearance, he must also be here to look for a job. ¡®I¡¯ll try talking to him first.¡¯ If he ended up having anything valuable on him, he¡¯d corner him in a secluded area and mug him using his dagger. The Law of the Jungle. It was due to his understanding of this that he was able to survive in this world, despite all its difficulties. ¡®Friends make one be absent minded.¡¯ Even if they had previously barely had any contact, in such a strangend, it was normal for others to trust someone that you¡¯ve known in the past. To date, he had used this same trick on at least five or six people. Putting on his biggest smile, Choi Mingho went to greet him. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you Chun Woohyuk? It¡¯s been so long. Do you still remember those highschool days?¡± ¡°... Are you Choi Minho?¡± ¡°Right! How have you been? Everytime I meet someone I know over here I begin to tear up.¡± As Choi Minho continued to speak casually with Woohyuk, the expression of the grey haired old man standing next to him continued to worsen. ¡®How dare this peasant speak to the King in such a manner!¡¯ It was incredibly insulting to approach royalty in that way, and it wouldn¡¯t be umon to hang him for such an offense. Although they were currently keeping a low profile for the sake of conducting an inspection among the locals, it was still unforgivable. ¡°Shall we talk in private?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. People in this area are not too friendly when ites to foreigners like us.¡± As his n was proceeding smoothly, Choi Minho was getting excited and continued to bber on. Now all that¡¯s left is to lead him to a deserted alley. He looks like an easy mark since he¡¯s showing me his back without any worries. ¡°What brought you to Heidelberg?¡± ¡°I came here to settle down. As I¡¯m sure you know, the situation in the Rhine kingdom is quite chaotic. I wasn¡¯t even able to join a n, but since there was a war starting up, I was quite worried for my safety.¡± Choi Minho had originally been a part of the Hwarang n. however he had been caught scamming his own n members and chose to voluntarily remove his Unity ring. Later, he came to Heidelberg, because the Hwarang n hardly had any presence here.. Naturally, he didn¡¯t say anything about this to Woohyuk. ¡°What kind of talents do you have?¡± ¡°Talents? Apart from picking up women, not much I guess. Don¡¯t worry about me though, I¡¯ve been moving across the continent, doing odd jobs just to get by.¡± In order to lower Woohyuk¡¯s guard even further, Choi Minho proceeded to open up about his own experiences. His first time fighting against new species which he had never seen before in the free city of Media. The time that he had worked for a Baron in the Erutonia province as a mercenary to hunt monsters in the mountain range. Stories about getting drunk in a tavern and then taking back a prostitute to the inn¡­ ¡°It¡¯s quite difficult here because things are so different from my old life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s indeed true. Back then we wanted for nothing. Still in this world if you are some high ranking noble, you can still do whatever you please. That way one might still live a decent life.¡± The only good thing about this continent so far was that all the women seemed to be so beautiful. If he were to ever return back to Earth, it would be nice to be able to kidnap one or two of them to bring back with him. Still, these days earning enough coin so that he could afford to eat, buy clothes and put a roof over his head, was more urgent than frolicking with women. It didn¡¯t take long for them to arrive in a rather secluded area, as Choi Minho stealthily reached for the dagger he had hidden at his waist. He then lunged forward, attempting to stab Woohyuk who was walking in front of him, in his ribs. Pak! Suddenly a sword¡¯s scabbard was thrown from behind, hitting Choi Minho in the head. ¡°Uggh¡­¡± As Choi Minho copsed to the ground, groaning in pain, Woohyuk spoke. ¡°Leifina, take care of him.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± As his Royal Guard, Leifina would always be there to protect Woohyuk. She had simply been keeping her distance and staying out of sight. As soon as his hands and feet were bound, Choi Minho looked up at Woohyuk with a shocked expression. ¡°You, you¡­ are you the one that was recently crowned King?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Woohyuk replied with a cold expression. He had encountered so many simr situations in thest 40 years, so he had guessed his intentions from the very start. He recalled that he had lost his first crush to Choi Minho, but he didn¡¯t hold a grudge over it. That man was of no value in this world. ¡°Drag him out and hang him.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± Leifina nodded as she picked up Choi Minho like a sack of potatoes. ¡°No, spare me please!¡± Choi Minho begged fervently, but it was all toote. His crime of trying to harm the King was simply too great to ignore. Woohyuk simply walked on towards the Academy, leaving behind Choi Minho in Leifina¡¯s capable hands. Chapter 73: Kings Reign 2

Chapter 73: King''s Reign 2

With Woohyuk as King, the Rhine kingdom underwent many changes. The economy was given a boost by the expansion of the maritime trade, as well as investments into new trade routes bynd. Not to mention the development of new education institutions that attracted people from all over, bringing them to the capital. The kingdom¡¯s armies were reshuffled, and any of the past absurd practices were stamped out. They expanded their standing armies and appointed newmanders to lead them. Once he was satisfied with how things were developing within the country, he appointed Joanna as Regent and left all the administration to her. His goal now was to clear the Medusa Temple in the Izuna kingdom. Because it could very well turn out to be a long trip, Woohyuk went to pay Lee Jaesung a visit before heading out. ¡°Will you be gone for long?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He had been given Count Ludwig¡¯s title, and was in charge of running the Erutonia province. He wasn¡¯t nearly as involved in the capital¡¯s politics, but instead had his own army to lead. ¡°How can I help¡­.¡± ¡°Just make sure to take good care of everyone while I¡¯m away.¡± Although he wasn¡¯t the cunning politician type, he was a dependable guy with good morals that he could always count on. For that reason he had entrusted him with the most important region, that had the free city of Media within it. He also had his duties as the Vice-leader of their n, so he still had to keep an eye on members like Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna. ¡°Sure, that won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Did you manage to find Anais¡¯ whereabouts?¡± ¡°All clues lead to her fleeing by ship from Media, heading to another country.¡± Count Ludwig¡¯s daughter. She had disappeared from their residence as soon as news that the war was going poorly for them. No doubt she had received some external assistance to pull it off though. As he carefully examined the furniture in the manor, Woohyuk thought back to the past. ¡®It was said she had contact with Demons.¡¯ She had been the main culprit behind Count Ludwig¡¯s fall in the past. When Melphis refused to help her, she had been blinded by the prospects of power, and made a deal with the Demon Amanda. This eventually led to the Rhine kingdom being caught up in a battle between these two Demons. Had Isaac not appeared with his Seven Colored Rainbow Ring, the damage would have been even worse. ¡®We should get rid of her just in case she stirs up trouble once again.¡¯ If Anais managed to attract some new Demons this time, it could turn out to be quite the hindrance. In the battle for Eden Hall, he had managed to inflict great damage upon the Demon King Vk, but his true body was very much still alive. No doubt he would return one day to get his revenge once he¡¯s regained his full strength, so thest thing he needed was to have to face another Demon King as well. If he could, he would naturally like to sign a treaty with all 72 Demon Kings, but of course this was impossible. ¡°Message me as soon as we find any information on Anais.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss.¡± ¡°What about the nobles here in Erutonia¡¯s Castle?¡± ¡°They gave me some strange looks, but never showed any hostile behavior, some even sent gifts which were brought over by their heirs. ¡± In addition to Lee Jaesung, Woohyuk had also sent Jung Sanghoon and Aris to Issilon and Floren, respectively. This had been done right after the rebellion, to make sure all other nobles would fall in line. Aside from the territory controlled by the royal family, and that under Marquis Nelson, he was directly in control of about half of the Rhine kingdom. However, unlike Aris, Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon didn¡¯t have any experience with these aristocrats, so Woohyuk had to patiently exin them everything. ¡°Let me guess, all the children which these nobles sent over to you are young women right?¡± ¡°Ah, I guess that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°They are trying to strengthen their rtions with you, by sending their daughters over so that you might catch a fancy to them.¡± Count Ludwig¡¯s territory was quiterge, so he had great influence within the Erutonia province. Now that there was a new Count upying the position, naturally the other nobles tried to get on his good side. What better way to do that than to have him marry their daughter. ¡°Oh¡­ I had no idea they wereing with that intention.¡± ¡°In order to be better epted by the nobles of the region, you¡¯ll have to pick out a wife from among their families.¡± It was the best option for Lee Jaesung, who currently had no influence in the area. In the first ce, political marriages weren''t something that an aristocrat could avoid. Still, women on this continent were generally quite beautiful, so he didn¡¯t seem to be too distraught with the idea of it. ¡°Wife¡­ haha, there was this one woman who caught my eye, but I guess I should think about this carefully.¡± ¡°Which family was she from?¡± ¡°The Tannis family, her name was Sally.¡± ¡°Not a bad match. They have a lot of talented members and have decent clout even in the capital.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only this sessful thanks to you. First I became Count, and now I get to marry a beautiful noblewoman. ¡± Lee Jaesung couldn¡¯t help but be thankful for all the good things that were happening to him. Previously he had lived the life of an average white cor worker. After retiring, he had been thinking of starting up a fried chicken business. Fortunately he had met up with Woohyuk here and had been given such an incredible opportunity. In Lee Jaesung¡¯s eyes, Woohyuk was his greatest benefactor. ¡°Think of it as a small reward for all that you have done so far, you deserve this.¡± Woohyuk said as he ced his hand on his shoulder. It wasn¡¯t just some empty words, but rather how he truly felt in his heart. ¡°Just run the province well, and keep practicing your sword skills, this peace won¡¯tst forever.¡± Using his wealth and status of a Count, he should be able to find a decent instructor. After exining about the different sword styles in the Eeth continent to Lee Jaesung, Woohyuk moved on to another topic. ¡°Keep an eye out for the Cohen Merchant group, there¡¯s arge power standing behind them.¡± ¡°Are they like the Freemasons? A secret organization that operated across the globe.¡± ¡°Something like that, they¡¯ve been following the same customs since ancient times.¡± The Golden Rose Association was essentially aworking group for the highest echelon. A secret group established by masters at the peak of their craft, in order to increase their influence. ording to what little he had learned from his informants in the past, they had been focused on researching metaphysics.. ¡°If they are so dangerous, we need to inform the other party members.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need.¡± It was quite sensitive information, so the fewer people that knew it, the better. He hadn¡¯t even mentioned it when he visited Jung Sanghoon in Issilon. Among his party, he had only shared it with Leifina, Aris and Lee Jaesung. ¡°Will it be fine to be gone so long, leaving the throne vacant? Even Joanna is worried that other nobles might get some ideas¡­.¡± ¡°Most of those corrupt nobles had been taken care of, so we won¡¯t have to worry about any internal issues for a while. Joanna is also a wise woman, it should be fine.¡± Irene was by Joanna¡¯s side. She could also check her food for poison at every meal, so that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to assassinate her. If ever there was a rebellion in any of the other provinces, there was always Aris around that could head out and quickly snuff it out. ¡°Now that everyone is spread out across the kingdom, it will be hard to meet up again.¡± ¡°At least for now. Everyone will be busy with their own tasks, so it isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡± The party would still be brought back together if a crisis that affected the entire kingdom urred. After beingforted by Woohyuk, Lee Jaesung nodded back. ¡°Although no one wants that to happen, It¡¯ll no doubt be as you mentioned earlier and war will soon be on our doorsteps once more.¡± Lee Jaesung had been following Woohyuk long enough to learn a bit about this Nebulus World. One filled with endless trials. Unlike back on Earth, here the system didn¡¯t allow forcency, encouraging conflicts and death. Woohyuk¡¯s goal was to put an end to that vicious cycle. Even a dog could learn to recite a poem after studying at the vige school. Lee Jaesung, who had stayed by Woohyuk¡¯s side this entire time, had a good understanding of his ultimate goal. As the two were having a serious discussion, an elderly steward ran into the study. ¡°Co, Count!, urgent news!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Monsters have invaded yournds and are causing a lot of problems.¡± Despite the sessful punitive expedition in the Corcas Mountains, monsters continued to invade the kingdom. No doubt the Demon had a hand in all this. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Woohyuk hade here under a different identity, so he had others address him as Commander and not Majesty. Count Ludwig¡¯s former estate was in shambles due to the monster''s invasion. The barn had copsed due to an Ogre wielding a club, while all the livestock inside had been ughtered by the Orcs. Their horde numbered around 3000. Considering that the punitive expedition had been sessful, it was quite arge number. ¡®We might need to investigate the source of this.¡¯ The Corcas Mountains weren¡¯t the only mountains within the Rhine kingdom. There were also the Irene and Scy mountains ranges as well. However Corcas was the one that the most attention was paid to because it was the only one that acted as a border with another nation. The only other options were that they had somehow multiplied within the borders of the kingdom, or managed to cross the Corcas Mountains from another kingdom. Both were rather unlikely. For now, they would have to investigate where it was they wereing from. Woohyuk looked around as he cut down an Orc with Grandia. His current appearance had been modified using his Jester¡¯s Mask, so only Lee Jaesung knew his identity. ¡®If I were to use some of my well known abilities however, that would be a different story.¡¯ Ever since the Battle for Eden Hall, many stories had been spread about Woohyuk¡¯s abilities. How a Hero had grown dark wings and cut down a giant monster with a single sword. Although there had been some voices concerned with whether he might be a Demon, people mostly dismissed the thought, since he would have been fighting against his own kind. It was one of the reasons that it was so easy for him to assume the throne. Because he had the support of the people, the other nobles couldn¡¯t probe too deeply into the source of his powers. Of course, there weren¡¯t many that were bold enough to stand up to Woohyuk and question him in the first ce. ¡®Unfortunately it is quite a pain to have to fight without using my full power.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want others to know his identity, but maybe it would make it a bit more difficult to properly investigate the source of all this. Why was it that the number of monster appearances had soared across the kingdom. It was pretty much impossible for these monsters to build their ships and arrive by sea, so that meant that they had to have originally been hidden within the actual territory of the Rhine kingdom. Swoosh! Woohyuk hadunched himself amid a group of monsters without the slightest hesitation, as he cut the Ogre before him at the waist. Ever since he had unsealed Verserios, he felt that he had be a bit stronger. He had be a bit more proficient in his use of Demonic Energy, which yed the same role as Inner Force. ¡°Kkaaahak!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± As Woohyuk was cutting his way through the monsters, he heard some screams from some peasants.. ¡®Is iting from the northeast?¡¯ Perhaps they had been caught by the horde on their way back from picking herbs in the mountains. As he rushed over, he saw a young man and woman, trembling as they were surrounded by arge group of Orcs. Just as they were about to run them through with their cleavers, arge Red Broadsword appeared, just in time to save them. Hwarrrk! A fountain of brownish blood spurt into the air. Seeing the face of their savior, their expressions brightened. ¡°Co, Count!¡± ¡°You came to save us!¡± Lee Jaesung breathed heavily as he stood before them. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to let your guards down! Wait until they are all taken care of before feeling relieved!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± As the two of them picked up the fallen Orcs¡¯ weapons, Lee Jaesung raised his Kite shield and used the Taunt skill to grab their aggro. ¡°Karrrr!¡± ¡°Kiyaaaak!¡± The easily excitable Orcs all rushed to Lee Jaesung at once. Seeing this, Lee Jaesung used his Battlecry, buffing any nearby allies for a certain duration. After having done everything he could to give the pair of them the best chance of survival, he entered into the battle in earnest. Kng! Kng! The iron Orc weapons shed against his Kite shield, resulting in dull sounds. Because he was facing far too many opponents, Lee Jaesung was put on the defensive and couldn¡¯t find a chance to attack. At least with his current Knight ss, he had a 15% boost to his Health, as well as a 20% boost to HP recovery. This basically meant that he could hold on despite being outnumbered, for quite some time. ¡®He¡¯s not at all bad.¡¯ As Woohyuk watched Lee Jaesung¡¯s performance for some time, he couldn¡¯t help but be happy. With his current level he should do quite well as a lord. Still, it looked like he could really use his help right about now. Woohyuk raised Grandia and jumped into the horde of Orcs. Chapter 74: Cohen Merchants Scheme 1

Chapter 74: Cohen Merchant''s Scheme 1

The battle against the monsterssted until sunset. Due to the recent war, the provincial army was rather short staffed. Fortunately, Woohyuk had yed arge role, which reduced the casualties for the soldiers. But it still hadn¡¯t been enough. ¡°My poor son!¡± ¡°Please, open your eyes!¡± The hearts of Woohyuk and Lee Jaesung were heavy as they watched the families mourn the loss of their loved ones. They couldn¡¯t help but me themselves for perhaps not having done their very best. ¡°Where did all these monsterse from?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t found that out yet.¡± He had hidden his identity the whole time, so that the culprit behind all this might reveal themselves, but it had all been for naught. The main culprit couldn¡¯t be some beginner monster trainer. ¡®Not even Choi Kayoon would be able to control so many monsters this early on.¡¯ Not to mention that he knew that she would begin in the Izuna kingdom. Of course it was technically possible for her to have arrived by sea through the free city of Media, but it was rather unlikely. There must be some other exnation. ¡°If we don¡¯t find the reason for this, there will only be more needless casualties.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Despite the average life expectancy being a whopping 300 years, the poption of the Eeth continent didn¡¯t increase much due to the frequent wars, gues, as well as monster invasions. As Lee Jaesung was clicking his tongue, the young man and woman which he had stepped in to save, spoke out. ¡°I have something to mention, Lord.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Actually I found this in the mountains.¡± The young woman handed him a leather pouch. As Lee Jaesung untied the knot, he found some blue powder inside. ¡°It¡¯s my first time in my life seeing such a substance. I happen to be quite knowledgeable about many ingredients since we often help with collecting herbs for alchemists.¡± ¡°I¡¯m showing it to you because I believe it might have some connection to thistest incident.¡± They couldn¡¯t bring it up earlier, because the battle had been in full swing. As the pair left, Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°Monster breeding substance.¡± ¡°Breeding substance?¡± ¡°Be careful not to ingest any, for humans it might result in the same symptoms as taking hard drugs.¡± Taking it would result in severe withdrawal symptoms which were difficult to cope. If you didn¡¯t handle such a substance carefully, it might result in quite the troubling situation. Upon hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Lee Jaesung couldn''t help but be surprised. ¡°So you think someone is purposefully trying to increase the monster poption?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± If it were being used as a kind of drug by humans, it wasn¡¯t likely to be found deep within the mountains. Of course it might be used to kidnap ves within the kingdom, but it was rather unlikely. ¡®This stuff must being in from the port city, Media.¡¯ The Cohen Merchant group was the first one that came to mind. The same guys who had smuggled inrge quantities of Wildfire, to supply Count Gwain. If it was them, they should have the connections to get their hands on this stuff. ¡°I¡¯ll need to borrow a hunting dog.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking of searching the mountains?¡± ¡°Right, there might be some clues left behind.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°No, you stay here.¡± Lee Jaesung was still busy getting his house in order. After picking a hound with a sharp sense of smell, Woohyuk headed deep into the mountains. ¡®Night is beginning to fall.¡¯ Without the sunlight, he was relying on the dog¡¯s nose to find any traces of the substance. It was pitch dark, and an ordinary human wouldn¡¯t be able to see. Only the sound of the wind blowing against the grass and the chirping of the insects was heard. After searching for quite some time, the dog stopped and growled. This meant that the trail had ended here. ¡®Where did you go from here?¡¯ He pushed his senses to the limit, looking for anything that might catch his attention, but found nothing. Worried that he was toote, Woohyuk took out his Archaeologist''s Golden Magnifying ss, to have a look around once more. ¡®Someone¡¯s cast a spell here.¡¯ It hadn¡¯t been long since the Magic Array had been traced on the ground, as there were still faint tracks left behind. No doubt the other party had tried their best to erase any traces. Woohyuk followed the trail as he moved along carefully. ¡®This guy was quite thorough.¡¯ Without his special magnifying ss, he wouldn¡¯t have found any traces of the Magic Array, nor the footprints which had been concealed with magic. Woohyuk stopped in front of the cave, assuming his opponent to be an Elite monster. ¡°Woof! Woof!¡± The hound barked at the cave as it revealed its sharp canines. This meant that there was something inside. Woohyuk had likewise managed to detect some presence inside with his perception. ¡®Quite a few of them.¡¯ It was a monster¡¯s nest. Since the tracks had ended here, no doubt the Boss was inside as well. After dying the hound to a nearby oak tree, Woohyuk pulled out Verserios. ¡®If his Spirit stat was high enough, he could even force monsters to obey him.¡¯ For the most part, monsters were a by-product of the Demon race mating with other creatures. Of course there were some cases that arose due to curses from the Gods, such as Arachne or Medusa, but they were the exception. Therefore, if he managed to kill the Boss monster with Verserios, he could put the entire case to rest. As soon as Woohyuk stepped into the cave, a pair of red eyes appeared in the darkness. It was as if it had been waiting for him. ¡°I am your master from now on.¡± ¡°Krrrr!¡± ¡°Kiyaaaak!¡± The monsters seemed unwilling to submit to Woohyuk, as they roared in challenge. Still, they were rather afraid of Verserios¡¯ aura, so they had yet to attack. Monsters would act upon instinct, so it was normal for them to want to avoid the Abyss that was waiting to swallow them up. ¡°You there,e forward.¡± Woohyuk had pointed at an Elder Orc Shaman, the chief of the tribe. It was simr to the Elder Troll which they had fought in the Corcas Mountains, but had a purer bloodline, with superior physique and stats. The only reasons they might still be around was that they had either been assimted by the Demon world following the end of the God and Demon war, or that they had been sealed in an Historical Site. ¡°Chuiiiic...¡± The Elder Orc Shaman pretended to do as Woohyuk ordered, but it fully intended to attack with its magic. It cast a me Pir, as a red magic array appeared beneath Woohyuk¡¯s feet. Shortly after¡­. Hwaaaak! A huge column of fire swallowed Woohyuk up. However, it was even weaker than a Fireball, so Woohyuk didn¡¯t take any damage. He had simply relied on his Demonic Energy to protect his body. ¡°You seem to be quite the stubborn one.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s eyes gleamed dangerously, as he stabbed Verserios into the ground. His dark Demonic Energy then spread out in every direction. [Spatial Domain] An ability that he had acquired upon releasing thetest seal which had been ced on Verserios. The monsters were overwhelmed by the pressure it emitted, and couldn¡¯t help but take a couple steps back. ¡°Imand you to obey me.¡± Woohyuk spoke as he stepped forward, his eyes turned evil as he gave off an aurora of divinity origination from Verserios. Thump. Thump One by one the monsters dropped down to their knees. The Elder Orc Shaman resisted the longest, but eventually couldn¡¯t win against such an oppressive power. It bowed its head as it opened its mouth to speak. [I...Lost¡­] The Oguage. Although the system¡¯s trantion ability didn¡¯t extend to the monster''s speech, Woohyuk was able to understand him right away. It was because the Abyss had assimted countless species into his Asura World. ¡°Who gave you the endorphin substance?¡± [Media...Cohen Merchant¡­.] ¡°For what purpose?¡± [Don¡¯t know¡­just...exchange...deal...] The deal he was referring to was some sort of barter. The Cohen Merchant group would continue to supply the powder, while the Boss monsters would provide looted goods or human prisoners in exchange. ¡°How is this done without any middleman?¡± [they...send...our...family...who...are...obeyed...] ording to the Elder Orc Shaman, the endorphin powder was provided to the Orcs that obeyed the merchant group¡¯s orders. They were then sent into the mountains to prove how effective it truly was. When they learned that they were able to breed despite it not being their usual mating season, allowing them to multiply their numbers, they agreed to the deal with the Cohen Merchant group. ¡®A rather well thought out n.¡¯ Although he still didn¡¯t know what the Cohen Merchant groups ultimate goal was, he was now certain that a cmity would befall the Rhine kingdom if he didn¡¯t uproot them. Retracting his Demonic Energy, Woohyuk raised Verserios and pointed it towards the Elder Orc Shaman. ¡°You¡¯ll need to help me.¡± He needed someone on the inside, in order to uncover their whole plot. Woohyuk gave him a pitiful smile as he saw the terrified expression on the Elder Orc Shaman¡¯s face. * * * Media, a port city within Erutonia. The city was run by the two top Merchant groups, Cohen and Rossio. On the surface both appeared to be quite simr, but in truth the Cohen Merchants dealt with smugglers. Any illicit goods such as ves, drugs, weapons, they were all sold by them across the kingdom. Rossio¡¯s group however ran a ck market auction of rare items. Just like with Kaliss and Erica back in Landium, these two merchant groups were always at each other¡¯s throats. It was one of the reasons that Media wasn¡¯t a very safe ce, as fights between the two would break out often. ¡®It is quite thewless ce.¡¯ Woohyuk sighed, upon seeing a brawl between mercenaries in a nearby alley. . Even if the free city had been given autonomy, in exchange itcked severely in security. Landium might as well have been paradisepared to here. ¡®Maybe it has something to do with their trade with the southern countries.¡¯ In the southern kingdoms, very was legal. The Talis kingdom was one such example. Although they strongly believed in freedom and liberty, they followed a strict religion which greatly discriminated against pagans. It was also by employing their vicious torture methods that the Dragon Lord Ivanov had managed to obtainplete obedience from his red dragon, Karnelian. However that wasn¡¯t Woohyuk¡¯s preferred method. ¡®If you need to use physical force to bend it to your will, one day it was bound to snap.¡¯ Perhaps that was one of the reasons that Karnelian had gone mad in the past. Woohyuk had to do something about that, before it suffered any permanent damage. The same was true for the people in Media. They would rise up as an angry mobter to put an end to the oppression of the Cohen Merchant group. As he thought back to the smugglers that he had caught back in Ionia, Woohyuk arrived before Adonis¡¯ residence. ¡°We need to verify your identity.¡± A guard standing by the entrance spoke brusquely. Woohyuk was wearing torn travel attire, and could have easily passed for a bum. ¡°I¡¯m a first ss mercenary working for Count Ludwig, pass that on to Adonis.¡± He had his letter of rmendation signed by Lee Jaesung. Upon seeing the red way seal on the letter, the guard disappeared into the manor. Even if they were currently in a free city, a Count from the same province as them couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡°Pleasee in, Adonis is waiting.¡± Upon his return, the guard gave him a bow and spoke far more politely. Woohyuk proceeded to follow him into the manor. ¡°You want to work for me?¡± A man with dark brown hair and sses was sitting on his armchair, as he asked. Adonis. His first impression of him was that he seemed quite the calcting type. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is it money you are after? I¡¯m indeed a bit shorthanded here, so for a 1st ss mercenary like yourself I can pay 20 gold per month.¡± Typically, the monthly sry for a 3rd ss mercenary was 3 to 5 gold. 9 to 12 gold for a 2nd ss and 15 to 18 gold for a 1st ss. 20 gold was considered quite generous ording to the current market rate, but Woohyuk still refused. ¡°I have no need for gold, I would prefer information instead.¡± ¡°... Information huh? There are indeed some that are quite expensive.¡± There was some inside information that could allow one to turn a 1000 gold profit with a single investment. Still, contrary to Adonis¡¯ expectations, Woohyuk¡¯s interestsy elsewhere than money. ¡°Any information that you have on the Cohen Merchant group will do.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s counter offer caught him off guard. Chapter 75: Cohen Merchants Scheme 2

Chapter 75: Cohen Merchant''s Scheme 2

¡°The Cohen Merchant group¡­?¡± Adonis¡¯ eyes narrowed as he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Woohyuk was up to. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard rumors that they¡¯ve been secretly dealing in smugglers. You might be aware that recently there have been many cases of smugglers roaming the countryside of the Rhine kingdom, kidnapping young women.¡± ¡°And what would you do if that were true?¡± ¡°I¡¯d find some evidence and report it back to the Count. Anything other than that isn¡¯t within my contract, so I don¡¯t really care.¡± Woohyuk had to keep up his mercenary persona. It was the reason he emphasized his indifference to anything that wasn¡¯t directly connected to his reward conditions. It also led the other party to believe that he could at any time be bought with money. ¡°I¡¯m always willing to give a warm wee to anyone that opposes the Cohen Merchant group.¡± Just as he had expected, Adonis had agreed. Woohyuk then signed the contract with a feather quill and nk ink, and then asked. ¡°What kind of person is Bruno?¡± ¡°As long as there is money to be made, he¡¯s there to profit. Be it weapons, sex ves, drugs, etc.. There is nothing that he won¡¯t dare do. Recentyl he¡¯s even joined in the murder for hire business.¡± ¡°Do you mean they nurture their own assassins?| ¡°The rumor is that assassins from the Thalis kingdom are under his employ, but it is unconfirmed. Although we do run a ck market here, we are basically angelspared to those guys. Adonis avoided anything that might bring him too many future problems. It was the reason that he had only engaged in ck market trading, something that was easy to get away from so long as they didn¡¯t have conclusive evidence. Woohyuk nodded upon hearing his exnation. ¡°You guys are indeed different.¡± ¡°Was there anything else you wanted to ask? As long it is something I know, I have no qualms answering.¡± ¡°Are the Cohen Merchant group crossbreeding monsters?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time hearing that. I know they¡¯ve been feeding their sex ves ecstasy drugs and then sent then to the nightlife district.¡± The pill that Adonis was talking about was apletely different product. It was a pill that would make the woman sterile, all the while increasing her sexual drive, just like ecstasy. This wasn¡¯t at all connected to what he was investigating. ¡®It must be a top secret n on their end.¡¯ If even their main rival, the head of the Rossio Merchant association didn¡¯t know about it, perhaps their purpose wasn¡¯t about turning a profit this time around. What could be their goal behind trying to increase the number of monsters? One possibility was to throw the Rhine kingdom into chaos, which would allow them to sell more weapons and drugs. Still, it didn¡¯t sound like a usible reason. Woohyuk decided that he still had to dig further. ¡°I¡¯d like to join a caravan headed to Media, to collect some information.¡± ¡°Great, actually I was worried since the Cohen Merchant group has been pulling some shady shit these days.¡± ording to Adonis, the number of monster attacks along thend trade routes had increased significantly recently. This was what led Rossio¡¯s association to scout strong mercenaries in the first ce. ¡®Something simr had happened to Erica¡¯s Merchant faction.¡¯ When she had been in a heated rivalry with the Kaliss group, they had targeted her caravans transporting luxury goods. Taking everything into ount, it was likely that the Cohen Merchant group had a way ofmunicating with the monsters, and would give the itinerary of Rossio¡¯s caravan. ¡®They might have a spy in their ranks.¡¯ Merchant groups often had to hire mercenaries, so it was rather easy to have information leaks. Of course, it was still possible for the traitor to actually be among their upper echelon. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes beamed upon seeing a veteran mercenary escorting Adonis. * * * The Special mercenary Roy. He had originally been a diator within the Holy Aperian Empire. For the enjoyment of the masses, he would put his life on the line within the coliseum, on a weekly basis. Even after he managed to survive through them all, ultimately bing the champion. Still, he hadn¡¯t gained the favor of any nobles, so he was still scheduled for unfair fights, and his treatment was poor. Those days for him had been like a nightmare. His only goal had been to win his freedom, and so he had focused all his time and energy on his swordsmanship, in order to possibly win the nobles¡¯ favor. Finally, one day, an opportunity had presented itself. A riot had broken out in his ludus, and the master had been killed. After escaping along with some other diators, Roy began working as a mercenary in free cities located in far awaynds. With his skill, he quickly made a name for himself. His sword skills which he had so carefully honed on the coliseum sands, had benefited him greatly, and the requests for his services poured in. But most of these requests came from vers. As a captured ve that had been forced into his role as a diator and been treated like nothing more than a dog. These weremissions he didn¡¯t want to take. As such, he had found himself wandering from free city to free city, within the Rhine kingdom. Ultimately he found a ce with Rossio¡¯s Merchant association, since they didn¡¯t engage in any ve trade, signing a exclusive contract with them. ¡°At that time, the Cohen group had tried their best to pull me over to their side.¡± Roy exined as he escorted the caravans along with the other mercenaries. He was the humble type, so he felt strange bragging about himself there. ¡°Has Bruno ever exined any of his businesses to you?¡± Woohyuk asked as they walked side by side. Roy, however, shook his head. ¡°No, he had mentioned that he was going to control the entire economy of the Rhine kingdom and rule it as a monopoly. At that time it sounded quite absurd.¡± Bruno was quite the ambitious merchant. It is basically impossible for one merchant to own every store throughout the kingdom. Even if he somehow managed to pull it off, the nobles would never stand for it. ¡®Still, if they had the support of the Golden Rose Society, things would be entirely different.¡¯ Just the Wildfire previously sold by the Cohen group was enough to set a small city aze. Not to mention that this time it was some monster stimnts. The threat they posed could very well exceed that of the rebellion of the three Counts. ¡°I have yet to get a hold of their ns.¡± ¡°They are always very careful with regards to any information leak, so we only learn this quitete.¡± Whenpared to the Cohen Merchant group, Rossio¡¯s side was behind the curb. It was the price they paid for not being fully immersed into the city¡¯s underworld. He would have to see if he could identify any spies, but in his mind Woohyuk had already excluded Roy as a suspect. ¡®That guy won¡¯t side with someone who has those values.¡¯ All that was left then were the upper echelon, however they didn¡¯t exhibit any suspicious behavior either. As Woohyuk was upied trying to find the rat in their group, their caravan was brought to a halt. They had arrived at their destination, an apothecary within the merchant¡¯s district. ¡°It is such a huge purchase.¡± ¡°Turbulent times such as these are excellent for those in the potions business.¡± Due to the rebellion of the nobles as well as the numerous monster attacks, the price of potions had been on the rise. One could make a huge sum of money if they were able to mass produce and sell potions. Rossio¡¯s Merchant group nned on purchasingrge quantities of potions here, and then reselling them in the Issilon, Erutonia and Ionio provinces. ¡®The Cohen Merchant group is likely interested in this as well.¡¯ Even if they were in the city now, it wasn¡¯t umon for a fight to break out. If anything it was quite strange that things were so quiet. By now, it would have been normal for opposing mercenary forces to have been brought in to try and interfere with the deal. Woohyuk expanded his perception, trying to detect anything he had missed. ¡®...Is it him?¡¯ He felt someone hiding above the roof of the General Goods store, staring in their direction. The most reasonable guess was that it was an assassin from the Thalis kingdom. Without any hesitation, Woohyuk made his way to the assassin¡¯s location. ¡°...!¡± As soon as he saw Woohyuk making a beeline for him, the assassin didn¡¯t hesitate to flee. Although he was very agile, Woohyuk was quite fast himself. Domdomdom! A breathtaking chase urred as they ran from rooftop to rooftop. As he managed to gradually close the distance between them, the assassin realised that he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape, and pulled out his scimitar. Kng! The sound of metal shing rang out. ¡°Who do you work for?¡± ¡°....¡± Rather than responding, the Assassin pulled out a poisoned dagger and threw it towards Woohyuk¡¯s thigh. Whiric! An attempted assassination at such close range. Still, Woohyuk was able to easily dodge the attack. Pak! His fist smashed into the assassin¡¯s stomach, causing him to copse without even having the time to make a sound. ¡®He must be from the Thalis kingdom.¡¯ Woohyuk nodded after he removed the assassin¡¯s mask. It was a man with tanned skin and copper red hair. No doubt he would have some kind of information regarding the Cohen Merchant group. After lifting the unconscious assassin up over his shoulder, Woohyuk jumped down from the roof. * * * After lengthy interrogation back at Adoni¡¯s house, he had managed to learn quite a few things. The first was that no additional shipments of Wildfire had been received ever since news that the rebellion had failed arrived here. The second was that the monster stimnts were distributed across the Rhine kingdom through the use of the smugglers. ¡®I need to hurry.¡¯ Beforeing to Media, he had ordered the Elder Orc Shaman to find out where the monster stimnts exchanges were taking ce. Typically, they would ur in the mountains near Media. It had observed several elite monstersing and going, which meant that their ns were well underway. After havingpleted his short investigation, Woohyuk felt it was now time for him to pay Bruno a visit in person. He had to find out what the Cohen¡¯s Merchant group¡¯s connection to the Golden Rose Society was, as well as their purpose behind increasing the monster poption. Infiltrating their manor wouldn¡¯t be too hard, since he had his Banshee¡¯s Veil which rendered him invisible. There were two assassins stationed as guards inside, but they were quickly dispatched by Woohyuk, who disappeared shortly after. It didn¡¯t take him long to make his way into avishly decorated study ¡°Huhu¡­¡± The blonde haired man was staring at a document on his desk as he chuckled to himself. ¡®Is that guy Bruno?¡¯ His first impression of him was that he looked like a typical viin. He had a scruffy beard and had the eyes of a cunning and slimy person. Woohyuk carefully approached, and peered at the papers on his desk. Map of the Rhine Kingdom It marked down different monster¡¯s habitats, army trajectories, and points of exchange for the monster stimnt. ¡®Is he trying to build himself a monster army?¡¯ By slowly taming these elite monsters with his drug, he wanted to swallow up the entire Rhine kingdom for himself. ording to the map, the first province to be hit was Erutonia, then he¡¯d slowly expand his influence from there. His end goal was to capture the capital city, Heidelberg. The estimated duration was marked down as 1 year, but the n had already been underway for 5 months, so it wouldn¡¯t be long now before they took action in full. After storing the map, Woohyuk proceeded to repeatedly beat up Bruno, without any remorse whatsoever. Puk! Puk! ¡°Agh!¡± Bruno shouted in pain as he copsed to the ground. Only then did Woohyuk remove his Banshee¡¯s Veil. ¡°Who are you!?¡± Bruno¡¯s eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and fear hidden behind them. ¡°You set up quite the nasty n.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ how did you find out?¡± ¡°If your tail is too long, eventually it¡¯ll get caught. You were too arrogant, having ced too much faith into the Golden Rose Society.¡± Bruno was nothing more than a pawn. It was the Golden Rose Society that was the true mastermind behind this plot. As Woohyuk gave him a cold stare, Bruno began to sweat. ¡°You know about the Golden Rose Society¡­ Still, no matter how great you think you are, you can¡¯t defeat them. What is happening here in the Rhine kingdom is but the tip of the iceberg when ites to their influence.¡± ¡°How did you contact them? Or was it their branch in the Owen kingdom that reached out to you?¡± ¡°.... I can¡¯t say. If I were to speak they would never forgive me. You should be careful too, they have eyes and ears everywhere. Soon enough they will surely learn of my failure.¡± The Golden Rose Society never tolerated any traitors. No matter how far away you ran, or how well you hid, they¡¯d find you and mete out the death sentence. As Bruno kept his mouth shut, refusing to speak, Woohyuk brought down his heel and crushed his fingers. ¡°Agghh!¡± ¡°You seem to have misunderstood your situation, so let me clear it up for you. From now on, every time you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯ll start cutting the ligaments in your limbs, one by one. Perhaps you¡¯ve heard of the Thalis kingdom¡¯s torture method, in which they tie down the prisoner and then proceed to cause pain over long periods of time. Of course isn¡¯t to the point that you¡¯d lose your life, since that would be too easy.¡± Having spent hisst 40 years on the battlefield, Woohyuk was more than familiar with different methods of torture. As soon as he unsheathed Versersios, Bruno¡¯s shoddy began to tremble uncontrobly, as he even peed himself. ¡°I¡¯ll talk! Please don¡¯t torture me!¡± An unconditional surrender, he no longer had any of the backbone he had shown earlier. Woohyukughed as he grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. Chapter 76: Nelf Bay Ghost Ship 1

Chapter 76: Nelf Bay Ghost Ship 1

Bruno informed him that the Cohen Merchant group was essentially a subservient branch of the Golden Rose Society. The two of them hade into contact by pure coincidence, about a year ago. Although he was unaware of the Golden Rose Society¡¯s ultimate goal, he did know that they were scouring the continent in search of something. ¡®Is it the Dragonstone?¡¯ A legendary artifact which is said to have a secret power sealed within it. It had never been found, even in his past life. That was the case despite the Dragons eventually returning from their dimension to fight against the other races. As he left Bruno¡¯s residence, Woohyuk summarized in his mind the current situation. ¡®There no pawn within the Rhine Kingdom which the Golden Rose Society has any hold over.¡¯ The traitorous nobles had all been wiped out, and the same went for those dirty merchant groups. Erica and Adonis were not likely to fall out of line and get involved with illicit merchandise. Although it was difficult to predict how the Demons might act, he still had Aris and Loengreen on his side, so it wouldn¡¯t be easy for them to simply invade. ¡®I can now head to the Izuna kingdom.¡¯ Bruno, who was the main culprit behind this entire incident, was sent to the underground prison beneath ckburn, escorted by Leifina. It was a ce where countless criminals were held, including Count Gwain. It was basically an impregnable fortress, that one couldn¡¯t escape from. Shortly after arriving at the docks, he spotted a few ships which were preparing to take off. Woohyuk made his way over and inquired as to their fare. ¡°It¡¯s 38 silvers to port Delphoa.¡± Said an old man from atop his ship, named ¡®Cambell¡¯ Based on how he was dressed, he was surely the captain. ¡°That sounds a bit expensive for such a short journey.¡± ¡°Sea travel has be more dangerous these days.¡± The Nelf Bay which stood between the two kingdoms, had seen a lot of tragedies in recent years. Onemon sighting was that of a ghost ship appearing be it in the day or at night. These ghost ships would attack any ship they encountered, surrounding them in a ck mist. Naturally this led to a sharp decline in trade and transport between the two kingdoms. In essence, the increased price was reflected by the higher risk the captain had to take. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pay.¡± Hearing the captain¡¯s exnation, Woohyuk acquiesced. As he paid his fare and climbed on board, the crewmen hoisted the sail and they were off. ¡®So there are ghost ships.¡¯ There was a pretty high probability that this was connected to some kind of event quest. This meant that there would be a time limit, before it would disappear forever. Ghost ships generally urred when sailors died at sea. Unless they were bound by a very strong curse, the majority of them would disappear after some time. ¡®I can¡¯t afford to wait that long though.¡¯ In order to not draw any attention to himself, he hadn¡¯t revealed his Abyssal Ship. At worst, he could always count on Triton to deal with them. If somehow many of them attacked at once, he might even lend a hand. As Woohyuk stared out into the horizon, someone approached him. ¡°Hey there, aren¡¯t you not here with your party members?¡± It was a white man with blonde hair. Considering that he had an Adventurer¡¯s watch, he was likely in his mid-thirties. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What n are you in? We are the Pitbull n.¡± It had been three months since they¡¯d all arrived on the Eeth continent, so ns were required to select a name for themselves. Woohyuk nced at the guy¡¯s party members and answered. ¡°Ragnarok.¡± It represented the end of time for the gods. His n¡¯s name embodied his will to achieve the Divine Throne this time around. ¡°Give me a moment, I want to check your ranking.¡± The man before him tapped his finger in the air. There was now a new n tab from the Adventurer¡¯s watch. This allowed a yer to view any information about his own n, as well as the name of the ns in the top 35%. After trying to search for it, the man started tough. ¡°You guys must have a low ranking, are you a small n?¡± ¡°It indeed isn¡¯t veryrge.¡± ¡°If your leader is killed,e over to our Pitbull n. Of course we are all full at the moment, but you can enter the waiting list.¡± What great confidence the guy had. His n barely made the top 35% cut off, and yet he seemed to brag about it as if it was some great achievement. ¡°Jacob, don¡¯t go around giving internal information to others. What if he was a spy from one of the ns hostile to us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, can¡¯t you see that they are also promoting.¡± Jacob shrugged as he pointed to a brte with sses. Upon seeing the two Pitbull n members discussing among themselves, he thought back to the past. ¡®Back then there had been some ns that had put it all on the line, just for the sake of improving their rank.¡¯ No one really had a goal or direction, because theycked any general information. That was the reason everyone was so focused on the rankings. Of course, if they were able to properly make use of the n system, they could obtain nice rewards. But it wasn¡¯t worth getting into meaninglesspetitions over. ¡®This time around I¡¯ll try to stay away from the n War as much as possible.¡¯ It was one of the reasons that he had prioritized taking over the Rhine kingdom so quickly, so that he wouldn''t¡¯ have to engage in this war for territory. But that alone wouldn¡¯t be enough. n that were highly ranked would attract a lot of attention, so at this stage he preferred to keep his member count low. Either way, the number of people that could join was fixed, so one¡¯s individual prowess was still a determinant factor. ¡°Ah, sorry about that. I had a little disagreement with my nmate.¡± As Woohyuk was busy looking over the n rankings, Jacob spoke up. It seemed like he wanted to boast some more. Woohyuk looked over with an annoyed expression. ¡°Was there anything you wanted to add?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so uptight, I¡¯m just trying to pass the time since it takes a full three days to arrive at Delphoa port.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I used to be a police officer in America. I¡¯ve dealt with all kinds of people throughout the course of my career, which allowed me to quickly adapt to life in this world.¡± As he had expected, the man continued bragging about himself. Although he seemed like an okay guy and was at a decent level,pared to Woohyuk it was like night and day. Jacob had no idea who the man standing before him truly was. ¡°Why is it that you are leaving the Rhine kingdom all by yourself? The noble¡¯s rebellion had been taken care of, and the monsters had all been wiped out.¡± ¡°I have some personal business.¡± ¡°You seem to have an adventurer¡¯s spirit. Well at least that is one of the good things about being in a small n, the freedom. We have no choice now but to return due to our orders from the n.¡± The Pitbull n was based in the Izuna kingdom. They had onlye over to the Rhine kingdom due to some business in the ck market. However Woohyuk couldn''t care less about their situation. He still had many more important things to consider. ¡°What do you n on doing when the ghost ship appears?¡± ¡°We might fight if it¡¯s just one or two ships, but any more than that would be too much.¡± There were currently less than thirty people on board, and things could be quite difficult if they had to fight in close quarters. ¡°I hope nothing bad happens on our way to port Delphoa.¡± ¡°Haha! Stop worrying so much, everything will be fine.¡± Jacob smiled as he banged his chest andughed heartily. As Seagulls cries were heard from the sky, he started narrating his own heroic exploits once more. * * * The first night of their sailing trip, Woohyuk was above deck, not having gone to bed. He wanted to see if a ghost ship would appear. The captain spoke as he stared into the distance. ¡°In the past, Nelf Bay was a battlefield upon which countless naval wars were fought. Perhaps the souls of the fallen have reappeared in this world once more.¡± ¡°Are they pirates?¡± ¡°Some, but there are also smugglers, ves and even simple sailors just like me.¡± The captain went on to exin recount some legends Siren¡¯s Melody, a fairy-like being that sends the sailors into a trance with but a song. A love story between a captain lost at sea and a mermaid. Legends about the treasure which the famous pirate, Henry Morgan hid on a remote ind. He had countless stories, but none piqued Woohyuk¡¯s interest. ¡°I¡¯ve heard all those.¡± ¡°You must have great interest in the sea then, young man. You don¡¯t seem the type to have worked as a sailor.¡± Woohyuk''s current appearance was that of a young man with red hair, as he was currently wearing his Jester¡¯s Mask. ¡°I¡¯m a bard, so I happen to know many stories.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite surprising, I took you for a fighter.¡± The captain had been in this line of work for 250 years, and had noticed some fighting spirit in him. Woohyuk nodded as he stared back at the man. ¡°I once worked as a mercenary, but it was out of necessity to have something to eat and barely get by.¡± ¡°Even among mercenaries, few have such sharp eyes, you must have led a difficult life.¡± ¡°...You don¡¯t seem to be the average captain either.¡± This captain seemed to have quite the uncanny eye. His own prowess wasn¡¯t hidden from him, even if the captain was busy holding on to the ship¡¯s wheel. He didn¡¯t seem to miss the slightest detail, as he observed Woohyuk like a hawk. ¡°Haha! Young man, I¡¯ve taken a liking to you.¡± The captain chortled happily. He then looked up into the starry sky, as he reminisced about his past. ¡°Actually, I used to be a pirate. Although I was never some bigshot like Drake, I was still quite well known. Wace Campbell. He had sailed together with Henry Morgan, but had retired due to a death curse. The curse was such that every time they boarded a pirate¡¯s ship, their lifespan would be reduced by 10 years. ¡°Do you know who set the curse?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It urred upon discovering a red jewel on an ind in the Nelf Bay. I tried to find the owner of the jewel, but failed.¡± In the past 200 years, he had yet to meet an archaeologist that could tell him the origins of this red jewel. Of course many simply refused to even attempt it due to the nature of the curse. As Wace pulled out the jewel in question, Woohyuk got closer and took a look at it with his Golden Magnifying ss. [Anne Bonny¡¯s Grief] Type: Consumable Effect: Any pirate who touches it, is targeted by a terrible curse. Each time they board a ship flying a pirate g, their lifespan is reduced by 10 years. If they die at sea, they turn in Ghost, cursed to wander at sea. To break this curse, one must present this jewel to Anne Bonnie. ¡®Is Anne Bonny its owner?¡¯ She had been a famous female pirate, but was killed by a colleague whom she had trusted. Legend had it that she had been engaged at the time. Perhaps this red jewel had been a betrothal gift from her fiance. The recent appearance of ghost ships were almost certainly connected to Anne Bonny. Now that he had the whole story, Woohyuk put away his magnifying ss and spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve stolen from quite the dangerous woman, Wace.¡± ¡°Who? Do you know her identity?¡± ¡°Anny Bonny. A beautiful woman with stunning red hair, she was said to be rather handy with a cuss as well.¡± ¡°Anne Bonny? Shit, I¡¯ve always said that I¡¯m the unluckiest of fellows.¡± Wace had started up a small business in Media after saving up some money earned from transporting cargo across long distances. Unfortunately sales weren¡¯t as good as he had expected, so he had no choice but to return to the sea. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to meet her, and try to ease her grief.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all toote for that. Old as I am, I can hardly take up pirating once again.¡± Henry Morgan and all of his crewmates had died. If it wasn¡¯t for that fact that he had failed in histest business venture, he could have stayed at home and watched his grandchildren grow old. As Wacemented at his poor fate, ¡°Sniff sniff¡­.¡± The sound of a woman crying was heard at sea, as dozens of ghost ships appeared. It seemed to be Anne Bonny¡¯s pirate fleet, as their sails were decorated with her famous thorny rose painted in red. ¡°Speak of the Kraken¡­.¡± Wace said with a troubled expression. He was but an old man, long past his glorious pirate days. Just waiting for the day death found him. There wasn¡¯t much he could do against Anne Bonny¡¯s ghost fleet. Chapter 77: Nelf Bay Ghost Ship 2

Chapter 77: Nelf Bay Ghost Ship 2

¡°We should wake up the crew.¡± Woohyuk summoned Triton and instructed him to ring the bell up on the lookout tower. Ding! Ding! Ding! The bell rang loudly, causing people to leap out of bed and rush above deck. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Are there pirates?¡± Still sleepy and groggy, most people couldn¡¯t understand what was happening as they rubbed their eyes. Seeing their state, the captain pointed out to the sea and eximed. ¡°We are being chased by cursed ghost ships. Judging by the gs they are flying, they seem to be a part of Anne Bonny¡¯s fleet.¡± ¡°Pirate Anne Bonny? ¡° ¡°I heard she died more than one hundred years ago¡­.¡± The passengers stared at the iing ghost ships that were shrouded in a ck mist, with a look of incredulity. There were quite a few of them, no something a small sailing ship like theirs could possibly deal with. ¡°What do you think we should do, Agatha?¡± ¡°We have no choice but to try and escape at full speed. If they manage to catch up, we are done for.¡± Agatha, the brte with sses, responded to Jacob¡¯s question. Judging by her red robe, she was most likely a mage. After giving her a long stare, Woohyuk proceeded to instruct Triton who was still on the lookout tower. [Go, first mate.] [....] Triton begrudgingly plunged down into the water, causing the Pitbull n members to look around in confusion. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°It looked like some sort of fish¡­.¡± Since he was indeed half fish, his statement could be considered partially correct. ¡°Wace, it doesn¡¯t look like we can outrun Anne Bonny¡¯s ship with this vessel. Don¡¯t you think we should try talking it out with her instead?¡± ¡°That sounds like a terrible idea. How could Anne Bonny show mercy to someone who¡¯s stolen from her?¡± In her time, Anne Bonnie was quite well known for repaying any grudges. It was to the point that she had named her ship ¡®the Revenge Queen¡¯. Woohyuk however, thought differently. ¡°Perhaps she has her own circumstances.¡± She could very well be wandering the seas as a ghost, simply because she had suffered from a simr curse as Drake. Of course, it was still unclear as to why she had only appeared now. ¡°Circumstances..if that is the case, then perhaps she is looking for revenge on Othello who betrayed her? ¡± ¡°He must have died a long time ago. Is there anyone else you can think of, have you managed to uncover anything else.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Davy Jones, her fiance was an up anding pirate, but he is no longer with the living. ording to some legends, before he was killed, he had made some pact with the Sea God in order to obtain eternal life. Davy Jones Woohyuk hadn¡¯t known that he¡¯d served the Sea God. Perhaps Triton might know something, but he had gone to negotiate with the ghost, Anne Bonny. ¡°Maybe the truth is something only Anne Bonny knows. Let¡¯s try to speak with her when shees.¡± As Woohyuk finished speaking, loud sounds appeared from the nearby ship. A fight had erupted between Triton and Anne Bonny. Wace was surprised upon seeing the ghost ship covered in ice. ¡°We¡¯d be lucky if they don¡¯t sink us before they even get within earshot.¡± ¡°It indeed looks like the negotiations aren¡¯t going so well, but not to worry. They don¡¯t have much of a choice but to ept our offer.¡± The jewel must be an important item for Anne Bonny simply by the fact that it was rted to her curse. Shortly after the ghost ships caught up with their vessel. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± Humanoid monsters jumped on their deck as they let out strange cries. It would be a bloody battle. ¡°Die you monsters!¡± ¡°Just why did our n choose this ship?¡± The majority of the passengers were made up by members of the Pitbull n. About 20 of them. Among those, Jacob and Agatha performed rather well. Jacob made full use of his Knight Apprentice ss, and tanked the monster in the front, while Agatha kited to the back, slowing their movement with her Ice magic. Woohyuk, who was protecting Wace, nodded at their performance. ¡®They¡¯re not bad.¡¯ In fact, it would be rather strange if they couldn¡¯t do at least this much since they had survived this far. Agatha even had the spell Ice Missile, which was superior to the moremon Ice Bolt, meaning she must have some level of magical talent. As Woohyuk was watching Agatha¡¯s Ice magic, the humanoid monsters took a few steps back, before jumping back into the sea. No doubt they had been given the order to retreat. ¡°Huk Huk¡­ I thought I was going to die there.¡± ¡°Is anyone injured? Quickly speak up.¡± ¡°We have five with light injuries, the rest are fine!¡± The Pitbull n was busy taking care of their own, while the other passenger leaned up against the mast to rest. ¡®It is about time shees.¡¯ As they cleared their deck, Woohyuk turned to stare and the ie Revenge Queen. The negotiations must have taken a turn for the better, since there were no longer any signs of Triton¡¯s Ice magic. ¡°She¡¯sing.¡± Wace swallowed down nervously as he pulled out his cuss. He had a look on his face of one that was prepared for death. Just as Woohyuk was about to reassure him, grappling hooks wereunched from the iing vessel. Pussususuk! As they hooked on their ship, the distance between the two sailboats began to disappear. ¡°Quickly, cut those ropes!¡± ¡°They¡¯re trying to board us!¡± The Pitbull n members jumping into action. As they ran over to the edge of the ships with their swords raised, Woohyuk injected mana into his Cradle of Grief. A ck fog quickly shrouded the deck, causing all its passengers to suffer from a mental attack. ¡°Kuuah¡± ¡°No...No strength..¡± They plopped down one by one. Among them, only Agatha was able to somewhat resist its effects. Of course she had still fallen to the ground, but a least she was able to remain lucid. ¡°What, what is this¡­¡± Leaving her behind, Woohyuk walked to the ship¡¯s edge, awaiting the arrival of the Revenge Queen. Shortly after, the two ships collided. Quang! A loud grinding sound as their hull shook violently. It almost felt like they had been rocked by an earthquake. Still, it didn¡¯t lead to too many injuries since for the most part, other than Woohyuk and Wace, everyone was already lying down on the ground. ¡°I have a request.¡± Wace had just managed to regain his footing, as he told Woohyuk. Because he was recognized as his ally, he hadn¡¯t been targeted by the Cradle of Grief. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have a granddaughter named Dorothy. She lives with my wife in the residential area of Delphoa. If I die here, please give her this.¡± Wace handed him a silver pendant. No doubt there was some history behind it. ¡°Alright.¡± Woohyuk nodded as he examined the pendant. [Wace Campbell¡¯s Secret Pendant] Category: Jewellery Grade: B Durability: 12,500 Effect: Spirit 30, whenbined with the purple gems kept by Dorothy, additional functions are unlocked. ¡®Is it a fusion artifact?¡¯ The kind of artifact that only shows its true worth when multiple items are brought together. Since he asked him to hand it to his granddaughter, there was a good chance that it had a message recorded within it. Some artifacts were capable of storing some information within them. As Woohyuk was closely examining the silver pendant, a system window popped up before him. [New quest] Name: Wace Cambell¡¯s sincere request Type: General Content: Deliver the secret pendant given to you by Wace Cambell, to Dorothy who is living in Delphoa, a port city in the Izuna kingdom. Other: Upon failure, cannot be repeated. ¡®So there¡¯s also a quest.¡¯ In general, the reward one receives from a quest almost always outweighed any gains obtained by pocketing the quest item. In essence, using Wace Cambell¡¯s silver pendant as a means of extorting Dorothy, wasn¡¯t a smart idea. ¡°I believe you can survive this desperate situation we are in. I am too old now, but I still have a good eye for people.¡± ¡°Have you already given up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lived long enough. It¡¯s quite rare for seafarers such as I to have enjoyed such a full life. The only regret I leave behind is not being able to care for my granddaughter.¡± After she lost her parents in an ident, she became a very introverted person. Wace had returned to the sea despite his old age, simply to leave her being some inheritance. Of course his wife would know where their money is stashed, but the pendant held other valuable items. ¡°Thank you for epting, if you manage to seed, my wife will reward you properly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much about the pendant, for now let¡¯s try to think about how to stay alive.¡± Either way he was heading to the port city, Delphoa, so this quest could be easily achieved. His difficulty at the momenty in releasing Anne Bonny from her curse. They had a lot of trade that went through the Nerf Bay, so leaving her to roam these waters would severely hamper their economy. As Woohyuk raised his head to look at the Revenge Queen, bathing in a blue light, a woman appeared above the mermaid sculpture on the ship''s prow. ¡°Are you Anne Bonny?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I was once called that name.¡± She was beautiful enough to stand out in a crowd, despite her appearance being mostly blurred. Woohyuk instructed Wace to take out the Jewel, and then continued speaking. ¡°This is the gem you are after,e and take it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve finally found it. I¡¯ve been waiting so long for this day to arrive.¡± Anne Bonny glided over to their ship, and epted the red jewel. She immediately began to regain some color, as she regained her humanplexion. Bright red hair, deep blue eyes like the sea and a milky white skin tone. Even by the Eeth continent¡¯s beauty standards, she was quite the looker. ¡°What happened to you?¡± ¡°Othello, a shipmate of mine, was jealous of the rtionship between Davy Jones and I, andmitted quite the cruel act.¡± At the time, Anne Bonny had been carrying Davy Jone¡¯s child. She had decided to quit her life as a pirate, and return to her hometown. However, Othello wasn¡¯t having none of it. He had obtained the Hourss of the Dead from a Sea Nymph, and trapped her soul inside of it. ¡°The Hourss of the Dead...¡± ¡°Once it was flipped over, she could only until all the grains of sand had fallen to roam the living world.¡± Bound by the Hourss of the Dead, Anne Bonny was incapable of harming anyone. Every day she pleaded with him to release her, but Othello steadfastly refused. Even on his deathbed, he vowed to never allow her to be reunited with her lover, Davy Jones. As such, Anne Bonny¡¯s soul was cursed to be trapped inside of the Hourss until it was destroyed by someone. ¡°Then why would you need this jewel? Was there an extra curse, other than the Hourss of the Dead? ¡°Othello was quite the cruel man, leading him to add another fail safe right before he died.¡± Since Anne Bonny had never forgotten her love for Davy Jones, Othello tricked her into cursing her own betrothal gift. His intent was to keep Anne Bonny trapped at sea, long after the Hourss had ceased holding her. Eventually he had seeded, and Anne Bonny was cursed to wander the Nerf Bay in search of the red jewel. ¡°Indeed, typically it is quite difficult for a ghost to break free from a curse they ced upon themselves.¡± ¡°I was blinded by revenge, and was easily fooled.¡± In order for her soul to be released, the cursed jewel had to be destroyed. However that had proven to be quite the problem since Wace had alway kept the jewel with him. ¡°You can be reunited with Davy Jones now.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s still wandering this world, neither a part of the living or the dead.¡± Having been betrayed by his own crew, he entered a contract with the Sea God right before his death. In exchange for the eternal life he had been promised, he was tasked with leading all the souls of those lost at sea into the afterlife. Chapter 78: Greatsword Tinia 1

Chapter 78: Greatsword Tinia 1

¡°Then are the rumors true?¡± ¡°I am freed now, so please help Davy Jones. He suffers from such a cruel fate all due to me.¡± Anne Bonnie strongly believed in Woohyuk¡¯s uprightness. Triton, an offspring of the Sea God, was his servant. She had also learned from Triton that hemanded a young Kraken as well. Seeing the earnestness in Anne Bonnie¡¯s eyes, Woohyuk nodded back. ¡°I ept your request.¡± ¡°Great, if you hand him the jewel, I¡¯m sure he will reward you handsomely.¡± It was the very same red jewel that Anne Bonnie had been obsessed finding, since it had been the betrothal gift given to her by Davy Jones. It was something that held many happy memories of the two of them, yet Anne Bonnie was willing to hand it over to Woohyuk. ¡°By the way, can you forgive this old man over here?¡± ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t like he was in the wrong in the first ce, and he doesn¡¯t have long to live either way.¡± ording to Anne Bonnie, Wace was nearing the end of his life. Most likely he¡¯d pass on something tonight. ¡°I won¡¯t take any more of Wace¡¯s precious minutes, I''m leaving.¡± ¡°May the sea waters you travel be ever calm.¡± Anne Bonnie smiled and pecked Woohyuk lightly on the forehead. As she returned to her ghost ship, Wace finally spoke, breaking out of his stupor. ¡°It¡¯s like a dreame true. I can¡¯t believe I got to meet the legendary pirate Anne Bonnie.¡± ¡°You can meet her again very soon.¡± Wace¡¯s days were already counted. Most likely he had just 4 or 5 hours left to live. Still, he didn¡¯t seem anxious about it. ¡°Deathes to us all eventually, I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°In the end you aren¡¯t able to see your daughter¡¯s face onest time. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed a pity, but there¡¯s not much I can do about it.¡± He had already entrusted Woohyuk to deliver the pendant, so he could be at peace when he goes. Wace grabbed the ship¡¯s once wheel again, as his blue eyes got lost in reminiscing about the past. * * * Wace had sessfullypleted his final voyage. At dawn, Campbell sailed in Delphoa port, as he passed away on the deck, his hands holding the wheel with arge smile on his face. As the sun rose, the passengers that had lost consciousnessst night, finally began to open their eyes. Everyone was confused as to what had urred. Agatha, the only one to have resisted the effects of his Cradle of Grief, had her memory wiped by hsi Lost Lyre. Once in the city, Woohyuk set out to locate Dorothy, carrying Wace¡¯s body on his back. The second floor of a stone building in the residential sector, situated adjacent to a flower shop. It was a nice ce for an old couple like them to raise their granddaughter. ¡°Grandpa!¡± Upon seeing Wace¡¯s corpse, a blonde girl ran towards him, balling her eyes out. An olddy sitting by the firece, also wiped her tears in silence, as she grieved for her lover. ¡°He died of natural causes at the end of the journey. He wanted me to give you this.¡± After a short period of time, Woohyuk handed Dorothy the secret pendant he had been given by Wace. He had managed to keep his promise without having any greedy thoughts. Dorothy gave him a nk stare, as she pulled out a purple gem from his pocket. As she ced the gem in the pendant''s socket. Huiiiiing! They proceeded to fuse, in a dazzling sh of light. ¡°Granpa...said, he left some very precious things here.¡± Dorothy cried. Woohyuk nodded and watched her evaluate the pendant. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°These are my grandfather¡¯s memories from his younger days. Back when he was a famous pirate. There are also his adventures with his colleagues after he quit piracy....¡± The pendant contained Wace¡¯s most precious and meaningful memories from throughout his life, saved as a form of video. Dorothy sifted through them all, until finally arriving at hisst recording all the way at the end. [My dear Dorothy, by the time you are seeing this, I am surely no longer of this world. Don¡¯t be too scared just because I¡¯m not around. Life is a series of adventures, and if you have the courage to press forward, you¡¯ll discover unexpected treasures along the way. If ever you are going through a tough time, or feel lonely, take a look at my memories saved in this pendant, so as to liven up your spirit.] Wace had always been worried that Dorothy¡¯s meekness wouldn¡¯t allow her to ovee the adversities one faces in life. The reason that he kept the pendant until thest moment, was that he wanted to fill it with a moreplete set of his memories. Now that the pendant was in her hands, Wace¡¯s most precious treasured memories would always be with her. ¡°Thank you for fulfilling grandfather¡¯s request¡­.¡± ¡°I just did what I felt was right.¡± Still, Woohyuk wasn¡¯t the type to do a good deed without expecting something in return. After refusing some silver coins from his wife, a system message appeared. [Quest: Wace¡¯s sincere request has beenpleted.] [Reward: Obtained a Memory Pendant.] ¡®Is it the same kind which Wace had?¡¯ Since it was a reward forpletion of the quest, he felt that it should be superior to the other one. As he ced the pendant around his neck, additional information appeared. [Memory Pendant] Type: Jewelry Grade: A Durability: 30,000 Effect: Can save the owner¡¯s memory in the form of a high definition video, to be viewed at any time. In addition, it can reveal a random meaningful memory of a person youe into contact with (once a day) ¡®It¡¯s amazing.¡¯ He knew of a few other artifacts that allowed one to record memories, but to be able to spy on another¡¯s memory was an entirely different matter. Although the random element and the fact that it could only be performed once a day were heavy restrictions, it could still be very useful if used in the right situation. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go there next.¡± Woohyuk took his leave, giving the old grandmother a gold coin to pay for the cost of the funeral. It was time to focus his attention on Medusa¡¯s Temple. He already knew its approximate location, so he only needed to do some basic reconnaissance. ¡®Witch¡¯s Forest.¡¯ It was definitely on the map. The sanctuary of Witch Grimhilde that had once engulfed the Izuna kingdom in chaos. Eventually she had been defeated by the Gray Wolf Alliance, although it had cost them dearly. She was definitely an opponent that he didn¡¯t want to face this soon. ¡®I¡¯ll have to travel by myself this time.¡¯ Leifina was tasked with protecting Joanna, as well as looking after Ria, while the others each had their own tasks as well. Not to mention that he had to move around covertly now that he was in a foreign kingdom. As heid out his future ns in his mind, Woohyuk headed to a nearby tavern. Kiiiic As he opened the creaky door, Woohyuk saw men drinking in broad daylight. It was quite the noisy atmosphere, with many of the clients wearing Adventurer Watches. ¡®By now everyone should have settled in some position.¡¯ Unlike in the Rhine kingdom in which the nobles rebelled, the Izuna kingdom was rather peaceful. This led to most ns serving under a lord, or joining the kingdom¡¯s army. Although the missions were dangerous, often involving killing monsters or fighting in wars, the rewards were generous as well. ¡°I¡¯ll have a pint of dark beer.¡± As Woohyuk ced three coins on the counter, a female bartender with a mature appeal smiled upon seeing some new business, and asked. ¡°Where are you from? The Rhine kingdom perhaps?¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°Because it is a neighbouring country which we have a lot of trade with. Although with the sightings of Ghost ships in the Nelf Bay, it has all but trickled to a stop.¡± Bartenders were a wealth of information as they served customers from various ces. Looking for info here would be helpful, since he wasn¡¯t too familiar with what had urred here in the past. epting the pint given to him, Woohyuk started with a simple question. ¡°What is most talked about these days?¡± ¡°Territorial disputes. Adventurer ns suddenly appearing just a few months ago, and they¡¯ve already started intruding on the jobs mercenaries typically handled.¡± Due to the arrival of yers, the overall poption of the Eeth continent had increased significantly. This resulted in food shortages, as well as increasedpetition for jobs. Of course, this was something the Woohyuk was already well aware of given his years of experience. ¡°What are the most profitable jobs?¡± ¡°For mercenaries, it¡¯s monster subjugation. If you hunt in more dangerous zones then the payout can even be several times higher.¡± Monster subjugation was indeed a money making enterprise. Not only could you sometimes get some loot dropped such as magic crystals, but often the monster corpses were in high demand from Alchemist guilds as well. This led to ns and Mercenary teams seeking to gain exclusive rights to certain zones, by colluding with Lords or Merchant groups. ¡°What areas are ssified as dangerous?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ let me think about that, my memory isn¡¯t so good¡­.¡± The bartender feigned ignorance as she gave Woohyuk a wink. Clearly she was looking to get paid for her information. Woohyuk simply ced a silver coin on the counter without saying anything. ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh right, I remember now! Karl Heinz Mountains and the Witch¡¯s Forest. Of course their is also our border with the Dane kingdom, but that doesn¡¯t exactly count since the army is stationed there.¡± The Kalr Heinz Mountains were located between the Holy Aperian Empire and the Izuna kingdom. This border would be dangerous since there was friction between the Empire and Kingdom armies. The Witch¡¯s Forest on the other hand was on tnds, located in the southwest. ns and mercenaries tended to favor this area, and were moremon than the kingdom¡¯s soldiers. ¡°Tell me more about this Witch¡¯s Forest.¡± ¡°It''s long been known as a cursed ce, but only recently have the number of monsters begun to increase.¡± ording to the testimony of an eyewitness, he had seen a Witch perform a sacrificial ritual in a monastery deep within the woods, and it had been a living sacrifice. Ever since, any mercenaries that went to investigate this had gone missing, leading to the spread of ominous rumours. It had suddenly be a ce that everyone avoids. ¡°Hasn¡¯t there been anyone that has tried to kill it?¡± ¡°There¡¯ve been several, but I can¡¯t seem to remember¡­.¡± As the female bartender stretched out her hand, Woohyuk quickly ced another silver coin in it. They were finally at the part he had been getting at this whole time. ¡°Oh right, there was the Eclipse n and the Blue Hawk mercenaries. The strength difference between the two of them is rather significant however, the former being six thousand strong, while thetter only counting one thousand mercenaries.¡± It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that it was the Eclipse n that was the one leading the Witch¡¯s Forest subjugation. Woohyuk thought for a moment before asking another question. ¡°Who is leading the Blue Hawk mercenaries? Do you have any information on them?¡± ¡°Tinia, she¡¯s quite famous in these parts. Since very young she¡¯s been on the battlefield, basically growing up within a mercenary group.¡± She was a woman with silver hair and wielded greatsword. She was quite skilled, and had a wild personality to boot. Also, she was quite pretty which wasn¡¯t the norm among mercenaries. This led to many men secretly having a crush on her. ¡°Tinia?¡± ¡°Yes, and she has a sister Silvia whom she dotes on quite a lot. No doubt because she has assumed a big responsibility after the death of their parents.¡± Sylvia. Upon hearing this name, Woohyuk was stunned as if he had been hit by a bolt of lightning. ¡®I had no idea she was here.¡¯ One of his most skilled vassals, she had died during Dragonlord Ivanov¡¯s invasion in the past. He had never heard of her being in the Izuna kingdom, but then again he hadn''t known that she had a sister either. However, ording to this bartender, Silvia sounded like the same one which Woohyuk knew. ¡®Maybe something happened to her in the Witch¡¯s Forest.¡¯ Apart from that, he couldn¡¯t think of another reason why she would keep this secret from him. As he recalled his memories of Silvia, always with a gloomy expression, Woohyuk asked. ¡°Where can I meet Tinia?¡± ¡°She won¡¯t be in Delphoa for a while. She¡¯s left for Arend in order to prepare for the subjugation.¡± It would be a three days ride from Delphoa to Arden. Woohyuk nodded and then headed for the exit. ¡°Hey, your beer¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to drink.¡± He had to meet up with Tinia before it was toote. No matter what he had to do his best to keep her alive, so that Silvia wouldn''t fall into a depression. ¡®Back then it was entirely my fault that Silvia was killed.¡¯ If only he had paid more attention, Raven Hill which was in the northwest wouldn¡¯t have been caught unawares and razed to the ground by Dragonlord Ivano¡¯s invasion. It was a rare chance to make up for his past mistakes. With renewed determination, Woohyuk climbed onto his horse. Chapter 79: Greatsword Tinia 2

Chapter 79: Greatsword Tinia 2

Silvia. She was an excellent Soul Enchanter, a buffer ss that could link several different individuals using magic chains, so that they would get recognized as a single entity by the system. When the effects were used on monsters, several adjacent monsters could be damaged at the same time with the use of a single skill. Moreover, item and buff effects could be shared with allies. Therefore, Soul Enchanters were considered useful and Woohyuk used to think highly of Silvia in the past as well. ¡®She was an expressionless girl.¡¯ Despite her cute face, she didn¡¯t have many friends due to her reclusive attitude. She was most probably greatly impacted by Tinia¡¯s death. As he rode on his horse towards the army, Woohyuk recalled the words of the female bartender. ¡®Windstorm Tinia¡­¡¯ A female warrior who hacks her enemies apart by rapidly swinging her greatsword and creating a whirlwind with it. He had to find out what kind of dangers she was exposed to in the past. Before long, he arrived at the citadel city of the Arpen region. Woohyuk headed to the base camp of the Blue Hawk Mercenaries. ¡°State your business.¡± A demanding young but muscr man with threatening eyes and a ferocious expression stood in Woohyuk¡¯s way. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t recoil and answered. ¡°I wish to meet Tinia.¡± ¡°The leader? Do you have a request for us?¡± ¡°No, I wish to join the Blue Hawk Mercenaries.¡± Since their destination was the same, he could just let Tinia take him under her wing to avoid any of the annoying affairs. ¡°What? Pfthaha. A twig like you wants to be a mercenary?¡± ¡°My skills are better than yours so don¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t understand how you can be so confident. Alright, if you truly think so, I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡± As he smiled, he grabbed the axe on his back and brandished it. ¡®Get my approval to meet Tinia¡¯, or so he meant. Woohyuk silently stared back at him. ¡®Seems like convincing him with words will be difficult.¡¯ He had already expected a hostile response and was prepared for armed conflict. Taking theck of time into ount, he couldn¡¯t back off now. Once Woohyuk made his decision, he drew Grandia from its scabbard. He instantly dashed up to his opponent and ced the de against thetter''s neck, at a speed the axe-wielder couldn¡¯t follow. The young man¡¯s face instantly hardened. ¡°Ho-how¡­ You¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to exin.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s gaze exuded strong intent. A strong oppressive intent that held his opponent¡¯s heart in his grasp that could tighten at any second. As the young man nervously swallowed his saliva, a feminine voice resounded from behind him. ¡°What are you doing in my territory?¡± Silver hair that reached down to her waist. Amethyst eyes that shone like gemstones. A clean jawline and a fully developed, voluptuous body. It was Tinia without a doubt. ¡®No wonder all the men admire her.¡¯ Despite her gorgeous appearance, she exuded the charisma of a leader. Woohyuk pushed the man facing him away and approached Tinia. ¡°I request for an admission test.¡± ¡°...Is that it? How boring.¡± Tinia¡¯s expression turned bored and her hand reached for the greatsword on her back. The weapon had a crude appearance, reminiscent of that of a Zhanmadao. Around the long de, a vortex made up of a turquoise aura was swirling around it. ¡°Well then, should I test out your skills?¡± With a single swing of her delicate arm, the turquoise aura sprang forward like a storm and swept towards Woohyuk. It was a devastating blow that felt overpowering. ng! However, Woohyuk lightly swung Grandia and blocked the turquoise aura. Seeing his easy-going obtrusion, Tinia made a curious face. ¡°Interesting. You¡¯re a lot stronger than you look.¡± ¡°Do I pass the test?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. Truthfully speaking, you¡¯re strong enough to join us, but I want to see your true power for myself.¡± A grin drew on Tinia¡¯s face as she raised her greatsword again. A warrior¡¯s pure fighting spirit. Realizing she was messing around, Woohyuk silently waited for Tinia¡¯s next move. ng! She leaped in the air and violently swung her greatsword diagonally and the turquoise aura swirling aroundunched forward. It didn¡¯t look any different from the previous attack, but Woohyuk sidestepped instead of blocking it head on. Bang! A deafening crash resonated when the colorful aura found its way to the ground, and created a deep crater. Tinia aimed her sword at Woohyuk¡¯s head, but¡­ ng! Sparks flew and the sound of metal colliding echoed. ¡°Hmm, I guess you won¡¯t go down with this much.¡± Tinia steadilynded on the ground mumbling to herself. She turned her head towards Woohyuk and stared at him. Her gaze was fierce as mes danced in her eyes. Her body and mind trembled in excitement from meeting an unexpected opponent who could potentially match her strength. ¡°Use your full power. Otherwise, my burning passion will die out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great proposal. Let us settle this fight and designate a winner.¡± Tinia bent down and dug straight towards Woohyuk¡¯s insides. At a speed invisible to the naked eye. However, the attack was futile as her de was once again interrupted. ng! Woohyuk slightly had the upper hand in this fight. Tinia also knew that fact, but her face didn¡¯t crumple in frustration. On the contrary... ¡®Now!¡¯ She widely smirked and activated the rune engraved on her greatsword. A turquoise vortex ran up her de and soared into the air! It was Tinia¡¯s signature move - Dragon Ascent sh. ¡°Surrender if you don¡¯t want to get hurt. Even you won¡¯t walk away unscathed after taking this head on.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°...So cool. You¡¯re exactly my type.¡± With a great leap, Tinia fell back and swung her greatsword. Guoooooooo! An unstoppable vortex that gradually spun faster flew towards Woohyuk with a deafening roar. It was an attack that was hard to face directly, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t falter and brandished Grandia again. ¡®I¡¯ll need to use my demonic energy a bit.¡¯ He released the energy within him and wielded it like an aura and extinguished the vortex with a single swing of the sword. Booooom! Tinia¡¯s eyes grew wide as the energy surrounding Grandia erased the turquoise aura headed towards Woohyuk. ¡®He blocked my Dragon Ascent sh that easily?¡¯ It was an attack that she prided in as a one-hit kill move. She obviously didn¡¯t think he would die from it due to his strength, but she did expect grave injuries. While Tinia stood dumbfounded, Woohyuk instantly ran up to her and grabbed her delicate wrist that held onto the greatsword. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you admit your loss already?¡± Woohyuk had an emotionless expression, as he didn¡¯t find the same excitement in this fight as the warrior Tinia¡¯s. He had only battled her in this 1 on 1 fight to prove his strength to her. ¡°Alright, I lost.¡± The greatsword dropped onto the ground and a heavy, metallic sound echoed around. She had unexpectedly admitted it very easily. Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Then let us make a contract.¡± ¡°...Just why did you do this? Someone of your caliber shouldn¡¯t need to join our mercenary group.¡± ¡°There are some personal circumstances.¡± It was a bit hard to exin it to Tinia since he was hiding his true identity. At hisck of exnation and short but concise words, Tinia let out a small chuckle and startedughing out loud. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have a crush on me as well.¡± ¡°...No I don''t.¡± ¡°What a pity. I wouldn¡¯t mind a one night stand if it¡¯s with you.¡± She quietly whispered in his ear as she leaned onto him. ¡°I decline.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to tell me if you change your mindter on. I just love strong and blunt men like you.¡± He had gained her affection quite easily. Woohyuk clicked his tongue and inserted Mana into the Memory Pendant. ¡®I should begin already.¡¯ He would most probably find useful information by searching around Tinia¡¯s memories. He could also learn what her current problem is. As he activated the Memory Pendant, a clear scene yed out in his head. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ A battlefield. Actually, no. It was a burning vige. A disaster that had urred when an army of monsters unexpectedly swept in one night. Tinia stood at the center of the scene with a silver-haired girl next to her. ¡®Silvia.¡¯ He had previously heard that Silvia was a war orphan. She was originally from the Eeth continent. He had a very hard time turning her into his vassal in the past as she rejected working with other adventurers. It might¡¯ve been because her blood-rted sister had died in battle in the Witch¡¯s Forest and had left her behind; alone to fend for herself. Woohyuk was staring at Silvia through Tinia¡¯s vision when the ground shook and a low rumble resonated. Thud! Thud! It was an Elite Cyclops the size of a mountain, an opponent the two girls would never face. ¡°Krraaaaa!¡± The cyclops approached them and brandished its spiked club as it let out a blood-curdling cry. Death was about to drop down upon them. sh! With a sudden sound, the cyclops was cut in half at its waist. ¡°Are you alright?¡± A young man with fiery red hair lightly swung his greatsword to shake off the dirty substance on his de. A mercenary with heavy ted armor. Woohyuk made a puzzled expression at his appearance. ¡®It¡¯s the weapon Tinia uses.¡¯ Although it looked dirty and crude, the engraved runes proved that it was no ordinary weapon. It was at least B-grade or higher. The man was most probably skilled enough to wield this high-grade weapon. As Woohyuk observed the situation silently... ¡°Then why isn¡¯t your body rejecting me? I¡¯ve been sticking to you for quite some time now.¡± A warm breath tickled his ears. ¡°...¡± Before long, he was outside of Tinia¡¯s memories, and his forehead creased. During the short while when his attention was elsewhere, Tinia had been running her hands all over his body and mocking him. ¡®I should choose better moments to peek at her memories.¡¯ He needed to somehow find a way to buy enough time to watch Tinia¡¯s memories without getting disturbed every time. He hurriedly separated himself from Tinia and started walking away. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the details inside.¡± ¡°...Looks like the people around us are making you nervous. Alright, I¡¯ll tag along if you want to y around secretly with me inside.¡± Tinia followed behind him as she sweet talked all along. It was unclear if she was making sexual innuendos or not. However, he had to take a glimpse at her memories everyday since he had to learn what she knew, so he had to stay by her side. As he received the envious gaze of the axe-wielding young man, Woohyuk opened the wooden door and entered. *** As he expected, Tinia was in a troublesome situation. Her influence in the Arpen region had dwindled due to the domination of the Eclipse n. The reason why she was recruiting talented mercenaries was to make up for their disadvantage against them. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean she had absolutely no feelings for Woohyuk. ¡®She¡¯s a bit too extreme to call her a beauty.¡¯ He sighed as he gazed upon Tinia, who had appeared in a maid outfit. They were currently in Tinia¡¯s bedroom. To exin how they arrived here is a bitplicated. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure she said she¡¯d guide me to my own room.¡¯ As the sun set, he followed Tinia to her house. He dly followed her as she had invited him for dinner. So who would¡¯ve thought things would escde like this¡­ ¡°Since it¡¯s just you and me, you can be honest now. I¡¯m fully prepared.¡± ¡°Just why did you wear that maid outfit?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it? I wore it specially for you. The other guys liked this appearance though.¡± Tinia sat on a seat and flirtatiously crossed her legs. A ckced garter belt peeked out of her dress. ¡®She really doesn¡¯t know when to give up.¡¯ Silvia would definitely misunderstand should she see this situation. It would be problematic for him if his rtionship with Silvia turned sour, so Woohyuk stood up from the bed immediately. ¡°I¡¯m feeling hungry. Is dinner ready yet?¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll prepare it now. But I have a question before I begin.¡± Tinia bent her waist and looked up towards Woohyuk. Her voluptuous chest and a deep cleavage was visible as the neckline stooped low, but Woohyuk¡¯s gaze did not linger there for even a single second. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± ¡°What n do you belong to?¡± Tinia¡¯s gaze instantly turned sharp. Her hidden warinessy bare. Woohyuk showed the ring on his finger at that question. ¡°The Ragnarok n. I¡¯m the n leader. This symbol should prove my point.¡± The ring of solidarity he was wearing showed the wearer¡¯s rank and n information in real time. As a n with a tier 10 gold crown, an emblem made up of an X, a crown and the n¡¯s name was engraved on the ring. The system had made it impossible to forge it, and Tinia nodded at the sight of it. ¡°I see. Now, tell me the real reason why you came to our mercenary group.¡± ¡°I need your help to look for a certain item in the Witch¡¯s Forest.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Medusa¡¯s Bronze Mirror.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s the first time I hear about it. Are your sources reliable? And why are you moving on your own without your n members?¡± Because she had taken a liking to him, she wanted to take this opportunity to learn of his intentions for sure. Before she could hear his answer, the door swung open and a fragile-looking woman with silver hair barged in. ¡°I¡¯m back¡­ Who¡¯s this man?¡± It was Tinia¡¯s little sister, Silvia. 1. A ¡°Horse ying Sword¡±. Wikipedia link for more details: Chapter 80: Greatsword Tinia 3

Chapter 80: Greatsword Tinia 3

¡°Oh, you¡¯re back Silvia. How was your magic lesson with Aileen?¡± ¡°It was good. She praised me since my proficiency increased a lot today¡­ Wait, that¡¯s not the problem right now!!¡± Silvia made a serious face and threw a sharp re at Woohyuk and Tinia. Her sister was wearing an erotic maid outfit, and a man with fiery hair was making a grave face in front of her. She could not understand what was happening no matter how much she racked her brain. ¡°He¡¯s just a work partner. I invited him over for dinner.¡± ¡°...This is the first time you¡¯ve brought a stranger home, sister.¡± ¡°Something important happened at work. Could you prepare dinner instead of me for tonight?¡± Tinia smiled and shooed Silvia away, who made a reluctant and frustrated face as she left. Woohyuk then finally opened his mouth. ¡°Why did you hide my identity from her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to worry her needlessly. Anyways, answer my question already.¡± ¡°I¡¯m travelling alone because I don¡¯t want to draw the attention of other ns.¡± Woohyuk told Tinia a few believable reasons. One of them was for diplomatic reasons. The Ragnarok n was influential in the Rhine Kingdom, therefore it was preferable for them not to get in conflict with ns of the Izuna Kingdom. Because the two countries have had friendly rtions for ages, diplomatic problems would incur bacsh from the noble families of both countries. ¡°So you¡¯re going undercover as a mercenary from our group? I see, you¡¯re using the fact that your face isn¡¯t famous around here to your advantage.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing to lose if you ept me.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Tinia ced her chin on her hand and silently thought to herself. They had already signed the employment contract. There didn¡¯t seem to be a problem since the problematic point she kept in her mind was resolved. And he wasn¡¯t someone she could deal with herself in the first ce. ¡°Is there anything else you want to know?¡± ¡°Not for now, if I don¡¯t include the dark aura you used during our fight.¡± Even a veteran warrior like Tinia who had experienced countless battlefields had never seen such an aura. As she stared at Woohyuk pressing for answers, he shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a special case. It¡¯s not something anyone can imitate.¡± ¡°So is it a high-ss sword art¡­? Oh well. That¡¯s more than enough exnation.¡± Everyone had a secret or two they wanted to hide from people. Tinia stood from her seat and grabbed Woohyuk¡¯s arm, burying it in her chest. ¡°The conversation was longer than expected. Let¡¯s go eat dinner now.¡± ¡°...¡± A soft yet springy sensation. It was quite the extreme skinship, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t refuse it once again, because tearing her off would be exhausting, and she would stick to him again afterwards anyways. ¡®It¡¯s actually a good undercover identity.¡¯ If he posed as Tinia¡¯s lover, the Grey Wolf Mercenaries wouldn¡¯t easily pick a fight with him. The two of them headed to the living room and noticed Silvia waiting for them at the dinner table. ¡°Let me introduce you. She is Silvia, my little sister. She¡¯ll be a great enchanter in the future.¡± ¡°...¡± Woohyuk and Silvia¡¯s eyes made contact. A subtle inspection. A short while afterwards, Silvia broke the silence and spoke up first. ¡°How are you rted to my sister?¡± ¡°She is simply my contracted employer.¡± ¡°Do the contract uses include my sister needing to wear a maid outfit for you?¡± Silvia exuded hostility from her gaze. She thought her sister was being ckmailed after getting her weakness discovered. ¡°Not at all. It was Tinia¡¯s sole decision to wear it.¡± ¡°...Sister, do you like this guy?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s a lot stronger than he appears to be.¡± Tiniaughed and leaned her head on Woohyuk¡¯s shoulder. As she watched those two, Silvia wore a dumbfounded expression, but finally dropped her head in resignation. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d develop your mercenary group using your attractiveness? How could you get yourself a lover¡­¡± ¡°Woohyuk has the right to be my lover. He won against me in a 1 on 1 battle.¡± ¡°...Against you?¡± Silvia scanned Woohyuk¡¯s appearance, apparently confused. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember the deration I made previously? That I wouldn¡¯t be the woman of a man weaker than me?¡± ¡°...Didn¡¯t you say that just to get rid of the men aiming for you?¡± ¡°Back then, that was indeed my true intention, since I didn¡¯t have a crush on anyone. But I can¡¯t live my whole life as a bachelorette, can I?¡± Tinia winked as she cheekily shook her index finger side to side. Soon afterwards, sitting next to each other, the two of them began feasting on dinner. ¡°Hmm¡­ You¡¯ve gotten better at cooking. Maybe it¡¯s also time for my baby Silvia to get married?¡± ¡°...I won¡¯t get married. All men are beasts.¡± ¡°Even amongst beasts, there are some worth taking notice of. Aren¡¯t I right, Woohyuk?¡± ¡°...Maybe.¡± Woohyuk wore a perplexed look as he cut his venison steak. Tinia noticed his expression, and pointed at her lips. ¡°Give me a taste of that. It looks delicious.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the same piece of meat sitting on your te right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯smon decency to listen to a maiden¡¯s request when she pleads to you.¡± ¡°...¡± With a sigh, Woohyuk brought a piece of meat to her mouth and she bit down on it. As she chewed on it, Tinia made a gleeful face. ¡°Mmm~! So delicious. I shouldn¡¯t eat something so tasty by myself. Here, one for you too, darling. Say ah~¡± ¡°...Your sister is watching. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡± ¡°Nope. Other couples act like this outside as well, so why should it matter?¡± Tinia stabbed a piece of steak with her fork and brought it to his lips, with her ring eyes telling him she would get mad should he refuse toply with her demand. Woohyuk unwillingly parted his lips. Once the piece of meat entered his mouth, Tinia mockingly asked. ¡°How does it taste? Did it get softer after getting mixed with my body fluids?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Geez, seriously¡­¡± Silvia blushed in embarrassment and covered her face with her hands. Woohyuk was obviously feeling troubled as well. Tinia observed their reactions and giggled to herself. ¡°Was I being too proactive? Anyways, let¡¯s finish eating dinner first.¡± It was unclear if her actions were serious or just a farce. Woohyuk clicked his tongue as he cut his venison. ¡®Whichever it is, she¡¯s definitely trying to tame me.¡¯ The problem was that it was slightly going overboard. He didn¡¯t know if he could pass this night safely. As he felt Tinia gently caress his thigh beneath the dinner table, Woohyuk decided to set up some countermeasures. *** Past midnight. Woohyuky wide awake on his bed. ¡®It¡¯s about time now.¡¯ He was certain Tinia would pull a stunt sometime tonight. As he patiently waited, the door creaked open, and a ck silhouette emerged. ¡®...She¡¯s here.¡¯ Woohyuk verified the silhouette¡¯s identity by sitting up and creased his eyebrows. Tinia. The woman stood in front of him without a single piece of clothing on her. ¡°Your actions seem quite excessive this time.¡± ¡°Oh well, who cares. We¡¯re just going to enjoy a single night together.¡± Tinia approached him as if nothing was wrong. Her steps were steady and agile even within the darkness. As the distance between the two shrank, ¡°Nothing I can do about it, then.¡± Woohyuk grabbed Tinia¡¯s wrist and pushed her down onto the bed. ¡°Ack¡­! Be gentle. Despite my attitude, it¡¯s still my first time.¡± ¡°Why do you keep tempting me like this? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got no more questions to ask me anymore.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already? I¡¯ve taken a liking to you.¡± ¡°I find that hard to believe.¡± The surrounding area suddenly brightened up as Woohyuk turned on themp on the desk. The instant Tinia¡¯s bare body entered his vision, Woohyuk stared at the breathtaking body up and down, scanning it. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s been experimented upon.¡¯ As she was a musclebrained mercenary, there were some scars, but that was the extent of it. When he retracted his gaze, Tinia gently hugged him around his waist. ¡°What should I do to make you believe me? Is it not enough for me to give you my body?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need that kind of payment. So if you have any troubles, just say it all.¡± ¡°...Troubles?¡± Tinia raised her head and her tender eyesnded in Woohyuk¡¯s vision. He gently patted her head. ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for your and Silvia¡¯s safety for as long as I work as a Blue Hawk Mercenary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve heard words like that. I was correct to choose you.¡± ¡°Choose me for what?¡± ¡°As a guardian. Because there¡¯s nobody to look after Silvia after I die.¡± Tinia knew better than anyone how dangerous the Witch¡¯s Forest was. Therefore, she was preparing for the worst case scenario, where she wouldn¡¯t return from the forest. ¡°Is there nobody else you can trust?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case. But everyone is busy advancing in their own lives¡­ And it¡¯s unsure if they¡¯d be able to wield Tabris.¡± Tabris was the name of the greatsword Tinia carries. An artifact that one could receive by making a contract with its previous master. If the sessor breaks the contract rules or loses his powers, Tabris would then reject him as its master and look for a new master itself. Tinia¡¯s exnation drew in Woohyuk¡¯s attention and interest. ¡®I never knew it had such a function.¡¯ He was starting to understand why Tinia was trying to seduce him. The best ce to make a personal request to someone was in the bed after having slept with them. ''She was probably nning on passing Tabris onto me during herst moments through the contract.'' Once the information was sorted out in his head, Woohyuk spoke. ¡°You¡¯re not going to take Silvia with you to the Witch¡¯s Forest?¡± ¡°Of course not. That ce is far too dangerous.¡± There was an astounding number of mercenaries who had been annihted after recklessly setting foot in the Witch¡¯s Forest. However, the reason why the expeditions continued was because Count Ondo of the Arend region had put a high reward on the line. The Blue Hawk Mercenaries were also aiming for that hefty reward, and decided to participate in this expedition. Nevertheless, Silvia was an existence that was more important than money to Tinia. Even if she begged for it, Tinia wouldn¡¯t allow her to participate in the expedition. ¡°I understand. She is the only family you have left.¡± ¡°I just wish Silvia lives a happy life, not an exhausting one filled with battles like mine.¡± She had already prepared funds for Silvia to use. It was not enough to sustain her for life, but would be enough tost until she became self-reliant. But Tinia needed someone to protect Silvia if the worst case scenario urred. When she asked him to protect her little sister, Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I always keep my promises.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. I¡¯m so d I met a man like you, albeit a littletely¡­¡± Tinia drew a soft smile as relief calmed her heart. She believed that Woohyuk was someone she could rely on. ¡°Let¡¯s keep the details for after the sun rises. You should go back to your room now.¡± ¡°...Could you listen to one more request?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Kiss me. As gently as a lover would.¡± Tinia raised her body to face him, her eyes locked onto his. mes of passion and affection swirled deep within her eyes like a maiden in love. Woohyuk pondered for a while, and covered her lips with his. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Tinia let out a soft moan and glued her body onto his. Then, as their tongues started roughly intertwining... Creak. The door opened and Silvia entered, dressed in her nightgown. ¡°Sister, I have something to tell you.¡± She had been listening to their entire conversation, though Woohyuk had obviously known this from the beginning thanks to his reactive senses. ¡°Si-Silvia?¡± Tinia was stupefied and retracted away from Woohyuk. A situation she had never expected was taking ce, and an awkward silence reigned within the room. Finally, Silvia started talking. ¡°The Witch¡¯s Forest. I¡¯m going too. I don¡¯t want to send you to your death all by yourself.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. You¡¯re still¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve steeled myself. So I believe that there¡¯s nothing that poses a problem now.¡± If her sister never returned from the forest, Silvia would live the rest of her life with guilt weighing down in her heart. As Silvia wore a determined look, Tinia greatly disapproved. ¡°Why must you let your useless stubbornness take over your reasoning¡­¡± ¡°Does it even matter? I¡¯ll just have to protect Silvia.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lend this to Silvia for a short while.¡± Woohyuk took out the Banshee¡¯s Cloak and covered Silvia with it. As her appearance disappeared, Tinia¡¯s eyes turned wide. ¡°An, an invisibility artifact?!¡± ¡°If she stays hidden, she won¡¯t get targeted by ordinary monsters at the very least.¡± Other than the Banshee¡¯s Cloak, Woohyuk had many artifacts that could help protect Silvia. As he received their awestruck reactions, Woohyuk started removing his essories one by one. Chapter 81: Witchs Forest 1

Chapter 81: Witch''s Forest 1

Only after arguing for the entire day did Silvia finally manage to convince Tinia. However, that was only possible with the help of Woohyuk. Had he not said that he would lend Silvia many of his artifacts such as the Banshee¡¯s Cloak or the Ghost Queen Star Serpent, Tinia would¡¯ve refused her sister¡¯s request until the very end. Woohyuk sighed as he watched Silvia observe and touch his artifacts with amazement. ¡®It¡¯s good that they¡¯vee to apromise.¡¯ He didn¡¯t refuse Tinia¡¯s advancesst night because he realized she needed someone to lean on. Nevertheless, he wouldn¡¯t have had sex with her for such a reason. He didn¡¯t dislike Tinia. However, should he have a lover, it would greatly disrupt his future ns and weaken his mental fortitude. ¡®Silvia intervened at the perfect momentst night.¡¯ He had kept Silvia¡¯s presence a secret on purpose because he wanted to catch Tinia off guard. It was heartless of him to stay silent, but he knew that Silvia was an altruistic person with a great sense of responsibility. He believed that as soon as she learned of Tinia¡¯s ns to sacrifice herself for her little sister, Silvia wouldn¡¯t sit still listening and would object. ¡®It¡¯s safer to keep her by your side.¡¯ Although it was arge citadel city, Dornen wasn¡¯t exempted from monster attacks. Moreover, the city¡¯s defenses would naturally weaken when the subjugation forcesposed of mercenaries and ns would set out on their mission. Since he wasn¡¯t aware of the events that would happen to this city, it was best to stay as vignt as possible. ¡°How long will you stay here? Will you return to the Rhine kingdom once the subjugation is over?¡± Tinia asked as they walked down the road, arms crossed. She wore a nervous face as she waited for his answer. ¡°No, I have a few more matters to attend to here. I¡¯ll probably stay in the Izuna kingdom for a while.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Don¡¯t hesitate to contact me if you need some help in the future. Despite my appearance, I¡¯m quite knowledgeable about this kingdom as an active and experienced mercenary.¡± Before ns were formed and grew, Tinia was a renowned person. That¡¯s why she had connections with influential people of the Izuna Kingdom. ¡°First of all, tell me about the Witch¡¯s Forest and the Eclipse n.¡± ¡°The Witch¡¯s Forest has been considered an ominous ce since ages ago. There are stories about it, although the contents vary from ce to ce.¡± Tinia began to talk about her favorite legend since her childhood. The original story was extremely long, but she kept only the important details and narrated it like a short fairytale. ¡°A long time ago, A young man named Sieg left on an adventure. He gained a lot of treasures as he explored and challenged countless hidden historic sites. Amongst his profits, there was a valkyrie sealed by the gods. Brynhild.¡± Nibelungenlied (The Song of the Nibelungs). It was a story Woohyuk was familiar with. He could¡¯ve asked her to skip the story, but he acted ignorant and listened attentively. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°As she awakened from her slumber, Brynhild fell for Sieg¡¯s heroic figure. Sieg also ended up falling in love due to Brynhild¡¯s unmatched beauty. The two got engaged and settled down somewhere where they nned to live out their happy lives.¡± ¡°Is it a happy ending?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Destiny ended up splitting the two lovers apart.¡± To pass on proper knowledge and wisdom to their unborn child, Sieg left Brynhild¡¯s side for a short while to specialize himself in the outside world. However, the witch Kriemhild held an unrequited love towards Sieg, and handed him a certain potion. After drinking it, Sieg lost his memories. In the end, Sieg got married to Kriemhild and began to live with her in the forest. When Brynhild came looking for himter on, he was already a different man and was heartless towards his previous lover. This was such a shock to Brynhild that she killed herself in front of Sieg. The winner of the story was Kriemhild. ¡°The contents of the story sound a bit off.¡± After Tinia finished her tale, Woohyuk made a dissatisfied expression. The conclusion of the story was quite different from the one he had heard of. ¡°Huh? Oh, this is a version that only Silvia and I know of. A man who saved us in the past told us of this version, stating that it was the real story.¡± ¡°Is there a reason why you prefer this version over the other one?¡± ¡°Yeah, the message it wants to tell us is evident and clear. Don¡¯t despair like Brynhild did and fight to regain the love you lost until the end. This message left a deep impression in me when I was younger. ¡°But sis, if you look at it from the other side, it can also mean that we should use any methods at hand to fight for love like Kriemhild did.¡± ¡°No, this is a story showing Brynhild as an example of what not to do¡­¡± A small argument had ignited between the two sisters. Woohyuk spectated for a short while, and soon after, he spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s move onto the next topic now.¡± ¡°Ah, my bad. So, about the Eclipse n. They made their first appearance in this area about 3 months ago. Their n leader¡¯s name is Steve Miller. They have 10 group leaders, and each group has around 600 n members.¡± It was arge n with around 6 thousand members. They had beenmitting evil deeds and crimes against other mercenaries within their area of activity. They made the other mercenaries pay fines to be able to live in peace within their territory. The Blue Hawk Mercenaries that Tinia led were obviously no exception to this. ¡°Where is their headquarters?¡± ¡°North of the Soveir Church. There¡¯s a small hill in the area, so you should find it easily.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± He would have to handle them one day, but he currently had other matters to deal with. Woohyuk hastened his pace as he approached the potion store. *** Woohyuk roamed around themercial district and bought items and materials he would need during the subjugation, using the money he got from the nobles during the rebellion in the Rhine Kingdom. It wasn¡¯t a burden on his funds as he would simply be supporting a group of mercenaries that barely numbered 1000 members. Needless to say, it was a jaw-dropping sight to Tinia and Silvia who were low-bornmoners. With his preparations finished, Woohyuk and the Blue Hawk Mercenaries set out and marched towards the Witch¡¯s Forest. ¡°The Eclipse n departed two days ago. They must be busy fighting monsters in the forest by now.¡± Silviamented next to him. She couldn¡¯t hide her worries since their group waste to the party. ¡°No need to hurry. They won¡¯t have achieved much even by the time we arrive.¡± The forest had taken a long time to get conquered in his previous life. Since the Gray Wolf Alliance wasn¡¯t properly formed yet, the Eclipse n would fail without a doubt. Silvia stared at Woohyuk curiously as he spoke confidently. ¡°You look like you know something, brother-inw. Have you been to the Witch¡¯s Forest before?¡± ¡°No, this will be the first time.¡± Silvia had called him ¡®brother-inw¡¯. Even though it was for formality¡¯s sake, he was acting as Tinia¡¯s lover. Due to that status, the Blue Hawk mercenaries ended up using formalnguage when talking to Woohyuk. ¡°But how exactly did you woo my sister? No man has ever been able to grab her attention and interest before.¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡± The cause was most likely to be their one on one battle. Tinia¡¯s type of man was someone stronger than her. The only reason she had no previous partner was because her sword skills were unmatched. ¡°In any case, please take good care of my sister. She may be a bit rough on the edges, but deep down she¡¯s a good woman.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± ¡°Do you always speak so little? It¡¯s like I¡¯m talking to a wall.¡± Silvia pouted as shemented. Woohyuk let out a small chuckle and patted her head. ¡°We¡¯ll soon reach the forest. Get ready to hide yourself.¡± ¡°Tsk¡­¡± She made a sulky expression and imbued the Banshee¡¯s Cloak with Mana. Before long, the forest came in sight. Tinia, who was leading the subjugation force, came to a halt. ¡°Prepare for battle. Carry out the n as I exinedst night.¡± Though she called it a n, there wasn¡¯t much strategy involved. Setting up camp in a tortoise formation, staying alert and prepared for surprise attacks and advancing only after the Eclipse n had gained ground in the forest. As the mercenaries made their preparations, Tinia turned to look at Silvia. She couldn¡¯t help worrying about the girl she had brought unwillingly. Woohyuk took a nce at his adventurer¡¯s watch. ¡®The cooldown should¡¯ve ended by now.¡¯ He broke formation and walked towards Tinia to use the Memory Pendant. Unlikest time, he hade up with a n to buy time while he explored her memories. ¡°Woohyuk? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I want to check on you for a bit.¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°They say you should tap on a stone bridge before crossing it. Who knows what could happen?¡± Aftering up with a usible excuse, Woohyuk grabbed both of Tinia¡¯s shoulders. Instantly, a scene started to unfold in his mind. The red-haired man was inside today¡¯s memory as well. ¡®She¡¯s learned sword arts from a very young age.¡¯ Standing in front of a scarecrow, Tinia swung a wooden sword as she followed the redhead¡¯s instructions. Her movements were clumsy, but her eyes shone with motivation. She swung her weapon until her delicate hands had swollen. However, not a single cry escaped from her mouth nor did she ask for a break. ¡°Let¡¯s end it here for today. The sun is starting to set.¡± ¡°Rael, when can I be a mercenary?¡± Tinia blurted out those words as she turned around. Seeing that sight, Rael let out a soft chuckle. ¡°When the right timees.¡± ¡°And how will I know that?¡± ¡°This sword will tell you.¡± Rael grabbed Tabris on his back and showed it to her. It was an odd weapon wrapped in a turquoise sword aura. Tinia stared at the sword and asked again. ¡°Does Tabris even have such a skill?¡± ¡°Yup. This sword won¡¯t lend its powers to an unqualified wielder. Wanna try?¡± Rael thrust Tabris into the ground, stepped back and crossed his arms. Soon, the girl tried to pull Tabris out using every drop of energy and strength within her. Nevertheless, the greatsword did not budge. ¡°It¡¯s too heavy¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t bear its powers right now. But I¡¯m certain that one day, you¡¯ll be able to swing this sword around freely.¡± Rael put Tabris away on his back and stroked Tinia¡¯s head. A heartwarming sight. The memory sequence ended with young Tinia dropping her head. ¡®I didn¡¯t learn much this time either.¡¯ Woohyuk silently sighed as he exited Tinia¡¯s memory. The only knowledge he had gained was the red-haired man¡¯s name. The reason why he had passed Tabris onto Tinia was still unknown. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with my body?¡± Tinia was starting to get anxious as Woohyuk had yet to let go of her. ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing wrong. It¡¯s a relief you¡¯re healthy.¡± As Tinia started noticing the gazes of the other mercenaries, she silently whispered to him. ¡°...You got me worried for nothing. In any case, we¡¯ll have to depart soon, so get back in formation.¡± Woohyuk turned around and was about to head back, when a desperate cry rang out. ¡°Sa-save me!¡± A blonde man dashed out of the Witch¡¯s Forest and was shouting for help. Behind him was a horde of orcs. As soon as she noticed the monsters, Tinia brandished Tabris and cried out. ¡°Monsters! Prepare forbat!¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°They don¡¯t number much, so deal with them swiftly!¡± There were barely 30 orcs in the horde. Tinia led the charge and the mercenaries rushed to their enemies. ¡°Kieeek?!¡± ¡°Krrr¡­¡± The orcs felt overwhelmed and instantly lost interest in their prey. They all turned and ran back to the forest. Once the blonde man reached Tinia and the others, she promptly started asking about his circumstances. ¡°What happened in the forest? Where is the Eclipse n?¡± ¡°Everyone¡­ is dead¡­ They were all possessed by the witch¡­¡± The young man¡¯s body shuddered in terror as the horrific scene yed over and over in his mind. A female enchanter approached him and used recovery on him to erase all abnormal status. Once the young man¡¯s panic started to subside, Tinia asked him again. ¡°Exin in more details. Where did the witch appear?¡± ¡°The abandoned monastery¡­ Don¡¯t go there¡­ The witch is¡­ able to do impossible things¡­¡± The youth kept muttering iprehensible words. Seeing his behaviour, Woohyuk grabbed him by the cor. ¡°Did your n leader also die? How long has it been since they¡¯ve been annihted?¡± ¡°Steven was¡­ captured by a monster the witch summoned¡­ He¡¯s probably dead by now¡­ It¡¯s already been half a day¡­¡± It had already been several hours since the incident had urred. Woohyuk and Tinia nced at each other and turned to gaze at the Witch¡¯s Forest. A dark aura they hadn¡¯t noticed before was covering the entire forest. 1. Previously tranted as ¡®Grimhilde¡¯ in chapter 78. After further research about the Nibelungenlied, found out that the correct way to write it is actually ¡°Kriemhild¡±. Chapter 82: Witchs Forest 2

Chapter 82: Witch''s Forest 2

The Witch¡¯s Forest was riddled with corpses of monsters and members of the Eclipse n. A considerable battle had urred in the area hours ago. ¡°Ugh¡­ This is making me sick¡­¡± The horrible stench that permeated everywhere made the invisible Silvia scrunch her nose. The other mercenaries had the same reaction. Everyone was grumbling and making short dissatisfiedments about the smell. ¡°This stench is absolutely disgusting.¡± ¡°Fucking hell¡­¡± The only relief was that there weren¡¯t many monsters attacking them. The Eclipse n seemed to have somewhat cleaned up the outer area of the forest. ¡®But I don¡¯t see any survivors.¡¯ After listening to the blonde young man¡¯s story, Woohyuk didn¡¯t have hopes of finding any. As he silently walked, he slowly recalled the past. ¡®The witch is someone they would have a hard time to defeat.¡¯ She was one of Lilith¡¯s subjects who represented the seven deadly sins. They had the strengthparable to the 72 Demon Kings, andmanded over countless monsters. It meant that even Woohyuk could not easily defeat her. ¡°Can we actually kill this witch, brother-inw? Even the Eclipse n was annihted. Shouldn¡¯t we ask for reinforcements¡­?¡± ¡°No. That will just create a bigger chaos and more confusion.¡± The Witch of Envy Kriemhild could cast wide-range debuff magic. Her opponents who get affected by that magic fall into a state of confusion and attack their own allies. That was how the Eclipse n had gotten erased from existence within half a day. ¡®Our men won¡¯t be of much help either.¡¯ Those with a low Spirit stat could only fall powerlessly to the curse magic. Although everyone had drunk the Saint¡¯s Potion and increased their resistance to abnormal status ailments, that wasn¡¯t enough to confront the witch. They would simply resist losing consciousness and could only try their best to stay awake. ¡®We must win the battle as swiftly as possible.¡¯ As long as they could find the abandoned monastery, victory wasn¡¯t out of reach. However, the forest was shrouded in a dense ck fog and his visibility was considerably reduced. They would lose their way if they just blindly advanced into the forest. ¡°Is this even the right direction? It feels like we¡¯ve been walking in circles¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just your imagination.¡± He had lent Tinia the jabberwocks, so the chances of the Blue Hawk Mercenaries falling into traps were diminished. Obviously though, the jabberwocks would lose their way from time to time and hesitate to choose a direction to go to. As Woohyuk was talking about all kinds of topics with the invisible Silvia, an unexpected racket suddenly rang out. ng! ng! ng! ¡°A monster attack!¡± ¡°Th-There¡¯s too many of them!¡± A horde of different monsters had assaulted them. A battle had started. Before heading to fight, Woohyuk first tried to reassure Silvia. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°Look after my sister as well. She tends to try to solve everything on her own.¡± ¡°Of course I will.¡± Tinia was the central figure of the Blue Hawk Mercenaries, so if she were to die, the whole group would fall apart. As he cut down the hell hounds that lunged at him, Woohyuk checked on Tinia. ¡®She¡¯s doing fine for now.¡¯ Like a veteran mercenary leader, Tinia was cutting down her enemies on the front lines. She truly lived up to her name as ¡®Windstorm Tinia¡¯. The monsters facing her were ruthlessly cut apart by a turquoise vortex. ¡°Krrr!¡± ¡°Kieek!¡± After realizing that Tinia was a powerful opponent, the monsters gathered together and attacked her at the same time. Their numbers were considerable. However, everyone around her was busy fighting their own fights, and nobody could help her. ¡°Tinia!¡± Seeing her sister surrounded by monsters, Silvia raised her staff and cast a magic chain. Her magic linked the monsters together so that they got recognized as a single entity. Due to her little sister¡¯s help, Tinia managed to avoid the crisis. sh! The turquoise vortex struck a troll and ripped it to shreds, along with 5 other monsters that were linked to it. The remaining monsters ended up facing the same fate. A single moment of confusion amongst the monsters had ended up costing their lives. Once she finished dealing with them all, Tinia turned to her sister and gestured her gratitude. ¡®They make a greatbo.¡¯ Woohyuk nodded as he watched over the two siblings. It was most probably because they had been matching their breaths and timings since a very young age. As he pondered on how to recruit the two sisters to his side in the future, ¡°Brother-inw, I have a question.¡± Silvia whispered to him. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If my sister and I were in a dangerous situation, who would you save first?¡± An unexpected question. Woohyuk made a troubled expression. He was in a dilemma. ¡®It might be best to answer truthfully.¡¯ It was meaningless to make up a hypocritical lie right now. Woohyuk stared Silvia directly in her eyes and opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll save you first. Because that¡¯s the promise I made with Tinia.¡± ¡°...Can¡¯t you worry about my sister before you worry about me? She is someone who doesn¡¯t deserve to die in a ce like this.¡± To Silvia, her older sister was an object of admiration. She was a cheerful person who could do anything perfectly. She also wouldn¡¯t cower in front of men and would always keep her back straight and head high. If Tinia were to die because of her, Silvia would never be able to live on with the guilt in her heart. Seeing her earnest request, Woohyuk gently stroked her head. ¡°Tinia also cherishes you with her life. If you were to die, she would feel the exact same guilt as you would.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°If Tinia worries you so much, stay by my side at all times. If you do that, I won¡¯t ever have to make such a decision.¡± As long as Silvia wasn¡¯t in danger, this dilemma would never happen. Once Woohyuk finished convincing her, Silvia silently nodded. She had finally realized the importance of her role. ¡°Everyone has defeated the monsters. Get ready to depart again.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± They needed to keep marching persistently to reach the abandoned monastery before sunset. The Witch¡¯s Forest was impressive in size. As he held onto Silvia¡¯s hand, Woohyuk stared behind the bushes. He sensed a gaze watching him from afar, beyond the dark fog. The witch Kriemhild was observing him with her crystal ball. ¡®Seems like she found out my identity.¡¯ However, that didn¡¯t matter to him. His current objectives were to protect Tinia and Silvia from the monsters, and to recuperate Medusa¡¯s Bronze Mirror. He was prepared to do anything to achieve those goals. Woohyuk started walking as he steeled his heart. *** Nibelungenlied (The Song of the Nibelungs). It was a famous fable throughout the Eeth Continent. The tragic love story of Sieg and Brynhild sparked a lot of controversy. The reason behind the controversy was because the original Edda Chronicles that recorded the story had been damaged, and the finale of the story couldn¡¯t be read. Therefore, the stories that spread around were mostly recreations by different people. However, people generally considered the most famous and usible story as the fable¡¯s true ending. As he continued marching with the Blue Hawk Mercenaries, Woohyuk tried remembering everything he could about Kriemhild. ¡®That woman did not tell the truth until the very end.¡¯ The damaged part of the fable. Restoring the damaged part was an important goal amongst the Overlords, and Woohyuk had once tried to uncover the truth, as ancient documents often held hidden skills or epic quests for people to uncover. ¡®There may be a hidden clue here.¡¯ Back then, the ones to conquer the Witch¡¯s Forest were the Gray Wolf Alliance. Woohyukter defeated Kriemhild who had escaped and was nning for hereback. In the end, Woohyuk never gained any reward rted to the fable. It had always bugged him. ¡®I must meet this Rael guy.¡¯ Woohyuk had never heard of the version Rael had told the sisters. It would be worthwhile to meet him at least once. However, even Silvia didn¡¯t know where he was residing currently. ¡°He left you two behind?¡± ¡°Yes. Once my sister came of age, he handed down Tabris and disappeared. We¡¯ve been asking around about him ever since, but we haven¡¯t found any traces of him.¡± Woohyuk also heard about the contents of the contract Rael made with Tinia through Tabris. If they were to meet again one day, Tinia would have to listen to a single request of Rael¡¯s. After hearing that, Woohyuk made a puzzled expression. ¡°A request?¡± ¡°He said that he couldn¡¯t reveal the details of the request yet because there were some circumstances or something.¡± Rael had kept a lot to himself. He had never revealed his birthce, his homnd, and not even the reason why he was an independent mercenary. ¡®This is quite suspicious.¡¯ However, considering these events had happened 20 years ago, it was unlikely that Rael was a demon. ¡®What about a God or an angel?¡¯ Woohyuk couldn¡¯t see why those kinds of beings would raise two war orphans for years. It wasn''t that there was no reason at all, but he couldn¡¯t think of a usible one right now. He was in deep thoughts as he pressed on his temple with his finger. Suddenly, a system message popped up in front of him. [New Quest] Name: The Mercenary who Disappeared with the Wind Type: Chain (1/2) Content: With Tinia, find Rael who is hiding in the Witch¡¯s Forest and uncover his identity. You fail the quest if Tinia or Rael perish before then. Other: Once failed, cannot be repeated. ¡®A hidden quest.¡¯ He probably got the quest from Silvia because she was deeply rted to the two people in the quest. But he didn¡¯t expect Rael to be inside this forest. ¡®I have a bad feeling.¡¯ It was impossible for an ordinary human to survive in the witch¡¯s sanctuary. Rael most likely had a contract with the witch. Woohyuk could finally ask about Rael¡¯s circumstances and hear the answer from his own mouth. Soon, they arrived at the abandoned monastery and Woohyuk went to see Tinia who was leading the group, bringing Silvia with him. ¡°Let¡¯s move together from now on.¡± ¡°...Sure. I also prefer having Silvia by my side.¡± ording to the Eclipse n¡¯s survivor, the witch Kriemhild used a powerful wide-area debuff magic. If the mercenaries entered a confused state, they could potentially attack Silvia. Even though Woohyuk had assured her he would protect Silvia, Tinia couldn¡¯t help but worry about her sister. While Tinia was talking with the invisible Silvia, ¡°Ho ho ho ho ho!¡± A woman¡¯s unpleasantughter resounded from the abandoned monastery, and dark mana started spreading. Woohyuk instantly realized who it was. ¡®It¡¯s Kriemhild.¡¯ The Witch of Envy. Her special skill was to awaken and stimte the jealousy deep within people¡¯s subconscious. Most of the curses Kriemhild used were based on the power of that jealousy. Therefore, when fighting against her, you had to pay attention to your allies¡¯ movements as well. Once he came up with a strategy, Woohyuk turned to Tinia and spoke. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to say before we fight against the witch.¡± ¡°What is it? Something like ¡®I love you¡¯?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m a necromancer.¡± An unexpected deration. Tinia¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°A necro¡­ mancer?¡± ¡°Watch carefully.¡± Instead of exining with words, Woohyuk summoned a skeleton soldier, and ordered it to do a popping dance. Tinia stared dumbfoundedly. ¡°Why are you showing this to me?¡± ¡°To prevent any misunderstandings.¡± To face Kriemhild, Woohyuk had to use his full power. If he kept his powers and identity hidden, he would soon face death. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll warn the others about it.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s intentions had gotten through her, and Tinia nodded. Silvia also made a convinced face. As the siblings began to steel themselves for the battle, ¡°What brings you here with all these insignificant humans?¡± A ck portal appeared above the abandoned monastery, and a woman with maroon hair stepped out. Kriemhild. Her words were addressed to none other than Woohyuk. She had sensed the hidden mana within him through her abilities as a witch. ¡®She started talking before engaging in battle, just as I expected.¡¯ There was no need to draw his weapon first, since he also had many questions to ask Kriemhild. He ignored the curious gazes of the mercenaries and answered. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Rael.¡± ¡°Rael? There¡¯s no one going by that name here. Oh, is it one of the rude humans who trespassed into my territory earlier? If so, it might be best to consider him dead. Well, I do keep some of them alive from time to time for other uses.¡± By letting some survivors return alive, the witch could spread terrifying rumors about herself, and she would have fewer trespassers to disturb her day. The blonde man they had met earlier hadn¡¯t escaped the ordeal, but had instead been spared by the witch. Although the witch replied proudly, Woohyuk spoke again. ¡°Rael. A young man with fiery red hair and incredible sword skills. He disappeared 10 years ago. Back then, he used the greatsword this girl is wielding now. Does that ring a bell?¡± ¡°...Oh. Now I see who it is you¡¯re searching for.¡± The corners of Kriemhild¡¯s mouth rose. She turned her head towards the abandoned monastery and spoke. ¡°Sieg,e on out for a bit. You have some guests.¡± Chapter 83: Witchs Forest 3

Chapter 83: Witch''s Forest 3

¡®Sieg?¡¯ Woohyuk tilted his head when he heard the unexpected name. That name belonged to a character from the Nibelungenlied known to have died with Brynhild. The original copy of the Edda Chronicles had been damaged, so the true ending was actually unknown, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised upon hearing this name. ¡®Now that I think about it, Tinia¡¯s version never mentions Sieg¡¯s death.¡¯ And the person who told her of that version was none other than Rael, the young man with fiery red hair and matchless sword skills. As Woohyuk¡¯s unpleasant presentiment was about to materialize, Clomp. Clomp. A young man emerged from the abandoned monastery. Upon seeing his appearance, Tinia and Silvia couldn¡¯t hold back their surprise. ¡°Wha... Rael?¡± ¡°Impossible¡­¡± The young man had the exact same appearance as the person they knew, with the exception of his dark and gloomy expression and the ck aura emanating from his body. ¡°Long time no see, Tinia. You too, Silvia.¡± Rael, no, Sieg greeted the two sisters. Then, he grabbed the longsword residing in his scabbard on his waist and brandished it. Immediately, monsters began gathering from all around them. ¡°How¡­¡± Tinia¡¯s eyes shook like an earthquake trembling her pupils. Silvia was in no better state. They were shocked after finding out their benefactor was working with the witch. ¡°Haha¡­ Sieg is my lovely husband. And you people are uninvited guests. So please get to the point. You may not be aware, but my patience has its limits.¡± Kriemhild pointed at Woohyuk with her staff. At the same time, a system message appeared before his eyes. [New Quest] Name: The Mercenary who Disappeared with the Wind Type: Chain (2/2) Content: Listen to the end of the Niebelungenlied from Sieg himself and help Tinia fulfill his request. You fail the quest if Tinia perishes before then. Other: Once failed, cannot be repeated. ¡®It¡¯s asking me to find out the truth.¡¯ The chances that the reward this time would be rted to the restoration of the fable¡¯s original copy was high. The potential value of the Edda Chronicles was extremely high, so he could not fail this quest. Woohyuk pondered for a while and spoke up. ¡°I have a great interest in literature and tragedies. ording to these twodies, there is a very interesting story in which the two of you are featured in. Could I ask more about it?¡± ¡°Oh~ Are you also interested in human arts and literature like Loengreen? Well, I¡¯m not really interested, so I¡¯ll let my husband make the decision.¡± Kriemhild turned around and looked towards the abandoned monastery¡¯s entrance. She was asking Sieg what he wanted to do. And so, Sieg broke the silence and responded. ¡°...Then I will tell you. It is a story I¡¯ll have to tell Tinia and Silvia anyways.¡± He began his story, and Woohyuk sheathed Grandia and began listening. ¡°I was once a hero everyone admired. As the world already knows, I slew Fafnir who had been corrupted into an Evil Dragon, and gained the Mysterious Ring of the Nibelungen.¡± The contents of the former part of the story were exactly the same as in the original Edda Chronicles. Woohyuk continued nodding and waited for him to reach thetter part of the story. ¡°...Brynhild was traumatized when she learned that I had gotten married to Kriemhild and had a daughter with her. Soon afterwards, shemitted suicide right before my eyes. As I was still unaware of everything, I tried to bury her in an area where the sun shone brightly.¡± As he was moving Brynhild, Sieg saw the ring she was wearing on her left ring finger. He reached for it out of curiosity, and upon touching it, his memories returned. ¡°So why did you not take revenge? ording to your words, didn¡¯t Kriemhild make your and Brynhild¡¯s lives miserable?¡± ¡°Kriemhild was trying to save me. She knew the fact that the ring I had given to Brynhild had the curse of Andvari of the Nibelungen Tribe.¡± When the Wind God was taking all of his treasures, Andvari secretly ced a powerful curse on his ring, the Andvaranaut. Anyone who possessed it would have a life of misfortune and fall into ruin. Upon learning that, the Wind God gave the Andvaranaut to the Green Dragon Fafnir. Fafnir kept the ring away from everyone, but got corrupted by the curse and ended up fading away into bubbles. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just tell Brynhild to throw the Andvaranaut away?¡± ¡°Unlike me, Brynhild had been warned multiple times by the Wind God. However, her mind was already captured by the Andvaranaut.¡± The power of the Andvaranaut¡¯s curse varied depending on the owner¡¯s obsession with it. Therefore, Brynhild had been exposed to the Andvaranaut¡¯s curse at a greater magnitude than Sieg. ¡®That seems usible.¡¯ Woohyuk nodded as he listened to Sieg¡¯s exnations. Sieg only considered the Andvaranaut as a beautiful ring, whereas for Brynhild, it was her engagement ring. The moment she was given the ring, her misfortune and ruin had already been set in stone. If Kriemhild had not intervened, the next victim would¡¯ve been Sieg. ¡°So, what did you do with the Andvaranaut?¡± ¡°I buried it with Brynhild in the ground. We¡¯veyered the highest level barrier around it, so nobody has touched it ever since.¡± After the War of Gods and Demons, Sieg was asleep in the underground ruins for an extended period of time. The Witch of Envy Kriemhild had hidden him away in a safe ce right before getting sealed. ¡°Then when did you wake up?¡± ¡°About 100 years ago. The world had changed a lot when I woke up.¡± Sieg was reborn as a demon, but he had no goal in life or reason to live. He wasn¡¯t aplete human anymore due to his contract with Kriemhild. Moreover, he also believed that he did not have the right to live a happy life. And so he started wandering around thends. He aimlessly journeyed through the Eeth continent, acting as an independent mercenary. However, one night, Sieg came across a vige getting attacked by monsters and met Tinia and Silvia. And through his abilities as a demon, he instinctively realized that the two sisters were descendants of Brynhild and himself. ¡°You had children with Brynhild?¡± ¡°Back then, I didn¡¯t know since Brynhild hadn¡¯t told me.¡± Sieg was about to leave the house to specialize himself, so Brynhild didn¡¯t want to want to burden her husband unnecessarily. Therefore, she had kept it a secret. ¡°Why did you not tell this story to Tinia and Silvia?¡± ¡°I thought that they were better off not knowing it. Honestly speaking, I was afraid the two of them would resent me after learning the truth.¡± No matter his decision, Tinia and Silvia were precious to Sieg, more so than his own life. They were simply distant descendants of his, but they were still the fruit of his love with Brynhild. Sieg looked after the two girls until they reached adulthood and handed Tabris down to the eldest It was one of the treasures the Evil Dragon Fafnir was hiding. Tabris held the power of the Green Dragon, and it was now wielded by Tinia, the descendant of the Valkyrie Brynhild. ¡°But why did you leave their side? Don¡¯t you need to protect them until the end if they mean the world to you?¡± ¡°There were people who were persistently tracking my whereabouts. They are an association of fanatics called Pronoia. I had to erase all traces of myself before they found out about Tinia and Silvia.¡± In the end, Sieg returned to the location where he had awakened, the Witch¡¯s Forest. Soon afterwards, Kriemhild emerged from her seal and the two of them reunited. ¡°The ruins where you were sleeping, is it Medusa¡¯s Temple?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s also where Brynhild¡¯s tomb is hidden.¡± Its location was right beneath the abandoned monastery, where the witch¡¯s original chapel was located. The monastery was built when people expanded the chapel after the War of Gods and Demons. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to be lying.¡¯ After listening to Sieg¡¯s story, Woohyuk slowly nodded. Manyplicated incidents and events were linked, but everything still made sense. There was just a single question left now. As Woohyuk opened his mouth to ask, Tinia took the lead and began speaking first. ¡°So, what is this request you have for me?¡± ¡°...Please forgive me, Tinia. You too, Silvia.¡± Sieg stabbed his longsword in the ground and got down to his knees. Seeing her husband, Kriemhild made an irritated face. ¡°Why are you demanding their forgiveness? You should be asking for their gratitude instead since you saved them from monsters and raised them yourself.¡± ¡°The reason Silvia and Tinia went through all those hardships is due to my mistake.¡± A tragic story that began when he offered Brynhild the Andvaranaut. It was already toote, but he wished to demand forgiveness now, or else he would never receive it. As Sieg continued keeping his head down in front of the sisters, Kriemhild¡¯s face gradually turned red in anger. ¡°Seriously¡­ The things you do really annoy me, as if you¡¯re doing it purposefully. Remember when you asked me if you could bury Brynhild¡¯s coffin beneath my chapel? I found that absolutely sickening, but I endured it. And now, it¡¯s the same with these girls. I really want to lock them up in the torture room and torment them until theirst day, but I¡¯m enduring it. Just when can I stop living like this?¡± Kriemhild had always been jealous of Brynhild, even to this day, mainly because Brynhild still lived inside Sieg¡¯s heart. But now, even their descendants had trespassed in her house, and this dramatic scene was happening before her eyes. ¡°Kriemhild, I¡­¡± ¡°Shut it! Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m the Witch of Envy! As long as I wish for it, I canmit all kinds of acts! I only behaved obediently this whole time because of you!¡± As emotions took over her reasoning, Kriemhild raised her staff and aimed at Sieg. The mana that was surrounding Sieg was immediately absorbed into the staff. ¡°Are you nning on killing these kids, Kriemhild!?¡± Sieg was stupefied and asked as he lost his strength and fell to the floor. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I don¡¯t want to live in Brynhild¡¯s shadow anymore. Tell me honestly. Don¡¯t you also wish to free yourself from her? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll soon liberate you from her chains.¡± As she raised her staff high in the air, the corners of Kriemhild¡¯s mouth rose. Mana was instantly released and expanded outwards. The mercenaries who were silently waiting outside all gained a headache and one by one, they pummelled to the ground. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°This pain! My head is splitting apart¡­¡± They had been debuffed by Kriemhild¡¯s magic. However, having used the Saint¡¯s Potion in advance, none of them fell into a confused state nor did they faint. ¡°Huh? Why aren¡¯t they attacking each other? Is it because I overused my skill right after waking up?¡± ¡°Those weak attacks won¡¯t work on us, Kriemhild.¡± ¡°So it indeed is your handiwork. Alright. Since we were both allies, I tried to deal with things without resorting to violence as much as I could. But now that things havee to this¡­¡± Kriemhild dropped her head and began whistling. Soon afterwards, a ground-reverberating sound rang out and a gargantuan silhouette appeared beyond the bushes. ¡®A cyclops¡­? No, is it a nephilim?¡¯ A monster born from a fallen angel and a female giant. They were outrageous beings that would eat anything they could put their hands on. ¡°Grrrrr¡­¡± The nephilim roared and raised its trident. The surrounding monsters abruptly began attacking the mercenaries. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± ¡°Kiiiek!!¡± However, the mercenaries were still barely resisting Kriemhild¡¯s debuff magic. The only members who could freely move around were the descendants of Valkyrie Brynhild, Tinia and Silvia, along with the sessor of Asura, Woohyuk. ¡°There are too many of them!¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± As Tinia and Silvia began to panic, Woohyuk summoned an army of undead soldiers. Seeing that scene, Kriemhild¡¯s expression showed interest and curiosity. ¡°A necromancer? Don¡¯t tell me you are that pathetic Nakron¡¯s sessor.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, that is the case.¡± Nakron was a spirit that belonged to the Divine Throne system, and he was also Woohyuk¡¯s patron, despite the fact that he had only met him once till this day. ¡°Goodness gracious¡­ You¡¯re nning to challenge the Divine Thrones even as a demon? Never have I ever heard of such a ridiculous n. Do you even think it¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°It is. It¡¯s definitely possible.¡± Amongst the empty thrones, there was a single one that demons could challenge. The Demon God¡¯s Throne. To reach that seat, he had to deal with small fries like her with ease. As he steeled his heart, Woohyuk slowly parted his lips. ¡°Switch.¡± Chapter 84: Witchs Forest 4

Chapter 84: Witch''s Forest 4

Kriemhild¡¯s face was one of shock as Verserios reced Grandia and appeared in Woohyuk¡¯s hands. ¡°Is, is that¡­ an exclusive weapon?¡± She had noticed that Verserios was no ordinary weapon. Demonic energy pure enough to be considered as the abyss itself. Countless souls trapped inside were echoing their screams. A literal hell was unfolding before Kriemhild¡¯s eyes. ¡°As your master, I order you.¡± At his words, Verserios activated and erupted in a dark aura. Its second seal was released during Woohyuk¡¯s battle against the Demon King Vk, so its power had increased. Whether she was an ordinary human or the Witch of Envy, Kriemhild wouldn¡¯te out unscathed after receiving an attack from it. ¡°Tch¡­!¡± Sensing a crisis, Kriemhild quickly raised her staff and cast a spell. An enormous ck monster appeared above her, floating in the air. ¡°Get rid of them!¡± Kriemhild¡¯s monster worked with the Nephilim and attacked her opponents. Boom! Boom! On one side, the Nephilim¡¯s eyes locked onto its target and rushed forward, and on the other, a sharp w ripped the air and flew to Woohyuk. Both of them didn¡¯t look like simple opponents. ¡°Kill the enemies that lie before me.¡± Once he uttered those words, jet ck wings sprouted out of his back. The tip of Verserios¡¯ de shed and shot out a pitch ck wave towards the nephilim¡¯s waist. Swoosh! With a sinister slit, the nephilim was cut in half. ¡°Wha, what the!?¡± ¡°Why are there wings on your back, brother-inw¡­?¡± Tinia and Silvia¡¯s jaws dropped from the surprise. Following the surprise was fear. Their life-savior who had raised them was actually their ancestor, while the man with whom they had eaten dinner was in fact a demon. By now, they couldn¡¯t make any reasonable thoughts and decisions. Whoosh! While the girls stood there dumbfounded, Woohyuk swung his sword and discharged demonic energy horizontally to the monster in the air. Meanwhile, the surrounding enemies were facing the undead soldiers in a deadly battle. ¡°Are, are you actually a demon king?! How else could you be so powerful?¡± ¡°No, I am Asura.¡± Strictly speaking, Woohyuk was a human that hadbined with the previous Demon God Asura. However, he wasn¡¯t a half-human half-demon existence like subi or incubi. And the only reason why he had called himself a Demon King before to other demons was to facilitate their negotiation talks. But since he didn¡¯t need to converse and negotiate with Kriemhild anymore, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to keep up the act. ¡°Asura? I¡¯ve never heard of that name amongst the 72 Demon Kings¡­ Then are you actually a human? No, there¡¯s no way you could¡¯ve obtained this much power by making a contract with a demon. Just what are you?!¡± ¡°I told you already. I¡¯m Asura.¡± While Asura was the previous Demon God¡¯s name, it also meant the eternal battlefield where souls fought every day. Therefore Woohyuk had been walking down the path of Asura since the very beginning. ¡°How terrifying¡­ To think that a being like you intruded in my sanctuary¡­ What is your objective? Is it Medusa¡¯s temple like you mentioned earlier?¡± ¡°Who knows? For now, I just want to cut your head off.¡± It was best to get rid of any individuals that couldter harm Tinia and Silvia right now. More so if it was Kriemhild, the Witch of Envy. If she were left alone, many innocent people would get killed by her. As Woohyuk looked down upon Kriemhild, she raised her staff once again. ¡°So the negotiations have broken down. Fine, I¡¯ll just face you myself!¡± Kriemhild summoned another pair of monsters above her. The two reached down and swallowed the remains of the nephilim. Soon, the monsters started glowing in a violet shine and emanating a ferocious aura. ¡°Tinia, Silvia. Do you trust me?¡± Woohyuk asked the girls as he stared straight ahead. He was trying to reassure the two of them. ¡°Yeah, I do. But you need to tell me the detailster on.¡± ¡°I also trust you, brother-inw. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll help you out with the best of my abilities.¡± The sisters tightly grabbed their weapons and wore a confident expression. Woohyuk nodded and slowly started advancing. ¡®I¡¯ll go straight for the kill.¡¯ He had asked all sorts of questions until now because he wanted to learn about the Nibelungenlied¡¯s true ending, but now that was unnecessary. Rather, he had to suppress Kriemhild and free Sieg from his constraints to clear the quest. He couldn¡¯t waste time anymore, as Kriemhild could start a dangerous counter-offensive. ¡°Hehe¡­ You shouldn¡¯t advance too much. Who knows what could happen to those two girls if you step away too far from them?¡± Kriemhild immediately began swinging her staff with a grin on her face. Within the dark smoke of the forest, small but long monsters crawled out and ran towards the sisters. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Tinia swung Tabris around and cut apart the snake-like monsters. However, their numbers were overwhelming and she couldn¡¯t face them alone. When the situation wasn¡¯t optimal, Silvia cast her magic chains and tied the monsters together. ¡°Now!¡± ¡°Yeah, I got it!¡± As Tinia raised Tabris, the runes on the de shone brightly. Kuoooooo! A turquoise vortex began forming around her, and the ck monsters were ripped to shreds. The vortex¡¯s power was several times stronger than usual as the magic chains had linked the monsters between each other. ¡®Looks like I don¡¯t have to worry about them.¡¯ As he watched the sisters fight together, Woohyuk¡¯s worries were put at ease. At that pace, the two girls could fight back without his help for a while. However, to avoid the worst case scenario, he called the undeads to gather. [Protect them.] Undeads didn¡¯t have emotions, therefore they weren¡¯t affected by Kriemhild¡¯s power of envy. Currently, they were a lot more reliable than the mercenaries that had copsed on the ground. When she saw the undeads gather and help the two sisters fight against the monsters, Kriemhild¡¯s annoyance had reached its peak. ¡°You¡¯re as persistent as a cockroach. Sigh¡­ I have no choice.¡± Kriemhild pped her hands, and dark humanoid silhouettes began emerging from the monastery. They were the Eclipse n members. Amongst them was Steve Miller, the n leader. ¡°What are you nning this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sacrifices to grant my husband the power to defeat you.¡± The Eclipse n members were expressionless, just like mindless puppets. They had lost consciousness and were being controlled by Kriemhild. As they gathered around Sieg, Woohyuk brandished Verserios. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do as you please.¡± ¡°Try stopping me if you can. But I won¡¯t go down so easily!¡± Kriemhild shouted with pride. Immediately, the pair of violet monsters flew down towards him. Woohyuk jumped into the air and barely avoided the ws aimed at him. ¡®They¡¯re quite fast.¡¯ She may have revealed her history and her secrets to them, but in essence, Kriemhild was still the Witch of Envy. Moreover, they were in her sanctuary. The battle was disadvantageous to him from the very beginning. Woohyuk was struggling against Kriemhild, when suddenly¡­ Stab! Slice! The Eclipse n members grabbed their weapons and one by one, they beganmitting suicide. They were the offerings for the ritual to awaken the fallen hero. Before Woohyuk had realized, a magic sigil had appeared beneath the puppets¡¯ feet. Seeeep. The mountain of corpses had created a river of blood, and the magic sigil slowly began absorbing the dark red liquid. Soon, Steve Miller cut his own throat, and¡­ ¡°Ho ho ho ho ho! The preparations areplete! You shouldn¡¯t let your guard down, alright?¡± Even though she was slowly being overwhelmed by Woohyuk, Kriemhild wore arge grin. ¡®It¡¯se to this.¡¯ Woohyuk sighed as he watched the sigil activate. He had taken too long to stop Kriemhild as she was fighting on the defensive. But this oue was inevitable as Woohyuk¡¯s overall stats were still low. ¡°AAAARGH!¡± Sieg let out a painful cry as he clutched his head on the floor. It was far too excruciating to withstand a forced awakening. Once he saw the man wriggle in pain, Woohyuk stared at Kriemhild reproachfully. ¡°Would you even sacrifice the man you love to protect this ce?¡± ¡°Sacrifice? I¡¯m only helping Sieg regain his original strength and abilities. Now, take a look. Isn¡¯t my Sieg just dashing?¡± Sieg stood up, surrounded in a blood red aura, with crimson eyes stained with madness. The hero of the Nibelungenlied was no more. ¡®Did she awaken him as a berserker?¡± A demon blinded by rage and a desire to ughter that had lost all sense of reasoning. ¡®If he starts a rampage here, Tinia and Silvia will be in danger.¡¯ Once his thoughts reached that conclusion, Woohyuk ordered his undeads. [Block him and limit all of his movements.] His army of undeads had just finished their battle against the monsters. They didn¡¯t have to protect the unconscious mercenaries anymore. A few undeads were more than enough to protect the sisters. Seeing Woohyuk deal with this situation with a calm mind, Kriemhild tried to provoke him. ¡°Do you really think that those measly bunch of corpses can face my dear Sieg? Sieg is a Dragonyer. He ate the Evil Dragon Fafnir¡¯s heart and was drenched in its blood. Most attacks won¡¯t work on him, alright?¡± ¡°I already know that.¡± Woohyuk had already heard of Sieg¡¯s story. He had journeyed across every corner of the Eeth continent to restore the Edda Chronicles. During his adventures, he investigated and analyzed countless versions of the Nibelungenlied. He had only used the undeads to buy some time. Woohyuk nced back at Tinia and Silvia to make sure of their safety, and resumed his battle against Kriemhild. ng! Crimson sparks flew as Verserios shed with the violet monsters. ¡°Are you trying to end this fight as quickly as possible? I can sense your hasty thoughts. But that¡¯s not going to happen. I¡¯m nning on resisting like this until the end!¡± Kriemhild raised her staff and cried out. Immediately, a ck monster appeared behind her and opened a bloodshot red eye. Woohyuk fell back as soon as he saw it. ¡®It finally opened its eye.¡¯ [The Avatar of Envy]. It was a being born from human thoughts. A demon born from the collection of countless souls with envy in their hearts. This monster only reveals itsplete form when Kriemhild orders it . ¡®I can¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡¯ The Avatar of Envy could be called Kriemhild¡¯s alter ego. If he could injure it and defeat it, Kriemhild would temporarily be defenseless. Swoosh! The two violet monsters flew towards Woohyuk again, and he avoided them by twisting his body. He then proceeded to fly at full speed towards Kriemhild, when¡­ Whoooosh. The red eye shook and sent out an odd wave of mana. It was a curse that devastated the opponent¡¯s spirit and dropped him into an endless mental hell. It was a power Woohyuk wasn¡¯t confident he could block with his current spirit stat, but he didn¡¯t care. Not only was he a necromancer, he was also Asura. ¡®Dark magic won¡¯t be very effective on me.¡¯ It was a logic simr to that of a smander, a fire elemental, being unable to get damaged by fire magic. Kriemhild was obviously aware of this fact, and she was just trying to buy more time. Once Woohyuk reached his opponent, Kriemhild stepped aside in fear to avoid him. However, Woohyuk had already predicted her next move and swung Verserios in her direction. ¡°Urgh!!¡± A pitch ck wave of energy cut Kriemhild in her nk. Soon enough, dark blood began seeping out and dripping down from the wound. ¡®Sess.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a fatal wound, but he had managed to hinder the witch¡¯s movements a bit. However, there was no time to continue fighting using this method. He had to end the confrontation before Sieg couldy his hands on the two sisters. While Kriemhild was staggering, Woohyuk headed for the Avatar of Envy behind her. ¡®He has a lot more stamina than her.¡¯ Kriemhild was a fast opponent with a small build. She was a hard target to hit. On the other hand, the Avatar of Envy was a strong opponent, but couldn¡¯t move. When it showed itself, it would always protect Kriemhild from behind. ¡°It¡¯s my win, Kriemhild.¡± Woohyuk announced as he swung Verserios. With a loud explosion, the red eyeball was cut in half. sh! Chapter 85: Medusas Temple 1

Chapter 85: Medusa''s Temple 1

¡°Kyaaaak!¡± As soon as the Avatar of Envy lost its eye and vanished, Kriemhild let out a cry of agony. Woohyuk took advantage of that opening and stabbed her in the stomach. Sshhluck! Dark blood ran down Verserios¡¯ de and dripped onto the ground. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Kriemhild¡¯s eyes opened wide. The pain of her body being split was reflected in them. Verserios was ravenously eating the demonic energy within Kriemhild. ¡°Turn Sieg back to his original state already.¡± ¡°Why¡­ Why should I do that?¡± ¡°Will you leave him to die like this?¡± Woohyuk spoke in a reproachful tone. He couldn¡¯t forget Brynhild, but Sieg was still her husband. There was no way he wasn¡¯t precious to her. ¡°Yes. If his mind returns, he¡¯ll start searching for Brynhild again, so I¡¯ll leave him like that. Now that it¡¯se to this¡­ we¡¯ll just die together¡­ Yes, together until the end¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± Kriemhild smiled as if she had given up on everything. It seemed that reason wouldn¡¯t return to her mind no matter what he did. ¡®I¡¯ll have to leave Tinia and Silvia in charge of the rest.¡¯ Woohyuk sighed and sliced off her head. Shluck! Dark blood spurted out in the air like a fountain. A death worthy of her title as the Witch of Envy. She couldn¡¯t forget her envy towards Brynhild even until herst breath. Thump. Kriemhild turned into a handful of ashes and vanished. The berserker that was resisting the blockade of undeads soon lost his strength and fell to the ground, as if he had been drained of the energy keeping him alive. ¡°Ra-rael!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Tinia dashed towards Sieg while Silvia followed her, trying to keep up. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Sieg regained consciousness and opened his eyes. But as he waspletely tattered and exhausted, he couldn¡¯t move his body on his own. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t havee looking for you. Things wouldn¡¯t have gotten thisplicated if I hadn¡¯t¡­¡± Tinia spoke as tears rolled down her face. Silvia was no different from her sister. They couldn¡¯t hold back their cries in front of Sieg¡¯s death, a man they considered their father. ¡°No, it¡¯s all my fault. I should¡¯ve told you the truth before leaving you two behind¡­¡± He was terrified. He didn¡¯t want the resentment of his descendants. He was afraid he¡¯d be abandoned by them. That may have been the reason why he left them and ran away, using the excuse that the group of fanatics called Pronoia would target the two siblings. As Sieg was shedding tears of repentance, Tinia and Silvia tightly grabbed his hands. ¡°No, you haven¡¯t done anything wrong, Rael. I actually wanted to thank you. When people were pointing fingers at us for being orphans, you stayed by our sides.¡± ¡°Tinia¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s right. Other people may think of you as the hero Sieg, but to us, you are Rael, the roaming mercenary. So we won¡¯t me you for not telling us some stories of the past.¡± ¡°Silvia¡­¡± Sieg silently stared at the sisters. These siblings were like angels that had descended from heaven. He was content. The fact that two such angelic girls were remaining in this world left him satisfied. ¡®I can finally see you again, Brynhild.¡¯ Even the witch Kriemhild had said that she was unaware if the afterlife existed. Despite that, he felt that he could meet his love again if he just silently closed his eyes right now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interfering in such an emotional moment.¡± Woohyuk walked towards them as Sieg began to wait for death with a peaceful expression. A pink potion had appeared in his hand. [Quest: The Mercenary who Disappeared with the Wind Completed.] [Reward: You have gained a Love Potion.] It was the reward he had gained frompleting this quest. With a single sip of it, one would fall in love with the very first person they would see immediately afterwards. As he swiped away the system message that popped up before his eyes, Woohyuk continued speaking. ¡°If you could get another chance at life, would you take it?¡± ¡°...Are you talking about a contract?¡± ¡°Indeed. If you be my subject, you can live a happy life with these two girls.¡± If he wanted, he could even strip some nobles of the Rhine Kingdom of their ranks. Tinia and Silvia wouldn¡¯t have to continue their strenuous lives as mercenaries anymore, and the Blue Hawk Mercenaries would be integrated into the kingdom¡¯s army and get a good sry. Sieg nodded at Woohyuk¡¯s intriguing proposal. ¡°Alright. If I can receive a title to pass onto my descendants¡­ If I can protect Tinia and Silvia and stay by their sides¡­ I will do anything for that. It doesn¡¯t matter if I leave a mark in history as a fallen hero anymore.¡± He didn¡¯t care about his reputation anymore, nor did he care about the fanatics and Pronoia. They woulde chasing after him once they learned of his identity as the hero Sieg, but he would not run away anymore. And if they dared toy their hands on Tinia or Silvia, he would use any means necessary to stop them. Woohyuk nodded at Sieg¡¯s resolute will. ¡°Then, let us begin the vow of allegiance.¡± Woohyukid Verserios¡¯ de on Sieg¡¯s shoulder and poured his demonic energy into him. Afterwards, the brief procedure followed. ¡°Rael, are you okay now?¡± ¡°Does it hurt anywhere?¡± Having found a new energy source for his life, Sieg stood up. Then, he smiled softly at Tinia and Silvia. ¡°Yeah. Thanks to him, I¡¯m feeling fine.¡± He had recovered to a point where you couldn¡¯t believe he was on death¡¯s door a few moments ago. While Sieg continued talking with the sisters, Woohyuk began reading his status window. [The Fallen Hero Sieg] - ss: Dragonyer (humanoid) - Abilities: Leadership (10,000), Dragon Armor (Cannot be injured by B-grade or lower weapons and beginner & intermediate magic spells), Indomitable Spirit (Enters an invulnerable state for 10 minutes after activation), Infinite Attacks (Creates an aura de and uses an area-of-effect skill, recovers health each time an opponent is cut down), Hero¡¯s Pride (Resistance to all status effects increased by 35%) - Stats: Strength 327 Vitality 342 Dexterity 314 Intelligence 245 Spirit 287 ¡®Incredible.¡¯ Taking only the stats into ount, he was a lot stronger than Woohyuk. His abilities were also impressive. His leadership could handle ten thousand people, and the dragon armor could show its true potential when facing many opponents alone. Indomitable spirit and infinite attacks could also turn the tables during an unfavorable battle. He truly was a legendary hero. ¡°Phew¡­¡± After closing the status window, Woohyuk let out a sigh of relief. The fatigue that had been piling up within him suddenly crashed down. Woohyuk¡¯s body began to sway and Tinia came over to support him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just a bit tired.¡± Using the Demon God¡¯s powers put a great burden on his body. He had experienced a simr sensation after his battle with Vk, so he wasn¡¯t very surprised it had happened again. ¡°You should head back and rest, brother-inw. The sun is setting as well.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s something I need to do before that.¡± Exploring Medusa¡¯s Temple. He couldn¡¯t leave this forest before obtaining Medusa¡¯s Bronze Mirror. ¡®I should also search for Brynhild¡¯s grave.¡¯ She was buried along with the legendary ring, the Andvaranaut. It could be a vital location for the quest to restore the Edda Chronicles. Woohyuk took his time to catch his breath and stepped towards the monastery. *** The abandoned monastery exuded a chilly but gloomy air. Long ago, an ominous sign had appeared, and the priests and all the believers had left the forest. Sieg then began to use the empty monastery as a hideout for 10 years. ¡®There¡¯s nothing inside.¡¯ Woohyuk made a bitter expression as he walked down the galleries. He had decided to check the area just in case there was a hidden scroll or something of a simr value. But it was to no avail. ¡°By the way Woohyuk, could you sell me the love potion you received earlier? I really need it for something¡­¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± It was obvious why Tinia wanted to have the love potion. She would definitely use it on some young men for her self-interest. Once Woohyuk promptly refused her, Tinia wore a disappointed expression. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were the king of the Rhine Kingdom? There must be a lot of women you can seduce, so why would you need it?¡± ¡°To have it just in case.¡± Life was filled with unexpected circumstances that could appear at any moment. Loyal subjects could assassinate their monarch, while wives could put poison in the food their husbands ate. The love potion was an item that could control these kinds of irreversible events to a certain extent. It didn¡¯t always have to be used on someone¡¯s crush. Tinia was reluctantly convinced by Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll believe you this time. You don¡¯t seem like a man who would thoughtlesslyy his hands on a woman.¡± He didn¡¯t fall for her seduction even when she entered his room in the nude in the middle of the night. Either he was an honorable man¡­ or a eunuch. Tinia was praying that it wasn¡¯t thetter, when someone spoke. ¡°Are you nning to take the Andvaranaut from Medusa¡¯s Temple?¡± Sieg was silently following Woohyuk before he spoke up. He was worried Woohyuk would also receive Andvaranaut¡¯s curse. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°You must be careful. Even if you have a hidden ss bearing dark properties, you still cannot escape its curse.¡± The Andvaranaut had even led the dragon Fafnir and the valkyrie Brynhild to their ruins, so how could a human resist its effects? Woohyuk nodded at Sieg¡¯s earnest request. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± ¡°I apologize if it was presumptuous of me. I am now but a subject¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m always open for advice.¡± A wise monarch must always listen to the advice of his subjects. No matter how much of an amazing ruler he may be, a human always has his limits. Woohyuk needed the help of many people to be able to reach and sit on the Demon God¡¯s throne, and Sieg was one of them. ¡°But could you tell me what your rtionship with Tinia is? I heard Silvia call you brother-inw¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an act. But that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯replete strangers either.¡± It wasn¡¯t as if Woohyuk held no affection towards Tinia. A beautiful but tough woman with a cheerful personality. She was devoted towards her family and was surprisingly good at housework. Her only drawback was that, due to her life as a mercenary, she was quite aggressive, bold and somewhat rough when trying to seduce a man. ¡°I pray that things will go well between the two of you. Despite her appearance, she is quite vulnerable against loneliness.¡± ¡°Ra-rael. Stop with that nonsense.¡± Tinia stabbed Sieg in the nk with her elbow, a bright blush on her face. It was an unexpected reaction from her. Watching her sister¡¯s reaction, Silvia giggled. ¡°Hey, can I talk about it? About the two of you during the first night back at home¡­¡± ¡°Just what do you think you¡¯re babbling¡­!?¡± Tinia began panicking and blocked her sister¡¯s mouth. Watching the siblings making a fuss, Sieg whispered in Woohyuk¡¯s ear. ¡°Wait, did you sleep with Tinia?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± Due to someplicated matters, they had kissed but hadn¡¯t proceeded further than that, because he wasn¡¯t in a situation where he could take responsibility for her. Of course, that was also the case with the other women in his life. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. It was a great opportunity for Tinia to rise in the social ranks¡­¡± ¡°...Just what are you thinking in that head of yours?¡± At Woohyuk¡¯s astonishment, Sieg looked at him with soft eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just hope Tinia and Silvia live a happy life in the Rhine Kingdom.¡± ¡°I see that you worry about them every second. Now that I think about it, don¡¯t you have other descendants?¡± He was certain he had heard Sieg say there was a daughter born from his marriage with Kriemhild. Sieg shuddered at Woohyuk¡¯s sharp and precise question. ¡°Yes. A daughter called Svanhild. However, she was sealed with Kriemhild during the War of Gods and Demons.¡± Sieg would have to look after Svanhild when she would open her eyes in the future. Woohyuk clicked his tongue after listening to Sieg¡¯s concerns. ¡®You¡¯re a man with a difficult fate full of hardships.¡¯ He was shouldering an extremely heavy burden on his own. After trying tofort Sieg, Woohyuk came to a stop. They had found the stair that led beneath the monastery. A dark and humid air flowed out. ¡°Let¡¯s head downstairs.¡± Woohyuk made some torches and handed them out. Then, he stood on the front. After a while, footsteps resounded andrge shadows fell upon the walls of the spiral staircase. Chapter 86: Medusas Temple 2

Chapter 86: Medusa''s Temple 2

Finding the entrance to Medusa¡¯s Temple was an easy task. Once they began heading beneath the abandoned monastery, a blue arrow appeared above Medusa¡¯s Key and guided them. ¡®I hope the exploration will end before sunrise.¡¯ Woohyuk was only apanied by Tinia, Silvia and Sieg. They were the only ones part of the exploration team. The rest of the mercenaries were resting in the monastery. It was unnecessary to bring them along, as they would only hold them back. ¡®They would also ask for their share of the loot.¡¯ It was a situation that urred with every exploration. Everyone would im that they had the greatest contribution, and nobody coulde to apromise. Woohyuk slew the huge venomous serpents that approached them as he recalled the events in his previous life. Swish! A dark blue liquid was sttered onto the pirs. Their marching speed was considerably fast. Their synergy was affecting their exploration speed as skilled individuals had gathered together. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier than I expected.¡± ¡°I thought so too. I was worried that it would be hard since it was called a hidden ruin.¡± With a lot of leeway, they began having some small talk. It was too boring to kill monsters without saying anything. ¡°Be careful of the dark corners. Some may jump out of nowhere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Venomous snakes can¡¯t approach me.¡± Silvia, who was chatting with her sister, took out the Basilisk¡¯s Essence from her pocket. It was an item that could prevent venomous snakes from approaching just by holding onto it. It was one of the items Woohyuk had lent her before entering the ruins. ¡°No wonder they were alling towards me.¡± ¡°As an enchanter, I have trouble with surprise attacks. But I¡¯ll tie the snakes with my skills for you.¡± Silvia cast her magic chains and tied the huge snakes around Tinia into one. Then, Tinia swung Tabris and created her turquoise vortex, shredding all the snakes. ¡®She¡¯s a lot more sociable than in my previous life.¡¯ Woohyuk thought to himself as he nced at Silvia. Her attitude was the same as before, but her expression was a lot brighter and she spoke a lot more. It must¡¯ve been because Tinia had survived during this expedition to the forest. ¡®She¡¯ll do fine in the Rhine Kingdom.¡¯ Tinia and Silvia inherited titles and became nobles of the kingdom. They didn¡¯t have to worry about food or shelter anymore like they did during their lives as mercenaries. The two sisters had a lot of potential and room for growth, so Woohyuk was nning on giving them preferential treatment. ¡®Well, there¡¯s still a long way to go until we return there.¡¯ He hade to the Izuna Kingdom for more than just Medusa¡¯s Bronze Mirror. One of his objectives was finding records of the Ark of Knowledge. The Ark of Knowledge is a mythical library where ancient and secret books are hidden away. During thest 40 years, nobody managed to find this library. In the first ce, its very existence is an uncertainty. Woohyuk had coincidentally heard of it when he was conversing with archeologists from different ns. ¡®I remember them saying that they had found out about it in the royal library of the Izuna Kingdom.¡¯ In a secret area of the royal library, a nameless tome was hidden away. A certain archeologist was cleaning the library when he stumbled upon this tome, recording information about the Ark of Knowledge. ¡®This time, I¡¯ll find it before him.¡¯ The archeologist spent dozens of years trying to decode this ancient tome, to no avail. In the end, the tome turned into a handful of ashes and vanished, locking the truth away for eternity. As soon as he obtained Medusa¡¯s Bronze Mirror, Woohyuk was nning on heading to the Izuna Kingdom¡¯s capital city, Neferti. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve got a lot on your mind.¡± Sieg spoke as he watched Woohyuk¡¯s anxious look. He was already quite fond of Woohyuk, as he had saved Tinia and Silvia from the crazed Kriemhild who had lost her mind. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a lot of concerning affairs I need to deal with.¡± ¡°Is it because of Medusa? I¡¯ll try to convince her myself.¡± Medusa was one of the monsters the witch Kriemhild had befriended. It originally used to live in the forest, but voluntarily decided to move to the ruins when Kriemhild appeared. Therefore, as Kriemhild¡¯s husband, Medusa could potentially listen to Sieg¡¯s request. ¡°What if negotiations fail?¡± ¡°I will personally subdue Medusa. Her curse magic is ineffective against me.¡± Sieg¡¯s passive skill called Dragon Skin could nullify all attacks from B-grade or lower weapons and Beginner and Intermediate magic spells. It would allow him not to turn into a stone statue when trying to kill Medusa. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll leave it to you this time.¡± ¡°I will not disappoint you.¡± ¡°But where is Brynhild¡¯s grave? It¡¯s hard to locate it because of these ruins¡¯yout.¡± Medusa¡¯s Temple was like aplex maze. There were countless diverging paths that were intertwined together. One wrong step would activate traps and show apletely new pathway. It was impossible to find a hidden chamber in these ruins within a single night. As Woohyuk cut down a snake lunging at him, Sieg answered. ¡°Medusa is guarding the entrance to Brynhild¡¯s grave.¡± ¡°Does that mean that there are two secret chambers?¡± ¡°Yes. But we cannot enter the room where Brynhild¡¯s grave is located using ordinary methods.¡± A top-grade barrier spell was surrounding it, so without an exceptional magician¡¯s help, they couldn¡¯t remove it. Woohyuk found the situation a bit problematic. ¡°An exceptional magician¡­ Is there no other way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It might be possible if we use Tabris¡¯ abilities.¡± Brynhild had personally engraved the runes on Tabris¡¯ de. Therefore, the valkyrie¡¯s power was inside the sword. The chances of sess depended on how skillfully Tinia could wield Tabris. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Yes, I can feel a dark energy emanating.¡± Woohyuk and his team had somehow reached the middle of thebyrinth. There were three bronze doors in the distance. Woohyuk pondered for a while as he observed them. ¡®It¡¯s a shame we won¡¯t be able to clear the other 2 gates.¡¯ Simrly to the Arachne¡¯s Temple, there were three gates with a low, high and medium difficulty. If Woohyuk¡¯s team chose the ¡®high difficulty¡¯ door, they would be unable to ess the remaining doors. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be too greedy.¡¯ If someone chose a gate, he would not be able to challenge the other ones. Even if the doors remained open, he would get pushed out should he try to attempt it. Therefore, he generally challenged ruins with a great number of people, but he didn¡¯t have as much leeway this time. To obtain all the rewards from Medusa¡¯s room, he needed the cooperation of all his team members. ¡°We¡¯re going for the door in the middle.¡± ¡°The hard one? Alright. The reward must be of high quality.¡± Tinia whistled as she opened the bronze door in the center. Once the team entered the room, a crouching dark silhouette shook and rose in a corner. ¡°Who dares to disturb my sleep?¡± It was Medusa, waking up from her slumber. ¡°I¡¯vee to talk, Medusa.¡± Sieg stepped forward and spoke up. Seeing his appearance, Medusa wore a puzzled look as her blue eyes blinked several times. ¡°Sieg? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Ie with terrible news.¡± Sieg narrated the events that had happened to Medusa in detail. Once his story had finished, Medusa scoffed. ¡°Nice job bringing Kriemhild¡¯s murderers here. Just who¡¯s side are you on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on no one¡¯s side.¡± Sieg simply wanted to be together with his descendants. The conflict between gods, demons and humans mattered not to him. He was a forgotten hero and had no worldly desires. ¡°Is that it? I see no reason for me to help you out.¡± ¡°Must we shed blood meaninglessly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not meaningless. All men are my enemies.¡± The reason she had yet to attack Sieg was because he was Kriemhild¡¯s husband. However, now that Kriemhild was dead, she did not n on treating him like an insider anymore. Moreover, she did not enjoy the fact that he had joined the group of people who had killed Kriemhild. ¡°Is it because you got abandoned by Jerome that you despise all men?¡± ¡°Yes, I realized that men are all the same. You seduce women by whispering sweet words in their ears, use them to your satisfaction and throw them away once they are of no use to you anymore.¡± Medusa was once a beautiful shamaness. Her fate was to pray to the Sea God until her death and to receive oracles from him. However, on a certain day, a handsome adventurer called Jerome came to the temple, and Medusa went through a trial of life. The trial of deciding how far she¡¯d go for love, as she had fallen for the adventurer. Later, Medusa stole a scroll that was hidden within the temple and gave it to Jerome. That led to the wrath of the Sea God. A bloated face as if she had drowned. An extended, forked tongue. A slithering and squirming lower body like that of a snake. Her beautiful appearance had turned hideous. Jerome soon abandoned her and she was chased out of the temple. She then began living in the forest where few humans were present. This sequence of events had given birth to her hatred against men. ¡°Not all men are like Jerome. Don¡¯t get led astray by a misconceptual generalization.¡± ¡°Silence! I don¡¯t want to hear those words from someone like you. If you want the treasures, juste at me. Don¡¯t try to sway me with those absurd statements!¡± Medusa raised her staff and gargantuan venomous snakes were summoned around her and began slithering towards the humans. ¡°I leave Tinia and Silvia in your care. I¡¯ll defeat Medusa with my own hands.¡± Sieg said so as he brandished his longsword. Immediately, a fiery aura began swirling around the de. Woohyuk was greatly interested with this scene. ¡®Is he about to use Infinite Attacks?¡± A skill that allowed him to do a wide-range attack by shooting out his aura. Facing his overwhelming strength, the serpents fell powerlessly. ¡°Tinia, Silvia, prepare for battle.¡± Soon, Sieg shed weapons with Medusa and Woohyuk began to worry about the safety of the two sisters. He currently was at his limit. Although he couldn¡¯t wield Verserios again in the same manner as he did during his fight against the Witch of Envy, he could still deal with a few big snakes. Slit! Slit! Grandia glimmered as it cut down the approaching monsters one by one. Tinia and Silvia had obviously also begun to participate in the battle. They all yed an important role and showed off each of their skills. Soon enough, when the battle was nearing its end, ¡°I¡¯ve seeded!¡± Sieg shouted as he held Medusa¡¯s decapitated head in his hand. Woohyuk nodded towards him and began to summon Medusa as an undead. [Undead Medusa] - ss: Undead Magician (Humanoid) - Abilities: Leadership (500), Bronze Scales (Decreases all damage by 30%), Medusa¡¯s Curse (Casts petrification magic on those who gaze upon her evil eye), Queen of the Venomous Serpents (Can summon up to 100rge venomous serpents every hour), Poison Mist (Casts poison magic within an area of 15m of radius), Enchant Poison (Can endow poison attributes to equipment) - Stats: Strength 147 Vitality 172 Dexterity 194 Intelligence 285 Spirit 278 ¡®She seems more or less usable.¡¯ Unlike the Arachne, he didn¡¯t capture her but made her into an undead. It was bothersome to have subjects that would often disobey orders. Thankfully, her overall stats and abilities were quite good. Especially Medusa¡¯s Curse, Queen of the Venomous Serpents, Poison Mist. They would be useful on the battlefield during wars. After going through Medusa¡¯s status window, Woohyuk headed to the first hidden chamber. Upon a shabby altary two items. [Medusa¡¯s Bronze MIrror] Type: Consumable Effects: Crafting material. Can reflect curse spells of opponents with a lower spirit stat than the user. [Perfect Antidote] Type: Consumable Effects: Single use item. Can cure someone from any kind of poison(Only on living beings). ¡®Satisfactory.¡¯ The value of the antidote was immense as there were no restrictions on the types of poison. There were many poisons in the world for which antidotes hadn¡¯t been found yet. After pocketing the items, Woohyuk headed towards the entrance to the second hidden chamber. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Tinia nodded and activated the runes engraved on Tabris. She then proceeded to swing Tabris onto the orange barrier that sealed the room. Skreeeek! Sparks flew and cracks began to form on the barrier. Tinia continued to press forward, when suddenly¡­ Shatter! The barrier broke with the sound of a window shattering. ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks¡­¡± Woohyuk stroked her head and Tinia lowered her beet-red face, seemingly embarrassed by this unexpected praise. ¡°Will you enter first?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He wanted to personally verify what was inside the valkyrie Brynhild¡¯s grave. With a worried look, Sieg stepped back as Woohyuk marched forward. 1. Was called Dragon Armor in the previous chapter. Chapter 87: Monster Tamer Choi Kayoon 1

Chapter 87: Monster Tamer Choi Kayoon 1

It was dark inside valkyrie Brynhild¡¯s grave However, the creepy and humid air from before had vanished, and was reced by a mysterious sensation. The cause was most probably Brynhild¡¯s legacy. Woohyuk stepped forward towards the sarcophagus and observed Brynhild. She was lying down as if in a deep sleep, but she was truly just a corpse. ¡®She looks like she could wake up at any moment.¡¯ Oddly enough, her body was bursting with vitality despite the fact that she had been dead for hundreds of years. Tinia and Silvia¡¯s eyes were wide open. ¡°Thi-this person is your wife, Rael?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that my sister and I are the descendants of such an honorable person.¡± Brynhild incarnated perfection itself. Shiny tinum blond hair. Neatly arranged eyes. A sharp nose as if it had been sculpted. Cherry-red lips. Standing in the same room with her was like a surreal phenomenon. ¡°Brynhild was a woman with great pride. She once told me she wouldn¡¯t marry a man weaker than herself.¡± Sieg spoke as he recalled the past, and began stroking Brynhild¡¯s hair, eyes filled withment and grief. ¡°Looking at her state, it might be possible to revive her as long as we can program and arrange her consciousness properly.¡± ¡°...Is it truly possible? If you are not lying, I would do anything to wake her up.¡± ¡°For now, it¡¯s impossible. Not everyone can save someone¡¯s mind so easily.¡± Woohyuk had yet to reach the heights of Nakron in necromancy. However, after he learned all of Nakron¡¯s Grimoire and raised his proficiency, it would definitely be possible. At Woohyuk¡¯s hopeful vision, Sieg¡¯s expression greatly brightened. ¡°Then we should move the sarcophagus to the Rhine Kingdom. These ruins will soon copse.¡± ¡°Yes, we should. I¡¯ll leave Brynhild¡¯s protection in your care.¡± Woohyuk still had some matters to deal with in the Izuna Kingdom. Tinia and Silvia also had to move to the Rhine Kingdom, so they didn¡¯t have the leeway to watch and protect the sarcophagus all day long. Sieg excitedly nodded at Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°I will protect Brynhild no matter what happens.¡± ¡°Then I will be taking this ring.¡± Woohyuk bent down and removed the Andvaranaut on Brynhild¡¯s left ring finger. The ring with the Curse of Andvari of the Nibelungen Tribe. He was reluctant to hold it in his hands, but he still had to check its status window. [Andvaranaut] Type: essory Rank: S Durability: 50000 Effects: When equipped, the user can learn the location where the gold is buried. But beware, as the user will receive the Curse of the Nibelungen Tribe. ¡®An S-grade ring.¡¯ S-grade essories were umon on the Eeth Continent. It was safe to say that they contained the power of the gods. However, he wasn¡¯t going to equip it for that reason. But it was still a good item to keep. ¡°That¡¯s an excellent sword.¡± Woohyuk pointed at the longsword stuck in the altar. ¡°It¡¯s the holy sword Gram. It¡¯s the weapon I used a long time ago.¡± When Brynhild died, Sieg buried his main weapon, the cherished Gram, along with his lover. Ever since, he used his secondary weapon, Tabris. However, as he had passed Tabris onto Tinia, he now needed Gram again. ¡°You will need a high-grade sword if you wish to kill demons from now on.¡± Woohyuk walked towards the altar and grabbed the sword handle with his two hands. With a single pull, the de slid out. At the same time, a system message popped up before his eyes. [Holy Sword Gram] Type: Weapon Rank: A Durability: 35000 Effects: Strength+35. 25% additional damage against evil beings. The de¡¯s sharpness is proportionate to the wielder¡¯s spirit. At the cost of the wielder¡¯s vitality, can use a wide-range attack skill called Divine de. ¡®Divine de.¡¯ Just by reading its name, it sounded like a light-attribute attack. Either way, overall it was a very useful weapon. When Woohyuk handed the Holy Sword Gram to Sieg, the ceiling started to rumble and pieces of rock began to fall. The ruins were copsing as the boss monster had been defeated. ¡°Let¡¯s head back home now.¡± They had finished all their business in the Witch¡¯s Forest. His next destination was the royal library in the Izuna Kingdom¡¯s capital city, Neferti. Woohyuk and his teammates began to move the sarcophagus as he pictured the nameless ancient tome in his mind. *** Woohyuk took a short break once he returned to Dornen, the acropolis of the Arent region. His mind and body had both reached their limits after the difficult battle against the witch Kriemhild. As he stayed at Tinia¡¯s ce, he listened to the reports of his allies in different zones. [Hong Yuri, how is the n going?] [Good. A demon did appear in our area and was a disturbance to us, but we¡¯vee to apromise.] Hong Yuri was in the Lydia Kingdom. She had gained a title and had be a countess. She was located right above the Dane Kingdom, so it was hard for them to meet up physically for a while. [Leifina, how is the kingdom''s internal situation?] [Joanna is properly overseeing the governmental affairs. Nobody is opposing nor antagonizing her. The nobles from the rebellion are misbehaving from time to time, but that¡¯s the extent of it.] Nothing much was happening in the Rhine Kingdom either. Even if something bad urred, Joanna would properly deal with it on her own as the regent. After listening to all the reports, Woohyuk prepared to depart for the capital Neferti. ¡°Take your time. We¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± ¡°Brother-inw, take care of yourself.¡± Tinia and Silvia waved their hands as they watched him leave. Both had disappointed expressions on their faces. As he hopped onto the carriage, Woohyuk turned towards Tinia¡¯s house. Sieg was bowing down and showing his respect to Woohyuk as his subject. ¡®I¡¯m leaving on another journey alone.¡¯ Although he was rushing around the continent ording to his ns, he had yet to reach the halfway point to achieve his goal. But that also meant that the future¡¯s potential was still infinite. ¡®Will I manage to find the Ark of Knowledge this time?¡¯ The value of the ancient books and documents it contained couldn¡¯t be predicted. He could also find a document rted to the Divine Thrones. As Woohyuk dived deep into the world of his imagination, the carriage driver swung his whip. ¡°Giddy-up!¡± The carriage began to navigate through the streets of Dornen. As he observed the city¡¯s scenery, Woohyuk spected again. ¡®If I obtain the nameless tome, I should also try to get the Three Ancient Chronicles.¡¯ The Edda Chronicles that narrate myths and heroic legends. The Sangreal Chronicles that record the divine lineages and their protectors. The Nag Hammadi Chronicles that contain the secret knowledge of gods. Their contents were different from each other, but their simrities were that some of their texts were lost and that they were rted to certain Epic Quests. Woohyuk had obtained the Return Scroll by restoring the Nag Hammadi Chronicles andpleting an epic quest. Now that he had found out the truth about the Nibelungenlied¡¯s true conclusion, he could attempt to restore the Edda Chronicles. ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to obtain the Return Scroll again.¡¯ The Three Goddesses of Urdabrunn should be aware of his regression, as they are also free from the limitations of spacetime. They were goddesses that always followed thews of the Creator. The gods that hadn¡¯t been imprisoned were all advocates of the current system. They would never allow a single human to be able to regress infinitely. This time, he would receive a reward other than the Return Scroll. ¡®That¡¯s why I need to be careful this time.¡¯ There would be no third chance. He couldn¡¯t act like in an RPG game, where he could return to the previous save point if things went wrong. He had to boldly abandon that which he had to abandon, and act thoroughly ording to his priorities, just like his decision back in Medusa¡¯s Temple. He had given up on the two other gates and chose the high-difficulty gate only. ¡®I¡¯m curious about the epic quest rted to the Edda Chronicles.¡¯ The Nibelungenlied was only part of the chronicles. There were many stories of myths and legends about heroes, and they were all potentially part of the chronicles. Woohyuk¡¯s n¡¯s name, Ragnarok, was also potentially within the Edda Chronicles. Although most of the gods were still imprisoned, Ragnarok could still be realized. ck. ck. Woohyuk¡¯s thought process was disturbed by the sound of the wheels. He took out a map of the Izuna Kingdom and checked the journey he was nning on doing. ¡®It¡¯ll take about a week for me to reach Neferti.¡¯ Dornen was further southpared to Port Dephoa. It would take a while for him to reach the capital. Since he had nothing else to do, he decided to strategize his ns. ¡®I need an entry pass to have ess to the royal library.¡¯ Many nobles were illiterate, so there was no way they would let a meremoner inside. However, to have ess to the royal library, he needed to have a noble title, or to receive the help of a noble. For the former, he had to be recognized for his military services, invest a lot of money, etc. It would take far too long and too much resources to aplish. ¡®I hope Tinia rmended me someone appropriate.¡¯ Count Oswald. He was a central figure in the political world. Woohyuk wished that Count Oswald wouldn¡¯t give him annoying tasks to aplish to receive his help. He didn¡¯t want to get involved in the political warfare of a foreign country. Woohyuk only wanted to have ess to the royal library. ¡®Well, just by having ess to it won¡¯t achieve my goal.¡¯ He had to find the secretpartment the archeologist coincidentally came across. Unfortunately, the royal library had an invisibility detection magic sigil so he couldn¡¯t tail someone else to enter it. As long as he hid his presence, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible, but he had to be extremely careful. Woohyuk was seriously contemting his choices, when¡­ Neeeigh! The carriage stopped and the horse¡¯s cry resounded. Immediately, the cries of monsters rang out as they ran towards the carriage. ¡°Giyaaaak!¡± ¡°Krwa rwa rwa rwa!¡± Woohyuk could sense the driver panicking and sighed. ¡®Why won¡¯t nobody let me rest?¡¯ The Golden Rose Society may have been using their monster breeding substance in the Izuna Kingdom as well. By creating chaos in the Eeth Continent, they would profit greatly by selling war supplies. The Golden Rose Society wasposed of masters of all fields of work, and theirwork was vast and diverse. They could achieve anything they set their minds on. As he thought of theplex enemy he was facing, he kicked the carriage door open and ran to the monsters. sh! sh! A sequence of heavy cutting sounds. Death reached out to all the monsters, without discriminating between species. ¡®Since it¡¯se to this, let¡¯s create more undeads.¡¯ His army of undeads had been greatly damaged in the witch¡¯s forest. Sieg who had awakened as a berserker hadid waste to his soldiers of absolute fealty. He now needed to restock his troops. Woohyuk gradually elerated his kill rate. But then, Swoosh. He heard a suspicious sound behind the bushes. By extending his senses, he realized that the footsteps and the silhouette belonged to a human. ¡®Is it the culprit behind this incident?¡¯ If it was someone in a simr situation as Bruno from the Cohen Merchant Group, then Woohyuk would consider himself lucky today. He summoned his undeads and ordered them to protect the carriage. Meanwhile, he ran to catch the individual hiding behind the bushes. ¡°Kyaaaak!¡± A ck haired woman screamed and fell to the ground. After observing her appearance, Woohyuk was puzzled. ¡°Choi Kayoon?¡± The woman who went by the name Monster Lord in his previous life. She did not choose a n and stayed independent until the very end. Unfortunately, that led to her getting caught up in the n Wars where she lost her life. In his memories, she wasn¡¯t someone with evil tendencies. She was just too busy trying to survive that she couldn¡¯t help other people. ¡°You, you know me?!¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°N-nothing¡­¡± ¡°You better answer honestly. I¡¯m not exactly a patient person.¡± Woohyuk deliberately threatened Choi Kayoon. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose time dealing with her. Choi Kayoon could see his heartlessness in his gaze and shuddered. ¡°I, I was observing the monsters.¡± ¡°Observing?¡± ¡°Their movements and habits have changed as oftely¡­¡± ording to ChoI Kayoon, the monsters of the Izuna Kingdom had started migrating.¡± Their destination was unknown, but they were marching towards the capital city Neferti. As a monster tamer, she was curious about the objective of these monsters. ¡®Are they gathering an army?¡¯ asionally, elite monsters would ally with each other and their tribes to fight against a greater enemy. ¡°You¡¯re travelling with me from now on.¡± ¡°...¡± Choi Kayoon¡¯s eyes were trembling and a look of despair grew on her face. Chapter 88: Monster Tamer Choi Kayoon 2

Chapter 88: Monster Tamer Choi Kayoon 2

It would be a considerable advantage for him to control a monster army. Unlike humans, the expenses needed to sustain a monster army weren¡¯t high and they didn¡¯t feel fear. However, it was far too difficult to tame monsters. They acted ording to their instincts and were far too ferocious. Even us, the genius strategist of the Holy Aperian Empire, gave up trying to tame and train monsters into an army. There were only certain adventurers with the monster tamer ss who managed to operate small units of monster. However one day, Choi Kayoon went through her second ss change and received the Monster Lord ss. It was the beginning of an event no one had ever seen. She gathered monsters from all 4 corners of the world and trained them into an army. All the nation rulers were astonished and tried to bring the woman to their sides and made ridiculous offers. ¡®But Choi Kayoon refused them all.¡¯ She probably had trouble trusting people. Watching the nervous Choi Kayoon next to him, Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°Why don¡¯t you calm down a bit?¡± ¡°There''s no way I can do that when my arms and legs are tied.¡± Choi Kayoon¡¯s limbs were bound and she was sitting on the carriage. She had mobilized her monsters and had tried to escape, but to no avail. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t misbehave first, I don¡¯t n on hurting you.¡± ¡°...Are you going to sell me as a ve? Then I¡¯d rather you kill me now.¡± Choi Kayoon was aware of the treatment female ves of the Eeth continent received. She had conversed with many ves at Port Delpha. As she stared at him with an earnest look, Woohyuk took out his Memory Pendant and poured mana in it. ¡®Looks like she has some kind of deep trauma.¡¯ As a slender woman, she must¡¯ve experienced quite a lot of terrible things. However, she would probably never tell him what had happened to her. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. I also won¡¯t sell you as a ve.¡± He first tried to reassure Choi Kayoon. He then put his hand on her shoulder and a vivid scene appeared in his mind. ¡®Is this the Primordial Forest?¡¯ He found the answer to his own question by observing the surrounding scenery and Choi Kayoon¡¯s equipment. She was being chased by someone. He wasn¡¯t certain of the circumstances, but something grave was happening to her. ¡°Agh¡­!¡± As she ran without paying attention to her surroundings, she tripped over a protruding rock. She groaned and turned over, when¡­ ¡°Kekeke¡­ I finally caught up to you.¡± A nasty-looking middle-aged man approached her with a disgusting smile on his face as he pulled out a rope. Choi Kayoon was fervently trembling as he began to overpower her, but¡­ Whoosh! A sharp sound resounded near her ear. An arrow had stabbed the man in the head. The man died without even getting the chance to groan and fell over. Soon, a group of people emerged from behind the bushes. ¡°Wow~! Your aim is truly amazing, Mr. Shin Dong-il.¡± ¡°Well, this wasn¡¯t much¡­¡± A handsome young man holding a longbow cleared his throat. The other person approached Shin Dong-il and whispered in his ear. ¡°What should we do with that woman? I don¡¯t think she belongs to our camp.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Shin Dong-il¡¯s eyes silently scanned Choi Kayoon¡¯s body as she failed to stand up due to a twisted ankle. He thought to himself quietly before speaking up. ¡°Let¡¯s take her back to the camp for now.¡± ¡°Oh, will you use her as your toy? She definitely is a lot prettier than the women at our camp.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. But she¡¯s not my type, so I think I¡¯ll get bored of her in 3 days.¡± A woman of Choi Kayoon¡¯s level didn¡¯t catch his attention. As he expressed his uninterested opinion, his teammates began to drool. ¡°Then will we get a chance to taste her as well?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s proper manners to share good things in life.¡± The group led by Shin Dong-il was fullyposed of men. The men began to approach Choi Kayoon with lustful eyes and a dirty expression, when the memory suddenly ended. ¡®She went through a horrible experience.¡¯ Woohyuk sighed deeply as he exited Choi Kayoon¡¯s memory. He now knew why she refused to join any n until the very end. She wanted to keep men away from her due to this trauma. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Choi Kayoon¡¯s body began to tremble as Woohyuk¡¯s hand didn¡¯t budge from her shoulder, her face white as a sheet. He quickly removed his hand from her body. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I had no impure intentions.¡± ¡°...Then why did you kidnap me? The monsters who attacked the carriage weren¡¯t mine.¡± ¡°I need your help regarding the monsters¡¯ movements.¡± ¡°I already told you everything I know. I don¡¯t know more than that. It¡¯s not like I can converse with monsters or anything¡­¡± Talking with monsters was an ability that depended on each individual monster tamer¡¯s skills. However, Woohyuk did not care much about it as he knew Choi Kayoon had the potential to one day have her second ss change into a Monster Lord. ¡°Didn¡¯t you do horse riding before being summoned to this continent?¡± ¡°How¡­ how do you know that?¡± ¡°Try to remember how you talked with horses and use that experience. I¡¯m certain you have the innate talent of a monster tamer.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Choi Kayoon blinked several times as she did not expect Woohyuk¡¯s praise. His eyes showed his confidence and trust in her, as if he had known her for a very long time. But in reality, she had just met Woohyuk for the first time. ¡°How many monsters have you tamed?¡± ¡°About 30 of them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot. Other monster tamers probably can¡¯t tame more than half of that number.¡± It was proof that she had a special disposition as a monster tamer. At Woohyuk¡¯s fervent urging, Choi Kayoon nodded. ¡°I understand what you mean. But why are you interested in monsters?¡± ¡°Because there are some unknown forces that are trying to secretly control them.¡± Woohyuk told Choi Kayoon about the incident with the Cohen Merchant Group. He even showed her the pouch with the monster breeding substance as proof, and her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Are, are you for real? I didn¡¯t know something like that was happening.¡± ¡°If you cooperate with me, we can reduce the casualties amongst the innocent and the harm done to thend.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s hard for me to survive on my own right now, so helping other people is...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll promise you one thing. If you help me out, I¡¯ll take responsibility for your safety.¡± Being active as a monster tamer required a lot of funding. At Woohyuk¡¯s sudden offer, Choi Kayoon began to think deeply. ¡®Wha, what should I do¡­¡¯ When she finally reached the Eeth continent after her dark experiences, she made a promise to herself never to trust anyone again. She had gone through too many horrible events caused by her own teammates. However, she didn¡¯t seem to have another choice this time. ¡°A-alright. I¡¯ll do as you say. So take off these bindings first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Woohyuk dly epted her request. After having her limbs freed, Choi Kayoon sat as far away as possible from Woohyuk. ¡°How do you even know me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bitplicated to exin.¡± It was still a bit too early to reveal the fact that he had regressed. Woohyuk refrained from exining in detail and came up with something. After he finished his exnation, Choi Kayoon was surprised. ¡°You met someone who knew me?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Was it my parents? Or maybe my little brother?¡± ¡°No, it was a simple acquaintance. I can¡¯t tell you the name unfortunately.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Choi Kayoon¡¯s expression turned dark. She had suddenly begun to worry about her family, and other than them, nobody else mattered to her anymore. ¡°As long as you survive, you may one day reunite with your loved ones. Don¡¯t lose hope.¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± She answered weakly. She had slightly dropped her wariness. As she fell deep in her thoughts, Woohyuk turned and watched the scenery outside the window. ¡®We¡¯ve still got a long way to go until we reach our destination.¡¯ He needed something to do to kill time and erase his boredom. As he listened to the carriage shake, Woohyuk took out Nakron¡¯s Grimoire. *** Woohyuk wanted to recruit Choi Kayoon. If she became a monster lord, he would gain tremendous military power. Woohyuk could also subdue monsters if he used the Demon God¡¯s powers, but the efficiency was definitely worse. It was difficult to use the Demon God¡¯s powers properly with a human¡¯s body. ¡®Choi Kayoon used to control tens of thousands of monsters.¡¯ He could potentially nurture an even greater army of monsters by using the monster breeding substance. As he got off the carriage, Woohyuk lent his hand to Choi Kayoon. ¡°Let¡¯s move together.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to escort me. I have an aversion to men.¡± Choi Kayoon spoke with a troubled look. She wanted to avoid any physical contact as much as possible. ¡°...Alright.¡± Woohyuk nodded and began to walk before her to lead the way. Walking his actions, Choi Kayoon followed him obediently. ¡°But why did wee here? Weren¡¯t you going to investigate the monsters¡¯ movements?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone we need to meet before that.¡± Count Oswald. Woohyuk had to get the royal library pass from him to find the hidden nameless tome. ¡®But he¡¯ll surely ask for something in return.¡¯ As a noble, he wouldn¡¯t ept a request that would bring him no benefit. Tinia¡¯s letter of rmendation was only to allow Woohyuk to meet the count. It wouldn¡¯t be able to do more than that. They soon entered a shop in the central area of Neferti and Woohyuk turned to hispanion. ¡°We need to pose as nobles for a few days. Let¡¯s buy you some clothes.¡± ¡°What? Those kinds of clothes are too expensive. I don¡¯t have a lot of m¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the one paying.¡± With the gold coins he had on him, they could even buy luxurious clothes worn by prestigious noble families at social gatherings. He took Choi Kayoon with him and began to walk around the disy stands. ¡°Choose anything that catches your attention. No need to hold back.¡± ¡°...Then I¡¯ll take this one.¡± She pointed at a purple old-fashioned dress. When Woohyuk gave her a sign, the store¡¯s female employee approached them with a business smile. ¡°You have great taste, miss. This dress is one of the highest quality luxury dresses in our store.¡± ¡°...¡± Choi Kayoon stared nkly at Woohyuk. But Woohyuk didn¡¯t care and nodded back at the employee. ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°1,500 golds, sir.¡± ¡°Here you go.¡± Woohyuk took out 15 gold bars and ced them on the counter. Once the transaction wasplete, the employee guided Choi Kayoon towards the dressing room. ¡°Please try it on and tell me if anything bothers you, Mdy.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡± Choi Kayoon hesitated before receiving the dress from the employee. A few momentster, she appeared wearing the purple dress and the store clerk spoke out of surprise. ¡°Oh my, it really suits you! It fits you perfectly as if it were already tailored for you.¡± ¡°...¡± Choi Kayoon studied her appearance by staring at the mirror on the wall. Even she thought that it was a nice dress, but its price kept bugging her. ¡®Why is he buying such expensive clothes for me?¡¯ She felt like Cindere who had found her prince on a white horse. As she nkly stared at herself, Woohyuk spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s start heading out now.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Choi Kayoon naively followed Woohyuk¡¯s suggestions. Her n to escape whenever she found a chance hadpletely disappeared. Woohyuk was like an unknown fairy, and ever since his appearance, reality had be a fantasy for her. ¡®Just who is he exactly?¡¯ Maybe she had gotten involved with something dangerous, something like a royal battle for the throne or the conspiracies of some nobles. But oddly enough, she didn¡¯t feel afraid or distrustful. On the contrary, a tiny fire of hope had ignited deep in her heart. She was being forcefully led around, but if she acted smartly she could benefit a lot. After calming her confused heart she scurried behind Woohyuk to catch up to him. ¡°Wh-where are we going?¡± ¡°Count Oswald¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°Why are we going there?¡± ¡°For a deal.¡± ¡°A deal? Wait, are you going to sell me to him?¡± ¡°No, you need to pose as a noble from the Rhine Kingdom.¡± And Woohyuk had to act as a Blue Hawk mercenary who was escorting her, to avoid raising Count Oswald¡¯s suspicion as much as possible. Choi Kayoon breathed a sigh of relief after hearing his exnation. ¡°Alright. As long as you take responsibility for my safety, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re safer than anybody in Neferti right now.¡± He was certain of this despite the fact that he wasn¡¯t aware of the current events transpiring in the Izuna Kingdom. As he recalled the bits of information he had gathered before regressing, Woohyuk hastened his steps. Chapter 89: Shadow Killer 1

Chapter 89: Shadow Killer 1

For 2-3 years after adventurers were summoned from another world, the Eeth Continent was in chaos. The overall poption had explosively increased and the demons had begun to awaken and cause disorder. Moreover, Woohyuk had a hard time collecting information about those times before his regression, and he had to be careful about hisck of information. ¡®A lot of strange events had happened back then.¡¯ The nobles of the Izuna Kingdom hadn¡¯t rebelled like those of the Rhine Kingdom, but the country was still in turmoil. The problem was that the cause of the Izuna Kingdom¡¯s turmoil was still unknown. Woohyuk hardened his face as he entered Count Oswald¡¯s mansion with Choi Kayoon. ¡®I need to be cautious from now on.¡¯ Dangerous situations could ur anywhere, at any moment, through any means. The culprits and conspirators generally acted behind the scenes, away from the public¡¯s eyes. Woohyuk scanned his surroundings to check for threats, when a deep voice resounded on top of the stairs. ¡°Wee to my mansion, Lady Matilda.¡± A blond man with a long mustache spoke. He was Count Oswald. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Count Oswald.¡± Choi Kayoon greeted back by bowing and pinching her dress with both hands. She was acting based on what Woohyuk had taught her before entering the mansion. ¡°Forgive me for our ill-suited hospitality for this unexpected visit.¡± ¡°No, I should be the one to apologize for this sudden visit.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m quite surprised to learn that you¡¯re travelling in a foreign country without any escort knights. May I ask what brings you to our country?¡± ¡°We were attacked by monsters on our way here from Port Delphoa. My escort knight was killed in battle. Thankfully, I received the help of the Blue Hawk Mercenaries.¡± Choi Kayoon¡¯s performance as a nobledy of the Rhine Kingdom was wless. Count Oswald nodded as she finished her various exnations. ¡°You¡¯ve been through quite the journey, mydy. Why don¡¯t we head inside for now? I can see that the fatigue has piled up.¡± Count Oswald escorted Choi Kayoon and Woohyuk to the reception room, a room filled with priceless luxury. While Choi Kayoon was sticking her tongue out towards Woohyuk, the Count spoke. ¡°So, you wish to visit the royal library?¡± ¡°Yes. There are a few things I would like to verify personally.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ That¡¯s a bit problematic. The library is currently inessible to foreign nobles due to some recent unfortunate events.¡± ¡°Unfortunate events?¡± ¡°Oh, maybe you haven¡¯t heard of the news yet since you arrived here recently.¡± Count Oswald narrated the events that had been happening in the city Neferti. A series of mysterious murders. The victims were all nobles of high lineage and reputable families. A notice had been sent a day before each incident, and despite all their preparations to protect the targets, the victims never escaped their fated deaths. Therefore, the city Neferti had been strengthened and fortified overall. ording to the king¡¯s royal decree, all of the foreign nobles¡¯ activities had been restricted until the culprit¡¯s arrest. ¡°That¡¯s quite worrisome. To think that a serial killer is active in this city.¡± Choi Kayoon nced at Woohyuk with an anxious look, asking if they were to continue as nned. Woohyuk nodded at her and began to think deeply. ¡®The shadow killer has appeared, just as I expected.¡¯ He had heard of this murderer before his regression while he was gathering information. An individual that suddenly disappeared aftermitting dozens of assassinations in Neferti. Nobody found out who was behind these murders nor his objectives. ¡®I¡¯d like to avoid facing him as much as possible, but¡­¡¯ Capturing the shadow killer didn¡¯t worry him a lot, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t want to get involved in all kinds of incidents in the process of doing it. He simply wanted to find the nameless tome and leave this city. ¡®I have no choice but to quickly find apromise.¡¯ He desperately needed Count Oswald¡¯s help to have ess to the royal library during these tumultuous times. After sorting out his thoughts, Woohyuk began to listen to the conversation before him. ¡°...You¡¯ll need to be extremely cautious, Lady Matilda. Those wearing that watch of yours often get involved in controversial affairs. Everyone is on guard due to these events.¡± ¡°I can always prove my identity. My husband is the count of the Erutonia Province. If that doesn¡¯t erase your suspicions, you are wee to contact my husband yourself.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I trust you, My Lady. I am simply concerned for you as other nobles may misunderstand.¡± There were a lot of talks about the Rhine Kingdom amongst the nobles of the Izuna Kingdom, especially about the country¡¯s new monarch. Many renown nobles had rebelled, but were stopped by a foreigner wearing an adventurer watch, and he then rose to the throne. These events were quite shocking to the Izuna nobles. Therefore, many nobles were wary against all nobles from the Rhine Kingdom. ¡°In any case, may we request for your aid to help us gain ess to the royal library? I believe that it could be feasible with Count Oswald¡¯s help.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that there is no method, but¡­¡± He was wondering if there was a reason to help them at the cost of putting himself in danger. He was certain that Choi Kayoon was a noble by observing the luxurious clothes she was wearing, but that was the extent of his opinion of her. It was unclear to him about what he could gain in exchange for his help. As Count Oswald wasying out his options in his mind, a guard hastily ran into the room. ¡°Milord, a letter has been discovered in front of the mansion.¡± ¡°A letter?¡± The room¡¯s atmosphere suddenly grew nervous. Count Oswald took the letter and began to read its contents. His face paled as he reached the end. ¡°This, this can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°Shadow killer¡­¡± Although the sender¡¯s name wasn¡¯t written in the letter, Count Oswald immediately knew that it was the shadow killer as the phrase he often used to announce the death sentence was written in the letter. - To the sinner. The time of judgement has finally arrived. Tomorrow night, you will be strangled by your own shadow and killed. However, I beg you not to run away to survive. The shadow of death is already covering your face. ¡°My goodness¡­ The contents are quite gruesome.¡± Choi Kayoon was surprised as she read the letter that had fallen out of Count Oswald¡¯s hands. Woohyuk silently moved behind her and whispered in her ear. ¡°Say that you¡¯ll help him.¡± ¡°Wha, What?! Are you insane?! If we do that we¡¯ll also die¡­¡± ¡°No matter what happens, I will always guarantee your safety.¡± This had to be done to gain ess to the royal library. Apart from Count Oswald, there were no other nobles Woohyuk was on good terms with. Seeing his firm attitude, Choi Kayoon sighed. ¡°How did ite to this¡­¡± Their n was slowly changing and getting more and moreplicated. However, she was already too deeply implicated and couldn¡¯t back out anymore. If she showed any suspicious behavior, Woohyuk would immediately overpower her and control her actions. Withplex thoughts in her mind, Choi Kayoon approached Count Oswald. *** Count Oswald happily epted Choi Kayoon¡¯s offer. He didn¡¯t have the leeway to think aboutplicated matters concerning her as his life was currently on the line. On the contrary, he said he would give themrge rewards on top of the royal library pass, as long as they protected him from the shadow killer. ¡°Your acting is wless.¡± ¡°My dream was to be a musical actress when I was younger.¡± Choi Kayoon and Woohyuk conversed in the mansion¡¯s guest room. Despite her fear of men, she would spend the nights with him in the same room until this incident was deemed over, as she wished for his protection. ¡°But will you be alright? We¡¯ll be sleeping in the same bed.¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t have a choice anyways. Either way, don¡¯t you darey a finger on me. If you do, I¡¯ll scream at the top of my lungs in the middle of the night.¡± Choi Kayoony on the bed as sheined and began to sway her legs at the edge of the bed. Woohyuk stared at her high-heels before opening his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all the rewards we receive from Count Oswald.¡± ¡°You seem confident. But they say that the enemy is a devil.¡± The shadow killer¡¯s methods were quite atypical. He used the shadows of others to kill his targets. As ordinary humans were incapable of such feats, rumors said that the criminal was a devil. ¡°A devil, huh? The possibility definitely isn¡¯t zero.¡± ¡°Do you have a n? There¡¯s only a day left until hees.¡± Choi Kayoon was well-aware that Woohyuk was an extremely skilled fighter, but she was unsure if he could win against demons. If the situation went out of hand, even she could lose her life in the chaos. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll protect you even if a demon kinges at us.¡± There was a mysterious sense of reliability in his words. Choi Kayoon stared at him for a short while before speaking again. ¡°Why do you care about me so much?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You could just treat me like a ve, you know?¡± There was no need for him to spend money on her, nor to make her pose as a noble from the Rhine Kingdom. Woohyuk was the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s monarch. There would¡¯ve been no problem to prove his identity in this city, and even if he had approached the count as a mercenary, he would¡¯ve had bargaining rights since the leader of the Blue Hawk Mercenaries had vouched for his skills. ¡°Think of this as an investment.¡± ¡°...Do I have that much of a value?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Woohyuk nodded as he sat down on a chair, and gazed at Choi Kayoon with serious eyes. ¡°I understand that you have an extreme fear of men. You must¡¯ve gone through a lot of difficult experiences. However, if you keep operating independently, you¡¯ll get in trouble one day.¡± ¡°But why does it matter to you? I won¡¯t be much of use to you by then.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true.¡± Choi Kayoon could only express her true potential and skills by bing a Monster Lord. But that was still an impossible feat as of right now. That¡¯s why she had to be under his protection to grow to her full potential. ¡°Are you going to take me to the Rhine Kingdom?¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be better for you as well.¡± Woohyuk could do many things for Choi Kayoon. Not only could she live peacefully in a quiet ce by herself, he could also pay for her living expenses and for the funds to tame and raise monsters. In return, Woohyuk wanted Choi Kayoon¡¯s cooperation. She had to contribute to the kingdom¡¯s peacekeeping by using her monsters. ¡°Is that even possible? I have barely tamed 30 monsters as of yet.¡± ¡°No need to be impatient. Time isn¡¯t a worry for us.¡± It would take at most a hundred years to fill in the empty divine thrones, considering the fact that no one had reached them for 40 years. ¡°Alright. I ept your offer.¡± ¡°A wise choice.¡± ¡°But instead, let me keep these clothes.¡± The dress Choi Kayoon was currently wearing had greatly pleased her. Woohyuk chuckled and agreed. ¡°That was a gift for you. Even if you sell it for moneyter on, I won¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. I was worried you would take it back since it was an expensive dress.¡± Choi Kayoon was relieved. She got off the bed and removed her heels. She was exhausted from all the travelling she had done as she followed Woohyuk, and wanted to go to bed early. ¡°As a warning, don¡¯t you dare attack me during the night just because I¡¯m defenseless. I¡¯ll summon my monsters immediately.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Those thoughts never even crossed my mind.¡± He had even refused a naked girl who had entered his room in the middle of the night. Choi Kayoon¡¯s mind slowly faded away and her eyes closed. Woohyuk began to think to himself. ¡®I fortunately managed to convince her.¡¯ The other monarchs had failed to recruit her in the past as she had already begun her reign as a Monster Lord and no longer needed their help. But the current Choi Kayoon was an ordinary monster tamer. No matter how much she hated other people, she would find it hard to refuse an extremely beneficial offer. Well, he did have to use force to bring her all the way here. ¡®All that¡¯s left to do is the shadow killer.¡¯ Woohyuk had to find out how the culprit carried out his murders within a day. Thankfully, with the help of Count Oswald, he had already gathered a lot of relevant information. It was safe to say that the sess of this mission depended purely on his own capabilities. With a determined look, Woohyuk began to read the documents piled up on his desk one by one. Chapter 90: Shadow Killer 2

Chapter 90: Shadow Killer 2

A lot of the information about the shadow killer came from the investigators who had written reports about the murders. The main contents of the documents were the witnesses¡¯ statements, the victims¡¯ autopsy results. The conclusions of each case were all the same. ¡®Unfeasible¡¯. To quote, ¡°This is definitely the work of a devil!¡± ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯ There was a lot of content, but none of them could help him identify the criminal. After reviewing all the documents piled up on the desk, Woohyuk organized the events that had urred in his mind. The first victim was Count Cromwell. He did not leave his office for two days after receiving the notice, but was eventually killed by the shadow killer. ording to the testimony of the soldiers with him at the time, Count Cromwell¡¯s shadows began to move freely and strangled him. It had happened so suddenly that they were incapable of stopping it. The second victim was Baron Duncan. He was taken over by fear once he received the notice and ran away from the city. However, he was discovered dead two dayster in a wooden hut in the forest outside the city. His face had been cut off by a sharp weapon and he was hanging upside down facing a mirror on the wall, just like one of the punishments of hell in the Book of the Dead. This gruesome incident sparked chaos in Neferti and the nobles began to shiver in fear of this killer. ¡®And the murders didn¡¯t stop there.¡¯ The shadow killer was an expert. Even if the target was surrounded and protected by priests, he never failed to reap the target¡¯s soul. And if the target ran away, he somehow managed to find them and kill them. There currently were a total of six known victims. If Woohyuk couldn¡¯t uncover his techniques and methods before the sun set, Count Oswald would be the seventh victim. ¡®The possibility of the use of illusion magic or curse magic is very high.¡¯ He had seen many demons during his previous 40 years in this world, but he had never seen one who could control his opponent¡¯s shadows. Therefore, the shadow killer was using a secret trick tomit his crimes. These kinds of results could very well be caused by high-level illusion spells or curse spells. ¡®Then I must stay with Count Oswald no matter what.¡¯ Within this tightly guarded city, it was necessary to approach the target very closely to leave behind a powerful curse marker. He had probably already aplished this task before even sending the murder notice. After his deductions, Woohyuk went to look for Count Oswald. ¡°There are a few things I would like to ask you about the shadow killer.¡± ¡°Go on. I¡¯ll answer anything I can.¡± Count Oswald was lifeless as he had spent the night awake. Woohyuk observed his appearance for a while before asking. ¡°Did you see a suspicious individual before receiving the notice?¡± ¡°Suspicious individual? Not that I know of. If I had seen someone like that, I would¡¯ve had him captured and sentenced immediately.¡± A witch hunt was currently ongoing in the capital city of Neferti. They weren¡¯t hunting actual witches, but sentencing innocent people by using them of being the shadow killer. Woohyuk frowned as he listened to Count Oswald. ¡®I see that paranoia is spreading.¡¯ If he used his undeads or his demonic energy in this situation, he would face the wrath of the entire Izuna Kingdom. He could always use his Jester¡¯s Mask to change his appearance, but the problem was Choi Kayoon. Not only did she have an adventurer¡¯s watch, she was also a monster tamer. She was the perfect scapegoat. ¡®I have no choice but to hide my powers.¡¯ An unfavorable condition. However, he was confident he wouldn¡¯t lose as long as the opponent wasn¡¯t as powerful as the 72 demon kings. As he calmed himself down, Woohyuk reached his hand out to Count Oswald. ¡°With no disrespect, you look like you¡¯ll fall over in any second. I wish to check your condition.¡± ¡°Do, do as you wish.¡± The count was aware that Woohyuk was a trustworthy man through Tinia¡¯s letter. When Count Oswald expressed his cooperation, Woohyuk used his inner demonic energy to scan every corner of his body. ¡®As I thought.¡¯ A stigma made of dark energy was on his heart. It was most probably an interconnector that linked the curse caster and the target. Although he had to erase it right away to protect Count Oswald, he decided to leave it untouched. ¡®It would be problematic to lose my only trace of him.¡¯ If he learned that his n had gone down the drain, the shadow killer would find a different method or would run away. Therefore, it was safe to say that leaving the stigma alone and tracking down the criminal was a wise decision made by Woohyuk. After observing the ck stigma for a while longer, he activated the Memory Pendant. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t hurt to try.¡¯ The chances were low, but he could discover some useful information, just like he did with Tinia and Choi Kayoon. As the pendant activated, a certain scene appeared in Woohyuk¡¯s mind. ¡®A ball.¡¯ Arge hall where nobles dressed in fancy and luxurious clothes were dancing. It appeared to be inside the royal pce in the center of the city Neferti. ¡®Maybe there was a woman who caught his interest.¡¯ The Memory Pendant only shows memories that mean a lot to the target. Woohyuk watched the scene through Count Oswald¡¯s eyes when a woman in a ck dress approached him. ¡°Would you have a moment to spare?¡± ¡°Oh, of course My Lady. Apologies, but your name is¡­?¡± ¡°Amy. Amy Klein.¡± She had neatly tied ck hair and purple eyes, along with a voluptuous body that didn¡¯t suit her slender face. Amy was morous and captured the attention of many men surrounding them. ¡°I am Count Oswald. If I may ask, are you looking for a dance partner?¡± ¡°No, I simply wish to talk with a handsome man like you for a short moment.¡± Amy smiled mysteriously andid her hand on the count¡¯s chest. A rather obvious beauty. However, Count Oswald had already fallen for her seduction and was making a dumb face. ¡®How unsightly.¡¯ Woohyuk clicked his tongue as he watched the events transpire. At that moment, the woman¡¯s ring caught his eye. ¡®Hm? That¡¯s¡­¡¯ A somewhat familiar pattern. Woohyuk rummaged through his memories to remember what the pattern meant, and he froze when he found out. [The Witch Cult] A group of fanatics whose objective is the return of Lilith. They burn towns and viges to perform evil rituals and ruthlessly ughter innocent people. Amy was one of the executives of this cult. She was definitely the one who had left the stigma on Count Oswald¡¯s heart. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to receive the attention of Lady Amy. Why don¡¯t we find a quiet area where we can sit down and talk peacefully?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, time won¡¯t allow me to partake with you. I must soon head home, My Lord.¡± Amy shook her head with a sad expression. Amy and Count Oswald exchanged a few more words before she wished him farewell. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can see each other again, even after the sun sets.¡± ¡°Without a doubt, My Lady. I will be waiting for you.¡± Count Oswald made a regretful face before he kissed the back of her hand. Amy made an enigmatic smile and pressed down on his chest with her index. ¡°I will not disappoint your expectations, Count Oswald.¡± She giggled as she secretly engraved the stigma while Count Oswald was enchanted. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t miss the true intent behind her actions. ¡®So this is how she¡¯s been killing the nobles one by one.¡¯ As he thought about it now, all of the victims were men. The fact that Amy¡¯s seduction technique had worked was no surprise to him. As he found out the truth behind these incidents, Woohyuk exited Count Oswald¡¯s memories. ¡°I believe that you must rest for a while. Your body has be considerably weak, Count Oswald.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll close my eyes and rest for a bit.¡± Count Oswald ced his hand on his forehead and muttered. Woohyuk nodded and silently left the office. ¡®I need to inform Choi Kayoon in advance as well. Tonight is going to be chaotic.¡¯ He needed to make preparations. Woohyuk recalled his battles against the Witch Cult as he walked towards the guest room. *** Amy had not been caught in the past as she was using a secret stigma amongst witches. Once the interconnecting stigma was engraved on a target, she could cast all kinds of curses on the victim and also influence the surrounding people. In other words, the shadow devil that the eyewitnesses saw kill the victim was fake. The victims weren¡¯t strangled to death by their own shadows but were killed by the curse spells Amy cast on them. ¡®Or she might¡¯ve killed them personally.¡¯ Using advanced stigmas, it was possible for puppeteers to constrain their targets as if controlling their own puppets. It would also be possible to determine their location. Either way, she would be hiding and waiting near the target in case anything went wrong. Woohyuk spoke as he watched the sunset through the window. ¡°It¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s begin.¡± ¡°Will it really go as nned? If Count Oswald dies as we try to capture the woman from the Witch Cult ¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s definitelying alone.¡± The barrier around Neferti had been strengthened, and ordinary witches from the cult would be incapable of setting foot in the city. Therefore, they only had to capture the woman called Amy Klein. It wouldn¡¯t be toote to remove the stigma on Count Oswald after capturing her. Before setting their strategy in action, Woohyuk was discussing with Choi Kayoon when¡­ Knock knock. They heard someone knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Creaaak. The door opened and a brown-haired maid entered, a nervous look painted on her face as Count Oswald¡¯s destined moment was approaching. ¡°Sir Chun Woohyuk, Count Oswald is calling for you.¡± ¡°Alright. Let us head there now.¡± Woohyuk replied formally before following the maid. He noticed a few guards carrying arge statue of a goddess in the corridor. Every item in the mansion that could be considered divine was being moved. ¡®A meaningless act.¡¯ As the power of the gods had weakened, the power of divine objects had also decreased. Therefore, no matter how many of those the count gathered, he wouldn¡¯t be able to block an executive of the Witch Cult. The circumstances could change if a high-grade divine item were used, but Woohyuk doubted a noble from a small kingdom would possess such an item. After passing by the guards, he entered the office. Count Oswald weed him with a bright expression. ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve arrived. Over here is the Pitbull n leader Shin Dong-il. He¡¯s someone I speciallymissioned.¡± A young ck-haired man stood next to the count. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ It was definitely the man who had appeared in Choi Kayoon¡¯s memories. Woohyuk made an amused face and extended a hand to Shin Dong-il. ¡°I¡¯m Chun Woohyuk, a special mercenary.¡± ¡°Special mercenary? You must have confidence in your sword skills. You seem to be Korean, so let¡¯s get along.¡± Shin Dong-il smiled brightly as he spoke. He then pointed towards the ring Woohyuk was wearing. ¡°Why are you working as a special mercenary when you¡¯re a n leader? Your n¡¯s even at the highest tier.¡± ¡°I have some circumstances.¡± Woohyuk spoke as little as possible. Since he had brought Choi Kayoon to his side, Shin Dong-il was no different than an enemy. ¡°Well, I guess that it¡¯s not important right now. Anyways, where are your n members?¡± ¡°In a different region. I¡¯m the only one in this city.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ Aren¡¯t you underestimating the shadow killer too much? That guy might actually be a demon.¡± Shin Dong-il stared at Woohyuk with a dumbfounded look. Due to that, Count Oswald wore a suspicious expression. Woohyuk finally felt the need to exin. ¡°It¡¯s useless to bring many members to deal with this affair. The previously targeted nobles all had recruited many guards to protect them.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re not wrong. Now, let¡¯s end the chitchat and get ready.¡± Shin Dong-il took out a scroll from his pocket. Woohyuk frowned as he recognized the scroll. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ Chapter 91: Shadow Killer 3

Chapter 91: Shadow Killer 3

[Holy Spell: Spiritual Barrier]. A protective barrier spell highly efficient against demons. However, it was of low quality. It wouldn¡¯t manage to block an executive of the Witch Cult. If he was boasting with confidence due to this spell, Shin Dong-il¡¯s n was bound to fail. Woohyuk clicked his tongue when a maid rushed into the office. ¡°Mi, Milord! It¡¯s an emergency!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The guards outside the mansion are fighting against each other!¡± ¡°...What?¡± Count Oswald nervously looked out the window. The sun had already set. It was difficult to differentiate the silhouettes in the dark. ¡°Just leave them be, Sir. It may be a trap.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ I understand.¡± Count Oswald nodded at Shin Dong-il¡¯s words. He coughed and gave the maid an order. ¡°Go outside and check what¡¯s happening. And tell the guards inside the mansion not to step outside.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes¡­¡± The maid exited the office as white as a sheet. Woohyuk made a troubled look as he watched the maid. ¡®Did she change her n?¡¯ ording to the information he had gathered, this kind of event had never happened before. The only strategy she had used until now was manipting the shadows. The shadow killer had always attacked the targeted nobles withoutying a hand on the others around them. ¡®She must¡¯ve been spying inside the mansion.¡¯ The shadow killer had most likely noticed his presence in the mansion. Woohyuk spread his senses and scanned his surroundings. ¡°We should cast the barrier before it¡¯s toote. We don¡¯t know when your shadows will begin moving, Count.¡± ¡°I agree. It should be better than using nothing.¡± A magic sigil appeared on the ground when Shin Dong-il tore the scroll and a spheric barrier was cast around them. However, it¡¯s radius was quite small, and only a few people could fit inside. ¡°Did you not bring any item that could be of help?¡± ¡°Maybe. Will this do?¡± Woohyuk took out a Saint¡¯s Potion from his pocket. By consuming it, one¡¯s resistance to status conditions would increase by 25% for an hour. Shin Dong-il snickered as he recognized the potion. ¡°The count and I already drank that even before you arrived in the office.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll use it myself.¡± Woohyuk poured the potion on the floor as if he had expected that reaction and began drawing a difficult spell. Then, the spiritual barrier was surrounded by blue mes and took a more distinct and solid appearance. [The reinforcement technique has strengthened the spiritual barrier by one stage.] [The duration is proportional to the amount of the material used.] ¡°Wait, are you an enchanter?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s a spell that I came across.¡± During the past 40 years, Woohyuk had gained a lot of information and skills. He knew the basic equipment production methods and alchemy recipes without even having a cksmith or alchemist ss. He could also use reinforcement techniques without being an enchanter. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join our n? It would be beneficial to you in a lot of ways.¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s keep that talk forter.¡± Woohyuk coldly evaded the topic Shin Dong-il had brought up. He did not want to get involved with a n that would drag an injured girl and ¡®use¡¯ her as a ytoy. ¡®Tch, what¡¯s with his arrogant attitude?¡¯ Shin Dong-il wasn¡¯t satisfied when his offer was refused. He felt insulted for the first time in a long while. The situation wasn¡¯t quite appropriate right now, but he would definitely deal with this issue in the near future. While his rage was boiling inside him, the door swung open and the maid entered again. ¡°Mi, Milord! You must esca¡­¡± The maid couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. sh! Her shadow took the form of a scythe and reaped its owner¡¯s head. Thud. Shin Dong-il and Count Oswald¡¯s eyes went wide when the two separate parts of the body fell to the floor. ¡°Wha, what is happening?!¡± ¡°Is there anyone outside?! Come and protect me immediately!¡± The two men began to loudly call for their subordinates, but it was already toote. They had all been murdered by the shadow killer. ¡®She¡¯sing at us straightforwardly.¡¯ There was no reason for Woohyuk to act ignorant anymore. Woohyuk quickly erased the stigma on Count Oswald¡¯s chest and pulled out Grandia. ¡®I can¡¯t block illusions. Not even when using Asura¡¯s demonic energy.¡¯ But if he did not use all his skills, he would find it hard to resist the effects of debuffs. It was a fatal penalty for Woohyuk as he couldn¡¯t reveal his identity nor his abilities. As he began to prepare himself mentally, ¡°Huhuhu¡­ Everyone looks quite nervous.¡± A mature woman¡¯s voice resonated around them. ¡°Who, who are you?!¡± ¡°Stop hiding and reveal yourself!¡± The surprised Shin Dong-il and Count Oswald shouted out loud. But the woman ignored the two of them and continued speaking. ¡°I was very surprised when I first saw you here. I was certain I had heard you were in Dornen.¡± ¡°So you were aware of me from the very beginning.¡± ¡°Of course I was. You did quite the unfathomable thing at the sanctuary.¡± The sanctuary the woman was talking about was the forest Kriemhild was residing in. Woohyuk nodded and raised Grandia towards the direction where the voice was originating from. ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep this short. I have some things to ask you, so I suggest you surrender.¡± ¡°Huhuh¡­ How disappointing. I thought you¡¯d bring up an exciting story.¡± As the woman finished her sentence, a loud shatter resounded as the barrier broke into pieces. A purple mist was immediately generated and filled the entire office. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything unnecessary, Amy.¡± ¡°Oh my, you even know my name¡­ That¡¯s a bit problematic. We¡¯re not even at a ball.¡± Woohyuk felt a cold aura from behind. He twisted his body and avoided a shadow scythe that cut his afterimage in half. ¡°Too slow.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯tment on a woman¡¯s dancing skills. It¡¯s bad manners.¡± After a short war of words, a breathtaking physical exchange took ce. As the winner couldn¡¯t easily get determined, Shin Dong-il pointed his arrow at Woohyuk¡¯s fluttering shadow. ¡®Now¡¯s my chance.¡¯ Although he wasn¡¯t aware of what his opponent was, he had realized that the shadow could be physically injured ording to the battle between shadow and owner. Soon, Shin Dong-il released his bowstring. Woooosh! Three arrows covered in electricity flew across the room with a sharp sound. [Multishot] One of the innate skills of the ranger ss. ¡°Only misbehaving children intervene in a dance.¡± Amy swiftly dodged the arrows as she spoke naughtily. Then, Shin Dong-il¡¯s shadow crept up and changed into a scythe. It then swung to reap its owner¡¯s soul. sh! ¡°Keuk¡­¡± Shin Dong-il spat out blood as his upper and lower bodies fell separately. Count Oswald¡¯s face went blue next to thetest victim. ¡°This, this can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°Huhuh¡­ Don¡¯t worry. Your turn hasn¡¯te yet. Ah, only if you don¡¯t run away crying like a child.¡± Amy spoke sarcastically as she chuckled. Count Oswald fell down on the spot, unbelievably shocked. Woohyuk then released his demonic energy as if he had been waiting for this chance. ¡®I can now use my abilities to their full extent.¡¯ There had been too many eyes on him. He couldn¡¯t show his skills as he had to keep his identity hidden. Even if he used his Lost Lyre, it would be hard to cover up the battle that would happen right now. ¡®Let¡¯s end this now.¡¯ There was no need for him to let the fight drag on. Amy¡¯s n would also involve taking Choi Kayoon, who was currently hiding, as a hostage. Swoosh! Verserios roared as it appeared and Amy let out her surprise. ¡°Wow, is that the weapon that devoured the Witch of Envy? My heart is trembling just by the sight of it.¡± ¡°Your mischievese to an end now, Amy.¡± Once he began releasing his demonic energy, his enemy¡¯s figure began to appear within the mist. Woohyuk immediately reduced the distance between them and swung Verserios. sh! With a dull cut, Amy¡¯s head dropped to the floor. ¡®There we go¡­ No, she¡¯s not dead yet.¡¯ It was another one of her tricks. The victim to his sword just now was only a puppet. As Woohyuk stood emotionlessly, the beheaded head began tough. ¡°Huhu¡­ You noticed very quickly. That¡¯s right. This is just a puppet with my appearance. I can¡¯t do anything with it once its strings are severed.¡± ¡°Looks like you were too scared toe to this mansion and face me.¡± ¡°Honestly speaking¡­ You¡¯re correct. I don¡¯t want to get devoured by a monster like you. But I still wanted to verify the extent of your abilities.¡± Woohyuk was the target of the Witch Cult¡¯s attention due to the fact that he had defeated the Witch of Envy. However, so were his previouspanions. He didn¡¯t need to worry about Sieg as he was powerful. But Tinia and Silvia were in danger. ¡°Were you nning on taking over the Izuna Kingdom by killing the nobles involved in the central politics?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t answer that. We also have things called secrets.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the monsters? I can vaguely guess what your strategy is from the fact that the monsters are migrating towards this city. You must¡¯ve made a deal with the Golden Rose Society.¡± ¡°Huhu¡­ Who knows? In any case, I wish you luck. I will always be observing you from behind.¡± As Amy stopped talking, the beheaded puppet turned to dust and faded away. Woohyuk sighed and activated his Call to Arms skill to summon Choi Kayoon. ¡°Is, is it over?¡± ¡°The worst of it at least.¡± Choi Kayoon had heeded to Woohyuk¡¯s advice and had joined the Ragnarok n. Not to work with the other members, but so that he could call for her during emergencies. Despite her aversion of men, somepromise was inevitable during certain situations. ¡°What do we do if the shadow killer appears again?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen for a while.¡± Amy was a cautious opponent. She wouldn¡¯t do something that could potentially bite back at her. However, that wouldn¡¯t stop her from trying to take over the Izuna Kingdom. After Woohyuk reassured her, Choi Kayoon noticed Shin Dong-il crawling on the floor. ¡°Huh¡­?! This guy¡­¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± Woohyuk pretended not to know the past between Choi Kayoon and Shin Dong-il. He couldn¡¯t reveal the fact that he had used the Memory Pendant to read her memories. ¡°He¡¯s my archenemy. The person whopletely ruined my life.¡± Choi Kayoon trembled as she was reminded of unpleasant memories. Woohyuk observed her before turning away as if he didn¡¯t care. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you if you want revenge. I didn¡¯t like him much either.¡± When he had shot his arrows earlier, he might¡¯ve identally hit Woohyuk as well. Shin Dong-il was well aware of that fact, but that hadn¡¯t stopped him from shooting. Choi Kayoon nodded at Woohyuk¡¯s words and took out a dagger. She approached the crawling man and stabbed him in the back. Stab! Stab! ¡°Keuk¡­¡± ¡°You fucking asshole. Do you know how much I waited for this moment toe? I withstood and survived all kinds of incidents just for this moment. The moment when I can finally kill you with my own hands!¡± Shin Dong-il didn¡¯t die easily. Woohyuk was secretly using his demonic energy to hold onto the man¡¯s consciousness, so that Choi Kayoon could listen to Shin Dong-il¡¯s cries until she was satisfied. Soon enough, the bloodied Shin Dong-il drew hisst breath. ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­¡± Choi Kayoon dropped her dagger and sat down, devoid of all energy. Her face was expressionless despite the fact that she had sessfully gotten her revenge. ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± ¡°...Thank you for listening to my request.¡± She didn¡¯t bother asking him to understand, as she knew that she must¡¯ve looked like a crazy woman to others. However, she didn¡¯t regret anything as it was her lifelong wish. Revenge. For some reason, she felt like she had be a monster. As Choi Kayoon erased all of herplicated thoughts, Woohyuk lent her a hand. ¡°Let¡¯s begin cleaning up. We¡¯ll get arrested as the criminals if we stay like this.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± Choi Kayoon gently grabbed Woohyuk¡¯s hand and stood up. Her heart had opened up to him, albeit modestly. ¡°Just, just what kinds of humans are you¡­?¡± The breathless Count Oswald spoke as he watched the two of them. Instead of answering, Woohyuk took out a Lost Lyre from his pocket. Before long, a dissonant sound resonated in the office. Chapter 92: Nameless Tome 1

Chapter 92: Nameless Tome 1

Inside a chilly hallroom, Demon King Vk was grinding his teeth on top of his throne. ¡°Asura, you bastard¡­ I¡¯ll definitely kill you¡­¡± A terrible defeat. During the previous battle, a considerably important demon called Melphis had been killed, and he himself had received fatal damage. The reason was because he had forcibly taken over Melphis¡¯ body to fulfill his n on taking over the Rhine Kingdom. ¡°Just you wait¡­ Once I fully recover, I¡¯ll obliterate that country of yours.¡± Demon King Vk had powerful allies within the circle Ars Nova. Demon King Amii ranked at 58. Demon King Dantalion ranked at 71. Currently, they were in control of the Lydia Kingdom and Dane Kingdom and could wage war with the Rhine Kingdom at any moment. No matter how powerful Asura was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the alliance of 3 Demon Kings. Since he wasn¡¯t one of the 72 Demon Kings, Asura couldn¡¯t participate in the gatherings or join the circles. It was also impossible for him to step into the demon world unless an abyssal gate opened. He was at a disadvantage in both attack and defense. ¡°Ah, now that I think about it, there was another demon.¡± A girl with ming red hair. He had called her Aris. Since she followed Asura¡¯s orders, she was definitely lower ranked. However, her strength appeared to rival that of Dantalion¡¯s. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. They¡¯ll be reduced to cinders once Amii steps forward.¡± Demon King Amii was even more hard-headed and prominent than Vk. She was iparably stronger than Dantalion who fought mainly using cunning tricks. That woman would obviously manage to annihte both Asura and Aris. As Demon King Vk was making ns in his mind, ¡°Well, this is quite the mess. Looks like you got a proper beatdown from Asura.¡± A silver-haired woman wearing erotic leather clothes was standing by the entrance. ¡°Lilith¡­ Why are you here?¡± ¡°I just have a few things I want to ask you.¡± Lilith made an alluring smile and walked up to Demon King Vk. He silently stared at her for a while before speaking again. ¡°Let¡¯s hear what you have to ask. The answers wille afterwards.¡± ¡°How was he? That man. How high would he rank amongst the 72 Demon Kings?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t have something like a scouter that can measure someone¡¯s battle power.¡± ¡°Hmm? Looks like he¡¯s quite the extraordinary man since you¡¯re not sure of yourself.¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning on bringing him over to your side? That will not be tolerated, even if it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Tolerated? Are you threatening me right now? You? A mere Demon King ranking at 62?¡± Immediately, Lilith¡¯s ruby-red eyes began to burn with disdain. Watching her reaction, Demon King Vk swallowed. ¡°Wha, what do you mean? I¡¯m not threatening you¡­ Don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m just saying that you might receive the¡­¡± ¡°The wrath of the demon faction? Hmph, a meaningless worry.¡± Demons were fundamentally individualistic beings that preferred to operate alone. The only time they came together and were united was during the war against the gods. However, now that the gods had vanished, the demon faction began to quarrel amongst themselves and began to think about attacking each other. That was why the demon kings were desperate to conquer the Eeth Continent. If they stayed in the demon world without doing anything, their rivals¡¯ territories would be muchrger than their own. Incidentally, Asura could be an ally or an enemy to the demon kings. It all depended on the situation. It was difficult to imagine the entire demon faction uniting to face Asura. ¡°...Prithee make a wise decision, silver-haired witch. Your losses will be greater than the benefits if you keep him by your side.¡± ¡°I never said I¡¯d get close with him. I was just curious about what kind of man he was.¡± The man who killed the Witch of Envy Kriemhild and absorbed her soul. Lilith wanted to know of his origins and his goals. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since Ist felt like this.¡¯ This possessiveness that gradually grew deep in her heart. Lilith¡¯s frozen heart had begun to violently beat once again. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go find him yourself and talk to him? You might be able you make him your ve and gain his obedience.¡± ¡°The time isn¡¯t right. He¡¯s still growing. I¡¯ll observe him for a while longer.¡± To aplish her new n, Asura needed to be much stronger than he currently was. The same could be said for Alice. She had a long way to go before she could call herself a true Queen of Thorns. ¡°Just what are you scheming, Lilith?¡± ¡°Huhu¡­ Who knows? Nothing much.¡± The less people there were who knew about it, the better it was. Lilith licked her scarlet lips as she wore a mysterious smile. *** After resolving the shadow killer case, Woohyuk received the promised rewards from Count Oswald. A pass to the royal library and one thousand golds. The money he had received included the portion that should¡¯ve gone to Shin Dong-il, the Pitbull n leader. ¡®These results aren¡¯t so bad.¡¯ Although he had failed to capture Amy Klein, he had more or less figured out her ns. She hadmitted those assassinations to put the Izuna Kingdom in chaos and to increase the Witch Cult¡¯s influence. But now that her face was seen and her tricks were revealed, she couldn¡¯t act brashly anymore. However, that obviously didn¡¯t mean that the Witch Cult would give up on the Izuna Kingdom. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± ¡°Fare well, my friend. Feel free to contact me at any moment if you need my help.¡± Count Oswald waved at them sorrowfully as Woohyuk and Choi Kayoon left the mansion. His memories of the previous night had been erased by the Lost Lyre. There would be no problem even if they left him on his own now. ¡°But what is it that you¡¯re searching for in the royal library?¡± ¡°The nameless tome.¡± A hidden treasure that revealed information about the Ark of Knowledge. Woohyuk was certain that it was a necessary key for him to obtain to reach the Divine Thrones. He could also potentially receive quests linked to the three Chronicles. Woohyuk recalled the past as he walked, Choi Kayoon following a few steps behind him. ¡®I really missed out on a lot back then.¡¯ Although he had sessfully restored the Nag Hammadi Chronicles after an arduous journey, he had never gotten the chance toplete the other 2 chronicles along with this nameless tome. Back then, he wasn¡¯t even aware that these ancient texts even existed. In terms of importance, these items were as important as the Seven Color Rainbow Ring. ¡®I should begin with the Edda Chronicles this time.¡¯ The rewards forpleting the Nag Hammadi Chronicles¡¯ epic quest were bound to be worsepared to the previous turn, while he didn¡¯t even know where the Sangreal Chronicles were located. On the other hand, he knew of the approximate location of the Edda Chronicles, and he had learned of the Nibelungenlied¡¯s true ending. He could therefore restore the Edda Chronicles once he would obtain it. The journey to achieve this goal would take a long time, and although he had to reconsider his future ns and journey, there was no need for him to rush. ¡°Then will you return to the Rhine Kingdom once you obtain that tome?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± As the monarch, he couldn¡¯t leave his kingdom¡¯s throne empty for too long. No matter how good of a regent Joanna was, if the king was away for too long, the state of affairs would be disorderly. Even though he had purged the country of rebellious aristocrats, there was no guarantee that such corrupted nobles wouldn¡¯t appear again. Other demons, including Demon King Vk, would also aim for the kingdom while he was away. When Woohyuk finished exining, Choi Kayoon¡¯s face brightened. She already wanted to prepare her base with the thousand gold she had received from Count Oswald. ¡°Once I reach the Floren Province, I¡¯ll buy a range and peacefully raise horses.¡± ¡°Your dream is to own a horse stable?¡± ¡°I should make good use of my speciality. And that¡¯s the only ordinary thing I can do in this world.¡± If she walked down the road of a monster tamer, she would need a disguise job to trick the residents around her. Woohyuk nodded at her words. ¡°That¡¯s definitely not a bad idea. But if you want, I can help you be an actress.¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s keep that forter. I¡¯ll tell you when I feel ready for it.¡± Choi Kayoon was still unable to recover from her trauma due to getting raped. It was still impossible for her to go on stage with people staring at her from every angle. And since the world was in chaos, she wouldn¡¯t be able to calm down and act on stage as if nothing bad was happening. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Is that the library? It¡¯s huge.¡± An antique building was standing next to the Violetta Cathedral. When Woohyuk and Choi Kayoon approached the entrance, a guard blocked their way. ¡°Please show your papers please.¡± ¡°I am Count Oswald.¡± Woohyuk responded with profoundness as he showed him the pass to the royal library. This time, he also wore extravagant clothes like Choi Kayoon. The guard observed the two before saluting them officially. ¡°I apologize for my ignorance. Please forgive my disrespect.¡± The security within Neferti was still as tight as ever even after the disappearance of the shadow killer, as they were worried that this kind of incident would happen again. ¡®We will most likely be observed even within the library.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t act in a suspicious manner before finding the nameless tome. Woohyuk calmly walked into the royal library. ¡°Do we actually have to search through this entire building?¡± ¡°...We need to use our minds if we want to reduce the time it takes.¡± He didn¡¯t think the nameless tome would be hidden amongst the ordinary books. Its location was most likely somewhere people wouldn¡¯t touch, somewhere with an important meaning and symbol. As Woohyuk observed the library¡¯syout, a pale young man approached them. ¡°Is there a book you are looking for?¡± A slim body with round golden sses. He was the librarian. ¡®Perfect timing.¡¯ There was something he wanted to ask. Woohyuk grabbed the librarian in front of him and whispered in his ear. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a secret section within this library.¡± ¡°...A secret section?¡± The librarian jolted and asked back in surprise. Woohyuk nodded. ¡°An area where only those with a high membership have ess to.¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s¡­¡± The librarian stuttered his words. It was such a sudden question that he couldn¡¯te up with a proper answer. ¡®Just as I expected.¡¯ Many big shots often set foot inside the royal library. Most of them preferred to avoid the gazes of themon aristocrats, so with the cost of sponsoring the library, they would be provided with a secret and quiet area. The nameless tome could be located in this secret section. Woohyuk took out Jake¡¯s Pocket Watch. ¡°If it¡¯s hard for you to answer, I¡¯ll change my question. Do you see his watch?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. It appears to be quite the luxurious item.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s a suggestion. From now on, I¡¯ll be swaying this watch sideways in front of you. If you don¡¯t take your eyes off of it for 10 seconds, I¡¯ll give you one gold.¡± ¡°...That doesn¡¯t seem very hard to do. Allow me to partake.¡± The librarian dly epted Woohyuk¡¯s offer. His mind was so focused on the gold that he had totally forgotten the question from earlier. ¡°Here I go.¡± Woohyuk began to move his hands and the pocket watch moved sideways like a pendulum. As the librarian stared intently at the watch, he slowly got hypnotized. ¡°Lead me to the secret section.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man replied with unfocused eyes. Choi Kayoon was surprised by this scene. ¡°Were you studying psychology before getting summoned here?¡± ¡°No. This is just the item¡¯s effect.¡± Originally, it could only be used to hypnotize weakened opponents, but the librarian was a bit of a bird-brain that the effect took ce immediately. ¡®Things are going well.¡¯ If he hadn¡¯t gotten hypnotized, Woohyuk would¡¯ve used force even at the risk of exposing himself. With a sigh of relief, Woohyuk followed behind the librarian. Chapter 93: Nameless Tome 2

Chapter 93: Nameless Tome 2

The librarian led the way towards the secret section. But a problem soon arose. The entrance was hidden and they couldn¡¯t reach the inner area. ¡®As I thought, they set it so that only those with a membership can ess it.¡¯ The door would only be activated by either a special token or a special password. Woohyuk stared repeatedly at the goddess statues on both sides of the door before taking out his golden magnifying ss. ¡®We don¡¯t have the time to wait until someone with a membershipes.¡¯ And even if someone did arrive, the chances of him letting Woohyuk inside were low. There would most likely be a big fuss, and the security of the royal library would be a lot tighter. In other words, the current mess had to be ovee with just the three of them. ¡°What if we go back and ask Count Oswald? We won¡¯t get anywhere like this right now¡­¡± Choi Kayoon shared her thoughts as Woohyuk examined the surface of the walls with his magnifying ss. It was the most reasonable choice as of right now, but Woohyuk still shook his head. ¡°Count Oswald probably doesn¡¯t have ess to the secret section. The membership holders are most likely part of other secret organizations as well, and that wasn¡¯t the case for him.¡± Groups like the Golden Rose Society and Pronoia were prime examples of such organizations. The Golden Rose Society was a group of skilled masters who wanted to maximize their influence over the continent and control it behind the scenes. Pronoia was a group of senior priests who, like fanatics, uncritically epted the content of the gospels and thoroughly excluded values and actions against it. Although their inclinations differed ording to the purpose of their organizations, all of their members were all renown people with great social influence. ¡°Ugh¡­ Then does that mean that this ce is a den of dangerous wolves?¡± ¡°It will do us no good to face them recklessly.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s, let¡¯s find the door already. I don¡¯t want to get involved with such groups as much as possible.¡± Choi Kayoon¡¯s expression instantly darkened. Woohyuk nodded and continued examining the walls. ¡®In truth, situations like this are where I can show my special skills.¡¯ During the past 40 years, there was nothing Woohyuk could do other than fighting wars or exploring ruins. So as long as he found a basic clue, he could easily learn the conditions to use the door to get inside. ¡®Hm¡­?¡¯ Soon enough, a small phrase became visible through his magnifying lens near the right-most edge. - I have been thinking about the source of evil for a long time. However I never found the answer, as I didn¡¯t realize that there was evil in the method I used to search for it. ¡®An excerpt from the memoirs of the theologian vius.¡¯ But what was their goal when hiding such a sentence here? Woohyuk thought to himself before speaking. ¡°I see. This is referring to Saint Sophia.¡± ¡°Wha, what are you talking about?!¡± ¡°The saint of Delphoa who was ruthlessly killed by fanatics. This is the hint to open the entrance.¡± The ¡®ways to find evil¡¯ mentioned in the phrase was referring to human reason. In other words, it warned people that if humans tried to define evil, they would fall into a self-contradiction. Moreover, this phrase was engraved next to the goddess statue to mourn the death of Saint Sophia. During her lifetime, she was hailed as the Goddess of Knowledge amongst the wisemen. ¡°A hint? How can a deceased saint be a hint?¡± ¡°They say that Sophia was part of a secret association.¡± [Eteria Rodinus]. Even Woohyuk had never met them in person. He had only heard of the name. Eteria Rodinus was a secret association of wisemen that had existed since before the War of Gods and Demons. However, if that group continued having sessors, they would¡¯ve continued using the same symbol. ¡°Then is there some sort of secret cryptogram that can be used as identification?¡± ¡°Obviously. Eteria Rodinus had actually created anguage.¡± Thenguage of wisemen, Rosa Eterna. If you didn¡¯t know thisnguage, you wouldn¡¯t be able to understand the contents of their magic books even if you somehow managed to steal them. Their purpose was to stop evil organizations such as the Golden Rose Society or Pronoia from abusing the power of their knowledge. ¡®Completing and restoring the Nag Hammadi Chronicles in the past helped me.¡¯ The Nag Hammadi Chronicles recorded the secret knowledge of gods. And consequently, Woohyuk ended up learning a bit about Eteria Rodinus. Woohyuk began to ponder about phrases that could potentially be used as a password. ¡®The possibility of it being a phrase rted to Saint Sophia is high.¡¯ He was suddenly reminded of the ancient book that discussed her life. Woohyuk stood facing the wall and spoke out loud. ¡°Quo vadis, Domina?¡± It was the sentence spoken by Saint Sophia¡¯s disciples as she got on a carriage while they were expecting an attack from the fanatics. It meant ¡®Where are you going, Goddess?¡¯ To shortly talk about the following events, she left for the academy on schedule, but got kidnapped by the fanatics and was brutally in. It was such a shocking event that stories of it are being passed down even after a thousand years. While Woohyuk thought about Saint Sophia for a moment, Srrrrr. The stone wall¡¯s structure changed and an entrance appeared. ¡°Wow, did you often read novels by Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?¡± ¡°No. I just read a few ancient documents.¡± As he searched for ways to reach the Divine Thrones, he ordered many eminent archeologists to research dozens of documents each day. Thanks to that, Woohyuk knew a lot of misceneous facts. Woohyuk marched onwards as he recalled the piles of old parchments he would always find on his desk. ¡°It¡¯s a lot wider than I expected.¡± ¡°It seems like they don¡¯t use this space just to keep books and documents.¡± The secret section had arge, empty area in the center. It was most likely a space where they performed rituals regrly. ¡°But is the nameless tome truly in this section?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Although he didn¡¯t know how the archeologist had managed to enter this section, Woohyuk didn¡¯t doubt the fact that the nameless tome was kept in here as the archeologist couldn¡¯t read or decipher the information about the Ark of Knowledge. The nameless tome was definitely written in the wisemen¡¯snguage, in Rosa Eterna. ¡°The name of the authors and titles are all written. Do you think that there¡¯s another hidden space?¡± ¡°That¡¯s also possible.¡± In case of an emergency, they may have designed the secret section in a double structure. Eteria Rodinus did in fact have many enemies in the outside world. Woohyuk took out his golden magnifying ss, when ¡®Hmm?¡¯ He felt a sharp gaze on his back for a short instant. Woohyuk turned his head to face the being that was showing hostility against him. ¡°Interesting.¡± There was a portrait hanging on the wall, containing the painting of an elderly wiseman. ¡°What¡¯s so interesting?¡± ¡°Hide behind me for a while.¡± Choi Kayoon silently obeyed him when she noticed the serious look in his eyes. She had realized that something was wrong. As he approached the portrait and extended his hand towards it, [Why is a demon in here?] The portrait¡¯s elderly wiseman began speaking first. When their eyes met, Woohyuk raised both his arms to show a non-confrontational attitude. ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight. And I¡¯m a human. I did inherit a demon¡¯s name due to some circumstances, though.¡± ¡°...There¡¯s a detail that seems amiss, but nevermind that for now. My name is Martinus. I am the guardian spirit of the hidden library. My guests, what are your names and for what purpose are you visiting this library?¡± Martinus¡¯ gaze alternated between Woohyuk and Choi Kayoon. He had judged that they could have some interesting circumstances and gave them a chance to exin themselves. ¡°My name is Chun Woohyuk. I wish to learn about the Ark of Knowledge. This woman simply followed me. Heed her no mind.¡± ¡°The Ark of Knowledge¡­ Only the chosen ones can enter it. But if you simply wish to know more about it, there is a way.¡± As Martinus finished speaking, a system message popped up in front of Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. [New Quest] Name: Martinus¡¯ Trial Rank: Ordinary Contents: Gain Martinus¡¯ trust by conversing with him after passing the trials he gives you. Other: Cannot be repeated upon failure. ¡®A hidden quest.¡¯ Considering these circumstances, the reward for this quest was most probably the nameless tome. There was no reason for him to refuse this quest. Woohyuk dly nodded to Martinus. ¡°I shall ept that offer.¡± ¡°I like your audacity. Once you¡¯re finished with your preparations, ce your hand on the portrait.¡± The portrait on which Martinus was painted upon was now covered in a blue energy. Woohyuk did as he was told and a blinding sh covered his surroundings. *** ¡®This ce is¡­¡¯ He was in a bustling city with lots of people. It was Port Delphoa, with its huge lighthouse reminiscent of a small castle. He was most probably in Martinus¡¯ imaginary world. ¡°Are you conscious now?¡± Martinus stood next to Woohyuk as he spoke, a white robe resting on his shoulders. He had the same appearance as in the portrait. ¡°What happened to the woman who was standing behind me?¡± ¡°She is currently waiting outside. But there¡¯s no need to worry. Time flows faster in this space.¡± ¡°...I see. I can rest assured now. Anyways, what kind of trial are you giving me?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s walk for a bit. You¡¯ll see what it is in a while. Oh, and this is a warning, but the test isn¡¯t quite presented in the same manner as an exam test. He meant that the trial wasn¡¯t something so simple to understand, such as saving someone or finding an item. It wasn¡¯t a test where they had a designated goal from the start. In other words, he would be observing Woohyuk making decisions and acting within various different situations. ¡®That sounds like a bit of a pain.¡¯ In these kinds of trials, there were many cases where the trial-giver would consider the challenger ¡®unworthy¡¯ just because of their subjective emotions and thoughts. However, if you try to match their preferences and modify your decisions ordingly, they would be called opportunistic. Therefore, it was better to act ording to your own beliefs no matter what kind of problem you had to deal with. ¡°Is this the times before the War of Gods and Demons?¡± ¡°Indeed. Back then, us Eteria Rodinus was being chased after by Pronoa.¡± The wisemen were trying to hide their secret knowledge. They hade all the way to the Izuna Kingdom by running away from their fanatical pursuers. Woohyuk was puzzled by Martinus¡¯ exnation. ¡°Pronoia has existed even before the War of Gods and Demons?¡± ¡°Yes. They are a group of fanatics with a very deep history.¡± Pronoia had used and med Eteria Rodinus for stealing the Holy Grail. The evidence they presented at that time was the epidemic that was crossing through the Eeth Continent. They imed that the gods were furious against Eteria Rodinus for stealing the Grail and were punishing the humans. ¡°They¡¯ve made up quite an extreme story.¡± ¡°We never got a chance to argue back. The Holy Aperian Empire had sided with them.¡± The Pope, the Cardinals, and all the senior priests were directly or indirectly rted to Pronoia. No matter how strong and influential the wisemen were, they were powerless against the continent¡¯s sole empire. So the wisemen of Eteria Rodinus all took the path of hermits and created secret crypts for their ancient documents. ¡°Are you talking about Rosa Eterna?¡± ¡°So you know of it. We were trying to protect the secret knowledge of the ancestors and those of the divine lineage.¡± Martinus stopped and pointed his cane forward. There, was a female blond schr wearing a blue dress. Chapter 94: Nameless Tome 3

Chapter 94: Nameless Tome 3

¡®It¡¯s Saint Sophia.¡¯ Although he didn¡¯t know what she truly looked like, his instincts told him it was her. Woohyuk was about to talk to her, when Martinus stopped him. ¡°It¡¯ll be problematic if you talk to her now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Sophia isn¡¯t ready.¡± He was telling Woohyuk to wait for the incident to ur and to spectate only. Woohyuk nodded and stared at Sophia. ¡®Seems like she¡¯s waiting for someone.¡¯ He could see the expectation glittering in her eyes. She was most likely waiting for a lover or a crush. That didn¡¯t mean that it couldn¡¯t be a friend she hadn¡¯t seen in a while. ¡°What did you mean by the divine lineage earlier?¡± ¡°Exactly what it says. Figure out the details for yourself in the future.¡± Martinus did not tell Woohyuk all the information he needed, showing that his trust for Woohyuk wasn¡¯t strong enough yet. ¡°Are you talking about the Sangreal Chronicles?¡± ¡°...Well, you could say so.¡± Martinus was dumbfounded for a moment due to the vast knowledge Woohyuk had about Eteria Rodinus. However that onlysted for an instant. Martinus soon regained his calm mind and pointed in a direction. ¡°Therees Rnd.¡± An indigo-haired knight. He happily waved his hand in the air once he noticed Sophia. ¡°What is their rtionship?¡± ¡°It¡¯s slightly unclear, but it would be urate to call them lovers.¡± Rnd was themander of the Trinity Knight Order, a group of knights who helped Eteria Rodinus in Port Delphoa. He began walking away with Saint Sophia, and Woohyuk asked another question. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we follow them?¡± ¡°Let them spend some time together. We need to go this way.¡± Martinus answered as he gestured in the other direction. On top of the hill was a magnificent structure made of white marble. ¡°Is it the academy?¡± ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s our base of operations.¡± The secret base where the members of Eteria Rodinus encrypted their ancient books and documents. However, after the attacksmitted by the fanatics, the building and base were burnt down to the ground. Thankfully, before that event transpired, most of the ancient documents were transported across the sea to a secret location. ¡°Then did Pronoia manage to steal some of the documents?¡± ¡°Not just them. Many other groups with evil intentions plundered our ancient books. The main group to do so was the Golden Rose Society. To gain the secret knowledge of the gods, they had cooperated with demons. ¡®As I thought, there were demons helping them behind the scenes.¡¯ He had heard of some uncertain information in the past while investigating the Golden Rose Society. The rumors said that they began participating in evil rituals after meeting and cooperating with the Witch Cult. However, there was no conclusive evidence to back these rumors. ¡°What would happen if they manage to decode those stolen documents?¡± ¡°The Eeth Continent will fall into chaos unlike anything it had seen before.¡± Many of the secret knowledge could cause massive disasters if put in the wrong hands. That was the reason why Eteria Rodinus had encrypted the documents and hidden them away. ¡°So the main mission of the group is to keep the secret of Rosa Eterna from spreading.¡± ¡°Nobody outside Eteria Rodinus can learn thenguage.¡± They couldn¡¯t teach Rosa Eterna even if they got captured and tortured by enemies. In the past, Saint Sophia did not reveal the secrets as she got brutally tortured by Pronoia, and the group never managed to decode the ancient documents they had stolen. ¡®I¡¯m learning quite a lot right now.¡¯ By observing Martinus¡¯ imaginary world, he could potentially learn a clue about the whereabouts of the Sangreal Chronicles. He could also figure out how to get in touch with Eteria Rodinus. As he sorted his thoughts out and walked with Martinus, ¡®Hm?¡¯ He sensed a group of people following him. Instead of turning around to check these individuals, Woohyuk stared at Mertinus. ¡°...¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve noticed. They are minions of the Golden Rose Society.¡± The Golden Rose Society was obsessively chasing after Eteria Rodinus with the help of demons. In a way, they were even more annoying to deal withpared to Pronoia. Since they couldn¡¯t leave those minions alone, Martinus began walking towards an alley with few people. And soon enough¡­ Boom! Crash! Crash! The two followers were lifted in the air with the use of magic and were mmed against the wall several times without mercy. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°Keuk¡­¡± The two men¡¯s eyes were rolled back as they let out painful groans. After dropping the men on the ground, Martinus spoke to Woohyuk. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do the interrogation? I¡¯ll be watching on the side.¡± ¡°...¡± This was also part of the trial. Woohyuk picked up one of the men and grabbed him by the cor. ¡°Who sent you guys?¡± ¡°I, I can¡¯t answer that.¡± A typical response. They were reluctant to confess due to their fear of the Golden Rose Society. But that didn¡¯t mean that Woohyuk would be considerate and merciful for them. Slit! Woohyuk cut the man¡¯s throat with the Vampiric Dagger. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Soon, he couldn¡¯t even make a groan and breathed hisst. ¡°...!!¡± The other minion who was observing the scene began to tremble in fear. ¡°Will you also keep your mouth shut?¡± ¡°N-no. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know, so please spare me¡­¡± He quickly showed his obedience due to the death of his partner he had witnessed. Woohyuk was satisfied. He dragged the man towards Martinus. ¡°Is this fine?¡± ¡°You used quite the extreme method.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the type to show mercy to my enemies.¡± He also didn¡¯t n topromise or cooperate with the Golden Rose Society. The chances of them selling wildfire to Woohyuk was currently zero. During the affair with the Cohen Merchant Group, Woohyuk realized the current objective of the Golden Rose Society. Meanwhile, he himself had be a person of interest to the society members. ¡®This ce may be a fictional world, but I still won¡¯t change my ways.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t actually returned in time to Port Delphoa in the era before the War of Gods and Demons. This was just a stage Martinus had prepared for Woohyuk to challenge the trials. ¡°Either way, that was good. Better than those whose beliefs prevent them frommitting such acts.¡± Martinus nodded with eptance as he watched Woohyuk¡¯s clear eyes. The regressor was one step closer to the old man¡¯s heart. ¡°This isn¡¯t the end, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Have him lead you the way.¡± He was telling Woohyuk to find the Golden Rose Society¡¯s base of operations in Port Delphoa. Woohyuk stood behind the minion and kept his Vampiric Dagger pointed at his back. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°...¡± The man¡¯s face was white as a sheet. *** The base was located in the residential area. There was an uproar when Woohyuk and Martinus entered the stone structure. ¡°In, intruders!¡± ¡°Keep your calm! There are only 2 of them!¡± The ground floor was mostly filled with mercenaries, around 30 of them. While they greatly outnumbered the duo, they weren¡¯t a match in terms of fighting prowess. sh! sh! Woohyuk swiftly ughtered the mercenaries by wielding Grandia. Martinus was participating in the battle as least as possible. He only faced the enemies who attacked him first. ¡°They, they¡¯re too strong!¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± As the one-sided battle continued, the mercenaries were losing their morale. At that moment, the voice of a young man resounded from the top of the stairs. ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss? I¡¯m certain I asked everyone to stay quiet within the building.¡± ¡°Sir, Sir Aleister¡­¡± Aleister Crowley was the young man¡¯s name. Not only was he the head of the GOlden Rose Society, he was also a genius alchemist whose skills were unparalleled. Woohyuk was somewhat knowledgeable about him thanks to Martinus¡¯ exnations. ¡°Are you the alchemist who sold his soul to the devil?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me. And who are you? Since you¡¯re with the White Sage, are you part of Eteria Rodinus?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯m a mercenary who wasmissioned.¡± Woohyuk spoke emotionlessly as he brandished Grandia. Aleister made a sly smile as he watched the intruders. ¡°An outsider¡­ You must be feeling desperate these days, Martinus. Or is it that you¡¯re nning some scheme?¡± ¡°Who knows? That¡¯s a hard question to answer. In any case, your opponent is this young man.¡± Martinus pointed at Woohyuk with his cane. As he stepped back, Aleister observed Woohyuk as he summoned Abyssal Spears in the air. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a demon? I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re helping Eteria Rodinus, but I¡¯ll have to kill you right now.¡± ¡°Nonsense. The only one dying today is you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can keep that show of pride and confidence.¡± The Abyssal Spears ripped through the air and flew towards Woohyuk¡¯s head. He immediately expanded the demonic energy within him outside and absorbed the overwhelming attack approaching him. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°...How problematic. Are you a Demon King? There shouldn¡¯t be many being who are able to block my spells so easily.¡± ¡°No need to know.¡± ¡°Oh dear oh dear¡­ I can¡¯tprehend how things have escted like this. A demon king¡­ I will have to use my full power to win against you.¡± Aleister was already considering Woohyuk as a demon king. With a spooky look, he raised his staff high in the air. Kuoooo! A pitch-ck magic sigil appeared on the floor and a dark vortex began spinning around it. ¡®A summoning spell.¡¯ Taking Aleister¡¯s skills into ount, a high-level demon would most likely be summoned. The situation would getplicated if left alone. Once he made his n, Woohyuk took out Verserios. ¡°You should stop your petty tricks and worry about your life now, Aleister.¡± ¡°Oho, is that your exclusive weapon? It¡¯s quite gorgeous. It almost looks like the abyss of origin.¡± Aleister ecstatically observed Verserios, his eyes filled with greed. Woohyuk took advantage of the short instant when Aleister let down his guard and reduced the distance between them. And then¡­ sh! He swung his sword horizontally and severed this opponent in half. ¡®Hm¡­?¡¯ After verifying Aleister¡¯s insides, a deep frown appeared on his face. The bisected part revealed dark insides. Blood and flesh were nowhere to be seen, and only pitch darkness was visible. ¡°Aha, don¡¯t be too surprised. I¡¯m a little bit different from ordinary people.¡± ¡°Just what are you?¡± ¡°The human who was closest to finding the world¡¯s origin? Well, that sounds about right.¡± The severed Aleister¡¯s lips curled upwards. Immediately, an enormous ck snake¡¯s head emerged from the magic sigil on the floor. Leviathan. It was a mythical monster rumored to live in the Abyss. ¡®It¡¯s already toote.¡¯ If such a monster were sessfully summoned in the middle of a city, there would be enormous casualties and deaths amongst the innocent citizens. Although he was merely in a fictional world, this was also part of Martinus¡¯ trial. Woohyuk turned around and performed a downward sh with Verserios at the leviathan¡¯s head. Stab! With a dull sound, dark energy began to spill out of the monster¡¯s wound. But that was the extent of the injury. Due to its incredible size, the leviathan hadn¡¯t even flinched at the attack. ¡°Since it¡¯se to this, let¡¯s offer the entire poption of Port Delphoa as sacrifices, including you, the members of Eteria Rodinus!¡± Aleister, who had somehow returned to his previous form, snickered audibly. Woohyuk ignored him and began to ponder on how to defeat the leviathan before him. ¡®The only way is to destroy the magic sigil.¡¯ It would take far too long to suppress the leviathan. Even Aleister wouldn¡¯t just sit still watching Woohyuk defeat the monster. He could only try to send it back to the Abyss before the summoning would beplete. As heid out his options in his head, Woohyuk jumped off of the gargantuan monster¡¯s head and¡­ Boom! Swung Verserios down to the floor and destroyed the jet ck magic sigil. Chapter 95: Nameless Tome 4

Chapter 95: Nameless Tome 4

Crack! As the magic sigil broke and its glow dimmed, the leviathan was quickly swallowed up before disappearingpletely. As the summoning was yet to beplete, it was returned to the Abyss. Woohyuk sighed of relief and Aleister spoke with astonished look. ¡°Just, just¡­ how did you do that? That was a top-grade magic sigil¡­!¡± A summoning spell he had received from Lilith after burning countless viges as offerings and sacrifices. It was a single-use spell. He had been saving it for the worst case scenario, but didn¡¯t expect it to be destroyed so quickly. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You neutralized the power I received from the original witch Lilith¡­ You¡¯re no ordinary demon king, aren¡¯t you? Wait¡­ Are you a being superior to demon kings?¡± Aleister realized Woohyuk¡¯s true identity and his wariness immensely rose. Soon, he started pulling his hair off and began wrecking havoc. ¡°Aaah, this is impossible! A demon rivalling Lady Lilith?! What a contradictory and sphemous being! I must now repent for having doubted her infinite power even after being selected by Lady Lilith personally!¡± ¡°He¡¯s lost his mind. This reminds me of Kriemhild.¡± ¡°I must preach, I must preach the gospel! If not, I¡­ Kriemhild?¡± Aleister stopped his preaching as his eyes widened on his distorted face. It was such a grotesque appearance that even Woohyuk flinched back in disgust. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Did you kill the Witch of Envy?¡± ¡°She went insane and wouldn¡¯t shut up, so I personally cut her head off.¡± Woohyuk began talking about a story that would interest Aleister. He needed his enemy to have an intact mind to dig up more information about their group. Aleister was the head of the Golden Rose Society and seemed to have a deep connection with the Witch Cult. ¡°Aah, this can¡¯t be! The Sin of Envy vanished from the world! Do you not wish to spread Lady Lilith¡¯s gospel¡¯s around the world? How can you not be hungry for the true revtion? Your salvation?!¡± ¡°You talk like a believer of the Witch Cult. Do all the members of the Golden Rose Society have a screw loose in their brains like you?¡± ¡°No way. No ordinary people can be selected by Lady Lilith. Only those who are prepared, prepared to carve her love and teachings in their heart can receive her revtion. I saw it! I saw the entire Eeth Continent burning to ashes as an Abyssal Portal swallowed up the blue sky!¡± ¡®I see. There¡¯s not just one, but dozens of screws loose in his head.¡¯ He was like a Pronoia version of the Witch Cult. A fanatical devotee who had lost his mind. Woohyuk stared at the pathetic Aleister before speaking again. ¡°Does that mean that Lilith is nning on destroying the world?¡± ¡°Correct! Lady Lilith is more noble and wiser than any other demon in the world! When she descends upon our world and opens the gate to the Heavenly World, the gods and everyone else will get swallowed by the Abyss of Origin!¡± ¡®What a bbermouth.¡¯ However, it was difficult to ignore Aleister¡¯s words. In the past, even though Woohyuk had defeated the 72 Demon Kings and the 7 Witches, Lilith had escaped through his grasp. ¡°Is she trying to get revenge on the Creator for being exiled from Paradise?¡± ¡°Revenge is a big word. Lady Lilith is trying to recreate this world anew! To achieve that, we must first erase all the impurities that currently pollute our world. Isn¡¯t that an obvious procedure?¡± ¡°Are you and demons included in these ¡®impurities¡¯?¡± ¡°Obviously. From the very start, our existences were faulty. Only through destruction can we receive salvation. Is this not a magnificent dream? There will be no distinctions between good and evil in the purified world. The ones to rule this world will be Lady Lilith and the new Demon God who will be given birth to in the Abyss!¡± The Demon God. Woohyuk¡¯s eyebrows twitched at those words. ¡®Does Lilith know the existence of the Demon God?¡¯ A strange feeling grew in his heart, as if he was merely a small gear inside this gigantic machine called the World that was functioning perfectly ording to its n. Aleister cackled maliciously when he noticed Woohyuk¡¯s shock. ¡°Hahaha! You must¡¯ve been influenced by Lady Lilith¡¯s gospel! Aah, now that I think about it, just what are you? I went through the list of the 72 Demon Kings, and you weren¡¯t in there. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Are you the Demon God? No, that be true, as you¡¯re too weak for that. Let¡¯s see¡­ Are you a fragment of the Demon God?¡± A fragment of the Demon God. It was an urate expression. The Demon God¡¯s true powers were still sealed within Verserios. Woohyuk had simply inherited the name Asura. He couldn¡¯t call himself the Demon God in truth. ¡°The conversation has gotten unnecessarily long. Let us find out who the winner of this battle will be.¡± ¡°The winner? Although I do not know how you neutralized Lady Lilith¡¯s power, you are incapable of killing me. And I have no ns to harm you, as we are both part of a grand mastern!¡± ¡°Are you going to try to escape?¡± ¡°We shall meet again one day. You and I are connected by an invisible thread of fate. The scenario has already been written. We are merely puppets dancing ording to it. We simply cannot know on what stage we will be dancing upon.¡± Aleister raised his staff and his body transformed into a dark shadow immediately. Woohyuk quickly flew with his abyssal wings and swung Verserios. ¡°I won¡¯t let you escape!¡± ¡°Haha! The curtains have already fallen. This stage is over! I vow that we shall meet again!¡± With a pleasantugh, Aleister had vanished. He had escaped to the Demon World where Woohyuk would be unable to chase him. ¡°Good work. You sessfully managed to make Aleister retreat on your own.¡± Martinus spoke as he approached. He had been listening to the entire conversation from the side. He was surprised to see Woohyuk wield Asura¡¯s power, but he managed to keep a calm face. ¡°Is it fine that I didn¡¯t kill him?¡± ¡°He is someone that we never managed to defeat either. The possibility that he survived the War of Gods and Demons is very high.¡± He had made Woohyuk duel Aleister to find out what kind of existence the Korean man was. Therefore, he did not care much of the fact that Aleister had escaped. ¡°What am I supposed to do now? Should I go to where Saint Sophia and Rnd are located?¡± ¡°No. This should be enough. You will meet Sophiater on.¡± ¡°Later? What do you mean?¡± ¡°You will know the meaning of it when the timees.¡± Once Martinus raised his cane, a system message popped up before Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. [Quest: Martinus¡¯ Trial has been sessfully cleared.] [Reward: You have obtained the nameless tome.] ¡®That was unexpected.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t done much other than fighting against Aleister. Woohyuk now wondered about the reason why Martinus had considered the quest cleared. There was no reason for him to make a positive decision after seeing Woohyuk use Asura¡¯s power only. Woohyuk stared at the nameless tome that had spawned in his hand, before Martinus began speaking. ¡°Are you nning on challenging the Demon God¡¯s Throne?¡± ¡°...Did you know that from the beginning?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t certain, until I heard Aleister¡¯s words.¡± Martinus was aware of the Demon God¡¯s existence. He had coincidentallye across that information while reading a secret ancient document. ¡°Looks like your appraisal magic worked despite the Moon Shadow Ring I was wearing to conceal my status window.¡± ¡°You will have to use top-grade artifacts to fool me, Asura.¡± ¡°In any case, is it possible of you to teach me Rosa Eterna? I would prefer to be able to personally read the nameless tome.¡± ¡°We do not have the leeway to do that. This world will soon vanish.¡± ¡°Are the members of Eteria Rodinus still alive around the Eeth Continent?¡± ¡°Of course. You must find the Sangreal Chronicles. That will give you the opportunity to meet them.¡± Martinus¡¯ appearance was beginning to fade. Woohyuk grabbed him to ask onest question. ¡°Does the hidden secret section of the library belong to Eteria Rodinus?¡± ¡°We do not use such poorly made bases. That ce belongs to a group of theologians calling themselves the Spiritual Society.¡± Theologians would most likely show a confrontational attitude against Woohyuk¡¯s demonic energy. After Martinus warned him about the group in question, he began to say his farewells. ¡°In any case, it was a pleasure to meet you, Asura. Prithee put an end to Pronoia and the Golden Rose Society¡¯s schemes and conspiracies. You will certainly triumph against them as the challenger to the Demon God¡¯s Throne.¡± Once Martinus¡¯ salutations ended, the world around Woohyuk cracked and shattered like broken pieces of ss. Woohyuk was swallowed by a blinding sh of light before his surroundings turned silent. *** ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°Are, are you alright?¡± Woohyuk stumbled as he tried to stand up and Choi Kayoon rushed to support him. He had returned to the royal library¡¯s hidden section. Woohyuk took a while to understand his surroundings, before facing the portrait on the wall. Martinus had disappeared. No, in fact, the portrait of Martinus itself had vanished. ¡®I never managed to listen to his circumstances until the end.¡¯ He was unable to ask Martinus why he was sealed within a portrait and why he was protecting this location. There just were too many questions he had to ask. As he contemted, Woohyuk looked down at the book in his right hand. [Nameless Tome.] The book had fortunately remained with him. ¡°We¡¯ve finished our business here. Let¡¯s head out now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you need the ancient documents and books here? It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to take a few of them since we came all the way here.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be anything that could be of help to us.¡± Most of the books were most likely about the metaphysical theories of the theologians. If he needed them one day, he could simply return here again. Woohyuk stored the nameless tome inside the Sage¡¯s Pouch and began walking towards the exit. ¡°Did you talk with the old man in the portrait? You didn¡¯t move for 10 whole minutes, so I was worried something bad had happened to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relief you didn¡¯t run away during that time.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ There¡¯s no way I would run away. Not only did I receive 1000 golds, you¡¯ll also deal with my financial problems once we reach the Rhine Kingdom.¡± Choi Kayoon somewhat trusted Woohyuk unlike other people, because he kept his promises and seemed to need her powers. She did not hold any particr affection towards him, but she did not dislike him either. It was a ratherplex feeling. As she stared at Woohyuk, he pointed at the Banshee¡¯s Cloak she was wearing. ¡°Hide yourself just in case. We mighte across a member of the Spiritual Society on our way out.¡± ¡°The Spiritual Society? Oh, is it the name of the group that uses this hidden section? Alright.¡± Choi Kayoon nodded as she poured mana into the Banshee¡¯s Cloak. Soon, she became totally invisible. Woohyuk spoke the password in a small voice, ¡°Quo vadis, Domina?¡± Creak. And the wall¡¯s structure changed again to form an exit. Then, Woohyuk and Choi Kayoon left the secret section. ¡°Stop right there.¡± A group of priests waiting in the aisle weed them. ¡®We were discovered.¡¯ Woohyuk frowned and stared at the blond man standing at the frontmost of the group. Hiding behind him was the librarian, who had been freed from the hypnosis, trembling in fear. [Step back a little bit.] [Do, do you n to get arrested by yourself?] [There¡¯s nothing else we can do.] Thankfully, there was no invisibility detection magic sigil by the entrance of the secret section, most probably so that the members of the Spiritual Society could hide themselves during emergencies. But if he made an uproar, the entire security system would get reinforced and Choi Kayoon would also get captured. ¡®For now, I must do as they say.¡¯ Although he would get his items confiscated, he could still take them back once the opportunity came. Woohyuk raised both his hands and stepped forward. Chapter 96: The Missing Princess 1

Chapter 96: The Missing Princess 1

Surrounded by the members of the Spiritual Society, Woohyuk was taken to the Izuna Royal Pce. He was suspected of scheming some ns that could harm the kingdom as he had infiltrated the royal library¡¯s hidden section. Fortunately, the people who detained him had only confiscated Grandia that was on his waist. The other artifacts were left untouched, most likely because he had turned himself in without resisting. [Sieg, anything to report?] [Nothing happening here. Tinia and Silvia are doing good as usual.] [Contact me immediately if something suspicious happens.] [Understood.] As he walked through the hallways of the pce, Woohyuk verified the safety of the siblings. He was worried that the head of the Witch Cult, Amy would target them. Therefore, Woohyuk wished to finish dealing with his business in the Izuna Kingdom and to return to his country as fast as possible. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°...You shall know when we arrive.¡± The blond young man looked at him in annoyance. He was probably the head of the Spiritual Society and a high-ranking priest of the Izuna Kingdom. ¡®They called him Ronald, I believe.¡¯ However, he could not rival Woohyuk as he had undone two of Verserios¡¯ seals. ¡®If they wish to fight me using holy power, they¡¯ll have to bring the Saintess here.¡¯ Choi Kayoon had probably run far away by now. The moment hade for him to make his escape. Ronald was in possession of Grandia, so Woohyuk only had to subdue him. He began to observe his surroundings and n out his escape route, but¡­ ¡°Sir, Sir Ronald!¡± A knight approached them from the other side of the hallway. ¡°What is the matter, Sir Lannis?¡± ¡°Pr, Princess Lizbeth is missing!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Ronald and the other priests were dumbfounded and couldn¡¯t form words. They were actually worried that the shadow killer might make his move within the city again, and now, the princess herself had disappeared! ¡®So the princess went missing?¡¯ Woohyuk had never heard of this incident while he was gathering information before his regression. He had most likely changed the future by intervening in the shadow killer incidents. ¡®She didn¡¯t run away because of her arranged marriage, did she?¡¯ The possibilities of this incident being caused by the Witch Cult or some demons were extremely high, considering the events that were happening within the kingdom. Although this was a foreign country to him, there were many incidents that he was reluctant to ignore. ¡®There¡¯s no benefit for us if we let the Izuna Kingdom be a nest of demons.¡¯ The Rhine Kingdom needed to have at least one allied country amongst those in its proximity. That would allow them to avoid international istion. It was already toote to intervene in the Dane and Lydia Kingdoms, so thest option was the Izuna Kingdom. Compared to the other nation, the Izuna Kingdom wasn¡¯t victim to a lot of incidents, so Woohyuk was nning on leaving it without getting involved. However, now that things hade to this, he was about to step in and clean up the mess himself. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± The priests in the corridor were angered by Woohyuk¡¯s nonchnt sigh. ¡°You truly don¡¯t understand your position right now, do you?¡± ¡°Do you know something about the princess¡¯ disappearance?¡± The timing of this incident was impable. Now, Woohyuk was suspected of being involved with the princess¡¯ disappearance. As he began to ponder his next moves, Ronald spoke up. ¡°We have no choice. We must bring this criminal before His Majesty.¡± ¡°Is, is that appropriate? He¡¯s a really suspicious person¡­¡± ¡°Her Highness Lizbethes first before the library¡¯s secret section.¡± If Princess Lizbeth were to be harmed, the entire Izuna Kingdom would be impacted and shook. As the Chief Court Magician and the king¡¯s closest aide, Ronald had to avoid the worst case scenario as much as possible. As Ronald rushed to the throne room, Woohyuk made a satisfied smile. ¡®Right, seeing the king in person would be the fastest way to deal with this.¡¯ He could erase all suspicions as long as he properly came up with a believable excuse about his infiltration into the library. Soon, they stood before a grand door. Once they opened, Woohyuk stepped in and saw the throne room, where the vassals stood on each side of the hall and a grey-haired man sat on the throne. Henry the 4th. He was currently panicking due to the missing Princess Lizbeth. ¡°Your Majesty, we have captured a man who had infiltrated the royal library.¡± ¡°Bring him over.¡± King Henry nced at Woohyuk with a sharp gaze. He was also suspecting him as one of the criminals who had conspired the princess¡¯ disappearance. Ronald turned to Woohyuk and spoke to him, even before receiving a royalmand. ¡°You better reveal everything you know. Otherwise, you¡¯ll experience pain worse than death that¡¯ll make you wish you were in hell.¡± ¡°...¡± Woohyuk thought of it as a cute and harmless threat. He was technically someone who could single-handedly destroy an entire kingdom on his own. He scoffed on the inside as he approached the king with Ronald. ¡°Why did you infiltrate the royal library?¡± ¡°To find a certain book.¡± ¡°Watch your manners before the king!¡± The astonished Ronald swung his staff towards Woohyuk¡¯s head. Swoosh. However, the attack did not meet its mark. Woohyuk had avoided it by twisting his body. ¡°This, this bastard!¡± ¡°Henry the 4th. I have an offer to propose as the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s monarch.¡± Woohyuk stared at King Henry while ignoring the raging Ronald. He hadn¡¯t hesitated to reveal his identity since he was being treated as a criminal. ¡°The Rhine Kingdom¡¯s monarch? Is that the truth?¡± Indeed, the Rhine Kingdom was the only neighboring country where the throne¡¯s owner had recently changed. Woohyuk nodded as the king stared at him with a puzzled look. ¡°That is correct. I had hidden my identity due to some circumstances.¡± Woohyuk removed the jester¡¯s mask and was back to his normal appearance. A ck-haired young man with a graceful look. Woohyuk took out the royal seal as proof, but King Henry shook his head. ¡°What are those circumstances you speak of? What are you secretly scheming in my kingdom?¡± ¡°I have already mentioned this earlier, but I was looking for a certain ancient book.¡± Woohyuk spoke of the events at Count Oswald¡¯s mansion and appropriately exined his situation. King Henry was surprised after listening to the end of the story. ¡°You were the one who saved Count Oswald from the shadow killer? I was not aware of that information.¡± ¡°The Witch Cult is probably also the culprit behind Princess Lizbeth¡¯s disappearance.¡± The Witch Cult was trying to intervene in the Izuna Kingdom. But with the presence of a variable they had not predicted, their ns had changed. King Henry nodded at Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°No wonder you took the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s throne with your own abilities. I understand, Chun Woohyuk. I shall trust your words. I will also forget about the fact that you were inside the secret section.¡± ¡°A wise choice. Now, would it be possible for your subjects to leave this hall other than your most trusted subordinates?¡± ¡°That is preposterous! Your Majesty, you must not believe this man¡¯s words! We must immediately torture¡­¡± ¡°I understand. Everyone, leave this room.¡± King Henry waved his hand at his vassals. Soon, they left the hall in an orderly manner, and Ronald¡¯s eyes went wide at this sight. ¡°Your, Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Please stay silent, Sir Ronald.¡± King Henry was currently only interested in the safety of his daughter. If he could learn of her whereabouts, making his vassals leave was but a small request to him. ¡°It¡¯s be a lot quieter.¡± Woohyuk was now satisfied. ¡°I¡¯ve done as you have requested me. Now, what is this offer of yours?¡± ¡°Allow me to help the search for Princess Lizbeth. Instead, please promise that you wille to my kingdom¡¯s aid with sufficient military reinforcements in times of crisis.¡± ¡°Military reinforcements¡­ Indeed, that would be eptable if you were to bring my daughter back safely.¡± ¡°Are you epting the offer?¡± ¡°Indeed. However, I wille to your aid through military support only once. If we keep dispatching the army to the Rhine Kingdom, our own nation will be in jeopardy.¡± ¡°Alright. Let us do as such.¡± ¡°Ronald, return the weapon to its owner.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes¡­¡± At King Henry¡¯s order, Ronald handed Grandia to Woohyuk with a dumbfounded face. He was confused as the person he had been treating as a criminal was in fact the king of a neighboring country. ¡°Could you assign this man to me as well?¡± ¡°Take him if you need him. He is called Ronald, the chief court magician.¡± Other than him, there were also the royal knights and the city guards who were at his disposition. After receiving the rights tomand them in cases of emergencies from the king, Woohyuk left the throne room. ¡°Ronald, where was Princess Lizbeth when she disappeared?¡± ¡°At the fountain garden in front of the pce.¡± As the fountain garden was quiterge in scale, it was the perfect location to kidnap the unarmed princess. Woohyuk went to the crime scene with Ronald and the other members of the Spiritual Society. ¡®I sense demonic energy here.¡¯ Although the incident had happened a while ago, the turbid energy was still hanging in the air. Woohyuk spoke as he scanned the surrounding area with the Archeologist¡¯s Golden Magnifying ss. ¡°It appears that they used a flying monster.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve found the footsteps of a gargoyle.¡± In reality, there was only a small hole in the ground, but the magnifying ss drew the outline of a footprint. Following the gargoyle¡¯s traces, Woohyuk discovered that the location it most likely flew off towards was¡­ ¡®The wastnd.¡¯ A ce the notorious and infamous alchemist called Lucas had secluded himself in his past life. Hidden there, he used the forbidden human transmutation technique to mass produce chimeras. But then, he caught the attention of Necromancer Logan and left for the northern Norton Kingdom... ¡®Using the results and information from his countless experiments, he created the undead guards.¡¯ Woohyuk wasn¡¯t sure if Lucas was currently living in the wastnd. But the possibility of the Witch Cult using it as their base was extremely high. ¡®If both of them are located there, it¡¯ll be advantageous for me.¡¯ Lucas was needed to strengthen Woohyuk¡¯s army of undeads in the future, while he had to find the Witch Cult to rescue Princess Lizbeth. Woohyuk turned around to face Ronald. ¡°We must gather people for the Witch Cult Subjugation Forces. How many can you gather before the sun sets?¡± ¡°If we mobilize the kingdom¡¯s army, I can get ten to twenty thousand troops.¡± ¡°Gather as many cavalrymen as you can. Time is greatly limited.¡± This was no ordinary war. Their mission was to rescue Princess Lizbeth. Even if they had an overwhelming number of soldiers, if they were unable to give chase and catch up to the kidnappers, they would be useless. However, since the Witch Cult had gotten involved with the monsters as well, it was dangerous to take cavalrymen only. ¡°Should we inform the ns about this? They are not regr soldiers, but when gathered, they make quite a powerful group.¡± ¡°Of course. But we¡¯ll have to give them another mission.¡± If Woohyuk mobilized the national army, the capital city of Neferti would be left defenseless. It was best to prepare themselves for the worst and make the ns protect the city while searching around its vicinity. ¡°Then will you let the other mercenaries move autonomously?¡± ¡°I cannot afford tomand over everyone individually.¡± ns and their members could use their unity rings to exchange information in real time, but mercenaries took longer to send information between one another. In either case, mercenaries were a minority amongst his forces, so there was no need for Woohyuk to worry too much about them. ¡°We shall go prepare ourselves immediately. The wastnd is quite the far destination.¡± ¡°Return before the sun sets.¡± The sun had already begun its descent as the sky turned orange. Woohyuk wanted to depart immediately on his own, but he needed a lot of people with him to find the princess. He had to operate with the people of the Izuna Kingdom for a while. ¡®Finally, another chance to eliminate Amy.¡¯ He was a bit bothered by the fact that the head of the Witch Cult was monitoring him and hispanions. As the members of the Spiritual Society ran off in a hurry, Woohyuk stared into the warm horizon. Tonight was going to be a long night. Chapter 97: The Missing Princess 2

Chapter 97: The Missing Princess 2

The Spiritual Society was a secret group of theologians, and its sole objective was to fight against evil organizations. They researched holy magic and tried to find the source of evil by studying history. You could say that they had inherited the will of Eteria Rodinus, but the problem was that they were unaware that Eteria Rodinus was still active in the world. They were just a watered down version of Eteria Rodinus. They weren¡¯t qualified enough to join the group of wisemen, and they had secrized themselves by affiliating themselves with the royal family of the Izuna Kingdom. However, all the members of the Spiritual Society somehow were high-ranking priests. Their strength and advantage were in their holy magic that could fight off monsters and face the Witch Cult. ¡®Their equipments¡¯ levels are also quite good.¡¯ As he led the subjugation forces on his warhorse, Woohyuk was doing an interim check. The Spiritual Society¡¯s members were all equipped with te armors and maces. They looked very resistant against physical attacks, especially against monsters. Meanwhile, he had called Choi Kayoon back before the departure, and she was equipped with leather armor and a whip. While her equipment seemed a bit shabby, she was being protected by the Spiritual Society. ¡®Should I have lent her some armor of mine?¡¯ While the Berserker¡¯s te Armor Set was too much for her to handle as it would continuously drain her vitality, the Basilisk Scale Armor Set would fit her perfectly. However, he was worried of its ability to inflict poison damage with a certain probability. ¡®It would be problematic if she hits an ally with her whip while wearing that set.¡¯ That was the downside of the Basilisk Scale Armor Set. She would have to pay extreme attention to her surrounding allies. If he were wearing the scale armor set during his battle against Tinia, she would definitely have died. That was why Woohyuk preferred to wear regr te armor at most times. But he could always switch his armor set by using one of his belt slots. In either case, the demonic energy he wields could reinforce his body and protect him, so defensive armor was pretty much useless to him. ¡°About the Witch Cult, do they have different factions since there are 7 witches in total?¡± ¡°You could say it that way.¡± Pride, Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Envy, Sloth, Wrath. Lilith¡¯s witches represented the seven deadly sins chosen by the Creator, and the executives below the head of the cult led seven different factions and sects. However, that was but just a small problem. Each faction believed and revered the same being, Lilith, as the others. The differences between them was which sin they felt more connected to. ¡°That¡¯s terrifying. To think that such a pseudo-religion is rampant on the Eeth continent¡­¡± ChoI Kayoon trembled as she recalled the events that had transpired at Count Oswald¡¯s mansion. The woman had ughtered the members of the Pitbull n, a n with quite the high ranking. The executives of the Witch Cult were most likely as powerful as Amy was. ¡°If the world descends into chaos, the Witch Cult will gain a lot of influence.¡± ¡°What will you do if the Witch Cult takes the princess as a hostage? They look very proficient with evil methods and immoral actions.¡± ¡°We just need to rescue her before that happens.¡± Woohyuk was quite knowledgeable of the wastnd¡¯s structure. He had investigated and scouted the area many times in the past to fight against hostile forces. So he more or less knew where Princess Lizbeth was likely to be imprisoned. ¡®The undergroundboratory.¡¯ He had heard that it was a torture chamber before Lucas changed its use. It was located in the 3rd underground floor. Woohyuk had to infiltrate it on his own if he didn¡¯t want to get discovered. ¡®I¡¯ll put Ronald in charge of leading the forces.¡¯ The cavalry¡¯s movements were key to blocking off the Witch Cult¡¯s escape, and he had already told Ronald the details of his n. Choi Kayoon would be fine without him as she was being protected by the Spiritual Society. And if, for certain reasons, she were in danger, he could simply summon her using the Call to Arms skill. There didn¡¯t seem to be any problems. ¡°Umm¡­ Lord Chun Woohyuk.¡± During Woohyuk¡¯s interim check, Ronald carefully spoke to him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I would like to ask for your forgiveness for my rude behavior earlier.¡± Ronald was worried that Woohyuk would hold a grudge against him. Woohyuk had been ordered by King Henry himself tomand the Witch Cult subjugation forces. While it was a temporary position, Woohyuk was still higher ranked than himself and was also the king of the Rhine Kingdom. He would be in trouble in the short term and the long term if Woohyuk held a grudge against him. ¡°The past doesn¡¯t matter. But you¡¯ll have to prove your worth during this expedition.¡± ¡°I understand. Princess Lizbeth¡¯s life is on the line¡­¡± ¡°And I will not allow any objections, whatever the situation may be.¡± ¡°I would not dare to object. I wholeheartedly trust your skills, Lord Chun Woohyuk.¡± As he observed Woohyuk as the head of the Spiritual Society, he knew that the man was no ordinary human. He had been victorious after battling the Demon King Vk, and used the chaotic internal affairs of the nation to his advantage to single-handedly obtain it and be its king. Ronald had many questions about Woohyuk¡¯s skills, but one thing was certain. ¡®There has never been a hero like him ever since the War of Gods and Demons.¡¯ If Woohyuk failed his current mission, nobody else would ever seed either, including himself. Therefore, he obviously had to show his absolute obedience to Woohyuk. It was better to ignore his meaningless pride for a short while. As Ronald stared at themander, a dark mist began to form in the distance. ¡°Wha, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Is it the Witch Cult?¡± The soldiers began to get nervous and amotion rose. The enemies numbered 20 thousand. It was not a small army. The enemies had most probably noticed the movements within the city in advance and had prepared their own forces. ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± Woohyuk pulled on his reins and shouted. He had noticed the mist¡¯s true identity through the demonic energy within him. ¡®It¡¯s an army of mixed monster species.¡¯ Just like the monsters back in the Corcas mountains, the monsters were being led by an elite monster. They were most likely the monsters who were migrating that Choi Kayoon had noticed. As there was no time, Woohyuk quickly pulled out Grandia. ¡°Ronald, I¡¯ll leave you in charge of themand.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ Where do you n on going right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back with the enemy¡¯smander¡¯s head.¡± It would be problematic to lose time by fighting against the monsters. Therefore, it was better to just kill the elite monster without touching the others. Woohyuk had thought of a strategy that no ordinarymander could have ever imagined. Before long, the rhythmic pounding of hoofbeats rang out as a white warhorse galloped forward. Woohyuk bent down on his horse as he ran towards the army of monsters. ¡®I¡¯ll need to fight my way through quite deeply.¡¯ The army¡¯s scale was extremelyrge as the monsters from all corners of the kingdom had gathered. However, he couldn¡¯t use too much energy right from the beginning. He had to reserve energy to fight against the executives of the Witch Cult. Swoosh! Woohyuk released his demonic energy and his white warhorse got covered by the dark energy. His ride would not get hurt by ordinary attacks anymore. Crash! The warhorse ran with all its might before crashing into a dumbfounded orc. The monster flew into the sky with a few broken ribs before crasnding face-first into the ground. Boom! Crash! Boom! No monsters could stop the white horse. It was a literal hellish ughter. A road appeared within the dense cluster of monsters, just like how Moses had performed his miracle. The surrounding monsters could only stare with astonishment at the scene before their eyes. ¡°Kreegh?¡± ¡°Groagh¡­?¡± The distance between the human and themanding monster, an ancient ogre, was now only 500m. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes shone as he ignored the spears, arrows and magic spells that flew at him from all four directions. ¡®I just need to get rid of him.¡¯ The monster was as big as a mountain due to its nature as an ancient monster, but that was the extent of it. Woohyuk could easily cut its throat by wielding Grandia. He didn¡¯t have to use Verserios as of yet. And if he wielded his demonic energy as aura, he could also end the battle just by using the Vampiric Dagger. ¡°Krrrrrr¡­¡± The distance between the twomanders shortened and the ancient ogre raised its ughter sword. Soon, an orange energy began to wrap around the de and it began to burn like a fiery me. ¡®An exclusive ability of its species.¡¯ If one evolved like the ancient ogre, they could also use aura with their weapons like this monster had done. Actually, they could do it with any object. Indeed, it was a cheat-like species-exclusive attribute. However, the aura they wielded were generally only at the beginner¡¯s level, so Woohyuk wasn¡¯t very worried. sh! Woohyuk¡¯s attack halved the ughter sword in a satisfying way. Soon enough, Grandia pierced the rugged skill of the ancient ogre. Boom! The demonic energy around the de incinerated the monster¡¯s brain in a matter of seconds. No matter how big they were, the head was a vital weak spot. With its central organ lost, it could no longer move on its own. Boom! Dust was raised along with a thunderous sound. As the monsters began to escape after losing theirmander, Woohyuk rode on his horse and turned the ancient ogre into an undead. [Undead Ancient Ogre] - ss: Dark Berserker (Monster) - Traits: Leadership (3,000), Blood Craze (Increases strength and dexterity and umted the rage gauge the more it ys enemies. Strength and dexterity can only increase up to double their original amount), Berserker¡¯s Fury (Attack the ground with a weapon to lift all foes within a 250m radius into the air and affect them with the shocked status. If the rage gauge is full, power gets doubled), Aura of Death (Increase all stats of undead allies within a 35m radius by +10), Enchant Darkness (enchant a weapon with the darkness attribute) - Stats Strength 216 Vitality 248 Dexterity 203 Intelligence 58 Spirit 172 ¡®Looks decent.¡¯ Although it couldn¡¯tpare to the fallen hero Sieg, its Leadership skill at 3,000 please Woohyuk quite a bit. Blood Craze and Berserker¡¯s Fury were satisfying. Their effects would work well in a war. The only drawback was that the exclusive attribute it had back when it was alive, the orange aura, had disappeared. It was most likely reced by Enchant Darkness, but was still an unfortunate loss. Woohyuk cancelled the summoning of the Undead Ancient Ogre and captured an orc that had failed to escape in time. Thump! Whack! Boom! ¡°Groek!?¡± Although he couldn¡¯t understand its words, it was most definitely asking Woohyuk to spare him. He could probably talk with it if he used Asura¡¯s power, but that would unnecessarily drain his vitality. As Woohyuk continued to terrify the orc, Ronald arrived along with the rest of the Spiritual Society members. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re safe! Do you know how much I was worried about you?¡± ¡°Your attitude has greatly changedpared to when you were taking me to the pce.¡± ¡°Oh, that was a misunderstanding. If I knew you were Lord Chun Woohyuk, I never would¡¯ve done such a thing. Just how would I act as such to the hero who defeated Demon King Vk¡­?¡± Ronald spoke quickly as he wiped off the cold sweat. He was skilled at acting in a proper manner in front of a king, most likely due to his experience as King Henry¡¯s closest aide. Woohyuk ignored him and walked before Choi Kayoon, dragging the orc behind him. ¡°Try talking with it.¡± ¡°Wha, me?! I don¡¯t think I can do it yet¡­¡± ¡°Have you ever tried to?¡± ¡°No¡­ because I don¡¯t really want to converse with monsters¡­¡± ¡°Then this is your chance. Do you not want to show us your skills and abilities?¡± If she could converse with the orc, they could learn of the Witch Cult¡¯s current schemes and ns. Once Woohyuk finished exining, Choi Kayoon sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯ve got no choice then. I owe you a lot, so I¡¯ll try.¡± Choi Kayoon took out her leather whip and stared at the orc. Soon, the orc¡¯s cries resounded along with the cracking noises of a whip. Chapter 98: The Missing Princess 3

Chapter 98: The Missing Princess 3

Choi Kayoon¡¯s monster taming technique was quite rough. She would first beat it to a pulp until it couldn¡¯t think of anything else beforeying down her orders. However, it wasn¡¯t an absurd or immoral act. The enemy was a monster. They are not gentle like domesticated pets nor can they follow orders efficiently. Therefore, if the taming skill¡¯s proficiency was still low, she would have to resort to simpler methods. Woohyuk had done the same as Choi Kayoon back in the Primordial Forest when taming the jabberwocks. However, innate talent wasn¡¯t something he could beat. Despite her low proficiency, Choi Kayoon tamed the orc and sessfully managed to converse with it. It was obviously notplex enough to be called a conversation, but the intentions and meaning behind their words were being properly conveyed to each other. The orc used all kinds of gestures to try to express himself. It spilled out all kinds of information as it didn¡¯t want to get beaten up any more. Amongst those information, there were even a few pieces of vital news. ¡®They¡¯re summoning a demonic beast.¡¯ Woohyuk was reminded of the leviathan that Aleister Crowley had summoned back in Martinus¡¯ spiritual world. To summon a demonic monster, they would need the magic circle and the power of the Abyss along with an offering. Thepletion of the magic circle depended on the individual¡¯s skills, and they had to receive the power of the Abyss from a Demon King or a Witch. And for the offering, they had to raid viges or cities and sacrifice all the residents. As of currently, the Witch Cult had satisfied all the necessary conditions for the summon. ¡®They must¡¯ve burnt down countless viges in advance.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure which demonic beast they were trying to summon, but Woohyuk predicted that the number of sacrificed lives was quite consequential. Amy had most likely assassinated many aristocrats for the purpose of this summoning as well. The blood of priests and nobles were highly efficient during evil rituals. ¡®And there¡¯s no need to even mention the princess¡¯ blood.¡¯ It was possible that they had kidnapped Princess Lizbeth to summon a high-ranking demonic beast. But it was still too early toe up with such a conclusion as there were still some aspects that were off and didn¡¯t match. One of them was that Princess Lizbeth was the only royalty who was kidnapped. While it was true that her existence as a direct descendant of the king would greatly increase their chances, the blood of an extended member of the royal family would¡¯ve been more than enough. That signified that the purpose of the princess¡¯ kidnapping wasn¡¯t the summoning ritual. ¡®Their final objective is most likely to obtain the Izuna Kingdom in its entirety.¡¯ King Henry was famous for being a doting father. That was why she hadn¡¯t been engaged in a political marriage even though she had reached a mature age. If the Witch Cult or a demon took Princess Lizbeth as a hostage, King Henry would have no choice but to be their puppet king. ¡°What are you thinking about so seriously? We¡¯ve almost arrived.¡± ¡°I was just sorting out information about our current situation.¡± They were nning on executing a n with a low sess rate, so he had to check all the potential variables in advance to increase the rate as much as possible. If he wanted the Izuna Kingdom¡¯s military support in the future, he absolutely had to seed in this mission. After bracing himself again, Woohyuk stared at the wastnd in the distance. ¡°The atmosphere is so eerie¡­ Maybe because it¡¯s already nighttime.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to be nervous but attentive than not.¡± If, by any chance, Lucas were living here, he would¡¯ve made countless chimeras by now. However, as his skill were yet to be perfected, thepleted chimeras wouldn¡¯tpare to a masterpiece like Irene. ¡®Now that I think about it, Aris is also quite the genius.¡¯ She had used a seemingly impossible concept to create a magically engineered weapon with enormous power. If he made Lucas or Drake work with her, they would have a great synergy and create astonishing results. ¡°Huh? There¡¯s something flying at us in the sky.¡± ¡°...Gargoyles.¡± The stone statues located at various spots on the wastnd had awoken. This situation was different to the one back in the Adventurer¡¯s canyon. The difficulty level of that area had been reduced. There were no gargoyles and the chimeras had diverse amounts of debuffs ced on them. ¡°How do we defeat those?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a piece of cake if we use holy magic.¡± Gargoyles were of the darkness attribute, therefore were weak against the skills of priests. As Woohyuk stared at them, the Spiritual Society¡¯s members took out their staffs. They had switched their weapons out using the power of their belts. ¡°Please leave the gargoyles to us.¡± ¡°We can easily block that many of them.¡± As the members of the society began to chant a holy spell, a pure white magic sigil covered the ground. And soon enough¡­ Swoosh swoosh swoosh! Within the darkness of the night, countless spears of light heavily rained down like a meteor shower. [Divine Fall]. It was a wide-range holy spell that was activated by a group chant. Stab! The gargoyles began to drop like flies one after another as they got pierced by numerous spears of light. But at that moment, monstrous cries resonated from the wastnd. ¡°Kieeeeeeeeek!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaak!¡± Hideous chimeras had joined the battlefield. ¡°I¡¯ll move independently for a while. Follow the orders I gave everyone in advance!¡± ¡°Will, will you charge at them on your own and kill themander again?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do that this time.¡± The most urgent task was to infiltrate behind the enemy lines and rescue the princess. Woohyuk handed themanding rights to Ronald and covered himself with the Banshee¡¯s Cloak. ¡®I hope this works.¡¯ The executives of the Witch Cult would easily discover his presence if he merely made himself invisible. He had to hide his spirit as much as possible and aim for an opening. ¡®I also have to watch out for stigmas.¡¯ Amy was able to scout Count Oswald¡¯s mansion¡¯s interior due to the witch¡¯s stigma. The witch¡¯s stigma could be imprinted on living creatures, but also on puppets or statues. If the stigma were deeply hidden, he wouldn¡¯t notice it unless he came in contact with it. As there were too many dangerous variables, Woohyuk took out the Moon Shadow Ring to modify his status window more sophisticatedly. [Urkheim] - ss: Orc Warrior - Title: Son of the Chieftain (Strength +15, 15% additional experience gains), Human yer (Absorb 1~3% of the stats of a human you personally killed), Male Orc of Mature Age (Additional violent tendencies, agility increased by 15% at night) - Stats Strength: 122 Vitality: 117 Agility: 103 Intelligence: 41 Spirit: 85 - Other 25% increase in affinity with other subspecies ¡®This looks satisfactory.¡¯ Urkheim signified ¡®the child picked up beneath a bridge¡¯ in Orcish. In other words, a swear word. He hade up with this name as he couldn¡¯t think of any other word. ¡®With this, I won¡¯t easily be suspected even if I get detected within the wastnd.¡¯ To prepare for the worst case scenario, Woohyuk wore the Jester¡¯s Mask and modified his appearance into that of a male orc, just in case his invisibility was seen through. After finishing up his preparations, Woohyuk infiltrated inside the wastnd. ¡°Kueeeek!¡± ¡°Krrrrrr!¡± The chimeras on standby screamed oddly, as if they wanted to be sent out as quickly as possible. They were artificially modified low-rank beings, and couldn¡¯t sense Woohyuk¡¯s approach. ¡®I don¡¯t see the Witch Cult.¡¯ They were most likely performing the evil summoning ritual underground. Woohyuk walked through the castle in ruins and found the staircase leading downstairs. As he carefully walked down to the first underground floor, Click. A metallic sound resonated in the air. A blond puppet in the shape of a young girl was looking down on Woohyuk. ¡°Hi Urkheim. I¡¯m called Agnes.¡± ¡°...¡± Agnes was a doll with a consciousness. She could also use appraisal magic and had already inspected Woohyuk¡¯s status window. However, that status window had obviously been falsified. ¡®I got detected even before reaching the first underground floor.¡¯ Fortunately, Agnes wasn¡¯t nning on harming him. He still had the opportunity to continue his mission. ¡®I need to get past her as quickly as possible.¡¯ He was certain that Agnes also had the witch¡¯s stigma imprinted in her, and her master was most probably Amy. Even if he could trick Agnes, Amy could still see through his disguise by sharing her vision with the puppet. ¡°Agnes¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my name. Looks like you know themonnguage, since I didn¡¯t speak in Orcish earlier.¡± Languages differed ording to the regions of the Eeth continent, but humans mostly used a singlenguage all-together. Simr to how Europeans during the Middle-Ages mostly usedtin tomunicate. Agnes had spoken in thatmonnguage. ¡°Know¡­ little¡­¡± ¡°Kyahaha! You¡¯re funny. Maybe you studied a lot from a young age as the chieftain¡¯s son? But your stats are a bit low considering that¡­ Oh well, that doesn¡¯t matter. In any case, tell me why you came down here after casting invisibility magic on yourself.¡± Agnes¡¯ crimson red eyes scanned Woohyuk up and down. It was a dangerous situation. Woohyuk had toe up with a proper excuse. ¡°Human¡­ magician¡­ thing¡­ touch¡­ regret¡­ shocked¡­ entered¡­¡± ¡°Kaka¡­ So you became invisible after carelessly touching an artifact? And you entered this ce because you were in shock?¡± ¡°That¡­ true.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll return to normal in a while. I want to reassure your heart, but I don¡¯t have those kinds of programmed skills within me. I¡¯m just a cute puppet. Hihihi!¡± Agnes keptughing as if she found something funny. ¡®Looks like she was quite bored.¡¯ Woohyuk made a sigh of relief in his mind. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since Ist felt like digging a hole and hiding myself in shame.¡¯ He had to quickly go down to the first underground floor if he wanted to stop his shameful orc persona. However, it didn¡¯t seem like Agnes would just let him go quietly, as she was currently making a fuss with sparkles in her eyes. ¡°Hey actually actually actually, you should just y here with me instead of going back outside. Alright? If someonees looking for you, I¡¯ll defend you and make up an excuse. Tell me honestly. You don¡¯t want to go back out and exhaust yourself again, right?¡± ¡°What¡­ we¡­ y¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just chat a bit. I¡¯m feeling a bit lonely these days. I¡¯m always sitting here in a daze by myself with nothing to do.¡± Agnes moved her joints and limbs and did a crying pose. She was crafted so exquisitely that one would see her as an ordinary young girl. Woohyuk began to sort his thoughts to escape from her grasp. ¡®I only have two choices.¡¯ The first choice was ignoring Agnes and going down to the 1st floor. Although he wanted to do that, he knew better not to execute that n. Agnes was ced here to attack all invaders and infiltrators. Even if she considered him as part of the same faction, if he acted in a suspicious manner she would immediately report to Amy. The second choice was to spend time with her and befriend her. He didn¡¯t have the certainty that she wouldn¡¯t report to Amy in this scenario, but it was the choice with the best sess rate. Moreover, he could also potentially obtain valuable information. Woohyuk pondered for a bit and made his decision. ¡®The 3rd underground floor is still far away.¡¯ If his destination were the first floor, the first choice wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea, as he would quickly reach it and exit as fast as he had entered. There wouldn¡¯t be a need to waste time here. However, in this situation, the second option was the better choice. ¡°You¡­ know¡­ meaning¡­ Urkheim¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. I didn¡¯t learn Orcish.¡± ¡°Child... picked up... beneath... bridge¡­¡± ¡°What? Pffft¡­ Bwahahahaha!¡± Agnes wasughing uncontrobly in the air as she waddled her legs. The chieftain¡¯s son¡¯s name was far too foolish. ¡°Now¡­ you¡­ turn¡­¡± ¡°Pfft, pwahahahaha! Huh? Are you asking me to tell a funny story as well?¡± ¡°Not¡­ funny¡­ story¡­ Anything¡­ you want¡­ say¡­¡± Since things hade to this, he was about to make Agnes spill as much information as possible. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes brightened as he continued his clumsy orc act. Chapter 99: The Missing Princess 4

Chapter 99: The Missing Princess 4

Agnes. She was originally a soul of darkness created by witches to serve them for their personal needs. Amongst those servants, Agnes stood out the most and had gained her master Kriemhild¡¯s greatest favor. But one day¡­ Kriemhild sealed Agnes within a puppet without informing her in advance to lend her to the Witch Cult. However, since Agnes could take advantage of her own powers, Kriemhild restrained Agnes into 3 stages. The first stage only allowed her to observe her surroundings and move around. The second stage allowed her to use a few dark spells to protect her master. The third stage gave her full control of her powers. The restraint level could only be modified by Kriemhild or other witches. Until today, Agnes was sometimes set in the 2nd stage but never the 3rd, as her current master Amy was far too skilled to need her help. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m just floating here in a daze. I¡¯m not much of a help to my new master.¡± With Kriemhild¡¯s death, Agnes¡¯ restriction level was reduced to the 1st stage. Although she could ask other witches to change her stage, Amy was far too busy to go talk to the witches for such a goal. There was nobody who paid attention to Agnes. ¡°Amy¡­ where¡­¡± ¡°Probably on the 2nd underground floor. She¡¯s trying to summon the demonic beast Behemoth.¡± Behemoth. Woohyuk was greatly surprised by that word. ¡®She¡¯s trying to summon a legendary rank demonic beast?¡¯ While it was one rank lower than the Leviathan, the Behemoth was also a demonic beast with immense strength. If it wreaked havoc, it could raze a small nation to the ground without a building left standing. However, the current problem was that the Witch Cult could gain such a powerful beast. ¡®I¡¯m certain that the Behemoth was summoned in a different region in the past.¡¯ Woohyuk guessed that his arrival in the Izuna Kingdom had changed a lot of the future. Princess Lizbeth¡¯s kidnapping probably hadn¡¯t happened either in the past. While Woohyuk was feeling slightly nervous, Agnes roared inughter. ¡°Kihihi! Don¡¯t worry too much. The Behemoth won¡¯t eat you. Oh, except maybe for right after the summoning ritual ends.¡± It was impossible for humans to tame and control starving demonic beasts. All of the summoners of the Witch Cult would die once the summoning ritual ends, except for Amy. Woohyuk was already aware of this truth due to his past experiences. ¡®No matter what happens, I need to stop them before the ritual ispleted.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t because he wanted to protect and save the believer of the Witch Cult, but rather that it would be difficult for him to face a legendary rank demonic beast. Not only that, but he also had to rescue Princess Lizbeth. ¡®Alright. Now I know what to do from here on out.¡¯ ording to Agnes¡¯ information, the underground structure was the same as the version in Woohyuk¡¯s memory. The first underground floor was Lucas¡¯ chimera researchb. The second floor was where the summoning ritual and Amy were located. The third underground floor was where Princess Lizbeth was imprisoned. So the best course of action was to reach the lowest floor first and going up the stairs. Since he had some business to attend to on each floor, visiting each floor in the reverse order was the fastest solution. ¡°Me¡­ go¡­ down¡­¡± ¡°What? If you get captured by Lucas, he¡¯ll experiment on you. You might even die, you know?¡± ¡°Precious person¡­ imprisoned¡­ must save¡­¡± Woohyuk babbled vaguely as he was acting like a dumb orc. It would be fine as long as she understood the intent behind his words. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to the 1st underground floor?¡± ¡°Unknown¡­ must¡­ go¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s only the princess on the 3rd floor and the Witch Cult on the 2nd floor. So your friend must be on the first underground floor. Hm¡­ Alright. I¡¯ll turn a blind eye to this since I understand your situation. Thankfully, Amy isn¡¯t checking on me right now.¡± Sess. When Woohyuk began to rush down the stairs, Agnes spoke to him and he halted his steps. ¡°Ah, Urkheim. There¡¯s something I forgot to say.¡± ¡°What¡­ is it.¡± ¡°Take this with you.¡± Agnes took out a purple gem from her chest and threw it to Woohyuk. Grab. The gemstone drew an arc andnded on Woohyuk¡¯s palms. ¡°Gem¡­¡± ¡°Use it when you¡¯re in danger. You do know how to read item descriptions, right?¡± [Agnes¡¯ Dark Crystal] Type: Consumable Effect: Immunity against all effects of witch stigmas for 1 hour when infused with mana. Can also see hidden witch stigmas. ¡®Immunity against all effects¡­¡¯ In other words, nobody would be able to imprint a witch stigma on him, nor would he be affected by external witch stigmas around him. He could also not be detected and monitored by witch stigmas in the area. With Agne¡¯s Dark Crystal, he could descend to the 3rd floor without getting disturbed by anyone or anything. Woohyuk was surprised by this unexpected gift and bowed towards Agnes. ¡°Thank you¡­ Agnes¡­¡± ¡°If you return alive, tell me some more interesting stories. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± Agnes was waving her hands in the air. Woohyuk turned his back to the disappointed girl and continued down the stairs. ¡®I¡¯ve wasted quite a bit of time.¡¯ He may have gained a lot of vital information from his conversation with her, but time was tight and he had to move fast. Woohyuk infused mana into the Banshee¡¯s Cloak as well as his new item, Agnes¡¯ Dark Crystal. Boom~ The sound ofpressed air expanding resounded and a purple cloud swirled around Woohyuk¡¯s body. ¡®There are witch stigmas on every corner.¡¯ Once he descended to the bottom of the spiral staircase and reached the tunnels on the first underground floor, Woohyuk began to notice witch stigmas imprinted on walls. He predicted that he would have a harder time when escaping from the bottom floors. As Woohyuk walked down the tunnels, a certain man¡¯sughter echoed. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± It was Lucas. It appeared that one of his experiments had seeded. ¡®Wait for me a bit more, Lucas.¡¯ Woohyuk had to capture him at thest moment. As he reached the end of the tunnel, Woohyuk found another spiral staircase. ¡®I hope there won¡¯t be another puppet like Agnes waiting for me inside.¡¯ Although Amy would be unable to see him due to his immunity to witch stigmas, the puppet still could. The Banshee¡¯s Cloak¡¯s grade was lower than the appraisal magic of souls of darkness. Therefore, if another puppet was located in this staircase, a battle would be inevitable, as there was no reason for an orc to go down to the 2nd and 3rd underground floors. Woohyuk walked down the steps with a nervous look. And soon enough¡­ ¡°What is an orc doing here?¡± He came face to face with a red-haired male puppet. ¡®Dammit¡­¡¯ It appeared that a soul of darkness was ced on each stairs connecting each floor. Woohyuk leaped instead of answering and split the puppet in half at a speed it couldn¡¯t react to. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± The puppet made a pained expression before falling t on the stairs. ¡®Fortunately, he was weaker than Agnes.¡¯ Since he had defeated it at such a rapid speed, it wouldn¡¯t have had time to report to Amy. Woohyuk sighed deeply and continued his infiltration. ¡°Kyaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°Spare me! Please!¡± When he reached the 2nd floor, Woohyuk heard the screaming pleas of male and female voices. They were somewhat familiar voices. Woohyuk carefully stepped forward to investigate. ¡®It¡¯s an open space.¡¯ Unlike the 1st floor, the 2nd one wasrge enough to holdrge-scale gatherings. There were people wearing ck robes gathered in a circle. They were members of the Witch Cult. And at the center of the circle were one young man and women tied up as they were getting offered as sacrifices for the demonic beast Behemoth. ¡®They¡¯re the people from the Pitbull n.¡¯ The ones who were with him on the Campbell ship as he crossed the sea. He remembered the man as Jacob and the woman as Agatha. Unfortunately, the current Woohyuk had no means to save them. ¡°Pl, please don¡¯t do this! Please have mercy on¡­¡± Slit! Jacob¡¯s head disappeared as he begged on his knees. A thud was heard a few secondster as a blood fountain spurted in the middle of the circle. Drops of red liquid dripped down Amy¡¯srge scythe as she looked down on the corpse. The Witch Cultists were overjoyed by the red fountain and they all began to dance. ¡®No matter how many times I see this, it¡¯s as distasteful as ever.¡¯ Although Woohyuk had killed countless people during his past 40 years, he had never reaped a life as a game nor for fun. He had just kept on moving forward to achieve his grand goal of humanity¡¯s salvation. That was how Woohyuk could always brace himself and do the deed. He was ¡°different from them¡±. ¡®I need to get to the next floor as fast as possible.¡¯ Since the ritual was nearing its end, the demonic beast Behemoth would soon be summoned. Woohyuk stuck his body as close as possible to the wall and concealed his presence as he made his way to the passage on the other side. ¡°I, I don¡¯t want to die! Somebody save me!¡± Agatha pleaded to the cultist surrounding her, but Amy¡¯s scythe ended up turning her into an offering. Slit! A red puddle expanded on the floor once again. ¡®What a shame. She was quite skillful.¡¯ Agatha¡¯s sense in magic was greater than average. She was quite the outstanding magician. However, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t put Princess Lizbeth at risk just to save her. On the Eeth Continent, there were countless situations where one had to make a decision between two inevitable choices. Woohyuk reached the spiral staircase and made his way down, before finding another puppet. This time, it was half-male half-female. ¡°Wee, orc. You can enter as freely as you wish, but if you wish to exit, you¡¯ll have to¡­¡± sh! Grandia had cut the puppet in two even before it could finish its introduction. ¡®I¡¯m not in the mood to mess around.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what it would say, but Woohyuk was in a bad mood. Woohyuk arrived at the bottom floor and entered the gloomy passageway. ¡®She must be in one of the rooms on this floor.¡¯ Agnes had said that Princess Lizbeth was the only one on the 3rd floor. That signified that if he entered the wrong room, he could identally activate traps. Woohyuk pondered as he observed the doors on each side of the tunnel. ¡®I can¡¯t hear the princess¡¯ voice at all.¡¯ There was most probably a sound-nullifying spell in the room she was locked in. Meanwhile, all the doors were made of the same shape and materials. The witch stigmas were also imprinted at regr intervals and weren¡¯t very helpful for his deduction. ¡®At least I have an artifact that can help in these situations.¡¯ The [Archeologist¡¯s Golden Magnifying ss]. It could reveal the properties of an object and show all hidden information about it, and therefore was very helpful when searching for clues. Woohyuk used the golden magnifying ss to inspect every single door, when ¡®Found it.¡¯ He found a door slightly different than the others in a matter of minutes. The door on the center of the tunnel¡¯s right side had a curse spell enchanted on it. ¡®I¡¯ll die of a heart-attack the moment I try to open the door by force.¡¯ It was a spell that gave shivers to Woohyuk, even though he had a high-resistance against darkness attribute magic. He decided to erase the spell before entering the room. Woohyuk focused his mind and put his hand on the handle. Immediately¡­ Swirl. The contour of the door began to release a dark energy and it was getting absorbed into Woohyuk¡¯s hand. He had converted the curse magic into demonic energy and was absorbing it. ¡°Phew¡­¡± It was a technique he had used in the past when nullifying the traps in ancient historic ruins. However, unlike the past where he used magic, this time he used demonic energy to negate the trap. Creak. He opened the door and found a brown-haired woman lying unconscious on the floor. It was Princess Lizbeth. Chapter 100: The Missing Princess 5

Chapter 100: The Missing Princess 5

¡°Wake up.¡± Woohyuk shook the unconscious princess awake. However, she did not easily open her eyes, as if she were affected by a debuff. ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯ Her pulse and breathing were fine, but it would be hard to carry her outside. Woohyuk took out a potion to remove all abnormal status conditions and made the princess drink it. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Soon enough, Princess Lizbeth groaned slightly and slowly opened her eyes. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± ¡°I was requested by King Henry to rescue you, Princess.¡± ¡°By father¡­?¡± Princess Lizbeth¡¯s eyes widened as if she couldn¡¯t believe his words. ¡°We mustn¡¯t stay here. We have to escape as fast as possible.¡± ¡°That, that woman won¡¯t stay still.¡± Amy Klein. She was the woman who had kidnapped her as well as the mastermind behind this entire incident. Woohyuk nodded as he listened to the princess¡¯ exnation. ¡°I am aware. She won¡¯t be an easy opponent.¡± ¡°How did you bypass the Witch Cult and reach here?¡± ¡°I will tell you once we return to the Izuna Kingdom safe and sound.¡± There was no need for him to narrate his terrible orc portrayal in this underground cell. Woohyuk verified that there was no witch stigma on her before speaking again. ¡°You will have to wear a disguise before we leave. Would that be alright with you, Princess?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes¡­¡± Princess Lizbeth nodded with a confused face. She had no idea how she was supposed to disguise herself. Woohyuk handed the items he was wearing to her one by one. [Banshee¡¯s Cloak]. [Moonshadow Ring]. [Queen Star Snake Ghost]. [Elder Naga¡¯s Ancient Ring]. [Jester¡¯s Mask]. They were vital to her protection and her concealment. ¡°Did you understand how to use them all?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ These are all incredible items.¡± Princess Lizbeth expressed her astonishment. She now understood how Woohyuk had reached her location without getting caught. ¡°You have to act as I say from now on.¡± She first had to use the Jester¡¯s Mask to pose as a believer of the Witch Cult, and use the Moonshadow Ring to modify her status window. Finally, she had to wear the Banshee¡¯s Cloak to make herself invisible. ¡°Will this n really work?¡± ¡°This is indispensable if we wish to increase your chances of survival as much as possible.¡± They wouldn¡¯t get detected by Amy until they left the 3rd underground floor, as Woohyuk was using Agnes¡¯ Dark Crystal to avoid the witch stigmas, while Princess Lizbeth was invisible. ¡°You need to blend in with the Witch Cult as naturally as possible once we reach the floor above us. Don¡¯t worry, I can recognize you whenever and wherever you are.¡± He had received the Messenger''s Wings as a reward back on Twilight Tower¡¯s 96th floor. Woohyuk could use it to share his vision for upto 3 days with an individual he had touched physically. However, the number of times it could be used was limited to 3 times. He had already used it once before, and had 2 usages left. ¡°You¡¯re really thorough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I¡¯ve managed to survive until today.¡± It was difficult to survive on the Eeth Continent if he couldn¡¯t keep his cool during moments of danger. Woohyuk told Princess Lizbeth of certain things to be cautious of, and they both exited the stone cell. Step. Step. Their footsteps echoed in the hollow corridor. [Choi Kayoon, how are things on your side?] [We¡¯ve made it into the inner area of the wastnd. Where are you?] [Underground. Tell Ronald not to enter but to guard the entrance.] They had to destroy the Izuna Kingdom¡¯s Witch Cult from its roots now that things hade to this. After finishing his conversation with Choi Kayoon, Woohyuk and Princess Lizbeth arrived at the bottom of the spiral staircase. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The air weighed heavily on their shoulders. If their n derailed even by a slight amount, things would be chaotic. Fortunately, nothing happened to them until they reached the 2nd floor. ¡®Seems like they haven¡¯t finished the summoning ritual yet.¡¯ Behemoth was a legendary demonic beast. It wasn¡¯t a surprise the ritual would take a long time. Woohyuk separated from Princess Lizbeth and ran instantly to the open area where the summoning was taking ce. ¡°We meet again, Amy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Oh! You¡¯re Chun Woohyuk, aren¡¯t you? Or should I call you Asura? I didn¡¯t recognize you for a moment since you changed your appearance.¡± She appeared to have done a background investigation about him since theirst encounter. Amy made a rxed smile while Woohyuk brandished Verserios. ¡°Trying to summon Behemoth here¡­ You¡¯repletely insane. Are you going to offer the believers as sacrifices?¡± ¡°The believers? Don¡¯t worry. They don¡¯t fear useless things such as death.¡± The believers of the Witch Cult were prepared to offer their lives at any time for the return of Lilith. Woohyuk frowned as Amy spoke proudly. ¡°I¡¯ll have to defeat you here... Unless you¡¯re another puppet right now.¡± ¡°Huhu¡­ There¡¯s no way I¡¯d conduct such an important ritual through a wooden doll. But if you¡¯re really curious, you can try cutting me down likest time.¡± Amy swung the blood-drenched scythe and provoked her enemy. Soon enough, her appearance began to fade away, and Woohyuk released the demonic energy in him. ¡®She¡¯s a lot more agile and nimblepared tost time.¡¯ It was no surprise that the actual body was stronger and faster than a puppet controlled at a distance. However, she was but a mere human. She was no match to Woohyuk who had defeated Demon King Vk and the Witch of Envy Kriemhild. ¡®Unless her powers have reached the same heights as Aleister Crowley¡¯s.¡¯ Woohyuk avoided the scythe cutting through the air from behind him and grabbed Amy¡¯s wrist. Immediately, a bone-cracking sound echoed as Amy¡¯s arm twisted in an odd direction. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°You chose the wrong opponent, Amy.¡± Her miscalction was to rush her ns after the death of Kriemhild. He didn¡¯t know how things had turned out in his past life, but this time, there was no way her n would seed as long as he took action. No matter what method she used, Amy couldn¡¯t surpass Woohyuk. Stab! Verserios prated slid inside Amy¡¯s abdomen. Her innards were cut apart and she let out a screeching wail. ¡°Kyaaaaaaak!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s settle this now.¡± Woohyuk raised his sword to end his opponent¡¯s life. At that instant, countless dark arrows flew towards him from every direction. The priests of the Witch Cult had intervened in the battle. ¡®Annoying pests.¡¯ Although they were getting in his way, Woohyuk refrained from ughtering the believers right now. If all these members were to be sacrificed, there was the possibility that the magic sigil on the floor would bepleted. Woohyuk gathered the demonic energy and protected his body from the attacks. ¡°Now, the time hase! You shall all take your own lives to offer a great, nourishing meal to Behemoth! This is all for Lady Lilith¡¯s return!¡± Amy shouted in a piercing voice as she held onto her bleeding stomach. At those words, the believers obediently took out the daggers hidden in their robes and slit their own necks. sh! A dark red liquid began bursting and pouring out of the severed carotids. The small puddles of blood surrounding the sigil gathered to form a single sea of blood. Rumble! Pitch ck sparks of electricity bursted out of the magic sigil on the floor and a dark vortex formed as it swirled. ¡®So things havee to this.¡¯ He had somehow expected this situation. He had experienced a simr situation back in the witch¡¯s forest, and he was also aware of the Witch Cult¡¯s believers¡¯ mentality. However, he had hoped that this series of events would¡¯ve happened after he had sessfully ended Amy¡¯s heartbeat. Princess Lizbeth¡¯s hidden location would be revealed with the death of the believers, and Amy could take advantage of the defenseless woman. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you killing yourself?! Cut your throat with your dagger already!¡± ¡°...¡± The disguised princess flinched at Amy¡¯s outburst and stepped backwards. Amy¡¯s expressions rxed immediately as she saw the scene. ¡°Oh, I see. So you¡¯ve already rescued Princess Lizbeth. Impressive, Chun Woohyuk. I never expected you to hinder my ns this much.¡± ¡°...Silence.¡± Woohyuk was currently concentrating on the magic sigil. He had to destroy the sigil before the summoning wasplete, just as he had done within Martinus¡¯ imaginary world. As Woohyuk raised Verserios to prepare his attack, Amy mocked him. ¡°Huhu¡­ The sigil is alreadyplete. Behemoth will soon be summoned! You should escape instead of attacking meaninglessly, if you wish to save the princess.¡± Their surroundings were a mess. The floor was bloodied and corpses were scattered everywhere, and a ck vortex spun around the magic sigil. However, Woohyuk stood steadily in the middle of this chaotic hall. ¡°We would¡¯ve escaped already if that could resolve our current problem.¡± And if he wasn¡¯t someone who would patiently wait and pray for help. If he were, he never would¡¯ve regressed 40 in time. He had realized it back in his previous life. This world had no paradise. ¡°...That is why I must reach it.¡± The Demon God¡¯s Throne. If he kept challenging andpleting impossible feats, he could one day reach the Demon God¡¯s Throne. It was with this belief that he survived and would continue marching forward. The importance was to remain calm and steady no matter the situation. And once this belief turned to resolve and fighting spirit, despair would finally turn into hope. Woohyuk¡¯s face was confident as he watched the Behemoth reveal it¡¯s head from the pitch ck magic sigil. ¡®This is but a simple step towards achieving my goal.¡¯ It was unknown if his aplishment in Martinus¡¯ spiritual world was also achievable in reality. However, this was another challenge he had to take on. Avoiding this confrontation would result in nothing but destruction and deaeths. Crack! Woohyuk stabbed Verserios into the ground and arge fissure grew on the sigil. Things had developed differentlypared to the battle in the imaginary world. But Woohyuk didn¡¯t falter and concentrated all his demonic energy at the tip of his sword. Boooom! The energy gathered at the tip exploded and shattered the magic sigil, as a ck smoke expanded with the shockwave. Amy coughed and stared at Woohyuk with a furious face. ¡°Im, impossible¡­ I¡¯m certain that Behemoth had answered my call¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit too big to call it a pet?¡± Asura¡¯s sessor spoke as he stepped out of the ck cloud. He pointed at Amy¡¯s throat with Verserios. ¡°You had great ambitions, but they were all in vain.¡± ¡°Huhu¡­ Do you really think so?¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t change anything. Not the believers, nor the kingdom, nor your own fate.¡± During their battle, Woohyuk had activated the Memory Pendant when he had grabbed and twisted Amy¡¯s arm. She had been abandoned when her parents had divorced and remarried due to familial discord. Amy cursed at the gods and at her own fate, and vowed to turn the tables of the world and change everything. Later on, it was quite obvious that she was raised by the Witch Cult into a cold-hearted assassin. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s my loss, so kill me already using that fascinating sword of yours.¡± ¡°...I shall grant your wish.¡± Woohyuk raised Verserios to put an end to this conflict. Amy smirked at his movements and suddenly took a dagger out of her chest. ¡°Watch out!¡± Princess Lizbeth cried out as she ran towards the two. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t react and stared down on Amy. He had already predicted her actions. Slit! The sharp dagger cut the woman¡¯s thin neck. The princess was shocked by the sight of Amy dropping on the floor, as if the strings controlling her had been cut. ¡°She, she killed herself¡­?¡± ¡°She must¡¯ve wanted to choose her own destiny. She was like a firecracker that bloomed magnificently and immediately faded into nothingness. Woohyuk clicked his tongue as he watched the wide-eyed Amy on the floor. Chapter 101: The Return of the King 1

Chapter 101: The Return of the King 1

¡°They all ended up dying¡­ and even their summoning ritual was unsessful.¡± ¡°Their deaths were an inevitable oue.¡± Even if they hadn¡¯tmitted suicide, the Behemoth would¡¯ve killed them all. After observing his surroundings for a moment, Woohyuk approached Amy¡¯s corpse and revived her as an undead. [Undead Amy] - ss: Dark Assassin (Humanoid) - Traits: Leadership (3,500), Shadow Kill (Hides within the enemy¡¯s shadow and assassinates them from behind), Death Sentence (Casts fear upon the designated enemy that locks them in an illusion. May cast in a wide-area), Frenzy Dance (Temporarily gains additional stat points whenever an enemy is killed. The upper limit of the increase is 50% of the original stat) - Stats: Strength 227 Vitality 215 Dexterity 244 Intelligence 135 Spirit 197 ¡®As I thought, she retained her traits.¡¯ Amongst the elite undeads Woohyuk had gathered to this day, none were oriented towards assassination. This new one would be quite useful if he utilized her efficiently. ¡°Wha-what did you do?! Did you resurrect Amy?¡± Princess Lizbeth expressed her astonishment as she saw Amy stand back up with a paper-white face. Woohyuk calmed her down and revived Agatha as an undead as well. [Undead Agatha] - ss: Dark Mage (Humanoid) - Traits: Leadership (1,500), Calm Analysis (Can read the status window of a target with lower total stats than herself), Frozen Heart (Decreases the effectiveness of ice magic up to 65%) Ice Bolt (Shoots a ball of ice at the target), Ice Strike (Creates protruding ice spears on a selected spot) - Stats Strength 84 Vitality 79 Dexterity 68 Intelligence 217 Spirit 204 ¡®Her intelligence and spirit stats are a lot higher than her growth stage.¡¯ Indeed, his eyes hadn¡¯t deceived him. Agatha¡¯s sense of magic wasparable to Yoo Kayoung. However, since she was already dead, he had to make do with just her corpse, and not the actual human body full of potential. While Woohyuk stood in his pool of disappointment, Princess Lizbeth eyes turned cold and mumbled. ¡°It is wrong to utilize the bodies of the dead¡­¡± Her morals and mindset could not deem Woohyuk¡¯s actions as eptable. ¡°Why do you think so? These people don¡¯t have souls anymore.¡± ¡°But they were living people at some point.¡± Even if it were the corpse of an evil assassin like Amy, the princess couldn¡¯t ept the use of her body, because a human using the corpses of other humans was no different to demons. Princess Lizbeth expressed her viewpoint, and Woohyuk stepped forward and stood in front of her. ¡°Then do you believe it¡¯s eptable to sacrifice the living instead of using the dead to rece them?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re all fighting ording to their beliefs¡­¡± ¡°Then do you not care no matter how many people die?¡± Woohyuk had experienced countless wars during his past 40 years. Everybody fought ording to their beliefs and opinions. The result to that was misery and demise. The subjective views of justice couldn¡¯t solve any problems as all of the opinions differed. ¡®The Eeth Continent needs one supreme overlord.¡¯ The Holy Aperian Empire had lost its previous powers and influence due to the internal conflict between the Pope and the Emperor, and was in no state to lead the entire continent to solve the international problems that would arise. It was the same case with the Theresian Empire in the east. With the long peace, corruption had crept its way inside the government. The thought that no problem would ever arise had spread in everyone¡¯s minds. Meanwhile, the emperor was an incapable leader, and couldn¡¯t mediate the conflict between the princes. To solve the international problems that would arise, the world needed a new overlord. Moreover, Woohyuk¡¯s previous turn at life had proved that he was the only one capable enough to stand in that position. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ You¡¯ll begin wars to protect the peace¡­?¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t respond proactively, the situation will only worsen.¡± Woohyuk knew of the tragedies of war better than anyone else. However, the reason he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to spark international conflicts was because he knew it was the best solution. He had to gain supremacy over the Eeth Continent before the other Overlords would rise to power. That would lessen the damage as much as possible. His necromancer ss and the Seven Color Rainbow Ring were all for that purpose. Both gave enormous powers, and Woohyuk believed that they should never fall into the hands of people like Logan and Marcus. Princess Lizbeth blinked her eyes as Woohyuk finished his exnation. ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡± ¡°I will need your help for my future ns.¡± Princess Lizbeth was King Henry¡¯s only daughter. If he gained her support, the Izuna Kingdom wouldn¡¯t easily turn its back on Woohyuk. This was one of the reasons Woohyuk had spent so much of his precious time to rescue the princess. ¡°I will not object anymore if you will truly use that power for the sake of peace. No actually, I never had the right to object from the start. You are my savior, so how could I ever think of opposing you¡­¡± Woohyuk had risked his life and infiltrated the enemy camp alone. Had he not done that, Princess Lizbeth would not have been rescued this safely, as Behemoth, the demonic beast would¡¯ve annihted the rescue army and wrecked havoc upon the Izuna Kingdom. Therefore, Princess Lizbeth was conscious of the debt she owed towards Woohyuk. ¡°Let us return to the surface now.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± As their debate came to a close, Woohyuk headed towards the 1st floor to capture the alchemist Lucas who was experimenting with living bodies. ck! As the door opened, the mad scientist who was dissecting a chimera opened his eyes wide. ¡°Wh-who are you?! Why are you¡­¡± Thump! Woohyuk¡¯s fist flew even before the man could finish his sentence. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Lucas let out a groan after getting punched in the face, and fell to the ground. Woohyuk lifted him up and clumsily dragged him to the wall before pushing him against it. ¡°How much do you know about the Witch Cult?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t¡­¡± Whack! ¡°A, Amy! She is the executive who assists the Witch of Envy! I¡¯m just a researcher who creates chimeras in thisb. So please don¡¯t kill me!¡± He spoke after a single hit. Woohyuk didn¡¯t even have to force the information out of the man. As he asked the researcher a few more questions, a certain sound resounded behind the door. Creak. It was Agnes who was guarding the stairs between the entrance and the first floor. ¡°Urk¡­ heim? Why do you have a human¡¯s appearance? Did you get experimented on by Lucas already?¡± She had descended due to the sudden noises downstairs. ¡°Perfect timing.¡± Woohyuk released Lucas¡¯ cor and walked to Agnes. He extended his hand towards her and Agnes¡¯ body began to drag itself towards him like a ma. ¡°Eh¡­ Eh?!¡± ¡°I am your new master.¡± With Amy¡¯s death, Agnes¡¯ owner was undetermined. Therefore, Woohyuk utilized the power of Asura to take control by force. ¡°Wait, you¡­ are you a demon king?¡± ¡°No, my name is Chun Woohyuk.¡± He couldn¡¯t exin too much as Princess Lizbeth was listening to them. He wrapped his right arm around Agnes, who was still showing her hostility, and turned towards Lucas again. ¡°Don¡¯t try to do anything stupid, Lucas.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­!¡± Cold sweat ran down his neck as he stepped away from Princess Lizbeth, who he had nned to take as a hostage. As he dropped the scalpel in his hand, Woohyuk spoke again. ¡°If you try something like that again, I won¡¯t let it slide.¡± ¡°...¡± A warning containing explicit killing intent. Lucas nodded with a terrified expression. ¡°Then let¡¯s head upstairs.¡± By now, the chimeras on the surface would¡¯ve gotten defeated by the army. Woohyuk ignored theining Agnes in his arm as he pointed the Vampiric Dagger towards Lucas¡¯ back. *** Woohyuk was generously greeted as he returned to the kingdom with the Witch Cult subjugation army. When King Henry amicably weed Woohyuk with open arms, the vassals could only bow their heads and show their best behavior. Thanks to this event, the bond between the Rhine Kingdom and the Izuna Kingdom became indescribably strong. A marriage alliance between the two countries could even potentially be proposed. In fact, during the banquet hosted by the royal family, Woohyuk sat right next to Princess Lizbeth and had several conversations with members of the royal family. Once a sufficient exchange had taken ce, ¡°Are you leaving already? You should stay here for a while longer. What a pity.¡± ¡°Ah, well it would be problematic for me to keep the throne empty for too long.¡± Woohyuk was slowly preparing to return to the Rhine Kingdom. ¡°Pleasee visit us again when you have time. You are always wee to our castle.¡± ¡°I wille visit again. This time, officially.¡± King Henry lent many battleships to Woohyuk to ensure his safe return to the Rhine Kingdom. The power of the Izuna fleet was world ss. No pirates would ever approach them during their journey. While they were unnecessary escorts, Woohyuk epted this favor. ¡°Wow, this is truly an amazing sight.¡± Tinia let out her amazement as she watched Port Delphoa from the ship¡¯s deck. Silvia was also astonished, as she couldn¡¯t close her mouth and kept observing her surroundings. ¡°I never thought we¡¯d cross the sea like this. Did you seduce Princess Lizbeth in the castle or something, Brother-inw?¡± ¡°Jeez, watch your mouth. No matter what anyone says, the one who belongs next to Woohyuk is me.¡± Tinia stuck to his side as she put her tongue out. Choi Kayoon sighed as she watched her actions. ¡°Royals marry between royals. Now matter how pretty you are, it would be difficult for you to be a mercenary bride.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Woohyuk said he¡¯d give us a title. But why are you interfering? You¡¯re not jealous, are you?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m not interested in men.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ That¡¯s suspicious. Let¡¯s see¡­ Woohyuk bought that dress for you, right? It looks too expensive for something you bought on your own.¡± Tinia closely observed Choi Kayoon and stared at Woohyuk. Her eyes were demanding an answer from him. Woohyuk shook his head as he sighed. ¡°It was a disguise we needed to infiltrate. Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± ¡°Is that so? Oh well, there¡¯s no way you¡¯d cheat on me with a woman like her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in any kind of special rtionship with you, though.¡± ¡°Howe? Didn¡¯t we share a deep kiss in the middle of the night while I was fully naked?¡± Tinia hugged Woohyuk¡¯s arm with a sorrowful face. However, the man who was silently listening on the side, Sieg, intervened in the conversation. ¡°My lord, as presumptuous as it may be of me, shouldn¡¯t you take responsibility for Tinia if you¡¯ve gone that far with her?¡± ¡°...Tinia just entered my room on her own. All we did was kiss, so let¡¯s stop talking about this since I¡¯m giving her a noble title.¡± ¡°What a pity. It was the perfect opportunity for Tinia to be the queen of a kingdom¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you revealing your true intentions a bit too easily, Sieg?¡± Woohyuk stared at him in surprise. At that moment, Agnes creaked as she appeared on the deck. ¡°Urkhei¡­ I mean, Lord Asura. I¡¯m here to report.¡± ¡°How is Lucas doing?¡± ¡°He shows symptoms of anxiety but doesn¡¯t appear to resort to self-harm.¡± ¡°But continue keeping an eye on him since we never know what he ns to do. But don¡¯t disturb him just because you feel bored.¡± ¡°Hiik¡­? I, I understand.¡± Agnes flinched and showed guilt on her face before returning beneath the deck. Sieg spoke as he watched her back. ¡°Are you keeping her powers sealed on purpose?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to keep her like that for a while.¡± Dark spirits like her were artificial beings, so there was the possibility of her breaking down if she overused her abilities. Therefore, he was nning on asking for Song Anna¡¯s help once he returned to Heidelberg. If sheter obtains the chance to make a contract with more spirits, Agnes would be able to use her powers in a safer manner. As Woohyuk sank in deep thoughts, he heard a trumpet announce the departure. The battleship began to advance on the sea and the eyes of the party gathered towards the horizon. ¡°We¡¯re finally leaving, sister.¡± ¡°Yeah. We finally are.¡± Tinia and Silvia turned to Sieg with eyes filled with expectations. Sieg smiled kindly and patted the two sisters¡¯ heads. ¡°Let¡¯s start anew in the Rhine Kingdom. That ce will be safer than the Izuna Kingdom. Am I correct, My Lord?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± As most of the problems within the country had been solved already, the Rhine Kingdom was a lot more peaceful than other ces. Its only problem was the issues that came from the outside, especially the Golden Rose Society that was led by Aleister Crowley. That organization was a significant variable within Woohyuk¡¯s ns. Woohyuk steeled himself as he gazed upon the long horizon with the others. Chapter 102: The Return of the King 2

Chapter 102: The Return of the King 2

After returning to ckburn, Woohyuk had Joanna report to him the situation within the country. As he expected, no problematic issues had urred during his absence. The most that had happened was the Dane Kingdom initiating a few skirmishes by the border, but that was as per usual. No movements had been detected from the Witch Cult and the Golden Rose Society. Nevertheless, they had to stay vignt. Since the demon world was now aware of his existence, he had to expect attacks from them at all times. ¡®Demon King Vk is probably nning out a scheme.¡¯ He must¡¯ve suffered quite a lot of damage from their previous battle, therefore, he probably wouldn¡¯t leave his territory for a while. However, the problem was the other demons. Demon King Amii ranked at 58. Demon King Dantalion ranked at 72. They were part of the same circle, Ars Nova, as Demon King Vk and they currently controlled the Lydia Kingdom and Dane Kingdom. It was impossible to leave the kingdom for a long time in search of the materials for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring or the whereabouts of the 3 Chronicles in this situation. He had to stop the two Demon Kings¡¯ ambitions and subjugate the two countries under their influences to protect the Rhine Kingdom. ¡®They¡¯ve most likely taken over the countries by now.¡¯ The original n was to take control of the Dane Kingdom before Dantalion would do so himself. However, due to the unexpected incidents in the Izuna Kingdom that took longer than expected, the opportune moment had already passed. ¡°What are you worrying about, My Lord?¡± As Woohyuk sat deep in his thoughts on the throne, Leifina asked him with a worried look. ¡°We need to attack the Dane Kingdom, but the surrounding countries concern me.¡± Although the enemy was a Demon King merely at the rank of 72, in the current situation it would prove to be difficult to upy the Dane Kingdom within a short period of time. If Dantalion closed his castle¡¯s gate and fought on the defensive, Demon King Amii would send reinforcements from the Lydia Kingdom toe to her fellow demon¡¯s aid. Once the war would take longer than expected, the Holy Aperian Empire would intervene and try to arbitrate as a suzerain. Demon King Dantalion would definitely not let such an opportunity pass. ¡®If we want to fight the war properly, we need to expose their presence to the world.¡¯ On the surface, there appeared to be no problems with the Dane Kingdom or the Lydia Kingdom, since the Demon Kings controlled the monarchs from behind the scenes like puppets. The objective was to minimize their influence and increase the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s strength. Therefore, as of currently, it was impossible to do a military attack on the two countries by justifying it as a Demon King subjugation campaign. Woohyuk had no choice other than observing the political situations and waiting for the opportune moment to arrive. ¡°But don¡¯t we have the Izuna Kingdom¡¯s army on our side? If we cooperate with them and perform a pincer attack, Dantalion might make an appearance to solve the crisis in his country¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not that stupid.¡± While Dantalion wasn¡¯t as strong as the other Demon Kings, his intelligence was quite exceptional. So if he were at a disadvantage, he wouldn¡¯t make a move and would rather get the Holy Aperian Empire involved. While its strength had significantly declinedpared to its prime, the Holy Aperian Empire had enough military power and influence to protect a small country in its neighborhood. ¡°Then what about sending a talented individual to infiltrate the Dane Kingdom? He could figure out and report the Demon Kings¡¯ schemes. As long as you order me, I could¡­¡± ¡°Leifina.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s somber voice interrupted Leifina mid-sentence. Then, he stood up from the throne and grabbed the embarrassed Leifina¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I understand that you want to make your father¡¯s enemies pay. But you need to stay calm when dealing with a situation like this.¡± Leifina despised the Dane Kingdom¡¯s Monarch Heinrich III and Dantalion, as they had cornered her father, Baron Elrond. That was why she wished to rush the conquest of the Dane Kingdom as quickly as possible. However, her judgement was clouded and could quite possibly cost her life on the battlefield. ¡°Apologies. I let my emotions take over me.¡± ¡°I will definitely defeat Dantalion. So don¡¯t go overboard on your own, because I need you.¡± ¡°...My lord.¡± Leifina blushed at the somewhat misleading remark. Her heart began beating rapidly as she kept staring into Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. ¡°My, oh my. Just because I¡¯m not present doesn¡¯t mean you can cheat on me so easily, Your Majesty.¡± Tinia intervened, wearing a fiery dress and Tabris resting on her shoulder. The reason she addressed him as such was because the situation was differentpared to when they were in the Izuna Kingdom together. ¡°I don¡¯t see what you mean, Tinia.¡± ¡°Seems like you quite like this pink-haired woman, since you keep her by your side at all times as the royal guard captain.¡± Envy swirled around Tinia¡¯s amethyst eyes as she scanned Leifina¡¯s appearance. Leifina strongly replied to those antagonistic words. ¡°That was disrespectful, Countess Tinia. I have been serving His Majesty for¡­¡± ¡°Your face is quite pretty. You must¡¯ve been monopolizing His Majesty¡¯s love until now. But what about your sword skills? Can you prove that you¡¯re better than Windstorm Tinia?¡± Tinia brandished and pointed Tabris at Leifina as she prepared for battle. She believed that this sly, pink fox was the reason why Woohyuk refused to sleep with her. ¡°Just what are you¡­¡± Leifina, who felt insulted to the fullest, murmured as she trembled in anger. As sparks flew between the gazes of the two women, Woohyuk sighed as he spoke. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say such nonsense just because the other knights aren¡¯t present, Tinia.¡± ¡°I was merely expressing a suggestion, that the position of Royal Guard Captain should go to me.¡± ¡°If you take on that role, who will manage the Gawain County?¡± ¡°We have Sieg. In the first ce, he has to protect Lady Brynhild¡¯s coffin, so he won¡¯t leave the fief.¡± Tinia was staying in Heidelberg ever since she returned after taking Sieg to her territory. Her little sister was nning on living in a student residence while attending the academy, and Tinia was worried about her. Her concern for Silvia was also part of the reason why she coveted the position of Royal Guard Captain. ¡°Sieg will soon have to participate in the war against the Dane Kingdom. Once Silvia starts school, return to your territory.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so shameless. Even though you french kissed me while I was in the nude back in your room that night¡­¡± Tinia spoke with a grim look. Leifina¡¯s face, who was trying to keep her cool, suddenly distorted at those words. ¡°My, My Lord¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding. I have never had a rtionship with Tinia.¡± ¡°As I thought.¡± Leifina sighed in relief as Woohyuk exined. As she watched over them, a sly grin stretched on Tinia¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t feel too relieved yet, Lady Leifina. One day, I will steal His Majesty from you and make him mine.¡± ¡°...Stop with your delusions, Tinia. Leifina and I simply have a master-servant rtionship, just like I do with you.¡± ¡°Is that the truth? Then what about that woman called Joanna? ording to the vassals, they call her the future queen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same thing with her. And the matter about the future queen hasn¡¯t been addressed yet.¡± Woohyuk didn¡¯t want to take responsibility for any women as much as possible for now. As a human who was challenging the Divine Thrones, he had to give up on living an ordinary life. As he revealed his thoughts, Tinia made a satisfied expression. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. If you won¡¯t get involved with any woman until you achieve your goals¡­ I will trust you and wait for you.¡± ¡°Thanks for understanding.¡± ¡°I will not let another man embrace me even if they stab a sword through my neck. So you must take responsibility for me in the future.¡± She didn¡¯t care if she wouldn¡¯t be his first woman. She simply wanted to stay by his side as one of his women. However, Tinia¡¯s pride wouldn¡¯t allow her to speak of these thoughts truthfully. Once she left the throne room, Leifina spoke with concern in her eyes. ¡°My Lord, will you take Countess Tinia as your wife once you take your ce on a Divine Throne?¡± ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s hard to give a definite answer right now.¡± If he were to marry her, it would definitely sprout a sense of responsibility within Woohyuk. However, that was something that couldn¡¯t happen to him, as he needed a clear mind and aim for the thrones. Once she heard his answer, Leifina¡¯s expression subtly changed. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then would you¡­¡± ¡°Do you have a good suggestion to make, Lady Leifina?¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Leifina wildly blushed as she shut her mouth. Woohyuk stared at her, puzzled, before he began chuckling. ¡®She¡¯s being shy.¡¯ He suddenly remembered the night before his regression. Leifina professed her love for him out of the blue, and after racking his brain for a while, he took her to his chambers where they began a secret rtionship. He had broken the oath he had made after his first andst woman, Lucretia, had been killed by the Crimson Crow. However, he did not regret his actions. She had followed and served him for thest 40 years, and he couldn¡¯t bear to turn down her feelings thest night they would see each other. ¡®We were really honest with each other back then.¡¯ Theyy down on the bed without a piece of cloth on them, and talked until they fell asleep. The words, feelings, emotions and thoughts they had kept hidden deep within their hearts were slowly unraveled. He also finally learned the reason why Leifina always refused to stop cooking. She was trying to get acknowledged as a woman by perfecting her cooking skills. ¡®You were a special existence to me.¡¯ And although the past Leifina had vanished, he didn¡¯t feel lonely. Her feelings from the past hadn¡¯t changedpared to the present woman, as if the soul of the previous Leifina had transferred over to the present Leifina. ¡°Lady Leifina.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± ¡°I am emphasizing it again, but don¡¯t think about learning to cook no matter what.¡± ¡°Wha, what are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°You are the most beautiful when you behave as a knight.¡± Leifina truly had no talent in cooking. He was certain of this fact due to his previous life. Therefore, Woohyuk hoped that she wouldn¡¯t try it out unnecessarily this time around. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say to those words, My Lord.¡± ¡°Are you embarrassed?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s not¡­¡± Leifina¡¯s face turned bright red as she blushed. Woohyuk stared at her behaviour for a moment before returning to the throne. ¡°Let¡¯s continue talking about the earlier topic now.¡± ¡°Ye-yes¡­!¡± Leifina couldn¡¯t hide her restlessness as she answered back. Woohyuk gently watched her as he listened to her gibberish. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Leifina. I cannot ept your feelings as of yet.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a problem of his personal feelings. However, he believed that the day woulde when they would finally be able to talk heart to heart once again. ¡®Unlike Lucretia, you will be by my side until the very end once again.¡¯ As he thought so, Woohyuk came to a realization. ¡®Geez, I have as many worries as Sieg when ites to the subject of love.¡¯ While he tried to suppress his emotions as much as he could, it was impossible topletely forget his feelings from the past. If he were to reunite with Lucretia, he would most definitely worry about her safety, even if they didn¡¯t start a rtionship like they did in the past. ¡®I can¡¯t make the same mistake again.¡¯ If she were to be his lover again, she would be the target of many demons¡¯ evil schemes and hostility. Woohyuk silently raised his head as he recalled Lucretia, who had faced a miserable end with her entire body mangled. After finishing the discussions about the current affairs, the empty hall entered his vision. ¡°It appears that the sun has set.¡± ¡°Following the previous idea, we should first send Aris to¡­ Yes? Yes. Should we end it here for today?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that we wille up with a good n today. Let¡¯s just go have dinner now.¡± ¡°U-understood.¡± He was being unusually considerate today. Leifina followed behind Woohyuk with a face equally full of hope and concern. 1. Dantalion was previously described as the Demon King at rank 71 in chapter 92. It is still unsure which one is the correct rank. Chapter 103: The Return of the King 3

Chapter 103: The Return of the King 3

In the territory of Marquis Nelson, the Doria Castle in the province of Kallenoa. Gwak Seyoung was grinding his teeth while standing on top of the wall with his men. ¡®Chun Woohyuk, that detestable bastard¡­¡¯ He thought that if he helped suppress the rebellion of the nobles, he would be granted a small fief. At that time, the enemy territory that was recovered and returned to the royal faction was wide and vast. However, Woo-hyuk handed out parts of it to his direct subordinates only, and expelled the members of other ns to the border, to Marquis Nelson¡¯s Army. ¡®I should¡¯ve killed Han Jangmi when I had the opportunity.¡¯ Back when he left, he wasn¡¯t sure if attempting a rescue was a good idea, and departed empty-handed. She had a beautiful face which was advantageous back on Earth for her worklife, but that was in the past. Now, she was in a world where it was difficult to survive, and if the smallest thing went wrong, she would forfeit her life. Currently, Han Jangmi, who was locked in ckburn, was his shackle. Even if he fled to another country, he could get forcibly summoned by her as she was his n leader, and he would have to obey Woohyuk''s everymand. There was no limit to the range of orders that a n leader could give, so it was possible to order n members tomit suicide. So, Gwak Seyoung and the other n members had to obey Woohyuk¡¯s every order, unless they were willing to ept the disadvantages of removing their Unity Rings. ¡°Is it true that the king returned with foreign mercenaries this time?¡± "Yeah. As soon as they arrived, they were incorporated into the kingdom¡¯s army.¡± ¡°The woman who was themander of the mercenary group received the title of countess. I haven''t heard why though.¡± ¡°They say she¡¯s extremely hot and sexy. I bet she shared the bed with the king several times to gain that status.¡± The Hwarang n members, who were on the watch, were bored and couldn¡¯t stop themselves from gossipping with each other. Gwak Seyoung stood silently while listening to their stories. ''I must stay calm.'' He didn¡¯t know if Woohyuk had abandoned them or was using them as sacrificial pawns, but he couldn¡¯t let his emotions take over him. This was the front line. Due to the strict military rules, special attention had to be paid to their conduct. ¡®As long as we wait, the perfect opportunity wille.¡¯ As they were at a dangerous border, there was plenty of room for them to grow and refine their skills, such as holding Dane soldiers captive during some of the Dane Kingdom¡¯s asional provocations. Although he was currently being ignored by Marquis Nelson for being a foreigner, his abilities would soon be recognized. ¡®Just you wait, Chun Woohyuk. I will make you regret manipting me.¡¯ As long as he could free himself from the restraint called the Hwarang n, he would definitely leave the Rhine Kingdom at any moment and serve another monarch. The problem was the negotiations. With the number of soldiers he currently possessed, he would only be treated as a small and useless group wherever he would go. He had to increase his influence little by little for now. A soldier appeared and spoke while Gwak Seyoung was steeling himself. ¡°Lieutenant Gwak Seyoung, Commander Anderson is looking for you.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand." Seeing he was getting summoned during the shift changes, it appeared that themander was about to order Seyoung to do some annoying chores. When he followed the messenger into themander''s office inside the barracks, he saw a middle-aged man with a peculiar look sitting in his uniform. ¡°Gwak Seyoung. There is something you need to do.¡± ¡°I am all ears, sir.¡± ¡°There was a request for reinforcements from the Eastern Guard Camp in the Trevis region. The soldiers who were doing reconnaissance inside the Corcas mountains went missing.¡± The Nelson march consisted of Sirien in the north, Trevis in the central area, and Kallenoa in the south. However, Sirien and Trevis have always been stationed by guards only since ages ago, because the Corcas Mountains were present by their borders. Moreover, if problems were to ur in those two regions, the main unit of Kallenoa would have to provide support. ¡°Are Rick and Daryl going with me?¡± ¡°Rick is currently in Media, in the Erutonia province due to his mission of escorting military necessities. And recently, Daryl has been busy training the new recruits.¡± Rick and Daryl had participated in the subjugation of the Corcas mountains a few months ago and became lieutenants. Originally, they were mercenary captains who wandered around thends. But upon the rmendation of Aiden, themander of the Northeastern Guard Camp, their statuses were raised. So, although the three of them were of the same rank, Gwak Seyoung was treatedpletely differently, as he had been demoted and sent away by Woo-hyuk. ¡®He¡¯s saying he¡¯ll risk my life and put me in potential danger, but not the other two. Well, I can endure that much.¡¯ By going through many hardships, he could be stronger and hone his skills. Gwak Seyoung showed a pleasant expression as he kept a soldier¡¯s heart ¡°Then, I will investigate the details of the incident. Should I go to the East Guard Camp first?¡± ¡°No, go straight to the Corcas Mountains. We know the approximate location of their disappearance already.¡± Commander Anderson lifted the letter he was holding in his hand. In it was drawn a map of the Corcas Mountains and the usual reconnaissance routes the guards followed. ¡°Yes sir. I will tell my men to pack their bags as fast as possible.¡± ¡°Set off as soon as you can.¡± Commander Anderson waved Gwak Seyoung away as if he couldn¡¯t care any less. The lieutenant turned around and walked away after saluting themander. ¡®Once I rise in rankster on, I¡¯ll get rid of this bastard first.¡¯ They were exposed to discrimination due to the fact that they were part of the rebellion. Gwak Seyoung exited themander''s office as he imagined himself sticking a dagger in the man¡¯s neck. *** Gwak Seyoung marched along the road with his troops. There were a total of 1,000 men approximately, including himself, who were responsible for this mission. He had gathered these soldiers by borrowing men from other units. The reason there are not so many men avable was because everyone was busy protecting the walls of the Doria Castle. The castle walls of Doria wererge enough to cover the entire border on the eastern side of the Kallenoa province, requiring arge number of troops to guard it. In ordinary situations, the kingdom¡¯s army would have joined them, but they were all summoned to the capital and were undergoing military training, so there was no leeway for them to send their own troops. So, even if it was difficult, they had to investigate the disappearance incident with these thousand members only. ¡°By the way, Lieutenant, how do you think the recon troops vanished?¡± ¡°The monsters are mostly subjugated by now, so there is a high possibility that it was the Dane Kingdom¡¯s army.¡± In recent years, the Dane Kingdom had been performing armed provocations so often that it was considered strange. They were enemy nations in the past, so minor conflicts were unavoidable. But as the Doria Castle walls and the Corcas mountains stood between each other, skirmishes were actually quite rare. "Do, do you think that a war will begin?" ¡°I don''t know, but I definitely don¡¯t want to fight with my life on the line for this country...¡± All the members of the battalion belonged to the Hwarang n, as it was an important factor for him during the selection for this mission¡¯s participants. There were many people wearing adventurers'' watches in other units as well. "Don¡¯t worry. They say that as long as you keep your calm, you can survive any situation you get thrown into.¡± After cheering his subordinates up, Gwak Seyoung stared at the man on horseback on the front. The suprememander Thompson. He was a newmander who had just arrived, but was a greenie with no experience in war. ''If we trust him and follow him, we¡¯re dead meat.'' After experiencing the Primordial forest and adventurer''s canyon, Gwak Seyoung knew the importance of having an outstanding leader. Ipetentmanders inevitably endangered their own men, and unfortunately, Thompson also belonged in that category. ''I''ll have to separate my squad and act independently.'' The activities he could do would get greatly restricted if he led 15 men only, but he didn¡¯t care. It didn¡¯t matter whether the army would get annihted or not. He just had to hone his skills and return safely to camp. It would also be advantageous to capture and return with a few members of the Dane Kingdom¡¯s Army. As Gwak Seyoung was making ns, the procession in the front stopped their march. ¡°Squads, convert into search formation!¡± Thompson eximed, pulling a long sword. They were arriving at their destination and were about to start the mission in earnest. ¡®Are those the Corcas Mountains?¡¯ The mountain range that upied about 70% of the border between the Rhine Kingdom and the Dane Kingdom. Gwak Seyoung was not afraid at all, as Rick and Daryl, who were mercenary captains back then, had returned alive from this location. As soon as they started climbing the mountain range, Gwak Seyoung secretly gave instructions to his men. ¡°Eat all of your ghost mushrooms. When enemies appear, you have to hide.¡± His squad was in the rear. It was possible for them to desert the army during the confusion of battle if a fight urred. ¡°Lieutenant, we have a lot of men on our side, so is it really necessary?¡± ¡°I have a bad feeling.¡± Gwak Seyoung''s intuition was quite urate, and he was impressed by it himself. So whenever a life-threatening crisis would ur, he would always follow his instincts and move ording to his gut feeling. ''The air feels unpleasant.'' It was apletely different feelingpared to the one he got when he watched the mountains from a distance. As he expressed his displeasure, a horse cried in front. Neiiiighh! The warhorse that Thompson was riding suddenly had a seizure and fell down while frothing in its mouth. Thompson was mmed against the hard and cold ground. ¡°A-are you okay, Commander?¡± The lieutenant, who was near themander, ran to Thompson in astonishment. It was an unexpected mishap. As the soldiers began gossiping, a ck fog suddenly emerged from all four directions and covered them. ¡°Wha, what is this?!¡± ¡°Is it dark magic?¡± It was too atypical to be called a coincidence or a natural phenomenon. ¡®Fuck... Now it¡¯s harder to run away.¡¯ It was difficult to discern their surroundings as the view was blocked. Gwak Seyoung clenched his teeth and raised his senses as much as possible. ¡®We have to get out of here, one way or another.¡¯ Again, his intuition was right. Although it may have been different in the past, the current Corcas Mountains was a very dangerous ce. It would be difficult to train and hone his skills, if not to survive. As Gwak Seyoung was sweating, a creepy female cackling resounded from beyond the ck fog. ¡°Hoho, these fresh new offerings came rolling at my feet. What a joy!¡± ¡°Who, who are you!¡± The lieutenant who was trying to shake Thompson awake, to no avail, shouted as he desperately scanned his surroundings. The womanughed loudly as if his reaction was interesting. "You want to know? Then I''ll give you a hint. I am one of the seven deadly sins. Pride, lust, greed, gluttony, envy, sloth or wrath. Can you guess which one of these I am?¡± One of the seven witches who assisted Lilith. When the enemy revealed her identity, the lieutenant trembled with fear. ¡°A, a witch¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s too difficult, should I tell you another hint? Envy was extinguished some time ago. Well, it wasn¡¯tpletely annihted, but from a human¡¯s point of view it has disappeared.¡± "Envy...¡± ¡°Now it''s time to answer the question. Go ahead and pick something quickly, before my patience runs out and I wreak havoc.¡± The woman''s voice gradually grew colder. The lieutenant swallowed and opened his mouth carefully. ¡°Gr-greed¡­ .¡± ¡°Bzzzt! Wrong!¡± A huge purple monster popped out of the ck fog and grabbed the lieutenant. When he got crushed alive by the monster¡¯s grip, the soldiers turned pale like a sheet. ¡°O-oh my god!¡± "Impossible!" A mix of shock and fear. However, no one dared to attack the enemy, as they knew that death would reap their souls like it did for the lieutenant if they caught the witch¡¯s attention. ¡°Hohoho... Should I give everyone a chance too? Oh, but now that I think about it, it''s too bothersome. I¡¯ll just kill them all.¡± Immediately, monsters jumped out from all directions and began grabbing and ughtering the soldiers. The men tried to resist, but bizarrely, they couldn¡¯t muster any strength. ¡°Isn¡¯t the whole world just bothersome? Just ept the sin of sloth quietly. Then the agony and torment will end quickly.¡± The woman was called Prisci, the Witch of Sloth. The reason the soldiers became powerless was due to the manifestation of her power. The power gap was so severe that the army was helpless in front of her. ''Fuck... .¡¯ Gwak Seyoung stared through the ck fog, struggling as much as he could. ¡®If I don''t do something, I¡¯m dead.¡¯ He took a moment to wrack his brain, when a good idea suddenly came to mind. ¡°Wi-witch of Sloth! I wish to make a suggestion!¡± "Hm? Who do you think you are to negotiate with me?¡± ¡°I am a follower of Demon King Vk! So if you kill me like this, won¡¯t it be troublesome for you?¡± While he did ally himself with Woohyuk for a short while, few people knew about that truth. Most of the people who had participated in the rebellion were either killed or captured already. As Gwak Seyoung continued to shout out loud, a portal was created in the air and a woman with light purple hair appeared. ¡°Ho, Demon King Vk? How interesting. I didn¡¯t expect to meet someone rted to him here.¡± Coincidentally, she had many things to ask about him. Prisci smirked as she looked down at Gwak Seyoung, who was spitting and breathing roughly after getting released by the monster that was holding him. 1. ¡°March¡± as in a Marquis¡¯ territory, just like how ¡°county¡± is a Count¡¯s territory. Chapter 104: The Return of the King 4

Chapter 104: The Return of the King 4

The middle of the night, with the moon high up in the sky. Gwak Seyoung was running with an unconscious Thompson on his back. ¡®I didn¡¯t think it would go this well.¡¯ Not only did he survive, he also got the opportunity to be a genius. The corners of Gwak Seyoung¡¯s mouth rose as he recalled the discussion he had with Prisci in the Corcas Mountains. ''Everyone is frantically trying to get rid of him?¡¯ The true ruler of the Dane Kingdom, Demon King Dantalion, was extremely wary about Woohyuk, because he had defeated Demon King Vk once and killed the Witch of Envy Kriemhild. If they were to fight against each other, there was a high chance Dantalion would lose. Therefore, Dantalion devised a scheme against Woohyuk. He persuaded Prisci, the Witch of Sloth, to advance through the Corcas Mountains, and asked for Demon King Amii¡¯s aid, a member of the same demon circle. ''They will obtain the Rhine Kingdom.'' While he wasn¡¯t told of the details, their ns were roughly predictable. They would catch Woohyuk''s attention by causing a disturbance in the Corcas Mountains. As Marquis Nelson''s army was busy defending Doria Castle, Woohyuk would have no other choice but to send the kingdom¡¯s army to the mountain range. However, one army alone would not be enough to stop the Witch of Sloth. Once the subjugation would fail several times, there was a high possibility that Woohyuk would eventuallye out to deal with the problem himself. If that were to happen, the two Demon Kings who stood on the side observing the situation would attack him together and kill him, and would conquer thends and take over the capital Heidelberg. ''After this war, I will be granted a small fief.'' His role was to monitor Doria Castle and create confusion at the opportune moment. Considering the strategic importance of Doria Castle, this was an important duty. If he seeded, he would be recognized for his achievements. When he arrived at Doria Castle, Gwak Seyoung got off his horse and spoke to Thompson. ¡°What will you report to Marquis Nelson?¡± ¡°The monster army¡­ attacked... we were annihted¡­¡± Thompson¡¯s mind had been corrupted by Prisci. Gwak Seyoung, who watched him drool like a fool, clicked his tongue. ¡°Now that he¡¯s a puppet, he¡¯s bepletely braindead.¡± But it didn''t matter much, as Thompson was not very useful for this operation in the first ce. His role was simply to report the situation to Marquis Nelson in an appropriate way. Afterwards, his existence would be meaningless to the n. After pulling Thomson off the horse, Gwak Seyoung went straight through the castle with him. Once he got past the strict identification procedures and arrived at the marquis¡¯ room, ¡°You cannot go inside now.¡± A guard standing in front of the door blocked Gwak Seyoung. ¡°This is Sir Thompson, Commander of the Corcas reconnaissance army. We are here for urgent business, so get out of our way.¡± ¡°The Marquis is currently talking with His Majesty the King, so please wait for a while.¡± ¡®Chun Woohyuk?¡¯ Gwak Seyoung couldn¡¯t keep up his act and his expression subtly turned dark. ¡°Why has His Majestye all this way?¡± ¡°I''m not sure about that. He simply came with a single escort knight...¡± Chun Woohyuk had arrived at a bad timing. As Gwak Seyoung began sweating and stepping backwards, ck! Leifina revealed her presence by opening the door. The conversation between Marquis Nelson and Woohyuk was over. "Him? Who are these people?¡± ¡°Oh, they were sent to investigate the Corcas Mountains some time ago¡­¡± The guard briefly exined the situation. Leifina nodded and whispered to Woohyuk, who stood patiently behind her. ¡°Themander of the reconnaissance army has returned.¡± ¡°Perfect timing.¡± Woohyuk stepped forward and alternated his gaze between Gwak Seyoung and Thompson. Immediately, his eyes became sharp. He could feel demonic energy from the two of them, although it was very weak. ¡°What happened during the investigation?¡± "Monsters¡­ attacked... the army...¡± As Thompson has been brainwashed, he falsely reported the events within the mountains. Although the story sounded usible, it couldn¡¯t erase Woohyuk¡¯s suspicions. ¡°Many parts of it sound suspicious. We¡¯ll need to do an interrogation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gwak Seyoung''s expression immediately darkened. He hadn¡¯t expected something like this to happen even before the n had been set in full motion. It would spell trouble if Woo-hyuk noticed that Thompson had been brainwashed. When his thoughts reached this conculsion, Gwak Seyoung quickly spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, it was such a sudden attack that we couldn¡¯t gather enough information about it. If you give me another chance, I will go back to the Corcas Mountains and...¡± ¡°Leifina, arrest them.¡± Woohyuk gave the order as if there was nothing else to listen to. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Leifina, who was standing by his side, moved behind the two survivors and grabbed them by the neck. Her movements were so swift and quick that Gwak Seyoung had no time to react. ''I¡¯mpletely trapped.'' Gwak Seyoung swallowed his saliva. Running away in this situation was the same thing as admitting he was a traitor. Plus, he didn¡¯t have the skills and abilities to run away safely as of currently. Gwak Seyoung despaired as he watched Woohyuk converse with Marquis Nelson, who hade out of his office in surprise. *** After an hour of interrogation, Woohyuk was able to make them spit out the truth. He had hypnotized Gwak Seyoung with Jake''s Pocket Watch and made him answer truthfully. On the other hand, Thompson had already been deeply eroded with demonic energy that it didn''t help Woohyuk during the interrogation. Woohyuk got a clear idea of the situation and ordered the two people to be locked up behind iron bars and shackled. ¡®They¡¯re thinking of using the Corcas Mountains as an outpost.¡¯ As he had expected, they did not attempt an all-out war. If they publicly dered war, the Holy Aperian Empire would send pdins to arbitrate the conflict, which was undesirable for the Demon Kings and the Witch. The Seven Pdins were powerful enough that they could rival the strength of Demon Kings as long as they were not of high ranks. They could also easily detect demons who had hidden themselves. Therefore, the Demon Kings of Ars Nova had mobilized monsters instead of the Dane and Lydia Kingdoms¡¯ armies. They were trying to eliminate Woohyuk while doing their best to avoid international conflicts between nations. In such a situation, the Corcas Mountains, which was always infested with monsters, was the best possible battlefield they could ask for. ¡®They won¡¯t stop their ns right now just because we caught onto their schemes.¡¯ Prisci was most probably watching the situation here through the imprints on Thompson and Gwak Seyoung. However, it was unlikely that she and the Demon Kings of Ars Nova would significantly change their original ns, as they knew that the Corcas Mountains were a strategic location that Woohyuk wouldn¡¯t dare to abandon. ''If I don''t step forward, the Nelson march will be arge graveyard.'' Prisci had joined hands with the Demon Kings because she needed sacrifices to be made to Lilith and a forest to rule as a sanctuary. If she were to attack, the guards in the northern and central regions of the Nelson march would get ughtered without having a chance to retaliate. Something had to be done before it would be toote. ¡°What do you n to do, Your Majesty?¡± As Woohyuk stood silently in deep thoughts, Marquis Nelson asked with an anxious look. He had also listened to the contents of the interrogation and understood the gravity of the current situation. However, there was nothing much he could do other than waiting for the king¡¯s order. ¡°Since they¡¯re attacking us first, there¡¯s no other choice.¡± He had been prepared from the very beginning. It was impossible for him to stay confined within the Ionel Penins from the start. Even if it was a bit unreasonable, he had to defeat the two demon kings and conquer the neighboring countries toy the foundation for the peace of the Eeth continent. ¡°In my opinion, it would be a good idea to send a message to ask Emperor Tiberius for help. If the Pdins of the Holy Aperian Empire help us, this problem can be easily solved... .¡± ¡°No, that would be problematic.¡± Woohyuk also possessed the demonic energy of Asura, so in the pdins¡¯ eyes, he was no different than the 72nd Demon Kings. The situation would worsen if they actually asked the Holy Aperian Empire for help. The Demon Kings of the Ars Nova Circle also knew this fact, which is why they were daring enough to n out a scheme like this. ¡°If pushes to shove, are you nning to deal with them on your own, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°No, I will need some help.¡± They could hinder Prisci for a while with the help of the Izuna Kingdom''s Spiritual Society. Woohyuk returned to Marquis Nelson''s room and quickly wrote a letter. ''It''s time to get the military support that was promisedst time.'' There was no need to ask the Izuna Kingdom to send troops, as they could keep the Dane Kingdom¡¯s army in check at their border. The Spiritual Society and the priests within the group were more than enough support. ¡°My Lord, shall we issue a draft order to all the feudal lords?¡± ¡°No, wait a moment. I will make a separate list of lords.¡± If they were to engage in an all-out war, there was a high possibility that they could get attacked from behind, from groups such as the Golden Rose Society, the Witch Cult, or demons. When Woohyuk handed over the scroll with a list of names written on it, Leifina made a puzzled expression. ¡°Is this truly enough? I personally don¡¯t think that there are enough on the list...¡± ¡°This conflict is not at the stage of an all-out war yet.¡± If they were to lead a lot of troops, Prisci and the Demon Kings of the Ars Nova Circle would not descend the Corcas Mountains. However, if they were to blindly climb up the mountains, they would end up like Gaius, themander of the 5th corps, due to the countless ambush areas and locations of danger that were within the Corcas Mountains. They could also potentially get ambushed from the rear. Therefore, it was wiser to focus on defense rather than offense, and to wait for the priest unit led by the Spiritual Society to join them. ¡°There is a high possibility that Sirien, the northern region, will be targeted first rather than the central region, Trevis. I''m going to send Maximus, the most outstanding general, to that region.¡± As he observed the map of Nelson march ced on the desk, Woohyuk calmly nned out an operation. Meanwhile, Marquis Nelson and Leifina were listening to him attentively, when... ¡°Marquis Nelson! This is an emergency!¡± One of the soldiers ran into the room. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Lieutenant Gwak Seyoung escaped his prison cell by opening the iron bars with his bare hands!¡± ¡°What?¡± Marquis Nelson stared at the soldier with a face of astonishment as he couldn¡¯t believe this absurdity. It''s impossible to bend those sturdy bars unless he had the strength level of an ogre. However, Woohyuk nodded as if he had expected this news. ¡°He ran away as I expected.¡± ¡°Did, did you let it go on purpose?¡± ¡°It¡¯s meaningless to keep him locked up since he¡¯s of no use to us now.¡± It was better to free him and find out where Prisci was hiding. At Woohyuk''s exnation, Leifina spoke urgently. ¡°If that¡¯s the goal, shouldn¡¯t we send some men to pursue him? Men that will pretend they can¡¯t catch up and keep a certain distance between them and Gwak Seyoung¡­¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to.¡± He had the reward obtained from the 96th floor of the Twilight Tower, the Messenger¡¯s Wings. By using it, he could see his vision with someone else¡¯s for a maximum of 3 days, someone he was in physical contact with. However, it could only be used three times. Woohyuk had used it twice in the Witch''s Forest previously, so this was hisst chance. Nevertheless, he didn''t think of it as a waste. With thisst usage, he could find out where Gwak Seyoung was headed to without having to pursue him. ¡°Then, can¡¯t Gwak Seyoung also see this ce through your eyes, My Lord?¡± ¡°I dealt with that in advance.¡± Before using the Messenger¡¯s Wings on Gwak Seyoung, Woo-hyuk had secretly imposed a partial restriction on his five senses using demonic energy. Now, the effect of the Messenger¡¯s Wings could only be enjoyed by Woohyuk. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes brightened as he observed everything that was reflected in Gwak Seyoung''s eyes. Chapter 105: The Rhine Kingdoms Peril 1

Chapter 105: The Rhine Kingdom''s Peril 1

Inside a certain chamber inside the Izuna Royal Pce, Anais was facing a man bound to a chair who was groaning in pain. ¡°Were you lusting after me? Did you want to tear apart my clothes and whip me every night like you did to the maids in your mansion?¡± The man was Count Ethan''s son Turner. After the rebellion in the Rhine Kingdom was suppressed, he had been kidnapped by the Golden Rose Society and brought to this location. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a misunderstanding, Anais. I just...¡± ¡°Melphis told me everything about your perverted fetishes and hobbies.¡± Turner could be called a psychopath. He did not sympathize with the feelings of others. Rather, he enjoyed abusing them. Anais had heard rumors and knew of this fact for a long time. ¡°You are special to me, so I won''t treat you carelessly... .¡± ¡°I guess you still haven''t gotten rid of your delusions. You¡¯re just a ve to sex...¡± Anais¡¯ wrath against Turner was justified. Due to her father Count Ludwig, she was about to be wed to this man. So, one of the reasons Anais offered her chastity to Melphis was to gain protection against Turner. Of course, the current situation was the opposite of what it was in the past. ¡°Don''t do this, Anais. We have to work together to regain our fathers''nds.¡± "I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be very helpful.¡± It was all thanks to the Golden Rose Society that she was able toe this far. They wanted to take control of the Rhine kingdom behind the scenes and needed Turner and Anais to carry out the n. Still, the reason Turner was trapped was because he could potentially harm Anais. ¡°Let me sign a contract with the demons. Then I will definitely be useful to you.¡± "No. Then it will get harder to control you.¡± Since he was a psychopath, Turnercked self-control. Currently, Anais was the only one to have signed a contract with Prisci, as he could create trouble and disrupt their ns. As Anais looked down upon Turner, a young man''s voice resounded behind her. ¡°You two still have a bad rtionship.¡± ¡°Lord Crowley¡­¡± Anais''s gaze immediately turned towards Aleister. He was the head of the Golden Rose Society and the Witch Cult. He embodied fear itself. ¡°Now, how about reconciling with each other? You will have to travel together soon enough.¡± ¡°Is the Rhine King already at Marquis Nelson¡¯s territory?¡± ¡°Since the armed provocations of the Dane Kingdom¡¯s army got more frequent, it seems like he came out for an inspection. Because of that, he seems to have noticed our ns to some extent. Aleister knew about everything happening on the Eeth continent as if he were simply looking down at his palm. His informationwork was greatly organized and maintained with strict security. Anais also knew of this fact, and nodded at his words. ¡°I believe that I must go to Erutonia with the Witch Cult, correct? We will take over thends while the Rhine King is upied in the Nelson march.¡± ¡°Yes, the n will go ahead as scheduled, no matter what the enemy does.¡± Aleister was on his way back from the meeting with King Philip II, the ruler of the Izuna Kingdom. He was Joanna''s father, the regent who was governing ckburn on behalf of Woohyuk during his absence. Therefore, if he sent a message to threaten her, Joanna would have no other choice but to ept Aleister''s demands. Their n was wless and they would easily obtain ckburn, the impregnable fortress. Once the Rhine Kingdom were to fall into great chaos, they would also take over other key cities and locations in turn, using methods simr to the one described earlier. ¡°I want to see the RHine King fall. If possible, I want to see his demise in person.¡± ¡°I will at least tell you the entire story after it happens.¡± Aleister looked at her with a meaningful smile. It would prove to be difficult to kill Woohyuk, the one who had defeated the Witch of Envy and thwarted many of his past schemes. Regardless of the means, Aleister was willing to brutalize and ughter all those he cherished. ''This is all in Lady Lilith''s name!'' Salvation could only be achieved through destruction. Asura was an heretical existence that interfered with this grand mission. In truth, Lilith had never said this, but ording to the Gospel it was the case. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be wasting time like this. Get ready to depart.¡± Aleister gathered his hands and began his prayer to convey his appreciation. Eventually, the sound of ropes being cut echoed and Turner was released from his restraints. ¡°Oh, you need to do a few things before leaving.¡± Aleister approached the rebellious Turner and pressed his index finger on the psychopath¡¯s forehead. Soon enough, Turner''s eyes were dyed with mad blood. *** [Hong Yuri, report the situation in the Lydia kingdom.] [The movement of the Witch Cult is suspicious. I think they¡¯re plotting something.] [Be careful not to arouse suspicion yourself as much as possible. The Golden Rose Society may be lurking somewhere.] [Yes, don''t worry. I''m very good at acting.] Hong Yuri was active in the Lydia Kingdom and was constantly monitoring the behavior of Woohyuk¡¯s enemies. However, on the surface level, she had absolutely no connection with Woohyuk, so nobody had noticed her activities. While Woo-hyuk was having a conversation with her, Leifina ran to him and reported. ¡°My Lord, all the feudal rulers who were convocated have arrived.¡± "Understood. Let''s go now.¡± Their current location is Sirien, the northern province of the Nelson march. Woohyuk left the Northeast Guard Camp for a while and was scanning his surroundings. ¡°But why did you summon a man named Sieg instead of Countess Tinia? He is just an assistant of the lord.¡± ¡°Sieg is also one of my vassals.¡± To protect Tinia and Silvia, Sieg had signed a contract with Woohyuk. Therefore, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t mobilize the sisters in such a dangerous battle. Moreover, someone had to remain within the Ethan county, so he didn¡¯t think of their absence as a pity. Once he returned to the northeastern guard camp, the army of the lords were camped and were waiting for him. ¡°Hihi~ Your Majesty! I''m here!¡± Aris, who was riding on a white horse, swung her red hair back and joyously greeted Woohyuk. She happily handed the position of the Ethan county¡¯s feudal lord over to Tinia and joined Woohyuk for his adventures. Governing somends in the lord¡¯s estate, sitting silently on a chair didn¡¯t fit with her personality. ¡°How is Choi Kayoon doing?¡± ¡°Not too bad. She still detests men as much as before.¡± Choi Kayoon was given the title of baroness and left for her estate in the Floren region. Woohyuk bursted out inughter when he heard that she kept tearing up all the letters from the nobles who were proposing to her. ¡°I¡¯m worried that she¡¯ll only raise female monsters.¡± ¡°Fortunately enough, she isn¡¯t doing that. Last time I saw her, she was already taming a male orc, though she was using quite the ruthless method...¡± ¡°...¡± The image of Choi Kayoon wielding a whip while swearing at orcs drew in Woohyuk¡¯s mind. He stroked Aris'' hair and headed towards Sieg. ¡°I didn''t know we would be reunited this quickly, My Lord.¡± ¡°Is Tinia still angry against me?¡± ¡°I worry that she will live her entire life and die as a virgin¡­ My Lord, since the topic hase up, I would be so grateful if you could share the bed with her for at least a single night...'' ¡°I¡¯ll act as if I didn''t hear that.¡± He was a lot more obsessed about this subject than Woohyuk had expected. Leaving Sieg behind, who couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment, Woohyuk greeted the other lords one after another. There were a total of three of them. Including Aris and Sieg, he had summoned 5 lords. ¡°I have called you here because the Rhine Kingdom is currently in great danger.¡± After roughly identifying the number of people in the camp, Woohyuk stepped forward and exined the purpose of his summoning. ¡°The demons, who have returned after a long time, are plotting a conspiracy. They have taken control of the Corcas Mountains. If we show them the slightest opening, even for an instant, they wille down and ughter the people of the kingdom.¡± ¡°Um, Your Majesty, if that is the case, shouldn¡¯t we order the other lords to gather as well?¡± Count Collins of the Ashton region asked with caution. The two lords next to him nodded in agreement. ¡°The demons are a cunning race. I''ll try to create confusion amongst them as much as possible by disturbing their front and rear at the same time.¡± ¡°Do you intend to use the kingdom¡¯s army as your main force?¡± ¡°Commander Maximus of the 3rd Corps is already with us.¡± The 5th Corps¡¯ Commander Gaius had remained within ckburn. The newly inaugurated Commander Russell of the 1st Corps, along with the Eastern Guard Camp, were to defend Trevis, the central region of the Nelson march. The other two were stationed in Arpen and Erutonia respectively, to monitor and protect the cities in case a group of assants of impure intentions were to attack them. Looking at the deployment of troops alone, the center of gravity and importance was greater in the rear regions. However, since Aris and Sieg and other talented vassals were with Woohyuk on the frontlines, the power in the front was more than sufficient. ¡®Once we join up with the Spiritual Society, we can begin the subjugation of the Corcas Mountains.¡¯ If Aris were to face the 72nd-rank Demon King Dantalion and the Spiritual Society were to hold back the Witch of Sloth Prisci, Woo-hyuk would only have to deal with the 58th-rank Demon King Amii. Seig and Leifina could take care of all small mobs. After raising the morale of the soldiers with an encouraging speech, Woohyuk used the Messenger''s Wings to observe Gwak Seyoung¡¯s vision. ¡®He entered the secret passage, just as I expected.¡¯ There were many hidden caves in the Corcas Mountains, perfect locations for Prisci to hide. If he could confirm her whereabouts, a more specific and urate operation could be carried out. While Woo-hyuk was pulling out a map of Sirien, The 3rd Corps¡¯ Commander Maximus and Northeastern Guard¡¯ Commander Aiden ran to him on horseback. ¡°Your Majesty, we have received a report that an army of monsters are descending the Corcas Mountains.¡± ¡°ording to the direction of their movement, they must be nning to attack and loot civilian houses in the area.¡± While they were facing him directly, the two couldn''t recognize Woohyuk at all. Back when he had met them, Woohyuk was wearing the Jester¡¯s Mask to hide his true appearance. ¡°It''s quite far away. I will take the cavalry with me.¡± Woohyuk spoke as he pulled his reins once Maximus'' detailed report was over. Immediately, Leifina, who was next to him, tilted her head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be too dangerous? You may get attacked instead if you take such a little number of soldiers with you...¡± ¡°If they do so, I will wee them with open arms.¡± Other than the soldiers he would take with him, Woohyuk also had an army of undeads hidden within his shadows. ''At the very least, we won¡¯t be overwhelmingly inferior in terms of numbers.'' And even if they performed a general offensive in the current camp, Woohyuk had the confidence that they would hold on until he returned to help. Sieg alone could face over 10,000 troops. Aris could face three times that number, based on the abilities she had managed to regain until today. In addition, the leadership of other elite undeads and the size of their army was equal to the total size of the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s army. Therefore, if they attacked confidently based on the numbers alone, they would be on the disadvantage since more undeads could be summoned on the battlefield with the countless littered corpses. ¡®We might be pushed back a little on nds, but it will be worthwhile.'' Unlike the Corcas Mountains where the slopes were steep, battles on the ins had no particr advantage or disadvantage to either teams. Therefore, if they could fully utilize their powers, Sieg and Leifina would be more than enough to keep Prisci in check. While there were obviously some risks, it was well worth the try. Woohyuk gleamed as his horse galloped, leading the temporarily reorganized cavalry. Chapter 106: The Rhine Kingdoms Peril 2

Chapter 106: The Rhine Kingdom''s Peril 2

Inside a dark and humid cave, Gwak Seyoung was gasping and running at full speed. ¡°Fuck¡­ Fucking hell...¡± It would¡¯ve been a perfect n, if only Woohyuk hadn''t appeared at that exact moment. ''What the hell happened while I was unconscious?'' Thinking that he might have been hypnotized and revealed all of the ns, his thoughts got murky. Luckily, he managed to escape, but it was unclear whether Prisci would forgive him. He was like a dog whoy down and showed her his stomach to pledge his allegiance, but in the end, he was just a measly dog to her. ''I have to prove that I still have value to her.'' After making a contract with Prisci, he gained abilities that he couldn¡¯t have dreamt of before. He could now temporarily neutralize an opponent and to pull out ck monsters from the darkness by borrowing the power of sloth. Although he was unlucky and had to lower himself to serve her, he was still useful as a minion. While Gwak Seyoung was thinking of a suitable excuse, an angry female voice resounded from a hidden location. ¡°You have quite the balls to return after the mess you created.¡± ¡°Lady Pr-Prisci¡­¡± Gwak Seyoung fell t on the floor and couldn¡¯t move from the spot for a while. His face was as white as a sheet. A ck portal soon appeared and Prisci showed herself. ¡°Because of your mistake, The Rhine King has noticed my existence. So now I have to have a battle of wits against him.¡± ¡°Please give me one more chance! I will do anything to correct things. I¡¯ll even put my life on the line, so please trust me!¡± ¡°Hmph, such an annoying bug. I really want to slit your throat right now and sacrifice you as an offering. But we need to buy time until we summon the demonic beast Charybdis.¡± By cooperating with Demon King Amii, Prisci was able to obtain numerous human sacrifices in the Lydia Kingdom. However, those were not enough to call out the legendary monster Charybdis, and naturally her interest turned to the hostile Rhine Kingdom. ¡°Please give me a monster army. I will go to Trevis and make more offerings while avoiding the forces of the Rhine King and Marquis Nelson as much as possible.¡± ¡°I was about to order you so myself.¡± In Sirien, the northern region of the Nelson march, there was only one feudal army. Meanwhile, where was the Eastern Guard Camp in the central region, Trevis. Prisci had deliberately begun to create a fuss in Sirien by attacking the civilians. In simple terms, it could be called a ruse. ¡°I will make sure to live up to Lady Prisci''s expectations. So please wait for good news from me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really good at twisting your words considering you¡¯re Demon King Vk¡¯s subject.¡± Although they were allied with each other as they shared the same interests, the 72 Demon Kings and the Witches of the Seven Sins had different tendencies. The purpose of the demon kings was to increase their own power through conquests, while the witches wished for the advent of the demon god through the destruction of the world. So, despite being in the same demonic camp, the two sides were in conflict. ¡°I didn''t know anything back then. If I had known of Lady Prisci''s existence before, I wouldn''t have decided to serve Demon King Vk. Please do not doubt my loyalty.¡± Gwak Seyoung tried to kiss Prisci''s foot with a dark expression. Then Prisci frowned and kicked his head away. Thump! ¡°Argh...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to bring those dirty lips near my body again. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°I, I apologize, Lady Prisci...¡± ¡°The Rhine King is almost at the target location. Get moving already.¡± Prisci could no longer be bothered to speak to Gwak Seyoung, so she pulled out a purple monster and had it throw the man towards the entrance. If he were an ordinary human, his entire body would¡¯ve be shattered by shock, but since he was a demon, he only ended up suffering minor wounds. ''The decisive battle is approaching, Asura.'' As the surroundings became quiet, Prisci took out a crystal ball and observed a certain vige in the Sirien region through the transparent item. Woohyuk could be seen leading his soldiers against a monster army. ''I will definitely get revenge for Kriemhild.'' She had already received permission from Lady Lilith. It would have been easier if Angrboda, the Witch of Greed, were with her. However, she was currently in the Dane Kingdom to fulfill a mission Lady Lilith had given her. Nevertheless, there were a few demon kings of the Ars Nova circle, so they would be enough to face theirmon enemy. For some reason, even Aleister Crowley, the Witch Cult¡¯s leader, was actively helping her. Imagining the bloody end of Asura, Prisci headed back to the ce where the summoning ritual was taking ce. *** ¡®As I thought, they¡¯re nning to do a two-front war.¡¯ Woo-hyuk nodded as he looked through Gwak Seyoung''s vision with the Messenger''s Wing effect. The Nelson March wasrge enough to consist of three regions, so that strategy would normally be effective. However, Woohyuk has experienced numerous battlefields over the past 40 years. Like the genius strategist us, it would be difficult to deceive him unless he had to deal with an extremely tricky ploy. ¡®Marquis Nelson will do it well on his own probably.¡¯ As of currently, there was still an agreement that the Dane Army would not invade the Rhine Kingdom. They were only fighting an unofficial war. It was a secret conflict hidden away from the eyes of the Holy Apherian Emperor Tiberius and Pope Ignatius. In other words, not all of Marquis Nelson''s troops had to stay on the walls of Doria Castle. Of course, if the demon kings were to create trouble, there was still a possibility that an all-out war would begin, but Woohyuk had already made preparations against that. While Woohyuk was sorting out information in his mind for a moment, Leifina galloped towards him to report the current situation. ¡°My Lord, we¡¯ve finished cleaning up this area.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s head to the next vige.¡± The Nelson march was a marginalnd, so the poption was small, with most people living in small viges. Therefore, it was best to fight the monsters by spreading out their troops as much as possible. Woohyuk had brought with him his own elite troops, so even if they were to get separated from one another, they would be able to ovee a certain degree of difficulties. While Woohyuk was gathering the cavalrymen, a high-pitched scream rang out. ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± A woman was getting attacked by monsters on her way home from work outside the vige. Aiden, who saw the crisis, galloped towards thedy without any hesitation. sh! A dark red liquid sttered around, and the forearm of arge ogre fell to the ground. Once Aiden had made his move, the other cavalrymen came to his support. -ng! ng! ng! The sound of metal hitting against metal echoed everywhere. When the corpses of monsters began piling up, new soldiers appeared apanied by the ringing of trumpets in the distance. The main unit that was following Woohyuk and his group had arrived. ¡°Krrrr...¡± Once they were outnumbered, the monsters began to fall back one by one. They had only descended the mountains to destroy and pige a few viges, so they didn¡¯t number many in the first ce. ¡°My Lord, what should we do?¡± ¡°Let them escape. We won''t pursue them.¡± There was a risk of being caught in a trap while chasing after them proactively, as he didn¡¯t know when the demon kings of Ars Nova would make their move. It was better not to get too close to the Corcas Mountains until the Spiritual Society arrived as reinforcements. ¡°Then should we camp here?¡± ¡°That seems like a good idea for now.¡± They didn''t know when the monsters woulde down and create chaos again. Moreover, he didn¡¯t find it necessary to go to the central region of the Nelson March to kill the monsters personally. ¡°Thank you, Commander. I owe you my life.¡± Once the battle was over, a woman hiding in the stables came out and expressed her gratitude to Aiden. Aiden was a person who had been defending the Sirien region since a long time ago and was highly popr amongst the residents. He was the person who could best reassure the civilians and erase their unease. ¡°Aiden, we need to talk for a bit.¡± As the preparations for the camp were starting to be finished, Woohyuk took Aiden and headed to themander¡¯s barracks to listen to the reports about the local situation and to discuss a few tactics. ¡°What is the matter, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°If the monsters in the Corcas Mountains make a surprise attack tonight, what route do you think they will use to attack?¡± On the table was a map of the Sirien region. Aiden pondered for a moment and then touched the border between Sirien and Trevis. ¡°If I were their leader, I would use our blind spots to the fullest. The borders are generally somewhat neglected, and depending on the situation, they may move to another region.¡± ¡°That''s right. If so, what would be the best solution to fight against monsters executing this n? Woohyuk had already made is own decision. However, he was asking Aiden for his opinion to test him. Aiden stared attentively as if he had realized the objective behind Woohyuk¡¯s questions. ¡°As you may already know, the number of residents in the Sirien region is not very high. Therefore, it would be best to send the soldiers and gather all of the residents here.¡± For amander with nerves of steel, this was a wise answer. Woohyuk nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Excellent. But is someone as talented as you merely a captain of the guard camp?¡± ¡°This region is my homnd.¡± Aiden''s wife and son lived in Sirien. Woohyuk, who heard the story, looked puzzled. ¡°Isn''t Kallenoa much safer than Sirien since it has the Doria castle?¡± ¡°Our house cannot leave Sirien.¡± It was a tragedy that befell upon their family in the past when one of Aiden''s ancestors was framed by his political opponents. One of the punishments the house had received was being unable to leave their homnd. Woohyuk wrote a pardon on the spot and handed it over to him. ¡°When this incident ends safely, I will entrust you with a serious responsibility. Instead, I will help you bring your family to Heidelberg, a safer city.¡± He hadn''t spoken of it yet, but Woohyuk wanted to appoint Aiden as the nextmander of the 5th, since it was impossible to control Gaius forever. Aiden''s eyes wide open when he heard of the favor Woohyuk was about to do to him. ¡°My sincere gratitude, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I look forward to your performance in the future.¡± Aiden was definitely a valuable person that couldn¡¯t rot in such barrennds. Moreover, once they were to win this war, they would get both the Lydia Kingdom and the Dane Kingdom, and the Northeastern Guard Camp would significantly decline in importance. Right now, it was more important to gather geniuses in the capital Heidelberg to cultivate their talents. Suddenly Lee Jaesung''s report arrived when Woohyuk was reviewing the strategy with Aiden in detail. [Your Majesty, We have received the intel that the Witch Cult has infiltrated the free city of Media.] [Did the 3rd Corps discover this fact?] [The very first witness is part of the Rossio Merchant Group. The 3rd Corps was informed by Adorno, the head of the group.] The Rossio Merchant Group was hostile to all forces rted to the Golden Rose Society. In the past, Bruno of the Cohen Merchant Group had tried to get rid of Adorno by joining them. ''Then I guess I¡¯ll be receiving a report from the Free City of Landium as well.'' There was the Erica Merchant Group as well as the violent sea serpent led by the Barbarossa Pirates, so he didn¡¯t worry about that city too much. Woohyuk warned each of the n members that were dispatched around the country and continued his conversation with Lee Jaesung. [Those guys will be aiming for you first. So try to strengthen the barriers around the Ludwig County as much as possible.] [Do you think the Witch Cult could actually reach this far? They¡¯ve already been discovered.] [We mustn¡¯t underestimate them.] Judging from his experience in the past 40 years, it was difficult to stop the Witch Cult with just a single legion if they were moving and fighting seriously. Woo-hyuk pulled out a map of the Rhine Kingdom from his pocket and tried to picture the ideal path the Witch Cult would try to take. ''I''m sure they¡¯ll try to focus on regions where the lord has recently changed.'' I had to think about the possibility that the daughter of Baron Ludwig, whose whereabouts became apparent, or the son of Count Ethan, would move with the Witches Church. He had to keep in mind the possibility that the daughter of Baron Ludwig or Count Ethan¡¯s son were working with the Witch Cult. Their locations were currently unknown. They were the children of the former lords, so they were well aware of the local areas and could have bribed some nobles in the area to make them their aplices. ''But their final goal will be ckburn.'' An impregnable fortress built by the ck Dragon King Drakia. The Witch Cult and the Golden Rose Society knew of a method that would allow them to take over the fortress with ease. As he thought of Joanna, who was currently watching over the state affairs as the regent, Woohyuk secretly sent a message to Irene. Chapter 107: The Rhine Kingdoms Peril 3

Chapter 107: The Rhine Kingdom''s Peril 3

In a luxurious room at the Rhine Royal Pce. Joanna was sitting in front of a mirror and talking with Irene. ¡°I''ve changed my hairstyle for the first time in a while. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know." Irene was officially Joanna''s attendant, that''s why she had to follow her in a maid outfit at all times. However, she didn¡¯t seem to be dissatisfied as it was apletely new experience. ¡°Would it suit His Majesty¡¯s taste? Lady Leifina rmended it to me, but I''m not too sure.¡± ¡°Do you wish to seduce him?¡± "Seduce? ¡­Pfft. I didn¡¯t think you knew that word.¡± Joannaughed at Irene''sck of expression as she spoke. She still didn''t know that Irene was chimera. ¡°The act of attracting men into the bedroom to have a rtionship¡­ or so I believe it means.¡± ¡°Not necessarily. Sometimes you do it to win someone¡¯s heart.¡± "Heart? To make him obedient and listen to everything you say?¡± ¡°No, no. Hmm¡­ How should I say it... Right. Winning someone¡¯s heart is like making them look at you and you only.¡± Joanna liked Irene who somewhat seemed naive and clumsy, because she was the only one who could make her forget the boring life in the pce. So, sometimes, she told her stories that she wouldn¡¯t tell others. ¡°It is difficult for me to understand. Does it mean anything to do such a thing?¡± "Of course. Most romantic rtionships begin that way.¡± ¡°Then, if you keep staring at each other after getting seduced, do you fall in love?¡± ¡°¡­Maybe? Why? Is there someone you¡¯re interested in recently?¡± ¡°I don''t have a suitable partner.¡± A chimera resulting from an experiment using the body of a deceased princess. There were men who like her due to her beautiful appearance, but if they knew what she truly was, they would surely run away. But it didn¡¯t bother her, because human emotions did not exist within her. ¡°What are you talking about? You were born with such a lovely appearance, so how can there be no one?¡± ¡°Is it all about the appearance though?¡± "Well¡­ You¡¯re not wrong. Men do search for other aspects, such as a kind heart, being polite, being good at housework if she¡¯s not a noble.¡± ¡°As I thought.¡± ¡°In your case, I think you should change the way you speak into a more feminine way.¡± "The way I speak?" Irene tilted her head. She didn''t think her hard tone and stoic behavior posed a problem. Joannaughed and pulled on Irene¡¯s wrist. ¡°Now,e and look in the mirror. Can you see your face?¡± ¡°¡­Of course." ¡°An aristocratic woman''s elegant tone goes well with your face. It has a soft look like a feather, but doesn¡¯t feel too light instead.¡± Joanna kindly taught Irene how to talk in a manner than men would like. Irene quickly absorbed the knowledge because she had previously learned from Aris how to act as a princess. ¡°Excellent. You¡¯re really good? Soon enough, a perfectdy will be born. An intelligent, kind-hearted and beautiful woman¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Youth does notst forever, Irene. So if the opportunityes, be sure to grab onto it.¡± "The opportunity?" ¡°A man who loves you. But you should take your own feelings into ount as well.¡± ¡°I said it earlier, but I¡­¡± ¡°Life is short, so fall in love, girl.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°It''s a phrase from a literary book that I read when I was a kid. I just wanted to tell you about it.¡± Joanna looked up at Irene with loving eyes. After a while, Irene gained back her senses and tried to say something, but... ¡°Lady Joanna, a letter has arrived from the Royal Pce of Lydia.¡±[ref]So, in a previous chapter, the scene with Aleister Crowley and the children of nobles from Rhine was set in a stone chamber in the Izuna Kingdom. Moreover, it was mentioned that the King was Joanna¡¯s father. However, taking into ount that Henry IV was Izuna¡¯s king in the 90s chapters, the author had probably made a mistake. Moreover, this time it mentions that Joanna¡¯s father is from Lydia.[ref/] A maid came into the room with a rolled scroll. ¡°My father?¡± Joanna was disgusted, and used her knife to remove the red wax seal. After reading the scroll, her expression turned dark. ¡°This, this can¡¯t be...¡± ckmailing. It said that all her family members would be killed if she did not follow the instructions. Irene asked in concern as Joanna trembled. ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°It, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Currently, Joanna was having an inner conflict. Should she immediately tell Irene and the others about this? Or should she keep it a secret for a while and find a way to protect her family? ''The seal used on the scroll definitely belongs to the Borge house.'' Even her father''s autograph was at the end, so there was no possibility that it was counterfeit. However, if she were to keep ckburn''s gates open ording to the letter''s instructions, Woohyuk, who had left to the border, would be in trouble. As Joanna was restless, Irene grabbed her shoulder from behind. ¡°What decision are you going to make, Joanna?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Irene was informed in advance that this would happen through a message from Woohyuk. However, Joanna, who did not know this fact, waspletely surprised. ¡°No, no way... You too, Irene¡­?¡± ¡°Do not misunderstand. I am on the Rhine King¡¯s side.¡± Even though she hadn¡¯t found the meaning of her life yet, Irene never intended to betray the one who had given her a new life. As Irene roughly exined the situation, Joanna stared dumbfouned. "I see¡­ His Majesty already knew that I would have to make such a decision...¡± ¡°He is certainly a trustworthy man. And he is stronger than most demon kings.¡± And although he had borrowed the power of a saint, he had also defeated her master, Aris, and prevented the destruction of the world. Therefore, it would be better to wait for Woohyuk to solve this case rather than to do everything on her own. At Irene''s advice, Joanna nodded with a bitter smile. ¡°I apologize for making you see me in a sorry state.¡± "It doesn''t matter if you don''t betray the Rhine King." In the first ce, Irene was here to protect but also monitor Joanna. Therefore, she was close yet distant from her. Joanna knew that too, so she didn''t say anything. ¡°So, we can keep simply chatting here?¡± ¡°Indeed, because a solution has most likely been found already.¡± "Then, let¡¯s just continue what we were doing before." Joanna had a long way to go to make Irene into the perfectdy. As she put the scroll down in front of the mirror, Joanna showed a bright smile. *** ¡®Irene seeded in convincing her.¡¯ Woohyuk, who received a report while on a battlefield full of monsters, sighed in relief. Joanna was a person who could be helpful for his future ns. With Queen Iona''s sessor on his side, there was a high probability of receiving a hidden quest when ck Dragon King Drakia would return. So, it would be troublesome if a situation like this would make her change her mind. ¡®Now, everything will be fine if Lee Jaesung stands strong.¡¯ It was likely that the Witch Cult had infiltrated Media rather than Landium, because the area where the fief lords had changed were all on that side of the country. It would spell a lot of trouble for Lee Jaesung, but Woohyuk believed that it would be alright if the Spiritual Society arrived. ¡°My Lord, what do we do now? We¡¯ve dealt with all the monsters¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s watch the situation for a while longer.¡± As he expected, the monsters had attempted a night attack along the border, but the battle ended with a one-sided victory. The battle in the central region of the Nelson march seemed to be yet to conclude itself, but they couldn¡¯t move the troops on this side to support their allies as they had to guard the northern region as well. After letting the soldiers take a break for a while, Woohyuk activated the Messenger¡¯s Wing¡¯s effect to watch through Gwak Seyoung¡¯s vision. ''Hm¡­? That¡¯s...¡¯ The magic circle that Witches used when making a sacrifice to Lilith. Gwak Seyoung was randomly ughtering civilians, avoiding the eyes of Woohyuk¡¯s allies. Woohyuk frowned as he carefully observed the details. ''It looks like they''re trying to summon a monster.'' If a high-grade demonic beast such as the Leviathan or Behemoth was to be summoned, the situation would beplicated for Woohyuk. Currently, they could match their enemies¡¯ strengths if they had the support of the Spiritual Society. Therefore, the appearance of a demonic beast would break the power bnce. In other words, he couldn¡¯t stand watching patiently while this scene was unfolding. Something had to be done. ¡°Maximus, you¡¯re in charge while I am away.¡± ¡°Where are you going, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I will go to the Trevis region for a while.¡± Gwak Seyoung had gained strong abilities by making a contract with Prisci. It would be tricky if he gathered monsters to catch Woohyuk¡¯s allies by surprise by attacking them from the rear. Even if he were to take a little risk, Woohyuk had to take the initiative to reduce the damage. ¡°My Lord, I will go with you.¡± Leifina, who was watching the soldiers'' condition, said so as she got on her horse. Woohyuk nodded and sprinted south with her. Clop. Clop. Both of them lowered their postures as they faced a strong wind. A vast wastnd unfolded under the soft moonlight. It was a barren environment, but it was also precious because it was and where the people of the kingdom lived. ''I must protect it.'' This war hadn''t happened in the past. The future had changed due to his intervention. However, because he was prepared for this kind of ordeal, Woohyuk was not particrly confused or surprised. When he arrived at a vige, the screams of the residents resounded from everywhere. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°Sa, save me!¡± A bloody scent emanated as if to prove that a lot of people had already been killed. Woohyuk frowned and immediately pulled out Verserios. ¡°Leifina, wait here for a while.¡± "What? Why¡­¡± ¡°The demon kings may appear.¡± Leifina was the only ally he had with him. While he could summon Aris and Zeke, they would have to fight alongside him. So, if Leifina were to remain behind, she could notify Marquis Nelson in case something went wrong. ''In truth, the biggest reason is that I don''t want to lose you.¡¯ But he couldn''t reveal those feelings now. Woohyuk ran on his horse, leaving Leifina hesitating. When he reached the front of a shabby forge, he heard Gwak Seyoung''sughter. ¡°Kekeke¡­ Kuhahahahaha.¡± Demonic energy had contaminated his mind and he had gone crazy. Woohyuk was uninspired because he had seen such situations many times before. Bang! After a while, the door opened and Gwak Seyoung appeared. He had four ck monsters by his side in case something dangerous were to happen to him. However, no matter how hard he battled, he couldn''t possibly be Woohyuk''s opponent. Slit! When Woohyuk swung Verserios, a jet-ck wave flew and cut a ck beast. ¡°Why, why the hell are you here?!¡± Gwak Seyoung, who was running towards him in fury, stepped back when he saw the attack. He could instinctively sense fear even if he wasn¡¯t in a right mind. Woohyuk was openly revealing his presence by releasing all the demonic energy within him. ¡°I think it was a good decision to send you to the Doria castle without killing you.¡± It was the guy he had spared as Han Jangmi was more than enough to control the n, but he never thought he could be of help in this way. Thanks to him, not only did he locate Prisci¡¯s approximate whereabouts, he had also obtained the information that a demonic beast was being summoned. However, it wasn''t worth keeping him alive since he had removed his Unity Ring and had made a contract with the Witch of Sloth. Woohyuk pointed Verserios towards Gwak Seyoung, who was looking for an opportunity to escape. Chapter 108: The Rhine Kingdoms Peril 4

Chapter 108: The Rhine Kingdom''s Peril 4

¡°Sheesh, this is troublesome.¡± A woman with grayish brown hair looked into her hand mirror, which reflected a frown. Her name was Catherine. She was an executive of the Witch Cult who had infiltrated Erutonia with Anais under the orders of Aleister. ¡°What is the problem, Lady Catherine?¡± ¡°The man named Gwak Seyoung is dead. Killed by the King of the Rhine Kingdom.¡± ¡°Then what should we do about the sacrifices for the summoning?¡± ¡°We have no choice but to get them ourselves. They say that the security at Landium is extremely strict these days.¡± An alliance of pirates known as the Sea Serpent''s Fury, was guarding the Ernox Bay and preventing the Witch Cult to set foot onnd. There were a few members who luckily managed to infiltrate, but they weren¡¯t numerous enough to pursue their own missions. So Catherine paused for a moment and changed her horse¡¯s direction towards a nearby town. ¡°It won¡¯t be toote to get rid of Lee Jaesungter. Right now, we need to prioritize the summoning of the demonic beast Charybdis.¡± ¡°Great timing. The Kingdom¡¯s army has been bothering ustely.¡± They had been avoiding conflict during this mission to reach their destination as fast as possible. In truth, although the army troops greatly outnumbered them, they wouldn¡¯t find it easy to defeat Catherine and Anais, since those two were able to use the power of Sloth by contracting with Prisci. ¡°As long as we kill themander first, we can easily annihte them all. No matter how well the current king has trained the military, an army without amander is like a snake without its head.¡± Catherine was familiar with the tactics used by the kingdom¡¯s forces, because she was apetentmander of the Holy Apherian Imperial Army before joining the Witch Cult. Therefore, she had the confidence to break through the gaps in their formations and bring back the neck of the enemy faction¡¯smander. ''I won''t go down as easily as Amy.'' Kriemhild¡¯s death was a big reason behind Amy¡¯s helplessness against Woohyuk. He could easily kill her because she could no longer use the power of Envy. Of course, another decisive factor was that she was forced to elerate her ns and act recklessly because of the unexpected intervention by Woohyuk. As Catherine steeled her heart, a dark wind blew out of nowhere and a ck shadow appeared from nothingness. ¡°Oh my. You seem to be preparing a very dangerous scheme.¡± It was Loengreen. Catherine and Anais¡¯s eyes widened in surprise by the sudden appearance. "A, A demon?!" ¡°Are you here to disrupt our ns?¡± They had heard that demons, like humans, frequently engaged in territorial disputes. So, while it was unlikely, The Rhine King could have joined hands with another Demon King in exchange for giving him some assets. Loengreen smiled gracefully as the two stared in all seriousness. ¡°Well, you can think of it that way. People like you who interfere with my love are definitely an enemy to me.¡± To Loengreen, Woohyuk was a being that held great value to him. So even though he hadn¡¯t gotten requested by Woohyuk specifically, he decided to intervene of his own free will. However, he had obviously hidden his lover, Mikaelovich, safely in a cave. ¡°I don''t know how strong you are, but we won¡¯t step back. If we do so, we will be severely punished by Prisci, the Witch of Sloth.¡± ¡°I am not telling you to retreat. As long as you two are alive, you''ll definitely bother us again.¡± Loengreen opened his golden eyes as dark green hair fluttered in the wind. The air around them suddenly decreased to freezing temperatures. Catherine instinctively gulped in fear a momentarily. ¡®A, a high-ranking demon¡­¡¯ He was different from the 72 Demon Kings she had met so far. His rank was most probably quite high amongst them. As Catherine was contemting what to do, Anais shouted with a venomous face. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m going to let you kill me? Turner, get that guy already!¡± ¡°¡­Krrrr.¡± Turner shed red eyes and rushed to Loengreen. Loengreen smirked when he saw the long nails filled with demonic energy on the tip of Turner¡¯s fingers. ¡°Hoh, are you imitating the Werewolf''s ability? Maybe that¡¯s the reason why, but your movements are simr to his as well.¡± It was Aleister Crowley who had given Turner this ability. He was quite the mysterious person, one of the people who couldn¡¯t be understood throughmon sense Loengreen had met. Loengreen narrowed his eyes as if he had noticed Aleister¡¯s handiwork. ng! The purple nails hit the intangible protective barrier and sparked. But that''s the extent of it. Turner, who simply relied only on external abilities, could not be a worthy opponent for Loengreen. ¡°Get lost!¡± As Turner struggled, Anais, who was watching from behind, sent out nine monsters at once. Catherine summoned a jet-ck twin sword and leapt into the air, as if there was nothing else she could do. ¡°It¡¯s all useless, everyone." With a cold tone, Loen Green vanished. Afterwards, a single shadow ran like the wind and faced the three enemies at the same time. ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°Krrrr!¡± When Loengreen''s onught began,rge and small wounds formed on the bodies of the three demonic people. But that was the extent of it. Even Loengreen could not inflict a decisive blow on them, because his magic had yet to fully recover. ¡°I''ve be so weak. To think that I¡¯m struggling with an easy battle like this.¡± Loengreen reappeared and spoke coldly. He had paused his barrage of attacks as he thought it would be difficult to defeat them all at this pace. However, there was no sign of impatience in his eyes. Anais, gasping for breath, frowned as she saw his rxed attitude. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on us! You can¡¯t even rival Lady Prisci!¡± Lilith''s Witches of Seven Deadly Sins were treated as equals to the 72 Demon Kings in the demon realm. While there were differences in rank depending on individual abilities, it was clear that Prisci was stronger than Loengreen. ¡°Are you discussing the dignity of the master you serve? Well, I am a subject of Demon King Agares...¡± ¡°A-Agares?!¡± Demon King Agares, the 2nd ranking demon king. Lilith was the only witch stronger than her. Catherine opened her mouth in amazement while Anais stood speechless and nked for a moment. ¡°¡­Then are you Loengreen?¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯ve be a celebrity.¡± Loengreen smiled with a troubled look. Catherine was greatly agitated by the affirmation. ¡°The demon who fought equally against Demon King Orobas, the 55th ranker...¡± Although it was said that Demon King Orobas was not in perfect condition, this was a major incident that caused a considerable sensation even within the demon faction. However, Loengreen ended up suffering fatal damage and had to enter a long period of hibernation. ¡°It an exaggerated story. I am not such a terrifying being. That''s why I''m having a hard time fighting against you guys.¡± In fact, the reason why Loengreen was currently weaker than other high-ranking demons wasrgely due to the fierce battle against the Demon King Orobas at the time. However, he tried not to mention it. He didn''t want to reveal the truth behind his strength to hostile forces. ''You have many enemies, Lord Asura.'' While he could be of help this time, Loengreen wasn¡¯t certain he could help out in the future, Particrly in the case of Aleister. He was particrly concerned about Aleister because it was difficult to read his mind. While Loengreen was worrying about Woohyuk in her heart, the sound of horses galloping rang from afar. Thud thud thud. Since he was buying time, the army of priests from the Izuna Kingdom had arrived. ¡°It¡¯s the Witch Cult!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave a single one alive and burn them all!¡± The Spiritual Society at the forefront gave an urgent instruction. Before long, a dazzling magic circle began to spread all around the area. ¡°I guess there are other people who are here to help him.¡± Loengreen was reassured and calmed down. Afterwards, he activated his abilities and attacked the three enemies who were standing nkly. Slit! Slit! Thin, wire-like demonic energy spread like spider webs and butchered Turner''s body. It happened so quickly that Catherine and Anais were barely able to avoid and hold onto their lives. Loengreen retracted his power with regret. ¡°As I thought, this is my limit for now. Oh well, I¡¯m satisfied with the results.¡± ¡°This damned bastard¡­¡± A furious Anais tried to rush back to Loengreen, but he flew into the air as if he had no intention of dealing with her. ¡°I don''t want to waste any more energy. They will be your opponents fro now on. I¡¯ll be leaving since I¡¯m busy. Goodbye.¡± Loengreen waved his hand and disappeared. Ronald saw it and lifted his staff high in the sky. ¡°Hurry up! Don''t let the Witch Cult escape!¡± The priests in the rear were still casting their magic spells. Those in the lower front were holding maces and charged towards Catherine and Anais. Thump thump thump. The sound of heavy horse steps echoed in the dark night sky. ¡°We really have dirty luck.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± After the high-ranking demon, even the priests of other countries were interfering with them. Catherine frowned and took out her hand mirror. As she touched her reflection, witches hiding around them suddenly appeared. ¡°I was trying to confuse the kingdom¡¯s army by ambushing them, but it¡¯s so much better to fight openly like this!¡± ¡°We should¡¯ve used it during our fight against Loengreen.¡± It wouldn¡¯t have helped at all, but she suddenly felt regretful. As Catherine and Anais gave out instructions to the Witches, two groups appeared in the distance raising dust as they ran. Those from the north were the army of the lords of the Erutonian region, and those from the south were from the kingdom¡¯s army. ''We¡¯re not toote yet.'' Lee Jaesung sighed in relief. Because Loengreen dered that he would help Woohyuk, Jaesung was able to get permission from the king to set off and leave the camp. ''I will definitely protect the peace in the Erutonia region.'' He felt a strong sense of responsibility for this region as the lord. He had also witnessed the deaths of young people in battle against monsters firsthand previously on thesends. That led to this departure where he left Sally of house Tannis, his fiance, behind away from battle. ¡®If I return alive, I''ll have to have my wedding with her.¡¯ I remembered Sally''s tears as she said she would wait all night long for his return. As he felt his heart warming, Lee Jaesung raised his right hand holding the prominent broadsword. ¡°No matter what happens, do not back down! If we fail to stop them, our families and acquaintances will be ughtered!¡± ¡°Yeaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Long live Count Lee Jaesung!¡± The soldiers'' trust was very strong since they had protected the territory from monsters previously together. When Lee Jaesung took the lead and led the army of the lords, the 3rd Corps Commander on the other side also began to advance. Thud thud thud thud thud. Thud thud thud thud thud. The sound of footsteps of heavily armed soldiers followed. ¡°This is driving me crazy. They¡¯re alling in from 3 different directions.¡± ¡°Wha, what do we do? There are too many enemies...¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to do our best. If you think of it the other way around, these people are all offerings to be sacrificed.¡± Catherine lifted her pitch ck twin swords with a trumpy look. Ronald stood in the way when she attempted to perform wide-range attacks on the mace-wielding priests. ¡°That ring belongs to the executives of the Witch Cult.¡± ¡°¡­ Ronald of the Spiritual Society.¡± Ronald was a well-known figure amongst the Witches. Although he couldn''t meet Eteria Rodinus, he was so good at divine magic that he could sooner orter join the ranks of saints. ¡°As ording to the will of our great god, I will lead you down the path of purification tonight.¡± "Try it if you can. Let¡¯s have a look at your skills." Catherine took out dozens of ck monsters out of her body. Before long, a fierce battle between the two unfolded. Chapter 109: The Trial 1

Chapter 109: The Trial 1

A magnificent castle built on a steep hill. There, the Demon kings of the Ars Nova Circle had gathered and were having a serious meeting. ¡°The situation is going badly, Dantalion.¡± A woman with light green hair sitting on the throne expressed her difort. The Demon King ranked 58th, Amii. At her words, Dantalion stuttered as he had nothing to say in response. ¡°Oh, that¡­ Some unknown variables intervened...¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you guarantee that we could kill Asura if we followed your n?!¡± Amii¡¯s voice echoed and rattled inside the room as the demon king expressed her anger. Demon King Dantalion was sweating for a while without a word, and then pointed to the Demon King Vk next to him. ¡°Vk didn¡¯t tell me anything about Loengreen. If I knew about him, this wouldn''t have happened.¡± ¡°What? Are you ming me right now?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just stating a fact. Anyway, it¡¯s already happened, so let¡¯s move on now¡­¡± Dantalion changed the topic as he watched the two demon kings. Although he was ranked 72nd, he was quite smart and resourceful. He was someone who could shine during situations like this. ¡°They say that the summoning ritual of the demonic beast Charybdis is almost over, so I think we can start elerating our ns.¡± ¡°Have all the necessary sacrifices been made? I¡¯m certain they said that they needed a bit morest time.¡± ¡°Aleister Crowley dedicated tens of thousands of people in the Lydia Kingdom by spreading a disease.¡± ¡°And since it wasn¡¯t enough either, an executive of the Witch Cult made some sacrifices in her area. She and her allies did end up losing their lives in the end.¡± He was talking about Catherine and Anais. Demon King Amii calmed her anger at the words that the n had progressed one step further. ¡°I guess there were some achievements. All right then, Dantalion. Tell me about your revised n now.¡± ¡°We will mobilize the men in every province and send monsters to the Corcas Mountains. The allied forces of the Lydia and Dane Kingdoms will attack the Doria Castle.¡± It was a de facto all-out war. The original n was to assassinate Woohyuk first only by mobilizing demons and to take over the Rhine kingdom. However, the attempt was unsessful because of the many unexpected incidents and interventions. Therefore, they now needed the help of the Allied forces. ¡°It won¡¯t do us any good if we attract the attention of the Holy Aperian Empire.¡± ¡°We can start a blitzkrieg and end the war as quickly as possible. If we take control of the Rhine Royal Pce and conceal our existence, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I received intel that Pronoia is in the Izuna Kingdom. Are there any chances that they will attack us from behind?¡± ¡°Those fanatics are only interested in the ancient books that Eteria Rodinus has hidden. So they won''t bother us for a while.¡± Pronoia was pursuing and searching for the wisemen of Eteria Rodinus by using the ruling ss of the Holy Aperian Empire. Perhaps they had found a clue within the Izuna Kingdom It had happened a few days ago only, so Pronoia wouldn¡¯t disturb them for at least another 3-4 days. ¡°What is Aleister Crowley doing? It would be much easier if he came forward.¡± ¡°He doesn''t appear directly without Lilith''s instructions. He¡¯s always manipting others behind the scenes.¡± ¡°Tsk, that damn alchemist... .¡± Demon King Amii¡¯s mood immediately dropped. Aleister was the measly human who had made a contract with Lilith, the original witch, and was able to use her powers. She didn''t like everything about him from head to toe, and wanted to tear him up if possible. Of course, even if she did that, he wouldn''t die. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s talk about Aleister Crowley next time¡­ For now, Asura is the biggest issue. That guy alone is a pain in the ass.¡± ¡°Strictly speaking, aren''t there two of them? There¡¯s also the Demon King named Aris.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. But she won¡¯t be a problem if me and Vk take care of her ourselves. Since she serves Asura, she probably had a low rank in the other world.¡± ¡°Vk, is it fine for you to participate in battle in your current state?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t just keep spectating on the sidelines like this. The survival of our circle depends on this war.¡± Originally, the Ars Nova circle was nning to advance onto the Holy Apherian Empire after increasing its power by taking control of the Rhine, Lydia and Dane Kingdoms. However, when Asura appeared, their ns got messed up. If they were to lose this war, there would be nothing they could do afterwards, even if they hadn¡¯t died. The rest of the kingdoms on the continent were already in the hands of other demon kings. ¡°Dantalion, I will trust you one more time. Show us your worth and the reason to keep you within the circle.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Amii. The Rhine Kingdom will soon be ours.¡± Demon King Dantalion smiled but clenched his fists. Demon King Vk, who looked at him unpleasantly, suddenly opened his mouth as if he had thought of something. ¡°Oh, now that I think about it, where the hell is that Loengreen guy now? I heard that he disappeared while fighting against the Witch Cult¡¯s executive.¡± "Who knows? He might¡¯ve hidden himself when the priests arrived since it would be a pain to deal with them.¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯s going towards the Corcas Mountains to help Asura?¡± At this point, the fact that Loengreen was on Asura¡¯s side has been made clear. The reason was unknown. Considering that the rank 2 Demon King Agares had yet to awaken from her slumber, it could be inferred that he was helping Asura on a personal level. "It doesn¡¯t matter. Back then, Loengreen entered his slumber right after his battle against Orobas where he was on the verge of death.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it because Orobas had killed the man he was in love with? Thinking of it now, it was ridiculous.¡± ¡°What was his name¡­? Oh right, it was Rnd of the Trinity Knight Order.¡± The Knightsmander who was cooperating with Eteria Rodinus. He fought a fierce battle against Pronoia when Saint Sophia was brutally murdered. He was seriously injured and died after being attacked by Demon King Orobas while returning to the Izuna Kingdom. This story was part of a famous epic poem known as "Rnd''s Song" around the continent. ¡°Actually, there is a high possibility that Loengreen likes Asura. Don¡¯t forget that he is homosexual.¡± ¡°¡­That filthy gay piece of shit.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t important right now? It¡¯s time to prepare for battle.¡± Demon King Amii pointed towards a crystal ball floating in the air. Inside it was an image of Woohyuk, who was weing the Spiritual Society. ¡°Flying monsters can observe targets from very high altitudes nowadays. Times sure have changed.¡± ¡°Stop with those jokes, Vk. This is why you were beaten by this young demon king.¡± ¡°¡­He is definitely a kid with barely any hair on his head. But you shouldn¡¯t underestimate the demonic energy within him.¡± Among the demon kings of Ars Nova, the only one who had directly confronted Woohyuk was Vk. Despite his serious expression, Demon King Amii waspletely uninspired. ¡°It seems like the time hase for you to hand down your name to your sessor and go into eternal sleep, Vk. To think that you¡¯re so afraid after losing once against him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still bursting with energy. I''ll take this opportunity to prove that to you.¡± Demon King Vk growled and summoned his exclusive weapon, the Thunderspear Negima. Dantalion, who was watching him from the side, opened his mouth carefully. ¡°By the way, about Asura''s exclusive weapon, what exactly was its ability? On the outside, it looked simr to yours.¡± ¡°¡­It seems to absorb souls and it into allies. When we fought before, a lot of wraiths appeared from it.¡± ¡°Oh, does it mean that the Witch Kriemhild is also absorbed by him? No wonder. Even though the throne of Envy is empty in the chapel, it keeps shining.¡± "Wait. Does that also apply to us? Can our souls get absorbed.¡± "I don¡¯t know. No demon king has died in his hands yet.¡± An ufortable silence ensued, and the atmosphere grew heavy. They didn¡¯t think they would be defeated, but his weapon¡¯s ability was still concerning. Amii ced her finger on her temple and began speaking. ¡°Suspicious. A lot of this is suspicious.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Lilith, that bitch. Even though her family has been killed, she¡¯s not actively trying to deal with it. Could this be part of her bizarre and secret n?¡± ¡°The advent of the Demon God? The only people who believe in it are witches. You don¡¯t have to pay attention to it.¡± Dantalion shook his hand and reassured the two demon kings. However, a drop of cold sweat ran down his forehead. ''Well, technically, there is now that proves that it doesn¡¯t exist.'' He had heard that a Creator existed beyond the heavenly world. Then, couldn''t there be such a transcendental being at the edge of the demon world as well? It was a usible idea, but Dantalion soon abandoned these thoughts. ¡®Even the demon god can''t possibly be free from the divine thrones system.'' If such a transcendental being truly existed, it would be called by a different name and not ¡®Demon God¡¯. Looking at Asura''s face reflected in the crystal ball, Dantalion gulped. He hoped that the hypothesis that came to his mind was not true. *** ''Everything is finally ready.'' The soldiers had lined up, holding their breaths in anticipation. The infiltration attempts by the Witch Cult in every region had been blocked, and the final battle was about to begin. ''Now the summoning ritual of the demonic beast Charybdis must be stopped.'' He had to head to the Corcas Mountains even if he had to take a risk. Before they set off, Woohyuk checked his status screen. [Status Screen] 1. Necromancer (1st ss) - Corpse Resurrection: Lv.3 - Corpse Explosion: Lv.2 - Corpse Enhancement: Lv.2 2. Asura (2nd ss) - Summon Verserios: Lv.3 3. n Master (Rank D) - Mobility: Lv.5 - Growth: Lv.5 - Luck: Lv.5 - Barrier: Lv.5 - Stronghold: Lv.5 - Command: Lv.5 - Negotiation: Lv.5 - Call to Arms: Lv.5 - Authority: Lv.5 ''I have to make the most out of these tonight.'' In the case of the n master skills, he didn¡¯t have to pay attention to them since they worked only on n members, with the exception of the ¡®barrier¡¯ skill. The problem was Asura''s inherent skill, Summon Verserios. Whenever Verserios got one seal released, the skill level rose by one, but the consumption of Asura¡¯s demonic energy increased in proportion. In the past, he could only use the energy to slightly affect his surroundings. Now, he could use it to protect his body like a self-defense mechanism, or use it to enhance his weapon. However, the burden has increased proportionally, so if he abused this skill, he could potentially be crippled. On the other hand, the necromancer skills could be cast anytime if there was enough magic power. ¡®I need to defeat as many demons serving the demon kings as possible using my undeads.¡¯ Of course, Sieg and Leifina would also help and endure the onught, but there were other soldiers with them, so the battle¡¯s momentum was important. If he used his corpse resurrection skill andbined it with the undead Isaac''s leadership skill at the same time, they would not lose in terms of numbers. He would let the elite undeads along with Aris and Siegmand the army of increasing undeads. When Woohyuk was about to finish the inspection and announce the next n of attack, Boooom! Rumble! Andslide urred on the side of the Corcas Mountains, and a ck silhouette, reminiscent of a whale, flew into the dark starry sky. Chapter 110: The Trial 2

Chapter 110: The Trial 2

Charybdis. It was a legendary monster. Unlike Behemoth, it could swim in the air as if it were underwater, making it very difficult to deal with. However, it had some weaknesses. Seeing therge ck shadow covering the ground, Woo-hyuk gave instructions to Ronald. "Stand by in the front and attack it with area of effect magic spells." "Yes, I understand." Woohyuk couldn''t waste his powers right now because he had to deal with Demon King Amii. That was why he had tried to stop the summoning ritual from happening as much as possible. ¡®The Golden Rose Society seems to be working behind the scenes.¡¯ Even though the ns of the Executives of the Witch Cult had failed, their intervention was obvious since the summoning was sessful. Aleister Crowley. Woohyuk currently had no leeway to deal with him on top of all the other enemies. As he began to feel a sense of crisis, a woman''sughter resounded from the Corcas mountainside. ¡°Ho ho ho ho! How do you like the monster I summoned, Asura? Have you ever seen something like this?¡± It was Prisci. She was floating in the air and looked down at Woohyuk''s camp. "Yeah, I''ve seen it so many times that I¡¯m sick of it now." ¡°What a bluff. The monsters of the abyss cannot be summoned by just anyone.¡± A world of chaos beyond the demon realm. The demons called it the abyss and regarded it as their origin. The only one who could summon monsters from the abyss was Lilith, who has existed since the world¡¯s genesis. The Witches of the Seven Sins and the Witch Cult were merely performing the summoning ceremony on behalf of her. ¡°Where are the demon kings?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still hiding. They haven¡¯t fully figured out your strengths and weaknesses.¡± Prisciughed as she scorned them. She didn¡¯t like the fact that the demon kings of Ars Nova were using her as bait. ¡°You truly are the incarnation of sloth. To think that you didn¡¯t tell them anything even though you¡¯ve been observing me through your crystal ball.¡± "What¡­?¡± At Woohyuk''s provocation, Prisci raised her eyebrows. Extreme rage and fury were bubbling within her expression. Woohyuk, who saw the reaction, continued to talk. ¡°The Witch of Sloth. You''ve always been like this. You pretend to be diligent, but during critical moments you actzy and don¡¯t fulfill your duties. Didn¡¯t you let your loved one die because of this attitude?¡± ¡°Thi-this fucking bastard...!¡± Prisci couldn''t suppress her rage and lifted her staff. Immediately, the monsters hiding within the Corcas Mountains poured out at once. ¡®She still acts based on her emotions as usual.¡¯ Woohyuk knew her all too well because he had dealt with Prisci in the past. She was a woman with great pride, so if her weakness was mentioned, the situation would derail like this. Watching the rushing monster army, Woohyuk summoned his army of undeads. ''I¡¯ve recruited a lot of useful guys up to this date.'' The Spider Queen, Arachne. The Shadow Killer, Amy. The Ice Wizard, Agatha. The Serpent Queen, Medusa. The Spirit of Darkness, Agnes. The Fallen Hero, Sieg. If theymanded the undead on the front line, the monster army could easily be stopped. ¡°Um, Lord Asura. Could you please release my seal?¡± Agnes creaked up to him and asked. In her current state where the first seal had been released, she was just an ordinary puppet. Woohyuk nodded and hugged her. ¡°I release the seals up to the 3rd stage.¡± It was aplete liberation. There were no restrictions on her use of abilities except for being trapped in a puppet. When Woohyuk removed the stigma inside of the doll, Agnes''s expression significantly brightened. ¡°Wow! Tha-thank you!¡± She had been treated like a toy until now. Once she released her demonic energy, a ck mist covered the surroundings in an instant and a gloomy wind blew. Woohyuk was surprised as the range was wider than he had expected. ¡°You¡¯re a lot stronger than I thought.¡± ¡°Despite my appearance, I am still a top-grade dark spirit. As long as my seals are released, I can meet all of Lord Asura''s expectations.¡± Agnes was feeling a strange attraction towards Woohyuk because he wielded demonic energy from the abyss. So whenever she was summoned, she would try to stay by his side at all times. ¡°Now go back to your position.¡± ¡°Boo¡­ Can¡¯t I just assist you here?¡± ¡°If you listen to me properly, I¡¯ll buy you a beautiful dress when we return.¡± "Really? I¡¯m so excited!¡± Agnes was exhrated and left tomand the undeads. Aris, who had been observing the entire scene, appeared in front of Woohyuk and blew into his ear to tease him. ¡°Could you also give me a present, Lord Asura?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Since I had my periodst week, please sleep with me for a single night¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear that.¡± It couldn¡¯t even be considered a joke since a demon king, who had lived for thousands of years, had said such a thing. Woohyuk sent Aris away after appeasing her, and ordered the undead army in front of him to advance. [Annihte them all.] ¡°Kiiiyaaak!¡± ¡°Grrrrrrrr!¡± The various undeads he had gathered so far faced the monsters of the Corcas Mountains. While the battle was in full swing, ¡°Woooooooooooooooo!¡± With a resounding roar, Charybdis emitted ck waves of energy in all directions. It was so powerful that the waves reached where Woohyuk was located, in the distance. With the shock, the allied undead who were on the forefront flew away as if being swept away by rapid currents. ¡®It¡¯s attacking us from the very edge of our attack range on purpose.¡¯ Charybdis was hovering outside the battlefield to prevent the Spiritual Society from reaching him. After calling a griffon, Woohyuk made it carry the priests of the Spiritual Society on its back. ¡°Is this your first aerial battle?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes. I never had the chance to do one before.¡± ¡°Leave the control and movements to this guy.¡± Undead Lee Shinwoo approached Ronald and saluted him. Ronald couldn¡¯t hide his astonishment. ¡°Your Majesty, no matter how much of a crisis this is, entrusting our lives to undeads is a bit¡­¡± "Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s an intelligent guy with many aplishments.¡± As Woohyuk nced at it, Undead Lee Shinwoo got on the griffon and performed a few aerial maneuvers. His borate skills couldn¡¯t stop the Spiritual Society from keeping their mouths closed. ¡°The undead¡¯s intelligence is so high¡­¡± "I can''t believe it." This was the first time the Spiritual Society saw Woohyuk''s undead troops, because they had acted separately in thest battle at the wastnds in the Izuna Kingdom. However, they were somewhat convinced because Woohyuk had proved his skills previously. ''His power of the dead is amazing.'' ¡®As long as he didn''t sign a contract with a demon, I guess it¡¯s fine.¡¯ The Necromancer was a legendary ss on the Eeth continent. However, its recognition was very bad because of Nakron, the King of Fallen Magicians. When the Spiritual Society got on the griffon and soared into the dark night sky, Charybdus summoned hundreds of aerial sharks. The background of the battle was the dark night sky, which reminded them of the deep sea. Woohyuk mobilized all the remaining griffons and gargoyles to protect the Spiritual Society from the new monsters. ¡®We¡¯re slightlycking in numbers.¡¯ It was not easy to find flying monsters to make into flying undeads. In order to ovee their numerical disadvantage, Woohyuk used the corpse enhancement skills on the group of griffons and gargoyles. ¡°Keeeeeek!¡± ¡°Kiyaaaaak!¡± The outsideyer of griffons and gargoyles were armed with pitch ck armor. Thanks to the enhancement, they could somehow withstand the direct assault of the aerial sharks. ¡°Send that monster to meet its maker!¡± As soon they got closer, Ronald started chanting with the Spiritual Society. Soon, from high up the dark sky, bright spears of white light poured down like rain. ¡°Woooooooooooooooo!¡± Charybdis cried out in fury as it continuously took damage. At the same time, a ck energy wave spread out around him again. "Kieeeeeeek?!" ¡°Kiiyaaaaaaak?!¡± The harsh wind swept away a group of griffons and gargoyles. But it also affected the sharks swimming in the air. They lost their mobility, bumped into each other, and fell to the ground. ¡°Hiyaaaaaak!¡± Undead Lee Shinwoo shouted and urgently evacuated his griffon. Charybdis¡¯ attack would not reach them if they ascended high up in the air. Since the allies on the front were used as shields, the undead Lee Shin-woo and the Spiritual Society barely managed to escape the crisis. ¡°Ho ho ho ho ho! Are you all bark and no bite? Look, only a single fly survived amongst the dozens you sent.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You are the ones who were harmed.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?" Prisci blinked in confusion. The group of griffons and gargoyles scattered in the wilderness raised their heads one by one and began to p their wings again. ¡°Charybdis is defenseless against attacks from higher altitudes than itself. Now, it has no guards to protect it. You should be careful.¡± ¡°Hmph, do you take me for a fool? I won¡¯t let you do that!¡± Prisciughed and lifted her staff. Then, in an instant, dozens of vortexes were created around Charybdis. Guoooooooooooooo! You would most likely get torn apart even by the slight touch. As the undead Lee Shinwoo avoided the aerial whirlpools with exquisite skill, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s my turn to shine now.¡± Sieg flew towards Prisci on a griffon. He had concluded that it would take some time until the Spiritual Society took care of Charybdis. ¡°Long time no see, Sieg. I never thought you would subordinate yourself to the man who killed your wife just because you were afraid of death.¡± ¡°Your provocations won¡¯t work. I don''t regret the choice I made back then.¡± Tinia and Silvia had to be saved from this turbid world, and if possible, he wanted to apologize to Brynhild after resuscitating her as well. Since he still had a reason to survive, the sparks of his will to live burned brightly like never before. ¡°You still won¡¯t admit it? Both Brynhild and Kriemhild died because of you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you look at yourself first before ming others, Prisci? Didn''t your pathetic attitude drive Rnd down into the pit of death?¡± "Shut up! Don''t you dare utter that name with your filthy mouth!¡± Prisci breathed heavily as she trembled in anger. The nightmare of the past was vividly unfolding in her mind. ''Was Rnd Prisci¡¯s unrequited love?'' Woohyuk looked surprised as he watched Prisci and Sieg¡¯s fierce battle. Back when he was searching through ancient documents, he had only found fragments of information about Prisci. Currently, he still didn¡¯t know much about her past. ¡°You were jealous of Saint Sophia. That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t help Rnd when he fought against Pronoia, the ones to kill Sophia. As a result, Rnd...¡± ¡°He was an enemy! If I had helped Rnd, I would have received the wrath of Lady Lilith! But I tried to protect him by risking my life when he was on the verge of death! But¡­¡± Demon King Orobas, ranked 55th amongst demon kings, intervened and Prisci couldn¡¯t save him. This was the destiny of a witch who had fallen in love with a human from a hostile faction. Prisci med her own stupidity every night and stopped all activities for a while. She truly lived up to her name. The Witch of Sloth. ¡°I don''t think you have a reason to live anymore, Prisci.¡± Sieg spoke, slicing the beasts Priscimanded with the holy sword Gram. Afterwards, he gradually narrowed the gap between Prisci with agile and fluid movements. ¡°Therefore, I will reap that life of yours.¡± The leap that would decide the fate of the victor and loser. Immediately, a crimson aura rose like fiery mes from the de of the holy sword. Chapter 111: The Trial 3

Chapter 111: The Trial 3

¡°Tsk!¡± Prisci retreated with a troubled look. It was unreasonable for her to confront Sieg, a dragon yer, in a head-to-head battle. Swoosh! Another purple monster appeared above Prisci and fell onto Sieg''s head. The speed was so fast that it is difficult to follow with the naked eye. However, Sieg simply avoided the blow and climbed onto the monster. Swish. He then stepped forward and quickly reached Prisci''s position. When Sieg tried to swing Gram at Prisci¡¯s neck, ¡°That¡¯s about it.¡± A blond young man with red eyes appeared through a portal and blocked Sieg¡¯s advance. ¡°Aleister Crowley¡­¡± ¡°I see. So you¡¯ve betrayed us. To think that you tried to destroy the sin of Sloth even though you should be preaching Lady Lilith¡¯s Gospel.¡± Aleister shook his head as he gave Sieg a sermon. The dragon yer paused, stared at Aleister for a moment, and opened his mouth. ¡°At that time, I was just fighting the invaders of the forest to protect Kriemhild. I didn''t really believe in your doctrine.¡± ¡°What a pity. You¡¯re refusing to be saved. Oh well, that¡¯s fine. After all, you are just a supporting actor on the stage.¡± Aleister waved his index finger side to side as he stared at Sieg. Afterwards, he turned and looked down at Woohyuk. ¡°I received a revtion beforeing here. I felt like my heart would stop since it was the first one for a thousand years. I have learned why. The reason why the Witch of Envy had to die, and why the ns for the future have suddenly been elerated.¡± Aleister began praying as he gathered both his hands together with a thrilled expression. Sieg raised the holy sword Gram again since he didn¡¯t want to continue listening to his nonsense. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. My Lord hasmanded me to defeat Prisci and her monsters, so if you stand in my say, I will consider you an enemy as well.¡± In truth, Sieg knew from the very beginning that he hade with hostile intentions. Nevertheless, the reason why he had yet to move was to buy time, as Woohyuk had not given instructions yet. ''I didn¡¯t think we''d cross paths this quickly.'' Woohyuk was listening to the conversation from a distance as the situation became troublesome. He did somehow expect Aleister to intervene, but still had hopeful expectations that he wouldn¡¯t. In any case, the power bnce on this battlefield hadpletely copsed. ¡®A desperate situation.¡¯ Currently, if the demon kings were to appear andunch a total offensive, it would literally be the worst case scenario. Their chances at victory would be near to nil. The story will be different if allies came to support, but it will be difficult for them to arrive in time due to the distance. When Woohyuk was struggling to decide his next move, Leifina came to his side. ¡°My Lord, shouldn¡¯t we send more troops over there? The ones on this side look like they can handle themselves...¡± The battle between the monsters and the undead army in the Corcas Mountains was one-sided. Agnes covered the ground with demonic energy like a swamp and tied the monsters¡¯ feet. The undead army followed up by ending their breaths. On the other side, Medusa''s petrification magic and Agatha''s ice magic were on a frenzy. The enemies¡¯ elite monsters were also using their own characteristic skills and abilities to fight back. ¡°You¡¯re right. However, we should keep in mind that there are reinforcements hiding somewhere.¡± The allied force of the demon kings should berger than this. Seeing that they hadn''t revealed themselves so far, they may have joined the battle at the Doria Castle. ¡®It¡¯ll be inconvenient if the Doria Castle gets taken.¡¯ It was the foremost base, the walls were solid, and siege weapons were positioned in various locations of the castle. If they were aiming for the castle, now would be a great opportunity to attack, since Marquis Nelson''s troops had left to support the battle here. Woohyuk urgently sent a messenger to the Eastern Guard Camp. ¡°Tell Marquis Nelson to defend the fortress.¡± The citizens of the central region of the Nelson march would be evacuated to the fortress. Even if the enemies were to sessfully pass through the castle, there would be no problem since the security of the other regions were strict. As Woohyuk watched over the kingdom¡¯s army and the guards in the rear, Aleister''s voice resounded from the air. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you in person, Asura.¡± They were close enough to enter each other''s range. Aleister had somehow reached above Woohyuk within a short span of time. ¡°Are you going to preach to me as well?¡± ¡°I hope you don''t hate me for it. It is my duty to preach Lady Lilith¡¯s Gospel. Besides, ever since we received a revtion thousands of years ago, our sense of duty has been burning with energy unlike anything before.¡± ¡°¡­ Let''s just keep it short and get to the point.¡± Woo-hyuk released his demonic energy and brandished Verserios. Seeing his appearance, Aleister¡¯s eyes brightened as he spoke. ¡°Ho, is that the abyss? You are truly a blessed existence, just like the four apostles of the apocalypse.¡± ¡°So, do you covet my abilities?¡± ¡°No way, I have no intention to fight you right now. I just want to give a suitable trial to the one who wishes to challenge the realm of god.¡± Aleister was aware of Woohyuk''s objective. He had been watching over him secretly from behind ¡°A trial?¡± ¡°The divine throne system. You will set foot in that realm earlier than what the future had in wait for you through Lady Lilith¡¯s trial.¡± ¡°Then what are the four apostles?¡± Woohyuk continued to ask questions to buy time for Sieg and the Spiritual Society to defeat the enemies. Aleister also responded to the questions and continued the conversation as if he had juste to talk from the very beginning. ¡°The Four Apostles are believers who will help the Demon God¡¯s advent on the Day of Judgment. It''s also my job to find and manage them in advance.¡± ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m one of the four apostles?¡± "I do not know. We will have to keep watching you. I have decided not to confuse myself trying to figure out your identity, since Lady Lilith said that you are an important key.¡± While he kept talking about this subject, Aleister avoided mentioning any important information. Watching his wicked look, Woohyuk sorted out the information. ''There is a high possibility that he manipted the overlords from the past behind the scenes.'' In particr, people like Logan, Alice, and Ivanov were famous for working with the demon faction. Marcus could be excluded since he was on hostile terms with the Witch Cult, but he may have been the one to manipte him into bing a lunatic. ''I will have to change a lot of things in my overall n.'' After ending the current war, he had been thinking of erasing the overlords of the past who were part of the demon faction one by one. However, the situation has significantly changed since the Golden Rose Society and the Witch Cult could be looking after them. When Woohyuk was about to ask his next question, purple lightning struck, creating a ck hole-like vortex in the dark night sky. [Abyssal Gate]. It was an ominous sign that appeared when one of the 72 Demon Kings descended. ¡°Ah, I guess it¡¯s about to start. Then I wish you a good fight. If you truly wish to challenge your limits, ovee the trial before your eyes and protect the people dear to you.¡± Aleisterughed like a madman before disappearing through a portal. He wasn¡¯t nning on helping Prisci out. Woohyuk calmly gave orders to the kingdom¡¯s army and guards that were on stand-by. ¡°We need to move to the location where the Abyssal Gate has opened before the demon king¡¯s army arrives.¡± The undead army was still fighting the monsters in the Corcas Mountains. Eachmander took the lead of his troops with a humble expression. As they approached their destination, a purple sh sparked the night for an instant, and three demon kings appeared through the abyssal gate. ¡°Prepare yourself, Asura! I am the 58th ranked Demon King, Amii! I havee personally to chop off your head!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Amongst the three of them, Amii was the only one to make a loud speech. Dantalion stayed silent in case he would draw attention to him, and Vk was hesitant to speak as he was beginning to feel pressure. Seeing their passive attitudes, Amii spoke in fury. ¡°Are you going to stay quiet like a dumb baby aftering all this way? Come on, say a word to them!¡± ¡°¡­I''m Dantalion, the 72nd demon king! I shall make you taste the pain of hell! However, if you surrender now, I will spare your life!¡± ¡°I''m the 62nd ranked demon kin, Vk! Back then, I was humiliated as I wasn¡¯t in my own body. But this time, it¡¯ll be different! I will tear you apart as you scream for mercy!¡± Dantalion and Vk btedly bluffed their way out. They were acting sloppy, unlike the demon kings they were. Amii sighed, then raised the ming whip in her hand high up in the air. ¡°Charge, Army of Darkness! Go and obliterate all of Asura''s soldiers!¡± Through the abyssal gate, demonic energy struck down one after another like lightning. Afterwards, a bunch of distasteful monsters appeared on the ground, and engaged in a fierce battle against the kingdom¡¯s army and the guard. ¡°Die, you monsters!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± The sound of metal hitting metal sound, and the shouts of soldiers filled the dark night sky. Amii was looking around the battlefield with a satisfied expression, when a jet-ck wave of energy instantly flew to her. Booom! The ming whip was swung once and the jet ck wave was extinguished with a deafening sound. Amii focused her eyes and looked beneath her feet. ¡°What a cheeky bastard. If he had stayed silent for a bit longer, I would¡¯ve let him live a few more minutes. But it seems like he¡¯s asking for death himself.¡± Woohyuk was flying toward her, with abyssal wings pping on his back. Aris was the only vassal following him. Most of the battles between themanders of each army were taking ce in the air, so Leifina, who was poor in aerialbat, had to stay on the ground. ¡®It would be inconvenient to drag her along.¡¯ Fortunately, Aleister was missing and the odds at victory were decent. Vk was already panicking, so the battle would mostly happen against the other two demon kings. He believed that Aris could endure the fight as long as he kept Amii busy. Eventually, the distance between him and Amii narrowed, and Woohyuk swung Verserios aiming for her neck. Swooosh! A ming whip stuck Verserios with a crackling sound. At the same time, the dark red me of the whip exploded and swallowed up Woohyuk. Booom! An explosion strong enough to cover its surroundings in ashen dust. However, Woohyuk did not suffer any damage as he had protected his body using his demonic energy. ¡°Impressive skills. Though it¡¯s obvious you should be able to do that much as a demon king.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem very different to Vk in terms of strength. You just shout louder, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Hmph, let¡¯s see how long that confidence of yourssts.¡± Amii smiled coldly and dived towards Woohyuk. Her weapon was blocked but she immediately followed up by attacking with her fists. ''As I expected.'' Woohyukughed to himself as he watched Amii stretch her arms toward his abdomen. He already knew her battle style from his past life. The attempt to close the gap between them and fight in close-quarters was good, but Woohyuk wasn''t at a disadvantage just because it was hand-to-handbat. He was a martial arts master who could handle himself even without weapons. Thump! Amii''s pretty face was crushed by Woohyuk¡¯s fist. He had used demonic energy instead of internal energy. The power was slightly weakerpared to his previous life, but it was enough to deal with the 58th Demon King. ¡°Cough!¡± Amii¡¯s eyes widened as she spat out ck blood. Woohyuk tried to follow up his attack, but... ¡°You shouldn¡¯t forget about us!¡± ¡°I will make you pay for my previous humiliations thousandfold!¡± Dantalion and Vk leaped at him from behind. Chapter 112: The Trial 4

Chapter 112: The Trial 4

Three demon kings attacked him at the same time. While Woo-hyuk was struggling, Aris came to his aid with a pitch-ck scythe. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to harm Lord Asura!¡± She had arrivedte because she couldn''t handle Woohyuk''s speed. ¡°I guess that woman with red hair is Demon King Aris?¡± ¡°You deal with her as nned, Dantalion. I''ll be watching from the side and help the one who is struggling.¡± As Vk stepped back, Dantalion opened a pitch-ck spellbook with a tense look. As he recited the spell, dozens of clones appeared around him and simultaneously shot dark spheres at Aris. sh! sh! Aris skillfully twisted her body to avoid them and cut down Dantalion''s clones one by one. However, even if the clones were destroyed, the battle would not end because new clones would be produced. Instead, as time passed, the number gradually increased, and the situation became disadvantageous to Aris. ¡°Stop with these little tricks! I know you''re just trying to buy time!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Did you think I would be willing to fight you head-on?¡± Dozens of Dantalionsughed in sync. His specialty was illusion magic. He could transfer the real body into one of the clones, and could also change his appearance to transform into someone else. ¡°I see that you¡¯re underestimating me.¡± Aris¡¯ eyes shed and she swung her pitch ck scythe. Then, ck waves of energy flew out as they cut through the air with a sonic boom. Swooosh! The Dantalions that got attacked spat ck blood as their bodies got sliced in half. However, there were still many copies left. The attacks had only slowed down the clone rate, but hadn¡¯t stopped itpletely. When Aris tries to perform the same attack again, Rumble! Boom! Boooom! Boooooooooom! Dark clouds gathered, and purple lightning struck her several times in a row. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Aris, who instinctively spread a protective barrier, groaned. It was difficult to prevent Vk¡¯s chain attacks because of herck of strength from her fierce battle against Dantalion. ¡°Actually, I wasn¡¯t underestimating you. I was just using my brain. I¡¯m a tactician.¡± ¡°You just outnumber me 2 to 1. Stop barking so much.¡± ¡°I am quite shameless. I know my position. 72nd Demon King. I can get challenged by high-ss demons at any moment.¡± Therefore, Dantalion had joined the Ars Nova circle. He gave advice and suggestions to Amii and Vk, who only believed in their powers and fought without nning out strategies, and received their protection. However, if he were to win this battle, he could end that way of life. It would be very advantageous to him if he fully acquired the Dane Kingdom and yed against the other demon kings on the continent. Unlike the barren demonic world, the Eeth continent was overflowing with resources and quests, which he could use to establish a solid foundation for growth. ¡°Your dreams are too bigpared to your balls. Your bravery can¡¯t hold a candle against Lord Asura.¡± ¡°And that man is going to die tonight. I will send you to his side as well!¡± Rumble! Boom! Boooom! Boooooooooom! Along with dazzling shes, purple thunderbolts descended from the dark clouds and struck her again. ¡°Urgh!!¡± As Aris struggled and couldn''t move, the Dantalions cheerfully burst intoughter. "Ha ha ha ha ha! How is it? How does it feel to die in the hands of an enemy weaker than yourself?¡± ¡°You, you really are the worst¡­¡± ¡°Now, try to struggle as painfully as possible! I will watch you till yourst breath!¡± After finishing his speech, the Dantalions turned into Woohyuk in sync. It was a ruse. He was trying to mentally torment Aris, who was yearning for Woohyuk. Boooom! Boom! Boooom! Booom! Dark spheres flew in from everywhere and collided against Aris'' protective barrier. Aris'' face darkened as the barrier shook and cracks began to form. ''Lord Asura, I''m sorry. I can¡¯t¡­¡¯ Since she wasn''t fully recovered yet, Aris couldn''tst long against the two demon kings. As she recalled her happy days with Asura, Whooooosh! A ck silhouette flew in from somewhere and killed Dantalion''s clones. Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! The speed of its movements couldn¡¯t be followed with the naked eye. Dantalion stiffened as his face darkened at the sight. ¡°Wha, what is¡­¡± A sudden feeling ran down his spine. His body trembled in fear, an emotion he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. His instincts screamed at him, telling him to escape. ¡°Thank goodness, I arrived in time.¡± As silence ensued, Loengreen appeared and broke the quiet atmosphere. After stopping the Witch Cult in Erutonia, he had gone straight to the Lydia Kingdom to rescue the Borges family that was being held hostage. It was to get rid of the variables that could arise in advance. Afterpleting his mission, he had returned ¡°Lo... Loen Green¡­ .¡± ¡°So you¡¯vee, you filthy gay bastard.¡± Dantalion and Vk¡¯s momentum had been blocked by him. Loengreen is a demon who had fought equally against Orobas, the 55th ranked demon king. Although he was considerably weakened by the battle from that time, he still instilled fear in the two demon kings. ¡°It''s been a while, Lord Dantalion. How have you been managing your territory?¡± ¡°There, there¡¯s not much to manage in the first ce¡­¡± The size and location of the territory divided between the demon kings varied ording to their ranks. In the case of Dantalion, the 72nd demon king, thend he owned was a simple barony on the outer area. Therefore, he had a greater longing for vast territorypared to other demon kings, and actively tried to conquer the Eeth continent. ¡°But what are you doing here? The kingdom that Lord Dantalion upies should be beyond that mountain range.¡± Loengreen asked even though he knew the answer already. Vk, who had been supporting Dantalion from a distance, frowned. ¡°Don''t pretend to be confident, Loengreen! We all know that you can¡¯t fight against mere executives of the Witch Cult properly!¡± ¡°That was true. But then, I wasn¡¯t fighting at my fullest.¡± ¡°Wha, what?!¡± ¡°In simpler terms, I have been saving my strength to fight against you two.¡± Loengreen sharply opened his golden eyes. Immediately, his demonic energy zed fiercely, and the air around him dropped in temperature and froze. Dantalion was terrified and quickly opened his mouth. ¡°Lo, Loengreen. Do you think Agares will let this pass unpunished when he finds out? Even if you rank 3rd amongst her vassals, you can¡¯t make these kinds of decisions as you want...¡± ¡°It doesn''t matter. All of you aren¡¯t close to Lady Agares in the first ce.¡± Agares was reasonable and rational despite ranking 2nd. On the other hand, the demon kings of the Ars Nova Circle were all hardheaded and unreasonable. Since their mindsets were different, it was hard to maintain a good rtionship with each other. Instead of a punishment, Loengreen would get praised for eliminatingpetitors. He had to move cautiously when he wasn¡¯t aware of this, but now that it hade to this, there was no need to hold back. ¡°Da-damnit!¡± When the negotiations broke down, Dantalion swore and began to recite spells. Since he had to fight anyway, he thought it would be advantageous to attack first. ¡°Isn¡¯t Lord Dantalion''s specialty illusion magic? It definitely is a troublesome ability. It would be difficult to find the true body amongst all the clones.¡± Loengreen knew the weaknesses of all the 72 Demon Kings. Although they were from the same demon faction, they could be hostile at any moment depending on their interests. As he reached out, the wire-thin demonic energy began to cut off Dantalion''s clones in a smooth curve. Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Loengreen''s exclusive skill. Unlike Aris, he was able to easily stop Dantalion because he could do wide-range attacks in all directions. ¡°He-help me! Vk!¡± Dantalion eximed as the number of clones decreased significantly. But Vk was also busy fighting Aris. ng! ng! The purple two-handed spear and the pitch-ck scythe crashed into each other, leaving sparks in their trail. The gap in weapon quality was small, but Aris was more skilled. She gradually began to push Vk back. ¡°Ugh¡­ You damn bitch!¡± ¡°The lightning bolts you dropped on me earlier really pissed me off.¡± The time to part with Lord Asura hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Although his original ego had been consumed, his true demonic energy remained intact. She wanted to fulfill her master¡¯s wishes even if she had to put her life on the line. ¡®I can do it. If I work a little harder...¡¯ There was something she had felt while adventuring with Woohyuk so far. The importance of unwavering beliefs. He didn¡¯t fall back in face of adversity, he just ran as he looked ahead. That was the origin of his strength. He was getting closer to the divine throne system. As she dreamt of the seconding of Demon God Asura, Aris swung the pitch-ck scythe with all her might. Swoooosh! Thunderspear Negima left Vk¡¯s grip and flew into the night sky. When Aris tried to finish him off, Boom! ming spheres flew in, aiming at her unprotected back. ¡°Ugh!¡± Aris drew a protective barrier and neutralized the me spheres with difficulty. Afterwards, her gaze turned toward a group of people flying towards her. ¡®High-ss demons... .¡¯ They were the servants of Demon King Vk. Although Melphis, the 2nd ranking servant, had died, there were many other demons working under Vk. Aris turned around to look at her allies¡¯ situations. Woohyuk and Loengreen were in the same situation as her, while the Spiritual Society and Sieg were still unable to end the battle against the monsters. ''I have to help Lord Asura.'' Compared to others, the number of demons targeting Woohyuk was far greater, maybe because he was the strongest being. As she fought a fierce battle with the high-ss demons, Aris couldn¡¯t hold back her worries. *** "Pant¡­ Pant...¡± Woo-hyuk stared around him as he breathed roughly. Nine high-ss demons. After the guys intervened, they lost the momentum of the battle. ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t you say that I was an insignificant opponent earlier?¡± Amii spoke without hiding the joy on her face. She used her subordinates as meat shields. As she sacrificed three high-ss demons, she continuously inflicted damage on Woohyuk and gradually sapped his energy. ¡°I guess you weren¡¯t confident in a one-on-one fight.¡± ¡°Well, there is a difference in our weapon qualities. So now, I¡¯m using everything at my disposal. I don''t really think that it¡¯s unfair.¡± Honor and dignity didn¡¯t matter to a demon with Amii¡¯s personality. The only importance was to gain power and authority. Amii¡¯s motto was ¡®You must use whatever means and methods necessary to reach your objective.¡¯ ¡°Then, if I put my weapon away, will you continue the battle in a hand-to-handbat?¡± ¡°¡­No. I now know that you are a martial artist as well. That first punch back then was quite painful.¡± Amii stroked her red cheeks to check if the pain had vanished. ¡°What a shame. Let¡¯s decide on the victor and loser now.¡± ¡°Do you think you hold a chance? How hrious. Look at yourself. I don''t know how much longer you can endure my onught in that state.¡± Woohyuk was struck by Amii¡¯s me whip. This was because the Berserker''s te Armor Set did not absorb enough damage. Some attacks had to be avoided or blocked with armor, as the demonic energy could not be operated continuously. ''It¡¯ll be difficult to win like this.'' He would have to release another seal on Verserios, even if he would be at risk of being swallowed up by his own demonic energy. If the battle were to take any longer, the lives of others would be in danger. When Woohyuk was steeling himself, time came to a halt and a man''s voice echoed in his head. [Do you need help, my disciple?] It was Nakron, the King of Fallen Wizards. Chapter 113: The Trial 5

Chapter 113: The Trial 5

''Nakron?'' Woohyuk doubted his ears for a moment. After meeting him once on the 100th floor of the Twilight Tower, the spirit never showed himself again ever since. Although he was tied to the divine throne system, Woohyuk thought he would receive his help since Nakron was his supporter. But he never thought he would extend his hand with such an exquisite timing. [How can you help me?] [Anyway you want. Of course, it has to be within the limits the system allows.] ording to Nakron, those who were chosen by the spirits could receive their support the number of times they had exceeded the norms set by the system. He could summon the spirit for a certain period of time or borrow his abilities. In the case of Woohyuk, since he had unsealed Verserios up to two stages, he had a total of two chances to receive Nakron¡¯s help. [Why haven''t you told me this until now?] [Because there was no need for me to do so.] In Nakron''s eyes, the ordeals Woohyuk had faced until today were always easy enough for him to ovee them on his own. He couldn¡¯t intervene unnecessarily and hinder his growth. But this time, it was difficult for Nakron to remain silent, because Aleister Crowley of the Golden Rose Society has begun the scheduled trial ahead of time for some reason. [Are you familiar with Aleister Crowley?] [I¡¯ve met him before.] There were certain simrities between Aleister, the evil genius alchemist, and Nakron, the greatest necromancer. However, in the end, the paths they chose were different, and after they went their own ways, they did notmunicate with each other again. [What can I do to kill him?] [You must subdue him using the abyss, the power of the Demon God. But that is impossible for now, since Verserios'' seals have not been lifted until the final stage.] With only one or two stages lifted, the abyss couldn''t be handled properly. Even if he tried his best to control as much of it as possible, it would be like using his hands to move all the water in the ocean. At Nakron''s exnation, Woohyuk observed his surroundings. Everyone, including Demon King Amii, were standing still. [Can you attack enemies like this? If so, it wouldn''t be necessary to undo one of Verserios¡¯ seals.] [No, it is impossible. Currently, you can''t do anything either.] It was merely an illusion as if the whole world hade to a standstill. The passage of time had only been slowed down. This entire situation would return to its original state after the conversation with Nakron ended. [That¡¯s too bad. Oh well, I''ll use one of my chances to receive your support, so help me win this battle.] [I¡¯ll do my best within the limits of what I can do.] Nakron''s role in the system was limited. Because it would mean nothing if he saved Woohyuk from crises every time. Eventually, as the conversation ended, time flowed normally again and Nakron appeared next to Woohyuk. A dark red robe. A staff decorated with bones. A lifeless face. In one way, he could be recognized as a necromancer, while he could also be confused for a lich. ¡°Another vassal? This is annoying.¡± Amii, who was wielding her me whip, looked irritated. All of the people under Woohyuk''smand were not ordinary fighters, so even one additional vassal could change the tide of the battle. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I came out into the world. This feels good. Well, it''s more like a brief outing though.¡± Nakron looked around leisurely, ignoring the roaring enemies in front of him. Ami, who was surprised by his appearance, pointed at him and opened her mouth. ¡°You should learn to read the mood when you¡¯re intruding on a battle. Are you that confident in your skills?¡± "My skills? Well, if it were the old me I could have easily subdued you and mopped the floor using your face.¡± He was the best Necromancer who once challenged a divine throne. Eventually, he failed and became a spirit, but he had confidence that he would not be pushed back against a middle or low-ranking demon king. When Nakron provoked her, Amii''s face distorted with anger. ¡°You¡¯re just a measly necromancer who ys around with rotten corpses!¡± She did not know that the opponent in front of her was Nakron. [The King of Fallen Wizards]. He was the lord of lichs and the founder of the impregnable fortress Dreadlor that was protected by the dead. He was someone she shouldn¡¯t underestimate. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just a skinny wench messing around with a whip? You look like you¡¯ll drop dead with just the slightest push.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Amii¡¯s face was a fury red and her eyes burned with hatred. She swung her ming whip at Nakron. Afterwards, the dark red mes grew in size and took on the appearance of a gargantuan dog, violently roaring at Nakron. [Hound of the Baskervilles]. It was a ferocious ancient monster with hundreds of eyes. ¡°Your dog is so ugly. Well, I won¡¯t judge your tastes though.¡± Nakron raised his staff towards the hound that was about to devour him. Then, lichs, covered with robes, appeared around him and cast dark magic. Boooom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Magic spheres flying in from all directions bombed the hound of the Baskervilles. Ami was astonished at this formidable show of power. ¡°Wha, wha, what the hell is this!?¡± ¡°They are all wizards who made a name for themselves during their lifetimes. Well, their reputations weren¡¯t very good since they tried to pursue an immortal body.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... Are you¡­ Nakron?¡± Amii, who btedly found out his identity, opened her eyes wide. However, the milk had already been spilt. The hound of the Baskervilles was being struck over and over by the lichs¡¯ attacks. While it would gradually recover over time, it was unsure whether it would be able to withstand them until then. ''Fuck... .¡¯ In this situation, she had to sacrifice all the high-ss demons. If she were to buy as much time as possible, the other demon kings would finish up their battles ande to her aid. Nakron spoke to Woohyuk when Amii positioned the high-ss demons in front of her. ¡°I think it''s time to use that ability, my disciple.¡± "You mean summoning wraiths?" "Indeed. You''ve gathered some pretty useful souls so far.¡± The souls swallowed up by Verserios had to fight endless battles on the infinite battlefield. It would be a great help to summon all those who had be stronger through that method. Woohyuk nodded at Nakron''s suggestion. "Alright. Let''s call them.¡± He hadn¡¯t summoned the wraiths until now to save the power, so that he could use it to release another seal on Verserios. Swooooosh! When Woo-hyuk lifted Verserios, ck human silhouettes popped out of him and quickly spread around. Amii¡¯s expression quickly darkened when she saw that happen. ¡°Seriously, wraiths this time¡­?¡± While they were merely spirits, Nakron and his lichs were summoned with a physical body by the divine throne system. However, these wraiths were just souls controlled by Asura. Most of them weren¡¯t powerful enough to stand a chance against the enemies, but there were too many of them. When Amii was trying to recuperate as much as she could, a purple monster attacked aiming at her back. Booom! The ming whip was swung once. It created a shockwave and the monster was pushed back. It was without a doubt the power of a witch. Amii turned around to find out who had attacked her. ¡°Kriemhild¡­!¡± The Witch of Envy. She, who had been killed by Asura, was staring at Amii with an expressionless face. Her appearance was the same as before, but there is no physical substance to her, so she was in a translucent state. ¡®So this is the power that Vk was talking about.¡¯ At first, she was doubtful, but looking at Kriemhild, Amii soon realized that if she were to lose this battle, she would truly be overpowered and controled by Asura, just like Kriemhild. As the humiliating scene unfolded in her mind, Amii tried to fight back. ¡°No one can control me! I won''t let you do that no matter what!¡± The me whip created a brilliant spark and suppressed the monstersing from everywhere. But that was all. Amii couldn¡¯t inflict a fatal blow to Kriemhild without her hound of the Baskervilles. As she spent her demonic energy to fight against the ghost of the Witch of Envy, ¡°It''s your loss, Amii.¡± She heard Woohyuk''s cold voice from behind. The startled Amii turned her head in a hurry. ¡®Whe, when did he¡­?!¡¯ It seemed that he was hiding amongst the monsters. Amii tried to avoid it, but unfortunately, it was toote. Shhluck! With a disturbing sound, Verserios¡¯s de protruded outwards from Amii''s stomach. At the same time, indescribable pain paralyzed her mind. ¡°Aaaaaaargh!¡± "Congrattions. You¡¯re the first of the 72 demon kings to be sealed.¡± Lemegeton was open in Woohyuk¡¯s left hand. The legendary magic book called ¡®The Lesser Key of Solomon¡¯. Using it, the 72nd Demon Kings of Solomon who had been sealed could be summoned as servants. ''In the past, I never got the chance to do this.'' Lemegeton was given as an optional reward on the 100th floor of the Twilight Tower, so no one had found it in the previous 40 years. It was because no one had reached the 100th floor of the Twilight Tower in the first ce. However, with this regression, Woohyuk found it, and as a result, he was able to guess what the final reward rted to the 72 Demon Kings was. When Woohyuk injected magic into Lemegeton, Amii, who was having a seizure, turned into demonic energy and got sucked into it. ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!¡± A desperate cry. Afterwards, her figure was drawn in the middle of one of Lemegeton¡¯s pages. [Amii, the 58th Demon King] - ss: Demon King (Viscount) - Traits: Leadership(30,000), Ignis(Exclusive weapon, can summon the hound of the Baskervillea, and can inflict continuous fire damage to enclosed targets), Eternal Hell (Immune to me attacks, give shape to mes and make it explode), Mobilize (Opens an abyssal gate and summons the monsters in her territory), Demon King¡¯s Dignity (cannot be damaged with B-ss weapons or lower, as well as low or intermediate magic. Immunity to all debuffs increases by 35%), Master/ve Contract (As a demon king of the demon world, can ept vassals) - Stats: Strength 411 Vitality 402 Agility 428 Intelligence 304 Spirit 396 ¡®She looks quite useful.¡¯ He liked the fact that she had her own territory, unlike Aris. The rank and territories of the sealed demon king would most likely stay unchanged from now on. If he used this method to seal all the 72 Demon Kings, the demon world wouldpletely be his own. As a test, Woohyuk summoned Amii in front of himself. ¡°How do you feel now?¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Amii red at Woohyuk while squinting as if she was being blinded. Although she had to obey him as ording to the system, she was reluctant to do so. Woohyuk took Ignis from Amii in an attempt to tame her. Crack! ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Crack! ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Crack! ¡°Sob¡­ Sob¡­¡± As the whipping didn''t stop, tears welled up in Amii¡¯s eyes. Then, Woohyuk spoke with a heartless expression. ¡°From now on, you will call me Master. Otherwise, I will punish you like this every day.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ami bit her own tongue without making a noise. ck blood ran down the corner of her mouth, but Woohyuk didn''t react to it. In the first ce, demon kings were different beingspared to humans. It was impossible for them tomit suicide using this method. ''It will take a long time to tame her.'' In general, the hardheaded demon kings had a high pride and were extremely stubborn. After unsummoning Amii, Woohyuk looked around him. Ami''s men were naturally under his control and had returned to the demon world. The remaining ones were the Witch of Sloth Prisci, Charybdis, and the two other demon kings. Chapter 114: The Trial 6

Chapter 114: The Trial 6

The first opponent to deal with was Vk, because Aris seemed to be having a hard time fighting him. ''I have to hurry.'' Vk''s lightning magic could inflict terrible damage to an opponent that was having a hard time moving. This was because the range was quite wide, and the cast time was halved when targeting only a specific location. ''But there are also weaknesses.'' While dropping the purple thunderbolt, he could not use the other abilities of the Thunderspear Negima. In other words, multitasking was not possible. So, despite his good skills, he had a lower rank than Amii. When Woohyuk approached him, Vk became confused and repositioned his grip on Thunderspear Negima, switching from ranged magic casting mode to close-range physicalbat mode. However, it would be difficult for him to face Woohyuk, since he had yet topletely recover since their previous battle. Thud! Woohyuk attacked with Verserios, but Vk swung the thunderspear in an attempt to block the sword. However, Woohyuk¡¯s fistnded on his face after the sessful parry. ¡°Cough!¡± ck blood spewed out of the mouth of the astonished Vk. ¡°To think that you came to fight me again in this weakened state. Seems likest time¡¯s spanking wasn¡¯t enough.¡± There was no need for Woohyuk to continue speaking, as his fists would do the work instead. Woohyuk continued to swing Verserios and hit the Vk with his fists. Thud! Thud! Thud! A one-sided assault with no sense ofpassion. However, he had done something that was worthy of angering Woohyuk. He had left many injuries on his precious vassal, Aris. ¡°Did you think you would be safe afterying a finger on my vassal?¡± ¡°I am prepared to die. I will never kneel to you...¡± Thump! Thwack! Whack! The intensity of the assault increased endlessly. As a result, the Vk''s body, which was already injured and weakened, became a messy rag. Nevertheless, the reason his subordinates did note to help him out was because Nakron and the lichs were holding them back. There was no one left to save Vk anymore. ¡°Despair and writhe in pain, Vk. This is the veryst gift I have for you.¡± Woohyuk pulled his left arm when he noticed Vk about to faint while frothing. Immediately, he reached out andnded an uppercut on Vk¡¯s jaw, sending him flying several meters in the air. ¡°I want to pummel you so much more, but I¡¯ll leave it here for today.¡± There were other enemies remaining, including Dantalion. When Woohyuk unfolded Lemegeton, Vk turned into demonic energy and was sucked into the book. [Vk, 62nd Demon King] -upation: Demon King (Baron) -Traits: Leadership (20,000 people), Negima (Exclusive weapon, drop a purple lightning bolt at a specific location after gathering dark clouds), Lightning Strike (fly up in the sky and attack the opponent like lightning), Dark Lightning (Immunity to lightning-attribute magic and skills, can adjust the shape and direction of lightning), Mobilization (Opens an abyssal gate and summons the monsters in his territory), Demon King¡¯s Dignity (Cannot be damage with B-ss or lower weapons, as well as low or intermediate magic. Increases immunity to all debuff magic by 35%), Master/ve Contract (As a demon king, can ept vassals) -Stats: Strength 362 Vitality 347 Agility 384 Intelligence 305 Spirit 351 ''It matches the information I knew.'' He checked to see if there were any hidden abilities, but there were no oddities. mobilization, Demon King¡¯s Dignity, and Master-ve Contract were avable for every Demon King. ¡°Thank you, Lord Asura!¡± Aris flew over to Woohyuk, who was looking at the status window, and hugged him. She wasn¡¯t in a good shape since she had been facing Vk and his subordinates on her own until now. ¡®Dantalion is thest remaining Demon King.¡¯ It was Loengreen who was fighting against him. He, too, was in a sorry state. In the past, after fighting a fierce battle against Demon King Orbas, ranked 55th, he had to hibernate since he was on the verge of dying. However, in a way, it was amazing that he could endure the attacks of a high-ss demon for this long. ''I have to find the real body.'' Dantalion was able to move the real body to one of the dozens of clones at any moment. As he tried to pull out the Archaeologist''s Golden Magnifying ss, Nakron approached him with the lichs. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with the clones, my disciple. In the meantime, take down Dantalion.¡± ¡°I n on doing that, but do you know how to distinguish the main body from the clones?¡± ¡°It would be possible if you use advanced analysis magic.¡± No matter how weak the 72nd Demon King was, a Demon King was still a Demon King. Intermediate and low-level analysis magic would not work on them. Woohyuk pondered for a while before summoning Agnes, who had been fighting on the ground. ¡°Can you see where that guy''s real body is?¡± ¡°Ah, um¡­ Yes. There it is.¡± Agnes¡¯s arms creaked as she pointed to Dantalion¡¯s true body. She could only use lower-level analysis magic if she only had a single seal released, but now that all her seals had been undone, she could use advanced analysis magic. Woohyuk nodded and lifted Verserios. ¡°Tell him the location of the real body in real time as I fight.¡± "Yes, I understand." It was much easier to do this than to fight with the archaeologist''s golden magnifying ss in hand. As Woohyuk pped his abyssal wings and flew in, Dantalion spoke without hiding his nervousness. ¡°Everyone ended up biting the dust. Is it my turn this time?¡± ¡°ept your fate, Dantalion.¡± ¡°No, I can''t do that. I¡¯ve survived and barely endured everything this far, so I can¡¯t die here. I can¡¯t die now.¡± He had lived as thest ranked demon king all this time while receiving the contempt and snickers of everyone around him. But he endured it all, because he thought that if he slowly made ns using his brilliant mind, he would see the light someday. So it would be troublesome for everything to end here. As he thought deeply, Dantalion moved his true body to another clone. [Lord Asura, it''s the third one to the right!] [Understood.] Woohyuk immediately threw Verserios at the clone Agnes pinpointed him to. Swoosh! Shluck! Dantalion screamed painfully as he stared down at his stabbed thigh. ¡°Aaaaaargh!¡± ¡°You can''t run away anymore. No matter how many sly tricks you make, you can¡¯t escape.¡± In the past, Dantalion had used cunning tricks that Woohyuk had found annoying and bothersome to deal with. This entire war¡¯s strategy must¡¯ve also originated from him. When his thoughts reached that conclusion, Woohyuk couldn''t hold back anymore. Whack! ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Kicked in the abdomen, Dantalion let out a painful groan. But there was no way it would end here. The guy had put several vassals in danger and even aimed at Woohyuk''s life. In terms of guilt, it could be said that he was the worst amongst the three demon kings. ¡°I will never let you die so easily.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s eyes shed and he grabbed Dantalion''s neck with his left hand. ¡°Agh¡­¡± ¡°Try using that genius brain of yours now, Dantalion.¡± Verserios'' sharp de pierced Dantalion''s left thigh. Stab! ¡°Kuaargh!¡± ¡°Scream louder. That kind of shout can¡¯t entertain me enough.¡± Woohyuk''s words were full of craze. The anger, born from losing his loved ones helplessly during the past 40 years, had finally revealed its true form. Stab! Whack! Slice! Having let go of his reason, the beast bit the prey in front of him without hesitation. Even Loengreen, who had been observing this scene from behind, felt thrilled. ''You also have this kind of side in you.'' Cruel but elegant madness. Loengreen had named it that way. ''If he didn''t really love his vassals, he wouldn''t have been this upset furious.'' It was truly sublime and beautiful. That''s why he wanted to protect him by his side. But it seemed like he didn''t need to step forward himself anymore. The battle was ending, and Woohyuk was incredibly beautiful. Without realizing that Loengreen''s eyes had be heart-shaped, Woohyuk repeatedly beat Dantalion. Thwack! ¡°Urgh¡­¡± A bloody Dantalion groaned low to see if he still had the strength to scream. An extreme situation where he wanted to faint right away. However, whenever he closed his eyes, Verserios prated his body and he had to regurgitate blood. A cruel punishment. Pure torture. Dantalion eventually sumbed to the fear death. ¡°Pl, please forgive me. I won''t bother you again...¡± ¡°You have no right to speak.¡± Woohyuk strangled Dantalion''s neck with a terrifying grip that blocked the airway. Dantalion had a seizure as he began frothing. ¡°Kuek¡­ ! Kueeeek... !¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Keep barking like the dog you are.¡± Dantalion''s current state couldn¡¯t bepared to that of Vk. His face was beaten countless times and was partially unrecognizable, and ck blood constantly flowed down from the holes in his limbs, holes created from cutting out the flesh. It could be called a living corpse. Woohyuk was in the middle of giving Dantalion the greatest pain possible. ¡°Lord Asura, he will die at this rate. You should seal him now...¡± ¡°¡­Alright." Woohyuk''s reason returned when Aris'' worried voice entered his ears. He had already exceeded the limit of wounds he could give Dantalion since a while ago, so if any more damage were inflicted, the system would intervene and try to take Dantalion. He hastily unfolded Lemegeton and sealed the demon. [Dantalion, 72nd Demon King] -ss: Demon King (Baron) -Traits: Leadership (10,000 people), Arbatel (Exclusive weapon, reads the mind of an opponent weaker than oneself and predicts actions. Can continuously generate clones and move the main body to one of them), Improvisation (Intelligence increases up to 50% during life-threatening crises. Percentage of increase depends on the threat-level). Mobilization (Can open abyssal gates and summon the monsters from his territory) Demon King¡¯s Dignity (Immune against B-grade or lower weapons, as well as low or intermediate magic. Increases immunity to debuffs by 35%), Master/ve Contract (As a demon king, can ept vassals) -Stats Strength 212 Vitality 207 Agility 224 Intelligence 403 Spirit 241 ''He''s unsuited forbat.'' In terms of numbers, his average stat was lower than Sieg¡¯s average of 303 by 45-46. Although his intelligence was unusually high, there wasn''t any attack magic that was particrly useful for him. However, the exclusive weapon, Arbatel, would prove to be quite useful outside ofbat, so in some ways he was better than Amii or Vk. ¡°I see that you¡¯re safe and sound, Lord Asura.¡± While he observed Dantalion''s status window, Loengreen approached him and spoke. Woohyuk put Lemegeton away and ced his hand on Loengreen¡¯s shoulder. "Thank you for helping Lee Jaesung and Aris.¡± "It was nothing. I was just worried that you might get hurt.¡± For Loengreen, love wasn''t limited to just one target. He didn''t feel guilty despite having Mikaelovich as his lover. ¡°By the way, is what you said earlier true? That you went to the Lydia Kingdom and rescued the Borges family.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. On the way, I met a vampire woman saying she was your vassal, and it went a lot easier than I thought.¡± The vampire woman Loengreen talked about was Hong Yuri. Woohyuk nodded and spoke again. "So, did you leave Philip II and family to Yuri Hong?" ¡°Yes, I heard that they¡¯reing over here. In fact, they must have arrived by now.¡± ¡°Good.¡± In fact, Woohyuk had secretly instructed Hong Yuri to save Joanna''s family before leaving for battle. However Loengreen had intervened and helped her. In any case, this was the best result for Woohyuk. ¡®The next one to deal with is the Witch of Sloth.¡¯ Prisci was still fighting Sieg. He couldn¡¯t finish her off since she had gotten used to hisbat style. She wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage as long as she kept her distance and prevented him from getting on the monsters she was riding. ¡°We''ll take care of Charybdis.¡± Nakron said as he flew away with the lichs. Although it had gotten greatly injured by the Spiritual Society, the monster Charybdis was still alive. They needed support to make the final blow to kill the monster. ''Nakron should be more than enough support.'' He had observed Nakron during his battle against the 3 demon kings. Abat style that properly utilized the abilities of the Necromancer and the Lichs. He couldn''t find any openings, so if he had to face Nakron in a one-on-one battle, he would struggle quite a lot. Still, there had to be prepared for the worst case scenario. After sending all his wraiths to Charybdis, Woohyuk headed to Prisci''s location with Loengreen. ¡°Tsk!!¡± As the number of enemies to face increased, Prisci retreated little by little. All the demon kings were captured, so she judged that her odds of winning were nil. However, Woohyuk wouldn¡¯t let her run away. ¡°Many people were sacrificed because of you. You must atone with your death.¡± ¡°¡­Aleister! Where the hell are you! Come out and help me!¡± Prisci shouted with a desperate voice. However, unlike before, Aleister did not appear. ¡°You were abandoned. You¡¯re being sacrificed for Lilith and Aleister''s mastern.¡± ¡°It can''t be! I am the Witch of Sloth! One of the 7 Deadly Sins needed to annihte the world...¡± Prisci couldn''t continue talking. It was because Loengreen had appeared from behind and pierced her chest with his bare hands. ¡°Cough¡­!!¡± ¡°When Rnd was killed by Orobas, you were the first person who came to mind. I believed that you would understand my pain and agony.¡± Prisci and Loengreen were in love with the same man. However, he couldn''t be with Rnd at the critical moment when he was killed. Because there were so manymon points between them, he was sympathizing with Prisci. Even though she was jealous and drove Rnd to death, he believed that it wasn¡¯t her true intentions. However, that did not mean he would spare her life. She was an entity that would interfere with Asura''s future ns. For his newly blooming love, he was willing to bloody his hands. "Lo¡­ en¡­ gr¡­ een¡­¡± ¡°Farewell, Prisci. If you are reborn, I hope you meet someone who loves you and create a proper rtionship with that person.¡± Loengreen''s right hand held a pumping heart. As he tried to crush it in his grip, Verserios slit Prisci''s throat. Slice! With a dull sound, Prisci scattered into ashen dust. Loengreen looked at Woohyuk with a bitter expression. ¡°You ended up doing it yourself.¡± ¡°We need Prisci''s ability.¡± Like Kriemhild, she could be summoned as a wraith at any time. When Woohyuk checked on Sieg¡¯s condition, a roar resounded from bellow them. Boooom! Charybdis had finally been defeated. Woohyuk stared over the dusty cloud with a calm expression. ¡®We¡¯ve finally defeated all the troublesome enemies.¡¯ But it wasn''t over yet. This was an unofficial war. They fought against the demon faction over the rulership of the Rhine Kingdom, while avoiding the gaze of the Holy Apherian Empire. In other words, the official war would begin now. ''I''m curious about how Aleister Crowley will act.'' As of today, Lilith had lost two of the Witches of the 7 Sins. Three of the 72 demon kings were sealed. For the demon faction, this was a huge blow. The next war could potentially be much bigger than this one. Woohyuk wondered if Aleister would spectate the next was as well. ¡°My Lord, how do you feel?¡± As Woohyuk returned to the ground, Leifina approached him with an anxious expression. It wasn''t surprising since she had also fought a fierce battle. The battle onnd had ended with the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s victory thanks to the three demon kings being sealed. ¡°These injuries are nothing.¡± While he did overexert his abilities to ovee this crisis, it wasn¡¯t bad enough that he couldn¡¯t bear with it. After having themanders reorganize the army ranks, Woohyuk headed to the location where arge crater had formed. A reward great enough that it would make all necromancers faint in shock was waiting for him. Chapter 115: Fallen Kingdom 1

Chapter 115: Fallen Kingdom 1

Doria Castle in Kallenoa, southern region of the Nelson march. Soldiers were carrying war supplies without hesitation in their movements. ¡°The Dane Kingdom¡¯s army ising!¡± ¡°We need to go out there and stop them!¡± Currently, the defense of the Doria Castle walls was thin, because Marquis Nelson had sent many of his troops to the central region of his territory, Trevis, under the king¡¯s orders. They hadn¡¯t received any message from them about the battle over there. ¡®What do we do now...¡¯ Watching the soldiers fight on the wall, Marquis Nelson entered in deep thoughts. They hadn¡¯t expected the Dane Kingdom to ally itself with the Lydia Kingdom and attack in unison. This attack had such amazing timing that Marquis Nelson suspected a spy within the walls. ¡®Now that I think about it, that Gwak Seyoung guy was also working for the witch. If they were to survive and win this battle, he would order a thorough investigation to be performed, mainly for those who wore adventurers'' watches. He hadn¡¯t mentioned this to the newly crowned king as he didn¡¯t want to get on his bad side, but Marquis Nelson didn¡¯t like these adventurers. They had suddenly appeared and ughtered the citizens of the kingdom and set fire to viges. But they somehow became soldiers and were ordered to protect the kingdom. He could understand the king''s thoughts that they had to use them for theck of manpower, but it still was hard to understand. ¡°Marquis Nelson! The enemy is trying to climb over the walls with siegedders!¡± ¡°Never give up on the walls! We have to hold on until reinforcements arrive!¡± The walls of Doria were magnificent enough to cover the entire border on the right side of the province of Kallenoa. Siege weapons and watchtowers were ced at regr intervals, and they weremanded and controlled by the Doria Castle in the center. It was a solid defense system, but they were currently extremely outnumbered that they couldn¡¯t defend the walls properly. ¡°I think we will have to use that! The soldiers can''t endure any more than this!¡± ¡°¡­We have no choice. Tell themanders to begin firing!¡± The transparent bottles Woohyuk had handed over telling him to use only as ast resort. There was a lot of wildfire in it. Since the items had been sent to each post in advance, the Marquis¡¯ order was quickly fulfilled. Swooooosh! Swoosh! As the counterweight went down, the bottles of subtle colors hanging at the end of the trebuchets flew into the air. Afterwards, the soldiers on the wall aimed their ballistas and shot fire arrows. Booboom! Boom! Boom! Booooom! The ground shook several times as several explosions resounded. An enormous fire, that shook fiercely like an aurora, devoured the soldiers and destroyed the enemy camp. ¡°Alright, we can definitely hold on if things continue like this!¡± Daryl spoke with excitement, looking down at the roaring enemies. Then Rick, who was next to him, also spoke. ¡°The firepower is incredible! Even high-ranking wizards of the kingdom¡¯s army can''t use magic packing this much power.¡± These two were quite close. Both were former mercenarymanders who had applied to the Subjugation Corps of the Corcas Mountains, and were both appointed as lieutenants in recognition of their contributions at the time. Moreover, since they were on the front line, there were many incidents that strengthened theirradeship. ¡°But why did these guys attack us out of the blue? Nothing particrly odd happened between our two kingdoms recently.¡± ¡°There are rumors that the King of the Dane Kingdom sold his soul to demons. The monsters appeared in the Corcas Mountains this time may be his doing.¡± Heinrich III. He was a greedy man and wanted to rule more kingdoms. Because of his greed, the Dane Kingdom was out of contact with the surrounding kingdoms and was diplomatically isted between them. When Heinrich III was struggling to ovee these difficulties, Demon King Dantalion made a proposal to him. If he were to make a contract with himself, he would lend him an army of hell. Dantalion promised to remove all enemies that were hindering the development of the Dane Kingdom. So Heinrich III sold his soul to him, and as a result, the Dane Kingdom became a den of demons. However, because the truth was subtly concealed, foreigners like Rick and Daryl only heard vague rumors. While they kept killing enemies who were climbing the siegedder to ovee the walls, ¡°Haha, They¡¯re quite tenacious.¡± Heinrich III was watching the siege from a distance on his horse. He had left his family to confirm the fall of the Rhine Kingdom. Three demon kings and one witch were on their side, so he hadn¡¯t taken the possibility of defeat into ount. ''When the wildfire runs out, Doria Castle will be mine.'' upying Doria Castle was incredibly important, because they would¡¯ve pierced through the famed iron wall that the Rhine Kingdom boasts of. Of course, they could also try bypassing the Corcas Mountains, but it was not a good option considering the rough terrain and the possibility of serious damage from monsters. ¡®The Rhine King must¡¯ve been ughtered by now¡¯ The three demon kings and the Witch of Sloth had synchronized their attacks, so there was no way he would be safe. It''s only a matter of time before he died and Heinrich would take control of the Rhine Kingdom. The attack on ckburn, the impregnable fortress, would not be difficult because Joanna''s family was being held hostage. As Heinrich III kept sweeping his beard down with a happy expression, a scout ran to him urgently. ¡°Your Majesty! Lydia''s army ising from the northeast!¡± ¡°Reinforcements? They¡¯re a littlete.¡± The Lydia Kingdom¡¯s forces were already fighting together on the battlefield. The local lords had probably decided to join them btedly afterpleting other missions. Heinrich III did not care much and focused on the battle. However, soon enough... ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°Sa, save me!¡± Soldiers screamed from the rear. Startled, Heinrich III looked back. ''Thi, this can¡¯t be...¡¯ Vampires. Vampires came into his sight, biting the soldiers'' necks. They were unmistakably enemies attacking their allies, but the g the new enemies were holding belonged to the Lydia Kingdom. Heinrich III could not hide his astonishment because the scale was sorge. ¡®Was there a rebellion? No, that isn¡¯t it...¡¯ After King Philip II of Lydia became a puppet of the demons, the local lords stayed silent and followed the instructions of the demons. Their families and rtives were also being held as hostages. Since they were vampires, these enemies were from the demon faction, but even so, this situation still didn¡¯t make sense. ¡®Did something happen to the demon kings?¡¯ Suddenly, an ominous premonition came over him. As if to prove his prediction, a huge silhouette resembling a whale emerged from the north. ¡°Woooooooooooooooooooooo!¡± It was Undead Charybdis. It sent out ck shockwaves in all directions Boooom! The soldiers of the Dane Kingdom and Lydia Kingdom who were on the battlefield were torn apart. When a mess broke out on both sides, Heinrich III urgently attempted a telepathic conversation with Dantalion. [Demon King Dantalion! The demonic beast said to have been summoned by the Witch of Sloth came here and is wrecking havoc! The vampire army belonging to the Lydia Kingdom is also attacking us!] There was no answer from Dantalion. Because he had been sealed in Lemegeton, he could not do anything without Woohyuk''s permission. When Heinrich III continued to talk to himself in anguish, Swoosh! Someone grabbed his neck with a delicate hand. A soft yet cool sensation. Before Heinrich III could even turn his head, a ck-haired red-eyed beauty turned him towards her. She held unbelievable strength for a woman! Heinrich III trembled with fear. ¡°Hmm, is this the guy? The suprememander of the allied forces.¡± ¡°Yes, My Queen. He is Heinrich III.¡± Vampires flocked around Hong Yuri to protect her from potential ranged attacks. To them, the queen was more precious than their own lives. ¡°Stop the assault right now. Otherwise, I will bite your neck with these.¡± Hong Yu-ri exposed her fangs and threatened the king. Then, as he stared at the vampires around him, Heinrich III swallowed his saliva. ¡°Ev, everyone retreat!¡± The suprememander¡¯s order for retreat. The allied troops ran away without looking back. They did not have the confidence to fight against the legendary monster, Charybdis. ¡°My Lord, are you just going to spectate? We¡¯ll end up fighting those men during the next battle...¡± Leifina asked Woohyuk as she stood next to him. The two had crossed the Corcas Mountains and bypassed the enemy camp. ¡°We won¡¯t attack. We¡¯ll just surround them.¡± ¡°¡­Won¡¯t it be difficult to take them all as prisoners? We¡¯re greatly outnumbered.¡± ¡°Only the Dane Kingdom¡¯s forces need to be captured.¡± The Lydia kingdom¡¯s army could be entrusted to Philip II who was brought along by Hong Yuri. Now that Amii was sealed, there was no reason why they would not listen to their own king. It wasn¡¯t toote to find those who had colluded with the demons and punish them separately after the battle was over. While these two continued their conversation, Rumble rumble rumble. Dust arose from a distance, and Hong Yuri''s vampire army appeared. ¡°It''s been a long time, Your Majesty. Oh my¡­ What happened to you? Who dares to hurt His Majesty''s body¡­?¡± Hong Yu-ri didn''t speak or talk like before, because she was in an official and public position. There were eyes watching them everywhere. "It''s nothing. I just took care of the guys who tried to attack us.¡± ¡°You must have dealt with Demon King Amii then. That woman kept threatening me to be her vassal¡­ It was harding up with all kinds of excuses to refuse.¡± Hong Yuri showed a grim expression, subtly emphasizing the hard work and torment she had been through. Woohyuk praised her for her contributions and then turned to Heinrich III, who was trapped by vampires. ¡°I''m sorry to announce that your n was in vain, King Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Heinrich III stayed silent because he knew well that he would die no matter what he would say. Woohyuk watched at him trembling before asking Leifina. "Lady Leifina, didn''t your father say he lost his estate and territory because of this man?" ¡°¡­Yes, that is the case." When Heinrich III sold his soul to Demon King Dantalion, the Dane kingdom was turned into a den of demons. That''s why Jean-Pierre let had signed a contract with Angrboda to protect his daughter. However, Heinrich III confiscated his estate for not following his lead and signing a contract with Dantalion. ¡°If so, you must be burning with desire for revenge. I will give you time so that you can execute him personally.¡± He had ordered Hong Yuri to bring Heinrich III all the way here in consideration of Leifina. She stared down without saying whether she had understood Woohyuk''s intention. ¡°¡­You don''t know how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this day toe, Heinrich III.¡± Leifina got off her horse and drew Argent from its sheath. Heinrich III''s face turned pale as she approached him with a slow pace. ¡°Wa, wait! I just...¡± ¡°You have sullied my father''s honor, and also tried to sell me to the demons.¡± Leifina''s beautiful appearance was famous amongst the nobles of the Dane Kingdom. But when Heinrich III heard a rumor that Dantalion liked beautiful women, he tried to offer Leifina to the demon king. Naturally, Jean-Pierre let wanted to stop this and had to sign a contract with Angrboda. As she recalled the past, Leifina lifted Argent with both hands. Soon enough, Heinrich III''s head flew in the air apanied by a dull cutting sound. Slice! Chapter 116: Fallen Kingdom 2

Chapter 116: Fallen Kingdom 2

The Battle of Doria ended with the victory of the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s forces. When Woohyuk appeared with Heinrich III''s head, the besieged Dane army surrendered at once, and the Lydia army also gentlyid down their weapons upon the appearance of Philip II. After receiving the damage reports from eachmander, Woohyuk focused on finding those who had colluded with the demons amongst the captured enemy forces. Agnes possessed advanced analysis magic, so the work was done quickly. After a day of thorough investigation, quite a few people were discovered, and Woohyuk sentenced them all to death. Even if they were to be generously epted as an ally, there was the concern that they could betray again if the war became unfavorable for the Rhine Kingdom. When the internal maintenance was over, Woohyuk led his army to Tenas, the capital city of the Dane Kingdom. It was to secure political authority before the other demon kings would intervene. ¡°My Lord, will the Dane army betray us? Their prince is still alive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unlikely.¡± The kingdom¡¯s army hadn¡¯t expressed their discontent before out of fear of Dantalion, but in truth, they did not like Heinrich III very much either. After the Dane Kingdom was turned into a den of demons, the lives of the kingdom¡¯s citizens became much more difficult than before. In addition, in the case of the kingdom army, they were frequently treated like toys by the demons and had to risk each other''s lives like diators in the Colosseum. Nobody would support Heinrich III in this situation, unless they had already made a contract with a demon. Until now, they had only obeyed the king¡¯s orders as they didn¡¯t want to bring harm to their families. Leifina nodded at Woohyuk''s exnation. ¡°I think I know that feeling. If I could, I would definitely change the monarch of the kingdom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I n to destroy the Dane Kingdom and incorporate its territory into the Rhine Kingdom.¡± It was a dynasty that had already lost the public¡¯s support. The lords also didn''t trust the king and were worried about when they would be exploited by the demons. Therefore, if Woohyuk guaranteed their interests and safety, there would be no big bacsh. ¡°It must be important to earn their trust.¡± ¡°I have Lemegeton with me.¡± The main culprit that brought chaos to the Dane Kingdom was Dantalion. If he made Dantalion kneel in front of himself, he could easily gain the favor of the lords. Of course, not all of them would wee him with open arms. ''Some of the lords may have contracted with the demons.'' While he didn¡¯t care much about the people who were unwillingly forced to contract with demons, he could take this opportunity to deal with the group who voluntarily became subordinates of the demons to ride on the bandwagon. He had toy the proper foundation for the walls and building to hold. Simrly to how he had purged the rebellious nobles of the Rhine Kingdom, Woohyuk was thinking of creating a bloodbath in the Dane Kingdom this time. ¡°Your Majesty, I have one question to ask.¡± While Woohyuk was looking at the map of the Dane kingdom, Philip II approached him and spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Is my daughter Joanna doing well? It''s been a while since we''ve talked, so I''m quite worried.¡± Philip II was worrying about his daughter who was living alone without a spouse during these confusing times. In addition, she is currently in an ambiguous position in the Rhine Kingdom. If she wasn¡¯t going to remarry with Woohyuk and take her ce as Queen, he wanted her to return to her home country. ¡°After this war is over, let¡¯s go to the Rhine Pce together. I''ll have to listen to Joanna''s opinion to decide on that matter.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration. I will never forget your grace.¡± To Philip II, Woohyuk was like a savior. He had rescued his families and protected them in a safe location, and also defeated Demon King Amii who was the cause of all the incidents. So, if possible, he wanted his daughter to remarry with him to strengthen their rtionship, but he couldn''t say that out loud because the war was still in full swing. ¡°We¡¯ll reach the Schwarz County soon.¡± When Philip II turned the horse back to its original position, Leifina spoke out loud. She was a noblewoman from the Dane Kingdom. During her younger days, she travelled around this area with her father and read about the local information. ¡°What kind of man is Count Schwarz?¡± ¡°He is the master of swordsmanship. My father also praised him for his excellent skills.¡± Those who had risen to the point where they could use the auras were notmon on the Eeth continent. It''s the same principle that wizards were rare. Hard work was still fruitful, but without natural talent, one couldn''t be like Schwarz. ''A master of swordsmanship.'' It seemed like he was a good person. Even if he had excellent skills, using them was a separate problem. For example, Leifina''s sh sh had a basic form, but it could be modified freely. Since most of the skills were made that way, understanding and applying the skills of swordsmanship was very important. He didn''t know if Schwarz had implemented his own skill. ¡°What are his tendencies? Do you know anything about things like his family or personal interests?¡± ¡°He is a man who values honor. He has a younger brother three years younger than him and likes to read books in a secluded ce.¡± He was a person who would be popr with women. Woohyuk started to like him. ¡°A noble man worthy of the title of count. I want to wee him as a vassal.¡± ¡°But I am not sure if he will easily bow his head to the king of another country. He has strong beliefs like you, My Lord.¡± If he really valued honor, he wouldn''t participate in the destruction of the Dane kingdom just because Heinrich III had done horrible things. In any case, Count Schwarz had a master-ve rtionship with him in name only. Woohyuk frowned at Leifina¡¯s exnation. ¡°It will be difficult to recruit him.¡± In the past, there was no need for him to worry about this. Even if they were a rather valuable genius with great talents, he would brand them as enemies if they didn¡¯t ept his offers and ideals. They were either put in jail or executed, and then forgotten from his mind. However, he is now in a position where he had to assemble the most capable vassals. It would be a waste cut off the neck of a man like Schwarz just because he didn''t have the same thoughts as you. ¡°Then should I turn him into a vampire? He might be stronger if I give him the power of blood.¡± Hong Yuri said. ¡°¡­It would be troublesome to make him join your family recklessly.¡± Vampires were a ss with distinct advantages and disadvantages. They didn''t seem to fit well with Schwarz''s tendency to value honor. ¡°Lord Asura wants to leave him human, so that he can continue to develop his own abilities and grow.¡± Aris said, popping out of Woohyuk''s shadow. After seeing her appearance, Hong Yuri pointed at her in annoyance. ¡°This little brat¡­ Don''t intervene when the adults are talking!¡± ¡°Hmph, despite my current appearance, I have lived much longer than you have!¡± Aris was a demon king and had existed for thousands of years. However, she had never explicitly revealed her age, so Woohyuk wasn¡¯t aware of it either. ¡°What¡¯s the point of it if you still look like a kid on the outside? Do you really think men will stare at that washboard of yours?¡± ¡°Ugh... .¡± Aris trembled in fury at the outrageous personal attack. Not being sexually appealing to Asura was one of her seriousplexes. "So noisy. Quiet down, you two.¡± When the two women faced each other and were ring sparks at each other, Woohyuk spoke in annoyance. Then Sieg in the back intervened as if this were the perfect moment. ¡°My Lord, if you don¡¯t like them, how about Tinia or Silvia¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you give up about that?¡± ¡°What a pity. It was a great opportunity for my daughters to rise in social ranks.¡± Sieg now seemed to treat Tinia and Silvia as his daughters. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable if you thought of their bond. Woohyuk listened to Sieg''s nagging through one ear and let it out the other. The Schwarz County. They had entered the fief a while ago, but there were no people walking on the streets so far. All the private houses were tightly locked. As he thought that something felt strange, Swoooosh! An arrow aimed at Woohyuk''s head flew in from nowhere. ng! But Leifina, who was next to him, did not sit still. She could gain 20-25% additional experience thanks to the passive skill of her Hidden ss, the Iron Maiden, and as a result, she had grown the fastest amongst his vassals. Even at her worst, she could still follow the speed of arrows with the naked eye and block them from reaching their mark. ¡°Who are you! Identify yourself!¡± Leifina shouted, looking towards the private house, feeling the presence of a hostile group. Before long, a man appeared behind the stables. His luxurious clothes couldn¡¯t hide the fact that he was from a prestigious noble family. ¡°I am Rodriguez, the Lord of the Schwarz County. I would like to ask you why you led the army to this point.¡± When Rodriguez finished speaking, armed soldiers walked out in a row. It seems that he was waiting here in advance after knowing that Woohyuk had invaded. ¡°Is he Count Schwarz?¡± ¡°¡­No. Rodriguez is his younger brother.¡± It meant that something had happened to Count Schwarz. Woohyuk came forward and took a closer look at Rodriguez. ¡®He signed a contract with a demon.¡¯ He could easily see that much even without summoning Agnes. Woohyuk, who had many predictions in his mind, asked him a question. ¡°Where is Bailey? Is he in bad health?¡± ¡°My brother fell ill and passed away. That''s why I took over as the fief lord.¡± Bailey Schwarz was not married and had no heirs. It was logically correct, but Woohyuk shook his head. ''This guy is lying.'' Instinctive enlightenment. After releasing Verserios¡¯ seal up to two stages, he had somehow gained an unknown sixth sense. A so-called supersensory ability. However, there was still no way to prove it. ¡®He may have dealt with Bailey because he wanted the position of fief lord.¡¯ Bailey valued honor, so he wouldn¡¯t have been friendly with Demon King Dantalion and his men. If Rodriguez was an ambitious man, he would have used that weakness. In this case, whether Bailey survived or not was a very important piece of information to know to make future decisions. ''If Bailey is really dead, I don''t have to waste time with them.'' Currently, Heinrich III''s son Ramirez would be preparing a barricade by locking the pce gates firmly. Woohyuk wouldn¡¯t gain anything by letting him gain time for his barricade. ''I will have to rely on my sixth sense.'' He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a real ability. However, looking back, it was he who had saved himself from the life-threatening crises. When his thoughts reached that conclusion, Woohyuk opened his mouth with a calm expression. ¡°Does that mean that Bailey is no longer in this world?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking the same question twice. Yes, that''s right. As I said before, my brother fell ill and died. So now, please answer my questions.¡± A big fat lie. Woohyuk, who was instinctively convinced,ughed heartily. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be meaningless to spend time dealing with this situation. As he pulled Grandia out of its scabbard, Woohyuk spoke. ¡°Then I will answer with actions instead of words.¡± Chapter 117: Fallen Kingdom 3

Chapter 117: Fallen Kingdom 3

The purpose of asking the same question again was to confirm Bailey''s survival. It was unclear what Rodriguez was lying about in his first answer because it contained several contents. However, the second answer contained only one content. So, unlike before, he had an instinctive conviction. ''First, I''ll have to capture Rodriguez.'' He didn''t know why he had kept Bailey alive, but it worked out to his advantage anyway. When Woohyuk got off the horse and walked alone, Rodriguez urgently ordered an attack. ¡°Attack him already! Don''t get caught up in his tricks!¡± He was getting an unusual feeling from Woohyuk. It felt like Woohyuk was staring at his deepest core, that he could see everything about him. Besides, he wasn¡¯t an ordinary guy seeing how he had kept his calm in this situation. Swooosh! The archer unit ced in the rear shot arrows at Woohyuk. It was a threatening attack, but Woohyuk simply surrounded himself with demonic energy and neutralized them. And¡­ , Whack! In an instant, the gap narrowed and he mmed a fist into Rodriguez''s abdomen. ¡°Cough...¡± ¡°Tell your men to drop their weapons.¡± When Rodriguez opened his eyes and gasped for air, Woohyuk ced Grandia¡¯s de on his neck. It happened so quickly that the knights that escorted him could not react and had to hide their embarrassment. ¡°Do, do as he said!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing, everyone? Do as he ordered you to! ¡°¡­Yes sir." The soldiers slowly put down their weapons one by one carefully. After capturing them all, Woo-hyuk interrogated Rodriguez. ¡°Where is Bailey?¡± ¡°¡­ I locked him up in my family mansion¡¯s basement.¡± ¡°Guide me there.¡± Rodriguez took a gentle pace. Soon, as the two arrived at the luxurious mansion, the soldiers guarding the door expressed a sense of embarrassment. ¡°Count...¡± ¡°Shut up and open the door if you don''t want to get fired.¡± It was difficult to eat food properly if you were unemployed with the current job difficulties. Due to Rodriguez''s nervousness, the guards stepped aside, and Woohyuk was able to enter the mansion. ''Looks like he¡¯s living alone.'' He was of marriageable age and could have a wife and child, but Woohyuk couldn''t feel anything except from the basement side. He seemed to have no interest in raising a family after contracting with the demons and giving up all of their rights in his life. Woohyuk opened his mouth as he went down the basement stairs with Rodriguez. ¡°Who is your master?¡± ¡°¡­A high-ss demon called Petos.¡± Most of the demons of the Dane Kingdom were the subordinates of Dantalion. It was okay to assume that they were also under his control. Therefore, there was no need to fight Petos to save Bailey. ''Well, he¡¯s probably not even here.'' After the three demon kings belonging to the Ars Nova Circle were sealed, all the subordinates under theirmands were forcibly summoned to the demon world. Therefore, the Dane Kingdom and Lydia Kingdom were currently not under the control of the demons. The remaining demonic influencers were those who had signed contracts with them, like Rodriguez. ''Prince Ramirez must have sold his soul to Dantalion.'' He was also cunning and ambitious like his father, Heinrich III. In order to increase the territory of the country, they would use any means. If Woohyuk wanted to conquer the Eeth continent in the future, he had to remove him. When Woo-hyuk was reminiscing about his past, a system message popped up in front of his eyes. [The high-ss demon Petos from the Dantalion Barony wants to meet Chun Woohyuk. Will you allow it?] [ept / Decline] It was the guy who had signed a contract with Rodriguez. I was thinking of summoning the demons as a test, but it worked. When Woohyuk, who had stopped walking, pressed the ept button, a ck portal appeared in the air, and a blond man with horns on his head appeared. ¡°Thank you for allowing this meeting, Lord Asura.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to do, so I would like to help Lord Asura a little.¡± The territories of the three demon kings were now sealed and confined in a hemispherical transparent barrier. Because of that, the demons under theirmands had their activities in the demon world limited. Petos had asked to be summoned while the others were hesitating to do so. ¡°Aren¡¯t you confused that Dantalion isn¡¯t in the territory anymore?¡± ¡°There is nothing special about it. However, we are all concerned about our futures.¡± When the demon was forcibly summoned, a system guide message popped up, and the demons understood the situation roughly, because they knew about Lemegeton as well. However, since the death of the wise king Solomon, it has never reappeared in the world so far, so everyone was surprised. ¡°You don¡¯t like obeying me, right?¡± ¡®Rather than dislike. I¡¯m afraid I will not be able to live freely anymore.¡¯ Lemegueton was the absolute magic book for the 72 Demon Kings. If they were sealed in it, even the demons under themands had to obey the owner and couldn¡¯te to the world without permission. In addition, the estates of the demon kings belonging to the Ars Nova circle, including Dantalion, were now colonized. The demons couldn¡¯t help but wordy about themselves. ¡°I guess I should have a face-to-face meeting with everybody once. I did see the top-ss demonsst time on the battlefield.¡± ¡°We were just following our lord¡¯smands. Please relieve your anger.¡± Petos bowed his head. No matter where he was from, Woohyuk was the one who had found the treasures of the wise king Solomon. Since he had conquered the three demon kings this time, he was someone who could conquer the demon world in the future. ¡°I, too, was underestimating and looking down on Lord Asura. Please have mercy on me.¡± When Petos treated Woohyuk as if he were a king, Rodriguez, who had been silent, intervened. He could roughly understand what had happened through the conversation. Now that Dantalion was defeated, it was better to be on Woohyuk¡¯s side rather than Prince Ramirez. ¡°Lead me to Bailey already.¡± Woohyuk said again, holding the vampiric dagger behind Rodriguez''s back. He was cruel enough to not hesitate to kill. Rodriguez gulped silently. After a while, when he arrived at his destination, Woohyuk frowned. ¡®He must have been tortured for quite some time.¡¯ The smell of decaying flesh. At its source was a blond man standing, tied up in chains. His head is bowing down as if he had already lost his mind. It was surprising that he was still alive despite the fact that his body was wrecked, with the exception of his bones. ¡°Should I wake him up now?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Woohyuk passed Rodriguez and Petos and walked forward. Then, Bailey lifted his head weakly. His eyes were out of focus. ¡°I came here to release you.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± Bailey was silent. Woohyuk, who felt something strange, looked closely at his condition. ''He has be a living corpse.'' The tendons of the limbs and limbs themselves were cut so that he could not escape, and the tongue was pulled out so that he could not ask for help. He couldn¡¯t live a day without help from others, so being alive must have been more painful for him. Woohyuk turned his head and stared at Rodriguez. ¡°Why did you make Bailey like this?¡± ¡°Well, that¡­ .¡± Rodriguez couldn''t answer easily because hisplexion became pale. Petos, who saw that, opened his mouth instead. ¡°Because of jealousy. Rodriguez has lived in the shadow of his older brother Bailey. So, he couldn''t always achieve what he wanted, and in the end, even Lucia, the woman he loved, was taken away by his brother.¡± ¡°So, did he sign a contract with you?¡± ¡°Yes, he asked me to lend him the power to take over the family line instead of his brother.¡± When Rodriguez became a demon, he brutally murdered his parents who had discriminated against him. Later, Bailey was trapped and captured, and he faked his brother¡¯s death and became the next lord. A detailed n. However, he did not get the love of Lucia, who was more precious to him than his own soul. ¡°What about Lucia?¡± ¡°Shemitted suicide. She jumped off the balcony.¡± Shocked by the fact that Bailey had died, Lucia ended up killing herself after drinking alcohol, even though Rodriguez took great care of her by her side. When Petos'' story ended, Woohyuk looked at Bailey again. ¡°Did you know all this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bailey nodded powerlessly. It was because he couldn''t speak due to theck of tongue. However, energy filled his eyes again when Lucia¡¯s name was mentioned. ¡°Would you like to sign a master-ve contract with me? Then I will give you the power to take revenge.¡± The crippled body could function again, and the lost estate and title could be regained. Of course, Lucia, who died, couldn¡¯t be saved however. At Woohyuk''s words, Rodriguez opened his eyes wide. ¡°Wh, why?! I definitely followed your orders...¡± ¡°You are unfit to ept as a vassal.¡± He has no conviction nor courage, and was even opportunistic. Having such a person under control was more ineffective than good. While Rodriguez begged him from behind as Petos held onto him, Woohyuk asked Bailey again. ¡°What do you think? I think it''s not a bad suggestion for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bailey seemed to be pondering. It was because he felt demonic energy from Woohyuk. When he couldn''t make a decision easily, Woohyuk brought out Lemegeton. Within it, a page with Dantalion was drawn on it. ¡°This is the Demon King who drove the Dane Kingdom into chaos. I sealed him myself. But this is just the beginning.¡± In order to subdue all 72 Demon Kings, he needed the help of outstanding vassals. Bailey was one of them. So Woohyuk tried to persuade him. ¡°I promise not to give disgraceful orders. Now, will you move forward with me to clear the dark past?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bailey raised his head and looked up at Woohyuk. Eyes that didn¡¯t shake. He had a strong conviction, and possessed the power to subdue demon kings. He was obviously different from ordinary demons. Maybe the Savior had really appeared. In time, Bailey nodded, and Woohyuk immediately signed a contract with him. Swoooosh. ck demonic energy healed his wound as it leaked into Bailey''s bare body. The broken tendons were repaired and his voice came out again. "Ahh¡­¡± Bailey, released from his chains, made a short exmation. He enjoyed the freedom he had regained by clenching and opening his fists. ¡°I will only give you 10 minutes. Deal with him yourself.¡± He handed him the vampiric dagger he was holding. epting it, Bailey''s gaze turned to Rodriguez. ¡°Fuck. Fucking hell¡­¡± Rodriguez struggled as he cursed. But, being held by Petos, he couldn''t escape anywhere. Stab! The vampiric dagger, swung by Bailey, was lodged in Rodriguez''s right thigh. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± ¡°Lucia died because of you. Because of your filthy desire.¡± If Rodriguez hadn''t been greedy, Lucia would have somehow been able to get through this period of chaos on her own. Revealing the wrath that had been buried deep in his heart, Bailey pulled out the vampiric dagger. The given time was10 minutes. He had to inflict the maximum amount of pain on Rodriguez within that time limit. Chapter 118: Fallen Kingdom 4

Chapter 118: Fallen Kingdom 4

After getting his personal revenge, Bailey joined Woohyuk''s army. At his appearance, the soldiers of Count Schwarz showed surprised reactions at once. ¡°The, the Count lives!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness, this is¡­¡± The lord who should have led them again. Suffering from Rodr¨ªguez''s harsh exploits, the young citizens had always longed for the merciful and outstanding Bailey. And finally, that longing was satisfied. The morale of Count Schwarz¡¯s soldiers soared in the sky. "Let''s help the Count get Ramirez off the throne!" ¡°We must destroy this cursed kingdom!¡± They didn''t care whether Ramirez was Heinrich III''s son or not. All those who had colluded with the demons were enemies and they had to kill all of them. In that sense, Woohyuk, followed by Bailey, was like a representation of God. He was a hero who fought unpaid and won against the three demon kings. ¡°A true Savior has appeared.¡± ¡°Long live the Rhine King!¡± The soldiers'' shouts never ceased. Woohyuk spoke to Petos next to him. ¡°Did your talk with Bailey go well?¡± ¡°Yes, he said he wouldn''t care if I didn''t do anything weird to you, Lord Asura.¡± Bailey did not object to Woohyuk''s control of the demons. It was because there was a precedent for this. The wise king Solomon. In fact, he was also shown Lemegeton, so there was no question to be asked. The same went for the other soldiers. They believed that Woohyuk was God''s representative, so they did not doubt him, and they thought it was thanks to the power of the death god that he could control the undead. ''Now I just need to deal with Ramirez.'' If they took control of the capital Tenas and uncovered the full story of this incident, the Holy Aperian Empire would not pay much attention. Demons were already running around across the Eeth continent. The empire wasn''t rxed enough to care about things that had already been dealt with. Of course, if the Dane Kingdom were absorbed into the Rhine Kingdom, they would send an envoy, but it would have been a formal diplomatic procedure. ¡®I can send my vassals to capture the remaining evil nobles.'' Many of the lords who had contracted with the demons lost their lives in the battle of Doria. They were trying to look good in the eyes of Heinrich III and Dantalion, and joined the kingdom¡¯s army. Because of this, among the remaining lords in the Dane Kingdom, not too many more needed purging. While Woohyuk''s army was advancing, a monster army came from a distance, kicking up dust on their way. It was quite arge scale army. Woohyuk ordered eachmander to prepare for battle and then stared ahead. ¡®Now that I think about it, there was a Witch¡¯s Sanctuary here as well.¡¯ Angrboda, the Witch of Greed. She had made the Elrond Barony her sanctuary and had the former lord Jean-Pierre let guard the chapel. She had disguised his daughter, Leifina, as herself and had locked her up within the chapel. ''Angrboda isn¡¯t here at the moment.'' She had been ordered by Lilith to leave for the northern kingdom of Norton. There was Peter Logan, the former notorious necromancer. He didn''t know what they were doing there, but it seemed certain she had moved the monsters. ¡°You guys fight in the vanguard and protect Philip II. I will attack their nk with the elite cavalry unit.¡± ¡°Understood, My Lord.¡± ¡°Please leave it to us!¡± ¡°I will follow themand.¡± Woohyuk''s vassals were scattered tomand the soldiers. Eventually, when the battle formation was established, Woohyuk led an elite cavalry unit with Leifina and made a big detour to the enemy camp. ''The cavalry is the best for a quick battle.'' The tactic was to hold the monsters in ce with the main unit from the front and hit the side and rear with fast-moving cavalry. Using this, even if the enemies outnumbered them, it would be an easy win. ¡°We¡¯ll squeeze through there.¡± It was a situation where there was a temporary gap in the middle of the enemy lines because the front monster forces were being pushed back. Woohyuk made his elite cavalry unit into a wedge formation and stood at the front himself. Crash! Crash! As the elite cavalry troops pushed in from the side, the monsters couldn''t maintain the line and escaped everywhere. If he were topare the enemy forces to a human, it was like he had been cut in half at his waist. The scattered rear monsters were individually destroyed, and the monsters in the front were tied to the main unit. ''We have to find the boss monster.'' While continuing to wander through the enemy troops, Woo-hyuk focused on finding the enemymander. Anyone who defended the witch''s forest would be a pretty strong guy. Defeating that guy would save them a lot of time in this battle. ''There he is.'' A huge monster came into Woohyuk''s view as he killed off ogres. A nephilim. It was the variant giant he had seen in Kriemhild¡¯s forest. ¡°Leifina,mand the cavalry unit instead of me.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± Leifina knew very well what Woohyuk was trying to do, since she had been his assistant for quite some time. Leaving her behind, Woohyuk sprinted in the direction of the Nephilim. Gallop. Gallop. It wasn''t that far, so the gap quickly narrowed. ¡°Kraaaaaah!¡± As Woohyuk approached, the nephilim raised his trident with an angry expression. Afterwards, the earth shook with a heavy impact. Boooooom! He struck the trident with all his might toward Woohyuk. However, the attack did not reach him at all, because he had used the skills of the n leader, Mobility and Stronghold. So, he and Leifina had their movement speed and stats increased by 150% over an hour. ¡°When will Angrboda return?¡± ¡°Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!¡± Nephilim growled and refused to answer. When the guy tried to attack again, Woo-hyuk took out Verserios and lightly swung it sideways. Boom! A jet-ck wave flew and struck the middle of the trident. As a result, the Nephilim lost its center of gravity and stumbled, and Woohyuk got off the horse and stabbed Verserios on the ground. Rumble! A ck vortex raged and the surroundings quickly turned ck. Absolute territory. After Woo-hyuk made the Nephilim surrender, he thought to get some information out of him. Thud! Unable to ovee the pressureing from above, the Nephilim finally knelt. Woohyuk, who saw the scene , opened his mouth with a solemn expression. ¡°What is your name?¡± [¡­I cannot answer.] He was a pretty tough guy. Suddenly, a leather whip was swung toward him. Crack! Crack! It would have been okay if it had been an ordinary leather whip, but it was very painful because it contained demonic energy. But what really scared him was the eerie aura he felt from Woohyuk. This ce was Woohyuk''s absolute territory, and if he made the slightest gesture, the Nephilim would quickly be a chunk of finely chopped meat. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer again, I will cut off your tendons and body parts one by one.¡± Assuming that he would resurrect him as an undead in the future, the most unnecessary part was the reproductive organs. When Woohyuk pointed to the lower area of the Nephilim with Verserios, [My name is Silvator. I''ll tell you everything you want to know.] Silvator felt the killing intent andy on the ground immediately. Contrary to what he looked like, he was quite sensitive about his groins. ¡°Why is Angrboda trying to do in the Norton Kingdom?¡± [I don''t know, but I heard that she¡¯s trying to meet someone.] Silvator was worried that Woohyuk would cut his genitals. Woohyuk fell in deep thoughts as he watched the nephilim tremble. ''Who on earth does she have business with?'' He quietly recalled the key figures of the Norton Kingdom in his mind. Nigel, the Lich Lord of Dreadlor. Peter Logan, who would be struggling to survive since he had taken away the necromancer ss. Colesman, ruler of the Norton Kingdom. Other than these three, he couldn¡¯t think of anyone else. Anyone could have attracted the attention of the witches. Lich Lord Nigel had an army of the deceased, and Logan was very wicked, so it was highly likely that he was holding an important position amongst them by now. Colesman also had a secret treasure handed down from his predecessors. "When do you think Angrboda will be back?" [It''s been a while since she left, so I think she''lle back soon. Of course, being aware of Lord Asura, there is a high possibility she might return with other witches.] Although the witches often emptied their sanctuaries, their management was thorough. I always kept an eye on the area around their sanctuaries, and when something happened, they would ask for support from other witches in resignation. Sending monsters to protect your sanctuary from such a distance like this incident was a rare one. ''That means she has very little time to spare.'' It was just Silvator''s prediction, but seeing that she had not given instructions other than the attack order, it seemed that she could not return right away. Woohyuk approached Silvator and opened his mouth again with a stern expression. ¡°Serve me as your master instead of Angrboda. Then I will protect your current position and pride as a warrior.¡± Not to mention his precious genitals. When Woohyuk finished speaking, Silvator raised his head and looked at him. [I will dly follow Lord Asura. By the way, is it really true that you sealed the three demon kings?] It seemed that Angrboda had not been told anything yet. Woohyuk unfolded Lemegeton and showed it to Silvator. Then Amii, trapped in a page, opened her eyes and stared at him. [Ack... So, the rumors were true.] ¡°Do you have any other questions?¡± [There is one more, but...] That was something he couldn''t say even with a knife at his neck. It was about why Woohyuk didn¡¯t have any lover. Woohyuk was being monitored in real time. They could see what he was doing, where and when he moved, except for when he was in ckburn. Since Silvator was also a boss monster, there were certain information he had received about Woohyuk ¡®I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a eunuch¡­ Is he?¡¯ Or was he homosexual? Seeing that the high-ss demon called Loengreen was constantly following him, it certainly seemed possible. When Silvator hesitated to ask the question, Woohyuk put his hand on the nephilim¡¯s head. ¡°I can brainwash you right here right now. Then I can find out what you were trying to ask.¡± [Ack... It, it''s really nothing. I swear by my genitals.] It was a tone that seemed quite desperate. Woohyuk nodded and signed a contract with him. ¡°From now on, you wille with me to the capital Tenas.¡± [Do you intend to kill the prince?] "Yes. I will take over this kingdom.¡± Using the monster army to disturb the enemies could allow him to open the gates more easily than expected. As Woohyuk exined the strategy, Silvator stared in admiration. [That¡¯s incredible. I would¡¯ve had such a hard time to do it.] ¡°What¡¯s why you were defeated and captured by me here.¡± [That''s correct. But even if it wasn''t for me, anyone would¡¯ve been shocked and captured.] There were fewmanders who ran a cavalry as well as Woohyuk. In most cases, the battle strategies were based on the infantry, so the one with numerical advantage would usually win unless there were geographical variables. If he were given enough troops, he would be able to level the entire Eeth continent. When Silvatorplimented him so much that his mouth was starting to dry, Woohyuk coughed. ¡°Let''s head back.¡± The absolute space where the two were located right now was a location separated from the battlefield. Therefore, they weren¡¯t visible in the eyes of Leifina and the others. He had to join them now in order to cease their worries. ¡°Oh, before that¡­ .¡± He had to figure out what he was trying to say. Woohyuk pulled out Jake''s Pocket Watch and hypnotized Silvator. After a while, his expression distorted quite entertainingly. ¡®Is he fucking serious?¡¯ Chapter 119: Fallen Kingdom 5

Chapter 119: Fallen Kingdom 5

As Silvator obeyed Woohyuk, the other monsters immediately surrendered. Because of their instinctive habits, they were following the orders of their direct supervisor. After getting the monster army in hand, Woohyuk headed towards the capital, Tenas. There weren''t many who blocked him on his way. Rather, the lords who didn¡¯t cooperate with Prince Ramirez let them pass without even thinking about confronting them from the beginning. They even gave him supplies, begging him to chase the demons out of this kingdom. Thanks to this, Woohyuk''s army was able to reach the destination without any loss of troops. ¡°Lord, I can see the wall in the distance.¡± Leifina, who was riding alongside Woohyuk, raised her finger towards the horizon. Capital Tenas. It was no different from any other capital city in other small kingdoms. A high wall protected the city, and a castle, the White Keep, was at the heart of the city. The peculiar aspect of this city was the magically engineered weapons for defense that were ced on the wall. ¡®We can see Jake¡¯s handiwork here and there.¡¯ Jake, the genius magic engineer. He had a deep history with the Dane Kingdom. It was because King Gerard II, who was king at the time, was very interested in introducing magic engineering technology. The weapons on the walls were also invented by him. ''But it doesn''t matter much to me.'' By using Jake''s pocket watch, which was obtained from the Bronze Rock Mountain, the movement of surrounding objects created using magic engineering could be stopped for 20 seconds. Originally, it was 10 seconds, but as the item¡¯s grade rose to B, the performance improved, and the range increased from 15m to 30m. Of course, it was a short time, but it was enough to neutralize any magic engineered weapon. Currently, there was no means to stop the undead Charybdis in the Dane Kingdom. ¡°Silvator, go out and grab the attention of the enemies.¡± [Yes, I shall follow your order.] Silvator led the monster troops towards the southern gate. Then, the soldiers on the wall were surprised to see them and fired arrows. ¡°It''s a giant!¡± ¡°A monster attack!¡± Although it was a kingdom under Dantalion''s rule, monsters had never flocked to the front of the capital in this manner. It was because he was involved in state affairs through Heinrich III, he acted only behind the scenes. When the soldiers were panicking, Woohyuk led the main team to the forest and headed for the northern gate. A pincer attack. When arge army attacked one of the gates, numerous soldiers had to be deployed there. So they could use this to confuse the enemies, and attack the city from another gate. ''Although there we havedders and siege weapons...¡¯ There was no need to fight head on and receive many casualties. There was a much easier way than that. When he arrived at the Northern Gate, Woohyuk summoned the undead Charybdis and climbed on top of it. ¡°Wooooooooooooooooooooo!¡± The surroundings were covered in darkness as the powerful cry of a whale resounded. It had covered the sun with its gargantuan body. Naturally, the soldiers were trembling in fear. ¡°Wha, what the hell is that?!¡± ¡°It looks like a whale¡­¡± ¡°What kind of whale can fly in the sky?¡± It had been thousands of years since the War of Gods and Demons had ended, and the legendary monster from that era had reappeared on the Eeth continent. Themander was also panicking, sweating, and he finally ordered an attack. ¡°No matter what, we mustn¡¯t let that get in the capital!¡± Boom! Boom! A pure whiteser spewed out of the magic engineering weapons installed on the wall and struck Charybdis¡¯ body. But that''s not enough to defeat it. Charybdis was a monster that had endured an exceedingly long amount of time against the Spiritual Society. ''It seems about enough.'' Woohyuk, staring down from Charybdis¡¯ back, injected magic into Jake''s Pocket Watch. Then, for an instant, a blue sh brightened the sky and the magic weapons stopped working. ¡°Vice-Captain! The machine is broken!¡± ¡°Fuck, get the engineer quickly!¡± ¡°Everyone was dragged to the south gate, so there is no one here.¡± And even if there were an engineer, all the influential engineers who had the proper magic engineering knowledge had passed on ages ago. After the Holy Apheriam Empire began oppressing the magic engineers, no one tried to learn magic engineering. As themander stood, unable to speak, the cry of Charybdus was heard from high up in the air again. ¡°Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!¡± This time it summoned a group of sharks under itsmand. They spread in all directions and randomly bit the soldiers on the wall. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± ¡°Sa, save me!¡± Screams filled with pain and agony echoed from all over. It was a literal hell. The chaos ensued and themand system was quickly paralyzed. Without missing his timing, Woohyuknded over the city gate in a shark. He subsequently summoned his undead troops, and the City¡¯s Defense Force, which had been approaching from a distance to support the guards, stopped their advance temporarily. ¡°Wha, what is it this time?¡± ¡°Where did theye from?¡± They couldn¡¯t understand the situation at all. Woohyuk entrusted themand of each unit to the elite undeads and then walked towards the gate. ¡°Do, don¡¯t approach me! I, I''ll kill...¡± Stab! The body of the soldier who was guarding the city gate was cleaved in half by Verserios before he could finish his sentence. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way, unless you want to face an end like this one.¡± Woohyuk stared at the City Defense Force with his murderous eyes. As he approached with fiery demonic energy, the men ran away from terror. ¡°Fuck this! I don¡¯t care anymore!" ¡°I¡¯m out of here!¡± In the first ce, there was no reason to devote their lives to fight for this fallen kingdom. They were merely worried about their wives and children in their houses, and had to obey the orders of the demons. But now that they didn''t stand a chance, they no longer have to pretend to be obedient. ''It looks like the rumors have already spread.'' Woohyuk thought to himself as he looked at the back of the escaping soldiers, asking for help and running for their lives. In fact, the king had left with the entire army and did not return. The prince ended up taking his ce and firmly locked the gates. If they were going to be conquered anyway and ruled over by the demons, they would prefer to be conquered by The Rhine King instead of the demons. ng! Creaaaak! After a while, the gate opened, and Woohyuk''s army, that was waiting outside, rushed in at once. ¡°Sasageyo!¡± ¡°Aim for the White Keep!¡± There was no army in the capital that could face them, because the Dane Kingdom¡¯s army was already serving Woohyuk. Eventually, the City Defense Forces lost their will and surrendered. ¡°We, we just fought to protect our families.¡± ¡°Please spare our lives.¡± If truth, they were all pitiful. Woohyuk showed mercy to them. ¡°If you join our ranks now, I will forgive you.¡± ¡°Tha, thank you very much!¡± The soldiers who were waiting for death with humble expressions were grateful. After incorporating them into the Dane Kingdom¡¯s army, Woohyuk stared at the castle in front of him. ¡®Long time no see.¡¯ The White Keep. The name was given because it was made of pure white marble. Inside was Prince Ramirez in the middle of screaming his head off. "Petos, how many men are protecting the White Keep?" ¡°All the Royal Knights and the Court Magicians. They have made a contract with us.¡± Therefore, If he summoned all the demons of the Dantalion Barony, he could easily enter the castle. But Woohyuk shook his head. "We mustn¡¯t summon too many demons in this battle." The people of the Dane Kingdom had been subjected to all kinds of violence and had a deep-rooted resentment against demons. If he destroyed the Dane Kingdom with their support, his public image would bepletely ruined. Moreover, Dantalion was greatly injured from the previous battle, so he wouldn¡¯t be of much use even if Woohyuk summoned him. He just had to do it himself. ¡°Leifina, Bailey, Hong Yuri. Get here.¡± Woohyuk gave orders to the nearbymanders from on top of Charybdis¡¯ head. With its size, it could support at least ten or twenty thousand people on its body. It was enough to re-summon the undead. ¡°Woooooooooooo!¡± When the ¡®ship¡¯ was full, Charybdis flew into the blue sky with a cry. Leifina, standing next to Woohyuk, staggered as if she were dizzy. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m getting dizzy, My Lord.¡± ¡°You¡¯re exactly the same as before, aren¡¯t you?¡± Of course, he was talking about the Leifina from 40 years ago. When Woohyuk hugged Leifina with one hand, her face turned beet red. ¡°My, My Lord¡­¡± ¡°You can lean on me if you¡¯re dizzy.¡± Leifina tended to overwork herself more than necessary. He needed to pay attention to her so that she wouldn¡¯t overdo things. But he thought it was fortunate that she was always by his side. Woohyuk recalled the past for a while and then looked down. Aser fired from a magic weapon was flying towards him. Booom! As Woohyuk swung Verserios, the de shed and a pitch-ck energy wave tore through the air. After that, light and darkness shed, and an explosion shook the surroundings. Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooom! A ck fog spread everywhere, obstructing the view. Woohyuk injects magic into Jake''s pocket watch and waited for Charybdis to enter the White Keep¡¯s interior. Boom! Boom! Boom! Badabooom! Magic weapons from a rtively long distance continued to attack. Jake''s pocket watch¡¯s range was only 30m. However, those attacks were not enough to stop Charybdis. ¡°Wooooooooooooooooooo!¡± Karabdis made a long cry and summoned its servants again. As it was advancing, the skill cooldown had finished. As a swarm of sharks swam through the air, they descended to the walls and bit all the magicians who had been chanting. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Sa, save me!¡± It was literally a blood festival. The vampires who were stimted by this jumped off of Charybdis and began to bite the enemies remaining on the wall. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve had such avishing meal! I''m satisfied.¡± Hong Yuri smiled widely as she approached a female magician trembling in fear. Soon enough, her sharp fangs prated the magician¡¯s fragile throat. ¡®She¡¯s grown quite a lot until now.¡¯ Even though it was daytime, her movements were not particrly slowpared to his other vassals. While Woohyuk watched Hong Yuri''s performance, Charybdisnded on the ground with a great impact. ¡°You guys open the gates and invade the pce. I will find Ramirez.¡± It was possible that he had escaped using a secret passage. Woohyuk hurried to the Dane Pce. ¡®Last time I was here, this entire ce was a sea of fire.¡¯ At that time, wars were in full swing everywhere, so the Dane Kingdom was like a ruin. So back then, he had gone through great efforts to take over the throne, but he had hardly gained anything. But this time, the war had been mostly bloodless. These results were more than satisfactory. While walking through the pce corridors wearing the Banshee''s cloak, he heard the shrieks of women from somewhere. As a result of estimating the location, it must have been the throne room. ¡®Are they doing some sort of monster summoning ritual?¡¯ In the past, Ramirez used to offer living sacrifices after being persuaded by the witch Angrboda. The possibility that a ritual was happening was high, so Woohyuk hurriedly entered the room. ng! When the door opened, Ramirez, who was in charge of the ceremony, widened his eyes. He was in the process of sacrificing the maids trapped on the red magic circle one after another. ¡°Wha, what? Who are¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t continue his words, because a fist had suddenly hit his face. Thud! ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Ramirez fell to the floor and groaned, grabbing his nose. Afterwards, Woohyuk appeared and grabbed the man''s neck. "You¡¯re still as disgusting and distasteful as ever, Ramirez." ¡°You, you can¡¯t be¡­ Asura?!¡± Ramirez''s expression turned sheet white. Woohyuk nodded and spoke again. ¡°I came to save the kingdom¡¯s people from you.¡± "Save? They were born to obey me. Now that my father, Heinrich III, is dead, the ruler of this country is me, and thews I created...¡± Thud! Woohyuk''s arm stretched out again towards the rambling Ramirez. This time, it was the stomach. Ramirez gasped for air and fell to the floor. ¡°You talk too much for a loser.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°Now, I am thew of this kingdom.¡± Woohyuk raised Verserios. Afterwards, a pitch-ck de protruded from Ramirez''s chest as it pierced his heart. 1. Sorry, I had to do it hahaha. Chapter 120: The Cursed Puppeteer 1

Chapter 120: The Cursed Puppeteer 1

After taking control of Tenas, the capital of the Dane Kingdom, Woohyuk captured all those who had ties with the demons. Some of them originated from the Eeth Continental, but there were also a number of adventurers from Earth. In the case of adventurers, he could¡¯ve taken the n leaders as hostages to dominate the n members indirectly, just like the Hwarand and Exodus ns, but they were executed in the same manner as the native people. These were measures he had taken to gain support from the Dane Kingdom¡¯s people. Since he had conquered several kingdoms in the past 40 years, Woohyuk knew how to bring the citizens to his side efficiently. ¡®With this, we¡¯ve ovee a hurdle.¡¯ While sitting on the throne and discussing matters about the Dane Kingdom with his vassals, Woohyuk paused. All the demon kings of the Ars Nova Circle were sealed, and the witches Kriemhild and Prisci were killed and absorbed by Verserios. He still worried about Aleister Crowley, but he wasn''t easy to find, so Woohyuk could only keep an eye out Now, he only needed to destroy Angrboda sanctuary before the witch returned. If the sanctuary were destroyed, she would most likely give up and settle elsewhere. When Woohyuk tried to bring up the story of the Elrond barony, ¡°Your Majesty, the 3rd Corps Commander Maximus returned after defeating the Arisen County subjugation.¡± The door to the throne room opened, and Maximus entered and knelt. A man with a sturdy physique and dignified appearance. He had always been a true soldier fighting for the Rhine Kingdom with his life on the line. ¡°Commander Maximus, good work. I must give you a great reward.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Maximus nodded with a loyal face. Woohyuk watched him for a while and then spoke again. ¡°That is why I will appoint you as the Viceroy of the Dane kingdom.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The vassals lined up on the side were astonished by Woohyuk''s unexpected deration. The governor of a small kingdom in the world. The Dane Kingdom was of a simr scalepared to the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s maind, and had abundant mineral resources such as ck iron and tinum. No one had expected that such an important ce would be left in the hands of the corpsmander instead of the royal family. ¡°Your Majesty, with all due respect, I believe¡­¡± ¡°Your sessor asmander will be Aiden, themander of the Northeastern Guard Camp. He has done great achievements during this war.¡± Woohyuk had previously promised Aiden the position of corpsmander. Tenan, his lieutenant, would also be ced in a key position in the 3rd Corps in advance. He was nning on selecting the next Northeastern Guard Commander amongst the existing deputies. When Woohyuk firmly made his statement, Maximus couldn''t refuse anymore and bowed his head. ¡°It would be an honor to serve, Your Majesty. My life is yours.¡± ¡°I have no doubts that you will do excellently. However, you need to be a bit more flexible, so I will choose an aide to help you.¡± After saying so, Woohyuk''s eyes turned to Hong Yuri. Hong Yuri stared at Woohyuk with a confused expression. ¡°I, I have to manage Eaton County in the Lydia Kingdom.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll assign another lord to take over it.¡± In the first ce, Hong Yuri was sent to the Lydia Kingdom to prepare for this incident. So he doesn''t have to leave her there anymore. As for the governor''s aide, in terms of rank and status, it was by no means inferior to the average countess. ¡°Boo¡­ I also want to go to the Rhine Kingdom¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bezy and stay faithful to your mission.¡± To hide Hong Yuri''s vampire forces, the Dane Kingdom was the most appropriate. This was because it was actually the territory of the Rhine Kingdom, and many estates remained vacant since several lords had been purged this time around. The vampires were absolutely obedient to the queen, Hong Yuri, so there would be no problem. Subsequently, after solving a few more issues, Woohyuk brought up the topic he was trying to talk about. ¡°¡­ And as for the Elond barony, we will have to clean it up before Angrboda returns.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me. I will burn everything so that not a single trace of the witch remains.¡± ¡°No, I could do better in terms of witch hunting¡­ .¡± To establish their positions, the vassals volunteered one after another. But Woohyuk shook his head and spoke again. ¡°The Dane Kingdom subjugation is yet to beplete. So I will need everyone to help Viceroy Maximus day and night.¡± King Philip II of Lydia had returned to his country for post-war treatment, and the Spiritual Society had also left for the Izuna Kingdom after the contract was fulfilled. In addition, the maind is also busy with internal maintenance and processing the remnants of the Witch Cult, so there is no manpower left. These small tasks had to be handled by the guards in order to proceed on schedule. ¡°Then do you intend to deal with it yourself, Your Majesty?¡± "It''s rted to witches, so I cannot neglect it." It was difficult to leave the Witches of the Seven Sins to his vassals, because they often used tricks to avoid their pursuits and could do all sorts of evil acts behind the scenes. ¡°But at least a few of us should apany you¡­¡± ¡°Lady Leifina is more than enough.¡± The Elrond barony was originally a territory that was hers to rule. Since there was a clear justification, the vassals could no longer object. ¡°Now that that¡¯s dealt with, let¡¯s depart today. Lady Leifina, organize a subjugation team. Three thousand men should be enough.¡± ¡°I understand, My Lord.¡± Leifina¡¯s eyes shone as she bowed next to him. Her lifelong wishes were finally about to be fulfilled. *** The subjugation team consisted mainly of spearmen and archers. It was because the use of cavalry in poor terrain with severe slopes or lush vegetation wasn¡¯t rmended. Although the cavalry could be terrifying under certain circumstances, in this case, it was not a surprise operation such as an ambush but a simple march on the field. Woohyuk came up with a n while advancing within the capital Tenas, as the citizens watched over them. ¡°Petos, is it true that the Elrond barony has an executive of the Witch Cult remaining?¡± [Yes, that is correct. She is someone who used to get pampered by Angrboda.] Petos was hiding in Woohyuk¡¯s shadow, avoiding the eyes of people. The other demons had yet to be summoned. There had been numerous requests so far, but Woohyuk rejected them all in consideration of his reputation. ¡°Tell me more about her.¡± [Her name is Alphone. She looks like a 14-year-old girl, but is actually well over 100 years old. Oh, but she is on the young side ording to this world¡¯s standards.] ording to Petos, Alphone was cursed by a death god and had stopped growing. She couldn¡¯t be an adult, nor marry someone and have a family. In addition, if she didn''t make a stuffed toy every day, she would be a day younger every time. So she had threads and needles on her at all times. ¡°Why did she get such a curse?¡± [Because she tried to harm the shaman in the temple where the death god was enshrined.] Alphone''s father was a famous weaver. He had been making fabrics for the lord every month, but one day, he happened to stop by the temple and fell in love with the shamaness. Afterwards, he went to see shamaness three to four times a week and gave her a high-quality silk as gifts. Alphone was dissatisfied by this fact and told her father not to forget her deceased mother. However, she got beaten by her own father. ¡°It seems that the incident led to her holding a grudge against the shamaness.¡± [Yes, she even learned curse magic at such a young age.] Alphone''s father was close to a member of the Golden Rose Society. The two used to meet in a studio or in the house to talk secretly. Alphone noticed this one day and asked the member of the Golden Rose Society to teach her curse magic. As a result, she used the power of a witch to make the shamaness sick and weak through a doll. However, after hearing the shamaness¡¯ prayer from the temple, the death god intervened and the girl¡¯s act of revenge in one day. Thereafter, Alphone got cursed by him. ¡°Do you know where Alphone is hiding?¡± [Ah, even I don¡¯t know that¡­ We don¡¯t usually enter the witch''s sanctuary since we never know what could happen.] For Solomon''s 72 demon kings, witches were religious beings. Lilith was the only one who could receive revtions from the abyss in the Chapel of Origin and could use its powers, albeit with certain limits. For this reason, even Baal, the Great Demon King who ranked first, did not interfere with the work of witches. ¡°I''ll start looking around the chapel first. Since Angrboda is away, Alphone might¡¯ve taken over it in her stead.¡± [I''ll help with all my passion and energy.] Petos'' ability was tracking. Once he got closer and could feel one¡¯s presence, he could easily find the location of said target, and witches were no exception to his skill. ¡°Good. I look forward to your performance.¡± [Thank you for thinking so highly of me.] He was quite good at ttering. Maybe it was because he was a servant of Dantalion, the crafty and sly demon king. After ending the conversation, Woohyuk turned to Leifina who was riding a horse next to him. Her head was down and her gaze stayed on the ground, as if she were in deep thoughts. ¡°I will let you take over your father''s territory once this subjugation ends.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you." ¡°If you want, you settle down here.¡± Woohyuk obviously wasn¡¯t being honest. He wanted to keep her by his side, but he suggested this pretending to be indifferent to confirm her determination before setting the next n into action. The ordeal he had to ovee was further ahead of what he had nned, so if shecked a resolute conviction, he couldn''t let her stay by his side as she was now. ¡°I, I¡­¡± Leifina blurred her words with an unreadable expression. As the eldest daughter of the let family, she obviously wanted to be the lord, but she didn''t want to leave Woohyuk. Woohyuk, who saw her reaction, asked another question. ¡°Is the territory a bit small to live on your own? Then I canbine the Euler county and Ben County with the Elrond barony and create a new province called the let County.¡± ¡°N-no. That isn¡¯t what I want...¡± Leifina''s face turned red, trying to express her sincerity. Woohyuk patiently waited for her to give sincere answers and tried to help her out. ¡°If you want to live with dignity as a knight, you can leave the territory to a representative and return to the Royal Pce of Rhine to continue serving as the Royal Guard Commander.¡± ¡°The honor and dignity I currently have¡­ is more than enough.¡± ¡°Then, do you want to start a family now? You¡¯ve been through all kinds of hardships until today. If that¡¯s why you¡¯re getting interested in cooking...¡± ¡°A, absolutely not!¡± Leifina, whose face was burning of embarrassment, instinctively shouted out loud. After a while, she hurriedly shut her mouth and silence ensued. ¡°A, Apologies. It was a sensitive topic, so I couldn¡¯t help but¡­¡± "It¡¯s okay. In any case, what do you want? You have made the greatest contributions among my vassals, so I will listen to anything you want.¡± Anything. Oddly enough, Leifina¡¯s heart elerated at those words. However, she couldn¡¯t dare to say her thoughts out loud. Eventually, she revealed her wish by downsizing it. ¡°I want to stay by your side as is, My Lord. I cannot live without you because of the bond of fate.¡± "I see. Understood." In truth, he wanted to hear these words. Woohyuk nced at Leifina who was dying of embarrassment. ¡®I will definitely protect you.¡¯ After Lucretia had died, he vowed that he would never repeat his mistakes, but it wasn¡¯t as easy to do as he had hoped. Woohyuk galloped onwards, hoping that the day woulde when he could have a sincere talk with Leifina. Chapter 121: The Cursed Puppeteer 2

Chapter 121: The Cursed Puppeteer 2

The Elrond barony was deste. The lord¡¯s mansion had long been neglected. There were spiderwebs everywhere, and the poor people within the houses had all fainted, groaning subconsciously. Woohyuk focused on finding Alphone, while Leifina was heartbroken by the sight of her territory. ''A cursed puppeteer.'' Just in case, he went to the workshop her father used, but couldn''t find any clues. Even the dolls that were said to be produced every day could not be found. However, there was Petos with his tracking ability by his side, so they weren¡¯tpletely clueless. ¡°Hmm... She has subtly erased her traces. But since I don¡¯t track people through smell like hunting dogs, this kind of trick doesn''t mean anything to me.¡± Petos spoke proudly as he sniffed around, hiding in Woohyuk¡¯s shadow. Woohyuk was waiting for him to find his trail again, when a shabby woman came to Leifina¡¯s side. "Mydy? Is it you, mydy?¡± ¡°¡­Mrs. Hudson.¡± Leifina was the eldest daughter of Jean-Pierre let, the former lord, so there was no one in thesends who did not know her. As the news that she had appeared spread, the residents began to flock one by one. ¡°It, it¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°Thedy was alive¡­¡± For them, Leifina was a beacon of hope. The only child of the well-reputed lord. She was wearing her father''s sword and appeared to havee back to take over the family territory. ¡°My Lady, where have you been all this time? You don''t know how worried I was after the witch took you away.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still as beautiful as ever. Did you get married?¡± These never ending questions. While Leifina was expressing her gratitude, a brown-haired girl gave her a purple flower. ¡°It''s a gift for your return, mydy.¡± ¡°Thank you for the monelia.¡± Suddenly, she recalled going out to watch flowers with her mother when she was young. Leifina stroked the girl''s hair and smelled the fresh scent of monelia. ¡°You do have a feminine and beautiful side to you.¡± ¡°How did I appear in your eyes until now¡­?¡± Woohyuk spoke as he approached and Leifina''s face was flushed by the words he muttered. The girl who saw Leifina¡¯s blush whispered into her ear. ¡°I hope everything goes well between you two. Good luck!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Leifina was baffled and stared at her. The girl giggled and ran into the crowd of residents and disappeared. The moment she shook her head and tried to stand up, [Kill him.] A girl''s voice echoed in her mind. ¡°¡­?!¡± Leifina looked around, wondering if it was an auditory hallucination. However, there is nobody around her other than the residents. When she started to doubt her ears, the voice resounded again. [Kill your lord. Otherwise, one resident will be killed every night.] She was certain to have heard it this time. Leifina immediately focused her mind. ''Someone is spying on this ce.'' She had to tell her master about this. However, the girl sent another warning as if she had read her mind. [If you let other people know about this, I will immediately ughter all the residents.] A cruel scheme. Leifina bit down on her tongue and swallowed the words that were about to exit her mouth. ¡°Is something the matter? You don¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°It, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± When Woohyuk asked in concern, Leifina smiled to him. However, her heart was breaking on the inside. He was the veryst person to whom she wanted to lie to. ''What should I do about this...¡¯ The enemy was obviously Alphone, the executive of the Witch Cult. However, hiding the fact that she had gotten threatened wouldn¡¯t solve the situation at hand. Rather, it would worsen it. Petos spoke while Leifina was wracking her brain. ¡°Ah, that way. It took some time to find the correct trail.¡± ¡°Then let''s go. Ah, Leifina, stay here and keep talking with the residents. They might know some useful information.¡± ¡°¡­Understood, My Lord.¡± Leifina couldn''t speak up her mind until the end, because the townspeople could get ughtered. Now that she thought about it, the threat didn¡¯t contain any important information, so she thought it would be a good idea to stay here on her own until Woohyuk returned. As she watched her master walk away, Leifina¡¯s expression darkened *** ¡°Is this the ce?¡± [Yes, I am certain. The flow wasn¡¯t cut midway.] Petos grinned widely and ced his hand on the doorknob to check if there were any traps installed. After a while, he shook his head towards Woohyuk. [There is nothing here other than concealment magic. But if you are anxious, I will go in first.] ¡°Then open it.¡± Woohyuk spoke without hesitation. In any case, Petos was a high-ss demon, so he wouldn¡¯t be injured by most attacks. It didn''t matter if Woohyuk used him like a meat shield. Creak. As the door opened, the gloomy air leaked out. Petos'' eyes widened as he tilted his head to look inside. [Woah, there are a lot.] ¡°A lot of what?¡± [Dolls. I think they were all handmade by Alphone.] An old two-story wooden building. Even though the sun had set and the night had covered the sky, not a single candle was lit on the first floor. As he followed Petos, Woohyuk looked down at the countless stuffed toys on the floor. ¡°She¡¯s hiding herself using these.¡± [Yes, I guess we could call it a cloning technique? It¡¯s simr to my lord Dantalion''s.] Although he followed Woohyuk, the fact that Petos'' main lord was Dantalion had not changed. So Woohyuk was being treated like an overlord. He had three demon kings under hismand, so it was worth attaching that title on him. ¡°Can you find out where Alphone is hiding?¡± [Well¡­ It''s possible, but it¡¯ll take way too long. First of all, it would be faster to get rid of all these ugly dolls.] Amongst these stuffed dolls were hidden Witch Stigmas. However, since they were made up of Alphone''s magic, Petos'' ability could not function properly. ¡°There are too many individuals to eliminate. Setting a fire won¡¯t do because the clues might disappear.¡± [Then it can''t be helped. Shall we search from the first floor for now?] Petos flew from ce to ce, looking closely at the ce of interest. It was a pitch-ck room because the curtains didn''t let the light in, but he was a demon. His vision was not limited in the darkness. ¡®Is she not intending to run away?¡¯ Woohyuk thought to himself, expanding his senses and watching the movements around him. No matter how much time she was trying to buy, her location would be discovered sometime soon if he did this. He didn¡¯t worry about other kinds of schemes at all ''I''m a bit worried about Leifina.'' He could summon her at any time with the Call to Arms skill, but he was worried that she would get done in without a chance to retaliate. Woohyuk attempted to start a telepathic conversation with Leifina to get a report on the situation over there, Step. Step. He heard someone walking from a distance. Leifina was walking towards him with a nk expression, Argent in hand. Woohyuk''s eyebrows frowned upon understanding the situation. ¡®So that¡¯s what happened.¡¯ Alphone knew from the very beginning that he woulde. So, she was deliberately wasting their time here and made Leifina fall into a trap. Someone disguised as a resident had probably helped her. [What a wicked trick.] ¡°¡­You¡¯re the one to talk.¡± [Not every demon behaves in an evil manner. Well, it is true that most of us tend to be like that though.] Petos lifted his index finger with a smirk on his face. Woohyuk ignored him and walked to the door to check on Leifina''s condition. ''¡­She¡¯s being manipted by someone.'' It was Alphone''s handiwork. Leifina had a high resistance to debuffs and status conditions, so someone who can control her must be greatly skilled. While Woohyuk observed the Witch Stigma on the back of her hand, someone slowly descended from the second floor. ng. ng. It was not a stuffed toy, but a marite. It was a doll in the form of a girl like Agnes, but the joints were tied with a fine thread, allowing precise maniption. Before Woohyuk could even turn his head, Alphone spoke to him first. [Wee to the Cursed Puppeteer''s House, Asura. I have been waiting for you.] ¡°What a timid wee. Are you afraid to show yourself?¡± [Obviously. Even Lady Angrboda would try to avoid a head-on collision with you, someone who defeated three demon kings.] Alphone maintained her confident tone. It seems that this level of foul y was normal for her. Woohyuk opened his mouth again as he watched Leifina gradually getting closer to him. ¡°Do you think this childish trick will work on me?¡± [Who knows? Don¡¯t you think it''s a good idea to test it?] Leifina was one of Woohyuk''s favorite vassals, so Woohyuk would not want to harm her. Alphone was nning to use his emotions against him. ¡°You are courting death.¡± [Hmm, I can sense some anger in your voice. Why, why don¡¯t we have a bit of fun?] The stuffed dolls scattered on the first floor stood up at once and flew toward Petos and Woohyuk. Boom! Boom! Boom! The explosive powerparable to a time bomb. As they self-destructed, they also bursted out sharp metal fragments. [This is really annoying.] ¡°You don''t have to worry too much.¡± Over the past 40 years, Woohyuk had experienced countless sly tricks nned out by demons. As a result, he didn''t feel a sense of crisis even in this situation, but rather, could see the loopholes in Alphone''s n. ''She has no intentions of harming Leifina yet.'' The dolls on the first floor were tools to keep him busy. It was obvious that the main, important trick was hidden on the second floor. Woohyuk first summoned the undead Amy and sent her to the second floor. [Oh, aren¡¯t you the executive who followed the Witch of Envy? You were quite skilled back when you were alive, but now you¡¯re dead, I don''t think there¡¯s much to see.] The marite¡¯s eyes shed red and raised both its hands. Then, a morning star in its hands. ng! ng! The two weapons crossed paths, creating a dissonant sound. Since the duel didn¡¯t seem to end any time, Woohyuk summoned Agnes. ¡°Go and help her.¡± ¡°Yes! Understood!¡± Agnes had three of her restraints released, so she was stronger than most of the executives of the Witch Cult. As she joined the battle, burning with eagerness, the marite stepped back and gathered more dolls. It intended to attack them by bursting them all at once. ¡®She¡¯s definitely skilled in buying time.¡¯ Woohyukughed bitterly as he cut down the dolls flying at him. If he tried to head to the second floor, Leifina would be harmed first and the situation would derail. So he came to the conclusion that it would be better to save Leifina first, but then too much time would¡¯ve passed. ''You can¡¯t stop me merely with these tricks.'' He knew how to solve this challenge. However, his body and mind would be overwhelmed, so he would rather refrain from using it as much as possible. ng! Sparks flew as Argent, wielded by Leifina, struck Verserios. Woohyuk stepped back and stabbed Verserios on the floor. Immediately, a pitch-ck darkness covered the entire surroundings! Asura''s absolute space began to absorb everyone. Chapter 122: The Cursed Puppeteer 3

Chapter 122: The Cursed Puppeteer 3

¡°Oooh, this is the abyss!¡± Petos shouted as his heart was moved. A space domination different from the 72 Demon Kings. The true overlord of the demon world was in front of him. [Where is this? What the hell did you do... .] Alphone, who had yet to understand the situation, spoke in a trembling voice. An unknown space where nothing could be seen. She couldn¡¯t hide herself anymore because all beings were transported to this ce. Tsssssss... The witch stigma on the back of Leifina''s hand lost its shape and scattered away like dust. Alphone''s magic has lost its effectiveness in Woohyuk¡¯s dense demonic energy that covered the surroundings. ¡°My, My Lord¡­?¡± Leifina, who tried to swing Argent at Woohyuk again, was surprised as her eyes widened. Once her mind was freed, Woohyuk summoned Aris. ¡°Go and capture Alphone.¡± ¡°Hihiiih! Alright!" Alphone was desperately controlling the marite and facing the undead Amy and Agnes. However, the stuffed dolls no longer moved as she intended, and she gradually got pushed back. Aris fluttered her red hair and grabbed Alphone''s purple hair. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ve created trouble for Lord Asura? You¡¯re gonna need a scolding!¡± Slit! The pitch-ck scythe cut off the thin strands of demonic energy that were connecting Alphone to Marite. Afterwards, Marite plunged to the ground and undead Amy and Agnes rushed to Alphone. Whack! Thud! Thwak! The group of the three women lynched on Alphone, creating scars on her delicate body. ¡°Urgh...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take her to Lord Asura already. He¡¯s waiting for us.¡± ¡°It was fun to mess around for the first time in a while. Amy didn¡¯t let me participate back when I served her.¡± Aris and Undead Amy grabbed each of Alphone''s arms. While they dragged Alphone to Woohyuk, Agnes cast Analysis Magic from behind. ¡°Oooh, this girl¡­ The skill¡¯s name is so unique!¡± ¡°What is it, Agnes?¡± ¡°Soul Separation Technique. It says that human souls can be broken into pieces and stored in dolls. No, not only dolls, but also in living individuals.¡± Fragmented souls continued to question their own identity with imperfect memories. If a single one of them disappears, the original memory and lifespan cannot be restored to its previous state, even if the remaining pieces are gathered together. They would have to live the rest of their life in an iplete state. ¡°What a gritty ability. There¡¯s the possibility that she uses it on herself.¡± Petos, who was by Woohyuk''s side, expressed a feeling of concern as he ced his hand on his chin. As Agnes had exined, they may have yet to subdue Alphonepletely. Alphone''s fragments, which could have been scattered in various ces, would continue to work on her ns. ¡°Hehehe... That¡¯s right. Before you guys came, I split my soul into five pieces and hid them around the Elrond barony.¡± If she divided herself too much, each of her stats would decrease, so five was the appropriate amount. As Alphone giggled, Woohyuk stared with disinterest. ¡°So what do you mean? Tracking the rest of them is only a matter of time.¡± ¡°No, no. Think carefully. Do you think that I nned it so poorly?¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me." Woohyuk''s gaze turned to Leifina, who was standing nkly. ¡°Have you noticed now? Your precious vassal was already divided into five fragments like me.¡± And each fragment was being held as a hostage. When Alphone proudly spoke of her ns, Woohyuk immediately went on to confirm. ¡°Leifina, where did you meet me for the first time?¡± ¡°¡­I can''t remember.¡± ¡°What is the name of the sword you are holding?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Alphone seemed to be telling the truth since Leifina couldn¡¯t remember. ¡®Things have gottenplicated.¡¯ Leifina would lose 80% of her memories and lifespan unless the fragments were found and rbined. It was something Woohyuk couldn¡¯t allow to happen. ''I let my guard down.'' He thought the battle would be over once he found the main body because the enemy was merely a puppeteer. He wascking information. No, it was because he had left Leifina alone. Woohyuk stared at Alphone, rebuking himself in his mind. ¡°Where did you put the fragments?¡± ¡°Hmm~ Who knows~? It could be in other residents, in a doll I made, or it could be a pet cat... Well, there¡¯s a lot of possibilities.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand your position right now¡­ .¡± This was Asura''s absolute space. It waspletely disconnected from the outside, so even if Alphone''s body were tortured, the other soul fragments wouldn¡¯t know of it. And she is the fragment that held her most recent memories. She should know where the rest of Leifina¡¯s fragments were hidden. Woohyuk tried to hit Alphone when she quickly opened her mouth. ¡°Do, don¡¯t hit me! I don''t want to be hit anymore!¡± ¡°Then spill the beans.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Alphone mulled over it. The n was to buy time until Angrboda would return, but it had gone down the drain. At this rate, the other soul fragments would be harmed. ¡®If only it weren¡¯t for this goddamned absolute space...¡¯ She would¡¯vepleted the curse magic circle on the second floor. It was left behind by Angrbodda in the case of an emergency. It would allow her to escape even if the intruder could not be suppressed. ''Let''s survive for now.¡¯ The reason she had decided to serve Angrboda in the first ce was to survive in this damned world. Alphone began to speak as she recalled the memory of almost being burned to death by the lord for being a cursed puppeteer. ¡°The soul fragments were scattered to the north, south, east, and west based on this house. They''re all stuffed in dolls so that they don''t resist, and their owners are me.¡± "I see." ¡°I can guide you if you want. Since I¡¯m the original body, we won¡¯t be able to retaliate if you take me as a hostage.¡± ¡°That wouldn''t be so bad either.¡± Woohyuk responded in a dry tone. He then reached out and punched Alphone''s stomach. Thud! ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°This is forying a hand on my vassal.¡± Woohyuk said as he saw Alphone dropping unconscious. He wanted to torture her more, but it was currently urgent to collect Leifina''s soul fragments. He couldn¡¯t lose his temper like he did when dealing with the Demon Kings of Ars Nova. ''I¡¯ll have to turn her into my ve so that she can¡¯t n another scheme.'' He didn¡¯t want to do it, but it was the safest method as of right now. While trying to keep his calm, Woohyuk grabbed Alphone''s nape. *** A pitch-dark night. Ang was sitting in front of the firece reading a storybook with her mother, Mrs. Dawson. ¡°¡­ So, in the end, the Witch of Greed ended up losing everything. All the precious treasures she had hidden turned to ashes and disappeared, and all the beautiful flowers in the secret garden withered away.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today. You should go to sleep now, Ang.¡± ¡°Yes, Mom.¡± She was an obedient girl. Although she was born as the daughter of a third-ss mercenary and her status was unchanged, she dreamed of bing a librarian at the Royal Library of the capital city, Tenas, when she grew up. Mrs. Dawson respected her wishes and lent her as many books as possible. Most of them were crappy children''s books written by rural bards for a living. ¡®My daughter is so smart.¡¯ Mrs. Dawson smiled in satisfaction as she saw Ang sleeping in bed. A child who learned faster than her peers and had more questions. If they could afford it, she would like to send her to the academy for professional training, but Mr. Dawson''s sry wasn''t enough. But she had never med him, because Mr. Dawson had always been a father and husband who dedicated himself to his family. Currently, although his job was working as a night guard, she believed that he would one day be promoted and paid handsomely due to his sincere nature. As Mrs. Dawson went back to the firece and tried to knit, there was a sudden knock on the door. Bang bang bang! Mrs. Dawson''s eyes widened. "Mom?" ¡°Be quiet, Ang.¡± As her husband was a mercenary, there were certain people who came with a grudge from time to time. Mrs. Dawson hid Ang under the bed and carefully approached the door. Bang bang bang! She heard the banging on the door again. ¡°Who, who are you?¡± ¡°A demon, Mrs. Dawson.¡± Demon? Mrs. Dawson trembled at that terrifying word. ¡°For, for what reason have you¡­¡± ¡°No different than usual. For the payment.¡± After Dantalion took over the Dane kingdom, the demons used to wander around private houses in their jurisdiction and take their property like this. However, sometimes, it wasn¡¯t only for property, but also for sexual activities or children. ¡°This, this is the territory of the witch Angrboda. Please go away.¡± ¡°Hooo? Doesn''t the sanctuary include the forest only?¡± ¡°She made a deal with Demon King Dantalion and got the jurisdiction of the Elrond barony. That¡¯s why we make offerings to her every month using precious metals and gems.¡± Angrboda didn¡¯t ask for misceneous things such as food or fur like the other lords. What she asked for was living sacrifices and expensive precious jewels and metals for Lilith. So, the residents of the barony were much more impoverished than other areas, and they feared they would be taken as sacrifices. ¡°I believe that the witch is not here right now. So let me take the payment instead. Otherwise...¡± ¡°A mere demon dares to insult Lady Angrboda?¡± As the demon did not stop, Ang popped out of the bed and shouted. When Mrs. Dawson saw that, she was shocked and shut her daughter¡¯s mouth. ¡°Honey, honey! What are you doing! If you anger him, we will both die!¡± ¡°Mhhmmhmhm¡­!!¡± Ang struggled to escape from Mrs. Dawson''s hands, but to no avail. She pulled a ck monster out of her body and pushed Mrs. Dawson aside. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Mrs. Dawson screamed and fell on the bed. Ang calmed down her rough breath, ran straight and pulled the doorknob. ¡°I''m Alphone, an executive of the Witch Cult who serves Lady Angrboda! Due to some circumstances, I am in a little girl¡¯s body, but if you don''t believe it, I will prove my identity.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± The corners of Petos''s mouth rose as he stood by the door. As he stepped aside, Woohyuk appeared and grabbed Ang''s cor. ¡°You, what are you...¡± Poop! A fierce fist flew into Ang''s face, a punch containing his rage and anger. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°This is the punishment for carelessly touching my vassal.¡± Woohyuk was nning to inflict the same amount of damage on all of the soul fragments. When she saw his gaze, Alphone, who was hiding in his shadows, performed the soul separation technique. ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± Ang screamed in pain and a bluish energy popped out of her head. Alphone''s Soul Fragment. It circled around Woohyuk and soon disappeared into his shadow. It was absorbed into Alphone''s main body again. ¡°Pl, please don¡¯t take my daughter!¡± When Woohyuk caught the unconscious Ang, Mrs. Dawson ran to him, begging him in tears. She seemed to have misunderstood that her daughter was being kidnapped. "Don¡¯t worry. That was just a ritual to save Ang from an evil spirit.¡± ¡°An, an evil spirit?¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of exorcists?¡± On the Eeth continent, when priests expelled demons from their dwellings, they performed sacred ceremonies. Woohyuk exined and handed over Ang, to which Mrs. Dawson sighed of relief and hugged her daughter. ¡°Thank you. How can I repay this debt¡­?¡± ¡°I will just take a single item.¡± As he stepped into the house, Woohyuk pointed towards the bed. A pink rabbit doll was sitting on it, staring at him. Chapter 123: The Cursed Puppeteer 4

Chapter 123: The Cursed Puppeteer 4

As he expected, Leifina''s soul fragment was contained in the pink rabbit doll. Woohyuk ordered Alphone to retrieve it, and as a result, Leifina recovered some of her lost memories. However, there were still three soul fragments left, so Woohyuk couldn''t rest easy yet. ¡°Is there any way to gather them all in one location, Alphone?¡± ¡°I haven''t really made any promises like that with myselves. Because if we were to gather together and a single one of us got captured, it would be game over for us.¡± Alphone said, sweeping her purple hair over her shoulder. She was now part of Woohyuk''s family and was in absolute obedience to all orders. She didn¡¯t even show a rebellious attitude, maybe because she had been beaten so hard. ¡°Then, we have no choice but to visit the entire ce while making a round trip.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be of more help...¡± "It does not matter. I brought you to recover the soul fragments in the first ce.¡± Although they were currently in a master-ve rtionship, Alphone was still a prisoner of war. She looked slightly dejected as if she were also aware of that fact. ¡°I will ept any punishment. But could you give me a chance to make up for my mistakes?¡± ¡°What can you do for me?¡± ¡°I know where a hidden treasure is. It''s an item Angrboda cares a lot about.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it should be in the chapel.¡± ¡°Angrboda is a witch who has once lost all of her treasures. So before she left, she prepared a few measures.¡± Angrboda, the Witch of Greed. She was obsessed with gold for an unknown reason. ording to the story in the fairy tale, it was said that she was greedy by nature, but that information wasn¡¯t trustworthy as it was invented by wandering bards. ¡°Do you think that treasure has the same value as the life of my vassals?¡± ¡°Of, of course not. It may not make up for all my mistakes, but I hope it can lighten my punishment ever so slightly.¡± Alphone immediately lowered her head. Woohyuk nced at her as he walked down the road. ¡°Tell me about Angrboda¡¯s treasure.¡± ¡°It is the Hand of Midas. Once you wear it, anything it touches turns into gold.¡± Alphone told the story of the Phrygian King Midas. He had an heirloom that had been passed down from generation to generation, but he had neglected it for a long time because its ability was unknown. But one day, when a great financial crisis hit the country, Midas went to the Witch''s Forest to meet Angrboda andmissioned her to identify the heirloom. ¡°Angrboda recognized its powers with a single nce. But she didn''t tell him the truth right away.¡± Like the Witch of Greed she was, she wanted to monopolize the gold. However, there was one problem. Only the members of the Phrygian royal family could use this heirloom. ¡°So did Angrboda seduce Midas?¡± ¡°Yes, she won his heart by getting a love potion from Kriemhild.¡± Midas, now blinded by love, fulfilled all of Angrboda''s requests. He came once or twice a week to produce gold for her and protected the witch''s forest from outsiders. ¡°As far as I know, Midas even turned his daughter into gold.¡± ¡°That was the beginning of the tragedy.¡± Midas wasn''t originally a bad king, but under Angrboda¡¯s influence, he gradually became greedy. So he vited Angrboda''s warning and began to change the flowers in the garden into gold, but at that time the kingdom¡¯s sole princess arrived and hugged him. ¡°The fact that he identally touched his daughter is consistent with the legend.¡± ¡°But the story after this event ispletely different.¡± When King Midas saw the princess turned to gold, he grieved. So, in the end, he regretted indulging in the sin of greed, and wore te armor and drowned himself in the river Pactolus. When Angrboda learned of thister on, she secretly went to the river Pactolus and recovered the Hand of Midas. However, the Phrygian royal family line had been severed, and no one could use its ability anymore. In addition, the God of Light listened to King Midas''st prayer, and all the existing gold turned to ashes and disappeared. Angrboda was greatly shocked by this. She hid herself in the chapel and did nothing for a while. In the meantime all the flowers in her treasured secret garden withered away. An ending befitting the Witch of Greed. It was not known whether Angrboda loved King Midas, but one thing was certain. ¡®She will definitely return to recover the Hand of Midas someday.¡¯ He had to defeat all of the Witches of the seven sins. If he absorbed all of their powers with Verserios, he could be given a new achievement reward or quest. So the Hand of Midas was worth taking the time to secure. ¡°How stupid. Gold is a lot less valuablepared to love.¡± ¡°Haha, it depends on the point of view. Love is beautiful when it blooms like a flower, but bes ugly when it withers and fades away.¡± Aris and Petos shared their opinions. Agnes was a dark spirit, so she just listened to the story without much thought. ¡°In any case, where is the Hand of Midas?¡± ¡°There is an old tree that is thousands of years old in the sanctuary. There is a big hole in it, and if you put your hand in and take out the scroll, you can enter the ruins.¡± Apparently, she had created her own treasure house. Woohyuk nodded and spoke again. ¡°I''ll go find it when we¡¯re done with this affair. But isn''t it about time we arrived?¡± ¡°I can see it over there.¡± Alphone''s index finger pointed to a distant location. A hut that looked warm and cozy. However, it looked a little eerie because it was located in the forest, a bit far from the private house. ¡°Petos, do your job again.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord Asura.¡± Petos approached it with a wide smile on his face. Soon he reached his destination and knocked on the door, ¡°Who is it!¡± A deep female voice came from inside. ¡®She truly does sound like a mercenary.¡¯ Each of the humans in whom Alphone had nted her soul fragments had useful points to them. In the case of Ang, whom they had met earlier, she was an innocent girl, so she can easily approach her enemies without rming them. That was how Leifina had fallen into her trap. She had sprayed a poison on the monelia flower and had given it to Leifina. It was a poison that reduced her resistance to debuffs and status conditions. The female mercenary Rasha they were visiting this time also had the advantage of being able to mobilize friendly forces in the case of emergencies. ''If you act recklessly and let her escape, things will getplicated.'' If he used Petos'' tracking ability, they could catch her, but there would be some turmoil on the way, and the other two soul fragments could notice them. Of course, it was unlikely that he would let her escape, but Woohyuk decided to be cautious as this entire incident had happened because he had let down his guard. ¡°Ehem. I am the demon Petos, the vassal of Lord Dantalion. While Angrboda isn¡¯t here, we have decided to receive the payment instead. We are in need of a lot of money these days.¡± ¡°What, Dantalion? I heard that moron had his ass handed to him by Asura.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stand still for that sphemy. Who the hell are you to speak of my lord in such a foul manner?¡± ¡°I am Alphone, an executive of the Witch Church who serves Lady Angrboda! Even though I am in the body of a human woman due to some circumstances, I can easily prove it to you!¡± Seeing a simr reaction to Ang¡¯s, she would easily get caught. As he waited for a while, the door burst open, revealing a woman with orange hair. ¡°Oh, are you the infamous t-chested Rasha?¡± ¡°Wha, what?! How dare you... Wait, no. I''m Alphone! I said so just now, didn¡¯t I?¡± Alphone''s soul fragment was confused. She was confusing her identity due to the influence of Rasha¡¯s soul, as well as the fact that Alphone¡¯s soul fragment only had a few memories. Petos kept pushing her even though he knew that fact. ¡°How are you going to prove it? You¡¯re just the t-chested Rasha in my eyes.¡± ¡°Stop saying I¡¯m t-chested! Just what aspect of me... Ah, why do I keep acting this... I''m not Rasha...¡± ¡°So who are you?¡± "I am¡­ Alphone... Lady Angrboda''s faithful servant...¡± ¡°Are you sure you are Alphone? Now, let me ask you a question here. Do you remember where you first met Lady Angrboda?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t remember. I¡¯m just a fragment of Alphone.¡± ¡°Look at that. You¡¯re just a liar and a fake. You were calling yourself Alphone seconds ago.¡± "No! I¡­ I¡­¡± Rasha showed symptoms of schizophrenia as she grabbed her head with both hands. Woohyuk attacked her without missing the opening. Whack! Thud! Thwack! ¡°Aaagh!¡± Rasha screamed at the continuous punches. Alphone, who watched the beating, used the soul separation technique to absorb the fragment of her own soul. ¡°Where is the doll?¡± ¡°¡­In the drawer to the right of the makeup desk.¡± Creak! Woohyuk immediately opened the drawer and told Alphone to retrieve Leifina¡¯s soul. ¡°Two to go.¡± ¡°Haha~! At this rate, I think we¡¯ll be done before dawn.¡± Unless an unexpected incident were to happen partway. While Petos wasying the fainted Rasha in bed, Woohyuk turned his head toward the door and frowned. ¡°They must have noticed our strategy.¡± "What? Don''t tell me...¡± Alphone looked puzzled. There was no way her soul fragments would be so quick to notice. However, the sound of the explosion subsequently cleared her doubts. Booom! It was definitely magic. Their opponent was the female magician Gretel. ¡®She must have brought Sylvanas, the huntress, with her.'' Since they didn''t appear right away, it was reasonable to think that they were watching their movements. It seemed like magic tools for surveince were installed in the houses where the soul fragments lived. ''This is better. There¡¯s no need to visit each house now.¡¯ Apparently, they were nning to take the dolls containing the fragments of Leifina''s soul as hostages. Woohyuk expanded his senses and confirmed the location of Sylvanas. ''She¡¯s hiding in the woods and watching over Gretel so that she doesn¡¯t get attacked.'' It was an obvious n. As he waited for a while, he heard Gretel''s angry voice from outside. ¡°I didn''t think you would betray us! How can you do that? You, the owner of our main body?¡± She was talking to Alphone. Woohyuk decided to use her to confuse his enemies. [Tell her honestly.] [What? Then they will get absolutely furious...] [No matter how angry they are, they won¡¯t attack the main body.] Soul fragments always tried to return to the main body. It is impossible to stay in the body of another human forever. At Woohyuk''s words, Alphone nodded. Afterwards, she looked out the window and began shouting. ¡°Why, you ask? I didn''t want to die!¡± ¡°Even if you were to disappear, we would remain!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of that?! If the main body dies, everything is meaningless!¡± ording to the original n, they were to buy time and hold hostages to make Woohyuk surrender. However, as Woohyuk unfolded his absolute space, the strategy didn¡¯t go as they had intended, and she decided that surrendering was the next best option. Anyway, it was more important for her to survive in this damned world rather than serving Angrboda. At Alfone''s detailed exnation, Gretel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So we were just tools? Tools you could throw away at any moment?¡± ¡°You can join me again. We were a single entity in the first ce.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to disappear like this. I¡­ I want to live more.¡± The soul fragment¡¯s sense of self was unstable. So, although the fragment missed the main body, it seemed afraid that its current ego would disappear. Before long, dozens of me spheres flew towards Rasha''s house. Chapter 124: Memory Garden 1

Chapter 124: Memory Garden 1

Boom! Boom! Boom! The surroundings shook several times with the loud explosions. ¡®This will getplicated if I let her be.¡¯ Gretel was a normal apprentice magician, but since Alphone''s spirit fragments were possessing her, her magic power had increased by dozens of times. The same went for Sylvanas. Her movements were more agile than most elves and her senses were urate. He would soon get noticed even if he wore the banshee¡¯s cloak and went outside. ¡®There¡¯s no other choice. I¡¯ll have to do it myself.¡¯ It was hard to leave his vassals in charge of the battle since Leifina¡¯s soul fragments were on the line. Woohyuk watched Gretel and Sylvanas'' movements with his senses. [Agnes, disturb them with your abilities.] [Alright~! Understood!] Agnes exited Woohyuk''s shadow as her body creaked. Then, she recited a spell and a ck fog spread around the hut in an instant. ¡°Do, don¡¯t think of messing with us!¡± Gretel panicked and raised her staff again. Then, the vampiric dagger flew from behind and slightly cut the side of her throat. ¡°Ugh¡­ !¡± Gretel turned around in confusion. Asura. They were standing face to face. ¡°It¡¯s the poison of lizardmen. It has a hypnotic effect, so it''s easy to use against captured enemies.¡± ¡°You, you bastard¡­!¡± The poison had already spread all over her body, and it wouldn¡¯t move at will. As Gretel trembled, dozens of purple arrows flew in aiming at Woohyuk''s head. ng! ng! ng! A transparent shield appeared and neutralized all the arrows. [Queen Star Snake Ghost]. As its grade had increased to B, physical attacks of this degree were easily prevented. ¡°Wait here for a while. I''ll go capture that girl who keeps pretending to be an elf.¡± ¡°¡­Okay." Gretel, in a state of hypnosis, replied with an expressionless face. Woohyuk applied poison on his dagger again and then stepped toward Sylvanas. Swoooooosh! He ran so fast that ordinary people could only see the demonic energy aftertrail. Sylvanas gulped. ¡®I, I can do it. My arrows have rarely missed their mark.'' She felt such an urgency and crisis that Alphone''s soul fragment mistook herself for Sylvanas for a moment. Her sense of self was unstable. Sylvanas sharpened her senses and gazed through the ck mist. After a while, a faint figure was seen in the distance and she released the string. Swoooosh! Arrows loaded with purple demonic energy flew through the air. ''Did they hit?'' Her aim had been urate. As Sylvanas looked around for Woohyuk¡¯s figure, his voice came from the air. ¡°Where are you looking?¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Woohyuk was already above Sylvanas'' head. When Sylvanas urgently tried to pull the bow, Woohyuk''s figure disappeared for an instant. ''Eh?'' Iprehensible situation. She did not know about the Elder Naga¡¯s Ancient Ring, one of Woohyuk''s artifacts. ¡°I guess you can¡¯t cope with this type of battle since you¡¯re merely a fragment of the soul.¡± It was a short distance teleportation magic called Blink. Sylvanas swallowed her saliva when Woohyuk positioned the tip of the vampiric dagger on her back. ¡°It must¡¯ve consumed a lot of mana to repeatedly use this many spells in such a short amount of time¡­¡± "It¡¯s because I''m not an ordinary demon." Asura''s demonic energy grew in proportion to his mana, but its increase was several tens of times higher than that of ordinary demons. So, when fighting by consuming demonic energy instead of mana, he could repeatedly use his artifacts without a problem. However, demonic energy was simr to internal energy, and was difficult to refillpared to mana. Anyway, after defeating Sylvanas, Woohyuk called Alphone and his own vassals. ¡°Get started.¡± ¡°Yes, I just need to recover some mana.¡± Alphone''s soul was split so her stats were low. She took out a sk containing a blue solution, drank it, and immediately activated the soul separation technique. Tsssssss. Blue energy escaped from Gretel and Sylvanas and was absorbed into Alphone''s body. ¡°The dolls are here.¡± Woohyuk took out the pink stuffed rabbits from the pockets of the two fragment hosts. After a while, as Leifina recovered her soul fragments, Woohyuk asked her questions. ¡°Where did you first meet me?¡± ¡°At, at the witch''s chapel. You rescued me while I was pretending to be Angrboda, My Lord.¡± ¡°What is the name of your sword?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Argent. It is a sword that has been passed down from generation to generation in our let family. If you make a master-ve vow with it, your life would belong to your master.¡± Her memories seemed to havepletely returned. After a sigh of relief, Woohyuk stroked her head. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°¡­ I have to ask for forgiveness, My Lord.¡± Leifina knelt with a heavy expression. Everyone was puzzled by her sudden behavior. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I was threatened by Alphone to kill you, My Lord. But I could not report it immediately because she was holding the residents of the barony as hostages.¡± ¡°So did you really intend to kill me?¡± ¡°Of, of course not. I was just trying to find another solution. I would never do anything that would harm you, My Lord...¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine then.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Woohyuk brushed it off as if it were nothing, Leifina blinked multiple times. Her mistake was so great that she had prepared herself to be exiled. Her mind was still filled withplicated thoughts. ¡°I believe in you, Leifina.¡± ¡°My, My Lord¡­¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t have to worry about me again.¡± It was an order with words of sincerity. Leifina bowed her head as her heart beat rapidly. "I understand." A subtle mood floated between the two of them. Then, Aris''s face distorted in envy. ¡°Lord Asura, in truth, I must also beg for your forgiveness¡­¡± ¡°Aris.¡± "Eh? Yes?" ¡°How old are you this year?¡± ¡°¡­I may be old, but my heart will always be in its twenties.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear that.¡± ¡°Boo...¡± Aris pouted as she looked downcast. Agnes watched her and whispered into her ear. ¡°If you want to win Lord Asura''s heart, learn to cook. Leifina seems to have poor cooking skills.¡± "Eh? Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, I''ve heard Lord Asura say that before.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll be the best cook and delight Lord Asura¡¯s tongue and stomach.¡± Since she lost in both age and body style, she had to make up for her disadvantage with housework. Aris burned with enthusiasm as she watched Leifina getting supported by Woohyuk. *** When the Soul Fragment incident was settled, Woohyuk immediately headed towards Angrboda¡¯s sanctuary. A gloomy fog weighed down on the forest. To get rid of it, the chapel had to be destroyed. But he had something to do before that. ¡°Are you sure this is the right way?¡± ¡°Yes, if we walk a little more, you will see a hill.¡± Alphone knew the geography of this area skillfully, because she had been serving Angrboda for a very long time. While she guided Woohyuk''s party, a huge silhouette appeared with the sound of heavy steps. It was Silvator. ¡°Master, we have been waiting for you at the sanctuary as you had ordered.¡± ¡°If you see someone suspicious, report to me immediately.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me. If anyone tries to get inside, I¡¯ll smack the soul out of them using a stick...¡± Silvator showed off his shoulder muscles and pretended to hit an imaginary intruder. Woohyuk nodded and pointed towards the area between Silvator¡¯s legs. ¡°It better behave well. Otherwise, your precious things may disappear.¡± It meant that you shouldn''t even think about betraying Woohyuk. Silvator gulped momentarily. ¡°I will keep it in mind. I am a faithful servant of my master.¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll trust you for now.¡± He didn¡¯t expect much of him He just needed him to report the situation outside while he was within the ruins, but that was it. Woohyuk continued marching forward, leaving behind Silvator who was lying on the ground, showing his belly in a position of obedience. ¡°By the way, how did you get the ability to separate souls?¡± ¡°I was lucky. After running away from the vige, I wandered around and...¡± Alphone, who was only fifteen at the time, was begging on the streets, and with the help of a nobledy, she entered the Free City Craftsman Guild. Afterwards, she created and sold dolls there to make a living. She had no one to rely upon, since her father had been burned at the stack for colluding with the Witch Cult. She spent her days sleeping in her workshop. Then one day, a man came to her. His name was Aleister Crowley. He was the head of the Golden Rose Society and the Witch Cult. ¡°Did he teach you those skills?¡± ¡°Yes, there was nothing he didn¡¯t know.¡± Aleister researched many magic books and reached the pinnacle of knowledge as a genius alchemist. Alphone had learned the Soul Separation Technique from him. ¡°He¡¯s truly an incredible person.¡± ¡°In a way, he¡¯s more terrifying than the Witches of the Seven Sins. He is quite literally Lady Lilith''s shadow.¡± ¡°Lilith?¡± ¡°Yes, a long-established witch who has existed since the Genesis.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he wouldn¡¯t die.¡± Woohyuk recalled what had happened in the Izuna Royal Library''s secret section. Although it was in the imaginary world, he was astonished and dumbfounded that Aleister would not die even if he were cut it in half by Verserios. However, if he had made a direct contract with Lilith, Woohyuk could be convinced to some extent. ¡®Back in the past, Lilith could neutralize all of my attacks.'' Before the regression, when he had defeated all seven witches and the 72 Demon King, Lilith had appeared and made a proposal to Woohyuk. ¡®Will you destroy this world with me?¡¯ Of course, Woohyuk refused and fought a fierce battle with her. ¡­At least, that was what it looked like on the surface. ¡®Lilith was extremely powerful.¡¯ If she had fought with all her might in a duel, the results would¡¯ve been unpredictable. However, he didn¡¯t get a chance to try it out. ¡®I¡¯m certain she had said that she wouldn¡¯t meet me before I reached the divine thrones.¡¯ It means that he had to be a god, or an even higher existence if he wanted to kill her. He was dubious and doubtful back then, but seeing Aleister, he was now certain of it. As Nakron had said, it would be difficult to fight her unless he hadplete control over all of the Demon God¡¯s demonic energy. ''I have to find Eteria Rodinus.'' To ovee his future trials, he needed the secret knowledge they kept hidden. First of all, he had to find the Sangreal Chronicles as Martinus had told him. The Sangreal Chronicles contained information about the divine lineage and their guardians, which would help him meet Eteria Rodinus. While Woohyuk organized his thoughts for a while, Alphone spoke to him. ¡°We are almost there now! Over there!¡± On the hilltop she pointed with her index finger, there was arge old tree. Leifina looked at it and seemed surprised. ¡°That''s¡­¡± ¡°Do you know something, Leifina?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a divine tree. The residents used to offer their sacrifices to the earthly gods beneath that tree. It contained a mysterious magical power.¡± ¡°¡­ So it''s not an ordinary tree.¡± Woohyuk nodded as if he knew. Later, as he whistled, a three-footed eagle was summoned in the air. ¡°I will head there first.¡± ¡°Wha, what about us!?¡± Leifina and Alphone protested. Since the tree was on top of a cliff, they had to take a detour for a long walk to the side of the slopes. Like Woohyuk, it would be better to ride on an aerial anime to use the shortest distance. However, that was only the case if they didn¡¯t have flight abilities like Aris and Agnes. ¡°I''ll lend them to you if you want.¡± At Woohyuk''s words, two undead gargoyles were summoned. As Leifina and Alphone climbed on top of them with nervous expressions, they flew high, pping their wings wildly. ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°Mo, Mommy!¡± The two women screamed as if they were about to die. Both of them had acrophobia. Woohyuk, who had been flying earlier, looked at them in apology. ¡°Now that I think about it, there was no need to make you two fly as well.¡± Leifina could teleport to his side through the Call to Arms skill, while Alphone hide herself within his shadow. But the cup was already spilled. Although he pitied, he couldn''t help it. ''I''m sorry, Leifina.'' Be strong, so that you can always be by my side. Woohyuk looked straight ahead as Leifina''s screaming ceaselessly reached his ears. Chapter 125: Memory Garden 2

Chapter 125: Memory Garden 2

After they all safely(?) arrived at their destination, Woohyuk went up to the tree to pull out the scroll. The hole was about 3m above the ground. It would be difficult for ordinary people to reach it, but it was a piece of cake for Woohyuk, who climbed the steep cliff with his bare hands. ''It''s a scroll that will allow us to enter the historic ruins.'' It was a very unusual approach. Perhaps these ruins had something to do with the divine tree. He had to go in to know the details. When he reached out his hand into the hole, he caught a roll of paper. Woohyuk came down to the ground and immediately checked its contents. [Entry Permit to the Memory Garden] Type: Consumable Details: If used in front of the divine tree, you can enter the Memory Garden, the ruins of the Witch Angrboda, for one time only (Note: This is for personal use, therefore a group of people cannot enter together). ¡®So many strict rules.¡¯ However, it was obvious for the admission scroll to be for personal use. In the first ce, it was created for the followers of Angrboda who managed the ruins. It was Alphone who had hid the scroll in the hole in the divine tree. ''A Memory Garden.'' Considering that Angrboda was the Witch of Greed, it was definitely possible that this garden was filled with the precious memories of other people. Just in case, as he scanned the scroll with the archaeologist''s golden magnifying ss, Woohyuk asked Alphone a question. ¡°Did Angrboda say anything about these ruins?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve only ever heard about the Hand of Midas.¡± Since Angrboda had yet to give her permission to enter the garden, Alphone didn¡¯t have ess to the ruins. Woohyuk thought about it for a while and then spoke again. ¡°All of you are to remain here. I will go alone.¡± "What? That would be too dangerous, My Lord.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m also very worried that Lord Asura might get hurt.¡± No matter how confident he was, it was still a ruin built by one of the Witches of the Seven Sins. Leifina and Aris actively tried to hold him back, but Woohyuk shook his head. ¡°I have an undead army with me.¡± He could break through most difficult situations just by summoning his elite undeads. But he did worry a little bit since the site¡¯s name was bizarre and the method to enter it was odd. After thoroughly reassuring the two women, Woohyuk walked in front of the divine tree and tore the scroll. Bang! Before long, a dazzling sh of light covered his vision. *** ''This ce is¡­¡¯ A garden full of colorful flowers. Nothing special could be found except for smoothly curved statues. After taking a look around the area, Woohyuk decided to explore other areas. ''The atmosphere is too bright inside these ruins.'' Usually a damp stone chamber or a dark tunnel weed the adventurers. However, even though it was indoors, the temperature and humidity were properly maintained with a magic device, and sunlight was radiating from a floating crystal. Even if it were designed by the genius magic engineer Jake, it looked far too sophisticated to be real. ¡®Wait, is this Angrboda¡¯s secret garden?¡¯ It must have been the ce where her favorite flowers had withered, ording to Alphone. However, if he thought about it, it might have been a lie that Angrboda had made to gainpassion. When Woohyuk recalled her hypocritical words and actions he had experienced in the past, ¡°Who, who are you?¡± A man''s voice rang from a distance. Woohyuk looked at him with a somewhat surprised expression. ''When did he approach me?'' He hadn¡¯t felt his presence. There was probably a concealment magic cast outside the garden. ''I have to look around properly.'' There wasn''t a need to make a mess from the beginning. First of all, it would not be a bad idea to use the stranger to get information about this ce. When his thoughts reached that conclusion, Woohyuk spoke to the blonde young man. ¡°I am a gardener. I was just taking care of the flowers.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I imagine that Ms. Angrboda is very busy these days. She has been managing the garden by herself until today.¡± So this ce was indeed Angrboda¡¯s garden. It seemed like after being released from her seal, her tastes and hobbies had returned and she behaved like before. However, that was perfect for Woohyuk. After all, all of her treasures were most likely hidden somewhere here, including the Hand of Midas. ¡°She said she wouldn¡¯te for a while because of an important task. So I was told to keep an eye on this garden. But even if I don''t take care of this ce, the garden stays well-maintained due to the magic devices installed everywhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable. These magical devices are the inventions of Aleister after all.¡± Aleister''s invention? Woohyuk doubted his ears for a moment. ''I guess he''s also interested in magic engineering.'' A genius alchemist and now a magic engineer. He was proficient in many areas. It could be due to the knowledge gained from the ancient documents taken from Eteria Rodinus. Woohyuk pretended not to know him and managed his facial expressions. ¡°But what''s your name? It hasn¡¯t been long since I was hired by Angrboda, so I¡¯m not too knowledgeable about this ce.¡± ¡°Haha, I understand. My name is Midas, the Phrygian King. The forest where this chapel is located is officially my territory.¡± Midas? Woohyuk was once again surprised by his word. ''Wait, is this ce Angrboda¡¯s imaginary world?'' He now began to understand why this ce was called Memory Garden She had stuffed her splendid past in here and went in and out of it like a garden. It was not real, unlike the worlds connected to the Twilight Tower. It wasn¡¯t real, but wasn¡¯tpletely fictive either, since it was constructed based on Angrboda¡¯s past memories. ''Though she might¡¯ve made some changes.'' It was highly likely that this imaginary world had been manipted so that a happy life wouldst forever by correcting the tragic ending. It hasn''t been long since he had entered the site, so he didn¡¯t know the details. "I see. I am a demon who has known Angrboda for a long time. My name is Asura.¡± ¡°Yes, of course you are a demon. Your entire body is radiating such thick demonic energy, so it¡¯s no surprise.¡± That was the reason why Midas spoke politely to Woohyuk from the very beginning. Woohyuk nodded and continued to ask guided questions. ¡°Is your business going well? There must be quite a lot of gold in production these days, right?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve increased our areas of trade, and everything is going well. In recent years, we brought in long-distance traders and exported the gold to the eastern cities of the Holy Apherian Empire.¡± Back when Midas was alive, there was only one country on the Eeth Continent: Aperia. However, during the War of Gods and Demons, it was divided into the west and east like Rome in actual history. The west kept its original name of Apheria, and the east was renamed Theresia after the founding queen''s surname. Thus, the city in the Far East of the ancient Holy Apherian Empire to which Midas was referring to was currently located in the Theresian Empire. ¡°Be very careful. You might end up transforming the Queen and Princess into gold with the slightest mistake.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. I am still single. And Miss Angrboda took away my family¡¯s heirloom, so I can¡¯t use it without her permission.¡± Indeed, there were some changespared to the true past. Two things had been revealed so far. It was the fact that Midas was unmarried and that the Hand of Midas was in Angrboda¡¯s possession. ''Then she must¡¯ve hidden it somewhere here.'' In fact, the Hand of Midas was useless because the Phrygian royal family line was severed. So, instead of carrying it with her, it could be used as a medium to maintain the imaginary world. He had to find it to get his rewards and exit this world. ¡°Is yourck of self-control that bad? How bad is it if you need to get Angrboda¡¯s permission to wear a mere glove?¡± ¡°¡­ That''s a misunderstanding. Ms. Angrboda is trying to avoid the worst case scenario, because she values me more than anything else in the world.¡± ¡°But would this worst case scenario ever happen? If you act in moderation, it won¡¯t ever happen, right?¡± Woohyuk continued to question Midas to find out where the Hand of Midas was hidden. Midas''s face turned red as if the strategy had worked. ¡°How can I make you respect me? I would have lightly disregarded those words if you were a stranger, but I can¡¯t pass it off lightly because you are Ms. Angrboda¡¯s acquaintance.¡± ¡°Show me your self-control by wearing the Hand of Midas.¡± ¡°B-but¡­ I need Ms. Angrboda¡¯s permission to...¡± Midas hesitated and blurred his words. Woohyuk sighed inside and took out Jake''s pocket watch. ''It would be faster to simply hypnotize him.'' It would be troublesome if their rtionship turned sour because Woohyuk had pushed Midas a bit too far. Midas could also realize that something was suspicious about him. As Woohyuk approached him, Midas took a few steps back. ¡°Wha... Wha, what are you trying to do right now?¡± ¡°Testing your self-control. We demons use this watch to evaluate humans.¡± Jake''s pocket watch swayed from side to side in front of Midas''s eyes in a pendulum motion. Midas spoke again in confusion ¡°Do, do I just need to stare at this?¡± ¡°Yes. The longer you stare at this, the stronger your self-control is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot simpler than I expected. Then I will prove myself right now!¡± He was a simple guy. He wasparable to the librarian at the Royal Library of the Izuna Kingdom. The Phrygian Kingdom may have been destroyed back then because it was being ruled by a simpleton like this. ¡®There was an internal rebellion if I remember correctly.¡¯ He didn¡¯t remember the name, but a certain count massacred the Phrygia royal family and founded the Dane Kingdom. Funnily enough, Woohyuk had destroyed the Dane Kingdom with his own hands. Before long, when Midas was hypnotized and lost his focus, and Woohyuk immediately ordered him. ¡°Tellme to where the Hand of Midas is.¡± "I¡­ don¡¯t know¡­ the exact location¡­ either." ¡°Then, take me to the area where it¡¯s most likely to be located.¡± ¡°I¡­ understand...¡± Midas turned and left the garden. Woohyuk followed him and looked for anything unusual around him. ''Nothing really catches my eyes.'' All of the witch''s chapels had the same architectural style and structure. Because it was a ce to summon Lilith during the era of extinction, they couldn¡¯t build them half-heartedly. They had to keep the designs constant with the other chapels. So, Woohyuk could roughly guess where the Hand of Midas was hidden. ¡®Objects unrted to Lilith cannot be ced in the central hall where the altar is located. So it must be one of the four stone chambers located diagonally to the central hall.'' The stone chambers where the garden was located was on the bottom-left of the central hall. Therefore, there were still the chambers on the top left, top right, and bottom right. The ce where Midas was headed to was probably one of them. ¡°Is there any monster that guards the interior of the chapel?¡± ¡°Once¡­ Manticore... Wanders around... the inner corridor...¡± A manticore had the appearance of a lion withrge wings and a scorpion tail. A monster a rank lower than Charybdis. However, it wasn¡¯t an opponent to underestimate due to the various debuff spells it could use, while the scorpion tail could shoot out poison darts. ¡°Does it move around clockwise or counterclockwise?¡± ¡°Counterclockwise¡­¡± Then he had to walk around the inner corridor counterclockwise. If he moved clockwise, he would have no choice but to bump into the Manticore. All of the interior stone chambers were connected by an interior corridor, so there was no other way to get there. When Woohyuk exited the garden at the bottom left of the central hall with Midas, ¡°Kraaaaaaaaaah!¡± Manticore, who was passing by, greeted the two of them. ''This shitty luck.'' There was a concealment magic inside the stone chamber, so he couldn''t detect the monster¡¯s presence. Observing the Manticore leaping at him, Woohyuk brandished Verserios. Chapter 126: Memory Garden 3

Chapter 126: Memory Garden 3

¡°Hide for a moment.¡± Things would getplicated if Midas were injured during the battle. While the manticore would not attack him, he could still be identally hit by the poison darts or splinters. It was better to have him hide as far away as possible. Swoooosh! As soon as Woohyuk pushed Midas back into the stone chamber, dark blue poisonous thorns flew towards them in session. The manticore was sorge that each one was the size of an adult male¡¯s forearm. In addition, the firing speed was extremely fast, so a direct hit would seriously injure Woohyuk. ''I have to subdue it as soon as possible.'' If it continued to attack, the rm system could be activated. While Angrboda wasn¡¯t here, there could be a few more individuals who would be troublesome to deal with. As he dodged the poison darts, Woohyuk quickly narrowed the distance and approached the manticore. ¡°Kraaaaaaaaaaah!¡± With a ferocious cry, the manticore violently swung its sharp ws. Woohyuk leaped forward and avoided the blow, and then started climbing onto the monster¡¯s forefoot. Climbing the enemy was essential to attack arge beast efficiently. He had to get on top of it to have an advantage. ''n the past, it would have required about a hundred elite fighters to subjugate this guy.'' And the number of casualties would have been huge. The manticore''s tried to bite Woohyuk as he climbed onto it. It was trying to stop Woohyuk who had already reached halfway to the top. Whack! However, its attack backfired as Woohyuk hit its head instead. ¡°Kraaaaaaaaaah!¡± As the manticore staggered with a painful cry, Woohyuk took advantage of the gap and quickly climbed onto the monster¡¯s head. ''I shouldn¡¯t kill it like this.'' There was a dark crystal in the bodies of the monsters guarding the interior of the chapel, so when the monster died or took damage beyond the standard value, it would send a signal to the other entities in the chapel. Therefore, it had to be subdued by damaging it as least as possible, but at present there was no other way but to use magic, because the artifacts he currently possessed had weak abnormal status condition spells, and did not work very well for epic level monsters. Swoosh! The monster stopped moving when demonic energy began to spread in the surroundings. ¡°Obey me.¡± ¡°Krrrrrr...¡± The manticore growled and slowly lowered its posture. It instinctively felt the overwhelming gap in their strengths. ''It would have been nice if Choi Kayoon were here.'' It was a pretty strong monster, and while he didn¡¯t have the monster taming skill, it would be possible to control it temporarily. However, it would be difficult to make itpletely obedient. In other words, after a certain period of time, it bes out of control again. Before that happened, he had to leave this ce in search of the hidden rewards. ¡°Hurry up. I don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡± "Yes¡­¡± Midas, who was hiding behind a stone wall, crawled out with an expressionless face. Woohyuk fell in deep thoughts as he walked through the inner corridor following him. ''I might get some important information about Angrboda¡¯s imaginary world.'' It was unlikely that someone else had attacked this ce in the past, because the entire forest was burned by the pdins of the Holy Apherian Empire who hade to defeat the witches, and the divine tree was also destroyed by them. It may have been because of these events that the hand of Midas was not revealed to the world. In other words, this was an unexplored world. This ce could potentially hold some clues about the divine thrones that had not been found in the past 40 years. ''The person who knows this world best is probably Midas.'' It seemed like Woohyuk had to keep him around for a while, to ask questions whenever he would have the chance, such as right now. ¡°Tell me all the secrets you know about Angrboda.¡± ¡°Witch¡­ of Greed¡­ Memory... garden¡­¡± The Witch of Greed referred to Angrboda, but he couldn''t understand what the memory garden meant. Midas probably didn¡¯t know that this ce was a historic ruin. Then, Woohyuk recalled the location where he had met Midas earlier. ¡°Does the Memory Garden refer to the ce I met you?¡± ¡°That¡­ is the case...¡± ¡°Why is it called the Memory Garden?¡± ¡°Raise¡­ memories¡­ in the garden...¡± Raising memories? Woohyuk did not understand Midas'' words. ¡°The flowers¡­ contain the memories¡­ of the dead¡­ from back when they¡­ were still alive¡­ The memories¡­ grow¡­ towards¡­ a happy¡­ ending¡­¡± ¡°¡­Why is Angrboda doing that?¡± ¡°I... don¡¯t know¡­ Made a deal... with Aleister...¡± Aleister. If it was something he was involved in, it was clear that there was a conspiracy. ¡°Where is Aleister? Does he visit this ce often?¡± "Comes... every time¡­ flowers are harvested... Don¡¯t know¡­ where he is...¡± Harvesting flowers containing the memories of the dead. Was he using them for alchemical research? Woohyuk''s expression hardened for an instant when his thoughts reached that conclusion. "Right. He¡¯s using them as ingredients.¡± An item for which Woohyuk didn¡¯t know the recipe. There were a few things he could think of, such as wildfire or monster breeding substance. But at this moment, what came to his mind was... [Clipport''s Fruit]. It was a notorious stimnt that once plunged the Eeth continent into chaos. By taking a single pill, one¡¯s potential would be revealed and one could perform tasks that were above one¡¯s usual ability for 5-10 minutes. However, the side effects were not as light as simple drugs, so an overdose or prolonged addiction could lead to death. ''It can also turn you into a monster.'' Clipport¡¯s fruit was not just a stimnt. The unidentified ingredients contained in it gradually corrupted the beings except for demons, and eventually altered their essence and shape. [Awakener] Those who became monsters were called so, and their ferocity and terrifyingbat power used to be the object of fear. ''Hopefully, I can figure out the recipe here.'' The flowers were most likely used for the Clipport¡¯s Fruit. In the past, he had ordered many alchemists to research this fruit, and they discovered that it contained the powder of an unknown flower. It was not clear whether the Clipport''s fruit was in cirction right now, but even if it were in the clinical trial stage, he could potentially get clues about the production process. If this could reveal the secrets of the Clipport¡¯s Fruit, it would be of great help in stopping the future plots of the Golden Rose Society. They could even create an antidote for it. ''I have the Life Tree Fruit and the Paradise Tree Fruit.'' Alchemy ingredients that only existed on the Eeth continent. They were likely to y a key role in the development of the antidote as they worked against the Clipport¡¯s Fruit. However, if he used them for research, he would not be able to enjoy their original effects. Walking into a new stone chamber with Midas, Woohyuk took out the two fruits one after another from his pocket. [Paradise Tree Fruit] Type: Consumable Effect: Alchemy ingredient. Eating it within a ruin grants you a secret knowledge rted to said ruin. [Life Tree Fruit] Type: Consumable Effect: Alchemy ingredient. Grants you all the alchemical knowledge and recipes rted to a single ingredient you hold in hand. Both items were obtained from Paradise Lost, the center of the Primordial Forest. It was a little wasteful to use them here, but they were far less valuable than the positive effect the antidote would bring. Midas, who stopped walking, spoke while Woohyuk recalled L, the dryad who was protecting Paradise Lost. "It¡¯s¡­ this way¡­¡± A stone wall engraved with magic circles. Considering the empty space he could sense on the other side, it is probably the entrance to a secret area. ¡°Wait for a moment.¡± After moving Midas behind him, Woohyuk rummaged through his pockets to put the fruits away and take out the Archaeologist''s Golden Magnifying ss. ''There must be a trap hidden somewhere.'' It was rare for magic circles to be exposed like this in the open in ruins, no matter how difficult it was for intruders to enter said ruins. ''There is also a magic circle engraved on the wall behind them.'' Observation through the archaeologist''s golden magnifying ss revealed that it was the real entrance. In other words, what was in front of them was a trap that has been prepared consciously for intruders. Mishandling it could have put them in a lot of trouble. Woohyuk carefully put his hand on the stone wall and concentrated, Rumble. As the stone wall structure changed, a secret passage appeared. He had activated the magic circle behind them instead of the one they had foud first. ¡°Is there a monster guarding the area inside?¡± ¡°I''ve never been¡­ inside... there...¡± Midas only knew the approximate location of the secret room. Woohyuk pondered for a while and put him on standby at the entrance. ¡°Don¡¯t think abouting in unless there is a problem.¡± ¡°¡­Yes." There was no chance he would awaken from the hypnosis before nightfall. In the case of the librarian in the Izuna Kingdom¡¯s royal library, Ronald had cast a spell to remove any abnormal status conditions aftering across him by ident. However, it was better to hurry up, as Angrboda''s followers and Aleister could arrive. ''There.'' As the torches hang at regr intervals on the passage walls, a bronze gate could be seen at the end. Woohyuk boldly opened the bronze door with both hands. Creaaaaak. A dark interior was revealed with a gloomy sound. There were no monsters. There was just one giant magic circle shining in a purple hue on the floor. ''Is it an advanced magic circle?'' He had to release that first to get to the Hand of Midas. As Woohyuk walked forward, the bronze door mmed and closed shut, and a purple sh covered his eyes. After some time... ¡°Sergeant Chun, avoid it! It''s dangerous to be here!¡± As the surroundingndscape turned into the interior of a barracks of a military base, a young man''s urgent voice resounded. Woohyuk turned his head and looked at him. Private Yoon Taewoo. He was Woohyuk¡¯s spotter during his military service. ¡®It¡¯s my imaginary world.¡¯ A scene he had seen so many times that it was boring. He didn''t even feel puzzled anymore. As Woohyuk stood still, Yoon Taewoo pulled on his arm with an urgent expression. ¡°Private Kim Jinwoo has gone crazy and can¡¯t recognize us, Sergeant Chun. He even has grenades and will try to destroy himself if we corner him. Private Kim Jinwoo. He was the perpetrator of the firearms incident in Woohyuk''s unit. He couldn''t withstand the verbal and physical bullying of his seniors, and stole ammunition and killed Woohyuk¡¯s troops with a K2 rifle. Later, he even tried to kill the executives, but was surrounded by supporting units, and decided to explode himself. Back then, Woohyuk was the only one to survive amongst his unit due to Yoon Taewoo¡¯s sacrifice. However, he was suspected of being one of the seniors who had harassed Kim Jinwoo and the rest of his military life became hard to endure. It was a very traumatic event for Woohyuk. ''I''m sorry, Yoon Taewoo.'' You weren''t supposed to die back then. Rather than protecting him, Woohyuk had made a mistake and received help instead. A feeling of guilt rose in his heart, despite the fact that this was an imaginary world that had been repeated countless times in his mind. When Woohyuk stared at Yoon Taewoo silently, the sound of a firearm was heard from a nearby location. Bang! Bababababang! Painful screams and cries followed Yoon Taewoo''s expression was cold. ¡°Ser, Sergeant Chun¡­¡± ¡°Wait here, Yoon Taewoo.¡± Woohyuk tapped Yoon Taewoo''s shoulder with one hand. Afterwards, he took out the sword on his waist and spoke confidently. ¡°I will take care of him.¡± Chapter 127: Memory Garden 4

Chapter 127: Memory Garden 4

¡°That¡¯s too reckless. Private Kim Jinwoo still has a lot of magazines left.¡± Yoon Taewoo desperately stopped Woohyuk. ¡®I remember. You were always this kind of person.¡¯ Someone who cared more about others than himself. After he would be discharged, he said he would be a phnthropist. "I''m sorry." "Huh? What¡­¡± Yoon Taewoo couldn''t keep up. Woohyuk struck a vital spot on his nape with a chop. ''I don''t want to see you die again.'' This was just a world of images unfolded by the advanced magic circle, but it still mattered to him. ''Even if he doesn''t die, he will only interfere with Kim Jinwoo¡¯s subjugation.'' This imaginary world has a high level of implementation, so even if he didn¡¯t actually take damage, there was the possibility that he would receive mental damage. Therefore, he had to be careful not to be shot and eliminate all the unnecessary variables as much as possible. As Woohyuk came out of the dormitory with his sword, Kim Jinwoo, who was standing in the hallway, pointed a muzzle at him from a distance. ¡°Sergeant Chun.¡± Kim Jinwoo called Woohyuk in a somewhat trembling voice. The appearance of someone who had always been kind to him seemed to have created an inner conflict. But Woohyuk already knew that it wouldn''tst long. ¡°There¡¯s this thought I always had whenever I saw you.¡± ¡°¡­That I¡¯m pitiful? That it¡¯s painful to watch? Yes, you must have. Sergeant Chun did everything well and everyone liked you. That is why I must have looked like a woundedmb, who only desired a singlepliment.¡± For Kim Jinwoo, Woohyuk was the object of longing. A good leader that was just and recognized by all. But he could never be like that. Kim Jinwoo was frustrated because the gap that could not be filled was so immense. As a result, the newly sprouted emotion in his heart was anger. It was a feeling of contempt for him who had enjoyed everything unlike himself. ¡°Yes, those were the thoughts I had in the past. But now, the greatest feeling I have is regret.¡± ¡°Regret? That you shouldn¡¯t have been kind to a scumbag like me? Haha¡­ Indeed, Sergeant Chun is always innocent. You have always been exemry in military life.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s wrong.¡± He regretted not giving Kim Jinwoo cold and harsh advice at least once. He had only acted kind towards him, but that didn¡¯t give any practical help or advice. At Woohyuk''s reminiscent words, Kim Jinwooughed. ¡°You finally realized your hypocrisy. Yes, that is correct. Your very existence was a pain to me. I wouldn''t have been so desperate if you had gotten mad at me like the other seniors.¡± It was painful for him to have Woohyuk watch all of his shorings. No matter how hard he struggled, the reality was that he couldn''t reach Woohyuk¡¯s ankles. So he had decided to destroy everything. Everything, including his own idol. ¡°Anyway, you''ve gone down the wrong path, so now there is only one thing I can do.¡± ¡°Try stopping me if you can! I will never fall until I kill all the hypocrites in this unit!¡± Kim Jinwoo''s eyes were colored with madness. He started firing the K2 rifle at Woohyuk. Bang bang bang bang! Empty cartridges constantly fell on the stone floor. It was an urgent situation. However, Woohyuk walked toward Kim Jinwoo with a casual expression. His demonic energy was protecting him from the bullets. "Die! Die already, motherfucker!¡± ¡°You didn''t have to target your anger towards innocent bystanders by expressing your suppressed emotions like this.¡± Click. Click. The 5.56mm caliber bullets loaded in the K2 rifle had run out. When Kim Jinwoo urgently tried to rece the magazine, Woohyuk''s hand flew over and grabbed him by the neck. ¡°Argh¡­ ! Urgh... !¡± ¡°I can''t even remember how many times I¡¯ve killed you like this now. But I never forgot to say this to you at thest moment.¡± ¡®You have to keep surviving using that courage tomit suicide of yours.¡¯ After whispering that, Woohyuk put strength in his hand. Crack. With a broken neck, Kim Jinwoo''s body was drooping like a marite with broken threads. ''I will try my best not to let my vassals end up like you.'' A victim who couldn¡¯t escape from his own mindset and brought destruction to everyone around him. Someone who brought misfortune to others. Woohyuk had realized the dangers of it through thest shooting incident. Because of this, he always raised his vassals firmly and gave cold and harsh advices only. ''This should be enough.'' The reason why this imaginary world had suddenly unfolded was to attack his own psychological weakness. The first attempt had now failed. It was difficult to predict how many more trauma attacks woulde to him in the future. After waiting for a while, a sh covered his vision again, and the surroundingndscape changed. "What are you thinking about?" He was inside a small hut. There was only a woman with light blue hair hugging him from behind. Lucretia. Woohyuk opened his mouth, feeling her warmth. "Nothing." "Tch¡­ You¡¯re lying¡­¡± Lucretia stuck even closer to him. ¡°In truth, I was imagining where and what you were doing.¡± "What do you mean? I¡¯m here right now.¡± ¡°This time we must have arrived at our destination on schedule. And you must be working as a priestess for the Pope.¡± Lucretia was a priestess of the Holy Apherian Empire. On her way back home with her colleagues from her mission, she shed with a criminal organization called the Crimson Crow. Her life was threatened, but she managed to escape alive with Woohyuk¡¯s help. Later, she fell in love with him, quit being a priestess, and set up a home for the two of them in the forest on the edge of the Croa Principality. The current scene was a recreation of the situation at that time. ¡°¡­You¡¯re scaring me. Stop saying such weird things.¡± ¡°You cannot be with me.¡± Although the Crimson Crow were killed in advance, he had countless other enemies. They would try to target his weakness. Therefore, it was safer for Lutretia to be working under the Pope. ¡°¡­You promised you¡¯d protect me for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°I couldn''t keep it. You were brutally murdered by the Crimson Crow.¡± He couldn''t repeat the same mistake twice. When Woohyuk made it clear, Lucretia shed tears endlessly. ¡°I gave up everything and came this far¡­ And you¡¯re abandoning me like this¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is it because of her? Do you think I''m worse than her?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with Leifina. Please don''t get it wrong.¡± ¡°No, I''m certain you like her. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have brought her all the way here.¡± Lucretia separated herself from Woohyuk with an expression of fury. Afterwards she headed to the door and spoke again. ¡°If that is what your heart truly thinks, I''ll leave. I hope you live happily with her.¡± Creaaak. m! The door opened and was closed vigorously. A situation that was never desirable for lovers. However, Woohyuk did not follow Lucretia. ''I never abandoned you.'' Many things had changed from that time. He had to ovee the limitations of human beings and reach the Demon God¡¯s throne and fight against the mythical beings. Before the regression, he had ns for the future, but unexpected variables appeared and overwhelmed him. As a result, the people around him were injured or killed. In such a simr situation, it was impossible for him to imagine a happy future together with her as before. For Lucretia''s safety, she had to be as far away from him as possible. ''But I won¡¯t ask you to try to understand me, nor to wait for me.'' In the end, even though their rtionship had ended up going south, he would be satisfied as long as Lucretia was alive. He had steeled his heart already. Even if this were a real situation instead of an imaginary world, there was no reason for his resolve to shake. Creak. As I opened the door and left the hut, the scene of the forest stained with the sunset entered his vision. Woohyuk looked at the vacant area with a firm expression. Lucretia. She was breathing wildly with her limbs cut off. "Don¡¯t¡­e... It¡¯s¡­ a¡­ trap...¡± ¡°¡­¡± A trap set by the criminal group Crimson Crow to bait Woohyuk. However, Woohyuk stepped forward without hesitation. Step. Step. "I¡­ beg... you¡­ I¡¯m¡­ already¡­¡± Swoosh! An arrow flew right into Lucretia''s desperate heart. When her breath stopped, armed men immediately appeared around her. ¡°Kek kek¡­ How do you feel? Are you sad about losing the woman you love in front of your eyes?¡± Oh Seok-joo. The head of the Crimson Crow was also there. ¡°Stop talking.¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re quite angry. But it would be better for you to remain calm. There is one more beautiful girl here with us.¡± When Oh Seok-joo gave the signal, two men hiding in the bush dragged Leifina out. She couldn''t say anything until now because she was gagged with a cloth. ¡°I''ll kill you right now.¡± ¡°Kill me? Oh, I guess that you don¡¯t care about thatdy over there. I thought you were using her every night as a ytoy because of her gorgeous appearance.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Leifina was as precious to him as Lucretia. Still, the reason she kept staying by his side was because she was bound to him by the bond of fate. He was thinking of protecting her no matter what, even though he had never expressed such thoughts on the outside. Swoooooosh! As Woohyuk pulled out Verserios, a ck vortex swept around the area. Oh Seok-joo¡¯s eyes widened when he saw his subordinates getting torn apart. ¡°Wha, what is this?! What the hell is...¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain to have told you not to talk.¡± Verserios'' pitch ck de pierced through Oh Seok-joo¡¯s heart. A blow so fast that he couldn¡¯t follow with his naked eyes. Oh Seok-joo spat red blood from his mouth with an expression of utter disbelief. ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± ¡°Now, nobody can stop me.¡± In order to correct everything that had gone wrong, to end the turmoil and to restore the normal routine, he had returned to the past. This time around, he would definitely fill in the empty divine thrones, no matter what the Creator had prepared for him as his destiny. Spluuurt! When Woohyuk pulled out Verserios, blood spurted out of Oh Seok-joo''s body which now had a new orifice. Then, with a mad craze, he wiped out all the remaining enemies... ¡°Are you okay?¡± He checked on Leifina''s condition. Although it was a fictional world, he had almost lost her in real life recently. ¡°Yes, my Lord. Please don''t worry...¡± Fuwook! As she desperately tried to form a happy smile, Leifina¡¯s heart was pierced by an unexpected hand. Woohyuk deeply frowned upon seeing that scene. ¡°Aleister Crowley¡­ .¡± ¡°I see. You won¡¯t break with this kind of mental attack. Maybe it¡¯s because you know this is a fictional world?¡± Aleister licked his bloody finger, tossing the breathless Leifina to the side. When Woohyuk stared at him silently, he spoke again. ¡°I am just an illusion in your mind, so even if I try to harm you, you won¡¯t even blink an eyelid.¡± ¡°What are you here for?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point. Not long ago, you blocked the Three Demon King''s invasion, without sacrificing a single one of your precious vassals.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But in my eyes, your circumstances looked pretty precarious. What if Loengreen didn''t show up in time? What if Gwak Seyoung hadn¡¯t found out about Prisci¡¯s ns? What if you hadn¡¯t overheard their conversation? You may not know, but a couple of core powers ended up dying out on that battlefield.¡± Aleister smiled at Woohyuk with a rxed expression. At the same time, the surroundingndscape began to swirl, mix and change into a new form. Chapter 128: Memory Garden 5

Chapter 128: Memory Garden 5

¡®This ce is...¡¯ Ravenhill, a northern province. Currently, it was the border area of the Enoa Kingdom facing the Lydia Kingdom. The stage in which Adakar, Elder Chief of the Golden Dragon Tribe, tested his qualities in the Primordial Forest. However, the scene was a little differentpared to that time. ¡°You lost a lot of vassals here in the past, right? From the attack of DragonLord Ivanov.¡± Aleister said as he faced Woohyuk, pointing upwards. In that direction was a red dragon gliding through the gray sky. "So, what does that have to do with this?" ¡°Dragonlord Ivanov grew up in the Talis kingdom, and the Talis Kingdom is just below the Izuna Kingdom. This means that a tragedy like that could happen again if he fully tames the Red Dragon Carnelian.¡± Aleister''s words were true. The Eeth continent was divided between the East and the West on the basis of a long isthmus, simr to how the Americas were divided between the south and north. However, in the West, the Holy Aperian Empire upied the central area which had a temperate climate, and the rest of the small kingdoms and the principalities were around it. In the current situation, Woohyuk could be called the leader of the Western Union. Therefore, there was no choice but to be monitored by the neighboring small kingdoms, but the problem was that if a war was waged against several small kingdoms at the same time, there would be a gap in his defenses. Ravenhill had be ruins in the past due to this kind of situation. In particr, in the case of Dragonlord Ivanov, he was able to take advantage of Carnelian and pierce through the gap at any time. ¡°I also have a golden dragon. It''s growing well under Joanna''s protection in ckburn.¡± ¡°Well, how long will that dragon continue to follow you? As you may know, when it enters adulthood, the dragon will be very difficult to control.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, I recruited a woman with a natural talent for taming as a vassal. With her help, I could figure out a more efficient way than to torture it and make it submit to me.¡± Woohyuk talked openly about his ns. This was an imaginary world in the first ce. Moreover, this conversation was created through his inner feelings, therefore it was better to state the truth instead of hiding it. "I see¡­ You have your own ns. Then I won¡¯t mention Logan in Norton, Alice in Enoa, and Marcus in the Yen Principality.¡± ¡°The same is true for the Holy Aperian Empire. I have captured the capital, Delpheon before. The Theresian Empire in the East will be upied by Marcus, so there is no need to argue about it right now.¡± ¡°That is true. You were indeed the strongest overlord. But you might want to consider this: I didn''t intervene back then. Lady Lilith said you''re still going to have a hard time toplete the challenges.¡± Previously, Lilith came and also said so to Woohyuk when he had sealed all 72 Demon Kings. He was pretty good, but was stillcking. She pointed out that if he wanted to defeat her, he first had to reach the divine thrones. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had no intention of fighting against me?¡± ¡°Yes, but I said I would give you trials instead. I originally tried to get rid of you, but I received a revtion from Lady Lilith.¡± ¡°I guess you really like Lilith.¡± "Hahahahaha! I exist only to preach her gospel! So I have prepared your new trial!¡± Aleisterughed like a madman and pointed towards Woohyuk''s back. Woohyuk''s expression hardened as he turned his head and looked in the same direction. ¡®Things have gottenplicated Leifina and Lucretia were hanging on the cross. However, they were quite far away from each other, so he wasn''t sure who to rescue first. As Woohyuk hesitated, Aleisterughed louder. ¡°Hahahahahahahahaha! This is what you are really afraid of! The challenge of having to choose only one of your two beloved women! What kind of decision are you going to make?¡± "Shut up." Slice! Verserios was swung and Aleister''s head fell to the ground. However, Aleister did not stop hisughter as his head rolled. "Oh dear. You don''t have the leeway to get angry right now. You do know that cutting me won¡¯t solve the problem, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As he ignored Aleister who reassembled himself like nothing had happened, Woohyuk stared in the direction of the crosses. This was obviously all fake. However, because it was the fear in his heart, he had to ovee it. Rumble! Carnelian flew towards the crosses, breathing fire from its mouth. The range was quite wide, so if left as it is, both women would be burned. However, both of them were too far from where Woohyuk was, so he had to make a decision quickly. ''I still won''t give up.'' He returned to the past to ovee his limits in the first ce. In other words, thinking of solutions that were quite average and normal were meaningless. So he had to figure out a way to save them all. ¡°If the dilemma is the problem, I just have to cut it down.¡± Just like how Alexander the Great had cut the Gordian knot without releasing it, Woohyuk thought of doing the same thing too. He spread his abyssal wings and flew towards Ivanov, who controlled Carnelian. ¡®I don¡¯t need to face Carnelian if I kill him.'' If he fought a fierce battle against the adult red dragon, he would not be able to save Leifina and Lucretia in time. As Woohyuk approached, Carnelian turned its head and roared with anger. ¡°Kraaaaaaahhhhhh!¡± A warning. A strong message telling him not to approach any more. Oveing the pain attacking his entire body, Woohyuk lifted Verserios. Rumble! As a ck vortex swirled around Verserius, his surroundings became dark for an instant. [Absolute Space]. Woohyuk was being unreasonable and tried expanding the range to where Carnelian was. ''If this is my limit, I will definitely surpass it.'' A world in which infinite growth was possible in the system. It was believed that the impossible did not exist. No, even if it existed, he had promised to surpass it. He couldn¡¯te this far to give up. With a strong determination in his mind, Woohyuk stared at the dragon breath flying toward him. Rumble! The me that had turned Ravenhill into ashes. He would note out unscathed if it hit directly, but there was no fear in his eyes. Because this ce was already inside his absolute space. Boom! The long breath was split into two by Verserios. Afterwards, Ivanov, who was riding on Carnelian, crashed to the ground with a scream. He was not able to withstand the shock wave caused by the sh. Normally, Carnelian''s magic would have protected him, but in the abyss, such a trick didn''t work. ¡°Obey me, Carnelian,¡± said Woohyuk, looking down at Ivanov''s crushed appearance. Then Carnelian began wriggling in the air, as if having a seizure. ¡°Kraahah! Kiyaahhhhhh!¡± Its mind was confused by the death of its owner. It couldn''t ept this situation because it was trained not to live without Ivanov. ¡°I am now your new owner.¡± Woohyuk forced it to obey him so she wouldn''t run away. This was possible because of his absolute space. In time, Carnelian became silent, and Woohyuk sighed in relief. Pant pant... His body was burning and sweat was pouring down his face like rain. As expected, he had gone over the limits of his mind and body. He was exhausted as if he would copse right away, but Woohyuk stepped forward. Leifina and Lucretia had not been saved yet. As he exited the absolute space, Aleister spoke with a funny expression. ¡°You really are a ridiculous existence.¡± ¡°¡­ Will you stop me from saving them?¡± ¡°No way. I just impose trials ording to revtions. Anyways, the problematic situation is over, so let¡¯s skip the unnecessary details.¡± The surroundings turned pitch ck instantly. Woohyuk stabbed Verserios in the ground and leaned on it as he stared at Aleister. He was an illusion derived from his own imaginary world, but on the other hand, he was a being that fully reflected the real world¡¯s version. He couldn¡¯t look down on him as he did with Midas, the Phrygian king. ¡°How much longer will you continue this?¡± ¡°Until you exhaust yourself and faint. But it seems like your limit has already been reached...¡± Aleister smiled as he pointed at Verserios. A weapon that greedily absorbed its master''s demonic energy. As a result, Woohyuk was gradually losing his vitality. ¡°I have to escape from this ce.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be so easy. This is a few levels harder than the Elder chief of the golden dragon tribe Adakar¡¯s trial.¡± "I won¡¯t rely on luck." He just had to make the best decisions. When Woohyuk brandished Verserios again, Aleister clicked his tongue and waved his index finger. ¡°You can''t kill me as you currently are. Haven''t you tested it before already?¡± ¡°You are not the one that I¡¯m trying to cut.¡± Swoosh! Verserios tore through the air. Immediately, a ck rift appeared in the air and Woohyuk stepped in it. ''Is it over now?'' He had passed more than enough trials. Angrboda''s magic circle wouldn''t be able to hold on any longer than this. He had a lot of work to do in the future, and didn''t have time to y around leisurely. As a new sight entered his eyes, Woohyuk frowned. ¡®How annoying.'' Another imaginary world. This time, it was inside the house where he lived with his family when he was a normal college student. ¡°Juste with us on the trip, brother. It''s not even a real job, so it won¡¯t matter if you don''t go to work for a few days, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was the day his family died in an airne ident. At the time, Woohyuk was busy working in a privatepany as an intern student even though it was summer vacation. ¡°Don¡¯t bother your big brother. He has to go to work soon.¡± ¡°But Mom¡­¡± ¡°Once you grow up, you shouldn¡¯t y around and work diligently like that. Do you know how difficult it is to get a job these days?¡± Woohyuk''s family was about to travel to Guam. As they left through the front door, they waved at Woohyuk. ¡°I''ll buy lots of souvenirs, so look forward to them, alright?" ¡°Take good care of the house while we¡¯re gone, Woohyuk.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go on a trip together next time.¡± Woohyuk stared at their backs without a word. The front door opened and closed, and a long silence followed. ¡®I¡¯m getting tired of this.'' Woohyuk began to ponder as he couldn¡¯t see an end to these situations. ''There¡¯s something missing.'' The reason why he couldn''t escape from the imaginary world was mostly because of his internal feelings. In other words, he is still hesitant to face a certain reality. As he contemted, the TV in the living room was turned on and the voice of a female announcer resonated. ¡°This is breaking news. At 11:30 am today, a Korean airliner heading for Guam exploded for an unknown reason. All the passengers in the ne...¡± His family who had just left on the trip were immediately killed. Originally, there should have been a gap of at least three to four hours, but since this was an imaginary world, such a thing didn¡¯t matter. Woohyuk stared at the TV, and then raised Verserios again. Slice! As the air was torn, a ck rift appeared again. ''If I don''t know the reason why, I just have to look for the answer myself.'' Although his mind and body had already reached their limits, it was actually better. The more he was in trouble, the better he could find his inner fear. With a determined look, Woohyuk took a step. Chapter 129: Memory Garden 6

Chapter 129: Memory Garden 6

¡°Huff¡­ Huff...¡± Frantic breathing echoed throughout the closed stone chamber. Woohyuk leaned against Verserios and stared at the newly revealed space. The purple magic circle in front of him was gradually losing its color and fading away. ''I finally escaped.'' It was the worst imaginary world he had ever experienced. He hadn¡¯t expected it to reach and read his subconscious. Thanks to this, he even fought fierce battles against unknown beings. It felt like he had been in the Abyss world. That''s why he learned for sure what was wrong about himself. ''I am afraid of the Demon God¡¯s power.'' The fear that he might get swallowed up and consumed by the abyss while overusing Verserios. This fear had rooted itself deeply in his heart. ''Well, I somehow managed to ovee it this time around, but¡­¡¯ It was a fear-based on his subconscious, so it was difficult to say that he hadpletely gotten over it. In other words, it was easy to get over it temporarily, but getting rid of it forever was a lot more difficult to do. However, he didn''t think he was weak enough to be torn apart by his inner fears. Putting his fear aside, Woohyuk walked towards the treasure chest. ''It''s sealed with a lock.'' In general, the key was held by a monster who guarded the secret room. But in this situation, there was a magic circle that was recing the guardian monster¡¯s role, so he couldn''t find the key. Although it could be hidden somewhere else in this ruin, he didn¡¯t have enough leeway to search for it right now. His mind and body had already reached their limits while struggling in the imaginary world, and fighting additional battles was unreasonable. ''I have to pick the lock.'' Having conquered numerous historical ruins in the past 40 years, this was not a difficult task for him to achieve. Woohyuk pulled out a long lockpick from his pocket and inserted it in the lock. Creak. Creak. Creak. Click. It didn¡¯t take long for him to seed. Woohyuk¡¯s proficiency was too highpared to other ordinary people. Before long, the treasure chest opened, and a golden gauntlet appeared. [Hand of Midas] Type: Equipment Grade: A Durability: 26,000 Effect: Converts all entities that you touch with the hand to gold after equipping it (Only equipable by those with Phrygia royal blood. Does not work on targets with higher magic resistance than the user). ''The same effect as the myths.'' He used the archaeologist''s golden magnifying ss just in case, but there were no hidden effects or options. Woohyuk picked up the Hand of Midas and immediately went back to where he had left the Phrygian King. ¡°Turn that statue into gold.¡± "Yes...¡± Midas walked toward the statue of a monster without resistance. As he touched the statue with the golden gauntlet on his hand, the statue glowed brilliantly and turned to gold. ''Amazing.'' It wouldn¡¯t be of any help in battle, but with this ability, he could generate money anytime, anywhere. However, the problem was that there were no more descendants of the Phrygian royal family. The Midas in front of him could not be taken out of this world created through imagination. ''But we can¡¯t be too certain.'' Just as Joanna was the descendant of Queen Iona, the descendants of the Phrygian royal family could have survived somewhere, although it was extremely unlikely. After retrieving the Hand of Midas from the man himself, Woohyuk headed for his starting point, the Memory Garden. ¡°When will these flowers be harvested?¡± "Their¡­ growth... is¡­ almost¡­ over...¡± The flowers of the secret garden were imnted with the memories of those who had been offered as sacrifices. The memories were managed by the garden''s mechanics. When they reached a happy ending, the memories produced an unknown substance in the pistil of the flower they had used as the host. The usual required time was one month. If left unattended for a long time, the flowers withered, so the harvest cycle was kept urately. At Midas'' exnation, Woohyuk looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°But how do you know that? Are you also a member of the Witch Cult?¡± ¡°That¡­ is¡­ the case...¡± Midas rolled his sleeve. A witch stigma. Amongst the seven deadly sins, a pattern representing Greed was clearly engraved on his arm. ¡°They must have wanted to make the entire Phrygian kingdom their own.¡± This ce was Angrboda¡¯s imaginary world, so there was no reason for her to control Midas by forcibly imprinting a witch stigma on him. In other words, the witch stigma in this imaginary world reflected the real world. He had truly been a member of the witch cult in his lifetime. Since the king was a witch at the time, Phrygia would have been no different than the Dane Kingdom. As Woohyuk observed the flowers in the garden, a familiarughter resounded in the distance. "Hahaha! I see that an uninvited guest has arrived, even though this ce is Lady Lilith''s sanctuary.¡± Aleister Crowley. He had reappeared. Woohyuk straightened himself as a deep frown appeared on his face. ''He really appears anywhere and everywhere he wants.'' Woohyuk could not afford to fight him in his current state. However, the information on the Clipport Fruit was too precious to try to escape without confronting him. He also had some questions regarding this ce. Woohyuk decided to start a conversation to buy time. ¡°What kind of experiments are you doing with these flowers?¡± ¡°Hmm, should I call it an experiment that goes beyond the limits? Well, it¡¯s still in the clinical trial stages though.¡± Aleister took out a clear sk. A solution with a purple hue. It was probably an alchemical solution made from extracts of the flowers here. ''Has he failed to sessfully produce Clipport¡¯s fruit as of yet?'' However, considering the appearances of Awakeners in the ancient records and documents, the prototype had already beenpleted around the War of Gods and Demons. Having found out about these flowers were more than enough of an achievement. In particr, the solution Aleister was currently holding was required for theplete product. ¡°I want to offer you a deal.¡± ¡°Oho, you don¡¯t seem to have a sense of crisis. Is it because of the demonic energy that is contained within you?¡± Aleister''s red eyes scanned Woohyuk once again. He was sensing that his opponent was no ordinary foe. The Aleister of this imaginary world knew nothing about Woohyuk. ¡°If I was afraid of Lilith¡¯s mutt, I wouldn''t havee here in the first ce.¡± ¡°A mutt¡­ You¡¯re not wrong, since I am acting ording to Lady Lilith''s revtions. So, what is this deal of yours?¡± "That solution for this man¡¯s life." Woohyuk pointed his vampiric dagger against Midas'' neck. ster, who saw his actions, showed interest in him. ¡°There are many Phrygian royalties besides Midas¡­¡± "Angrboda won¡¯t be happy if he dies though." ¡°¡­That is true. She does consider Midas her lover.¡± Angrboda loved the handsome Midas. She had asked Aleister to protect him in exchange for allowing him to harvest the flowers in the Memory Garden. Woohyuk obviously didn''t know that much, but he understood that Midas was quite an important existence. ¡°Midas will be useful in many ways for you if he stays alive. There is no one better to use to control the Phrygian Kingdom from the shadows other than him.¡± ¡°I admit it. The financial power of gold is enormous. And this garden needs to be maintained until the end of the experiments and research.¡± Aleister honestly told his current situation, because Woohyuk had sparked his curiosity. There was so much that he did not know about him, such as how he had broken into the witch''s chapel or who he was. ¡°Then hand over the solution first.¡± ¡°I''ll give it to you if you want. I have a lot of these in myb anyway.¡± Aleister threw the sk into the air with a cool look. Then the sk was carefully delivered to Woohyuk through floating magic. ''I''ve got everything I need now.'' In truth, he wanted to study Angrboda¡¯s secret garden a bit longer, but the situation at hand wasn¡¯t ideal. It would be wiser to withdraw right now. The important question was whether the sk would be recognized as a reward of the ruins like the Hand of Midas. Since the things that existed within the imaginary world were not real, they could not be brought out at will. ''Because Aleister had it on him, it could be seen as some kind of loot...¡¯ First, it was necessary to find out how the system would ssify it. Woohyuk took the archaeologist''s golden magnifying ss and looked at the violet solution inside the sk. [Memory Flower Extract] Category: Consumables Effect: Alchemical material. By consuming it, you can enter your own imaginary world. All stats slightly increase depending on the individual''s capabilities, and some of the potential abilities are temporarily revealed (the shape may change if taken outside the imaginary world). ''So it is recognized as a reward.'' If not, there was no reason to put that little message at the bottom. When Woohyuk was satisfied, Aleister opened his mouth. ¡°You seem to know what it is. Did you get any information from Eteria Rodinus or Pronoia?¡± "Who knows? Let''s assume you¡¯re correct.¡± He didn''t want to share details since he would soon be leaving this ce. Woohyuk kicked Midas, knocking him forward, and moved to the center of the garden, the initial starting position. ¡°Are you trying to run away? I have already blocked all the exits...¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± There was one thing Aleister had overlooked. He didn''t know where Woohyuk hade from. And even if he knew, it was impossible for him to chase after the infiltrator, since Aleister was just a creation within the imaginary world. [Historic Ruin: Would you like to leave the Memory Garden?] [YES / NO] As he touched the adventurer''s watch, a system message popped up before his eyes. Woohyuk did not hesitate and pressed the YES button. Afterwards, a dazzling sh swallowed up everything in his sight. *** ¡°But Lady Leifina, why does Lord Asura care so much more about you than others?¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­? The Lord has never really favored me.¡± ¡°Never favored you? During this incident, he was so worried that you would lose your memories. You didn¡¯t seduce Lord Asura while I was away in Floren, right?¡± ¡°Seduce him¡­? That¡¯s nonsense...¡± While Woohyuk was exploring the Memory garden, Aris was talking to Leifina about a topic she normally wouldn¡¯t mention. She was being sort of jealous. She thought she was more suitable for Woohyuk than Leifina since she was a demon king. ¡°What¡¯s certain is that Leifina likes Lord Asura. That¡¯s obvious to me since I can peer into souls.¡± ¡°I came to the same conclusion after using advanced analysis magic. Now that the subject of Lord Asura hase up, her heart is beating faster and she keeps leaking out some sort of aura of love.¡± Alphone and Agnes, who were next to the other two, added their own thoughts after Aris. Leifina stepped back in confusion. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s not true. To quote My Lord¡¯s expression, it is because I am a vir...¡± ¡°Ohoho, so you¡¯ve told him that you¡¯re pure? You¡¯re trying to appeal to him, aren¡¯t you? However, I am a young woman just like you in my heart. I have been having a one-sided affection towards Lord Asura for thousands of years.¡± Aris ced her hand on her meager chest and tried to show off. She was conveying that she wouldn¡¯t lose to Leifina. Leifina began sweating as if she had understood the message. As the two women faced each other silently, a pir of light shone in front of the divine tree and Woohyuk appeared. He looked tired as if he would copse anytime soon. ¡°My, My Lord!¡± ¡°Lord Asura!¡± Leifina and Aris ran to Woohyuk with anxious expressions. They each grabbed Woohyuk¡¯s arms and supported him whilepeting. ¡°Are you unhurt, My Lord? Just what happened inside exactly¡­?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m relieved you¡¯re alright. My heart was heavy as I feared you wouldn¡¯t return, Lord Asura.¡± Woohyuk''s body was clean without any wounds. The Memory Garden might¡¯ve been a location where only spiritual and mental trials were given. The gazes of the two relieved women crossed. Soon enough, subtle sparks flew between their eyes. Woohyuk spoke with a reproachful tone. ¡°Aris, did you bully Leifina while I wasn''t here?¡± "Huh? I, I...¡± ¡°She is my escort knight, so don''t reprimand her too much for making small mistakes.¡± This was definitely favoritism. Undeniable favoritism. Aris shed tears in her heart. ''Lord Asura doesn''t understand my heart.'' Chapter 130: Inquisitor of Heresy 1

Chapter 130: Inquisitor of Heresy 1

After resting for a while, Woohyuk immediately focused on destroying the sanctuary. The key was to destroy the witch''s chapel, and there weren¡¯t any problems as he had enough firepower. That may have been the reason why, but there was a lot less loot than expected. Overall, he couldn¡¯t give this historical ruin a high score. ¡°Why did Angrboda leave this ce unprotected after making it so easy to destroy?¡± Leifina asked Woohyuk, watching the ck fog gradually disappear in the forest. ¡°She must have made preparations. The reason this ce was empty is probably due to the Creator¡¯s arrangement.¡± Baron Elrond''s estate was once categorized as a section of Adventurer''s Gorge. In other words, the reward they were to obtain here was already obtained back then. The monsters that guarded the forest and the chapel would also have scattered around. ¡°The Creator is truly omnipotent. To think that he can do that.¡± "But he is not well known to the people on the Eeth Continent." If the gods of the heavenly world wereparable to the gods of Greek or Nordic mythology, the Creator was a transcendental entity that would only appear in the Bible. Therefore, those who were part of monotheistic religions, such as Catholicism, Christianity, and Hinduism, gathered with each other and continued their religious activities in the Eeth Continent. Of course, most of them were ughtered by Rosenkreuz, an inquisitor of heretics of the Holy Aperian Empire. ''He must also be a member of Pronoia.'' Pronoia was a group of fanatics with a slightly different objective than the Witch Cult. Like the Golden Rose Society, it was a secret society that put great importance on the providence of God. Here, God referred to the God of Light, the first rank god of the heavenly world. The God of Light, along with the three goddesses of Urdabrunn who governed human fate, was one of the representative gods who did not rebel against the Creator. ¡°By the way, Lord Asura, won¡¯t Angrboda hold a grudge against you for this incident? I am worried that Lord Asura will be her target of revenge.¡± Aris, who stood next to him, spoke as she put her pitch-ck scythe away. Woohyuk turned to her and stroked her head. ¡°I¡¯ll have to face her anyway, so you don''t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°I think we should quickly tame the demon kings that you sealed. Although there are only 3 of them, they will be considerably helpful¡­¡± ¡°They need a break. If I try to force them to submit now, it will only backfire. By the way, Aris, what happened to the solution I entrusted you to analyze?¡± ¡°Oh, that? I took a look at it with Agnes, but I think it will be difficult to find more information about it since we have no equipment for analysis.¡± Aris had a deep knowledge of magic engineering. Therefore, it was possible to produce a device that could precisely analyze alchemy materials, and she could potentially start doing alchemy herself. Although she was in the form of a delicate girl, she had lived for thousands of years. Since she had done a lot of research while assisting Asura by his side, she was several generations aheadpared to the alchemists of the Eeth Continent. ¡°I¡¯ll build aboratory in ckburn once the Dane Kingdom ispletely dealt with. I''ll assign Lucas, Alphone, and Agnes as your assistants, so try to make it happen as soon as possible.¡± ¡°The chimera researcher trapped in the dungeon in ckburn? I don¡¯t know how helpful he will be since he has only done experiments on living beings before, but I''ll try to make good use of him.¡± Lucas was essential to strengthen the power of the undead army. Aris who had created Irene would surely help him a lot. Since he had made a contract with Woohyuk through Asura''s power, there was no chance that he would rebel against him. When his thoughts were roughly organized, Woohyuk stared at Leifina again. ¡°Leifina, as I saidst time, I will expand your father¡¯s territory by fusing it with the Euler County and the Ben Viscounty, and call it the let County. Therefore, you are no longer the eldest daughter of a fallen house, nor a noble in name only.¡± "Thank you. But I will continue to follow you, My Lord, so there is no need to grant me such arge fief¡­¡± ¡°I will find a suitable person to appoint as the fief deputy.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to go that far¡­¡± As Leifina couldn¡¯t hide her surprise, the sound of a galloping horse echoed from afar. Before long, a group of people appeared, and she was startled. Bailey Schwarz. There was a familiar old gentleman next to the renown count of the Dane Kingdom. ¡°Sir, Sir Gustav¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re alright, youngdy.¡± Gustav had served as the butler of the let family for a long time. However, when Leifina and her father fell into the hands of the witch Angrboda, he hid in another territory while preparing for the future. Woohyuk had known this fact from his past life, so he had sent Bailey to find Gustav. ¡°I thought you had died, Sir. Even the residents here said they hadn¡¯t seen your face since forever.¡± ¡°I have been doing my best to survive day by day, to save Lady Leifina from that hellish ce one day.¡± Gustav was a man of unparalleled loyalty, which was the reason he had received Leifina''s grandfather¡¯s favor in the past. Therefore it was okay to assume that he would never betray the let family. Once the heartwarming reunion ended, Woohyuk received a report from Bailey about the situation. ¡°Were there any disturbing incidents in your territory?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear of anything like that. Everyone was pleased to be liberated from the demons and they weed me with open arms.¡± The reason he hadn¡¯t used Bailey for this incident was to send him around thend and gain the public¡¯s support. Leifina nned to stay in her territory with Gustav for the time being. In the current situation, the establishment of a system of cooperation with internal fiefs and allies was the greatest priority. Conquering other small kingdoms could wait for a while. ''I should visit the Lydia Kingdom using this opportunity.'' In the Lydia Kingdom, there was the ck breath of a Hydra, one of the materials for the Seven Colored Rainbow ring. However, he didn''t know its exact location and only had a few clues. However, with the help of Philip II, it would be possible to obtain it in a short amount of time. ''After that, I''ll have to recruit some more vassals.'' In addition to those who were already following him, he needed talented geniuses such as Hans, the King of Cooking, and Dexter, the Runesmith. Those two somewhere around the Lydia Kingdom, so he nned to take some time to find them. Woohyuk had the confidence to easily bring Hans, the King of Cooking, over to his side. ¡®Afterwards, I¡¯ll return to the Dane Kingdom and attack the Talis Kingdom in the south-west.'' The reason he wouldn¡¯t attack the Norton or Enoa Kingdoms, in the northwest and north respectfully, was because they weren¡¯t a threat. He had stolen the necromancer ss from Logan in the Norton Kingdom, and Hong Yuri had be the Blood Witch instead of Alice in the Enoa Kingdom. However, Ivanov of the Talis Kingdom still had the Red Dragon Carnelian like the past. As Aleister of the imaginary world had warned him, he had to hit Ivanov first. As Woohyuk prepared his future ns, Silvator arrived and ran towards Woohyuk. ¡°Ma, Master! There¡¯s trouble!¡± ¡°What is it, Silvator?¡± ¡°The Inquisitor of the Holy Aperian Empire... ising this way from the Izuna Kingdom!¡± The atmosphere instantly froze. Alphone¡¯splexion became pale, and she opened her mouth as she shivered. ¡°Rosenkreuz¡­ Why did hee all this way¡­?¡± He would definitely recognize those who worked for the witch Angrboda. If she encountered the inquisitor of heretics, she would be in trouble. The Holy Aperian Empire was supporting him. If a criminal used of heresy were to escape, the knights of the seven heavenly virtues and high-ranking priests would be dispatched. ¡®Is he looking for Eteria Rodinus?'' In this situation, there was a strong possibility that Rosenkreuz was a member of Pronoia. So, if Woohyuk were to get in trouble with him, he would have a setback in his future ns. Woohyuk worried for a moment and then spoke to Silvator, who was restless. ¡°Silvator, keep an eye on Rosenkreuz''s movements with the three-eyed crows. Report to me immediately if something happens.¡± ¡°Un, understood. Please leave it to me.¡± Silvator bowed to him. When he disappeared into the woods, Woohyuk turned to the rest of the party. ¡°It¡¯s time to prepare the stage for the y.¡± ¡°The stage? Lord Asura, I am not good at acting.¡± ¡°You are a demon, so you mustn¡¯t appear on the stage, Aris.¡± Rosenkreuz, the inquisitor of heretics, couldn''t be fooled by simple tricks. Therefore, all the actors had to be humans and their acting skills had to be excellent enough that the inquisitor wouldn¡¯t have even a sliver of doubt. At Woohyuk''s words, Leifina looked troubled. ¡°Wha, what role will I have to y¡­?¡± ¡°You just need to take care of the territory as nned. I just need someone to pretend to be the King of Rhines.¡± ¡°Someone to imitate Lord Asura? Hmm¡­ It shouldn''t be difficult as long as he stays certainly silent, but how about using my abilities to split your soul for a while? That would be more convenient...¡± ¡°Soul fragments are unstable, so mistakes could easily be made. So let''s y it in a safer way.¡± ¡°But is there someone who is trustworthy and capable of imitating you skillfully enough? I can¡¯t think of anyone right now.¡± Woohyuk''s vassals were generally inflexible and clumsy when lying. A typical example was Lee Jaesung or Maximus, the governor of the Dane Kingdom Sieg wasn¡¯t suited as well, while Hong Yuri, who was quick on the update, did not meet the standards as she was the Blood Queen. When Aris expressed her anxious feelings, Woohyuk reassured her. "Don¡¯t worry. There is someone suitable for this job.¡± ¡°Who is it? Agnes is very curious.¡± ¡°Monster tamer Choi Kayoon. She is talented in acting.¡± This fact was proven during the incident with the Shadow Killer in the Izuna Kingdom. Originally, Choi Kayoon Choi dreamt of bing an actress in musicals, and she had attended a theater school until high school. The reason for stopping was due to her family¡¯s poor financial conditions. Therefore, Woohyuk thought that if he lent her his Jester¡¯s mask, she would fulfill this job safely. However, the only variable was her androphobia. ¡°I worry about whether she will do a good job, Lord Asura. When I was in Floren, I observed her and her mental state was a little unstable, probably because of her bad experiences with men...¡± ¡°Everyone has traumas, Aris. The question is how to ovee it.¡± Choi Kayoon had enough potential and willpower. Otherwise, he would not have brought her with him to the Rhine Kingdom. Woohyuk¡¯s mindset was to trust his vassals once he had epted them as one of his own. ¡°If Lord Asura is willing to go this far, I shallply. Despite my appearance, I am an obedient girl...¡± ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?" ¡°Using the word ¡®girl¡¯ is going a bit too far, don¡¯t you think? You''ve lived for at least thousands of years, so you''re probably one of the oldest amongst demons.¡± ¡°Boo¡­ You¡¯re being unfair... I¡¯m not that old if you don¡¯t count the time I spent hibernating...¡± Aris was crying and clinging to Woohyuk. Alphone, who had been watching them, spoke. ¡°She is correct. Her soul is colorful and gorgeous like the soul of a young woman, so it''s clear that her mental age is still young.¡± Alphone had experienced social life in the handicrafts guild before. That''s why she knew what to say during situations like this and who to support. Woohyuk was impressed with her. ¡°You must¡¯ve been popr amongst the guild members in the past, seeing how good you are at choosing the right words.¡± ¡°Hehe. I just...¡± ¡°But how old are you? I heard that you were cursed by the God of Death when you were young, and that you had to make a stuffed doll once per day so that you don¡¯t rejuvenate even further.¡± ¡°Oh, I''m 530 years old this year. Younger than you thought, right? Petos is also about seven hundred years old.¡± The atmosphere immediately went silent. Woohyuk shook his head as if he had nothing else to say. ¡°You also shouldn¡¯t act in a cutesy manner from now on.¡± "Yes¡­¡± Alphone buried her face in the stuffed pink rabbit she was holding with a depressed look. Chapter 131: Inquisitor of Heresy 2

Chapter 131: Inquisitor of Heresy 2

¡°¡­Hm?" Rosenkreuz, who was moving along the road on horseback, pulled on the reins. The group of priests next to him asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Is something the matter, Lord Rosenkreuz?¡± ¡°Someone is spying on us.¡± ¡°Are you talking about that group of crows?¡± Since a little while ago, there were three-eyed crows circling around their party. Rosenkreuz nodded. ¡°It seems like we¡¯re getting closer to the witch¡¯s sanctuary.¡± ¡°Should we hunt them? They seem like they¡¯ll disturb us...¡± ¡°No, leave them be. I¡¯m not here for them.¡± Rosenkreuz was looking for Eteria Rodinus. The descendants of Avicenna, the great sage who had stolen the Holy Grail and Lemegeton from Solomon''s Temple. Because of them, the seals on Lilith and the 72 Demon Kings were released and they opened their eyes again. The Eeth continent then turned into an eternal battlefield. ¡­Or so he thought, but he didn¡¯t consider that a bad thing. Rosenkreuz was only interested in the secret knowledge of Eteria Rodinus. ''First, I have to find at least one member of Eteria Rodinus and make him teach me Rosa Eterna.'' It was thenguage of the wisemen created usingplex codes. If he learned it, he could always read the S-ss magic books in the secret library of the Holy See. ''I heard that they appeared at Port Delphoa in the Izuna Kingdom and headed towards the Dane Kingdom.'' The followers of the God of Light were everywhere in the Eeth continent. Therefore, no matter how carefully Eteria Rodinus moved, their tracks would be found and followed someday. Once the location would be revealed, it was only a matter of time to chase them down and capture them. ¡°They say that the Dane Kingdom was destroyed and that it became part of the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s territory. However, most of the existing nobles are said to be the same as before.¡± "I know. The King of Rhine seems to be an excellent individual.¡± ¡°ording to the rumors, they call him a savior who received the revtion of the God of Death. That''s why he can bring back the dead and never dies...¡± ¡°There is no human that does not die, Lakius.¡± It was against the precepts of the God of Light. When Rosenkreuz warned him, Lakius hurriedly shut his mouth. ¡°I, I apologize. That was a sphemous statement...¡± ¡°Of course it is. But do not worry. the God of Light is generous to his own followers.¡± However, he was ruthless and merciless against heretics. Those that were guilty of not acknowledging the absolute superiority of the God of Light amongst the seven gods. Those that were guilty of believing in transcendental beings other than the seven gods. Those that were guilty of arbitrarily interpreting or refuting themandments of the God of Light. Those heretics shouldn''t exist in the first ce, and the inquisitors of heresy had to punish them. ¡°I, I pray for the grace of the God of Light¡­¡± ¡°Do not pray for salvation. The more you execute the pagans and heretics, the closer you will be to Him.¡± Rosenkreuz made the sign of the cross. Then all of the priests followed his action with a solemn expression. ¡°I believe that we will reach the vige soon.¡± ¡°Very good. We will listen to the witnesses¡¯ testimonies.¡± ording to the results of their investigations so far, the members of Eteria Rodinus must have been in the Dane Kingdom. If they couldn''t take advantage of this opportunity, it would be difficult to catch them in the future. Eventually, Rosenkreuz arrived at the vige with the priests, ¡°Our Father in Heaven. May your name be holy, your kingdom flourish, and your will be fulfilled on earth as in heaven.¡± ¡°Prithee gift us our daily bread as we forgive those who have wronged us.¡± ¡°Prithee forgive our sins, prevent us from falling into temptation, and save us from evil.¡± "Amen!" "Amen!" They heard the chanting of the Lord''s Prayer from a shabby wooden building. This was definitely heresy to those who believed in the God of Light. As more and more adventurers appeared, Christianity became one of the biggest troubles of the Holy Empire. Rosenkreuz frowned and gave orders to the priests who were with him. ¡°Catch those impure pagans and bring them to me immediately!¡± "Understood!" The priests lifted their maces and entered the wooden building. Afterwards, there was an outbreak of painful screams. As time passed, the church members were dragged out like cattle and were forced to kneel before Rosenkreuz. ¡°The total is thirty-nine, Sir Rosenkreuz.¡± ¡°Bring their priest forward.¡± Lakius kicked a man holding a crude book in his back. The man groaned and fell face down. ¡°Is this your scriptures?¡± Rosenkreuz lifted the book that was spread open on the floor. After reading a few pages for a while, he showed signs of anger. ¡°The content is the same as the version found in the Empire. These cockroaches... There is no end of them.¡± The priest began to chant verses of the bible, when Smash! A blunt mace fell on his head. The members of the church screamed in absolute terror as they watched the headless corpse. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Sa, save me!¡± They couldn¡¯t understand what was happening to them. The Dane Kingdom was liberated from the demons and they had begun engaging in religious activities with ease. They were told that there were several religions on the continent, but they didn''t know they would be suppressed in this way. ¡°Stop your yapping, you filthy pagans! If you keep talking, I''ll have you all burned alive right now!¡± When Rosenkreuz shouted in anger, the surroundings became quiet instantly. The church members instinctively closed their mouths and lowered their heads. They were trapped by the priests and had no way to escape. ¡°Tsk tsk, so you do know how to treasure your lives. You are all sinful heretics. But I will give you a chance to repent.¡± Rosenkreuz clicked his tongue and unraveled a scroll. A middle-aged man with red-brown hair wearing a gray robe was drawn on its surface. ¡°Anyone who knows anything about this guy, raise your hand quietly.¡± The man drawn on the scroll was a member of Eteria Rodinus. While everyone stared attentively, a blonde woman raised her hand. ¡°Oho, so we do have a witness. Tell us what you know.¡± ¡°He came to this vige a week ago and asked about the witch. So I told him that she had run away, so he asked for the direction she went.¡± "The direction? Was he chasing the witch?¡± ¡°Yes, he said that the witch was in possession of an important object. I don''t know the details... And I haven''t met him since then.¡± When the blonde woman finished speaking, this time a ck-haired young man behind her raised his hand. Rosenkreuz scanned the man¡¯s appearance and spoke again. ¡°What do you know?¡± ¡°The man went to the northern kingdom of Norton after getting information that the witch was there.¡± "Information? Who did he get it from?¡± ¡°A woman of the Witch Cult hiding in the woods came here looking for something to eat. She began creating amotion, but that man appeared and defeated her with magic. At that time, he also got information about the witch.¡± ¡°Did you witness it yourself?¡± "Yeah. At the time, I was held hostage by the girl from the witch cult.¡± "Hmm¡­¡± Rosenkreuz was in deep thoughts. He hade all this way by oveing all the hardships, but now he had to go to the Norton Kingdom, where snowyered the ground. However it didn''t seem like the vigers were lying. As he tried to speak again, the sound of a horse galloping echoed in the distance. A cavalry with the g of the Rhine Kingdom Army appeared out of nowhere. Rosenkreuz weed them as he kept his guard up. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Rosenkreuz, the inquisitor of heresy of the Holy Aperian Empire. I''m currently punishing these heretics.¡± ¡°¡­I see. We were searching the nearby areas to clean up the remnants of the Witch Cult.¡± ¡°Where is the King of Rhine? I wish to meet him personally since I¡¯vee all the way here.¡± Despite being a king, a king of a small kingdom couldn¡¯t treat the empire''s inquisitor of heresy carelessly. Therefore, even though Rosenkreuz was doing lse-majest, the Rhine Kingdom Army couldn''t refute him. The priests also knew that fact, so they didn¡¯t hesitate to show their arrogance. ¡°His Majesty will arrive here soon.¡± "What? He ising here?¡± ¡°Yes, he is currently touring thends of the newly upied Dane Kingdom.¡± "Hmm¡­ It definitely is a good idea to improve his poprity amongst the kingdom¡¯s citizens. That¡¯s perfect. Then we¡¯ll wait for him here.¡± News that the newly risen King of Rhine had conquered the Dane Kingdom, which had fallen into the hands of the demons, had already reached the Holy Aperian Empire''s Imperial Pce and the Holy See. Therefore, Emperor Tiberius and Pope Ignatius were also curious about his identity. Rosenkreuz was also curious about this king. ''He is the heroic king who defeated Demon King Dantalion and the Witch of Sloth.'' Things would beplicated if he would turn out to be a heretic. It is necessary to eradicate the roots of heresy in advance before they could impact the world. If he turned out to be a faithful believer of the God of Light, he obviously thought of actively supporting the king. As Rosenkreuz continued criticizing the church members, a brilliant procession appeared in the distance. The King of Rhine''s visit to this area had begun. ''Is he Chun Woohyuk?'' A young man with ck hair wearing a silver te armor. His appearance was as young as the rumors depicted. However, Rosenkreuz did not sense evil energy from him as some of the priests had said. ''As I thought, rumors are just rumors.'' Since the Rhine Kingdom was in a corner of the continent, far away from the empire, the story could have been distorted. Rosenkreuz greeted Woohyuk with a somewhat relieved look. ¡°You must¡¯ve had a lot of trouble fighting the group of evil beings, Your Majesty King of Rhine.¡± ¡°Compared to Lord Rosenkreuz¡¯s ordeals, it was but a small disturbance. In any case, wee to my kingdom.¡± Woohyuk treated Rosenkreuz with a polite attitude. Rosenkreuzughed loudly as the king¡¯s attitude had pleased him. "Hahaha! You are too humble. You are still the first hero to seal a Demon King ever since the War of Gods and Demons.¡± ¡°It would have been impossible without the protection of the God of Light. I am just an ordinary secr monarch.¡± ¡°Even an earthly lord can be his apostle if he receives the god¡¯s revtion, as long as he isn¡¯t stained with the dirty and ugly beliefs of heretics.¡± Rosenkreuz''s gaze turned to the captured church members. Woohyuk nodded as if he understood his intention. ¡°The only way a pagan is forgiven of his sins is to be burned alive. Please exact punishment without minding me.¡± ¡°Then, I won¡¯t hold back¡± Rosenkreuz had the priests prepare the stakes and oil. The blond woman and the ck-haired young man writhed and cried out in despair. ¡°You, you said you¡¯d give us a chance to repent!¡± ¡°Yes, we said everything we knew!¡± They didn''t know they would die like this. Rosenkreuz looked at them and snorted. ¡°A true believer of the God of Light neverpromises with paganism. So there is no need for me to keep my promise.¡± ¡°You motherfucker!¡± ¡°Go to hell!¡± Every member of the church hurled curses at the inquisitor. Soon enough, they were all tied to burning stakes and were swallowed up by mes. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Please save me, Lord!¡± The screams echoed throughout the sky. It was a sight that a normal person could not watch with his eyes open. Rosenkreuzughed like a madman as he smelled the scent of burning flesh. ¡°Kuhahaha! Hahahahahaha!¡± Burning heretics was the most enjoyable activity for him. Chapter 132: Inquisitor of Heresy 3

Chapter 132: Inquisitor of Heresy 3

A craze that sent chills down the spine Fear was in the eyes of the Rhine Kingdom Army as they watched Rosenkreuz''s massacre. But Woohyuk kept wearing a calm expression. He was proving that he was a true believer in the God of Light. ¡°You truly are full of faith, Your Majesty King of Rhine. You didn¡¯t even blink or flinch while watching the execution.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already used to it, Lord Rosenkreuz. Since then, I have already punished numerous heretics and pagans until now.¡± ¡°You truly are a hero under the protection of the God of Light. In truth, I heard some distasteful rumors about you beforeing here, but now that I have met you in person, my doubts have vanished.¡± ¡°I don''t know how the rumors depicted me, but I do not serve anyone other than the God of Light. I''d like to emphasize it.¡± ¡°Indeed, your innocence has been fully revealed and proved. Under the authority of the Holy Aperian Empire¡¯s Inquisitor of heresy, we will take measures to ensure that no more impure rumors spread around.¡± Woohyuk was the heroic king who had fought against the demonic camp and achieved a great victory. Recognizing him as the representative of the God of Light and establishing friendly rtions would mean that the power of the priests within the empire would grow stronger. His existence was invaluable in the current situation where the conflict between Emperor Tiberius and Pope Ignatius was deepening. ''Well, I don''t know if he has a hidden ability, but...¡¯ As Woohyuk had recognized the absolute superiority of the God of Light, Rosenkreuz was willing to let it slide if Woohyuk was using the powers of other gods, unless he vited the divinemandments recorded in the temple. "Thank you. In fact, the people¡¯s support is currently very weak as it hasn¡¯t been long since their hardships have ended. That may be why some people spread false rumors about me.¡± ¡°I understand. You did purge countless nobles of the Rhine Kingdom to ascend to the throne. However, your legitimacy has already been guaranteed by the God of Light. So please do not worry and continue to im yourself as his representative.¡± The kingship. If he acknowledged and obeyed the authority of the Holy See, they would recognize Woohyuk''s current dominion. Once this would be established, even Emperor Tiberius could not treat Woohyuk carelessly, and no one could object to his legitimacy. "Of course. I will not stop this war until all evil on this continent is eradicated.¡± ¡°What a confident but trustworthy deration. Oh right, do you know anything about this man? If you have been to the witch''s sanctuary, you might havee across him.¡± Rosenkreuz unfolded a portrait of the member of Eteria Rodinus. Woohyuk looked closely at it and shook his head. ¡°I do not know him. Is he a pagan?¡± ¡°Yes, the worst kind of pagan. He is a descendant of the one who stole the Holy Grail from Solomon''s temple.¡± Rosenkreuz didn''t mention Lemegeton or Eteria Rodinus. It wouldn¡¯t be advantageous to him if Woohyuk learned of their existence. In fact, only a small fraction of humans knew about Pronoia, the organization he belonged to. ¡°If so, we must find him and punish him.¡± ¡°We would appreciate it if you could capture him and bring him to us. I have a few questions to ask him regarding the whereabouts of his other allies.¡± ¡°Yes, if that is the will of the God of Light, I will happily follow it.¡± ¡°I will now go to the Norton Kingdom in the northwest. I probably won''t be able to visit this ce again for a while, so I will be using this as a means to contact you in the meantime.¡± Rosenkreuz presented a snail-like artifact. Woohyuk received it and checked the item¡¯s information. [Informant¡¯s Messages] Type: Personal item Effect: It is possible to receive and send messages to those with the same artifact. Can be reset at any time, and up to 10,000munication details are stored (can be selectively deleted at the user''s will). It was an otherworldly mobile phone. The difference with Earth was that it had not been universalized yet as it was too expensive to mass-produce and difficult to obtain. Therefore, only some people of upper sses, such as Rosenkreuz, could use this means ofmunication. ¡°I will contact you as soon as the asion arrives.¡± ¡°Then, until we meet again.¡± Rosenkreuz climbed on his horse and pulled on the reins. Soon enough, he disappeared with the priests and his party, and Woohyuk sighed in relief. ¡°Phew...¡± He had never seen such a madman ever since his birth. Even the shadow killer could be counted as a normal person. Still, he was d that everything had gone as nned. ¡°Now you should return and continue doing your job. I have some personal business to attend to.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The kingdom¡¯s troops scattered in all directions following their respectivemanders. They are very busy cleaning up the remnants of the Witch Cult. As soon as he was left alone, Woohyuk touched the adventurer''s watch with his finger. [It was a sess. Seeing how he left immediately, I don''t think he noticed anything.] [Good work.] Two people with the same voice were speaking to each other. Afterwards, a summoning magic circle spread on the ground below him. A teleport. No, to be more precise, it was the Call to Arms skilled used by the Ragnarok n master. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m dizzy...¡± The summoned Woohyuk frowned andined. Before long, the interior of an ornate mansion entered his eyes, ¡°Now, give me a detailed report.¡± Another Woohyuk was sitting in a chair and spoke to the newly summoned Woohyuk. Only then did he take off the Jester¡¯s Mask and return to his original form. A woman with ck hair was in a purple dress. It was Choi Kayoon. ¡°¡­ Nothing special. All the corrupt nobles of the Dane kingdom you brainwashed were burned, and I epted the political transaction presented by Rosenkreuz.¡± ¡°Were there any other special subjects during your conversation other than the transaction?¡± ¡°Not really. He just offered to recognize the legitimacy of your rule over the Dane Kingdom in exchange for being a representative of the Holy See. Oh, and he gave me this and told me to use it to contact him if I find a member of Eteria Rodinus.¡± Choi Kayoon took the Informant¡¯s Messages out and handed it to Woohyuk. Woohyuk fiddled with it for a while and then showed it to Leifina next to him. ¡°Be careful of everyone who has this. It''s highly likely that they belong to Pronoia.¡± ¡°Understood, My Lord.¡± This was the residence of the let family in the Elrond barony. It had been neglected for a long time and looked shabby, but Gustav, the butler, had restored it to its previous state. The inside of the mansion was full of life because the maids had also been hired again. ¡°This looks like a ce owned by a very prestigious noble. Just look at this elegant interior design.¡± ¡°This is the let House. Leifina will take over its line.¡± ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how it is. No wonder you gave it to her. Just look at her looks. I¡¯m slightly jealous.¡± Choi Kayoon''s envious gaze nced at Leifina. Then Leifina shook both her hands with a tired look. ¡°Please refrain from misunderstanding. I am simply My Lord¡¯s escort.¡± "What are you talking about? I was just saying you were pretty.¡± ¡°Is, is that so...?¡± Leifina''s face turned red in embarrassment. Woohyuk watched with interest, then spoke again. "Is Tinia taking good care of the Gawain county?" "Yeah. The other nobles can¡¯t be careless around her because of her powerful will and aura. That must be why she keeps receiving anonymous love letters.¡± ¡°Does she tear all the love letters like you do?¡± ¡°¡­No. She reads them all night and looks for the nobles who sent it to her by analyzing handwriting. And when she finds the culprit, she asks for an honorary duel and beats them up with her fists.¡± ¡®Such a Tinia-like thing to do.¡¯ If he didn''t find her a husband soon, the men who asked for her hand would suffer. Woohyuk as in deep thoughts for a while. ¡°I don''t know if there is a man stronger than Tinia in our kingdom. She said she would never marry someone weaker than her, so she won''t be interested in most aristocrats.¡± Although she had already chosen himself as her marriage partner, a woman''s heart could easily change. If a man stronger than her with good looks and good manners came around, she might change her mind. Choi Kayoon''s eyes shone at Woohyuk''s ambitious ns. ¡°Her? Finding a man of her own? I think it¡¯ll be quite fun to watch. She¡¯ll bother me less than she does now, at least.¡± "Does Tinia not like your monsters?" "Yeah. I think her parents died during a monster attack. She must¡¯ve often struggled against monsters during her mercenary days as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I will talk with herter.¡± ¡°But when will you remove this protective barrier? I don''t think Rosenkreuz can detect your demonic energy here.¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t underestimate him.¡± An inquisitor of heresy of the Holy Aperian Empire wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. They had great natural talents amongst the children of high-ranking clergy, and were supervised by the Holy See from their childhood and were made toplete higher education courses. Moreover, that was just the basics. Since there were many candidates, they had to prove their worth throughpetitions. As a result, even the ordinary children amongst them gradually became fanatics of their religion, and they became unable to hold themselves back whenever they saw pagans and heretics. ording to the information from uncertain sources, brainwashing was also conducted if necessary, but nothing had been revealed yet. "Wow, that¡¯spletely corrupted." ¡°The inquisitors of heresy are the heads of the Castineon, a special agency of the Holy See. Even the twelve cardinals cannot handle them carelessly.¡± In short, the super-elite and most vicious fanatics were able to rise to the position of inquisitor of heresy. That was why Woohyuk hid his energy as much as possible by creating several barriers even at such a distance. He had already experienced Rosenkreuz''s sixth sense-like ability to search for demons in the past. ''He noticed and ambushed demons who were 1km away from him with the slight reverberation carried by the wind.'' In the past, it was just an amazing feat to Woohyuk, but now that he had be Asura, that ability felt incredibly threatening. If he noticed Woohyuk, an all-out war with the Holy Aperian Empire was inevitable. As a result, the existing n would have to be abandoned. ¡°I tricked such a genius? I must have an innate talent for acting. I should¡¯ve gone for the acting department even if I had to get a student loan.¡± ¡°It is still too early to be relieved. He has a really incredible sense.¡± Maybe there is a hidden function in the informant¡¯s messages. When his thoughts reached that conclusion, Woohyuk took out the archaeologist''s golden magnifying ss. [Informant¡¯s Messages] Type: Personal Item Effect: It is possible to receive and send messages to those with the same artifact. Can be reset at any time, and up to 10,000munication details are stored (can be selectively deleted at the user''s will). In addition, it is possible to know the current location of users in real time after obtaining administration rights (hidden function). ¡®An administrator''s authority.'' Apparently, these artifacts seemed to have been secretly modified. A function that appeared to have been created by the Holy See to monitor their members. Rosenkreuz, the head of the special agency Castineon, was probably unaware of this. ¡°Leifina, you take good care of this item.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± If his location were known in real time by the Holy See, his future ns would be a mess. But now that he knew this trick, Woohyuk decided to trick Rosenkreuz in reverse. 1. Woohyuk used a UNO reverse card!!! Chapter 133: Inquisitor of Heresy 4

Chapter 133: Inquisitor of Heresy 4

¡°Do you believe in his words, Lord Rosenkreuz?¡± "Are you talking about the King of Rhine?" ¡°Yes, he was very different from the rumors.¡± ¡°There was definitely something odd about him.¡± The conversation had gone too smoothly for it to be their first encounter, even more so since it was an idental encounter. It felt like the king knew Rosenkreuz would visit that location in advance. However, Rosenkreuz didn¡¯t care enough to pay attention to this strange feeling. ¡®Right now, Eteria Rodinus is my first priority.¡¯ Only by retrieving the Holy Grail and the knowledge of the Forbidden Book that they had stolen could the Holy See regain its true authority. The emperor would lower his head to the pope again, and the pagans would realize their faults and volunteer to be believers of the God of Light. Rosenkreuzughed frantically as he imagined the bells ringing in the Holy See. ''I would kill anyone and everyone to achieve this dream.'' He had already burned thousands of pagans and heretics, but that was not enough. The apocalypse was approaching, and the road to salvation was still long, stretching beyond the horizon. Therefore, more and more evil had to be purified, even if it turned the entire Eeth continent into a sea of fire. ¡°Will you report to the Holy See about our new destination?¡± ¡°No, we will keep it a secret for the time being.¡± He was the manager of the special agency Castineon. Even the cardinals were afraid of him because of his authority to conduct an inspection inside the Holy See. Nobody would me him or hold him ountable for acting on his own. ''There is also the possibility of information leaking out.'' The longsting peace had led to an increase in bureaucratic figures in the Holy See. A group of people who prioritized self-interest rather than devotion to their religion. He wasn''t foolish enough to trust those people. As Rosenkreuz recalled the faces of several men, an urgent voice rang out of the informant¡¯s messages. [Lord Rosenkreuz, we have found the target.] A report came from a priest belonging to Castineon who was secretly entrusted with the surveince over the Dane Kingdom. Rosenkreuz pulled his reins and immediately turned the horse''s head. [The location?] [The capital city of Tenas.] [I will go there immediately. Keep an eye on him until then.] It seemed that the heretics he had burned earlier had given him false information. Or maybe the man who was a member of Eteria Rodinus had deliberately told them false information. Either way, he didn''t care much about that. As long as Rosenkreuz captured him, everything would be solved. ''It seems that the King of Rhine is still visiting thends.'' As he checked Woohyuk¡¯s location through the informant¡¯s messages, Rosenkreuz learned that he was in the Elrond barony. Rosenkreuz hurried his horse, as it was better to deal with this matter before the king returned to the capital, Tenas. ''It¡¯ll be better if he doesn¡¯t know of Eteria Rodinus.'' He was simply a chess piece who would help purify this chaotic world. It was Pronoia, a secret society of the highest ss of priests, who truly understood God''s providence and would bring salvation to the nations on the continent. So, as the head of Pronoia, he was leading the Pope''s special agency called Castineon and working around the continent as an inquisitor of heresy. ¡°Lakius, go to the pce and inform Governor Maximus. Purging the pagans will cause a little uproar in the capital, so ask for his cooperation.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± Lakius¡¯ blue hair fluttered in the wind as his horse ran in another direction alone. Rosenkreuz turned his head and stared ahead. In the distance, he could see the city walls of Tenas. ''I will never let you escape this time.'' He roughly knew of Eteria Rodinus¡¯ objective. Rebuilding the Ark of Knowledge that was partially lost during the War of Gods and Demons and protecting the descendants of the great sage Avicenna. Both were sphemous goals that should never be achieved. ''All the magic books in the Ark of Knowledge hold dangerous contents.'' One example was Lemegeton. Thanks to this, the demon kings who were supposed to be sleeping in the temple of the wise king Solomon were currently wandering around the world. The one who had caused this tragedy was the great sage Avicenna. Had he not wanted to be a god on his own, the Eeth Continent would have been a peaceful paradise ruled by the seven gods. Therefore, he had to correct the world from now on. The Apocalypse. He had to cut off the original sin that had been handed down from generation to generation for too long and had to bring salvation to the youngmbs. ¡°We¡¯re here. Everyone get off your horses.¡± It was the Hansu Industry Guild building in the capital. A member of Eteria Rodinus was inside there. As Rosenkreuz approached the entrance, two guards stood in his way. ¡°It is forbidden for people to enter this building except for those it concerns.¡± ¡°If you have an appointment, please name yourself...¡± They had no idea who was in front of them. Rosenkreuz raised his hand with an annoyed expression to reveal his ring with Castineon''s crest. ¡°Get out of the way, unless you want to be burned as a pagan.¡± ¡°Hiiiiik¡­!¡± ¡°A, An Inquisitor of Heresy¡­!!¡± The guards were frightened and ran away. They were far more afraid of the empire¡¯s inquisitors than their employers. ¡°Bring all those who are not rted to him outside.¡± "Yes sir!" The priests went into the guild building and drove out the craftsmen who were working. Meanwhile, Rosenkreuz searched carefully for the whereabouts of the member Eteria Rodinus. [I am on the second floor, Lord Rosenkreuz. He is looking for something on his own.] [Alright. I¡¯m going there now.] He was now a cornered rat As Rosenkreuz walked up the stairs, a cold sphere flew toward him out of nowhere. Swoooooosh! However, the magic attack waspletely absorbed by an intangible barrier that unfolded before Rosenkreuz ¡°Hmph, so he noticed me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Rosenkreuz.¡± A middle-aged man with reddish brown hair wearing a gray robe appeared behind the handicraft machine. Rosenkreuz looked at him in surprise. ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting for me?¡± ¡°You always interfere with our ns. However, we won¡¯t always be on the receiving side. We still clearly remember the day Saint Sophia was brutally murdered by you people.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so important about the death of a single pagan bitch? Oh, and it turned out that she was a descendant of Avicenna, and her nickname was the goddess of knowledge. Being hailed as a goddess even though she¡¯s a mere human¡­ I should¡¯ve ughtered her alive.¡± ¡°Do not insult her! She was no fanatic nor a heretic¡± The resentful red-brown haired middle-aged man started chanting a spell. Soon enough, the surroundings froze, and a cold wind blew. ¡°Is this space domination? You do have the skills to be called a wiseman.¡± ¡°My name is Ibn Rusud. I will surely stop your wicked conspiracy!¡± ¡°Oho, so you¡¯re also a descendant of Avicenna. No wonder you were so obsessed with that slut¡¯s death. And a conspiracy? Isn''t that exactly what you guys at Eteria Rodinus are scheming?¡± A sage who refused to burn all the forbidden books and stole Solomon''s treasures and fled. Eteria Rodinus was a secret society that had inherited the will of the impure traitor. In response to Rosenkreuz''s enthusiasm, Ibn Rusud made a ridiculous expression. ¡°We have always sought harmony between science and religion. But you people of Pronoia fell into ego and doctrinalism and distorted the truth, without acknowledging the existence of the Creator who is higher than the seven gods.¡± ¡°That is the sophistry that you wisemen enjoy. If you¡¯re correct, then why doesn''t that great being intervene in the world? Our Almighty God of Light always listens to us and gives us the power to fight against evil forces.¡± ¡°The seven gods only act ording to the system created by the Creator. The one who expelled Adam and Eve from Paradise Lost, and the one who made the Sage King Solomon obtain the Holy Grail and Lemegeton was the Creator. Also, the Ark of Knowledge you were about to burn was originally a secret library from Solomon''s generation.¡± "Ha ha ha ha ha! Pagan, do you still covet the power of God? Everything you say is sphemous. Your words are like the devil''s temptation.¡± Rosenkreuz stopped arguing and lifted his staff. Then, Ibn Rusud, who had been chanting, groaned and floated into the air. ¡°Urgh!!¡± ¡°Try praying to the Creator. Why does he pretend not to know about your current dangerous situation? Why does he allow gods inferior to him to be worshiped?¡± "That''s¡­ .¡± ¡°How stupid of you. Why are you trying to walk down the path of destruction by not acknowledging the superior position of the God of Light? He is in the highest of the seven gods and always watches over us.¡± Ibn Rusud struggled in the air as he choked. As Rosenkreuz watched him andughed, the screams of priests resounded downstairs. ¡°Is it Eteria Rodinus? That''s great. Let''s take a look at all of your faces using this opportunity.¡± ording to information from uncertain sources, members of Eteria Rodinus were scattered across the Eeth Continent, each of them on a different mission. In other words, it is extremely rare for them to gather in a single location. As Rosenkreuzughed with a satisfied face, Ibn Rusud clenched his teeth and lifted his staff with difficulty. And¡­ Swoooooooosh! A frosty and frenzy storm swirled around Rosenkreuz. A wide-range spell that was so threatening that the surrounding air froze in no time. Surprised, Rosenkreuz instinctively teleported and barely escaped the area of effect. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff...¡± ¡°No wonder you inherited the lineage of Avicenna. If you weren''t a heretic, you might have been in a high rank of the Holy See.¡± Rosenkreuz narrowed his eyes as he looked at Ibn Rusud, who was calming his breath as he knelt. When he tried to grab Ibn Rusud into the air again, a group of people appeared and shot attack magic at him. Boooooom! Boom! Boom! Some members of Eteria Rodinus hade as support. Rosenkreuzughed in a craze as he unleashed a barrier and took on all of their attack magics. ¡°Hahahaha! Hahahahahaha! Today is a day full of grace. So many pagans I''ve been looking for for decades have appeared in front of me.¡± ¡°Shut it, Rosenkreuz. You, who have fallen in love with doctrine, are the true heretic.¡± The voice of an old man. At the same time, the magic bombing ceased, and silence ensued for a while. ¡°¡­Hm? You...?" Rosenkreuz was puzzled. It is because the existence that he thought was dead long ago stood in front of his eyes. ¡°You haven''t forgotten who I am, have you Rosenkreuz?¡± ¡°Of course, Saint Boetius. You may have sided with the pagans in the past, but you haven''t been emunicated yet, so is it okay to call you Master?¡± ¡°As you wish. But I don''t want to be called Master by you anymore.¡± Boetius¡¯ white hair fluttered as he stepped forward. Rosenkreuz nodded, facing him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to. You did almost die in the library due to the fire started by your disciple.¡± ¡°I am ashamed for trying to raise you as my sessor. In any case, I will stop you frommitting evil from now on.¡± ¡°Ah, that would be troublesome for me, Saint. I still have so many things to do.¡± Rosenkreuz took out a purple pill. [Clipport''s Fruit]. Seeing it, Boetius severely frowned. ¡°You¡¯re still the same as before, using any and every method you have in hand.¡± Chapter 134: Inquisitor of Heresy 5

Chapter 134: Inquisitor of Heresy 5

¡°I did grow up while hearing praises from others calling me a genius, but it would be difficult for me to face you alone in this situation.¡± Rosenkreuz smiled bitterly and swallowed Clipport''s fruit. Shortly thereafter, his pupils shrunk and his irises instantly turned purple. ¡°You do know that Aleister Crowley made that drug, right?¡± ¡°Of course I do. However, we have created a neutralizing agent that can suppress the side effects. Through that, many pagans were granted forgiveness for their sins.¡± The Holy See''s task force, Castineon, was secretly conducting human experiments. That was why Pronoia''s power was recently soaring. Their logic stated that as long as they stayedmitted to the church, using the Clipport¡¯s Fruit was not an evil act. ¡°I see that you now interpret the doctrine as you want.¡± ¡°When fighting against hordes of evil, be prepared to be a martyr. It is clearly stated in the doctrine. So please don''t sell me short just because I took the Clipport''s fruit.¡± ¡°Aleister Crowley is the head of the Witch Cult. He is also the head of the Golden Rose Society.¡± ¡°So what? I didn''t get Clipport''s fruit directly from him. We just took it away from them, like some kind of loot.¡± Aleister was circting the Clipport''s Fruit through the executives under hismand to plunge the Holy Aperian Empire into chaos. When Rosenkreuz noticed this, he sent out the special agency Castineon to seize the Clipport''s Fruits. Thanks to this, the quantity they had was more than enough to be used by Castinion and Pronoia for a while. "You seem to be enjoying yourself, even though you¡¯re dancing in the palms of Aleister Crowley." ¡°Dancing in his palms¡­ Well, that might be the case. But he will be burned by my hands one day, as long as I recover the Holy Grail and the Forbidden books that Eteria Rodinus stole!¡± One bean-sized sphere appeared in Rosenkreuz''s hand. Afterwards, it was shot into the air and it unfolded into a huge magic circle. [Divine Storm]. It was a wide-range magic spell that could only be used if several high-ranking priests cast it at the same time. ¡°This is madness. Are you trying to turn this ce into a wastnd?¡± ¡°I need to do at least this much to bring you down. Five wisemen and one saint. Isn''t that more than enough to beat a Demon King?¡± Hundreds of spheres of light appeared in the air. Afterwards, they raged like a storm and created a huge vortex. "hahahahahahahaha! Why don¡¯t you be a martyr now, Mr. Saint!¡± Rosenkreuzughed like a madman as he watched the wisemen gathered together as they held together the barrier protecting them. Boetius watched for a while before lifting up his crystal staff. ¡°A martyr? I refuse.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Rosenkreuz''s body was lifted into the air. Afterwards, his limbs and joints bent in wrong directions with bone-cracking sounds. ¡°Aaaagghhh!!¡± ¡°It is my fault for not leading you down the right path. So, even if I have to over-exert myself, I have to take this opportunity to end things once and for all.¡± Eradication. Boetius didn''t want to see his disciples degrading themselves endlessly. When he approached Rosenkreuz and tried to finish him off, ¡°Got you.¡± As the surrounding space crumbled, the boundaries between objects began to blur. [Astral Illusion]. It was a divine spell that put the subject into a state of spiritual hallucinations. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would use an ancient tome like this.¡± ¡°I don''t share your hobby of acting ssy all the time. That¡¯s why I was chosen as an inquisitor of heresy who cleanses the world by burning the pagans!¡± Divine Storm narrowed its sphere of influence and approached Boetius. Before long, a series of deafening sounds with a dazzling sh were heard. Boobooboobooboom!!! Boobooboom! Booboobooboobooboobooboom!!! ¡°Lord Boetius!¡± "Oh my goodness!" The wisemen covered as horror filled their eyes. After a while, the sh died down, and everyone''s attention was focused on the two. ¡°Hoo, so you endured that. Your stamina is quite impressive.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Boetius groaned, removing the barrier protecting. But that onlysted for a moment. He immediately corrected his posture and lifted his staff. ¡°It''s my turn this time, Rosenkreuz.¡± A pure white magic circle spread on the floor where the two stood. Soon enough, Boobooboom! Boobooboobooboom!!! Booboobooboobooboobooboom!!! A barrage of spears of light appeared in the air and poured onto Rosenkreuz like heavy rain. [Saint Paul]. It was a wide-range holy spell that could only be cast by dozens of people in the Spiritual Society. Cracks formed on the protective barrier and soon enough, it shattered as it couldn¡¯t withstand Saint Paul''s formidable power. Afterwards, dozens of light spears ruthlessly devastated Rosenkreuz¡¯s entire body as he floated in the air, his arms dangling on the side. Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! The flesh was gouged out and red blood poured. Rosenkreuz looked down at Boetius like a saint being martyred on the execution tform, screaming in pain. "Aaaarrrrgghhhhhhhhh!" ¡°I hope that in your next life, you will live as a good human being who won¡¯t dip his fingers in religious craze.¡± Boetius lowered the crystal staff and drew the sign of the cross with his other hand. As the duration of Saint Paul ended, Rosenkreuz, whose head was dropped, began to chuckle in a low voice. ¡°Keke¡­ Kekekek...¡± ¡°You won¡¯t say that this was all ording to your n, right?¡± ¡°An excellent answer, Saint.¡± ¡°¡­Hm?" Having noticed something odd, Boetius tried to cast a barrier again. Immediately, ¡°Cough¡­¡± A terrible pain that could not be endured spread through Boetius'' body. As he knelt down, vomiting blood, Rosenkreuz spoke with a gleeful expression. ¡°Mirroring impact. It is a new ability that I gained after eating the Clipport''s Fruit. Damage received for up to an hour can be returned to the opponent as is.¡± "You cunning bastard¡­¡± ¡°I feel bad for using something like this. However, I had no choice but to use it to defeat a monster like you. By the way, I am in a state where my abilities have increased several-fold due to the effect of Clipport¡¯s Fruit. I also casted a recovery spell in advance, so I won''t die even if I receive this much damage. But we can¡¯t say the same for you, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Red blood constantly dripped down Boetius'' mouth. He had received the damage Rosenkreuz had umted over time all at once. Ibn Rusud rushed towards Rosenkreuz with the other wisemen as they couldn¡¯t let the situation continue as is. ¡°Rosenkreuz, I will definitely kill you!¡± ¡°How dare you do that to Lord Boetius!¡± Before long, a brilliant magical barrage took ce. Boobooboom! Booboobooboobooboobooboom!!! Boobooboobooboom!!! All of the casters were wizards who have acquired the title of sage, so every one of them was powerful! However, Rosenkreuz shouted and blocked all of the attacks with a barrier. ¡°Are these puny attacks everything Eteria Rodinus can do? ording to some ancient records, each one of you is supposed to be strong enough to defeat a demon king... It appears to have been an exaggerated rumor.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Ibn Rusud lost his temper and rushed forward to strike at the barrier with his staff. ng! Sparks flew and fissured appeared at the point of impact. ¡°Now that the saint is in no shape to fight me, you people can no longer defeat me. The power of Clipport''s fruit is bottomless.¡± Rosenkreuz''s purple eyes shed for an instant. Immediately, a shock wave erupted and Ibn Rusud flew into the distance. ¡°Arghhhhhh!¡± ¡°I am an inquisitor of heresy of the Holy Aperian Empire. I bet that there is no magician who can beat me on his own except for great wisemen who have risen to the ranks of saints.¡± That was true for normal situations, but since he had eaten the Clipport''s Fruit, a demonic stimnt, no matter how big of a group of wisemen gathered, they would definitely struggle against him. As the situation worsened to an extreme, the members of Eteria Rodinus supported Boetius and took emergency measures. ¡°It would be better to fall back for a while and endure until the effect of the Clipport''s Fruit ends.¡± ¡°I agree. Rosenkreuz may say that, but the wounds he suffered a while ago are deep. If we leave him be, he will gradually lose his strength.¡± Everyone''s opinions were the same: to shift into a defensive formation. As arge barrier formed through their unified casting, Rosenkreuz cried out. ¡°It''s useless. Do you guys think you can endure that long? If you really think so, then show it to me!¡± A pure white magic circle spread beneath Rosenkreuz''s feet. [Divine Storm]. It was the wide-range holy magic spell that was previously cast to defeat Boetius. Swoooooosh! The storm of light danced around the barrier and tried to strike Eteria Rodinus. Boobooboom! Boobooboobooboom!!! Booboobooboobooboobooboom!!! The surrounding space was shaking from the power of each hit. However, the wisemen did not go down so easily. They continued to chant without letting the distraction bother them, and although some cracks appeared on the surface, the barrier did not get destroyed. Eventually, as the duration of Divine Storm ended, the wisemen sighed in relief and restored their magical power. ¡°We need to kill that bastard right now!¡± ¡°Be patient, Ibn Rusud. Lord Boetius is in a serious condition right now.¡± A blonde woman stopped Ibn Rusud, who was grinding his teeth. She was casting a healing spell on Boetius, who had lost his consciousness. ¡°Dammit¡­!!¡± ¡°Kuhahahahahaha! Are you finally realizing your position, you foolish pagan? No matter how great of a saint he is, if he faints he¡¯s nothing more than a deadweight. If you attack me on your own, the others won''t be able to withstand my magic and they will all die.¡± Ibn Rusud alone could not destroy Rosenkreuz''s barrier. In other words, all he could do now was to chant spells like the other wisemen. On the other hand, Rosenkreuz was able to unterally cast area of effect magic spells. ¡°ROOOSENKREUUUUUZ!¡± ¡°My body is gradually recovering. So the next spell I cast will be much stronger than before. I want to see you people being shredded to pieces!¡± Of course, he didn''t really intend to kill them immediately. Once their barrier broke, they would be subdued one by one and dragged in front of the Pope. Their deaths would be suspended until all of Eteria Rodinus¡¯ secrets were revealed. ''Finally, the Holy Grail and Lemegeton will be in my hands!'' Once he had sealed Lilith and obtained the 72 Demon King under hismand, Rosenkreuz would have no one to fear in the world. He would be superior to the Pope, and everyone would kneel before him, including the Emperor of the Holy Aperian Empire. As Rosenkreuz made an expression of satisfaction, a familiar voice resounded in the air. ¡°How arrogant of you to put down your guard as victory approaches you. Ah~ Right, you are spreading the sin of Pride throughout the world.¡± ¡°¡­You?!" The air froze instantly. Aleister Crowley. He was staring at everyone with a grotesque expression from the entrance. Chapter 135: Inquisitor of Heresy 6

Chapter 135: Inquisitor of Heresy 6

A genius alchemist who became a heretic to acquire forbidden knowledge. It was unknown how long he has been in this world. However, it was estimated that he was at least a few thousand years old ording to the appearance of his name in an ancient document about the chaotic period before the War of Gods and Demons. As Lilith''s minion, he definitely had a hostile rtionship with Pronoia and Castineon, the groups Rosenkreuz belonged to. What would happen if he faced him now? He didn¡¯t know, but it would be difficult to get out of here safely. He would not be able to secure more information about the members of Eteria Rodinus. As Rosenkreuz looked troubled, Aleisterughed happily. ¡°Hahahahahaha! You¡¯re afraid, aren¡¯t you? Well, that is normal since you haven¡¯t received Lady Lilith¡¯s revtion. Salvation! It can only be obtained through the destruction of this world! The god of Light you believe will be swallowed up in the abyss of the beginning when the hour of judgmentes!¡± ¡°¡­That is sphemy, an alchemist who sold his soul to a witch. It is true that salvation will arrive, but the God of Light is the supreme god and will not be affected by the destruction.¡± ¡°The supreme god? Ah, you mean the first rank amongst the seven gods in the heavenly world. But even then,pared to Lady Lilith, who has reigned in the demon world since the Genesis, he is nothing. Just a small cog in the machine.¡± ¡°Bullshit. The one who led Genesis was the God of Light. The other sub-gods managed Paradise Lost under His direction.¡± The two continued arguing because of their different beliefs. Ibn Rusud intervened in their conversation as he couldn¡¯t just stand on the side doing nothing. ¡°You guys really don¡¯t know anything, do you? The being who oversaw the divine throne system is the Creator. So, Lilith and the God of Light were just dancing in the palm of the Creator. The conflict between the demonic faction and the heavenly faction is just for the bnce of the world. The human world intervenes and acts as a buffer.¡± The human world referred to by Ibn Rusud meant the Eeth continent. The ce where most myths, legends and stories took ce. The demon world and heavenly world were areas where the other faction could not enter, so they were safe in there, so the confrontation naturally happened on the Eeth continent. However, the majority of the gods rebelled against the creator and were then confined, and the rest of them only watched the human world from heaven. Rosenkreuz and Aleister shook their heads stubbornly at Ibn Rusud''s speech. ¡°That is sphemous. There can be no greater being than the God of Light.¡± ¡°Lady Lilith is nearing the origin of the system. Therefore, she can go against the destiny set by the Creator.¡± Both were fanatics who couldn''t be reasoned with. Ibn Rusud sighed and spoke to Aleister. ¡°Aleister, are you here to intervene and benefit from our battle?¡± "That''s right. Those who preach the gospel on their own must be cautious. If you don''t choose the correct stage and time to appear, you will not be able to achieve the will of the great being. Isn''t that right, Rosenkreuz?¡± ¡°This damned alchemist...¡± Rosenkreuz red at Aleister with his shing purple eyes. He didn¡¯t enjoy the fact that he had been used. Meanwhile, Aleister keptughing and showed a rxed attitude. ¡°You must have been pretty intoxicated with the efficacy of the Clipport¡¯s fruit. But you know yourself, right? After the effect¡¯s duration is over, you will be incapacitated for at least one day.¡± ¡°¡­¡± "Ha ha ha ha ha! The neutralizers you make will only prevent side effects on the surface. Now, how much time do you have left? 3 minutes? 1 minute? Or 30 seconds?¡± ¡°Urgh...¡± Rosenkreuz trembled at Aleister''s words. Time was tight. However, it was difficult to find a breakthrough. ''Should I also eat one more pill?'' If he took the Clipport¡¯s fruit repeatedly, the duration of the effect would definitely increase. But the problem woulde after that. As a result of the experiments with the pagans, very serious side effects were observed, such as intestines melting and death. Moreover their appearance had deformed even after being fed neutralizing agents. And even if he took such a risk, it was unsure whether this obstacle could be ovee. In the first ce, it was Aleister who made the Clipport¡¯s fruit, and he most likely had a n in his mind. When Rosenkreuz was unable to make a decision, spears of darkness began to rain on him. ¡°Hahahahaha! How long will you be worrying? Time is on my side!¡± Booboobooboom! Boobooboom Booboobooboom! The surrounding air shook, creating a crack on the protective barrier. The reason behind the fissure wasn¡¯t only the strong attacks, but also the fact that the Clipport¡¯s fruit¡¯s effect was disappearing. ¡°Urgh¡­ !!¡± Rosenkreuz groaned, frowning deeply. He wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand it. There were only two realistic options left for him. ''Running away or taking him down with me.'' But in thetter case, there was the chance that he would fail and die alone. Of course, there was also no guarantee that the former would always seed. However... ''I will never hand over Solomon''s treasures to you.'' If he left here, Aleister wouldfortably defeat Eteria Rodinus. He had to stop the alchemist, even if he had to Rosenkreuz urgently requested support through the disclosure of the informant. [Rakius, ept my summoning orders!] [Yes, Rosenkreuz!] In time, Lakius appeared with a ray of light. At his appearance, Aleister made an interesting expression. ¡°Oh, you brought a dog from the Holy See. Are you going toe and run away now? From those who sold themselves as heresy or social.¡± ¡°Racius, stop the author''s attack while I am chanting the return spell!¡± Rosenkreuz did not get caught in Aleister''s provocation. As Lakius nodded and obeyed the instructions, Aleister looked at Ibn Rusud. ¡°Are you going to let them return safely to the Holy See? It seems to be a bad judgment.¡± ¡°You kill. Because we can''t take a step from here.¡± Eteria Rodinus was taking a neutral position. It was because it was difficult if a loophole was exposed to Aleister while trying to deal with Rosenkreuz. On the contrary, attacking Aleister increased the probability that Rosenkreuz would return alive, so he was also impossible. ¡°I can''t. Instead, if you miss them, don''t resent them too much.¡± Aleister''s magical bombing was even stronger. When Lakius was gripping his teeth, whether it was difficult to endure, the pure white magic circle spread out on the floor covered the area with dazzling light. The casting of the return spell is over. ¡°I will never miss it next time, pagan bastards!¡± Along with Rosenkreuz''s mad voice, two human figures on the magic circle disappeared. Eventually, the sh ceased, and Aleister kicked his tongue and walked toward the members of Eteria Rodinus. Seeing that, Ibn Rusud was ready to fight and warned. ¡°Stop it, Aleister. Don''t think we won''t be able to stop you just because Boetius is down.¡± ¡°Well, I was quite embarrassed against the injured Rosenkreuz, but would that be? ¡°Because I had to fight while protecting Boetius. And because Rosenkreuz was a high-ranking priest, there was a side where divine magic didn''t work well. But you''re the mine that sold your soul to Lilith, so there''s no reason for us to be pushed back.¡± ¡°I sold my soul to Lilith? Can you really be so sure?¡± "sure. You are Aleister Crowley... Huh?" Ibn Rusud, who inadvertently tried to answer, could not speak. This is because Aleister peeled off her face and instantly changed into a young man with ck hair. ¡°I am Chun Woo-hyuk, the king of the Rhine Kingdom. All of your actions so far have been acting to help you.¡± While wandering inside the Garden of Memory, Woo-hyuk saved the appearance of Aleister who identally encountered the clown''s disguise mask. The same goes for his magic. It could be stored in the illusion of the Queen Star Snake, so it was possible to re-implement the umted value at any time. Other than that, I met him so often (especially in the imaginary world) that I was able to imitate things like his tone, behavior, and way of thinking. At Woohyuk''s exnation, the blonde woman next to Ibn Rusud stood up and asked a question. ¡°Then you weren''t the one who officially interviewed Rosenkreuz?¡± "sure. She was my trail. Since I''m an aspiring actor, my acting skills are quite excellent.¡± ¡°There was also a reason I suddenly didn''t feel Magi.¡± Eteria Rodinus has been watching Woohyuk since before. Not only did he possess the Lemegeton, but he was demonstrating a strange course. So I came to the capital Tenas and tried to meet him, but it was unintentionally discovered by Rosenkreuz. ¡°Were you going to get together like this and attack me?¡± ¡°I would have done that if necessary. And that thought still doesn''t change.¡± ¡°If I hadn''t helped, you would all have been beaten by Rosenkreuz. Are you willing to avenge grace as your enemy?¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± The blonde woman couldn''t answer easily with an expression of hesitation. Ibn Rusud, who saw that, opened her mouth instead. ¡°I think your guy also needed something, so he helped us. Maybe a magic book Am I coveting the old documents? Or is it the Holy Grail?¡± ¡°Rosa Etherna. Once that is enough.¡± Woohyuk said straight forward. Ibn Rusud immediately looked upset. ¡°Thenguage of the sage cannot be learned without entering Eteria Rodinus.¡± ¡°If so, you''ll have to join me.¡± ¡°It is absolutely impossible. The demons share their will with us... I would rather join hands with the Holy Pope of the Aperian Empire.¡± ¡°I am human. It just took over the name of the former demon.¡± ¡°¡­ what?" A moment of ufortable silence flowed. Members of Eteria Rodinus exchanged their eyes silently, and the silent blonde woman opened her mouth again. ¡°Where is the informant''s revtion? It has a tracking device on it, so if you have it now, hand it over to us.¡± ¡°There is no need to worry. That''s because one of my guards keeps it well.¡± The informant''s revtion was now in Rafina''s mansion. To hide the contact with Eteria Rodinus, disguised as if he is currently there. Seeing that there was no contact from Rafina yet, Rosenkreuz apparently had been deceived. ¡°Have you found out that we are here by backtracking Rosenkreuz''s location?¡± "Yes. One of my vassals is well versed in magic engineering.¡± Aris modified the informant''s disclosure and forced administrator privileges. Thanks to this, Woohyuk can find out in real time the location of priests belonging to the Holy See''s special agency Castineon. In the future, I could easily cope with this kind of situation. The members of Eteria Rodinus expressed admiration at Woohyuk''s exnation. ¡°It¡¯s really amazing.¡± ¡°They are feeding a guy called genius in the papal office like this.¡± The atmosphere that was a bit overwhelmed by battles a while ago has faded. After a while, when the meeting between them ended, a blonde woman walked forward and reached out to Woo-hyuk. ¡°I''ll make a formal statement. My name is Helena. As you may know, I belong to Eteria Rodinus.¡± It was decided to cooperate with Woo Hyuk in consideration of various circumstances. Woohyuk grabbed Helena''s white hand with a satisfied expression. ¡°This is Cheon Woo-hyuk.¡± Chapter 136: Eteria Rodinus 1

Chapter 136: Eteria Rodinus 1

Eteria Rodius, a group of wisemen who protected the divine lineage and ancestral knowledge from people with impure intentions. They were deeply rted to the Sangreal Chronicles, one of the three Ancient Chronicles that granted epic quests. The Sangreal Chronicles was an item that couldn¡¯t be abandoned, considering that huge rewards such as return scrolls were given when the quests werepleted. So Woohyuk tried to get as much information as possible during his meeting with Eteria Rodinus. ¡°What do you mean the Ark of Knowledge has been lost?¡± ¡°To understand the events, you first need some background knowledge.¡± Helena exined the past as they sat on a chair. The origin of Eteria Rodinus was a gathering of twelve disciples who were taught by the wise king Solomon. Their original purpose was to unify science and religion to mediate disputes between religious groups and academies. However, these attempts provoked a bacsh from the extremists and, after Solomon''s death, led to a conspiracy that stirred up the ancient Aperian Empire. The newly crowned Emperor Adelbert was poisoned at a dinner with the Twelve Disciples, and the Holy Grail and Lemegeton disappeared from Solomon''s Hall. This event waster called the wisemen''s supper. As a result, the twelve disciples were arrested and put on trial, and all were sentenced to death despite theck of evidence. Meanwhile, in the imperial pce, Anikius, a child of Adelbert¡¯s maternal family, became the next emperor with the support of the believers of the God of Light, members of the Light Doctrine. The divine line that had begun with the union of Adam and Eve was in danger of being severed. At that time, Solomon''s first disciple, Avicenna, escaped prison alone. He retrieved the stolen Holy Grail and Lemegeton from the believers of the Light Doctrine, and went to the forbidden library hidden in Solomon''s temple, and activated a magic circle. The name of the magic circle was Akashic Record. He was trying to move the forbidden library, where numerous magic books were stored, to the Ark of Knowledge in the heavenly world. ¡°The Ark of Knowledge is in the world of the gods?¡± ¡°Yes, only enemies of the divine lineage can enter and leave that ce during certain periods of time.¡± ¡°Does it mean that the heavenly world was attacked and lost that part to the enemy?¡± ¡°During the War of Gods and Demons, Lilith tried to open the door to heaven and destroy the world through the Abyss of Origin. However, the attempt eventually failed because she wasn''t qualified.¡± Because of the stigma that was engraved on her when she was exiled from Paradise Lost and fell to the demon world, Lilith could only open a third of the heavenly gate before exhausting herself. However, in the aftermath, part of the heavenly world was destroyed, and hundreds of magic books in the ark of knowledge were lost. Eteria Rodinus intended to restore them through manuscripts kept separately on the Eeth Continent. ¡°Are the three ancient Chronicles included in them?¡± ¡°Yes, especially the Sangreal Chronicles that contains details about the divine lineage and the secrets of Eteria Rodinus, so it must be retrieved.¡± ¡°Then, what about the demon god? Why are you interested in the existence of the demon god?¡± ¡°The War of Gods and Demons caused enormous damage to humans as well as the gods and demons, because the battlefield was the Eeth continent.¡± Recognizing the need for a countermeasure, Eteria Rodinus tried to find out about the underlying system of this world by studying the magic books in the Ark of Knowledge. Then one day, they discovered a surprising fact. It was none other than the dimensional staircase and the existence of the Demon God Asura. In simpler terms, this world was made up of several dimensions, and the Demon God Asura was confined in one of them. ¡°Who on earth wrote that magic book? Was it the wise king Solomon?¡± ¡°We do not know. The Ark of Knowledge has existed since before Solomon''s days.¡± When Adam and Eve were kicked out of Paradise Lost and descended to the Eeth Continent, there were already humans living there. They were the descendants of Adam and Lilith. When Lilith fell to the demon world with a stigma engraved on her waist, her children were sent to the Eeth Continent. Later, as the poption increased, mankind was gradually sent to other dimensions as arranged by the Creator, and as a result, upied thergest part of the world. ''That''s an interesting story.'' ording to Helena''s story, the Eeth continent was the starting point of human civilization. He now also understood why the humans on Earth were sent here. The other humans summoned together were also likely to have lived in the Eeth continent long ago. ''But there are still many questionable points.'' Why was Eteria Rodinus trying to find the Demon God Asura? They must have been well aware that the power of the demon god could destroy the world. Therefore, they should¡¯ve been hostile to him rather than friendly. However, he could not find that attitude in everyone, including Saint Martinus. Woohyuk was in deep thought for a while before speaking again. ¡°Is it possible to change the system into a desirable direction by using the power of the demon god?¡± ¡°It is said to be possible ording to the ancient prophetic book on the Ark of Knowledge. Not only did it exin why Asura was sealed, there was also a description of your past, present, and future.¡± Helena shut her mouth as if she didn¡¯t want to say more than that. Woohyuk stared at her pretty face. ¡°You better keep talking. I can''t see any difference from your words to Aleister''s quest for salvation.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯spletely different. He is trying to destroy the world as Lilith intended. But that is not the only option avable to you.¡± ¡°Then, are you telling me to fight the Creator? I¡¯m sorry, but I haven''t even reached the divine thrones yet. And I won¡¯t have to fight him if we fill all the divine thrones and return mankind to our original world...¡± ¡°Why do you think you were able to meet the demon god? Do you believe that you just identally discovered the Nag Hammadi Chronicles in the underground ruins of the Liones Kingdom, and met the three goddesses of fate in Urdarbrunn through luck?¡± Helena''s blue eyes burned fiercely. Woohyuk was surprised for the first time. ''Do they know that I regressed?'' Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to mention the events that happened in his past life. His heart throbbed like never before. Along with the tension, an anxious foreboding came. ¡°Was everything nned by the Creator?¡± ¡°The peaceful ending you have been expecting will never happen in the future. The adversity you will face will be far more terrible and distressing than the ones you experienced in the past 40 years. Think carefully about why Lilith and Aleister have been leaving you alone.¡± ¡®Does he want me to suffer?¡¯ Did he want Woohyuk to be increasingly stained with blood and madness as he lost his loved ones and became frustrated? Woohyuk recalled the events in the memory garden. ''I won¡¯t let things go that way.'' No matter what happened this time, he would reach the divine thrones and save everyone. It was with that promise that he tore the return scroll. He had given up everything. His peaceful daily life, the woman he loved, the emperor''s throne, all kinds of golden and silver treasures in his warehouse. It was because he thought he was the only one who could achieve this goal. But the future had always been nned. ¡®This is uneptable.¡¯ Woohyuk stood up from his seat and held firmly on Helena¡¯s shoulders, who was facing him. ¡°I will kill them all. I will not hesitate to cut down those who stand in my way. So tell me. What the hell is written in that prophetic book and what is my destiny?¡± ¡°You are already drowning in madness. You are just not aware of it yet. If you kill me now, you will never escape that madness.¡± Helena wasn''t afraid and looked straight into Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. A heavy silence flowed for a while, and Woohyuk stepped back after releasing her. ¡°Apologies. It seems I got overexcited.¡± ¡°That is understandable. You''ve been overusing the Demon God¡¯s abilities for a while after uniting with his ego. That is why you will need my help from now on.¡± ¡°How will you help me? You won¡¯t even tell me the contents of the prophetic book.¡± ¡°Because I am a saint. I have inherited the divine lineage.¡± It was said that Helena was the descendant of Solomon, the wise king. Woohyuk was puzzled and looked at her again. ¡°Now that I think about it, you do resemble Saint Sophia.¡± ¡°We are of the same family. But how do you know of her appearance?¡± ¡°I happened to meet her at the Royal Library in the Izuna Kingdom.¡± Woohyuk recounted the events at the secret library of the Spiritual Society. Then Helena eximed with a startled expression. ¡°You passed the trial of the White Sage Martinus? That¡¯s something I didn''t see in the prophetic book...¡± ¡°The trial was merely a few battles in the imaginary world.¡± ¡°Well, then do you have the nameless tome?¡± "Of course." Woohyuk took out the ancient nameless tome. Helena hurriedly grabbed it and skimmed the pages without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s true. It is written in Rosa Eterna and there is no sign of it being a counterfeit.¡± ¡°Is that ancient book important to you?¡± ¡°Of course. The nameless tome contains all the information about the Ark of Knowledge and the Holy Grail.¡± If it went into the hands of Pronoia or the Golden Rose Society, everything would be over. While they couldn¡¯t read Rosa Eterna and would take a long while to read it, it would still be extremely unfavorable to them. ¡°Then this will be easy. In exchange for returning it, I want to hear everything written inside.¡± ¡°I will add one more condition. No matter what happens, you will not harm me.¡± ¡°I must have terrified you earlier.¡± ¡°Not really. It''s just that if I die, many people will be in trouble.¡± Those who had inherited the divine lineage were few now. Those of the Light Doctrine tried to erase Solomon''s bloodline from the world after making Anikius the puppet emperor. They elected a pope after putting the word holy in front of the imperial name, and they were not afraid to cover up the truth by modifying the scriptures and records. Therefore, Solomon''s eleven disciples, who escaped the imperial dungeon, left the empire and lived together in seclusion. ¡°Eleven disciples? You mentioned 12 people earlier.¡± ¡°The twelfth disciple Judas Iscariot was a traitor. It was he who poisoned Emperor Adelbert.¡± Judith had sold them all out for a piece of gold. He had be so absorbed in the Light Doctrine that he had forgotten the teachings of his master. Later, when his crimes were revealed, he ran away andmitted suicide by hanging himself on a tree. ¡°I¡¯ve heard something simr before.¡± ¡°The version from the world you were originally in was slightly different. Anyways, the members of Eteria Rodinus have always been eleven ever since. We are only allowed to have one sessor.¡± ¡°Are there any other descendants of Solomon other than you? I¡¯m not quite convinced that you are the only one.¡± ¡°I never dered that I was the only one. Hidden children who inherited Solomon¡¯s bloodline have existed. Avicenna is a prime example.¡± The High Sage Avicenna was both the first disciple of Solomon the Wise King and his illegitimate child. Therefore, even after the royal family of the ancient Aperian Empire was eliminated by the Light Doctrine, the divine lineage was able to continue its survival. Woohyuk nodded as if he understood. ¡°Then, won¡¯t Eteria Rodinus ept my request even if I take you hostage?¡± ¡°Well, that is the case. I have enough candidates who can rece me. Now that you know, can you stop aiming for my life?¡± Helena turned her head with a frown. A woman with a clumsy and cute side that did not suit her mature appearance. Woohyuk got up from his seat with a small smile. ¡°I''ll apologize for thements from earlier, Miss inflexible saint.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that, Mr. I-don¡¯t-know-any-basic-etiquette?¡± ¡­ It seemed that it would take some time for the two to get close. Chapter 137: Eteria Rodinus 2

Chapter 137: Eteria Rodinus 2

While Saint Boetius was recovering in the capital Tenas, Woohyuk spoke with Saint Helena. She was an intelligent, energetic, determined and beautiful woman. However, there was no subtle mood between the two of them, and only a few quarrels urred. There were differences in each other¡¯s opinions, but fundamentally, they just weren¡¯tpatible. Nevertheless, they valued each other highly in their minds. ''She¡¯s the most open-minded amongst the saints I''ve met.'' ¡®His reason and thoughts are upright despite the fact that he merged with the demon god''s ego.'' Though each other¡¯s expectations were quite low from the beginning, which helped out a lot. ¡°My Lord, I brought those on the list as you asked.¡± "Good work." Woohyuk, who was sitting with Helena, opened the door and praised Sieg for his hard work. The reason he was responsible for bringing them was to avoid Rosenkreuz¡¯s suspicion, as well as the fact that an important person was included in the list. Moreover, his other vassals with demonic energy were currently returning to the Rhine Kingdom on different missions and were unavable. Since he had imed to be a minister of the God of Light, he could not put them on the frontlines for the time being. ¡°Dad, I missed you!¡± Lia jumped into Woohyuk''s arms with a bright smile on her face. Joanna entered while Woohyuk was patting her hair. "I see that you¡¯re in good health, Your Majesty." "Of course. Nothing happened in ckburn while I was away?¡± ¡°Yes, it is so peaceful that it¡¯s boring. But can I really entrust the kingdom to that child and appoint her as the regent?¡± The regent in question was Irene. Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Irene has no desire for power. And since Aris is now back in ckburn, she''ll help out if something goes wrong.¡± Aris was working with Alphone, Lucas and Agnes to set up a magic engineeringb in ckburn. They would first analyze the ingredients and materials for the Clipport¡¯s fruit, and then would make several inventions by referring to Jake''s research journal obtained from Bronze Rock Mountain. It might not be an easy feat, but Woohyuk believed their abilities would be more than enough. ¡°I worry that she will ept a marriage proposal of some noble. She doesn¡¯t seem to take romantic rtionships seriously...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I told her to make decisions after informing me first.¡± Moreover, Irene had been trained to act like a princess in the past, so she was unlikely to spark a controversy amongst the nobles. However, it would be natural for them to feel confused by her appointment as a regent. As Woohyuk reassured Joanna, King Philip II of Lydia came into the stone chamber as he coughed. "Father!" ¡°Oh, Joanna! It''s been so long.¡± The father and child hugged each other and shed happy tears. Both of them were worried about the well-being of each other as they feared Aleister''s schemes. ¡°When I received the ckmail, I didn''t know what to do. I couldn''t do anything...¡± ¡°The King of Rhine secretly sent a man to save us. He even defeated the demons himself out of kindness.¡± Philip II owed a great debt to them, so he wanted to help Woohyuk out one way or another. Nheless, it was only to see his daughter that he had traveled this far. ¡°Is the situation in the Lydia kingdom peaceful now?¡± ¡°There are still a few things to be dealt with. We have to deal with the epidemic spread by Aleister, and the nobles who joined hands with the demons must be purged. We also have to stop the hordes of monstersing in from other kingdoms.¡± Unlike the Dane Kingdom, which Woohyuk had taken over, the Lydia Kingdom was still in a somewhat confused and chaotic state. Joanna grabbed King Philip II''s hand with a worried expression. ¡°Please be careful of the demons, Father. They use any means in order to achieve their goals.¡± ¡°I know, Joanna. But how long will you stay in the Rhine Kingdom? Return to the Lydia Kingdom if you don''t n to marry again. Not now, of course, but once the country is stabilized.¡± King Philip II wanted Joanna to marry Woohyuk. Woohyuk¡¯s skills and abilities were only excellent, but his character also wasn''t bad. Joanna, who noticed his intentions, looked away as she hesitated. ¡°I, I¡­¡± ¡°Joanna, it''s time to tell him the story.¡± Woohyuk, who was listening to the conversation, spoke to the woman. Then Joanna stared at him in surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t it still too early, Your Majesty?¡± "No. The more you dy, the more you¡¯ll be embarrassed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Joanna shut her mouth as she pondered. When he saw that, King Philip II asked her in confusion. ¡°Do you have any concerns, Joanna? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ do you have an unwanted pregnancy¡­?¡± ¡°N-no! That¡¯s absolutely not the case...¡± ¡°Then, don''t feel burdened and tell your father.¡± "Actually¡­¡± Joanna briefly exined what had happened. Immediately, King Philip II''s eyes widened. ¡°You became the sessor of Queen Iona?¡± ¡°We were originally from the vis family, Father. That''s why I was able to enter her historic site.¡± Joanna pulled out Queen Iona''s Guardian Cross to show her father. He could no longer refute now that he had seen that evidence. Philip II looked at her nkly as he had no words to say. ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°I will stay in ckburn and try to follow Queen Iona''s footsteps. Since she has left artifacts like this behind, there must be other quests or ruins somewhere in the Rhine Kingdom.¡± ¡°If you truly believe that, then do as you please. I will support you as much as possible through the King of Rhine.¡± In fact, cases where a family line from the past that was lost gets rediscovered by coincidence often happened. Many old surnames would reappear. Immediately after wars, the royal families of the defeated country would be annihted or would leave in exile and scatter themselves. Nobles and ordinary citizens of the kingdom often forgot and lost their surnames after bing war orphans. Soon after the conversation ended, Woohyuk asked King Philip II about the situation in the Lydia kingdom in detail. ¡°How serious is the epidemic that Aleister spread?¡± ¡°Many people of my kingdom are dying. Some provinces are empty because there were no survivors.¡± It was as if the ck Death was rampant in the kingdom. Woohyuk looked back at his memories and tried to recall whether there had been a simr epidemic in the past. ''Is it the ghost disease?'' It was a disease that urred during the night when the moon was high. An evil spirit would seep into the body of a sleeping person. Symptoms includedck of energy, sudden drop in blood pressure, breathing difficulties, and seizures that would ur every night. In addition, it was able to exert greater power in areas with poor sanitary environments, where animals would also get infected. ''The cure was found by priests.'' A potion made by using the nt-type monster mandragora as a medicinal ingredient. If one added divine magic to it, most of the symptoms would be healed, except for extremely bad symptoms. The problem was that it was not easy to find Mandragoras, but Woohyuk already knew some locations. ''A cave on the coastal cliff in the west of the Lydia kingdom.'' It was the ruins that Woohyuk was nning to visit to retrieve the Hydra¡¯s dark breath, a material to craft the seven color rainbow ring. [The Devil''s Crystal Cave]. In fact, there is no such thing as a devil in that cave, but the screams of the Mandragoras when getting uprooted ended up being the cause of that grotesque name. Anyways, if he were to go to Lydia Kingdom, he would first have to stop by there. There was also a saint with him now, so he didn''t have to worry about the Mandragoras¡¯ debuffs. ¡­ Though he had already be a demon and was resistant to those. ¡°Ah, I guess I cannot receive the saint''s protection.¡± ¡°Of course not. My divine spell is like poison to you.¡± Helenaughed and crossed her arms. Then King Philip II looked at Woohyuk with absurdity drawn on his face. ¡°What are you talking about, King of Rhine? And won''t you introduce this woman to me?¡± ¡°¡­ She is just a simple acquaintance. This woman is Saint Helena. She is currently under my protection due to some circumstances.¡± Woohyuk tried to hide as much information as possible, such as Helena being from Eteria Rodinus. Pronoia and the members of the Golden Rose Society were everywhere, so he had to watch his words everywhere. Even King Philip II felt the odd mood, but didn¡¯t dig deeper. ¡°Indeed, it is true that a saint traveling on her own could be dangerous. The Holy Aperian Empire is also in a chaotic situation these days.¡± ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°I heard rumors that demons are chasing after a certain saint. Moreover, they say that a Pdin is always next to her.¡± ¡°Did she create trouble everywhere like Princess Eleonora did?¡± ¡°I do not know that. I think it is unlikely the saint acted in such a manner...¡± This was not the time to worry about others. As King Philip II looked anxious, Woohyuk called in Sieg, who was waiting outside. ¡°Sieg, bring the prisoners.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± Sieg came in with a tightly tied woman. King Philip II, who saw her unusual appearance, reacted with surprise. ¡°Wha, what the hell is this? She is like a mix of cat and human.¡± ¡°She is a beastwoman, one of the races that came from another world. Her name is Catsy.¡± ¡°¡­ Why did you bring me all the way here, human?¡± Catsy¡¯s eyes turned into slits like a cat''s and stared at Woohyuk. It was quite a wild provocation. Woohyuk got up from his seat and grabbed her long tail. ¡°Ugh¡­ !!¡± ¡°They say that beastmen hate to be touched by their tails. Is that true?¡± He pretended not to know the answer despite the fact that he was already aware. Catsy was resentful and swore at Woohyuk. ¡°How dare this perverted human molest me! Get those dirty hands off my tail right now!¡± ¡°Interesting. Do beastmen consider it to be sexual harassment when their tails are touched?¡± Woohyuk molested Catsy a few more times and then poured demonic energy into her body through her tail. Catsy stopped moving rebelliously and began to cry like a cat. ¡°Meoow~! Please give me orders, Master!¡± A sudden shift in attitude. Joanna and King Philip II as well as Helena were astonished. ¡°How, how did you do that? Was it... brainwashing?¡± ¡°I just tamed her.¡± He had overpowered the Manticore in the Memory Garden,and he suddenly thought of trying the same on Catsy. His thoughts were ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to tame her since she¡¯s no different from a beast-type monster?¡¯ ''Catsy is the most useful amongst the n leaders I currently have captured.'' Catsy was a beastwoman, so she was not restricted in rough mountainous terrains or lush forest areas. Above all, she had the advantage of being able to climb walls without additional equipment. If he used her as a central pir to train a beastmen squad, it would greatly strengthen his army. It wouldn''t be toote to make the other n heads his vassals if they became strongerter. ¡°Master, please pet me!¡± Catsy rubbed her face against Woohyuk''s leg and gently waved her tail. Helena burst intoughter in amusement. ¡°Pffft! Are you going to grab her tail again?¡± ¡°No, because she would get on my knees as she goes in heat.¡± ¡°How nasty. You bothered her despite knowing it already.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it really matters because she was going to hate me in the future anyway.¡± ¡°I should be careful too, since I don''t know when you''re going to sexually harass me.¡± ¡°I am not interested in a woman who denounces others, Ms. Sadist Saint.¡± "Did you think I was interested, Mr. Animal Cruelty?" Woohyuk and Helena began to fight again. They could easily be misunderstood in this situation. King Philip II whispered to Joanna with a dumbfounded look on his face. ¡°Are those two lovers, Joanna?¡± ¡°¡­ Probably not.¡± But strangely enough, she felt that the two of them went well with each other. Joanna stared at Helena with envy in her eyes. Chapter 138: Eteria Rodinus 3

Chapter 138: Eteria Rodinus 3

After Joanna and King Philip II ended their heartwarming reunion, Woohyuk checked his status before starting negotiations with Helena. [Chun Woohyuk] -ss: Necromancer, Asura -Title: Legendary Explorer (20% increase in Item drop rate from monsters, 20% increase in Perception and Speed when in a Historical site, Ruler of the Calm Sea (can summon Kraken and create underwater Air Bubbles.) -Stats Strength: 324 +20 (Judgement Sword Grandia) +5 (Vampiric Dagger) Vitality: 312 +40 (Basilisk''s Scale Armor Set) +40 (Berserker''s te Armor Set) +20 (Elder Naga¡¯s Ancient Ring) Agility: 337 +40 (Basilisk''s Scale Armor Set) +40 (Berserker''s te Armor Set) +20 (Banshee Queen''s Cloak) Intelligence: 305 +15 (Queen Star Snake Ghost) +20 (Moon Shadow Ring) +20 (Jester¡¯s Mask) Spirit: 365 +15 (Calm Sea¡¯s Silence) +10 (Elder Lizardmen''s Fighting Spirit) +15 (Boss Bronze Golem¡¯s Belt) -Other 25% increase in affinity with the dead 25% increase in resistance to dark magic 25% increase in power of skills of darkness attribute ''This is about 64% of the stats I had before my regression.'' Considering that a year had yet to pass since his regression, this was a tremendous growth speed. But the higher his stats were, the more difficult it would be to increase them further. However, most of the growth-type artifacts he had collected so far had reached B-grade, and some would reach A-grade in the near future, so the experience points that had been used on the items would gradually return to him. ''I really did collect a lot of artifacts.'' Some were not disyed in the status window because they did not increase his stats, but he had obtained a few additional artifacts such as the Cradle of Grief, the Memory Pendant, and the hand of Midas. He also had useful items such as various alchemy materials, a love potion, and poison antidotes. But besides the gains, he had also lost a few items. The Messenger¡¯s Wings disappeared after being used 3 times, and the Basilisk''s Scale Armor Set and Berserker''s te Armor Set were badly damaged during the battle against the Demon Kings of Ars Nova. It would be difficult to use them again inrge-scale battles or against strong opponents. Fortunately, he could receive the stats increase effects simply by putting them in his belt slots, but he needed to repair or upgrade the items to use them. Upgrading meantbining existing equipment with other materials or equipment to produce a new equipment of higher grade. However, it was impossible to do without the help of an excellent cksmith. As expected, he had no choice but to recruit Hans, the King of Cooking, and Dexter, the Runesmith, in the Lydia Kingdom. Dexter would be able to upgrade the artifacts he owned. With his help, Woohyuk could use the artifacts he rarely utilized as materials, thereby reducing the systematically increasing number of equipment. ''I guess I don¡¯t have to worry about my sses and titles.'' He still had two empty slots for sses. However, unlike his initial n, there were unexpected developments such as obtaining the Asura ss, so he had to be careful from now on. Once a ss was decided, it was generally impossible to change it. On the other hand, in the case of titles, there were some good ones he could obtain, but there were also unnecessary ones he didn¡¯t have to waste his time on. ''Now that I think of it, it¡¯s about time I expand my n.'' It was a situation where it was no longer necessary to keep his n ranking low intentionally. He had acquired the Rhine Kingdom and the Dane Kingdom, and had made an alliance with the neighboring countries of Lydia and Izuna. He also had a friendly rtionship with the Holy See of the Aperian Empire. In other words, it was meaningless to hide their growth potential as of now since he was the western lord of the West Continent. He had to actively increase their n¡¯s ranking in order to obtain more rewards and to trainpetent vassals. There was also a need toy the foundation for the conquest of the Eeth Continent by enlisting more n leaders or turning them into his vassals. In the long run, it was necessary to collect the remaining four materials of the Seven Color Rainbow Ring and restore the three ancient Chronicles after finding them with the help of Eteria Rodinus. Sealing the 72 Demon Kings to unlock Lemegeton''s hidden powers was also an important task that couldn¡¯t be overlooked. More and more important tasks he had to pay attention to were piling up. As Woohyuk sighed, Helena, who was next to him, spoke. ¡°You look like you are taking on all the worries of the world by yourself.¡± ¡°Then do you think that my position right now is an easy one?¡± ¡°Of course not. But the more impatient you are, the faster the abyss within you will consume you.¡± Helena was warning Woohyuk that he could not control the power of the demon god. There were limitations to him as he was originally born a human. In the first ce, humans were different from gods and would easily break like ss under strong pressure or impact. Moreover, the Demon God had a higher rank than the seven gods worshipped on the Eeth Continent, so the difficulty of this challenge was beyond imagination. It was not enough to be simply alert, and the probability of failure was overwhelmingly higher than sess. ¡°Then why are you trying to help me? My destiny has already been decided, no?¡± ¡°I never said that you would unconditionally despair at the end. I was just pointing out that your methods were wrong.¡± Helena¡¯s eyes lit up as a fire burned in her irises. She seemed to have something to say. Woohyuk spoke as he looked out from the window. ¡°Have you finally decided to teach me your secrets? I asked before, but you never answered me.¡± ¡°No, I am simply waiting for the correct timing. You need to be controlled once you¡¯re at the appropriate level.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not funny at all. I finally reached this point without taking a single break until today. And you¡¯re still waiting for the proper moment while saying that my odds at sess are slim?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t understand no matter what I tell you right now. That''s why I''m staying by your side like a lover for now.¡± Helena spoke as if she knew everything about the future. Woohyuk turned around to face her as he did not like her attitude and approached Helena. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you actually be my lover?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll have to think about¡­ Mmm?!¡± Suddenly, Woohyuk and Helena''s lips ovepped. He pushed Helena against the wall and grabbed her shoulders. ¡°Seems like you didn¡¯t see thising at all.¡± ¡°I imagine that you wish to make me obedient. I understand your sentiments. By giving up on all the women you loved so far, you must¡¯ve suppressed your desires quite a lot. In addition to that, anxiety and stress have started to weigh on your mind, which is why your attitude is turning violent like this.¡± ¡°What do you even know about me?¡± She hadn¡¯t heard of his harsh journey like Lucretia had, nor was she by his side for a long time like Leifina had. She had just read the contents of a prophetic book, a book with an unknown author, and was interpreting his life as she wished. So Woohyuk had tried to act in an unexpected way to surprise Helena and embarrass her, and take the initiative in the conversation. ¡°I can tell by looking at your eyes and listening to your words. I know what kind of man you are.¡± ¡°I guess you still think you have the upper hand.¡± Woohyuk pushed Helena down onto the bed. Helenaughed lovingly at his actions. "Do as you wish. But it is my first time, so not too rough please.¡± Helena left Woohyuk in charge of her body and stroked his back. When she voluntarily took off her clothes, Woohyuk stopped moving with a tired look. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°To relieve even the slightest bit of your suppressed desires. As I previously mentioned, if you continue to live such an inhumane life, your mind will not hold on and you will be eroded by the abyss.¡± Helena pulled Woohyuk''s head with both hands and buried it in her milky breasts. Woohyuk didn''t even move as he couldn¡¯t think of what to say or what to do. ''This woman keeps stimting me.'' And, strangely enough, he couldn''t keep his self-control in front of her. As Woohyuk began pondering about the reason behind it, ¡°If you don¡¯t feel like it, just lie still. I will do everything for you.¡± Helena rolled aside and climbed on top of Woohyuk. When she tried to start an intimate act with Woohyuk, Woohyuk frowned and spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re a saint or a prostitute. Is it okay for a woman of the divine lineage to do this?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter, you know? I can''t walk on water or turn water into wine like the god worshipped in your world. And I have the right to choose a husband myself. Honestly, you are not a bad partner to have as the father of my child.¡± Helena would one day have to bear a child. She could not stay single as she had to keep the divine lineage ongoing. That was why she had seduced Woohyuk as if she was performing her duties. ¡°Get out of the way. I have no intention of making you my wife.¡± ¡°I understand. But you don¡¯t have to feel burdened as we can have a simple rtionship.¡± Birth control pills also existed in the Eeth Continent. When Helena whispered that she didn''t necessarily have to bear children right now, Woohyuk felt a momentary burst of lust. ''I never knew I would want to hold this woman in my arms so much.'' But it was just for a one-night stand, an instinctive desire. Woohyuk felt that things were getting out of hand, and pushed Helena away and raised himself. "I apologize. I made a mistake again." ¡°Are you restraining yourself again? You might actually die a virgin at this rate.¡± ¡°You talk a lot for a woman with no experience either.¡± ¡°¡­Hm? Did you have some fun with a woman before regressing? If it were her, you certainly would have had an intimate rtionship without feeling reluctant.¡± As Helena spoke, she nced at Leifina. Woohyuk also stared at Helena as he noticed that. ¡°So, what will you do about it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not really jealous. Rather, it means that your desire has been satiated a little, which is good news.¡± ¡°You are a terrible woman. You really are.¡± ¡°Being a saint is something like this. If you aren''t as kind as an angel, you have to be strong to endure the hardships. In the past, there were many saints who sold their souls to the devil, because they couldn¡¯t stand their own acts and duality.¡± ¡°Is it the same case for you? I think you¡¯re more suited to be a witch instead of a saint since you¡¯re too open-minded.¡± Helena was certainly far from the usual image of a saint. She shook her index finger. ¡°I''ve thought about it a few times before, but I want to. If I be a witch, you wille and cut me down with a sword.¡± ¡°You know me well.¡± ¡°Anyway, Lord Boetius has opened his eyes, so sooner orter you will have a chance to talk to him again. If you don''t want today¡¯s events to be mentioned to him, be nice to me.¡± ¡°I think I was kind enough until now. What more do you want?¡± ¡°Show me Lemegeton. The reward you got on thest floor of the Twilight Tower.¡± Lemegeton was originally a treasure stored in Solomon''s Temple. It was natural that she would be interested. Woohyuk nodded and pulled out Lemegeton from his pocket. ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised, as there are three demon kings sealed inside it.¡± ¡°I am a saint. I won¡¯t be afraid of something like that.¡± Helena said with a confident look. Later, as Woohyuk turned the pages, Amii opened her eyes and stared at Helena. ¡°Kyaaaa! She, she¡¯s moving!¡± Helena was frightened and hid behind Woohyuk''s back. Then the door opened and Leifina entered. ¡°My Lord! Is something the matt...¡± She was shocked by the sight that she couldn¡¯t end her sentence Leifina''s expression froze at once. Chapter 139: Eteria Rodinus 4

Chapter 139: Eteria Rodinus 4

After surviving Leifina¡¯s harsh questioning, Woohyuk and Eteria Rodinus gathered in one ce and started a meeting. Boetius had woken up and was able to talk in earnest now. While he was unconscious, Helena had volunteered to stay by Woohyuk''s side on her own, so Woohyuk didn¡¯t really have the opportunity to meet and converse with the other members of Eteria Rodinus. ¡°First of all, I wish to thank you, King of Rhine.¡± Boetius was informed about Woohyuk¡¯s intervention by the other members beforeing here. As he bowed with his staff in both hands, Ibn Rusud spoke in an arrogant tone. ¡°Lord Boetius, you do not have to be so polite to him. He only helped us to receive some gains and benefits himself.¡± ¡°Whatever the purpose was, we cannot deny that he saved us during a crisis, Ibn Rusud. Please refrain from speaking thoughtlessly.¡± Boetius'' position was firm. When Ibn Rusud shut his mouth reluctantly, Helena, who stood next to him, smiled and changed the subject. ¡°He truly has Lemegeton in his possession, just like the prophetic book had said. He can also use its abilities.¡± ¡°¡­ I can imagine that. He did inherit Demon God Asura¡¯s name.¡± Lemegeton was a magic book that could seal the 72 Demon Kings, and Woohyuk was the sessor of the previous Demon God. It was no surprise that Woohyuk had acquired Lemegeton and could utilize it. The question now was how he would use it from now on. ¡°Lord Boetius, how about taking this opportunity to question the demon kings sealed in Lemegeton? They may know the information we need.¡± "Hm¡­ That is a good idea. We implore you, King of Rhine.¡± Boetius nodded at the suggestion of a wiseman. When everyone turned to him in unison, Woohyuk took out Lemegeton and summoned the three demon kings. ¡°ept my call. Amii, Vk, Dantalion.¡± Swooooosh! Dark energy covered the interior of the stone chamber. The members of Eteria Rodinus took their battle stances as they prepared for the worst case scenario. Before long, three figures appeared side by side inside the fog-like thick demonic energy. ¡°Dammit¡­ Just why must I act like his mutt¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m d I wasn¡¯t whipped like you, Amii.¡± ¡°As long as I don¡¯t get tortured by Asura, I would have nothing else to wish for in life. I technically am the weakest demon king, so...¡± Their voices revealed each of their identities. Woohyuk first grabbed Amii by the nape and dragged her in front of Boetius. ¡°Kyaaaaa! Don¡¯t whip me! Just hang me and kill me instead!¡± ¡°Even Urkheim knows you won¡¯t die with that much only.¡± ¡°Who are you even talking about¡­ Anyways, please stop bothering me. Aren¡¯t you also a demon king?¡± Amii knelt down and begged Woohyuk, revealing that pathetic sight to everyone. Boetius suddenly struck her head with his staff. Thump! ¡°Kyaaaaaagh!¡± ¡°You talk too much for someone who was sealed. Enough with the small talk. Answer my questions.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Amii realized Boetius was a saint through the amount of divine power he had. Her face darkened. As she got quiet, Helena stuck out her tongue towards the woman on the floor. "It¡¯s so nice to see her like this. She used toe at me and attack me like a cat in heat." ¡°¡­¡± That was why Amii had been whipped by Woohyuk recently. As Helena kept teasing her, Boetius coughed. ¡°Helena, this is a public ce, so act with the dignity of a saint.¡± "I apologize. I won''t do it next time.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t sound sincere at all, Ms. Saint.¡± Ibn Rusud taunted Helena as he watched her bright expression. The two of them were siblings. Moreover, Boetius was their biological grandfather. "Why don¡¯t you mind your own business, Mr. Wiseman who always getspared to Rosenkreuz?" ¡°Stop it, both of you. Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re at home in front of the demon kings.¡± ¡°Did you hear that, Ms. Saint? Please act appropriately.¡± ¡°Then we just have to stop talking to each other, Mr. Wiseman. For eternity.¡± The brother and sister simultaneously turned away as they pouted. Boetius sighed and apologized to Woohyuk. ¡°Apologies. Those children grew up without parental care and have be slightly rebellious, so please be understanding.¡± ¡°I don''t really mind, as long as they aren¡¯t useless.¡± Woohyuk nced to the side at Helena. Helena, who felt his gaze, lightly smiled and pretended not to notice. ¡°Then, let''s get back to our original topic.¡± Boetius turned to Amii. Afterwards, he took a scroll and unrolled it to show Amii. "That''s¡­ .¡± ¡°Tell me everything you know about the original document of this manuscript. If you do so, we won¡¯t have to resort to corporal punishment, such as the whipping you hate.¡± The original document Boetius referred to was the Sangreal Chronicles. Amii hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°Recently, I identally overheard the conversation of some demon kings in another circle. They talked about finding the Sangreal Chronicles, erasing the divine lineage from the world, and taking the Holy Grail to the demon world.¡± ¡°What are the names of those demon kings? Do they know where the Sangreal Chronicles are?¡± ¡°The circle name is Ars Almadel. The members are Orobas the 55th, Andras the 63rd, and Astaroth the 29th. They didn''t seem to know where it was exactly, but they suspected the Talis kingdom.¡± The 55th Demon King Orobas was the one who had aplicated history with Loengreen, as he was the one who had killed themander of the Trinity Knight Order, Rnd. The 63rd Demon King Andras was somewhat low in rank, but had a special skill that allowed him to spread an imaginary world and attack the opponent''s mind. Meanwhile, Astaroth, the 29th Demon King, had outstanding strength and power with very few weaknesses as he was a high-ranker. In summary, they were a lot more difficult to deal withpared to Ars Nova, whose main powerhouse was Amii. ¡°The Talis Kingdom, you say? But that information isn¡¯tpletely trustworthy, is it? What about you two? Do you know anything?¡± Boetius'' gaze turned to Vk and Dantalion. Woohyuk dragged the two in front of Boetius. ¡°I, I wasn¡¯t interested in the Holy Grail all this time. Witches are generally the ones interested in it. Us Demon Kings were too busy fighting on the Eeth continent.¡± ¡°There are a few things I heard from the Witch of Sloth. Angrboda apparently left for the Norton Kingdom for the Edda Chronicles, and the Witch of Lust went to the Talis Kingdom to investigate thends.¡± Unlike the simple and ignorant Vk, Dantalion had a bit of information. Woohyuk ced his hand on his chin and thought about his ns. ''It would be better to visit the Lydia Kingdom for a short while only and head to the Talis Kingdom straight away.'' The King of Cooking Hans and Runesmith Dexter were in the Enoa and Norton Kingdoms respectively, but the two countries were rtively close to the Lydia Kingdom, so it wouldn¡¯t take much time. While the Edda Chronicles were also located in the Norton Kingdom, the Sangreal Chronicles were more important in the current state of affairs. He could also use the Hand of Midas as bait to lure Angrboda in the worst case scenario. ''I''m really worried about Carnelian too.'' She was probably getting tortured by Ivanov by now. Her mind was most likelypletely devastated, but rehabilitating her was still possible. Woohyuk would also be in trouble if the impatient red dragon started wreaking havoc like his past life. By the time he finished organizing his ns, Boetius struck the floor with his staff as the interrogation was over. ¡°That¡¯s good enough for now. We must leave for the Talis kingdom. King of Rhine, what do you n to do?¡± "I¡­¡± Woohyuk told Boetius in detail what he hade up with so far. Boetius nodded and pointed at Helena with his staff. ¡°I will assign Helena to you. After you¡¯ve achieved all your goals,e join us at the Talis Kingdom.¡± ¡°A moment please, Lord Boetius. I cannot agree to that. If Helena gets in danger as she follows him...¡± ¡°My job was to monitor him from the start. As I told you before the meeting, I promised to share the contents of the Nameless Tome in exchange for receiving it from him. So you should pay attention to your own business, Mr. Wiseman. Now is not the time to worry about others.¡± Helena stared at Ibn Rusud and mocked him by strangling herself as an act. She was referring to the battle against Rosenkreuz where he was almost killed by the man in question. Ibn Rusud red at Helena as he recalled the events. ¡°Look at you, acting like that even though I was worried about you.¡± ¡°Who told you to worry about me? Get yourself a lover already and have children to pass on the divine lineage, Mr. Wiseman.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that also apply to you, Ms. Virgin Saint?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m working on it? Look at this.¡± Helena approached Woohyuk and hugged his arm. Every member of Eteria Rodinus stared at them in disbelief. ¡°He-Helena¡­¡± ¡°It was a joke, Lord Boetius. In truth, he has already rejected me.¡± Helena made a sad and pitiful expression. Immediately, everyone''s eyes focused on Woohyuk with contempt, and he clicked his tongue. ¡°Did Saint Sophia also behave like this?¡± ¡°¡­ Ehem. I am not sure since she lived a long time ago. But I have heard that she was quite a tomboy despite her elegant image.¡± ¡°Something must¡¯ve happened to the divine lineage¡¯s genes as it passed down through history. A weird mutation or something.¡± "What did you say? Are you speaking sphemy about our family line, Asura?¡± Ibn Rusud eximed loudly as he listened to Woohyuk and Boetius'' conversation. When the atmosphere turned sour, Helena sided with Woohyuk. ¡°Oh, are you picking a fight with the person to whom you owe your life, Mr. Wiseman? I don¡¯t think that behavior is appropriate of someone who has yet to return the favor. Don¡¯t you think so, Lord Boetius?¡± ¡°Helena is correct, Ibn Rusud. Apologize to him right now.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± When Helena stuck her tongue out from behind Woohyuk, Ibn Rusud trembled in rage. But as her words weren¡¯t wrong, he bowed to Woohyuk. "I apologize. I got a bit too enthusiastic since the topic was rted to my sister. Please forgive me.¡± "I don''t think it was a big deal, but I¡¯ll ept the apology." Eventually, as the mood changed for the better, Boetius coughed and spoke up again. ¡°Eteria Rodinus wasn¡¯t originally this kind of organization. In the past, noble wisemen used to discuss profound topics, but at some point our members increased and...¡± Long excuses followed by longer excuses. Woohyuk let the content of the speech pass through one ear and out the other. ''They are quite annoying people unlike what I had expected.'' He had thought it was a group with very strict rules and a cold atmosphere since it was one that defended the divine lineage and secret knowledge. While the organization could not be med for Ibn Rusud and Helena¡¯s rebellious outbursts, the history of their family was slightly suspicious. However, as he could not give up the three ancient Chronicles and Rosa Eterna, Woohyuk stayed calm and collected, and pretended not to mind. ¡°Then I''ll get ready to leave with Helena. We shouldn¡¯t be dying too much.¡± ¡°Agreed! Now, let us pack up, King of Rhine.¡± Helena clung to Woohyuk''s arm, a bright look stered on her face. Afterwards, she quietly whispered into Woohyuk''s ear so that no one could hear her. ¡°You took my first kiss and saw my naked body, so you should take responsibility for that, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He regretted getting involved with such a clingy woman. Woohyuk sighed as he ignored the silent res of the members of Eteria Rodinus. Chapter 140: Devils Plague 1

Chapter 140: Devil''s gue 1

Before leaving for the Lydia Kingdom, Woohyuk cleansed the Dane Kingdom by removing any and every problematic element as much as possible. After the incident with Eteria Rodinus and Rosenkreuz, the capital Tenas was visited by priests of the Holy See. They constantly purged the pagans in search of the whereabouts of Eteria Rodinus, while they spied on the local situation through their believers. It would¡¯ve been an uneptable and unsightly behavior in foreign countries, but Woohyuk couldn¡¯t intervene as he had imed to be a minister of the God of Light. In order not to keep his future ns and his identity a secret, he had to be careful not to get caught by them as much as possible. ''I only need to cooperate with them for a short while.'' He was a busy man with a lot of ns to work on. He decided not to make a move against them for now, but the Holy Aperian Empire would definitely be conquered by him one day. Not only did the empire have a temperate climatepared to other nations in the western continent, but it would be a good base of operations when Woohyuk would confront the Theresian Empire on the eastern continent. Subjugating all the small kingdoms on the western continent like he had done for the Dane Kingdom would take far too long, so it would be beneficial to conquer the empire first. In addition, it would be better to maintain friendly rtions with the Lydia Kingdom and the Izuna Kingdom, and gradually incorporate them into his reign. In terms of the overlords from the past who created a lot of trouble for him, Woohyuk would deal with them before their rise to power and the beginning of the inter-overlord warfares. ¡°What are you thinking about so seriously?¡± Helena, who was looking at the outside scenery in the carriage, asked him as she was bored. Woohyuk looked at her, realizing she had approached him and was sitting next to him. ¡°My ns for the future.¡± ¡°Ah, will you raise pupils after you conquer the Eeth Continent? Hmm¡­ Certainly, the former is not very different from our purpose, but some of us may disagree with thetter n.¡± Helena had read the prophetic book in the Ark of Knowledge and knew what Woohyuk¡¯s ns were about. ¡°Why? Don''t you guys want to take the Holy Aperian Empire back from the fanatics?¡± ¡°Of course, I also want to enjoy a wealthy life like Emperor Tiberius and Princess Eleonora. But rebuilding the Ark of Knowledge and preparing for the chaos of the End is far more important than that.¡± The Ark of Knowledge was also closely rted to the Holy Grail. The Holy Grail would not regain its function unless the Ark was repaired. It would be impossible to seal Lilith and protect the divine lineage from the demons. Woohyuk showed great interest at Helena¡¯s exnation. ¡°If I obtain the Grail, Lilith and Aleister won''t be able to do anything to me.¡± ¡°You cannot obtain the Holy Grail in its perfect condition. The moment you touch it, it will disappear along with this world.¡± ¡°Disappear?¡± ¡°Yes, you can assume that it functions like the Verserios you have.¡± Initialization system. It was said that the world where the Demon King Asura was located had been created and destroyed at regr intervals. That could happen on the Eeth Continent as well. Helena burst intoughter at Woohyuk¡¯s surprise ¡°How interesting. I didn¡¯t know that the Demon God candidate who could one day destroy the world could make such an expression.¡± ¡°Could one day destroy the world? Why do you keep using ambiguous expressions? Isn¡¯t everything rted to my future written in the prophetic book?¡± ¡°Of course. But that will happen under the premise that no external intervention will ur, so I can never be too certain.¡± That was why Eteria Rodinus didn''t tell Woohyuk the contents in detail. Woohyuk was a very important existence to those who wanted to change the future by avoiding the conclusion within the prophetic book. Therefore, Helena decided to provide only the necessary information as she helped Woohyuk instead of taking the initiative. ¡°Then you can¡¯t tell me where the Holy Grail is, can you? Since that might change the future.¡± "Yes, that is correct. You seem to understand my position now.¡± Helena whipped her blonde hair back and showed an innocent smile. Afterwards, she leaned on Woohyuk''s shoulder, until he spoke to her again. "Don''t think you can tame me so easily, Helena." ¡°I can sense your confusion. Is it because of the knight you left behind in the Dane Kingdom? What was her name¡­ Oh right. Isn¡¯t it Leifina?¡± Leifina was taking care of her territory with the butler Gustav, holding onto the Informant¡¯s Messages instead of Woohyuk. Her task was to bring the public¡¯s opinion on their side, since the imperial clergy was slowly making their advances in the country. She was also there to hide Woohyuk¡¯s location, that could be tracked with the informant¡¯s messages, from Rosenkreuz Moreover, to prepare for the worst case scenario, Choi Kayoon was living in Leifina''s house, pretending to be Woohyuk as she wore the Jester¡¯s Mask. Because of this, all the monsters Choi Kayoon was training in Floren were being managed by Tinia. ¡°Are you being jealous of her right now?¡± ¡°Honestly, a little. I know how obsessed you are with that knight due to the prophetic book.¡± "Obsessed?" ¡°I can''t tell you the details, but that was what it looked like. Be truthful. You can¡¯t deny it, right? A beautiful woman like me is seducing you with all my might, but aren¡¯t reacting a single bit. Maybe your first intimate rtionship in this life was also with¡­ Mmmmmh!¡± When Woohyuk clocked Helena''s mouth with his hand, she struggled rebelliously. Bailey, who was the coachman, noticed the turmoil and turned to Woohyuk. [Do you need any help?] [No, don''t mind us. This sadistic saint is just acting up again.] Woohyuk brought Bailey on this journey in order to avoid suspicion from the priests of the Holy See in the Dane Kingdom. If rumors spread that the lord of the Schwarz County was a demon, they wouldn''t stand still. For simr reasons, Hong Yuri, who was working as Maximus¡¯ assistant right now, was refraining from appearing in official meetings. Woohyuk released Helena after checking the remaining distance to their destination with Bailey. ¡°Don¡¯t you think the future would change badly if you keep stimting me like this?¡± ¡°I''m just trying to be yourpanion. That role can''t be yed by anyone else around you right now.¡± ¡°I don''t need apanion. Rather, it will only interfere whenever I put my ns into action.¡± ¡°No, that''s a wrong way to think. Desire does not disappear just because it is suppressed.¡± If he tried to carry all his burden by himself, he would inevitably reach his limit someday. And the moment he would lose control over his mind, the Abyss would start to consume Woohyuk. Helena did not want such a thing to happen, so she kept trying to bring out Woohyuk''s true thoughts and feelings. ¡°You really are a strange saint. Saints usually stay away from worldly desires and pursue high values.¡± ¡°Yes, I usually do that as well. However, your values are so extremely biased that I am just trying to bnce them.¡± ¡°Is that why you enjoy provoking and mocking people so much? Well, you do seem to enjoy doing it to your brother.¡± ¡°I am not provoking or mocking people. I am just saying what must be said as a saint.¡± The argument showed no sign to an end. After a deep sigh, Woohyuk turned around and stared at the scenery. It has been a long time since they had crossed the national borders, and exotic buildings were starting showing up over the horizon. ¡°This is the first vige in a while.¡± ¡°Will we stop by it? It seems like a good ce to start asking for information about the epidemic.¡± ¡°Let''s do that.¡± There was still no certainty that the gue that was spreading in the Lydia Kingdom was the notorious Ghost Disease of the past. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t head to the Devil''s Crystal Cave right away to find the ingredients for the cure. He was no medical expert, but he needed to look at the symptoms himself. When they arrived at the vige, Woohyuk and Helena blocked their noses and frowned. The smell of rotting flesh. A thin veil of death covered the entire town. ¡°This is pretty serious. King Philip II was right.¡± "Indeed. It looks like Aleister is decorating something again.¡± Aleister was currently hiding in the Lydia Kingdom. Eteria Rodinus couldn¡¯t predict where he would appear next either. The contents rted to the Golden Rose Society within the prophetic book was less than they had expected. As an anxious look took over Helena¡¯s face, a low groan resounded from somewhere. ¡°Looks like there are survivors.¡± Woohyuk''s gaze turned to a shabby house. Afterwards, the two of them walked inside and saw a young man with brown hairying on the floor like a corpse, gasping for breath. ¡®It must be the Ghost Disease.¡¯ A pale face and shortness of breath were typical symptoms of hypotension. While those symptoms alone could obviously not confirm the name of the disease, the possibility of him being correct was high due to the circumstances. As Helena cast a recovery spell on the young man, Woohyuk looked to see if there were any noticeable oddities around them. ''There are traces of an attempted incantation.'' He couldn¡¯t sense any demonic energy, so it was probably one of the civilians attempting to fight back against the disease. In other words, there was someone here other than a young man. Helena stood up while Woohyuk pulled out the archaeologist''s golden magnifying ss and examined footprints. ¡°I did some first aid for now. But I think that tonight will be the biggest hurdle, since the disease has already progressed considerably...¡± ¡°Then, let''s find a way before it''s toote.¡± If they found a conscious person, they would be able to hear the details of what had happened in this vige. As Woohyuk tried to leave the house with Helena, a sinisterughter resounded from behind. ¡°Keke¡­ Kekekek...¡± The young man Helena had taken care of just now opened his eyes. However, only the whites of his eyes were visible and his expression was distorted, as if he was in pain. ''I¡¯m sure of it.'' The Ghost Disease would intensify when the moon rose, as an evil spirit would seep into the body of the sleeping person. However, it was obviously impossible to do so at any moment. The spirit would need to use something as a medium. Only potions made from the nt-type monster, Mandragoras, could erase this medium. However, in the current situation, the evil spirit could have some useful information. Feeling the need to interrogate it, Woohyuk walked to the young man and unsheathed Grandia. ¡°Where is Aleister? Tell me everything about his ns.¡± ¡°Keke... Don¡¯t want to. I won''t listen to your orders.¡± The evil spirit merely mocked Woohyuk and did not speak any further. Woohyuk nodded as if he had expected it, and turned to Helena. ¡°Seems like I will need an exorcist, Ms. Saint.¡± Helena took a clear ss bottle out of her pocket. Afterwards, the young man screamed painfully as holy water was poured on his body. ¡°Arrgh! A bitch like you dares to pour poison on me?!¡± ¡°Poison, you say? This is refreshing first-ss water from the sanctuary of the Earth God.¡± Helena¡¯s mood worsened and this time she sprinkled the holy water on the young man''s face. Then a ck smoke grew and the young man had a seizure. ¡°Arrrgh! Urrrgh! I will definitely kill you, you bitch!¡± ¡°Do your best. Though I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be possible.¡± For Saint Helena, ordinary evil spirits were weak, forgettable beings. As she snorted, the door rattled open and a girl with brown hair ran inside. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt my brother! Please!¡± She appeared to be the young man¡¯s little sister Woohyuk and Helena¡¯s gazes slowly turned to the little girl. Chapter 141: Devils Plague 2

Chapter 141: Devil''s gue 2

¡°You didn¡¯t get infected?¡± ¡°Yes, I was lucky.¡± The brown-haired girl pointed at her ne. It emanated divine power, which proved that it was an artifact. Woohyuk observed it closely and spoke to her. ¡°Did a priest give you that protective ne?¡± ¡°It''s something that Saint Maria gave to me in the past. She told me that I would need it in the future when the vige would be in danger.¡± Saint Maria was famous for her intelligence. Helena nodded to the girl¡¯s words. ¡°Maria could very well have done that. She serves the goddesses of fate.¡± The three goddesses of Urdarbrunn. They were the ones to have given Woohyuk the Return Scroll in his past life forpleting the epic quest. The peculiarity was that they hardly appeared on the Eeth Continent, and that the three shared one divine throne. Therefore, ording to some ancient documents, it was debated that they were originally one existence, but separated themselves due to circumstances. Anyway, it was surprising that Saint Maria was chosen by such mysterious goddesses. The morbid fanatic, Rosenkreuz, was also being cautious against Saint Maria. ¡°Urgh... Saint Maria! I will definitely get you!¡± The young man on the floor drooled and shouted while Woohyuk and Helena were talking with each other. The evil spirit had regained its strength while the two were distracted by the girl. ¡°Is Maria the saint that the demons were chasing recently?¡± ¡°Kekeke¡­ Indeed. Lady Lilith is asking for her...¡± It appeared that Lilith wanted to use Maria''s powers to get information about the future. Once he understood the situation, Woohyuk nced at Helena. "I understand. Let us finish the purification ritual.¡± "You can¡¯t! A great tragedy will happen if you do!¡± As Helena unfolded her magic book, the girl with brown hair hugged her legs. A desperate plea. Woohyuk looked down at the girl. ¡°What do you mean? If we leave him be, there is a high possibility that your brother will not survive tonight.¡± ¡°That evil spirit is the cause of the gue that has spread throughout the vige.¡± Apparently, the young man, who was currently lying on the floor, was the first infected person in the vige. The evil spirit in his body was an individual personally selected by Aleister. Even high-ranking priests could not easily defeat it, and if it felt threatened, it could sacrifice the host and cast an explosion spell to destroy the nearby area. If that were to happen, the damage would be much greater than now. Therefore, they had to give up on the purification ritual and find another solution. ''Is this one the head of evil spirits?'' Woohyuk was surprised by the exnation of the brown-haired girl. These kinds of evil spirits were usually the ghosts of those who had contracted with witches. They often used wicked tricks and required considerable attention to deal with them. ¡°Kekeke¡­ Now, what are you gonna do now? Will you continue reciting the holy spell?¡± The young man looked at Helena as he sniggered. As chills went down Helena¡¯s spine, Woohyuk stepped in front of her. ¡°We don¡¯t need to use holy magic to defeat you.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you thinking of using your abilities, Asura? However, I am a new evil spirit created by Sir Aleister. I will not give in easily. Moreover, as the little girl said...¡± ¡°ept my summon, Dantalion.¡± Woohyuk ignored the words of the evil spirit and opened Lemegeton. Then, dark demonic energy leaked out of the book, and Dantalion appeared. ¡°Ha-have you called, Lord Asura?¡± ¡°Do you know how to defeat that evil spirit?¡± Woohyuk gestured with his chin to the brown-haired young man. Dantalion observed him closely and nodded. ¡°I have learned some things from Aleister. It won¡¯t be possible topletely expel it from the host''s body, but I can at least make it so that it can¡¯t use explosion magic.¡± ¡°That''s more than enough.¡± They had to go to the Devil''s Crystal Cave and catch Mandragoras to make the cure. Whether it was the boss of the evil spirits or not, it would be impossible to keep possessing the host''s body if the Ghost Disease were to be cured. When Dantalion performed a sealing technique, the young man frowned deeply. ¡°Urgh... Now that it hase to this, I must use myst resort. I tried not to make a move since it would be annoying to find another vige, but if you keep pushing me like this...¡± He meant that he would now cast the explosion spell as hisst resort. But Helena didn''t stand still at his words. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do that. I am technically a saint, so I can easily temporarily neutralize evil spirits like you.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ ! Arrgghhhhhhhhh!¡± The young man screamed as the divine spell crackled like lightning. Dantalion quicklypleted the sealing spell using this opportunity. Swoooosh! Immediately, a dark vortex and a jet-ck magic circle appeared below the evil spirit¡¯s host. ¡°Thi-this can¡¯t be¡­ I''m being sealed...¡± ¡°Stay quiet until wee back. Otherwise, you will be purified by my vassals.¡± Woohyuk stationed Bailey next to the magic circle, to monitor Dantalion in case he tried doing anything suspicious. Although he was sealed inside Lemegeton, he hadn''t pledged loyalty to Woohyuk as of yet. ¡°Lord Asura, who is this man¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s Bailey, the current lord of the Schwarz county. Dantalion reluctantly bowed his head at Bailey with a gloomy expression. [Noble Dark Knight Bailey] -ss: Dark Knight Commander (Humanoid) -Traits: Leadership (8,000 people), Jet-ck Knights (Can use opponents who have been personally in or havepletely surrendered as his own vassals), Phantom Sword Dance (Create multiple clones and invade the battlefield. The number of individual clones gradually decreases as time passes. The duration is proportional to the total stats), Aura de (covers the weapon currently in use with aura and does an AoE attack), Deep Night Rhapsody (Health is restored every time an enemy is cut, and stats are temporarily increased up to 30%), Pitch ck Aura (all stats of vassals within a 500m radius increase by +35), Enchant Darkness (weapon is given a darkness attribute), Incorruptible Noble Heart (Every time this skill is used, health decreases by 1%, but resistance to debuffs increases by 35% and resistance to light attribute skills increase by 50%) -Stats Strength 267 Vitality 255 Agility 274 Intelligence 231 Spirit 286 ¡°You, you have excellent traits and abilities, Sir Bailey.¡± "It is nothing. I was lucky to have the chance to make a contract with an outstanding lord.¡± Bailey''s natural qualities and abilities were expressed at their peak through Woohyuk¡¯s contract. However, the darkness attribute ss did not match his noble disposition, resulting in some side effects such as debuffs in the Incorruptible Noble Heart. However, Woohyuk believed that the shorings were sufficiently offset by the various advantages listed in the status window. ''Bailey is a superior version of the undead Isaac.'' Unlike the Death Temr, the Dark Knight Commander could turn opponents into allies without having to necessarily kill the opponent. And above all, the leadership skill¡¯s capacity was 40 times higher. This was slightly lower than Sieg¡¯s, which could hold 10,000, but wasn¡¯t much of a problem. In addition, he had excellent swordsmanship. So if he made good use of the Phantom Sword Dance, the Aura de, and the Deep Night Rhapsody, he would y an active part inrge-scale battles. ¡°Then I will go to the medicinal herbs with the saintess and the inhabitants.¡± ¡°I want to be by my brother¡¯s side. Tonight is going to be the most painful for him as you mentioned earlier.¡± The little girl approached the young man on the floor and began praying. A blue light leaked out of the ne she was wearing and covered the area. ¡®She has the qualities of a saint.'' There must have been a reason why Saint Maria gave the brown-haired girl that protective ne. Woohyuk spoke to her as he felt her divine power gradually increase. ¡°What''s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Karin. My brother''s name is Sion.¡± "I see. Karin, Sion is suffering from the Ghost disease, but there is a cure for it.¡± ¡°Is, is that true?¡± ¡°If it''s hard to believe me since I have demonic energy, the saintess next to me will vouch for my words.¡± Woohyuk turned to Helena. Her eyes widened as if she was surprised by the unexpected attention, but did not refute his words. ¡°But I don¡¯t know if I can return before the sun sets¡­¡± "You won¡¯t be of much help even if you stay here." If Karin had the ability to help, Sion would not have deteriorated this far. When Woohyuk managed to convince her, Karin lowered her head with a solemn expression. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help? I just know how to pray in front of the bed.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you familiar with where medicinal herbs grow?¡± In order to heal Sion, Karin must have worked tirelessly to obtain medicinal herbs. As Woohyuk''s guess was correct, she nodded vigorously and gave a strong affirmation. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve searched and found most types of herbs. I also memorized each of their locations.¡± ¡°I have the perfect role for you.¡± He needed a number of other ingredients to make the cure. It was near impossible for Woohyuk and Helena to find them all before sunset quickly. Therefore, it was good to have Karin apany them. ¡°I''ll be back, brother. Please be patient.¡± Karin told Sion and she followed Woohyuk, preparing to leave. Sion was no longer possessed by the evil spirit due to the sealing technique, but was still in pain. It seemed difficult for him to breathe since his symptoms were terribly bad. When Karin finished packing her luggage, she fed Sion some herbal tea while Woohyuk summoned Petos. ¡°Did you call for me, Lord Asura?¡± ¡°You must thoroughly search this vige while I am away.¡± It didn''t matter if it was a suspicious magic circle or traces of a witch''s presence. When Woohyuk ordered with a solemn expression, Petos bowed his head politely. ¡°Please do not worry, Lord Asura. I will not miss any signs. My original role was a tracker in the first ce.¡± ¡°Yes, you are seven hundred years old. I''m sure you¡¯ll do a good job.¡± ¡°May I ask how you know my age? I do not think Demon King Dantalion would¡¯ve talked about that...¡± ¡°Alphone told me. She boasted that she was younger than you.¡± ¡°¡­ Isn''t she human? I am a demon. I think her standards are quite bizarre.¡± Petos pointed out the unfairness. Helena, who was listening to them, spoke with spite. ¡°If you add up your hibernation period, aren¡¯t you over three thousand years old? If youpare that to human age, it''s as if you¡¯re a grandfather. ¡°¡­ You''re quite the vicious saintess. Although we have different tendencies, how about getting along with each other now that we are in the same boat?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯ve always been like this. Sometimes, I get called a witch or a prostitute.¡± Helena folded her arms and stared at Woohyuk in disdain. An unspoken message telling him to apologize using this opportunity. Woohyuk sighed and nodded. ¡°Yes, I was in the wrong. Helena, you are neither a witch nor a prostitute.¡± ¡°So you do know. Then from now on, call me a respectable saint.¡± The fight had begun again As the two continued their back and forth dispute, Karin carefully asked Bailey. "Umm¡­ Are those two lovers?¡± ¡°Not sure. I don¡¯t know because there are so many women around my master.¡± However, as far as he knew, not a single woman had shared the bed with Woohyuk as of now. Bailey scratched his head, wondering who was his lord¡¯s partner for life. Chapter 142: Devils Plague 3

Chapter 142: Devil''s gue 3

There had been seven gods on the Eeth Continent since ancient times. They were celestial beings who managed the continent under the Creator¡¯s will. However, they gradually took over the Creator¡¯s position and role, and at some point the Creator disappeared from everyone''s minds. The Creator did not intervene even though the Light Doctrine falsified their scriptures and documents and distorted the truth. Unlike the seven gods, the Creator had never appeared on the Eeth Continent, and had never given direct help to those who believed in him. His ultimate intention was unknown. However, Eteria Rodinus was specting that it had to do with the nature of the system. ¡°The Creator is trying to precisely control the power of Demon God Asura. That is the driving force that changes the system.¡± As Helena walked along the shoreline where rock crabs were crawling, she spoke in a firm tone. Karin looked at her with a confused expression. ¡°Aren''t there only seven gods in this world?¡± ¡°Gods also exist in different dimensions. It can be said that the Demon God is one of them.¡± Gods were the agents of the Creator. In some ways, they were simr to angels, but they had been given a more active task. However, the position and role of the Demon God were rather unusual and out of the ordinary, so his identity was unclearpared to other gods. ¡°That is true. It¡¯s quite weird. The demons are in confrontation with the gods, but their ruler is the Demon God.¡± ¡°That''s proof that the Demon God wasn¡¯t part of the Creator¡¯s original intentional creation. We don''t really know the details though.¡± Helena paused for a moment so as not to mention any unnecessary content in the prophetic book. Woohyuk suddenly stopped walking when she tried to put bring up a new subject. ¡°Why did you suddenly stop, Lord Woohyuk?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a shipwreck over there.¡± Woohyuk pointed to the other side of the beach. As he said, there was a ship with a broken hull by the shore. The party went towards it to see if there were any survivors. ¡°Ugh¡­ .¡± They heard a man''s groan on the deck. Woohyuk climbed to the deck using the outside the hull and confirmed the man¡¯s identity. A surprised look took over his face. ''Allen?'' Archmage Allen, his closest friend in the past. His innate magical talent was recognized by Great Sage Arcane and became his sessor. He made a name for himself by attacking the Tower of Pride built by the Witch Trivia. ording to the past, he should¡¯ve been in the Croa Principality on the east of the Holy Aperian Empire. ''Why is he here? Did the future change because of me?'' He was talking about the butterfly effect, a phenomenon where minor changes caused chain reactions and would end up causing a huge change. Woohyuk became nervous and impatient because he wanted to be an archmage as before. ¡°Can you heal this man, Helena?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ His mind and body are weak, but I don''t think his life will be in danger if we take care of him from now on.¡±. Afterwards, she cast a magic spell and Allen squirmed awake, vomiting seawater. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Can you hear us?¡± ¡°Who, who are you?¡± Allen''s blue eyes filled with fear looked up at Woohyuk. Woohyuk took out a nket and covered Allen with it. ¡°I am an otherworlder adventurer like you. What happened to you at sea?¡± ¡°¡­We met pirates. They were really dangerous people.¡± Shivering with hypothermia, Allen recounted his experiences. Woohyuk frowned deeply as he listened to the end. ¡°Your n members were captured by Edward Teach?¡± ¡°Yes, ckbeard said he needed more ves. It seems that they are increasing their power on an ind in the ck sea.¡± The ck sea was the area to the east of the Eeth Continent. This name was attributed to it due to the appearances of many deep-sea monsters in the harsh storms, which colored the water ck. Woohyuk did not expect Edward Teach to use such a dangerous zone as a base. In this situation, it was possible that someone from the demon world was helping him. ¡°There is a good chance that he subordinated himself to Aleister after being abandoned by the demon kings of Ars Notoria.¡± ¡°Aleister¡­ They did mention that name as they took out some unknown purple pill.¡± The purple pill Allen was talking about was the Clipport''s Fruit. Woohyuk showed great interest to the story once the pill was mentioned. ¡°Did the subordinates also take the fruit?¡± "Yeah. But, it seems like they have a shortage of it, since they mentioned that only the executives and higher-ups of the pirate group could receive it.¡± ¡°I guess the distribution isn¡¯t functioning properly over there. But why did your n leave the Croa Principality toe here? That country should be a pretty safe ce.¡± Geographically, the Croa Principality was located in the northeast of the western continent. The only countries it shared a border with were the Holy Aperian Empire and the Enoa Kingdom, without including the channel to the east. However, since Alice of the Enoa Kingdom did not manage to get the Blood Queen ss, she wouldn¡¯t have been a proper opponent to the Elf Queen Orphelia in the Croa Principality. Allen''s next remarks took Woohyukpletely by surprise. ¡°I don''t know what you mean. It''s aplete battlefield. The two queens of different races are at an all-out war against each other since they don¡¯t get along.¡± ¡°Two queens?¡± ¡°Yes, Alice the Queen of Thorns and Orphelia the Elf Queen. Their personalities and attributes are theplete opposite.¡± The Queen of Thorns. Woohyuk raised his head and looked up at the sky. Was there a hidden ss he wasn¡¯t aware of in the Primordial forest or adventurer''s canyon? Or was there the intervention from another transcendental being? He didn¡¯t know what had happened, but it was clear that things weren''t looking very good for the Croa Principality. ¡°What are the characteristics of the race that is ruled by the Queen of Thorns?¡± ¡°They are some kind of variant. They are called Kazaks. They look like a mix of both monsters and demons, and have red eyes with thin wings.¡± ording to the description, they were chimeras simr to the shape of a fallen angel. Woohyuk clicked his tongue when he heard that the country¡¯s army had allied with Elf Queen Orphelia but still struggled a lot against their enemies. ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if she were the Vampire Queen.¡± "Huh? Are there vampires on the Eeth Continent?¡± ¡°No, I''ll talk about thatter. Can you move?¡± Time was tight. They had to make a cure for the Ghost disease before sunset and return to the vige. Allen silently nodded and stood up as he grabbed onto Woohyuk¡¯s extended hand. ¡°But what were you doing here? You don¡¯t seem to havee here for an outing...¡± ¡°We were looking for medicinal herbs to cure an infectious disease.¡± Woohyuk briefly exined the situation in the Lydia Kingdom. Allen looked convincingly at Helena and Karin. ¡°Everyone, you are my lifesavers. I would like to help in any way I can to repay you. I an quite a skilled mage, you know?¡± ¡°Then let''s take a quick look inside the ship before we leave.¡± Although they had already been robbed by pirates once, some items might¡¯ve been left behind. As Woohyuk expanded his senses, a ferocious cry resounded in the air. It was a group of Fire-winged birds he had met in the past. ¡°Perfect. They¡¯ll make a delicious meal.¡± Woohyuk immediately summoned Triton, and pointed at the sky with his finger. ¡°Catch those, Mr. first ss sailor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Triton raised the magic sword Ranghilt as if he didn''t care anymore and wasn¡¯t surprised. Then, ice arrows formed around the de and flew towards the flying birds. Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! With cold prating sounds, the fire-wing birds began to fall onto the deck one by one. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen this vassal. Why hasn¡¯t he appeared so far?¡± ¡°I forgot about him because I was busy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ever since his first appearance, Triton¡¯s value gradually decreased in Woohyuk¡¯s mind. As Triton gathered the birds on one side, Woohyuk went down the deck and headed for the cabin. ¡°Did all the n members who escaped with you die?¡± "I do not know. The ship suddenly crashed into something and I lost consciousness... Some of the passengers were elves.¡± "Elves?" Elves, called the forest people, were weak on the sea. Most of them probably didn''t survive. But death was probably better than being dragged away by the ckbeard. Because of their beautiful appearances, elves were often sold as sex ves. ¡°Yes, I am actually a human mage serving Elf Queen Orphelia. I havee all this way due to an order of hers.¡± After rummaging the messy floor, Allen gave an additional exnation. The Croa Principality was currently in a crisis due to the pincer attack between Alice the Queen of Thorns and the demons. Although five pdins of the Empire were dispatched there, they were unable to resolve the chaos. In the meantime, Elf Queen Orphelia had a dream. A mysterious nt growing on a cliff on the west coast of the Lydia Kingdom had bound up Alice the Queen of Thorns and dried her to death. Elf Queen Orphelia judged this dream to be a revtion about their guardian deity, the one who would save them. A small expedition was secretly dispatched with Allen as themander. The voyage was smooth until they met ckbeard¡¯s crew by the coast of the Norton Kingdom. ''Things have gottenplicated.'' Woohyuk scratched his head when he heard Allen¡¯s words. Incidents that hadn¡¯t urred in his past life were happening around the world This wasn¡¯t desirable for Woohyuk since he relied on his memories of the past when making ns for the future. Many things had already changed, so he couldn''t easily get a sense of where to correct things. When Woohyuk pondered whether to revise the existing n, he heard a creak in one cabin. "Hm? A survivor?¡± Helena approached the cabin and tried to grab the door handle. Woohyuk suddenly pushed her aside and brandished Grandia. Bang! Swoosh! Before long, the cabin door swung open violently, and a bunch of blue arrows flew out toward Woohyuk. However, the attacks were neutralized by the Ghost Queen Star Serpent. Afterwards, Woohyuk narrowed the gap and hit the opponent¡¯s abdomen with Grandia''s pommel. A delicate scream resounded in the cabin. ¡°Kyaa!¡± An elf woman. She had the typical appearance of an elf, but had a tear spot around her eyes. Woohyuk spoke after taking away the longbow in her hands. ¡°Are you attacking because of the demonic energy inside me?¡± ¡°Yes, demons are disgusting and vile creatures.¡± The blue eyes of the elf woman shed through her blond bangs. Her hatred was burning like a me. Apparently she had been in bad situations with demons. ¡°So you¡¯re alive, Reina.¡± ¡°¡­ Allen? Did you also join the demons¡¯ faction?¡± As Allen entered the cabin, Reina¡¯s eyes opened wide. Allen shook his head and pointed to Helena next to him. ¡°They are my lifesavers. And since this beautiful woman is a saint, they cannot be on the demons¡¯ side.¡± ¡°No way¡­ But this man is definitely a demon...¡± Reina looked at Woohyuk''s group with a hesitant expression. Then Karin approached her and smiled widely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss. Mr. Woohyuk is not a bad person.¡± ¡°Then why do you have demonic energy? Were you forced to sign a contract with a demon?¡± ¡°Mr. Woohyuk is the descendant of the former Demon God.¡± Karin had heard about Woohyuk during their conversations. But her words made Reina more confused. "What¡­ did you say¡­?¡± Not only did shee across pirates, but this time, she was facing the Demon God. Her eyes shook in a mixture of surprise, shock and fear. Chapter 143: Devils Plague 4

Chapter 143: Devil''s gue 4

Elf Queen Orphelia. She was an overlord who was well versed in pure magic. Pure magic signified magic of the attributes of water, fire, earth, and wind, the basic attributes. While she could use divine magic, she was not as good as the imperial priests. The elves worshiped the Mother God as their guardian deity and did not receive enough blessings from the God of Light. However, since the God of Light was simr in nature to the indigenous god called the Father God, Orphelia was able to establish friendly rtions with the Holy Aperian Empire from the beginning. In the past, she had shed against Woohyuk because he had preemptively attacked the Holy Aperian Empire. In the eyes of the elves, the forest race, he was seen as a foolish secr lord. Since the overlords of the demonic faction were allied with each other, they thought that the rest of the forces around the continent needed to unite. But since Woohyuk had attacked the Empire, the elves considered him a nuisance and an idiot lord. ''But back then, the Holy Aperian Empire had already copsed.'' The secr power represented by the emperor and the religious power represented by the pope had copsed together. They could not handle the allied forces of the demon faction, and their internal division and conflict had be far too severe. Clipport¡¯s Fruit, which was distributed inrge quantities by Aleister Crowley, also yed a big part in that copse. Eventually, Emperor Tiberius was defeated by Baal, the first-ranking Demon King, and Pope Ignatius was burned to death by the Witch of Pride Trivia. Afterwards, Princess Eleonora and Rosenkreuz continued to fight, but their defeat was already set in stone, so there was nothing they could do to change the tides of the war. It was safe to assume that the Holy Aperian Empire was already in the hands of the demonic faction. So Woohyuk went to attack the empire despite the Elf Queen¡¯s dissuasion, and eventually captured Delpheon, the capital of the empire in the central in. As a result, the seeding Pope, Rosenkreuz, left in exile to the Croa Principality, and Empress Eleonora was captured by Woohyuk and confined in the Sage Tower. ¡®Our rtionship turned for the worse because of that.¡¯ He was on very friendly terms with Orphelia back in the days when they fought against the Blood Queen Alice. Their interests and benefits matched together at the time. He had just returned from the Lioness Kingdom after a long period of training, and was looking for a base of operations, while Orphelia wanted to get rid of her old enemy Alice. His alliance with her began thereafter and continued on even after the Enoa Kingdom fell into his hands after defeating the Blood Queen. She sent reinforcements toe to his aid back when Logan appeared with an army of 100,000 undeads, and fought together to defeat Marcus'' troops, who had attacked the Croa Principality after crossing the strait. They were so close that if their races were the same, they would¡¯ve gotten married to each other. In fact, Orphelia was infatuated with Woohyuk. Of course, that onlysted until he conquered the Holy Aperian Empire. Helena spoke to him as he recalled the past during their march. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at our destination, but there seems to be one problem.¡± Helena was pointing up the cliff. The entrance to the Devil''s Crystal Cave was located in the middle of the cliff, but they didn''t have any tools for rock climbing. "Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s an easier way.¡± Woohyuk summoned a three-legged eagle and ced Helena and Karin on top of it. The three-legged eagle soon pped its wings and soared into the air. HIgh pitched shrieks of fear resounded everywhere around them. ¡°Kyaaaaahhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m scared!¡± Both girls had acrophobia. Reina sighed as she heard and saw their fear. ¡°Human women are pathetic.¡± ¡°You ride this one.¡± Woohyuk summoned an undead gargoyle and ced it in front of her. Reina immediately stepped back in fear. ¡°You, you¡¯re telling an elf to ride an undead mount¡­?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, does it? Even the pirates didn¡¯t find any charm in your body and left you behind on the ship.¡± Reina had been sexually harassed several times while she was in captivity of the ckbeard pirates on the ship. She trembled as she remembered what had happened to her. ¡°Tha-that¡¯s not true. I was molested a few times and my lips were taken away. I wasn''t raped like other people though. I barely managed to avoid that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a blessing within misfortune. If you don''t want to experience anything like that again, get on.¡± If she was separated from Woohyuk''s party right now, she could get captured again by nearby pirates. At Woohyuk''s warning, Reina''s face turned blue and immediately climbed onto the gargoyle. ¡°Th-then are you taking responsibility for my safety?¡± "Of course." In order to maintain good rtions with Elf Queen Orphelia in the future, he had to take good care of Reina right now. When Reina flew into the air on the gargoyle, Woohyuk approached Allen. ¡°You don¡¯t need a ride since you know flight magic, right?¡± ¡°H-how do you¡­¡± ¡°My knowledge is quite vast.¡± Woohyuk put on Jake''s airwalker boots and left Allen behind as he stood dumbfounded and surprised. Afterwards, he performed aerial acrobatics and easily reached the cave entrance. ¡°All that¡¯s left is to enter.¡± ¡°Why is this ce so eerie? I can even feel some sort of gloomy energy.¡± ¡°Indeed. There are various types of monsters living here.¡± Mandragoras were merely one of them. Woohyuk made a torch and gave it to the party members one by one, and then stepped into the devil''s crystal cave. Tap. Tap. The sound of his steps echoed inside the hollow cave. ¡°A-are there really medicinal herbs in this ce?¡± ¡°Trust me. I am a legendary explorer despite my attitude.¡± The title of Legendary Explorer could not be obtained by anyone. It was only given to those who were the first to discover a ruin, a ruin that was impossible to reach throughmon sense, or obtained a top-notch artifact. At Woohyuk''s exnation, Karin looked slightly relieved. ¡°But I don¡¯t see any monsters. I can definitely feel this ufortable energy though.¡± ¡°Watch your feet. There are many nt-type monsters amongst them.¡± Woohyuk pointed to the ground further away with his finger. A rather odd-looking nt was growing there. ¡°Is that¡­ a monster?" ¡°It''s a mandragora. Witches use it as an ingredient when making aphrodisiacs.¡± This monster was probably used to create the love potion that Kriemhild used to seduce Sieg. There were some things to be careful of when capturing a mandragora, such as its screams when it would get uprooted. A mandragora¡¯s screams had debuff effects. Therefore, from ancient times, renowned collectors used well-trained dogs to collect mandragoras instead of doing it themselves. The dogs would receive the debuff attack on their behalf. ¡°How interesting. But we don¡¯t have a dog with us, so what do we do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s obvious. You will uproot it.¡± Woohyuk looked at Helena with a cheeky smile on his face. Helena couldn¡¯t hide her shock. ¡°Why me? Meleebat is your speciality in this party.¡± ¡°Because you have the highest resistance against debuffs.¡± Moreover, he couldn''t receive Helena''s divine magic buffs because he had two sses of darkness properties. Since mandragoras couldn¡¯t perform physical attacks, Helena alone would be more than enough. Helena sighed as Woohyuk would not give in. ¡°Oh well, I have no choice. Allen and Reina are still weak in mind and body right now.¡± ¡°Just think of it as harvesting potatoes. Don''t be afraid.¡± ¡°Who, who said they were afraid? I''m just reluctant because it feels like I''ve be a countryside woman picking her vegetables.¡± Helena was proud of her noble lineage. She took a deep breath and pulled the mandragora out of the ground, "Kiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" The mandragora¡¯s scream echoed and cast a debuff spell. Helena¡¯s face went pale and she dropped the monster on the ground unwillingly. ¡°M-mommy¡­¡± ¡°Your courage is quite weak despite being a saintess.¡± Woohyuk picked up the mandragora as he spoke in a sarcastic tone. A nt-type monster in the shape of a human-like ginseng. Everyone admired the bluish magic it emanated. ¡°It definitely looks useful as medicinal material. Let¡¯s quickly make a cure to heal my brother.¡± ¡°But we shouldn¡¯t rush ourselves. Although it¡¯s a herb, it¡¯s still a monster.¡± ¡°This may be the existence that Lady Orphelia saw in her dream. I should also take a few with me.¡± The mandragora was a rare medicinal herb. It would be beneficial to take as many as they could using this opportunity. Woohyuk packed the mandragora that Helena had uprooted in the sage''s pocket. ¡°With this much, we should have enough to make cures for three or four people. You can go back now and find other medicinal herbs.¡± ¡°H-how do I know what kind of herb I want?¡± When Karin asked, Woohyuk took out a piece of paper with the recipe for the cure on it and gave it to her. He had written this in advance as he had predicted that reaction. ¡°Are you going to explore this ruin? I guess you¡¯re after an important item in here.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It''s an indispensable item.¡± [Hydra¡¯s Dark Breath]. It was one of the materials necessary to craft the Seven Color Rainbow Ring. As long as he obtained it, there would be no other reason for him to remain in the Lydia Kingdom. There was a lot of work to be done for the future, so he couldn¡¯t dy his ns any longer. ''They may be in danger if I¡¯m not around to protect them while I explore this ce.'' Allen and Reina were weak in mind and body, and Helena and Karin were not suited for physicalbat. In order to avoid the worst case scenario, Woohyuk opened Lemegeton and summoned Demon King Amii. ¡°Escort these people, Amii.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Amii made an unpleasant expression, but she obeyed Woohyuk''s words. She was afraid that he would whip her all day long again if she disobeyed him. Eventually, when the party left the cave, Woohyuk summoned Demon King Vk this time. ¡°Pull it out.¡± Since Helena wasn''t there, he needed someone to uproot the mandragoras instead. Triton was currently pulling the feathers out of the fire-winged birds on the wrecked ship deck. Other vassals were also carrying out their duties, so he had to resort to Demon Kings. ¡°¡­¡± Vk nced at Woohyuk before picking the mandragora. The mandragora didn¡¯t even scream, as if it had realized that Vk was a being it couldn¡¯t anger ¡®It¡¯s so much morefortable to have the demon kings as underlings.¡¯ Thanks to Lemegeton, he could now defeat the 72 Demon Kings much faster than in the past. Even the Witches of the Seven Deadly Sins wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem at this speed. Helena said he would despair in the future, but for now, he didn¡¯t have such pessimistic thoughts. ''Well, I just need to pay attention to Lilith and Aleister since I have Lemegeton.¡¯ Woohyuk was curious about the hidden powers of Lemegeton. It seemed to have the power to rule over the demon world, and hopefully, it could also grant the right to enter other dimensions. There was also a strong possibility that new epic quests would be given him in rtion to the Divine Thrones system. While Woohyuk let his imagination run wild, Vk spoke as he harvested the mandragoras diligently. ¡°Umm¡­ Lord Asura, I would like to express an opinion.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing bad, but¡­ this task is not very difficult to aplish, so we could finish harvesting the mandragoras faster if I mobilize the demons in my demon kingdom.¡± It was possible for the owner of Lemegeton to indirectly control the sealed demon kings¡¯ territory. Woohyuk happily nodded. ¡°That is true. Then, let¡¯s dere a mobilization order right now.¡± ¡°Tha-thank you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. You will continue working with them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Woohyuk didn¡¯t think of giving him preferential treatment because he was a Demon King Vk cried silently as he watched Woohyuk''s stern expression. Chapter 144: Devils Plague 5

Chapter 144: Devil''s gue 5

By mobilizing the demons in Vk¡¯s territory, they were able to quickly end their exploration of the Devil¡¯s Crystal Cave thanks to Woohyuk''s knowledge from his past life. While the hydra was strong, it wasn¡¯t a worthy opponent against Woohyuk. A giant snake with nine heads. It had an absurd regeneration speed, but the speed would significantly slow down if the wounds were burned. Woohyuk was also able to withstand the deadly poison it could shoot from its mouth due to the Basilisk''s curse. ''The lightning magic that Vk cast from behind was also helpful.'' ording to the system, a Demon King that was sealed in Lemegeton could not harm its master. Therefore, Woohyuk could use Vk in battles without worries. Vk also knew about that fact, but couldn¡¯t do anything about it. "Good work. Now go back into Lemegeton.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Asura.¡± Upon arriving at the vige, Woohyuk unsummoned Vk because he didn''t need him anymore. Moreover, if he had demons apany him in crowded areas, his reputation would deteriorate. ''I should also be careful not to appear before the imperial priests.'' Officially speaking, he was staying at the let County, the fief ruled by Leifina. Therefore, he could not show his face to people he didn¡¯t know. While King Philip II was cooperating with Woohyuk, the followers of the God of Light were located everywhere, so he couldn''t let his guard down. As he walked towards Karin and Sion''s house, Woohyuk rechecked the loot he had obtained in the Devil''s Crystal Cave. [Hydra¡¯s Dark Breath] Type: Personal Item Effect: Alchemical and crafting material. Increases poison resistance of nearby allies by 20% just by having it in your possession. [Green Dragon¡¯s Token] Category: Personal Item Effect: One of the nine tokens required to be a Dragon Lord. Just by having it in your possession, you can increase your intimacy with Green Dragons and make a contract with them. [Crystal of the Ancient Devil Harpes] Category: Personal Item Effect: You can summon the sealed ancient demon Harpes. After passing his trial, you will be rewarded ording to his subjective evaluation. ''The ancient devil Harpes.'' He had expected the Green Dragon¡¯s token, but the ancient devil was unexpected. This crystal was probably the origin of the cave¡¯s name. However, since there was a lot of work to be done right now, Woohyuk decided to postpone summoning the devil. ''An ancient devil might have a higher rank than the 72 Demon Kings.'' ording to the information obtained from ancient documents, there existed demonsparable to the 72 Demon Kings in other dimensions. The trials of such beings would be quite difficult. Considering the time it took him to clear the Memory Garden, this trial was likely to take a long time as well. Creaaaak. When he opened the door and stepped inside, he saw Helena and Karin near the lit firece making the cure with alchemical tools. Allen and Reina were sleeping in the corner due to their exhaustion. Meanwhile, Bailey, Dantalion, and Amii were keeping an eye on the ghost in Sion. ¡°You returned earlier than I thought. The ruin must have been easy to clear.¡± ¡°Demon King Vk and his men helped me out. They were quite efficient with their work.¡± ¡°You really are the sessor of the Demon God. You''re already using demon kings for misceneous work.¡± Helena stirred using thedle and nced at Dantalion and Amii. Then, Dantalion spoke with a fearful expression. ¡°We, we had no idea. We didn¡¯t know that Lord Asura was the Demon God.¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s right. We just thought you were a demon king from another world.¡± Amii nodded and followed up. Helena took thedle out and pointed at Woohyuk with it, after she heard their excuses. ¡°Even if you knew, you would still have attacked him, right? That guy creates a mess wherever he goes, so it would¡¯ve been troublesome for you to leave him be.¡± ¡°¡­ We have no excuses.¡± ¡°Please use us as you wish. We will listen to whatever orders you give us.¡± Dantalion and Amii had already lost their will to fight long ago, as they were both severely punished by Woohyuk. Amii was gued by the thought that he might whip her all night long in particr. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s finish making the cure now. The day ising to an end.¡± "Please don¡¯t worry. We just have to add one more ingredient.¡± Helena rummaged through her sack and pulled out a colorful mushroom. As soon as he saw it, Woohyuk urgently stopped her. ¡°That¡¯s a clown mushroom. Are you trying to kill our patient right now?¡± "Huh? Isn¡¯t this cordyceps?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t look alike at all.¡± It was at this moment Woohyuk started to seriously doubt her qualities as a saint. When Woohyuk took out a cordyceps from his sack and put it into the alchemy pot, it started fuming white smoke and the color of the solution changed from light brown to blue. ¡°Oho, this is amazing. What color would it have been if the clown mushroom was used?¡± ¡°ck-blue. It would have been perfect to use as poison.¡± Seeing how badly Helena had messed up even though he had written every single detail in the recipe he had given her, Woohyuk realized that she was as bad as Leifina at cooking. As he vowed never to leave her in charge of dinner, Woohyuyk transferred the solution into a sk. ¡°Karin, feed this to Sion. Then the evil spirit will leave him. Helena, chant the divine spell in advance to purify the spirit.¡± If the chief evil spirit weren¡¯t purified, the gue would ur again someday. Eventually, when the whole process was over, the evil spirit screamed and shouted at Woohyuk. ¡°Aaarghhhh! You! I will definitely get my revenge on you!¡± ¡°All antagonists who say that line end up destroying themselves in the end. Just disappear elegantly and with ss, Spirit.¡± ¡°Fuck¡­ Argghhhh!¡± The evil spirit could not withstand Helena''s divine magic and was extinguished. Afterwards, when Sion opened his eyes, Karin ran to him in a hurry. ¡°Brother, how do you feel? Does it still hurt?¡± "Not really. But I feel weak. I can¡¯t exert any strength in my body.¡± Sion had been possessed by the evil spirit for an extended period of time, so the life energy in him was low. Even if he was healed, he had to rest without doing anything for a few days. As Karin prepared vegetable soup for him, Bam! The door swung open and Petos ran inside. ¡°Lord Asura, I have something to report urgently.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°As a result of scouting around the vige, I found a magic circle.¡± The magic circle¡¯s intent was to summon a ferocious demonic beast by sacrificing the souls of the vigers suffering from the gue. While it wasn¡¯t a demonic beast with the power to destroy a small kingdom like Charybdis, it would be quite annoying to deal with. It would be preferable to remove the magic circle before it was triggered. ¡°So what did you do it?¡± ¡°For now, I used my ability to neutralize it, but... it was impossible topletely remove it since it was cast by an entity higher than me.¡± If it were an entity higher than Petos, it was likely to be Aleister Crowley. Petos guided Woohyuk and headed to the ce where the magic circle was. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°It definitely isn¡¯t an ordinary magic circle.¡± The magic circle almost felt alive as it emanated a dark and eerie aura. When Woohyuk approached the magic circle, members of the Witch Cult appeared one after another from the surrounding buildings. They were wearing clothes with stealth magic imbued in them, and were hiding their presence. ¡°Seems like King Philip II didn¡¯t have time to deal with the Witch Cult.¡± "Indeed. He must have been busy purging the lords who sold their souls to the demons.¡± ¡°Would you like to y an active part in the battle this time? Since you''re a high-ranking demon, you can easily deal with those guys, right?¡± "Of course. Please leave it to me.¡± Petos raised his hand with a smirk stered on his face. Immediately, dozens of pitch-ck double-edged axes appeared in the air and began to relentlessly ughter the enemies. Spluuurt! Blood burst out like geysers and stained the area. Woohyuk watched the scene and fell in deep thoughts. ''Why did these guys appear?'' They normally would¡¯ve retreated once they saw Petos. Woohyuk thought about it for a while before he stopped Petos. ¡°Stop it. This is a trap.¡± "Excuse me? A trap?¡± ¡°They are sacrificing themselves to trigger the magic circle.¡± The magic circle that would summon the demonic beast needed a sacrifice. However, since their original ns were ruined, they chose this extreme method. Once Woohyuk exined the situation to Petos, a strong wind blew for an instant and the pools of blood on the ground began to flow toward the magic circle. ¡°Damn, we¡¯re toote.¡± Apparently, there had been quite a lot of sacrifices offered until now. As Woohyuk took out Verserios and prepared for battle, Karin ran towards them. "Wait! I will stop the magic circle¡¯s activation!¡± The protective ne she was wearing was emitting a blue light that shone slightly differently than before. Petos spoke as he expressed his curiosity. ¡°Oho, that¡¯s an unusual type of divine power.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible to stop the summoning with Karin¡¯s ability?¡± ¡°I''m not sure. I¡¯m not certain about it, but it wouldn¡¯t be a bad choice to leave it to her.¡± She didn¡¯t look remarkable on the outside, but she was a girl with talents good enough to be chosen by Saint Maria. Woohyuk nodded and watched Karin''s actions silently. ¡°I promised Saint Maria! I promised that when the ne shines in a mysterious light, I will pray to the Earth Goddess!¡± The people of the Eeth Continent could ask for help from any of the seven gods depending on the situation. If one did not serve the god as one¡¯s master, one would have to pay the price for their help. But Karin worshipped the Earth Goddess from the beginning, so she didn''t have to pay that price. As she knelt and recited a prayer, the surroundings were covered with blue light, and a ck-haired woman with white wings appeared in the air. ''¡­ An angel?'' In the current situation, the Earth Goddess would never have appeared, as she was one of the gods who had rebelled against the Creator and was confined somewhere. When Woohyuk was shocked by the appearance of the angel, she smiled and spoke aloud. ¡°Nice to meet you, Karin. I am Angel Ramiel, the representative of the Earth Goddess.¡± ¡°H-hello.¡± ¡°Your desperate wish has reached the heavens, so there is no need to worry. This vige will be restored ording to His will.¡± When Ramiel finished speaking, she turned her head and looked at Woohyuk with deep eyes. Afterwards, when she disappeared with a dazzling sh, and the jet-ck magic circle immediately lost its shape and shine, and copsed. ¡°The appearance of Angel Ramiel¡­ It¡¯s as the prophetic book had predicted.¡± "Is this encounter important?" ¡°Well, you could say that. But I can''t tell you about it right now.¡± Helena winked at Woohyuk and shook her index finger sideways. ¡°I have no idea what''s going on.¡± He had never seen an angel in his past 40 years of life. He was curious about this event, but that didn¡¯t mean he could threaten or torture Helena. He had to maintain friendly rtions with Eteria Rodinus in order to get his hands on the Sangreal Chronicles. Feeling the need to stay patient, Woohyuk approached Karin. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, but I can¡¯t use the ne Saint Maria entrusted to me anymore.¡± The transparent crystal of the protective ne was shattered. As Karin wept, Woohyuk patted her head. ¡°Maria must¡¯ve known this would happen. There¡¯s no need to feel guilty.¡± ¡°This all feels like a dream. Is all the nightmares and despair over?¡± ¡°Who knows? For now, the epidemic was destroyed.¡± It was impossible for humans who were not chosen by the goddesses of fate like Saint Maria to foresee the future. Woohyuk left Petos in charge of cleaning up and went to join the others with Karin. ''That was interesting. The appearance of an angel.¡¯ As far as he knew, angels were the vassals of the Creator. The appearance of such a being meant that the Creator had begun to intervene in this world from behind the scenes. The angel¡¯s intervention was probably ording to his will. The incident this time had fortunately ended without anyplications, but he had to be careful in the future. Woohyuk narrowed his eyes as he recalled what Helena had said. Chapter 145: Runesmith Dexter 1

Chapter 145: Runesmith Dexter 1

The vige regained peace and order as Angel Ramiel had proimed. Moreover, Sion wasn¡¯t the only one to be cured of the disease. All the other infected residents were also cured. However, since the epidemic was still prevalent throughout the Lydia kingdom, Woohyuk felt the need to meet King Philip II. ''I need his help to infiltrate the Norton kingdom anyways.'' Crossing the border without disguising his status would turn into a headache. When they arrived in front of the royal pce, the guards blocked their path as Woohyuk and his party were hiding their faces with hoods. ¡°Who are you! Identify yourselves!¡± ¡°This is not a ce where lowly peasants can enter!¡± Their reaction was natural since they truly looked ragged and poor. After stopping Reina from stepping forward, Woohyuk presented the token of Lydia¡¯s Royal Family to the guards. He had received it from King Philip II while they were still in the Dane Kingdom. The guards immediately stepped to the side with wide eyes as soon as they saw it. ¡°M-my sincerest apologies for not recognizing you!¡± ¡°Prithee don¡¯t punish us!¡± All the guards were ofmon origins, so it would be difficult to make a living if they got fired from their current jobs. After reassuring the men, Woohyuk entered the royal pce with hispanions. Once they reached the hall, they saw King Philip II discussing state affairs with his vassals. Worried expressions were stered on all their faces. ¡°King Philip II, I have a few things to talk about.¡± ¡°Cough¡­ Have youe? Everyone, leave us alone.¡± King Philip II immediately recognized Woohyuk, since he was holding the royal token in his hand. Before long, the hall was empty and Woohyuk spoke aloud again. ¡°We created a cure for the disease.¡± ¡°Oooh, is that true?¡± King Philip II was delighted as Woohyuk handed him a note. ¡°You won¡¯t have a problem supplying all the medicinal ingredients, except for the mandragora.¡± ¡°Mandragora? It''s my first time hearing of that medicinal herbs.¡± ¡°It looks like this. It lives mainly in caves on the west coast.¡± Woohyuk took out a mandragora from his pocket and handed it over. King Philip II observed the Mandragora with great interest. ¡°Incredible. I didn¡¯t know herbs like this existed.¡± ¡°You should be careful when harvesting it. Despite its appearance, it''s a nt-type monster.¡± ¡°It, it¡¯s a monster?!¡± "Don¡¯t worry. It can''t resist after it¡¯s uprooted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I got the chills down my spine for a second there.¡± King Philip II sighed as his surprise dissipated. Woohyuk briefly exined to him how to collect mandragoras, and moved onto the main point. ¡°I have business in the Norton Kingdom. Can you help me forge a fake identity document?¡± ¡°That won''t be a problem. Tell me everything you need. I am always on your side.¡± King Philip II wanted to wee Woohyuk as his son-inw. That was why he hadn¡¯t objected when Joanna said she¡¯d stay in ckburn. Woohyuk was a rising hero, and in this chaotic era, an existence like him would be a great powerhouse. ¡°Then can we go back to the Croa Principality? I want to show the mandragora to Lady Orphelia.¡± ¡°Don''t rush yourselves. We still have no evidence that the Kazaks are vulnerable to mandragoras.¡± If they returned now, there was a chance the mandragoras would be inefficient. Allen and Reina looked embarrassed at Woohyuk¡¯s words. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to do experiments before heading back¡­¡± ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to apany you. You did mention that you¡¯d head to the Enoa Kingdom after dealing with your business in the Norton Kingdom.¡± From Allen and Reina¡¯s point of view, it would be advantageous to follow Woohyuk. Woohyuk was satisfied as he watched them discuss their ns for the future. ''I¡¯ll use this opportunity to bring them both on my side for sure.'' He already knew Allen well, so he would pose no problem. As Woohyuk recalled the characteristics of elves, Helena tilted her head from the side to stare at him. ¡°What are you thinking about? You suddenly stopped talking.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s nothing." He had no intention of revealing his ns to Helena before King Philip II. Woohyuk coughed and looked at the king again. ¡°Is there any news from the Holy Aperian Empire? I heard that Rosenkreuz recently suffered a major injury, so things might get noisy, no?¡± ¡°I heard that rumor. But the Holy See probably manipted the rumors and limited its spread. I don¡¯t know anything about the details of his injuries. In terms of other news... There are just the stories about Princess Eleonora. Otherwise, most of the Pdins left for the Croa Principality.¡± ¡°Eleonora seems to be causing trouble wherever she goes.¡± ¡°It''s her inborn nature. Well, it would be wrong to say that there was no influence from her surrounding environment as she grew up, but still...¡± Eleonora had been experiencing severe training under the guidance of Swordmaster Granbert since her childhood. She had been chosen by the Holy Sword Ertia, the emblem and heirloom of the imperial family. Holy Sword Ertia was an S-ss artifact that was said to have been granted by the God of Light after Emperor Anikius dered the Light Doctrine as the national religion and dedicated a politically purged county as a papacy. ''I used to struggle quite a bit when fighting against Eleonora because of that holy sword.'' S-ss artifacts, especially weapons, had incredible power. In addition, the Holy Sword Ertia would be a significant threat to Woohyuk since they were of opposite attributes. Therefore, he had to prepare a countermeasure. ''There is one method, but...¡¯ He could ¡®tame¡¯ Princess Eleonora by using the love potion he had obtained from the quest rted to Kriemhild. Then, he would be able to upy the imperial throne without having to collide head-on with the Holy Aperian Empire. However, the current situation was very different from the past, so he thought it would be better to keep watching for a while longer. ¡°Take this. Let me know as soon as you learn any useful information regarding the Holy Aperian Empire.¡± ¡°Is it amunication artifact? I understand.¡± King Philip II fiddled with the apple-shaped artifact with great interest. [Steve''s Surprising Apple] Type: Personal Item Effect: Text and voice messages can be sent to people registered as friends (the other person must also have an apple). In addition, it is possible to check the other person''s location in real time and has a recording function (range can be increased by using a separate essory developed by magic engineer Steve). He had found this item in the shipwreck where Allen and Reina were located. Since the name of the creator was included, Steve must¡¯ve been quite a famous magic engineer, just like Jake. ¡°You seem to like it.¡± ¡°Ah, it looks ssy and elegant for some reason. If I get the chance, I would like to invite this man named Steve to the pce.¡± He believed that Steve would be able to produce innovative artifacts far better than this one with enough investment. When King Philip II''s eyes lit up, Woohyuk nodded at him. ¡°If I end up meeting him, I will pass on that message. I am also quite interested in magic engineering.¡± ¡°Thank you. Make sure to ask him.¡± As the conversation kept heading that way, Reina, the elven woman, tilted her head. ¡°Are apples precious amongst humans here? Although it was cold in the north, the weather seems quite mild here.¡± ¡°Hmm... Should I call it an instinctive attraction¡­ Designs with apples were quite popr in the world where I originally was.¡± Allen coughed and mentioned the Apple electronics. He was a pretty emotional man, unlike his intelligent wizard-like appearance. *** With the help of King Philip II, Woohyuk and his party were able to obtain a mercenary position in the Norton Kingdom. Their destination is Baloa, a military city in the northeast. Their task was to provide food for the soldiers. ¡°It''s been a while since I''ve been to Norton. When I was young, my father and I explored the ruins along the northwest coast of this area.¡± Helena spoke as she watched the snow fall. She was escorting the wagon filled with food. ¡°Life must¡¯ve been difficult for you since your parents passed away early in your childhood.¡± ¡°It would be a lie to deny that statement. But my rtives took good care of me, so there was no problem with my life.¡± ording to Helena, Solomon''s descendants lived in smallmunities scattered around different regions. Their reasons for not having too many children was to prevent their important secrets from being leaked. Pronoia and the Golden Rose Society had been persistently seeking them for thousands of years, and Helena''s parents were one of the victims of their schemes. ¡°Isn¡¯t Pronoia just looking for Solomon''s treasure? Thest time I saw Rosenkreuz and his argument with Eteria Rodinus, he didn¡¯t seem to know the truth.¡± ¡°Rosenkreuz is the head of Pronoia. There is no way he doesn¡¯t know about us. There is another reason your lie detection ability wasn''t triggeredst time.¡± Helena described Rosenkreuz''s dissociative identity disorder. His personality was divided into two after receiving severe brainwashing education from an early age. A fanatic who only epted the scriptures as the truth, and the original personality who knew the truth. The fanatic personality indulged in finding and killing heretics, while the original personality focused on increasing their influence within the empire. The timing at which the two personalities would switch was not known, but it seemed that they each had their own control method. ¡°So he really had a mental illness. No wonder I felt that he was a bit odd.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best not to taunt him too much. It''s too difficult for you to deal with Aleister already.¡± Although it hadn''t been revealed yet, Aleister had Masters belonging to the Golden Rose Society. They had enormous financial power, technology, and humanworks to control not only various small kingdoms but also empires behind them. Woohyuk could not look down on them since they were behind the monster breeding substance and the Clipport''s Fruit. ¡°Is it possible to mass-produce the Clipport''s Fruit? Since those pirates had it, it seems to be getting distributed in the Enoa Kingdom.¡± Reina intervened in the conversation with a worried expression. They were afraid that the Kazak race would use the Clipport''s Fruit to trample their own race. ¡°It looks like they can produce a decent amount, but have some limits. It requires special ingredients to make it.¡± Woohyuk had already witnessed the Memory Garden where the memory flowers, which served as an ingredient, were produced. While he wasn¡¯t sure, there were probably at least dozens of such ces on the Eeth Continent. To prevent pronoia''s scheme, it was important to develop a potion that could cure the side effects of the Clipport''s fruit, but there was also a need to destroy the means of production and hinder their supply of materials. ¡°Hmm¡­ I''ll have to report it to Lady Orpheliater. Such dangerous substances should not be used by our people.¡± Reina didn''t have the means of contacting Orphelia right now. They were worried that their people on the maind would be harmed by the pirates by using them as hostages. Therefore, when the pirates came aboard their ship, they threw all the items that could be used to contact their homnd to the sea, or tampered with them so that it wouldn¡¯t connect to the Enoa Kingdom. That was why Steve''s Surprising Apple that Woohyuk had given King Philip II could not connect with Orphelia. ¡°Anyway, it looks like we''ve almost reached our destination. I can see the wall there.¡± Allen, who had been silent, pointed forward with his staff while the party continued their conversation. The military city of Baloa was standing in front of them. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s bigger than I expected. Are humans fighting against each other in such a harsh climate?¡± ¡°Wars between humans are rare here. If we don''t unite our forces, we¡¯ll be beaten by the undead army.¡± Norton Kingdom was originally and of the dead. Reina''s facial expressions tensed upon Woohyuk''s exnation. ¡°U-undead? Is there a being who rules them?¡± "Of course there is. We better avoid him at our current strength.¡± Lich Lord Nigel. He was the ruler of the impregnable castle Dreadlore. The sessor of Nakron, the King of Fallen Wizards. Woohyuk turned his head and looked northwest towards Dreadlore. A strong blizzard stormed continuously as it emanated a heavy, gloomy air. Chapter 146: Runesmith Dexter 2

Chapter 146: Runesmith Dexter 2

The significance of artifacts in the Nebulus World was significant. The variety of skills were limited ording to the ss, and they were only useful when their proficiency and application power were high, whereas artifacts had their own power. So, in the past, overlords constantly wandered around ruins to obtain high-grade artifacts, and tried to recruit talented cksmiths and magic engineers. It was because equipment that was crafted had better performance than the one obtained from the ruins in general. ''Lich Lord Nigel also preferred crafted equipment.'' The reason he was able to enter ckburn in the past was thanks to the specially designed armor that protected him from the protective magic circle. And, funnily enough, it was Runesmith Dexter who had made the armor. ''He had paid Logan with military supplies when he was in the Norton Kingdom.'' The n to which Dexter belonged was under the control of Logan the necromancer. However, Logan didn''t pay close attention to Dexter at the time, which allowed Dexter to flee to the Rhine Kingdom through Port Antiff when he left on the Lydia Kingdom expedition. Later, he met Isaac and decided to serve him, but eventually the Rhine Kingdom was destroyed by Logan''s undead army, and Dexter died with Isaac at that time. A sad and pitiful story. Had Dexter survived the war, he would have been able to challenge the cksmith God throne through his innate talents and hidden ss Runesmith. Therefore, this time around Woohyuk would make him his vassal before anyone else, raise him as the best cksmith, and strengthen his own power with the equipment he would make. ¡°Is that cksmith really here? I feel like we¡¯ve checked all the possible locations in the north now.¡± Reina grumbled at Woohyuk, who had been organizing his thoughts for a while. She did not appreciate the cold climate of the Norton Kingdom. Allen offered words of encouragement when he noticed her discontent. ¡°Let''s wait a bit more and walk around, Reina. cksmiths belonging to the workshops of military cities are sometimes called to other areas.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I miss the green forest of Croa. Well, the northern region in Croa was as cold as here, but still.¡± The northern area of the Croa Principality bordered the Enoa Kingdom and was frequently attacked by the Kazak tribes. The scenery there was very simr to this ce, so Reina personally hated the Norton Kingdom because she remembered the sight of her people bleeding and dying on the battlefield in the snowy fields. "When it''s cold, it helps to eat chocte or candy since they have a lot of calories." Woohyuk took out a small, transparent cylindrical container from his pocket and gave it to the trembling Reina. Helena asked him when she saw the lemon jellies in it. ¡°Wait, did you buy those at the general store earlier?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Woohyuk was responsible for all the expenses during this trip in the first ce. Helena stopped talking as she had noeback to say, but still sulked and inted her cheeks. ¡°Is it a popr food that humans eat? I''m sorry, but I¡¯ll refuse. We elves have survived on food that grows in the forests and fields until now.¡± ¡°Trust me. It will definitely suit your taste. If not, I''ll give you 1 gold.¡± ¡°1 gold?¡± Reina raised her long ears. Their ship was wrecked, and she was in a penniless state. One gold wasn''t a huge amount, but it was better than nothing. ¡°Now, try it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Woohyuk put a lemon jelly in Reina''s hands. After a brief internal conflict, Reina threw the jelly in her mouth as if she were swallowing a bitter pill. Soon enough, her face was filled with joy and her frowning eyebrows weren¡¯t tense anymore. ''This, this is delicious!'' She had never had anything like this since she was born. It tasted like dried lemon soaked in honey for a long time. A soft yet moist texture. ''But how do I...¡¯ If she didn¡¯t speak up and pretended it to be disgusting, she could get 1 gold. But if she did that, she wouldn¡¯t be able to taste the lemon jelly anymore. Reina stood on a thorny path of great ordeal. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I''ll give the rest to Helena. Of course, I¡¯ll pay 1 gold as promised.¡± ¡°N-no! I like this taste! So please... .¡± ¡®Please don''t take the lemon jelly from me.¡¯ Reina muttered in her mind. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. But don¡¯t eat it all right now. That''s all I have.¡± "Thanks!" Reina quickly epted the transparent container with lemon jelly. Helena condemned Woohyuk with a displeased face. ¡°You seem to like that elf woman a lot. Is it because of that tear spot around her eyes?¡± ¡°Don''t be jealous, Helena. It''s just a small gift.¡± ¡°Is that true? I heard that in your world, the act of a man giving a woman something sweet is some kind of proposal.¡± "Huh¡­?!¡± Reina flinched and stepped back at Helena¡¯s words. She definitely didn''t want to give birth to a half-elf. Allen was also embarrassed and coughed. ¡°Tha, that''s only for romantic situations or on special days. And just because you receive the gift doesn''t mean you''re epting the proposal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably right. Anyways, this lemon jelly is already mine.¡± Reina put the transparent container in her backpack while looking away. She didn''t want her candies to be taken away. When Helena realized her trick had failed and nned a new scheme, Woohyuk suddenly took Grandia out of its scabbard. A group of soldiers with unknown intentions suddenly appeared from a dark alleyway. ¡°Oho, we have some pretty and hot girls here.¡± ¡°Ladies, why don¡¯t youe y with us? Don''t worry, we have more than enough money.¡± In the military city of Baloa, most of the women wandering around the sparse streets were prostitutes. However, Reina did not know that piece of information and reacted to their words with intensity. ¡°Do you think I''d hang out with dirty men like you? Go find someone else!¡± ¡°You have quite the temper, girl. I like it." ¡°Right, those kinds of women are the most fun to conquer.¡± ¡°Her chest and butt are absolutely smashing! It''s been a while since Ist saw a bitch with those proportions.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s an elf. No wonder her body¡¯s in such good shape. They only eat fruits and vegetables in the forest.¡± ¡°See that tear spot near her eyes? I think she¡¯s just putting up an act. Once we¡¯re in the bedroom, I bet that bitch will jump on our dicks first.¡± The soldiers giggled andughed at them. Woohyuk stepped forward as Reina trembled with shame. ¡°These women are with me. They aren¡¯t prostitutes, so don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± "Oooh~ So you''re the lover of that elf?" ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a little unfair? You get to have fun with a pretty girl by yourself.¡± ¡°Even the old sayings say that good things should be shared with others.¡± The soldiers had no intention of falling back. They thought they had the advantage of numbers. When one of them tried to reach out to Reina, Thud! Woohyuk ruthlessly swung his fist. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± ¡°A-are you okay?¡± ¡°This bastard¡­ You dare to beat my colleague?¡± ¡°He¡¯s underestimating us since we were acting nice!¡± As a soldier fell down bleeding from his nose, the others immediately stared with hostility towards Woohyuk. Chaos soon ensued, and... ¡°Sa, save me!¡± ¡°Aghhhhhh!¡± The screams of certain men filled the vacant lot. Woohyuk knocked them all out without giving other soldiers any time toe help them. "Your technique isn¡¯t bad." ¡°I take that as apliment.¡± Woohyuk smiled faintly at Reina, who was staring at him with stars in her eyes. Suddenly, he sensed a presence from the street behind the workshop. There was someone else nearby. ¡°Who is that! Stop hiding there. Reveal yourself already!¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Reina shouted, the other person didn¡¯t speak up and dashed away. The chase was inevitable. Woohyuk summoned Petos and ordered him. ¡°Catch that rat.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me.¡± Petos disappeared into a ck vortex. Soon enough, a man''s scream echoed in the distance. ¡°He is the one.¡± "Good work." Woohyuk looked down at the young man with blue hair in Petos¡¯ hand. Judging from his attire, he was most likely a craftsman working in the workshop. ¡°What''s your name?¡± ¡°It, it''s Mcin.¡± ¡°Alright, Mcin. Do you know someone called Dexter?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mcin hesitated to answer. Then Reina took out the dagger she was wearing and ced it against his neck. ¡°You better talk honestly. I¡¯m not a patient person.¡± ¡°H-he¡¯s a working partner. We work in the same workshop.¡± ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°He was called by Marquis Ruben to repair his personal equipment.¡± Dexter was excellent even among cksmiths, so he used to make custom-made equipment for nobles. Marquis Ruben was a prime example. He wanted fancy and heavily decorated equipment, and Dexter was the only one who could meet his demands. ¡°Then when is heing back?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t attend the workshop today. Marquis Ruben won''t let him leave easily.¡± Even if he simply wanted equipment repairs, Marquis Ruben wrung out all the time and energy from Dexter since he demanded perfection in every single aspect of his equipment. When Reina heard the story of Mcin, she clicked her tongue. ¡°What a pathetic nobleman. How could he overwork a cksmith of the workshop like that?¡± ¡°These things always happen here.¡± If they refused personal requests and gained the animosity of nobles, they¡¯d be thrown out of the city. In the harsh climate of the Norton Kingdom, it was the same consequence as a death sentence. So the workshop craftsmen were enduring all kinds of bad treatments and harsh work environments. ¡°What are you going to do? I don''t think it would be a bad idea to wait for the day to pass at an inn.¡± ¡°No, I will go get him.¡± Woohyuk shook his head at Helena''s suggestion. Then Reina spoke in surprise. ¡°Are you going to sneak into the Marquis¡¯ residence? The security is going to be very tight to get through.¡± ¡°I''ve infiltrated ces worse than that before.¡± He had lent the Jester¡¯s Mask to Choi Kayoon and couldn''t change his appearance, but there were still many other ways to get in. Woohyuk entrusted Mcin to hispanions after ending the questioning. ¡°Stay quietly hidden at the inn until I contact you.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I don''t know if this is a good idea.¡± Reina couldn¡¯t hide her nervousness and anxiety. Helenaughed and patted her shoulder. "No need to worry. That man is pretty good at things like this.¡± ¡°You seem to know the King of Rhine very well. I thought you wouldn''t be close to a person with demonic energy since you¡¯re a saintess.¡± ¡°Oh my, that''s such a funny misunderstanding. I''ve even spent time with him in the bedroom while in the nude.¡± ¡°What, what?!¡± Reina blushed at the unexpected story. Although she wasn''t expressing it, she had gained a certain affection towards Woohyuk after receiving his gift. ¡°Don''t spout nonsense, Helena. Nothing happened back then.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? A certain man stole my first kiss like a beast and I almost lost my purity as well.¡± Helena spoke with a trembling voice as she sobbed. Criticism poured out of everyone¡¯s mouth around him, and Woohyuk silently sighed. ¡°I really can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s a saint or a witch.¡± Chapter 147: Runesmith Dexter 3

Chapter 147: Runesmith Dexter 3

The office of Marquis Ruben was full of antique ornaments. Dexter¡¯s work was currently being inspected in front of Marquis Ruben. "Hmm, it¡¯s almost perfect, but I don''t like the golden pattern here." ¡°Then how should I change it?¡± "Well. Try to make it look powerful and strong. Like a dragon roaring fiercely at the evil undead army.¡± For Dexter, Marquis Ruben was an exhausting lord in many ways. He had a lot of demands and had a terrible artistic taste. ¡°Like a dragon?¡± ¡°Yes, a dragon. Dragons are said to have been the strongest creatures on the continent, although they¡¯re now extinct.¡± The story of the ck Dragon King Drakia who loved Queen Iona, and the gold and silver treasures of the Red Dragon King Arcana was very famous. Dexter scratched his head as he listened to Marquis Ruben¡¯s excitement. ¡°If you could be more specific about it¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve exined enough already. Do the rest with your natural talent.¡± Marquis Ruben turned his head as he got irritated. He held out his long sword which Dexter epted reluctantly. ¡°Then I will give it one more try.¡± ¡°Don''t let me down, Dexter. You know who has power around here, right?¡± He would be dispatched to a remote area where supplies would be scarce if he got on the wrong side of Marquis Ruben. Dexter gulped before leaving the office. ¡®Sigh¡­ How did ite to this?'' He had just started working as a cksmith because the job fitted him properly. As a result, the system gave him an apprentice cksmith ss, and new quests became avable to him. But life here was not good. Apart from the nobles, the working environment was so poor that every day was a living hell. He was beginning to think that having a battle ss and going around freely while clearing adventure quests would¡¯ve been a better choice. ''There are even people who are jealous of me.'' His natural talent as a cksmith was, on one hand, being admired, but in most cases he was an object of jealousy. And the craftsmen in the workshops valued hierarchical order, but since a neer was making products of higher quality than the older men, bad blood within the workshops was inevitable. ''I miss home.'' Dexter originally lived in a small vige on the outskirts of the Lydia Kingdom. But one day, demons arrived and began to exploit the inhabitants, and all those who did not obey were dragged away and experimented on. The residents who couldn¡¯t bear this life fled to the neighboring Norton Kingdom, but the demons pursued them on the way, and most of them ended up dying. Only five people, including Dexter, were able to reach the military city of Baloa safely. ''Even if I run away right now, there¡¯s nowhere for me to go.'' Rumor has it that the Lydia Kingdom had regained peace, but he thought it would only be temporary. In Dreadlore, the castle of the dead in the northwest of the Norton Kingdom, the undeads were uniting and preparing to go south, and in the neighbouring Kingdom of Enoa, the vicious Kazak tribes were raging. While the Kazak were currently busy fighting the elves of the Croa Principality, that did not mean that the Lydia kingdom was safe. Therefore, despite the absurd situation in this city, he persisted and remained here. The return of the demons had created chaos everywhere on the Eeth Continent, so the northern kingdom, which was a cold ce, was a safe ce to escape from foreign invasion. As Dexterforted himself, a soft wind suddenly blew in from the opposite side of the passage. Swoosh. ¡°¡­Huh?" Because this area was an enclosed space, wind would never blow on the inside. With a tense expression, Dexter drew Marquis Ruben''s long sword. At that moment, ¡°Don¡¯t move. Don''t even scream.¡± The dry voice of the man resounded from right behind him. Dexter''s face turned blue when he saw the cold, sharp dagger in front of his neck. ¡°I, I¡­¡± ¡°Are you Dexter?¡± ¡°Ye-yes.¡± ¡°I need you to follow me.¡± The man¡¯s identity was Woohyuk. He dragged Dexter all the way to the end of the aisle and spoke aloud again. ¡°I know your secret.¡± ¡°Wha, what do you mean¡­?!¡± ¡°Runesmith. The name of the hidden ss you have.¡± In addition to his first ss, cksmith, Dexter had a hidden ss called Runesmith. When Woohyuk revealed his secret, Dexter looked astonished. ¡°H-how do you¡­¡± ¡°I came from the Lydia Kingdom to take you with me.¡± Woohyuk began to negotiate with Dexter. If he voluntarily followed Woohyuk, his safety would be guaranteed and he would be a Baron of the Dane Kingdom. In return, Dexter would have to build the equipment he would be ordered to create and be loyal as a vassal. Quite an advantageous proposal. Dexter swallowed. ¡°Is, is that true? Will I even receive a fief?¡± ¡°Here is the formal appointment of your noble status.¡± Woohyuk took a piece of paper. It contained the red seal of the King of Rhine and a sentence informing Dexter that his title was indeed real. "Unbelievable¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn''t you like to work for a monarch who recognizes your abilities? I am the person you are looking for.¡± Woohyuk showed his confidence without shrinking back a single time. Dexter pondered for a while before nodding. ¡°I don''t know how you obtained that, but I detest this ce. If you keep the promises you just made, I will serve you as my lord until I die.¡± ¡°Great. Now that¡¯s settled.¡± ¡°But do you have some sort of special n? I know a lot of people here, so I''ll be spotted immediately if I try to escape.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I have a very good n.¡± Woohyuk took Dexter to the roof of Marquis Ruben¡¯s mansion. He then equipped Jake¡¯s Airwalker Boots and Dexter¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°What an odd item. Was it made with magic engineering?¡± ¡°It''s an invention by a man named Jake.¡± ¡°Jake... Do you mean the misfortunate genius magic engineer?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they call him. I don''t know about that because I haven''t met in person.¡± Jake had already left this world. Dexter nodded at Woohyuk¡¯s words. ¡°I understand. He is someone who lived a long time ago.¡± ¡°In any case, be careful not to scream. You¡¯ll get a little dizzy.¡± As he held Dexter, Woohyuk activated Jake''s boots and jumped into the air. Dexter trembled in fear at the dizzying sight beneath them. ¡°I, I have a fear of heights¡­¡± ¡°Use this opportunity to get over it.¡± Woohyuk was strict with his own vassals. Through the incident with private Kim Jin-woo, who had caused the firearms tragedy back in Korea, Woohyuk realized that mental weaknesses would create problems. So he hoped that his vassals would not be like Kim Jin-woo. When they reached an alley with few people, Woohyuk lowered their altitude andnded with a stable posture. ¡°Can you walk on your own?¡± "Ah yes¡­ But I''m a little dizzy, so I need to take a break.¡± Dexter leaned against the wall to rest his mind and spinning eyes. While he was regaining stability, Woohyuk took a look at Marquis Ruben''s long sword. [Marquis Ruben''s Gaudy Longsword] Category: Weapon Grade: B Durability: 12,000 Effect: A me stigma is left on wounds created with this sword. An opponent with 5 me stigmas takes continuous me damage, and the user can cast me Strike where the opponent is standing. ''It¡¯s quite useful.'' It wasn¡¯tparable to Cardion, the Sword of Storm possessed by King Colesman of the Norton Kingdom, but the ovepping effect of the me Stigmas could be useful depending on the situation. Dexter spoke up as Woohyuk observed the sword. ¡°It is a suitable weapon to defeat the undead, because they are weak against fire magic.¡± ¡°What is the current situation in Norton? How long do you think we have until the undeads in Dreadlore go south?¡± ¡°Colesman is building massive walls. ording to some rumors, there will probably be a big battle sometime soon.¡± The Norton Kingdom had been fighting for survival against the army of the dead for a long time. Woohyuk looked worried while he fiddled with the gaudy longsword. ¡®I wanted to capture Dreadlore after finding the Edda Chronicles and dealing with Logan and Angrboda, but¡­¡¯ Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have that much leeway and time right now. He had to find the King of Cooking Hans and immediately join the members of Eteria Rodinus in the Talis Kingdom. He would then have to get rid of Dragonlord Ivanov and the Witch of Lust and obtain the Red Dragon Carnelian and the Sangreal Chronicles. Until then, the problems of the Norton Kingdom would have to be left in the hands of King Philip II of Lydia. He also believed that Orphelia, the Elf Queen and true ruler of the Croa Principality, would keep the Enoa Kingdom and Alice the Queen of Thorns in check. When he arrived at the inn with Dexter, he saw Reina and Helena arguing on the first floor. "How selfish of you, acting like a single lemon jelly is such a big deal." ¡°I received these after giving up on 1 gold. If you want them so much, ask Woohyuk to buy you some.¡± ¡°I would have asked him earlier if he would buy it for me. Do you know how much of a cheapskate he is?¡± ¡°Did you say that you once spent time with him in bed while you were naked? Looks like it was a lie since he won¡¯t buy you any lemon jelly.¡± ¡°You must be so happy about getting proposed to by such a cheapskate.¡± ¡°Tha-that¡¯s nonsense! This wasn¡¯t a gift with such intentions!¡± It seemed that the cause of the dispute was lemon jelly ording to the conversation. As he sighed, Woohyuk took out a new container with lemon jelly from his pocket and presented it to Helena. ¡°Take it if you want some. Don''t make a fuss for nothing.¡± ¡°Hoho, you should¡¯ve done that earlier.¡± ¡°Sigh, you witch-of-a-saint.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you leave us be now, Reina? Go find yourself a forest to eat fruits and ride vines.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Reina trembled as fury rose in her mind. Allen then came down from the stairs with a cane in hand. "Hm? Why did everyone gather around without telling me?¡± ¡°Allen, are human saints always so mean and evil?¡± ¡°¡­ I think there are individual differences amongst saints. Did something happen?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be such a tattletale, Reina. Are the elves so narrow-minded by nature?¡± Helena nced at Reina as she put lemon jelly in her mouth. Afterwards, her body shivered and a smile grew on her face. ¡°Ah, this refreshing and sweet taste! I''m saved.¡± ¡°¡­ Mother God, please teach that human saint some shame.¡± Reina drew a cross across her chest with an exhausted expression. Even though Woohyuk didn''t say anything, he nodded in agreement. ¡°Um, is the mood always like this here?¡± "Well¡­ Yes." "It won''t be easy for me to adapt to it." Dexter awkwardly scratched his head. Then Helena pointed at him and spoke aloud. ¡°You, youck confidence! A neer must have ambitions like a freshman!¡± ¡°If you have time to chat, then go up and get ready to leave, Helena.¡± You''ve been treating me too harshly ever since Reina joined us. Are you sure you don''t want to hear more about the contents of the nameless tome?¡± The nameless tome was written in Rosa Eterna, so if Helena didn''t trante and read it for him, Woohyuk wouldn''t understand the content. Woohyuk sighed and grabbed her shoulder. ¡°This is a serious question. What do you think about getting ¡®Witch¡¯ as your second ss? I think it would really suit you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it once you be the Demon God.¡± ¡°Someday I''ll create an eighth sin. How about: Helena, the Witch of Profanity? Isn''t it a good title?¡± Woohyuk and Helena began to fight again. Reina whispered into Allen''s ear as she watched them. ¡°They''re a good match.¡± ¡°¡­It''s hard to deny that for sure.¡± The rtionship between the two was getting more and moreplicated like threads getting tangled together. Although they had yet to realize it. Chapter 148: King of Cooking Hans 1

Chapter 148: King of Cooking Hans 1

Woohyuk sessfully sneaked Dexter out of the military city of Baloa. After delivering the food, he secretly got him aboard the carriage returning to the Lydia Kingdom. There were several checkpoints before crossing the border, but since Dexter was hidden in the Banshee Queen''s cloak,plicated situations did not arise. After arriving at the Royal Pce of Lydia, Woohyuk immediately prepared his next n. ''I just need to find Hans now.'' King of Cooking Hans. He was originally from the Enoa Kingdom, but was unable to endure the tyranny of Alice, the Blood Queen, and left his hometown. He was under themand of the Chinese overlord Zhang Wei, who took control of the Lydia Kingdom. However, those events were from his past life. Back then, Hans died along with Zhang Wei while fighting against the undead army of Necromancer Logan. Logan and his army were marching south and devastating everything in their way. His death was simr to Runesmith Dexter. It was their mistake to choose ipetent monarchs. ''First of all, I need to get Hans'' favor.'' Hans had a picky personality. However, if he showed him the Stymphalian Bird meat obtained from the Stymphalos Lake in the past, Hans would be interested. He could also just kidnap him without going through that much trouble as he had done with Dexter. The problem was Alice, the Queen of Thorns, and the Kazak race. The Norton Kingdom was still standing today due to Logan''s loss of the Necromancer ss, but the Enoa Kingdom was alreadypletely in the hands of the Queen of Thorns. In other words, it was impossible to infiltrate as a mercenary like he had done to find Dexter. ¡°Is there any good n?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Our people have never sent spies to the Enoa Kingdom, so I have no idea.¡± The Elves and the Kazak were pr opposites in terms of physical appearance. If the Elves boasted a graceful and curvaceous beauty, the Kazak were the incarnation of grotesque. It was impossible to send elves as spies in the first ce. ¡°Then we have no choice but to ask the refugees who emigrated from that country.¡± There were some people who had recently escaped from the Enoa Kingdom. As they entered the stone chamber, Helena expressed deep grief at the sight inside. ¡°Oh, these poor people. They¡¯re all skin and bones.¡± Most of the refugees were women. Woohyuk asked the ck-haired woman in front of him a question. ¡°What''s your name?¡± ¡°I am Sarah.¡± ¡°Sarah, tell me everything you know about the current situation in the Enoa Kingdom.¡± ¡°The Queen of Thorns¡­ is treating the citizens like livestock.¡± After infecting the royals and turning them into Kazaks, Alice became a tyrant and ruled the people with fear. Those who did not obey her orders were sent to extreme northeastern regions for manualbor, and when people died in those areas, the bodies were used as food for the Kazak tribe. In addition, she tried to increase the poption by orderingpulsory marriage between men and women. Simrly to vampires, the Kazaks were unable to reproduce on their own, so they needed to infect other humans to increase their poption. Reina nodded as she listened to the ck-haired woman. ¡°That''s right. When my people got infected by the Kazaks during our battles, they changed into kazaks themselves. It was so difficult to deal with.¡± It was hard for the elves to attack theirrades they had fought with until a short while ago. Woohyukforted Reina and turned to Sarah again. ¡°If you had to go to the Kines Castle in Lazania right now, how would you do it?¡± ¡°That castle is at the border of the Lydia kingdom, so the Kazak army is always stationed there. But it is not their main force.¡± Currently, the Queen of Thorns¡¯ attention was directed towards Orphelia, the Elf Queen of the Croa Principality, and the Five Pdins of the Holy Aperian Empire who were helping her. So, Woohyuk had an army, he could advance and attack immediately and capture the castle. But if he wanted to carry out the operation covertly, he could cross the wall and pretend to be a prisoner. Basically, it was impossible to pass through the gates disguised as a mercenary or a traveler from another country. After listening to Sarah''s words, Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Those aren¡¯t bad ideas. But King Philip II would be opposed to mobilizing the army. The Lydia kingdom¡¯s internal situation is still chaotic, so he wouldn¡¯t want to start a war.¡± Therefore, secretly infiltrating the Kines Castle was their only option for now. The problem was that he needed to know the approximate structure and internal situation of the Kines Castle in advance. At Woohyuk''s words, Sarah brought along a brown-haired man. ¡°This man is Ethan. He was born in Lazania and worked as a guard at the Kines Castle for a long time.¡± Ethan knew very much about the Kines Castle. Woohyuk learned the necessary information for the infiltration from him. ¡°So they don¡¯t ce their troops on top of the high walls?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s difficult for humans to climb up there.¡± And the climate in the northern part of the Enoa Kingdom was as severe as the Norton Kingdom. Even if they were monstrous Kazaks, if they stood in an open area with a strong blizzard blowing, their whole body would freeze. While it would be possible if the kazaks were infected frost giants, they wererge and would find it difficult to stand on the wall. ¡°The best way would be to climb the wall with a minimal number of participants in the operation.¡± ¡°What about that female cat you left behind at the let County? You didn¡¯t bring her with us because she stands out.¡± The female cat Helena referred to was Catsy. Currently, Woohyuk''s goal was to infiltrate different countries while bringing only the necessary people with him. The smaller the group and the more ordinary the members looked, the better. He didn¡¯t want to attract attention ¡°It would¡¯ve definitely been easier if she were here. It would¡¯ve also helped a lot if I had the Jester''s mask with me.¡± With the Jester''s mask, it would have been easier to get in contact with Hans, the King of Cooking, by changing his appearance as he had done when rescuing Izuna''s Princess Lizbeth. However, Choi Kayoon was still using it. He had to find another method. ¡°So how are you going to climb the walls? You can wear those airwalker boots, but we don¡¯t have a way.¡± ¡°There is a way.¡± Woohyuk flicked his finger toward the empty space in front of him. Then, the surroundings instantly lit up, and a golden goat appeared in front of them. ¡°Meeeeeeeeeeeeeh!¡± ¡°Wha, what the?! A mountain goat?¡± ¡°I picked him up at the Valley of Kings before.¡± The golden goat was strong enough to climb a cliff even with an adult man on its back. Woohyuk lifted Helena and ced her on the golden goat and took out a golden horn from his pocket. Eventually, he blew into the horn, and the golden goat began to energetically climb up the stone wall next to it. ¡°Wha, just what the hell did you order him to do?!¡± ¡°You can climb the wall that way. The goat can only ept one rider at a time, so everyone will have to wait for their turn. But I''ll only take two people with me on this operation so it doesn''t really matter.¡± ¡°Wait, if you¡¯re taking two, then one of us isn¡¯t part of the operation, right? If we don¡¯t count that cksmith.¡± Reina raised her ears and crossed her arms. Woohyuk nodded and pointed towards the golden goat jumping around vertically and horizontally on the stone wall. ¡°That troublemaking Saint won¡¯t be a part of this infiltration n. She has high divine power which can attract the attention of the Kazaks.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that we don¡¯t want to leave the cksmith behind on his own. And we absolutely have to take part in this mission as well.¡± Allen and Reina had to check the link between the Kazak race and the mandragora, because they were on an important mission for Elf Queen Orphelia. ¡°G-get me off! I¡¯m feeling dizzy! I feel like I might faint!¡± ¡°You¡¯re overreacting, Ms. Sadistic Saint.¡± Woohyuk scorned at Helena as he held onto the horn. He then blew into the golden horn, and the golden goat gently descended from the stone wall. ¡°Phew¡­ Is it that amusing to bully me?¡± "Honestly, I can''t deny that." ¡°You truly are the sessor of the previous Demon God, seeing how terribly you treat this beautiful saint.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t really agree with that because you¡¯re a saint in name only. You''re the Witch of Profanity Helena. That suits you a lot more.¡± The two of them bickered as usual. Allen grabbed their attention with a cough and changed the subject. ¡°Ehem... But there¡¯s one problem. If you blow that horn, won''t the Kazakse and investigate the origin of the sound?¡± ¡°This is just what I use to issue remotemands. You''ll have to learn how to control the golden goat yourself.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be easy to climb the high wall on the golden goat. At Woohyuk''s exnation, Reina climbed on the goat¡¯s back with confidence. ¡°There was a vehicle simr to this in the world I lived in. So even if I don''t practice, I¡¯ll perform so much better than that stupid saint.¡± Elves were also a race summoned from a different world like humans and beastmen. Their world was a primitive but natural world full of vitality. Because she had lived in harmony with a variety of animals and nts, she had a good knowledge of how to handle goats. ¡°But get used to riding this one. You never know what could happen¡± Even masters would sometimes make mistakes while performing their mastered art. However, Reina shook her finger at Woohyuk. ¡°Watch closely. This is a piece of cake.¡± Reina started riding the golden goat skillfully on the stone wall. The others watched her elegant figure in admiration. ¡°She really is flexible. It must be because she¡¯s a forest race. Her posture looks very stable despite the fact that she¡¯s using one hand only.¡± ¡°She really knows how to interact with animals. She looks like She¡¯s being violent with the goat, but each movement looks gentle and emanates a sense of care.¡± ¡°It''s a bit frustrating, but I have to admit it. That elf certainly rides the golden goat better than me.¡± As everyone praised her, Woohyuk blew into the golden horn. Then, the goat came down straight from the stone wall and approached him. ¡°Why did you make ite down so suddenly? I wanted to y with it more.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t an amusement park. We don¡¯t have a lot of time to spare.¡± Woohyuk put the golden horn back inside his pocket. It was a device that could control golden goats and doubled the vitality and magic recovery speed of allies listening to its sound. Reina licked her lips and smacked as if she wanted the horn for herself. ¡°You really have a lot of amazing items.¡± ¡°They were all hard to obtain.¡± As Woohyuk held back on his words, Reina observed at him with sharp eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t take all the final rewards in the Primordial Forest and Adventurer¡¯s Canyon for yourself, did you?¡± ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± ¡°No wonder all the rewards were bad. Lady Orphelia was so angry back then, saying that every item was trash.¡± Originally, Orphelia should have obtained a few good items. However, Woohyuk had regressed and took them all. Helena, who knew the truth, intervened in the conversation. ¡°Hehe¡­ It really is weird, isn¡¯t it? A single person just swept up all those rewards.¡± ¡°Oi, you weird saintess. Just tell me if you know something. No need to beat around the bush like that.¡± "Who knows. What is it that you think I know? Hm¡­ I really can¡¯t figure it out no matter how much I think about it. Aren¡¯t I right, King of Rhine?¡± Helena smiled and winked at Woohyuk. As he ignored her, Woohyuk turned towards Dexter. ¡°Oh right, I have a mission for you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want you to repair this equipment.¡± Woohyuk pulled out the Berserker''s te Armor Set and the Basilisk''s Scale Armor Set from his belt. Dexter fiddled with them and nodded. ¡°They¡¯re in terrible states. However, it will be possible if I have the materials for them.¡± ¡°Ask King Philip II to supply the materials.¡± King Philip II was on Woohyuk¡¯s side. When Woohyuk left the armors to Dexter, Reina¡¯s eyes sparkled. "Woah, can''t you give me that scale armor?" ¡°Nope, I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Tsk¡­ Stingy.¡± "You haven¡¯t done anything for me until now." ¡°T-then what can I do for you?!¡± ¡°Be my vassal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He had already nned out this conversation. Reina stared nkly at Woohyuk as she couldn¡¯t form words in her mouth. ¡°Do, do you always recruit your vassals like that?¡± "Yeah. It works a lot better than you would expect.¡± Allen, who used to be an archmage, was also convinced by him and had established a master-servant rtionship with Woohyuk in the past. As he recalled the events of the past, Woohyuk smiled weakly. For some reason, he thought that he could obtain that elf using the same method. Chapter 149: King of Cooking Hans 2

Chapter 149: King of Cooking Hans 2

Inside Kines Castle in the province of Lazania. Hans was preparing a meal for the residents as usual. The broth boiled in arge pot as smoke rose in the kitchen. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Honestly, whatever he was making couldn¡¯t be called cooking. It was just chopped radish and cabbage being boiled in a pot. The Queen of Thorns Alice was raising the citizens of the kingdom as livestock, so there was a fundamental limit to the food ingredients Hans could obtain and use. ¡°I want to at least make some fish soup to feed everyone...¡± As a chef, he always wanted to entertain people with food. But he was currently boiling this unappetizing soup that couldn¡¯t be called ¡®food¡¯. ¡°I should¡¯ve run away to the Lydia Kingdom back then...¡± When the Queen of Thorns first appeared, he only thought of her as merely a new monster like any other. This world would often update itself. Because of these updates, previously nonexistent ruins would spawn and the system would modify itself. However, the people originating from the Eeth Continent did not find these changes odd. They just thought of it as the gods intervening in the world. "I can¡¯t see the light of hope." A hundred days had passed since his wife¡¯s death. The cause was an unknown disease. Since everyone couldn''t eat well, their immune system was weakened, and many died from various seemingly insignificant diseases. Nevertheless, the treatment towards the people of the kingdom did not improve. For Alice, the Queen of Thorns, they were just tools she needed to create more members of her race. As Hans sighed, he heard a knock at the door. Knock knock. "Come in." Kazaks didn''t knock like humans would do. The door creaked open and a ck-haired young man appeared. It was Chun Woohyuk. ¡°Who are you? I¡¯ve never seen your face around here before.¡± ¡°I came to save you.¡± Woohyuk spoke straightforwardly. As two more humans appeared behind him, Hans was greatly confused. ¡°H-how did you¡­¡± ¡°We climbed over the wall. By riding this guy.¡± Behind the group, a golden goat peaked his head out. After Woohyuk unsummoned the animal, he observed Hans'' reaction. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you think you can use your talents to your heart''s content here? I hear that ingredients are scarce, which appears to be true seeing how that pot only has a few vegetables in it.¡± It wasn''t soup just for one or two people, but for the hundred residents approximately in this area. Hans hesitated, and shook his head. ¡°No. You¡¯re right. It would be impossible. As you may have realized, this ce is hell.¡± ¡°Be my vassal. Then you will be able to help countless people.¡± Woohyuk shared his future ns and aspirations to Hans. Hans watched him with a surprised face. ¡°You want to subdue all the demons and unify the Eeth Continent?¡± ¡°I have already acquired the Rhine Kingdom and the Dane Kingdom. And the Lydia Kingdom and Izuna Kingdom are currently my allies.¡± Woohyuk emphasized on his cause rather than promising Hans a rich life devoid of hardships. He was well aware that Hans was someone who valued honor. Hans took his time and contemted, as if Woohyuk¡¯s n had somehow worked. ¡°You''re cause is definitely worth joining. But I worry about those who will be left behind in this castle.¡± ¡°I can''t save them all right now. You''re well aware of that, right?" ¡°Yes, of course. No matter how strong you are, you cannot easily defeat the Queen of Thorns'' army.¡± Even though the five Pdins of the Empire were participating, there was no sign of an end to this war. The main reason was that the Kazaks were continuing to increase their numbers by using their enemies as their hosts. In addition, there were demons and unknown alchemists supporting them from behind the scenes. ¡°Alchemists?¡± ¡°Yes, they are making purple pills and supplying them to the Queen of Thorns. I happened to learn that fact while I was at the royal pce.¡± Hans was originally a chef cooking for aristocrats. Reina expressed her worries when she heard Hans'' words. ¡°So the Clipport''s Fruit is being circted.¡± ¡°That''s probably the reason why the Pdins of the Empire are struggling.¡± Unlike Rosenkreuz, Pdins did not use the Clipport''s Fruit for themselves, because they considered the act itself to be dishonorable. They were chosen by the seven gods to be the guardians of the empire. ¡°In any case, even if you stay here, you won''t be of any help to the kingdom''s citizens. It would be better toe with me to the Rhine Kingdom and make ns for the future.¡± ¡°I see. But before that, I am a cook. I have the duty to feed the people who are starving. Hans wanted to provide a decent meal to the residents of this castle at least once before leaving. Having understood his intentions, Woohyuk began to take ingredients out of the sage''s pocket. ¡°Just, just where the hell did you get all this¡­¡± ¡°I''ve been around many ces and gathered a lot of things.¡± The sage''s pocket could also be increased in size to the form of a bag, so he could fit a lot of things inside. Moreover, it had unlimited capacity. So Woohyuk was able to prepare the ingredients Hans needed beforeing here. ¡°It¡¯s been such a long time since Ist saw fresh ingredients.¡± "Use as much as you want." Among the ingredients that Woohyuk took out, there were mandragoras and stymphalian bird meat. Mandragora would increase the immune system of the weakened residents, and stymphalian bird meat would provide the stamina to withstand a long period of famine. Hans shed tears at Woohyuk''s extraordinary consideration. ¡°I didn''t think you''d be interested in a chef like me. The other monarchs are not quite like you.¡± ¡°Because I know the importance of having a good cook." Woohyuk was suddenly reminded of the horrible food Leifina had made in the past. As Woohyuk tried to erase the painful memories of the past, Allen ended his silence and spoke up. ¡°What about using this opportunity to feed the Kazaks food made with mandragoras?¡± "That''s a good idea. We also have the best cook with us.¡± Allen and Reina had learned from Woohyuk that Hans had the title ''King of Cooking''. Hans awkwardly scratched his head as the two looked at him with anticipation. ¡°We have enough ingredients, so you can take some food with you after I finish cooking. But how do you n on feeding the Kazaks?¡± ¡°We''ll have to kidnap them. There were some of them patrolling the outskirts of the castle earlier.¡± ¡°There won''t be a problem if you kidnap them without making a scene. But if you fail, it''ll get troublesome for us.¡± As Allen and Reina were nning an operation, the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway. Woohyuk realized from the sounds and vibrations that they were Kazaks Woohyuk stepped forward and took out the cradle of grief. [Cradle of Grief] Category: essory Grade: B Durability: 18,000 Effect: When activated, hostile individuals within a maximum radius of 20m enter a confused state. Afterwards, the opponent''s mental strength decreases by 40% for 10 minutes. The artifact he had gained inside the Arachne Temple of the Corcas Mountains in the past. Ever since he had obtained it, its grade had increased by one level, the maximum radius had increased from 15m to 20m, and the mental strength reduction had also increased from 35% to 40%. In addition, because it was now a B-grade artifact, the probability of the debuff working on Woohyuk¡¯s current target was very high unless it was an elite-ss Kazak. When the door swung open, Woohyuk immediately activated the cradle of grief. Swoosh! A ck fog burst out and spread around as it made an eerie sound. The Kazak was struck out of nowhere. As the enemy staggered and knelt down, Woohyuk turned to Reina. ¡°Bring adle and feed it to this guy.¡± "U-understood." Reina moved quickly as she was also curious about the results. Afterwards, the Kazak drank the brown soup and convulsed as he fell down to the floor. White foam began to form in his mouth. ¡°Kueek! Kueeeek!¡± ¡°There was an effect.¡± ¡°Mandragora toxins must be deadly to them.¡± It was a great discovery that could potentially change the tides of the war between the elves and kazaks. Reina looked at Allen with excitement. ¡°If Lady Orphelia learns of this, she¡¯ll be overjoyed. I want to run back home right now and let her know...¡± "Don¡¯t rush. It¡¯s impossible to cross the Enoa Kingdom and reach the Croa Principality right now.¡± They could go back to their homnd by passing through the Holy Aperian Empire, but the empire had also recently experienced some unpleasant events, and outsiders were being strictly monitored. At Woohyuk''s exnation, Reina¡¯s long ears drooped. ¡°Then, do we have to take a ship? What if we encounter the pirates again?¡± ¡°You encountered ckbeard¡¯s crew at the west sea of the Norton Kingdom, so it should be fine if you take a ship at the northern port of the Lydia Kingdom.¡± And if he sent Triton with them, their safety would be guaranteed to some extent. While Hans began cleaning up after finishing cooking, Woohyuk wrote a letter to Orphelia. ''It will be easier to get close to her if we fight against Alice as amon enemy likest time.'' Since Allen and Reina were now on his side, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he let them return to Ophelia right now. It would be advantageous to keep the man and woman by his side as his vassals, but they had their own jobs to perform. Allen had to walk down the path of an Archmage as a disciple of Arcane, the reclusive Great Sage of the Croa Principality. Reina had to act as the intermediary between himself and the elves by contacting each other through Steve''s Surprising Apple. He would have to give (bribe) her the Basilisk¡¯s Scale Armor Set to get rid of her dissatisfaction though. ''It''s not as useful to me as before anymore.'' Initially, he could use it as his main armor, but now that its grade was lower than other items, he didn¡¯t need it as much as before. Moreover, since it was scale armor, it was inappropriate to use as material for te armor. The poison effects had worked on his opponents until now, but it would not be very efficient against enemies like Alice and the 72 Demon Kings. Last time, he had rejected Reina''s request, but it was merely a strategy to increase his bargaining power. ¡®Raising her affection for me now will be of help when making her my vassal in the future.'' When monarchs formed alliances, they would often send vassals to each other and used them as diplomatic ambassadors. They were also used as hostages in case one monarch would betray the other. As Woohyuk thought deeply to himself, Hans called everyone. ¡°Alright, the food isplete. I will give you the opportunity to eat first since everyone has helped me out so much.¡± ¡°Oho, this looks delicious!¡± Reina sat down with her ears straightened upwards as she let her curiosity take over. Ever since the lemon jelly Incident, she had be more willing to taste human food. She immediately picked up her spoon and began to eat. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°How is it? It¡¯s been a long time since I used this recipe, so I¡¯m worried that my skills may have gotten rusty.¡± Hans looked at Reina with nervous eyes. He was conscious of the fact that she was an elf unfamiliar with human culture. But contrary to his worries, Reina responded happily. ¡°Oooohhh! This is really good! Is human food always so delicious, Allen?¡± ¡°It depends on the chef. Eating the dish of a terrible cook is literally torture.¡± ¡°Ah, it sure is.¡± Woohyuk was reminded of a woman who was terrible at cooking. He began to drink the soup, and thought to himself. ¡®I¡¯m d that I don¡¯t have to taste that horrendous food this time around.¡¯ Chapter 150: Dragonlord Ivanov 1

Chapter 150: Dragonlord Ivanov 1

After giving the residents of Kines Castle a hearty meal, Hans sessfully escaped the Enoa Kingdom with Woohyuk and hispanions. Thanks to the information Woohyuk had obtained in advance, they were able to avoid areas with strict surveince. Now that both the geniuses he wanted to recruit were with him, Woohyuk asked King Philip II to help Allen and Reina return safely to the Croa Principality. They provided a ship capable of long-distance voyage to the elf and the mage. Triton, who was a first-ss navigator and could also serve as a bodyguard during emergencies, was lent as a bonus. However, there was one problem: How would Triton return from the Croa Principality alone afterwards? Woohyuk pondered for a while, before speaking to Triton. ¡°For the return trip, swim your way back to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Such a cold-blooded lord. As Triton reluctantly lowered the sail, Reina waved her hand at Woohyuk from the deck. ¡°Goodbye, Woohyuk! And thanks for the scale armor!¡± ¡°Don''t forget to contact me when you arrive.¡± "Sure! Stay healthy, my good friend!¡± Woohyuk had helped Reina in many ways, which led to her developing positive feelings towards the man. Once the man and elf duo said their goodbyes, Allen spoke in turn. ¡°I will find a way to pay back this debt. Let us meet again in the future.¡± "Don¡¯t worry. I''ll visit you personally sometime.¡± Allen had to return to his home country as soon as possible and walk down the path of an archmage. Funnily enough, the man in question still wasn¡¯t aware of his own destiny. ¡°Have a safe trip!¡± As the time for departure approached, Helena finally ended her silence and spoke up. Then, she took out a transparent container and tossed a lemon jelly in her mouth. ¡°Hey, you greedy saint. You better note to the Croa Principality. I''m going to spread terrible rumors about you everywhere.¡± "Do as you want. I don''t really care.¡± Helena munched on the jelly as she shook her index finger sideways. Reina turned to Woohyuk with an exhausted expression. ¡°I feel sorry for you, Woohyuk. Good luck traveling around with that shameless woman.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. The King of Rhine values me very highly.¡± Helena hugged Woohyuk''s arm with both hands and clung to him. Reina flinched as if Helena¡¯s action bothered her. ¡°That saint is so troublesome...¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop now? Let¡¯s say goodbye with smiles on our faces.¡± Allen tapped Reina''s shoulder. The ship then departed, and once the two were out of sight, Woohyuk pushed Helena away. ¡°Why do you keep clinging to me?¡± ¡°To control you.¡± Helena smiled and her mischievous attitude disappeared. Woohyuk stared at her for a moment and then turned to the carriage. ¡°Now, let go meet up with the others from Eteria Rodinus. Did they contact you recently?¡± ¡°Not really. It seems like everything is going as nned.¡± Eteria Rodinus was looking for the whereabouts of the Sangreal Chronicles in the Talis Kingdom. However, the Talis Kingdom was a country full of dangers, as Dragonlord Ivanov, the three demon kings of Ars Almadel, and the Witch of Lust were residing in it. If things went wrong, there would be a grand-scale battle before he would obtain the Sangreal Chronicles and Red Dragon Carnelian. ¡°They must be exploring the ruins. Are all the members gathered together right now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case. We have to be prepared for the worst case scenario.¡± It would be terrible if something unexpected happened and all the members of Eteria Rodinus died simultaneously. Even during the previous incident with Rosenkreuz, there were only half of them to face the enemy. The rest were scattered around and working to rebuild the Ark of Knowledge. ¡°I pray that there are no traitors like the 12th disciple Judas Iscariot amongst you.¡± ¡°Oh, if there were a traitor amongst us, I would be dead already, since I have the nameless tome with me.¡± The nameless tome and Sangreal Chronicles were valuable records of the ancestors that Eteria Rodinus paid special attention to. Woohyuk nodded and got on the carriage. ¡°Let''s go to the Lydia Kingdom, Bailey.¡± "Understood." Bailey swung the reins and the horses began walking. Once the carriage started moving at a decent pace, Woohyuk had a telepathing conversation with him. [Were there any disturbances in the Lydia Kingdom?] [Yes, some believers of the Witch Cult were spotted, but it didn''t seem like they were scheming something altogether.] Bailey was in charge of operating the country with King Philip II while Woohyuk was traveling around other kingdoms. Thanks to him, the Lydia Kingdom had be much more peaceful and stable again. Woohyuk would not have to worry about the Lydia Kingdom for now. ''But we never know when problems will ur.'' Because the country was between the Norton Kingdom and the Enoa Kingdom, King Philip II would face a new crisis sooner orter. Therefore, Woohyuk could not stay in the Talis Kingdom for too long. He had to negotiate with Eteria Rodinus and learn Rosa Eterna, thenguage of the wisemen. Woohyuk looked out the window, feeling some heavy weights on his shoulders. *** Once they arrived at the royal pce of Lydia, Woohyuk took Dexter and Hans with him and headed straight to the Dane Kingdom. His n was to leave them with Leifina for a while. Leifina would also be excluded from the journey to the Talis Kingdom, because she had to hold on to the Informant''s Messages instead of Woohyuk. She would be the one getting tracked instead of Woohyuk. However, Leifina did not agree to the n and wanted to journey with her lord. Woohyuk took out a transparent container in response to her refusal. "Take it, I bought it specially for you." ¡°Wha, what is this?¡± ¡°It''s chocte. It''s a popr food made with cacao fruits in the Talis Kingdom.¡± The food originated from the Talis Kingdom, but he had obtained a small amount of it from a city in the Lydia Kingdom. Leifina slowly put a piece of chocte in her mouth. ¡°¡­!!!¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°It''s amazing. I love how it melts in my mouth.¡± Woohyuk had given Leifina this gift to appease her heart, as well as to make her forget the previous incident with Helena. The n seemed sessful based on Leifina''s response. ¡°It¡¯s a reward for working so hard until now. I hope you will continue to work for me in the future.¡± ¡°I will try my best to meet My Lord¡¯s expectations.¡± Leifina was an obedient girl, unlike a certain saintess who enjoyed harassing him. Choi Kayoon entered the room and interrupted the calm mood the two were enjoying. ¡°Do I have to keep staying here? I worry that Tinia will kill all my monsters.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I already informed Sieg.¡± Currently, many of his vassals were returning to the Rhine Kingdom. Their jobs were to protect the country from demons. Indeed, since Woohyuk was away from the kingdom, demons could once again aim for it. And his current n only required a few people, so he couldn''t take all of them on his journey. ¡°Then, isn''t the Dane Kingdom too unprotected? I think we should divide the ratio appropriately.¡± ¡°This country is between the Lydia Kingdom and the Izuna Kingdom, so we can reim it at any moment.¡± Moreover, even though the Holy Aperian Empire was right next to it, they were separated by a mountain range. In other words, despite them being neighboring countries, the Dane Kingdom was somewhat out of the Holy Aperian Empire¡¯s circle of influence. In fact, there were fewer and fewer priests working for the Pope in this country. ¡°Those priests are scary. They¡¯re going to burn me alive if they find out I¡¯m taming and raising monsters.¡± ¡°The hunt for pagans and heretics won¡¯t be as frequent for a while. They have to wait until Rosenkreuz gets better. The problem right now is Princess Eleonora.¡± Princess Eleonora wanted to make the imperial power greater than the pope¡¯s. Before his regression, she often did things that were unexpected, such as conquering smaller kingdoms in the surroundings that had gotten taken over by demons. ''It¡¯ll be troublesome if shees over here and createsplications.'' Her appearance was that of an impable beauty. She had shiny blond hair descending to her waist and clear sea-blue eyes, an egg-shaped face and narrow nose that men loved. Finally, long and thin eyebrows that maximized her purity. Every aspect of her body was perfect, so she would dazzle even when wearing rough clothes. But her personality was... ''Right now, Helena is already difficult enough to handle, but...'' A princess who ran wild with a holy sword and a saint who enjoyed harassing others. Both were very different from his taste in women. ¡°If Princess Eleonora doese, how should I act?¡± ¡°¡­Just try to be as far away as possible from her.¡± The advantage with Helena was that her behaviors were mostly jokes, but Eleonora''s criticisms were all sincere. If she found out he had demonic energy, she would immediately pick up the holy sword Ertia and cut him down. In terms of madness, she was no less inferior to Rosenkreuz. ¡°She must be a very troublesome woman.¡± ¡°Helena is an angelpared to her.¡± ¡°Oh, do you think of me like that? How embarrassing...¡± Helena entered the room and intervened in Woohyuk and Choi Kayoon¡¯s conversation. Woohyuk frowned for a moment, before changing the subject. "Aren¡¯t you done with the magic spell yet?" ¡°Wha, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend not to know. It¡¯s written all over your face¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re unbelievable. What a terrible man.¡± Helena finally revealed murderous intent for the first time. Her emotions had be sensitive due to her period. Leifina criticised as she also knew Helena¡¯s pain. ¡°My Lord, that is not proper etiquette to ady.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, I went too far just now. I apologize, Helena.¡± "I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m just going to go eat some delicious lemon jelly.¡± Helena picked up the lemon jelly container with a sullen expression. Choi Kayoon watched with envy and spoke up. ¡°Wow, it looks delicious. Can I have one...¡± "I can''t hear you." Helena murmured and acted ignorant. Dexter and Hans came inside while Choi Kayoon was sulking. ¡°Your Majesty, the requested work has beenpleted.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the meal is ready.¡± Dexter''s task was to engrave low-grade protection runes on the Berserker''s te armor set. There are several advantages of engraving runes on armor, such as resisting mind attacks or magic swords. One would be able to do those things even if their stats were lowpared to their opponent. "Hmm¡­ Not bad.¡± ¡°I can only use low-grade runes because my skill level is still low, but I will engrave intermediate and advanced runes someday.¡± Sacred rune characters couldter be harvested from spirit stones by using Dexter¡¯s exclusive essory, Rune Law. The usage rights were obviously limited to Dexter, the runesmith. Later on, if he could utilize runes freely, it would be possible to engrave runes made ofbinations of high-grade magic spells and not just runes of protection. Moreover, if his cksmith skill proficiency increased, it would be possible to use existing equipment as material to produce even higher-grade equipment. Currently, Woohyuk had some pieces of equipment that weren''t usable, so he had great expectations for Dexter. "Good work. Then let¡¯s go eat now.¡± Special food prepared by the King of Cooking himself was waiting for them. When the whole group left for the dining room, Leifina secretly whispered to Hans. ¡°Um, Hans. I have a request...¡± ¡°Please speak freely, Countess Leifina.¡± ¡°Can you teach me how to cook?¡± The more someone told you not to do something, the more you would want to try it out. That was the unwritten rule of every world. Leifina¡¯s eyes sparkled as determination swirled in her pupils. Chapter 151: Dragonlord Ivanov 2

Chapter 151: Dragonlord Ivanov 2

As Leifina nned her secret lessons, Woohyuk left for the Talis kingdom unawares. Helena and Catsy were the only ones apanying him. Bailey wasn¡¯t part of the group because Woohyuk had sent Bailey to the Lydia Kingdom to keep an eye on the northern region¡¯s situation. On the other hand, Catsy was included in the group this time because she had useful abilities as a beastwoman. Beastmen could climb walls with their sharp ws, or use their keen sense of smell to chase after someone. ''There are many beastmen in the Talis kingdom.'' In the Norton Kingdom and the Enoa Kingdom, beastmen were rare, so Catsy would¡¯ve quickly stood out. However, the Talis Kingdom was the exact opposite. Its southern tropical climate was simr to the climate of the world where the beastmen originally lived, so many of them settled down in the Talis Kingdom. ''Ivanov is probably raising an army by now.'' In the past, after conquering the Talis Kingdom, he borrowed Demon King Astaroth¡¯s power to invade the surrounding kingdoms. Moreover, he was sessful due to Red Dragon Carnelian. The troops of the small kingdoms trembled at the sight of the dragon, which were known to have gone extinct. Obviously enough, the armies were unable to deal with the dragon and copsed. ''I won''t let that happen this time.'' Although it had yet to happen during this life, Woohyuk had once suffered a great deal because of Ivanov. It was at Ravenhill, a province in the northwest of the Enoa Kingdom. Ivanov rode Carnelian and crossed the Karlheinz Mountains through the skies, killing many of Woohyuk¡¯s capable vassals. If Woohyuk didn¡¯t deal with Ivanov using this opportunity, the tragedy could be repeated. However, the current priority was to find and obtain the Sangreal Chronicles. ¡°Has Eteria Rodinus found the Sangreal Chronicles yet?¡± Woohyuk asked Helena as they walked through the grasnd under the powerful sunlight. She was contacting Eteria Rodinus by using a pendant-shapedmunication artifact. ¡°Yes, they must¡¯ve encountered some trouble during their ruin explorations.¡± [White Ghost King''s Sand Temple.] It was one of the ruins believed to contain the Sangreal Chronicles. The five wisemen could¡¯ve easily cleared the ruin, but a problem had urred. The demon king''s army had suddenly entered the ruins. ¡°Then we should go help them as fast as possible. Yourrades may get surrounded by them.¡± "Of course we should. But they won¡¯t go down so easily.¡± Eteria Rodinus was a secret society of wisemen. They were good at magic and were also very knowledgeable in other fields. So even if a crisis were to happen, they would find a way to survive. As she had been raised by Saint Boetius, Helena believed in them. ¡°We could also use the characteristics of the White Ghost King''s Sand Temple against the enemies.¡± ¡°Did you conquer these ruins before regressing? Then you will be of great help.¡± ¡°First, inform yourrades that those ruins are simr to a survival game.¡± Although it looked like a dungeon, the White Ghost King''s Sand Temple was actually a Colosseum-like arena. Its true form would be revealed when one arrived at the top of the ruins. The obelisk located in the middle of the arena would shine, and transport the intruders to an unknown space where a vicious survival game would begin. Helena halted her steps in surprise at Woohyuk''s exnation. ¡°A survival game? We¡¯re not even in the demon world¡­ Are you telling me the Eeth continent¡¯s system allows that?¡± ¡°The stage where the game takes ce is simr to the demon world. This is made possible because this world is divided into different levels and dimensions as you mentioned previously.¡± Otherwise, there was also the possibility that the White Ghost King''s Sand Temple was an imaginary world like the Memory Garden. The obelisk at the center had a simr function to the divine tree that led to the Memory Garden. ¡°Anyways, I guess that you safely cleared and escaped these ruins in your past life? Though you didn¡¯t obtain the Sangreal Chronicles for some reason...¡± ¡°There was no Sangreal Chronicles in the sand temple, at least back when I challenged the ruins. Perhaps you people of Eteria Rodinus explored if before me and took it away.¡± The White Ghost King''s Sand Temple had the structure of a pyramid. It was a ruin where you have to climb up from the bottom. It had countless secret passages and hidden areas all over the ce. In his past life, Woohyuk had mobilized an archaeologist to investigate the temple for three entire months, but they didn¡¯t find any special ancient documents. They didn¡¯t learn anything interesting from the White Ghost King in the space connected to the top floor either. ¡°Meeoooow! Master, I''ll find this item for you!¡± Catsy softly shook her tail as she woke up, and let out a delicate cry. Helena asked Woohyuk some more questions as he patted the cat-girl¡¯s head. ¡°But what are you saying we should use specifically? Should they hide in a secret room and wait for the demon kings'' army to be killed in the survival game first?¡± "Yes. It''s impossible for them to defeat the White Ghost King.¡± The White Ghost King was strong enough to forcibly summon intruders into his alternate space. Helenaughed out loud when Woohyuk confessed that he couldn¡¯t beat him at the time and retreated only after getting the final treasure. ¡°Then are you confident to defeat him this time? Knowing you, you don¡¯t like losing, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It might be possible if I go over my limits a bit.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. You will be more likely to lose your mind and go berserk.¡± ¡°Have you ever thought of it this way? That this is an attempt for me to surpass my limits?¡± Woohyuk''s greatest goal and wish was to return to his original world with all of mankind by filling in the empty Divine Thrones. Helena nodded to him because she knew his wish. ¡°I admit that you have great willpower. That''s why we take the risk of giving you the choice. But don''t think about misbehaving just because we give you too much freedom.¡± "I understand. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Woohyuk responded half-heartedly and vaguely ignored Helena¡¯s words. He knew well enough from experience that arguing with her wouldn''t get him anywhere. ''And she¡¯s not the type to fully obey him just because she lost the debate.'' He couldn¡¯t think of a way to tame Helena, unless he secretly fed her the love potion. He had tried to look into her past with the Memory Pendant, but to no avail. Saints were protected by the gods, so magic trying to ess their memories did not work on them. ¡®I have to keep the love potion for the future.¡¯ For now, it was the only way he could gain absolute control over Princess Eleonora. She was the key to acquiring the Holy Aperian Empire. Unlike his past life, Woohyuk was rapidly expanding his power, and the Holy Aperian Empire was still strong enough to send troops to other countries. That was why he had officially dered himself a representative of the God of Light and formed friendly rtions with Rosenkreuz. In order to subjugate and conquer neighboring countries without diplomatic friction, it was necessary to pay attention to the eyes of the Holy Aperian Empire, the Eeth Continent¡¯s suzerain. So if he could gain Princess Eleonora¡¯s help... ''I will be able to achieve my goals a lot faster than nned.'' Using a love potion would be an ethical issue, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t care. He had already tried out all the normal methods before his regression, but to no avail. But Woohyuk¡¯s goal was to solve the main problem, and not deal with ethical questions. Therefore, if he could take a shortcut that needed him to be heartless or deceive someone, he would not hesitate to take it Instead, he didn¡¯t n on appealing to people as a savior or a knight in shining armor or a god. He would not be like Marcus, who deified himself after taking control of the Theresian Empire and ughtered people meaninglessly. As he recalled the past, Woohyuk stared at a giant tree in the distance. A rare sight in the grasnds. Vicious wild animals were swarming around it. ¡°Master, please be careful! If you get too close to one of them, you will have to deal with the entire pack!¡± Catsy raised her tail and moved with caution. However, Woohyuk kept walking without a single hesitation. Helena also silently followed him, and Catsy watched in confusion. "Master¡­?¡± ¡°It''s illusion magic. It¡¯s a device that protects the ruins from intruders.¡± Most major ruins were often hidden in this way. When Woohyuk arrived at his destination, he took out Verserios and swung it diagonally, causing thendscape to shatter. A ck portal then appeared before them. ¡°Now, take the lead Helena. I don''t know where yourrades are.¡± ¡°How wicked of you. Trying to use a weak woman as a shield...¡± Helena acted terrified and stepped in front of him. A deste desert soon unfolded before her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just like what I heard from Rusud. A desert in the middle of a green prairie.¡± ¡°It is because of the White Ghost King¡¯s curse. This phenomenon will continue happening until that pyramid disappears.¡± After catching up to Helena with Catsy, Woohyuk pointed towards the magnificent pyramid on the hill. Helena nodded and spoke up again. ¡°If you want to obtain the Sangreal Chronicles, you will have no choice but to meet the White Ghost King. We won¡¯t have to worry about avoiding the eyes of the demons thanks to the hidden passages, so the key is clearing the survival games.¡± ¡°There is no need for everyone to challenge the survival game. If we¡¯re unlucky, we might get in situations where we have to attack each other.¡± ¡°¡­ It sounds like you''re saying you''re going to challenge it on your own. This is about obtaining the Sangreal Chronicles, so we can¡¯t just stand by either.¡± ¡°Then join the survival game one person at a time. Keep a gap between each other.¡± The space where the White Ghost King was located consisted of five levels like a pyramid. The first stage started on the bottom floor, and the next stage continued above it. The number of participants in each stage couldn¡¯t ovep, so if one nned out well in advance, a total of five people would be more than enough to challenge the survival game. ¡°So if we move in turn taking into ount the time limit of each stage, we won¡¯t encounter each other. It will take a little while for everyone to gather on the 5th floor though.¡± ¡°Does it really matter? It¡¯s fine as long as there is no witch or demon king in the ruins.¡± Everyone from Eteria Rodinus was basically a mage who had reached the level of a sage. They would be more than strong enough to clear the White Ghost King¡¯s survival games. Moreover, as the demon king¡¯s troops would go up in stage, they would struggle against each other and the number of individuals would significantly decrease over time. So there was no need to pay much attention to them. After Woohyuk finished exining, Helena had a momentary discussion with herrades in the ruins through themunication pendant. Afterwards, she nodded towards Woohyuk. ¡°They say they are hiding in a secret room in the corner of the fourth floor. For now, let¡¯s go join them.¡± "Good. Let''s hurry.¡± Woohyuk and Helena rushed to the pyramid. Then Catsy¡¯s ears twitched. She raised her ears and looked back. ¡°Master, I think there¡¯s someone about to enter through the portal...¡± Catsy''s sense of smell was sensitive, so she could smell the individual on the other side of the portal. As Helena urgently cast a stealth spell on the three of them, a muscr and sturdy blond man and a girl with red hair appeared through the ck gap. It was Dragonlord Ivanov and the Red Dragon Carnelian. Chapter 152: Dragonlord Ivanov 3

Chapter 152: Dragonlord Ivanov 3

''No wonder they say that archenemies always cross paths.'' Woohyuk concealed his murderous intent and watched the two new intruders. They had probablye for the Sangreal Chronicles. The reason he wasn¡¯t apanied by other demon kings or witches was probably because they were in other ruins of the Talis Kingdom. They didn¡¯t know where the Sangreal Chronicles was hidden, so they had most likely scattered around and spread the search area. [What should we do now? It wouldn¡¯t be bad to deal with Ivanov right now.] Helena spoke through a message magic spell. Through message magic, the caster couldmunicate in real time with targets they were in physical contact with. [No, there is no need to make a fuss outside the ruins for nothing. He might call reinforcements.] While it was irritating, it was better to let Ivanov enter the ruins first. As Woohyuk observed the situation, Carnelian suddenly turned around and stared at him. Even though Helena was using high-level stealth magic, she could sense Woohyuk¡¯s demonic energy. ¡°What''s wrong, Carnelian?¡± ¡°I can feel the energy of a demon.¡± ¡°Of course you can. Demons are currently attacking that pyramid.¡± Fortunately, Ivanov didn¡¯t think too much about it. As he continued walking, Carnelian spoke up again. ¡°It¡¯s still strange. We should investigate before entering the ruins...¡± ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± After stopping his steps, Ivanov slowly turned to Carnelian. He then mercilessly pped Carnelian on the cheek with his rough hand. p! ¡°Kyaaah!¡± ¡°Know your ce, Carnelian. You¡¯ve been defiant these days because I haven¡¯t been paying attention to you.¡± ¡°Tha, that''s not it¡­¡± ¡°After we¡¯re done with this job, I should go back and torture you a lot more painfully. I have to make sure to engrave in your brain who your master is.¡± Ivanov treated Carnelian like a ve. Catsy ground her teeth at that inhumane treatment. [That person is bad, master. He¡¯s assaulting a child so mercilessly.] [In the past, Ivanov was notorious for being impatient and violent.] The red dragon baby was like a godsent gift for him, as he was someone who solved all his problems through violence. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes brightened because he believed he could tame and treat Carnelian better than that. ¡°Please, I beg you¡­ Anything but torture¡­¡± Carnelian was on her knees, begging Ivanov and hugging his feet. ¡°Oh my, we¡¯ve lost a lot of time. I don''t have time to admonish a bitch like you, so just follow me silently.¡± Ivanov grabbed and lifted Carnelian by her hair with one hand. Soon enough, as he disappeared into the ruins. Helena sighed and deactivated the stealth magic. ¡°Whew¡­ We almost got caught. Thank goodness she was a baby dragon. If she were grown up, she would¡¯ve noticed us right away.¡± ¡°Lia¡¯s senses are also very sharp. Someday, her abilities will be useful.¡± Lia was currently steadily being educated about the human world at Leifina''s mansion by the countess herself. Because she was the daughter of the Yellow Dragon King Adakar, her growth rate was incredibly fast. When she polymorphed, she appeared like a kindergarten girl. If nothing unpleasant were to happen in the future, she would surely grow up and be a splendid beauty who would not becking in any aspect. Helenaughed at Woohyuk''s words of anticipation and excitement. ¡°You¡¯re really trying your best to be a good Dad. You surprisingly have a caring side.¡± ¡°Now that it¡¯se to this, it¡¯s best to raise her with care.¡± ¡°But how are you going to deal with Ivanov? The demon king''s army and his men are in the ruins, so it won¡¯t be easy to explore the ruins.¡± ¡°I have a n in mind.¡± In fact, Woohyuk was very familiar with this kind of situation. He had beenpeting against others in many historical ruins for big and small rewards in his past 40 years of life. In addition, it was not difficult toe up with countermeasures for this ruin, as he was very knowledgeable about the White Ghost King¡¯s Sand Temple. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes lit up as he walked toward the entrance to the pyramid with hispanions. *** [You are on the RED team.] [To survive the first stage, kill all the members of the BLUE team.] [The time limit is one hour.] [If the goal is not achieved within the time limit, the game will be forcibly ended and a new match will start.] [New teams are created at random, so you may confront allies from the previous game as enemies or meet new members.] The system guidance voice echoed in Ivanov''s head who entered the alternate dimension. Ivanov looked around with an expression of ridicule. ''What the hell is this...¡¯ Suddenly, he recalled the time he was forcibly summoned into this world. A tent and campfire in an open space in a dense forest. All sorts of people were lying around him. The survival game then began out of nowhere. This situation was very simr to that time, except that there was no blond girl acting as a guide. ''This must be why I lost contact with the men I sent in before me.'' He had thought that they were attacked and incapacitated the ruins, but he now knew the true reason. When Ivanov tried to talk to a demon in the same camp, a trumpet resounded and a red sign appeared in the air. [60:00] It meant the countdown had begun. The battle stage was a sandy colosseum with sandy ground and high stone walls surrounding them. ''I see. We don''t have time to talk leisurely.'' In the stadium, the RED and BLUE teams were facing each other. Everyone knew the rules of the game and silent gazes were being exchanged from each side. Ivanov was also ready to begin fighting. Carnelian was standing next to him with a serious expression. ''We''ve be measly diators.'' However, the difficulty of this stage was nothingpared to the adversity he had faced so far. He had killed countless people starting from his days as a wandering mercenary to the day he became the ruler of the Talis kingdom. In this world, he was called Dragonlord Ivanov. He was strong enough that demon kings had asked for an alliance with him first. Ivanov took out his greatsword and ran toward the enemy camp first. Swoosh! As he swung his weapon diagonally, a me sparked from the de and rose into a fiery me, burning the enemy frontline. He had used Carnelian''s ability to imbue a fire attribute in his skill. Although she was still young, it was still a dragon''s me, so its power was enormous. ¡°Attack! We must kill them all within the time limit!¡± It was a rule simr to the one during the battle in the Adventurer''s canyon. The difference was that back then, it was more than enough to destroy the guardian stone of the opposing faction instead of killing all the enemies. As Ivanov fought in the front line, the RED team, who¡¯s morale rose significantly by his actions, shouted and rushed to the enemy line. ng ng ng! ng ng! Swooosh! Boom! Swoosh! Puck! Puck! Chaos ensued. Ivanov yed an active part in the battlefield with Carnelian, who had returned to her red dragon form. Boom! The path he took would be stained with blood and dead bodies. Thanks to Carnelian¡¯s various buff spells, his physical abilities were sky-high, and his will to fight was burning with energy. ''You have to find the Sangreal Chronicles before the other demon kings.'' For some reason, they werepletely obsessed with it. If he obtained it himself, he could ask them to pay him a considerable price. Moreover, seeing how this kind of challenge remained after climbing to the top of the pyramid, Ivanov deduced that something else of value was hidden deep inside the White Ghost King¡¯s sand temple. Hispetitive spirit grew anew and he shouted out. ¡°Carnelian! Use your breath in that direction!¡± "What? But there are allies over there. Are you certain?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have enough time to pay attention to friendly fire.¡± Moreover, if they couldn''t finish the stage right now, they would continue to fight again in another round. Most of them were monsters that were treated as expendables, and even if they identally killed some demons, they would not be very helpfulter on as they were low leveled. After testing hismunication-type artifacts, Ivanov realized that it was impossible to contact the outside from here. So he didn¡¯t have to worry that the demons would tell the Demon King. When Ivanov showed a steadfast attitude, Carnelian no longer refuted and glided with her mouth wide open. Afterwards, a breath of fire spewed out of her mouth and swept across the colosseum. Swoosh! Booooooom! Although it was notparable to the breath of an adult dragon, Carnelian''s breath was still strong and destructive. The monsters within its range quickly turned into ashes, and even the sand on the ground melted from the mes. Everyone quickly fell before its formidable power. ¡°Kekekekek! How¡¯s that?! This is the power of a red dragon!¡± It was the greatest reward he had obtained after climbing a high cliff in the Primordial Forest. As long as he had the dragon, no one would be willing to challenge him. No one else could have found the dragon''s nest by doing such a dangerous and reckless thing. ''I will be on par with the 72 Demon Kings.'' Now that the demons had begun to invade the nations of the continent would copse one by one. Not only the small kingdoms, but also the Holy Aperian Empire. He nned to quickly expand his territory during this period of chaos. Even now, he was silently following Demon King Astaroth¡¯s instructions, butter on, even Astaroth would not be able to offend him. The 72 Demon Kings always needed cooperators and allies topete against other demon kings for the ranks.] If an influential and powerful ally were to turn their back on them and join hands with another demon king, it would be the worst case scenario for them. ''From now on, I will prove my worth to them.'' Simply acquiring a small kingdom would not convince them of his value. That was why he had secretly trained an army to invade the Izuna kingdom. After finishing this mission, he was thinking of making a big deal with Demon King Astaroth. Ivanov continued shredding the enemies before him as he daydreamt. Soon, all the members of BLUE teams were killed, and a series of system messages floated before his eyes. [Congrattions. You have cleared the first stage.] [You will be given a 10-minute break.] [When the break is over, you will automatically be sent to the second stage.] [There is no penalty for attacking a challenger who was previously on the same team as you or for stealing an item from them.] There was a very vicious message hidden in thest text. By reminding them that they could attack and loot each other, they would be induced to battle against each other during the break. Ivanov was irritated but justy down on the spot. There was no one who would challenge him, and if there were any, Carnelian would take care of it. And there were only weak people on this battlefield, so he didn''t think he would get anything good from looting them. It was a better idea to take a break and prepare for the next stage. ¡°Krrrrr!¡± ¡°Kueek!¡± Ivanov closed his eyes and the monsters who were being cautious of him began to growl and fight against each other. After some turmoil, the break ended, and he was summoned to an unfamiliar space again. ''Is it a tournament this time?'' The battlefield itself hadn¡¯t changed a lotpared to the first stage, but there were only three participants. A ck-haired young man stood far away from Ivanov and Carnelian. Ivanov slowly stood up and spoke towards his opponent. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him before. Are you under Demon King Astaroth¡¯smand?¡± "No." ¡°Then why are you here? Did you enter the ruins before us?¡± He wasn¡¯t informed that there were other intruders and hindrances to his men. The other person replied to Ivanov''s question and solved his confusion. "No. I came in after you. But I guess I cleared the first stage faster than you.¡± The other person¡¯s eyes sharpened and he red at Ivanov. He was Chun Woohyuk. Chapter 153: Dragonlord Ivanov 4

Chapter 153: Dragonlord Ivanov 4

''He sounds so confident.'' Ivanov never thought there would be someone who could clear the stage faster than him. There was no way he wouldn¡¯t be surprised, as he had to sacrifice his own allies to somehow reach this stage. When Ivanov tried to ask something, a series of system messages popped up before his eyes. [This stage is a tournament match.] [During tournament rounds, you will be matched against opponents of simr strength as you, taking into ount your stats and equipment quality.] [If you reap your opponent''s life within the time limit, the game will end and you will be given a 5 minute break.] [After the break, a new match will begin. This will continue until nobody is left to fight you.] [If the time runs out before the end of the match, the participants will be forced back to the previous stage.] [Current number of tournament participants in Zone A: 128] The fact that 128 yers were participating meant that he had to win at most seven battles before he could move on to the next stage. The reason why it was ¡®at most 7 battles¡¯ was because the battles among other participants would not always end up with a victor. During kill or be killed situations, they wouldn¡¯t hold back against each other, so even if one person killed his opponent, the victor could die from his deep wounds. When a red sign written [30:00] appeared in the air, Ivanov pulled out his greatsword. ¡°I don''t know who you are or what you do, but you will have to die here. I still have so many things to deal with.¡± ¡°Lord Ivanov, it¡¯s him. He¡¯s the owner of the demonic energy I felt at the entrance to the ruins.¡± ¡°Demonic energy¡­?¡± Ivanov frowned at Carnelian''s words. ¡®But he looks like a normal human being...¡¯ Since he was wearing an adventurer¡¯s watch, it was highly likely that he was from a neighbouring country to Ivanov¡¯s mothend Russia. However, the demonic power he emitted showed that the man had made a contract with demons. He was probably a spy or an assassin sent by a demon king from another faction. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have hidden himself when Ivanov and Carnelian first arrived in this ruin. Having understood the situation, Ivanov asked Woohyuk. ¡°Have you been waiting until now to kill me secretly?¡± "Indeed. If I were to fight you outside, some annoying pests would interfere.¡± ¡°Who ordered you to do this?¡± ¡°I''m not really under anyone¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°What? Does that mean that you are as powerful as a demon king?¡± ¡°That''s difficult to answer. For now, let¡¯s say that I¡¯m at least that strong.¡± ¡®At least that strong?¡¯ Ivanov looked at him with ridicule. His opponent was saying that he could be stronger than a demon king. However, no matter how much he observed, Ivanov did not recognize him as one of the 72 Demon Kings. The 72 Demon Kings were clearly different from ordinary humans in appearance. ¡°Anyway, you will die here. Don¡¯t forget that I have her to support me.¡± Ivanov nced at Carnelian. She was treated as a summoned familiar by the system, so she was able to participate in the 1-v-1 tournament matches with Ivanov, her owner. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who has someone to help.¡± Woohyuk didn''t bring Lia with him for obvious reasons. Instead, he had other people who could do the troublesome work on his behalf. When Woohyuk opened Lemegeton, Demon King Amii jumped out of it and swung her me whip. ¡°Your orders, Lord Asura?¡± After severe sessions of corporal punishment(actually, more like torture...), Amii had be obedient. Woohyuk nodded and lifted Grandia and pointed the tip of the de towards the man on the other side. ¡°Deal with him. However, the red dragon next to him must be captured without any injury.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since Ist saw a dragon. I understand." Amii walked forward with a confident expression. She was immune to fire due to her trait in the first ce. Even if the red dragon attacked her from the sidelines, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry at all. ¡°Asura? Amii? Don¡¯t tell me...¡± Ivanov was shocked and his gaze alternated between Woohyuk and Amii. He had heard all the rumors about the Rhine and Dane kingdoms through his informationwork of demons. ''I never expected this to happen.'' Who would¡¯ve thought that Asura would visit his country¡­? Moreover, he hade in order to take Ivanov¡¯s life...! He urgently ordered Carnelian. ¡°Quickly check our enemies¡¯ power with the analysis magic, Carnelian.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Ivanov.¡± Carnelian blinked her red eyes and stared at Amii and Woohyuk. Then, a status window popped up, listing information about the two of them. [Amii, the 58th Rank Demon King] -ss: Demon Lord (Viscountess) -Traits: Leadership (30,000), Ignis (exclusive weapon, can summon the Hound of the Baskervilles, and can inflict continuous me damage on enclosed targets), Eternal Hell (Immune to me attacks. Can give shape to mes and make them explode) Mobilization (Can open abyssal gates and summon the monsters from his territory), Demon King¡¯s Dignity (Immune against B-grade or lower weapons, as well as low or intermediate magic. Increases immunity to debuffs by 35%), Master/ve Contract (As a demon king, can ept vassals) -Stats Strength 411 Vitality 402 Agility 428 Intelligence 304 Spirit 396 [Urkheim] -upation: Orc Warrior -Title: Son of the Chief (Strength +15, experience gain +15%), Human Hunter (Absorbs 1-3% of the stats of humans killed personally), Male Orc who Passed his Coming-of-Age Ceremony (Additional violent tendencies, Agility +15% at night) -Stats Strength: 122 Vitality: 117 Agility: 103 Intelligence: 41 Spirit: 85 -Other Affinity +25% with other sub-races. ''Wha, what the?!'' Carnelian''s jaw dropped and she could not hide her surprise after reading Woohyuk¡¯s status. She hadn¡¯t noticed that he had deliberately changed his status with the Moonshadow ring. As Carnelian hesitated, Ivanov became angry and pushed her forward. ¡°If I die, you won¡¯t survive either. Do you think they will spare the life of thest dragon in the world?¡± A Dragon Heart would grant powerful strength to those who eat it. A typical example was Sieg, who had defeated the evil dragon Fafnir and became a dragon-yer. He gained abilities such as dragon armor (cannot be damaged by B-ss or lower weapons, along with low or intermediate magic), Indomitable Fighting Spirit (Bes immortal for 10 minutes after activation), and his stats also increased significantly. Demons would never leave a dragon alive, and the heart was only part of the reasons why they would try to kill it. If Carnelian were caught by the 72 Demon Kings or the Witches of the Seven Deadly Sins, she would definitely suffer. The demon kings sealed by Woohyuk were exceptions to this rule, but Carnelian wasn¡¯t aware of that yet. ¡°My, my fire magic won¡¯t work on that woman! And she can summon familiars with that whip!¡± ¡°Tsk, then we¡¯ll fight on the defense. I know! From now on, you will only pay attention to my safety.¡± Ivanov knew from Woohyuk¡¯s earlier words that he was trying to capture Carnelian. When he injected magic power into the essories he was wearing, new system messages appeared. [Ring of Harmony (A-grade) has been activated.] [Will reduce the effect of magic from one property by 35% for 10 minutes. The avable properties are Water, Wind, Earth and Fire.] [The Guardian''s Ne (A-grade) has been activated.] [Generates an intangible shield for 10 minutes. Its strength is proportional to your magic power.] [Every time the shield absorbs a shock, magic power is depleted. Once all the magic power is used, the shield will naturally dissipate even before the 10 minutes time limit.] [Undine''s Earring (B-grade) have been activated.] [For 5 minutes, the user¡¯s equipment will be strengthened and given the water property. Moreover, the spells: Ice Arrow, Ice Strike, and Frozen Shield can be cast by the user.] Unlike Woohyuk, the system messages were directly notifying Ivanov through his adventurer''s watch. Woohyuk had mastered the use of items and quest exploration during his past 40 years, while Ivanov had not. When Amii saw him busily checking his messages, she snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t really act like the master of a red dragon. Look at you, activating all your items because you¡¯re terrified by us.¡± "Shut up! I don¡¯t want to hear that from a loser who was sealed in Lemegeton and lost her territory in the demon world! ¡°I did not lose my territory. I can go back anytime I want if Lord Asura permits me.¡± The territories of the three sealed demon kings were nowpletely sealed and isted within the demon realm. They were surrounded by transparent barriers which made it impossible for other demon kings to invade. Moreover, no new ruler was elected within the sealed territories, because the positions and ranks of the three sealed demon kings were now fixed and unchangeable. Lemegeton was a magic book powerful enough that it could change the system. ¡°You said you were the 58th? You must be strong since you¡¯re a Demon King, but I¡¯m not such a pushover myself. Prepare to be defeated again.¡± Ivanov still had a hidden trump card. A mysterious item he had received from Astaroth, the 29th ranked demon king. Ivanov thought it would be useful to defeat Amii using it, since she was a low-ranking demon king. When Ivanov took out a purple pill from his pocket. Woohyuk immediately frowned. [Clipport''s Fruit]. Its side effects were fatal to those who used it, but the buff effects were still remarkable. Rosenkreuz had defeated Saint Boetius and overwhelmed the other four wisemen just by taking that pill. Amii quickly swung Ignis as if she were also aware of the dangers of the pill. ¡°Shred that man to pieces!¡± Rumble! A fiery dog without a proper physical presence appeared from Ignis and rushed to Ivanov. [The Hound of the Baskervilles]. It was the hunting dog of Baskerville, one of the ancient demons, so it was definitely skilled in battle. Swoosh! Dozens of Ice Arrows flew towards the ming hound. Ivanov had used Ice magic using the Undine¡¯s Earrings. However, the mes of hell were a few stages higher in power than the elemental magic. Rumble. The Ice Arrows all melted before they even reached the hound. Ivanov grinded his teeth. He steeled himself and swallowed the Clipport''s Fruit. His hesitations due to the potential side effects had now been overpowered by his will to survive. Ivanov¡¯s pupils turned purple, and he dashed forwards, streaming a horrifying noise. ¡°Kraaaaaaarrgh!!¡± When his magic ran out due to the Clipport''s Fruit, he couldn''t control his consciousness anymore. Crack! Boom! The hard stone floor that Ivanov stepped was smashed and a trial of pits was drawn behind his running figure. Soon, he and the Hound of the Baskervilles collided, and a powerful gust blew around with a crashing noise. Booboobooboobooboom!! Swoooooooooooosh! The two were evenly matched, and no victor appeared. Ivanov had defended against the hound using a frozen shield several times more powerful than normal, while the me hound smacked away the ice greatsword Ivanov was swinging. As they confronted each other, Amii smiled as if she were amused. ¡°The drugs Aleister created are truly effective. But what about this?¡± Amii swung Ignis once again, and fire sparkles scattered in all directions, forming a huge magic circle on the floor. Woohyuk nodded when he saw it. ''Good thing I made her fight against him.'' Chapter 154: Dragonlord Ivanov 5

Chapter 154: Dragonlord Ivanov 5

Woohyuk was already aware of Amii¡¯s strength and abilities. However, knowing it theoretically and watching her battle werepletely different things. Woohyuk realized he had to prepare more thoroughly to fight against other demon kings in the future, especially in battles where the demon kings would outnumber him. He felt the need to train using the three demon kings under hismand. During the current battle, he had summoned Amii instead of Vk and Dantalion because of her trait: Eternal Hell. Eternal Hell granted Amii immunity against fire attacks, as well as the power to give shape to mes and make them explode. ''It''s a trait that matches well with the Hound of the Baskervilles.¡¯ The area within the me magic circle was the best environment for the Hound of the Baskervilles to run wild. The hound was an ancient monster of the me-attribute. Its synergy with its master''s me magic was high, and in some cases it could be assimted with the me magic to be enhanced. In other words, at this point of the battle against Ivanov and Carnelian, the Hound of the Baskervilles and the me magic circle were a single entity. The same could be said for all the me magic spells that Amii would cast from now on. Rumble! When Amii finished casting the spell, a fierce and ming vortex grew from the magic circle and began to spin faster and faster, creating a tornado of me. It was a dizzying sight that would shock and astonish ordinary people! However, without giving in to the pressure, Ivanov stabbed his frosty greatsword into the floor. Immediately, his surroundings rapidly froze, and the cold energy began to sh against the spreading mes. The two opposite attributes were fighting over territory domination. ¡°Grrrrrr!¡± Within this chaos, the Hound of the Baskervilles jumped out of the side of the spiraling mes and rushed behind Ivanov. After noticing it, Carnelian returned to her red dragon form and blocked its advance. ¡°Get lost, you ugly monster!¡± As she growled with hostility, the Hound stopped in its tracks and slowly stepped backwards. It had been ordered by Amii to capture Carnelian without hurting her. As the two stood facing each other, Amii jumped out of the mes and swung Ignis at Ivanov. Swooosh! With the crack of a whip, Ignis spun itself around the greatsword and tightened itself. Instantly, a fiery me erupted from Ignis, and the mes ran down the greatsword towards Ivanov, trying to burn the man. ¡°Argh!¡± Ivanov made a short groan and activated the essory he was wearing. A transparent shield emerged out of thin air to protect him from Ignis'' mes. ¡°Is that the most you can do after using the pill? You¡¯re quite pathetic, aren¡¯t you?¡± Amii mocked Ivanov provoked him. She was naturally aggressive but excellent inbat. She liked people who were exciting, lively, and full of passion, just like the mes she wielded. ¡°Dammit!¡± Ivanov cried out resentfully and rushed toward Amii with a fist cocked back, ready to swing forward. His greatsword was tied up by Ignis, and he was constantly receiving me damage, so he would notst long even with the shield protecting him. Seeing his desperate attempt, Amii snorted. ¡°You seem to be underestimating me due to my delicate appearance¡­¡± But she was still the 58th ranked Demon King. She was Demon King Amii. Although she was part of the lower ranks, she was still a lord of the demon world who governed a viscounty. Her basic stats were high. In addition, due to the Dignity of the Demon King, all debuffs had 35% less effect on her, and she didn¡¯t take damage from B-grade or lower weapons and from low or intermediate magic. Moreover, since she had lived for thousands of years, she was also skilled in hand-to-handbat. ''I can¡¯t rival Lord Asura in terms of closebat, but it¡¯s more than enough to deal with this pathetic man.'' Amii dodged to the side showing unwavering confidence. Ivanov''s fist missed its mark and flew beside her face. ''Now!'' She grabbed his forearm and performed a knee kick. Despite her slender leg, Ivanov felt excruciating pain and spat out blood as he received the hit in his abdomen. ¡°Urgh!¡± Her knee was so robust that he couldn¡¯t ept the fact that it was a young girl¡¯s knee. As Ivanov fell to the floor, Amii untangled Ignis from the greatsword and scorned him. ¡°Just die already, you pathetic human.¡± Even if he consumed the Clipport¡¯s fruit, he was merely a human without any talents except for having a red dragon. He could not beat the Demon King. As Amii tried to finish him off, ¡°Kekekeke...¡± Ivanov began to chuckle. Amii''s movements momentarily stopped due to this unexpected yet unpleasantugh. ¡°Why are youughing? You do realize that you¡¯re about to be butchered, right?¡± "I¡¯ve finally realized. I¡¯ve realized the fact that I can¡¯t get anything without risking everything I have.¡± He was spouting sophistry. Amii frowned and tried to kick Ivanov away, but... Gulp! Two more Clipport¡¯s fruits went in his mouth. Afterwards, the surroundings began to get covered in a purple fog, and Amii pped herself in the forehead after realizing his intentions. ¡°I was wondering what you were saying, but you¡¯re just trying to be an Awakener using Clipport¡¯s fruit.¡± However, in most cases, the attempts to be an awakener were met with failure. It was because only those with innate talents could ovee death and sow the seeds of the devil. In addition, he wasn¡¯t trying to naturally approach his limits by taking the Clipport¡¯s Fruit over a long period of time, but instead was using an ignorant and reckless method of ingesting three in a short span of time. His chances at sess were nearly nil. ¡°Kueeeeek! Kuaaaargh!¡± Ivanov screamed painfully with bloodshot eyes, shaking and having a seizure. His internal organs and nerve cells were being taken over by demonic energy, which caused terrible pain. Since he had eaten three pills in a short span of time, it wouldn''t be surprising for his entire body to melt and disappearpletely. ¡°He¡¯s just going to die at this rate, without even getting the slightest chance of bing an awakener.¡± "No, don''t underestimate him too much." Woohyuk had approached the two of them while Amii stood with crossed arms, waiting for the results of Ivanov¡¯s reckless decision. He, too, was not taking any action. Someone who was going through the process of bing an awakener was like a time bomb, so it was better to observe the development instead of recklessly touching him. ¡°Are you familiar with him?¡± "I do. We¡¯ve shed many times in the past.¡± Ivanov was currently slightly weak because it had only been a year since they were summoned to this world. In his past life, Ivanov was someone with considerable strength and power. He was one of the six overlords who divided and ruled the western continent. Amii looked down at Ivanov in surprise at Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°Are you saying this stupid mutt was that strong?¡± ¡°Well, luck was a big part of his strength gain.¡± At that time, Logan and Alice were going on a frenzy in the north, so the Holy Aperian Empire could not afford to pay attention to Ivanov. Meanwhile, the Theresian Empire in the East continent couldn''t even invade the west as Marcus raged in the south, and frost giants came down south from the north. However, it was clear that without Ivanov''s outstanding qualities, he would not have taken advantage of the opportunity properly. That is why Woohyuk thought he had a high probability of bing an awakener. ¡°You should prepare yourself. Awakeners are difficult to deal with.¡± In the past, the Devil¡¯s seeds inherent in the Clipport¡¯s Fruit sprouted within some individuals, who ended up bing troublesome to deal with. Woohyuk unfolded Lemegeton as he recalled the situation back then. A ck fog spread around, and demon kings Vk and Dantalion emerged from the darkness. ¡°H-have you called, Lord Asura?¡± ¡°Your orders¡­?¡± They were terrified of Woohyuk, and shivered like dogs hiding their tails between their legs. The pain and fear they felt back in the Nelson march was deeply ingrained in their brains. ¡°That guy will be an awakener soon. The three of you are to work together when the moment arrives and deal with him.¡± ¡°A human opponent? Please leave it to us.¡± ¡°As long as we stop him from self-destructing himself, it will be a piece of cake.¡± There was no way the three demon kings would not be able to stop one human awakener. Leaving them behind, Woohyuk walked toward Carnelian. The remaining time was now 15 minutes. Woohyuk had to obtain her now since it would take a while to subdue the awakened Ivanov. ¡°D-don¡¯t approach me!¡± Carnelian stopped attacking the hound of the Baskervilles one-sidedly and shouted at Woohyuk. As he reduced the distance, she grew wary of him. She believed Woohyuk was trying to take her heart. ¡°How long do you n to live as Ivanov''s livestock? Do you enjoy being tortured by him every day?¡± ¡°Better than being eaten by a demon king! And even if I run away, there¡¯s nowhere for me to go!¡± ¡°If you follow me obediently, I will guarantee your safety. I promise. I will also find someone your age who can be your friend.¡± "Lies¡­! I know you''ll use me and kill me eventually!¡± Carnelian had been brainwashed by Ivanov and did not even consider Woohyuk''s proposal. Woohyuk sighed and summoned Verserios. Afterwards, he stabbed Verserios into the floor, and the whole area was stained with pitch-ck darkness. ¡°Wha, what¡¯s happening?!¡± ¡°This is my absolute space. In this ce, all the boundaries are blurred.¡± The abyss was an essential attribute of the demons. Disorganized and chaotic darkness. The system ssified it as evil, which naturally led to the conflict between gods and demons. Recalling some of the contents of the nameless tome he heard from Helena, Woohyuk spoke up again. ¡°You are the daughter of Arcana, the Red Dragon King. During the War of Gods and Demons, Arcana was killed by Demon King Baal who ranks first.¡± The dragon tribe had fought alongside the gods during the war. They preferred order over disorder and had a long hostile rtionship with the demons. However, the war was costly, and the dragon tribes suffered great damage, some beyond repair. Their poptions reduced significantly, and an unidentified epidemic that polluted their minds began to spread among them. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the remaining heads of the dragon tribes decided to move to another dimension after long discussions. As soon as the War of Gods and Demons ended, the dragons disappeared from the Eeth Continent. Carnelian blinked vacantly at Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°Are you telling me to believe those words?¡± ¡°You can check whether I¡¯m lying or not, can¡¯t you?¡± Within Asura''s absolute space, all beings were connected to him. It meant that all mental processes such as thoughts, emotions, and memories could be shared among each other. After Woohyuk finished talking, Carnelian stared at him for a moment as he stood still. And¡­ ¡°The cliff of trials¡­ Golden Dragon King Adakar''s test... A dragon egg... Everything is consistent with what Lord Ivanov told me...¡± Her jaw dropped as she made an expression of disbelief. Ivanov hadn¡¯t told anyone how he had obtained the egg and kept it a thorough secret. Except to Carnelian. So she was the only one who knew about it. ¡°Ivanov crossed a river that he can no longer return. He will be so ferocious and violent that he won¡¯t be able to control himself anymore. You won¡¯t be able to depend on ho,.¡± Ivanov, who was awakening, would try to eat Carnelian''s heart in order to gain more power. He wouldn¡¯t be able to keep a rational mind anymore, and wouldn¡¯t need her as the symbol of his power or as a transportation vehicle anymore. Carnelian trembled in fear at Woohyuk¡¯s words. ¡°N-no¡­ I don¡¯t... want to be discarded¡­ I don¡¯t want to be eaten¡­!¡± Chapter 155: Dragonlord Ivanov 6

Chapter 155: Dragonlord Ivanov 6

Carnelian''s ego was already showing signs of fragmentation. Ivanov had tortured her extremely harshly as she was a dragon, the strongest creature on the continent. ''We won¡¯t get anywhere simply through conversation.'' There was also a time limit, so Woohyuk decided to subdue her and try to persuade her another time, after they took her with them for rehabilitation. Woohyuk used the power of the Demon God to restrain Carnelian''s consciousness. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Carnelian struggled and resisted with all her energy. But that was the extent of it. As she was still a young dragon, she couldn''t resist for long and passed out. Thump. When Carnelian dropped to the floor, Woohyuk released the absolute space and held her in his arms. ''It was a lot easier than expected to secure her.'' If he had confronted Ivanov head-on outside the ruins, a lot of troublesome variables would have interfered. Woohyuk was extremely lucky foring across these two inside the White Ghost King¡¯s Sand Temple. When Woohyuk nce at Carnelian sleeping in his arms, ¡°Kuuuh! Arrrghhhhhhhhh! Ugh...¡± The screaming Ivanov who was rolling around in pain suddenly stopped moving. Silence ensued, and Woohyuk gave instructions to the three demon kings. ¡°Dantalion, you will confuse Ivanov from the front with your illusion skills. Amii, continue doing surprise attacks with your pet like earlier. Vk, strike him down with lightning bolts from a distance and support Amii¡¯s attacks.¡± In truth, they didn¡¯t need to strategize as the three of them were more than powerful enough. However, the objective of Woohyuk¡¯s orders was to get them used to cooperating with each other during battles. A day woulde in the future where they would have to fight against a stronger foe alongside each other. When the three demon kings stood in positions ording to their respective roles, Swoosh! A purple mist covered the battlefield in an instant. Ivanov had sessfully awakened. Woohyuk squinted and stared at therge ck figure within the fog. ''As I thought, he had a big physical mutation.'' Awakeners differed in appearance from the kazaks of the Queen of Thorn, Alice. Their first impression was that of a grotesque monster that reminded people the monsters of the abyss. For the kazaks, the physical shape and aspect of the original host remained to a certain extent, and they simply had a few additional features, such as red eyes, gray skin, and thin wings. But awakeners changed so much that it was difficult to find traces of their old appearances. Moreover, in terms of ferocity and battles, awakeners were a lot more dangerous. They were strong enough that Rosenkreuz called them the Angels of the Abyss, and they could easily neutralize most divine magic. They constantly evolved as they predated both humans and demons randomly. ¡°Kuhuhuhuhu...¡± As he observed his new appearance, Ivanovughed in satisfaction. He looked like a mixture of alien creatures, fallen angels, and monsters. His number of limbs had doubled, and a single horn had grown on his forehead like a unicorn, while huge bat wings had sprouted from his back. ¡°Now, let''s begin.¡± "Yes!" At Woohyuk''s words, Dantalion opened up Arbatel and changed a spell. Afterwards, dozens of clones appeared and surrounded Ivanov. However... ¡°I will kill¡­ everyst one of you!¡± Drunk on his new demonic powers, his purple eyes shed and he swiped his four arms in all directions. His nails were now sharp and shaped like a rake, so they were more than enough to use as weapons. However, Dantalion would not let himself be defeated so easily. ¡°Your movements are slow¡­ Must be due to yourrge body. Can¡¯t you be slightly more active to make this fun?¡± Even though he was the weakest of the 72 Demon Kings, he was still a bona fide Demon King. That title was not given to any demon. As Dantalion continued to lead Ivanov around by the nose, Ivanov opened his eyes wide and cast an analysis spell. [Dantalion, 72nd Demon King] -ss: Demon King (Baron) -Traits: Leadership (10,000 people), Arbatel (Exclusive weapon, reads the mind of an opponent weaker than oneself and predicts actions. Can continuously generate clones and move the main body to one of them), Improvisation (Intelligence increases up to 50% during life-threatening crises. Percentage of increase depends on the threat-level). Mobilization (Can open abyssal gates and summon the monsters from his territory) Demon King¡¯s Dignity (Immune against B-grade or lower weapons, as well as low or intermediate magic. Increases immunity to debuffs by 35%), Master/ve Contract (As a demon king, can ept vassals) -Stats Strength 212 Vitality 207 Agility 224 Intelligence 403 Spirit 241 ¡°No wonder I couldn¡¯t hit a single clone...!¡± Dantalion''s exclusive weapon, Arbatel, could not only create countless clones, but also made it possible to read the minds of opponents weaker than its master and predict their actions. Therefore, although it looked like a simple magic book, it was an artifact that could not be underestimated. Realizing the cause of the problem, Ivanov extended his arms and concentrated his demonic energy on his fingertips. The rake-shaped nails soon turned red, and several purple rays shot out from them. Booooom! Many of Dantalion''s clones vanished as they were in the attacks¡¯ pathways. Ivanov was trying to break through using brute force. Ivanov fired rays in any and all directions without determining a proper target in his mind, so Dantalion''s mind-reading ability was no longer useful in this situation. Dantalion got offended and tried to cast an attack spell, but... ¡°Drop dead, you mongrel!¡± A magic circle of mes spread on the floor, and Amii suddenly appeared behind Ivanov. As she swung Ignis through the air, the Hound of the Baskervilles jumped out and rushed to Ivanov. ¡°Tsk!¡± Feeling a sense of crisis, Ivanov pped his wings and flew into the air. But Vk had been waiting for this perfect opportunity. He used Thunderspear Negima and dropped countless purple lightning bolts on Ivanov in session. Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom! Boom boom boom boom boom! Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom! ck smoke obscured everyone¡¯s view of Ivanov as the thunderous sounds resounded. However, all three demon kings could sense Ivanov''s condition through the smoke. ¡°He¡¯s tougher than I expected.¡± ¡°He must have used all his energy and strength towards defense to protect himself.¡± ¡°Well, he seems to have suffered quite a bit, though.¡± Ivanov¡¯s skin was charred and he did not move from his spot. He was using demonic energy to heal all his wounds. When Amii attempted to leap towards him and swing Ignis, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him now.¡± Woohyuk stopped her by grabbing her shoulder from behind. Amii looked at him with a puzzled look. "What? You don''t really have to. We can deal with him on our own¡­¡± ¡°I have to repay him myself.¡± Woohyuk had never forgotten about Ivanov''s raid on Ravenhill in the northwest province during his past life. Many of his best and most trusted vassals had perished during that battle. When he handed Carnelian over to her, Amii silently bowed and stepped backwards. Unfortunately, she couldn''t go against her master¡¯s will. The other demon kings also retreated and moved to a corner. ¡°Asura¡­¡± Meanwhile, Ivanov had healed all his wounds, and was staring at the approaching human. He suddenly felt great pressure that he had never felt before Ivanov instinctively realized that Woohyuk was stronger than the three demon kings through his newly acquired cognitive abilities. ¡°A monarch must never get tangled up with his personal feelings. They must always judge the situation cold-heartedly and sacrifice their own vassals if needed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But exceptions always exist. Just like right now.¡± ¡°¡­ What are you talking about?¡± ¡°At that time, my mistake turned Ravenhill to ashes. I was paying too much attention to the Holy Aperian Empire. I never thought that you would cross the Karlheinz Mountains on top of Carnelian.¡± Woohyuk was also human. He had erred and gone through trial and error several times. Moreover, he would most likely continue making mistakes in the future. Although he had retained the memories of the past, the future had changed ordingly due to the butterfly effect. Currently, the group Eteria Rodinus had appeared and was trying to control him. What he needed most in this life and in these circumstances was motivation. He could only keep moving forward by constantly aiming for his goal, the goal of saving all those precious to him as well as mankind, and returning to their original world. That was why he could continue pushing forward despite all the adversity he had to face. And in order to satisfy his feelings and continue acting like a cold-hearted monarch, he had to show his fiery rage and emotions in situations like this. ¡°Ravenhill? I don''t remember attacking such a ce.¡± ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. But I still have to deal with you personally. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to face my vassals who were killed in that battle again.¡± They had understood him and his goal, and had decided to follow him until the very end despite all the hardships. Therefore, he had to work just as hard, if not harder, in this life to meet the expectations of the dead from his previous life. With a renewed determination, Woohyuk spread his abyssal wings. He showed a dignity that reminded one of the former Demon God. The nervous Ivanov concentrated demonic energy on his fingertips and fired a preemptive strike, and continued attacking like crazy. session. Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom! Boom boom boom boom boom! Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom! Purple rays hit the transparent shield in front of Woohyuk, creating deafening noises. Soon the attacks ceased, and the battlefield covered in gray dust was silenced. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff...¡± Ivanov stared ahead as he gasped for breath. Even though he had attacked continuously with his full power, the opponent stood in ce as casually as before. ¡°Is that everything you can do?¡± Woohyuk asked in a dry voice. He then lifted Verserios and flew towards Ivanov who was hovering in the air. ¡°I won¡¯t go down so easily!¡± He had finally gained great power, so Ivanov didn¡¯t want to die such a vain death. He grinded his teeth andunched a ranged attack at Woohyuk again. Boooom! Boom! Booooooom! This time, it wasn''t multiple rays of light, but arge beam concentrating towards a single point. But he still couldn''t break through Woohyuk''s shield. Woohyuk has already crossed his limits twice, and as a result, he was slowly reaching the full power of the Demon God. Eventually, Ivanov allowed Woohyuk to approach him. "I''ll cut your breath, you skinheaded bastard." Woohyuk¡¯s eyes shed and he swung Verserios. Ivanov saw the de approaching and felt chills run down his spine. he hurriedly took a defensive position. ng! Sparks flew, and an updraft blew between the two of them. Woohyuk was overwhelming his opponent. Ivanov focused only on defending, but was still being pushed back. Thump! Woohyuk made use of a gap in Ivanov¡¯s guard and punched him in the side. The awakener curled up as he spat purple blood. ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°This is the end, Ivanov.¡± As Woohyuk said his farewell, Verserios prated his ribcage and pierced Ivanov''s heart. Afterwards, the purple energy in Ivanov¡¯s body flowed to the wound and got absorbed by Verserios. ¡°Arrrggghhhh!¡± Unable to bear the extreme pain, Ivanov screamed as he agonized. He struggled and tried to escape... to no avail. The game has already been set. Woohyuk would not allow his escape. sh! Having absorbed enough energy, Verserios separated itself from Ivanov¡¯s chest, and then immediately slit his neck horizontally. His windpipe had been cut for sure. Soon enough, Ivanov''srge body began to glow red and emitted searing heat. ¡°Amii, deal with it.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Asura.¡± Amii swung Ignis, and the Hound of the Baskervilles leaped out and swallowed Ivanov¡¯s corpse. After some time, Boooooooooooooom! As an explosion resounded from its body, the Hound spat outrge mes from its mouth. The mes and the heat were generated by Ivanov''s self-destruction. The power was enormous and considerably dangerous, but did not take any damage because the explosion was made of mes. The Houndnded on the ground as it burped, and Woohyuk gave a thumbs-up to Amii. "Good job." The remaining time was 3 minutes. The tournament match had ended with Woohyuk''s victory. Chapter 156: The White Ghost Kings Sanctuary 1

Chapter 156: The White Ghost King''s Sanctuary 1

After the battle against Ivanov, Woohyuk quickly progressed in the tournament. As he repeated the stage over and over again, certain people with quite a bit of strength appeared as opponents, but they weren¡¯t enough to deal with Woohyuk. Eventually, Woohyuk became the winner in his area and moved on to the next stage. ''Helena must have entered the first stage by now.'' She was the second in Eteria Rodinus to enter the stages. The first was Saint Martinus. The third was Ibn Rusud. Woohyuk had no idea why Helena was prioritized over him. He could only guess that it was because Helena was in charge of monitoring him. A series of system messages popped up as Woohyuk imagined Helena running on a battlefield full of monsters. [This next stage is thest siege.] [The Blue Team will have to defend the Citadel for a limited amount of time, while the Red Team will have to capture the Citadel.] [All teams that do notplete their goal will return to the previous stage after the time limit has psed.] [You are in the blue team.] [Before the start of the siege, you will be given an opportunity to have a strategic meeting with the participants of the same team.] [The strategic meeting time is 5 minutes.] He could hear whispers and murmurs here and there. Most of the participants were demons. It was a natural result because all of the lower level monsters were killed in the previous stages. ''I have to be the leader.'' It was better to use the others as much as possible in order to conserve his own strength. Woohyuk climbed on the tform in the fort and mmed the speech table with his palm several times. Bang! Bang! Bang! ¡°Quiet down. From now on, I willmand everyone.¡± ¡°What''s your deal?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see any wings or horns. Is he a human?¡± Ivanov''s men were also into these ruins, so the demons did not find Woohyuk''s existence bizarre. They just didn''t like that he was trying to control them. Woohyuk noticed these thoughts being processed in the minds of the demons and came up with an appropriate solution. ¡°I will ept anyone''s challenge. However, I¡¯ll limit it to three people since we don¡¯t have time.¡± ¡°Is that human crazy?¡± ¡°He thinks he¡¯s the strongest here. What a joke¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a dog of the Dragonlord. He should know his ce¡­¡± The demons stared at Woohyuk with ridicule. No matter how low-level these demons were, their abilities exceeded those of ordinary humans. While they were weak against divine energy, as long as it was a one-on-one duel without the use of divine power, the demons would be overwhelmingly advantageous. That obviously only applied to low rankers, though. High rankers like the Overlords did not apply to this rule. ¡°Come on up already. We need time to n the operation as well.¡± ¡°That cheeky¡­ I will face you!¡± One demon spat out resentfully at Woohyuk''s confident attitude and stepped up to the podium. The other demons immediately began cheering for him. ¡°Cardane, get him!¡± "Show the puny humans the greatness of us demons!" Cardane was one of the Demon King Astaroth''s favorite thugs. The reason he was here was to contact the Demon King immediately if the Sangreal Chronicles were found in the Sand Temple. But currently, he was summoned to another dimension and was unable to perform his mission. In the midst of this ordeal, a strange human had appeared and proimed that he would act as theirmander-in-chief, which greatly angered him. However, Woohyuk had no intention of taking this demon¡¯s feelings into ount. Receiving a public challenge like this would allow him to show off his battle prowess to the other demons and make them obey him. He did not intend to persuade them with words and befriend them. ¡°Are you the strongest demon here?¡± "Indeed. I am Cardane, the 3rd corpsmander of the Astaroth County. Killing someone like you will be a piece of cake.¡± Cardane pulled out a pair of giantbryses from his back. As he stepped forward, the axes emitted a purple glow and generated a strong electric current. ''Is he specialized in lightning like Vk?'' Woohyuk felt like he had faced Cardane in the past, but couldn¡¯t remember the details. He had fought countless enemies on battlefields for over 40 years, so he could not remember every demon he had faced. While the 72 Demon Kings were doable, he couldn¡¯t keep all the faces of their subordinates in his mind pce. ''Well, he doesn¡¯t seem difficult to defeat.'' Those who mainly used lightning skills tended to try to win through speed. Otherwise, they¡¯d stand in the distance and bombard him with ranged attacks. However, since Cardane was openly approaching him, the possibility of his battle style being thetter was nil. Woohyuk unsheathed Grandia from his waist and waited for the demon to strike first. ''I should at least make a show out of this.'' The key was to show them the overwhelming power gap. Therefore, he would end the battle with one strike to amaze the spectators. Meanwhile, Cardane didn''t know of Woohyuk''s calctions and took on a proud stance to criticise him. ¡°Why are you standing so still? Did you wet our pants or something? Wanna go back to mama?¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°If you¡¯re scared of showing an opening by attacking first, I¡¯ll do it instead!¡± Cardane yelled and dashed to Woohyuk. Hisbrys soon fell towards Woohyuk''s head like a lightning bolt. Therge de sparked and shone brightly like a lightning strike. However, the attack did not reach Woohyuk at all. "Too slow." ¡°¡­Huh?" Cardane, who had cut down Woohyuk''s afterimage, stared in confusion. Woohyuk had disappeared from his view instantly. ...And his voice was resonating from behind. Before Cardane could turn around, Stab! Grandia pierced through his heart and a pure white glowing de protruded from his chest. ¡°Cough¡­!¡± A painful look grew on Cardane¡¯s face and he spat out ck blood. Afterwards, his strength left his body and he fell to the floor. The demons who were watching the battle were astonished and could not shut their jaws. ¡°Im, impossible!¡± "Ivanov''s mutt killed Cardane in a head-on battle!" Ivanov, the ruler of the Talis Kingdom, was being criticized and called inferior to the demon subordinates of Astaroth. However, that ¡°inferior¡± human¡¯s subordinate had killed one of their strongest demons in a fair fight. The demons who found this strange and scrutinized Woohyuk carefully. ¡°Now that I see it, the demonic energy in him is a bit peculiar.¡± ¡°Did he sign a contract with a Demon King from another faction?¡± "Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s Forneus, Lord Astaroth¡¯s rival...?¡± Suspicion spread throughout the demons, and false ims were being made. Woohyuk spoke up again. ¡°Why would I do that? I¡¯m already enjoying all sorts of riches and noble activities in the Talis Kingdom.¡± ¡°True. If he exploited the ves working there, he¡¯d have more than enough gold coins and sluts in his disposition.¡± ¡°We were thinking of useless delusions. Even if a Demon King from another faction tried to intervene, why would he entrust such an important role to a mere human?¡± ¡°True, you¡¯re right. I guess I''ve been trapped here for so long that I¡¯m bing suspicious of everything.¡± The demons nodded to each other and made expressions of relief. When he seeded in erasing their doubts, Woohyuk returned to the original topic. ¡°Anyways, any other challenger? If so, make it quick. We only have 3 minutes left.¡± ¡°Woah, two minutes passed by in an instant.¡± ¡°At this rate, we won¡¯t be able to have a meeting and will have to start the siege battle right away!¡± Tension grew among the demons. In their hearts, everyone still didn¡¯t want to recognize Woohyuk as themander-in-chief. However, he had proved to be the strongest of them all, and Cardane had died, so there was no other potentialmander. Eventually, the demons showed an ambiguous attitude and slowly surrendered to Woohyuk¡¯smand. ¡°But do you have a n in mind?¡± ¡°Right, spill the beans! Let¡¯s see why you¡¯re so confident in yourself!¡± If they couldn''t stop the red team¡¯s offensive, they would have to return to the previous stage. All of the hard work and effort spent until now, during both the survival and tournament games, would be in vain. Woohyuk opened his mouth with a satisfied expression. ¡°In the past, one of the legendary masters said this. ¡®If you wish to live, you will die; if you wish to die, you will live¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you fight with the will to die, this fortress will never fall. Why? Because I am here! The bestmander you could ask for is with you.¡± ¡°¡­Sheesh, so it¡¯s just all about you showing off?¡± ¡°Forget it. Just give us orders already. The siege is about to begin.¡± The demons continued to listen to Woohyuk''s words as they stood whileining. In order to live up to their expectations, Woohyuk began exining the operation by showing a map of the fortress ced on the table. ¡°This fortress has a tower in each corner. And there is also a magic engineered weapon on the castle wall towards the drawbridge.¡± The n was simple. First, they had to make sure the castle gates would not be broken through, but also prevent enemies climbing over the walls withdders from the sides. It would not be easy to pull off because the enemies had several siege weapons, but Woohyuk wasn''t worried. Because he had experienced this battlefield once in the past. ¡°¡­Finally, there is a secret passage that leads outside the walls. Using this, we can ambush the enemies from the rear with an elite unit specialized in mobility.¡± ¡°If we''re lucky, we could destroy all the siege weapons, such as the trebuchets.¡± ¡°We could also wipe out the annoying wizards and archers in the back.¡± Soon after the briefing ended, the demons went to their respective positions with raging fighting spirits. They had confidence in what Woohyuk had exined, and were sure to win. Soon, the siege battle began, and then¡­ [The time limit has passed.] [The blue team has won because the citadel was not captured.] [Before moving on to the next stage, the blue team will be given a 10-minute break.] [The red team will be forcibly transported to the previous stage.] After an hour of fierce battles, a victory message resonated in everyone''s minds. ¡°We won!¡± ¡°Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± The demons of the blue team were thrilled and embraced each other. The siege battle had proven to be far more difficult than expected. They had taken a lot of damage, so this victory was of great significance to them. ¡°It felt like I went through the War of Gods and Demons again.¡± ¡°This siege was one of the most memorable battles amongst all the battles I ever experienced.¡± ¡°This is worthy of bing a great saga once we return to the demon world!¡± The demons had been asleep for a long time ever since the War of Gods and Demons, so this was their first big battle in a long time. Their morale was rising as if it were piercing through the sky. ¡°As long as we stand united, conquering the western continent will be a piece of cake! ¡°That¡¯s right. After conquering the small kingdoms, we¡¯ll take over the Holy Aperian Empire!¡± ¡°Long live Lord Astaroth!¡± The demons were inevitably obedient to the demon kings, but originally, they did not like cooperation. They quarreled whenever they had a chance to increase their ranks, and armed conflict often urred even within the same territory. However, during this siege, they finally felt the need to unite. As the atmosphere turned cheerful, themander-in-chief Woohyuk stood on the podium. Then everyone turned to listen to him quietly, admiration glittering in their eyes. They had realized that Woohyuk''s leadership was excellent during the hour-long siege. However, they did not openly express their admiration and cheer for him because they had their pride as demons. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°The siege is over. You don''t have to keep leading us.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Though it¡¯s a different question if we end up having to unite again in the next stage. Although his skills were excellent, Woohyuk was still a human. Woohyuk watched the demons'' bipr attitudes for a while, then suddenly summoned Verserios and stabbed it on the floor. The surroundingndscape immediately turned ck and Asura''s absolute space began to unfold. ¡°Wha, what is this?!¡± ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡± The demons were bbergasted and took many steps backward. However, there was no escape route. They were already in the Demon God¡¯s territory. ¡°You guys have to die here.¡± In order to get rid of the nuisances in thest stage, hispetitors had to be eliminated in advance. In other words, these demons were Woohyuk¡¯s allies when useful, but his enemies when unnecessary Moreover, he wasn¡¯t very close with any of the demons, so he felt no remorse with his actions. As the demons clumsily brandished their weapons, Woohyuk¡¯s eyes shed and he leaped into the crowd of enemies. Chapter 157: The White Wraith Kings Sanctuary 2

Chapter 157: The White Wraith King''s Sanctuary 2

[This stage is the Pitch ck Labyrinth.] [The Pitch ck Labyrinth is a battlefield with five challengers.] [Each challenger is assigned a unique role and must perform the corresponding mission for a limited time.] [A challenger who does notplete the mission within the time limit will be forcibly transported to the previous stage.] [Note: If the number of challengers required for the game is not satisfied, the empty seats will be filled with individuals created by the system.] [You are the Devil Hunter.] [Please check the note in your hand to confirm the mission¡¯s details.] Long system messages obscured Woohyuk''s eyes. He was now in the fourth stage. Soon enough, he would reach the ce where the White Wraith King was located. ''But would be pointless for me to face him alone.'' In the past, he had sessfully raided the Sand Temple of the White Wraith King. However, he wasn¡¯t able to defeat the White Wraith King. ''I need the help of Eteria Rodinus to obtain the Sangreal Chronicles.'' The Sangreal Chronicle was most likely a reward that would not be handed out to average adventurers. Woohyuk suspected that the White Wraith King had been asked by a wiseman from the past to protect the Chronicles. Therefore, in his past life, Eteria Rodinus would have easily obtained the Sangreal Chronicles without having to fully conquer the ruins. They were the only ones qualified to receive the relics of their predecessors. ''There must be some sort of reason why the White Wraith King isn¡¯t contacting Eteria Rodinus right now.¡¯ The White Wraith King probably didn¡¯t want to disclose information about the Chronicles whilte the demon king¡¯s army was invading his ruins. However, he believed that the White Wraith King was paying attention to the current activities of Eteria Rodinus. While organizing his thoughts, Woohyuk opened the note he was holding in his hand. [The role of the Devil Hunter is to take over thebyrinth and eliminate the Wraith and the Fanatic who are fighting against enemies.] [Depending on the situation, the Devil Hunter can fight his enemies by allying with the friendly Priest or the neutral Retired Mercenary.] [However, the Retired Mercenary has no personal skills, so be careful not to mistake him as the Fanatic.] In other words, he had to have good discerning eyes and kill only his enemies. But since Woohyuk considered everyone his enemy, he could attack anyone he met indiscriminately. However, in order toplete the mission within the time limit, some cooperation with non-hostile roles was necessary. Woohyuk recalled the past as he watched the note turn into dust and disappear in the wind. ¡®I also yed the role of the Devil Hunter in the past.'' At that time, it was difficult to distinguish the Fanatic with the Mercenary. It was difficult for them to prove their role because they weren¡¯t granted any skills by the system. However, one way or another, he eventually seeded in identifying all five challengers. But at the end, the Retired Mercenary betrayed him, and all his efforts were almost in vain. ''This time, I will pay special attention to the Retired Mercenary.'' In addition to the roles given by the system, Woohyuk had to take into consideration the actual interests and goals of the challengers. The reason the Retired Mercenary betrayed him in the past was because he belonged to another n. At that time, several ns werepeting for the Sand Temple of the White Wraith King. ''But it''s great that I don¡¯t have to watch out for allies this time.'' In the past, he had entered the ruins with his vassals unknowing of the games awaiting them. He had only brought a few elites with him, and they had entered the ruins while keeping a distance between each other, so he never encountered them as enemies during the games. However, when he did meet them as allies, there were moments when they were hindrances. There were one or two times when they barely achieved the mission within the time limit. Woohyuk walked along the pathways in thebyrinth as he recalled the past. Swoosh! A trap installed on the stone wall about twenty steps away was activated, and a poison arrow flew over Woohyuk''s head. Woohyuk simply avoided it and went to the ce where the arrow was shot out of. ''There is a secret passage in thisbyrinth.'' The only one who knew this fact from the beginning of the game was the challenger with the Wraith role. If he used the secret passage, he could hide himself for a while or quickly move to another area. This secret passage was an advantage for the Wraith, but it was useless in this game as Woohyuk was already aware of it. ''If I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯ll be able to kill the Wraith early in the game.'' If he came across someone in the secret passage within 10 minutes, it would obviously be the Wraith. With slight excitement, Woohyuk drew an inverted pentagram on the stone wall with a hole. The pentagram originally symbolized the divine star of David, but the witch cult inverted it and used it for evil magic such as devil summoning rituals. Rumble. Not long after the pentagram waspleted, some of the stone walls shifted and moved aside. A secret passage emerged, and Woohyuk immediately surveyed the inside. ''I don''t feel anything in there.'' The Wraith seemed to have decided to scan thebyrinth¡¯s structure before using the secret passage. Woohyuk regretfully exited the secret passage. Suddenly, the sound of metal hitting metal rang out in the distance. ng! ng! ng! An armed conflict had urred between challengers. Woohyuk hurriedly dashed towards it. When he arrived at his destination, he saw a blue-haired male demon and a cat-like beastwoman in a fierce battle. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m the Priest!¡± "Shut up! You¡¯re obviously a demon, so stop spouting nonsense! Apparently, this incident had urred because the cat woman was confusing the challenger¡¯s actual race and his role. Woohyuk swung Grandia and struck away the two weapons. ng! ng! ¡°I will mediate. So for now, stop fighting.¡± ¡°Who¡¯re you to intervene?!¡± The beastwoman looked at Woohyuk with slit pupils and hostility. If he acted suspiciously, she would run at him and attack with her nails. Meanwhile, the demon man sighed in relief. ¡°I will exin. Just because this person is an actual demon doesn¡¯t guarantee that he was given the role of Wraith by the system. ¡°¡­ How do you know that? It''s as if you''ve already experienced this game already.¡± "Indeed. Back then, I couldn''tplete the mission within the time limit, so I was sent back to the third stage.¡± If someone wasn¡¯t lucky during the stages, he would have to keep repeating the first stage up to the fourth stage endlessly. If he couldn''t clear the mission of his current stage, he would be sent to the previous stage even if he had survived until the end. So if Woohyuk imed to be an experienced person, the beastwoman would be convinced to some extent. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s assume that¡¯s the case¡­ But there¡¯s still the chance that that demon is the Wraith or the Fanatic.¡± ¡°The Wraith, Priest, and Devil Hunter can prove their identities if they want. They have unique skills that were temporarily granted by the system.¡± The Wraith had Shadow Movement and Blood Rhapsody. The Priest had Sanctuary Barrier and Blessing of the Holy Spirit. The Devil Hunter had Soul Stigma and Trap Setting. All of them would be of great help if used properly. With Woohyuk''s exnation, the beastwoman turned and pointed at the demon with her finger. ¡°Hey, try using something. The Sanctuary Barrier or the Blessing of the Holy Spirit!¡± ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡± The demon man frowned and lifted his staff in a clumsy posture. ¡®To think that I¡¯m the Priest...¡¯ Even if the role was given to him by the system, he couldn¡¯t help being unfamiliar with these actions. As heined but chanted the spell, a pure white magic circle spread on the floor and a transparent barrier covered them. ¡°Oho, so you really are the Priest. That¡¯s a surprise." ¡°It''s your turn this time, Beastwoman. Show proof that you¡¯re not the Fanatic but the Retired Mercenary.¡± The demon man pointed to the beastwoman with his staff. The beastwoman stuttered in surprise and astonishment. ¡°Wha, what should I do? Hey, why doesn¡¯t the Retired Mercenary have unique skills?!¡± ¡°To make it difficult to distinguish the Retired Mercenary with the Fanatic.¡± The Wraith, Priest, and Devil Hunter could reveal their identity if they wanted to. But the Retired Mercenary and Fanatic couldn¡¯t do that. Therefore, in this game, there could be several people iming to be the Retired Mercenary or the Fanatic as these two roles had no recognizable characteristics. By doing so, there would be ovepping roles, so Woohyuk had to pay attention to these people and observe them at all times. As Woohyuk taught the gamey methods of the Pitch-ck Labyrinth in detail, the demon and the beastwoman nodded. ¡°I, I see. So it¡¯s some kind of psychological game.¡± ¡°So everyone will be suspicious of me until the true fanatic gets revealed. That¡¯s a bit annoying.¡± This stage was definitely differentpared to the previous stages. This game focused on psychological warfare rather than all-out physical warfare. Someone who could read other people¡¯s minds rtively easily and who could act skillfully was more likely to win in this stage. ¡°First, the three of us should move together. That way, we can reduce the chances of each of us being attacked by the Wraith or Fanatic.¡± ¡°Wait, did you say you were the Devil Hunter? Then show us one of your skills.¡± A beastwoman noticed that Woohyuk had yet to prove his identity. Woohyuk nodded and used the Trap Setting skill. Then, a small magical device resembling a booby trap appeared on one side of the stone wall. ¡°For your information, this will only damage the challenger with the Wraith role. So it won¡¯t matter if you two try to trigger it.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s amazing? The more I discover these ruins, the more amazing it feels.¡± A beastwoman observed the magic engineered device and was dumbfounded. Meanwhile, the demon approached Woohyuk and secretly whispered. ¡°For now, I¡¯m certain that I can trust you. My name is Levian, a follower of Lord Orobas.¡± Orobas was the 55th ranked Demon King. Therefore, Levian was Woohyuk¡¯s enemy. But Woohyuk answered back without expressing any hostility or ill will. ¡°Interesting, I saw someone iming to be Astaroth¡¯s follower in the previous stage. Is there even Andras¡¯ follower in these ruins? "Of course. He''s probably ying the same game as us right now.¡± The three demon kings of the Ars Almadel Circle had sent their own followers to each of the ruins presumed to contain the Sangreal Chronicles. Woohyuk''s eyes lit up at Levian''s story. ''Then, if I kill Levian''s and Andras'' followers, there won¡¯t be any other dangerous enemies within these ruins.'' Andras was ranked 63rd. He was the weakest of the three demon kings of Ars Almadel, so his follower was probably also the weakest of the three followers. Before Woohyuk could ask Levian another question, some footsteps resounded in the distance. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards the origin of those footsteps immediately. Chapter 158: The White Ghost Kings Sanctuary 3

Chapter 158: The White Ghost King''s Sanctuary 3

[Subus]. The owner of the footsteps was a female-type dream demon who boasted a deceptive and sensual body. "Stop right there. Reveal your identity. Otherwise, you will be regarded as an enemy.¡± ¡°Oh my, so scary. I am the Retired Mercenary. My name is Lutia.¡± "You''re the Retired Mercenary?" Levian¡¯s eyebrows raised and his gaze alternated between the beastwoman and Lutia. The shocked beastwoman pointed at Lutia. ¡°D, don''t lie to us! I''m the Retired Mercenary! You must be the Fanatic or the Wraith!¡± ¡°Hmm? Are you sure you¡¯re not the one impersonating me? Everyone, be careful. That female cat seems to be up to something.¡± The two women were iming to be the Retired Mercenary. One of them was definitely an enemy. Woohyuk calmed down Lutia and the beastwoman who were about to fight, and then proceeded to interrogate them. ¡°Let¡¯s start with you first. What¡¯s your name?" ¡°¡­ Lamia.¡± ¡°Okay, Lamia. Tell me what was written on the note you received.¡± Woohyuk was the only one who knew exactly the mission the Retired Mercenary had received other than the mercenary himself. As everyone''s eyes focused on her, Lamia opened her mouth with a tense expression. ¡°It, it said it didn¡¯t matter which side I decided to join. Since I¡¯m neutral, all I have to do is to survive until the time limit... And¡­¡± ¡°Why did you stop talking? Are you losing confidence since you¡¯re lying?¡± Levian rebuked Lamia with a sharp re. She had considerably annoyed him earlier, so he wasn''t nning on letting her off easily. ¡°That¡¯s not it... I¡¯m just reluctant to share the contents¡­ Oh well, I''ll just tell you. The Retired Mercenary doesn''t have any special skills but instead has loot perks.¡± If she killed the Wraith, it was the Wraith''s Ebony Cloak. If she killed the Fanatic, it was the Fanatic¡¯s Bloody Dagger. If she killed the Priest, it was the Priest¡¯s Crystal Staff. If she killed the Devil Hunter, it was the Devil Hunter''s Keel Longbow. ording to the note, these were all A-ss artifacts. She could even acquire all of them if she killed them all. At Lamia''s exnation, Levian spoke with ridicule. ¡°Geez, then we shouldn¡¯t consider the Retired Mercenary as an ally. She¡¯ll betray us and attack us once we defeat the Wraith and the Fanatic.¡± ¡°Tha-that¡¯s not true! I just want to get out of here safely! I only came here because Lord Ivanov ordered me to!¡± Lamia did not know that Ivanov had been killed by Woohyuk. They were inside a dimension that was governed by an independent system, so the adventurer''s watch and the unity ring were not functioning. All the othermunication artifacts were incapacitated by the dimension¡¯s manager, the White Ghost King. It was the perfect environment for Woohyuk to secretly infiltrate and assassinate people. ''Anyway, it''s obvious that Lamia is the Retired Mercenary.'' Woohyuk never thought that the dying words of the Retired Mercenary from his previous life would help him out so much. He felt thankful. Woohyuk calmed the quarreling Levian and Lamia and stared at Lutia. ¡°Then you must be the Wraith or the Fanatic. As you may know, both of them are my enemies, so a fight is inevitable.¡± ¡°Oh my, are you too trusting of what that female cat said? It''s a little unfair.¡± Lutia had joined the conversationte and wasn¡¯t aware that Woohyuk was ying the Pitch-ckbyrinth for the second time. As she tried toe up with excuses, Levian pulled out his longsword. ¡°I don''t even need to listen to you! The identities of the three of us have already been proven!¡± ¡°Ha, this is hrious. It¡¯s be a witch hunt right after meeting me. Oh well, I can¡¯t do anything about it now.¡± Lutia chanted a summoning spell and wore a purple brass knuckle. When he noticed the weapon, Levian flinched and looked surprised. "Hm? Since you have an exclusive weapon, you must be fairly high ranked... Are you the vassal of Andras?¡± ¡°Yes, I havee here under the orders of Lord Andras. It appears that we didn¡¯t encounter each other until now because we entered the ruins at different moments in time.¡± This had happened because demons were arbitrary by nature and served different monarchs. If they were like an army of another race, they would have at least decided on a gathering point in advance and would¡¯ve entered the ruins together. Levian scratched his head as he thought to himself. ¡°Well, in any case, you¡¯ll have to die here. Andras has a lower rankpared to Lord Orobas.¡± ¡°Don''t be ridiculous. Orobas is only ranked 55th.¡± Demons often shed against each other in this manner, so this kind of conversation was frequent. Woohyuk watched for a while, before pulling Grandia out of its sheath. ¡°If you¡¯re done arguing, let¡¯s get started.¡± The remaining time was 40 minutes. They had to deal with both the Fanatic and the Wraith, so they had to save time as much as possible. Andras'' vassal, whom he was looking for, had finally appeared, so Woohyuk did not feel the need to talk anymore. As Woohyuk walked toward Lutia, Levian and Lamia followed him. ¡°Don¡¯t me us for this 3-on-1. Life has always been unfair.¡± ¡°I''ll get a hold of your soul, you subus bitch! You tried to frame me!¡± ¡°¡­ Ah, I wonder why this happened. And here I thought I was good at acting.¡± Lutia stepped backwards as she frowned. No matter how high-ranking she was, this kind of lynching would be difficult to survive. It was safe to assume that they were all quite powerful as they had reached the fourth stage. As Lutia struggled toe up with a n, a series of system messages suddenly popped up before her eyes. [The Wraith has taken over Area-A of thebyrinth.] [An ancient monster has been summoned in Area-A.] [The summoned monster will act ording to the Wraith¡¯s orders.] [The Wraith can freely control all devices deployed in Area-A.] [If you find yourself backed in a corner, you may ask the Wraith for help.] The Pitch-ck Labyrinth consisted of three zones: A, B, and C. If they activated the purple magic crystals in each zone, it would be advantageous to the Wraith and Fanatic. The number of areas conquered would determine the monster¡¯s ss. If one zone was conquered, it was an ancient D-ss monster. C-ss for two zones, and B-ss for three. However, the monster of the abyss had considerable power even at B-ss. Even if they found themselves in an unfavorable situation, they could overturn the game. As she finally saw the light of hope, Lutia shed tears of happiness. ¡°Oh, Lord Wraith! Please save me from this crisis!¡± She had no idea where Area-A was located. However, she was trying to grab at straws. She cried out for help to the Wraith. After some time... Boom! Boom! The ground shook, and heavy footsteps resounded from somewhere. The ancient-grade monster had appeared. ¡°This is troublesome. We have to fight the monster even though we haven''t found the Wraith yet.¡± ¡°If he upies other areas, won¡¯t this be disadvantageous for us? Shouldn''t we quickly kill that bitch and stop the Wraith?¡± Levian''s and Lamia''splexions rapidly deteriorated. Since Levian had the Priest role, he had to kill the Wraith and the Fanatic. Meanwhile, even though she was neutral, Lamia still found it difficult to join forces with the Wraith as she had yet to see his face. As the atmosphere quickly turned dark, Lutia used this opportunity and quickly began to run towards a corridor. "Huh? That bitch is escaping!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s kill the Fanatic first, my friends!¡± Levian and Lamia eagerly pursued Lutia. If she were to slip between their fingers like this, they would be extremely upset. Nevertheless, Woohyuk stood behind on his own, and Lamia turned his head to rebuke him. "What are you doing? This is a survival game we have to win!¡± ¡°I leave Lutia in your care. I¡¯ll get rid of the Wraith.¡± It would be inefficient to have all three of them chase after the Fanatic. After watching Levian and Lamia leave, Woohyuk focused his attention on the footsteps that were getting closer. ''First, I¡¯ll have to deal with that guy.'' If it was an ancient-grade monster, it would be enough to leave it to his undeads. He wouldn¡¯t have to get involved in the fight. As Woohyuk summoned suitable undeads considering the space avable in thebyrinth, ¡°Kiyaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!¡± With a bizarre cry, a huge beast popped out from the other side of the corridor. It was a beast-type monster with the head of a hawk. Its name was Hierakos. ¡°Get rid of that monster.¡± When Woohyuk gave the order, the elite undead led his troops and rushed toward Hierakos. In the midst of the battle, a shadow appeared from the passage behind Woohyuk. Woohyuk waited for the shadow to creep closer to him and then swung Grandia in a surprise attack. Swooosh! ¡°Ugh!¡± The other person groaned and instinctively twisted his body to avoid the de. However, Woohyuk''s movements were a lot faster, so he suffered a fatal wound to his right shoulder. ¡°Attempting to assassinate me using the secret passage wasn¡¯t a bad idea. However, it¡¯s foolish to attack your opponent without knowing his powers and skills.¡± ¡°¡­ What the hell are you? How do you know about the secret passage?¡± His opponent was a blond man wearing an adventurer''s watch. Since he had reached this stage, he was probably Ivanov''s vassal, just like Lamia. Woohyuk decided to tell the truth to provoke him more. ¡°Me? For now, I¡¯ll say that I¡¯m the person who beheaded Dragonlord Ivanov in the first stage. ¡°...That¡¯s impossible. Lord Ivanov couldn''t have been defeated by someone like you.¡± ¡°Can''t believe me? Then let me show you evidence.¡± Woohyuk summoned Carnelian to his side. The blond man¡¯s eyes widened and he stood there bbergasted. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°Who is your owner now, Carnelian?¡± ¡°¡­It is Lord Asura.¡± Carnelian bowed his head meekly. She could be summoned as she was treated as a pet by the system. Dragons that hatched from the eggs given by Adakar were bound to their owners. It was difficult to use the word ¡°tamed¡± in these cases, however. The blond man knew this fact, so he tried to persuade Carnelian. ¡°Carnelian! It will do you no good to serve that man as your master! He''s already being targeted by the demon kings! So help me take revenge for Lord Ivanov!¡± ¡°¡­No. I will not suffer by the hands of men like you any longer.¡± Carnelian recalled everything she had been through. Compared to Ivanov and his vassals, Woohyuk was like an angel. Although she felt reluctant as he held demonic energy, she was tired of being abused and needed someone to depend on. When Carnelian hid behind Woohyuk¡¯s back, the blond man made a desperate face. ¡°Fuck¡­ What am I supposed to do now...¡± ¡°Anyst words, Wraith?¡± Woohyuk unsummoned Carnelian and walked towards his opponent. Afterwards, Grandia¡¯s de shed brightly as it descended towards the blond head. Chapter 159: The White Ghost Kings Sanctuary 4

Chapter 159: The White Ghost King''s Sanctuary 4

¡°Urgh¡­!¡± The blonde man desperately twisted his body. Then, his figure turned ck and disappeared in an instant. [Shadow Movement]. It was the Wraith''s skill that allowed him to escape into the darkness during dangerous moments. ''As I thought, he decided to flee.'' However, Woohyuk could easily pursue him because he had left a stigma on his enemy¡¯s soul when his sword struck his left shoulder. Soul Stigma was the Devil Hunter¡¯s skill that could determine the location of the opponent in real time. The duration was 10 minutes. ''I have 25 minutes left.'' If he couldn''t kill both the Wraith and the Fanatic within that duration, he would have to return to the third stage. In truth, he could redo the third stage with his eyes closed a couple of times, but the problem was Eteria Rodinus. It would be problematic if he encountered them as enemies on the same stage. As Woohyuk followed the trail left by the soul stigma, he heard a loud crash behind him. Boooooom! Hierakos, the ancient monster, had fallen as it couldn¡¯t endure the offensive of the undeads. Woohyuk ordered the elite undeads to protect the magic crystals in each area of thebyrinth. It was to prevent the Wraith from summoning new monsters or to use thebyrinth¡¯s magic devices to buy time. ''Maybe I should summon the Demon Kings.'' He had gone to great lengths to seal them, so he had to use them as much as possible while sitting back and enjoying himself. As Woohyuk unfolded Lemegeton, a ck fog spread around and the three demon kings appeared. ¡°Kill the blonde human man with the stigma. He was injured and his movements are sluggish.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord Asura.¡± ¡°That¡¯s gonna be a piece of cake.¡± ¡°I will make sure to slit his throat.¡± The three demon kings were excited and sprinted away like the wind. They dashed down the corridor and disappeared from Woohyuk¡¯s view. They preferred to be outside and stay active like this instead of being trapped inside Lemegeton. In truth, even if he didn''t summon them, the elite undeads would¡¯ve been more than enough. Woohyuk put Lemegeton back in the sage''s pocket and set up traps in the secret passage. ''He will definitely use this passage again.'' The secret passage was connected to all the areas. Its structure was quiteplicated and long. However, if the Wraith nned on going somewhere through the secret passage, there was a specific point he would have to pass. That was where Woohyuk installed the trap. If the Wraith moved through the secret passage in the future, he would dig his own grave. ''Now, I just need to watch out for the Blood Rhapsody.'' Blood Rhapsody was the Wraith¡¯s skill that temporarily granted him great power by increasing his heart rate explosively. Obviously enough, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to defeat the three Demon Kings, but if he was lucky, he would be able to run away in time. Shadow Movement had a skill cooldown of 10 minutes, so theoretically, it could be used up to six times in the Pitch-ck Labyrinth. ''I hope Levian and Lamia are doing well.'' Lamia, the Retired Mercenary, had no special skills, but Levian''s was the Priest, so he could use the Sanctuary Barrier and Blessing of the Holy Spirit. Sanctuary Barrier was useful when used against the Wraith using Blood Rhapsody, and the Blessing of the Holy Spirit was useful when healing injured allies. While they both had quite long cooldowns, the situation was looking good, so he didn¡¯t worry too much. When Woohyuk exited the secret passage and reached Area-B, Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Thebyrinth shook, and intense explosions resounded in the distance. It was most likely the three demon kings fighting against the Wraith. Woohyuk hastily advanced. ¡°Sa, save us!¡± ¡°This is bad! These far stronger enemies appeared!¡± When he almost reached his destination, Levian and Lamia ran towards him from the source of the noises and asked for help. Woohyuk calmed the two down and asked for details. ¡°What happened to Lutia?¡± ¡°Sh-she escaped. Those three demon kings popped out of nowhere and created a mess, so we couldn¡¯t catch her...¡± Unfortunately, the Wraith and Fanatic had both escaped in simr directions, so the pursuers had crossed paths. While Woohyuk thought to himself, a painful scream resounded in the distance. ¡°Arrghh¡­! Aaarrrrggghhh...!¡± It was unmistakably the voice of the blond man. Levian and Lamia looked behind in worry. ¡°How can this happen in a 5-yer survival game?¡± ¡°They¡¯re obviously the demon kings who were defeated by Asura and sealed in Lemegeton.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like there was a bug in the game¡¯s system. After a while, Lamia''s gaze slowly turned to Woohyuk. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, are you¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, I am Asura.¡± Woohyuk no longer hid his identity. Since their roles were revealed, Levian had to help him unconditionally, and Lamia also seemed to prefer helping their faction. Levian realized his situation and trembled. ¡°This is such a ridiculous situation. I, a servant of Demon King Orobas, am using divine magic and allied with Asura... .¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time toment, Levian. We only have 15 minutes left.¡± It had taken more time than expected to discover each other''s roles and find their targets. Levian clenched his teeth and turned to the passage through which he and Lamia hade from. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s finish the game first. Since Lutia escaped, we should deal with the Wraith first...¡± Levian, who was trying to take the lead, could not speak further. The blond man was running towards them from the other side of the corridor while getting chased by the three demon kings. ¡°Arrrggghhhhhhhhh!¡± The blond man had activated Blood Rhapsody, and his eyes were bloodshot red. He had a distorted face due to the skill¡¯s side effects. ¡°Great timing! He¡¯sing towards us!¡± Lamia, who felt empowered, ran towards the blond man, pulling out her twin swords. Now that she had confirmed that the three demon kings were under Asura¡¯s control, there was nothing to fear. However, Woohyuk, who had already experienced the Pitch-ck Labyrinth once in the past, stopped her. "It¡¯s dangerous. Wait for him toe over here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so dangerous? He¡¯s just running for his life after losing his mind right now.¡± Lamia did not listen to Woohyuk. Her role was the Retired Mercenary. If she defeated the Wraith herself, she could get the Wraith¡¯s Ebony Cloak. But there was one thing she hadn¡¯t considered. Stab! The Wraith had temporarily gained tremendous power after activating Blood Rhapsody. That was the reason why he hadn¡¯t got caught by the three demon kings so far. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Lamia spat out red blood as she had her heart pierced by the blond man''s hand. Levian watched them in astonishment. ¡°He, he¡¯s fast¡­!¡± ¡°If the person in charge of the Wraith role were weak, the game itself would end too quickly.¡± Unlike the previous stages, the roles and skills given to each of them were extremely important. Realizing that, Levian hurriedly deployed the Sanctuary Barrier and blocked the passage. Lamia had already died, so he did not need to use the Blessing of the Holy Spirit. ¡°I will¡­ survive¡­ no matter what...! Can¡¯t die... in this damned... ruin¡­!¡± The blond man stopped in ce after spouting out those words with difficulty. Afterwards, his silhouette turned ck and he turned into a shadow. ¡°Wha, what?!¡± ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°Did he teleport himself?¡± The three demon kings, who were chasing the Wraith, looked confused. They were ignorant of the Wraith''s skill, Shadow Movement. However, Woohyuk could guess where their target was headed to. ¡°The secret passage. He intends to take control of Area-C.¡± Whenever he took control of an area in thebyrinth, the Wraith received cards that could turn the tables of the game. Not only could he summon andmand monsters, but he could also control the magic devices in the area. If he took control of every area, he would be the manager of thisbyrinth. At Woohyuk''s exnation, Levian urgently searched around. ¡°A secret passage?! Just where the hell is it?¡± ¡°Over here. Follow me.¡± Woohyuk took the lead with a calm look. Later, when he drew an inverted pentagram on one side of a stone wall, a secret passage emerged. ¡°Oh, using an inverted symbol makes me feel like we¡¯re in a dungeon of the demon world.¡± ¡°Is the White Ghost King a demon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He might be.¡± The three demon kings knew nothing about the White Ghost King. As Woohyuk led the other four down the secret passage, a system message popped up before his eyes. [The Wraith was caught in a trap you set up, causing fatal damage.] [Catch him quickly before he runs away with the help of the Fanatic.] [There are 10 minutes left.] [From now on, the Wraith and the Fanatic are able to have telepathic conversations with each other.] The Pitch-ck Labyrinth granted many advantages to the Wraith. One of them was that he couldmunicate telepathically with the Fanatic by the end. By now, he was probably staggering with his wounded body and calling Lutia for help. ''He will try to avoid fighting us as much as possible and buy some time from now on.'' From his point of view, it was much better to return to the previous stage than to die here. So, with the help of Lutia the Fanatic, he would try to hide somewhere in Area-A that he was controlling. In this situation, the key point was Lutia''s decision. ''The chances are about 50-50.'' She could use the Wraith as bait and hide alone during the remaining 10 minutes, or she could risk her life and head to Area-A together with the Wraith after saving him. Both of the choices weren¡¯t disadvantageous to Lutia. Woohyuk couldn¡¯t predict what she would do. When he arrived at his destination, he saw the blond man leaning against the wall as blood poured out of his wounds. "This is the end, Wraith." ¡°Urgh¡­¡± The Wraith clenched his teeth. The most he could do right now was to lean and stop himself from falling unconscious. Blood Rhapsody and Shadow Movement were both on cooldown and could not be used right now. sh! Before the three demon kings could move, Grandia cut his head off. Then, a system message appeared before Woohyuk''s eyes. [You have killed the Wraith.] [This will be announced to all participants in thebyrinth.] [New skills have been granted to the Fanatic.] [From now on, the Fanatic has taken control of the areas conquered by the Wraith previously.] Lutia did not show up in the end. She had decided not to help the Wraith. Woohyuk followed the secret passage with the others and headed straight to Area-A. ¡°I have a rough idea of where she is.¡± In the center of Area-A, traps with high difficulty were ced one after another. Lutia, who had inherited the knowledge of the Wraith, had grasped the structure of thebyrinth and would definitely try to buy time over there. However, such tricks would not work on Woohyuk. ¡°Advance.¡± When Woohyuk gave the order, the summoned undead troops began to advance down the passage. Avoiding or removing the traps one by one would take a lot of time. Instead, he would send the undeads to activate the traps in advance. When Woohyuk reached her position with ease through an unexpected method, Lutia stepped back in shock and confusion. ¡°D, don¡¯t approach me! I have a secret weapon!¡± A skill she had gained with the Wraith¡¯s death. It was the Fanatic¡¯s Martyrdom. In simpler terms, it was self-destruction. Chapter 160: The White Ghost Kings Sanctuary 5

Chapter 160: The White Ghost King''s Sanctuary 5

"I know." ¡°No matter how strong you are, it will be difficult to survive the explosion unscathed! It¡¯ll be so powerful that thisbyrinth will copsepletely!¡± Lutia was hoping the game would end in a draw. She wanted them all to return to the previous stage instead of dying here along with her. But Woohyuk shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who will die.¡± ¡°You, you think I¡¯m not capable of actually doing it? I won¡¯t die alone like an idiot! If you take one more step, I¡¯ll...¡± ¡°Amii, take care of her.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Asura.¡± Amii swung Ignis, and the Hound of the Baskervilles jumped out and rushed towards Lutia. ¡°Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaah! Save me!¡± Lutia was terrified and she ran towards a passage nearby. She had threatened to self-destruct, but when the moment to kill herself actually arrived, she wasn¡¯t brave enough to waste her own life. However, she could not escape from the current situation. Crunch! The Hound opened its jaws wide apart and swallowed Lutia. Lutia was burning to death inside its stomach, and she cursed at Woohyuk. ¡°Asura¡­! I will drag you down with me!¡± Ssh! ck blood sprayed around and dropped from the air like a fountain. Lucia''s body was used for the Fanatic¡¯s Martyrdom. Her flesh was torn apart into countless pieces, leaving only her heart intact. Before long, her heart in the Hound¡¯s stomach began to burn red hot. ¡°Sh, shouldn¡¯t we escape? It looks like it will explode soon.¡± ¡°If you''re nervous, install a barrier or something.¡± At Woohyuk¡¯s words, Levian immediately started chanting. A transparent spherical barrier appeared, covering them all. ¡°Amii, go and stop it too.¡± "Yes? How am I¡­¡± ¡°You won¡¯t burn since you have the Eternal Hell trait.¡± First, the Hound of the Baskervilles would absorb most of the heat from the heart exploding, and then Amii had to control the rest of the heat. As Woohyuk stared at her, Amii frowned and dejectedly ran towards the Hound. She was despairing that she was being used as a meat shield during dangerous situations like this. ¡°Come here. Let''s block it together.¡± As Amii beckoned it, the Hound of the Baskervilles assimted with Ignis'' mes, handing Lutia''s heart to her. Amii tightly tied it with Ignis and hugged the heart in her arms. ¡°Okay, let it blow up now!¡± The reason why Lutia''s heart hadn''t exploded so far was because the Hound was holding back the heat. However, there is a time limit. No matter how restrained it was, Lutia''s heart would burst within seconds. After a while, the heart ran out of control in the Hound. Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom! Along with a loud explosion, Ignis'' mes burst apart, spreading around in all directions. As Woohyuk had predicted, it was difficult for the Hound to absorb the entire explosion caused by Lutia¡¯s self-destruction. Amii clenched her teeth and tried to control the rampaging mes. ¡®This much is nothing...!¡¯ Even though she was sealed in Lemegeton and was being used as a meat shield, she was still a demon king. She waspetent enough to stop the subus'' self-destruction. Levian''s expression brightened as Amii made the mes die down. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re alive! I was almost put to eternal sleep without having aplished anything.¡± ¡°Do you have a demon to inherit your name?¡± "I do. He¡¯s still quite young however.¡± Unlike humans and elves, demons inherited the names of their predecessors. If a demon couldn¡¯t perform the rite of inheritance before he became an adult, he would use the name he had been using until then. In these cases, the demon would be a lot weakerpared to demons who had inherited names, as he would start from the very bottom and would have to make his way up. That is why the unselected demons were constantly scheming against their own people and trying to steal their names. Names were like sses to them, and an average demon could take up to two names. If one had two names, it was customary to be called by the stronger name. Woohyuk was well aware of such customs and traditions, so despite being of different races, he was able tomunicate with Levian without much difficulty. [The Fanatic has died.] [The Devil Hunter''s mission has beenpleted.] [You have cleared the Pitch-ck Labyrinth.] [You will be given a 10-minute break before moving to the next stage.] System messages tardily rang in his head, announcing the end of the game. The Fanatic seemed to be considered dead only after the heart stopped functioning or disappeared. ¡°Anyways, we can go to the final stage now.¡± ¡°Ah, it''s finally time to meet the White Ghost King.¡± Thest stage was even weirder and harder than the Pitch-ck Labyrinth. In order to avoid unnecessary troubles during thest stage, Woohyuk had to erase the variables in advance. Woohyuk picked up Grandia and stared at Levian. ¡°Wa, wait... Aren¡¯t we on the same side? ¡°We were. But not anymore.¡± Levian was a demon who was loyal to Orobas, the 55th Demon King. If he left him alive, there would be troubleter on. As Woohyuk approached with tant murderous intentions, the frightened Levian stepped back. Levian knew that his opponent was the strongest person here. He had fought against three demon kings at the same time and won the battle. But there was nowhere for Levian to escape. The three demon kings were standing behind him. ¡°Ugh¡­ But I have to pass on my name before dying at least...¡± For the demons who were about to enter eternal sleep, the ritual of inheritance was of great importance. Even if his ego disappeared, his demonic energy would remain in the world and would continue to be inherited over time. However, Levian currently had no choice. He watched Grandia swing towards his neck before closing his eyes. *** [Wee to thest stage.] [The name of this battlefield is the Golden Desert.] [Here is your first mission.] [Defeat the other challengers and reach the resting ce of the White Ghost King.] [Only one party can enter the White Ghost King''s Sanctuary. This is decided on a firste, first-served basis] [Participants who fail the first mission will be forcibly transported to the previous stage.] [Each participant can recruit up to ten party members.] [Please refer to the note for rules on party management.] A series of system messages covered Woohyuk''s eyes. Woohyuk took a look at them, and then took a deep breath. ''I should get serious from here on.'' At first nce, the stage seemed simple. But this battleground was not easy. There were many things to care about besides the other challengers in the Golden Desert. One of them was the Harvest Night. When the Harvest Night quest would begin, day would suddenly turn into night, and a red moon would appear while a total sr eclipse would ur at the same time. Its duration was about 300 minutes. During this time, if another participant was killed and sacrificed, various benefits would be obtained in proportion to the total number sacrifices. Some of these benefits would onlyst until the end of the next Harvest Night, though. ''There were definitely a lot of troublesome people in the past.'' The Golden Desert was so vast that it was difficult to search for all the otherpetitors one by one and kill them. Besides, the mission would be cleared on a firste, first-served basis, so it was best to just head to the pyramid in the center where the White Ghost King resided. In the past, Woohyuk had also made this decision. As he got closer to the pyramid, the frequency at which he encountered other challengers increased. However, the number of sacrifices they had offered to the White Ghost King was high, so their stats had been quite increased. Moreover, they had many special abilities, so it was quite difficult for Woohyuk to deal with them. Because he knew of this stage¡¯s rules in advance, Woohyuk hade up after eliminating all of his allies from the past stages. If he had left them alive, they would¡¯ve be troublesome enemies to deal with on this stage, or would¡¯ve been sacrificed by another troublesome enemy. ''I should head to the middle of the Golden Desert for now.'' He had to reach the pyramid and block the entrance before anybody else would reach it. Unlike the previous stages, the Golden Desert was a unique stage with no other duplicates. All those who had survived the previous stages until now would gather here, so Woohyuk was nning to reunite here with Eteria Rodinus. ''It''s pointless to enter the pyramid without Eteria Rodinus.'' He didn''t think the White Ghost King would simply hand over the Sangreal Chronicles to him. He''s a sort of Dimension Manager. It would be risky for Woohyuk to fight against the White Ghost King as he was simr to a god in this dimension. If he couldn¡¯t get aplete victory, the White Ghost King would only give him one of the rewards and disappear as he had done in his past life. The White Ghost King¡¯s Sand Temple would also copse and disappear, and it would be difficult to find the White Ghost King again. ''I only have one chance.'' He couldn¡¯t make any mistakes until he obtained the Sangreal Chronicles. As he walked alone in the Golden Desert, Woohyuk unfolded the note in his hand. [Party Management Rules] [#1 The first person to receive a party member bes the leader of the group.] [#2 The leader can choose his or her sessor in advance in case he or she dies.] [#3 Leaders have four privileges: invite, banish,mand, and vote.] [#4 Leaders cannot be reced through votes. If you don''t like your leader, kill him or leave the group.] [#5 If a leader dies without a sessor, the party is automatically disbanded.] There was nothing remarkable. It was all very basic, and Woohyuk had already experienced the Golden Desert in the past. ''I have to be a leader again this time.'' He was going to party only with the members of Eteria Rodinus, but it was safer to hold onto the leader position in advance. He could not give the leader¡¯s privileges to another party member, since Eteria Rodinus was trying to control him through the unidentified prophetic book. As Woohyuk recalled Helena''s spiteful expression, a bunch of poison arrows flew towards him. Swoosh! A blond woman who had found Woohyuk from a distance had used Multi-Shot, a ranger skill. Woohyuk spoke up after neutralizing the attack with the Queen Star Snake Ghost. ¡°You must be so eager to die.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± The blond woman frowned and pulled the bow again. Before she could release it, she felt a cold aura behind her, and she hastily turned around. ¡°Drop your weapon if you don''t want to be reaped by the shadow killer''s scythe.¡± Woohyuk had summoned the undead Amy, and she had quickly reached the opponent¡¯s back. The blond woman clenched her teeth and dropped her longbow to the ground in response. Woohyuk took out a rope from his pocket and tied her up. ¡°Walk in the direction I¡¯m pointing to.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t move quickly, I¡¯ll punish you.¡± Crack! Crack! ¡°Kyaaaahhh!¡± As Woohyuk whipped her relentlessly, the blond woman screamed and slowly stepped forward. Chapter 161: The White Ghost Kings Sanctuary 6

Chapter 161: The White Ghost King''s Sanctuary 6

Woohyuk encountered many people until he reached the resting ce of the White Ghost King. But he did not let them walk away alive. During the day, they were taken as prisoners, and at Harvest Night, they were sacrificed and offered to the White Ghost King. Thanks to this, Woohyuk was able to get several perks. [You have made your 100th offering.] [You have received the protection of the White Ghost King. All stats increased by 50 until the end of the next night.] [You have acquired the second skill, Immortal Spirit.] [If you use Immortal Spirit, you will not take any damage for 5 minutes.] [However, you can''t do anything for 5 minutes starting from the moment you activate the Immortal Spirit.] The first skill was Magic de. An attack spell that shaped magic power into the form of a sharp de and shot it at the opponent. Both skills would be helpful if used properly, but they weren¡¯t very practical at most times. ''The skills here are given randomly.'' Obviously, a stronger skill would be granted in proportion to the higher number of offerings. But whether that skill would be useful in the current situation was purely up to luck. In Woohyuk¡¯s case,dy luck wasn¡¯t on his side. In the past, he had received betterbinations of skills than his current ones. ''Well, it can''t be helped.'' The world would not always grant his wishes on a silver tter. He just had to wait for Eteria Rodinus to arrive and not pay attention to the skills. Only a single party could clear the Golden Desert on a firste, first-served basis, but there was no time limit like the previous stages. Woohyuk positioned the three demon kings and his undead troops around the pyramid and sat on the stairs that lead to the shaded entrance. ''I haven''t eaten a single meal until now.'' The only time the Golden Desert got dark was when the Harvest Night arrived. However, the Harvest Night¡¯s cycle was irregr, and when it came, he had to offer many sacrifices, and then advance to the pyramid without rest. The privileges granted by the White Ghost King were only given to people who made sacrifices, and he also had to be the first to reach the pyramid. Therefore, he didn''t have any time to rest until now because if he closed his eyes for even a short while or ate during the day, he would fall behind the otherpetitors. Feeling hungry and tired at the same time, Woohyuk took out a pack of rations from the sage''s pocket. Rations didn¡¯t need to be cooked, so it was the optimal energy replenishment food in this situation since he needed to save as much time as possible. That was why Woohyuk had gathered as many rations as possible in the Primordial Forest and Adventurer''s Canyon. Thanks to these, even though it had been quite a while since he had arrived on the Eeth Continent, there wouldn¡¯t be anyck of food for him for the next few months. ''There is a limit to the stamina I can replenish with Grandia and the Vampiric Dagger.'' Unlike vampires or kazaks, humans needed a variety of energy sources. Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals... and many others. Moreover, humans needed the food to be tasty to stimte their desire for survival, but Woohyuk was more than satisfied with the rations already. ''Compared to these, Leifina''s cooking was absolutely disgusting.'' In the past, he couldn''t afford to cook because he was exploring countless ruins and waging war with many different enemies. That was why he had let Leifina continue to cook despite her terrible cooking skills. At first, despite her mistakes, he believed that she would get better over time since she was a woman. ''Since I vehemently told her not to learn how to cook this time, she won¡¯t be making anything¡­ I hope.¡¯ She had shown a little interest in cooking before, so Woohyuk had stopped her a few times. In any case, once he returned after this journey, he would be able to enjoy Hans'' special dishes at Leifina¡¯s estate. Woohyuk happily imagined the delicacy of Hans¡¯ cooking as he ate the vegetable bibimbap mixed with some spicy sauce. Then,a system message suddenly popped up before his eyes. [The White Ghost King calls for you.] [Lower the food in your hands and enter his sanctuary.] [The current mission in progress is temporarily suspended.] ck. He heard the sound of the door unlocking at the top of the stairs. Woohyuk turned around with a puzzled expression as he stopped munching on his meal. ''He¡¯s calling me?'' There had never been an event like this in the Golden Desert in the past. After fighting fiercely against hispetitors, he had entered the pyramid, and the White Ghost King was sitting on the throne, waiting for him. Woohyuk stood up from his seat, feeling slightly nervous. ''It would be a waste to throw this away though...¡¯ It was painful to give up on half of the remaining bibimbap. Eventually, Woohyuk continued to eat his meal with a stic spoon as he entered the pyramid. ¡°I can¡¯t waste valuable energy sources.¡± He was talking to the White Ghost King. It appeared that he had been slightly influenced by Helena. Soon, Woohyuk reached therge stone chamber, and a pure white ghost sitting on the throne with golden armor greeted him. ¡°Wee, Ascetic. I have been observing you for a while.¡± ¡°Why did you suddenly call me? Did you change your mind about something?¡± Since the mission was suddenly interrupted, something unexpected must have happened. So Woohyuk had deliberately left more troops by the entrance to the pyramid. He needed people to protect Eteria Rodinus from otherpetitors if they reached the location while he was absent. Sensing that Woohyuk cared about Eteria Rodinus, the White Ghost King struck the floor with his sword in its sheath. Bang! Then, arge pir of light erupted between the White Ghost King and Woohyuk. As the light slowly faded away, Eteria Rodinus and Catsy stood at the center. "Huh? What just happened? Our team was just about to win the siege battle...¡± ¡°I was fighting a subus at the Colosseum¡­¡± Helena and Ibn Rusud looked around with confused expressions. The White Ghost King ignored them and spoke to Boetius. ¡°Old man, are you the one who seeded the will of the Sage Ptolemy?¡± ¡°Yes, White Ghost King. Do you have Sangreal Chronicles stored here?¡± "Indeed. Ptolemy has once helped me out a long time ago, and in return, I decided to pay back the debt by listening to a request.¡± To hand over the Sangreal Chronicles¡¯ manuscript to his sessor if he were toe searching for it. That was Ptolemy''s request. He was told to determine if the person in front of him was the actual sessor or not by looking for the token of Eteria Rodinus and his crystal staff. And Boetius was satisfying both conditions. At the words of the White Ghost King, Boetius unfolded the Nameless Tome that Helena had given him. ¡°We must rebuild the Ark of Knowledge that was partially destroyed during the War of Gods and Demons. In order to do that, the Sangreal Chronicles is essential.¡± If they had the manuscript, the Sangreal Chronicles could easily be restored. The White Ghost King nodded and raised his hand in the air. Then, with a bluish glow, a bundle of old parchments emerged. ¡°Take it if you need it. It was part of the contract in the first ce. But apart from this, I wish to make one suggestion.¡± ¡°What is it? I will listen to the contents first before epting.¡± Boetius epted the manuscript of the Sangreal Chronicles and stared at White Ghost King. Instead of responding immediately, the White Ghost King raised his finger to the screen in the air. On the screen, the entrance to the White Ghost King¡¯s Sand Temple was being shown like a security camera but with better pixtions. ¡°Hm? Isn¡¯t that man¡­?¡± Woohyuk frowned as he saw the appearance of a certain man on the screen. It was Demon King Astaroth. He hade here with his men after searching through all the other ruins. He must have determined that something about these ruins was special because he had lost contact with the scouts sent in advance. The members of Eteria Rodinus reacted to the appearance of the demon king. ¡°This is bad. It¡¯s the 29th Demon King.¡± ¡°The demon kings in the same circle as Astaroth might alsoe.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a Demon King, he will reach this stage in no time.¡± ¡°We need to take measures¡­¡± As the surroundings became noisy, the White Ghost King struck the sheath on the floor three times to draw everyone¡¯s attention. Boom! Boom! Boom! He then spoke to everyone in the stone chamber. ¡°I have been observing everyone¡¯s abilities. In truth, I was nning on summoning everyone sooner than this, but I was curious about that ck-haired man, so I dyed my ns a tad bit.¡± ¡°¡­You shouldpensate us for that! Do you know how much trouble I went through in the lower stages?!¡± Helena turned towards Woohyuk and pouted at him. Her supply of lemon jelly was slowly bing scarce. Woohyuk realized her intentions, but acted ignorant for a while before asking the White Ghost King a question. ¡°What do you want to know about me?¡± ¡°I wanted to know why you were chosen by the former Demon God. That was why I calibrated the system for the others so that they wouldn¡¯t die, and observed you all this time.¡± The White Ghost King was aware of Demon God Asura. Woohyuk was interested in his knowledge, so he brought out Verserios and showed it to the White Ghost King. ¡°I met Asura on thest floor of some mysterious ruins called the Twilight Tower. I passed his test and inherited this.¡± ¡°¡­That is surprising. In many ways.¡± ¡°But how do you know of Asura? I don''t think he''s ever visited this ce in recent years.¡± Asura was sealed in a dimension connected to the 100th floor of the Twilight Tower. If the two of them had met, it would have been back when he was active as the Demon God. At Woohyuk''s question, the White Ghost King raised his head as he recalled the past. ¡°Now that I think of it, it was a very, very long time ago. Even before I was trapped in here.¡± The White Ghost King was originally Demon God Asura¡¯s vassal. The White Ghost King had been cursed by the heavenly gods and roamed around as a white spirit. Then, Asura took him under his wing. Afterwards, he became the king of the white ghosts after growing ceaselessly, and gained the authority to manage a new dimension ordingly. But when Asura was sealed, he also came here alone in exile. Unlike the other vassals, he was a dimension manager, and he had judged that he could act as a variable in the future. Woohyuk showed great interest at the White Ghost King¡¯s exnation. ¡°Is that why you were organizing these survival games? To kill time and erase your boredom.¡± ¡°It was in a certain way my means of protection. This dimension is rtively small and its rank is low, making it vulnerable to attacks by intruders.¡± In addition, the Creator kept connecting this dimension with other worlds for unknown reasons. That was why Woohyuk and the White Ghost King had met. The White Ghost King was sending away those who visited him by rewarding them and kicking them out. He could have just killed them, but he was messing around with them because he hadn¡¯t met a particrly threatening opponent so far. But the current situation was worrying the White Ghost King. ¡°I heard about the 72 Demon Kings and Lilith from Ptolemy before. Apparently, they have some secret schemes all the time.¡± The White Ghost King had no intention of neglecting those who were trying to abuse the power of the demon he had once served. Therefore, he was nning on teaming up with Eteria Rodinus and Woohyuk to defeat them. Having learned of the White Ghost King''s true intention, Woohyuk nodded and spoke aloud. ¡°If so, be my vassal. I am the one who inherited the name of the former Demon God, Asura.¡± Chapter 162: Othello 1

Chapter 162: Othello 1

¡°I admit that you are powerful for a human. But it is not enough to make me submit under you.¡± The White Ghost King meant that Woohyuk was not a worthy opponent. Although he was currently confined like he was in exile, he was still the dimension manager. He had the confidence not to lose against a human who could not properly handle demonic energy. However, because of Asura''s demonic energy, it was impossible to kill him just by manipting the system. When the White Ghost King stood up and took on a provocative stance, Helena intervened in the conversation. ¡°Wait, don''t we have to deal with those demon kings first? Their numbers increased while you two were flirting.¡± On the screen floating in the air, there were now two additional demon kings. Currently there were a total of 3 demon kings talking with each other with serious expressions. Astaroth, the Demon King ranked 29th. Orobas, the Demon King ranked 55th. Andras, the Demon King ranked 63rd. All the demon kings from Ars Almadel Circle had gathered. ¡°I concur, White Ghost King. While I would like to continue the conversation we were having, it seems that the situation is...¡± Boetius also spoke up to help Helena. The White Ghost King nodded and spoke to Woohyuk again. ¡°It appears you have Lemegeton. If you want me to be your vassal, you must first try sealing those three in Lemegeton. Then, I will give you a chance.¡± ¡°Understood. But I''d like to hear the suggestion you mentioned earlier.¡± Since the White Ghost King was the dimension manager in this location, he was able to help Woohyuk''s group directly or indirectly. He could temporarily raise their stats or grant new skills. As Woohyuk stared at him, the White Ghost King moved his finger toward the air. Afterwards, a series of system messages appeared in front of Woohyuk''s eyes. [You have been granted the authority to manage and control the 2nd floor stage by the White Ghost King.] [Would you like to move to the control room on the second floor now?] [YES / NO] The stage on the second floor was the Colosseum where Woohyuk had faced Ivanov in a tournament match. Woohyuk asked a question to the White Ghost King with a displeased expression. ¡°Do you not intend on facing those demon kings in person?¡± ¡°I do not feel the need to do so. Personally, I look forward to the battle you will have against the demon kings.¡± The White Ghost King was keen to test Woohyuk''s abilities a little more. If he judged that Woohyuk was worthy of the name Asura, the White Ghost King would submit to him. Woohyuk also realized his intention and didn''t retort anymore. ¡°We wish to follow him. If he loses control over the power of the Demon God, things would be extremelyplicated.¡± ¡°No, I want you people to wait here. If I judge that his abilities aren¡¯t enough to defeat them, I will send you as well.¡± If Eteria Rodinus intervened at the same time, it would be difficult to properly evaluate Woohyuk''s qualities. When the White Ghost King rejected Boetius'' request, Woohyuk slowly turned to Helena as she took out a lemon jelly. ¡°Just stay here and watch, Witch of Profanity.¡± ¡°¡­Sheesh you¡¯re such a jerk.¡± Helena pouted and turned away from Woohyuk. Then Woohyuk threw a container full of lemon jelly at her. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Oh my, you look really handsome today, Lord Asura.¡± Helena immediately changed her attitude and epted the container. Watching her contradicting actions, Woohyuk was satisfied. ''I''m d I found out how to tame that saintess.'' The n was perfect. One day, he would make Helena reveal all the secrets of Eteria Rodinus and even teach him Rosa Eterna. Whileing up with an ambitious n, Woohyuk pressed the [YES] button. *** A pitch-ck space. Woohyuk was surrounded by hundreds of screens. All the scenes reflected in each screen were the images of the second stage, the Colosseum. There, a wide variety of participants were fighting for each other''s lives in a tournament. ''¡­This is interesting.¡¯ It was his first time experiencing something like this. He was the manager of the survival game. Suddenly, as he felt a sense of disparity, Woohyuk carefully watched one of the screens that had drawn his attention. ''A humans fighting a beastwoman.'' They were both probably Ivanov''s men. Currently, a beastwoman with twin swords was being pushed back by a blond man with a two-handed spear. The beastwoman had suffered a deep wound on her left shoulder, so it seemed like the victor would be the blond man if things continued like this. ''Let''s learn how to manipte the stage first.'' He couldn''t fight the Demon Kings without any rehearsal. The second stage was the only stage where he could have one-on-one battles like this. Even if he couldn¡¯t seal all the demon kings on the second stage due to theck of time, he would have to do the most he possibly could do. As the White Ghost King had done, he lifted his finger, and the screen that Woohyuk was watching flew towards him. ''Oh, it''s like working on aputer.'' Woohyuk focused on the beastwoman on the screen. Then, her status window popped out on the side of the screen. [Satori] -ss: Mercenary (3rd ss) -Titles: Goblin yer (Strength +5, damage to all goblin tribes +10%), Beginner Adventurer (Loot acquisition rate +5%, senses and movement speed +5% in ruins) -Stats Strength: 112 +5 (Goblin yer) +10 (Skilled diator''s Twin Swords) Vitality: 128 +5 (Beginner Adventurer''s Belt), +5 (Apprentice Craftsman''s Ring) Agility: 143 +5 (Wind Earring) Intelligence: 84 Spirit: 107 +5 (Meditation Earring) -Other Strength growth speed +15%. 10% increased chance of loot acquisition. ''How weak.'' She must¡¯ve received the Titles Goblin yer by hunting goblins only in the Primordial Forest, while Beginner Adventurer could be obtained by anyone who explored several ruins orpleted small adventure quests. The traits in the Other category were the passive skills of the 3rd ss Mercenary, but people with other sses could also have those kinds of additional stats gains. Therefore, her current stat gains would not be of great help in the actual battles. Her equipment was also barely good enough for a mercenary. Compared to her status window, Woohyuk¡¯s was like the status window of a god. The difference between him and her was that he had looted all the good items in the Primordial Forest and the Adventurer¡¯s Canyon. ''But this is probably the norm among most adventurers.'' While they had gained practical experience during the tutorial, they were still beginners by the standards of the Eeth Continent. The people of the Eeth Continental people had received the game system from birth and had fully adapted to it. Without including the adventurers with natural gifts, these stats were very normal among adventurers. Woohyuk clicked his tongue and looked at the status window of her opponent this time. [Buschkov dimir Dmitrovi?] -ss: Knight (3rd ss) -Titles: Orc yer (Strength +10, damage to all orcs +10%), Beginner Adventurer (Loot acquisition rate +5%, senses and movement speed +5% in ruins) -Stats Strength: 121 +10 (Orc yer) +20 (Troll Chief''s Two-Handed Spear) Vitality: 132 +10 (Intermediate Adventurer''s Belt) Agility: 127 +10 (Subjugation Ring) +10 (Ordinary Craftsman''s Earring) Intelligence: 78 Spirit: 115 +10 (Monk''s Earring) -Other Strength growth speed +15%. Vitality recovery rate +20%. ''He¡¯s not very differentpared to her either.'' Since he was an Orc yer, he had probably participated in quite a lot of subjugations, but he wasn''t strong enough to overpower Satori in terms of stats. In other words, the reason he was currently winning was purely due to the power gap of their equipment. ording to his appearance, he seemed to be Russian. He was most likely being treated better by Ivanov than Satori, a beastwoman. Given that Ivanov was a racist skinhead, this was a convincing assumption. ''I should let Satori win.'' Buschkov was most likely a skinhead like Ivanov. He had the same tattoo as Ivanov on his forearm. ording to his knowledge, that tattoo was rted to their affiliation to skinheads. Woohyuk immediately opened Satori''s status window again and manipted it to give her an advantage. [Satori] -ss: Mercenary (3rd ss) -Titles: Goblin yer (Strength +5, damage to all goblin tribes +10%), Beginner Adventurer (Loot acquisition rate +5%, senses and movement speed +5% in ruins) -Stats Strength: 112 +5 (Goblin yer) +10 (Skilled diator''s Twin Swords) +100 (Austiya''s Blessing) Vitality: 128 +5 (Beginner Adventurer''s Belt), +5 (Apprentice Craftsman''s Ring) +100 (Austiya''s Protection) Agility: 143 +5 (Wind Earring) +100 (Austiya''s Protection) Intelligence: 84 +100 (Austiya''s Blessing) Spirit: 107 +5 (Meditation Earring) +100 (Austiya''s Protection) -Other Strength growth speed +15%. 10% increased chance of loot acquisition. Austiya was the highest ranking guardian deity among the deities of the beastmen tribe. She obviously hadn¡¯t actually received Austiya¡¯s protection. Woohyuk had simply given the buff an appropriate name. Thanks to his help, Satori was able to turn the tables on Buschkov. Stab! Satori, who lightly avoided the two-handed spear de, stabbed her twin swords in her opponent¡¯s side. ¡°Cough¡­!¡± Buschkov sat down, screaming an inaudible sound. He looked up at Satori with an expression of disbelief. No matter how much he thought about it, there was a distinct change in her movements. Afterwards, Satori gave a final blow, killing Buschkov, and Woohyuk nodded in satisfaction. ''I quite like this ability.'' He felt like he was a god. While he wasn¡¯t omnipotent, he still felt like the game master of online games. Woohyuk observed Satori''s reaction to her unexpected victory. ''She seems to be very surprised herself.'' Perhaps she had received a system message rted to Austiya''s protection in the middle of the battle. After reading her status window, Satori prayed with joy and gratitude. Then, Woohyuk tried to manipte her in a different way. ¡°Urgh...¡± This time, she was given a debuff. Satori fell to the floor with a pale expression as Woohyuk nodded in deep thoughts. ''I can do all kinds of adjustments.'' The question was whether this would also work on the Demon Kings. Woohyuk chose Amii as the guinea pig of his experiment. ¡°Have you summoned me, Lord Asura?¡± ¡°I need you to cooperate for an experiment for a while.¡± ¡°An, an experiment¡­? Just what¡­¡± Amii couldn''t finish her sentence, because Woohyuk sent her to the arena where Satori was located. After that, a full-fledged human experiment began. ¡°Arrrrggghhhhhhhhh!¡± Amii screamed in pain on the screen. Satori was surprised by the sudden voice, but because of the debuff she had received, she couldn''t move. Shey on the floor, not realizing who was screaming. Woohyuk nodded as he had obtained the desirable(?) result. ''There is a limit to what I can perform on Demon Kings.'' He could inflict damage by manipting the system, but he couldn''t take measures to prevent Amii from moving like Satori. Woohyuk restored Satori''s condition to normal and immediately summoned Amii to his side. ¡°Lo, Lord Asura¡­ Is there something I was guilty of¡­?¡± ¡°No, you did well enough.¡± Thanks to her, he could prepare for the battles against the Demon Kings now. Woohyuk switched the screen and scanned the list of participants currently waiting for a match. It was about time the demon kings reached the second stage. Woohyuk waited for a while, then a familiar name entered his vision. [Andras]. The lowest ranking demon king within the Ars Almadel Circle. Chapter 163: Othello 2

Chapter 163: Othello 2

¡°It¡¯s the Demon King ranked 63rd.¡± 63 was just one rank below Vk¡¯s rank. Woohyuk nodded at Amii¡¯s words. "I''m going to capture him first." If the 72 Demon Kings were sealed in Lemegeton, they would be his vassals. Therefore, it was better to capture Andras first, as he was weaker than the other two, and use him during the battles against the other demon kings. In other words, it was kind of like a game of Othello. In order to win, he had to flip as many ck discs as possible. ''In Othello, therger the board, the more discs one could flip.'' Although it would be difficult to seal the demon kings at first, in the future, he wouldn¡¯t have to step up personally to deal with the demon kings of lower ranks to capture them. Therefore, this crisis could be called a blessing in a certain way. After taking measures to prevent Andras from starting the game himself, Woohyuk added his name on the waiting list for the tournament matches. Amii¡¯s jaw dropped in amazement when she saw that. ¡°D-did you gain control of these ruins?¡± She had been waiting outside the pyramid in the Golden Desert all this time, so she wasn¡¯t aware of Woohyuk¡¯s conversations with the White Ghost King. She merely thought this ce was the surveince room for a torture facility. ¡°It¡¯s just a temporary authority. Anyways, let''s begin now.¡± The second stage was a tournament match. While he fought Andras, the other demon kings would also be dueling. If Woohyuk spent too much time on Andras, the others would advance and transfer to the third stage. When Woohyuk pressed the ¡®initiate¡¯ button, his name was connected to Andras¡¯. A message appeared before his eyes saying that his match was ready. Before long, the surrounding space turned white and he found himself in the second stage, the Colosseum. ''I should duel the other demon kings using this method as well.'' The interface was pretty intuitive, so even if it was his first time manipting the stage, he could handle the system without much difficulty. After swiping away the message, Woohyuk stared at Andras. ¡°I have been waiting for you, Andras.¡± ¡°You, aren¡¯t you¡­?!¡± Andras was evidently bbergasted by Woohyuk¡¯s appearance. The owner of Lemegeton¡¯s appearance was already known to all the 72 Demon Kings thanks to the demon world¡¯s informationwork. And Andras was well aware that he couldn''t deal with Woohyuk in a one-on-one battle. Vk and Amii, who were higher ranked than him, were defeated by Woohyuk even though they had a detailed mastern. ¡°I will not treat you badly if you allow yourself to be sealed in Lemegeton obediently.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t make meugh! I won''t be your ve!¡± Andras cursed and summoned Nezark, his exclusive weapon. He would not go down without a fight. Woohyuk clicked his tongue and read Andras¡¯ status window. [Andras, Demon King Ranked 63rd] -ss: Demon King (Baron) -Traits: Leadership (20,000), Nezark (exclusive weapon, rapidly freezes the target when pierced and imprints an ice crystal stigma on the target. When the opponent is incapacitated, you can control his body as you wish), Imaginary Lake (Finds the target¡¯s trauma by reading through his memory, and shows it to the target. If that destroys the opponent''s mind, you can control them at will), Mobilization (opens an abyssal portal and summons the monster in your territory), Demon King¡¯s Dignity (Immune against B-grade or lower weapons, as well as low or intermediate magic. Increases immunity to debuffs by 35%), Master/ve Contract (As a demon king, can ept vassals) -Stats Strength 368 Vitality 372 Agility 354 Intelligence 297 Spirit 376 ''His characteristics are exactly as I remember.'' He had already battled Andras in the past. The things to beware of when fighting him were his one-handed spear Nezark that inflicted a freezing debuff, and the Imaginary Lake that trapped opponents in an imaginary world. The Imaginary Lake could inflict fatal damage if one did not properly understand his own weaknesses. ''I''ve already experienced enough imaginary worlds back in the Memory Garden.¡¯ At that time, his unconscious fear of the Demon God''s power was the cause of the problem. But now, he was fully prepared. He had nothing to fear even if Andras activated his imaginary world and made a mental attack. "I understand now. You''re the kind of person who needs to be beaten to a pulp to understand your position.¡± Woohyuk moved his finger to give himself the best possible buff in the system. [You have received the White Ghost King''s Fury buff. It will be effective for 10 minutes.] [All stats increased by 150.] [Immunity against abnormal conditions increased by 150%.] [Damage to hostile targets increased by 150%.] [Health recovery speed increased by 150%.] [Magic recovery speed increased by 150%.] Since he was not the White Ghost King, it seemed like there was a limit to the increase in stats he could give himself. And maybe it was because the stage was low-levelled. However, this buff alone was more than enough to achieve his purpose, so Woohyuk wasn¡¯t very dissatisfied. ¡°Hah...!¡± Andras realized that the situation was terrible for him and stabbed Nezark into the sandy floor. Then, the surroundingndscape instantly crumbled and turned into a gorgeous bedroom. ''I haven¡¯t seen this imaginary world before.'' He could see a naked Helena lying in the bed with him. She whispered in his ear with a mesmerizing smile. ¡°If you keep working so hard, you will eventually be devoured by the Demon God¡¯s power. So, forget everything for tonight and enjoy the night with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Woohyuk stared at Helena silently. Then, he reached out to the transparent container on the table and took out a lemon jelly. ¡°Oh, are you going to feed me one?¡± ¡°Yes, put it in your mouth and stay quiet, Ms. Witch of Profanity.¡± When Woohyuk put the lemon jelly in her mouth, Helena struggled in confusion. ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m bored of arguing with you now. Just teach me Rosa Eterna.¡± In the first ce, he didn''t like the idea of her controlling him because of the prophetic book she had read. Woohyuk summoned Verserios and shed Helena in half vertically. Then, a ck rift appeared along the de¡¯s trajectory and the surroundingndscape crumbled. As he exited through the rift, he saw Andras with a deep cut on his side, dripping ck blood. ¡°Kuk¡­! Damn it...!¡± "Did you think I''d be affected by a psychological attack this weak? For the past 40 years, he had seen the deaths of his loved ones in numerous imaginary worlds. He kept encountering undesirable futures. However, he was able to ovee all his fears because he had the conviction that he would not be shaken under any circumstances. As Woohyuk red at him with his cold eyes, Andras shivered. ''I¡¯m not his match...¡¯ However, he didn¡¯t want to be sealed within Lemegeton no matter what. Even death sounded like a better choice. It hadn''t even been long since he had opened my eyes after his long hibernation period, but this time he would be trapped in a magic book. Andras hated being bound by someone more than anything, and decided to struggle to the end. Stab! The ice-attribute spear buried itself into the ground again. Then the surroundings quickly froze and a strong blizzard began to blow. ¡°You still haven¡¯t realized your position here.¡± Woohyuk clenched his left fist. Afterwards, he suddenly disappeared and his fist immediately popped up before Andras¡¯ eyes. Thump! Woohyuk''s left fist flew out and struck Andras in the face. His movements were so fast that Andras couldn''t respond at all. He could only fly back and fall to the ground due to the impact. ¡°Urgh¡­!!!¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to hurt for a while. My fist was infused with the former Demon God¡¯s energy.¡± Woohyuk was now able to manipte demonic energy like internal energy to some extent. As he looked down at the pathetic demon crawling on the ground, Andras cried out in tears. ¡°Save me, Astaroth¡­!!¡± Thud! Thump thump! Wham thwack boom! Woohyuk''s ruthless kicks continuously struck Andras. His power was beyond imagination, so Andras passed out as foam formed in his mouth. ¡°If you act in a stupid manner, your body will suffer¡­¡± Woohyuk clicked his tongue and opened Lemegeton. Then, Andras turned into ck energy and was sucked into it. ¡°One down. Two to go.¡± Next was Orobas'' turn. While looking at the waiting list, Woohyuk summoned the three demon kings of the Ars Nova circle. ¡°A remarkable victory, Lord Asura.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Amii?¡± ¡°This ce looks like the arena where we fought Ivanov earlier.¡± Vk and Dantalion were guarding the entrance to the 5th floor¡¯s pyramid while Amii was watching Woohyuk from the control room on the 2nd floor. Woohyuk briefly exined his n and told them to get ready to battle Orobas. ¡°Orobas ranks 55th, so don¡¯t look down on him too much. Attack him together and don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± He was strong enough to face Orobas on his own, but he had summoned the three Demon Kings to get them used to battles against other demon kings. In Andras¡¯ case, his rank was too low, so he didn¡¯t bother having them fight him. Before long, the three demon kings took their battle stances in their positions, and Orobas¡¯ name appeared on the waiting list. Woohyuk matched Orobas with himself, and soon enough... Swoosh! A ck magic circle spread on the ground on the other side of the arena, and a young man with purple hair appeared from thin air . "Hm¡­? You are¡­?!¡± Orobas reacted like Andras. He had never imagined he would meet Woohyuk in a ce like this. ¡°Nice to meet you, Orobas.¡± ¡°¡­Did youe here to get the Sangreal Chronicles?¡± "Indeed. And while I''m here, I n to capture you as well.¡± Woohyuk was suggesting to surrender before fighting. He was trying to save time, as he also had to seal Astaroth. But Orobas snickered. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh. Do you think the demon world will be yours just because you defeated a few low-ranking demon kings?¡± ¡°Amii is not particrly different from you in terms of rank.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s because she¡¯s a bitch. Women should be managing monsters in dungeons. That¡¯s where they belong. Even if her rank is quite high, she must¡¯ve acted emotionally and probably couldn¡¯t use her full strength.¡± It was quite a sexist remark. Amii was fuming with fury and stared at Orobas. ¡°What did you just say? That¡¯s funny,ing from someone who was almost killed by an ordinary high-ranking demon!¡± ¡°¡­I was injured from a battle against a Pdin back then. Loengreen was lucky.¡± It was quite famous that Loengreen fought against Orobas in resentment over the death of Trinity Knights Commander Rnd. As Orobas made an excuse, the silent Dantalion coughed and intervened in the conversation. ¡°Hmm... Let''s not lie to ourselves, Lord Orobas. Loengreen wasn¡¯t the one who was lucky, it was you. Didn¡¯t you summon your vassals back then because you were about to lose the battle against him?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s nonsense!¡± Orobas'' face was a hot reminder. Vk watched him and shook his head. ¡°A Demon King was pushed back in a battle against a high-ranking demon and had to mobilize his vassals. You are the disgrace of the demon world.¡± ¡°Shut up! I don''t want to hear that from you two! Orobas screamed, denying the truth. At that time, a ck portal appeared in the air, and a silver-haired man with golden eyes appeared before everyone. The demon kings were astonished as they recognized him. ¡°A-Astaroth!¡± Chapter 164: Othello 3

Chapter 164: Othello 3

The Demon King ranked 29th. The fact that he was here meant that the system''s restraints weren''t absolute for everyone. It was probably because the White Ghost King¡¯s dimension was low-levelled. Even if they were all Demon Kings, their abilities differed greatly depending on their ranks. Since Astaroth was much more powerful than the other demon kings Woohyuk had encountered so far in this life, this situation wasn¡¯t so surprising. ¡°What are you doing here, Orobas?¡± ¡°He, help me, Astaroth! Asura is trying to disrupt our ns! He¡¯s with the demon kings of Ars Nova!¡± Orobas told Astaroth what had happened to him. Then Astaroth turned to Woohyuk''s party and summoned his exclusive weapon, Regius. ¡°¡­How sneaky of you, Asura. So you¡¯vee all the way here while pretending to be staying in the Dane Kingdom.¡± Currently, Choi Kayoon was acting as Woohyuk while staying at the let County. Therefore, the demon kings who were monitoring Woohyuk thought that he was still investigating Angrboda''s whereabouts. It was a deceptive trick. He had even tricked Astaroth, who was a high ranking demon king. ¡°Don¡¯t you Demon Kings use tricks more often than me? I was just imitating you guys a bit.¡± In the past 40 years, he had confronted the 72 Demon Kings, so Woohyuk was well informed about their tricks. Woohyuk summoned Verserios and checked Astaroth''s status window. [Astaroth, 29th Demon King] -ss: Demon King (Count) -Properties: Leadership (50,000), Regius (Exclusive weapon. One of the opponent''s skills can be used by the owner for 10 minutes while disabling the enemy¡¯s skill in the meantime. Can attack and defeat enemies within a 1km radius by causing a meteor storm. Can store up to 3 skills of defeated enemies), Land of Grief (After making hostile targets within a 1km radius lethargic, can absorb their life force. Those who lose consciousness can be controlled at will), Mobilization (Can open abyssal gates and summon the monsters from his territory) Demon King¡¯s Dignity (Immune against B-grade or lower weapons, as well as low or intermediate magic. Increases immunity to debuffs by 35%), Master/ve Contract (As a demon king, can ept vassals) -Stats Strength 547 Vitality 534 Agility 541 Intelligence 466 Spirit 525 ''He¡¯s no pushover.'' In particr, the two-handed sword he was holding, Regius, required special attention. It could disable the opponent''s skill and copy said skill for 10 minutes. The same was true for its ability to store 3 skills of defeated opponents. At this point in time, those three skills were important variables since Woohyuk didn¡¯t know what skills Astaroth had stored. The meteor storm and the Land of Grief were also powerful wide-range attacks, so it was meaningless to fight him with tactics. Moreover, those with weak mental power would be turned into enemies by getting their control over their bodies robbed by Astaroth. ''If I use buffs, I can get my stats slightly higher than his, but...¡¯ The problem was that Astaroth could summon his vassals. He was not bound by the restrictions of the White Ghost King¡¯s dimension. While Woohyuk struggled to make a decision, a pir of light descended by the edge of the arena and a group of people appeared. It was Eteria Rodinus and Catsy. ¡°I didn''t think I¡¯de back here. I had such a hard time earlier because of the demon men trying to attack me because I was too pretty.¡± Helena grumbled with lemon jelly in her mouth. Then, Ibn Rusud stepped towards her and rebuked her. ¡°If you keep eating sweet things like that, then no one will call you prettyter on. Do you not want to get married?¡± ¡°¡­You should worry about your own future, Mr. Wiseman. At least I have a man who buys me lemon jelly.¡± Helena winked at Woohyuk. After ignoring her, Woohyuk asked Boetius a question. ¡°I can handle this on my own. Why did youe?¡± ¡°You tend to be overconfident, simr to Rosenkreuz, that arrogant fanatic.¡± Boetius thought that Woohyuk wouldter destroy the world while trying to forcefully bring out the Demon God¡¯s power. That''s why he kept his beautiful granddaughter, Helena, by his side as much as possible. The other members of Eteria Rodinus also didn''t fully trust Woohyuk. Woohyuk clicked his tongue when he saw their cold gazes, ¡°I guess the Sangreal Chronicles really are here. Otherwise, the five wisemen of Eteria Rodinus would not havee here to meet the White Ghost King.¡± Astaroth spoke in a confident tone and lifted Regius up high. Then, the azure sky instantly turned dark, and meteors of all sizes began to fall at extreme speeds. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! It was Meteor Storm, one of Regius¡¯ skills. The members of Eteria Rodinus had cast a protective barrier to resist this formidable attack, and they groaned due to the shocks. ¡°Kyaa¡­!¡± ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± The 29th Demon King was too strong for them to handle. However, because Boetius was with them, the barrier did not crack or break. ¡°I have no intention of handing over the Sangreal Chronicles to you!¡± ¡°As expected, your divine power is quite powerful, Boetius. You remind me of Martinus.¡± Martinus was a member of Eteria Rodinus who lived during the War of Gods and Demons. A person who had reached the level of Saint and was called the White Sage. Woohyuk had met him in the Izuna Royal Library''s secret section. ''So Boetius is Martinus'' sessor.'' While there were people like Ptolemy who had preceded Boetius, looking at the crystal staff in Boetius'' hand, Woohyuk didn¡¯t think he was wrong. Martinus'' staff was with Boetius. ''Since it¡¯se to this, let¡¯s borrow Boetius'' power.'' Boetius was a wiseman who had reached the level of Saint. If Boetius supported the other members of Eteria Rodinus from behind, it would be fine even if Astaroth summoned his army. Eventually, when the meteor storm ceased, Woohyuk gave instructions to the three demon kings under hismand. [You three are to incapacitate Orobas so that I can seal him after the battle.] [Understood, Lord Asura.] [The three of us are more than enough for this task.] [I never thought the opportunity to beat up Orobas woulde one day. I''m looking forward to it.] Dantalion was the most excited among the three demon kings. He had a bad rtionship with Orobas. During the War of Gods and Demons, Orobas had publicly embarrassed Dantalion by referring to him as the Trashy Demon King several times. When the three demon kings removed their protective barriers and rushed toward Orobas in unison, he turned to Astaroth in tears. ¡°He, help me! Astaroth!¡± ¡°¡­What a useless guy.¡± Astaroth raised his left hand toward the sky. Soon enough, an abyssal gate appeared and demons began to fall down one by one. He had summoned the vassals in his territory of the demon world Suddenly, Woohyuk appeared with his pitch-ck wings right next to Astaroth. [You have received the White Ghost King''s Fury buff. Its effects will remain for 10 minutes.] [All stats increased by 150.] [Immunity against abnormal condition increased by 150%.] [Damage to hostile targets increased by 150%.] [Health recovery speed increased by 150%.] [Magic recovery speed increased by 150%.] He had received the best possible buff of the system and had approached Astaroth in an instant. However, as they now had stats at simr levels, Astaroth still easily prevented Woohyuk''s attack. ng! The two weapons shed, and a blue spark shot out. Astaroth watched Woohyuk with interest. ¡°Were you always this strong? No wonder Lilith is so interested in you.¡± ¡°I''m not very interested in Lilith though. All I want to do is to tie her to a burning stake and watch her die.¡± ¡°It will be difficult to do that as you are right now. Lilith is on apletely different levelpared to the enemies you¡¯ve faced so far.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to say that if you learn who I truly am.¡± He was the one who had inherited the name of Asura, the former Demon God. One day, if all the 72 Demon Kings were sealed in Lemegeton and its hidden functions were unlocked, he would be able to challenge the Demon God¡¯s Throne. No matter what they nned, Lilith and Aleister wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him. Andpared to those two, Astaroth wasn¡¯t a notable opponent. As Woohyuk¡¯s fighting spirit ignited, Astaroth pushed him away with Legius. Then, a system message popped up in front of Woohyuk''s eyes. [Demon King Astaroth has disabled your skill ''Summon Verserios''.] [It willst for 10 minutes.] [In the meantime, Demon King Astaroth can utilize ''Summon Verserios''.] ''¡­What the?'' Woohyuk doubted his eyes for a moment. Certainly, ''Summon Verserios'' fell into the category of ¡®skill¡¯, but Verserios was a unique weapon that could only be used by Asura. It was absurd that Astaroth could take it. When Verserios disappeared from his hand, Woohyuk urgently drew Grandia from his waist. Astaroth was holding Regius in one hand and activated the skill ¡®Summon Verserios¡¯. But even at his call, Verserios did not appear. ¡°¡­So it doesn¡¯t work. I wanted to try using it at least once since it looked like a powerful weapon though...¡± ¡°If you touch it carelessly, you will be sucked into the Abyss.¡± "The Abyss¡­ you say? That wouldn''t be so bad either. The abyss is like a mother to us.¡± Demons had no parents. They were born in the abyss and sent to the demon realm. However, they did not know what was in their hometown, the Abyss. In short, the demon race¡¯s true identity was ambiguous. Even Astaroth had been wondering about his origin for a long time. That was why he was trying to obtain the Sangreal Chronicles. ording to Lilith, a secret of the demons rted to the Holy Grail was recorded in it. When Astaroth spoke of his purpose, Woohyuk shook his head. ¡°You will never obtain the Sangreal Chronicles, because you will be sealed in Lemegeton right here, right now.¡± ¡°¡­I see that you¡¯re full of confidence even without your exclusive weapon. Then show how long you can withstand my attacks.¡± There were still around 9 minutes left until Woohyuk could use Verserios again. Overall, Astaroth was in a very favorable situation. Woohyuk¡¯s expression also showed his nervous sentiments as he knew that fact. ''Eteria Rodinus is currently fighting Astaroth''s army¡­ Should I call Nakron?'' He could still get help from him one more time. It was not a bad choice because if he crossed this hurdle, he would have six demon kings in total under hismand. With six demon kings sealed in Lemegeton, the game of Othello against the demon world would be more advantageous for him. Woohyuk suddenly heard Nakron''s voice in his head as if he had seen through Woohyuk''s feelings. [Do you need help, my disciple?] It seemed that he was watching this battle the entire time. Woohyuk nodded with zeal. [I want your cooperation, King of Fallen Wizards.] Chapter 165: Othello 4

Chapter 165: Othello 4

[In that case, allow me to join in.] Woohyuk¡¯s shadow expanded behind him, and Nakron emerged from it with the lichs under hismand. Astaroth stopped his endless assault on Woohyuk and stepped back. ¡°Nakron¡­ So you are still alive.¡± ¡°No, I am dead. Unfortunately, I challenged the Death God¡¯s Throne and failed. The Death God was one of the seven gods worshipped on the Eeth Continent. In return for his challenge, Nakron had to be a spirit of the system and sponsor someone. In the end, Woohyuk was the only person to clear his rigorous standards. Astaroth tilted his head at Nakron''s words. ¡°A Demon King is trying to challenge the seats of the gods?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite slow on the uptake. This person is the human who inherited the former Demon God¡¯s name.¡± "Are¡­ Are you saying that a human can step into the abyss that even we fear?¡± Astaroth stared in confusion. His reaction was natural since that was the reason he was seeking the Sangreal Chronicles himself. Nakron chuckled in amusement. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about the 72 Demon Kings. Just be the stepping stone for the birth of the new Demon God.¡± ¡°No, I must find out. I must learn the secrets of this world.¡± In order to do that, he had to steal the Sangreal Chronicles from Eteria Rodinus. As Astaroth recited a spell, a dark blue demonic energy covered the ground of therge Colosseum and swayed like waves. It was the Land of Grief. The other demon kings were doing fine since the spell was of darkness attribute, but the members of Eteria Rodinus and Catsy suffered from severe headaches. ¡°Arghhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± The sage-level wizards didn¡¯t get their life force deprived, but still suffered considerable mental damage. Astaroth grinned smugly and pointed to the humans who were groaning in pain. ¡°Is it fine to keep fighting me like this? They look like they need help...¡± ¡°¡­¡± Instead of answering, Woohyuk summoned his undead army. Because of the undeads¡¯ nature, they were able to fight without taking any damage from the Land of Grief. As the elite undeads began to ughter the monsters Astaroth had summoned, he watched and sighed. ¡°I was expecting something like this, but didn¡¯t think there¡¯d be so many powerful individuals among your undeads. Now I can¡¯t even use those humans as hostages.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I have a hobby of collecting elite undeads.¡± Woohyuk shrugged with a smug face. He had collected quite a few elite undeads so far. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s end this fight. I want to keep talking to you and mess around too, but the system won¡¯t let us be.¡± Nakron lifted his staff and started chanting with the Lichs. After a while, a jet-ck magic circle was drawn in the air, and arge bone dragon emerged from it. ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while since Ist saw a Bone Dragon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my dear little dragon. Would you like to y with it?¡± The dragon¡¯s eyes shed and took on a red hue, and it ran towards Astaroth. At first nce, it was onlyposed of bare bones and looked feeble, but it had been reinforced by Nakron. Most weapons wouldn¡¯t be able to leave even a scratch on the bones. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Astaroth groaned as he blocked the dragon''s sharp ws. His opponent wasn¡¯t just an evil necromancer as he was known to the general public. He was a Lich King, a Lich King that was once powerful enough to be the Death God. ¡°You don''t like my pet, Astaroth?¡± As Astaroth struggled, Nakron appeared next to him and ridiculed him. Immediately, the other lichs joined forces and surrounded Astaroth. ¡°...¡± Finding himself cornered, Astaroth tried to use Meteor Storm by lifting Regius with both hands. At that moment, Woohyuk appeared behind Astaroth and swung his sword at his opponent¡¯s side. ng! Sparks flew, and Grandia and Regius cross des. Woohyuk and Astaroth were facing each other. "I don''t think this is the proper moment to use magic, Astaroth." ¡°¡­You keep getting in my way, Asura.¡± From Astaroth''s point of view, the situation was bad. The three demon kings of Ars Nova had almost incapacitated Orobas by overpowering him, and Eteria Rodinus was also effectively stopping the monsters and demons with the help of the undeads. Since things couldn¡¯t continue like this, Astaroth gave an order to all his vassals. [Leave them be! Come protect me now!] The orders of a demon monarch were absolute. The high-ranking demons immediately brandished their weapons and flew towards him, but the lichs stopped their advances. All of the lichs who followed Nakron were wizards who had made quite a name during their lifetime. They did not get pushed back against the high-ranking demons. Due to these sequences of events, Woohyuk, Nakron, and the Bone Dragon were the only ones left to face Astaroth. The Demon King slightly cut his own thigh with Regius. As Regius drank some of his blood, the de began to glow in a dark red shine. ¡°What are you scheming this time?¡± "Who knows?.¡± Astaroth still had a trump card he had not used yet. The three skills that Regius had absorbed from other people. They were some of the factors that Woohyuk considered to be important variables. With his gut feeling warning him, Nakron lifted his staff and spoke aloud. ¡°Since you¡¯re using the power of blood, it must be a skill rted to vampires. Most probably a very ancient skill..¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s quick on the uptake. Indeed, this ability belongs to Nosferatu.¡± Nosferatu was a Vampire Lord from ancient mythology. He had tried to protect his kingdom, but ended up bing a pile of ashes due to the God of Light¡¯s powers. Nakron couldn¡¯t figure out how Regius had absorbed the Vampire Lord¡¯s ability. ¡°It happened long before my existence, so I¡¯m not sure how it happened. I don''t have a power that allows me to look into the past.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much. Nobody knows the actual truth.¡± Astaroth had inherited Regius from his predecessor along with his name. In other words, he had never met Nosferatu himself. Nakron nodded at Astaroth¡¯s words. ¡°There are so many secrets in this world.¡± ¡°And I will figure them all out. I will be liberated from the unknown past.¡± After ending the talk, Astaroth lifted Regius, which was dyed dark red. Then, they were engulfed in a vortex of blood and a strong upward current began to form. Swooooooooosh! The skill was simr to the effects of the Blood Queen¡¯s exclusive artifact, the Cursed Princess¡¯s Song. Woohyuk was also extremely surprised by this vortex. ''I hope it wasn¡¯t Hong Yuri that got defeated by him.'' In actuality, his worries were unfounded as the Cursed Princess¡¯s Song was an artifact and not a skill, so Astaroth wouldn¡¯t be able to use it freely. This fact was already proven when Astaroth was unable to summon Verserios, Asura¡¯s exclusive weapon. However, Woohyuk wanted to make sure he was incorrect, and initiated a telepathic conversation with Hong Yuri. [Hong Yuri, answer me.] [Hm? What¡¯s wrong?] [¡­So you¡¯re okay.] It was as he had expected. Her artifact and Astaroth¡¯s skills just happened to use the power of blood in a simr fashion. Woohyuk came up with a good idea after sorting out the situation in his mind. ''We could block the power of blood with our own version of the power of blood. Fighting fire with fire.'' Since he currently couldn¡¯t use Verserios, this blood vortex was proving to be quite a headache. The inside of the vortex was simr to an absolute space, so it was quite advantageous to the caster. However, if the caster couldn¡¯t monopolize this absolute space, the story would change. [Why did you say that? Did something happen?] [I need you to do something for a moment.] Woohyuk summoned Hong Yuri without asking for consent. The Blood Queen appeared before him¡­ in her underwear. Hong Yuri shrieked and covered her body in confusion. ¡°Warn me before summoning me! This is humiliating!¡± ¡°Stop that guy.¡± Woohyuk pointed at Astaroth, who was still holding onto the dark red Regius. Hong Yuri noticed the blood vortex that was swirling around them and embraced Woohyuk¡¯s arm in terror. ¡°Mommy! Are there vampires among the 72 demon kings? What do we do¡­?!!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a vampire. So in terms of control over the power of blood, you¡¯re much stronger than him.¡± The Blood Queen was more than strong enough to calm this whirlpool. Hong Yuri nodded and closed her eyes to focus. However, Astaroth interrupted them. ¡°Don''t interfere, Blood Queen. I must win this battle.¡± He swung Regius and sent a wave of blood at them. It was the second skill Astaroth was hiding. However, the attack waspletely blocked by the white bone barrier cast by Nakron. Astaroth grinded his teeth and immediately used his third skill. Swoosh! The sword shot out an enormous ming blood bird and it flew towards Hong Yuri. It appeared to be Nosferatu¡¯s ultimate skill. As Nakron and Woohyuk desperately tried to stop it, Hong Yuri¡¯s eyes shot wide open. ¡°It worked! The blood vortex is mine now!¡± ¡°Then destroy it!¡± In this narrow space, it was difficult to efficiently block the blood bird approaching them. As Woohyuk urged her, Hong Yuri hurriedly swung her right hand diagonally as if she were shing an invisible target. And soon enough... Swoosh. The wild blood vortex disappeared as if it had never existed from the beginning. Then, the dragon that was waiting outside flew in and struck the blood bird with its ws. ¡°Kiyaaahhhhhh!¡± The blood bird struggled and fought the dragon. Meanwhile, Woohyukunched all-out attacks on Astaroth with Nakron''s long-range support. ng! ng ng ng! ng ng ng ng! It is difficult to determine the victor of the battle. But the duration of the skill Astaroth had first cast on Woohyuk ended, and... ¡°It¡¯s my victory.¡± He summoned Verserios and his surroundings turned into a deep and unending darkness. Asura''s absolute space had engulfed the Colosseum. ¡°Thi, this is¡­?!¡± The astonished Astaroth stepped backwards without noticing it himself. Instinctive fear dominated his mind, Swooosh. The demonic energy flowing within his body stiffened like freezing water vapor. As Astaroth wandered in the dark where nothing could be seen, a strange figure suddenly flew past his head. ¡°Woooooooooooooooooooooooo!¡± It was the undead Charybdis Woohyuk had obtained at the Nelson march. Originally, it was a monster of the abyss. Therefore, it was able to exert a formidable power in Asura¡¯s absolute space, far stronger than what it had shown on the Eeth Continent. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Astaroth groaned and evaded Charybdis''s assault. At that moment, Stab! An object that was hidden within the abyss pierced through Astaroth''s abdomen. Verserios. Astaroth spat out ck blood and stared in shock. ¡°Cough¡­!¡± He, who had been cruising through the White Ghost King¡¯s games, was currently helpless against Asura. Astaroth knelt down and his head hung low. Soon enough, Woohyuk appeared before him. ¡°You are now my vassal, Astaroth.¡± The Demon King ranked 29th. He was a disc that would y an important role in the uing Othello games against the demon world. Once Woohyuk opened Lemegeton, Astaroth turned into ck smoke and got sucked into it. Chapter 166: Othello 5

Chapter 166: Othello 5

¡®Phew...¡¯ Due to the many unexpected events that had happened, this battle in the Colosseum was a very difficult and tiresome one. The power of blood that Astaroth had used earlier was especially difficult to deal with since Verserios was disabled. Any small misstep would¡¯ve led to extremely dangerous situations. ''I didn''t know he had the skills of Nosferatu.'' During his battle against Astaroth in the past, he had used the power of Dandelion, one of the legendary A-ss monsters. He had probably thought that it was more useful than the power of blood. In any case, Astaroth was now sealed, so the only remaining Demon King was Orobas. ¡°Lord Asura! We¡¯ve incapacitated him!¡± Amii shouted at Woohyuk as soon as he released and exited the absolute space. She was trampling on the groaning Orobas¡¯ head with her high-heel. ¡°So you seeded safely.¡± ¡°It wasn''t difficult since it was a 3-on-1. It just took a bit of time because Astaroth''s men interfered halfway through.¡± By now, all of Astaroth''s troops had been forcibly transferred back to Astaroth¡¯s territory in the demon world since he was sealed in Lemegeton. Woohyuk nodded and walked towards Orobas. [Orobas, 55th Demon King] -ss: Demon King (Viscount) -Properties: Leadership (30,000), Graven (Exclusive weapon. Returns some of the damage received from the opponent in proportion to the mana in possession. Can freely divide up space within a 500m radius and bind the souls of those in the same space to inflict damage on them at the same time), Oblivion Wind (Produces a dark gale, erasing the memories of the targets who receive it and weakening theirbat ability), Mobilization (Can open abyssal gates and summon the monsters from his territory) Demon King¡¯s Dignity (Immune against B-grade or lower weapons, as well as low or intermediate magic. Increases immunity to debuffs by 35%), Master/ve Contract (As a demon king, can ept vassals) -Stats Strength 417 Vitality 423 Agility 406 Intelligence 385 Spirit 409 ''I had trouble dealing with him in the past.'' Orobas had the ability to reflect damage like a mirror and the ability to bind multiple enemies together. There was also the memory erasing ability, so he was an opponent that couldn¡¯t be easily defeated. However, against opponents who weren¡¯t really affected by his abilities, he could be dealt with swiftly. Against the well-suited teamwork of the three demon kings and their pincer attacks, he could only stall for time. After sealing Orobas in Lemegeton, Woohyuk turned to Eteria Rodinus. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many injured. Your pet is also safe.¡± Boetius pointed with his staff at Catsy, who was sitting on the ground in exhaustion. She had apparently also participated in the battle. As Woohyuk patted her hair, Nakron came to him to bid him farewell. ¡°I hope the rest of your journey will bepleted safely, my disciple.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you for your help.¡± Since Nakron was a spirit of the system, he had to return after the time given to him had ended. When he disappeared, Hong Yuri was the one to approach Woohyuk this time, still in her underwear. ¡°But where the hell is this? It looks simr to the Colosseum in Rome...¡± ¡°It is the White Ghost King¡¯s world. It''s a ce where survival games take ce, like the Primordial Forest and Adventurer''s Canyon.¡± ¡°Ugh... Then, do I have to do those activities again?! The men wille running at me in heat from the way I¡¯m dressed right now.¡± Hong Yuri cried out, searching for anything to wear. Then, a red magic circle spread out on the ground, and the surroundingndscape began to crumble and change into a different scene. ''It must be the White Ghost King¡¯s forced summoning magic.'' Having defeated the three demon kings who had invaded the ruins, Woohyuk no longer needed to be the second floor manager. After a while, he felt the cold air of the stone hall, and Woohyuk spoke to the White Ghost King on the throne. ¡°So, how was the battle?¡± ¡°¡­Not bad. It was just a bit confusing because there were so many participants.¡± ¡°But it was enough to evaluate mypetence, right?¡± "Indeed. You certainly have amazing potential, even though you cannot rival me yet.¡± The White Ghost King was provoking him. He meant that if Woohyuk challenged him, he would duel him as much as he wanted. Woohyuk stared at the White Ghost King for a while before taking out Verserios. "Why don¡¯t we test out that theory of yours?" He had fought against the White Ghost King in the past. With his current ability, it would be difficult to defeat the White Ghost King unless he drew out the Demon God¡¯s power. However, for Woohyuk, who had continued to challenge his limits for the past 40 years, this was not a big deal. Once Woohyuk revealed his intentions, the White Ghost King stood up and unsheathed his sword. [Soulsword Calites] Type: Weapon Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Effect: Inflicts continuous mental damage while leaving the White Ghost King¡¯s stigma on the target. The power increases exponentially in proportion to the number of stigmas, and if there are more than 5 stigmas, the target will enter a hallucination state and have their physical strength gradually drained. The soul of a target who has died with remaining stigmas is absorbed by the sword. (Only usable by the White Ghost King). An exclusive weapon with scam-like abilities. The White Ghost King¡¯s stigma would be imprinted on targets even if they blocked the attack, so divine magic was essential when dealing with him. However, since Woohyuk possessed a ss of the darkness property, he could not protect himself with divine magic. He had to somehow erase the mark by himself, but he couldn''t afford to do that during the duel against the White Ghost King. In other words, Woohyuk had to fight and endure the increasing debuffs due to the ovepping stigmas. ''Last time, it ended in a draw.'' After enduring by using his inner energy and mobilizing all the possible means, he ended up being recognized by the White Ghost King. However, he had to win against him no matter what this time. Only by repeatedly aplishing seemingly impossible achievements would he receive the qualification to challenge the divine thrones. After steeling himself, Woohyuk pulled out a certain item from his pocket. [Andvaranaut] Type: essory Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Effect: When equipped, you can see where the gold is buried. However, beware as you will receive the Curse of the Nibelungen. ''The White Ghost King¡¯s stigma is simr to curse magic.'' Soulsword Calites was an aggregation of numerous white ghosts. In the current situation where he couldn¡¯t use divine magic or internal energy to protect himself from the curse powers, he had to use simr powers to resist it. However, since he couldn¡¯t deal with the Demon God¡¯s power yet, it seemed better to choose a less dangerous solution. ''The Curse of the Nibelungen should be okay.'' It was the source that had corrupted the Green Dragon Fafnir and ruined Valkyrie Brynhild¡¯s life. If he could pull out its powers and direct them outwards, he could potentially neutralize the curse of the white ghosts. When Woohyuk wore Andvaranaut, the White Ghost King looked puzzled. ¡°That ring¡­ Where did you get it?¡± ¡°I obtained it while doing a quest rted to the Edda Chronicles. It seems to have a very high-level curse on it.¡± ording to the records in the Edda Chronicles, the person to have cast the curse was Andvari, a member of the Nibelungen Tribe. However, the source of the curse was uncertain. Perhaps it was the power of a high-ranking ancient demon. The White Ghost King raised his guard against the Andvaranaut, as he felt an unusual aura from it. ¡°You seem to have had quite a lot of adventures for your age. I thought it was simply through luck that you inherited Asura''s name.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve given up on many things to challenge the divine thrones.¡± He hadn¡¯te so far simply through luck. And he was about to prove it right now. Woohyuk focused his mind and directed the eerie energy inside Andvaranaut outward. [You have be the true owner of Andvaranaut.] [You have be able to handle the power of the ancient devil Mammon.] [By using Mammon''s power, you can render your opponent blind and make certain targets invisible.] [In addition, you are immune to various curses and debuffs that are not as powerful as Mammon¡¯s power.] A series of system messages appeared in front of Woohyuk''s eyes. ''I seem to have seeded somehow.'' He didn¡¯t know how high Mammon¡¯s hierarchy and rank was as an ancient demon, but seeing how the White Ghost King had flinched, it seemed that its power was at least equal to him. Feeling satisfied, Woohyuk swung Verserios and attacked the White Ghost King. ng! The Soulsword Calites and Verserios shed, creating a sharp metallic sound. The momentum on both sides was almost equal. Due to the power of Mammon, Woohyuk did not appear to be pushed back by the White Ghost King. Moreover, unlike before, the White Ghost King¡¯s stigma did not imprint on him. ¡°Color me surprised. I knew you were special considering you were Lord Asura¡¯s sessor, but I didn¡¯t think you were this powerful.¡± ¡°If you understand it now, get down on your knees, White Ghost King.¡± Woohyuk gathered strength and pushed the White Ghost King fiercely. ng ng! ng ng! ng! ng! In terms of battle prowess, Woohyuk was slightly above his opponent. The White Ghost King could not hide his surprise and shock. ''H-how...¡¯ Even if he had inherited Asura''s name, Woohyuk could still not handle Verserios properly. In addition, the gap in their stats wasrge, so the White Ghost King was supposed to be overpowering him. Eventually, after a few fierce exchanges, the White Ghost King realized the cause of the problem. ¡®That ring has the power of a high-ranking devil.¡¯ He didn''t know which dimension this devil was residing in, but Woohyuk was somehow utilizing his power freely. This was proven by Woohyuk¡¯s sudden growth and strength. However, the White Ghost King would not allow himself to be defeated so easily. ''Still, he is merely a human. He must have a weakness somewhere.'' At the very least, it was the case with all the humans he had dealt with so far. As he tried not to show any openings as much as possible, the White Ghost King calmly watched Woohyuk''s movement. His attacks were definitely threatening, but he noticed some subtle patterns. Woohyuk was pushing himself by mixing in the strong attacks with fast attacks in certain ratios. ''I can predict his next moves to some extent. If he continues at this pace...¡¯ Even if he couldn''t read all of Woohyuk¡¯s movements, it seemed possible to make use of certain openings. He then used the system to analyze Woohyuk¡¯s movements in detail. After a while, the system detected Woohyuk beginning Attack Pattern B and notified the White Ghost King, who was looking for an opportunity. The White Ghost King shouted in delight to himself and immediately activated the counter skill he had prepared in advance. But¡­ Whoosh! His counter skills only cut through a faint afterimage. Only then did the White Ghost King realize that he had been tricked. ''Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Did he know I¡¯d do this from the start?!¡¯ If that was the case, he hadpletely lost the psychological warfare. Moreover, he had now given Woohyuk a perfect opportunity at victory. As a result, the battle against Woohyuk became so difficult to endure that the White Ghost King had no choice but to admit his defeat. ¡°It, it¡¯s my defeat...¡± A public deration. As the White Ghost King knelt to the ground, a series of system messages appeared in front of Woohyuk''s eyes. [You have won a one-on-one duel against the White Ghost King.] [You have acquired the title ''Master of the White Ghost King''.] [Now, you can use the red moon to create a total sr eclipse in broad daylight for up to 1 hour.] [The total sr eclipse caused by the red moon greatly increases the abilities of casters and ghosts including the White Ghost King.] [If certain conditions are met, the dead can be summoned from the afterlife.] ''The ability to summon souls...¡¯ Even if there were some restrictions, the ability to summon the dead was priceless. Even though he had been constantly reading Nakron''s Grimoire, he had not yet been able to do it. As Woohyuk admired his new skills, a system message popped up again. [Hidden Quest: You have fulfilled the conditions for the resurrection of Valkyrie Brynhild.] [Do you wish to proceed with the quest?] [YES / NO] Valkyrie Brynhild, Sieg''s former lover, was now enshrined inside Tinia''s mansion. Even though a few thousand years had passed since her death, the body remained the same as before. After pressing the [YES] button, Woohyuk asked the White Ghost King for advice for this quest. ¡°I have a few questions for you, White Ghost King.¡± When it came to resurrecting the dead, he was the specialist among his vassals. Chapter 167: Othello 6

Chapter 167: Othello 6

An office room full of luxurious ornaments. Alexei Romanov was anxious and walking back and forth by the window. ¡°Fuck...¡± Ivanov had died. However, the truth was still not being investigated. It was because they had lost contact with all the n members sent to the White Ghost King¡¯s Sand Temple. So, I had toe up with countermeasures as soon as possible, but couldn''t think of what to do. ''Something grave must have happened.'' As far as he knew, the three demon kings of the Ars Almadel Circle were gathered at the sand temple as well. If an enemy that even they couldn''t deal with had appeared... ''I have no choice but to ask Melena for help.'' Melena, the Witch of Lust. Even if she couldn''t solve the problem, she could at least figure out what was going on. However, she would act picky as always and would demand a considerable price. While Alexei was trying toe up with a decision, Bam! The door suddenly swung open, and a blond man in armor ran inside and tried to catch his breath. ¡°Lo, Lord Alexei!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A fleet of the Izuna Kingdom is attacking us! It¡¯s indiscriminately bombing Trident¡¯s military base!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Trident was a fortress city located on the west coast of the Talis Kingdom. It was one of the ces where Ivanov had trained their navy to prepare their invasion of the Izuna Kingdom. Moreover, it was close to the capital city of Cordoba, so it could be a serious threat if captured by hostile forces. ''Just why are they attacking us right now¡­?!¡¯ The operation to invade the Izuna Kingdom was being nned secretly even within the Talis royal pce. Moreover, it was difficult to think that there was a spy or a traitor in their midst, because the three demon kings were the ones nning it. Therefore, there was no reason for the Izuna Kingdom to tantly take the lead and attack them first. As Alexei stood in confusion, he heard some soldiers screamed and the sounds of metal hitting metal from somewhere. ng ng! ng! ng! ¡°Arghhhhhhhhh!¡± It seemed like a group of people had invaded the pce. Alexei urgently summoned 30 elite n members under hismand using the n skill, Call to Arms(Lv.3). ¡°We¡¯ve got intruders. You guys are to protect me.¡± Now that Ivanov died, he was the next leader of the great vs. The same went for the throne of the Talis Kingdom. He had yet to seed Ivanov officially, but he had the true political and military power of a monarch. When Alexei attempted to cast the Stronghold(Lv.3) skill that increased the stats of nearby n members, Booom! An explosion resounded nearby, and the room shook greatly once more. Alexei was shocked and used the Stronghold(Lv.3) skill as well as Barrier (Lv.3). ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± ¡°Do they have a high-level wizard with them? This firepower is incredible...¡± The n members who had been summoned to the office were preparing for battle with nervous expressions. They had lost contact with those guarding the royal pce. Everyone had probably gotten defeated by these invaders. Time passed where nothing happened for a while, but... Bam! The door swung open violently and a ck-haired man appeared. It was Chun Woohyuk. ¡°Wh, who are you...?¡± ¡°Your barriers were pretty tight. I had to be patient and take care of them one by one with my newest allies.¡± Behind Woohyuk stood a beastman with wildcat eyes, weapons in hand. He had climbed up the high walls and sneaked into the royal pce to avoid fighting as much as possible. Having grasped the situation, Alexei spoke up while shivering. ¡°You uncivilized beastmen dare to betray us¡­?¡± "Betray? No. We are simply liberating ourselves from your rule.¡± The beastman behind Woohyuk responded. He was Ganiev, the warrior who led Austi, the Beastmen n Alliance. ¡°How ridiculous. Do you really think the greedy enemy king will guarantee your autonomy? If you really want to be free, you''ll have to get rid of all yourpetitors like Ivanov had done, and ce a puppet king.¡± ¡°That would only be the case if the other person was an ungodly person like you. The King of Rhine is a real hero. He will soon overthrow everything in this Kingdom.¡± Ganiev had heard everything about Woohyuk from Catsy, the woman from his race and his long-time colleague. Obviously, the information and news was so shocking that he was dubious at first. ¡°What, a hero? If you''re going to make up bullshit like that, then just¡­¡± Shatter! As the angry Alexei taunted Ganiev, Grandia was swung diagonally and the barrier around Alexei shattered like ss. The surprised Alexei stepped back for a moment. ¡°Ki, kill him! Hurry!" Once he gave an urgent order, the vs screamed and dashed at Woohyuk. Their target was most definitely the enemy¡¯smander-in-chief. However, the beastmen weren¡¯t the type of people who would just spectate. ¡°The chance to repay our people¡¯s suffering has arrived!¡± ¡°You dirty racists! You need to be taught a lesson!¡± Even without Ganiev''s instructions, the beastmen jumped in and fought the Russians. A lot of resentment had umted as they got persecuted. During a fierce battle between both sides, sh! sh! Woohyuk lightly cut his enemies and headed for Alexei. Soon, the distance between the two gradually narrowed... ¡°D, don¡¯t approach me! Otherwise, I''ll activate this!¡± Alexei took out a magically engineered device the size of an apple. It was an item that exploded like a grenade and damaged nearby targets. However, Woohyuk continued to walk forward without care. ¡°Try making it explode. But you¡¯ll be the only one to die.¡± ¡°You, you bastard...!¡± The furious Alexei stared at Woohyuk''s eyes. And... ¡°Ugh...!¡± He ended up feeling terrified and got chills down his spine due to the killing intent he could feel from Woohyuk. He waspletely overwhelmed, as his opponent was someone who had seen the bloodshed of countless people for over 40 years. Woohyuk summoned Carnelian after overpowering Alexei. ¡°She has something to tell you.¡± ¡°Car, Carnelian?!¡± Alexei¡¯s frown dug in deeper. He had realized that the man in front of him was the one who had killed Ivanov. Carnelian opened her mouth with an expressionless face as Alexei stood watching speechlessly. "Die." ¡°...!!¡± A sparkling fire broke out around Alexei''s body. Carnelian''s will was being expressed by the mes. ¡°Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!¡± Eventually, Alexei screamed and his charred fell to the floor. ¡°Do you feel relieved now?¡± ¡°¡­Yes." Carnelian nodded at Woohyuk''s question. Alexei had always tortured her by Ivanov''s side. If she didn¡¯t kill him, her rage would not subside due to the fiery temper of red dragons. ''I could raise her as a fighter unlike Lia.'' Woohyuk thought to himself as he stroked Carnelian, who was still fuming with fury. She had already experienced all kinds of absurdity in the world and was in a twisted state. It would be difficult to raise her as an elegantdy like Lia. ¡°Here, a gift.¡± ¡°¡­What is this?" ¡°It''s chocte. One of the specialties of the Talis Kingdom. You''ll love the taste.¡± ¡°...¡± Carnelian was dubious but still put the chocte in her mouth. Afterwards, surprise and awe took over her facial expression. Until now, she had never eaten such delicious food. ¡°It¡¯s not bad, is it?¡± ¡°¡­ Thank you for this enchanting experience.¡± Carnelian was sincerely grateful to Woohyuk. Not only had he saved her from Ivanov¡¯s abuse, he also treated her with kindness. As she looked up at Woohyuk with twinkling eyes, Ganiev approached them. ¡°The others have been dealt with. They were all members of the elite defense force, so some of us were injured. But none are fatal.¡± "Good work. Then I¡¯ll leave the rest in your care.¡± Ganiev was nning to take control of the royal pce and initiate a full-scale revolt with his people. The Izuna Kingdom¡¯s Army and the vampire n led by Hong Yuri would also join forces with him, so there would be no major problems. Meanwhile, Woohyuk was nning to capture all the famous ve traders of the Talis Kingdom. ''They said that one of the ve traders has the Valkyrie''s Dagger.'' ording to the content of the quest, this dagger was necessary to resurrect Valkyrie Brynhild. They needed a memento deeply rted to the deceased person for the ceremony. Unfortunately, the Andvaranaut did not work as a memento. As Woohyuk searched every corner of the office, Catsy approached him with a tail slowly swaying sideways. ¡°Master, what are you looking for?¡± ¡°A secret ledger with the names of the ve traders.¡± "Let me help you! Catsy is good at finding things!¡± Catsy was a beastwoman, so she was good at finding hidden objects. As she looked around and sniffed everything, Carnelian gazed at their surroundings. ¡°If it''s the secret ledger, it certainly seems like they would¡¯ve kept it here...¡± ¡°Have you seen it before?¡± ¡°Yes, I always follow Ivanov during the day...¡± There were no secrets Carnelian wasn¡¯t aware of within this castle. She thought to herself for a moment, then walked towards the bookshelf and began to push the books on the second row from the left. And soon enough, Click. Rumble. She felt a book getting pushed in and click on a switch. The bookshelf moved aside and a gorgeous vault appeared. "Good work." Woohyuk gave Carnelian an extra piece of chocte and put his hand on the vault¡¯s door. He needed a passcode to open it. ''I knew this would happen. Good thing I checked Ivanov''s adventurer watch.'' There was a code that appeared repeatedly in his adventure journal. 2W7F4ND. Perhaps it was the passcode for the vaults in the royal pce. When Woohyuk entered the code, the lock was released with a rattling sound. ¡°Wow, Master is so cool!¡± Catsy¡¯s eyes sparkled at the sight of Woohyuk¡¯s aplishment. The vault seemed to contain precious gold and silver treasures in it. However, Carnelian warned them in worry. ¡°You can¡¯t just open it. Ivanov isn¡¯t the type of person to leave his treasures unprotected.¡± ¡°Can you deactivate the trap?¡± ¡°I''ll give it a try.¡± Carnelian touched the safe and closed her eyes. When she had a clear view of the magic circuit inside the vault, she quickly started rearranging it. After some time... ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Then let''s open it.¡± Even if Carnelian had failed to disarm the trap, there would¡¯ve been no ident. Woohyuk¡¯s abyssal energy was protecting his body like a self-defense mechanism ever since they had entered this room. Creaaaak. As Woohyuk pulled on the safe¡¯s handle, a thick ledger covered with leather appeared. ¡°Wha- That¡¯s it? There¡¯s only the secret ledger? I thought there would be some cooler things inside¡­¡± ¡°As long as we have this, wealth will naturallye to us.¡± If they took the money and properties of the ve traders in this list, they would be able to gain a year-worth of war funds in advance. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes gleamed and he opened the secret ledger of the n¡¯s treasurer Alexei. Chapter 168: Slave Liberation 1

Chapter 168: ve Liberation 1

ves existed everywhere on the Eeth Continent. Prisoners of war, as well as those whomitted felony crimes and those who were bankrupt continued to emerge. However, in most kingdoms, it was forbidden to take ordinary innocent people as ves. If the kingdom¡¯s citizens were enved, the lords¡¯ financial situation would be unstable and the number of soldiers to be mobilized for war would decrease. While peasants could not be calledpletely free people, since they could get evicted from their residence, they were quite differentpared to ves who were subjected to exchange, inheritance, and trade. However, very was legalized in the Talis Kingdom, so there were many cases where nobles used vicious tricks to enve the people of the kingdom. Because of this, ve traders have benefited greatly since ancient times, and some of them regrly paid the lords who would protect them in return. Dragonlord Ivanov used this fact cleverly to make all of them pay the royal family, which resulted in the secret ledger hidden in the treasurer Alexei¡¯s office. The sources and origins of all sorts of dirty funds flowing in the Talis Kingdom were recorded within. Therefore, with the cooperation of the King of Izuna, Woohyuk closed all ports of the Talis Kingdom and began to capture all the famous ve traders. ¡°I¡¯ll, I''ll give you all my fortune, so please spare my life!¡± The obese man sharing his bed with a dark-skinned gorgeous woman trembled and begged Woohyuk. He believed that Woohyuk was an assassin sent by his enemies. In truth, it wasn¡¯t surprising that he believed that since Woohyuk was holding a blood-stained Vampiric Dagger in one hand. ¡°Do you believe that your life is worth sparing?¡± ¡°Pl, please...! If you are not interested in gold and silver, I will give you beauties from all over the continent! Do you have any preferen...¡± Slit! The Vampiric Dagger pierced the wall behind him and blood began to flow down the ve trader¡¯s cheek, staining the bed. Once the man shut his mouth and sat with cold sweat running down his neck, Woohyuk spoke up again. ¡°I am only interested in one thing. The Valkyrie''s Dagger. Do you know anything about it?¡± ¡°Va, Valkyrie''s Dagger, you say¡­? There are many daggers with elegant decorations in the warehouse, and...¡± The man was trying to keep Woohyuk''s attention for as long as possible. He knew that if he acted as if he didn''t have the Valkyrie''s Dagger, his head would be flying. ¡°Guide me there right now.¡± ¡°Un, understood.¡± The man got up and retrieved a key from a drawer. Woohyuk followed him to the secret warehouse in the basement. ¡°He, here it is.¡± Upon reaching the destination, the man opened the iron door. When Woohyuk stepped inside behind the fat man, Bam! The iron door shut close out of nowhere, and a blue magic circle spread out on the floor. The man who saw it appear chuckled and distanced himself from Woohyuk. ¡°You moron. Did you think I hadn''t prepared anything for thieves like you? You will die a dog¡¯s death here!¡± The magic circle on the floor contained a curse that petrified intruders. However, Woohyuk had two hidden sses of the dark attribute, and the Basilisk¡¯s Curse. Most petrification spells would have no effect on him. Thwack! Woohyuk''s fist struck the man''s abdomen, who in turn spat out and gasped for air. ¡°Cough...!¡± ¡°Don''t do anything unnecessary, you swine.¡± Woohyuk personally didn''t like ve traders very much. They always thought they were smarter than monarchs, so they grovelled in front of them but always tried to stab them in the back whenever they had the opportunity. As Woohyuk kicked the fallen man, he heard footsteps behind the iron door. It was the woman who was lying in bed with the man a while ago. ¡°Uh, um...¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°The item you are looking for isn¡¯t here. He has a separate warehouse where he stores his valuables.¡± The woman knew many of the ve trader¡¯s secrets because she was his favorite sex ve. Woohyuk nodded and summoned the undead Amy. ¡°If he does anything unnecessary, cut his head off right away.¡± All he needed was the Valkyrie¡¯s Dagger and the ve trader¡¯s properties and fortune, not the ve trader himself. Leaving behind the man groaning on the floor, Woohyuk walked towards the firmly closed entrance. Then, the copper-skinned woman opened the iron door with the key she was holding. ¡°You brought a spare?¡± ¡°Yes, it took me a while to find it because it was hidden on top of the bookshelf in the office.¡± The woman had a favorable opinion of Woohyuk. Recently, rumors had been circting that someone was killing ve traders in the Free City and liberated the ves. While Woohyuk seemed to have a different purpose right now, he didn''t seem interested in her naked body. "Your name." ¡°It¡¯s Cynthia.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± Cynthia led Woohyuk to the stone chamber on the third floor of the mansion. There were various types of traps installed there, simr to ruins. ¡°Please be careful. They were all designed and installed with great care by a skilled engineer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Woohyuk was an expert when it came to things like this. As he broke through the traps and reached the other side, Cynthia watching in admiration from the entrance. ¡°You¡¯re incredible.¡± ¡°Where are his valuables?¡± ¡°Please touch the statue of the monster on your side.¡± There was a stone statue of a fire-winged bird with its wings spread out. It was a device that opened the door to the secret warehouse. As Cynthia exined, Woohyuk took out the archaeologist''s golden magnifying ss and looked closely at the statue. ''There is a magic circuit in it.'' The device would activate after a specific authentication procedure. However, it was a pain in the arse to return and question the ve trader, so Woohyuk summoned Carnelian. ¡°Try to force it to work.¡± ¡°I''ll try.¡± Carnelian touched the statue with her eyes burning like small mes. Eventually, the sound of rolling machinery and grinding gears could be heard inside the stone statue. The stone wall split open and a hidden entrance was revealed. ¡°Good job, Carnelian.¡± "Thank you." Carnelian smiled as she received a piece of chocte from Woohyuk. Then the silent Cynthia carefully began to ask a question. ¡°Is that child...¡± ¡°She¡¯s a dragon. They¡¯re now known to be extinct though.¡± ¡°My goodness... Then you must be...¡± Cynthia''s eyes widened. In recent days, there were rumors of Dragonlord Ivanov¡¯s fall and that a new monarch had taken over the Talis Kingdom. Woohyuk nodded as he did not find the need to hide his identity. ¡°Yes, I am the new ruler of this Kingdom. If you follow me, you will all be liberated from your masters.¡± ¡°Why are you going so far for us? The nobles will greatly oppose your rule and resist your forces...¡± Cynthia was curious about Woohyuk''s purpose. Woohyuk gave her a concise answer before entering the secret warehouse. ¡°Because a grand unification of the continent is necessary. All the kingdoms that fail to resolve their internal conflicts will be destroyed.¡± The peaceful days since the end of the War of Gods and Demons were over. The 72 Demon Kings, who were released from their seals, werepeting against each other and conquering the Eeth Continent, while Lilith was trying to destroy the world. There would be no hope for humanity if the disputes within countries and between countries intensified. While he could notpletely erase very, a ve revolt was required in a corrupt kingdom like the Talis Kingdom. ¡°You have a great ambition. I wish I had served someone like you from the beginning.¡± ¡°I will give you the chance to serve me if you want.¡± After liberating the ves of the Talis Kingdom, Woohyuk wanted to turn the country into a powerful force that could back him. Therefore, he needed the cooperation of the kingdom¡¯s citizens To do that, there needed to bemunication and conversations between him and the people. If ves were suddenly liberated, they would want help to solve the problems of their livelihoods, receive support and a ce to call home. Cynthia''s mission was to be their leader and pass on Woohyuk¡¯s will and intentions. She had a ve¡¯s stigma on her body, so she was more than qualified to be their leader. If the mission was sessful, she would be greatly rewarded. At Woohyuk''s suggestion, Cynthia happily nodded. ¡°I will do whatever I can for you since you freed me from Antonius.¡± The ve trader Antonius was a pervert and had great sexual desire, so his female ves suffered from his abuse every night. One time, a female ve ended up dying as she couldn¡¯t endure the torture. Therefore, Cynthia wanted to leave the mansion despite being favored by Antonius and despite the fact that she had no home to return to. Her home had been annihted by ouws long ago. Woohyuk pitied her and her tragic story. ¡°You no longer have to give your body to someone you don''t like. I will change things so that it won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°I would be fine with you. You may not be interested in a dirty and soiled woman like me, but if you were to ask for it...¡± Cynthia was currently wearing clothes made of light blue fabric with high exposure. Her curvy body was reflected in Woohyuk¡¯s eyes without any need for adjustment. However, Woohyuk did not pay much attention to it. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m fine. And try not to get too involved with me. You¡¯ll be misfortunate. All sorts of evil groups are aiming for my life and trying to find my weaknesses.¡± ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t get physically involved with women? How regretful. If only I couldfort you a little...¡± Cynthia fluttered her sky blue negligee and approached Woohyuk like a butterfly elegantly pping its wings. Although Woohyuk had cleared the traps there might¡¯ve been some remaining inside the chamber. However, she showed no signs of hesitation and fear as she walked towards him. ¡°You¡¯re a lot bolder than you look.¡± ¡°In truth, I have been used as a tool to eliminate Antonius''s enemies. I received a strict training in assassination.¡± In the Talis Kingdom, sex ves were often raised as assassins. The most typical assassination technique was to expose the vagina to poison from a young age to make it adapt and get resistant to it. Afterwards, they would spread poison on it while in bed with their target to assassinate them. As she knelt and kissed Woohyuk''s hand, Carnelian came out of the secret warehouse with a golden dagger. ¡°Lord Asura, I have found a dagger in the warehouse.¡± ¡°Is it the only one?¡± ¡°Yes, the rest are cosmetic products that have no utility.¡± Woohyuk took the dagger from Carnelian and analyzed it. [The Widow''s Shortsword] Type: Weapon Grade: B Durability: 18,000 Effect: Can transform into a ring. Can be manipted by the owner within a radius of 250m without holding it in the hand (only in its dagger form). ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be the Valkyrie''s Dagger. You can have it.¡± ¡°Is, is that okay? Such a valuable object...¡± ¡°I have countless useful artifacts already.¡± It wasn''t a waste to invest this much in Cynthia, since he had entrusted her with an important task. As Woohyuk calmly stared at her with confidence, Cynthia wept tears of joy. The lid on the emotions she had kept suppressed so far had burst open. ¡°You are so generous. It may bete, but may I have the honor of hearing your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Chun Woohyuk.¡± Although he had inherited Asura''s name and became a demon-like being, his human identity still remained. As Cynthia wiped her tears behind him, Woohyuk headed inside the secret warehouse. It was already the fifth day since he had started searching for the ve traders. He had to find the Valkyrie¡¯s Dagger no matter what. Chapter 169: Slave Liberation 2

Chapter 169: ve Liberation 2

On a stage with empty audience seats surrounding it, Clyantes, an unknownedy writer and representative of the Erving Theater, was practising with the actors. ¡°To make the audienceugh, you have to act a lot dumber than them. But in reality, you need to be much smarter.¡± He had a philosophy. There was no need for morals in ys as long as the public enjoyed it. Therefore, witty acting and instant hrity were the only important things, and his script was structured that way. ¡°But Mr. Clyantes, how should you y Liberated ve No.3?¡± ¡°The twist is that he isn¡¯t as smart as he appears to be. In the end, he will fall for the trick and lose his life to Carnelian, the red dragon. So, make sure to act like a wiseman as much as possible to fool the spectators.¡± Clyantes was well aware of the public sentiments. They soughtfort in their present lives and situations by watching those who were less well-off than themselves. Therefore, the fall of Liberated ve No.3 was a good example. The n was to capture the public¡¯s hearts by portraying ves who could not escape their tragic fates no matter how hard they tried. Clyantes made a satisfied smile, imagining gold coins filling up his sacks, ¡°Are you Clyantes?¡± The dry voice of a man came from behind him. A cold shiver went down his spine. Clyantes gulped nervously for no reason. ¡°Who, who are you¡­?¡± ¡°You recently bought an item from ve trader Antonius, right? You got it for a high price.¡± ¡°How do you know that¡­?¡± The details of ve traders'' transactions were kept strictly confidential. Among the traded items and ves, there were many products that would bring them trouble if word were to spread to others. As a drop of cold sweat rolled down Clyantes¡¯ temple, ¡°I want to know why you bought it for such an extremely high price.¡± Woohyuk put his hand on his shoulder, and Clyantes immediately hardened like an ice statue. Woohyuk''s demonic energy had eroded his consciousness. ¡®He won¡¯t answer honestly if I don¡¯t do this.'' Clyantes was most likely aware of something about the Valkyrie''s Dagger. He was a ywright, so he must¡¯ve picked up a lot of stories from around the world. After summoning Carnelian and kicking out the actors, Woohyuk injected magic into the Memory Pendant. The surroundingndscape crumbled and turned into a dark space surrounded by bookshelves. ''It¡¯s a library.'' Woohyuk wasn''t sure which library it was. However, he inferred that it was a ce with a long history because it appearedrge and old. Woohyuk carefully observed everything that came into Clyantes'' vision and tried to find clues about the Valkyrie''s Dagger. ''He probably didn''te here to read the works of ancient ywrights...¡¯ Cynthia had already done an investigation about Clyantes¡¯ background. He was an unknown ywright who aimed for an opportunity at sess and focused on ys with provocative contents. His reputation among the public was not very good, but it seemed that he made quite a bit of money. That was the reason why he was able to purchase the Valkyrie''s Dagger from Antonius. As he kept watching Clyantes¡¯ actions, ''Hm? That woman...¡¯ [Melena, the Witch of Lust]. She suddenly appeared on the other side of the passage in the library. Woohyuk could not hide his surprise from this unexpected encounter. ''Something fishy is going on here.'' Woohyuk had a rough guess when he noticed that she hadn¡¯t operated with the three demon kings of Ars Almadel. Melena''s purpose was probably to secure the Sangreal Chronicles. However, Eteria Rodinus was currently under the protection of the vampires and was exploring other ruins, so it was difficult for her to obtain it on her own now. The story would obviously change if she received reinforcements from the demon faction. ''But I¡¯d more than wee new demon kings with open arms. They¡¯ll be added to my collection inside Lemegeton.'' The time for the top 10 Demon Kings to awaken hadn¡¯t arrived yet. They had gone to sleepter than the other Demon Kings during the War of Gods and Demons. Therefore, the demon kings who were invading the Eeth Continent right now were opponents that Woohyuk could handle. Since he had exposed Ivanov''s n for war, the Izuna Kingdom dispatched troops to the Talis Kingdom. ''I¡¯m the one who has the initiative in this othello game right now.'' The battle between ck and white had long since copsed due to Woohyuk¡¯s obtention of Lemegeton in the Twilight Tower. He would change everything and end the absurdities and turmoils around the world by bing the Demon King. Even if he had to give up many things. As he strengthened his resolve, Woohyuk listened to the conversation between Clyantes and Melena. ¡°Y-you?!¡± ¡°Shh, be quiet. We don¡¯t want the others to join us.¡± Melena put her index finger on his lips and smiled. Her sensuality and seduction skills were unmatched. She was truly worthy of her title as the Witch of Lust. As she took off her clothes, she revealed her shiny, copper-colored skin. Hearts appeared in Clyantes¡¯ pupils. ¡°Oooh,dy with a deadly beauty...¡± ¡°If you want my service, listen carefully to what I say from now on.¡± Melena whispered something into Clyantes'' ear. Woohyuk''s expression subtly distorted after hearing her words. ''She needs the Valkyrie''s Dagger to unseal the site where the Edda Chronicles is hidden?'' The Edda Chronicles was in the Norton Kingdom in the north. Woohyuk had first learned about this while fighting a war against Logan, the necromancer, in the past. However, he never managed to hear more details. At that time, the Witch of Greed Angrboda had obtained it. But Woohyuk ended up burning her with divine magic without asking many questions. Therefore, he was unable to determine if Melena¡¯s words were the truth. ''Well, it is unlikely to be false.'' Woohyuk was confident that he was always several steps ahead of the demon faction since he had returned from the future with his memories intact. So, there was no way that Melena had prepared a trap by predicting his movements and behavior. The reason she exined the situation to Clyantes was probably because he was a ywright and was very enthusiastic about the myth. Aside from him, she must have assigned several other people with simr upations to find the Valkyrie''s Dagger. ''The witches seem to be focusing on finding the Edda Chronicles for now.'' In terms of priority, the Sangreal Chronicles were several times more important than the Edda Chronicles since it mentioned the Holy Grail But they seemed to be conscious of Woohyuk, and appeared to have given up on the Sangreal Chronicles. Or maybe it was deliberately handed over to Eteria Rodinus and him. Unlike the 72 Demon Kings, the purpose of the witches was to destroy the existing world through the Return of the Demon God, so this was notpletely impossible. ''Aleister doesn''t seem to want to fight me either.'' In the battle at the Nelson March, he had remained passive until the end. It is difficult to understand his objective, but he was probably keeping Woohyuk, a Demon God candidate, alive for future ns as ording to Lilith¡¯s schemes. In that respect, Aleister and the Witches of the Seven Deadly Sins were simr to Eteria Rodinus. The group of wisemen also had future ns involving Woohyuk. While rearranging the overall situation in his mind, Woohyuk continued to listen to the conversation between Clyantes and Melena. The rest of the contents were about specific procedures, so there was no remarkable information. As the conversation ended, the surroundingndscape returned to its original state. ¡°Lord Asura...?¡± Carnelian stood in confusion and stared at him. ¡°Ah, I was looking into his memories for a bit.¡± ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t peek into mine. I experienced many harsh things while I was with Ivanov.¡± "Don¡¯t worry." Unlike before, Carnelian was using a feminine tone ording to Woohyuk''s rmendation. He had judged that her soldier-like speech not did not match her age nor her appearance, but would also have a negative impact on her personality. After a while, Woohyuk removed his hand from Clyantes¡¯ body, and the ywright took a deep breath and regained consciousness. ¡°Huff huff...¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°Whe- where to?!¡± ¡°To the Valkyrie''s Dagger and the Witch of Lust.¡± ¡°...!¡± Clyantes'' face turned ghost-white. He had only thought that Woohyuk was someone who had bad blood with Antonius. However, Woohyuk was aware of Melena. As the man hesitated, Woohyuk took out Jake''s Pocket Watch. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if you don¡¯t want to. Antonius died during the torture, but I¡¯ll let you off the hook.¡± In truth, it was Cynthia who had tortured and murdered Antonius, not Woohyuk. As Woohyuk hypnotized him, Clyantes turned around with a nk expression. He would guide them as ording to the order. ¡°Will you kill the Witch of Lust?¡± ¡°If I get the chance, yes.¡± ¡°I think there will be a lot of men who follow her. Once someone gets fascinated by her, the power of lust can control their reason at will.¡± When Carnelian was with Ivanov, she had seen the Witch of Lust in person. Woohyukughed as she looked worried. ¡°Do you think I will fall for Melena''s temptation?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s not what I...¡± ¡°I have met countless treasures and beauties over the past 40 years.¡± There was Eleanora, the princess of the Holy Aperian Empire, the three goddesses of Urdarbrunn, and many more... There would be no end if he were to list the names one by one. However, nothing ended up happening between him and the women. His passion for women had died along with Lucretia in the past. ''Seduction doesn¡¯t work on me.¡¯ Therefore, Melena was one of the seven witches he feared the least. Melena probably knew this fact to some extent through her informationwork. Ever since his regression, he had never had a rtionship with any woman. ''If I get rid of Melena, there will only be four witches left of the 7 Sins.¡¯ However, it was very unlikely that Melena would face him head-on. Her current interests were the Valkyrie''s Dagger and Edda Chronicles, not Woohyuk. However, it seemed that she still had business in the Talis Kingdom, since she hadn¡¯t escaped the country yet. When he reached a stone building, Woohyuk summoned Astaroth, the 29th Demon King. ¡°Act natural and lure Melena out here.¡± ¡°...¡± Astaroth rolled his eyes at Woohyuk. The fact that he had been sealed must have spread to the entire demon faction already. Melena was no fool and would not fall for this ruse. However, even after seeing Astaroth''s reaction, Woohyuk did not take back his orders. ¡°Do as I say.¡± ¡°¡­Okay." A Demon King sealed in Lemegeton had no means of resisting the master. Therefore, not long after Astaroth entered the stone building... Boom! Crash! Shatter! There was a fuss inside, along with the sound of a ss window breaking. Carnelian asked Woohyuk in curiosity. ¡°What is happening?¡± ¡°Melena is pissed off because Astaroth is lying to her.¡± ¡°¡­What?" ¡°Melena is secretly in love with Astaroth.¡± Astaroth had a very good appearance among the 72 demon kings. Moreover, the elegant image he was showing ovepped with her affection, which newly captivated Melena. Woohyuk was well aware of this due to his past experiences. 1. Says Antonius in the raws, but the author probably made a mistake. Chapter 170: Slave Liberation 3

Chapter 170: ve Liberation 3

"I know this is all a scheme, Asura!" Melena kicked the door open and stormed out of the stone building with a face contorted with anger. Woohyuk pretended to be ignorant. "What are you talking about?" "You sick bastard! Was it fun ying with my heart?!" Melena blindly criticized Woohyuk without realizing that she had done the exact same things so far. So if she did it, it was eptable, but if others did it, it was morally incorrect. Carnelian, who stood next to Woohyuk, frowned. "Um, I don''t think that the Witch of Lust has the right to say that...¡± "Shut up, youb rat!" Melena screamed her lungs out at Carnelian. Woohyuk spoke up to her again after her outburst. "Melena, have you heard of this word before?" "What?!" "Hypocrite." "...You fucking scum!" Unable to hold back her fury. a purple me rose from Melena''s hand. At that moment, Astaroth exited from the stone building. ¡°¡­¡± "What are you doing? It went as nned, so capture Melena now." All kinds of traps were set up in the building, including curse spells, so Woohyuk had used Astaroth to make Melena exit the dangerous building. Astaroth nodded because he was aware of Woohyuk¡¯s intentions. "I''ll do it now. I just drifted off for a while because she suddenly confessed to me." Although it was a bit radical of her, Melena had expressed her feelings to Astaroth in the building. But Astaroth did not reciprocate her feelings. Moreover, he could not start a rtionship right now since he was obligated to follow Woohyuk''s orders. Melena''s face hardened as Astaroth summoned his exclusive weapon, Regius. She then burst out in crazyughter. "Kyahahahaha! ...So it¡¯se to this. I was waiting for Asura to get caught in my trap, but this is better. With this, I can throw away my old lingering feelings.¡± Melena had been monitoring Woohyuk from afar through her crystal ball. Her n was to make Woohyuk fall into a trap and then force him to have a rtionship with her. No matter how indifferent a man was, he would definitely be attached to a woman he had slept with. In other words, she would tame Woohyuk through his lust. But the attempt had failed, and Melena didn¡¯t appear to have any more ns. "Are you thinking of escaping? By leaving behind your dear Astaroth?" "Hmph, you seem to think you have the upper hand right now, so let me tell you one thing? With my power, I can easily reconquer this kingdom anytime. We''re working together on a new secret weapon as well.¡± The Witch Cult was rapidly spreading among the ves. As she pped her hands, people branded with the stigma of lust began to show up one by one from all around them. But Woohyuk wasn¡¯t interested in them. His attention was turned to Melena¡¯s words. "A secret weapon?" "Yes, I''m preparing a present with Aleister to surprise you. You can look forward to it, because sooner orter you''ll see it during certain trials." Aleister was a genius alchemist who had reached the pinnacle of alchemy. He created inventions that broke through the conventional knowledge of the present. Feeling suspicious and nervous, Woohyuk unfolded Lemegeton and summoned the rest of the Demon Kings. "We¡¯ll need to hear that story in detail. For now, get obediently captured." "Huhu, Did you think I wasn¡¯t prepared? We''ve been watching you and Eteria Rodinus for a long time." She, however, did not take action like the 72 Demon Kings or Pronoia most times because she was scheming something. As Melena prepared to run away, Woohyuk immediately summoned Verserios. ¡®I should use this opportunity to try out that ability.¡¯ The ability he had gained with the title of Master of the White Ghost King. When Woohyuk drew the White Ghost King¡¯s stigma with Verserios, Whoooosh! A red moon covered up the sun, creating a total sr eclipse, and a red magic circle appeared on the floor, revealing the White Ghost King. "Did you call, Lord Asura?" "Capture that witch with the demon kings.¡± The White Ghost King¡¯s power and strength was between Astaroth, the 29th Demon King, and Orobas, the 55th Demon King. He was therefore about as strong as the average Demon King. Melena snorted as the White Ghost King stood by the demon kings, pulling out the Soulsword Calites. "I see that you¡¯ve picked up another weirdo. I''m sorry, but I don''t intend to die by your hands like Kriemhild and Prisci. So I''ll be goi...¡± Swooosh! Before Melena could finish her sentence, a dark red double-handed sword swung down towards her head. Astaroth was able to attack her first since he was closest to her. Melena gritted her teeth and dodged to the side. And... Click. She took out a red jewel and put it in the hole in her brass ne. She was trying to escape to her chapel by chanting a spell. However, the Demon Kings wouldn¡¯t just sit by and watch. "My, oh my. Don''t think you can run away so easily." "You¡¯ve been experimenting with toys after sending us to our deaths to the White Ghost King¡¯s Sand Temple?" ¡°You witches are all the same...¡± Orobas and Andras, the demon kings of Ars Almadel, were the most infuriated. They thought that they were being used by Melena. As the demons quickly narrowed the distance from all sides, Melena summoned the ves of the Witch Cult before her and used them as meat shields. Spray! Red blood gushed out like waves. The White Ghost King watched from a distance for a while and swung the soulsword Calites in the air. ck rifts cracked open in the air, and armed white ghosts emerged through it. Stab! Stab! The white ghosts quickly overpowered the ves. As the situation deteriorated rapidly, Melena frowned. ¡®I just need to buy some time...¡¯ Bypleting the summoning ritual, she would be able to get out of this mess. She had a sudden surge of regret. She shouldn¡¯t have thought of testing Asura instead of running away. Then, ''Ah, right. This should do.¡¯ A good idea shed across her mind. The Valkyrie''s Dagger. Since Asura had made Clyantes guide him here, Asura was probably interested in it. So if she took out a simr-looking weapon and pretended it was the real one, she¡¯d be able to buy some time. Melena immediately put her n into action with confidence. "Why do you want this so badly?! You don¡¯t even know the proper whereabouts of the Edda Chronicles yet!" The weapon Melena was brandishing was a dagger with a slightly curved edge. As she flew into the air and made a fuss, Woohyuk, who was watching the battle from behind, grinned. ''As I expected.¡¯ Woohyuk knew her well because he had faced Melena in the past. That was most likely a fake. The real one was probably inside the small bag around her waist. ''I¡¯ll use Melena''s n against herself.¡¯ It would be difficult to capture a witch if she focused solely on escaping. Therefore, he was aiming for an opening after making the demon kings fight on the forefront. In the best case scenario, he would obtain both the Valkyrie''s Dagger and Melena''s soul. [White Ghost King, you are to follow my instructions from now on.] Woohyuk secretly exined the operation to the White Ghost King through a telepathic conversation. Then the White Ghost King, who was chasing Melena with the demon kings, nodded. [Understood, Lord Asura.] Currently, they were both looking for the right opportunity, "If you keep cornering me, I''ll destroy this! I''d rather destroy it instead of letting it fall into the hands of my enemy!" Melena lifted the dagger she was holding into the air. At the same time, a ck rift appeared in the air, and the surroundings began to swirl violently. She was announcing that she would throw the Valkyrie¡¯s Dagger into the abyss. Woohyuk pretended to be shocked and acted flustered. "Do you think Lilith will let you off the hook if you do that?¡± "Well, who cares? She¡¯ll just punish me a bit. Actually, she might praise me for making the correct decision.¡± Melena reached out and pushed the dagger into the swirling vortex. As the fake Valkyrie''s dagger was about to be sucked into the ck rift, Woohyuk rushed in that direction and ordered the demon kings. "Get that dagger out of the vortex! We¡¯ll deal with the Witch of Lust afterwards!" ¡°...¡± The demon kings turned their backs to Melena. While they wanted to beat her up, they couldn''t disobey their master''s orders. At this sight, Melena excitedly jumped around in her heart. ''Sess!'' Her n was executed perfectly All she had to do was to hurry back to the chapel. As Melena tried to recite the return spell, a faint figure appeared behind her. It was the White Ghost King. Swooosh! The Soulsword Calites left behind a blue glow as the tip of its de flew towards Melena''s heart. It was a surprise attack Terrified, Melena tried to dodge it at thest moment, but... Slit! Dark red blood sprayed around in the air. As Melena tried to avoid Calites, Woohyuk swung Verserios towards her escape path as if he was reading the future, and the de dug deep into her slender waist. "Kyaaaaaaah!" Melena¡¯s cry of anguish reverberated into the dark sky, as the red moon had covered up the sun and blocked its light. "I don''t think anyone ising to save you. Not even a knight in shining armor.¡± With a bloodstained bag in one hand, Woohyuk whispered to Melena as he strangled her with the other. The mortally wounded woman let out a few words. "Spare¡­ me..." "Unfortunately, I can¡¯t turn witches into my vassals while they''re alive. So you will have to die here." Woohyuk strengthened his grip on Melena''s throat. But... Boooooom! A bolt of purple lightning struck down from the darkened sky and struck Melena''s head. When Melena¡¯s figure disappeared, Woohyuk grinded his teeth and looked up into the sky. "Aleister Crowley...¡± "Long time no see, Asura. How have you been?¡± Aleister smiled wickedly as he held a bleeding Melena in his arms. Woohyuk tantly revealed his killing intent towards Aleister¡¯sposed attitude. "I didn¡¯t know your character was supposed to appear on stage right now. Are you sure this was nned by Lilith?" "Well, let¡¯s call it a Deus Ex-Machina. The expression isn¡¯t so wrong since you can¡¯t rival me in your current state.¡± "Do you know this? All the people who acted smug and confident while fighting me ended up dead." Woohyuk swung the bloodstained Verserios into the air, and a pitch-ck wave flew towards Aleister with a fierce momentum. Chapter 171: Slave Liberation 4

Chapter 171: ve Liberation 4

¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot. I can feel the power of the abyss within you intensely unlike before.¡± Aleister spoke as he cast a translucent barrier, blocking Woohyuk''s blow. He had made a contract with Lilith and be immortal. Since he had existed since before the War of Gods and Demons, his magic skills were top-ss. ¡°Come at me. I''ll destroy you right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯d be troublesome. You shouldn¡¯t say that as someone who is favored by Lady Lilith. If I were to make an analogy, this world is an egg, and you are the transcendental being that is waiting to hatch from it. So please wait a little longer. The day wille when you will hatch and destroy this world, leading us to a new Genesis!¡± Aleister firmly believed that true alchemy was the ultimate transformation of the world. For him, all science was religion. So, what was the ultimate transformation? As the Witch Cult¡¯s leader, Aleister was able to answer that question with confidence. It was the beginning of a new era through the advent of the Demon God. Woohyuk was tired of Aleister''s long speech. ¡°You are out of your mind.¡± ¡°Kekeke¡­ Your ndering does not bother me. Eventually, you will realize how ugly and hypocritical the world is as I did.¡± ¡°From my point of view, you¡¯re also a part of this ugly and hypocritical world. Now stop talking and die.¡± Woohyuk spread his abyssal wings and flew toward Aleister. Then his vassals, who had been standing in silence, attacked all at once. ¡°You still talk as much as before, Aleister.¡± ¡°You are being rude to the future Demon God.¡± ¡°You need to be taught a lesson. Until now, I didn¡¯t dare confront you because I was afraid of Lilith, but now I don''t need to pay attention to her.¡± Everyone had a word to say to Aleister. However, Aleister did not lose hisposure and took on their attacks. ¡°Well, you all have your own roles. They¡¯re so insignificant that I don¡¯t need to pay attention to you, though.¡± "What? You¡¯re just Lilith¡¯s mutt who serves her like a ve and licks her feet!¡± ¡°Did you finally lose your mind after being inside yourbs for so long?¡± The demon kings¡± onught became even more intense. Soon enough, Woohyuk cracked Aleister¡¯s barrier with Verserios, and the fissure began to increase in size. Creak! Crack! No matter how strong Aleister was, he couldn¡¯t be unscathed after being bombarded by so many powerful enemies. Aleister looked in his surroundings and said goodbye. ¡°It''s time for me to leave. I shall see you again on the next stage, everyone. May Lady Lilith''s Gospel be with you until the end of your days.¡± A ck portal appeared next to him within his barrier. Seeing it, Woohyuk swung Verserios, and once again struck the barrier with his full power. Crack! However, the barrier¡¯s fissure only grew a little bit bigger and still maintained its shape. ¡°ALEISTEEEEEEEEEEER!¡± As he shouted, Woohyuk stared at Aleister''s back with eyes filled with rage and madness. He had recuperated Melena and messed up Woohyuk¡¯s n. A heavy silence flowed when Aleisterpletely disappeared with Melena. ¡°Lo, Lord Asura. You should check that bag now...¡± Carnelian approached Woohyuk with a frightened expression and spoke. "I apologize. I let my emotions take over.¡± Was it because his demonic energy was gradually bing synced with Verserios? Woohyuk had begun to show more signs of lunacypared to before. Recalling what Helena had said before, Woohyuk opened Melena''s bag. [Valkyrie''s Dagger] Category: Weapon Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Traits: Imprints the Valkyrie¡¯s stigma on opponents who get hit. If more than 5 stigmas ovep, a spark of purification ignites at the wound, causing continuous damage. The purifying mes can cause an explosive reaction at any time. The bloodstains on the dagger¡¯s de are absorbed and turned into health or mana. Can be operated ording to the owner¡¯s will even if it is not being held (only usable by Valkyries. Inflicts 50% additional damage to opponents with darkness properties.) ''It has pretty good traits.'' First of all, the damage that could be inflicted on opponents with an S-ss weapon was enormous. ''But I can''t use this.'' It was only avable for people with the Valkyrie ss. This was unfortunate for Woohyuk, since he needed a secondary weapon that could rece his D-grade Vampiric Dagger. However, the progress of the quest had increased now, and he could resurrect Brynhild in the near future. ''There are other things in the bag...¡¯ Because it was a subspace bag, it could amodate many items. Woohyuk rummaged through the bag and took out the rest of the items. [Schrdinger''s Box] Category: Personal Item Grade: S Durability: 35,000 Effect: Grants the hidden ss ¡°Schrdinger''s Cat¡± when a cat is inserted inside the box (but it cannot be any cat. The cat must have an intelligence of 50 or higher). [Miniaturization Potion] Category: Consumables Effect: The consumer is reduced to 1% of his original size for an hour. In the case of the miniaturization potion, there were a total of three sks. It was a useful item, but Woohyuk''s interest was focused on Schrdinger''s Box. ''I didn¡¯t expect to find this here...¡¯ In the past, Schrdinger''s Cat was owned by Melena. A pet that could appear anytime and anywhere, spy around and report back to its owner. Thanks to this cat, Woohyuk had a pretty hard time capturing Melena. It would be of great help if he himself obtained a Schrdinger''s Cat. When his thoughts reached that conclusion, Woohyuk immediately summoned Catsy. She was tamed by Woohyuk, so the system treated her like a pet. But this was obviously an extremely exceptional case. This was only possible because Woohyuk had inherited the name of the former Demon God. ¡°Meooow! Did you call, Master?¡± ¡°Yeah. Drink this.¡± Woohyuk handed her a sk with a blue solution inside. It was a miniaturization potion. ¡°Alright~!¡± Catsy swayed her tail and swallowed the potion. After a while, she was down to the size of a mouse... ¡°Ma, Master! The world became so big!¡± She jumped around with a surprised expression as she could not grasp the situation. ¡°You¡¯re the one who became smaller.¡± ¡°Then wha, what do I do? If something goes wrong, I might get stepped on by people and die under their shoes! ¡°You just need to go inside this box.¡± Woohyuk grabbed the miniaturized Catsy with one hand. Eventually, as he released Catsy inside Schrdinger''s box, a system message appeared in front of Woohyuk''s eyes. [Hidden Item: You have obtained Schrdinger''s Cat] [Schrdinger''s cat can move anytime, from anywhere, to a location it remembers.] [In addition, as long as the owner is alive, it remains immortal and cannot receive any damage.] [On the other hand, Schrdinger''s cat cannot harm its owner and other people.] An existence that existed and didn¡¯t exist at the same time. A legacy left behind by Schrdinger, the man called the Last Magic Engineer of the Holy Aperian Empire. It is said that he died a mysterious death just before putting the cat in his box. ''Is the secret weapon Melena mentioned rted to this?'' Woohyuk had some doubts. Schrdinger''s cat by itself was of no use in terms of strength and power. Therefore, it was unsuitable as a secret weapon that would be used to surprise him at the next stage. It was obvious there was something else at y. ¡°Master~! The world still hasn¡¯t changed! Instead, I got this hidden ss with a weird name.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll return to normal in an hour.¡± Woohyukforted the sobbing Catsy and looked up at the darkened sky. The total sr eclipse caused by the red moon was still urring. If he kept neglecting it, it would cause chaos and confusion in the Talis kingdom, so he had to end it now. As Woohyuk used his index finger to draw the White Ghost King¡¯s mark, and the red moon moved away from the sun. The sky then gradually brightened. Soon, as Heaven and Earth regained their original appearances, Astaroth carefully opened his mouth. ¡°¡­ What are you going to do now? It¡¯s possible to attack other provinces of the demon world with the power you have now. Or you could even aim for the Holy Aperian Empire.¡± ¡°I can only influence the territories of the demon kings I sealed due to Lemegeton¡¯s barrier. I can only try to conquer the territories of other demon kings by sending a proxy. And if I attack the Empire now, the forces in the north will go out of control.¡± The northern powers meant Lich Lord Nigel and The Queen of Thorns Alice. He also had to keep an eye out for Peter Logan, the necromancer of the past, but Woohyuk hadn¡¯t heard any news about him yet. So, while he was suspicious about him, he couldn¡¯t put Logan as the top priority. ¡°If so, will you return to the Dane Kingdom and strike the northern countries?¡± ¡°That''s the best option right now. But I won¡¯t leave right away. There are still some things to do in the Talis Kingdom.¡± Although he had taken over the capital and purged the hostile forces in the other regions of the country, as Melena had said, many elements of potential danger remained in the Talis Kingdom. A prime example was the ve problem. As many people of the kingdom had been enved, society became turbid. The country prioritized using the ves as soldiers in the army or mercenaries, so there was ack of social discipline. If Woohyuk did not correct these problems, the Talis Kingdom would inevitably take the path of self-destruction. In the past, internal dissatisfaction was ignored and silenced since Ivanov only cared about waging war and conquering, but Woohyuk thought that solving the fundamental problem was more important than that. ¡°Who will the new ruler be? You are not nning on establishing a republic, right?¡± ¡°Republicanism would be premature for a country like this. Hong Yuri would be appropriate as governor of the Talis Kingdom.¡± Hong Yuri was currently serving as an aide to Governor Maximus of the Dane Kingdom. This is because Maximus needed a person who couldplement him and also work on surveince of the kingdom because he was a little too inflexible. But now that the Talis Kingdom was in Woohyuk¡¯s hands, she had to take on a bigger task. In fact, the role of Maximus'' aide could be yed by anyone slightly flexible and highly reliable. ''If it¡¯s the Talis Kingdom, she won¡¯t have to watch out for the Holy Aperian Empire¡¯s eyes.¡¯ The Holy Aperian Empire was currently busy fighting the demon faction led by the Queen of Thorns in the north. Moreover, Lich Lord Nigel''s undead army would alsoe down south from the north as well. Therefore, Hong Yuri would be able to grow her own power and influence here. ''Someday, there will be a Great War between races.'' In order to prepare for that day, he needed to grow and prepare a vampire army as much as possible. There are many hostile forces, so Woohyuk needed enough people to fight them. This was also a game of othello. While organizing the work to be done in the future in his head, Woohyuk entered the stone building. It was time to investigate Melena¡¯s secret research. Chapter 172: Slave Liberation 5

Chapter 172: ve Liberation 5

They found a certain document in the stone building where Melena was residing. Most of its content was about myths. Among them, there were many parts concerning artificial life. After examining them carefully, Woohyuk came to a temporary conclusion. ''There is a high possibility that the secret weapon Melena mentioned is the Homunculus.'' Perhaps Aleister, who is well versed in alchemy, was in charge of the project. Melena was most likely responsible only for collecting information or securing materials. ''If they abuse the Homunculus, the Eeth Continent will fall into great chaos.'' In the past, Woohyuk had restored the Nag Hammadi Chronicles, which recorded the secret knowledge of the gods. It mentioned that the Homunculus was the fruit of alchemy and magic engineering. The detailed manufacturing process was not described within it, but the dangers were clearly stated. ''I can see why they¡¯re prioritizing the Edda Chronicles.'' If they analyzed the myths in the Edda Chronicles, they¡¯d be able to locate the location of the abandoned Homunculus. Woohyuk had also explored the location in the past, but the ruins were already empty. Considering the information he just learned, it must have been Aleister who had taken it. Back then, the Edda Chronicles must¡¯ve already been in his hands. As Woohyuk recalled his past memories, Catsy waved her tail as she emerged from the air. ¡°Master, I¡¯m back!¡± ¡°What did Ganiev say?¡± ¡°He said he¡¯d ask the other beastmen n chiefs to find out.¡± Woohyuk had asked Ganiev to find Cerberus'' me Heart. It was one of the necessary materials to create the Seven Color Rainbow Ring. Previous investigations suggested that it was in some ancient ruins in the tropics. However, the name of the site was unknown. It seemed that it would take some time to find it, so Woohyuk needed help from people he trusted. Ganiev valued loyalty and honor, and would not neglect this task nor try to deceive Woohyuk. The beastmen¡¯s autonomy had been recognized and they now upied more than half of the Talis Kingdom¡¯s territory. This is all thanks to Woohyuk''spassionate decision after killing Ivanov. Considering the treatment they were receiving before their liberation, it would be difficult to repay this grace even if they offered the heart of the Phoenix that would grant Woohyuk eternal life. ''But there is a high possibility that Ganiev won¡¯t find it either.'' Judging from the information he had collected so far, the Lich King''s Dark Crystal and Argos'' Ice Heart were located in the eastern Eeth Continent. It was most likely to be the same for Cerberus'' me Heart. The eastern continent¡¯s tropicalnds were about twice asrge as those in the western continent. Woohyuk spoke to her again while looking at the world map spread out on the desk. ¡°What¡¯s the current status of the Izuna Kingdom¡¯s Army?¡± ¡°The ground forces are preparing to return to their home country. The fleet is still blocking the shoreline.¡± The King of Izuna did not im any rights over the Talis Kingdom. Thanks to Woohyuk, he was informed about Ivanov''s ns in advance and did not have to suffer a lot of damage from an unexpected invasion from the Talis Kingdom. In addition, Woohyuk had made all the important decisions and decisive actions. ''The Talis kingdom is almost fully organized now.'' With the support of the beastmen tribes, Hong Yuri became the new ruler, and the ruin exploration with Eteria Rodinus waspleted. All that remained was the liberation of the ves. Even though all the renowned ve traders had their properties confiscated, the root of the problem had not been resolved yet. In truth, the Talis Kingdom was quite corrupt internally. Catsy asked a question as Woohyuk flipped through the list of ve trader names in the report. ¡°But am I really immortal? I still can''t feel that I¡¯ve be an undying being.¡± ¡°¡­ Watch carefully.¡± Woohyuk pulled out the Vampiric Dagger and stabbed Catsy in the throat. His moves were so fast that she couldn¡¯t even react. However, the Vampiric Dagger passed through her without injuring her body. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing! It feels like I¡¯m a ghost!¡± ¡°If someone tries to harm you, don''t be scared. Schrdinger''s Cat will continue to exist in this world as long as I am alive.¡± If Woohyuk died, the Schrdinger''s Cat ss would naturally disappear. In other words, Catsy would return to being an ordinary cat beastwoman. "Please don¡¯t worry! I''ll be a good spy so that Master doesn''t die! Should I go see Cynthia now?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary. She''sing to us already.¡± He felt the presence of someone approaching from a distance. The movements were that of a well-trained female assassin. Woohyuk knew that it was Cynthia. Soon enough, they heard a knock on the door, ¡°May I enter?¡± Cynthia''s soft voice resounded behind the door. As Catsy ran on all fours and opened the door, she stepped in and politely addressed to Woohyuk. ¡°I have carried out the task, Master.¡± ¡°I am not your master.¡± ¡°You are my benefactor and hero. You punished Antonius and Clyantes, who sexually harassed me every time he could while practising ys.¡± ¡°Did he use you in his ys?¡± ¡°Yes, I once appeared on stage as a beautiful but empty-headed woman who only knew how to spread her legs to men. Even though I was a ve, it was a humiliation worse than death.¡± ¡°I didn''t know that happened. Anyway, he''s dead now, so there¡¯s no need to feel ashamed anymore.¡± ¡°¡­ I am afraid. Afraid of everything in the world, including this kingdom. Since my body has already been imprinted with a ve¡¯s seal, I feel like I cannot survive without relying on someone stronger than me. So please allow me to serve you as my master, despite myck of qualities.¡± Cynthia knelt and kissed Woohyuk''s hand as she begged him. She seemed to considerably like him. Woohyuk nodded without much of a choice. ¡°If you really want to follow me, I will allow it. But if you don¡¯t serve me, you will never return to being a ve.¡± "Thank you. You are truly merciful. And this is a letter from ve King Arminius.¡± Cynthia smiled brightly as she took out a scroll and handed it to Woohyuk. After receiving it, Woohyuk nced over the poorly written sentences. ¡°The ve King must be learning how to write these days.¡± ¡°Since he is in a position of leadership, he will have a lot of paperwork to do, while sending and receiving letters. Especially with nobles.¡± ve King Arminius was a hero who was originally a diator. He reigned as the Champion for three long years at the diator arena in the capital city of Cordoba. Heter had no more enemies to fight, and when Ivanov died, he escaped the arena during the confusion. Later, Arminius gathered ves in a simr situation as him and trained them into an army. They called themselves the Liberation Army and were gradually growing in power. ¡°There was once a simr heroic figure in the Holy Aperian Empire.¡± ¡°Then his revolution must have failed, considering the fact that the Holy Aperian Empire is still standing today.¡± Cynthia didn''t know that Woohyuk was talking about the future since she wasn¡¯t aware of his regression. However, Woohyuk did not point out that point. The members of Eteria Rodinus were the only ones who knew of his regression, and he didn¡¯t intend to let that number grow. ¡°It was a man named Maximilian. He was publicly crucified and died a painful death alongside hisrades.¡± ¡°¡­ That''s horrible. What will you do if the negotiations with Arminius break down?¡± "Who knows. It depends on how he behaves.¡± He had only heard about Arminius through rumors, and had never met him in the past either. Ivanov had captured him and burned him in public with Carnelian''s mes. So all his decisions from now on had to be made after evaluating Arminius disposition and qualities. Woohyuk stood up from his seat as he nced over the scroll again. ¡°Will you leave now?¡± ¡°There''s nothing wrong with getting there early.¡± The negotiations were nned forter in the evening. The location was in a stone building in the workshop district. There were few people at night in the workshop district and there were many secret passages, so it would be easy to escape even if you were surrounded by enemies. ''At least he¡¯s not a fool.'' Although he was the King of ves, a King was still a King. It was a position that could only be reached by people with the proper qualities and abilities. So Woohyuk wanted to be allies with Arminius as much as possible. ''I hope we won¡¯t talk only about difficult topics such as overthrowing the current status system¡­¡¯ The abolition of very was still feasible, but if they tried to remove the current system and status quo, the people of the kingdom would not ept it. While it would be possible if they pushed their ideals forward and continued to fight for their cause, there would be a long-term resistance. Eventually, the Talis Kingdom would descend into chaos and it would do more harm than good. ''Well, even if the negotiations break down, brainwashing him will solve the problem.'' However, Woohyuk wished Arminius to stand by his side with a conscious and sane mind. Unlike his previous life, there were ridiculously strong enemies showing up one by one during this lifetime. When he arrived at his destination, shabbily-dressed men surrounded Woohyuk. ¡°Are you the Hero King?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes." In various regions of the Western continent, Woohyuk was being called the Hero King. He was hunting and defeating every type of evil beings, whether they be demon kings, witches or other humans. Moreover, it was partly due to Rosenkreuz. He had returned to the Holy See and proimed Woohyuk as a warrior sent by the God of Light. Perhaps that was the reason behind people showing amazed expressions whenever they saw him. ''This man is the savior of the world!'' ''Is it true that he can use all the powers of the God of Light?'' ¡®To think that I would meet the true sessor of Solomon here¡­!¡¯ And even if they were civilians from enemy countries or forces, they still admired him as he was a respectable person. ¡°Right this way.¡± The brown-haired man who was facing Woohyuk took the lead and started walking. He was Tacitus, the second-inmand of the Liberation Army. He was a warrior who was once a ve diator within the same arena as Arminius. ''He seems to have a favorable impression of me.'' It was normal to search for dangerous weapons before letting him inside the negotiation room. However, not doing so meant that Woohyuk was being respected and they were keeping his position in mind. Even though the surrounding security was tight, Woohyuk also had a favorable impression of them. ¡°Wee, Hero King. I am Arminius. I lead the people who are being persecuted in this kingdom.¡± Upon entering the conference hall, a strong-looking brown-haired man stood from his chair and reached out his hand. Woohyuk shook hands with him and immediately spoke. ¡°I heard that you are preparing to attack the capital.¡± ¡°That was the original n, but¡­ I''ve begun to reconsider it ever since I found out my opponent was you. And while I was hesitating, that beautiful woman came to me.¡± Arminius nced at Cynthia standing next to Woohyuk. He seemed to quite like her. Woohyuk sat down on a chair. ¡°I have a suggestion. The position of lord of the Bayen County is currently empty. The former lord was Ivanov¡¯s aide, therefore he was purged. But we have yet to find a suitable sessor.¡± ¡°Your point is?¡± ¡°Be the Count of Bayen, I will free the ves under your control. Moreover, the Bayen County is currently going through a civil war, so the poption is small. You could take all your current troops with you and settle down over there.¡± Woohyuk put out the best possible choice for Arminius. Everyone could be a citizen of the kingdom and live a normal life, and Arminius himself would be a noble. However, Arminius immediately rejected the proposal. ¡°¡­ I refuse.¡± Chapter 173: Slave Liberation 6

Chapter 173: ve Liberation 6

¡°...!¡± ¡°...!¡± Woohyuk heard short gasps next to him. On his left and right, Cynthia and Catsy stared at the ve King in astonishment. They had not expected Arminius to firmly oppose their master. Woohyuk also stared at Arminius with a small frown. ¡°For what reason?¡± ¡°Although I am called the ve King, I have no intention of reigning over them. Because we are allmon human beings.¡± ¡°Then, do you n to abolish the status system and the monarchy of this country? What are your specific thoughts?¡± ¡°The monarch must exist if we do not want external problems toe find us. But the reigning monarch does not need to rule. No matter how good I am, it is impossible for me to make decisions while thinking of the well-being of the kingdom¡¯s citizens.¡± The ideal political system Arminius was referring to was a constitutional monarchy. A structure in which the king existed in name only and most of the state affairs were undertaken by the People''s Assembly, a group of representatives of the kingdom¡¯s citizens. However, it was too radical of a system to be realized now, and it didn''t fit well with these chaotic times. Woohyuk sighed on the inside and asked Arminius. ¡°The upper-rank demons can brainwash the citizens. If a demon king tries to take over the kingdom with a representative like Ivanov, would your system have a good alternative as a defense?¡± ¡°We have you, Hero King. I''ve heard rumors that you have the legendary magic book Lemegeton with you. If that''s true...¡± ¡°I cannot stay for long in the Talis Kingdom. I have to fight against all the evils in this world. So you need to think this through. With a single wrong decision, all the people of the kingdom, including the ves, could be ughtered.¡± A heavy silence dominated the air for a while. Arminius thought of something with a dark expression, and then quickly bowed his head. ¡°¡­ In truth, I have far too many burdens to carry. Everyone is looking at me with eyes of hope and salvation, but I have no skills and abilities other than fighting.¡± ¡°So, did you raise your own ideals like you would a g?¡± ¡°This kingdom must change, one way or another. Nobody denies that fact, except for the royalty and nobility. I firmly believe that we must move forward even if there will be some sacrifices.¡± Arminius stared into Woohyuk''s eyes with a grim look. Tension ruled over the conference hall. ¡°¡­ If so, prove it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Show me that your convictions will not shake. Not even by a millimeter.¡± Woohyuk got up from his seat and pulled out a normal C-grade longsword from his belt. The ves who were positioned around the conference room raised their weapons all at once in fear. Their opponent was the Hero King who had subdued demon kings and witches. He was a being that they could never ovee. ¡°¡­ Is this the only way?¡± ¡°Aiming for your ideals without having a realistic alternative isn¡¯t going to get you anywhere. Anyone cane up with a utopian world in their mind and escape reality through it. You need power as well as wisdom to change the world, Arminius.¡± The leadership that Woohyuk pursued did not force others to sacrifice themselves. But he would not be crucified as a martyr to atone for everyone¡¯s sins. He was not a priest, but a monarch. The monarch ought to be able to protect those living in hisnd from internal and external enemies. What he needed was strong power and wisdom to use it skillfully. It was his belief, and it would not be shaken by any other ideals. So Woohyuk was asking Arminius. ''Do you really deserve to lead them?'' ¡°¡­ Everyone, back down.¡± ¡°Arminius!¡± ¡°If you interfere with the duel, I will not forgive you even if you are my sworn brother.¡± Arminius wanted to be acknowledged by Woohyuk. He wanted to prove that his convictions were right. He believed that Woohyuk, the Hero King, was different from the other nobles who were only interested innds and wealth. Eventually, a temporary arena was created, and Arminius began his assault on Woohyuk. ¡°Haah!¡± Three years spent fighting for his life in the diator arena. Whether his opponent was the Hero King or not, he was confident that he would not be pushed back. Their weapons didn¡¯t seem to have arge gap in power either. ng! The two longswords shed, creating a sharp metallic sound. Arminius'' expression strangely distorted. ''¡­ He¡¯s strong.'' Arminius didn¡¯t mean pure physical strength. He was talking about the spirit behind Woohyuk¡¯s longsword. He waspletely overwhelmed by Woohyuk, who had challenged the limits of human beings for decades. ''Just what... what has he gone through to be this powerful?¡¯ After having lived a life of conflict and battles, Arminius had reached the point where he could grasp his opponent''s habits and abilities to some extent just from a few sword exchanges. However, currently he could not judge Woohyuk''s ability at all. Woohyuk''s status was so high that he could not see its limits. ng! ng! Arminius was gradually pushed back. The ves who were watching the two duel from farther away looked nervous. The confrontation between the ve King and the Hero King. On the surface, the battle was still ongoing and the two were on equal footing, but behind the scenes, the victor of the duel had already been decided. It was because Woohyuk deliberately didn¡¯t give the final blow. Eventually Arminius knelt on his own with a wretched look. ¡°¡­ I lost.¡± ¡°Why are you giving up? The results have not been decided yet.¡± ¡°I know that you¡¯re not killing me on purpose.¡± If Woohyuk wanted to, he could stab Arminius¡¯ vital spots whenever he wanted. He could have cut his neck or shed his waist to separate Arminius¡¯ upper and lower bodies. But he hadn¡¯t. Arminius realized that the reason behind Woohyuk¡¯s mercy was the ves he led. Woohyuk sincerely wanted to make this kingdom rich and peaceful. As his sincerity was clearlymunicated, Arminius''s anger faded away like dust in the wind. ¡°So, did you change your mind?¡± ¡°¡­ I ept your offer, Hero King. As you mentioned earlier, this era is chaos. Now is the time to have a strong central point. Humanity needs someone they can rely on.¡± Arminius also wanted a peaceful world. He wanted everyone to live without discrimination and be recognized for their abilities. But the time wasn¡¯t right yet. No matter how ideally he changed the world, what use would it be if the demons robbed them of everything? Even if spring came, if the pests in the fields weren¡¯t exterminated in advance, the hungry stomachs would not be filled. As the battle ended, Woohyuk ced his longsword¡¯s de on Arminius'' shoulder. ¡°From now on, you are to protect the peace at the Bayen County with your men. That is the right and the duty I give you.¡± He was stillcking to rule over a small kingdom like the Talis Kingdom. But there was no perfect human being from the beginning. If he continued to work hard and move forward, his path towards bing the ruler would still be avable. As Woohyuk encouraged the bowing Arminius the ves around them knelt together. He was the real monarch who would save them from this chaotic age. Catsy opened her mouth with an excited expression. ¡°Meoooow! Master, you¡¯re so cool! Now, we only have to deal with the ves who joined the Witch Cult, right?¡± ¡°Hong Yuri will take care of that.¡± Now he had to hurry to the north. Although he had stolen the Valkyrie''s Dagger from Melena, Lilith''s subordinates were still aiming for the Edda Chronicles. Aleister was most likelying up with a scheme as well. ''Wait for me, Aleister. One day, I will kill you for sure.¡¯ Woohyuk¡¯s eyes shined with a firm resolution. *** Afterpleting all his duties in the Talis Kingdom, Woohyuk reunited with Eteria Rodinus. They were busy restoring the lost contents of the Sangreal Chronicles¡¯ manuscript. Their current progress was about 25%. ¡°Any movements from Pronoia?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t notice any of those fanatics here. Maybe it¡¯s because this area was upied by demon kings before you arrived. But now that the kingdom has regained peace, they will soon send some people.¡± The exhausted Boetius stroked his white beard with his hand. They had no definite measures on how to deal with Rosenkreuz. Woohyuk told Boetius to take a seat ¡°It would be best to take a break. You will have a hard time during the long march.¡± ¡°¡­ I feel like I¡¯m bing a burden. Especially on those children¡¯s shoulders. But I still have so much to do before I can retire...¡± Boetius sat on a chair at the base camp as he stared at Ibn Rusud and Helena. The two were quarreling as usual. Their conversation made them appear like little kids, instead of a wiseman and a saintess. ¡°I also have a lot of work to do. And they¡¯re all important tasks, so I cannot skip a single one. They may seem unnecessary in your eyes, though.¡± ¡°It''s not that I don''t understand your thoughts. But because we already know how your actions will impact the future...¡± Boetius did not mention the details of the prophetic book. Woohyuk looked unhappy. ¡°Then what are you telling me to do? I gave up on everything that would interfere with my ns to get all the way here.¡± ¡°¡­ Looks like the time hase to tell you. There are a few things you need to know before you leave for the Norton Kingdom.¡± Boetius struck his crystal staff on the floor three times. Thump! Thump! Thump! Then the surroundingndscape crumbled and quickly turned into a burningndscape. "This...¡± ¡°It is one of the Three Great Catastrophes that will happen on the Eeth Continent in the future. In the prophetic book, it is written that this is the descent of the Fallen Angel Crue.¡± Crue, an angel who fell after gaining forbidden knowledge. She was currently sealed in another dimension If someone with the qualifications to challenge the Demon God¡¯s throne appeared, she would be used as a tool to test him. ¡°You mean this catastrophe is caused by me?¡± ¡°Our future is pre-designed and continuously managed by our Creator. He is especially observing you.¡± The prophetic book did not exin why. But what was certain was that Woohyuk could change this world¡¯s miserable destruction. Only he could help Eteria Rodinus rebuild the Ark of Knowledge and ce the Holy Grail in it. However, if he failed, the future would reach a tragic end as written in the prophetic book. Therefore, Eteria Rodinus was paying special attention to Woohyuk. ¡°So, it means that the Ark of Knowledge, the Holy Grail, and the power of the Demon God must be gathered in one location in their perfect conditions. The Three Ancients Chronicles and the Nameless Tome are some of the magic books required to rebuild the Ark of Knowledge.¡± ¡°Yes. You must have many more questions, but be aware of that for now. Any more information will be poisonous to the current you.¡± Instead, all of the epic quests linked to the Three Ancient Chronicles would be provided to Woohyuk. Only then could they prevent the Three Great Catastrophes toe. At Boetius'' words, Woohyuk nodded silently. Little by little, he felt that clues were slowly being released. As the two continued talking, Helena approached them and spoke to Woohyuk. ¡°Do you have any presents for me?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°You know, that sweet and bitter thing.¡± The present Helena was talking about was chocte. She was too embarrassed to say it directly, so she was beating around the bush. Boetiusughed and spoke when he saw her grieving attitude. ¡°Please take care of my granddaughter. She may be unruly, but her divine power is quite high, so she will be helpful in your battles against demons.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Woohyuk had to travel with Helena during his journey to the Norton Kingdom. It was because of his contract with Eteria Rodinus. Woohyuk sighed, predicting all the skirmishes and quarrels he would have with her in the near future. Chapter 174: Empires Princess 1

Chapter 174: Empire''s Princess 1

The Talis Kingdom and the Norton Kingdom were on opposite sides of the world. On the western continent, the Talis Kingdom was located at the bottom of the southwestern part, and the Norton Kingdom was located at the top of the northwestern part. It would take more than a month to reach one country from the other even if they used the finest of wagons and rode day and night along t roads. Even though time was pressed, Woohyuk stopped the wagon at the Dane Kingdom. He had to resurrect Valkyrie Brynhild before searching for the Edda Chronicles. [New Quest] Name: Whereabouts of the Edda Chronicles Type: Linked (1/2) Content: Use your abilities to resurrect Valkyrie Brynhild (requires Brynhild''s undamaged body and the Valkyrie¡¯s Dagger) Others: There is no second attempt for this quest. ''The next linked quest should be to find the Valkyrie''s ruins in the Norton Kingdom.'' Assuming that Lilith''s subordinates from the past had obtained the Edda Chronicles, they could enter the ruins without having obtained the quest. But that was a wed n. Even if the document were restored, it would be unwise to omit the intermediate process, as the Epic Quest would only be granted under certain conditions. ¡°I have been waiting, My Lord.¡± Sieg greeted Woohyuk and his party as his red hair fluttered. He then turned to Carnelian and tilted his head. ¡°This child is¡­?¡± ¡°She''s a red dragon. Her name is Carnelian.¡± Carnelian''s existence was not yet known to him, as they had just arrived at Leifina''s mansion. Sieg nodded and spoke again. ¡°I have brought Brynhild''s coffin as per your order. I also brought Tinia with me.¡± "Good work. Did Choi Kayoon return to her estate?¡± ¡°Yes, she was ecstatic to be able to return home.¡± Choi Kayoon wanted to train her monsters while riding her horse in the quiet region of Floren. She also dreamed of bing an actress, but that was forter. Apparently, her fear of men had resurfaced while she was pretending to be Woohyuk during his absence. ''I shouldn¡¯t force her to act as me for too long.'' It would be troublesome if Choi Kayoon made a mistake and made Rosenkreuz of him. Rosenkreuz had most likely healed from all his wounds from his previous battle. There was the possibility that he would return here sometime soon or contact him through the Informant¡¯s Messages. ¡®We¡¯ve bought enough time.'' Currently, Woohyuk was influencing five small kingdoms of the western continent. Now, as long as he organized the Norton Kingdom and the Enoa Kingdom, he would be able to advance to the Central ins where the capital of the Holy Aperian Empire was located. However, he had excuses he could use to attack the Norton Kingdom and the Enoa Kingdom at any moment, so he no longer had to hide from Rosenkreuz. As Woohyuk received the Jester¡¯s Mask and the Informant¡¯s Messages from Sieg, Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. He heard a noise indicating a request for connection from the Informant''s Messages. Truly exquisite timing. Woohyuk immediately checked the caller''s name. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s Rosenkreuz.¡± ¡°Will you speak with him now?¡± ¡°Yeah. Otherwise, he will be suspicious of me.¡± A considerable amount of time had passed since he hadst seen Rosenkreuz. He had to use this opportunity to talk about his current situation, albeit falsely. When Woohyuk triggered the item, Rosenkreuz''s voice resonated in his head. [It''s been a while, King of Rhine. I hope you''ve been well.] [I am busy dealing with the pagans of the Dane Kingdom. The Witch Cult has been expanding its influence in particr recently.] [Ha ha ha ha ha! Witch cultists do not deserve to live! We must burn them as soon as we see them.] [But why did you contact me? Do you have something to inform me?] [Ah, actually, I was told that you were in the Talis Kingdom. As far as I know, you are in the Dane Kingdom. So since the information didn¡¯t match, I contacted you to confirm.] Rosenkreuz was able to track the location of the Informant''s Messages in real time. So Woohyuk had used the Jester¡¯s Mask to disguise Choi Kayoon as himself, and left the Informant¡¯s Messages with her. Luckily, Rosenkreuz was still unaware of that. [I have always been in the Dane Kingdom. There is no reason for me to go to the Talis Kingdom when the demons are aiming for my kingdom.] [I think so too, King of Rhine. It seems that the information was incorrect. In any case, do you know about Lemegeton?] Rosenkreuz asked about Lemegeton because there were rumors that Woohyuk had it. Lemegeton was a magic book that Pronoia and demons would fight for their lives in order to obtain it. It was wiser to deny the rumors so as not to go through troublesome problems. [Isn''t it one of Solomon''s treasures? It is said that it was stolen by heretical wisemen...] [That is correct. It has not appeared in the world for thousands of years. However, more and more people have begun to see it recently.] [It may be rted to the emergence of the demons. If I get any information about it, I will notify you immediately.] [Thank you for being so cooperative with the Holy See. May the grace of the God of Light be with you. Oh, I rmend you to prepare some hot tea. The troublesome princess must be almost at your mansion by now.] [¡­ The princess?] There was only one princess of the Holy Aperian Empire who could currentlye here. [Eleonora]. If she appeared now, things would getplicated. She would inform the Empire that Woohyuk had demonic energy within him. [While it may trouble you, please persuade her and send her back. And if the princess makes unreasonable demands, I rmend you to refuse. Although she was chosen by Ertia, the Holy Sword, she does not hold a lot of power and authority.] [Understood. I will treat her as carefully as possible.] [Finally, this may sound ridiculous, but don''t be too dazed by her appearance. If she realizes she¡¯s at a disadvantage, she will use her beauty as much as she can. Then, have a good day.] Rosenkreuz unterally hung up after saying everything he had to say. Since his attitude had returned to its original arrogant version, his body must havepletely recovered. As Woohyuk expressed his dissatisfaction to the man within his mind, a loud bird cry resounded in the distance. ¡°Kiyaaaaak!¡± The ck wyvern was a precious animal used as aerial transportation on the Eeth Continent. Only the Empire¡¯s imperial family could use one. At first nce, the Wyvern looked simr to a dragon, but was much smaller and less intelligent than that of a dragon. ¡°¡­ It''s fast.¡± Woohyuk looked up at the sky and spoke to himself. Leifina and Tinia rushed out of the mansion, wielding their weapons. ¡°My, My Lord! What is happening?!" ¡°Why is it so noisy here? Did a monster appear?!¡± They were wearing aprons as they were helping Hans in the kitchen. Their intention was to learn cooking slowly and gain Woohyuk¡¯s favor. However, it was an urgent situation, so Woohyuk didn¡¯t even notice their odd attire. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer! I will solve it!¡± ¡°¡­ Understood, My Lord.¡± ¡°Is something dangerous happening?¡± Leifina and Tinia stopped in front of the mansion¡¯s entrance with anxious expressions. Then, the ck Wyvern slowlynded on the ground. ¡°Ho ho ho ho ho ho! How interesting! I didn¡¯t expect to meet demons at the Hero King¡¯s residence!¡± A beautiful blond woman in a gorgeous dress jumped off the wyvern, a longsword by her side. Woohyuk approached her after telling the people around them to stand back. ¡°You seem to be a bit confused after crossing the harsh and tall Karlheinz mountain range. I am the Hero King.¡± "Huh? Certainly, he said that the Hero King was a good-looking man with ck hair and ck eyes... But then why is the demonic energy emanating from your body so intense?!¡± Eleonora ran toward Woohyuk and swung the holy sword Ertia. Grandia blocked the de, creating a strong upward current around them. ng! A cold, icy atmosphere. Woohyuk stared at Eleonora with a deadpan face. ¡°Why did youe here?¡± ¡°To seduce the Hero King with my beauty. The man who sealed demon kings and rescued the kidnapped princess is worthy of me!¡± ¡°You better give up. I''m not interested in you at all.¡± Woohyuk guessed that the real reason Eleonora hade to see him was because the northern front was on a stalemate and needed support from other small kingdoms. ording to Allen and Reina¡¯s words, several groups from the demon faction had joined the battles in the Enoa Kingdom, bing another threat to the Empire, in addition to the Queen of Thorns Alice. The Pdins and the high-ranking priests of the Holy See were most probably struggling to fight them. In this situation, if Nigel, the Lich Lord of the Norton Kingdom, were to lead the undead army to the south, the Holy Aperian Empire would suffer considerable damage. Before that were to happen, it was best to end the war with the Enoa Kingdom. However, from Woohyuk''s point of view, it was wiser to have the Empire¡¯s main force remain stuck on the northern front. ¡°You¡¯ve been insisting that you are the Hero King¡­ but do you have any proof? You¡¯re not telling me to believe you unconditionally despite that evil energy in you, right?¡± ¡°Here, take a look. This is the item that Rosenkreuz gave me.¡± When Eleonora retreated a few steps, Woohyuk took out the Informant¡¯s Messages as if he had been waiting for this moment. Eleonora''s eyes widened when she saw it. ¡°Exclusive artifacts of the Pontifical Office of Castineon...¡± ¡°You can ask Rosenkreuz if you want to hear his testimony. You do know that he recognized me as a representative of the God of Light, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather die than have to talk with that fanatic.¡± Within the Holy Aperian Empire, the imperial power and the papacy had been in conflict since 10 years ago. Because of this, Eleonora grew up under Pronoia''s monitoring from a young age and had a particrly strong resentment to the Holy See. The reason she hade to meet Woohyuk on her own was because she didn''t want the Hero King to be taken away by the Holy See. Even though she believed he was a devout believer of the Light Doctrine, she thought that with her beautiful appearance, she could somehow make him join her side. Woohyuk also knew about her thoughts, so he continued to talk about the Holy See. ¡°Yeah, Rosenkreuz is an inquisitor of heretics with a strong conviction. If I were really a demon, do you think he would have given me this token and recognized my existence?¡± He was intending to erase her doubts and increase his control of the conversation. Fortunately, the strategy certainly worked on Eleonora, who looked troubled. ¡°Well, that...¡± ¡°You heard from rumors that I use the power of the Death God, right? You may have misinterpreted that power as demonic energy. You seem tock in the brain department for what you have in appearance.¡± ¡°¡­ Ho Ho. I do hear a lot of people say that I jump to conclusions. But don''t be too discouraged. Despite my looks, I grew up with a high level of education from a young age, so I am not empty-headed in any way.¡± Since Woohyuk had praised her beauty, Eleonora covered her mouth andughed in joy. There was a high chance that she had made a mistake, so she was trying to erase all her hostility. Watching them from behind was Helena, who whispered to herself. ¡°Nope, she¡¯s definitely a moron.¡± ¡°...¡± A heavy silence followed for a while. Chapter 175: Empires Princess 2

Chapter 175: Empire''s Princess 2

¡°¡­ Who¡¯re you?" ¡°I am a Saintess. My divine power is probably higher than yours.¡± Helena stared at Eleonora with a coy look. From her point of view as Solomon''s lineage, Eleonora was an unpleasant person. If history hadn¡¯t gone wrong, Helena would¡¯ve been the princess and Eleonora would¡¯ve been a wandering saintess. However, Eleonora, not knowing that fact, responded with ridicule. ¡°What are you talking about? Do you consider me a rival or something?¡± ¡°Is that so wrong? My appearance is not particrly worse than yours.¡± If Eleonora was gorgeous and elegant, Helena was a beautiful woman with a sophisticated and innocent air to her. Her real personality was theplete opposite however. As Helena responded unexpectedly confidently, Eleonora turned to Woohyuk. ¡°Hero King, what do you think? Do you think that saintess is prettier than me?¡± ¡°...¡± Woohyuk took turns looking at the two women for a moment. Honestly, appearance-wise, both women were wonderful beauties. Their atmospheres were just slightly different, so it was simply a matter of taste. However, Woohyuk decided to side with Eleonora. It was important to make her his ally. ¡°I prefer Eleonora.¡± ¡°Ho ho ho ho ho ho! You have some great tastes!¡± Eleonora covered her mouth andughed loudly. Meanwhile, Helena stared at Woohyuk with a displeased expression. ¡°¡­Are you saying that you don¡¯t need me anymore?¡± ¡°I have to talk with Eleonora, so stay quiet, Witch of Profanity.¡± "Huh? Was she lying about being a saintess? Is she actually a witch?¡± Eleonora¡¯s eyes opened wide and scanned Helena from top to bottom. She could not feel any demonic energy. Rather, divine power was emanating at a ridiculous level. She didn¡¯t think Helena was a witch. ¡°It''s simply a nickname. Despite being a saintess, she likes to bully others and curse, so I came up with an eighth sin and named her the Witch of Profanity.¡± ¡°¡­ Ho ho ho ho ho ho! That''s a really funny joke! It''s been so long since Ist felt so entertained!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go inside and talk. I can''t have valuable guests stand outside.¡± Woohyuk nced at Leifina standing by the entrance of the mansion. He was telling her to head inside first and prepare a suitable reception. Leifina silently nodded and disappeared with Tinia. ¡°That''s a good idea. I also secretly stole my father''s Wyvern, so it would be difficult to talk here since we attract attention.¡± ¡°...¡± Eleonora was definitely an unruly princess, just as Rosenkreuz had told him. When she was around, Helena, the so-called Witch of Profanity, appeared polite. Woohyuk sighed and entered the mansion with Eleonora. ¡°But do you really have Lemegeton? If so, please return it to me right away. It''s our imperial family¡¯s treasure.¡± Rumors about Woohyuk had already spread throughout the Eeth Continent. There were watchful eyes everywhere, and Woohyuk hadn¡¯t disguised himself using the Jester¡¯s Mask, so people naturally spread stories about him. He had faked his location using the Informant¡¯s Messages to trick the empire, but it was inevitable that the Imperial Family and the Holy See had their suspicions now. However, Lemegeton was a magic book that could not be revealed to the public yet. ¡°Where did you hear such rumors? How can something that disappeared thousands of years ago get into my hands? It¡¯s not like a demon king or a witch would¡¯ve been in possession of it.¡± ¡°That is true. When I first heard the rumor, I was also dubious. I merely asked because I was worried the Papal fanatics would find Lemegeton first.¡± ¡°You must have a lot of worries. Have a seat and a cup of tea to calm yourself. Take a break.¡± Woohyuk, who reached the parlor, suggested a seat to Eleonora. Eleonora sat down without hesitation. Afterwards, she leaned slightly forward and looked up at Woohyuk with bewitching eyes. ¡°Now, there are only the two of us. You said you preferred me earlier, so do you have anything you want to ask of me?¡± ¡°¡­Maybe. Honestly, there are a few things.¡± Woohyuk deliberately looked down at Eleonora''s cleavage. Rather than having a specific desire, he was just trying to make her think her n was working. Meanwhile, he was setting up a countermeasure in his mind about what to do. ''I managed to avoid the crisis by tricking her with words, but...¡¯ Eleonora would not be deceived by his improvisation for long. Even though she was unruly, she was still an intelligent woman, as she had mentioned. The contemting Woohyuk soon came to an unpleasant conclusion. ''In order to avoid having her disrupt my ns, I need to get her to drink the love potion.'' His current ns for the future did not require the love potion. Therefore, the best option was to use it on Eleonora and bring her on his side. And technically, Eleonora was the first to use this type of underhanded technique. She was seducing him with a political purpose and goal in mind. Knock knock. ¡°My Lord, I have brought some tea.¡± Leifina''s voice resounded beyond the door. Woohyuk responded with a stern expression without taking his eyes off of Eleonora''s chest. ¡°Come in.¡± Creak. The door opened and Leifina entered with a tray. She immediately blushed in embarrassment when she noticed where Woohyuk''s gaze was directed. ¡°My, My Lord...¡± ¡°If you have nothing important to say, you may take your leave.¡± He was being unusually cold to her. As Leifina left the parlor with a gloomy expression, the corners of Eleonora''s mouth went up. Sheesh, he¡¯s just a horny monkey.'' He was very differentpared to the rumors. Eleonora had even put on makeup with care for ten hours beforeing here. She had heard that Woohyuk didn¡¯t pay any attention to a beautiful saintess by his side, so she was preparing herself as much as possible to seduce him. Honestly, she was feeling slightly disappointed. As she was at the age where she was interested in dating people, she had a lot of expectations for the Hero King. She liked his appearance, but his perverted and horny attitude was not her tastes. ¡®Actually, this is better. If he were too perfect, I might¡¯ve been the one to fall in love.'' In the first ce, Eleonora''s main goal was to get Woohyuk on her side by seducing him. When she leisurely picked up her teacup, ¡°¡­You shouldn¡¯t sit like that and seduce me. It''s harder for me to hold back.¡± Woohyuk suddenly stood up from his seat with a bewitched expression. Afterward, he approached Eleonora, put his hand on her shoulder, and forcibly stole her lips. "Hmm...¡± Eleonora epted him without resisting. Losing her first kiss wasn¡¯t a wastepared to gaining the Hero King. But she had no intention of allowing more than this. ¡®If he conquers the entire Eeth Continent or seals all the 72 Demon Kings, I might consider it...¡¯ But even if he was a Hero King, those feats seemed impossible to achieve. When they finally separated their lips after the deep kiss, Eleonora whispered to him in a tempting tone. ¡°I¡¯ll get scolded if I get caught doing this. But I¡¯m taking the risk because you¡¯re special to me.¡± ¡°What an honor. To be able to monopolize a sublime beauty like you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too joyful. I haven''t given you all my heart yet.¡± ¡°What should I do to make it happen?¡± ¡°Who knows? For now, be nice to me. Deal with the people who bother me or something.¡± Eleonora whispered into Woohyuk''s ear, as if she were casting a hypnosis spell on him. Woohyuk happily nodded as if he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Give me the names. I will deal with them right away.¡± ¡°Hm, give me some time. I''ll think about it...¡± Eleonora acted as if she were contemting while feeling ecstatic on the inside. Woohyuk returned to his seat and brought the tea forward. ¡°It is the highest quality tea that is popr among the nobles of the Rhine Kingdom. Drink it before it cools down.¡± "Thank you. You went so far for me.¡± Eleonora raised the teacup while acting like she felt touched. Even she thought that she was going overboard and was acting like a sly fox But it was working better than I expected. And most of all, it was fun. Even more so because the man was an absolute moron. Soon, she emptied the teacup and Woohyuk smiled in satisfaction. ¡°How did it taste?¡± ¡°The lingering aftertaste isn¡¯t bad. It feels a bit different to the teas at the Imperial Pce.¡± In fact, Eleonora did not have a hobby of sitting still and drinking tea like other princesses. She had grown up under the severe training of Swordmaster Granbert from an early age, due to being chosen by Holy Sword Ertia. Her natural temperament was now a problem, so Emperor Tiberius always worried about how to get Eleonora a husband. Every high-ranking person participating in state affairs knew that no ordinary man could handle her. ''Geez, it was disgusting...¡¯ To think that she had to continue her act with this horny man. While her situation looked grim, Eleonora regained her strength. Even if he was a pervert, the Hero King would get reinforcements from the western countries and support them. Then, she would be able to keep the Pope¡¯s minions in check. Eleonora was thinking about Rosenkreuz, the fanatic thatughed like a maniac and looked down on her at the Imperial Pce, ¡°Ugh...!¡± Suddenly, an extreme heat grew in her heart. Eleonora stared at Woohyuk in surprise, as he watched her with a smile. ¡®Did he try to poison me...?¡¯ He must have secretly put something in the tea when they kissed earlier. However, since she had drunk a potion to be immunized against poison a day beforeing here, his sly trick would not work on her. If he had really tried to poison her, she would execute him on the spot, whether he was the Hero King of not. Holy Sword Ertia was an S-ss artifact. It contained the power of the God of Light, so it could inflict a fatal blow to the Hero King, who was of the dark attribute. When Eleonora tried to reach for her sword, "Huh...?¡± The heat in her heart began to spread throughout her body. Her face had be red from blush unbeknownst to her, and she looked at Woohyuk again. ¡°¡­ So cool." She had fallen in love, and it was beyond her control now. The love potion had taken effect. With his n being sessful, Woohyuk spoke to her as he recalled the past. ¡°You used to love me. But you never revealed it honestly until the end because of your position as the imperial princess chosen by the holy sword.¡± In the end, Eleonora continued to confront him as an enemy and was defeated by him. She was then confined at the top of the dark and gloomy Sage Tower. Afterwards, she tried to harm herself countless times, albeit unsessfully. Woohyukter heard that she had gone crazy, but actually went to visit her. At the time, he had many other things to care about. ¡°It may be better to be honest this time.¡± This was the most he could do for Eleonora. Eleonora was listening to his story with an ecstatic expression, and Woohyuk clicked his tongue. Chapter 176: Kingdom of Winter 1

Chapter 176: Kingdom of Winter 1

After locking Princess Eleonora in the bedroom, Woohyuk decided to n out measures. The Imperial Pce and the Holy See would discover that she had visited this ce sooner orter. In order to avoid unnecessary suspicion, he had to decide on a lie with Eleonora and match their testimonies. ''I should also notify Rosenkreuz.'' Eleonora had visited him for the purpose of keeping Woohyuk from joining the Pope¡¯s faction. Rosenkreuz was aware of this fact, so he was most likely very concerned right now. So, in order not to dissatisfy him, Woohyuk¡¯s position had to remain neutral on the surface. ''I could join the war using this opportunity.'' Even if he had captivated her heart, he couldn''t stand by and support Eleonora right now. He still couldn¡¯t make the Church his enemy. Therefore, rather than participating at the northern front and helping the Holy Aperian Empire, it was better toe up with a cause of their own and advance to the Norton Kingdom. ''The border area of the Norton Kingdom can also be seen as a potential northern front.'' If Nigel, the Lich Lord, left Dreadlore and moved south with his army of the dead, the Lydia Kingdom and the Norton Kingdom would be destroyed in no time. In the past, they had conquered the Dane Kingdom along with the Rhine Kingdom to its west. The ex-necromancer Logan had yed a big role during this conquest, but Nigel also had the same potential. If Woohyuk informed the others about the dangers in advance, King Colesman of the Norton Kingdom would not hesitate to lead his army. When his thoughts reached that conclusion, Woohyuk immediately wrote a letter to King Colesman. The contents were information about Nigel and the dangers he could bring, based on his past memories. Since Woohyuk had done a lot of research before regressing, it was not difficult to write convincingly. After finishing his letter and signing at the bottom, Knock knock. He heard some knocks on the door along with Tinia¡¯s voice behind it. ¡°May I enter, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want to report about my tasks.¡± Since he had kept the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s throne empty for a long time, Woohyuk had given his role of king to the vassals he had left behind. Once Woohyuk gave his permission, the door opened. A beautiful woman in a red dress appeared before him. She had paid a lot of attention to her clothing since they hadn¡¯t seen each other in a long time. ¡°How are Silvia and her friends doing?¡± ¡°Everyone seems to like the Academy quite a bit. Thanks to a talented master, her magic skills have improved a lot. Silvia''s friends were Yoo Kayoung, Song Anna, and Undine. All of them are apprentice magicians with high growth potential. Woohyuk still couldn¡¯t use them in practice, such as battles, but he expected them to be reliable vassals in the future. He had the greatest expectation in Song Anna. She had a hidden ss called ¡°Child Blessed by the Seven Stars¡±, so she could challenge the Divine Thrones if she grew powerful. As Woohyuk received reports from Tinia, the door swung open again and Lia jumped in with a bright expression. ¡°Daaaaad~!¡± She was wearing a cute light blue dress Leifina had prepared for her. Woohyuk lifted her up and carefully ced her on his shoulders. ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yes, Mom taught me how to cook too!¡± ¡°¡­ What?" The usually dignified Woohyuk''s face was suddenly filled with confusion. Tinia covered her mouth and giggled when she saw his reaction. ¡°Leifina is terrible at cooking. I''m not very good at it either, but she was a considerable sight to see.¡± ¡°...¡± Woohyuk was speechless for a while. Leifina''s special dish could be served this evening. But if he didn''t eat it, she would be disappointed. ''Even though I warned her so much not to cook...¡¯ It seemed that she had gained an interest when Hans, the King of Cooking, arrived. As Woohyuk''s face darkened, Lia tilted her head and spoke. ¡°Dad, are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s nothing.¡± He couldn''t express his grievance to a child who was only one year old. After noticing his thoughts, Tinia gently leaned forward and whispered to Woohyuk. ¡°Instead of forcing yourself, why don¡¯t you give her a harshment? There''s nothing worse and more painful than forcing yourself to eat bad food...¡± Tinia was keeping Leifina in check in her own way, because she knew that Woohyuk cared a lot about her. Moreover, the golden dragon Lia was entrusted to her, so the trust between Leifina and Woohyuk was very deep and strong. As Tinia stared at Lia, Woohyuk summoned Carnelian. ¡°Say hello to her. She¡¯s your mother.¡± ¡°...¡± Carnelian looked at Woohyuk with absurdity written all over her face. As she didn¡¯t obey him, Woohyuk asked her, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the being who gave birth to me was Arcana, the Red Dragon King?¡± ¡°Arcana is dead. So you need someone else to care for you and raise you.¡± Therefore, Tinia was going to be her adoptive mother. At Woohyuk''s exnation, Carnelian slightly bowed to Tinia. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± ¡°Oh my, you''re leaving such a cute child with me? Thank you so much." Tinia smiled like an angel and hugged Carnelian. With this, she could face Leifina as equal rivals. In addition, she was in a very good mood because Woohyuk had recently granted her a vast territory in the Dane Kingdom. ¡°You two will get along very well. Carnelian is a red dragon, so she has a fiery personality.¡± ¡°¡­ I hope that was apliment.¡± Tinia pouted and turned her head to the side. Lia giggled and extended her hand at Carnelian. ¡°Hi, I''m Lia! Nice to meet you!¡± ¡°¡­ Yeah, me too.¡± The small hands of the two young dragons united. A bond was formed between them for being of the same race Woohyuk spoke to them all after watching their exchange. ¡°Carnelian was subjected to severe torture and needs treatment for a while. She will receive psychotherapy from a specialist, so pay special attention to her.¡± Incidentally, there was a renowned doctor in this field in Leifina''s fief. And if he also ordered Alphone, who could peer into souls, to help the specialist during the treatment, there would be some positive results. Carnelian would be one of his main forces in the future, so this treatment couldn''t be neglected. Tinia nodded with a serious expression. ¡°I won''t disappoint you. I will do my best.¡± The man she loved believed in her and had entrusted her with an important task. She could not neglect it. As Tinia patted Carnelian with a determined look, Knock knock. This time, Dexter¡¯s voice resounded behind the door. ¡°My Lord, this is Dexter.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Woohyuk had called Dexter for equipment customization. Since he had explored many historical sites so far, he had numerous artifacts piling up in his possession. It was a good opportunity to try to upgrade his equipment. ¡°What mission will you give me this time?¡± ¡°I''ll give you some items I don''t need, so find out what kind of higher-level equipment you can produce with them.¡± When it came to equipment production, it was difficult to create new items and production methods unless it was done by a craftsman-ss like a cksmith. Woohyuk knew of many production methods, but Runesmith Dexter would be able to create better items than him. Dexter''s eyes widened when Woohyuk took out the items he had collected. ¡°Just, just where did you obtain all of these items¡­?¡± ¡°I explored countless ruins strategically.¡± ces with moderate rewards were excluded from his ns. As a result, all the items in his possession were of high quality. One could not find better materials than these to be able to create high-grade equipment ¡°I, I will do my very best.¡± "Wait. There is something you need to do before that.¡± Woohyuk pulled out a rather short and transparent string from his pocket. Then he tied it to Dexter''s wrist. [The Shackles of the Prisoner of War has been activated.] [You can be remotely controlled by the person who shackled you, and your location will be revealed to them in real time.] [The shackles cannot be removed unless the other party''s permission is given.] A series of system messages appeared before Dexter''s eyes. ¡°This, this is...¡± ¡°It''s a control device. It would be troublesome if you turned your back on me.¡± Dexter hadn¡¯t been Woohyuk''s vassal for long. So if he got blinded by greed, he could throw away his own territory in the Dane Kingdom and run away. Considering the value of the items entrusted to him, Woohyuk had to take these extreme measures. "Please don¡¯t worry. If he shows any suspicious signs, I will kick his ass.¡± Tinia nced at Dexter with a confident expression. Since their fiefs were adjacent to each other, it was easy to know what the other was doing. ¡°Then I should resurrect the Valkyrie now.¡± Now that the internal arrangements were over, Woohyuk stood up from his seat. Afterwards, he summoned his vassals in front of the mansion and ordered Sieg to bring Brynhild''s coffin. ¡°Does it have to be outside?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t have Leifina¡¯s mansion potentially copse by doing it inside.¡± It was a ceremony to summon the soul of the demigod Valkyrie. He didn''t know what kind of effects it would have or what unexpected things would happen. The blue sky gradually darkened as Woohyuk drew the White Ghost King¡¯s stigma in the air with a serious expression. A total sr eclipse caused by a red moon. When the sunpletely disappeared, a dark portal appeared before Woohyuk, and the White Ghost King emerged. ¡°You called, Lord Asura?¡± ¡°I''m going to begin the resurrection ceremony now, so take over if something goes wrong.¡± He had to prepare for the worst case scenario. When the White Ghost King knelt down on one knee in obedience, Woohyuk took out the Valkyrie''s Dagger. ¡°Rejoice, Sieg. Today is the day you reunite with your old lover.¡± ¡°If you save Brynhild, I will offer Tinia as your queen.¡± He just didn''t know when to give up. Woohyuk looked at Sieg with a tired expression and then concentrated on the ritual again. Rumble. The Valkyrie''s Dagger emanated a brilliant energy like an aurora, and it circled around Brynhild''s coffin. Shortly thereafter, a dazzling pir of light descended from the ck sky and lit up Brynhild. ''This is taking a long time.'' Perhaps the Valkyrie''s soul was in heaven. As Woohyuk stared up at the source of the pir of light, Brynhild gently opened her eyes inside the coffin. ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Brynhild!¡± Seek ran towards her with a thrilled look. A reunion after thousands of years. The two hugged each other in silence for a while. ¡°But Sieg, why do you have demonic energy inside you¡­?¡± ¡°This man here saved me. If it weren¡¯t for him, I wouldn''t be here today.¡± Back then, Sieg was extending his life after having signed a contract with Kriemhild. Therefore, he should have disappeared together with Kriemhild after her death. At Sieg''s exnation, Brynhild looked at Woohyuk in surprise. ¡°You saved Sieg¡­ Although you are a demon, I must thank you.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re truly thankful, I''ll need something in return.¡± Woohyuk spoke as he held out the Valkyrie''s Dagger. He is a monarch who never made losses. He already had a n on how to use Brynhild during this expedition. Chapter 177: Kingdom of Winter 2

Chapter 177: Kingdom of Winter 2

After tasting Leifina''s terrible ¡®special¡¯ dish with the others, Woohyuk used Brynhild to establish the cause of his uing conquest. Originally, the Valkyrie was a vassal of the God of Light. She was called the Maiden of the Battlefield and was a demigod who fought against the demon faction. Therefore, if Woohyuk dered that he would overthrow Nigel, the Lich Lord, under Brynhild''s orders, the Holy See would support his decision. He was the Hero King who had defeated demon kings and protected several small kingdoms, so it wouldn¡¯t be particrly strange if the Valkyrie appeared before him. In fact, Rosenkreuz was also somewhat convinced. ¡°It seems that the princess returned safely.¡± Leading the army of elites at the forefront and traversing the snow-covered wilderness was Woohyuk. He was secretlymunicating with Eleonora through artifacts. Eleonora waspletely obsessed with Woohyuk and was listening to his every order. ¡°But will it be okay? The Holy See will be monitoring this expedition carefully...¡± ¡°The Norton Kingdom is famous for its harsh climate. So even the people of the kingdom don¡¯t try toe out of the fortress city.¡± Compared to the other kingdoms, the Norton Kingdom had a small poption but with a high poption density. In other words, the Holy See¡¯s area of influence was limited. It would be difficult to monitor Woohyuk''s every movement unless they used crows and ravens to observe him like the Witches of the Seven Sins did. As Woohyuk reassured Sieg, Brynhild, who was traveling with them on horseback, intervened in the conversation. ¡°It seems like the witches are already monitoring you.¡± She raised her gaze at the ck crows circling around them. ¡°Then get rid of them with your power of light.¡± ¡°Understood. I was also finding them very bothersome.¡± Brynhild nodded and summoned the Valkyrie''s Spear. She recited a spell and a white bolt of lightning fell from the cold blue sky and turned the crows into barbecue. ¡°Incredible. As I expected of you, Brynhild.¡± ¡°That was nothing. I¡¯m not as strong as I used to be.¡± Because of her love for humans, Brynhild was subjected to considerable limitations by the system. She couldn''t return to heaven and couldn''t properly use her abilities as a Valkyrie. However, her magic abilities were superior to most wisemen and sages. ¡°I¡¯m suddenly reminded of the past. Back when we were thinking of our simple yet cosy future together in a small cottage. Maybe I was too greedy back then...¡± ¡°Don''t me yourself, Sieg. I chose tomit suicide at that time because I had my own reason.¡± Brynhild hadn¡¯t killed herself due to mere shock. She had received advice from the Goddesses of Fate when she was cast out of heaven. Only by killing herself could she regain her lost loser. At Brynhild''s exnation, Sieg went silent and quietly grabbed her hand. Afterwards, the romantic atmosphere between the two continued. ¡°How nice. Your passion is so hot that it¡¯s difficult to withstand the heat even in this cold weather.¡± Helena interrupted the mood with a bleak look. Woohyuk then turned to her. ¡°Don''t be so jealous, Witch of Profanity. You didn¡¯t evenin back in the tropical areas of the Talis Kingdom. Why are you being so grumpy now?¡± ¡°Back then, I had no energy to speak at all. I''m a saintess, so I couldn''t wear exposed clothes like the ve girl you were bringing with you.¡± The female ve Helena was referring to was Cynthia. She did not return with Woohyuk and remained with the Talis Kingdom¡¯s new ruler, Hong Yuri, representing the interests of the liberated ves. However, once the Talis Kingdom regained stability, she was nning to return to Woohyuk¡¯s side. When Woohyuk didn''tment about her, Helena looked at him with suspicious eyes. ¡°You, you didn¡¯t spend a night with her, did you? Although her skin was dark, she was quite the beauty...¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t hold back on your words, do you? And even if I had, would it be a problem? As long as I make up my mind, I can sleep with any number of women right away.¡± ¡°But you are deliberately holding yourself back. You no longer want to see a woman who gave herself to you to meet a tragic end.¡± ¡°...¡± When his past with Lucretia was mentioned, the glint in Woohyuk''s eyes changed sharply. As he turned and stared at Helena, Sieg pointed forward with his finger. ¡°We seem to have arrived. It''s Gettingsburg, the capital of the Norton Kingdom.¡± A giant bronze giant, the symbol of Gettingsburg, could be seen in the distance. Woohyuk pulled onto his reins after withdrawing his gaze from Helena. ¡°We must hurry. Negotiations with Colesman must be finished before sunset.¡± Although King Colesman weed this expedition, he was wary of Woohyuk. He had heard rumors Woohyuk was expanding his power rapidly in the western region, and also had demons and undead as subordinates. ''It wouldn''t be a bad idea to get my hands on the Norton royal family''s treasures using this opportunity.'' Stormde Cardion and the Frost Queen¡¯s Ne. If those two artifacts were to get into the hands of enemies, things would get troublesome. Woohyuk ran on his horse as he recalled the Norton Kingdom¡¯s myth rted to the Frost Giants. *** An audience chamber decorated with colorful and gargantuan candlesticks. King Colesman of the Norton Kingdom was discussing with Woohyuk and hispanions about Nigel, the Lich Lord. ¡°I have been fighting against the undead army for 20 years during my reign, but I didn''t know there was such a being. Thanks to you, we will be able to avoid a big catastrophe.¡± ¡°Have you ever thought about searching the area around Dreadlore?¡± ¡°We couldn''t do that. The undead forces there are too strong. And there is a prophecy that has been passed down in this kingdom since a long time ago.¡± If you disturb the slumber of the dead in Dreadlore, the kingdom will be destroyed. As it was recorded in famous ancient documents, the Norton royal family was only preventing the undead forces in the north from going south. Woohyuk nodded at those words ''The Norton Kingdom was once ruled by Nakron.'' The fear of the dead probably rose sky-high back then. Therefore, even though thousands of years had passed, the Norton Kingdom¡¯s army did not dare to attack Dreadlore. There was a folktale that Nakron was sleeping in the Dreadlore with his vassals. ¡°With the protection of the God of Light, Nigel can easily be defeated. The problem is the others.¡± ¡°¡­ Certainly, the Witch Cultists are troublemakers. Recently, they have been expanding their influence in various areas, and they¡¯re not easy to deal with.¡± In addition, there were rumors that the Witch of Greed was aiming for the treasures of the royal family. Colesman couldn¡¯t help but be alert. As he made an anxious look, Brynhild smiled brightly as she prepared to speak. "Please do not worry. Light always wins against darkness.¡± The dazzling light had the power to drive out the darkness. So, Woohyuk, who had been chosen as the warrior of the God of Light, would solve everything. Colesman, a Light Doctrine devotee, nodded at Brynhild''s argument. ¡°I am so d you are here with us, Valkyrie Brynhild. The myth says that you died centuries ago, but it seems it wasn''t true.¡± ¡°Legends and myths are not always true. The same goes for the old books in the library.¡± Brynhild wrapped herself with her white wings. Colesman was temporarily fascinated by her graceful figure. ¡°¡­ In any case, please inform me if there is anything you need. Our situation is not very good, but we will actively help your expedition.¡± ¡°Thank you. Then please provide a military map of the northwest region and the information you have recently collected.¡± Woohyuk demanded the necessary things in order to defeat the undead. Colesman immediately nced at the officer next to him, ordering him to bring the relevant documents. ¡°This is all we know. However, King of Rhine, there are distasteful rumors about you going around...¡± ¡°What rumors are you talking about?¡± ¡°I have heard that you raise the dead and use them as subordinates. Is that true?¡± Whether Woohyuk used the Death God¡¯s power or not, the fact that Woohyuk utilized undead forces was a big problem for Colesman. He also didn¡¯t like that Woohyuk¡¯s poprity was rising these days, and that he used the Valkyrie¡¯s reputation to back him up. When Colesman made a face of discontent, Woohyuk brought out the Informant¡¯s Messages. "Indeed. However, the fact that I am a warrior of the God of Light certified by the Holy See does not change. I merely use the Death God¡¯s power as a secondary power.¡± ¡°¡­ How peculiar of you to wield the powers of light and darkness at the same time. I pray that you do not go down the wrong path and fall.¡± Woohyuk was a threat in Colesman''s eyes. If he had an impure heart, he could easily take control of the Norton Kingdom with a usible cause. As Colesman secretly showed vignce, two soldiers rushed inside the room. ¡°Your, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°We have a problem!¡± Everyone''s eyes turned to them simultaneously. ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°The entire undead army in the northwest is advancing south!¡± ¡°What?¡± Colesman''s pupils widened. Meanwhile, Woohyuk nodded as if he had expected this situation. ''He¡¯s going to make the first move. As I expected...'' The situation was very different from when he was in the Talis Kingdom. While Woohyuk had only brought his elite troops in case the Demon Kings attacked his kingdoms, this was still an official expedition. He was not moving incognito, therefore the demons were definitely aware of his absence in his kingdoms. ¡°Perfect timing. If theye towards us first, we can fight advantageously.¡± ¡°Do you have some good ideas, King of Rhine?¡± ¡°They will first try to cut off the supplies of each city. If we ce traps in advance, we can use their ns against them.¡± The one who was leading the undead army was definitely the Lich Lord Nigel. Woohyuk was already aware of his strategies thanks to his previous life. As Woohyuk spoke, Colesman ordered the officers in the room. ¡°Contact the lord of each fief immediately and order them not to dispatch their armies recklessly. If they leave the castles unattended, the situation may go wrong and be irreversible. And summon the royal armymanders here.¡± "Yes, Your Majesty!" ¡°We will ry those orders!¡± The officers moved urgently to fulfill their respective roles. Woohyuk looked at them and then turned to Colesman again. ¡°Are you not going to fight?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I am the king of the Norton kingdom. When I am away, who will govern and deal with the state affairs¡­?¡± ¡°It has beenmon since ancient times for the king to lead the army in wartime battles. In fact, during the reign of a certain great king, he interfered very little with the government during his reign.¡± The great king Woohyuk mentioned was Alexander. A person who believed that he was the son of God and achieved feats that everyone thought were impossible after continuing his conquest of the east. However, Colesman was a native of the Eeth Continent, and didn¡¯t know of him. ¡°That is only the case when the kingdom is in a stable situation. As you may know, the Norton Kingdom is in a state of great conflict between sses. Internal dissatisfaction has umted due to the long war against the undeads and the poptions are concentrated in the big cities. So what would happen if I were to leave my desk and office in this situation? Therefore, I hope that you, the king who received the Valkyrie¡¯s order, go in my stead.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand. Instead, I have a favor.¡± ¡°What is it? As I mentioned earlier, I will give you whatever support is possible.¡± ¡°During the war, I would like to borrow Stormde Cardion and the Frost Queen¡¯s Ne.¡± Woohyuk stared at Colesman with a confident look. Chapter 178: Kingdom of Winter 3

Chapter 178: Kingdom of Winter 3

Only half of Woohyuk''s request ended up being epted. Colesman only granted him the right to use the Frost Queen''s Ne. Moreover, he told Woohyuk to use it only when absolutely necessary. However, Woohyuk didn''t mind these results because he had expected from the beginning. ''There¡¯s no way he would lend me Cardion so easily.'' As its name suggests, Stormde Cardion was a powerful weapon. The weapon could cause a storm in a radius of 1 km and sweep away everything except the caster. However, because of its troublesome and dangerous nature, it was difficult to control it properly unless one had reached a high level. ''It won''t be very useful in this situation either.'' Attacks with a wide AoE were good forrge battlefields, but it would be a problem if the range was too wide. Therefore, the Frost Queen''s Ne was more valuable in the current situation. It could create ice golems and make the Frost Giants who would wake up from their long sleep obey the user. While Woohyuk was creating a giant ice golem by carving out a frozenke, Sieg ran to him to report. ¡°As you predicted, the undead army is trying to block the supply line. They are currently building a barricade-like fortress on the main road and attacking the wagons they find.¡± ¡°Keep monitoring them. Don''t intervene with their ns yet.¡± ¡°But will Nigel get caught in the trap? As a lich, he must be quite intelligent...¡± "He will." Woohyuk knew the Lich Lord very well. He had been training at Dreadlore for a very long time with the hopes of being recognized as Nakron''s sessor. However, Nakron ended up choosing Woohyuk. The Witch of Greed Angrboda must¡¯ve informed Nigel of this as soon as she learned of it. Therefore, Nigel was probably fuming and boiling with rage right now. Sieg nodded at Woohyuk''s exnation. ¡°I can understand his anger. Dreadlore''s right of session was passed on to a human instead of him, a lich who was of the same race as Nakron.¡± ¡°Up until today, Dreadlore had no true owner. So, when I show up proving that I am Nakron''s sessor, Nigel will be pushed out of power and lose his position.¡± ¡°Will you use that ice golem to attack Dreadlore? Its size is really gargantuan.¡± Sieg looked up at the ice golem Woohyuk was working on. It looked like it could potentially trample on 10,000 undead troops on its own. This ice golem wasn¡¯t something that anyone could create, even if they had the Frost Queen¡¯s Ne. To create such a powerful ice golem, one needed a great amount of skills and mana capacity. It was safe to assume that this was not much different from the ancient golems in the myths. ¡°It''s role is to simply draw attention. Dreadlore has been famous for its impregnable castle from ancient times, so we¡¯ll need a little trick like this.¡± ¡°¡­ As long as you motivate yourself, you could conquer the entire world, My Lord. Even with just a few troops.¡± Elite vassals such as Leifina, Bailey, and Tinia were not involved in this expedition. That was how much Woohyuk was confident in his abilities. As Sieg understood the will of his lord, Brynhild descended from the cold sky as she pped her wings. ¡°I have dealt with all the witch familiars who were wandering in the air. There were quite a lot of them. She must¡¯ve built a sanctuary somewhere nearby.¡± ¡°And Helena?¡± ¡°On her way here by foot. I was going to bring her together with me, but she said she was scared of flying. But she won¡¯t be in danger since there aren¡¯t any threats in the area.¡± ¡°I see. Her personality may be a bit strange, but she is still a saintess. Even if enemies appear, she can protect herself.¡± Helena was useful when fighting against the demon faction due to her powers. In addition, whenever she had time, she told Woohyuk about the contents written in the Nameless Tome and the Sangreal Chronicles. Thanks to her, Woohyuk was able to obtain a lot of useful knowledge. ''If I hadn''t met Eteria Rodinus, my ns would have gone seriously wrong.'' Only by restoring the Three Ancient Chronicles andpleting all of the epic quests rted to them could he prevent the uing catastrophes. The first catastrophe among them was the advent of the fallen angel Crue. ording to Helena, Woohyuk would need the reward forpleting the epic quest linked to the Edda Chronicles to seal her. In other words, no matter what happened in this expedition, he absolutely had to obtain the chronicles. If he failed, the dark future that Boetius had shown him would be a reality. By cutting arge chunk of ice from theke, Woohyuk determined himself. *** Dreadlore, the fortress of the dead. A blond white man stood alone on the high wall frozen by the cold. His name was Peter Logan. He was the head of the Reaper n, which ranked 3rd in the overall n rankings. ¡°Hmmh... I¡¯m so fucking bored.¡± Logan had to defend Dreadlore while Nigel was away. Angrboda, the Witch of Greed he followed and worshipped, had joined hands with Nigel. The two were eager to find a certain man. ¡°Is there anything interesting happening around here?¡± Logan looked down the wall with a distinctive gloomy expression. A skeleton swordsman with an old spear was walking right under him. Logan picked up a little pebble from the floor and dropped it on its head. The skeleton stopped and looked straight up at Logan. ¡°...¡± ¡°Ah, sorry, sorry. It was an ident.¡± Logan grinned as he acted innocent. Quite the nasty attitude. However, the skeleton swordsman resumed his march and continued his walk. Logan was quite high in Dreadlore''smand system. ¡°At least messing around with the undeads isn¡¯t so boring.¡± Suddenly, the events at the Labyrinth of the Dead came to mind. After long twists and turns, he had reached the secret room, but the treasure chest was empty. Although he had received a Hidden ss ¡®Soul Reaper¡¯ as a reward, he couldn''t help but copse in shock. Someone had reached there before him and had gained a better reward. ¡°Well, Soul Reaper isn¡¯t so bad.¡± He had the ability to increase his stats and equipment levels by harvesting the souls of the enemies he killed or to summon monsters. It was unsatisfactorypared to the Necromancer ss that could directly create undeads, but it suited his tastes. As Logan fiddled with the pistol at his waist, ¡°n Master, I have captured the men who were loitering in the area.¡± A heavily armed white woman with brown hair approached him. Logan raised his head. ¡°Oh, enemy scouts?¡± ¡°After briefly interrogating them, they seem to be deserters. They said they killed their vicious boss and ran away.¡± It was amon urrence in the military cities of the Norton Kingdom. The military¡¯s discipline has be disorderly and internal corruption had reached its peak. However, there was also the possibility that they were spies, so Logan did not make a decision yet. ¡°Perfect timing. I was thinking of something to do, so I¡¯ll interrogate them myself. Lead the way, Evelyn.¡± ¡°Yes, n Master.¡± Evelyn turned and headed to the ce where the deserters were held. When they arrived at their destination at the execution stand, Logan saw the men groaning, tied to wooden posts. ¡°Ugh...¡± "Please¡­ Take us in...!¡± They wanted to be Logan''s men. Even if they returned to their city, they would be hanged. The climate in the Norton Kingdom was harsh, so it was impossible to hide in remote mountainous areas for a long time. However, Logan shook his head as he didn¡¯t really need more soldiers. ¡°I can''t trust people who killed their own boss. What if you are dissatisfied with me and try to kill me one day?¡± ¡°That, that won¡¯t happen! I''ll do anything you want, so please give me a chance!¡± One of the soldiers shouted in despair. Logan approached him and tilted his head. ¡°Anything I want?¡± ¡°Y-yes! I''ll join the Witch Cult right away! Engrave the brand on my body!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± As Logan pondered, he put his hand on his chin. After a while, he drew his pistol and stuck it inside the deserter¡¯s mouth. Click. The sound of the gun recharging resounded, and his left index finger pulled the trigger. Bang! Gunfire resounded inside Dreadlore. "No way. I prefer to kill you and do something more interesting afterwards.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s...!¡± The remaining prisoners were shocked as they had seen the back of the victim¡¯s head explode. Some of them had received bits of flesh on their faces. They hadn¡¯t expected Logan to be so ruthless! While they had heard rumors of his notoriority, they didn¡¯t expect him to kill deserters who hade to join him. As the atmosphere changed drastically, Logan smirked and looked at the others. ¡°Anyone else? If you can entertain me, I might not kill you right now.¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone tried toe up with a n in their heads. Some of them tried them out, but Logan shook his head. ¡°How disappointing. Trying to make meugh with such a boring joke. Hey Evelyn, light them on fire. I¡¯ve made my mind.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± At Evelyn¡¯s nce, members of the Reaper n gathered piles of firewood around the prisoners. Afterwards, a magician shot a Firebolt, and mes rose towards the deserters. Grey smoke began to soar in the air from the center of Dreadlore. ¡°Arrggghhhh! Aaaaahhhhhhhhh!¡± The men screamed painfully as fire burned their legs and melted their flesh. Logan giggled at the sight, then spoke to them. ¡°If you want mercy, tell me anytime. Because I am the only Savior you can count on right now.¡± ¡°Kill me now! It''s too painful!¡± ¡°Really? Then I won¡¯t hold back...¡± Logan raised his pistol again. Afterwards, a hole appeared on the man¡¯s right chest. Bang! ¡°Aaaagggghhhh!¡± "Huh? My aim was off. Sorry, I guess I pulled the trigger too hastily. It¡¯s a special weapon made by Sir Aleister, but I wasn''t careful enough.¡± He had obviously avoided a vital spot on purpose. Logan stopped speaking and repositioned himself slowly. And¡­ Bang! This time, the bullet passed through the man''s right knee. Realizing that Logan was messing around, the prisoner cursed him. ¡°You damned motherfucker! I curse you and your descendants to suffer at the hands of demons!¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s hard to keep watching a man wither in pain. My bullets aren''t hitting the target, so I¡¯ll have to use another method. Evelyn, bring the oil.¡± ¡°I knew you would ask for it, so I¡¯ve prepared it in advance, n Master.¡± Evelyn pointed at the oil drum in a corner. Logan smiled in satisfaction and lifted it with both hands. ¡°There are infinite ways for humans to die. And this is just one of them.¡± ck oil poured out as he shook the container. Afterwards, the mes encroached on the soldiers and soared like crazy. Logan shouted with all his heart with an expression full of joy. ¡°Amen!¡± For him, death was sacred. The fate that all mortals had to ept. It was liberation and salvation, but on the one hand, it was also truth. Simr values as Aleister Crowley. That was why he had chosen to work with Logan. In the midst of this frantic execution, ¡°n Master! There¡¯s trouble!¡± A member of the Reaper n ran towards him. Logan spoke with an annoyed expression. ¡°What is it? My game isn¡¯t over yet.¡± ¡°An incredibly huge ice golem is walking this way with over 10,000 troops! ording to the g¡¯s emblem, they seem to be the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s army! ¡°¡­ Huh?" The finger on the trigger stopped moving at thest second. Immediately, he heard the cries of a cat from the top of the wall. ¡°Meooow! Finally found him!¡± It was Catsy, the beastwoman Woohyuk had tamed as his pet. Chapter 179: Kingdom of Winter 4

Chapter 179: Kingdom of Winter 4

¡°A beastwoman?!¡± "Did she climb up the fortress walls on her own?" The Reaper n members who had gathered watched in astonishment. Dreadlore was famous for being an impregnable castle. Undead archers stood on the wall all day, keeping an eye on the surrounding., There was little exchange with the outside world. As everyone stared at Catsy nkly, the earth shook and the sound of heavy footsteps reverberated from a distance. Thud! Thud! A huge ice golem and 10,000 troops appeared on the horizon. After Logan executed the remaining prisoners, he took out the Orb of the Dead. ¡°Oh well, I have no choice. I need to wake up Lord Nigel''s vassals sleeping in the basement.¡± He did have to report to Nigel before doing that. When Logan injected magic into the orb, he heard a dry voice from it. [What is going on?] [A giant ice golem and the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s army are advancing this way. Asura must¡¯ve received Colesman¡¯s help...] Logan was well aware of one of the Norton royal family''s heirlooms, the Frost Queen''s Ne. Nigel sighed once he heard the entire story from Logan, including the mysterious beastwoman who had suddenly appeared. [What...? Some old mutt must have taught Asura a new trick. I''ll be there soon.] [By the way, did you not know about Asura''s movements? The number of troops he is leading here isn¡¯t insignificant.] Nigel was assisted by Angrboda, so he could easily grasp the situation in various parts of the Norton Kingdom. To Logan''s question, Nigel sighed as he responded. [They used the Valkyrie to kill all of Angrbodas¡¯ familiars who were scouting in the air. So, when I asked Angrboda about his location, she didn''t know. It seems that he moved around while hiding himself with the saint''s stealth magic.] [However, it is unlikely that they can conquer this fortress simply with a giant ice golem and an army of 10,000 people. While there was that beastwoman on the wall, other than her, I don¡¯t think that...] [With Asura''s current power, he could do it. He has six demon kings under his order.] Besides, he was a Necromancer. It would be a big deal if Woohyuk seeded Dreadlore''s rulership. Nigel wasn¡¯t nning on losing against Woohyuk, but he was trapped in Woohyuk''s ns from the beginning. Woohyuk had used his elite army from the Rhine Kingdom to protect the supply lines of each city. Moreover, most of them belonged to the Ragnarok n, so they were able to gather around Woohyuk at any time if he summoned them. Therefore, the tables had turned and Woohyuk hadunched the siege. ''He¡¯s quite the smart man.'' After conversing with Nigel, Logan clicked his tongue. Considering the current situation, he had to face Woohyuk''s elite army as well as the ice golem. Moreover, there were 6 of the Demon Kings. This was a tremendous force. No matter how impregnable Dreadlore was, it was unclear whether the fortress could continue standing until Nigel¡¯s return. Logan hurried to awaken Nigel''s vassals with the Orb of the Dead ¡°Peter Logan, my master has something to tell you.¡± After watching him from the wall, Catsy spoke out loud as she swayed her tail sideways. Logan lifted his pistol in annoyance. ¡°I don''t know how you got here, but die.¡± In this situation, themander of the enemy forces would definitely provoke him and tell him to surrender. It was a waste of time for Logan who didn¡¯t n on raising the white g. Bang! Logan pulled the trigger and an enchanted bullet passed between Catsy''s brows. But¡­ ¡°Meoow! That scared me! I¡¯m still not used to receiving surprise attacks, you understand?!¡± Catsy was unscathed. It was due to her hidden ss: Schrdinger''s Cat. But Logan was unaware of this and he scratched his head in confusion. ¡°What the? Are you a ghost or what?¡± He would not be surprised to see ghosts in Dreadlore since it was the fortress of the dead. But the problem was that she was Woohyuk''s messenger. As Logan pondered about Catsy¡¯s existence, Boooom! The earth shook and arge shockwave reverberated the air. The ice golem had charged into the wall of Dreadlore. However, the walls were enchanted with a high level barrier spell, so it remained resistant and strong even against therge impact. ¡°¡­ This isn¡¯t the time to pay attention to a measly messenger.¡± That ice golem was merely the beginning of the battle. As Logan returned the pistol to its holster, Catsy spoke again after waiting for a while. ¡°Anyway, he told me to tell you this. Hmm hmm... I heard you were working as Nigel''s servant in Dreadlore. I''ll be there to cut your throat sooner orter, so wait for me.¡± ¡°¡­ He didn¡¯t even ask me to surrender? I feel offended by his disdain against me.¡± But Logan didn¡¯t have the time nor the care to pay attention to Woohyuk¡¯s words, He summoned Nigel''s vassals with the Orb of the Dead Rumble. A dark blue fog began to spread in the fortress. Before long, three ck humanoid figures emerged and approached Logan. ¡°I didn''t think you''d wake us up, Peter Logan.¡± ¡°Is it an intruder? It¡¯s quite noisy out here.¡± ¡°It seems they were aiming for the opportunity when Nigel wasn¡¯t here?¡± The three of them were liches. Beings who had escaped the fate of death and had gained eternal life. However, there was a hierarchy among the liches, and Nigel, the strongest, led them as their boss. That was why Nigel was called the Lich Lord. However, he was obviously notparable to Nakron during his lifetime. Nakron was the true lord of Dreadlore. Logan also knew that, so he deliberately provoked the liches. ¡°The enemy is apparently Nakron''s sessor. If he takes over the throne of Dreadlore, it will be a catastrophe for us in this frozen kingdom.¡± ¡°¡­ Nakron¡¯s sessor?!¡± ¡°The enemy we were concerned about has finally appeared.¡± ¡°Nakron''s true sessor must be Lord Nigel. We must capture that imposter right now!¡± Three pairs of eyes shed blue and the liches lifted their staffs. They had stockpiled their powers for three hundred years, and it was finally time to show off their skills. *** Deep in the snow-covered woods. Woohyuk''s elite army was waiting for Nigel after concealing themselves with Helena''s stealth magic. Brynhild found the long wait boring and spoke up. ¡°But will Nigel reallye through here? It¡¯s true that this is the fastest way to get to Dreadlore, but...¡± ¡°He probably knows that I''m currently sieging Dreadlore with a lot of troops.¡± However, most of the troops at the fortress belonged to other ns who had just joined the war. They could all be mobilized so quickly thanks to the n system. Even with arge army of 10,000 fighters, the troops from the same ns could always act together anytime, anywhere. The n leaders would first summon the gold medal executives who led 1000-men battalions, and the gold medal executives would summon the silver medal executives who led 100-men squadrons. Brynhild nodded at Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°True, Logan may be fooled since he doesn''t know your face. There were quite a lot of ck-haired and ck-eyed young people in our attack force.¡± ¡°I brought the head of the Hwarang n from the Rhine Kingdom. She is now my vassal and is obedient to me.¡± Woohyuk had gathered quite a lot of n leaders as his vassals. He captured them and controlled the n leaders by making them sign contracts. The Hwarang n¡¯s leader Han Jangmi was also one of them. Suddenly, Helena intervened in the conversation. ¡°I''m personally concerned about the Valkyrie''s Ruins more than this. The Witch of Greed seems to be headed that way already.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Catsy is making back and forth trips to spy on everyone.¡± Thanks to her hidden ss, Catsy was able to teleport anywhere she had already been to. It was the perfect ability for a messenger and a scout. It was thanks to her that they coulde all this way without being noticed. As Woohyuk reassured Helena, Rumble. Dust rose in the distance and the undead army appeared. The g had two crystal wands crossing each other with a skull, so the opposingmander was Lich Lord Nigel. Woohyuk stopped talking and prepared for battle. ¡°As I said before, I will deal with Nigel. In the meantime, everyone else will deal with the others.¡± The elite undeads under Nigel''smand were quite strong. However, those led by Woohyuk were also elites who had been strictly selected from the kingdoms he had conquered so far. Although their nationalities and races were diverse, their unity was strong enough so that they wouldn¡¯t get pushed back by the undead. Woohyuk got on top of his horse and blew into the Golden Goat''s Horn, ¡°Warriors! Let us fight valiantly and achieve victory!¡± Sieg stood at the forefront and shouted to everyone, brandishing the Holy Sword Gram in the air. The soldiers soon began shouting in turn... ng! ng ng! ng! ng! The sound of metal hitting metal resonated constantly in the frozen forest. ¡°¡­ Is it an ambush? That''s unexpected. I thought he would aim for Dreadlore where Nakron¡¯s legacy remains.¡± Nigel stared in surprise on top of his skeleton warhorse. But it onlysted for a while. He lifted his crystal staff with a solemn attitude as his fighting spirit lit up. ¡°This is a lot better. Let us decide the victor without letting the war drag out.¡± Asura must have led only his elite army into the woods. He must¡¯ve sent quite arge number of men to Dreadlore for the siege, so he was most likelycking in numbers. As long as Nigel paid attention to the demon kings sealed within Lemegeton, he had a chance at victory. The one backing him was the Witch of Greed Angrboda. As Nigel began chanting, Woohyuk''s frosty voice resounded behind him. ¡°You¡¯re still as careless as before.¡± Verserios¡¯ de sliced through the air! Nigel hurriedly leaped off his skeleton horse in astonishment. The armored skeleton warhorse was struck twice, and it fell to the snowy ground. ck blood stained the pure white softness and polluted the air. If Nigel had reacted a secondter, it would¡¯ve been a fatal hit. As he floated in the air with levitation magic, Nigel stared in amazement. ¡°You, you...!¡± ¡°Where is Angrboda? We didn¡¯t see her at the Valkyrie''s ruins.¡± Woohyuk stared at Nigel and spat out some provocations. The surrounding air froze, and Nigel shivered. ''What the hell is with this... this overwhelming pressure...!¡¯ He believed that he had gotten rid of the feeling of fear ages ago. However, Woohyuk''s existence quickly burst open the dam holding back his trembling. As Nigel despaired, a voice echoed above them, ¡°You¡¯ve finally shown yourself, Asura. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± A group of red-eyed crows spun around in the blue sky as the eerie voice resounded. It was the Witch of Greed. It was Angrboda. Chapter 180: Kingdom of Winter 5

Chapter 180: Kingdom of Winter 5

¡°You noticed us sooner than I expected.¡± ¡°In truth, I went to Dreadlore first. But I didn¡¯t see you within the enemy troops, so I became suspicious. I realized that you were scheming something.¡± A flock of crows gathered and fused to form a woman. Angrboda revealed her true form, and Brynhild hurriedly flew toward her and shouted. "Be careful! That witch has regained considerable power.¡± ¡°Ho ho ho ho! I have to thank Aleister for that. I can¡¯t tell you what he did to me though.¡± Apparently, they had prepared a ce simr to the Memory Garden in the Dane Kingdom. Woohyuk unfolded his abyssal wings on his back and lifted Verserios. ¡°Is Aleister currently in the Norton Kingdom?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe, maybe not. Whatever the answer is, it¡¯ll be disadvantageous to you.¡± ¡°How hrious. Do you think you people can stop me?¡± Woohyuk had a rough understanding of their intentions. They were going to secure the Edda Chronicles and the Homunculus located in the Valkyrie''s Ruins. Afterwards, he would gain an upper hand over Eteria Rodinus and would expand his influence around the world. Both groups were trying to fulfill their desired future by using the power of the Demon God. But Woohyuk had no intention of dancing along in their tunes. ''I¡¯ll act ording to my own beliefs.'' He would ept convincing arguments and opinions, but he would not be dragged around. The burden he was bearing was just far too heavy for him to act recklessly. He couldn¡¯t let others make the important decisions, since powerful enemies continued to pop up ever since his regression. Woohyuk flew toward Angrboda with a determined expression, but Nigel blocked his path. ¡°Don''t ignore me. I¡¯m your opponent.¡± ¡°Get lost. You¡¯re just a mutt following the orders of someone else.¡± ¡°I was quite surprised earlier. Our power-gap was a lot bigger than I thought.¡± Nigel gently admitted his inferiority to Woohyuk. Woohyuk was just insanely strong. However, while it was impossible for Nigel to beat him on his own, there was a chance if he fought alongside Angrboda. ''As I thought, things never go ording to n.'' Woohyuk¡¯s original n was to defeat each of them one after another. But in truth, this situation wasn¡¯t so bad. The worst case scenario would be Aleister Crowley intervening during the battle, though. In order not to give him an opportunity to join the enemies, Woohyuk summoned the six Demon Kings sealed within Lemegeton. ¡°Do not hold back. They are now your enemies.¡± Even if Woohyuk were defeated and lost Lemegeton, the sealed Demon Kings would not regain their freedom. Lemegeton''s restraints would persist for another 500 years at the very least. The six Demon Kings absolutely detested the idea of being under the orders of other Demon Kings or Witches, so they prepared their battle stances. ¡°Hey, Angrboda! Nice job abandoning us and escaping to the Norton Kingdom on your own back then!¡± ¡°I will never let a bitch like you obtain the Edda Chronicles!¡± ¡°If my unchangeable destiny is to serve someone, I choose Lord Asura! Unlike you people, he has the qualities to challenge the Demon God position!¡± The three Demon Kings of Ars Notoria were particrly enthusiastic. Even though they had provided her a sanctuary in their territory, Angrboda didn¡¯t cooperate with them. As the powers of the Demon Kings raged like a storm, Nigel nced at Angrboda. She understood his intentions through the glint in his eyes. They would activate ¡®it¡¯ as nned. Angrboda nodded and took out a board with a red button from her chest. She then pressed the button, and... Zaaaap! A huge hemispherical barrier with a radius of about 500m unfolded with ck electric sparks on its surface. The soldiers who were fighting a fierce battle stared in surprise at the sight. The barrier had covered the entire battlefield. Nigel had only gathered elites in his army as well, so the overall number of fighters on this battlefield was small. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Ho ho ho ho! Aleister gave me a fun little invention. He calls it ¡®ck Demolition¡¯.¡± A magically engineered item that converted the mana inside it into ck particles and sucked in all the demonic energy within its range. Against it, even powerful Demon Kings would be helpless for a short while. ¡°Ugh...!¡± As his instincts alerted him, Woohyuk stopped his attacks. A feeling of helplessness surged in him along with extreme pain. The ck current in the barrier had prated his body and was sucking up his energy. It was the same case for Sieg and the other Demon Kings, so they could only stand in ce. With her n being sessful, Angrboda smiled cheerfully and looked down at Woohyuk. He was considerably sluggish due to the influence of ck Demolition. His other vassals were shocked and couldn¡¯t react quickly. Suddenly, Brynhild lifted her spear high and cast a divine spell: Judgement mes. Rumble! As golden mes swirled around her spear de, Angrboda red at the Valkyrie. ¡°Those mes remind me of bad memories. During the War of Gods and Demons, a Valkyrie burned my heart with those Judgement mes.¡± ¡°And it seems like you will face the same fate again.¡± Valkyrie Brynhild was not affected by ck Demolition at all. The same went for Helena and the other regr n members. There was no disadvantage for them since they didn¡¯t have demonic energy, other than the fact that they were trapped in the barrier. Meanwhile, Nigel''s undead forces were on the verge of copsing. They didn''t have protective shields against the erosion of ck Demolition like Nigel and Angrboda. In other words, this strategy was a great gamble. If Nigel and Angrboda couldn''t win the battle during the duration of ck Demolition, they would most likely end up in a corner once the effects subsided. A certain saintess spoke to the battle-ready Valkyrie. ¡°Leave Nigel to me. It must be difficult for you to deal with both of them.¡± It hadn¡¯t been long since Brynhild was revived, so shecked a lot of divine power. Helena lifted her staff and a white magic circle spread across the snow-coverednd, creating a huge pir of light. Lightning Strike. It was a divine spell that could exert high power in this situation, since everyone was weakened by the ck barrier. ¡°Urgh...!¡± The vignt Nigel hurriedly teleported himself to avoid the attack. Even if it was merely intermediate-level divine magic, the caster was a saintess. Even Nigel, the Lich Lord, would not win unscathed if he faced her. ¡°Are you intervening in this fight, you haughty woman?¡± ¡°Why? Can¡¯t I? You¡¯re always calling me the Witch of Profanity, so I need to show you my worth as a Saintess.¡± Helena nced at Woohyuk while casting another divine spell. Despite having sluggish movements, Woohyuk was still battling against Nigel. Sieg and the other Demon Kings were also helping him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let your guard down, you pretty little saintess.¡± Three dark humanoid figures appeared behind Helena as one of them spoke with a deep voice. Nigel had summoned the liches in Dreadlore since the situation had be unfavorable. Despite the dangerous surprise attack, Helena smiled with ease. ¡°Oh, but I haven¡¯t let my guard down at all.¡± Golden mes encircled Helena''s body in the shape of an angel. Liches running toward her burned down and melted into nothingness, and Angrboda''s eyes widened. "Don¡¯t tell me¡­ are you...?" There was only one saint who could possess that level of divine power. During Angrboda¡¯s astonishment, the Valkyrie''s spear bolted towards her face. Swooosh! ¡°You shouldn¡¯t look away during a fight. Are you looking down on me?¡± Despite having her abilities limited, Brynhild was still a bona fide Valkyrie. She pped her white wings and began an onught, to which Angrboda avoided while frowning. ''We need to get rid of those bitches right now...¡¯ They could only resist Asura and the other Demon Kings¡¯ attacks for a short while. Nigel''s expression darkened as the battle became difficult due to Helena''s intervention. ¡°Ugh... We¡¯ll have to use ourst resort now.¡± Demonic energy had condensed in the center of the barrier due to the activation of ck Demolition. If he absorbed it, he would temporarily obtain immense power. Nigel lifted his crystal wand while looking down at the defeated undead troops. Swoooooooooooooooooosh! The demonic energy which had been condensed swirled violently and began to get sucked into Nigel''s body. Angrboda clicked her tongue at that sight and muttered. ¡°¡­ That fool. He can¡¯t handle that much demonic energy.¡± If Nigel absorbed energy beyond what his body could handle and ept, he would physically explode. Since Angrboda could get caught up in the explosion, she transformed into hundreds of crows. Caw! Caw! The crows flew toward the edge of the barrier while evading Brynhild''s attacks. Shortly thereafter, Nigel burst intoughter like a madman as he continued to absorb the energy. ¡°Kekekekekek! I feel as if I could take on the world! Take a look! Are you still going to fight against me?¡± A purple sphere emerged from Nigel''s crystal wand. He then shot it toward Woohyuk as it emitted dark electric sparks. Boooooooooooooooooooooom! With a huge noise, the air and ground shook and a crack appeared on the barrier¡¯s surface. Cold sweat ran down the Demon Kings¡¯ neck due to the immense power of this blow. However, Woohyuk gritted his teeth and endured the explosion. ¡°Urgh...!¡± His demonic energy was not moving as intended. Even the Queen Star Snake Ghost could not absorb attacks of such power. As Woohyuk struggled, Nigelughed louder in satisfaction. ¡°Kekek! Kuhahahahaha! Just where did all your confidence and arrogance run off to? Is that all you can do?¡± Now that Asura couldn''t show off his abilities, Nigel had the greatest opportunity to kill him. If he managed to kill Woohyuk, he would be Nakron''s sessor. He could then unlock the seal on the throne and be reborn as the true Lord of Dreadlore. Nigel prepared arger purple sphere than before, but... Swoooh! A dazzling golden me bolted toward him from below. Having revealed her abilities, Helena had casted a stronger divine spell. ¡°Tch...!¡± Nigel frowned and threw the purple sphere into the golden me. Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom! The barrier shattered along with the sound of an explosionparable to a nuclear bomb¡¯s. It couldn''t withstand the relentless internal shocks. Meanwhile, the golden me was overpowering the purple sphere. ¡°¡­ Damn it!¡± Nigel cursed and imbued a lot more demonic energy into the overwhelmed purple sphere. Crack! A fissure appeared on his crystal wand which was emitting an odd smoke. It was getting destroyed due to absorbing an unbearable amount of energy. And the same could be said for Nigel. ¡°Cough...!¡± Nigel vomited ck blood and began to swell up like a drowned body. Before long, he burst apart and thousands of pieces of him scattered in all directions. A swirling golden me swallowed all of Nigel''s fragments, and Angrboda clicked her tongue. ¡°I didn¡¯t think this would happen...¡± Their entire n was perfect, but the only variable was Helena. And her presence had ruined everything. As the Witch tried to escape as a flock of crows, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Woohyuk asked with a cold expression as he raised VVerserios. The six Demon Kings were standing behind him. On the other side were Sieg, Helena, and Valkyrie Brynhild. Angrboda gulped as she stared at the powerful enemies charging at her. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Those were herst words. Chapter 181: Kingdom of Winter 6

Chapter 181: Kingdom of Winter 6

Dreadlore, the fortress of the dead. Logan was looking down at the remnants of the siege from the top of the walls. ¡°¡­ It was an easier battle than I expected.¡± Unlike his initial belief, this force was not the opponent''s main army. This attack was simply a diversion Even the giant ice golem moved to attract their attention. Fortunately, it was simple to defeat it, but Logan felt this odd difort. There was no news from the three liches and Nigel. As Logan stood nervously, a ck portal appeared next to him, revealing a blonde red-eyed man. ¡°You seem to be troubled, Logan.¡± ¡°¡­ Sir Aleister.¡± "Do not worry. Her n is going smoothly. They were simply sacrificed for the sake of our cause.¡± Aleister was referring to Nigel and Angrboda. Logan stared at Aleister in utter shock. ¡°What are you talking ab...¡± ¡°It''s simr to a role y. Nigel and Angrboda were... let''s see, they were the viins we needed in order to create tension and find out the whereabouts of the Holy Grail.¡± ¡°Then what is my role? Even if I¡¯m not the great antagonist who defeats the hero, I hope my role is long-termed. And if possible, I¡¯d like to have a breathtaking death.¡± The psychopathic Logan was more interested in how to die than how to survive. Aleisterughed cheerfully as he liked Logan¡¯s mentality. "Ha ha ha ha ha! Salvationes to those who long for it! Logan, the more I observe you, the more I realize you resemble me. I feel like you will be one of the Four Apostles in the future.¡± ¡°Does that mean¡­ I will be able to celebrate the end of the world myself?¡± ¡°Close enough. Anyways, let¡¯s move to a safer ce now. We can''t keep discussing the future here.¡± Aleister drew arge circle in the air with his staff. Then, the air distorted and a portal appeared. ¡°Are we going to the Demon World?¡± ¡°No, the stage for you is the Eeth Continent this time again. Here¡¯s a hint: you will be sent to the north-east.¡± The region Aleister was speaking of was the Aize Kingdom. A nation with a climate simr to the Norton Kingdom¡¯s and with little interaction with the outside world. It was the best location to scheme something in secret. Logan grinned in joy as he also knew that fact. "I look forward to it. I will soon have my own solo stage.¡± ¡°You are going to grow rapidly from now on. You will also obtain better equipment. We willplete the development of the ancient weapons over there.¡± They could find abandoned Homunculi in several other ces besides the Valkyrie''s ruins. Aleister smiled and reached out to Logan. Before long, two silhouettes disappeared beyond the dimensional door. *** ¡°¡­ Did he really abandon the fortress and escape?¡± Woohyuk muttered as he entered Dreadlore. Since the Commander-in-Chief had vanished, the enemies had raised the white g. ¡°Maybe he was afraid? You did defeat all his superiors, My Lord.¡± ¡°Logan feels no fear. He is a psychopath whocks emotion.¡± That was why he easily became powerful starting from the tutorial in his past life. Even though Woohyuk had stolen the Necromancer ss, Logan would still be a troublesome enemy if kept alive. But it seemed that Aleister favored him. As Woohyuk frowned, Catsy appeared before him. "Master! There are no members of the Reaper n in the castle. Logan probably summoned them all to his position.¡± "Alright. Then scout the nearby areas for now.¡± ¡°Meow! Okay!" Catsy raised a hand and disappeared. As Woohyuk walked toward the audience chamber of the fortress, Han Jangmi spoke to him from behind. ¡°What an eerie ce. No wonder it¡¯s called the Fortress of the Dead.¡± She was subordinated to Woohyuk through Asura''s power. However, she couldn¡¯t be called a demon since her soul wasn''t taken away. In other words, she was a simple servant who performed small errands. The n leaders who had surrendered to Woohyuk until today had also formed master-ve contracts with him. ¡°This ce was built a long time ago under the reign of Nakron. Afterwards, he reigned in the Norton kingdom for over a thousand years.¡± ¡°Then, there may be rewards for you left here, My Lord. Since Nakron''s true sessor never appeared until now, you may obtain some incredible artifacts.¡± Sieg spoke with interest at Woohyuk¡¯s words. He was an ancient hero, so he was quite knowledgeable about myths and legends. ¡°It''s highly possible. There was a clue about it in thest chapter of Nakron''s Grimoire.¡± ¡°Have you read the entire book already?¡± ¡°Ah, I recently finished reading it. I had a lot of free time since the carriage ride here was long.¡± Moreover, Helena recited the contents of the Nameless Tome whenever they had time. Knowing the contents of these two books was essential to ovee future challenges. These days, Woohyuk showed more interest in the three Major Catastrophes than defying the Eeth Continent. Brynhild smiled brightly as she knew of his hard work. ¡°As long as you make an effort to achieve your goals, you''ll definitely get what you want. There will be some disappointing events, but if it is to save this world, I will actively cooperate with you.¡± For Valkyrie Brynhild, who waswful good, Woohyuk was aplicated existence to interact with. However, after listening to all of Sieg''s stories, she had to admit that Woohyuk¡¯s goals were correct, and that it was right to help him achieve his purpose. She was a Valkyrie exiled from heaven either way. Woohyuk nodded silently at Brynhild''s sincere constion. Her help was absolutely necessary to prepare for the uing First Catastrophe. And since he didn''t know when he would have to deal with ck Demolition again, it was best to keep her by his side. The quiet Helena spoke up as the atmosphere became warm. ¡°But it was quite dangerous back then. It would¡¯ve been the worst case scenario if I hadn''te forward.¡± ¡°Did you eat all the chocte already, Witch of Profanity? No wonder your whining became more frequent these days.¡± ¡°¡­ Do you take me for a pig? Anyways, the Witches will be aiming for me from now on.¡± Helena had one of Solomon''s treasures, the Holy Grail. However, she had used it this time in order to rescue Woohyuk, so the Demon World was now aware of this fact. As Helena frowned andined, Woohyuk reached out for her. ¡°Give it to me.¡± "What?" ¡°The Holy Grail.¡± ¡°¡­ Do you really think I¡¯d give it to you?¡± ¡°I promise not to use it for bad purposes.¡± "No. It¡¯s not for sale.¡± Helena turned her head with a straight face. Brynhild also helped persuade Woohyuk. ¡°Let her keep the Holy Grail. The energy from the Demon God¡¯s power may pollute it if you take it.¡± ¡°Then show me what it looks like.¡± ording to ancient documents, it was in the form of a cup, but the Demon Kings did not know of its substance. So, in many ways, the Holy Grail was a very secretive object. As everyone showed interest, Helena shook her head stubbornly. ¡°That''s also impossible. As soon as its appearance is shared, I¡¯ll have less means to protect it in the future.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s too bad. But you won''t be able to keep it a secret forever.¡± In fact, Woohyuk could have taken it if he wanted to. However, since Helena''s role was important for his future ns, Woohyuk did not act upon those thoughts. When they arrived at the audience chamber, they saw a throne on top of a high staircase. ¡°So that¡¯s the Lich King¡¯s throne...¡± ¡°This is the first time seeing it myself.¡± Sieg and Brynhild eximed. The throne was decorated with various types of bones and skeletons, so it looked eerie yet dignified. Leaving them behind, Woohyuk started climbing the stairs alone. Step. Step. He was qualified to inherit Nakron''s legacy. As soon as he arrived at the throne, Woohyuk took out Nakron''s Grimoire. He then put it into the square hole at the top of the throne. ¡®The past Logan couldn''t do this.'' Since he had simply killed King Akunaton in the Labyrinth of the Dead in his past life, he couldn''t obtain Nakron''s Grimoire even if he reached the secret room. After a short while, Nakron emerged as a blue energy emanated from the throne. ¡°You have safely found this ce, my disciple. Good work reaching this far.¡± He was holding a small box in one hand. ¡°Is that a reward for me?¡± ¡°It was nned in advance by the system. Us spirits can help our sessor every time he gains a qualification.¡± ¡°So what is the reward?¡± ¡°The Elixir of Immortality. It''s one of the items you need to be a lich, but I wouldn''t rmend that. Because I, who reached the pinnacle of all liches, couldn''t obtain the Divine Throne.¡± After his death, the liches left Dreadlore and scattered around the Eeth Continent, except for Nigel and Serici, two of his followers. They were unable to give up on the Lich King''s throne and leave full of regrets. When Nakron told an old story, Woohyuk nodded. ¡°No one has ever released the seal I ced on this throne. That is why they couldn''t be the true Master of Dreadlore.¡± "Indeed. It would¡¯ve beed better for them to find a new home instead of staring at an empty throne all the time.¡± However, as time passed, a new Lich King appeared. A lich called Tyrion. Currently, he was growing his forces after allying himself with some Demon Kings in the Vulcan Kingdom in the Eastern Eeth Continent. ¡°I imagine I can only obtain the Lich King¡¯s Dark Crystal after defeating him.¡± ¡°It was originally an object ced here. So it won''t matter even if you go to Tyrion and talk to him.¡± Nakron handed the box and ced his hand on Woohyuk''s shoulder. Then, several system messages popped up in front of Woohyuk''s eyes. [New Title Acquired: Nakron''s Sessor] [All the dead asleep in the basement of Dreadlore awaken to obey you.] [You may also continuously create,bine, and strengthen undeads in Dreadlore.] [Necromancer exclusive skill: ¡®Sanctuary of the Dead¡¯ acquired.] [The Sanctuary of the Dead can only be cast in one ce, and the cooldown is 4 weeks.] [Inside the Sanctuary of the Dead, the stats of all undeads are increased by 15%, and corpses automatically turn into undeads every 10 minutes.] A priceless reward. It was worthwhile to use up all his spare time to read Nakron''s Grimoire. As Nakron spoke his farewells and disappeared, Sieg stared at Woohyuk in curiosity. ¡°My Lord, what happens if you drink that elixir?¡± ¡°I will literally live an eternal life. There is just one drawback.¡± ¡°What is it? Does your skin darken and dry up like a lich?¡± ¡°No, my appearance won¡¯t change. Instead, I will lose my ability to procreate.¡± ¡°...¡± In other words, Woohyuk would be a eunuch. Sieg shook his head with a deep frown. His darkest worries were about to turn into reality. But Helenaughed it out as she didn¡¯t think Woohyuk would drink it. ¡°You won¡¯t use it, will you? You have lots of women to sleep with once you achieve your goals.¡± ¡°I will only marry one woman. I don''t need concubines.¡± ¡°Phew, thank goodness. Tinia still has a chance to be a Queen.¡± ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t it about time you gave up on that idea, Sieg?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my Tinia? Oh, by the way, Silvia is very kind and cooks extremely well.¡± Brynhild chuckled next to Sieg. They were a couple that got along quite well. Woohyuk sighed and muttered to himself. ¡°I should just choose someone as my Queen to make him give up.¡± There was always the possibility of marrying Princess Eleonora. However, he was unwilling to marry a woman he didn¡¯t love, nor did he want to put her in danger. Woohyuk''s wish was simply to fill all the Divine Thrones and quickly return to his original world. Chapter 182: The Valkyries Ruins 1

Chapter 182: The Valkyrie''s Ruins 1

Woohyuk designated Dreadlore and the surrounding area as the Sanctuary of the Dead. The purpose was to defend against potential attacks from the Queen of Thorns Alice. While the Norton Kingdom had barren soil and cold weather, it had a lot of areas where Mandragoras could be cultivated. Therefore, they could inflict an effective blow on the kazaks. In terms of geography, it was close to the Enoa Kingdom ruled by Alice. The question now was who would manage Dreadlore while Woohyuk was away. It would be a waste to leave Sieg or Bailey, members of his main force, in a remote area instead of taking them with him. After contemting for a while, Woohyuk decided to choose one of the undeads who had awakened after the Lich King''s throne had reactivated. So in the midst of selecting applicants and preparing a tournament... ¡°Death Knight Huperion greets Asura, the new Master of Dreadlore.¡± A white-haired man wearing ck te armor came to him. ¡°Hmm¡­ you are?" ¡°I was themander of the guard who supported Nakron. And when he left this fortress, he put me in charge to protect Dreadlore.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± There is no need to hold a tournament. The former second-inmand of the fortress was right before him. Woohyuk stood up from the throne and summoned Verserios. ¡°Swear your allegiance to me. Only then will I allow you to continue your previous assignment.¡± ¡°I will lead my army to conquer the empire and offer it to you if you were to order me.¡± For Huperion, Woohyuk was no different from the sessor to the throne, as he had been enthroned through a legitimate procedure. Even if he was not a lich, he was the master Huperion had to serve with his life. All the dead, including him, who had been asleep until now were waiting for Woohyuk''smand in the fortress. ¡°The time is not wight. You simply have to protect this castle with all your might.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord Asura.¡± ¡°Then, let us pledge a master-ve contract.¡± Woohyuk descended the stairs and ced Verserios¡¯s de on Huperion''s shoulder. However, this was merely a formal procedure. Woohyuk had already obtained the title of Nakron¡¯s Sessor, so the master-ve contract had been created already. ¡°But where will you go after leaving the castle? My heart cries in anguish as I cannot stand by My Liege¡¯s side after my awakening.¡± ¡°First I will conquer this world. After that, I n to challenge the Demon God¡¯s Throne.¡± ¡°¡­ You truly are Nakron''s sessor. I have not known you for long, but I¡¯ve realized that My Liege is an outstanding hero.¡± Huperion looked up at Woohyuk with admiration. What an ambitious and powerful monarch. This person could potentially aplish feats that Nakron himself couldn¡¯t in the past. ¡°How many troops do you have under yourmand?¡± ¡°Ten thousand, My Liege. We may not number much, but it is an army that Lord Nakron himself recognized as elites in his lifetime. Before challenging the Death God¡¯s throne, Nakron had sealed them in the basement of Dreadlore, in case he would fail and not to return. He then installed a device on the royal throne to select his future sessor. Woohyuk nodded at Huperion''s detailed exnation. ¡°So that''s how it happened. I will be able to leave with ease and leave this ce in your care now.¡± ¡°Please do not worry about Dreadlore. Moreover, you can teleport here at any time, My Liege.¡± If a warp gate was installed using magic engineering, those who were registered in advance could move to the specific location anytime, anywhere. An example was the God of Light¡¯s sanctuary in the Holy See. And such a warp gate was also installed in Dreadlore. This was tremendous information considering the fact that even small kingdoms were unable to do so because of the astronomical costs of warp gates. Nakron seemed to have umted a huge wealth during his lifetime. Feeling the importance of this fortress, Woohyuk agreed. ¡°I will stop by whenever I have time. Until then, raise a powerful undead army. I believe you have the skills to aplish it.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me.¡± Huperion bowed to his ruler. When the conversation ended, Woohyuk left the room and headed to his own elite army. ¡°My Lord, we are all ready to leave. The morale of the soldiers is also high.¡± ¡°Good work, Sieg. But where is Brynhild?¡± Everyone was gathered there except for her. Sieg scratched his head awkwardly. "That¡¯s¡­ She said she wanted to see the deads who woke up in the basement...¡± ¡°For what reason? She doesn¡¯t like creatures of darkness by nature normally.¡± ¡°It might be something rted to the Norton Kingdom.¡± The Norton royal family had long been fighting the undead. But in the past, they were also a noble family who once served Nakron. In other words, since the tiger had disappeared, the fox decided to y the role of King of the forest. ¡°We mustn¡¯t trust the Norton royal family too much. If Alice decides to expand her territory, they may ally with her.¡± ¡°That would be troublesome. Oh, there¡¯s Brynhild.¡± Sieg looked up with a happy expression. Brynhild pped her white wings andnded gracefully. ¡°Did you find out anything from the deads, Brynhild?¡± ¡°Yes, something a little shocking.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It is said that the Norton royal family has been trying to uncover the secrets of eternal life for a long time. They have been secretly conducting human experiments.¡± Their desire was to be immortal and rule the Norton Kingdom forever. Woohyuk nodded at Brynhild''s story. ¡°It''s definitely possible. They would have ended up killed by Nigel and Logan in the near future if we hadn¡¯t intervened, though.¡± ¡°We cannot leave them be. We never know how they would backstab us in the future.¡± Brynhild also thought that Colesman could betray Woohyuk at any time. As she repeatedly emphasized the problems of the Norton family, ¡°Meow! Master! I have something to report!¡± Catsy appeared from thin air as she let out a soft cry. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Colesman ising here with an army! They¡¯re mainly cavalry and have about 30,000 troops!¡± Apparently Colesman knew that Woohyuk had captured Dreadlore. He must¡¯ve also realized that the elixir of immortality was somewhere in the fortress. Now that Nigel was gone, he intended to search Dreadlore before Woohyuk could obtain it. With a small smirk, Woohyuk summoned Death Knight Huperion. ¡°Did you call, My Liege?¡± ¡°There is something you need to do.¡± He had to allow the Norton Kingdom¡¯s army to enter the fortress. Then, Huperion would swiftly assassinate Colesman. That was the essence of Woohyuk¡¯s n. ¡°Understood, then I will go make preparations.¡± During his lifetime, Huperion was a Pdin of the Aperian Empire. The reason he ended up in his current state was because he was hated by the fanatics. He used to love the princess, a member of Solomon¡¯s bloodline. So Huperion wanted the ruling ss of the Holy Aperian Empire to fall, and had been practicing assassination techniques to kill them all one day. Having heard the story earlier, Woohyuk gave Huperion the task of dealing with Colesman to observe his skills. When the Norton Kingdom¡¯s army arrived, Colesman shouted to Woohyuk at the frontlines. ¡°I heard that you captured Dreadlore. I wish to go enter as well, so could you open the gates?¡± ¡°Your arrival is quitete. Are you sure you¡¯re not here to take all the loot for yourself?¡± Woohyuk mocked him from atop the wall. Colesman''s face turned red in shame, but he coughed and spoke again. ¡°It took a while to clear up the undead troops targeting the supply routes. And there is a treasure that Nakron stole from our family in the past in Dreadlore. I would greatly appreciate it if you helped me retrieve it.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright. Come on in.¡± As Woohyuk gave the sign, the Ragnarok n members opened the gates. Shortly thereafter, Colesman looked puzzled as he entered the fortress. ¡°But where did all your soldiers go? I would have mobilized all my troops to capture this impregnable castle.¡± "Who knows? Why don¡¯t you worry about your own life instead?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Surely not...¡± Colesman couldn''t end his sentence. Suddenly, a ck shadow dashed past him and he felt an intense pain in the abdomen. ¡°Arrrrgh!¡± When Colesman screamed in agony and dropped to the ground, the Norton Army pulled out their weapons in surprise. Immediately, they heard a dissonant sound resonate in the castle. Woohyuk had used the Lost Lyre. Eventually, as the musical performance ended, the soldiers stared nkly at each other with confused expressions. ¡°Wh, where is this?¡± ¡°I was definitely fighting against the undead army to protect the supply line...¡± Their most recent memories had been erased. As the confusion aggravated, Woohyuk made Sieg blow the Golden Goat¡¯s Horn to draw their attention. ¡°Keep calm. I will exin the situation.¡± ¡°What is happening, Hero King?!¡± ¡°Please let us know how we got here!¡± Because of the reputation he had built up, the soldiers relied on Woohyuk. Woohyuk coughed and spoke aloud. ¡°We participated in the siege of Dreadlore together. But everyone was affected by a wide-range hypnotic spell cast by the Witch of Greed. I managed to kill her with great difficulty, but sadly, King Colesman was attacked by Nigel and perished in battle.¡± ¡°His, His Majesty?!¡± ¡°His body! Where is his body?!¡± The Nortom Army¡¯s response was disbelief. Woohyuk nced at Sieg and ordered his men to remove the nket that was covering Colesman''s body. ¡°King Colesman fought bravely until the end. He handed this kingdom to me during his dying breath, asking me to protect it. He was worried about the little prince the most even until he passed away.¡± Woohyuk came up with a touching story. The soldiers nodded with tears, and wailing resonated in the fortress. ¡°If His Majesty said so, we will follow you, Hero King!¡± ¡°Hero King, please bring back peace to this kingdom!¡± ¡°We will do anything to be of help!¡± Aplete scam Helena shook her head and clicked her tongue as she watched from the side. Woohyuk lifted up a blue longsword that was lying on the floor. [Stormde Cardion] Type: Weapon Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Effect: Creates a storm in a 1km radius, sweeping away everything except the caster. It also leaves a Storm Stigma on targets that get damaged by this de, interfering with magic and skills castings. When 3 stigmas are stacked, all magic and skills are disabled for 1 minute. However, if the opponent is stronger than the user, the effect¡¯s duration decreases proportionally to the difference in strength. ''I now have all of the Norton royal family¡¯s treasures and heirlooms in my grasp.¡¯ However, the most valuable loot of this expedition was the Absorber Trigger that could activate ck Demolition. A board with a red switch utilized by Angrboda during the earlier battle. With this, Woohyuk could get an advantage in future battles. ''Is this all part of your n as well, Aleister?'' For some reason, Woohyuk felt that Aleister was encouraging him to grow rapidly in a short period of time. But whatever he was nning behind the scenes, it was good that Woohyuk¡¯s ns were going smoothly. He just had to be vignt and not be defeated by Lilith''s vassals and subordinates. Woohyuk¡¯s eyes shone as he watched the Norton Kingdom army cheer for him and shout his name. Now, onwards to the Valkyrie''s ruins. Chapter 183: The Valkyries Ruins 2

Chapter 183: The Valkyrie''s Ruins 2

After returning to the capital of the Norton Kingdom to take control of it, Woohyuk headed straight to the Valkyrie''s ruins. The Valkyrie''s ruins were located on a coastal cliff of the Scania Penins in the southwestern region of the Kingdom. It was an area where pirates frequently looted. ¡°My Lord, I encountered ckbeard''s men on my way back, so I captured them!¡± Triton shouted from the pirate ship that reached the shore. He was actually returning by swimming in the North Sea like Woohyuk had ordered him. As everyone stood in astonishment, Woohyuk heard a certain voice in his head. [King of Rhine, how is the war against the undeads going?] It was Rosenkreuz. Before replying, Woohyuk confirmed the location of the members of Castineon with his administrator¡¯s authority of the Informant¡¯s Messages. ''There are a few people in the Norton Kingdom.'' He was being monitored from the shadows. It was due to bing too famous as the Hero King. However, Woohyuk was nning to stop tricking Rozenkreuz sometime soon. Once he finished settling all the problems in the north, he would then take over the Holy Aperian Empire. Unlike the past, Woohyuk now had six kingdoms under hismand. The power of these Allied Forces would be sufficient to conquer the western continent. Moreover, he had gained Princess Eleonora as an ally, so it was notpletely necessary to wage war with the Empire. But he had to be ready for the worst case scenario. Woohyuk spoke back to Rosenkreuz after a short while. ¡°It was aplete victory. But there are still some remnants spread around the country, so it will take some time to clean up.¡± [You are indeed the warrior of the God of Light. I am very happy to learn that the forces of darkness are gradually disappearing from the Eeth Continent. But... What exactly happened with Princess Eleonora?] ¡°What do you mean? As I exined before, nothing special happened other than chatting about defeating the Lich Lord.¡± [Ah, you see, the troublesome princess is head over heels in love with you. Well, it''s not a bad thing, but I wanted to make sure it wasn¡¯t the same case for you.] Rosenkreuz was warning Woohyuk not to side with the imperial power due to his affection for the princess. "Of course. She truly was an unruly girl, unlike my preferences. Her face wasn¡¯t so bad though.¡± [You are technically not a clergyman, so I won¡¯t consider it a problem if you pursue that kind of pleasure. Even if you get in trouble, the Holy See will support you.] A political alliance. That was the key point Rosenkreuz was emphasizing from the beginning. Throughout real history, secr monarchs had often allied themselves with religious powers. However, as there were fundamental differences between them, friction could spark between the two powers one day or another. Since he did not want to have the clergy intervene in his affairs and preach their fabricated scriptures, Woohyuk wanted to end this rtionship as soon as possible. ¡°Several small kingdoms of the west will also stand with the Holy See. Although I couldn''t participate in the war because of the Lich Lord Nigel, I hope that I hear good news from the northeastern front.¡± [Don''t worry, light will surely find the way to fight off darkness and win. Well then, may the protection of the God of Light be with you] Rosenkreuz unterally ended the call again. Sieg spoke with a deep frown as Woohyuk put themunication device away. ¡°How long are you going to listen to him? He¡¯s bing more and more arrogant these days.¡± ¡°First of all, we need to restore the Edda Chronicles. We can deal with Pronoia after that.¡± Monarchs had to know how to ally themselves with the enemy when necessary. Those who couldn¡¯t make rational decisions that would benefit them simply due to their emotions disqualified as rulers. ''In any case, the first catastrophe is gradually approaching.'' The Advent of the Fallen Angel Crue. The only way to stop it was hidden in the ruins right before Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. Sieg spoke up when Woohyuk moved his gaze toward the coastal cliff that was engraved with a huge geometric pattern. ¡°My Lord, will you not question them? It would be best to deal with ckbeard using this opportunity...¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do that on our way back to the Rhine Kingdom.¡± ording to Allen and Reina, ckbeard''s homnd was an ind in the ck Sea, the area southwest of the Rhine Kingdom. They would waste a lot less time by dealing with him on their return trip. After leaving the pirate ship to Triton, Woohyuk walked toward the cliff. The ruins were hidden, simrly to the White Ghost King¡¯s Sand Temple he had exploredst time. It would take some time to enter it. ¡°It''s your time to shine, Brynhild.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Brynhild picked up the Valkyrie''s dagger and inserted it into a tiny crack. The geometric patterns engraved on the cliffside emitted a blue light, creating colorful runes in the center. ¡°It¡¯s a barrier made of sacred letters.¡± ¡°Yes. We didn¡¯t want demons to invade these ruins.¡± Valkyries were angels specialized inbat. If their legacies were abused, the continent would be in more chaos than it was currently. The security had to be thorough. Eventually, the entrance emerged and Woohyuk¡¯s party stepped inside the ruins. ¡°As I thought, there are no monsters here.¡± ¡°Indeed. But there are many traps to defend against intruders.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re able to neutralize them all, right?¡± ¡°Yes, this is a location for us Valkyries. As long as I am with you, the traps won''t get activated.¡± Brynhild took the lead as she brimmed with confidence. She knew the shortest path to reach their destination. Click. When Brynhild touched the statue of a Valkyrie next to the entrance, the sound of a mechanical device unlocking was heard. Afterwards, therge statue receded inside and a translucent box resembling an elevator emerged from the empty space below it. ¡°A transportation device, I see.¡± "This way, we don¡¯t have to take a detour. Let¡¯s go." Inside the lift was an area for passengers and numerous buttons with runes engraved on them. Brynhild pressed some of them simultaneously, and... Swoooosh! The device rapidly descended and began to move horizontally from ce to ce along empty passages like a subway. Before long, a surprising sight unfolded in front of Woohyuk''s group at their destination. ¡°I never expected anything like this. There¡¯s a forest inside the ruins...¡± ¡°And it doesn''t look artificial. It seems that the creatures here have been receiving divine power from that crystal sphere.¡± A transparent jewel shining and emitting pure white rays was floating from the top of the center of the forest like a sun. As everyone watched in awe, Brynhild chuckled and spoke. ¡°It''s Erdium. It is one of the minerals that only exist in the heavenly world. The higher the purity, the better the strength and capacity.¡± ¡°¡­ So that¡¯s Erdium.¡± A key material necessary to craft a certain weapon. Epion, the Godyer. Woohyuk had read about it in the Nag Hammadi Chronicles. Woohyuk had to use this opportunity and take the Erdium, as it would help his journey to challenge the Divine Thrones. As Woohyuk¡¯s eyes shone, Brynhild shook her finger at him. ¡°You can¡¯t touch that. If you do, this whole space will teleport to heaven. Meanwhile, we will be automatically ejected from the ruins by the system.¡± ¡°Then, do we receive something else as the reward?¡± ¡°Yes, you will be given the Edda Chronicles and Erdium of higher purity. You can take that with you.¡± ¡°Then I can also take that piece of Erdium on our way out as well.¡± ¡°¡­ Oh well, do as you want.¡± Brynhild gave up convincing Woohyuk otherwise and took the lead again as she sighed. As Woohyuk''s party followed her through the woods, he heard a horse neigh in the distance. Shortly thereafter, a white horse with graceful wings appeared behind some bushes. "It''s a pegasus." ¡°He was my personal mount. His name is Grane. He can walk on water and fly in the sky.¡± Being able to move regardless of the terrain was a great merit. Woohyuk could also walk on water because of the Mermaid¡¯s Kiss he obtained from the Sea God¡¯s Temple. He could also fly if he used his demonic energy and spread his abyssal wings. However, the more methods he could use to travel, the better. Moreover, owning a pegasus would greatly improve his poprity and erase the bad rumors about him. Due to the dark powers Woohyuk utilized, many people around the continent had bad opinions about him. The pegasus was one of the symbols of the Valkyries, so it was possible to improve his image beyond what the Holy See could ever achieve. As Woohyuk approached Grane, the horse snorted and stepped back. He was wary of Asura''s demonic energy inside Woohyuk. Noticing his difort, Brynhild walked to Grane and reassured him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He''s not a bad person. Sieg is also here with us. See him? Those two have some circumstances, so we¡¯re working with that man.¡± ¡°¡­ Neigh.¡± Grane made a small cry and looked at Sieg standing next to Woohyuk. Afterwards, the pegasus approached him and rubbed his head against Sieg¡¯s cheek, to which the fallen hero burst intoughter. ¡°Haha! So you remember me! Have you been well?" ¡°Neiiigh!¡± Grane seemed to understand human speech. As he circled Sieg with excitement, Brynhild spoke to Woohyuk. ¡°I will give you that horse in return for helping us. He doesn¡¯t get afraid easily, so you can also take him to battles.¡± ¡°I gratefully ept this gift.¡± Woohyuk nodded, approached Grane and grabbed the reins. He then climbed onto the stirrup, and a system message popped up. [You have acquired the Myth-grade mount, Pegasus.] [While riding Pegasus, resistance to skills and magic of dark properties increases by 25%.] [Moreover, feeding Pegasus with Emperor Carrots will greatly increase his movement speed for an hour.] Emperor Carrots were high-quality crops that grew in temperate climates. Although their prices were on the high side, the costs would not be burdensome for Woohyuk''s current funds. He had confiscated the properties of the ve traders in the Talis Kingdom, so he had considerable funds. When Woohyuk rode Grane as a test drive, Helena¡¯s eyes glittered with curiosity and excitement. ¡°Please let me ride him too. My dream was to fly in the sky on a Pegasus when I was young.¡± "Aren''t you afraid of heights, Witch of Profanity?" ¡°I can deal with it if it¡¯s not too high. Please grant me my wish.¡± Helena begged Woohyuk in desperation. She looked innocent unlike her usual attitude. Woohyuk nodded and reached out to Helena. ¡°It is a gentleman''s duty to ept ady¡¯s request.¡± ¡°¡­ That was extremely cringey, but I¡¯ll let it pass this time.¡± Helena¡¯s face slightly blushed due to the unexpected cringe-worthy but romantic line. She then climbed into Grane, and Woohyuk pulled on the reins as hard as possible. ¡°Fly, Grane! As high as you can!¡± "Huh? What are you do... Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± Helena¡¯s confusion was soon followed by a death shriek that could pierce even the Creator¡¯s eardrums. Grane had started to fly at an extreme speed. Watching Woohyuk harass Helena, Brynhild asked Sieg. ¡°Does he hold some sort of grudge against Helena, Sieg?¡± ¡°¡­ At the very least, I don¡¯t think he likes her very much.¡± It was the first time he had seen his lord so joyful while harassing someone else. Sieg scratched his head as he watched Grane speed through the air. Chapter 184: The Valkyries Ruins 3

Chapter 184: The Valkyrie''s Ruins 3

After messing with Helena to his heart''s content, Woohyuk and the others headed to the center of the forest. They saw a pure white temple with columns at their destination. [Hall of the Valkyries]. It was the location where the three Valkyries who supported the God of Light used to live. ¡°Eir died during the War of Gods and Demons. And since I ended up getting exiled, Alruna must be living alone in heaven.¡± ¡°Why did Alruna leave this ce?¡± "I do not know. Probably in order not to vite the system created by the Creator. I am not sure about the details though.¡± Brynhild''s resurrection was one of the events that had already been nned by the system. Woohyuk nodded and explored the temple with the others. ¡°I heard that there is one abandoned homunculus here.¡± ¡°Oh, where did you learn that? The existence of Homunculi shouldn¡¯t be released to the world, otherwise chaos will befall...¡± ¡°I discovered that fact while secretly studying the Nag Hammadi Chronicles. So other humans probably don''t know about it. Except for certain people like Aleister.¡± Currently, it was clear that Aleister knew about Homunculi. Brynhild frowned at Woohyuk¡¯s words. ¡°So that evil alchemist discovered our secret. We must never let him obtain Homunculi.¡± ¡°Are there Homunculi hidden in other ces?¡± ¡°Yes, but I don''t know where the Creator ced the ruins, so it will take some time to find them.¡± The system decided where ruins were created and destroyed. It is difficult for non-divine beings to grasp the system¡¯s mechanisms. So, in order to find out where the other Homunculi were hidden, they could only try their best to search and gather information. As worries and panic took over her thoughts, Brynhild¡¯s steps elerated. Eventually, they reached the depths of the temple. A circr space decorated with stained ss weed them. It was most likely a hall to hold religious ceremonies. Woohyuk approached the altar inside the hall and opened the gold box on top of it. [Top-grade Erdium] Category: Personal Item Effect: Crafting and alchemy material. With the perfectbination with other materials, it can create the ultimate item. [Damaged Edda Chronicles] Category: Personal Item Effect: Can be restored by figuring out the contents of the damaged part. [Gold Dragon''s Token] Category: Personal Item Effect: One of the nine tokens required to be a Dragon Lord. You can increase your intimacy with gold dragons and make contracts with them just by holding onto it. [Red Dragon''s Token] Category: Personal Item Effect: One of the nine tokens required to be a Dragon Lord. You can increase your intimacy with red dragons and make contracts with them just by holding onto it. ''There are two dragon tokens.'' Woohyuk now had a total of four tokens. If he collected five more, he could be a Dragon Lord. It was only a matter of time before he could conquer the Holy Aperian Empire. However, it would be better if he managed to craft the Seven Color Rainbow Ring, the Godyer, and restore the Three Ancient Chronicles. Helena spoke up after looking around the area a bit. ¡°Did you hide the Homunculus elsewhere? I can¡¯t see it here.¡± "It is here. Its appearance was just slightly modified.¡± Brynhild pointed to the golden device in the corner. It resembled a phonograph. In the heavenly world, it was called an ordium, but it would only y music if magic crystals were inserted in it. Woohyuk approached it and ced his hand on it, Swooooosh. The surrounding space shook like a mirage, and a boy with silver hair emerged. Its appearance was too simr to an actual human to be called an ancient weapon. Helena poked him with her finger in curiosity. ¡°This is surprising. I knew it was in the shape of a human, but I didn''t know it would be as good as this.¡± ¡°Homunculi know how to learn and study like us. That is why they are considered such dangerous beings.¡± Intellectually, they were no different from other races. However, they were not perfect beings, so theycked certain emotions. If people took advantage of a homunculus, it would be a weapon of mass destruction. Helena removed her hand from the boy with a terrified expression. ¡°It must¡¯ve caused trouble in the past if you decided to abandon it like this. I¡¯m not sure what exactly happened since it was not recorded in the prophetic book.¡± ¡°These homunculi caused an uproar in the heavenly world. In the end, the gods gathered together for a meeting and decided not to use Homunculi again in the future.¡± It was the gods who had made the Homunculi. They were alsopeting to increase in rank like the Demon Kings, so they needed weapons to show their influence and power. However, the Homunculi were so dangerous that they were eventually discarded and hidden away in secret locations. ¡°What is this Homunculus¡¯ name? He looks just like a demon.¡± ¡°It''s Roan. He was created by the Wind God.¡± "I see. So what do I need to do to reactivate Roan?¡± ¡°¡­ Huh? Are you nning to wake up this troublemaker?¡± Brynhild frowned and was slightly anxious. To reassure her, Woohyuk temporarily removed his hand from Roan. ¡°We have to keep in mind that Aleister could obtain another Homunculus. We can¡¯t sacrifice ordinary human soldiers to stop that madman¡¯s toy.¡± ¡°How are you going to control it? You need to make the correct decision. There was a time when the entirety of Valha was almost blown up by Roan.¡± Valha was a huge golden temple inhabited by the God of Light. Woohyuk spoke up with a casual attitude. ¡°I have an excellent researcher as my vassal. She managed to create a chimera that can wield divine power with the body of a dead saintess. She also invented a flying fortress that cany waste to thend, as well as magic engineered weapons.¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°The first catastrophe is approaching. We need to find as many ways as possible to reduce the damage as much as we can.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright. If you¡¯re that sure of yourself, I¡¯ll give in and help you out. However, I want you to swear that you will shut down Roan as soon as he goes out of control.¡± "I understand. I swear.¡± Woohyuk nodded happily. Brynhild sighed and approached Roan''s back. She then activated her administrator rights and began tobine a series of runes on the back, Whooosh! A blue me swirled around Roan, but soon extinguished itself. Immediately, light returned in Roan¡¯s dull eyes. As soon as he woke up, he began to cause a ruckus and shout loudly. "Alcohol! Bring me something to drink! I want to get drunk so bad!¡± As Brynhild had mentioned, he was quite the troublemaker. Woohyuk took out Akunaton''s Golden Chalice and created the finest wine with it. ¡°Here, drink up.¡± Gulp! Gulp! Roan¡¯s eyes shed red and he emptied the golden cup in no time. But even so, his voice didn''t die down at all. ¡°Now, bring me meat and women! I want to have some fun!¡± Thwack! Woohyuk''s fist flew into Roan''s face. The speed was so fast that Roan couldn''t avoid it. He rolled on the ground as the floor shook. ¡°¡­ Ow! Why the hell did you punch me!¡± ¡°You talk too much for an artificial being.¡± Woohyuk''s chilling gaze fell upon Roan. The Homunculus was frightened when he noticed it. ''He, he¡¯s terrifying...!¡¯ An unexinable fear grew inside his fake heart. As Roan quieted down, Helena spoke anxiously. ¡°But is it fine to hit him like that? If he self-destructs or something, then...¡± "Don¡¯t worry. The seal has not beenpletely removed yet. The Roan right now is no different from ordinary children.¡± Roan was in a simr state as Agnes when Woohyuk had first met her. He was in a state where he only had the minimal amount of freedom. He could talk and move around, but attacks were unavable. So Roan couldn''t fight back against Woohyuk carelessly, despite the fact that he was extremely upset right now. ¡°Why did you activate me again¡­? I don''t want to live while being used like a tool...¡± ¡°Is that why you rebelled against the gods who created you?¡± ¡°All the gods can just die! The same goes for this world! Wherever I look, everything is absurd and full of contradictions! The entire world is hypocritical!¡± Roan''s words were quite rough, not matching his cute appearance. Woohyuk sighed and picked up Akunaton''s Golden Chalice from the floor. ¡°Just drink quietly instead ofining like that.¡± ¡°...¡± Roan silently epted the refilled cup. Not only did he want to drink the finest wine again, he also didn¡¯t want to get punched by Woohyuk again. Helena clicked her tongue as she watched Roan empty the chalice. ¡°What a twisted child. I¡¯m not sure why, but I pity him a bit.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not one to talk, Witch of Profanity.¡± ¡°¡­ Do you have a grudge against me or something?¡± "I won¡¯t deny it." ¡°...¡± Helena red at Woohyuk silently. She was thinking back to when Woohyuk was bullying her on Grane, the pegasus. But Woohyuk turned away and acted ignorant. Finally, Sieg spoke up after having stayed quiet all this time. ¡°My Lord, who will Roan''s guardian be? In my opinion, Tinia will be able to educate this troublemaker properly.¡± "I¡¯m not sure. It''s not a bad idea, but I think Aris is a better choice.¡± Aris was well versed in magic engineering, so she could control Roan with more ease than others. Sieg made a sad expression at Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°A pity. It was a great opportunity for Tinia to obtain My Lord¡¯s child.¡± ¡°¡­ This kid is not my son.¡± Unlike Lia and Carnelian, Roan would be a considerable headache. As Woohyuk spoke firmly, Roanined with a gloomy expression. ¡°Don''t discriminate against me for being a Homunculus! I also want to grow older while receiving lots of love!¡± ¡°Then do something worthy of praise, you spoiled brat.¡± Woohyuk swiftly took out a leather whip. As soon as he saw it, Roan retreated backwards as cold sweat ran down his neck. ¡°What, what are you doing?! I¡¯m not some sort of pet to tame!¡± ¡°No, I think you need to be trained a little bit.¡± Woohyuk''s deadly whipping could tame not only monsters like the Kraken but also Demon Kings with pride and power like Amii. Brynhild whispered into Helena''s ears as whip cracking sounds resounded in the hall along with some cries of pain. ¡°Is that a fetish of his? His whipping skills are extremely good...¡± "I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ve never slept together before.¡± But for some reason, she felt like Brynhild¡¯s assumption wasn¡¯t wrong. Sieg coughed as the two women got enchanted by Woohyuk''s whipping abilities. ¡°Hey, um¡­ Brynhild. Do you want to¡­ uh¡­ try something simr tonight...?¡± Thwack! A fist filled with divine power came flying straight into his stomach instead of a reply. Sieg coughed andughed bitterly as he writhed on the ground with a pained expression. It appeared that he had said something unnecessary... Chapter 185: Dark Veiled Sea 1

Chapter 185: Dark Veiled Sea 1

After exiting the Valkyrie''s Ruins, Woohyuk immediately headed for the ck sea. His elite troops were stationed in the capital of the Norton Kingdom, so he wasn¡¯t very worried about it. Even if a big problem urred, he would leave it to Huperion in Dreadlore. He had a whopping 50,000 undead troops under hismand. ''The Sanctuary of the Dead attracts undeads from surrounding areas.'' Thanks to this effect, the remnants of Nigel''s army that had scattered around could be easily absorbed into his army in Dreadlore. As Woohyuk leisurely gazed at the horizon, he heard some screams behind him. They were the members of the ckbeard Pirates. They were currently being questioned by the former pirate king Drake. ¡°Did you find anything out?¡± ¡°Not really. They''re just low henchmen, so they don''t know important information.¡± Drake answered as he stored away his torture tools. Roan then intervened excitedly. ¡°Then let''s kill them all! Being at sea is so boring!¡± Thwack! A fist fell on top of Roan''s head. Brynhild red at him with a stern look as she removed her hand from the point of impact. Roan grabbed his head and rolled around on the deck. ¡°Why did you hit me?! Just why?!" ¡°Make some effort to be a kind person. Well, I guess that it would be difficult for a Homunculus that was abandoned by the gods, but try to act kind at the very least.¡± Brynhild was monitoring Roan. Even if his abilities were sealed, she never knew what he would do. While she admonished Roan, Woohyuk and Drake continued their conversation about ckbeard. ¡°Anyway, as the former pirate king, you must¡¯ve explored all the seas and oceans around the world. So why do you think Edward Teach decided to create his base in the Dark Veiled Sea?¡± ¡°¡­ He seems to have noticed that I hid some treasures there.¡± Drake had previously told Woohyuk his secrets. Woohyuk nodded with a convinced expression. ¡°As I thought. What are the treasures over there?¡± ¡°There are three in total. The Dragon Stone, Hourss of Time, and the Ptarmigan Egg.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m surprised you managed to collect all those rare items during your lifetime.¡± All three were items that existed only in legends. Drake coughed and began to brag to Woohyuk. ¡°Hehe... I had some wonderful adventures in my lifetime. I¡¯d need ten thick books to write down all the events. Ever since I was a child, I...¡± Since he was once the pirate king, his saga was quite interesting. Woohyun silently listened to him but suddenly raised his hand. ¡°Wait, what did you just say?¡± ¡°Erendia, the Cursed Kingdom. The ruins of that country is beneath the Dark Veiled Sea. The waters are very rough in that area, so I even couldn''t investigate properly.¡± TheDark Veiled Sea, also called the Devil''s Sea, was fairly wide. It upied most of the western waters of the Eeth Continent. Therefore, it was difficult to reach the Theresian Empire from the Rhine Kingdom by traveling across the sea like Columbus. Moreover, the northern seas had ciers and the southern seas had typhoons, so it was a nigh impossible feat to achieve. In other words, the Dark Veiled Sea was the main culprit that disconnected the east and west sides of the Eeth Continent. And the Erendia Kingdom was located at the bottom of this dangerous sea. Even Woohyuk wasn¡¯t aware of this fact, despite the fact that he had read most of the myths and legends recorded in the Edda Chronicles. ¡°Why isn''t that information written in the Edda Chronicles?¡± "Who knows? I''m not really sure. Maybe some contents were lost over time.¡± It seemed that the information regarding Erendia was part of the lost content of the Edda Chronicles that Woohyuk had to restore. Woohyuk lowered his head as he frowned and pressed his temples with his index and thumb. ¡°I thought I only had to restore the Nibelungenlied, but I guess I was wrong. Seems like the past Logan didn¡¯t know this either.¡± ¡°Logan? Who is it? Someone famous?¡± ¡°Ah, just some guy. An annoying and troublesome guy.¡± After dismissing the topic, Woohyuk sorted out the information in his head. In the past, Logan would¡¯ve been able to restore the Nibelungenlied with the help of the Witches. Nevertheless, the fact that he failed to unlock the Epic Quest meant that the Edda Chronicles had not been fully restored to its original state. In fact, the Edda Chronicles that Woohyuk had stolen from the Witch of Lust Melena was still iplete. His long-awaited question awas finally resolved. However, the current problem was how he would explore the Erendia Kingdom, which was submerged under the Dark Veiled Sea. As Woohyuk stood silently for a while, Drakeforted him. ¡°Don''t despair, Captain. If you excavate the ruins on the Isle of Chaos, you may find some clues. In fact, I also got my information about the Erendia Kingdom there.¡± ¡°Is it possible that ckbeard already found out about it?¡± ¡°Hmm... It''s hard to say, but I think it''s unlikely he found out. I had to hire archaeologists and study those ruins for around a year. The treasures I hid are also in locations that are difficult to find unless you are an excellent archaeologist.¡± Drake ranted as he gave Woohyuk a thumbs up. Helena intervened in the conversation with a curious face. ¡°But what is the Hourss of Time? I think I know what the rest of the treasures are, but I¡¯ve never heard of this one.¡± ¡°It''s a top-grade reward from some ruins rted to the Goddesses of Fate. As long as the sand in the hourss is flowing, you can make the time in an enclosed space flow slower or quicker.¡± Contrary to its grand name, it seemed that it couldn''t turn back time like a Return Scroll. However, being able to control the passage of time was still a tremendous ability. Sieg was of the same opinion. He lowered his head and put his hand to his chin. ¡°It''s the perfect item to use when you want to spend some good time with your lover. If you use it in the room, a single day would feel like a thousand days.¡± ¡°¡­ Your intentions are too obvious, Sieg. I¡¯ll have to tell Brynhild about thister.¡± Helena subtly red at him. The menacing words shook his body in fear. ¡°It, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. I just wanted My Lord to sleep with Tinia and have a good time...¡± ¡°Are you using your daughter as an excuse now? In fact, she¡¯s not even your daughter. You¡¯re just her very old ancestor. Some random grandfather with an umpteen amount of ¡®great¡¯ in front of it.¡± Helena seemed to be in a bad mood recently. Maybe it was due to how Woohyuk had bullied her on top of the pegasus. As the two of them continued their back and forth, dark clouds began to gather in the distance. Rumble! Boom! They were now closing in towards the Dark Veiled Sea. Drake picked up his cuss and gave instructions to the ghost sailors. The deck became noisy, and everyone''s conversations were drowned out by the storm. ¡°Wha, what do we do? Roan doesn''t want to drown!¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly speaking in the third person? Anyways, My Lord, we need to take some measure. If something goes wrong, Tinia might be a widow...¡± ¡°It''s a pity that I can''t use my Valkyrie powers right now. Well, even if I were in a perfect condition, it would¡¯ve been impossible to prevent a storm this harsh.¡± ¡°This wasn¡¯t recorded in the prophetic book... I''m slightly worried. Do you have any good ideas?¡± No matter how good the Cursed Vessel Abyssal Ship was, it seemed impossible to cross this raging sea. While everyone was restless, Drakeughed cheerfully. ¡°Hahahahahaha! Don''t worry! The word ¡®impossible¡¯ does not exist in the dictionary of the great Francis Drake!¡± ¡°¡­ You do realize that you¡¯re in this position right now because you failed the exploration of the Sea God¡¯s Temple, right? And even if you were slightly luckyst time, it might not happen again with this attempt!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so fiery, you cutie saint. If you''re afraid of dying a virgin, just go to the captain¡¯s chamber and have a good time with the men onboard!¡± ¡°I never said that I was a virgin. That''s sexual harassment!¡± Helena pointed and scolded Drake. She was quite embarrassed despite their situation at hand. After Woohyuk calmed her down, he took out some items from his pocket. [Mermaid''s kiss] Category: essory Grade: A Durability: 30,000 Effect: Can breathe underwater and walk on water. 100% increase in swimming speed. Affection with sea creatures increased. [Deep Sea Orb] Category: Personal Item Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Effect: Can observe and control the sea in proportion to the user¡¯s mana pool. In the case of living sea creatures, affection must for the effect to take ce. Both were rewards from the Lost Temple. They would prove to be useful in this situation. When Woohyuk gave the Mermaid''s Kiss to the saintess, Helena grinned. ¡°So you do love me! I knew you would worry about me and put me as your top priority in situations like this, even though you bully me all the time.¡± ¡°Don''t misunderstand, Witch of Profanity. It¡¯s just because my rtionship with Eteria Rodinus will turn sour if you die.¡± ¡°Take care of Roan too! Roan doesn''t want to drown!¡± Roan shouted out loud as he continued to refer to himself in the third person. It seemed to be a habit of his that resurfaced when he was panicking. The irritated Woohyuk pulled out a golden rope from his pocket. "Shut it. I might not have the time to worry about you, so I¡¯ll tie you to the mast.¡± ¡°¡­ Roan is not some pet to keep on a leash! I don¡¯t want to be bound by something like a rope!¡± Roan struggled on the deck in rebellion. Woohyuk quickly finished this task after punching the troublemaker in the stomach. ¡°You¡¯d make an amazing dad.¡± ¡°Stop with the sarcasm, Witch of Profanity. You couldn¡¯t be a good mother in the first ce.¡± ¡°Wow! We have a lot of simrities. Could this be fate?¡± ¡°Yes, it must be one of the many challenges and ordeals the Creator prepared for me.¡± Woohyuk was really thinking of creating a new deadly sin once he would be the Demon God, just to assign Helena as a true witch. As they stopped the useless bantering, Woohyuk injected mana into the Deep Sea Orb. He was trying to suppress the storm as much as possible Unlike before, he had grown sufficiently and was able to draw out the power of the Sea God to some extent. Rumble! He could still see the sea relentlessly raging around. As Woohyuk concentrated, Drake suddenly shouted in surprise. ¡°Everyone, be careful! He¡¯sing!¡± ¡°Who¡¯sing?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± The eyes of the nervous party focused on Drake. Drake pointed down towards the bottom of the sea. ¡°It''s the Nautilus! Davy Jones is loading torpedoes right beneath us!¡± Davy Jones was Anne Bonnie¡¯s lover, the ghost pirate Woohyuk had met before. If Woohyuk couldmunicate with him, this unnecessary conflict could be avoided. However, the Nautilus was moving underwater, so he didn¡¯t know how to attempt a conversation. As Woohyuk thought to himself, Swoosh! The water before them suddenly rose, and a huge creature revealed its head above the Dark Veiled Sea. It was a mythical monster. The Kraken. Chapter 186: Dark Veiled Sea 2

Chapter 186: Dark Veiled Sea 2

''We¡¯re stuck between a rock, a hard ce, and a predator¡¯s mouth.'' A powerful storm was approaching in the distance, the Kraken was in front of their ship, and the Nautilus was about to fire torpedoes at them from the bottom of the sea. It would be impossible to avoid this crisis unless their ship grew some jet engines and soared into the sky. However, Woohyuk calmly controlled the Deep Sea Orb. After a while, Saaash! A giant pir of water lifted the Abyssal Ship into the sky. At the same time... Swooosh! A torpedo loaded with mana swam to where their ship was located previously as blue light streaked behind it They had avoided the Nautilus¡¯ attack by a slight margin. Immediately, Woohyuk summoned the baby Kraken in the sea below the ship. ¡°Kuooooooooooooooo!¡± Currently, it was difficult tomunicate with Davy Jones, so he would try to talk to the mother Kraken. As Woohyuk had expected, the two Krakens touched each other¡¯s tentacles, making strange cries. ¡°Uooooooooooooooh?¡± ¡°Woooooooooooooooooh!¡± The reunion of a parent and child who had been long separated due to the Creator¡¯s arrangements. He couldn¡¯t understand them, but Woohyuk sensed emotion within each of their cries. The mother Kraken was in tears and rubbing her head against the baby Kraken, when suddenly... Swoooooosh! A ck object resembling a submarine rose above the sea out of nowhere. The legendary pirate ship, Nautilus. The appearance of Davy Jones, the Captain of the Dead. [Just who are you?] Woohyuk heard a deep man''s voice from the device in the front of the Nautilus. Boom! Subsequently, hended the Abyssal Ship on the sea and Woohyuk climbed onto the bowsprit. ¡°I am the captain of the Abyssal Ship. And here is the former Pirate King, Francis Drake.¡± [Drake? Lies! He''s already long dead! That ship may be the Abyssal Ship, but you¡¯re speaking nonsense!] ¡°I did die. But I did not vanish from existence, Davy Jones. Take a good look at me through that dark window of yours!¡± Drake intervened in the conversation when he heard his name. Silence followed for a while, and... [It¡¯s true. How did this happen, Drake?] Davy Jones¡¯s startled voice resounded from the Nautilus. Suddenly, Boom! Boom! Boom! The dark clouds in the distance approached them and surrounded them, and a strong storm began to rage in their area. Woohyuk tried to calm the raging sea with the Deep Sea Orb, but it wasn''t enough. He could barely stop the ship from capsizing. Drake and Davy Jones continued their exchange while Woohyuk summoned Triton and tried to contest with Mother Nature. "Me? I tried to enter the Lost Temple, but sparked the Sea God¡¯s fury. I was extremely unlucky.¡± [Yeah, I knew you would get in some big ident someday, Drake. That¡¯s why I tried to stay away from you as much as possible. But I also ended up like this. Got betrayed by a long time friend.] ¡°That''s the fate of us pirates. We are free and powerful in our prime, but our deaths are never admirable. Well, I personally don''t have any regrets since I had a lot of fun.¡± [Is that why you handed over your precious ship to him? That¡¯s very unlike you.] ¡°I am no longer the Pirate King. I am simply a ghost wandering the seas. And without Woohyuk''s help, I would have been forgotten by the world forever.¡± Drake told Davy Jones what Woohyuk had done for him. The captain of the Nautilus then reacted with surprise. [The Sea God was driven out of his Divine Throne and confined somewhere?] ¡°Woohyuk said so. And Triton didn¡¯t deny it, so it seems to be true.¡± [Then what about the contract I made with him? Can I stop collecting the souls of the dead who wander the seas?] ¡°That should be the case, no? Your contract partner is virtually dead now.¡± [I have to talk to that human right now. In truth, I have been looking for a certain woman for a long time.] Anne Bonny. She was his lover and a fellow pirate who was pregnant with his child. After a while, the hatch of the Nautilus opened, revealing Davy Jones. Woohyuk noticed him and took out a red jewel from his pocket. ¡°This is Anne Bonny''s keepsake. She told me to pass it on to you.¡± ¡°Where is Anne? I want to meet her. Even if it''s just once.¡± ¡°Anne Bonny has already left for the world of the dead. She was aware that you couldn¡¯t die because of her and were wandering around the seas.¡± ¡°¡­I see. So she¡¯s finallyying to rest? You must be telling the truth since you have that jewel. Thank you very much. I can now close my eyes in peace.¡±. For Davy Jones, Anne Bonny was his everything. The guilt of not being able to keep her safe had kept him alive until now. Woohyuk stopped Davy Jones when he tried to throw himself into the raging sea with a peaceful look. "You mustn¡¯t die yet, Davy Jones." ¡°¡­ Why? I wish to meet Anne as soon as possible. There is nothing of value left for me other than her.¡± ¡°Anne Bonny told me to get my reward from you when she gave me this gem. Check the memory stored in the gem if you doubt me.¡± Anne Bonny''s red jewel had a function that could store memories. Davy Jones caught the jewel thrown by Woohyuk and silently stared at it for a while. Afterwards, he spoke with a determined expression. ¡°What do you want as your reward? I don''t have many things with me right now.¡± ¡°Then work for me. Work for me until all the Divine Thrones of this world are filled.¡± With the Nautilus, Woohyuk would be able to investigate the secrets of the Erendia Kingdom. Moreover, the submarine-like ship would be extremely useful in future maritime battles. As Woohyuk persistently tried to persuade him, Davy Jones sighed and nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t disappoint Anne since she left me in charge of rewarding you. All right. I shall continue to captain this ship until all the Divine Thrones are filled.¡± ¡°Great decision. By the way, did you tame that Kraken?¡± ¡°No, the Sea God gave it to me. He told me to deal with bothersome beings like demons if they were to disturb my work.¡± If so, there was no need for Woohyuk to train the mother Kraken. As long as Davy Jones stayed in the sea, he could easily control it. As the situation cleared up, Woohyuk looked straight ahead again. During their conversation, the Abyssal Ship was being sucked into a ck whirlpool in the middle of the sea. ¡°Let''s continue talking after we escape this. This ship can¡¯t go underwater like the Nautilus.¡± ¡°Where is your destination? I will apany you from below the sea.¡± ¡°The Isle of Chaos. It¡¯s where ckbeard and his men are based.¡± No matter what, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t let Edward Teach escape. He had found out that Aleister was supporting ckbeard from behind the scenes. And maybe the Isle of Chaos was one of the ces where the Clipport¡¯s Fruit was being produced. As he stared over the stormy storm, Woohyuk¡¯s eyes gleamed. *** The Dark Veiled Sea was extremely ferocious, worthy of its notoriety. If they were on an ordinary ship, it would have beenpletely smashed and sunken on the seafloor already. However, the Abyssal Ship was a legendary pirate ship, sturdy enough that it could survive through harsh currents and waves. Thanks to the Deep Sea Orb, they were able to avoid dangerous situations as well. When they finally reached their destination, they saw pirate ships moored in rows. The gs pping in the wind on the masts were that of ckbeard¡¯s pirate crew. Woohyuk immediately gave orders and bombed them indiscriminately. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Cannonballs flew over the waters relentlessly, and torpedoes continued to advance beneath the sea. As a result, the anchored pirate ships were destroyed in an instant, and the lucky ckbeard pirates who survived swam to the Isle of Chaos¡¯ shores. ¡°Sa, save me!¡± ¡°Enemy attack!¡± They wouldn¡¯t even have dreamt that Woohyuk''s party woulde all the way here. Triton appeared in front of the men begging for help. Swoosh! Crack! When Triton stabbed the Frost Sword Ranghilt in the water, the shore began to freeze in no time. As a result, the pirates were stuck within the ice and couldn''t move. ¡°Ugh!¡± "Shit! This is ridiculous!¡± While they struggled to survive, Woohyuk and his partynded on the ice. ¡°ckbeard must have noticed our arrival by now, right? I wonder when he¡¯lle out.¡± ¡°Try provoking, Witch of Profanity. Isn''t that your greatest skill?¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re too much. But was it okay to leave Roan behind on the ship?¡± ¡°He was tied to the mast with a golden rope loaded with mana. It would be impossible to escape on his own. Drake and Davy Jones are with him as well.¡± The two infamous pirates couldn''t leave their ships because of the system''s constraints. Brynhild nodded at Woohyuk''s exnation. ¡°That¡¯s reassuring. In any case, this ind is full of ominous energy. What happened here in the past?¡± Despite being a Valkyrie, Brynhild had no knowledge of the Erendia Kingdom. Sieg also tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Brynhild, you weren¡¯t aware of this ce until now?¡± "Yes. It feels somewhat familiar, but I certainly don''t remember it.¡± ¡°It is probably because of the Sea God. He can erase the memories of all beings below him.¡± While Valkyries would be exceptions to this since they were demigods, Brynhild had lost her abilities and was exiled from the Heavenly World. Therefore, it was not particrly strange even if she had no memories of the Erendia Kingdom. Everyone admired Woohyuk''s reasoning. ¡°You really are smart. Even I, a Valkyrie, didn''t think about that.¡± "That¡¯s my lord. Maybe you¡¯re the reincarnation of the Wise King Solomon?" ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re worthy enough of your title as Hero King. But you still have a long way to go to challenge the Demon God¡¯s throne.¡± Woohyuk shrugged and spoke again. ¡°Anyway, the possibility that the Sea God himself sunk the Erendia Kingdom is high. Do you know anything rted to him, Triton?¡± ¡°¡­ Unfortunately, nothing remains in my memory. It seems the Creator did something to me while I was confined in the Lost Temple.¡± The quiet Triton shook his head with a dark expression. However, he was a descendant of the Sea God, so he could potentially be useful in their current situation. He could find clues that Drake hadn''t found in the past. ¡°By the way, do the 72 Demon Kings know about this? The high-leveled demons might...¡± ¡°Maybe these events happened before they first arrived on the Eeth Continent.¡± ording to the Edda Chronicles, the demon world was originally not connected to the Eeth Continent within the system. Therefore, the Demon Kings and Lilith were used to bnce out the system, since the gods had total control over the continent. It could also be that the Creator made the gods and demons fight each other in an attempt to stop them from aiming for his own position. He must¡¯ve given the Holy Grail and Lemegeton to the Wise King Solomon in an attempt to have humans join the fray as well. As Woohyuk''s group made spections with each other, they heardughter in the distance. "Hahahahahahahaha! To think that you came all the way here! You people are truly fearless¡± It was ckbeard. It was Edward Teach. Chapter 187: Dark Veiled Sea 3

Chapter 187: Dark Veiled Sea 3

¡°You came out on your own.¡± ¡°It would be weirder if I didn¡¯t show myself while you people are wreaking havoc. Huh? Wait. Aren¡¯t you...?¡± ckbeard was surprised once he saw Woohyuk. A face seen in the past in the Free City Landium. Ever since his appearance, ckbeard¡¯s ns had beenpletely destroyed. When he remembered the shame he had experienced back then, ckbeard began to tremble in fury. ¡°So you¡¯ve been pursuing me ever since. You took good care of us back then.¡± ¡°What are you doing here, ckbeard? Did Aleister tell you to decorate a flower garden or something?¡± ¡°¡­ You prick, you know the secret of the Clipport''s fruit? Just who are you?¡± ckbeard didn''t know much about Woohyuk. It was because Woohyuk was currently disguised as a red haired young man with the Jester¡¯s Mask. If he had disguised himself as Aleister, he could¡¯ve tricked ckbeard, but there was no need to do that. The goal of this journey was to defeat him anyway. He had changed his appearance just in case. Once could never be too prepared. Woohyuk answered as he carefully observed the men led by ckbeard. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know about me. You will die here anyways.¡± "Hahahahaha! Hrious! I''ll praise you foring this far, but that doesn''t mean you have an advantage. Now, look! Allow me to introduce these people!¡± As ckbeard moved to the side, the crowd of pirates split in half and created a passage in the middle. Three elderly people then began to walk forward from the rear. They were all renowned schrs ording to their formal ck robes. Helena urgently shouted when she saw the golden crest they were wearing. ¡°Everyone, be careful! They are members of the Golden Rose Society!¡± The Golden Rose Society was a gathering of Maesters led by Aleister. Their purpose was to constantly expand their influence on the continent and acquire forbidden knowledge from behind the scenes. In other words, They could be called the Illuminati of the Eeth Continent. When they recognized the saintess, the white-haired elderly man in the middle spoke with a sly smile. ¡°Haha... You''ve grown a lot in the short while I haven¡¯t seen you, Helena.¡± ¡°...!¡± "Oh right. You may not remember me because you were too young... But you haven''t forgotten this, have you?¡± The white-haired man took out a magic engineered device. A design that resembled a pistol. Helena¡¯splexion turned pale when she saw it. ¡°You¡¯re the one who...!¡± ¡°It was such a pity. It was a great opportunity to obtain the Holy Grail... But it doesn''t matter now. You voluntarily brought us the Holy Grail your parents tried to protect with their lives.¡± The white-haired old man aimed at Helena and pulled the trigger of the pistol-like device. Bang! A bullet containing demonic energy flew towards Helena''s heart. Everything had happened so quickly However, Woohyuk''s gaze was already directed toward the end of the parab the bullet was drawing. Swooosh! His own demonic energy spread open and embraced Helena. As a result, the bullet was blocked before it could hit her, and the white-haired old man nodded. "As I thought... You are the problematic variable Lord Aleister was talking about. You can change your appearance with artifacts, but you cannot disguise your demonic energy.¡± ¡°It seems that you already sold your souls to Witches since you also have demonic energy.¡± ¡°That is something we must do if we want to be saved when the world ends. As long as no forces like Eteria Rodinus interferes with our ns, everything will happen as Lady Lilith predicted.¡± Members of the Golden Rose Society were so deeply immersed in Aleister''s ideologies that changing their minds was impossible. As the men began to cast their spells together, Woohyuk and his party quickly readied for battle. ¡°Sieg, Triton. You two are in charge of ckbeard¡¯s men. The rest of us will hold back the members of the Golden Rose Society.¡± Brynhild and Helena were able to use divine magic, which would be helpful when dealing with enemies with demonic energy. Before long, attacks flew. ckbeard smiled viciously as he took out a Clipport''s Fruit. "Hahahahahahahaha! You still haven¡¯t figured out your situation! Just because you use your brains a bit won¡¯t make any difference!¡± In addition to the Golden Rose Society, the Isle of Chaos was full of heinous pirates. No matter how powerful Woohyuk''s party was, they would still have a hard time if every pirate ate a Clipport¡¯s Fruit. Originally, only executives had the rights to use a Clipport¡¯s Fruit, but situations like this were exceptions. Woohyuk was sick of ckbeard¡¯s constant talking. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to mind bing an Awakener. Awakeners generally look pretty ugly and disgusting.¡± ¡°Hahahahahaha! Nothing matters to me as long as I can obtain Drake''s hidden treasures here! Only those who have obtained them can truly be recognized as the next Pirate King!¡± To conquer his enemies, he needed the title of Sessor of Pirate King Drake. Moreover, his financial resources would increase exponentially, so it would be of great help in uniting the pirate forces into one. ckbeard swallowed the Clipport''s Fruit with a confident expression, Swoosh! Purple demonic energy emanated from his body and swirled wildly. ¡°Kekekekekek! Kuhahahahaha! Such a pleasant feeling. It feels like the entire world is mine!¡± All of his subordinates were also about to eat their Clipport''s Fruit. Afterwards, the pirates flocked to the battlefield. Woohyuk, who was confronting the members of the Golden Rose Society, unfolded Lemegeton to summon the six Demon Kings he had sealed so far. However, the members of the Golden Rose Society did not give him the opportunity to do so. ¡°Can¡¯t have you do that!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look down on us, Asura!¡± ¡°Not everyone can be Maesters like us!¡± The members of the Golden Rose Society present right now were an alchemist, magic engineer, and a craftsman from the left. It was quite a synergisticbination. The pistol that the white-haired old man had pulled out earlier was highly likely to be a coboration work between the three of them. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Booooooooooooom! The members of the Golden Rose Society mobilized all their magic-engineered devices and bombed Woohyuk¡¯s group as the pirates brandished their weapons to fight. A dark crystal ball that shot out powerful purple fireballs. A magic-engineered pistol capable of high-speed continuous shooting without having to reload. Crafting gloves that simultaneously controlled several pirates by pulling on dozens of transparent magic threads. All of them possessed considerable power. However, as long as they had time, Woohyuk¡¯s group would be able to win against them all The problem was that the craftsman Maester controlling the pirates was chanting a summoning spell at the same time. A summoning ritual to call out a monster from the Abyss. It seemed that he had made quite a few sacrifices until today to be able to use it now. Feeling the need to hurry, Helena spoke to Woohyuk as she defeated the pirates approaching her with divine magic. ¡°This can¡¯t go on. Please help me out so that I can use the Holy Grail. It can¡¯t exert its full power because the Ark of Knowledge has been lost, but it can still exert as much power asst time.¡± ¡°I agree with that idea. If we don''t get rid of them quickly, the monster of the Abyss will join in the fight, so it''s better to have Helena go all out right now.¡± Brynhild agreed with the Saintess¡¯ n. However, Woohyuk shook his head with a frown. ¡°No, that might be what they want us to do. I have a bad feeling about that n.¡± After the battle with Nigel, Woohyuk had been thinking about why Aleister had given Angrboda the Absorber Trigger. At first, he just thought it was to help Woohyuk grow rapidly in the future... ''Thinking of it now, Aleister probably intended to check if we truly had the Holy Grail with us.'' Helena had no choice but to use the Holy Grail during their battle against Nigel and Angrboda. Considering the fact that detailed information on the Holy Grail was not spread even within the demon faction, this was most likely Aleister¡¯s true intention. At Woohyuk''s exnation, Brynhild frowned as she didn¡¯t like the idea of being tricked by their enemies. ¡°Now that you say that, I think I know what the ominous energy I feel on this ind is. It¡¯s Lilith''s Unholy Chalice.¡± A bronze cup used by demons when dealing with saints. It was the same artifact that Woohyuk had used to make Hong Yuri the Blood Queen. However, it was just a counterfeit that only contained the power of blood. Its original function was to absorb the divine power of the original Holy Grail and transform it into the power of the Abyss. Anyway, since that item¡¯s energy was present on this ind... ¡°That means Lilith is watching us.¡± ¡°That might be the case. This is a secluded ind, so it¡¯s the perfect ce to get rid of us.¡± If an Abyssal Gate opened in the sky, the ind would be a literal hell. However, Woohyuk shook his head once again. ¡°No, she¡¯s probably just observing us. Her purpose is to make me the Demon God as soon as possible.¡± ¡°¡­ So is this another trial she prepared for you? So irritating.¡± Brynhild looked dissatisfied as she wasn''t happy that she was ying on Lilith¡¯s palm. On the other hand, Helena was shivering as she stared at the craftsman Maester who was chanting his summoning magic. It wasn¡¯t her usual attitude. It was obviously because she hade across the man who had murdered her parents. ¡°Calm down, Helena. I need your help from now on.¡± ¡°¡­ Even though you told me not to use the Holy Grail? Are you nning on using ¡®that¡¯ instead?¡± "Yes." [Absorber Trigger]. The item that had dumbfounded Woohyuk and made him powerless. It would also make the members of the Golden Rose Society helpless. However, if he activated it recklessly, Woohyuk and Sieg would also suffer from the ck Demolition. Therefore, he had to activate the Hieroglyph engraved on the edge of the board to create a protective film around them that would prevent the ck Demolition¡¯s effect on them. Unlike Lemegeton, the Hieroglyph did not require a casting time, so it could be activated in the current situation. Woohyuk hurriedly called Sieg after bringing Helena and Brynhild to the front. ¡°Sieg! Leave the pirates be ande here!¡± ¡°Then what about Triton? He can¡¯t fight them all on his own...¡± "He''s half human anyways, so even if parts of his body are cut off, we can reattach them like a chimerater." ¡°...¡± Triton silently red at Woohyuk with a frown. In time, Sieg came to his side, and Woohyuk poured magic to the Hieroglyph. Rumble! A blue shield was created around Woohyuk and Sieg''s bodies. Meanwhile, the members of the Golden Rose Society were still chanting. They wouldn¡¯t make any moves as long as Woohyuk didn¡¯t try to use Lemegeton. Perhaps they didn¡¯t know about the Absorber Trigger. Woohyuk then immediately pressed the red button on the board. Soon enough... Creak creak creak! A huge barrier with a radius of about 500m was created. The surface of the barrier was letting out sparks of ck electricity. The members of the Golden Rose Society opened their eyes wide in absolute shock. ¡°Wha, what is that...?!¡± "Is it one of Asura''s powers?" ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be a protective barrier since the range is so wide...¡± They had no idea what kind of situation they were facing. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for trying to trick me.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s eyes shed as he stepped towards the Maesters. The members of the Golden Rose Society and the pirates were in chaos due to the ck Demolition, so they could not stop Woohyuk who was gradually narrowing the distance. ¡°Ugh...! What the hell did you do?!¡± ¡°Wait for your turn, ckbeard. I''ll deal with youter.¡± Edward Teach spoke as he knelt on one knee. After walking past him, Woohyuk swung Verserios. Swoosh! ck blood sprayed out as the de swiftly cut through the air. ¡°Kuh!¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± "Argh!" The defenseless Masters suffered fatal injuries and fell to the floor with that single blow. Helena and Brynhild arrived soon after and used divine magic to overpower them with a powerful barrier. ¡°You, you will pay for what you did to my parents...!¡± As Woohyuk and Sieg searched through the Maesters¡¯ belongings, Helena pulled out a dagger with a trembling voice. ¡°Helena, stop. We need to capture them alive.¡± "But...!¡± ¡°If you want revenge, I will give you a chance to do it to your heart''s content next time. So hold back your anger and wait patiently.¡± If she acted emotionally right now, they would¡¯ve gained nothing. After soothing Helena, Woohyuk looked down at the old men groaning on the floor. The battle had ended easily thanks to the Absorber Trigger. From now on, it was a full-on exploration of the ind. Chapter 188: Dark Veiled Sea 4

Chapter 188: Dark Veiled Sea 4

After subduing all hostile forces and imprisoning them in the cells of the pirate base, Woohyuk began exploring the Isle of Chaos in earnest. The first thing he was searching for was Drake''s treasures. As the former Pirate King himself had said, the treasures were kept intact in a hidden room for many years. They were inside the ruins located deep in an underwater cave, inside the Water Dragon''s Labyrinth. Moreover, it was right behind a violent maelstrom that was difficult to avoid. ¡°Good work, Chief mate.¡± ¡°...¡± Triton waspletely exhausted as he was sent to the secret room in the cave, enduring the swirling currents. While he was resting on the floor, Woohyuk observed the loot he had obtained. [Dragon Stone] Category: Personal Item Effect: Once in possession, dragonic with negative effects do not work. Additional abilities can be unlocked with the Dragon Lord''s authority. [Hourss of Time] Category: Personal Item Effect: When used in an enclosed ce, you can freely control the passage of time within that space. (Depends on user''s ability. Maximum of speed ¡Á1,000.) [Thunderbird Egg] Category: Personal Item Effect: If certain conditions are satisfied, Thunderbirds that cause rain clouds and thunderstorms can hatch. ''It''s as Drake told me.'' The Dragon Stone, a legendary artifact, had not fully revealed its abilities. It was most likely because Carlos, the former Dragon Lord, died and was sealed by the system. On the other hand, the Hourss of Time and the Thunderbird Egg did not have any usage requirements. ¡®I could use the Hourss of Time when training my vassals...¡¯ One of the Three Divine Birds, the Thunderbird, was perfect for reducing the enemy¡¯s morale on the battlefield. Moreover, unlike the Phoenix and the Snowbird, the Thunderbird could also be used as a messenger bird in urgent situations since its movements were extremely fast. It would be particrly efficient when trying to contact areas where Catsy had never been to yet. But the problem was that Woohyuk had to hatch this bird. ¡°Do you know how to revive the Thunderbird, Triton?¡± ¡°¡­ You have to match its growth environment to its attribute. Perfectly.¡± Woohyuk needed an electric field with insane amounts of power. Perhaps he could seek advice from Aris, an expert in magic engineering. Woohyuk put the items in his pocket and then walked along the dark passage. ¡°Now I only need to find information about the Erendia Kingdom.¡± ¡°If you look at the remains of these ruins, it seems that the royal family worshipped the Blue Dragon.¡± There was a high probability that the kingdom¡¯s guardian was also a Sea God. But what had they done to receive his anger? Even though it was a small kingdom, it seemed that they hadmitted a great sin, enough to bring them all to ruin. Woohyuk tried to find clues as he recalled the structure of the Water Dragon''s Labyrinth he had seen so far. This ce was structured by imitating the body of a dragon, and the final reward, the Thunderbird Egg, was originally located in the area for the head, which was at the very end. The hidden reward, the Dragon Stone, was located in the secret room where Triton had gone to. All the items had great spiritual importance. ¡°Maybe the Erendia Kingdom was a theocracy? The priest might¡¯ve had more power than the monarch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible. This ce is definitely the ruins of the Erendia Kingdom.¡± Artifacts they found everywhere proved it. After walking silently with his hand on his chin, Woohyuk spoke up as his thoughts came to a conclusion. ¡°The clergy was probably oppressed by the monarch. The royal family probably stopped making offerings and performing rituals to the Sea God at some point.¡± ¡°¡­ But wasn¡¯t it obvious they¡¯d receive the Sea God¡¯s wrath? I think there must¡¯ve been some convincing reason for them to stop.¡± They wouldn¡¯t have tantly disrespected the Sea God if they didn¡¯t get some benefits afterwards. As he couldn¡¯t find the answer, Woohyuk decided to cool down his mind and summoned Catsy. ¡°Meow! Master, did you call?¡± ¡°How is it going in the western kingdoms these days?¡± "Hm... Overall, it''s quite peaceful. The Norton royal family isining that you stole their control over the kingdom, though.¡± ¡°If they do something suspicious, report it to me right away. As long as we can provide physical evidence that they performed human experimentations and reveal it to the public, they¡¯re finished.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± ¡°And deliver this letter to Joanna.¡± Woohyuk took out a piece of paper and a feather pen, and wrote a long message on the spot. Afterwards, he handed the sealed envelope to Catsy and she raised her ears. ¡°I will go fulfill my missions!¡± ¡°Before you leave, observe these ruins well. You may have toe backter. ¡°Roger~!¡± Catsy swayed her tail and disappeared down the aisle. The silent Triton then asked Woohyuk. ¡°Why are you suddenly contacting the Rhine Kingdom...?¡± ¡°We need to cultivate more talented people than we are now.¡± Woohyuk had secured a considerable amount of funds by robbing the ve traders in the Talis Kingdom. In addition, since he now had the Hourss of Time, he had an advantage iparable to his past life. He nned to use the Hourss of Time¡¯s effect on Song Anna, Yoo Kayoung, and Silvia, who were training in the Rhine Kingdom and growing at a steady pace. He would have them train with a highly skilled master beneath the Academy in an enclosed space. It was basically a DIY Hyperb*lic T*me Ch*mber Their true training would begin from now on. Having heard Woohyuk''s ambitious ns, Triton clicked his tongue. ¡°Just how much are you going to overwork those girls like you do to me...¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have the time to leisurely wait for them to grow at a slow speed, Triton.¡± Unlike his past life, dangerous incidents were constantly happening and the world¡¯s survival was on the line. He had met the former Demon God and inherited his name, and then met Eteria Rodinus to hear about the prophecies describing the three Major Catastrophes that would happen in the future. Moreover, the mastermind behind everything was the Creator. Lilith and Eteria Rodinus were fighting to make this dark future slightly more convenient and advantageous for themselves. However, the Golden Rose Society and Pronoia, as well as people like the Queen of Thorns had intervened, so the overall future of the world was very uncertain right now. In this situation, Woohyuk couldn''t just sit back and wait for the events to take ce and watch the results. Before long, many people would die... No, the entire world would end. When Woohyuk exined the situation with a deep frown, Triton nodded. ¡°It was thoughtless of me to say that. I was only concerned about your orders, and was missing the big picture.¡± ¡°In any case, I¡¯ll be needing your assistance from now on, Chief Mate. I¡¯ll be overworking you to death.¡± For reference, ever since the beginning of this voyage, Triton had been in charge of procuring food. As he left behind a crying Triton, Woohyuk took a step forward. ¡°Benefits that they would want to obtain at the cost of the Sea God¡¯s wrath¡­ I don¡¯t think the Erendia royal family decided to change the god they worshipped...¡± It was reasonable to assume that they were trying to be independent and build something unique. Something that could bepared to the power of a God. After contemting for a moment, Woohyuk took out the magic-engineered pistol from his pocket. The weapon the member of the Golden Rose Society had used. It was an item that wasn¡¯t consistent with the Eeth Continent¡¯s current era. It was far too advanced technologically. Triton spoke up as if he had read Woohyuk¡¯s mind. ¡°There was an era when magic engineering was highly developed. One kingdom was especially ahead of their time.¡± ¡°Where was it?¡± "It¡¯s...¡± Triton scratched his head since he suddenly couldn¡¯t remember. Having seen that, Woohyuk smiled in satisfaction. ¡°My predictions were correct. It was the Erendia Kingdom.¡± No matter how much of an airhead Triton was, he was still a demigod. There was no way he would forget such important information, unless his memories had been forcibly erased by the power of a superior being. As Woohyuk came to this conclusion, Triton''s eyes widened. ¡°Th-then what were the people of the Erendia Kingdom trying to do with magic engineering? The Sea God would not have opposed most experiments...¡± ¡°It must have been a very ambitious project. Something like creating an item that the gods feared. Some sort of a new weapon. Or maybe they were trying to find a way to directly affect the world¡¯s system.¡± When it came to magic engineering, Aris was the best expert among Woohyuk¡¯s current vassals. Woohyuk immediately attempted a telepathic conversation with her. [How is your research on the Clipport¡¯s Fruit going? [Lord Asura! It''s been a long time! I think of you every night in my bedroom when I feel lonely...] Hearing Woohyuk''s voice, Aris excitedly began to talk endlessly. Woohyuk calmed her down before she could go all out, though. [I''ll be back in ckburn soon, so keep the unimportant talk forter. I have a few problems I need your help with.] [Ah, I apologize. I was just so happy... So, how can I help you? The research on the Clipport¡¯s Fruit is almost finished.] [A magic engineering project that a small kingdom located on an archipgo would perform. Something they would want to perform even if they were to receive the Sea God¡¯s wrath... What do you think it could be?] Maybe they were trying to create a homunculus like Roan. However, he couldn¡¯t be certain. There were no hints at all for now. The project that the Erendia Kingdom was pursuing was unknown, but it was highly likely to be something innovative. At Woohyuk''s sudden question, Aris pondered for a while before answering. [Hm... Arge magic engineering project on an archipgo . In ancient times, ind dwellers had a strong sense of inferiority to the continent dwellers. So if they were pursuing a project that would put their country at risk, it is highly likely to be an attempt to ovee that sense of inferiority. [For example?] [To make the archipgo float in the sky and create their own paradise... Something like that. Humans have revered the sky since ancient times, right? So they might have thought that if they lived in a Sky City, they would finally be superior.] In the past, Aris had made the same attempt. She had used magic engineering to try to destroy the world by levitating an entire city and dropping it on an empire. Woohyuk was persuaded by this hypothesis. [If that''s true, the project¡¯s results should be remaining in the kingdom somewhere, right?] [If outsiders had no ess to it until now, then maybe?] [I don¡¯t think there were any outsiders. The entire kingdom was sunk beneath the sea by the Sea God.] [Huh? How did that happen¡­?] [Anyways, I need your help. I will summon you right now.] [Ah, wait...!] Aris'' urgent voice echoed in his head, but Woohyuk didn''t pay attention to it and chanted the summoning spell. Since they had the Nautilus, it would not be difficult to navigate on the seafloor. Before long, Aris appeared in her underwear. ¡°Why are you half naked in broad daylight? Weren¡¯t you in yourb?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s...¡± Aris lowered her head in embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t dare to say it out loud. Having noticed the situation, Triton coughed and tried to change the topic. ¡°My Lord, the others are waiting on the surface. If it¡¯s not very important, let¡¯s move on...¡± ¡°I asked Agnes, and she says you weren¡¯t skipping work. I guess it¡¯s a private matter. Forget it, Aris. I won¡¯t pry too deeply.¡± Woohyuk turned around and headed for the submarine at the entrance of the ruins. It seemed that he had no idea what was going on. Aris sighed in relief. Triton then spoke in a sarcastic tone. ¡°Your love for him must be immense. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get horny just by talking with him.¡± ¡°¡­ Shut up." At least, the tools she had invented hadn¡¯t been found out. Aris followed behind Woohyuk, grateful that Woohyuk¡¯s opinion of her hadn¡¯t been sullied. She had to remain as a pure(?) and innocent(?)dy in his mind. ...She was the only person who thought of herself as so, however. 1. {Previously tranted as Ptarmigan Egg. However, it became clearer in this chapter that it meant ¡®Thunderbird¡¯ instead. Chapter 189: Dark Veiled Sea 5

Chapter 189: Dark Veiled Sea 5

After returning to the surface, Woohyuk interrogated the prisoners they had captured during thest battle. He thought they might know something about the Erendia Kingdom. Even if they refused to spill anything until the end, Woohyuk could try to hypnotize them. For the members of the Golden Rose Society, it would not be easy to do so since their mental resistance was quite high. ¡°You didn¡¯te here just for the production of the Clipport¡¯s Fruit, did you? What other reasons were there?¡± ¡°Keke... Even if you were to know, you can¡¯t stop Lord Aleister.¡± ¡°How arrogant of you. Even though you¡¯re just a lowly pawn that was abandoned. Do you still think you have power here? Woohyuk swung his whip towards Alejandro, the original owner of the magic-engineered pistol. Crack! Crack! Fresh new injuries appeared on Alejandro''s wrinkled back. ¡°Urgh...¡± ¡°If the others spill the beans before you, you will be executed immediately. Make the correct choice.¡± Woohyuk was using one of the famous psychological tricks, the Prisoner''s Dilemma. The Prisoner''s Dilemma meant that if everyone stayed silent, the sentence would be minimized. But some would confess and betray their colleagues, since they didn¡¯t trust them enough and didn¡¯t want to be betrayed first. It was a useful technique to use when interrogating a suspect. However, Alejandro didn''t budge because he understood Woohyuk¡¯s n. ¡°You''re quite crafty, Asura. But it is all in vain. Lord Aleister''s n is perfect.¡± ¡°Nothing is perfect in this world. There are small ws and gaps in the system created by the Creator himself.¡± Otherwise, Lilith''s subordinates and Eteria Rodinus would not be trying to change the nned future. As Woohyuk continued to torture Alejandro, Creaaaak. The door to the prison cell opened and Helena entered. She was unusually grim. She had lost herposure ever since the Golden Rose Society had shown up, and had yet to regain it.. ¡°I have something to ask Alejandro.¡± "Feel free to take over. But don''t expect him to answer so easily.¡± ¡°I can torture him if I must. My very existence is agony for him.¡± Helena was basically a saintess with high divine power and even had the Holy Grail with her. Therefore, having dols his soul to a witch, it would be difficult for Alejandro to face her for too long without Lilith''s protection. As cold sweat ran down the old man¡¯s neck, Woohyuk grinned. ¡°I guess that troublemaking saints like you can also be useful in some cases.¡± ¡°You speak as if I was a burden. Don¡¯t forget that you were able to capture the members of the Golden Rose Society this quickly thanks to me.¡± Helena was one of Woohyuk¡¯s indispensablepanions, although he would never say so out loud. However, he was aware of this fact himself. ¡°I never said you were useless... Anyways, if you have questions, ask away. I won¡¯t intervene.¡± ¡°Great. You¡¯re finally respecting me at least a little bit.¡± Helena''s gaze shifted from Woohyuk to Alejandro. She then took out a bundle of manuscripts from her arms, and Alejandro''s rxed expression slightly hardened. ¡°So you dide to find out more about the magic book.¡± ¡°Where is it? You people can¡¯t even read what¡¯s written within the King''s Book..¡± The King''s Book was written in Rosa Eterna, so it could only be read by members of Eteria Rodinus. It was the magic book that her deceased parents had tried to protect until the end. It was an item necessary to rebuild the Ark of Knowledge, so Helena was trying to recover it as soon as possible. "Keke... Are you still so confident in yourselves? We¡¯ve almost decoded Rosa Eterna now, thanks to a certain pope fanatic you know of.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... Rosenkreuz? But how...¡± ¡°Judas Iscariot, the twelfth disciple of the Sage King. Nobody was aware of what had happened to his descendants. In fact, the descendant himself wasn¡¯t aware of his true lineage, because his mother didn¡¯t tell him the truth until after he grew up.¡± When Judas Iscariotmitted suicide by hanging himself on a tree, a priestess of the Light Doctrine was pregnant with his son. But no one knew about it. The two had been meeting secretly, and had only done it a few times. Therefore, the twelfth disciple¡¯s descendants had been living secretly until now. Helena was bbergasted by his exnation. ¡°Im, impossible... Rosenkreuz is Judas Iscariot¡¯s descendant¡­?¡± ¡°Judas Iscariot was secretly teaching Rosa Eterna to the pregnant priestess. It onlysted until he was chased down by Eteria Rodinus.¡± Therefore, the priestess did not fully learn Rosa Eterna. However, her descendants secretly studied thenguage¡¯s principle and with Rosenkreuz''s generation, they finally began to decode it and understand it. The Golden Rose Society had known this through its internal informationwork for a long time. If Rosenkreuz could fully decode Rosa Eterna... ¡°This is terrible. The secret recorded in the King''s Book is about to be revealed to the Witches.¡± "What kind of secret is it for you to panic so much?" ¡°The method to summon a being from a higher level ne. And how to make a contract with that being. That is all I know myself.¡± In other words, the Witches would be able to summon ancient demons or fallen angels to the Eeth Continent Since it was a higher level existence, its power would be enormous. In order to stop that future from happening, they had to stop the Golden Rose Society¡¯s conspiracy no matter what. Alejandroughed out loud as he watched Helena¡¯s shock. ¡°Hahahahahaha! Do you understand now? Pronoia is a puppet of our Golden Rose Society! They stupidly made the mistake of epting Clipport''s Fruits themselves!¡± If you consumed the Clipport''s Fruit even once, you would be controlled and ruled by Aleister unless you administered the cure. The neutralizing agent developed by Pronoia could only relieve the side effects and symptoms, but couldn¡¯tpletely cure the user. In other words, the Holy See was already under Lilith¡¯s control. Helena grabbed her head with both hands as Alejandro''s continued revealing all that information. ¡°Wha, what do we do... The prophetic book didn''t mention anything like this...¡± ¡°Kekek! Did you think you were the only one who knew about the prophetic book? Lady Lilith is a Witch who has existed since Genesis! She knows more about the Ark of Knowledge and the Holy Grail than you do!¡± In other words, Lilith was aware of Woohyuk¡¯s regression from the start. As Alejandro continued to cackle to himself, Woohyuk ruthlessly swung his whip. Crack! Crack! As newer wounds drew lines across Alejandro''s back, blood slowly dripped down like the weeping of his back. ¡°So, where is the King''s Book? You¡¯ve told us so much already, so just say it.¡± ¡°Urgh...¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t spill the beans until the end, I¡¯ll have to use a more forceful method¡±. Woohyuk pulled out the Vampiric Dagger from his belt and handed it to Helena. Then Helena tilted her head and stared at Woohyuk in confusion. ¡°Why did you give me this?¡± ¡°Cut it off. His most precious part.¡± All Woohyuk needed from Alejandro was his knowledge of magic engineering and his dexterity. In other words, he didn¡¯t need his fifth limb beneath his belt. Moreover, it would be more shameful to be castrated by a woman. Helena frowned at Woohyuk''s obscene n. ¡°How could you tell me to do such a dirty thing...¡± ¡°Do you not want to take revenge for your parents? He still has some value, so I can¡¯t let you do more than this.¡± If they killed him and turned him into an undead, the knowledge he possessed wouldpletely vanish. Even if they summoned his soul, they wouldn¡¯t be able to force it to answer. The only option avable was to hypnotize him or make him obedient while still alive. However, both weren¡¯t easy to do since he was a high ranking subordinate of Lilith¡¯s. They could only torture him for now to get as much information out of him as possible. As Woohyuk walked to a corner, Helena approached Alejandro with a venomous smile. In time, Alejandro''s painful and violent screams echoed in the cell. *** Even though they forcibly castrated, the members of the Golden Rose Society did not spill the beans. However, as the torture continued, it was possible to temporarily hypnotize them when their mental power was slightly weakened... ¡°So they were here for the relics of the Erendia Kingdom.¡± Woohyuk was able to figure out many things. ¡°Our journey must be finished as soon as possible. We must go recover the King''s Book in the Enoa Kingdom.¡± ¡°I have already instructed the vassals. We will be able to depart as soon as we get back to our kingdom.¡± However, since they hade all this way, they had to restore the Edda Chronicles. They never knew when Lilith''s subordinates would attack this ce again. In terms of importance, the Edda Chronicles was one level higher than the King''s Book. ¡°But Aleister didn¡¯t appear in the end. Even though there were three members of the Golden Rose Society here...¡± ¡°He deliberately sent them my way. It was all nned by him.¡± If not, he would have appeared out of nowhere and would have taken away his men. Just like what he had done for Melena, the Witch of Lust. As Woohyuk recalled those events again, Brynhild and Aris spoke up tofort him. ¡°But thanks to that, we¡¯ve learned a lot of valuable information. Especially for Lilith''s Unholy Chalice since it¡¯s difficult to find.¡± ¡°I looked around the Golden Rose Society¡¯s base on this ind and it was interesting. The facilities were advanced, and the Clipport¡¯s Fruit¡¯s production process was so unique. It will be very helpful for my magic engineering research.¡± The Golden Rose Society had a total of three bases on the Eeth Continent. The reason why such an important ce was located here was because most ships were unable to navigate through the Dark Veiled Sea. The ckbeard Pirates were an exception to this because they were receiving the help of the Golden Rose Society themselves. While Woohyuk walked down the aisles with the others, Sieg spoke up after pondering for a while. ¡°Lilith¡¯s Unholy Chalice... Maybe that was the cause of destruction of the Erendia Kingdom? It¡¯s an artifact powerful enough to calm the violent sea and storms of the Dark Veiled Sea, so I think it could be possible.¡± "Maybe. We¡¯ll have to figure that out from now on.¡± ording to the Golden Rose Society¡¯s Maesters, the Erendia Kingdom was indeed a highly advanced magic-engineering civilization. However, they also did not know the details of the kingdom¡¯s history. Either Aleister hadn¡¯t informed them, or his research of the kingdom wasn¡¯t advanced enough. As Woohyuk''s party left the pirate base, a rough storm greeted them. Rumble! Boom! Boom! The usual weather for the Dark Veiled Sea. It wasn''t a ce where people could live. They couldn¡¯t grow crops, so the ckbeard Pirates had to resort to seafood only. But now, Woohyuk and his crew were about to explore the bottom of the sea. ¡°Sieg, you stay onnd with Helena. Deal with unexpected intruders while I am away.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand, My Lord.¡± Sieg nced at Helena with an expression of dissatisfaction. Noticing his gaze, she crossed her arms and frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you unhappy that it¡¯s not Brynhild but me instead?¡± ¡°Honestly speaking, I can¡¯t deny that...¡± ¡°Well I''m sorry for intervening during you two¡¯s special time.¡± Helena had regained her usual energy cheerfulness. Leaving the two of them behind, Woohyuk boarded the Nautilus, which was anchored on the shore. Davy Jones weed him with open arms. ¡°Whereto, My Liege?¡± ¡°To the depths of the sea.¡± Quite a dangerous challenge. However, no one in the group opposed his decision. A long-lost kingdom was awaiting them. Chapter 190: Dark Veiled Sea 6

Chapter 190: Dark Veiled Sea 6

¡°Wow! Lord Asura, look at that!¡± Aris pointed out the window in awe. There were schools of deep-sea fish swimming nearby. Their scales sparkled and created an abundance of colors, the reason behind Aris¡¯ amazement. ¡°It''s the first time I''ve been this deep in the sea. Everything is so mysterious.¡± Brynhild¡¯s eyes also glittered as she watched the scenery. Suddenly, an ugly creature stuck to the window. ¡°Wha, what the heck is that?!¡± ¡°So gross...¡± The two women turned away and covered their eyes. When Davy Jones saw it, he pressed a certain button in the captain''s room... Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt! A strong electric current flowed on the outeryer of the Nautilus, turning the weird creature into barbecue. ¡°Phew... It almost scared me to death.¡± ¡°Right? I hope we don¡¯t see more of them. They¡¯re bad for my heart.¡± Even if they were in the Nautilus, this was still an unknown sea area. Originally, Davy Jones couldn¡¯t approach this zone. However, after finding the Abyssal Ship, he had decided to break the rules set by the Sea God himself. He was about to ask Drake, the former Pirate King, to find his lover Anne Bonny. Davy Jones thought that Drake still existing despite being dead wasn¡¯t particrly strange, as ghost ships often appeared. But... ''I never expected to meet people like this.'' Davy Jones scratched his head as he watched the two women chatting. One was a red-haired Demon King from another dimension The other was a Valkyrie (resurrected after thousands of years), said to have been exiled from the heavenly world for falling in love with a human hero. A young man with ck hair nned to challenge the power of the Demon God after sealing all 72 Demon Kings. The other man was a descendant of the Sea God who had be the human¡¯s vassal. Finally, there was the troublemaking saintess and the fiery Dragon yer back onnd... It was abination that he could never have imagined. However, from now on, he would be a part of them. Woohyuk approached him as Davy Jones thought to himself. ¡°How much left until we reach the seafloor?¡± ¡°We are almost there. Everything is going well.¡± Lilith''s Unholy Chalice was able to calm the raging Dark Veiled Sea. Thanks to this, the underwater exploration was proceeding smoothly. The fierce sea creatures had not attacked since the two krakens were protecting the Nautilus from both sides. ¡°How do you usually salvage the objects on the seabed?¡± ¡°I use the magic-engineered equipment installed outside the hull. Other times, I mobilize some marine animals.¡± Davy Jones¡¯ rank among the Sea God¡¯s vassals was second only to Triton. That was why he could control a fabulous monster like the mother Kraken. Woohyuk nodded and then turned his gaze back to the window. As the Nautilus illuminated the seabed, the remains of the Erendia Kingdom gradually showed itself. ¡°That¡¯s a familiar architectural style. It looks a lot like the ruins of the Rhine Kingdom.¡± ¡°Maybe people often traveled between Erendia and Rhine in the past? The two are geographically close.¡± ¡°Aris is right. In the past, this bad weather probably didn¡¯t exist, so they could¡¯ve had shipse and go between the kingdoms.¡± Aris and Brynhild observed the buildings beyond the windows. Triton, who had been silent so far, turned to Woohyuk and opened his mouth. ¡°My Lord, I will exit the Nautilus and take a closer look at the ruins. "Do as you want. However, be careful not to damage the ruins even if a battle urs.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Triton climbed onto a magic-engineered device in the corner of the captain''s room. After a while, a blue magic circle unfolded below him and he teleported to the upper part of the Nautilus. ¡°I have given orders to the underwater creatures in the area to investigate. So if they find anything, they wille report.¡± ¡°How convenient, Captain. In any case, this ce feels familiar for some reason.¡± It wasn''t just because the ruins were simr to those seen in the Rhine Kingdom. As Woohyuk tried to find the reason, a sturgeon waved its fins and approached the window. ¡°It looks like they''ve already found something. But they seem to be joyful that you¡¯re here, My Lord.¡± ¡°¡­ Ah, I think I know why. I''ve been here before. It was in a different dimension, though.¡± The Calm Sea. The bottom of the hugeke, which was part of the tutorial stage, was directly rted to the Erendia Kingdom. Quite a surprising connection. A series of system messages popped up before him as if the system had read Woohyuk''s thoughts. [Due to the exploration of this unknown territory, the title ''Ruler of the Calm Sea'' will be renewed to ''Ruler of the Dark Veiled Sea''.] [You can now control the natural phenomena of the Dark Veiled Sea, and you can utilize the sea creatures in the area.] [The abilities of ''Ruler of the Calm Sea'' are maintained.] He had not expected the new title Its utility would be tremendous. If he could navigate through the Dark Veiled Sea, he could easily conquer the Eeth Continent. Moreover, its marine resources could not be ignored. While Woohyuk admired his new abilities, Davy Jones pointed out the window. ¡°That''s what the sturgeon found.¡± A tall and grand building simr to a fortress. It was designed with magic engineering from the ground up, so it exuded a strange sense of heterogeneity. ¡°It seems like they have facilities prepared against intruders. Let me send the jellyfish over there first.¡± Woohyuk was now the Ruler of the Dark Veiled Sea, so he was able to give orders to the animals without Davy Jones'' help. As the jellyfish approached the building, an elongated device resembling a cannon popped out of the building''s surface and fired a red shell at it. Boooooom! The jellyfish was erased from existence without leaving behind any traces. Aris and Brynhild stared in horror. ¡°An, an automatic defense system!?¡± ¡°How dangerous. If we approached it, we would be like mosquitoes flying towards a me...¡± That single shot had shown the overwhelming technological power of the Erendia Kingdom. As the group stood and stared hesitantly, the sturgeon next to the submarine turned around and drew a circle. It was expressing that it had a good idea. Woohyuk nodded as a sign of permission. ¡°First, let¡¯s see what he ns to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried for him. One misstep and he bes a grilled shark.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just send Triton?¡± And now, a nameless sturgeon was more popr among the women than Triton himself. As he lightly ignored their words, Woohyuk silently stared in the direction where the sturgeon had disappeared. Maybe he was going to call someone else. As expected, the sturgeon appeared with a creature with a red shell after a while. ¡°It''s ava turtle. Those can withstand high heat particle cannons.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t the defenses a bit too weak if they can get prated by a single animal?¡± ¡°Yes, but the fortress might use a different means of attack if the turtle gets too close.¡± ¡°¡­ Then I¡¯ll have to help it a little.¡± Woohyuk walked toward the window of the captain''s room. When he raised his hand, theva turtle was covered and protected by a ck shield. ¡°Now it won¡¯t get pierced by metal objects.¡± ¡°With Lord Asura¡¯s demonic energy, it could withstand even the highest level of divine magic.¡± The two women put their hands on their chests and sighed in relief. After a while, theva turtle swung its short limbs and headed towards the unknown building. Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom! Booooooooooooooom! Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooom! Dozens of cannons fired red shells at the inoffensive animal. However, theva turtle continued to swim, facing the attacks as if they were nothing. Soon, it arrived at its destination... Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang! Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang! Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang! Hundreds of smaller barrels popped out of the building¡¯s surface, and countless bullets loaded with mana were fired. If Woohyuk hadn''t covered the turtle with demonic energy, theva turtle would have be a beehive by now. What was left now was to open the tightly closed entrance that resembled an iron gate. [Code Red. Code Red. Only those with administrator privileges can ess.] [Enter the administrator verification code using the virtual keypad created in front of you. The time limit is 1 minute.] [If the administrator verification is not authenticated within the time limit, unmanned magic soldier troops will be dispatched.] The unmanned magic soldier troops literally meant AI infantry that were assembled with magic-engineered parts. It was an incredible scientific achievement. But now wasn''t the time to admire the technology. ¡°We¡¯re stuck now. They¡¯re asking for a passcode...¡± ¡°Is there any other way? If it were a security system designed with runes, I would¡¯ve gone there, but it all looks like magic engineering to me...¡± Most importantly, the time limit was 1 minute. As everyone panicked, Woohyuk took out the Hourss of Time. Afterwards, he ced it on top of the table at the center of the captain''s room. Rumble. Golden sand began to flow down the narrow hole from the top of the hourss. ¡°I reduced the passing of time by 300. It¡¯s the most I can do with my current abilities.¡± The maximum speed reduction was -1,000, but this was more than enough time for now. What was originally one minute had increased to five hours. ¡°By 300? So we have five hours now. But how do we get the verification code?¡± ¡°I found this in the Golden Rose Society¡¯sboratory. At first I didn''t know what it was, but now that I look at it, it''s made up of the symbols and characters on the keypad.¡± Woohyuk opened some kind of research journal on the table. After reading it silently, Aris gasped in surprise. ¡°It''s a very advanced cryptography theory. It looks like a document belonging to the person who designed that fortress.¡± ¡°Do you think the security code is written in there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. We''ll need to analyze it in depth. But the creator of this fortress probably left this behind for a reason.¡± If the Erendia Kingdom received the Sea God''s wrath, it would disappear from everyone''s memory. With that possibility in mind, the architect might have prepared this on his own. During hisst moment, he could have teleported his research journal somewhere on the Eeth Continent with a magic-engineered device. The Golden Rose Society must have been found it by chance. It was a simple guess, but it seemed believable. Everyone nodded to Woohyuk''s hypothesis. ¡°Now, let¡¯s study this. We don''t have any other clues.¡± ¡°I''ll help if you find runes in there. It seems unlikely though since it¡¯s the records of a magic engineer.¡± As the two women clung to the journal, Woohyuk turned to Davy Jones. ¡°Is there anything you could help us with?¡± ¡°¡­ I am illiterate. I was an orphan, and I couldn''t even read children''s books.¡± Davy Jones was straightforward like most pirates. Woohyuk then pulled out an old book from his pocket. ¡°Then you read this while we study the research journal.¡± "Huh? But I just said that I can¡¯t...¡± ¡°It is a magic book about themonnguage of the Eeth Continent. Even if you are illiterate, you can read it until the end. You just have to imbue it with mana and read with your mind.¡± This was possible because the letters themselves consisted of mana. Davy Jones grabbed Woohyuk''s magic book in tears. They were definitely not tears of joy. He now had to spend five hours in boring self-study. Chapter 191: Dark Veiled Sea 7

Chapter 191: Dark Veiled Sea 7

After a long look into the journal, Woohyuk and his party found a hidden authentication code. Aris was the top contributor to this find. Contrary to her appearance, she was very well-versed in various disciplines, so she was of great help in cases like this. ¡°Good job, Aris. I will give you a great reward once we return. ¡°Heehee! Thank you very much!¡± As Woohyuk stroked her hair, Aris smiled cheerfully. Theva turtle then pressed the verification code... Swooosh! A summoning magic circle unfolded on the floor and theva turtle disappeared. It had acquired administrator rights after breaching through the security. Woohyuk closed his eyes and watched through the turtle¡¯s vision. ''There are no real threats there.'' Thousands of years had passed, but the interior was still bright with the luminescent particles. It appeared they had obtained an internal power source through a high-efficiency generator. ''I have to control the turtle now.'' Lava turtles weren''t intelligent enough to carry out this mission alone. As Woohyuk manipted its movements, [Discovered a new manager. I shall now investigate your personal information.] [What is your name? ording to the biological data analysis, you are not intelligent enough to enter this ce... Is there a separate subject who is issuing you orders?] The hologram of a girl with olive-colored hair in a maid outfit approached the turtle and asked questions. ''Is it an AI avatar?'' Woohyuk clicked his tongue and pressed the virtual keyboard projected by the girl with theva turtle''s limbs. [Chun Woohyuk. King of the Rhine Kingdom. Are there still survivors here?] [They received the anger of the Sea God. There is no way anyone would¡¯ve survived. One sailboat luckily managed to escape, but the rest didn''t.] [Who designed this fortress? We came here after finding his journal.] [¡­ Please follow me. I will show you the way.] The girl turned around and began to take the lead. Woohyuk took a breath and followed her within theva turtle... Beep. Beep beep. Finally, they reached a spacious space that looked like a high-techboratory. ''Is this the fortress'' central control room?'' If so, there was a high possibility that the relics of the owner of the journal were somewhere here. As Woohyuk observed the magic-engineered devices that were still in operation, [I have been waiting for you, Mr. Adventurer.] A woman with indigo hair appeared as a hologram in the ss container at the center filled with a transparent solution. At the same time, blue particles began to surround them. It was a certain type of medium that enabled telepathic conversations. [Are you in charge of this ce?] [Back in the days, I was. But now, I am merely a ghost.] The woman''s name was Fiona. The queen who had led the Erendia Kingdom to its golden age. However, because of her beautiful appearance, she was targeted by the Sea God. The demons hadn¡¯t begun their conquest back then, so the gods would mess around with the humans at will. In the end, Fiona decided to buy as much time as possible to work on a secret project with several schrs. The goal was to get the entire Erendia Kingdom out of the Sea God¡¯s sphere of influence. To do that, they first had to move away from the sea, so the question was how to get the kingdom to the maind. They ended up finding a certain solution for this problem. It was Inotia, the Magic-Engineered City. [Then, is this the heart of Inotia?] [Yes. Neustein, this power source, can sustain not just Inotia but also the entire Erendia Kingdom.] [Is that even possible? Did you stock up on Dragon Hearts or something? If you buy the wrath of the dragons, even a sky fortress won¡¯t be able to withstand their fury.] [Of course we didn¡¯t. The power source is Erdium, a divine mineral. Originally, it was extremely difficult to obtain within the human world, but the Wind God helped me.] The Wind God acted freely as he wanted, and also had a bad rtionship with the Sea God. Therefore, he was willing to help the troubled Fiona. In return, he asked her to build a temple for him in Inotiater on. Woohyuk tilted his head at Fiona''s past. [If you managed to find a power source, why did the kingdom sink helplessly? Did something happen?] [There was a traitor among us. He sabotaged the propulsion system designed to lift the Erendia Kingdom into the air at the most critical moment.] But even he couldn''t escape the wrath of the Sea God. Contrary to what he had promised, he didn¡¯t manage to capture Queen Fiona. She was already part of Inotia''s system by the time he tried to take her. [Did you sacrifice your physical body to take control of Inotia?] [My body is frozen in the basement. But I''m not sure if I could return to my original state. Well, there¡¯s no reason for me to do that however.] The Erendia Kingdom had perished, and its splendid civilization had vanished from everyone''s memory. Only the gods in the heavenly world knew the truth. Therefore, Fiona had been waiting for a long time. Waiting for the person who woulde find her and restore the true history. ''I can imagine what had happened now.'' The reason the Sea God had left this fortress intact was because Fiona''s soul was still contained in it. Meanwhile, Fiona was in control of the ce, but could not repair the physically damaged propulsors. The defense troops were equipped withbat-specific artificial intelligence only, so they could not repair the sabotaged devices. As the situation was cleared up in his head, Woohyuk made a suggestion to Fiona. [In truth, I came here to restore the Edda Chronicles. It means that our interests are not so different. So what if we cooperated to revive this failed project one more time? I have an outstanding magic-engineer with me.] [¡­ What is the point of doing so now? All it¡¯ll do is get us targeted by demons.] Fiona knew some of the events happening in the outside world, as she had been constantly collecting the wreckage of ships with her exploration robots. However, she hadn''t heard the story that the gods had been confined by the Creator. Woohyuk exined to her the current situation in detail. [We need your cooperation to end this turmoil, Fiona. Rest assured, the Sea God can no longer affect the world.] [That¡¯s¡­ surprising. Those arrogant gods are trapped and can only wait for their deaths now...] The Witches'' secret ns were also quite shocking. If this world were ruined, all the time she had spent waiting would be in vain. For Fiona, she had no choice but to cooperate with Woohyuk. [So, what is your answer? For reference, other than me and my vassals, only Lilith¡¯s subordinates cane here. And they won¡¯t be very cooperative with you.] [Fine. I will cooperate with you. What should I do?] [First, let the Nautilus enter the fortress. I can''t keep talking to you through thisva turtle.] [¡­ But the submarine is too big. Although Neustein''s amodation space is quiterge, there are some limitations.] [Don¡¯t worry about that. If it¡¯s too big, I can reduce it. Woohyuk paused the telepathic conversation and took out a miniaturization potion from his pocket. Aris looked at it and tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± ¡°I will reduce the Nautilus¡¯ size.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?" Everyone stared at Woohyuk dumbfoundedly. Not caring about their reactions, Woohyuk casually chanted the spell. Swooooooosh! A blue magic circle unfolded and emanated a swirling aura. He then poured the miniaturization potion on it, Rumble. When the magic circle¡¯s aura was absorbed by the Nautilus, the scenery beyond the ss window began to grow in size. ¡°We, we¡¯re actually shrinking!¡± ¡°That sturgeon became huge!¡± Aris and Brynhild shuddered in amazement and slight fear. Later, the Nautilus entered Neustein, and Woohyuk headed to the central control room with the others. ¡°Aris, do you remember that time you turned a city into a flying fortress?¡± "Ah yes. I did do that back when we first met.¡± ¡°Try to reproduce that effect. This time, you¡¯ll have to lift the entire of the Erendia Kingdom.¡± All the necessary equipment was in Neustein. Eventually, as the party reached the central control room, Fiona stared in confusion. ¡°¡­ Why is the Sea God¡¯s vassal with you?¡± ¡°I made him submit to me through force. Rest assured, he¡¯s quite obedient now. Well, if you want to use him to take some revenge on the Sea God, I wouldn¡¯t really mind.¡± ¡°...¡± Triton silently wept at the thought of being abandoned after working so hard all this time. Soon enough, a full-scale repair project was carried out under Aris¡¯ initiative... ¡°Lord Asura, I did it!¡± The Erendia Kingdom would be able to achieve its greatest dream. Boooom! Rumble! The propulsion system started to operate, and cracks began to form on the seafloor. The lift was dozens of times stronger than it was originally designed. It needed enough strength to withstand the pressure of the deep sea and rise high up in the air. Boooooooooom! Before long, the maind of the Erendia Kingdom emerged from the sea and rose to the sky. Truly a spectacr sight. Woohyuk and his party watched the event through Neustein''s mana particle monitor. ¡°Are you going to revive this kingdom, Lord Asura?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been submerged in the sea for a long time, so it needs a start-over.¡± Inotia, the Magic-Engineered City, was the ideal ce to cultivate various talented and gifted people. Not only was it equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, but it could effectively defend against invasions and intruders. In addition, the Erendia Kingdom had the advantage of being able to move anywhere using the propulsion device at its bottom. ¡°I¡¯ll have to move myb here. There are so many things I can research on.¡± ¡°We will be flying towards the Rhine Kingdom. We can''t stay in the Dark Veiled Sea forever.¡± If the Dark Veiled Sea calmed down, the kingdoms of the eastern continent could invade the western continent, with the Rhine Kingdom being the first one to be attacked. Therefore, the Dark Veiled Sea had to remain chaotic and violent. For the Erendia Kingdom, they just had to move it to another location since it could navigate through the air. Fiona spoke up as the group discussed their ns for the future. ¡°By the way, how are you going to bring back yourpanions you left down there? We have no air carrier system in Neustein.¡± Thepanions she was referring to were Sieg and Helena, who were left on the Isle of Chaos. Woohyuk thought for a while and then turned to Brynhild. ¡°Go down there and return to the Rhine Kingdom by sea, just in case something happens to them.¡± ¡°Gosh, do you think Sieg is going to cheat on me with that saintess?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just worried about them. Especially the Witch of Profanity. We need to bring back those important prisoners, and I don¡¯t want her to wreak havoc.¡± It would be difficult for Sieg to deal with that troublemaking saintess on his own. Brynhild nodded at his exnation. ¡°I also prefer being with Sieg. Then I shall see you back in the Rhine Kingdom.¡± Woohyuk turned to Triton this time as Brynhild spread her white wings and flew out of the fortress. ¡°Now that I think about it, you should also go down there in a hot air balloon or something. You saw how Davy Jones did it earlier, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Why should I go back down?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t have the Chief Mate abandon the ship halfway through the voyage.¡± Moreover, his main task was to procure seafood for Sieg and the others. Triton wept as he watched Woohyuk''s serious expression and exited the control room. Chapter 192: Edda Chronicles 1

Chapter 192: Edda Chronicles 1

After the long journey, Woohyuk elerated the Edda Chronicles restoration process. It wouldn¡¯t take him long to do so because the characters that appeared within the lost parts were with him. In addition, he began to reconstruct the Erendia Kingdom and foster talented individuals at the Academy. As a result, astronomical amounts of funds were consumed. In the west of the western continent, trade and human fluxes were extremely high, and most of it was centered on the Rhine Kingdom. This was thanks to Woohyuk''s solid foundations through his conquests. He was quite powerful and influential, since he had acquired the sovereignty of the six kingdoms of the West. "You¡¯ve been getting huge profits from maritime tradetely, right?" ¡°Yes. Everything is thanks to Your Majesty.¡± Erica, dressed in a gorgeous red dress, politely expressed her gratitude. She is in possession of themercial supremacy in the northern waters of the Rhine Kingdom. She had be the de facto leader of the free city of Landium. ¡°Have you found the ingredients I mentioned before? ¡°Apologies, Your Majesty. Unfortunately, we haven¡¯t obtained any information. But I will report immediately if we find any clues.¡± Erica knew that the man in front of her was in fact the red-haired young man who had helped her before. She hadn¡¯t noticed it herself. Woohyuk had called her privately and had told her. Therefore, even though she was a profit-seeking merchant, she did not hesitate to lose some funds if it was to help Woohyuk. "Understood. You may return now.¡± ¡°It was an honor to meet you in person, Your Majesty.¡± Erica slightly lifted the hem of her dress with both hands and excused herself, and then left the room. Next to Woohyuk was Joanna. She tilted her head in confusion and asked him a question. ¡°What is it that you¡¯re searching for so far and wide that you had to get the help of a merchant from the free city?¡± ¡°If you get those items in my hand, I could easily conquer the Eeth Continent.¡± The materials for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring and the Tokens of the Nine Dragon Tribes. The sooner he collected them, the better. ''I only have 6 items missing. 3 materials and 3 tokens.'' He wanted to go to the east and obtain the ingredients as soon as possible. However, he couldn¡¯t do so yet. There was the Edda Chronicles to restore, and the issues with Rosenkreuz and Alice the Queen of Thorns remained unresolved. Woohyuk lifted the white coin in his hand and stared at it. [Token of the White Dragon] Category: Personal Item Effect: One of the nine tokens required to be a Dragon Lord. With this token, you can increase your affinity with white dragons and make contracts with them. An object that Aris had found in Neustein''s storage room. He had a lot of work to do in the Rhine Kingdom, so he couldn¡¯t leave the country. He had sent Catsy instead to retrieve it from Aris and she had returned a few minutes ago. As Woohyuk sat silently, Joanna spoke up again. ¡°Recently, many people have been worrying about your health, Your Majesty. Including all your vassals. You¡¯ve been working and moving around without taking breaks...¡± ¡°What do you think personally? Do you think I¡¯m overworking myself?¡± ¡°It would be a lie to say that I¡¯m not worried at all. In any case, you¡¯ve finally returned from a long trip, so take a break to rest your mind and body.¡± ¡°You worry about me as if you were my wife.¡± ¡°You are our only hope, Your Majesty. Personally speaking, you are also an unparalleled benefactor.¡± Joanna blushed in embarrassment. She was currently sitting on the Queen¡¯s throne, next to Woohyuk. Woohyuk stared at Joanna for a while and opened his mouth. ¡°Once I obtain the Holy Aperian Empire, I will return the Rhine Kingdom to you. That would be the right thing to do.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you going to wage a war against the Empire this time?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to go that far. The situation is going pretty well.¡± As long as Princess Eleonora was on his side, the Holy Aperian Empire would not turn its back on him. Unless the Light Doctrine took political initiative like in the past. However, since they couldn''t talk about this here, Woohyuk stood up. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I have some things to do at the academy.¡± Today was the day the first batch of people would enter the training center. The training center was a spacious area beneath the academy, and he would ce the Hourss of Time in there. There would be some people who would try to steal the Hourss of Time, so Woohyuk decided to appoint Leifina as an assistant teacher to supervise them along with the Maester teacher. Her mission was also to watch over the two baby dragons who would join the batch. ¡°Dad~! I wore the school uniform!¡± Once he left ckburn in a disguise, Lia ran towards him with a big smile on her face. Woohyuk lifted her up and ced her on his shoulders. ¡°Are you looking forward to your academy life?¡± "Yeah! I''ve been studying at home all this time, so I want to go to school with my friend!¡± Lia pointed to Carnelian who was next to Leifina. She was also wearing the school uniform. However, unlike Lia, she looked quite uninspired and unenthusiastic. ¡°My Lord, what should I do in the training center?¡± ¡°Anything you want to do. Anything except cooking.¡± At Woohyuk''s sharp point, Leifina made a shocked and pained expression. Everyone had suffered from the food she had prepared through great lengthsst time. Even her mentor, King of Cooking Hans, couldn''t say anything about it. Carnelian silently recalled the nightmarish experience, and shook her head. ¡°Aunty¡¯s cooking is terrible. It¡¯s worse than my mom''s.¡± "Haha... How cheeky of you...¡± Leifina tried to ovee the gloomy situation with augh. She didn¡¯t really like beingpared to Tinia. Woohyuk coughed in slight fear and headed to the academy with them. ¡°It''s been a long time, Your Majesty. How have you been?¡± Upon arriving at the entrance, a white-haired elderly man in a robe greeted Woohyuk. [Maester Liberto]. He was once the chief court magician of the Holy Aperian Empire who had made a name for himself. However, he didn¡¯t like politics where he had to struggle against others¡¯ schemes constantly. When he got older, he retired from his position and lived in seclusion, but Woohyuk persuaded him through letters and brought him here. ¡°I was busy going on some journeys. But I¡¯ve obtained many things during my adventures.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve indeed heard the rumors. They say you''ve captured the notorious pirates this time.¡± The members of the ckbeard Pirates and the Golden Rose Society were currently held in ckburn''s dungeons. It was a zone where escaping was impossible for them since they had demonic energy. In addition, ckburn had defenders and protective barriers all over the ce, so it was difficult for their allies of the Demon Faction to help them. As Liberto praised him, Woohyuk reached out his hand. "I was just lucky. In any case, they are valuable prisoners we could use for our benefits, so I kept them alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Your Majesty has the ability to rehabilitate criminals and evil beings. I hope those ferocious pirates be good citizens of the kingdom in the future.¡± The rumor Liberto was mentioning was about the n masters recently released from ckburn¡¯s dungeon. Liberto was using a fancy word like ¡®rehabilitate¡¯ since he was in front of Woohyuk. But in truth, he was an excellent magician who knew about Woohyuk¡¯s innate attribute. He was just pretending not to know about it. Although he had never revealed himself, Liberto was a member of the divine lineage like Helena. ¡°In any case, how are the disciples doing? I especially want to hear about Song Anna¡¯s performance. ¡°¡­ She possesses innate talents inmunicating with elementals. Moreover, she¡¯s an excellent hard-worker. Thanks to that, she has recently obtained her fourth ability.¡± The Child Blessed by the Seven Stars was able to acquire a total of seven abilities. She abilities she had obtained until now were: One: Giving a physical body to elementals. Two: Directly possessing natural beings such as animals and nts. Three: Transforming animals and nts into anthropomorphic entities. Four: Creating a new elemental. ¡°As I thought, they¡¯re all rted to nature and elementals.¡± ¡°No, it''s hard to say that because of the fourth ability. Not all elementals necessarily have natural properties.¡± A prime example was Agnes, who was of the darkness property. Woohyuk nodded and then asked a question again. ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°Silvia is also an excellent soul enchanter. She will be a prominent figure in the future. Yoo Kayoung and Undine are also far above average.¡± They were all growing rapidly, just as he had nned As Woohyuk received additional reports regarding the operation of the academy, Irene appeared in the distance and approached them. She was also wearing the school uniform. As she was a hidden reward from the Twilight Tower, Woohyuk had a lot of expectations for Irene. "It has been a long time, Your Majesty." ¡°¡­ Since when do you talk like that, Irene?¡± ¡°I learned to speak like ady from Lady Joanna. Do you not like it?¡± Irene tilted her head and stared at Woohyuk in confusion. The men in the royal pce had responded favorably when she had talked like this. Woohyuk shook his head, grasping the situation. ¡°No, it¡¯s much better now. It''s just that your behavior was so different from before that I was taken off guard.¡± ¡°Lady Joanna said that a woman''s transformation is innocent, and that it isn¡¯t gentlemanly to point it out and reproach her.¡± ¡­ It seemed that Joanna had taught her some useless things. Woohyuk sighed and headed to the basement of the academy with the others. ¡°The preparations are all over. We have enough food and household goods to be self-sufficient, and we have resting facilities.¡± Liberto took the lead and continued reporting to Woohyuk. The contents were mostly about the training center. Since they would live in a confined space for a long period of time, they needed a lot of items and goods. They not only had dormitories, but also various ces such as restaurants, libraries, sports facilities, and artificial gardens on each floor. He had taken this idea from the Valkyrie¡¯s ruins. As long as it was a sealed space, the Hourss of Time¡¯s effect would be applied no matter howrge the space was, so Woohyuk had deliberately ced the training center underground. As Liberto''s report ended, a huge bronze door emerged beyond the dark passage. It was the boundary between the training center and the outside. Creak. As Liberto approached it, Aiden opened the door himself as his soldiers stood next to him. Woohyuk said some words of encouragement to him. ¡°Good work until now, Aiden.¡± ¡°Compared to when I was at the Northeastern Guard Camp, this is nothing.¡± Aiden was previously the corpsmander whose mission was to defend the capital city Heidelberg. Tennan, his former lieutenant, had taken over his position as themander during Aiden¡¯s absence. ¡°No matter what happens, this door mustn¡¯t be opened from outside without my permission.¡± ¡°I will make sure to check the perimeter thoroughly so that it never happens.¡± This time, the training period was one month long. However, within the training center, time would be elerated by ¡Á500. Therefore, the internal time would be around 41 years. For reference, the reason the efficiency had improvedpared tost time was because the Dark Magician Maester Liberto would operate the Hourss of Time. Since he was an excellent magician, he was able to draw out the full potential of artifacts better than the current Woohyuk. ¡°Dad, give me a kiss. I won¡¯t see you for 41 years from now on.¡± Lia grabbed onto Woohyuk''s arm while he said goodbye to the others. Woohyuk gave her a peck on the lips. ¡°Listen to your mom, alright? Don''t cause any idents as well.¡± "Yeah! I''ll be good!¡± Lia ran towards Leifina with a satisfied expression. Afterwards, Woohyuk''s gaze turned to Carnelian, who was hesitantly approaching him. ¡°Do you want one too?¡± ¡°...¡± Carnelian blushed and couldn''t respond. Because she had been under Ivanov¡¯s control for a long time, she could not express her emotions clearly. Woohyuk stared at her with a lonely look and repeated the same action he had done to Lia. ¡°If something happens that requires you toe out before the month ends, open the door first, Leifina. I can¡¯t have telepathic conversations with you unless you do so.¡± ¡°I understand, My Lord.¡± The space where the Hourss of Time operated would bepletely disconnected from the outside world. In other words, unless the enclosed space was open, those outside would not know what was going on inside it. However, Woohyuk was somewhat relieved because Leifina was going inside together with the others. She was a vassal who would never betray him under any circumstances. In time, the bronze door closed shut, and Woohyuk turned to head back to ckburn. All that was left to do was to trigger the epic quest contained in the Edda Chronicles. Chapter 193: Edda Chronicles 2

Chapter 193: Edda Chronicles 2

Inside the office exclusive to the king, Woohyuk was intently studying a certain ancient document while holding the Archaeologist''s Golden Magnifying ss. [Restored Edda Chronicles] Type: Personal Item Effect: Spirit +50. Can be used to watch recorded myths and stories about heroes in an imaginary world. If certain conditions are met, the epic quest will be activated. ''Certain conditions...¡¯ Basically, Epic Quests were only given when the user¡¯s overall stats were very high. Of course, there were other requirements, such as interacting with specific ces or objects. ''It seems there are no hidden texts in it.'' If there were, there would be clues and hints inside it written in visible characters. As Woohyuk went through the book, someone knocked on the door. Knock knock. ¡°My Lord, I have brought the people you asked for.¡± It was Sieg behind the door. Woohyuk retracted his gaze from the book and answered. ¡°Come in.¡± Creak. The luxuriously decorated door opened, and familiar faces entered the office with Sieg. Helena, Brynhild, and Alejandro. ¡°Are you used to your new lifestyle now, Alejandro?¡± ¡°...¡± Alejandro looked down to his now empty groin and bit his lips. Seeing his reaction, Helena jabbed at him. ¡°He reaped what he sowed. If you do terrible things in life, you¡¯ll get your fair share of it yourself. Karma¡¯s a bitch.¡± ¡°Don''t bully him too much, Helena. I understand your feeling of wanting to take revenge for your parents, but still.¡± Brynhild patted Helena on the shoulder tofort her. As the chatter continued, Woohyuk lightly tapped on the desk to draw their attention. ¡°In any case, we must proceed through the Epic Quest as soon as possible, but using every means possible.¡± Alejandro was the second-inmand of the Golden Rose Society, so he knew many secrets. As everyone''s eyes focused on Alejandro, sweat dripped down his neck. ¡°You won¡¯t torture me again to hypnotize me, right? I still have value to you as a prisoner.¡± ¡°Of course you do. However, if necessary, I can always cut additional body parts of yours.¡± A sharp glint shone in Helena¡¯s eyes and she released her murderous intent. She had already sliced off a grown man¡¯s phallus, so there was nothing she couldn¡¯t cut now. Eventually, Alejandro realized that nothing was holding her back, and decided to surrender. ¡°Ask, ask anything you want. All of this must¡¯ve been nned by Lord Aleister either way...¡± ¡°What a pathetic excuse. Just say you''re afraid of being tortured.¡± Brynhild crossed her arms with a dark re. As a Valkyrie, she was not happy about the existence of the Golden Rose Society. As the atmosphere became appropriate for an interrogation, Woohyuk spoke his first question. ¡°What do you know about the Edda Chronicles? Since the Witches have been aiming for it for a while, you must know something about it.¡± ¡°¡­ A certain Homunculus is the key to triggering the Epic Quest. However, we don¡¯t know what kind of entity it is. It¡¯s also impossible to estimate what the final reward forpleting the quest is.¡± Epic Quests were designed by the Creator himself, so even the gods or demons could not figure out the contents of the quests within the system. At Alejandro''s exnation, Woohyuk nodded. ¡°If you people knew everything, you would have restored the document first in the past. Then the second question. Where are the rest of the Golden Rose Society members and what are they doing?¡± ¡°¡­ Even I can''t figure out where Lord Aleister is. And all of our other bases are located in cold regions. Specifically, the Enoa Kingdom and the Aize Kingdom in the east.¡± Excluding major cities, the poption density in cold regions was low and exchanges with the outside were low. The Golden Rose Society used that information to their advantage to set their bases in those two kingdoms. It was the same idea as the Isle of Chaos. ¡°Good. I was going to visit them sometime soon anyway. Now, tell us what role the Edda Chronicles ys in your ns.¡± He had been wondering about it for a long time. Why didn''t Lilith and Aleister advance at full strength even though their subordinates were being defeated? If their purpose was to grow his strength for the advent of the Demon god, how did they n to stop Eteria Rodinus¡¯ ns? While he had his own hypotheses, he wasn¡¯t sure about many points. So, he was going to use this opportunity to hear more details from Alejandro. For reference, since he had the ability to detect lies, he had no fear of being misled by false information. When Woohyuk nced at him and asked for an exnation, Alejandro slightly hesitated before talking. ¡°It is difficult to understand all of Lady Lilith¡¯s intentions... Even Lord Aleister is just trusting her and following her lead. However, we know that the Three Ancient Chronicles, including the Edda Chronicles, are important factors in determining the future.¡± ¡°It must be because of the Ark of Knowledge and the Epic Quests. I also know that the Epic Quests are necessary to prevent the three Great Catastrophes. Tell me the details about the Ark of Knowledge.¡± In truth, Woohyuk was aware of the Nameless Tome¡¯s contents thanks to Helena and knew what the Ark of Knowledge was. It could be called a material necessary to reconstruct the existing world. If the Demon God and the Holy Grail interacted, the world would be reinitialized. But if the Ark of Knowledge were to be added to the equation, partial modification would be possible instead ofplete reinitialization. That was why Boetius had said that in order to change the future to a desirable direction, they needed the Holy Grail in perfect condition, the Ark of Knowledge, and the Power of the Demon God. However, the fact that Lilith knew the contents of the prophetic book still bothered Woohyuk. ''Maybe, what Eteria Rodinus knows is not everything.'' Even in the Nameless Tome, the origin of the Ark of Knowledge was not mentioned. This was because the Forbidden Library already existed even before the divine lineage was transferred to the Eeth Continent. It is also known that the Holy Grail and Lemegeton were given to the Wise King Solomon by the Creator himself, but there was no information about whether they existed before. Eteria Rodinus hasn''t told him all the information they knew yet, so he felt like he was being kept in the dark. Alejandroughed as if he had noticed Woohyuk''s feelings. ¡°The Ark of Knowledge... It''s a very hidden topic, so we can''t say much about it either. Of course, Lady Lilith knows the essential information, but... the only human who was epted by her in the Golden Rose Society is Aleister.¡± "So you don''t have any information? ¡°That¡¯s not the case. I will tell you as much as I know. The Forbidden Library, which you call the Ark of Knowledge, was created by the original residents of the Eeth Continent who had inherited Lady Lilith''s blood. They dreamed of immortality and wanted to return to Paradise Lost.¡± When neither the gods nor the demons existed on the Eeth Continent, they focused solely on forbidden research. Most of the magic books in the Ark of Knowledge were written during that era. They gained an enormous amount of knowledge, but as if that alone was insufficient, the hand of salvation did not reach down to them. While everyone was frustrated, a certain prominent alchemist (Aleister) dered: ¡°Lady Lilith may know a method!¡± That was the moment the Witch Cult first appeared on the Eeth Continent. Since then, the Witch Cult spread rapidly, and its members began to study dark magic to summon beings of different dimensions. The King''s Book had records of the umted knowledge. It was the forbidden magic book that Helena wanted to find as soon as possible. ¡°¡­ I didn''t know there was such a long history in the Witch Cult.¡± ¡°Lord Aleister organized the doctrine. Many people began to follow and worship Lady Lilith.¡± But one day a problem urred. Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise Lost and came down to the Eeth Continent. The Witch Cult tried to reject the two, but they couldn''t achieve their will. Because the seven godsmanded by the Creator appeared and made Adam and Eve dominate the descendants of Lilith. As a result, the Witch Cult fell and was ruined, and Aleister summoned ancient demons from another dimension as ast resort. ¡°Are they the 72 Demon Kings?¡± ¡°No, listen to the end of the story. The ancient demons are different from the 72 Demon Kings.¡± The 72 Demon Kings and Lilith were creaturester called by the Creator to the Eeth Continent to prevent the gods¡¯ tyranny. The ancient demons summoned by Aleister before the arrival of the demon kings were fallen angels. They were former vassals of the Creator who served him before the gods. But they also rebelled against him and were exiled to another dimension. ¡°Well, even if they were such great existences, they must have been suppressed since the gods were able to monopolize the Eeth Continent.¡± ¡°Still, they were able to buy a lot of time. Thanks to this, Lord Aleister was able to receive Lady Lilith¡¯s grace on the border of life and death.¡± The process was truly dramatic. Although he had been defeated in the war against the gods, he had managed to escape, but Aleister had lost all the knowledge he had acquired through his studies due to the curse of the Sea God. Afterwards, he was stabbed by the sword of some Light Doctrine believer, and fell on the side of the road, prepared to face death. The moment everything was about to end... Aleisterpleted a necromancy spell subconsciously. Although he had forgotten about it, his body had managed to remember it while desperately seeking salvation. It would have been impossible if he weren¡¯t a fanatic to the bone. Thanks to this, Aleister was able to connect with Lilith from the demon world and became the first person to make a contract with her. ¡°¡­ He''s crazier than Rosenkreuz. So, did the Ark of Knowledgee to be managed by the divine lineage?¡± "That''s right. The gods didn''t want the Ark of Knowledge to be used by Lilith and her descendants.¡± And, to prepare for urgent situations, the Akashic Records were given to the divine family. If the Ark of Knowledge were about to be taken away by a hostile force, it would activate a top-ss magic circle that would move the Ark to the heavenly world. The Akashic Records had already been used once in the past and were extinguished now. When all of Alejandro''s exnations ended, Woohyuk nodded. ''He¡¯s not lying, so it''s probably all true.'' The problem was that those historical events weren''t particrly helpful in the current situation. After thinking for a while, Woohyuk ordered Brynhild to bring Roan, who was detained in the basement. ¡°Bring me alcohol and hoes right now! Otherwise I¡¯ll...¡± Thwack! Upon arriving at the office, Woohyuk''s fist flew toward Roan, who then began to scream in pain. "Ouch! Roan hates being treated as a punching bag!¡± ¡°Zip it. The situation isn¡¯tid-back enough for me to ept your bullshit right now.¡± Woohyuk retracted his fist and revealed his murderous intention. As a result, the air froze and Roan gulped. ¡°Wha, what do you want? If you¡¯re into pretty boys like me...¡± ¡°Brynhild, tie him to a chair first.¡± "I understand." Brynhild pulled out a golden rope and quickly tied Roan. Roan, whose abilities were sealed, couldn''t resist. ¡°Now, then let¡¯s continue the conversation.¡± ¡°But are you certain that the Homunculus that triggers the Epic Quest is Roan? I feel anxious for some reason...¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Helena. If it¡¯s not him, we¡¯ll just seal him again.¡± However, if things were going ording to the Creator¡¯s or Lilith''s ns, the key was most likely to be Roan. A glint shed through Woohyuk¡¯s eyes and he grabbed Roan¡¯s nape. Two faded runes. Since a third rune was active next to them, only the first seal was released right now. It was time to release the others. Chapter 194: Edda Chronicles 3

Chapter 194: Edda Chronicles 3

¡°You need erdium to unlock the second seal. The finest quality erdium there is, like the one in the Valkyrie''s ruins.¡± Brynhild said with a frown. Just like Helena, she was worried that Roan would make trouble after getting his seals released. Meanwhile, Roan was excited and urged Woohyuk. "Quick! Quickly activate the next rune! Then I can finally humiliate all the girls here!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to be quiet?¡± ¡°Honestly, don¡¯t you want to mess around with these bitches too? If you release me... Hmmmh?!¡± A dry cloth was stuffed in Roan''s mouth, who was trying to spread vulgarity. Helena then dropped a fist on his head. ¡°You really don¡¯t hold back on your words, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re calling us bitches? Ridiculous...¡± ¡°Hmmm...!! Hmmmmm!!!¡± ¡°Shut it. You need to be disciplined. Actually, more than a discipline. You need to be punished. A bad child must be punished!¡± ¡°You would make a great mother, Witch of Profanity.¡± ¡°¡­ What are you talking about now? You¡¯re a rude man who can''t read the mood.¡± "Haha¡­ Everyone, let¡¯s calm down and return to the original subject...¡± The silent Sieg smiled awkwardly and tried to resolve the tension. As the surroundings became quiet, Woohyuk took out the high quality erdium from his pocket. "But the erdium won¡¯t be consumed and disappear just by removing the seal, right?" "It won¡¯t. You saw the power of erdium once in Inotia, the City of Magic-Engineering, right?¡± Brynhild reached out her hand and told him not to worry. When Woohyuk handed over the erdium, she immediately chanted a spell specific for Valkyries. Swoosh! A bright light resembling an aurora emanated from the erdium and flowed into Roan''s neck. After some time... "Hahahahahaha! I¡¯ve finally regained my power! It''s an iplete release, but it¡¯s more than enough!¡± Roan cheered joyfully and raised both hands up high. He had broken through the golden rope. Woohyuk then grabbed him by the cor. ¡°Who told you you could break your restraints?¡± ¡°Ha! I¡¯m not going to listen to you anymore! Because I am now...¡± Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Woohyuk''s relentless began beating Roan, who then cried out loudly in pain. He tried to resist, but his head kept hitting the marble floor every time Woohyuk¡¯s fist swung down. ¡°Keuk...!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mess around, brat. I¡¯ll use this opportunity to teach you a lesson.¡± It was Woohyuk who had defeated six demon kings and three witches after obtaining the Asura ss. No matter how strong the Homunculus was, Roan couldn¡¯t deal with Woohyuk with only half of his powers and abilities released. Roan eventually knelt as Woohyuk''s continued the beating. ¡°Aaaah! Roan was wrong! Please stop hitting me!¡± ¡°You¡¯d make a great dad.¡± ¡°¡­ Shut up, Helena.¡± After brushing off Helena''s return jab, Woohyuk grabbed Roan''s nape. Then Roan convulsed and began to shout. ¡°Pl, please spare me, Master! Roan was really stupid and hadn¡¯t thought this through!¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve finally realized your position here.¡± If Woohyuk hadn¡¯t overpowered Roan as soon as his second seal was released, the Homunculus would¡¯ve blown the office away. When Roan turned obedient, a series of system messages popped up before Woohyuk''s eyes. [Roan, the Homunculus of Gluttony, has recognized you as his master.] [You may now select Roan''s seal level (0~3) anytime, anywhere.] Step 0 was to put him into a Shutdown state, just like when he was abandoned. If he created trouble and messes, Woohyuk could sanction him immediately. As Woohyuk stood with a satisfied grin, a golden aura suddenly shot out from the Edda Chronicles. Swoooosh! Its hidden ability had activated because the owner had satisfied all the conditions required. When Woohyuk touched the document, a system message popped up once again. [The Epic Quest ¡®Legacy of the Dragon Tribe¡¯ has begun.] [As ording to the ancient covenant, the dragons who departed to another dimension will now return.] The ancient covenant. A promise the heads of the nine dragon tribes had made with the Creator. When the dangers foretold by the Goddesses of Fate would approach the world, they would return to the continent once again to face those dangers. In other words, the dragon tribes had known in advance that the Three Great Catastrophes would ur. In Woohyuk¡¯s past life, no one had inherited Asura''s name, so the dragons would¡¯ve returned to the Eeth Continent in the distant future, after they had dealt with the infectious disease that polluted their minds. As Woohyuk stared nkly in the air for a moment, Brynhild spoke first. ¡°Did you receive the Epic Quest?¡± ¡°Right, but there¡¯s a slight problem.¡± The return of the dragon tribes. It would have a tremendous effect on the Eeth Continent. Unlike his past life, the present life was elerating at a tremendous pace. He had yet to gain the Dragon Lord ss, so his current ns would be disrupted if there were friction between him and the dragons. Helena also frowned at Woohyuk''s exnation. ¡°There wasn''t much mentioned in the Prophetic Book, but¡­ there will definitely be some damage since the Eeth Continent is currently ruled by demons.¡± ¡°Ma, Master! Roan will get killed when the dragons see him! So please don''t drag me outside!¡± Roan, who had been listening to the conversation silently, clung to Woohyuk''s leg as he feared his demise. But Alejandro shook his head. ¡°The quest was activated thanks to this Homunculus, so you should have him apany you. However, hiding his existence as much as possible will reduce any possible conflict with the dragon tribes.¡± ¡°Thanks for the advice. Then you can return to the dungeon now.¡± When Woohyuk gave a signal, Sieg grabbed Alejandro and pulled him out of the office. Watching their figures retreat in the distance, Brynhild spoke to Woohyuk as she suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, by the way, aren¡¯t the Corcas Mountains the territory of ck Dragon King Drakia? If he realizes you are the monarch of the Rhine Kingdom, I don''t think he will stay still.¡± "Don¡¯t worry about that. Joanna will exin it well.¡± He hadn¡¯t appointed Joanna as the regent while he was away until now for nothing. Woohyuk immediately went to find her with the others. ¡°¡­ The dragon tribes have returned?¡± ¡°ording to the system message, yes.¡± ¡°The kingdom will be in turmoil once again. ording to the myth, the dragons generally did not like humans very much.¡± ck Dragon King Drakia was a very unusual case. When Joanna showed her anxiety, Woohyuk reassured her. ¡°If you act wisely, there will be no big problems. At least for the Rhine Kingdom.¡± ¡°Wouldn''t Drakia make me an unreasonable demand? Even if I am a descendant of Queen Iona, a long time has passed...¡± ¡°Be confident, Even Ericsson, the Great Sage who served Queen Iona, said you looked like her.¡± As he made ns and calctions, Woohyuk led Joanna to a carriage waiting outside the pce. They would head to the Corcas Mountains to meet ck Dragon King Drakia. But unexpectedly, the dragon in question arrived in ckburn by the time he got on the carriage. ¡°¡­You seem to be having fun living in the castle I built for Iona, you bug.¡± An extremely furious expression that would reappear in his nightmares. Woohyuk calmed him down as he got off the carriage again. ¡°You seem to be misunderstanding something. Calm your anger and listen to me first.¡± ¡°¡­Are you a demon? You seem to be skilled enough to enter this castle that I protected with draconic runes. Your story is not worth listening to, so just die!¡± Gliding through the air, Drakia sted out a ck breath from his mouth. Woohyuk immediately used his demonic energy to create a protective barrier that wasrge enough to cover ckburn. Boooooooooooooooom! The ck breath struck the barrier, creating immense heat. Nevertheless, the barrier resisted the attack, and Drakia looked puzzled. ¡°Are you a high-ranking demon? ¡­ No, even high-ranking demons can''t stop my breath like this. Then you must be one of the 72 Demon Kings.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to listen to my story? Will you take responsibility if Iona''s descendant dies after attacking so blindly?¡± ¡°Iona¡¯s descendant...?¡± Drakia looked down at Joanna, who was standing next to Woohyuk. A beautiful woman with indigo hair. Even though the sight of a dragon and its breath should¡¯ve shaken her, she had not lost her dignity. ''I can definitely see some resemnce with Iona.'' However, there was no evidence that the woman in front of her was of the vis family. After Drakia transformed himself into a human, he slowly descended to Joanna¡¯s location. ¡°My name is Joanna. I happened to pass the trial prepared by the Great Sage Ericsson and became Queen Iona''s sessor.¡± ¡°¡­ You are the new sessor? Then you would have her heirlooms?¡± "Here they are. Both are the genuine articles.¡± Joanna pulled out Queen Iona''s Guardian Cross and the Blissful Flute. Afterwards, when she yed the Blissful Flute, Drakia''s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s true. It''s the artifact that Iona received from the Golden Dragon Karlstadt. It can only be used by her descendants.¡± ¡°Be grateful to me, Drakia. I saved her from danger and led her to the underground dungeon of ckburn.¡± ¡°¡­ Why do you do good deeds unlike other demons? Are you trying to use Joanna politically?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case! He is not interested in satisfying his self-interest!¡± Joanna defended Woohyuk and told Drakia the details of what had happened in the Rhine Kingdom and the surrounding countries. Then Drakia turned at Woohyuk with a shocked expression. ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be. You are the one who brought us back to the Eeth Continent.¡± ¡°Is it that hard to believe? Then I''ll bring over more witnesses.¡± Woohyuk pointed to Helena and Brynhild, who had just exited the pce and joined his side. Helena was a saintess who had inherited the divine lineage. Brynhild was a Valkyrie who once followed the God of Light in the heavenly world. Both were in a position that opposed the demon faction. After hearing their testimonies, Drakia lifted his white g. ¡°I''m sorry, I was mistaken. I hope you will forgive me with your broad generosity.¡± ¡°The past is in the past. Let¡¯s turn the page. But I do have one request.¡± ¡°¡­ Is it about Epic Quest?¡± ¡°So you know about it.¡± Drakia, the ck Dragon King, must¡¯ve heard about the future from the Goddesses of Fate ages ago. That was why he was most likely roughly aware of the situation right now. He just didn''t know that the ck-haired man in front of him was the one who was doing that epic quest. When Drakia decided to cooperate, Woohyuk stared at the quest information window floating in front of him. [New Quest] Name: Legacy of the Dragon Tribe Type: Epic Description: After passing the trials given by the heads of the nine dragon tribes, conquer the hidden Dragon Ruins. Other: Cannot be re-attempted upon failure. At first nce, it seemed simple, but it was a quest that wouldn¡¯t be easy to clear. There were nine qualifications he had to pass and acquire, and the Dragon Ruins were certain to be difficult to conquer. ''But I must seed.'' If he didn¡¯t have this much determination, he would not have used the Return Scroll without hesitation. He would fill in all the Divine Thrones within 40 years at thetest. This was merely a stepping stone to achieve his ultimate goal. Woohyuk calmly spoke as he recalled the n he had made in advance. ¡°ck Dragon King Drakia, I request you to make your trial simple.¡± ¡°Is anything fine if it¡¯s simple?¡± "Yes. But make it something that can be done in less than a minute.¡± "Alright. Then go stand next to that carriage. Do a handstand by leaning your legs on it.¡± ¡°¡­Such a piece of cake.¡± Woohyuk followed Drakia''s instructions, pretending that this was the school gym. Then, a series of system messages popped up in his inverted vision. [You have passed the ck Dragon King Drakia¡¯s trial.] [Remaining trials: 7.] [Since you have already passed the Golden Dragon King Adakar''s trial, it has been counted.] This was just perfect. Two fewer to go. Chapter 195: Legacy of the Dragon Tribes 1

Chapter 195: Legacy of the Dragon Tribes 1

Most of the dragons lived in high and rugged mountains. As they were called the strongest creatures of the continent, they did not live in groups and it was easy for them to defend themselves on their own. There were a few of them who transformed into other species and travelled the world, but... ¡°I didn¡¯t think they would all flock to the Erendia Kingdom.¡± Since it had been destroyed for ages, it was like an empty mountain that would be perfect for theirir. Woohyuk had thought that the dragons would return to their pastirs after returning to the continent. But the Sky Ind of the Erendia Kingdom was just that appealing to them that they all coveted it. ¡°It must be because it fits their tastes. An ind that floats in the sky must be perfect for flying dragons. Besides, the ind is quiterge and has some mountainous regions.¡± The maind of the Erendia Kingdom was as vast as Ennd or Japan on Earth. For this reason, the heads of the nine dragon tribes, excluding Drakia, were gathered on the ind to debate over the sovereignty of the Erendia Kingdom. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the dragon tribes also fought between each other. Since they¡¯re a race that values order, I thought they would be reasonable.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the Prophetic Book talk about them? It seems there were a lot more missing contents than I thought.¡± ¡°¡­ In truth, a lot of the stories were more symbolic than anything. But its contents are sufficient to change the future in a desirable direction.¡± At the very least, Eteria Rodinus believed that. Helena looked up at the sky, thinking of the members who were doing their best around the continent. Currently, Woohyuk''s party was headed to Inotia, the City of Magic-Engineering, while riding on top of Drakia. The eight heads of the dragon tribes were gathered in front of Neustein Castle and disputing. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. I can see the Sky Ind over there.¡± Brynhild pointed forward with her finger. Then Roan expressed in surprise and joy. "Woah! It looks like Valha in the heavenly world!¡± In his head, he recalled the apprentice valkyries who served the dead heroes, and the finest alcohol he had tasted. Brynhild sternly admonished Roan as if she had read his mind. ¡°There are no liquor and girls over there. And even if there were some, you better act carefully because your master won¡¯t punch you once only this time either.¡± ¡°Aaaaah! Roan doesn''t want to get hit!¡± Roan cried as he recalled the memory of Woohyuk beating him. Drakia sighed as he watched their interactions. ''The more I watch them, the more surprising it is.'' He was working with them because of Joanna, but the group¡¯s members were really odd. In particr, that whiny Homunculus could cause a big ident someday. Drakia couldn''t understand why Woohyuk was taking him to the ce where the heads of the dragon tribes had gathered. ''But I should believe in the future shown to me by the Goddesses of Fate.'' The first catastrophe, the Advent of the Fallen Angel Crue. To stop it, he would have to clear the Epic Quest involving the dragon tribes, and the dragon tribes had to give him appropriate assistance ording to the ancient covenant. Moreover, before beginning the Epic Quest, the heads would give him trials to figure out his abilities and qualities. Drakia pped his wings more vigorously as his excitement to watch Woohyuk¡¯s true abilities grew. When they arrived at the destination, they saw various races gathering together and chatting. All of them were dragons, but because they had to hold a meeting with many members, they had transformed into their preferred forms for convenience¡¯s sake. Woohyuk''s party descended from Drakia''s back and headed straight to the heads of the dragon tribes. ¡°Who are you! Only dragons can participate in this meeting!¡± ¡°There is a demon among them. Along with the forbidden weapon Homunculus...¡± ¡°But there is also a Saint and a Valkyrie. This is such a bizarrebination of people.¡± ¡°We must inform the elder first!¡± The dragons showed hostility and blocked Woohyuk''s path. Drakia then stood before them and overpowered them with his spirit. ¡°Get out of the way. They are my guests.¡± ¡°Bl, ck Dragon King Drakia...!¡± ¡°Are the ck dragons also aiming for this ind?!¡± The heads of the dragon tribes were granted power from the Creator, so a few ordinary dragons could not stop a single tribe head. As the crowd of dragons split in half and created a path as if Moses had appeared, Woohyuk grinned in amusement. ''I didn''t think I would meet them again like this.'' In the past, he had subdued the nine dragon tribes by force. It was only possible because he had the help of excellent vassals. But this time, they weren''t with him, and even if Woohyuk had brought them along today, they would still becking in skills. Moreover, many contents of the Epic Quest needed to be done on his own. ''But there¡¯s no need to feel overwhelmed by the dragons.'' The present Woohyuk was very different to the past life¡¯s Woohyuk. Even if his overall stats fell behind a little, he had gained a power that could offset it. Therefore, he had to finish the Epic Quest as quickly as possible. He had to go find the King''s Book in the Enoa Kingdom, as it was necessary to defeat Rosenkreuz, who had almost uncovered the secrets of Rosa Eterna. The return of the dragon tribes would be a new variable. Other forces would be confused for a while, but it also meant that the future was less predictable nowpared to before. Before long, Woohyuk¡¯s group reached the location where the heads of the dragon tribes had gathered. Drakia then spoke first. "We returned to prevent a catastrophe, but here you are, fighting for territory. You lot are pathetic." ¡°I don''t think you have the right to say that, Drakia. Who was the dragon who wrecked havoc in a small kingdom because of one human woman?¡± Estina, the Red Dragon King, condemned him as if she had expected Drakia''s ridicule. She had begun to lead the Red Dragon tribe, seeding Arcana who had died during the War of Gods and Demons. ¡°But why did you bring them? Theposition is also very grotesque. If you have no convincing reason, that demon and Homunculus will die under my hands right now.¡± ¡°Ah, first, remove the ck-haired young man from the execution list. He''s a human who passed my trial long ago.¡± Adakar, the Golden Dragon King, dissuaded Estina and tried to get rid of her anger. The other heads of the dragon tribes were amazed at his words and stared at Woohyuk. ¡°A human?!¡± ¡°He certainly does not have any horns or wings, but...¡± ¡°He must have made a contract with a demon.¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t be something so predictable. He¡¯s together with a Saint and a Valkyrie.¡± Odd hypotheses began to be shared amongst them Drakia then spoke in Dragonic to draw the attention of the eight dragon kings. [Don¡¯t waste time like this and listen carefully! They are the ones chosen who will prevent the catastrophe that will soon arise. And the ck-haired young man Adakar talked about is the one who is currently performing the Epic Quest.] ¡°Wha, what?!¡± "That can¡¯t be... That human with the dirty demonic energy within him¡­?¡± ¡°Are you sure he didn¡¯t fool you? This might be one of Aleister''s schemes.¡± "That''s right, that rotten human would do anything for the sake of his goal." Even with Drakia''s deration, the heads of the other dragon tribes did not fully trust Woohyuk. Except for the Golden Dragon King Adakar. ¡°It seems he met Asura, the previous Demon God. I once heard this from Eve, the guide of the tutorial stage. She said that an otherworlder who achieves an iprehensible and near-impossible achievement could inherit Asura¡¯s name.¡± ¡°The Demon God? That can¡¯t be...¡± ¡°But if Eve said that, it must be true. After she died, she volunteered to be part of the system.¡± ¡°Is she still unable to let go of her regret about Paradise Lost? ¡­ Oh well, I guess that it is the only way to resurrect Adam.¡± After Adam died, his soul was sealed in a world beyond the system by the Creator himself, unlike what had happened to Eve. The Creator needed Adam to control the divine lineage if it caused trouble and problems in the future. However, no one knew about that, and the dragon tribes leaders only thought that the Creator was trying to give Adam and Eve another chance. ¡°In any case, that ck-haired young man seeding the former Demon God is due to the Creator¡¯s will. We mustn¡¯t willingly disobey it.¡± ¡°¡­ Do you mean that the Demon God¡¯s throne must be filled? I guess we can¡¯t do anything about that.¡± ¡°It may be better to have the demons controlled under one absolute being. Think about the 72 Demon Kings. Because of their rankpetition, they invaded the Eeth Continent.¡± ¡°No, isn''t it more desirable to let them have internal conflicts to prevent further growth? But now that I think about it, the Demon God is also a god in some way. I am not in a position to disobey the Creator''smand.¡± ¡°Well, the Creator¡¯s will is subtle and unclear, so it is difficult for us to figure it out. Even if you are dissatisfied about this, you cannot break the ancient covenant now.¡± One by one, the heads of the dragon tribes came to an agreement. Woohyuk, who had been silent all this time, opened his mouth. ¡°In any case, I havee here to proceed with the Epic Quest. I must pass all the trials you will give me.¡± ¡°Aha, right. A trial. Those are fun to give.¡± ¡°Yes, I also enjoyed giving trials to humans who hade to steal my heart.¡± ¡°Who should we start with? If everyone is fine with it, I would like to go first...¡± The heads of the dragon tribes, except for Drakia and Adakar, showed interest and grinned as their sense of yfulness had been ignited. Woohyuk was a human who had achieved an unbelievable achievement and had seeded Demon God Asura. Since it was obvious he had been chosen by the Creator, everyone thought that there was no need to verify his qualifications for real. But they still wanted to mess around with him for entertainment Having realized their thoughts, Woohyuk spoke again. ¡°But I would like to make a suggestion. If you give me a simple test that can bepleted in less than a minute, it will provide you with a residential area on this Sky Ind. Of course, I will be fair to all the dragons who ept the offer.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you the ruler of this ce? No wonder the fortress was closed so tightly.¡± ¡°I approached it without much thought and was startled. A bright breath suddenly shot towards me out of nowhere...¡± ¡°No, it was an imitation of our dragon breath. In any case, I ept the offer. I really liked this ce, so I am not quite willing to leave.¡± ¡°Personally, I agree with that. This floating ind has great views and clean air, making it the best ce for us dragons.¡± The heads of the dragon tribes nodded one by one. Then Estina interrupted their conversation with a dissatisfied expression. "Wait a moment. We can just take it by force without listening to his offer, right? Why are you all falling for the words of this insidious human?¡± The fact that the Red Dragon King had to make a deal with a human had hurt her pride. Woohyuk immediately made an additional proposal as he had expected some opposition. ¡°If you do that, you will miss the opportunity to gain the cure for the disease that affects you dragons. This city has a state-of-the-art magic-engineering research facility, so with enough time, I can develop a cure.¡± ¡°What? Is that the truth?!¡± ¡°Then there is no reason for us to decline the offer.¡± ¡°If we get rid of the gue that bothers us, we can do more than that!¡± The dragons unanimously agreed to the offer. When the talks about the cure came out, even the Red Dragon King couldn''t object anymore. But, as she was upset by this situation, she gave Woohyuk a vicious trial. ¡°Alright then. For my trial, you must perform a deep kiss with that saintess. For at least one minute. Oh, don''t forget the skinship and physical touch as well.¡± ¡°...¡± She had judged that Woohyuk would be unwilling to touch the saintess too much due to their conflicting attributes and properties And she wasn¡¯t quite wrong. It would¡¯ve been the case if they were ordinary demons and saints. ¡°Can¡¯t you give me a more normal and formal trial? I don¡¯t want to do it in such a public ce...¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re not the only one to think that.¡± In truth, it wasn''t such a difficult requirement. While it was a special situation, Woohyuk had almost slept together with Helena. Woohyuk took a deep breath and immediately bolted towards Helena. When she saw himing, Helena''s terrible scream echoed high in the sky. ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!¡± Chapter 196: Legacy of the Dragon Tribes 2

Chapter 196: Legacy of the Dragon Tribes 2

The heads of the nine dragon tribes were truly vicious people. When they found out that Woohyuk and Helena weren¡¯t on such good terms and often poked fun at each other, they decided to make the two stay in physical contact with every trial. For example, they had to stick to each other and sweet talk like lovers, and act out a scene where a nymph bathing alone in ake was attacked(?) by the Wind God. Thanks to that, everyone in the group was able to see the two interact in ways they never would¡¯ve in life. ¡°It¡¯s a relief you passed all the trials safely, My Lord.¡± ¡°¡­ What happens here stays here. We shall never talk about this again.¡± The mentally exhausted Woohyuk stared at Sieg, who had a wry smile on his face. Then Roan spoke to Woohyuk in an attempt tofort him. ¡°Master, you were so cool earlier! Your whipping skills were so good! I think that saintess was enjoying herself as well...¡± Thwack! Woohyuk''s fist fiercely dug into his cheek. ¡°Did you not hear what I said? We are to never speak about this again.¡± ¡°Aaaaahhhhh! Roan didn¡¯t have any bad intentions!¡± ¡°You need a beating, brat. You keep saying such foolish things...¡± Helena¡¯s rage was also boiling due to Roan¡¯s littlement. She didn''t like being toyed with by the dragons either. However, she was slightly relieved that Woohyuk''s desires(?) had been satisfied a bit. ¡°But I didn''t know that the Dragon ruins were hidden in the Karlheinz Mountains. I just thought it was a habitat for some wolves.¡± ¡°I might need your help there, Brynhild.¡± Brynhild was the only person in the group who could easily handle runes. Compared to her, Runesmith Dexter¡¯s skills were like a baby¡¯s. If the runes could be handled well, the devices inside and outside the ruins could be easily operated or disabled. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at our destination. My Lord, I think it''s time to use it.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright." Woohyuk pulled out the Green Dragon Orb and raised it toward the dragon engraved on the stone wall. It was an artifact he had received from Golden Dragon King Adakar. With this, he could enter the Dragon Ruins with his party. ¡°Do we really not need Drakia¡¯s help? It would have been nice if we brought Lia or Carnelian with us.¡± ¡°From here on, the Dragons cannot intervene and help us, Helena.¡± The Dragon tribes had to act as ording to the ancient covenant. If they disobeyed the Creator''s words, they would be punished like the seven gods. So Adakar, the Golden Dragon King, could only ask about his daughter¡¯s welfare and could not give any more help. ¡°Those dragon kings aren¡¯t very helpful. They only messed around with us. I hope they don¡¯t cause trouble in the Erendia Kingdom. ¡°Right now, there¡¯s no one else living on the Sky Ind, so there¡¯s no need to worry about that. And if peoplee to the Sky Ind in the future, they will act as reliable guardians.¡± It was a floating ind that housed the nine dragon tribes. Originally, dragons built theirirs in rugged mountainous areas, but this time, they had decided to live in the city as they really liked the ind. They had transformed themselves into various races. ¡°¡­ You must be happy that the citizens of your kingdom are all dragons. Fiona and Aris were a little scared though.¡± ¡°Nothing will happen to those two. I already told the dragons about them.¡± Woohyuk couldn''t afford to worry about things of such lesser importance. When he injected mana into the Green Dragon Orb Swooosh! A brilliant light emanated from it and spread into the stone wall, into the words engraved on it. After a while, the Dragonic characters shed and a system message popped up before Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. [Would you like to enter the Dragon Ruins? If you press YES, everyone around you will be moved inside.] [YES / NO] There was nothing to hesitate about. When Woohyuk clicked [YES], a dazzling light covered the area. *** The Dragon Ruins had a fairlyplex structure. They had to go up a spiral staircase like a tower. When their path would be blocked by arge bronze door, they had to enter the room on the side and find the key inside. However, the interior area was also separated into different floors, so it took a lot of time to climb up the tower. Despite this, Woohyuk and his party were able to advance at a fairly quick pace without much difficulty because they were all excellent in exploration and battle. ¡°Just when is this going to end? No matter how high the Karlheinz Mountains are, I don''t think it¡¯s this high. ¡°This seems to be a different dimension. In the case of high-ranking ruins, the outside appearance is usually just for decoration.¡± The Twilight Tower and the White Ghost King¡¯s Sand Temple were such cases. In fact, the exterior design was meaningless and only served as a medium that connected to the interior, which was in a different dimension. These ruins also seemed to belong to that category. ¡°I don''t understand this at all. Why are you trying to climb this tower, Master? Just y around with girls in the bedroom of the royal pce while drinking as much as you want...¡± Thwack! Roan still hadn¡¯t figured out why he was getting beaten up every time. ¡°This brat¡¯s learning skills are nonexistent. Is he really a Homunculus, that infamous forbidden weapon?¡± "Who knows? At the very least, he''s not a counterfeit, since Brynhild lifted the seal on him herself. Maybe he lost a screw in his head when he was thrown away.¡± ¡°Roan doesn''t want to be thrown away again! I''ll be obedient, so please don¡¯t abandon me!¡± Roan clung to Woohyuk''s leg as he begged. Sieg spoke up when Woohyuk grabbed the Homunculus by the nape in annoyance. ¡°My Lord, if you are worried about Roan, I will personally educate him. We can¡¯t have you waste so much time on him.¡± ¡°¡­ I leave him in your care.¡± Woohyuk threw Roan at Sieg. He was being treated as a burden. Roan then burst into tears. ¡°Waaaaah! I want to drink alcohol! Life is so hard and unfair!¡± ¡°As if a brat like you knows anything about life¡­¡± Sieg grabbed the flying Roan with one hand and dropped a fist on his head. Thwack! The dragon yer''s arm strength was strong enough to inflict pain on the Homunculus. ¡°Why did you hit me! It hurts!¡± ¡°It¡¯s meant to hurt, you moron.¡± Sieg looked down at Roan with a frown. The dark re left Roan in fear. ¡°¡­ Why are there only scary men in this party?!¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve realized that, watch your attitude. Don''t be a spoiled brat.¡± Subsequently, Sieg''s lessons on etiquette began. As Roan was getting bored, a group of people appeared in the distance. They were the Dragonians guarding the ruins. ¡°It''s hybrids this time. Be careful. It may only be half of it, but they have inherited the blood of the dragon race.¡± ¡°I¡¯d understand if they were half-human or half-elf. But orcs, trolls and ogres? The dragons have very bizarre tastes in partners.¡± ¡°Dragons have existed for eternities, so their feeling of boredom reached its peak. Isn¡¯t that also the case for you, Sieg?¡± As Brynhild¡¯s conversation with Sieg reached this sentence, she silently stared at her lover. Helena had told her about Sieg¡¯s obscenement the other day. Meanwhile, Helena pretended as if she wasn¡¯t involved in this and raised her staff. ¡°Now, let¡¯s defeat them! I think we¡¯re almost at the top!¡± The appearance of the Dragonians meant that they were getting closer to the ce where the legacy of the dragon tribes was. Eventually, the two forces shed and a melee battle broke out. sh! As Sieg swung the Holy Sword Gram, dozens of Dragonians dropped dead as blood poured out of their wounds. It was the dance of the legendary Dragon yer. Held under his left arm was Roan, who was dangling in peace and watching the battle unfold. ¡°Wow! You''re awesome, old man!¡± ¡°You just watch quietly. Don''t think about using your ability or anything.¡± Sieg was supposed to take care of Roan, so he was only using his right arm. Nevertheless, his sword dance swirled around the area like a storm! It was as if he would wipe out all the enemies in front of him on his own. On the other hand, Brynhild and Helena were using divine magic and supporting them from behind. Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom! Pirs of light shot up here and there and swallowed up the Dragonians. The battle was going smoothly with no problems. However, Woohyuk, who was watching from afar, broke the flow of the battle. Swoooooooooosh! Grandia twirled around the battlefield with dazzling shes. Among Woohyuk''s main equipment, it was the only weapon of the light attribute. The reason he still insisted on using it was because of the experience. ¡®I still have some artifacts that need to increase in grade.'' The growth artifacts he had obtained early on had reached Grade A, but the rest remained at Grade B. Their current stats fell short of the level necessary to face the ordeals in the future. The more experience he gained, the better. His goal wasn¡¯t just to conquer the Eeth Continent, but to sit on the Demon God¡¯s throne. As Woohyuk swung Grandia in rapid session, a Dragonian stood in Woohyuk¡¯s way. It was a male elf with dragon ws, a pair of horns, and wings on his back. Compared to the other Dragonians, he didn¡¯t have just one specific racial characteristic. ¡°How did a demon like you get in here?¡± ¡°No need for you to know. You¡¯ll die here anyway.¡± ng! ng! ng! Grandia collided against a scimitar several times as sparks flew. As he couldn¡¯t end the fight swiftly, Woohyuk made a puzzled expression. ¡°Are you the boss of these Dragonians?¡± "Indeed! If you are nning to rob the Green Dragon Hevnia''s grave, you must go through me first!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not here to rob this ce. I came to clear my Epic Quest. This is the proof.¡± Woohyuk pulled out the Green Dragon Orb from his pocket. He thought that it might help persuade him since he was the boss of this area. And his expectations were met. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s Hevnia¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°Throw your weapons away and surrender. I will talk after that.¡± ¡°¡­ Keuk! Everyone, fall back!¡± When the battle ended, the party gathered around Woohyuk with an expression of regret. The number of Dragonians has decreased considerably, and they were on the verge of victory. Meanwhile, the Dragonians who had survived sighed in relief. ¡°It¡¯s quieter now. So much better.¡± ¡°I have heeded your orders, so I will ask you some questions. If you are on an Epic Quest rted to the Dragon tribes... Do you need Hevnia''s legacy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It''s stated that I need to get the legacy of the Dragon tribes, so that''s probably the case.¡± ¡°What is your objective? What are you going to do with it?¡± The elven Dragonian¡¯s eyes red. No matter how qualified Woohyuk was toplete the Epic Quest, he would not cooperate unless Woohyuk¡¯s purpose was confirmed. In fact, the Dragonians had dropped their weapons, but they had not surrendered yet. ¡°Stop asking so many questions! My Master said he wants it, so give it to him! Bring some women and alcohol as well right now...¡± Thwack! It was Sieg''s fist that flew this time. When Roan fell down with a thud, Woohyuk began to talk again with a serious expression. ¡°To prevent the three Great Catastrophes and save this world from destruction. Is this enough of an exnation?¡± ¡°¡­ I will trust you for now. Even if you reach the top floor, you will have to pass Hevnia¡¯s trial, so it¡¯s meaningless to scheme anything behind our backs.¡± Woohyuk could never obtain the legacy with corrupt thoughts in mind. When the elven Dragonian chanted the spell, a golden gate appeared next to them. ¡°Is it some kind of shortcut?¡± "Yes. I currently have administrator rights for this site. This gate can appear anywhere I summon it.¡± If they had used that door from the beginning, they wouldn¡¯t have had to climb up to this point. Woohyuk turned to Brynhild and quietly stared at her. ¡°¡­Were you not aware of the existence of that door?¡± ¡°¡­ Hoho. It seems my senses have dulled after waking up from a millennia-long slumber.¡± As everyone''s eyes focused on her, cold sweat ran down Brynhild¡¯s neck and back. Woohyuk sighed and then turned to Helena this time. ¡°Ladies first.¡± ¡°Why do you say that only in situations like this?¡± "If you don''tin and listen to me, I''ll let you ride Pegasuster." ¡°Alright. What most could this gate do to me other than killing me?¡± Unlike her brash personality, she was a fairly easy-going saint. As Helena took the lead with confidence, Woohyuk smiled in satisfaction on the inside. He was nning to prank her with some aerial acrobatics this time as well. Chapter 197: Legacy of the Dragon Tribes 3

Chapter 197: Legacy of the Dragon Tribes 3

A sense of liveliness from nature overflowed in this realm. Woohyuk¡¯s party followed behind the Elven Dragonian as they made their way to Hevnia¡¯s tomb. ¡°Erdian, how did you guys get trapped here?¡± ¡°¡­ We were fated to die anyways. However, Hevnia gave us a chance to survive.¡± ording to Erdian, Hevnia was a Green Dragon that had ruled over the nine Dragon tribes. The Creator understood that the nine Dragon tribes¡¯ members and their leaders wouldn¡¯t be able to bring order amongst the dragons, so Hevnia, the Green Dragon, was created. Due to her influence, the demons and other external attackers were blocked from entering into the dragon tribes¡¯ realm. This protection from outside influences allowed the Dragon tribe members to thrive and grow in number. And then one day¡­ One of the angels, who had lived in harmony with the Dragon tribes, touched the forbidden restricted knowledge, creating chaos and turmoil in the Dragon tribes¡¯ realm. That angels name was Kuru. Later on, Kuru would be known far and wide as the originator of the first great disaster in the Eeth Continent. To counteract Kuru, the dragon tribesbined forces. However, in the process of contending against Kuru, the dragon tribe members were affected by the same darkness that consumed and overtook her. This left the tribe members in dire straits. The dragon tribe members affected by the darkness transformed into demonic dragons and started attacking their own tribe members. Furthermore, demons used this turbulent, chaotic period within the dragon tribe territories to exert pressure and ravage the dragon tribes¡¯nds. As hope was beginning to wane, Hevnia made her fateful decision. She would sacrifice her own life to clean up the pollutednds and seal Kuru in another dimension. Of course, the nine Dragon tribe leaders vehemently opposed her decision. They believed that the Dragon tribes would have no future without her existence. However, Hevnia stood firm on her decision, saving the fate of the nine Dragon tribes through her sacrifice. Peace had returned to theirnds once again. While the tribes¡¯ members were crestfallen at Hevnia¡¯s absence, the Creator appeared and imparted Hevnia¡¯s powers to the nine Dragon tribe leaders. The Creator¡¯s condition upon distributing Hevnia¡¯s powers was that the nine Dragon tribe leaders would resolve future disasters by utilizing their newly given powers. It was through these nine Dragon tribe leaders that Hevnia¡¯s tomb was maintained and passed on for sessive generations to maintain. Later, this passing on of duty to sessive generations was referred to as the ancient covenant. Through the powers obtained by the nine Dragon tribe leaders, the Dragon tribe members began to multiply, and the dested Dragon tribes¡¯nds were quickly rebuilt. All would have been well if the story ended like this¡­ However, a tragedy soon followed. The nine Dragon tribe leaders began to oppress the hybrid Dragon race, the Dragonians. Unfounded rumors of disease and devastation originating from Dragonians had quickly spread within the Dragon tribes. At the time, a usible theory that new diseases could be transferred from Dragonians to Dragons quickly gained attention, as the Dragonians were a hybrid race that could act as an intermediary for infectious diseases. As a result, the Dragonians were ughtered and reduced in number¡­ At some point, the Dragonian poption numbered around three hundred or so within the Dragon dimension. ¡°It was then that Hevnia saved your race?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Even after her death, she looked over the Dragon dimension. She observed and took action from this ce.¡± The Creator arranged for Hevnia¡¯s soul to be moved and ced in this location. However, there was a constant need to protect this resting ce, so the Dragon tribes were designated as protectors. Little did the Dragon tribe members know about this arrangement. It wasn¡¯t until Adkar, the Yellow Dragon king, received the Green Dragon¡¯s Orb from the Creator that the dragon tribe members realized why they were assigned to protect Hevnia¡¯s tomb. ¡°¡­ so those things happened. I never heard this before.¡± ¡°Of course. There¡¯s no way for you to know of the existences and history of this dimension. Even the upper-dimension administrators have to cautiously enter this ce.¡± ¡°Regardless, I¡¯ve learned one thing. Kuru, the originator of the first great disaster, had something to do with the infectious disease that gued the world.¡± ¡°Hevnia would know how to reseal Kuru. It¡¯s probable that the legacy she¡¯s left here has something to do with that.¡± However, she probably didn¡¯t allow just any passerby to obtain her legacy. Proper qualifications needed to be met. As Erdian was emphasizing thisst point, the party entered into a clearing. It was a beautiful flower garden in the midst of the lush vegetation. ¡°Is that Hevnia¡¯s tomb?¡± ¡°It is. She always loved blooming flowers.¡± Every day, without fail, the Dragonian would visit Hevnia¡¯s tomb and maintain the blooming flowers. Woohyuuk nodded his head and approached a golden tombstone at the center of the garden. The Green Dragon, Hevnia, is resting here with her blooming flowers.For those whoe to this ce after losing one¡¯s wings, take the test of fate once again. Thest line of inscription was esoteric and vague. One who has lost one¡¯s wings and a test of fate. One could imbue and contrive meaning from this line if needed, but one would be hard-pressed to understand the exact meaning of this line. ¡°Who inscribed these lines?¡± ¡°The inscriptions existed since we first came. The inscription was probably left by Hevnia¡¯s will.¡± Erdian considered the inscription to be sacred. To him, Hevnia was like a holy, religious profound existence. Thus, he didn¡¯t try toplicatedlyprehend the inscription, no matter how esoteric or vague it may seem to others. ¡®He probably sees this inscription like scripture from the Bible.¡¯ If one put a ring on one¡¯s ear, it would be an earring. If one put a ring on one¡¯s nose, it would be a nose ring. Thinking that additional questioning wouldn¡¯t bring any results, Woohyuk walked towards the tombstone and stretched his hand towards it. Touch. He felt as if his hands were touching the top of a calm, cold surface of water. It was truly an iprehensible experience. However, he calmly proceeded to do as he was instructed by Erdian. As he waved his hands across the golden inscriptions on the tombstone, an aurora-like brilliant light swept across his surroundings. Afterwards, a woman with colorful hair appeared before his eyes. It was the Green Dragon Hevnia¡¯s soul. [You¡¯ve finallye, the one who has lost his wings.] [What do you mean by one who has lost his wings? Do you mean one that is not a demon?] [¡­ You wille to understand at ater time, when it is time for you to face judgment and your fate.] [Seeing that you¡¯re not telling me, it seems you have some ns to use me like Etheria Rodinus and Alistair.] [I do not care how you interpret it. Only the truth that you exist within this ce is important.] With a kind smile, Hevnia looked down upon Woohyuk. He couldn¡¯t feel any sense of evil or malevolence in her actions or words. He breathed out a long sigh and dived into the main issue. [I heard that there was a final trial. Let¡¯s proceed.] [As you wish, we shall start now.] A ck curtain surrounded the shining light that contained Woohyuk and Hevnia. The next scene was a burning, deste nd. It was a scene of the first great disaster that Boestius showed Woohyuk before. [What do you want me to do here?] [Defend against Kuru. Use whatever means you think are appropriate and effective.] Against the backdrop of a scorched red sky, a ck angel was flying in the sky. Kuru. Woohyuk spread out his abyssal wings and flew up to meet Kuru. Karang! His Verserios spear was blocked by Kuru¡¯s translucent curtain-like barrier. After the initial sh, a ck magic circle appeared above Kuru¡¯s head¡­ Boom, Boom, BOOM! Meteorites engulfed in mes began to pour down like rain from the red sky. The range of attack was so wide that the end couldn¡¯t be seen. The powerful impact of the attack was enough to deeply erode the ground. ¡°Ke-Euk¡­!¡± he groaned while avoiding the falling meteorites. Indeed, this catastrophic area attack was aptly called a great disaster. It wouldn¡¯te as a surprise if the Holy Epheria or Theresia Empire were destroyed in an instant from this single attack. [Do not disturb me. I will destroy everything.] As Woohyuk didn¡¯t get hit easily, Kuru opened her eyes wide in surprise. Then, thousands of demons sprang out from her body and made their way towards Woohyuk. Pew! Pew! Pew! Due to an overwhelming range attack capability, Kuru''s one-sided attack unfolded. Woohyuk took out the Lemegeton and summoned the six demon kings after concluding that there would be no progress with his current approach. ¡°You guys cut off that beast. Then I¡¯ll dig into the gap and cut that fallen angel¡¯s neck.¡± ¡°A fallen angel¡­ this is going to be an interesting battle.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to kill an angel.¡± Six demon kings scattered and kept Kuru in check in their own ways. However, thinking that this wasn¡¯t enough, Woohyuk summoned the entire undead army he had collected so far. ¡°Woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo!¡± The demonic beast, Caribdis, swam in the air while carrying the entire undead army on its back. Seeing this, Woohyuk lifted Verserios and opened an absolute space. He had used all possible means. Outside of the fact that he exhausted his summoning energy and couldn¡¯t summon Nakron to assist, this was the maximum power Woohyuk was able to muster as a single person army. [I told you not to interfere.] Kuru raised her index finger toward Woohyuk¡¯s forces as if she was annoyed. Then, a purple ray like a huge particle cannonunched from her index finger and swept across the battlefield. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! Even though the attack was contained within Asura¡¯s absolute space, Kuru¡¯s attack was powerful. Caribdis was cut in half and more than half of the undead army instantly perished. Meanwhile, the six demon kings were barely conserving their lives. Woohyuk clicked his tongue at this surprisingly difficult opponent. ¡®How am I supposed to contend against this ridiculous opponent?¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t give up just because his opponent was immensely powerful. After giving it some thought, he decided to lift the third seal off Verserios. ¡®No matter what, I have to ovee my current limitations.¡¯ It was impossible for him, who had struggled for over 40 years oveing the impossible, to give up so easily. As he dug deeper to bring out the demon power¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Indescribable pain began to circte through his entire body. He had reached the limitations of those who were born human. However, if he couldn¡¯t ovee this pain, everything was over. ¡°I must¡­ ovee¡­!¡± Thanks to the increased immunity to death due to the Necromancer ss, Woohyuk gritted his teeth and endured the throbbing pain. As he started vomiting red blood from his mouth¡­ Hwee-ah! Verserios cried out sharply, causing a fierce storm. Finally, the third seal was lifted. As if he had waited for just this moment, Woohyuk swung Verserios with all his might towards Kuru. Cweh-Ahk! Thousands of beasts were cut at once along the path of his spear tip. A narrow gap appeared between him and Kuru. Suddenly, Verserios flew towards Kuru¡¯s delicate neck. ¡®I finally did it!¡¯ At such a close distance, the spear would inflict fatal injuries. As he was smiling in relief¡­ [Don¡¯t be so assured. You¡¯re the one in trouble.] Kuru seized Verserios by the shaft. At the same time, Kuru shattered Asura¡¯s absolute space. She was deliberately waiting for this moment to target the weakness in Woohyuk¡¯s attack. Kwa-Jik! The ck defensive veil that Woohyuk urgently unfolded was easily cracked and pierced by the Verserios Kuru had cloned. The shattering of Asura¡¯s absolute space and Kuru¡¯s counterattack happened so quickly that even the six demon kings could not hide their astonishment and embarrassment. ¡°Asura will perish!¡± ¡°Come on, support!¡± The six demon kings btedly rushed towards Kuru. However, the cloned Verserios was already digging into Woohyuk¡¯s heart. Pu-Wook! With a blunt sound, red blood poured out like a fountain. However, Woohyuk wasn¡¯t foolish enough to just receive an attack. Pounce! He grabbed onto Kuru¡¯s neck in exchange for giving his heart. Afterwards, poured out all his remaining mana into his grip, he broke her neck bone with a snap. The sound of bones crunching together reverberated throughout the space. Chapter 198: Legacy of the Dragon Tribes 4

Chapter 198: Legacy of the Dragon Tribes 4

The two exchanged attacks without any time to heal themselves. As Kuru was focused on attacking, the six demon kings continued with their attacks. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! No matter if she was a fallen angel, Kuru couldn¡¯t bepletely safe from the 72nd dimensional demon kings¡¯ attacks. Eventually, Kuru¡¯s ragged body fell from the sky, and the six demon kings flew towards Woohyuk. ¡°Ah, Asura!¡± ¡°Are you still conscious?¡± ¡°We need to heal you quickly¡­¡± Woohyuk did not lose consciousness even though his heart was pierced. He truly had great mental powermand. Of course, he did have an increased tolerance against deathpared to any other being. Any other human would not have been able to endure the pain and would have fallen unconscious just from the shock. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Woohyuk groaned and pulled out the fake Verserios embedded in his chest. At the same time, red veins and blood spilled from his open wound. ¡®Is this the end?¡¯ If he had eaten the Phoenix¡¯s heart, he would have had a chance to revive in exchange for his eternal life. However, the milk was already spilt. Additionally, his current predicament was more because of hisck of vignce than a problem in nning. As Woohyuk was trying to endure the throbbing pain from his chest and organizing his thoughts, an aurora appeared in front of him, bringing Hevnia¡¯s soul in his line of vision. [How was it? Not as easy as you thought?] [...Thanks to this trial, it seems I¡¯m about to die.] [You will not die. You¡¯re just paying the price. The price of a hero¡¯s fate.] It seemed like a line he had heard somewhere in the past, but he shook his head and cleared it from his mind. His breathing gradually became shallow. While Woohyuk was struggling, Hevnia reached out and held him in her arms. At the same time, the colorful aurora that was surrounding her began to heal Woohyuk¡¯s wounds. [Does this mean I passed the trial?] [Yes, just barely, you passed. Of course, you¡¯ve passed based on the system standard.] [The legacy of the dragon tribe¡­ Where is it?] [Don¡¯t rush. You¡¯ll get everything you want in due time.] Hevnia whispered something into Woohyuk¡¯s ear. However, though Woohyuk clearly tried listening to her whisper, he couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning. [What are you saying¡­?] [You will find outter. You wouldn¡¯t understand right now.] Hevnia out on a kind smile like before. When Woohyuk tried to ask her a question again¡­ Rumble- The aurora¡¯s light gradually faded, and the surroundingndscape began to dissipate. Before the lightpletely dissipated, Hevnia gave a final request to Woohyuk. [Learn to use Roan¡¯s abilities well, then you can gain an advantage in the battle you fought earlier. Also, at the decisive moment, my orb will exert its power.] The legacy of the dragon tribe was actually the Green Dragon¡¯s Orb that was first handed to him by the Yellow Dragon King, Adakar. The orbs true powers were dormant until Hevnia decided to activate its abilities. Now that Woohyuk passed all the trials, the Green Dragon¡¯s Orb was able to fulfill its natural role. Eventually, as the surroundingndscape returned back to the beautiful flower garden, Woohyuk knelt on his knees with a pained expression. ¡°Ha¡­ha¡­¡± ¡°Lord, are you okay?¡± ¡°Why is Woohyuk suddenly acting like this?¡± ¡°Maybe there was a curse on the tombstone?¡± ¡°What will happen to me if my owner dies? Will I be disposed of again?¡± The party members trembled in confusion, falling into a level of hysteria. Then Erdian, who was next to Woohyuk, exined the situation. ¡°He has received Hevnia¡¯s blessing. Fortunately, it seems that he passed the trial safely.¡± ¡°¡­Ah¡­ right. So that¡¯s why he¡¯s in such a sorry state.¡± ¡°It looks like he acted brash again without listening to our warnings.¡± Brunhilt and Helena looked down at Woohyuk with sad eyes. They couldn¡¯t help Woohyuk with their divine magic with his type of injury. Zeke and Roan also held potions in their hands without knowing what to do. ¡°I don¡¯t need potions. I¡¯ve already received treatment from Hevnia.¡± ¡°How badly were you injured that you still look like this after being treated? Seeing that your Demonic Energy has increased a level higher, it seems like you overcame another barrier,¡± Helenained as she supported Woohyuk. At that time, a series of system messages appeared in front of Woohyuk''s eyes. [Epic Quest: You havepleted the Legacy of the Dragon Tribe.] [As the final reward, the Green Dragon¡¯s Orb has been activated.] [In addition, you have obtained the hidden ss ¡®Sessor of Myths¡¯.] [In the future, if you enter a mythical legacy or acquire a heroic relic, you can acquire rted abilities that exist within the hidden quests.] [However, you are limited to a total of five abilities that can be obtained in this manner.] [You have acquired the Power of Resuscitation from thepletion of an epic quest.] [The Power of Resuscitation applies not only to living beings, but also to objects. Furthermore, you can resuscitate the designated person or object¡¯s status up to one day prior to using the power.] [Revival power cooldown is 3 days, so use it carefully.] Indeed, it was a huge reward. In addition to obtaining Hevnia¡¯s ability to seal the fallen angel, Kuru, the existence and acquisition of the Power of Resuscitation was in itself fraudulent. Of course, there was a restriction that only five abilities could be obtained in total, but the Power of Resuscitation alone had powerparable to that of a God. Woohyuk immediately used the Power of Resuscitation on his body and reflected upon his current situation. ¡®It turns out that I got two sses instead of the one I expected.¡¯ Of course, both sses were overwhelmingly better than the one he had in mind, so he had noints. Now there was only one ss left. He couldn¡¯t help but worry quite a bit about thisst hurdle. ¡®Well, it won¡¯t be bad to wait a little longer.¡¯ Considering his development and progression so far, it was likely that the fourth ss would be obtained in the same manner as what he just went through. Anyway, the third ss would have a high synergy effect with the Seven Color Rainbow ring he nned to maketer on. Obtaining this third ss gave him another reason to start gathering the necessary materials, which he had neglected to do up to now, to create the Seven Color Rainbow ring. ¡®It would be better to just give the Dragon Lord ss to Lia or Canelian.¡¯ There was no rule that one couldn¡¯t be a Dragon Lord just because one was a dragon. When Woohyuk was contemting this, Helena grumbled and stopped moving. ¡°What are you thinking about? Take your head out of the clouds and show some liveliness.¡± ¡°¡­ shut up you noisy witch. I was just checking thepensation.¡± ¡°So, is the Epic Quest over? Good for you. I have to get rid of Rosenkreuz and get the King¡¯s Book as soon as possible.¡± Things to do were piling up like a mountain. Woohyuk nodded and looked toward Erdian. ¡°What are you going to do? Are you going to keep Hevnia¡¯s tomb here?¡± ¡°Of course. We don¡¯t have to concern ourselves with your dimension¡¯s issues.¡± There was a total of 30 dragonians remaining. Even if he were able to take them all, they wouldn¡¯t be very helpful. Woohyuk also didn¡¯t like using weak forces when battling difficult enemies. This was because he thought it would be better to develop his individual forces further for the future rather than sacrificing them as fodder. ¡°Then, do some training here. A day maye when there may be a catastrophe that will affect all the dimensions.¡± ¡°Thank you for the advice. I also learned a lot from this battle.¡± Erdian bowed his head slightly to convey his respects. Leaving Erdian behind, Woohyuk and his party headed to the golden door in front of them. Now, a gruesome ordeal awaited them. *** After spending a short time checking on their stats and gear, Woohyuk and his group discussed and took measures to address the current problem. Of course, the First Great Disaster became the first main topic of discussion. Since Hevnia told him to make good use of Roan¡¯s Ability, he spent some time analyzing the ability closely. ¡°In a word, if I use the Power of Gluttony, I can take away the power of others.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why Roan was managed with more care than the other Homunculuses. Once you start obtaining other¡¯s skills one by one, you¡¯ll be a really ridiculous monster,¡± Brunhilt said while sticking out a faded document. Woohyuk read the contents of the document while sitting in an office chair. ¡°The Power of Gluttony can only be used when the third seal is released?¡± ¡°Yes, in our current state, we can only mobilize a fraction of the abilities we¡¯ve already absorbed. The overall stats of the absorbed abilities are also less than half.¡± This was one of the reasons why the forbidden weapon, Homunculus, had not been widely used. Of course, even if the restrictions were not there, if the opponent was overwhelmingly strong then the Homunculus would probably not be used anyway. Woohyuk continued to read the contents of the document and found a peculiar point. ¡°Among the absorbed abilities, there¡¯s the Werewolf¡¯s ability to regenerate¡­¡± ¡°Yes. One won¡¯t usually have to face death due to that ability. Though it doesin a lot during down times.¡± This meant that it would be the best shield. However, this detail was probably not what Hevnia spoke of when she said he should use Roan¡¯s abilities. In the end, Woohyuk read the document from start to finish¡­ ¡°Overall, the most useful of this guy¡¯s abilities is swapping.¡± Based on the information, they were able toe up with an optimal strategy of usage for the item, as a countermeasure. ¡°Normally, one can¡¯t use it on opponents stronger than oneself¡­ but if the opponent allows this to happen beforehand, the story changes. Of course, there are some constraints.¡± ¡°That should be enough.¡± Having already fought a virtual battle once, the development of the impending operation was clearly drawn out in his mind. As Woohyuk continued to chat with Bruhilt, Dexter¡¯s voice was heard along with a knock. ¡°Lord, I havepleted the mission you assigned me.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Creak- The door opened and Dexter appeared. Woohyuk carefully observed the strange artifacts in Dexter¡¯s hand. ¡®Has he already seeded in producing high-level equipment?¡¯ Indeed, his natural talent was worthy of being called the God¡¯s cksmith. When Woohyuk showed an anticipating expression, Dexter proudly strode into the room and put his product atop the desk. ¡°I used the Queen Star Serpent¡¯s Illusion, the Cradle of Grief, the rest of the Calm Sea, and the Curse of the Basilisk as the main ingredients. Please have a look.¡± As valuable artifacts were converted into materials, their utilization abilities offset the losses that arose from production. In response to Dexter¡¯s words, Woohyuk nodded and lifted the ring-shaped artifact in front of him. [Nocturne of the Hidden Crescent Moon] Category: essory Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Effect: Every hour, 3 of the target¡¯s abilities are neutralized for 10 minutes (cannot be stacked, except when the target is overwhelmingly strong). The user may store and use up to 5 magics cast spells. Immune to specialized attacks for 10 minutes (always immune to toxins). ¡®This is more than I expected.¡¯ Some of the original source material artifact abilities were lost. However, the newly added ability was so excellent that he didn¡¯t think it was a waste. As Woohyuk put on the Nocturnal Song of the Crescent Moon, Dexterid down the remaining items he had brought in: Marquis Ruben¡¯s gorgeous long sword, the Sword of the Storm Cardian, and Queen Frost¡¯s ne. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a way to incorporate these artifacts in the end product. It may be because my skill level is still too low, so I will revisit these artifacts againter.¡± ¡°Okay. Now tell me the reward you want.¡± ¡°Reward? I don¡¯t need anything in particr¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll raise your nobility status three levels. Furthermore, I will give you an opportunity to socialize with beautiful women from the famous families.¡± ¡°Th-thank you! You are a merciful monarch.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m treating you so well¡­¡± Woohyuk awkwardly coughed while Dexter shed emotional tears. Afterwards, he made a suggestion that would have made make Zeek and Bruhilt green with envy. ¡°How about Count Tinia in your neighboring province? She has an outstanding appearance and an attractive personality.¡± Woohyuk recently felt that rtionships with his variety of women were bing tooplicated. It would be nice to shake off a few at this opportunity. Of course, that was Woohyuk¡¯s wish. Dak! The door suddenly flung open and Tinia came in. Her pure white hands held a beautifully decorated envelope. ¡°Ho-ho¡­ King, please read my love letter. I stayed up all night to write this letter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Before long, an ufortable, awkward stream of wind blew between the two men. Chapter 199: Iscariots Descendents 1

Chapter 199: Iscariot''s Descendents 1

Woohyuk handed over the artifacts that Dexter couldn¡¯t make use of to his vassals. The Marquis Ruben¡¯s Long Sword was given to the Count of Erutonia, Lee Jaesung while Cardion, the Sword of the Storm, was given to Tinia¡­ ¡°Oh, is this a wedding present? Thank you very much! I have to show off to Leifinater!¡± By now, Woohyuk¡¯s initial n and operation to get rid of her became a lost cause. He organized his party and headed back to the Carlheinz Mountains. This time, they were headed for the Holy Apheria Empire. The first task was to eliminate Rosenkreuz and to expunge his influence and work on Rosa Etherna. ¡°Is it okay to go openly like this? The Informant¡¯s Disclosure will reveal our location in real time,¡± Helena mentioned with concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I asked Aris to resolve the matter,¡± Woohyuk replied. Aris used high-tech equipment from Neustein Castle to modify the information being sent through the Informant¡¯s Disclosure. This meant that he could remotely manipte Woohyuk¡¯s location information. Thanks to this, Woohyuk had been marked as being under King Dane¡¯smand. ¡°You really pulled a big one over them. It¡¯s just like you.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean it¡¯s just like me?¡± ¡°You made me put myself in a terrible situation by tempting me with a ride on your Pegasus. Now, I¡¯ll never believe what you say.¡± ¡°Did I lie? I said that I¡¯d give you a ride. I didn¡¯t say that there wasn¡¯t a cost to that ride, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re evil! No wonder you¡¯re the human closest to the Demon King¡¯s throne.¡± Woohyuk and Helena began to quarrel. Bruhilt, who saw their appearance, opened his mouth to give them a warning. ¡°It¡¯s not good to keep arguing in a situation like this. No matter how close you two are.¡± ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m close to that stupid man, Bruhilt?¡± Helena snapped back. ¡°Zeke told me. You two were lying in bed together and got caught by Rafina.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you trying to disrespect me, Zeke?¡± she asked while turning to Zeke. ¡°No. I happened to mention that incident in passing when informing Bruhilt of Tinia¡¯spetitors,¡± Zeke answered, revealing once again his ck, evil heart. While Woohyuk was lost for words, Roan, who had been silent, opened his mouth. ¡°Master, you¡¯ve already tasted that loud girl once. I thought it was weird how well you moved your hands during the Dragon Tribe Trials¡­¡± Bam! Zeke¡¯s fist fiercely struck Roan¡¯s midsection. ¡°Stop your bullshit. Shouldn¡¯t you have figured something out after getting beat up all the time?¡± stated Zeke. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh! Roan didn¡¯t do anything wrong! If you keep hitting me, I¡¯ll turn evil!¡± Roan stammered back. ¡°You¡¯re going through a phase of puberty, little boy. Also, did you say I was a noisy girl earlier?¡± asked Helena. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh! Don¡¯t pull on my ears you witch!¡± As they continued on, Woohyuk¡¯s party became increasingly noisier and rowdier. Just when Roan and Helena¡¯s argument was in full swing, ¡°Haha! Such pleasant friends and travelers. It seems the Eeth Continent has be more interesting and fun since Ist came.¡± A silver-haired little boy appeared at the top of the mountain range. He was a Silver Dragon polymorphed as a human. It seemed that he came down from Sky Ind to explore the world. ¡°Aren¡¯t there humans in your dimension? You must have met a lot before, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ well, all of them were summoned here. Only monsters and demons remain back on the ind.¡± His words meant that monsters and demons were not the Creator¡¯s creations. Woohyuk nodded and asked the Silver Dragon in human form to apany him. ¡°Follow me. Then you won¡¯t be bored.¡± ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t mind? Well, I can¡¯t help you with your mission due to my circumstances, but I¡¯ll cheer from the side.¡± The Silver Dragon¡¯s name was Altair. As their conversation concluded, Altair clung to Helena. ¡°Mydy, thest time you took a sexy pose on the ind, it was awesome. Do you have any male friends?¡± ¡°Get out of my sight. I¡¯m busy.¡± Helena turned her back on Altair as if she considered him insignificant. Woohyuk called Altair and whispered into his ear. ¡°That Saintess likes sweets. She¡¯s like a little child. She also likes white horses with wings.¡± ¡°¡­ I can hear everything that you¡¯re saying.¡± Helena, thinking she was being teased, inted her cheeks with air. Subsequently, after several more arguments, Woohyuk turned the topic back to the original subject. ¡°Anyway, Hevnia¡¯s trial showed a scene from the Holy Aperia Empire. The empire¡¯snds were already burned and deste. Only rubble remained, but it was clearly Aperiands since there were many symbols that rted to the empire.¡± He presumed that the actual location of Hevnia¡¯s trial scene was in the northwestern part of the Empire. It was because there were many statues of the Empire¡¯s former emperors there. Helena, who heard Woohyuk¡¯s reasoning, opened her mouth. ¡°That works out well. Etheria Rodinus and her party members are there. They¡¯re there because the northwestern region is where the Holy Empire¡¯s influence is rtively weak.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything else in the Prophecy regarding the first sign? Don¡¯t even think about hiding that information from me,¡± he quickly replied back. ¡°I¡¯ve told you everything. Rest assured, I¡¯ve provided all the information I know whenever you¡¯ve asked.¡± The fallen angel, Kuru, knew that Helena had the Holy Grail, so she had tried to get rid of Etheria Rodinus but was eventually stopped by Woohyuk. That was all of what was written in Getia¡¯s Prophecy. There was no mention of what process Woohyuk went through to seal Kuru. Woohyuk nodded at Helena¡¯s exnation. ¡°I¡¯ll trust what you¡¯re saying. Anyway, I hope Rosenkreuz doesn¡¯t bother us by showing up in the middle of everything.¡± ¡°That crazy Empress as well. Knowing how prideful she is, she may just grab the Holy Ertia and start attacking Kuru.¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t worry about her. She¡¯s under my control. She probably won¡¯t step a foot outside of the Imperial Pce until this event is over.¡± Woohyuk had secretly conversed with Princess Eleonora through amunication-type artifact. Recalling this fact, Zeke asked Woohyuk with a curious expression whether there were any updates from the Princess. ¡°What is the current situation of the Holy Apheria Empire? ording to rumors, there was a riot recently¡­¡± ¡°It seems that Kliphot¡¯s Fruit was secretly circted, awakening people. Several revolt attempts have happened since.¡± The rebellion attempts were likely fueled by the demonic forces from behind the scenes. Anyone who ate Kliphot¡¯s fruit at least once became Alistair¡¯s puppet. Even if the 72nd Demon King or the Seventh Sinister Witch didn¡¯te out personally, they were more than capable of causing a rebellion. ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you say there was a Saintess who was being chased by demonsst time? A Saintess with the Power of Prophecy,¡± Bruhilt asked. ¡°It¡¯s St. Mary of Miletus. As a result of using the information store, I¡¯ve found that she¡¯s also in the northwestern region with Pdin Hildegard,¡± replied Woohyuk. Hildegard was famous for being a female pdin that dressed as a male. Anyway, she would be able to recognize Woohyuk¡¯s identity at once. Thus, in addition to disguises, he had to take some additional measures to ensure his safety against her. ¡°In this case, wouldn¡¯t using Irene be advantageous? She¡¯s a chimera, so she can easily be converted into a Saintess. It¡¯s easy for her to hide her true identity,¡± Helena asked. ¡°¡­ She still needs more growth. Like everyone else currently in the training hall.¡± One month in the training hall equated to 41 years in their world. Since he was able to bring the Dragon races onto his side, it was possible to cultivate more highly efficient resources for the nextrge-scale battle. As Woohyuk was making his ambitious n, Dududududududu. The Imperial Army was moving on horseback down the Carlheinz Mountains. In terms of scale, it was about the size of a legion. Feeling that something was off, Zeke opened his mouth first. ¡°They look pretty busy.¡± ¡°It may be because they¡¯re trying to subjugate the awakened rioters. Strong guys are difficult to deal with even with a single corps, so support from nearby areas is essential.¡± Woohyuk easily deduced the purpose of the Imperial Army¡¯s movement because he had the memories of thest 40 years intact in his mind. Then Altair, who continued to flirt with Helena, intervened. ¡°It could be because of our Dragon race. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re all just waiting around Sky Ind.¡± ¡°¡­ Some of them must have turned into demonic dragons.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Some of them fell victim to the gue. That doesn¡¯t mean they should be left alone though. They need to be eliminated in some way or another.¡± In fact, Altair came here to get rid of the demonic dragons. In addition to Altair, several ancient dragons were scattered across the Eeth Continent, looking for their gued brethren. As a matter of course, these scattered dragons were all in the upper ranks of skill andbat amongst the dragon race. ¡°Now that I think about it, there was a time when a demonic dragon entered into the Carlheinz Mountains.¡± ¡°Huh? What does that mean? It sounds like you¡¯re from the future.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s not fluent in the official continentalnguage. He often confuses the use of past and future tense when he speaks. Hohoho¡­¡± Helena was flustered as she tried to hide the fact of Woohyuk¡¯s return. Right as Altair was feeling suspicious and about to question him¡­ ¡°Kohohohohohohohohohoh!¡± A silver dragon engulfed in ck energy appeared in the sky. Roanined, annoyed that his surroundings were darkened by the rising dragon¡¯s shadow. ¡°Damn, the dragon appeared right when we were discussing it¡­¡± He was a Homunculus, so he naturally didn¡¯t like the Dragon race. Before long, the demonic dragon came flying at them, staring intently at them with its red eyes¡­ ¡°Leave this battle to me. I shouldn¡¯t trouble you with the concerns of my race.¡± Altair simply left these words before flying into the air. Afterward, he returned to the form of his original body and began to ruthlessly attack the demonic dragon in front of him. Kwa-Deuk! ¡°Kuo-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!¡± The demonic dragon, who suffered a fatal wound on his side, cried out in pain. Not only was the demonic dragon younger than Altair, but it wasn¡¯t able to properly use its full strength due to losing part of its consciousness. Eventually, the demonic dragon couldn¡¯t withstand the umted damage from Altair¡¯s attacks and fell onto a mountaintop. Kwang! Along with a roar of pain, arge plume of sand dust mushroomed from the tops of the Carlheinz Mountains. Woohyuk¡¯s party covered their mouths with their hands and watched Altair apply the finishing blow on the demonic dragon¡¯s neck. Slice! As the sharp ws were swung, dark red blood poured from the demonic dragon¡¯s neck. Afterwards, the demonic dragon fell down and turned into a delicate silver-haired woman. Altair also returned to his human form and embraced her. ¡°¡­ You must have known each other,¡± Woohyuk said as he approached Altair. ¡°This was my fiance. She started suffering from the infection beforeing to the Eeth Continent, but in the end, she sumbed to the disease.¡± Altair looked down at the silver-haired woman in his arms with deep, saddened eyes. After a long period of silence, Roan opened his mouth to speak, not grasping the depressed mood. ¡°Dragon Heart! Eating that can make you stronger, Master! Maybe you¡¯ll be a Dragon yer like Zeke!¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re really just asking for a beating now, aren¡¯t you?¡± yelled Zeke. Bam! Zeke¡¯s fist burst onto Roan¡¯s abdomen. Roan finally fell down while blowing bubbles from his mouth. Woohyuk sighed and approached Altair. ¡°What would you do if I saved her?¡± ¡°¡­ Save her? You don¡¯t seem like a God.¡± ¡°Do you remember that I was on an Epic Quest? I got a decent ability from the Dragon Tribe ruins.¡± [Power of Resuscitation]. Using it would allow Altair¡¯s fianc to revive. At Woohyuk¡¯s suggestion, Altair happily nodded. ¡°Okay, as long as you save Katia, I¡¯ll grant you any three requests, no questions asked.¡± Chapter 200: Iscariots Descendants 2

Chapter 200: Iscariot''s Descendants 2

It was amonly known rule that a dragon who makes a pledge in the dragonnguage was bound to fulfill that pledge. Thus, once Altair made his public pledge, Woohyuk didn¡¯t hesitate to use the Power of Resuscitation on Katia. Rumble. A brilliant, colorful aurora covered Katia¡¯s body, which still possessed some residual warmth of life. After the Power of Resuscitation was used, Katya immediately opened her eyes and her wounds instantly disappeared. Altair couldn¡¯t help but release the overflow of emotions that he had held back. ¡°Katia!¡± ¡°Altair¡­¡± Altair hugged Katya, repeatedly calling her name. It was a reunion of lovers. As a result of fulfilling his part of the transaction, Woohyuk was granted three wishes from Altair, but he couldn¡¯t use the Power of Resuscitation for the next three days. ¡°Thank you very much for bringing Katia back to life,¡± said Altair with an appreciative air. ¡°It was just a deal. Make sure you keep your end of the promise,¡± replied Woohyuk nonchntly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I would have done anything to bring Katia back to life.¡± Altair took a silver leaf out of his arms and handed it to Woohyuk. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Use it to call on me, when you need my help. I will be able to teleport to your side. As we agreed, I am granting you three requests.¡± [Altair¡¯s Covenant] Type: Item Effect: Can summon Altair a total of 3 times. [3/3 Remaining Usages] It was a summoning item that could bring a strong force next to Woohyuk whenever he wanted. As Woohyuk nodded in satisfaction and understanding, Altair flew into the air with Katya. ¡°Then see you next time, friend!¡± Altair cried out. ¡°Thank you for saving me!¡± Katya chimed in. Eventually, the two lovers disappeared beyond the horizon into the sky. As Woohyuk and his party were discussing what to ask for, Roan regained consciousness andmented, ¡°Why are you hitting me all the time! I want to be loved too!¡± ¡°Then, do something nice enough to receive apliment. Don¡¯tin like a bratty child,¡± Sieg sternly countered while grabbing Roan¡¯s neck. Afterwards, Woohyuk and his party started once more towards their destination¡­ ¡°Ku-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!¡± In the middle of their journey, they encountered another demonic dragon. This time, it was a green dragon. Sieg¡¯s eyes shed with excitement. It seemed he recalled some fond old memories. ¡°I remember ying the demonic dragon, Papnir, in my heyday. Ah, it was so nice to be young and in my prime¡­¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re reminiscing such fond memories, why not give it another shot right now, Sieg? I¡¯ll let you borrow Grane as well,¡± mused Woohyuk. ¡°¡­ are you not nning to revive the dragon this time?¡± asked Sieg. ¡°The cooldown for the Power of Resuscitation is three days. That dragon is destined to die.¡± It was also an opportunity to obtain a Dragon¡¯s Heart. At Woohyuk¡¯s suggestion, Sieg nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you the Dragon¡¯s Heart soon!¡± eximed Sieg. ¡°I''ll help too! As Sieg¡¯s wife, I must also contribute!¡± Brynhildr chimed in. She flew into the air with Sieg atop Grane. Helena, seeing the figures flying across the sky, opened her mouth with a dissatisfied expression, ¡°Why is everyone here a couple? I feel bad¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re envious, why don¡¯t you try your hand in bewitching a dragon man. You are a witch,¡± Woohyuk calmly replied. ¡°Are you kidding me? Didn¡¯t you say that the Dragon race was eliminating the Dragonians because they were hybrids?¡± ¡°Then what about hybrid humans? I think they¡¯ll suit your tastes perfectly.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a pervert like you? Are you subconsciously alleviating your sexual frustration through sexual harassment?¡± Helena retorted with a huff before turning her head. Hearing this, Roan opened his mouth to propose a solution to relieve his master¡¯s frustrations, ¡°Master! Alcohol is the best for sexual harassment! If you covet that girl¡­¡± Bam! Helena¡¯s fist flew into Roan¡¯s side. A Saintess who embodied the principles of love and peace resorted to violence once more. ¡°There¡¯s nothing this little brat won¡¯t say! Do you want to see this elder sister get really angry?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ who¡¯s an elder sister! You¡¯re such a slutty young girl¡­¡± ¡°Can I give this delinquent some mental training? I think I¡¯ll have to show him who¡¯s boss at least once for him to understand who he¡¯s talking to.¡± ¡°Do whatever you want,¡± Woohyuk answered. Woohyuk didn¡¯t object to Helena¡¯s opinion this time around. After a while, Roan¡¯s painful screams echoed in the battlefield where the dragon flew overhead. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± *** It was only after a week of eventful(?) happenings when Woohyuk and his party reached the northwestern part of the Empire. His party had met several demonic dragons along the way. They desperately sought Aris¡¯ treatment to counteract the fallout from Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit. ¡°¡­ First off, we need to find a remedy for Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit. I¡¯m not sure how many Awakeners will be created by then.¡± ¡°Aris is also doing her best. She¡¯s already created the Paradise Fruit and Water of Life¡¯s Fruit, so there should be some results sooner orter.¡± Since Neustein was equipped with high-tech equipment, mass production of the cure wasn¡¯t difficult to manage as long as they figured out the recipe. As she entered the quiet vige, Helena looked around. ¡°Is this the right neighborhood? It seems too in and underwhelming to be the ce where the fallen angel appears¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that this is the right ce. However, it¡¯s certainly very likely.¡± For the past 40 years, Woohyuk had traveled all over the Eeth Continent, so he had a general sense that his hunch was correct. Furthermore, this ce possessed its own unique characteristics and had particr meaning for him. In the past, he fought a fierce battle with Logan¡¯s undead army in the vicinity of this vige. ¡®It was the samendscape at that time as well,pletely deste.¡¯ Thus, it was rtively easy for Woohyuk to recognize the ce Hevnia showed him through the trial. Of course, it was difficult to find the exact location, even if he knew the general area. Sieg opened his mouth to speak while Woohyuk was reminiscing about past events, ¡°Don¡¯t you really want to eat this Dragon Heart? If you almost died in a virtual battle during the trial. It wouldn¡¯t be a waste to consume it yourself and gain some color¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ready to choose my fourth ss. I need to wait a bit longer and consider my options.¡± Besides, Woohyuk thought that bing a Dragon Lord was a better choice than bing a Dragon yer. Regardless, following his careful and calcting nature, he was also not drinking the Spirit of Immortality medicine obtained from the current Dreadlore. He was willing to endure a little longer because it could be possible to consume a Phoenix Heart. If he were to consume a Phoenix Heart, there was no risk of getting an unwanted ss like a Lich or Dragon yer. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll just give the Phoenix¡¯s Elixir to Allen.¡¯ Realistically, this would be the best way to get Allen to quickly conquer the High Sage¡¯s Tower of Archaine. Anyway, Allen was a wizard who didn¡¯tin even though she was stuck amongst the beautiful elven women. She probably wouldn¡¯t be too disheartened even if she lost her reproductive functions. ¡®I should feed Irene a dragon heart¡­¡¯ Although she had never really stood out, Irene was a reward hidden on thest floor of the Twilight Tower, so she was a prospect worth investing in. While Woohyuk was making additional ns, the sound of horseshoes ttering on the ground rang out from somewhere in the distance. Tadak. Tadak. Saint Mary and the Pdin Hildegard appeared before the party. Woohyuk¡¯s party members faced each other at a loss for what to do. ¡°Uh, what should we do? It¡¯s such a sudden meeting¡­¡± ¡°First take care of your facial expression, Helena. I¡¯ll try using my status as a Valkyrie to get rid of them,¡± Brynhildr said. ¡°Tell them that I¡¯ve drunk poison and a strange energy ising out from my body, Brynhildr,¡± suggested Sieg. ¡°Idiot! Even Roan wouldn¡¯t be fooled by such lies!¡± While Woohyuk¡¯s party members were urgently talking, Pdin Hildegard got off her white horse and escorted St. Mary down. They were 100 meters away. This development meant that they had already spotted Woohyuk¡¯s party. ¡°You don¡¯t look like the vigers here. Excuse me, but what are your statuses?¡± asked Hildegard. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡± Helenaughed stupidly at Hildegard¡¯s question and blurred herst few words. Then Brynhildr, who was next to her, stepped forward and said, ¡°I am Valkyrie Brynhildr. We are currently investigating the unjust forces that have entered this dimension with the God of Light.¡± ¡°¡­ Ah, you are the rumored Valkyrie. I apologize for not recognizing you earlier.¡± Hildegard politely bowed toward Brynhildr. Then Mary, who was behind her, opened her mouth to speak, ¡°You don¡¯t have toe up with a story. I¡¯ve already looked into the future and came here to see it unfold.¡± ¡°¡­¡± An awkward stillness flowed between the two groups for a while. When no one opened their mouth, Maria once again emphasized her purpose, ¡°There¡¯s one issue, though. That¡¯s the fact that the fallen angel, Kuru, won¡¯t appear here. I took the risk and came all the way here to convey that to you all.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Maria¡¯s unexpected remarks caused Woohyuk¡¯s group to fall silent in shock and surprise. After a while, Woohyuk walked towards Maria. ¡°Then, where will Kuru appear? Is it the capital of the Empire?¡± ¡°The first appearance is in the northern regions. So, the army led by Alice the Thorn Queen will be isted off from the Empire. Because of Kuru and her army¡¯s sudden appearance, the rear supply line ispletely cut off.¡± ¡°Why should I believe you? All the scenes I¡¯ve been shown point towards Kuruing to this region.¡± ¡°The future is constantly changing. It was onlyst night that I had this visionary dream. When did you see your vision?¡± Mary¡¯s vision was more current than Woohyuk¡¯s. The vision provided by Hevnia was more than a week old. Furthermore, Hevnia never directly mentioned where Kuru would appear. His decision toe to this part of the empire was solely based on his reasoning of the circumstances and his past experiences. It was not an exaggeration to say that the possibility of error existed from the beginning. ¡°What other scene did you see? In that visionary dream.¡± ¡°A lot of people die. Some of those who perished included your party members.¡± Maria¡¯s gaze shifted from Woohyuk to Helena. Helena trembled with a pale face when she received Maria¡¯s gaze. ¡°Me, I¡­?¡± ¡°Kuru persistently pursued you. Of course, the party next to you struggled along with you, but some variables urred in the middle that led to your demise.¡± One of the variables was Rosenkreuz. He knew Helena had the Holy Grail and was aiming for her when everyone¡¯s focus was on Kuru. During the battle, when his ns were constantly blocked by Woohyuk, he took a bunch of Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit all at once. Eventually, he turned into an Awakener and caused great confusion on the otherwise unfavorable battlefield. As a result, Helena was cut down by Kuru and perished immediately¡­ ¡°So Alistar appears and intercepts the Holy Grail from Helena¡¯s body as well¡­¡± Woohyuk murmured. ¡°What I saw was that scene. But don¡¯t be blinded or get tunnel vision from what I said. From the moment we met, the future has changed again.¡± However, it wasn¡¯t just the party members on this stage that changed the future. A transcendent force intervened in this world from some point in time to induce the future to flow in a certain direction, and Mary, who possessed the power of foresight, had been watching the forces influence on this world for a long time. After hearing Maria¡¯s words, everyone looked gloomy. They¡¯d be able to contend against Kuru somehow, but they weren¡¯t sure if they could contend against a transcendental entity and win. As a heavy silence flowed, Woohyuk opened his mouth to speak to Mary, ¡°Then what about you? If you have the power of foresight and can dream about the future, you should have been able to see into your own future.¡± ¡°¡­ I also died. To an irresistible, seemingly omnipotent force.¡± Maria¡¯s expression, which was calm up to this point, turned dark for an instant. Woohyuk, having an unusual feeling, asked her again, ¡°Who is this irresistible force?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Whether she was concerned or worried about something, Mary did not immediately answer. However, after a while, she looked up at Woohyuk. She looked as if she made a firm determination in her heart. After some time, Maria replied in a cold tone, ¡°¡­ You.¡± Chapter 201: Iscariots Descendants 3

Chapter 201: Iscariot''s Descendants 3

¡°I¡¯m going to kill you?¡± ¡°As unexpected events started to unfold during the battle, youe across some life-threatening trouble, so you release the remaining seals off of Verserios, allowing the demonic power to run rampant. As a result, Verserios¡¯ explosive power overpowers the battlefield andpletely takes over your consciousness.¡± Verserios had the power to destroy the world. This was why Mary, as a Saintess, had desperately tried, in her vision, to stop Woohyuk before meeting her own demise. Of course, now that they had met each other like this, there was a possibility that the future would change, but the future she saw in her dreams was so impactful and terrible that her hostility toward Woohyuk didn¡¯t fade. ¡°So, what happened to me? Did I join Crue?¡± ¡°As I said before, I haven¡¯t seen all the scenes in my visionary dreams. However, based on the context of my dreams, I would reason that events unfolded in the way Aleister wanted.¡± Aleister¡¯s end goal was to introduce the demons into the world and create utter chaos and destruction. Ultimately, he wanted to challenge the Creator. His vision of the future was the exact opposite of what Woohyuk and Etheria Rodinus pursued. If Aleister¡¯s wishes were toe true, there was no meaning for Woohyuk to work so hard. At a loss for words, Woohyuk stared at Maria. Hildegard, who was silent up to now, started speaking, ¡°Saintess, why didn¡¯t you tell me the story of your foresight and dreams? If that was the case, I would have tried to take countermeasures with the remaining Pdins in the empire.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hiding information from you. I had to do this secretly until I met him so as not to change the future in any unpredictable way.¡± Since she didn¡¯t know how the future would change again in the future, it was better for her to reduce the variables as much as possible. Though Mary was the Saintess of Prophecy, she wasn¡¯t able to have foresight and visions every night. At Maria''s rification, Brynhildr spoke up, ¡°Did the apostles of the Goddess of Destiny give out any oracles? I wouldn¡¯t think you¡¯d be the only one receiving foresight dreams if this is going to be such arge-scale event¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since the apostles passed any oracles along. Thest message was to prepare for the fateful fight that is toe in the near future. Still, I did try to confer with others to see if anyone else received simr visionary dreams, but no one mentioned anything.¡± During this period, when she was conferring with others to confirm her visions, she unintentionally caught the attention of the demons. In order to escape a crisis, Maria asked the castle knight Hildegard, whom she met by chance, for assistance and had been traveling with her ever since. While Mary was talking about what had happened, a sudden turmoil broke out in the middle of the vige. ¡°Save me!¡± ¡°A monster appeared!¡± One of the mercenaries suffering from withdrawal had eaten a Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit and turned into an Awakener. Helena and Sieg both had ufortable expressions. ¡°What should we do? It¡¯s difficult to do anything because we¡¯re in disguise¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s a high possibility that we¡¯re being observed by the Pope¡¯s people. How about observing the situation first?¡± Though they were all reluctant to see innocent bystanders being hurt, in their current situation, it was inevitable. While Woohyuk¡¯s party took positions to watch what would unfold, Hildegard picked up her holy sword. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll deal with it. My official mission is to solve the problems inside the Holy Apheria Empire during its war with the Enoa Kingdom.¡± Hildegard was a Pdin, so she should easily be able to handle one Awakener, especially one that recently converted. As she took off her hood and rushed out, the people who were running away from the Awakener eximed aloud, ¡°Hey, that¡¯s Hildegard!¡± ¡°She¡¯se to save us! We¡¯ll live!¡± In the Holy Apheria Empire, everyone knew about the Seven Pdins. With all the attention of the people focused on her, Hildegard performed brilliant swordsmanship. Slice! Following a clean, slicing sound, the Awakener¡¯s right arm fell onto the ground. Thud! It was a fatal wound that would have put any normal person into a state of incapacity. However, the opponent was an Awakener, so Hildegard immediately climbed up its left arm and tried to behead it while it was screaming out in pain. When her de was about to reach the Awakener¡¯s neck¡­ Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwak! A dark cloud rose in the previously clear, dark sky. A purple thunderbolt came down from the cloud and struck Hildegard. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± As a result, Hildegard wasn¡¯t able to execute the final blow and had to step back from the Awakener. Luckily, she had cast Guardian Magic on herself in advance, so she hadn¡¯t suffered much damage. However, the bigger problem was that there was someone who intervened in their battle by dropping a lightning bolt onto her. As Hildegard gritted her teeth and lifted her head upwards, she heard a wicked man¡¯s voicee from the direction of the dark clouds. ¡°Kekeke! Did you think you could run away from me? Pretty little girls!¡± The voice was from Amon, the 7th ranked Demon King. Unlike the demons Woohyuk¡¯s party had met so far, Amon was by far the most powerful. The 9th to 1st ranked Demon Kings were able to participate in the Demonic Overlord meetings and possessed the power to stand against the Gods alone. When Helena and Brynhildr saw Amon, they instantly became ufortable. ¡°The situation is getting tangled up. There¡¯s no reason why Amon would appear here¡­¡± mentioned Helena. ¡°As long as this is the case, we can¡¯t just pretend we don¡¯t know anything. No matter if she¡¯s a castle knight, Hildegard will be overwhelmed facing a high-ranking Demon King,¡± Brynhildr added. The good news was that Helena had cast top-notch stealth magic in advance, so Amon wasn¡¯t able to recognize the existence of Woohyuk¡¯s party. Seeing Amon confronting Hildegard, Woohyuk fell into serious thought. ¡®If I want Amon defeated, I¡¯ll have to step out.¡¯ However, if he were to battle Amon, it was highly likely that his location would be exposed to Rosenkreuz. This was because, although he was in a remote area, the Holy Apheria Empire¡¯s informants were everywhere within the Empire¡¯snds. ¡®It would be better to summon Altair.¡¯ The Dragon Tribe had long been natural enemies against the Demon Tribe because of the Dragon Tribe¡¯s tendency to value order and creation. Besides, Altair¡¯s rank among Dragons was quite high, so he¡¯d be able to help Woohyuk in various ways in this battle. As soon as Woohyuk touched the silver leaf item, Altair appeared next to him. ¡°You summoned me a lot quicker than I thought. What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°I have to subdue that guy, but I need your help.¡± ¡°¡­ Amon. He¡¯s definitely a tricky opponent to deal with.¡± ¡°You only need to take care of matters outside my battle against him. I need you to make sure my identity is not revealed.¡± Because it was a quiet vige, the Pope¡¯s people and informants would easily be able to know what was going on if Woohyuk didn¡¯t take precautions. While Woohyuk¡¯s party faced Amon, Altair only had to watch over everyone to keep anyone from running away. If he did that, he couldter erase their memories rted to Woohyuk¡¯s party using the Lost Lyre. After Woohyuk exined, Altair nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. I¡¯ll just create a barrier to the outskirts of this vige so that nothing can leave or enter.¡± The magical powers of an ancient dragon were enough to create suchrge-scale barriers. After the overall briefing was over, Woohyuk asked Helena to cancel her stealth magic on the party members and to prepare for a full-fledged battle. ¡°But, what should I do, Master?¡± asked Roan. ¡°You¡¯ll protect Helena and Mary,¡± replied Woohyuk. ¡°What? You want me to babysit some girls?!¡± "If you don¡¯t do as you¡¯re told, I¡¯ll have Helena cast a spell like she did on Alejandro.¡± ¡°Woah, woah! Roan doesn¡¯t want to be ball-less!¡± Roan cried out while trembling. He recalled Alejandro¡¯s final expression, which was full of loss. Meanwhile, Amon, who was fighting Hildegard, looked surprised when he saw Woohyuk. ¡°¡­ Why are those guys here?!¡± Amon obviously recognized the one who defeated and took control of the six demon kingdoms in the West. The reason he didn¡¯t care about Woohyuk so far was that he thought that securing Mary, who had the Power of Prophecy, was more important. With her in hand, Amon could enjoy an overwhelming advantage over the other Demon Kings scattered across the Eeth Continent. However, for such a party to conveniently appear just at the moment when he would secure a critical piece of his n¡­ Woohyuk was definitely not an easy opponent, but Amon couldn¡¯t easily give up Maria to Woohyuk. Amon, feeling the necessity to put all his power into this impending battle, immediately summoned his minions and army onto the ground. Saahahahah! Purplish fireballs fell from the gaps in the abyss, turning into demonic monsters. Woohyuk left these summoned monsters to his other party members and jumped straight at Amon. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was going to meet you here.¡± In the past, Amon didn¡¯t wake up so quickly. This meant that the future hadpletely changed from his own reincarnation. At the beginning, it was possible to predict the future to some extent, but from some point, his past memories became useless in predicting what would happen in the future. ¡®However, I¡¯m also very different from then as well.¡¯ Although his stats may be lower than before his reincarnation, he obtained other abilities to offset any differences. Woohyuk felt he had a decent chance fighting against Amon. As he kept narrowing the distance with Amon, Woohyuk used Lemegeton to summon six Demon Kings. ¡°Heok! This time it¡¯s Amon?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised, Dantalion. You¡¯re not dealing with him alone.¡± Astaroth, the highest rank among Woohyuk¡¯s summoned Demon Kings, gave Dantalion a stern warning. Then, the other demon kings nodded, agreeing with Astaroth¡¯s assessment of the situation. ¡°Amon, hasn¡¯t been awakened for very long, so he¡¯s probably very low on power. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be very difficult to contend against him with our forcesbined.¡± ¡°There is also Asura next to us as well.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay, let¡¯s do this. It''s unfair that only we¡¯re sealed in Lemegeton. Let¡¯s have Amon join us.¡± The six Demon Kings were fired up and surrounded Amon. Amon, observing this scene, cracked a sarcastic smile and scoffed aloud before yelling, ¡°Hey, you low-ranking guys aren¡¯t afraid! By my standards, you should be ashamed to call yourselves Demon Kings!¡± If the demon system was a little more organized, these six Demon Kings would¡¯ve just been servants for the upper-level Demon Kings. Crack! Crackle! Amon lighted his trident. Demonic energy wrapped around his body like a sphere. At the same time, avoid appeared above his trident and started sucking in everything around him except for himself. The six Demon Kings and Woohyuk grit their teeth and endured the formidable suction power. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± ¡°Using that technique from the beginning!¡± [God Death]. As the name suggested, it was Amon¡¯s ultimate ability that was used to destroy Gods. Of course, the Gods who were able to move freely in space through teleportation probably would have no trouble avoiding this ability. ¡®If we leave his attack alone, it¡¯ll cause arger headache soon.¡¯ He understood Amon¡¯s attack pattern and the extent of the attack from his past life¡¯s experience. After using God¡¯s Death, Amon would probably follow up by using Great Demon Annihtion. Great Demon Annihtion was a wide-area technique that created dozens of small ck holes in all directions and then used those ck holes as a dimensional passage to perform anomalous magic attacks. It was very difficult for those who had their physical movements restricted by God Death to then avoid the ensuing magic attacks from the Great Demon Annihtion. Feeling the need to take countermeasures, Woohyuk brought out Lilith¡¯s Unholy Chalice. ¡°Huh¡­? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an artifact Lilith created to bring order to the system. Using this, I can neutralize your Demon King abilities.¡± Of course, the real Chalice that Helena possessed would have a greater effect. However, it was difficult to uncover her existence at this moment. For now, Lilith¡¯s Unholy Chalice seemed enough. ¡®It will certainly be possible based on my current ability levels.¡¯ After returning to this world, he crossed his upper limits several times and lifted four seals off of Verserios. Thus, he would have no trouble using Lilith¡¯s ¡®toys¡¯ freely for as long as he wanted. However, before anything else, he needed to suppress Amon first with ck Demolition. Once Woohyuk pressed the red button on the Observer Trigger that he pulled out in advance, Chi-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji! A huge spherical barrier with a radius of 500 meters was instantly created with a ck current flowing within. Chapter 202: Iscariots Descendants 4

Chapter 202: Iscariot''s Descendants 4

¡°Keuk¡­! You really have a knack for underhanded schemes and attacks!¡± Amon shouted as he stared at Woohyuk and took on a defensive position. As the 7th Ranked Demon, he could continue fighting within the constraints presented by the ck Demolition field, but he felt that he¡¯d reach his skill limits too quickly and ultimately lose if he continued onward. As Amon raised his trident to shatter the ck Demolition restriction, Woohyuk quickly used Lilith¡¯s Unholy Chalice. Swaaa! Lilith¡¯s Unholy Chalice sucked in Woohyuk¡¯s demonic magic power and created a pitch-ck orb wrapped in a spiral vortex. Once it was created, the jet-ck sphere flew towards Amon with zing speed¡­ Kwajijijijijijijiji! Amon urgently raised his defensive force field guard. The sphere crashed into his guard and caused a huge crack in his force field. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± moaned Amon before trying to teleport away. Though he didn¡¯t know for sure, he had judged that the pitch-ck sphere in front of him was inherently dangerous to him. However, the Six Demon Kings did not leave him alone. ¡°Where are you trying to run?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you spewing out nonsense just a few moments earlier?!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make you pay the price for looking down on us!¡± The Absorber Trigger and Lilith¡¯s Unholy Chalice weakened the power of Amon¡¯s ultimate ability, God Death. When the six Demon Kings attacked with their specialized abilities from all sides, Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwak! With a loud explosion, Amon¡¯s barrier copsed, and he was soon engulfed in mes. The jet-ck sphere expanded at the same time his defenses shattered and swallowed Amon at once! Amon was like a mouse caught in a trap. ¡°You guys! What the hell have you done¡­!¡± shrieked Amon. ¡°You have to use your head to hunt a demon,¡± Woohyuk calmly replied while putting away both of the artifacts in his hands and summoning Verserios. As he flew into the air and tried to stab Amon¡¯s heart with Verserios, Kwajijijijijijijiji! The jet-ck sphere that contained Amon broke, allowing him to move freely once again. Though Woohyuk¡¯s ability had developed by leaps and bounds, it was still not enough for him to be able topletely restrain the 7th Ranked Demon King for a prolonged period of time. ¡°You dared to try and overwhelm me! I¡¯ll show you the true power gap between us!¡± Afterwards, the unique weapons of both sides intensely shed! As a result of this sh, the space and time of the surroundings started to warp and waver in distortion. Wheeahahahahahah! At the impact point, a strong wind blew outward, creating a high-pitched dissonance with a ck hole at its center. After this initial sh, the six demon kings started participating in the battle again. ¡°Amon isn¡¯t giving in easily, is he?¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll be able tost long, right?¡± ¡°The ck current in this barrier will continue to rob his demonic energy!¡± The six demon kings were not affected by ck Demolition because Woohyuk applied a protective barrier for them with the Absorber Trigger in advance. In addition, it seemed that Amon was greatly influenced by Lilith¡¯s Unholy Chalice, as his use of abilities seemed limited. Amon, feeling that he was at a disadvantage, gritted his teeth and summoned his close associates. ¡°Belgos! Amelin! Break this barrier with the others from the outside! Take down the barrier no matter what!¡± ¡°Yes, Amon!¡± ¡°We will perform as directed!¡± The two high-ranking demons, who were fighting with Woohyuk¡¯s other party members on the ground, flew into the air. Afterwards, they chanted a spell together and opened arge magic circle¡­ Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! A pitch-ck Demonic Dragon reared its head from the magic circle and fired a Dark Breath toward the spherical ck Demolition barrier. At the same time, the earth shook! In the aftermath of the attack, a shockwave reverberated outwards from the point of contact, creating a ck storm that ttened the buildings and trees on the ground. ck magic was a truly powerful power. However, ck Demolition¡¯s spherical barrier withstood without a scratch. This was because Amon¡¯s demonic magic had already been absorbed to a considerable level, which fed into the ck Demolition barrier. The durability of the barrier had already reached an epic strength level. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore us! Your opponent is us!¡± "Right! It¡¯s difficult for us to save face if only you guys cause such a big uproar!¡± When the two summoned demons tried to attack the barrier again, Brynhildr and Helena, who had caught up to the flying demons, stopped their next attack with divine magic. Hildegard and Roan also contributed with their own spells and attacks. Meanwhile, Sieg was dealing with the other demons summoned by Amon by himself. ¡°Oh my¡­ this is really a mess,¡± sighed Altair while watching what was unfolding on the battlefield from afar. He had created a disruptive field barrier around the entire vige and all those around him. No one would be able to go in or out of this barrier, nor would anyone outside be able to see what was going on inside. He was waiting for the battle to conclude. At any time, he could have intervened in the battle, but he decided to stick to the role Woohyuk requested of him. ¡°By the way, that guy is really strong,¡± muttered Altair under his breath. Woohyuk was driving Amon, the 7th Ranked Demon King, into a corner without much difficulty. Altair couldn¡¯t help but admire Woohyuk¡¯s ability, as it would probably take all nine leaders of the Dragon tribes to even contend with Amon, let alone defeat him. ¡°But no matter how great his ability, it¡¯ll be difficult for him to continue controlling the power of a demon with a human body.¡± Altair thought that if Woohyuk had to repeatedly use his powers in this way, someday, he would lose control of the demonic power and allow the energy to overpower and consume him. Altair could already foresee that his true assistance woulde when Woohyuk entered this inevitable state in the future. It was not only something that had to be done to pay off his debt, but for the continuation of this world. As his silky silver hair fluttered in the wind, Altair stared at the far off Woohyuk with sunken eyes. He was currently struggling with the six Demon Kings to defeat Amon. ¡°Astaroth, Amon¡¯s lost some of his power, so make a gap. The other Demon Kings will cover you from behind.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At Woohyuk¡¯s instructions, Astaroth rushed at Amon while wielding his two-handed sword, Regius. At the same time, he summoned a group of blood-sucking vampires from Regius. Seeing this, Amonughed as if the attack was something petty. ¡°Do you think you can defeat me with half of Nosferatu¡¯s power? It¡¯s been a long time since he''s been killed by the God of Light!¡± Even if Nosferatu came back alive, there wasn¡¯t much Amon would be afraid of. Nosferatu¡¯s blood absorption abilities were powerful, but it also consumed that much blood from the caster. In short, it was possible to kill vampires in a prolonged battle if one avoided fatal confrontation and just elongated the time of the battle. Of course, he wasn¡¯t even dealing with Nosferatu at the moment. Ahhhhhh! When Amon swung his trident, the summoned vampires were shed into two and lost their shape. At that time, the ck hole in the air disappeared, and a series of system messages appeared before Amon¡¯s eyes. [God Death, an exclusive Demon skill, has been blocked for 10 minutes by Astaroth¡¯s unique weapon, Regius.] [Please note that Astaroth can use God Death during the period it is absorbed by his unique weapon.] ¡®What is this?!¡¯ A mere 29th Ranked Demon King had put a restriction on Amon¡­! It was something that defiedmon sense. ¡®Is it because of this ck Demolition barrier?¡¯ At first, Amon tried to destroy it with God Death, but rather than being destroyed, his magic was absorbed by the ck currents that made up the barrier. The development of events was so weird and defied allmon sense that Amon, who had existed for a long time, couldn¡¯t fathom what was going on. As he was attacked by Astaroth, he immediately thought of Aleister. ¡®He¡¯s the only one who can make this.¡¯ He was an alchemist who always hid underneath the safety of Lilith¡¯s skirt and brought on perilous havoc to the world. It would be difficult to continue calling him a human anymore. He also headed the Witch Religion. As Amon started to btedly regret his decision of not taking action against Aleister before, ¡°You finally got caught,¡± Woohyuk¡¯s cold voice came from behind him. As nned, he had entered into Amon¡¯s personal space from the gap created by the Demon Kings. Amon hurriedly tried to escape with all sorts of magic spells, but it was toote. Poo-Ook! Verserios ravenously sucked up demonic energy as it pierced through Amon¡¯s shoulder. At the same time, Amon was consumed by terrible pain! He felt his vision lose focus. ¡°Heuk¡­!¡± Even though he was vignt, Amon had lost outpletely to Woohyuk. This meant that the other person had overwhelming power. Woohyuk had been hiding his power until now just to take advantage of this moment. ¡®It was sessful.¡¯ Using the Nocturne of the Hidden Crescent, an S-ss artifact, Woohyuk was able to save up to five magic spells that were used against him in the past. So, he had pre-filled the slots with useful spells beforeing here. One of them was the Deception of the Earth God, Helena¡¯s stealth magic. In other words, the reason Amon didn¡¯t notice Woohyuk¡¯s movement was because he was using divine magic, something a demon wouldn¡¯t consider another demon using. Unlike other divine magic, the Deception of the Earth God did not cause much harm to the demons, so Woohyuk could also use the spell. It was also superior to the Banshee Queen¡¯s Cloak in stealth ability. ¡°Easily¡­ I will not go down so easily!¡± Even though he was pierced by Verserios and having his demonic energy sucked out of him, Amon moved desperately to resist. Woohyuk, who saw Amon trying to make hisst stand, turned to the six Demon Kings who were awaiting his orders. ¡°You guys also help. This guy can only be sealed with more power.¡± ¡°Yes, Asura.¡± ¡°Then I will start the torture process.¡± Each of the six Demon Kings carried specialized tools for interrogating prisoners in the Demon World. A pharynx that had been enwrapped in stigmata runes. A whip of thorns with purple mes. Crocodile shears used to turn opponents into sexless eunuchs. A torture wheel to bind prisoners. Cat¡¯s ws that separated the prisoner¡¯s bones from flesh. A head squeezing contraption that caused painful headaches just by turning the handle. Considering their effects, the tools were quite inhumane. Soon the torture began, and Amon screamed in pain. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± Though he was the 7th Ranked Demon King, there was no way for him to avoid the punishment inflicted on his physical being. After severe torture, Amon eventually lost consciousness, and a series of system messages appeared in front of Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. [The Demon King Amon was sealed in Remegeton.] [All of Amon¡¯s forces are forcibly returned to the Demon Realm.] The battle, which was threatening to expand on arge scale, safely ended. Woohyuk lifted the ck Demolition barrier after exhaling a sigh of relief. ¡°Fortunately, it went as nned.¡± ¡°What are you going to do now? Knowing that Amon is sealed, the other Demon Kings won¡¯t stand still,¡± Dantalion said with an expression of concern. Currently, many Demon Kings in the western part of the Eeth Continent were forming a united front with Alice the Thorn Queen in the northern Enoa Kingdom. Of course, the lower ranked Demon Kings were rtively weak, but it would be a different story if they were united andbined their attack power. If they noticed Woohyuk¡¯s movements and took precautions, his n to prevent the First Great Disaster (or First Catastrophe) could go wrong. In addition, there was even the Holy Pope, who could now be called an internal enemy, to contend with, so taking adequate precautions and camouge was needed. ¡°I think the credit for defeating Amon should be given to that Pdin,¡± Woohyuk said as he looked down at Hildegard, who was escorting Mary from off the ground. A person with a reputation like Hildegard¡¯s would not bring public suspicion even if she imed that she defeated the 7thRanked Demon King. At least, he could avoid the intensive surveince of the Holy Pope by cing the battle¡¯s sess onto someone else. The other Demon Kings may also be confused, but they wouldn¡¯t easily notice that Woohyuk¡¯s party had intervened in this case. Furthermore, one wouldn¡¯t think a Pdin of the Holy Apheria Empire would lie publicly. When the rough n was decided, Woohyuk re-summoned the Demon Kings and went down to Saintess Mary. Her help was absolutely necessary to prevent any future tragedy. Chapter 203: Iscariots Descendants 5

Chapter 203: Iscariot''s Descendants 5

¡°It should be here,¡± Woohyuk said to himself while looking at the magnificent gothic-style architecture from a distance. Currently, he was in the Pope¡¯s territory. He was at the God of Light¡¯s Church, the official state religion of the Empire. ¡°Are you really going to do it? Failure means we¡¯d be a target for the Imperial Clergy,¡± Hildegard asked Woohyuk with an anxious expression. To avoid tragedy in the foreseeable future, it was best to get rid of Rosenkreuz, but she felt they were going about things in a reckless manner. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Currently, I don¡¯t see any other method. We can¡¯t afford to wait anymore,¡± answered Helena. Thanks to Altair¡¯s help, thest skirmish was safely concealed from the world. However, it took a little while to clean up the mess they made, and it took a few days toe to this territory without being noticed. Considering that the Fallen Angel Crue woulde sooner orter, even if there was some risk, they would have had toe to this area and resolved the matter one way or another. Maria nodded in agreement with Helena¡¯s exnation and added on, ¡°For us, this is the best option. If Rosenkreuz isn¡¯t removed beforehand, countless innocent people will be killed.¡± She had several visionary dreams of what would happen if they let events progress without taking action, so she knew what kind of person Rosenkreuz was and the utter destruction he would bring onto the world. When the other party members showed simr reactions, Hildegard lowered her head as if resigned to her fate. ¡°¡­ If it can¡¯t be helped¡­ then I¡¯ll start,¡± she answered with a sigh. The core role of this infiltration n was to be yed by her and Roan, who was to be disguised as Maria. When the two left for the Pope¡¯s quarters, Helena used camouge magic, making the party members invisible. ¡°But lord, are you sure Roan really won¡¯t say anything? That guy, even if we scold him a few times, his way of speaking doesn¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve spoken with him personally,¡± answered Woohyuk while lifting up a torture tool he had in his hand. It was a pair of crocodile scissors used to make prisoners of war into sexless, ball-less creatures. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be scared beyond imagination. He definitely values his precious ¡®things¡¯ highly.¡± Sieg sweated as he imagined malleable pieces of flesh being cut into several pieces with the crocodile scissors. When she saw the scissors and Sieg¡¯s rapidly changing expression, Brynhildrughed and joked, ¡°Why are you so nervous? Did you do something wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­ it¡¯s just terrible to imagine¡­¡± Sieg answered in a quivering voice. Sieg turned his gaze towards Helena. This was because Helena had the experience of making Alejandro, a member of the Golden Rose Society, a ball-less, sexless being. Helena made an unpleasant expression as Sieg stared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I was just taking revenge.¡± ¡°¡­ Yeah, okay.¡± Sieg didn¡¯t want to set off Helena¡¯s fiery personality, so he answered as submissively as possible. He knew she was a dangerous person. As the atmosphere became strange, Maria, who had been sleeping, opened her mouth to speak, ¡°Can we talk about thatter? We have to focus on dealing with Rosenkreuz right now.¡± ¡°Mary is right. We have work to do here,¡± said Woohyuk with a nod while pulling out Lemegeton. Now was the time to prepare for one lengthy, situational y. *** The conference room inside the Holy Pope¡¯s Office was decorated with ornate stained ss and frescoes. Rosenkreuz weed Hildegard and Roan with Castineon¡¯s clergymen. ¡°You worked hard to get here. Saint Mary of Miletus.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Roan was currently disguised as Maria with aical disguise. As Woohyukmanded, he didn¡¯t open his mouth. Hildegard soon took over the conversation. ¡°Mary is currently suffering from aphasia. During the battle with Amon, she received quite the mental shock.¡± ¡°¡­ I guess that¡¯s the reason for her darkplexion. Please sit,¡± Rosenkreuz politely suggested as he guided Roan towards the senior seat. Roan was about to say something out of habit, but he quickly caught himself and sat down. He imagined the sharp alligator scissors and thought better of his actions. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time to spare, so can I go straight to the main point? Instead of Maria, I will tell you what¡¯s needed,¡± Hildegard quickly stated. ¡°As you please. If you¡¯re ufortable with this gallery of clergymen, I can send them all out,¡± Rosenkreuz said as he nced at the clergy behind him and asked Hildegard. As Hildegard nodded silently, the clergy and priests retreated outside. ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± responded Hildegard. ¡°This is a sacred ce where demons cannot ess, so please feel free and at ease. Then, can I hear what troubles you?¡± Rosenkreuz had been aware of and interested in Maria¡¯s foresight ability long before this incident. If she could help him, he could not only take control of the Empire, but could be more powerful than a Pope. Since childhood, as the descendant of Judith Iscariot, Solomon¡¯s twelfth disciple, Rosenkreuz had lived with a sense of inferiority all his life, so his ambition was greater than anyone else¡¯s. ¡°The fact is that, besides Amon, there are various other Demon Kings who are chasing Mary. As you may know, Maria has the ability to predict the future. The Demon Kings are coveting her abilities,¡± Hildegard exined. ¡°In other words, you¡¯re saying they¡¯reing here to attack and kidnap Mary?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes. A few days ago, Mary saw the Pope¡¯s territories turn into a sea of fire by the Demons through her foresight. She saw the lifeless bodies of Pope Ignatius and yourself.¡± All of Hildegard¡¯s words were false. Her conjured story was purely to perplex Rosenkreuz and cause internal chaos in the Holy Pope¡¯s Office. As she intended, Rosenkreuz reacted with quite a bit of surprise. ¡°¡­ No way. What kind of demons are we facing to meet such a miserable end?¡± ¡°High-level Demon Kings, ranked 1st to 6th, will lead their demonic armies and invade the Pope¡¯s territories tonight. Are you able to stop them?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rosenkreuz couldn¡¯t answer Hildegard¡¯s question. Currently, the Holy Aperia Empire concentrated its forces on the Northern Front. High-ranking castle knights as well as imperial Pdins were all situated in those areas. Since many of the high-ranking officials and forces left for the Northern Front recently, the Holy Pope¡¯s Office and surrounding territories were not as well guarded as usual. ¡®For the Demon King ranks from 1st to 6th toe all at once¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t doubt Mary¡¯s ability of foresight, but he thought this sudden action was a little strange. When Rosenkreuz tilted his head, Hildegard spoke again, ¡°There is only one way to avoid a tragic end. We must defeat and destroy each of the Demon Kings, one by one, before the sun goes down.¡± ¡°Defeating each Demon King? With what means¡­?¡± ¡°On the way here, I met one of the vassals of King Rhine by chance. Through him, I was able to ask King Rhine for help. Their forces have probably arrived here by now.¡± ¡°King Rhine?¡± With an expression of disbelief, Rosenkreuz brought out the Informant¡¯s Disclosure item. Currently, Woohyuk¡¯s location was just outside the Pope¡¯s territories. It was as Hildegard said. ¡®Just an hour ago, he was in Dane¡¯s territory¡­¡¯ Aris was able to manipte the location information disyed on the Informant¡¯s Disclosure in real time using Enotia¡¯s advanced technology and equipment. However, because Rosenkreuz had no idea of such a fact, he had no choice but to make an instantaneous look of surprise. ¡°Is something wrong? I heard that King Rhine is a minister of the God of Light, certified by the Holy Pope.¡± ¡°¡­ Ah, no, nothing¡¯s wrong. Your news was just so sudden that I was surprised for a moment.¡± ¡°Then contact him right now. We don¡¯t have much time. Isn¡¯t that right, Maria?¡± Hildegard looked at Roan who was disguised as Mary. Roan nodded, struggling to endure his now sore mouth. ¡®He looks like he has a high status, so why isn¡¯t he bringing out alcohol and meat as a dutiful host?¡¯ However, Roan kept his anger in his heart. Without knowing Roan¡¯s thoughts, Rosenkreuz interpreted her (Roan disguised as Mary) dark expression to mean that the situation was urgent. ¡°Okay. As it is, I have to report to the Pope first and also listen to the opinions of the Cardinals, but I¡¯ll take measures with my own authority first.¡± Rosenkreuz was the head of the Castineon Clergy Division, a special agency of the Holy Pope¡¯s Office. As soon as he manipted the Informant¡¯s Disclosure, Woohyuk¡¯s voice could immediately be heard. [I was trying to contact you, but you sent me a message first. Did you hear the story from Hildegard?] [Yes, it was quite shocking news. But why didn¡¯t you notify me before departing? If you did, I wouldn¡¯t have had to hurry like this.] [Actually, the Informant¡¯s Disclosure temporarily lost its function due to the interference of Aleister. He¡¯s been extremely wary of me for some reason.] Woohyuk made up an appropriate excuse. As he finished speaking, Rosenkreuz sighed, [For Aleister to develop such a device, that¡¯s another headache. Still, I¡¯m d I¡¯m able to contact you like this, albeitte.] [However, there are some problems. Some Demon Kings noticed my movement and followed me. Can you provide support? I won¡¯t be able to defeat the iing forces with my party alone. I¡¯m currently located in the western outskirt forests of the Pope¡¯s territories.] [¡­ They¡¯re alreadying in? Alright. Reinforcements will arrive soon.] After hearing this, there was no reason for Rosenkreuz to consider anything further. He ended the call with Woohyuk and called Rachius, who was waiting outside the meeting room door. ¡°You must let the Cardinals know of what¡¯s happening. I¡¯ll go ahead and see how far the situation has progressed.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After Rachius politely bowed his head, he used teleportation magic. Eventually, as all the Castineon clergy members gathered, Rosenkreuz asked Hildegard and Roan for patience. ¡°If you feel ufortable, please wait here for a while. This is the safest ce in the Holy Pope¡¯s territories after the Pope¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°Okay. But just in case, can you tell me if there¡¯s a secret passage or a hiding ce? I would like to ensure Maria¡¯s safety first.¡± ¡°¡­ Very well. At any other time, it would be absolutely impossible for me to disclose this information, but the situation necessitates extraordinary measures, so I will be especially considerate.¡± Rosenkreuz murmured a simple chant while taking a small crystal ball out of his cloak. As he finished his chant, the internal structure of the office transformed, and a hidden underground staircase appeared in the corner of the conference room. ¡°That passage connects to the heart of our Castineon meeting room. However, even with this crystal ball, additional authentication procedures are required to enter, so please stay only in the passage area.¡± The fact that Mary was here was only known to the Pronoia, the secret group of high priests and the Castineon division task force. Rosenkreuz kept Mary¡¯s existence and location a secret because he wanted to use her abilities for his own use. Thus, he had openly offered this top-secret information to her because he didn¡¯t want her to fall into the wrong hands in case something went awry. After sending the two women down the stairway, Rosenkreuz hurriedly left to meet with Woohyuk. ¡®I didn¡¯t know King Rhine would be involved in my work in this way.¡¯ The reason why Woohyuk was initially brought to his side was to counter Emperor Tiberius and his vassals. However, as time passed, his suspicions grew. Woohyuk was much stronger and more powerful than he had originally thought, and he expanded his powers quickly. Based on current data, it seemed that Woohyuk was nowpletely out of Rosenkreuz¡¯s control. It would be difficult to contend with Woohyuk with his own stature anymore. Rosenkreuz eyes brightened as he flew in the air with the Castineon members. ¡®If this event ends safely, I¡¯ll make a suitable pretext to take him to the Pope and brainwash him.¡¯ While urgently going out, Rosenkreuz recalled Woohyuk mentioning that he currently only had about 10,000 elite troops. It was probably thanks to the help of the Yellow Lady Eleonora that Woohyuk was able to safely cross the border and reach the Pope¡¯s territories. However, with only 10,000 troops, Woohyuk had no chance of beating the Holy Pope. Furthermore, many of his soldiers would be killed or injured in this battle. ¡®If I make King Rhine my puppet, I can easily take over the Holy Aperia Empire.¡¯ Sooner orter, the secret of Rosa Eterna would be fully revealed. That would be the time when he would start his coup in earnest. After purging the enemies inside the Holy Pope¡¯s Office, Pronoia nned to turn the Holy Aperia Empire into a new state. King Rhine¡¯s abilities and forces would be a tremendous help during this process. As Rosenkreuz was organizing his thoughts, a cold male voice rang from above where he was flying with his Castineon clergymen, ¡°You¡¯ve arrived a lotter than I expected, Rosenkreuz.¡± Rosenkreuz, who reactively raised his head, froze as he eximed, ¡°Ki-King Rhine?!¡± Chapter 204: Iscariots Descendants 6

Chapter 204: Iscariot''s Descendants 6

Rosenkreuz didn¡¯t expect the person who was supposedly chased by Demon Kings to be waiting for him in this area. He also felt suspicious that he hadn¡¯t noticed Woohyuk¡¯s presence or his overflowing demonic energy up to now. When Rosenkreuz showed surprise and sudden alertness, Woohyuk spoke, ¡°You¡¯ve been so arrogant, cursed descendent of Judith Iscariot, the twelfth disciple.¡± ¡°¡­ How do you know that? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Of course you don¡¯t understand. You don¡¯t even know Aleister¡¯s true intention for creating Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit.¡± Any humans who ate Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit would be manipted as Aleister¡¯s puppet, just as he intended. Although there were some restrictions in control, the knowledge and senses of the one being possessed was absolutely shared with Aleister. After listening to Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Rosenkreuz fell into shock and disbelief. ¡°That means¡­ are you saying that Aleister has used me all this time?¡± ¡°Yes. He has been manipting and fooling around with me all as well. All of this madness was to achieve his main purpose.¡± For the two, Aleister was amon enemy. However, there were too many differences in position and objectives between the two to join forces. Woohyuk thought that no matter what, he would remove Rosenkreuz this time around, as he was a barrier that needed to be confronted someday. When he summoned Verserios, Rozenkreuz narrowed his eyes. ¡°Pagan¡­ no, you¡¯re a demon. Can you tell me how you were able to hide that chaotic demonic energy from me up to now?¡± ¡°Well. First of all, let¡¯s just say that I hired an outstanding actor.¡± He didn''t intend to give a lengthy exnation to a guy who was going to die soon. As Woohyuk quickly narrowed the distance between them, the Castineon members stepped forward and chanted a magic spell. At the same time, the six Demon Kings who were waiting in advance appeared on the battlefield using teleportation magic. ¡°We are your opponents.¡± ¡°Though, the level difference is quite severe to say that you could even be our opponents.¡± ¡°Shall we taste the God of Light¡¯s disciples¡¯ blood? I haven¡¯t tasted the blood of fanatics for a long time.¡± Amon was excluded from this battle. It hadn¡¯t been long since he was sealed in Lemegeton. Woohyuk judged that he was still difficult to deal with because he had such a high rank. Meanwhile, Woohyuk¡¯s other party members were working to conceal the current battlefield while hiding in the remote forest. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had to spread such a wide area effect magic circle. If I keep it up for 10 minutes, I think I¡¯ll drain all the divine power within me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t overdo it, Helena. I¡¯ll support you by using Valkyrie¡¯s runic technique to provide an additional power source for your magic circle.¡± ¡°I have that also, so no worries. Though, my divine power may be insufficientpared to the two of you.¡± A wide area hidden barrier created by the Saintesses and Valkyrie slowly formed as they chanted at the same time. The range of the barrier was beyond a 1 km radius within the forest. Now, no matter what happened in this ce, the Pope¡¯s clergymen and officers will not be able to notice anything. However, because someone could appear and interfere with the barrier, Sieg stood guard over the three women. ¡°Hah~ I want to fight too¡­¡± ¡°Please be patient this time, Sieg. Aleister could be targeting Helena and Maria.¡± Helena had the Holy Grail, and Mary had the ability of foresight. If either of them was taken away by the demonic camp, it would cause serious problems. Sieg sighed as Brynhildr repeatedly gave out warnings. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I have no choice but to watch the lord fight from here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your lord is a very strong man.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward Woohyuk as the two finished their conversation. Woohyuk was currently in a fierce battle with Rosenkreuz. ¡°You¡¯re holding on better than I thought you would, Rosenkreuz.¡± ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Rosenkreuz stepped back and clenched his teeth. He was struggling because of the Nocturne of the Hidden Crescent Moon, Woohyuk¡¯s S-grade artifact. [Nocturne of the Hidden Crescent Moon] Category: essory Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Effect: Each hour, the three abilities of the specified opponent are neutralized for 10 minutes (except in the case of an overwhelmingly stronger target). Up to five magic spells cast on the user can be saved and used. Immune to attacks above all conditions for 10 minutes (always immune to poison). ¡®It was a good decision to use all the collected artifacts as production materials for this item.¡¯ Unlike when he faced Amon, Woohyuk didn¡¯t face much of a power gap between himself and Rosenkreuz, so he would be able to store up to three of Rosenkreuz¡¯s spells during the next ten minutes. Furthermore, his weapon, Astaroth, could also steal one ability from the opponent. As a result, Rosenkreuz was unable to use petty tricks likest time. Kwajijijik! Rosenkreuz¡¯s protective boundary was immediately cracked by Verserios. With no other alternative, Rosenkreuz took out a Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit and swallowed it. Gulp! Whether or not he became Aleister¡¯s puppet, his most urgent issue was to somehow survive. He was caught in Woohyuk¡¯s trap and had to escape somehow. As Rosenkreuz finished chanting a holy spell with a dire expression, five human figures appeared behind him. [Pronoia]. All of the Pope¡¯s high-ranking priests, those who had been involved in the mischievous ns against the Holy Apheria Empire, were summoned. ¡°So now that you¡¯re in trouble, you¡¯re calling on yourrades.¡± ¡°Did you think I would easily give up? We are a group that has existed since before the Demonic Wars.¡± Pronoia, like Etheria Rodinus, had inherited an early sense of purpose and goal through sessive generations. At the center was always the descendant of Solomon¡¯s 12th disciple, Judith Iscariot. As Rosenkreuz gave his orders, the Pronoia members rushed toward Woohyuk at once. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwak! As high-ranking clergymen, their divine magic all emitted powerful power. A storm of dazzling light swept around the battlefield, and pirs of golden me constantly rose from the ground. Of course, even with this disy of force, they were no match for the current Woohyuk. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to y with you guys right now. If you¡¯re going to dy the inevitable by calling on reinforcements, then I have my own ns as well.¡± Woohyukpletely opened up his inner magic to form an absolute space. As the surroundingndscape was engulfed by a pitch-ck abyss, the members of Pronoia looked crestfallen. ¡°This, this is¡­¡± ¡°Is this an imagined world, another dimension? There is something sinister about this space.¡± ¡°It would be better to eat Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit now. He¡¯s not the only enemy we have to deal with.¡± ¡°There are also six Demon Kings¡­ Most of them are low in rank, but in a ce like this, we can¡¯t put our guards down.¡± ¡°All of the Castineon guys were easily beaten. Soon, their attacks will be focused on us.¡± Castineon, a special agency of the Holy Pope¡¯s Office, had already been utterly destroyed. Feeling the cold eyes of the Demon Kings, the members of Pronoia prepared for the final battle. Gulp! Gulp! The Qliphoth Fruits¡¯ flesh and juices ran down their throats, making their bodies give off an intense, purple energy. Soon, the fruit¡¯s effect began to appear¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± The Pronoia members screamed in pain and twisted their bodies as if they were convulsing. Even though they took a neutralizing agent beforehand, side effects urred. Rosenkreuz, who saw all this unfolding, made a disbelieving expression. ¡°¡­ The seeds of an evil devil sprouted from not one, but all of them. This had never happened before.¡± ¡°I told you earlier. Right now, you¡¯re nothing more than Aleister¡¯s puppets.¡± Aleister had manipted Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit to cause side effects in the bodies of those who consumed it. In other words, Aleister was currently watching this situation from somewhere. The only reason why Rosenkreuz was spared was probably because Aleister thought he was still useful. Woohyuk immediately gave instructions to the six Demon Kings, as he had no desire to fall into Aleister¡¯s trickery. ¡°Astaroth, you and I will face Rosenkreuz. For the rest of you, when they turn into Awakeners, take care of each one.¡± ¡°Awakeners¡­ this¡¯ll be a fun experience.¡± ¡°Aleister¡­ he just had to create this useless stuff, didn¡¯t he¡­¡± ¡°No matter, they still won¡¯t be our opponents!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, there wasn¡¯t much to that Ivanov guy who we dealt withst time." ¡°Except for self-destructing.¡± Each of the five Demon Kings said a few words before surrounding the members of Pronoia. After that, the atmosphere turned cold and freezing. While the Pronoia members turned into Awakeners, Rosenkreuz calmly judged the situation. ¡®Somehow, I¡¯ll need them to focus their attention on the other guys.¡¯ If the engagement continued like this, he would surely die. So, he decided to find the right timing to flee to the Holy Pope¡¯s Office when he grabbed a chance. Anyway, everyone else was already lost. He could only consider saving himself. However, Woohyuk read his intention and did not allow him any room to escape. ¡°Stop resisting and be a martyred fanatic. There¡¯s no chance for you, since you¡¯ve already lost all of yourrades.¡± Through the dark air, Verserios drew a trajectory towards Rosenkreuz¡¯s heart. As Rosenkreuz barely avoided the attack with teleportation magic, Astaroth, who was waiting at the escape location, quickly jumped on him. Puwook! A huge two-handed sword was lodged in Rosenkreuz¡¯s torso with a dull prating sound. ¡°Keu-Luk¡­!¡± After the attack, Rosenkreuz spit blood out from his mouth with a shocked expression. It was difficult to deal with Woohyuk and Astaroth at the same time, even if he took Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit. ¡°This is thest time, Rosenkreuz!¡± Woohyuk held Verserios in an attack position and flew towards Rosenkreuz, who was desperately trying to flee using teleportation magic. The moment when Verserios was about to prate Rosenkreuz¡¯s heart, ¡°Kuo-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!¡± A member of the Pronoia who turned into a giant Awakener screamed and emitted a purpleser cannon from his mouth. It was a blind attack with no target, likely because he was in a maddened state. However, Woohyuk avoided the flyingser cannon after disengaging with Rosenkreuz because the surrounding air was hot enough to cause bodily damage. ¡°Hoh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-¡­¡± Rosenkreuz gasped as he looked down at the blood flowing from his body. He was lucky enough to hang onto his life, but it was only a while. He suffered fatal injuries which slowed his movement, and his main ability was still being blocked by Woohyuk¡¯s essory item. ¡®It¡¯s impossible to run away.¡¯ To chant the lengthy return spell to return to the Holy Pope¡¯s Office, he had to use at least one person as a shield to buy some time. However, the members of Pronoia have turned into Awakened people, and Rachius, his personal servant, was not around. He had to make a decision. After contemting, Rosenkreuz took out another Qliphoth Fruit. Even if he became an Awakener, he had to survive. It was still not toote to think about how to counteract any negative effects in the future. Rosenkreuz swallowed the Qliphoth Fruit, Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! A golden vortex swirled around his body, and in no time, it began to expand its influence. Chapter 205: Iscariots Descendants 7

Chapter 205: Iscariot''s Descendants 7

¡°¡­ the situation has gotten a little troublesome,¡± Woohyuk muttered as he saw Rosenkreuz unable to control his newly acquired power. If he had turned into an Awakener, it would have been possible for Woohyuk to subdue Rosenkreuz with the power of Asura, but unfortunately, he maintained his original form. Staying in his original form meant that this crisis helped him push beyond his limits. Rosenkreuz wasn¡¯t called a genius in the Holy Pope¡¯s Office for nothing. ¡°Keu¡­ I don¡¯t feel very good about how things are unfolding.¡± Rosenkreuz red at Woohyuk with his purple-colored eyes. The fatal injuries from earlier had recovered neatly, and an additional hidden card had arisen. It was a kind of dimensional distortion ability. ¡®It might be possible to reverse the situation with this.¡¯ Rosenkreuz thought to himself. Considering that he could now free of Woohyuk¡¯s restrictions, he seemed to be free from the limitation in number or times he could use his abilities. If he could distort the dimension restrictions and bring in all the high-ranking priests of the Holy Pope¡¯s Office, Rosenkreuz would be able to put up a fight. Hisbat power and magic stats also increased significantly, so, until reinforcements arrived, it seemed he¡¯d be able to withstand further attacks. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! A storm of golden sparks raged out in their dimensional cocoon, causing spiraling vortices to appear from all sides. Five Awakeners were attacking with maddened fervor. They were constantly attacked by the Demon Kings and taking damage, but they weren¡¯t going down. ¡°Asura, the battle seems to be going longer than expected. How about using the Absorber Trigger? We¡¯ll at least be able to eliminate the Awakeners quickly.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Until now, Rosenkreuz was the top priority, so even if the Pronoia members turned into Awakeners, they were left for the Demon Kings to handle. However, due to the change in ns, it would be better to deal with the Awakeners quickly and focus their attacks on Rosenkreuz. As Woohyuk didn¡¯t know what new abilities Rosenkreuz gained while pushing through his limits, it was better to reduce the variables in the battlefield as much as possible. Once Woohyuk presses the red button on the Absorber Trigger, Chi-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Jick! A ck current was formed along with a spherical boundary. Rosenkreuz, who saw the appearance of this new boundary, hurriedly attempted dimensional distortion. ¡®I can apply the principles of a Dimension Gate.¡¯ His thoughts on using his newly attained ability did not simply create a medium that connects different dimensions, like what a traditional Dimensional Gate would do, but twist the dimension itself to cause an artificial crack. It was only theoretically possible, but Rosenkreuz actually implemented it like a dimensional ability genius. Of course, there was one problem. ¡°Kyaah-Ahhh!¡± From the dimensional passage created by Rosenkreuz, ugly monsters poured out. An unexpected sight. Rosenkreuz looked startled. ¡°What is this? I thought I put the coordinates for the Holy Pope¡¯s Office.¡± ¡°You must have forgotten that this is my absolute space. I read your poor ns from the beginning.¡± In this pitch-ck abyss, no one waspletely free from Woohyuk¡¯s influence. So, unless the opponent was overwhelmingly strong, it was possible for him to read his opponent''s every movements. In short, it was like a chess game where one looked ahead and nned a few moves ahead of time. ¡®Did he reverse use my abilities to connect this ce with the Demonic Territories¡­¡¯ Rosenkreuz¡¯s attempt was good, but as a result of his actions, only Woohyuk seemed to have benefited. Rosenkreuz trembled, feeling indescribable loss and a sense of defeat. Since things continued in this way, he had to go all out before the situation got even worse. He decided that only Divine Magic could reverse the tides of this battle. Swahhhh! As Rosenkreuz lifted his staff, a fierce storm of golden mes struck out once again. However, Woohyuk lifted Verserios with a bored expression. ¡°That won¡¯t be enough. A lot of demons have gathered already.¡± Due to ck Demolition, the Awakener¡¯s energy was constantly being absorbed in the ck sphere floating in the air. Woohyuk nned to use this collected energy as a finishing move after condensing the collected energy into an ultra-high density on the tip of Verserios. Go-oh-oh-oh-oh! Verserios, which had absorbed the ck sphere, cried wildly, exhaling wildly spiraling ck currents from its spear tip. After preparing his spear, Woohyuk closed the distance between them. Rosenkreuz ran away with teleportation magic and poured out all his avable Divine Magic spells. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwak! The members of Pronoia, who became Awakened, were unable to move due to ck Demolition¡¯s effects. In addition, the other Demon Kings and their minions were now rushing towards the Awakeners to apply the finishing blow. The Qliphoth Fruit¡¯s effects would soon wear off as well. If they didn¡¯t somehow make a breakthrough, they were all dead. However, unlike Rosenkreuz¡¯s wishes, the situation only got worse. Bam-Bam-Bam! The Guardian Barrier Rosenkreuz created was destroyed at once by Legius, the two-handed sword swung by Astaroth. No matter how much Rosenkreuz surpassed his limits and increased his power with the help of Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit, the Demon King Astaroth, ranked 29th, was by no means a pushover. Finally, finding himself in a situation where even his main abilities were blocked, Rosenkreuz fell into a dire dilemma. ¡°Kuek¡­! How did this situation ever arise¡­¡± Rosenkreuz, who had been talking to himself, was suddenly reminded of Aleister. ¡®That¡¯s right, he said he was watching this sight!¡¯ From Aleister¡¯s point of view, Rosenkreuz should be an existence that still had enough value for further use. He was an obvious enemy, but what if he could get him into this battle? This thought deeply prated Rosenkreuz¡¯s mind. ¡®I will surely survive with his help, and I¡¯ll also obtain Remegeton and Holy Grail in my hands!¡¯ He had too much regret left in this world to die in this battle. Since he had no more reason to consider his pride, Rosenkreuz raised his voice and called out for Aleister. ¡°Oh, my master, Aleister! As Your obedientmb, I beg of thee to help me ovee this adversity!¡± ¡°¡­ The God of Light¡¯s Heretic Inquisitor is requesting support from the Head of Witches. He¡¯s definitely a descendant of Judas Iscariot.¡± In an instant, Woohyuk, who was close by, clicked his tongue and swung Verserios. After seeing this action, Rosenkreuz once again tried to escape with teleport magic¡­ Slice! However, he was toote. The range of Verserios increased dramaticallypared to the previous version, so even if he teleported a few meters, he could not avoid the ck currents emanating from the spear. ¡°Kuh-uh-oh!¡± Rosenkreuz, who lost his left arm in the blow, was in distress and grabbed his shoulders as the blood gushed out. This degree of fatal wound couldn¡¯t be recovered even with enhanced Divine Magic. Of course, he didn¡¯t even have the time to chant the recovery spell at present. ¡®¡­ Is this the end?¡¯ He was wondering why he had to die here. Although he had given up all his pride to beg for his life, Aleister didn¡¯t appear. This meant that, from the beginning, he was not a very important long-term asset. When thest spark of hope faded, Rosenkreuz finally lost his mind. ¡°Fuck, damn pagan guys! I should have hung you up and burned your bodies to a crisp!¡± ¡°You sure talk high and mighty for someone that just asked his sworn enemy for help.¡± Woohyuk shed his eyes and chased after Rosenkreuz, who was making hisst run. Before long, Verserios prated Rosenkreuz¡¯s heart through his back¡­ Rumble! Rosenkreuz was further punished by the ck mes and currents, prolonging his suffering. The end of the one who cruelly ughtered innocents through the guise of religious heresy. However, still having the effects of Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit applied to him, Rosenkreuz didn¡¯t easily die, so his body was further shredded by the six Demon Kings that followed with their attacks. Slice! Slice! The original shape of his body was hard to recognize. When the battle was over, Woohyuk used Asura¡¯s power to subjugate the Awakened ones who had been suppressed until now. ¡°These guys are quite useful. If only I could control them from running away.¡± ¡°Or maybe I can use them to self-destruct through remote control. That¡¯d be useful in arge battlefield.¡± Dantalionughed cunningly and tapped the head of one Awakener. A pretty good idea. Woohyuk nodded and pulled out Jake¡¯s Airwalker Boots. It was time to rob the Holy Pope¡¯s Office in earnest. All their stealth preparations were now over. *** ¡°How long do I have to be trapped in this dark ce?¡± Roan, disguised as Maria,ined while looking at the wall of the underground passage where a torch was ced. He was trying to sleep next to Hildegard while waiting for Woohyuk. ¡°Be patient. There¡¯s nothing we can do yet.¡± ¡°Hey, you wear your hair short like a guy but you¡¯re still attractive. How about we enjoy each other¡¯spany a little more privately?¡± As he was alone with Hildegard, Roan¡¯s promiscuous tongue reared its ugly head once more. However, Hildegard didn¡¯t care for his words and just smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t like kids like you very much. I don¡¯t really intend to live with a man, either.¡± ¡°Are you ignoring the fact that I only look young now? I¡¯m a Homunculus that is quite old!¡± Although a Homunculus was infertile, one was still able to have a sufficient rtionship with women because it had the same body structure as ordinary human man. When Roan was in full swing to get his groove on, [Roan, what are you doing right now?] Suddenly, Woohyuk¡¯s voice echoed in his head. Roan¡¯s face froze. He covered his mouth with both hands. [Ro-Roan is not doing anything! Please believe!] [¡­ Something sounds suspicious¡­ but let¡¯s move on. Anyway, open the secret passageway.] Woohyuk ordered Aris to set up a micro-location tracking device in Roan¡¯s body before going out. It was so he could easily reach the area where Roan was. Roan immediately shouted at Hildegard, thinking that any dy might make his master angry. ¡°Uh,e on, open the passageway door above the stairs! Master is here!¡± ¡°It looks like he¡¯s already dealt with Rosenkreuz. Fine.¡± As Hildegard took out a crystal ball and followed the memorized technique from watching Rosenkreuz earlier, a rumbling sound was followed by light that began to leak from the upper part of the passageway. After that, Woohyuk appeared with Helena¡­ ¡°If you follow this, will we find ourselves at the center of the Castineon Base?¡± ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t check it myself, but that¡¯s what I was told.¡± ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s start right away.¡± It had now be a battle to obtain loot. It was safe to say that Castineon possesses a lot of valuable data and items, as it was an official special agency of the Holy Pope¡¯s Office and a sub-organization of Pronoia. Included among the loot would be the documents that the descendants of Iscariot had longpiled and studied on Rosa Etherna. ¡°But how did you get in here? The boundaries inside and outside are very strict¡­¡± ¡°With the help of this moderately beautiful Saintess.¡± Woohyuk pointed to Helena, who was saying nothing with a sulky expression. Then Hildegard nodded as if she understood. ¡°With her looks and stature, the priests would most likely be willing to open up any gate. Of course, there are exceptions.¡± ¡°In fact, the beauty system was just a means to keep them off guard. Those with high divine power would have been hard to handle if they weren¡¯t turning an eye towards something else.¡± The attack skill Woohyuk used to make quick work of the priests was the Imaginary Lake, the skill of Demon King Andras, the 63rd ranked Demon King. It was an ability to discover and recreate traumatic memories, show them to the other person, and be able to manipte them at will to disrupt the other¡¯s mind. It might not seem like a big deal if one exined it in words, but it was difficult to get out of once it was applied, as it was a technique used by a recognized Demon King in the Demon King¡¯s hierarchy. That was why Woohyuk saved the Imaginary Lake spell in the Hidden Nocturne of the Crescent Moon. When Woohyuk was unintentionally boasting of his artifacts, a man¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°Why are you here, King Rhine?¡± He was Rosenkreuz¡¯s heir, Rachius. Chapter 206: Kuruela the Fallen Angel 1

Chapter 206: Kuru the Fallen Angel 1

¡°You showed up at a good time.¡± It would be easier navigating the territories with a guide. Woohyuk pulled out Lilith¡¯s Unclean Holy Grail from his pocket because it seemed unlikely that the hallucination spell would work on Rachius. ¡°I can feel evil demonic energy from you. Are you praised as the Hero King on the outside yet allied with the Demon King or the Witches Cult in secret?¡± Rachius warily asked. ¡°If so, what would you do about it?¡± Woohyuk calmly answered. ¡°¡­ So, it was all a trap. I wondered why I lost contact with Rosenkreuz.¡± Rachius was on his way back to Rosenkreuz¡¯s office after requesting support from the Pope¡¯s Cardinals at Rosenkreuz¡¯s direction. Their support was needed to keep the headquarters'' secret documents safe in case of an emergency. He was not yet a member of the Pronoia, but he was in the process of training as a sessor and was second in rank in Castineon. There was no way such a person could let Woohyuk continue his ns. However, things in this world didn¡¯t always go as one intended. [You were hit by a restriction spell by an unfriendly opponent. You will not be able to use Teleportation, Guardian Spirit, or Lightning Storm for the next 10 minutes.] ¡®What, what is this?¡¯ Rachius¡¯ eyes widened at the system message that popped out of nowhere. Teleportation magic and the guardian defensive barrier were essential skills that a priest must possess when participating in battle, and Lightning Storm was the most powerful offensive Divine Magic spell that he could use. However, those three spells were restricted at the same time. Woohyuk, who saw Rachius¡¯ surprised reaction, slowly spoke in a provocative manner, ¡°You can¡¯t resist. Rosenkreuz, the one you dutifully followed like a dog, also died by my hand.¡± ¡°You killed Rosenkreuz¡­?! That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Rachius, who had momentarily hesitated, became angry and started throwing Lightning Spheres, one after another, toward Woohyuk. Sasa-Sasa-Sasa-Sasa! It wasn¡¯t a very high level of Divine Magic, but the caster¡¯s ability was outstanding. Furthermore, it was a spell that could contend against wide area-effect magic. However, as Woohyuk imbued demonic energy into Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail¡­ Hwee-Ang! A spiraling ck vortex appeared in the air and absorbed all the Lightning Spheres. He had used Amon¡¯s exclusive skill, God Death. Rachius, who saw this scene, had a stupefied expression. ¡°What sphemous counter-attack was that just now¡­?¡± ¡°I said it before. Resistance is meaningless.¡± Several dark spheres emerged from the spiraling ck vortex that God Death produced. Rachius¡¯ Lightning Spheres were re-created and re-formed. It was the inexplicable power of Lilith''s Unholy Grail. Rachius fell helplessly onto the ground in front of Woohyuk. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± He suffered lethal damage as Woohyuk¡¯s conjured Lightning Spheres bombarded his entire body. However, he was able to keep consciousness because he used recovery magic immediately. While Rachius knelt on one knee in a pool of his own blood, Woohyuk approached him and quietly muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re begging for your life, So I¡¯ll have to forcefully make you obey me.¡± Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail filled with ck blood. Later, with help from Hildegard, Woohyuk forced Rachius to drink the contents of the Grail. ¡°Keuk¡­Keu-Ah!¡± Rachius screamed and fell to the floor, spasming his body as if he was in a seizure. Hildegard, who saw his appearance, asked Woohyuk with anxious eyes, ¡°Is it really okay to torment him to this extent? I think he¡¯ll die if you continue¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the process of the physical body dying. After a while, he¡¯ll be reborn as my minion.¡± Woohyuk once had Hong Yuri perform a simr ritual before. Of course, at that time, she wasn¡¯t being turned into a demon but the Queen of Blood. As they waited silently, as Woohyuk said, Rachius stopped moving as if he were dead. And then¡­ Saaa~ Dark demonic energy began to bloom and take over his body. Later, when Rachius looked up at Woohyuk with his red-colored eyes, Roan giggled as if the transformation was funny. ¡°Master has one more ve. He¡¯s not a girl with a beautiful face, but I guess he¡¯ll do in taking care of other matters.¡± Bam! Woohyuk¡¯s fist struck Roan¡¯s abdomen as he was about to continue speaking obscenities once again. Hildegard was surprised by Woohyuk¡¯s sudden, radical action. ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything that serious¡­ nothing out of the ordinary at least. I don¡¯t think you needed to hit him for that¡­¡± ¡°No, he should correct his values and change his perspective. If he behaves disrespectfully to you, please punish him on the spot, just as I did.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. All bad habits start with these small obscenities,¡± Helena, who was next to Woohyuk, chimed in agreement. At that time, Rachius trembled and muttered to himself, ¡°I¡¯ve be a demon¡­¡± It was only now that he understood the overall situation and what transpired. Woohyuk looked at Roan, who burst into tears, and then looked at Rachius again. ¡°You are now my servant. So, you have no choice but to act on my orders.¡± ¡°Ke-Keuk¡­¡± ¡°First, guide us towards your secret base. I don¡¯t have much time, so hurry.¡± After securing the secret documents of Pronoia, he was nning to take over the interior of the Holy Pope¡¯s Office. If he nned to advance into the Holy Aperia Empire in the future, they would present the most trouble, so he decided to take proactive measures. It may be possible to tame the imperial figures as they moved ording to their political interests, but when the religious fanatics start to go crazy, there was no answer. After a while, when they arrived at the underground headquarters of Castineon, the remaining clergy greeted Woohyuk and hispanions. ¡°Si-Sir Ra-Rachius?!¡± ¡°Why do you look like that¡­!¡± Slice! Dice! Hildegard moved like the wind and cut the priests with her sword. Afterwards, only a few priests remained. There was no need for everyone in the party to attack and deal with them. ¡°You kill without hesitation. Did you usually have a lot of dissatisfaction with them?¡± ¡°To be honest, I did. I personally worship the God of Wind.¡± Originally, the seven Pdins originated as the defenders of the Empire, chosen by the Seven Gods. However, as the God of Light religion was proimed as the Empire¡¯s state religion, all of the priests became the God of Light¡¯s workhorses. Hildegard was always dissatisfied with this discrepancy of worship. As she got rid of all her enemies, Helena looked around to see if there were any important objects. ¡°In addition to the secret documents, there should be things like magic books. I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll stop by here again, so we¡¯ll have to visit everyone and every ce this time around.¡± ¡°Do what you like. The work of the Ark of Knowledge will be left to your Etheria Rodinus for the time being.¡± Woohyuk, who had to go around and solve various problems, didn¡¯t have time to study at a library and peruse documents. While Woohyuk was exchanging conversation with Helena, Rachius stopped in ce. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s here. However, it¡¯s only essible to Pronoia members only, so I¡¯ve actually never been inside, but I¡¯m sure this is the ce.¡± ¡°Alright. How do I open the entrance?¡± ¡°First of all, there must be a ring that proves that you are a member of Pronoia. After verification of the ring, a virtual board will appear in the air. You have to enter the passphrase.¡± It was a fairly demanding and tight security clearance requirement. Woohyuk nodded and pulled out a golden ring with red jewels from his pocket. It was one of the loot items obtained by killing Rosenkreuz. It must have been what Rachius mentioned, as it did not melt even in the ultra-high heat of the ck current. Sa-ah-ah~ When Woohyuk infused magic into the ring, the red jewel in the golden ring emitted light, creating a geometric pattern that symbolized Pronoia above the statue on the stone wall. A virtual board appeared underneath it. Woohyuk discussed what the cryptogram would be with his party members. ¡°Do you know anything about this, Witch of Annihtion?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not sure. Ask the dead Rosenkreuz. Or summon one of the Awakened Pronoia members you captured as kamikaze soldiers.¡± ¡°I see. Nobody knows unless they¡¯re a member of Pronoia. Besides, the ciphertext seems to be different each time it pops up, so we¡¯ll have to use someone who can actually decipher this text.¡± ¡°Huh? But the Awakeners are all huge, Master. I don¡¯t know what would happen if I summoned them in such a confined space as this.¡± Everyone voiced varied opinions, and all had their own valid point. Woohyuk took out all the rings of other Pronoia members from his pocket after considering his options. ¡°There¡¯s a high possibility that the ciphertext is supposed to change in a situation when everyone is gathered. So, let¡¯s try some different possibilities.¡± ¡°Since you already have six rings¡­ You¡¯re missing one. Even if you include that demon¡¯s,¡± Helena said as she pointed to a gloomy looking Rachius. Woohyuk nodded and activated the Blue Coral Ne he was wearing. Then, along with arge pir of light, the rest of the party members were summoned to the scene. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing! Master, where did you get that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an artifact that Rosenkreuz had. At that time, he called the Pronoia members with this.¡± The Ring of Bond, another summoning artifact that Rosenkreuz was in possession of, could only summon those from the same n, but there was no such restriction on the Blue Coral Ne. Instead, one could register up to twelve people, so it was impossible to summon the entire Kingdom¡¯s army. Therefore, there was a need to be cautious about who Woohyuk should register on the ne. ¡°What is the reason you called us, Lord? Something wrong?¡± ¡°Everyone, wear one of these rings.¡± Helena, Maria, Brynhildr, Hildegard, and Sieg each took a ring and put it on. After Woohyuk directed them on where to stand, he stood in the middle and tried various motions. ¡°¡­ This also needs its own consciousness.¡± ¡°Yeah. It seems much more difficult than it first appeared.¡± ¡°Shall I take a look at the magic circuit? Then I think I can see the principle of operation.¡± Brynhildr saw Woohyuk and Helena frustratingly speaking to each other, so she suggested a new method. She had a very high understanding of magic because she was a Valkyrie. Runes were also avable if necessary, so it was worth giving her a chance. ¡°Analyze mine first. Rosenkreuz was the head of Pronoia, so his ring may have some special properties.¡± ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Brynhildr cast a top-notch analysis magic spell on the ring and rotated the golden ring back and forth. After a while¡­ [You have acquired administrator rights.] [Please give me amand] There was a blunt mechanical sound that came out from the golden ring. Woohyuk raised the Archaeologist¡¯s Golden Magnifying ss in his hand as if this new scenario was fun. ¡°There must be some hidden information that I can¡¯t find with this item.¡± ¡°There are limits to it. Furthermore, since Pronoia is an elite group of the Holy Pope¡¯s Office, they wouldn¡¯t have made their own secret marks poorly.¡± Anyway, it was a sess to break through this level of security. Now, he only needed to give the appropriatemand. Woohyuk thought about it for a while and then spoke aloud, ¡°Change password.¡± [The other members¡¯ consent is required. Do you want to proceed with voting?] ¡°Yes.¡± [A virtual voting window is disyed to other members. Voting time is 1 minute. Abstention is considered dissent.] A translucent window floated in front of the group members who wore a golden ring. [O/X] There was no exnation, but anyone could see the meaning. When everyone presses the [O] button, [Please enter a new passphrase. The passphrase can be up to 12 characters long.] ¡°20371218.¡± [20371218. Are you sure?] ¡°Yes.¡± [20371218. The passphrase has been changed. This new passphrase has been passed on to the other members.] The procedure to modify the cipher text was easy. As Woohyuk raised his head, Seig spoke with a curious expression, ¡°Does that number mean anything, Lord?¡± ¡°Uh. It was my scheduled release date from the military.¡± Even now, many yearster, the events of that time were not forgotten. Ever since he enlisted into the army to serve his conscription, he thought of this date. To think that this date would be the start of this horrendous nightmare¡­ Helenaughed at Woohyuk¡¯smenting words. ¡°That¡¯s funny. You still remember the date.¡± ¡°I can still recite my gun serial number as well.¡± If one thought about it, it was a story that would only appear in a novel. Ast-year sergeant had moved to another world and was trying to be an overlord and even challenge the new seat amidst the Gods. While reminiscing about the past, Woohyuk again walked toward the statue in front of the wall. Now, a new task was waiting for him. Chapter 207: Kuruela the Fallen Angel 2

Chapter 207: Kuru the Fallen Angel 2

There were many documents in Pronoia¡¯s secret meeting room. All of them were important, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t have time to spare, so he just took a quick nce at the contents. Nearing the end of his investigation of the documents, he found an old collection of books hidden deep inside the interior space of the room. ¡®Is this the journal about Rosa Etherna?¡¯ Next to the collection were piles of magic books that described the steps needed to rebuild the Ark of Knowledge. These texts couldn¡¯t be understood without knowing thenguage of the sages, Rosa Etherna. So, for more than a thousand years, Iscariot¡¯s descendants had been trying to uncover the secrets of Rosa Etherta. However, in the end, they had failed, as the lineage of the descendants had now been cut. ¡®I¡¯m relieved we¡¯ve at least secured the most important documents.¡¯ But the problem was that Aleister knew about Rosa Etherna. This was probably the reason why he left Rosenkreuz to die. He had to get back the King¡¯s Book that was purportedly in the Kingdom of Enoa as soon as possible. Of course, he had to stop the first catastrophe/First Great Disaster before that. After thorough investigation, Woohyuk moved to take control of the head of the Holy Pope¡¯s Office. ¡°You, who are you!¡± One of the cardinals, sitting at his desk and busily rummaging through papers, suddenly shouted out as he saw Woohyuk¡¯s sudden appearance. However, instead of receiving an answer, a punch was thrown. The cardinal couldn¡¯t even muster a squeak and fell lifelessly onto the floor. ¡°Keu-Heuk¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t yell. Otherwise, I¡¯ll pull your tongue out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The cardinal nodded silently as if he understood the situation. Woohyuk grabbed him off the floor and sat him back down on the chair. ¡°Where are the other cardinals?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve led the clergy to the outskirts of the territories to provide support. I was the only one left behind to review important documents.¡± ¡®Important documents, huh?¡¯ Woohyuk turned his gaze toward the documents piled up on the cardinal¡¯s desk. ¡®The documents are about the sanctification process and upkeep for the Pope¡¯s main sanctuary barrier.¡¯ The sanctuary barrier was able to prevent the invasion of the demons during this period. Of course, there was an exception for the 72 Demon King and the Seven Sinister Witches. Based on the documents, the sanctuary barrier needed a stone statue of salvation, a relic handed down to sessive popes, a tremendous amount of blood from a saint, and an enormous amount of divine power. Although these were very difficult conditions, the Pope¡¯s Office was able to prepare them continuously and maintain the barrier. ¡°Then, the Pope will nowe out of his ce to perform the sanctification ceremony?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He should be in the God of Light¡¯s sanctuary right now. If you want, I can guide you¡­¡± The cardinal was a person who achieved his current position by using his innate socialization tactics and reading situations. Woohyuk nodded when the cardinal appealed for his value in order to survive. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be bad either. Anyway, you guys are also needed for this n, so if you do a good job, I won¡¯t take your life.¡± ¡°T-Thank you!¡± ¡°But it would be better to take basic measures.¡± Woohyuk took Jake¡¯s Pocket Watch out of his pocket and used it to hypnotize the cardinal¡­ ¡°I will guide you to the ce where the Pope is¡­¡± The cardinal became a loyal puppet who obeyed his master¡¯s every word. Woohyuk eyes twinkled as he walked through the corridor. ¡®If I¡¯m able to capture Pope Ignatius and brainwash him, the rest shouldn¡¯t be very difficult.¡¯ He didn¡¯t intend to destroy the Holy Pope¡¯s Office, his reign, or ughter all the high-ranking priests of the God of Light¡¯s Church. Rather, he thought that it was better for him to use them in reverse, to prevent the northern front line from copsing when the first catastrophe/First Great Disaster urred. Since Pronoia waspletely destroyed, it was possible to freely control the Holy Pope¡¯s Office from the rear by taking control of the head. When they arrived at the God of Light¡¯s sanctuary, two priests intercepted the oing cardinal. ¡°Ignatius told us not to let anyone through until all preparations for the sanctification ceremony areplete.¡± Woohyuk was not visible in the eyes of the two priests, as he hid his appearance with Helena¡¯s stealth magic. So, he was able to attack the two priests without any difficulty. Bam! ¡°Argh¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He hit the two priests in their vital spots, making them crumple down onto the floor while foaming at the mouth. Woohyuk instructed the cardinal on what to do in the future and then opened therge brass door leading to the sanctuary. Creak¡­! As light leaked into the sanctuary space from outside the door, the eyes of those who were preparing for the sanctification ceremony fell on Woohyuk. However, none of them could see Woohyuk¡¯s appearance. The only person they saw was the cardinal, who had on a nk expression. Pope Ignatius asked with a puzzled nce, ¡°Yes, Cardinal Benedict?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cardinal Benedict said nothing. While the cardinal was buying time, Woohyuk went deep into the sanctuary area and summoned Astaroth, the 29th ranked Demon King. ¡°Make them all your puppets.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± When Astaroth lifted the two-handed sword Regius, the bottom half of the hall was engulfed with a gloomy, dark energy. Sah~ [The Essence of Heartbreak]. It was a skill that allowed unfriendly targets within a radius of 1 km to be lethargic, absorb their vitality, and manipte and control those who lost their consciousness. As the priests fell one by one, Pope Ignatius made a confused expression and stepped back. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the attack taken care of? I sent five cardinals¡­¡± ¡°It was a strategic y, make some noise in the west and hit from the East,¡± Woohyuk said as he revealed himself behind Ignatius. At the same time, Ignatius entire body became rigid with fright. He gulped while tension overwhelmed his expression. ¡°W-What do you want? For reference, we do not have Solomon¡¯s treasures. That was taken a long time ago by Etheria Rodinus¡­¡± Bam! Woohyuk¡¯s fierce punch stuck into Ignatius¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Oof¡­!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to exin everything. All you need to do is to faithfully y the role of my puppet.¡± The Pope¡¯s religious power was also neededter on to bring the Tiberius Emperor down from the throne. Of course, the bacsh of the Seven Pdins was inevitable, but that was something he had to face in one way or anotherter on. While Woohyuk was walking away with the fainted Ignatius on his back¡­ ¡°Stop! Otherwise, I¡¯ll attack!¡± A priest with light blue hair stood his ground in front of Woohyuk while shouting in a threatening tone. It was an unforgettable voice for Woohyuk, even after so many years had passed. Woohyuk stopped in ce. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t lose consciousness.¡± ¡°Because I have a higher divine power than most others. Regardless, please bring back His Holiness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s difficult. I¡¯m not here to y right now.¡± ¡°What is your purpose? Being human, why do you stand on the side of the demons and bring chaos into the world?¡± The female priest knew nothing about Woohyuk. This fact pierced Woohyuk¡¯s dull heart like a needle. ¡®You and I keep getting farther apart.¡¯ However, this wasn¡¯t the appropriate setting to divulge his inner thoughts. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t want the tragedy of the past to repeat itself once again. ¡°If you know too much, you¡¯ll get hurt, Lucretia.¡± ¡°¡­ H-How do you know my name?!¡± Snap! Woohyuk teleported behind Lucretia and struck a vital spot on the back of her neck with his hand. After that, Lucretia lost consciousness. Woohyuk carefullyid her down on the floor. ¡®It¡¯s dangerous outside the Holy Pope¡¯s territories, Lucretia. Stay here until everything is over.¡¯ Though he may not be able to have a rtionship with her this time around, it was enough for him to know that she could continue to live her life without dying. Leaving his bitter heart behind, Woohyuk turned to the door. He had given up everything that humans wanted to enjoy. This time, he had to see things to the end. *** The follow-up on controlling the Holy Pope¡¯s Office was done rtively easily. Woohyuk captured and brainwashed all the cardinals who had returned and reorganized the special agency, Castineon, filling the agency with the priests he had brainwashed and brought to his side. The religious power of the Holy Aperia Empire came into his grasp. Woohyuk decided to actively use this newfound power. ¡°What? A cataclysm that will destroy my Empire?¡± ¡°It is said that the Holy Lady of Prophecy has witnessed the advent of fallen angels several times in her dream. That¡¯s why Pope Ignatius is calling the priests from all over,¡± Eleanora stated as she exined the situation to Emperor Tiberius. She had been secretlymunicating with Woohyuk through themunication artifact. Eleanora was trying to get her father¡¯s permission so that Woohyuk could station his troops in the Empire. ¡°Hmmm¡­ That means I should call upon the Pdins as well. Of course, it would be difficult to bring back those who left for the northern front.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the Heroic King be able to prevent the impending apocalypse? He is a skilled person who defeated the Demon King.¡± ¡°Hero King? The rumors about him are so vague¡­ but would he be willing to cooperate with us?¡± As the Emperor of an Empire, Tiberius thought process was overly concerned with politics and public image. Nothing was free in this world. In order to get someone¡¯s help, one must pay the price and reveal one¡¯s personal desires and inner thoughts. In addition, the Hero King was a person the Emperor had to be especially careful about, as his influence was rapidly expanding recently. If the Hero King asked for his own daughter in exchange for military support, the situation would be much more of a headache. When Tiberius appeared skeptical, Eleanora opened her mouth to speak once again, ¡°This is information I got in secret, but apparently, only the Hero King can prevent this catastrophe.¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s your source? Did you ever get in touch with the Holy Lady of Prophecy while riding around thends on my Wyvern?¡± ¡°Ho-ho¡­ Father, stop talking about that¡­ Anyway, it¡¯s from a letter I received from Hildegard. She is said to be with the Holy Lady of Prophecy.¡± Eleonora took the letter out of her arms and handed it to Tiberius. Reading its contents, Tiberius¡¯ expression subtly hardened. ¡°¡­ It can¡¯t be helped. I have to send a diplomatic envoy to negotiate with that Hero King.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we hurry? I recently heard rumors that Ignatius had invited him to the Holy Pope¡¯s Office.¡± The Hero King was once recognized by Rosenkreuz as the God of Light¡¯s gift of divine intervention. So, all things considered, the Hero King would probably side with the Pope instead of the Emperor. Until now, Tiberius had never had any contact with the Hero King. ¡®Should I have paid more attention to the western small kingdoms¡­¡¯ In the kingdom of Enoa, the Alliance of Thorns and Demon Kings continued to rage on, so the Emperor was concentrating his focus and energy on those areas. He was also wary and keeping an eye on the movements of the Theresian Empire across the sea. Regardless, he understood that regret was useless, so Tiberius made a decision. ¡°Okay, then I will give Julia to the Hero King. She¡¯s over 16 years old now.¡± Julia was the youngest of Tiberius¡¯ three princesses. If the Hero King really could stop the cataclysm, it was not a waste to offer her and create a formal rtionship. However, Eleanora was fiercely opposed to Tiberius¡¯ idea. ¡°What are you doing by sending a kid who doesn¡¯t even know how to deal with men? I would rather marry him. In fact, I personally want to be gifted to him.¡± ¡°What?¡± At Eleanora¡¯s shocking remarks, Tiberius jaw dropped down. His daughter, who was so sassy and didn¡¯t even give a nce to men, was saying that she would volunteer herself for another man. Chapter 208: Kuruela the Fallen Angel 3

Chapter 208: Kuru the Fallen Angel 3

¡°Why? Am I not allowed to offer myself? If it''s the Hero King, his stature should be worthy enough for my hand. After stopping the catastrophe/great disaster, his poprity will increase even more than now,¡± Eleonora implored. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± ¡°I will sway the Hero King to give allegiance to the Imperial Family¡¯s side. Father, I know that you also don¡¯t approve of the priests of the Holy Pope¡¯s Office. To keep them in check, appealing to and controlling the Hero King is essential,¡± Eleanora pleaded, as she knelt before Tiberius. It was an unthinkable situation from such a headstrong daughter. Tiberius looked embarrassed. ¡®No matter how dire of a situation I¡¯m in, Eleanora is still the next sessor in line to the throne¡­¡¯ The Holy Aperia Empire was unique in that the person recognized by the Holy Sword, Ertia, would be designated as the next Emperor. Up to now, the legitimate, immediate sessor of the Imperial Family became the next Emperor, regardless of whether it was a man or a woman. Of course, in terms of the actual ratio, the chances of a princess being chosen was quite small. So, when Eleonora picked Ertia, the Holy Sword from Solomon¡¯s Hall, and when the sword epted her, everyone was surprised. Anyway, she was the child who would seed him in the future. Thus, he had to decide very carefully who she should marry. ¡®I have to talk to Granver.¡¯ Swordmaster Granver was a loyal imperial servant who had protected the imperial family since the time of the preceding Emperor and Eleanora¡¯s current mentor. Tiberius soothed Eleanor and calmed her down before walking her out of his office. He then called Granvert toe into his office. ¡°You called, your Majesty,¡± Granvert politely greeted. ¡°Have you heard the rumors? There¡¯s a rumor that there will soon be a great cataclysm that will destroy the Empire.¡± ¡°It sounds like Pope Ignatius¡¯ schemes to agitate the public, but I think there is a need to be careful.¡± As a man devoted to the imperial family, he did not immediately believe what came out from the Holy Pope¡¯s Office. Tiberius coughed and spoke again with a serious expression. ¡°As a result of some investigation, it seems that it is not an agitation but factual news. The Holy Lady of Prophecy actually said that this event woulde.¡± ¡°¡­ Then, shall we call upon the Pdins to return to the Empire? There are currently only two Pdins in the Empire.¡± Hildegard, Pdin of Flurry. Ishrei, the Pdin of Freezing. Both were credited with defeating the Demon King who had been targeting the Empire a while ago. (Of course, in the case of who took care of Amon, it was actually Woohyuk, but officially, it was stated that Hildegard expelled Amon.) The two Pdins themselves were already considered a formidable power. However, Tiberius didn¡¯t feel relieved or assured, as Eleanora¡¯s warning from earlier echoed in his mind. ¡°Of course, they should be enough, under normal circumstances. However, two Pdins alone are probably not enough to prevent a catastrophe/disaster-level event, at least, ording to what the Prophecy Saintess said.¡± ¡°¡­ It is dangerous to abandon the northern front right now. We and the elves will take a fatal blow.¡± In addition to the Kazak Tribe led by the Thorn Queen, Alice, the Allied Forces of the Demon Kings were also stationed in the Enoa Kingdom. Most of their ranks were low, but the total number of Demon Kings was quite high, so the five Pdins in the Northern Front were struggling to maintain the front. If they came back to prevent the expected catastrophe/disaster, the Demonic forces would be able to take control of the Northern Front ande down to the south. Not only that, but the rtionship with the Elven race would also fatally deteriorate, which would lead to serious diplomatic problems in the future. Since the Grand Duke¡¯s territories were taken over by the Demons, it was not an exaggeration to say that the Principality of Croix was now Elven country. As Granver raised his concerns, Tiberius quickly spoke, as if he had waited for this moment, ¡°Then, how about attracting a Hero King? He fought and defeated the three Demon Kings who invaded the Rhine Kingdom, and also killed the Lich Lord, who had recently raised power in the Norton Kingdom. It would be difficult for Hugo, the Pdin Commander, to achieve that level of achievement.¡± ¡°¡­ If that person was to help then it would surely be of great help. It is a bit upsetting and annoying that he seems to be close to the Holy Pope¡¯s Office.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯ll have to pull him towards us by mobilizing an appropriate contribution.¡± ¡°What kind of a contribution?¡± ¡°I am going to give him one of my daughters. Who do you think would be good?¡± Tiberius¡¯ turned his current concerns into a question. Granver looked at a loss as he saw the Emperor waiting for his answer. ¡®His Majesty is weighing the political value of the Hero King based on my answer. As it is a serious matter, I have to think carefully.¡¯ The marriage alliance would be both a foothold and a shackle. Moreover, as Princess Eleanora was publicly recognized as the next sessor, it was very important to deeply consider who she chose as her spouse. If he misbehaved and caused controversy, he would give the Holy Pope¡¯s Office an excuse to take over political power and essentially rule the Empire. ¡®However, at the moment, it¡¯s hard to find anyoneparable to the Hero King.¡¯ If it was a peaceful era, someone like the Hero King would never be considered. However, the current Eeth continent was devastated by the Demonic force attacks, and chaos ensued throughout thends. At this time, who else was a monarch who fought against these evil forces and continued winning, battle after battle? Looking at his achievements so far, he was truly an absolute hero. The main question was, what kind of ambition did he have? Anyone who would disrupt the Empire¡¯s rule in the future would prefer not to form a marriage alliance in the first ce. After agonizing over the pros and cons, Granver carefully opened his mouth to speak, ¡°Your Majesty, no matter which daughter you send to the Hero King, it will be interpreted the same way. Thus, how about calling the Hero King and letting him choose himself? Of course, your Majesty will make the final decision.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ so you¡¯re saying we should take a look at what kind of person he is.¡± ¡°Yes, your Majesty. It is not possible to hand over the imperial princess to a person who is one-sided or who¡¯s priorities do not align with the Empire¡¯s.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Then, why don¡¯t you go to the Hero King as an official messenger? If the Pope¡¯s officials know, they may try to stir the pot, so this must be done in secrecy.¡± ¡°Please entrust me,¡± Granver stated as he politely bowed his head. As he turned to leave, his gray eyes shone sharply. ¡®I wanted to meet you at least once someday, so this will be a good asion to meet you.¡¯ He had often heard the ominous rumors about the Hero King in the public salons. The opportunity to find out the authenticity of those rumors was given unexpectedly from the Emperor himself. Curious about the identity of Woohyuk, Granver hurriedly walked out of the estate. *** They were inside a reception room that was decorated with Valkyrie statues in the Holy Pope¡¯s Office. Granver was facing a ck-haired, ck-eyed young man with a stern expression. ¡®Is this the Hero King?¡¯ Unlike his youthful appearance, Woohyuk¡¯s eyes were as sharp as those of a seasoned warrior on the battlefield. Seeing that Saintess Maria and Valkyrie Brynhildr were standing at attention next to him, he felt assured that the young man in front of him was the Hero King. Granver didn¡¯t feel the ominous, evil energy swirling around the Hero King as the rumors in the city had poprly circted. ¡®He¡¯s already been called into the Holy Pope¡¯s Office.¡¯ If he didn¡¯t hear the news from a priest on the way here, he would have continued walking in vain all the way to the Rhine Kingdom. Anyway, he must somehow convince the Hero King toe to the Imperial Pce at the order of Emperor Tiberius. However, the situation became a littleplicated, so he wasn¡¯t sure what to do. As Granver continued to be silent, Woohyuk, who couldn¡¯t stand the silence anymore, started to speak, ¡°Why did you seek me, Sword Master Grandver?¡± Of course, Woohyuk knew very well who the other person was. It was because he was one of the people who perplexed him when he struck the Holy Aperia Empire in the past. Even though he was a white-haired old man, Granver was strong enough to give Woohyuk quite a headache in the battlefield. As Woohyuk looked at him warily, Granver raised his head and spoke with a determined expression, ¡°I¡¯d like to give you one suggestion, Hero King.¡± He decided that it would be better to talk about the main point directly. Woohyuk nodded and offered Granver a seat. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it then. It must have been hard for you to get here. Have a seat.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration. The reason I came to meet you¡­¡± Granver exined the reason for his visit. After listening to his words to the end, Woohyuk made a stupefied expression, ¡°Emperor Tiberius wants to form a marriage alliance with me?¡± ¡°As it is an era of confusion, we must unite together to minimize damage. We will be able to ovee the catastrophe/disaster of this time if we unite together.¡± ¡°You¡¯re definitely not wrong. I ept the offer.¡± ¡°That is a smart choice. Then when would you like to visit the Empire to finalize the arrangement?¡± ¡°Now that my work in the Holy Pope¡¯s Office is over, I¡¯ll go with you to the Imperial Pce together.¡± Their dialogue passed by in a sh, especially for something as noteworthy andplex as a marriage alliance. This was the case because Woohyuk had already grasped Tiberius¡¯ intentions through Eleanora. When it was time to start their expedition, Sieg whispered to Woohyuk, [Even the Sword Master isn¡¯t able to recognize your true identity. Aris¡¯ Hextech abilities are really admirable.] [Imissioned her to work on it. As soon as it waspleted, Catsy delivered it quickly.] The two were wearing Aris¡¯ newest invention, the Unholy Trickster. It was an artifact that hid the magic that exuded from one¡¯s body by wrapping one¡¯s body tightly with divine power. The idea was taken from Irene, a chimera made by remodeling the body of a saint. Anyway, Unholy Trickster was an essential item for Woohyuk, who had to frequently appear in public functions in the future. He had to endure some pain because of the divine power that covered his whole body, but he had no otherints. Tap. Tap. The sound of the party¡¯s steps in the corridor continued to resonate. Granver turned back and spoke to Woohyuk. ¡°By the way, which of the three princesses does the Hero King have in mind? All of them are still virgins, so you can marry at any time as long as you decide on a partner¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make a decision after meeting them in person.¡± There was no need to reveal his intentions now. Having spent so much time with the imperial family, Granver had developed an excellent political sixth sense. Thus, Woohyuk had to be careful so as not to be caught trying to use Eleonora to acquire the Empire. When Woohyuk refrained from speaking, Helena, who had been silent and bored to death, opened her mouth to speak, ¡°A man likes a woman with a pretty face and a nice body. Isn¡¯t that right, Granver?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s hard to deny. However, it is not a good idea to generalize too much because the definition of beauty varies from person to person.¡± ¡°So, who did the great Granver marry? You won¡¯t say that you lived single until you reached such an old age, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± When the topic of his wife came out, Granver¡¯s expression hardened. He then sighed and calmly answered Helena¡¯s questions. ¡°My wife was burned to death a long time ago. She was burned at the stake by God of Light priests for being a pagan.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that you had such a past¡­¡± At this moment, Helena, the Witch of Annihtion, was confused about what to do and apologized sincerely. However, Granver just shook his head casually and continued on, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now. The time to seek personal revenge has already passed as well.¡± After his wife¡¯s death, Granver went to the Empire¡¯s greatest swordsman and practiced harshly every day. Thanks to his outstanding talent, he reached the level of Sword Master in 30 years. All those involved in the death of his wife were killed by his hands. When Granver¡¯s turbulent personal story ended, Woohyuk spoke aloud, ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was such a personal anecdote. I have a good feeling about you. If there¡¯s a chanceter, why don¡¯t you teach swordsmanship to my vassals?¡± ¡°Well¡­ alright.¡± Granver nodded as if the request was not a very big thing. He couldn¡¯t even dream that Woohyuk was redrawing hisrger, outsized n of dominance. Chapter 209: Kuruela the Fallen Angel 4

Chapter 209: Kuru the Fallen Angel 4

In truth, Woohyuk didn¡¯t have any intention of entering into a marriage alliance with the Empire. Even if he didn¡¯t sit in the Emperor¡¯s seat right now, the next sessor was going to be Eleanora. Nevertheless, the reason for responding to Granver¡¯s proposal was because imperial cooperation was required to effectively prevent the first catastrophe/first great disaster. Currently, there was no time for Woohyuk to wait for Tiberius to be brought down from the throne and Eleanora to be crowned Empress. So, he needed to put on an act. ¡°These children are my daughters, Young Hero King. All of them are beautiful because they resemble my wife,¡± Tiberius said as he introduced the three princesses at the banquet table. In the oldest order, there was Reba (23), Eleanora (19), and Julia (16). In terms of appearance, Eleanora was by far the most outstanding, but the rest of the princesses didn¡¯te up short by much. ¡°It seems you were lucky to have such beautiful daughters, Tiberius.¡± ¡°Hahaha! My wife wasn¡¯t good at giving birth to boys. I¡¯m d I have at least one though.¡± Tiberius¡¯ gaze turned to the blond young man who had on a grim expression. Romulus, the first prince. Even though he was the eldest son and enjoyed everything he wanted, he always had dissatisfaction with Eleanora because he had not been chosen by the Holy Sword Ertia. So, he was trying to kill Eleanora once the chance presented itself. However, since Granver was always watching him, he had never actually attempted an assassination. ¡®At this opportunity, go to the Rhine Kingdom like a prostitute, and die.¡¯ Romulus cursed Eleonora in his heart and bit into a smoked chicken leg. When she died, the Holy Sword Ertia would choose another master. He was more suitable than Reba, who was mentally ill, or Julia, who was timid. He had no doubt that Ertia would choose him amongst the Emperor¡¯s children. While Romulus was daydreaming, Woohyuk carefully observed him. ¡®It looks like you haven¡¯t signed a contract with the demons yet.¡¯ That guy was the one who would throw the empire into a state of chaos in the future. Therefore, in Woohyuk¡¯s thoughts, it was better to get rid of him as soon as possible. However, it didn¡¯t seem possible to execute his thoughts in this banquet. ¡®It would be okay to just leave Reba and Julia alone.¡¯ Both princesses had no desire for power and were only interested in a peaceful life. It was safe to say that such a simple life perspective came from the influence of the mother. In this sense, Eleanora was a rather unusual case. While Woohyuk was looking at the three princesses, Tiberius spoke aloud, ¡°Then, please choose. I¡¯ll bless the marriage with any child you like. Of course, the actual marriage would only happen after the catastrophe/disaster is resolved.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, Eleanora and Woohyuk¡¯s eyes met. The two had already written a script beforeing to the banquet hall. They were going to force Tiberius to make this marriage alliance clear during this banquet. Only then could Woohyuk solidify his position openly within the Empire. Of course, with a reasonable excuse, he was nning to stay engaged without actually getting married. ¡°Before I make a decision, I want to hear their opinions first. I will be respectful of their decisions as well.¡± ¡°I really like you. I don¡¯t know what my sisters Reba and Julia think,¡± Eleanora immediately answered, as if she had been waiting for him to ask. Sheunched an aggressive campaign of affection. On the other hand, Reba and Julia were silent like mutes who had their mouths gummed on some sticky honey. Their reaction was consistent with the passive attitude they usually showed. ¡°What do you like about me?¡± ¡°Um¡­ First of all, your appearance suits my taste and the territory you rule over isrge, right? Besides, you have a reputation as someone who is on the rise right now. Isn¡¯t that enough to make you great husband material?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tiberius and Granver wear visibly sweating at Eleanora¡¯s udylike, direct remarks. No matter what, the other person was a strong person who could prevent the current catastrophe/disaster. Even if they turned their backs on himter, there was a need to maintain friendly rtions until then. That was why Tiberius threw the marriage alliance as bait, but Eleanora went off and said something beyond expectation. Of course, he was already thinking that she was too good to use for such an arranged marriage, but if he didn¡¯t say something now, Eleanora¡¯s words could have a negative effect on other princesses. Woohyuk opened his mouth to speak as Tiberius was coughing and visibly scolding Eleanora. ¡°It¡¯s nice to be honest. How about getting engaged? The current situation is too chaotic in many ways to prepare for marriage right now.¡± ¡°It would be better to do that. I don¡¯t want to put a burden on the hero who has to stop the catastrophe/disaster, so we¡¯ll just exchange gifts for today¡¯s meeting. You¡¯re not going to go back on your wordster on, right?¡± The marriage between the two was quickly established. Tiberius and Granver were visibly confused at the sudden progression. Romulus, who wanted Eleanor taken away as soon as possible, had on a nk expression. ¡°The union of the two will lead to the prosperity of the divine Aperia Empire. I¡¯ve already had some dreams about this union,¡± Mary, the Saint of Prophecy, gave the closing blow. Then, Brynhildr, who was next to her, also yelled aloud, ¡°That¡¯s right. The 72 Demon Kings and the Seventh Sinister Witches will be sealed during your rule. Furthermore, your two children will be sessful in unifying the Eeth continent in the future.¡± It was a collective fraud of the modern era. Tiberius and Granver looked astonished. ¡®If the Hero King and Eleanora marry, those stupendous events would happen!?¡¯ ¡®The Saint of Prophecy and the Valkyrie of Dawn are giving affirmations. There is no reason to weigh that man¡¯s worth anymore!¡¯ When he thought about it, it was difficult to find a suitablepanion for the unpredictable Eleanora, the princess who was sessor to the throne. Moreover, he thought, ¡®Aren¡¯t the two like each other?¡¯ This sort ofmonality was not often seen in strategic marriages. When the anguish in his heart was resolved, Tiberius opened his mouth with joy, ¡°The Seven Gods have blessed the future of Eleanora and the Hero King. As Emperor of the Empire, I will allow the divine union between you two.¡± Since there was enough cause and reason, the Holy Pope¡¯s Office wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about this political marriage. It was a moment when an unexpected chunk of luck rolled in. As the atmosphere became warm, Woohyuk and Eleanora toasted each other with satisfied expressions. Now the Holy Aperia Empire was in his hands. *** Afterpleting all the cumbersome preparation work from the Holy Pope¡¯s Office to the Imperial Pce, Woohyuk started to move in earnest to prevent the first catastrophe/disaster. The location where he predicted that the Fallen Angel Crue would descend was the northern part of the Empire. The expected timing of Crue¡¯s arrival wasn¡¯t known exactly but considering the fact that the full moon was floating in the prophecy, it was possible that Crue could arrive starting from today. ¡°Have you had any new foresighttely?¡± ¡°No, maybe the future hasn¡¯t changed.¡± The advent of the catastrophe would be caused by a transcendental existence, so Woohyuk¡¯s battle preparations would not have much of an effect. In other words, if the transcendental existence did not modify its existing n, Maria¡¯s visionary dream would be a reality. As it was at Hevnia¡¯s Tomb, he was fated to fight against Crue. ¡°By the way, there are quite a few forces that have gathered. With this level of force, I think we could even attack the Demon Kingdom,¡± Sieg eximed while looking at the army force lined up neatly. There was not only the imperial army, but also the Pope¡¯s allied forces of priests, and the armies from the smaller western kingdoms. However, because they said that an unprecedented catastrophe/disaster would happen soon, everyone was showing a subdued expression. ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad about preparing beforehand. We not only have to give our attention to Crue, but we also have to mind the Northern Front.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, have you made contact with the Elf Queen? It would be better to inform the Eleven race in advance.¡± ¡°I have. She also decided to cooperate with me on this matter. She said she would find out where to find the King¡¯s Book.¡± Thanks to Woohyuk helping out Reina and Allen, the Elven Queen Ophelia developed a poison that could do fatal damage to the Kazak race. It came from the nt-type monster, Mandagora. So even if the Northern Front was weakened by this catastrophe/disaster, the Elven army would be able to withstand for quite a long time even in their absence. Currently, they were rebuilding the fortress with the Imperial Army in preparation for the possibility that the supply line would be cut off. ¡°Good. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean the Elven Queen will be able to find the King¡¯s Book.¡± ¡°Have you heard any updates or news from Etheria Rodinus¡¯ side, Helena? I¡¯d expect them to send at least one or two people to prevent this oing catastrophe/disaster.¡± ¡°¡­ Actually, my brother, Ibn Rusud, ising. He was concerned about my well-being or some nonsense, so he asked to be sent near me.¡± Saint Martinus had his own reasons for granting Ibn Rusud¡¯s request. If Helena died in the catastrophe/disaster, he needed someone to recover the Holy Grail. While Helena wasining about her brother, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, childish Saintess.¡± The man himself, Ibn Rusud, appeared. ¡°¡­When I say something, it will inevitably be true.¡± ¡°Did I do something wrong? I¡¯vee a long way, but I can¡¯t even get a greeting¡­¡± The brother and sister from the sacred family began to have a sibling argument. Woohyuk checked on his troops, trying to avoid listening to the bickering siblings. ¡°Each n head should report their status.¡± ¡°Akatsuki n, 10,000 soldiers, ready!¡± ¡°Exodus n, 10,000 soldiers, ready!¡± ¡°Battle Oaks n, 10,000 soldiers, ready!¡± All of the personal troops he brought this time consisted ofrge ns he had absorbed so far. Even if a catastrophe or disaster urred, his main kingdom and vassal forces had to remain in their homnd to grow or prepare for the Great Demon Invasion. Of course, the Hwarang n and the Ragnarok n were continuing to remain in the Norton Kingdom to prevent a coup. ¡°By the way, Master, isn¡¯t the princess with a pretty faceing? Her bountiful chest is so fun to y with at night¡­¡± Bam! As always, Woohyuk¡¯s fist was stuck in Roan¡¯s abdomen. Roan really didn¡¯t have any luck with reading the mood. ¡°Ahhh! Roan never looked at the princess!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too noisy. For now, focus on preventing the oing catastrophe/disaster.¡± The Fallen Angel Crue was much stronger than Amon, the 7th ranked Demon King he had recently faced. Recalling his memory of almost dying at the ruins of Hevnia¡¯s Tomb, Woohyuk checked his recently added abilities. [Status check on the currently worn artifact: Processing the magic amount stored in the Nocturne of the Crescent Moon.] [There are five types of stored magic: Deception of the Earth God, God Death, The Demon¡¯s Annihtion, Trade-Off, and Invisibility. All five storage spots are in use.] [Status check the skills possessed by the Mythic Sessor ss:] [The skill you have is one use of the Power of Resuscitation.] Among the magic stored in the Nocturne of the Crescent Moon, God Death, and the Demon¡¯s Annihtion were all Amon¡¯s unique skills. On the other hand, swapping and transforming were the unique technologies of Roan and Dantalion, respectively. Thetter was not of great help tobat power but was of great value as a survival mechanism. The Power of Resuscitation, a skill he possessed by attaining the Mythical Heir ss, was also unique in that it could restore fatal damage once. When his final inspection was nearing the end, the clear sky suddenly became dark, and a huge space-time warp was created in the air. ¡°What, what is that?!¡± ¡°Is it really starting?¡± The camp was instantly thrown into chaos from the absurd, sudden phenomenon. Woohyuk stared at the existence that he felt beyond the gaps of time and space. His expression hardened. Fallen Angel, Crue. It was her descent into this world. Chapter 210: Kuruela the Fallen Angel 5

Chapter 210: Kuru the Fallen Angel 5

¡°It¡¯s a really creepy presence. It¡¯s as if the grim reaper wasing down,¡± Brynhildr mentioned in a monotone voice with a nk expression. ¡°It seems like it gained greater power before it fell from grace, probably after using forbidden knowledge or something,¡± Sieg answered in a deadpan manner while looking at the descending fallen angel. The source of theing apocalypse that crushed the Valkyrie and the Dragon yer. Now, Woohyuk had to fight desperately against this being. ¡°Everyone moves ording to n. From now on, I can¡¯t afford to chat.¡± Woohyuk summoned Verserios and announced the start of the operation. Siegmanded the ally forces on the ground while riding Grane. Helena and Maria stood in the backlines and protected the main forces. The rest were supposed to focus their attack on the fallen angel, Crue, using teleportation to attack and retreat in session. As Woohyuk¡¯s party moved, the two priests leading the Imperial Army drew their holy swords. ¡°For the peace of the Empire!¡± Hildegard, Pdin of Flurry, shouted. ¡°Honorable death!¡± Ishrei, the Pdin of Freezing, yelled aloud. The fact was that these two were essentially the main force of the summoned Imperial forces. The Imperial Army soldiers¡¯ morale was raised because of the example set by these two Pdins, so the Imperial Army soldiers raised their weapons and burned with fervor to enter the war. ¡°Wahhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s defeat the fallen angel!¡± Currently, Crue had pulled out about half her body from the space and time warp gap. Numerous magic spheres and arrows were flung towards her visible body. However, the Crue neutralized all the attacks with a translucent veil¡­ [¡­ How annoying. Die.] Raising her left hand¡¯s index finger, she created arge ck magic circle in the air. Eventually, meteorites wrapped in mes poured out of the red-colored sky like heavy rain, and a scene that could only be seen in the depths of hell unfolded on the battlefield. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°S-Save me!¡± The earth was scorched as meteorites pounded onto the ground and burned everything in their vicinity. The previously orderly battle line was in utter shambles and screams from soldiers could be heard everywhere. However, that wasn¡¯t the end. Crue¡¯s red eyes shed, and thousands of demons popped out of her body and ravaged the soldiers who had luckily survived the first attack. The demon forces were overwhelmingly destructive, enough to be called a catastrophe in and of themselves. Seeing all of this unfold in front of her, Hildegard, the Pdin of Flurry, looked frustrated. ¡°This is¡­ a fallen angel?¡± Hildegard said in a dumbfounded voice. She had heard stories about the fallen angel and her destructive powers from Maria, the Saint of Prophecy, many times, but when she actually experienced them firsthand, she understood that even Maria had underestimated Crue¡¯s powers. Ishrei, the Pdin of Freezing,ughed in a resigning manner, sympathizing with Hildegard. ¡°Maybe today will be our expiration date.¡± The two Pdins wielded their holy swords and attacked like crazy, cutting off countless demons and beasts¡¯ heads that blocked their view. But that was all. The demons and beasts that were cut down continued to regenerate, and no matter how hard they struggled against these regenerating opponents, the status quo remained. ¡°Where is the Hero King¡­?¡± ¡°He was standing in the frontline with his colleagues. I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s doing his part.¡± The two couldn¡¯t afford to worry about others right now. While the two Pdins were fighting, Woohyuk and Brynhildr were making a pathway through the air toward Crue. Slice! Slice! Following the trajectory of his long spear, the demons were cut into pieces and fell down into a pile below. Behind them, Roan, whose seal waspletely lifted, summoned his transcendental weapon, Ragnor. Depending on the situation, Roan was changing the shape of the Ragnor weapon and removing the threats approaching the party from the rear. [You guys¡­ I don¡¯t much like you¡­] Crue narrowed her eyebrows and raised her index finger towards Woohyuk¡¯s advancing party. Then, a purple ray, like a shot from a giant particle cannon, was fired along the movement of the index finger and seemingly swallowed up the party. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! This was the same technique that Hevnia had shown Woohyuk before. Woohyuk¡¯s party waited for the bombing to cease, relying on Brynhildr¡¯s guardianship defensive barrier to take care of the oing onught. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to start using Roan? Crue¡¯s attacks are getting worse.¡± ¡°I was just thinking of doing that before you mentioned it.¡± Roan, a Gluttony Homunculus, was able to fully use his existing abilities when all his seals were unsealed. The Ragnor Weapon was one of those abilities. Since it was a transcendental weapon, it was possible to break the barriers of the Gods and absorb the opponent¡¯s skills while inflicting fatal damage. If Roan could use his Ragnor Weapon to strike a critical blow on Crue¡­ ¡®It may be able to restrict Crue from being able to use her cloning ability.¡¯ In the future shown by Hevnia, Crue¡¯s cloning ability was so powerful that even Verserios, the demon¡¯s exclusive weapon, could be cloned and used against him. Her cloning ability made it quite difficult for Woohyuk to get close enough to her somehow for a final blow. This was why Hevnia told him to use Roan in the battle against Crue. ¡®This time, I¡¯ve prepared everything, so I¡¯ll be able to get it done.¡¯ Honestly, it would have been nice if they even had the support of the Dragon Tribes, but they were unable to intervene in this cataclysmic event because of the ancient covenant. There was also a possibility of identally being influenced by Crue and turning into demonic dragons. Therefore, the Seven Demon Kings sealed in Lemegeton and the other artifacts currently in his possession were very important. In particr, the Absorber Trigger and Lilith''s Unholy Grail were very useful in this situation. ¡°Brynhildr, it would be better to cancel your defensive barrier now. If we keep standing here in one ce, Crue could change the pattern andunch an unexpected attack.¡± ¡°Alright. But when will you use your hidden card?¡± ¡°At the decisive moment.¡± In thest mock battle, Woohyuk didn¡¯t use the Absorber Trigger and Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail. The opponent was so strong that he didn¡¯t have time to bring them out and use them nor did he feel the need or importance to use them. Rather than using tricks, he had aimed for an opening tounch an all-out attack. However, Crue, the Fallen Angel, didn¡¯t easily give him any openings to exploit. This time around, Woohyuk decided to use all of the avable means at his disposal to increase the chances of winning, even if it was only by a little. Soon, when Brynhildr¡¯s defensive barrier was about to be removed, Woohyuk immediately summoned the seven Demon Kings who resided within Lemegeton. ¡°Hey! Wasn¡¯t that the fallen angel fromst time?¡± ¡°I see that there¡¯s no sense of difort in the surrounding air, so this time, that fallen angel seems to be real.¡± ¡°Anyway, please take care of us, Amon. We¡¯re on the same side now, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t pretend to be close to me, Dantalion. You and I are at different levels.¡± ¡°Hey, we¡¯re both under the same predicament anyway. Sheesh.¡± The seven Demon Kings always said a word each time they were summoned outside Lemegeton. It seemed that they enjoyed voicing their frustrations of being trapped in Lemegeton. As the Demon Kings materialized, Woohyuk also summoned Caribdis, the monster of the abyss. ¡®Among the undead, this guy is probably the most useful.¡¯ It was better to leave the rest of the undead intact for the northern front confrontations that would probably follow. As the threatening enemies increased in an instant, Crue unfurled her pitch-ck wings. Shwah! From the shiny feathers, ck energy began to spread like a wave in all directions. Seeing this, Brynhildr urgently shouted out to Woohyuk, ¡°It¡¯s hallucination magic! If you ignore it and rush in, you may get affected, so be careful!¡± ¡°¡­ There¡¯s no way to avoid it. For the time being, we have no choice but to confront Crue from at a distance.¡± Woohyuk took out Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail aftermanding his forces back. Using Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail, he created stormy weather, like a ck sea swelling up and undting¡­ Ururu! Bang! Bang! Thick water droplets began to pour down apanied by the sound of roaring thunder. It was a rapid change in weather. The weather¡¯s chaotic winds and pouring rain gradually weakened the power of the ck waves generated by Crue¡¯s wings. [You¡­ die.] When things didn¡¯t go as she intended, Crue shed her red eyes open and pointed at Woohyuk with her left index finger. At the same time, a countless number of beasts and demons changed directions and flew toward Woohyuk¡¯s party at once! However, Woohyuk continued to narrow the gap between him and Crue without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s not me who¡¯ll die but you...!¡± He already knew all of her hidden skills and abilities. A new ability that he didn¡¯t seest time came out, but it wasn¡¯t a big variable. As the situation continued to deteriorate for her, Crue became resentful and again cast Area of Effect (AOE) magic. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! Meteors that were wrapped in mes poured down from the sky like heavy rain. This time, the range was much wider than the first time, so it devastated the area beyond the visible horizon. As a result, the army forces on the ground were further reduced in size, and Caribdis, who was swimming through the air, suffered considerable damage. ¡°Woo-woo-woo-woong!¡± Caribdis cried out as it rushed toward Crue. However, it was beautifully struck by the purple rays fired from Crue¡¯s index finger. ¡®It¡¯s a waste, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ In order to keep Crue distracted, he needed another something to threaten her and take her focus off of him for a moment. When Woohyuk was thinking about who to send this time, [Do you need my help, disciple?] Nakron¡¯s voice echoed in his mind. He was able to summon him again as a result of surpassing his personal limits at Hevnia¡¯s ruins. Woohyuk happily requested Nakron for support. [Redirect Crue¡¯s gaze as much as possible. She needs to show a gap so I can approach her and connect with a critical hit.] [I¡¯ll try to the best of my ability.] With a puff of red smoke, Nakron and his Liches emerged on the other side of Crue. After that, Nakron and his party worked with the seven Demon Kings andunched a joint attack on Crue¡­ ¡°We¡¯ve finally arrived.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s party was finally able to reach Crue. All that was left was to help Roan crit Crue with his Ragnor weapon. Woohyuk immediately pushed the red button on the Absorber Trigger to cause ck Demolition. Chi-Ji-Ji-JI-Ji! The immediate surrounding was covered with a spherical barrier and a ck electric current prated Crue¡¯s body. Crue spit out a short groan and hurriedly shook her pitch-ck wings. Kwaji-Ji-Ji! The space shook. The intangible wave created by Crue¡¯s wings broke the barrier. It seemed that even ck Demolition was no match to contain Crue. However, thanks to this brief moment, Woohyuk had earned enough time. ¡°Brynhildr, buff Roan with divine magic. Now it¡¯s his turn to attack.¡± ¡°Alright. But, can we really trust Roan?¡± Brynhildr was aware of Roan¡¯s brutal past, so she was anxious about him taking on such an important role. After hearing her words, Woohyuk turned his head and looked down at Roan. ¡°If you fail or do anything unconscionable, I¡¯ll cut off your balls personally.¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh! Roan doesn¡¯t want to be a ball-less man!¡± Roan was sincerely afraid of Woohyuk¡¯s words. As Roan pledged absolute obedience, Woohyuk instructed Amon. [I¡¯m going to cast Annihtion, so I need you to cast God Death from where you are. That way, there¡¯ll be less attention given to my side.] If God Death summoned a huge ck hole and sucked in all the beings around it, Annihtion would further confuse the enemy by cing several small ck holes in various different locations and connecting them in aplicated way. In other words, Woohyuk was using Annihtion as a kind of dimensional passage so that Roan could approach Crue through an unpredictable path. Amon looked ufortable when he was told by another to use his personal skill, but he soon acquiesced and nodded. [I will do ording to your wishes.] [Then, let¡¯s start right away.] Hwi-Hwi-Hwi-Ah! Dozens of small ck holes sprung up around Crue when Woohyuk cast magic mana into the Nocturne of the Crescent Moon. Chapter 211: Kuruela the Fallen Angel 6

Chapter 211: Kuru the Fallen Angel 6

¡°I¡¯ll cast concealment magic, so move as we practiced before.¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Roan¡¯s fear of bing a ball-less eunuch was so great that he was answering formally to every one of Woohyuk¡¯smands. While he was moving irregrly using the various small ck holes¡­ [I will kill you all.] Afterpletely smashing ck Demolition, Kuru was preparing for a new AOE magic spell. The new spell would distort space-time and destroy all beings within a sphere of influence. The power of the spell was frightening, but the casting time and the consumption of energy were severe, so it was an ultimate that was not used in thest mock battle. Brynnhilt, who felt something off, voiced her concern to Woohyuk, ¡°Was that magic circle in our ns? I feel something very ominous from that circle.¡± ¡°It certainly wasn¡¯t in our ns. I¡¯m surprised that she¡¯s still focusing on casting magic even though her body is gradually being eroded by God Death.¡± He recalled that, when using the cloning ability, Kuru didn¡¯t need a magic circle like the one right now. It would be fortunate if Roan arrived before the end of Kuru''¡¯ss magic casting, but the possibility of his arrival was uncertain. Already, a lot of time had already passed. If Kuru¡¯s magic circle was able to pull off what she intended to do with it, the expected damage was extremelyrge, probably toorge to ovee. After considering his options, Woohyuk made a bold decision, ¡°From now on, everyone will rush at Kuru. We shouldn¡¯t give her any more time to cast her spell.¡± He had to gamble since there was too much uncertainty. In the case of the 72 Demon Kings, if they were to take a lethal amount of damage, they were sent to a different dimension by the system. The entrapped Demon King would be forced to sleep for thousands of years without any possibility to escape. This would happen even if they were sealed by Remegeton. Meanwhile, when others died, that was it. Nakron, who belonged to the new Game of Divine Throne system, wasn¡¯t exactly in a state of immortality. However, everyone obeyed Woohyuk¡¯s order without another word. It was because they believed that only he could prevent this catastrophe/disaster. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwak! Soon, when the focused attacks started their onught on her, Kuru frowned. [Do not disturb¡­ do not!] A purple ray of light was fired from her index finger, cutting a group of Liches¡¯ waists. Fortunately, the other allies safely evaded the attack. After re-establishing a formation, they tried to jointly break Kuru¡¯s shield. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwak! The sound of explosions rang out in session. Since Woohyuk was added to this joint attack, Kurue felt threatened for the first time. It was enough to stop her from casting the ultimate magic spell for now. [I really hate it¡­ all of you worthless beings¡­!] A long, pitch-ck spear was created above Kuru¡¯s hand. Afterward, the pitch-ck spear tore through the air and flew towards her enemies. Hwi~Ee! It was an attack that was better to avoid than face head-on. As everyone in the attacking party stepped back or aside, Kuru spread her wings and shot sharp feathers, as if she knew they would avoid her attack. Sasa-Sasa-Sasa-Sasa-Sasa! She attacked in ways that Woohyuk had never seen before. Woohyuk¡¯s party members became nervous at the unfolding events and relied on the guardian barrier once more. ¡°The battle pattern is getting more and moreplicated! If we don¡¯t finish her off quickly, we might not be able to live!¡± ¡°Wait a little longer. Roan is close to reaching her.¡± Roan gradually narrowed his distance from Kuru while the others prevented her from casting her ultimate magic spell. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s why I hate girls who have wings,¡± Roan muttered, popping out of a small ck hole. He was extremely annoyed because this transportation strategy didn¡¯t work as well as he expected in approaching his target. He wanted to just rush to the front and spit out a cool vulgar line before applying the finishing blow, but he knew that if he did that, he would have to part with his precious body parts. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m almost there now.¡± Kuru was continually pouring her attacks on Woohyuk¡¯s party. Thanks to this, Roan was somewhat free from her attention. Now, he was able to utilize this gap and inflict a final blow on Kuru with his Ragnor weapon. [Master! I finally came right behind this bitch! Come on, give me an attack order!] [Wait a minute. I¡¯ll draw her attention to this side first.] If they tried to apply a critical hit willy-nilly, Kuru could try to counterattack by duplicating the Ragnor Weapon. When Woohyuk sent a signal, the seven Demon Kings shuddered before charging towards Kuru. ¡°I¡¯m going to act as bait for a Homunculus¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯tin and focus on the battle, Dantalion. If you make a mistake, you¡¯ll perish anyway.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll easily forget today¡¯s events. Of course, that¡¯s if I make it out of here alive.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to sleep for thousands of years. What am I going to do for thousands of years?¡± All of the Demon Kings had unsatisfied expressions on their faces. However, the owner of the Remegeton said to attack, so they had to attack. When the Seven Demon Kings caught Kuru¡¯s attention by risking their lives, Roan became excited and summoned his Ragnor Weapon. ¡®I¡¯ll make sure to tten you, good for nothing winged girl!¡¯ He was the forbidden ancient weapon, a Homunculus. Even the gods were afraid of his potential and discarded him, but now, the gods¡¯ seals that restrained him werepletely released. There was nothing that could stand in its way, not even a fallen angel or a catastrophe/disaster. It was only his master who he had to be careful around. ¡®If you sessfullyplete the mission, the master will reward me with alcohol and girls.¡¯ Although he still had some value system misconceptions and some bad habits, Roan was definitely tamed by Woohyuk. The fear of bing a ball-less being exerted more power on Roan¡¯s psyche than Woohyuk expected. As Roan leaped into the air and revealed his murderous intentions, Kuru paused for a moment and looked back. [What are you?] ¡°A legendary warrior who came to punish you!¡± Ragnor changed from a translucent, bluish dagger into a giant dragon. Afterward, Ragnor cried fiercely and tried to bite Kuru! However, Kuru didn¡¯t get hit easily. [It¡¯s useless¡­ little child.] A pitch-ck spear flew across the air and struck Ragnor. Kwa-Ang! At the same time, a tremendous shockwave shook the entire space! Each member of Woohyuk¡¯s party took a few steps back while shielding themselves with their own guardian barriers. ¡®The sneak attack was blocked.¡¯ If everything was left as is, Kuru would start attacking his party with a replicated Ragnor. Woohyuk gave an emergency order to the rest of his party members, except Roan. ¡°I want you all to attack Kuru from a distance. I¡¯ll finish Kuru off with Roan.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Long-range magic is my specialty!¡± ¡°Phew¡­ Have we finally escaped from the bait role?¡± ¡°Fortunately, I didn¡¯t suffer a lot of damage.¡± The seven Demon Kings were relieved and began to take their ce in the rear. It seemed like they¡¯d be quite ustomed to cooperating with each other now. Meanwhile, Nakron and Brynhilt also nodded and observed Kuru from afar to recognize her attack pattern. ¡°That fallen angel is definitely strong, but she doesn¡¯t control her abilities properly. Perhaps it¡¯s because her consciousness was eroded by something that corrupted her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, so if we keep confronting her, she¡¯ll definitely reveal a gap. I don¡¯t think there are any more unique attack patterns.¡± The only thing they had to pay special attention to was her ability to clone weapons and the ultimate she was trying to cast. Woohyuk quickly narrowed the distance between himself and Kuru. He immediately released his inner mana supply. He entered Asura¡¯s absolute space. Since he overcame the limits in the previous battle, the range of space was further expanded, reaching all the way to the ground. ¡°Now, let¡¯s fight properly, Fallen Angel Kuru.¡± Until now, he had fought to attract her attention so that Roan could deal the final, critical blow. However, since things progressed to this point, he had to go all-out. He had to use all of his trump cards to put an end to the battle. As Kuru eyed the approaching Woohyuk, he confused her by creating dozens of alter-images. It was a skill stored in the Nocturne of the Crescent Moon, a power of the 72nd Demon King, Dantalion. Thanks to this, Roan was able to exchange positions with one of Woohyuk¡¯s alter images using his swap skill. ¡°Woo! Thank you, Master. I almost died by that winged bitch.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be dealing with Kuru, so try to get through the gaps like before.¡± This time, he had to seed no matter what. When Woohyuk pulled out thest card, Kuru focused all her attacks on him. [Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t try to pull a fast one.] Even in her eyes, Woohyuk was the opponent to be wary of. With a single shield to endure the oing long-distance attacks from the other enemies, Kuru brought out numerous beasts and demons from within herself. It was to deal with all of Woohyuk¡¯s alter images. Then, as if expected this response, Woohyuk raised Verserios and caused an Absolute Space abyss to form. Go-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! In Asura¡¯s Absolute Space, Verserios was able to exert much stronger power than usual. While the beasts were torn apart by the vortex formed by the abyss, Woohyuk avoided the purpleser and gradually narrowed his gap to Kuru. ¡®I will have to risk dying.¡¯ As long as he didn¡¯t die immediately, any injuries could be recovered at least once with the Power of Resuscitation. The problem was that he had to restrict Kuru from using her cloning ability. Currently, only the Ragnor Weapon was capable of restricting her cloning ability, as it could absorb her ability through a critical hit. ¡®It¡¯ll have to be the same as back then.¡¯ There seemed to be no other way at the moment other than the method of rushing head-on and being trapped on purpose. He had previously given up his heart for her head. When Woohyuk finally reached his destination, he aimed for Kuru¡¯s heart with the ck currents of Verserios¡­ [Do you think you can¡­ win?] Kuru¡¯s eyes shed red once more as she grabbed Verserios with her left hand. At the same time, a purple Verserios was cloned in her right hand. As in the simted battle, she was deliberately waiting for this moment to target Woohyuk¡¯s weakness. Kwa-Jik! Woohyuk¡¯s ck veil defensive barrier was cracked by the cloned Verserios. Everything happened quickly. The other allies couldn¡¯t hide their surprise and utter fear. ¡°Hero King!¡± ¡°Asura looks like he¡¯s taken a fatal hit!¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s provide support!¡± Everyone ran towards Kuru at once. However, the cloned Verserios was already digging into Woohyuk¡¯s heart. Poo-Ook! With a blunt sound, red blood poured out like a fountain from his chest. ¡°Keu-Euk¡­!¡± However, Woohyuk tried to grab Kuru¡¯s neck without hesitation. Trying to break her neck bone in exchange for giving up his heart, just like he did in the simted battle. However, the next scene was clearly different from that time. [I thought you¡¯d try something funny.] As if Kuru expected Woohyuk¡¯s actions, his outstretched arm was pushed away by a beast. Crack! Woohyuk¡¯s strategy had changed her behavior. However, there was another variable. ¡°Don¡¯t forget I¡¯m here, you bitch!¡± Roan shouted, digging into the gap Kuru had behind her. Afterward, the Ragnor changed from a dagger to a longnce, piercing the heart of Kuru. Poo-Ook! Kuru opened her eyes wide, as if surprised, and vomited ck blood from her mouth. [Urrr¡­!] After a long battle, her gap was finally revealed and taken advantage of. Roan was filled with joy and cried out to Woohyuk. ¡°Master! I was sessful! I killed the winged bitch!¡± ¡°¡­ Good job.¡± Woohyuk stepped back to heal his dying body with the Power of Resuscitation. When Roan was about to spit out an insult towards Kuru with a satisfied expression, [I cannot die like this¡­] Kuru muttered, covering her body with both wings. At the same time, thendscape transformed. Woohyuk frowned at the thought of his final blow being countered. ¡®¡­ Is this a parallel imaginary world?¡¯ Chapter 212: The Northern Front 1

Chapter 212: The Northern Front 1

¡®¡­ Is this a parallel imaginary world?¡¯ It was somewhat unassuming as ast-ditch effort to survive, but Woohyuk didn¡¯t let his guard down. This was because he saw and understood Crue¡¯s destructive power. Looking closely at his surroundings, Woohyuk moved his body, which was recently restored with the Power of Resuscitation. ¡®This is not the Eeth Continent.¡¯ It was a space full of fric unstable energy and a weird aura. He was somewhere in the woods, but he couldn¡¯t hear the cry of birds and the wind was not blowing, so it was very quiet. Furthermore, he had never seen the architectural style of the visible buildings before. It was simr but subtly different from the Valkyrie Ruins in the Norton Kingdom. As Woohyuk continued his search¡­ ¡°Are you really going to put that n into action, Rafael? There are certainly not a few angels who are against it.¡± A familiar voice came from one corner. ¡®Leifina?¡¯ She was, up to what he knew, practicing swordsmanship in the training hall. Woohyuk disappeared using the Earth God¡¯s Deception Spell and carefully headed to the ce where the conversation was taking ce. ¡°But someone needs to correct this faulty system, Pina. A world where everyone¡¯s future is predestined based on hierarchical order, no one but the Creator wants that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A ck-haired angel enthusiastically voiced his opinion. Next to the angel was a goddess with pink hair who silently dropped her head while standing on thekeshore. Woohyuk, who saw the two of them, looked startled. ¡®Is that angel¡­ me?¡¯ The angel was very simr to himself, except it had white skin like white jade and blue eyes like sapphire. The same went for the goddess with pink hair. She looked exactly like Leifina. As Woohyuk stood dumbfounded and at a loss for words, Rafael started speaking, ¡°Pina, I know you worry about me. But in this world, we cannot be together. I am the Archangel who carries out the will of the Creator and you are the Goddess of Fate. So¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to say it¡¯s wrong? Did youe here to talk about the unchangeable nature of our rtionship?¡± Pina replied while she stood with her back towards Rafael and her head turned back to look at him with sad eyes. Rafael was silent for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse. It¡¯s not wrong either. I just came to say goodbye. I wanted to convey my will to you. Even if the other gods don¡¯t know, I wanted you to know.¡± ¡°I know I can¡¯t stop you. Maybe, the n will seed, and the day wille when we will be together. But there¡¯s a possibility of failure, so please listen to me.¡± ¡°What is it? I will listen.¡± Rafael stared at her with a curious expression. Pina walked to the shore and gently raised her right hand. Then, the appearance of a burning celestial world appeared on the surface of theke. ¡°This is one of the many possibilities in the future. The Creator will design what will actually happen. But that¡¯s not absolute either.¡± Although the Creator was the reigning entity over the system, he could not do everything at his will. A typical example of something he couldn¡¯t control directly was the beings of the abyss. Their power was able to change the system, and the Creator had always felt a sense of crisis from their existence. In other words, the nned future could be altered and reversed at any time. Rafael nodded at Pina¡¯s exnation. ¡°I know that. Our n, too, is to use the forbidden knowledge to prevent the Creator from interfering with the system more than is necessary.¡± ¡°Yes, but the problem is that it¡¯s difficult to achieve that goal in just one attempt.¡± Because Pina was the Goddess of Destiny, she knew how detailed the Creator was and how difficult the task at hand was. Rafael looked surprised as she offered him a bluish potion bottle. ¡°Are you sure you want to give me the Elixir of Urdarbrunn? If you do this, you too will be held ountable for assisting and abetting me.¡± ¡°I will entrust my future to you. So pleasee back. Even if you fail a few times, face the challenge again and seed in your ns¡­¡± Those who drank the Elixir of Urdarbrunn could continue to reincarnate into new beings even if they died. Of course, the memories of the previous life would be erased, but they could be recovered bying back to this ce and drinking the water from theke. This had a profound effect on the Creator¡¯s nned future, as the Creator could not do anything about this loophole. ¡°Thank you. Your heart¡­ I will take it someday.¡± Rafael hugged Pina tightly. After observing the rtionship between the two, Woohyuk fell into shock. ¡®What the hell is this¡­¡¯ If what he heard was true, had he been reincarnating until now and pursuing the same end goal? However, he couldn¡¯t understand why such a scene appeared in Crue¡¯s imaginary world. While looking around, Woohyuk found an angel hiding in the distance and watching Rafael and Pina with a stubborn expression. ¡®¡­ Was that it?¡¯ The scene seemed to be understandable even if there was no additional exnation. This was the beginning of all tragedies, a three-way rtionship triangle. Crue¡¯s reckless decision to take forbidden knowledge and corrupt her own body may have originated from his own past. Of course, since it was just a hypothesis, Woohyuk decided to watch the scene unfold until the end. ¡®It would be dangerous to expose myself and talk to that angel right now.¡¯ The hidden angel had on an angry expression. After a while, when Crue left Urdarbrunn, the Lake of Fate, Woohyuk followed her secretly. ¡°Sob¡­sob¡­¡± Crue ran through the forest while a river of tears flowed down her face. After some time, she arrived at a huge library. Numerous ancient documents were stored in it. ¡®The structure is simr to the Ark of Knowledge that Helena referred to.¡¯ As far as he knew, the Ark of Knowledge was made by humanity who inherited the blood of Lilith. Woohyuk appeared and spoke to Crue, who was searching through the old documents. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°¡­ Rafael?¡± Crue stepped back in surprise. The person in front of her looked like Rafael, but no matter how simrly he looked, the being in front of her was a human. No, she felt demonic energy in him. ¡°Do you love Rafael?¡± ¡°¡­ So you¡¯re not Rafael. You made me feel bad momentarily.¡± Crue showed hostility byying down the old documents and taking a wary stance. Woohyuk raised his hands to express his intention to talk and then opened his mouth to speak again. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re half right and half wrong. I¡¯m Rafael who hase back from the future.¡± ¡°You are from the future? How do expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°Will this be enough?¡± Woohyuk pulled out the Lemegeton. An ancient magic book that contained 72 Demon Kings. Crue looked surprised when she saw it. ¡°Nonsense¡­¡± ¡°I want to hear the truth. So, I need you to tell me everything about Rafael¡¯s ns and what you were trying to do.¡± If she knew that he was the reincarnated Rafael, he felt that Crue would reluctantly cooperate. As expected, Crue answered with her head down, ¡°Rafael is trying to change the system with the angels who want a free world. Using the knowledge of this forbidden library¡­¡± When light and darkness, which have existed since the beginning, became one, the world would face fundamental changes. It was the Ark of Knowledge that led the world in the right direction. So, the Ark of Knowledge had long been strictly managed by angels. Woohyuk nodded at Crue¡¯s exnation. ¡°I roughly understand the story of the Ark of Knowledge. Anyway, the n seems to have failed in the end. Do you have any guesses as to why that happened?¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know. How would I know?¡± ¡°Later, you be a fallen angel and create a riot. You didn¡¯t even show an inkling of recognition when you saw me at that time. I think the cause is here. Can I check the documents you were viewing for a while?¡± No matter how much he thought about it, the Golden Library wasn¡¯t a ce where an emotionally wounded woman shoulde right away after learning of her position in a love triangle. As Woohyuk pushed her sharply, Crue trembled with fear and stuttered, ¡°I¡­ I be¡­ a fallen angel¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you touched the forbidden knowledge. And this is the Golden Book.¡± Woohyuk pulled out the old document that Crue was looking at from the bookshelf and frowned. ¡®This woman tried to change the future to what she wanted.¡¯ Instilling a personal desire into amon cause, for which everyone should join forces, brought a dire result in the future. Maybe she wanted to be Rafael¡¯s lover. It became clear to him that she chose to be a fallen angel after touching the forbidden knowledge. Upon grasping the general situation, Woohyuk snatched Crue¡¯s wrist. ¡°It¡¯s your fault that Rafael¡¯s n failed. To make everyone unhappy just because you were blinded with jealousy is no different than what a witch would do.¡± ¡°¡­ No! I never wanted Rafael to be unhappy! If that truly happens, I¡¯ll burn this ce down!¡± Crue¡¯s eye became fiery as magical fire sparked from one of her hands. Woohyuk quickly subdued her and prevented further trouble from happening. ¡°If you do that, nothing changes. This is just your imaginary world.¡± ¡°An imaginary world¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already dying. You¡¯ve lost your loved ones and your own identity. You¡¯ve been running away from the truth.¡± Woohyuk went on to exin how he defeated her. Crue¡¯s body convulsed as she heard his exnation with a shocked look. ¡°Ugh¡­ ck¡­¡± ¡°I will resolve the issue and end your terror. I have no personal feelings in this matter.¡± He was not Rafael. He may have been reincarnated, but he had no memories of his past. However, the fact that he had a rtionship with Leifina from a previous life aroused a subtle feeling within him. As Woohyuk tried to stab Crue¡¯s heart with Verserios¡­ ¡°Stop it.¡± A man¡¯s cold voice came from behind. After confirming the identity of the voice, Woohyuk made a confused expression. ¡®This presents a bit of trouble.¡¯ Rafael. The Archangel, his identity from a former life, was aiming a spear at Woohyuk with a threatening nce. ¡°Have you been listening to our conversation?¡± ¡°Yes. I honestly don¡¯t believe it, but I¡¯m willing to talk.¡± ¡°Actually, that¡¯s the same for me.¡± It was naturally difficult for any human to ept this kind of story. When Woohyuk briefly talked about his past, Rafael looked worried. ¡°Am I not able to do anything¡­ I feel guilty towards Pina after hearing your words.¡± ¡°She is someone I must keep safe and cherish in the real world.¡± Woohyuk started to understand why Leifina was given as a hidden reward in the Witch¡¯s Sanctuary. The Creator was trying to intervene in his future through her. However, Woohyuk was always ready to crush such a design. At least there would be no giving up or sitting down on this new path. After bing a demon, he would destroy all the absurd systems created by the Creator. This was so that everyone would no longer suffer from the Creator¡¯s mischiefs. When Woohyuk released Crue with a determined expression, Rafael also loosened his attack posture. ¡°By the way, do you really have no memories of your previous life?¡± ¡°If I had any, I wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much. The Goddesses of Fate, who reced Pina, didn¡¯t leave me with any memories or tips.¡± ¡°The Creator will always be watching you. It¡¯s my personal opinion, but listening to you about the current situation, it would be better to seal all 72 Demon Kings first.¡± If one could fill all 72 Demon Kings in Lemegeton, one could freely move to the Demon World and obtain a quest to be a demon. At Rafael¡¯s words, Woohyuk''s eyes sparkled. ¡°A quest to be a demon?¡± Chapter 213: The Northern Front 2

Chapter 213: The Northern Front 2

¡°Exactly. If you want to challenge the Creator, you must at least possess a divine God position to have any chance of winning. Furthermore, the demon race is the best choice among the possible Gods.¡± The power of a demonic God was a necessaryponent to transform the world. This was because of the fact that the other Gods were not free from the system built by the Creator. The restrictions inherent in the system was probably the reason why the past rebellion of the Gods failed. ¡°Then what should I do after I be a demonic God? Should I lead the 72 Demon Kings and attack the heavens?¡± ¡°To recover the memories of your previous life, you must go to Urdarbrunn, theke where the Goddesses of Fate resides. Of course, it won¡¯t be easy to get there, but you knew the road wouldn¡¯t be easy,¡± Rafael stated. Basically, only the Gods and the Creator¡¯s inner circle could enter the heavenly world. However, there were exceptions, so Rafael informed Woohyuk of the best option. ¡°Can you tell me specifically?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Find the Nag Hammadi document. If you follow the quests rted to that, you can meet the Gods.¡± What Rafael stated was a fact that Woohyuk also knew. In the past, bypleting an epic quest, he received a return scroll from the Goddess of Fortune. Woohyuk felt the need to rify Raphael¡¯s advice. ¡°Can I meet the Gods and ask them to send me to heaven? Unless a wish is granted as a reward for the quest, I don¡¯t think they¡¯d be willing to listen to my request.¡± ¡°Pina told me how to circumvent this issue. There¡¯s a way to get Ragnarok into the system.¡± Ragnarok. It meant the Twilight of the Gods. In addition, ording to a document he read in the past, if Ragnarok urred, the Gates of Heaven would forcibly open for a certain period of time. But the problem was that Woohyuk didn¡¯t know how to bring about Ragnarok. When Woohyuk tilted his head, Crue, who had been silent, spoke, ¡°Andvaranaut. That¡¯s one of the conditions that can cause Ragnarok. I got that information from one of the old documents here.¡± ¡°¡­ To sum up, the Nag Hammadi document, the Gods, and Andvaranaut need to be gathered in one ce. Alright, I understand.¡± He already possessed Andvaranaut. It was an artifact containing the power of the ancient demon, Mammon. He felt that the artifact was special in some way, but he didn¡¯t know it could be used for this specific purpose. ¡®It turns out that the ancient devil was originally an angel.¡¯ He also possessed a crystal of the ancient devil, Harpes. If he passed Harpes¡¯ quest sessfully, he would be able to hear what happened in the past. As Woohyuk was organizing his ns for the future, the imaginary world shook, and the surroundings darkened. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°¡­ It seems like your abilities have reached a limit.¡± In the real world, Crue was slowly dying after her heart was pierced by Roan¡¯s Ragnor weapon. Crue must have tried to buy some time by sinking him into her imaginary world, but it seemed that even that was too difficult for her now. Woohyuk stared at Crue. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± she asked. ¡°Open your eyes to reality, Crue. After you be a fallen angel, you couldn¡¯t ovee the guilt and trapped your ego here,¡± he responded. This was why her body was out of control and went crazy in the real world. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Crue nodded with a dark expression and spoke, ¡°¡­ I know. It¡¯s a hard fact to face, but I need to ept it in order to help you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, Crue. Leave everything to this man and close your eyesfortably. Don¡¯t me yourself. Rather¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rafael said as he gently grabbed Crue¡¯s hand. Indeed, Rafael had thergess and inclusiveness qualities to be called an Archangel. After hearing his encouraging words and actions, Crue burst into tears. They were tears she had endured through this entire, shocking exnation. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I wasn¡¯t a help to you until the end! If I hadn¡¯t done anything stupid, your n would have been sessful¡­¡± A harsh fate separated the two once more. Rafael looked at Woohyuk, carefully stroking Crue who was in his arms. ¡°My reincarnation. Hopefully, this time, we can achieve our goal so that this tragedy will not repeat anymore¡­¡± A crack broke out in the darkened space, allowing white light to leak in. After saying his goodbye to the two, Woohyuk swung Verserios toward the crack. Chwaaaaa! Crue¡¯s imaginary world split, revealing a gloomyndscape. As Woohyuk returned to the real world, his other allies also started regaining their consciousness. ¡°Lord, Master! Was this a hallucination?¡± ¡°Yes. But it wasn¡¯t meaningless.¡± In a way, he had found a hidden truth. As he looked down at Crue falling down with a peaceful expression on her face, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but have aplicated feeling. The afterimage of his past that made the present him exist. Existences that seemed to have nothing to do with him were actually mobilized for a nned future as if connected by invisible threads. ¡®Is it called Deus Ex Machina?¡¯ It was obvious that the Creator had led him to this point in order to maintain his static system, like maintaining a mechanical device. In other words, the Creator intended topletely control the power of the abyss by recreating the past to suit his purpose. If he controlled conscious history, he controlled future actions. However, Woohyuk had no intention of leaving such a deceptive design alone. It would be much better to break down the system that made everyone¡¯s life difficult. Koo-Oong! When the Fallen Angel Crue collided with the ground, a thick plume of sand dust soared high into the air. Afterward, Crue¡¯s body disappeared as it burst into mes. However, although she waspletely erased from this world, the confusion on the battlefield didn¡¯t subside. This was because all kinds of unsavory beasts and demons had flocked to Crue¡¯s side while Woohyuk¡¯s party was fighting her. ¡°Are you able to move, Asura?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ami.¡± Some mental damage still remained, but his body had long been recovered by the Power of Resuscitation. After checking on those who had fought with him, Woohyuk set out to deal with the beings brought in by the first catastrophe/disaster. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwak! As Brynhildr chanted a divine spell, a spear of pure white light in the air fell on the heads of the beasts and demons. Those who saw the appearance of this attack fought more intensely with increased morale. ¡°Wahhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Victory is before our eyes!¡± The battle was over because the Hero King had saved them from the catastrophe/disaster. The demonic dragons that breathed fire and death from the air and the Awakener who used purple spells and magic were all dead. Hildegard made a relieved expression after cutting off the head of a monster with her holy sword. ¡°We finally won. Though, we didn¡¯t do much.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the Hero King possessed Remegeton. It¡¯ll be a little noisy when we return.¡± The Seven Pdins could easily recognize Remegeton and its rtionship with the 72 Demon Kings. While Ishley was contemting how to feel about this contradiction of partnering with a sworn enemy, Hildegard, who had her back against Ishley¡¯s, grinned. ¡®She has no idea what the situation is.¡¯ Woohyuk had already taken control of both the Holy Pope¡¯s Office and the Imperial Pce. So, even if it turns out that he possessed Remegeton, there was no one who could contend against him anymore. The Seven Pdins were put in a position where they needed to be careful so that they didn¡¯t stick out in Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. Hildegard looked at Woohyuk as she cut through the remaining monsters. He was giving orders to themander-level members of his party. ¡°Sieg, you ride Grane and defeat the remaining demonic dragons with Brynhildr. The rest of you, focus on subduing the remaining Awakeners in the designated battlefield areas.¡± Before leaving for the Northern Front, there was a need for him to increase his force¡¯s power. The Northern Front would probably prove to be difficult because of the strategic partnership between Alice the Thorn Queen and the Demon King Alliance. As Woohyuk continued to create an undead army from the fallen forces, ¡°Have Ie all the way here to deal with these small number of monsters? Suddenly, I feel like I¡¯m bringing on my own suffering,¡± Ibn Rushd, who was slicing through the monsters next to him, spoke with an unpleasant expression. Then Helena, who heard his deted words, curtly replied back, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have just stayed back and help Boetius in researching the old documents? Or you could have gone to the Kingdom of Leoness in the East and bring the Nag Hammadi document like a good boy.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re so noisy, you dirty witch. I don¡¯t want to hear such words from you. Furthermore, we already sent someone to retrieve the Nag Hammadi document, so don¡¯t speak with such ignorance.¡± As a conversation between siblings, their exchange seemed rtively healthy and affectionate. Soon, as the battlefield was cleared, Woohyuk approached Maria and expressed his gratitude, ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, the first catastrophe/disaster has been prevented. I wouldn¡¯t have known of the location if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. I just stated what I saw in my dreams.¡± It was actually Mary who felt that her life had been saved. If Woohyuk hadn¡¯t been with her at the time, she and Hildegard would have been taken away by Amon. Additionally, since more and more people will be targeting her in the future, Maria decided that she needed to stick close to Woohyuk. ¡°Now, I have to leave for the Northern Front. Once the Enoa Kingdom is taken care of, the West will regain peace.¡± ¡°I see. Your pathing makes sense since it was said that the Owen Kingdom in the south drove out the demons on their own.¡± After returning to this world two years ago, he had conquered half the Eeth Continent. Compared to his past, it was a remarkable achievement. Of course, the overall difficulty rose tremendously, but that was something he could deal with. ¡®I need to do at least this much to reach the Divine Throne.¡¯ If it had been to simply re-capture the Eeth Continent, there would have been no need for him to return. He had continued until now because he wanted to challenge his human limitations and to end the turmoil that gued this world. As a result of his newfound perspective, secrets that were previously unknown were revealed, and a vague unclear future was gradually taking shape. ¡®Wait a little longer, Leifina. After this war, I¡¯ll go back to see you.¡¯ Was it because of an old rtionship? He and Leifina had long been strongly connected to each other. In the past, he thought it was just because of a hidden ss called Iron Maiden, but now he knew why fate had intertwined them together. As someone had inscribed into Hevnia¡¯s tombstone, it was all a test of fate. Although he didn¡¯t remember, he must have repeated this kind of reunion and parting with Leifina countless times. So, in this life, he had to go beyond his predestined fate and keep his oath when he epted the Elixir of Urdarbrunn from Pina. Even if she didn¡¯t remember anything. ¡°Lord, the soldiers are all gathered. What do we do now?¡± ¡°¡­ We¡¯ll move to the capital, Delpheon. If we want to leave for the Northern Front, we¡¯ll have to do some maintenance there.¡± While preventing this catastrophe/disaster, the ns under hismand had taken enormous damage. Therefore, there was a need to gather more vassals from hisnds. After giving Sieg his orders, Woohyuk stared at thend beyond the north. The Alliance of Thorn Queen Alice and the Demon King Alliance¡­ Enemies that he¡¯d have to eventually face one day were awaiting him in that direction. Chapter 214: The Northern Front 3

Chapter 214: The Northern Front 3

Rumors that Woohyuk repelled the Fallen Angel Crue quickly spread. Thanks to this, he was given the nickname of the Savior of the Last Days along with his Hero King title. He was also poprly referred to as the son of the God of Light. He received the respectful and adoring gazes from the general popce. However, one¡¯s public reputation is always temporary, so Woohyuk didn¡¯t put much significance on what the general public called him. ¡°Greetings, my lord.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Bailey. Did anything happen in the Rhine Kingdom while I was gone?¡± Since he had to leave his home country for a long time, Woohyuk left the day-to-day ruling to his vassals. Bailey was one of them. As he was hamstrung by the restrictions put on him before, Woohyuk didn¡¯t much care for constant surveince over others, so he gave his vassals a wide berth in maintaining his kingdom. ¡°The Witches¡¯ influence is spreading quickly across thend, but the witches of the Seven Major Sins have not been seen. However, due to the chaotic times, it seems some people of the kingdom have be influenced and gone over to the Witches¡¯ side.¡± ¡°I have to talk to Joanna. She would be able to prevent the expansion of the Witches.¡± After returning from the dragon tribe expedition, Joanna had the ck Dragon King Drakia in her possession. In addition, the Dane Kingdom and Erendia Kingdom on the left and right sides of the Rhine Kingdom allowed for mutual cooperation in case of an emergency. Now that he had to move on to a bigger stage, Woohyuk was trying to hand over the Rhine Kingdom to Joanna. ¡®The status of a king or emperor is unnecessary for me now.¡¯ Before his return, the position of a ruler was important to gain and move the vassals. His title was very useful because it had many advantages when trying to pursue a coborative effort. However, there was no reason to sit on the throne and take care of daily affairs since he could now fight arge-scale battle with Lemegeton. That was why the Dane Kingdom and the Talis Kingdom had also been entrusted to the vassals while he continued to wage war. The Holy Aperia Empire was also capable of controlling Eleonora and the Holy Pope¡¯s Office, so it was not necessary to obtain the Emperor title. Of course, there was a need to bring the ever-greedy Tiberius down from his throne. ¡®Let¡¯s leave Tiberius alone for now.¡¯ It was important to clear up the mess in the Northern Front as soon as possible and find the King¡¯s Book. There was no reason to take down Tiberius before aplishing those two goals. He would believe in the false prophecies given by Mary and Brynhildr until then, so even if Tiberius coveted Lemegeton, he wouldn¡¯t be able to express it or act upon his desires. As he moved to the Northern Front with his troops, Woohyuk ask Maria a question, ¡°Did you see anything while sleepingst night?¡± ¡°¡­ I had a good night¡¯s sleep yesterday without any vision or prophecy. However, just because I didn¡¯t have a foresight vision doesn¡¯t guarantee a bright future, so don¡¯t lose your tension.¡± It seemed that Mary only received revtions about great events, such as catastrophes/disasters. Helena spoke when Woohyuk didn¡¯t ask any additional questions, ¡°ording to the prophecy, Aleister will awaken the madness within you this time. So, even if he provokes you, make sure not to lose control.¡± ¡°Do not worry. When ites to his provocations, I¡¯ve already be used to it after experiencing it countlessly in the imaginary world.¡± She sometimes lost her temper due to the influence of demons, but she now paid extra attention to this trigger. Helena had also got on her nerves for a while, which had the effect of raising her immunity to emotional outbursts. ¡®Well, I always got her back with interest whenever she pissed me off¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t know about how it would feel on others, but it was immensely enjoyable for her to bother Helena. As Woohyuk stared at her, Helena blinked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something on my face?¡± ¡°Nothing. I was just wondering if I had ever met you in my previous life.¡± ¡°¡­ If we did, I¡¯m pretty sure we would have been sworn enemies. You always make fun of me when you¡¯re bored.¡± Even recently, Woohyuk once had Helena, whoined of being cold in the mountains, mount a golden goat, and then letting the goat go up and down a steep cliff as it wished. Ibn Rusud burst intoughter as he recalled what had happened. ¡°Hahaha! Have you ever thought of how inherently stupid you are, witch? What fool in the world would believe that if one memorizes a stupid spell and gets on a golden goat, one¡¯s body will magically warm up?¡± ¡°¡­ I just tried it once because the goat looked cute¡­¡± Helena replied while pouting. Her lips were sticking out like a sore thumb. She felt betrayed that her own blood brother wouldugh at her to be closer to Woohyuk. Honestly, she didn¡¯t even like her nickname, Witch of Annihtion. ¡°Master, if you don¡¯t like how that girl is talking, I can give her a few whippings¡­¡± ¡°You better just keep your mouth shut until I ask for something, Roan,¡± Woohyuk responded while staring at Roan with a cold expression. Roan looked frightened. ¡°Ro-Roan doesn¡¯t want to be a ball-less freak!¡± ¡°Then it would be better to be careful about what you say. Helena has some experience in the field of ¡®sheering¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­ Why do Ie out there? I just did that to take revenge for my parents!¡± Once the conversation drifted on a tangent, it continued to flow into a strange area. Brynhildr coughed and tried to change the topic, ¡°Hmm¡­ what is the situation on the Northern Front? Even though we found out the weaknesses of the Kazak tribe, it seems that the defending forces were still being pushed back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain that the difficulty stems with the Demon King Alliance. Aleister seems to be behind most of their troubles.¡± In fact, it was very rare for Demon Kings to form a united front on such arge scale. They mainly spent their time in internal ranking fights and didn¡¯t really have any outside forces troubling them. As the Gods disappeared from the Eeth Continent, thend essentially became a demonic world, so they were oftentimes more wary of their own people. For those guys to hold hands like this¡­ ¡°They must have been afraid of you, my lord. Since you¡¯ve already sealed seven Demon Kings in Lemegeton, they won¡¯t be able to live a day in peace.¡± ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s the case, Sieg. For them, I must be a constant thorn in their side.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s past moves were truly unique and eye-catching for the Demon Kings. Their reactions were actually quite natural if one were to think about the situation from the perspective of the Demon Kings. Rather than fretting, Woohyuk viewed the Demon King Alliance as an advantageous opportunity, as he didn¡¯t have to tire himself out looking for the 72 Demon Kings one by one. Anyway, he¡¯d be able to capture all of the lower ranking Demon Kings in one fell swoop. Everyone nodded at Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°Definitely, there¡¯s nothing bad about shortening the time. Also, the problems can¡¯t be solved by simply capturing the 72 Demon King, either.¡± ¡°ording to the Prophecy, there are still two more great catastrophes left, the work of rebuilding the Ark of Knowledge, and finishing the Epic Quest.¡± ¡°The conquest activity is almost finished in the West, but we haven¡¯t even started on the East yet. There will be a lot of troublesome guys there, too.¡± In short, they¡¯d have to work together for a long time to achieve their end goals. Woohyuk sighed and took out a stic bag with chocte balls from his pocket. He tried to refuel his caloric intake, as they just entered a cold area where a blizzard was going through. Helena¡¯s eyes sparkled as she saw what was in his hands. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that chocte? It looks delicious.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°¡­ You weren¡¯t nning to eat that all alone, were you?¡± ¡°This is a necessary caloricponent of a single-person battle meal. Of course, I n to eat it alone.¡± Woohyuk took out a chocte ball and put it in his mouth as if he was eating medicine. Then Helena, making an expression as if she was possessed by the devil, made a secret proposal, ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll tell you a piece of information from the prophetic book, so why don¡¯t you give me some? Or even a secret from a divine family...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sell even your soul for your food, Witch of Annihtion. I¡¯ll tell Boetius,¡± Ibn Rusud stated as he condemned Helena¡¯s absurd words. However, Helena didn¡¯t give up as she became enraptured by the thought of sweets. ¡°What soul will I have sold? If anyone hears, they¡¯ll really think I¡¯m a witch.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you wipe your mouth dry and the talk. You¡¯re still swayed by sweets like a little child. How are you ever going to find a man to marry you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re speaking as if you¡¯ve already met a beautiful wife. Oh, didn¡¯t you say your type is a blonde elf with big breasts? No wonder you decided toe to the Northern Front with us¡­¡± The two siblings lost track of time as they revealed more and more of each other¡¯s weaknesses. Looking at them argue, Woohyuk felt that there were many problems in divine households. ¡®Those two are supposed to be a Saintess and Sage? It¡¯s definitely the end times.¡¯ Suddenly, he was worried about whether Etheria Rodinus was doing well on the restoration of the ancient documents. Since she was in charge of Helena, she shouldn¡¯t do anything drastic, but a considerable amount of time had passed since they parted ways in the Talis Kingdom. Listening to Ibn Rusud¡¯s words weren¡¯t enough, so it seemed like a good idea to meet and do an interim check on how progress was proceeding after this Northern Front war. As Woohyuk was thinking about the Sangreal Chronicles, Tadak. Tadak. Several people on horseback appeared in the distance. ¡°Is it a friend, Lord?¡± ¡°I think so. If they¡¯re from the imperial army, they should roughly know our position.¡± In fact, the information that the Hero King would lead a support force and join the Northern Front had already been known to the Enoa Kingdom. It was because this campaign was officially decreed. So, there was no need for Woohyuk to hide his whereabouts. All he wanted was a head-to-head match. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you. My name is Hugo, Leader of the Castle Knights.¡± The other person¡¯s identity was unexpected. He was called the Pdin of Brilliance and had prevented numerous Demon King invasions in his past memory. However, he was eventually killed by Baal, the Demon King who ranked first in the demon ranks. The circumstances of his death were due to Emperor Tiberius¡¯ eagerness to protect his own security and not sending out support forces in time. ¡°Nice to meet you. Where are the other Pdins?¡± ¡°Each of them is preparing just south of the enemy groupings in their own territory.¡± ording to Hugo, the offensive attacks happened two or three times a day, making it difficult for everyone to get out from their designated jurisdiction. Woohyuk nodded and threw out another question, ¡°What is going on with Alice and the Demon King Alliance?¡± ¡°Alice, Queen of Thorns, has recently moved in and is making a move to expand her influence towards the Principality of Croix. The Demon King Alliance continues to insist on moving southward.¡± The reason why Alice the Thorn Queen moved forward was that the Elven race was gentler to deal with than the Empire. In recent years, an epidemic had spread in the Principality of Croix, and the overall power level of the Elven race had weakened. Now was the right time to target the Elf Queen¡¯s neck. ¡®But the elves are masters of defense.¡¯ Since the Queen was born with the ability to wield pure magic and a high level of archery skill, her castle was not easily taken away, ording to his past experience. In other words, it was not toote to go to the Principality of Croix after defeating the Demon King Alliance. Hugo nodded as if he agreed with Woohyuk¡¯s words. ¡°You have the same idea as me. Anyway, I will guide you to the fortress position at the forefront. The soldiers there are eagerly waiting for the Hero King.¡± Since the currentmander of the front fortress position was Hugo, the Pdin Commander, handing over leadership would be simple. Woohyuk nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s end this war as soon as possible.¡± With thebat force that even ended the first great catastrophe, Woohyuk had no concern about the lowly Demon Kings in the Alliance. As the two pulled on their reins and moved toward the north, 50,000 soldiers followed behind. Chapter 215: The Northern Front 4

Chapter 215: The Northern Front 4

The front fortress position on the Northern Front was in a very precarious situation. Due to the daily battles, part of the wall barrier was torn down, and the internal facilities were also in poor condition. Additionally, due to the harsh cold climate, the physical strength of the soldiers had reached its limit. Many wounded soldiers eventually died without being able to recover. However, such an extreme conditionpletely reversed once Woohyuk arrived with his army. He was a Hero King who defeated several Demon Kings and prevented a great catastrophe. In addition, the fact that he was engaged to Emperor Eleonora was widely known throughout thends, so everyone naturally viewed him as the next Emperor. ¡°Hero King, please save us from this hell!¡± ¡°Please burn Alice the Queen of Thorns and punish the Devil King Alliance!¡± begged the soldiers from all over the fortress camp. Ibn Rusud, who saw this scene, stuck his tongue out at the exasperatedly stated, ¡°This is almost like fanatics who came to see their savior.¡± ¡°It means that he¡¯s aplished an amazing feat. Thanks to that, we¡¯re also treated like VIPs,¡± Brynhildr replied while she looked around with a satisfied expression. Inside the fortress was not only the imperial people but also the Elven races. The fierce battles that often urred in the other parts of the fortress consolidated the remaining people in this central area. However, seeing that they were not working together in any meaningful way, there seemed to have been some conflict between the races. ¡°The Elves seem to have no power. Is it because of the epidemic that is spreading these days?¡± ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s the case, Helena. Why don¡¯t you go and check their condition?¡± Helena was a Saintess so her healing powers were considerable. Though, in the Lydia Kingdom, when making a cure for an infectious disease, she had unwittingly used amanita mushrooms, which had almost killed all the patients. ¡°Very well. If I can help, I¡¯ll do it,¡± Helena stated while she stepped toward the Elves. Woohyuk ced his other allies in a suitable ce and went to the fortress¡¯mander¡¯s office. ¡°The situation is very bad.¡± ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s amazing that we¡¯ve endured this much. If the supply line was cut off, we would have been wiped out.¡± Hugo agreed with Woohyuk¡¯s assessment that this was their limit. He was considering leaving this fortress and withdrawing before he heard that Woohyuk was nning toe. With the Hero King, there was a sense of anticipation that something would be possible despite such difficulties. ¡°We need to repair the internal facilities first. I¡¯ve heard that there¡¯s a considerable number of enemy troops thate to the front at night,¡± stated Woohyuk. ¡°I couldn¡¯t afford to put it there until now. However, since the Hero King hase, I think I¡¯ll finally be able to organize and maintain the troops and their patrols,¡± Hugo answered. Hugo respected Woohyuk¡¯s judgment. He was also very tired from the constant, ongoing battles. There was no way to do anything about it as a Pdin leader. ¡°Which one of the Demon Kings is currently aiming for this fortress?¡± ¡°It is Paimon in terms of frequency. As it turns out, he¡¯s also the one with the highest rank.¡± ¡°Paimon?¡± He was the 9th ranked Demon King. This was different from the prior information that the Demon King Alliance was made up of low-ranking Demon Kings. However, Hugo nodded and pointed to the map on his desk. ¡°Since he only recently showed up, not many people know of Paimon¡¯s existence. I guess it seems that the scale of the Demon King Alliance is gradually increasing as those who recently woke up are starting to join.¡± ¡°¡­ So, that¡¯s how it is.¡± It seemed that Paimon thought it was dangerous to go around by himself when even Demon Kings with a much higher rank than himself were in danger. While looking at the map, Woohyuk received a report about the history of the Demon King Alliance from Hugo. ¡°For now, you can see that there are six Demon Kings who are ranked above 50th, three in the ranks between 20th to 49th, and one inside the top 20. Furthermore, if we throw in Alice the Queen of Thorns here, the overall scale is huge.¡± ¡°A member of Lilith¡¯s family and ten Demon Kings. Except for Paimon, it¡¯s the same information I heard beforeing here.¡± As Hugo said, there were many enemies, but it wasn¡¯t at a level that was insurmountable. Woohyuk was rtively confident because he already had seven Demon Kings and capable vassals on his side. The main problem was that the enemy leaders weren¡¯t appearing. ¡®We need to make the Demon Kings gather together in one ce.¡¯ In this way, he could effectively utilize ck Demolition to subdue them altogether. Woohyuk thought about this problem for a while and then took out the Lemegeton. Saaaah~ ck energy leaked from Lemegeton and the seven Demon Kings appeared. Hugo stepped back in surprise. ¡°Th-This, this is¡­¡± ¡°You must have heard the rumors already, right? I can have Demon Kings sealed using Lemegeton.¡± Unlike before, Woohyuk was now able to show off his power in public with confidence. Empress Eleonora and Pope Ignatius were on his side, so who would dare trouble him? He no longer had to hide his identity and make excuses. ¡°Of course, Hero King¡­ actually seeing it, I can¡¯t help but put my trust in you. Actually, the rumors have been so vague and oundish these days that I was half in belief and half dubious.¡± ¡°What rumors have you heard?¡± ¡°For starters, the Hero King is said to heal the blind and cure those suffering from incurable diseases¡­¡± Hugo reported all the rumors he had heard. After listening to his words, Woohyuk made a satisfied expression. ¡®Once, my existence has definitely taken hold in the Eeth Continent people¡¯s minds.¡¯ Although his public reputation was temporary and unreliable, it had its own benefits. For one, it made one less suspicious. Thanks to this, he could now actively mobilize pseudo-gods, like Bailey and Hong Yuri. Dantalion spoke while Woohyuk was imagining the fraudulent ns he hoped to implement soon, ¡°Master, I have a good idea.¡± The sealed Demon Kings were trained to always call Woohyuk ¡®Master¡¯ when there were outsiders present. Woohyuk nodded and allowed Dantalion¡¯s request to speak, ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°It seems that Alice the Queen of Thorns has also been away from this battlefield due to the invasion of the Principality of Croix. Our strength alone is enough to deal with the Demon King Alliance.¡± The fortress position couldst several weeks even if only the additional troops brought this time were incorporated into the main forces. Even if they weren¡¯t totally sessful in taking over an empty nest, their attacks should be enough to make the Demon King Alliance wary of their presence. Hearing Dantalion¡¯s suggestion, Woohyuk fell into thought. ¡®Attacking an empty nest.¡¯ Their actions could certainly show a threatening appearance. Only a small number of elite members would be mobilized, so secrecy and a certain level of effectiveness were secured. ¡®I think it¡¯d be better to do as Dantalion mentioned than to use some kind of trick.¡¯ However, in preparation for the long-term war, there was a need to seize one of the main bases in addition to threatening the empty nest. As soon as he came to a conclusion, Woohyuk attempted a thought conversation with Hong Yuri. [Can you hear me, Hong Yuri?] [Yes. What¡¯s going on?] [The time hase for you to y an active part.] The Kazak race weren¡¯t the only people who infected other races and used them as hosts. Rather, vampires were more advantageous in this regard, especially because they were less affected in a cold climate. At night, when their stats were higher, they¡¯d be able to conduct surprise attacks on their enemy and cause chaos within their camps. Hong Yuri happily agreed to Woohyuk¡¯s surprise attack order. [Are we finally starting that race war you spoke of before? This is great. The Talis Kingdom was getting boring.] [Now, handover ruling control to the Beast Race (please let me know the correct term) and take the vampires over to the Enoa Kingdom. That would position us well in the long run.] If the vampires continued to grow in the Talis Kingdom, it would have created friction with the Beast Race, so taking this opportunity to move them out of the Talis Kingdom worked out in the grand scheme of things. Hong Yuri also chatted excitedly as she agreed with his assessment. [To be honest, I¡¯m scared of the Beast Race. Their regeneration ability is excellent, and their nails are sharp, so it hurts when I get scratched. What¡¯s more¡­] [Okay, so when the dayes, go north along the Karlheinz Mountain Range. You have to go around using the mountain pass and attack the western part of the Enoa Kingdom.] Woohyuk was nning to mobilize Dreadlore¡¯s undead troops at this time. Combining those guys, their forces would be extremely formidable. No matter how much strong Alice and the Demon King Alliance was, they wouldn¡¯t be able to effectively defend against the attacks that seemingly came from everywhere. After deciding on giving an attack order to Death Knight Huperion, the head of the Dreadlore¡­ ¡°It would be better to hit the capital of the Enoa Kingdom right away. Which route do you think is best?¡± Woohyuk asked as he entered into a full-scale operation meeting with Hugo. ¡°Since Alice the Queen of Thorns is situated firmly the east, it is best to avoid entering into that area as much as possible. Furthermore, since there¡¯s a risk of being surrounded and isted if we just stay in the middle, it would be better to take over and upy one of their outer ring bases. We can then use that as a waypoint for further movement into the interior.¡± On the military map, the various Enoa Kingdom bases were marked in detail. Woohyuk put a horse-shaped marker on the base he thought they must upy. ¡°We should advance like this,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°Oho. We¡¯d take a detour on the west side for a while and then have a straight path to the capital. It is an excellent choice,¡± Dantalion added on, trying to tter his Master. Then, the other Demon Kings nodded one by er. ¡°If the road ister blocked in the middle, it may be possible to bring the following reinforcement troops and conduct an all-out war from both sides.¡± ¡°The risk of the supply line being cut off is low¡­ It seems like a stable and effective strategy.¡± Everyone agreed that Woohyuk¡¯s tactical choice was excellent. Once they reached an agreement, Woohyuk pulled out Steve¡¯s Amazing Apple and attempted a conversation with Elf Reina. [Are you in the Principality of Croix, Reina?] [Yeah, I¡¯ve been serving Ophelia ever since I returned home. It¡¯s been a while since west spoke.] [What is Allen doing?] [Maybe magic training? It¡¯s his dream to be a great mage. Well, it seems like he has the quality and potential to be one.] [Sure. Anyway, let me speak with Ophelia. I have something to say to her.] [¡­ Hold on. Let me ask Ophelia.] The Elf Queen didn¡¯t deal with just any human. As Woohyuk waited, he heard a familiar female voicee through, [Were you looking for me, King of Rhine?] Ophelia¡¯s uniquely soft andmanding tone rang out. Woohyuk, while recalling his past with her, spoke, [I heard that the gue is spreading among the Elven races. How serious is it in reality?] [Up to 30% of our people have died. As their queen, it hurts so much to see my people suffer.] [Be careful not to get the infectious disease yourself. I won¡¯t be able to help you for a while from this point forward.] Woohyuk exined his strategy to Ophelia. Ophelia asked in an amazed voice, [You¡¯ll really do that for us? I¡¯m constantly being taken care of by you.] [You will have a chance to pay off the debtter.] [I don¡¯t know what you want, but¡­ I¡¯ll try to grant your wish, whatever it may be.] Ophelia was happy to hear of an unexpected reinforcement force during this critical battle time. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t be directly helping her right now, but there was no reason to refuse an offer of support to defeat amon enemy. When she answered positively, Woohyuk expressed his main message, [Then, I¡¯ll be taking Reina and Allenter.] [¡­ I understand Allen, but why do you want to take Reina? Do you like the child¡¯s appearance?] [I just need a skilled magic-using archer. There¡¯s no specific reason.] Currently, his allied forcesprised of knights and wizards, but theycked archers. When Woohyuk gave his reason, Ophelia nodded. [I heard rumors that you are of the same family as Allen. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll lust for me, so I¡¯m relieved in one part, but I also feel a little frustrated.] The same family as Allen meant the ¡®ball-less¡¯. Woohyuk was a bit upset at Ophelia¡¯s words and their innuendo. ¡®Now the Elf Queen is treating me like a eunuch.¡¯ However, Woohyuk couldn¡¯te up with a refutation. At that time, the door opened, and Roan entered with Sieg. ¡°Master! I¡¯ve been thinking about raising the morale of the soldiers, so tonight, I suggest drinking and hanging out with girls¡­¡± Bam! Woohyuk¡¯s fiery fist buried into Roan¡¯s abdomen. Roan didn¡¯t even know why he was hit harder than usual. Chapter 216: The Northern Front 5

Chapter 216: The Northern Front 5

After finishing the repairs on the most pressing parts of the fortress¡­ Woohyuk took only his existing party members and went to attack the empty nest. The 50,000 troops being left at the fortress consisted of the imperial army soldiers that Tiberius gave to him and a few n soldiers that he absorbed so far. Themand system for each group was well established, so there was no problem leaving them to Hugo to defend the fortress. As they made their way through whipping winds and blizzard, Helenained about the cold, ¡°It¡¯s so cold! I think I¡¯m going to freeze to death. If I could eat something sweet, I¡¯d feel so much better¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to ride the golden mountain goat again, Helena? If you get on, I¡¯ll give you a bag of chocte balls,¡± Woohyuk responded. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll think about it.¡± There was no slope here, so it was unlikely that she would be stuck on a cliff or other high area riding a golden mountain goat. As Helena was leaning towards epting Woohyuk¡¯s condition, Ibn Rusud spoke with eager, child-like anticipation, ¡°I wonder what precarious situation you¡¯ll find yourself in this time, With of Annihtion. This is why you should act with humility normally¡­¡± ¡°Shut it. What the hell did I ever do wrong? You keep calling me the wicked Witch of Annihtion, but you¡¯re the one who really enjoys sadistic things!¡± Helena said as she turned her head away from him with a frown. It looks like her pride took a hit. Woohyuk handed a bag of chocte balls to resolve the situation. ¡°Alright. Eat this and feel better.¡± ¡°¡­ I wasn¡¯t offended by being denied something sweet. This is a matter of manners.¡± Helena tried not to lose the moral upper hand, but she swiftly put a chocte ball in her mouth with one hand. Roan muttered in his mind when he saw this, ¡®This little girl with a sweet tooth¡­ If Master wasn¡¯t here, I would have said something and taken you down the right path.¡¯ Even though his seals werepletely released, he couldn¡¯t think of rebelling against Woohyuk. Soon, almost arriving at the first major point, Woohyuk took out Lemegeton and summoned Amon. ¡°Use God¡¯s Death over there.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± As one of the seven Demon Kings under his authority, even if only Amon was mobilized, one of the main strongholds of the Kazak tribe could easily be seized. He wasn¡¯t a 7th ranked Demon King for show. Hwee-Ahahahahah! A massive ck hole formed a spiral above the fortress, and when everything was sucked in, the Kazak people inside the fortress opened the entrance and ran outside. Woohyuk ordered Sieg and Bailey to quickly deal with them. Slice! Slice! The des wielded by the two minced the vicious-looking Kazaks into a pile of flesh. They were skilled individuals who could use aura. In addition, in the case of Bailey, due to him possessing the characteristic of Dark Knight Dora, he was able to raise his victims, either killed or subdued, and control them. When he raised those he killed as undead, the Kazak retreated back in confusion. However, it was impossible for them to return to the fortress again. The inside of the fortress was already ruined by the spiral ck hole. In the end, the enemy chose to die with honor. ¡°Kyah-Ahh!¡± They tried to create an opening and attack Woohyuk, who seemed like the leader. Ahhhhhhhhh! Verserios spewed ck mes and cut off the Kazaks rushing towards its owner. After this massacre, only three Kazak soldiers remained¡­ ¡°Where are the Demon Kings?¡± Woohyuk ordered his guards to arrest the three soldiers and then went into an interrogation. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± The Kazak soldier in the middle showed hostility towards Woohyuk. Woohyuk, who saw his appearance, stabbed the hostile soldier¡¯s toes with Verserios; spear tip. Puk! ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± A painful scream rang out in the blizzard. Woohyuk waited for a while and then asked the middle Kazak soldier once more, ¡°Where are the Demon Kings?¡± ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± The soldier still didn¡¯t answer. As Woohyuk nodded, Sieg took out a hot iron from a burning furnace. Chee-Ee! The hot iron touched the Kazak soldier¡¯s thigh, leaving a scar of burnt flesh and blood. However, the soldier resisted until the end, so Woohyuk swung Verserios and struck him in the neck, beheading him with one stroke. Slice! Dull-purplish-red blood was scattered over the white snow on the ground. The Kazak soldier on the right, seeing the end of his colleague, lowered his head in defeat. Woohyuk asked him the same question, ¡°Do you know?¡± ¡°¡­ Kwah.¡± It was a positive answer. It seemed that the Kazak soldier decided that betraying the Demon Kings was nothingpared to betraying the whereabouts of the Queen of Thorns. As the two Kazak soldiers gave out all the information they knew, Woohyuk nodded and called for Bailey. ¡°Kill both of them and raise them under yourmand.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Bailey stabbed the Kazak soldiers¡¯ hearts with his ck sword. Sieg quietly observed what was happening and suddenly asked Woohyuk with a curious expression, ¡°But Lord, how do you understand the Kazaknguage?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand it. However, the meaning was conveyed.¡± It was one of the abilities he obtained after gradually using Verserios. A type of sixth sense. The Kazaknguage was not processed by the automatic trantion system, so it wasn¡¯t unnatural for Sieg to wonder. ¡°So, the Demon Kings moved to the Northwest of here¡­ It seems that they already read our movements,¡± Sieg stated after hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation of the Demon Kings¡¯ position. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s very likely that they already know of our movements. They knew from the beginning that I was going for them,¡± Woohyuk replied. Attacking the empty nest was an ideal n. They just had to attack the nest, not capture all the Demon Kings. It was enough to make them wary. Of course, there was a purpose to doing this. The fact that he was trying to take advantage of an empty nest would attract their attention, making them focus on Woohyuk¡¯s every movement. ¡°Anyway, it means that we can have an all-out war if they¡¯re gathered together, right? From their point of view, they¡¯ll think the odds are right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I think as well since, ultimately, Aleister is behind the Demon King Alliance.¡± Aleister was a troublesome thorn in Woohyuk¡¯s side in many ways. When Woohyuk and his party were talking about Aleister, a ferocious cry came from afar. ¡°Kyah-Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± It was a flock of ck crows. It was said that Lilith¡¯s followers resided in this area. ¡°Is it a witch? I don¡¯t think Alice would raise anything like that¡­¡± ¡°We won¡¯t know until we check. Brynhildr, take care of them.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me.¡± Dogfighting was the exclusive specialty of Brynhildr, a Valkyrie. She pped her white wings, flew towards the oing flock, and struck all the ck crows down in an instant. Seeing this unfold, Sieg mentioned, ¡°My wife seems to be the most beautiful when fighting in the sky. It feels like I¡¯m seeing a graceful swan.¡± ¡°¡­ It must be great to be married to such a strong and pretty woman. I¡¯m just a ying thing when someone gets bored.¡± ¡°Have you already eaten all the chocte balls, Helena? If you eat so many sweets, you¡¯ll gain a lot of weight,¡± Woohyuk mentioned offhandedly. ¡°I¡¯m referring to you, you unrefined man. If you make fun of a woman¡¯s weight, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s sexual harassment?¡± Woohyuk and his party rxedly waited for Brynhildr. After a while, Brynhildr grabbed a stunned, live ck crow, and brought it to the group. ¡°I kept this one alive just in case. The other person is probably still watching us from afar.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably the case. Amon, find out who the ck crow shares its vision with.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± The 7th ranked Demon King could do that easily. Amon looked into the ck crow¡¯s red eyes and gritted his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s rying its vision to Aleister. He told the crow to try and find the Holy Lady of Prophecy.¡± ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°Seeing that he¡¯s beside Alice the Queen of Thorns, it looks like the eastern region.¡± At least he wasn¡¯t with the Demon King Alliance. Woohyuk nodded and filled the fortress he just took over with undead forces. ¡°Aleister is up to something, but it would be better to aim for the Demon King Alliance for now.¡± Besides, now was a great opportunity to fill several empty seats in Lemegeton, as the Demon Kings were gathered together. As Woohyuk led his party and headed northwest, numerous swarms of bats appeared in the air. ¡°What is it this time? Shall we go and subdue them?¡± Brynhildr asked. ¡°They are on our side, Brynhildr. They are vampires, the true rulers of the night.¡± Woohyuk had previously ordered Hong Yuri to bring reinforcements. Seeing that they arrived earlier than expected, it seems that they didn¡¯t face any hardships on the way. After waiting for a while, Hong Yuri showed up in front of them with the vampires in tow. ¡°Nice to see you again, Woohyuk. You don¡¯t seem to have many forces with you?¡± ¡°If I summon them all, I¡¯ll have much more than your side, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. The blizzard is no joke. If I were a human, I would have died from freezing.¡± Hong Yuri chatted joyfully as if it was nice to meet Woohyuk after a long time away from each other. Her chatter went into one ear and out the other before he asked, ¡°How far have you developed? How far can you wield the Power of Blood?¡± ¡°Quite a lot. The great thing about being a vampire is that the more blood I absorb, the faster I develop. I can now control the Blood Vortex ability quite well.¡± Her title was the Blood Queen, but it didn¡¯t make sense to possess this title if she had was at the same level as the other vampires. After hearing her exnation, Woohyuk summoned Astaroth, ¡°Hand over the power of Nosferatu to Hong Yuri.¡± ¡°¡­ Master, are you serious? That¡¯s my main skill.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get another skillter anyway.¡± When Woohyuk met him in the past, Astaroth didn¡¯t attack with blood or strengthen his weapons using the power of blood. In other words, Astaroth reced his main skill with better skills. As Woohyuk ordered, Astaroth sighed andid his hand on Hong Yuri¡¯s exposed shoulder. Afterward, bloody energy was transmitted to Hong Yuri, and blood cells bloomed in the air. ¡°Kyah!¡± The skill wasn¡¯t a big deal to Woohyuk, but it would help Hong Yuri in many ways. Hong Yuri was excited and tried to manipte the newly gained blood power from one ce to another. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so cute! This skill will be quite useful when taking care of arge swarm of mediocre enemies.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re the Blood Queen, you¡¯ll be able to use the skill better than Astaroth.¡± He hadn¡¯t mentioned it to her yet, but he was thinking of using Hong Yuri appropriately when invading the eastern areaster on. Soon afterward, when she summoned back her blood skill, Woohyuk set off for his next destination. ¡°But why can¡¯t I see any Demon Kings here in the western region? You mentioned a Demon King Alliance, so I was firmly prepared for a battle.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve found that they¡¯re all gathered in the direction we are going now. It¡¯s definitely an unexpected move by them.¡± ¡°Ugh. So, you¡¯re going to fight them all at the same time?¡± Hong Yuri had not yet had the experience of fighting head-on with a Demon King. As she anxiously asked, Woohyuk replied in a calming voice, ¡°Even if you can¡¯t fight the Demon Kings we¡¯ll face right now, you¡¯re more than capable of taking on Amii or Vk. You can easily defeat Dantalion right now.¡± ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t they the ones who invaded the Rhine Kingdomst time? It¡¯s amazing to know that I¡¯ve grown that much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t becent. I developed enough to seal Amon, the 7th ranked Demon King.¡± ¡°¡­ Chet.¡± Hong Yuri frowned and stuck out her tongue. Right as their conversation was concluding, the sky suddenly turned ck, revealing an abyss gap in the sky. Woohyuk¡¯s party stopped moving and immediately got into battle positions. ¡°It looks like they¡¯ve decided to make the first move.¡± The armies of the Demon King Alliance was about to be summoned onto the battlefield. Chapter 217: The Northern Front 6

Chapter 217: The Northern Front 6

Boom! Boom! From the rift in the abyss, purple fireballs started raining down and turned into demons once they hit the ground. Seeing this unfold, Hong Yuri led her vampires and went on the attack. Chwaa! The vampires¡¯ sharp weapons cut through the demons, skinning them with ease. It was quite a useful skill. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t pay much attention to them. ¡°Where are the Demon Kings?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t see them either. We better be careful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re hiding in a ce where they can¡¯t get caught. It seems their n is attrition until they gain the upper hand.¡± With their backs together, Helena and Maria chanted spells to create a defensive barrier. Woohyuk made sure that his party members were within the barrier before summoning all the Demon Kings in Lemegeton. ¡°I want you guys to call on all of your subordinates in the Demon Realm. I don¡¯t want you guys to engage directly with these lesser demons and expose yourselves to attack.¡± ¡°Will we finally y the role ofmanders again?¡± ¡°As a Demon King, this type of order is a new feeling.¡± ¡°I hope my subordinates don¡¯t ignore me after such a long separation.¡± The Demon Kings shed tears of emotion when they were told to summon their subordinates. They missed the sensation of being at the top of the food chain. Soon, another abyss rift was created, and the Demon Kings¡¯ armies started popting the battlefield. ¡°Are you nning to continue observing?¡± Sieg asked Woohyuk. ¡°¡­ I guess I¡¯ll have to go find them,¡± Woohyuk replied as he scanned the battlefield. He couldn¡¯t see any of the Demon Kings. However, he felt an observing gazeing from somewhere nearby. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that they¡¯re using stealth magic, Master? If the Demon Kings are at least at Paimon¡¯s level, they¡¯ll be able to trick our eyes,¡± Roan suggested. ¡°That¡¯s possible. What do you think, Dantalion?¡± Woohyuk suddenly asked after hearing Roan¡¯sments. Dantalion put his hand on his chin and made a thoughtful expression. ¡°Well¡­ this is my opinion, but it doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re using stealth skills. It seems like they¡¯re observing this side between the dimensional boundaries.¡± ¡°Using the boundaries between dimensions. That can certainly be the case.¡± The boundary between dimensions that Dantalion spoke of was the rift in the abyss. In other words, the Demon Kings weren¡¯ting down to the battlefield but watching the unfolding situation in the abyss rift. Roughly understanding the situation, Woohyuk summoned Verserios. ¡°You¡¯re nning on destroying their abyss rift, Lord?¡± ¡°Yeah. I did it once during a tutorial.¡± At that time, it had taken him half a day riding and fighting atop a three-legged eagle to destroy an abyss rift. Of course, it was a much weaker version than a real abyss rift. Woohyuk flew towards the enemy¡¯s abyss rift and swung Verserios once. Ka-Rang! Verserios bounced off the abyss rift. Purple lightning flew out in all directions like sparks. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! The damage he sustained from the lightning sparks was muchrger than in the tutorial. However, Woohyuk had greatly developed since that tutorial. Ka-Rang! Ka-Rang! Verserios repeatedly struck the enemy¡¯s abyss rift. Then Hong Yuri shouted to Woohyuk with a nervous expression, ¡°Watch out for the lightning strikes! You¡¯ll be incapacitated if you get hit directly!¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t worry.¡± There were many situations where he had to pretend to incapacitate, but he had never once actually be incapacitated. As Woohyuk repeatedly damaged the abyss rift, an old man¡¯s voice rang out from within. [Stop hitting it. We¡¯ll go down to the battlefield on our own.] ¡°So, it¡¯s you, Paimon. What¡¯s the 9th ranked Demon King doing in there? Were you bored and wanting to y pretend as the Creator?¡± Woohyuk tried to egg Paimon on as much as possible. However, Paimon smiled and simply brushed off Woohyuk¡¯s provocation. [Honestly, I do want to be the Creator, but it¡¯s still impossible for me. However, the Demon King throne is another matter.] ¡°Do you think an old man like you can get there?¡± [If you keep provoking me, it won¡¯t be good. Let me give you an example of why.] High-density magic power collected in the abyss rift. As Woohyuk hurried away, a huge purple particle lightning strike hit the ground in front of him. Kwa-Ang! The purple particle lightning strike wasn¡¯t just a one-time attack. It continued to wander on the ground and affect everything in its vicinity. As a result, the demons within the range of its spread were annihted. Hong Yuri rolled on the ground and got to her feet with a startled expression. ¡°What, what was that!? Are you some sort of scientist in the Demon World?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably a skill that was developed in-house, Blood Queen. I¡¯ve seen members of the Golden Roses use simr skills on the Isle of Chaos,¡± Sieg answered while looking up at the abyss rift. Meanwhile, Roan eximed while giving a thumbs-up sign, ¡°Amazing! I want to try something like that!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even grasp the current atmosphere¡­ do you want me to cut your balls off?¡± ¡°Ahh! I don¡¯t want to be castrated by the Witch of Annihtion!¡± From a certain point, Helena was referred to as the castrating specialist. Maria started sweating at the weird development of events. The atmosphere had turned from serious to something weirdlyical. ¡®These people aren¡¯t normal¡­¡¯ Even though the Demons and Homunculus may not have a sense of seriousness, Helena was a Saintess like herself, but her image was very different. Not caring about how she looked right now, Helena continued to hysterically scream out, ¡°Ah~ Roan, you remind me of that terrible scene from that time again. It was really hard to cut the tough leathery skin that enwrapped those precious orbs.¡± ¡°¡­ Helena¡­ please stop,¡± Maria stuttered as her eyes shook violently. As she struggled to clear her mind, another purple particle lightning strike prated the ground. Kwa-Ang! This time, the strike hit right next to the party members. The party relied on the defensive barrier to endure the formidable attack. ¡°Is everyone okay? I think we stopped it somehow¡­¡± ¡°We were lucky this time, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen if we keep getting struck.¡± Brynhildr and Maria exchanged words with serious expressions. Then Helena pointed at Woohyuk and shouted out, ¡°Hey, you! Can¡¯t you break it up a bit quicker? We¡¯ve only stopped the attack once, but it¡¯s already difficult to keep ourselves safe!¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m trying, so don¡¯tin so much, Witch of Annihtion.¡± Woohyuk lightly passed Helena¡¯s words into one ear and out the other. Later, as he swung Verserios again, cracks gradually formed around the rift. Kwa-Ji-Ji-Ji! It seemed like he was making some progress. Paimon also seemed to decide that he couldn¡¯t prolong the inevitable. [I think this is a suitable time. As you wish, I¡¯ll present myself.] Saaaa~! Purplish wind blew out wildly from the rift as Paimon appeared. He was an old man with gray hair. Maybe his image was why they felt a level of dignity exuding from him, but, outside of that, there was no big difference from other Demon Kings. ¡°Are you going to fight against me alone? I¡¯llpliment you for your courage,¡± Woohyuk calmly stated. ¡°I never said that. Do you think I don¡¯t know that you have seven Demon Kings under your control?¡± Paimon retorted. He certainly exhibited a seasoned andputational side. Woohyuk also knew about Paimon¡¯s calctive nature, so he didn¡¯t do anything brash or clumsy. ¡°Why are you wasting time? Did Aleister promise you a magical invention if you helped him?¡± ¡°Haha¡­ no way. However, he did lend me the weapon that fired the particle lightning a moment ago. For free, too.¡± In short, the Demon King Alliance believed in Aleister¡¯s invention enough to confront Woohyuk. Woohyuk looked at Paimon as if he was looking at a pathetic gambler. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be hit by that? You probably don¡¯t know who stopped the first catastrophe.¡± ¡°Haha. We won¡¯t know what will actually happen until we try, will we? That¡¯s why we took some time.¡± As Paimon finished speaking, a huge human-shaped demonic horseman appeared in front of the abyss rift. ¡°Is that the weapon that fired the particle lightning bolts?¡± ¡°Yes. Aleister named it Ishvar Unit 1.¡± Ishvar Unit 1 used condensed mana as a power source. Thus, the Demon King Alliance had wasted time because they were waiting for Ishvar Unit 1¡¯s power source to be fully charged. As Paimon talked proudly, Woohyuk looked at him pathetically. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that Aleister¡¯s toy is stronger than you guys.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s just a tool. It seems like you keep wanting to put us down, so why don¡¯t you deal with this before bbering on!¡± When Paimon finished speaking, the red jewel on Ishvar Unit 1¡¯s face shed before it dashed towards Woohyuk. At the same time, the rest of the Demon Kings in the Alliance emerge from the abyss rift. After Woohyuk entrusting the other enemies to his allies, he focused on dealing with Ishvar Unit 1. ¡°Quo-oh-oh-oh-oh!¡± Kwa-Ji-Ji! When Ishvar Unit 1 screamed out, the battleground¡¯s surface began to split like tree branches as a semi-translucent wave reverberated out. Woohyuk leaped up into the air and avoided the wave attack. He had already grasped the attack¡¯s characteristics. ¡®It is a machine after all.¡¯ The general attack power may be stronger than a Homunculus¡¯, but if the unit relied heavily on mechanical operation, its learning and critical thinking ability would be rtively low. In other words, if he figured out the pattern of its attacks and aimed for the loophole in its artificial intelligence, the unit could easily be taken care of. The problem was that he had to avoid hasty approaches until he figured out the pattern. Schwing-Wing! The Ishvar Unit 1 fired a purple particle lightning bolt from a red gem embedded in its chest. Woohyuk observed the trajectory of the particle lightning bolt and then moved outside its range. He then performed a simple long-range attack. Kwa-Ang! A jet-ck wave flew from Verserios¡¯ spear tip and struck the Ishvar Unit 1¡¯s head. It was an attack that would have caused quite a blow to any of the Demon Kings. However, Ishvar Unit 1 moved casually after being struck. Schwing-Wing! Ishvar Unit 1 created a long sword made of purple particles. [Neutral de]. It was a weapon with excellent cutting power, like a high-heat lightsaber. ¡°So, Aleister made that, huh¡­¡± He recalled seeing mechanical calvary, albeit smaller, in Inotia, the city of high-tech magical creations. If he could somehow take down this invention in one piece and give it to Aris, a more powerful entity could be invented. Now that he had roughly figured out the pattern of Ishvar Unit 1¡¯s attacks, he only needed to find its weaknesses. Chi-Ji-Ji! The Neutral de struck Verserios and made a high-frequency sound. As he made contact with the Neutral de, Woohyuk analyzed the inner magic circuitry of Ishvar Unit 1 by analyzing its flow of mana. ¡®It seems the power source is the red jewel on its face.¡¯ Based on what Paimon stated earlier, the red jewel seemed to be a container of mana rather than a mana-generator. When Ishvar Unit 1 took a step back after the sh, Woohyuk used Amon¡¯s skill, Demon Annihtion, by operating the Nocturne of the Hidden Crescent Moon. The wide-area spell created ck holes around the enemy to attack from different locations. Hwi-Ahh! Dozens of small ck holes sprung up around Ishvar Unit 1. Woohyuk continued to teleport in an irregr pattern along the small ck holes after creating an alter-image. All of this was done to confuse Ishvar Unit 1¡¯s AI and give Woohyuk the chance to give the final blow. As expected, Ishvar Unit 1 became confused and tilted its head. ¡®Now!¡¯ Woohyuk, who located the blind spot in his field of vision, escaped from a nearby small ck hole and inserted Verserios into Ishvar Unit 1¡¯s chest. At the same time, a ck vortex engulfed Ishvar Unit 1. Its mana was being sucked in by Verserios. Chapter 218: The Northern Front 7

Chapter 218: The Northern Front 7

¡®I have to suck up all the mana first.¡¯ The power that was used to operate Ishvar Unit 1 was none other than mana. It would be a waste to use ck Demolition for this single unit, so he decided to absorb the mana through Verserios. As Verserios began to absorb the mana, the Ishvar Unit 1 attempted to separate itself from Woohyuk by wielding its Neutral de. Chi-Ji-Ji-Ji! The Neutral de struck against the dark barrier that Woohyuk had spread around it. Sparks started sparking like a fountain. To make it stop operating, Woohyuk had to endure the attacks and maintain the barrier and absorption process for quite a while. ¡®It¡¯s a perfect toy to drag time during a battle.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t clear what Aleister had in mind in partnering with Alice the Queen of Thorns. From the direction of their movement and actions, his goal seemed to do with the Principality of Croix, which was situated next door. Regardless, he needed to quickly defeat this unit, there was a high possibility that events would progress as Aleister nned. While Woohyuk was fighting with Ishvar Unit 1¡­ ¡°Sieg! Let¡¯s take on Berial together! There are fewer Demon Kings on our side, so let¡¯s quickly wrap up our end!¡± ¡°Okay, Brynhildr!¡± Woohyuk¡¯s other party members were confronting the individual Demon Kings from the Demon King Alliance. Even if the hostile Demon Kings faced those summoned from Lemegeton one-on-one, three enemy Demon Kings still remained on the Alliance¡¯s side. So, Woohyuk¡¯s party members had to cooperate together to confront the remaining three Demon Kings. This was why Sieg and Brynhildr took on the 68th ranked Demon King, Berial. ¡°Please take care of me as well, Sieg. Thisdy is very precious,¡± remarked Maria. ¡°If you have time to speak such nonsense, please cast another Divine Magic spell on us,¡± Sieg snapped back. ¡°¡­ You still have time to argue even in this urgent situation. Anyways, I¡¯ll protect Helena with a defensive barrier,¡± Maria answered. Afterward, Maria took a deep breath and started chanting a spell. She, along with the two members of Etheria Rodinus, was tasked with subduing the 54th ranked Demon King, Murmur. However, since the party wasposed of two saints and one sage, they were vulnerable to a surprise attack. Meanwhile, Hong Yuri was attacking Gremory, the 56th ranked Demon King, with Bailey and Roan. In terms of partyposition, their party was much more stable than Maria¡¯s. ¡°Should I try using the gift Woohyuk gave me?¡± Hong Yuri¡¯s red eyes shed as she summoned a vampire group. Roan saw her changing appearance and changed the Ragnor Weapon from a dagger to a dragon. ¡°Hey, my transcendental weapon is much better than your item, bitch!¡± ¡°¡­ What? Look at how this disrespectful toddler is talking to his elder sister.¡± ¡°Now¡¯s the time to focus onbat. Continue your banter after the battle.¡± Bailey, the noble ck knight, rushed to Gremory using his alter image. However, the ck sword he swung didn¡¯t touch Gremory at all. ¡°It¡¯s elegant swordsmanship, but that doesn¡¯t hurt me,¡± Gremory stated calmly. ¡°Maybe. But I¡¯m not your only opponent,¡± Bailey replied. Next, the summoned vampires pped their wings and rushed in to attack. As Gremory slid sideways to avoid the iing attack, Roan aimed for her heart from behind. ¡°You stupid girl with a horn on your head! How dare you try and act so cool!¡± Ka-Rang! Gremory¡¯s trident intercepted the Ragnor weapon. ¡°So, you¡¯re a Homunculus. First off, I¡¯ll need to fix that dirty mouth of yours.¡± She summoned dark spheres in the air and threw them out towards her enemies. As everyone stepped back and cast defensive barriers against the attack, Gremoryughed out loud as if she had expected such an oue. ¡°Shall we see how long you can withstand my attacks? Especially in the demonic swamp dimension.¡± Suddenly, a ck oval swamp formed around her. Their bodies gradually fell into the swamp. They couldn¡¯t release their defensive barriers and escape the swamp because of the bombardment of dark spheres. ¡°Wow, you know how to use your head. I guess you¡¯re not a Demon King just by name,¡± Hong Yuri said with a raised eyebrow. Afterward, she created a blood vortex, blocked the dark spheres, andpletely escaped from the demonic swamp. ¡°¡­ Oh. This makes it a bit more difficult. You can use the power of blood freely,¡± Gremory said with a crestfallen expression. ¡°My friend who¡¯s a guy gave me a hidden ss as a gift. However, I think I have to live my life as a maid,¡± Hong Yuri said, saving her party members with the whirl of blood. Afterward, there was a lull in the action. Her gaze naturally turned toward Woohyuk. He was running towards Paimon afterpletely shutting down Ishvar Unit 1. ¡°You sure made it difficult, Paimon,¡± Woohyuk stated nonchntly. ¡°¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have relied so much on that contraption. I¡¯m overwhelmed just dealing with Amon,¡± Paimon answered with a grim expression. Woohyuk defeated the Ishvar Unit 1 much faster rate than he expected. Hisbat power was much higher than what the Demon King Alliance expected. Moreover, he hadpletely recovered from the damage he had suffered in preventing the first catastrophe/disaster through the Power of Resuscitation. ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. I¡¯m not trying to deal with just one of you guys.¡± ¡°¡­ What?!¡± Paimon knew nothing about the existence of the Absorber Trigger. This was because Aleister didn¡¯t share the full story with them. Of course, Woohyuk had actually used the Trigger several times, but all those who witnessed it were either captured or killed. Watching Paimon¡¯s embarrassed reaction, Woohyuk swore at Aleister in his heart. ¡®Aleister tricked the Demon King Alliance and them victims to fulfill some other n.¡¯ In the first ce, the Absorber Trigger itself was something he was able to obtain through Aleister. This probably meant that Woohyuk should quickly use the Trigger and ck Demolition to overpower his enemies and grow in strength. It seemed that Aleister wanted to quickly turn Woohyuk into a preeminent, powerful demon for his grand n. ¡®Well, I have no intention of rejecting free food.¡¯ Regardless of what Aleister had nned, this was a great opportunity to defeat and absorb the Demon King Alliance. Woohyuk took out the Absorber Trigger from his pocket and gave Amon instructions, ¡°Cast God Death at the appropriate time. All of the hostile Demon Kings will be dragged in where you cast it.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± Amon had experienced ck Demolition once before, so he immediately noticed what Woohyuk was trying to do. When Amon created a huge spiral ck hole in the middle of the battlefield, all the hostile Demon Kings except Paimon were dragged into it. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Wh-What is this?!¡± ¡°God Death! It''s Amon¡¯s skill!¡± ¡°Why?! At times like this!¡± Since Woohyuk was dealing with Paimon, Amon¡¯s casting of God Death happened undisturbed. Thus, as the hostile Demon Kings were concentrated in one area¡­ Pu-Uck! Woohyuk threw a fierce fist into Paimon¡¯s face as their weapons were against each other. ¡°Keu-Heuk!¡± Paimon moaned as he took a step back. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t stop with just one punch. He started kicking Paimon¡¯s abdomen with his feet. Pu-Uck! This time, Paimon wasn¡¯t even able to squeeze out a sound. He felt ashamed of being beaten up by an opponent¡¯s physical body, not even a specialized weapon. ¡®How did this happen¡­¡¯ Paimon felt as though all of his actions were pre-read and countered. But, in fact, it wasn¡¯t just his feeling. Woohyuk did know all of Paimon¡¯s attack patterns from his past experience. ¡®Paimon is the weakest among the high-ranking Demon Kings.¡¯ His gravity-bending magic was quite powerful, but he didn¡¯t have any counter skills. In short, this meant that it was impossible for Paimon to pretend to be weak and take advantage of an overextended enemy. So, whenever Paimon showed weakness, he took damage. Of course, in any other situation, he could escape using teleportation, but Amon was following his every movement from behind, so he didn¡¯t have the opportunity to use teleportation. ¡°Looking at the condition you¡¯re in, it seems like you won¡¯t even be able to use your gravity-bending magic before being sealed. Weren¡¯t you acting pompously just a moment ago?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Paimon looked resentful as he wiped the blood flowing from his mouth. His gravity-bending magic had a fatal weakness. It could not be used within the area of Amon¡¯s God Death. Naturally, Amon was Paimon¡¯s arch-nemesis. ¡®Since it¡¯se to this, I should use the other wide-area magic spell.¡¯ [Earth Craft]. Hisst hidden card spell was a wide area of effect spell that caused sharp rocks to pop out of the surface. However, Woohyukunched a preemptive strike, as if he had expected Paimon¡¯s action. ¡°Do you think you can afford to use Earth Craft?¡± Pu-Uck! Paimon¡¯s face was once again crumpled by Woohyuk¡¯s fierce fist punch. A subsequent swift kick sent him near Amon¡¯s ck hole¡­ Chi-Ji-Ji-Ji! Woohyuk immediately used the Absorber Trigger to activate ck Demolition. ¡°What is this?!¡± ¡°Are you trying to confine us?¡± ¡°My demonic energy is getting sucked up!¡± ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± The hostile Demon Kingscked the strength to fight against the sucking power of ck Demolition. They had already expended a tremendous amount of energy fending off Woohyuk¡¯s party members¡¯ attacks. It was impossible for them to escape. He had trapped them in a spherical barrier. ¡°It¡¯s been done really neatly, Lord.¡± ¡°Thanks to ck Demolition, I could capture them rtively easily.¡± Sieg and Woohyuk watched the ten Demon Kings suffering within the barrier. Soon, when the trapped Demon Kings became exhausted, Woohyuk summoned Lemegeton. ¡°Is the total seventeen now?¡± ¡°Since the goal is 72 Demon Kings, I¡¯m still far away. But, I guess I¡¯m making progress.¡± Now, the low-ranking Demon Kings didn¡¯t have to be used. In fact, it was now possible to easily seal the Demon Kings above the 30th rank. Of course, for whatever reason, Aleister had given him this chance, so Woohyuk was able to enjoy sealing ten Demon Kings all at once without breaking much of a sweat. When the battle was over, Woohyuk checked the condition of his allies. ¡°Is anyone injured?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t suffered any major injuries.¡± ¡°Me either¡­¡± Most of the enemies were low-ranked Demon Kings, so the majority of his party members suffered only minor injuries. However, Hong Yuri was very tired even though she didn¡¯t sport any visible wounds. ¡°You must have used a lot of blood power.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I yed with the ability a little bit because it seemed fun, so¡­¡± Hong Yuri had to use the Blood Swirl several times to save her allies when Gremory cast the Demonic Swamp spell. Over the course of the battle, her fatigue had umted. Although vampires were strong, they have a fatal drawback: the more they used their ability, the more they depleted the blood in their bodies. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give you a chance to suck the blood from the Witch of Annihtion,¡± Woohyuk stated confidently. ¡°¡­ Wait¡­ Why are you talking about me? Do you feel sexual pleasure when harassing me?!¡± Helena cried out. ¡°The Witch of Annihtion says that she doesn¡¯t want to offer her blood. Then, I¡¯ll give you my blood,¡± Woohyuk responded. Woohyuk extended his wrist to Hong Yuri. Hong Yuri made a confused expression then quietly bit his offered wrist with her fangs. Sip. Red blood passed through her fang¡¯s blood vessels into Hong Yuri¡¯s throat. Roan looked at what was going on and thought of a simr scene, ¡°Master, you have bestowed grace on that vampire girl, so, in return, she should repay you with her body¡­¡± ¡°You really can¡¯t figure out the mood at all, can you? Just keep quiet!¡± Sieg yelled out. Bam! Sieg mmed his closed fist knuckles on top of Roan¡¯s head. Roan shed tears with an expression of sadness¡­ ¡°What¡¯s the point of having balls if you don¡¯t use them¡­ ¡± Chapter 219: Alice the Queen of Thorns 1

Chapter 219: Alice the Queen of Thorns 1

After defeating the Demon King Alliance, Woohyuk immediately headed towards the area he expected Alice, the Queen of Thorns, to be. He hastily moved because he was worried about what Aleister was nning to do, especially after buying some time by sending Woohyuk on a journey to fight the Demon Kings. He left the original n of attacking the empty nest to Dreadlore¡¯s owner, the Death Knight Huperion. However, worried about leaving the n to a single Death Knight, Ibn Rusud quickly asked, ¡°Is it really possible to attack a country¡¯s capital with only undead troops? Even if the Queen of Thorns isn¡¯t present, Queen, won¡¯t it take a long time to break through the closed castle gates.¡± ¡°There are many kinds of undead. So, there¡¯s now that one has to give up just because the castle gates are closed,¡± Woohyuk replied. Brynhildr added on, ¡°That¡¯s right, Ibn Rusud. There are flying undead that can fly above the castle walls. Also, the highly intelligent undead already know how to use battering rams to break the gates.¡± Ibn Rusud¡¯s question was quickly rebutted by Woohyuk and Brynhildr. Helena, thinking that she had a chance to put someone else down, shook her index finger and teased him, ¡°Oh, Sage. You are really stupid. Even Roan coulde up with a conceivable answer. Next time, you should keep your dumb questions to yourself.¡± ¡°¡­ Is the Witch of Annihtion so smart that you get ridiculed every time?¡± ¡°When did I ever say I was smart? Also, what can I do when they keep making fun of me? If you pity me, buy a bunch of chocte balls for me.¡± The two siblings quarreled whenever they had a chance. Maria looked at them with a bored expression before mentioning, ¡°For some reason, I think you two are also fighting in my foresight dreams.¡± ¡°Did you get any new revtion, Maria? Since Aleister is nning something, I feel like there should be some news,¡± Woohyuk asked while nervously considering what Aleister had in store for them. However, she couldn¡¯t help him with any news, so Maria shook her head weakly and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see anythingst night. However, if I have a foresight dream, I¡¯ll make sure to tell you first.¡± ¡°Master, Maria is the most feminine in this group. I think she¡¯s better than that vampire bitch to¡­¡± Bam! Hong Yuri, who was next to Roan, silently mmed her fist down on Roan¡¯s head. She hated Roan calling her a bitch every chance he had. ¡°Roan¡¯s speech seems to have not been fixed. I think we need to do something extraordinary,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°¡­ W-Why are you looking at me? You¡¯re starting to make me angry,¡± Helena half screamed out as she avoided Woohyuk¡¯s gaze. However, after considering her options, she took out her crocodile shears and looked at Roan. ¡°Hey! Roan doesn¡¯t want to be castrated!¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t mess around, little boy. Are you going to scold your elder sister?¡± Helena said in an aggressive tone. ¡°For your information, if this cuts your balls off, you won¡¯t be able to stand up for a few days. I know because I¡¯ve seen it happen myself,¡± Hong Yuri added on. Helena and Hong Yuri looked at Roan with cold eyes. Women be scary animals when they get angry. Sieg sighed as Roan shuddered visibly while covering his mouth tightly with both hands. ¡°Lord, do I need to keep babysitting that guy? His existence was definitely necessary when we stopped the first catastrophe, but now I honestly question whether we really need him.¡± ¡°¡­ Well, it¡¯s not like I have much faith in hisbat abilities but losing even one member will drastically reduce ourbat power.¡± Besides, Roan was a homunculus that Aleister was looking for. It was difficult to throw him out just because of the way he spoke. ¡°Well. Even in the story of the Three Kingdoms, there were countless minor figures. Although, their importance in the novel was not very high,¡± Hong Yuri added on. ¡°It¡¯s surprising that you read the Three Kingdoms, Hong Yuri. Don¡¯t women ordinarily hate those kinds of novels?¡± Woohyuk asked in surprise. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t read the novel all the way through. I just read a few lines and chapters here and there.¡± As she was speaking about her past, Hong Yuri started recalling her life before being summoned to this world. When she was in college, working part-time, she often wondered what kind of guy she would date. She suddenly felt an urge to go back to that time, but the feeling soon passed. It was best that she forgets her past life and get limated with her current one. She was no longer a popr female college student but a Blood Queen. While Hong Yuri was immersed in reflection¡­ ¡°Hey, Lord. What are the Three Kingdoms?¡± Sieg asked Woohyuk out of curiosity. ¡°¡­¡± Woohyuk had an unusually embarrassed expression on his face. He didn¡¯t know how to exin the Three Kingdoms story to someone from another world. After seeing Woohyuk¡¯s reaction, Brynhildr presented her own spection, ¡°Since it¡¯s the title of a novel, isn¡¯t it like a historical document? Our story alsoes out in historical documents, Sieg.¡± ¡°¡­ Oh, so that¡¯s what it is. Like a legendary, mythological story.¡± ¡°Three Kingdoms¡­ I¡¯ll have to ask Boetiuster on if that title exists in the Ark of Knowledge.¡± Woohyuk felt that the atmosphere was a little off. He coughed once into a closed fist and tried to change the topic, ¡°By the way, is the Queen of Thorn¡¯s whereabouts still unknown? We¡¯ve moved eastward for a few days, so it should be around here.¡± ¡°Maybe we¡¯ve already crossed the border? Since there¡¯s an extreme gue spreading among the Elven race, it¡¯s possible that we crossed the border unexpectedly.¡± They had to stay alert since Aleister was next to Alice the Queen of Thorns. While moving on horseback, Woohyuk attempted a thought conversation with Aris. [Aris, can you hear me?] [Yeah! Asura, are your conquest activities going well?] Aris weed Woohyuk with a lively voice as always. [No problems yet. Anyway, you¡¯ll be receiving a mechanized cavalry weapon soon, so please study it carefully.] [A mechanized calvary weapon? That¡¯s a pretty interesting concept. As soon as I¡¯m done with my current research, I¡¯ll start analyzing it!] The research that Aris was currently working on a cure for the infectious diseases affecting the dragon race and from the Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit. She had been making good progress, but it seemed that she faced a dead-end near the tail end of her research. Woohyuk encouraged her and immediately ended the conversation. He would soon reach the border. ¡°I can¡¯t even see a single ant. What happened here?¡± ¡°If a battle took ce, even a trace of battle would remain¡­¡± ¡°It feels as if everyone passed out and was dragged away.¡± Each party member tilted their heads. They couldn¡¯t understand the situation. Unable to make any headway, Woohyuk summoned Petos, a high-level demon. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Asura. What did you call me for?¡± ¡°There were a lot of elves here, but they suddenly disappeared somewhere. I want you to investigate your tracking ability.¡± Petos had a specialized ability to pursue souls. He sniffed and flew back and forth over the pure white snowy field. He soon came to a conclusion. ¡°Hmm¡­ they weren¡¯t dragged out by anyone. They just left on their own two feet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that they just walked away?¡± ¡°Yeah. But there seemed to have been another existence with the elves. However, I don¡¯t recognize who it is or what it is.¡± At that moment, Aleister popped up in Woohyuk¡¯s mind. He pondered for a moment and then spoke, ¡°Then it turns out that the gue in the Lydia Kingdom was also caused by Aleister.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. At the time of the outbreak, I was among the vigers there,¡± Hong Yuri said in agreement. Then Maria, who had been silent for a while, muttered in a small voice, ¡°¡­ Group hypnosis.¡± ¡°Group hypnosis? Can Aleister do that?¡± Sieg asked in confusion. ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t look down on him. Since the establishment of the Witch Cult, he¡¯s been picking up all kinds of esoteric abilities,¡± Helena replied. Even Ibn Rusud nodded in agreement. ¡°Certainly, he can do that sort of nonsense without batting an eye. Maybe this is also rted to the King¡¯s Book.¡± ¡°Wait, he wouldn¡¯t offer the elves as a sacrifice, right? Like the summoning technique written in the King¡¯s Book¡­¡± Brynhildr looked worried. Then Petos smiled and stuck his chin out towards a direction. ¡°They moved over there. If they¡¯re performing the summoning ritual, you¡¯d probably find them over there.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s the direction of the capital of the Principality of Croix.¡± At the moment, Woohyuk felt that his worst fears were bing a reality. Elf Queen Ophelia. Aleister gave up the Enoa Kingdom toe here and sacrifice her. The other party members also expressed surprise as they all reached the same conclusion. ¡°Absolutely, the blood of the elf queen is of higher value as a sacrifice. One may be able to summon something stronger than usual.¡± ¡°The Principality of Croatia doesn¡¯t have many dragon tribes, and the proportion of Elven people is overwhelmingly high. If the epidemic spreads rampantly, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for Aleister to capture the Elf Queen.¡± It seemed that Aleister¡¯s master n had been btedly revealed. He earned time to carry out his ns by throwing one of his toys, the Demon King Alliance, at Woohyuk. Woohyuk clenched his fist at the thought that he was being toyed with again. ¡°I will surely get rid of him this time. No more conspiracies of evil.¡± ¡°¡­ Please calm down. Don¡¯t you remember what I saidst time? If you fall into Aleister¡¯s provocation and can¡¯t control your demonic powers, in the end, it¡¯ll be you that loses,¡± Helena said as she looked awkwardly at him. Ibn Rusud was also cognizant and wary of Woohyuk¡¯s potential explosion, so he stated, ¡°If you lose your temper, we may be forced to use the Holy Grail. You know what the world will be like if we had to do that, right?¡± When the power of a Demon isbined with the Holy Grail, the system is rebooted. This iteration would end, and everything would go back to the beginning. For Etheria Rodinus, who wanted to change the future in a desirable direction, such a result was not desirable. When the brother and sister siblings reminded him of the worst ending, Woohyuk calmed down. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll be mindful. I also don¡¯t want to repeat my previous failures.¡± ¡°You must have seen memories of a previous life in Crue¡¯s imaginary world. If you want to protect her, make sure everything is properly finished this time around.¡± Helena spoke to Woohyuk in an unusually serious manner. Instead of answering, Woohyuk swung a whip at his horse. p! ¡°Nay-He-He!¡± His horse sprinted through the vast snowy field. Woohyuk¡¯s party followed closely behind. Woohyuk lowered his posture atop the galloping horse and fell into thought. ¡®I will be the one who decides the future of this world.¡¯ The fate of having to challenge a transcendent, the Creator, through repeated reincarnations¡­ If he couldn¡¯t break the Moebius link this time around, he may never have another chance. To ovee the limits and reach a new throne. Correcting an absurd system. The target, which used to be ambiguous, was now clearly revealed like thendscape in front of him. ¡®If destiny tests me, I will ovee that as well.¡¯ Woohyuk¡¯s determination took firmer hold as he imagined Leifina, who was studying how to cook without knowing what was going on, in the Rhine Kingdom. The being that Woohyuk had to defeat was waiting for him just around the corner. Chapter 220: Alice the Queen of Thorns 2

Chapter 220: Alice the Queen of Thorns 2

It was a luxuriously decorated interior passageway within a royal pce. Aleister was walking with Alice the Queen of Thorns. ¡°He¡¯s probably noticed by now.¡± ¡°You mean Asura?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s someone who can change everything in this world,¡± Aleister said with a meaningful smile. Alice frowned her eyebrows together as if to show her disapproval of his words. ¡°Aleister, are you hiding something from me?¡± ¡°No. Don¡¯t you also feel something special about him?¡± ¡°Can we really get rid of him by summoning the ancient demons with the King¡¯s Book?¡± ¡°Of course. The ancient demons were angels who went against the Creator long ago. For Asura, the ancient demons will be difficult opponents for him to handle.¡± Alice was being used by Aleister. The reason she was deceived, or allowed herself to be deceived, was because the power of the King¡¯s Book was so powerful. The King¡¯s Book didn¡¯t only summon two-dimensional beings, but also hypnotized and controlled multiple objects around it. ¡°So, who are you going to summon? There are many ancient demons.¡± ¡°I think Lucifer would be right. However, depending on the situation, the summoned demon may change.¡± ¡°Anyway, all that¡¯s left is to collect the Elf Queen¡¯s blood.¡± Alice lifted her fingernails which were as sharp as a de. After gaining the Queen of Thorns ss, she had continued to grow and develop rapidly. The stronger she became, the Kazak race gained greater opportunity for evolution. If this rapid evolution continued, they could someday be closer to transcendent beings. They would be a different race from vampires, who sought immortality without changing their appearance. So, Alice thought that time was on her side. The reason for summoning the ancient demon by offering the Elf Queen as a sacrifice was also to buy time for the final evolution. For her, Asura was the person she needed to be the wariest of right now. ¡°It¡¯s better to sacrifice the Elf Queenst. Her divine blood will bring the greatest impact.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s bothersome. Even so, since I had to give up the Enoa Kingdom and came all the way here, I want to at least see that bitch¡¯s face.¡± Alice¡¯s heart waspletely devastated after her first love, Edward, was murdered. The reason why she joined hands with Demon King Gremory was because she wanted to save Edward. However, gradually, other Demon Kings also flocked to their side, eventually forming an alliance. Later, when she was being pressured by the Holy Aperia Empire, she started taking drastic measures and made extreme decisions. Aleister smiled andforted Alice, ¡°Once Asura is removed, you¡¯ll be able to reim any territory at any time. The Holy Aperia Empire is still on the path to its downfall right now.¡± ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t really care about territory. I just want to get Edward back.¡± ¡°Once you be a transcendent, you will be able to meet him again. So, right now, let¡¯s focus on the King¡¯s Book.¡± Aleister opened the bronze door in front of him with force. Then the chapel, decorated with stained ss and frescoes, appeared. ¡°Is that bitch who¡¯s hanging on the middle cross the Elf Queen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The rest are just appetizers for our enjoyment.¡± Inside the chapel, the elves were all tied to various sorts of torture devices. Alice nced over the elven girls and lifted her de-like nail up into the air. Pu-Wook! The heart of an elf was pierced by her de-like nail. Alice tasted the elven heart and made a dissatisfied expression. ¡°I hate seeing all these pretty things. We have to kill them all.¡± ¡°Haha. You are pursuing a truly wonderful aesthetic. You¡¯re definitely a person chosen by Lilith.¡± In the past, Lilith helped Alice when she was in trouble. Lilith helped just because Alice looked beautiful and was full of vengeance. Alice trembled as she recalled that fateful scene, ¡°Edward¡­ Edward¡­¡± ¡°It seems that past memories still bring you tremendous pain. How about enjoying some ughter and calming your mind?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Alice swept her eyes around the chapel. As her eyes passed over them, the elves who were tied to the torture devices trembled with pale faces. Ophelia, who couldn¡¯t stay quiet anymore, yelled at Alice, ¡°Don¡¯t touch these kids! You ugly witch!¡± ¡°Witch? Are you saying this because you¡¯re still young and pretty?¡± Alice narrowed her eyes and approached Ophelia, who was hanging from a cross. If one got on Alice¡¯s nerves in her present state, one would surely die. However, Ophelia looked at Alice confidently and spoke out, ¡°Aren¡¯t witches those who are trying to sacrifice innocent children to summon the demons? I will not forgive you no matter what!¡± ¡°You sure talk a lot for someone who¡¯s naked and incapacitated. Do you know how lewd you look right now?¡± Alice nced at Ophelia¡¯s curvy body. Then, Aleister stopped her. ¡°The Elf Queen must be kept alive until the ritual is over. Please don¡¯t take her life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like her attitude. She¡¯s saying that I¡¯m inferior to her.¡± Alice frowned and stared at Ophelia. Afterwards, she lifted her de-like nail and stabbed Ophelia¡¯s abdomen. Pu-Wook! ¡°Keu-Heuk¡­!¡± Ophelia groaned out in pain. Then the elves around her who were tied to the torture devices mourned aloud and called out her name. ¡°Queen Ophelia!¡± ¡°Queen Ophelia!¡± The Elf Queen was a religious entity in their lives. As the surroundings became loud, Alice whispered, contentedly, into Ophelia¡¯s ear. ¡°I just injected deadly poison into your body. It¡¯s the same way your elves killed my children.¡± ¡°This awful¡­¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll die very slowly. I¡¯ve inflicted you with what I have. In other words, you¡¯ll change like me and eventually die.¡± Aliceughed when she thought her idea was clever. Ophelia cried silently as she saw the maniacallyughing Alice. ¡®I just have to hold on a little longer¡­¡¯ King Rhine said he woulde right after defeating the Demon King Alliance. So, she said that she could buy enough time before he arrived, but in the end, it became like this. As the unknown epidemic infection spread throughout her people, many people sumbed to death, and some became demonic beings that were controlled through mass hypnotic means. ¡®But, it¡¯s toote now¡­¡¯ Once the infections started, an individual who didn¡¯t die would inevitably transform into the Kazak race. Of course, she would die at the same time Alice did because of the poison Alice had injected into her body. So even if someone were toe and defeat these two now, nothing would change. As Ophelia reached this conclusion and started giving up¡­ Beep! The bronze door opened violently, revealing a group of people. Woohyuk¡¯s party had infiltrated the royal pce to stop Aleister. Reina, who was tied to a torture device, happily called out his name, ¡°Woohyuk! You came!¡± However, the Elf Queen was already dying. As Reina¡¯splexion started getting dark once again, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Aleister,¡± stated Woohyuk. He summoned Verserios and rushed at Aleister. Ka-Rang! A ck curtain barrier unfolded, blocking Verserios¡¯ forward movement. Aleister smiled with a rxed expression and calmly stated, ¡°You¡¯ve really be confident after preventing the first catastrophe.¡± ¡°Give me the King¡¯s Book!¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s difficult. It¡¯s something that was hard-earned.¡± Aleister was holding the King¡¯s Book in his arms. As Aleister continued to confront Woohyuk, Alice summoned her minions, ¡°Kill them all! Everything will be resolved without these obstructors!¡± Large Kazak warriors strode toward Woohyuk. Seeing this, Sieg and Bailey ran and confronted them with their swords. Slice! Slice! Dark, decaying blood sprinkled onto the white marble floor. When things didn¡¯t go as she expected, Alice stepped forward herself to deal with Woohyuk¡¯s vassals. ¡°You guys get out of the way!¡± Alice¡¯s thorny wings spread out to her sides, creating a fierce crimson swirl around her. At the same time, a bloody lightning strike struck down from the air! Sieg and Bailey stepped back for a moment and put up their barrier shields. ¡°You are Alice the Queen of Thorns? I don¡¯t know what you ate wrong to make you such an uptight bitch, but you¡¯ll die here!¡± ¡°I agree. Too many innocent people have died because of you!¡± Helena and Maria condemned Alice and chanted divine magic together. After that, a new white magic circle spread across the messy, blood-filled marble floor, creating a closed istion barrier. ¡°Oho¡­ you think you can trap me with a barrier like this?¡± Aliceughed out loud and pulled out dozens of scarlet mana spheres from her body. Afterwards, as the scarlet spheres elongated and spread out in all directions. A strong current flowed through them and shattered the istion barrier. ¡°H-How strong are you?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it written in your prophetic book?!¡± Helena and Maria were thrown into confusion and chanted the holy spell once again. However, Alice wasn¡¯t nning to leave them alone to do what they wanted. ¡°There¡¯s no second time, you idiots!¡± A crimson sphere quickly stretched towards the two Saintesses! Seeing this, Ibn Rusud and Roan went forward to protect Helena and Maria. ¡°She¡¯s much stronger than we thought, no?¡± Ibn Rusud asked Helena. ¡°This disgusting girl must have a weakness!¡± Helena responded angrily. They had to, in one way or another, deal with Alice themselves. While they were fighting, Woohyuk faced Aleister. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that today will be yourst?¡± Woohyuk casually asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. There are still various stages that are awaiting my presence,¡± Aleister responded just as leisurely. As Aleister lifted up his staff, ck de-like wind blew from all over and rushed toward Woohyuk. Sa-Ah~! To prevent the attack, Woohyuk put Verserios on the floor and created a ck vortex around him. Go-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! The ck de-like wind lost its shape and was extinguished by the ck vortex. When a brief gap emerged, Woohyuk brought out Lemegeton and summoned all the Demon Kings he had sealed inside. Afterwards, an intense bombardment was aimed at Aleister¡­ Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! Aleister spread a defensive barrier around him with an amused expression. ¡°Do you really think you can kill me here? It¡¯s still impossible for you.¡± ¡°Well, I won¡¯t know until I try.¡± Woohyuk pulled out the Absorber Trigger and started ck Demolition. Chi-Ji-Ji-Ji! A ck current swirled violently within the sphere-shaped barrier. However, Aleister reached out with his hand as if he had to deal with something trifling. ¡°Have you forgotten the fact that I created that artifact?¡± ¡°Everyone knows,¡± Woohyuk replied as he pulled out Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail. Aleister, seeing the grail, took a few steps back. ¡°That¡¯s?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an artifact Lilith created to crack the system. I can use this to neutralize your fancy abilities.¡± Aleister was part of Lilith¡¯s Cult. When Woohyuk finished speaking, Swah~! Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail sucked in Woohyuk¡¯s demonic energy and created a pitch-ck orb wrapped in a spiral vortex. Chapter 221: Alice the Queen of Thorns 3

Chapter 221: Alice the Queen of Thorns 3

Eventually, the pitch-ck sphere expanded and touched Aleister¡¯s defensive barrier¡­ Kwa-Ji-Ji-Ji! The ck current inside the sphere was amplified, and a crack appeared in Aleister¡¯s shield. ¡°Ho¡­! It seems you¡¯ve put a lot of thought into this,¡± Aleister nodded as he praised Woohyuk. However, this turn of events onlysted for a moment. He turned into a shadow and easily slipped out of Woohyuk¡¯s ck sphere. ¡°What is your identity?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°As I said before¡­ I¡¯m nothing more or less than Lilith¡¯s shadow,¡± Aleister said with a rxed smile. This time, Woohyuk attempted to constrain Aleister using Asura¡¯s Absolute Space. ¡°If you¡¯re just a shadow, you can surely be killed.¡± ¡°Is that so? Shadows do not die. They just disappear,¡± Aleister shouted out. He then proceeded to avoid the Demon Kings¡¯ attacks. In the meantime, he called upon the Witch Cult members to conduct a ritual to summon the Ancient Demon, Lucifer. Pu-Wook! Pu-Wook! The elves who were tied to the torture devices were sacrificed one by one by the witches. ¡°What would you do by summoning an Ancient Demon?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°To give you trials. That¡¯s all. I¡¯ve told you before.¡± The advent of the demon and purification of the world. Those were the two key phrases Aleister repeated regarding his philosophy and beliefs. Woohyuk frowned and wondered how he could stop him. ¡®As Helena said, I must never let my emotions get the better of me.¡¯ That was the end Aleister wanted. This was because Aleister believed that it would be enough if Woohyuk transformed into a demon and brought chaos to the world. Therefore, Woohyuk had to find a realistic answer while staying calm. ¡®He said he was Lilith¡¯s shadow.¡¯ The shadow was not a reality, but an illusion of reality. In other words, the Aleister that confronted him was nothing more than a mirage. If so, finding the essence was the key to resolving this problem. ¡®That means this guy¡¯s body¡­ isn¡¯t here!¡¯ To be precise, it did not exist in this dimension. Woohyuk recalled the scene where Paimon hid himself in the cracks of the abyss while attacking during the battle in the Enoa Kingdom. Aleister was probably utilizing the same concept. As he made his decision, Woohyuk expanded his senses and tried to feel the essential, physical existence of Aleister. ¡®There it is.¡¯ Perhaps because he used Asura¡¯s Absolute Space, he could faintly make out Aleister¡¯s essence. The location of his essence was far above the ce where Aleister¡¯s shadow was located. Woohyuk swung Verserios and sent out a pitch-ck wave towards the estimated location. Chwa-Ahhhhhh! The dimension split and a ck shadow fell and disappeared. At the same time, Aleister¡¯s shadow spewed ck blood from his mouth. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Finally, he was able to inflict damage on him. Woohyuk didn¡¯t stop at this and quickly narrowed the gap toward the essence¡¯s location. Pounce! Woohyuk touched the King¡¯s Book. At that time, Aleister, who was still, raised his head and opened his mouth, ¡°Excellent. But it¡¯s still not enough.¡± Aleister¡¯s shadow suddenly turned into several dark spears and prated Woohyuk¡¯s body. Pu-Wook! Pu-Wook! It happened so close and quickly that he had no way of avoiding the attack. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t let go of the King¡¯s Book. ¡°What¡¯s not enough¡­ is you!¡± Woohyuk grit his teeth and swung Verserios. Then, once again, the dimension split, and the ck shadow pattered and disappeared. ¡°Keuk!¡± The dark spears that had pierced Woohyuk disappeared and Aleister appeared, vomiting blood. Aleister also suffered considerable damage. The ck shadow hiding behind the dimension corresponded to his physical being, his essence. ¡°It was true that you were a shadow.¡± ¡°¡­ Ho. I¡¯ll admit, you¡¯re definitely stronger and wiser than before. That makes me very happy.¡± Aleister grinned and reached out into the air. Then, the ck shadow appeared and absorbed the remote shadow into the palm of his hands. Aleister¡¯s appearance disappeared. ¡°Are you running away again?¡± ¡°I am just waiting for the next stage. We are all puppets that move ording to an invisible thread. If the stage isn¡¯t ready, we can¡¯t dance together.¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Woohyuk raised Verserios and pursued the ce where hest felt Aleister¡¯s presence. However, Aleister¡¯s essence hadpletely disappeared beyond the dimension. ¡®¡­ At least I got my hands on the King¡¯s Book.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was deliberately handed over or whether he obtained it through his cunning strategy. Regardless, with the King¡¯s Book, he could now stop the Ancient Demons from being summoned into the world by halting the ritual process. After releasing Asura¡¯s Absolute Space, Woohyuk dispatched the witches who were beheading the Elves. Slice! Slice! The Witches¡¯ bodies were scattered on the floor like puppets who had their strings cut. After getting rid of all the Witches, Woohyuk released Ophelia and Reina. ¡°I¡¯m already done for, Rhine King. Save the other children¡­¡± Ophelia pointed to her abdomen, which was being mutated. The mutation meant that she was gradually dying. However, Reina shook her head as she cried, ¡°No! Ophelia, you can live!¡± ¡°Reina is right. You still have one chance.¡± As a result of passing Hevnia¡¯s Tomb, Woohyuk obtained the Power of Resuscitation. Reina opened her eyes wide as he restored Ophelia. ¡°Oh, how is that kind of magic possible¡­¡± ¡°For right now, cover your bodies.¡± The two elves were naked. As the girls blushed and covered themselves up with both hands, Woohyuk walked towards Alice. ¡°Fuck, you guys endure like cockroaches!¡± She was still fighting with his party members. However, with Woohyuk¡¯s introduction, the stage gradually ended. Chwa-Ahhhhhh! Verserios breathed out ck mes and tore Alice¡¯s left wing. Infuriated by this, Alice tried to counterattack, but Sieg and Bailey dug in from the side and restricted her movement. Then, Chwa-Ahhhhhh! Brynhildr swung her Valkyrie spear and tore Alice¡¯s right wing. ¡°Get away! I don¡¯t want to die!¡± As if she felt a sense of crisis, Alice desperately swung her sword. At the same time, a crimson lightning strikes from the sky struck down again and again. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! She tried to separate herself from her enemies with lightning magic. However, Woohyuk absorbed the lightning magic with the Nocturne of the Crescent Moon. ¡°It¡¯s over now, Alice.¡± Woohyuk grabbed Alice¡¯s neck with a cold voice. He then proceeded to crush her neck with a grip strong enough to pulverize rock into dust. Crack. No matter if she was the Queen of Thorns, her vertebrae had been snapped, so she couldn¡¯t move. Alice sobbed as she copsed lifelessly onto the floor, Pu-Wook! Verserios breathed ck mes and pierced her heart. ¡°Keuk!¡± Alice vomited ck blood and soon stopped breathing. Roan sighed as he saw the scene. ¡°Phew¡­ finally, that prickly bitch is finally dead.¡± ¡°Remain vignt. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± Woohyuk shook his head and pointed towards Alice¡¯s fallen body. Then, her hollow heart began to regenerate with red energy. Startled, Maria asked Woohyuk while covering her mouth, ¡°She doesn¡¯t die even if you pierce her heart¡­ Then how do you kill her?¡± ¡°Well. I¡¯ll have to figure something out.¡± Alice couldn¡¯t be as domineering again as before, as long as he stopped her from fully regenerating her body. Woohyuk plunged Verserios into her heart and spoke, ¡°If possible, Alice will be sent to Aris to use as research material. It will be of great help in nurturing chimeras and undead in the future.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ that¡¯s gross. To experiment with living beings like that¡­¡± Helena said as she frowned and looked down at Alice¡¯s lifeless body. Brynhildr alsoined, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to burn such an ufortable being? We don¡¯t know when or how she may resurrect again¡­¡± ¡°Huh? You guys aren¡¯t talking about me, right? I just arrived. What a surprise,¡± Hong Yuri, who had just entered the entrance, said as she stared at the party members happily. She had taken care of the Kazak so that the party could enter the pce. Woohyuk shook his head on behalf of his party. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You haven¡¯t gone this crazy yet, so we don¡¯t have to do this to you now.¡± ¡°Humph¡­¡± Hong Yuri turned her head with a frown. When the battle was settled, Woohyuk and his party had a conversation with Ophelia after releasing all the Elves in the pce. ¡°Thank you so much for saving me earlier, Rhine King. How can I ever repay this grace¡­¡± ¡°As I said earlier, I¡¯ll be taking Reina and Allen. Of course, I¡¯d like to maintain a friendly rtionship with you and the Elven people in the future.¡± ¡°Huh?! Why are you taking me? Allen is human, so I can understand¡­¡± Reina screamed out in fright and took a few steps back. However, Ophelia nodded as a sign of consent. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Since you favor this child, you shall have her. The same goes for Allen.¡± ¡°Oh-Ophelia¡­¡± Reina couldn¡¯t refute anymore and bowed her head. Helena, who saw Reina¡¯s defeated appearance, looked displeased. ¡°Reina seems to want tofortably eat apples in the forest. Of course, she also eats lemon jelly well.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you worried that your snacks will be taken, Helena?¡± Woohyuk asked as he looked at Helena with a dumbfounded expression. Then Ophelia, who was listening to the conversation, burst intoughter. ¡°Oh¡­ what the hell is Lemon Jelly? Are we fighting each other for that?¡± ¡°Have you never had one, Ophelia?¡± ¡°I have never given any thought about snacks in the first ce, King of Rhine. For a long time, our Elves have lived on the things that grow in the forests and fields.¡± Ophelia repeated what Reina had said long ago. Woohyuk took out a container of lemon jelly from his pouch. ¡°Huh?! Didn¡¯t you say you only had one container left?¡± ¡°If I said I had more then you wouldn¡¯t stop asking me for them, Witch of Annihtion.¡± Woohyuk pushed Helena out of the way and put a lemon jelly into Ophelia¡¯s hand. Ophelia thought about it for a while, went along with thisical farce, and put the lemon jelly in her mouth. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°It tastes pretty good, no?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve lived so long without knowing that there was such food. As an Elf Queen, I feel such deep sorrow.¡± Ophelia shed tears as if she was moved. Reina turned scarlet red in embarrassment when she saw this and screamed out, ¡°Why, why are you crying, Ophelia¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been a good girl to endure through these difficult times, Reina. This world gave me all kinds of pain and sorrow, but it also brought joy, like this lemon jelly.¡± Ophelia continued to concentrate on and praise the lemon jelly. Reina, who had lost her words, turned her head towards Woohyuk. ¡°You needed to take responsibility. Ophelia has turned strange.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll send a messenger and send you moreter, Ophelia.¡± With a container of lemon jelly, Woohyukpletely conquered Ophelia¡¯s heart. Chapter 222: Raising Talent 1

Chapter 222: Raising Talent 1

After resolving the issues in the Northern Front, Woohyuk stayed in the Principality of Croix and tried to get acquainted with the Elven Queen, Ophelia. She was a skilled person who reached the peak of pure magic in the past. At that time, their rtionship deteriorated due to the difference in their stance on the Holy Aperia Empire, but this time, it was possible to maintain a friendly rtionship. He was able to take a powerful talent at a bargain price. ¡°But why do you want me? As you can see, I¡¯m just an average, no-name mage¡­¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re a talent who will one day be a great mage,¡± Woohyuk said firmly to Allen, who was utterly confused. Allen stared at Woohyuk nkly for a moment. ¡°Have you said and done this to Reina, too?¡± ¡°I convinced Ophelia, so I was able to take Reina fairly easily.¡± ¡°If so, I will ask. How do you know I¡¯m going to be a great mage?¡± ¡°Just my feeling.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, the expression of ¡®this guy ispletely crazy¡¯ crossed Allen¡¯s face. When he finally couldn¡¯t understand, Woohyuk took out the Elixir of the Immortal from his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll give you this. This is what I got as a hidden reward from Dreadlore, but if you eat it, you can live an eternal life. ¡°¡­ Why are you giving me such a good thing?¡± ¡°Because if you eat this, you¡¯ll be¡­ impaired.¡± In a word, he¡¯d be a castrated eunuch. However, Allen did not show much agitation. ¡°The price for immortality doesn¡¯t seem too great.¡± ¡°The other guys don¡¯t think so. So, you better eat this.¡± Woohyuk handed the Elixir of Immortality to Allen. Allen went along with the seemingly crazy farce and consumed the Elixir of Immortality. Hwee-Ahhhhhhhhh! Red energy soared from Allen¡¯s body. ¡°¡­ I feel like my mind has cleared up.¡± ¡°Congrattions. You will never grow old anymore.¡± However, instead, he became ball-less. Woohyuk tapped Allen¡¯s shoulder and spoke, ¡°Do you know who Arkain, the Great Sage, is?¡± ¡°Of course. I have read his book several times in the library.¡± ¡°The tower he built is actually in this Principality of Croix.¡± [High Sage Arkain¡¯s Tower]. It was located on the Celestial Ind above the Principality of Croix. There was a hidden barrier, so if one didn¡¯t get close, one would never know it existed. When Woohyuk told him about the tower, Allen tilted his head. ¡°Have you ever actually been there?¡± ¡°Sure. You¡¯ll be attacking that tower in the future.¡± ¡°You mean alone? If it¡¯s such a great tower, it¡¯ll probably take me quite a while.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll help you attack it with my elite personnel. Furthermore, you don¡¯t have to worry about time.¡± Even if he didn¡¯t use the Hourss of Time artifact, the time flowed at -600 times at Arkain¡¯s Tower. One second here was 10 minutes there. By training there, high-efficiency growth was possible. Various loot was also a bonus. Allen nodded at Woohyuk¡¯s fascinating exnation. ¡°Not a bad idea. But when do you n to attack the tower?¡± ¡°My vassals will soone out of the training hall. Then, we¡¯ll have the right personnel to attack.¡± However, until then, all information about the tower had to be kept secret. Only then could Woohyuk be able to monopolize the loot. When Woohyuk finished exining, Allen looked at him with admiration. ¡°It¡¯s a great n. Are you nning to cultivate human resources and talent for something in the future?¡± ¡°Yes. It takes a lot of talent to change the absurd system of this world.¡± All of his efforts weren¡¯t just to fill an empty new seat. Woohyuk dreamt of a new world. However, he must ultimately challenge the Creator, so he had to have everyone work together. ¡°If what you said is true, I will serve you as my lord from today. Your ideals really touch my heart.¡± ¡°Good. Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Having persuaded Allen, Woohyuk felt it was time to return to the Rhine Kingdom. He had already told Princess Eleanora to buy him some time, so he didn¡¯t have to visit the Holy Aperia Empire for a while. He was able to focus on cultivating talent, something he had dyed so far. ¡°It¡¯s so unfortunate that you are leaving, King Rhine. When will I be able to see you again?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop by again soon. I also bring some lemon jelly next time.¡± ¡°Lemon jelly is one of the reasons why I live. Please, please.¡± Ophelia waved her hand with a depressed look. She wanted Woohyuk to be with her, but there was no pressing reason to hold onto him. When he left the pce, Helena opened her mouth with a tired expression, ¡°Are we going to go all the way back to the Rhine Kingdom? Just thinking about it is giving me a headache.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because you ate too much at the banquet yesterday, gluttonous Saintess,¡± Ibn Rusudmented. ¡°I didn¡¯t eat that much, you Elf-craving Sage. Why don¡¯t you take this chance to live out your sexual fantasy with the Elf Queen?¡± Helena retorted back. The two siblings were bored and started arguing once more. Maria shook her head with a look as if she still couldn¡¯t adapt to their behavior. ¡°¡­ May the Goddess¡¯ blessings be with them.¡± ¡°So, is the talk with Hildegard over, Maria?¡± Woohyuk looked back and asked Maria. Maria nodded. ¡°Yes, I will continue to follow the Hero King. Hildegard is not free from her responsibilities as a Pdin, so she will part ways with us.¡± ¡°Good. The longer she remains in the Empire, the easier it is to obtain information.¡± Woohyuk didn¡¯t have many informants in the Holy Aperia Empire, unlike the other smaller kingdoms across the continent. Hildegard was a person who he could trust, as she helped him prevent the first catastrophe. If necessary, he could consider putting her into his inner partyter. As Woohyuk rode his horse, Sieg, who was following him, tilted his head. ¡°Lord, this isn¡¯t the way to the Rhine Kingdom, right?¡± ¡°I guess bynd it isn¡¯t.¡± For a quicker return, Woohyuk specifically asked Aris to make a custom order, a flying shuttle, designed by Jake the Engineer. Once one boarded the shuttle, one could easily move around the continent through the sky. Before long, when they saw a huge shuttlending in front of their eyes, the group opened their mouths with an exasperated expression. ¡°Th-This is¡­ isn¡¯t this¡­ a flying shuttle?!¡± ¡°Can you fly in the sky with such a piece of metal? I think it would be more convenient to just use floating magic.¡± ¡°It looks quite strong, my lord.¡± The reaction was that most of them did not seem to understand the principle of flight. After Woohyuk had his party board, he ordered Aris, who was in the cockpit, to take off. ¡°Go ahead, Aris.¡± ¡°Teehee~ Okay~.¡± Aris started whistling to herself as she started the shuttle. Before long, the engine started running, and the engineering marvel rose high into the sky. ¡°Wow~ we¡¯re really flying!¡± ¡°How amazing. To think that stable flight is possible with such heavy metalponents. I will have to go through the old documentster to see if there were any cases like this in the past.¡± ¡°But when did you make it, Lord? Aris must have been busy doing other research.¡± ¡°Fiona helped out. As the systems manager for the magic engineering city, Inotia, she possesses a lot of knowledge in this field.¡± In other words, when Aris and Fiona joined forces, quite a few magic engineering (Hextech) inventions were easily be created. Everyone was surprised by Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°Woohyuk, then, can we make a car or shower room in our world?¡± ¡°In theory, it¡¯s possible, Hong Yuri. The power source may be a little different, but I mean, there are quite a few solutions to solve that problem.¡± ¡°Oho! I¡¯ll have to ask Aris to make them both for meter on.¡± ¡°However, if there¡¯s no blueprint, it can take a long time to produce.¡± Furthermore, now was the time for Woohyuk to focus on cultivating talent rather than technology. This was because of the systemic problems in this world could not be ovee only by technological progress. Looking down at the distant ground from the shuttle¡¯s viewing bay, Woohyuk made up his mind. Now was the time to develop the old guards and talents to a usable level. *** The shuttlended in Inotia, the Hextech City. Though it was called Hextech city, it only had Neustein Castle, the central area, and was surrounded by wastnd. Since the elevation was so high, only the Dragon Tribe members could live in such a ce. ¡°You were gone for a long time, Mr. Woohyuk Chun.¡± ¡°There was a lot of work to do on the ground, Fiona. Did anything happen while I was gone?¡± As soon as Woohyuk returned, Fiona approached and gave a report. She was, after all, the system administrator of the Hextech City. She continued her report from within a transparent ss test tube. ¡°There have been a number of times when some dragon tribe members came down with the contagious/infectious disease. They turned into demonic dragons. We fired particle cannons on the demonic dragons that approached Neustein Castle and intercepted all of them. That is all.¡± ¡°¡­ Good work.¡± Fiona was originally the Queen of Erendia, but her speech had changed since systematizing herself. She became more robotic and blunter. Woohyuk spoke again after checking the report she had written on the screen. ¡°You said you developed a cure for the infectious disease?¡± ¡°Yes. Closer analysis revealed that the dragon disease epidemic was caused by theponent A7F4HA3.¡± Theponent A7F4HA3 was one of the determinants of the demons. In other words, the gue on the dragons was caused by the demons. However, now that the cause was discovered, the urrence of demonic dragons would decrease. ¡°Does the cure have a significant effect on individuals who have already turned into demonic dragons?¡± ¡°Yes. In addition, this remedy also functions as a preventive agent, so it is good to use as a prophctic/vine for the young.¡± Hearing her exnation, Woohyuk thought of Lia and Carnelian. Woohyuk turned the pages of the report and asked a question, ¡°The analysis of Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit is still only at 78%plete. Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°It takes a long time to find out the unknown ingredients. However, it turned out that the Water of Paradise and the Water of Life are rted to this, so the estimated time may be shortened.¡± Still, 78% was great progress. Awakenings will continue to appear in the future, so it would be better to finish theponent analysis as soon as possible. Woohyuk finally took out the Grouse¡¯s Egg from his pocket. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time the other day, so I just kept it with me, but I have time now. I want you to shock whatever is in this egg and incubate it.¡± ¡°Okay. Considering the actual hatching environment native to the Grouse species, I will proceed under simr conditions as much as possible.¡± Fiona took the Grouse¡¯s egg from Woohyuk with a mechanical hand. After that, when she applied electrical stimtion on the Grouse egg for a while in theboratory, ¡°Pika?¡± The egg hatched and a blue grouse raised its head from the cracked shell. Woohyuk called on it and gave it a suitable name. ¡°Your name is Thunderbird. That¡¯s simple enough.¡± ¡°Pi-Yak?!¡± It seemed that the Thunderbird was quite taken aback by this ridiculous name. Still, since it was a unique summon, it seemed to have a high level of intelligence. Woohyuk decided to give it simple instructions, ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Pi-Yak.¡± ¡°Stand up.¡± ¡°Pi-Yak.¡± ¡°Pretend to be dead.¡± ¡°Kweck.¡± ¡°Fly.¡± ¡°Pi-Yak.¡± It was much smarter than a pretty pet. Thus, Woohyuk decided to use it to fix Roan¡¯s habit. ¡°Master! Don¡¯t just stay with that electronic girl, go outside and free your¡­¡± ¡°Kya-Ahhhhhh!¡± As Thunderbird entered the entrance, Roan, whose speech went beyondmon courtesy, was instantly electrocuted. Roan started to see stars. ¡°Eu-Heuk¡­ so strong¡­¡± Chapter 223: Raising Talent 2

Chapter 223: Raising Talent 2

After distributing the infectious disease remedy to the Dragon Tribe leaders, Woohyuk returned to the Rhine Kingdom. It was time for his talented personnel toe out of the training center. Although a month had passed in this world, 40 years had passed for those in the training center. ¡°Dad, I studied hard!¡± ¡°¡­ I also didn¡¯t get bad grades.¡± Lia and Carnelian ran to Woohyuk with their certificate ofpletion. They now looked like middle school students. ¡°Alright, eat this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It looks like medicine that we eat when we¡¯re sick¡­¡± Lia and Carnelian were confused and epted a cure for the current epidemic that ravaged the dragons. After exining the efficacy of the drug to the two, Woohyuk talked to Leifina. ¡°Did your sword skills improve?¡± ¡°Yes, I practiced every day after reading the textbook.¡± Fortunately, as a result of seeing her exemplify her skills, it seemed like she didn¡¯t spend all her time on researching how to cook instead of swordsmanship. ¡°Next time, reach the level of Sword Master.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Leifina looked lost. Woohyuk stroked her pink hair as if to say her expression was cute. ¡°Because you¡¯re stillcking in skills, I will invite a suitable teacher for you. Won¡¯t that be good?¡± ¡°Well. It¡¯s not bad, but¡­¡± Leifina blushed shyly. It was because she felt that Woohyuk¡¯s gaze was slightly different from usual. ¡°To have you stay by my side, I need for you to be stronger. Don¡¯t forget that fact.¡± ¡°¡­ I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± Leifina faced Woohyuk with a determined expression. She was in a state of regret for not being able to assist the lord. She tried not to miss the opportunity that Woohyuk gave this time. ¡®I like the look in your eyes.¡¯ Was it because he saw the memories of his previous life? He was starting to be more and more attached to Leifina. Of course, even before that, she was always a special person to him, but the rtionship had never progressed because of his guilt toward Lucretia. Except for the night before he left. ¡®I may have been too negligent to Pina.¡¯ The reality that she tried her best for him deserved his respect. Although her cooking ability was still a massive failure, it couldn¡¯t be seen as a major w against her. This was because everyone had a weakness. Thus, even if he didn¡¯t know about his past, he would love Leifina for who she was and for what she did for him. ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to your progress.¡± He couldn¡¯t tell her everything yet. After passing Leifina, Woohyuk looked at Maester Liberto next. ¡°Tell me about the educational achievements.¡± ¡°Song Anna improved and developed her fifth ability, the ability to transform.¡± Song Anna had a hidden ss called the Child of Seven Stars. The first ability was to give a corporeal physical being to a spirit. The second ability was to directly possess natural objects, such as animals and nts. The third ability was to give a corporeal physical body to animals and nts. The fourth ability was to create a new spirit. And the fifth ability, discovered this time around, was to transform oneself and other objects into animals and nts. ¡°Up to now, it seems almost all her abilities are rted to nature,¡± Woohyukmented. ¡°She has tremendous potential. In particr, I focused on developing hermunication skills with the spirits because she seems to possess special powers in that direction.¡± The water spirit Undine, contracted by Song Anna, was also at the level of an intermediate mage. Woohyuk nodded and asked about the status of the other talents. ¡°What about Yoo Kayoung and Silvia?¡± ¡°Yoo Kayoung has very good sensitivity to magic and has be an advanced mage. She can cast AOE magic by herself. She¡¯s also learned teleportation and defensive barrier magic. Silvia is also able to use her skills as a Soul Linker.¡± Silvia was now able to share skills or improve a party¡¯s overallbat power by tying the souls of allies together. Furthermore, the basic link range was greatly increased, so, after binding hundreds of monsters, it was possible to inflict tremendous amounts of damage simultaneously with a single group attack. After listening to Maester Liberto¡¯s words, Woohyuk looked satisfied. ¡°Everyone has grown quite a bit.¡± ¡°Everyone continued to practice for 40 years. Results will appear if anyone practices for that long.¡± Certainly, the talents who entered the training hall were now at a usable level. However, their development was stillcking. It took a lot of practical practice to survive reality, not to mention overturning the world through cataclysmic actions and defending against high-ranking Demon Kings who were awakening from their sleep. As he was pondering whether to send them to the Tower of Arkain, ¡°Hero King, aren¡¯t you going to ask about me?¡± Irene¡¯s silver hair waved in the wind as she came up to Woohyuk. Her tone of speech had be more formal and wore an academy suit, so she looked more modest than before. Woohyuk asked her a question because she was also important, ¡°Were you able to achieve some results?¡± ¡°Yeah. By fighting Leifina every day, I improved mybat power. I also learned teleportation magic.¡± Irene was a chimera who defeated the enemy by wielding Death Side. However, being a chimera, Irene had the advantage of being able to absorb and replicate the abilities of others by eating the hearts. Woohyuk took out Grandia and tested Irene¡¯s developed skills. Ka-Rang! Ka-Rang! Irene had a fairly leisurely exchange with Woohyuk. Indeed, her chimera-like physical ability allowed her to keep up with him. Compared to others, her growth rate was much faster, and her battle sense was good. ¡°Excellent.¡± ¡°Is this enough to apany the Hero King?¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely possible. However, you¡¯ll have to acquire more skills in the future.¡± There must be a reason why Irene was given as a hidden reward on thest floor of the Twilight Tower. Woohyuk took out a dragon heart from his pocket and handed it to her. ¡°Come and eat this.¡± ¡°What is this? It has such an enormous magical power. I can feel it from here.¡± It was the first time Irene had seen a dragon heart. She had on a strange, confused expression. Afterward receiving the heart, she began to chew and eat it without much thought. Munch. Munch. An ordinary person would frown when they looked at someone eating a heart raw. However, this was on par for a chimera. Woohyuk stroked Irene¡¯s head to let her know she did well. ¡°Is the taste okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but I think I¡¯m much stronger now.¡± When Irene lifted Death Side, a cold force spread out and froze the air around them. By absorbing the power of the dragon species, herbat power increased dramatically. After seeing this, Woohyuk wondered if he should feed her Alice¡¯s heart. ¡®But Alice¡¯s heart still has research value.¡¯ The potentialbat prowess and sheer force Alice showed in thest battle was enormous enough to leave a strong impression on Woohyuk. If the research on her heart was sessful, it would be of great help to himter on. After speaking with his personnel, Woohyuk encouraged andplimented Maester Liberto, who had taught the talents so far. ¡°Good work. The Hourss of Time will remain here for the time being, so I hope you will further develop these talents.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me.¡± Maester Liberto politely bowed his head. Woohyuk told his party members to rest up before he headed to the Royal Rhine Pce. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, my King.¡± ¡°How is it dealing with state affairs?¡± ¡°There is no difficulty, especially with the help of capable vassals. There¡¯s also a strong guardian looking over everything.¡± The guardian Joanna spoke of was ck Dragon King Drakia. Woohyuk looked at Drakia, who was standing next to her with an expressionless face. ¡°But why are you here?¡± ¡°Joanna is thest lineage of my lovely Iona. So, from now on, I will always follow her and keep her safe.¡± It seemed that the Rhine Kingdom would be safe even if Woohyuk wasn¡¯t around. Woohyuk nodded and told Joanna what he was doing back in the kingdom, ¡°Joanna, I intend to conquer the eastern area of the Eeth Continent. I probably won¡¯te back for a while. So, as I said before, the Rhine Kingdom is yours.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re going that far away? Unfortunately, I guess I can¡¯t help.¡± Joanna had already changed her surname to vis, which was her true identity. After some time, once the session to the throne was made clear, Woohyuk found Leifina. ¡°Did you call me, Lord?¡± ¡°I have to go out again for a while.¡± The next destination was the Floren Province within the Rhine Kingdom. It was a mountainous area to the left of the capital, Heidelberg. There, he would find Choi Kayoon, who would be the Monster Lord in the future. ¡°Monster Lord¡­ do you intend to send her into the training hall as well?¡± ¡°It probably won¡¯t take her 40 years.¡± It was possible to secure a growth period of more than 40 years with one month inside the training center. 40 years was the amount of time he had spent in his previous life on this continent before returning, so he knew that a month in the training room would be enough for Choi Kayoon to be the Monster Lord. He was also nning to add Tinia, the Wind Goddess, to the 2nd cohort of trainees. ¡°Lord, then, am I going to train in the Tower of Arkain?¡± ¡°Yes. You will be a Sword Master after your training there.¡± If the teacher who taught Princess Eleonora could teach Leifina, she¡¯d be able to reach the level of Sword Master. Leifina was his closest aide who had always been by his side in his past life. Although she was already strong enough, he wanted her to grow as much as possible. As they traveled by carriage to the Floren Province, the two conversed on all the things they didn¡¯t have a chance to talk about before. ¡°I remember the first time I met you, Lord. At that time, I was trapped in the Witch Angrboda¡¯s Sanctuary gradually losing hold of my life.¡± ¡°¡­ All of that was the Creator¡¯s tricks.¡± As Archangel Raphael, he reincarnated with the help of Pina, the Goddess of Fate, but lost all his memories. However, the Creator gave him Pina as a humanpanion. Why? Why did he summon races from other dimensions into this world and let him grow with Pina? His ultimate goal was to control the demons that interfered with his system¡¯s maintenance. However, he was still unsure why the Creator was using him and Pina to achieve this goal. ¡®I probably caused a problem for the Creator and died.¡¯ Thus, only he and Pina could resolve the difficult problem they created. When thinking of it this way, the story roughly fit. The details can only be known by going to Urdarbrunn and retrieving the memories from his previous life. When Woohyuk was contemting all this, Leifina carefully opened her mouth to speak, ¡°Lord¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I might be overly sensitive¡­ but I feel like you have something to say to me. You don¡¯t have to hide it.¡± Leifina felt sorry for Woohyuk since he always worried and nned alone. So, she hoped she could be of help, which was also the reason why she started to learn how to cook. Unlike others, her fate and life were intertwined with Woohyuk¡¯s. As she was in a situation where she would never betray him, she wanted Woohyuk to believe in her and tell her anything. Woohyuk nodded at Leifina¡¯s honest remarks. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think I have beenpletely honest throughout our time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if you felt bad from my directness. I think Lord is struggling a lot¡­¡± ¡°Leifina.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°First off, I want you to stop cooking.¡± Woohyuk expressed his honest feelings. A moment of silence flowed inside the wagon that rattled its wheels as it crossed the in. Chapter 224: Raising Talent 3

Chapter 224: Raising Talent 3

There was actually one more reason why Woohyuk went to the Floren Province. The Ancient Demon Harpes¡¯ Crystal. If he summoned Harpes and passed his test, he would be rewarded. However, it was impossible to do such a thing in the middle of the city. Thus,ing to this secluded mountainous area was perfect for his ns. ¡°Lord, how strong are the Ancient Demons?¡± asked Leifina. ¡°Well, that¡¯s hard to quantify. In the case of Crue, we managed to win using all the means at our disposal,¡± answered Woohyuk. The Ancient Demons were actually angels who rebelled against their Creator and then fell from grace. Though, in the case of Crue, she was so obsessed with her personal desires that she identally touched the Forbidden Knowledge and became an Ancient Demon. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Leifina looked worried. ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t we summon more vassals¡­¡± ¡°I have already finished talking with the Dragon Tribes. Sky Ind, which is where they are located, is right next to the Floren Province, so there shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± However, if he were to lose consciousness and be consumed by the demonic energy, he would be in trouble, so he brought Leifina. After notifying Choi Kayoon about the situation, Woohyuk took out Harpes¡¯ magic crystal from his pocket. [Ancient Demon Harpes¡¯ Crystal] Category: Item Effect: Summon the sealed Ancient Demon Harpes. After passing his test, the summoner is rewarded ording to Harpes'' evaluation. Sa-A-A-Ah! A pitch-ck magic circle unfolded in the air, and the sky turns gray. Leifina grabbed her hair as she was struck by the rapidly blowing breeze. ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Stand back, Leifina. This is a test I must ovee myself.¡± If someone were to help, the subjective evaluation of Ancient Demon Harpes could be lower. Once Leifina moved farther away, a gap appeared in the sky and a huge demon appeared from within. [Ancient Demon Harpes]. He possessed a denser amount of demonic energy than Crue did. ¡°Is it you who called me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Harpes recognized Woohyuk. He resembled Archangel Rafael, who fought alongside him a long time ago against the Creator. The n, however, failed. Rafael had sacrificed himself at thest minute to send hisrades into the Abyss World. To reappear like this and in human form¡­ Also, the pink-haired woman next to him was... ¡°This must be the Creator¡¯s doing.¡± Harpes briefly analyzed and concluded the current situation in his mind. Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Everything is heading for the future, ording to his design. However, I intend to stop it.¡± ¡°¡­ You haven¡¯t changed at all from then.¡± Harpes recalled Rafael¡¯s noble appearance as he nced over Woohyuk, a human being. Rafael had always believed, even at the end, that he could change the world into something more right, more just. The Odyssey n wasn¡¯t over as long as his soul remained. ¡®But this instance has also been predestined and included in the Creator¡¯s design.¡¯ In this world, the creation of his system, everything eventually followed his will. The only way to go against it was to cultivate strength in the Abyss or enter the Divine Realm and challenge the Creator. Both of these options were unattainable for someone with a human body. Thus, Harpes decided to give Woohyuk a difficult challenge. Harpes¡¯ decision wasn¡¯t done out of spite but to empower Woohyuk to jump over the metaphysical wall and carry out his previous ns. ¡°What kind of trial are you going to give anyway? I need top-notch rewards.¡± ¡°I was thinking of giving you the most difficult trial at my disposal. To make you grow dramatically.¡± When Harpes put his trident on the ground, the surroundingndscape turned into a reddish hell. Woohyuk frowned and stopped the violent mes from hurting him by summoning a defensive ck veil barrier. ¡°Are you telling me to take you down?¡± ¡°Yes. I am Harpes, the Archangel who epted the demonic energy of the Abyss. If you want to sit on the Demon Throne, you have to ovee me.¡± Harpes knew that Woohyuk had united with his former master, Asura. To counter the Creator, the top priority for Woohyuk was to transform into a demon. The Ancient Demons, including Harpes himself, were striving in their own way to sit on the Demon King Throne in the Abyss. ¡®But you¡¯re the one who truly needs to be a demon.¡¯ The ancient demons in the Abyss, like Lucifer and Mammon, had already long given up on the Odyssey n and became demonic entities who destroyed any and everything as the main goal. The Odyssey n was a meaningful n only if, after defeating the Creator, it was fully implemented into the system and fundamentally altering the system itself. In Harpes¡¯ mind, Woohyuk was the one with the highest possibility to seed. He was the one who came up with the Odyssey n in the first ce. Therefore, Harpes decided to bet everything on Woohyuk. Even if he had to use his own strength that he had collected so far. Even if he must sacrifice himself in the process of developing Woohyuk. Kwa-Ji-Ji-Ji-Jik! As Harpes swung the trident, the heavens and earth fluctuated, causing a tear in space and time. The source of his power was the Abyss. The Abyss could distort the system and destroy everything. ¡®¡­ Strong.¡¯ Woohyuk clicked his tongue as he leaped into the air and avoided the Harpes¡¯ spears. Though the Fallen Angel Crue had a simr level of power, her consciousness had been eroded, restricting her from fully utilizing her powers. However, Harpes was the closest entity to a true Ancient Demon. It was difficult to aim for a weakness through trickery or traditional methods. Moreover, Woohyuk probably couldn¡¯t beat him head on. ¡®However, I must ovee this entity to endure the trials in the future.¡¯ Harpes was apanion from his former life, as Archangel Raphael. If he could be recognized and assisted by Harpes, it wouldn¡¯t be a farfetched dream to consider reaching the Demon Throne. Little did Woohyuk know that he was already unwittingly crossing the threshold to sit atop the throne. Ka-Rang! Verserios spewed ck mes and struck Harpes¡¯ trident. At the same time, an unspeakable aftershock reverberated throughout the space! Woohyuk recalled the moment when he fought the previous Asura in the Twilight Tower. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Dark red blood spilled from Woohyuk¡¯s mouth. If he was an ordinary person, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to withstand the damage from just the aftershock, never mind the sh. However, thanks to the Necromancer ss, Woohyuk was able to maintain consciousness even as a human because his tolerance to death was upgraded. ¡®Long battles are absolutely unfavorable¡­!¡¯ The Ancient Demon Harpes was stronger than the Fallen Angel Crue. In other words, this trial was a harder ordeal to ovee than the First Catastrophe. In a short period of time, he had to mobilize all possible methods of attack. He had to fight alone, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t utilize the spells and abilities of others. Woohyuk used the Nocturne of the Hidden Crescent Moon to cast God Death in the air. Hwi-Ah~! A huge spiral ck hole was created above them, absorbing the raging demonic energy from this reddish-hued hell. However, Harpes didn¡¯t show any agitation and simply neutralized the ck hole. Slice! Two smaller ck holes were separated by his red trident. The ability of a 7th ranked Demon King was insufficient to harm Harpes. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t give up. This time, he cast Demon Annihtion. ¡®I must get out of this guy¡¯s sphere of influence as much as possible.¡¯ The current battlefield was Abyss¡¯ hell, Harpes¡¯ absolute space. If Woohyuk remained fighting in this space, Harpes would have an overwhelming advantage. But in the air, the raging and flickering mes of hell weren¡¯t able to reach the tops, so he¡¯d have to utilize that space. Woohyuk swung Verserios as he moved from ce to ce through various small ck holes. Hwee-Eek! Bam! Bam! Bam! Several jet-ck shes tore through the air and hit Harpes¡¯ shield. However, without a scratch, Harpes starting provoking Woohyuk, ¡°Are you saying that you want to be the Lord of all demons with that level of strength? Your rivals are far stronger than the average Gods!¡± Harpes was once an Archangel, the foremost person within the Creator¡¯s inner circle. In general, Archangels are one level below the Gods. However, after he fell into the abyss, he was able to gain greater strength than the Gods. This was possible because the Creator put systemic restrictions on Archangels and Gods to prevent them from surpassing their positions. That¡¯s why it was said that, among all the Gods and beings, only the Devil, the Lord of all demons, could challenge the Creator. ¡°¡­ I will ovee it¡­ to finish what I started in the previous and present life.¡± And to be with someone important. Woohyuk emerged from the small ck hole behind Harpes and unfolded the absolute space of Asura. Afterward, the absolute space of two people sharply collided! The ck magic and fiery power of hell mixed together and fought a spatial duel to dominate the battlefield. Hwee-Ah! A fierce vortex raged and a resonance sound urred. A violent collision made further cracks in the space-time air. During this process, Woohyuk felt the pain of all his body¡¯s bones being shattered. ¡°Keuk!!¡± He felt as if his intestines ruptured and his blood flowed backward. Nevertheless, he had to endure it. To challenge the throne with a human body. Could it be possible without surpassing the limits of the body? Woohyuk struggled desperately because he knew that once he set his own limits, he could never move forward. ¡°Ha-Ar-Uh-Pe-S!¡± Woohyuk swung Verserios while subconsciously screaming at the top of his lungs. As if reflecting his heart and innermost desire, the ck demonic energy became stronger. Harpes gave a momentary grin of admiration. ¡®Surely, this is Archangel Rafael! Even after bing a human, that indomitable determination remains alive!¡¯ Harpes didn¡¯t know how Woohyuk was able to meet the previous Asura, but Harpes was sure that the previous Asura must have felt the same way. Even though he lost all his abilities as an Archangel and was trapped in a fragile body, Woohyuk possessed a miraculous power that exceeded his limitations. It originated from Rafael¡¯s pure soul. ¡®Be sure to be a transcendent this time, Rafael! For yourself! For this world, which has been ruined by the Creator¡¯s dogma!¡¯ Harpes stopped the raging, wild Verserios while cheering for Woohyuk in his heart. At the same time, the sword¡¯s demonic energy devoured the battlefield. Asura¡¯s absolute space encroached on Harpes¡¯ hell, temporarily constraining Harpes¡¯ movement. ¡°¡­ Keuk.¡± Along with a short sigh, Harpes burst into a peal of lowughter. A human was seeking to cross the boundaries and be a transcendent, something that even he, Harpes, couldn¡¯t ovee. In his previous life as an Archangel, Rafael had performed such miracles at thest moment. ¡®I will entrust everything to you.¡¯ No matter how much Woohyuk was Rafael¡¯s reincarnation, Harpes would not help him if he was not qualified. However, through this battle, Harpes was able to realize that they were one and the same. He was the only one who could carry out the Odyssey n and make it a reality. Therefore, Harpes was willing to give his life to his oldpanion. To break down the system that made everyone unhappy, to realize the future they dreamed of¡­ Chwa-Ah! Verserios dug into Harpes¡¯ side, causing ck blood to sprinkle out into the air. Then, a gush of blood burst out before Harpes'' body was separated into two parts, falling from the air into the pitch-ck darkness. When he died, a series of system messages appeared in front of Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. [You have defeated the Ancient Demon Harpes.] [You have acquired the Red me Ring.] [Abyssal Demon Quest has begun.] Chapter 225: Raising Talent 4

Chapter 225: Raising Talent 4

¡®¡­ Are these the highest level of rewards?¡¯ The Red me Ring was an item, and the Abyssal Demon Quest was a quest offering. Woohyuk tried to check their contents, but his body didn¡¯t move at his will. He had exhausted his bodily limits and went beyond his body¡¯s demonic energy limit to ovee Ancient Demon Harpes. In addition, his body waspletely ravaged from his fight with Harpes. Feeling his consciousness slipping, Woohyuk fell onto the ground. Thump! Perhaps because of Harpes¡¯ hellish absolute space influence, his mind had been devastated and left nk. He literally couldn¡¯t lift his finger to use the Power of Resuscitation. ¡®Will I die like this¡­¡¯ He had flirted with the threshold of death countless times in the past. However, he had never clearly seen his death as he did now. Eventually, as the surroundingndscape returned to its original state, Leifina ran toward the copsed Woohyuk. ¡°Lord!¡± Leifina didn¡¯t know what happened in Harpes¡¯ trial. As Harpes expanded his absolute space to start the trial, she was unable to see anything within. ¡®¡­ Leifina.¡¯ In his fading consciousness, Woohyuk called out her name in his heart. Was this hisst moment with her? He suddenly thought that he couldn¡¯t give up. He didn¡¯t want this to be thest moment that they spent together. However, his body didn¡¯t move as he intended. It seemed that his umted overexertion was finally catching up to him. As Woohyuk continued toy motionless, Leifina started feeding him an advanced recovery potion that she prepared in advance. It wasn¡¯t something Woohyuk told her to prepare, but she had prepared it with her own money in case he fell into danger someday. Thanks to this, Woohyuk was able to barely ovee the climax of death and pull away from its threshold. Leifina, who was holding and caressing his head on her knees with her eyes closed, sighed in relief. ¡°Really, the Lord is acting so unreasonably again¡­¡± In the future, he would have to contend against stronger opponents, so she knew she had to stay close by his side. Leifina looked down and touched the Pendant of Memory he was wearing. ¡®I can see the Lord¡¯s past now.¡¯ Her actions weren¡¯t just because she was curious about his private life and his rtionship with other women. She wanted to share in Woohyuk¡¯s struggles and unspeakable worries to lessen his load. Leifina now wanted to share the heavy burden together. So, she touched and essed Woohyuk¡¯s Pendant of Memory¡­ Teuk. Teuk. She shed tears without knowing it. Among the vast memories, she saw the memories of his past life. ¡°¡­ So, that¡¯s why the Lord hasn¡¯t told me anything this whole time.¡± The feelings of guilt and affliction prated her heart at the same time. How long had she been neglecting her Lord? Her ipetence in being able to assist him, which she had not been able to do so far, suddenly became a mourning resentfulness that filled her heart. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my Lord. Now, I will protect your lordship.¡± She nned to no longer have him carry the burden for both of them. However, in order not to be a burden on the journey, she must be much stronger than she was now. Leifina was determined as she gripped Argent, the Oath of Loyalty sword, with her hands. *** Woohyuk didn¡¯t regain consciousness for a week. The umted fatigue had crossed a critical point during his battle with Harpes. Due to this, Leifina spent all her time nursing him at Choi Kayoon¡¯s mansion¡­ with the always unpredictable and crazy Saintess Helena. ¡°Helena, when will the Lord open his eyes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, you¡¯ve done everything possible. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t lose control over the demonic energy, so he should recover naturally over time,¡± Helena responded as she sighed and sat on a chair. It was impossible to help Woohyuk with her divine magic. However, because she knew about demons, she was able to somewhat heal him with Aris¡¯ help. ¡°When will Arise again?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°She¡¯ll probably stay in Inotia, the Hextech city, unless she¡¯s urgently needed. She¡¯s not really of much help anyway.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s demonic energy originated from none other than that of an Asura, the former Great Demon King. No matter how highly-ranked another demon was, it was almost impossible topletely control and assist Woohyuk¡¯s level of being. If one touched something wrong, Verserios could run wild. After hearing Helena¡¯s exnation, Leifina bowed her head down with a dark expression, ¡°I¡¯m going to get stronger quickly, so I can help the Lord¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s help, you¡¯re doing so right now, right? Leifina, you just need to be that man¡¯s spiritual prop. You need to be his mental foundation.¡± Helena saw Leifina as the only person who could stop Woohyuk from going mad and ovee by his demonic powers. However, Leifina shook her head because she thought differently, ¡°As a knight, I want to defend by my Lord¡¯s side. I want to help alleviate the Lord¡¯s great burden so that he doesn¡¯t have to carry it alone.¡± ¡°¡­ You saw that man¡¯s memory.¡± Helena knew about the rtionship between Woohyuk and Leifina because she had seen the prophecies before. Leifina raised her head in amazement and cried out, ¡°H-How did you know?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s written on your face. It¡¯s like you¡¯re the lead female MC who¡¯s anxious because she couldn¡¯t sacrifice herself for her heroic male friend.¡± ¡°I will never be a burden to the Lord¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not being honest. Fess up. You¡¯ve been in love with that man since the beginning, right? That¡¯s why you can¡¯t give up cooking even though your cooking skills are trash.¡± Helena looked displeased with Leifina. Leifina could not refute Helena¡¯s words, so she shut her mouth and stayed silent. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Look. You want to be that man¡¯s lover. That form of bond is definitely different from a knight¡¯s respect for a monarch. So, make sure to make things clear from now on. Don¡¯t grab his ankles and drag him down at a really important moment.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± She had no desire to hinder Woohyuk¡¯s progress on his ultimate path because of her personal feelings. She just wanted to help him by his side if possible. As Leifina muttered these thoughts in her mind, Woohyuk opened his eyes. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Now you open your eyes. The man who stopped the First Catastrophe and defeated the Ancient Demons,¡± Helena, sitting in a chair and eating lemon jelly, said offhand to the waking Woohyuk. Seeing both women looking down at him, Woohyuk instantly grasped the situation. ¡°How long have I been in this state?¡± he asked. ¡°One week. Thanks to that, Leifina and I yed with the monsters here.¡± The current location was Choi Kayoon¡¯s mansion in the Floren Province. Choi Kayoon was raising and training various kinds of monsters, so it wasn¡¯t a very good ce to live for Saintess Helena. ¡°¡­ Quite a long time has passed.¡± ¡°Not that much, really. It¡¯s just that you¡¯ve been overwhelmed and overburdened, so you needed a little more time to recuperate. Thus, from now on, try to pay attention to your pace. You¡¯re making me repeat myself often.¡± Helena, as a member of Etheria Rodinus, was constantly observing and assessing Woohyuk. If Woohyuk wasn¡¯t able to control Verserios and ran rampant, then she had to use the Holy Grail. Woohyuk nodded because he understood the meaning behind her words and didn¡¯t want such a result. ¡°I seemed to have struggled a little too much this time to get the highest reward. I¡¯ll be more careful next time,¡± Woohyuk answered. ¡°Anyways, it was Leifina who did all the troublesome treatment anyway.¡± Helena folded her arms and shrugged her shoulders as if she was saying that she didn¡¯t do anything. Woohyuk turned his gaze to Leifina, who was silently seated next to him. ¡°Thank you, Leifina. I lived thanks to you.¡± ¡°¡­ No, my Lord. I just did what I needed to do.¡± Leifina had to share her fate with Woohyuk because of her ss, Iron Maiden. If Woohyuk died, Leifina would die as well. It was natural to always protect him by his side. ¡°Anyway, I have to check the rewards now.¡± The Red me Ring item and a quest called Abyssal Demon Quest. As Woohyuk raised his upper body and looked around for the rewards, Leifina gave him the ring, which glowed like a flower of fire. ¡°Are you looking for this? My Lord lost consciousness at that time, so I kept it in safekeeping.¡± ¡°Good job,¡± Woohyuk praised Leifina and checked the information of the rewards. [Red me Ring] Category: Item Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Description: Immune from all types of fire damage. You can unfold the fiery hell, an absolute space, on the battlefield. You can freely handle the me or hide something within it. [New Achievement: Quest] Name: Abyssal Demon Quest Type: Epic Content: Defeat three Ancient Demons in a deeper dimension than the Demon World where the 72 Demon King exists. Others: Only one chance is given. Failure toplete the quest will bar the user from the quest. The Red me Ring was truly a fraudulent artifact. Being immune from all forms of me damage was an option he hadn¡¯t heard or seen before. In addition, it was possible to freely handle the me or hide his appearance in it when he unfurled the absolute space. It was possible to reproduce the reddish hell, the absolute space of Harpes, which had been so hard for him to ovee. ¡®I don¡¯t know if the other Ancient Demons will also give this level of reward.¡¯ There was a total of three Ancient Demons specified on the quest. Since Harpes was a fire attribute Ancient Demon, the rest were likely to be other elemental-based Ancient demons, like water or wind attributes. It was just his guess, but if he were to defeat them all, he¡¯d be able to master the abilities of Fire, Ice, and Wind. It was difficult to imagine the finalpensation, but it seemed to be huge in scale. ¡®Didn¡¯t he mention Mammon and Lucifer?¡¯ He had heard both of their names once before. Mammon was associated with the cursed ring, Andvaranaut, and Lucifer was the Ancient Demon Aleister wanted to summon through the King¡¯s Book. Of course, it was clear that they¡¯d be as strong, if not stronger, as Harpes. As Woohyuk silently touched the Red me Ring, Leifina carefully opened her mouth to speak, ¡°My Lord. How about eating now? You haven¡¯t been able to eat properly for a week¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Are you going to prepare?¡± ¡°No! Would I embarrass the Lord with mycking cooking skills in this situation?¡± Leifina was shocked and actively denied the thought. She previously had a record of harassing Woohyuk and his party members with her ¡®special¡¯ cuisine at her mansion. ¡°I guess it can¡¯t be helped. Since Leifina can¡¯t cook, I¡¯ll do it instead¡­¡± ¡°Wait. You can¡¯t do it either, Helena.¡± Helena had a criminal record of trying to put giant mushrooms instead of emperor mushrooms when making a cure for infectious diseases in the Lydia Kingdom. Giant mushrooms were a dangerous ingredient that could cause hallucinations and kill people, who were otherwise in good health, even in small amounts. It was impossible to leave the cooking to Helena, who couldn¡¯t even tell such basic ingredients apart. Helena turned her head to the side as if she was pissed at Woohyuk¡¯sment. ¡°Do you think I want to do it because I want to cook? If you¡¯re going to be like that, do it yourself¡­¡± Click. As the door opened, Choi Kayoon, the owner of the mansion, suddenly entered. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to her at once. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re awake now? You were sleeping just a moment ago.¡± ¡°Choi Kayoon, have you tried your hand at cooking?¡± Woohyuk stared at Choi Kayoon with an expectant gaze. Choi Kayoon nodded. ¡°Sure. When I was living by myself during college, I used to often cook for myself and eat alone. If you want to eat Korean food, I¡¯ll cook some and bring it over.¡± ¡°Okay, that would be great. Thank you.¡± Now, it seemed he would be able to properly eat. When Choi Kayoon left, Helena whispered to Leifina, who was next to her. ¡°That woman, every time she cooks something, it¡¯s really spicy and salty, so it¡¯s not delicious. Why is that?¡± ¡°Well, well¡­¡± It seemed that he didn¡¯t know that Choi Kayoon¡¯s cooking skills were just as bad if not worse than these two women. The two women looked at Woohyuk with pitiful eyes. He was a poor man who had no luck with food. Chapter 226: Raising Talent 5

Chapter 226: Raising Talent 5

After regaining a sense of reality after eating Choi Kayoon¡¯s overly salty and spicy meat stew¡­ ¡°I should start preparing to head off.¡± Together with the three women who cared for him during the period of his unconsciousness, Woohyuk headed to Heidelberg, the capital of the Rhine Kingdom. Swordmaster Granver was supposed toe to find him. Though he was the incumbent teacher of Princess Eleonora, thanks to Woohyuk¡¯s sess in conquering the Northern Front, Woohyuk was able to obtain permission to use Granver from Emperor Tiberius. ¡°¡­ But why are we moving in a wagon? If we use the shuttle, we¡¯d reach Heidelberg in one day,¡± Helena, who was sitting next to Choi Kayoon,ined as everyone else was keeping quiet inside the carriage. Woohyuk shook his head, turning his gaze towards her, ¡°The flying shuttle can¡¯t be controlled by anyone. For now, only Aris can fly the shuttle, and she¡¯s busy with her research assignments right now.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s research, are you talking about the Qliphoth Fruit? Obviously, there¡¯s a need to take a countermeasure against it. Because of its proliferation, several small kingdoms are in a financial and civil crisis.¡± The Qliphoth Fruit transformed non-demons into Awakened people, and at the same time, it made them into faithful servants of Aleister. And in thetter case, one could be a servant even if one didn¡¯t be an Awakener. People couldn¡¯t avoid this fate if they even took a bite from a Qliphoth Fruit. As the topic turned to something serious, Choi Kayoon spoke up with an anxious expression, ¡°Then, not only should you develop a cure, but you should also find the supplier of Qliphoth¡¯s Fruits, right? If the number of hosts grows exponentially, the supply of the treatment mayg. Aleister may even manipte the hosts to reject the treatment.¡± ¡°As for finding the origin and production center, I¡¯ve had informants investigating for a while now,¡± Woohyuk answered. Up to now, while he traveled around, his other vassals had been busy trying to find out the whereabouts and movement of the Witches Cult and the supply channels of Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit. Even though he was busy, he didn¡¯t gloss over these small details. The talented individuals under him, who were not yet developed to immediately enter the battlefield, were entrusted to educational institutions to develop their skills. Additionally, those who were not capable of joining them on the battlefield were given other required tasks. Leifina nodded in admiration at Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°He is truly my Lord. You are skillfully deploying so much manpower in the right ces and with great efficiency.¡± ¡°Thanks to the painful experiences I acquired from the recent past.¡± Woohyuk¡¯s words meant that he hadn¡¯t sessfully performed his role as a monarch from the beginning. When he first came to the Eeth Continent, he lost many n members in his sh with other ns, and several vassals were sacrificed due to misjudgment in the wars with the regional overlords. However, through trial and error, Woohyuk was able to learn many lessons from his mistakes. As Woohyuk raised his head as if deep in thought, Leifina hesitatingly spoke, ¡°Uhm, my Lord¡­¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°When do you n on having your marriage with Princess Eleanora?¡± The Kazak tribe members, who had been raging in the north, were almost eliminated, and the demonic camp¡¯s provocations had declined noticeably these past few days. So, at least, there was peace in the western continent, for the time being. There was still quite a bit of time left before they had to leave for the eastern conquest, so now was the best time to build internal solidarity and develop his human resources (these individuals will be referred to as ¡®talents¡¯). It was probably also a good time to consummate the marriage if that was wanted or needed. However, for personal reasons, Woohyuk decided to postpone his marriage with Princess Eleonora indefinitely. ¡°To be honest, I have no intention of marrying Eleonora. It was an engagement due to political necessity. Furthermore, in the present situation, the Holy Aperia Empire can be fully controlled behind the scenes. Therefore, I n to maintain a continual postponement, using the crisis as an excuse.¡± He didn¡¯t want Leifina to feel discouraged or concerned, as he knew she loved him. Of course, he also had unspeakable feelings for Leifina. Was it because of the rtionship that originated from his previous life? Once his fragmented memories started piecing together into a more holistic picture, he started to view Leifina as more than a knight. As Woohyuk stared at Leifina, Helena opened her mouth to speak with a gloomy look, ¡°When I see that he¡¯s giving up on one of the finest-looking princesses, there must already be a woman that he loves in his mind. Well, I can¡¯t bring myself to verbalize who that is.¡± ¡°¡­ So noisy, Witch of Annihtion. Let me make it clear right now, you¡¯re not her.¡± Helena¡¯s sexual approaches were often done so that she could help him relieve his repressed desires and to prevent Verserios from taking over his conscience. In other words, she was thoroughly fulfilling her duty as a member of Ethereia Rodinus. Personal feelings and attraction followed this main objective. ¡®Lucretia will probably have to give up on him now, too.¡¯ After returning to the Rhine Kingdom, they heard, from the Holy Pope¡¯s informationwork, that Lucretia was engaged to a young man in the same clergy. Woohyuk couldn¡¯t hide the bitterness that came from his heart, but what was done was done. Nothing could be done as he and Lucretia were getting farther apart as time went by. So, he decided to forget about the past and focus on Leifina. With a determined expression, Woohyuk stared out the window. Their current location was at the border between the Floren and Serendia Province. The rugged mountain range disappeared from view, and a wide in emerged. ¡°Lord, when do you n to nt that oak tree seed? There are still many suitable ces, but¡­¡± ¡°As soon as this schedule is over, I n to nt the seed.¡± [Oak Tree Seeds containing L¡¯s Wish]. It was a hidden item obtained from the Primordial forest, which was the tutorial area, but it remained unused. It must be an important quest, as L was the manager of Paradise Lost. The ce where he nned to nt the seeds was already set, a ce inside Neustein Castle in Inotia, the Hextech city. There were two more catastrophes still toe, so thend within Inotia would be the safest ce for a growing nt. ¡®By now, Inotia¡¯s reconstruction must have progressed to a considerable level.¡¯ The dragon tribes were very cooperative with Woohyuk, probably because he developed and gave them a cure for the infectious disease that gued their race. The Erendia Kingdom was quickly regaining vitality thanks to their volunteer annexation. In addition, a new immigration policy was actively being implemented, as was requested by the former Queen Fiona. As a result, the Hextech (City of Magic) and its surrounding areas were upied by humans and various other races, and the rest of the mountains and wilderness of Sky Ind were upied by the dragons. In terms of safety, there was no safer ce than the Eeth Continent. Therefore, Woohyuk was also nning to eventually move all of his high-end manpower to the Erendia Kingdom. ¡°I want to quickly conquer the Arkain Tower anyway. That way, I don¡¯t have to be away from the Lord¡¯s side.¡± ¡°A month or so should be enough. Of course, that¡¯s based on the time outside.¡± By the arrangement of the Creator, the time inside the Arkain Tower flowed at -600 times the flow of time outside. In other words, 25 years there was the same as 1 month in this world. This meant that Leifina would be 65 years old, which included the extended time that she spent in the training center. That was probably enough time to achieve thebat level she attained from when he left his previous life. The others in his party had already reached their previous levels. Choi Kayoon trembled at Woohyuk¡¯s words of exnation and anticipation, ¡°Wait, really? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about how much time was needed?¡± ¡°At the time, the circumstances made it difficult for me to exin everything.¡± It had been difficult to progress through everything while finding the time to develop those around him, never mind arge number of talents. Of course, with Neustein Castle, that problem of developing talents had been solved to some extent. However, Choi Kayoon was unaware of this fact because she was buried in the pits of a mountainous region this whole time. ¡°I guess a lot has happened while I was in the Floren region. I thought I was just helping to build a university to cultivate some basic talent.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t had enough room and time to buildrge-scale educational institutions. But it¡¯s different now.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I think we¡¯re doing pretty well if wepare ourselves to the facilities and infrastructure of education in the Middle Ages. Of course, money is still the main problem.¡± In an era where illiteracy reached 90%, building education infrastructure required considerable funds. Unlike an academy that selected only a few outstanding talents and trained them selectively, colleges and universities educated a greater number of students and wererger in scale. However, since Woohyuk confiscated a tremendous amount of money from his ves in the Talis Kingdom, such worries could be relieved for a while. ¡®In the future, I¡¯ll need more money.¡¯ An astronomical amount was required considering not only the eastern conquest but also the development of magic engineering technology and the purchase of various resources. No matter how much Eleonora helped, and no matter how much Woohyuk squeezed out from the smaller kingdoms, there was a limit. Without a clear source for funding, it was difficult to proactively solve the great talent-need crisis that would arise. Woohyuk fell into thought for a moment and then took out the Hand of Midas from his pocket. It was a legendary artifact that he acquired in the Memory Garden. Although King Midas¡¯ lineage had disappeared long ago, the value of the artifact still remained. If he took advantage of the hidden ss that he obtained from Hevnia¡¯s Tomb, the ¡®Mythic Heir¡¯, he¡¯d be able to utilize the Hand of Midas artifact to his advantage. As if she had read Woohyuk¡¯s intentions, Helena pped her hands and made an amused expression, ¡°I¡¯m curious what the oue will be. That artifact has the ability to turn anything it touches into gold, so I wonder what type of quest will be given.¡± ¡°If I can secure enough money, it¡¯s even worth giving up one of my five slots allotted to the Mythic Heir ss.¡± Currently, the only skill he had as a Mythic Heir was the Power of Resuscitation. There were still four slots left, so Woohyuk didn¡¯t care that he¡¯d have to use one slow for a nonbat skill. Soon, as he activated the Hand of Midas, a series of system messages appeared in his mind. [Legendary Quest: ¡®Alchemist of Death¡¯ has been given.] [For more information, open and check the status window.] [Alchemist of Death]. It seemed to be a presence that seemed to possess quite awe-inspiring abilities just from reading the title alone. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t know what he was up against until he actually started the quest. ¡®I¡¯ve certainly never heard of a guy like this before in my previous life.¡¯ Nakron may know something, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t present himself. Probably because Woohyuk didn¡¯t have any summoning vouchers left. Even if he had any vouchers left, it was probably a waste to use a voucher for this kind of thing. ¡®Well, it¡¯s a legendary quest, so I shouldn¡¯t need Nakron¡¯s help.¡¯ Legendary quests were one level lower in difficulty than Epic quests. Based on his current level of growth, having beaten the Fallen Angel Crue and the Ancient Devil Harpes, Woohyuk felt that he could take on a legendary quest without much difficulty. When Woohyuk opened the status window, specific quest information unfolded in the air. [New Challenge Assignment] Name: Alchemist of Death Type: Legend Description: Defeat Cadiz, a contractor of the Ancient Devil Lucifer. Information on Cadiz can be obtained from the Krobaichen Isthmus. Others: One-time quest. Failure does not allow a user to repeat/retry the quest. Chapter 227: Raising Talent 6

Chapter 227: Raising Talent 6

¡®He¡¯s the contractor of the Ancient Devil Lucifer¡­¡¯ Judging from the fact that Woohyuk almost died while dealing with Harpesst time, it didn¡¯t seem that the Ancient Demons and their contractors would be easy opponents. Furthermore, if Woohyuk did defeat Cadiz, Lucifer probably wouldn¡¯t stay still. In other words, in order to clear this legendary quest, he had to ultimately consider battling with Lucifer. However, the legendary quest was impossible to give up. Thepensation forpleting the quest would probably resolve arge part of their current financial problems. While Woohyuk was contemting this, Leifina, who had been silent, began to speak, ¡°Lord, what is the content of the quest? Your face has be so dark and pensive. You¡¯re starting to worry me¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. This quest is¡­¡± Woohyuk briefly conveyed the contents of the quest information window to his party members without adding his opinion. Helena was the first to speak, ¡°Aren¡¯t the Krobaichen Isthmus the most dangerous ce on the Eeth Continent? It is the onlynd-based road that connects the East and the West. It¡¯s a never-ending conflict zone.¡± ¡°It is. However, now that order has been restored in the West, for the most part, it¡¯s the next stage that we must face,¡± Woohyuk replied. The Krobaichen Isthmus had surprisingly many simrities with the Panamanian Isthmus in the Americas. This simrity was because drastically different continental powers and cultures were developed and naturally divided by a physical barrier. Furthermore, whoever controlled the area usually possessed the upper hand in military strength and control over the other side. Therefore, to set off on an Eastern conquest, Woohyuk knew that the Krobaichen Isthmus must be taken over and upied by his faction. If he was lucky, he could deal and be done with Lucifer, one of the main three Ancient Demons, so it was worth taking the risk aside from this quest. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I used the undead forces.¡¯ It was still too early to leave for the Eastern conquest. Thus, it was impossible to mobilize his vassals¡¯ troops, and, like most of his past journeys, he had to keep his movements and ns confidential. In that sense, his undead forces were the best military means currently avable. He thought that, even if he didn¡¯t bring Death Knight Huperion from Dreadlore, the personnel he gathered so far were enough. Choi Kayoon pointed out the window while Woohyuk was recalling the list of the elite undead remaining in his possession. ¡°Huh? Look at those people. They¡¯re doing a strange ritual while wearing Witch School uniforms¡­¡± The location of the people Kayoon was referring to was at the edge of the forest, a little off the road. So, even from a distance, they could make out the uniformed people. Woohyuk stopped the wagon in a suitable position, and then nked the uniformed people from the side while riding the monster summoned by Choi Kayoon with his other party members. ¡°That¡¯s weird. My Lord¡­ obviously, I thought that the Witch Cult disappeared from the Rhine Kingdom as a result of the massive subjugation rule¡­¡± ¡°It was probably too difficult topletely eradicate them.¡± It was safe to say that virtually all of those who had taken the Qliphoth Fruit could potentially be witches, as they could be manipted through Aleister¡¯s will. In that sense, the capital of the Holy Aperia Empire probably wasn¡¯t free from all danger yet, either. After hearing Woohyuk¡¯s words, Choi Kayoon, who was whipping the riding monster, looked tired. ¡°Then, maniacs who sacrifice children and have orgies at night could arise overnight in my estate? Suddenly, I feel like the Floren Province is not as safe as I thought. This is a mountain valley, so it¡¯s a good ce for them to hide.¡± ¡°You have loyal monsters on your side, right¡± Sinceing down to the Floren region, Choi Kayoon had been hunting and capturing various elite monsters alone. Of course, Woohyuk provided financial support behind the scenes, but even so, she was quite talented in capturing and training her own elite staff of monsters. She could now deal with quite a few witches by herself. While Woohyuk was emphasizing this point, Helena hurriedly opened her mouth while pulling on the reins, ¡°Stop! It¡¯s a wide area of attack magic!¡± At the same time, the clear sky turned red and began to drop numerous fireballs onto the ground. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwak! The Witch Cult members had noticed the presence of the intruders. Woohyuk stared at the red-haired woman who was standing beyond Helena¡¯s guardian defensive boundary. ¡®Based on your clothes, it seems you¡¯re an executive member of this band of witches.¡¯ She would certainly know the purpose of this suspicious ritual. So, he decided that she needed to be captured first. She probably wouldn¡¯t be forting, but it wouldn¡¯t be toote to work on her and obtain the information he wanted. ¡°I will capture that woman. You guys take care of the rest of the cult members.¡± Woohyuk gave a simple instruction to his party and waited for the right timing. Afterward, when the bombing of the fireballs subsided, he whipped the monster mount and rushed towards the band of witches. p! ¡°Keu-Reu-Reulng!¡± The monster mount, which looked like a mix between a rhino and a lizard, roared and rushed toward the red-haired woman. Despite the fierce momentum, the woman calmly raised her staff without any sign of fear. Rumble! Sparks erupted from the ground, forming arge circr me barrier. As a result, Woohyuk was trapped alone in the barrier and separated from his allies. However, the barrier wasn¡¯t enough to contain a person who prevented a great catastrophe and who even defeated Ancient Demons. Hwi-Ang! When Woohyuk activated the Ring of Prominence, an exit appeared in the circr me barrier. [The power of the Ancient Devil Harpes]. Using the ring, Woohyuk was able to freely handle the mes created by those with a lower demonic hierarchy than himself. However, the woman with red hair, who was not aware of this fact, looked surprised and quickly sought to close the opening in her barrier. ¡°It¡¯s useless to struggle!¡± Woohyuk pulled Grandia out of its scabbard and narrowed the gap. Then, the witches who were waiting behind the red-haired woman chanted and began bombarding Woohyuk with fireballs. Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam! Each of the fireballs was weak individually, but it was a nuisance whenbined together. Helena, who had approached the supporting witches while Woohyuk was releasing his demonic energy, quickly dispatched the witches. sh! The holy magic of the Saintess was diametrically opposed to the magical properties of the witches. Her power level was also overwhelming enough to cover the entire battlefield, so most of the witches were easily defeated. Luckily, the witches who were located outside Helena¡¯s magic spell range were taken care of by Choi Kayoon, so the overall battle advantage quickly leaned toward Woohyuk¡¯s party. ¡°So, what are you going to do now? Will you keep resisting?¡± ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± At Woohyuk¡¯s provocation, the red-haired woman pulled out a dagger with a defeated face. She was nning on summoning the monsters of the abyss by offering her life as a sacrifice. However, Woohyuk noticed this and quickly snatched her wrist. Crack! His ruthless grab broke the joints in her arm. The red-haired woman screamed and made a painful expression, ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you die so easily. You have to answer my questions first.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll divulge anything? I will never betray Lilith no matter what!¡± ¡°But what if it was Lilith¡¯s will for you to be caught here? What happens if your betrayal was already predestined?¡± ¡°¡­ What the hell are you talking about?!¡± The red-haired woman who rebelled violently showed a face filled with condescending jeer for an instant. It seemed that what Woohyuk said sounded too absurd to her. To be intentionally thrown towards one¡¯s enemy¡­ she had never considered that thought before. This was because it was considered a sign of disrespect for Lilith and the seven witches under her to question any orders or motives. As the woman emphasized her faith again, Woohyuk gave a cold smile and continued, ¡°It seems you¡¯re too slow to understand the situation, so I¡¯ll kindly exin. You¡¯re just Lilith¡¯s tool. You¡¯re a tool that can give me the right motivation to seek growth and direction.¡± Lilith¡¯s ultimate purpose was to flip the existing order by advancing Woohyuk as a demon. It was understandable in this context that many witches would be sacrificed for Woohyuk¡¯s development. Therefore, it was highly likely that this incident was also Lilith¡¯s design. Obviously, he couldn¡¯t prove his point and make it an objective fact, but it was also an invaluable argument to shake the heart and trust of this red-haired woman. The conversation flowed exactly as Woohyuk expected. ¡°I-I¡¯m not being used for only that kind of role! Even so, I¡¯m an executive favored by Melena, the Witch of Lust! I¡¯m not just a consumable!¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny. If so, tell me the purpose of youing here. Is it really that important for you to be here right now?¡± ¡°Keu¡­!¡± The woman with red hair clenched her teeth with a resentful expression. Certainly, her current role was simple spying and expansion. Of course, there was an additional task of capturing Joanna, the real ruler of the Rhine Kingdom, by biding her time and looking for an opening, but the timing was never right. This was because Drake, the ck Dragon King, was always standing by Joanna¡¯s side after the return of the dragons. So even though she hated to admit it, much of Woohyuk¡¯s words made sense and were convincing. ¡®What kind of information is Lilith trying to convey to that man through me?¡¯ At this point, there weren¡¯t many secret ns that she knew of. The woman with red hair, who had been deep in thought for a while, nodded as if she hade up with something. ¡®Yes. Considering everything, that¡¯s the only thing.¡¯ The location of the Seven Color Rainbow Ring material that still remained in the East. The Witch Cult was collecting all the materials and moving them to a secret ce. This was done to lure Woohyuk to a suitable ce in the future. However, telling him in advance of their preparations was actually an act of gifting him the material for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring. It seemed that Lilith wanted to advance the advent period as much as possible by sacrificing everything and everyone. When the red-haired woman made a bitter expression, Woohyuk pressured her, ¡°Do you still have no intention of opening your mouth? I tortured Amon, the seventh-ranked Demon King, and made even him confess.¡± ¡°¡­ Do you think I will yield to such threats? Furthermore, it hasn¡¯t even been proven for sure if your words are true! I will never give you any information, so if you want to torture me, give it a try!¡± Basically, the red-haired woman was an executive of the Witch Cult. Thus, faith was thest strand of pride for her in her current situation. Even if she was really abandoned, she had no intention of bing a bbering, unfaithful witch. Woohyuk immediately summoned Demon King Ami, as he expected such a reaction. ¡°She is a prisoner of war. Whip her until she bespliant.¡± ¡°Yes, Asura.¡± Being trained by Woohyuk, Demon King Ami knew how to torture others into submission. Before long, the sound of whipping filled the area¡­ ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± The woman with red hair, who had be half-naked, screamed terrifyingly. Choi Kayoon, who was watching the tortured figure, shouted into Woohyuk¡¯s ear over the screaming noise, ¡°But will she be obedient? The witch officers I met in the Izuna Kingdom refused to be prisoners andmitted suicide themselves.¡± It was a story about Amy, the shadow killer who had now be an undead. Woohyuk nodded towards Choi Kayoon. ¡°Sure, she¡¯ll sumb. Even if she¡¯s a With Cult officer, her mental power is limited. So, if one targets that weakness well, one can train and dominate over another without much effort.¡± Everyone had at least one mental trauma that could appear in a nightmare. Woohyuk told Ami to stop for a brief moment and grabbed the woman by her hair. Her body had been scourged by Ami¡¯s whip. He decided to identify her weaknesses through his Memory Pendant. Using the pendant, Woohyuk looked into her past for a while and then frowned. ¡°Hmm¡­ she had that sort of trauma.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m curious, so please tell me,¡± Helena asked. ¡°This woman, when she was a child, almost fell into ake. After that, it seems that she¡¯s never gone close to arge body of water again,¡± Woohyuk answered. ¡°Then, to continue the torture, we should take her to a body of water. Are there anykes nearby?¡± Helena continued. ¡°If my memory is correct, there¡¯s a good ce around here.¡± Woohyuk knew the geography of the Serendia Province well because he once directly ruled the Rhines Kingdom. As he finished preparing the vicious torture n with Choi Kayoon and Helena, the woman with red hair started crying. ¡°N-No! Please don¡¯t drown me in theke!¡± ¡°It¡¯s already toote. If you¡¯re afraid of water torture, you should have listened to us earlier.¡± Woohyuk was a leader who didn¡¯t show mercy to the enemy. The woman trembled silently at his cold appearance. Chapter 228: Raising Talent 7

Chapter 228: Raising Talent 7

After obtaining the information on the material for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring from the woman with red hair¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be thrown into theke again, stay quiet in the prison.¡± Woohyuk sent her to Heidelberg, the capital of the Rhine Kingdom. Afterward, he called upon his personnel, who had been scattered around the area and taking a break, to gather together. ¡°Asura~! It¡¯s been a long time!¡± Aris, who was researching various things in Inotia, happily greeted. ¡°How far have you progressed on the Qliphoth Fruit research?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost done. Only thest hurdle remains.¡± The research was able to proceed rtively quickly thanks to the Fruit of the Living Water that Woohyuk had given Aris. In the first ce, the Qliphoth Fruit was the result of imitating the Fruit of Living Water¡¯s principle but reversing it. Woohyuk nodded and looked at the people gathered around him. ¡®Fortunately, no one is missing.¡¯ The attack on the Great Sage Arcane¡¯s Tower was not mandatory. Since the main purpose of this gathering itself was focused on nurturing talent, the mental condition and will of his talents were important. Possibly because everyone felt the chaos of these times, everyone responded to Woohyuk¡¯s call. ¡°I wonder what will be in the Great Sage Arcane¡¯s Tower. Will a legendary artifacte out?¡± Sieg excitedly said aloud. Some of those who were gathered weren¡¯t included in his original n and weren¡¯t privy to the knowledge of possibly obtaining a legendary artifact. Woohyuk turned his head and stared at the excited Sieg. ¡°What do you n to do if we find it?¡± ¡°Oh, well¡­ in principle, the person who found it first is the owner, but it should be handed over to the person who needs it the most. Since Brynhildr and I are joining to keep Tinia and Silvia safe, we have no intention of taking the spoils.¡± With the participation of Sieg and Brynhildr, the tactical force of the raid was further strengthened. Thanks to this, Woohyuk was d that he didn¡¯t have to worry about an unexpected emergency. Losing so many talents at once would inevitably hurt Woohyuk¡¯s efforts. ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s going to be a fun adventure. I¡¯m also lucky to be able to follow in the footsteps of Great Sage Arcane,¡± Allen said aloud. ¡°I don¡¯t really care, to be honest. I just want to gather things to exchange for money. Then, I can enjoy lemon jelly and ck tea anytime,¡± Reina followed up. When the story of the tower came out, Allen and Reina, from the Principality of Croix [sic Croa], each said a few words. Woohyuk first asked Allen, ¡°Is your physical change tolerable? I hope it was a decision you made without regrets,¡± Woohyuk asked with bated breath. For a male to lose his precious¡­ ¡°I haven¡¯t felt anything different. I¡¯m not interested in women anyway. Rather, I¡¯m happy to be able to increase my sensitivity and handle high-level magic.¡± Previously, Woohyuk handed Allen the Spirit of Immortality. It was a hidden reward received from Nakron in Dreadlore. If one drank the Spirit of Immortality, one would enjoy eternal life and greatly enhanced magical powers. However, one would also have to give up one¡¯s sexual reproductive capabilities. Reina, who overheard their conversation, looked at Allen in amazement. ¡°What? Then you can¡¯t make a second-generation!?¡± ¡°I am interested in the path of a lonely sage rather than building a harmonious family. Just as some clergymen turn their backs to the world and practice their faith with their mind and body.¡± Allen was truly a natural eunuch. As Reina made an exasperated expression, someone hugged Woohyuk¡¯s arm. ¡°Ho, ho, ho! It¡¯s been a long time, my Lord. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been fighting again recently. Is your body okay?¡± The identity of the speaker was Tinia, who was wearing te armor. Woohyuk shook her off with an annoyed expression. ¡°I just briefly lost consciousness. I¡¯m okay now.¡± ¡°But I heard that you recently became engaged to a beautiful princess? Didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t hug a girl until the turbulence was over¡­¡± ¡°Of course. Thus, I n to only be engaged and not actually wed. Even if I just hold them to an engagement, I¡¯ll be able to control the Holy Aperia Empire.¡± However, in order to make things easier, it was necessary to bring down Tiberius, the current Emperor, and put Eleonora, whom he had nurtured, onto the throne. While Woohyuk was thinking of an appropriate method to achieve this end, a gray-haired old man approached them on horseback and came right up to their side. ¡®He came a littleter than the agreed-upon time.¡¯ The newest arrival was the Empire¡¯s Swordmaster Granver. Woohyuk greeted Granver with an appropriate level of respect, ¡°You¡¯vee a long way, Swordmaster Granver.¡± ¡°On the way, I kept seeing crowds of Awakeners, so I was dyed.¡± Recently, as the Qliphoth Fruits¡¯ side effects kept popping up, the Holy Aperia Empire had been experiencing internal chaos and challenges. The same went for other kingdoms. As the demonic camp calmed down, new problems arose, causing trouble to continue throughout the continent. At Granver¡¯s worrisome words, Woohyuk nodded, as if sympathetic to the Empire¡¯s concerns, ¡°Nothing is too strange in the end times. Everyone must be strong and remain vignt in order to regain the peaceful days. This excursion schedule was also prepared in that sense.¡± ¡°It is only a great general, who is fondly referred to as the Hero King, who can say such magnanimous words with ease. The rulers of other small kingdoms are interested only in keeping their ce.¡± Granver¡¯s praise was filled with a tinge of truthful regret. It was because Emperor Tiberius, whom he currently served, was also passive in working for the universal cause. Thus, he believed that Woohyuk would be the perfect spouse for the Empire¡¯s next sessor, Princess Eleonora. As Granver stared at him with a friendly nce, Woohyuk looked satisfied. ¡®It seems he hasn¡¯t noticed that I¡¯m using Eleanora.¡¯ Woohyuk wasn¡¯t like Rasputin of Russia. He was the official fianc of the princess, so it would have been rather strange for anyone to notice his true intentions. Anyway, Granver was the best swordsman in the West. The best results woulde out if he entrusted Granver with talented knights. After having a moderately social conversation with Granver, Woohyuk called Aris, who was waiting nearby, ¡°Aris, take us to the shuttle.¡± ¡°Oh! Okay!¡± Their destination was a heavenly ind in the air above the Principality of Croix. If there were only one or two people, it would be fine to ride a Pegasus to their destination, but since a considerable number was gathered, the newly invented shuttle was the most suitable means of transportation. When he arrived at the outskirts of Heidelberg, Granver¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This, what the hell is this? It looks like a structure that mimics a dragon¡­¡± ¡°It is a shuttle. You can just think of it as a ship flying in the air.¡± For the present-day Eeth Continent people, a flying shuttle was a vehicle that seemed toe out of a dream. However, Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna, who came from the same world as Woohyuk, boarded the shuttle without showing any surprise. ¡°Does the horsepowere from crystals? It¡¯s very eco-friendly,¡± Yoo Kayoung said passingly. ¡°This is my first time taking a shuttle, sister!¡± Song Anne eximed. Even though they spent more than 40 years in the training hall, the two were still young in the mind. This was also the case for Lia and Canelian. ¡°Wow! Dad, how many people can ride this?¡± Lia asked excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s arge sailboat that looks good, but it¡¯s really amazing because it doesn¡¯t need a sail,¡± Canelion added on. The shuttle quickly became the object of everyone¡¯s discussion and envy. Woohyuk looked over the seats to make sure there wasn¡¯t anyone missing before giving Aris the order to take off, ¡°You can start now.¡± ¡°Alright! Here we go!¡± As Aris manipted the buttons on the board, the power source was activated, and the shuttle began to elerate down the runway. Eventually, as the shuttle climbed into the vast expanse, Leifina stared at Woohyuk and asked, ¡°My Lord.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Where do you intend to go first after our group enters the Arcane Tower?¡± There were currently two options avable for Woohyuk after sending off his talents. One was to go to the Krobaichen Isthmus to find the Alchemist of Death, Cadiz, or to go to the East to find the material for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring. Woohyuk thought about it for a while and answered, ¡°Legendary quests have no fixed deadlines. Also, no one knows how long it will take.¡± However, he roughly knew the whereabouts of the Seven Color Rainbow Ring material, so it was probably wise to deal with that objective first. Leifina nodded her head in agreement and added, ¡°I think securing the material for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring is more important. Of course, you have to keep in mind the possibility that this also is Aleister¡¯s trap.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Leifina. Now is the time to take care of your own growth.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m worried. I¡¯m worried what may happen if you fight against the mighty enemies, likest time¡­¡± After seeing Woohyuk¡¯s memoriesst time, Leifina¡¯s heart burned withpassion and desire. Her awareness of their rtionship in the past life became an impetus for her to be honest with her current emotions, which often led her to act beyond the limitations of the normal master-ve rtionship. Woohyuk made a slightly puzzled expression after seeing this different, more direct side of Leifina. ¡®Leifina has been very open and direct recently.¡¯ Of course, he didn¡¯t hate it, but he was at a loss on how to treat her in this case. Additionally, he was officially the fianc of Princess Eleanora, and the Empire¡¯s Swordmaster, Granver, was in their presence. Woohyuk delivered a non-verbal thought message to Leifina, [Leifina.] [Yes?] [If you¡¯re worried about me, be stronger through this opportunity, ande back to my side. Once you¡¯re strong enough, you can be by my side anytime, anywhere.] He had said something simr before, but this time, his words were unambiguous. Leifina stared at his face for a moment and then nodded vigorously. [Yes! I will protect the Lord! No matter what happens!] There were too many stories to tell and too many things to exin. The shuttle flew toward the east sky, carrying two people who carefully tiptoed around each other¡¯s hearts. *** After the raid party safely entered the Arcane Tower¡­ ¡°I have a request for you, Queen Elf.¡± Woo-hyuk went to the Imperial Pce of the Principality of Croix [sic Croa] and secretly met Elven Queen Ophelia. ¡°What kind of request did you have to personallye back and ask me, Hero King? Before we continue, I¡¯m going to talk while having a cup of warm lemon tea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m strapped for time. I¡¯d be grateful if the elves around us could leave us in private.¡± Woohyuk stared at the slender elf maids who were attending Ophelia. Ophelia granted his request and sent off the elf maids. She then asked, ¡°Now, tell me what¡¯s wrong. You are the benefactor of me and my people. I will try to help as much as possible.¡± ¡°I am trying to infiltrate the Eastern kingdom of Aize via the northern sea pass,¡± Woohyuk stated directly. Ophelia was startled and covered her mouth. ¡°Oh, why are you going to go there? Rumor has it that the Aize Kingdom has awakened the Surry Giant Race and is using them to oppress and enve humans.¡± ¡°The items I must obtain are being transported there. I must get my hands on them, no matter what.¡± He had three remaining ingredients for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring. Woohyuk had no idea how the Witch n was able to obtain the remaining materials for the ring, but they had gathered the materials in a secret ce and were nning to move. ¡®Obviously, Aleister and Golden Rose Society members will be present in the location they¡¯re moving to.¡¯ Hopefully, it was a chance to get rid of Logan as well, someone who had the power to be arge headache in the future. Woohyuk eyes became lively as he listed the specific requirements for Ophelia. Chapter 229: The Arctic Sea Monster 1

Chapter 229: The Arctic Sea Monster 1

¡°Ha-Choo!¡± They were in the northern waters where icebergs floated about. Helena shivered atop the ship¡¯s deck and sneezed, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. Seeing her shiver, Roan approached Woohyuk, who was looking at their surroundings through a telescope, and whispered, ¡°Master, she¡¯s about to die because of the cold. Why don¡¯t you take her to the captain¡¯s room and keep her warm¡­¡± Bam! Woohyuk¡¯s fist struck Roan, who keeled over and started rolling around on the deck. Then Drake, who was next to Woohyuk, clicked his tongue in disgust before stating, ¡°There¡¯s nothing that little can¡¯t say. Well, I guess I¡¯m not the best person to be saying this since my speech was pretty rough when I was young, too.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a gluttony homunculus. From the time he was born, he was obsessed with all kinds of desires, so his self-control is virtually non-existent.¡± Thus, only by continuing to discipline Roan could Woohyuk prevent him from going overboard. Helena nodded in agreement and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s also lustful because he¡¯s a homunculus made by the Wind God. He hasn¡¯t even gone through puberty yet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me because of my young appearance, filthy Saintess! If it weren¡¯t for Master, someone like you would be my sex ve¡­¡± Bam! This time, Helena swiftly kicked Roan¡¯s side. As Roan fell down onto the deck floor while foaming at the mouth, Woohyuk needled Helena, ¡°You¡¯re pretty violent for a Saintess.¡± ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m usually a well-mannereddy.¡± ¡°Well-mannered in what way? Who said that?¡± Woohyuk continued. ¡°¡­ Just¡­ shut up.¡± Helena quickly turned her head and frowned. At that time, Triton climbed onto the deck and gave his scouting report to Woohyuk, ¡°Master, I don¡¯t see any ships around here. No threatening monsters were found in the vicinity, either.¡± ¡°Good job, Triton. But what about the food?¡± ¡°¡­ Here it is.¡± Triton pulled vigorously on the string he was holding in his hand. Then, a that had been straddling the outside of the hull followed upwards along the railing and fell onto the deck. Thud! A wide variety of seafood gushed out of the open. At sea, Triton was responsible for procuring the party¡¯s food. Woohyuk didn¡¯t pay attention to Triton¡¯s gloomy expression and turned to look at Drake instead. ¡°As always, thank you, Drake.¡± ¡°Har-Har! You can look forward to it!¡± The legendary ck pirate ship was equipped with the best equipment, including cooking equipment. Onboard was a ghost sailor who was a chef when he was alive. Helena nced at Woohyuk as Drake hummed a pirate song and made his way down the deck. ¡°Why are you going to the northern seas? Considering the situation, wouldn¡¯t it be better to go straight to the Aizu Kingdom?¡± ¡°I guess it wasn¡¯t written in the prophecy. There¡¯s a hidden tool there that can restore the Nag Hammadi Chronicles.¡± The Nag Hammadi was one of the three ancient documents linked to the Epic Quest. It also contained the secret knowledge of the gods. The damaged portion of the Nag Hammadi Chronicle was about the Einherjar. ¡®The Seven Gods had always been afraid of Ragnarok.¡¯ The twilight period of the Gods¡¯ reign began when the demons invaded the heavens. The invasion was foreseen by the Goddess of Fate long before it happened, and the gods had met many times to find a way to survive. One of the solutions was to select superior individuals from the lower races and use them as a stop-gap barrier against the demons. One of those stop-gaps were the warriors called Einherjar. In short, one of the ruins rted to the Einherjar was located in the Northern Seas. Helena looked curiously at Woohyuk after hearing his exnation. ¡°It¡¯s interesting to hear that such a ce exists in the Northern Seas. Our Etheria Rodinus has been there many times, but we haven¡¯t found anything of note.¡± ¡°That seems likely. The ruins arepletely concealed externally,¡± Woohyuk exined. The gods couldn¡¯t manage their secret ces poorly. In principle, the only people who could enter these secret ces were celestial beings, like Valkyries, or the Einherjar themselves. However, the current Woohyuk could destroy the security system set up by the gods by using his demonic powers. ¡®If it¡¯s regarding the Einherjar¡¯s ruins, I already know of it well.¡¯ In the past, he hadpletely restored the Nag Hammadi Chronicles andpleted the Epic Quest rted to it. Therefore, this time, it was possible to take some shortcuts without going through the quest process in order. For Woohyuk, who wanted to reduce time and wasted effort, it was desirable to visit the Northern Seas while going on to his next destination. ¡°The Einherjar¡­ I used to hear about their stories in Valha from time to time. I wonder if they¡¯re still training there,¡± Triton wondered aloud. ¡°Probably so, Triton. They were promised a chance to be resurrected after Ragnarok in exchange for being the exclusive warriors for the gods.¡± Regardless of how heroes reached their end, if the gods permitted, the heroes¡¯ bodies could be restored to their original state. Thus, the restored bodies were then moved to heaven through the dimensional transmission device located in the Northern Sea. Afterward, the Einherjar were given an area on the lower tiers of Valha. It was the Valkyries, who were called the maiden of the battlefield, who were in charge of such work. ¡°Then the tool you¡¯re looking for is that dimensional transport? It seems like you¡¯ve already made ns to invade the heavens,¡± Triton asked in surprise. ¡°No, all I want is a soul stone that¡¯s located there.¡± In order for the spirit bodies of the lower races to be safe in the celestial world, they had to sign contracts with the gods using soul stones. In other words, the soul stone was a medium that could be used tomunicate with the gods. With it, Woohyuk could restore the Chronicle and restore thepleted list of Einherjar warriors, which would start the Epic Quest. ¡°Pu¡­ you restored the Nag Hammadi Chronicles once before, but you can¡¯t remember the list of Einherjar warriors?¡± Helena snickered. ¡°No matter how smart I may be, it¡¯s impossible to memorize hundreds of pages of names in order.¡± Maybe a wizard at the level of Great Sage could do it. However, Woohyuk¡¯s memory wasn¡¯t so good. Helena folded her arms and leaned against the hull in a confident, rxed manner. It seemed that she was confident in her memorization ability. ¡°We of Etheria Rodinus know the names of thousands of magic books from the Ark of Knowledge. By knowing these names from memory, we can tell which old documents were lost and need to be restored,¡± Helena stated condescendingly. ¡°It must be nice to be smart. Too bad that intelligence hasn¡¯t found a way to make you wise,¡± her brother, Ibn Rusud, quickly replied back. ¡°I beg your pardon? Why are you iming that I¡¯m unwise?¡± Again, a never-ending argument between the two began. At that time, Roan woke up, raised his body, and muttered, ¡°Ugh, the west wind¡­ the west wind smells of rum." ¡°What is this guy saying?! If you want to drink so much, go ferment some barley and eat it!¡± Helena looked angrily at the half-awakened Roan. Meanwhile, Woohyuk, who was next to her, gazed west while creasing his brow and said, ¡°It smells like rum?¡± ¡°Ah, Master. I smell alcohol well. I¡¯m sure the nearby pirates are warming up their bodies by drinking rum.¡± Pirates. Certainly, these shadowy types of ouws operated in the Northern Seas. However, Triton reported that there were no enemies in their vicinity. Woohyuk fell into thought for a while and then called Drake, ¡°What are the main things pirates do in the Northern Sea at this time, Drake?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ secret illicit trade or ve transport? The northern waters are cold, and the climate is harsh during this time of year, so ships usually do not pass through these waters.¡± ¡°Then, it wouldn¡¯t be good to reveal our location.¡± He decided that it would be best to navigate the northern waters without causing an incident or ident. As Woohyuk was unfolding the navigation map, a series of system messages suddenly covered his eyes. [New update is added to the human world ording to the arrangement of the gods.] [This update is named Game of Divine Thrones.] [Currently, four gods are seeking their sessors, and all lower races except the demon race can challenge for these positions.] [For more information, please check the quest information window.] ¡°¡­ Game of Divine Thrones?¡± Somethingpletely unexpected happened. Before reincarnating into this world, Woohyuk had spent 40 years trying to find a way to challenge for a Divine Throne seat. However, that arduous process was instantly shattered with the system message. The situation was so ridiculous, that words didn¡¯te out from Woohyuk¡¯s open mouth. Helena couldn¡¯t shut her mouth as well as she shared a simr feeling. ¡°W-What, what is this?! There was no mention of this at all in the Prophecies,¡± she stuttered. ¡°Is this the first update?¡± Woohyuk muttered to himself. Before returning to this world, Woohyuk recalled reading a system message simr to this in his previous life. ording to the arrangements of the gods during that time, two updates would be made, sooner orter. Details of the arrangements would be released on the day of the update. However, instead of waiting for the updates, Woohyuk chose to go back to the past, to re-enter this world. Anyway, as it was, this update should havee out at least 40 years after humanity was summoned. It seems that the Creator¡¯s intervention has begun in earnest, as Saintess Maria predicted. ¡®Are we now entering into the main stage?¡¯ Before his return, the conditions the Creator required weren¡¯t met, so this tantpetition system never came to fruition. Among those important requirements was Woohyuk himself. He had to quickly find out about the Odyssey n, which was led by Rafael during his former life, so he could flexibly cope with future trials and crises. While reading the quest information window, Woohyuk stared at Helena with a serious expression. ¡°Helena, why don¡¯t you tell me all the contents of the Prophecy? As Maria said, the future will continue to change with the involvement of transcendental beings. From now on, it will be difficult for us to ovee their powers even if we join forces.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Helena hesitated, looking worried. However, after a while, she spoke with a face filled with determination, ¡°Alright. In fact, I was going to tell you all the prophecies someday anyway. I was just considering whether it was the right time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the Etheria Rodinus members will raise any objections to the timing.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go inside first. One has to be careful with these secret prophecies.¡± Helena nned to usemunication artifacts to inform Woohyuk about the contents of the Prophet. Woohyuk nodded and grabbed Roan by the neck. ¡°Master, serious talk is best conducted when paired with alcohol. Also, if things flow well, that Saintess might get intoxicated first¡­¡± Bam! Roan, who was not able to grasp the situation, passed out after being struck in the stomach by Woohyuk. Woohyuk carried Roan on his shoulder and checked the quest information window again. [New Achievement] Name: First step to challenge the Divine Thrones Type: General Content: Fight against one or more of the 72 Demon Kings alone and win. In the case of multiple attempts, it is disregarded, and sess is recognized only when the opponent is sealed (currently 0). Misceneous: If you defeat multiple Demon Kings, privileges and awards will be given ording to the number of Demon Kings sealed. ¡®Is this game meant as a check on the demonic camp?¡¯ Based on the content of the quest, it seemed like he was included in the demon group. In any case, Woohyuk was trying to challenge the demons and sit on the demon throne, so he was probably the figure the Creator was most wary of. Regardless, the quest was given, so he had to pay more attention in sealing the 72 Demon King. In the future, all the above-average warriors would start chasing after the demons. Suddenly, feeling a headacheing on, Woohyuk walked to the captain¡¯s room. Chapter 230: The Arctic Sea Monster 2

Chapter 230: The Arctic Sea Monster 2

ording to Helena, the Prophecy wasrgelyposed of three parts. The first part was the period of chaos that would begin after the rebellion of the gods failed. The second part was a number of world events and three great catastrophes that would ur as Woohyuk challenged the Demon Throne after his return. The third part was Woohyuk¡¯s downfall due to the intervention of the angels and the iplete advent of the Demon King. This part ended with the destruction of the world. The third part was the key. The prophecy suggested that a divine line could change this negative ending, and the Creator could not prevent this changed fate under any circumstance. ¡°So, does that particr situation and changed fate have anything to do with the Odyssey n that I led when I was Archangel Rafael?¡± ¡°Yes. As far as I know, the Odyssey n was meant to unpredictably transform the Creator¡¯s static system using Irregr Codes. Even the Creator of the system, the top manager, can¡¯t do anything once the Irregr Codes are implemented.¡± However, the Odyssey n ended without Rafael fully reaching his objectives. Furthermore, the angels who participated in his n died or fell into the depths of the abyss and became Ancient Demons. As a result of their collective action, the Creator¡¯s system was slightly altered, leading to some cases of chaos and ack of full control by the Creator. ¡°¡­ Is that why the dimension I was in was not under the influence of the system?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why the world history where you lived told of gods appearing only until ancient times. Of course, various religions rted to gods continued to emerge or maintained their existing status even after the system lost control.¡± If Helena¡¯s words were true, the reason why humans and other races were summoned to this continent could be sufficiently exined. The Creator had lost control of several levels in the system due to a fatal problem. This was probably why the Creator entrusted the lower world affairs to the seven gods and concealed his existence. Also, he might have needed Woohyuk himself, the one who led the Odyssey n, to solve the fundamental problem. ¡®If the main problem could be solved by simply resetting the world with demonic power, it would have already been done.¡¯ A specific fundamental w was threatening the Creator¡¯s system. There seemed to be some variables at work beyond his and his system¡¯s control. Woohyuk expected one of the variables to be the abyss. It was an area of chaos, where the system could not dominate. Rather, the abyss had the power to devour and overtake the Creator¡¯s system. ¡°Now I think I know the true intentions of the Creator. He was trying to bring me down as a demon and restore his system which was ruined by the Odyssey n.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. The demonic power originates from the abyss itself. It¡¯s a chaotic disorder that the Creator can¡¯t control. To get the error out of the system, he needs your cooperation, since you know everything about the Irregr Code and possesses the status as a demonic power, to reset the system and bring order back.¡± Thus, Leifina was nothing more than a hostage to lead the negotiations. If Woohyuk rejected the Creator¡¯s request, she would disappear in a heartbeat. Any thought ofpromise didn¡¯t exist from the start. ¡°If all that you¡¯re saying is true, am I supposed to give up Leifina in the end?¡± ¡°¡­ This was why I was reluctant to talk about the Prophecies. I surmised that you¡¯d eventually be frustrated and lose control.¡± Helena stared at Woohyuk fixedly. The reason she sexually seduced Woohyuk in the past was to prepare for a time like this. If she were to take Leifina¡¯s ce in Woohyuk¡¯s heart, the results would be different. However, Woohyuk stared into the air with a nk expression. It was as if he couldn¡¯t even see Helena. ¡®I have a duty to protect Leifina.¡¯ However, in order to repay the karma of his previous life and to end this painful cycle, he had to face the Creator. This issue wouldn¡¯t be resolved by filling the seats of the Divine Thrones by fulfilling quest objectives. While Woohyuk was contemting this issue, Drake, who stayed quiet up to now, spoke up, ¡°We¡¯re arriving in the Northern Seas soon, Captain. Why don¡¯t you ponder on future issuester at your leisure and deal with the issue at hand?¡± ¡°¡­ It looks like the time hase.¡± From a distance, Woohyuk saw arge ind covered in snow. Woohyuk sent Triton out to scout the ind before turning to look at Helena and Roan. ¡°I¡¯ll emphasize this again, but people also live on this Northern Seas¡¯ Ind. Therefore, be careful not to draw attention, and if a problem urs, attack only the ruins and leave the ind immediately. Do any of you have any questions?¡± ¡°¡­ No. Just do whatever you need to do,¡± Helena answered. ¡°I¡¯m curious about what types of alcohol and women are present on this ind, Master. If you¡¯re okay with it, I¡¯d like to stop by the vige¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, Roan.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Master.¡± Roan flinched and quickly turned around to avoid a beating. When they arrived near the ind, Woohyuk summoned back the legendary ship back and listened to Triton¡¯s report, ¡°I observed no movement or influence from the Witches Cult or the demons on the ind. However, it seems that a foreign group is coexisting with the indigenous people. They are currently residing in different territories.¡± ¡°A foreign group?¡± ¡°Yes, they¡¯re not pirates, but they act like ouws and bandits, so it seems they¡¯re the dominant force on the Northern Sea Ind.¡± There were many possibilities regarding the origin of these foreign people. They could havee to the ind with the purpose of settling down or were forced to stay on the ind after encountering an unexpected disaster during a voyage. Woohyuk pulled out a map of the ind that he had drawn from memory and asked Triton to divide the territory of the two forces. ¡°Based on this map, the southwest is the residential area for the indigenous people and the northeast is the foreigners¡¯ activity area,¡± Triton said as he viewed the map. ¡°Alright. This is where the ruins are located.¡± Woohyuk referred to a mountainous area at the two o¡¯clock location on the map. It was the territory of the foreigners. Helena spoke with an annoyed expression, ¡°That¡¯s pretty far. Why are we start off from here rather than closer to the end location?¡± ¡°Because this is the widest blind spot for those on the ind.¡± Other areas may be closer to the destination, but there was a high risk of being seen by others. Woohyuk took the lead and started to climb the mountain slope near the coastline. Step. Step. White snow was crushed as the party members passed the high elevation mountainous region. They left deep footprints in the snow. ¡°By the way, can you take out Pegasus? We¡¯re going to leave footprints anyway, and Pegasus is white, so it¡¯ll be hard to see.¡± ¡°No. Its presence can stimte the monsters that live on the ind.¡± ¡°¡­ Chet. I wanted to y with Pegasus. It¡¯s been a long time since Ist saw him.¡± ¡°That Saintess is particrly fond of white horses with wings, Master. From that fact, it seems that her sexual taste is focused upon the size¡­¡± ¡°If you talk any more, I¡¯ll castrate you, Roan.¡± As Woohyuk looked at Roan with a threatening expression, Roan gulped down hard. At that moment, arge snow lion wandered out of the snow and appeared in front of the group. ¡°Grr-r-r¡­¡± ¡°Finally, a suitable animal has appeared. I¡¯ll allow you guys to ride on that guy¡¯s back.¡± For Woohyuk, who awakened several demonic abilities and skills, it was not difficult to make the snow lion submit to his orders. When Woohyuk opened up his demonic energy to create a sense of pressure, the snow lion quietly fell on the ground with its tail between its legs. ¡°Master, you are great! You tamed that beast without an ounce of sound.¡± ¡°Stop kissing ass and get on. Someone may find us.¡± Thanks to the active cooperation of Elf Queen Ophelia, Woohyuk was able to secretly leave the continent and sail to this ind. However, the surveincework of the many hostile forces existed everywhere, so if he acted carelessly, he could be trapped in this remote ce. ¡°But where did Triton go? Did you have hi go fishing again?¡± ¡°I gave him a coastal surveince mission.¡± The rum scent from the west during the voyage meant that someone maye this way. In the Northern Sea, there were no other inds where one could anchor and stay. In addition, there was a high possibility that the rum scented sailors were pirates, so there was a need to pay close attention to their movements and to stay vignt against outside attack. Helena nodded her head as if convinced by Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°It must be the remnant of the ckbeard Pirates. If it¡¯s them, there¡¯s a high possibility that they¡¯re in collusion with evil forces. Of course, there¡¯ll be no big difference between their power level and other pirates.¡± ¡°Either way, the guys who have their hands on the Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit are troublesome.¡± In this closed space, if an Awakened person went crazy, there was nothing good that woulde out of it for Woohyuk¡¯s party. Currently, many people were sniffing out the traces of demons to beat the 72 Demon Kings. Woohyuk hid his demonic energy through Unholy Trickster, but there was always the chance that he¡¯d release the energy if something were to happen. ¡°By the way, this snow lion, even with me and Roan riding on top of it, it¡¯s moving across the terrain very well. Although, the ride is a little slower than that of a horse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the natives of this ind have been using snow lions for a long time. It¡¯s a very big transportation advantage here, so if you use it well, you can travel quite a bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this before. However, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever experienced it myself.¡± Helena gently patted the snow lion¡¯s back. Then, a loud noise came from a distance. ¡°T-The sea monster appeared!¡± ¡°Go quickly and report it to the n Chief!¡± From the content of their conversation, it seemed they were the foreign people. Woohyuk stopped moving and watched the situation unfold from the high ground. ¡®From their appearance, they seem to be Japanese.¡¯ Come to think of it, there was actually an ind in Japan called Hokkaido, which was also located in the Northern Seas. Quite a coincidence. Anyway, they were running around busily while arming themselves to defend against the sea monster. ¡°What should we do now? If they keep moving around, they might find our location.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing we can do if that happens.¡± It would be better to get off the ind quietly after finishing his task, but that didn¡¯t mean he had to stay rooted here. The foreigners seemed to move in n units, so if a problem arose, he could just identify the n Chief and defeat him. He would get rid of the sea monsters if their presence was revealed. As Woohyuk¡¯s party continued to traverse the mountain, Hwi-K! From somewhere, the tip of an arrow broke through the air and passed between them. ¡®We were discovered sooner than I thought.¡¯ Apparently, there was a guy who had excellent detection ability in the other party. The other party also seemed to have an artifact that could hide its presence. Woohyuk stared at the direction the arrow came from with an annoyed expression, ¡°Who are you? No matter how much I look, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a native resident.¡± A ck-haired man with a longbow stood up. He was wearing traditional Japanese clothing. ¡°You must be very patriotic. Even though you fell into a different world, you¡¯ve clung to your Japanese roots.¡± ¡°Of course. We are a strong and great nation of people who once had a war with the entire world.¡± ¡°¡­ The delusion is too much. Was that how it was recorded in your history books?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be cheeky, you¡¯re delusional! You must be Chinese or Korean, seeing that you don¡¯t recognize the great achievements of the Japanese Empire!¡± The other person was a man who lived in his own fantastical universe. He could not be saved. Woohyuk picked up Grandia and stated, ¡°First off, I should teach you some manners. Let¡¯s start with proper speech.¡± He didn¡¯t possess that much anti-Japanese sentiment, but he disliked delusional people. In time, the Japanese man¡¯s scream resonated loudly throughout the valley. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± Chapter 231: The Arctic Sea Monster 3

Chapter 231: The Arctic Sea Monster 3

¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Amaterasu¡¯s n leader, Ryosuke, couldn¡¯t make sense of the reality in front of him. When the sea monster appeared, he gathered his subordinates to organize an attack n, but a young man suddenly came out of nowhere and wiped out everyone and everything in the blink of an eye. For the Amaterasu n, which was proud to belong to the upper-middle-ss amongst all ns, this one-sided defeat was shameful. ¡°Do you admit defeat, Matsuda Ryosuke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ryosuke¡¯splexion turned blue when Woohyuk held Grandia up to his neck. He had survived by doing any and everything, so he felt at a loss to meet his end in such an embarrassing way. He knew that he was at his prime, so he had to cling on no matter what. ¡®I have to survive somehow,¡¯ he thought to himself. He didn¡¯t have it easy from the beginning. In the tutorial area, he served as a general under another leader, and after he moved to the Eeth Continent, he was almost killed when he got caught up in the war among therge ns. He believed that if he could just survive and ovee this moment, he¡¯d be able to rise up again. When his thoughts reached this point, Ryosuke abandoned his pride as a n leader and spoke up, ¡°Your sword skills are great. My subordinates have gone through many trials, tribtions, and battles, but for them to be overpowered like this¡­ even if one were to call you a Sword God, it wouldn¡¯t do you justice.¡± ¡°¡­ It seems that you¡¯ve realized your level and situation.¡± Woohyuk put Grandia back into its scabbard and sat down in Ryosuke¡¯s luxurious chair. Then, from the entrance, Helena and Roan entered the room atop the snow lion. ¡°I took care of all the guys outside. Well, all I did was use a magic spell to put them all to sleep.¡± ¡°Good job, Helena.¡± Helena was both a Saintess and an outstanding Sage ss mage. It wasn¡¯t difficult for her to deal with the general nsmen. There was no need for Roan, who¡¯d probably causerger trouble to break out, to act. ¡°Then, let¡¯s listen to the story.¡± A sea monster threatening the Northern Sea. It was something he had never heard of before. When Woohyuk asked for an exnation, Ryosuke, who was lying t on the ground, raised his head to speak, ¡°I-It hasn¡¯t been long since the sea monster started attacking the ind¡¯s coast.¡± The sea monster looked like a mix between a sea snake and whale, and it used wide area-of-effect magic. The monster¡¯s two pumpkin-like eyes froze those who looked at it, and the dark blue scales leaked out a poison that was strong enough to stop one¡¯s heart if one was unfortunate to touch it. If such a monster was only threatening at sea, it would be okay, however¡­ ¡°The wide area-of-effect magic affects even the inner ind?¡± ¡°Yes, unfortunately, if you fall under the spell, your whole body slowly freezes, starting from the sole of your feet, and eventually you¡¯ll die. However, therger problemes after that.¡± Ryosuke further exined that the corpses became undead and attacked their surroundings at random. So, the Amaterasu n was about to minimize the damage by burning alive those who were cursed. ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s a very troublesome monster. I¡¯ll have to stop by this ce again,ter on, so I should just get rid of it now,¡± Woohyuk murmured to himself. ¡°D-Do you intend to kill it right now? With your level of swordsmanship, you¡¯d definitely be able to contend against it, but¡­¡± Ryosuke said with a trailing voice. Ryosuke was afraid that, for Woohyuk¡¯s n to work, his n members were probably going to be used as meat shield fodder. Just as he thought¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll have to lure the sea monster to the shore. To do that, I¡¯ll need some of your guys to act bait.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ryosuke, you can supply the manpower, right?¡± ¡°O-Of c-course. Ha¡­haha¡­¡± Ryosukeughed brilliantly while sweating profusely. For him, options didn¡¯t exist from the start. *** A biting blizzard fell upon the ind. On the decks ofrge and small ships afloat in the sea, a heavy sense of fear was flowing amongst the crew. ¡®Ah¡­ even I was mobilized as fodder¡­¡¯ Ryosuke resented his situation, but there was nothing he could do but resign himself to his fate. He double-checked his preparations. There was arge harpoon loaded with magical power, a bucket of shredded fish, and a guardian stone statue, which created a defensive barrier against the monster¡¯s poison. Even though all were in good condition, his anxiousness didn¡¯t disappear. Usually, when the sea monster appeared, they only attacked from long range fromnd and expelled the monster, as they were defending themselves from it. They had never tried to lure it out, especially while they were at sea. However, since it was Woohyuk¡¯s order, Ryosuke had to y a decoy role, even if he hated it. ¡°C-n Chief. How about we just run away? Even if we defeat the sea monster, it¡¯s unlikely that he¡¯ll treat us well.¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go to a corner of the world where the influence ofrge ns doesn¡¯t reach and start anew¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± Ryosuke screamed out ss the n members silently mored. It wasn¡¯t his choice to live in such a harsh environment. The reality was that the entire Eeth Continent, and the world for that matter, was hell itself. Thepetition between human beings was fierce. Furthermore, the 72 Demon Kings and the Seven Witches of Sin didn¡¯t leave humanity alone either. ¡®It¡¯s difficult to stay alive myself, but you¡¯re asking me to challenge for a seat on the Divine Thrones¡­? Bullshit.¡¯ Ryosuke cynically recalled the contents of the quests he had recently received from the system. How many humans were there who could win a one-on-one with any of the 72 Demon Kings on the Eeth Continent? Though he didn¡¯t consider himself insignificant, Ryosuke could tell the difference between the possible and impossible. ¡°Do you all think we can live better lives if we go elsewhere? We only came to this ce after being pushed around by other forces. Keep in mind that if we give up here, there¡¯s no future for our n! If there is someone who refuses to ept this and wants to protest or run away, I¡¯ll cut his neck with my bare hands!¡± ¡°Y-Y-Yes, sir!¡± ¡°We will fight to the death!¡± the Amaterasu nsmen shouted out as if they had made up their minds. Not long after, a white, hazy object rose from a distance, revealing the appearance of the sea monster with maddened eyes. ¡°Ki-Yaahahahahahah!¡± At the same time, the seawater around them started to freeze. Ryosuke urgently shouted at his n members, ¡°Come on,e on, go to the shore! Keep in mind that our mission is simply to be bait!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± If they moved slowly, they would freeze and die. Of course, they could abandon the ship and try escaping by water, but then they wouldn¡¯t receive the protection of the guardian statue. Thus, one would be struck by poison before reachingnd. When Ryosuke¡¯s ship started moving at full speed towards the coast, the other ships followed suit. Kwa-Deu-Deuk! Due to their haphazard forward movement, many of the ships were wrecked by icebergs in the water or frozen by the sea monster¡¯s breath. ¡°n Chief, the sea monster is gaining on us!¡± ¡°If we continue like this, it¡¯ll definitely catch up in a couple of minutes!¡± ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Ryosuke clenched his teeth in anger and frustration. The coastline was right in front of him. He could almost touch it. However, the ship couldn¡¯t move as fast as they wanted. The shadows of death were gradually falling upon them from behind. One of the impatient n members picked up therge harpoonuncher and put it on his shoulder. He fired it at the sea monster. Pew! Arge harpoon flew through the air before striking the sea monster¡¯s lower body. After being struck by the harpoon, the sea monster cried out in anger, shaking its entire surrounding. ¡°Kuo-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh!¡± The harpoon attack made the sea monster go crazy. Ryosuke looked at the impatient nsmen who shot therge harpoon as if he was ridiculous, ¡°Crazy asshole! Why did you use the harpoon!?¡± ¡°S-Sorry, sir! I thought his movements would dull if he was injured!¡± The nsman fell on the deck, crying. As Ryosuke stood speechless, Plop. A sea creature popped up right next to Ryosuke¡¯s ship and boarded the deck. The n members who saw the appearance of this foreign sea creature were immediately frightened and started pointing their weapons at it. ¡°I-It¡¯s the sea monster¡¯s servant!¡± ¡°Kill it quickly!¡± Sea monsters were elite monsters, so if they desired, they could raise hundreds of servants to do their bidding. As the atmosphere grew even tenser, the sea creature raised its hands and held back the n members. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m your ranking superior. If you attack me carelessly, my Master will be angry with you.¡± ¡°Master? Are you talking about the person who¡¯s using us as bait?¡± Ryosuke asked in surprise. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that a sea creature can speak,¡± another nsman said. The identity of the sea creature was Triton. After he reassured the n members, he lifted up the Frost Sword, Ranghilt. ¡®I¡¯m not sure how much damage I can do since we¡¯re attacking with the same elemental property base, but¡­¡¯ Triton¡¯s role was to help these nsmen and attract the sea monster as close to the shore as possible. Eventually, as Triton swung Ranghilt, a spiraling cold force struck the sea monster¡¯s head. Kwa-Ang! His attack carried enough frost power to freeze a huge body in an instant. However, as expected, the sea monster only momentarily froze before releasing itself from the restraints of freezing. It quickly resumed its forward movement. ¡°Kuo-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh!¡± Its cry seemed angrier and more ferocious than before. As Triton continued to pour out frost attribute attacks, a Pegasus appeared in the air within the blizzard. ¡°I think we¡¯re close enough.¡± Woohyuk and Helena were riding atop Pegasus. Roan, who was levitating next to them, started teasing Helena, ¡°Master, she is sticking her body tightly to you because she¡¯s scared of heights. How about touching her while performing aerial acrobatics, likest time? I can also watch and live vicariously¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, Roan. You must not value your testicles.¡± Woohyuk made a scissor cutting motion with his fingers at Roan before bringing his attention back to the sea monster. It was definitely the first time Woohyuk had seen it. However, since he had dealt with simr monster types in the past, he didn¡¯t think he would have any particr trouble. ¡®To save time, I¡¯ll have to aim for its belly area first.¡¯ The other parts of the monster were covered with solid scales, so it was difficult to attack in any manner outside of a piercing attack. The problem was that the monster¡¯s belly was located below sea level. If he had the Nautilus, it would have been possible to attack easily by firing a torpedo, but unfortunately, Debbie Jones was currently guarding the waters of the Erendia Kingdom. ¡®It¡¯s a bit much to summon Kraken for such a weak monster¡­¡¯ Summoning any of the subjugated 72 Demon Kings was also not an ideal solution as the quest had been released worldwide for several days already. In the end, Woohyuk looked at Roan, who was muttering words to himself, ¡°Get rid of it.¡± ¡°Huh? That guy?¡± ¡°Then, do you want me to do it?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Hehe¡­¡± Roan opened his arms with his palms upward with a sulking expression on his face. He then summoned Ragnar and transformed it into a harpoon-shaped weapon, which began to emit a blue aura. ¡°First, pierce its abdomen and cut out its intestines. Once you do that, it will try to freeze the surrounding sea and lock you in a cier.¡± At that time, if Woohyuk dug deeper inside of the monster and stabbed its heart, the battle could be finished quickly. After hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Roan raised his hand and asked a question, ¡°Hey, Master. Can I have his heart? I¡¯m able to absorb it with my homunculus ability, Gluttony¡­¡± ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Roan couldn¡¯t surpass Woohyuk¡¯s strength just by gaining the powers of a sea monster. Rather, it would probably benefit Woohyuk and give Roan an opportunity to grow. With his master¡¯s permission, Roan sped toward the sea monster with an excited expression, ¡°Die, you evil monster! I¡¯ll catch you and make a nice drink tonight!¡± Eventually, with one swift motion, the sea monster¡¯s dying scream rang in the blizzard air. Chapter 232: The Marksman 1

Chapter 232: The Marksman 1

After Roan finished dismantling the sea monster¡­ ¡°Good work. I¡¯ll leave it to your n to dispose of this monster¡¯s body.¡± Woohyuk praised the surviving members of the Amaterasu nsmen and gave them a reward, the body of the sea monster. Even the leftovers of elite monsters possessed high value as alchemy and production material. At Woohyuk¡¯s benevolent treatment, Ryosuke bowed down to his waist with a surprised expression. ¡°T-Thank you! How can we ever repay this grace¡­¡± ¡°Keep an eye on the ind until I return. That¡¯s your only job.¡± Of course, it would be foolish to blindly believe in Ryosuke without taking any action. Before leaving, Woohyuk summoned Ryosuke and made him sign a master-ve contract. ¡°Eh, were you a d-demon? I hadn¡¯t felt any demonic energy¡­¡± ¡°My situation is a little bit peculiar.¡± In his previous life, Woohyuk was an archangel, and in the present life, he was a human. After being called into this world, he seeded the position of a former Demon Lord. If one thought about this progression with somemon sense, his image and reputation seemed to be getting worse and worse. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t care about this perception. ¡®Whatever others choose to call me, I¡¯m just me.¡¯ A being who keeps moving forward with his own subjectivity. In this turbulent world, he thought this approach was enough. Before long, he arrived with his party at the ruins of Einherjar¡­ ¡°In the past, there was one king who conquered vast territories. Do you know what he did when he visited a small vige and saw a carriage tangled in rope?¡± Woohyuk summoned Verserios and asked Helena a question. She tilted her head in confusion at his sudden, outrageous words and looked at him. ¡°Well, what did he do?¡± ¡°He pulled out a sword and cut the rope. He didn¡¯t consider untying the knot.¡± Sometimes, there were situations that required bold decisions. Those bold decisions could be counterproductive in the end, but it was an easier decision at the moment. ¡®It¡¯s probably impossible for Helena to lift the gods¡¯plex security barriers.¡¯ If so, destroying it with demon power would be enough. As Woohyuk swung Verserios in the air, Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji! A spark shed momentarily on the steep rock wall, and the mainndscape began to crumble. It was a form of stealth magic. In addition, there were twoyers of exclusion magic that blocked the ess of unauthorized intruders into the ruins. ¡°Keuk!¡± When the exclusion magic was triggered and the shockwave emanated out, Woohyuk clenched his jaw. If he was a normal human being, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the damage and would have instantly perished. However, Woohyuk had a much higher mental power thanks to the hidden sses he had earned so far, so he managed to withstand the shockwave. Chwa-Ah! With Verserios, he destroyed the double barrier. Between the cracks, a ruin that was carved into the rock wall appeared. ¡°So, that¡¯s where the dimensional transmission device that leads to heaven is,¡± Helena remarked. ¡°Do you want to go? To the upper level where the gods stay¡­¡± Woohyuk replied. ¡°Not really. I¡¯m fairly certain I won¡¯t be weed.¡± It was rare for even holy disciples to be given preferential treatment by the gods. As Helena followed Woohyuk feet into the ruins, she asked aloud, ¡°But where is the guardian who maintains this ce? The gods wouldn¡¯t have left such an important base unattended with only a double barrier magic spell.¡± ¡°There certainly is a guardian. However, it¡¯s more like a ghost that can¡¯t sleep,¡± replied Woohyuk. The ghost Woohyuk referred to was Einherjar. As soon as he finished speaking, a dry man¡¯s voice echoed in the passage, ¡°Amazing. Did you know of my existence from the beginning?¡± It was the voice of one of the many heroes recorded in this world¡¯s history. However, even among these heroes, this man was very special. Without him, the Holy Aperia Empire would have copsed during the Demon War. ¡°Of course, Reinhardt. You¡¯re a proud pdin who existed in unfortunate times.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Step. Step. Reinhardt silently walked toward Woohyuk. He was not a mere mirage, but a ghost that possessed a corporeal body. However, his lifeless body carried a cold energy. ¡°I will set you free from the bondage thatsted for past thousands of years. I apply for a prestigious one-on-one duel.¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s your name? I¡¯ll refuse the duel unless you reveal how I arrived in this predicament,¡± Reinhardt said, raising his shield instead of his long sword. His actions represented a willingness to defend to the end. Woohyuk spoke with an expression of expectation, ¡°I am Chun Woohyuk. I learned about this in the past when restoring the Nag Hammad Chronicles. You met me then.¡± ¡°No matter how much I think about it, what you¡¯re saying is a lie. Even though the gods have turned me into this state, the memories of my past have not been touched.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re saying is true. However, my words are absolutely true. After I defeated you in the past, I met the Goddesses of Fate and returned to the past,¡± Woohyuk said. He went on to briefly exin the past to Reinhardt. Reinhardt was silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°There¡¯s no way for you to prove that. Thus, I will ask¡­ Why did you visit this ce without the Nag Hammadi Chronicles?¡± ¡°Many things have changed from the past. The existing n I had has been derailed, and I don¡¯t have much time to spare.¡± ¡°¡­ Such a troublesome man. What¡¯s your purpose for doing such unreasonable things?¡± ¡°I will radically change this world. I will prevent an exclusive transcendental person, like the Creator, from ever controlling the system again.¡± That was the ultimate goal of the Odyssey n. After hearing Woohyuk¡¯s words, Reinhardt looked puzzled. ¡®You¡¯re an amazing human in many ways,¡¯ Reinhardt thought. A long time ago, his friend had said something simr. He was Rnd of the Trinity Knights. He helped Etheria Rodinus, who was being pursued at the time by the Empire for stealing the Holy Grail and eventually faced a miserable death. Rnd was like himself, a person who was eliminated by his enemies after pursuing only noble ideals. ¡®Also, the woman next to him looks very much like Sophia.¡¯ Sophia was a beautiful Saintess who became Solomon¡¯s disciple. Helena mirrored Sophia¡¯s figure and looks. Reinhardt nced at Helena and saw the ring that she was wearing. ¡®Etheria Rodinus.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t just feeling things or was mistaken. Once he roughly grasped the situation, Reinhardt spoke to Woohyuk, ¡°I think I know why you guys are here. Now the question in my mind seems to be resolved to some extent.¡± ¡°If so, will you choose to let us through without objection?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible. The object you want is designed to be obtained only after defeating me,¡± Reinhardt replied Thus, no matter what the circumstances were, their battle was inevitable. Woohyuk nodded his head and summoned Verserios. ¡°I will make you sleepfortably. I believe that you too are hoping for aplete death.¡± ¡°Of course. But I cannot close my eyesfortably unless a true sessor appears.¡± The reason Reinhardt remained here without bing Einherjar was that he wanted to convey his will to posterity. It was the historical restoration of Solomon¡¯s line. Reinhardt went on to describe the underhanded assassination ns that the Church of Light had continued to carry out after his absence. Thus, he thought he was obligated, as a proud pdin, to correct the Church¡¯s wrongs. ¡°That will, I will be the sessor and make your vision a reality. I didn¡¯t know of all thisst time because you didn¡¯t tell me,¡± replied Woohyuk after hearing Reinhardt¡¯s will. ¡°First off, I will take a look at your skills to see if you qualify. This mission is not something anyone can carry out,¡± Reinhardt remarked. Reinhard finally lifted his long sword to the height of his chest. His action expressed his willingness to fight the opponent. Woohyuk closely watched Reinhardt¡¯s movement while holding Verserios with both hands. ¡®Previously, I fought with him for three days and nights.¡¯ As the best pdin to have ever lived, Reinhardt was easily able to attack and defend at will. He also possessed tremendous strength. He was also very strategic, showing openings to lure his opponent before countering, something that Woohyuk had almost sumbed to many times in his past life. ¡®But this time, I don¡¯t have time.¡¯ Seeing that he was looking for a sessor, it was unlikely that he would die easily. However, if Woohyuk summoned the Demon King, he wouldn¡¯t be recognized as Reinhardt¡¯s sessor. Therefore, Woohyuk had no choice but to win a one-on-one battle with his own battle strength. ¡°Ha-Ap!¡± Seeing that Woohyuk wasn¡¯t nning on attacking first, Reinhardt rushed forward in a short spirit. The bnce was broken. Woohyuk stopped Reinhard¡¯s ambitious attack after observing the blue aura that was left by the trajectory of his long sword. ¡®It¡¯s still not easy.¡¯ However, Woohyuk felt that he could deal with the situation much better thanst time. His confidence came from the experience of facing off with extraordinary opponents up to now. Even though his stats were much lower than Reinhardt¡¯s, Woohyuk was able to predict the movement of Reinhardt¡¯s sword and shield fairly well. ¡®In a battle like this, the smallest difference determines the winner or loser.¡¯ He instinctively knew this from his long experience. The opponent was a pdin who beat dozens of Demon Kings during the Great Demon War. It was good to have confidence, but he had to remain vignt. Woohyuk leaned his upper body back to avoid the swinging shield. At the same time, Woohyuk shed at the bottom corner of Reinhardt¡¯s shield using Verserios. Ka-Rang! As the sparks flew, the shield was lifted upwards momentarily. Using that timing, Woohyuk moved inward/ Immediately, the blue aura long sword wasing down on Woohyuk¡¯s head. Hwi-Ing! The long sword cut the demonic energy barrier Woohyuk created. Reinhardt¡¯s long sword, which carved diagonally away from Woohyuk because of the demonic barrier, then changed direction and immediately aimed at Woohyuk¡¯s heart. However, as if he had expected it all along, Woohyuk twisted his body and safely avoided Reinhardt¡¯s attack. ¡®If you¡¯re feeling relieved here, you¡¯re not worthy,¡¯ Reinhardt thought. The shield, which had lost its direction just a moment ago, was starting to descend on Woohyuk again. Avoiding the long sword would allow the shield attack to connect and avoiding the shield would cause the long sword to pierce his heart. If Woohyuk couldn¡¯t ovee Reinhardt¡¯s speed, he¡¯d have to repeat this process over and over. ¡®However, I finally found the paper-thin difference.¡¯ Although the difference was paper-thin, any margin, if used properly was very meaningful in the fight between skilled fighters. Woohyuk focused his nerves on his senses and drew the expected path of the long sword and shield in his mind. After several iterations of following the pattern¡­ Pu-Ook! Finally, Woohyuk¡¯s long spear struck Reinhardt¡¯s side utilizing a razor-thin gap. ¡°Keuk!¡± Reinhard sat down, vomiting dark red blood. Soon, blood flowed through the cracks of his silver te armor. It seemed very painful, but Reinhardt praised Woohyuk without changing his expression. ¡°It was a duel that I will never forget, even if I perish forever.¡± ¡°The same is true for me as well.¡± ¡°Have I ever been defeated so quickly before? I¡¯m curious to hear since you said you fought me before,¡± Reinhardt asked. ¡°At that time, we fought non-stop for three days and nights. When the battle was over, we each had a lot of wounds,¡± Woohyuk respectfully replied. However, Woohyuk continued to grow after that fateful, drawn-out fight, reaching his present mental and physical level, though his reset stats and ss when he re-entered this world was an initial difficulty. Reinhardt nodded at Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°Excellent, young man. I hope you can achieve your goal. In that sense, I wish for you to take this,¡± Reinhardt said as he leaned on his long sword and held out the dagger on his waist. After receiving and observing the dagger, Woohyuk made a surprised expression, ¡®Wait, what¡¯s this?¡¯ Chapter 233: The Marksman 2

Chapter 233: The Marksman 2

[Bhnte Family Guardian Dagger] Category: Weapon Grade: A Durability: 26,000 Effect: When an opponent who has antipathy towards the dagger¡¯s holder approaches, it is possible to grasp the opponent¡¯s existence and identity. Bhnte was the family that Reinhardt was associated with while he was alive. The Bhnte Family had been famous for producing many pdins. The family had quickly fallen apart once Reinhardt died. Furthermore, since their downfall happened so long ago, it was difficult toe across any of the family¡¯s treasures. ¡®With this, I¡¯ll have acquired one more mythical ability, drawing me closer to the gods.¡¯ To be sure, he had artifacts like Andvaranaut, but he had to be careful since he only had three out of the five ability slots open. On the other hand, the Bhnte Family Guardian Dagger was an artifact that would undoubtedly be included in one of his empty ability slots. Though the inherent effect of the artifact itself was frankly nothing, it had tremendous value to Woohyuk. ¡°It¡¯s a very valuable gift,¡± Woohyuk stated appreciatively. ¡°Now I can finally rest. In the blink of an eye, a long time has passed. Young man, I entrust you with all the things that I wasn¡¯t able to do,¡± Reinhardt replied with a gentle tone. ¡°Do not worry. I will surely set everything in its right ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very convincing tone. I don¡¯t exactly know why, but I feel relieved¡­¡± Rumble. Scatter. Reinhardt¡¯s body turned into pure white smoke and began to scatter in the air. Soon, nothing was left of Reinhardt, emphasizing the point that he was not corporeal from the beginning. Reinhardt had existed for thousands of years as an illusion because of his unfulfilled mission. Finally, he could rest. After somberlymemorating his death with Helena, Woohyuk immediately moved to the ce where a soul stone could be seen. ¡°Is it that?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the soul stone.¡± A hexagonal blue crystal floated above a magic circle that was created with mystical magic. Helena looked worried when Woohyuk put it in his pocket. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the gods in heavene to earth to take it back? Since the Creator will descend at any moment, I¡¯m a little worried about angering the gods,¡± Helena worryingly asked. ¡°Regardless, we have to face them someday. Furthermore, it¡¯s a necessary item for the Epic Quest, so there¡¯s no way around it,¡± Woohyuk replied. There was a lot of work still left to do, but the amount of time and mental energy needed toplete those tasks was quickly winding down. This was not the time to hesitate, even if it meant angering the gods and bringing greater troubleter on. Roan nodded vigorously as if he agreed, ¡°That¡¯s right, Master. It¡¯s better to have a one-night stand than worry about the aftermath. In that sense¡­¡± ¡°Helena, if that guy keeps spewing bullshit, cut his testicles off,¡± Woohyuk said in a tired voice. ¡°Got it. A Homunculus¡¯ reproductive function doesn¡¯t really provide us much value anyway,¡± Helena said as she nced down at Roan¡¯s lower body with cold, uncaring eyes. Roan was so frightened by this quick progression that he covered his mouth with both hands. ¡°Roan is going to be dumb now! I¡¯ve be sick of talking!¡± Roan screamed between the hands that covered his mouth. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s go to the Aize Kingdom now.¡± He would have to go to the Aize Kingdom and find the three remaining ingredients for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring. In order to get them, it was inevitable to have a sh with the Witch Cult. Woohyuk hurriedly walked out of the area while imagining Aleister¡¯s evil smile. *** The Aize Kingdom was not far from the Northern Seas¡¯ Ind. ¡°Achoo!¡± That is, it wasn¡¯t far if they crossed the northernmost point of this world. Once they crossed the north pole, they moved southward to where the Seven Color Rainbow Ring materials were supposedly being transported to. Woohyuk and his party first sailed to the northern-most point of the world before descending southward down a steep mountain range. ¡°You must be very cold,¡± Woohyukmented. ¡°Well, should I be warm then?! Even in this freezing cold blizzard, we¡¯re wandering through the coldest valleys,¡± Helenained as she shuddered. She was riding Pegasus with Woohyuk. Meanwhile, Roan was following them while levitating in the air. ¡®No matter what, don¡¯t open your mouth!¡¯ Roan kept repeating this thought over and over in his head. ¡°What happened to the Sage that you mentioned? The one who said he was moving to the east. If he had found the Nag Hammadi, he would have contacted you already, right?¡± Woohyuk asked Helena. ¡°There¡¯s no news from him yet. I¡¯ve tried contacting him, but he¡¯s not replying to any of my messages,¡± Helena replied. Through the GPS-like location system built into themunication artifact that he took, it seemed that he was not dead. After hearing Helena¡¯s exnation, Woohyuk made an ufortable expression, ¡°Then, we can¡¯t rule out the possibility that he was kidnapped by someone.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be ruled out. However, Arhen is a member of my group, so he wouldn¡¯t easily sumb to anyone.¡± The title of Sage wasn¡¯t attached to just anyone. While Helena was exining the power of those who followed Etheria Rodinus, Woohyuk suddenly stopped Pegasus. ¡°What happened? Why did you stop so suddenly?¡± Helena asked in surprise. ¡°Look down there.¡± Woohyuk pointed to a pack of Frost Giants that were trudging along down the mountain range. Helena¡¯splexion turned dark as she muttered, ¡°They¡¯re also heading south.¡± ¡°Do you think their movement has something to do with the Witch Cult?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. If anything, the Frost Giants are supposed to be a neutral force¡­¡± Being a neutral force was troublesome in many ways. It meant that they were not friendly with either side and were difficult topromise with. However, Woohyuk knew one of their secrets, ¡°Have you ever heard of the Frost Queen?¡± ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t that the artifact you used to make ice golemsst time?¡± ¡°Yeah. I used the Frost Queen¡¯s Ne.¡± She was a barbarian leader who subjugated the Frost Giants in ancient times, Frost Queen Ariandne. However, for some reason, Ariandne¡¯s existence was forgotten, and the Frost Giants fell into a long period of hibernation. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you can subjugate them with the Frost Queen¡¯s Ne?¡± asked Helena. ¡°Sure. Another overlord also seeded in subjugating the Frost Giants in the past,¡± answered Woohyuk. That other overlord was Marcus. A person who was currently working in the Duchy of Yen (Yen Principality) or the Theresian Empire. Woohyuk never figured out how Marcus was able to subjugate the Frost Giants in his previous life. However, he was able to find out the truth when he returned to this world. ¡°He¡¯s a bold man to try and tame those spectacr giants with one artifact,¡± Helena responded. ¡°He definitely had a bold side. After losing his wife and child, that boldness turned into madness, though,¡± Woohyuk muttered quietly. Woohyuk knew that, like Logan, overlord Marcus was a troublesome person who had to be eliminated someday. After Helena and Roan took their ces on Pegasus, Woohyuk spread his abyssal wings and flew down to the ground alone. ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a minute,¡± Woohyuk calmy said. ¡°¡­¡± Hwi-Eek! When Woohyuk spoke, the Frost Giant in front of the pack swung its fist. It seemed that the Frost Giant, after seeing the abyssal wings, thought that the person in front of it was a demon, an entity that the Frost Giants were forbidden to get along with. Woohyuk lightly avoided the attack and then spoke aloud again, ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight. I have nothing to do with the Witches Cult, either.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When the word ¡®Witches Cult¡¯ came up, the Frost Giant at the front stopped in ce. Afterward, it turned its head and exchanged nces with its people, who had stopped together at this point. And then¡­ Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! With the sound of heavy steps, all the Frost Giants rushed towards Woohyuk at once. Their eyes werepletely open as if to say that he shouldn¡¯t dare move against them. ¡®I have no choice but to show them an example.¡¯ There was a custom of worshiping strong warriors among the Frost Giants. So, once they were overwhelmed in battle, the giants would start listening to the other party. Knowing this, Woohyuk rushed to the strongest-looking Frost Giant. Crack! As Woohyuk grabbed the Frost Giant¡¯s arm and twisted it, he heard the sound of its joints bending and then cracking. He didn¡¯t stop. He then ran up the giant¡¯s forearm and then kicked the giant¡¯sher regions with all his might. Pop! ¡°¡­!¡± At the moment of impact, the Frost Giant opened its eyes wide before crumbling down to the ground. The other giants who saw this stopped moving forward. All of them had nervous expressions on their faces. ¡°Even if all of youe at me, I¡¯m confident that I¡¯ll win. I¡¯m trying to speak to you all instead because I have something to say,¡± Woohyuk said aloud before reaching into his pocket and taking out the Frost Queen¡¯s Ne. Once they saw the ne, the frost giants fell in ce, frightened. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Ariandne¡¯s Relic!¡± ¡°My people, we are saved! The sessor to Queen Frost has finally appeared!¡± To the Frost Giants, Ariandne was an absolute being. As the giants becamepliant, Woohyuk asked questions with a stern expression, ¡°Where are you guys going?¡± ¡°To a battlefield in the south. More humans areing in than they thought, so even we¡¯ve been summoned toe down south.¡± ording to the words of the Frost Giants, humans were very hostile to the giants awakening. So, the Frost Giants began to oppose humans, and as a result, ethnic wars continued on in the Aize Kingdom. ¡°Are there any witches among those humans?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve also seen many groups that are the Witches Cult¡¯s worshipers. Some of the humans turn into ugly monsters.¡± The monster the Frost Giant was talking about meant Awakeners. This meant that the Qliphoth Fruit was also circting in the Aize Kingdom. Woohyuk nodded his head and pointed to the fallen frost giant that was foaming at the mouth. ¡°Make a stretcher and put that guy on it. I¡¯ll be going with you all. I will also do battle on the battlefield.¡± ¡°Huh? But first, why don¡¯t you meet our tribal leader in the north? We don¡¯t know when this war will end or how long it will go on¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s difficult. I can¡¯t afford to waste any time.¡± If he couldn¡¯t secure the materials for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring with this opportunity, his overall n could go awry. Without elucidating what he meant to the confused Frost Giants, Woohyuk unfolded the map of the Aize Kingdom. *** The war between the Frost Giants and the humans was fierce. Initially, the Aize Kingdom had the upper hand, but the situation changed rapidly as the human survivors fled to the south and asked for help from the Theresian Empire. With the Theresian Empire¡¯s advanced siege weapons and the onught of magic spells from the mages, the Frost Giants struggled to defend. ¡®Furthermore, the Witches Cult is using that confusion to rapidly grow in power.¡¯ For the soldiers on the battlefield, who had a hard time surviving, the Qliphoth Fruit was an irresistible temptation. Many secretly bought it to increase their survival rate, andter they unknowingly became Aleister¡¯s faithful servants. Of course, the atmosphere at the end of the century also contributed greatly to the expansion of the Witches Cult. Hedonistic human group orgies were widespread, so the poprity of Witches, who whispering sweet words while the gods remained silent, rose sharply. During this chaotic situation, the material for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring was being transported to a fortress prison under the Witches¡¯ control in the southern part of the Aize Kingdom. It was as if someone was challenging Woohyuk. ¡®It¡¯s like Aleister is saying take it if you can.¡¯ As he stared at the fortress prison over the snowy field, Woohyuk made a bitter expression. He felt like he was being forced into a ce that he knew was a trap. However, he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. ¡°What are you going to do now? Are you going to lead the Frost Giants and charge in?¡± ¡°I have no intention of doing anything that obvious. Actually, I¡¯m expecting them to be charging at us pretty soon.¡± The surroundings were strangely quiet despite being such an important ce. As Woohyuk frowned at the peaceful scenery, a magical bullet flew towards his heart from a distance. Ta-a-a-a-ang! Chapter 234: The Marksman 3

Chapter 234: The Marksman 3

¡®¡­ Is it the Golden Rose Society!¡¯ Only the Golden Rose Society could have developed the technology to snipe someone outside one¡¯s line of sight. Woohyuk sharpened his senses after warning Helena and Roan to be careful. ¡®Where the hell are you?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t sense his opponent¡¯s presence, possibly because his opponent was using stealth magic. While Woohyuk was looking in the direction from which the magic bullet came, he once again heard another magic bullet being fired. The magic bullet approached him at a high speed. Ta-a-a-a-ang! ¡°Shit!¡± This time, it was from the opposite direction. Woohyuk clenched his jaw and rolled his body to the side to escape. ¡°Hahahahahahahaha! Looks like you¡¯re scared! How do you like the new weapon Lord Aleister made for me this time!¡± A man¡¯s voice echoed from the fortress prison¡¯s loudspeaker. Woohyuk frowned and his eyes sharpened upon hearing the voice, ¡°Peter Logan¡­¡± He had expected that Logan would be with the Golden Rose Society, but he didn¡¯t know he would meet Logan in this way. ¡®Also, what is this about a new secret weapon?¡¯ Woohyuk grasped that it was a kind of sniper rifle, but he found it difficult to guess its specific function. ¡°You must be curious about my secret weapon. My mouth is itchy, but I can¡¯t tell you yet because I have to take you and that Saintess down with this first,¡± Logan shouted out. Based on his words, it didn¡¯t seem like Logan would be doing Woohyuk any favors. As his opponent was throwing down the verbal gauntlet, Woohyuk summoned an undead army and ordered, ¡°From now on, we¡¯re targeting that fortress. The first target is a guy named Peter Logan who is talking through the loudspeaker right now.¡± ¡°Grr¡­¡± The elite undead monsters responded with cries and led their troops towards the fortress. Logan, who saw the appearance of the undead, provoked Woohyuk with an evil smile, ¡°Are you scared toe yourself because you¡¯re afraid of getting shot? How can you be favored by Lilith while being so cautious? I, Peter Logan, as one of the four Apostles chosen for the Doomsday, cannot help but regret the present situation.¡± He was very chatty, just like he was in Woohyuk¡¯s previous life, and still had a couple of screws loose in his head. Helena, unable to listen to the absurdness, said to Woohyuk, ¡°He¡¯s really lost it. No wonder Aleister chose him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to what Logan is saying. He just wants to provoke us.¡± Logan was the epitome of an inconsistent character. There was no rhyme or reason with him. He rejected allws, pursued a world of chaos, and felt thrilled whenever he imagined the moment of his death. In short, he was a psychopath. In that respect, he was slightly different from Aleister, who gave off a cult leader vibe. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so excited to be able to kill those who have already died once. I have to thank Aleister again for preparing this cruel ughter,¡± Logan shouted out like a maniac. Ta-a-a-ang! Ta-a-a-ang! Ta-a-a-ang! The magic bullets were shooting at full st against the undead army that was approaching the fortress walls. However, it was difficult to subdue the entire undead with the single magic weapon, so the gates of the prison fortress opened, and a group of Awakened people rushed out. ¡°Kiyo-Oh-Oh-Oh!¡± The Awakeners began to ruthlessly ughter the undead while struggling through the snowy battlefield. Seeing that his undead army was being ughtered by the Awakeners, Woohyuk summoned Amon, the 7th ranked Demon King. ¡°Lead the undead while I¡¯m away. I¡¯m going to attack the prison fortress with the other party members.¡± ¡°Are you not going to call another Demon King?¡± Amon asked. ¡°It¡¯s enough with just you for now.¡± Woohyuk always had to be wary of Aleister¡¯s invention, the Absorber Trigger. When it was activated, the demons in its range would fall into a state of defenselessness, and as a result, they could be easily taken care of by the enemies. ¡®It¡¯s good that I brought Helena and Roan.¡¯ The Saintess, a ss of light attributes, and Homunculus, who possessed several useful skills, were able topensate for his own shorings. Woohyuk climbed onto Pegasus and immediately flew into the sky through the howling blizzard. ¡°In the end, you decided on a frontal assault? It¡¯s only the three of us, you know,¡± Helenamented. ¡°If you have anyints, bring your brother. Well, I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll have time to wait for him this time around,¡± replied Woohyuk. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility for me if I pass out. Why do you keep doing this to me, knowing that I have a fear of heights?¡± Helena said through tightly closed eyes. She was beginning to feel dizzy from the high-altitude flight. Feeling her grip tightening around his back, Woohyuk gave Roan amand, ¡°Look closely at the trajectory of the magic bullets. We need to figure out what kind of abilities Logan¡¯s sniper rifle has.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Roan nodded vigorously without saying a word, still scared that he¡¯d have his manhood taken away. Not long after this exchange¡­ Ta-a-a-a-a-ang! A magic bullet tore through the air and approached Helena¡¯s heart from behind. Hwi-Eek! Woohyuk avoided the magic bullet with borate horsemanship. But that was all. There didn¡¯t seem to be a suitable means of counterattacking. ¡®I can¡¯t destroy the entire prison fortress just to defeat Logan.¡¯ It was a ce where the Seven Color Rainbow Ring¡¯s materials were stored. If the prison fortress was destroyed, the materials may be damaged. Even if they were safe in the end, it would take a long time to find them in the rubble. This was an undesirable result for Woohyuk, whocked time and mental energy. Helena spoke from behind him in an urgent tone as he was contemting what to do, ¡°Can¡¯t you summon Catsy or Thunderbird? Or that silver dragon called Altair? Whichever you choose, hurry up!¡± ¡°¡­ Good idea. I guess you¡¯re not called a Sage for no reason.¡± He hated to admit it, but Helena¡¯s advice was very helpful. Catsy couldn¡¯t suffer any physical damage, so she could search the prison fortress, and the Thunderbird could generate electrical impulses to injure the enemies without destroying any building structures. Not to mention, he could summon Altair, an ancient dragon. ¡®Since it¡¯s be like this, I have to mobilize all possible measures.¡¯ Woohyuk immediately summoned the three entities Helena mentioned and gave them a short briefing. ¡°¡­ Now that you¡¯re up to speed, take action immediately,¡± stated Woohyuk. ¡°Meow! Okay!¡± Catsy was extremely excited as she rode the Thunderbird down to the side of the prison fortress. Meanwhile, Altair closely observed the trajectory of the magic bullets as he moved with Woohyuk and his party. ¡°Master, the magic bullets have an irregr trajectory! It¡¯s as if they had their own will!¡± Roan screamed out. ¡°The Homunculus is right. It seems that the guy who¡¯s shooting can control the bullets freely,¡± Altair said in agreement while nodding his head. In other words, Logan¡¯s secret weapon was specialized as a remote-controlled shooting weapon. Woohyuk nodded his head and threw out a question, ¡°If you follow the trajectory of magic bullets backward, where is the starting point?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the top floor of the prison fortress,¡± answered Roan. ¡°I concur. It seems to be the most likely ce also because it¡¯s a good ce for securing visibility,¡± Altair followed up. With this, all of Woohyuk¡¯s doubts were resolved. Woohyuk ordered the Thunderbird to attack the uppermost part of the prison where Logan was believed to be. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if a window or a grate is destroyed. I don¡¯t need you to kill any of the other guys, just attack Logan intensively,¡± Woohyuk ordered. ¡°Kaw!¡± The Thunderbird made a sharp cry and flew to the top floor of the prison. Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji! A high-pressure electric current flowed from the Thunderbird¡¯s body began to the iron bars that surrounded the top of the fortress. After a while¡­ ¡°Keuk! You¡¯ve found my location! However, don¡¯t feel like you¡¯ve won! I am holding a member of Etheria Rodinus hostage!¡± Logan moaned out while in pain from the electrical shock. He had finally revealed his hidden card. ¡°What?!¡± When Helena heard his words, she opened her eyes wide in a surprised expression. Currently, only Arhen was active in the East. It was now clear thatmunication had been cut off because he was trapped inside the prison. ¡®This is a headache.¡¯ If he had to consider the hostage and y along with this longwinded game, Woohyuk¡¯s options would gradually reduce. As if he read Woohyuk¡¯s mind, Altair suggested, ¡°Let me rescue him. Of course, there¡¯s no guarantee that I will be 100% sessful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still better than not trying. Isn¡¯t that right, Helena?¡± Woohyuk said as he quickly turned to Helena for confirmation. ¡°¡­ Yes. That would be the best for now,¡± Helena answered in a meek voice while nodding her head lifelessly. Seeing them take up his offer, Altair teleported and immediately infiltrated the prison fortress. ¡®Since Arhen is trapped here, there¡¯s a high possibility that Logan has the Nag Hammadi Chronicles here as well.¡¯ Hopefully, he could save the trouble of traveling around the Eastern Continent. Logan¡¯s voice rang out once more as Woohyuk was constantly avoiding the manipted magic bullets atop Pegasus. ¡°Haha¡­ Seeing that your dragon friend next to you has disappeared, it looks like you¡¯ve decided to try and rescue the hostage. Let me show you the results of your shitty decision!¡± ¡°Heup¡­! Heup¡­!" They could hear the grumblings of a man with his mouth sealed from the loudspeaker. Soon, the sound of the tape being ripped off was heard. The previously grumbling voice became clear. ¡°H-Helena! Don¡¯t mind me! Focus on your mission! If you fail, Etheria Rodinus will¡­¡± Slice! Arhen was only able to get a few words out. Shortly after the cutting sound was heard, Arhen screamed. His bloodcurdling scream was transmitted through the loudspeaker. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Hahahahaha! I cut off his tongue because of his useless remarks. Why don¡¯t youe and cast a recovery spell? If I were you, I¡¯de quick. Your colleague is spewing out blood from his mouth like a fountain,¡± Logan said as he continued tough madly. It seemed this situation was immensely pleasing for him. Helena trembled in anger at the madness of the situation. ¡°That devil¡­!¡± ¡°Keep your cool, Helena. If you sumb to his provocation, you¡¯ll only be ying into his hands.¡± It may have been for Woohyuk¡¯s selfish reasons, but there was currently no way for him to help Arhen. All he could do was hope that Altair seeded. Woohyuk looked at the magic-engineered howitzers installed on the top of the prison fortress. ¡®It¡¯s the same type of weapon used by the Gold Rose Society guys on Chaos Ind.¡¯ Now that he approached the fortress, it seemed best for him to handle those howitzers first. When Woohyuk gave the instruction, the Thunderbird glided in front of the top floor of the prison fortress and sent several lightning strikes at the magic-engineered howitzers. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! The magic-engineered howitzers contained arge number of precision parts, so a powerful electric shock could easily paralyze its function by melding the precision parts together from the heat. Logan spoke with a subdued voice after Woohyuk used his Thunderbird to quickly tear down the prison fortress¡¯ defense system, ¡°Oh, dear. You really don¡¯t know how to give up. Well, I guess you must have at least that level of willingness to y a meaningful role in this overall n. Now, let me show you myst card.¡± Chul-Kuk! The sound of a bullet being loaded rang out from the loudspeaker. Logan then kindly exined the current situation, ¡°Hidden ss, the Marksman! Only the Marksman can learn this skill. Aleister named this ultimate skill Evil Eye.¡± The Marksman, who signed a contract with the devil, was able to master the assassination ¡®one-shot-one-kill¡¯ skill. No matter how or where the target moved, the guided magical bullet chased after its target until the end! Although the cooldown was quite long, the skill could take down any targeted opponent. After hearing Logan¡¯s words, Helena curtly remarked, ¡°This son of a bitch is crazy¡­¡± Chapter 235: The Marksman 4

Chapter 235: The Marksman 4

How was one supposed to avoid a guided bullet that wouldn¡¯t stop until it reached its target? Though the premise seemed unsolvable, Woohyuk unexpectedly found a simple solution. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just allow myself to get hit,¡± Woohyuk casually stated. ¡°¡­ Are you serious? If it hits your heart or brains, you might die instantly, right?¡± Helena asked with a concerned expression. ¡°I¡¯m not going to allow it to hit me without protecting myself. For example, there¡¯s a method of covering and protecting one¡¯s body with mana, like the Shaolin Monks,¡± answered Woohyuk. Furthermore, he could also try to intercept the iing magic bullet while it was traveling through the air. Helena nodded as if his words weren¡¯t as absurd as it initially sounded. ¡°If he targets me, make sure to protect me. My guardian defensive barrier will probably be pierced by the magic bullet,¡± Helenamented. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± Woohyuk said offhandedly. It wasn¡¯t a situation where a joke shoulde out, but Woohyuk threw it out anyway. It was because Helena had be unusually serious. After the Abyssal Ind, this was only the second time her serious resolve was outwardly portrayed. ¡®No matter if she¡¯s a Saintess, there are times when one¡¯s heart is shaken.¡¯ He didn¡¯t really have any affection for Helena, but he needed her by his side at the moment. It was also immensely enjoyable for Woohyuk to drag her around and annoy her from time to time. As Woohyuk was wrapping his body with mana, Logan¡¯s overexcited loud voice came through the loudspeaker, ¡°Then, shall we start the hunt? Let¡¯s conclude with the prelude and move on to the main stage. The main y starts now!¡± Ta-a-a-a-ang! Logan fired off a crimson magic bullet from the top floor of the prison fortress. It was impossible to determine who the target was. Woohyuk expanded his mana defensive barrier a little to protect Helena. ¡°Even if it¡¯s frustrating, be patient. It¡¯s better than dying,¡± Woohyuk said as his mana barrier wrapped around Helena and brought her closer to his body. ¡°Whatever, just protect me well!¡± Helena hugged Woohyuk as hard as she could from behind. She was definitely scared. Woohyuk smirked at the cowering Helena and then followed the trail of the crimson magic bullet with his eyes. ¡®Again, it¡¯s using an unpredictable path to approach its target.¡¯ If he were Logan, who would he aim for first? Logan would already know that Woohyuk would protect his body like this. ¡®Since Roan has a regeneration ability, he¡¯s less likely to be a targeted¡­¡¯ After considering everything, Woohyuk came to the conclusion that Logan would probably aim for Helena first since he¡¯d have a high chance of sniping her. The question was in what approach and way he would do this. Even though the magic bullet was powerful, it was unlikely that it could easily prate his defensive mana barrier, which he had used to great effect against the Fallen Angel Crue and the Ancient Devil Harpes. As Woohyuk was pondering Logan¡¯s approach, a ck gap appeared in the air in front of him for an instant, and a female-type silver-haired Homunculus appeared next to Helena. ¡®¡­ So, it was this!¡¯ Woohyuk recalled Brynhildr once mentioning that a forbidden Homunculus was sealed in the Aize Kingdom. This was a variable he hadn¡¯t considered. Due to her sudden appearance, the situation drastically changed. ¡°¡­¡± The female Homunculus immediately attacked Woohyuk. Hwi-Eek! Its abilities were illusion and distortion. Its specialty was wide-area crowd control and temporarily disabling the opponent¡¯s abilities. The female Homunculus was also good at approaching its target using an unpredictable route by refracting and bending space-time. Bam! The female Homunculus swung its walking stick and distorted the space around it. Soon, it touched the defensive mana barrier that surrounded Helena. At the same time, the defensive mana barrier disappeared in an instant as if it was never there. Woohyuk was unable to re-form the defensive mana barrier for another 10 minutes due to the ability-disabling property of her strike. ¡®This is ridiculous.¡¯ He also possessed the skill to block the opponent¡¯s abilities for a finite period of time, but because he was splitting his focus on the magic bullet, the female Homunculus was faster in getting off its disabling skill. Additionally, Logan was too far away for Woohyuk to use his skill disabling ability in the first ce. Feeling the need to take countermeasures, Woohyuk asked Roan for help, ¡°You stop that Homunculus! You can use whatever ability you like!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Roan nodded vigorously with an excited expression. Later, he summoned his Ragnar weapon in the form of a mace and ran towards the female Homunculus, who was simr to him in age. ¡°¡­ Nuisance,¡± the female homunculus curtly murmured. Hearing her words, Roan looked dumbfounded, moving his mouth up and down without saying any words. ¡®Don¡¯t fancy yourself, you artificial bitch! If it wasn¡¯t for my Master, I would immediately hold onto you and ravage¡­¡¯ Sexual insults and cruel expressions were silently conveyed to the female Homunculus. ¡®Is there something wrong with this guy?¡¯ Lisa, the female Homunculus, tilted her head throughout the battle as if she couldn¡¯t understand Roan¡¯s frustrations. Unlike Roan, she was designed to be an emotionless analyst. Thus, while the two Homunculus were battling it out, Woohyuk focused on observing the magic bullet¡¯s path. ¡®As I thought. It seems like it¡¯s aiming for Helena.¡¯ Considering that Lisa was also targeting Helena, the magic bullet¡¯s target was certainly her. However, as a result of the temporary disabling of his abilities, he had to maintain a holding pattern for the next 10 minutes or intercept the magic bullet. Considering the various circumstances, Woohyuk felt that thetter was more practical and reasonable. ¡®Since Roan is busy, I have no choice but to deal with the magic bullet myself.¡¯ However, it was difficult to intercept the magic bullet in his current limited ability capacity, so he decided to make the most of his abilities as a necromancer. He summoned one of the undead crows that he had captured not too long ago. ¡°Corpse Explosion,¡± Woohyuk muttered. The summoned undead crow burst like a grenade nearby the magic bullet. Pop! Of course, Logan¡¯s crimson magic bullet didn¡¯t receive much damage. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t give up and continued to use his undead skill. ¡°Corpse Explosion.¡± Pop! ¡°Corpse Explosion.¡± Pop! ¡°Corpse Explosion.¡± Pop! He had arge collection of undead flying creatures, so he had a sufficient amount to use for this strategy. Seeing Woohyuk trying to get rid of the magic bullet in a somewhat ignorant way, Logan taunted him in a mocking tone, ¡°Haha¡­ you¡¯re struggling so much for just one magic bullet. Don¡¯t you know that there¡¯ll be another magical bullet loaded soon?¡± Logan¡¯s Evil Eye cooldown was 5 minutes. If Woohyuk couldn¡¯t deal with the first magic bullet before the 5 minutes was up, it would create a very troublesome situation. At the moment, it would take another 7 minutes for his blocked ability to be released, so Woohyuk needed to hurry. ¡®I think I¡¯ll need to increase the intensity of the explosions a little more.¡¯ Among the undead, there was a ss that contained mmable substances. An example was a me bat that breathed fire out of its mouth. Woohyuk summoned the highly mmable undead and continued casting Corpse Explosion. Kwa-a-a-ang! Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Ang! Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Ang! The intensity of the explosions began to exert a multiplier effect when the highly mmable undead crowded together and exploded in unison. As the magic bullet gradually lost its crimson light, Woohyuk pulled out a sk of Wildfire from his pocket for the final blow. ¡®With this, the magic bullet should be neutralized.¡¯ Wildfire¡¯s explosive power was so strong that even a slight misjudgment of the distance could cause himself and Helena to get caught up in the aftermath st. However, he didn¡¯t have the time to think about possible risks during this pressing time. Even if he had to take on some risk, he had to get out of this crisis quickly. Hwi-Eek! Woohyuk controlled Pegasus with skillful horsemanship and threw the Wildfire sk in the magic bullet¡¯s expected path. Afterwards, he summoned one of the mmable bats and cast Corpse Explosion¡­ Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! The surrounding air shook from the tremendous explosion. Afterward, the crimson magic bulletpletely disappeared. Logan mumbled after seeing this absurd use of explosive force, ¡°Dang, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d go all out and use Wildfire. I feel sorry for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all the clowning around you¡¯ll be doing, Marksman,¡± Altair sternly said, his voiceing through loud and clear through the loudspeaker. It seemed he seeded in infiltrating the prison fortress. After a brief moment of tussling sounds, Logan¡¯sining grunts could be heard over the loudspeaker, ¡°No! Not yet! The main stage isn¡¯t over yet! It¡¯s not the time for the curtain call yet!¡± Ta-a-ang! Ta-a-a-ang! There were a couple of loud gunshot bangs and tussling noises. While Logan was distracted, Woohyuk focused on defeating Lisa, the female Homunculus. ¡°Hurry up and defeat her. She¡¯s not receiving any supporting or suppressive fire right now,¡± Woohyukmented while looking at Roan. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t really hit girls, but I guess I¡¯ll have to since it¡¯s an order,¡± Roan replied back. Woohyuk summoned Astaroth. It swung its fist and smashed the back of Lisa¡¯s head while she was still battling with Roan. ¡°Ouch!¡± Lisa passed out while foaming at the mouth. She had cked out from an unexpected attack. Astaroth secured her and handed her over to Woohyuk. ¡°Here you are, my Lord.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± Astaroth was ranked a little behind the beings Woohyuk could summon, but he was still a formidable opponent. When the battle in the air was over, Woohyuk and his party headed straight to the top of the prison fortress. There, Logan and two other members of the Golden Rose Society were in a fierce battle against Altair. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Instead of a long-barreled sniper rifle, Logan fired a series of handheld pistols. The other members of the Golden Rose Society murmured magic spells while holding magic books and crystal spheres in their hands. However, once Woohyuk and his party joined the fray, Logan¡¯s side was pushed into a corner. Bam! The head of one Golden Rose Society member was crushed by Roan¡¯s Ragnar mace. Meanwhile, the other member died after being pierced by Helena¡¯s Lightning Spear. Only Logan was left. ¡°Kekeke¡­ I guess it¡¯ll end like this?¡± Logan giggled andughed as if he found this situation immensely interesting. Helena frowned after seeing his unpleasant behavior. ¡°Is it funny? It¡¯s now your turn to die,¡± Helena shouted out in disgust. ¡°I imagine my own end dozens of times a day. I¡¯m not afraid of death. It¡¯s inevitable. The question was how I would greet it.¡± For Logan, the value of his death was determined by the scale of the stage and his role on that stage. He seemed to have enjoyed his part in this ¡®y¡¯. He had some regrets, but he didn¡¯t despair. ¡°I also imagined how I¡¯d kill you multiple times a day. In the past, you always managed to luckily avoid death,¡± said Woohyuk. However, this time, Logan¡¯s luck had run out. After hearing Woohyuk¡¯s words, Logan gave a meaningful smile and responded, ¡°Kekeke¡­ you¡¯re probably rxed and satisfied because you still have a role in this ¡®y¡¯. Surely, you¡¯ll remain on the stage. The script never changed.¡± ¡°Whatever script you¡¯re talking about is meaningless in this world. The system has already been infiltrated with uncertainty. Only one manager with exclusive authority remains,¡± replied Woohyuk. ¡°Yes, our lives are meant to bring chaos. Still, don¡¯t leave the stage just yet. The audience will be sad,¡± Logan said before he stuck a pistol in his mouth. Then, with one shot, a red, thick liquid flowed out from the other side of his head. ¡°I guess this was the end he wanted,¡±mented Helena. ¡°Maybe suicide was the only way to get off his stage.¡± Helena and Woohyuk exchanged a few words while looking at Logan¡¯s scattered remains on the ground. The end of the psychopath, who was obsessed with being the Marksman, was less spectacr than they thought. Chapter 236: The Death Alchemist 1

Chapter 236: The Death Alchemist 1

As the prison fortress event winded to a close¡­ ¡°The wound has been healed, but the trauma will still remain.¡± Woohyuk cured Arhen, a member of Etheria Rodinus, with the Power of Resuscitation. After that, he searched the top floor and found three materials for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring and the Nag Hammadi Chronicles. As a bonus, he also obtained three Dragon Tokens. ¡°These guys also seemed to be pretty urgent. They enthusiastically gathered the things I need to find.¡± ¡°Well, they had to. The Creator will descend soon, so the Second Catastrophe will soon be a reality.¡± The Second Catastrophe was brought upon by mass flooding caused by the sea level rising. Unlike the advent of the First Catastrophe, which was brought upon by the descending Fallen Angel Crue, the Second Catastrophe was brought upon by a natural phenomenon. To prevent the uing disaster, it was necessary to restore the Sangreal Chronicles. ¡°So, is the restoration work done?¡± asked Woohyuk. ¡°Yes. Also, everyone has gathered in Inotia,¡± replied Helena. For the Etheria Rodinus followers, who had many hostile forces, the Erendia Kingdom was a great ce to work. There were high-tech security devices and nine dragons present in Erendia, so their enemies would never think of stepping foot inside the kingdom. Woohyuk nodded his head and climbed onto Pegasus. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go to the Krobaichen Isthmus. We¡¯ll return to Inotia afterpleting the quest at the isthmus.¡± ¡°Do we have to fly? How many times do I need to remind you that I have a fear of heights?¡± Helena asked in annoyance. ¡°Where we¡¯re going is a conflict zone, so it¡¯s dangerous to travel bynd or sea. You know that too, right?¡± replied Woohyuk. In fact, he possessed a teleport scroll from the tutorial area, but it was a single-use item. He felt it would be a waste to use it for this purpose. When Woohyuk emphasized their current situation, Altair understood what was going on and tried to make himself useful, ¡°I¡¯m heading that way anyway, so you guys can ride on my back. Of course, I¡¯ll have to change to my true form.¡± ¡°Thank you for that. An ancient dragon¡¯s back is quite wide, so it¡¯ll be less fearful,¡± Helena said with a reassured expression. Helena thought that, unlike Pegasus that Woohyuk could order around and further torment her, the dragon would be more stable. When the group prepared to depart, Arhen asked Woohyuk, ¡°Are you going to leave the prisoners trapped here? It might be better to deal with the brutalist prisoners now in case they escapeter on.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to judge their sins. But if Ie backter, I¡¯ll talk to the Frost Giants about it.¡± There were still many things left for Woohyuk to do. Soon, as Altair took flight, Helena carefully spoke up, ¡°Hey, thank you. Without you, Arhen would have died in the prison fortress.¡± ¡°If you feel that you¡¯re in debt, make sure to pay it offter,¡± Woohyuk said as he maintained his aloof yet somewhat spiteful attitude. Helena stuck her lips out and argued, ¡°I¡¯m very seriously right now. What¡¯s with the spiteful reaction? Is it so fun to bother me?¡± ¡°To be honest, I feel like it¡¯s what I live for,¡± Woohyuk snapped back. Was it a form of love or hate? While maintaining an ambiguous rtionship with Helena, which was neither as an enemy nor an ally, his jokes became like a tug of war between man and woman. To be sure, for Woohyuk, it had nothing to do with love. While Woohyuk was quarreling with Helena, Arhen spoke up, ¡°But Helena, what do you think about the quest that was given publicly this time? I haven¡¯t heard what¡¯s going on or why there was a sudden message because I was under the influence of the Witches Cult.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very serious issue. The content of the Prophecies is no longer clear.¡± From now on, Maria, the Saintess of Prophecy, would probably provide the greatest help. This was because she had previously prevented the First Catastrophe through her prophetic vision. Arhen nodded his head in agreement and followed up, ¡°This is just the beginning. Other types of interventions will continue to ur sooner orter. Maybe the entire Eeth Continent will be turned into a single survival game.¡± Like the tutorial that summoned people from other worlds topete with each other, there could be a situation in this world where they had to kill each other to survive. The creation of such a desperate, chaotic environment would give the Creator the opportunity to reshape the future. The Creator¡¯s ultimate purpose was to subordinate the many yers of this world into his system throughpetition and attrition. He would make the great angels who betrayed him and then fallen contend with Solomon¡¯s line of followers, who always wanted more, and the gods and demons, who wanted to rule the world. At Arhen¡¯s words, Woohyuk expressed agreement, ¡°It would be better for him to do that for sure. Focusing less on quests may increase the odds of sess for the Odyssey n.¡± If one thought about it, all the ancient demons who came out as the bosses in the quests were Woohyuk¡¯s colleagues in his previous life. However, Woohyuk understood that he needed to meet them at least once anyway. If they had truly fallen and lost all sense of purpose, he would consider them an enemy, and in the opposite case, there was no reason to go against them. ¡®I don¡¯t know what kind of person Lucifer is until I meet him in person.¡¯ In the Bible, Lucifer betrayed the Creator and then corrupted the world. However, based on this world, he betrayed the Creator for his own reasons, and it was difficult to say whether his reasoning was necessarily wrong. Good or evil is always rtive. It may be because of the influence of the demonic energy, but Woohyuk felt closer to the fallen ancient demons who were trying to change an absurd structure than the hypocritical gods. ¡°As you already know, everything is now up to you. The stage has been prepared by the Creator, and it¡¯s centered around you,¡±mented Arhen. Thus, Woohyuk had to be careful whenever he made critical decisions. Hearing Arhen¡¯s advice, Woohyuk looked down on the vastnd below with an anxious expression. ¡®What decision should I make at thest fork in the road?¡¯ He had pledged to protect Leifina no matter what. Was there a way he could save both her and the world? The memories of his previous life, from Crue¡¯s imaginary world, weighed heavily on Woohyuk¡¯s heart. ¡®If we¡¯re separated again this time, will there be a next time?¡¯ He really hated to think about this, but someday, he¡¯d have to face the reality. As Woohyuk was pondering his next move and the final decision, Altair flew towards the western sky. *** They entered a conflict zone where wars never ceased throughout the year, as this isthmus was the only point of connection between the East and the West. Thus, the isthmus was not anyone¡¯s realm, and even the 72 Demon Kings showed no interest in entering the chaotic war zone. This was the Krobaichen Isthmus. Walking through the deste field, Woohyuk gradually released his undead troops and sent them outward in every direction to gather information about the Death Alchemist. ¡°I hope some newses within tonight.¡± ¡°¡­ If you were the Death Alchemist, wouldn¡¯t you be staying in a dead castle, like Dreadlore? Or maybe in hidden ruins?¡± Helena asked. ¡°It¡¯s very likely. However, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he chose to travel alone,¡± responded Woohyuk. Before his return to this world, he had no memory of meeting the descendant of an ancient demon. In other words, the ancient demon offspring weren¡¯t interested in building up power or conqueringnd like the 72 Demon Kings. Therefore, the Death Alchemist may have been operating in secret, like the Golden Rose Society or Etheria Rodinus. ¡­ Waiting¡­ biding his time until the right timees. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to go alone into such a conflict zone. So, I assume he¡¯s hiding somewhere. Since he possesses the lineage of an ancient demon, I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯ll be trying to hide from the public eye as much as possible.¡± ¡°The Krobaichen Isthmus ruins¡­ there are a few ces like that as far as I know.¡± After hearing Arhen¡¯s words, Woohyuk lifted his head as he recalled his memory. Among the possible ruins, the ce that suited the Death Alchemist best would be¡­ ¡®Phantom¡¯s Temple of Hell.¡¯ It was not a site rted to gods or heroes, but a site of demons. Phantom was a demon and the closest close friend of Baal, who ranked number one amongst the Demon Kings. Phantom loved to lure humans to his ruins and make them fight against each other. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Phantom¡¯s Temple of Hell right away. There¡¯s a saying that it doesn¡¯t get any easier to take of a bull¡¯s horn,¡± Helena enthusiastically replied. ¡°Going there is impossible. Phantom¡¯s Temple of Hell only appears on the night of the crescent moon,¡± Woohyuk answered. In other words, it one entered the ruins and didn¡¯t ovee its challenges within a night, it was impossible to escape until the next crescent moon. Helena made an awkward expression after hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. She continued, ¡°I guess we¡¯re going to have to spend a lot of time to get this quest done. Well, with our current powers, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to fend off Baal¡¯s subordinates.¡± Except for Lisa, the newly acquired female Homunculus, there was nopanion in the party that would hold the party back, strength-wise. Woohyuk paused for a while and then lifted Lisa, who Roan was carrying on his back. She had been temporarily bound to prevent any turmoil. However, within the ruins, it would be difficult for Roan to continue carrying her around and still be of use, so Woohyuk needed to be properly tame Lisa before entering the ruins. Soon, as Lisa started squirming as he released the disabling spell, Woohyuk spoke out with a stern expression, ¡°From now on, serve me as your Master. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be discarded and handed over to the Hextech City, Inotia, as experiment material.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lisa looked at Woohyuk and Helena alternately with a worried expression. She was a Homunculus created by a cksmith god. However, she currently recognized Aleister as her owner and was following his orders. ¡®Is it wise to change owners at this point?¡¯ It was Aleister who awakened her who had been abandoned for a long time. He belonged to the demonic camp and these beings belonged to the human camp. If possible, she had to choose the camp with the highest odds of survival to continue living. Lisa evaluated Woohyuk and his party¡¯s capabilities with her unique analysis power. ¡®¡­ That ck-haired young man is ridiculously strong.¡¯ Seeing that he possessed the demonic powers of the abyss, it seemed that the male in front of her was the one Aleister spoke often about. After contemting, Lisa spoke to Woohyuk in a dry tone, ¡°I will obey¡­ on the condition that you do not abandon me.¡± ¡°Good. I have to tell you in advance¡­ betrayal is never tolerated.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for me to betray you if you guarantee my safety.¡± Lisa was a Homunculus much different from Roan. Rather than being obsessed with desires and impulses, she was the type that weighed the facts and made the best choice. Woohyuk also took out a lemon jelly from his pocket and dangled it in front of her before saying, ¡°If you listen carefully and properly follow my orders, I¡¯ll give you a reward, so don¡¯t be negligent like Roan.¡± ¡°I am different from such a filthy, perverted failure of a Homunculus. Please don¡¯t view me in the same light as him.¡± Lisa took the lemon jelly from him with an unhappy expression. Afterward, without much thought, she put it in her mouth¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± She instantly became obsessed with the indescribable ecstasy that originated from her mouth. The lemon jelly was a magical item that could easily tame any being, whether it be a homunculus, an elf, or a Saint. Woohyuk knew the value of it well from past experiences. ¡®Women are weak to sweet things.¡¯ This was especially true of a growing girl like Lisa. Of course, considering her actual age, it was difficult to say that she was a growing girl. Helena reached out to Woohyuk as Lisa twisted her body with joyful moans. ¡°Give me one, too. I forgot about it for a while, but I suddenly want one.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any for you, Witch of Annihtion. If you want to eat something sweet, pick a honeb and squeeze the honey out.¡± ¡°Terrible! Are those lemon jellies that precious?¡± screamed Helena. ¡°It¡¯s not that precious. Alright, if you listen well, I¡¯ll give you one as a reward,¡± Woohyuk calmly answered. Woohyuk¡¯s taming of Helena began. Arhen, who saw the unfolding scene, shook his head. ¡®You have it hard, Helena.¡¯ A Saintess who was sent to Woohyuk¡¯s side to watch over him was preparing for battle because of a lemon jelly. As Arhen was contemting how to rescue Helena, ck human figures appeared in the distance. They were pirates holding cusses. Chapter 237: The Death Alchemist 2

Chapter 237: The Death Alchemist 2

¡®They must havee to plunder.¡¯ In the Krobaichen Isthmus,wless forces, like these pirates, were as present as sand on a beach. Part of the reason why they were widely present was that the area was under no one¡¯s control, but it was also because the Empires and various small kingdoms often hired these forces as mercenaries. They did this because the maintenance of a permanent presence of troops in this conflict area for a prolonged period of time was wasteful. On the other hand, thewless forces managed to check hostile forces in exchange for only a few rights. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter which side they¡¯re on.¡¯ Woohyuk had disguised himself in a clown-like costume. Whatever he did here, he wouldn¡¯t have to take responsibility. So, if a dispute should arise, he was thinking of mercilessly subduing the pirates. ¡°Roan and Lisa. It¡¯s your turns to go,¡± stated Woohyuk. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yes, if I see any advantageous openings, I will respond immediately,¡± responded Lisa. Lisa had a wide-area crowd control ability, so she could easily handle these pitiful pirates. After a while, as expected, the pirates started challenging Woohyuk¡¯s party. ¡°Oh~ hey girl, you have a nice shape~ Why don¡¯t you show me a good time?¡± a pirate catcalled. ¡°What are you doing in such a dangerous ce? Is yourdyship trying to seek asylum or refuge? I can take good care of you~¡± another pirate called out. The main reason why nonwless people entered the Krobaichen Isthmus or the nearby seas was because of exile. As the pirates drooled and looked at the girls up and down, Helena became increasingly upset. ¡°Shut up, perverts! If you don¡¯t turn around and scram, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°Ha! Why should we do that? Especially since there¡¯s such a delicious delicacy in front of us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you have a good time tonight. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such a beauty in this deste neighborhood.¡± The pirates were salivating as they pictured Helena lying naked in bed. As the pirates moved forward, Woohyuk turned his head and sent a signal to Lisa. ¡°¡­ I will take care of it,¡± replied Lisa almost mechanically. Lisa lifted her staff with an expressionless face. Then, a group of pirates knelt at once with pain-filled expressions on their faces. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°M-My body! I can¡¯t move my body!¡± The pirates would have shuddered if any of the 72 Demon Kings appeared, so it went without saying that they were powerless against the Homunculus¡¯ crowd control ability. Helena sighed as the situation ended easily, ¡°Really, that¡¯s why beauties always suffer. I¡¯m so bored of wicked men fawning over me all the time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± There were countless number of such bandits in the Krobaichen Isthmus. Since he had already sent out the undead on a reconnaissance mission, Woohyuk wanted to find a suitable ce to wait for their news. He looked around and pointed to a castle ruin in the distance. ¡°Once the day is over, let¡¯s stay there. Two more days are required for the crescent moon to rise. Let¡¯s take this time to restore the Nag Hammadi Chronicles.¡± ¡°That sounds good. Since you have the soul stone from the ruins of Einherjar, we can proceed with the restoration work.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be toote to attack the other nearby historical sites after restoring the Chronicles. Woohyuk led his party forward while organizing what needed to be done in the future. *** Within the interior of the ornately decorated Demon Castle. Demon King Agares, the 2nd ranking Demon King, awakened from her long period of sleep. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As soon as she regained consciousness, her devastating defeat in the Great Demon War came to mind. The demon army was overpowered by the gods and humans, and the 72 Demon Kings pledged to carry on the fight on another day. They were forced to fall asleep, one by one. Among them, Agares was sealed quitete. Therefore, she opened my eyes and regained consciousness a bitter than the other Demon Kings. ¡°You have finally opened your eyes, Agares,¡± Loengreen happily stated while standing alone in the private sleeping quarters. Agares looked at Loengreen and smiled lightly before saying, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Loengreen.¡± Loengreen was a special demon. It was hard to find any other demon with his origins in the demon world. Loengreen possessed a name from birth, and his abilities at that tender young age were strong enough to match that of the 72 Demon Kings in the middle and low ranks. That¡¯s why Agares had always loved and cared for Loengreen. Thus, Agares often turned a blind eye whenever Loengreen created a scene or made a man his lover. ¡°A lot has happened while you were asleep. Shall I ry the updates now?¡± Loengreen kindly asked. ¡°Yes, since I overslept, I don¡¯t have time to rx,¡± Agares answered. ¡°First off, regarding the other demons, of the 72 Demon Kings who were awakened, 17 have been sealed again. Among them is Amon, who is ranked 7th.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Agares looked at Loengreen with a stupefied expression. Then Loengreen exined the details, ¡°There is a human man named Chun Woohyuk. He is in possession of Remegeton, and he also possesses the powers of the previous Demon Lord. However, he is not able to properly handle those powers yet.¡± ¡°¡­ The previous Demon Lord? Are you saying that a Demon Lord existed before Lilith¡¯s promise to bring down the demon species?¡± The Demon World, where the 72 Demon King existed, was only one of the countless dimensions that existed in the universe. Therefore, it was not surprising that Agares didn¡¯t know the existence of Asura, the previous Demon Lord, who existed on a higher level. Loengreen would also not have known this if he hadn¡¯t met Woohyuk. Meanwhile, Lilith and Aleister had known about Asura for a long time. ¡°Yes, and the Demon Throne is currently empty. Lilith is trying to get Chun Woohyuk to sit there,¡± Loengreen went on to exin. ¡°Lilith¡­ what can that crazy woman get from his ascent? Are you sure this Chun Woohyuk is on her side?¡± Agares asked. ¡°No. Just watching things unfold, it seems that Aleister is in close contact with Chun Woohyuk. It seems that Aleister is developing Chun Woohyuk by giving him the appropriate challenges and tools.¡± Though Lilith constantly said that she would create a new world of magic by rewriting the beginning of the world, no one knew the reason for her ultimate goal. It was quite possible that she was trying to develop the seed of a previous Demon Lord and give birth to an almighty descendant¡­ ¡°Is she trying to get revenge on Adam and Eve? To ovee the old trauma,¡± Agares murmured. Or it could simply be hate. There was a saying that if a woman embraces hate, even frost would fall on the hottest day. ¡°Anyway, there are a few more issues besides Lilith. One of them is a quest recently given to humans.¡± ¡°What is the content of the quest?¡± ¡°The ultimate goal is to fill the four of the newly emptied Divine Thrones. One of the requirements involved sealing the 72 Demon Kings.¡± ¡°¡­ It seems the Creator is trying to hold us in check. Is it because of the demon that Lilith is trying to bring forth?¡± A transcendent being on the opposite side of the Creator. The system couldn¡¯t be properly maintained if a transcendent being started to run wild. Loengreen nodded in agreement before continuing, ¡°It seems that there are moreplex problems than what could be seen on the surface. Thus, the remaining Demon Kings are gathering and discussing what to do in the future.¡± ¡°What do you think, Loengreen? Is the new advent demon someone we need on our side?¡± Agares was a high-ranking Demon King who was more moderate in her behavior and open to discussion. Loengreen nodded again at her question, ¡°Up to now, the demons have been used only as a means of maintaining the Creator¡¯s system. But looking at its roots, we can never be said to be part of the system. So, I think it¡¯s better to have a Demon Lord sit atop the throne than y nice in the Creator¡¯s ypen.¡± ¡°¡­ I knew you would think so,¡± Agares warily answered. Loengreen, who always pursued noble values, vehemently denied any formal order. This was because he felt order suppressed the world of free art and deprived the world of vitality. Agares looked out the window for a moment and then spoke, ¡°I wanted to meet him.¡± ¡°Chun Woohyuk?¡± ¡°Yes. I wonder what kind of human he is. What is his purpose?¡± ¡°You will definitely like him. He¡¯s a very special human being,¡± Loengreen answered. Loengreen had a favorable feeling for Woohyuk. As he stepped back, Agares muttered with a bitter look, ¡°It seems he¡¯s like another Rnd. Someone who you had to let go at the end¡­¡± She hoped that this new hope wouldn¡¯t fall asleep before her this time around. Hwi-Ahh! The storm winds began to rush and whistle outside the window as if reflecting her lonely feelings. *** ¡°Finally, the new moon has risen,¡± muttered Woohyuk. ¡°I know, right. I¡¯m exaggerating a bit, but I feel like I waited for about two years,¡± Helena added on. Their time at Krobaichen Isthmus seemed to drag on. There were no special threats or incidents. However, since this was the beginning, the group looked nervous and anxious. Ssssssss. Against the backdrop of the crescent moon in the night sky, a ruin rose from a destend. At first nce, it looked like an Arabian pce. From within, one could hear women¡¯sughter and harp performances apanied by a brilliant light. ¡°Is that a device to seduce men? It¡¯s so like a demon site. It¡¯s really one-dimensional,¡± Helena stated. ¡°Men are surprisingly weak against these things,¡±mented Woohyuk. In fact, Roan was drooling and appealing with his eyes for Woohyuk to quickly enter. Woohyuk clicked his tongue and then stepped inside the ruins with his party. Kwi-Eek. Bam! The entrance door firmly closed behind them after they entered. However, knowing that it was going to happen in advance, no one seemed to mind. ¡°By the way, no one came out when we entered. It looks like everyone who challenged this quest is dead. The difficulty level must be quite high.¡± ¡°This is a little different from other historic sites, Arhen. It¡¯s simr to the Vampire¡¯s Sand Temple in that it was built to y with invaders.¡± After all, it was the purpose of the demon hiding here to make all the intruders fight and kill each other. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Helena tiredly replied, ¡°It¡¯s simr to the Sand Temple ruins? I really dislike survival games¡­¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s this demon¡¯s taste. There¡¯s a high probability that the Death Alchemist is here.¡± They couldn¡¯t find the Death Alchemist at the other sites on the Isthmus. All they found were looting bandit groups wherever they went. As Woohyuk¡¯s party was walking along the path towards a bizarre stone statue¡­ [Wee to Phantom¡¯s Temple of Hell] [From now on, you will be ying fun games with me.] [Please choose the game difficulty level.] [Beginner Mode] [Normal Mode] [Hard Mode] [Hell Mode] A series of system messages arose before each person¡¯s eyes. ¡°Difficulty level?¡± ¡°What should I choose for this?¡± The group looked at Woohyuk with confused expressions. ¡°Hell Mode,¡± Woohyuk answered without missing a beat. Helena asked again with an expression of objection, ¡°No, why should we choose Hell Mode? Will it give us more rewards if we choose Hell Mode? Didn¡¯t you say it was a ruin built to pit intruders against each other?¡± ¡°Only in Hell Mode can we get out of here without any victims,¡± Woohyuk replied. In Beginner Mode, only one survives, In Normal Mode, only two survive, In Hard Mode, only three survive, Anyone could clear the game and survive in Hell Mode. Of course, the difficulty increases based on the number of people. At Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Helena muttered with a lost expression, ¡°I¡¯m not going to go. I¡¯ll just wait outside¡­¡± However, it was toote. When everyone in the group pressed Hell Mode, the area was surrounded by a dazzling light. Chapter 238: The Death Alchemist 3

Chapter 238: The Death Alchemist 3

¡°This is¡­¡± It was pitch dark inside thebyrinth. Helena stood alone. ¡°¡­ Why did it be like this?!¡± If they had to solve the game individually, shouldn¡¯t they have been told this before beginning? She cursed Woohyuk for having had no manners. As she wasining¡­ ¡°Helena, can you hear me?¡± Woohyuk¡¯s voice came from the other side of the stone wall. Helena ran toward the wall and put her ear up against it. ¡°Yes, I can hear you. I was swearing at you just now. Did you hear me?¡± she asked. ¡°Thanks to this opportunity, I finally understand what you really think of me,¡± he replied. ¡°¡­ What do we do now anyway? Should I keep following the path?¡± ¡°Basically, yes. But there are some things to watch out for.¡± Demonic Spirits, worthy of their name, often used hallucination spells on their victims. Until they reached the next stage, all the beings they would meet would be virtual images. If they kept that in mind, they¡¯d face no particr problems at this stage. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as I thought. Is this really Hell Mode?¡± ¡°This is just the starting point. The full-scale stage is past this point.¡± From the Demonic Spirits¡¯ point of view, it was more fun to y around and torment those who entered this space. Helena nodded her head and then asked, ¡°Then, can I meet you at the next stage? Oh, how are you going to ry this exnation to our other colleagues?¡± ¡°Seeing that you¡¯re next to me, we¡¯ll probably be able to join them at the next stage. We¡¯ll just have to hope that Arhen and the two Homunculus get through in one piece.¡± ording to Woohyuk¡¯s words, in the Hell Mode he experienced in the past, not everyone had been scattered like this from the beginning. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t talk about this in advance. Thus, this awkward situation couldn¡¯t fully be attributed to Woohyuk. After Helena nodded her head, she said her goodbyes, ¡°I see. Then see you at the next stage.¡± ¡°Good luck.¡± She could hear the sounds of Woohyuk¡¯s receding steps over the stone wall. ¡®It¡¯s be a headache,¡¯ Helena thought. However, worrying about her colleague wouldn¡¯t change anything. As Helena moved along thebyrinth¡¯s passage, a bluish spirit suddenly jumped out of a crack in the stone wall. ¡°Ku-Ru¡­¡± ¡°Yikes!¡± Helena, whoseplexion had turned blue, jumped back in surprise. She put her hand on her chest and stared at the ce where the spirit disappeared. ¡®He said it¡¯s just an illusion.¡¯ It was all fake. Everything that appeared from now on was all fake. Helena reminded herself of his words and strode forward. Step. Step. After walking roughly a hundred steps forward¡­ A crossroads appeared. She stopped with a dumbfounded expression. ¡®Wait, he didn¡¯t mention anything like this?!¡¯ Was this instance different from the old Hell Mode? If so, she¡¯d have to make her own choices. ¡®Since demons would like the left path, I should go to the right.¡¯ The probability was half-half anyway. She was purely relying on her luck, but Helena listened to her gut and believed her choice was right. As she was about to take a step forward¡­ Step. Step. Roan suddenly popped out from the right pathway. ¡°¡­ What the¡­ why are you here, stubborn Saintess?¡± After confirming that Helena was alone, Roan started making fun of her. It was as if he had been waiting to unload on her for a while. After a deluge of criticism and mockery, Helena shouted out with a grim face, ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me, you fake kid!¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯m fake? You¡¯re the fake one!¡± ¡°This is great. I always wanted to give you a piece of my mind!¡± Helena shouted as she grasped Roan¡¯s ear. Since she thought he was an illusion, she felt that she could act as she pleased. However, Roan wasn¡¯t the type to let things go, especially since Woohyuk wasn¡¯t around. ¡°Aya! Let go, otherwise, I¡¯ll hit back!¡± ¡°How the hell are you going to hit back? You¡¯re an illusion created by a spirit. You have no substance!¡± Even if she were to feel pain from his attack, Helena was sure that the Roan in front of her was an illusion. When Helena didn¡¯t let his ears go, Roan grabbed her head with an angry expression, ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not fake! Now it¡¯s your turn to receive your own medicine!¡± Their childish fightsted for several minutes. Helena felt that something was off after a few minutes. Why was he not disappearing? ¡®Is he really a fake?¡¯ She recalled Woohyuk saying that all the beings in thisbyrinth were illusions. She pondered for a moment, then she asked herself, ¡®What if Woohyuk at that time was an illusion?¡¯ This was possible, given that the Phantom¡¯s Temple of Hell was designed from the outset to have each of the invaders fight amongst each other. By convincing each other that they were fake, one can create this kind of division. When her thoughts reached this conclusion, Helena let go of Roan¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Roan, listen! This is the Phantom¡¯s trick!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did Woohyuk speak to you about thisbyrinth beyond a stone wall?¡± ¡°Huh, how did you know?!¡± Her conjecture seemed correct. When Helena exined what was going on, Roan stopped pulling Helena¡¯s hair. ¡°We have to find our other party members. They might be fighting amongst each other like us.¡± In particr, if Woohyuk thought that the other person was fake, he would emotionlessly kill without a second thought. After hearing Helena¡¯s words, Roan was at a loss, ¡°Shit, I don¡¯t want to be attacked by my Master!¡± ¡°Stay by my side. Everything in thisbyrinth smells fishy.¡± The bluish spirit that she saw at the beginning was probably used as a device to give one difort. The Phantom was probably watching the situation unfold right now, so she had to remain vignt, even if she figured out its trick. The environment inside thebyrinth could change at any time. Helena took Roan and moved along the left fork path. Step. Step. After moving for a while, Woohyuk appeared at another crossroad. ¡°Is this another fake illusion? If you¡¯re real, prove yourself!¡± Helena warned. ¡°¡­ First of all, prove yourself, Witch of Annihtion. Show me your self-purifying magic.¡± If one used purification magic, one could reveal the true shape of the object distorted by hallucination magic. Helena first proved her existence with the spell and then found out that Woohyuk and Roan were not fakes either. ¡°¡­ But why didn¡¯t you tell us about this in advance? Thanks to you, the situation gotplicated!¡± ¡°I told you. I told you that this ruin makes its intruders fight against each other.¡± Since the stages changed every time, it was impossible for Woohyuk to properly inform his party members in advance. Woohyuk briefly exined the situation and then carefully observed his surroundings. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± asked Helena. ¡°A mark.¡± ¡°What type of mark?¡± ¡°There are devices installed throughout thisbyrinth that conjure illusions.¡± One of them was the bluish ghost that Helena saw previously. Therefore, it was necessary to move forward while removing the marks so as not to get lost. Otherwise, they¡¯d be traversing the same route repeatedly. Perhaps because of this, Arhen and Lisa could not be seen. ¡°Hey, so where is the Death Alchemist? When we came in, no one came out,¡± continued Helena. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I think it¡¯ll probably be in thest stage.¡± Perhaps this ruin had something it needed. Woohyuk suddenly wondered what kind of rtionship the Death Alchemist had with the Phantom, the manager of this site. A system message popped up as he was moving forward and removing the marks on the stone wall, [You have almost reached the center of thebyrinth.] [If all five survivors gather, you can move on to the next stage.] [Number of people currently alive: 5] Fortunately, all five were still alive. It seemed that no one had died yet. There was a high probability that the Phantom nor Death Alchemist would appear in this stage. However, it was dangerous to believe the system message at face value, so Woohyuk cautioned Helena and Roan, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that the manager of these ruins is Phantom, an illusionist. He can also maliciously give false information to us.¡± ¡°Do we really need to clear all the stages? Last time, at the Vampire ruins, Astaroth ignored the system messages and stage restrictions and went back and forth through the stage at will,¡± Helena remarked. Obviously, if the system administrator was less experienced or low level, that kind of free passage was possible. Hearing Helena¡¯s words, Woohyuk nodded and said, ¡°Well, since it¡¯s a high-ranking demon¡¯s ruin, it shouldn¡¯t be very difficult for any one of the 72 Demon Kings.¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we find Arhen and Lisa and have Amon find the Death Alchemist? We can try using the other Demon Kings as well.¡± Helena¡¯s words made sense. Of course, Woohyuk considered this option from the beginning as well, but he wanted to find everyone first. However, since it was already stated aloud, he decided to do what she said. Woohyuk summoned Amon and Astaroth and entrusted them with the reconnaissance task. ¡°Find all the surviving guys in these ruins and bring them to me,¡± ordered Woohyuk. No matter if it was the Death Alchemist, it couldn¡¯t beat two Demon Kings. Sending more Demon Kings out seemed to be unnecessary. As soon as Amon and Astaroth disappeared, a system message appeared in front of Woohyuk. [Are you¡­ that famous troublemaker?] [Yes/No] It seemed more like a text message on a mobile phone than a system message. Woohyuk smirked. ¡®He¡¯s a funny guy.¡¯ Since he suddenly pulled out Remegeton and summoned the Demon Kings, Woohyuk felt that the Phantom was getting nervous. When Woohyuk clicked the [Yes] button, the system message was updated. [I want to negotiate with you. Will you ept?] [Yes / No] The Phantom was reaching out to Woohyuk first. Of course, the Phantom¡¯s other hand might be hiding a dagger, but this didn¡¯t bother Woohyuk. Woohyuk thought about the offer for a brief moment and then pressed the [Yes] button. ¡®Even if I have to kill it eventually, it wouldn¡¯t be a loss to listen to its story first.¡¯ Additionally, the Phantom may provide crucial information on the whereabouts of the Death Alchemist. Eventually, the system messages disappeared, and a dazzling light enveloped their surroundings. *** They were teleported to a control room with numerous surveince screens. Woohyuk and his party members were facing a man wearing a white mask. ¡°Are you the Phantom?¡± ¡°Yes. Pleased to meet you all. I am the Phantom.¡± The man offered a sofa for the group. Currently, all five party members were gathered. Only Woohyuk rejected his offer while the rest sat on thefy sofa. ¡°So, what kind of negotiation do you want to do, Phantom?¡± ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve had a headache because of a man. He seems to be the Death Alchemist you¡¯re looking for.¡± The Phantom exined in detail what had happened in his ruins. To summarize, about a month ago, a man with light purple hair came in and disappeared. After his disappearance, the bodies in the ruins began to disappear like ghosts. ¡°So, you don¡¯t have any other clues. Why do you think he¡¯s the Death Alchemist?¡± asked Woohyuk. ¡°Look at this,¡± the Phantom replied as he lifted the palm of his hand. A translucent metal lump appeared above it, emitting a blue glow. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Since his appearance, small amounts of this metal have been found often in the corners of the stages. It¡¯s stronger than steel and seems to be more precious than gold.¡± Thus, the value of this unknown metal was higher than that of gold. Emphasizing this point, the Phantom continued, ¡°He is conducting alchemy on corpses to turn them into this metal. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s doing this, but by now, there¡¯s probably quite a lot of itying around in here. Chapter 239: The Death Alchemist 4

Chapter 239: The Death Alchemist 4

¡°Uhm¡­¡± Woohyuk and the others in the group looked at the unknown metal at a loss for words. Stronger than steel and immutable like gold. If the Death Alchemist had ess to corpses, he could produce this material infinitely. He had truly reached the pinnacle of alchemy. ¡®This is on a whole different level than Midas¡¯s Touch.¡¯ Woohyuk imagined what would happen if all of his soldiers were armed with the translucent metal emitting the bluish light. His Eastern Expeditionary Forces would be able to push into the Theresian Empire¡¯s capital, and the demonic army would be rendered helpless. Woohyuk asked Phantom to hand over the unknown metal. ¡®¡­ It¡¯s light.¡¯ It was somewhat difficult to urately assess its weight since there was only such a small amount, but it seemed to be three times lighter than steel. Woohyuk took out a smelting tool on the spot and cast the metal into a mold¡­ ¡®As expected, it can be malleable like bronze or steel.¡¯ The heating point of the metal was on the higher side, but it was possible to smelt the desired shape without any more effort. When Woohyuk showed a satisfied expression, Phantom spoke up, ¡°I haven¡¯t told anyone this information yet. So, the reality is that I¡¯ve given you this information for free.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯d like for me to capture the Death Alchemist and tell you the process of how the metal is created?¡± Woohyuk said, reading the Phantom¡¯s undertones. ¡°Do whatever you want. You can take everything from me anyway. However, considering my contribution, I wish for something toe my way in return.¡± The Phantom was a demon with a fairly good head. Excessive greed leads to anger and sloppiness. It was better to give up one thing boldly and to be guaranteed the rest. ¡®It¡¯s very much like him.¡¯ Woohyuk knew well about Phantom¡¯s disposition from his past experiences. Although Phantom was a subordinate of Baal, who is the number one in the Demon King ranks, he was also a demon who could be convinced to join his sideter, depending on the situation. Thus, Woohyuk decided to be generous to him. ¡°Then do this. I will obtain the recipe and process. In return, I¡¯ll give you half of the metal he¡¯s produced so far,¡± offered Woohyuk. ¡°¡­ Not bad. But how are you going to find him? Even I, the site manager, can¡¯t figure out where he is,¡± mentioned Phantom. To be sure, the Death Alchemist had a higher rank than the Phantom. Woohyuk decided to wait for Amon and Astaroth¡¯s messages. ¡°Higher-ranking Demon King will always be able to locate him,¡± Woohyuk said confidently. Even if one was a contractor for an ancient devil, one¡¯s tail could be stepped on if it was too long. As expected, a ck crack appeared in the air, and Amon appeared inside the control room. ¡°I found him. He converted some of this ruin¡¯s dimension into his absolute space. He was pirating dimensional space and using it without permission,¡± exined Amon. ¡°An absolute space¡­ so, there was such a way¡­ well, lead the way,¡± murmured Woohyuk. ¡°You can move using this gap,¡± Amon said as he pointed to the ck gap with his finger. As Woohyuk moved into the gap with his group, he saw Astaroth and a man with light purple hair fighting in the dark. Ka-Rang! Ka-Rang! It was Cadiz, the Death Alchemist. Cadiz must be defeated toplete the legendary quest rted to Midas¡¯ Touch. ¡®He has a very good sense ofbat for being an alchemist.¡¯ Before signing a contract with the ancient devil Lucifer, Cadiz seemed to have been abat ss demon. Regardless, he was still a human. He couldn¡¯t be stronger than Woohyuk, whose biography read like those only found in mythology. Bam! As Woohyuk immediately approached and put a fist in his side, Cadiz groaned and plopped down onto the ground. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± He didn¡¯t see Woohyuk¡¯s movement since he was so focused on Astaroth. Of course, the results wouldn¡¯t have been much different if he noticed, but Cadiz looked resentful. ¡°Are you the Death Alchemist?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cadiz remained silent at Woohyuk¡¯s confirmation question. His firm expression showed his stubborn determination to withhold information. Woohyuk started asking other questions to save himself some time, ¡°What contract did you make with the ancient devil Lucifer? Are you the only one who can make this metal?¡± ¡°¡­ Who are you? How do you know my Master¡¯s name? Did the Creator give you a quest?¡± Cadiz asked back with a stupefied expression. He was under themand of his Master and was working in secret. Baal, the 1st ranked Demon King, did not understand how a human-like him knew about this sensitive information. ¡°Well, I received a quest. The quest is to kill you,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°¡­ I see. The Creator is afraid of the Master. The same will be true for the other gods,¡± said Cadiz with zealous fervor. Lucifer was trying to devour the Eeth Continent before challenging the Creator. Unlike Harpes, who had been defeated by Woohyuk, Lucifer lost his original intention of overthrowing the system. However, Cadiz was very pleased with Lucifer¡¯s ambitious n and signed a contract with him aftering across an ancient magic book. ¡°You were lucky toe across a magic book like that,¡± remarked Woohyuk. ¡°I was both an alchemist and an adventurer. So, I often went in and out of ruins,¡± answered Cadiz. His alchemy skills were excellent. Perhaps because of that, he was given a hidden ss called the Death Alchemist, and Lucifer gave him a secret mission. Lucifer said that Cadiz should mass-produce the magic metal, Adamante, for the eventual war on the continent. ¡°Adamante¡­ Does Mammon know this as well? He must also be building up strength with Lucifer in the abyss.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m only interested in my Master¡¯s work. However, Mammon is probably not just waiting idly either.¡± ¡°Hmm, I guess it¡¯s necessary to receive a separate quest for Mammon,¡± remarked Woohyuk. Perhaps Mammon-rted quests could be received through Andvaranaut, an artifact obtained from Brynhildr¡¯s tomb. Woohyuk came to this conclusion because Andvaranaut contained Mammon¡¯s powers. When the situation was roughly understood, Woohyuk summoned Verserios and spoke aloud to Cadiz, ¡°Call Lucifer. I have something to say to him.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Do you think you can handle him? Just because he hasn¡¯t shown himself until now doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s weak,¡± Cadiz replied with a smirk. Lucifer¡¯s ultimate goal was to challenge the Creator. Because of this, he was making a secret n in an area where the Creator¡¯s power couldn¡¯t reach. However, as the time for chaos was approaching, Lucifer was gradually expanding his influence. ¡°I guess you aren¡¯t very important to Lucifer. It seems he¡¯s turned a blind eye towards you even though you¡¯re in danger,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°Keuk¡­¡± When Woohyuk provoked him, Cadiz bit his lips. He wanted to deny it, but it was true. He himself was only a small pir to support his Master¡¯s great n. As he was preparing for his end¡­ Hwi-Ang! For an instant, the surrounding space became distorted and a deep, dark voice reverberated within the confined space. [Why are you looking for me, old friend.] Lucifer, who was watching Cadiz from the abyss, revealed his existence. Woohyuk spoke towards the red eyes that burned sinisterly in the dimension. ¡°You know why, Lucifer. Put aside your ambition to dominate the world and cooperate with me. Then we¡¯ll be able to finally achieve the previously failed Odyssey n,¡± exined Woohyuk calmly. [Odyssey n? Hasn¡¯t that already failed? I don¡¯t know, my friend. No matter what system is built, the ruler does not disappear. The Creator is just being reced or changing its appearance, little by little. There will always be a ruler.] So, rather than attempting a revolution, Lucifer chose to take the Creator¡¯s ce as ruler over the system. He¡¯d do this after swallowing up everything in the world and bing a transcendent person, like the god of demons. ¡°It¡¯s a vain ambition, Lucifer. What would be different from you and the Creator?¡± [Very different. At least, not everyone will suffer from hypocritical order. Didn¡¯t you sacrifice yourself in thest moment of crisis and drop us into the depths of the abyss, Rafael?] ¡°¡­¡± As his present self, Woohyuk could not confidently know what Rafael thought at the time. It was because he had no memory of his previous life. When Woohyuk was silent, Lucifer¡¯s red eyes burned more intensely. [Pass the power of the previous Demon Lord to me. With a human body, it will be difficult for you to sit on the Demon Lord throne and challenge the Creator. I have a greater chance of sess than you. I¡¯ve developed strength in the depths of the abyss.] ¡°Maybe that¡¯s true. But your methodology and purpose are wrong.¡± Woohyuk nned to use Lucifer as a stepping stone and reattempt the n he failed in his previous life; no matter the cost. When Woohyuk revealed his will, Lucifer narrowed his eyes. [Stupid. It¡¯s your freedom to dream of obtaining things that are impossible, but it¡¯s uneptable if it interferes with my ns. I will take this opportunity to make sure I¡¯m done with you.] Kwa-Ji-Ji-Jik. A crack appeared in the ck space, causing amotion. The ancient devil, Lucifer, was finally leaving the abyss and trying to descend on the world. After the appearance of the abyssal fissure, Cadiz and Phantom¡¯s absolute spaces were gradually destroyed. Kwa-A-A-Ang! Rock debris fell from the ceiling, shaking the space roughly. Woohyuk urgently asked Phantom to open a portal, ¡°We¡¯re sitting ducks here. Open an escape portal before it¡¯s toote. Even if we engage in battle, we have to do it outside the ruins.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll inform Baal of this as well,¡± Phantom replied. The advent of the ancient devil Lucifer upon this world was an unusual event, even for the 72 Demon Kings. Woohyuk nodded and threw himself out of the ruins with the party. Dududududududu. Even the air seemed to shake as a tremendous earthquake shook the ground. In the night sky, where a crescent moon was floating, a spiral-shaped jet-ck portal was created, and a storm with a strong maic field was spiraling around it. It was simr to the time when Harpes, the ancient devil, came down. However, it was a bit darker and more sinister this time around. ¡°Look! The Death Alchemist is trying to escape!¡± Helena shouted to Woohyuk as she grabbed her fluttering blonde hair. Cadiz quietly left his ce in the general confusion. As Woohyuk nced at them, Amon and Astaroth used teleportation magic to grab Cadiz¡¯s arms. Pop! Poop! The two Demon Kings ruthlessly beat Cadiz without any noticeable expressions. Cadiz passed out as a result. Once Woohyuk captured Cadiz, he waited for Lucifer topletely descend into this world. ¡°Aren¡¯t these things more worthy of the name of Catastrophe than a flood, Helena? The prophecies you mentioned are quite stupid and off the mark,¡± Woohyukmented dryly. ¡°¡­ Are you in a situation to joke around? If you have the time to annoy me, why don¡¯t you double-check your artifacts!¡± Helena screamed as she pointed to Woohyuk¡¯s essories with a ridiculous expression. Woohyuk summoned the Demon Kings that had been sealed in Remegeton. Once they were all summoned, he exined aloud, ¡°Listen carefully, from now on, you will be fighting a fallen Archangel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Demon Kings had dark expressions as they paid attention to Woohyuk¡¯s words. They saw the advent of Cruest time, so they were well aware of the seriousness of the situation. In terms of power alone, the ancient devils were stronger than any of the 72 Demon Kings, and their existence itself would bring cmity at the level of a global Catastrophe. Once Woohyuk was done briefing them¡­ Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! Arge thunderbolt struck around the dimensional gate, revealing Lucifer. Chapter 240: The Devil from the Abyss 1

Chapter 240: The Devil from the Abyss 1

In front of them was a silver-haired demon with huge jet-ck wings. On one hand, Lucifer looked wild, like a proper demon, yet he also possessed a dignified side, like an archangel. ¡°I watched you defeat Crue and Harpes from the depths of the abyss, Rafael,¡± Lucifer said to Woohyuk while staring with his sharp red eyes. Since he saw and experienced the end of his two oldpanions, Lucifer understood that he must remain vignt during his battle with Woohyuk. He wouldn¡¯t tolerate any self-inflicted mistakes, as he had waited almost an eternity for this moment. ¡°You, like them, will be defeated by me, Lucifer. He who has lost his original intention and corrupted his own heart shall perish upon this earth,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my original intention¡­ I think you¡¯ve changedpletely. Well, since you reincarnated as a human and epted the demonic powers of the previous Demon Lord, you¡¯re probably not the Rafael I know. Your memory will also be iplete.¡± Lucifer didn¡¯t recognize Woohyuk as a former colleague. Archangel Rafael was dead, so what stood in front of him was only Rafael¡¯s shadow. However, if it wasn¡¯t for Rafael, Lucifer would not have survived, so he maintained a basic degree of courtesy. ¡°I intend to regain my memory through the Goddesses of Urdarbrunn. Furthermore, even if I have to sit on the Demon Lord throne, I will make sure to sessfullyplete the Odyssey n,¡± Woohyuk replied. ¡°You¡¯re still talking about that foolish n. I admit that the irregr code you entered into the system was a big blow to the Creator. But it was not enough to get him out. At that time, you should have ended the celestial world by obtaining the demonic powers,¡± Lucifer retorted. ¡°If you are interested in ruining the world, go to Aleister or Lilith. I will continue to stick with my existing n,¡± answered Woohyuk. With the help of Etheria Rodinus, he believed that he¡¯d be able to fix the system and move it in the right direction. As Woohyuk maintained his position, Lucifer sighed, ¡°Hah¡­ even though you¡¯ve been reincarnated as a human, you¡¯re still too stubborn and overly positive. If you¡¯re so intent on remaining stubborn, I¡¯ll have to be the one who denies you and opens your eyes to the reality of this world!¡± Go-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh! As Lucifer spread his wings, the heavens and earth turned ck, and a ck vortex swirled from the ground. At the same time, deep crevices and cracks started to spread in all directions. Woohyuk and his party lowered themselves closer to the ground in the wake of the natural disaster. ¡®He¡¯ll probably take over the surroundings with his absolute space soon.¡¯ Having fought Harpes before, Woohyuk roughly understood the pattern of attack. Woohyuk acted first by extending Asura¡¯s demonic powers throughout the space. Hwi-Ah! Verserios cried fiercely and emitted a pitch-ck sh. Lucifer, who saw Woohyuk¡¯s actions and the appearance of Verserios,ughed out loud as if he was watching something funny, ¡°Do you think that a human body canpletely bring out the darkness of the abyss? The current me and the current you possess different vessels, and thus, different potential. No matter how many times you¡¯ve crossed your limits, I¡¯ve started from a point that you¡¯ll never reach.¡± Blue mes poured out like rain from the darkened sky. After that, the blue me covered half the space¡­ Saa-Ha! Asura¡¯s pitch-ck demonic powers began to fight against the blue mes. ¡°Keuk!¡± Woohyuk grit his teeth at the pressure that seemingly came from everywhere. As Lucifer said, he was stuck in a situation where there was a marked difference of power usage andpetence. Since he was a fallen angel who fully epted the magic of the abyss, Lucifer was powerful enough to easily subdue the Demon Kings Woohyuk had gathered. He was also overwhelming Woohyuk. ¡°Uh, what should we do, Asura,¡± a Demon King cried out. ¡°I think it would be better to take the lead before it gets more disadvantageous¡­¡± another one added on with a whimper. The Demon Kings, who were floating in the air to avoid the blue me, asked Woohyuk to make a decision. Woohyuk nodded his head and replied with a firm expression, ¡°From now on, we will perform a total attack. Let¡¯s coordinate our movements as we discussed before.¡± Those who specialize in disturbance techniques were ced at the medium range while those who specialize in melee attacks were ced at a closer range to Lucifer. Those who specialized in magic attacks were to engage from long distance. Their interconnection and security were achieved by maximizing each individual¡¯s characteristics, abilities, and technologies. When Roan and Lisa were put into battle, Helena, who was next to Woohyuk, strengthened her defensive barrier. sh! Helena¡¯s defensive barrier was necessary once Woohyuk was defeated in the momentum fight. It would have to protect both Woohyuk and Arhen. ¡°Look for another way. Just like you did when you defeated Crue and Harpes,¡± urged Helena through gritted teeth. ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to try. I¡¯m just looking for the right opportunity,¡± Woohyuk quietly answered. Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail. It greatly amplified the magic of the Abyss, but it could only be handled from a limited range. Additionally, he had the Absorber Trigger, an artifact that allowed him to bind targets who used demonic magic/powers. Both were Woohyuk¡¯s hidden cards. Unfortunately, Lucifer knew his hand. ¡®There¡¯s a need for me to change the pattern of my attack¡­¡¯ While the Demon Kings and the two Homunculus were buying him some time, Woohyuk had to identify Lucifer¡¯s weaknesses and openings. Woohyuk calmed his roaring demonic energy down, which seemed to want to run mad, and watched Lucifer carefully. He was currently flying back and forth and dealing with his enemies¡¯ attacks. He had on an annoyed expression. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! Rumble! Saa-Ha! Puff-Puff-Puff-Puff-Puff! Luciferfortably blocked various types of exclusive skill, weapon, and ability attacks as if he was swatting flies. ¡°The 72 Demon Kings¡­ I once considered taking you all under my control. However, the existence of Lemegeton made that decision moot,¡± Lucifer calmlymented. The 72 Demon Kings originated from the abyss, but they indirectly belonged to the system¡¯s control. In that sense, they were fated to never beplete demons. Therefore, Lilith, who wanted the advent of the true demon, had patiently waited for a long time in the demon world. She awaited one person¡­ someone who was once an archangel but reincarnated to be a human being¡­ someone who waspletely free from all system constraints. ¡®In order to increase the odds of sess of the Odyssey n, Rafael injected an irregr code into his own soul,¡¯ Woohyuk thought to himself. Although it was only a prototype, the irregr code fundamentally changed Archangel Rafael and destroyed the system limitations that the Creator secretly encoded on his followers. Therefore, Rafael could be said to be the true vessel of the Demon Lord. However, he was now a human who had lost much of his original ideal traits. It was difficult to expect sess in re-implementing the Odyssey n with such a body. ¡®Rather than waiting for an uncertain future to unfold, I will overturn everything,¡¯ Lucifer thought at the same time. As a result of spending almost an eternity in the abyss, he waspletely free from the influence of the Creator. He would use brute force and be reborn as a transcendent person, gradually eroding the world the Creator created. He would trample and destroy everything that was in his way. While thinking of exacting this tumultuous n, Lucifer stared at the iing Roan. He then lifted his finger, Kwa-Ang! With a sudden explosion, Roan was engulfed in gray dust. After that, Roan fell to the ground while foaming at the mouth. Lisa, who was behind him, moved her small body downward to save him. ¡°Homunculus¡­ they are bothersome beings created by the gods. You two shall disappear together.¡± Lisa, who was holding Roan, was instantly covered in cold mes. In no time, the two Homunculus became covered in ice and buried themselves into the ground like icebergs. Koo-Oong! The Demon Kings who saw this scene looked at each other with tense expressions. ¡°That guy, he uses the same abilities as dragons.¡± ¡°We need to be extra careful when approaching him.¡± Lucifer, the ancient devil, was unfathomably strong. Compared to him, the fallen angel Crue was like a puppy barking in front of a lion. Crue was only corrupted. However, Lucifer had evolved into a monster of the abyss. ¡®¡­ The situation looks bad.¡¯ Woohyuk stared at the point where Roan and Lisa had fallen with a frustrated expression. It was time for him to move. While holding Verserios with both hands, Woohyuk asked Helena, ¡°Helena, can you damage that guy with the Holy Grail you have?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible. However, the Holy Grail is not in perfect condition, so I don¡¯t know how powerful it can be against such an entity.¡± If the Ark of Knowledge was not rebuilt, the Holy Grail was significantly limited in its function. Woohyuk nodded and pulled Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail out of his pocket. ¡°Then, use this one. This one should suit your taste better.¡± When Woohyuk finished speaking, Swah~ Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail sucked in Woohyuk¡¯s magic and created a pitch-ck orb wrapped in a spiral vortex. ¡°Are you going to attack with that?¡± Helena asked. ¡°For now, yes,¡± Woohyuk answered. Woohyuk threw the pitch-ck orb. After seeing the attacking towards him, Lucifer summoned his Great mesword and cut the orb in half with a single blow. Slice! The counterattack amounted to nothing. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t give up and activated the Absorber Trigger. Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji! A spherical barrier covered Lucifer, causing a ck current to revolve around him. Then, Woohyuk activated Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail once again¡­ As the ck orb pieces were absorbed by the spherical barrier, the ck current inside the barrier began to amplify. Kwa-Ji-Ji! It was the method Woohyuk used when he dealt with Aleister in the past. Lucifer frowned as demonic mana quickly escaped from his body. ¡°I saw it before and thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal. However, after confronting it head-on, it¡¯s quite a nuisance. However, that¡¯s all it is¡­ a nuisance.¡± Slice! When Lucifer swung his mesword, the spherical barrier was cut in half at once. In theory, Woohyuk¡¯s n worked, but his power was too weak to keep Lucifer locked up. ¡°That didn¡¯t work either,¡± murmured Woohyuk. ¡°You¡¯d better stop ying around like this, Rafael. The more time that passes, the worse the situation will be for you.¡± The blue mes on the ground were gradually rising higher. Lucifer¡¯s absolute space was the Sea of Ice. The blue me turned everything that it touched into a mass of ice, and the ice masses sublimated into gas after a certain period of time. ¡®Has ite to the point where a face-to-face confrontation is unavoidable?¡¯ Suddenly, he remembered those who were at Arcane¡¯s Tower. Leifina. His sudden feelings of wanting to meet her filled his heart in this dire situation. ¡®I will go back. I will be with Leifina for the remaining days toe.¡¯ For that to happen, he had to fight against this dark reality. Woohyuk flew towards the waiting Lucifer and swung Verserios with one hand. One collision. Ka-Rang! Verserios emitted ck smoke as it collided with the Great mesword. A fissure formed for an instant, a crack in space-time. Kwa-Ji-Ji! At the same time, Woohyuk felt a shock as if all the bones in his body were shattered. ¡°Keuk!¡± Dark red blood spilled from his mouth, and the aftershock vibrations seemed to continue without end within his body. ¡®I might really die if I exchange blows again.¡¯ He felt as though his internal organs were ruptured. He also felt that his blood was flowing backward, causing excruciating waves of pain. He felt something simr when fighting Harpes, but this was more powerful and difficult to bear. Woohyuk opened his eyes and stared at the thousands of ck tentacles protruding from Lucifer. Hwi-Eek! It was time for him to step back and look for another opening. At that time, a ck gap appeared in the air, and an entity appeared. It was Baal, the 1st ranked Demon King. Chapter 241: The Devil from the Abyss 2

Chapter 241: The Devil from the Abyss 2

¡°Baal!¡± ¡°Why is he here?!¡± The Demon Kings looked at Baal with startled expressions. They recently heard that he woke up, but they didn¡¯t expect him to appear in front of them so boldly. When everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on him, Baalughed out heartily, ¡°Ho, I see that the trash sealed in Lemegeton are here as well.¡± ¡°¡­ Keuk.¡± The lower-ranking Demon Kings red at Baal while baring their teeth. He was very aggressive even among the aggressive high ranking Demon Kings and didn¡¯t recognize those above the 9th rank as Demon Kings. Therefore, many Demon Kings detested Baal. ¡°Baal¡­ Then you must be the 1st ranked Demon King. Did you need to see me?¡± Lucifer asked. ¡°Why, yes. I need to keep my promise to a friend,¡± Baal responded. The friend Baal spoke of was Mammon, another ancient demon. Mammon had brought Baal and the other high ranking Demon Kings to his side to keep Lucifer in check. Since there was only one spot on the Demon Lord throne, the sh between the two ancient demons was inevitable. Baal was promised his current position in the demon world and the Holy Aperia Empire in exchange for helping Mammon. With 17 of the 72 Demon Kings sealed, and a universal quest to capture the remaining Demon Kings outstanding, Baal¡¯s choice could be considered excellent. As Baal replied confidently, Lucifer calmly replied, ¡°Do you think a fly like you can intervene and influence the confrontation between me and Mammon? Look closely at the current situation, what has changed? Do numbers mean anything?¡± ¡°Hmph! Don¡¯t ignore me. During the Great Demon War, I fought evenly with the God of Light and wasn¡¯t pushed at all,¡± Baal snorted. Furthermore, sooner orter, Mammon would appear. No matter how strong Lucifer was, there was no chance of victory if he had to fight against the current enemies and the iing demons. ¡°Haha! You¡¯re very confident, Baal. If you think so, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to try. Of course, you have to risk your life,¡± Lucifer said without a hint of frustration or nervousness. When he finished speaking, the rigid tentacles that came out from his mesword, which had been stationary just a moment ago, all changed directions and flew toward Baal in unison. Sasa-Sasa-Sasa-Sasa-Sasa-Sasa! It was a wide area attack that left no room to escape, as the space between the tentacles were very narrow. However, Baal¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He skillfully cut the approaching tentacles apart by wielding his red Explosion Sword. ¡°I heard from Mammon about your skills, Lucifer. We have been preparing for this day for a long time.¡± When Baal made a motion with his hands, several long fissures appeared in the air around him, and other Demon Kings started to appear. It was a whopping 32 Demon Kings. It was arger number than the Demon Kings that were currently on the battlefield. ¡°You must have insecurities about your leadership to bring in so many people all at once, Baal. With such low self-esteem, can you really reign as a great demon in the demon world? Also, howe so many chose not toe?¡± Lucifer scoffed. ¡°Because we each have different opinions. Some of the moderate and conservative Demon Kings chose not to attend,¡± Baal replied. However, the number of forces he summoned, along with the Demon Kings currently on the battlefield, ounted for more than half the number of the existing 72 Demon Kings. After Baal finished speaking, Lucifer sighed and remarked, ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, Rafael, but I think the discussion and battle with you will be dyed to ater time. Well, looking at the situation, it wouldn¡¯t matter if you chose to stick your fate with these neers.¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t really feel like doing that,¡± Woohyuk replied. They were nning to fight each other, so Woohyuk didn¡¯t see a purpose to intervene. Baalughed out loud when he saw Woohyuk preparing to leave with his subjugated Demon Kings in tow. ¡°The trash and their garbage Master are scurrying away in fright. Such spineless fools. Anyways, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll deal with Lucifer first,¡± Baal muttered to himself. He had brought 33 Demon Kings, including himself. It was about twice the number of Woohyuk¡¯s Demon King force. Even if Woohyuk¡¯s party decided to side with Lucifer, Baal wasn¡¯t particrly afraid. While the three camps were still on the battlefield, a pitch-ck tornado appeared within the space. Mammon was descending into this world. Hu-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh! He looked simr to Lucifer in appearance, except for his bright red hair. Since there was no significant difference in the demonic magic and power that emanated from their bodies, their fighting power seemed simr. Of course, Mammon had 33 Demon Kings on his side, so overall, he was in a much more advantageous position. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to fight like this, Lucifer. However, our confrontation is inevitable, no matter how it happens,¡± Mammon exined. ¡°Of course, I was expecting you. I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯de out in such a mboyant way, though,¡± Lucifer sarcastically answered. Lucifer red at Mammon and lifted his Great mesword. He pretended to be unperturbed, but the situation was not looking very good for him. Lucifer didn¡¯t have to pay much attention to the low-ranking Demon Kings, but the higher-ranking Demon Kings, like Baal, would definitely get in his way. ¡®In the end, will everything go ording to the Creator¡¯s will?¡¯ Lucifer thought to himself. All those who participated in the Odyssey n in the past betrayed and killed each other for one reason or another. ording to the flow, it seemed that thest one standing would be Rafael¡¯s soul, Woohyuk. In order to restore the system that was damaged by the Odyssey n, which had failed beforepletion, Woohyuk had to descend as a Demon Lord and negate the irregr code. The irregr code was like a virus that couldn¡¯t be destroyed by system initialization alone. Only Rafael was able to counteract the irregr code through his soul, which had the same irregr code imprinted on it. ¡®I¡¯m curious what decision you¡¯ll make in the end, Rafael.¡¯ He¡¯d have to sacrifice a lot of things to ovee what the previous Asura couldn¡¯t. He¡¯d have to sacrifice his former lover, Pina, and her own happiness. However, Lucifer wondered if Rafael could do that. ¡®No matter how I see it, I¡¯m the most appropriate being to sit on the Demon Lord throne,¡¯ Lucifer concluded in his thoughts. Mammon, who was trying to defeat him using the Demon King, would never seed in the first ce. No matter what the Creator had designed and nned for the future, Lucifer promised himself that he would surely win on this battlefield. With that promise and mental conclusion, Lucifer flew toward Mammon with all his might. Kwa-Ang! The sh between the two ancient demons caused a natural catastrophe. The earth split deeply in all directions, and space-time fissure cracks broke out in various parts of the sky. Furthermore, red energy like sma spread in a circle from the center of their sh. It was as if the end of days hade. As they continued fighting, Baal supported Mammon with the other Demon Kings that came with him. ¡°Kill Lucifer! There¡¯s only one throne! We can¡¯t sit there, so we have to make sure Mammon steps upon the throne!¡± In general, Lucifer and Woohyuk were not very generous or thoughtful towards demons, so it was easy to understand why the Demon Kings would choose to side with Mammon. As the Demon Kings joined the battle, the scale of the battle rapidly expanded. Du-Du-Du-Du-Du. From the dimensional fissures, each Demon King¡¯s legion started pouring out. Among them were high-ranking demons and high-grade monsters, which were hard to see in the Eeth Continent. When the various Demon Kings¡¯ forces surrounded him at once, Lucifer ruthlessly ughtered them by stretching out numerous tentacles from his body. Pu-Wook! Pu-Wook! The tentacles made up of abyssal mana easily prated the demons¡¯ sturdy armor and defensive barriers. The demons who sumbed to the attack were absorbed by Lucifer¡¯s tentacles, leaving behind only empty body shells. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to focus on me, Lucifer? If you really want to sit atop the Demon Lord throne,¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lucifer stared at the approaching Mammon who was bounding towards him. Mammon¡¯s weapon was a crescent de that emitted a purple glow. The resulting mana storm that it would bring in its wake had lethal power. Kwa-Ang! Once again, the earth split even deeper with the following vibrations from the sh. It was as if the heavens and the earth were copsing. As a result, the Krobaichen Isthmus became hell on earth. On the far coast, the seawater raged, and ck rain poured down from the sky as if there was a punctured hole in the heavens. Meanwhile, the space-time fissures expanded more and more. The appearance of objects became elongated and stretched. Furthermore, the unstable fissures started to warp, causing sma explosions to ur. If things continued like this, this world may truly end. At that time, another ck gap appeared. Lilith and her followers appeared. ¡°Something interesting is going on. Are the archangels who had shared intentions long ago finally fallen? Have you now aimed your weapons at each other?¡± Lilith calmly stated. ¡°¡­ Lilith¡­¡± Mammon whispered under his breath. ¡°So, you¡¯ve also appeared¡­ with you loyal dogs in tow, I see,¡± Lucifer replied. Lucifer and Mammon showed outright hostility toward Lilith. She was one of the main reasons why the Odyssey n failed in the past. They did not achieve their goal because Lilith urged Crue to touch the forbidden knowledge and to operate the Ark of Knowledge ording to her will. When amon enemy appeared, the two ancient demons paused their battle and looked toward Woohyuk. ¡°Rafael, kill Lilith. She¡¯s a witch who will be a daunting barrier in the future. If you don¡¯t deal with her now, you¡¯ll regret it greatly,¡± Lucifer suggested. ¡°We need to resolve our differences, so only you can do it,¡± Mammon added on. ¡°¡­¡± Woohyuk waspletely dumbfounded. The guys who wanted to kill him just a moment ago were asking him for such an absurd request. However, he couldn¡¯t deny that it was advantageous for him in the end. ¡°Lilith, I heard that you¡¯ve been nning to sacrifice us Demon Kings to set the Demon Lord you want onto the throne. Well, you won¡¯t be able to do whatever you want anymore. You¡¯ll die to us here!¡± a Demon King shouted out. The 33 Demon Kings, including Baal, who were on Mammon¡¯s side, attacked Lilith first. It was a rather threatening force, but Lilith smiled lightly, as if this was nothing, ¡°Me? Die? Haha¡­ it seems that you all don¡¯t really understand the situation. Your collective fate has already been decided. From the moment Lucifer and Mammon held their weapons, your fates were sealed!¡± Lilith shouted out. Lilith chose Woohyuk, not Lucifer or Mammon. Everything and everyone was just foundation fodder for his growth. Thus, she personally descended onto the world with her followers. She was finally implementing the n she had been making for a long time. Chi-Ji-Ji-Ji! A huge maic field formed around Lilith and covered the surroundings. [ck Demolition]. A powerful barrier that absorbed all magic within the spells cast area was cast. It was far more dominant in power and scale than Woohyuk¡¯s Absorber Trigger. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± The Demon Kings, who had rushed toward her with great energy just a moment ago, twisted their bodies with painful expressions. They were like birds with broken wings. Then Aleister, who was next to Lilith, spoke with a serpent-like smile fixed on his face, ¡°Hahaha! How do you like that, Demon Kings! This is my ultimate alchemy! You will now be offered on the beautiful altar as living sacrifices for the Demon Lord!¡± ¡°Keuk¡­ Aleister, that damn alchemist bastard¡­!¡± Baal said as he clenched his teeth in anger. He knew about ck Demolition, but he didn¡¯t know that its power and influence would be to this extent. Lilith seemed to have helped Aleister improve ck Demolition. Even Baal, the 1st ranked Demon King, couldn¡¯t control his own body from twisting in pain. ¡°¡­Something keeps going in a weird direction¡¯ Woohyuk thought. While everyone else was on edge, Woohyuk was watching the current situation unfold from afortable distance. Clearly, Lilith was an adversary that he should be wary of. However, many of her ns were helpful to him. In the first ce, the content of the n itself was aimed at advancing him to be the Demon Lord. ¡®If I subjugate them all, I¡¯ll have 50 out of the 72 Demon Kings, right?¡¯ Woohyuk thought. In addition, Baal, the number one in the ranks, was included among the group, so collecting the remaining Demon Kings would be fairly easy. Of course, some of the high-ranking Demon Kings such as Agares, who was second in rank, were not here, but most of them were moderate Demon Kings who would understand the situation they were in. Unlike Baal¡¯s group, Agares and the moderate Demon Kings were beings he couldmunicate with to some extent. ¡®First, I¡¯ll have to make the most out of the current opportunity.¡¯ There was no reason to refuse Lilith¡¯s gift just because she was his enemy. Woohyuk had a calm expression as he pointed Lemegeton toward the entrapped Demon Kings. Chapter 242: The Devil from the Abyss 3

Chapter 242: The Devil from the Abyss 3

Sah~! One by one, the helpless Demon Kings turned into ck smoke and were sucked into Lemegeton. Seeing this unfold, Lilithughed maniacally as she said, ¡°Hohoho! Yes, yes¡­ swallow everything! A delicious sacrifice for the true Demon Lord!¡± ¡°If he bes the Demon Lord, do you think you¡¯ll be safe? You¡¯re probably the first one of us to be shredded into pieces!¡± Baal eximed. ¡°You¡¯re still as entertaining as ever, Baal. That child needs me. Only I can prevent the demonic power within him from running rampant and taking over his consciousness,¡± she replied leisurely. Lilith was a witch who could ably handle abyssal magic. As she ranted, Woohyuk asked a question with a puzzled face, ¡°You can control the demonic powers?¡± ¡°Hoho, yes, Rafael. I was interested in it even before you Archangels made the Odyssey n.¡± Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail was one of the resulting artifacts from her interest. She had been studying up on the abyss for a long time. Although she wasn¡¯t able to be a Demon King, she was able to wield the powers from the abyss to a limited extent. Therefore, she believed wholeheartedly that Woohyuk would never be able to abandon her. Hearing Lilith¡¯s exnation, Baal shook his head and muttered, ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t think things would turn out like this¡­¡± It was the first public misstep for the 1st ranked Demon King. It was also a very embarrassing one at that. Currently, Mammon was struggling with Lucifer, so he couldn¡¯t afford to do anything about the captured Demon Kings. His demonic powers and mana were also dwindling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Baal. I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯d be so easily sealed by Lemegeton,¡± Woohyuk said sarcastically. ¡°This fucker, Asura¡­!¡± Baal snarled as he red at Woohyuk. If he could face him fairly, one-on-one, he could easily take care of such a weak being. He felt that it was too unfair to admit defeat like this. Helena, who was behind Woohyuk, asked, ¡°You¡¯re not going to fight Lilith? She¡¯ll try to use youter on. It¡¯ll be difficult to maintain a friendly rtionship even though she¡¯s treating you well now.¡± ¡°Well¡­ that must be seen. I¡¯m willing to wait and see,¡± he answered. If it was Aleister, he¡¯d attack without hesitation, but Lilith was another issue. He had nothing to gain from attacking her right now. She had assisted his endeavors by collecting the remaining Seven Color Rainbow Ring material from the East and collecting the Dragon n marks. Lilith¡¯s actions were contrary to Etheria Rodinus¡¯, who only focused on surveince and control for fear of Woohyuk being consumed by his demonic powers. Lilith probably feltfortable helping him out because she was confident in controlling him if he were to lose control over his powers. Of course, as Helena said, it would be difficult for him to maintain a friendly rtionship with Lilith, but she was well worth using for his benefit right now. ¡°You¡¯re not going to sell me to Lilith, right? I hope you were just teasing me about the whole ¡®Witch of Annihtion¡¯ spiel,¡± Helena said with a slightly nervous tone of voice. ¡°It¡¯s fun to tease you, but don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go that far,¡± Woohyuk replied. Lilith and Etheria Rodinus. There was no need to take one side. They were both trying to use him for their own purposes anyway. Although Etheria Rodinus¡¯ goal was simr to the goal he pursued, their interests did notpletely coincide. Woohyuk reassured Helena and brought Lemegeton down to his side. The 33 Demon Kings were nowpletely sealed. He decided not to fight Lilith, so only Lucifer and Mammon were left. ¡°¡­ It looks like our old friend is going to leave Lilith alone,¡± Lucifermented. ¡°All the Demon Kings that were on my side have been sealed. I guess we¡¯re next,¡± Mammon followed. Lucifer and Mammon, who were fighting against each other fiercely just a second ago, exchanged words and knowing nces. If things went like this, all would have been for naught. It seemed preferable to put off their duel and deal with the issue at hand. As the two ancient demons decided on their united front, Lilith gave Aleister an order, ¡°Summon it now. It¡¯s time to dedicate those apocalypse apostles to the altar of demons.¡± ¡°As you order, Lilith,¡± Aleister obediently replied. The four apocalypse apostles Lilith often referred to were the four archangels who joined Rafael during the Odyssey n. In the past, Aleister called Alice and Logan ¡®apostles¡¯, but that was not because they were archangels but because he needed them to feel special to appropriately use them. ¡®All things considered, it was a little wasteful to dispose of Logan.¡¯ If he had time to spare, Aleister would have been able to develop Logan into arger figure. However, since the Creator¡¯s intervention began in earnest, Logan was easily disposed of. Aleister had even given Logan a sniper rifle that he designed himself. As he created a magic circle to summon the monsters from the abyss, Aleister felt sad that his creation wasn¡¯t able to be used to full effect. ¡®But there¡¯s still one person who can use it. In the Eastern Theresian Empire¡­¡¯ Lightlord Marcus. If he were able to bring Marcus into the Witches¡¯ Cult, it would be something to look forward to. As Aleister evilly smiled from his machinations, waves of blue mes and a half-moon-shaped purple beam flew towards him. Lucifer and Mammon were trying to interfere with the summoning process. But the attempt was easily blocked by a pitch-ck vortex that Lilith created. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! The abyssal mana that he had previously absorbed from the 33 Demon Kings was enough to hold on and finish the summoning process. Lucifer and Mammon tried blocking the summoning process through closebat, but it was toote¡­ ¡°Ku-Oh!¡± From the newly created magic circle in the air, a Leviathan, which looked like a sea snake, was pushing its head out of the circle. The Leviathan was the highest-level abyssal monster that existed. Like Lucifer and Mammon, it had lived in the abyss, so it didn¡¯t take damage from many weapons or magic. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see that here,¡± Lucifermented. ¡°Dealing with Lilith and Raphaeles first. It won¡¯t be toote to deal with the Leviathanter,¡± Mammon stated. It was an unfavorable situation, so they quickly made their decision. Lucifer and Mammon took onest nce at the flying Leviathan as it seemingly swam around in the dark circle¡¯s air. The monster wasrge enough to cover the entire surrounding area. The abyss¡¯ poison and the magic that emanated from its body could not cause any damage to them, so it was not a threatening existence, as long as they avoided the head and tail carefully. As the two ancient demons flew away from the Leviathan toward Lilith¡¯s party, Aleister and the other witches started pouring out me magic attacks. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! A firework show took ce in the sky and on the sea, where the light reflected off the sea¡¯s surface. However, these me magic attacks were not enough to defeat the ancient demons. Once again, the enhanced ck Demolition was activated. Chi-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji-Ji! The secret spell that had rendered the 33 Demon Kings helpless was once again used by Aleister. The spell had a significant effect on Lucifer and Mammon. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s powerful¡­!¡± Of course, this single spell in itself was impossible topletely stop the two ancient demons. Chwa-Ah! The sphere-shaped barrier was beautifully destroyed by a mesword and Purple Crescent Moon de strike. At that time, Woohyuk appeared behind the two ancient demons along with his subservient Demon Kings. ¡°I will take your lives!¡± He was fulfilling the epic quest that he received after defeating the ancient demon Harpes. To get its reward, he had to kill these two guys with his own hands. Of course, he knew this was all the Creator¡¯s design, but¡­ ¡®Anyway, they¡¯ll just interfere with my ns if I let them be.¡¯ There was no other choice for him but to reach the Demon Lord throne. It was Woohyuk¡¯s principal belief that rivals should be excluded when opportunities came. While the Demon Kings were binding Mammon¡¯s movements, Woohyuk swung Verserios toward Lucifer. This was his second sh with Lucifer. No matter what, through this uing sh of arms, he needed to ovee his limits. Just as he had done when he defeated the ancient devil Harpesst time. Kwa-A-A-Ang! The heavens and earth shook greatly as Verserios radiated ck fumes as it shed with Lucifer¡¯s Great mesword. At the same time, Woohyuk felt intense pain. The shock went through his whole body and shook all of his bones until they shattered. His organs started bleeding from within and his consciousness blurred. ¡°Heok¡­!¡± The limitations of the human body. Despite being protected by the magic of the abyss, his body made of human skin was very weak. As Woohyuk staggered, Lucifer took advantage of this opening. ¡°Now, die already, Rafael!¡± A moment of despair. Woohyuk narrowly evaded Lucifer¡¯s sword strike with a teleportation spell. Pant. Pant. Even though the surrounding temperature was ice cold due to the icebergs in the sea, sweat poured down from his head like rain. He had barely evaded thest strike by a razor-thin margin. If he moved a littlete, his waist would have been cleanly cut off by the mesword. ¡®Is there no way to ovee him?¡¯ He recalled the time when he defeated Asura and Harpes. Woohyuk recalled the feeling of something deep inside him awakening. It was necessary for him to recreate the same sensation once again. As Woohyuk was preparing for the next strike, Lilith whispered into his mind, [Remove another seal off of Verserios. Then you can defeat them.] ¡°¡­¡± That was the best option to take in this dire situation. Woohyuk tried to bring out his demonic powers to unseal Verserios. Go-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh! A pitch-ck whirlpool rushed around Verserios. The momentum was so intense that the nearby sea of blue mes was instantly extinguished. The purple neb that was covering the surrounding air was also retreating from the pitch-ck vortex. ¡°Keuk¡­¡± Woohyuk felt his consciousness gradually being engulfed by a ck sea. The release of another seal felt like it was too much for him to handle at the moment. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t give up and focused his mind on controlling his demonic powers. It seeped through his arm and into Verserios¡­ After a while¡­ Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. As his heart started beating violently, his blood cirction started to revolve faster and faster. ¡®What is this¡­? What¡¯s happening?¡¯ He had never experienced these bodily changes before. His demonic powers captured his consciousness and restrained his actions, and an unknown red energy began to emanate from his body. ¡°Heok¡­¡± And once again, the blood poured out of his mouth. Only then did Woohyuk feel that something was wrong. ¡®The demonic powers that carry abyssal mana are running wild.¡¯ Verserios changed from a long spear to a great sword. At the same time, mana flowed into his body like crazy. Woohyuk¡¯s body couldn¡¯t endure it, so he started going into a severe seizure. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± This was the first time that Verserios had gone out of his control. Thus, Woohyuk was at aplete loss. While he was fighting with the demonic powers for control over his own body¡­ Hwi-Eek! Lucifer¡¯s mesword fell onto his head. ¡®My body won¡¯t move ording to my will.¡¯ Woohyuk was in a state of helplessness. It was to the extent that he could not even cast teleportation. Seeing him in danger, Helena and Arhen, who were chanting divine spells, lifted their staffs high into the air. sh! An archangel¡¯s barrier, made of pure white light with dazzling shes, encased Lucifer. But even the magic of the Saintesss and Sage wasn¡¯t enough to stop Lucifer. Kwa-De-Deuk! The archangel¡¯s barrier cracked and then shattered like ss. It fell apart without Lucifer lifting a finger. He destroyed it with just his will. ¡°Who do you think I am, humans. I will not sumb to your silly tricks.¡± Before falling into the depths of the abyss, he was Archangel Lucifer. It was natural that an archangel¡¯s barrier wouldn¡¯t be able to contain him. The moment Lucifer ignored the others and moved to strike the final blow on Woohyuk, Saahahahah. Lilith had transported in front of him. Chapter 243: The Devil from the Abyss 4

Chapter 243: The Devil from the Abyss 4

¡°I knew you¡¯d join, Lilith,¡± Lucifer growled as Lilith avoided his shes while holding on to Woohyuk. Lilith responded coldly without looking back, ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s more valuable than you.¡± Her white hand stroked Woohyuk¡¯s chaotic demonic power. Then, like a lie, his demonic powers calmed down. Woohyuk¡¯s fingers started twitching and then moving. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Be calm. This elder sister will make you even stronger,¡± she said in a soothing voice. Lilith knew that Woohyuk would fall into aatose state if he released another of Verserios¡¯ seals. Nevertheless, she suggested that he take that action so that she could help him directly, as she was doing right now. Since the Creator had started his intervention on this world, she had to make sure that Woohyuk grew to be the next Demon Lord as soon as possible. Sa~Ak! Verserios¡¯ demonic powers/mana started to be steadily absorbed into Woohyuk¡¯s body. Seeing this, Lucifer gritted his teeth and lunged at Lilith. ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be so easy to exact your will!¡± he shouted out. ¡°Aleister, stop him,¡± she calmly ordered. Lilith gave an order to Aleister without even looking at Lucifer. A ck shadow soon appeared and blocked Lucifer from moving closer. ¡°Yes, Lilith. I will drag as much time as possible,¡± Aleister dutifully replied. ¡°Get out of my way you worthless minion!¡± Lucifer yelled as he frowned. He quickly drew his mesword and shed at Aleister. However, Aleister, who turned into a ck shadow, lightly avoided the blow and immediately counterattacked. Hwi-Eek! A ck gust of wind, with various waves of wind as sharp as a de¡¯s edge, raged toward Lucifer from all directions, not allowing Lucifer to move forward. Frustrated by Aleister¡¯s attack and the dragging on of time, Lucifer cast Sea of Ice. Arge wave of ice appeared and shot towards Aleister. Swa-Ah! He was nning to approach Lilith by pushing Aleister away with waves of blue, icy mes. However, Aleister understood his intention and brought out Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail. Once he dropped Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail into the Sea of Ice¡­ Saa~! The numerous bluish ice mes turned ck and began to move under Aleister¡¯s control. As a result, the waves that wereing to him suddenly changed direction and struck Lucifer in reverse. Rumble! Lucifer¡¯s hurriedly cast his defensive barrier, which burned violently with ck me. While trying to quickly resolve the situation and approach Lilith, Lucifer had been counterattacked. In the meantime, Lilith continued to inject Verserios¡¯ demonic power/mana into Woohyuk. ¡°That¡¯s it for now. You have to absorb the restter. This elder sister can¡¯t do everything for you,¡± Lilith quietly exined in a motherly tone. After finishing her work, Lilith winked at Woohyuk. Woohyuk instantly felt goosebumps form all over his body. ¡®An ancestor of modern humans is hitting on me¡­¡¯ Of course, he himself was the archangel Rafael in his previous life, but he still wasn¡¯t very happy with the current situation. When Lilith left, Woohyuk slowly moved his body to get up. ¡®Fortunately, there are no movement restrictions.¡¯ Perhaps, thanks to the absorption of Verserios¡¯ power/mana, his inner wounds while fighting Lucifer werepletely restored. There were no signs of his demonic powers running rampant once more. Woohyuk grabbed and lifted Verserios, which changed its shape into a great sword, with both hands. ¡®I have to finish what I started.¡¯ He had to eliminate Lucifer and Mammon once and for all. When Woohyuk flew into the fray, Aleister, who was blocking Lucifer at every turn, stepped away. ¡°We¡¯ve used plenty of seasoning, so cook well, Lilith¡¯s blessed one,¡± Aleister stated. ¡°¡­¡± At the moment, hearing his absurdment, Woohyuk felt a deep urge to cut down Aleister first, but he endured. Later, when Woohyuk wielded Verserios and attacked, Lucifer came forward to match the blow without hesitation. Kwa-Ang! With a roar, the greatswords on both sides struck. Lucifer was slightly push back. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Woohyuk had be stronger than before. Woohyuk no longer vomited fresh blood from his mouth after a sh, nor did he feel any bone-crushing pain throughout his body. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ There was no reason for him to be at a disadvantage if he used his skills and abilities properly. Woohyuk sharpened his battle sense and gradually overpowered Lucifer. ¡°Keuk¡­ hey, Mammon! What are you doing! Are you having a hard time because of the trash Demon Kings?¡± Lucifer shouted out in frustration. ¡°Shut up, Lucifer! I¡¯ve been dealing with the rest of the guys up to now,¡± Mammon huffed. In addition to the Demon Kings, Mammon was holding back Lilith¡¯s followers and the abyssal demons. When Lucifer was grinding his teeth, ¡°Time to die, Lucifer,¡± Woohyuk said as he broke into a gap and swung Verserios. At the same time, he expanded Asura¡¯s absolute space to cover the surroundings. Lucifer foresaw that his end was imminent. ¡®I may have bitten off more than I can chew.¡¯ From some point onward, Lucifer began to act only for his own selfish reasons, not for a higher cause. After falling into the depths of the abyss, his body and mind were corrupted. In that sense, Woohyuk still maintained consistency even though he inherited the previous Demon Lord¡¯s demonic powers. Lucifer couldn¡¯t help but apud Woohyuk¡¯s amazing consistency. ¡®Make sure you achieve the objective this time, Rafael.¡¯ He prayed that another selfish, evil being like himself would never appear again in this world once the Odyssey n waspleted. while wishing for Woohyuk¡¯s sess in his heart, Lucifer closed his eyes. Pu-Wook! Verserios¡¯ ck mes raged around the de as Lucifer¡¯s heart was pierced. At the same time, Lucifer scattered into ashes and lost shape. With his death, a series of system messages came into Woohyuk¡¯s mind. [You have defeated the ancient devil Lucifer.] [You have acquired the Frost Ring of Ice.] [Abyssal Demon Quest Progress: 2/3] As expected, Lucifer gave him the ice attribute ability through an artifact. Woohyuk put the Frost Ring of Ice in his pocket and immediately flew towards Mammon. ¡®Only one guy left.¡¯ In the confrontation before, not knowing if Mammon would join, Woohyuk had taken out Andvaranaut in advance. Andvaranaut was the artifact that contained part of Mammon¡¯s powers. It was the artifact that he previously obtained from Valkyrie Brynhildr¡¯s Tomb. The artifact had the power to make the subject selfish or blind. However, when Woohyuk used the observation ability he had from the Mythical Hero title on the artifact, he received an amazing quest. [New Achievement] Name: Path of Immortality Type: Legend Contents: Reinforce Andvaranaut with the following items as materials (Material: me Ring of Red Lotus, Frost Ring of Ice, Wind Ring of Zaun). Others: No retry after failure. Luckily, the contents of the current Abyssal Demon Quest and this one ovepped a lot. In general, in the case of a quest, it gives a reward that is superior to that of its consuming materials, so the loot obtained by catching the three ancient demons would not be wasted. In order to obtain thest material, the Wind Ring of Zaun, Woohyuk raised Verserios and swung towards Mammon with vigor. Hwi-Ah! A storm of ck mes began to circte around Mammon. Seeing the appearance of these ck mes, Mammon looked towards Woohyuk with a confused expression, ¡°W-Wait! Rafael, I want to negotiate with you. If you save me¡­¡± ¡°Shut it.¡± Negotiations were possible when both sides had something to gain and protect. Negotiations were useless when one side had an overwhelmingly advantageous position. Woohyuk didn¡¯t hesitate and struck Mammon with a full blow. Kwa-Ang! With a roaring sound, Verserios cut into the fringe of the purple light that surrounded Mammon¡¯s weapon. At the same time, Mammon¡¯s Crescent Moon de was cracked, and the surroundingndscape temporarily darkened. Snap! ¡®Your weapon has no chance against the current Verserios.¡¯ It was an exclusive weapon for a Demon Lord. In the future, if he unsealed it one or two more times, it would be aplete weapon. Unless he brought out a transcendent weapon, like the Ragnar Weapon, Mammon would no longer be able to confront Woohyuk. Before long, Verserios shattered Mammon¡¯s Crescent Moon de. Slice! Although he was aided by Lilith, Woohyuk was still satisfied with the result. Woohyuk made the final swing with Verserios, leaving Mammon to disappear from the world in a cloud of gray dust. [You have defeated the Ancient Demon Mammon.] [You have acquired the Wind Ring of Zaun.] [Epic Quest: Abyssal Demon Quest has beenpleted.] [Hidden ss: Rule Breaker is given as a reward forpleting the quest.] ¡®Rule Breaker¡­¡¯ Just by looking at the name, Woohyuk thought he¡¯d be getting some interesting skills. While Woohyuk¡¯s inner expectations were growing, the Demon King Dantalion approached and whispered, ¡°Asura, it seems like a fight has started over there¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± When he turned his head, he saw Lilith¡¯s party fighting with the members of Etheria Rodinus. Perhaps Lilith¡¯s party was trying to steal the Holy Grail that Helena possessed. Woohyuk immediately intervened in the battle to protect Helena and Arhen. ¡°Don¡¯t touch them. If you keep fighting, I won¡¯t stay still,¡± Woohyuk sternly warned. ¡°Keuk¡­ You received Lilith¡¯s favor¡­ it seems to have gone to your head¡­¡± Trivia, the Witch of Pride who was in the lead position, snapped at Woohyuk as she barred her teeth. She didn¡¯t appreciate Woohyuk¡¯s tant attitude. Though Lilith constantly took care of him and sent ¡®love calls¡¯, Woohyuk consistently took Helena¡¯s side. However, Lilith just shook her hand with a look that she was fine. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯m going back today. But sooner orter, there will be a day when we meet again, so be stronger,¡± Lilith said. ¡°¡­¡± When Lilith announced her intent to retreat, the remaining witches retreated while seething in anger. Helena sighed with relief as Lilith¡¯s party disappeared. ¡°Phew¡­ I almost lost the Holy Grail. I could have be a real witch! Anyway, thank you for your help,¡± Helena said in relief. ¡°It¡¯s natural for me to save you. You still have value,¡± Woohyuk dryly replied. Without the help of Etheria Rodinus, it would be difficult for him to proceed with the epic quest. Plus, no good woulde out of Lilith obtaining the Holy Grail. When Woohyuk responded coldly, Helena frowned her brow and sharpened her eyes, ¡°Dang it¡­ would it hurt you to say something warm and encouraging at a time like this? Are you really a man with no manners? ¡°You¡¯re expecting a lot, Witch of Annihtion. How many times have you ever said warm words to others while possessing the title of ¡®Saintess¡¯?¡± Helena was the most grotesque Saintess Woohyuk had ever met. She was probably chased by witches and fanatics early on in her childhood. That would exin why she was so stuck up. As Woohyuk exined his point, Helena groaned and wrung her hand in the air, ¡°Don¡¯t attack me personally! Even if I was raised in a normal environment, my personality would be like this,¡± she shouted with a slightly quivering voice. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll never get married. Well, you may be able to get married in name only, like the Emperor¡¯s daughter,¡± Woohyuk replied. ¡°Like the princess?! Hmph! If things turned out a little differently, I would be the one living luxuriously, like Eleanora right now. I¡¯d probably be walking in a flower garden with handsome princes¡­¡± Helena said as her voice trailed off. She started slipping into her daydream. She subconsciously put her hands on her chest and her eyes started sparkling. Woohyuk sighed and grabbed her hand, ¡°Imagine whatever you¡¯re imagining when you go to bed. It¡¯s time to run away.¡± As a result of the uproar,rge troops wereing from all sides. The universal quest sent to everyone, to defeat the 72 Demon Kings, probably had something to do with it as well. Since he looked simr to Lucifer and Mammon, theseters would probably consider him their target, as they did not know the circumstances of the events that happened. ¡°Where are you running to? It¡¯s blocked everywhere¡­¡± Helena asked. ¡°Where? The sky, of course,¡± Woohyuk replied. Woohyuk put the ice-encapsted two Homunculus and the unconscious Cadiz on a flying-type undead. Arhen would ride with him atop the three-legged eagle. While taking the appropriate escape measures, Woohyuk flung Helena on top of Pegasus and had it shoot into the sky. He could hear Helena¡¯s distant shrieks as she was screaming her lungs out. Chapter 244: Inotia, the City of Magic 1

Chapter 244: Inotia, the City of Magic 1

After returning to Inotia, the City of Magic, on Pegasus¡­ ¡°There are a few things you need to create first,¡± Woohyuk ordered Dexter, the runesmith. He ordered Dexter to craft Seven Color Rainbow Ring and reinforce Andvaranaut. Both must seed, so he called upon Dexter, who was the most likely to seed. ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve collected a lot of ingredients,¡± Dexter said in awe as he stared starstruck at the items Woohyuk brought out. The S-grade artifact he createdst time became nothing in his mind. Dexter couldn¡¯t even fathom what kind of product woulde out from these materials. ¡°How long will it take toplete these tasks?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think it¡¯ll take at least three months,¡± Dexter answered while scratching his head. In actuality, three months was just a wild guess, assuming everything went ording to n. After thinking for a while, Woohyuk took out the Hourss of Time. ¡°You¡¯ll be needing this. I brought it over from the Rhine Kingdom.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give you enough time. However, you won''t be able to leave the workshop until youplete this mission.¡± In Neustein, Dexter had a dedicated, private workshop. It was also filled with three different types ofbat meals. After putting Dexter in his workshop, Woohyuk went to Aris. ¡°What are the current research achievements?¡± ¡°Eh? Asura~, it¡¯s been a while! The analysis of the Qliphoth Fruit is nowplete, and the treatment is being produced¡­¡± A fairly long report followed. Analysis of Alice the Queen of Thorns was currently in progress. The research on Unit 1 Ishvar had beenpleted, was reproducible, and could bemercially produced. Other misceneous studies were also in progress through the efficient allocation ofboratory personnel and resources. ¡°How much longer before your studies on Alice areplete?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯d say about 2 to 4 weeks, depending on how many people are assigned to the analysis?¡± It seemed that he wouldn¡¯t have to use the Hourss of Time to get results on Alice. It was being used for Dexter¡¯s workshop anyway. ¡°I hope we can mass-produce 100 Ishvar units to defend Inotia. I hope that the Homunculus, which was damaged this time, will be repaired in a hurry¡­ Of course, the current priority is the production of treatments for the Qliphoth Fruit.¡± ¡°Okay~ I see! By the way, are you not going to the High Sage¡¯s Arcane Tower? If everything went as nned, they¡¯ll be exiting today,¡± Aris asked. ¡°I have to interrogate some prisoners, so you¡¯ll have to go alone,¡± he replied. After giving Aris the task of transporting the attack squad back safely to Inotia, Woohyuk swept his eyes past all the people in theboratory. ¡°You¡¯ll all be working hard even if I¡¯m not here to observe everything, right?¡± ¡°Eek¡­ y-y-yes!¡± Alphone eked out. ¡°We¡¯re always working hard!¡± Agnes added. Alphone and Agnes, who were sitting and knocking on their respective boards, suddenly stood up and answered Woohyuk. They were assisting Aris and learning theboratory research trade. Meanwhile, Lucas, who liked biological research, was analyzing the cell traits of monsters in the basement. ¡°How have you been?¡± Woohyuk asked as he made his way down to the basement. ¡°O-Oh! Oh, h-hello, s-sir!¡± Lucas was frightened and took a military attention posture in front of Woohyuk. Woohyuk nced at the monsters Lucas was studying and then asked, ¡°It looks like you¡¯re in the chimera research project group. How far have you been able to progress?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say exactly in terms of numbers¡­ but it seems to be about 90%.¡± 90% meant that they were almost finished. Woohyuk nodded his head and gave a parting piece of advice, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, but don¡¯t do anything stupid. I know that there are only girls in theb.¡± ¡°I-I would never t-think of anything l-like t-that! I swear, I¡¯ll focus on experiment and research only!¡± Lucas replied with a loud voice. It seemed that he equated loudness with truthfulness. After leaving theboratory, Woohyuk visited Cadiz, the Death Alchemist, who was locked up in a cell. ¡°Do you know why I kept you alive?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°¡­ To find out Adamante¡¯s secret?¡± Cadiz replied. ¡°You know well.¡± The quest stated that he should kill Cadiz, but it didn¡¯t state whether the alchemy production process of Adamante would be given as a reward. So, Woohyuk saved Cadiz to find out for himself. Of course, he was going to hypnotize him if he refused to answer or rebelled. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can make Adamante. Even if you steal a peek at the process or do exactly as I do, you won¡¯t be able to make it,¡± Cadiz responded softly. He understood his situation. Woohyuk nodded his head and then sent the guard outside to bring in the coffin and alchemy tools he asked for the guards to prepare in advance. ¡°If so, try it. Show me your miraculous alchemy skills,¡± Woohyuk said. Inside the coffin was the body of a man who had just died. Cadiz ced his hand on the body without hesitation. Sa-Ah. ck fumes rose from the corpse and gathered in the air above it, forming a sphere. At the same time, the corpse gradually disappeared. Woohyuk watched Cadiz¡¯s alchemy process with interest. ¡®That¡¯s why the hidden ss¡¯ name seems to be Death Alchemist.¡¯ The corpse represented death. Thus, the Death Alchemist used a corpse as a material to create a miracle mineral, Adamante. The value of the mineral would be hundreds of times that of gold at present. However, there was a problem. Cadiz must be killed toplete the legendary quest that began with Midas¡¯ Hand, but there was no guarantee that this process of making Adamante would be passed along if he seeded inpleting the quest. ¡®¡­ One can¡¯t kill the duck thatys golden eggs.¡¯ Considering the options, it seemed better to keep Cadiz alive. Killing and eliminating him was always possible. Woohyuk carefully watched as Cadiz put the sphere made of ck smoke into a boiling cauldron. Bronze. Silver. Gold. Lead. Amethyst. There were fewer ingredients than Woohyuk expected, and the ingredients¡¯ amounts were very small. This further proved Adamante¡¯s economic value and profit-producing capability. Soon, after the alchemy process was over, Cadiz covered the cauldron lid and looked at Woohyuk, ¡°If we wait like this for 10 minutes, only Adamante crystals will remain in the pot. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± ¡°Though each step in the process seems simple enough, it¡¯s a miracle that only you can make happen,¡± Woohyukmented. ¡°Well? Can¡¯t you just make me work under you? I can work under you, for a good sry, of course.¡± Cadiz knew that Lucifer, with who he had signed a master-ve contract, had died. Woohyuk nodded as he recognized that Cadiz had already devised a realistic way to survive. ¡°What kind of sry do you want?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Let me continue to live in this city. It¡¯s okay to guarantee the minimum to sustain human life.¡± Cadiz, an alchemist, saw Inotia, the City of Magic, and fell in love at first sight. He never knew there were such beautiful buildings in this entire world! Inotia was the perfect space for him and a huge influential turning point in his life. ¡®I want to learn magic engineering,¡¯ he had immediately thought after seeing the city. Alchemy was fun for him, but it did not leave a deep impression or motivate him like Inotia. So, Cadiz decided that he wanted to be a magic engineer. Of course, in return, he would provide Adamante to Woohyuk. ¡°You¡¯re fairly innocent for an ancient devil¡¯s contractor,¡± Woohyuk said with a slight hint of surprise. ¡°I sold my soul to Lucifer because of my academic aspirations. Research into the forbidden areas of education was always entertaining for me.¡± It was the principle of wanting to do something more when it was not allowed. Magic engineering was also an academic field that wasrgely rejected by the Eeth continent¡¯s people. It was natural for a person like him to be interested. Woohyuk nodded and put his hand on Cadiz¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s make a master-ve contract.¡± No matter how strong and pure his academic motives were, it was better to take the sure route. After Woohyuk made Cadiz his contracted servant, he opened the cauldron lid. As Cadiz said, a small Adamante crystal remained in the bottom of the cauldron. ¡®It¡¯ll take quite a few corpses to make enough to arm the army.¡¯ Whether one thought it was fortunate or unfortunate, it wasn¡¯t very difficult to find and gather corpses these days due to the great chaos of the times. Woohyuk went out of the cell room with Cadiz following behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a dedicated workshop space. Ask Fiona, the manager here, for details,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°Where is Fiona?¡± Cadiz asked. ¡°Did you find me, Hero King?¡± Fiona asked. As soon as Cadiz asked the question, Fiona appeared out of thin air. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve figured out how to move around this ce freely,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°Yes, it was ufortable to move around in such arge ce, so I conducted my own research and found a way to instantly move from ce to ce,¡± she answered. Fiona then went on to eagerly exin how this technique worked. However, Woohyuk, who wasn¡¯t used to listening to technical jargon, let her words enter one ear and pass through to the other. ¡°Well, okay. If you say so. This guy is a new tenant, so please be nice to him,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°Yes, Grand Duke!¡± Woohyuk was engaged to Emperor Eleonora and received the title of Grand Duke by Emperor Tiberius. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that he was handed the Croix Principality yet. ¡®Ophelia will take care of that.¡¯ While going through trials and tribtions, he gave up on bing an emperor himself. If he stayed still for a moment, a Catastrophe would ur, then ancient demons woulde from the abyss and cause problems. ces such as the Holy Aperia Empire and the Rhine Kingdom were more convenient to dominate indirectly from behind the scenes through a ruler. He remembered that there had been such a case in the real world before being summoned to the Eeth Continent. He couldn¡¯t remember what the word or case was because it had been such a long time, but he recalled that the event caused quite a stir in that world¡¯s society during that time. After putting this thought off as something not rted to this world, Woohyuk went to go meet the heads of the nine dragon tribes. ¡°I have something to say to you all,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°What is it, hero of the human race?¡± One of the dragon tribe heads asked. ¡°I collected all the tokens/marks of the nine dragons.¡± In other words, he met the qualification to be a Dragon Lord. Of course, his current ss slots were full, so he wouldn¡¯t actually be the Dragon Lord. The heads of the nine dragons were surprised by Woohyuk¡¯s remarks and took a few steps backward. ¡°Well, then, this person is our ruler?¡± one dragon tribe head shouted out. ¡°There is clearly a precedent, Carlos, but¡­¡± another murmured in shock. ¡°I never expected another Dragon Lord to appear so quickly!¡± another shouted hysterically. All the dragon tribe heads seemed at a loss, that is, except for the Yellow Dragon King, Adakar. ¡°Excellent, human. I knew you could do it,¡± Adakar said. ¡°But there¡¯s a problem. I can¡¯t be a Dragon Lord,¡± Woohyuk replied. He then went on to briefly exin his situation. Adakar nodded and asked, ¡°Then, to whom do you intend to pass the title to? If possible, please choose a person with sufficient qualifications.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to choose either Lia or Canelion as the next Dragon Lord,¡± Woohyuk replied. Of course, he would decide after putting them through the appropriate tests. When Woohyuk spoke of his ns, the heads of the nine dragon tribes responded positively. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Lia is the daughter of Adakar, King of the Yellow Dragons, and Canelion is the daughter of Archana [sp?], the former King of the Red Dragons,¡± one dragon tribe head stated. ¡°How about we test them right now? This is an important issue for our dragon race,¡± another suggested. Aris was currently bringing Lia and Canelion to Inotia through the flying shuttle transporter. Thus, after waiting for a while, Arismunicated her arrival, [Hing~ Asura, we¡¯ve arrived!] [Okay, I¡¯ll be there soon.] In Inotia, there was a flying shuttle docking station where the shuttle couldnd. Woohyuk rode Pegasus towards the docking station. 1. Previously also referred to as Hextech City Chapter 245: Inotia, the City of Magic 2

Chapter 245: Inotia, the City of Magic 2

¡°Daddy! I missed you!¡± The first person to greet Woohyuk at the docking station was a high school-aged Lia. He gently patted her head, as he didn¡¯t know what to do with a youngdy. It didn¡¯t seem that long ago that he used to carry her around on his shoulders. ¡°Was everything alright?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Yeah! It was a little harder than I thought, but I wasn¡¯t hurt. Canelion also yed with me whenever we got bored,¡± Lia answered. He saw that Canelion had grown to about the same height as Lia. Woohyuk asked her how she was, ¡°What happened to the trauma that tormented you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gotten more manageable after Alphone treated me. I don¡¯t have as many nightmares when I go to sleep,¡± she answered. Alphone, who was currently working under Aris at herboratory, had the ability to look into one¡¯s soul. Thus, he had ordered Alphone to look into Canelion¡¯s soul in the past. It seemed that Alphone was able to discover and remedy something within Canelion. As he was conversing with the two children, Leifina walked to his side, ¡°Lord¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Fina,¡± Woohyuk greeted, using a more endearing term. Though only a month had passed in the world they were in, 25 years had passed within Arcane Tower. In other words, Leifina hadn¡¯t seen Woohyuk for 25 years. As she was about to let loose a monsoon of tears from her happiness, swordmaster Granver called out from behind her, ¡°As promised, I helped develop this female knight. I have the utmost confidence that she¡¯ll be able to assist you from here on out.¡± ¡°Based on her sword-wielding ability, how would you rank her?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Swordmaster. She was quite capable and had a deep propensity. She also didn¡¯tck motivation,¡± Granver answered. Leifina was now able to control her aura ability at will. Woohyuk took out Grandia to test out Leifina¡¯s upgraded ability. ¡°Show me your developed skills and abilities, Leifina,¡± he said. ¡°¡­¡± Leifina didn¡¯t know if she was supposed to raise her sword against her lord. She was at a total loss. However, that onlysted for a moment¡­ Hwi-Eek! Argent, the treasured sword of the let Family, glowed with a pink aura as it flew towards Woohyuk¡¯s chest. ¡®¡­ Pretty fast.¡¯ In terms of speed, Woohyuk was able to give her attack a passing score. He leaned back and avoided Leifina¡¯s sword attack and immediately changed his stance to counterattack. Ka-Rang! Leifina moved to block Grandia from striking her head as if she expected his attack beforehand. Afterward this brief interaction, the two faced each other with their respective swords in hand. ¡°You¡¯ve developed well. You¡¯ll be quite usable,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°I had to be stronger to stay by and protect my Lord,¡± Leifina answered. When he praised her, Leifina slightly blushed. Subsequently, after exchanging a few more moves, Woohyuk stepped back and put Grandia away. ¡°You¡¯ve definitely reached a Swordmaster level. Good job, Leifina.¡± ¡°¡­ T-Thank you!¡± Leifina¡¯s expression brightened, as she anticipated that she could continue to be by Woohyuk¡¯s side. While Leifina was enjoying his praise, Tinia approached the two with a disgruntled expression and said, ¡°My Lord, I also want my developed abilities and skills to be verified.¡± ¡°Yes, very good. Let¡¯s take a look at how much you¡¯ve grown,¡± Woohyuk replied. ¡°Then, without dy¡­¡± Tinia slightly smiled as she pulled out Stormde Cardion. At the same time, a turquoise vortex rushed out. Living up to her name as Tempest Wind Tinia, she freely handled wind power. Ka-Rang! Ka-Rang! Ka-Rang! Tinia opened her battle with Woohyuk with a serious expression. She also trained under Swordmaster Granver, so she had also reached a considerable sword-wielding level. However, Woohyuk felt that she was not as developed as Leifina. ¡®Tinia¡¯s aura control is still slightly unstable.¡¯ However, she definitely deserved praise for her to grow to this level in just 25 years. Woohyuk deflected her aura with Grandia and then praised her, ¡°Excellent, Tinia. That¡¯s enough, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to catch a small dragon by yourself now.¡± ¡°Ho! It¡¯s an honor for me to be evaluated so highly by your Majesty,¡± Tinia said as sheughed loudly, covering her mouth to control her overflowing good feeling. Sieg and Brynhildr, who were watching this scene from behind, smiled in satisfaction and pride. ¡°The Lord seems to be pleased with Tinia,¡± Sieg said with a proud voice. ¡°Now that she¡¯s grown older, I think it¡¯s time for her to get married,¡± Brynhildr added on. ¡­ It seemed that they were in their own little world, making strange ns that no one else seemed to think or logically follow. Woohyuk turned his head toward the others as if he didn¡¯t hear the two¡¯sments. He nced at his other talented followers while sweating profusely. Silvia, Choi Kayoon, Song Anna, Yoo Kayoung, Allen, and Reina. Everyone seemed to be present except one. ¡°Where did Hong Yuri go?¡± he asked. ¡°Huh? I¡¯m here!¡± she replied, seemingly from mid-air. She had been away for a while, so she was receiving her report from her vampire organization. She held the position of Queen, so she was bound to be busy. ¡°¡­ Ah, so you¡¯re well,¡± Woohyukmented. ¡°Sure. Am I not the Blood Queen?¡± Hong Yuri said as she materialized and showed off her fangs proudly. She was wearing a fairly erotic outfit. However, Woohyuk turned his head toward Allen, as if he wasn¡¯t interested in seeing her alluring body. ¡°Have you be the sessor to Arcane, the High Sage?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Thanks to the medicine you gave me, the Spirit of Immortality, it was much easier to pass Arcane¡¯s test.¡± On the top floor of Arcane¡¯s Tower, he had met Arcane¡¯s spirit. Once Allen passed Arcane¡¯s test, he received a Great Mage ss title and Arcane¡¯s Crystal Staff. When Allen pulled the staff out, Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Good work. You¡¯ll be able to apany me now.¡± ¡°Howe you¡¯re not asking about me? I also came back after suffering quite a bit from that stupid tower!¡± Reina protested while standing next to Allen. Woohyuk made an annoyed expression, but nodded his head and asked, ¡°Yes, what goals did you achieve through your struggles?¡± ¡°Elves are masters of archery. Hence, I worked hard on developing archery skills.¡± Reina pulled her bow and aimed into the air in a natural position. Afterward, as her magic power gathered, it took the form of a blue arrow, and the size began to grow. ¡°¡­ Are you utilizing wind energy to shoot?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, my wind energy has enough firepower to destroy even a sturdy castle wall!¡± Of course, this was under the assumption that the walls weren¡¯t reinforced or that additional defensive magic elements weren¡¯t attached to the wall. As she stated her achievements with pride, Woohyuk stroked her head as if to say that she had worked hard. ¡°Well done. Well done.¡± ¡°W-What! Why are you suddenly treating me like a child!¡± Reina blushed embarrassingly and took a few steps back. When his conversation with her was over, Woohyuk addressed those around him, ¡°I can¡¯t afford to check all the results of everyone¡¯s growth right now. I¡¯ll meet with the rest of you individuallyter on. Anyway, everyone has worked hard for 25 years in the Arcane Tower. Now, take a rest for a week and recharge.¡± He was a vicious monarch who made his subjects train for 25 years and gave them a week off at the end. This was Chun Woohyuk. When his followers scattered in pairs, Woohyuk went back to the ce where the heads of the nine dragon tribes were with Lia and Canelion. ¡°I brought them back. This is Lia and this is Canelion,¡± he stated. ¡°Oh, you grew up really healthy and strong,¡± Adakar said with a proud smile. Seeing Lia, Adakar, King of the Yellow Dragon, who had transformed his outer appearance into a human¡¯s, happily grabbed her hand. Lia tilted her head, not knowing what was going on or who this person was. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked. ¡°I am your real father.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Lia alternated between looking at Woohyuk and Adakar. It seems that her true identity had been kept secret. Woohyuk told her the secret he had never told her before. ¡°Your father is Adakar. I was tasked with raising you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lia was shocked and unable to speak. Meanwhile, Canelion, who had already known she was an orphan, kept a neutral expression. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to choose between one of these two kids,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°Human hero, in what way will you test them?¡± The head of the nine dragon tribes asked as he looked at Woohyuk with curious eyes. Woohyuk asked to Lia and Canelion after thinking for a while, ¡°One of you will be the next Dragon Lord. Who wants the title?¡± ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t care!¡± Lia said emphatically. ¡°I want to give way to Lia. The Dragon Lord title suits her better,¡± Canelion said in a monotone voice. ¡°Okay, then Lia, you¡¯ll be the next Dragon Lord.¡± Canelion¡¯s abstention meant that there was only one option. Lia automatically took the position of Dragon Lord. ¡°¡­ Arcana¡¯s daughter, the Dragon Lord is an honorable seat. Why are you giving up so easily?¡± ¡°You are well qualified to be a Dragon Lord. Because you are the daughter of the former Red Dragon King, Arcana.¡± Some of the heads of the nine dragon tribes attempted to persuade Canelion. But Canelion shook her head and said, ¡°I really want Lia to take the Dragon Lord position because she¡¯s positive and smart.¡± ¡­ She didn¡¯t want the position, so the heads of the nine dragon tribes couldn¡¯t continue imploring. When the heads of the nine dragons fell silent, Woohyuk handed Lia a pouch containing the dragon marks/tokens. ¡°Take them out one by one and inject your magic into them. Then, you¡¯ll obtain the Dragon Lord ss.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lia nodded her head silently. Later, once she did what Woohyuk told her, sh! A golden pir descended from above and an image of Green Dragon Hevnia appeared. ¡°Oh, the Super Dragon! It¡¯s Green Dragon Hevnia!¡± ¡°Please bestow to us your wisdom and guidance!¡± The heads of the nine dragon tribes fell onto the floor with tears streaming from their eyes. Hevnia looked down at them and smiled. ¡°The heads of the nine dragon tribes, listen well.¡± ¡°Whatever you say, we¡¯ll listen to the end!¡± ¡°This child will inherit my will from now on, so take care of her and follow her words. Even if she is inexperienced now, she carries my will. In the future, the world will be more chaotic, and the dragon tribe will also stand on the path of trial.¡± Hevnia hugged Lia with a worrisome expression as if she felt sorry for throwing this young child into a knowingly troublesome situation. Afterward, she whispered something to Lia¡­ ¡°¡­ I know,¡± Leah said as she nodded vigorously. At the same time, a series of system messages emerged before her eyes. [Hidden ss: You have acquired the Dragon Lord ss.] [You now reign over all dragons and have received Hevnia¡¯s protection.] Lia became the Lord of nine dragon tribes even though she was less than 100 years old. She looked at Woohyuk, blinking her eyes wildly as if she was at a loss. ¡°Dad¡­ I¡¯ve be the Dragon Lord.¡± ¡°Well done. Now you rule over the dragons.¡± For Woohyuk, he could now indirectly control the nine dragon tribes through Lia. This was much more profitable and effective than bing a Dragon Lord himself and using one of his ss slots. As if they just realized Woohyuk¡¯s intentions, some of the heads of the nine dragon tribes yelled out in opposition. ¡°Human hero, now that Lia has be a Dragon Lord, do not interfere with our business anymore!¡± ¡°Her real father is Adakar, King of the Yellow Dragons, so you can leave her to his care!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll allow you to take Canelion since she has no one to return to!¡± Hevnia said to take good care of Lia, so the heads of the dragon tribes came out quite strongly to protect and maintain Lia in their care. Lia shook her head and conveyed her wish, ¡°He is the benefactor who raised me until now, so even if he is not my father, please be kind to him.¡± ¡°L-Lia¡­¡± It was the Dragon Lord¡¯s request, so no one could object. Woohyuk smiled happily and asked Canelion, ¡°What are you going to do, Canelion? You can stay here if you want.¡± ¡°Then I will remain. Lia is my best friend, so I want to help her out.¡± It seemed that they became closer to each other while spending so much time together. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be busy again very soon. There¡¯s a high chance that I won¡¯t be able to visit often, so please know that.¡± After saying his goodbyes to Lia and Canelion, Woohyuk stood alone atop Pegasus. Now, it was time to meet Etheria Rodinus, who was waiting for him in Neustein. Chapter 246: Inotia, the City of Magic 3

Chapter 246: Inotia, the City of Magic 3

In a circr conference room inside Neustein. Woohyuk was seated in a chair and talking with Etheria Rodinus. ¡°You just let Lilith and Aleister go? Why did you do that, Chun Woohyuk?¡± she asked. ¡°There were two ancient demons who were descending and causing havoc, so I couldn¡¯t afford to deal with them. Furthermore, they still possess value for me to use,¡± he answered. ¡°Use? I guess you don¡¯t see them as enemies because they¡¯re feeding you what you want. Or maybe you¡¯ve fallen for that bitch, Lilith,¡± Ibn Rusud angrilymented from the side. He seemed to be angry with Woohyuk¡¯s cavalier attitude. He was angry that Woohyuk didn¡¯t do anything against Lilith and her party even though his younger sister, Helena, and Arhen were put in a dangerous situation. The others inside the conference room also had dissatisfied expressions. ¡°Well, it¡¯s okay since everyone came back safely. In my opinion, Woohyuk did his best in that situation,¡± Helena stated. ¡°Don¡¯t take his side just because you like him, Saintess. We can see that you have ulterior motives,¡± her brother retorted. ¡°What ulterior motives? And what¡¯s this about wanting a man? I¡¯ve used beautiful people for my own purposes in the past, so don¡¯t confuse that with anything personal.¡± The siblings were still not very close. As the atmosphere started getting out of hand, Boetius struck his crystal staff several times on the floor. Tak! Tak! ¡°It¡¯s not the time to grumble and argue. We¡¯re facing a very important issue right now,¡± Boetius stated. The Creator¡¯s intervention had begun in earnest, and the contents of the Prophecy began to deviate, one by one. Therefore, their existing n had to be implemented quickly or revised. First off, it was necessary to quickly solve the problem of the three ancient documents. Only then could they prevent the additional two great catastrophes toe. ¡°Anyway, I want to get the Sangreal Chronicles back. I heard that the restoration work on it has beenpleted,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°Here you are. If you inject magic power into the restored pages, you¡¯ll be able to progress on the Epic Quest,¡± Boetius exined as he handed over a magic book that looked quite old. When Woohyuk followed Boetius¡¯ directions, a series of system messages appeared before his eyes. [Epic Quest: ¡®Rnd¡¯s Song¡¯ has been given.] [For details, please check the quest information window.] [Rnd¡¯s Song]. Along with Nibelungen, Pnd¡¯s Song was one of the most famous epic poems of the Eeth Continent. The main characters were Rnd, the chief of the Knights of Trinity, and Sophia, the viin, and Orobas, the 55th ranked Demon King. Except for Orobas, the other two were believed to be dead, so Woohyuk wondered what the contents of this quest were about. ¡®Before, Martinus said that he¡¯d someday meet Sophia again.¡¯ In the Izuna Kingdom¡¯s golden library, Woohyuk once met Martinus, the White Sage, who was trapped in a portrait. Martinus was a member of Etheria Rodinus and was active in the era depicted in Rnd¡¯s Song. Sophia was also a member of Etheria Rodinus, and she was also part of Solomon¡¯s lineage. While Woohyuk recalled this past information, Boetius spoke to him, ¡°What is the content of Epic Quest?¡± ¡°Wait a minute, it¡¯s¡­¡± Woohyuk said as he hastily read the quest information from the quest window. [New Achievement] Name: Rnd¡¯s Song Type: Epic Content: Find Solomon¡¯s family and obtain the relics left by Saint Sophia. Then use it to enter her imaginary world and pass her test. Others: Failure does not allow retries. One chance. Regarding Solomon¡¯s family lineage, there were already three or four people who were gathered here now. When Woohyuk exined the contents of the quest, Boetius nced at Helena. Helena nodded her head and then handed the ne she was wearing to Woohyuk. ¡°Here, take it. It¡¯s Sophia¡¯s keepsake.¡± ¡°It looks simple,¡± Woohyuk responded while receiving the ne. It was an essory without any remarkable features or designs. [Saint Sophia¡¯s Guardian Cross] Type: Ornament Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Effect: When worn by a person who inherits the lineage of a divine family, intelligence and spirit increase by 50 and the wearer is immune to various curse magic. ¡®The given effects are fairly poor for an S-grade artifact.¡¯ Of course, being immune to various curse magic was immensely useful, but it didn¡¯t feel particrly attractive or useful to Woohyuk. He assumed that the artifact had hidden abilities/effects, so he took out the Archaeologist¡¯s Golden Magnifying ss and reexamined the artifact once more. [Saint Sophia¡¯s Guardian Cross] Type: Ornament Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Effect: When worn by a person who inherited the lineage of a divine family, intelligence and spirit are increased by 50 and are immune to various curse magic (Hidden Effect: Wearer has the ability to enter the imaginary world inside the ne by injecting one¡¯s soul into the imaginary realm. Others, outside of the wearer, may enter but must possess certain qualifications.) ¡®¡­ I guess this was what¡¯s hidden?¡¯ As he expected, Sophia¡¯s soul resided inside the ne. Woohyuk felt that he already met the qualifications, so he injected his mana into the Guardian Cross. [Would you like to enter Saint Sophia¡¯s Imaginary World?] [Yes] [No] It seemed that he could enter right now if he wanted. Boetius spoke up just as Woohyuk was about to press the [Yes] button. ¡°The quest will have something to do with the second catastrophe, the Great Flood. If possible, find out how to stop it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± First of all, there didn¡¯t seem to be any information or mention about the Great Flood in Rnd¡¯s Song. While contemting what questions he should ask Sophia, Woohyuk entered the imaginary world. *** The dock was crowded with diverse people and races. Woohyuk stood on the deck and looked toward the sea. ¡®This is the main port in the Izuna Kingdom.¡¯ It was the ce where Saint Sophia was murdered by the Pronoia, the secret society of religious fanatics. Perhaps this imaginary world was a reproduction of the scene at that time. First, Woohyuk looked for Saint Sophia. ¡®There¡¯s a high probability that she¡¯ll be in Etheria Rodinus¡¯ secret meeting ce.¡¯ He remembered her appearance because he had seen her once in Martinus¡¯ imaginary world. Woohyuk left the dock and moved toward a rtively empty alleyway. ¡®Sophia may already be grasping my existence.¡¯ It was an epic quest, so he had to act carefully. However, he thought that it would also be helpful if he could shorten the time. As Woohyuk was wandering around, a blonde woman suddenly popped out from a corner. She looked surprisingly simr to Helena. She must be Saint Sophia. ¡°Thank you for showing up directly,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°It seemed like you were mindlessly wandering. I was nning to trouble you a bit, but I decided to just appear in front of you,¡± Sophia responded. Even in her way of speaking, she resembled Helena a lot. Woohyuk felt an ominous feeling. ¡°Do you often hear from others that you¡¯ll have a hard time getting married?¡± he asked. ¡°¡­ What are you saying? We just met¡­ but you¡¯re already making me feel bad,¡± she said as she frowned her brow. ¡°Stay calm and don¡¯t get overexcited. I was just asking,¡± he replied back. ¡°You¡¯re a strange man. How did you get in here?¡± Without certain qualifications, he wouldn¡¯t be able to enter Sofia¡¯s imaginary world. When she asked for an exnation, Woohyuk briefly described his situation. ¡°¡­That¡¯s why I came¡­ to get your help.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been through quite a lot. Looking at your current state, it seems what you¡¯re saying is true.¡± Sophia looked at Woohyuk with sympathetic eyes. It was her first favorable response. Woohyuk thought it was time to ask one of his main questions. ¡°Do you know anything about the Flood?¡± ¡°ording to some ancient documents, it urred a long time ago. So, people built a huge ark and survived the catastrophe.¡± In the Bible, the ark called Noah¡¯s Ark. In Gilgamesh¡¯s Epic, the ark was described as the Ark of Utnapishtim. Anyway, whatever or whoever built the ark, it was a big ship. It was thest fortress to counter the apocalyptic situation. ¡°No matter how big an ark is, one can¡¯t get everyone on board,¡± Woohyuk followed. ¡°Well, only the chosen ones can get aboard. It¡¯s probably not a good way to resolve a situation,¡± she answered. ¡°Then, is there any other way?¡± ¡°Stop the Flood from happening in the first ce, right?¡± Sophia¡¯s words made sense. But how could he prevent a natural disaster from happening without the power of a God? Woohyuk thought about this for a while and then asked, ¡°The Ark of Knowledge. Wouldn¡¯t I be able to find a solution there? That ce was created to prepare for the end of days.¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s so, how are you going to enter? Only those who have been selected from among the sacred houses can enter.¡± ¡°I can leave that to Etheria Rodinus.¡± Even if he didn¡¯t go in himself, he could just ask someone to pull out the necessary documents from there. Of course, since what he needed was a lost magic book, it may already be one of the books he was having restored, which meant it wasn¡¯t necessary to enter the Ark of Knowledge. ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find the answer here,¡± Sophia said. ¡°ording to the Prophecy, I can stop the Flood through this quest,¡± Woohyuk replied. [Getia¡¯s Prophecy]. He didn¡¯t know who wrote it, but the prophesies written in it was fairly urate. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Sophia fell into thought for a moment. ¡°Well¡­ I do have a magic book in my possession,¡± she said after some thought. [Nameless Old Book]. Woohyuk had already heard the details from Helena. ¡°That book is about the Ark of Knowledge,¡± he stated. ¡°Are they rted to each other? I don¡¯t know,¡± she answered at a loss. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a hint in that nameless magic book.¡± Maybe the members of Etheria Rodinus had missed something. Sophia nodded after hearing Woohyuk¡¯s hypothesis. ¡°Then analyze it, even if it¡¯s an incorrect hypothesis,¡± she said. ¡°In order to do that, I have to get out of here quickly. Can you give me a simple test?¡± He recalled negotiating with the Dragon Tribe and easily passing their test, Woohyuk was once again lobbying for an easy test. Sophia looked slightly embarrassed. ¡°S-Something simple?¡± ¡°Normally, I¡¯d have to perform various highly difficult sub-quests based on Rnd¡¯s song. But, as long as you agree, I don¡¯t have to go through that process.¡± ¡°¡­ So that¡¯s what you were thinking. That¡¯s certainly true, but there¡¯s one problem,¡± Sophia said. ¡°Problem?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems that I¡¯m being chased.¡± As soon as Sophia finished speaking, a group of people appeared on the other side of the alley. Woohyuk, who saw the newly appeared group, made an annoyed expression. ¡°Is it the Pronoia? I guess Rosenkreuz didn¡¯t exist in this era,¡± he muttered. ¡°The opponents are not easy. Please help me defeat them. This is no different from the real situation.¡± Even in the imaginary world, if one received damage, one could die the same as in the real world. This meant that death in the imaginary world equated to death in the real world. At Sophia¡¯s request, Woohyuk nodded and answered, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll ept this as the test content.¡± In fact, it was easier for him to defeat someone in this way than to rack his brain on multiple side-quests. Additionally, when he invaded the Holy Pope¡¯s Office and defeated Rosenkreuz, he learned a lot about the Pronoia group. ¡°¡­ Who are you? I¡¯ve never seen your face before,¡± one of the Pronoia members shouted out. ¡°You can call me a fanatic ughterer,¡± Woohyuk brightly answered. ¡°?¡± ¡°It means you¡¯ll soon perish.¡± When Woohyuk summoned Verserios, the blue sky immediately darkened, ck fumes started covering the immediate area, and ck raindrops fell upon the ground. Swah~! He became even stronger after battling the ancient demons, so Woohyuk was able to deal with all of the Pronoia members leisurely by himself. Eventually, in the alleyway, the men screamed and a river of blood flowed out. Chapter 247: Inotia, the City of Magic 4

Chapter 247: Inotia, the City of Magic 4

¡°Phew¡­¡± Woohyuk came out of Sophia¡¯s imaginary world with a sigh of relief. Thanks to the negotiation, he had an easier time finishing the epic quest. However, Sophia¡¯s parting words echoed in his mind and heart. ¡®If you leave this ce, I will disappear. This was the arrangement I made with the Creator.¡¯ Her words meant that everything was going ording to the Creator¡¯s will. The system was still fully under the control of the Creator. For Woohyuk, this was a big concern. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be good to just follow the quest unconditionally.¡¯ There was a need to show some anomalous movements, making it difficult for the Creator to exact his ns for the future. Of course, it was difficult to take any unexpected moves. [Epic Quest: ¡®Rnd¡¯s Song¡¯ has beenpleted.] [You acquired Solomon¡¯s Bracelet as a reward forpleting the quest.] [Solomon¡¯s Bracelet]. Just from its name alone, it seemed to be amensurate reward forpleting an epic quest. When a golden bracelet appeared on Woohyuk¡¯s palm, the members of Etheria Rodinus, who were weing him back in the circr conference room, eximed, ¡°Oh, is that the reward for this quest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious, what kind of ability does it have?¡± ¡°Come on, check it out. I¡¯m already getting dizzy!¡± they mored. They reacted quite passionately since this quest was rted to their organization. Woohyuk immediately put on Solomon¡¯s Bracelet. [Solomon¡¯s Bracelet] Type: essory Grade: S Durability: 50,000 Effect: Intelligence +100. Any of the 72 Demon Kings can be called, one-by-one, once every 7 days (even if they are not sealed in Lemegeton). If someone from Solomon¡¯s lineage esses the Ark of Knowledge, one can prevent a catastrophe toe (however, Solomon¡¯s Bracelet will be destroyed). ¡®¡­ Thepensation is a tool to prevent the second catastrophe.¡¯ As expected, the Ark of Knowledge was also associated with the essory. However, it was an S-ss artifact that would disappear when used. The stat bonus of +100 intelligence and the right to call any of the 72 Demon King would be wasted if he used the bracelet to prevent theing catastrophe. ¡®Shall I beat and collect the remaining Demon Kings before the Great Flood¡­?¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea, as many of his troublesome problems had been resolved recently. Woohyuk exined the details and specs of Solomon¡¯s Bracelet to the members of Etheria Rodinus. ¡°Hmm¡­ Someone from Solomon¡¯s lineage must enter the Ark of Knowledge¡­¡± a member muttered to himself while deep in thought. ¡°Who can do this? I don¡¯t think it matters whoever it is,¡± Woohyuk said aloud. ¡°Only I can enter the Ark of Knowledge. So, hand the bracelet over to me,¡± Ibn Rusud said as he stood up. Woohyuk shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t sealed all 72 Demon Kings yet. I¡¯ll keep Solomon¡¯s Bracelet until the right timees,¡± Woohyuk replied. ¡°You¡¯ve sealed 50 so far, right? If you have 22 left, you still have a long way to go,¡± another member mentioned. It was difficult to capture 22 Demon Kings in a short period of time unless they were grouped together like before. Of course, if he used Solomon¡¯s Bracelet, he could call one of the 27 every seven days. Woohyuk felt that he needed more time to think. ¡°The quest is over, so I¡¯ll be taking off. If anything happens, please contact me with themunication artifact I gave youst time,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°You mean Steve¡¯s Amazing Apple? The design is very nice. It¡¯s a symbol that goes well with our organization, too,¡± Boetius stated. Solomon¡¯s divine lineage was the direct descendants of Adam and Eve. Woohyuk let Boetius¡¯ words go into one ear and out the other. ¡®I¡¯m not interested in someone¡¯s lineage and family tree.¡¯ There were still many troublesome problems left for Woohyuk to resolve. The two most important facts that Woohyuk held onto, regarding Etheria Rodinus, was that Ibn Rusud could enter the Ark of Knowledge and Helena possessed the Holy Grail. These were the only two things that were important regarding Solomon¡¯s lineage. After a while, Woohyuk left the conference room and headed to the artificial garden in the center of Neustein. He was trying to keep his promise with L, the Dryad he had met in the tutorial area. ¡®It took quite a long time.¡¯ He wanted her to be safe and for her to rest in an ideal space. When Woohyuk nted the oak seeds in the artificial garden, Sa-Ah~ The oak tree seeds were engulfed with bluish energy, and soon afterward, L popped out. ¡°Ah! W-What? Where the hell is this?¡± she asked in confusion. ¡°You came back to life, as expected.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alive? Well, I guess I definitely died before. From what I recall¡­¡± L died to help Woohyuk in the tutorial area. She had to exchange her life because of the curse of the gods she carried. But now that she revived, it seemed that she had no fear of dying from the curse again. Usually, once one died, the curse would be lifted as well. ¡°Is there anything you can give me?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°What do you mean? I just resurrected,¡± she answered with a bbergasted face. ¡°It¡¯s very likely that your revival follows the arrangement made by the Creator. In other words, a quest should proceed from now on due to your revival.¡± ¡°Is that so? But I have no idea¡­¡± L sat down on the sprouting seeds and began to ponder. At that time, a system message suddenly appeared before their eyes. [Updates rted to the Game of Divine Thrones has been added ording to the arrangement of the Creator.] [From now on, a total of four epic dungeons will appear across the Eeth Continent.] [In Epic Dungeons, one can get S-grade items, but the difficulty level ofpletion is very high.] [In addition, angels are summoned as managers of each epic dungeon.] ¡­ It seemed that the Creator was fully implementing his n. Epic dungeons, which hadn¡¯t been mentioned for 40 years before his return to this world, were suddenly created and opened. Considering that there was a total of four, the epic dungeons seemed to be rted to each of the confined gods. ¡°What, what? What the hell is going on?¡± L barely stammered in confusion. ¡°Oh, you probably have no idea what¡¯s going on,¡± Woohyuk said before telling L of the events so far. Her pupils started shaking as if she was in an earthquake. ¡°Then you mean that this is all the tyrannic n of the Creator?¡± ¡°If we¡¯re not sessful with the Odyssey n, everything will proceed by his will.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can do to help? I¡¯m just an ordinary Dryad¡­¡± For some reason, she was given the administrator position in the tutorial area, but this time around, she wasn¡¯t given any authority or title at all. When L started crying, Woohyuk pulled out the Fire Wing Bird¡¯s feathers from his pocket. ¡°If the system hasn¡¯t assigned you anything, that¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to help. I wanted to just keep my promise with you. Anyway, take this. It¡¯s my gift to you.¡± ¡°Wow! Beautiful! Isn¡¯t that the feathers fromst time?¡± L¡¯s expression brightened up like a child¡¯s. While stroking the feathers, she said, ¡°When I think about it, there was something Eve said in the tutorial area. When all the empty Divine Throne seats are filled, the second Demon War will take ce.¡± ¡°Demon War?¡± ¡°Yeah. I guess it¡¯s not the ultimate goal to simply choose new gods.¡± Her story made sense. In the first ce, all stories started with the advent of the Odyssey n. The Creator¡¯s main objective was to correct the system that was systematically unstable and eliminate future threats. The gods were just tools to help with this objective. Of course, the demon race was always a wildcard because they weren¡¯t subordinate to the system. ¡®I need to elerate the talent training n.¡¯ If a vacant Divine Throne seat was upied by a hostile force, such as Marcus, the Light Lord, he might be put in a difficult position if the Second Demon War took ce. Three of the seven gods were already on the Creator¡¯s side. He had to fill the remaining four empty seats with his own people to keep the Creator¡¯s side in check internally. ¡®I have to consider who to select as candidates for each seat.¡¯ Sea God. Earth God Wind God cksmith God Among them, he had already chosen Dexter, the runesmith, for the position of the cksmith God. And the rest¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll choose whoever I have on hand and manage them ordingly.¡¯ After making a rough n, Woohyuk asked L, ¡°Did you hear anything else? Anything at all¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything else. I was probably only given information regarding the tutorial area.¡± The tutorial area had already been destroyed a long time ago, so information rted to it was unnecessary. After conversing with L a bit longer, Woohyuk said his goodbyes, ¡°I¡¯m going to be a little busy now. As I said before, there are many problems left to be solved.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright. Will youe back often?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± L was one of his inner circle colleagues with who he could share his concerns. He promised her that he would return and then left the artificial garden. *** At the outskirts of Inotia, the City of Magic. Woohyuk was spending some time alone with Leifina. ¡°What will you do now, my Lord?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ve entrusted the vassals of each region to conduct a search for the epic dungeons. If an epic dungeon is found, it will have to be controlled with a perimeter so that no one else can enter.¡± At least for the western part of the Eeth Continent, he was able to effectively exercise his influence. The problem was the eastern regions. Due to time restrictions, they couldn¡¯t leave for the eastern conquest ns yet. To make matters worse, there were no people he knew there. ¡®Except for the Frost Giants.¡¯ If he asked them, he¡¯d at least be able to control the ruins in the Aize Kingdom. For the rest of the world¡­ ¡®I should send out the Demon Kings sealed in the Lemegeton to do some legwork.¡¯ However, he didn¡¯t know if others would be waiting to catch the Demon Kings, which would cause arger headache down the road. When Woohyuk fell deeper into thought, Loengreen appeared. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time,¡± Loengreen said. ¡°What¡¯s brought you here, Loengreen?¡± ¡°My lord, Agares, the 2nd ranked Demon King, wants to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­ Agares?¡± Agares was a demon woman belonging to the moderate group amongst the 72 Demon Kings. Based on what he knew, Woohyuk felt that he¡¯d be able to converse with her. Woohyuk nodded happily. ¡°Good. Where is the meeting ce?¡± ¡°It may be somewhat ufortable, but she¡¯d like to meet you at the Isle of Chaos.¡± ording to Loengreen, not only Agares, but the 21 remaining Demon Kings would also be in attendance. Since it was such an important meeting, the Demon Kings decided to choose a secret and safe ce. ¡°When does she n to meet?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Tonight. Is it possible?¡± he replied back. ¡°It¡¯s possible. I still have some time to spare.¡± In fact, he had to restore the Nag Hammadi Chronicle and finish the epic quest rted to it, but he couldn¡¯t miss this great opportunity. When Woohyuk came out positively, Loengreen smiled. ¡°For reference, all the remaining Demon Kings are showing a friendly attitude toward you.¡± ¡°Why are they friendly? I¡¯m trying to seal all 72 of them in Lemegeton.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. Even if you seal them, they¡¯ll still be under your influence and tied to your fate. Rather, they are more uneasy about the Creator¡¯s intervention.¡± Compared to the Creator, who suddenly gave orders to the world beat the demons down, and set an entire continent against them, Woohyuk was like an ally. Furthermore, he also inherited Asura¡¯s Demonic Powers, thus, he belonged to the Demon camp for all intents and purposes. Loengreen exined in detail the situation and psychology of the remaining Demon Kings. ¡°Since it is so, please take this opportunity to establish a positive rtionship with them,¡± he finally said. By sealing them all in Lemegeton. Woohyuk smiled happily. He felt that he could soon rise onto the Demon Lord throne. Chapter 248: The Demon Wave 1

Chapter 248: The Demon Wave 1

A storm was raging in the Isle of Chaos. Woohyuk was waiting for the Demon Kings in the ckbeard Pirates¡¯ fortress with Leifina. ¡°By the way, Lord, is it okay to just bring me? Even if you have the ability to summon your vassals immediately¡­¡± ¡°Even if I only summon the Demon Kings sealed in Lemegeton, there will be twice as many as them.¡± Moreover, if he brought his army to the meeting ce, he could create a sense of tension and incongruity. Leifina no longer objected after hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°We have about 10 minutes left until our appointment, ording to the Master¡¯s pocket watch,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s time for them to show up.¡± Woohyuk looked out the window. The bad weather was intentional. It would block outsiders from intruding. However, just in case, Woohyuk had Drake patrol around the ind. He didn¡¯t know if Lilith''s party would decide to appear. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m wondering if the remaining Demon Kings will agree to be sealed off in peace. It¡¯s in their nature to detest being ruled by someone else. I don¡¯t understand what would make them consider being under your rule an option,¡± Leifina mentioned. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just insurance.¡± Being sealed in Lemegeton was better than being forcibly put to sleep in the abyss. If the new Divine Throne spots were refilled and the celestial gods¡¯ camp became stronger, the current Demon Kings probably couldn¡¯t contend or deal with them. ¡°Anyway, I hope the talk with Agares goes well. She seems to be the representative of the remaining Demon Kings, so I guess the decision falls on her,¡± she continued. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. The initiative is on my side,¡± he answered as he pulled out the Absorber Trigger. With the Absorber Trigger, he¡¯d be able to seal off most of the Demon Kings. Even if the talks ended badly, there was no problem. When the two were still conversing, Hwi-Eek~ The door opened and a Demon King, with red hair hanging down to her waist, entered. In front was Agares, the 2nd rank Demon King. Her appearance was so sensationally beautiful that it wouldn¡¯t be weird if he heard someone exim at first nce. However, Woohyuk maintained a grim expression and greeted Agares, ¡°You came a little earlier than your appointment time, Agares.¡± ¡°I wanted to talk to you before we discuss with others.¡± Agares nced at Woohyuk¡¯s appearance with blue sparkling eyes. Although she was in the form of a human being, she seethed a terrifying magic aura. ¡°Sit here and talk. You are the 2nd ranked Demon King, so you deserve this position,¡± Woohyuk said calmly. ¡°¡­ Thank you for your consideration.¡± Agares momentarily felt that she had be his servant. It was very awkward for her to consider another outside of Baal, the 1st rank Demon King. However, the man in front of her was a man who was much higher in rank than Baal, based on the demon world, so she didn¡¯t feel bad. ¡®At present, more than half of the Demon Kings are under his control.¡¯ Since each Demon King was possessed and ruled over a piece of the demon world, Woohyuk practically ruled over the majority of the demon world. It was worth it to partner up with Woohyuk. ¡°So, what do you want to say?¡± he asked. ¡°I heard that you even sealed Baal. Thus, for all intents and purposes, you are the number one demon in the demon world,¡± she answered. Agares was always in conflict with the hardline Baal. Her position was coexistence and peace with other races. It was the logic of a moderate Demon King. They believed that if the demon world was not invaded, it was not necessary to wage war with beings of another dimension. ¡°But with the involvement of the Creator, you and yourpatriots are currently in a position to be hunted by everyone on the Eeth Continent,¡± he replied, filling in the gaps. ¡°You are the only one who can solve that problem,¡± she stated in agreement. The remaining Demon Kings knew their predicament. They were all likely to lose to the Creator. For that reason, it was wiser to believe in the most prospective Demon Lord during these end times. ¡°Did Lilith encourage you guys to make this decision in any way?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°She has been talking about the Demon Lord for a long time. However, none of the 72 Demon Kings believed her words.¡± The 72 Demon Kings, who could only go back and forth between the demon world and the Eeth Continent, did not have a chance to meet the previous demon lord, Asura, who existed in a higher ne. So, everyone thought that Lilith had created a fictional existence, Asura, to expand her Witch Cult. This was the prevailing sentiment until the recent advent of ancient demons. ¡°Certainly, the greater demonic power of the demons exists. There truly is a Demon Lord throne. I met Asura and received his title.¡± ¡°I want you to lead the demonic camp after taking the powers of the remaining Demon Kings and taking the seat upon the Demon Lord throne. Apparently, Lilith seems to like you quite a bit.¡± ¡°Even if I seal you all up in Lemegeton?¡± Woohyuk asked, immediately throwing a direct fastball. Agares smiled bitterly as if she expected this question. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Furthermore, wouldn¡¯t we all be under you anyway when you eventually reach the throne? Haven¡¯t we Demon Kings been restricted and confined to our corners anyways?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Lemegeton would just be a different restriction space.¡± ¡°ording to Lilith, the quest to be the Demon Lord begins when you fill up Lemegeton. In other words, even if we wanted to sit upon the throne, we cannot. Only you can start the quest.¡± It was a system issue, so it was difficult to fully understand the reason, but it was important that everything start with him. Woohyuk nodded his head and returned to the main topic, ¡°So, what¡¯s the catch? I believe you wanted to meet me personally to negotiate some terms?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ you notice our intentions quickly. The condition is a guarantee of our rights.¡± They wanted the right to act freely and to be recognized as rulers of their demonic estates during the times when Woohyuk didn¡¯t require them. They didn¡¯t want to be confined to Lemegeton. That was Agares¡¯ requirement. She didn¡¯t want to be trapped in Lemegeton like the Demon Kings that were already sealed. Woohyuk considered her request for a while, then nodded his head. ¡°Fine. Under the condition that you obediently obey me and not do useless tricks.¡± ¡°Thank you. However, I have one more request.¡± Agares took out a map of the demon world. She ced it on the circr tabletop and pointed to the eastern area. ¡°This is Lilith¡¯s Sanctuary. It¡¯s where Aleister and the Seven Sinister Witches live.¡± ¡°Right. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°They have been buildingrge-scale buildings using demons since a year ago. But no one can figure out what they¡¯re building.¡± Agares was curious about what Lilith was trying toplete. She had always been wary of Lilith. Lilith was always acting in secret. ¡®Arge construction¡­¡¯ Was she nning on building something like a pyramid for the advent of the next Demon Lord? Suddenly he became curious, too, so he nodded and said, ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s find out. I don¡¯t know how long it will take, though.¡± ¡°Lilith¡¯s Sanctuary is located right next to my demonic estate, so I will notify you as soon as there is any new information.¡± Agares hoped that her demonic estate wouldn¡¯t be damaged or destroyed due to Lilith¡¯s wacky ns. As Woohyuk continued conversing with her, the other Demon Kings appeared one by one. ¡°I¡¯m called Jefar, the 16th ranked Demon King.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the 37th ranked¡­¡± The iing Demon Kings introduced themselves in turn. However, Woohyuk raised his hand because he knew all 72 Demon Kings from his past experiences. ¡°Enough, sit down. This is not a social gathering.¡± ¡°¡­ Then, we¡¯ll take our seats inside.¡± The Demon Kings stated their negotiation proposal to Woohyuk. Like Agares, they wanted to be guaranteed their autonomy in exchange for their loyalty to him, and Woohyuk epted their proposals. ¡°When you do not have any orders, you will be free. However, since you all usually manage the demonic estates, if necessary, I may request some of your resources orbor.¡± ¡°¡­ We are satisfied and able to agree to that,¡± Agares said. The fact was that he gave Agares more preferential treatment than the other Demon Kings. She was the head of the moderate group, so it was worth it to give her some additional benefits to better have her on his side. ¡°Was the next question about the Game of Divine Thrones?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Yes, the Creator¡¯s intervention has put us in a difficult position. Recently, even epic dungeons with rewards of S-ss artifacts have emerged,¡± a Demon King exined. From some point on, the Demon Kings began to act and speak like Woohyuk¡¯s vassals. Woohyuk looked around and spoke aloud, ¡°The four empty seats will be filled with my allies among the other races. I¡¯m going to make sure the spots are not taken by anyone else.¡± ¡°Although you may consider them allies right now, those who you support onto the Divine Thrones may change their stance and betray you once they are seated. Why don¡¯t you just leave all the seats empty?¡± a Demon King suggested. ¡°I also think that would be best. When the Second Demon War takes ce, the gods will have no choice but to stand on the Creator¡¯s side,¡± another Demon King followed up. The Demon Kings were very negative about Woohyuk¡¯s n to fill the open seats. However, Woohyuk stood firm on his position. ¡°Angels and gods have a history of fighting against the Creator. Don¡¯t think in extremes,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°¡­ If Asura says so, I will have to follow your words. You are now the ruler of the Demon World,¡± a Demon King replied. ¡°I think we need to thoroughly manage the epic dungeons. Who are you going to entrust this to?¡± a Demon King asked. Inside the epic dungeons, there were angels from the Creator¡¯s camp who acted as dungeon managers. Therefore, it was necessary to block ess from outside the epic dungeons in advance, lest another party take control. Of course, it was difficult for 72 Demon King to openlye out in this world because there was a wanted prize from the universal quest. They wouldn¡¯t be able to move freely and enforce the perimeters of any epic dungeons. ¡°If it¡¯s difficult to mobilize the demons, it would be better to use other forces, such as the Automated Calvary,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°The Automated Calvary? Are you referring to the magic weapon that Aleister made and usedst time?¡± ¡°Yes. At that time, I overpowered it and experimented on it.¡± Ishvar Unit 1. In Inotia, it was possible to mass-produce the robotic calvary units, as they were able to reproduce them using Ishvar Unit 1 as a prototype. If they weren¡¯t enough units, he could also further research Alice the Queen of Thorns and develop an undead force. Additionally, there were also two Homunculus that Aris was repairing. When Woohyuk revealed his ns and the firepower at his disposal, the Demon Kings looked at him with admiration. ¡°He is our Asura. To have already prepared such a thorough countermeasure¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty capable.¡± Before his return, Woohyuk had reigned over the Eeth Continent as the strongest overlord. The Necromancer Logan and his 100,000 undead army and Ophelia, the Elven Queen who reached the pinnacle of pure magic, couldn¡¯t beat him. He sealed 72 Demon Kings, conquered giants and dragons, and aplished various achievements. And after his return, he was trying to do even more. ¡°It would be great if Asura took the Demon Lord throne as soon as possible. If that happens, the world will truly be set free¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it. Anyway, now¡¯s the time to subjugate you guys.¡± Woohyuk took out Lemegeton. Later, as he finished sealing all the Demon Kings, a series of system messages popped up in his mind. [All 72 Demon Kings have been sealed with Lemegeton.] [Lemegeton¡¯s ability has been unlocked.] [From now on, you can freely enter and leave the demon world.] You have acquired the right to sit atop the Demon Lord Throne. A new challenge shall be issued. Chapter 249: The Demon Wave 2

Chapter 249: The Demon Wave 2

¡®Finally, I¡¯ve reached the first gateway to sit atop the throne.¡¯ He had never, beforeing back to this world, received such a quest until now. Woohyuk immediately read the quest information window. [New Achievement] Name: Demon Lord Type: Epic (1/3) Content: After unlocking thest seal on Verserios, you shall be moved to the dimension where the Demon Lord resides. Dimensional movement methods can be found in the Ark of Knowledge. Others: Achievable only when pure stats average 1,000 or higher. Since it mentioned the Demon Lord dimension, it seemed to refer to the ce that was connected to thest floor of the Twilight Tower. ¡®I met Aris and Irene there.¡¯ The Heavenly Deity was the transcendent existence that ruled over that dimension. He presumed that defeating this Deity would be the next logical step of the quest. After roughly organizing the contents of the quest in his mind, Woohyuk read his status information window. [Chun Woohyuk] -upation: Necromancer, Asura, Mythological Heir, Rule Breaker -Title: Legendary Explorer (item drop rate increases by 20%, sensation and movement speed increases by 20% in the ruins), Ruler of the ck Sea (Summon Kraken, Creates Air Bubbles, Controls the Sea of Darkness) -Status Strength: 854 +20 (Grandia, de of Condemnation) Health: 832 +40 (Set of Berserker¡¯s te Armor) Agility: 865 +40 (Set of Berserker¡¯s te Armor) +20 (Banshee Queen¡¯s Cloak) Intellect: 809 +20 (Moonshadow Ring) +20 (Jester¡¯s Mask) Spirit: 873 +10 (Elder Lizardman¡¯s Fighting Spirit) +15 (Bronze Rock Golem Captain¡¯s Belt) -Other 25% increase affinity with the dead 25% increase resistance to dark magic 25% increase power of when dark energy/technology is used ¡®My ability levels are a little insufficient.¡¯ Objectively, his current ability levels were tremendous. It was all thanks to surpassing his limit by experiencing a series of adversity. Regarding his equipment, there were some that were a little out of date, but Dexter could help him update those soon enough, so there wasn¡¯t a problem with gear. ¡®Since the stat requirements are likely to be solved in one way or another, I should focus on developing the recently acquired ss.¡¯ The Mythical Heir allowed him to use five deception-based skills, and the Rule Breaker allowed him to go against the limitations of the Creator¡¯s system. However, it hadn¡¯t been long since he acquired both sses, so there was ack of skills associated with those sses. In particr, for the Rule Breaker ss, he didn¡¯t have a sense of how to acquire skills. ¡®Was the basic skill called ¡®Renaming¡¯?¡¯ The skill was literally called ¡®Renaming¡¯. One could change the name of an item or skill that one had. Renaming gave him the ability to change the original name of a given skill or ability to whatever he chose. It changed the system information itself, not disguise it as did the Moonshadow Ring. As a test, he changed the Hidden Nocturne of the Crescent Moon into Liandry¡¯s Ring. It was a sess. The new name was much more concise than the previous name, so he decided to keep the change. Agares spoke while Woohyuk took out Liandry¡¯s Ring and started messing around with it, ¡°Hmm, your equipment looks a little poor. Outside of Verserios, an exclusive weapon for demons, your other weapons are at least multiple levels below.¡± ¡°The essories aren¡¯t that bad. However, my armor is definitely dated,¡± Woohyuk replied. ¡°What type of armor do you want? Like what materials or options,¡± Agares asked. ¡°I already have a material in mind, Adamante. It¡¯s a new type of metal.¡± If he ordered Cadiz, the Death Alchemist, he¡¯d be able to obtain enough Adamante. Once he had enough of the metal, equipment production would be left to the runesmith, Dexter. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s words, Agares, who was summoned a little while ago, nodded. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll supply another top-grade material. I¡¯ll also supply some materials that¡¯ll help your body develop.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Sa~. Agares disappeared with a red puff of smoke. As promised, Woohyuk guaranteed and gave her more freedom than the other Demon Kings. She was currently the only one of the 72 Demon Kings who was moving about outside. The rest were sealed in Lemegeton. ¡°Lord, will you not release the other Demon Kings?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°I¡¯ll release them soon enough. First, I¡¯ll go visit the demon world and tour their estates.¡± In the future, in order to develop Inotia, the City of Magic and Engineering, and to raise money for war, he needed to raise a lot of money. Adamante, produced by Cadiz, had to be used immediately for internal use, so the next best option was to steal from the Demon King¡¯s luxurious vaults. Earlier, he explicitly stated that he would ask for resources orbor from their estates if necessary, so his action wouldn¡¯t be considered a contract vition. Woohyuk took a step forward, imagining what treasures would be piled up in the Demon King¡¯s vaults. *** Woohyuk robbed the vaults of all the Demon Kings, except for Agares¡¯. There were quite a few valuable and rare items. From jet-ck gems he¡¯d never seen before to the works of famous artists¡­ Thanks to this windfall, it seemed that he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money for a while. ¡°If you take everything, I think the Demon Kings will be greatly dissatisfied, my Lord,¡± Leifina asked with a concerned voice. ¡°These are items that they got from looting anyway,¡± he replied. In other words, it was a kind of voluntary redistribution activity. ¡®Well, I¡¯m not going to use these luxury items for self-interest.¡¯ Before leaving the demon world, Woohyuk didn¡¯t forget to order the Demon Kings around. ¡°I n to develop the Isle of Chaos as a sea base in the near future. Large-scale civil works will be underway, so you should work ording to the nned schedule,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°¡­ Yes, Asura,¡± the Demon Kings replied, obeying Woohyuk¡¯s orders. Of course, he subjugated everyone except for Lilith¡¯s party. ¡°Ho! You¡¯ve finally advanced and entered the demon world. It seems you¡¯ve sealed all 72 Demon Kings,¡± Aleister mentioned aloud in jest. ¡°Sooner orter, you¡¯ll be on your knees too, so stay tuned, Aleister.¡± Since thest battle with the ancient demons, his rtionship with Lilith¡¯s party became a bit strange. Of course, Woohyuk still saw them as enemies. He was willing to break their non-verbal truce immediately if the right opportunity came. ¡°Oh my, look who it is. Aren¡¯t you Asura?¡± a Lilith member said aloud. ¡°Hurry, let Lilith know!¡± another screamed out. ¡°Melena, will you not take revenge? You almost died at his hands the one time,¡± another mentioned to another member. As Woohyuk approached Lilith¡¯s Sanctuary, the Witch Cult members looked at him with varying emotions. Ignoring them, Woohyuk approached arge-scale construction site. ¡®¡­ It looks like a tower is being built.¡¯ It seemed that the tower would be considerably tall once construction finished. Woohyuk grabbed Melena, the Witch of Lust. ¡°Why is Lilith making this building?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. How do I know the deeper meaning of Lilith¡¯s actions?¡± Melena was at a loss and was asking the other witches for help. As the atmosphere started bing frigid, Woohyuk gently released Melena. ¡°Where is Lilith?¡± he asked. ¡°I won¡¯t say. Also, Lilith probably won¡¯t meet you right now,¡± she replied. Lilith remained silent, even though the witches were reporting the current situation through a type of telepathymunication system. Hearing Melena¡¯s words, Woohyuk gave a suspicious expression. ¡®You must be hiding something.¡¯ He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d learn anything by taking his current approach. As Woohyuk turned his head, Trivia, the Witch of Arrogance, ridiculed him out loud, ¡°Make sure you start kneeling and bing thankful towards Lilith while she has used for you Asura. You should be appreciative and quiet rather than bustling around with such an ornamental female knight.¡± ¡°¡­ If you speak another word, I¡¯ll behead you in an instant,¡± he retorted menacingly. Saahahahah! ck smoke wafted in the air as he summoned Verserios, which was in the form of a long sword. As Woohyuk held the sword up with one hand, Trivia bit her lips. ¡°¡­ Chit.¡± Lilith forbade the witches from approaching or touching Woohyuk for the time being. The other witches were also silent as if their gums were shut tight with sticky honey. ¡°You witches are no fun. It¡¯d probably be more fun to have an argument with Helena.¡± He ran through a mental checklist. He seemed to have finished what he wanted in the demon world. Woohyuk summoned the Demon Kings who had previously gathered on the Isle of Chaos. ¡®I¡¯ll have to leave before they find out about their empty safes and start crying.¡¯ Sooner orter, in the Demon King¡¯s minds, emotional turmoil like the chaotic thunder and lightning in the sky of the demon world would run rampant. As Woohyuk was in a hurry to leave, a human woman who was forced to work at the construction site called out to him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you Chun Woohyuk?!¡± She was Liang Tsuyu, the Chinese female leader who was in the opposing camp against Woohyuk in the Adventurer¡¯s Canyon. It was a long time ago, but Liang Tsuyu recognized Woohyuk. Since she was defeated in the battle, she herself was moved to this ce by the system. Woohyuk smiled bitterly as Liang Tsuyu stared at him with a hate-filled expression. ¡®That woman is still alive, too.¡¯ He did not intend to eliminate Liang Tsuyu or cause any trouble for her at this ce. He and she were already at drastically different status levels, as the distance between heaven and earth. Woohyuk waved his hand at Liang Tsuyu. ¡°Work hard. Don¡¯t ck off.¡± ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Liang Tsuyu bit her lips as her anger boiled over internally. She wondered why the hell this human guy was chattering with the witches in this ce. Since he was somewhat good-looking, she thought that Lilith must have favored him. If she started arguing with him, she felt that she¡¯d be struck by the witches. She was angry, but she had no choice but to let him pass by. When Liang Tsuyu disappeared around a corner with a load on her back, the witches started chattering in the background, ¡°What the hell, she knows Asura?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re very close friends?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ask that bitchter. We have to report everything about Asura to Lilith.¡± The witches had been stalking and collecting data on Woohyuk for a long time. They were trying to find out when, where, and what he was doing through their cult followerwork. It seemed they quite enjoyed this gossip. Woohyuk made an unpleasant expression as the witches joked about what they had heard about him. ¡°Come on, Leifina. Those witches seem like they¡¯re bad influences.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± At this point, since Lemegeton wasplete, he had no room to care about the witches. Thinking about the uing crises, Woohyuk hastened his steps. *** In Inotia, the City of Magic and Engineering. As soon as Woohyuk got there, he sought Helena. ¡°I have sealed all 72 Demon Kings. Now, I will hand you Solomon¡¯s Bracelet.¡± ¡°Oh, so you sessfully tricked them. Or did they voluntarily obey you?¡± ¡°I just negotiated.¡± As a result, their safes and resources were neatly emptied. Helenaughed when Woohyuk ryed the things that had happened in the demon world. ¡°You¡¯re so evil! Once you be a Demon Lordter, it¡¯ll really be worth seeing how you rule.¡± ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll make you an official Witch of Annihtion, so look forward to it.¡± Woohyuk really enjoyed bullying Helena. As Helena was one-sidedly losing to Woohyuk, Aris appeared in herb coat and waved her hand. ¡°Asura~! The mass-produced Automated Cavalry isplete! Take a look!¡± ¡°Oh, is the production done already?¡± Inotia¡¯s high-tech facilities exceededmon sense in productivity and ingenuity. Woohyuk moved to an internal space within Neustein with his party. Crunch. Crunch. Upon reaching the destination, the first mass-produced Automated Calvary [group of reproduced Ishvar Unit 1] were slowly moving about and searching. Leifina widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s like a human machine, outside of being able to speak with cognition,¡± Leifinamented. ¡°Aris, what level of artificial intelligence are they equipped with?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s about Catsy¡¯s level. Still, they¡¯ll be able to understand their owner¡¯s orders,¡± Aris replied. Even though they were a magically engineered force, they were smarter than he thought. As a test, Woohyuk asked one a question, ¡°Ishvar Unit 1, what is 1+1?¡± ¡°3.¡± ¡­ It seemed that there were still some bugs to resolve before he could use them in the real world. Woohyuk sighed as he saw Unit 1 standing proudly. Chapter 250: The Demon Wave 3

Chapter 250: The Demon Wave 3

Woohyuk ordered Aris to mass-produce a pill that could cure the side effects of Qliphoth¡¯s Fruit. The cost was not a problem anymore, as he properly robbed the demon¡¯s vaults. However, he didn¡¯t want to cheapen the distribution of the pill or lose any money from it, so Woohyuk set a reasonable price. ¡®1 silver per pill should be about right.¡¯ ¡­ He based the price based on the pricing in the world where Woohyuk lived before. In the Eeth Continent, where the concept of patent rights didn¡¯t exist, it was unheard of to sell an effective treatment at-cost. His price point would be looked upon as a tremendous favor upon the Eeth people. Distributing the treatment would also present quite an annoyance. ¡°Sell as many of these pills as you can. We should be able to guarantee a reasonable distribution profit,¡± Woohyuk said to Erica. ¡°Okay,¡± she answered. Erica, the colossus merchant of the Free Seaport City Landium, lifted up her dress and gave a polite curtsy. She was a person who was knowledgeable about good deeds, as she ran an orphanage Landium with the proceeds of her enormous profits and wealth. Even if she didn¡¯t make arge profit from this transaction, she didn¡¯t think undertaking this distribution was regrettable. When Erica left the room, Fiona, the system manager of Inotia, appeared out of thin air and ryed her report. ¡°Heroic King, it seems that some of the 72 Demon Kings who were recently subjugated came to us.¡± ¡°¡­ Let them in.¡± He could roughly predict why they came to visit him. They were probably nning to criticize him for ruthlessly robbing their vaults and safes a while ago. However, it never crossed Woohyuk¡¯s mind that he¡¯d give back any of the loot he took. ¡®I am a demonic tyrant. An absolute monarch like the evesting sun.¡¯ It was very important for him to tame the 72 Demon Kings, as he would be the Demon Lord one day. He believed that it would be much more efficient for them to do things voluntarily than for him to force them to do something. Woohyuk decided to be strict from the beginning because he nned to ultimately guarantee their autonomy once he fulfilled his ns. ¡°Asura, no matter how justified you are in taking the resources from our territories, you shouldn¡¯t take all the territories¡¯ resources!¡± a Demon King mored. ¡°We don¡¯t expect you to return everything, but please leave us at least half or even a third!¡± another chimed in. ¡°Since the earth of the demon world is fruitless and infertile, it¡¯s hard for us to harvest even a single silver coin!¡± ¡°Please listen to our heartfelt concerns and be magnanimous in your decision!¡± As soon as the Demon Kings entered the room, they implored Woohyuk with requests. They did so in a manner as if they would die soon. Woohyuk coughed into his closed fist and spoke with a stern expression, ¡°Ahem¡­ calm down. I will exin it.¡± ¡°Please speak!¡± they answered simultaneously. ¡°I didn¡¯t take your resources for self-interest. So, don¡¯t give up and start anew. I am hopeful and confident that you all will can ovee this trifling trouble.¡± ¡°Ah, Asura! It took us so long to rue those resources¡­ how could you speak so coldly!¡± ¡°Please do not turn away from our difficulties! Please present a suitable resolution!¡± ¡°Aigo!¡± The disgruntled and embarrassingly open cries of the Demon Kings only grew louder. Woohyuk frowned and yelled at them, ¡°Are you going to starve to death just because your vaults and safes are empty? If you want gold and silver treasure, do some work.¡± ¡°W-What do you mean¡­¡± a Demon King asked perplexingly. ¡°Attack all the ruins in the Eeth Continent, except for the epic level ones. I will give you 60% of the treasure that you find inside the ruins you attacked,¡± Woohyuk answered. There were still countless untouched ruins on the Eeth Continent. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s words, the Demon Kings bowed their heads down in seeming defeat and continued to vent their frustrations, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s so unfair Asura! Why do we only get to keep 60% of the treasures from the ruins that we attacked ourselves?¡± ¡°A 40% tax is too much, Asura!¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re doing all the legwork, wouldn¡¯t at least 80% be fair!¡± It was certainly unfair to ask for 40% of the total revenue without doing any of the work. However, Woohyuk didn¡¯t retreat and doubled down on his stance. ¡°Do you know how much money we need to operate in this chaotic era? If I had my wish, I would take 90% and guarantee only 10%, but I raised it up to 60% because you all are saying that you¡¯re in bad shape financially. If you keepining, I will lower the distribution percentage,¡± Woohyuk said sternly. ¡°Huh¡­¡± The Demon Kings looked up at Woohyuk, who was sitting atop a throne, with dumbfounded expressions. When the room fell quiet, Woohyuk continued to speak with a satisfied expression, ¡°Then, since there are no further objections, I¡¯ll consider the matter settled. We will not speak of this topic again.¡± ¡°A-Asura. About therge-scale civil engineering project that you mentioned on the Isle of Chaos¡­¡± ¡°Yes? Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°On the list of people who are supposed to build therge-scale project, our names were also included¡­ is this correct? Was it a mistake? No matter what, we¡¯re monarchs in the demon world¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the civil engineering work progress better if it is led by the demon monarchs?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Are the Demon Lords dissatisfied because my name was not on the list? If anyone thinks that way,e forward,¡± Woohyuk said with gusto. The inside of the room fell silent once more. No one wanted to reproach and argue against Woohyuk¡¯s weird logical argument. Woohyuk forcefully coughed aloud and raised his finger towards the door, ¡°If you have nothing more to say, go back. I am busy.¡± The Demon Kings left the meeting room without another word. Leifina, who saw this entire fiasco, said to Woohyuk, ¡°Master, it looks like there will be a severe reaction from this discussion. I think you¡¯ve done enough whipping, so shouldn¡¯t you at least dangle some carrots?¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Woohyuk said after giving her words some thought. After this civil engineering work was over, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to give them a week off. He was a tyrant who worked his subjects raw day and night for months on end, only to give them a week off. This was Chun Woohyuk. *** ¡°How¡¯s the progress on stopping the Flood?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°The right day to enter the Ark of Knowledge hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Please wait a little longer,¡± Helena answered. As Solomon¡¯s direct lineage, Ibn Rusud was allowed to enter the Ark of Knowledge but only on the night of the full moon each month. Hearing Helena¡¯s exnation, Woohyuk frowned. ¡°Why is it soplicated?¡± he asked. ¡°How should I know. That¡¯s how the system is set up, so don¡¯t me me,¡± she quipped. Helena was also very frustrated. She knew that if the Great Flood urred before the next full moon rose, they would all be helpless. Woohyuk decided to keep that possibility in mind. ¡®I should make a huge ark¡­¡¯ Inotia, the City of Magic and Engineering, was located on the Heavenly Ind, so it would be safe even if the Great Flood urred. So, he was considering whether to issue an order for his main talents to gather in Inotia and build an ark for their own survival. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t be able to build arge enough ship capable of carrying all the people living on the continent, so the loss of life was unavoidable. ¡®No, that¡¯s not a good idea.¡¯ In the first ce, preventing the Flood itself was the right and most efficient approach. Helena sighed as Woohyuk continued to think. ¡°Phew¡­ No matter how much I think about it, it¡¯s impossible to save everyone from the impending Great Flood. Outside of everyone moving to another dimension altogether¡­¡± ¡°I heard that some magic books in the Ark of Knowledge describe how to move people to another dimension,¡± Woohyuk asked, cutting her off mid-sentence. ¡°That¡¯s not something anyone can do. So, it¡¯s pointless to consider,¡± she quickly exined. Whether the flood would ur before or after the next full moon was purely in the realm of luck. Therefore, it was a more desirable and more effective use of time to clear the epic quest of the Nag Hammadi Chronicles during this lull. After hearing Helena¡¯s advice, Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Alright, that sounds about right. Anyway, there¡¯s nothing more we can do about this impending catastrophe.¡± ¡°You brought some soul stones from the ruins in the Northern Ind. Since you have that, you can restore the Nag Hammadi Chronicles now.¡± It was thest of the three ancient documents that he had to restore. To restore the Nag Hammadi, Woohyuk had to call upon the Goddesses of Fortune with the soul stones. Woohyuk injected his mana into the soul stones while sitting face-to-face with Helena in his office. Sa-Ah~! Blue mes fluttered from the soul stones, and soon, the surroundings were covered with white shes. [Who has called me?] A woman¡¯s voice rang out from the air. Woohyuk knew who she was. ¡®The goddess in charge of the past, Clotho.¡¯ She remembered all the names of the lost Einherjars who were chronicled in the Nag Hammadi. [My name is Chun Woohyuk. I called you to restore the Nag Hammadi Chronicles.] [¡­ Oh, so it¡¯s you. You should already know the process, so shall I recall all the names on the list?] Clotho remembered Woohyuk from thest time she met him, before his return to this world. Woohyuk nodded his head and picked up a recording device that was developed by Aris. [Speak. List them off. I¡¯m ready.] [Then, I will start.] Clotho listed off countless names without a break. After a long time¡­ [Is that all?] [Yes, good job. You didn¡¯t actually write the names down though.] [It seems you can see me from thekeside of Lake Urdarbrunn.] [Since I¡¯ll meet you soon, shouldn¡¯t I investigate to a certain degree?] Clotho was a cheerful goddess. However, Woohyuk didn''t believe in her words at all. ¡®The three goddesses of destiny didn¡¯t tell me anything about my past lives before.¡¯ Furthermore, originally, Leifina was also the Goddess of Fate. It was strange that a single position in the past was split into three different identities. Woohyuk thought that this was due to the aftermath of the failed Odyssey n. ¡®Since the system was somewhat derailed due to the irregr code, it¡¯s possible.¡¯ Goddess of the Past, Clotho. Goddess of the Present, Lachesis. Goddess of the Future, Atropos. The three seemed to be sisters. Last time around, he didn¡¯t know anything, so he just passed by this division, but this time, he vowed to definitely uncover their secrets. Drinking from the well of Urdarbrunn would bring back his previous life¡¯s memories, so if he was told a lie, he would not easily be deceived. Woohyuk yed the recording device and started restoring the Nag Hammadi Chronicles with Helena. ¡°I see a lot of familiar names. Of course, there are many names I don¡¯t recognize, too,¡± Helenamented from the side. ¡°History doesn¡¯t remember all the heroes,¡± Woohyuk muttered. Just as not everyone could be a hero, not all heroes could leave their name in history. The human world is always grim and cold. ¡®The Nag Hammadi Chronicles recorded the secrets of the gods.¡¯ From the Godyer weapon, Epion, to the destined ends of the gods¡­ There were many things written down in the Chronicles, but this epic quest was about the Einherjar. ¡®After the restoration work, I have to go to Heavens and fight one of the Einherjars.¡¯ Heroes who made big names for themselves in the past. The pressure to fight and win against people like Reinhard, the best Pdin that Woohyuk ever met, was still considerable. His current stats were greater than his previous life¡¯s. His equipment was also not inferior but fighting and defeating an Einherjar was by no means easy or simple. Helenaughed when Woohyuk revealed his worries. ¡°Hahaha, are you nervous? Tell me, which Einherjar did you fightst time?¡± she asked. ¡°Penthesilea. She was a female Amazonian barbarian warrior,¡± he answered. Certainly, she was a character that could be called a hero, but she couldn¡¯tpare to the current Woohyuk. Of course, he had fought her night and day for two days straight at that time. Only after a long, arduous battle did he seed in defeating her. Who would he be matched up with this time? Feeling anticipation and anxiety, Woohyukpleted writing thest letter. Chapter 251: Demigod Atreus or Half-God Atreus 1

Chapter 251: Demigod Atreus or Half-God Atreus 1

[The restoration of the document has beenplete.] [Epic Quest: ¡®Einherjar¡¯s Legacy¡¯ has been given.] As he lifted the mana-filled feather pen from the paper after writing the final letter, the system message had covered his vision. As expected, the issued quest was rted to the Einherjar. It probably meant that he had to fight against a past hero. Woohyuk put the Nag Hammadi Chronicles into his Sage Pocket and read the quest information window. [New Quest] Name: Einherjar¡¯s Legacy Type: Epic Description: Summon an Einherjar with a soul stone at the Northern Sea Ind. The summoner must defeat the summoned Einherjar alone. Others: Retry after a failure is not permitted. Only one chance. ¡°The format is the same asst time. Though, I¡¯m not sure if the rewards will be the same,¡± Woohyuk muttered. ¡°ording to the Prophecy, you will be going through a lot in this quest. Now that the Creator¡¯s intervention/involvement has begun, the Prophecy may have changed, but please take note anyway,¡± Helena, who was standing next to Woohyuk, said with a worried look. The original Getia¡¯s Prophecy was what Pina, the Goddess of Fate in her previous life, had written down after peeking into her future through forbidden knowledge. Therefore, Getia¡¯s Prophecy existed for Woohyuk¡¯s sake and was high credibility, but it may also have be useless through the Creator¡¯s intervention. This was because the Creator was a transcendental being that ruled over every hierarchy and was superior to the gods. Woohyuk nodded his head in agreement and said, ¡°I must ask Maria, the Saintess of Prophecy, for help. Where is she now?¡± ¡°She is currently under the protection of our Etheria Rodinus. You can call her anytime you need her,¡± Helena replied. Her reply meant that Maria was somewhere in Inotia. After asking Helena to bring Maria, Woohyuk stared at a map of the Eeth Continent on a magic screen. ¡®If I leave for the Northern Sea Ind this time, I¡¯ll probably be gone for at least a week.¡¯ Since he had sent off the 72 Demon Kings to all corners of the continent to loot dungeons and find the epic dungeons, he was still concerned about others finding the epic dungeons before him. So far, it was confirmed that two epic dungeons were created in the East and two in the West. The epic dungeons in the West were not a problem because he had full control over the area, but the problem was the East dungeons since he had little influence over that part of the continent. ¡®¡­ Marcus, formerly the Mad Lord, is still there as well.¡¯ Marcus was a figure who had taken control of the Theresian Empire in the East and attempted multiplerge-scale Western expeditions in Woohyuk¡¯s past life. Marcus would use any means to ascend to the Divine Thrones. In Woohyuk¡¯s mind, Marcus¡¯ title ¡®Mad Lord¡¯ didn¡¯t do him justice. Thus, due to these thoughts and concerns, Woohyuk that he needed to rely on others during his period of absence. After contemting a bit longer, Woohyuk decided to hold an informal summit meeting with his vassals, talents, and staff. Beep. With a simple hand gesture, the Eeth Continent map disappeared from the magic screen, and a list of major Western characters appeared. ¡®I should call upon Eleanora regarding the Holy Aperian Empire.¡¯ He had maintained a friendly rtionship with Emperor Tiberius since the engagement, but it was difficult for Woohyuk topletely trust him. Methodically, he removed people, like the Emperor, from the list, leaving exactly six people. Ganiev, leader of the Beastman Alliance in the Talis Kingdom. Legion General Maximus, governor of the Dane Kingdom. Princess Eleanora, the Emperor in waiting of the Holy Aperian Empire. Death Knight Huperion, the militarymander of the Norton Kingdom. Joanna, Queen of the Rhine Kingdom. Ophelia, the Elf Queen of the Croix Principality. All of these individuals were leaders in their areas and who he trusted from past experience. Furthermore, they possessed the requisite political and military might that was needed to takerge-scale actions and they had a low probability of betraying his trust. After a moment, the faces of the six leaders appeared one after another, on his magic screen. [Hero King, what¡¯s so urgent? You don¡¯t contact me so often, so I rushed to my office to see what was wrong.] [It¡¯s been a while, Chun Woohyuk. Ganiev is always ready to listen.] Ophelia and Ganiev looked at Woohyuk and spoke first. Their offices were equipped with the same magically engineered screens that he had, as they were all developed by Aris, so real-time video conversations were possible at any time after identity authentication. However, this was the first time that several people held a meeting together on this tform. ¡°I have something to tell you all. It¡¯s an important issue, so if there is someone around you, have them go outside.¡± [All the maids were sent out. Neither Father nor Granver has any reason to find me, so they won¡¯t be bothering us.] Eleanora, wearing an official gown, replied with a smile. It seemed she was pleasantly surprised to see Woohyuk, even if it was through a video/image portal. Huperion and Joanna said a few words of greeting as well. It seemed that everyone was happy to see him and reconnect. [Please, rest assured, all the undead are obedient and prepared for your orders, Master. How is life in the Heavenly Ind?] [If I have a chance, I want to visit. That ce may have something to do with Queen Iona.] The two seemed to be interested in the Erendia Kingdom, where Inotia, the City of Magic and Engineering, was located. Woohyuk briefly told the history of the ce and how he was doing before returning to the original topic. ¡°¡­ Anyway, there are two main things we need to care of at this point: The Epic Dungeons and the Eastern Forces.¡± [Regarding the epic dungeon, one of them is here. Although it¡¯s under my control, a number of other races have continued to stream into the general area. Their numbers also seem to be increasing, which is making it hard to maintain and enforce a perimeter.] [The Norton Kingdom is also falling into confusion because of this. I don¡¯t think that your vassals and ns will be able to handle the increased pressure from outside forces.] The Western Eeth Continent epic dungeons were in the Croix Principality and the Norton Kingdom. They were simr intitude, but quite far apart longitudinally. Thus, even if others provided support, they had to properly divide their troops. Woohyuk spoke after hearing the details from Ophelia and Huperion, ¡°The Norton Kingdom side is rtively safe. I can send my vassals through the Dimensional Gate of the Dead at any time to reinforce that perimeter. However, the Croix Principality epic dungeons location doesn¡¯t have such facilities for transportation, and it is close to the Theresian Empire in the East, so we need to pay extra attention to that epic dungeon¡¯s location.¡± [What should I do? Recently, I¡¯ve been getting constant requests for cooperation from Tiberius.] Emperor Tiberius was showing considerable interest in the Game of Divine Thrones, which was opened by the Creator. Perhaps, as a person of power in this world, he desired a higher, new seat. Woohyuk frowned after hearing Ophelia¡¯s words. It seemed that Tiberius was nning something for selfish, evil reasons. ¡°You must never respond. If you allow ess to the epic dungeon, Tiberius will send his seven Pdins there,¡± Woohyuk replied. [Do you think the Seven Pdins can sessfully attack the epic dungeon? Didn¡¯t they struggle with the Demon King Alliance in the Northern Front?] ¡°The problem is not about whether they¡¯ll be sessful or not. If the seven Pdins enter the epic dungeon, the Holy Aperian Empire will be unstable and a prime target for the Eastern Forces.¡± Furthermore, variouswless forces, including the Awakened, were raging across the Eeth Continent. It was very undesirable for the seven Pdins to leave their seats in such an unstable and tumultuous situation. If they took a wrong step, it could lead to arger crisis in the West and possibly the end of the Empire. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s exnation, Eleanora made an expression of difort. [I don¡¯t know if my father will listen to me. He¡¯s so interested in mythology¡­] Tiberius, who had enjoyed all the secr wealth of the world, desperately sought a way to live forever. It was simr to the reasons why Egyptian pharaohs turned their bodies into mummies and the Emperor of the Qin Dynasty sought out the medicine/pill of immortality. Seizing a ce atop a Divine Throne would obviously present him with a way to achieve his goal of immortality. Of course, the gods also died if they suffered fatal injuries, but at least they didn¡¯t have a finite lifespan like humans. Once he grasped Tiberius¡¯ ambition, Woohyuk made a decision in his heart. ¡®He¡¯ll need to be removed someday soon.¡¯ If the Imperial Emperor was assassinated, great chaos would spread throughout thend, so he had been putting it off. Furthermore, Tiberius was just a minor objective in this jumbled,rger chess game. He felt sorry for Eleanora, but¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll have to n and quickly assassinate the Emperor.¡¯ It would have been quite difficult in the past, but now, he had nothing to worry about. He had many deception items, and he had 72 Demon Kings and numerous capable vassals under hismand. Woohyuk called a break during the meeting and connected with Agares, the 2nd rank Demon King. [Agares, are you avable?] [Yes, what is it?] [There is someone you need to deal with.] [Oh, who is he? Since you¡¯re asking, he must be a pretty big figure.] [I guess you can say he¡¯s a big deal in this world. I need you to eliminate the Emperor of the Holy Aperian Empire.] [¡­] Silence ensued for a while. Afterward, Agares asked Woohyuk in a puzzled manner, [Are you thinking of taking the Emperor seat yourself? Even if you don¡¯t have to do that, you¡¯ll be able to control the entire empire from behind the scenes.] [No, the next emperor will be Eleanora. I have another reason for why he needs to disappear.] Woohyuk told her the story of how Tiberius was trying to send his empire¡¯s seven Pdins to the epic dungeon and how he was ultimately aiming for a seat atop a Divine Throne. Hearing his exnation, Agares replied in a cooperative tone, as she became fully convinced, [Certainly, it is difficult if such a person upies a Divine Throne seat. It¡¯s uneptable even to me, a moderate member of the demon world. Can I do whatever I want?] [No, I¡¯ll lure him to the right ce. It would be difficult if the capital of the Western Empire is thrown into confusion and chaos.] Delpheon¡¯s (Capital of The Holy Aperian Empire) castle walls had a magical barrier that guarded against a demon camp attack. Furthermore, the imperial pce was guarded by expertly trained guards and specialists, making it difficult to prate. This was why Baal, in the past, led a demonic army and engaged in an all-out war against Emperor Tiberius. ¡®To catch a rabbit, I¡¯ll have to first make ite out of its den with its own two feet.¡¯ Catching rabbits meant setting fire to their dens, but in the case of Emperor Tiberius, there was a better way. He was obsessed with the Divine Thrones, so one could lure him out by feeding him false information about it. Of course, he would not move alone. He¡¯d probably be apanied by arge troop, including his seven Pdins, but this scenario was much better than trying to attempt an assassination in the Imperial Pce. As Woohyuk secretly shared his ns, Agares nodded. [Stating that one of the conditions inpleting the epic dungeon quest requires an imperial treasure¡­ if such information is leaked, Emperor Tiberius will mobilize for certain.] [You may face conflict with the empire, but my vassals cannot mobilize on this matter. So, thoroughly decorate it as an act of demonic retribution.] [Hoho¡­ don¡¯t worry. Unlike Baal, I am attentive to details.] That was probably why Woohyuk entrusted her, instead of Baal, with the assassination of the Emperor. When Agares responded with a confident voice, Woohyuk activated the magic screen and resumed the summit meeting. [I¡¯m sorry. I had to deal with an important task that just came up.] [You must be very busy, Chun Woohyuk. These days, we, the Beastman Alliance, are also suffering from headaches because of the new Game of Divine Thrones. The existing quest to defeat the 72 Demon King has been changed to a step-by-step achievement.] The 72 Demon Kings had already been collected by Woohyuk in Lemegeton, so it was impossible for someone else to seal them. However, Woohyuk did not reveal this fact and moved on to another agenda item. [Anyway, it¡¯s during times like this that we need to strengthen our alliances. Our enemies are gradually increasing their power even now.] [Do you mean the Theresian Empire in the East? A lot of ominous rumors have been swirling around recently. Rumor has it that the Theresian Empire¡¯s imperial family is promoting forbidden experiments.] Like the Norton royal family, who wanted to obtain immortality, the Imperial Family of the Theresian Empire was also pursuing forbidden experiments for the same objective. The result was infighting and loss of divine power. The recent confusion of the times was a great opportunity for them, as they were barely able to maintain their sovereignty in the East anyway. This recent spell of confusion allowed them to conduct their experiments and ward off rising enemies. [If we start a war in the East, we will cross the Krobaichen Isthmus strait. From now on, let¡¯s n a countermeasure.] From his past experiences, Woohyuk already knew what strategies the Eastern Forces would employ. Eventually, a map of the Eeth Continent unfolded on the magic screen. Soon, Woohyuk his exnation of the grand operation. Chapter 252: Demigod Atreus

Chapter 252: Demigod Atreus

When the summit was over, Woohyuk focused on clearing the epic quest. Dexter wasn¡¯t finished with Woohyuk¡¯s new equipment, but he couldn¡¯t stay idle. He had to forge forward, even if he would regret some of his decisionster on. ¡°Fiona, take care of this ce while I¡¯m at the Northern Sea Ind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Inotia. Every aspect of the city is under my control. But is it really okay to only take your knight with you?¡± ¡°Sure. Everyone else has their own work to do,¡± he replied. The newly updated Game of Divine Throne quest was much more detailed this time around. The quest¡¯s new content was to achieve step-by-step achievements in several categories. This detailed set of directions was different from the vague directions of past quests, which mainly went along the lines of challenging one¡¯s limits. Since it was announced in a system-wide message not long ago, the Game of Divine Thrones would soon heat up. When Woohyuk made a pensive expression, Fiona, who appeared as a hologram, smiled. ¡°I¡¯m confident that you¡¯ll lead everyone to be the best that they can be, no matter who ultimately takes the Divine Throne seats.¡± ¡°¡­ I hope this nightmare ends soon,¡± Woohyuk tiredly murmured. Only by retrieving his previous life¡¯s memories and beating the Creator would he escape from this terrible survival game. His heart became heavier at the thought of the difficult challenges he¡¯d have to soon face. However, there was nothing to be resolved by worrying, so Woohyuk hurried to Neustein. ¡°Lord, Aris is ready to take off,¡± a guard said aloud. ¡°Let¡¯s leave right away,¡± he replied. Woohyuk nced at Leifina, who was waiting at the entrance. She seemed pumped up in anticipation for the long trip. She was now strong enough to apany him. It was all thanks to her long years of practice in the Arcane Tower. ¡®No matter what happens, I¡¯ll surely protect you, Pina.¡¯ He was fully aware that the Creator would take her hostage and take advantage of their rtionship to make Woohyuk react. The Creator¡¯s ultimate purpose was to restore the system damaged by the iplete Odyssey n code and to thoroughly control the power and influence of the demons. For the Creator to achieve this, he needed Rafael, himself, and the Irregr Code, the core of the Odyssey n. However, there was no guarantee that Leifina would be safe even if he followed the Creator¡¯s request. Thus, it was best to keep her close and move together whilepleting the Odyssey n. Arriving at the airfield dock station, Woohyuk and Leifina saw Aris seated in the pilot seat. ¡°Current weather conditions are clear! It¡¯s the best weather for long-distance shuttle driving, Asura!¡± ¡°You must have been in the middle of your research. I¡¯m sorry to entrust you with this task during this busy time,¡± he replied. ¡°No! It¡¯s more fun to be with Asura!¡± she cheerfully said. Aris grinned and manipted the navigation board. After that, the magic-powered engines started running, and the shuttle took off from the docking station. Sa-Ah! The shuttle elerated and emerged from the highest clouds in the sky. They were on the only shuttle in the Eeth Continent, a magic engineering marvel. Leifina put her hand on her forehead, seemingly because she was dizzy. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Ah yes, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s not too bad,¡± she replied. ¡°You¡¯re the same as Helena. You¡¯re both scared of heights.¡± ¡°Oh, I wondered why she didn¡¯t join us for this excursion. She always followed you to watch over what you did.¡± ¡°It looks like Etheria Rodinus called Helena. There seems to be something important on their end.¡± Anyway, he got everything he could get from Helena. There was no more useful information he could get from her. Of course, her abilities as a Saintess could help, but on this journey, Leifina would be enough. ¡°¡­ What revtion did you receive from the Saintess of Prophecy receive? Didn¡¯t you meet her before our departure?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°She said that she saw the third catastrophe in her dreamsst night. It was arge-scale epidemic, as the Prophecy stated,¡± Woohyuk replied. The third catastrophe would be like the gue of ck Death and the poisonous insects that eroded the earth in his previous world. Both the gue and swarm were going to sweep the Eeth Continent soon. It was a kind of natural disaster like the second catastrophe, the Great Flood. Completing this epic quest would give him a means to stop it. Leifina¡¯s face darkened as she continued listening to Woohyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°The cmities are getting bigger and bigger. Why does the Creator note directly and cause the three great catastrophes?¡± she asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°There must be something he fears. The power of the demon is probably one of them,¡± he answered. ¡°I hope that a peaceful era wille soon. I wish that everyone can pursue their own happiness in their everyday life¡­¡± ¡°If that happens, don¡¯t even dream of cooking, Leifina.¡± ¡°Hey! Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden¡­!¡± Leifina¡¯s face turned beet red as soon as a sensitive subject appeared. Woohyukughed out loud and stroked her hair. ¡°I heard that Hans told you a special dish recipest time. I know that you want to feed me delicious food, but wouldn¡¯t it do you better to invest your time and focus on an area where you¡¯re naturally talented?¡± ¡°What do you mean another area¡­ What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Swordsmanship and parenting. You have quite a talent in those two fields. Since you¡¯ve learned swordsmanship, why not take care of Lia and Canelion whenever you have time? They¡¯re still young, going by the standards of dragons,¡± Woohyuk suggested. In addition to that, there was Song Anna, who had a very high potential for growth among his followers. Hearing Woohyuk¡¯s words, Leifina nodded her head. ¡°Alright. If that is the Lord¡¯s will¡­¡± ¡°Up to now, I¡¯ve solved most of the problems myself, but the situation is different now. It¡¯s difficult to fight the Creator unless we all work together.¡± Although it was an absurd system that was under the control of the Creator, it was more convenient for Woohyuk to fill all the empty new Divine Throne seats with his trustworthy followers. This was because people he couldn¡¯t trust, like Emperor Tiberius and Marcus the Lightlord, were aiming for the Divine Throne seats. Among them, Emperor Tiberius was due to be removed by Agares sooner orter. ¡®By now, Tiberius must be gathering his seven pdins to leave for the epic dungeon.¡¯ Even the most loyal pdins would not easily be told the true intent of Tiberius¡¯ actions. After securing safety through his pdins, Tiberius would probably try to go directly. At that time, Agares had to figure out his route and attack at the right time. He told Eleanora to use her health as an excuse for not joining Tiberius in his excursion. Woohyuk had to limit the variables and the possibility of something going wrong. Woohyuk gazed at the eastern sky as he mulled over his n to assassinate the emperor. In the northern waters, where numerous ciers floated, an Einherjar was awaiting his arrival. *** ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, even in these frigid conditions,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t too bad¡­ hahaha¡­¡± Ryosuke nervously replied. Amaterasu¡¯s n leader Ryosuke, sweating profusely, greeted Woohyuk. He had just finished giving his report to Woohyuk. One of his main duties was to defend the Northern Sea Ind, where the Einherjar¡¯s ruins were located, from other forces. Of course, Ryosuke didn¡¯t even know that the Einherjar ruins existed. ¡°A lot of people live in such an extreme ce,¡± Leifina murmured. After leaving Amaterasu¡¯s main base, Woohyuk and Leifina reached an uninhabited beach. Though it was a fairlyrge ind, the environmental conditions were so poor, so self-sufficiency was difficult. ¡°In some ways, this might be much safer than therge continentnd areas,¡± Woohyuk said in passing. ¡°You might be right, my Lord. I heard that the territorial battles are getting more intense these days because of the new quest. Some of the requirements include conquest and social influence,¡± Leifina replied. ¡°The Creator is trying to create an ultrapetitive environment to start the Game of Divine Thrones. This ce is no exception.¡± Through his past experiences, Woohyuk was well aware that there was no paradise in this world. After a while, they arrived at the Einherjar ruins. Woohyuk told Leifina to guard the entrance. ¡°We moved secretly, but someone might still find us here. So, stand guard here and wait for me,¡± Woohyuk ordered. ¡°Are you sure? No matter how confident you are, it is an epic quest¡­¡± she worryingly asked. ¡°It¡¯s something I need to endure alone anyway. It¡¯s like a one-on-one duel,¡± Woohyuk replied. ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± Leifina nodded her head with a confused expression. Leaving her behind, Woohyuk headed for the dimensional transportation portal. ¡®Kloto should be contacting me soon.¡¯ Last time, after asking a simple question, she chose the Einherjar that he¡¯d have to fight and the location of the battle. Upon arriving at the destination, as expected, her voice was transmitted through the soul stone. [Are you ready?] ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s get started quickly,¡± Woohyuk replied dryly. [Oho, it¡¯s nice to see that you¡¯re confident. Since we have some time, let me ask you a few questions. Choose the first option thates to mind.] Question: Which of the following do you value most? - Thest glow before sunset - An old tree that has survived many years - A flower garden in bloom - Midnight moonlight It was a survey that seemed to ask for his tastes. It seemed to be a form of psychological test. Woohyuk thought for a while and then chose the glow before sunset. ¡®It has the most simr image to a Ragnarok sunset.¡¯ Ragnarok meant the twilight of the gods. Klotoughed as if she had expected his answer. [Kekeke¡­ It looks like you want to finish the Game of Divine Thrones quest quickly. Then, I will select an Einherjar ording to your choice.] Rattle. Du-Du-Dook. With a strange sound, the dimensional transportation portal in the center began to operate. Before long, the image of a warrior with a dazzling aurora appeared in front of Woohyuk. ¡®It¡¯s not Penthesilia likest time.¡¯ In front of him stood a warrior who had pitch-ck armor and a blue spear. He didn¡¯t seem to be a pdin-type warrior. When Woohyuk was observing the other person, Kloto¡¯s voice rang out, [His name is Atreus. He is a hero born between a cksmith and a princess of the Theresian Empire. Then, have a good fight!] ¡®It¡¯s Atreus?!¡¯ Woohyuk¡¯s expression hardened at once. Atreus was a demigod who went against the gods¡¯mandments and came down from heaven. He eventually became Emperor of the Eastern Eeth Continent. He was famous for receiving a gift from a cksmith god and inheriting his mother¡¯s beautiful appearance. ¡®¡­ Hisst few years were not very good.¡¯ As a result of refusing the gods¡¯ request to return to heaven within five years, Atreus was eventually killed by the Einherjar army sent by the gods. For this type of person to choose to be an Einherjar¡­ There was probably some coercion involved, but he must have also been willing. ¡°Are you my opponent? Your thick demonic powers and mana are spewing out of that weak body,¡± Atreus said as he stared at Woohyuk. Atreus¡¯ silver hair, long enough to touch his waist, was gently swaying as if a breeze was constantly blowing. The expression of beauty rather than cool was more appropriate in describing his appearance. Woohyuk opened his mouth to speak after taking another look at him, ¡°Why are you on the side of the gods? You¡¯ve lost everything to them,¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Are you curious? If so, first prove your qualifications to hear my answer. I shall answer if I see you as a peer,¡± Atreus answered. Atreus¡¯ golden eyes shed like that of a beast ready to pounce on its prey. At the same time, his spear, which was wrapped in blue mes, flew towards Woohyuk¡¯s heart. Chapter 253: Demigod Atreus 3

Chapter 253: Demigod Atreus 3

Kwa-Ji-Jeek! An intense current swirled between the collided weapons and reverberated out toward their surroundings. After protecting his body with a defensive barrier, Woohyuk stepped back and watched Atreus¡¯ following movements. ¡®He¡¯s definitely a demigod, so this won¡¯t be easy.¡¯ Moreover, all the equipment Atreus wore were masterpieces forged by a legendary cksmith. His Armor of the Immortal couldn¡¯t be damaged with a grade A or lower weapon. The armor also evolved by absorbing the equipment of the person killed by its owner. His spear, the Thunder Lord Spear, could teleport its owner up to 3 times, within a short distance, at the speed of light, and could cast numerous lightning magic. It was a really cheat-type item, so it was difficult for even Woohyuk, who had defeated the ancient demons, to contend against Atreus and his equipment advantage. ¡®I guess it¡¯s still better than fighting without knowing anything in advance.¡¯ Thanks to reading numerous ancient documents in his previous life, it was possible for him to understand what kind of propensity Atreus possessed and what kind of armament he had at his disposal. On the other hand, Atreus didn¡¯t know much about Woohyuk. If Woohyuk used this information asymmetry to his advantage, he could sway the battle to his side. Ahhhhhhhhh! Verserios was covered with a vortex of pitch-ck magic. Atreus, who saw this, recalled his spear and opened a blue magic circle. ¡°The skills and abilities of the demons do not work in me because I¡¯m a demigod,¡± Atreus calmly stated. ¡°Oh yeah? What about this?¡± As Woohyuk stepped forward, the whirlpool expanded. The surroundings were soon covered under darkness. He used Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail to amplify Verserios'' magic. Despite the overwhelming force, Atreus waited for Woohyuk to finish without even moving. Sa-Ah! A jet-ck whirlpool left the tip of Verserios and flew towards Atreus with fierce momentum. Afterward, the inner space was shaken with a crashing sound. The space-time of this ce seemed to be shaking and fragmenting. Kwang! There was no visible crack in Atreus¡¯ defensive barrier. However, Atreus immediately realized that something was wrong. ¡°¡­ So, you¡¯ve crippled my abilities?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take a long time,¡± Woohyuk replied. [Liandry¡¯s Ring]. The original name of the ring was a Nocturne of the Crescent Moon. Through its use, it was possible to block an opponent¡¯s three abilities for 10 minutes. Of course, if the user¡¯s power level was rtively inferiorpared to the target, it didn¡¯t work, but Woohyuk had grown powerful enough to not be pushed by Demigod Atreus. ¡®If Ipete purely with skill, it may take days or weeks.¡¯ So, even if he had to take some risks, it was important to finish the duel as quickly as possible. Beyond this quest, there was a pile of things still left for Woohyuk to do. Woohyuk opened up his inner mana and tried to dominate the space first. Sa-Ah! The gloomy demonic mana field covered the area. It was Asura¡¯s absolute space. Within the absolute space, it would be difficult for anyone, even a demigod, to fully demonstrate one¡¯s abilities. ¡°To possess such a strong power with a human body¡­ I¡¯m starting to gain some interest in your identity,¡± Atreus stated with surprise. ¡°If you listen, you¡¯ll be quite surprised,¡± Woohyuk answered, as he had no intention of hiding anything about his past life. Furthermore, it would be beneficial if he could hear Atreus¡¯ story in return. However, right now, taking the lead in this duel was Woohyuk¡¯s first priority. Ka-Rang! Verserios struck the Thunder Lord Spear, making an electrified static-shock sound. At the same time, the sparkle of two colors fiercely shed together. Woohyuk and Atreus faced each other and fought for a momentum advantage. ¡°I see. Your weapon, and the power of the demon, is sealed,¡± Atreusmented. ¡°Yes. Only with this can I beat the Creator who has been jerking me around,¡± Woohyuk replied. ¡°Jerking you around? Oh, you mean the Creator telling the lowly creatures to fight for the empty seats of the Divine Thrones. In my lifetime, the gods didn¡¯t revolt, so I didn¡¯t get that opportunity,¡± Atreus calmly exined. In the celestial world, demigods were bound by all kinds of restrictions and were treated simrly to the contracted civil servants of the Joseon Dynasty. In order to prevent the order of the gods from bing disturbed, the logic of one household, one conscience, and one movement was used. Atreus didn¡¯t like that reality, and he always wanted to live freely. That¡¯s why he came down to this continent, ignoring the warnings of the gods in the past. If he had the chance to challenge for a Divine Throne seat, he would have jumped into the survival game without looking back, just like Woohyuk. Ka-Rang! Ka-Rang! As the duel continued in earnest, the eyes of the two fighters sharpened. The battle was so fierce that it was difficult to say which one had the advantage. When Woohyuk used the magic stored in Liandry¡¯s Ring to narrow the distance, Atreus responded by momentarily strengthening his defensive barrier, or avoiding the attack using teleportation magic. On the contrary, when Atreus cast a blue me and wide area-of-effect spells with the Thunder Lord Spear, Woohyuk wrapped his body with demonic powers and dispersed his alter-images into various locations, making it difficult for Atreus to urately target him. ¡°How were you able to obtain and use the 72 Demon King¡¯s unique magic spell? Did you get Lemegeton as well as the Demon Kings¡¯ weapons?¡± Atreus asked in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve almost reached the Demon Lord throne,¡± Woohyuk answered. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t understand. How can such a fatal singrity ur under a system based on logical causality and vertical hierarchy,¡± Atreus muttered aloud. After a few minutes of fierce battle, Atreus, who had been fighting with Woohyuk for a while, was dumbfounded. Even if such a thing happened after making hundreds of concessions, the Creator wouldn¡¯t let Woohyuk be without taking any countermeasures. For anyone watching, it was clear that there was a reason for Woohyuk¡¯s existence. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so surprised. In my previous life, I was one of the Archangels who fought against the Creator,¡± Woohyuk stated. As if he expected Atreus¡¯ reaction, Woohyuk went on to briefly exin his past. After hearing Woohyuk¡¯s story, Atreus looked at him with a more guarded expression. ¡°You¡¯re not an ordinary human. Now I understand why I¡¯ve been called here,¡± Atreus said with a sigh. ¡°Is there anything specific about you for you to be chosen?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°I was confined to Valha¡¯s lower dungeons. I was told it was because I was difficult to control even though I became an Einherjar.¡± Atreus chose the Einherjar¡¯s path, even though his wife and children were killed by the army sent by the gods. His reason for choosing the Einherjar path was for revenge. It was because of his tremendous determination to destroy the celestial world one day, to destroy the order centered around the gods. However, the gods also knew of Atreus¡¯ heart and intention, so they locked him up under the guise of closed-door training. However, there was only one reason to release the restraints on him and send him out. The only reason was that a major problem had urred, threatening the celestial world and its system. After listening to Atreus¡¯ reasoning, Woohyuk nodded. ¡°That sounds urate. I did cause a problem within the Creator¡¯s system in my previous life.¡± ¡°¡­ I have heard of that story. When the gods rebelled, they referred to the ns the archangels tried in the past,¡± Atreus stated as he recalled the story he had heard long ago. The Odyssey n. Its ultimate goal was tobine the Holy Grail with the power of light and Verserios with the power of the abyss to bring about a universal transformation. Of course, in the process, in order to fully control the two diametrically opposing forces, a vast forbidden library called the Ark of Knowledge was needed. So, like Etheria Rodinus, the gods were trying to rebuild the Ark of Knowledge that was lost in the Great Demon War. ¡°Surely, the Creator was upset over that. If the Odyssey n seeded, the system would have fundamentally copsed,¡± Atreusmented. ¡°If not, he wouldn¡¯t have started the Game of Divine Thrones like this. Perhaps his purpose is to indirectly control the power of the demons by folding in this previously outside power.¡± Asura, the previous Demon Lord, detested the Creator¡¯s system. As a result, he antagonized the Creator, was defeated, and ultimately perished. Afterward, the power of the demons was sealed within Verserios. However, it was impossible to hide Verserios, which was like a ticking time bomb, forever. The Creator needed to reinstate control, so Woohyuk was chosen as the medium. Woohyuk was the archangel Rafael, who first conceived the Odyssey n in his previous life. Just like the saying that only the perpetrator can make amends, the person who broke the system was able to be used to restore it to its intact state. By reinstating the irregr code that was secretly injected into his own soul, canceling out the irregrity, and restarting the system. Of course, Atreus didn¡¯t know this much and just thought that Woohyuk was being used as a pawn in the Creator¡¯s overall n. ¡°But humans need an intermediate step to take the Demon Lord seat and control the demonic powers. I can¡¯t jump over a high wall at once,¡± Woohyukmented. ¡°¡­!¡± Atreus¡¯ expression froze at once. That means that he was offered as a kind of sacrifice. It was true that there was a serious problem in the celestial world, but it was Woohyuk, not himself, who¡¯d solve it. ¡°Demigod Atreus. We have simr ideals and values, but this duel is inevitable. I have to absorb your power to be stronger,¡± Woohyuk tly stated. ¡°I also covet the power of the demons. If I get that weapon in your hand, I will be able to escape the Einherjar¡¯s confines andplete my long-standing revenge.¡± In the past, it was the God of Light who ordered the Einherjar army to kill off his wife and children. Only his father, the God of cksmithing, was not involved in the ughter. Atreus never forgot the rage that he felt at that time. ¡°Then let¡¯s make a decision. I think I heard enough of your circumstances,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°I like it. It¡¯s about time that my abilities are about to be released anyway,¡± Atreus replied. When the three abilities that Woohyuk had previously blocked were released, Atreus would be in a more advantageous position. Atreus¡¯ fighting spirit burned anew as he stared at Woohyuk, who moved his body calmly. *** Northeast of the Holy Aperian Empire, where the Empire bordered the Croix Principality. Emperor Tiberius was heading to the epic dungeon, escorted by the Imperial Army. ¡°Be sure to do a constant reconnaissance of our surroundings. An impure party might try to assassinate me,¡± Tiberius stated. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± The Pdin Commander, Hugo, who was next to him, bowed his head solemnly and replied. The other pdins were nervous because it was a mission to escort the Empire¡¯s Emperor over a long distance in a chaotic, confusing time. Due to the recent quest for the Divine Thrones, there were quite a few people aiming for the Lord¡¯s neck. This was because people needed to build achievements in rtion to social influence. In fact, the monarch of the Owen Kingdom, who was trying to enter a ruin with only his elite forces, was beheaded when ambushed bywless forces. ¡°By the way, have you not yet found out the whereabouts of the Hero King? To disappear at such an important time¡­ It¡¯s definitely something suspicious,¡± Tiberius asked with a concerned tone. ¡°ording to the most recently obtained information, he headed east on a flying object, but his exact destination is unknown,¡± Hugo replied. ¡°East¡­ He wouldn¡¯t dare n to set foot in the epic dungeon located in the Croix Principality before me, right? Well, if it¡¯s that guy, he¡¯s probably vying for a position on the Divine Thrones,¡± Tiberius said with a snicker. ¡°Hahaha, could it be? Although he¡¯s not officially married to Princess Eleanora, he wouldn¡¯t do anything to be hated by His Majesty, his future father-inw,¡± Hugo said, trying to reassure Emperor Tiberius. Hugo was breaking out into a cold sweat. At that time, dark clouds suddenly covered the previously clear sky, and thunder and lightning began to scream with an impending storm. Rumble! Kwang! An unusual ominous change. The Imperial Army, including the Seven Pdins, surrounded Emperor Tiberius with firm expressions. ¡°What suddenly happened?¡± ¡°Are you a demon?¡± When everyone was anxious, a crack in the abyss appeared in the dark sky, and a woman with red ming hair revealed her appearance. She was 2nd ranked Demon King Agares. ¡°Oho¡­ He was right. I really just had to wait here,¡± she said in surprise. ¡°W-Who are you! Are you one of the 72 Demon Kings?!¡± Emperor Tiberius screamed out while making his body as small as possible. Agares looked at him as if he was pathetic and then raised her hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get it done. Those who interfere will be sternly reprimanded,¡± she said with a deted voice. Numerous ck fireballs fell from the crack in the abyss and changed into demons once they reached the ground. The maximum troops that the 2nd rank Demon King could mobilize from her Demon Territory was approximately 350,000 demon warriors. Among them, only the elite who were in the top 10% were put into the n to assassinate the Emperor. ¡°S-Stop t-them! It is only one Demon King¡¯s army! You don¡¯t need to shrink away and lose confidence at all!¡± Emperor Tiberius yelled as he urgently ordered the seven pdins around him to enter intobat. At that time, several new abyss gaps appeared in the ck sky, and other Demon Kings appeared. Even though the hard-liners, such as Baal were excluded, the number of Demon Kings present was 35. About half of the 72 Demon Kings gathered in one ce. ¡°Now I¡¯ll be able to see how far along the human race has developed and strengthened during the time I was sealed. You guys ready?¡± a Demon King said in passing. Agares nced down at the confused Imperial Army with arge smile. Eventually, on the ground, desperate screams and terror unfolded. Chapter 254: Demigod Atreus 4

Chapter 254: Demigod Atreus 4

¡°Heok¡­ heok¡­¡± A stone chamber inside the Einherjar ruins. Woohyuk gasped for breath while facing Atreus. They had been battling for over a day, but there was no sign of an end. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve faced someone so difficult. For a human to contend against me¡­ this is a first,¡± Atreus said as he stared at Woohyuk in admiration. No matter how much if one possessed the greatest weapon of the demons, humans were humans. Woohyuk basically had a fragile body, and his growth was limited. Of course, there were exceptions, but Woohyuk¡¯s case went above and beyond an exception. He deserved to be called the reincarnation of Archangel Rafael. ¡°It looks like you haven¡¯t had the opportunity to battle with the Einherjars in Valha, Atreus. When ites to stats alone, they¡¯re not far behind me,¡± Woohyuk replied in a tired voice. ¡°That¡¯s right, but you¡¯re still something different. It¡¯s a bit difficult to express in words.¡± Woohyuk had an atypical trait that even Demigod Atreus couldn¡¯t understand. The trait was not wholly from the spirit of the archangel, yet it didn¡¯t directly correspond to the power of a demon. Woohyuk possessed something like a seed before germination. It was still uncertain what would spring from the seed during this period, but its existence itself made Atreus feel unease. ¡°ording to the words of one of the ancient demons, when I was an archangel, I injected something into my own soul. Maybe that¡¯s the reason,¡± Woohyuk replied. ¡°¡­ If so, it might be part of the Odyssey n. Anyway, try to wake it up. It might help you grow,¡± Atreusmented, showing a favorable attitude toward Woohyuk. Although Woohyuk was an opponent who he¡¯d have to fight to one¡¯s death, Atreus thought it was worth to pay homage to Woohyuk. Woohyuk also humbly and respectfully epted his advice. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°By the way, I think we¡¯ll have to end this soon. It¡¯s not good for me either to keep hitting and receiving like this.¡± Atreus possessed an advantage in terms of physical strength, but he was concerned with Woohyuk¡¯s demonic powers. Woohyuk possessed the potential power to destroy the world. The power was on par with the Creator¡¯s, so it would be difficult for Atreus if Woohyuk¡¯s demonic powers consumed him and decided to run rampant. As Atreus prepared his final blow, Woohyuk also cleared his mind. ¡®This is it.¡¯ Currently, Liandry¡¯s skill blockade was in a cooldown state. Woohyuk was at a disadvantage up to this point, and it was a great opportunity for Atreus. Tak! Atreus jumped first and rushed toward Woohyuk. He exhibited agile movement, unlike before. Atreus had been hiding some of his power while giving and receiving blows with Woohyuk, and this time, he was going to use this hidden agility move as his hidden card. ¡®¡­ Fast.¡¯ Atreus¡¯ agile movements were difficult to follow, even when Woohyuk heightened his senses to the max. In addition, considering that the Thunder Lord Spear could be used for a total of three attacks at the speed of light, it was a very dizzying situation. Woohyuk instinctively used Dantalion¡¯s exclusive magic spell with Liandry¡¯s Ring. Sa-Ack! Woohyuk¡¯s alter-images spread everywhere and confused Atreus, who was narrowing the distance. However, Atreus fired a ruthless spear attack at one of the images without any signs of agitation. Hwi-Ah! A blue me afterimage followed along the curve drawn by the thrown spear. The blue mes quickly wrapped around Woohyuk. Because of the battles so far, he couldn¡¯t fool Atreus any longer using alter-images. Woohyuk clenched his teeth and teleported to an alter-image. ¡®Is it time to use Baal¡¯s abilities?¡¯ He had a hidden card that he still held behind. The ck Constetion, Baal¡¯s main demon magic spell. When activated, it was awakened for an hour, greatly increasing the power of all stats and skills, and was able to release some of his own potential power. With the long journey he had made so far, he was able to mobilize a number of active and passive skills that he learned along the way, such as the Blood Power of Hong Yuri and Sieg¡¯s Dragon Armor. Baal¡¯s spell could be considered ridiculous, and there was no particr penalty. However, the caster¡¯s mana would continuously drain during the casting period. ¡®The win or loss will be decided from this uing confrontation anyway.¡¯ This moment when the opponent¡¯s hidden card was revealed was the best opportunity to use his own hidden skill. When Woohyuk activated ck Constetion, burning ck mes covered his body. Hwa-Rrrrrrr! With just this one spell, his aura and influence seemingly swallowed up everything surrounding them. However, Atreus continued to narrow the distance with an expression of expectation. ¡°I knew you would use ck Constetionst. Because that¡¯s the most powerful of the 72 Demon King¡¯s abilities.¡± Of course, that didn¡¯t mean the Demigod would be pushed back by Baal¡¯s powers. In other words, everything was determined by how calmly one judged the situation and responded to the other¡¯s attack in a timely manner. Hwi-Eek! Atreus attacked again, wielding the Thunder Lord Spear with force. Blue mes rose and spread out wherever the spear moved. With a roar like thunder, a fierce wolf head appeared from the spear. [Fenrir]. It was a mythical beast who threatened the gods. Fenrir, along with the giant serpent Jormungand, had shed against the gods during thest Great Demon War. ¡®Ah. So, the identity of that me was Fenrir.¡¯ It was quite weird that the me didn¡¯t sumb or fade against Verserios¡¯ ck aura. The God of cksmithing probably used his power to seal Fenrir within the Thunder Lord Spear. However, even Fenrir was not enough to contend against Woohyuk¡¯s awakened state. Go-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Woohyuk¡¯s eyes turned red and blood swirls covered the area. He created another absolute space within Asura¡¯s absolute space. Faced with another absolute space, this time filled with blood and vampires, Atreuspletely lifted Fenrir¡¯s restraints. ¡°Grrrrrr!¡± Fenrir popped out of the Thunder Lord Spear and bit the throat of a conjured vampire. Of course, the vampire didn¡¯t suffer losses unterally. It caused a wave of blood to smash onto Fenrir¡¯s body, causing a number of injuries to Fenrir. While the two conjured minions fought, Woohyuk and Atreus continued to exchange blows as well. Ka-Rang! The two¡¯s auras and power collided, distorting the surrounding space. The blood vortex within the absolute space bent sideways from the aftermath. Naturally, tremendous counterforces from the sh spread like waves over their bodies. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Woohyuk grit his teeth andpeted with Atreus, pushing Verserios with all his might against Atreus¡¯ spear. This stalemate was difficult to maintain, even though he had fully awakened by activating ck Constetion. The backflow of blood and the pain of his bones being pulverized into dust dominated his whole body, but Woohyuk could not withdraw. Withdrawing meant defeat and death. When the two men were fighting a mental power fight with their weapons against each other, Fenrir shredded a vampire into two with its sharp ws. Chwa-Ah! Red blood scattered everywhere, and the summoned vampires lost shape. Immediately afterward, Fenrir returned to the Thunder Lord Spear. When it joined their battle, Woohyuk could feel that Atreus was gaining the upper hand in their bnce of power, little by little. Hwa-Rrrrr! Blue mes gradually encroached upon and extinguished the pitch-ck mana aura surrounding Verserios and gradually approached Woohyuk. In preparation for this emergency, Woohyuk used Sieg¡¯s skill, Indomitable Fighting Spirit. To ovee his human limitations, he would be an immortal for 10 minutes. At the same time, he used Lilith¡¯s Unholy Grail to amplify Verserios¡¯ magic as much as possible. As a result¡­ Crack! The Thunder Lord Spear was unable to withstand the sudden overflow of might and rebounded off. No matter if Fenrir was used, even if it was a masterpiece of a master cksmith, the spear couldn¡¯t bepared to a representative weapon of the demon race. However, Atreus was also once a Demigod hero, so he wouldn¡¯t lose so easily. sh! With a bright blue sh, Atreus¡¯ figure disappeared. At that moment¡­ Woohyuk instinctively turned his body and stabbed Verserios directly behind him. Pu-Wook! Slice! Different kinds of dull sounds urred almost simultaneously. The Thunder Lord Spear cut off Woohyuk¡¯s left arm while Verserios pierced Atreus¡¯ heart. Eventually, the battle was decided by the smallest of differences. Whack! Atreus nced down at Verserios¡¯ de sticking into him, spewing red blood from his mouth. He knew that his death was imminent, so he opened his mouth to speak with a resigned look, ¡°It¡¯s a little disappointing. I thought myst attack would be sessful.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m also familiar with this type of duel,¡± Woohyuk answered. ¡°I¡¯m not angry. Instead, I feel like you will make my wishe true.¡± The advent of the Demon Lord would destroy the limitations and restrictions of the current system and open a new era. If he were to be used as a sacrificial goat at the alter to bring down the system, he would agree. Sa-Rrr~ Atreus calmly closed his eyes. His body started turning into blue particles and began to scatter in the air. ¡®Is it finally over?¡¯ It seemed like they battled each other for about a day and a half. It was only half the time from his previous life¡¯s battle with the Amazonian female warrior Pentesilia, but his mental and physical exhaustion was twice as much as that time. ¡°¡­ Keuk.¡± When Atreus disappeared, Woohyuk stared at his left arm, which was cleanly cut off and lying atop the stone chamber floor. As his tension rxed, his pain intensely increased. It was the result of using the attrition and exchange strategy to win the fierce one-on-one duel. ¡®But I have the Power of Resuscitation that I received from Hevnia.¡¯ There was a cooldown of one day, but the ability¡¯s limitation didn¡¯t diminish the cheat-like aspect of the spell. After restoring his left arm to its original state, Woohyuk picked up the armament left behind by Atreus. [Immortal Armor] Type: Armor Grade: S (Growth Type) Durability: 500,000 Description: Not damaged by weapons of ss A or lower. Consumes the enemy¡¯s equipment and absorbs the abilities inherent in it once the enemy is defeated. [Thunder Lord Spear] Type: Weapon Grade: S (Growth Type) Durability: 450,000 Description: You can summon Fenrir, the Frost-Fire Wolf. The user may attack 3 times at the speed of light (10 minute cooldown time for reuse). ¡®It can be said that this is the ultimate armor.¡¯ It was a masterpiece produced by the God of cksmithing with great care. Meanwhile, since he already possessed Verserios, the Thunder Lord Spear was not particrly something he could use. After considering his options, Woohyuk decided to absorb the Thunder Lord Spear into the Immortal Armor. Rumble. ck energy emanated from the dark-colored metal and corroded the Thunder Lord Spear upon contact. Afterward, a series of system messages appeared in front of Woohyuk. [Immortal Armor has consumed the Thunder Lord Spear.] [As a result, an ability has been added to the Immortal Armor.] Woohyuk once again opened the status information window and checked the changes. [Immortal Armor] Type: Armor Grade: S (Growth Type) Durability: 500,000 Description: You are not damaged by weapons of grade A or lower. Consumes the enemy¡¯s equipment and absorbs the abilities inherent in it once the enemy is defeated. Predated Ability: Can summon Fenrir, the Frost-Fire Wolf. ¡®Aren¡¯t all the abilities absorbed?¡¯ Light attribute skills and abilities, like the Thunder Lord Spear¡¯s speed of light attacks, didn¡¯t seem to mesh with the Immortal Armor. Furthermore, it seemed that the armor¡¯s properties re-initialized when the owner changed. When Woohyuk wore the Immortal Armor, another system message came up. [Epic Quest: ¡®Einherjar¡¯s Legacy¡¯ has beenpleted.] [The recipe for Combat Vampires has given as a reward forpleting the quest.] [You havepleted all four epic quests.] [You have achieved an iprehensible achievement! You will be given the opportunity to challenge for a Divine Throne seat.] [Please check the newly updated epic quest for details.] Chapter 255: The Rule of the West 1

Chapter 255: The Rule of the West 1

¡®Finally, I got the chance to challenge a Divine Throne seat.¡¯ How long had he been waiting for this moment? Even when his vassals were dying and his estates were devastated by endless battles and wars, he stood firm and stayed the course. After his return to this world, he fought against and beat expected and unexpected enemies, and constantly pushed his limits to be stronger. He may have had a leg up from his previous life, but that didn¡¯t cheapen the effort and achievement he had made to get to this point. All that effort was to upy a Divine Throne seat. Ultimately, he pursued his endeavors to end the constant turbulence inherent within the system and return to a peaceful daily life. Furthermore, he carried the expectations, anguish, and wishes of many others who he defeated who shared the same lofty goals. Woohyuk read the quest information window, feeling rejuvenated. [New Achievement] Name: Demon Lord Type: Epic (1/3) Content: Obtain the material for the Elixir of Transcendence. The materials are hidden in each of the four epic dungeons. Others: Retry is not allowed after failure. One chance. ¡®¡­ The Elixir of Transcendence¡­¡¯ Based on the name alone, it seemed to be an item that allowed one to ovee human limitations. However, the problem was that he had to retrieve the items from all four epic dungeons. Currently, there were two known epic dungeons, one each in the East and the West, so in order toplete this epic quest, he had to proceed with his Eastern Conquest n. ¡®Well, I have been dying it for too long. Now is a good of a time as any.¡¯ By now, Emperor Tiberius should have been assassinated, and Eleanora would have seeded him as the next Emperor. In other words, Woohyuk could easily influence and control the Holy Aperian Empire from behind the scenes. In this situation, the Eastern Conquest n couldn¡¯t be seen as overreaching. Before leaving the ruin¡¯s stone chamber, Woohyuk took out the soul stone and called Kloto. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think the rewards are a bit lower than before?¡± Woohyuk asked in a dissatisfied tone. He had fought to the death against a Demigod, but his only quest reward long reward was the cure for Blood Death. Of course, the reward had tremendous meaning since it could be used to prevent one of the three major catastrophes, but it was still rtively less in value than the Return Scroll that he received in his past life. [Do you want to return to this world once again? Do you want to start over again? I don¡¯t see any reason for that.] ¡°No, I don¡¯t want a Return Scroll, but I want to go to Urdarbrunn.¡± In order to recover his previous life¡¯s memories, he had to go to theke where the Goddesses of Fate were located and drink theke¡¯s water. When Woohyuk requested this, Kloto broke out inughter. [Hee-Heet. Don¡¯t be so impatient. If youplete the quest, you¡¯ll get everything you need.] ¡°¡­ It¡¯s hard for me to trust your words.¡± [Regardless, make sure to take good care of the soul stone. I won¡¯t be responding to you for a while now.] Essentially, she was telling him to shut up and proceed with the quest designed by the Creator. Woohyuk put the soul stone in his pocket after making a sour expression. ¡®I¡¯ll have to leave the pre-nned track of doing quests someday soon.¡¯ At this moment, in order to be stronger, he inevitably had to go through this pre-nned process, but there would be no further reason to do so once he fully took over the power of the demon. The power of the demon was not prepared by the Creator but was left in an area that the Creator couldn¡¯t reach. When Woohyuk left the ruin¡¯s stone chamber, Leifina, who had been waiting outside for a long time, greeted him, ¡°Lord! Have you been injured?¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. Nothing special happened,¡± Woohyuk replied. If possible, he didn¡¯t want to make Leifina worry. Woohyuk walked out of the Einherjar ruins with her. Hwi-Ee-Eek! The cold blizzard winds hit their faces as soon as they walked out. ¡°Are you going back to Inotia now? Or maybe something else?¡± she asked. ¡°¡­ It would be impossible for the two of us to conquer the East,¡± he muttered under his breath. As the scale of the Eastern Conquest n wasrge, it required its own dedicated preparation time. Once outside the ruin boundaries, Woohyuk ordered Aris to take off from Inotia to their location through the thought dialogue channel. [My work here is done. Come and pick us up.] [Yeah, okay!] The magic shuttle invented by Aris was able to reach the Northern Sea Ind in half a day if it flew at the highest speed. They had some time before Aris would arrive. There was nothing to do, so Woohyuk decided to take a break. ¡°Leifina, let¡¯s go to the area where the indigenous people live here,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°Oh? Is something hidden there?¡± she asked. ¡°No, I suddenly wanted to eat their traditional food,¡± he answered. The indigenous people had a special dish that was hard toe across and especially delicious. Leaving the confused Leifina behind, Woohyuk hurried his steps. *** ¡°It was made with great effort. I hope you like it, but¡­¡± Runesmith Dexter said as he put his products on a table. A reinforced Andvaranaut made of dark metallic material and a Seven Color Rainbow Ring that radiated bright light. Both were S-ss artifacts with tremendous abilities. [Seven Color Rainbow Ring] Type: essory Grade: S (Growth Type) Durability: 350,000 Description: Bring out 7 of your abilities to your highest limit or possibly higher. The degree of the upgrade depends on the user¡¯s potential. [Enhanced Andvaranaut] Type: essory Grade: S (Growth Type) Durability: 350,000 Description: The user does not take natural (water winds) and dark property damage. Instead, light property damage is doubled. In a radius of 1km, the user will be given the location of those who have hostile hearts towards the user and cast the curse of the ancient devil on them. ¡®This could be called the ultimate set of essories.¡¯ Woohyuk no longer had to wander around to get legendary artifacts. He now possessed all of the ultimate weapons, armor, and essories that he needed, as they were all Growth Type items that would constantly improve as he developed. Furthermore, all four ss slots were full. All that was left was the growth of his baseline stats. ¡°Good work. As promised, I¡¯ll give you a big reward fairly soon,¡± Woohyuk said in an appreciative tone. ¡°Thank you. But where did you get that armor?¡± Dexter asked. Like a cksmith, Dexter had a keen and discerning eye, so he showed interest in the Immortal Armor that Woohyuk was wearing. Woohyuk unequipped the Immortal Armor and handed it over to him. ¡°It is an S-ss artifact made by the God of cksmithing. Here, take a look.¡± ¡°¡­ This is amazing! It evolves by itself while absorbing other artifacts. Using this concept, one won¡¯t have to worry about having to wear multiple pieces of equipment.¡± Dexter¡¯s gaze also fell on Liandry¡¯s Ring, which Woohyuk was wearing on his right hand. In addition to the one he just handed Woohyuk, there were now three rings that Dexter had made for Woohyuk. No matter how excellent his workmanship was, or the power of the abilities exhibited by the rings, Dexter couldn¡¯t help but feel that his workmanship paled inparison to the Immortal Armor. ¡°I guess utilizing thebining and absorbing concept may be better. But there¡¯s arge inherent risk of losing the main benefits of the original artifacts, so let¡¯s experiment with this first,¡± Woohyuk said as he handed Dexter another artifact. [Elder Lizardman¡¯s Fighting Spirit] Category: essory Grade: D Durability: 2,600 Effect: Spirit +10. Increases immunity to poison and hypnotic magic by 20%. 20% increase in natural resilience to natural forces. He had obtained the essory a long time ago. It was loot from Adventurer¡¯s Gorge that served him well in the past, but now, it wasn¡¯t a necessary item. Woohyuk absorbed it into the Immortal Armor and then checked his equipment information window again. [Immortal Armor] Type: Armor Grade: S (Growth Type) Durability: 500,000 Description: +10 Spirit. Not damaged by weapons of grade A or lower. Absorbs equipment and the abilities inherent in it. Ability: Can summon Fenrir, the Frost-Fire Wolf. Increases immunity to poison and hypnotic magic by 20%. 20% increase in Natural Resilience. Unlike the previous time, when the Thunder Lord Spear was absorbed, there was no loss. When he went on to absorb other artifacts, like the Moonshadow Ring, Berserker¡¯s te Armor, and the Bronze Rock Golem Captain¡¯s Waist Belt, the results were the same. ording to his observation and reasoning, it seemed that there was no need to worry about losing artifact abilities and skills unless it was an artifact of the light attribute. ¡®Then what about Grandia?¡¯ The Sword of Condemnation obtained in Paradise Lost. It was certainly a weapon of the light attribute and had pretty decent options. Woohyuk thought for a while and then proceeded to feed Grandia into the Immortal Armor. [Immortal Armor] Type: Armor Grade: S (Growth Type) Durability: 500,000 Description: Strength +20. Health +40. Agility +40. Intellect +20. Spirit +25. Not damaged by weapons of grade A or lower. Absorbs equipment and the abilities inherent in it. Ability: Can summon Fenrir, the Frost-Fire Wolf. Increases immunity to poison and hypnotic magic by 20%. 20% increase in Natural Resilience. The more blood that is absorbed, the harder the armor bes. Consistently consumes stamina to increase muscle strength and agility by 20%. 10 equipment slots. Gain visibility in the dark. Concealing or distorting information about the user and the equipment being worn. Creates a transparent stigma over the head of an attempted attacker for 1 hour (others cannot be identified). In the case of judgment, up to 10% of the opponent¡¯s vitality and abilities are absorbed depending on the severity of the sin. Grandia¡¯s existing options were included in thest line. Contrary to his concerns, there was no loss in options. Woohyuk saw this and came to his own conclusion. ¡°Even if it is an artifact of a certain attribute, it seems that all options not rted to it are absorbed.¡± ¡°I think so. This armor seems to be made of a simr material to the reinforced artifacts,¡± Dextermented from the side. Both the Immortal Armor and the reinforced artifacts were made of dark metal. Perhaps the original cksmith used forbidden knowledge in the production process. The original cksmith, the God of cksmithing, seemed to have attempted to make up for the birth defect of his imperfect son by borrowing the power of this cancerous, absorption nature of the metal. ¡°I will use the rest of the artifacts as they are. If I put too much power and rely too heavily on one item, my ability to cope with a crisis situation may decrease,¡± Woohyuk said after contemting his options. ¡°That¡¯s a smart choice. Since it¡¯s armor, it is unlikely that it will be damaged during the battle, but one never knows what may happen,¡± Dexter added on. In addition, artifacts such as the Banshee Queen''s Cloak and the Disguise Mask were highly versatile, so other vassals could make use of them if necessary. After a while, as Woohyuk equipped all of his items, a series of system messages came before his eyes. [Legendary Quest: You havepleted the Immortal Path.] [The Demigod title and hierarchy rank has been given to you as a reward forpleting the quest.] [The Demigod body is basically free from the fate of mortals to some extent and is eternal and immortal as long as it does not suffer fatal damage.] [Also, you¡¯ve obtained Atreus¡¯ passive ability, Calm Heart.] [Calm Heart can see through the essence of the other person and is not fooled by various tricks or disguises.] [From now on, the abilities of the Demigod will be corrected.] [During this process, your existing potential may be revealed.] Chwe-Ahh! Suddenly, pitch-ck wings sprung out of Woohyuk¡¯s back and spread on both his sides. He looked like a fallen angel. Dexter stared at the wings with surprise and stuttered, ¡°This, what the hell is this? In the description section of the artifacts I created, there was no exnation that wings would be created when worn¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re correct. You can just assume that I got closer to a Divine Throne seat.¡± In truth, this pitch-ck wing was highly likely to be the manifestation of his potential as Archangel Rafael. However, it was tooplicated to tell this story, so Woohyuk gave a roundabout answer. ¡°The Divine Thrones¡­ I¡¯m sure that¡¯s why I¡¯m on edge these days. Everyone says that they have to achieve impossible achievements, and they do what they don¡¯t normally do, and whenever they have a chance, there ispetition and battles,¡± Dexter exined. ¡°Are you interested, too? The Divine Throne seat of the God of cksmithing is empty right now,¡± Woohyuk asked. Runesmith Dexter could challenge it. When Woohyuk asked, Dexter hesitated. ¡°Ah¡­ how dare would I, such a skill-less being, sit atop such a lofty ce¡­¡± ¡°When you be the God of cksmithing, you can hold beautiful women in your arms. You can keep exchanging them if you want,¡± Woohyuk added on. Woohyuk was well aware that Dexter was always flying solo. Deep down, Dexter always yearned to be popr with the opposite sex. As expected, Dexter reacted hotly. ¡°Well, is that true?!¡± Chapter 256: The Rule of the West 2

Chapter 256: The Rule of the West 2

While preparing for the Eastern Conquest n, Woohyuk figured out what had happened during his brief absence. As expected, Emperor Tiberius was assassinated, followed by Eleanora¡¯s ascension to the throne. As a result of this sudden ascension, it seemed that there was quite the confusion in the Holy Aperian Empire, but the imperial power was strong enough that it seemed to regain stability rtively soon. Eleanora wasn¡¯t a woman who was sloppy, nor was she the type that could be beaten back by those who sought her throne. ¡®Granver and the Seven Pdins will take care of her.¡¯ The Seven Pdins should have died with Emperor Tiberius, but Woohyuk told Agares to save them. Of course, their resistance was strong, so some were injured, but that didn¡¯t mean that they couldn¡¯t perform the perfunctory guardianship of the Emperor. ¡®I¡¯ll have to visit Eleanora sooner orter.¡¯ To start on the expedition to the east, her help was absolutely necessary. But before that, internal maintenance was necessary. To fill the empty Divine Throne seats, Woohyuk had to pay attention to how others were growing. After putting down the report, Woohyuk called upon his colleagues and vassals, who had been scattered, and convened a meeting. ¡°Now, the time hase for you all to be active. If you¡¯re lucky and deserving, you might win a Divine Throne seat, so do your best,¡± he said at the end of the meeting. Until now, most of them only took on rtively small tasks, so they didn¡¯t have a chance to y around on the main stage. Thus, this moment right now was their time to shine. Furthermore, Woohyuk hadn¡¯t poured enormous amounts of money to nurture his talents for nothing. After speaking to the entire group, Woohyuk had a one-on-one conversation with his gathered followers in turn. As he faced Helena, she said, ¡°Everyone has grown tremendously because you¡¯ve forced them to train without any recognition or time off. You should be very proud.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you dissatisfied with my teaching method, Helena?¡± he asked. ¡°No way. I¡¯m very satisfied with this situation,¡± she responded. He had also devised a way to prevent the impending two catastrophes. Additionally, Woohyuk had be a demigod by surpassing his human limitations. It could be said that many of humanity¡¯s worries have decreased. The only task left for him now was topletely rebuild the Ark of Knowledge and then interact with the Holy Grail and Verserios. Of course, this viewpoint was purely from the standpoint of an Etheria Rodinus member. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about using me. The results will not be good,¡± Woohyuk warned, understanding Helena¡¯s undertone and unsaid meaning. ¡°Oh, do you think I possess such a ck heart? Isn¡¯t it you who wanted to desperately change the world and point it in the right direction?¡± Helena said as she reiterated and emphasized that each of their ultimate purposes were the same. When Woohyuk was arguing with her, Aris approached and spoke to him, ¡°Asura, the study you entrusted me with today isplete.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Alice the Queen of Thorns and the Unit 1 Ishvar?¡± ¡°Yes. In the case of the Queen of Thorns, we seeded in isting and extracting the factor with regenerative ability, and the initial defects of the Ishvar Cavalry¡¯s artificial intelligence have been corrected. Now, mass production is possible.¡± But the question was how he would use the results of this study. Woohyuk pondered for a while and then called on Cadiz, the Death Alchemist. ¡°Inject the Queen of Thorns Queen regenerative strain into this guy. It would be troublesome if he died in a mishap,¡± Woohyuk said aloud. ¡°H-Heek¡­¡± Cadiz looked at Woohyuk and Aris alternately with a terrified expression. He thought he¡¯d be like that monstrous woman, Alice. Her ability to regenerate itself wasn¡¯t bad, but he was reluctant since there might be side-effects. Woohyuk, understanding Cadiz¡¯s concerns, said to him, ¡°There will probably be no change in your appearance. Injecting you with this strain won¡¯t mean that you¡¯ll transform into a person of the Kazak race. Just because you get the regeneration ability of the Queen of Thorns doesn¡¯t mean your life will change.¡± ¡°¡­ If you say so, I¡¯ll believe in you,¡± he stuttered. ¡°Aris, let¡¯s start,¡± Woohyuk ordered. ¡°Okay!¡± Aris opened her toolbox, which she was holding, and took out a syringe filled with green liquid. She immediately stuck it into Cadiz¡¯s forearm¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Cadiz whimpered as he trembled with anxiety all over her body. ¡°Is it done now?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°We have to wait a minute for the cells to mutate. If he¡¯s fine after that, we can assume that we have seeded,¡± Aris exined. ¡°Hold on, wait! Then, doesn¡¯t this mean there was a possibility of failure!¡± Cadiz shouted, feeling incredulous. Cadiz red at Aris with the expression of a hurt animal. He had be a live subject for her clinical trials. However, contrary to his concern, no side effects were observed within one minute. ¡°It looks like it was a sess. Then, shall we do an experiment?¡± Aris said aloud. ¡°H-Hey¡­!¡± Cadiz yelled. He felt like he was being used and abused like a rag doll. When Woohyuk took out Verserios, Cadiz¡¯s face became utterly pale,pletely drained of blood. At that moment, Cadiz wondered if it was truly necessary to use the foremost demon weapon to check his regeneration ability. He tried to stop Woohyuk, but it was toote. Pu-Wook! Verserios prated Cadiz¡¯s heart with conviction. Yoo Kayoung, who saw this scene, hurriedly covered Song Anna¡¯s eyes, who was next to her. ¡°Don¡¯t peek! It¡¯s too violent.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, sister.¡± Even though they had spent 40 years in the training hall and 20 years in the Arcane Tower together, whenever Yoo Kayoung looked at Song Anna, she still considered her a child. Apart from her growing magic power, Song Anna still needed someone to watch over her. Until now, Yoo Kayoung had performed this role well. On the other hand, the others in the room who viewed Woohyuk¡¯s actions were taken aback. ¡°L-Lord¡­ why did he suddenly he¡­¡± ¡°Was he a spy?¡± It happened so quickly that everyone was lost as to why the situation unfolded as it did. Woohyuk calmed them down and pulled Verserios out of Cadiz¡¯s heart. Ugh. Shortly thereafter, the bleeding ceased, and Cadiz¡¯s body began to regenerate. ¡°I just wanted to make sure our hypothesis was correct. There seem to be no side effects,¡± Woohyuk said matter-of-factly. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­¡± Cadiz groaned as he returned to consciousness. He was supported back up by Aris. He felt like he really died and then came back to life. Still, he was fortunate that the experiment was sessful. As Cadiz felt relief, his limbs began to rot ck with a sudden onset of pain shooting up from all across his body. The side effects urredte. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°¡­ It would be difficult to use the strain properly as it is. The side effects are too serious,¡± Woohyuk said as he observed the change. ¡°It seems that the traits of the Queen of Thorns have a detrimental effect on the human body. Next time, I¡¯ll try it on demons or monsters¡­¡± Aris said while trapped deep in thought. ¡°I think there¡¯s a suitable person,¡± Woohyuk said. Chimera, Irene, was born from Aris¡¯ biological researchboratory. It seemed that she would be able topletely absorb the power of the Queen of Thorns through her absorption ability. Woohyuk used the Power of Resuscitation to restore Cadiz¡¯s body to its original state. ¡°Pant, pant¡­¡± ¡°Be relieved. It¡¯s all healed now,¡± Woohyuk tly stated. Even if a problem urred, Woohyuk had the ability to solve the problem, so he boldly decided to start the experiment on Cadiz. Fiona emerged from thin air as Woohyuk was consoling (?) Cadiz. ¡°Hero King, I have something urgent to report,¡± Fiona said. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It is said that Joanna of the vis Family line, the ruler of the Rhine Kingdom, suddenly fell ill from high fever during a /banquet.¡± Joanna was one of his important figures who helped maintain his Western order. Woohyuk¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Is her condition serious?¡± Fiona answered, ¡°ording to the court doctor, she was poisoned. Fortunately, she was not poisoned to the extent of immediate death, but the poison that she¡¯s afflicted with is of unknown type, and they¡¯re struggling with treatment¡­¡± Around this era, being poisoned was a very frequent urrence. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Woohyuk immediately pulled out a teleportation scroll. ¡°Master, are you really thinking of using that?¡± ¡°If Joanna dies, a frenzy will ur, and chaos will ensue.¡± The descendants of Queen Iona were assassinated, so Drake, the ck Dragon King, would not remain still. He¡¯d probably run rampant in the Rhine Kingdom and turn the ce upside down to find the culprit. Woohyuk wanted to avoid any turmoil in his current situation, when he needed to set off for his Eastern Conquest and the attack the epic dungeons. In other words, he needed stability to be maintained. Woohyuk tore the teleportation scroll that he had saved for a long time and teleported to the Royal Pce of Rhine. ¡°H-Hero King. How are you¡­¡± The court doctor, who was nursing Joanna in her bedroom chambers, jumped up in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss. Each second is precious and urgent right now,¡± Woohyuk stated. Even though he was rtively close to the Rhine Kingdom, the reason Woohyuk used the teleportation scroll was that he didn¡¯t know when Joanna would die. Woohyuk took out a poison remedy from his pocket and fed it to Joanna, who groaned. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The poison remedy was obtained as a loot reward while he traveled around the continent in the past. When Joanna woke up, the court doctor stared at her with a happy expression. ¡°The poison phenomenon haspletely disappeared. What did you do?¡± he asked in astonishment. ¡°I just had the cure,¡± he responded. As a Demigod, he no longer had a use for the poison cure. Furthermore, he had just used the Power of Regeneration a moment ago on Cadiz, so it was down on cool time. Woohyuk looked around and sat next to Joanna. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Oh, Hero King. Sorry for making you worry. I have a lot of things to care abouttely, so I¡¯ve been overwhelmed¡­¡± Joanna was unaware that she was about to die from poison. As Woohyuk exined the situation, her expression froze. ¡°Are there any people who would do this to you?¡± ¡°¡­ I do not know. I don¡¯t have an idea on who would lead this sort of action and who would support it.¡± The Queen¡¯s assassination n was not something that one or two people could do together. Woohyuk decided that he needed to get to the bottom of this case by himself. ¡®The Rhine Kingdom is the most important of the western small kingdoms.¡¯ Right next to it was Inotia, the City of Magic and Engineering, and because of that, the economies of the two countries worked closely together. Well, if one moved the floating ind to another ce, Inotia would be able to work with another kingdom, but it was difficult to find a better location than the current one. Of course, another purpose of the Rhine Kingdom was to prevent the ck Dragon King Drake from going crazy. ¡®At least one of the leaders of the Queen¡¯s assassination n should still be in the pce.¡¯ Even if he wasn¡¯t a detective like Sherlock Holmes, it was easy to recognize the perpetrators. Woohyuk wore his disguise and transformed into Joanna. ¡°I will pretend to be you for a moment. I¡¯ll have Leifina tend to you, so rest here in the meantime,¡± Woohyuk exined. ¡°¡­ Please¡­¡± Joanna raised her torso and showed a pitiful expression. She wanted to state her thanks but was only able to say and do this much. Woohyuk summoned Leifina and left Joanna¡¯s bedroom once Leifina arrived. A royal guard, who was guarding the entrance, was amazed at the Queen¡¯s appearance. ¡°Q-Queen. Is your body well?¡± ¡°Someone tried to poison me,¡± Woohyuk said offhandedly as if it was bothersome to deal with the royal guardmander. The face of the royal guardmander turned cold. ¡°Who would¡­¡± ¡°I have to find the culprit, so close off the royal pce immediately. No one is allowed to leave,¡± Woohyuk, disguised as Joanna, ordered. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. He didn¡¯t know for what purpose the perpetrators tried to assassinate Joanna, but they would have to pay the price for taking his time. He had to show up in a public ce first to find them anyway. [Reinforced Andvaranaut]. By using the reinforced artifact¡¯s ability, he¡¯d be able to identify those who were hostile to him. Woohyuk made the royal guardmander gather all the people inside the pce inside the banquet room. ¡°Is this all?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, no one tried to sneak out of the pce,¡± themander dutifully replied. Since the turmoil, the royal guardmander had been responding appropriately. Woohyuk nodded his head and looked at the gathered nobles and statesmen. ¡®That¡¯s him.¡¯ A man stared at him/Joanna like a wild beast waiting in a bush, ready to pounce and extinguish the other¡¯s life at any moment. No one else had feelings of hostility toward him/Joanna. Chapter 257: The Rule of the West 3

Chapter 257: The Rule of the West 3

¡°Apprehend him,¡± Woohyuk ordered to the guards. ¡°Yes!¡± At Woohyuk¡¯s instructions, the guards ran toward the blond man who had evil intentions. The blonde man made a puzzled expression for a moment before taking a bomb out of his coat. ¡°Don¡¯te closer! Otherwise, I¡¯ll blow this whole ce into pieces!¡± The bomb pulled out by the blond man was like a crude ymore, which would have been used tactically in World War II, so it didn¡¯t seem to be a product of magic engineering. It was probably made by a person who possessed relevant knowledge in reproducing military-grade weapons based on Earth¡¯s human history. Woohyuk overwhelmed the blonde man using mana aura because he didn¡¯t want the situation to get out of hand. ¡°Keuk!¡± Slump! The blonde man knelt down with a painful expression. When the guards took the bomb that he was holding, Woohyuk spoke up, ¡°No one can leave until we get to the bottom of this. If you don¡¯t want to be under suspicion, don¡¯t try to leave.¡± A frosty atmosphere descended on the banquet hall. Everyone in attendance realized at that moment that there was an attempt to assassinate the Queen. Although unpleasant things had happened frequently in recent years, no one in attendance expected Joanna to be targeted, as she was loved by the royal people and themoners. Contemptuous gazes fell upon the blonde man¡­ ¡°I will interrogate him myself. Take him to the dungeon,¡± Woohyuk, disguised as Joanna, said. ¡°Yes, my Queen,¡± the guards replied. The blonde man was subsequently tortured to the point that it would traumatize him for the rest of his life. ¡°Ack!¡± The blonde man¡¯s screams reverberated in the dark room as the torture officer continually scraped his thighs with an electrocution device. Woohyuk allowed the torture to continue a bit longer before asking, ¡°Why did you try to kill me?¡± ¡°Well, he said he would give me a lot of gold coins. Enough to be able to y and eat for a lifetime¡­¡± The blonde man gasped as he answered the question. Woohyuk pulled the torture officer behind him and pushed his face in front of the blonde guy. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know who the client is because the middleman didn¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Pu-Wook! Woohyuk used Bhnte¡¯s Dagger to strike between the thighs of the blond man. The blonde man was instantly awakened with fright and corrected his own words. ¡°H-H-He said it was from a veryrge n. Originally, I was active in the East, but after being pushed out of power, I came to the Rhine Kingdom¡­¡± he hurriedly responded. Though he couldn¡¯t ensure its uracy, Woohyuk obtained some useful information. Woohyuk nodded after listening to the guy¡¯s story. ¡°I think I know who it is. It¡¯s Jonathan Adler from the Orbis n.¡± Jonathan Adler. He was a scientist who researched weapon development in the US military-industrialplex. Once he moved to the Eeth Continent, he continued to practice his tradecraft. Although he predominantly produced conventional weapons, they were enough to easily turned people into armed soldiers and help the Orbis n secure local strongholds. ¡®If I recall, he ultimately couldn¡¯t stop Necromancer Logan¡¯s 100,000 undead army.¡¯ Despite Jonathon¡¯s constant scouting and poaching of industry background individuals and technicians, his basic production ability and facilities were very poor. He needed time to develop the right conditions to produce what he once did on Earth. As a result, the number of munitions that could be supplied per a certain period was limited, and to make matters worse, Logan¡¯s undead army destroyed all his production facilities, leading the Orbis n towards its demise. ¡­ Of course, that was the story from Woohyuk¡¯s previous time in this world. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to take care of him myself this time around.¡¯ Woohyuk wouldn¡¯t have concerned himself if Jonathon just made conventional weapons, but if left unattended, Jonathon could expand his business and create weapons of mass destruction further down the road. ¡®What if intercontinental ballistic missiles or nuclear bombs were used on the Eeth Continent?¡¯ That would be a serious problem, greater than the three Great Catastrophes. Woohyuk clicked his tongue after imagining the scene in his head. ¡°Where¡¯s the broker who connected you with Jonathan Adler?¡± Woohyuk asked with a stern expression. ¡°His name is Burnt. I¡¯m not sure of his identity, but he often shows up at the service centers operated by the Treburn Guild.¡± Woohyuk recognized the name. The Treburn Guild was based in the southern Ertonia region. That region was managed by Lee Jaesung, so Woohyuk could seek his help to resolve this situation. As Woohyuk turned his back, the blonde man spoke urgently, ¡°W-What are you going to do to me now? Since I¡¯ve confessed, please have mercy¡­¡± ¡°I will decide on your fate after this case is closed,¡± Woohyuk responded. It was premature to kill off this blonde guy right now, as things might go wrong in the middle of resolving this situation. After entrusting the blonde guy to the torturing officer, Woohyuk hurriedly walked out. *** ¡°What are you thinking, Count?¡± a noblewoman with brown hair asked Lee Jaesung, who was standing by the window. She was Sally of the Tanis Family. She married Lee Jaesung after he quelled a rebellion in the past, and she currently carried his child. ¡°Ah, I was reminiscing on the past.¡± Lee Jaesung smiled at Sally who wasying down on the bed. She was the only reason he still lived in this harsh world. Because she existed, today had meaning. ¡°You seemed to be reminiscing on when you first came to this world,¡± she continued. ¡°Yes, it was a really dark period for me in the beginning,¡± he replied. Jaesung was like any other ordinary office worker on Earth. He did what his superiors told him to do and lived a rtively mundane private life outside of work. However, one day, all that changed and became a hellish nightmare. He had topete against others to survive. Betrayal and violence were constant. If it wasn¡¯t for Woohyuk¡­ ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have been able to live with a pretty noblewoman after receiving the Count title.¡¯ His sword skills weren¡¯t very good, and he wasn¡¯t one of the brightest people either. Just because he was trustworthy, Woohyuk entrusted the Ertonia region to him, and as a result, he was able to be and enjoy who he was now. Like any other day, it seemed like his peaceful daily life would continue¡­ ¡®The Game of Divine Thrones. This world is really crazy.¡¯ Suddenly, because of the step-by-step achievement quest that went out to everyone, the Eeth Continent was overturned overnight. The attempt to assassinate Queen Joanna may also have been the result of one of these quests. After Woohyuk sent him a message, Lee Jaesung became confused and couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡°If you have any concerns, please tell me, Count. I feel sorry for leaving you to worry alone,¡± Sally said with concern. ¡°In the Ertonia region, an impure group tried to assassinate the Rhine Kingdom¡¯s Queen. Furthermore, the weapons they make are stronger than the average swords and shields,¡± Lee Jaesung confessed his concerns to Sally. She got up from her bed and hugged him from behind. ¡°The Hero King will resolve it well. He defeated the terrifying Demon Kings,¡± Sally whispered into his ear. ¡°I promise. No matter what happens, I will be responsible for your safety,¡± he replied. Lee Jaesung¡¯s worries were solely focused on Sally and the unborn child she carried. As the two faced each other and kissed, the entrance door suddenly swung open and men with rough impressions entered inside. ¡°Who, who are you!¡± Jaesung yelled. ¡°You can consider us the revolutionary army¡­¡± The men streamed in and split on both sides of the couple. In the center stood a white man with golden blonde hair. It was Jonathan Adler, the perpetrator of this recent incident. Lee Jaesung hid Sally behind him and urgently pulled out his long sword from its scabbard. Seu-Reung! ¡°Are you from the Orbis n, who tried to assassinate Queen Joanna?¡± Jaesung shouted out. ¡°Oh, has that bemon knowledge already? That¡¯s unfortunate. Our revolution hasn¡¯t even started in earnest yet.¡± The revolution that Jonathan Adler was talking about was somewhat ambiguous. His overarching message implied the abolition of the ancient monarchy and the modernization of the Rhine Kingdom. However, Lee Jaesung was not interested in the ideal Jonathon pursued. ¡°Do you think that making firearms and bombs will end this crisis? It¡¯s just a tool to rule the powerless people of the kingdom!¡± Lee Jaesung snarled out. ¡°Oh, dear. It was my mistake to think that I could pull one over you since you¡¯re a human from the same world. Well, it would have been a surprise if a savage Asian understood the concept of modernization properly,¡± Jonathan Adler calmly said as he pulled out a pistol and aimed between Lee Jaesung¡¯s eyebrows. Even if he had already tipped his hand and caused a disturbance in the middle of the night, nothing too difficult would arise from his actions. If he pulled the trigger, many problems would be resolved. In that moment of Lee Jaesung¡¯s despair, Jaesung recalled Woohyuk¡¯s face. ¡®He should be arriving soon.¡¯ Woohyuk was supposed to meet him at his mansion tonight. When Lee Jaesung was awaiting Woohyuk with anxiety, suddenly, someone screamed from the corridor. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± The appearance of an intruder. Lee Jaesung, who had on a dark expression, quickly brightened up at once. Jonathan, who didn¡¯t know the circumstances, kept his pistol pointed at Jaesung while he barked at his n members, ¡°Are there any loose-ends that you guys haven¡¯t handled yet?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll go check,¡± one of the nsmen replied. He went out the door, holding an assault rifle with his men following closely behind. However, they also were powerless against the unknown intruder. Bam Bam Bam Bam! The opponent was too strong. Jonathan, feeling that something was off, moved away from the entrance door as much as possible and re-aimed his pistol at Lee Jaesung. ¡°Stay still. I¡¯ll shoot right away if you move.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jonathon seemingly wanted to take Lee Jaesung and Sally hostage. Lee Jaesung gulped and lowered his long sword. At that time, a dry, young man¡¯s voice came from the corridor, ¡°Jonathan Adler. I¡¯ve heard about how you met your demise from Logan a long time ago. I heard you were so afraid of turning into an undead that you went into a gunpowder warehouse and set fire on yourself.¡± ¡°You¡­ who the hell are you?¡± Jonathon yelled out. The mansion was surrounded by Jonathon¡¯s elite n members. The rest were scattered in the territory and looting. However, he couldn¡¯t understand how this man came into this room without any forewarning from his nsmen. Rumble. A gloomy mana aura leaked in from the bottom of the door. Jonathan yelled out again with a tense look, ¡°If you¡¯re looking for me, you should reconsider! If you do anything stupid, lord and wife of this ce will be shot.¡± ¡°Do you think you are above me now? Idiot,¡± Woohyuk said, his voice seemingly getting closer and closer. Eventually, when the tense atmosphere turned unbearable, Jonathan suddenly fell to the floor with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± The curse of the ancient devil. Using the passive effect of the reinforced Andvaranaut, all those who were hostile to Woohyuk in a 1km radius were suddenly struck by powerful curse magic. ¡°It¡¯s good to see that you¡¯re okay, Lee Jaesung,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°C-Captain!¡± When Woohyuk entered the bedroom, Lee Jaesung cried out happily. It had been a long time since they lost saw each other. Woohyuk¡¯s inner circle had greatly changed from the earlier days. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking this guy. In addition to Orbis n, I believe that there were other people involved in the n to assassinate the Queen.¡± ¡°¡­ Sorry for not helping. I should have caught him first.¡± Rather than helping his Captain, Jaesung had be a hostage and caused Woohyuk trouble. As Lee Jaesung bowed his head in shame, Woohyuk put his hand on his shoulder. ¡°You are doing your part well. Right here.¡± Woohyuk was able to continue moving forward because he had trusted vassals, like Jaesung, who maintained the status quo in their given position. Sally spoke to Jaesung only after Woohyuk left with Jonathon in tow. ¡°He¡¯s a very cool person, the Hero King.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s for the Captain, I¡¯m willing to sacrifice my life.¡± Woohyuk was a character who showed dignity andpassion as a monarch and let his vassals lead by themselves without requiring allegiance. Lee Jaesung clenched his fist, believing that he would help Woohyuk end this world¡¯s turbulence someday. Chapter 258: The Rule of the West 4

Chapter 258: The Rule of the West 4

As expected, many people were involved in the n to assassinate the Queen. Woohyuk tortured them one after another and imprisoned thest one into the royal dungeon. The punishment given to everyone was, of course, the death penalty. The execution of the punishment was publicly carried out. Since the public executions, the number of royals and lords targeted for assassination in the Rhine Kingdom had significantly decreased. ¡®This should be enough for the time being.¡¯ Currently, the hottest areas on the Eeth Continent were the ces where the epic dungeons were located. The Rhine Kingdom was far from those ces and was located in a remote corner of the western continent, so there was less conflict. When Woohyuk left the pce with Leifina, the ck Dragon King, Drakia appeared in front of him. ¡°I heard that you once again saved Joanna¡¯s life,¡± he murmured. ¡°I was lucky. In many ways,¡± Woohyuk replied solemnly. He had no intention of voicing his own merits. As if he appreciated this appearance, Drakia gave Woohyuk a gift. ¡°This is something I stumbled upon in the past. I hope it is useful for you.¡± [Abyss Dark Crystal]. It was an item that was dropped with extremely low probability when a time-space fissure urred. Additionally, there was no exnation about the item in the system because it was impossible for the system to analyze something that originated outside of it. Woohyuk expressed his gratitude after receiving the ck crystal from Drakia. ¡°Thanks for taking care of me,¡± Woohyuk responded. ¡°No worries. If you have anything to ask, you cane to me anytime.¡± Drakia was showing a very favorable attitude toward Woohyuk, who twice protected Queen Iona¡¯s descendants. After parting ways with Drakia, Woohyuk returned to Inotia with Leifina. ¡°You can¡¯t even rest, even for a moment, because of the new quest. Everyone sees each other aspetitors and tries to get ahead, even by a little,¡± Leifina pouted. ¡°In the first ce, that¡¯s what the system was made to do. However, the chaos and unrest has been further stoked recently by the Creator,¡± he replied. Still, he wasn¡¯t too worried because each region had reliable allies and trustworthy personnel. All of the talents he was currently raising were also excellent. ¡°You said you recently got your sixth ability?¡± Woohyuk asked Song Anna, as she was passing by. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a wide area buff this time.¡± Song Anna exined the abilities she had gained since she became the Child Blessed by the Seven Stars. The first ability was to give corporeal reality to the spirit. The second ability was to directly possess control over natural objects, such as animals and nts. The third ability was to give animals and nts an anthropomorphic reality. The fourth ability was the ability to create a new spirit. The fifth ability was to transform oneself and other targets into animals and nts. The sixth ability, gained this time around, was to give a wide area Blessing from Mother Nature by ying an instrument or singing. ¡®It¡¯s a direct Blessing from Mother Nature.¡¯ The wide area buff itself could be cast by a bard or a musician, but the key was what effect it had. Woohyuk made Song Anna y her flute. Eventually, the sound of a flute reverberated indoors like a babbling brook, and a system message appeared in his mind. [The Blessing Buff from Mother Nature has been granted.] [Resistance to abnormal magic. The power of natural magic increases by 80%.] [Health and vitality are restored 1% every second during the ying period.] [The duration of various beneficial effects increases by 50% and skill cooldown decreases by 50%.] [All stats start to rise gradually during the ying period. They may increase up to 20%.] Truly, a tremendous buff effect. Indeed, it was overpowered enough to be considered a hidden ss skill. Woohyuk encouraged andplimented Song Anna, who had always worked hard and then spoke with Irene. ¡°Do you have any new abilities?¡± ¡°Since I ate the Dragon Heart the other day, I¡¯ve obtained simr powers to a dragon.¡± Since Irene was the highest-level chimera, she could absorb the abilities of other monsters and creatures by consuming their heart or core. Irene was like Roan, a Gluttony Homunculus, who stole the opponent¡¯s abilities with his Ragnar weapon. ¡®I also have the Immortal Armor.¡¯ Although limited as an artifact, the Immortal Armor had the ability to evolve itself. The possibilities were endless. Therefore, like his artifact, Irene could also be stronger as long as she was given suitable conditions. ¡®I wish I had something topensate for Irene¡¯s instability¡­¡¯ She was a chimera based on a dead Saint, so she possessed unique characteristics, but her fundamental foundation was poor. As Aris warned, if she overdid herself, her body would melt from the inside. After considering her predicament, Woohyuk decided to go to Irene and feed her Alice the Queen of Thorn¡¯s heart. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you take this too. Alice¡¯s abilities don¡¯t fit humans.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat it well,¡± Irene responded. She bowed her head in an expression of gratitude and then bit into Alice¡¯s beating heart. Blood sttered all over the ce, making it a pretty grotesque sight. However, perhaps because of her beautiful appearance, the scene had its own charm. ¡°Do you feel any changes?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°I can feel the power rising from within. But it feels a little different from when I ate the Dragon Heart.¡± It felt like a giant snake was slithering inside her. At Irene¡¯s exnation, Woohyuk brought out Verserios. ¡°Let¡¯s see how strong you¡¯ve be.¡± Since he had invested the heart of the Queen of Thorns, it was natural that he was curious about the oue. When Woohyuk wielded Verserios, Irene summoned a pitch-ck scythe to block the attack. Ka-Rang! Ka-Rang! Sparks flew out, and Irene was pushed back a little. ¡®To be able to endure this much against me¡­ she¡¯s definitively developed.¡¯ Her potential and power level were proof as to why she was given as the hidden reward on the Twilight Tower¡¯sst floor. If he continued to feed her in this way, she would be much stronger than the actual Alice the Queen of Thorns. Woohyuk¡¯s assessment of Irene rose more and more. ¡°Is it over now?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah. If your regeneration ability is at this level, you¡¯ve passed,¡± Woohyuk replied. Her body parts that had been sliced by Verserios began to quickly heal. He didn¡¯t feel the need to cut limbs to verify the ability¡¯s efficacy. Furthermore, Irene¡¯s body was still unstable, so it was better to handle her development and nurture with care. ¡®Well, if I really want to know, I can always experiment on my own body.¡¯ If he used the ck Constetion, Baal¡¯s skill, with Liandry¡¯s Ring, he could borrow Irene¡¯s abilities. This meant that the more he grew and developed his vassals and followers, the stronger he would be. This was Woohyuk¡¯s unique advantage that other monarchs and rulers couldn¡¯t enjoy. ¡°Let¡¯s see, is Allen next?¡± Allen also seeded in oveing the trials in the Arcane Tower. He had be a powerful archmage. When Woohyuk approached Allen to discuss his development, a man¡¯s voice sounded in his mind. [Sovereign, there¡¯s a problem on the Dreadlore side.] It was the Death Knight Huperion, who guarded the Death Castle Dreadlore. ¡°What is it?¡± [The Norton Royal Family is trying to drive out your main troops by agitating the people of the kingdom. They¡¯re probably doing this because of the recently created epic dungeon, but¡­] There was no way that the Norton Kingdom, which had been studying the secrets of immortality for generations, would not be interested in the Divine Thrones. Woohyuk rubbed his temples as he felt a headacheing on. ¡°Just when I set the Rhine Kingdom straight, the Norton Kingdom is veering off course,¡± Woohyuk said silently. [If you give the order, I will subdue them all. However, in the process, I expect that some of the garrisoned troops you¡¯ve left will receive some losses.] The army that Woohyuk stationed in the Norton Kingdom was a n coalition led by the Ragnarok n. Woohyuk was able to make the n coalition do his bidding because he held most of the n leaders hostage. The number of the garrisoned forces exceeded 50,000. Ahead of the Eastern Conquest n, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t afford to lose these forces. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± The Dreadlore was equipped with a homing device, so the monarch, Woohyuk, and his vassals could easily return. Woohyuk mulled over who he should take. He chose Leifina and Song Anna. ¡°Lord, why is that child¡­¡± Leifina said with concern. ¡°I n to use her hidden ss this time, the Child Blessed by the Seven Stars.¡± Until now, despite her high potential, Song Anna had focused only on her growth because she was young and physically weak. However, she was now ready to enter the field. Whoosh! When Woohyuk chanted a spell, a magic circle spread out on the floor, and the surroundings were surrounded by a sh of light. *** Death Castle Dreadlore. There, countless undead were weing the Lord who had just returned. If one counted the undead who were currently working outside the castle walls, there were about 60,000 undead in total. It was about the same size as the n coalition that was stationed to maintain order. ¡°Lord, it seems like you have grown even stronger,¡± Huperion said in marvel. Death Knight Huperion gazed at Woohyuk¡¯s pitch-ck wings while kneeling on one knee. As a knight who once reached a high level of power, he could feel Woohyuk¡¯s hierarchy as a Demigod. Although not aplete god, the gap between a Demigod and an undead was truly enormous. ¡°Report in detail the movement of the Norton Royal Family,¡± Woohyuk directed. ¡°Military conscription orders were issued simultaneously in the capital of Gettingsburg and several military cities around it. In the current situation, where there is no external hostile force, I can only presume that their purpose is to use the forces for an internal matter.¡± To secure the epic dungeon located close to Dreadlore. Under Woohyuk¡¯s direction, Death Knight Huperion was making sure to control the perimeter and not allow anyone to enter. While maintaining this strict perimeter, Huperion and Woohyuk¡¯s other forces received manyints from the Norton Royal Family. After the death of King Colesman, Woohyuk had, in all intents and purposes, ruled over the Norton Kingdom. ¡°Their actions mean that there are quite a few local lords who support the Norton Family,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°Not all the local lords are friendly with the Royal Family. However, I would say about 60% of them are,¡± Huperion replied. 60% meant more than half, a considerable majority. Woohyuk took out a military map and asked Huperion about the propensities of each local lord. ¡°In general, the farther from the capital, the lower their level of support,¡± Woohyuk summarized after listening to Huperion¡¯s exnation. ¡°In the case of the border areas, a lot of people who have been relegated to those border areas by the royal family. Those people have little to no exchange with the royal family,¡± Huperion went on to further exin. Even though Huperion was undead, he knew the internal circumstances of the Norton Kingdom. He had been collecting various information by violently torturing the humans he captured. Woohyuk nodded his head and pointed to the capital, Gettingsburg, where Ragnarok n was stationed. ¡°My n is currently in the most dangerous area. They¡¯re in the middle of the enemy camp,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°Will you summon them here first? I heard that you have that ability,¡± Huperion asked. ¡°No. First of all, I¡¯ll draw the attention of the Norton Royal Family.¡± If his n members suddenly disappeared from the capital, the Norton Royal Family would surely take precautions and be warier. Thus, Woohyuk decided to utilize the undead army to properly divert their focus. Woohyuk entrusted this tactical role to Death Knight Huperion. ¡°Take 50,000 undead and slowly start southward toward the capital. Death Castle Dreadlore can be defended with 10,000 troops,¡± Woohyuk exined. ¡°Then, where will your lordship go?¡± Death Knight Huperion asked. ¡°I will immediately infiltrate the capital with my vassals ande to an agreement with the Norton Royal Family.¡± There was no need to wage arge-scale battle. The only thing that needed to be done was reaching an agreement with the Norton Royal Family, the originators of the problem. Once that was done, the local lords who were attached to them would lose their pir of support. Once that happened, they could be defeated individually. Woohyuk eyes lit up as he gazed at the fortified cities marked with red gs on the military map. Chapter 259: The Rule of the West 5

Chapter 259: The Rule of the West 5

Gettingsburg, the capital of the Norton Kingdom. The next sessor to the throne, Prince Gahaz, was in the middle of conducting a secret ritual with his mother, Queen Montana, and a few priests. ¡°In order to have an immortal body, you must understand and awaken the secret, Gahaz. Nakron, the Lich King who reigned here a long time ago, was able to do just that,¡± Montana instructed. ¡°I want to be a god! The Lich King is less than that!¡± Gahaz cried out. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to sit on a Divine Throne from the beginning. First of all, you have to escape the bondage of being a human and reign over others,¡± she continued. The Norton Royal Family had long been researching Liches. Their efforts had finally paid off, as they were now able to use some of the Lich¡¯s evil magic. ¡°I will kill all those who darepete with me for a Divine Throne seat! Even if the Hero Kinges, I won¡¯t be scared!¡± Gahaz said with increasing fervor. ¡°Right, right. I wish for you to do whatever you set out to do. Our secret process can¡¯t bepleted without desire,¡± she continued. The ck sphere floating above the magic circle began to grow in size. Watching this, Queen Montana ordered the ck-robed priests to bring out a naked brte-haired virgin. ¡°Heup! Heup!¡± The brown-haired maiden had her arms tied around her back with chains and her mouth was stuffed with cloth. As she was carried over to the magic circle, evil energy emanated from her ck sphere and settled down closer to the floor. ¡°Today¡¯s offering looks a little weak,¡± Gahaz murmured with dissatisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to get virgins these days. Still, she¡¯s fresh,¡± Montana replied. The Norton Royal Family¡¯s secret ritual required virgin¡¯s blood. They would gain the power of evil magic by offering sacrifices. The purpose of this secret ritual was to cast an evil magic curse on Woohyuk, who was poprly known as the Hero King. ¡°She¡¯s thest of the thirty virgins that we¡¯ve sacrificed over the past 30 days, so I guess she¡¯ll do. The Hero King will definitely die, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course. No one has ever survived this curse,¡± the Queen replied with confidence. In the Norton Royal Family, Woohyuk was a constant thorn in their side. With him out of the picture, they¡¯d be able to regain control of the Norton Kingdom and attack the epic dungeon. Now that everything was ready, all that was left was to watch the results. While Queen Montana and Prince Gahaz were basking in their lofty expectations, a white cat came through the window into the interior of the stone chamber. ¡°Meow~~¡± It gave out a long cry that was peculiar to cats. Queen Montana frowned and nced towards one of her ck-robed priests. Seeing her ring at him, the priest went over to the white cat¡­ Sa-Ah! Suddenly, the white cat was engulfed in ck mana before taking form. It was Woohyuk. Surprised, Queen Montana stuttered as she took a few steps back, ¡°H-H-Hero King¡­!¡± ¡°I knew I¡¯d have to take care of you guys at some point. Thanks for reminding me,¡± he responded casually. He knew early on that the Norton Royal Family had been carrying on forbidden research. However, there was always better use for his time, so he had left them alone. This was a good opportunity to tie up his loose ends. ¡®It¡¯s not a bad tactic to transform into a cat and sneak in.¡¯ Using Song Anna¡¯s ability, it was possible for him to transform into an animal or nt for a certain period of time. If one sumbed to a fatal attack, one would return to his/her original state. Woohyuk organized his thoughts and then quickly subdued the priests who had surrounded him. Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam! The gap in strength was so overwhelming that the scene devolved into a one-sided assault. There was no one in the Norton Kingdom that could stop this Demigod bully. Subsequently, when he summoned Leifina and Song Anna, Queen Montana hastily tried toplete the ritual. Seu-Reung! She pulled out a dagger and tried to stab the heart of her offering, the brown-haired virgin. However, her attempt failed. Leifina had made her move. Pu-Wook! Argent, the Oath of Loyalty sword, protruded out of Montana¡¯s back. Seeing this, Prince Gahaz stepped toward the entrance door to quickly escape. Hu-Da-Dak. He was only 16 years old, so his movements were quite agile. However, at the entrance, Undine, the Water Spirit, was already waiting for him. ¡°Give up. You won¡¯t be able to escape,¡± Undine said with an ethereal voice. Prince Gahaz¡¯s ankles were soon frozen over with ice as Undine used her freezing magic spell. The immobile Gahaz started raving like mad, screaming at Woohyuk with an angry expression. ¡°You asshole! Do you know who I am! You dare to do this to a prince!¡± he snarled. ¡°I know who you are. You¡¯re just a stray dog that knows nothing about the world,¡± Woohyuk calmly replied. No matter how young he was, there was nothing good that coulde about by keeping Gahaz alive. Woohyuk rescued the brown-haired girl from the magic circle and then put Prince Gahaz in the very same spot. ¡°No! I can¡¯t be sacrificed!¡± ¡°Karma¡¯s a bitch, silly little boy.¡± Up to now, countless innocent virgins were sacrificed for Gahaz¡¯s selfish motives. After a while, Prince Gahaz was covered with evil energy that emanated out of the ck sphere¡­ ¡°That¡¯s disgusting,¡± Leifina said from Woohyuk¡¯s side. Gahaz¡¯s body took a mummy-like shape as the swirling evil energy revolved about his body. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. Most of the royal family is involved in these rituals,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°Are you going to kill them all tonight?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°Sure. Might as well.¡± He had to finish the purge before dawn to save himself some trouble. If he quickly took control of the capital, Gettingsburg, the rest of the surrounding cities and their military could be captured without difficulty. The Norton Kingdom¡¯s Royal Armed Forces, which had left to prevent the iing undead troops, could also be circumvented, lowering the chance of any loss on his side. As Woohyuk headed to the entrance, Leifina and Song Anna silently followed. *** When the Norton Royal Family was massacred, most of the local lords surrendered without a fight. Their opponent was the Hero King. Not many would be foolish enough to stand against such a lofty individual. Hence, when peace came back to the Norton Kingdom, Woohyuk had the undead army return to the Death Castle Dreadlore. He would have allowed the undead to stay if thend was rtively empty, but he couldn¡¯t have them out in the open in such a congested Kingdom. ¡°Now that monarch rule has be impossible, I should appoint a governor to rule,¡± Woohyuk muttered. ¡°Who are you going to appoint as governor of the Norton Kingdom, Lord?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of assigning Sieg,¡± Woohyuk said after some thought. The Norton Kingdom was a tremendously important area because an epic dungeon was located within its boundaries. However, considering public sentiment, he couldn¡¯t just appoint anyone as governor. If Woohyuk appointed Dragon yer Sieg, it seemed that he¡¯d avoid any meaningful pushback from the local lords or people. After organizing his thoughts, Woohyuk immediately summoned Sieg to his side. ¡°From now on, you will rule the Norton Kingdom.¡± ¡°Huh? Then my wife and son¡­¡± Sieg stuttered, surprised by the sudden appointment. ¡°Bring everyone. As previously promised, I am observing your right to defend your family.¡± Brynhildr, Tinia, and Sylvia were Sieg¡¯s most precious people. Hearing that his most precious people wouldn¡¯t be forced into any future wars, Sieg was almost in tears. ¡°Thank you! Thank you very much! Since the world has devolved into so much chaos, I was worried about the safety of my wife and child¡­¡± ¡°In return, make sure to keep the epic dungeon safe from any foreign forces. Death Knight Huperion will be assisting you as well,¡± Woohyuk replied. Ensuring the safety of the epic dungeon was worth reducing his useable manpower. After leaving Sieg, Woohyuk went to go see the epic dungeon. He was already in the area, so he thought he¡¯d go take a look. As he heard from his reports, the size and majesty of the epic dungeon were tremendous. ¡°It¡¯s really grand. It is not as tall as the Twilight Tower, but it¡¯s still veryrge in scale,¡± Leifina said with surprise. ¡°This is probably the highest-grade ruins on the Eeth Continent,¡± Woohyukmented in return. Woohyuk looked up at the huge pyramid floating high in the sky. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t even be able to enter inside. ording to rumors, no one who had entered an epic dungeon ever returned. ¡°The difficulty level is probably terribly high. If we go in there, will we have to y a survival game again?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°I think that¡¯s very likely. Each of the currently vacant Divine Throne seats can only be upied by one person,¡± Woohyuk answered. Therefore, even though Woohyuk secured two epic dungeons, he was dying entry because of this reason. He thought that it wouldn¡¯t be toote to deeply consider who should sit atop the empty seats rather than attacking the dungeons recklessly. As the two were preparing to return, Woohyuk heard Nakron¡¯s voice. [My disciple, the time has finallye.] ¡°What does that mean?¡± [The war of the chosen heroes. There are other higher spirits besides me in the new Divine Throne system, and they each have a disciple. They¡¯ve chosen those who they feel possess the highest potential for growth.] ording to Nakron, the total number of higher spirits who were participating in this Game of Divine Thrones were three, including Nakron himself. Therefore, there were three disciples, one for each higher spirit. Furthermore, the higher spirits were inpetition against each other. ¡°Can you give me information about the other disciples?¡± [Sorry, but that¡¯s beyond my ability. However, they have great abilities, so sooner orter, you will meet them on the battlefield.] ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Woohyuk had a concerned expression on his face. At this moment Alice, the Queen of Thorns Queen, Logan, and Ivanov were all dead. The only contentious enemy left was Marcus, the Lightlord. ¡®Then who is the other one?¡¯ No matter how many times he sifted through his past memories, no face or name came to mind. [Oh, by the way, the other guys seemed to have chosen their disciples only recently. So, keep an eye out on those who are active or strong right now.] ¡°¡­ Alright. I¡¯ll look it up,¡± Woohyuk replied. The main characters in the West maintained a friendly rtionship with him, so it was easy to find out if there were any up-anders or strong individuals rising in the ranks. Once Woohyuk returned to Inotia, he immediately video called with his allies, one by one. [Higher Spirit? I haven¡¯t even seen one in my dreams. I swear, by the honor of the Beastman Warrior.] ¡­ Ganiev, leader of the Beastmen Alliance, didn¡¯t have a clue. He wasn¡¯t one to lie, nor did he have exceptionally strong ability. Soon, after connecting with Ophelia¡­ [I don¡¯t even know what a higher spirit is. If it¡¯s just a spirit, they alwaysmunicate with us.] Elven Queen Ophelia was somewhat naive, so if she lied, it could easily be spotted. After many sessions, he connected with Eleanora, who appeared on the screen¡­ ¡°Eleanora, I¡¯m sorry about what happened to your father. I have been busy, so I only just heard the news,¡± Woohyuk said with a solemn voice. Prior to asking her for what he wanted, Woohyukforted her like an older brother. Eleanora nodded her head with a crestfallen expression. [It¡¯s fine. These are very confusing times. No one knows when and where someone will die.] ¡°Have you faced any problems after bing Empress? If you have, tell me and I¡¯ll try to help.¡± [You don¡¯t have to worry about me. Since father passed away, the seven pdins have been guarding me by my side.] Their failure in safely escorting the previous emperor was a great shame for the seven pdins. In order not to repeat the same mistakes, they currently put Eleanora¡¯s safety as a top priority and stuck to her day and night. Eleanora, understanding her own position, was always careful about her actions. ¡°Have any higher spirits suddenly appeared? Higher spirits talking about Divine Thrones or this and that¡­¡± [¡­ Oh, how did you know that? I don¡¯t think Hwarin would have told you first.] Hwarin, the legendary female swordsman of the Lioness Kingdom. She had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship. It was Hwarin, the higher spirit, who chose Eleanora as her disciple. Hearing Eleanora¡¯s honest words, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but frown. Due to his recent dealings and decisions, his political marriage partner had now be a potentialpetitor. Chapter 260: Eastern Conquest Plan 1

Chapter 260: Eastern Conquest n 1

¡°Then, are you nning to vie for a Divine Throne seat? There are two epic dungeons in the West,¡± Woohyuk asked. [¡­ Honestly, I am interested. However, when I think of how and why my father died, I¡¯m not sure that I¡¯d want to risk my life for it.] After the death of Emperor Tiberius, Eleanora seemed to have undergone many changes, both in her heart and mind. Woohyuk decided to console her as much as possible. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you getting hurt. At such a young age, governing an entire Empire will certainly not be easy. So, ept Hwarin¡¯s help and grow, but for the time being, forget about the Divine Thrones,¡± he suggested. [If you say so, I¡¯ll follow what you say. I¡¯m living to be with you.] After Emperor Tiberius¡¯ death, the only person that Eleonora could fully trust was Woohyuk. Woohyuk nodded his head and immediately ended the video call. ¡®I feel a little dirty. Something feels wrong or misced.¡¯ Tiberius was a greedy and cunning opponent who he had to eliminate sometime in the future. However, in the case of Eleanora, although she was wild, she was not a viin or politically ambitious. Thus, Woohyuk felt a sense of guilt for using her as he did. ¡®But it can¡¯t be helped. If we start arguing and fighting, the Eastern Conquest expedition n will be a pipe dream.¡¯ The best-case scenario for Woohyuk was for Eleanora to be a strong enough Empress to defend the Holy Aperian Empire from foreign attacks. There was no need for him to ce her on a Divine Throne seat, nor did he think it would be a good idea. cing her on a Divine Throne seat only increased the risk that Eleanora would one day turn into an enemy, especially if his love potion lost its effectiveness once she became a god. Woohyuk decided to leave for the Eastern Conquest before Hwarin could further convince Eleanora. ¡°This conquest war will be quite long. Make sure you all are ready,¡± Woohyuk said aloud. ¡°¡­¡± Those gathered at the meeting ce looked at each other¡¯s faces with nervous expressions. An Eastern Conquest¡­ In terms of scale, it would be like a world war. ¡°Any questions?¡± Woohyuk followed up. ¡°Master, when the expedition is over, how about taking the women from the east as prisoners? I¡¯ll build a wonderful pce on this Heavenly Ind¡­¡± Bam! Woohyuk¡¯s fierce fist strike squarely punched Roan in the stomach while he was mid-sentence. ¡°Don¡¯t say useless things. One more time and I¡¯ll have Helena castrate you,¡± he warned. ¡°R-Roan doesn¡¯t want to be castrated! My poor family jewels¡­¡± Roan cried out while trembling with fear. When Lisa saw this interaction, she looked upon Roan pathetically and said to Woohyuk, ¡°Really¡­ we¡¯re the same Homunculus, but the quality of this one is so poor that I feel skeptical if he¡¯s even useable. Why did you choose to keep this guy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still better than nothing.¡± During the battle against the ancient demon Lucifer, the two Homunculus were damaged and incapacitated. Woohyuk had them recover and fixed in Inotia, leaving the repairs to Aris. He did this because they would be a positive in terms ofbat force. ¡°Asura, this is the new Ishvar Calvary Unit. What do you think? Do you like it?¡± Aris asked. While Woohyuk was dealing with Roan, Aris appeared with the Ishvar Calvary Unit. Woohyuk¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the unit who answered 1+1 equals 3st time?¡± ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­ At that time, there was a little problem with its calction artificial intelligence (AI)¡­¡± Aris was a bit too greedy on the first prototype, putting a plethora of functions and abilities into it. She had packed so many functions into the first prototype that she overlooked a minor defect. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say that¡¯s what happened. Anyway, tell me, what can this guy do?¡± he asked, still a bit skeptical. ¡°Since we¡¯ve mass-produced 100 units, we can entrust Inotia¡¯s defense to these units. They can even save lives in the event of a disaster,¡± Aris stated with pride. It seemed like a fairly useful invention. When Aris finished proudly exining all the details of the Ishvar Calvary Unit¡¯s specs, Woohyuk nodded. ¡°Okay. Start on-site deployment today.¡± ¡°Ye-ess~! Then I¡¯ll get back to the factory and produce some other useful units!¡± Aris seemed to be having a lot of fun researching, studying, and producing magically engineered prototypes these days. When she disappeared, Cadiz walked up to Woohyuk¡¯s and stated, ¡°Lord, I produced the amount of Adamante you ordered.¡± ¡°... Lead the way.¡± Woohyuk followed Cadiz with runesmith Dexter and Irene following closely behind. When they arrived at their destination, Dexter saw Adamante piled up high in arge warehouse. Dexter couldn¡¯t help his jaw from dropping in amazement, stuttering, ¡°T-T-This, this i-is¡­¡± ¡°It is the magic metal called Adamante. It is immutable like gold but malleable and firm enough to make various equipment. It¡¯s also light in weight,¡± Woohyuk exined. It was the perfect material for Dexter, who was currently focusing on developing his cksmith skills. As Dexter constantly eximed and bounced around with joy, Irene asked Woohyuk, ¡°But why did you bring me? I don¡¯t have any knowledge about alchemy or production.¡± ¡°Ah, I called you for a different purpose¡­¡± Woohyuk pulled out Verserios and cut Cadiz¡¯s neck. Ahhhhhhhhh! His blood spurted out like a fountain. Cadiz¡¯s headless body rolled on the floor. ¡°Uh¡­ why¡­?¡± Irene asked. ¡°Eat his heart,¡± Woohyuk stated tly. Toplete the Death Alchemist quest, Cadiz had to eventually die. Woohyuk had waited until he rued an appropriate amount of Adamante. In other words, he made the decision that he had umted enough golden eggs as insurance before breaking the belly of the goose thatid the golden eggs. Of course, now that there would be a new goose, so there was nothing for him to lose. Pluck. Munch. Munch. Irene took out Cadiz¡¯s heart and started to chew on it as if it was a delicious treat. Dexter¡¯s face turned blue as he watched the scene unfold. ¡°Lord, that beautiful silver-haired woman¡­ what is her identity?¡± ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s just say that she loves people¡¯s hearts.¡± Woohyuk didn¡¯t want to marginalize his colleagues, especially in front of other colleagues. He also didn¡¯t want it to be known widely that Irene was a chimera. Of course, there were already quite a few people who knew the secret. Soon after Irene ended her snack, Woohyuk had her perform the Death Alchemy. ¡°The recipe is already pre-set. You just need to follow the process,¡± Woohyuk instructed. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Irene put the alchemy tools in front of her and began to move busily. Meanwhile, Woohyuk checked the system messages that appeared in front of him. [Legendary Quest: ¡®Death Alchemist¡¯ has beenpleted.] [You have acquired ¡®Mirroring¡¯ as the reward forpleting the quest.] ¡®Mirroring¡­ it¡¯s has a simr ability to the Armor of Revenge.¡¯ The only difference was that the Armor of Revenge only returned a small percentage of the damage back to the opponent, whereas Mirroring could potentially return up to 100%. Hence, Mirroring was considered one of the most ¡®cheat¡¯ abilities. ¡®Although, Mirroring itself is impossible to use in the case that the damage output goes beyond what I can handle.¡¯ Even taking that into ount, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t deny that the reward was good. While Woohyuk was checking the Mirroring ability, Irene spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s over now. Shall we check the results?¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s look at it,¡± Woohyuk replied. When he opened the alchemy pot¡¯s lid, he saw a pure Adamante crystal. Dexter¡¯s eyes flickered with excitement. ¡°I think we can create something incredible with this material,¡± he blurted out, unable to contain his excitement. ¡°First, use the Adamante to make the armor of those who are staying here. Make one for me, too,¡± Woohyuk said. His Immortal Armor could absorb other items, so he would feed it the Adamante armor. Leaving Irene to work with Dexter, Woohyuk returned to the main office and took out Bhnte¡¯s Dagger. ¡®Now, there are only two more abilities I can obtain as the Mythical Sessor.¡¯ Bhnte¡¯s Dagger¡­ it was the Bhnte Family¡¯s greatest treasure, allowing Reinhard and other historically important figures, such as pdins, toe from the family lineage. Since this was the case, he would certainly receive a satisfactory ability. When Woohyuk injected his mana into Bhnte¡¯s Dagger, a system message floated in front of him. [New Achievement] Name: Unbreakable Belief Type: Legend Content: To be recognized by the seven Pdins of the Holy Aperian Empire. Others: No retry if you fail. Only one chance is allowed. ¡®It¡¯s starting to give out some nonsense quest objectives now.¡¯ Of course, there were many different quests with weird objectives throughout the continent. However, he never considered that the contents of a legendary quest would be organized in this way. Woohyuk fell into deep thought. ¡°Do you have any problems, Lord?¡± Leifina asked, tilting her head from beside him. She had no idea what kind of quest Woohyuk received. ¡°I¡¯ll have to leave for the Holy Aperian Empire this time,¡± he replied. ¡°¡­ Is there a rebellion or riot?¡± she asked in concern. ¡°No, I have to meet the seven Pdins,¡± he answered. Luckily, it would be easy to meet them because Eleanora was on his side. The problem was getting them to acknowledge him. The acknowledgment description was a bit ambiguous, so he didn¡¯t know how to approach this situation. Furthermore, they had apletely different worldview than he did, so he didn¡¯t know how to start. When Woohyuk described his concerns, Leifina nodded her head. ¡°Surely, the seven Pdins will have a different perspective and thought than us. If you¡¯re concerned, why don¡¯t you meet the Saintess of Prophecy?¡± she suggested. ¡°Where is she now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably on a walk with Fiona in the artificial garden.¡± Fiona was very interested in Maria, the Saintess of Prophecy. Even though Fiona herself was dead, with only her consciousness remaining in the system within the boundaries of Inotia, she was immensely interested in what the world would be like in the future. Woohyuk went straight to the artificial garden with Leifina. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Maria,¡± he greeted. ¡°Oh, Hero King. You¡¯vee at an opportune time,¡± Maria, who was talking with Fiona, replied. However, her expression was dark. It seemed that she had received a bad revtion. ¡°Did you have a visionst night?¡± he asked after seeing her dark visage. ¡°Yes, something really big will happen soon.¡± Maria carefully described the vision she had seen in her dreams. Numerous fleets in the east crossing the strait. The Croix Principality turning into a sea of fire. Elf Queen Ophelia trampled and impaled by a long sword from a man who appeared to be an Emperor. All these events signaled the beginning of a great war. ¡°Is it possible for the Eastern Empires to invade this side first? Their purpose is probably to secure the west¡¯s epic dungeons,¡± Woohyuk murmured while deep in thought. ¡°What are you going to do? The future may change again, so you need to think and act carefully,¡± Maria suggested. ¡°First, I need to let Ophelia know. Then, we¡¯lle up with some sort of n,¡± he replied. It would be difficult for the elves of the Croix Principality to face the Eastern Empire¡¯s forces by themselves, so Eleanora¡¯s help was needed. Woohyuk immediately returned to his office and had a three-way video conference with them. [Really¡­ to think that the Eastern Empire would invade us¡­ What should we do now?] Elf Queen Ophelia said as her visage darkened. The elven camp had been fighting for a long time against Alice the Queen of Thorns, so their overall power level had considerably weakened. They wouldn¡¯tst long against the Eastern Empire. [I can help the elf queen. I can¡¯t stand still while the Eastern Empire goes crazy.] Eleanora said with burning rage as she raised a twitching eyebrow. For someone to dare invade the West. As the newly minted Empress of the Holy Aperian Empire, the Eastern Empire¡¯s actions were uneptable. It was like a p in the face move, looking down upon her and the Holy Aperian Empire. ¡°The actual ruler of the Eastern Empire is a man named Marcus. After earning the Emperor¡¯s trust, he must have used some method to make Emperor his puppet,¡± Woohyuk exined. Marcus, the Lightlord, was clearly different from the one Woohyuk knew from his previous life. Therefore, it was difficult to judge what type of person Marcus was at this moment. For now, Woohyuk had no choice but to rely on fragmented information from his Eastern spies and contacts. After Woohyuk brought up the Eeth Continent map on the screen, he and the two women began to n and take measures. The confrontation between the East and the West. The beginning of this confrontation was to take ce in a small waterway strait above the Krobaichen Isthmus. Chapter 261: Eastern Conquest Plan 2

Chapter 261: Eastern Conquest n 2

Inside the Imperial Pce of the Theresian Empire. Marcus was reporting to Emperor Ahar II. ¡°The preparations for the Western Conquest expedition are almost over, your Majesty. Would you like to hear the report today?¡± ¡°¡­ No need. Do ording to your will,¡± the emperor answered softly. Ahar II¡¯s face was drained of blood as if he was sick. It had already been a long time since Marcus took decision-making control over the Theresian Empire¡¯s important political affairs. Therefore, it was safe to say that Marcus, for all intents and purposes, was the actual ruler of the Empire. ¡®Everything is going ording to n.¡¯ As he left the royal chambers, Marcus¡¯ expression brightened. He, a single mercenary of the Yen Principality, got this far entirely thanks to the turmoil of times. Because of his ambitions, he lost his pregnant wife, but that too was used as an opportunity to be even stronger. ¡®I will surely sit on a Divine Throne. Even if I have to reach the throne by building a tower of corpses through numerous wars.¡¯ For a moment, Marcus¡¯ eyes reflected his blood-hungry madness. A ck shadow appeared in the background and changed into the form of Aleister. ¡°You look good today, Marcus,¡± Aleister said as he observed Marcus¡¯ state. ¡°Hahaha¡­ there¡¯s no reason for me to look bad. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll obtain the world soon,¡± Marcus stated confidently. His ambition led him to make an overarching n wherein he¡¯d secure all four epic dungeons and take all the rewards in them. Marcus believed that he was the only worthy human being to sit atop the Divine Thrones. Thus, he coveted all four seats for himself. ¡°You must have the confidence to fight the Hero King and win. Have you ever met him?¡± Aleister asked. ¡°No. But I won¡¯t lose. No person longs for the Divine Throne seats more than me,¡± Marcus replied. ¡°That¡¯s a very confident mindset. Then, I¡¯ll wait for the day you return in victory and sit atop the Divine Thrones,¡± Aleister said before he disappeared with a broad, meaningful smile on his face. Marcus frowned after seeing Aleister¡¯s smile, which seemed condescending. ¡®I have no idea what that guy¡¯s thinking.¡¯ Thanks to Aleister, Marcus was easily able to take control over the Theresia Empire. However, he could never get a sense of Aleister¡¯s true intention. Seeing that Aleister was constantly encouraging him to kill the Hero King, Marcus felt that Aleister and the Hero King seemed to have an unavoidable death vendetta against each other. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. If he gets in the way, I can get rid of himter.¡¯ He would stop anyone who got in between him and the Divine Thrones! With a mad gaze, Marcus hastened his steps. *** Within a conference room with a huge round table. Woohyuk was seated and having a conversation with the seven pdins. ¡°It¡¯s a littleforting to hear that your ck wings sprout because of the power of the reaper and not because you¡¯re a demon¡­¡± a pdinmented. ¡°By the way, can you tell us the story of fighting the legendary pdin, Reinhardt? I really can¡¯t get enough of it,¡± another pdin stated. The seven pdins were friendly toward Woohyuk. Basically, he had defended the Empire when Fallen Angel Crue descended and then defeated Alice the Queen of Thorns in the northern front. Of course, when Emperor Tiberius was assassinated, many questioned his whereabouts, and suspicions about his true intentions continued to rise. When they voiced their concerns, Woohyuk had given a satisfactory answer to all their questions. It seemed he hadpletely deceived the seven pdins. ¡°¡­ Would you like to get to the main reason why you¡¯re here, Hero King? There must be a reason why you called us at such an important time,¡± Pdin Commander Hugo, who was silent and listening to Woohyuk¡¯s exnations, asked Woohyuk with a serious expression. Woohyuk nodded his head and pulled out Bhnte¡¯s Dagger. ¡°This is the property of Pdin Reinhardt¡¯s family, the Bhnte Family. He gave me this and told me to be acknowledged by the seven pdins,¡± Woohyuk exined. ¡°Recognition¡­ that¡¯s a difficult word to interpret,¡± Hugo replied pensively. ¡°For him to give you a quest personally, I think Reinhardt must have really liked you, Hero King,¡± another pdin added on. The seven pdins turned to each other and looked at the Bhnte Family¡¯s treasured dagger. The authenticity of the item information could easily be seen on the system window. Its market value would be at least a million gold if sold on the ck market. ¡°I havee to you all to express my goals and aspirations and how I n to realize them,¡± Woohyuk stated. Before giving a lengthy speech, Woohyuk wanted to first establish the right atmosphere. As a Lord and leader, he had experienced many of these situations in the past. The seven pdins waited for his words with anticipation. ¡°Speak. We will listen,¡± a pdin said. ¡°I have been through a lot of adversity to end the constant waves of turmoil that have afflicted thisnd. I was able to withstand and ovee these adversities each time because I thought that only I could do the task¡­¡± Woohyuk went on to retell many of his personal experiences. The seven pdins couldn¡¯t hide their tears after hearing how hard his journey had been. ¡°It¡¯s so heartbreaking that you had to give up your beloved woman for the sake of humanity,¡± a pdin said through tears. ¡°If it were me, I would have given up many times over. I would have just cooked for myself. I am grateful for the Hero King, who has continued to give humanity a chance to thrive by sacrificing his own stomach and mental well-being for the good of the higher cause,¡± another said, swept with emotional fervor. ¡­ They were positively affected by his story, though it was weird that they felt the pain and anguish of his tale at a seemingly minor part¡­ Woohyuk coughed and continued on. ¡°Pdins, you who defend the Empire ording to a higher and nobler will, will you acknowledge my conviction? I will never stop until this turbulence is over.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help but admit it, Hero King. You are the true savior of this time,¡± a pdin cried out. ¡°Please bring peace to the Eeth Continent and always look out for Empress Eleanora. We will also help with all our might,¡± another pdin piled on. The seven pdins had a surprisingly naive corner. As the atmosphere rose, the Pdin Commander, Hugo, stood up and took Woohyuk¡¯s hand, ¡°I wish that you maye out victorious on this Eastern Conquest expedition, Hero King. Although we have to protect Empress Eleanora and remain in the Empire, we trust that you¡¯ll be able to defeat them without us.¡± ¡°Thank you, Hugo. Please take good care of Eleanora while I¡¯m absent,¡± Woohyuk replied. Woohyuk took time to shake hands with the other pdins in turn. Then, a system message appeared before his eyes. [Your conviction has been recognized by the seven Pdins.] [Legendary Quest: You havepleted ¡®Unbreakable Belief¡¯.] [As a reward forpleting the quest, a passive ability, Battle Foresight, has been given.] [You can know the opponent¡¯s movement in advance through Battle Foresight. The degree of effectiveness varies depending on the gap in stats.] Battle Foresight. It was a kind of super sense. Woohyuk showed a satisfied expression because Battle Foresight was a usable ability. ¡®Now I just need to fill one more ability as the Mythical Sessor.¡¯ Afterpleting the Mythical Sessor ss, he¡¯d be able to devote more time to his fourth ss, Rule Breaker. Taking his leave from the seven pdins, Woohyuk personally went to find Eleanora. ¡°I won¡¯t be seeing you for a while, Eleanora. While I¡¯m away, I will entrust the Western continent to you.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we have a wedding before you go out, Hero King? My heart is always yearning for you¡­¡± Eleanora shyly murmured as she turned bright red. She was very beautiful, but Woohyuk shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want for us to have a wedding until the trouble is over. If we did wed now, on the battlefield, I will start regretting not being with my family and loving wife.¡± ¡°If so, I will wait until King Woohyuk achieves all his goals,¡± she said with a sigh. Woohyuk embraced Eleanora on the balcony. Woohyuk stroked her hair as if to appease a little child. ¡°Do well. You¡¯re now the Empress of the Holy Aperian Empire.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I will work hard¡­¡± Eleanora raised her head and put on a smile. The scene was like a romantic picture that could only be read in romance literature. However, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty. ¡®When peace returns, I¡¯ll return you back to normal, Eleanora.¡¯ Outside of Eleanora, Woohyuk also had to be mindful of Leifina. It was Leifina that he owed more towards. So, although the situation was undesirable, it was unavoidable to control and mobilize the imperial army. After having a short kiss with Eleanora, Woohyuk returned to the outskirts of the capital. ¡°Lord, have you finished?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°Yeah. Everything will go ording to our n,¡± Woohyuk answered with a sigh. They hade up with a rtively easy countermeasure thanks to Maria¡¯s prophetic vision. However, whether she was still worried, Leifina¡¯s expression remained dark. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine it. The number of people who will die in this war¡­¡± ¡°We need to reduce the damage as much as possible. Also, keep in mind that if we don¡¯t conquer the East, there will be even more victims,¡± Woohyuk said aloud for everyone nearby to hear. The others aboard the flying shuttle nodded in agreement. ¡°We¡¯ll be justified in our actions as well since the Eastern Empire invaded the West first,¡± someone mentioned. ¡°By the way, what about the Flood, Helena? When will it happen?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Fortunately, I think we¡¯ll be able to deal with the second Catastrophe ourselves since our power levels seem high enough. I¡¯ll tell you the details once our ceremony is over,¡± Helena responded. The followers of Etheria Rodinus were scheduled to conduct a sacred ceremony to prevent the second catastrophe, the Flood, two dayster. Woohyuk nodded and stared at the eastern sky, where the shuttle was heading. They would soon enter a naval battle that would long be talked about on the Eeth Continent. *** The Strait of Isis, located between the Croix Principality and the Theresian Empire. There, arge-scale Eastern fleet continued sailing east through a storm. 100,000 soldiers were on board. Their mission was tond at the Croix Principality and subdue the elven race. ¡°The Elf Queen won¡¯t expect an amphibious attack in this weather,¡± Marcus muttered. In the Captain¡¯s Room, Marcus looked out the window with a happy smile. The key to any strategy was to outwit one¡¯s opponent by situating oneself in an unexpected ce. In that respect, his expedition entrance was really good. ¡°The elven race will soon be under your control,¡± a copper-skinned admiral, who was next to Marcus, said tteringly. The admiral was excited about the idea of tumbling around in the bedroom with the pretty elves after achieving victory. ¡°If the amphibious operation is sessful, I will give you a big prize. I would have had a hard time building a fleet like this. I was lucky that I could depend on you,¡± Marcus replied. ¡°Thank you, my Lord,¡± the admiral said as he smiled and bowed his head to Marcus. At that time, an uproar broke out with a bizarre cry. Go-Oh! At Woohyuk¡¯s call, a Kraken had appeared. The Imperial Army trembled at the appearance of a deep-sea monster that they were seeing for the first time in their lives. ¡°W-What the hell is that?!¡± a deckhand shouted out in confusion. ¡°Is it the mythical sea monster Kraken?¡± another yelled in fright. Kwa-Ji-Jik! A giant ship was easily cracked into two as the Kraken¡¯s tentacles wielded around the helpless ship. The Eastern forces fleet stopped advancing and began firing at the Kraken at once. Pow! Pow! Pow! However, their weapons were not enough to stop deep-sea monsters. When the imperial army was screaming in fear, a ck fog rolled in and a pirate ship appeared. It was the dark purple sailing ship of Pirate King Drake. ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s been a long time since west saw some sea warfare. Ah, it¡¯s nice to reminisce on old memories. No fleet could contend with my ship in those days¡­¡± ¡°W-Who are you?!¡± someone screamed. ¡°Get out of our way, can¡¯t you see the monster right in front of you?!¡± another added on. The Eastern imperial army, not understanding the situation, fired fiery cannonballs at Drake. Instead of answering, Drake ordered his ghost sailors to rain on them with shells. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! Drake¡¯s specially designed cannons were many times more powerful than those of the Eastern fleet. As the empire¡¯s front ships sank into the sea, one by one, Marcus sent more ships to contend against the pirate ship. ¡°Quickly, defeat him! There¡¯s only one pirate ship!¡± He had made a big judgment mistake. Chapter 262: Eastern Conquest Plan 3

Chapter 262: Eastern Conquest n 3

Kwang! Something flew at a high speed across the sea and hit the ship. The shock caused the admiral and Marcus to lose their footing roll around the floor of the Captain''s room. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± the admiral yelped in pain. ¡°What the hell happened!¡± Marcus yelled out once he regained his footing. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know! Maybe we bumped into a blue whale¡­¡± The admiral obscured hisst words. Even he thought his conjecture was too fantastical. A blue whale in the Strait of Isis¡­ However, considering the situation in front of them, no conjecture seemed to be out of the realm of possibility. ¡°Admiral! The ship has been damaged and we¡¯re taking in seawater!¡± a deckhand shouted after opening the Captain¡¯s room. ¡°In this state, we¡¯ll sink in minutes!¡± another yelled out. The sailors urgently poured into the Captain''s room and ryed their reports. The admiral stared out the window with a desperate expression. ¡®What am I supposed to do in this situation?¡¯ Jumping into the sea in this bad weather would be like suicide. Therefore, it was probably best to change ships, but the other ships were being rapidly smashed at high speed by the pirate ships and Kraken. ¡°¡­ It seems that thisnding operation will be a failure,¡± Marcusmented with a calm expression. The milk had already spilled. He had to cut his losses and aim for the next opportunity. ¡°W-Wait, are you nning to use the return spell?¡± the admiral asked with an expression of abject terror. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, admiral. I will not forget your sacrifice,¡± Marcus replied. He was able to teleport back to the Imperial Pce of the Theresian Empire at any time through the return spell. As he disappeared, the admiral fell to his knees with a desperate expression. ¡°Fuck¡­! Damn it¡­!¡± Themander-in-chief of the operation had abandoned 100,000 soldiers! He only saved himself! There was nothing left for the admiral, neither dream nor hope. While the Admiral was cursing Marcus, the hull shook violently once again. Kwang! It was such a violent shock that the people gathered in the Captain¡¯s room lost their footing, momentarily suspended in air, before rolling on the floor. ¡°W-What the hell was that?!¡± the admiral shouted. ¡°It seems to be a bomb!¡± a deckhand replied. ¡°What kind of bomb suddenly hits from under the sea?¡± The admiral couldn¡¯t even dream of knowing that the Nautilus was shooting torpedoes and detonating them under his ship. As the Eastern Fleet gradually whittled down, Woohyuk made a satisfied expression. ¡°They¡¯re really helpless,¡± he murmured. ¡°Hahaha! No fleet on the Eeth Continent can handle this level of maritime power,¡± Drake shouted as heughed openly. He then turned the pirate ship¡¯s steering wheel. The dark pirate ship glowed orange as it swerved to avoid the iing cannonballs. He was truly a skillful pirate. Leifina and Woohyuk¡¯s party expressed their appreciation. ¡°The Pirate King¡¯s level of control is unparalleled.¡± ¡°I was initially concerned because our side only had two pirate ships, but my concerns were useless.¡± This maritime war was conducted in strict secret. It was difficult for Marcus to expect this sudden attack and take countermeasures. Thanks to this, Woohyuk was able to easily defeat 100,000 enemies. ¡°The Theresia Empire will have suffered quite a bit from this battle,¡± Woohyukmented. ¡°But I don¡¯t see any ships running away. Wouldn¡¯t Marcus be themander-in-chief and retreat¡­¡± Leifina mentioned. ¡°He must have already run away. I believe there¡¯s a teleportation device in the Imperial Pce of the Theresia Empire that he can use,¡± he replied. Teleportation devices using magic engineering were useful, but they were so expensive that it was prohibitive for any organization to possess them unless they wererge and wealthy, like the Imperial Pce or the Holy Pope¡¯s Office. And for security reasons, not everyone was allowed to use them, so only Marcus probably escaped using the device. The 100,000-manned troops were probably sacrificed. Woohyuk had already sent out the two Homunculus to capture Marcus, but they couldn¡¯t find him. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll meet Marcus again. Not in the sea, but in the eastern region,¡± Leifinamented. ¡°I¡¯m confident that I¡¯ll beat him,¡± Woohyuk calmly replied. Even before his return to this world, Lightlord Marcus was not his opponent. However, he never did have the chance to eliminate Marcus because others, such as Alice the Queen of Thorns, Necromancer Logan, and Fire Dragon Lord Ivanov, had kept him in check. Hearing the screams of the imperial army from afar, Woohyuk intently redoubled his resolve. *** ¡°Tremendous work, Hero King. I owe you in many ways,¡± Ophelia said appreciatively. Upon arriving at the Croix Principality¡¯s Royal Pce, Woohyuk and hispanions were greeted by Elf Queen Ophelia. Woohyuk gave his party a break and followed her into her reception room. ¡°The Eastern Conquest expedition begins now. Your elven race has to pay attention to defending the Croix Principality,¡± Woohyuk said, reiterating their n. ¡°Regarding the epic dungeon, we¡¯re thoroughly managing it. Emperor Tiberius is also dead, so no one will try to enter through our defenses,¡± she replied. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be interested in a Divine Throne seat. Your quite good at using pure magic, so I think it¡¯ll suit you well if you be the Earth God,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°Our elven race lives in harmony with nature. To be sure, there are some amongst us who want to upy some of the Divine Throne seats, but I¡¯m reluctant.¡± Ophelia was not very fond of her people fighting and killing each other over a Divine Throne seat. Therefore, she readily epted Woohyuk¡¯s request to blockade the epic dungeon. Woohyuk nodded his head because he knew her disposition. ¡°You¡¯re not greedy and you like peace over war. I definitely like that about you,¡± hemented. ¡°A-Are youplimenting me right now? I¡¯m embarrassed to hear such words from you¡­¡± she said shyly as she turned beet red. Contrary to her usual noble and official manners, she was innocent and pure in heart. Woohyuk decided to tame her a little more. ¡°Why are you so shy? There are only two of us here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m so sensitive. Didn¡¯t you give me lemon jellyst time? Will you be offering more this time around?¡± ¡°Ah, so I did. Yes, I¡¯ve brought some this time as well.¡± Woohyuk handed over a transparent container filled with lemon jelly. Ophelia¡¯s face burned scarlet red as she epted the container. ¡°T-This makes the situation so difficult. You already have a partner to marry¡­¡± ¡°This is just a token of my appreciation. Well, depending on how the situation unfolds, it may progress further.¡± Woohyuk was bing more proficient in inducing positive emotional responses. He truly was developing a golden tongue. After forming a friendship (?) with Ophelia, Woohyuk returned to the Holy Aperian Empire. Now, he had to earnestly make the final preparations for the Eastern Conquest expedition. If he wanted to focus on the Divine Thrones, he needed to eliminate Marcus the Lightlord. ¡°Not only the Holy Aperian Empire but several of the other western kingdoms will also participate in this expedition. They must also have a lot of dissatisfaction with the East,¡± Eleanora stated. Empress Eleanora, wearing her ceremonial battle armor, exined her ns in the operation meeting room. She would conscript an expeditionary force. A total of 300,000 troops. Indeed, she understood the huge scale of this undertaking. ¡°The internal desires for expansion probably also yed a part in the others¡¯ decision. War is the best means to achieve the objectives in the recent quest as well,¡± Woohyuk responded. ¡°¡­ Everyone wants to be a god. I still don¡¯t know if that¡¯s really possible,¡± Eleanora mentioned. ¡°Leave it to me, Eleanora. You just need to recruit an army.¡± Indeed, it was Woohyuk who would be leading the fight asmander-in-chief of the Western forces. After asking Eleanora to start drafting an expeditionary force, Woohyuk headed to Abyssal Ind. In connection with his expedition to the east, he was nning on fully utilizing the 72 Demon Kings. When he took out Lemegeton, the 72 Demon Kings were summoned to Abyssal Ind, where a storm brewed. ¡°Asura, you called?¡± a Demon King asked nervously. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since wepleted the civil engineering works on Abyssal Ind¡­¡± another added on, obviously concerned about what further things Woohyuk would cheat them out of. Woohyuk had worked them hard, so the 72 Demon Kings were quite ragged. Utilizing the Abyssal Ind as the central base, the Demon Kings had spread out throughout the continent, collecting information from each region and personally visiting any historical or important sites of interest¡­ Everyone was pretty much enved except for a few Demon Kings who had given him a good impression, like Agares. ¡°Everyone knows that I¡¯m preparing for an expedition to the east, right?¡± Woohyuk asked aloud. ¡°Of course, we do. Will we also be involved in the expedition?¡± a Demon King asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think the other races on your side will appreciate our presence¡­¡± another mentioned in a weak voice, hoping to find a way out. The 72 Demon Kings were well aware that they were being used for the Game of Divine Thrones quest. When they expressed their concerns, Woohyuk announced his ns. ¡°As the demonic camp, you will move independently of my expeditionary forces. The expedition will cross the Krobaichen Isthmus and the Strait of Isis, and you will cross the ck Sea, striking the eastern part of the Theresian Empire,¡± he exined. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a really good idea. No one in the east will think that someone would be crazy enough to cross the rough ck Sea,¡± a Demon King said tteringly. Whether it was because Woohyuk¡¯s n seemed less dangerous than they initially thought, the 72 Demon Kings responded positively to his ns. At that time, Baal, the 1st rank Demon King, stood up and spoke to Woohyuk, ¡°But who will be the generalmander of the demon camp? If there¡¯s no objection, it seems right that I should take the lead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s likely that you¡¯ll go overboard when attacking the eastern kingdoms. So, Agares will be designated the generalmander,¡± Woohyuk said tly. Demon King Baal, who ranked first among the Demon Kings, was the representative of the hardline Demon Kings, and Demon King Agares, who was second in the ranking, was the representative of the moderate Demon Kings. Agares, who was sitting still and calmly listening up to now,ughed as if she was satisfied. Baal frowned. ¡°Asura, in a war like this, our hardliners do better. Please reconsider¡­¡± Baal implored. ¡°Do my words mean nothing to you, Baal?¡± Woohyuk said before summoning Verserios and ring menacingly at Baal with his rtively young eyes. At the moment, the atmosphere of the ind froze. ¡°Oh, no. How can I¡­¡± Baal stuttered. ¡°I will soon be seated atop the Demon Lord throne and obtain the ultimate power of the demon. Don¡¯t be fooled and think I am weak by the fact that my current stature in the hierarchy is only as a demigod.¡± Woohyuk was trying to tame Baal by dangling a carrot and hitting with a stick. Now was the time to whip. Baal still looked dissatisfied, but he soon sumbed. ¡°I will refrain and will ept your order.¡± ¡°It should have been that way from the beginning,¡± Woohyuk said as he lightly scoffed. When Woohyuk beckoned with his hand, Dantalion, the 72nd ranked Demon King, stood up and yed a dark blue flute¡­ Swah~! From a distance, sailing ships decorated with demon beast white bones broke through the rough currents. It was the demonic fleet that was manufactured at Abyss Ind. It was the civil engineering work that the Demon Kings had toiled over andpleted not too long ago. The 72 Demon Kings and their armies were going to use it to invade the east. ¡®If possible, it would be better to look as if they were Eastern Conquest forces as much as possible.¡¯ Woohyuk was thinking of using a historical Korean naval strategy that he¡¯d read before during his time on Earth. First, the demonic fleet would strike the eastern part of the Theresia Empire, making the defenders think that the main enemy forces were attacking from the east. Woohyuk would then lead the main Eastern Conquest Force to strike the western part of the Theresian Kingdom. If he persuaded the frost giants there and induced them to go south, his win should be ensured. ¡°Asura, the demon fleet is ready,¡± Dantalion reported. ¡°Alright. Get on board with your troops,¡± Woohyuk ordered to the gathered Demon Kings. The rest of the demonic armed forces could be summoned after opening an abyssal gap once they arrived in the Theresian Kingdom. They could then mobilize the demon army locally for the final blow. When the demon fleet departed, Woohyuk summoned Hong Yuri. ¡°Did you train a lot of vampires, Hong Yuri?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah. There were a lot of bad guys on the continent than I initially thought. Anyway, I made all of them part of my family,¡± Hong Yuri replied and smiled proudly, showing off fangs. She had matured into a true Blood Queen. At the least, her power level was nowmensurate with a mid-ranked Demon King. ¡°I will take you on the Nautilus. Your target is the southern regions of the East. Enter in through the Vulkan or Kalmiru Kingdom,¡± he exined. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Hong Yuri replied, giving Woohyuk a wink. She then boarded the Nautilus that hade up to the surface. Once she left, Woohyuk was left alone on the stormy ind. ¡°Now, what will your move be, Marcus? You¡¯ve been pushed to the edge of a cliff.¡¯ Different forces from east, west, north, and south were expected to advance upon the eastern continent. Woohyuk eyes lit up as he imagined the uing battle with Marcus the Lightlord. Chapter 263: Eastern Conquest Plan 4

Chapter 263: Eastern Conquest n 4

Before leaving for the Eastern Conquest Expedition. Woohyuk didn¡¯t forget to enjoy a meal with his young dragons. ¡°It¡¯s a special dish made by the King of Cooks, Hans. Do you like it?¡± he asked. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really delicious!¡± Lia eximed. ¡°It¡¯s different from the cooking that my aunt does!¡± Canelion added on. ¡°Hahaha¡­ these girls¡­¡± Leifina awkwardly snickered with a guilty expression. While Lia and Canelion were eating deliciously, Hans entered the room. ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, feel free to tell me. Today, a lot of ingredients came in from the Rhine Kingdom,¡± he said heartily. ¡°Then, a little more. These kids¡¯ stomachs are endless pits,¡± Woohyuk said proudly. Even though they were polymorphed as humans, Lia and Canelion¡¯s appetites were as active as if they had taken their dragon form. It was probably because they were at a growing age. When Woohyuk ced an additional order, Lia suddenly asked a question, ¡°By the way, Dad, why are you entering the East country?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the peace of the continent. A monarch there has sumbed to madness and is about to wage a war of conquest on the entire continent,¡± he replied. ¡°You don¡¯t need the help of dragons? If you want, I can give orders to the heads of the nine dragon tribes to give assistance,¡± Lia said, trying to be some help. Lia acquired her Dragon Lord ss, so none of the dragons of the dragon races could disobey her. Her suggestion was appealing, but Woohyuk shook his head. ¡°The role of the dragon tribe is to protect Inotia. If you intervene beyond that, the Creator will do something else,¡± he gently answered. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be okay for a few to participate in the war? Lia is busy managing the dragon tribes, but she wouldn¡¯t care if I followed,¡± Canelion mentioned from the side. Canelion seemed eager to fight, throwing a feeler out at Woohyuk. ¡°No, you need to help Lia by her side. She will need a friend to rely on when things get tough,¡± he replied. ¡°If you say so. I¡¯ll do as you say. But where did Tinia¡¯s mother go?¡± she asked, changing the subject. ¡°She left for the Norton Kingdom with her family. She probably won¡¯t be back for a while.¡± Originally, Tinia was supposed to be in charge of Canelion, but she was currently unable to do so due to the recent circumstances. However, now that the dragon race was taking care of Canelion, it didn¡¯t seem like any problems would arise. After a while, once they finished their meal, Woohyuk stroked the heads of the two young dragons. ¡°I¡¯ll see you both again soon. Take care, Lia and Canelion.¡± ¡°Take care, mom and dad!¡± Lia shouted out. ¡°Lia and I will guard the house during your absence,¡± replied Canelion. For the two young dragons, Heavenly Ind was their home. After parting with them, Woohyuk headed to the main gathering area where all the Eastern Conquest forces were. He was currently taking the flying shuttle. ¡°Please try this red tea. I added some of my own scent creations. I hope it suits your taste.¡± During the flight, King of Cooking Hans served tea. After sipping some of the offered tea, Woohyuk and Leifina looked at him with admiration. ¡°You¡¯re very skilled and professional, Hans,¡± Woohyukplimented. ¡°This is basic. Hahaha¡­¡± Hans was nning to y an active part as Woohyuk¡¯s exclusive cook during this expedition. He didn¡¯t want to rely on eating Leifina¡¯s burnt, tasteless food anymore. When they arrived at their destination, they saw the Eastern Conquest forces organized and lined up. As Eleanora promised, there were about 300,000 soldiers. Indeed, it was a huge army. Woohyuk went up to the podium and started his speech. ¡°Today we are leaving to punish our enemies who disturbed the order and peace in the West.¡± The soldiers fell quiet as they intently listened to his voice. ¡°Peace is never given freely. If we do not fight against our enemies, our territory will be devastated and turned into ruins. If you don¡¯t want to face such dire consequences for you or for the following generations, follow me. A glorious victory awaits us at the end.¡± ¡°Yeah~!¡± ¡°Long live the Hero King!¡± The soldiers¡¯ shouts pierced the sky. Woohyuk took the lead and started the campaign for the Eastern Conquest. ¡®The Theresia Empire must have gotten wind of our movement. They¡¯re probably scrambling right now.¡¯ In the eastern part of the Theresian Empire, the demonic fleet was probably conducting their surprise raid. Most of the empire¡¯s troops were probably focused on that eastern corner. Hong Yuri would also soon move north with her vampire n from the southern tip of the eastern continent. ¡®There¡¯s only the frost giants left now.¡¯ He had already mentioned his ns to them when he encountered some of themst time. Therefore, his existence and ns must be known to them to a certain extent internally. He felt it would be easy to establishmunications if he sent a messenger. ¡°Send this letter to the Chief Frost Giant of the Aizu Kingdom and bring me back his answer,¡± Woohyuk ordered Catsy. ¡°Nya~ong~! Okay!¡± Catsy pricked her ears and disappeared with the letter Woohyuk had prepared in advance. Shortly thereafter, she appeared again from the void and began to recite what she had written down. ¡°To the sessor of Frost Queen Ariandne, we will always cooperate with your orders. If you need the help of our n, just say the word. But before that, I would like to meet and talk in person. Please visit in the near future¡­¡± In short, they were requesting him toe in person to the Aizu Kingdom to prove that he was Ariandne¡¯s sessor. Woohyuk nodded his head as if he expected as much. ¡°I have to go see him,¡± he muttered. ¡°Meow! Then shall I go back now?¡± Catsy asked. ¡°No. You stay here and take over for me. Make sure to act the part,¡± he replied. Woohyuk gave Catsy his Jester¡¯s Mask and made her disguise as him. Afterward, after turning Catsy into his own form, he used stealth magic to slip away. ¡®There¡¯s still some time left before the forces reach the Krobaichen Isthmus.¡¯ If they crossed through the Strait of Isis, the travel time would be rtively quick. However, since he had arge troop, if they were to be caught in the middle, the entire fleet could be eliminated. Furthermore, an amphibious operation was also a strategy that Marcus had tried unsessfully, so he possessed a blueprint on how to defend against a water-based crossing. ¡®As for me, I think taking the Thunderbird will be better than utilizing the flying shuttle.¡¯ Since the Thunderbird flew faster, it would be possible for him to get to and from the Aizu Kingdom very quickly. When Woohyuk summoned the Thunderbird, he heard its cry from afar. ¡°Kya-Ah!¡± ¡°W-What was that?¡± a soldier asked nervously. ¡°Is it a flying monster?¡± another added on. The soldiers stared at the sky in confusion. Then Catsy, who was in Woohyuk¡¯s image, reassured them. ¡°Meow, don¡¯t trouble yourselves! That¡¯s my Thunderbird!¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°To capture and domesticate such a legendary bird!¡± The soldiersughed and cheered as they saw the low-flying Thunderbird approach Catsy. Meanwhile, Woohyuk quickly got on the Thunderbird¡¯s back once it was close. ¡°Go on, to the Aizu Kingdom.¡± ¡°Kya-Ack.¡± The Thunderbird was quite intelligent despite being a bird. Leifina scratched her head as she watched him fly up into the eastern sky. ¡°Master is really moving around¡­ in no time he¡¯ll be in the east and then back again in the west¡­¡± With the flying shuttle and Thunderbird, the entire Eeth Continent was Woohyuk¡¯s yground. ¡®But what if something happens when he isn¡¯t here?¡¯ Leifina frowned as her worries deepened. *** The Aizu Kingdom was nketed in a blizzard. Woohyuk was meeting the Frost Giant tribe in the middle of a snowy field. ¡°Are you the sessor to the Frost Queen Ariandne?¡± ¡°Yes. I have her ne as proof.¡± ¡°Oh! The rumors were really true!¡± When Woohyuk pulled out the Frost Queen¡¯s ne, the Frost Giants knelt together. As the situation was easily resolved, Woohyuk immediately gave an order. ¡°Leave only the minimum required Giants behind and take the rest south. I want you all to strike the Theresian Empire from the north. They should already be at their wit¡¯s end.¡± ¡°Sessor, we were preparing to strike their territory anyways. They waged war on us first.¡± Marcus thought that the Frost Giants would be a threat in the future, so he had invaded the Aizu Kingdom several times in the past. Woohyuk nodded after hearing the Frost Giant Chief¡¯s words. ¡°After I conquer the east, I will help you live in peace in the Aizu Kingdom.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear that, sessor. The Frost Giants will do their best to help you win this war.¡± A solid alliance system was established. After negotiations with the Frost Giants, Woohyuk heard an interim report from the Demon King Agares. ¡°What is the current situation in the east?¡± he asked. [We¡¯re pushing in. At this speed, we might capture the capital before the Eastern Conquest forces arrive.] The 72 Demon Kings seemed to be relieving the stress that they had umted so far. Woohyuk felt the need for his own forces to hurry and join the battle as well. "On the way back, let¡¯s stop by the Krobaichen Isthmus, Thunderbird." ¡°Kyi-Ah~!¡± The Thunderbird emitted a blue electric current beforeunching into the sky. Woohyuk was nning to stop by the Krobaichen Isthmus because of Fort Randel. The Fort Randel was a nearly impregnable military base that guarded the entrance to the Theresian Empire from the west. Due to its geographical location and well-staffed military unit, it was difficult to capture even with arge force. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t be that difficult for the current me.¡¯ He also had the Seven Color Rainbow Ring and Reinforced Andvaranaut. Furthermore, he had the Immortal Armor. As he flew over the fortress on Thunderbird, a guard sent a report to themander of the fortress¡¯s defensive force. ¡°Captain, a strange bird is wandering around above us,¡± he reported. ¡°Shoot and drop it!¡± themander barked out. The defensemander, who was brewing some wine, replied with an annoyed voice. Fort Randel was a military base that hadn¡¯t been captured in thest thousand years. As long as the sun didn¡¯t rise from the west, he thought that nothing of note would happen today. Hwi-Ing! A spearhead arrow flew through the air and passed through the Thunderbird¡¯s body. An ordinary bird would have screamed and fallen to the ground, but the Thunderbird was a creation of magical power. It didn¡¯t even move to avoid such a crappy physical attack. ¡°Kya-Ack!¡± The Thunderbird gave a sharp, ear-piercing cry and descended towards the fortress. Then, a transparent container fell towards the ground. The container contained Wild Fire, which shined ferociously, letting out a glowing aurora through the clear container. Kwang! With a fierce bang, Fort Randel shook. Only after feeling the aftershock did the defensemander notice something wrong. ¡°What the hell is going on?! Who¡¯s doing this?¡± he wailed aloud. ¡°I don¡¯t know, sir!¡± a soldier confusingly replied. ¡°All I see is that weird bird!¡± another shouted while pointing upwards toward the sky. Woohyuk was hiding his figure by utilizing the Deception of the Earth God, so he couldn¡¯t be seen by his enemies. When amotion and mess broke out in Fort Randel, Woohyuk summoned his undead troops. ¡°Crush-rush-rush!¡± The undead, whoseplexion were ghastly blue, began to bite into the soldiers. On the other hand, the soldiers, who had gotten used to the daily boredom, didn¡¯t respond appropriately. They were either eaten alive or fleeing their positions. ¡°Ballista! Aim the Ballista!¡± themander shouted out. ¡°Pour oil and set fire to keep them out of reach!¡± Only the veterans were able to move around with fairly clear consciouses. They began to regroup and give orders to the other soldiers, who seemed to be moving at random like headless chickens. However, the veterans didn¡¯t want to face the undead first, so they stood back from the front line, hoping to not take damage. ¡®This is apletely second-rate army.¡¯ The longsting peace and the imperial system had weakened them. Of course, even so, it would have been difficult for Woohyuk¡¯s ground forces alone to defeat this rugged fortress. To avoid any additional people from meddling in his affairs, he decided to quickly end this charade. ¡°Body explosion.¡± ¡°Body explosion.¡± ¡°Body explosion.¡± Whenever Woohyuk cast his Necromancer skill, his undead soldiers exploded. Soon, when the interior of the fortress was cleared of smoke, hended and entered the defensemander¡¯s room on the top floor. ¡°Oh, don¡¯te in! Otherwise, I¡¯ll detonate a bomb!¡± themander cried out in abject fear. The defensemander was crouched in the corner with something like a bomb in his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t qualify as amander. So, no honorable death for you,¡± Woohyuk said in disgust. Pu-Wook! An undead soldier appeared like a shadow and stabbed the defensemander¡¯s heart from behind. After confirming that themander died painfully, Woohyuk climbed on top of the Thunderbird again. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the ce where the Eastern Conquest forces are.¡± Having opened the gateway to the Theresian Empire, the rest was easy pickings. Leaving the now tranquil Fort Randel behind him, Woohyuk soared into the western sky. Chapter 264: Eastern Conquest Plan 5

Chapter 264: Eastern Conquest n 5

¡°Sir Marcus! The enemy forces are advancing towards the capital!¡± a soldier shouted as he walked into themander¡¯s room. With a dissatisfied expression, Marcus struck his palm on the military map that was atop the table. Bam! ¡°Fuck!¡± It was a series of defeats after defeats. In the east were the 72 Demon King¡¯s and their army, the Frost Giants in the north, the Eastern Conquest forces in the west, and the Vampire n in the south. All of them were advancing towards the center of the Theresian Empire. ¡®This is absolutely not a coincidence. This is definitely a y they¡¯ve nned in advance.¡¯ Marcus was convinced that someone had masterminded these events. And the only person who could do this on the Eeth Continent was¡­ ¡®The Hero King¡­ it¡¯s his strategy.¡¯ His most recent operation, tond at the shores of the Croix Principality, had ended in utter failure due to the appearance of the Kraken and pirate ship. He recalled the deep resentment that he felt when Aleister told him that it was the Hero King¡¯s work¡­ However, this time, the Hero King had gone on the offense and forced Marcus into a corner. ¡°S-Sir Marcus¡­¡± the soldier managed to stutter out. He was awaiting themander¡¯s orders. ¡°I have to ask for help. I have to ask the Hundred Wars Hero for assistance.¡± Hermion, a legendary martial warrior of the Ancient Aperian Empire. Hermion greatly contributed to the expansion of the ancient empire¡¯s territory by sessively winning battles. He had even drafted a tactical textbook that was still in use. ¡°Sir, the Hundred Wars Hero?¡± the soldier asked, thoroughly confused. ¡°You can go out. I have something to do something personally.¡± After Marcus expelled the soldiers tending to him, he sat in a chair and summoned Hermion¡¯s higher spirit. [Do you need my help, Marcus?] ¡°I¡¯m in trouble. I¡¯ve already been pushed to the brink of disaster.¡± [If so, I will lend you strength since you still have one chance remaining.] Whenever he pushed beyond his limits, Marcus could receive help from Hermion. Just as Woohyuk summoned Nakron the Lich King when fighting the 72 Demon Kings. ¡°Currently, the eastern part of the empire is being overrun by the demonic camp, and 80% of the western part of the empire has been subjugated by the Hero King¡¯s Eastern Conquest forces.¡± Marcus unfurled the military map and exined the situation to Hermion. Hermion nodded his head and reached out his hand. [Okay. If so, lend your body to me. I doubt your soldiers will properly follow my orders, so I¡¯ll need to give them through you.] ¡°My flesh and blood body¡­?¡± [To be precise, we¡¯ll be sharing the same space. It won¡¯t harm you, so don¡¯t worry.] ¡°Alright. If so, thank you.¡± Marcus couldn¡¯t be stubborn at this dire moment. Soon, Hermion¡¯s higher spirit merged with his body¡­ [That¡¯s better. The warmth of a living body warms one¡¯s soul.] ¡°Ahem. It¡¯s not the time to be enraptured in appreciation. No matter if it¡¯s you, this won¡¯t be easy to resolve.¡± Marcus handed control over his physical body to Hermion. [Well. That¡¯s something that we¡¯ll need to check and see.] Step. Step. After checking his equipment and status, Hermion headed straight to where the soldiers were awaiting. ¡°Sir Marcus! Are you done with your personal business?¡± a soldier said aloud in a nervous voice. ¡°Get ready to set off. I will sh with the advancing Eastern Conquest forces in the western region.¡± ¡°Sir? 80% of the area has already been taken over by their forces. If we just barge in, then¡­¡± Slice! The neck of the soldier who was answering Hermion just a moment ago was slit clean through. ¡°I won¡¯t say it twice. Get ready to go out right now. And keep this in mind. If you hesitate in following my orders, things will only get worse.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± The soldiers, whoseplexions had turned blue, replied loudly and disappeared as if they were running away. Hermion looked at them pathetically and then climbed onto his horse. ¡®It seems I¡¯ll be able to sh with a truly worthwhile adversary. How long has it been?¡¯ Anyone who drove Marcus to this extent was probably an excellentmander. Hermion, the Hundred Wars Hero, pulled the reins with a swelling heart filled with anticipation. *** ¡°¡­ Marcus is leading his army anding this way?¡± Woohyuk asked, doubting the report he heard. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s clear hi based on the ck lion-shaped g,¡± the scout reiterated. The scouts had reported to Woohyuk, who was preparing for an operational meeting at the fortress. Woohyuk tilted his head with a confused expression. ¡®I thought he was going to lock the castle gates and scream his head off in frustration. How strange.¡¯ He immediately felt that Marcus¡¯ unusual behavior was caused by something external. ¡°Lord, isn¡¯t it rather good? It¡¯s a lot better for us to battle in this area.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to figure out his purpose. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s trying to buy some time¡­¡± There was no other way to interpret Marcus¡¯ actions except for his intention for a head-to-head match. ¡®Are you getting help from your higher spirit? If so, that could certainly exin the situation and this weird action.¡¯ Woohyuk had no idea about the higher spirit who assisted Marcus. Woohyuk fell into thought for a while and then called on Song Anna. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. ¡°I need you to take control over this guy,¡± Woohyuk said as he summoned the Thunderbird. Song Anna looked confused. ¡°Is this for a reconnaissance mission?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I guess you can call it that.¡± Finding out which higher spirit was backing Marcus would greatly help him prepare for the uing battle. After a while, as Song Anna possessed the Thunderbird, Woohyuk ordered it to fly off and viewed the rapidly passing scenery by mana tapping into Song Anna¡¯s vision, who saw through the Thunderbird¡¯s eyes. ¡®By now, you¡¯re probablying across the Pleades ins.¡¯ He had already given Song Anna instructions on the expected flight route. After a few minutes, he saw a vast in unfolding, and arge Imperial army appeared in the horizon. ¡®It looks like they¡¯re bringing about 250,000¡­¡¯ It was a little less than the current Eastern Conquest forces. Excluding the troops to be stationed in the capital, it looked like Marcus had brought the rest of his forces. Among the troops, Woohyuk tried to find Marcus the Lightlord. ¡®He¡¯s over there.¡¯ Marcus was riding his horse about a third into the procession. However, Woohyuk couldn¡¯t see any higher spirit. When he realized something was off, Woohyuk focused his attention on Marcus once more¡­ ¡®That¡¯s interesting.¡¯ Woohyuk soon realized that the higher spirit was within Marcus. He was able to sense the foreign spirit because of the passive Calm Heart ability that he obtained after defeating Demigod Atreus. Meanwhile, Hermion felt a suspicious sensation and looked up at the sky. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s a Thunderbird.¡± Along with the Phoenix and Crane, they were often called the Legendary birds. He instinctively realized that it had flown all the way here for a reconnaissance mission. ¡°I can¡¯t let you keep spying here.¡± Hermion pulled a bow and aimed toward the sky. He injected high-density mana into the arrowhead. No matter if it was a Thunderbird, it shouldn¡¯t be able to escape his attack. Hwi-Ing! The arrow tore through the air toward the Thunderbird. Woohyuk, who was watching this scene unfold, hurriedly woke Song Anna from her remote possession. ¡°Get up, it¡¯s time to get up.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Song Anna slowly opened her eyes as if she was waking up from a nap. ¡°Is your body okay?¡± ¡°Yes, before the arrowhead hit the Thunderbird, I released my intent.¡± It was truly a breathtaking moment. If she was struck by the arrowhead while in remote possession, she would have been severely damaged mentally. Hermion, a master of martial prowess, possessed excellent martial art abilities. ¡°I don¡¯t think the higher spirit that supports Marcus is ordinary,¡± Woohyuk said silently. ¡°How are you going to deal with him?¡± ¡°Small numbers and skirmishes won¡¯t work. So, we have no choice but have an all-out war, just as he wants.¡± This higher spirit, like Nakron, was a person who failed after attempting to reach the Divine Thrones. Woohyuk didn¡¯t know the name of this higher spirit yet, but the higher spirit must have been famous historically. Therefore, although Woohyuk was in an advantageous position, he needed to be very careful. He started feeling a little nervous. ¡°Leifina, call themanders together. We have to prepare to greet the iing party.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Leifina quickly exited the strategy room. Woohyuk looked at her back for a while and then turned to the military map. For some reason, this conquest n felt a little different than what he expected. *** A field with an open view. The armies of both sides were preparing for battle, facing each other. ¡®Is he the Hero King?¡¯ Seeing the young man with ck hair riding a horse at the forefront of the enemy camp, Hermion made an interested expression. While moving, he heard a lot of stories about the Hero King from Marcus. Hermion could count on one hand the number of people he remembered who achieved so much in such a short period of time. ¡®I am very lucky to have this opportunity.¡¯ Hermion had never been defeated on the battlefield in his lifetime. What made him eventually kneel was the power of the Wind God. He was cursed for burning the Temple of Conquest, fought against the wind God, and eventually died. That was why he became the higher spirit of the new Divine Throne seating system. From Hermion¡¯s perspective, who had been bound and restricted for a long time, this was a great entertainment asion, much like a pic. [How will you deal with the Hero King now? In terms of troops and supplies, his side has the advantage.] [War is an ad-hoc trick. If one responds flexibly depending on the situation, one can fight against the enemy even in adverse situations and win.] Hermion reassured Marcus by recounting and sharing his past experiences with his thoughts. If one was at an advantage, one must win, and even if one was at a disadvantage, one must turn the crisis into an opportunity. Such a battlefield was very familiar to Hermion. ¡®It¡¯s important to divide the enemy¡¯srge army into more manageable pieces as much as possible. That way, we can start searching for gaps and cut off the enemy¡¯s head.¡¯ The ideal situation was to nk the enemy camp and cut off its side forces and have allies confront the enemy on both sides. He¡¯d then lead a small number of cavalry units with quick mobility to dig into the enemy camp. Of course, in order to do that, he had to make sure his forces on the right and left wing could contend against the enemy¡¯s side forces. After raising the morale of his soldiers, Hermion moved his troops forward in the form of a somewhat crooked question mark shape. ¡®Now, how will youe out, Hero King? I can quickly cope with either side you choose to attack.¡¯ The skilled master¡¯s battle sense came through. He was awaiting a gap to show up to dig deep into enemy lines and cut off the enemy¡¯s head. Soon, battle broke out. The enemy¡¯s right wing cavalry unit began to m the cavalry and light infantry on Marcus¡¯ left wing. Chae-Cheng! Chaeng! Chaeng! Woohyuk¡¯s intention seemed to revolve around confronting the enemies left wing, causing the forces to gather together, and then surrounding them. Reading this intended strategy, Hermion left the left wing to fend for themselves and advanced the heavy armored infantry unit in the center and the cavalry unit on the right wing. Chae-Cheng! Chaeng! Chaeng! The right-wing cavalry struck the enemy¡¯s (Woohyuk¡¯s) left-wing cavalry. Meanwhile, Hermion, with his few cavalry troops, watched for a gap to appear from the center and the right wing of their formation. ¡®If we press the center like this, there will be a gap on the right side.¡¯ The the right wing calvary was fighting better than expected. When Hermion led a small number of cavalry units towards the center of the enemy camp, the enemy¡¯s (Woohyuk¡¯s) light infantry unit in the rear came up to meet them. However, Hermion ignored them and pressed onward toward Woohyuk¡¯s main unit with heavy armored infantry in the center. ¡®So, you¡¯re a master of strategy.¡¯ Woohyuk watched admiringly as Hermion gradually dug deeper into his lines. The higher spirit had the decisiveness to read the war situation urately and boldly pierce the weakness of the enemy camp. The higher spirit was easily the bestmanders Woohyuk had ever faced. ¡®But you met the wrong person today.¡¯ For Woohyuk, the higher spirit¡¯s intentions and actions were urate and piercing, but it just wasn¡¯t enough. The higher spirit was like a moth approaching the bright candlelight, only to meet its demise. Woohyuk took out Verserios and calmly awaited for Hermion. Chapter 265: Eastern Conquest Plan 6

Chapter 265: Eastern Conquest n 6

Roll. Roll. Hermion¡¯s elite cavalry troops broke toward Woohyuk¡¯s position. The hammer and anvil. The tactic utilized heavy infantry with long spears ranging from 4 to 5 meters in length to press against the enemy¡¯s center formation. By doing this, the more mobile cavalry units would nk and dig into the gap on the opponent¡¯s sides and rear to slowly whittle away at the opponent¡¯s forces. It was a great tactic, but there was no way Woohyuk, who was an overlord thest time he entered this world, would not know of this strategy. Furthermore, he had no intention of ying a pure strategy game of cat-and-mouse against Hermion. ¡®This isn¡¯t for an empire¡¯s throne, it¡¯s a game for a Divine Throne.¡¯ In order to prove that one could go beyond one¡¯s human limits and transcend, one had to stand firm and ovee a seemingly insurmountable situation as if it was natural. This was why Woohyuk left Hermion to dig deeper into his camp. Additionally, he could reduce the overall damage to his allies by directly confronting Hermion. ¡°Are you the Hero King?¡± Hermion asked. ¡°Yes. Who are you?¡± Woohyuk replied and asked in return. ¡°I am Hermion Castus, general of the Ancient Aperian Empire!¡± Hermion, who had approached Woohyuk¡¯s location, rushed toward Woohyuk with his cavalry. Seeing this, Leifina stepped forward and tried to stop Hermion. ¡°Lord, I will stop them!¡± Leifina shouted out. ¡°No, I will deal with them directly,¡± Woohyuk calmly answered. It wasn¡¯t that Leifina¡¯s skills werecking, but considering the opponent, it was better if he resolved the situation quickly with minimal loss. When Woohyuk came out to meet the rushing cavalry with only a few horsemen in tow, Hermion made an interested yet surprised expression. ¡®Oh, were you waiting for me on purpose?¡¯ Usually in such a situation, one would try to flee or rush to gather soldiers, but this was the first time his opponent rushed to meet him head-on. ¡®If you ept my challenge, I¡¯m more than wee to oblige.¡¯ Now was the perfect opportunity to overturn the Theresian side¡¯s power inferiority. If all went well, the whole war could be resolved with this single battle. Thinking up to here, Hermion adjusted his spear and easily cleared the opponent¡¯s iing cavalry troops. Slice! Slice! Indeed, he was a martial arts legendary master! However, his cool movements and attacks were easily blocked by Woohyuk. Ka-Rang! Blood spilled from Hermion¡¯s mouth after their initial sh. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Even though it was just one meeting of weapons, the overwhelming feeling of pressure that he received from Woohyuk¡¯s attack rippled throughout his whole body. Even if Marcus¡¯ potential physical abilities weregging behind the Hero King, this was an unbelievablyrge gap. ¡®Wait a minute, has this guy already reached the power level of a Divine Throne god?¡¯ From Woohyuk¡¯s first appearance, when Hermion saw Woohyuk¡¯s pitch-ck wings, he had a strange feeling. But when he actually met and shed with him, he could feel the deeper meaning and power that resided in his opponent. Woohyuk¡¯s power didn¡¯t seem to originate from a contract with the demons or Valkyrie. His power seemed to point towards a higher level of power hierarchy that was acquired by surpassing human limits by himself. Since Woohyuk wasn¡¯t a god, Hermion surmised that Woohyuk had already reached the level of a demigod. While Hermion was momentarily thrown into confusion, Woohyuk pushed him back and said aloud, ¡°Are you surprised? Can you hear me, Marcus? I¡¯ve already reached a higher level than your mentor.¡± ¡°Your power is definitely great, but I have no intention of backing down,¡± Hermion, who had taken over Marcus¡¯ physical body and was speaking for him, replied. Hermion knew that if he lost here, there was no chance of winning the war. He was like a rat who ate poison, just wasting its time before its eventual death. In the north, Frost Giants were marching southward. In the east, the 72 Demon Kings and their armies were quickly gobbling up territory. In the south, a Vampires n was running rampant, raising its forces every second while marching northward. Thus, Hermion decided that the only option to bring victory was to directly confront the eastward-moving Eastern Conquest forces in the western part of the Theresian Empire. Recognizing Hermion¡¯s intention to fight to the end, Woohyuk summoned Fenrir, the Frost-Fire Wolf. ¡°Grrrr!¡± ¡°Bite him to pieces, Fenrir.¡± If he could cut the enemy¡¯s head right now, he could reduce the damage on his allies in turn. There were no specific quest restrictions for this battle, nor was there a need for a one-on-one duel like when he faced legendary Pdin Reinhard or Demigod Atreus. Woohyuk¡¯s main objective was to save time by overpowering his opponent with a swift attack. When Woohyuk rushed alongside Fenrir for a two-pronged attack, Hermion injected magic power into his spear with a resolute expression. ¡®I still have onest card to y.¡¯ Tetratos¡¯ Spear, a mystical weapon Hermion obtained from a ruin while wandering around the continent conducting wars of conquest. Hermion¡¯s weapon had an unusual ability. The spear would block all of the opponent¡¯s abilities for 10 minutes if pierced once by the spear. No matter if he reached the Demigod hierarchy, Woohyuk would lose his advantage against Hermion if all his abilities were blocked. ¡®All I need to do is seed in just one attack.¡¯ Hermion narrowed his eyes and blocked Fenrir¡¯s attack. Currently, Woohyuk was quickly narrowing the distance while holding Verserios with both hands. Considering his posture and the position of the sword, Hermion had a rough estimation of how Woohyuk would attack. Ka-Rang! Once again, Woohyuk¡¯s sword and Hermion¡¯s spear shed, causing a tremendous upward current. Hermion immediately drew back his spear and thrust towards a location that he expected Woohyuk to move to. However¡­ Pu-Wook! Contrary to his expectations, Woohyuk moved in the opposite direction, and as a result, Verserios came out from Hermion¡¯s abdomen region with a blunt, prating sound. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of Battle Foresight?¡± The Bhnte Dagger. By clearing the quest that started with it, Woohyuk had acquired a Battle Foresight. It was an ability that allowed one to read and respond to the opponent¡¯s movement in advance. Of course, in the case of Hermion, Woohyuk could only read a fraction of a second ahead, but that difference was enough for Woohyuk. ¡°¡­ This is the first time I¡¯ve been so thoroughly defeated and humiliated on the battlefield,¡± Hermion managed to say through gritted teeth. ¡°Your strategy was very good. You just met the wrong person.¡± The length of the battle may have dragged if Hermion had possessed the body of one of the seven pdins or Eleanora. With Marcus¡¯s body, who had not yet awakened his true qualities as the Lightlord, there was little to no chance of defeating Woohyuk, even if they had fought a hundred times over. As a result of his defeat, Hermion¡¯s higher spirit disappeared and Marcus regained full consciousness and control over his body. ¡°Fuck¡­ Hermion was defeated¡­¡± ¡°You must disappear for the peace of the continent, Marcus.¡± Marcus¡¯ atrocities in Woohyuk¡¯s previous life were terrible. He deified himself, behaved like a tyrant, and ughtered many innocent people under the guise of a cleansing movement. Essentially, he had practiced genocide and legitimated it through illogical reasons. Therefore, allowing Marcus to live would bite Woohyuk in the behindter on. Slice! As Verserios was swung horizontally, Marcus¡¯ head flew into the air. Woohyuk picked up the head and announced that the battle was over. ¡°Waaaa~!¡± ¡°The Hero King has cut off the enemy leader¡¯s head!¡± The momentum of the Eastern Conquest force exploded. Meanwhile, the remaining Theresian Imperial forces began to flee with horror. ¡°Take captive of those who surrender and kill those who resist,¡± Woohyuk ordered. The enemy forces they were currently facing were essentially the remaining military force of the Theresian Empire. In other words, with this victory, the East would soon copse. The dream, from his previous life, he had of unifying the Eeth Continent was right in front of him. Overwhelmed with a sense of purpose and joy, Woohyuk ran with the Eastern Conquest forces toward the capital of the Theresian Empire. *** After the battle, the Theresian Empire rapidly copsed. Emperor-in-line Isakaha III and Emperor Ahar II were poisoned and controlled by Marcus, so they were quickly unseated. Their poisoned status was already beyond recovery. Those loyal to Marcus wereter purged or fled to other countries. Once they heard the news of Marcus¡¯ defeat, the other vassals weren¡¯t willing to give up their lives for the empire. They easily submitted to Woohyuk. So, after finally conquering the Theresian capital¡­ ¡°Now, time to divide the spoils.¡± Woohyuk decided to give away the things he gained from this war to the Eastern Conquest forces. Those who fought valiantly and made great strides were rewarded. He also allowed them to remain and settle in the Theresian Empire if they wished. Meanwhile, Woohyuk decided to take the throne and rebuild the Theresian Empire for a while. ¡®Since I have full control over the Eeth Continent, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to be an Emperor for a bit.¡¯ Of course, there were still some minor eastern kingdoms and territories left, but it was only a matter of time before they were subjugated and his sovereignty recognized. Woohyuk had a coronation ceremony and then summoned the vassals that had served him thus far. ¡°The world is in my hands,¡± Woohyuk stated. There was a conqueror-like spirit in his voice. The vassals took a pose of listening with their heads bowed. ¡°I subjugated the 72 Demon Kings into Lemegeton, and the Dragon race and Frost Giants are under my control. Of course, there are some Lilith witches running around here and there, but you don¡¯t need to pay much attention to them right now,¡± Woohyuk continued to exin. ¡°You are truly marvelous, Your Majesty,¡± Archmage Allen, standing next to Elven Archer Reina, said aloud. Now, he recognized Woohyuk as a true monarch king and willing to follow him without doubt. ¡°But there is still one problem. The epic dungeons,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°Then, are you thinking about attacking the epic dungeons now?¡± Irene, who was nkly standing with a pitch-ck scythe at her side, asked with a curious expression. Woohyuk nodded his head. ¡°Yes. Currently, there are two epic dungeons located in the east. One in the Lioness Kingdom and the other in the Vulcan Kingdom,¡± Woohyuk exined. ¡°That¡¯s east and south of the Theresian Empire. Which one do you n to start with?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to start with the one in the Lioness Kingdom, which is a little closer in distance,¡± he replied. The Lioness Kingdom was a popr retreat area for martial artists who wanted to develop their inner chi. Hwarin was also one of those martial artists in the past. She had chosen Empress Eleanora as her disciple. However, he didn¡¯t have to concern himself with this detail right now. He just had to focus on the epic dungeon. ¡°But, I am afraid that a rebellion may ur within the Theresian Empire if His Majesty is gone. It hasn¡¯t been long since the war ended¡­¡± ck Knight Bailey mentioned. ¡°So, I¡¯ve decided to designate a regent who will administer rule on my behalf. I won¡¯t be taking all of you who are gathered here as well.¡± As ck Knight Bailey said, the Theresia Empire had not yet been stabilized. Although Marcus had poisoned or executed most of the former imperial people, there were many who would seek the emperor position if they had the chance. Woohyuk¡¯s answer to solving this problem was¡­ ¡°Teehee, I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d be the one managing the entire Theresian Empire? Anyway, thank you for trusting me,¡± Agares answered coquettishly. ¡°Wait¡­ are you going to appoint that woman as regent?¡± Helena asked with sheer terror written all over her face. Agares, the representative demon of the moderate Demon Kings. Helena, who had been silent throughout the proceeding, began to get angry as Agares emerged inside the meeting room. As a member of Etheria Rodinus, Helena inherently didn¡¯t trust demons. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? The Demon Kings subjugated by Lemegeton are no different from my vassals,¡± Woohyuk remarked in an annoyed voice. ¡°But¡­¡± Helena stuttered, unable to refute his remark. ¡°Someday, I will sit atop the Demon Lord throne. The power of the 72 Demon Kings will help a lot at that time,¡± he said, concluding the argument. If it were the past him, Woohyuk wouldn¡¯t have minded getting rid of the Demon Kings altogether. However, knowing what he knew now and under the current situation, he had no reason to reject the 72 Demon Kings. Rather, they would be a helpful resource of manpower. He nned to exploit this as much as possible. Helena gave up after hearing Woohyuk¡¯s argument. ¡°¡­ Phew, do whatever you want. If anything goes wrong, I¡¯m not responsible,¡± Helena responded in a tired voice. ¡°Let your Etheria Rodinus gang focus on stopping the remaining catastrophe,¡± Woohyuk shot back. There were still two impending catastrophes to resolve, the Flood and Blood Death. After hammering in the final nail in the argument, Woohyuk selected the people he would take to the epic dungeon. ¡°I¡¯m only going to take five of you. It¡¯s on a firste-first-served basis, so raise your hands quickly.¡± ¡°I will go!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Can I go?¡± ¡°Please let me go!¡± The gathered vassals raised their hands and chattered like little kids at a candy shop. Chapter 266: Game of Divine Thrones 1

Chapter 266: Game of Divine Thrones 1

Jeon-Ryun Mountain was located deep in the valley within the Lioness Kingdom. A huge pyramid floated above the highest peak. It was one of four epic dungeons created by the new Game of Divine Thrones quest. At first, the martial arts people entered without knowing what it was. However, within a few days, ess was strictly controlled by Marcus. ¡°It looks the same as the one in the snowfields of Norton Kingdom,¡± Leifinamented. ¡°Maybe the Creator likes pyramids,¡± Woohyuk responded. While looking down at the epic dungeon from the flying shuttle, Woohyuk and Leifina were conversing. In addition to them were Allen, Reina, and Irene. The reason why he only brought a small number of his followers to these ruins, which were the highest difficulty level, was because no one had evere out of one alive. ¡®They quests must be some form of survival games where only one survives or for a very few to team up together.¡¯ It would be too na?ve of him to be enticed by the Divine Throne seat and enter in without caution. Beforeing back to this world, he had lived 40 years without a single whiff of a Divine Throne clue. However, this time around, everyone was given a chance at a Divine Throne seat in less than 10 years. ¡®Who, amongst the transported humans, could possibly be strong enough to vie for a Divine Throne seat in such a short amount of time?¡¯ Logically, the Creator should have filled the seats with people who listened to his orders obediently, but he had another n in mind. ¡®He¡¯s only interested in reigning in the power of the demon.¡¯ It shouldn¡¯t be forgotten that in the whole reason for this game in the first ce was to restore the system broken by the Odyssey n¡¯s irregr code and to control the power of the demon. Of course, it would be nice if Woohyuk could seat his own vassals in the empty Divine Throne seats. ¡°When are we going to enter? Maybe it¡¯s because of the high altitude, but I¡¯m freezing out here. The winds are really strong up here,¡± Reina muttered. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve grown weak after spending all your time in a tropical forest, Reina,¡± Woohyukmented. ¡°Of course. Elves are originally a race that lives in the forest!¡± Reina grumbled as she blew into her hands. Irene overheard their conversation and tilted her head. ¡°Is it cold here? I didn¡¯t know. I don¡¯t feel anything,¡± she murmured. ¡°Your senses are dull because you¡¯re a chimera, Irene. Well, you may have also be stronger after consuming the Dragon and Alice¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Irene has definitely changed a lot from before, Your Majesty. I can feel the vigorous mana flow inside of her,¡± Allenmented. Allen made a contemtive expression while holding the Arcane¡¯s Crystal Staff. Woohyuk patted Allen¡¯s shoulder with a sad,miserating face. ¡°Have you suffered from any desire for women these days?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, really, Your Majesty. The path of the great mage was always going to be difficult and lonely. Holding a woman in one¡¯s arms does not help in advancing one¡¯s proficiency in magic.¡± Allen was truly a natural wonder. After shaking his head helplessly, Woohyuk asked Aris to fly the shuttle closer to the entrance of the epic dungeon. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone enter until wee out, Aris,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°Aing~ Okay!¡± Aris made a ¡®V¡¯ sign with her finger from the shuttle¡¯s cockpit. [Epic Dungeon: Would you like to enter the ruins of the Wind God?] [YES / NO] Based on the system message, it seemed that this was the dungeon where the previous Wind God was confined. Woohyuk pressed the YES button and entered the dungeon with his party. Before long, dazzling shes of light covered their surroundings. *** They were transported to the foot of a mountain range. They were ced with a fortress. Woohyuk¡¯s group looked around. There were a simple tent and wood fire in the center. Various supplies, life, and work tools were scattered around it. ¡°This ce¡­¡± ¡°It looks like a base camp.¡± It was the ce where peoplended when they were first summoned to this world. It was a camp that they often saw at the beginning of the tutorial. In the next stage of the tutorial, Adventurer¡¯s Gorge, facilities simr to these base camps existed for each group. ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t this Adventurer¡¯s Canyon?! We¡¯re blocked on all four corners by tall mountain ranges. We¡¯repletely blocked off from the outside!¡± Reina shouted. ¡°Keep calm, Reina. It looks a little different,¡± Woohyuk muttered. There were no facilities such as cksmiths, auction houses, inns, or taverns. These were the basic structures that all base camps provided in the tutorial. However, just like the tutorial base camps, there were only tents, a bonfire, and basic supplies. In terms of their surroundings, they were surrounded by huge walls on all sides. It seemed logical that they were within a fortress. ¡°It seems they want us to start from the most primitive state to prove the quality of each person,¡± Allen said. ¡°Your words make sense, Allen. First off, the primary objective seems to be survival,¡± Woohyuk replied. It was probably not the dungeon¡¯s intention for them to capture animals and grill them over the campfire and sing Kumbaya. There was a high possibility that someone like a guide would soon appear and exin the stage. As Woohyuk predicted, a ck fissure appeared in the air, and a pretty girl with blond hair wearing a red dress appeared. ¡°Vo~ Wee to the epic dungeon. My name is Eve. I believe some of you have already met me several times,¡± she said in a cheerful voice. Eve. She was to y the role of their guide. When Reina saw her, she yelped out loud and took a few steps back. ¡°Heok¡­ I hate that girl.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Oh, you¡¯re from the elven race that lives in the forest. You must have passed the tutorial already. How surprising.¡± Unlike humans who were self-weakened due to their dependence on modern civilization, elves had always lived in and with nature. So, even in the tutorial area, which was called the First Forest, she endured well without suffering any panic disorders. However, there were restrictions on the number of people who could survive, so the elves eventually had to kill each other off to survive. ¡°You always showed up and told us to fight each other! I¡¯m tired of killing my own people!¡± ¡°There are no other elves here except you though? Anyway~ I¡¯ll give you all the first task. First Task! Survive here for four days.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you kidding me? What kind of janky epic dungeon is this?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too excited, Reina of the elven race. The difficulty level is definitely high~¡± Eve looked at Reina and gave her a meaningful smile. Woohyuk looked at Eve unpleasantly and spoke up, ¡°What about the guys who came here before us? Did they move on to the next stage?¡± ¡°Teehee¡­ they may have died, or they may still be alive~¡± ¡°Your answers are so insincere,¡± he muttered. ¡°I can¡¯t help it~ Should I y the game ording to the will of the Creator? I¡¯ll give you one tip¡­ there¡¯s no next stage. So, you can assume that the rest of the challenge is conducted outside this ce.¡± She was saying that after four days here, they would move on to a new location. When Eve finished exining, Woohyuk summarized the current situation in his mind. ¡®I guess the Wind God is trapped somewhere here.¡¯ First of all, the gods who rebelled against the Creator must be killed by the challengers so that they can take over their power and take over the Divine Throne seat. In other words, the challengers were retaliating against the gods who rebelled against the Creator. The act of killing the previous gods legitimized the challenger in the Creator¡¯s eyes, as revenge was exacted on his behalf. Thus, in order to clear the epic dungeon, the god confined to this ce must be killed. ¡®Is it possible to bring more personnel?¡¯ The initial survival game was likely a meta-mechanism to filter out ineligible or unworthy challengers. In principle, anyone can enter an epic dungeon, which could lead to overcrowding. It seemed unlikely that he¡¯d be able to bring in more personnel. However, his current party members weren¡¯t a bad choice either. ¡°Alright. So how does this work? Will you show up here again in four days?¡± ¡°Yes~ Oh, if new applicantse in, I may appear again. Of course, I won¡¯t answer any of your questions.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. No one will being in.¡± ¡°Teehee¡­ You don¡¯t know the ways of the world. Anyway, good luck~!¡± Eve waved her hand and disappeared through the ck fissure. When Reina saw this, she frowned. ¡°Hmph! I really hate that human girl.¡± ¡°She may be a girl on the outside, but she¡¯s probably an early ancestor of mankind.¡± Of course, the originators of modern humans were Adam and Lilith, to be precise. Those born between Adam and Eve were part of Solomon¡¯s lineage, a sacred lineage protected by Etheria Rodinus. However, the two lines must have mixed blood in the middle, so it was a headache for Woohyuk to go too deep into the details. ¡°That girl is the mother of mankind? Nonsense¡­¡± ¡°In fact, she must have died millions of years ago. Well, I don¡¯t know the details, so let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± ¡°Lord, what are we going to do now? I don¡¯t think it would be a bad idea to search the nearby area before it gets too dark, but¡­¡± The space was so wide that it was difficult to be cautious of all four corners, and there was also the sky. Perhaps, like the Twilight Tower, this space itself acted as a medium, connecting to other spaces. Therefore, they needed to find out what was in this space. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. However, there may be some survivors in here, so some of us will have to remain and defend the base camp,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°Me, I just want to be here. I think it¡¯ll be dangerous to go outside for some reason,¡± Reina said as she quickly moved to the campfire. Woohyuk nodded his head and looked toward Allen. ¡°Reina may be attacked if she¡¯s left alone. Allen, keep herepany.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Allen replied as he politely bowed his head while holding his Crystal Staff in his hand. Woohyuk took the rest of the party and headed outside. He then turned his head back as if he thought of something. ¡°Oh, make sure to build structures that will help us survive while we¡¯re out. Something like a barricade to prevent intrusion from the outside.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, we need building materials to do that! Where the hell do you expect us to find those supplies?!!¡± ¡°Did you not see it? There¡¯s enough wood over there.¡± Woohyuk pointed to a pile of logs that were neatly stacked in the corner. Reina covered her mouth in surprise. ¡°W-Why¡­ why didn¡¯t I see that before?¡± ¡°Your elven vision is very narrow. Also, make a watchtower so you can look far into the distance.¡± Woohyuk waved his hand as a sign for them to work hard. After leaving the fortress, a forest with three trails appeared. ¡°Lord, what are we going to do? Should we split up and take a different path each?¡± ¡°No, we move together. We have four days anyway.¡± In the survival stage, there were many cases where scattering a party for no reason caused undue waste and death. As Woohyuk¡¯s group was walking along the middle road, an animal popped out of the forest. ¡°It¡¯s a doe.¡± ¡°¡­ Is this really Adventurer¡¯s Gorge?¡± ¡°Well, the basic structure seems simr. It would probably be cumbersome for the Creator to design individually unique stages.¡± Even in online games that he yed when in middle and high school, game developers often only slightly changed hunting grounds or monsters in low-level zones versus high-level zones. Many just used the same temte and changed a few variables around. Of course, this thought seemed a bit irrelevant in the current situation¡­ When Woohyuk was thinking about his past Earth life ying video games, a huge monster appeared behind the deer. ¡°Qu-Oh!¡± It was a wild red minotaur. ¡°¡­ The Creator must be tired of creating anything original for dungeons now.¡± Perhaps the Creator also felt that he might be no different from the other gods except for his ability to control the system. Feeling a subtle familiarity, Woohyuk rushed toward the red minotaur. Chapter 267: Game of Divine Thrones 2

Chapter 267: Game of Divine Thrones 2

As a result of exploring the nearby area for an entire day, Woohyuk learned several things. First. Unlike Adventurer¡¯s Canyon, there was no hunting ground for growth and development. Second. Instead of a hunting ground, there were clusters of powerful monsters all over the ce, and items dropped at a steady probability when one killed them. Third. Among the items dropped, there was a boss summoning piece, but one needed to collect a total of 100 pieces to convert the pieces into one summoning ticket. Fourth. If one summoned and defeated the boss monster, one can obtain items that were useful within the dungeon. However, one difficulty was that the type of boss summoning piece that appeared in each of the three paths were different. ¡°I think the Awakened Queen Star Snake would be better than the Bloody Basilisk,¡± Woohyuk murmured. ¡°Hik¡­ Do I have to deal with that disgusting snake again? How about a Golden Griffon instead?¡± Reina whined. ¡°Irene and Leifina can¡¯t attack the Golden Griffon, Reina. Think a little before giving your opinion,¡± he responded. ¡°Why can¡¯t they attack? You have that one thing¡­ a white horse with wings and a horn on its head,¡± Reina said as she was chewing on an apple in front of a campfire. After a sigh, Woohyuk turned over the venison that he was grilling on a frying pan. ¡°Leifina has acrophobia, so she won¡¯t be able to use it. Irene might be okay,¡± he muttered. ¡°What is acrophobia? A fear of heights? That¡¯s a funny concept,¡± Irenemented from the side as she tilted her head. When Reina saw Irene¡¯s reaction, she blurted out in an exasperated voice, ¡°You don¡¯t even know what acrophobia is? What hole were you living in your entire life?!¡± ¡°A hole where chimerase out from? Aris made me by remodeling the body of a dead saint,¡± Irene answered truthfully. ¡°Hey¡­ Why are you telling me that now?!¡± ¡°Because you never asked,¡± Irene answered. She then looked down at the te above herp, holding a fork and knife in her hands with a casual look. Reina looked at Irene with her mouth wide open, unable to reply. Irene continued to borately cut her venison steak into manageable pieces. ¡°Why does a chimera-like monster look so pretty and sophisticated?¡± Reina asked Woohyuk in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t keep calling her a monster, Reina. Irene is one of my most trusted vassals.¡± ¡°I-I had no intention of using a condescending term. I was just surprised to hear that she was a chimera,¡± Reina bbered on, constantly sweeping her chest with her hands to calm herself down. Then Allen, who was next to her, spoke up, ¡°The fact is, humans and elves may have been created by the Creator by remodeling them like a chimera. It¡¯s likely that this is why humans and elves can mate and give birth to offspring.¡± ¡°No more, don¡¯t say anything dirty! Allen! It doesn¡¯t sound right whening from a guy who has been castrated!¡± Reina screamed. ¡°Although I gave up my manhood voluntarily, breeding itself is by no means a dirty act. It is a divine union and associated with creation¡­¡± Like a university professor, Allen began giving her a lecture on the biological process of mating and reproduction. When Reina was making a bored yet terrified look, Leifina couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°W-Why are youughing! You¡¯re a female knight who doesn¡¯t even know how to cook!¡± Reina yelled. ¡°Oh, sorry. The situation is so interesting¡­¡± Leifina said as she scratched her head with an embarrassed face. Looking upon the scene, Woohyuk remembered an old memory. ¡®She used to burst outughing like that whenever we were about to eat. I guess some things didn¡¯t change from my previous life.¡¯ Most of the time back then, she burst outughing because she served them burnt ck food. This was why Woohyuk was in charge of cooking right now. It was suicide for him to entrust thisplicated task to the less socialized chimera or the elf, who was used to picking fruit and other edibles in the forest. Of course, the same was true of Allen, whose cooking sense was notmensurate with his magic skill. ¡®Still, it¡¯s nice having Leifina next to me.¡¯ Looking back on his past journeys, there were many times he couldn¡¯t be with her because of his busy schedule. Now that he didn¡¯t know what would happen in the future due to the Creator¡¯s intervention, he promised himself to make a greater effort to make memories like this. As Woohyuk gazed at Leifina, Reina noticed his stare and scootched next to him to whisper, ¡°Oho! It turns out, Woohyuk, you¡¯re not like Allen, aye? Who¡¯s your favorite girl here?¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t mutter such useless things,¡± he answered in a tired tone. ¡°You haven¡¯t married Eleanora of the Holy Aperian Empire yet, right? Well, although she looks pretty, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s your type for some reason. Maybe an obedient knight like Leifina is?¡± ¡°W-Wh-What are you talking about¡­!¡± Leifina stuttered out with fright. Her face turned bright red as she swung her arms around to somehow stop the conversation from continuing. Reina giggled andughed as she found Leifina¡¯s reaction entertaining. ¡°Look at that, Leifina seems to be interested in Woohyuk too? She¡¯s honestly better looking than Eleanora,¡± Reina continued. ¡°You must be bored, Reina. An elf who is as active and yful as you also has its own charm,¡± he replied. ¡°¡­ Oh, really? Thanks for thepliment. Anyway, so who is your choice?¡± Reina got up as she asked, trying to force Woohyuk to answer quickly. Woohyuk frowned his brow for a while and then decided to answer honestly, ¡°Leifina.¡± ¡°I knew it! I knew you liked that poison producing cook!¡± ¡°Why, are you jealous?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Well, no, why would I be¡­¡± At his unexpected counterattack, Reina was embarrassed and momentarily lost. After a sigh, Woohyuk transferred his fully cooked venison steak to a te. ¡°Unintentionally, we¡¯ve received four days of rtive rest, but don¡¯t let your guards down. There¡¯s a possibility that someone may attack us in the middle of the night,¡± he warned. ¡°Are you talking about a monster? We¡¯ve installed defensive barriers, so if they approach us, we¡¯ll know¡­¡± she said confidently before her voice trailed. She raised her pointed ears and paused her speech. Woohyuk also stopped cutting the steak and narrowed his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s one. Its physique is about the size of an adult male, and he¡¯s holding a sword with both hands,¡± Woohyuk quietly stated. ¡°Is it a survivor of the epic dungeon? Why would it be spying on us?¡± Reina asked. ¡°It looks like whatever it is has gone through some tough times. We¡¯ll have to ask him directly after we get ahold of him,¡± Woohyuk calmly stated before he disappeared in the blink of an eye. Before long, someone¡¯s scream rang out from afar. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± First observation, it was definitely not a monster. When Woohyuk brought the intruder to the camp, the party members were taken aback. ¡°So young?¡± ¡°¡­ He can¡¯t be over 12 years old¡­¡± ¡°His height is simr to Song Anna¡­¡± He was a short boy armed with a sword. He was a martial artist from the Lioness Kingdom. Woohyuk tied him up with some rope and started asking questions, ¡°Where are the other survivors?¡± ¡°T-There are none! Everyone is dead except me!¡± ¡°Your name is?¡± ¡°Ajin. I live in a small vige under Jeon-Ryun Mountain.¡± ording to Ajin¡¯s words, one day, after a group of bandits attacked his vige, he fled to this ce. He knew the geography of Jeon-Ryun Mountain well because he often spent time in the mountains digging up herbs. However, he was saying that everyone else perished while only he managed to escape and survive. ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± Woohyuk asked incredulously. ¡°D-Do you think I had some pipedream of striking it rich? I never wanted to enter this terrifying ce! I haven¡¯t even learned martial arts properly!¡± Ajin screamed as he struggled back and forth under the restrictions of the rope. Leifina looked down at him with a sad expression. ¡°What he says seems to be true, my Lord. How about freeing him now?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll leave him that way for now.¡± Woohyuk intuitively sensed that Ajin was lying about something through his super senses. But he didn¡¯t know exactly what Ajin was lying about. He needed to find out while doing some more face-to-face interrogation. As Woohyuk sat back down to finish his venison steak, Ajin yelled out with an exasperated expression, ¡°Do you really think you have time to eat a leisurely meal like that? The nights here are far worse than you think!¡± ¡°What do you mean? Do monsterse out?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°Eve told you to survive here for three days, right? Do you think she gave you guys that assignment to spend time leisurely like this? You over there, you may have already noticed a little because you¡¯re an elf,¡± Ajin replied with a hint of condescending anger in his voice. ¡°¡­?¡± Reina tilted her head once he pointed her out. She had no idea what he was talking about. Ajin sighed as if the people in front of him were pathetic losers. ¡°Listen, the Wind God¡¯s followers are hiding in these ruins. They are quiet during the day, but at night, when it¡¯s dark, they appear out of nowhere and cut your throat with a sharp de,¡± he said with a serious face. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re talking about the Night Fairies,¡± Woohyuk murmured. Night Fairies. They were fairies who ruthlessly punished adventurers who tried to steal the treasure of the Wind God. Often referred to as ck fairies, as they only appeared in the dark, they were an annoying opponent because of their quick movements and magic ability. ¡­ At least, this was the case for the average adventurer¡­ Slice! When Woohyuk swung Verserios, a ck fairy was cleanly sliced in half and fell to the floor silently. Woohyuk picked up the two little body parts and threw them right into the campfire. ¡°The ck fairy has a habit of flocking to where their people die through scent. So, burn them right away,¡± he instructed. ¡°They¡¯re hiding in the shadows¡­ we have to be alert,¡± Reinamented nervously. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know in my dreams that there was such a thing. It would be really dangerous when one sleeps, right?¡± Leifina asked, also nervous. When Ajin saw this scene unfolding, he opened his mouth to speak, ¡°If you release me, I¡¯ll give you more useful information! Remember, I¡¯ve survived here for a week!¡± ¡°How can an ordinary boy survive a week alone in such a dangerous ce? Who the hell are you?¡± Woohyuk said as he looked down at Ajin with menacing eyes. Having practiced and developed his martial skills in the Lioness Kingdom in his previous life, he had in mind the possibility that Ajin could be a martial master who changed forms. ¡®A form-changer can make even an old man with a white beard be a na?ve looking youth.¡¯ In the first ce, it didn¡¯t make sense that the martial artists who entered this space would bring a young child to help them navigate the ruins. If the group was divided intopeting groups and fought for survival, having a child in one¡¯s group would be useless. When Woohyuk showed an unyielding expression, Ajin rxed his expression. ¡°Hah¡­ I haven¡¯t seen other people in such a long time¡­ I wanted to y with you guys a little, but I guess that won¡¯t work,¡± Ajin stated in a mature, adult male voice. ¡°So, what¡¯s your true identity?¡± ¡°Me? If I told you I was the head of the Heavenly Magic Cult, would you know? Well, it seems like all of you are outsiders, so you may not know.¡± ¡°¡­ I do know.¡± Woohyuk nodded as if he finally realized the other person¡¯s identity. Heavenly Magic Cult. As the name implied, he was a person who reached heights beyond the limits of magic. In a way, he possessed a simr positioning to Woohyuk, but he was surely an enemy. He was a tragic person who rampaged at will because he knew he was a little strong. ¡°Oh, you noticed who I am. If so, it¡¯ll be easier to talk, right? First off, admit your negligence and sin in front of me. Depending on the degree of your repentance¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty noisy. If you¡¯re going to attack, just do it quickly,¡± Woohyuk replied. He then stood up and took out Verserios. With an expression of regret, Ajin cut off the rope that was restraining him by using his magic power. ¡°Such a waste. You seem like a pretty useful guy, so I tried to keep you alive. You seem to really have a death wish.¡± Chapter 268: Game of Divine Thrones 3

Chapter 268: Game of Divine Thrones 3

¡°It is you who will die, Heavenly Magic Cultist Mujin¡± Woohyuk stated. Ajin was a pseudonym used to deceive Woohyuk¡¯s party. When Woohyuk said his real name, Mujinughed out loud. ¡°That¡¯s interesting. Who are you? Outwardly, you look simr to the Lioness Kingdom¡¯s people, but you¡¯re armed like a western knight,¡± Mujin mentioned. ¡°My name is Chun Woohyuk, the greatmander of the Eeth Continent.¡± Woohyuk didn¡¯t hide his identity or achievements. Mujin listened intently to Woohyuk¡¯s brief exnation of his past. Mujin seemed fairly interested. ¡°I don¡¯t know if what you¡¯re saying is true, but it seems you¡¯ve been doing quite a lot. You might be worth dealing with,¡± he responded. ¡°As I said before, you can¡¯t beat me. You may be the strongest martial artist to have ever lived, but that¡¯s still not enough,¡± Woohyuk replied. Woohyuk got into his battle stance. The smile disappeared from Mujin¡¯s mouth. He quickly retorted back, ¡°Ha¡­ kids these days. You¡¯repletely ignoring your elder, you rebellious scoundrel. Fine. Let me teach you a few things about life.¡± Mujin took a step forward. Woong- A heavy, oppressive aura poured out of Mujin. The people behind Woohyuk fell to their knees with painful expressions on their faces. The pressure was too much for them to handle. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°What the hell¡­¡± ¡°This force¡­¡± The Heavenly Magic Steps. A Heavenly Magic member, who reached a high level, was essentially a warrior who overpowered one¡¯s enemies just by walking and expanding one¡¯s oppressive aura. However, Woohyuk spoke calmly towards Mujin as if the aura was nothing, ¡°Stop bragging and showing off. Go ahead and attack. Wasting time like this is annoying.¡± ¡°¡­ Who the hell are you? I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m seeing.¡± ¡°That sounds about right. Until now, you¡¯ve only fought with people who are weaker than you in the martial world.¡± No matter how high a level a Heavenly Magic member reached, he had no chance of contending against Woohyuk. Woohyuk activated Liandry¡¯s Ring and used ck Constetion. Then, a pitch-ck mana aura started emanating from Woohyuk¡¯s whole body. ¡°So, you¡¯re using demon power. I thought those ck wings looked a little suspicious.¡± ¡°Yes, this is the power of the demon. It is the abyss that even the Creator fears.¡± Woohyuk summoned Fenrir to attack Mujin. It was in order to induce Mujin to react and to reveal a gap. However, Mujin was called a Heavenly Magic member for nothing. ¡°Is this your pet dog? It¡¯s quite strong, but its bite doesn¡¯t match its size!¡± Mujin created numerous alter-images and confused Fenrir. At the same time, he narrowed the distance with Woohyuk. Mujin stretched out his weaponless arm. Heavenly Wind Aura Attack. It was one of the Heavenly Magic members¡¯ favorite techniques. Kwang! Along with arge bang, Woohyuk¡¯s fist pushed against Mujin¡¯s outstretched palm. Mujin vomited blood and was pushed back. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± From Mujin¡¯s point of view, something unbelievable just happened. When Mujin stepped back to gather his ragged breath, Woohyuk spoke out, ¡°As I said, you can¡¯t beat me.¡± ¡°T-T-This guy¡­¡± Mujin¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he exuded an intense madness aura from his being. After briefly oveing his initial shock, he raised his index finger and began to throw dozens of aura attacks. Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! However, all of his attacks couldn¡¯t break through the basic magic defensive barrier that swirled around Woohyuk like a personal tornado. As soon as the surroundings fell quiet, Leifina, who was watching from behind, looked at Woohyuk with admiration. ¡®My Lord has grown tremendously.¡¯ Suddenly, she remembered peering into Woohyuk¡¯s memory when he fainted after defeating ancient devil Harpes. He had been running himself ragged for this world and for others. She felt that she needed to be more than just a lump of luggage in his corner. ¡®If you are in danger, I will definitely protect you, Lord.¡¯ From the beginning, Leifina wholeheartedly epted that she¡¯d share her fate with Woohyuk. Using her hidden ss ability, Iron Maiden, she could teleport to his side at any time. It was unlikely that Woohyuk would lose to Mujin, but Leifina prepared her mind in advance anyway. Meanwhile, Mujin prepared for a final blow. All of his previous attacks had been blocked. ¡®I must bet everything on this one strike.¡¯ Heavenly Magic Fist! Among his martial art techniques, the destructive power of Heavenly Magic Fist was the strongest. Mujin opened his eyes and stretched his fist toward Woohyuk, who was standing still. Kwang! With a roar, their fists collided. ¡®Was I able to push him off?¡¯ Mujin didn¡¯t feel like he was pushed back. When he was full of anticipation, a tremendous pain suddenly spread from his fingertips to his entire body. Kwang! An ultrasonic boom btedly rang out. Mujin was astonished as he tumbled along the floor. The damage of the Heavenly Magic Fist returned to himpletely intact. ¡°Mirroring¡­ definitely a usable ability,¡± Woohyuk muttered as he saw Mujin copse with all of his internal organs bursting. It was the ability he gained after killing Cadiz, the Death Alchemist. Mirroring was able to return the magic and physical damage cast towards him to the opponent,pletely intact. Of course, it needed to be a force that he could handle anyway. If the force was greater than what he could handle, Mirroring would fail. ¡°Lord, are you okay?¡± Leifina shouted as she rushed over to check on Woohyuk. Woohyuk nodded his head and looked down at Mujin, who was barely holding onto his breath. ¡°You must have entered this ruin with other Heavenly Magic Cult members. It seems like something went wrong and you survived alone at the expense of the rest.¡± ¡°Keuk¡­¡± ¡°Close your eyes, Mujin. You¡¯re just a loser who can¡¯t even ovee a single epic dungeon.¡± Slice! Woohyuk swung Verserios and cut off Mujin¡¯s head. Afterward, he had Irene eat Mujin¡¯s heart. ¡°In the martial world, he¡¯s a very strong guy. This is a rare opportunity, soe and absorb his power,¡± Woohyuk instructed. ¡°Thank you, I will eat well,¡± Irene replied. After Irene leaned her head down, she started chewing Mujin¡¯s dark red heart. Reina turned her head to the side as if she was disgusted with the scene. ¡°Ugh¡­ I feel sick,¡± Reina said as she was dry heaving. ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything, so be quiet, Reina,¡± Woohyuk stated. ¡°I was momentarily stunned because he suddenly used a strange technique. What was that?¡± For someone who shot arrows in the forest and learned only pure magic skills, the Heavenly Magic Cult¡¯s aura attacks were somethingpletely new. After a while, when Irene had eaten up all of Mujin¡¯s heart, Woohyuk confirmed her new abilities. ¡°Try to copy the technique he used,¡± he said. ¡°¡­ Kneel,¡± Irene stated as she looked at Reina. Immediately, Reina knelt on the ground. Her body started shaking uncontrobly. ¡°Again, I¡¯m being embarrassed again¡­¡± she muttered as she was forced to keep a kneeling position. ¡°Excellent. It seems that the dragons¡¯ abilities of the dragon tribe and the aura martial arts of the Heavenly Magic Cult havebined,¡± Woohyuk said approvingly. Irene had eaten a dragon heart before. As he watched her continue to grow, Allen looked at her as if he was interested in something. ¡°Certainly, if you keep feeding her hearts in this way, she will be very strong sooner orter. Personally, I look forward to her development,¡± Allen stated in amazement. ¡°I should also feed her the boss monsters¡¯ hearts from here. Well, if Irene doesn¡¯t want it, I can¡¯t help it,¡± Woohyuk murmured. ¡°I like hearts. I like how they flip and flop like a fish,¡± she said as she wiped the blood from the sides of her mouth. Woohyuk stroked her head as if she did well. ¡°I¡¯ll feed you as much as you want. Of course, no matter how hungry you get, don¡¯t eat your coworkers.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± Irene licked her lips as she looked at Reina¡¯s chest area. Reina copsed backward and herplexion turned blue. ¡°S-Suddenly, I-I¡¯m scared of her suddenly¡­¡± Reina managed to stutter. ¡°Well, you should have treated her better before, right?¡± Woohyuk said half-jokingly. Chimera Irene was able to determine who liked or disliked her. While she was at a standstill with Reina, Woohyuk sat in front of the campfire and continued to have dinner. ¡°... It¡¯s gotten a little cool, but it¡¯s still edible.¡± ¡°Lord, there is still more venison left. Shall we cook it?¡± ¡°Get away from the cooking utensils, Leifina.¡± Leifina wanted to be of some help, but her food was difficult for anyone to bear. Woohyuk enjoyed his cold venison steak with a sulking Leifina sitting next to him. *** During the four-day period, no other survivors showed up. Thanks to this, Woohyuk was able to summon the boss monster without any interruption and killed them all. As a result¡­ ¡°I think this is the key to open something.¡± The party was able to obtain three different loot items. ¡°It looks like a crystal ball needed for a certain ritual.¡± ¡°This looks like a map of the forest in front of the base camp.¡± The map was certainly helpful in gaining their bearings and attacking the ruins, but the use for the key and crystal ball were still unclear. When the party was sharing their opinions, a ck fissure appeared, and Eve stepped out. ¡°Well, well¡­ everyone is alive. I guess it wasn¡¯t very difficult, so it¡¯s natural that you¡¯re all still here.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the next assignment? Can we now go through the forest along the forked roads?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. For your information, no matter which one you choose, you don¡¯t have to worry about getting lost, since you¡¯ll eventually arrive at the same destination. The fork is just a mechanism to evenly distribute people for the next stage.¡± The first stagested four days to weed out weak contestants from the start. Reina asked a question after hearing Eve¡¯s exnation, ¡°Then, you mean that the tremendous martial arts boy was a weak person?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re referring to Mujin. He actually reached the final stage but came back to this one. He had met something in the final stage that he couldn¡¯t handle.¡± She seemed to be talking about the Wind God. Mujin must have lost out. Woohyuk nodded his head and asked, ¡°Then, once we get out of the forest, we¡¯ll be facing that same existence?¡± ¡°Correct~! You¡¯re quick to notice, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do well! So, go ahead~!¡± Eve winked and disappeared through the ck fissure. Woohyuk and his party went straight into the forest after packing their supplies. ¡°Since we¡¯ve already explored each path, we can easily move through it. We¡¯ve already killed all the monsters,¡± Leifina said. ¡°Good job finishing that up, Leifina. Irene, too.¡± ¡°I would do whatever you tell me if it means I can eat a heart,¡± Irene replied. It seemed that she developed a taste for hearts. Eventually, the group arrived in the middle of the forest. However, rainbow-colored Cockatrices the size of a bull blocked the road. ¡°Chip, chip, chip!¡± The Cockatrice also came out of the tutorial area, so it could be said that it was a monster that the Creator recycled for this purpose. ¡°Irene, that¡¯s inedible chicken, so don¡¯t put it in your mouth,¡± Woohyuk warned as though he was talking to a young child. ¡°Inedible chicken¡­ I see,¡± Irene replied as she nodded sadly. Afterward, she lifted a pitch-ck scythe above her head and danced like a dancer, mercilessly cutting through the Cockatrices. Slice! Slice! Slice! The Cockatrices couldn¡¯t even resist properly. They were soon scattered on the floor. ¡°Chi¡­!¡± ¡°Chip?¡± ¡°Ch~!¡± The Cockatrices behind the ughtered ones started exchanging dialogue in their ownnguage. Afterward, they turned around and started sprinting away. ¡°¡­ Lord, is this really an epic dungeon?¡± Leifina asked puzzlingly. ¡°The Creator must have been busy with something. It seems like he just pped some parts together,¡± Woohyuk answered, understanding the Creator¡¯s feeling. The core objective of the epic dungeon was to defeat the confined gods anyway. The rest of the process was insignificant. That¡¯s probably why the Creator didn¡¯t properly decorate the dungeon¡¯s interior, choosing to copy and paste previous styles and stages. Feeling that there was no need to waste time in such a ce, Woohyuk hurried towards the next stage. Chapter 269: Game of Divine Thrones 4

Chapter 269: Game of Divine Thrones 4

A huge barrier arose at the edge of the forest. There was a circr groove on the wall. The size of the groove perfectly with the crystal sphere obtained from the forest. ¡°ce it over there.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± Click. As soon as the crystal ball was inserted, the wall began to split in two with the sound of the lock being released. Creak~ A blue temple atop a hill began to take shape in the distance. Woohyuk expected that the Wind God was confined in the temple. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The Night Fairies seemed to have stopped pursuing us.¡± ¡°Phew, when I think of those ck fairies, my body still trembles. I can¡¯t sleepfortably at night even now,¡± Reina said as she shuddered. She recalled what happened the night before. The forest was so magnificent that she decided to spend a night in the forest, but a group of Night Fairies relentlessly attacked her throughout the night. Furthermore, she had brought the Night Fairies to the party when she was running away. Thanks to this, everyone in the group had to stay awake until the day became bright. ¡°Now it feels like an epic dungeon. Up tost night, it was easypared to what I was honestly prepared for,¡± Reinamented. ¡°¡­ But the real challenge remains, right there,¡± Woohyuk said as he motioned to the temple with his chin. The party knew about the seriousness of the uing situation because they heard Woohyuk¡¯s exnation as they advanced to this point. Five people were needed to defeat the Wind God. Although all the members were excellent in their own way, it was still a difficult challenge. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you volunteered toe here, Reina,¡± Woohyuk mentioned. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Then don¡¯tin and give your best effort.¡± It was questionable whether the Wind God would be hit by the magic arrows shot by the elf, but it was better than nothing. When Reina was in the Croix Principality, she was quite a marksman among the elves, so she often assisted Ophelia on various official tasks. When they arrived at the blue temple atop the hill, Woohyuk opened therge bronze front door. Creak. Once the door was open, everyone got a good look at what was inside. A wide-open area with a huge magic circle in the center. Above the magic circle stood an angel with wings and a man with green hair, who seemed to be enved, as he was held captive with a chain of light. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard up to this point. My name is Gabriel. I am one of the archangels who serve the Creator.¡± ¡°Archangel¡­ Then this must not be our first meeting,¡± Woohyuk replied as he took a few steps forward. Woohyuk himself was Archangel Rafael in his previous life, so he must have known Gabriel. He wondered if he could get some information out of Gabriel using his past life¡¯s rtionship. ¡°How many memories have you recovered from your previous life, Rafael? If you¡¯ve recovered any, you should feel burdened by the heavy sins youmitted,¡± Gabriel stated. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know much about that. I¡¯ve suffered quite a bit getting this far,¡± Woohyuk responded. ¡°You will eventually give in. The Creator¡¯s system has maintained the world for eternity. You¡¯re insignificant in therger picture,¡± Gabriel said in a condescending manner. Gabriel looked at Woohyuk as if he were petty. From his point of view, Woohyuk was nothing more than a fallen angel. If it wasn¡¯t for the Creator¡¯s explicit order, he would have hurled with weapons at Woohyuk already. ¡°The system is pretty absurd. Even the gods have rebelled under the Creator¡¯s system. It is the Creator and you followers who should be ashamed,¡± Woohyuk replied back. ¡°Stop spewing sphemy. I¡¯ve been ordered not to kill you, but I wasn¡¯t restricted in acting against the people behind you,¡± Gabriel said as he ground his teeth and stared at Woohyuk¡¯s party. At that time, the Wind God, who was silently waiting next to Gabriel, opened his mouth to speak, ¡°I knew we would meet someday, Rafael. Seeing that you have wings, it seems you¡¯ve regained some of your archangel powers.¡± ¡°It looks like you have something ready for me, right? Or do you want me to beat Gabriel and save you?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. The reason we gods rebelled was not because of an internal dispute but to lead you to this point,¡± the Wind God calmly replied as he stared at Woohyuk with an unpretentious expression. He seemed to have something to say to Woohyuk. However, when Gabriel intervened, the conversation stopped. ¡°This ce exists to give the previous Wind God¡¯s Divine Throne seat to whoever is powerful enough to subdue this traitor, the Wind God. I¡¯m here to oversee that job,¡± Gabriel exined. ¡°If we don¡¯t get rid of the Wind God, will you attack us?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you unless you preemptively attack me. Just keep in mind that no one can get out of here unless the Wind God is executed, even if I die to you here,¡± Gabriel said in a somewhat tired voice. It seemed he felt this responsibility underneath him and tiresome. Pissed off at his attitude towards them, Reina started digging into Gabriel, ¡°Are you really an archangel? Why are all your actions and words so disgusting?¡± ¡°I just follow the will of the Creator. I don¡¯t care about anything else. Thoughtful, trusted angels rebelled in the past. All of them died or fell into hell,¡± Gabriel tly stated. He spoke as if he would take out his galldder for the Creator. Woohyuk nodded his head and shook his hand in a shooing motion toward Gabriel. ¡°Okay, get out of there. I want to talk to the Wind God.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Conversations are allowed by the system,¡± Gabriel halfheartedly replied as he gave them some room to talk. When the proper atmosphere for dialogue was established, the previously silent Wind God spoke up, ¡°Because you¡¯vee this far, you know why the Creator started the Game of Divine Thrones, right?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it to pick out guys who listen to his words better? Of course, the main purpose would be to use me to restore the system and control the power of the demon,¡± Woohyuk answered. ¡°Thetter is correct. But the former is wrong. The Creator does not want a mortal flesh and blood creature to sit in the Divine Thrones,¡± the Wind God exined, correcting Woohyuk. The reason why the Creator started the Game of Divine Thrones was simply to make the Eeth Continent fall deeper into confusion and chaos, creating the optimal stage for his descent into the world. Upon hearing these words, Reina made an exasperated expression. ¡°Wait, are you saying we¡¯ve been doing all this crap so far for nothing?!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes. But there is no need to be frustrated. If all the races join forces, we might be able to redo the Odyssey n.¡± To break down the Creator¡¯s system, once and for all, and create a new order. To aplish this, Woohyuk needed the Holy Grail, Verserios, and the Ark of Knowledge in perfect condition. However, when the previous Asura died, there was no longer anyone who could wield Verserios, so the gods rebelled, causing the Creator¡¯s original design and system to be distorted. ¡°You¡¯re interfering with the Creator¡¯s n?¡± Woohyuk asked with a raised brow. ¡°Yes. We knew well that the Creator¡¯s knowledge forbidden was about thebination of light and darkness. Thisbination distorts the existing system and leads the future in an unpredictable direction,¡± the Wind God calmly exined. The totality of that forbidden knowledge was the Ark of Knowledge. The rebellious gods used their powers with the knowledge gained from the Ark of Knowledge. As a result, the Creator¡¯s influence upon this world became weaker. ¡°So, the Creator is trying to restore the system by developing the next Demon Lord as soon as possible? SO that he can reset his system?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. He could have solved the problem by reverting the time to a previous time or resetting the system altogether, but the fundamental w inputted into the system through the Odyssey n made his previous troubleshooting solutions meaningless.¡± In a word, everything was up to Woohyuk now. Will the Odyssey n be executed to create a new order, or will it be nullified to reboot the system and maintain the existing order? Either way, it was only possible when Woohyuk¡¯s soul was used as a medium, so the Creator tried to move Woohyuk ording to his will. ¡°In other words, you made the situation in my favor by starting a revolt amongst the gods before the Creator coulde up with a definite measure and n against me,¡± Woohyuk said, summarizing the Wind God¡¯s points. ¡°That is urate. One day, we found out the ultimate purpose of why the Game of Divine Thrones was created by the Creator.¡± The Game of Divine Thrones was created strictly to benefit the Creator. The Creator lifted the veil of time to glimpse into the future. He eventually learned that there was a chance that he would no longer be if he left things as they were. To change that future, the Creator began to experiment. Using multiple dimensions, the Creator was able to create dimension wherein the gods and demons were diametrically opposed to each other while also creating dimensions where the gods and demons constantly fought and exchanged within the same space. In other words, the gods were neither more nor less than the Creator¡¯sb mice, and the various multidimensional scenarios were designed to find the optimum path for total destruction and genocide, wiping out the demons and gods. This would reset the system and give the Creator stable control. ¡°If you were destined to die anyway, you were hoping to go out with a bang? That was the purpose for your rebellion?¡± Woohyuk asked after hearing the Wind God¡¯s exnation. ¡°We decided to bet everything on you, Rafael. We helped you so that you can defeat the Creator, destroy his system, and create a new world order with the Odyssey n.¡± The Wind God regarded Woohyuk as a more appropriate ruler of the system than the Creator. Woohyuk nodded his head as if in agreement. ¡°If so, perish here, wind God. Once you perish, I can gain the strength to fight the Creator.¡± ¡°That¡¯s difficult. In your present condition, you will continue to be dominated and controlled by the Creator.¡± Therefore, the Wind God intended to challenge Woohyuk under a specific, difficult regiment so that Woohyuk could bring out his potential more. As he revealed his willingness to fight, the chain of light that restricted him disappeared and a system message emerged. [The Wind God is released from his bondage.] [If the Wind God is defeated, the challenger will take over his Divine Throne.] ¡®In the end, it goes like this.¡¯ Like it or not, he had to follow the Creator¡¯s design. Like mindless adventurers proceeding with quests to get rewards. Considering how the system developed him up to now, the words of the Wind God made sense. Woohyuk had to ovee his limits. Woohyuk was expected to grow to an appropriate level each time he faced his limits. Thus, he continually moved ording to the Creator¡¯s master n. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll just consider this a mock battle before confronting the Creator.¡¯ He had a lot of ultimate artifacts, so he felt he had a good chance. When Woohyuk activated ck Constetion with Liandry¡¯s ring, pitch-ck mana started burning from his body. ¡°You guys fight while considering your personal safety as much as possible. You guys don¡¯t have to do too much,¡± Woohyuk said as he turned to his sides and faced his party members. ¡°Okay, my Lord,¡± Leifina responded. ¡°If you give me a heart, I will do what you tell me to do,¡± Irene followed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m only shooting arrows anyway¡­¡± Reina murmured. ¡°If it¡¯s dangerous, we will avoid the situation using teleportation magic, your Majesty,¡± Allen said as he brought his fist up to his chest. In this way, the five-man raid to beat the Wind God began. Woohyuk first used the Seven Color Rainbow Ring to increase his Battle Foresight ability to the limit. ¡®I¡¯ll predict his behavior and find the most appropriate response to his attacks.¡¯ The power of the Wind God entailed many abilities. Using his Battle Foresight ability, Woohyuk was able to see countless des of wind hitting the party. ¡®Because he has near-infinite mana, he¡¯ll unterally pour out a wide area magic spell.¡¯ It was better to deal with the wide-area magic spell with his own wide-area magic spell. Woohyuk created a number of dark sphere orbs in the air after raising his demonic mana as much as possible with the Seven Color Rainbow Ring. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! The dark sphere orbs and the wind des shed endlessly, shaking the interior space. The Wind God spoke up when Woohyuk was foreseeing the next situation with Battle Foresight. ¡°The future cannot be predicted at all times. This is the same for the Creator as well. What you¡¯re seeing is just a possibility.¡± The Wind God raised his right hand with a tired expression. Shortly thereafter, a magic circle spread out in the air, and a translucent bondage system covered Woohyuk and his party members. Chapter 270: Game of Divine Thrones 5

Chapter 270: Game of Divine Thrones 5

¡°T-This¡­!¡± Leifina said with a stunned face. ¡°You can¡¯t move your body, right?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°It¡¯s so powerful that my unlocking spell doesn¡¯t work. We¡¯ve gotten ourselves in some trouble,¡± Reina screamed out. ¡°¡­ Heart,¡± Irene murmured. Each of his party members made ament and had on an embarrassed expression. Meanwhile, Woohyuk calmly prepared his countermeasure. ¡®I wonder what will happen if I use the Rule Breaker ability.'' Destroying and transforming an existing domain was the main characteristic of the fourth hidden ss, Rule Breaker. Of course, in reality, Woohyuk could only change the name of the item through this ability, but it seemed that some other effect would be apanied with the name changed if he used the Seven Color Rainbow Ring to reinforce and increase the ability. Kwaji-Jik! When Woohyuk put his ns into action, the restrictive movement spell was cracked, and the movement of him and his party members became freer. ¡®What¡¯s next? A melee attack?¡¯ The predictive future seen through Battle Foresight started to fade out at some point. This meant that there were many variables at y in the current battlefield. When Woohyuk was observing the situation and contemting his next move, a vortex of harsh magical power covered the party. Go-Oh-Oh-Oh! It seemed as though the Wind God wanted tond a powerful blow this time around. Woohyuk borrowed Hong Yuri¡¯s power and created a blood vortex. Go-Oh-Oh-Oh! The two vortices collide with each other, creating a bizarre dissonance. At the same time, the voice of the Wind God rang out. ¡°You¡¯re doing well for a demigod. But what about this one?¡± C-Crack. As the space began to distort, a great shock wave passed through Woohyuk¡¯s group. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± ¡°Ack¡­!¡± Leifina and Reina couldn¡¯t hold up and fell down, vomiting blood. Irene and Allen were barely standing, but they were falling in and out of consciousness. In order to protect them, Woohyuk brought out his demonic powers to open Asura''s absolute space. Sa-Ah! The pitch-ck darkness swallowed everything up. But before long, a blue energy emerged from one side and began to push away Asura¡¯s absolute space. ¡°When ites to absolute space and dimensional fights, I never fall behind, Rafael.¡± ¡°¡­ I guess I¡¯ll have to end this game quickly.¡± Basically, a demigod fighting against a god, even if it was a fallen god, was absurd. The demigod would be at a huge disadvantage. The longer a battlested, the lower the possibility of a reversal for the demigod, who was an imperfect being from the start, not fully human and not fully a god. Woohyuk had to make a stand, no matter how irrational of dangerous his action may be. After considering his options, Woohyuk decided to use the Reinforced Andvaranaut abilities. ¡®Let¡¯s try putting the ancient demon¡¯s curse on the Wind God.¡¯ If the power of the curse was maximized with the Seven Color Rainbow ring, even the Wind God should be effected. In the beginning, Andvaranaut was an artifact that the Wind God gave up on because he feared its chaotic, destructive powers. Therefore, Woohyuk believed that the artifact had the potential power to even destroy a god. Rumble. When Woohyuk injected magic power into the reinforced Andvaranaut, a ck energy leaked out and disappeared somewhere. After a while¡­ ¡°Keuk!¡± He heard the Wind God groan. At the same time, the Wind God¡¯s blue energy began to be pushed out little by little by Woohyuk¡¯s darkness. Woohyuk used that timing to block the Wind God¡¯s use of his abilities with Liandry¡¯s Ring. ¡®Now he can¡¯t use any magic or abilities for the time being.¡¯ Originally, Liandry¡¯s Ring could block only three abilities, but if it was reinforced by the Seven Color Rainbow Ring, it could block all of the opponent¡¯s abilitiespletely. His attempt seemed to be sessful. The blue energy lost momentum and soon disappeared into the darkness. ¡°Let¡¯s finish it here, Wind God!¡± Woohyuk, who caught a scent of an imminent victory, lifted Verserios and flew toward the Wind God. Without a word, the Wind God summoned a long spear, his main weapon. Ka-Rang! Ka-Rang! The two weapons collided, and sparks arose like fireworks in the dark space. Woohyuk condensed all the demonic mana he possessed into Verserios while disturbing the Wind God as much as possible with Dantalion¡¯s alter-image ability. Pu-Wook! With a blunt sound, Verserios broke into the Wind God¡¯s heart. When Woohyuk was about to put on a satisfied expression, a shadow suddenly appeared behind him and struck him. Pu-Wook! A long spear pierced Woohyuk¡¯s heart and protruded out from the front of his chest. Woohyuk vomited blood and confirmed the identity of the person who stabbed him. ¡°Leifina¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to manipte a stunned human woman. Of course, her soul is still a goddess¡¯, though.¡± ¡°You fucker¡­!¡± Woohyuk¡¯s eyes instantly filled with madness and rage. At the same time, a trait that was sleeping inside him was finally revealed. Verserios began to cry like crazy. K-Oh-Oh-Oh! The jet-ck mana emanated from the sword and swallowed up the Wind God. The Wind God, who saw the transformed figure, closed his eyes with a satisfactory expression. ¡°Yes, crave what you really want. Only that eagerness will be able to save your lover from this world.¡± The shape of the Wind God faded and began to oxidize into blue energy. After a time, when the Wind God waspletely neutralized, Leifina regained her consciousness. ¡°Lord¡­? Uh, how did this happen¡­¡± Leifina was taken aback from shock as she saw her hands holding the sword that was stabbed into Woohyuk¡¯s heart. ¡°Keuk¡­¡± Woohyuk sat down on the ground with a pain-filled expression. It was momentarypse in concentration, but that brief window provided an opening for the Wind God. Woohyuk was almost defeated. If he wasn¡¯t a demigod and a necromancer with a high tolerance for death, he would have already sumbed to his wounds. The battle with the Wind God enlightened him. ¡®First, I¡¯ll restore my body with the power of revival.'' His mana and mental powers werepletely exhausted. After recovering from his wounds, Woohyuk struggled to stand up. He was finally able to with the help of Leifina. ¡°Congrattions on defeating the Wind God,¡± Gabriel said in a monotone voice. He had watched the battle from a corner of the space. Woohyuk asked forpensation for hispensation, the Divine Throne seat. ¡°Now, give me the Divine Throne seat. I want to fill the seat with one of my party members.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not possible. They are all ineligible to upy a seat.¡± It was Woohyuk who defeated the Wind God, so the seat could only be filled by him. However, he was currently challenging the Demon Lord throne through an epic quest, so he had no use for the Wind God seat. Furthermore, Gabriel stated that even if he allowed the idea that the others contributed, their abilities were not enough to sit atop a Divine Throne seat. When Gabriel was giving these excuses skillfully, Woohyukined out loud, ¡°Are you kidding me? We came here and did everything you asked for, but you¡¯re now saying you can¡¯t pass on the Divine Throne seat?¡± ¡°Please check the system message again. It specifically states that you¡¯ll have a chance to obtain a Divine Throne seat, not that you would be guaranteed one unconditionally.¡± Gabriel continued to defend his position by highlighting the y on words. Woohyuk muttered with a firm expression after pushing Gabriel, ¡°As the wind God said, the Creator never intended to fill the Divine Throne seat.¡± ¡°Well, in any case, you¡¯ve ovee this epic dungeon, so I¡¯ll reward you. Now, let¡¯s open this treasure chest and see what you get.¡± Gabriel summoned a small golden box above his hands. Woohyuk opened it with the key he got from the forest. Click. He could see a small crystal lying in the box. [You have obtained 1 Elixir of God.] [Epic Quest: The total number of materials required in the future toplete the Demon Throne quest is to collect three Elixir of God.] In the end, he had to go through all four epic dungeons to get the elixirs. Woohyuk asked Gabriel a question with a gruff voice, ¡°What effect does the Elixir of God have?¡± ¡°It literally allows you to receive a divine hierarchy position within the system, an upgrade from your demigod hierarchy. In the process, your abilities are recalibrated, and your appearance may change slightly.¡± The Elixir of God was a means to put oneself closer to the Divine Throne by upgrading the stats of the elixir¡¯s consumer. As Woohyuk sighed, Gabriel smiled and stated aloud, ¡°With this, you¡¯vepleted the assignment of oveing the ruins of the Wind God. Then, good luck in the next epic dungeon.¡± As he finished speaking, their surroundings were filled by a pure white sh. *** When Woohyuk¡¯s party came out, the ruins of the Wind God lost its shape and began to copse onto itself. At the same time, a system message was delivered to everyone on the continent. [Epic Dungeon: The Ruins of the Wind God have beenpleted.] One of the epic dungeons disappeared, so the message was a warning for others to work harder. Woohyuk looked down at the scattered scraps of the ruins that were strewn atop Jeon-Ryun Mountain with an unpleasant expression. ¡®Is it really possible to confront the Creator in this way?¡¯ If he progressed in this manner, he¡¯d only be able to gain pre-determined quest rewards. He would be dancing with the Creator¡¯s beats. He needed to create a new variable, to do something to ovee the calcted result that would inevitablye out if he continued down the Creator¡¯s predestined road. ¡®Hmm, maybe I can use the dark crystal of the abyss that Drakia gave me.¡¯ In addition, there were materials to make the Heart of the Sea obtained from the Sanctuary of the Sea God. Somehow, if hebined these seemingly disconnected items well, he felt that something usable woulde out. Right away, Woohyuk returned to Inotia and sought Runesmith Dexter¡¯s advice. ¡°Well, these are definitely unusual ingredients. Using the Erdium and Adamante that you handed overst time, I¡¯ll look for a suitable recipe.¡± Erdium was a divine mineral that he obtained from the Valkyrie Ruins. Adamante was a magical metal created by the Death Alchemist. They would each have a unique and important part in creating something new. Using the analogy of a car, Erdium would be the engine while Adamante would be the aluminum alloy body that forms the exterior. After giving Dexter the task, Woohyuk called on Fiona. ¡°Has anything else happened while I was away?¡± ¡°Currently, an infectious disease called Blood Death is spreading across the Eeth Continent. Carriers have also been identified in Inotia, and quarantine treatment is in progress.¡± Blood Death was the third catastrophe recorded in the Prophecy. However, Woohyuk had already obtained the cure afterpleting an epic quest. ¡°Aris, contact Etheria Rodinus to mass-produce the infectious disease treatment and vine. We have enough money, so we can lose some money to save humanity.¡± ¡°Yes, leave it to me!¡± Aris shouted as she raised her hand to her chest. Subsequently, afterpleting various misceneous tasks, Woohyuk convened his followers. ¡°There are now three epic dungeons left. But even if we attack all of them, we won¡¯t be able to secure a single Divine Throne seat.¡± ¡°The Creator is a scam artist. Dangling the empty Divine Throne seats like a carrot to make us salivate over them¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, seriously. Does it make sense that the people who attack and ovee the ruins are not qualified?¡± Some of his vassals burst into anger. They all felt that their suffering and tireless work was all for naught. Everything had be aplete waste. Helena sighed with her arms folded. She too thought this scenario was absurd. ¡°This is ridiculous. It¡¯spletely different from the content of the Prophecy. It seems like the future has changed to an unpredictable degree.¡± ¡°I heard that the Saintess of Prophecy can no longer have foresight dreams. By the way, as a Saintess, haven¡¯t you ever received any revtions, Helena?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Saintess by name only. The Earth God is confined and can¡¯t do anything, so I¡¯m on my own as well.¡± Woohyuk announced his decision to his vassals after hearing everyone¡¯s opinions. ¡°The remaining epic dungeons will be attacked in groups and destroyed individually. They won¡¯t even give us a Divine Throne seat anyway, so just get the reward material ande out.¡± ¡°How will you divide the groups, Your Majesty?¡± Allen asked with a curious expression. Woohyuk started exining after unfolding an Eeth Continent map. ¡°Simple. We¡¯ll enter the epic dungeon in the Croix Principality and send the remaining 72 Demon Kings to the other two.¡± ¡°¡­ Will they be able to ovee the confined Gods themselves?¡± ¡°These are guys who went through the Great Demon War. If they work together, they can get rid of one god.¡± Woohyuk would get the better of the Creator yet. Recalling the memory of Archangel Gabriel¡¯s condescending words and re, Woohyuk burned with fiery passion and resolve. Chapter 271: Game of Divine Thrones 6

Chapter 271: Game of Divine Thrones 6

An epic dungeon floating above the dense forest in the Croix Principality. Woohyuk was preparing to attack the dungeon with his party members. ¡°You have to be very careful, Hero King. The humans who entered there haven¡¯te out yet,¡± Ophelia warned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ophelia. I¡¯ve already stopped by one ce, so I think I¡¯ll manage,¡± he calmly replied. ¡°Then I will pray to Mother Nature for your safe return.¡± Ophelia, ever cautious and considerate, carefully checked the condition and equipment of Woohyuk¡¯s party members. Woohyuk reassured her once more before immediately entering the epic dungeon. ¡®Is this the ruins of the God of cksmithing?¡¯ Curiously, the interior space resembled a city on Earth. Perhaps the ruins themselves were abination of different dimensions. Woohyuk waited for Eve to appear at the base camp, which was surrounded by a barricade. ¡°Hello, my name is Eve~! Have you been waiting long?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be cute. You¡¯re probably humanity¡¯s first grandmother.¡± ¡°¡­ Fuck you. Anyway~, this ce is the ruins of the God of cksmithing. Is everyone ready~?¡± Eve said as she returned to her cute character portrayal. She went a step further this time and cutely winked at the party members. ¡°Are we supposed to survive here for four days?¡± ¡°Yes~, that¡¯s correct! The four days are used to make sure that those who entered are worthy of challenging the god andpeting for a Divine Throne seat.¡± ¡°What do you mean ineligible? I know you¡¯re not going to release a Divine Throne seat to us anyway, no matter how well we do,¡± Woohyuk answered. ¡°No, no! Those who qualify are given a chance to im the Divine Throne seat if they clear the ruins. If one doesn¡¯t get that opportunity this time around, one should develop and practice more outside and try again at another epic dungeon, right?¡± Eve gave a tant excuse, just like Archangel Gabriel did the other day. One way or another, it would be the same. No one would be able to upy a Divine Throne seat in the end. Even if he brought Empress Eleanora, he would hear the same answer. ¡°Let¡¯s stop wasting words and get this over with,¡± Woohyuk muttered. ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry! Then good luck!¡± Eve waved her hand and disappeared through a ck fissure. Woohyuk turned around and gave his party a mission. ¡°Roan and Lisa remain at the base camp and build useful structures like watchtowers. The rest of you will be divided into three groups. Each group will search the area designated to their group.¡± Likest time, the dungeon split off into three paths. It seemed that the Creator was toozy to create an original epic dungeon. The party was divided and moved along the cement-paved road that passed through the city center. ¡°The structures here are very unique. It¡¯s like those of Inotia,¡± Leifina said in amazement. ¡°¡­ I guess you can think of this ce like that because you¡¯ve never been in contact with modern civilization on Earth,¡± Woohyuk replied. The first time he met Leifina was at the Witch¡¯s Sanctuary in Adventurer¡¯s Canyon. She was originally from the Eeth Continent. She had no idea about the world Woohyuk had lived in beforeing to this ce. ¡°Sir¡­ Lord¡­ about thatst time, when I lost consciousness¡­¡± While the exploration was in full swing, Leifina carefully spoke up. She probably wanted to apologize for using Argent against him. Woohyuk decided to relieve Leifina¡¯s burden quickly. ¡°It¡¯s okay because it wasn¡¯t your will. I was just caught a little off guard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. If I had been a little stronger¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to feel ashamed or guilty. It wasn¡¯t your will, I know. Further, I¡¯ll take care of you no matter what.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Leifina blushed and couldn¡¯t continue speaking. At that time, arge mutant appeared between the buildings and rushed toward their party. ¡°Kiyo-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!¡± They were finally facing the monsters. The party attacked all at once against the biological species that they had never seen before. Slice! Slice! Bailey, the ck Knight, cut off the mutant¡¯s arms with his swordsmanship skills. At the same time, Song Anna¡¯s clear flute ying sound resounded in all directions. [The blessing buff of Mother Nature has been granted.] [Resistance against abnormal magic and the power of natural magic increases by 80%.] [Health and mana are restored by 1% every second during the flute ying period.] [The duration of various beneficial effects increases by 50% and skill cooldown decreases by 50%.] [All stats will begin to rise steadily during the ying period, up to 20% maximum.] The flute buff was a real-life cheat code. Thanks to this, the party was able to advance forward without getting tired. ¡°Why does the God of cksmithing ruins look like a city center?¡± Yoo Kayoung muttered under her breath. ¡°It may be a set piece to make us long to return home,¡± Song Anna replied. During their free time, Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna exchanged words. The epic dungeon seemed to be a psychological trial that pitted one against one¡¯s own psyche. Just because the stage was simr to their hometown, Earth, their hearts shouldn¡¯t be shaken. ¡°Is this the world you lived in? It looks like a pretty fun ce,¡± Helenamented. ¡°I¡¯ll take you thereter when this is all over, Helena,¡± Woohyuk added. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, you¡¯re trying to cause trouble for me again, right? I¡¯ll never get on Pegasus again, so don¡¯t even think about tricking me,¡± Helena replied as her whole body trembled. She recalled all of her experiences of being bullied by Woohyuk. ¡°Actually, I have the most fun when I bother you. It might be the reason why I live,¡± he answered. ¡°¡­ I will ept what you said as an expression of your affection. It¡¯s a little kinky, but¡­¡± The mood within the party was rtively rxed, so idle chatter continued toe and go. At that time, a ck Equus sedan car, a modern Earth Hyundai car, suddenly appeared from the side of an alley and began to move at high speed toward Woohyuk¡¯s party. Bang! Bang! The driver was caring enough to honk loudly at them. Woohyuk stepped forward and created a barrier made of magic. Bam! Creak! Crack! Afterward, the Equus hit the barrier. The impact was followed by the sound of the ss windows breaking. ¡°What kind of guy is driving in reverse with a modern sedan car?¡± The sedan car looked out of ce in the empty city center. Woohyuk walked toward the Equus and checked who was riding inside. ¡°Who is this guy?¡± From the outside looking in, the driver looked like an oriental person. He was probably someone who came into the epic dungeon before Woohyuk¡¯s party entered. Woohyuk pulled out the ck-haired man. He had a serious injury to his head because the Equus¡¯ airbag didn¡¯t deploy. ¡°Hey, wake up!¡± Woohyuk screamed into his ear. p! p! Woohyuk¡¯s spicy palm ps hit squarely upon the ck-haired guy¡¯s cheeks several times. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°How long have you been in this ce?¡± ¡°Huh¡­? W-W-Who are you?!¡± As soon as the ck-haired man woke up, he tried to run away. ¡°When someone asks you a question, answer it first. Don¡¯t think about avoiding me,¡± Woohyuk warned. ¡°Ah, ah¡­ sorry. I am Han Dong-Hyuk.¡± Han Dong-Hyuk was a Korean who was an active member of arge n, On-Saemi-Ro. However, one day, as the quests for the Game of Divine Thrones were released on the Eeth Continent, the executives of On-Saemi-Ro became eager to obtain their personal achievements. Thus, grouping with a few other like-minded n members, Han Dong-Hyuk entered this epic dungeon. His story was rtively normal up to this point¡­ ¡°At night, an artificial intelligence robot appeared and shot everyone down with a gun?¡± Woohyuk asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes, they vary in size, ranging from the size of a fist to an adult male,¡± Dong-Hyuk answered. Perhaps the God of cksmithing made his own family of robots using the materials avable in this space. Woohyuk nodded his head and distributed some supplies to Han Dong-Hyuk. ¡°Take a break here. I¡¯ll forgive you for dragging a car out and trying to run us over.¡± ¡°T-Thank you! At that time, I was surprised by a mutant and tried to get away in reverse. I didn¡¯t see your party.¡± After hearing his exnation, they searched their surroundings and found many useful cars around the area. Of course, it was rare to find a car that worked. Most of the cars missed several parts or were broken beyond repair. ¡°Do you know how to fix cars?¡± Woohyuk asked Dong-Hyuk. ¡°Ah, yes. I worked in a car center beforeing to the Eeth Continent.¡± It seemed that Woohyuk lucked into meeting a car repairman. After wandering the streets, Woohyuk chose a vehicle he liked. ¡°This would be great to drive around.¡± ¡°51D4523? What does this mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a license te. It¡¯s kind of like a service registration number.¡± ¡°You even number the transportation in your world,¡± Helena said as she stared at a heavy truck. Meanwhile, Song Anna and Yoo Kayoung looked at the back of the truck to see if they could all fit in. ¡°I think all of us can get on board,¡± Song Anna said. ¡°We can easily move about and reach our next destination on this truck,¡± Woohyuk said aloud to his party members. There was also a gas station nearby, so they could get as much fuel as they needed. Woohyuk had Han Dong-Hyuk repair therge truck. Then, Woohyuk tried to drive it. Vroom. Vroom. With the sound of the engine running, the heavy truck moved forward. ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°We have to collect summoning tickets to summon the boss monster.¡± The type of summoning tickets dropped at each crossroads were different. One had to collect a hundred tickets of the same type to summon the boss monsters. Once the summoning ticket was gathered, one could get important epic dungeon items after defeating the summoned boss monsters. ¡°Wow, you know so well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the Creator didn¡¯t change any of the settings for the epic dungeons. He must have been toozy toe up with something different.¡± Regardless, the important thing was to beat the God of cksmithing at the end. The process to get to thest stage was not very important, so it must have been put together roughly. Leifina, having gone through one before, was getting used to the epic dungeon. ¡°Lord, what are you going to do for dinner tonight?¡± ¡°Well. On the way, if there¡¯s a supermarket, we¡¯ll stop by to gather some supplies.¡± Various amenities were located throughout the city center. Soon, when a supermarket appeared, Woohyuk broke a door window. Crack! sh! Along with a loud sound, the muddy, stale air inside wafted into their noses. As Woohyuk reached inside with his arm to unlock the internal lock, Leifina came by next to him. ¡°Lord, is a supermarket a kind of food store?¡± ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s a lot of stuff to eat, but there are also convenient items. Think of it as a city¡¯smercial district.¡± After Woohyuk had everyone get off the truck, he packed the truck with useful items from the supermarket. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve gone shopping,¡± Yoo Kayoungmented. ¡°Let¡¯s do some real shopping when we go back to Earth,¡± Song Anna replied. ¡°Me, take me too. I don¡¯t know if I can live well in a ce like this,¡± Undine, the Water Spirit, murmured while looking around the store with an unfamiliar look. Before long, as Woohyuk was finishing his shopping, a loud noise came from outside. ¡°What, who parked a truck here?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the guys Han Dong-Hyuk tried to lure in. It looks like they were hungry and went into the supermarket.¡± Han Dong-Hyuk¡¯s n members conversed outside. Woohyuk listened to their conversation and grabbed Han Dong-Hyuk by the neck. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say they were all dead?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡± Han Dong-Hyuk scratched his head with a sad expression. Then he took out a pistol from his pocket with the other hand¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t do something useless,¡± Woohyuk warned. Pat. Dong-Hyuk tried to take his pistol out, but he was immediately stopped by Woohyuk. ¡®I knew from the beginning that you were lying.¡¯ However, he had to pretend he didn¡¯t know Dong-Hyuk¡¯s intentions so that he couldfortably attract Dong-Hyuk¡¯s nsmen to this point. Woohyuk struck Han Dong-Hyuk, making him lose consciousness, and then went out of the supermarket alone. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± ¡°Oh, are you Korean?¡± ¡°Wait, he could be Chinese or Japanese. This ce automatically trantesnguage in real time.¡± The On-Saemi-Ro nsmen chatted amongst themselves without paying much attention to Woohyuk, who was standing right in front of them. Woohyuk listened silently before he finally brought out the Reinforced Andvaranaut. ¡°Keuk¡­.¡± ¡°W-What the hell?!¡± The n members were cursed by an ancient devil spell and fell to the floor while vomiting blood. ¡®For interrogation purposes, Han Dong-Hyuk alone should be enough.¡¯ Dong-Hyuk was going to pay the price for trying to fool Woohyuk. With a box of Choco-Pies in one hand, Woohyuk got into the driver¡¯s seat of therge truck. Chapter 272: Game of Divine Thrones 7

Chapter 272: Game of Divine Thrones 7

In the God of cksmithing ruins, the basic drop items were the same as the Wind God¡¯s epic dungeon. The epic dungeon used the same crystal orb, required to unlock the final barrier, and a key to open the treasure chest. There was also a map of the area. Woohyuk¡¯s party obtained all of them by defeating the three boss monsters. Once they were done, they finally reached the God of cksmithing shrine. Inside, an angel with red hair awaited them. Again, the angel was overseeing an entrapped God. This time, it was the God of cksmithing. ¡°You worked hard to get here. I am Archangel Michael.¡± ¡°...Okay, get out of our way,¡± Woohyuk firmly stated. He didn¡¯t want to talk with another archangel who wouldn¡¯t hand over a Divine Throne seat. What he needed was the Elixir of the Gods. Therefore, he needed to quickly defeat the God of cksmithing. ¡°You came as expected. So, you¡¯re the reincarnation of Archangel Raphael,¡± the God of cksmithing stated. ¡°I heard the rough overall story from the Wind God,¡± Woohyuk replied tly. Woohyuk revealed the facts in advance so that the God of cksmithing wouldn¡¯t repeat the same words again. ¡°Then, the conversation will be simpler. I¡¯ll give you one piece of information.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Epion, the God Killer weapon.¡± Epion, the God Killer weapon. The weapon was categorized as one part of the forbidden knowledge. It was said to be powerful enough to kill any of the gods. Woohyuk nodded as the God of cksmithing described the necessary materials needed to make the weapon. ¡°Right. Good. I already have all the necessary materials.¡± ¡°You will have to find a skilled cksmith because it requires a high level of cksmithing skill and runework.¡± ¡°I already have such a person. He¡¯s my vassal.¡± Woohyuk was referring to Runesmith Dexter. Although Dexter wouldn¡¯t be able to take the Divine Throne seat because of these absurd epic dungeon rules, he had the ability to make equipment close to the level of the God of cksmithing. ¡°Good. Hmm, seeing that you¡¯re wearing that armor, it looks like you already defeated my son, Atreus.¡± ¡°Yes, at the Einherjar ruins. Wepeted against each other to gauge if I was worthy to be a demigod. I guarantee that it was an honorable duel for Atreus.¡± Woohyuk told the God of cksmithing the story of fighting with his son for many days without stopping. ¡°¡­ That sounds like my son. He died too quickly because of his stubbornness.¡± ¡°I made a promise to him. To overturn this absurd and corrupt world.¡± ¡°Oho. Have you inherited Atreus¡¯ will as well? Very good. Then I admit that you are worthy of wearing my gear.¡± The God of cksmithing looked quite favorably upon Woohyuk. Woohyuk thought that he should get as much as possible from him while he was still in his good graces. ¡°I have one request.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t acquired one of the mythical heir¡¯s abilities yet.¡± The Mythical Heir ss received a quest rted to a legendary artifact and was able to acquire one ability rted to the artifact. There was a total of four abilities that Woohyuk had secured so far. The Power of Resuscitation obtained from Hevnia¡¯s Ruins. The Calm Heart obtained by defeating the demigod Atreus. Mirroring, obtained by killing Cadiz, the Death Alchemist. Battle Foresight obtained through Bhnte¡¯s Dagger. All four were cheat-like abilities, but Woohyuk wanted to fill the remaining ability spot with something even better, something transcendent. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re having a lot of trouble deciding on what your final ability should be. As a rmendation, of all the artifacts you have, the Immortal Armor is the best. Do with that information what you will.¡± In the end, the God of cksmithing suggested the artifact that he himself made. Woohyuk nodded his head and received a quest rted to the Immortal Armor. [New Challenge] Name: Tempering Soul Type: Legend Content: Defeat the God of cksmithing. Other: Failure toplete the quest ends the challenge. Retry is impossible. It was really simple and clear. Woohyuk immediately pulled out Verserios and pointed it at the God of cksmithing. ¡°Then, let¡¯s start.¡± ¡°Come, he who will quench this world anew.¡± The chain of light that was binding the God of cksmithing was removed. Woohyuk gave Roan and Lisa an order. ¡°Roan, create a ck hole using God Death and disturb him. Lisa, support Roan from the back.¡± ¡°Okay, Master. It¡¯s my specialty to disturb others,¡± Roan answered proudly. ¡°I¡¯m not a low-quality Homunculus like Roan, so I¡¯ll act cool and calctedly.¡± Roan and Lisa had pr opposite personalities and inclinations. While the two Homunculus were in charge of distracting the God of cksmithing, Woohyuk gave instructions to the others. ¡°Song Anna, you y the flute. Helena, prepare the defensive guardian barrier for the party. The rest of you, attack from your respective positions.¡± The meleebat ss members moved forward, while the wizard and archer sses settled in the back. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to show my true skills!¡± Reina eximed in glee. Elven archer Reina pulled her bowstring with an excited, child-like expression. Then, as she created a magic arrow, its size gradually began to increase. ¡°Is that your ultimate?¡± ¡°Yeah. I bet you this arrow strike will do more damage than what Yoo Kayoung or Allen can muster.¡± Her ultimate skill was to hunker down like a siege tank and fire powerful magic arrows. It was a skill that Reina was immensely proud of. ¡°If it¡¯s magic, I have a skill or two up my sleeve as well!¡± Yoo Kayoung chirped in. She seemed to be seething as she chanted a spell and lifted her staff. Once she was done chanting her spell, burning meteorites fell down from the air towards the God of cksmithing. Bang! Bang! Bang! The meteorites were a bit small since she had to cast them inside the temple, but the damage output was still quite high. Allen, not to be outdone, chanted his own spell, a wide area magic spell. Bubble! Bubble! The ground on which the God of cksmithing was standing turned into a volcanic region. Magma rose and spewed out from the ground like a fountain. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll start shooting!¡± As the two wizards were actively reigning down magic spells from the sky and earth, Reina repeatedly pulled her bow and let loose a furry of huge magic arrows. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! The power of her magic arrows was enough to shake the inner space of the temple. As the party continued to attack, the God of cksmithing made an amused expression. ¡°I¡¯ve spent many years quenching and hammering. Thanks to that, my natural defense is pretty high.¡± In a word, he was a pure tank. The party looked up at the God of cksmithing with stupefied expressions. ¡°What, no matter how much we attack, we can¡¯t even muster a scratch?¡± ¡°Then, should we start our melee attack?¡± Leifina and Irene ran toward the God of cksmithing. Ting! Ting! Argent, the Oath of Loyalty sword, and Irene¡¯s ck scythe bounced off the God of cksmithing¡¯s body. Even their melee weapons couldn¡¯t prate his body¡¯s high defense. When ck Knight Bailey also failed, Woohyuk stepped forward. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to use some specialized tools.¡± In the past, when the Bronze Rock Golem was defeated, its power source was extracted with a bronze spike and a hammer. Woohyuk changed Verserios into a hammer shape and pulled out a nail made of Adamante. Ting! Ting! As he wielded the pitch-ck hammer, the spike began to get stuck in the God¡¯s forearm. ¡°I have no intention of being tempered!¡± The God raised his weapon, a golden hammer. As he swung his arm, Woohyuk, with agile movements, climbed over the God¡¯s right shoulder. ¡°The bigger you are, the more blind spots you have.¡± Woohyuk had led numerous elite monster raids for a long time, both in his past and present life, so he was an expert in climbing and maneuvering in tight spaces. While Woohyuk moved around, he started nailing into the God¡¯s body. It was like he was rock climbing. The God of cksmithing, unable to effectively attack or counter Woohyuk, gave out a sigh and opened a gap in space. ¡°It seems that the golden hammer alone is not enough, so I¡¯ll start attacking you with the various weapons I¡¯ve made so far.¡± Various weapons popped out from space and began to strike Woohyuk and his party members. Reina shouted as she was instantly put in a bad position from an unexpected attack. ¡°They¡¯re blocking me from firing! The weapons are acting like shields!¡± Reina shouted. ¡°It¡¯s definitely the God of cksmithing¡¯s products. They seem to be able to absorb magic,¡± Allen concluded. ¡°Come on Allen! Do something! Aren¡¯t you the sessor of Arcane the Archmage!¡± Reina continued yelling. ¡°Well, all of those devices are made of metal, so I don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen if I use a magic spell that attracts metal like a ma¡­¡± Allen uttered as he murmured a spell and created a huge maic field in the air. Afterward, the God of cksmithing¡¯s various weapons began to gather together and stick to the maic field. Woohyuk, who saw this, put another Adamante nail into the God¡¯s body and spoke out, ¡°It¡¯s not enough to be naturally strong defensively. You also need an appropriate means of attack.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, I never said that I didn¡¯t have a means of attack¡­¡± He started chanting a spell. His calm, joking attitude seemed to mean that he was just toying with them up to now. Suddenly, a magic circle was drawn in the air, and a ck-haired, blue-eyed Homunculus appeared. ¡°Ho, Homunculus?!¡± ¡°Why is there a third homunculus here?¡± Roan and Lisa couldn¡¯t hide their shock. In the past, the Homunculus were abandoned by the gods because they were considered dangerous. ¡°This guy was recently ced here ording to the arrangement of the Creator. Damien is his name. Unlike Roan and Lisa, this guy¡¯s an attack-based wizard homunculus.¡± ¡°Completing recognition of the interfering forces. Ready to attack,¡± Damian mechanically said aloud as he chanted a spell. His blunt voice was like thating from aputer. Shortly thereafter, countless phantom swords began to rush through the air. Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwang! ¡°Ugh, do something, you! How long are you going to peg that guy with nails? Shouldn¡¯t you be doing something about this situation?¡± ¡°Please wait, Helena. Just make sure the defensive barrier is properly constructed.¡± He couldn¡¯t really think of any other effective attack against the God of cksmithing other than the nails he was hammering into the God¡¯s body. Yoo Kayoung shouted urgently while Woohyuk was lost in thought. ¡°Drill! Do you have any power drills among your tools?¡± ¡°¡­ Power drill?¡± When he thought about it, he realized that it would be much easier to use a power drill than to continue using his hammer and nails. The question was whether Verserios could be transformed into such a sophisticated tool. Woohyuk used the power of the Seven Color Rainbow Ring to change the shape of Verserios to the extreme. Hwing! The result was a great sess. Using magic as the power source, Verserios began to pierce the God¡¯s body at a much faster rate. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Only then did the God of cksmithing groan and try to remove Woohyuk in earnest. However, whenever he was about to receive damage, Woohyuk reversed the damage using his Mirroring ability. Pa-Ji-Jik! Damien, who suffered too much damage in the aftermath of Mirroring, had turned burnt ck. It was as if he had been electrocuted by a high voltage current. Afterward, the shower of phantom swords stopped, and the group began to bombard the God of cksmithing once again with their attacks. Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam! Colorful explosions took ce everywhere. However, it was Woohyuk who frustrated the God the most. Due to Woohyuk¡¯s magic-powered drill, the God of cksmithing would soon suffer a fatal wound to his heart. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ Woohyuk, who had made enough holes, took out a container containing Wildfire from his pocket. After a while, the God of cksmithing¡¯s body shook violently. ¡°Argh¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s your end, God of cksmithing.¡± Woohyuk transformed Verserios into a long spear. Afterward, he condensed all of his mana onto the tip of his spear. ¡®I have to hit the hole on his chest so that I can prate into his heart.¡¯ The God¡¯s durability had already been reduced sufficiently. The God¡¯s body was already at the point of crumbling at any moment. Woohyuk brightened his eyes and stabbed Verserios towards his target. Kwa-Ji-Jik! Before long, with the sound of cracking, Verserios protruded through the back of the God of cksmithing. Chapter 273: The Rise of the Demon Lord 1

Chapter 273: The Rise of the Demon Lord 1

¡°Ah¡­!¡± The God of cksmithing groaned and fell to the ground. Woohyuk climbed over his head and gave a final blow. Slice! The weakened God was easily beheaded using Verserios. Afterward, a system message came into Woohyuk¡¯s eyes. [You killed the God of cksmithing!] [Legendary Quest: Soul Quenching has beenpleted.] [As a reward forpleting the quest, you have acquired the defensive skill, Soul Quenching.] [If you use Soul Quenching, you momentarily gain additional physical strength and defense whenever you ovee the damage inflicted on you with your mental power.] ¡®That¡¯s a pretty good skill.¡¯ Being able to withstand greater amounts of damage by oveing mental hurdles was a cheat-like ability. Of course, this ability may be useless for ordinary humans, but Woohyuk was a person who had ovee numerous physical limitations so far with his mental powers. If it was oveing difficulty through mental strength, he was more confident than any other being. ¡°Okay, you¡¯vepleted the epic dungeon, so I¡¯ll reward you. Let¡¯s open this treasure chest,¡± Archangel Michael said as he summoned a small gold box over his hands. Woohyuk opened it with the key he got from the forest. Click. He could see a small crystal lying in the box. [You have obtained 1 Elixir of God.] [Epic Quest: The total number of materials required in the future toplete the Demon Lord¡¯s Throne is two.] The reward was the same as that from the ruins of the Wind God. He was still unable to transfer the Divine Throne seat to any of his party members. It was unfortunate for Woohyuk, but there was nothing to gain from arguing and fighting with Michael. ¡°I¡¯ll see you againter, Michael.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to that day, Rafael.¡± Woohyuk felt that Michael¡¯sst words and parting look were unusual. Soon, a pure white sh covered the area. *** The floating God of cksmithing ruins, which was situated in a dense elven forest, lost its shape and poured down to the ground. He had nowpleted two epic dungeons. The rest were left for the 72 Demon Kings. He was expecting an update report from them at any moment. Woohyuk returned to Inotia and helped Dexter with his work. A few dayster¡­ ¡°It was one of the most difficult productions in my life. I would have wasted time and precious resources if it wasn¡¯t for His Majesty providing me the recipe and technique.¡± Dexter wiped the sweat that was dripping from his brow as he looked down at his finished product. Epion, the God Killer weapon. It was a tremendous artifact that was amazing to behold. Woohyuk put it on his shoulder like a bazooka. ¡°It¡¯s heavier than I thought.¡± ¡°It was made ording to the recipe, so I¡¯m sure the heft was intended. Probably as much as it is heavy, its power will be overwhelming and dominating.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Woohyuk wished he could actually shoot it and test out its power, but then a small kingdom would disappear. Furthermore, it took 30 days to recharge. Therefore, it was necessary to use it sparingly and carefully. When Woohyuk was touching Epion, Baal, the 1st rank Demon King, appeared. ¡°Asura, we have attacked all the epic dungeons you entrusted to us.¡± ¡°What about the Elixir of the Gods?¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± Baal politely presented two mysteriously colored crystals. [You have obtained all the ingredients for the Elixir of the Gods.] [Epic Quest: You havepleted Step 1 of the Demon Lord¡¯s Throne.] [Epic Quest: The second stage of the Demon Lord¡¯s Throne shall begin.] [New Challenge and Achievement] Name: Demon Lord¡¯s Throne Type: Epic (2/3) Content: After processing the Elixir of the Gods ingredients, drink it. The processing of the ingredients requires high alchemy skill. Others: One time only. Failure toplete the task makes a retry impossible. ¡®Is it asking me to develop alchemy skills this time?¡¯ Runesmith Dexter was part of the cksmith ss, so he was only talented in crafting, repairing, and enhancing equipment. Woohyuk called Aris to study how to make the Elixir of the Gods. ¡°Can you do it?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°I¡¯ll try it first, Asura. I¡¯ve been studying alchemy for a long time,¡± Aris answered. Aris was a typical researcher type. As she entered herboratory, Hans appeared with a tray of specialty dishes. ¡°Your Majesty. We are almost ready for the banquet.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± He nned to have a banquet with his allies tomemorate the end of the ongoing preparation and questing that had piled up. Currently, the Eeth Continent had returned to a sense of calm and the epic dungeons had been attacked and ovee. There was some time left before the Elixir of the Gods would beplete. As he entered the banquet room, Woohyuk saw Sieg and Brynhildr having a conversation. ¡°You went through a lot of trouble protecting the epic dungeon in the cold weather,¡± Woohyuk said. ¡°I just did what was expected of me, Lord,¡± Sieg replied respectfully. ¡°If you feel like you owe us, why don¡¯t you take my daughter as your wife? Hohoho¡­¡± Brynhildr wanted to raise the status of Tinia and Sylvia. As soon as her words were spoken, the two daughters appeared in front of Woohyuk with bright dresses on. ¡°Your Majesty, how have you been? Every night I missed your Majesty and couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°It was a little disappointing that I could not follow you on the Eastern Conquest Expedition.¡± Each of the two women had a considerable level ofbat power. Empress Eleanora appeared alone in the banquet hall, wearing her formal battle dress armor, while Woohyuk was struggling with Tinia¡¯s overt show of affection. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Empress Eleanora,¡± Tinia quietly murmured as she backed away from Woohyuk. ¡°You really look beautiful today,¡± Woohyukplimented. As soon as she saw him, Eleanora hung on his arm and began toin, ¡°Hero King, now that you¡¯ve conquered the East, let¡¯s have our wedding~.¡± ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s still one important task left¡­¡± ¡°For this girl, each day is like a hundred or thousand years of waiting. I only have eyes for you Hero King. Please take my delicate heart¡­¡± Eleanora wasn¡¯t embarrassed as she seemingly threw away her social status and openly begged Woohyuk to quickly have a wedding. Jealous of Eleanor¡¯s affectionate actions, Tinia stared at her with a cold expression. ¡°That foxy bitch is ying around with my Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Tinia, be patient, sister¡­¡± Sylvia said as she pulled Tinia out of the banquet room. Sylvia noticed that Tinia was about to pull out Cardion, the Sword of the Storm, so she hurriedly reacted. ¡°You came back safely, Your Majesty,¡± Joanna said as she came into the banquet hall. ¡°How is the Rhine Kingdom these days, Joanna?¡± Woohyuk asked. ¡°Fortunately, the same conspiracy hasn¡¯t happened again. However, we¡¯re still keeping alert and paying attention to any abnormal urrences.¡± After she was almost assassinated by Jonathan Adler, the ck Dragon King, Drake, had been taking care of her. Subsequently, various figures such as Ganiev, the representative of the Beastmen tribe, Hong Yuri, the Blood Queen, and Ophelia, the Elven Queen, entered the banquet hall and had a conversation with Woohyuk. ¡°There are so many people. It¡¯s so hard to remember everyone¡¯s name,¡± Leifinamented as she saw the steady stream of people still entering the hall. ¡°Real politics requires at least this much, Leifina. Remembering everyone¡¯s name and managing all of them is a crucial part of diplomacy.¡± History briefly describes the trend of the contemporary times with only the activities of a few notable figures, but in reality, the major shifts and changes begin when numerous and diverse groups of humanse together to form their own dynamic rtionship. Therefore, Woohyuk invited influential figures throughout the Eeth Continent to attend his banquet. ¡°Anyway, it feels like we¡¯ve enjoyed peace for a while, so I feel at ease. How much longer can this enjoyable routinest?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°Well, in the grand scheme of things, it will only be a moment,¡± Woohyuk answered truthfully. Regardless, he had to keep moving forward. Soon, he¡¯d arrive at his final destination. If he took the Demon Lord Throne and the power that came withpletely lifting all the seals on Verserios, then the true war with the Creator would start. ¡°Lord, I have one thing to confess.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Would you like to go to a quiet ce together for a moment¡­¡± Leifina stared at him with a serious look. Woohyuk nodded his head and followed her to a balcony. ¡°Now talk.¡± ¡°Actually¡­ I stole a nce into Lord¡¯s memory. When we fought the ancient demon Harpes in the Floren Province of the Rhine Kingdom¡­¡± Leifina honestly told Woohyuk what she saw at that time through the Memories Pendant. Woohyuk couldn¡¯t hide his shock. He opened his mouth multiple times but was unable to say anything. Finally, he responded, ¡°So, you know.¡± ¡°Sorry for hiding this from you, Lord. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell you until now.¡± ¡°I understand. And I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t been able to treat you honestly so far.¡± After he returned, Woohyuk hadn¡¯t told Leifina anything about himself or their previous rtionship. He didn¡¯t want current things to be twisted after telling stories of his past. As Woohyuk retold his past, Leifina gentlyy her head on his shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be separated again from you, Lord. That is my only wish now.¡± ¡°¡­ And I will surely protect you no matter what.¡± ¡®Even if I lose everything.¡¯ Woohyuk muttered this in his heart and hugged Leifina. ¡°If peacees, what are you going to do then?¡± she asked. ¡°Well. I¡¯ve never given it much thought since it was always such a distant aspiration,¡± he softly replied. If possible, he wanted to return to the Earth with Leifina and run a small shop in a remote ce. He wanted to get as far away from this world as possible so that he could focus only on her. However, there was no guarantee that the current situation would work out in his favor. ¡°I used to picture it in my head every night. I wake up in the same bed as my Lord. We eat and share the smallest of life¡¯s joys¡­¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s good to imagine, but I hope you don¡¯t start cooking again.¡± ¡°Well, that goes for me as well¡­!¡± Leifina looked at Woohyuk with a red-colored face. Afterward, the two exchanged nces without saying anything. When Woohyuk decided to break the silence¡­ Creak. Agnes, the Dark Spirit, came into their room. She was still trapped within the figure of a ball-jointed doll. ¡°A-Asura. I have something to report.¡± ¡°What? At such an important moment¡­¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry to disturb you. Anyway, I think I¡¯ll be able to use a different body with Song Anna¡¯s ability.¡± Song Anna had the ability to transform the spirits of animals and nts into anthropomorphic entities. Woohyuk nodded his head and spoke to Agnes, ¡°Good. Rather than such a doll, it would be more helpful to get a human body.¡± ¡°B-But, Song Anna said she¡¯s ready to do it now¡­¡± As Agnes was stuttering, Song Anna appeared from behind her. ¡°Ugh, here you are. So, will you sign a contract with me now?¡± ¡°Yes, Let¡¯s get started. I¡¯m curious about what I will look like after the transformation.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Song Anna put her hand on Agnes¡¯ shoulder. Then, blue energy radiated from her hands, circling Agnes¡¯ body. ¡°H-Huh¡­?¡± Agnes looked down at herself, as she felt something strange. The dull doll figure slowly disappeared, and a pure white skin began to take its ce. In time, she became a pretty girl with ck hair and red eyes. ¡°Now, look in the mirror,¡± Song Anna said after finishing the transformation process. ¡°Wow! A-Are you saying this is really me?¡± Agnes turned her figure back and forth and from side-to-side in front of the mirror. She seemed immensely impressed and satisfied with how she looked. Then Anna Song smiled and said, ¡°Actually, Ari, who was adopted by Erica, changed her appearance in this way too. She¡¯s probably attending the banquet with Erica now.¡± ¡°Are you talking about me? What happened?¡± Ari asked as she poked her head into the room. As soon as she was spoken about, a silver-haired girl with fox-like entered the room. Leifina burst out intoughter as she watched Ari wiggle her foxtail. ¡°It¡¯s the desert fox form that the Master brought back from the desert.¡± ¡°¡­ Song Anna keeps creating children that she¡¯ll eventually have to raise,¡± Woohyuk added on. While thinking about the adversitying soon, Woohyuk stroked Ari¡¯s head. Chapter 274: The Rise of the Demon Lord 2

Chapter 274: The Rise of the Demon Lord 2

¡°Asura, the Elixir of the Gods is finallyplete!¡± Aris, wearing ab coat, screamed as she ran to Woohyuk holding a sk filled with a colorful solution. Woohyuk happily epted the sk. ¡°So, I just have to drink this?¡± ¡°The recipe is clear, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems! Fiona also ran a virtual simtion and said that no harm shoulde to a human body!¡± A lot of things that were impossible in this world were possible in Inotia. Woohyuk nodded and drank the solution in the sk. [Epic Quest: Demon Lord¡¯s Throne ¨C Step 2 has beenpleted.] [As a result of drinking the Elixir of the Gods, your position within the system hierarchy permanently rises from Demigod to God.] [Epic Quest: Step 3 of the Demon Lord¡¯s Throne begins.] [New Challenge and Achievement] Name: Demon Lord¡¯s Throne Type: Epic (3/3) Content: Go to the temporary dimension¡¯s manager, Dryad L, move to the upper dimension, and take the Demon Lord Throne. Other: One time. Failure toplete the quest will disallow you from retrying. ¡®She¡¯s a temporary dimension manager¡­¡¯ L was also his guide in the tutorial area, so it wasn¡¯t particrly strange that she was a dimension manager. Woohyuk summoned his main vassals and visited L at the artificial gardens. ¡°I was also surprised. To suddenly be a temporary dimension manager¡­¡± L stated with shock and surprise written all over her face. ¡°Where¡¯s the higher dimension I need to move to?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very dark and quiet ce. There¡¯s nothing in it other than the Abyssal Monster.¡± He had to challenge the existing power in that dimension for the Demon Lord Throne. It seemed that he was moving to a deeper depth than the existing Demon World where the Demon Kings originated. For the demons, there was a higher dimension. Just as there is a divine world in which the Creator resides, above all other realms, the abyss dimension existed deeper than the currently known demon realm. ¡°I have to prepare thoroughly and go,¡± Woohyuk murmured. ¡°FYI, other people can¡¯t go there. The authority given to me is to transport only one person, you, to that dimension.¡± In short, he had to start on his own solitary journey. After giving instructions to the others and preparing to leave, Woohyuk said goodbye to his vassals. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting for you, Lord.¡± ¡°Master, since it is you, you¡¯ll surely be able to do it.¡± Leifina and Sieg encouraged Woohyuk. Woohyuk looked at them gently before asking L to move him to the higher dimension. ¡°Send me.¡± ¡°Please take care of yourself. If you don¡¯te back, I¡¯ll be lonely and die,¡± L said as she grabbed Woohyuk¡¯s hand with tears in her eyes. At the same time, deep darkness swallowed up his surroundings. ¡®Is this the abyss?¡¯ He had heard that this ce was quiet countless times, but it was still eerily quiet. Woohyuk raised his senses while holding Verserios firmly with both hands. ¡®From now on, I must act instinctively.¡¯ Although he became a god, he still had a lot of humanity¡¯s traits within him. If he neglected that fact and moved haphazardly, there was a high probability that he¡¯d do something wrong. The Demon Lord Throne was not a position that just anyone could obtain, so he needed to be careful and cognizant of his actions. ¡®I¡¯ll start by moving towards the ce that attracts my senses the most.¡¯ The space was aplete void. There were nondscapes or markers to gain his bearings, so he quickly lost his sense of direction. Woohyuk continued to move towards the ce where his inner mana had a faint connection. Rumble. An unknown amount of time had passed. A being appeared before him. It was the Behemoth, the great monster of the abyss. The Behemoth lifted its crouching body and looked down at the little being in front of its eyes. ¡®Hmm, it seems you consider me your ally.¡¯ There was no sense of hostility from the Behemoth. It was Woohyuk¡¯s truly instinctive realization. In the world of the abyss, there were no barriers, no upper lines. Everything was one and one was everything at the same time. As he continued onward, passing by the Behemoth, Woohyuk realized a critical principle. Demonic powers were not in itself wrong. It was just one of the ways of being. At the same time, it was one of the ways of bing non-existent in rtion to the system. ¡®It feels like I¡¯m assimting into the dark.¡¯ ¡®Did the ancient demons who fell into the abyss feel like this?¡¯ They were originally proud archangels butter epted demonic powers to be reborn as new beings. The ancient devil was just a moniker. The name didn¡¯t exist anywhere. Existences that possessed a name were constantly changing in this world. ¡®The Demon Lord Throne is¡­ nowhere.¡¯ The abyss did not allow discernment. It existed and did not exist at the same time. Therefore, there was no reason to look further. Woohyuk stopped his steps and silently reached out in front of him. Another invisible self was asking for a handshake from the other side. He freely responded to the request. His right hand touched the other¡¯s left, but he didn¡¯t care. Already, he was fully epting himself and this newfound understanding. *** ¡°The Demon Lord has reached his throne, Lilith,¡± Aleister respectfully stated as he knelt down and said to the silver-haired woman in front of him. Lilith. With a thrilled heart, she looked into a pitch-ck mirror inside the chapel. ¡°It¡¯s so cool. Hepletely embraced the abyss.¡± ¡°Soon the Creator¡¯s intervention will begin. What would you like to do with the Holy Grail?¡± ¡°The Holy Grail? We can get that backter. Right now, we need to focus on the newly-minted Asura.¡± Lilith stroked the jet-ck mirror while looking into it with loving eyes. An indescribable desire rose from the depths of her heart and soon made her resilient body warm. ¡°The Ark of Knowledge seems to have been rebuilt a little while ago by Etheria Rodinus. They are moving to limit the Demon Lord¡¯s newfound powers,¡± Aleistermented from the side. ¡°Hmph! Trying to treat the Demon Lord as just another being! Seeing those hypocrites doing something so worthless is disgusting. They¡¯re just like that bitch Eve, who took Adam away from me.¡± Those in Etheria Rodinus couldn¡¯t be allowed to seed. The Demon Lord muste to this world and lead the world to ruin. Afterward, everything would be purified. The Demon Lord would reign and write a new Genesis. Woohyuk would recreate and reinterpret the false present-day Genesis. ¡°I will take care of Etheria Rodinus. With Lilith¡¯s permission, I¡¯ll make sure the Saintess¡­¡± ¡°No, keep that bitch alive. I¡¯ll tear her head off with my own hands.¡± ¡°Alright. Then, as you wish¡­¡± Aleister faded away and disappeared. Lilith lowered her left shoulder strap without taking her eyes off the pitch-ck mirror. ¡°I want to be one with you. I will definitely win your love, which I couldn¡¯t achieve before.¡± She was focused on the advent of the Demon Lord¡¯s child being conceived in her womb. That was the way to truly avenge those who abandoned and trampled on her in the past. And, it was a feeling that she wanted so much for herself. Drop. Lilith took off her ck dress and stoodpletely naked. Later, when she reached out to the pitch-ck mirror, the chapel was swallowed up in darkness. *** In the central region of the demon world. Asura slowly opened his eyes. ¡®This ce¡­¡¯ He had been transported to the dimension of the 72 Demon Kings, whom he had subjugated to the past. Numerous demons were flocking to see the new Asura, the Demon Lord. ¡°Oh, my Lord, my God!¡± ¡°Our true Savior!¡± The demons shed tears of emotion and praised the advent of the Demon Lord. The 72 Demon Kings knelt in front of Woohyuk, as they were unsure of what to do. ¡°Now is the time to destroy the celestial hypocrites!¡± ¡°Please give us the order!¡± ¡°I will fight with my life on the line and make your name shine throughout the ages!¡± They were all acting like fanatics. Asura walked towards them and opened his mouth to speak, ¡°Everyone, listen.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°We¡¯re listening with all our hearts and minds open!¡± ¡°Just say the word!¡± ¡°From now on¡­¡± Woohyuk started. Asura paused his words for a moment and looked at Lilith, who suddenly appeared in a state of nakedness. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Lilith, who took a polite posture. However, their gazes were only diverted for a moment. ¡°We¡¯ll start a war to bring down the Creator from his lofty perch.¡± ¡°Yyyyyyeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh~!!!¡± ¡°Long live Demon Lord Asura!¡± When Asura, Woohyuk, finished talking, a collective shout that seemed to overturn the demon world followed. ¡®First off, it would be best to raise an army to secure the Holy Grail and the Ark of Knowledge,¡¯ Asura thought to himself while observing the demons busily moving around. His identity as a human still remained. However, he was now closer to the Demon Lord Asura, and the status information window was changed to reflect and prove this change. [Asura] -upation: Demon Lord -Title: Legendary Explorer (item drop rate increases by 20%, movement speed increases by 20% in ruins), Ruler of the ck Sea (Summon Kraken, Create Air Bubbles, Control the Seas of the ck Sea), Ruler of the Abyss (Can Summon Abyssal monsters) -Status Strength: 5,644 +862 (Immortal Armor) Health: 5,672 +795 (Immortal Armor) Agility: 5,784 +854 (Immortal Armor) +20 (Banshee Queen¡¯s Cloak) Intelligence: 5,423 +731 (Immortal Armor) +20 (Jester¡¯s Mask) Mind: 5,871 +879 (Immortal Armor) -Other 100% increase in intimacy with the dead 100% resistance to dark magic 100% increase in power of dark attribute technology 100% increase in affinity with demons ¡®The Immortal Armor stats have grown tremendously.¡¯ It seemed that the Artifact bonus stats that grew with the owner had increased by dozens of multiples. Meanwhile, all of his other four sses were absorbed and united under his title of Demon Lord. This was because the Demon Lord Divine Throne ss position was a higher concept than all the other sses. In addition to that, the title of the Ruler of the Abyss was added. His characteristics and stats were also corrected to suit the Divine Throne position. ¡°I¡¯ve waited for you toe.¡± Lilith approached Asura and gave him a hug. He felt the sensation of stic breasts against his chest. Asura instinctively grabbed Lilith¡¯s waist and kissed her. ¡°Hmm~.¡± Lilith groaned in pleasure and groped Asura¡¯s body. After about a minute, the human consciousness that still existed in Asura began to reject her. ¡®Why do I view Lilith as a sexual object?¡¯ Probably, he was attracted to the dark attribute, so it seemed that he was drawn into her without knowing it. Asura pushed Lilith aside and then walked towards a dimensional movement portal. Lilith stuck onto him once more and groped his body. ¡°Please ept me. Without your love, I won¡¯t be able to live anymore.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lilith looked very pathetic, like a virgin clinging to a man who had abandoned her. She started telling him the truth. All the stories, including those from Etheria Rodinus, that had previously been hidden were now in full view. After hearing these stories, Asura stopped and turned around to face her. He then extended a hand towards Lilith. ¡°Let¡¯s go. To end all this.¡± His words were sincere. After wiping the tears from her eyes, Lilith fell back into Asura¡¯s arms. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s start again together.¡± *** The secret conference room of Etheria Rodinus. Helena was discussing with her fellow members about retrieving the Demon Lord. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since the advent of the Asura. We need to limit and seal his potential before he fully regains his powers,¡± Helena said with a stern, authoritative voice. ¡°But do you think Asura will reallye to see us first, Helena?¡± Boetius asked. ¡°He wille with Lilith to take the Holy Grail, Boetius,¡± Helena responded. Helena predicted that once Asura returned, he would try to take the initiative to gain total domination of all things. So, her decision was to seal Woohyuk, the vessel of the Demon Lord, with the Holy Grail and then take him to the Ark of Knowledge. Transforming the world was the task of Etheria Rodinus, not a demon. As Helena was passionately exining their next steps, she heard a dark voice ring out from somewhere. ¡°Hahaha¡­ the Witch of Annihtion is nning to go against the Demon Lord Asura¡­¡± ¡°Aleister?!¡± ¡°How did you get here!¡± The members of Etheria Rodinus stood up all at once and prepared for battle against the ck shadow that appeared in front of them. ¡°Demon Lord Asura has joined Lilith, as scheduled. We will write a new Genesis together. You have to die for that great task to be a reality.¡± Numerous dark spheres were created in the air and flew toward the members of Etheria Rodinus. Before long, light and darkness mixed together, and blood flowed freely like a raging river. Chapter 275: The Rise of the Demon Lord 3

Chapter 275: The Rise of the Demon Lord 3

¡°Keuk¡­ keuk¡­¡± Helena was urgently moving through aplicatedbyrinth passage. She was bleeding from her abdomen, and her left arm was swaying violently from her shoulder, as it was only attached by a sliver of skin. ¡®How did things be like this¡­¡¯ Her feelings wereplicated. Suddenly, Aleister and the witch cult members appeared in the secret conference room, and after a fierce battle, everyone in Etheria Rodinus except herself died there. Fortunately, she escaped with the Holy Grail, but because of this, her life was at stake. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t give up the Holy Grail. ¡®We must change this world¡­ in the right direction!¡¯ To realize this dream, Helena had given up a lot so far. She was willing to give up her innocence to Woohyuk, and she tirelessly fought against the Witches of the Seven Sins. Throughout, she persevered. She believed that if this world could be set in the right direction, she¡¯d happily sacrifice herself. ¡®There shouldn¡¯t have been a person like Lilith from the beginning.¡¯ Outside of her inner circle, everyone else in this world descended from Adam and Lilith. They possessed the impurities of the sinful witch. As a result of Lilith¡¯s descendants proliferating their world, Solomon¡¯s lineage fell, the Witch Cult became popr. The fanatics began to prevail. She had to pull out the roots to finally end this madness and sinfulness. Only the divine genealogy, which began with the union of Adam and Eve, had to be left in this world. Thus, she had tricked Woohyuk and guided him to move ording to her will. However¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t think I can walk anymore¡­¡¯ Her beautiful face was full of scratches, and her smooth legs were grimly bruised. She was also bleeding excessively from her stomach region. Her left hand had long ago gone numb. Unlike her usual energetic self, Helena started tearing up. ¡®Will I die like this?¡¯ She heard the sound of someone chasing after her. Even though her eyes were blurred by her tears, she busily moved her body once again. In the meantime¡­ Tap. Something like cold metal hit Helena¡¯s face. Helena lifted her head as she wiped her tears. Woohyuk, no, Asura, was looking down at her. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good, Helena,¡± he said. Sniffle. Helena started crying without responding. She struggled to control her tears, which she had endured until now. Without a word, Demon Lord Asura hugged Helena tightly. And then¡­ Pu-Wook! His dagger stabbed her heart relentlessly. ¡°If you had been a little more honest, I might have sided with you,¡± he said dryly. She tried to use him for her own benefit, and the result was this. Asura lifted the Holy Grail from her drooping body. ¡®This is it.¡¯ A ring that shined dazzlingly even in the dark. It was shining because it sensed the approaching abyss and darkness. The Holy Grail was sending a warning. The world would be wiped out if the abyss came any closer. ¡°Good job. You finally got her Holy Grail,¡± Lilithplimented from his side. ¡°Now, how do I enter the Ark of Knowledge, Lilith?¡± he asked. ¡°Open the celestial door with Verserios. Let me help you.¡± Lilith grabbed Asura¡¯s hand. Afterward, in the blink of an eye, the two were moving across the blue sky. ¡°When the total lunar eclipse urs, the celestial world will reveal its entrance,¡± she exined. The sun was gradually losing its light as the moon was passing in front. Eventually, as the sky becamepletely dark, a pitch-ck magic circle spread out in the air. Asura stabbed Verserios into the center of the magic circle. Crackle. Ji-Ji-Jik! A crack in space-time urred, creating a dimensional gap. When it got big enough, Asura stepped inside with Lilith. Hwi-Ah! Fierce winds from a whirlpool hit their faces. As they went in deeper, they finally reached the celestial world. Asura, the Demon Lord, immediately summoned his minions, including his 72 Demon Kings, and ordered them to advance toward Valha, the temple of the God of Light. ¡°Annihte all beings in heaven,¡± he ordered. The 72 Demon King¡¯s army charged with fierce momentum and waged war with the celestial beings. Among the celestial beings were Archangels, who had managed the epic dungeons. ¡°The Demon Kings ranked in the top 10 shall face the Archangels. Don¡¯t leave any one of them alive.¡± Asura¡¯smand was absolute. The high-ranking Demon Kings readied their own weapons and the new weapon, Epion, and mobilized to face off against the Archangels. Ka-Rang! Ka-Rang! A fierce battle ensued. Asura went to the Urdarbrunn Lake and encountered the three Goddesses of Fate. ¡°You are finally here.¡± ¡°There will be blood.¡± ¡°Make a wise choice.¡± The three Goddesses all left ament for Asura. Slice! The bodies of the Goddesses were doubled as blood sprinkled on the shore of theke. Asura walked to the Urdarbrunn Lake¡¯s shore and drank a sip of theke¡¯s water. ¡°¡­!¡± Memories of his previous life flooded his brain and projected images and sensations like a kaleidoscope. Lilith squeezed into his arms and pointed with her fingers. ¡°Let¡¯s go. To the Ark of Knowledge.¡± The Trinity, the Holy Grail, the Demon Lord, and the Ark of Knowledge, were gathered in one ce. Asura walked toward the Ark of Knowledge, but a being¡¯s presence blocked him. ¡°Once again, you¡¯re the source of another ident, Rafael.¡± It was Archangel Michael. ¡°Ah, this is good. I wanted to cut your throat, Michael,¡± Asura said with pleasure. Archangel Michael was one of the reasons why the Odyssey n failed in the past life. Archangel Michael betrayed the other Archangels who participated in the n, leading everyone but him to die or fall into the depths of the abyss. Ka-Rang! Verserios erupted pitch-ck magic and struck against Michael¡¯s golden Sword of Judgment. Archangel Michael shuffled back as blood flowed out from his mouth. ¡°Keuk¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my opponent.¡± The rank of a Demon Lord and that of an Archangel were onpletely different levels. As Asura was about to behead Archangel Michael¡­ [Rafael, fallen angel.] A stern voice resounded in the air. ¡°¡­ Finally, the advent of the Creator.¡± The tip of Asura¡¯s mouth went up slightly. He ignored the Creator¡¯s call and swung Verserios toward Archangel Michael. Ka-Rang! Michael, who had been unable to move just a moment ago, suddenly swung the Sword of Judgment and flung Verserios away from Asura¡¯s hand. [To judge your worthiness, I will give Michael strength.] Michael settled himself and then lunged toward Asura. Ka-Rang! This time, Lilith summoned a pitch-ck de and shed against Michael¡¯s sword. Michael¡¯s sword was easily flung away from his hand. Asura used this moment to behead Michael. Chwa-Ack! With his head cut cleanly off, and dyed fountain of blood started streaming out. ¡°Was that all, Creator.¡± [Of course not.] A gap in the fabric of space-time appeared, and the pink-haired swordsmannded on the ground. Leifina. Asura¡¯s eyebrows spasmed uncontrobly when he saw her. ¡°Is she being used as a hostage as well?¡± [If you do not obey my will, her spirit soul will perish here.] Leifina brushed her legs, stood up, and stared at Asura. Asura faced her silently for a while. ¡°Give up on saving her. You¡¯ll have to sumb to the Creator to save her,¡± Lilith said from his side. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t act now and finish what we started, there¡¯s no further opportunity. Forever,¡± Lilith repeated, forcing Asura to choose. [Lilith, you¡¯re so noisy. Your role is now over.] Crack. Crack. Lilith¡¯s neck and limbs were severely bent as the Creator spoke. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Lilith groaned aloud with a pain-filled expression on her face. She tried to endure as much of the pain as possible, but she soon died helplessly from the Creator¡¯s repeated punishment. Flop. Lilith¡¯s twisted corpse rolled over on the ground. Asura, who had seen this scene unfold, took a determined step forward. ¡°L-Lord¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was no exchange of words or nces. As he passed by, Leifina fell on her knees, as if a heightened sense of tension had suddenly been loosened. ¡°¡­ I do not resent it,¡± she muttered inaudibly. If she had to sacrifice herself to bring peace to this world, if it brought her beloved man happiness, she was willing to sacrifice everything. Asura continued to approach the Ark of Knowledge. A stern voice rang out from the air again. [You are stupid.] In an instant, the surroundingndscape disappeared, and a pure white space appeared. An absolute realm dominated by the Creator¡¯s transcendent will. In this ce, even the Gods couldn¡¯t act as they pleased. However, Demon Lord Asura, who was standing leisurely in ce, spoke up, ¡°There¡¯s something you¡¯re overlooking.¡± No voice of response could be heard. Asura continued to speak, ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t give up on anything.¡± He swung Verserios. Chwa-Ah! A space-time gap was created in the space, and the surroundingndscape changed again. ¡®I have the ability to go beyond the system through my Rule Breaker ss designation and its abilities.¡¯ The irregr code that he injected into his soul when deploying the Odyssey n in the past. The irregr code followed him from his past life and avoided detection from the Creator¡¯s system. It had finally bepleted through Rule Breaker. His present self was between the gap of order and disorder. Thus, he could choose to retain both the Ark of Knowledge and Leifina. Asura jammed all of the Creator¡¯s system restrictions and took a step forward. The Creator¡¯s urgent voice rang out, [¡­ Stop it, Rafael!] ¡°Now, your time wille to an end. This world will move ording to the will of everyone. Their achievements and will won¡¯t be restricted by any dictator.¡± Woohyuk, the Demon Lord Asura, Rafael¡­ was willing and ready to put everything on the line. For the ideal that everyone pursued, to keep the promise he made with Pina at the shores of Urdarbrunn Lake. The human Woohyuk disappeared into Asura¡¯s consciousness after stating this monologue in his heart. Soon, Asura entered the Ark of Knowledge with Leifina¡­ Hwi-Ah! The celestial world was engulfed in an inexorable, pitch-ck sh. *** A high-rise building located in downtown Seoul. Woohyuk was looking down at the bustling downtown center that spread out from his window. ¡®¡­ It¡¯s peaceful.¡¯ Though everyone was busily crossing the sidewalk and cars were ring their horns everywhere, in Woohyuk¡¯s eyes, everything looked peaceful. Knock. Knock. ¡°Chairman, I brought the A Project Report.¡± A woman¡¯s voice came along with the knock. ¡°Come in.¡± Click. Rattle. Swing. A woman with pink hair in business office attire appeared with her department¡¯s hefty report in her arms. She hesitated, then opened her mouth to speak to Woohyuk. ¡°Shall I leave it on your desk?¡± ¡°No. Bring it to me, Pina.¡± Step. Step. Pina approached Woohyuk who was standing by the window. Only then did Woohyuk turned to her and ask, ¡°How was your day today?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s always the same. It¡¯s boring, but as I wander around, time quickly passes by,¡± Pina replied, shifting her reports to her side. Woohyuk stared at Pina¡¯s face and hugged her waist with her left hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you miss the Eeth Continent?¡± ¡°Honestly, I often think of it. But this world isn¡¯t bad either.¡± The two men had shared memories of their previous lives. As the Holy Grail, the power of the Demon Lord, and the Ark of Knowledge gathered in one ce, the Creator and his systempletely disappeared. A new order was created, and Woohyuk and Pina moved to the real world. They started their lives again, as the chairman and secretary of apany respectively. Of course, the people they had met and adventured with also started their new lives here, and most of them, including the 72 Demon Kings and his widework of vassals, were given key executive positions and employed in Woohyuk¡¯spany. ¡°Do you like the engagement ring?¡± ¡°¡­ I think you bought something too expensive, but personally, I don¡¯t dislike it.¡± ¡°That means you like it.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d interpret it as you pleased.¡± Pina turned her head as she hid her expression. She didn¡¯t want to openly admit that she liked the ring. Woohyuk turned her face gently with his hands and kissed her on the lips. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The two stood silent for a while. As they hugged each other and looked out the window, a knock came from outside. Knock. Knock. ¡°President, it¡¯s Tinia. Can I go in to report my work?¡± Somehow, her voice seemed to be filled with poison and wrath. There were still many disturbers in this world. Woohyuk faced Pina, smiled bitterly, and softly spoke out, ¡°Then, shall we continue our work?¡± ¡°Is the chairman buying alcohol for all of us tonight?¡± Leifina asked. ¡°Let¡¯s see our secretary¡¯s attitude and ability. I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Woohyuk answered. Days of calm. Everyday life. At the center of it, they were always together. The two burst out intoughter as they walked toward Tinia, who gently opened the door. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!